Monday, April 30, 2012
Strassel: The President Has a List - WSJ.com
Americans have rights AND the right to FREELY exercise them.
I would prefer a president with a little more class than this...
I would prefer a president with a little more class than this...
Kimberley A. Strassel explains my point in the Wall Street Journal:
"Try this thought experiment: You decide to donate money to Mitt Romney. You want change in the Oval Office, so you engage in your democratic right to send a check. Several days later, President Barack Obama, the most powerful man on the planet, singles you out by name. His campaign brands you a Romney donor, shames you for "betting against America," and accuses you of having a "less-than-reputable" record. The message from the man who controls the Justice Department (which can indict you), the SEC (which can fine you), and the IRS (which can audit you), is clear: You made a mistake donating that money. Are you worried?"
In Our Schools - in Milwaukee, WI - 5,200 Teachers - 92,691 Days Off
And this is just ONE city's School District!...
At Townhall.com, Kyle Olson reports:
"For starters, 5,200 teachers took a whopping 92,691 days off last year, for sick/personal leave, convention leave and 'incentive' leave. That level of teacher absenteeism – over 9% of the school year – resulted in $11.9 million being spent on substitute teachers.
'Step' raises – given for a teacher’s years of service, not effectiveness – cost $5.5 million last school year. 'Lump sum raises' cost another $10.4 million.
According to data received from the Milwaukee district, teachers do not contribute to their retirement or health care plans. Thus, MPS paid the full freight of those benefits for teachers – spending $56 million on pensions and roughly $128 million for health insurance."
Britain: Muslim 'Cultural Sensitivity' Runs Amok :: Gatestone Institute
"the tyranny of a majority view"!
Holy cow! Did I read that right? Apparently so.
Just wait until you read all that the Brits are doing.
I've often found that what happens in the U.K. travels to America.
Take this as a warning...
Holy cow! Did I read that right? Apparently so.
Just wait until you read all that the Brits are doing.
I've often found that what happens in the U.K. travels to America.
Take this as a warning...
Soeren Kern reports this disconcerting idea on the GatesstoneInstitute website:
"The largest university in London plans to impose a ban on the sale of alcohol on campus to accommodate the "cultural sensitivity" of its Muslim students.
London Metropolitan University's Vice Chancellor, Malcolm Gillies, says it would be unwise to "cling" to a "nostalgic" view where the vast majority wants alcohol to be available. Instead, he says that he believes the university should take account of diverging views, namely those of Muslims, who now comprise 20% of the university's 30,000 students.
'Many of our students do come from backgrounds where they actually look on drinking as a negative. We therefore need to rethink how we cater for that 21st-century balance,' Gillies declared in an interview. 'What we don't want is the tyranny of a majority view,' he added."
Sunday, April 29, 2012
2012-04-29 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, April 28, 2012
"Sun may soon have four poles, say researchers"
Could "climate change" be going the opposite of global warning?...
On the Asia & Japan Watch website, Seiji Tanaka has reported this:
"Officials of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Riken research foundation said on April 19 that the activity of sunspots appeared to resemble a 70-year period in the 17th century in which London’s Thames froze over and cherry blossoms bloomed later than usual in Kyoto."
Politicians - NY Ex-Senator Carl Kruger
More of the same from an elected official...
This was reported in the New York Post by Bob Fredericks, Josh Saul, and Dan Mangan:
"Calling himself 'broken, destroyed and disgraced' a Brooklyn politician who admitted taking $500,000 in bribes with the aid of his live-in boyfriend slumped in a courtroom chair as he was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.'I have no one to blame but myself,' ex-state Sen. Carl Kruger, 62, said in Manhattan federal court — where his lover, Dr. Michael Turano, received a two-year sentence for the same “pay-to-play” scheme that a judge called 'daggers to the heart of government.'"
Friday, April 27, 2012
EAGnews.org
A website that exposes outrageous behaviors in our education systems.
I bet there's no shortage of material...
I bet there's no shortage of material...
Kyle Olson oversees the EAGnews website:
"Education Action Group Foundation, Inc., a national organization headquartered in Michigan, has a seven-person staff. EAG is a non-partisan non-profit organization with the goal of promoting sensible education reform and exposing those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo."
"Whistleblower calls out IT giant over U.S. jobs"
Everybody is ripping America off when it comes to entering the country illegally...
John Miller recently reported on it at CBSnews.com. He begins:
"(CBS News) We've all had this happen: you call an American company's 800 number for help, and end up talking to someone in a foreign country. It's called outsourcing. American firms do it because foreign labor can be cheaper.
But now, one company is being accused of bringing those lower-paid workers to the U.S. illegally and that may be costing Americans jobs.
The allegations are the subject of a federal probe and CBS News has been investigating this story for months. The allegations have been made against a giant Indian information technology firm called Infosys. The charges are coming from inside the company, from an employee who has never spoken publicly before.
Jay Palmer is a principal consultant at the company called Infosys. He is also the whistleblower whose charges sparked the federal investigation. Palmer says Infosys, the global high-tech giant, engaged in a systematic practice of visa fraud, a charge the company denies."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
"From Sderot, an Open Letter to Gunter Grass"
The American media doesn't exactly tell "all" when it comes to Israel.
As the author says, "There is much for you to learn here"..
As the author says, "There is much for you to learn here"..
It's all in David Farer's open letter posted at PJmedia.com:
"I will be delighted to show you around Sderot for some educational sightseeing. It might do you good. You worry about what Israel might do to Iran, but I will show you what Iran has done to Israel through her ally Hamas."
Birth Certificates from Kenya
This issue is still NOT settled (at least for me).
You cannot watch this video without having at least some question on this issue.
Just consider, how many birth certificate questions are in your life?...
You cannot watch this video without having at least some question on this issue.
Just consider, how many birth certificate questions are in your life?...
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
"J. Christian Adams Testifies Before House Judiciary Subcommittee"
It seems that no one is particularly interested in having our elections be fraud free.
It sure does make you wonder...
It sure does make you wonder...
This was recently posted at PJmedia.com and there's even more:
"With over 150 counties across the nation with more voters on the rolls than could possibly be eligible to vote, the outright refusal to enforce Section 8, a provision that was part of a carefully crafted compromise by Congress in 1993, threatens the integrity of the elections in November 2012."
Government at Work - on Quarter-mile markers
In difficult financial times, this makes little sense.
I wonder just whose brother-in-law makes those markers...
I wonder just whose brother-in-law makes those markers...
W.C. Augustine reported this at RebelPundit.com:
"According to Toll officials the project will cost $563,000, or $125 per sign, which are manufactured at the Illinois Tollway Authority-owned sign shop in Naperville, Ill. A spokesman could not answer my question whether the $125 included only material costs or reflected total costs. Manufacturing experts expect the $125 to only include the cost of the post, metal sign and multiple reflective paint layers. Given that manufacturing norms are an equal amount labor costs to material costs and at least 30% overhead, the cost would most likely be nearer $330 per sign if, that is, we assume the state-run plant is as efficient as private industry."
"20 Only In America Ironies"
This may make your head spin.
It's a pretty sad listing of what's wrong in today's America...
It's a pretty sad listing of what's wrong in today's America...
At Townhall.com, John Hawkins compiled this list of:
"20 Only In America Ironies"
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
"An Apology to our next generation – 2016"
Fortunately, I don't have the burden of having voted for you know who.
Unfortunately, we may all be on the same boat anyway...
Unfortunately, we may all be on the same boat anyway...
This was recently posted by Penny4HB on the HillBuzz website. It does make a point:
"An Apology to our next generation – 2016"
Winning the War Against Women - WSJ.com
I see this "War on Women" as outdated government laws preserved by the Democratic party and the Unions.
What do you think?...
What do you think?...
The Wall Street Journal has their opinions in this recent article:
"Mr. Romney, and women, would be better off if the Republican brought this debate into the 21st century. What women need most in the economy we've got now is choice, opportunity and ownership. The Democrats want a war. Most women want a living."
Politicians - in Alemeda, C A
Geez! What the heck is going on here?...
Update! - I understand that Mrs. Lockyer has now resigned...
Recently, Daniel Borenstein wrote about this at ContraCostaTimes.com:
"It's painful watching the Lockyer family drama spin out of control.
The alcoholic 40-year-old Alameda County supervisor, who is also battling drug addiction, checks in and out of rehab, then continues to behave erratically like a typical substance abuser.
The codependent 70-year-old elected treasurer of the nation's largest state risks his four-decade political legacy trying to preserve a marriage to a woman who cheated on him with a methamphetamine addict.
Then there's their young son, who was dragged along with his mother to the Newark motel where she says her lover beat her up.
These folks need help.
None of this would be any of our business except that the adults are also elected officials whom voters placed in positions of tremendous power, charged with making critical decisions that affect millions of lives. As a result, their behaviors and their judgments are very much legitimate public concern."
Update! - I understand that Mrs. Lockyer has now resigned...
Monday, April 23, 2012
"Why Dems hate voter ID"
The reason has been obvious for quite some time, and it's not really an honorable reason...
Joseph Farah writes about it at WND.com:
"And the reason it opposes voter ID is because it makes voter fraud easier when identification is not required.
This should be self-evident to just about everyone – and actually is. Because every public opinion poll on the subject shows 70 to 80 percent of Americans in favor of voter ID laws.
Republican voters favor it. Democratic voters favor it. Whites favor it. Blacks favor it. Hispanics favor it. Men favor it. Women favor it.
Yet, the Democratic Party establishment and big majorities of Democratic members of Congress hate it."
Operation Midnight - Governments are capable of ANYTHING
Well, actually, it does come down to the people.
Unfortunately, huge government bureaucracies and questionable accountability allow bad things to happen...
Unfortunately, huge government bureaucracies and questionable accountability allow bad things to happen...
At SFweekly.com, Troy Hooper tells a story that borders on the unbelievable:
"Seymour Hersh first exposed MK-ULTRA in a New York Times article in 1974 that documented CIA illegalities, including the use of its own citizens as guinea pigs in games of war and espionage. John Marks expertly chronicled more of the operation in his 1979 book, The Search for the Manchurian Candidate. There have been other reports on the CIA's doping of civilians, but they have mostly dished about activities in New York City. Accounts of what actually occurred in San Francisco have been sparse and sporadic. But newly declassified CIA records, recent interviews, and a personal diary of an operative at Stanford Special Collections shed more light on the breadth of the San Francisco operation."
Sunday, April 22, 2012
2012-04-22 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Why Your Highway Has Potholes - WSJ.com
This fits my government at work (wasting money) category.
Don't miss "8,074 Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees made $100,000 or more" in New York City alone...
Don't miss "8,074 Metropolitan Transportation Authority employees made $100,000 or more" in New York City alone...
The Wall Street Journal includes this in their recent opinion column:
"Even with a recent 2.3% gain in bus and rail use due to high gas prices, public transit still accounts for a mere 2% of all inner-city trips and closer to 1% outside of New York.
Since 1982 government mass-transit subsidies have totaled $750 billion (in today's dollars), yet the share of travelers using transit has fallen by nearly one-third, according to Heritage Foundation transportation expert Wendell Cox. Federal data indicate that in 2010 in most major cities more people walked to work or telecommuted than used public transit.
Brookings Institution economist Cliff Winston finds that 'the cost of building rail systems is notorious for exceeding expectations, while ridership levels tend to be much lower than anticipated.' He calculates that the only major U.S. rail system in which the benefits outweigh the government subsidies is San Francisco's BART, and no others are close to break-even."
"Why We Need Voter-ID Laws Now"
Funny, because it's the Attorney General, but sad.
I doubt even this will change the mind of a certain group...
I doubt even this will change the mind of a certain group...
John Fund writes about voter fraud and voter-ID at NationalReview.com:
"'From voter fraud to election chicanery of all kinds, America teeters on the edge of scandal every November,' says Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and author of a comprehensive survey of voter fraud called 'Dirty Little Secrets.' The fact that so many people want to thwart legitimate and prudent efforts to improve ballot integrity has become a scandal in its own right. Attorney General Holder is unlikely to agree with that, but after what happened at his polling place last Tuesday, he should at least understand that voter fraud itself is a scandal worth investigating."
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Buffett Tax Loss - WSJ.com
The Wall Street Journal recently exposed the truths:
"The case for the Buffett tax keeps eroding. When President Obama announced the idea, he said it would help 'stabilize our debt and deficits over the next decade.' Then came the inconvenient revelation that the new 30% millionaire's tax would raise only $46.7 billion over 10 years, and would leave about 99.5% of the deficit intact in 2013. It was a far cry from 'stabilizing the debt.' Now we learn that the Buffett tax the Senate is expected to vote on early next week will make the deficit worse."
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Politicians - Labor Secretary Hilda Solis
I can't imagine that it's correct for a currently serving government official to take part in activities like this...
At DailyCaller.com, Matthew Boyle begins his reporting with this:
"President Barack Obama’s labor secretary, Hilda Solis, has authorized new posters in elevators throughout the Department of Labor’s Washington, D.C. headquarters building. The posters feature a photo of her marching in protest alongside the Rev. Jesse Jackson and MSNBC television host Rev. Al Sharpton, among others.
The photo depicts Solis acting as an emissary of the Obama administration protesting against Alabama’s strict new law combating illegal immigration. Solis has her arms locked with Sharpton, and Jackson is a few feet away. The poster also carries a message for federal government employees — who are traditionally expected to be apolitical in the performance of their duties."
"Wind power does not help to avert climate change"
I'm sure wind power has it's niche, but as far as climate change, it will only make a very costly slight insignificant dent...
The Economic Times recntly posted this in their story about wind power:
"With its '20-20-20' policy, the EU has promised that, by 2020, it will cut its carbon emissions by 20% below 1990 levels, and increase reliance on renewables by 20%. For the UK, this needs a dramatic rise in wind power, especially offshore.
This will be surprisingly costly. The UK Carbon Trust estimates that the cost of expanding wind turbines to 40 gigawatts, in order to provide 31% of electricity by 2020, could run as high as £75 billion ($120 billion).
And the benefits, in terms of tackling global warming, would be measly: a reduction of just 86 megatons of CO2 per year for two decades. In terms of averted rise in temperature, this would be completely insignificant. Using a standard climate model, by 2100, the UK's huge outlay will have postponed global warming by just over 10 days.
Moreover, this estimate is undoubtedly too optimistic."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
"The Incredibly Thin, Speculative Zimmerman Affidavit"
At PJmedia.com, Bob Owens looks closely at the prosecutor and the basis for the arrest:
"The four-page affidavit of probable cause filed by Corey’s office shocked legal experts, ranging from liberal Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and liberal law blogger Jeralyn Merritt to conservative former prosecutor Andrew McCarthy and talk show host Mark Levin, among others."
"Oblivious to the Obvious"
People are still looking at a certain birth certificate.
And they're pointing out some very phony aspects.
This is looking more and more like a classic representation of the "emperor has no clothes"...
And they're pointing out some very phony aspects.
This is looking more and more like a classic representation of the "emperor has no clothes"...
At AmericanThinker.com, Nick Chase begins with this and then shows a few pictures that make it REALLY clear:
"So last summer, I wondered if there would be some way to demonstrate that this 'birth certificate' is indeed a fake, just by looking at the document itself and without resorting to computer software or to any knowledge about how computers produce documents. And, after studying it for a while, I realized that the forgery fails the 'pitch test.'
This is a check you can perform yourself, without fancy software of any kind -- or even a computer -- once you have printed out the forgery onto a piece of paper. Even a six-year-old with scissors and the paper image can perform, and understand, this test. (In other words, the test is simple enough that even a dumbass journalist can understand it.)"
About those unemployment numbers
Don 't be fooled by the unemployment percentage...
At Townhall.com, Mike Shedlock explains:
"Those 'Not in Labor Force' increased by 310,000. If you are not in the labor force, you are not counted as unemployed.
Those 'Not in Labor Force' is at a new record high of 87,897,000.
By the Household Survey, the number of people employed fell by 31,000.
By the Household Survey, over the course of the last year, the number of people employed rose by 2,270,000.
Participation Rate fell .1 to 63.8%
Were it not for people dropping out of the labor force, the unemployment rate would be well over 11%."
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Meanwhile - in Norway's Jail
Scandinavian countries are quite liberal.
I guess it works for them...
I guess it works for them...
Kristine Lowe and Charlotte Henley report in the U.K. Daily Mail:
"Last year Anders Breivik killed 77 people; now it's room service, his own suite and Japanese meditation.
Breivik enjoys a ‘suite’ of three adjoining 86 sq ft cells. One is a bedroom, one the gym and the third has a computer – without internet access – and serves as a study.
Randi Rosenqvist, a court psychiatrist who has assessed Breivik’s mental health, has said he has compared his time in prison with being in ‘kindergarten’.
Indeed, the leniency with which he is being treated has outraged some in Norway but is, in fact, entirely in keeping with the country’s penal system, one of the most ‘progressive’ in Europe. The focus is on rehabilitation rather than punishment."
"'Green' GM stumbles again"
People are still sniping at General Motors and their cars.
I agree with the writer that GM would do things differently (better) if they weren't tangled in the government web...
I agree with the writer that GM would do things differently (better) if they weren't tangled in the government web...
At DailyCaller.com, Mickey Kaus begins his post with this:
"Sorry, shareholders taxpayers! Car & Driver compared six family sedans, including the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Toyota Camry, plus the new Chevy Malibu and a VW Passat, the GM-killer sedan built at a non-UAW factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Results: The non-union VW came in first. The new Malibu came in last. …"
"Muslim Gangs Terrorize Denmark"
Is this what we're in for?...
Soeren Kern has the story and background at RadicalIslam.org:
"More than 140 Muslim gang members were arrested in Denmark after they tried to raid a courthouse where two fellow Muslims are being tried for attempted murder.
The Muslims -- all members of criminal street gangs that have taken over large parts of Danish towns and cities -- were wearing masks and bullet-proof vests and throwing rocks and bottles as they tried to force their way into the district courthouse in Glostrup, a heavily Islamized suburb of Copenhagen, on March 6.
Police used batons and pepper spray to fend off the gang members, who were armed with an arsenal of 20 different types of weapons, including crowbars, darts, hammers, knives, screwdrivers and wooden clubs."
Monday, April 16, 2012
Politicians - U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
I guess they think rules are for "other" people.
Not to mention, this happened before...
Not to mention, this happened before...
Steve Kraske and Dave Helling write about it at KansasCity.com:
"The bank that loaned the Kansas City congressman and his wife $1.3 million in 2002 to buy the Grandview Auto Wash at 12204 Blue Ridge Extension is now demanding payment of more than $1.5 million, after the Cleavers repeatedly fell behind on repaying the loan.
The suit, filed last week in Jackson County Circuit Court, said the demand for repayment came after three attempts to delay foreclosure. Bank of America also is seeking attorney’s fees and a receiver to protect collateral."
"Manipulating Death: The Nation’s Grievance Industry"`
I believe that there are those who are trapped in their past; and, as a result, are far too quick to see things as race related.
Of course, those same people clearly have something to gain (notoriety, money, or votes) from such behavior....
Of course, those same people clearly have something to gain (notoriety, money, or votes) from such behavior....
At PJmedia.com, Joe R. Hicks writes about the issue:
"These bizarre, racially inflammatory outbursts come at a time when the nation is led by a black president, there is significant black presence in the White House, and Obama’s attorney general is a black man. Some of these hackneyed claims of raw, unfettered racism would have sounded absurd and outdated even at the end of the 1970s. Yet, with a straight face, these race-hustlers — some still captives of another era — would like us to believe that George Zimmerman was acting as an agent of Jim Crow-era race policies when he shot Treyvon Martin.
The recurring claim made by an assortment of black leaders is that the lives of black youths are virtually worthless. This was the theme of a recent Time magazine article by Toure, who sets out to instruct black adults on how they should talk about the Martin killing with black youths. He starts by saying they should be told: 'It’s unlikely, but possible that you could get killed today. … Or any day.'
Revealing the settings of his own racial compass, even the nation’s president seemingly bought into that perspective. At a Rose Garden press conference, President Obama mused: 'You know, if I had a son, he’d look like Treyvon.' Meaning exactly what?
Obama’s racial instincts aren’t surprising. He’s shown a disturbing tendency to whip out the race card."
"GAO: Banks Paying Back TARP with Federal Money"
Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Robbing the taxpayer to pay back the taxpayer.
Was that you that just screamed?...
Robbing the taxpayer to pay back the taxpayer.
Was that you that just screamed?...
Elizabeth MacDonald reported this gem at FoxBusiness.com:
"The Government Accountability Office says in a new report that banks that have repaid the Treasury Department's TARP bailout program did so with funds they received from other federal rescue programs.
The GAO’s finding undercuts the Treasury’s prior statements that effectively assert the Troubled Asset Relief Program has earned a profit for taxpayers. Specifically, the GAO says that, according to its new review, 'as of January 31, 2012, 341 institutions had exited,' TARP, almost half by repaying...with funds from other federal programs.'"
Sunday, April 15, 2012
2012-04-15 - Words of Wisdom
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Architecture Design, Home Design, Interior Design
People are really clever, aren't they.
Here are some examples...
Here are some examples...
Government at Work - Taking care of our money
And they can't agree on whose job it is?...
Del Quentin Wilber and Robert O’Harrow recently reported this in the Washington Post:
"The private contractors and government employees skimmed millions from the Army Corps of Engineers in what authorities have described as one of the most brazen contracting scams in federal government history.
From 2007 through September, the contractors and two program managers at the Army Corps inflated $25 million in contract orders by $20 million — pocketing the proceeds to buy cars, flat-screen televisions and expensive jewelry, federal prosecutors allege.
So where was the oversight? And how did the scam go on for so long?"
Friday, April 13, 2012
Meanwhile - in Switzerland
Interesting, for sure...
The BBC website recently reported:
"Swiss voters reject longer holidays in referendum"
In 2008 it was "Pipeline Yes"
Apparently, it depends which way the wind is blowing.
That's code for political expediency...
That's code for political expediency...
Thursday, April 12, 2012
"Republicans: Black America's True Friend"
Telling it like it is...
That's what Lloyd Marcus does at AmericanThinker.com:
"My frustration comes from the knowledge that those claiming to have black America's empowerment and best interest at heart are the 'elephant in the room' problem. They lie to black America. Who are 'they'? They are Democrats committed to keeping blacks viewing themselves as victims. They are racist, bitter black politicians with huge chips on their shoulders, seeking eternal 'payback' for America's original sin of slavery. These black politicians are rewarded by the Democrats for delivering black votes.
So there you have it, black America: these are your so-called advocates. And how do they help you? They lie to you. They tell you that 70% of black youths dropping out of high school is not your fault. They tell you that prisons filled with black males is not their fault. They tell you that 80% of black kids growing up without a father is not your fault. They tell you that black genocide -- half of black pregnancies ending in abortion -- is not your fault.
They tell you that English is too difficult to learn and that standards must be lowered. They tell you that blacks who speak correct English are traitors trying to be white. They tell you that despite the fact that showing proper ID is required to board an airplane and a gazillion other things, requiring ID to vote will disenfranchise blacks. Thus, their message is that blacks are too stupid to acquire ID."
Polls - We need to know this about them
My post doesn't have so much to do with this story as it does with the two paragraphs I'm showing below.
The lesson is to understand that polls are often designed to extract answers that serve a particular purpose or agenda.
Many are not even worth a minute of our time...
The lesson is to understand that polls are often designed to extract answers that serve a particular purpose or agenda.
Many are not even worth a minute of our time...
In this article by Dave Andrusko at NationalRightToLifeNews.com are these telling paragraphs:
"'Having paid for many polls myself on behalf of The Wall Street Journal, I know that the questions are worked out between the client and the professional polling firm, giving the sponsor final say over exactly what is being measured. Influence over the question obviously gives you influence over the answer...'
'Some polls are manipulative by design, and almost all press releases on polls exaggerate by trying to draw headline-making conclusions. Reporters and editors have to as careful as possible to define just what is being measured, how it compares to other measures, and what the margin of error is.'"
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
In Our Schools - Cheating to look good
Our school systems are a tangled mess.
Together, elected officials, governments, and unions have, so far, been unable to solve the many problems of education.
Money, power, and yes, votes have become the real goals, and many children suffer because of that...
Together, elected officials, governments, and unions have, so far, been unable to solve the many problems of education.
Money, power, and yes, votes have become the real goals, and many children suffer because of that...
Heather Vogell, John Perry and Alan Judd and M.B. Pell combined on this informative article for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"The newspaper analyzed test results for 69,000 public schools and found high concentrations of suspect math or reading scores in school systems from coast to coast. The findings represent an unprecedented examination of the integrity of school testing.
The analysis doesn’t prove cheating. But it reveals that test scores in hundreds of cities followed a pattern that, in Atlanta, indicated cheating in multiple schools.
A tainted and largely unpoliced universe of untrustworthy test results underlies bold changes in education policy, the findings show. The tougher teacher evaluations many states are rolling out, for instance, place more weight than ever on tests.
Perhaps more important, the analysis suggests a broad betrayal of schoolchildren across the nation. As Atlanta learned after cheating was uncovered in half its elementary and middle schools last year, falsified test results deny struggling students access to extra help to which they are entitled, and erode confidence in a vital public institution."
"Blacks Enslaved by Left, Argues New Film"
I'd like to think that, sooner or later, the black community understands what's really going on...
At PJmedia.com, Rebecca Cusey writes about a movie with a message:
"Around 200 people gathered in a D.C. theater last night to watch the Washington premiere of Runaway Slave, a documentary by African-American Tea Party activist Rev. C. L. Bryant that encourages the black community to rethink its 95 percent voting rate for the Democratic Party.
Drawing on the history and language of slavery, the film argues that the Democratic Party and the welfare state are the new version of the slave-holding plantation, keeping black people mentally enslaved."
"The story behind Carlton’s amazing season in 1972"
The 2012 baseball season is underway, and Jon Caroulis of the Philadelphia Daily News takes the time to remind us of a season 50 years ago...
Jon Caroulis begins his article with this teaser:
"It was all so typical. On July 23, 1972, the Phillies were playing the Dodgers in Los Angeles when - deep in the game - lefthander Steve Carlton was hanging on to a shutout. But the Phillies weren't scoring, a common occurrence that year. The season was barely half over and the club was already 24 games out of first place, owners of the worst record in baseball: an abysmal 30-57.
Then, in the seventh inning, a miracle:"
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
"Zimmerman family challenges Holder on New Black Panthers, says no arrests ‘based solely on your race’"
Now, to say the least, THIS is heavy duty...
Matthew Boyle reports on it at DailyCaller.com. Here's just part of it:
"The family member believes the reason Holder hasn’t made those arrests is because he, like the members of the New Black Panther Party, is black.
“I am writing you to ask you why, when the law of the land is crystal clear, is your office not arresting the New Black Panthers for hate crimes?” the family member wrote to Holder.
“The Zimmerman family is in hiding because of the threats that have been made against us, yet the DOJ has maintained an eerie silence on this matter. These threats are very public. If you haven’t been paying attention just do a Google search and you will find plenty. Since when can a group of people in the United States put a bounty on someone’s head, circulate Wanted posters publicly, and still be walking the streets?”"
"MOMENT OF CLARITY: Let Lying Dogs Sleep"
I guess the conventional wisdom is that Congressman Stupak got snookered.
I disagree.
I doubt anyone in politics (if only for five minutes) could be that naive.
If you think otherwise, I have a bridge to sell you...
I disagree.
I doubt anyone in politics (if only for five minutes) could be that naive.
If you think otherwise, I have a bridge to sell you...
Tim Nerenz asks us to remember this and reviews how dishonest politicians can be:
"If you recall, then-congressman Stupak’s rebellion was put down when President Obama personally assured him that an Executive Order would be issued which would disallow government abortion funding and mandates on religious organizations. Mr. Stupak returned to the floor of the House from his meeting with the President to vote for the bill, reading a note explaining his flip-flop with all the conviction of a POW apologizing for war crimes while the out-of-frame guns are pointed at his head.
The President’s word of honor did not even make it to the end of Stupak’s successor’s first term; he managed to offend the Church, trample the Constitution, and sully his own character in one single act of stupidity when he broke his promise to Bart and ordered Catholic charities to buy contraceptive services for their employees."
"Whistleblower Lawsuit: Planned Parenthood in Texas Filed Millions in Fraudulent Medicaid Claims"
There are too many stories like this concerning Planned Parenthood.
It's time to seriously look into exactly what they do...
It's time to seriously look into exactly what they do...
Dr. Susan Berry writes about them at Breitbart.com:
"The lawsuit, filed by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), on behalf of former Planned Parenthood clinic director, Abby Johnson, accused Planned Parenthood of submitting over 87,000 'false, fraudulent, or ineligible claims for Medicaid reimbursements' under Title XIX, in association with the Texas Women’s Health Program.
The Medicaid claims, filed between 2007 and 2009, were valued at more than $5.7 million. The lawsuit alleges that Planned Parenthood knowingly committed Medicaid fraud by 'improperly seeking reimbursements from the Texas Women’s Health Program for products and services not reimbursable by that program.'"
Monday, April 09, 2012
The Media - NBC News Fires Editgate Producer
The media reports the news as it desires it to be.
It is wise to be very careful before reacting or forming an opinion based on their selective and often faulty reporting.
We are very fortunate that this "misleading story" did not lead to race riots...
It is wise to be very careful before reacting or forming an opinion based on their selective and often faulty reporting.
We are very fortunate that this "misleading story" did not lead to race riots...
John Sexton wrote this at Breitbart.com:
"It is likely that, if not for conservative new media, the misleading edit, which inflamed racial tensions in the Martin case, and which was repeated by Stetler's own New York Times, would have gone unnoticed and uncorrected. As it is, the producer responsible for the edit at Today has been fired, but the individual who made the same edit to the earlier MSNBC story (since corrected) has not been identified or disciplined. Nor has anyone at any other outlet or network -- many of which made similar selective editing choices -- been punished."
Let's get real about crime in America
There have been many articles stimulated by recent events in Sanford, FL.
Here's one that calls attention to the underlying problem...
Here's one that calls attention to the underlying problem...
At Townhall.com, Pat Buchanan wrote:
"...And it is about an irreconcilable conflict of visions about what the real America is in the year 2012.
Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon, we are told. And perhaps he did.
But why? What did George Zimmerman, self-styled protector of his gated community, see that night from the wheel of his SUV?
He saw a male. And males are 90 percent of prison inmates. He saw a stranger over 6 feet tall. And he saw a black man or youth with a hood over his head.
Why would this raise Zimmerman's antennae?
Perhaps because black males between 16 and 36, though only 2 to 3 percent of the population, are responsible for a third of all our crimes.
In some cities, 40 percent of all black males are in jail or prison, on probation or parole, or have criminal records. This is not a product of white racism but of prosecutions and convictions of criminal acts."
Sunday, April 08, 2012
2012-04-08 - Easter Day
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Government at Work - in Las Vegas
Well, it IS the gambling capital...
The Write on Nevada blog recently had this post and story:
"Government math: Las Vegas spends $185 million to save $400,000 a year in energy costs"
Politicians - U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks
Will we ever see an end to corrupt elected officials?...
Mike Shedlock tells about this one at Townhall.com:
"At long last, and only out of fear of what is in FBI records on the PMA Group, Norm Dicks decided to throw in the towel and step aside at the end of his term."
Friday, April 06, 2012
"Blood test gives three-week warning of a heart attack"
Science and medicine are always finding something new.
It's a good thing...
It's a good thing...
Fiona MacRae recently reported about it on the U.K. Daily Mail website:
"A simple and inexpensive test that can spot a heart attack waiting to happen could be available next year.
Scientists say they are very close to the ‘holy grail of heart medicine’ – a rapid blood test that will pick up if someone is on the cusp of a heart attack.
These patients could then be given drugs to thin their blood and prevent the heart attack."
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Another $17 TRILLION surprise found in Obamacare
Wasn't this the bill no one had time to even read?
Our elected officials are all out of control.
They are destroying the fabric and future of America.
I think we should vote them ALL out...
Our elected officials are all out of control.
They are destroying the fabric and future of America.
I think we should vote them ALL out...
DailyCaller.com's Neil Munro reports this:
"The hidden shortfall between new Obamacare spending and new Obamacare taxes was revealed just after Supreme Court judges grilled the law’s supporters about its compliance with the constitution’s limits on government activity. If the judges don’t strike down the law, Obamacare will force taxpayers find another $17 trillion to pay for Obamacare’s spending.
The $17 trillion in extra promises was revealed by an analysis of the law’s long-term requirements. The additional obligations, when combined with existing Medicare and Medicaid funding shortfalls, leaves taxpayers on the hook for an extra $82 trillion over the next 75 years.
The federal government already owes $15 trillion in debt, including $5 trillion in funds borrowed during Obama’s term."
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
The Media - Biased, Incompetent, or Both
So, you tell me if the media is guilty of causing undue racial problems because of their sloppy investigations and reporting?
First, ABC News claimed no indication of any injuries to George Zimmerman.
Now, after that was shown all over the country, they decide this...
And NBC News left out a very significant part of George Zimmerman's 911 call and published the bad info nationally...
And then there is the actual police report that shows almost everything that the race baiters are complaining about to be NOT true...
And as long as I'm at it, let's read this takedown of the so-called forensic audio expert(s)...
First, ABC News claimed no indication of any injuries to George Zimmerman.
Now, after that was shown all over the country, they decide this...
P J Media has the story with pictures:
"ABC Re-Releases Zimmerman Video, Showing ‘Gashes or Welts’ On His Head"
And NBC News left out a very significant part of George Zimmerman's 911 call and published the bad info nationally...
Meenal Vamburkar reports about it at Mediaite.com:
"NBC News has completed the internal investigation into the edited tape of George Zimmerman’s 911 call, which was aired on Today. The network admitted an “error” and apologized to viewers."
And then there is the actual police report that shows almost everything that the race baiters are complaining about to be NOT true...
Dylan Stablefortd has that story on the Yahoo! news site:
"Trayvon Martin police report reveals details from scene of shooting; Zimmerman was ‘bleeding from the nose and back of head’"
And as long as I'm at it, let's read this takedown of the so-called forensic audio expert(s)...
Tom Maguire has plenty to say about this guy on the JustOneMinute blog:
"The Self-Refuting Expert Witness The Orlando Sentinel Is Touting"
"Supreme Court upholds voter ID law"
And it happened back in 2008.
Now, somehow, it has become an issue again.
I'm confused. Are you?...
Now, somehow, it has become an issue again.
I'm confused. Are you?...
The Let Freedom Ring website has the news as reported by the Associated Press in 2008:
"The Supreme Court ruled that states can require voters to produce photo identification without violating their constitutional rights, validating Republican-inspired voter ID laws.
In a splintered 6-3 ruling, the court upheld Indiana’s strict photo ID requirement, which Democrats and civil rights groups said would deter poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots. Its backers said it was needed to prevent fraud."
Border Security vs Your Grandmother?
Maybe you can guess what this is?...
At DailyCaller.com, Mickey Kaus wanted us to see how secure our southern border really is:
"Joke fence: Here”s some of the 700 miles of border fence the Obama administration takes credit for. 'Your grandma could get over or under,' notes Mark Krikorian"
Meanwhile - in the U.K. - Hiding the Father's Name?
Many U.K. ideas find their way to the U.S.
Maybe this one already has. I don't really know.
Babies have fathers. That's a fact. Should we "hide" it?...
Maybe this one already has. I don't really know.
Babies have fathers. That's a fact. Should we "hide" it?...
James Chapman recently reported on this in the U.K. Daily Mail, calling it "radical":
"Radical changes to the law to require fathers’ names to be included on birth certificates are being blocked by the Liberal Democrats."
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
"What If Oil and Natural Gas Are Renewable Resources?"
I'm not fond of "what if" scenarios; however, this one has a bit of substance behind it.
Unfortunately, the swamp of money and politics is likely in the way...
Unfortunately, the swamp of money and politics is likely in the way...
At AmericanThinker.com, Greg Lewis reports on what may be:
"The evidence is mounting that not only do we have more than a century's worth of recoverable oil in the United States alone (even if there is a limit to the earth's oil supply), but that we also actually have a limitless supply of Texas tea because oil is in fact a renewable resource that is being constantly created deep under the earth's surface and which rises upward, where microscopic organisms that thrive in the intense pressure and heat miles below us interact with and alter it.
In other words, we have an unending supply of oil, some of which is constantly migrating upward from the depths at which it is created to refill existing oil deposits, and much more of which remains far below the surface. This oil can be recovered using existing technology."
Government at Work - on swimming pool lifts
I bet you didn't know this...
At WashingtonExaminer.com, Conn Carroll brings us up-to-date on this:
"On Jan. 31 of this year, DOJ granted the industry's call for a clarification: But it was not the answer they wanted. All 300,000 public pools in the United States must install a permanent fixed lift."PS - I read somewhere that an extension has been granted...
Anti-Gun Groups Silent on Fast and Furious
Here's a story that (I think) exposes some hypocrisy.
It seems to me that if you are for OR against something, you should be ALL IN.
If you're NOT, I doubt your sincerity and have no time for you...
It seems to me that if you are for OR against something, you should be ALL IN.
If you're NOT, I doubt your sincerity and have no time for you...
Bob Owens writes about it at PJmedia.com:
"The Brady Campaign, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Mayors Against Illegal Guns have refused repeated requests by PJ Media for comment on the hundreds of Mexican citizens believed murdered with firearms provided by the Obama administration.
Operation Fast and Furious involved a coalition of federal agencies facilitating the sale of more than 2,000 firearms to known drug cartel straw purchasers. At times, federal agents ran interference for cartel weapon smugglers, thwarting local law enforcement. The operation collapsed when a number of agents came forward as whistleblowers following the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, dead following a shootout with a cartel group led by an FBI informant.
Mexico Attorney General Marisela Morales has stated that at least 300 murders can be attributed to weapons provided through Operation Fast and Furious, which would make it the deadliest scandal ever involving a U.S. administration."
Monday, April 02, 2012
Fukushima and the Future of Nuclear Power - WSJ.com
Time and again we seem to learn of "conventional wisdoms" or long time beliefs that are not so true.
It would be interesting to go back and see how those beliefs came to be and WHO made money off of them.
I suspect we have been SOLD on many such things without due skepticism...
It would be interesting to go back and see how those beliefs came to be and WHO made money off of them.
I suspect we have been SOLD on many such things without due skepticism...
William Tucker has this somewhat surprising story at the Wall Street Journal website:
"There's no evidence that low doses of radiation are harmful and no reason to paralyze our economy out of fear of nuclear power."
"What goes up and comes down, must be blamed on Israel"
Winning the propaganda war is a big part of what goes on in the Middle East.
Faked photos AND faked stories are significant weapons in the attempt to influence world opinion.
Our media is frequently (perhaps willingly) duped by some of it...
Faked photos AND faked stories are significant weapons in the attempt to influence world opinion.
Our media is frequently (perhaps willingly) duped by some of it...
William A. Jacobson describes a recent one at LegalInsurrection.com:
"The account was questioned far an wide, as reported at Elder of Ziyon and Challah Hu Akbar. Turns out if was friendly fire."
Government Spending our Money - on a bullet train to Las Vegas
Here we are again with a "great sounding" idea, subsidized with taxpayer money.
Unfortunately, successes in this area are few and far between.
See what you think about this one...
Unfortunately, successes in this area are few and far between.
See what you think about this one...
The U.K. Daily Mail is the source of this story:
"In a dusty, rock-strewn expanse at the edge of the Mojave Desert, a company wants to build a bullet train that would rocket tourists from the middle of nowhere to the gambling palaces of Las Vegas.
DesertXpress was on the verge of landing a $4.9 billion loan from the Obama administration to build the 150 mph train, which could be a lifeline for a region devastated by the housing crash.
The vast park-and-ride project hinged on the untested idea that car-loving Californians will drive about 100 miles from the Los Angeles area, pull off busy Interstate 15 and board a train for the final leg to the Vegas strip."
