Thousands Gather to Protest Global Warming

Drunk? Or on Drugs? You Decide.

The Senate Health Care travesty is bad enough, But to think that it was the product of inebriation .... Why should be we be surprised?

Stoddard Released Pending Appeal

"Sticky Fingers" Stoddard, the Maricopa County, Arizona, courtroom deputy who brazenly lifted papers from a defense attorney's file is out of jail pending appeal. In the meantime, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has filed criminal charges ... against the judge who incarcerated the sticky-fingered deputy. It is reported that the prosecutor acting with Sheriff Joe had a hard time justifying the charges in a press conference, apparently acknowledging that there is no actual evidence that the judge he charged as done anything wrong (at least according to the New Times reporter). Read about the criminal charges and press conference here.

The saga continues. Stay tuned.

House and Senate Health Bills Compared

Here is a comparison of the Senate bill and the House bill both of which promise to destroy health care freedom in the United States.

Coal in the Stocking

The Senate passed the health care disaster last night to destroy health care freedom in America. All Democrats and independents in the Senate voted in favor and all Republicans voted against it.

As for the Democrats and independents: Defeat Them. All.

No mercy at the polls. We will remember.

The Ant and the Grasshopper (The Age of Obama Version)

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well-fed while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC, ABC and CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing,“It’s Not Easy Being Green.”

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news stations film the group singing,“We Shall Overcome.” Then the Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake.

President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper’s plight. Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper. The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn’t maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug-related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle (once prosperous and peaceful) neighborhood. The entire country collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful who you vote for in 2010.

(Stolen from Columbus Dispatch comments on the Senate's Obamacare passage.)

Obama's Lie of the Year: Death Panels

It turns out that the death panel is back in Harry Reid's cash-for-corruptocrats health care bill. It is called: "Independent Payment Advisory Board."

The latest flap is about trying to make this death panel's decision unreviewable as a practical matter. Sen. Harry Reid proposes to require a super-majority vote to review any board decision on rationing health care.

Can you say, "Death panel?"

Unethical Health Care Deals

Seven state attorneys general are now investigating Harry Reid's cash for cloture corruption.

The problem is that even if the deals are "legal" and do not violate written rules of ethics, they are still unethical and immoral from the good government sense.

Sherrod Brown remains silent on cash-for-cloture deals. Maybe he can't figure out what is going on. He really does not seem too swift.

For a recent column on the corrupt deals, read Michelle Malkin.

Update: There are eight attorneys general investigating the unethical deals.

Global Warming Update: Frigid Weather Kills 79

AFP Reports: 79 killed in Poland from Winter freeze.

Of course isolated cold weather does not tell the whole story. But how dumb do you have to be to still believe in global warming after 11 straight years of global cooling?

Really.

Update: Interestingly, the Climategate emails actually discuss this problem. The so-called scientists are baffled by that fact that their theories cannot account for the reality of falling temperatures. Their solution seems to be to find a way to make the data fit their theories, rather than the other way around (which would be the true scientific approach).

Climate Change (er, Global Warming) Buffoons

Here is the reaction to President Obama's Copenhagen speech fresh from the U.K.

If there were not $45trillion of Western citizens’ money at stake, this would be the funniest moment in world history. What a bunch of buffoons. Not since Neville Chamberlain tugged a Claridge’s luncheon bill from his pocket and flourished it on the steps of the aircraft that brought him back from Munich has a worthless scrap of paper been so audaciously hyped. There was one good moment at Copenhagen, though: some seriously professional truncheon work by Danish Plod on the smellies. Otherwise, this event is strictly for Hans Christian Andersen.

Read it all in the U.K. Guardian

Dump Sherrod Brown

Ohioans have a very poor Democratic Senator, Senator Sherrod Brown. As far as I have been able to tell, he has never had a real (i.e., non-government) job in his life. There is a Sherrod Brown FAQ at a blog called "Dump that Moron Sherrod Brown."

Let us hope he gets defeated at the next opportunity. He is so far left, that on all public policy issues, he is beyond reasoning with. He is a complete statist. He is bad news.

Frankly, I get the impression that he is not very bright, either.

Climategate Exposes Serious Scientist Flaws

The more I read about Climategate, the more obvious it becomes that the so-called scientists involved in creating the global warming hysteria have behaved in some very anti-scientific ways. Sometimes science can prove something that turns out, after further analysis and review (for which the original raw data is VITAL), to be seriously mistaken.

Scientific facts are not determined by consensus, but by rigorous critical analysis after serious study. Climategate has exposed the raw nerve of scientist grand-standing. There is an excellent analysis of the state of the ever evolving Climategate scandal at the Weekly Standard.

Every Climategate denier should read it.

The War On Christmas

I was forwarded this Muslim-written blog piece about the politically-correct crowd's war on Christmas. A sample:

I believe that replacing “Merry Christmas” with “Happy holidays” is an attack on Christianity for the simple reason that it is. First, you ignore the fact that there are a billion Christians and over a billion Muslims on this planet earth who observe this holiday. Secondly, you are simply disrespecting those whose teachings and values you don‘t like. Haven’t you heard the phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season”?

Read it all.

It is good to see that the politically correct attack on Christmas is obvious to those of other religions.

Thank you Mahmoud.

Peer Review of Global Warming Scientific Skepticism

Global warming religionists have become fond of the claim that there are no peer reviewed scientific studies questioning global warming. That is false.

Here is a list of 450 critical peer-reviewed studies critical of man made global warming.

h/t John R. Lott

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

December 7, 1941. Remember.

Moron of the Day: Barbara Boxer

Barbara Boxer is a woman with the ugliest pubic personality of any politician in recent memory, including her berating of a military man who called her "Ma'am" rather than "Senator." She has an ego that just will not quit. As an examplar of a global warming religionist, she wants to kill the messenger, calling "climategate" awkwardly phrased, "e-mail-theft-gate."

The theory seems to be that global warming is not a fraud unless the damning evidence is legally obtained.

What a dunce. And we have California to blame for her. And Nancy Pelosi. And Maxine Waters. Is there something in the water there the breeds mental instability?

Global Warming Report

Houston braces for its earliest snowfall ever.

Courtroom Deputy Refuses to Apologize.-- Update: Deputy Jailed

On November 6, I reported on the Maricopa County courtroom deputy who violated the trust we lawyers have in courtroom personnel when he snooped in a criminal defense lawyer's file. After a hearing, the deputy was held in contempt and ordered to jail unless he purged the contempt by holding a press conference and apologizing for his actions.

He held the press conference all right, but refused to apologize.

Update: The courtroom deputy, Adam Stoddard, is jailed. Report here.

Contrary to the statements of Deputy Stoddard's union brothers, Deputy Stoddard's actions were reprehensible and unlawful. There appears to be a stand-off brewing in Phoenix. The administrative judge needs to address Sheriff Arpaio and tell him in no uncertain terms what sort of conduct is acceptable in the Maricopa County courtrooms.

For the Climategate Deniers

Hide the decline!

It's Christmas, Stupid!

Gun Control Defined

Jihadists Among Us

In case you can't read the sign on a Texas mall store window on Emy the Immigrant's blog, it says:

We will be closed on Friday September 11, 2009 to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Ali (A.S.)

Can someone explain to me why anyone would shop there? Ever?

If these jerks are not citizens, deport them. If they are citizens, vote with dollars. Put them out of business.

Military Bases as Gun Free Zones

When it comes to gun rights, is the anything dumber, more counterintuitive, than making military bases gun free zones?

As the writer of the linked letter to Stars and Stripes calls it, military bases are "victim disarmament zones."

Why are guns prohibited on military bases? Don't our guys in uniform get adequate training in gun use and safety?

Political correctness run amok.

Government Jobless Programs Kill Jobs

The Associated Press is reporting on the job losses being cause directly by increased unemployment taxes needed to pay jobless benefits.

It is an example of the rule: If you punish work (by taxing it) and reward non-work, what do you expect to get? IF you punish employers for having employees (by increased payroll taxes such as unemployment taxes), how do you expect employers to react?

If the cost of having employees exceeds the income generated, employers MUST get rid of employees.

As I see it, the heart of the problem is having full time legislator. These folks do not have to make a living in the real world. Those that have in the past (unlike that dunce, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio), seem to forget what it was like when they did.

(I throw in the gratuitous insult to Senator Brown, because this is a guy that as far as I have been able to determine, never had a job outside government, and consistently votes far left. His understanding of economics [based upon his public statements], has all the economic sophistication of a middle-school Marxist. A nice, sincere, but totally clueless guy. A dunce with advanced degrees. Bad for Ohio and the United States. He is as bad as Maxine Waters and Barbara Boxer. And that is really, really bad.)

Heller Applied in State v. Skoien

In United States v. Steven Skoien, No. 08-3770 (Nov. 18, 2009 7th Cir. 2009) the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit vacated the conviction of Steven Skoien for unlawfully possessing a firearm while under a disability in violation of the federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9).

Mr. Skoien had previously been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. He was caught hunting with his father's 12 gauge shotgun, after it was discovered that he had obtained a hunting license.

He appealed his conviction in the district court. In reversing and remanding the case, the Court of Appeals gave the government the opportunity for a hearing on a single issue:

The government has the burden of establishing a reasonable fit between its important interest in reducing domestic gun violence and the means chosen to advance that interest-- § 922(g)(9)’s total disarmament of domestic-violence misdemeanants.

If the government meets that burden, the conviction will be automatically reinstated.

NRA, are you listening? The government must prove that there is a reasonable basis for banning all gun possession for life when someone is convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. Of any severity. This could be an important case for gun rights.

Global Warming Fraud Exposed by Hacker

A hacker has gotten into the computers of a major global warming advocacy group in Great Britain exposing many years of e-mails that cover up global warming fraud. These so-called scientists were cooking the books to make global warming with real when the actual data showed the opposite.

After the e-mails were exposed on the Internet, the group has confirmed that the e-mails are genuine.

I can't condone illegally hacking into a computer, but committing global warming fraud is so much worse. Certainly the latter has been more costly to the citizens of the countries throughout the world.

For more information go here.

Now that the global warming religion has been exposed a fraudulent, will the drive-by media report the fraud?

Stimulus Hoax

'Nuff said.

More on cartoonist Nate Beeler.

Moron of the Day: Roger Middleton

Great news off the coast of Africa, armed security guards on the merchant ship Maersk Alabama have repelled Somali pirates. This is the same American ship whose captain was rescued from pirates by sharpshooting Navy seals a few months ago.

The reaction of our self-described piracy expert Roger Middleton of the London-based leftist think tank Chatham House:

But the US Navy position is at odds with "the rest of the international community" claims Roger Middleton from the London-based think tank Chatham House. Middleton said that "I would think it's a step backward if we start privatizing security of the shipping trade."

Well, Mr. Middleton, the captain and crew ofthe Maersk Alabama are safe today, no thanks to you and your ilk.

And that is how you earned the "Moron of the Day" award.

Cancer in Islam

Here is a piece from the leftist news organization MSNBC on an
American born Muslim cleric who has been quite successful in inciting others to violence ... in the name of Islam, of course.

Peaceful Muslims (by far the majority, I believe), what are you doing about this guy and others like him? Where are you? Why isn't there a mass denunciation of him?

Has Texas Banned All Marriage?

In 2005 the voters of Texas approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The amendment goes on to say, "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

Really? The state cannot recognize any relationship identical to the union of a man and a woman as marriage?

In contrast, Ohio's constitutional amendment on the same subject is simple and quite clear:

Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

I have to assume that the Texas courts, when faced with the question will recognize that the intent of the amendment, however inartfully expressed, was that the state and political subdivisions are prohibited from recognizing any status that is not a defined marriage as if it were identical or similar to a marriage.

The English language is tough. It is often tough to really make an expressed concept simple and clear.

Wait until we live under a 2000 page heath care bill. Nightmare time.

Source: McClatchey

Gun Rights: City of Cleveland v. State

The Eight District Court of Appeals of Ohio has upheld the City of Cleveland's challenge to Ohio's statute, RC 9.68, preempting city gun laws. in Ohio, cities have broad authority to enact laws to regulate themselves, called "home rule." City ordinances, however, do not control over the "general law" enacted by the Ohio General Assembly. Over the years, there has been a great deal of litigation over what constitutes a general law. In 2006, he General Assembly, in support of its concealed carry and other pro-gun legislation, and acted RC 9.68 that specifically provided that the state gun laws would preempt all locally enacted laws.

In Ohioans for Concealed Carry Inc. v. City of Clyde, 120 Ohio St. 3d 96, 2008-Ohio-4605, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down city of Clyde ordinance that band licensed handgun owners from carrying concealed handguns in Clyde city parks. He Ohio Supreme Court held that the statewide gun law was a general law that prescribed a code of conduct for citizens carrying concealed guns which conflicted with the city of Clyde's ordnance.

During the time that the Clyde case was on appeal, in 2006, the Ohio General Assembly enacted RC 9.68 specifically preempting city ordinances with the statewide gun laws.

In City of Cleveland v. State, the city of Cleveland brought a declaratory judgment action seeking to declare RC 9.68 unconstitutional, because it was not a general law that could preempt city ordinances. No specific city gun law was at issue. The Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 12, 2009 held that RC 9.68 was not "part of a statewide and comprehensive legislative enactment." Furthermore, the Court held that RC 9.68 did not "set for police, sanitary, or similar regulations rather than simply granting or limiting legislative power."

Expect this case to be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Notwithstanding the eventual result in the Ohio Supreme Court, this case does not uphold or strike down any particular Cleveland gun regulation. that conflicts with Ohio's concealed carry law and the various support of laws (Castle doctrine and the like) would likely be struck down on the basis of the City of Clyde case. There is currently pending a suit by the Buckeye Firearms Foundation to strike down various Cleveland anti-gun city ordinances (copy of the complaint here). The Buckeye Firearms Foundation filed the case February 4, 2009, and the latest court docket entry was in July 2009, when the Ohio Attorney General made an appearance in the case.

The decision is a disappointment for gun owners in and around the City of Cleveland. We can expect the City of Cleveland to tout that the decision means a lot more than it actually does.

The Real Miss America

From Emy the Immigrant, check out "Nothing blends in better with the environment like 1/4 carat diamond earrings and lip gloss."

Al Gore Says Something Dumb Again

I guess Al Gore saying something dumb is not worthy of a headline. After all, he made a whole movie saying dumb things, the fantasy An Inconvenient Truth. And of course he famously claimed to invent the Internet. Thank heavens he was never elected as the President.

This time he was interviewed by Conan O'Brien and talked about geothermal energy. Geothermal energy extracts heat from beneath the surface of the earth According to Al Gore, "People think about geothermal energy — when they think about it at all — in terms of the hot water bubbling up in some places, but two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, ’cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot...."

Several million degrees? If that were true, we would all be bursting into flames. No wonder we have global warming with temperatures like that just below the surface.

Beyond dumb.

I remember reading that Mr. Gore's staff could cringe whenever he deviated from prepared text, because he was prone to saying dumb things. He hasn't improved any.

h/t Hotair.com

High Taxes Chase Business Away

The Pacquiao-Mayweather bout has been moved to Texas because of high taxes in New York.

States, take notice. Taxes matter. High taxes kill business.

Go Directly to Jail, Lynne Stewart

In United States v. Lynne Stewart, the United States Circuit Court of appeal has revoked disbarred lawyer Lynne Stewart's bail, ordered her to begin serving her shockingly light sentence and remanded the case for the trial judge to consider increasing her sentence due to her perjury.

What did Ms. Stewart do?

She was convicted of conspiring to provide and conceal material support for the murder of various persons by terrorist activity. she also knowingly made false statements to federal authorizes when she promised to abide by federal requirements with respect to terrorist prisoners.

What she actually did, of course was carry messages from a jailed terrorist enabling him to communicate on Jihadist activity from prison. For example, Ms. Stewart was recorded on tape approving of the taking of hostages in the Philipines.

Ms Stewart's behavior was reprehensible and deserving of a long sentence behind bars.

Click on the name above to read the decision for yourself.

Ms. Stewart has delusional friends who attempt to mount a public defense, e.g., rense.com and Democracy Now. If you read those defenses as compared to the Court of Appeals statement of facts, you can see how creepy those folks really are.

Study Shows Fox News To Be ... Fair and Balanced

S. Robert Lichter, a professor of Communications at George Mason University writing for Forbes Magazine reports that Fox News really is more fair and balanced than the other networks in its news coverage.

A tidbit:

Fox News has become embroiled in a nasty controversy over its ill treatment of President Obama. But are the charges true?

What if I told you that Fox gave Obama his worst press and John McCain his best press of any network during last year's presidential election? If you work for the White House, you'd probably take this as proof that Fox is just a mouthpiece for the opposition. Now what if I told you that Fox had the most balanced coverage of any network during the same campaign? If you work for Fox, you'd probably say we told you so.

...

So how could Fox have both the most balanced and the most anti-Obama coverage? Simple. It's because the other networks were all so pro-Obama.

Read it all.

Samuelson Blasts Health Reform Economics

Robert Samuelson is notable for his middle-of-the -road economic analyses in a major left-of-center periodical. In the Washington Post, he blasts the stupidity of the Obamacare proposal from the economic perspective.

There is an air of absurdity to what is mistakenly called "health-care reform." Everyone knows that the United States faces massive governmental budget deficits as far as calculators can project, driven heavily by an aging population and uncontrolled health costs. As we recover slowly from a devastating recession, it's widely agreed that, though deficits should not be cut abruptly (lest the economy resume its slump), a prudent society would embark on long-term policies to control health costs, reduce government spending and curb massive future deficits. The administration estimates these at $9 trillion from 2010 to 2019. The president and all his top economic advisers proclaim the same cautionary message.

So what do they do? Just the opposite. Their far-reaching overhaul of the health-care system -- which Congress is halfway toward enacting -- would almost certainly make matters worse. It would create new, open-ended medical entitlements that threaten higher deficits and would do little to suppress surging health costs. The disconnect between what President Obama says and what he's doing is so glaring that most people could not abide it. The president, his advisers and allies have no trouble. But reconciling blatantly contradictory objectives requires them to engage in willful self-deception, public dishonesty, or both.

Read it all.

President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the other goofballs pushing health care reform have the economic unerstand of a middle school Marxist. They understnd so little about how economics really works, it is truly scary to have them in power running a governmetn with the philosophy that government has a legitimate role in economic policy other than getting out of the way.

Fed Will Never Admit Hasan Was Terrorist

The Federal government has an odd definition of terrorist. Unless the guy was part of a conspiracy (as opposed to a philosophy), he will not be considered a terrorist. A lone suicide bomber or mass murderer acting on his own is never a terrorist, by federal standards.

In the case of Major Hasan, I am not sure the terrorist label fits, even if a lone killer can be a terrorist. It seems to em that a terrorist must be acting to inspire terror. If the merson is simply trying to kill people to make them dead -- as opposed to frighten those not killed -- the guy is not a terrorist.

What is he, then, besides a mass murder?

If he was acting to further a religious war (jihad), he was a combatant, a militant, as well as a mass murder.

Whatever the label, it is clear the Islam has a cancerous component. The religion is dangerous to the rest of us. No one is ever safe. The cancerous component may expand and erupt any time, anywhere. The root problem is in the words of the Koran.

Many understand the murderous language to be applicable only in the past, to the situation faced by Mahammed 1400 years ago, not applicable today. The trouble is that it does not take too many who hold that in unchanging Islam, the lethal language of the Koran to kill the unbelievers holds as much force today was when originally uttered.

Sadly, I don't hear many Muslims stepping up to eradicate that radicals.

FDA to Ban Rum & Coke

Just when we though that the government could not get any dumber or run any more amok, the Food and Drug Administration has issued an order to drink manufacturers to prove that the combination of caffeine and alcohol in their premixed drinks is "safe" or be required to pull them from the market.

What?

The FDA lack authority to regulate alcohol. The FDA lacks authority to regulate caffeine.

Government is clearly NOT part of any solution. Government is the problem.

Obama's Subservient Bow

I had had years of training in a Japanese martial art. As part of the training, we need to learn some of the protocol of bowing.

When bowing to an equal, the bow is slight and your eyes never leave the equal's eyes.

When bowing low and taking your eyes to the ground, you are acknowledging and hooroing the superior position of the person to whom you are bowing.

Obama embarrassed the United States with his subservient bow. He essentially acknowledged himself to be the servant (or slave) of the Emperor or Japan. He demeaned himself and he demeaned us.

Thankfully, major Japanese news outlets are politely not running the embarrassment on the Japanese media, according to Hot Air.

Carrie Prejean

After that scumbag Perez Hilton slimed Carrie Prejean and the rest of America rallied to her defense, that a belief in traditional marriage is hardly a disqualifier for a beauty pageant, that pretty much should have ended matters.

I am baffled why the left sees a beauty pageant in political terms or how the left justifies its horrid misbehavior in continuing to slime a young contestant because of supposed hypocrisy. How is it hypocritical, exactly, to both believe that marriage is between a man and to make a solo sex video for a boyfriend (opposite sex)? Are't they both heterosexual? Does making a private sex video for a boyfriend (dumb move) preclude heterosexual marriage later?

I wholly endorse the opinions expressed in Newsreal. It is a good read and well-reasoned.

I don't see Carrie Prejean as a role model, just a model. One who has been terribly wronged by the left.

Coal in Your Stocking This Christimas

Nancy Pelosi called the House Bill that destroys our health care freedom a Christmas present for America. Gee thanks, Nancy.

Below, Speaker Pelosi refuses to answer the question whether it is fair to send people to jail if they don't buy health insurance.

Moron of the Day: Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn

In these days of high unemployment, Chris Dodd, D- Conn., announces proposed legislation to give federal incentives to encourage employers to have fewer than 15 employees.

Why would he do something that stupid? That question I cannot answer. I can say that he proposes to impose a mandatory requirement that anyone employing 15 or more employees must provide at least 7 days paid sick leave per year.

What could be more fun for the statist dummies in the Senate than more micromanagement of employers.

In times of high unemployment, only the Democrats can't see how foolish it is to punish employers with more regulations.

Jihad: Cause or Enabler?

I have not previously weighed in on the Fort Hood tragedy in which Major Nidal Hasan, a Muslim convert, went on killing spree shouting Allahu ackbar (God is Great in Arabic).

The question is was this an act of terror? Or was he just nuts?

Let's assume that he was nuts. To me that does not lessen the responsibility of radial Islam for the tragedy, because radical Islamic views appear to have provided impetus to Major Hasan's murderous spree. While it would be that much worse if he were spurred on by Al Qaeda, peaceful Muslims still have to solve the repeated Islamic connection to random acts of violence by nutcases. They have the inside forum, and they have the means (presumably) and the responsibility to solve the problem from within.

If Hasan had been shouting, "I deserved a promotion, I kill you all," no one would be making the Islam connection to the killings. No. He was shouting the terrorists' rallying cry.

Ipso facto, radical Islam bears the shame and responsibility for the tragedy. Peaceful Muslims need to clean their house of the radical elements, or these things will continue to occur. It has to be solved from within.

The rest of us would appreciate strong assurances from the insiders that they are taking effective steps. I am not hearing it.

Global Warming Update: October Third Coldest on Record; Media Silent

Link here. Of course the data for one month proves nothing conclusive. Even the ten straight years of global cooling the earth has experienced proves nothing (except that Al Gore hasn't proven anything, either).

I understand that there has been a slight warming trend over 2000 years. But if it were man-caused, you'd think the last ten years would say something about the cause. There are more people now than there were 10 years ago.

If October had been the third warmest on record, I'll bet the media would have been all over it.

Alternative Medical Practitioners Beware

Obamacare will destroy alternative medicine, sooner or later.

I wondered why the AMA favored the House bill passed on Saturday. Then it dawned on me. AMA has big influence in government. The House Bill is all about government control. The House Bill will give the AMA huge influence on the health care system.

Good Bye alternative medicine. The AMA has been after you for years, trying to regulate food supplements, punishing doctors who see the benefits in chelation and other alternative care, and so on.

Among other evils, people will be forced to buy insurance with dollars that they otherwise would have used for alternative care. I don't know what will happen to health savings accounts (HSA) under the bill, but HSA' were an excellent vehicle to enable people to choose alternative care. The owner of the account, not some insurance company, decided on what treatment to spend the money for.

Do the alternative medicine practitioners realize the danger?

Obama Wants You Punished for Living ... Without Health Insurance

President Obama said the following which would be oaughable if it were not so serious:

During an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Jake Tapper today, President Obama said that penalties are appropriate for people who try to “free ride” the health care system but stopped short of endorsing the threat of jail time for those who refuse to pay a fine for not having insurance.

“What I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don't, you're subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it's affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there's a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are -- are burdened by because of the fact that people don't have health insurance, you know, there's nothing wrong with a penalty.” [ABC News.]

The purchase of auto insurance is not mandatory. You can choose not to drive.

What can you choose not do do if you do not buy Health insurance? Live?

Mary Jo Kilroy Hates You

On Saturday, Mary Jo Kilroy voted all the wrong ways. On health care, she voted to destroy your health care freedom and mine:

1. If you don't voluntarily buy insurance, 5 years in jail.
2. She voted against the amendment to deny health care funds for abortion.
3. She voted for a bill (which passed) and which

also contains a new government long-term insurance program that starts collecting premiums in 2011 but doesn't starting paying benefits until 2016 and then runs out of money in 2029. North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad called it "a Ponzi scheme of the first order, the kind of thing that Bernie Madoff would have been proud of" in an interview with the Washington Post in late October. (WSJ)

4. She voted despite the broken promised of the Democratic leadership to post the bill online for 72 ours before a vote.
4. The bill she voted for worsens the economy in a time that Congress shoudl at worst take action that a neutral.

This awful woman does not deserve to keep her job.

To get a load of her poor performance, go here, here and here.

How Bad is Obama?

Who most recently used a disgusting, crude slur against the tea partiers? President Obama, reports the New York Times, called them "tea bag ... people."

Google it yourself if you are unsure about the crude meaning. It is unworthy, cheap and low-life for the President to use the slur.

Who will call him in it? Not the so-called mainstream media. Any wonder they are becoming less and less relevant?

The War on Fox News -- Updated

According to the Chicago Tribune:

At least one Democratic political strategist has gotten a blunt warning from the White House to never appear on Fox News Channel, an outlet that presidential aides have depicted as not so much a news-gathering operation as a political opponent bent on damaging the Obama administration.

Political consultants are a staple of cable television talk shows, analyzing current events based on their own experiences working on campaigns or in government.

One Democratic strategist said that shortly after an appearance on Fox he got a phone call from a White House official telling him not to be a guest on the show again. The call had an intimidating tone, he said.

It was creepy enough that the administration was trying to block administration officials from appearing on Fox News programs, now it is trying to intimidate Democratic political strategists.

Obama's march to Marxism continues. The White House gets creepier by the day.

Update: Further down in the article in the Chicago Tribune, I found this quote:

White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said Thursday night that she had checked with colleagues who "deal with TV issues'' and they had not told people to avoid Fox. On the contrary, they had urged people to appear on the network, Dunn wrote in an email.

This quote to me proves the truth of the White House intimidation. If Maoist Anita Dunn said it, the opposite is probably true.

Update. Fax calls itself fair and balanced because it strives to bring in both points of view. Isn't it strange that the administration is working to keep Fox from balancing its presented commentary with the administration point of view. Glenn Beck keeps a hotline beside him on his television program to give the White House the immediate opportunity to challenge misinformation. The White House never does challenge, so all information Glenn presents must be true, right? It is at least unarguably unchallenged.

Moron of the Day: Ohio Sen. Tom Patton, R-Strongsville

A state senator from Ohio wins today's Moron of the Day award. Today's moron, Tom Patterson, Ohio State Senator from Strongsville, Ohio, has introduced legislation in Ohio to make life tougher for small businesses to survive.

There has long been a tension over whether business can or should hire an individual as an employee or an independent contractor. Many businesses prefer to hire independent contractors, who received forms 1099 at the end of the year and who must report and pay their own taxes rather than having taxes withheld. The government thinks that he is some sort of abuse, if a person, in the government's infinite wisdom, really should be an employee. It seems that income taxes are easier to collect from businesses than from individuals.

I guess individuals are shocked when they find out how much money they actually have to pay in taxes on their income.

In any event, Moron-of-the-Day Patton has introduced Senate Bill 195 in the Ohio legislature to punish employers who deliberately or mistakenly hire independent contractors when they "really should be" employees.

In support of his bill, Senator Patton,, said, "For employees, jobs are very, very scarce." Well, yes, and Senator Patton's solution is to punish businesses. Gosh, that really is going to increase employment, isn't it?

According to Senator Patton, "the only people who will lose here are those who are trying to get around this, and we should not allow employers in Ohio to not play by the rules." As jobs retreat from Ohio, somehow that will make jobs less scarce. No one loses from that, do they?

As high school graduate Senator Patton will learn if his bill passes, it is chock full of unintended consequences. Why would anyone actually want to locate a business in Ohio if they had another choice?

Courtroom Deputy Violates Trust .. On Camera

The video below depicts completely outrageous conduct by a Maricopa County, Arizona, courtroom deputy that wanders over behind the back only defense attorney who was addressing the court in order to stare a file. He opens a file takes out a paper. The defense attorney is justifiably outraged and requests a hearing.



Here is a report on the follow-up hearing from the local paper Heat City. There is no question in my mind that his deputies should fire. Our justice system has no place in it for courtroom personnel who behave in this manner. The lawyer's file is protected by law, and that protection is vital to the administration of justice.

The deputy's actions that I observed were devious and dishonest. As lawyers, we trust the people involved in the justice system. Trusting the honesty of others, we will leave our briefcases containing files while we go to the restroom and the like, and certainly never anticipate that any court official will be rifling through them.

This deputy has set a horrible example for the system of justice. He deserves not only firing but severe punishment -- including jail time -- for his conduct.

Fort Hood: No Guns Zone?

How is it possible that an army base is a "no guns zone?" See today's Buckeye Firearms report on the tragedy. Concealed carry is prohibited there. How much easier did the murderer have it because of the no guns policy?

A gun free zone policy enabled the murder of 36 teachers and students at Virginia Tech in 2007. Now, 12 dead at Ft. Hood. If the shooter had known that that others might be carry concealed, would he have chanced going on the rampage? How many such murderous rampages take place where concealed guns are permitted?

The rampage at a church in Colorado Springs in 2007 was halted by a concealed carrier of a firearm.

Guns carried by responsible people save lives.

Climate change is a Religion in U.K.

Conservatives have been saying it right along. Now it is official. A court in Great Britain has ruled that police in man-made climate change has the same protections as a belief in religion.

Okay. I admit it. I am probably an atheist on that one.

Moron of the Day: George Miller (D-CA)

George Miller (D-CA) is the chairman of the House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee promoting a new bill to require employers to pay five days sick leave to any person the employer requests staying home due to illness.

Although probably not its worst flaw, the bill would actually promote the spread of swine flu. Why? The obligation to basically kicks in only when the employer requests that the employees stay home. So, the swine flu infected employee, instead of staying home on his or her own comes to work so the employer can tell them to stay home. If the employee calls in, here is the likely cat-and-mouse game:

Employee: "I'm feeling sick. I might have the swine flu, should I come in?"
Employer: "Use your best judgment."
Employee: "well if you are not telling me to stay home, I am coming in."
Employer: "I trust your judgment to do what is best."
Employee: "Well, then, I am coming in."
Employer: "Be seeing you."

Employee comes to work and spreads the swine flu.

What happens if the employee's doctor instructs the employee to stay in bed? Is that the employor telling the employee not to come in to work?

What if the employer has a general policy that employees with with communicable diseases not to come into work? Who has to prove that the employee had a communicable disease?

This foolish bill is full of unintended consequences. It is just like the big government Democrats to micromanage employers.

But here is the worst part. The country is facing severe unemployment. So what is Congress doing? It is considering yet another bill that punishes employers by increasing the costs of having employees. In a time of high unemployment, is it really wise to be an acting ill that discourage employment?

Moron of the day. Well deserved.

If You Love Wasting Money ...

If you love wasting your money, you can either pay your taxes or give your money to the GOP. The answer about the government is obvious. Why the GOP?

The GOP is an unprincipled organization that supported a radical leftist for the House of Representatives who would most likely vote with the Democrats on most issues. The GOP gave this woman, Dede Scozzafava, $900,000 for her campaign and the used it to campaign against the conservative and, when she dropped out, to endorse the Democrat. (The Democrat won. Thanks Dede.)

Dede Scozzafava is the best reason I can think of never to contribute to the National GOP. Contribute directly to the candidate of your choice, GOP or otherwise, but no longer can the National GOP be trusted (if it ever could).

Just Say No to European Style Health Care

Our health care system is flawed. Most of the flaws were created by government. No one in their right minds thinks that the solution to government-caused problems is more government, do they?

GOP: Leader? Or Follower?

It appears the beginning of the demise of the old GOP. Will be be able to celebrate to say, Long live the GOP?

Liberals and their fellow traveler Democrats have long accused the GOP of being the conservative party. Sadly, it was not true. In truth, there was very little difference for many years. True, the GOP have more conservatives than the Democrats, but the GOP was hardly exclusively a conservative party. The party hacks certainly did not want any such thing. All they really wanted was to be one small point more conservative than the Democrats. Leaving real conservatives little choice about who to support.

Times, they are a changin'. The conservative revolt in NY district 23 has left the GOP with it collective tongue hanging out. Newt Gingrich has been embarrassed ... and exposed as a RINO sympathizer.

We have the tea party movement. We have the mew media that shows conservatives they are not alone, despite the derision from the former MSM. We have Fox News that gives us talented conservative-leaning commentators, along with news that provides both conservative and liberal pundits presenting their clearly labeled and differing points of view.

What will the GOP do now? What should the GOP have learned?

There is power in the conservative movement. The GOP needs to move away from the generally ineffectively policy of trying to attract liberals. The GOP should ally with the conservatives, first by winning back the trust of conservatives. If the GOP can do that, the GOP will be on the winning track in 2010 mid term elections. If the GOP keeps its nose clean (and get rid of the RINOS and crooks -- easier said than done) 2012 could add up to big victories, too.

Columbus Dispatch Sympathizes with Illegals

If there were any doubt about why I cancelled my subscription to the Columbus Dispatch, let me clear it up. It is articles like these. Reading that article, it is clear that the news report is actually an opinion pience in disguise. It is oh, so sympathethic to the plight of the "undocumented workers" (illegal aliens to the rest of us). Gosh, they may have to prove they have social security number to register their vehicles. That is supposed to make me feel sorry for them?

Just because the government shares the blame for the presence of the illegals, that doe not make it right to support them in their illegal residency. Many of them may be very good folks that would make decent citizens, but the fact that they are already engaged in illegal activity by their very presence casts doubt about the whole good citizenship thing.

Having said all that, I will observe that the immigration system in the country is a farce. And I am talking about legal immigration. I have observed the stupidity of it close up.

My assistant married a very fine guy, a highly skilled computer software guy, from the U.K., an Anglican with no hint of security threats in his background. He now is finally here legally after many months of ICE-imposed hell. At one point, the immigration authorities threatened to bar his entry rights because of high blood pressure! Memo to ICE: High blood pressure is not a communicable disease and your terrible application process probably contributed to it. Besides, President Obama just cleared the decks for entry by the HIV-positive. High blood pressure as a bar to entry? Please.

I can understand why people enter illegally, with all the red tape and barriers to entry for even the highly skilled. It still is not right.

Our immigration system needs serious reform. I am not necessarily an amnesty guy, but why not fix the legal immigration system and then subject any illegals already here to the fixed system if they want to remain (with some appropriate penalty for their illegal presence, including payment of all back income taxes)?

I have great sympathy for those who came here seeking a better life and who are WORKING toward that end. Pay the piper for the illegal entry, but reform the system to give hardworking folks a route to stay.

New Jersey Second Amendment Case

The is some chatter about a new Second Amendment case from New jersey reported as holding that there is no Second Amendment right to own a firearm.

The new case is In the Matter of Anthony Dubov. Apparently New jersey requires one to get a permit to own a firearm. Dubov applied for such a permit, but the sheriff denied the permit. The case involves Dubov's appeal from that denial. In the case, the court remanded the the appeal, because the trial court failed to follow the proper procedure in denying the appeal.

Based upon some dictum in Heller, the court did state that Heller did not address or invalidate licensing laws. However, this statement by the new jersey court was mere dictum and surplusage, because by the time the court made that statement, the court had already decided to send the case back to the trial court.

In looking at case law, the law of the case is in the holding, in this case that the trial court failed to follow the proper procedure. The statements about the effect (of lack of effect) of Heller on New Jersey licensing is not a statement of law, but gratuitous statements by the court. A political statement, in a way. Perhaps a statement of defiance against the Heller decision.

In any event, I don't think it means much. If there is an individual right to keep and bear arms, there has to be a right to purchase arms.

Welcome Mat for the HIV Positive

For 20 years, this country has banned people who are HIV-positive from entering. President Obama is changing that. AP reports that President Obama is opening the doors of the United States are those that are HIV-positive.

Thank you, President Obama. Are you out of your mind?

Levi Johnson Threatens Sarah Palin with "Leaks"

This I saw on Hotair.com.

So I am asking myself, who is Levi Joahnson and why does it matter? My political junkie-ness does not extend to the personal lives of politicians. But I took a little look and here is what I found.

Levi Johnson is the kid who knocked up Sarah Palin's daughter. He got engaged to the girl and then the engagement got broken (by whom I don't know and don't care).

Anyway, this kid is trying to extend his fifteen minutes of fame. He apparently posed nude for Playgirl. In an interview he says he family is not really white trash and that Sarah Palin is snobby. Wow, Mr. Let-Me-Enter-the-Sex-Trade complains that someone is snobby about him? Who in their right mind wouldn't be? He is not exactly Mr. Family Values, no is he.

In September , Vanity Fair published an interview with this kid in which he slimes Sarah Palin. No doubt the left thought that was important stuff. guess what she was quiet and pouted after losing the campaign last November. Wow. That was a revelation. Who wouldn't be pouty and quiet? As Woody Hayes used to say, show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.

You know, the older I get, the more I realize you can't trust anyone under 30.

IRS Crooks

The inspector general reports that 53 IRS employees have fraudulently claimed a new homebuyer credit to which they were not entitled. This is in addition to an uncounted number o illegal residents.

Source: Video interview with the particular inspector general on Neil Cavuto's show Friday, October 23. 2009.

Dept. of Justice: Blacks too Dumb to Know How to Vote Unless Party Disclosed

The Department of Justice is taking action to prevent a small town from having non-partisan elections for its council. Its all about racism, you see. African Americans need to be told in the ballot who the Democrats are, so they can vote for them. Don't expect anyone to actually study the candidates before the election. From the Washington Times:

KINSTON, N.C. | Voters in this small city decided overwhelmingly last year to do away with the party affiliation of candidates in local elections, but the Obama administration recently overruled the electorate and decided that equal rights for black voters cannot be achieved without the Democratic Party.

The Justice Department's ruling, which affects races for City Council and mayor, went so far as to say partisan elections are needed so that black voters can elect their "candidates of choice" - identified by the department as those who are Democrats and almost exclusively black.

How insulting to blacks! They do not deserve to be insulted like that. Lots of folks white, black and other, in my opinion, inadequately acquaint themselves with the candidates and issues before election. (We have all stood behind them in the voting line waiting for them to finish.) But, it is truly insulting that the Justice Department finds specifically that blacks are too dumb to do it for themselves.

Memo to Justice Department: Lots of folks are too dumb to do it for themselves regardless of race. It is wrong to single out blacks, you bunch of racists!

Where are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Why will they stand for this insulting piece of tripe?

Oh wait. They don't really care about black folks. They care more about Democrats getting elected. This proves it.

ACORN Lied Again ... Anyone Surprised?

Who'd-a thunk it. Acorn lied again.

According to Acorn and press reports fed by Acorn, the pimp and prostitute kids who have so embarrassed Acorn were kicked out of the Philadelphia office for making a disturbance.

Watch the truth for yourself.

Oath Keepers

Thank God for Oath-Keepers. We really need them in this country, and I hope all police officers and military personnel join.

If you have not heard of it, Oath-Keepers reminds military and law enforcement officers of their oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and that it supersedes any contrary orders by their superior officers or civilian supervisors, e.g., confiscation of firearms or the like.

Many years ago, the court martial of Lt. Calley after the Mai Lai incident (Viet Nam War for you kids) affirmed that a soldier is duty-bound NOT to follow an unlawful order.

It does not any difference who is in office. Power corrupts.

Of course, the reports of Communists, Marxists, Castro-admirers, Mao-admirers and the like make me none too comfortable with the current batch in office.

Latest Rasmussen Reports on Health Care Reform

Is anyone in Washington listening to the American public? Rasmussen Reports:

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% are opposed to the plan.
The numbers have been remarkably stable throughout the debate. With the exception of bounces following presidential television appearances, support for the plan has stayed in a very narrow range from 41% to 46%. Currently, 24% Strongly Favor the legislative effort and 42% are Strongly Opposed.

Emphaasis added.

If Obamacare passes, it will exemplify all that is bad about our Washington politicians.

Fire. Them. All.

Zero Intelligence: George J. Goodwin

Mr. Zero Intelligence policy George J. Goodwin sticks by his guns, uh, knives, to affirm his zero intelligence policy for pretending that a 2 inch pocket knife locked in a car constitutes bringing a weapon to school in Lansingburg schools.

Lansingburg residents: Fire. This guy. Now.

And give him the school's dunce cap and sit him the the corner.

Here is Mr. Goodwin's email address: ggoodwin@lansingburgh.org

I have made a public records act request for the the email addresses of school board members to request that this guy be fired. I will post them as soon as they are received.

Rush Limbaugh Defense

Thanks to my brother at The Funeral Guy, I urge everyone to read the finest defense of Rush Limbaugh after last week's evil and immoral sliming of him by the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and other low-lifes (e.g., the mainstream media, which since retracted the quotes).

Read it here. But I just have to include my favorite passage:

Limbaugh’s accusers want him burned at the stake for the crime of effective conservatism, not the racism they were so eager to lie about last week. The American public should think long and hard about which side of this ideological struggle should be on trial. Rush Limbaugh’s ideas did not produce a titanic deficit, double-digit unemployment, and global adversaries who can barely stop laughing at our President long enough to pretend they respect him. His ideas did not put disciples of Saul Alinsky, Chairman Mao, and Alex Jones in positions of power. His words are not deployed to conceal hundreds of billions in stolen “stimulus” money, thousand-page Mad Lib bills riddled with blank paragraphs, and massive offenses against individual liberty. His EIB Network endorses $1500 Sleep Number beds, not “saved or created” jobs costing half a million bucks apiece. Unlike the “Hope and Change” Administration, he doesn’t spend his three hours on the radio each weekday listing all the things you will no longer be allowed to do. He is the champion of ideas so powerful that his enemies fear the merest taste of them.

Obama's War .. On Fox News -- Update: Fox Dared to Fact-Check

The Obama White House wants totalitarian control of the new media. That much is obvious. At the bottom is a clip of The White House's media director, Mao Tse Tung-admirer Anita Dunn, by now much played in which she brags about controlling the media during the campaign. The Obama administration is clearly trying for the same control during the presidency. and is having success only with the sycophant media, proving that the only real major media journalists these days with a focus on Washington are at Fox News and the Washington Times.

However, the really interesting thing this week is the contrast in styles. The right leaning media "smears" consist of playing actual clips of the leftists who smear themselves with their own words, e.g., Van Jones, Anita Dunn, and so on. The left wing folks on the other hand use made up quotes, such as the smearing of Rush Limbaugh and the laughable claim that Glenn Beck is the research arm of the Republican party. (I know they watch Glenn Back, but they must hate him so that they can't force themselves to pay attention.)

So, who is more credible? Obviously, it is the media whose reported facts are actually facts, backed up by actual sources.

I love the Glenn Beck bit where he has installed a special on-air telephone for the White House to call and correct his facts. The the dead silence from the White House demonstrates that Beck's facts really are facts, because only he offers instant refutation if he is wrong. Brilliant.

American is waking up to this White House filled with Marxists. Thank God.

Anita Dunn extols mass murder Mao as one of her favorite political philosophers:



Dunn's Respose:

As for Beck's criticism: "The use of the phrase 'favorite political philosophers' was intended as irony, but clearly the effort fell flat -- at least with a certain Fox commentator whose sense of irony may be missing."

Ms Dunn was speaking to high school students. In the context of the clip, it certainly did not sound ironic. If it was intended as humorous, it showed extraordinarily poor judgment as well as poor delivery.

Here she is bragging about controlling the media during the campaign:



Bad people. Very bad people. With bad complicit media. Thank God for Fox News and the Washington Times.

Update: It turns out that Fax's crime with the Obama Administration is that it dared to fact-check an administration official. Imagine that. The administration wants to spin that Fox News is not a "real" news organization, then criticizes Fox for actually checking its facts (apparently something that news organizations in Obama land are not supposed to do):

On Sunday, Fox's Chris Wallace retorted: "We wanted to ask Dunn about her criticism, but, as they've done every week since August, the White House refused to make any administration officials available to 'FOX News Sunday' to talk about this or anything else."

The White House stopped providing guests to 'Fox News Sunday' after Wallace fact-checked controversial assertions made by Tammy Duckworth, assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in August. Dunn said fact-checking an administration official was "something I've never seen a Sunday show do."

"She criticized 'FOX News Sunday' last week for fact-checking -- fact-checking -- an administration official," Wallace said Sunday. "They didn't say that our fact-checking was wrong. They just said that we had dared to fact-check."

"Let's fact-check Anita Dunn, because last Sunday she said that Fox ignores Republican scandals, and she specifically mentioned the scandal involving Nevada senator John Ensign," Wallace added. "A number of Fox News shows have run stories about Senator Ensign. Anita Dunn's facts were just plain wrong."

Global Cooling Crisis

It is no surprise to anyone that actually follwws these things and thinks for himself (herself or itself) that the earth is in a cooling trend. The BBC has reported on the ten years of steady cooling. If you are really dense, you may think that the earth is cooling because the polar ice is melting and floating in the oceans more (I read that one in the local newspaper).

But facts are facts. The earth is cooling. Is it because of sun spot activity, i.e., temporary cooling of the sun? Is it some other natural cooling trend?

No, of course not. Wait until the goofy folks in government lose their religion on global warming and they get on the cooling bus. It will somehow be because humans are causing it. We don't know how yet, but our egos will not permit any other explanation, right? Without humans as the problem, the politicians would not have another crisis they they would not want to go to waste (paraphrasing Rahm Imanuel)

Punish Employing People, Kill Jobs, Democrats Surprised

The following question is so simple that it consistently baffles the Democrats and many Republicans: If you punish work (by taxing employment and income) and reward non-work, what do you think is going to happen?

If you punish employers for employing people (various employment taxes, mandates, arcane list of civil rights and wrongs, mandatory minimum wages), what do you think is going to happen to employment, especially in tough times?

I have been saying this over and over. Today, there is a similar article in the Wall Street Journal.

Lansingburgh Schools' George J. Goodwin: Complete Douchebag

What else can you call the Superintendent of Schools who approves the suspension of a model student for having a 2 inch pocket knife locked in his car as part of his emergency survival kit.

This dumbass Superintendent Goodwin is the Superintendent of Lansingburgh Schools in Lansingburgh, New York, and the model student attended Lansingburgh Senior High School.

Read all about it here.

Fire. Him. Now.

Anita Moncrief: A Beautiful Story

Although not stated in the post to which I am linking, Anita Moncrief is an African American woman. Please read: How This Ex-Liberal Found Fortitude and Her Way Home.

Every Liberal should read this.

Obama's Peace Prize

I feel sorry for President Obama getting the Nobel Peace prize. How embarrassing that must be. He was nominated almost before he began his presidency. He did absolutely nothing before that, except get elected to the United States Senate.

Getting this award was not through any fault of President Obama's. It is not like he applied for it.

The award is so obviously undeserved as yet, that it is an embarrassment to him and to the Nobel Prize committee.

Getting an award based upon expectations? Please.

Poor guy. He will never live it down.

Conservative v. Liberal

Received via the Internet and worth sharing:

The Difference:

If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one. If a liberal doesn't like guns, then no one should have one.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal is a vegetarian, he wants to ban all meat products for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat it. A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly enjoys his life. If a liberal is homosexual, he loudly demands legislated respect.

If a black man or a Hispanic is conservative, he sees himself as independently successful. His liberal counterparts see themselves as victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels. Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. A liberal wants all churches to be silenced and God removed from public view.

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping for it, or chooses a job that provides it. A liberal demands that his neighbors pay for his.

800 Lb Alligator versus 5 year Old with .410 Shotgun

Five year old wins. Amazing story below:



It stories like this that remind us all that we need to be able to defend ourselve from predators non-human as well as human.

ACORN Warned By Its Lawyers

This is an astounding public revelation of warnings given to ACORN over a year ago, just before the firing of the embezzler (brother of founder Wade Rathke) who had remained on the board for nearly ten years after discovery -- and cover up -- of the almost $1 million he embezzled.


Vadum_TheKingsleyMemo_CapitalResearchCenter -

The American Spectator has a complete discussion.

ACORN Bound Over for Trial

ACORN the organization has been bound over for criminal trial in Nevada according to an Associated Press report. The charge relates to using quotas and financial incentives to register people to vote.

It is hard to tell whether the activity was intentionally wrong or whether ACORN is simply incompetently managed. In either case, it should be no candidate for government money, even if it were not a partisan organization (which in my mind should disqualify it even if it were otherwise competently and lawfully managed).

AK-47: The Great Equalizer

In India, a farmer's daughter shot and killed a terrorist who had invaded the family home and attacked the girls father. In all fairness, this young lady first whacked the terrorist with an ax before grabbing his AK-47 and killing him.

This young lady was brave in a major way and deserves all the accolades she may receive.

For our own self dense in our own homes, I believe we should have our own means of defense. It is awfully risky to do count on being able to disarm someone who enters our homes and attacks us. How many of us keeps an ax handy?

Needed: Botox for House Cleaner

John Lott suggests that this shows a need for some sort of intelligence test before voting. But in some respects, these women certainly get it right.



Who am I to question the wisdom of their bottom line assessment?

Supreme Court Accepts Chicago 2nd Amendment Case

Today the United States Supreme Court accepted jurisdiction to hear the appeal of a case brought against the City of Chicago challenging Chicago's gun ban scheme. McDonald v. Chicago (08-1521). The case is expected to confirm whether the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms binds the states, rather than simply the federal government. Most states have similar rights written into the state's constitution. So, even if the Second Amendment is found not to apply to the states through incorporation by the Fourteenth Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms would be protected in most states anyway.

Form more information, go here.

Here is a copy of the successful petition for certiorari.

Here is Chicago's response brief.

Here is the plaintiffs' reply brief.

Texting While Driving

A Southern California man accused of killing a pedestrian while driving and text messaging has been ordered to stand trial for gross vehicular manslaughter

Associated Press Report.

This is not a radical charge. Negligent homicide has long been recognized by most states. Usually there degree of negligence must be gross. But it seems to me that texting while driving is so risky, to attention diverting, that a negligent homicide charge is a real possibility.

Response to Thomas Friedman

Thomas Friedman, in his New York Tomes Op-ed today, joins the lefty folks who are complaining about excessive criticism of the President. Among other things, he complains about the right labeling President Obama as a socialist.

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole. Source Dictionary.com

Of course, under Obama, the federal government owns majority interests in Chrysler and General Motors (means of production) and he has proposed a government run health care system (means of distribution of service).

Hello. Those are facts, not opinions. Those facts show that Obama's administration has pushed socialist policies. Granted, there is no proposal to take over all means of production and distribution. Yet. It is a creeping socialism. Well, under Obama, it has moved from creeping to walking. And he is walking it toward us.

Socialist. The facts are there, decide for yourself.

In fairness to Mr. Friedman, this was simply a minor issue in his overall piece. He is decrying the opening of the formerly alternative, now primary, media to the diverse and vocal opinions (like this blog) which are intensifying the divisions in this country. Point well taken. We are no longer the willing slaves of the uni-opinioned media. People have outlets for their divers voices. The politicians need to learn to deal with it. It is these diverse voices that will act to block (we sincerely hope) the impositions of bad policies on an unwilling majority (or minority).

Politicians like the President must understand that radical policies (like socialized health care) will divide us and may drive crazies to do crazy things. If it gets bad enough, if the politicians pursue divisive policies enough, they will drive the country to a place no one (I hope) wants to be. The same place the country was against King George. Let us not have to go there. Please.

If you think I exaggerate, read the Declaration of Independence complaint about excessive government.

ACORN: Crime and Cover-up in Nevada

This on e has been boiling for a while. Remember how the ACORN spokespeople, e.g. Scott Levenson, claimed that the instances of voter registration fraud (about 50 charges, 30 guilty pleas to date) were all rogue employees and ACORN the organization had no role in the fraud? Remember that?

well, here be go in Nevada where ACORN not only have a role in illegal voter registrations, but acted to cover up its crimes. Fox News report here.

Organizations truly do have cultures. In the 1960s, you could tell an IBM guy by the dark suit and black tie. You can tell a military guy by the bearing and pride in our nation. How can you tell an ACORN person? By the acceptance of criminality, I guess. By the defensiveness over the indefensible.

The organization is corrupt. It is too bad. Poor people need charitable assistance with some of the matters that ACORN addressed. I hope some good faith-based charities will step in to fill the void.

On a related front, the New York Times continues to be slow on the story. No report yet of the criminal charges against ACORN itself.

24 Years In Prison for Ponzi Scheme

Norman Hsu, who was convicted in May of making illegal campaign contributions (to Democratic candidates, if it matters), was this week sentenced to 24 years in prison for bilking investors of an estimated $20 million in a Ponzi scheme.

In a related event, no action is being taken against the members of Congress who enacted social security, a much larger Ponzi scheme in which several hundred millions taxpayers of been bilked of trillions of dollars through payroll taxes since the enactment of social security.

On the positive front, social security hasn't completely collapsed. Yet.

Polanski: Everyone Wants to F---- Young Girls Updated: NY Times Weighs In

By now everyone knows that scumbag but famous Hollyweird director Roman Polanski is being extradited to the United States to be sentenced for his 1979 conviction of raping and sodomizing a 13 year old girl in 1977. According to an interview he gave in 1979:

“If I had killed somebody, it wouldn’t have had so much appeal to the press, you see? But… f—ing, you see, and the young girls. Judges want to f— young girls. Juries want to f— young girls. Everyone wants to f— young girls!”

Source here.

My sense is that my brother who runs The Funeral Guy blog and is the doting father of a daughter and runs obituaries of interesting deaths wishes he could be doing Polansky's obituary about now.

Update: For a change, I agree with a New York Times editorial.

For commentary on what sort of mindset Polanski is expressing, go here.

Buy Health Insurance or Go to Prison

The left gets derisive when conservatives express fear of tyranny by a left wing government. Frankly the notion that you either buy health insurance or go to jail to be, well, tyrannical.

And that is exactly what the current hell care bill proposes.

Patrick Kennedy warns that the hell care debate may turn violent. When the left wing is pushing the insurance or prison option, I don't wonder that they will provoke violence.

AR-15 Platform Rifles: That Dog Will Hunt

The anti-gunners call them assault rifles and, noses in the air, claim they are not for hunting. No so, gun-banners:



Note: The Second amendment is NOT about hunting anyway.

Despicable: Obama's Latest

President Obama has ordered pensions cut off for WWII vets who defended Alaska.

Remember, Japan invaded Alaska about the same time as the Battle of Midway. As I get the story, these veterans served without pay.

It seems to me they would have been better off if we had never made Alaska a state. They could the have come to the continental US and be here as illegal aliens, rather than war veterans. Illegals get benefits, don't they?

h/t The Funeral Guy

Power of Icons

This is fascinating and very well done:

Right of Self Defense

A Human Right

Ayers as Obama's Ghostwriter

There is nothing unusual or wrong with politicians using ghostwriters to get their books in print. It is offensive if the ghostwriter is not credited.

IN the Case of Barack Obama's Dreams of My Fathers, it is astounding that Obama family biographer, Christian Anderson, who wrote the puff book Barack and Michelle, Portrait of an American Marriage has revealed that Obama used Williams Ayers as his ghostwriter.; Remember William Ayers< "Just a guy in the neighborhood I know" who just happened to have founded the weather underground and who participated in the bombing of buildings.

From the American Thnker:

Andersen quotes a Hyde Park neighbor, "Everyone knew they were friends and that they worked on various projects together. It was no secret. Why would it be? People liked them both."

Andersen continues, "In the end, Ayers's contribution to Barack's Dreams From My Father would be significant--so much so that the book's language, oddly specific references, literary devices, and themes would bear a jarring similarity to Ayers's own writing."

President Obama never had much credibility with me anyhow, but when will the left wing, the so-call mainstream media notice.

The clowns at Media Matters noticed. They are trying to spin this as a right-wing hit job by author Christopher Anderson. the trouble is, Anderson is not a right wing pundit and his book is a pro-Obama puff piece.

The funny thing about this is that folks like Chris Matthews touted this book as evidence of Obama's talent and intelligence. I hear from all accounts that William Ayers, although a terrorist, is quite a good writer.

Hypocrisy Illustrated

Stimulus? $529 Million to ... Finland!

Why is the Obama administration spending $529 million US tax dollars in Finland? To help his buddy Al Gore, I guess.

This is outrageous.

List of Obama Atrocities

The Obama Administration may be the best and the worst we have ever had, yes, worse than Jimmy Carter. The best is how the Obama administration has motivated people to speak out against its big government antics. The administration is so bad, it is bringing out the good in opposition to it.

The atrocities? Well, Neal Boortz has a comprehensive list here. I think he left some stuff out.

ACORN v O'Keefe et al

There is an excellent legal analysis of the liekliehood of success of the ACORN suit on the legal issues at Copyrights and Campaigns blog.

One of the commenters points out the case of Lachman v. Sperry-Sun Surveying Company, 450 F. 2d 850, in which a surveyor was checking an oil and gas well under a contract with the the leaseholder that prohibited the surveyor from disclosing the results of any work. The Surveyor discovered that the well was not vertical and the bottom of the well encroached the neighbor's property. The surveyor told the neighbor about the encroachment. The leaseholder sued the surveyor for breaching the nondisclosure obligation of the surveyor's contract. The court found that the public policy of the state would not permit a contract to be enforced that permitted a crime to go undetected.

I think the Baltimore Circuit Court should find a public policy exception implicit in the statute the forbids surreptitious recording, if the enforcement of the statue would have permitted a crime to go undetected. Of course, the court could also find that there was no expectation of privacy in an office with an open door where children could be plainly heard in the background.

ACORN: The Cornered Rat Sues Videographer

What do miscreants do when confronted with their own wrongdoing? Punish those who expose it!

Acorn has sued the videographers that exposed Acorn employees who advised them to file fraudulent taxes and advised them on how to get a brothel, featuring 13 year old illegal immigrant girls, up and running as a successful small business. Those poor Acorn employees. They have suffered emotional distress from having their criminal advice exposed to public view. And Acorn fired them. So Acorn is paying for their lawyers to sue.

Associations of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Inc. et al. v. James E. O'Keefe III, et al., Baltimore City Circuit Court. Here is a pdf of the complaint. No word yet on the defense fund.

Obamacare -- Set to Music