Monday, January 31, 2011

Color Coded Threat Level Consigned to the Dustbin of History

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 53% support the elimination of the old color coded threat level system. It was just about two months ago that Proof Positive introduced the TSA Liberty Meter:

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Knowing how notoriously thin skinned they are in the Obama administration, it was speculated that this bit of satire was the final straw that broke the Camel (smoker)'s back.

Robert Fibbs could not be reached for comment.

Quote du jour

One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!

-Winston Churchill

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Iranian Book Celebrating Suicide Bombers Found in AZ Desert

I know a lot of focus is on Egypt these days, but this story has definitely been under-reported.

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From those wonderful people who think this is a good idea...


Jan 27: A book celebrating suicide bombers has been found in the Arizona desert just north of the U.S.- Mexican border, authorities tell Fox News.

The book, "In Memory of Our Martyrs," was spotted Tuesday by a U.S. Border Patrol agent out of the Casa Grande substation who was patrolling a route known for smuggling illegal immigrants and drugs.

Published in Iran, it consists of short biographies of Islamic suicide bombers and other Islamic militants who died carrying out attacks.

According to internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection documents, "The book also includes letters from suicide attackers to their families, as well as some of their last wills and testaments." Each biographical page contains "the terrorist's name, date of death, and how they died."

Agents also say that the book appears to have been exposed to weather in the desert "for at least several days or weeks."


Hmm. I wonder which of the good people of Mexico simply yearning for more economic freedom in the states, looking to do the jobs Americans won't do, and looking for a better life may have dropped that one?

"At this time, DHS does not have any credible information on terrorist groups operating along the Southwest border," a Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement. "We work closely with our partners in the law enforcement and intelligence communities and as a matter of due diligence and law enforcement best practice, report anything found, no matter how significant or insignificant it may seem."


I think the operative words here are "does not have information" and "credible".

Statements from U.S. officials, including FBI director Robert Mueller, have raised serious concerns in recent years over "OTMs" -- or illegal immigrants other than Mexicans -- who have crossed the southwest border at alarming rates.

Mueller testified before the House Appropriations Committee in March 2005 that "there are individuals from countries with known Al Qaeda connections who are changing their Islamic surnames to Hispanic-sounding names and obtaining false Hispanic identities, learning to speak Spanish and pretending to be Hispanic."

Just last year, the Department of Homeland Security had in custody thousands of detainees from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. U.S. Border Patrol statistics indicate that there were 108,025 OTMs detained in 2006, compared to 165,178 in 2005 and 44,614 in 2004.



Cross posted at LCR, Say Anything.

More here: Fox News.com

President Pee Wee

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One of these men is riding a man's bike, without a helmet and one is POTUS


It just struck me today, as I was listening to one of the "talking head" programs, where a clip was played of Obama giving advice to Hosni Mubarak, telling him what he should do and what he needs to do.

"He has a responsibility to give meaning to those words..."
The successor to George Bush of "No child Left Behind" fame, is personally known for "No Campaign Promise Left Unbroken". This neophyte politician who barely had time to get his feet wet in either the Illinois state or national Senate, before presiding over two mediocre to miserable years as president, is telling former career Air Force officer and commander Hosni Mubarak, president of Egypt for thirty years, what he ought to do and not do. And as I heard Obama's hollow words ("Just words" as one might say.), I was thinking, "This guy has as much moral authority to tell Mubarak what he should be doing as Pee Wee Herman has to..." And before I could finish that thought, it struck me how Pee Wee Herman like our current president is! Look at the two pictures above. Which one looks more manly? I daresay, the one on the left, (though it is quite a trick to get to the Left of President Obama)!

One of the things Obama called for was "meaningful dialogue" between the government and its citizens. I think the president is old enough to remember the Watts Riots. Mr. President, when people are rioting in the streets, is the first order of business to establish "meaningful dialogue" with the rioters or to stop the violence and restore order?

Obama, who spoke out of both sides of his mouth in his SOTU, talking about "freezing" spending while simultaneously "investing" in America and BTW, spending billions on high speed rail projects is hardly one to tell anyone else about giving meaning to his words. Someone should tell Obama he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, and not just half of them.

Pee Wee may actually have more moral authority than POTUS. Although I did not see the movie, I understand at least Pee Wee had enough spine to get his bicycle back!





Cross posted at LCR.

Great Britain Keeps Abreast of Inflation

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Yet another uplifting story...

Britain’s amplest bosoms heaved a ­collective sigh of relief last week when ­Bravissimo, a lingerie label for larger sized breasts, announced the arrival of the L-cup to its range.

The company says customers ­squeezing themselves into a KK-cup — a size launched two years ago to meet increasing demand — have been campaigning for larger bras ever since.

And although an L-cup remains far larger than the national average, there can be no doubt that when a High Street chain sees reason to ­supply it, demand is growing — and so, it would seem, are our breasts.


What? The L???

Update: This isn't the first time Brits and big breasts has been "up front" in the news. "Inflation Hits Great Britain"

H/T The Jawa Report

Chris Matthews: "Panama Canal is in Egypt"

Let's face it folks, one of the perils of public speaking is the proverbial slip of the tongue. However, when you berate others for their verbal gaffes, you must expect to be hoist on your own petard from time to time.



Even worse, the map is labeled "Suez Canal".

More at the Blog Prof

TSA Reaches Out to End Private Screening Program

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You know... the one they were "neutral" about? The alternative to the pat downs that Obama joked about in his STFU WTF SOTU?

Washington (CNN) -- A program that allows airports to replace government screeners with private screeners is being brought to a standstill, just a month after the Transportation Security Administration said it was "neutral" on the program.

TSA chief John Pistole said Friday he has decided not to expand the program beyond the current 16 airports, saying he does not see any advantage to it.

Though little known, the Screening Partnership Program allowed airports to replace government screeners with private contractors who wear TSA-like uniforms, meet TSA standards and work under TSA oversight. Among the airports that have "opted out" of government screening are San Francisco and Kansas City.


Isn't that just like the Obamanites? Hold out some small hope of relief from the bureaucratic excesses of the TSA only to snatch it away again.

And if you think the TSA wouldn't be in charge of security for high speed rail as Obama implied, then I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

H/T Memeorandum

Quote du jour

School children today are probably clueless as to who "Vidkun Quisling" was.
But, trust me. This generation will remember the name "Barack Obama".

-Proof

Saturday, January 29, 2011

A Little Saturday Night Music

Nick Drake - Day is Done

Saturday Linkaround

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Before Talking About Gun Control, First Learn Something About Guns!

Romney wins a 2011 NH straw poll. So what?

Public Ed: Teachers terrorize schoolchildren by telling them World War 3 had started, led them to basement and set off fireworks and a siren

The 9/11 Memorial Rip-Off

Mustache Sexiness Timeline

Unbelievable… Pianist Plays Anti-American Pro-Commie Song at Obama White House State Dinner
(Video)

Video Top 10: Olbermann’s Greatest Hits

EPA ruling means most foods and drinks are polluted

Tucson Aftermath Not the Left’s First Political Witch Hunt

Reason Obama will not release birth certificate is because his name is legally written “Barry Soetoro” on it?

Do We Need a Department of Homeland Security or a TSA? (No)

Allen West Denounces Obama Regime for Allowing PLO to Fly its Flag in DC: “A Slap in Israel’s Face”

[Anti-]American Asses

AP Fact Checks Liar-In-Chief… Weasel Zippers

A Quick 65 Points …on the SOTU

SOTU Speech In One Sentence

Hawaii Dem Gov. Neil Abercrombie Admits There Are No Obama Birth Records In His State…


Two State of the Union Speeches Later… (Great Venn diagram!)

Obama's State of the Union Was Tantamount to Plagiarism

Utah could be first to have state gun?

HUD-Funded Housing Projects Wasted Money on Belly Dancers, Sex Offenders and Dead Residents

Top Ten Reasons to Support Herman Cain for President

Obama’s State of Union: ‘Cash for Flunkers’

The Top 7 Violent Left-Wingers You’re Not Supposed to Remember

Praising Edison While Banning His Lightbulb -- and Other Dim Ideas

Obama's Afghanistan Gaffe

Deepwater rigs moved out of the Gulf of Mexico


Mysterious Green Goop Falls From Sky –(Charles Johnson not immediately available for comment)

What Sauce Will Barack Obama Use When He Eats His Words?






Rule Five Roundup*:
Making My Tongue “Wag” –Support your local Gunfighter

Boob Job Kills Porn Star

Rule Five Sunday –The Other McCain

American Perspective


Rule Fiver Saturday, Hump Day Rule Five, Rule Five News –Camp of the Saints

Cheryl Cole Tweedy –Mind Numbed Robot

Eye of Polyphemus – Holly Valance, Scarlett Johansson


Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup, –Pirates Cove

Friday Pin up -Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World


Friday Night Babe – Stephanie Seymour


Vintage Babe of the Week – Elizabeth Montgomery


Banned Jessica Simpson workout video– American Power




Rule Five Shameless Plugging , -Yankee Phil


Randy’s Roundtable – Thursday Nite Tart, Heidi Montag

Theo Spark – Bedtime Totty, Tuesday Totty, Bonus babe

Bar Rafaeli , First Ladies–Last Tradition

Full Metal Patriot – Midweek Peek





*By no means comprehensive.

Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics.

Cross posted at Say Anything

Quote du jour

"Memorize places. Settle your eyes on a place and learn it. See it under the snow, and when first grass is growing, and as the rain falls on it. Feel it and smell it, walk on it, touch the stones, and it will be with you forever. When you are far away, you can call it back. When you need it, it is there in your mind."

-Tony Hillerman, The Ghostway

Friday, January 28, 2011

Hope Running Out for Four Year Old Kidnap Victim

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This last Wednesday, I wrote about some of the bizarre twists and turns in searching for a four year old boy, kidnapped ten days ago. There was a tragic/comedic sense to the story as deputies, on the tip of a migrant farmworker, searched the Delta Mendota canal for the kidnapper's missing car. Day after day, vehicles were found, thirteen in all: cars, a pickup and a motorcycle, but no trace of the suspect's vehicle.

Today, they located the right car. Now, six hours after divers located it and sent a robotic camera to verify the license plate, they are just now pulling the car along with two others from the water. Because of the murky water, it is still not known if anyone is in the car. It was trapped in a "siphon", dangerous for divers to approach. Add to that, water temperature is 42 degrees with zero visibility, and only a four hour window between necessary water releases. And it's getting dark.

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(Jose) Rodriguez is accused of kidnapping 4-year-old Juliani Cardenas January 18th in Patterson. Cardenas was taken from his grandmother's arms and hasn't been seen since. There was an Amber Alert issued that night. There has been no cell phone or credit card activity on Rodriguez's accounts since the kidnapping.

Authorities repeatedly told the media they do not know what is in the car, and will not know for sure until the car is brought to the surface Friday afternoon.

However, unfortunately, officials say they think the two are inside. "Everything that we know, with respect to witness statements and corroborating evidence, says that that car went into the canal, and that Jose and Juliani went with it," said Sheriff Adam Christianson, with the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office.


As long as the car was not found in the canal, one could hold out hope that little Juliani would turn up at a Motel Six, or a border crossing or spotted speeding down the freeway. When I heard, at lunch today, that the car had been positively identified, I lost hope.

The car was empty, according to Stanislaus County Sheriffs. The windows of the car were open, and it is not known if they might have escaped or if their bodies may have been swept away.

Pray for the family. Juliani's mother is eight months pregnant with Jose Rodriguez's child.

Cross posted at LCR.

Spam Foils Russian Black Widow Terrorist New Year's Eve Bombing

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"Press One for English"


A wannabee terrorist bomber became a true suicide bomber last New Year's Eve.

A "Black Widow" suicide bomber planned a terrorist attack in central Moscow on New Year's Eve but was killed when an unexpected text message set off her bomb too early, according to Russian security sources.


When I first heard this story, it was just described as a "Happy New Year" message. Now, it appears that this was a spam message from her cell phone carrier, much like the very sincere birthday wishes you get from your insurance agent.

The unnamed woman, who is thought to be part of the same group that struck Moscow's Domodedovo airport on Monday, intended to detonate a suicide belt on a busy square near Red Square on New Year's Eve in an attack that could have killed hundreds.

Security sources believe a spam message from her mobile phone operator wishing her a happy new year received just hours before the planned attack triggered her suicide belt, killing her but nobody else.


Which begs the question, when a female suicide bomber blows herself up, does she get 72 virgin (inexperienced) guys? Ladies, is that the dream for you?

H/T Wizbang

Friday Night Babe

Tonight's FNB* is Stephanie Seymour!

(*a.k.a. Rule Five Friday)

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This Last Week's Poll

This Last Week's Poll: Is President Obama's call for civility:


A) Sincere? 17%

B) Ignored by fellow liberals? 0%

C) Code for "Conservatives should shut up"? 35%

D) B and C, but not A ? 47%



With 82% choosing "C" and "D", I think we can assume that most respondents to the poll thought that Obama's strength is not his SOTU, but his STFU.


Multiple choices and Obama's crack budget office accountants may account for totals greater than 100%

Thank you for your participation!
Not a scientific poll. Respondents are self selecting. Questions are drawn from fortune cookies, hieroglyphics and tomorrow’s New York Times.

Please make your opinion known in this week's poll.

Airport Bans Three-inch Plastic Rifle From Plane...

...because it's a safety threat

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The plastic Royal Signaller was bought by tourist Julie Lloyd as a present to take home to her husband Ken, a recently retired policeman in Toronto, Canada.

Mrs Lloyd, 59, who regularly visits Britain to see her mother, said: ‘I took it to the airport still in its wrapping, but they discovered the little gun when it was scanned.

‘It is only about three inches long and there are no moving parts. There isn’t even a trigger.

‘But they wouldn’t let me take it with me. I had it in my hand luggage. I just didn’t think it would cause a problem. They said rules were rules. There was no flexibility or common sense.’


As I have said before, zero tolerance equals zero common sense. We have the same idiots running some of our schools...here and here...

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Be afraid. Be very afraid.

H/T Memeorandum

Quote du jour

"There is no education in the second kick of a mule."

-old Missouri saying

Thursday, January 27, 2011

New Obama Press Secretary Jay Carney

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Vice President Joe Biden's communications director, Jay Carney, was named the new White House press secretary

Aptly named spokesman for the Obama administration!

H/T Memeorandum

Quote du jour

Philosophy is common sense with big words.

-James Madison

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Medal of Honor

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Master Sergeant Ola Lee Mize


Citation:

M/Sgt. Mize, a member of Company K, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Company K was committed to the defense of "Outpost Harry", a strategically valuable position, when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he moved through the intense barrage, accompanied by a medical aid man, and rescued the wounded soldier. On returning to the main position he established an effective defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determined enemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area. During his fearless actions he was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts 3 times but each time he dauntlessly returned to his position, tenaciously fighting and successfully repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughts ceased he took his few men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing through apertures and throwing grenades at the foe, neutralizing their positions. When an enemy soldier stepped out behind a comrade, prepared to fire, M/Sgt. Mize killed him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. After rejoining the platoon, moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words of encouragement he observed a friendly machinegun position overrun. He immediately fought his way to the position, killing 10 of the enemy and dispersing the remainder. Fighting back to the command post, and finding several friendly wounded there, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, he directed friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy's routes of approach. At dawn he helped regroup for a counterattack which successfully drove the enemy from the outpost. M/Sgt. Mize's valorous conduct and unflinching courage reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.


M/Sgt. Mize: We humbly salute you and thank you for your service.

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Hat tip Home of Heroes

There are fewer than a hundred living MoH recipients today. Their names and their stories should not be forgotten. My mission is to honor one of those heroes here each week, and salute them for their courage and sacrifice. In the words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy:
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors; the men it remembers.”



Cross posted at Say Anything

Schadenfreude Headline du Jour

"MSNBC Ratings Rise on First Night Without Olbermann"

LOL.

H/T Mememorandum

Focus Group, Even Obama Voters Found Obama Hard to Believe



These guys found some weasel words that I missed! For example Obama spoke about "cutting" spending with a five year spending "freeze". As one sharp individual in the group noted, those are two different things.

I saw one news story out of Sacramento where they interviewed some Democrats at a "watching party" who were pretty high on the president, but about half of the Obama voter Democrats in the focus group in the video look like they could be persuaded to change horses in the middle of the 2012 stream.

More at Gateway Pundit

Bizarre Search For Kidnapped Boy Recovers Multiple Stolen Vehicles

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Seven of nine?


There's a story out here in central California,I don't know how much attention it is getting in other parts of the country, but a little four year old boy was kidnapped, apparently by an old boyfriend of his mom's.

An eyewitness saw a car that fit the description of the one owned by the suspect, and said he saw a man and a small child in the car, as it plunged into the Delta Mendota canal, a waterway that transports drinking water to southern California.

Then, the story started getting weird. The incident happened about a week ago, and sure enough, a vehicle was found in the canal, but it wasn't the right one. The next day, another vehicle was found. Still not the right one. So far, in the last week, nine vehicles: seven cars, a pickup truck and a motorcycle have been pulled from the canal. Most, if not all of them, were stolen.

Divers continue to pull abandoned vehicles out of the Delta Mendota canal near Patterson in hopes of finding a car from an Amber Alert for a missing young boy.

Crews using sonar technology have found and removed seven cars, a pickup truck and a motorcycle from the canal, none of them matched the description of Rodriguez's car.

A Honda that was reported stolen awhile ago was pulled out Tuesday morning, followed a little while later by a motorcycle, a pickup truck and an Izuzu.

4-year-old Juliani Cardenas was taken from his grandmother's arms a week from her Patterson home. She identified the suspect as 27-year-old Jose Esteban Rodriguez. Rodriguez dated Cardenas' mother for awhile before they recently broke up.


The search continues for the little boy and for the car, and there's still hope and we pray that the little boy will be found alive, but...with all those rusting hulks at the bottom of the canal, the folks in Southern California have certainly been getting a lot of minerals with their water!

Oh, one other thing. Some folk are wondering why officials don't simply drain the canal and reveal what must be hundreds of cars submerged in its waters. The figure I heard today was that it would take 8- 10 hours to drain the canal, at a cost to the state of $3,000,000 an hour in lost revenues. That's right. Three million, with an "M".

Quote du jour

"A woman of so shining loveliness
That men threshed corn at midnight by a tress..."

- W.B.Yeats

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Krauthammer on the SOTU Speech



“This is a president who is capable of giving great speeches and has… This was not one of them.” -Charles Krauthammer

Charles is a man of few words. But those few are well chosen! The Gary Cooper of Washington Punditry...

H/T Gateway Pundit

Obama's Smoked Salmon

Obama's biggest line of the night seemed to be the one about the smoked salmon.

I tried smoking a salmon once. I couldn't keep it lit!

Update: The line:
the Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in when they’re in saltwater. And I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked.

SOTU Live Blogging

I see John "Lurch" Kerry wearing his ribbon tonight. Thank God Obama did not go with this empty symbolism. I missed it. Did Obama get a kiss from all the ladies on the Supreme Court or just the ones he appointed?
"Everybody please have a seat"
Sounds a bit odd coming from POTUS. Looks like another "Jack in the box" pep rally to follow!
But there’s a reason the tragedy in Tucson gave us pause. Amid all the noise and passions and rancor of our public debate, Tucson reminded us that no matter who we are or where we come from, each of us is a part of something greater — something more consequential than party or political preference.
Sorry! That's not the reason! Oh, no! A reprise of the little girl in a puddle meme!
Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.
Is this the smoke or the mirrors part of the speech?
Thanks to the tax cuts we passed, Americans’ paychecks are a little bigger today.
Yeah. About as little as possible! Weasel Word alert!
The steps we’ve taken over the last two years may have broken the back of this recession
"May have" broken the back, means it ain't dead bang sure.
Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation
...which Obama clearly doesn't understand when he talks about "sharing the wealth".
Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik¸ we had no idea how we’d beat them to the moon. The science wasn’t there yet. NASA didn’t even exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn’t just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.
...which is why I personally gutted NASA and redirected them from space exploration to touchy feely self esteem missions.
"But too many schools don't meet this test. "
And voucher systems in Washington DC that could have rescued poor children from those schools that didn't meet the test were rejected by Obama and the Dems. (Someone get John Boehner some No-Doze!)
We want to reward good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones.
Except the teachers unions oppose both of these ideas. Are you really going to go against your ardent supporters, or is this just "boob bait for the bubbas"? Update: I didn't catch this weasel word the first time around. How could Obama say "we want" something he knows his supporters don't? The operative word is "want". I want world peace and to date a super model. Don't look for either of them to happen any time soon. Weasel Word alert!
"address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows"
Address, eh? Another word for "amnesty"?
Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do
Maybe that's because the gasoline taxes that were supposed to pay for new roads and road maintenance were siphoned off by lowlife dishonest politicians? (But I repeat myself!)
China is building faster trains
Hi speed rail can be a black hole of government spending. Trains "without the pat down." Obama is a fool if he thinks that DHS wouldn't have designs on high speed rail. Or that terrorists wouldn't consider them a prime target, even harder to defend than air travel. Weasel Word alert! "Get rid of the loopholes" Translation: Raise taxes on business.
It's why last year, we put in place consumer protections against hidden fees and penalties by credit card companies
He equates this with clean air and clean water?? Anecdotes about health care rather than speak about principle, like the Constitutionality of forcing everyone to buy insurance. Weasel Word alert!
So instead of re-fighting the battles of the last two years, let's fix what needs fixing and move forward.
Translation: Don't try to repeal the health care abomination that we forced down your throats against your will. Let's let me have my way!
Cutting the deficit by gutting our investments in innovation and education is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine
Anyone ever hear a lamer analogy? Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?? Weasel Word alert!
Still, I'm willing to look at other ideas to bring down costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year: medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits
"Okay, I looked, but it'll be a cold day in Hell before I stand up to my buddies in the Trail lawyers association!"
Before we take money away from our schools, or scholarships away from our students, we should ask millionaires to give up their tax break.
Class envy.
Because you deserve to know when your elected officials are meeting with lobbyists, I ask Congress to do what the White House has already done: put that information online
Mr. Transparency hasn't lived up to his own campaign promises about putting proposed legislation online yet, what will be different about the next two years?
A government that lives within its means.
This is a hoot coming from Mr. Trillion Dollar Stimulus Debt!
"American Muslims are part of our American family"
Strawman. Whoever said they weren't?
"Tollybon"
Wonder if that was on my Bingo card?
we will not relent, we will not waver, and we will defeat you.
Good words. Wonder if he means them to go so far as not to give civilian trials to terrorist combatants who are not signatories to the Geneva conventions?
I call on all of our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and the ROTC.
I wonder if the liberal college elites will heed his words here as much as his calls for "civility"? Overall, his rhetoric moved to the center. A few too many "weasel words" for my liking. We will see how much of the centrist talk he talked tonight will be the walk he walks tomorrow. Don't hold your breath! You can see the text of Obama's SOTU speech here.

Dem. Loretta Sanchez Wants Giffords Removed From Committee

Full disclosure: in case you don't remember, folks around here were looking for Loretta's replacement last November. A woman who loves cats but hates people can't be all bad!*

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Behind closed doors, California Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez has proposed removing Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords from the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) until she recovers from injuries sustained after being shot in the head on Jan. 8 in Tucson, The Daily Caller has learned.

The proposal sparked an outrage, according to those in the room — including from those in Sanchez’s own party.

“It’s not appropriate,” Texas Democratic Rep. Silvestre Reyes told The Daily Caller, adding that there was outrage among some members in the room when Sanchez made the suggestion. “It’s bad for morale during her recovery period.”

Reyes and Rep. Adam Smith of California put up most of the fight against Sanchez, and helped squash the idea.

“From a woman who memorialized her cat, you’d think she’d show a little more compassion for a woman shot in the face,” said one GOP aide, referring to Sanchez’s 2010 Christmas card that paid tribute to her late cat, Gretzky.




*Closed Captioning for the Humor Impaired: sarcasm

H/T Memeorandum

Cross posted at LCR.

SOTU Bingo

Full Metal Patriot had this great SOTU Bingo card:

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More at Full Metal Patriot

Your Rule Five Dentist of the Day

I can remember when they just gave you a lollipop!

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Dr. Klarkowski and staff


Dr Marie-Catherine Klarkowski said: ‘The most important thing is to take away patients’ fear. The sight of cleavages gets patients narcotised and distracted from the pain rather quickly.

‘Some patients’ mouths are already wide open on entering the practice.’

It is unclear if the patients feel less pain but the number of clients going to the Relax & Smile practice in Munich has risen by a third since the change. Yes, they are all men.

Dr Klarkowski came up with the fleshy idea at an Oktoberfest event after seeing how men ogled waitresses in their traditionally revealing ‘dirndl’ outfits.


"Open wide...your mouth, not your eyes!"

The change has also seen the practice turned into an ‘Alpine lounge’ with open fireplace, deer antlers on the wall and wooden benches for patients.

‘The competition doesn’t sleep. I know colleagues who have decorated their whole practice with Mickey Mouse and one even in Star Trek style,’ added the 41-year-old. And the nurses say the £430 costumes do it for them, too.



£430? That's $680 American. As the Texas oil man said, "Go ahead and drill doc, I'm feeling lucky!"



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H/T Memeorandum

Quote du jour

"My wife dresses to kill. She cooks the same way."
-Henny Youngman

Monday, January 24, 2011

Quote du jour

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.

– Plato

Sunday, January 23, 2011

"Alias Jesse James" with Bob Hope

Saw "Alias Jesse James" for the first time this weekend. I didn't think it was one of Bob Hope's better movies, but there was one star studded gunfight, with nine different cameos from TV western and movie stars.



The cameos start at about 2:15 and just keep on coming, with Hugh O'Brian (TV's Wyatt Earp), followed by Ward Bond of "Wagon Train", James Arness of "Gunsmoke", Roy Rogers, Fess Parker as "Davy Crockett", Gail Davis as "Annie Oakley", Gary Cooper from "High Noon", Jay Silverheels from "The Lone Ranger", and finally, even Bing Crosby!

And, as an added bonus, here's the "cover stealing" scene between Bob and Trigger in "Son of Paleface".

Quote du jour

Strictly on the numbers, the United States is in the express lane to Declinistan: unsustainable entitlements, the remorseless governmentalization of the economy and individual liberty, and a centralization of power that will cripple a nation of this size. Decline is the way to bet. But what will ensure it is if the American people accept decline as a price worth paying for European social democracy.

-Mark Steyn

Saturday, January 22, 2011

A Little Saturday Night Music

Sixpence None the Richer: Kiss Me

Saturday Linkaround

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Jared Loughner DID NOT legally obtain a gun.

Leftist Yanks Pep Rally “Applause” Photo & Threatens Lawsuit

Sheriff Dupnik: An MSNBC Star Is Born -Jack Dunphy


ObamaCare Repeal Bill Gets 245 Votes; ObamaCare Passage Only Got 219 Votes

Comprehensive List of Tax Hikes in Obamacare

Ship of Fools –Iowahawk

Obama to Sue States to End Worker’s Right to Secret Ballot

Rick Santorum plays race card on President Obama

CSI: Tucson –Iowahawk

When it’s perfectly acceptable to drop the F-bomb

"I look at them unflinchingly and see meat"




Rule Five Roundup*:
Paz De La Huerta: Party Girl, Anne Hathaway: Simply Purr-fect –Support your local Gunfighter

Rule Five Sunday –The Other McCain


American Perspective- Kim Kardashian

Maggie’s Notebook -Rule 5 Saturday Night: A Conservative Darlin’


Rule Five Saturday, Hump Day Rule Five, Rule Five News –Camp of the Saints

Rule Five Saturday –Mind Numbed Robot

Eye of Polyphemus – Anne Hathaway and other Catwomen

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup, Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan–Pirates Cove

Friday Pin up -Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Friday Night Babe –Stacy Keebler

Vintage Babe of the Week – Hedy Lamarr

Jets Girls

Britney Spears – American Power

Rule Five Shameless Plugging , Carrie, Lindsey and Paris -Yankee Phil

Randy’s Roundtable – Thursday Nite Tart

Theo Spark – Super Totty

Bikini Sunday, Chanelle Hayes’ New Boobs –Last Tradition


Full Metal Patriot – Midweek Peek






*By no means comprehensive.

Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics.

Cross posted at Say Anything

"Steampunk Palin" Comics

Art lovers and comics aficionados everywhere, for your consideration: Steampunk Palin

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Because some things just boggle the mind!

More at Comics Alliance

H/T Memeorandum

Quote du jour

Anybody else here old enough to remember Jimmy Carter being televised, sitting in the Oval Office with his sweater on while he urged the country to conserve energy? He was the President of the frikken' United States! He could have set the thermostat for 95 degrees (not unlike Barack Obama) and run around the White House in his skivvies if he'd wanted to. (I apologize for the terrible image. Mind bleach is on Aisle 2) But he didn't. He was attempting to lead by example. A concept that seems to have escaped this president.

Ain't it funny when one has to compare Carter's leadership skills to another President...favorably??


-Proof

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Poetry Corner- Keith D'OH-lbermann Edition

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Olbermann Leaves ‘Countdown’ on MSNBC

Some time when you're feeling important
Some time when your ego's in bloom
Some time when you take it for granted
You're the best qualified in the room

Some time when you feel that your going
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow this simple instruction
and see how it humbles your soul

Take a bucket and fill it with water
Put your hand in it up to the wrist
Pull it out, and the hole that's remaining
Is a measure of how you'll be missed

Splash all that you please when you enter
You can stir up the water galore
But stop, and you'll find in a minute
That it looks quite the same as before

The moral in this quaint example is
Just do the best that you can!
Be proud of yourself, but remember:
there's no Indispensable Man!


Update: Good luck on your next job, Keith. Maybe you could get a job at a deli? You could be the wurst person in the world!

H/T Memeorandum

Our First Woman President?

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There's some Michelle Bachmann for President buzz going around.

As if Rep. Michele Bachmann's foray into the early-voting state of Iowa didn't raise enough 2012 speculation already, now comes news the Minnesota Republican will meet behind closed doors with two of the most important GOP officials in the state.

Bachmann, who is heading to Des Moines Friday to deliver a keynote address at an event sponsored by the Iowans for Tax Relief, is also scheduled to meet with newly-minted Republican Gov. Terry Branstad and Iowa GOP head Matt Strawn, Bachmann spokesman Doug Sachtleben tells CNN.

Sachtleben would not say if Bachmann's potential presidential ambitions would be discussed in the meetings, though it's safe to say both Branstad and Strawn will be pivotal behind-the-scenes players in the lead up to the first-in-the-nation caucus.

Earlier this month, Sachtleben told CNN that Bachmann "hasn't ruled anything out" when it comes to a presidential bid.


A serious Bachmann presidential bid could help change the equation on the other side of the aisle, too. If having accomplished the goal of electing the first black president, could the siren song of electing the first woman president be too much for Democrats to pass up? That could bolster a Hillary 2012 effort.

H/T Memeorandum

Friday Night Babe

Tonight's FNB* is Stacy Keibler!

(*a.k.a. Rule Five Friday)


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This Last Week's Poll

This Last Week's Poll: Obama's Together We Strive, er, Thrive pep rally:


"Too political?" 42%

"Too rowdy for a memorial?" 65%

"Too little, too late?" 23%

"Just right" 0%




Multiple choices and Obama's crack budget office accountants may account for totals greater than 100%

Thank you for your participation!
Not a scientific poll. Respondents are self selecting. Questions are drawn from fortune cookies, hieroglyphics and tomorrow’s New York Times.

Please make your opinion known in this week's poll.

Quote du jour

To assert that some people have a “right” to goods and services that other people must work to produce — well, there is a phrase for that and indeed, it is mentioned in the Constitution.
Check the 13th Amendment, which abolished involuntary servitude.

-Robert Stacy McCain

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Quote du jour

"...have you noticed that you can't spell socialism without cialis?"

-Hal, commenting on Blonde Sagacity

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Medal of Honor

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Corporal Hiroshi H. Miyamura


Citation:

Cpl. Miyamura, a member of Company H, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On the night of 24 April, Company H was occupying a defensive position when the enemy fanatically attacked threatening to overrun the position. Cpl. Miyamura, a machinegun squad leader, aware of the imminent danger to his men unhesitatingly jumped from his shelter wielding his bayonet in close hand-to-hand combat killing approximately 10 of the enemy. Returning to his position, he administered first aid to the wounded and directed their evacuation. As another savage assault hit the line, he manned his machinegun and delivered withering fire until his ammunition was expended. He ordered the squad to withdraw while he stayed behind to render the gun inoperative. He then bayoneted his way through infiltrated enemy soldiers to a second gun emplacement and assisted in its operation. When the intensity of the attack necessitated the withdrawal of the company Cpl. Miyamura ordered his men to fall back while he remained to cover their movement. He killed more than 50 of the enemy before his ammunition was depleted and he was severely wounded. He maintained his magnificent stand despite his painful wounds, continuing to repel the attack until his position was overrun. When last seen he was fighting ferociously against an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers. Cpl. Miyamura's indomitable heroism and consummate devotion to duty reflect the utmost glory on himself and uphold the illustrious traditions on the military service.


Cpl. Miyamura: We humbly salute you and thank you for your service.

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Hat tip Home of Heroes

There are fewer than a hundred living MoH recipients today. Their names and their stories should not be forgotten. My mission is to honor one of those heroes here each week, and salute them for their courage and sacrifice. In the words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy:
“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors; the men it remembers.”


More about Cpl Miyamura can be found here.

Cross posted at Say Anything

Michael Moore: Only Racists own Guns, or Something Like That

by the Left Coast Rebel

Does this video even require commentary?



You have to love how Maddow just sits there and listens....like Moore is the Oracle of the Left, some kind of pharao-esque spiritual leader with transcendental thoughts....oh, he's so brilliant.

It's amazing that Michael Moore cites statistics of low crime rates in areas of the country where there is also high rates of gun ownership. Why do you think that is, Mr. Moore? Could it be precisely because these areas have high gun ownership? Why do areas like Los Angeles and Washington DC -- places with the most stringent gun control laws -- also have the highest incidents of "gun violence"?

I would so love to sit down with this guy at a burger joint (he'd have to buy, I don't think I could afford it otherwise), and have a back and forth, reasoned debate; a non sequitir-free zone. I wonder what it would look like? I wonder how Moore and would argue against my assertion that the right to bear arms is as basic and fundamental a right as freedom of speech and even more, that the bearing of arms -- by good, decent, lawful citizens -- is actually the most effective crime prevention program ever invented in the history of the free world?

Cross posted to LCR.

Happy Birthday, Dolly!

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Happy Birthday, Dolly!


Mrs. Crankipants informs me that today is Dolly Parton's birthday. I told her that I
would inflate two large balloons in her honor, in order to celebrate.

Berkeley Taxpayers To Pay for Sex-change? Financially Strapped SF School District Loans Money to Radio Station

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Berkeley Taxpayers To Pay for Sex-change Surgery?

A proposal that would cover the cost of sex-change operations for city employees in Berkeley is set for a City Council vote Tuesday night.

Berkeley health insurance providers Kaiser Permanente and Health Net don't pay for gender-reassignment surgery under the city's current health plans. The City Council proposal would set aside an annual $20,000 fund for the procedure for city employees.

The benefit would allow employees to collect the money before the sex-change operation, which can cost up to $50,000. The money would be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis each year.

To receive a payout from the fund, employees would have to have lived as the opposite sex for at least one year and undergone hormone therapy. They also would have to have worked for the city at least a year.


And here I thought California's economy was in trouble!

In a related story, San Francisco School district loans money to radio station:

SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT noncommercial KALW/SAN FRANCISCO is receiving a loan of up to $200,000 from the school district to keep the station operating through financial difficulties. The SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE reports that the board voted unanimously to provide the station with a line of credit, despite financial woes for the school system itself.


These are your tax dollars at work, friends. Those of you outside of California should be bailing us out any time now, since we represent the acme of fiscal responsibility.

And I mean "Acme" in the full Wile E. Coyote/ Roadrunner sense of the word!

Cross posted at LCR.

Quote du jour

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.”

-Stuart Chase

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

"Leaders", "Political Rhetoric" and USA Today

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There was a letter to the editor of USA Today today, that was mildly interesting (not interesting enough for you to go out and actually purchase the paper!), from some guy, whose name I won't mention, since he is obviously quite enough of an embarrassment to his mother, who took exception to a Cal Thomas editorial which apparently, compared violent TV shows to "violent" political rhetoric. I didn't read the editorial in question, but listen to this except from today's letter:

"Violent TV shows are a form of entertainment and don't really have any long-lasting effects on the public at large."
Oh, really? I can remember certain episodes of The Rifleman and Have Gun, Will Travel as if they'd aired yesterday. That's a pretty long time ago, for not having any "long-lasting effects".
And there was a film they showed at a parent/teacher conference when I was about six that scared the beejeebus out of me. Oh, yeah. Violent imagery is nothing like political rhetoric!

Now listen to this next rambling sentence in search of a thought:
"However, political rhetoric comes from our nation's leaders, who have been entrusted with the responsibility to give us facts, not empty language."
"Empty language"? You mean like "Hope and Change"? Note to the Irony Impaired: Have you ever seen any language as empty as that sentence?

This guy thinks that if one of our "leaders" proclaims something, that it somehow takes on more believability or impact than a dramatically created image on TV or in the movies? And whether or not it is their responsibility to give us "facts", look at what they've given us! Barack Obama may have given us more empty promises in his campaign than any previous president. And, as far as being "entrusted", Sarah Palin is currently an Alaskan housewife. Does that mean her rhetoric is not political or that because she is not our "leader" she has no "responsibility" to give us facts? That lets her off the hook for a lot then, doesn't it?

No. In fact, political rhetoric is not the exclusive purview of "leaders", elected or otherwise, but also those that are supposedly being led. It is a dialogue, not a monologue, no matter what Obama's teleprompter might be telling him. And how would a "non-leader" ever become a "leader" without political rhetoric?

Political rhetoric is the cry of the powerless as well as the powerful. And in some Utopian world, our politicians might give us nothing but facts, here on planet Earth, our politicians often lie to us. Other times they may be merely mistaken. But, to say that my statement, if I believe that Senator Foghorn's policies are so bad for the country he "should be horse whipped", has a longer lasting effect on society than say a Quentin Tarantino movie, you'd be quite mistaken.

And would anyone think for a moment that I literally meant for Senator Foghorn to be horse whipped? Hardly.

"Politicians are our leaders and they should be mature enough to have informed honest discussions and debates without the rhetoric."


First of all, stop laughing. And maybe I should have started out with this, I don't know about you, but I don't have any "leader". I am a citizen, not a subject. I think for myself and stay informed, so that I can make good , well informed decisions for myself. As far as the country goes, the guy currently warming the chair in the Oval Office is a community organizer, not a leader. And I, for one, refuse to be "organized". At least, not according to his model.

True leaders have a moral authority that comes from inner character. Honesty is part of that inner character. Something sadly lacking in the present administration. Next is a shared vision. A leader inspires people to follow, he doesn't need to use coercion. Unless, he is a dictator. (See: bad leader)

"Debates without rhetoric" is like asking for speech without words. There is good rhetoric and bad, factual and dishonest, inflammatory and calming. It's the people who wield the rhetoric that need to be held accountable for what they say, more so than how they said it.

But please! A call to repeal legislation that is "killing" jobs is descriptive. If the legislation were merely "mildly annoying" the creation of jobs, then why repeal it? "Target" politicians for defeat at the polls? You betcha! Only a moron or a liberal pundit (but I repeat myself) would confuse this with actual violence.

A culture of death has coarsened the nature of our society. A little hyperbole in political discourse will not bring down the Republic. Pussyfooting around the real issues might.

Cross posted at Left Coast Rebel

O M G - Surf Shop: 20% Off Black Merchandise for MLK Day

When you think of your prototypical "surfer dude", you generally don't think "brain surgeon".

"...when the country is celebrating the birthday of, arguably, the most influential civil-rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., boasting a sale with "20% Off All Black Products" is about as bad an idea as bad ideas go."


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...Putting the head of Dr. King on the body of a surfer wearing a wetsuit to promote a MLK Day sale is worthy of a giggle. People like a well-Photoshopped gag. But the rest is pretty damn inexcusable. The culprit? Thalia Surf Shop in Laguna Beach.


I mean, Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude!

Update:

...what were they thinking?
"Buy one, get one FREE AT LAST!"

-Mrs. Crankipants

A tip of the hat to Mrs. Crankipants.

"Our Nation's Greatest 'Drum Major for Justice' - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."

In perhaps the most bizarre turn of phrase meant to honor Dr. King since his birth, Attorney General Eric Holder referred to MLK, Jr. as 'our nation's greatest "drum major for justice".'

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Drum major for justice? I guess all the good metaphors were taken.

Quote du jour

“Who is this guy? (Obama) What are his core beliefs?” Well, he’s a guy who was wafted ever upward from the Harvard Law Review to state legislator to United States senator without ever lingering long enough to accomplish anything. “Who is this guy?” Well, when a guy becomes a credible presidential candidate by his mid-forties with no accomplishments other than a couple of memoirs, he evidently has an extraordinary talent for self-promotion, if nothing else. “What are his core beliefs?” It would seem likely that his core belief is in himself.

-Mark Steyn

Monday, January 17, 2011

Quote du jour

"There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt."

- John Adams

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Journalist's Guide To Firearms Identification

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Saw this over at The Blog Prof, and it's just laugh out loud funny because of how true it is!

More at the Blog Prof

Update: Welcome to those clicking over from the Seton Writers Club and Sigforum. And, for the uninitiated, the only Glock pictured is the "AK-47" in the lower left corner.

Quote du jour

"Lying is the same as alcoholism. Liars prevaricate even on their deathbeds."

-Anton Chekhov

Saturday, January 15, 2011

A Little Saturday Night Music

Eric Johnson - SRV

Saturday Linkaround

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DEMOCRATS PLOTTED TO BLAME TEA PARTY FOR SLAUGHTER!

How to Turn a tragedy into an emetic

Violence and politics merge in Arizona

Unbelievable: Democrat Group Using Gifford’s Shooting For Fundraiser!

Another stupid idea from the Donkey side of the aisle

Top 10 Great Conservative Messages in the Movies, Part I


Executive Order 0?

Right Wing Extremists: Jared Loughner Nutbag Edition –a cornucopia of Tucson shooting links

Someone Tell Gore it's Snowing in 49 States Today, Including Hawaii

Vitriolic Rhetoric, Anyone?

Facebook Group “I Hate It When I Wake Up & Sarah Palin Is Still Alive” Passes 2,000 Members!

Daily Kos Founder Endorsed T-Shirt Targeting Sarah Palin’s Face With Rifle Crosshairs…

Mark Halperin: Conservatives should turn the other cheek when scapegoated for murder

Thomas Sowell -A Republican Showdown?

Word Salad of Hate at Oakland Vigil for Tucson Victims


Boehner Didn't Really Snub Obama, Tucson Memorial

Stricter Gun Laws Would Not Help Prevent Shootings –Poll

Anti Gun Metaphor Congressman: Obama Had a ‘Double Barrel Effort’ Last Night

Arizona memorial service diminished by Team Obama's pep rally T-shirts

General Motors Accidentally Tells the Truth

If you don’t stop being violent, I’m going to kill you


CAIR Says Poster Warning Against Helping FBI is Misinterpreted

I agree with President Obama. –Michelle Malkin

‘The Most Bald-Faced Lie I Have Ever Read in the New York Times’

Why This College Educated Black Man Became a Republican

5 programs the GOP can cut today









Rule Five Roundup*:
Court Ruling Opens Door To TV Nudity, “P” is for Policewoman –Support your local Gunfighter



Rule Five Sunday
–The Other McCain


Rule Five News, Hump Day Rule Five, Rule Five Saturday, Dolores Donlon –Camp of the Saints

Roxanne Pallet

Eye of Polyphemus – Olivia Wilde, Kim Kardashian, Billie Piper

Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup, –Pirates Cove

Friday Pin up -Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Friday Night Babe – Nigella Lawson

Vintage Babe of the Week – Julie London

Jenn Sterger

Rule Five Shameless Plugging -Yankee Phil

Randy’s Roundtable – Thursday Nite Tart

Theo Spark – Thursday Totty

Denise Ritchards bikini–Last Tradition

Full Metal Patriot – Denise Milani

One more: Troglopundit's Go Daddy girls


*By no means comprehensive.

Use the comments as an open thread on any of these topics.

Cross posted at Say Anything

Quote du jour

The idea of a 19th-century isolationist republic holding the entire planet at bay is absurd. Indeed, even in the real 19th century, it was only possible because global order was maintained by the Royal Navy and Pax Britannica. If Ron Paul gets his way, who’s going to pick up the slack for global order this time?

-Mark Steyn

Quote du jour

"I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker. But he was just so strung out on OxyContin he missed his flight. Rush Limbaugh, I hope the country fails, I hope his kidneys fail, how about that? He needs a good waterboarding, that's what he needs."

-Wanda Sykes, on liberal civil discourse
H/T Weasel Zippers

Friday, January 14, 2011

Friday Night Babe

Tonight's FNB* is Nigella Lawson !

(*a.k.a. Rule Five Friday)

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Image and video hosting by TinyPic

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If You Don't Believe it is Theft, Then it Must Not Be!

Interesting opinion piece over at the NYT, by a teacher, who pirated the Internet for years from her neighbors' unsecured networks. There's a word for a person like this, but I can't quite put my finger ion it.

It may have been unfair, but I don’t believe I was stealing: the owners’ leaving their networks password-free was essentially a gift, an ethereal gesture of kindness.


Really? And if your neighbors had left their doors unlocked, would you feel free to raid the 'fridge, thinking it was an ethereal gesture of free food?

She says she did "freelance work from home", applied to graduate schools, paid her taxes online, streamed new episodes of “Friday Night Lights” each evening for a whole winter, reply to e-mails, video-chatted with my sister...until the neighbor "pulled the plug" by securing their network.

Sometimes I’d imagine my anonymous benefactors... thinking, “Well, I have Internet to spare.” And, really, who doesn’t? Home wireless networks can usually support five or more computers, yet there are only about 1.4 computers per American household.


Oh. So, as long as your neighbor has something in abundance, you can take it without asking for it? There's a great, if obvious, line in The Rocketeer, where the hero's much put upon assistant tells him, "If you "borrow" something without asking, that's stealing!"

And then the author slips in this bit of fluff at the end:
Perhaps the solution is a simple, old-fashioned gesture. Just knock on a neighbor’s door, and ask if she might be able to spare some wireless.


Read the piece for yourself, and see if there is the slightest indication that she ever asked permission to use any of their bandwidth? And some of her activities were real bandwidth hogs: she was streaming video and having video chats. Did it never occur to her that while she was enjoying herself at the neighbors' expense, they may have been putting up with slower downloads and less performance than they paid for?

I don't want to accuse her of hypocrisy, (Editor's note: Yes he does), but I'd be willing to bet that the good Ms. Rubenstein doesn't have a wireless network, and if she does, it has a password protecting it.

BTW, The word you are searching for is "leech".

H/T Closet Conservative

Cross posted at LCR.

This Just In: Botox Kills Brain Cells!



You can sleep soundly tonight, knowing that this woman is no longer second in line for succession to the Presidency.

Quote du jour

IMHO, he would have seemed more presidential if he had focused more on the memorial and less on trying to be memorable.

-Proof, on Obama at the Tucson "Together We Thrive" rally

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Western Civilization in Under Three Minutes

Andrew Klavan "On the Culture"



“wars and persecutions…and French people” Heh.

H/T Sister Toldjah

From the President's Remarks...

Published at White House dot gov.

...some of her colleagues in Congress were in the room,
Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.)
Gabby opened her eyes for the first time. (Applause.)
Gabby opened her eyes.
Gabby opened her eyes, (aide elbows teleprompter guy*)
so I can tell you she knows we are here...



* Okay. I added that one.

H/T Memorandum

Quote du jour

These are the signs of a clinical thought disorder — ideas disconnected from one another, incoherent, delusional, detached from reality.

-Charles Krauthammer, on Jared Lee Loughner (or your typical liberal)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

"Together We Thrive" and Other Inappropriate Thoughts



When was the last time you went to a memorial service that had its own theme...and t-shirts... and a wildly inappropriate theme at that: "Together We Thrive". Michelle Malkin dubbed it a "bizarre pep rally". I think she had it right.

'Together We Thrive: Tucson and America' was the theme for tonight's memorial/presidential pep rally. Mr. President, you do realize that people died at that shopping center, right? Some were injured and traumatized and one of the dead was a nine year old girl, and you want to give a speech on "thriving"???

thrive
/θraɪv/[thrahyv]
–verb (used without object), thrived or throve, thrived or thriv·en  /ˈθrɪvən/ Show Spelled[thriv-uhn] thriv·ing.
1. to prosper; be fortunate or successful.
2. to grow or develop vigorously; flourish: The children thrived in the country.


This was a successful shooting, I suppose, but which of the people shot or their families were "fortunate"? Because the current resident of the White House deigned to come visit them in their sorrow? Hardly. Is "Together we thrive" just a variation on "Yes, We Can"?

The families of the dead may thrive again one day. But not now. Not today. The wounded and traumatized may flourish at some future time. But not now. Not today.
An elected official with a mouthful of platitudes may bring a small measure of comfort. But it's a far cry from flourishing. Prospering. Thriving.

I felt there were a number of false notes throughout the "memorial". Obama quoted from the Bible about...a river and the city of God. But he never mentioned what he thought it meant, or why he thought it was appropriate to this occasion or to these people. It seemed more perfunctory than heartfelt or sincere. It was, in the words of someone or another, in his mouth...just words.

The latter part of his speech was rife with platitudes. Platitudes-R-Us. And then, when he tried to invoke the imagery of "rain puddles in heaven", he just pegged the silliness meter for trying too hard. It was a vain attempt to tug on the heart strings, in lieu of any great words of wisdom or comfort.

The audience too, was a bit out to sea. There were times when applause was appropriate, when Obama acknowledged one of the heroes of the shooting, but other times, it merely punctuated the points in his speech. Plus, there were several occasions when one lone clapper could be heard, rallying for some point best forgotten.

Maybe next speech, he can bring the 'prompter and an "applause" sign?

But what we can’t do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another.
Oh, really? Where were you with this message four days ago? You jumped all over the Cambridge cops who arrested Professor Gates, before you had all the details, saying they "Acted stupidly". Want to weigh in on any of the liberals who "acted stupidly" in assigning blame and linking this tragedy to Sarah Palin? Didn't think so. In fact, you called one of the head miscreants, Sheriff Dupnik (capital "dupe"), to thank him in spite of his politically motivated and baseless slurs and slandering of conservatives.

The victims of the Tucson shooting deserved better. They deserved more solemnity in their mourning and more joy in the celebration of their lives. They didn't need a politician to turn the event into a circus or a political rally. Did these guys learn nothing from the Paul Wellstone "memorial"?

And if there was a point in the "thrive" message, Obama never found it. It sounded more like he was shilling for a national day of service than mourning the loss of lives cut short.

I've read several folk who thought that he "hit the right notes". I just couldn't see it. Too much political theater, not enough memorial.

Update: There was one other little thing I almost forgot. When he gave the report about Ms. Giffords, it seemed like he was "milking" the moment. If you have the opportunity to see the video, he said the words "she opened her eyes" four times as I recall...because it seemed he had a punchline he wanted to deliver. He didn't anticipate the applause, which is strange because, after all, it was very good news, but Barry O wanted to get in a lame line about how "she sees us", so he kept repeating "she opened her eyes". The good news was about her, not about you, Mr. President. Better to deliver the good news and let the audience think about her.

H/T Memeorandum

Cross posted at LCR.