It's Painful ::: Obama To Do 5 Shows Sunday, Letterman Monday

I guess this guy has never been advised on the subject of overexposure.

While Jay Leno had a fake presidential interview on his first show Monday night, David Letterman will have the real thing September 21.

President Barack Obama will make the first appearance ever by a sitting U.S. President on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman on next Monday’s show.

He will be the sole guest on the broadcast.

President Obama has already appeared on The Tonight Show since being inaugurated in January, making a visit to the program, then hosted by Jay Leno, on March 19.

Source: President Obama Heading To Letterman’s 'Late Show' - 2009-09-15 13:34:14 EDT | Broadcasting & Cable

Also, from Politico:

ROAD BLOCK: President Obama keeps the pedal to the metal on health care by doing Sunday shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Univision’s “Al Punto,” con Jorge Ramos. That’s the most ever for a president. He’ll tape ’em Friday at the White House.

So apparently he's still more willing to meet with Ahmadinejad than FOX News.

An Artist Interprets 9/12 ::: What is Right is Right: My Take on Saturday

I thought this was pretty fab:






Source: What is Right is Right: My Take on Saturday Hat tip to FReeper Roos_Girl posted on FR here.

Cute Response To The "I Pledge" Video ::: Thank you famous people

Here's the original, the Demi Moore/Ashton Kutcher "I Pledge" Video:




And here's another mockery of it, "I Pledge 1984":

LOL ::: MTV VMAs Remix: Kanye West Interrupts Obama's Speech

This makes the look on Pelosi's face even funnier.



YouTube - MTV VMAs Remix: Kanye West Interrupts Obama's Speech (HD)

Hey, Congress... Ignore At Your Own Peril ::: NYPost: Dissent you can believe in

Matt Welch at the NYPost comes to the same conclusion that I have... lefty bloggers and the statist media can deride and denounce the DC912 participants all they want, but I wouldn't suggest that any politicians in Washington take that chance.

How do you marginalize a significant protest against a politician or policy you support? Lowball the numbers, then dismiss participants as deranged and possibly dangerous kooks. In the case of Saturday's massive 9/12 protest in Washington, done and done.

...

We will see more charges of racism and even fascism from those instinctively revolted by the sight of white limited-government activists protesting a black big-government president. Every stupid sign saying, "Hitler gave great speeches, too," will be seized on even more than the "BusHitler" banners were back when people still protested the Iraq war. (There are few political hypocrisies richer than the hilariously inconsistent way both left and right treat public protests.)

But even if the National Mall had been empty on Saturday, the Obama administration would still be facing an uncomfortable truth: Poll numbers clearly indicate an increasing public alarm about government spending and debt. New York Times columnists may be able to dismiss a large, coherent and peaceful anti-government protest eight months into Obamanomics, but you can bet that the administration sure doesn't.

Entire column: Dissent you can believe in

Post-Inaugural vs. Post-DC912 Rally Pix... A Thousand Words

9-12-2009 Post Rally

Post Inauguration 1-20-2009

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These pictures are worth trillions.

If those that have no respect for others are allowed to illegally ram through their progressive, socialistic, fascist, marxist legislation then our entire country will soon look like this garbage filled wasteland instead of the pristine country she does when true constitutional conservatives at the wheel.

The last twitter report I read said that the DC police were reporting that the 9-12 rally numbers exceeded the inauguration numbers, so it will be interesting to see what the final numbers really are. There should be updates on FOX this evening.

More here: Conservative Patriots v. Government Trough Feeders / 9~12 Rally Coverage � Constitutionally Speaking

My Favorite Photos from D.C. 9/12

The look on this guy's face says it all...



Hell NO is right. Love it.




Boob Czar. Better than the bunch of boobs that are czars right now.





A Wise Latina.

Racist.


That's right... does it matter who any of these people are or what their signs say? The left will just call them racists anyway.

Puke.

More here: 912: America Awakens in 2009 (Many photos: You judge the crowd size)


Update:
More pix:











And more (added 9/14)





























(I'm thinking that last one's a photoshop... but LOL.)

Conservatives to DNC: Hands off Texas

Bless them all, it was a crappy day to be outside. That's some dedication.

Hundreds brave rain to send a message to members the Democratic National Committee.

By Laura Heinauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, September 13, 2009

Holding signs that said "Less government = more freedom," "No Public Option" and "You Lie, You Lie, You Lie," hundreds of conservatives braved the pouring rain Saturday at a rally on the south steps of the Texas Capitol.

The purpose of the rally was to tell those in town for a meeting of the Democratic National Committee to, as Texas Republican Party Chairwoman Tina Benkiser put it, "crawl back to the left-wing socialist pit they came from and keep their hands off Texas."

The rally was organized by the Texas Republican House Committee in response to reports that Democrats were in town plotting ways to try to take control of the Texas House of Representatives in 2010 and to turn Texas in favor of Democrats in 2012.

Kirsten Gray, a spokeswoman for the Texas Democratic Party, said the rally showed that Texas Republicans are "running scared."

"There's a national focus on Texas Democrats right now because of all the progress we made and the fact that voters are responding to our message," she said.

Those attending Saturday's rally dismissed the idea that Republicans might lose their hold on Texas, but there was concern from some that losing the GOP's slim 76-74 majority in the Texas House could have big implications in the upcoming state redistricting process.

Retaining control over how the districts are drawn, they said, is particularly important because Texas is poised to gain as many as four additional seats in Congress because of its population growth.

"The (Texas) House could be the key," Timothy Bradberry of Pflugerville said.

"We need to counter them because we think it's part of a larger goal of the Democratic machine to continue to entrench themselves in power," Bradberry said. "We need to say, 'Hell no, we're going to keep this a conservative Republican state.'"

The rally, according to organizers, was not affiliated with the dozens occurring around the country in conjunction with the Taxpayer March on Washington on Saturday.

In addition to Benkiser, speakers at the Austin event included Republican Party of Texas Vice Chair Robin Armstrong, retired Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell, former state Rep. Suzanna Hupp, R-Lampasas, and Lathan Watts, a member of the Lewisville City Council and Texas Republican House Committee trustee.

"Today is the day Texas Republicans take a stand," Watts said.

"Today is the day Texas Republicans draw a line in sand."

Statesman.com: Conservatives to DNC: Hands off Texas

I Guess Joe Wilson Was Right ::: WH on [taking over!] health care, illegal immigrants

Here are the bullet points put out by the White House.

The first point vindicates Wilson, the second one vindicates everyone who said the Feds are going to take over health care completely, eventually.

(The whole thing just has to die.)

• Undocumented immigrants would not be able to buy private insurance on the exchange. Those who are lawfully present in this country would be able to participate.

• Undocumented immigrants would be able to buy insurance in the non-exchange private market, just as they do today. That market will shrink as the exchange takes hold, but it will still exist and will be subject to reforms such as the bans on pre-existing conditions and caps.

• Verification will be required when purchasing health insurance on the exchange. One option is the SAVE program (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) which states currently use to make sure that undocumented immigrants don't participate in safety-net programs for which they are ineligible.

• There would be no change in the law that requires emergency rooms to treat people who need emergency care, including undocumented immigrants. There is already a federal grant program that compensates states for emergency room costs associated with treatment of undocumented immigrants, a provision sponsored by a Republican lawmaker.

Posted here: WH on health care, illegal immigrants - First Read - msnbc.com

Don't Mess With Mama ::: Pregnant woman holds intruder at gun point

Love it!

(MOBILE, Ala.) Sept. 10 - The lesson here is never threaten an expecting mother, especially if she's armed with a shotgun.

"I was angry," Randi Fairley says. "I was really mad that he was in my house."

At around 4 A.M. Sunday, Fairley was wide awake, because her unborn daughter was kicking. That is when she heard a noise; it sounded like someone touching a potato-chip bag downstairs.

"I came and looked over the stairs," Fairley says. "I saw this kid, down at the bottom of the stairs. He was about to grab my computer."

Fairley is six and a half months pregnant. So, she says she yelled down at Justin Delhomme, he walked out of the house and she grabbed a shotgun. In the street, Fairley confronted the 18 year old. "He pulled a gun on me, and I told him, 'You know, you need to put that away before I shoot you because mine's bigger,' and he put it back in his pocket."

Fairley saysshe held Delhomme until the cops came with a little help from her husband and mother. "He seemed really sorry and scared, you know, he started saying he was sorry and had a baby he had to take care of."

As for her own baby, Fairley says crime fighting seemed to stir something in her. "I couldn't get her to be still. For hours after that she was just kicking away, excited. We're probably just gonna laugh about it and tell her mom caught a burglar."

Fairley also has a 4-year-old son who got a kick out of all of this. Police say they believe Delhomme is responsible for at least 13 home and vehicle break-ins over the Labor Day weekend in the Regency and Pinehurst neighborhoods of Mobile. Investigators say in all but about one case, Delhomme got in through unlocked doors.

From: Pregnant woman holds intruder at gun point | Local15tv.com, Mobile & Pensacola News, Entertainment, Videos, Business Search and Shopping

Daily Mail UK Headline: Up to two million march to US Capitol to protest... in 'tea-party' demonstration, + TOTUS!

I love that TOTUS made an appearance.


Story, more pix: Up to two million march to US Capitol to protest against Obama's spending in 'tea-party' demonstration | Mail Online

Great Aerial Shots of D.C 9/12 Rally

Posted by icwhatudo here: Massive crowd marches against Obama's agenda

LOL of The Day ::: ACORN Worker

9/12 Coverage in The NYT... And It's Not Insulting! ::: Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government

All in all, a pretty decent, non-demeaning article. (Yes... I'm shocked.)

Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government

By JEFF ZELENY

WASHINGTON — A sea of protesters filled the west lawn of the Capitol and spilled onto the National Mall on Saturday in the largest rally against President Obama since he took office, a culmination of a summer-long season of protests that began with an opposition to health care and grew into a broader dissatisfaction with government.

On a cloudy and cool day, the demonstrators came from all corners of the country, waving American flags and handwritten signs explaining the root of their frustrations. Their anger stretched well beyond the health care legislation moving through Congress, with shouts of support for gun rights, lower taxes and a smaller government.

But as they sang verse after verse of patriotic hymns like “God Bless America,” sharp words of profane and political criticism were aimed at Mr. Obama and Congress.

Dick Armey, a former House Republican leader whose group Freedomworks helped organized the protest, stood before the crowd and led the rallying cries in nearly the same spot where Mr. Obama took his oath of office eight months ago.

“He pledged a commitment of fidelity to the United States Constitution,” Mr. Armey said, suggesting that Mr. Obama was in violation of what the founding fathers intended the size and scope of the government to be.

“Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!” the crowd shouted back.

The crowd numbered well into the tens of thousands, though police declined to provide an estimate of the size of the crowd. Many of the participants simply came on their own and were not part of an organization or group. But the size of the rally took the authorities by surprise, with throngs of people streaming from the White House to Capitol Hill for more than three hours.

“I want Congress to be afraid,” said Keldon Clapp, 45, an unemployed marketing representative who recently moved to Tennessee from Connecticut after losing his job. “Like everyone else here, I want them to know that we’re watching what they’re doing. And they do work for us.”

As Mr. Obama traveled to Minnesota on Saturday to rally support for his health care plan, he flew over the assembling crowd in Marine One. The helicopter could be seen flying overhead as the demonstrators marched down Pennsylvania Avenue.

“This is not some kind of radical right-wing group,” Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, said in an interview as dozens of people streamed by him. “I just hope the Congress, the Senate and the president recognize that people are afraid of what’s going on.”

Mr. DeMint and a handful of Republican members of Congress were the only party leaders on hand for the demonstration. Republican officials said privately that they were pleased by the turnout of the crowd, but also wary of the anger directed at politicians of all stripes.

Protesters came by bus, car and airplane, arriving here from Texas and Tennessee, New Mexico and New Hampshire, Ohio and Oregon. The messages on their signs told of an intense distrust of the government, which several people said began long before Mr. Obama took office.

For the most part, Democrats stayed silent on Saturday, with the exception of a small group of counter-protesters who gathered behind a roadblock to protest what they called a “right-wing rally.” Many in the small crowd included clergy, who said they were concerned about misinformation propagated by opponents of health care legislation.

“We’d like to have an honest debate,” said Chris Korzen, director of the nonprofit Catholics United. “I don’t see a lot of substance here.”

While there was no shortage of vitriol among protesters, there was also an air of festivity. A band of protesters in colonial gear wound through the crowd, led by a bell-ringer in a tricorn hat calling for revolution. A folk singer belting out a protest ballad on a guitar brought cheers from listeners.

In conversations with demonstrators, people identified themselves as Republicans, Libertarians, independents and former Democrats. Several speakers denounced the Obama administration’s health care plan as “socialism.” A few Confederate flags waved in the air, but there were hundreds of American flags and chants of, “USA! USA! USA!” A young girl held a sign, saying: “Don’t redistribute the wealth of my Barbies.”

Ruth Lobbs, 57, a schoolteacher from Jacksonville, Fla., said she flew to Washington on Saturday to protest how she believes the government has violated the Constitution. She said she did not vote for the president, adding that her anger has been building for years.

“It’s more than Obama — this isn’t a Republican or a Democratic issue,” Ms. Lobbs said as she held a yellow flag that declared “Don’t Tread on Me.”

“I don’t know if anything will come of this or not,” she said, “but this is a peaceful way of showing our frustration.”

Theo Emery and Ashley Southall contributed reporting.

See it for yourself: Thousands Rally in Capital to Protest Big Government - NYTimes.com

Unspun with AnnaZ/BlogTalkRadio->Hugo Chavez and Us::Why Venezuela Matters: Today at 3pmE/2pmTX

I'll also have the chat room open during the show if you want to stop by and say "Hi". Icon to "Chat Now" will appear on this page just before show time.


Hugo Chavez and Us Why Venezuela Matters 9/11/2009 - Unspun with AnnaZ on Blog Talk Radio

Don't Mess... ::: Texas sends Rangers to Mexico border

Perry kills me.

HOUSTON - Special teams of Texas Rangers will be deployed to the Texas-Mexico border to deal with increasing violence because the federal government has failed to address growing problems there, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday.

"It is an expansive effort with the Rangers playing a more high-profile role than they've ever played before," Perry said of the Department of Public Safety's elite investigative unit.

The forces, dubbed "Ranger recon" teams, are the latest effort "to fill the gap that's been left by the federal government's ongoing failure to adequately secure our international border with Mexico," he said.

Full story: Texas sends Rangers to Mexico border - Security- msnbc.com

Never Forget ::: America Attacked 9 1 1

What a terrible, terrible day. I cried off and on for about two months.

The original tripod.com video memorial.

Dedicated to the men, women and children
who lost their lives; those brave people who gave their lives
And the Heroes that responded to the emergency
11 September 2001


THIS is what our nation is responding to.
Please remember that in the difficult times ahead.

Watch here: America Attacked 9 1 1

Yowza! The Lady's On Fire! ::: Sarah Palin's Response to Obama's Health (s)Care Address

The GOP may be a leaderless sack of near mediocrity, but no matter... this gal is a one-woman demolition team:

After all the rhetoric is put aside, one principle ran through President Obama’s speech tonight: that increased government involvement in health care can solve its problems.

Many Americans fundamentally disagree with this idea. We know from long experience that the creation of a massive new bureaucracy will not provide us with “more stability and security,” but just the opposite. It's hard to believe the President when he says that this time he and his team of bureaucrats have finally figured out how to do things right if only we’ll take them at their word.

Our objections to the Democrats’ health care proposals are not mere “bickering” or “games.” They are not an attempt to “score short term political points.” And it’s hard to listen to the President lecture us not to use “scare tactics” when in the next breath he says that “more will die” if his proposals do not pass.

Ouch!

In his speech the President directly responded to concerns I’ve raised about unelected bureaucrats being given power to make decisions affecting life or death health care matters. He called these concerns “bogus,” “irresponsible,” and “a lie” -- so much for civility. After all the name-calling, though, what he did not do is respond to the arguments we’ve made, arguments even some of his own supporters have agreed have merit.

In fact, after promising to “make sure that no government bureaucrat .... gets between you and the health care you need,” the President repeated his call for an Independent Medicare Advisory Council -- an unelected, largely unaccountable group of bureaucrats charged with containing Medicare costs. He did not disavow his own statement that such a group, working outside of “normal political channels,” should guide decisions regarding that “huge driver of cost ... the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives....” He did not disavow the statements of his health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, and continuing to pay his salary with taxpayer dollars proves a commitment to his beliefs. The President can keep making unsupported assertions, but until he directly responds to the arguments I’ve made, I’m going to call him out too.

It was heartening to hear the President finally recognize that tort reform is an important part of any solution. But this concession shouldn’t lead us to take our eye off the ball: the Democrats’ proposals will not reduce costs, and they will not deliver better health care. It’s this kind of “healthy skepticism of government” that truly reflects a “concern and regard for the plight of others.” We can’t wait to hear the details on that; we look forward to working with you on tort reform.

Finally, President Obama delivered an offhand applause line tonight about the cost of the War on Terror. As we approach the anniversary of the September 11th attacks and honor those who died that day and those who have died since in the War on Terror, in order to secure our freedoms, we need to remember their sacrifices and not demonize them as having had too high a price tag.

Remember, Mr. President, elected officials work for the people. Forcing a conclusion in order to claim a “victory” is not healthy for our country. We hear you say government isn’t always the answer; now hear us -- that’s what we’ve been saying all along.

Over the fence.

Source is the best part of all... Facebook again... rotf: Facebook | Sarah Palin's Notes

Bang Bang! ::: Smith & Wesson Reports Record Financial Results

God bless America.

Record Quarterly Sales of $102 Million (+30%)

Record Quarterly Net Income of $12.6 Million (+458%)

Record Quarterly, Fully Diluted EPS of $0.21 (+320%)

Record Adjusted EBITDAS of $20 Million

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009.

Net sales for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009 were $102.2 million, which was $23.8 million, or 30.3%, higher than net sales of $78.5 million for the first fiscal quarter last year. Gross profit of $35.6 million, or 34.8% of sales, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 increased by 43.4% compared with gross profit of $24.8 million, or 31.7% of sales, for the first quarter last year. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 was $12.6 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, compared with $2.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Net income included a non-cash, fair-value adjustment to the contingent consideration accrual related to our acquisition of Universal Safety Response ("USR") that increased fully diluted earnings per share by $0.05 in the current fiscal period. Adjusted EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, was $20.2 million for the first quarter, nearly double the $10.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009.

Smith & Wesson President and CEO, Michael F. Golden, said, "Ongoing consumer demand for handguns and tactical rifles fueled our strong growth and allowed us to deliver record financial results in the first quarter. Higher production levels in our Springfield factory allowed us to capture additional revenue in the quarter, and a focus on controlling costs helped translate that revenue into profitability."

Golden continued, "In addition to robust growth in our firearms segment, we began a new and exciting chapter in our history by entering the large and rapidly growing security market with our acquisition of USR, a leader in perimeter security solutions. There is tremendous commonality between the reputation for reliable security and safety that is held by both Smith & Wesson and USR. This is a significant step in the evolution of Smith & Wesson, which is becoming a broader-based provider of safety and security products and services. In the short time that has passed since we closed the transaction, USR has delivered strong results, winning new customers, and delivering record monthly revenue in August."

Firearm sales increased for the first quarter by $21.7 million, or 29.6%, over the comparable quarter last year. Sales of pistols increased 14.5%, as we addressed a strong backlog and ongoing consumer demand. Orders for M&P pistols were received from a number of police agencies. In addition, Walther product sales grew 44.2% based on increased production and availability of products. Sales of M&P15 tactical rifles in the first quarter grew by 347.4% versus the comparable quarter a year ago. Revolver sales decreased 4.0% versus the comparable quarter one year ago, a decline related to low finished goods inventory at the start of the quarter, combined with strong demand for smaller-framed revolvers, which carry a lower retail price. Non-firearm sales totaled $7.5 million, a 38.7% increase from non-firearm sales of $5.4 million for the first quarter last year.

Full release: Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2010 Financial Results

This Week on Unspun with AnnaZ... Hugo Chávez and Us :: Why Venezuela Matters || 3pmE | 9/11/2009: Blog Talk Radio

Description:

I lived in Caracas during Hugo Chávez's attempted coup d'etat, and I've watched him go from a symbol of hope and change to the darker tyranny he now promotes. With sympathizers of his in positions of power here in America -- both in Hollywood and in D.C. -- attention needs to be paid to the merging people and themes. Focus will be on Mark Lloyd, Oliver Stone, and William Ayers.

Show page is here: Hugo Chávez and Us ::: Why Venezuela Matters 9/11/2009 - Unspun with AnnaZ on Blog Talk Radio

I Desperately Want To Take This Woman Out For Drinks ::: Camille Paglia: Too late for Obama to turn it around?/Salon

Ms. Paglia is a true treasure -- intelligent, honest, bold. I just can't get enough.

Sept. 9, 2009 | What a difference a month makes! When my last controversial column posted on Salon in the second week of August, most Democrats seemed frozen in suspended animation, not daring to criticize the Obama administration's bungling of healthcare reform lest it give aid and comfort to the GOP. Well, that ice dam sure broke with a roar. Dissident Democrats found their voices, and by late August even the liberal lemmings of the mainstream media, from CBS to CNN, had drastically altered their tone of reportage, from priggish disdain of the town hall insurgency to frank admission of serious problems in the healthcare bills as well as of Obama's declining national support.

But this tonic dose of truth-telling may be too little too late. As an Obama supporter and contributor, I am outraged at the slowness with which the standing army of Democratic consultants and commentators publicly expressed discontent with the administration's strategic missteps this year. I suspect there had been private grumbling all along, but the media warhorses failed to speak out when they should have -- from week one after the inauguration, when Obama went flat as a rug in letting Congress pass that obscenely bloated stimulus package. Had more Democrats protested, the administration would have felt less arrogantly emboldened to jam through a cap-and-trade bill whose costs have made it virtually impossible for an alarmed public to accept the gargantuan expenses of national healthcare reform. (Who is naive enough to believe that Obama's plan would be deficit-neutral? Or that major cuts could be achieved without drastic rationing?)

By foolishly trying to reduce all objections to healthcare reform to the malevolence of obstructionist Republicans, Democrats have managed to destroy the national coalition that elected Obama and that is unlikely to be repaired. If Obama fails to win reelection, let the blame be first laid at the door of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who at a pivotal point threw gasoline on the flames by comparing angry American citizens to Nazis. It is theoretically possible that Obama could turn the situation around with a strong speech on healthcare to Congress this week, but after a summer of grisly hemorrhaging, too much damage has been done. At this point, Democrats' main hope for the 2012 presidential election is that Republicans nominate another hopelessly feeble candidate. Given the GOP's facility for shooting itself in the foot, that may well happen.

This column has been calling for heads to roll at the White House from the get-go. Thankfully, they do seem to be falling faster -- as witness the middle-of-the-night bum's rush given to "green jobs" czar Van Jones last week -- but there's a long way to go. An example of the provincial amateurism of current White House operations was the way the president's innocuous back-to-school pep talk got sandbagged by imbecilic support materials soliciting students to write fantasy letters to "help" the president (a coercive directive quickly withdrawn under pressure). Even worse, the entire project was stupidly scheduled to conflict with the busy opening days of class this week, when harried teachers already have their hands full. Comically, some major school districts, including New York City, were not even open yet. And this is the gang who wants to revamp national healthcare?

Why did it take so long for Democrats to realize that this year's tea party and town hall uprisings were a genuine barometer of widespread public discontent and not simply a staged scenario by kooks and conspirators? First of all, too many political analysts still think that network and cable TV chat shows are the central forums of national debate. But the truly transformative political energy is coming from talk radio and the Web -- both of which Democrat-sponsored proposals have threatened to stifle, in defiance of freedom of speech guarantees in the Bill of Rights. I rarely watch TV anymore except for cooking shows, history and science documentaries, old movies and football. Hence I was blissfully free from the retching overkill that followed the deaths of Michael Jackson and Ted Kennedy -- I never saw a single minute of any of it. It was on talk radio, which I have resumed monitoring around the clock because of the healthcare fiasco, that I heard the passionate voices of callers coming directly from the town hall meetings. Hence I was alerted to the depth and intensity of national sentiment long before others who were simply watching staged, manipulated TV shows.

Why has the Democratic Party become so arrogantly detached from ordinary Americans? Though they claim to speak for the poor and dispossessed, Democrats have increasingly become the party of an upper-middle-class professional elite, top-heavy with journalists, academics and lawyers (one reason for the hypocritical absence of tort reform in the healthcare bills). Weirdly, given their worship of highly individualistic, secularized self-actualization, such professionals are as a whole amazingly credulous these days about big-government solutions to every social problem. They see no danger in expanding government authority and intrusive, wasteful bureaucracy. This is, I submit, a stunning turn away from the anti-authority and anti-establishment principles of authentic 1960s leftism.

How has "liberty" become the inspirational code word of conservatives rather than liberals? (A prominent example is radio host Mark Levin's book "Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto," which was No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly three months without receiving major reviews, including in the Times.) I always thought that the Democratic Party is the freedom party -- but I must be living in the nostalgic past. Remember Bob Dylan's 1964 song "Chimes of Freedom," made famous by the Byrds? And here's Richie Havens electrifying the audience at Woodstock with "Freedom! Freedom!" Even Linda Ronstadt, in the 1967 song "A Different Drum," with the Stone Ponys, provided a soaring motto for that decade: "All I'm saying is I'm not ready/ For any person, place or thing/ To try and pull the reins in on me."

But affluent middle-class Democrats now seem to be complacently servile toward authority and automatically believe everything party leaders tell them. Why? Is it because the new professional class is a glossy product of generically institutionalized learning? Independent thought and logical analysis of argument are no longer taught. Elite education in the U.S. has become a frenetic assembly line of competitive college application to schools where ideological brainwashing is so pandemic that it's invisible. The top schools, from the Ivy League on down, promote "critical thinking," which sounds good but is in fact just a style of rote regurgitation of hackneyed approved terms ("racism, sexism, homophobia") when confronted with any social issue. The Democratic brain has been marinating so long in those clichés that it's positively pickled.

From here: Too late for Obama to turn it around? | Salon

Page 2 is here.

No Surprise Here ::: Missing channel pirate ship carried Russian arms for Iran

Curiouser and curiouser, but still far more plausible than the "official" story.

A CARGO ship that vanished in the Channel was carrying arms to Iran and was being tracked by Mossad, the Israeli security service, according to sources in both Russia and Israel.

The Arctic Sea, officially carrying a cargo of timber worth £1.3m, disappeared en route from Finland to Algeria on July 24. It was recovered off west Africa on August 17 when eight alleged hijackers were arrested. The Kremlin has consistently denied that the vessel was carrying a secret cargo. It claims the ship was hijacked by criminals who demanded a £1m ransom.

The official version was challenged by sources in Tel Aviv and Moscow who claimed the ship had been loaded with S-300 missiles, Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft weapon, while undergoing repairs in the Russian port of Kaliningrad.

Mossad, which closely monitors arms supplies to Iran, is said to have tipped off the Russian government that the shipment had been sold by former military officers linked to the underworld.

The Kremlin then ordered a naval rescue mission which involved destroyers and submarines. Any evidence that the Kremlin had let advanced weaponry fall into the hands of criminals or be sold to Iran would be highly embarrassing, so military officials believe a “cover story” was concocted.

“The official version is ridiculous and was given to allow the Kremlin to save face,” said a Russian military source. “I’ve spoken to people close to the investigation and they’ve pretty much confirmed Mossad’s involvement. It’s laughable to believe all this fuss was over a load of timber. I’m not alone in believing that it was carrying weapons to Iran.”

The alleged hijackers, four Estonians, two Russians and two Latvians, will go on trial in Moscow. According to the Kremlin’s account, they boarded the Arctic Sea in the Baltic by claiming their inflatable craft was in trouble and then took over the ship at gunpoint.

Sources in Moscow suggested Mossad may have played a part in the alleged hijacking by setting up a criminal gang, who were unlikely to have known anything about a secret cargo. “The best way for the Israelis to block the cargo from reaching Iran would have been to create a lot of noise around the ship,” said a former army officer.

“Once the news of the hijack broke, the game was up for the arms dealers. The Russians had to act. That’s why I don’t rule out Mossad being behind the hijacking. It stopped the shipment and gave the Kremlin a way out so that it can now claim it mounted a brilliant rescue mission.”

According to Israeli military sources, Israel received intelligence that weapons bound for Iran were being loaded in Kaliningrad, a port notorious for gun runners. “A decision was then taken to inform the Kremlin,” said the source.

Had the S-300 missiles been delivered, Iran would have significantly strengthened its air defences. An Israeli air force source said that in the event of an attack on Iranian nuclear installations, such missiles could increase Israeli casualties by 50%.

Since the Arctic Sea was retaken, Russia has imposed a security blackout. The hijackers, the crew and two investigative teams were flown back to Moscow in three Il-76 air freight planes. For more than a week after being freed the crew were not allowed to talk to their families. The captain and three crew are still on board the ship, which has resumed its voyage to Algeria, but they have not been able to call home.

Last week Mikhail Voitenko, an outspoken piracy expert who disputed the Kremlin’s original version of events, fled Russia, claiming he had received threats from an official angered by his statements.

Admiral Tarmo Kouts, former commander of Estonia’s armed forces and the European Union’s rapporteur on piracy, has infuriated Moscow by saying the only plausible explanation of the mystery is that the ship was transporting weapons. A spokesman for the Finnish owners denied that missiles could have been secretly loaded onto the ship.

Sources who suspect Mossad’s involvement point to a visit to Moscow by Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, the day after the Arctic Sea was rescued. Peres held four hours of private talks with Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president. Although the Israeli foreign ministry would not be drawn on the Arctic Sea, it confirmed that the two leaders had discussed the sale of Russian weapons to countries hostile to Israel. According to Israeli officials, Peres received verbal guarantees from the Russians that they would not sell advanced weapons systems to Iran or Syria.

“Clearly the Israelis played a role in the whole Arctic Sea saga,” said a Russian military source. “Peres used the incident as a bargaining chip over the issue of arms sales to Arab states, while Israel allowed the Kremlin a way out with its claims to have successfully foiled a piracy incident."

Original source: Missing channel pirate ship carried Russian arms for Iran - Times Online

Caption Michael Moore pimping his new anti-capitalism film, and with his wife

I'm thinking capitalism has been pretty good to Mike.

Caption Michael Moore pimping his new anti-capitalism film, and with his wife (BARF alert)

Now Here's A Party I'm Sad I Missed ::: Rousing welcome home for Traficant

Love this guy. Congress needs his one-minute speeches, we all could use the laugh.

(CNN) — Former Rep. James Traficant had a triumphant homecoming Sunday night, his first public appearance since being released from federal prison, a local paper reports.

The Youngstown Vindicator said Monday a supporter-organized welcome home dinner for the former Democratic congressman, which drew the capacity crowd of roughly 1,200 Sunday, included performances by an Elvis impersonator and a polka band, as well as a speech from Traficant himself.

The newspaper reported that Traficant was defiant, telling listeners that he'd "been hounded by some government people for a long time" and that the government "had to cheat to convict me."

"'If you want to know the true nature of a country, you must go through its prisons,'" said Traficant, quoting former South African leader Nelson Mandela, who spent nearly three decades in prison. "I know America. I've seen the other side of it, and I don't like it."

Traficant was released Wednesday after serving just over seven years in federal custody for charges that included racketeering, obstruction of justice, tax evasion and bribery.

The Vindicator reported that Columbiana County Republican Chairman David Johnson, who tried to defeat Traficant for years, was on hand for the event, and said the former congressman would have his support if he mounted another bid for office.

"I would support (Traficant) tomorrow if he ran for Congress," Johnson told the paper.

From: CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Rousing welcome home for Traficant � - Blogs from CNN.com

Gosh, I Would've Loved To Have Seen The First Draft ::: Obama's Prepared Remarks/School Speech

Yes, I'm sure the first draft was a hoot, but all in all this isn't bad at all, and one really can't have too many issues with it.

I take note of his comment to "make our nation more fair and more free", but it's got far less "social justice" claptrap in it than I expected and that I'm sure he would have preferred.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

Also, he ends with a "God bless you and God bless America"... Bill Ayers'll love that one.

(Be warned, those of you who hate "but at the end of the day" phraseology, it's used in here twice):
Media Resources Prepared School Remarks

One Down... Three To Go ::: Obama 'green jobs' adviser quits amid controversy

It's official. We kick a$$.

Wonder if the New York Times will mention him now.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's adviser Van Jones has resigned amid controversy over past inflammatory statements, the White House said early Sunday.

Jones, an administration official specializing in environmentally friendly "green jobs" with the White House Council on Environmental Quality was linked to efforts suggesting a government role in the 2001 terror attacks and to derogatory comments about Republicans.

Well, (cr)AP, he was also a self-avowed radical communist who said that whites were poisoning minorities amidst other insane beliefs.

Good riddance.

Mark Lloyd, you're next.

God bless all the independent voices that brought this loony's shenanigans to light. Cheers!

Read the rest at Breitbart here:
Obama 'green jobs' adviser quits amid controversy

The O'Butt Covering is Astounding ::: The Van Jones (non) feeding frenzy (+ Update)

This is why they can no longer be called the mainstream media.

This isn't about just protecting The One, but the radical far left.

They have made their choice.

Fortunately, for the rest of us, they have relegated themselves to complete irrelevancy, and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch.

By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
09/04/09 11:30 AM EDT

From a Nexis search a few moments ago:

Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the New York Times: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy in the Washington Post: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on NBC Nightly News: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on ABC World News: 0.
Total words about the Van Jones controversy on CBS Evening News: 0.

If you were to receive all your news from any one of these outlets, or even all of them together, and you heard about some sort of controversy involving President Obama's Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, your response would be, "Huh?" If you heard that that adviser, Van Jones, had apologized for a number of remarks and positions in the recent past, your response would be, "What?" And if you were in the Obama White House monitoring the Jones situation, you would be hoping that the news organizations listed above continue to hold the line -- otherwise, Jones, who is quite well thought of in Obama circles, would be history.

Update:

9/5/09 UPDATE: The New York Times, ABC and NBC hold the line

After the Jones controversy reached a boiling point on Friday, the Washington Post published a story, "White House Says Little on Embattled Jones," on page A-3 of its Saturday edition. But the New York Times remained silent on the story.

Likewise, on Friday night the "CBS Evening News" reported the Jones matter, but ABC's "World News" and "NBC Nightly News" again failed to report the story.

Screw ABC and NBC. They. No. Longer. Matter.

The Van Jones (non) feeding frenzy | Washington Examiner

Live At 3pm E/2pm Central Texas time... Unspun with AnnaZ ::: That Sucking Sound You Hear Is The "Mainstream" Media

Four years ago I stopped doing my weekly show Unspun with AnnaZ for what was then known as Radio Free Republic. But I've got a lot to say again these days, and, courtesy of BlogTalkRadio, the tools to do so.

This airs live at 2pm Central Texas time today, and will be archived and available for podcast afterward.

Let's have some fun.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Episode 1 ::: That Sucking Sound You Hear Is The "Mainstream" Media

Description: The media is aghast that there are some folks that don't want President Obama giving a speech to their school children. Is this a sudden outburst, or have things just been building up in a media imposed vacuum.




AnnaZ on Blog Talk Radio

Cass Sunstein, The Kooky "Choice Architect" ::: Reg. Czar Advocated Removing People’s Organs Without Explicit Consent

I'm so glad we are going to one day get to that wonderful place where we don't even have to think for ourselves anymore.

If Van Jones gets the boot... this guy should really be the next target. He's a creepy and dangerous man.

(CNSNews.com) – Cass Sunstein, President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), has advocated a policy under which the government would “presume” someone has consented to having his or her organs removed for transplantation into someone else when they die unless that person has explicitly indicated that his or her organs should not be taken.

Under such a policy, hospitals would harvest organs from people who never gave permission for this to be done.

Outlined in the 2008 book “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness,” Sunstein and co-author Richard H. Thaler argued that the main reason that more people do not donate their organs is because they are required to choose donation.

Sunstein and Thaler pointed out that doctors often must ask the deceased’s family members whether or not their dead relative would have wanted to donate his organs. These family members usually err on the side of caution and refuse to donate their loved one’s organs.

“The major obstacle to increasing [organ] donations is the need to get the consent of surviving family members,” said Sunstein and Thaler.

This problem could be remedied if governments changed the laws for organ donation, they said. Currently, unless a patient has explicitly chosen to be an organ donor, either on his driver’s license or with a donor card, the doctors assume that the person did not want to donate and therefore do not harvest his organs. Thaler and Sunstein called this “explicit consent.”

They argued that this could be remedied if government turned the law around and assumed that, unless people explicitly choose not to, then they want to donate their organs – a doctrine they call “presumed consent.”

“Presumed consent preserves freedom of choice, but it is different from explicit consent because it shifts the default rule. Under this policy, all citizens would be presumed to be consenting donors, but they would have the opportunity to register their unwillingness to donate,” they explained.

The difference between explicit and presumed consent is that under presumed consent, many more people “choose” to be organ donors. Sunstein and Thaler noted that in a 2003 study only 42 percent of people actively chose to be organ donors, while only 18 percent actively opted out when their consent was presumed.

In cases where the deceased’s wishes are unclear, Sunstein and Thaler argued that a “presumed consent” system would make it easier for doctors to convince families to donate their loved one’s organs.

Citing a 2006 study, Thaler and Sunstein wrote: “The next of kin can be approached quite differently when the decedent’s silence is presumed to indicate a decision to donate rather than when it is presumed to indicate a decision not to donate. This shift may make it easier for the family to accept organ donation.”

The problem of the deceased’s family is only one issue, Sunstein and Thaler said, admitting that turning the idea of choice on its head will invariably run into major political problems, but these are problems they say the government can solve through a system of “mandated choice.”

“Another [problem] is that it is a hard sell politically,” wrote Sunstein and Thaler. “More than a few people object to the idea of ‘presuming’ anything when it comes to such a sensitive matter. For these reasons we think that the best choice architecture for organ donations is mandated choice.”

Mandated choice is a process where government forces you to make a decision – in this case, whether to opt out of being an organ donor to get something you need, such as a driver’s license.

“With mandated choice, renewal of your driver’s license would be accompanied by a requirement that you check a box stating your organ donation preferences,” the authors stated. “Your application would not be accepted unless you had checked one of the boxes.”

To ensure that people’s decisions align with the government policy of more organ donors, Sunstein and Thaler counseled that governments should follow the state of Illinois’ example and try to influence people by making organ donation seem popular.

[snip]

More here:
CNSNews.com - Obama Regulation Czar Advocated Removing People’s Organs Without Explicit Consent

Austin Independent School District: Viewing of the Web Address of President Barack Obama

Here it is:

September 3, 2009 - On September 8, 2009, the President of the United States plans to address students across the nation on the importance of education. The web address can be seen locally in Austin at 11 a.m. (CDT) on the White House website, www.whitehouse.gov/live, and broadcast live on C-Span.

The Austin School District believes such speeches by any sitting President are worthy of Americans’ time, attention, and consideration. Thus, teachers who believe that a viewing of the President’s remarks are in alignment with their classroom instruction — and offer age-appropriate and meaningful connections related to staying in school, learning, and enhancing opportunities for the future — will allow their students to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them through this address.

The District fully embraces the diversity of Austin, and that includes philosophical and political diversity. We believe that it is not the District’s prerogative to emphasize one group’s philosophy and/or values over another. Moreover, as an educational institution — one that is committed to the development of good citizenship in students — we feel it is our responsibility to offer young people the opportunities to listen to American presidents who have valuable messages for students.

It is AISD’s expectation that viewing of this web address will vary by campus and by classroom. Parents will be advised by their campus principals to alert the school if they have a specific desire to have their child included in, or removed from, the viewing of the President’s remarks.

Fair enough.

Austin Independent School District : Recent News

Why Gov't Would Ever Have To Fund Porn ::: Feminist porn 'challenges traditional gender roles'

Ahhh... Sweden.

Film maker Mia Engberg explains the genesis of Dirty Diaries, a movie made up of 12 'feminist porn' shorts that has been generating heated debate across Sweden in the lead-up to its premiere this week.

• Publicly funded ‘feminist porn’ to premiere (1 Sep 09)

A few years ago I was asked if I wanted to make a short film on a mobile phone. The result was Come Together, a film in which a number of women point the camera at their faces while masturbating.

The film was put onto the internet and provoked a strong reaction. A lot of the reactions were negative, with comments like: "Damn, they're ugly. Could they not at least have put on some make-up." I found the comments interesting. They showed that we're still living with the age-old belief that a woman and her sexuality should please the beholder above all else.

Uhh... isn't porn usually made with the beholder in mind? Otherwise it's, like, uh, science class or something.

Throughout the history of art, the image of woman has been created by men. The gaze has been a man's gaze and female sexuality has been limited to a few identities that have suited the patriarchal system (and the male artistic ego): whore, wife, mother, muse.

Now, in 2009, it's high time for a change. With this in mind I asked a number of female artists, film makers and activists to each make an erotic film showing new images of women and sexuality, images that are not created with a profit motive or for the benefit of a male audience.

And thus the taxpayer funding.

*rolls eyes*

Feminist porn 'challenges traditional gender roles' - The Local

Don't Mess With Texas ::: Obama's planned address to students creates stir in D-FW schools

Some great quotes in this one. God bless Texas.

Some administrators say they are reluctant to interrupt daily lesson plans and won’t show the address live, opting instead to provide an online link to the speech. Others will allow campuses to access the speech during the broadcast but will also record it for teachers to show later.

Those opposing the speech say students should not be forced to listen to a presidential message.

"We’re hearing from parents and grandparents that are not very happy. They really feel like it is political indoctrination," said Stephanie Klick, Tarrant County Republican Party chairwoman. "People don’t like this. I have heard from some families that are planning to keep their kids home."

Parent Steve Atwell said he believes the speech is an attempt at propaganda. He urged Keller trustees in a letter to cancel plans to show the speech or give equal time to "someone of an opposite moral and political viewpoint."

"Many of my neighbors and friends believe that current district policy may be pro-leftist," Atwell wrote.

"This preferential treatment for Obama does not reflect the values of the vast majority of KISD parents or taxpayers. Most, I believe, would prefer that Obama stay away from their children.  . . .  I strongly resent using my tax dollars to indoctrinate my children in the alleged virtues of statist political philosophy."

Tarrant County Democratic Party Chairman Steve Maxwell defended the president’s attempt to underscore the need for American children to succeed in school.

"I have tremendous disappointment that any parent would not let their children listen to a pro-education message, a message about how important it is to stay in school and get that degree," Maxwell said.

LOL.

Rest here:
Obama's planned address to students creates stir in D-FW schools | News | Star-Telegram

Too Late, Suckers... We're On To You ::: White House Withdraws Call for Students to 'Help' Obama

But has he changed the relevant portions of his (yet another) speech?

The Obama administration is rethinking its course recommendations for students ahead of President Obama's address to the the nation's schoolchildren next week, rewriting its suggestions to teachers for student assignments on how to "help the president,"

The Washington Times reported Thursday that presidential aides acknowledged they helped the U.S. Education Department write the suggested assignments, which stirred criticism by many who say Obama is trying to indoctrinate the education system.

White House aides said the language was supposed to be a inspirational, pro-education message to America's youths, but its unintended consequences were evident.

Among the activities initially suggested for pre-K to 6th grade students was to "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president."

Another assignment for students after hearing the speech was to discuss what "the president wants us to do."

[snip]

White House Withdraws Call for Students to 'Help' Obama - Political News - FOXNews.com

Oh, FGS! Another Prime-Time Speech? Have You No Mercy? ::: President Obama to address Congress

He wants to address all the kids on the 8th, and everyone out of the 6th grade on the 9th. I really think they're might be something to that NPD diagnosis after all.

(Also, this really can't be going over too well with the news media again. We'll see how that plays out.)

President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress on health care reform in prime time on Wednesday, Sept. 9, a senior official tells POLITICO.

Obama plans to give lawmakers a more specific prescription for health care legislation than he has in the past, aides said.

Congress technically returns to Washington on Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day. But many members had planned Sept. 9 as their first workday, so Obama is seizing the first moment when he will have maximum impact.

The address to Congress, the second since Obama took offiice, is a way for White House aides to achieve maximum news coverage as they kick off their plans to recovery from a disappointing August congressional break, which saw the president's poll number fall as voices of opposition to health care legislation rose.

The exact time of the speech has not been set, but prime time ensures a huge viewing audience beyond the Beltway.

Presidential aides have promised Obama will take back the reins after allowing Congress to work its will on his idea, without one specific plan for Democratic lawmakers to defend back home. We’re entering a new season,” senior adviser David Axelrod said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s time to synthesize and harmonize these strands and get this done. We’re confident that we can do that. But obviously it is a different phase. We’re going to approach it in a different way. The president is going to be very active.”

[snip]

Read the rest (of the typo-ridden mess) here:
President Obama to address Congress - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

LOL ::: Teenagers 'filmed sex act fearing Large Hadron Collider doomsday'

I'll admit I have a bit of an obsession with the LHC, but not to this level. No. Never.

The story reminds me of that made up word, foreploy... Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

HIGH school students allegedly filmed sex acts while believing that the Large Hadron Collider was about to end the world.

At least three teenagers from a Brisbane state high school are being investigated by police for allegedly filming sex acts on a mobile phone and distributing it to other students, the Courier-Mail reports.

Two students aged between 13 and 15 performed the sex acts in the toilets during school hours several months ago.

The incident occurred after the launch of the particle accelerator ring, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which some dubbed a "doomsday device", sources told The Courier-Mail.

It is understood the girl wanted to lose her virginity to the boy - believing that the world was about to end.

Another student filmed the sex acts on his mobile phone without the girl's knowledge and then circulated it around the school and the wider community via bluetooth.

Teenagers 'filmed sex act fearing Large Hadron Collider doomsday' | News | News.com.au

"The House That Americans Built"/Great Sonja Schmidt Video ::: PJTV: Reminding Pres. Obama Where He Lives

YouTube - PJTV: Reminding Pres. Obama Where He Lives

Quote Of The Day... On Why Obama Was Elected

Not funny, yet ROTF.

Obama wasn’t elected to “do”. He was elected to “be”. People wanted someone to be the first African-American president. That mission was fulfilled one nanosecond after inauguration. Now he’s just killing time. And the economy. And possibly us.

11 posted on Wed Sep 2 09:36:07 2009 by Question Liberal Authority

Did American Idol Help Barack Obama Get Elected?

Okay... That's It... Godwin's Law Is Hereby Officially Revoked (You're Welcome)

From wikipedia:

Godwin's Law (also known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies)^[1] is a humorous observation made by Mike Godwin in 1990 which has become an Internet adage. It states: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."^[2][3]

Godwin's Law is often cited in online discussions as a deterrent against the use of arguments in the widespread reductio ad Hitlerum form. The rule does not make any statement about whether any particular reference or comparison to Adolf Hitler or the Nazis might be appropriate, but only asserts that the likelihood of such a reference or comparison arising increases as the discussion progresses. It is precisely because such a comparison or reference may sometimes be appropriate, Godwin has argued,^[4] that overuse of Nazi and Hitler comparisons should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact.

Although in one of its early forms Godwin's Law referred specifically to Usenet newsgroup discussions,^[5] the law is now applied to any threaded online discussion: electronic mailing lists, message boards, chat rooms, and more recently blog comment threads and wiki talk pages.

So yes, basically, Hitler or Nazi references should always be avoided.


Until your leader starts talking about civilian armies.

Or has underlings who wish to disregard free speech or see it as a distraction.

And always -- always -- until they want to have a non-parentally-pre-approved conversation with your children.


Carry on!

Für die Kinder ::: Exurban League: Obama asking every student "what they can do to help the president"

Here we go (adding this to the nuttiness that is asking children to be proponents of the census, from USA Today: Students' take-home assignment: Census kits! now with Sesame St. characters!), but I digress:

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, President Obama is going to deliver an address to all American students. Obama's Department of (Re-)Education helpfully provides detailed instructions so that the teachers can help promote Dear Leader's message.

Teachers can extend learning by having students:

• Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.

Not surprising they'll be "redistributed." I can't help but be reminded of Michelle Obama's chilling quote from the campaign trail, which I placed on the adjacent poster:

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

As a parent, I agree with Ace: "Hey, Obama, can we see the text of your speech to every schoolkid before you deliver it?"

Ace of Spades's query here.

Exurban League: Obama asking every student "what they can do to help the president"

Orwell Would Choke ::: Cass Sunstein, Another Obamaloon... "Why we Should Celebrate Paying Taxes"

The whole piece is insanity, as compiled in this amalgamated quote here via wikipedia:

In what sense is the money in our pockets and bank accounts fully ‘ours’? Did we earn it by our own autonomous efforts? Could we have inherited it without the assistance of probate courts? Do we save it without the support of bank regulators? Could we spend it if there were no public officials to coordinate the efforts and pool the resources of the community in which we live?... Without taxes there would be no liberty. Without taxes there would be no property. Without taxes, few of us would have any assets worth defending. [It is] a dim fiction that some people enjoy and exercise their rights without placing any burden whatsoever on the public fisc. … There is no liberty without dependency.

You know... just like Freedom is Slavery.

Why we Should Celebrate Paying Taxes


Why is his kookiness important? Because he has a huge position in the Obama admin, and thus over us:

Chief among the personnel who oversee the regulatory process is the administrator of an unheralded office within the White House's Office of Management and Budget called the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The administrator is also known as the "Regulatory Czar." Earlier this year the President nominated Cass Sunstein to run this office. Sunstein's nomination is now pending before the full Senate. A vote on his nomination is expected next week.

Unless you work on regulatory matters involving the federal, government you are probably not aware that OIRA exists. However, the office has tremendous influence on the number and scope of regulations that come out of the various federal agencies. The office acts as the gatekeeper vetting both final regulations that become law as well as proposed regulations.

Given the importance of this office to the regulatory process, the views of its administrator are highly important. Mr. Sunstein in his Senate hearing gave verbal deference to the rule of law saying that his personal views are not relevant because he would “follow the law.”

This is all well and fine as long as the person administering the office is in a situation where there is mandatory legal authority he is required to obey. Unfortunately, that is not often the case, because many appointees -- like Sunstein -- are in positions where they are actually creating law through the regulations they promulgate.

This is where personal views come into play.

Some of Mr. Sunstein’s views are troubling to say the least. He is on record supporting rights for animals including giving standing to private persons to sue on behalf of animals under existing laws. He has also stated that he believes there should be more regulation in the area of animal rights.

This is slippery slope to say the least. What will happen if he is presented with a regulatory situation where he is free to “follow the law” as well as advance his own personal views at the same time? And what if he uses the power of this office to influence the law he then eagerly follows?

In my own past work experience, I’ve had substantial firsthand experience with OIRA. The office can be a bear to deal with since it has life and death power over regulatory actions. And I have seen how the personal views of OIRA staff can become dangerously problematic, as the regulators attempt to push the law in one way or another because they are in a position to affect (or even craft) law, not just follow it.

Given Sunstein’s troubling statements and advocacy, he should not be confirmed to run OIRA. The Senate should vote down his nomination.

Sunstein: Plunging the Agricultural Industry into a Litigation Abyss

ISLAM ON Capitol Hill ::: With Interesting Art

Reminds one of this:



Which of course reminds folks of this:

ISLAM ON Capitol hill

Just When I Thought We Couldn't Up The Creepy Quotient ::: More Mark Lloyd Quotes, Courtesy of Glenn Beck

Both of these quotes are from his book "Prologue To A Farce" (2006).

"It should be clear by now that my focus here is not freedom of speech or the press. This freedom is all too often an exaggeration. At the very least, blind references to freedom of speech or the press serve as a distraction from the critical examination of other communication policies."

and:

"Don’t wait for events to unfold on their own. Pressure, pressure, pressure. If we wanted events to work in a direction that would benefit us, we knew we needed to push. We needed to apply pressure and to direct that pressure not at the government, but through the government at our true opposition – the broadcasters."

Here's the episode where Beck discusses it, 08/31/09 Segment 3.



YouTube - Glenn Beck Clips 08-31-09 Segment 3

Newly Discovered Video of Communist "Green Czar" Van Jones (Feb/09 Speech at Berkeley)

A great find from one of my favorite FReepers... AmericanInTokyo

Here's his description:

This is a speech delivered by White House Green Jobs "Czar" Anthony K. (Van) Jones in Berkeley before a very leftist activist/student group, a few weeks after Obama was inaugurated.

A relatively high-quality, recent, clear video of VAN JONES, with somewhat damaging public comments during this talk he made which could be part of the rope to hang his senior White House job.

In this speech and presentation, Van Jones uses words such as "Comrades", "Maoists", discusses his strategy now that the White House has been seized how "Green Jobs" will be the initial beachhead by which to completely defeat the "status quo" with this revolutionary "new democracy", to further not only environmental issues but a variety of other political causes in the USA, and what the Radical Left can now do as they have "seized power" with Barack Obama, about how vulnerable "people are out of jobs" and this creates a receptive atmosphere to their words, discussing his own self being tear-gassed in Seattle for street violence at WTO, etc. etc. etc.

I will say that he is rather eloquent (talks without notes, and mildly comical as in a stand up comedian sense), a very slick Socialist/Communist--but also arrogant and talking down to people. He mocked capitalism, he cracked an anti-police joke--in the vein of President Obama who sounded off his mouth recently on Harvard police w/out the facts--to the guffaws of the far leftist crowd. He also articulated how to use the post-election Barack Obama nationwide organization of 13 million to, online and otherwise, make life miserable for targeted conservative Senators. IMHO, this video will probably help usher in this man's removal from government. Mr. Jones' little comedic onstage dance while he indicated how the American people should be subtly indoctrinated to go along with this radical left-turn business was classic and most informative.

Must see TV.

Also, here (second video down): http://berc.berkeley.edu/video

Viddler.com - Van Jones at the 2009 BERC Annual Lecture - Uploaded by BERCTV

FedGov... Keeping Us Safe From Polly Pocket. Is There Anything They Can't Do?

How did we ever survive a garage sale or thrift store trip without them before?!

Excerpts:

If you're planning a garage sale or organizing a church bazaar, you'd best beware: You could be breaking a new federal law. As part of a campaign called Resale Roundup, the federal government is cracking down on the secondhand sales of dangerous and defective products.

The initiative, which targets toys and other products for children, enforces a new provision that makes it a crime to resell anything that's been recalled by its manufacturer.

"Those who resell recalled children's products are not only breaking the law, they are putting children's lives at risk," said Inez Tenenbaum, the recently confirmed chairwoman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The crackdown affects sellers ranging from major thrift-store operators such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army to everyday Americans cleaning out their attics for yard sales, church bazaars or - increasingly - digital hawking on eBay, Craigslist and other Web sites.

Secondhand sellers now must keep abreast of recalls for thousands of products, some of them stretching back more than a decade, to stay within the bounds of the law.

...

Scott Wolfson, a spokesman for the agency, said it wouldn't be dispatching bureaucratic storm troopers into private homes to see whether people were selling recalled products from their garages, yards or churches.

"We're not looking to come across as being heavy-handed," he said. "We want to make sure that everybody knows what the rules of engagement are to help spur greater compliance, so that enforcement becomes less of an issue. But we're still going to enforce."

The agency is working with eBay, Wolfson said, to help the online sales giant install software filters that will flag auction items subject to manufacturers' recalls.

The commission's Internet surveillance unit is monitoring Craigslist and other "top auction and reselling sites" for recalled goods. If the agency discovers that a recalled product has been sold online, it will try to find and inform the buyer, Wolfson said.

...

Lothrop's daughter, Laura, was upset about four years ago when Mattel changed the clothing for many of the Polly Pocket dolls from a rubber-type material to plastic and inserted small magnets to hold it on the figures.

Laura didn't like the new material or the way it fit her dolls. So, at 8, she e-mailed a complaint to Mattel. The toy giant never responded.

Now, Nancy and Laura Lothrop must do a painstaking inventory of her collection, searching for tiny model numbers to see whether they match any of the recalled items. If they find matches, they'll pull the recalled dolls and accessories from the group that they're selling.

Nancy Lothrop, though, doesn't quite understand why the dolls are being singled out.

"Many toys have small pieces that could be dangerous," she said. "My son played with army men, Lego blocks, all kinds of things with little parts. A toddler can put anything in his mouth. Parents need to have common sense. Ultimately, the parent needs to really evaluate and be watchful of what the child is playing with. We as consumers have to be careful. It really comes back to us."

All here:
Seller, beware: Feds cracking down on secondhand sales of some products - Kansas City Star

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