Smackdown ::: Missouri Highway Patrol rescinds controversial militia report

03/26/2009 - Missouri Highway Patrol rescinds controversial militia report - STLtoday.com

A report about modern militia activity will no longer be distributed to Missouri law enforcement officers after receiving nationwide criticism that it contains political profiling.

The decision came Wednesday, hours after Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder called for Department of Public Safety Director John Britt to be placed on leave because of the report, which said followers of third-party political candidates might be militia members.

But the superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol said Britt wasn't to blame. Instead, Col. James Keathley said, the issue is a flawed oversight system, which will be revamped. Keathley said the report was sent to highway patrol members without being reviewed by him or Britt.

Since the report was leaked to the public earlier this month, it has been criticized by conservatives and third-party candidates.

The report was produced by the Missouri Information Analysis Center as a guide for state troopers. The center, created by the Department of Homeland Security after Sept. 11, is a means to share security information between different entities.

The report, titled, "The Modern Militia," specifically mentioned 2008 presidential candidates Republican Ron Paul, Libertarian Bob Barr and the Constitution Party's Chuck Baldwin. It said that militia members "most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups."

LOL.

Britt apologized on Monday to the three candidates for the inartful way in which one section of the report was written.

"Upon review and reflection, it is the judgment of the Department of Public Safety that the report should have made no reference to supporters of Ron Paul, Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin or of any other third-party political candidates," wrote Britt, who is a former Secret Service agent.

In the letter to the three candidates, he promised to redact the section in question.

Not so LOL... the whole idiocy should be dumped.

Missouri Libertarian Party spokesman Mike Ferguson said his party is happy with Britt's apology, although they support the efforts of other groups to look at other parts of the report.

The response hasn't satisfied Kinder. He criticized the public safety director's apology for not mentioning another aspect of the report, which included militant anti-abortion as an ideology sometimes espoused by militia members. Kinder pointed to other groups, such as eco-terrorists, not mentioned in the report.

"There was no mention of this, because apparently it's more important to focus on pro-lifers," he said.

Yeah... and never mind the actual real terrorists out there.

* shakes head *

"Creepy Authoritarianism" ::: SFExaminer ::: Obama's Army

www.sfexaminer.com Opinion

With almost no public attention, both chambers of Congress in the past week advanced an alarming expansion of the Americorps national service plan, with the number of federally funded community-service jobs increasing from 75,000 to 250,000 at a cost of $5.7 billion. Lurking behind the feel-good rhetoric spouted by the measure’s advocates is a bill that upon closer inspection reveals multiple provisions that together create a strong odor of creepy authoritarianism. The House passed the measure overwhelmingly, while only 14 senators had the sense and courage to vote against it on a key procedural motion. Every legislator who either voted for this bill or didn’t vote at all has some serious explaining to do.

Last summer, then-candidate Barack Obama threw civil liberties to the wind when he proposed “a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as the regular military. The expanded Americorps is not quite so disturbing, but a number of provisions in the bill raise serious concerns.

To begin with, the legislation threatens the voluntary nature of Americorps by calling for consideration of “a workable, fair and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people.” It anticipates the possibility of requiring “all individuals in the United States” to perform such service, including elementary school students.

The bill also summons up unsettling memories of World War II-era paramilitary groups by saying the new program should “combine the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service,” while establishing “campuses” that serve as “operational headquarters,” complete with “superintendents” and “uniforms” for all participants. It allows for the elimination of all age restrictions in order to involve Americans at all stages of life. And, it calls for the creation of “a permanent cadre” in a “National Community Civilian Corps.”

But that’s not all. The bill also calls for “youth engagement zones” in which “service learning” is “a mandatory part of the curriculum in all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency.”

This updated form of voluntary community service is also to be “integrated into the science, technology, engineering and mathematics curricula” at all levels of schooling. Sounds like a government curriculum for government-approved “service learning,” which is nothing less than indoctrination.

Now, ask yourself if Congress members who voted for this monstrosity had a clue what they were voting for. If not, they’re guilty of dereliction of duty. If they did, the implications are truly frightening.

There's a great comment at the site ... "Chains we can believe in."

Yes, Hugo Cheated ::: Surprise, Surprise

IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Yes, Hugo Cheated

Jimmy Carter is shocked! Shocked, I tell ya!

Yes, Hugo Cheated

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Wednesday, March 25, 2009 4:20 PM PT

Democracy: In a little-noted agency hearing, the CIA admitted that Venezuela's Hugo Chavez rigged his recall referendum in 2004. So why does he still merit global recognition as a democratically elected leader?

Anyone who steals an election has no claim to democracy. But somehow there's an exception for Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, who's still recognized as a "democratically elected" leader by the U.S. and others.

It now comes to light that the CIA cybersecurity experts know he fixed his 2004 recall referendum. Two weeks ago, at a field hearing before the U.S. Election Assistance Commission in Orlando, Fla., CIA's Steve Stigall cited Venezuela, along with Macedonia and Ukraine, as examples of the risks of electronic voting.

Chavez, he said, controlled most voting machines and may have provided the program used to "randomly" select them for audit during a recount, the Miami Herald reported.

The problem went beyond cheating. The referendum was then certified as free and fair by none other than ex-President Jimmy Carter and recognized by the hemisphere as democratic.

That extended Chavez's term in power at a time when the real sentiment of voters was to throw him out. That, in turn, undercut Venezuela's opposition parties as political forces, making it nearly impossible for them to gain ground.

[snip]

WTF?! ::: Obama's Personal Army

Obama volunteers hunt budget support in Birmingham, Alabama grassroots campaign - al.com

Those who gathered at Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham were urged to enlist others who share Obama's vision and to stay away from trying to convert naysayers.

"We're looking for supporters," said DeHaven of Hoover, one of the event's organizers. "We're not looking for a fight. That will come later, when we have an army."

The volunteers are part of Organizing for America, the same grassroots, national network credited in large part with Obama's quick rise from obscurity to president. Birmingham and 11 other sites statewide were part of a national push this weekend by Organizing for America to trumpet Obama's spending proposal.

Across the metro area, volunteers gave their opinions about why Obama's plan is good for the country's future. Then they asked those willing to sign a pledge of support for the budget. Supporters' e-mail addresses and other contact information were collected, to keep people engaged and to recruit more volunteers.

Supreme Court Justice Thomas visits Washington & Lee

WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | UPDATED: Supreme Court Justice Thomas visits Washington & Lee

Justice Thomas touched on a number of topics during his speech inside Lee Chapel.

He says while most Americans appreciate the constitution they don't exactly know what's in it.

"It is at least as easy to understand that great document as it is to understand a cell phone contract," says Thomas.

Justice Thomas also believes too many Americans expect too much from their government.

"The message today seems more like ask not what you can do for yourselves or your country, but what your country must do for you," says Thomas.

Tattoo FAIL! at Kontraband UK

Tattoo FAIL! at Kontraband UK

Just terrible!!!

RIP ::: Ron Silver = (

West Wing actor Ron Silver, 62, dies of cancer | Mail Online

'Tea Party:' Stimulus bill too steep

'Tea Party:' Stimulus bill too steep | Cincinnati Enquirer | Cincinnati.Com

QOTD ::: Thousands Support The Cincinnati Tea Party

Thousands Support The Cincinnati Tea Party - KYPost.com

"Irresponsible businesses and irresponsible people should be allowed to fail. That's what is the foundation of our country. You find the bottom, you work your way back up," said tea party supporter George Piper.

OH Congresswoman Claims "Bill Will Create Over 480 Million Jobs"

OH Congresswoman Claims "Bill Will Create Over 480 Million Jobs"

Posted on Fri Mar 13 12:01:02 2009 by mukraker

According to Ohio Congresswoman Betty Sutton, a bill passed by the House on Thursday March 12, 2009 "will create over 480 million jobs."

Sutton made the claim during floor debate on H. Res 235, the rule to provide for consideration of H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009.

from pp H3342-3343 of the Congressional Record, March 12, 2009:

3/12/2009 10:20am:
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 235.

H.RES.235 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1262, WATER QUALITY INVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - March 12, 2009)

Rep. Betty Sutton (OH-13)

MS. SUTTON:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009. This bill provides a total investment of $18.7 billion over 5 years for much-needed water and environmental infrastructure. Not only will this bill help provide communities with improved water quality, but it must be remembered that it will create over 480 million jobs....

To the rescue... ? ...

YouTube - Carrie Underwood - Home Sweet Home

YouTube - Carrie Underwood - Home Sweet Home

Unbelievable ::: Bill Clinton Thinks Embryos are Unfertilized Eggs!

Jill Stanek - Bill Clinton to Gupta on CNN: Ok to research embryos if they're not fertilized

March 12, 2009
Bill Clinton to Gupta on CNN: Ok to research embryos if they're not fertilized

Can it be that both these men are so ignorant?

Last night on Larry King Live, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent and former candidate for President Barack Abortion's surgeon general, interviewed former President Bill Clinton on embryonic stem cell research among other things.

After first presenting Clinton as some sort of expert on ESCR, Gupta stood by as Clinton repeatedly, and I mean repeatedly, misstated it is morally acceptable to experiment on embryos as long as they're not fertilized!

Clinton's ignorance is staggering, particularly given the fact he was president of the United States when this issue first came to the fore. He must have been off smoking cigars with interns when the White House primer on embryos was given. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

And where in the world was Gupta? Shame on him for letting that gross misrepresentation of embryos go uncorrected. Or, I wonder, does he even know embryos can only be embryos if fertilized?

This was not some slip. Bill Clinton thinks human embryos are unfertilized eggs. Does this mean when he realizes they are fertilized, he'll oppose embryonic stem cell research?

Watch for yourself...

Here's the transcript:

Gupta: Let's talk about something you talked a lot about in the early part of your presidency, stem cells. There was an order today providing federal money for embryonic stem cell research. First of all, let me just ask you, as someone who studied this, is this going to always be as divisive an issue as it is now? Is this going to be the abortion of the next generation? Or are people going to come around?

Clinton: I think - the answer is I think that we'll work it through. If - particularly if it's done right. If it's obvious that we're not taking embryos that can - that under any conceivable scenario would be used for a process that would allow them to be fertilized and become little babies, and I think if it's obvious that we're not talking about some science fiction cloning of human beings, then I think the American people will support this....

Gupta: Any reservations?

Clinton: I don't know that I have any reservations, but I was - he has apparently decided to leave to the relevant professional committees the definition of which frozen embryos are basically going to be discarded, because they're not going to be fertilized. I believe the American people believe it's a pro-life decision to use an embryo that's frozen and never going to be fertilized for embryonic stem cell research....

But those committees need to be really careful to make sure if they don't want a big storm to be stirred up here, that any of the embryos that are used clearly have been placed beyond the pale of being fertilized before their use. There are a large number of embryos that we know are never going to be fertilized, where the people who are in control of them have made that clear. The research ought to be confined to those....

But there are values involved that we all ought to feel free to discuss in all scientific research. And that is the one thing that I think these committees need to make it clear that they're not going to fool with any embryos where there's any possibility, even if it's somewhat remote, that they could be fertilized and become human beings.

OMG ::: View food stamps not as welfare, but as economic stimulus

Put pride aside, Rendell urges - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Put pride aside, Rendell urges

By Mike Wereschagin
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 12, 2009

To those hurt by the recession but too proud to seek government help, Gov. Ed Rendell says: If not for yourself, do it for your country.

He urged people to view food stamps not as welfare, but as economic stimulus.

"Think of it this way: If you avail yourself of these sources of government relief, you'll have money to spend in the economy, and that's exactly what we need to reboot the economy," Rendell said Wednesday at Brashear High School in Beechview. His 45-minute address was televised live to gatherings in six other cities.

Dealing with Obama regime ‘unbelievably hard’

Dealing with Obama regime ‘unbelievably hard’ says mandarin | News

Btitain's top civil servant has revealed how hard dealing with the US has become since the handover to Barack Obama's administration, with the G20 summit a particular problem.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell said Downing Street was finding it “unbelievably difficult” to prepare with Washington for the crucial G20 summit in London on 2 April.

He said No 10 was even having trouble getting in touch with key personnel at the American treasury department. “There is nobody there,” he told a civil service conference in Gateshead. “You cannot believe how difficult it is.”

Call the Whaaambulance ::: We Expected Sarah Palin to Treat Wolves Like this, Not Obama

Opposing Views: OPINION: We Expected Sarah Palin to Treat Wolves Like this, Not Obama

For starters... who wrote that title? Is Palin mistreating 0bama?


As far as drama goes, this article has it all:

"[W]orst possible news for wolves."
"[T]he eerie thud of steel jaw traps closing on the legs of wolves or the report of semi-automatic gun fire targeting these remarkable animals."
"State fish and wildlife agencies "still in the grip of the hunting lobby".

Ashley Judd has, thus far, apparently been unavailable for comment.

Four Firearms Every Family Should Own

Four Firearms Every Family Should Own: When the World Comes Crashing Down, Protect You and Yours - Associated Content

A list by Loran Montgomery. Excerpted.

1. The first firearm in any home should be the American standby, the twelve-gauge pump shotgun. There are numerous makes and models on the market, but the best is the venerable Remington 870...

2. The second firearm in a home should be a high-quality pistol. The pistol should be in a caliber no smaller than 9mm Parabellum. Anything smaller than that is simply ineffective for anything other than target practice. Although oceans of ink have been printed on the best pistol for personal and home use, most of the arguments come down to either a revolver of some sort, something in the Glock family or a Colt 1911-style pistol. My choice is the Glock 17, which is the full-size Glock in 9mm...

3. Every home should have a good quality .22 rifle. The Ruger 10-22 is quite simply the best in class...

4. The last firearm in a home should be a high-quality, hard hitting semi-auto rifle. A good rifle should be able to both put meat on the table and to protect you and your family. The second requirement generally disqualifies bolt-action rifles. As a former Army infantryman, I'm personally partial to the semi-auto versions of the American M16 / M4 family of rifles, but they are cost prohibitive and require significant training to maximize their usefulness. As much as I hate to admit it, a semi-auto AK47 style rifle is the best for all-around use.

Followup ::: Gaza greets George Galloway as a hero

Gaza greets George Galloway as a hero - Times Online

(Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty)

George Galloway gesturing as he waited to cross over into the Gaza Strip today

James Hider, Rafah

George Galloway was given a triumphant welcome today as he led an aid convoy into the impoverished Gaza Strip after a month-long journey across Europe and North Africa to the Hamas-ruled enclave.

Having been made to wait for a day at the southern Rafah border crossing by Egyptian authorities, the staunchly pro-Palestinian Respect MP for Bethnal Green was finally allowed into the blockaded territory, where he was handed flowers and kissed by Palestinian well-wishers.

Mr Galloway and his companions fell to their knees and bowed to the ground as they walked in.

“I have entered Palestine many times but the most emotional of these is after the 22-day genocidal aggression against the Palestinian people,” he said, referring to Israel’s offensive to end Palestinian rocket fire and smash Hamas.

Versace's Latest Collection Is Dreamy!

The Liz Hurley 'It dress' makes a return to the Versace catwalk with revealing safety pin gowns | Mail Online

My fave:

Letterman ::: Top Ten Things U2 Has Learned Over The Years

CBS | Late Show with David Letterman : Video

Do these mysterious stones mark the site of the Garden of Eden? | Mail Online

Do these mysterious stones mark the site of the Garden of Eden? | Mail Online