Post Election: Status Woe

Mandate?

With states, counties, and cities even more broke and insolvent than the federal government (the debt in Cook County, Illinois is now an unimaginable $108 billion), you have to question if this is incompetence, or a purposeful plan to overwhelm the system with debt and entitlements, collapsing the U.S. economy and weakening faith in capitalism...

President Obama tells us that he “saved” the auto industry. It’s his one and only accomplishment- so he repeats it one hundred times a day. The reality is that he merely stole $25 billion from you and me (the taxpayers) to protect the pensions of auto union members, who contributed tens of millions to his election. Now your children owe that $25 billion, plus interest- and you don’t even get a car! While this was going on, Obama allowed private sector autoworkers to lose their pensions (because they didn’t contribute to him), while closing only auto dealerships owned by Republican contributors. This is all immoral, if not criminal.

Ladies and gentleman, we have to change direction, before we have no country left to defend…before we have no economy left to rebuild… before taxpayers are sucked dry to pay for a food stamp and unemployment benefits economy…before “free” healthcare adds trillions in debt to our children’s burden…before Obama’s extreme views on energy leave us all dependent on nations that hate America and support terrorism…before Obama uses Executive Orders to render Congress and the Constitution meaningless…before every terrorist attack is given a politically correct name…before more victims are blamed when Islamic radicals slaughter them over a cartoon, book, or film…or before 6 million Israelis are wiped out in a second holocaust due to a foreign policy of apology, appeasement, and indifference.

Parody Of Some Chick I Never Heard Of Before Her Obama Ad Aired

Also, and, by the way, both were found at Instapundit

UPDATE:

This video was too funny to not add to this post. Funny, and right on the mark, women are about more than their lady parts. You go girl!

Obama Revisionist Book of Genesis

You Didn't Build That

Readings from the Book of Barack
¹ In the beginning Govt created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the economy was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the ATMs, and the Spirit of Govt was hovering over the land.
³ And Govt said, “Let there be spending,” and there was spending. ⁴ Govt saw that the spending was good, and that it separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ Govt called the spending Investments, and this he did in the first day.
⁶ Then Govt said, “Let there be roads and bridges across the waters, and let dams divide the waters from the waters.” ⁷ Thus Govt made the infrastructure and the patronage jobs for eternity under the firmament from the Potomac which was above the firmament; and it was so. ⁸ And Govt called the firmament Washington. This Govt did on the second day.
⁹ Then Govt said, “Let the regulations and the guidlines under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the Bureaus appear”; and it was so. ¹⁰ And Govt called the Bureaus demigovts, and the gathering together of them He called AFSCME. And Govt saw that it was good.

It continues, both at the link and in Obama's deluded mind.

a carrot to SDA

Senator Rand Paul's Take On Roberts' Obamacare Decision

Roberts' ruling isn't final

By Sen. Rand Paul

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision, can you still argue that the Constitution does not support ObamaCare? The liberal blogosphere apparently thinks the constitutional debate is over. I wonder whether they would have had that opinion the day after the Dred Scott decision.

While it is clear to anyone who was awake in high school civics class that the Supreme Court has the power to declare whether a law is valid under the Constitution, that power is not a pronouncement set in stone.

Think of how our country would look now had the Supreme Court not changed its view of what is constitutional. Think of 1857, when the court handed down the outrageous Dred Scott decision, which said African Americans were not citizens. Think of the "separate but equal" doctrine in Plessy v. Ferguson, which the court later repudiated in Brown v. Board of Education.

I have a similar opinion on Roe v. Wade. Constitutional scholars such as professor Robert George of Princeton still dispute the constitutionality of Roe: "The Supreme Court's decision to invalidate state laws prohibiting or restricting abortion lacks any basis in the text, logic, structure, or original understanding of the Constitution."

The clause that the court majority used to justify the constitutionality of ObamaCare is one that has been subject to debate over the years.

Hamilton and Madison argued over it. Madison maintained that the powers to tax and spend were limited by the powers enumerated in the Constitution. Because what purpose is there to enumerated powers if a general power — the power to tax — could eclipse them?

In U.S. v. Butler (1936), an earlier Justice Roberts (Owen) got it right when he wrote: "The (tax) invades the reserved rights of the states. (The tax) is a statutory plan to regulate and control … a matter beyond the powers delegated to the federal government. … (The tax is) but (a) means to an unconstitutional end."

Sounds like ObamaCare to me. I'm starting to like the first Justice Roberts more than the current Justice Roberts.

Senator Paul does not say it, but all nine Supreme Court Justices found the mandatory healthcare bill unconstitutional; only five of them then decided to re-write the Bill to what they would have it do.  So, they allow an unconstitutional bill through with their legislative edits, so much for separation of powers.

If you would like to donate to Senator Paul's political action committee
Randpac
 

On Andy Griffith's Death: Well Said OP

Ironic that this poster to the the Naples Daily News' report on the death of Andy Griffith, aka Sheriff Taylor, calls them self OP.

OP writes:

Never knew the man, enjoyed watching his art. I no longer confuse the characters he played for the man. The characters are part of the American fabric, and with the Sheriff Taylor personae we witnessed how a responsible and sensible authority can promote the health of an entire community without controlling the populace. Were it possible that all communities are so blessed. I can not reconcile Griffith's politics at the end of his life with the character he portrayed in the fictional Mayberry. But, as far as I know he never hurt anyone, generally led a good life, had many friends, and in keeping the public perception of who he was a positive experience he performed a great service through a period of turmoil. Jimmy Stewart was the real deal, Andy Griffith an echo of that real patriot. But, Griffith did okay, deserves notice at his passing, and I am grateful that he had a long and rich life and trust that he went without suffering. We mourn the loss of the image, we regret that such innocence does not endure, we pray that in these times the people seek reason and practicality over personality. A life has been extinguished, countless others born, if one achieves the latter the former will eventually follow. So it will be for us, so it was for Andy Griffith. We honor the man, we honor the life, we wish both well in the future.

 The Jimmy Stewart reference is spurious in that it lacks details, though one can infer that Stewart's military service along with his other personal characteristics inspired affection for the author. Stewart was a great American, I agree, but does the comparison need to be made in notes on the younger Griffith's passing?

Otherwise, I can have no complaint with what OP writes, we do confuse the artist and the art. We do clutch to imaginings that popular media is reality, if only real in small pockets. And, it is only right that every life is given respect and that we recognize the loss when a life ends. Andy Griffith did us a great service with his art. And, we say too say fond farewell to the man.

Reaction To The Supreme Court Voting 9-0 The The Mandate is Unconstitutional

Imagine that it were possible to remove all of the piers, connections to land,  and other underpinnings of a bridge, and yet the bridge still stands. It still stands because five out of nine judges say it stands; even though the structure invented to support is stripped away. Welcome to the Supreme Court decision on ObamaCare.

The vote of five to four is the official result of the Supreme Court's decision on the Obama healthcare bill, but while there were only five supporting the constitutionality of the bill overall; all nine Justices agreed that the lynchpin on which the Bill's promoters advertised the bill, the mandate, all nine agreed that the mandate was unconstitutional.

Congress removed a provision of the bill before passage which would allow that if part of the Bill were found unconstitutional the rest could stand. Sever-ability. The Supreme Court took the liberty of adding that clause back in, because, well, because they forget that it is not the job of the Judicial branch of our government to write legislation.

I heard the news of the decision just before noon that day, and I have not watched or listened to any news shows since for more than the time it takes to determine if they were talking politics at that moment. I now officially give up on the American experience, the Constitutional form of government it once promised is dead. I wish it were not so.

The Differences: Fast and Furious versus Wide Receiver.

The latest defense from the Democratics over the whistle blower revealed gun scandal known as Fast and Furious is to say that it was simply a continuation of a Bush era program.
Jason Howerton puts that argument to rest with the fourth in his list of ways in which the two programs differed.

(4) Perhaps the most convincing piece of evidence proving the two operations are separate from each other is the fact that Wide Receiver was shut down in 2007 shortly after it was clear the program was a failure. This was before Obama was even in office and nearly two years before Fast and Furious began.
Fast and Furious wasn’t shut down until late 2010 after the deaths of hundreds of Mexicans, a border agent and an ICE officer.

So, clearly Fast and Furious is not a continuation of Wide Receiver since Wide Receiver ended before Obama was elected.

The number of guns involved, the number of people killed (zero for Wide Receiver), the method of tracking the guns, and the involvement of Mexican officials are also points of difference. The time frame and reasons for shutting the program down too, are different, and in each case the facts all favor the responsible approach of Wide Receiver over the unfathomable and careless method dictated to the field officers.

Where the orders came from, the orders which insisted on letting thousands of guns be purchased by or for Mexican drug traffickers, where those orders came from is the mystery. And who is preventing the Congressional oversight from finding out who ordered Fast and Furious? At last word it was President Obama when he invoked executive privilege.

On a Life Of Restoration

A man in Nova Scotia has done something I wish I'd had the foresight to tackle, I had one opportunity in Louisville and passed. Dumb kid that I was.

Restoring and old building.

More Fun With Poster Generator

Watch for coming posters: such as-
Obfuscate and Diasappoint
Priviledge
Barack Hussein Kardashian
Unconstitutional

A Leak Investigation And Returning to Ethical Norms

Via Kate an essay on the national security leaks comes to our attention; worth a read.

What Is It?

Found on the Baltic Sea floor.

They promise to provide more information soon.

Better Than Milk

Not.

John Yoo has some pertinent thoughts on why what Obama did is a violation of his oath of office.

Imagine the precedent this claim would create. President Romney could lower tax rates simply by saying he will not use enforcement resources to prosecute anyone who refuses to pay capital-gains tax. He could repeal Obamacare simply by refusing to fine or prosecute anyone who violates it.
So what we have here is a president who is refusing to carry out federal law simply because he disagrees with Congress’s policy choices. That is an exercise of executive power that even the most stalwart defenders of an energetic executive — not to mention the Framers — cannot support.

A carrot to: Instapundit

Epstein On Supreme Court Laziness

Richard Epstein provides a window into a little know case and a lazy effort by some of our Supreme Court jurists in arriving at their decisions. The prime culprit in their frivolous deliberation is the use of a subjective standard called "rational basis".

In the run up to the Supreme Court’s decision on health care, few people will pay any attention to the Court’s most recent constitutional failure of intellectual nerve in Amour v. Indianapolis. But they should. This instructive case encapsulates what goes wrong when the Supreme Court abandons its constitutional obligation to prevent the nonstop shenanigans of local governments.

Ottowa Airport Goes Full Big Brother

Disturbing news.

Sections of the Ottawa airport are now wired with microphones that can eavesdrop on travellers’ conversations.

Jonah Goldberg Cliche Buster

Via C-Span2 comes a wonderful interview with the National Review online editor.

More than a book promotion, this interview offers insight into the nuts and bolts of the distortions that hinder political comity in this country.  It is a long interview, worth every minute; especially watch for the response to the interviewer's question about conservative cliche. One is tempted to hear the question and assume the interviewer is looking for ammunition against conservatives, but, her manner throughout and his response shows the fallacy of any such assumption. Goldberg gives a thoughtful response, honest and important to the introspective conservative.

Dad Kills His Daughter's Abuser

He is being charged but may not face a conviction as the law allows lethal force to halt a sexual attack.

The case is headed to a grand jury but this guy’s more likely to land on Barbara Walters’s couch than in prison. I’d be surprised if there’s a GJ in America that would indict him; if there is, lord knows it’s not in Texas....

If what he did to save his young daughter isn't legal, it should be. Case closed.

Trumping That Tweet

WiFi networks have names. And, it seems more than are few are using that fact to promote their favorite candidate.

SSID as political slogan.

According to the linked OpenSignalsMap webpage, the average Tweet has a useful life of about one hour, the name of your WiFi service goes on and on thus giving your view a longer shelf life than a Tweet.

Is It Time To Call Him J Edgar Holder?

Senator Cornyn, a man of vast experience at justice says it is time for him to go.

“The American people deserve better; they deserve an attorney general who is accountable and independent; they deserve an attorney general who puts justice before politics,” he said. “And it’s my sincere hope that President Obama will replace you with someone who’s up to that challenge.”

J Edgar Hoover developed his leadership of the FBI into a tyrannical reign wherein he was unaccountable to any other American, including the Congress or even the President. Hoover accomplished his largesse through making himself too dangerous for anyone to threaten. Why am I getting the feeling that Holder sees himself as invulnerable too?

Related: Roger Simon has found a comparison that I have long held; Obama is most like Nixon among former Presidents.

Hoover, and Nixon, did contribute good to America; but their flaws outweigh their worth and we do not need another of either in this country again.

I Already Knew That

Why You Shouldn't Become A Writer.

But here’s the question you should be asking yourself: Can I write? Not literally. Not physically. Not technically. Anyone can do that. Can you make the words sing? Does your prose have that certain something? Are you gifted at showing not telling, or telling not showing, or creating an entire world that didn’t exist before that is born again when someone else reads your work?

I accept that I am limited in this regard. So be it.
Though, I am working on a chronicle of everything bad I have ever done,  without any pretense that it will be readable, worth reading or ever read.

Justice Isn't Blind

Justice isn't blind, it just doesn't know where to look.
Ask Galileo. Ask the Salem witches. Ask any of the multitude of those who were innocent, or right, and taken to task anyway.
Today comes word that we can officially add Lindy Chamberlain (a dingo took my baby) to the list. As, the authorities have now reported that her story was correct, and, thus, her time in jail, and the derision of her fellow citizens were mistakes.

Many Australians initially did not believe that a dingo was strong enough to take away the baby. Public opinion swayed harshly against the couple; some even spat on Chamberlain-Creighton and howled like dingoes outside her house.
No similar dingo attack had been documented at the time, but in recent years the wild dogs have been blamed for three fatal attacks on children. Few doubt the couple's story today, but the latest inquest — which the family had fought to get — made it official that Azaria was killed in a dingo attack.

I am reminded of a comedy sketch, (see the video clip below), wherein those standing on the wall debate the implausible. We never get to see if they arrive at a correct assumption, but, then, they missed the greater point in even asking the question. And, thus it happens over and over again, debate occurs as if to see the tree and miss the forest. Granting control to those who claim superior knowledge is often a formula for misdirection.

Ask Wegener, if he was still around to tell his story he would say that he was right all along even if he had to refocus the audience away from the tree at times to see the forest. He was right, the forest was there. 

Justice isn't blind, it just doesn't know where to look. I have a number of recent stories in mind now. Voter intimidation in Philly. Again and again. Fast and Furious. George Zimmerman. National Security leaks. Florida voter fraud.

The lawsuit follows Detzner’s effort to make the federal government comply with a law that requires it to help states verify the eligibility of people to vote in state elections. Florida officials are concerned that up to 180,000 non-citizen residents are inappropriately registered to vote.

Planned Abstinence in High School

Laura Ingraham hosted The O'Reilly Factor, covering among other stories the news that Planned Parenthood has set up a clinic within an LA area high school.

The controversial abortion and contraceptive provider Planned Parenthood has set up a clinic on a Los Angeles high school campus to provide free and confidential access to birth control, screenings for sexually transmitted diseases, counseling and pregnancy tests to teenage girls. Parental consent is not needed.
The collaboration between Planned Parenthood and the Los Angeles Unified School District is the first of its kind in the country, according to the Los Angeles Times. Family PACT, a family planning program that targets low-income families, pays for the clinic’s services.

Ingraham was joined by sex expert Dr. Laura Berman .  The segment eventually turned to  abstinence as the most secure method for avoiding the perils of sex, (i.e. disease and pregnancy). Berman agreed that abstinence is the surest method of avoidance of the problems, but counseled that "abstinence only" programs are less effective than "abstinence based" education. I did a search of her website and found zero results for the term "abstinence based", so I am at a loss for what that means. And, how does it differ from "abstinence only" curriculum.

The section her site does provide on abstinence seems to contain a fair share of reasonable information.

Abstinence is a healthy choice for a variety of reasons. As I’ve said before, any sexual relationship presents risks. Abstinence is a very good way to postpone taking those risks until you are better able to handle them. Women who abstain until their 20s — and who have fewer partners in their lifetimes — may have certain health advantages over women who do not. They are less likely to get sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which I also like to refer to now as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They are also less likely to become infertile or develop cervical cancer.
Beyond protecting your long-term sexual health, you are also protecting your heart. By waiting for sex until you are mature and deeply in love, you will have laid the groundwork for a healthy sexual relationship that comes from a place of trust and honesty.
But can this really be done in today’s sexually charged society? Abstinence is often easier for young women than young men. It’s not that women aren’t sexual in nature. But let’s face it, men — especially young men whose hormones are working double time — are up against testosterone. While both sexes have the natural urge to procreate, for men the chemical combination is often too strong to control. Even with the best of intentions, it’s seemingly more difficult for men to abstain from sex until they get married. That’s not to say it can’t (or shouldn’t) be done.
Staying abstinent is a choice you make every day. Don't reevaluate your decision to stay abstinent during sexually charged situations — stick with your decision until you can think about it with a clear head. However, if abstinence isn’t in your cards, safer sex definitely should be. Remember not having sex is the only fail-safe method of birth control. Still, it’s important to fully explore all your contraception options and use a method that works best for you.

But, is anyone listening. And, would this other program, "abstinence based", really impact the statistics; today's kids grow up in a culture where not having sex marks you as the enemy. Back when I was young the term was pressure, pressure to have sex. I believe today it isn't so much pressure as indoctrination and the presence of an organization with the reputation of Planned Parenthood within an already culturally relaxed school system can not be a deterrent to casual sex. It is more likely to be, as Planned Parenthood usually is at all locations, a vehicle to elimination of unwanted pregnancy.

Alive!

In my opinion each unique life begins when the two living elements, one each supplied by a male and a female, merge. The resultant cell division is further proof that the union is successful in establishing a new individual and as this life divides (cell division) and becomes more complex we see that it becomes a person. But, that life is unique because of the traits passed through from the two contributor lives, and each part is alive even before they meet and merge, it becomes a unique individual life upon merger and cell division.

A carrot to: The Blaze 

Related news to watch-

Sex-selective abortions. Say what? In America?

Genetic screening unborn inaccurate. Another case of, we think we know more than we really know, we are a long way from knowing how it all works.

Ray Bradbury, R.I.P.

Fahrenheit 451 is the tome of his that I know best, written in 1953, the year of my birth, and I know it best from seeing the movie. It carries forth a message we may need to heed if the world gets much crazier.

Ray Bradbury has died at 91. His most famous book, "Fahrenheit 451," is about book-burning in a world where entertainment on wall-size screens (“parlor walls”) has replaced reading. Published in 1953, it’s a dystopia woven from a fear of television.
Its redemptive ending establishes another theme: the power of memory. The books aren’t gone. Their texts have been preserved in the memories of people who read them and will keep them alive until it’s safe to write them down again. One man has Plato’s "Republic," another "Gulliver’s Travels," another the book of Ecclesiastes. Books aren’t physical objects. They’re words that resonate and linger in the mind.

 As happens, I wasn't aware that he was still living, I read yesterday that he suffered a stroke just a few years ago, which would have diminished his public appearance, but, that somehow seems the great shame of his passing. That, and the fact that his talent will not bring us much from that fine mind. Notice of his death will call me bck to his work, as Postrell wrote in that piece I link above, when I was young I wasn't mature enough to appreciate his writing. I don't have that excuse anymore.

Apparently, all young people do not suffer from a lack of appreciation for  his works.  This gal seems particularly taken by him, a funny video, clever lyrics, but not for the puritanic.

F*ck Me, Ray Bradbury - watch more funny videos     

    


 

Judge Denies Blogger His Free Speech

Writing words critical of a "convicted domestic terrorist" is enough for a Judge to bar the blogger from mentioning the terrorist again, and enough for that same blogger's arrest? Really? In, America?

Those Rights endowed to us by our Creator don't get the respect they once did. Where is the ACLU on this? Apparently not in the blogger's corner, because he is a conservative.

Another Domestic Terrorism Tactic Exposed

Swat-ing.

A number of conservative bloggers allege they have been targeted through the use of harassment tactics such as SWAT-ting (fooling 911 operators into sending emergency teams to their homes), in retaliation for posts they have written, and now Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., has stepped into the matter. He has sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to investigate the SWAT-ting cases to see if federal laws have been violated.
“I am writing with concern regarding recent reports that several members of the community of online political commentators have been targeted with harassing and frightening actions. Any potentially criminal action that incites fear, seeks to silence a dissenting opinion, and collaterally wastes the resources of law enforcement should be given close scrutiny at all levels,” Chambliss wrote in the letter.

Isn't making false 911 calls a crime? Surely it should be. And, don't 911 centers have caller ID, or other ability to locate the caller? When one of these calls is made every effort should be immediately made to locate and detain the caller; the severest penalties should follow. Such calls not only serve the intended intimidation purposes but also waste community resources and stress a much needed emergency response system. Gitmo would be too good for these terrorists.

The FBI has investigated a number of SWAT-ting incidents in the past.  In 2009, Carlton Nalley was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to offenses related to a SWAT-ting conspiracy in Fort Worth, Texas.

Well, that's a start.


Note: Just noticed, corrected error in spelling terrorism in headline. 6:33am 6/8/12.

Update: Florida Congresswoman calls for DOJ investigation.

“My concern is someone is going to get hurt,” Rep. Adams told me on Friday. “It’s very dangerous for the people living in the home that didn’t call 911, because they have no awareness whatsoever that something like that had happened. So they open the door to law enforcement whether it’s with or without guns drawn.”
“It’s a danger to the law enforcement agency that is being sent there, and it’s also a danger to the people in the community, because you’re pulling people away from what could be a real emergency.”

Tea Party Rises Up, Has Fine Time In SF

The T(axed) E(nough) A(lready) Party showed up to be heard when Obama arrived to collect more money. The Campaigner In Chief was properly greeted in my opinion.

Because San Francisco, home to Nancy Pelosi, has a reputation as America's most liberal city, one might think that The One would be safe from criticism here.  It is not so.

Nor, should it be.

Sign of Hope, Opportunity to Unite

Topic: Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch winning recall elections in Wisconsin

Take: There are still more reasonable people in Wisconsin than unreasonable takers.

Long-term Impact: Mixed. This may represent a shift in acceptance of government as the answer for all. But, those who have made their living suckling at the government tit are not going to move to solid food without first throwing a tantrum. There is a chance for this to unite us in the belief that all will be cared for and treated justly. However,  overcoming the violent reticence of some is the main obstacle to widespread understanding of how it can work, but that challenge must not dissuade us from that aim.

Best Case Scenario: The forces of good sense displayed in these ballots will be pervasive this November resulting in the replacement of both the President and control of the Senate, (while continuing non-progressive control of the House of Representatives). And, with control taken from the fiscally irresponsible there is hope that true reform can lead to a renewed American economy and with it a renewed American spirit of self. It won't be easy, and with the media message machine working against its cause it will be very hard work requiring an unwavering resolve; but it is worth it. Along with the fiscal progress can come a lessened voice of opposition to capital commerce, this will require consistent evidence of programs that are working and a restructuring of the mentality of the political media bosses and will not happen in our lifetime.

Analogous Situation: The current fiscal theories, as practiced by current governments are not working. There must be better answers. I am reminded of an article I just read in Smithsonian Magazine, When Continental Drift Was Considered Pseudoscience. When Alfred Wegener proposed the idea that the continents move, he was lambasted as a kook. But, he persevered, and today we know that he was right.

But Wegener was not timid about disciplinary boundaries, or much else. He was an Arctic explorer and a record-setting balloonist, and when his scientific mentor and future father-in-law advised him to be cautious in his theorizing, Wegener replied, “Why should we hesitate to toss the old views overboard?”

Others, authorities in their time, were not so open to change:

Rollin T. Chamberlin, who was also a University of Chicago geologist, did his father’s dirty work: The drift theory “takes considerable liberties with our globe,” he wrote. It ignores “awkward, ugly facts” and “plays a game in which there are few restrictive rules.” Young Chamberlin also quoted an unnamed geologist’s remark that inadvertently revealed the heart of the problem: “If we are to believe Wegener’s hypothesis we must forget everything which has been learned in the last 70 years and start all over again.”

He didn't get everything right the first time, but, just as we must do today to correct fiscal matters, he stuck to his underlying premise and today is known to be correct.

Wegener took the assault as an opportunity to refine his ideas and address valid criticisms. When critics said he had not presented a plausible mechanism for the drift, he provided six of them (including one that foreshadowed the idea of plate tectonics). When they pointed out mistakes—his timeline for continental drift was far too short—he corrected himself in subsequent editions of his work. But he “never retracted anything,” says historian Mott Greene, author of an upcoming biography, Alfred Wegener’s Life and Scientific Work. “That was always his response: Just assert it again, even more strongly.” By the time Wegener published the final version of his theory, in 1929, he was certain it would sweep other theories aside and pull together all the accumulating evidence into a unifying vision of the earth’s history.

Reichsfluchtsteuer

It is a problem I have contemplated facing, the US government wants us to pay to opt out. And, if the liberals have their way, we will have to pay even more.

"I think Schumer can probably find the legislation to do this. It existed in Germany in the 1930s and Rhodesia in the ’70s and in South Africa as well,” Mr. Norquist said. “He probably just plagiarized it and translated it from the original German."
The Reichsfluchsteuer, or Reich flight tax, that the Nazis imposed on Jews trying to flee in the 1930s was 25 percent; Mr. Schumer and his Senate colleague Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, want 30 percent. Give Mr. Schumer some credit for creativity, Mr. Norquist; the New Yorker did not just translate, he also raised the rate.

TAM

Now here's something completely improbable. A skeptics convention. Don't doubt its existence, or do, I'm not sure.

The Amazing Meeting.

Actually, in a quirky and obscure way, it sounds like fun.  If it turns out to be essentially a collection of ombudsmen for all things science and quasi-science it may be just the thing for our times. I'd be attending as an outsider, if I went. And, while I find myself sympathetic to the cause, I doubt that I would ever fit in.  However, if my net worth suddenly increased to where the money was not an issue, I would attend was all my curiosity turned on.

Time For Last For Rites For OWS

If you aren't old enough to remember the Beatles and the British Pop Invasion, then you may no get this reference, but the Occupy Wall Street fad was to the Tea Party what the Monkees were to the Beatles. And, while I mean to highlight the manufactured nature of both second comings, the comparison isn't fair to the Monkees who were likeable and in the end actually had some talent and integrity. The Monkees were not content with the concocted bubble they existed within, they wanted their individuality, and they wanted to show that they had an earned place at the table; Mike Nesmith has done the most with his ambition and effort. But, they all transcended the reactionary bubble they were created within. Maybe some individuals from the Occupy madness will also take their fervent desires to better heights, but mostly they are now marked for what the group as a whole has been shown to be; a desperate attempt to counter the citizens revolt that is the Tea Party. The Beatles lead an invasion of British bands and showcase real American music to Americans, slick media types must have an American response they can manipulate; enter the Monkees. The Tea Party retro-patriotism mushrooms as citizens of all political affiliation congeal in response as governments at all levels  lose there American way and threaten to economically derail our great experiment; the propagandists create the Occupy Wall Street mayhem.

Walter Russel Mead has more on the demise of OWS.

Much of the Tea Party’s influence was negative from a Republican point of view: weak Senate candidates nominated by Tea Party enthusiasm dragged the GOP down to defeat in Delaware and Nevada races. In other cases, Tea Party enthusiasm increased turnout and swung close races to the GOP. But like it or loathe it the Tea Party did — and does — make a difference. Politicians seek its support; its leaders have taken over local party organizations and made waves in race after race across the country.

OWS is not in the same league. Despite generally favorable coverage from the MSM (something the Tea Party has never had), OWS has essentially fallen apart. It is not a significant presence on the streets; it is not a significant presence in Democratic Party politics; it is not a significant presence in the national conversation. Its vaunted strategy of shunning conventional politics in favor of self organizing groups making decisions from day to day more or less evanesced into space while the Tea Party, equally anarchic, did in fact spawn the kinds of movements and political changes that the OWS crowd did not.

I will always feel a sense of despair that the Tea Party is believed to be equivalent to the Republican Party, I did not feel that I was signing on to the GOP when I attended a local Tea Party rally, (my first and only political demonstration ever, I began voting in 1972, never before did I feel the cause warranted my presence),  But, that is where the media pigeonholed them, and Lord knows what the media wants the masses will accept. The masses are such lemmings. The Tea Party transcended any Party, and to a great extent remain unaffiliated, look at how many old school pols decry what they are doing to the traditional methods of Party, the Tea Baggers are carrying the day where corrupt practices and blind obedience failed us.

But, dealing with media propaganda is nothing new, or going away soon. So, let those fools ply their trade, and let the lemmings parade off the cliff with them. They will tell you it isn't so, yet, but the the OWS phenomenon is on life support provided by that media. It should not recover, it serves no purpose as constructed. If there is a legitimate argument to be made about income disparity, and capital, then now is not a good time to bring it forward; the Occupy crowd has fouled the waters of reason as surely as they fouled the streets with excrement, rape, violence and general foolishness. It is time to pull the plug on them, they are done.
 

Explaining The Joke.

So, a story appears in the local paper today about a woman scorned who hits her ex=lover in the face with a sledge hammer in retaliation.

In my mind nothing needs to be said about this story, obviously, the woman is a loser and her methods are truly unacceptable.

And, then there is the comments section. Where one man reiterates the running joke, the sledge hammer should be outlawed. And, then that is followed by someone who allows that they don't get the joke. So, I explained it.

Here are the comments:

SNOWBIRD27 writes:

Geez. She could have used a gun instead, right?

naplesconservative writes:

in response to SNOWBIRD27:

Geez. She could have used a gun instead, right?

Now we need to ban sledge hammers so this does not happen again.

Patriot_1 writes:

in response to naplesconservative:

Now we need to ban sledge hammers so this does not happen again.

WTH? Nobody is even suggesting a ban on guns... so why are you right-wing extremists so paranoid about it? It makes you look silly and whiny.

OP writes:

in response to Patriot_1:

WTH? Nobody is even suggesting a ban on guns... so why are you right-wing extremists so paranoid about it? It makes you look silly and whiny.

It is awful to have to explain a joke, but, because you are special...
Background- There is a long running dispute about whether the gun or the man is to blame when somebody gets shot. One side blames the gun and wants them banned, The other side says, no, it is the man who misused the gun who is to blame. The first party remains unmoved by the logic of the second party.
So, the joke is that any inanimate object should be banned, in the logic of the first party, if it is used as a weapon. In this case, the inanimate object is a sledge hammer. But, the same mocking connection can be made with any inanimate object which is used as a weapon. And, so, to further elaborate; this is a running joke meant to parody the nonsensical approach of members of the first party who wish to ban guns when banning guns will not eliminate violence.

Photo: These Are The Ones Who Killed Bin Laden

According to Obama, that is to say.

I am reminded of the night we learned that Osama was dead. As the event continuously ran across the bottom of a television, those of use in the local English Pub were praising Biden for flying in there, probably without even needing an aircraft or map, and doing the deed himself. We were, of course, already mocking the Obama administration for the self-congratulation which we all knew they would heap upon themselves. Events since that night, especially including those leading up the anniversary of the killing have proven us to be correct. Obama would have all the credit; forget the decade of work that came before, forget the soldiers who risked it all to go there, forget any contribution to this long awaited event from any other person except Obama.

I blame George Bush for Osama's death. And, in these Orwellian times I get to define blame as I choose. I choose to define it in this case as giving President Bush credit for establishing the basis which lead to the discovery of OBL's hideout, and for the intelligence and training of the military which did the deed.

Obama would have us only focus on his part in the matter, but, truth be told, giving that order was the easiest part of the entire mission. Anyone who would not have given the go ahead to kill that beast does not deserve to call themselves American. And, having said that, I will share my suspicion about Obama's actual order.  I contend that there exists the strong probability that what Obama ordered was an order to capture Osama Bin Laden, and it is when the soldiers defied that order and took him out instead that Hillary covered her face in disbelief, shocked that the Emperor's orders were ignored.

a carrot to- iOwn The World

I've spent too many nights trying to get my pro-abortion sister to accept that abortion did kill babies. This new movie, showing in selected theaters, enhances my argument. Not that it would ever change her mind. I don't even ask that she disapprove of abortion, just that she admit the obvious; they are babies.

October Baby...is a film about Hannah, a 19 year old girl who discovers she was adopted after surviving a botched abortion. Along with some friends she sets out on a quest to discover her birth mother.
Jason Burkey, the lead actor who plays Hannah’s lifelong friend Jason Bradley, told the Gazette that while there were times they wondered if the film would ever be made, it was an enlightening experience for him.
“Prior to reading the script, I never knew there was such a thing as abortion survivors,” Burkey said.  “I didn't realize those two words went together.  And Jon wasn't either until he met an abortion survivor and heard her speak. He was floored by her story and that is what inspired him to produce the film.”

 On a further political point, Obama would have had this film's character killed. No, really, he legislated it to be so.

While the film’s character survived an abortion, it is fortunate the character was not born during the time Obama was a state senator in Illinois.
During his time in the Illinois legislature, a bill was introduced that would have given children such as Hannah and Jesson legal protections including the right to medical care. The reasoning was the woman’s right to choose ended once the child was born.
However, Obama opposed the bill on the grounds that it would place an “undue burden on the mother.” The reasoning among abortion supporters is that, since the choice to kill the baby was made prior to it being born, that choice should be honored even if the baby survived.
Nurses have reported they were ordered to take these living children into a dark room and leave them alone to die.
Burkey acknowledged the film could draw attention to the issue of Obama supporting what Newt Gingrich called “infanticide,” however, he said that was not the intent of the film.
“We knew that the topic of abortion survivors is an important issue and that it would stir up some things on both sides of the issue, however, we didn't time it to be released to coincide with the November elections, it just happened to be that way,” Burkey said. “The goal from the outset was to tell a powerful character driven story that just happens to be about an abortion survivor which is a very real thing. This is a very crucial time for it to come out.”

Microburst of Wind Blows Off Roof

As reported in the paper of record for Greeley, Colorado, a local home suffered this unusual wind damage.

the home’s residents were not home at the time of the incident and passers-by had reported what they thought to be a explosion to the nearby neighborhood fire station, prompting the fire crews initiating the fire crews response.

Shadows Of Twelve Monkeys Possibilities

H5N1 Tweeks may be published.

Kawaoka's team delved into the H5N1 strain of avian flu, which caused a health scare in Hong Kong in 1997 and still surfaces sporadically today.
H5N1 spreads easily among poultry and wild birds but is hard to transmit to humans. When it does, it is brutal, killing more than one infected person in two.

So, the controversy is over whether publishing the reports of the research will constitute a health risk from terrorist groups following the information provided to create a super virus pandemic.

Nature showed journalists a report from "a bio-defence agency outside the US", which it declined to name, that said the benefits of publication outweighed the risks.
"This information could be used by an aggressor and shows one of the building blocks for the development of a potential BW [biowarfare] weapon," the report said.
"[Such skill] is a demanding capability, probably beyond the capacity of the majority of those groupings of concern," it said.
"On the other hand, not publishing this information would slow, or even block, the development of a vaccine against a virus that still has the potential to mutate naturally to a pandemic form, which could cause huge numbers of fatalities worldwide."
Touching on the tension between freedom of expression and scientific responsibility, Nature said it was "desirable" to have a forum such as NSABB but in this case the panel had over-reacted.
"There are justified concerns among the research community about the NSABB's processes, and these processes should be reviewed."

Headline of The Day- Man Exposes Himself at Association For The Blind

If a tree falls in the woods...

Apparently that analogy does apply when the woman present can see.

The Real War On Women Comes From The Left

So, as with much of progressive policies, this one is chock full of unintended consequences. Unionizing childcare will force moms to chose between staying home and raising kids in a safe environment, or hiring pricey and potentially unqualified/dangerous individuals to watch their babies while they work — paying excessively high taxes while they do so.

When Will The Masses Say Enough To Occupy Thugery

It is one thing to speak out for a cause, it is another to foment anarchy and non civil behavior.

For all that is said of the Tea Party, they did behave with maturity; the Ocupuppies don't want to be responsible citizens, they want to be the biggest brat on the school yard.

Dopamine and Effort Connection

Slackers beware, increasing your Dopamine levels could lead you actually try.

Did the ancients fly? Discuss among yourselves.

We Have A Space Plane?

Secret project to me.

The

mysterious X-37B spaceplane

Sixto Rodriquez, The Not Forgotten

I can not recall a movie that fully captured a man; I do not have expectations that the one about the musician who gave it all up to live a regular working life will be the first.

Today is the first time I listened to his music, and I find it worthy of my time.

Slim, Chance Not His Legacy

When the poker boom happened my memory harkened back to a name I had heard many years before, Amarillo Slim, and as legends of the game were paraded before us watching the televised games that name was missing. As I recalled Slim was the best, but there was no explanation for his absence from the scene. Today I learned why he was not lauded with the others; he plead guilty to molesting his grand daughter. Slim died this past week, and it was only in his story as told by a man who knew him that this awful episode came to my attention.

Still Around, Quiet, Tough These Days

I just checked in for the first time in, well, I don't know when I last even thought about my blog.

You see, I am in that state of mental and emotional funk which many have experienced; and which I hope you have not and will not experience. I call it giving up. And, I also give myself a metaphorical slap to the back of my head each time I notice that I gave up. But, it does not seem to have a lasting effect as it only takes a few moments of catching up on current events to release the funk once again.

Maybe things will change when work picks up, I tell myself. Maybe things will change when the Supreme Court rules on the health care mandate, I tell myself. Maybe things will change when the elections are done in November, I tell myself. Knowing all the while that things will only change when I change them, for me, and, so far, I don't have any idea what that change would look like.

Maybe I'll figure it out. Maybe I'll find it rewarding to read more and to once again have curiosity. Maybe I will want to share, here and elsewhere, when I find something intriguing. Maybe I will continue to get up in the morning, get washed, get dressed, and go about the day without ever being inspired to do more than the minimum each day requires of me.

Then, that gives the reader a view into my present state of mind, and is intended to serve also as an explanation for my recent absence from this, my blog. There is more to all of this, but, I offer these tidbits by way of offering up that I have made no conscience decision to not post here, and such inactivity is a victim of circumstances; circumstances which I predict will pass. One day I will post here again. Perhaps, with this expression comes notice that my return is near.

Update: Minutes ago I hit publish and then when this essay was posted I noticed that I had dropped a letter in the headline which alters its meaning. I say alters its meaning when I actually feel that neither my originally intended headline, Still Around, Quiet Though These Days, nor my published headline, Still Around, Quiet Tough These Days, are grammatically to my taste. Both lack clarity.  Both stammer. Yet, I liked something about the non-intended word Tough as prelude to this essay; it holds a sense of how I get through each day, I tough it out. So, I compromise and add a comma to separate three concepts about these days. At times error succeeds where correct fails.