Enjoy!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Beer Bottle Symphony Orchestra
The Entertainment for this weekend is The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Cezary Skubiszewski, performing the Victoria Bitter beer commercial theme song on bottles of Victoria Bitter.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Noted Economist Peter Morici Slams Obama's "Arrogant" Economic Policies
If you were to place 3.6 trillion one dollar bills end to end, that line of dollar bills would stretch all the way from Capital Hill all the way to the sun... And, then back to Capital Hill one more time... And, then back to the sun... And, then almost back to Capital Hill.
Good Bye America!
Maryland economist Peter Morici slammed the Obama Administration's arrogant economic policies. Also... How big are the bailouts? FOX News explains.
Good Bye America!
Maryland economist Peter Morici slammed the Obama Administration's arrogant economic policies. Also... How big are the bailouts? FOX News explains.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Military Joining The American Resistance To Protect The Constitution
Military Joining The American Resistance To Protect The Constitution
This is Freedom of Speech at it's best!
As Protected and Guaranteed to me in The US Constitution!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Joe Biden: “Do You Know The Website Number?”
The scary part... this guy is a heart beat away from becoming President!
Guantanamo Abuse Has Worsened Since Obama Took Office
Hey Liberals... where is your God now? I sure hope Congress holds hearings soon and holds Obama's feet to the fire on this!
Lawyer says Guantanamo abuse worse since Obama
Lawyer says Guantanamo abuse worse since Obama
Abuse of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay has worsened sharply since President Barack Obama took office as prison guards "get their kicks in" before the camp is closed, according to a lawyer who represents detainees.
Abuses began to pick up in December after Obama was elected, human rights lawyer Ahmed Ghappour told Reuters. He cited beatings, the dislocation of limbs, spraying of pepper spray into closed cells, applying pepper spray to toilet paper and over-forcefeeding detainees who are on hunger strike.
The Pentagon said on Monday that it had received renewed reports of prisoner abuse during a recent review of conditions at Guantanamo, but had concluded that all prisoners were being kept in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.
"According to my clients, there has been a ramping up in abuse since President Obama was inaugurated," said Ghappour, a British-American lawyer with Reprieve, a legal charity that represents 31 detainees at Guantanamo.
"If one was to use one's imagination, (one) could say that these traumatized, and for lack of a better word barbaric, guards were just basically trying to get their kicks in right now for fear that they won't be able to later," he said.
"Certainly in my experience there have been many, many more reported incidents of abuse since the inauguration," added Ghappour, who has visited Guantanamo six times since late September and based his comments on his own observations and conversations with both prisoners and guards.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Bank of Obama
Bad mortgage, student loan, credit card debt, Vegas trip...you know someone who needs a personal bailout for it. Bank of Obama believes everyone should get their share of the stimulus package.
Thomas Sowell: A Fatal Trajectory
A very sobering article by the great conservative writer Thomas Sowell.
A Fatal Trajectory
A Fatal Trajectory
An increasing number of recent letters and e-mails from readers strike a note, not only of unhappiness with the way things are going in our society, but a note of despair.
Those of us who are pessimists are only a step away from despair ourselves, so we may not be the ones to offer the best antidote to the view that America has seen its best days and is degenerating toward what may well be its worst. Yet what hope remains is no less precious nor any less worthy of being preserved.
First of all, the day-to-day life of most Americans in these times is nowhere near as dire as that of the band of cold, ragged and hungry men who gathered around George Washington in the winter at Valley Forge, to which they had been driven by defeat after defeat.
Only the most reckless gambler would have bet on them to win. Only an optimist would have expected them to survive.
Against the background of those and other desperate times that this country has been through, we cannot whine today because the stocks in our pension plans have gone down or the inflated value that our houses had just a few years ago has now evaporated.
In another sense, however, looming ahead of us– and our children and their children– are dangers that can utterly destroy American society. Worse yet, there are moral corrosions within ourselves that weaken our ability to face the challenges ahead.
One of the many symptoms of this decay from within is that we are preoccupied with the pay of corporate executives while the leading terrorist-sponsoring nation on earth is moving steadily toward creating nuclear bombs.
Does anyone imagine that we will care what anyone’s paycheck is when we see an American city in radioactive ruins?
Yet the only serious obstacle to that happening is that the Israelis may disregard the lofty blather coming out of the White House and destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities before the Iranian fanatics can destroy Israel.
If by some miracle we manage to avoid the fatal dangers of a nuclear Iran, there will no doubt be others, including a nuclear North Korea.
Although, in some sense, the United States of America is still the militarily strongest nation on earth, that means absolutely nothing if our enemies are willing to die and we are not.
It took only two nuclear bombs to get Japan to surrender– and the Japanese of that era were far tougher than most Americans today. Just one bomb– dropped on New York, Chicago or Los Angeles– might be enough to get us to surrender.
If we are still made of sterner stuff than it looks like, then it might take two or maybe even three or four nuclear bombs, but we will surrender.
It doesn’t matter if we retaliate and kill millions of innocent Iranian civilians– at least it will not matter to the fanatics in charge of Iran or the fanatics in charge of the international terrorist organizations that Iran supplies.
Ultimately, it all comes down to who is willing to die and who is not.
How did we get to this point? It was no single thing.
The dumbing down of our education, the undermining of moral values with the fad of “non-judgmental” affectations, the denigration of our nation through poisonous propaganda from the movies to the universities. The list goes on and on.
The trajectory of our course leads to a fate that would fully justify despair. The only saving grace is that even the trajectory of a bullet can be changed by the wind.
We have been saved by miraculous good fortune before in our history. The overwhelming military and naval expedition that Britain sent to New York to annihilate George Washington’s army was totally immobilized by a vast impenetrable fog that allowed the Americans to escape. That is how they ended up in Valley Forge.
In the World War II naval battle of Midway, if things had not happened just the way they did, at just the time they did, the American naval force would not only have lost, but could have been wiped out by the far larger Japanese fleet.
Over the years, we have had our share of miraculous deliverances. But that our fate today depends on yet another miracle is what can turn pessimism to despair.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A Contrived Crisis? - You Decide
This whole economic crisis doesn't pass the smell test!A Contrived Crisis? - You Decide
Through a series of supposedly random but arguably deliberate chain of events, America is poised to jettison 220 years of a free market system called capitalism, in favor of the tried and failed system of socialism. This writer, and others, are now starting to question how we reached this point.
Last summer, as McCain and Obama were in the midst of their campaigns to capture the presidency, a series of events dramatically changed the focus of the campaign from Iraq to the economy. From that point on, Obama took the lead and eventually won the presidency.
June 26, 2008: Democrat Chuck Schumer leaked a memo questioning the solvency of IndyMac bank. This memo precipitated a run on IndyMac which led to its failure. Federal regulators pointedly cited U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in explaining the bank’s failure. “The immediate cause of the closing was a deposit run that began and continued after the public release of a June 26 letter to the OTS and the FDIC from Senator Charles Schumer of New York.”This event, coupled with the Lehman Brothers collapse in September, marked the beginning of the current economic meltdown and provided the ammunition for massive government intervention in the private market.
July 12, 2008: The federal government takes control of the $32 billion IndyMac Bank. *
Sept. 6, 2008: Fannie Mae begins its downward spiral, which will end with a crash in November. This crash was avoidable, as the problems with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were identified in June of 2006, when 15 Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee introduced legislation to address the problem. Democrats, led by Barney Frank, killed the reform efforts.
Sept. 15, 2008: Obama and McCain are virtually tied in their race for the presidency. Out of no-where, in the space of less than 2 hours, the Federal Reserve noticed a tremendous drawdown of money market accounts in the U.S. to the tune of $550 billion. Rep. Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania said that if authorities had not closed the banks, $5.5 trillion would have been withdrawn from US banks, which would have caused the collapse of the US within 24 hours.This seminal event marked the ascendancy of Obama’s candidacy, and eventually resulted in his election as president.
Fast forward to this week. The markets reacted to Obama’s proposal to bail-out mortgages and Senator Christopher Dodd’s talk of nationalizing banks by reaching 11-year lows.
Obama continues to stoke the fears of imminent crisis, actually using the word ‘crisis’ a total of 26 times in one speech.
Enter George Soros. The infamous one-worlder, billionaire George Soros adds his voice to the media doomsayers by opining that the world financial system has effectively disintegrated, adding that there is yet no prospect of near-term resolution to the crisis.
Soros said the turbulence is more severe than during the Great Depression, comparing the current situation to the demise of the Soviet Union.
He may be right. The series of ‘inadvertent errors’, deliberate obstruction, political shenanigans, behind the scenes manipulation of the money markets and non-stop calls for immediate infusions of taxpayer cash have brought the U.S. to its knees.
With one voice, politicians, economists and ‘experts’ agree by unspoken consensus that government is the only solution. No one points out the fact that every single step taken so far by the government has exacerbated the problem, effectively bringing America one step closer to centralized government control. Which, coincidentally, Obama favors.
I am not an economist. But I will challenge any expert to dispute the fact that if President Obama took to the airwaves tomorrow and announced the Bush tax cuts would be extended and a capital gains tax cut was under consideration, the markets would immediately turn around.
That no-one is proposing this common sense solution is alarming. That no free market solutions are even under consideration is more alarming. That no-one is questioning who was responsible for the Sept. 15 run on money market accounts, or why the media was silent on it, lends credence to the possibility that our current economic crisis might not have been the result of a series of random events.
The economic meltdown is undoubtedly responsible for Obama becoming president. It is also responsible for the current consideration of socialistic solutions, if not outright socialism. Without a doubt, this crisis has strengthened the Democratic party. Yet to connect the dots and suggest that this crisis isn’t a result of capitalism gone bad risks branding this author with the title of paranoid conspiracist.
Color me paranoid. Was this current crisis manufactured? I don’t know. Does the possibility exist? You decide.
* Six months later, Jan 2, 2009, a seven-member group of investors agreed to buy the remnants of failed lender IndyMac for $13.9 billion. Other investors included a fund controlled by billionaire George Soros’ Fund Management.
Previously:
Evaluation: On Sept 15, 2008 $550 Billion Disappeared in an "Electronic Run On the Banks"
Monday, February 23, 2009
Is this Atlantis?
This image shows up on Google Ocean. There are criss-crossing lines enclosed by a distinct boundary making it look like it could have been a vast metropolis. Also it’s located 620 miles off the west coast of Africa near the Canary Islands... exactly where Plato had said Atlantis was located!
Is this Atlantis?
THIS is the amazing image which could show the fabled sunken city of Atlantis.
It shows a perfect rectangle the size of Wales lying on the bed of the Atlantic Ocean nearly 3½ miles down.
A host of criss-crossing lines, looking like a map of a vast metropolis, are enclosed by the boundary.
They seem too vast and organised to be caused naturally.
IBD: Is It Any Wonder The Market Continues To Sink?
This is another in a long line of excellent editorials from Investor's Business Daily.
Like Jimmy Carter, Obama has the "Midas Touch" in reverse. Except that in Carter’s case it was probably unintentional.
Is It Any Wonder The Market Continues To Sink?
Like Jimmy Carter, Obama has the "Midas Touch" in reverse. Except that in Carter’s case it was probably unintentional.
Is It Any Wonder The Market Continues To Sink?
Last Oct. 13, in trying to explain why the market had sold off 30% in six weeks, we acknowledged that the freeze-up of the financial system was a big concern. But we cited three other factors as well:
• The imminent election of "the most anti-capitalist politician ever nominated by a major party."
• The possibility of "a filibuster-proof Congress led by politicians who are almost as liberal."
• A "media establishment dedicated to the implementation of a liberal agenda, and the smothering of dissent wherever it arises."
No wonder, we said then, that panic had set in.
Today, as the market continues to sell off and we plumb 12-year lows, we wish we had a different explanation. But it still looks, as we said four months ago, "like the U.S., which built the mightiest, most prosperous economy the world has ever known, is about to turn its back on the free-enterprise system that made it all possible."
How else would you explain all that's happened in a few short weeks? How else would you expect the stock market, where millions cast daily votes and which is still the best indicator of what the future holds, to act when:
• Newsweek, a prominent national newsweekly, blares from its cover "We Are All Socialists Now," without a hint of recognition that socialism in its various forms has been repudiated by history — as communism's collapse in the USSR, Eastern Europe and China attest.
Even so, a $787 billion "stimulus," along with a $700 billion bank bailout, $75 billion to refinance bad mortgages, $50 billion for the automakers, and as much as $2 trillion in loans from the Fed and the Treasury are hardly confidence-builders for our free-enterprise system.
• Talk of "nationalizing" U.S.' troubled major banks comes not just from tarnished Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, but also from Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and former Fed chief Alan Greenspan.
To be sure, bank shares have plunged along with home prices, and many have inadequate capital. But is nationalization really the only solution for an industry whose main product — loans to consumers and businesses — has expanded by over 5% annually so far this year?
• A stimulus bill laden with huge amounts of spending on pork and special interests is the best our Congress can come up with to get the economy back on track. Economists broadly agree that the legislation has little stimulative power, and in fact will be a drag on economic growth for years to come.
The failure to include any meaningful tax cuts for either individuals or small businesses, the true stimulators of job growth, while throwing hundreds of billions of dollars at profligate state governments and programs — such as $4.2 billion for "neighborhood stabilization activities" and $740 million to help viewers switch from analog to digital TV— has investors shaking their heads.
• A $75 billion bailout for 9 million Americans who face foreclosure, regardless of how they got into financial trouble, is the government's answer to the housing crunch. Many Americans who have scrupulously kept up with payments are steaming at the thought of subsidizing those who've been profligate or irresponsible.
With recent data showing that as much as 55% of those who get foreclosure aid end up defaulting anyway, a signal has been sent that America has gone from being "Land of the Free" to "Bailout Nation."
• Energy solutions ranging from the expansion of offshore drilling and the development of Alaska's bountiful arctic oil reserves to developing shale oil in America's Big Sky country, tar-sands crude in Canada and coal that provides half the nation's electric power, are taken off the table.
The market knows full well what drives the economy and that restraining energy supply will make us all poorer and investing less profitable. Taking domestic energy sources off the table makes us more reliant on sources from hostile and unstable regimes, breeding uncertainty in a capital system in which participants seek stability.
• Lawmakers who seem more interested in pleasing special interests than voters back home now control Congress. Some of the leading voices in crafting the massive bank bailout and stimulus packages — including Sen. Chris Dodd, Rep. Barney Frank and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — were the very ones who helped get us in this mess.
They did so by loosening Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's lending rules and pushing commercial banks to make bad loans. Both Dodd and Frank were recipients of hefty donations from Fannie, Freddie and other financial firms they were charged with regulating.
• Trade protectionism passes as policy, even amid the administration's lip service to free trade. Congress' vast stimulus bill and its "Buy American" provisions limit spending to U.S.-made products and will drive up costs, limit choices and alienate key allies.
Already, it has triggered rumblings of retaliation in a 1930s-style trade war from trading partners, just as the Smoot-Hawley tariffs prolonged the Great Depression. Several European partners have begun raising barriers. Meanwhile, three signed free-trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and Korea languish with no chance of passage. Free trade offers one way out of our problems, yet it's been sidetracked.
• A 1,000-plus page stimulus bill is bulled through Congress with no GOP input and not a single member of Congress reading it before passage. It borders on censorship.
GOP protests of the bill's spending and the speed it was passed at were dismissed by Obama and other Democrats as seeking to "do nothing" or "breaking the spirit of bipartisanship." But voters are angry.
Along with thousands of angry phone calls to Congress, new Facebook groups have emerged, and street protests have sprung up in Denver, Seattle and Mesa, Ariz., against the "porkulus." CNBC Chicago reporter Rick Santelli's on-air denunciation of federal bailouts for mortgage deadbeats attracted a record 1.5 million Internet hits.
• Business leaders are demonized. Yes, there are bad eggs out there like the Madoffs and Stanfords. But most CEOs are hugely talented, driven, highly intelligent people who make our corporations the most productive in the world and add trillions of dollars of value to our economy.
They don't deserve to be dragged before Congress, as they have been dozens of times in the past two years, for a ritual heaping of verbal abuse from the very people most responsible for our ills — our tragically inept, Democrat-led Congress.
• Words like "catastrophe," "crisis" and "depression" are coming from the mouth of the newly elected president, rather than words of hope and optimism. Instead of talking up America's capabilities and prospects, he talks them down — the exact opposite of our most successful recent president, Ronald Reagan, who came in vowing to restore that "shining city on a hill."
Even ex-President Clinton admonished Obama to return to his previous optimism, saying he would "just like him to end by saying that he is hopeful and completely convinced we're gonna come through this."
• The missile defense system that brought the Soviet Union to its knees, and which offers so much hope for future security, is being discussed as a "bargaining chip" with Russia. This, at the same time the regime in Iran is close to having a nuclear weapon and North Korea is readying an intermediate-range missile that can reach the U.S.
This sends a message of weakness abroad and contributes to a feeling of vulnerability at home. A strong economy begins and ends with a strong defense.
All this in barely a month's time. And to think that more of the same is on the way seems to be sinking in. Investors are watching closely and not caring for what they see. Sooner or later, the market will rally — but not without good reason to do so.
Philadelphia's Two Major Papers to File for Bankruptcy
More good news from the world of the "Main Stream Media"!
Philly Newspapers' Owner Files for Bankruptcy
Philly Newspapers' Owner Files for Bankruptcy
Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC, is the second newspaper company in two days, and fourth in recent months, to seek bankruptcy protection.
"This restructuring is focused solely on our debt, not our operations," chief executive officer Brian P. Tierney said in a statement. "Our operations are sound and profitable."
The filing Sunday indicated the company has between $100 million and $500 million in assets and liabilities in the same range. The company said it will continue the normal operations of its newspapers, magazines and online businesses without interruption during the debt-restructuring process. In a story posted on its Web site Sunday, the company says it has a debt load of $390 million.
"In the last two years, we experienced the rare trifecta of a dramatic decline in revenue, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and a debt structure out of line with current economic realities," Tierney said.
Tierney said the company's goal was to bring its debt in line with "the realities of the current economic and business conditions."
The filings reiterate that the newspaper company hopes to reconfigure its debt rather than restructure its operations. The company was profitable by one accounting measure last year, earning $36 million before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and excluding one-time items. That figure is expected to be $25 million in 2009.
Tierney said in his statement that, in conjunction with its filing, the company is seeking court approval of up to $25 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing. The proposed DIP financing, plus the cash flow from operations, will ensure the company's ability to satisfy obligations associated with its normal course of business, including wages and benefits, as well as payment of post-petition obligations to vendors under existing terms.
The company has long sought to offset declines in advertising revenue and circulation with moneysaving moves and improved efficiency, including sharing editorial functions of the two papers' newsrooms.
The Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia notified its union members of the filing in an e-mail Sunday night.
The e-mail, obtained by The Associated Press, tells members to stay calm and report for work and that "the company is still in business, the papers are still publishing." The communication tells Guild members the union contract remains in full force and that workers' wages and benefits will continue to be paid.
A group of investors led by Tierney bought the two Philadelphia papers for $562 million in June 2006.
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the Inquirer had an average weekday circulation of 300,674 as of Sept. 30, down 11 percent from the prior year. That made it the nation's No. 19 daily by circulation.
The paper's Sunday circulation averaged 556,426 as of Sept. 30, down 14 percent from the prior year. It ranks as the eighth-largest Sunday paper.
As of March 31, 2008, the last audited report from the ABC, the Daily News had an average weekday circulation of 109,923.
The filing is the latest blow to newspapers. The Journal Register Co. filed for Chapter 11 on Saturday. The Chicago-based Tribune Co. sought bankruptcy protection in December, and The Star Tribune of Minneapolis followed suit last month.
Riddle Of The Day
Can you solve this riddle?
You are riding on a beautiful white horse.
On your left side is a drop off.
On your right side are several ostriches being chased by a lion.
In front of you are four large gazelles that won't get out of your way and you can't seem to overtake them.
Behind you is a stampede of horses.
What must you do to get out of this highly dangerous situation?
Get your drunk ass off the merry-go-round!
You are riding on a beautiful white horse.
On your left side is a drop off.
On your right side are several ostriches being chased by a lion.
In front of you are four large gazelles that won't get out of your way and you can't seem to overtake them.
Behind you is a stampede of horses.
What must you do to get out of this highly dangerous situation?
Get your drunk ass off the merry-go-round!
Somehow We Survived
Here is a little dose reality for all of us...
If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's, looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have...
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets - not to mention hitchhiking to town as a youngster! We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scrap parts and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back in time for supper. No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable.
We played dodge-ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt. We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learnt to get over it.
We shared one lemonade or orange soda with our friends, from one bottle and no one died from this.
We did not have PlayStation, Nintendo, X-Box, 99 channels on cable, DVD movies, surround sound, Personal Cell Phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had friends.
We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door, or rung the bell or just walked in and talked to them or played board games.
Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian. How did we do it?
We made up games with sticks and cloths pins and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
We tried out for school Sports Teams and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade.....Horrors. Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of.
Parents actually sided with the law, imagine that!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
You are one of these.
Congratulations!
Pass this link on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good!
If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's, looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have...
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets - not to mention hitchhiking to town as a youngster! We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scrap parts and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back in time for supper. No one was able to reach us all day. No cell phones. Unthinkable.
We played dodge-ball and sometimes the ball would really hurt. We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learnt to get over it.
We shared one lemonade or orange soda with our friends, from one bottle and no one died from this.
We did not have PlayStation, Nintendo, X-Box, 99 channels on cable, DVD movies, surround sound, Personal Cell Phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had friends.
We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door, or rung the bell or just walked in and talked to them or played board games.
Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian. How did we do it?
We made up games with sticks and cloths pins and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
We tried out for school Sports Teams and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade.....Horrors. Tests were not adjusted for any reason. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of.
Parents actually sided with the law, imagine that!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
You are one of these.
Congratulations!
Pass this link on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good!
Quote Of The Day
"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it." ~ Abraham Lincoln
Glenn Beck Scares Gretchen Carlson Into Hiding Under the Table
Glenn Beck made a classic appearance on Fox & Friends where he scared host Gretchen Carlson into hiding under the table.
Alan Keyes: Stop Obama or the U.S. Will Cease to Exist!
He is a Republican who has ran for President 3 times - the latest just this past year. Thursday night Alan Keyes was a featured speaker at a fundraiser for the Triple A Crisis Pregnancy Center.
The fundraiser is an annual event.
It supports the Pregnancy center which is a Christian organization that counsels woman before and after giving birth.
Keyes said he is putting politics aside Thursday night and here to support his prolife belief.
"What is involved is the heart and conscious of a woman. What is involved is the life of a child. And what is involved above all is the simple preside that of all our liberty and dignity that we are created equal and endowed by God, not by human choice with our inalienable rights," said Keyes.
Keyes also has some very strong opinions about President Obama.
He ran against Obama for U.S Senate in Illinois back in 2004.
Keyes doubts Obama is a U.S citizen and said he will ruin the country.
"Obama is a radical communist and I think it is becoming clear. That is what I told people in Illinois and now everybody realizes it is coming true. He is going to destroy this country and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist," said Keyes.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Obama's Plan To Make It Too Expensive To “Legally” Own A Gun
Barack Obama may be planning a way to get around that whole "right to bear arms" issue by making it too expensive to own a gun. Talk about oppression.
This is a segment done by Glenn Beck on his Fox News show. I am a big fan of his common sense views on the misdirection of our Federal Govt!
HB0687
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010HB0687
Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. Kenneth Dunkin
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
430 ILCS 65/4.5 new
430 ILCS 65/8 from Ch. 38, par. 83-8
Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that any person who owns a firearm in this State shall maintain a policy of liability insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such person. Provides that a person shall be deemed the owner of a firearm after the firearm is lost or stolen until such loss or theft is reported to the police department or sheriff of the jurisdiction in which the owner resides. Provides that the Department of State Police shall revoke and seize a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under this Act if the Department finds that the person to whom such card was issued possesses or acquires a firearm and does not submit evidence to the Department of State Police that he or she has been issued in his or her name a liability insurance policy in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such person. Effective January 1, 2010.
LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB0687 LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 AN ACT concerning firearms.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Firearm Owners Identification Card Act is
5 amended by changing Section 8 and by adding Section 4.5 as
6 follows:
7 (430 ILCS 65/4.5 new)
8 Sec. 4.5. Firearm owner’s liability insurance required.
9 (a) Any person who owns a firearm in this State shall
10 maintain a policy of liability insurance in the amount of at
11 least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting
12 from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such
13 firearm while it is owned by such person. A person shall be
14 deemed the owner of a firearm after the firearm is lost or
15 stolen until such loss or theft is reported to the police
16 department or sheriff of the jurisdiction in which the owner
17 resides.
18 (b) This Section does not apply to any person who is not
19 required to possess a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card in
20 order to acquire or possess a firearm or firearm ammunition
21 under subsections (b) and (c) of Section 2 of this Act.
22 (430 ILCS 65/8) (from Ch. 38, par. 83-8)
HB0687 - 2 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 Sec. 8. The Department of State Police has authority to
2 deny an application for or to revoke and seize a Firearm
3 Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under this Act
4 only if the Department finds that the applicant or the person
5 to whom such card was issued is or was at the time of issuance:
6 (a) A person under 21 years of age who has been convicted
7 of a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense or adjudged
8 delinquent;
9 (b) A person under 21 years of age who does not have the
10 written consent of his parent or guardian to acquire and
11 possess firearms and firearm ammunition, or whose parent or
12 guardian has revoked such written consent, or where such parent
13 or guardian does not qualify to have a Firearm Owner’s
14 Identification Card;
15 (c) A person convicted of a felony under the laws of this
16 or any other jurisdiction;
17 (d) A person addicted to narcotics;
18 (e) A person who has been a patient of a mental institution
19 within the past 5 years or has been adjudicated as a mental
20 defective;
21 (f) A person whose mental condition is of such a nature
22 that it poses a clear and present danger to the applicant, any
23 other person or persons or the community;
24 For the purposes of this Section, “mental condition” means
25 a state of mind manifested by violent, suicidal, threatening or
26 assaultive behavior.
HB0687 - 3 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 (g) A person who is mentally retarded;
2 (h) A person who intentionally makes a false statement in
3 the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card application;
4 (i) An alien who is unlawfully present in the United States
5 under the laws of the United States;
6 (i-5) An alien who has been admitted to the United States
7 under a non-immigrant visa (as that term is defined in Section
8 101(a)(26) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
9 1101(a)(26))), except that this subsection (i-5) does not apply
10 to any alien who has been lawfully admitted to the United
11 States under a non-immigrant visa if that alien is:
12 (1) admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or
13 sporting purposes;
14 (2) an official representative of a foreign government
15 who is:
16 (A) accredited to the United States Government or
17 the Government’s mission to an international
18 organization having its headquarters in the United
19 States; or
20 (B) en route to or from another country to which
21 that alien is accredited;
22 (3) an official of a foreign government or
23 distinguished foreign visitor who has been so designated by
24 the Department of State;
25 (4) a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly
26 foreign government entering the United States on official
HB0687 - 4 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 business; or
2 (5) one who has received a waiver from the Attorney
3 General of the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
4 922(y)(3);
5 (j) A person who is subject to an existing order of
6 protection prohibiting him or her from possessing a firearm;
7 (k) A person who has been convicted within the past 5 years
8 of battery, assault, aggravated assault, violation of an order
9 of protection, or a substantially similar offense in another
10 jurisdiction, in which a firearm was used or possessed;
11 (l) A person who has been convicted of domestic battery or
12 a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction
13 committed on or after January 1, 1998;
14 (m) A person who has been convicted within the past 5 years
15 of domestic battery or a substantially similar offense in
16 another jurisdiction committed before January 1, 1998;
17 (n) A person who is prohibited from acquiring or possessing
18 firearms or firearm ammunition by any Illinois State statute or
19 by federal law;
20 (o) A minor subject to a petition filed under Section 5-520
21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 alleging that the minor is a
22 delinquent minor for the commission of an offense that if
23 committed by an adult would be a felony; or
24 (p) An adult who had been adjudicated a delinquent minor
25 under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 for the commission of an
26 offense that if committed by an adult would be a felony.
HB0687 - 5 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 The Department of State Police shall revoke and seize a
2 Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under
3 this Act if the Department finds that the person to whom such
4 card was issued possesses or acquires a firearm and does not
5 submit evidence to the Department of State Police that he or
6 she has been issued in his or her name a liability insurance
7 policy in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically
8 covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts
9 involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such
10 person.
11 (Source: P.A. 95-581, eff. 6-1-08.)
12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
13 1, 2010.
This is a segment done by Glenn Beck on his Fox News show. I am a big fan of his common sense views on the misdirection of our Federal Govt!
HB0687
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010HB0687
Introduced 2/6/2009, by Rep. Kenneth Dunkin
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
430 ILCS 65/4.5 new
430 ILCS 65/8 from Ch. 38, par. 83-8
Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that any person who owns a firearm in this State shall maintain a policy of liability insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such person. Provides that a person shall be deemed the owner of a firearm after the firearm is lost or stolen until such loss or theft is reported to the police department or sheriff of the jurisdiction in which the owner resides. Provides that the Department of State Police shall revoke and seize a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under this Act if the Department finds that the person to whom such card was issued possesses or acquires a firearm and does not submit evidence to the Department of State Police that he or she has been issued in his or her name a liability insurance policy in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such person. Effective January 1, 2010.
LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB0687 LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 AN ACT concerning firearms.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Firearm Owners Identification Card Act is
5 amended by changing Section 8 and by adding Section 4.5 as
6 follows:
7 (430 ILCS 65/4.5 new)
8 Sec. 4.5. Firearm owner’s liability insurance required.
9 (a) Any person who owns a firearm in this State shall
10 maintain a policy of liability insurance in the amount of at
11 least $1,000,000 specifically covering any damages resulting
12 from negligent or willful acts involving the use of such
13 firearm while it is owned by such person. A person shall be
14 deemed the owner of a firearm after the firearm is lost or
15 stolen until such loss or theft is reported to the police
16 department or sheriff of the jurisdiction in which the owner
17 resides.
18 (b) This Section does not apply to any person who is not
19 required to possess a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card in
20 order to acquire or possess a firearm or firearm ammunition
21 under subsections (b) and (c) of Section 2 of this Act.
22 (430 ILCS 65/8) (from Ch. 38, par. 83-8)
HB0687 - 2 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 Sec. 8. The Department of State Police has authority to
2 deny an application for or to revoke and seize a Firearm
3 Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under this Act
4 only if the Department finds that the applicant or the person
5 to whom such card was issued is or was at the time of issuance:
6 (a) A person under 21 years of age who has been convicted
7 of a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense or adjudged
8 delinquent;
9 (b) A person under 21 years of age who does not have the
10 written consent of his parent or guardian to acquire and
11 possess firearms and firearm ammunition, or whose parent or
12 guardian has revoked such written consent, or where such parent
13 or guardian does not qualify to have a Firearm Owner’s
14 Identification Card;
15 (c) A person convicted of a felony under the laws of this
16 or any other jurisdiction;
17 (d) A person addicted to narcotics;
18 (e) A person who has been a patient of a mental institution
19 within the past 5 years or has been adjudicated as a mental
20 defective;
21 (f) A person whose mental condition is of such a nature
22 that it poses a clear and present danger to the applicant, any
23 other person or persons or the community;
24 For the purposes of this Section, “mental condition” means
25 a state of mind manifested by violent, suicidal, threatening or
26 assaultive behavior.
HB0687 - 3 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 (g) A person who is mentally retarded;
2 (h) A person who intentionally makes a false statement in
3 the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card application;
4 (i) An alien who is unlawfully present in the United States
5 under the laws of the United States;
6 (i-5) An alien who has been admitted to the United States
7 under a non-immigrant visa (as that term is defined in Section
8 101(a)(26) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
9 1101(a)(26))), except that this subsection (i-5) does not apply
10 to any alien who has been lawfully admitted to the United
11 States under a non-immigrant visa if that alien is:
12 (1) admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or
13 sporting purposes;
14 (2) an official representative of a foreign government
15 who is:
16 (A) accredited to the United States Government or
17 the Government’s mission to an international
18 organization having its headquarters in the United
19 States; or
20 (B) en route to or from another country to which
21 that alien is accredited;
22 (3) an official of a foreign government or
23 distinguished foreign visitor who has been so designated by
24 the Department of State;
25 (4) a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly
26 foreign government entering the United States on official
HB0687 - 4 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 business; or
2 (5) one who has received a waiver from the Attorney
3 General of the United States pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
4 922(y)(3);
5 (j) A person who is subject to an existing order of
6 protection prohibiting him or her from possessing a firearm;
7 (k) A person who has been convicted within the past 5 years
8 of battery, assault, aggravated assault, violation of an order
9 of protection, or a substantially similar offense in another
10 jurisdiction, in which a firearm was used or possessed;
11 (l) A person who has been convicted of domestic battery or
12 a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction
13 committed on or after January 1, 1998;
14 (m) A person who has been convicted within the past 5 years
15 of domestic battery or a substantially similar offense in
16 another jurisdiction committed before January 1, 1998;
17 (n) A person who is prohibited from acquiring or possessing
18 firearms or firearm ammunition by any Illinois State statute or
19 by federal law;
20 (o) A minor subject to a petition filed under Section 5-520
21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 alleging that the minor is a
22 delinquent minor for the commission of an offense that if
23 committed by an adult would be a felony; or
24 (p) An adult who had been adjudicated a delinquent minor
25 under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 for the commission of an
26 offense that if committed by an adult would be a felony.
HB0687 - 5 - LRB096 05754 RLC 15825 b
1 The Department of State Police shall revoke and seize a
2 Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued under
3 this Act if the Department finds that the person to whom such
4 card was issued possesses or acquires a firearm and does not
5 submit evidence to the Department of State Police that he or
6 she has been issued in his or her name a liability insurance
7 policy in the amount of at least $1,000,000 specifically
8 covering any damages resulting from negligent or willful acts
9 involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such
10 person.
11 (Source: P.A. 95-581, eff. 6-1-08.)
12 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
13 1, 2010.
Glenn Beck Worst-Case Scenarios
Last Friday evening Glenn Beck examined the worst-case scenarios for America with a variety of experts including Gerald Celente and Michael Scheuer. While he’s not predicting that these things will happen, he stresses that we all must “dare to think the unthinkable”.
You may think that Beck is a tin foil hat wearing kook but with all signs indicating that America’s end is near I think these videos are worth watching.
Worst-Case Scenario No. 1
What if the financial system collapsed?
Worst-Case Scenario No. 2
What if the U.S. wasn't the world's policeman
Worst-Case Scenario No. 3
What if civil unrest erupted at home?
Be Prepared
The government is ready for the worst-case scenarios are you?
You may think that Beck is a tin foil hat wearing kook but with all signs indicating that America’s end is near I think these videos are worth watching.
Worst-Case Scenario No. 1
What if the financial system collapsed?
Worst-Case Scenario No. 2
What if the U.S. wasn't the world's policeman
Worst-Case Scenario No. 3
What if civil unrest erupted at home?
Be Prepared
The government is ready for the worst-case scenarios are you?
Rick Santelli Rips up the Obama Bailout Plan
In an appearance on The Kudlow Report, Rick Santelli responded to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs by ripping up the Obama bailout plan.
Let the Tea Party Begin!
After the White House Propaganda Minister Mocked Him, Rick Santelli Responds. Kudlow seems a Bit TICKED too!
Let the Tea Party Begin!
After the White House Propaganda Minister Mocked Him, Rick Santelli Responds. Kudlow seems a Bit TICKED too!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Hershey Closing Peppermint Pattie Plant in Pa. (Moving to Mexico)
Whenever I bite into a York Peppermint Pattie now, I'll get the cool sensation of salmonella.Hershey closing Peppermint Patties plant in Pa.
A flag is flying at half-staff outside The Hershey Co. plant in Reading where production of York Peppermint Patties is ending.
After 23 years in Reading, the chocolate maker is closing the plant Friday and moving production to a new factory it has built in Monterey, Mexico. It will mean the loss of 300 jobs in the southeastern Pennsylvania city.
The plant also makes 5th Avenue and Zagnut candy bars and Jolly Rancher hard candies.
The nation's largest candy manufacturer said two years ago the plant would close as part of a wider move by Hershey to eliminate 1,500 jobs and one-third of its existing production lines, shifting more manufacturing to contractors in the U.S.
Some workers will stay on for a few weeks to close the plant.
Norwegian Math Test
A Norwegian fella wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little math test.
Here is your first question, the foreman said. 'Without using numbers, represent the number 9.'
'Without numbers?' The Norwegian says, 'Dat's easy.' and proceeds to draw three trees.
'What's this?' the boss asks.
'Vot! you got no brain? Tree and tree and tree make nine,' says the Norwegian.
'Fair enough,' says the boss. 'Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99.'
The Norwegian stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. 'Dar ya go.'
The boss scratches his head and says, 'How on earth do you get that to represent 99?'
'Each of da trees is dirty now. So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree. Dat is 99.'
The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Norwegian, so he says, 'All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100.'
The Norwegian fella stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, 'Dar ya go. Von hundred.'
The boss looks at the attempt. 'You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!'
The Norwegian leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says, 'A little dog come along and pooped by each tree. So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, vich makes von hundred.' 'So, ven do I start?
Here is your first question, the foreman said. 'Without using numbers, represent the number 9.'
'Without numbers?' The Norwegian says, 'Dat's easy.' and proceeds to draw three trees.
'What's this?' the boss asks.
'Vot! you got no brain? Tree and tree and tree make nine,' says the Norwegian.
'Fair enough,' says the boss. 'Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99.'
The Norwegian stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. 'Dar ya go.'
The boss scratches his head and says, 'How on earth do you get that to represent 99?'
'Each of da trees is dirty now. So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree. Dat is 99.'
The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Norwegian, so he says, 'All right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100.'
The Norwegian fella stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, 'Dar ya go. Von hundred.'
The boss looks at the attempt. 'You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!'
The Norwegian leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says, 'A little dog come along and pooped by each tree. So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, vich makes von hundred.' 'So, ven do I start?
Arlen Specter Jeered by PA Taxpayers
Arlen Specter claims to have trimmed 100 billion from the "Generational Theft Act". If he had listened to his constituents and not betrayed the country he could have trimmed it 785 BILLION.
Sen. Specter Jeered For Voting For Stimulus Plan
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter was greeted with jeers at a press conference in Cranberry Township.
Conservatives are fuming after Specter cast the deciding vote that led to the passage of President Barack Obama's stimulus plan.
Specter, 79, acknowledges his run for re-election will be tough.
He says he's not completely happy with Obama's plans but he points out that he was able to cut the price tag by over $100 billion and he says he was able to increase the amount of tax cuts.
Even so, Specter acknowledges the Republican Party's conservative wing will attempt to unseat him in next year's primary race.
Six years ago, Specter barely won the Republican primary, but he says he's not afraid to fight for the job one more time.
Friday, February 20, 2009
American Issues Project: "Every Single Day"
If you spent one million dollars every day since the birth of Jesus you still wouldn’t have spent as much money as is in the spending bill.
Could You Survive Another Great Depression?
You Are 70% Likely to Survive Another Great Depression |
 Even though you may not be expecting the worst, you're the type of person who prepares for the worst. You live a relatively modest life. You don't overspend, and you aren't very materialistic. You are also quite self sufficient and independent. You have many useful skills. You can take care of yourself and those you love... which is crucial to surviving another Great Depression. |
Asshat Of The Day: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
Obama's Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is the recipient of our prestigious Asshat Of The Day award for wanting to tax motorists based on how many miles they drive. It seems like this administration is trying everything they can to destroy this country. They are absolutely begging for a revolution!
Obama’s Transportation Secretary Eyes Mileage Tax on American Motorists
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he wants to consider taxing motorists based on how many miles they drive rather than how much gasoline they burn -- an idea that has angered drivers in some states where it has been proposed.
Gasoline taxes that for nearly half a century have paid for the federal share of highway and bridge construction can no longer be counted on to raise enough money to keep the nation's transportation system moving, LaHood said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled," the former Illinois Republican lawmaker said.
CNBC Poll: Would You Join Rick Santelli's "Chicago Tea Party?"
Damn straight! With guns a-blazing!
Would You Join Santelli's "Chicago Tea Party?"
When I voted.
110446 responses
Yes 92%
No 6.2%
Not Sure 1.7%
Would You Join Santelli's "Chicago Tea Party?"
When I voted.
110446 responses
Yes 92%
No 6.2%
Not Sure 1.7%
United Nations: Iran Has Enough Enriched Uranium For a Nuclear Bomb
Gird your loins! Obama is about to grow up.
Iran holds enough uranium for bomb
Iran holds enough uranium for bomb
Iran has built up a stockpile of enough enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb, United Nations officials acknowledged on Thursday.
In a development that comes as the Obama administration is drawing up its policy on negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme, UN officials said Iran had produced more nuclear material than previously thought.
They said Iran had accumulated more than one tonne of low enriched uranium hexafluoride at a facility in Natanz.
If such a quantity were further enriched it could produce more than 20kg of fissile material – enough for a bomb.
“It appears that Iran has walked right up to the threshold of having enough low enriched uranium to provide enough raw material for a single bomb,” said Peter Zimmerman, a former chief scientist of the US Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
The new figures come in a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, released on Thursday. This revealed that Iran’s production of low enriched uranium had previously been underestimated.
When the agency carried out an annual stocktaking of Natanz in mid-November Iran had produced 839kg of low enriched uranium hexafluoride – more than 200kg more than previously thought. Tehran produced an additional 171kg by the end of January.
“It’s sure certain that if they didn’t have it [enough] when the IAEA took these measurements, they will have it in a matter of weeks,” Mr Zimmerman said.
Iran’s success in reaching such a “breakout capacity” – a stage that would allow it to produce enough fissile material for a bomb in a matter of months – crosses a “red line” that for years Israel has said it would not accept.
UN officials emphasise that to produce fissile material Iran would have to reconfigure its Natanz plant to produce high enriched uranium rather than low enriched uranium – a highly visible step that would take months – or to shift its stockpile to a clandestine site.
No such sites have been proved to exist, although for decades Iran concealed evidence of its nuclear programme.
A senior UN official added that countries usually waited until they had an enriched uranium stockpile sufficient for several bombs before proceeding to develop fissile material. He conceded that Iran now had enough enriched uranium for one bomb.
“Do they have enough low enriched uranium to produce a significant quantity [enough high enriched uranium for a bomb]?” he said. “In theory this is possible, [although] with the present configuration at Natanz it isn’t.”
David Albright, the head of the Institute for Science and International Security, said: “If Iran did decide to build nuclear weapons, it’s entering an era in which it could do so quickly.”
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Attorney General Eric Holder: US is Nation of Cowards on Racial Matters
Nigga Please!
Holder: US is nation of cowards on racial matters
Holder: US is nation of cowards on racial matters
Attorney General Eric Holder described the United States Wednesday as a nation of cowards on matters of race, saying most Americans avoid discussing unresolved racial issues.
In a speech to Justice Department employees marking Black History Month, Holder said the workplace is largely integrated but Americans still self-segregate on the weekends and in their private lives.
"Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards," said Holder, nation's first black attorney general.
Race issues continue to be a topic of political discussion, Holder said, but "we, as average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race."
Patriot Of The Day: Rick Santelli
Rick Santelli tells it like it is. Which means today is probably his last day on the job.
High School Kids Question Obama During Speech: 'I just don't believe all the things he's telling us'
The original article is at The East Valley Tribune. If you are having trouble view it, Drudge has it up now.
There is real HOPE for America!
STUDENTS QUESTION OBAMA'S PLAN
There is real HOPE for America!
STUDENTS QUESTION OBAMA'S PLAN
A Dobson High School Advanced Placement government class with strong opinions about Barack Obama watched the president's speech Wednesday on a small, grainy TV in the corner of their classroom.
Some of the students attentively watched the speech, giving questioning looks and comments, shaking their heads and laughing at some of Obama's words. Other students listened, occasion ally glancing up to watch, while texting on their cell phones, reading a book or finishing school work.
The gymnasium's events were shown simultaneously in rooms throughout the Mesa school, and teachers were given discretion on whether to show the speech, the students said. The students in the class were hopeful things will work out but questioned whether Obama's plan would actually work to dig the country out of its economic woes. They also expected a longer speech.
Senior Syna Daudfar took some notes during the speech and was among the most vocally opposed to Obama's words.
At one point, when he talked about the costs of his stimulus plan, senior Maaike Albach and Daudfar looked at each other and said, "uh-oh."
"Overall I think it's a good idea, but he's not addressing the issues of the economic crisis," said Daudfar, a John McCain supporter who added he leans more toward being a moderate conservative. "The spending bill he just passed is just progressing the Democratic agenda rather than addressing the economic issues in the country."
Daudfar thinks Obama's plan is backward and deals with the "less important stuff" first. "Bailing out businesses" and "providing better regulatory systems for giving out money to businesses" should have been first, he said.
"If businesses can't afford to hire people, then people won't be able to work and pay off their mortgages," he said. "It's kind of like putting money into20a funnel." Albach, who is also a Republican, said Obama's plan sounds good but questioned how Obama can want to rely on "people's responsibility" when that is "what got us in this economic crisis in the first place."
"This puts us more into debt," said Albach, 18. "It's a horrible situation we're in."
Senior Brandon Miller wore a shirt with the words, "Hitler gave great speeches, too" above a picture of Obama.
Miller said he had been an Obama supporter "because of his speeches," but after debating the issues in this class and looking more into Obama's policies, his vote was swayed toward McCain.
He showed a video on his camera he had just taken of the president's minutelong motorcade and talked about what a "great experience" it was to watch it. Miller had also spent a couple of hours in front of the school, hanging out and watching the protesters.
"Even though I don't support him, I think it's cool he's here," said Miller, 18. "I just don't believe all the things he's telling us. His goal is just too big and broad."
Miller wanted to hear more about the costs and guidelines the stimulus bill entails.
Senior Katelyn Meyer, who also leans more toward being a Republican, said Obama's plan sounds good, "but it's easier said than done."
"I like the refinancing part, and I like the part about mortgages, but I'm afraid we're going to put the money in but won't s ee any effect," said Meyer, 18, who still thought it was "cool" to say the president was at her school, even though she didn't get to see him live.
The students also questioned why Obama chose their school for his speech since he wasn't talking about education and wondered how much money the district spent on beautifying the campus while district positions and services are being cut.
District officials noted this week that the landscaping project completed over the weekend at Dobson was already in the works and was just expedited by the president's visit. Funding came from voter-approved bonds.
New sod was laid in front of the school Tuesday, and Daudfar said, "The joke at the school is they're going to take it away when he (Obama) leaves."
AP government teacher Jeff Sherrer said his students "feel very strongly about the issues, maybe more than the general population." He thought at least one of his students was outside protesting, and he had planned to take his students outside as a class project to show them what was going on but didn't get the chance.
"These kinds of kids really get into it," Sherrer said. "During the election we had lots of debates on the issues."
Very Disturbing: Homeland Security Privacy!
This is very disturbing so thought I should pass it along. Now you can see anybody's Drivers License on the Internet, including your own! I just searched for mine and there it was picture and all! Thanks Homeland Security Privacy, where is our right to it?
I definitely removed mine. You all can do the same. Go to the website and check
it out. Just enter your name, city and state to see if yours is on file.
After your license comes on the screen, click the box marked "Please
Remove." This will remove from public viewing, but not from law enforcement.
Drivers License Search
I definitely removed mine. You all can do the same. Go to the website and check
it out. Just enter your name, city and state to see if yours is on file.
After your license comes on the screen, click the box marked "Please
Remove." This will remove from public viewing, but not from law enforcement.
Drivers License Search
Understanding the Government Stimulus Bill
Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"
The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you."
The student agreed.
At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.
They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can."
The student did as he was instructed.
The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it."
The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.
The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.
The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"
The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.
The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.
However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad.
The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"
The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."
The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you."
The student agreed.
At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.
They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can."
The student did as he was instructed.
The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it."
The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.
The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.
The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"
The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.
The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.
However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad.
The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"
The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."
Asshat Of The Day: Rep. José Serrano
Rep. José Serrano [D-NY] is the first recipient of our prestigious Asshat Of The Day award for sponsoring resolution H. J. Res. 5: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the twenty-second article of amendment, thereby removing the limitation on the number of terms an individual may serve as President.Keep in mind that if the Democrats were to pass this, it would also take 3/4 of the States to agree and that will never happen. If by some miracle it did, the first President it would apply to would be the Republican who will follow Obama!
The 11 Most Expensive Catastrophes in History
# 11. Titanic - $150 Million
The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10 most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built. Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million in today's money)
# 10. Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million
On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany . The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.
# 9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million
On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink.
# 8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion
Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we ' re only #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety.
# 7. Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion
The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world ' s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship ' s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.
# 6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion
The world ' s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world ' s single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world ' s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion. Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Billion in damages.
# 5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion
The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today ' s dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today ' s dollars).
# 4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion
On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia , Spain . Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea. According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.
# 3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion
The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA ' s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today ' s dollars. $500 million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of debris cost $300 million. In the end, the total cost of the accident (not including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics..
# 2. Chernobyl - $200 Billion
On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl , including people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to victims has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.
# 1. 2008 Presidential Election- $800 Billion in the first two months alone.......
The sinking of the Titanic is possibly the most famous accident in the world. But it barely makes our list of top 10 most expensive. On April 15, 1912, the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage and was considered to be the most luxurious ocean liner ever built. Over 1,500 people lost their lives when the ship ran into an iceberg and sunk in frigid waters. The ship cost $7 million to build ($150 million in today's money)
# 10. Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million
On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany . The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.
# 9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million
On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink.
# 8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion
Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we ' re only #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety.
# 7. Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion
The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world ' s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship ' s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.
# 6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion
The world ' s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world ' s single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world ' s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion. Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Billion in damages.
# 5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion
The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today ' s dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today ' s dollars).
# 4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion
On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia , Spain . Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea. According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.
# 3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion
The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA ' s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today ' s dollars. $500 million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of debris cost $300 million. In the end, the total cost of the accident (not including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics..
# 2. Chernobyl - $200 Billion
On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl , including people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to victims has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.
# 1. 2008 Presidential Election- $800 Billion in the first two months alone.......
The Stimulus Package By State
This what your state is doing with money.
Enjoy!
Stimulus Watch
Enjoy!
Stimulus Watch
- Alaska (46 projects)
- Alabama (318 projects)
- Arkansas (199 projects)
- Arizona (743 projects)
- California (1971 projects)
- Colorado (201 projects)
- Connecticut (449 projects)
- Washington, D.C. (8 projects)
- Delaware (7 projects)
- Florida (1752 projects)
- Georgia (266 projects)
- Hawaii (316 projects)
- Iowa (51 projects)
- Idaho (348 projects)
- Illinois (1031 projects)
- Indiana (713 projects)
- Kansas (139 projects)
- Kentucky (524 projects)
- Louisiana (433 projects)
- Massachusetts (266 projects)
- Maryland (54 projects)
- Maine (72 projects)
- Michigan (782 projects)
- Minnesota (335 projects)
- Missouri (403 projects)
- Mississippi (552 projects)
- Montana (57 projects)
- North Carolina (319 projects)
- North Dakota (61 projects)
- Nebraska (154 projects)
- New Jersey (261 projects)
- New Mexico (215 projects)
- Nevada (163 projects)
- New York (289 projects)
- Ohio (847 projects)
- Oklahoma (223 projects)
- Oregon (159 projects)
- Pennsylvania (352 projects)
- Puerto Rico (340 projects)
- Rhode Island (116 projects)
- South Carolina (271 projects)
- South Dakota (30 projects)
- Tennessee (103 projects)
- Texas (1240 projects)
- Utah (298 projects)
- Virginia (400 projects)
- Vermont (61 projects)
- Washington (368 projects)
- Wisconsin (358 projects)
- West Virginia (1 projects)
- Wyoming (85 projects)
The Aisle Seat
Two Arabs boarded a flight out of London. One took a window seat and the other sat next to him in the middle seat.
Just before takeoff, an American sat down in the aisle seat. After takeoff, the American kicked his shoes off, wiggled his toes and was settling in when the Arab in the window seat said, "I need to get up and get a coke."
"Don't get up," said the American, "I'm in the aisle seat, I'll get it for you."
As soon as he left, one of the Arabs picked up the American's shoe and spat in it.
When the American returned with the coke, the other Arab said, "That looks good, I'd really like one, too."
Again, the American obligingly went to fetch it.
While he was gone the other Arab picked up the American's other shoe and spat in it.
When the American returned, they all sat back and enjoyed the flight.
As the plane was landing, the American slipped his feet into his shoes and knew immediately what had happened.
"Why does it have to be this way?" he asked. "How long must this go on? This fighting between our nations? This hatred? This animosity? This spitting in shoes and pissing in cokes."
Just before takeoff, an American sat down in the aisle seat. After takeoff, the American kicked his shoes off, wiggled his toes and was settling in when the Arab in the window seat said, "I need to get up and get a coke."
"Don't get up," said the American, "I'm in the aisle seat, I'll get it for you."
As soon as he left, one of the Arabs picked up the American's shoe and spat in it.
When the American returned with the coke, the other Arab said, "That looks good, I'd really like one, too."
Again, the American obligingly went to fetch it.
While he was gone the other Arab picked up the American's other shoe and spat in it.
When the American returned, they all sat back and enjoyed the flight.
As the plane was landing, the American slipped his feet into his shoes and knew immediately what had happened.
"Why does it have to be this way?" he asked. "How long must this go on? This fighting between our nations? This hatred? This animosity? This spitting in shoes and pissing in cokes."
Outrage - NY Post Cartoon Depicts Obama As A Chimpanzee
If you ask me this is just another Muslim cartoon controversy!
NY Post editor defends cartoon; knocks Sharpton
NY Post editor defends cartoon; knocks Sharpton
The New York Post is defending its cartoon today but Sean Delonas where a police officer shoots a chimp — playing off the rampaging Travis — with one cop saying: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
The cartoon quickly sparked a controversy, with Al Sharpton saying that it's "troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys."
Sharpton continued: "One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."
"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African-American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill."
But editor-in-chief Col Allan defended the cartoon, in a statement to Politico.
"The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."
UPDATE: NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous released a statement: “NAACP continues to fight for a country where America’s promise can be realized for all and where racism Is just a tragic memory. We are saddened that the New York Post chose to create a symbol that is so divisive, insensitive and antithetical to that goal. The NY Post must do better.”
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