I ache too much, due to becoming reacquainted with why Lazarus Long referred to a shovel as an idiot stick.
Friend needs to expand back porch. Area needed to be dug out shovel-blade deep, about nine feet wide and ten feet long. And it's done, with all the dirt hauled away to fill holes and low spots. AND the trailer tongue repaired so we could use it to haul away the dirt, thus sparing us doing it with a wheelbarrow.
Next time I have to do something like this, I'm buying shoes with a steel shank; my feet hurt, too.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
One of the reasons Baucus doesn't want the bill posted BEFORE
being voted on:
The offending provision is on Pages 80-81 of the unamended Baucus bill, hidden amid a lot of similar legislative mumbo-jumbo about Medicare payments to doctors. The key sentence: "Beginning in 2015, payment would be reduced by five percent if an aggregation of the physician's resource use is at or above the 90th percentile of national utilization." Translated into plain English, it means that in any year in which a particular doctor's average per-patient Medicare costs are in the top 10 percent in the nation, the feds will cut the doctor's payments by 5 percent.
Hey, Montana, you folks need to have words with your Senator.
The offending provision is on Pages 80-81 of the unamended Baucus bill, hidden amid a lot of similar legislative mumbo-jumbo about Medicare payments to doctors. The key sentence: "Beginning in 2015, payment would be reduced by five percent if an aggregation of the physician's resource use is at or above the 90th percentile of national utilization." Translated into plain English, it means that in any year in which a particular doctor's average per-patient Medicare costs are in the top 10 percent in the nation, the feds will cut the doctor's payments by 5 percent.
Hey, Montana, you folks need to have words with your Senator.
Friday, September 25, 2009
According to Blackfive, McChrystal has NOT
threatened to resign if the plan is not approved.
At this point, it is probably the smart thing to sit back and let this process work and see what comes out the other end - if that takes place in a timely manner. At the moment I still hold the opinion it is "fish or cut bait" time. Or, in Texas Hold 'Em terms, it's time to go all in or fold. I'll be very interested to see what the final decision will be. In the meantime:
“This is the right kind of process, and the way I see duty,” he said. “I have been given the opportunity to provide my inputs to the decision. Then it is my duty to execute that decision.”
I'll still maintain that depends on the decision, however it should be clear to all that the rumors about McChyrstal's resignation if his plan wasn't approved were not true.
"a certain Mr Reynolds who has arranged that if over $1000 was raised
the dog section would allow the OC, 2IC and Sergeant Major to be chased by an attack dog. Amazingly the money came rolling in from all the lads and the boss is feeling as though a conspiracy has taken place!"
But is the dog allowed to catch them?
In any case, take a look; fundraiser for wounded British troops.
But is the dog allowed to catch them?
In any case, take a look; fundraiser for wounded British troops.
“This probably sounds a little crazy to some people that we are voting on something before
we have seen legislative language.”
No bleep?
That's from Sen. Max Baucus(Dirtbag-MT) as part of his 'explanation' as to why it's 'too hard' for the health care takeover bill to be posted online for 72 hours before they vote on it.
As Insty says, it's not too hard; they just don't want us to see what they're trying to do before they do it.
No bleep?
That's from Sen. Max Baucus(Dirtbag-MT) as part of his 'explanation' as to why it's 'too hard' for the health care takeover bill to be posted online for 72 hours before they vote on it.
As Insty says, it's not too hard; they just don't want us to see what they're trying to do before they do it.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
So Bloomberg is a hypocrite and tyrants visiting New York Effing City
have 'rights' the citizens don't; anybody surprised?
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has become New York City’s nutritional nag, banning the use of trans fats, forcing chain restaurants to post calorie counts and exhorting diners to consume less salt. Now he is at it again, directing his wrath at sugary drinks in a new series of arresting advertisements that ask subway riders: “Are you pouring on the pounds?”
But an examination of what enters the mayoral mouth reveals that Mr. Bloomberg is an omnivore with his own glaring indulgences, many of them at odds with his own policies. And he struggles mightily to restrain his appetite.
Nagging little nanny-state bastard, to elaborate on Uncle's basic 'hypocrite'.
And the tyrant?
WASHINGTON -- Libya's "Brotherly Leader" Moammar Khadafy will be invading midtown Manhattan this week surrounded by a gang of fetching "gun girls."
The dictator's pistol-packin' posse of 40 to 50 women bodyguards -- sometimes called his "Amazon Guard" -- will be part of his massive 150-member traveling traveling entourage for the UN General Assembly session, U.S. officials said.
So a private citizen can't get a permit to carry, but this miserable terrorist bastard can bring his armed bodyguards and it's no problem? I'll bet Bloomberg didn't bitch about it, the bastard.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has become New York City’s nutritional nag, banning the use of trans fats, forcing chain restaurants to post calorie counts and exhorting diners to consume less salt. Now he is at it again, directing his wrath at sugary drinks in a new series of arresting advertisements that ask subway riders: “Are you pouring on the pounds?”
But an examination of what enters the mayoral mouth reveals that Mr. Bloomberg is an omnivore with his own glaring indulgences, many of them at odds with his own policies. And he struggles mightily to restrain his appetite.
Nagging little nanny-state bastard, to elaborate on Uncle's basic 'hypocrite'.
And the tyrant?
WASHINGTON -- Libya's "Brotherly Leader" Moammar Khadafy will be invading midtown Manhattan this week surrounded by a gang of fetching "gun girls."
The dictator's pistol-packin' posse of 40 to 50 women bodyguards -- sometimes called his "Amazon Guard" -- will be part of his massive 150-member traveling traveling entourage for the UN General Assembly session, U.S. officials said.
So a private citizen can't get a permit to carry, but this miserable terrorist bastard can bring his armed bodyguards and it's no problem? I'll bet Bloomberg didn't bitch about it, the bastard.
And finally, as you knew, it had to be the JOOOOOS
involved in the problem:
It’s been 89 days since Manuel Zelaya was booted from power. He’s sleeping on chairs, and he claims his throat is sore from toxic gases and “Israeli mercenaries” are torturing him with high-frequency radiation. “We are being threatened with death,” he said in an interview with The Miami Herald, adding that mercenaries were likely to storm the embassy where he has been holed up since Monday and assassinate him.
I guess it's just a given: when you have commie tyrant wannabes connected to people working with Iran(cough-CHAVEZ-cough), then the evil, perfidious JOOOOOOOS!!! have to involved somewhere.
It’s been 89 days since Manuel Zelaya was booted from power. He’s sleeping on chairs, and he claims his throat is sore from toxic gases and “Israeli mercenaries” are torturing him with high-frequency radiation. “We are being threatened with death,” he said in an interview with The Miami Herald, adding that mercenaries were likely to storm the embassy where he has been holed up since Monday and assassinate him.
I guess it's just a given: when you have commie tyrant wannabes connected to people working with Iran(cough-CHAVEZ-cough), then the evil, perfidious JOOOOOOOS!!! have to involved somewhere.
Isn't there a name for "We don't have that data anymore"
when they've recently given some of it to someone?
Oh yeah, it's bullshit.
Roger Pielke Jr., an esteemed professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado, then requested the raw data from Jones. Jones responded:
Since the 1980s, we have merged the data we have received into existing series or begun new ones, so it is impossible to say if all stations within a particular country or if all of an individual record should be freely available. Data storage availability in the 1980s meant that we were not able to keep the multiple sources for some sites, only the station series after adjustment for homogeneity issues. We, therefore, do not hold the original raw data but only the value-added (i.e., quality controlled and homogenized) data.
The statement about “data storage” is balderdash. They got the records from somewhere. The files went onto a computer. All of the original data could easily fit on the 9-inch tape drives common in the mid-1980s. I had all of the world’s surface barometric pressure data on one such tape in 1979.
If we are to believe Jones’s note to the younger Pielke, CRU adjusted the original data and then lost or destroyed them over twenty years ago. The letter to Warwick Hughes may have been an outright lie. After all, Peter Webster received some of the data this year. So the question remains: What was destroyed or lost, when was it destroyed or lost, and why?
Oh yeah, it's bullshit.
Roger Pielke Jr., an esteemed professor of environmental studies at the University of Colorado, then requested the raw data from Jones. Jones responded:
Since the 1980s, we have merged the data we have received into existing series or begun new ones, so it is impossible to say if all stations within a particular country or if all of an individual record should be freely available. Data storage availability in the 1980s meant that we were not able to keep the multiple sources for some sites, only the station series after adjustment for homogeneity issues. We, therefore, do not hold the original raw data but only the value-added (i.e., quality controlled and homogenized) data.
The statement about “data storage” is balderdash. They got the records from somewhere. The files went onto a computer. All of the original data could easily fit on the 9-inch tape drives common in the mid-1980s. I had all of the world’s surface barometric pressure data on one such tape in 1979.
If we are to believe Jones’s note to the younger Pielke, CRU adjusted the original data and then lost or destroyed them over twenty years ago. The letter to Warwick Hughes may have been an outright lie. After all, Peter Webster received some of the data this year. So the question remains: What was destroyed or lost, when was it destroyed or lost, and why?
More on the creepy "Worship Obama" kid video
An important update about the creepy video we posted yesterday. The Burlington Township School District, to which B. Bernice Youngs Elementary School belongs, posted the following Letter to Parents this morning.
Notice the recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized line; Translation:"You people weren't supposed to find out about this."
Another score for the public school system.
Dear Burlington Township Families:So, a public school had an official lesson using impressionable children to praise Barack Obama. The song they used even co-opted lyrics from "Jesus Loves the Little Children" with Obama's name inserted in place of God.
Today we became aware of a video that was placed on the internet which has been reported in the media. The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama. The activity took place during Black History Month in 2009, which is recognized each February to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country. Our curriculum studies, honors and recognizes those who serve our country. The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized.
If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me or Dr. King, Principal of B. Bernice Young School, directly.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher M. Manno,
Superintendent of Schools
Notice the recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized line; Translation:"You people weren't supposed to find out about this."
Another score for the public school system.
Well, well, what was that about 'chickens coming home
to roost"?
Report: Police Union Accuses Ayers in Deadly 1970 San Francisco Bombing
“A San Francisco police union has accused former domestic terrorist William Ayers, co-founder of the Weather Underground, and his wife in a 1970 bombing that killed one sergeant, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.”
The union, in a letter to a conservative organization lobbying for arrests in the case, accused Ayers and wife Bernardine Dohrn of bombing a city police station.
On Feb. 16, 1970, a bomb placed on a window ledge of Park Station killed Sgt. Brian McDonnell and injured eight other officers, the Chronicle reported.
and
Police officers told to zip lips on bombing
“The San Francisco Police Officers Association’s leadership has been told to muzzle it after signing a letter accusing onetime Weather Underground radical Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, of being behind the nearly 40-year-old bombing at a San Francisco police station that killed a sergeant.
We hear that both U.S. Justice Department reps and Police Chief Heather Fong put in calls to the union to find out just what they were doing talking out of school about an active investigation that may be ready to make a move soon in the 1970 bombing at Park Station.
The word was, button your lips.
Police Officers Association President Gary Delagnes confirmed that his union got a call from federal investigators telling them they had an “active investigation and should not be commenting on the case.”
'Active investigation'. With Holder in charge? Probably an investigation of the SF cops for daring to bring this up.
Report: Police Union Accuses Ayers in Deadly 1970 San Francisco Bombing
“A San Francisco police union has accused former domestic terrorist William Ayers, co-founder of the Weather Underground, and his wife in a 1970 bombing that killed one sergeant, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.”
The union, in a letter to a conservative organization lobbying for arrests in the case, accused Ayers and wife Bernardine Dohrn of bombing a city police station.
On Feb. 16, 1970, a bomb placed on a window ledge of Park Station killed Sgt. Brian McDonnell and injured eight other officers, the Chronicle reported.
and
Police officers told to zip lips on bombing
“The San Francisco Police Officers Association’s leadership has been told to muzzle it after signing a letter accusing onetime Weather Underground radical Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, of being behind the nearly 40-year-old bombing at a San Francisco police station that killed a sergeant.
We hear that both U.S. Justice Department reps and Police Chief Heather Fong put in calls to the union to find out just what they were doing talking out of school about an active investigation that may be ready to make a move soon in the 1970 bombing at Park Station.
The word was, button your lips.
Police Officers Association President Gary Delagnes confirmed that his union got a call from federal investigators telling them they had an “active investigation and should not be commenting on the case.”
'Active investigation'. With Holder in charge? Probably an investigation of the SF cops for daring to bring this up.
From the Brazilian Embassy?
Nothing. Not a "You don't understand the situation", not "Please don't do that," not even a "Screw you Yankee Imperialist!"
If you're Brazilian, and you happen to see this, I have a question: do you like your government screwing around in Honduran affairs this way?
If you're Brazilian, and you happen to see this, I have a question: do you like your government screwing around in Honduran affairs this way?
Bailed out banks using taxpayer money to support ACORN
Now we discover that some banks that received TARP money have been funneling major dollars to this criminal empire.
Jamie Dimon has been described as “Obama’s favorite banker” by the New York Times. He’s ACORN’s favorite banker, too, and with good reason. Mr. Dimon is the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, which operates a charitable foundation that gave ACORN $1 million in 2007, along with a smaller grant to the ACORN Institute. Beyond the charitable grants, ACORN and its affiliates have long profited from their “partnerships” with the big banks, taking a cut of subprime loans marketed to low-income borrowers in poor neighborhoods.
However, JPMorgan Chase isn’t the only big offender here. According to Peter Flaherty — president of the National Legal and Policy Center, which is tracking corporate America’s underwriting of the Left — other big ACORN benefactors include such TARPalicious names as Bank of America and Citigroup. Taxpayers bail out the banks, the banks fund ACORN, and ACORN dispenses advice on human trafficking and tax evasion to aspiring pimps and hookers. Not America’s proudest moment.
And Dimon?
Dimon, of course, is no white-shoe East Coast banker. He’s a Chicago Democrat, deeply plugged in to Obama’s machine — he was said to be Obama’s choice for secretary of the Treasury until advisers convinced the president to go with Tim Geithner — and so it’s no surprise to find his company shunting money ACORN’s way. And where there are Chicago Democrats and a whiff of corruption, can the name Daley be far away? Bill Daley, brother of Chicago mayor Richard Daley and son of Boss Daley, runs JPMorgan Chase’s charitable foundation and also is in charge of the bank’s “corporate social responsibility” office. While it would be unfair to visit the sins of the father (and the brother, and the rest of the Chicago machine) upon the son, Daley is not the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of “social responsibility.” Even leaving aside his family connections, Mr. Daley represents precisely the overlap of Wall Street, Democratic machine politics, and ACORN that ought to give sober observers pause.
Yeah, all that money really went to good causes, didn't it? And Sen. Reid & Co. really, really don't want to have a full investigation. Only good thing is, with all this coming out they may have no choice.
On the other hand, Pelosi still hasn't actually done anyhing about Rangel.
Jamie Dimon has been described as “Obama’s favorite banker” by the New York Times. He’s ACORN’s favorite banker, too, and with good reason. Mr. Dimon is the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, which operates a charitable foundation that gave ACORN $1 million in 2007, along with a smaller grant to the ACORN Institute. Beyond the charitable grants, ACORN and its affiliates have long profited from their “partnerships” with the big banks, taking a cut of subprime loans marketed to low-income borrowers in poor neighborhoods.
However, JPMorgan Chase isn’t the only big offender here. According to Peter Flaherty — president of the National Legal and Policy Center, which is tracking corporate America’s underwriting of the Left — other big ACORN benefactors include such TARPalicious names as Bank of America and Citigroup. Taxpayers bail out the banks, the banks fund ACORN, and ACORN dispenses advice on human trafficking and tax evasion to aspiring pimps and hookers. Not America’s proudest moment.
And Dimon?
Dimon, of course, is no white-shoe East Coast banker. He’s a Chicago Democrat, deeply plugged in to Obama’s machine — he was said to be Obama’s choice for secretary of the Treasury until advisers convinced the president to go with Tim Geithner — and so it’s no surprise to find his company shunting money ACORN’s way. And where there are Chicago Democrats and a whiff of corruption, can the name Daley be far away? Bill Daley, brother of Chicago mayor Richard Daley and son of Boss Daley, runs JPMorgan Chase’s charitable foundation and also is in charge of the bank’s “corporate social responsibility” office. While it would be unfair to visit the sins of the father (and the brother, and the rest of the Chicago machine) upon the son, Daley is not the first name that comes to mind when one thinks of “social responsibility.” Even leaving aside his family connections, Mr. Daley represents precisely the overlap of Wall Street, Democratic machine politics, and ACORN that ought to give sober observers pause.
Yeah, all that money really went to good causes, didn't it? And Sen. Reid & Co. really, really don't want to have a full investigation. Only good thing is, with all this coming out they may have no choice.
On the other hand, Pelosi still hasn't actually done anyhing about Rangel.
Wonderful what supporters Zelaya has
Leftist thugs ransacked the Honduran capital after news broke that ousted leader Manuel Zelaya had returned to the country and was hiding in the Brazilian embassy.
Leftist thugs and Zelaya supporters ransacked the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.
La Gringa's Blogacita reported:
Leftist thugs and Zelaya supporters ransacked the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa.
La Gringa's Blogacita reported:
Virtually every private car in the area of the Brazilian Embassy where Zelaya is hiding was damaged by breaking out some or all of the windows and ruining the tires. Ironically, Mel Zelaya's own mother's car was parked on the street and was likewise vandalized.
Private homes in the area were broken into and robbed. Citizens were assaulted. Death threats were sprayed unto neighbors' walls. Mountains of trash were strewn in the streets.
At least one woman's house was completely ransacked, robbed, and her two employees were terrorized. The Zelayistas smoked marijuana as they destroyed and smashed everything in her house up to and including the ceilings, doors, and windows − the video of her home shown on the news was horrifying. Other neighbors were terrorized, assaulted, threatened with rape, and forced to prepare food by the rioters while they were being robbed. Numerous citizens called the police about home invasions.
Since Obama's FCC head is so worried about 'diversity',
I'll be diverse. Starting with him:
In a video clip of the conference that has been aired by Fox News personality Glenn Beck and others, Mr. Lloyd seems be siding with the anti-American leader against independent media outlets in his own country, some of which supported a short-lived coup against Mr. Chavez in 2002.
"The property owners and the folks who then controlled the media in Venezuela rebelled(and isn't THAT an interesting statement?) - worked, frankly, with folks here in the U.S. government - worked to oust him," Mr. Lloyd said. "But he came back with another revolution, and then Chavez began to take very seriously the media in his country."
Mr. Chavez in fact forced the nation's oldest television network, RCTV, off the air in 2007 by refusing to renew its license, replacing it with a state-run station that showed cartoons and old movies while protesters marched in the streets against the shutdown. His government has also threatened to shut down Globovision, one of two TV channels that continue to criticize Mr. Chavez.
Explanation:
"The point I was trying to make was that there was dramatic social change in places like Rwanda and Venezuela and that media played an important part in that. I am not a Chavez supporter. I do not support any political leader other than the president of the United States. I do believe all Americans would benefit from more opportunities to participate in media and that the answer to ugly speech is not censorship, but more speech."
Sounds nice, doesn't it? Especially if you ignore that property owners and the folks who then controlled the media(i.e. private businesses) part. And that bit about the 'changes' in Rwanda, which I seem to recall involved a whole bunch of dead bodies. However, then you have things like
"And unless we are conscious of the need to have more people of color, gays, other people in those positions, we will not change the problem. But we're in a position where you have to say who is going to step down so someone else can have power."
He added: "There are few things, I think, more frightening in the American mind than dark-skinned black men. Here I am."
Ah, I get it! "Diversity is Good and must be pushed. As long as it's the right kind of diversity. And all you racist white people are going to have to step aside so the proper mix of diverse types can be placed in power."
Mr. Genachowski said Mr. Walden's worries were misplaced. "Mark Lloyd is not working on these issues," Mr. Genachowski said. "He's not working on Fairness Doctrine issues. He's not working on censorship issues. He's ... working on opportunity issues, primarily now on broadband adoption, focusing on making sure that broadband is available to all Americans."
Except,
However, Seton Motley, communications director for the conservative-leaning Media Research Center and contributing editor to Newsbusters.org who has written critically about Mr. Lloyd on several occasions, said Mr. Lloyd appeared Tuesday at a meeting held by the FCC's advisory committee on diversity that discussed the need to increase lending and licensing to minority-owned media outlets.
"They say he's not involved in licensing and he's involved in researching diversity," Mr. Motley told the Washington Times, "but he sat in a meeting where licensing is very much part of the deal."
Covering statement:
A meeting agenda posted by the advisory committee says that "national broadband plans recommendations" also were discussed.
Uh huh. That removes all worries, doesn't it?
It boils down to "Liberal talk radio has mostly failed. So obviously we have to force it to succeed so we can have 'diversity'." Never mind the reason it fails is not enough people listen to it; you'll MAKE them listen. As if we weren't bombarded with the liberal talking points constantly; every listen to NPR, which is paid for with tax money? Etc.
THEY know what's good for you, and you're going to get it. Good and hard, as the saying goes. Like the Dear Leader video being pushed in schools; have to make the kids think the right way, don't they?
In a video clip of the conference that has been aired by Fox News personality Glenn Beck and others, Mr. Lloyd seems be siding with the anti-American leader against independent media outlets in his own country, some of which supported a short-lived coup against Mr. Chavez in 2002.
"The property owners and the folks who then controlled the media in Venezuela rebelled(and isn't THAT an interesting statement?) - worked, frankly, with folks here in the U.S. government - worked to oust him," Mr. Lloyd said. "But he came back with another revolution, and then Chavez began to take very seriously the media in his country."
Mr. Chavez in fact forced the nation's oldest television network, RCTV, off the air in 2007 by refusing to renew its license, replacing it with a state-run station that showed cartoons and old movies while protesters marched in the streets against the shutdown. His government has also threatened to shut down Globovision, one of two TV channels that continue to criticize Mr. Chavez.
Explanation:
"The point I was trying to make was that there was dramatic social change in places like Rwanda and Venezuela and that media played an important part in that. I am not a Chavez supporter. I do not support any political leader other than the president of the United States. I do believe all Americans would benefit from more opportunities to participate in media and that the answer to ugly speech is not censorship, but more speech."
Sounds nice, doesn't it? Especially if you ignore that property owners and the folks who then controlled the media(i.e. private businesses) part. And that bit about the 'changes' in Rwanda, which I seem to recall involved a whole bunch of dead bodies. However, then you have things like
"And unless we are conscious of the need to have more people of color, gays, other people in those positions, we will not change the problem. But we're in a position where you have to say who is going to step down so someone else can have power."
He added: "There are few things, I think, more frightening in the American mind than dark-skinned black men. Here I am."
Ah, I get it! "Diversity is Good and must be pushed. As long as it's the right kind of diversity. And all you racist white people are going to have to step aside so the proper mix of diverse types can be placed in power."
Mr. Genachowski said Mr. Walden's worries were misplaced. "Mark Lloyd is not working on these issues," Mr. Genachowski said. "He's not working on Fairness Doctrine issues. He's not working on censorship issues. He's ... working on opportunity issues, primarily now on broadband adoption, focusing on making sure that broadband is available to all Americans."
Except,
However, Seton Motley, communications director for the conservative-leaning Media Research Center and contributing editor to Newsbusters.org who has written critically about Mr. Lloyd on several occasions, said Mr. Lloyd appeared Tuesday at a meeting held by the FCC's advisory committee on diversity that discussed the need to increase lending and licensing to minority-owned media outlets.
"They say he's not involved in licensing and he's involved in researching diversity," Mr. Motley told the Washington Times, "but he sat in a meeting where licensing is very much part of the deal."
Covering statement:
A meeting agenda posted by the advisory committee says that "national broadband plans recommendations" also were discussed.
Uh huh. That removes all worries, doesn't it?
It boils down to "Liberal talk radio has mostly failed. So obviously we have to force it to succeed so we can have 'diversity'." Never mind the reason it fails is not enough people listen to it; you'll MAKE them listen. As if we weren't bombarded with the liberal talking points constantly; every listen to NPR, which is paid for with tax money? Etc.
THEY know what's good for you, and you're going to get it. Good and hard, as the saying goes. Like the Dear Leader video being pushed in schools; have to make the kids think the right way, don't they?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Busy all over the place
Gordon Brown has been snubbed repeatedly by Barack Obama during his trip to the United States, as the fall-out from the release of the Lockerbie bomber appeared to have left "the special relationship" at its lowest ebb for nearly 20 years.
First thought: since Obama has seemed to make a special effort to crap on Britain, I'd guess that right now he's mad that the release of the terrorist got A: so much publicity, B: that Libya gave him such a noisy celebration and C: since he can't crap on his little pal in Libya he'll crap on Brown.
There's good reason so many people look with disdain upon those in the entertainment world.
So since when is German a race? Aside from in the minds of the PC At Any Cost idiots like this clown?
Now THIS is planning ahead:
Regulations are forcing a Welsh steam train to use coal shipped 3,000 miles from Siberia rather than from a mine three miles away.
Planning conditions on the Ffos-y-Fran mine in South Wales mean that coal has to be transported by rail rather than via local roads.
However there is no rail link between the mine and the Brecon Mountain Railway, so the local coal cannot be used.
Oh, great, Obama's FCC chairman wants to control the internet. What could go wrong...
Genachowski talks a good game on Internet freedom and innovation, but then positions the FCC as a sort of Internet enforcer. "In the words of Tim Berners-Lee," he said, "the Internet is a 'blank canvas'—allowing anyone to contribute and to innovate without permission." That's how it should be. But the crucial question is permission from whom? Genachowski seems oblivious to the fact that that the regulatory regime he is promoting would implicitly require innovators to get permission for their innovations from his agency. In his words, "the FCC must be a smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet."
I'm not a fool - I know full well that not a single member of Congress read every word of, say, the 1,427-page Waxman-Markley energy bill. But I think we give up something valuable if we accept that as acceptable behavior. I guess it didn't occur to the editorialists at the Post that if members of Congress actually tried to live up to this most basic obligation, that 1,427-page long bills would no longer be introduced, which would surely, all other things being equal, be a good thing for the Republic.
Damn right it would.
ACORN files suit; O'Keefe & Giles & Breitbart's lawyers are sharpening knives.
As the guy says, I did not see any indication that the Mossad has been asked for comment.
Dubbed "Simorgh" (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in mid-flight), the AWACS' appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for the Iranian Air force's fly-past over the parade. Instead, it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmen were killed.
Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine. According to Western observers, no distress signals came from either cockpit indicating that the collision and explosions were sudden and fast.
DEBKAfile's military sources say the disaster was a serious blow to the Iranian Air Force not long after its first and only AWACS went into service in April 2008. It was a renovated version of the Russian Ilyushin 76, part of Saddam Hussein's air force before it was transferred to Iran in 1991 during the first Gulf War.
Let's not forget that Obama also majorly crapped all over Israel today. To great applause from the UN, no surprise.
In other news, I need to get some hexagonal brass rod for punches. And some music wire or something else suitable for steel punches. And it's time for bed; getting old sucks.
First thought: since Obama has seemed to make a special effort to crap on Britain, I'd guess that right now he's mad that the release of the terrorist got A: so much publicity, B: that Libya gave him such a noisy celebration and C: since he can't crap on his little pal in Libya he'll crap on Brown.
There's good reason so many people look with disdain upon those in the entertainment world.
So since when is German a race? Aside from in the minds of the PC At Any Cost idiots like this clown?
Now THIS is planning ahead:
Regulations are forcing a Welsh steam train to use coal shipped 3,000 miles from Siberia rather than from a mine three miles away.
Planning conditions on the Ffos-y-Fran mine in South Wales mean that coal has to be transported by rail rather than via local roads.
However there is no rail link between the mine and the Brecon Mountain Railway, so the local coal cannot be used.
Oh, great, Obama's FCC chairman wants to control the internet. What could go wrong...
Genachowski talks a good game on Internet freedom and innovation, but then positions the FCC as a sort of Internet enforcer. "In the words of Tim Berners-Lee," he said, "the Internet is a 'blank canvas'—allowing anyone to contribute and to innovate without permission." That's how it should be. But the crucial question is permission from whom? Genachowski seems oblivious to the fact that that the regulatory regime he is promoting would implicitly require innovators to get permission for their innovations from his agency. In his words, "the FCC must be a smart cop on the beat preserving a free and open Internet."
I'm not a fool - I know full well that not a single member of Congress read every word of, say, the 1,427-page Waxman-Markley energy bill. But I think we give up something valuable if we accept that as acceptable behavior. I guess it didn't occur to the editorialists at the Post that if members of Congress actually tried to live up to this most basic obligation, that 1,427-page long bills would no longer be introduced, which would surely, all other things being equal, be a good thing for the Republic.
Damn right it would.
ACORN files suit; O'Keefe & Giles & Breitbart's lawyers are sharpening knives.
As the guy says, I did not see any indication that the Mossad has been asked for comment.
Dubbed "Simorgh" (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in mid-flight), the AWACS' appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for the Iranian Air force's fly-past over the parade. Instead, it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmen were killed.
Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution's founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine. According to Western observers, no distress signals came from either cockpit indicating that the collision and explosions were sudden and fast.
DEBKAfile's military sources say the disaster was a serious blow to the Iranian Air Force not long after its first and only AWACS went into service in April 2008. It was a renovated version of the Russian Ilyushin 76, part of Saddam Hussein's air force before it was transferred to Iran in 1991 during the first Gulf War.
Let's not forget that Obama also majorly crapped all over Israel today. To great applause from the UN, no surprise.
In other news, I need to get some hexagonal brass rod for punches. And some music wire or something else suitable for steel punches. And it's time for bed; getting old sucks.
A confiscated crocodile?
The 5.6-foot-long crocodile was fed a diet of live rabbits and mice, Mr Di Mauro said.
He said the suspect, an alleged boss in the Naples-based Camorra crime syndicate, would invite extortion victims to his home and threaten to set the animal on them if they failed to pay or grant him favours.
He said the suspect, an alleged boss in the Naples-based Camorra crime syndicate, would invite extortion victims to his home and threaten to set the animal on them if they failed to pay or grant him favours.
Under the heading of "Catching crooks is just too expensive"
we have the Mayor of Wellford:
(Wellford, SC)—The Mayor of Wellford is defending her policy which bans police officers in that city from chasing suspects. Sallie Peake says the policy also includes vehicle chases along with pursuits on foot.
A memo issued on September 2nd from Peake to all Wellford officers reads:
“As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.“
Because if an officer is injured it drives up insurance costs.
No comment on costs to other people robbed/raped/murdered by the ones who get away.
(Wellford, SC)—The Mayor of Wellford is defending her policy which bans police officers in that city from chasing suspects. Sallie Peake says the policy also includes vehicle chases along with pursuits on foot.
A memo issued on September 2nd from Peake to all Wellford officers reads:
“As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.“
Because if an officer is injured it drives up insurance costs.
No comment on costs to other people robbed/raped/murdered by the ones who get away.
So how's that deal with Russia going, Mr. President?
On Saturday Russian deputy defense minister Vladimir Popovkin said in an interview that "naturally we will scrap the measures that Russia planned to take" in response to the shield and specifically named Iskander deployment as one of them.
'No such decision'
When asked about the matter on Monday, the chief of Russia's general staff, Nikolai Makarov, said: "There has been no such decision. It should be a political decision. It should be made by the president."
"They (the Americans) have not given up the anti-missile shield; they have replaced it with a sea-based component," Makarov told reporters on a plane from Moscow to Zurich.
So my question: is this something Obama knew about or expected, or was he just played?
'No such decision'
When asked about the matter on Monday, the chief of Russia's general staff, Nikolai Makarov, said: "There has been no such decision. It should be a political decision. It should be made by the president."
"They (the Americans) have not given up the anti-missile shield; they have replaced it with a sea-based component," Makarov told reporters on a plane from Moscow to Zurich.
So my question: is this something Obama knew about or expected, or was he just played?
Remember the Prince George's County raid where they shot the Mayor's dogs?
And all the other BS? Well, they're still playing games:
What confounds me is the unmitigated refusal of county leaders to challenge law enforcement and to demand better -- as if civil rights are somehow rendered secondary by the war on drugs.
...
...When the Justice Department released the county police from federal supervision in February, internal affairs was the one area that was not cleared. Internal affairs division (IAD) investigations were required to take no longer than 90 days. More than a year after our ordeal, my family awaits the IAD report on what happened at our home. The statute of limitations for officer misconduct is 12 months, which means that any wrongdoers are off the hook.(Gee, isn't that surprising?)
...
...After initially claiming that they had a "no-knock" warrant to forcibly enter our home, county police acknowledged that they did not have one. But they went on to contend that there is no such thing as a "no-knock" warrant in Maryland. But this isn't true. A statewide "no-knock" warrant statute was passed in 2005. Effectively, the county is denying the existence of state law. We can't get the county to say whether it has ever followed the law or, at a minimum, even acknowledges it.
...
Finally, and perhaps most disturbing of all, county police may be lying to cover up their civil rights violations. A county officer on the scene told Berwyn Heights police a fabricated tale to justify the warrantless entry into our home. The lie disappeared after police learned that I was the mayor. Charges of a police coverup are hardly unusual, but there is significant evidence that county law enforcement engaged in a conspiracy on our lawn to justify an illegal entry. Nothing strikes at the heart of police credibility like creative report writing and false testimony to cover up a lie or even put innocent people behind bars. Swift and serious consequences are the best deterrent.
As I recall, there were a LOT of complaints of similar crap that came out after this raid blew up in their faces; people who'd been afraid to complain but now hoped something could be done. The fact that people were afraid to complain about a bad raid tells you a lot about how this agency is seen by the people there, and it's not flattering.
What confounds me is the unmitigated refusal of county leaders to challenge law enforcement and to demand better -- as if civil rights are somehow rendered secondary by the war on drugs.
...
...When the Justice Department released the county police from federal supervision in February, internal affairs was the one area that was not cleared. Internal affairs division (IAD) investigations were required to take no longer than 90 days. More than a year after our ordeal, my family awaits the IAD report on what happened at our home. The statute of limitations for officer misconduct is 12 months, which means that any wrongdoers are off the hook.(Gee, isn't that surprising?)
...
...After initially claiming that they had a "no-knock" warrant to forcibly enter our home, county police acknowledged that they did not have one. But they went on to contend that there is no such thing as a "no-knock" warrant in Maryland. But this isn't true. A statewide "no-knock" warrant statute was passed in 2005. Effectively, the county is denying the existence of state law. We can't get the county to say whether it has ever followed the law or, at a minimum, even acknowledges it.
...
Finally, and perhaps most disturbing of all, county police may be lying to cover up their civil rights violations. A county officer on the scene told Berwyn Heights police a fabricated tale to justify the warrantless entry into our home. The lie disappeared after police learned that I was the mayor. Charges of a police coverup are hardly unusual, but there is significant evidence that county law enforcement engaged in a conspiracy on our lawn to justify an illegal entry. Nothing strikes at the heart of police credibility like creative report writing and false testimony to cover up a lie or even put innocent people behind bars. Swift and serious consequences are the best deterrent.
As I recall, there were a LOT of complaints of similar crap that came out after this raid blew up in their faces; people who'd been afraid to complain but now hoped something could be done. The fact that people were afraid to complain about a bad raid tells you a lot about how this agency is seen by the people there, and it's not flattering.
By the way, during his Apology & Submission Tour at the UN,
President "I don't want to take your guns" Obama threw in the Mexican Gun Lie. I can't find exactly when he said it, it was a blip on the radio during a report on his speechifying. As i recall, it was something like 'how the US must act to prevent American money and guns causing damage to Mexico'.
If I can find more later, I'll update this.
If I can find more later, I'll update this.
Two points: one, the Democrats on the committee don't want you to see the bill
before they try to ram it through. I like this part, too:
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., complained that he and others were never part of the deal with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and were under no obligation to protect drug makers from further costs.
Well, Chuckie, you'll have to talk to President HopeyChangeypants about that; he's the one who did that deal, as I recall.
Second, this is how the President's Energy Secretary thinks of you:
This week, prepping for the upcoming Copenhagen climate change talks, Dr. Steven Chu, our erstwhile Energy secretary, crystallized the administration's underlying thinking by claiming that the "American public . . . just like your teenage kids, aren't acting in a way that they should act. The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is."
Oh, we have a pretty good idea of how 'important' this issue is. To you and the other power-grabbing enviroweenies. And we're finding out just how important it is to stop you.
Remember when George W. Bush's chief of staff, Andrew Card, claimed that the president saw the American people "as we think about a 10-year- old child"? His comment, understandably, caused much mockery and disdain.
The problem, apparently, wasn't the paternalist sentiment — it was the parent offering it. What we needed was a brainy, grown-up administration to harangue and regulate us into submission.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., complained that he and others were never part of the deal with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and were under no obligation to protect drug makers from further costs.
Well, Chuckie, you'll have to talk to President HopeyChangeypants about that; he's the one who did that deal, as I recall.
Second, this is how the President's Energy Secretary thinks of you:
This week, prepping for the upcoming Copenhagen climate change talks, Dr. Steven Chu, our erstwhile Energy secretary, crystallized the administration's underlying thinking by claiming that the "American public . . . just like your teenage kids, aren't acting in a way that they should act. The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is."
Oh, we have a pretty good idea of how 'important' this issue is. To you and the other power-grabbing enviroweenies. And we're finding out just how important it is to stop you.
Remember when George W. Bush's chief of staff, Andrew Card, claimed that the president saw the American people "as we think about a 10-year- old child"? His comment, understandably, caused much mockery and disdain.
The problem, apparently, wasn't the paternalist sentiment — it was the parent offering it. What we needed was a brainy, grown-up administration to harangue and regulate us into submission.
Behold my prowess!
Or something like that.
I decided to work on that adapter I made for the lawn mower problem. First, after having looked back at part of the book I reground the left-cut bit to improve the angle and honed it. Got the piece fairly well centered* in the chuck(Gerry, it is getting easier to do), set the speed slow, adjusted the bit and started cutting. I've got part of a can of Do-Drill cutting oil(that can has lasted a good ten years) and used it to lube the steel.
Got a bit of chatter, which I believe means I need to adjust the angle of the bit a touch, but it cut right along. I took small cuts, and after a bit got this:
Doesn't show very well but the surface isn't real smooth. I did grind a round-nose finishing bit and went over it, which improved it quite a bit from the rough-cut bit. I could have used a file or paper to smooth it, but for this- as long as the section to hook into the drill is actually round and concentric- I'd rather have it a touch rough.
Second project: a week or so ago I managed to break the decapping pin in my 8mm die. And NOBODY in town has these. For this I got a piece of garage door spring about three inches long that was pretty straight and annealed**, chucked it with an inch sticking out and made this piece:
The pin slides into the expander ball on the right, the head keeps it in place and the rod screws in to lock it all together. This steel is tough enough that it should work well for the purpose. I'm wondering if some music wire(have to anneal that to make sure it's as soft as possible) would work better; if this doesn't hold up, I'll get some and find out. Easy to get, hobby shops carry it in many sizes.
Last, made a small punch
That small tit on the end means I didn't have the bit on the center of the piece, but I'll strike it off with a file(Yes, Og, I should have done that while it was still in the lathe). As the piece got closer to finished diameter it started flexing away from the bit, so cleaned up the surface and took it down to final size with a fine file.
Going to take a while, but I'm learning how to use this thing. I need to get some proper bit holders for one thing, they'll make adjusting angles a lot easier. Just to try, I put one of the carbide bits on the belt sander and all it did was polish the surface(about like expected, but had to try); I'll have to get a proper grinding wheel for those.
*'Fairly well' means the dial indicator showed all four corners as close to identical as I could get. Square or thicker round stock is pretty easy to get centered; the piece for the pin wasn't perfectly straight so I got it as close as I could. It was the smallest stock I had that would fit into the chuck tightly.
**Left over from forging small blades and chisels. When you straighten the stuff out for that 'pretty straight' works well, and when it's going to go into the forge before any grinding or filing annealing isn't a big deal. Happily, this was from some stuff I'd taken some pains on that step.
I decided to work on that adapter I made for the lawn mower problem. First, after having looked back at part of the book I reground the left-cut bit to improve the angle and honed it. Got the piece fairly well centered* in the chuck(Gerry, it is getting easier to do), set the speed slow, adjusted the bit and started cutting. I've got part of a can of Do-Drill cutting oil(that can has lasted a good ten years) and used it to lube the steel.
Got a bit of chatter, which I believe means I need to adjust the angle of the bit a touch, but it cut right along. I took small cuts, and after a bit got this:
Doesn't show very well but the surface isn't real smooth. I did grind a round-nose finishing bit and went over it, which improved it quite a bit from the rough-cut bit. I could have used a file or paper to smooth it, but for this- as long as the section to hook into the drill is actually round and concentric- I'd rather have it a touch rough.Second project: a week or so ago I managed to break the decapping pin in my 8mm die. And NOBODY in town has these. For this I got a piece of garage door spring about three inches long that was pretty straight and annealed**, chucked it with an inch sticking out and made this piece:
The pin slides into the expander ball on the right, the head keeps it in place and the rod screws in to lock it all together. This steel is tough enough that it should work well for the purpose. I'm wondering if some music wire(have to anneal that to make sure it's as soft as possible) would work better; if this doesn't hold up, I'll get some and find out. Easy to get, hobby shops carry it in many sizes.Last, made a small punch
That small tit on the end means I didn't have the bit on the center of the piece, but I'll strike it off with a file(Yes, Og, I should have done that while it was still in the lathe). As the piece got closer to finished diameter it started flexing away from the bit, so cleaned up the surface and took it down to final size with a fine file.Going to take a while, but I'm learning how to use this thing. I need to get some proper bit holders for one thing, they'll make adjusting angles a lot easier. Just to try, I put one of the carbide bits on the belt sander and all it did was polish the surface(about like expected, but had to try); I'll have to get a proper grinding wheel for those.
*'Fairly well' means the dial indicator showed all four corners as close to identical as I could get. Square or thicker round stock is pretty easy to get centered; the piece for the pin wasn't perfectly straight so I got it as close as I could. It was the smallest stock I had that would fit into the chuck tightly.
**Left over from forging small blades and chisels. When you straighten the stuff out for that 'pretty straight' works well, and when it's going to go into the forge before any grinding or filing annealing isn't a big deal. Happily, this was from some stuff I'd taken some pains on that step.
Yeah, the left wanted us to win the 'real war in Afghanistan',
all right.
Escalation is a bad idea. The Democrats backed themselves into defending the idea of Afghanistan being The Good War because they felt they needed to prove their macho bonafides they called for withdrawal from Iraq. Nobody asked too many questions sat the time, including me. But none of us should forget that it was a political strategy, not a serious foreign policy.
To borrow from Ace, "You claimed to support a war in which American soldiers were fighting and dying, leaving friends and limbs on the battlefield, as a cynical political strategy?
You... um... voiced support of a real serious-as-death war to cadge votes out of a duped public?
We won't forget, champ. And we won't let you forget, either."
Escalation is a bad idea. The Democrats backed themselves into defending the idea of Afghanistan being The Good War because they felt they needed to prove their macho bonafides they called for withdrawal from Iraq. Nobody asked too many questions sat the time, including me. But none of us should forget that it was a political strategy, not a serious foreign policy.
To borrow from Ace, "You claimed to support a war in which American soldiers were fighting and dying, leaving friends and limbs on the battlefield, as a cynical political strategy?
You... um... voiced support of a real serious-as-death war to cadge votes out of a duped public?
We won't forget, champ. And we won't let you forget, either."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Range Day
Nothing big; general pistol practice and a box or so through a .22 rifle.
The lane I wound up in was kind of dim: bad for precise shooting, good for self-defense practice. I've noticed that in light that low the fiber-optic sights don't make much difference, but they do catch the eye a bit better than plain iron sights, and I'll take any advantage I can get. I shoot about half the close-up stuff with the Crimson Trace grip turned on, and the other half with it off; as Tam pointed out once, a number of things could cause the laser to be useless(heavy gloves, crap on the diode, breakage, etc.) so I still practice with the irons only.
I can't remember the brand off hand, but someone brought out a red-dot optic a couple of years ago small enough to mount in the rear sight dovetail on a pistol and not get in the way of holster carry; anyone tried one? Sounds like a great idea.
I should have taken the .22 conversion for the 1911. Days like this my hands will only take a box or so of full-power .45, so I could have done a bit more with it on. I need to remember to stick it in the range bag and leave it.
I ran the brass through the tumbler, but I'll mess with processing it tomorrow or the next day. For now, I'm tired.
The lane I wound up in was kind of dim: bad for precise shooting, good for self-defense practice. I've noticed that in light that low the fiber-optic sights don't make much difference, but they do catch the eye a bit better than plain iron sights, and I'll take any advantage I can get. I shoot about half the close-up stuff with the Crimson Trace grip turned on, and the other half with it off; as Tam pointed out once, a number of things could cause the laser to be useless(heavy gloves, crap on the diode, breakage, etc.) so I still practice with the irons only.
I can't remember the brand off hand, but someone brought out a red-dot optic a couple of years ago small enough to mount in the rear sight dovetail on a pistol and not get in the way of holster carry; anyone tried one? Sounds like a great idea.
I should have taken the .22 conversion for the 1911. Days like this my hands will only take a box or so of full-power .45, so I could have done a bit more with it on. I need to remember to stick it in the range bag and leave it.
I ran the brass through the tumbler, but I'll mess with processing it tomorrow or the next day. For now, I'm tired.
I looked up the e-mail address for the Brazilian Embassy
and sent them a couple of questions:
Sir or Ma'am:
I have been following news of the ongoing situation in Honduras for a while. Yesterday I read of Manuel Zelaya being sheltered in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa.
I have a question: why would Brazil be giving this man shelter? He was removed from office at the order of the Honduran Supreme Court for violations of their Constitution, he is an adherent of Hugo Chavez, he has made his intentions of socializing Honduras plain, and yet you aid him in returning to Honduras?
My first thought is to spread the word that people in the United States should find out what products are imported from Brazil and boycott them for Brazil's support of this man. I ask, can you give me a good reason why we should not?
If I get any response, I'll post it.
Ok, just read some things at Fausta's Blog, including this:
Zelaya, as you know, had announced last week that he was heading to the UN but decided instead to hole up at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa. He’s getting plenty of media attention complaining that there is no electricity, food, or water for him or for the 300 people he brought along.
Pause here for a moment and explain to me how 300 people slipped unnoticed into an embassy. But I digress.
A very damned good question, though of course the answer is 'they couldn't'; the Brazilian Embassy had to let them in. Which they didn't do without approval from their government which makes the idea of boycotting Brazilian goods even more attractive. To me, at least.
Just read this at Babalu Blog; the striped-pants jackasses in the State Department are- well, just go read it. For that matter, go to home and scroll down.
Sir or Ma'am:
I have been following news of the ongoing situation in Honduras for a while. Yesterday I read of Manuel Zelaya being sheltered in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa.
I have a question: why would Brazil be giving this man shelter? He was removed from office at the order of the Honduran Supreme Court for violations of their Constitution, he is an adherent of Hugo Chavez, he has made his intentions of socializing Honduras plain, and yet you aid him in returning to Honduras?
My first thought is to spread the word that people in the United States should find out what products are imported from Brazil and boycott them for Brazil's support of this man. I ask, can you give me a good reason why we should not?
If I get any response, I'll post it.
Ok, just read some things at Fausta's Blog, including this:
Zelaya, as you know, had announced last week that he was heading to the UN but decided instead to hole up at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa. He’s getting plenty of media attention complaining that there is no electricity, food, or water for him or for the 300 people he brought along.
Pause here for a moment and explain to me how 300 people slipped unnoticed into an embassy. But I digress.
A very damned good question, though of course the answer is 'they couldn't'; the Brazilian Embassy had to let them in. Which they didn't do without approval from their government which makes the idea of boycotting Brazilian goods even more attractive. To me, at least.
Just read this at Babalu Blog; the striped-pants jackasses in the State Department are- well, just go read it. For that matter, go to home and scroll down.
Well, maybe Pres. B. Hussein Obama is too busy to think about Afghanistan
when his administration is busy blocking inquiries on the Inspector General matters; when his friends at ACORN are facing IRS and LA investigations for failure to pay taxes(does ANYBODY with the Democrat Party at the upper levels pay their damn taxes?).
Or maybe they have to help HCAN with their astroturf work or he's too tied up playing global warming scare at the UN. And I guess trying to figure how to spin the current news on Social Security(The End of Obamanomics: Social Security to Go Into Deficit 2010-2011, and Then Permanently in 2017) is taking some time and attention.
So with all that going on, maybe he just doesn't have the attention yet to deal with what his General says is needed.
I should also mention, taking inventory of 'his weapons' is probably taking some time and attention, too.
Or maybe they have to help HCAN with their astroturf work or he's too tied up playing global warming scare at the UN. And I guess trying to figure how to spin the current news on Social Security(The End of Obamanomics: Social Security to Go Into Deficit 2010-2011, and Then Permanently in 2017) is taking some time and attention.
So with all that going on, maybe he just doesn't have the attention yet to deal with what his General says is needed.
I should also mention, taking inventory of 'his weapons' is probably taking some time and attention, too.
I've heard bits & pieces of this on the Afghanistan situation,
but when you really think about it? It gets worse:
The Washington Post has leaked an unclassified version of General Stanley McChrystal's long-awaited report on Afghanistan. The full report, all 66 pages, can be found here.
The Washington Post provides a good roundup of the report. In short, and it should come as no surprise, McChrystal calls for a change in strategy by ISAF, which has failed to properly implement a counterinsurgency program to defeat the Taliban and allied groups. ISAF must focus on securing the population, aiding in providing good governance, building and mentoring the Afghan security forces, and shifting itself away from an excessively defensive posture to enable the troops to engage with the Afghan people.
While McChrystal doesn't say so in this report, he wants more troops. He repeatedly describes the Afghan effort as "under-resourced." We won't know the numbers of troops requested until the next report is released. And it should be soon, as McChrystal is clear that the Taliban have the initiative and time is of the essence.Which is followed by this:
Within 24 hours of the leak of the Afghanistan assessment to The Washington Post, General Stanley McChrystal's team fired its second shot across the bow of the Obama administration. According to McClatchy, military officers close to General McChrystal said he is prepared to resign if he isn't given sufficient resources (read "troops") to implement a change of direction in Afghanistan:
The Washington Post has leaked an unclassified version of General Stanley McChrystal's long-awaited report on Afghanistan. The full report, all 66 pages, can be found here.
The Washington Post provides a good roundup of the report. In short, and it should come as no surprise, McChrystal calls for a change in strategy by ISAF, which has failed to properly implement a counterinsurgency program to defeat the Taliban and allied groups. ISAF must focus on securing the population, aiding in providing good governance, building and mentoring the Afghan security forces, and shifting itself away from an excessively defensive posture to enable the troops to engage with the Afghan people.
While McChrystal doesn't say so in this report, he wants more troops. He repeatedly describes the Afghan effort as "under-resourced." We won't know the numbers of troops requested until the next report is released. And it should be soon, as McChrystal is clear that the Taliban have the initiative and time is of the essence.Which is followed by this:
Within 24 hours of the leak of the Afghanistan assessment to The Washington Post, General Stanley McChrystal's team fired its second shot across the bow of the Obama administration. According to McClatchy, military officers close to General McChrystal said he is prepared to resign if he isn't given sufficient resources (read "troops") to implement a change of direction in Afghanistan:
Adding to the frustration, according to officials in Kabul and Washington, are White House and Pentagon directives made over the last six weeks that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, not submit his request for as many as 45,000 additional troops because the administration isn't ready for it.'Take a deep breath', huh? Troops in the field fighting bad guys, the man in command says "We need more troops if you want to win" and The Obama doesn't want to hear it because "I'm not ready to deal with that yet." From a clown who said how many times that 'Afghanistan is the real, the important war"? Looks more and more that Obama didn't want us to deal with Afghanistan either(surprise!) and is looking for a way to run away.In the last two weeks, top administration leaders have suggested that more American troops will be sent to Afghanistan, and then called that suggestion "premature." Earlier this month, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that "time is not on our side"; on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged the public "to take a deep breath."
I'd heard that false rape accusations were a lot more common
than generally known, but had no idea it was this bad:
A study of rape allegations in Indiana over a nine-year period revealed that over 40% were shown to be false — not merely unproven. According to the author, “These false allegations appear to serve three major functions for the complainants: providing an alibi, seeking revenge, and obtaining sympathy and attention. False rape allegations are not the consequence of a gender-linked aberration, as frequently claimed, but reflect impulsive and desperate efforts to cope with personal and social stress situations.” ( Kanin EJ. Arch Sex Behav. 1994 Feb;23(1):81-92 False rape allegations. )
...
Craig Silverman, a former Colorado prosecutor known for his zealous prosecution of rapists during his 16-year career, says that false rape accusations occur with “scary frequency.” As a regular commentator on the Bryant trial for Denver’s ABC affiliate, Silverman noted that “any honest veteran sex assault investigator will tell you that rape is one of the most falsely reported crimes.” According to Silverman, a Denver sex-assault unit commander estimates that nearly half of all reported rape claims are false.
Found this linked at Insty, who also had a link to this at Althouse. This boils down to one of the classics of false accusation: after screwing with five guys in a bathroom, her boyfriend sees her right after and rather than face the music she says she was raped. And if one of the dumbasses hadn't recorded some of it, they'd probably be looking at prison unless she broke down and recanted; a doubtful happening. And that's assuming the prosector isn't a Nifong type who'd try to push it anyway.
A study of rape allegations in Indiana over a nine-year period revealed that over 40% were shown to be false — not merely unproven. According to the author, “These false allegations appear to serve three major functions for the complainants: providing an alibi, seeking revenge, and obtaining sympathy and attention. False rape allegations are not the consequence of a gender-linked aberration, as frequently claimed, but reflect impulsive and desperate efforts to cope with personal and social stress situations.” ( Kanin EJ. Arch Sex Behav. 1994 Feb;23(1):81-92 False rape allegations. )
...
Craig Silverman, a former Colorado prosecutor known for his zealous prosecution of rapists during his 16-year career, says that false rape accusations occur with “scary frequency.” As a regular commentator on the Bryant trial for Denver’s ABC affiliate, Silverman noted that “any honest veteran sex assault investigator will tell you that rape is one of the most falsely reported crimes.” According to Silverman, a Denver sex-assault unit commander estimates that nearly half of all reported rape claims are false.
Found this linked at Insty, who also had a link to this at Althouse. This boils down to one of the classics of false accusation: after screwing with five guys in a bathroom, her boyfriend sees her right after and rather than face the music she says she was raped. And if one of the dumbasses hadn't recorded some of it, they'd probably be looking at prison unless she broke down and recanted; a doubtful happening. And that's assuming the prosector isn't a Nifong type who'd try to push it anyway.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Maybe we should find out what all Brazil sells in this country
and start boycotting it all. And yes, I include Taurus. If Brazil wants to help try to put this Chavez assmonkey back into power, then we should not help them by letting the bastards have our money.
If den Beste could amend the Constitution,
here's what he'd do. Including
- An Interstate Commercial Transaction as referred to in Article I, Section 8, only exists when the buyer and seller are residents of different states, and the buyer gives money to the seller in exchange for products and/or services which are delivered from one state to another. Congress has no power to regulate commercial transactions which take place within a state between residents of that state, and the Commerce Clause of Article I, Section 8, shall not be construed to grant Congress power to regulate anything which is not commerce.
- Because it is important for America citizens who are not members of the Armed Forces to be able to protect themselves, their families, their property, their fellow citizens, and the nation as a whole, the right of private citizens over 18 years of age who are not convicted felons to purchase, possess, and carry firearms and ammunition shall not be infringed by federal, state, or local law.
'If I had a father, I would have got a good hiding
'If I had a father, I would have got a good hiding and I probably wouldn't be here now.'
This is enough to break your heart and chill you both.
From a drug dealer:
As far as he was concerned, they were barely an item at that stage - and they were certainly not about to move in together.
So why did these women choose to have babies by a man they barely knew?
Prince, who is 37, laid the blame squarely on benefits: 'Women get money from the Government; men get eradicated. What do you need a man for? The Government has taken our place.
'I'm old-fashioned, from the ghetto, and I'm serious for my kids - but the Government is the provider now.'
...
Over the past nine months, I have been investigating why teenage boys from low-income white and black Caribbean backgrounds are the most at risk of failing at school, and of being sidelined into a life of benefits and crime.
I talked to dozens of these boys themselves, as well as to men in their 20s and 30s from the same background - and found that most of them had grown up in single-parent families.
The cycle seemed likely to be repeated with their own children.
A young white man from the North-East, recently released from prison, told me: 'If I had a father, I would have got a good hiding and I probably wouldn't be here now.'
His 17-year-old friend, who is on the police list of top-ten troublemakers in his town, nodded. 'You need a dad for growing up,' he said.
So a lot of these kids and young adults know what a chunk of the problem is; now if the "You can have kids all by yourself, it'll work out" feminist idiots and socialists would just get the idea.
I can't really break this up, you need to read it. I will add one more part:
What future is there in Britain today for a girl without qualifications?
Skilled and hard-working immigrants now monopolise menial jobs, and the next step up - a job, for example, in catering or hairdressing - pays about £10,000 a year before tax.
Which is slightly less than a girl with two children receives in benefits, and without the incentive of somewhere to live rent-free.
This is enough to break your heart and chill you both.
From a drug dealer:
As far as he was concerned, they were barely an item at that stage - and they were certainly not about to move in together.
So why did these women choose to have babies by a man they barely knew?
Prince, who is 37, laid the blame squarely on benefits: 'Women get money from the Government; men get eradicated. What do you need a man for? The Government has taken our place.
'I'm old-fashioned, from the ghetto, and I'm serious for my kids - but the Government is the provider now.'
...
Over the past nine months, I have been investigating why teenage boys from low-income white and black Caribbean backgrounds are the most at risk of failing at school, and of being sidelined into a life of benefits and crime.
I talked to dozens of these boys themselves, as well as to men in their 20s and 30s from the same background - and found that most of them had grown up in single-parent families.
The cycle seemed likely to be repeated with their own children.
A young white man from the North-East, recently released from prison, told me: 'If I had a father, I would have got a good hiding and I probably wouldn't be here now.'
His 17-year-old friend, who is on the police list of top-ten troublemakers in his town, nodded. 'You need a dad for growing up,' he said.
So a lot of these kids and young adults know what a chunk of the problem is; now if the "You can have kids all by yourself, it'll work out" feminist idiots and socialists would just get the idea.
I can't really break this up, you need to read it. I will add one more part:
What future is there in Britain today for a girl without qualifications?
Skilled and hard-working immigrants now monopolise menial jobs, and the next step up - a job, for example, in catering or hairdressing - pays about £10,000 a year before tax.
Which is slightly less than a girl with two children receives in benefits, and without the incentive of somewhere to live rent-free.
Yesterday, hot and sunny;
right now, the air has that feel of a front coming and it's clouding over.
Yesterday I needed to mow, my front and friends' front & back. Slight problem: Friday night I'd believed the weather weenies that there was only a 10-15% chance of rain, and didn't put the mower in the shed. And it rained like hell that night, so now the mower wouldn't start. Drained the gas and put in fresh, still wouldn't. Sometimes, when it gets moisture in the system, the only way to clear it is to keep it turning until it's all blown out. Only my shoulder was saying "Hell, NO" to ten minutes of yanking a cord, so... Pull the starter housing, and there's a nice big nut on the end of the crankshaft. Do I, yes, I DO have a socket to fit. I needed a way to chuck it in the drill*, so got a piece of 3/8" square stock and ground the corners off about 1/2" on one end(3/8" square stock will NOT fit into a 3/8" drill chuck), stuck that in the drill, stuck the socket on the fitting and that on the nut and start it turning. After about ten seconds it coughed(the mower), then again, then at about fifteen starting coughing steadily, then it caught; yank off the drill and after about a minute of idling it cleaned out all the way and ran fine. So I got both yards mowed.
Right now, it turned out the house guests were not as well housebroken as advertised, so I hauled the rug out this morning and hit it with some soap and then blasted the whole thing with the hose, and got it hung up on the back of the truck to drip. It's mostly done dripping but not nearly dry, so I have the choice of leaving it out on the line to get an extra rinsing when the storms come through, or finding a place for it to dry. And there's no place big enough. Looks like rinse it is.
Couple of weeks ago I finally remembered to ask Dad for his method of cooking beans in a pressure cooker(had it once and lost it), and made a pot. Which came out damn good, if I do say so. I've got the beans sitting after the first boil and just picked some bell and sweet peppers, some green beans and a couple of small habaneros to put in with them**. So I'll have that tonight, with leftovers for lunches or dinners the next few days. When the cool is moving in, there just something comforting about a pot of beans, and corn meal for bread if I want to add some in.
*Yes, I know there are adapters for that; I HAVE a set. Somewhere. They weren't where I remembered them last, dammit.
**The garden took off after the hot & dry spell ended, but the squash still isn't doing worth a damn.
Yesterday I needed to mow, my front and friends' front & back. Slight problem: Friday night I'd believed the weather weenies that there was only a 10-15% chance of rain, and didn't put the mower in the shed. And it rained like hell that night, so now the mower wouldn't start. Drained the gas and put in fresh, still wouldn't. Sometimes, when it gets moisture in the system, the only way to clear it is to keep it turning until it's all blown out. Only my shoulder was saying "Hell, NO" to ten minutes of yanking a cord, so... Pull the starter housing, and there's a nice big nut on the end of the crankshaft. Do I, yes, I DO have a socket to fit. I needed a way to chuck it in the drill*, so got a piece of 3/8" square stock and ground the corners off about 1/2" on one end(3/8" square stock will NOT fit into a 3/8" drill chuck), stuck that in the drill, stuck the socket on the fitting and that on the nut and start it turning. After about ten seconds it coughed(the mower), then again, then at about fifteen starting coughing steadily, then it caught; yank off the drill and after about a minute of idling it cleaned out all the way and ran fine. So I got both yards mowed.
Right now, it turned out the house guests were not as well housebroken as advertised, so I hauled the rug out this morning and hit it with some soap and then blasted the whole thing with the hose, and got it hung up on the back of the truck to drip. It's mostly done dripping but not nearly dry, so I have the choice of leaving it out on the line to get an extra rinsing when the storms come through, or finding a place for it to dry. And there's no place big enough. Looks like rinse it is.
Couple of weeks ago I finally remembered to ask Dad for his method of cooking beans in a pressure cooker(had it once and lost it), and made a pot. Which came out damn good, if I do say so. I've got the beans sitting after the first boil and just picked some bell and sweet peppers, some green beans and a couple of small habaneros to put in with them**. So I'll have that tonight, with leftovers for lunches or dinners the next few days. When the cool is moving in, there just something comforting about a pot of beans, and corn meal for bread if I want to add some in.
*Yes, I know there are adapters for that; I HAVE a set. Somewhere. They weren't where I remembered them last, dammit.
**The garden took off after the hot & dry spell ended, but the squash still isn't doing worth a damn.
Naw, PM Brown wasn't involved,
couldn't have been...
Britain’s growing ties with Libya came under fire at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth on Sunday.
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, said that his research suggests that that by the end of this year, Britain will have have had its “best year ever for arms exports to Libya.”
Mr Davey said: "If Gordon Brown hadn't noticed, Colonel Gaddafi still runs a brutal, human rights-suppressing authoritarian regime."
Britain’s growing ties with Libya came under fire at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth on Sunday.
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, said that his research suggests that that by the end of this year, Britain will have have had its “best year ever for arms exports to Libya.”
Mr Davey said: "If Gordon Brown hadn't noticed, Colonel Gaddafi still runs a brutal, human rights-suppressing authoritarian regime."
Can you think of a more solemn ceremony than posthumously
awarding the Medal of Honor? And the President's wife wears this?
"It's not a tax increase unless
I say it is." Also known as "That depends on what the definition of 'tax' is."
STEPHANOPOULOS: I… I don't think I'm making it up. Merriam Webster's Dictionary: Tax…"a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes."
OBAMA: George, the fact that you looked up Merriam's Dictionary, the… definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you're stretching a little bit right now. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone to the… dictionary to check on the definition. I mean what...
Remember Clinton talking about increased 'contributions' to the IRS? SSDD.
STEPHANOPOULOS: I… I don't think I'm making it up. Merriam Webster's Dictionary: Tax…"a charge, usually of money, imposed by authority on persons or property for public purposes."
OBAMA: George, the fact that you looked up Merriam's Dictionary, the… definition of tax increase, indicates to me that you're stretching a little bit right now. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone to the… dictionary to check on the definition. I mean what...
Remember Clinton talking about increased 'contributions' to the IRS? SSDD.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Between The Lightbringer basically comparing us in Afghanistan
to the damned Soviet Union and wanting to trash our nuclear arsenal and forces, this is one hell of an end to a Sunday.
I need a druink. And a new category for this clown.
I need a dr
Deceased yearling goblin, Knoxville edition
The shooting happened just before 11 p.m. at 837 Lester Road, Knox County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Martha Dooley said. The homeowner, Jonathan Stevens, 20, told deputies he and his wife were watching television and heard their dogs barking.
When Stevens, pistol in hand, walked outside into the driveway with his wife, the teen confronted them with a shotgun, Dooley said.
“He shot twice at the couple,” Dooley said. “He never got in the house. The homeowner shot twice at the suspect.”
Both bullets hit the teen in the chest. The couple weren’t hurt.
The story notes that the deceased had three friends with him, two of whom 'are being questioned'. I'm guessing questions like "What the hell were you doing in the bushes outside these peoples' home with dumbass and a shotgun?" are playing a part.
Story found at Tam's, who- as usual- puts it in a much more interesting fashion.
When Stevens, pistol in hand, walked outside into the driveway with his wife, the teen confronted them with a shotgun, Dooley said.
“He shot twice at the couple,” Dooley said. “He never got in the house. The homeowner shot twice at the suspect.”
Both bullets hit the teen in the chest. The couple weren’t hurt.
The story notes that the deceased had three friends with him, two of whom 'are being questioned'. I'm guessing questions like "What the hell were you doing in the bushes outside these peoples' home with dumbass and a shotgun?" are playing a part.
Story found at Tam's, who- as usual- puts it in a much more interesting fashion.
A little more on the 'better system' Obama claims as his reason
for betraying the Poles and Czechs:
The fact sheet says this system will protect "our Allies in Europe sooner and more comprehensively than the previous program, and involves more flexible and survivable systems." That is a lie. The system that was being placed in Poland is already operational in Alaska. These new plans will now take years of negotations to implement and will necessarily be less survivable as they will not be underground.
The fact sheet says that "The Czech Republic and Poland, as close, strategic and steadfast Allies of the United States, will be central to our continued consultations with NATO Allies on our defense against the growing ballistic missile threat." That is a lie. The Czechs and Poles get a midnight phone call from the president while Tauscher is already in the air. They were not consulted with and have been given no assurances -- because the president is selling them out.
The fact sheet says, "We also welcome Russian cooperation to bring its missile defense capabilities into a broader defense of our common strategic interests." If that's true, our president is totally clueless about Russian capabilities and intentions -- even Bush, who looked into Putin's soul, was not so delusional as to think U.S. missile defense could be dependent on Russian good will and cooperation.
Kind of like "MY health care plan", except there's no plan with his name on it, we have "MY missile defense system" that's not operational, etc.
The fact sheet says this system will protect "our Allies in Europe sooner and more comprehensively than the previous program, and involves more flexible and survivable systems." That is a lie. The system that was being placed in Poland is already operational in Alaska. These new plans will now take years of negotations to implement and will necessarily be less survivable as they will not be underground.
The fact sheet says that "The Czech Republic and Poland, as close, strategic and steadfast Allies of the United States, will be central to our continued consultations with NATO Allies on our defense against the growing ballistic missile threat." That is a lie. The Czechs and Poles get a midnight phone call from the president while Tauscher is already in the air. They were not consulted with and have been given no assurances -- because the president is selling them out.
The fact sheet says, "We also welcome Russian cooperation to bring its missile defense capabilities into a broader defense of our common strategic interests." If that's true, our president is totally clueless about Russian capabilities and intentions -- even Bush, who looked into Putin's soul, was not so delusional as to think U.S. missile defense could be dependent on Russian good will and cooperation.
Kind of like "MY health care plan", except there's no plan with his name on it, we have "MY missile defense system" that's not operational, etc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)