Just Plain English

Voter fraud in New Hampshire

2012-01-11T16:32:00.002-05:00

James O’Keefe strikes again. This time in New Hampshire, documenting how easy it is to commit voter fraud when the state does not require a photo ID to vote.

Barney Frank, so long and good bye!

2011-11-29T15:23:00.002-05:00

Barney Frank is one of those politicians that could serve as a poster boy for term limits. I don't believe in them myself, I believe that we deserve the government we have and if his constituents are dumb enough to keep voting for him, then he is exactly what they deserve. It is just a shame that the rest of the country has to put up with him too. Well no more and about time. Bye bye Barney.

Follow the link to a set of headlines about Barney. They are both good for a laugh and a testament to the quality of the elected class.

OWS movement now a terrorist organization

2011-11-15T11:04:00.004-05:00

Imagine if a Tea Party gathering included one or more individuals with an explosive device like that. It would be 24 / 7 coverage on all major news networks.

I would be shocked if the Government pursued this though I would expect the opposite reaction if this occurred at a Tea Party.

And NO, this is not at all the same as Tea Party participants legally carrying firearms. That was 100% legal, this is 100% NOT. This is in addition to all of the Tea Party gatherings being orderly, peaceful and following all legal requirements. Again, the exact opposite of OWS.

Veterans Day

2011-11-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

History of Veterans Day

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."

On that same day, President Eisenhower sent a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA), designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee.

In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman.

The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.

The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Marine Corps celebrates 236th birthday today!

2011-11-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Marine Corps!

Government involvement in the housing crisis

2011-11-01T09:59:00.005-04:00

Once again, the MSM was either lazily or willfully asleep instead of doing their jobs.

As the minority of thinking adults knew, the Government played a major roll in the housing bubble. They accomplished this using a three pronged strategy.

1) They (Clinton and Co.) put pressure on the loan industry to improve their sub-prime portfolios using things like the document outlined at the link (give it a read).

When these missing data were factored in, it became clear that the rejection rates were based on legitimate business decisions, not racism.

Still, the study was used to support a wholesale abandonment of traditional underwriting standards — the root cause of the mortgage crisis.

For the first time, Washington's bank regulators put racial lending at the top of their checklist. Banks that failed to throw open their lending windows to credit-poor minorities were denied expansion plans by the Fed in an era of frenzied financial mergers and acquisitions. HUD threatened to deny them access to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which it controlled. And the Justice Department sued them for lending discrimination and branded them as racists in the press.

and

The regulatory missive, which had the effect of law, advised lenders to bend "customary" underwriting standards for minority homebuyers with poor credit.

and

It warned lenders who rejected minority applicants with high debt ratios and low credit scores to "be prepared" to prove to federal regulators and prosecutors they weren't racist. "The Department of Justice is authorized to use the full range of its enforcement authority."

2) Harry Reid and others (along with being involved in #1 above) used Freddy and Fanny as the carrot to help mitigate lender risk associated with these sub-prime loans that the Government was pushing them to make.

3) Either as a coincidence (really?) or through (at least) tack coordination, citizen groups like the ones (not yet) President Obama was involved in (along with Jessie Jackson and other civil rights groups) put social pressure on these same lenders "from the streets" to improve their minority lending.

Were some bankers greedy, sure. If I was told that I needed to make more loans and that I would not be at all responsible for any bad loans, that in fact they were all going to be guaranteed by the Government and the Government wanted me to make the loans, why would I not? Because it was not the right thing to do? If the Government says do it or else, it is the right thing to do, from a corporate perspective.

Yet another reason why the Government should not be as big an influence in the market as they are. When the Government tries to pick winners and losers, the only thing you can be sure of is that nearly everyone will lose.

Exposing Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-28T14:32:00.003-04:00

The complete [ongoing] story of the OWS movement.

Putting the plan into action

2011-10-27T09:16:00.002-04:00

I noticed this last night. One of the news stations commented in their story about the economy and about the Republican Congress stalling the President's initiatives. I guess they got the talking points memo...

Obama 2012 bumper sticker ideas

2011-10-14T09:04:00.004-04:00

Here are some bumper sticker ideas for the Obama 2012 election cycle:

Obama 2012 cause I'm stupid

Obama 2012 cause now he has some experience!

Obama 2012 cause I need a refill of that "hope and change"

Obama 2012 cause the unions say so!

Obama 2012, its the Chicago way!

Obama 2012 cause Michael needs the frequent flyer miles

Obama 2012 cause I know people that still own their own homes

Obama 2012, you don't want to be called a racist do you?

Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?! (CROWDER CALLS THE SEC!)

2011-09-16T09:26:00.000-04:00

File under "tone deaf"

2011-09-09T16:32:00.001-04:00

This has got to be one of the most serious unforced errors of the Obama presidency. I do not believe it got much air play, go figure. A Presidential Proclamation for National Grandparents Day.

What day has the President of the United States of American, in all of his infinite wisdom and brilliance chosen as the day to honor our grandparents? Why September 11th, of course. Details at link...

ATF Death Watch

2011-09-09T14:52:00.000-04:00

Round up on the ATF Operation Fast & Furious and ATF Operation Gunwalker...

Thank you Governor Rick Scott!

2011-08-17T13:59:00.003-04:00

It is a happy day, these days when common sense overcomes and prevails. Such is the case in Florida when Governor Rick Scott signed into law the "Penalties for Violating Firearms Preemption Law" which takes affect October 1st. In part, any public official who passes or enforces gun regulations below the state level faces a $5,000 personal fine and could even be removed from office by the governor for enacting or enforcing local gun laws.

Thank you, Governor Rick Scott!

I can't say the Hell has actually frozen over but it must be getting pretty cold down there!

2011-08-04T08:52:00.002-04:00

"A HuffPost story on an exchange between Norah O'Donnell and Jay Carney incorrectly raised the possibility that Andrew Breitbart had "doctored" a video clip from a White House briefing to make O'Donnell look like she was "distraught over the debt compromise." A viewing of the clip in question clearly shows that he did not. We regret the error, have removed the story, and apologize to Mr. Breitbart." - Editor, Huffington Post

That HAD to hurt!

Debt ceiling and the end of the world

2011-07-30T18:11:00.003-04:00

It seems that if we exceed the debt limit, life as we know it will end, at least according to the President and most of the pundits on TV. So why is it that the President seems to be doing everything in his power to make sure this happens? Well that might be because the U.S. has exceeded the debt limit before and the world did not end. Didn't know that? Do you think it might have something to do with what political party was in power at that time? Both houses of Congress were controlled by Democrats then and as such there were no Republicans or "tea baggers" to blame so it was treated as no big deal. Funny how that little tidbit has not made it into the current discussions nor been mentioned on the nightly news.

Spenditol

2011-07-29T10:39:00.001-04:00

President "misspoke" about mother's healthcare issues

2011-07-12T08:47:00.003-04:00

It seems that President Obama "misspoke" about his mother's healthcare situation and issues during the last months of her life. On the campaign trail and in debates, he made statements like:

"I remember in the last month of her life, she wasn't thinking about how to get well, she wasn't thinking about coming to terms with her own mortality, she was thinking about whether or not insurance was going to cover the medical bills and whether our family would be bankrupt as a consequence"

Well, it seems that his month had health insurance and her issues were with disability coverage, not with health insurance. Her issue was over her out of pocket expenses, not her health insurance coverage. This is much more different than you would think and the President (as smart as he is reported to be) should have known the difference.

I guess the real story did not play as well as he needed it to...

"This is as bad as standing up at your friend's wedding and calling the bride by the ex-girlfriend's name."

2011-06-24T08:48:00.004-04:00

Actually this is worse.

The President gives a speech to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum and completely mixes up two solders. One who was killed in action and another who was the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Iraq/Afghanistan engagements.

Does he not have a staff that checks this sort of thing for accuracy? Heck, he even was personally involved with these two events! If this were done by Duba or Palin it would be on the news 24/7 for the next 2 weeks. Since this blunder was committed by "the one", crickets...

Barbara Walters’ theory "It’s the Viagra"

2011-06-08T07:53:00.004-04:00

So it was not Weiner's fault he tweeted young girls inappropriate photos and such, the Viagra made him do it!

This is a media icon? Really?

Would she be covering for a politician this way if he had an 'R' after his name, instead of a 'D'?

Oh no he didn't!

2011-06-07T09:07:00.005-04:00

Chris Matthews did not just say on TV that he believes Rep. Anthony Weiner's wife may be "partly responsible" for his sexual misconduct "because the Congressman said she was aware of his behavior before they were married".

Is there no lengths that the MSM won't go to, to cover for a Democrat? Where are the howls of outrage from NOW and other woman's rights groups?

Just unbelievable!

President Obama, Master Dignitary

2011-05-25T10:44:00.002-04:00

Imagine the air play these sorts of protocol gaffs would get if they were done by former President Bush? Each would have resulted in at least 24 hours of constant coverage and hand-wringing as to how our "cowboy in chief" was sullying America in the eyes of the world and that he is/was not sophisticated enough for the job. Oh the hypocrisy!

And so it begins...

2010-10-26T13:53:00.005-04:00

I do not doubt that there will be much of this going on this election. Those in office are running scared and are pulling out all of the stops to hold on to "their seats", forgetting that those seats belong to US, not them.

Voter reports problem with ballot machine

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls

These are just a sample of the actual voting issues that are being reported. It does not include the registration issues. Dead people, felons, non-citizens, and the like. The "ruling class" will do everything in their power to hold on to power and at the same time trash a system that has worked fairly well for over 200 years.

Update 2010.10.28

Here is an incident that is currently in the local news involving a prior election. It involved voter registration fraud in Florida.

Here is another one in Pennsylvania.

But we don't need any voter ID laws!

"You'd think they would be saying 'Thank you'"...

2010-10-07T15:48:00.003-04:00

Give the video at the link a watch! It speaks for its self far better than I could.

Balance the budget without tax increases

2010-10-05T15:11:00.001-04:00

Watch this video, it clearly shows that it is possible to balance the Federal budget without any tax increases and without the typical Washington "smoke and mirrors" tricks.

$27.6M for Lowercase Street Signs in NYC

2010-10-05T07:39:00.002-04:00

Due to new DOT regulations, localities have until 2018 to replace all of their street signs with new ones that use a mix of upper and lower case letters and a new font, all in the name of improved driver safety. In NYC alone, it is expected to cost $27.6 million.

I wonder, is the expected savings in reduced fatalities and physical damage going to exceed $27 million in NYC? The article does not link to the study that is used to justify this expense and change. If this change is expected to cost $27 million, will the insurance rates for New Yorkers go down by that amount? If not, why is it being done? Why not just release the new standard and mandate that all new or replaced signs follow the new standard? Why force a wide-scale swap-out?

Those violent conservatives... oh wait I mean liberals

2010-09-16T13:36:00.005-04:00

I am sure that if this were a Democrat fund raiser, the article would include the party affiliation of the suspect and if the suspect were a tea party member but since this was a Republican fund raiser, those sorts of questions are never asked or hinted at.

It is also amusing about the number of incidents against conservatives and Republicans that you read about that are not found out to be hoaxes but the mime is that it is conservatives, Republicans and tea party people that are violent. Oh well don't let it be said that the MSM ever let the truth get in the way of a good mime...

An idea who's time has come?

2010-09-16T11:24:00.004-04:00

I do not generally like constitutional amendments at either the state or Federal level. I feel that the original documents are "generally" fine and most adjustments should be by law and not by amendment. Most states make it too easy to get amendments on the ballot.

If you don't like what your politicians are doing, elect new ones verses muddling up the Constitution. On the other hand, I believe I am in favor of this specific type of amendment. It does not try to address any specific social or situational ill (like not liking pig farms to name but one example) but instead is geared toward enabling a more representative check on federal powers. Anything that tries to control the beast will always get a second look from me. As the author points out, this is not an absolute limit either, congress is free to re-submit and re-vote the specific law that was overturned by the states. An open-ended check, what is not to like unless you are a member of Congress?

Can you smell the desperation in the air?

2010-09-16T08:48:00.002-04:00

Andrew Breitbart's Big Government site scores another direct hit with this article and audio clip of a seiner Democratic congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton strong-arming for a donation.

They (congress) are getting so desperate that they are not even trying to pretend to follow the rules anymore!

Orlando Mosque Finances Hamas

2010-08-31T09:24:00.002-04:00

With the help of a useful idiot...

There is a sickness and darkness in today’s liberal media

2010-07-28T14:33:00.002-04:00

Not like a lot of us did not already know that, this is additional "raw" proof of the depth of the sickness.

Racism at the NAACP

2010-07-21T10:21:00.002-04:00

In a way it is amusing that liberals love to say that the "Tea Party" is raciest but can not show any proof and here we have proof that the NAACP actually is raciest and all you hear are crickets.

But it is not really racism when non-whites do it, right? At least that is what they are teaching in collage these days...

But there is not left wing media bias...

2010-07-21T10:16:00.004-04:00

and no left wing media conspiracies to kill stories damaging to Democrats and liberals or to push stories damaging to Republicans and conservatives.

Yeah, right...

For additional information on how the MSM have prostitued their profession, Google "Journolist".

Update: Daily Caller story.

Voyager, still going strong after 12,000 days!

2010-07-20T08:37:00.001-04:00

Incredible!

Racism in America

2010-07-20T08:35:00.001-04:00

Have you seen this on ABC, NBC, CBS or CNN? I didn't think so...

NASA's New Mission

2010-07-09T08:56:00.003-04:00

"third and perhaps foremost, he wanted me to find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science and math and engineering"

So NASA's newest, high priority mission is not to explore space, get back to the moon, land on Mars, or do any/all of these things more efficiently. It is instead to be focused on Muslim PR and self esteem building. How nice.

Their mission will have no choice but to focus on "historic" contributions to science, math and engineering because what have they added to any of the sciences in the last [I don't know] 500 years? Right, they have been too busy stoning women and gays, enslaving non-Muslims and issuing Fatwas calling for death to any and all that offend their delicate sensibilities for anything as boring as technical advancements.

As with most moves by the current President, the silence from the MSM is deafening. This story has been out and about for a week or more and the story referenced at the link is just about the first of the "major" papers to cover it. As others have said, "the country is in the very best of hands"...

The Gulf, a three ring circus

2010-07-06T13:57:00.002-04:00

Obama’s cabinet, including the EPA, continues to let ridiculous regulations stand in the way of oil being removed from the water. Skimmers that discharge separated water containing less than 1% of oil residue are being met with bureaucracy. Local authorities were unnecessarily stopped from dredging to build protective sand berms, out of concern the dredging was too close to the shoreline. The environmentalists who wish to protect our nation from some uncertain catastrophe are ignoring the one happening right this very moment.

...

The question remains why President Obama is not concerned with this catastrophe; at least with the same vigor he so clearly displays when fighting Arizona immigration laws or defensively stumping for his stimulus bill.

New Black Panther Party voter intimidation dismissal

2010-07-06T13:47:00.002-04:00

Despite the defendants waving a baton and yelling “you are about to be ruled by the black man, cracker,” Loretta King decided that a dismissal of nearly all of the case was the only available course of action.

The Department has come under widespread criticism for the dismissal of the New Black Panther case, and for the fact that many within the Civil Rights Division are openly hostile to a race-neutral enforcement of civil rights laws. Notice that the Department has never once denied that widespread hostility exists throughout its ranks to bringing cases against national racial minorities.

Professors rank President Obama 15th best president

2010-07-01T14:17:00.002-04:00

What in the world is going on here? Today is not April 1st, it is July 1st so even though this must be a joke, it is not an obvious one.

A new poll of leading presidential scholars ranks Barack Obama as the 15th best president of the United States, just below Bill Clinton but ahead of Ronald Reagan.

Are they freaking KIDDING ME?!?! Better than Ronald Reagen? Heck, the current office holder is not even better than Jimmy Carter (clearly the worst president this country has ever had until this last election). This poll was obviously mistakenly set to the subscribers to Daily Kos and not to any "real" presidential scholars.

Obama fiddles as Gulf burns

2010-06-30T07:56:00.003-04:00

"Blame the EPA: Dutch Oil Spill Response Ships Could Suck 99% of Oil From Gulf, But Can't Get Approved, Because EPA Demands 99.9985% Purity"

So for weeks now the Dutch have offered us "super sucker" ships that could get the bulk of the still spewing oil from the Golf but due to EPA regulations, are currently not an option.

After finally relenting and allowing the superior Dutch technology to be used, another road block was thrown in the way: Because the U.S. didn't want Dutch ships working the Gulf, the U.S. airlifted the Dutch equipment to the Gulf and then retrofitted it to U.S. vessels. And rather than have experienced Dutch crews immediately operate the oil-skimming equipment, to appease labour unions the U.S. postponed the clean-up operation to allow U.S. crews to be trained.

Now nice. We are in the very best of hands...

"Smart Sheets" that can self-fold

2010-06-30T07:51:00.002-04:00

This is fantastic, a constructed material that can form its self into a variety of shapes based on pre-programmed instructions. It is described as "automatic origami". The technology is in its early sages but is still quite impressive. There would be limits to what you could do with this material as it has to have enough flex points to make a variety of shapes but due to flex points, can only be so thick. Still, very innovative. Follow the link and watch the video.

Who is to blame for the oil spill? Try BP and Obama!

2010-06-25T11:05:00.002-04:00

Obama recently gave a speech where he wanted to know who's a-s to kick, apparently he should start with his own...

From a comment thread in another blog:

As the Wall St. Journal reported recently, Barack Obama's Interior Department approved three permit modifications for the Deepwater Horizon well one week before it exploded. These modifications allowed BP to use a single pipe into the oil and gas zone instead of the 'gold standard' inner and outer pipes.

Three major modifications were granted by the Barack Obama Administration (MMS) within 24 hours.

"On April 14, at 8:34 p.m., BP informed the MMS that it planned to use the one-pipe method, using a single 7-inch-wide pipe for the whole length of the well. The MMS approved the permit at 8:13 the next morning, according to federal records."

...The two-pipe method was the safer option, according to many industry experts, because it would have provided an extra layer of protection against gas traveling up the outside of the well to the surface. Gene Beck, a longtime industry engineer and a professor at Texas A&M University, said the two-pipe method is "more or less the gold standard," especially for high-pressure wells such as the one BP was drilling..."

At 9:54 a.m. on April 15 BP filed another permit informing the MMS of a correction. Rather than using a 7-inch-wide pipe the whole way, it planned to run a tapered pipe that was wider at the top than at the bottom. This was approved by the MMS seven minutes later.

Then, at 2:35 p.m., BP filed another revision. This one informed the MMS that it had "inadvertently" omitted mention of a section of pipe already in the well. Four and one-half minutes later, MMS approved this permit also.

So there you have "the rest of the story".

Main Stream Media, a national disgrace

2010-06-18T16:33:00.002-04:00

Read this article and then tell me there is any way that you can not call the national news in this country an national disgrace. The press screamed bloody blue murder when the government had the audacity to try to find out the source that leaked government secrets (under Bush) and yet when there is a very near country that routinely jails and tortures true, brave journalists, those that occupy that field here in the US are silent. So much for speaking truth. Yet another sad example of why they are ever more irrelevant.

Charlie Crist to Republican donors, screw you.

2010-05-17T14:23:00.004-04:00

Now that he has changed to an independent, Charlie says to all of the Republican donors that sent him money when he was a Republican, too bad for you. He says he is keeping the money. Charlie Crist, a real "for the people" kind of guy.

Eric Holder, grade A "tool"

2010-05-14T10:35:00.003-04:00

Watch the video and read the transcript. Sorry but no other description comes to mind after view this than "what a tool!". He just can not bring himself to use the phrase "radical Islam" in describing these fanatics! What do that have to do to qualify in Eric's eyes? Wear a t-shirt that says "I am a radical Islamist!" on it?

That bit about "not constant with the teaching...", yeah right. Every other Imam in the world is preaching "death to the non-believers" but I guess it does not count until at least 51% of them do.

My final question is this: is this position Eric's or Obama's? Is Eric enacting his own PC position here or is he following orders from higher up?

An ACORN by any other name...

2010-05-11T15:24:00.001-04:00

Looks like the ACORN name re-branding is in full swing. Just remember, the name may have changed but it is still the same tune...

GM, big fat liar?

2010-05-03T10:51:00.004-04:00

It would appear so. The president of GM has been appearing in commercials claiming that GM has paid back all of the "$6.7 Billion government loan in full". Is he telling the truth? Only if you complete ignore the $13.4 Billion escrow account that is still outstanding and was used to pay back the $6.7 billion loan. This was all part of the total $50 Billion that was part of the bail out plan. Sure the government got some stock for their (our) $50 Billion but what is that stock worth today?

So GM gets almost $20 Billion in loans and escrow monies. They then use part of the escrow to pay back the loans and attempt to call it all done. Sorry, have to call BS on that.

Why is the government allowing them to report the loans paid back "in full" when they are not? Maybe because the bail out was not very popular and there are a lot of people that refuse to buy GM cars as a result so by allowing GM to say that they have paid back the "loans" when they still owe a lot of money allows both GM and the government to save face and (they hope) get people buying GM cars again.

What hath Viagra wrought?

2010-04-19T16:29:00.004-04:00

What is wrong with this article, oh were to start, where to begin…

First off quoting a lesbian comedian (Wanda Sykes) about Viagra is kind of like quoting a man on tampon usage, you are kind of looking in the wrong place. I can understand why Wanda might not be able to wait “for the dick to break” but that might not be a universal position for women that actually prefer men.

What a fantastic opening to set the stage for the rest of the article which treats us to all manner of stories as to how old (and young) married women just want to be left alone (sexually that is) but do want to have their men (how else to get a house, car, money, etc.). Well if all you want is a room-mate, there is a solution to that. Get a room-mate. A healthy sexual relationship is part and parcel of a healthily marriage.

What hath Viagra wrought? It has wrought an extended period of sexual intimacy for older couples that would not otherwise be able to enjoy “that” type of relationship.

I just love this other quote:

“I think there’s a lot of women who are married to older men who now have to perform and they find it annoying,” says Judith Regan.

And this one:

Or as Judith Regan, the former editor-publisher and purveyor of the tastes of millions of American women, puts it: “I think there’s a lot of women who are married to older men who now have to perform and they find it annoying. They didn’t get married to have sex with these geezers. They married them for money, houses, and companionship. Sex with them is an irritation.” (As Regan sees it, women are “almost” as horny as men, though somewhat more selective about sex.)

So it is perfectly fine for these young women to marry older men so long as the men don’t get the wrong idea and expect sex (it is ONLY a marriage after all). These sorts of women (that Judith seems to support) are the worst sort of gold diggers. At least with a prostitute you know what you are getting, in this case, you pay but she does not expect to have to play.

According to Jacob Bernstein, for many married women it was just fine when their husbands had the will but not the way (for sex). It was just fine for these men to suffer with the desire that they could not satisfy. The wives were finished with sex so done is done, none for hon. Now Viagra has gone and made a mess of things. These wives still would rather not “play house” with hubby but can’t understand why hubby would (now that he could) look elsewhere for satisfaction.

This is just such a badly written, one-sided, women first article, I can not believe that it got published. It barely hints that the “little blue pill” might be just what the doctor ordered not only for millions of men but also for millions of women that are not really to give up on intimate relations with their men. Nope, according to Jacob Bernstein, men are just such a bother and it is such a relief to women of all ages when “the dick breaks” and they can stop with the irritation of sex.

The Most Spectacular Sun View to Date

2010-04-19T15:58:00.001-04:00

Amazing video of a solar ejection. Not sure what would have happened to the earth if that thing was pointed as us and just glad that we don't need to find out!

Resonable Men

2010-04-14T11:08:00.004-04:00

Another outstanding essay by Bill Whittle. His logic and eloquence never ceases to humble me, while his essays always inspire. As always, a must read.

Tea Parties too successful?

2010-04-14T09:12:00.004-04:00

It would appear the that Tea Party movement is getting a little too successful for some people and they are pulling out all of the stops in an attempt to crush this growing "real" grass roots movement to get government under control.

The press first tried to ignore the Tea Parties and when that did not work, they (with help from a lot of Democrat politicians) tried to make fun of them and belittle them by using a derogatory sexual term to describe the participants. That failed too so now they are trying to paint the various groups as racist.

So far that tactic does not appear to be working either so it is time for them (those on the left) to step up their game.

The new plan is to infiltrate the various Tea Party groups and act in various bad ways. Disrupt the events how ever possible. Hold up racist signs. Shout racist comments. Talk the "truther" talk. Whatever they can do, preferably in front of the MSM so as to taint the Tea Party movement as extreme and racist.

Where is the proof that the left are planning to subvert the right to assemble and the right to protest by various groups that they disagree with? Glad you asked. Here is Former Democratic State Party Chairman Kathy Sullivan planning to disrupt the lawful assembly of a group she is opposed to. Here is another individual, Jason Levin who actually launched a web site dedicated to helping those on the left organize to disrupt Tea Party gatherings.

This is the sort of subversive behavior that the left often complains that those on the right are doing, squelching dissent, disrupting the right of the people to protest their government, etc. As history shows (verses the reporting of the MSM) it is in fact the left that leads in doing all that they can to crush opposing views. The left fears actual debate and discussion of various opinions because they are rightly afraid that their views do not stand up to investigation. Their failed and failing policies do not work. It is far easier to shout down your opponents, discredit them and dismiss their ideas than it is to argue that "1 + 1 = 5" which is what they try to do with their various policies and programs. It is a LIE that the current health care plan recently signed into law will do ANYTHING to reduce costs, improve service and expand benefits. Can't happen. Show me any government run agency or service that is more efficient and delivers better service and a lower cost than comparable private sector companies. Can't be done but instead of discussing the actual merits, pros and cons of this health care program, the backers chose instead to lie about what was in the bill, lie about what it would cost and said "you will like it and know what is in it once it passes" when (they hope) it is too late to un-do the damage.

Well more people are more fed up with this current government than ever before and it has a lot on the left worried and scared. So, what to do? Adjust your policies so that they actually could work and could benefit America or attack those who you see as standing in your way? Well we can see what path the left has chosen. I fear that things will get a lot worse before they start getting better.

It's all about the diplomas

2010-03-26T14:07:00.003-04:00

Really? It is all about the diplomas?

Peter Orzag, the head of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has explained the differences in pay by saying that public employees have more diplomas.

However, in my opinion if the government we are getting is the result of all these diplomas, I would like high-school drop outs to run Congress.

Ain't that the truth! Most of the government workers I have direct experience with are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, diplomas or not. There is some innovation but the cost of that innovation is much higher than in the private sector. Additionally, most of the government workers are bureaucrats following the rule book. To what end are higher level diplomas?

Actual comparisons of education levels between public sector and private sector dispute that statement so try again...

It used to be that public sector pay lagged that of the private sector because you traded money for security. It was and still is very difficult to loose a government job compared to losing a private sector job. The salary discrepancies have been removed and so now you have "tenured" government employees that make on par or more than the private sector, have great benefits and can't be fired easily. The best of all worlds. The big dirty little secret is the pension obligations that are unsustainable at both the Federal and local government levels that will result in either massive tax increases and/or cuts in other current/future services to pay for retirement benefits.

Resisting ObamaCare, Gandhi Style

2010-03-24T15:13:00.000-04:00

After all, this issue is not just about the fate of an industry. It is about maintaining control over basic decisions about one's own life and health. The stakes are too high to let ObamaCare stand.

Obamacare

2010-03-23T14:27:00.004-04:00

Well, Obamacare looks to very soon, be the law of the land. The Democratic leadership managed to bribe, brow beat and twist enough arms to get this 2000 plus page monstrosity passed. I firmly believe that if it is not repelled, we and our children will suffer as a result if the enacting of this thing.

1) This bill is so massive that even after talking about it for a year or more, there is no single congressman that has read it all and understands it.

2) It is full of special deals, favors and vote buys.

3) I have lost count of the number of promises broken and lies this administration has told about this bill (i.e. it will be available online for at least 3 day before it is voted on). So much for that transparent government thing.

4) As has been noted before here and elsewhere, if real reform were the goal, there are two or three simple things that could have been done to do that. 2000+ pages was not needed. This has never been about health care, it has been about power and control.

I hope that all of the Democrats that voted for this stinking pile learn to regret their betrayal at the next election (a "sorry I did not know what I was voting for cause I did not read it" will NOT cut it).

I called and thanked them for voting "NO" on Obamacare (last time), did you?

2010-03-19T15:51:00.002-04:00

I am sure that it would not hurt to call and encourage them to stand firm!

Allen Boyd, (D., Fla.) —202-225-5235
Suzanne Kosmas, (D., Fla.) —202-225-2706

It sure was not easy getting though!

Health care, government style

2010-03-19T10:01:00.004-04:00

Our current government (headed by Obama if you have forgotten) wants to take over an additional 1/6th of the economy, in the form of their new health care proposal.

According to Attorney General Eric Holder, Medicare which currently accounts for 14% of all federal spending, is rife with waste, fraud and abuse. “By all accounts, every year we lose tens of billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid funds to fraud.”

So lets give them an even bigger program so that they can lose even more money!

Harvard Professor Malcolm Sparrow, a specialist in health care fraud teaching at the Kennedy School of Government, has estimated that as much as 20% of the federal health program budgets – or approximately $150 billion – is eaten up by improper payments every year.

So let me get this straight, the current portion of medical spending that the government does is so inefficient that there is actually "a specialist in health care fraud" teaching at the Kennedy School of Government! The current medical spending is so racked with fraud that there are specialists in the field of Medicare fraud! That must mean that this new health care proposal by Obama is actually two bills in one! Health care and a jobs bill! Cause if this monstrosity passes, there will be a need for many more "specialists in health care fraud" along with other types of specialists in navigating what will become a quagmire of rules and regulations that will make the current insurance maze look like a straight line.

Call your representative and tell them to say NO to this pile of garbage!

Men, damned if you do and damned if you don't

2010-03-19T08:36:00.004-04:00

If men don't help around the house, they are called lazy, loafers, and other derogatory terms for not "pulling their weight". When they do help around the house, "they" can cause their partners to suffer from lower self-competence.

So, either men are lazy for not helping or they are subjecting their spouses to physiological stress if they do help. Must be nice being a woman and being able to have things both ways.

Sounds like just more feminist physcobabble to me.

Why is it that feminists never seem able to take responsibility for their situation? It seems that to a feminist, life is "done" to them verses them living life. They are affected by everything (and usually adversely) and seem to never have any control over anything, even when they have complete control. This is not the 50s any more. You are where and what you are because you earned it, good or bad. YOU chose to stay in a bad relationship. YOU chose to have a child out of wedlock. YOU chose to have a career instead of a family. YOU chose to own 30 pairs of shoes and have no savings. No one held a gun to your head and forced you to do anything. You have more laws to protect you from men, organizations and yourself than is sane. Many women love to talk about how childish men are. Well look in a mirror sometime. Women in America have more rights and options than women anywhere else in the world at any time in history and act (as a group) less like adults than ever before.

A sensible heath care reform plan

2010-03-18T10:00:00.003-04:00

Now this is a sensible heath care reform plan! It fits on one page (well maybe 6 when the politicians get done turning it into legalese), truly benefits consumers, reduces costs (which will lead to greater citizen coverage) and does not cost the government anything (but power). It even has something for the Greens among us (Al, I am talking to you) as it takes only 1 page instead of 2100 or so, so the carbon footprint of this bill is practically non-existent!

The GOP should jump on this idea! It could be proposed this week, voted on next week and signed into law shortly there after with big benefits to everyone!

If this health care bill is so good...

2010-03-18T08:49:00.003-04:00

why is congress exempting themselves from it?

Simple question that should be simple for the President and congress to answer. Why haven't they?

The President is right in that these politicians will be judged at the polls for their vote and overwhelmingly, the people DON'T WANT THIS BILL!

After watching this interview, I can not see the President being on Fox for another. He did not come across looking very presidential or honest. He mostly dodged the questions and just kept repeating his standard talking points that have already been shown to be lies.

AND he said, we will post it after the vote. He has been promising to post it for months now and it has not been posted because it is not done yet! If it is not done yet, what the HECK are the voting for? They have NO IDEA! Since they have no idea, they should NOT be voting on it!

Homebuilt Kiwi 'hovercraft'

2010-03-15T16:00:00.002-04:00

Now this is just TOO cool! If it can really be mass produced for only $13,000 U.S. that just adds to the cool factor.

But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.

2010-03-10T14:44:00.004-05:00

That is right, Queen Nancy said that "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it". She is referring to the current health care legislation.

That would be like me telling you that you have to buy this car in order to test drive it, oh and by the way, too bad if you don't like it as you now own it!

Most members of congress (if not all of them) don't even know what is in this steaming pile as none of them have read it and they want us to take it on faith that "its all good".

It is an embarrassment that she is in congress and a down right crime that she is speaker of the house!

Postage stamp size testing kit

2010-03-02T16:03:00.002-05:00

This is great, a postage stamp size, paper blood testing kit. One of the best parts is that it can be manufactured in quantity for about a penny a piece. One of the commenters had a really good idea about including it in bandages. That way you can perform tests as part of protecting a cut. The test results could indicate if you need to see a doctor. At that size, you could fill a tissue with 40 or so different tests that could all be checked at the same time.

WFT?

2010-02-25T12:52:00.003-05:00

At a very fundamental, core level, Springston did not share our vision for a news publication with a progressive perspective. He held on to the notion that there was an objective reality that could be reported objectively, despite the fact that that was not our editorial policy at Atlanta Progressive News. It just wasn’t the right fit.

I have to repeat, WTF? A news reporter that has the audacity to actually adhere to the journalist's code (just the facts) which is a rare thing these days and is discharged from his position because he failed to follow the newspaper's policy of reporting all stories with a progressive bent, basically lie.

The following is also from their response to an inquiry about the firing:

In the meantime, here is some information from our Frequently Asked Questions page:“Progressive news is news that brings us closer to universal health care, living wages, affordable housing, peace, a healthy environment, and voting systems we can trust.

Who cares if there is any (you know) actual truth in any of these liberal fantasies, as a news organization they will do all within their power to force these issues into reality.

Living Wage: What is that? If you accept a job for the offered amount of money, done deal. If a person does not think that it is sufficient to live on, continue looking for work elsewhere. If you are right and no one takes that job, the person offering the position will be forced to increase the wage until someone accepts. That is how things work. This entire "living wage" is simply a liberal wet dream and an effort to force businesses to artificially pay more than a specific job is worth.

Affordable Housing: Again, what is "affordable housing"? The specific house you want and the price you want it? Or any house at a cost that the average family can afford? If it is the first, again, a liberal wet dream. If it is the ladder, that already exists or at least did until community organizers and democrats started screwing with the housing loan market in the late 80s, early 90s, forcing banks to lend money to unqualified buyers, leading to the recently collapsed housing bubble. Sorry to break this to you but owning a home is NOT a right. It is a privilege available to persons that have sufficient income to afford to either out right buy their chosen home or to have enough income and credit history to convince a lending institution to let them borrow the funds to purchase their chosen home. See how clear and easy this is?

Peace: What they really mean is peace at any price, not fair and sustainable peace while preserving the various countries and societies that want to continue to exist into the future without being terrorized or forced out of existence by barbaric hoards.

A Healthy Environment: What is not healthy about the environment right now? Is it perfect? No but it is not nearly as bad off as it was in years past and simply enacting a slew of new regulations that are really nothing more than an elaborate wealth redistribution scheme is not the answer. As to the "debate" about global warming being over, they are right. It is over and the AGW crowd has been shown to be the liars and profiteers that some of us suspected all along.

Voting System: Well this is really liberal speak for "we will recount until we get the results we want".

And the MSM wonders why their readership and subscription levels are falling like rocks off a cliff...

Maybe Fox cable news will hire him.

Olbermann, the gift that keeps on giving!

2010-02-24T13:34:00.003-05:00

This is just too funny!

Keith Olbermann makes remarks about the "tea party" events, basically call them a "whites only" club and asks where are any minorities.

The Texas Tea Party group creates a video specifically inviting Keith to their up coming event so that he can see for himself that it is an inclusive movement and has some representatives of the "non-white" persuasion in the video as well. Additionally, they include that the Texas Tea Party appears to be more diverse than the MSNBC prime lineup of anchors as it does not seem to include any persons of color, a clear case of pot calling kettle...

Keith declines to attend siting an illness in the family (a perfectly acceptable reason for not being able to attend) but follows it up with some of his typical snide remarks to the effect that one person of color does not a diverse movement make and why are you not inviting more?

Well Keith, you did not say "show me 50 or 100", you said "where are they". The invitation video show some persons of color and specifically asked that you attend so you could see for yourself how diverse these gatherings are. Fine that you declined but don't then complain that the invitation did not include "enough" minorities.

Also, this "tea party thing" is not a club. ANYONE can show up and participate. No invitation needed! It is advertised and it is promoted (though not by anyone in the MSM) and it is OPEN to all comers and are attended by a very diverse group of people unlike (apparently) the major anchors chairs at MSNBC. If you could ever bring yourself to attend one, you would see that.

Misandry - Men Don't Exist

2010-02-24T13:00:00.003-05:00

Interesting video that attempts to show how society devalues men. The creator makes some interesting and valid points.

Flexible Sheets Capture Energy from Movement

2010-02-22T13:51:00.002-05:00

Cool! The uses for this type of technology are many!

The massive, would be a softer roadway covered with this that used the car weight driven deflection to generate electricity to power the road signals.

The minimal would be a jacket that powers / recharges your portable equipment from your movements.

And everything in between!

I spy with my little eye...

2010-02-22T13:48:00.001-05:00

School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home.

The school district admits that student laptops were shipped with software for covertly activating their webcams, but denies wrongdoing.

I believe them, how about you?

How to really loose a staring contest

2010-02-22T13:35:00.005-05:00

Yes I know this is "old news" (I fell behind in postings, happens) but it is still GOOD news that needs to be shared.

Unionized Rhode Island Teachers Refuse To Work 25 Minutes More Per Day, So Town Fires All Of Them

The school superintendent in Rhode Island is trying to fix a really bad school system. Along with some other changes, the superintendent wanted all teachers to extend their day by 24 minutes to enable student counseling sessions, tutoring, etc. The union said no, not without more money.

The teachers at this high school already make $70,000 to $78,000 per year whereas the median income in the town where this school is located, averages $22,000.

The union was warned that there would be consequences of saying no, the union thought the superintendent would blink. Seems that the union picked the wrong time and person to have a staring contest with.

If you really want to fix the school systems, allow school choice by way of vouchers. Allow any child to apply to any school. Allow that child's allocation of funds to follow them to whatever school they attend. If the current public school system is so good, why don't the president's kids go?

Heh

2010-02-22T13:29:00.001-05:00

Keith Olbermann gets a personal invitation to attend the Dallas Tea Party, will he show?

Somehow I don't think so...

Illegally receiving foreign contributions?

2010-01-30T19:34:00.005-05:00

FROM CORNELL LAW PROF. WILLIAM JACOBSON, A CHALLENGE TO OBAMA: Request Special Counsel As To Foreign Contributions. “That the Obama campaign received foreign donations as a result of this scheme may be the only thing agreed-upon by both Pamela Geller and Charles Johnson. Indeed, Obama for America has admitted receiving foreign contributions. The fact that the Federal Election Commission is not investigating the allegations necessitates a special counsel.”

This was the same campaign who's web site was "broken" to allow foreign credit card contributions. Yet another thing the MSM did not appear to interested in looking into at the time.

Will anything come of this? Now what do you think? I think snowballs have a better chance of surviving long term storage in hell...

Documented Government Failure, example #1

2010-01-22T11:05:00.002-05:00

I am going to try and keep track of these and to get us going...

‘Head Start’: The $166 Billion Fed Ed Failure

So, in typical Government fashion, they have wasted $166 billion since 1965 on a program that does not show any measurable benefits. If anyone thinks that this will result in the ending of an obviously wasteful and useless government program, I have some bridges to sell you.

Hey GOP and independents, if you want to get elected or stay elected, promise to push to end all of these wasteful program! Yes it will be a fight but it is worth it. Force the Democrats to justify keeping these types of programs around. Force them to go on the record supporting failed and expensive programs.

Brown in MA!

2010-01-19T22:51:00.002-05:00

Looks like Brown takes MA, 52% to 47%. About 101K vote lead. That might be too much for even the Democrats and unions to make up.

Now what will the Dems do to jam ObamaCare on America?

Oh the hypocrisy!

2010-01-11T18:51:00.004-05:00

Rush Limbaugh has gotten into more trouble over something he never said than Harry Reid is getting into over racist remarks he actually said!

It is amusing listening to the media and others talking their way around how Reid is not a racist. The very same people that did their darnedest to point out that Rush is. What is the difference? Harry Reid is a liberal politician and Rush Limbaugh is a conservative pundit.

Now this sounds like an outstanding idea!

2010-01-03T19:32:00.002-05:00

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.

Now this sounds like an outstanding idea and that is one of the reasons it will never happen. The last thing that the power brokers in Washington want is to have to accept what they want the rest of us do put up with.

Don't worry the government is on the job!

2010-01-03T19:30:00.001-05:00

The real message was conveyed by Fouad Ajami, discussing the new administration’s foreign policy in the Wall Street Journal: “No despot fears Mr. Obama, and no blogger in Cairo or Damascus or Tehran, no demonstrator in those cruel Iranian streets, expects Mr. Obama to ride to the rescue.” True. Another Iranian deadline passed on New Year’s Eve, but the United States will set a new one for Groundhog Day or whenever.

Sad but true...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year and welcome to 2010. I hope that your new year is better than your year past.

I have little to complain about regarding 2009. My family is in good health, I am employed, no major crises in my life. It was not all roses but there was much more to be grateful for than there was to regret.

So, happy New Year and God bless.

When "grid lock" is the answer

2009-12-16T12:36:00.003-05:00

“When you’re dealing with the Senate, it’s a miracle if you can get anything done at all,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey (D-Wis.) told POLITICO.

This sounds more like a feature to me! In fact, the way things have gone for the last 6 years or so, I would be in support of giving all members of Congress a 10% pay raise if they all promise to stay home and do nothing. They would do a lot less damage and it would be far cheaper in the long run.

Lying About Climate Change

2009-12-16T09:05:00.001-05:00

Yet more "Inconvenient Truth" for Al Gore and the climate fanatics.

As noted in closing: That's the story of climate activism. Whenever one portion of the evidence alarmists rely on is shown to be fraudulent, the response is, "But there's lots of other evidence." Yes, and that other evidence is fraudulent, too.

Marine Corps celebrates 234th birthday today!

2009-11-10T16:10:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Marine Corps!

Setting Sail Into Space

2009-11-10T13:46:00.001-05:00

Solar sails are the sail boats of outer space whereas rockets are the speed boats. Speed boats are great right up until you run out of gas. Sail boots can cover many more miles much more cheaply. The issue is that you have to have the time. Same with space. solar sails will be cheaper flight but they will take longer. There will be a place for both types of travel, in space.

UPS vs. FEDEX

2009-11-10T13:35:00.001-05:00

As is the point of the video, a government large enough to tell your competitors or neighbours what to do is also large enough to tell you what to do. Do you really want a government that managed to come up with a monstrosity like the IRS controlling all aspects of your life?

Magnetic Reversal Round-up

2009-11-09T14:36:00.003-05:00

http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/02/27/6900064_Magnet_Pole_Shift/

The sun reverses its magnetic field like clockwork every eleven years at the peak of the sunspot cycle. The next solar flip is due in 2012. South-pointing magnetic flux moves from sunspots, which are intense magnetic loops near the equator of the sun, along “meridional flows” to the north magnetic pole, and vice versa. As the oppositely-directed charge accumulates at the poles the field declines, until eventually the reverse charge predominates.

The mechanism that controls earth's field reversals may not be based on similar principles. For one thing, a planet does not seem to have any equivalent to the powerful sunspots. McFarlane refers to there being more than one north-south pole system and about 10% of the total field being involved in smaller extra fields. If these subordinate minor magnetic fields take up more of the magnetic activity during the main field’s decline, they might become active enough to sustain a minimal protective layer shielding the biosphere, even if the main dipole field declines to zero gauss. This could be important for our survival, as the Steen’s mountain lava flows indicate that the reversal took 4,500 years to be completed!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_magnetic_field

The Earth's field changes in strength and position. The two poles wander independently of each other and are not at directly opposite positions on the globe. Currently the magnetic south pole is farther from the geographic south pole than the magnetic north pole is from the geographic north pole.

Based upon the study of lava flows of basalt throughout the world, it has been proposed that the Earth's magnetic field reverses at intervals, ranging from tens of thousands to many millions of years, with an average interval of approximately 250,000 years. The last such event, called the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal, is theorized to have occurred some 780,000 years ago.

http://scienceblogs.com/highlyallochthonous/2009/02/is_the_earths_magnetic_field_a.php

In each case, the reversal is preceded by at least 20,000-40,000 years of fairly continuous decay in field strength to about the same (very low) value, with a much more rapid recovery in field strength following the transition. In this context, a couple of centuries' worth of field decay is not particularly significant, especially since the present field strength (about 8 on the scale in this figure) is still a lot higher than the value reached during all of these reversals (<2).

If you compare the duration and magnitude of the recent decrease (the red box in the figure below) to the field behaviour for past reversals, it doesn't look like we have to worry about the field reversing for a while - it looks like it needs to continue weakening for a few thousand more years, and reach a much lower strength, before a reversal is going to happen.

Of course, another thing you should get from the Valet et al. paper is that a full reversal sequence is not an instantaneous event; our compasses will not point north today and south tomorrow. Instead, the geomagnetic field will weaken, and the magnetic poles will start to wander to lower latitudes, and possibly multiply, over a period of hundreds and thousands of years. It looks dramatic from the perspective of Deep Time, but during a reversal the changes over a human lifetime will probably be little different from the secular variation we see today. No extinction event has ever been linked to a magnetic field reversal, and I think that we might just cope with the next one too - whenever it might occur.

The last linked article is actually quite good and goes into a lot of detail and has some good charts and graphs in it.

So, it looks like a 2012 pole reversal is not likely and even if it were, it is not expected to be an extinction event. This all comes up because I made the mistake of watching a show last night on the Syfy channel that was all about 2012 and one of the things they talked about was the pole reversal and of course more fact checking is done for a second grade book report than was done for this show.

To protect and serve

2009-10-21T20:11:00.011-04:00

Residents of Sanford you can rest easy because the men in blue (technically the men in brown) are on the job. The Florida Highway Patrol is doing their utmost to keep the streets of Sanford safe, especially the corner of Markham Rd. and Longwood Markham Rd.

This is an extremely dangerous corner.

As indicated on the map. It used to be a simple west to north turn. A subdivision to the south of the turn was recently added and the entrance was recently completed. This prompted the DOT to add three stop signs to this very dangerous intersection (I guess it is technically an intersection now) even though the majority (in fact currently all) traffic still goes around the curve. I do not believe that this subdivision has any residents.

I know this MUST be an extremely dangerous place because the Florida Highway Patrol is often parked on the west side of Longwood Markham Rd. (facing south) protecting all of us from the reckless and dangerous drivers that slow roll through the Markham Rd stop sign. The stop sign that currently serves ZERO purpose. This section is so dangerous that at times (like on October 21, 2009 @ about 5:30 PM) it took 3 squad cars to protect this section of road. During the 20 minutes I observed their crime fighting skills, they handed out no less than 3 tickets to drivers that rolling through the stop sign. Over the last 2 months I have witnessed these outstanding protectors of the public hand out no less than 10 tickets. At $151 per (or more) this little corner is quite the money maker.

The fact that it took three officers to man this one corner brings me to one of two possible conclusions. Either the streets of Sanford are so bereft of crime and mayhem and the department is so over staffed that it can afford to have three squad car stake out this one location or the other possibility is that the officers are so poorly trained that it takes three of them to issue a simple ticket.

The only reason drivers get ticketed at this corner (besides the fact that they are rolling through a useless stop sign) is that they are looking to their left as the roll through it to ensure that there are no cars in the subdivision entrance way.

I wonder if there is a more detailed story here.

Maybe a member of the local news could investigate and determine a) the number of tickets that have been issued at this corner since the stop signs have been put in place, b) the amount of time that officers spend at this location, c) the amount of revenue generated by issuing tickets for what is essentially a useless stop sign, and d) the number of accidents that have occurred at this corner that warranted the installation of these signs.

10/22/2009 update:

The valiant men in brown were on the job again today! At 5:10 PM when I passed by, three squad cars were there again (looked like the same three from yesterday but I could not be sure). It looked like they had two desperadoes pulled over.

This is actually quite the racket. No only does the department get to collect all of this extra revenue but they are saving gas for three cars! No budget shortfalls for them.

10/13/2009 update:

They are still on the job at 5:30 PM as I went through that area. Either my timing was off or their training has improved as there were only two there today. It looked like they had apprehended another 2 nar-do-wells and were busy writing tickets. Additionally, I learned today that there are actually NO homes currently constructed in the subdivision that prompted the installation of these stop signs. The stop signs that still serve NO purpose it seems other than to make up for PS&J budget shortfalls.

11/4/2009 update:

I was out of town last week so was not able to keep up with what the protectors of the public were doing then but at 4:45PM today two of them were on the job! They had napped at least one more law breaker and were processing him as I drove past.

11/10/2009 update:

I drove by at 5:10 PM and there were two "bears" earning their pay. They had one driver pulled over.

1/19/2010 update:

I drove by at 5:40 PM today and there was a state trooper and he only had one driver pulled over. Don't know how long he was there or how much he took in but I would be very interested in how profitable that corner has been for the state troopers.

1/26/2010 update:

The protectors of the public were back in force. Two cars were on the job. They had a 20-something lawn service worker pulled over as well as a real desperado, the gentleman has to be 65 if he was a day. He looked rather dapper in his jacket and tie, a fine disguise to hide his criminal intentions.

2/3/2010 update:

I drove by at 5:05 PM and there were two of Florida's finest on the job.

Local police stupidity

2009-10-21T14:40:00.002-04:00

Eric Williamson faces an indecent exposure charge after a passerby saw him in the buff in his own home making coffee.

Mr Williamson was in his own kitchen at 5:30 AM making coffee in the nude. A woman accompanied by her 7 year old son cuts through his yard, sees him, call the police and he gets arrested. He faces a possible $2000 fine and 1 year in jail. How STUPID! It was HIS kitchen and she was cutting through HIS yard.

Lets play a game. Take this same story and reverse the sexes of those involved. How many of you think that if it was a man cutting through a woman's yard and the cops were called that instead of the home owner getting arrested, the man would get arrested and likely for a) trespassing and b) peeping tom and maybe for good measure c) endangering the welfare of a minor. Honestly think this all through and tell me if you think that 1) this is a stupid case and 2) the reverse situation would not still have resulted in the man getting arrested.

Health care

2009-10-21T12:40:00.006-04:00

Fifty million Americans are unable to buy health insurance and premiums have doubled over the past decade.

Really? Fifty million Americans are UNABLE to buy health insurance? What does that mean? That absolutely NO health insurance company will sell them insurance or that they can not purchase health insurance at a price they are willing to pay? Of those 50 million Americans that are UNABLE to buy health insurance, how many have cell phones, cable, direct TV, more than 1 car, their own home (or more)? That question never seems to get asked. It is always presented as a hard stop in the debate. Unable to buy health insurance, period. I am sure that there are some people that truly can not afford health insurance at any price based on a set of pre-existing conditions and/or other catastrophic financial situations but I do not think that this core set is anything close to 50 million.

On Saturday, President Barack Obama denounced two new studies, sponsored by the health insurance industry, which found that current health care reform bills in Congress will increase premium prices for consumers. One study, done for the lobbying group America’s Health Insurance Plans by the consultancy PriceWaterhouseCoopers, found that the provisions in the Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) would add $1,700 a year to the cost of family coverage in 2013 and $600 for a single person. By 2019, family premiums could be $4,000 higher and individual premiums could be $1,500 higher. A weak individual coverage mandate, coupled with a guarantee issue requirement, no preexisting condition limits, and no rating based on health status would significantly boost insurance premiums.

No kidding! Tell any reasonably intelligent person that you want to purpose new insurance rules that include a) individual coverage mandate, b) a guarantee issue requirement, c) no preexisting condition limits, and d) no rating based on health status but premiums will stay exactly the same and they should question your sanity. Give me a whole lot more but don't charge me any more for it. Fat chance that will work out. Does Pres. Obama still think that anyone takes him seriously on health care when he denounced a "common sense" study result like this? Even Blue Cross / Blue Shield is on the other side of this issue.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association commissioned a new study by the Oliver Wyman consultancy which also found that guaranteed issue and community rating mandates coupled with a weak individual mandate would drive up premiums by 50 percent for individual policies and 19 percent for small group plans.

And what is the presidents substantive rebuttal to these studies?

“Every time we get close to passing reform, the insurance companies produce these phony studies as a prescription and say, ‘Take one of these, and call us in a decade,’" declared the president. “Well, not this time.”

Well if wishes were kisses, I would be the happiest man in the world too but that don't make it so.

What about those insurance company profits? Back in July, President Obama asserted that health insurance companies are making “record profits.” Not really. The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s FactCheck.org reported, “In general, the health insurance industry did poorly toward the end of 2008 and in the first quarter of 2009, so record profits weren’t likely in the second quarter.” Averaging profits of 3.3 percent, health insurers are the 86th most profitable industry in the U.S., well behind chain restaurants (7.7 percent), electric utilities (6.2 percent), and brewers (18 percent), but ahead of major auto manufacturers (-3.3 percent), resorts and casinos (-8.9 percent), and major airlines (-11 percent).

Anyway. so what with what profits an insurance company makes? If this were a true free enterprise system and was not so strangled by existing government red-tape, insurance companies would be free to work country wide. Would be free to setup risk pools and be free to do other things that would increase competition and reduce costs to consumers. Problem is that is not what the government wants. Instead of taking a working plan from (I don't know, lets say) Whole Foods, they instead take a proven disaster of a plan from England. What? You did not know that England's health care plan was a disaster? If it is so good, why has the NHS recently been paying for private health insurance for 3000 or so employees so that these employees did not have to make use of the existing health system? If this new direction in health care is so good, why has congress done all that it can to exempt its self from Obamacare?

In typical Democrat/liberal fashion, the government has been standing on the throat of an industry and then decry when that industry does not run smoothly and instead of getting off, impose additional constraints. This is just another power grab by the government and nothing more.

ACORN in the news again

2009-10-21T12:31:00.002-04:00

This particular item has New York roots:

Thirty-eight forged or fraudulent ballots have been thrown out — enough votes, an election official admits, to likely have tipped the city council and county elections in November to the Democrats.

That is why ACORN exists and that is why the Democrats support them so strongly. They use the same play book, "what ever it takes".

Video paper magazines

2009-10-20T19:57:00.001-04:00

Bumped from August:

Interesting development. I would have liked to see a picture or two of how the final production magazine will look. Am also interested in how thick the total product package is, how long the batteries will last as well as what the total play/replay time is for the batteries. Are they using LiPo batteries? Will the inclusion of this sort of "ad" result in more difficult disposal issues due to the metals and other chemicals that would now be in the magazine?

Updated to include link showing video of the ad (for those that did not see it in person)...

Looks like the Hopium is wearing off...

2009-10-20T19:22:00.001-04:00

That is funny!

The story is about an Obama mural that was vandalized "in broad daylight" and the comment I used as the tag line is quite funny.

How stupid can judges be?

2009-10-20T12:44:00.002-04:00

The New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit, the federal court of appeals where I once clerked, has allowed a class action lawsuit by Hurricane Katrina victims to proceed against a motley crew of energy, oil, and chemical companies. Their claim: that the defendants’ greenhouse gas emissions raised air and water temperatures on the Gulf Coast, contributing to Katrina’s strength and causing property damage. Mass tort litigation specialist Russell Jackson calls the plaintiffs’ claims “the litigator’s equivalent to the game ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.’”

So a judge has allows a class action lawsuit to move forward against a group of energy producers for a supposed condition (global warming) that has not been yet proven to be an effect at all, let alone an effect caused by humans. In addition, they are charging that these companies actually contributed to the severity of this storm. Un-friggen real!

Obamacare is for the little people

2009-10-20T12:38:00.002-04:00

If all of the various Obamacare health plans that are being kicked around congress are so good, why is congress exempting themselves from it?

Congress will keep their gold-plated insurance plans as they force the rest of the country into a rationed health care government plan.

Personal doctors on call 24/7. Coverage that knows no caps. No exemptions for pre-existing conditions.

Their premiums are the same as those of insurance plans with half the benefits, and the plans last a lifetime; not until Medicare kicks in do ex-Members or loose their Congressional health benefits. Congress has repeatedly voted down any provision that would switch their insurance plans to the lower-grade public option if Obamacare goes through.

Don't worry though. This is either a lie being spread by the "vast right wing conspiracy" or it is just the price we all should be more than willing to pay for the outstanding service we get from our government...

iRobot's Soft Morphing Blob 'Bot Takes Its First Steps

2009-10-19T16:55:00.003-04:00

Now this is REALLY COOL! Very innovative and at this point, the sky' the limit. The technology will just continue to get smaller and stronger. The shell he demonstrated has a limited number of sides but imagine something like that with 1024 or 9600 sides that can be individually controlled by a computer for shape shifting. Have it "self contained" with computer, pumps and power source and you have a truly self mobile device that can go almost anywhere on land or sea.

Out fitted with sensors (visual and otherwise) and you have quite a device...

Michael Moore admits his movie is a lie...

2009-10-15T13:15:00.003-04:00

During this collage Q&A. Michael admits that his movie is actually about the evils of Corporatism and not Capitalism.

He is also still wrong about why "Democracy" is not working. He thinks that the "system" is not fair and that the government should be helping people on the bottom by restricting people on the top. Instead of having government get out of the way and allow the people on the bottom to lift themselves out and up to the top.

Saving a sacred cow

2009-10-12T14:55:00.005-04:00

While his ideas and religion continue to be discredited, those in positions to help spread the truth, instead continue to stand in the way and protect not only their own gravy train but him as well.

While at a global warming conference, a reported dared to ask a question too awkward for the anointed one to answer. The solution? Cut his mike and drive him out. So much for the free exchange of ideas.

Watch the video and ponder this, if the case for global warming were so strong, why are all critics driven away, marginalized and black balled? Why has the last 10 years been temperature neutral while the volume of atmospheric CO2 continues to rise? Based on all global warming models the Earth should be heating up, not staying the same.

Also this from (of all places) the BBC in an online article titled: What happened to global warming?

This headline may come as a bit of a surprise, so too might that fact that the warmest year recorded globally was not in 2008 or 2007, but in 1998.

But it is true. For the last 11 years we have not observed any increase in global temperatures.

And our climate models did not forecast it, even though man-made carbon dioxide, the gas thought to be responsible for warming our planet, has continued to rise.

So what on Earth is going on?

Even the BBC now says:

It seems the debate about what is causing global warming is far from over.

Someone PLEASE tell Al Gore!

Class Act

2009-10-09T16:07:00.003-04:00

The former president shied away from any political stance and said each U.S. leader must surround themselves with people they can trust.

Why can't former Democratic presidents have as much class? There used to be an understanding that former presidents don't criticize current presidents. That used to be universally honor. Carter was the first former president I can recall that spoke ill of a sitting president which he did a lot. Clinton has loose lips too. Reagan, Bush I and now Bush II seem to have the self restraint and respect for the office of president to not critique the current holder of that office.

Obama wins the Nobel peace prize?

2009-10-09T09:10:00.003-04:00

You have got to be freaking kidding me! Are they just handing these things out to any liberal now?

What has he done besides tank the US economy? Wait, maybe that is the justification. I can picture how this might have gone: Obama tanks the US economy. This causes the US to retract its influence across the world. Since every liberals knows that the US is the world's Satan, then a crippled US is a benefit to world peace. There you go, that must be it.

Just like the UN, the Nobel committee has done everything it can over the last 50 years to prove its self irrelevant and useless. Havens for political correctness and hypocrisy.

Rather than recognizing concrete achievement, the 2009 prize appeared intended to support initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.

So Obama wins the prize for apologizing to the world for America, for bending to a bunch of dictators, despots and religious fanatics, for poking our allies in the eye and for supporting an unproven and suspect scientific theory that is more of a religion and wealth distribution scheme than fact. Nice...

SNL & Obama

2009-10-05T11:16:00.005-04:00

"My record is clear on what I have done so far... and that is nothing, nada."

"I'm seeing two big accomplishments 'jack' and 'squat'."

I find it interesting that SNL feels it is safe to start making fun of Obama. Not that they are afraid to make fun of presidents or politicians but that this is the big "O", their golden boy. The fact that they feel comfortable poking fun at him and that their audience went along says a lot more about the state of the Obama presidency than a dozen editorials by Glen Beck or Rush.

And so another institution falls...

2009-10-05T10:48:00.002-04:00

Consumer Reports was always a good source for influence free evaluations and reviews. Alas, that too is no more. Here is an ad that Consumer Reports has run in the D.C. market pushing for health care reform. They do not come right out and say support Obama but that is clearly the implication as health care reform is his baby.

If they really wanted to do some good, how about running an ad on how good Walmart is doing helping people keep costs down? Their drug programs are fantastic! That would not do though because that does not have the government doing anything and we just can't have that can we?

I used to get Consumer Reports but it looks like (along with AARP) no membership for me.

Its not like he has anything more important to do...

2009-10-02T08:44:00.002-04:00

You know, like the economy, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, Gitmo, ACORN or any of that sort of stuff.

President Obama Signs Executive Order Banning Federal Employees from Texting While Driving.

Did ACORN chicanery elect Al Franken?

2009-09-29T13:17:00.002-04:00

Franken won by only 312 votes and ACORN claimed to have registered 48,000 new Minnesota voters. You do the math...

Innovative solar cell designs

2009-09-28T15:11:00.003-04:00

Fairly good article on new solar cell designs that allow them to blend in better with commercial and residential structures. This is generally a good thing and I am in favor of spreading out the power generating ability to lessen the reliance on a few large plants. Between these new roof / wall designs and the solar roadway panels and you have a potential large surface area to generate electricity that is dispersed over a greater area.

What is not discussed is what is the useful life of these products and what is the ROI?

In addition I am not in favor of government intervention via subsidies. They are distorting the market and suppressing the cost which skews the ROI and they are doing it with MY money. If the technology can not stand on its own and can not compete on its own, then it needs to do better in order to be viable. If it is so good, private organizations (like the Sierra Club) should be promoting it, not the government. It is not their job.

Bank of America Turns on ACORN

2009-09-28T13:22:00.001-04:00

Now if they will only stop issuing credit cards and bank accounts to illegal aliens...