Thursday, November 19, 2009

The Geography of a Recession


The $100 Million Health Care Vote?


The $100 Million Health Care Vote?
"What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?
Here’s a case study
.
On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”
The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”
I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.
In other words, the bill spends two pages describing would could be written with a single world: Louisiana. (This may also help explain why the bill is long.)
Senator Harry Reid, who drafted the bill, cannot pass it without the support of Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu.
How much does it cost? According to the Congressional Budget Office: $100 million."

DRUDGE REPORT 2010®


DRUDGE REPORT 2010®: "CABLE NEWS RACE
NOV. 18, 2009

FOXNEWS HANNITY/PALIN 4,200,000
FOXNEWS O'REILLY 3,868,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,512,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,383,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,235,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,980,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,041,000
CNNHN GRACE 1,036,000
MSNBC MADDOW 957,000
CNN KING 835,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 625,000
CNN COOPER 611,000"

Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out


Schiffauer out for the MSU women's basketball season


Schiffauer out for the MSU women's basketball season
"Michigan State's women's basketball team has created a new definition for ACL -- Another Cursed Leg.

The latest to suffer a torn knee ligament is sophomore Courtney Schiffauer, who will miss the rest of the 21st-ranked Spartans' season after injuring her right ACL in practice Tuesday"

Dang!
and now Allyssa goes down!
... shoot, double dang!

old news?

click to see what should be a national disgrace:

Gross Jobs

Gross Jobs
"The truth about Obama’s much-ballyhooed job creation is that more than half of his alleged new jobs turn out to be government jobs.

Government jobs don’t count, Mr. President.

Remember, many things governments do actually drain us.
Jobs in the marketplace, on the other hand, serve real consumer demand, make us all better off.
They also help pay the taxes for those government jobs.
Employing more people in government means needing more real jobs to pay for the government ones."

AP Turns Heads for Devoting 11 Reporters to Palin Book 'Fact Check'

AP Turns Heads for Devoting 11 Reporters to Palin Book 'Fact Check'
"Reviewing books and holding public figures accountable is at the core of good journalism, but the treatment Palin's book received appears to be something new for the AP.
The organization did not review for accuracy recent books by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, then-Sen. Joe Biden, either book by Barack Obama released before he was president or autobiographies by Bill or Hillary Clinton."

New tale of Detroit’s woe: Pontiac Silverdome sold for $583,000 | csmonitor.com


The American Spectator : American Buffoon

The American Spectator : American Buffoon

Barack Obama was supposed to be America's answer to the suave, European head of state. A debonair gentleman of the world, he would charm even the most sophisticated foreign leaders and prove, finally, that the United States is developed culturally, not just economically.

Then he gave some DVDs.

Ian Drury of London's Daily Mail wrote on March 8, "As he headed back home from Washington, Gordon Brown must have rummaged through his party bag with disappointment.

"Because all he got was a set of DVDs. Barack Obama, a box set of 25 classic American films -- a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks."

Brown had given Obama a set of pens made from part of the HMS Gannet, a Victorian-era anti-slave ship. A desk that has sat in the Oval Office since 1880 was made from the timbers of the HMS Resolute, the Gannet's sister ship. It was a stunningly thoughtful and unique gift left unreciprocated.

But even worse, Obama refused to hold a joint press conference with Brown or invite him for an official White House dinner. And to top it all off, he sent back a bust of Churchill that was lent to the White House after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Russia Today wrote that week, "Despite Barack Obama's eloquent elocution, ivy school credentials and electric charisma, there is talk that he lacks the most crucial element of any great leader: judgment."

Since March, Obama's social gaffes have continued. In April he bowed to the Saudi king; in July he was photographed staring at the rear end of a 16-year-old girl and suggested that Cambridge Police Officer James Crowley was stupid; in October he refused to meet with the Dalai Lama; in September he refused five requests from Gordon Brown for a one-on-one meeting but found time to fly to Copenhagen to promote Chicago's Olympic bid; and this month he sent Hillary Clinton to attend the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, then topped it all with an obsequious bow to the emperor of Japan.

Obama cannot even blame the Japan bow on proper protocol. It was anything but proper. It was so inappropriate that it even offended the Japanese.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Harry Reid Wants to Vote on a Phantom Bill (Dem Dirty Tricks Edition)

Harry Reid Wants to Vote on a Phantom Bill
"What Reid wants is for the Senate to vote to proceed on a bill that has not been seen, not read, not studied by the very Senators from whom he wants to force a vote.
If this bill is so important, why isn’t it imperative that our Senators actually get to see the thing they are expected to vote on?
And that isn’t the worst of the unconscionable dirty tricks that Reid is playing with this “important” legislation. He’s also planning on a bait and switch tactic once he gets his vote to proceed.
News is that Reid wants to use a Senate procedure where a bill can be swapped out with another on the floor.
He wants to bring an unassociated bill to the floor and once it gets there he wants to swap that bill out with the healthcare bill. In other words, he wants to bring a fake bill to the floor and pull a bait-and-switch act to suddenly plop before the Senate the heretofore unseen healthcare bill.
Then he wants to force a quick vote."

Poor women 'bear climate burden'

Poor women 'bear climate burden'
"Women in developing countries will be the most vulnerable to climate change, a report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has warned.
The agency said there was a disproportionate burden on those women and called for greater equality.
They do most of the agricultural work, and are therefore affected by weather-related natural disasters impacting on food, energy and water, it said.
Slower population growth would help cut greenhouse gas emissions, it added."

These are the enemies our government has funded to destroy our way of life.

Do not ignore their power!

Finally, A Congressman With a Solution: Stop Complaining So Much

Finally, A Congressman With a Solution: Stop Complaining So Much
"Muchby Capitol Confidential
Sure, the economy sucks. Unemployment is at least 10.2% and, yes, if you include part-time workers who would rather have full-time jobs it may be over 17%. The government is showering our cash on Wall Street and burning through piles of our children and grandchildren’s money “saving” phantom jobs in Congressional Districts that don’t exist.
Oh yeah, and Congress is planning for a government take-over of our health care system, legislating higher energy prices and raising taxes. Sheesh, no wonder we’re feeling blue.
Well, not to worry, three-term Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) has found a solution: Stop Complaining So Much. Rep. Cleaver is currently circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter, seeking co-sponsors for House Concurrent Resolution 155, designating the day before Thanksgiving as the official “Complaint Free Wednesday.”
You see, as the Congressman explains:
From time to time, we all experience anxiety, frustration, stress, and regret. And often, we respond to these feelings with a criticism or a complaint. Regrettably, complaining keeps people stuck on current problems, inhibiting them from thinking constructively to find solutions. Research has also shown that complaining can be harmful to one’s emotional and physical health; relationships; and can limit professional career success."

These our our "leaders".... as long as we continue to elect and support them....

Obama choice for Treasury post, fifth nominee to run into tax problems

Obama choice for Treasury post, fifth nominee to run into tax problems
"President Barack Obama's choice for a top job in the Treasury Department did not disclose all of her late tax payments until she was repeatedly prodded by Senate investigators, a congressional report issued Wednesday said.
Obama's nominee for undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs, Lael Brainard, is the fifth presidential nominee to reveal tax issues during the congressional vetting process"

Well, crooks kinda only know crooks....right?

Jesse Jackson: 'You can't vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man'

Jesse Jackson: 'You can't vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man'
"The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Wednesday night criticized Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) for voting against the Democrats’ signature healthcare bill.
“We even have blacks voting against the healthcare bill,” Jackson said at a reception Wednesday night.
“You can’t vote against healthcare and call yourself a black man.”"

So Jesse is sayin' it ain't about the content of your character......

Obama Promotes Louis Butler Despite WI Voters Rejecting Him

Obama Promotes Louis Butler Despite WI Voters Rejecting Him
"As consolation prizes go, Louis Butler can't complain.
After being twice rejected by Wisconsin voters for a place on the state Supreme Court, the former judge has instead been nominated by President Obama to a lifetime seat on the federal district court.
If he is confirmed, Wisconsin voters will have years to contend with the decisions of a judge they made clear they would rather live without."

IN RESPONSE TO THE EARLIER POST ON FEMALE VIAGRA

IN RESPONSE TO THE EARLIER POST ON FEMALE VIAGRA
......several readers noted this passage on the drug and Britain’s NHS:

It is not known yet how much it will cost, but is unlikely to be widely prescribed by a health service struggling to find cash to fund treatment of life-threatening illnesses.

Okay, not death panels, but . . . “booty panels?”"

Ford Airport officials say they can pay off $117 million parking ramp opening Wednesday despite drop in passenger traffic

Ford Airport officials say they can pay off $117 million parking ramp opening Wednesday despite drop in passenger traffic
"The new $130 million parking ramp at Gerald R. Ford International Airport opening Wednesday is no doubt an impressive looking structure that will provide welcome protection from the elements to visitors.
But as drivers begin pulling into the four-story, garage that features a wave-like glass and steel canopy, some may wonder how airport leaders plan to pay off the project's debt amid a struggling economy and a yearlong drop in passenger traffic"

Let's see the real figures next year.

Calif. requires TVs to be more energy efficient

Calif. requires TVs to be more energy efficient
"Power-hungry TVs will be banned from store shelves in California after state regulators adopted a first-in-the nation mandate to lower electricity demand."

Great move...after all, there's nothing else going on in California.
Right?

Worse Than Taxes: The Spending

Worse Than Taxes: The Spending
"Last week on 'The O'Reilly Factor', we talked about California's and New York's enormous budget deficits and planned tax increases. Those states would have big surpluses had they just grown their governments in pace with inflation.
But of course they didn't.
Now the politicians act like their current deficits are something imposed on them by the recession.
But that's nonsense.
They created the problem with their reckless spending.
Let's look at the particulars.
Had the government of New York state grown at the rate of population and inflation over the past 10 years, it would have a $14 billion surplus today.
Instead, spending grew at twice the rate of inflation. So New York has a $3 billion deficit."

Stimulus Fraud

Stimulus Fraud
"Not only have 640,000 new jobs not been created from the stimulus — an absurd claim, given the economy's loss of nearly 4 million payroll positions this year — but it now seems that even the jobs themselves are fictional.
Thanks to the digging of a number of data sleuths, it turns out that many of the jobs reported by states come from made-up congressional districts.
This would be funny if it weren't a criminal waste of public funds.
And yet, G. Edward DeSeve, who runs the government's economic recovery program, says the errors are 'relatively few' and 'don't change the fundamental conclusions one can draw from the data.'
Excuse us?
The 'relatively few' errors are in fact thousands in number.
But that's the pernicious place we find ourselves today — a public official defending shoddy accounting that looks an awful lot like fraud to the tune of billions of dollars."

State law requires breast exam coverage


State law requires breast exam coverage

There's a law that REQUIRES breast exams?
I thought it was....ya know....kinda.....gonna happen anyway.....

Babe Theory of Revolution and 2010


Babe Theory of Revolution and 2010
From WILLisms, we have this passage from P.J. O’Rourke from “A Parliament Of Whores”:
“Best of all, there were hardly any beautiful women at the [Housing Now!] rally.
I saw a journalist friend of mine in the Mall, and he and I purused this line of inquiry as assiduously as our happy private lives allow.
Practically every female at the march was a bowser.
“We’re not being sexist here,” my friend insisted.
“It’s not that looks matter per se.
It’s just that beautiful women are always on the cutting edge of social trends.
Remember how many beautiful women were in the anti-war movement twenty years ago?
In the yoga classes fifteen years ago?
At the discos ten years ago?
On Wall Street five years ago?
Where the beautiful women are is where the country is headed,” said my friend.
“And this,” he looked around him, “isn’t it.”
So let us review.
The French Revolution:"

Woman in Wal-Mart incident faces new charge | Muskegon News


Woman in Wal-Mart incident faces new charge
A 35-year-old Muskegon woman accused of stealing goods from a local Wal-Mart store and then head-butting and urinating on a security guard now faces a third criminal charge — unlawful imprisonment.

Marilyn Cole’s preliminary examination has been rescheduled for Dec. 1, pending review of charges including one count each of unarmed robbery, interfering with a crime report and unlawful imprisonment.

Cole’s alleged accomplice, Rashieka Stewart, 23, of Muskegon, faces one charge of unarmed robbery. Stewart on Tuesday waived her preliminary examination and a judge set her bond at $15,000 cash or surety.

According to Roosevelt Park Police Chief Bill Regan, the women attempted to steal merchandise, including make-up and curtains, from the Henry Street Wal-Mart on Halloween night.

Regan said the women broke away from a security guard who attempted to detain them at the front door. The security guard ran after the women and attempted to block Cole from getting into the passenger’s seat of the car in which she and Stewart were preparing to flee.

Regan said Cole “head-butted” the security guard, who fell backwards into the vehicle.
The chief said Cole then sat on the man.

“He grabbed his phone and called 911, but she fought for the phone and then urinated on him,”
Regan said."

Wow... there's a whole lot of goin' on goin' on here in Norton Shores.....make-up, curtains, pee, butt-on-the-head, butt-on-the-guard, pee, surety......

Seems consistent..right?


Hey, who’s up for six minutes of “teabagger” jokes on MSNBC?

VIDEO: Hey, who’s up for six minutes of “teabagger” jokes on MSNBC?
No, just kidding.
There’s only two minutes or so of actual jokes.
The other four-plus minutes are devoted to Olby taking credit for mainstreaming a sexual euphemism to degrade his political opponents.
Good work; it’s important to have goals, especially when you’re the Edward R. Murrow of your generation.”"

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The MSM sorta missed this...


AP source: NYC papers' circulation offices raided

AP source: NYC papers' circulation offices raided: "Investigators in New York City raided circulation offices at some of the nation's largest newspapers Tuesday as part of a union corruption probe, a law enforcement official said.
Police officers working with the Manhattan district attorney's office searched circulation offices of The New York Times in Queens, the New York Post and the Daily News in Manhattan, and El Diario in Brooklyn, the official said, speaking to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Investigators were seeking paperwork related to the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union, which packages and delivers newspapers across the region. Calls to the union's headquarters were not answered Tuesday."

Doctor Shot Outside Grocery Store - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston

Doctor Shot Outside Grocery Store
"Houston police said Anthony J. Bell, 40, shot Dr. Stephanie Wuest, 28, in the parking lot of a Kroger store on Old Spanish Trail and Cambridge Street at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday."

This is Jim and Lois' daughter in law.
She's gonn be OK hopefully.