Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Welcome to Rome, Circa 450 AD

Hot Air » Welcome to Rome, Circa 450 AD
"” The last time a world empire fell apart, it was about 1500 years ago.
Then, the empire was Roman…. …

What led the Barbarians walk over Rome is something that won’t take you a second to sympathize with.

The taxes were too high, to pay for the army that was losing all the battles, and a bunch of freeloaders in government, and of course, and to pay for thousands of civil servants.”"

Summer lunchrooms fill nutrition gap for needy kids

Summer lunchrooms fill nutrition gap for needy kids Health & Medicine Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"Every school day, about 2.3 million low-income Texas children eat subsidized meals, but the numbers drop dramatically in the summer.

This time of year, hundreds of thousands of youngsters statewide go hungry or survive on food that's not necessarily nutritious, officials say."

Yeah, lots of starving kids "surviving" on burgers and frys.
Why don't the democrats just admit that they don't really like parents?

Time for a Little Perspective on Oil Spills

American Thinker: Time for a Little Perspective on Oil Spills
"But these incidents are dwarfed by the 1979 Gulf of Mexico Pemex/Ixtoc I Oil blowout -- until now the largest accidental spill in history. This spill lasted almost ten months, releasing between ten and thirty thousand barrels per day (BPD). In total, it released approximately 3.3 million barrels into the Gulf.

Using the current upper end estimate of 60,000 BPD, the Deepwater Horizon spill has now surpassed the Pemex spill, so it can rightfully claim its place as record-holder for accidental spills. But it still is dwarfed by Saddam Hussein's deliberate release of somewhere between 5.7 and 11 million barrels from tankers ten miles off the Kuwaiti coast.

While the Pemex spill affected 162 miles of coastline in Texas and Mexico, the long-term environmental consequences were negligible. As one marine biologist put it, 'To be honest, considering the magnitude of the spill, we thought the Ixtoc spill was going to have catastrophic effects for decades. ... But within a couple of years, almost everything was close to 100 percent normal again.'"

Students given diplomas at NYC schools, despite failing grades and poor attendance

Students given diplomas at NYC schools, despite failing grades and poor attendance - NYPOST.com

"Tatiana Reina wanted to graduate in the worst way -- and she did.

The 21-year-old was enrolled at Lafayette HS in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, for six years with a dismal record marked by truancy and failing grades. She faked her own graduation in 2007, donning a cap and gown and sneaking into the receiving line. Faced with 'aging out' of the school system this year, she got a last chance and still didn't bother going to class.

'She was a no-show all year,' a school insider said. Regulations call for at least 90 percent attendance to be promoted or to graduate.

Brooklyn student Tatiana Reina, 21, graduated high school in June despite never showing up.

But that didn't stop the principal, Jacqueline Boswell, from granting Reina a diploma."

This is the kind of school and the type of behavior that deserves MORE Obama money...right?

Illegal Immigration Costs U.S. $113 Billion a Year, Study Finds

FOXNews.com - Illegal Immigration Costs U.S. $113 Billion a Year, Study Finds

Can Shopping Cause Impotence?

Can Shopping Cause Impotence? - Lemondrop.com
"Who needs birth control?"

Dutch agency admits mistake in UN climate report

Dutch agency admits mistake in UN climate report - Yahoo! News
"The Dutch agency accepted responsibility for one mistake by the IPCC when it reported in 2005 that 55 percent of
the Netherlands is below sea level, when only 26 percent is.
The report should have said 55 percent is prone to flooding, including river flooding.
....
The second previously reported error claimed the Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035, which the Dutch agency partly traced to a report on the likely shrinking of glaciers by the year 2350."

Investors Fear Rising Risk of US Regional Defaults

Investors Fear Rising Risk of US Regional Defaults - CNBC
"Investors are worried that the risk of default for US local governments is growing, amid signs that some regions are facing the same type of difficulty in curbing pension and budget deficits as some eurozone countries"

“The risk in the second half of the year is that investor attention switches from Europe to the US,” said Robert Parker, senior adviser at Credit Suisse Securities, who singled out parts of California, as well as towns and cities in Illinois, Michigan and New York state as among the most vulnerable.
“You will see investor concern about the viability of those cities and therefore you will see, inevitably, further spread widening in the municipal bond market.”

TUESDAY HOT VIEW: IT'S NOT JUST PEGGY | Newsradio 620 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin News, Talk, Sports, Weather | Charlie Sykes

TUESDAY HOT VIEW: IT'S NOT JUST PEGGY

Why aren’t businesses hiring?

Why aren’t businesses hiring? Washington Examiner
"Then a simple final paragraph, which could have come from a Wall Street Journal or Washington Examiner editorial:
“Uncertainty: there has been a tremendous amount of change over the last 12 months. Businesses are still trying to figure out what that means for their own bottom line. Until there are firm answers, they will freeze hiring.”

Hmmm.
What kind of change over the last 12 months?
Who’s been producing that change?
Stewart doesn’t say, but it’s not too hard to figure out.
This is as pungent and concise an indictment of the Obama Democrats’ vast expansion of the size and reach of government as I’ve seen anywhere."

Monday, July 05, 2010

We Five - You Were On My Mind

YouTube - We Five - You Were On My Mind (Never seen before - great quality!)

GREAT SONG!....I'm still in love with Beverly Bivens...

Malveaux Hates Fourth of July - Reminds Her of Slavery and Economic Inequality

Malveaux Hates Fourth of July - Reminds Her of Slavery and Economic Inequality NewsBusters.org
"If you were African-American living in the era of President Barack Obama, would you hate the Fourth of July because it reminded you of slavery and economic inequality?

You would if your name was Julianne Malveaux and you were the syndicated columnist that also serves as the president of Bennett College, the historically black women's school in Greensboro, North Carolina."

Muskegon Bike Time

Muskegon Bike Time
"Muskegon, Michigan will once again host what is dubbed as 'America's fastest growing bike event!'

For three days , the largest city on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan will be host to the 4th Annual Muskegon Bike Time, the ultimate Steel Horse Nationals."

With the US trapped in depression, this really is starting to feel like 1932

"The US workforce shrank by 652,000 in June, one of the sharpest contractions ever.
The rate of hourly earnings fell 0.1pc. Wages are flirting with deflation."

This is "hope"?

It certainly is change......

"Why We Hate the Oil Companies"

Book Parties and Festivals - 2010 Book Expo America: Author Interview with John Hofmeister, "Why We Hate the Oil Companies" - Book TV

This is REALLY excellent!
If you want to talk to an expert, a sober thinker on our energy future, take a few minutes to see this video (or read the book).

Had Enough Therapy?: The Hotness Gap

Had Enough Therapy?: The Hotness Gap
"You have to wonder why Baird is so thoroughly out of sorts about hotness gap between Republican and Democratic women, or better, between conservative women and feminists.

Why is she so worried that leftist men are now fantasizing about hot Republican women?

Here's a guess. Feminism and radical leftism has always tried to deal with dissent by making the dissenters into outcasts and pariahs.
If you disagree with the basic dogmas of feminist ideology you will, in many communities, be shunned from polite society."

There are many places in this country where men hesitate to admit that they are Republicans because they will not just lose friends, but they will lose dating opportunities.

Many women openly brag that they will not date Republicans; often they will not even talk with them.

Say something nice about Sarah Palin in many communities and you will immediately be labeled as deranged.

I do not even want to think about what it is going to do to your sex life.

If all women are feminists, then this strategy can work.
But if the most attractive women are Republicans, then it will start breaking down.
If a man had to choose between a fantasy date with Nikki Haley or one with Elena Kagan, which would he choose?
If he had to choose between being married to Sarah Palin or being married to Hillary Clinton, who would he prefer?
 
Read this!

Ken Schram: Gregoire's incredible arrogance

Ken Schram: Gregoire's incredible arrogance KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington Ken Schram
"I don't know why every news organization in the Puget Sound isn't outraged.

Democrat or Republican, I don't know why every news consumer in Puget Sound isn't outraged.

Channel 5 Investigative Reporter Susannah Frame put together a series of stories detailing how the Washington state ferry system is wasting millions and millions of taxpayer dollars."

If Gregoire was a republican would the liberal Washington media be so....compliant?

Local aid cuts hit staff, pay, services in cities and towns

Local aid cuts hit staff, pay, services in cities and towns - The Boston Globe
"Hundreds of city and town employees are being laid off across Massachusetts as the recently signed state budget forces communities to cut back on librarians, police, teachers, and other workers to balance the books."

Progressive Mag Editor Hates Fourth of July: Patriotism Leads to Fascism

Progressive Mag Editor Hates Fourth of July: Patriotism Leads to Fascism NewsBusters.org
"As amazing as it might seem, the 27-year-old Matthew Rothschild was just getting warmed up (h/t Weasel Zippers):

You can call me unpatriotic if you'd like, but really I'm anti-patriotic.
I've been studying fascism lately, and there is one inescapable fact about it:
Nationalism is the egg that hatches fascism.
And patriotism is but the father of nationalism.
Patriotism is not something to play with. It's highly toxic. When ingested, it corrodes the rational faculties. [...]
Plus, it's a war toy, wheeled out whenever a leader needs to improve his ratings by attacking some other country-often after invoking God's name, too. [...]
But as for me, between God, country, and apple pie, I'll take the apple pie."

French parliament to vote on proposed veil ban

French parliament to vote on proposed veil ban - swissinfo
"A French bill to ban full-face veils worn by some Muslim women in public will go to parliament Tuesday, bringing closer a measure which critics argue is hard to enforce and may be unconstitutional."

Veterans Affairs head blasts administration over hospital incident

Veterans Affairs head blasts administration over hospital incident - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
"“It's outrageous, one, that this happens, but even worse is this secretive, almost cover-up mode that they go into when something like this happens,” Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) said on CNN Monday."

No MSM outrage over BarryO's admin....

NASA Chief: Next Frontier Better Relations With Muslim World

FOXNews.com - NASA Chief: Next Frontier Better Relations With Muslim World
"NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a recent interview that his 'foremost' mission as the head of America's space exploration agency is to improve relations with the Muslim world."

Why morning people rule the world

Why morning people rule the world Life & Style
"The problem is that those with the genetic gift of “morning-ness” tend to be more highly rewarded.
Morning-ness is perceived as a sign of activity and zest, whereas evening-ness implies laziness and loafing."

Barack Obama: The great jobs killer

WAYNE ALLYN ROOT: Barack Obama: The great jobs killer - Opinion - ReviewJournal.com
"As former President Ronald Reagan might have said, 'Obama, there you go again.'

The current occupant of the White House claims to know how to create jobs.
He claims jobs have been created.
But so far the score is Great Obama Depression 2.2 million lost jobs, Obama 0 -- a blowout."

Summer meal program called crucial; Michigan kids missing out

Summer meal program called crucial; Michigan kids missing out freep.com Detroit Free Press
"But there's plenty of room to grow, state and local officials say."

Awrightt!!!
Free food 24/7/365 for Barry's kids!
Ain't socialism great!!

A Good Tax Gone Bad?

A Good Tax Gone Bad? [Mackinac Center]
"The two politicians referenced were former state Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, and current state Sen. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland — both of whom voted to create the MBT in June of 2007. Each is now an announced candidate to replace Hoekstra."

Howard Davidowitz: U.S. Economy "Is a Complete Disaster"

Howard Davidowitz: U.S. Economy "Is a Complete Disaster"

The U.S. economy is in shambles and Americans will continue to see high unemployment and lower living standards in the years to come, Howard Davidowitz tells Henry and Aaron in the accompanying clip.

Davidowitz lays much of the blame for the economy's woes at the feet of the Obama administration, which he calls "the worst of my lifetime."

Sunday, July 04, 2010

Plastic Bags: Untapped Tax Gold Mine?

Plastic Bags: Untapped Tax Gold Mine? - ABC News
"Who knew the lightweight disposable sacks, which millions of shoppers use every day to lug home groceries and take-out, could help states bring in much needed revenue.

Starting next year, Seattle residents will pay for disposable bags at stores.

At least, that's what some policymakers have proposed.

Only one US city – Washington, D.C. – has successful instituted a plastic bag tax, but at least 13 other states are considering one."

They will NEVER offer spending cuts!
They will only offer more taxes on the little people!
The democrats/liberals/progressives are the most aggressive cancer on the American lifestyle ever imagined!

Where Did the Tea-Party Anger Come From?

Works and Days » Where Did the Tea-Party Anger Come From?
"But at some point — perhaps triggered by the radical increase in the public sector under Obama, the militancy of the SEIU, or the staggering debts — the public snapped and has had it with whining union officials and their political enablers who always threaten to cut off police and fire protection if we object that there are too many unproductive, unnecessary, but too highly paid employees at the Social Service office. In short, sometime in the last ten years public employees were directly identified with most of what is now unsustainable in the U.S. The old idea that a public servant gave up a competitive salary for job security was redefined as hitting the jackpot."

AP Quietly Lowers the 'Normal' Unemployment Bar to 6%

AP Quietly Lowers the 'Normal' Unemployment Bar to 6% NewsBusters.org
"Those looking for evidence that there is a move afoot in the establishment press to lower the bar for whatever economic accomplishments might be accomplished during the Obama administration will be interested in how the Associated Press's report on the government's June jobs report defined 'normal' unemployment."