Tuesday, June 11, 2013

'Pasha' Dingell and the rise of Washington power

'Pasha' Dingell and the rise of Washington power | The Detroit News:
"Democrats like Dingell position themselves as populist protectors of the common man.
But in truth, the massive regulatory bills that they write inside the D.C. beltway have reduced consumer choice and marginalized small business — while favoring big corporations that can afford the lobbyists necessary to navigate the capital’s thicket of rules."

Allen West Responds to Cosby

Allen West Responds to Cosby: "Cosby had written this:
I’m a Christian. But Muslims are misunderstood. Intentionally misunderstood. We should all be more like them. They make sense, especially with their children. There is no other group like the Black Muslims, who put so much effort into teaching children the right things, they don’t smoke, they don’t drink or overindulge in alcohol, they protect their women, they command respect. And what do these other people do?
They complain about them, they criticize them. We’d be a better world if we emulated them. We don’t have to become black Muslims, but we can embrace the things that work."

Bridging the male education gap

Bridging the male education gap - latimes.com:
"The underinvestment in education by adolescent boys and young men stems in part from out-of-date masculine stereotypes.
Such things as a strong attachment to school, a feeling of closeness to teachers, an excessive interest in high academic achievement or a fondness for art or music are viewed by many young men as unmasculine."

Vitamins: Good or Bad?

Vitamins: Good or Bad? - James Hamblin - The Atlantic:
"Bottom line, we understand the majority of people to be best off without any vitamin supplements.
Just because they are non-prescription and still live inside a "health halo," vitamins are not harmless.
They could shorten or extend your life; at this point, taking vitamins randomly is metabolic roulette. "

Majority Views NSA Phone Tracking as Acceptable Anti-terror Tactic

Majority Views NSA Phone Tracking as Acceptable Anti-terror Tactic | Pew Research Center for the People and the Press:
 "A majority of Americans – 56% – say the National Security Agency’s (NSA) program tracking the telephone records of millions of Americans is an acceptable way for the government to investigate terrorism, though a substantial minority – 41% – say it is unacceptable."

"My Son Almost Drowned"

Weekend Pundit:
"My Son Almost Drowned"

1955 Le Mans Disaster

1955 Le Mans Disaster

Social Security and Medicare Programs Remain on Unsustainable Paths

Social Security and Medicare Programs Remain on Unsustainable Paths | Mercatus:

Clapper: I Gave 'The Least Untruthful Answer' To Wyden's 'Beating Your Wife' Question On Data Surveillance

Clapper: I Gave 'The Least Untruthful Answer' To Wyden's 'Beating Your Wife' Question On Data Surveillance | Techdirt:
AMES CLAPPER:

First-- as I said, I have great respect for Senator Wyden. I thought, though in retrospect, I was asked-- "When are you going to start-- stop beating your wife" kind of question, which is meaning not-- answerable necessarily by a simple yes or no. So I responded in what I thought was the most truthful, or least untruthful manner by saying no.
That's quite an answer. 
First, let's go with the big one: Least untruthful manner? 
In other words, it was a lie, but I could have told bigger lies. 
But he's still admitting that it was a lie. 
Lying to Congress is generally not a good idea. 
Second: in what possible way is "Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?" a loaded question of the "when did you stop beating your wife?" variety? 
There doesn't seem to be any unjustified assumption within the question at all. 
It's a pretty basic question, in which a truthful answer ("yes, we do") does not lead to a fallacious admission. 

So, now we have the Director of National Intelligence lying, admitting to lying, and then blaming the questioner by making two separate false claims about his question ("it was about email" and "it was a loaded question"). Why is he still in this job?

Oregon high school has 29 graduating valedictorians; Welcome to today’s ‘Lake Wobegon’ educational system

Oregon high school has 29 graduating valedictorians; Welcome to today’s ‘Lake Wobegon’ educational system | AEIdeas:

Timelapse: Landsat Satellite Images of Climate Change, via Google Earth Engine

Timelapse: Landsat Satellite Images of Climate Change, via Google Earth Engine

7 Ways to Ensure Your Loved Ones' PC Will Never Need Fixing

7 Ways to Ensure Your Loved Ones' PC Will Never Need Fixing:

State Dept. Inspector General: U.S. Ambassador to Belgium 'Solicited Prostitutes, Including Minors'

State Dept. Inspector General: U.S. Ambassador to Belgium 'Solicited Prostitutes, Including Minors' | The Weekly Standard:
"Undersecretary of State for Management Patrick Kennedy ordered the investigation ceased, and the ambassador remains in place, according to the memo.
Gutman was a big Democratic donor before taking the post, having raised $500,000 for President Obama’s 2008 campaign and helping finance his inaugural."

Plan B: Obama allows morning-after pill for under-17s

Plan B: Obama allows morning-after pill for under-17s | World news | guardian.co.uk:
"Annie Tummino, lead plaintiff and co-ordinator of the National Women's Liberation, said: "This decision by the administration affirms what feminists have been fighting for all along: the morning-after pill should be available to females of all ages, on the shelf at any convenience store, just like aspirin or condoms."
Plan B has been a political lightning rod. In 2011, after the FDA decided to approve over-the-counter sales with no age limits, US health and human services secretary Kathleen Sebelius had ordered it to reverse course, barring girls under 17 from buying the pills without a prescription.
Barack Obama supported that restriction, invoking his daughters.
But the timing, 11 months ahead of the presidential election, sparked criticism that he was trying to placate social conservatives."

IRS to pro-life group (audio): 'Know your boundaries'

Politics: IRS to pro-life group (audio): 'Know your boundaries' | CainTV

Dallas CAIR Director: “Muslims Are Above the Law of the Land.”

Dallas CAIR Director: “Muslims Are Above the Law of the Land.” | FrontPage Magazine

Senate passes five-year, $500 billion farm bill

Senate passes five-year, $500 billion farm bill - Tea Party Command Center:
"Congress moved a step closer toward completing a sweeping five-year, $500 billion farm law Monday night, with the Senate approving legislation that would cut farm subsidies while expanding crop insurance."
$500 billion here, $500 billion there.......

MuskegonPundit: Handy U-Print-It Pocket Guide: Why S.744′s a Fraud

MuskegonPundit: Handy U-Print-It Pocket Guide: Why S.744′s a Fraud
Handy U-Print-It Pocket Guide: Why S.744′s a Fraud | The Daily Caller
“Multiple triggers”/Legalization is immediate. DHS just has to write border “plan.” The most any “triggers” can possibly do is delay green cards and citizenship.
“90 % effectiveness”/ If not reached, triggers only toothless commission
“Pay back taxes”/ Only if already “assessed” by IRS (unlikely). Newly legalized may instead get refunds.
“Learn English”/ Only need to sign up for English class.
“Clean record”/ Allows two free misdemeanors. Additional misdemeanors (including assaults) can be waived by DHS.
No “public charge.” Must earn 125% of poverty line / They’re going to deport people who earn only 124% or less? Ha.
“Pay a fine”/ Can be waived by DHS
“Back of the line”/ Get to wait out the line while living in the U.S (unlike suckers trying to come here legally).
Border fence/ Leaves it up to DHS, which decided not to complete fence in first place
“Comprehensive Southern Border Security Strategy”/ Only has to be “substantially” operational–whatever that means, as defined by DHS–before green cards are issued. (Legalization has already happened, remember!)
“E-verify” employment checks/ Replaces E-Verify with new system. Requires only that this system be “implemented” ( 30%? 70%? Who knows?). Subject to lawsuit. If still in court after 10 years, never mind!
Entry-exit system for visas/Has been required since 1996. DHS must only be “using” a system before green cards can be issued. (Using in 10% of airports? 50%? Again, who knows?)

The Jobs Report Covering May 2013: About As Good As It Is Going To Get And Still Too Insufficient By Far

The Jobs Report Covering May 2013: About As Good As It Is Going To Get And Still Too Insufficient By Far « naked capitalism: "The U-6
The BLS’ broader measure of un- and under employment, the U-6, decreased, seasonally adjusted 0.1% to 13.8%.
Unadjusted, it was unchanged at 13.4%.

Seasonally adjusted, the U-6 is composed of 11.760 million unemployed, 7.904 million involuntary part time workers, and 2.164 million of the marginally attached (those who have no job but looked for work in the last year but not the last month), or 21.828 million total, a decrease of 94,000 from April."

Hundreds in government had advance word of Medicare action at heart of trading-spike probe

Hundreds in government had advance word of Medicare action at heart of trading-spike probe - The Washington Post: Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) told The Washington Post late last week that his office reviewed the e-mail records of employees at the Department of Health and Human Services and found that 436 of them had early access to the Medicare decision as much as two weeks before it was made public."

Bill Clinton to be honored as 'Father of the Year'

Bill Clinton to be honored as 'Father of the Year' - TODAY.com:
"The non-profit National Father's Day Council plans to award him that honor at a New York fundraiser for Save the Children on Tuesday."

Monday, June 10, 2013

How Many Amnestied Illegals Will There Be in Your State?

How Many Amnestied Illegals Will There Be in Your State? | Center for Immigration Studies:
"Projected Size of Amnesty Population and Current Number of Unemployed
(By states and territories. See text for definitions, sources, and methodology)"

Outrage: Paris Museum Glorifies Palestinian Terrorists

Outrage: Paris Museum Glorifies Palestinian Terrorists | HonestReporting
 "An outrageous new “art” exhibit, which refers to Israel as a “colonial power” and Palestinian terrorists as “fighters” and “victims of the Israeli military,” has opened in a museum in Paris. 
Suicide bombers are referred to as “militants” who heroically set out to “assassinate Israelis.”
According to the JTA, the exhibition of 68 photos entitled “Death” by Ahlam Shibli opened on May 28 at the Jeu de Paume museum of contemporary art in Paris.
The museum is subsidized by the French government."

GM to lay off 560 at Romulus plant

GM to lay off 560 at Romulus plant | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
"During the layoffs, about 430 full-time workers will get unemployment and supplemental pay worth about 75% of their wages. 
Another 130 temporary workers will lose their jobs."

Source -- USC Trojans extend offer to Nathan Tilford, 8th-grade wide receiver - ESPN Los Angeles

Source -- USC Trojans extend offer to Nathan Tilford, 8th-grade wide receiver - ESPN Los Angeles
"Class of 2017 receiver Nathan Tilford (Upland, Calif./Upland) has yet to play a down of high school football, but the spotlight already is shining brightly on him."
8th grader!

MORE THOUGHTS ON THAT DUMB TOY-GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM

Instapundit » Blog Archive » MORE THOUGHTS ON THAT DUMB TOY-GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM: 
Is there any evidence that all those kids with their Daniel Boone caps and play rifles in the 50s grew up to be mass murderers?
How about my generation with our cap guns?
Perhaps Mr. Hill and the gang at Strobridge Elementary should be focusing on academics and not the firearms bugaboo.
After all, a quick search of the California Department of Education web site shows Strobridge to be a 1/1 school. 
The first 1 means that, in terms of academic performance, their school is in the lowest decile of all schools in California. 
The second 1 means that if, instead of being compared to all schools in the state, they’re only compared to schools with similar demographics, they’re still in the bottom decile.
Actually, given this information, it’s now obvious why they’d rather focus on toy guns.

Yeah, whenever government focuses on stuff like this, it’s basically a tipoff that they’re failing at their actual jobs.
Posted by Glenn Reynolds at 8:03 am"

Handy U-Print-It Pocket Guide: Why S.744′s a Fraud

Handy U-Print-It Pocket Guide: Why S.744′s a Fraud | The Daily Caller
“Multiple triggers”/Legalization is immediate. DHS just has to write border “plan.”  The most any “triggers” can possibly do is delay green cards and citizenship.
“90 % effectiveness”/ If not reached, triggers only toothless commission
“Pay back taxes”/ Only if already “assessed” by IRS (unlikely). Newly legalized may instead get refunds.
“Learn English”/ Only need to sign up for English class.
“Clean record”/ Allows two free misdemeanors. Additional misdemeanors (including assaults) can be waived by DHS.
No “public charge.” Must earn 125% of poverty line / They’re going to deport people who earn only 124% or less? Ha.
“Pay a fine”/ Can be waived by DHS
“Back of the line”/ Get to wait out the line while living in the U.S (unlike suckers trying to come here legally).
Border fence/ Leaves it up to DHS, which decided not to complete fence in first place
“Comprehensive Southern Border Security Strategy”/ Only has to be “substantially” operational–whatever that means, as defined by DHS–before green cards are issued. (Legalization has already happened, remember!)
“E-verify” employment checks/ Replaces E-Verify with new system. Requires only that this system be “implemented” ( 30%? 70%? Who knows?).  Subject to lawsuit. If still in court after 10 years, never mind!
Entry-exit system for visas/Has been required since 1996. DHS must only be “using” a system before green cards can be issued. (Using in 10% of airports? 50%? Again, who knows?)

Obama Is Just Obama

Works and Days » Obama Is Just Obama:
"Suddenly, half the country is upset with Obama for the recent flurry of scandals.
Even some in the media are perplexed.
Why the sudden angst, given that Obama is simply being Obama? 
We, not he, changed the rules."

Keep Your Long Flannel Underwear: Climate Scientists Predict Hell To Freeze Over!

Keep Your Long Flannel Underwear: Climate Scientists Predict Hell To Freeze Over! - Forbes:
"If the notion of global warming has gotten you all hot and bothered, here’s something to really worry about. What if just the opposite is occurring and global temperatures not only continue to remain flat, but get much colder for a very long time?
In fact, that’s exactly what some highly-credentialed and well-informed scientists are predicting."