All posts by Chief

Glowbull Warming

EPA Junks Science at Work

EPA Proposal: Help Environment Or Increase Costs?

The government is considering a plan that could help the environment, but some say it could also hurt your budget.

Two things here: (1) It WILL hurt your budget (and the economy, employment, etc.) (2) It won’t make any real difference in the environment. Over geologioc time, there is NO noticeable correlation between climate and CO2:

paleocarbon Notice the WIDE variations between the temperature and CO2 fluctuations? If CO2 level drove temperature, as CO2 increased, so would temperature. This just is NOT present in the data!  Nonetheless…

The Environmental Protection Agency wants to require large industrial facilities to get more permits if they emit more greenhouse gases. The plan targets power plants, refineries, even ethanol plants.

The EPA’s proposal would cap greenhouse gas emissions at 25 thousand tons of carbon dioxide a year. The EPA says it would mean a healthier environment, economy, and future for America. But some Republicans including Senator John Thune disagree.

Good for them.  The Chief also disagrees in MANY ways!

Look at the list of South Dakota facilities that emitted more than 25 thousand tons of carbon dioxide last year in the table from the SD DENR lin the article linked from the header.  Note that it hits a number of “green” facilities.

The Chief’s recommendation:

: Stop Exhale

Obamunism

Donks Clearing Way for Middle Class Tax Increases

The Donkey party is throwing over another of B.O.’s repeated solemn pledges.

Senate Finance Committee dumps Obama’s tax promise

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, which is considering President Obama’s health insurance reform plan, has voted down an amendment which provides that “no tax, fee or penalty imposed by this legislation shall be applied to any individual earning less than $200,000 per year or any couple earning less than $250,000 per year.” [emphasis added]

You might recall that President Obama promised no tax increases whatsoever, of any kind, on earners making less than those amounts. But don’t bet on him to veto this bill.

The committee vote on the amendment, proposed by Republicans Mike Crapo (Idaho) and Pat Roberts (Kan.), was 11 in favor, and 12 against. All Republicans and one Democrat voted in favor of the amendment. All 12 opposed were Democrats.

DANGER!  BEWARE of PICKPOCKETS
Ladies: Carry your purses tucked under your arms, with the strap over your shoulder.
Men: Do not carry wallet in your rear hip pocket.
Be alert at all times!

Uncategorized

How to Handle Terrs

Farmer’s daughter disarms terrorist and shoots him dead with AK47

An Indian farmer’s daughter disarmed a terrorist leader who broke into her home, attacked him with an axe and shot him dead with his own gun.

Rukhsana Kausar, 21, was with her parents and brother in Jammu and Kashmir when three gunmen, believed to be Pakistani militants, forced their way in and demanded food and beds for the night.

THis was apparently S.O.P. for the local terrs. They picked the wrong place this time:

When they forced their way into Miss Kausar’s home, her father Noor Mohammad refused their demands and was attacked.

His daughter was hiding under a bed when she heard him crying as the gunmen thrashed him with sticks. According to police, she ran towards her father’s attacker and struck him with an axe. As he collapsed, she snatched his AK47 and shot him dead. She also shot and wounded another militant as he made his escape.

Score one for the good guys & gals!

Uncategorized

B.O.’s Bipartisanship? Missing in Action

Cantor: Obama’s not met with GOP leaders since May

President Obama has cut off communication with Republican leaders, going more than four months without hosting the bipartisan congressional leadership at the White House to discuss his health care proposal, the No. 2 Republican in the House said Wednesday.

Minority Whip Eric Cantor, Virginia Republican, told The Washington Times that health care reform has been an “utter disaster” for Mr. Obama and predicted if he pushes through a public option as part of a final bill, Republicans will win back at least one chamber of Congress in the 2010 elections.

Mr. Cantor said Mr. Obama initially asked for Republican help on health care, but Republicans have heard nothing since they offered their ideas.

“No matter what the cry is from the White House, no matter what the president claims, they have not engaged with us,” he said.

Hey!  Wadda ya want!  That ain’t da Chicago way!

Culture Wars

Do the Crime, Do the Time!

Polanski case sparks noisy culture debate

“The arrest of Roman Polanski in a neutral country, where he assumed he could travel without hindrance, … opens the way for actions of which no one can know the effects,” the petition said.

Outspoken celebrities have been caught up in their own skirmishes as the Polanski case has escalated. Comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg – who remarked on ABC’s “The View” that the incident was not ” ‘rape’ rape” – now has her own critics.

“Just for the record, rape is rape. This is one Hollywood star who does not celebrate or defend Roman Polanski. His art did not rape her,” countered actress Kirstie Alley in a Twitter message to her fans.

Who or rather what is this thing that asserts that an individual who drugs a 13-year-old girl, and then “has sex” with her should take a pass and escape from the consequences of his act, just because he has managed to evade capture for so long?

There is (or at least was…we haven’t found out which yet) a principle of equal justice. If some poor schlub had done this, he would have been in jail doin’ the time. Just because someone is in the Hollywood glitterati, the Chief doesn’t know of any legal exemption from the laws and consequences that the rest of us are subject to.

A growing number of critics do not appear ready to forgive Polanski.

Carol Jenkins, president of the Womens Media Center, an activist group originally founded by Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda, called on the media “to focus their coverage of Roman Polanskis recent arrest where it belongs: on the crime he committed, the rape of a child.”

“Too often, the media is complicit in misrepresenting or silencing the victims of sexual assault,” she said.

“The rape of a child is at the heart of the case,” Ms. Jenkins added. “That is not disputed, and should not be represented as subjective.”

Dang! Must be pretty cold today down in hell…the Chief agrees with Ms. Steinem’s group?

Even the Frogs have figured this one out:

The French government, which initially expressed outrage over the arrest, has since adopted a more neutral line. “Roman Polanski is neither above nor beneath the law,” government spokesman Luc Chatel said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Prison cell, perv H’wood director:  some assembly required.

Uncategorized

Obamacare SITREP

[note: SITREP – handy Naval Jargon for “Situation Report”]

Several things happening relating to this.

First, contrary to B.O.’s (and others) assurances to the contrary, a bunch of the Donkey Party are pushing for THIS:
Liberals seek health-care access for illegals

Fearful that they’re losing ground on immigration and health care…

Fortunately they ARE!

…a group of House Democrats is pushing back and arguing that any health care bill should extend to all legal immigrants and allow illegal immigrants some access.

The Democrats, trying to stiffen their party’s spines on the contentious issue, say it’s unfair to bar illegal immigrants from paying their own way in a government-sponsored exchange. Legal immigrants, they say, regardless of how long they’ve been in the United States, should be able to get government-subsidized health care if they meet the other eligibility requirements.

Yep! Sure enough…you just KNEW that this was going to be on the agenda!

Meanwhile, down south in Georgia, a donk popped his cord when a constituent Doctor had the temerity to question him in a forum meeting:

Georgia Democrat yells at local doctor over health care

Tensions are running so high at town hall meetings that Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, yelled at a local doctor concerned about health care after mistaking him for an “astroturf” political operative looking for a fight.

Mr. Scott became visibly agitated when one of his constituents, a practicing doctor, asked a few questions about health care reform during a town hall meeting. The meeting was held to discuss a road project, but was opened up for questions near the end.

Oh my! Touchy touchy!

And finally…things are so riled up the Donks are unable to manage things they way the leadership would like to, even when they have the numbers to totally rule the legislative roost:

Senate panel rejects public option twice
Democrats defect in large numbers, complicating reform

In a long-awaited fight that pitted Democrats against one another, liberal lawmakers failed twice Tuesday to insert a government-run health insurance program into the emerging Senate health care reform bill but vowed that the battle for a public option is far from over.

Republicans immediately hailed the Senate Finance Committee showdown votes as proof that the public option was dead. But the White House said the panel’s slow slog to produce a bill was building momentum for reform on Capitol Hill, with four other House and Senate committees already having approved versions of the bill.

Uncategorized

One to Watch

High court to look at local gun control laws

The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether strict local and state gun control laws violate the Second Amendment, ensuring another high-profile battle over the rights of gun owners.

The court said it will review a lower court ruling that upheld a handgun ban in Chicago. Gun rights supporters challenged gun laws in Chicago and some suburbs immediately following the high court’s decision in June 2008 that struck down a handgun ban in the District of Columbia, a federal enclave.

The new case tests whether last year’s ruling applies as well to local and state laws.

The Chief unashamedly hopes that the 2nd amendment will prevail again.

Uncategorized

…Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine

Al Qaeda Bombers Learn from Drug Smugglers
New Technique of Storing Bomb Materials Inside Body Cavity Nearly Kills a Saudi Prince

Al Qaeda has developed a new tactic that allows suicide bombers to breach even the tightest security, as CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar reports.

Inside a Saudi palace, the scene was the bloody aftermath of an al Qaeda attack in August aimed at killing Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, head of Saudi Arabia’s counter terrorism operations.

To get his bomb into this room, Abdullah Asieri, one of Saudi Arabia’s most wanted men, avoided detection by two sets of airport security including metal detectors and palace security. He spent 30 hours in the close company of the prince’s own secret service agents – all without anyone suspecting a thing.

How did he do it?

Taking a trick from the narcotics trade – which has long smuggled drugs in body cavities – Asieri had a pound of high explosives, plus a detonator inserted in his rectum.

The piece goes on to note that the final detonation was likely triggered by a cell text message…

Other than the obvious security (and other) nightmares this technique suggests, there are (unfortunately) a whole series of additional comments that this situation lends itself to. Use your own imagination…the Chief will go no further.

Defense Matters!, National Insecurity

Building a Big Stick

US giant bunker-buster bomb project rushed since Iran’s Qom site discovered

The Pentagon has brought forward to December 2009 the target-date for producing the first 15-ton super bunker-buster bomb (GBU-57A/B) Massive Ordinance Penetrator, which can reach a depth of 60.09 meters underground before exploding. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that top defense agencies and air force units were also working against the clock to adapt the bay of a B2a Stealth bomber for carrying and delivering the bomb.

30,000 pounds?!  Uff da!

Congress has since quietly inserted the necessary funding in the 2009 budget.

Dang! Who’d have thought Congress could do anything besides increase taxes or pass new restrictive regulations QUIETLY?

All this urgency indicates that the Obama administration has been preparing military muscle to back up the international condemnation of Iran’s concealed nuclear bomb program, its sanctions threat and his willingness to join the negotiations with Iran opening on Oct. 1 in Geneva. Tehran may have to take into account a possible one-time surgical strike against its underground enrichment facility as a warning shot should its defiance continue. In particular, the world powers this week demanded that Iran open up all its nuclear facilities and programs to full and immediate international inspection. Failure to do so could bring forth further US military action.

A LIGHT IN THE FOREST? This could be a sign of the survival of SOME rationality in the White House.  One can only hope!

According to our military sources, the earliest date for the accelerated Pentagon program to produce a super bunker buster bomb mounted on a stealth bomber is December 2009 or January 2010. This too is three years ahead of its original schedule.

How could this have been speeded up three years early? Samuel Johnson’s observation comes to mind: “Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.”

Stay tuned.

Junk Science

Your Tax Dollars at…not exactly WORK!

Remember…THESE are the same folks doling out the junk-science grants that AlGor and his ilk use to justify cramming “Cap and Trade Tax” down our throats that will raise more taxes, to fund more “science” to justify more taxes and regulation, to…you can get the picture.

Porn surfing rampant at U.S. science foundation

Employee misconduct investigations, often involving workers accessing pornography from their government computers, grew sixfold last year inside the taxpayer-funded foundation that doles out billions of dollars of scientific research grants, according to budget documents and other records obtained by The Washington Times.

How bad could it be? Pretty bad:

For instance, one senior executive spent at least 331 days looking at pornography on his government computer and chatting online with nude or partially clad women without being detected, the records show.

When finally caught, the NSF official retired. He even offered, among other explanations, a humanitarian defense, suggesting that he frequented the porn sites to provide a living to the poor overseas women. Investigators put the cost to taxpayers of the senior official’s porn surfing at between $13,800 and about $58,000.  “He explained that these young women are from poor countries and need to make money to help their parents and this site helps them do that,” investigators wrote in a memo.

That is no doubt chump change to the NSF b’crats, but it sure seems like a significant amount if it were in the Chief’s family budget!  As far as his rationalization goes…takes your breath away doesn’t it!

In the words of the late Warren Zevon: “It ain’t that pretty at all!”

SD Politics

Hey Guys & Gals: It’s OUR Money!

Hard-pressed leaders pass nuisance taxes

THEY’RE hard pressed?!?!?! What about US?

State and local governments are raising taxes and inventing new ones as they scramble to balance their budgets even as the nation’s economy begins to emerge from the deepest recession in seven decades.

State budgets typically take a year or two to reflect improvements in the national economy, the National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Governors Association explained in its latest fiscal survey of states. The report warned that “state fiscal conditions will remain weak in fiscal 2010 and likely into fiscal years 2011 and 2012.”

So, brace yourselves for a deluge of nuisance taxes, sin taxes and “fees,” limited only by the imagination of revenue-starved governors, mayors and legislators.

Wait! Here’s an alternative to try out: STOP SPENDING MONEY!

When us normal (come on, give me the benefit of the doubt!) folks get short on money.,.we have to cut back spending, and perhaps even do without something we would like. MAYBE our government at ALL LEVELS could try this out for a a change!?

What a concept!

Something to keep in mind when the next session up at Pierre opens up.

Defense Matters!, National Insecurity

B.O. Fecklessness (As Usual)

Barack Obama and the CIA: why does President Pantywaist hate America so badly?

This is a tough article to post…the Chief finds it really hard to pick out particularly pithy segments to illustrate the main point…the whole thing is pithy!

…but anyway – here’s a taste of it anyway:

Obama’s problem is that he does not know who the enemy is. To him, the enemy does not squat in caves in Waziristan, clutching automatic weapons and reciting the more militant verses from the Koran: instead, it sits around at tea parties in Kentucky quoting from the US Constitution. Obama is not at war with terrorists, but with his Republican fellow citizens.

Go and read the whole thing. IMHO it’s worth the look at the reasoning that leads, one fears inevitably, to this rational conclusion:

President Pantywaist’s recent world tour, cosying up to all the bad guys, excited the ambitions of America’s enemies. Here, they realised, is a sucker they can really take to the cleaners. His only enemies are fellow Americans. Which prompts the question: why does President Pantywaist hate America so badly?

Uncategorized

Now You See It – Now You Don’t!

John Kerry: ‘Cap-and-trade’ is out

…er…not quite, unfortunately.

Democrats are trying yet another name change in their quest to cripple the American economy with greenhouse gas regulations.

Sen. John Kerry announced last week that the Senate climate bill due out this week will be a “pollution reduction” bill not a “cap-and-trade” bill. According to E&E Daily, Kerry said,

SHAZAM! Call it something different, and hope the rubes step up to the table for another try at finding what cup the bean is hidden under:

So the Democrats have gone from “global warming” to “climate change” to “clean energy” because the public doesn’t buy what they’re selling. Now they’re jettisoning “cap-and-trade” hoping that some other name will stick to the wall.

While Democrats can call economically disastrous carbon caps whatever they want, they can’t buff the cap-and-trade turd or any other carbon cap regime into a public policy popsicle.

Reminds once again that there were good reasons Kerry didn’t get elected to the White House.

Constitution Watch

Constitution? FCC Czar? Contradiction!

‘Diversity czar’ takes heat over remarks

President Obama’s diversity czar at the Federal Communications Commission has spoken publicly of getting white media executives to “step down” in favor of minorities, prescribed policies to make liberal talk radio more successful, and described Hugo Chavez’s rise to power in Venezuela “an incredible revolution.”

Mark Lloyd’s provocative comments – most made during a tenure at the liberal Center for American Progress think tank – are giving fodder to critics who say Mr. Obama has appointed too many “czars” to government positions that don’t require congressional approval. They are also worrying to some conservatives who fear the FCC might use its powers to remove their competitive advantage on talk radio and television.

This stuff is particularly critical due to the attack on the First Amendment that would result from these policies.

Many of the remarks have been unearthed by conservative-leaning writers and bloggers and discussed on cable television amid a broader critique of Mr. Obama’s penchant for czars that exploded with the ouster this month of “green jobs czar” Van Jones.

In one of his more eye-opening comments, Mr. Lloyd praised Mr. Chavez during a June 2008 conference on media reform, saying the authoritarian Venezuelan president had led “really an incredible revolution – a democratic revolution.”

In a video clip of the conference that has been aired by Fox News personality Glenn Beck and others, Mr. Lloyd seems be siding with the anti-American leader against independent media outlets in his own country, some of which supported a short-lived coup against Mr. Chavez in 2002.

“The property owners and the folks who then controlled the media in Venezuela rebelled – worked, frankly, with folks here in the U.S. government – worked to oust him,” Mr. Lloyd said. “But he came back with another revolution, and then Chavez began to take very seriously the media in his country.”

Doesn’t ANYBODY in the White house pay any attention to the Constitution? Never mind. We already KNOW the sad answer to that one.

Uncategorized

Iranians Un-prepare for Possible Air Strike

Iran loses its only AWACS as Ahmadinejad threatens the world

Up above a big military parade in Tehran on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as Iranian president declared Iran’s armed forces would “chop off the hands” of any power daring to attack his country, two air force jets collided in mid-air. One was Iran’s only airborne warning and control system (AWACS) for coordinating long-distance aerial operations, DEBKAfile’s military and Iranian sources disclose.

The proud military parade, which included a march-past, a line of Shehab-3 missiles and an air force fly-past, was planned to give Ahmadinejad a dazzling send-off for New York and add steel to his UN Assembly speech Wednesday.

Dubbed “Simorgh” (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in mid-flight), the AWACS’ appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for the Iranian Air force’s fly-past over the parade. Instead, it collided with one of escorting planes, a US-made F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmen were killed.

AND – To add insult to injury:

Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes landed on the mausoleum burial site of the Islamic revolution’s founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine.

Dare one suggest something about a “bad omen” for Ahmahdinejad Ah’m-mad-on-jihad, the Iranian neo-Hitler since this effectively will greatly aid if/when Israel strikes against the Iranian nuke.

Constitution Watch, Culture Wars, Obamunism

Towards a State-Controlled Media

Obama open to newspaper bailout bill

The president said he is “happy to look at” bills before Congress that would give struggling news organizations tax breaks if they were to restructure as nonprofit businesses.

Oh joy! Not only would we be subjected to the prevailing MSM tilt to the left, they would add injury to the insult by forcing us to pay for media crap that we don’t want!

They would LOVE the chance to be able to continue to indulge their political whims independent of the market pressure that is currently going through the process of rejecting their unashamedly biased stance as indicated my massive losses in advertising and subscription income.

“I haven’t seen detailed proposals yet, but I’ll be happy to look at them,” Obama told the editors of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Toledo Blade in an interview.

Sure he would – for the same reasons.

Obama said that good journalism is “critical to the health of our democracy,” but expressed concern toward growing tends in reporting — especially on political blogs, from which a groundswell of support for his campaign emerged during the presidential election.

Right – good journalism IS critical…but to assert that the MSM is good journalism is laughably surreal.

“I am concerned that if the direction of the news is all blogosphere, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a lot of mutual understanding,” he said.

Fact checking? Hmmmm. Like CBS & Dan Rather CONTINUING to insist that a blatantly forged document provides valid information about President Bush? Or like maybe NBC using incendiary devices to set vehicles on fire in an “investigative report” on auto engineering safety?  Or how about most recently…with virtually ALL of the so-called “mainstream media” ignoring the exposure of widespread promotion of criminality by B.O.’s favorite ACORN, until the stench got so great that they were literally FORCED to take notice?

THIS is “fact checking”? This is supposed to be journalism worthy of being supported by tax dollars?

There IS a part of the Constitution that addresses free press…but it does NOT contain a clause that GUARANTEES that just because you print a newspaper that anyone will bother to read it…or, for that matter, that one is guaranteed the right to make a living at writing and publishing crap that is inaccurate, incomplete, and often offensive and directly opposed to the values and interests of the POTENTIAL readership or audience.

Let ’em join the fate of the buggy-whip manufacturers if they can’t make it on their own!

The alternative is to turn the media icons of the liberal establishment into the American equivalent of the old Soviet Isvestia and Pravda, or the Nazi Volkishcher Beobachter – dedicated solely to the service of the state.

Defense Matters!, National Insecurity, Obamunism

B.O. Rolled by Putin on Missile Defense

1 Comment

Given what any thinking person knows about B.O.’s history, associations, and evident ideological orientation, this is no surprise, but nevertheless is still regretable.

U.S. Shelves Nuclear-Missile Shield

The White House will shelve Bush administration plans to build a missile-defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, a move likely to cheer Moscow and roil the security debate in Europe.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed Thursday that a “major adjustment” is planned and said the decision was made to better protect U.S. forces and allies in Europe from Iranian missile attacks.

Let me try to parse this: we are canceling missile defense sites to better protect us and our allies from Iranian missiles…HUH? Logic check anyone?

The U.S. is basing its move on a determination that Iran’s long-range-missile program hasn’t progressed as rapidly as previously estimated, reducing the threat to the continental U.S. and major European capitals, according to current and former U.S. officials.

At least until the next Korean or bootleg Russian shipment makes port…

Now at least the Russians will play nicer though, right?

Russia on Thursday welcomed the news but said it saw no reason to offer concessions in return….”The Bush plans on the missile defense as we knew them until now were nothing more than a provocation of security in the European region,” said Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in a phone interview.

So, from their point of view, the U.S. has been a paper tiger all along…and B.O. has now officially confirmed this to be the case.

Meanwhile…what about the other Euro allies left swinging in the breeze?

Anger in Europe as Barack Obama ‘scraps missile defence shield’

The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is to shelve the plan, which was first mooted by the Bush administration and has been a source of friction with Russia ever since.

The move would be a cause of celebration in Moscow but of real concern to Eastern European countries which have looked to Washington for support against their former imperial master Russia. The US has said the shield is to guard against attacks by rogue states, such as Iran.

The former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said: “This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence. It puts us in a position wherein we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that’s a certain threat.”

Not good for the U.S. and the west, as noted in the Brit press:

Barack Obama surrenders to Russia on Missile Defence

I blogged a couple of weeks ago that the Obama administration was about to abandon its plans for Third Site missile defence installations in Poland and the Czech Republic. I wrote then that “if enacted, this would represent a huge turnaround in American strategic thinking on a global missile defence system, and a massive betrayal of two key US allies in eastern and central Europe. Such a move would significantly weaken America’s ability to combat the growing threat posed by Iran’s ballistic missile program, and would hand a major propaganda victory to the Russians.”

It now looks as though the president has surrendered to Russian demands to kill off Third Site.

After noting some more about the details of B.O.’s capitulation to the will of the the ex-KGB enforcer Putin, the real kernal of this all is summed up thusly:

This is bad news for all who care about the US commitment to the transatlantic alliance and the defence of Europe as well as the United States. It represents the appalling appeasement of Russian aggression and a willingness to sacrifice American allies on the altar of political expediency. A deal with the Russians to cancel missile defence installations sends a clear message that even Washington can be intimidated by the Russian bear.

What signal does this send to Ukraine, Georgia and a host of other former Soviet satellites who look to America and NATO for protection from their powerful neighbour? The impending cancellation of Third Site is a shameful abandonment of America’s friends in eastern and central Europe, and a slap in the face for those who actually believed a key agreement with Washington was worth the paper it was written on.

B.O.’s foriegn policy looks more and more like Carter’s 2nd term.

Uncategorized

Economy Recovering or Not so Fast?

Probably not…First the optimism:

Recovery Rally Rolls On

Bernanke, Data Boost Stocks

The markets received a rhetorical lift from Bernanke, who after giving a speech said, “the recession is very likely over at this point.”

“He’s a man who is very cautious in his commentary. He tends to really avoid extreme statements,” said Kenny. “If he’s saying we’re out of the recession, then we’re well out of the recession. This is the most positive he’s been.”

How solid is this? Apparently not too solid.

…Bernanke also warned that “it’s still going to feel like a very weak economy for some time.”

Meanwhile, on a less optimistic note, are these reports from across the big pond of some things that are contra-indicators of an incipient economic boostsomehow overlooked in the US government-affiliated mainstream media:

US credit shrinks at Great Depression rate prompting fears of double-dip recession

Professor Tim Congdon from International Monetary Research said US bank loans have fallen at an annual pace of almost 14pc in the three months to August (from $7,147bn to $6,886bn).

“There has been nothing like this in the USA since the 1930s,” he said. “The rapid destruction of money balances is madness.” The M3 “broad” money supply, watched as an early warning signal for the economy a year or so later, has been falling at a 5pc annual rate.

Similar concerns have been raised by David Rosenberg, chief strategist at Gluskin Sheff, who said that over the four weeks up to August 24, bank credit shrank at an “epic” 9pc annual pace, the M2 money supply shrank at 12.2pc and M1 shrank at 6.5pc.

“For the first time in the post-WW2 [Second World War] era, we have deflation in credit, wages and rents and, from our lens, this is a toxic brew,” he said.

And the point is?

US banks are cutting lending by around 1pc a month. A similar process is occurring in the eurozone, where private sector credit has been contracting and M3 has been flat for almost a year.

Mr Congdon said IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is wrong to argue that the history of financial crises shows that “speedy recovery” depends on “cleansing banks’ balance sheets of toxic assets”. “The message of all financial crises is that policy-makers’ priority must be to stop the quantity of money falling and, ideally, to get it rising again,” he said.

He predicted that the Federal Reserve and other central banks will be forced to engage in outright monetisation of government debt by next year, whatever they say now.

Debt monetisation is basically using newly created money to pay of previously existing debts. In other words, HIGH inflation.

Another more obscure sign that the U.S. and global economy both are all not operating up top speed, and will not be for a while yet:

Revealed: The ghost fleet of the recession

The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination – and is why your Christmas stocking may be on the light side this year.

You have to see this article to get a real feel for what they’re talking about, so take alook.

The photos of the laid-up ships looks like the D-Day invasion fleet, which impression is reinforced by satellite position location charts.

This is interesting, and the logic is inescapable…if the goods aren’t being shipped NOW, they won’t be in the stores for Christmas, and if they aren’t in the stores for Christmas, then obviously they won’t be sold. Doesn’t look too good for consumer demand. This CANNOT change…the orders haven’t been placed, and the ships are out of service as a result.

Worth noting once again that none of this is being currently covered in the US state-influenced Main Stream Media.

Uncategorized

Chief Agrees with B.O.

1 Comment

Obama Calls Kanye ‘Jackass’

ABC’s Terry Moran set the Twitter-sphere all aflutter when he wrote:

We’ve reached out to Moran and will update this post when we learn more.

Now, an ABC spokesperson explains to POLITICO what happened:

“In the process of reporting on remarks by President Obama that were made during a CNBC interview, ABC News employees prematurely tweeted a portion of those remarks that turned out to be from an off-the-record portion of the interview. This was done before our editorial process had been completed. That was wrong. We apologize to the White House and CNBC and are taking steps to ensure that it will not happen again.”

The White House had no immediate comment.

Finally!  Something that The One has said that the Chief wholeheartedly agrees with!

Uncategorized

U.S. Loses Control on Texas Border

Texas governor sends Rangers to Mexico border
Perry accuses federal government of failing to ‘adequately secure’ zone

Special teams of Texas Rangers will be deployed to the Texas-Mexico border to deal with increasing violence because the federal government has failed to address growing problems there, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday.

“It is an expansive effort with the Rangers playing a more high-profile role than they’ve ever played before,” Perry said of the Department of Public Safety’s elite investigative unit.

The forces, dubbed “Ranger recon” teams, are the latest effort “to fill the gap that’s been left by the federal government’s ongoing failure to adequately secure our international border with Mexico,” he said.

Like they say…”Don’t mess with Texas!”

National Insecurity

B.O. Rolled by NorKs

US Shifts Policy, Willing to Meet 1-on-1 With North Korea

The US shifted its policy today, saying it is now willing to meet one on one with North Korea if that is helpful to bring Pyongyang back to the nuclear negotiations.

US envoy Stephen Bosworth got the green light from the other members of the 6-party talks, negotiations to rid Pyongyang of its nuclear program, during meetings in the region in recent days.

B.O. has basically rolled over to a longstanding demand of the Stalinistic People’s Republic of Korea. He must have been impressed that Bubba was able to get the two arrested reporters sprung from the NorK GULAG, and figured that he owed them this respect.

Oooops! Looks like the NorKs don’t care anymore:

Speaking on background, a senior US official said: “Our assessment, after consulting with the other parties in the six-party process, is that if a bilateral discussion can be an effective mechanism to get North Korea to come back to the six-party process… so that we can remind them of what their obligations are and to push them to take affirmative steps… then that would be a potentially useful step.”

North Korea has recently said it will never return to the nuke talks… so is there an expectation now that they might?

“We’ll wait and see,” the senior official said.

The Chief won’t hold his breath while the State Department’s “Foggy Bottom Boys” are waiting to see.

Uncategorized

Right Wing Bomb Threat!

Oh,  – it was the right wingers who were threatened with a bomb.

Bomb Threat Forces Evacuation of DC TEA Party Planners

On the eve of what organizers call a ‘Big Ol’ TEA Party’, the Washington, D.C., offices of FreedomWorks were evacuated by DC Metro police on Friday afternoon after the conservative organization reported to authorities at 3:42 pm ET that it had received a bomb threat.

Domestic terrorism? Once again evidently from the left.

Uncategorized

It’s 9-11

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?

national_park_service_9-11_statue_of_liberty_and_wtc_fire.jpg

I hear people saying we don’t need this war
But, I say there’s some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground
We didn’t get to keep ’em by backing down
They say we don’t realize the mess we’re getting in
Before you start your preaching let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And you say we shouldn’t worry ’bout bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it’s too disturbing for you and me
It’ll just breed anger that’s what the experts say
If it was up to me I’d show it everyday
Some say this country’s just out looking for a fight
Well, after 9/11 man I’d have to say that’s right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day?
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside going thru a living hell
And we vowed to get the ones behind bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I’ve been there with the soldiers
Who’ve gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they’re fighting for

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Yeah, some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost and those left to carry on
Don’t you tell me not to worry about bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten?

– Darryl Worley

Have you?

Apparently B.O. has, when he talked about it a a crime, and not the act of war that it was.

Culture Wars

A timely letter…

The Chief received the following from an e-mail correspondent, and felt impressed to pass it along for your possible edification.

Hello Friends and Happy Labor Day!

Our wonderful country seems to stand on the edge of a knife. If we lean one way we could wind up free falling into a terrible predicament. If we lean the other we can save the country and all that it was founded for, namely freedom and liberty. Far too many of us have become motivated by greed. The poor want the rich to pay their way. The middle class are clawing to keep up with the Joneses using debt to get what they want. And the rich want more, more, more and are willing to use unseemly means to get it. This has left us all vulnerable to forces darker and more real then many of us know.

Remember how you felt in the days and weeks after the tragic events of September 11, 2001? There was universal love toward all mankind. We flew our flags as a symbol of unity and patriotism. We put up signs stating “united we stand”. In the words of a country song writer, we collectively “turned off those violent old movies we were watching and turned on ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns”. I don’t recall feeling much anger toward the evil doers but rather a peaceful harmony and love toward my fellow Americans. We wanted to serve and help. There was an underlying feeling of the greatness of America that had perhaps occurred only a few times in the past century such as after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the assignation of John F. Kennedy.

Now is the time for those who believe in liberty and freedom to stand up for what is right. We need to oppose the seen and unseen forces that would drag us down and enslave us. We should think deeply about every decision before us. We still have the right to speak out. We still have the right to vote for those we believe represent truth and good. We should not cower in fear worrying that standing tall for that which is right might offend one group or another or bring down wrath or scorn upon our heads. Rather we should turn to our God and stand for what we know He would have us do.

Those who stand for good are stronger then those who are sneakily looking for ways to take away our freedom and liberty. Our voices are the voices of truth and they cannot be stifled if we will use them. In all we do we must be kind, but we must be resolute and firm for truth and right.

 We may stand on the edge of a knife, but I believe we will choose the right and save this country for our children and grandchildren. Let’s put our personal greed aside and think of others as we did after 9-11. We are AMERICANS, the greatest nation on the earth. Others are counting on us. If we fail, the world fails. But we WILL NOT fail!

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Constitution Watch

“King of the Wild Frontier” with Words for Today

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Perhaps the Chief is dating himself here…if so, oh well. For those who don’t remember (for any number of possible reasons) Walt Disney ran a series on their show that dramatized “Davy Crockett – King of the Wild Frontier”

It should be noted, that they took some historical liberties with the topic (hey, it was a mass TV thing aimed at kids!), but as this article illustrates, often the events of the past are directly relevant to the issues of the latter days.

In this case Congressman David (preferred by him instead of “Davy”) Crockett was called to account by a concerned constituent, and wasnot only willing to listen, but was willing to both admit his error and change his position as the result.  Not bad…especially when compared to the current crop of Congresscritters.

Charity and the good ol’ Constitution

“Where do you find in the Constitution any authority to give away the public money in charity?”

It might be a question out of today’s headlines, but it isn’t.

No doubt, it could rightly be asked in the health-care debate, but it goes well beyond that. In every disaster, in every disturbance, the federal government today is ready with a checkbook at hand to help those in need. Hurricane Katrina? California fires? Montana snowstorms? They’ve all been declared disasters in order to justify federal spending to help out the victims and to speed recovery. The average number of disaster declarations reached as high as 130 during the George W. Bush administration, an increase of almost 50 percent over the Clinton era.

Of course, no one could be against helping the innocent victims of natural or manmade disasters, could they? Well, no. Not anyone in their right mind, at least. Charity is one of the highest impulses of mankind, and our desire to help and protect each other is a noble heritage that we all cherish.

But that does not answer the original question:

“Where do you find in the Constitution any authority to give away the public money in charity?”

That question was asked not of President Obama nor of Sen. Max Baucus or Rep. Nancy Pelosi, but of the less well-known Tennessee congressman, David Crockett.

It was a question that Rep. Crockett was not well-prepared to answer, but his constituent wanted to know why he had voted to spend federal funds for the relief of families that had been left homeless as the result of a ravaging fire in Georgetown. Crockett had actually seen the fire and gone to help rescue women and children and to fight the flames, so he was more than happy a bill came before Congress to aid those victims further. As he himself said, “We put aside all other business, and rushed it through as soon as it could be done.”

Again, sort of reminiscent of the “rush” to pass health-care ‘reform” in the current Congress,

At this point you really need to read the account in the piece of the conversation between Cong. Crockett and constituent Horatio Bunce.

The Chief heartily endorses the conclusion:

In this day and age, the only congressman I know of who follows Crockett’s example as a born-again constitutionalist is Ron Paul, who never votes for a bill without first confirming in his own mind that Congress is authorized by the Constitution to pass such a law. Most of the rest of them just ask themselves how popular the bill will be, and whether it will help or hurt their efforts to be re-elected.

Yes, the Constitution is a relatively old document, but it is not moldy, and if we think of it as quaint and irrelevant, we do so at the ultimate cost of our liberty. That would be unconscionable.

Let’s hope that this story of Rep. David Crockett and a plain old U.S. citizen who held him accountable helps to remind each and every one of us that America’s exceptional quality is partly based on the fact that we are ruled from the bottom up. It is “we the people,” not “we the governed.”

It is important also to remember that solutions to most American problems are to be found in American lore and history — if one could but be bothered to look. Although times change, human nature doesn’t, nor does the nature of our republic, as long as it stands fast and hews to the line of the Constitution.

Here’s hoping we can get a few more Crocketts for Washington.

Obamunism

SD Donk Not Happy Camper

‘Losing patience,’ S.D. consultant says

A South Dakota campaign consultant who helped steer Barack Obama to victory last year said he and other Americans are “losing patience” with the White House’s inability to deliver the changes Obama ran on.

Steve Hildebrand in recent weeks also has criticized Blue Dog Democrats in Congress, including South Dakota Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, for compromising with Republicans. Those compromises threaten to make Democrats the minority party in Congress because they are not enacting a progressive agenda on issues such as climate change and health care reform.

Tuesday, Hildebrand told Politico.com, a news site that covers politics, that Obama “needs to be more bold in his leadership.”

Steve Hildebrand in recent weeks also has criticized Blue Dog Democrats in Congress, including South Dakota Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, for compromising with Republicans. Those compromises threaten to make Democrats the minority party in Congress because they are not enacting a progressive agenda on issues such as climate change and health care reform.

Looks to the Chief like Hildebrand has what could be described as a lack of situational awareness.

The problem B.O. and others of his and Hildebrand’s ilk are having is NOT that they are moving too far away from their preferred left-outpost positions pushing a so-called “progressive agenda” (i.e. an ever more intrusive and increasing role of government), but a repulsive reaction of most voters to this approach.

Obamunism

Baucus Caucus B.O. B.S.

Montana Donk Sen. Max Baucus has been actively trying to muster votes for the Obamacare Obamination…with a lack of success thus far.

Sections of his proposals show a strong presence of a major bi-product of Montana’s cattle ranching, as he beats the bushes (and trees, plains, grasslands, and anywhere else) to find ever more creative ways to mulct the American taxpayer to support ever-expanding government.

One item the Baucus Caucus (otherwise known as the “Gang of Six”) is discussing is forcing us to protect ourselves from ourselves”

Baucus health plan would fine uninsured

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’ bid to get a bipartisan agreement on a health care overhaul before President Obama addresses a joint session of Congress Wednesday night calls for imposing a $6 billion tax on insurance companies and fining families $3,800 for not obtaining insurance coverage.

Sound good?  Wait – there’s more (and more, and more…etc.)

What’s Hidden in the Baucus Bill?

“Section I: Health systems savings.” There are four chapters. “Ensuring appropriate payment. Capturing productivity gains. Reducing geographic variation in spending, and modifying beneficiary contributions.” “Section II: Options for Modifying the Exclusion for Employer-Provided Health Insurance.” (Repeats for emphasis.) “Options for Modifying the Exclusion for Employer-Provided Health Insurance.” “Section III: Other Health Care Relate Revenue Raisers, Modify Or Repeal The Itemized Deduction For Medical Expenses. Repeal Or Modify The Special Deduction And Special Unearned Premium Rule For Blue Cross And Blue Shield Or Other Quantifying Organizations. Modify Health Savings Accounts. Modify Or Repeal The Exclusion For Employer Provided Reimbursement Of Medical Expenses Under Flexible Spending Arrangements And Health Reimbursement Arrangements.” Wow, they’re really simplifying this, aren’t they?

Now, every time you hear me say “modify or repeal,” think “eliminate or cut.” Or another word, yeah. (laughing) It begins with an F. Another word we can’t use. “Limit The Qualified Medical Expense Definition. Modify The FICA Tax Exemption.” That’s Social Security. “Extend The Medicare Payroll Tax To All State And Local Government Employees. Modify The Requirements For Tax Exempt Hospitals.” Now, whenever you hear “modify or limit,” or “repeal,” or “limit;” think “cut,” or “get rid of,” or the F-bomb. “Section IV: Lifestyle Related Revenue Raisers. Impose A Uniform Alcohol Excise Tax. Enact A Sugar Sweetened Beverage Excise Tax. Section V: Administration’s Revenue Raising Proposals,” and I have them all here. I printed it out. I’m sorry it’s very long. It’s five pages.

Unfortunately, this listing goes on and on. The old warning BOHICA comes to mind: Bend Over, Here It Comes Again. Check it out…there’s NO WAY we’re all not going to get stuck with paying Uncle a lot more.

The result of all this to date: not much obvious agreement:

Baucus: No deal yet on health care bill

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said Wednesday that his committee will debate a health care overhaul bill the week of Sept 22, whether or not he has the panel’s Republicans on board.

The Montana Democrat was hoping the committee’s “Gang of Six” of three Republican and three Democratic members would reach a compromise Wednesday ahead of President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress, but the group wasn’t able to reach an agreement.

May he continue to meet with such success!

Obamunism

B.O. Bipartisanship? Non-existant!

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Boehner: GOP leaders haven’t met Obama for health talks since April

Looks like B.O.’s calls for “bipartisanship” mean as much as his claims of “transparency” – not much at all!

Boehner told reporters that the president has not invited House GOP leaders to the White House for meetings on healthcare reform since the end of April.

Earlier this year, GOP leaders sent a letter to the president in May stating that they would like to work with the administration to find “common ground” on healthcare reform.

But the administration responded with a tersely worded letter indicating that they had healthcare reform under control.

Now THERE’S B.O.’s key concept: CONTROL – him controlling us.

Obamunism

B.O’s Umpteenth Pronouncement on Health Care

Obama: Time for ‘bickering’ is over on health care

Shaking off a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama summoned Congress to enact sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night, declaring the “time for bickering is over” and the moment has arrived to protect millions who have unreliable insurance or no coverage at all.

ACHTUNG!  Remember you all…I am your Leader! Shut up and get in line!

As far as the necessity for a government insurance plan, B.O. continued in waffle mode:

…Obama spoke in favor of a provision for the federal government to sell insurance in competition with private industry. But in a remark certain to displease liberals, he did not insist on it, and said he was open to other alternatives that create choices for consumers.

Obama said he remains ready to listen to all ideas but added in a clear reference to Republicans, “I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than to improve it.”

This really means those who prefer to kill “this plan” rather than improve the current system.

All did not receive this word gladly:

In an unusual outburst from the Republican side of the House chamber, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted out “You lie” when the president said illegal immigrants would not benefit from his proposals. The president paused briefly and smiled, but from her seat in the visitor’s gallery, first lady Michelle Obama shook her head from side to side in disapproval of the interruption. Wilson later apologized for his “lack of civility.”

Bad form given the setting and circumstances…but…Wilson called it the way the proposals are currently written. Truth can be a bitch!

In general, the president shied away from providing lawmakers with a list of particulars he wants to see included in the legislation, and there was nothing in the speech to invite comparisons with Bill Clinton’s pen-waving veto threat more than a decade ago on health care.

The devil remains in the details…which are being hashed out by the Donk Congs under the hegemony of SanFranNan Pelosi and Dusty Harry Reid.

B.O. also declared:

“Well, the time for bickering is over,” he said. “The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action….I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last,” he added.

Huh? “…determined to be the last”? If Obamacare is approved, it’ll be chiseled into stone like the Laws of the Medes and Persians and never be addressed again?

Well, the Chief’s overall reaction to this is…yadda, yadda, yadda. Same song, different day.