Obama announces two-year pay freeze for federal workers...
Editor's notes: before we all get too excited, let's take a breath. Federal freeze? Where did that idea come from? The GOP, of course. The new House majority has already expressed a desire to cut costs including putting a freeze on federal wages. So, of course, since Obama has no original ideas of his own (go ahead and prove us wrong).
This is all about getting the jump on the income class.
Understand that the "freeze" does not include promotion increases. "Cost of living" is what this encompasses. As a two year freeze, he can end it just before the 2012 presidential elections, energizing his slave base (the federal employee's union)just in time to garner their election support.
He has talked of a 5 year and 10 year savings as he made the announcement of this freeze when it is only good for two years.
You must know that when it is re-instated, the raise will be retroactive and will make up for the lost income of the present freeze -- in other words, it is more of the Obama smoke and mirror strategy.
No politics in college football? No class warfare? Nonsense. Take a look at what has happened to Boise State
Boise State is a non-BCS college. It has been hanging around in the Top Ten for college football for years. This past weekend the #4 Broncos lost to #19 Nevada, but because they were out played but because their field goal kicker missed a 7 yard field goal attempt at the end of the game and a 15 yard field goal in overtime. It was Boise's 2 loss in 38 games. And it dropped then completely out of the Top Ten -- an absolute travesty.
Midknight Review believes Boise is one of the top ten football programs in the nation. They were dropped from the Top Ten listing because the powers that be do not want to give Boise the chance of playing a big name program in a post-season bowl game. . . . . like they did four years ago in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. Boise is an embarrassment to big named programs. Rather than dropping Boise to 6th or 8th on the rankings, they took them completely out of the list and . . . . . of course, blamed it all on the computers.
Absolutely no one wants to play the Broncos on their home field where their record [since 1999] is 59 - 2. In the past five years, Boise has had 3 undefeated seasons and are 6 - 3 in post season bowl competition.
We are very disappointed in the "good old boys BcS system" of rankings. Please note our cleaver moniker, "BcS " depiction. Make note of it and take it personal.
Midknight Review believes Boise is one of the top ten football programs in the nation. They were dropped from the Top Ten listing because the powers that be do not want to give Boise the chance of playing a big name program in a post-season bowl game. . . . . like they did four years ago in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma. Boise is an embarrassment to big named programs. Rather than dropping Boise to 6th or 8th on the rankings, they took them completely out of the list and . . . . . of course, blamed it all on the computers.
Absolutely no one wants to play the Broncos on their home field where their record [since 1999] is 59 - 2. In the past five years, Boise has had 3 undefeated seasons and are 6 - 3 in post season bowl competition.
We are very disappointed in the "good old boys BcS system" of rankings. Please note our cleaver moniker, "BcS " depiction. Make note of it and take it personal.
More bad news for global warming models
This headline has been ours since the beginnings of this blog, back in 2008. Katrina was a 2005 event and since then, global warming science has predicted record setting seasons for Category 3 or worse hurricanes for 2006 and 2010. During these years, only 3 level three hurricanes have entered the Gulf and none have reached shore on the Eastern Seaboard. Here is that headline confirming our reporting :http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101129/D9JQ1NS80.html
Understand that globing warming is an event found only in certain mathematically formulated "models." Why is it that the models predicting severe hurricane seasons for 2006 and 2010 are failed models but the warming models are valid?
Understand that globing warming is an event found only in certain mathematically formulated "models." Why is it that the models predicting severe hurricane seasons for 2006 and 2010 are failed models but the warming models are valid?
Federal Employee Wage Freeze: More Smoke and Mirrors
Obama announces two-year pay freeze for federal workers...
Editor's notes: before we all get too excited, let's take a breath. Federal freeze? Where did that idea come from? The GOP, of course. The new House majority has already expressed a desire to cut costs including putting a freeze on federal wages. So, of course, since Obama has no original ideas of his own (go ahead and prove us wrong), he has decided co-opt the GOP think tank.
This is all about getting the jump on the in coming class.
Understand that the "freeze" does not include promotion increases. "Cost of living" is what this encompasses. As a two year freeze, he can end it just before the 2012 presidential elections, energizing his slave base (the federal employee's union) just in time to garner their election support.
He has talked of 5 year and 10 year savings as he made the announcement of this freeze when it is only good for two years. Go figure.
You must know that when is re-instated, the raise will be retroactive and will make up for the lost income of the present freeze -- in other words, it is more of the Obama smoke and mirror strategy.
Editor's notes: before we all get too excited, let's take a breath. Federal freeze? Where did that idea come from? The GOP, of course. The new House majority has already expressed a desire to cut costs including putting a freeze on federal wages. So, of course, since Obama has no original ideas of his own (go ahead and prove us wrong), he has decided co-opt the GOP think tank.
This is all about getting the jump on the in coming class.
Understand that the "freeze" does not include promotion increases. "Cost of living" is what this encompasses. As a two year freeze, he can end it just before the 2012 presidential elections, energizing his slave base (the federal employee's union) just in time to garner their election support.
He has talked of 5 year and 10 year savings as he made the announcement of this freeze when it is only good for two years. Go figure.
You must know that when is re-instated, the raise will be retroactive and will make up for the lost income of the present freeze -- in other words, it is more of the Obama smoke and mirror strategy.
Wikileaks: another document dump.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US President Barack Obama: Never before in history has a superpower lost control of such vast amounts of such sensitive information. (a quote from Spiegel Online)What was revealed
This release shows a close partnership between Saudi Arabia and our country with regard to the prosecution of the war on terror.
It reveals a willingness on the part of Yemen leaders to claim credit for US bombings on terrorist locations within that country.
We learn that the Arab world was/is opposed to the Iranian nuclear advances of recent months and even favored the bombing of its nuclear plants.
We now know that Obama and company had a low opinion of the Germany Chancellery, Angela Merkel. She resisted Obama's efforts to get Europe to spend more money in the battle against fiscal collapse.
Russia and the Italian leaders have a much closer relationship than anyone had imagined.
Washington was making a move against the Pakistanian's nuclear systems.
Hardly a secret, the emails reveal an even harsher point of view about the State Department's opinion of the Kenyan government. If negotiations were being entertained between the two countries, that will be put on hold because of Wikileaks disastrous and continuing revelations.
There is more on the corruption of the Afghan leadership, raising questions as to what it is that we are accomplishing in that country. Understand that the Administration was fully aware of the degree of corruption exposed in the Wikileaks document dump.
Obama is scheduled to make a statement regarding this problem this morning . . . . . . the first formal statement after 7 months of "leakage." The fact that we are just now hearing from the Commander is evidence of the notion that Obama simply does not understand the critical nature of this exposure.
Update and correction: apparently Obama will not address the Wkileaks issue nor will he take questions. His morning appearance will deal with the two-year pay freeze of Federal employees and nothing more. More competence ?
Suffice it to say that this is an unmitigated disaster. . . . . emphasis on "unmitigated." New York Representative, Peter King, has told reporters that American lives have been put at risk, because of Wikileaks attack on this nation.
Understand that illegal activity on the part of our representatives , diplomatic or military, is not the primary question. Nations need to have "freedom of expression" when it comes to the sharing of diplomatic strategies and opinions. That much need circumstance has been taken way, if for only a period of time.
Currently we are being told that the source of all this material is a lone American soldier being held on related charges.
The damage to our foreign policy efforts will be repaired. The question remains as to the complicity of the Obama Administration in this matter. Has the Administration's internal agency policies added to the leaks? Midknight Review is not sure that anyone is asking this question. Understand, the Administration is said to have made these documents available to thousands of intelligent agency personnel as a matter of course. The question of the day is this: how does a low level soldier get his hands on so much secret and sensitive information and what is the effect of the Administration's "open door" policies when it comes to the handling and review of secret documents ?
There is much to be learned about what lead to this debacle. We will wait for more reliable information before reporting further on this matter.
Our predictions for the remaining Lame Duck session
Don't ask, don't tell will not be dealt with. It failed a couple of months ago. It will not pass through and Lame Duck session.
The Dream Act: too complicated to be dealt with in the Lame Duck session.
Card Check: not enough support and too many other important issues to deal with in the next five days.
Tax rate extensions: Midknight Review that Obama just might refuse to make the concessions so many say he will agree to. Rather, the tax extensions will be a matter for the new congress. The agreement will be retroactive. In the meantime, increased paycheck deductions will be the order of the day.
Update am 11/29/2010 Of course, most pundits disagree with our prediction. Tuesday will see a high level meeting between Obama and GOP/Democrat leaders on this very subject. We will know much about how Obama might deal with the incoming GOP leaning congress. Obama has announced this meeting as he pitches himself as "the man in the middle."
Budget proposal: this was to have been finish [by law] last March, 2010. The Dems put it off and will not work on this matter before they retire for ever.
Update am 11/29/2010 Continuing resolution: this will be the order of the week. Without any work completed on either the budget or its 13 appropriation bills - and the Democrat 111th Congress is the first to fail in providing this legislation - a "continuing resolution" is in order. Such is rather easily accomplished. It is a stop-gap measure, used to provide legal authorization to keep the government funded at current spending levels. Midknight Review cannot imagine that this congress will come to a close without this provision being passed into law.
Understand that the Libs have been telling us for 10 years that the Bush tax cuts benefited only the rich guy, not the middle class. How is that true if the so-called rich will pay $700 million more in taxes while the working middle class will pay $3 TRILLION in additional taxes???
The Dream Act: too complicated to be dealt with in the Lame Duck session.
Card Check: not enough support and too many other important issues to deal with in the next five days.
Tax rate extensions: Midknight Review that Obama just might refuse to make the concessions so many say he will agree to. Rather, the tax extensions will be a matter for the new congress. The agreement will be retroactive. In the meantime, increased paycheck deductions will be the order of the day.
Update am 11/29/2010 Of course, most pundits disagree with our prediction. Tuesday will see a high level meeting between Obama and GOP/Democrat leaders on this very subject. We will know much about how Obama might deal with the incoming GOP leaning congress. Obama has announced this meeting as he pitches himself as "the man in the middle."
Budget proposal: this was to have been finish [by law] last March, 2010. The Dems put it off and will not work on this matter before they retire for ever.
Update am 11/29/2010 Continuing resolution: this will be the order of the week. Without any work completed on either the budget or its 13 appropriation bills - and the Democrat 111th Congress is the first to fail in providing this legislation - a "continuing resolution" is in order. Such is rather easily accomplished. It is a stop-gap measure, used to provide legal authorization to keep the government funded at current spending levels. Midknight Review cannot imagine that this congress will come to a close without this provision being passed into law.
Understand that the Libs have been telling us for 10 years that the Bush tax cuts benefited only the rich guy, not the middle class. How is that true if the so-called rich will pay $700 million more in taxes while the working middle class will pay $3 TRILLION in additional taxes???
Buffet says the "rich should pay more." OK. So, start paying up !! What's stopping you?
Here is a headline to consider: The Country's Wealthiest Men: No, Really, Tax Us More!
Well, O.K. , but let's be certain we are talking about the nation's wealthiest, shall we. This nonsense of including those who make $200,000 before they give half of their money back in taxes, is moronic.
Understand that the folks who clear (we are talking about after taxes) less than a million dollars per year are at the top of the middle class. Our doctor, a general practitioner earns a gross of around $130,000 per year and clears $70,000. He is not "rich."
The head of a local E.R. unit makes around $280,000 per year but, after taxes, he clears $160,000. In other words, he pays $120,000 in taxes and owes $250,000 because of his schooling. He does not drive a $130,000 car. He doesn't own a million dollar mansion. He makes nothing off the stock market. His partnership group could lose their contract with the hospital tomorrow and this doctor would be in serious trouble.
Obama keeps talking about folk's "fair share" but never actually defines that allocation. For certain, he does not include himself when talking about paying "our fair share."
And what is done with this "fair share?" If we are talking about stimulus funds, it is paid to unions to balance out their legacy programs. Let's say that again; it is paid to the private unions of this country, unions who believe that non-union workers owe them money. Understand that hundred of billions of dollars went to union wages, retirement programs and union contracts at the same time almost no money was spent in the private sector.
The Stimulus did not work because only 3% of the money went to create infrastructure jobs. Rather than deal with the nation's economic issues, Pelosi (the plantation boss, in this case) decided to pay back all those folks to whom she and the Democrats owed money in exchange for election favors and support.
Now, when their resident slave needs to get re-elected, the Dems are more the liberal party than they were before the midterm . . . . . . . . . . . and Pelosi/Reid are unapologetic about it. Their stubborn Marxist resolve just might spell the end of Obama, come 2012.
Maybe Obama needs to reconsider just who his friends are.
Well, O.K. , but let's be certain we are talking about the nation's wealthiest, shall we. This nonsense of including those who make $200,000 before they give half of their money back in taxes, is moronic.
Understand that the folks who clear (we are talking about after taxes) less than a million dollars per year are at the top of the middle class. Our doctor, a general practitioner earns a gross of around $130,000 per year and clears $70,000. He is not "rich."
The head of a local E.R. unit makes around $280,000 per year but, after taxes, he clears $160,000. In other words, he pays $120,000 in taxes and owes $250,000 because of his schooling. He does not drive a $130,000 car. He doesn't own a million dollar mansion. He makes nothing off the stock market. His partnership group could lose their contract with the hospital tomorrow and this doctor would be in serious trouble.
Obama keeps talking about folk's "fair share" but never actually defines that allocation. For certain, he does not include himself when talking about paying "our fair share."
And what is done with this "fair share?" If we are talking about stimulus funds, it is paid to unions to balance out their legacy programs. Let's say that again; it is paid to the private unions of this country, unions who believe that non-union workers owe them money. Understand that hundred of billions of dollars went to union wages, retirement programs and union contracts at the same time almost no money was spent in the private sector.
The Stimulus did not work because only 3% of the money went to create infrastructure jobs. Rather than deal with the nation's economic issues, Pelosi (the plantation boss, in this case) decided to pay back all those folks to whom she and the Democrats owed money in exchange for election favors and support.
Now, when their resident slave needs to get re-elected, the Dems are more the liberal party than they were before the midterm . . . . . . . . . . . and Pelosi/Reid are unapologetic about it. Their stubborn Marxist resolve just might spell the end of Obama, come 2012.
Maybe Obama needs to reconsider just who his friends are.
The pervert Assange offers up 250,000 secret emails and the traitorous Times partners with Assange. For the Times, the Almighty Dollar is the reason
Assange is this perverts name. If we have misspelled the name, we have no intentions of making the correction. We have no respect for this man. He is a one man wreaking crew and has accomplished nothing of a positive nature. His most recent release os 250,000 correspondence will prove no different than previous revelations. Here are some of the headlines detailing the revelations coming from the latest batch of secret emails from our State Department, Administration and Pentagon staff. Understand that nothing gets done in the world of foreign policy without the "behind the scenes" communiques that bespeak raw language and brutal rhetoric. It is true of any country and it is true of the United States. Assange, a sexual pervert in his own right - charged with two counts of rape by the Swedish government, is a man who hates the United States. He is godless, without any sense of nationalism and hopes to accomplish nothing but chaos. In the end, a year from now if his efforts cease today, Assange will be forgotten and the damage done will be nothing more than a memory except for those working undercover for the advancement of this country's security. Some of these men and women will lose their lives because of this Woodstock looking punk. And, the world will never know. Such is the curse of clandestine activity.
In this case, the headlines do not tell 90% of the story as we often claim. Understand that, to date, nothing illegal has been uncovered. The damage done has to do with strategies revealed and secret alliances exposed (among other matters). The last headline [below] introduces us to a defense of the anti-American New York Times and their moronic and unpatriotic decision to accept and print this information. Midknight Review has no plans of reading their defense. We don't care. The sooner this traitorous outlet runs out of money, the sooner we will feel a sense of justice in all this. The Times has been complicit in the deaths of hundreds of our soldiers, over the years, because of similar decisions. We can only hope the first headline is the epitaph to all this idiocy:
Assange keeps digging Wikileaks' grave.
CLASSIFIED NO MORE: USA RACES TO LIMIT WIKILEAKS DAMAGE...
250,000 State Dept. cables cover Iran, NKorea, Putin... MORE
Reveal: Dangerous standoff with Pakistan...
Gitmo became game of 'Let's Make A Deal'...
US to Slovenia: Take a prisoner if you want meeting with Obama...
Reveal: Clinton Orders US Diplomats to Spy on Other Countries at UN...
Reveal: Iran obtained missiles from NKorea -- capable of striking Europe...
WIKILEAKS: We've been hit with 'mass distributed denial of service attack'...
MOST EMBARRASSING, DAMAGING DISCLOSURE IN DECADES...
Reveal: China conducting computer sabotage...
Saudis are chief financiers for al Qaeda...
Reveal: Saudis repeatedly urge US attack on Iran...
SENATORS: PROSECUTE THE LEAKERS!
NYT EXPLAINS: THE DECISION TO PUBLISH...
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The Murkowski victory makes a mockery of the Republican primary process.
OpenSource reports the following: After losing in the 2010 Alaska primary to Tea Party candidate Joe Miller, Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK] has decided to run a write-in campaign to keep her seat. As a result, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell [R, KY] took away her position as vice chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference. “By choosing to run a campaign against the Republican nominee, she no longer has my support for serving in any leadership roles, and I have accepted her letter of resignation from Senate leadership,” McConnell said.Midknight Review had heard that McConnell reversed this decision and will allow Murkowski her Senate leadership role. We are not able to confirm either scenario.
We believe that the Murkowski write-in campaign has a number of drawbacks. First, it made a mockery of the Republican Primary. Why have a party-based primary if it is not required that the candidates abide by the voted results? Secondly, it proved that Murkowski was no Republican. Understand that a "moderate "Republican along the lines of a Murkowski or a Charlie Crist or a Michael Bloomberg (the midget mayor of New York who was allowed to be Republican some years back) are more the liberal than any will admit. They do not deserve to wear the title "Republican."
If OpenSource is correct, our faith in the Establishment GOP leadership is renewed. If things go as we hope, the GOP could win 13 seats in the Senate come 2012. If that is true, Lisa Murkowski can caucus with the Maoists; we seriously will not care. In fact, we do not care, now.
The GOP is in serious need of principled leadership. It is our hope that Mitch McConnell, whom we respect, is making the right decision in this regard, assuming the accuracy of the OpenSource reporting.
What is the real issue concerning 'earmarks?'
We are told that the money used for earmarks is somehow a pool of money that is destined to be spent regardless of its appearance as an earmark or not. We are told that the total amount of money spent as earmarks is less than 1% of the total of monies spent each year.
We are not told that earmarks serve as enticements to vote for various bills. It goes something like this:
Congressman #1 :"If you want $600 million for that airport in the Bronx, I will stick that project on my bill, one that you really do not approve of, if you will promise to vote for my bill."
Congressman #2: "Well, O.K."
THAT is why earmarks are wrong headed. More than this, understand that there is no system in place that ensures earmarked funding is actually spent for the purposes described in the particular legislative bill. I mean, $600 mil for an airport in the Bronz? Who follows up on that ?!!
Answer: no one.
We are not told that earmarks serve as enticements to vote for various bills. It goes something like this:
Congressman #1 :"If you want $600 million for that airport in the Bronx, I will stick that project on my bill, one that you really do not approve of, if you will promise to vote for my bill."
Congressman #2: "Well, O.K."
THAT is why earmarks are wrong headed. More than this, understand that there is no system in place that ensures earmarked funding is actually spent for the purposes described in the particular legislative bill. I mean, $600 mil for an airport in the Bronz? Who follows up on that ?!!
Answer: no one.
Homeland Security seizes domain games --- again.
- 11/26/10 04:25 PM ET
The investigative arm of the Homeland Security Department appears to be shutting down websites that facilitate copyright infringement.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seized dozens of domain names over the past few days, according to TorrentFreak
ICE appears to be targeting sites that help Internet users download copyrighted music, as well as sites that sell bootleg goods, such as fake designer handbags.
The sites are replaced with a note from the government: "This domain named has been seized by ICE, Homeland Security Investigations." . . . . . READ MAORE >>>>
Editor's notes: this is not the first time this has happened. Last July, the Feds shutdown 73,000 sites without notice. A cease and desist notice is apparently in order but none were reportedly issued. Our site was shutdown a year ago for a spam infraction; no notice, no appeal, no explanation. Is anyone shocked that the Feds say one thing and do another?
Our question is this: what is Homeland Security doing policing the web for copyright infractions. That is clearly not a part of their mandated responsibilities.
Our reporting is here:
Jul 17, 2010
Both sites are fair minded in recording their headlines but each is clearly left or right in their postings. In this case, the story of 73000 blogs shut down because of copyright infringement should be a huge story on any news portal. ...
Jul 23, 2010
If your individual site is in violation of copyright infringement and reported, you will receive a "cease and desist" order from the DMCA before further action (as in "shut down") is taken. It is understood that "fair use" laws allowing ...
Rasmussens 7 day Obama approval average - highest in months
The past 7 days have seen approval scores of 48,47,46,47,47,47, and 45 for an average of 46.9 %.
That is the highest 7 day average in nearly a 9 months. Are people seeing Obama differently? Not really. What we have here is the end of a huge news cycle, ending with the midterm elections and the passing of the Lame Duck session. We expect to see a "bounce for Obama" during this lull. The new congress, the 112th, will be sworn in on January 20. The Lame Duck session is scheduled to end this week. With the new congress, Obama might be somewhat at an advantage, depending on whether he knows how to make use of the divided congressional scene. If he decides to continue ordering the GOP around and whining about Bush and working to dismantle constitutional freedoms, he may not survive the 2012 elections.
That is the highest 7 day average in nearly a 9 months. Are people seeing Obama differently? Not really. What we have here is the end of a huge news cycle, ending with the midterm elections and the passing of the Lame Duck session. We expect to see a "bounce for Obama" during this lull. The new congress, the 112th, will be sworn in on January 20. The Lame Duck session is scheduled to end this week. With the new congress, Obama might be somewhat at an advantage, depending on whether he knows how to make use of the divided congressional scene. If he decides to continue ordering the GOP around and whining about Bush and working to dismantle constitutional freedoms, he may not survive the 2012 elections.
Red China opposes gun ownership, also.
Guess where we found this advertisement? In a Communist Chinese newspaper. Understand that Communist Lefties oppose private gun ownership on the grounds that they are protecting children from accidental death due to guns.
More children die drowning in private pools than are killed by guns in the home. Where is the legislative angst against pool ownership?
The fact of the matter is this: there is a force out there that sees guns and freedom as less than desirable. What is most frustrating is the realization that this opinion is held by Americans. Obama is no more a believer in private gun ownership than the Chinese or Hillary.
Point of post: know thine enemy
ObamaCare about to receive its second court review - by the end of this year.
In the New York Times, we have this news story that gives patriot Constitutionalists a sense of hope: Health Law faces threat of undercut from Courts. Judge Henry E. Hudson of the Federal District Court in Richmond, Virginia, has promised a decision on the constitutionality of the law's requirement that all Americans purchase health care insurance by the end of this year -- 5 weeks from now.
The article details the notion that the line of questioning asked by the judge indicates a negative attitude on his part as to the constitutionality of the law. The issue that seems to be most damaging to the survival of the law is the requirement that Americans buy a product they do not want to purchase. The Obama Administration pretends to believe that this is constitutional. Understand that if the law is allowed to stand, it will mark the end of the 10th amendment and the Founder's belief in the states' right to govern [this is called "federalism"] will have been given a death blow.
Nearly all analysts believe that regardless of the District Court's decision, the matter will move on, eventually landing at the doorsteps of the Supreme Court. We could have a decision from the High Court by the end of 2012.
A year ago, the Administration laughed at the notion that the law would be overturned in court. It does not appear that they are quite so humored by the possibility, now. Popularity against the law continues to be high and the belief that the Administration has sold us a pack of goods is increasing.
Things are not looking up for the Administration.
The article details the notion that the line of questioning asked by the judge indicates a negative attitude on his part as to the constitutionality of the law. The issue that seems to be most damaging to the survival of the law is the requirement that Americans buy a product they do not want to purchase. The Obama Administration pretends to believe that this is constitutional. Understand that if the law is allowed to stand, it will mark the end of the 10th amendment and the Founder's belief in the states' right to govern [this is called "federalism"] will have been given a death blow.
Nearly all analysts believe that regardless of the District Court's decision, the matter will move on, eventually landing at the doorsteps of the Supreme Court. We could have a decision from the High Court by the end of 2012.
A year ago, the Administration laughed at the notion that the law would be overturned in court. It does not appear that they are quite so humored by the possibility, now. Popularity against the law continues to be high and the belief that the Administration has sold us a pack of goods is increasing.
Things are not looking up for the Administration.
Obama screwed the investors and pensions funds of GM to benefit the stinking auto union and we should all be mad as hell, but we are not.
Editor's notes: it has been our position that the GM bail-out was wrong headed. We have changed our mind on that point. We now believe the GM bail-out was both corrupt and immoral. It benefited the unions who had negotiated deals with GM to the exclusion of the long time and original investors. Police and teacher union retirements funds to dashed to dust with no regard coming from the Administration or the Socialist unions who think only of themselves. We have included a portion of a Washington Times article that is fairly comprehensive in terms of scope and fair-minded in terms of perspective. You will want to read the full article here.
********
By Patrice Hill: Perhaps the biggest losers are the investors in the old GM. None of the bankrupt company's previous stockholders got any money, while the claims of thousands of investors who purchased the company's bonds are still being kicked around in a Manhattan bankruptcy court.
"It gives outraged flashbacks to the old GM bondholders," who remain mired in the bankruptcy proceedings and are unlikely to recover more than 30 percent of their investments, Mr. Reynolds said.
He compared the deal to the corrupt crony capitalism in Russia under President Vladimir Putin.
The White House "took a page out of the Putin political asset reallocation and reward system" when it engineered the deal, he said.
Mr. Reynolds also described the White House deal as a combination of "Boss Tweed on steroids" and "Hugo Chavez on meds," as far as the bondholders are concerned.
Craig Coffey, a retiree in Nevada who invested $55,000 in bonds in the old GM that are now worthless, was outraged that the union is on its way to recovering all its money before investors get even a cent of compensation.
"We just sat and watched [the stock offering]. We got nothing," he said. "Screwed again."
Mr. Coffey has had to make ends meet by finding odd jobs, which can be difficult in the hard-hit Las Vegas area. He said it wasn't only the union that benefited from getting full repayment to its pension trust fund under the White House bankruptcy plan.
"That was a way for the government to avoid having the liability put on the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation," he said. Bankruptcy courts often discharge corporate pension obligations to the government insurance fund.
"They dodged a bullet there and pushed it back to the union," Mr. Coffey said. "Now, they've made them whole and screwed the bondholders."
Global warming and greenhouse gas emissions are calculated, not measured. There is a problem with this approach.
Climate Change Math in Treaties Flawed by Suspect Pollution Calculations
Euan Nisbet, a University of London earth sciences professor who has traveled the world testing the air for greenhouse-gas pollution, makes his way to a rocky outcropping on the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island on a sunny November afternoon. He takes out a battery-operated pump connected to a thin tube and a plastic bag to capture traces of the wind. "This is a good day for collecting samples," says Nisbet, 61, looking out to sea. "There´s a good, strong breeze blowing in from the mainland. It´s the breath of China." Hooking up his air-sucking device, Nisbet says the world puts too much faith in government estimates of carbon dioxide, methane and other heat-trapping gases blamed for climate change, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in its January issue. That´s because companies and countries base emissions calculations on the raw materials that go into a factory or power plant; they don´t check the pollution that comes out. "It´s like going on a diet without weighing yourself," explains Ray Weiss, a geochemistry professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, whose article with Nisbet in the June issue of Science argues for measuring the atmosphere.
(Source: Bloomberg)
Editor's notes: understand that it is far easier and much much less costly simply to estimate the volume of emissions than to actually measure such emissions. And that is exactly what has happened. Look, all of the global warming "doom and gloom" predictions are the result of mathematics models. As a result, none of the Gloom's dire predictions have come true. Gore predicted 20 foot tides in the city of New York; didn't happen. In the Gulf, two seasons have been predicted to be huge hurricane seasons, 2006 (the year after Katrina) and this past season (2010) ; neither proved to be true. In fact, each were less than average as relates to the more serious storms.
If you miss the point of the above article, rather than set up and measure emissions, the scientists have collected information including all the materials used in the manufacturing process and have calculated what the emissions of a particular plant might be .
Dr. Nisbit as far back as 2007, registered this complaint: "Despite Keeling's successes, long-term measurement is simply not valued as 'discovery' science." Source: Nature.com
Point of post: when the working class of this country and the world are the ones who are going to pay for the corrective measures dreamed up by the social justice ruling crowd, The least that should be expected is an all out effort at real-life accuracy and full-blown transparency, even in the face of scientific discoveries that seem to contradict. Instead, the scientific community has disappointed on both levels. Let's not forget the email scandal earlier this year and the its challenge to the credibility of the Warming scientific community.
The economy is improving. But, that has little to nothing to do with Obama.
Payrolls Rose in 41 States Last Month in Sign U.S. Job Market Stabilizing
Payrolls increased in 41 U.S. states in October, led by Texas and New York, indicating the labor market is stabilizing across the world´s largest economy. Employers in Texas added 47,900 jobs last month, while payrolls rose 40,600 in New York, figures from the Labor Department showed today in Washington. California and Michigan rounded out the four states with the biggest job gains. The number of states reporting increases in employment was the highest since May. The report is consistent with figures on Nov. 5 that showed nationwide payrolls rose in October for the first time in five months, a sign employers are gaining confidence the recovery will be sustained. Federal Reserve policy makers, with the goal of boosting growth enough to reduce the jobless rate, said they will buy an additional $600 billion of Treasuries. "The labor market is starting to improve slowly," said Henry Mo, an economist at Credit Suisse in New York. "We need faster economic growth. It´ll take a few years to dig out of the deep hole of job losses." (Source for the text above: Bloomberg)
Editor'a notes: understand that we are so far removed from the February 2009 stimulus that the Obama Administration cannot honestly take much credit for the improving economic scene. We all knew that America's version of free market activity would work to heal itself and it is doing just that. The average recession lasts 18 months and they recover without government assistance.
The desire to make a profit is more entrenched in the American business system than most folks understand. It will survive the policy pressures coming from Obama's desire to "fundamentally transform" this great nation. In the end, "trickle down" will be "discovered" to be the only way a free market economy works. The alternative is socialism. The problem with that system is that sooner or later, you run out of other people's money; in time, the entitlement class has to find a stinking job.
Here are a few of the financial sites Midknight Review uses in its daily research. You might want to bookmark them.
Favorite financial blogs and articles
Why we not safer because of the TSA . . . . or are we?
It is all about numbers. 94% of all travel is done in an automobile. 2% is done on a train or bus. 4% is done by airplane. Of those several populations, only the air traveler is monitored and only 2% of that 4% is given a pat-down search. None of the controversial scanners pick up plastic explosives.
There are 65,000 TSA employees. The TSA has been around since 2001. To date, not a single passenger has been caught with explosives of any kind nor have any been arrested. Not one in 9 years. There have been a number of in-flight "incidences," however, during this period of time. The shoe bomber and the underwear bomber come to mind. Understand that there have been others but they have not made the national news.
Point of post: we are just giving the reader numbers. Midknight Review is not drawing any conclusions, headline aside (we have to bring readers to the site - either with our headlines or with naked pictures of the ladies).
Add to the above facts the open border policy of the current Administration and the pathetic investigative record of our port authority and we have a potential crisis on our hands. While the news of the day keeps "security" at the forefront of national consciousness, the sad reality is that we are doing almost nothing to stop another attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or maybe, just maybe, the "folks" are doing more behind the scenes than we will ever be allowed to know (?). Keep in mind, there have been no successful attacks on our water supply, our nuclear energy systems, our food banks. Is that all by accident?
Our point is not to be overly critical of the federal system but to remind the reader that we are nearly as vulnerable as before 9-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or are we?
There are 65,000 TSA employees. The TSA has been around since 2001. To date, not a single passenger has been caught with explosives of any kind nor have any been arrested. Not one in 9 years. There have been a number of in-flight "incidences," however, during this period of time. The shoe bomber and the underwear bomber come to mind. Understand that there have been others but they have not made the national news.
Point of post: we are just giving the reader numbers. Midknight Review is not drawing any conclusions, headline aside (we have to bring readers to the site - either with our headlines or with naked pictures of the ladies).
Add to the above facts the open border policy of the current Administration and the pathetic investigative record of our port authority and we have a potential crisis on our hands. While the news of the day keeps "security" at the forefront of national consciousness, the sad reality is that we are doing almost nothing to stop another attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or maybe, just maybe, the "folks" are doing more behind the scenes than we will ever be allowed to know (?). Keep in mind, there have been no successful attacks on our water supply, our nuclear energy systems, our food banks. Is that all by accident?
Our point is not to be overly critical of the federal system but to remind the reader that we are nearly as vulnerable as before 9-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . or are we?
Palin corrects a gaffe and reminds us all of the several gaffes of the Novice in our White House.
My fellow Americans in all 57 states, the time has changed for come. With our country founded more than 20 centuries ago, we have much to celebrate – from the FBI’s 100 days to the reforms that bring greater inefficiencies to our health care system. We know that countries like Europe are willing to stand with us in our fight to halt the rise of privacy, and Israel is a strong friend of Israel’s. And let’s face it, everybody knows that it makes no sense that you send a kid to the emergency room for a treatable illness like asthma and they end up taking up a hospital bed. It costs, when, if you, they just gave, you gave them treatment early, and they got some treatment, and ah, a breathalyzer, or an inhalator. I mean, not a breathalyzer, ah, I don’t know what the term is in Austrian for that…
Of course, the paragraph above is based on a series of misstatements and verbal gaffes made by Barack Obama (I didn’t have enough time to do one for Joe Biden). YouTube links are provided just in case you doubt the accuracy of these all too human slips-of-the-tongue. If you can’t remember hearing about them, that’s because for the most part the media didn’t consider them newsworthy. I have no complaint about that. Everybody makes the occasional verbal gaffe – even news anchors.
Obviously, I would have been even more impressed if the media showed some consistency on this issue. Unfortunately, it seems they couldn’t resist the temptation to turn a simple one word slip-of-the-tongue of mine into a major political headline. The one word slip occurred yesterday during one of my seven back-to-back interviews wherein I was privileged to speak to the American public about the important, world-changing issues before us.
If the media had bothered to actually listen to all of my remarks on Glenn Beck’s radio show, they would have noticed that I refer to South Korea as our ally throughout, that I corrected myself seconds after my slip-of-the-tongue, and that I made it abundantly clear that pressure should be put on China to restrict energy exports to the North Korean regime. The media could even have done due diligence and checked my previous statements on the subject, which have always been consistent, and in fact even ahead of the curve. But why let the facts get in the way of a good story? (And for that matter, why not just make up stories out of thin air – like the totally false hard news story which has run for three days now reporting that I lobbied the producers of “Dancing with the Stars” to cast a former Senate candidate on their show. That lie is further clear proof that the media completely makes things up without doing even rudimentary fact-checking.)
“Hope springs eternal” as the poet says. Let’s hope that perhaps, just maybe, they might get it right next time. When we the people are effective in holding America’s free press accountable for responsible and truthful reporting, then we shall all have even more to be thankful for!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
- Sarah Palin
The University of Colorado has the right to determine its teaching staff. Just ask Ward Churchhill.
Ward Churchill loses appeal of his firing — The Colorado Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court decision denying University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill's effort to get his job back. — The court ruled that Denver District Judge Larry Naves was right to direct a verdict in favor …Editor's notes: this old hippified pot-smoking revolutionary lost his job at the University of Colorado a couple of years ago. He has been in court ever sense. This past week, his appeal was turned down. He had won his first legal complaint and was awarded a dollar (as in One Dollar). He lost his job, nonetheless. He does have plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Whatever. He is of little consequence and our continuing this post just gives him more notoriety than he deserves.
It costs $181,000 pr hr to fly our resident black Liberationist around the world. More importantly, he has spent 85% of his time in talk and travel.
A few months ago, there was speculation that the cost of flying Obama whereever was around $53,000 per hour. We saw that figure in a number of articles. Turns out that this was as wrong as "wrong" could be. Here is a report from FoxNews reporting on numbers released by the government:
The fact of the matter is this: we have a president who has spent well over 85% of his time in office either traveling somewhere or giving talks. Of course he is working as president as he travels, but no previous president has been "out of the office" nearly as much as this fellow. Before his first term is completed, he will have traveled within the boundaries of the US more than all previous presidents combined.
While Obama travels a little more than Bush or Clinton, the cost of travel has nearly doubled. His recent trip to Asia cost nearly 9 million dollars just for flight expenses. Add to this the cost of housing and meals for hundreds of personnel, on-ground security, flight costs for 12 jets, cost for armed forces alerts, plus intra-country travel and you have quite a bill. Foreign travel for a president is expected and even necessary. While Obama has traveled outside the US more than his predecessors, the real news story is the amount of travel and talk this "president" has done within the United States. He has given more than 1,600 talks and personal appearances since becoming the Novice President and now, it turns out that in-Nation travel cost is double the original estimates.
The fact of the matter is this: we have a president who has spent well over 85% of his time in office either traveling somewhere or giving talks. Of course he is working as president as he travels, but no previous president has been "out of the office" nearly as much as this fellow. Before his first term is completed, he will have traveled within the boundaries of the US more than all previous presidents combined.
If the 2012 elections were held today, Obama would lose 48% to 39%
Marist Poll:
11/24: Looking to 2012: 48% Plan to Vote Against Obama
That is the headline. Understand that the percentage given above will make Obama a loser if it were to hold true for the next two years. It would be a mistake to follow up on this total by arguing that "this would mean that 52% of the country is in support of Obama." The fact is very different. If 48% is the baseline for those opposing Obama, the positive effort would receive anywhere from 44% of the vote to 39% . In other words, this is seriously bad news for Obama and his re-election hopes.
Of course we are light years away from the 2012 election, but constant reminders of just how unpopular Obama's policies are is a big help. Let's not forget that Obama's brand of collection has to be defeated, not merely given a pass after slowing its progress.
11/24: Looking to 2012: 48% Plan to Vote Against Obama
That is the headline. Understand that the percentage given above will make Obama a loser if it were to hold true for the next two years. It would be a mistake to follow up on this total by arguing that "this would mean that 52% of the country is in support of Obama." The fact is very different. If 48% is the baseline for those opposing Obama, the positive effort would receive anywhere from 44% of the vote to 39% . In other words, this is seriously bad news for Obama and his re-election hopes.
Of course we are light years away from the 2012 election, but constant reminders of just how unpopular Obama's policies are is a big help. Let's not forget that Obama's brand of collection has to be defeated, not merely given a pass after slowing its progress.
Obama's State Department is spinning about in total confusion. Foreign policy is simply a 'disaster.'
Editor's notes: This article is from an Israeli paper. It documents a State Department that is not communicating with Obama. Promises (more than one) have been made to Israel with the hope of moving peace talks along, promises broken by the Administration. Apparently Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has no authority whatsoever when it comes to negotiations. All agreements, temporary or otherwise, must be approved by Obama and he has not made his thinking clear, it would appear. There simply is not "front" in foreign affairs in which the Obama strategy is working, Read the article and you will see what we mean.
*********
Israel waits for a letter clarifying America's guarantees in exchange for a proposed building ban for Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria, a diplomatic source has come forward saying that no such letter is on its way. United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton misled Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and contrary to reports, the U.S. does not guarantee an end to the freeze, the source said.
The source, a senior diplomat with inside knowledge of Netanyahu's recent meetings in Washington, said Clinton made commitments when talking to Netanyahu, but later slipped out of them by claiming that she had not been speaking on behalf of U.S. President Obama – who, she said in the end, did not give his approval.
When Netanyahu called the State Department to clarify America's position, officials expressed surprise at his surprise, the source continued. While Clinton made promises, Netanyahu knew from the beginning that Obama has the final word, they allegedly said.
Clinton had told Netanyahu that the proposed construction freeze would last for three months, and that it would end regardless of whether or not there was progress in talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. After that, she said, America would not push for a third building freeze.
However, according to the diplomat, U.S. leaders have since said that the building ban for Jews in Judea and Samaria would only end if Israel and the PA reached an agreement on the borders of a proposed PA state.
Several other American promises have been called into question as well. While it was initially reported that Israel would receive F-35 fighter jets in exchange for the freeze, Israeli ministers later clarified that the jets are part of a separate package, and that Israel will pay for them in full. It was also suggested that the construction ban would not apply to Jews living in Jerusalem; however, U.S. officials later stated that it would apply to all Jews living east of the 1949 armistice line, including those in Israel's capital city.
If America does not openly declare that a second construction freeze would end in three months with or without a deal with the PA, Netanyahu is unlikely to get the cabinet's support for the new construction ban. Ministers in Shas and within Netanyahu's own Likud party have already stated that they would vote against the proposal without a U.S. promise.
Netanyahu previously made the unprecedented step of unconditionally freezing construction for Jews in Judea and Samaria for 10 months, in an attempt to bring the PA to the negotiating table. PA leaders reluctantly agreed to talk just as the 10-month freeze reached its conclusion, but left the talks again when the freeze ended.
Rush Limbaugh's 'Thanksgiving.' First posted by Rush on Nov 22, 2006.
The George Washington 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation. I want to start with that. We'll take a break and come back with the Real Story of Thanksgiving. First, here's what George Washington proclaimed in 1789:
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor -- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks -- for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation -- for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility [sic], union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed -- for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions -- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually -- to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed -- to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn [sic] kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord -- To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and us -- and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
George Washington
You want me to count the number of references to God? How about just the first line? "Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor." Let's see. One, two, three, four references in just that first clause. What a fanatic, George Washington! Just wanted you to hear that. That's the first Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789. The real story of Thanksgiving -- and by the way, the real story is continuing, what I just read to you. The thanks was given to God, not the Indians.
Russia is talking about China attacking America . . . and we are debating "pat-downs.' Good grief !!
The USA has been showing more concerns about China’s growing military threat against such a background. Experts of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission stated in their report that the USA had lost the military predominance in the region. It was also said that China was already capable of destroying five of six US army bases in the Pacific Ocean.
In the nearest future, China will be able to significantly change the balance of forces in South-East Asia. The increased opportunities of Chinese missile and airborne troops are capable of hampering the operations conducted by US armed forces in the region. As a result, the movement of American troops in the region will be restricted, the experts said in their recent report. Chinese combat vessels have been showing more activity recently in the Yellow, South China and East China seas. . . . (note grammatical issues because of translation from Russian to English).
Editor's notes: while we are all focused on the idiot's crisis (the pat-down controversy), Pravada published the storyline above. You can read the full article here.
The title of this Russian article is this: China does not need Russian arms anymore to attack the USA.
And Obama thinks we have no enemies. China has doubled the size of its military over the course of the past decade; the interest paid to China to cover our debt relationship with that godless nation (and they are godless) pays for their military force. Russia is, also, increasing the size of their military machine, in spite of the proliferation agreement signed by Obama and the Russian president, whoever he is (we know the name but you get the point).
This Russian base article adds a degree of concern as congress considers ratification of the Start Treatise (the nuclear proliferation agreement referred to above). We are being told that the treatise is not all bad. Many past Republican congressmen see the treatise as a critical to the future of this country, but others see problems in the agreement. The primary concern has to do with missile defense.
Most have forgotten that Obama unilaterally abandoned established missile defense contracts with Georgia and Poland in the beginnings weeks of his administration. His reasoning is same tired thinking of the past: "if the US leads the way, the rest of the world will follow."
Nonsense.
This editor is 65 years old and has NEVER seen this strategy work. Carter tried it, Clinton tried it and now, the Novice thinks he can improve on this record of failed diplomacy.
There is simply no way the START treatise can be ratified during the Lame Duck session. From what information we can gather, it appears that more work in negotiations needs to be considered. Nothing wrong in taking our time as we move to consider this treatise.
The dollar takes another serious hit. Does Obama understand the significance of the dollar's decline.
Prime Ministers Putin and Jiabao (China) shake hands as they agree to abandon the dollar as their countries trade with each other. Obama has not held a single meaningful conference with either leader. St. Petersburg, Russia - China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade, Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced late on Tuesday.
Chinese experts said the move reflected closer relations between Beijing and Moscow and is not aimed at challenging the dollar, but to protect their domestic economies.
"About trade settlement, we have decided to use our own currencies," Putin said at a joint news conference with Wen in St. Petersburg.
The two countries were accustomed to using other currencies, especially the dollar, for bilateral trade. Since the financial crisis, however, high-ranking officials on both sides began to explore other possibilities. . . . . . READ MORE FROM THE 'CHINA DAILY' >>>>>
Editor's notes: we have time to repair lost confidence in the dollar but time is, indeed, running out. We see this as a very significant event but not the end of the world. The real story in all this is the fact that Obama has avoided meeting with Putin and entertained a "bilateral" meeting with Jiabao just this past September, weeks before Jiabao agreed to move away from the dollar (!). Anyone see a problem ?
Understand that Obama appears to be at a total loss when it comes to dealing with strong world leadership and that is a problem for all of us.
Bristol took third in the Dancing with the Stars finale and further angered the Palin haters.
Bristol brought her best to the competition, last night, scoring a 9-9-9 on one of her dances. It is always a good thing when a young person stretches themself in a good way. We are pleased to see Bristol giving person attention to growth rather than smoking her way to the bottom.Can you imagine the chatter and filth in this mornings conservation had she actually took first place? That is the real story, here . . . . the moral deficit that exists in the ruling class. They were the pot-smokers and LSD addicts of the Boomer generation, when we were are going to college. They were the very people who threw bags of crap on our soldiers coming home from Nam -- soldiers who were of the same generation. They wrapped themselves around trees and cried for the darter minnow while doing nothing for the poor and starving of the world. They rejected God and chose Mao, instead and now, they are in power . . . . . . . . but not for long.
Anyway, while they are whining about Bristol, she is building the good life for herself.
Good for her and all who follow her example.
Why pat-down surveillance does not make us safer. . . . . . or does it ?
This editor is fairly tired of this "airport pat-down" controversy. Sean Hannity has spent an entire week whining about the issue and, he is not the only one. While we support Sean in matters political, there is no reason to listen to him if you are interested in what is going on the Marxist/Left wing world.
What can we say about the matter?
FoxNews just did a bit on pat-downs and in their story, it was revealed that only 2% of the flying population is given this type of search.
Think about it. If we are searching just 2% of all travelers by air and not profiling, the pat-downs are fairly worthless as a deterrent. While the do-gooders on the Left are screaming "unfair, unfair" when it comes to profiling, the fact of the matter is this: not a single terrorist incident in the U.S. AND the world has been caused by a non-Arab Muslim, not one.
The Director of Security at Miami International was asked whether or not they were profiling. His answer was somewhat reassuring; "We are profiling for passenger mannerisms" or words to that effect. That is exactly what Israel does. Indeed, we have had some close calls, not to mention a little luck, over the past years, but maybe, just maybe, not as much luck as one might think.
Midknight Review has taken a position against these pat-downs but that was before the interviews of today. We support them while noting that patting down a three year old child or a 85 year old grandma is useless activity. Still, the matter is not worthy of a uprising or nation-wide demonstrations.
Understand that 94% of vacation traveling will be in automobiles. Only 4% will be done through the air and 2% of those will be given a pat-down.
What can we say about the matter?
FoxNews just did a bit on pat-downs and in their story, it was revealed that only 2% of the flying population is given this type of search.
Think about it. If we are searching just 2% of all travelers by air and not profiling, the pat-downs are fairly worthless as a deterrent. While the do-gooders on the Left are screaming "unfair, unfair" when it comes to profiling, the fact of the matter is this: not a single terrorist incident in the U.S. AND the world has been caused by a non-Arab Muslim, not one.
The Director of Security at Miami International was asked whether or not they were profiling. His answer was somewhat reassuring; "We are profiling for passenger mannerisms" or words to that effect. That is exactly what Israel does. Indeed, we have had some close calls, not to mention a little luck, over the past years, but maybe, just maybe, not as much luck as one might think.
Midknight Review has taken a position against these pat-downs but that was before the interviews of today. We support them while noting that patting down a three year old child or a 85 year old grandma is useless activity. Still, the matter is not worthy of a uprising or nation-wide demonstrations.
Understand that 94% of vacation traveling will be in automobiles. Only 4% will be done through the air and 2% of those will be given a pat-down.
GDP is stuck in a slump. Here is what we can expect.
Economic growth slightly faster than first thought
WASHINGTON (AP) - The economy grew slightly faster last summer than first thought, benefiting from stronger spending by U.S. shoppers and improved overseas sales of U.S. goods. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the July-September...
Notes: understand this this 3rd quarter report, a measure of GDP, wil l be revised in the coming weeks. It may turn out that this is little more than "legitimatized propaganda" for the Administration. There was all that talk about growth in 2009. In the end, "real" GDP compared to 2008 actually declined but that did not make the headlines. This year, the third quarter is averaged into the previous two quarters, 2.0 % and 1.7 %. Growth at 2.0 % is not strong enough to produce more jobs than we are losing. Most experts agree that we need a growth rate of 2.5 to 3.0 percent to create a positive jobs report.
Yesterday, we carried a report that the stale economy may be with us through 2011.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The economy grew slightly faster last summer than first thought, benefiting from stronger spending by U.S. shoppers and improved overseas sales of U.S. goods. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the July-September...
Notes: understand this this 3rd quarter report, a measure of GDP, wil l be revised in the coming weeks. It may turn out that this is little more than "legitimatized propaganda" for the Administration. There was all that talk about growth in 2009. In the end, "real" GDP compared to 2008 actually declined but that did not make the headlines. This year, the third quarter is averaged into the previous two quarters, 2.0 % and 1.7 %. Growth at 2.0 % is not strong enough to produce more jobs than we are losing. Most experts agree that we need a growth rate of 2.5 to 3.0 percent to create a positive jobs report.
Yesterday, we carried a report that the stale economy may be with us through 2011.
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