"The Sweetness and Light of the few must be imperfect until the raw and unkindled masses of humanity are touched with Sweetness and Light." - Matthew Arnold

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Selected News For Mar 14 – Mar 20

This thread is for the busy bees of S&L to post news items we might otherwise miss.

If you do post an article, please follow these guidelines as much as possible:

  • In order to make the articles as readable as possible, please try to stick to the format described in the first of these weekly editions here.
  • Do not just post a link without noting the source, giving the headline and a brief excerpt from the article.
  • Remember to link to the original source for each item you post.
  • Avoid articles from blogs or hugely popular sites like the Drudge Report, since most people will presumably see such material elsewhere.
  • Any articles that fit under the topic of a recent thread should be posted there.
  • Remember to excerpt heavily. Posting less than a third of the article, is a good rule of thumb.

Thanks!

Related Articles:

 

This article was posted by Steve Gilbert on Saturday, March 14th, 2009 at 12:00 am. You can leave a response.

85 Responses to “Selected News For Mar 14 – Mar 20”

  1. sheehanjihad
    March 14, 2009 at 9:22 am

    For those following the Palestinian “struggle”, here’s a “ha ha told you so” about a hapless American who chose the wrong side to support!

    [From the Los Angeles Times:]

    American seriously injured in West Bank protests over Israeli barrier

    Tristan Anderson, of Oakland, Calif., was struck in the head with a tear gas canister fired by Israeli troops as Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli police over the barrier dividing Israel and the West Bank.

    http://www.latimes.com/news/na.....7977.story

    Well too bad so sad! You are out throwing rocks at a well armed opponent, and you get drilled in the noggin because you are too stupid to get out of the way!…It shows that your mental capacity has probably been improved by being in a coma….no sympathy!!!

    • Liberals Demise
      March 14, 2009 at 11:47 am

      It could be way better if this clown died. This way we are sure that he/she does not procreate and further pollute the gene pool.
      Thank you!!

    • Rusty Shackleford
      March 14, 2009 at 3:32 pm

      That just made me fall out. Boy Howdy that’s funny.

      “Down with Israel! Down with your oppressive….” DONK “Hey…that hurt!”

      Oh I can’t stop laughing….my sides are splitting.

  2. BigOil
    March 14, 2009 at 10:54 am

    From the Wall Street Journal:

    Napolitano: Plan Near for Dealing With Mexico Border Violence

    Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the Obama administration would soon unveil a plan for dealing with rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including more resources to stem the flow of dollars and guns to warring drug gangs, the Wall Street Journal reported.

    “I think there will be some announcements with some specifics that either I or the president will be making in the coming weeks,” Napolitano said Friday during an interview.

    Napolitano said the plan would include more resources aimed at stopping U.S.-acquired firearms and cash earned from illicit drug sales flowing back across the border. Money and guns are fueling the escalating violence in Mexico that is spilling into U.S. communities, including in Arizona. Napolitano was the state’s governor before joining the Obama cabinet.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....009/03/14/

    More evidence that our country is being turned on its head by the Dumbocrats. If waves are crashing onto your shore, you don’t protect the shore by preventing the waves from returning to the ocean. Of course, securing the border would only serve to stem the tide of future Democrat voters.

    Why on earth is someone who could not secure her own state placed in charge of the security for the whole nation? I know, it’s a rhetorical question.

  3. Gila Monster
    March 14, 2009 at 3:20 pm

    What?? A new strategy from the Obamessiah?
    From the WashPo, carrying water for the dhimmis’ since, well, forever…

    Obama’s new strategy: Blaming Bush for ‘mess’

    President sheds former reluctance to fault predecessor for state of economy

    By Scott Wilson
    Sat., March. 14, 2009

    In his inaugural address, President Obama proclaimed “an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.”

    It hasn’t taken long for the recriminations to return — or for the Obama administration to begin talking about the unwelcome “inheritance” of its predecessor.

    Over the past month, Obama has reminded the public at every turn that he is facing problems “inherited” from the Bush administration, using increasingly bracing language to describe the challenges his administration is up against. The “deepening economic crisis” that the president described six days after taking office became “a big mess” in remarks this month to graduating police cadets in Columbus, Ohio.

    “By any measure,” he said during a March 4 event calling for government-contracting reform, “my administration has inherited a fiscal disaster.”

    Obama’s more frequent and acid reminders that former president George W. Bush left behind a trillion-dollar budget deficit, a 14-month recession and a broken financial system have come at the same time Republicans have ramped up criticism that the current president’s policies are compounding the nation’s economic problems.

    Obama had initially been content to leave partisan defense strategy to his proxies, but as the fiscal picture has continued to darken, he has appeared more willing to risk his image as a politician who is above petty partisanship to personally remind the public of Bush’s legacy.

    http://tinyurl.com/audxch

    What a load of steaming manure! During his campaign, the Obamessiah blamed all the ills of the US on Bush. New strategy my arse!

    Some rather ironic statements are found later in this propaganda piece.

    “What the administration is involved in now is the politics of attribution,” said Lawrence R. Jacobs, a political scientist at the University of Minnesota. “Each week that goes by with falling job numbers and Republican criticism of the administration’s flaws means falling approval ratings. What’s the antidote? That the guilty party is George Bush.”

    “The trick,” Jacobs said, “is how do you shift blame to George Bush and retain any credibility on the idea that you are looking past partisan warfare? This looks like a doubling down on a very partisan approach.”

    A poli-sci major stating the obvious, heh.

    The triumvirate of the Messiah, Piglosi and Dingy Harry are the most partisan political hacks this country has ever experienced.
    Heaven help us….

    • proreason
      March 15, 2009 at 11:54 am

      It all depends on what the definition of “new” is.

    • Rusty Shackleford
      March 15, 2009 at 7:21 pm

      “Blame Bush”. Well that DOES seem to be a departure from the norm for O-blabby. I mean, what with his campaigning about everything being in a mess because of W.

      Now everything seems so much……the same.

      This guy has got to go. As all this takes place, I wonder and hope that more and more people realize that he’s a home-grown enemy and working to destroy our system from within. I swear, the spin in DC must be so intense as to create a massive singularity where not even light can escape.

      Yet, looking at it from afar, the obvious is so readily apparent. I truly hope that he overreaches his grasp so definitively that even the likes of Brian Williams will have to take note.

      The first casualty may be the NYT…and I’m saying that is a good thing. Coupled with the very notable and practically astronomical increase in Rush’s listenership, I have regained some hope that this over-aggressive government will find the HOR gutted of demon-crats soon and the real bipartisan negotiations can commence.

      One can only hope.

  4. Al Morone
    March 15, 2009 at 1:28 am

    Ann Coulter is on CSPAN2 this weekend. She was interviewed on After Words Sat. 10/14. It’ll be repeated Sunday, 10/15 from 9pm-10pm ET.

  5. Al Morone
    March 15, 2009 at 1:40 am

    The schedule:
    http://www.booktv.org/program......e=Politics
    (By the way, she mentions Sweetness & Light in the interview.)

  6. sheehanjihad
    March 15, 2009 at 11:55 am

    This is simply everything we have been saying for years…..it’s perfect.

    [From Melanie Phillips via the UK's Spectator:

    Shallow science and its victims

    Melanie Phillips]

    The atmosphere is cooling, the ice is expanding, the seas are not rising — even though carbon emissions are increasing. The evidence is now crystal clear to anyone with an unwashed brain that man-made global warming theory is sheer unadulterated bunkum. So how do the warmers react to the ever more embarrassing evidence that they have hitched their reputations to the biggest anti-scientific scam in history? By ratcheting up the hysteria to fever pitch and shrieking that their predictions about the impending irreversible environmental apocalypse have grievously underestimated the catastrophe which is going to be far, far worse.

    http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/

    This is something all of you should read. It is one of the best articles I have ever read that refutes Altoad’s mantra of Global Warming. There is light at the end of the tunnel it appears.

    • proreason
      March 15, 2009 at 12:13 pm

      SJ, today’s American Thinker also has a wonderful article / report fromthe International Climate Change Conference with tons of information and links.

      Money quote from Lord Monchkton:

      “Their biofuel scam, a nasty by-product of their shoddy, senseless, failed, falsified, fraudulent ‘global warming’ bugaboo, has turned millions of acres of agricultural land from growing food for humans to growing fuel for automobiles. If we let them, they will carelessly kill tens of millions more by pursuing Osamabamarama’s stated ambition of shutting down nine-tenths of the economies of the West and flinging us back to the Stone Age without even the right to light fires in our caves.”

  7. proreason
    March 15, 2009 at 7:32 pm

    Motor City. From a saddened Time Magazine, which just can’t understand what happened. A picture essay:

    Detroit’s Beautiful, Horrible Decline

    http://www.time.com/time/photo.....89,00.html

    Although The Moron isn’t personally responsible, they might as well call it Obamyville.

    Whatever could have happened to cause one of the most prospersous cities in the world, and the one-time engine of American industry to reach such a state?

    Didn’t the Auto Companies pay all their taxes?
    Didn’t they comply with government mandates for fuel efficiency?
    Didn’t they kowtow to the Unions to protect the workers rights?
    Didn’t they reward the teacher’s unions so the children would receive good government educations?
    Didn’t Detroit celebrate its multi-culturalism by electing politicians of color?
    Didn’t the auto companies implement cradle to grave health insurance for their workers?
    Didn’t the city redistribute wealth from greedy capitalists to the deserving poor?

    What on earth cound have gone wrong?

    • pdsand
      March 16, 2009 at 3:24 pm

      I suspect they let their infrastructure decline, thereby depriving the businesses there of vital economic stimulus.

  8. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 5:07 am

    Why, nothing could help Wisconsin more than a new logo!

    From the (Madison) Wisconsin State Journal:

    New state logo aims to boost tourism, commerce, agriculture

    By Barry Adams

    Wisconsin now has its own logo.

    Gov. Jim Doyle is scheduled Monday to introduce the “Live Like You Mean It” logo and theme line at the Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism in La Crosse.

    The marketing strategy is designed to distinguish the state from its competitors, not only in tourism but in commerce, agriculture and other sectors, leaders say.

    “This is another tool we’ll use to keep loyal visitors coming back, communicate why a business should relocate or expand here, and let talented employees know why they should choose Wisconsin,” Doyle said.

    The color selections for the logo, designed by Red Brown Kle, a Milwaukee advertising and communications company, came from consumer research conducted last year in Wisconsin and neighboring states. The green hue of the word “Wisconsin” is designed to represent the state’s natural resources and stewardship of the land. The red in the theme line and the cartwheeling silhouette conveys the attitudes of the state’s people, Doyle said.

    Figures for 2008 won’t be released until May, but tourism was a $13 billion industry in Wisconsin in 2007. The state used $50,000 of the Department of Tourism’s $10 million marketing budget to come up with the logo and theme line. …

    http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/443089

    “Red” signifies the state as of late, that’s for sure, whether you take it to mean communism or financial losses.

  9. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 5:26 am

    So, we’ll burden you with confiscatory taxes, but we’ll be happy to lend you more money.

    From a “What’s wrong with that?” AP:

    Obama plans small-business lending boost

    By Phllip Elliott

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to counter a chorus of unhappy Republicans and nervous Wall Street investors, President Barack Obama and his economic team are taking a cheerier tone while making billions in federal loans available to the nation’s struggling small businesses.

    Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Monday planned to announce a broad package that includes reduced small-business lending fees and an increase on the guarantee to some Small Business Administration loans. A day earlier, the president’s advisers said in television interviews that they remained confident in the nation’s economic fundamentals, at times adopting upbeat rhetoric the president once mocked.

    “The fundamentals are sound in the sense that the American workers are sound, we have a good capital stock, we have good technology,” said Christina Romer, who heads the White House Council of Economic Advisers.

    Obama, for his part, has embraced the role of “confidence-builder in chief,” as one business leader asked him to become. One week after his budget director declared “fundamentally, the economy is weak,” Obama’s economic advisers offered up a buoyant assessment.

    Larry Summers, the director of the National Economic Council and an Obama adviser, quoted the president: “It’s never as good as people say it is when they say it’s good and it’s never as bad as people say it is when they say it’s bad.”

    Dealing with a severe recession, Obama has turned to a public face that emphasizes the potential for recovery instead of its limits.

    To that end, the government plans to take aggressive steps to boost bank liquidity with more than $10 billion aimed at unfreezing the secondary credit market, according to officials briefed on the plan who demanded anonymity to avoid pre-empting the president’s announcement.

    Administration officials confirmed they would unveil details Monday.

    “We know that small businesses are the engine of growth in the economy, and we absolutely want to do things to help them,” Romer said Sunday morning, speaking broadly on the outline of the plan. “There are already a lot of things to help them in the recovery package, and some of what will be coming out are the things that were in the recovery package: increasing the SBA loan guarantees, lowering fees.”

    The move comes as Republicans have sought to build on some bipartisan misgivings over Obama’s ambitious spending blueprint. In particular, Republicans say Obama’s budget proposal to raise taxes, starting in 2011, on individuals earning more than $200,000 and on households earning more than $250,000 will hurt small businesses, which face higher dividend taxes and limits on itemized deductions.

    “We’ve got to do something to help these small-business people. We know that they’re the job creators in this economy,” the House Republicans’ No. 2 official, Rep. Eric Cantor, said Sunday. “And the problem … I think we’re seeing out of the Obama administration is a lack of focus on how to get things going again.”

    The new measures taking effect Monday focus on opening up small-business lending, seen as critical to cities’ growth. While the SBA typically guarantees $20 billion in loans annually, new lending this year is on track to fall below $10 billion, according to the administration.

    Under the two-month-old administration’s new initiative, the government will step in to buy these loans to help unlock the frozen credit market, using money from the recently passed bailout package in the range of between $10 billion to $20 billion, one official briefed on the plan said. …

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s.....MA_ECONOMY

    This is just sick.

    If the President actually gave a damn about small businesses, why not stop trying to steal their money?

    If they reduced the tax and legislative burden on small businesss, they wouldn’t need the Government’s loans.

    But, it’s not surprise – after they’re done with carbon taxes and CAFE regulations, I’m sure Obama will provide Federal car loans to buy the $100,000 vehicles and $50/gallon gas that is legislation has created…

    • Odie44
      March 16, 2009 at 3:47 pm

      BillK –

      Great find, glad you posted it here. Once again – the mental midget Bambi, with zero business acumen, experience and knowledge is going to kill the incentive to even be in a business, before you get another “loan” to cover the losses produced by Bambi.

      As a small business owner – if I cant cover overhead, payroll, costs, etc – you either get more revenue, cut costs or unfortunatley have to lay people off. A loan just exasperates the problem by putting off the reality in the future, ala ARM’s, bogus Fannie loans and the usual suspects.

      I understand many small businesses use a line of credit or carry a debt instrument as a business model – but I suggest people take an honest look at that model surviving, being the ability to increase revenue depends on the ability of people to buy your service/product, of which a recession limits. (Unless you are lucky enough to be in a defensive or other industry that is flourishing)

      But we all know this scheme from Bambi – he is looking to buy of small business owners with a short term solution, with long term pain – for political reasons. Sort of like his new title…

    • proreason
      March 16, 2009 at 4:15 pm

      I’ll remind you Bill and Odie that Rush points out that it isn’t what Obamy says but how he says it.

      The Moron contradicts himself with every word that comes out of his mouth, but that “calm” smoky baritone voice is what gives Obamabots the tingle, not the words.

      The most stunning example is the 180 degree pivot from “worst disaster”, “awful crisis”, “end of civilization” 2 week’s ago to boyant optimism last week.

      The words themselves simply do not matter to his brain-addled groupies.

  10. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 5:34 am

    Executives are bad… unless they work for the Government.

    From the San Francisco Chronicle:

    S.F.’s hiring binge for bosses

    By Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross

    (03-15) 17:13 PDT — As the layoff slips go out, it’s interesting to note that in the past three years under Mayor Gavin Newsom, the number of executives on San Francisco’s payroll has grown by 20 percent – far outpacing the increase for lower-paid, front-line city employees.

    According to the city controller, the number of employees represented by the Municipal Executive Association and other bargaining units for city brass has climbed to 1,075 since 2005 – an addition of 182 execs.

    To put it another way, in 2005 there was roughly one executive for every 30 city workers on the payroll. Today there is one for every 25.

    Rebecca Rhine of the Municipal Executive Association chalked up the increase to three factors: promotions, reclassification of jobs and hiring.

    Mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard said, “We’ve reduced the number of managers in key departments. Where we did increase the number of managers, it was for solid policy reasons.”

    While the executive ranks have swelled, the totals for cops, firefighters, clerks, engineers and nurses have barely budged.

    For example, the number of service employees – a category including clerks, janitors and health care workers – has increased just 4 percent since 2005.

    The number of architects, engineers and analysts has grown by only 2 percent.

    The number of front-line firefighters rose 4 percent. The number of rank-and-file police officers went up 9 percent.

    Now come budget cuts, layoffs by the hundreds, and questions from some elected officials over whether the pain will be equally spread.

    After a recent hearing on layoffs in the Recreation and Park Department (60 workers, 10 managers), Supervisor John Avalos asked the controller for a citywide breakdown on who’s being shown the door. …

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....16F31K.DTL

    Well as long as it was for “sound policy reasons”…

  11. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 5:38 am

    From a gushing AP:

    Sara Jane Olson’s friends loyal, mostly silent

    By Steve Karnowski

    (03-15) 13:49 PDT MINNEAPOLIS, CA (AP) — Sara Jane Olson’s friends and supporters in Minnesota have stayed loyal over the years, but they’ve grown increasingly silent as her release from prison approaches.

    Olson was exposed in 1999 as Kathleen Soliah, a 1970s radical with the Symbionese Liberation Army who became a fugitive after the attempted pipe-bombings of Los Angeles police officers and a fatal bank robbery near Sacramento. Until authorities acting on a tip pulled over her minivan in St. Paul, her friends knew her as a housewife, mother of three daughters, volunteer and actress.

    On Tuesday, after seven years in prison, Olson will go free. Now 62, she plans to return to Minnesota to serve her parole.

    Her local supporters have included progressive activists, a few politicians, members of the theater community, professors and attorneys. Olson and her husband since 1980, Dr. Gerald “Fred” Peterson, were known among their friends for the dinners and parties they hosted.

    Andy Dawkins, a Democratic former state representative from St. Paul and a family friend for close to 30 years, remains one of her most outspoken supporters.

    “She was a wonderful mom and a wonderful asset to our community and did all sorts of things to help people,” he said.

    But Dawkins was one of the few close to Olson willing to talk ahead of her release. Many others who’ve spoken out or contributed money over the years were unwilling or reluctant to comment this past week.

    “I don’t have anything to say,” snapped Wendy Knox, artistic director of the Frank Theatre and a longtime friend of Olson’s. “Every time something happens in that case I get 50,000 calls from reporters.”

    The reluctant include Brendan Coleman, who said he’s already said about all he cares to on the subject.

    “I’m happy for her. I’m going to leave it at that,” said Coleman, who used to play guitar in a reggae band with Olson’s husband. In 1984 he recruited their family to join Minnehaha United Methodist Church, a progressive congregation in Minneapolis where he was director of contemporary music. …

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....954D02.DTL

    So remember, it doesn’t matter if you attempt to bomb police stations and kill during a bank robbery, as long as you’re a “good Mom.”

    But “bravo” to the St. Paul Police:

    The St. Paul Police Federation would rather she stayed in California.

    Dave Titus, president of the union, wrote to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last week on behalf of his 650 members, opposing her effort to serve her parole in St. Paul. Like many of her critics, he still uses her old name of Kathleen Soliah.

    “Returning Soliah to the same neighborhood that harbored her during her 24-year flight from justice is hardly conducive to strict parole monitoring,” Titus wrote. “If having a convicted domestic terrorist living in their midst didn’t bother her neighbors, why would the state Department of Corrections think they would report her if she violated parole?“

  12. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 5:50 am

    Don’t you love it when the Press gets involved in hate campaigns but claims they just provided “information?”

    From a defiant San Francisco Chronicle:

    Prop. 8 backer claims Chronicle caused hate mail

    By Carla Marinucci

    Making the rounds in the blogosphere is the tale by Maureen Mullarkey, who supported Proposition 8, the measure approved by California voters in November that bans same-sex marriage in the state.

    Mullarkey’s story, titled “The New Blacklist” and published in the conservative Weekly Standard magazine, starts like this:

    “Strange times we live in when it takes a ballot initiative to confirm the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Stranger still when endorsing that definition through the democratic process brings threats and reprisals.

    “In November, the San Francisco Chronicle published the names and home addresses of everyone who donated money in support of California’s Proposition 8 marriage initiative. All available information, plus the amount donated, was broadcast. My name is on that list.”

    Mullarkey said The Chronicle report resulted in vile harassment and threats that came to her home.

    “It is one thing to read hate-filled mail on a computer screen. It is something else to have it in hand,” she wrote. “At the end of the week, when it started coming to my house, I filed a police report.”

    But her version of the facts isn’t true. The newspaper did not print her home address or the addresses of other donors.

    Mullarkey, an artist, contributed $1,000 to the Prop. 8 cause. But her donation to a statewide initiative was public information, available on the Web site of the California secretary of state.

    The Prop. 8 donor database, which was provided to newspapers by the Associated Press, didn’t include Prop. 8 supporters alone, as Mullarkey strongly suggested. …

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....16EIMB.DTL

    Suggested, but didn’t say.

    Of course they can’t be held responsible for widely publicizing the list of pro-Prop. 8 donors to those who were already waging a violent campaign of hate against supporters after the election.

    No, it’s just “public information.”

  13. BillK
    March 16, 2009 at 9:27 am

    Oh, no, the media is being unfair to Him.

    From the Washington Post:

    As Markets Fell, Pundits Came Down On Obama

    President Gets Blame After Just 50 Days

    By Howard Kurtz

    As the Dow embarked on a long slide after Inauguration Day — a nearly 2,000-point slide, to be precise — the drumbeat seemed to grow louder.

    “There’s no confidence in Obama’s plan,” said Fox’s Sean Hannity. “The markets respond to data. They have no confidence.”

    “The stock market is also demonstrating a lack of confidence in the president’s big government agenda,” said CNN’s Lou Dobbs.

    And it’s not just those on the right. CNBC’s Jim Cramer — an unabashed Democrat — complained that President Obama’s “radical agenda” was causing the “greatest wealth destruction I’ve seen by a president.”

    But is it fair to hurl such charges at a president who’s been in office for less than eight weeks? Isn’t Obama trying to dig out from the huge economic mess left by his predecessor?

    The chatter reflects a fast-forward culture that demands snap judgments. The cable news channels, not content to wait for the traditional 100-day benchmark — itself an artificial media construct — were grading Obama last week on his 50-day performance.

    “Fixing the economy is not a television-friendly story,” says Fortune Managing Editor Andy Serwer. “A plane crash in the Hudson where everyone survives is a television-friendly story. This is a slog.”

    The debate is also a barometer of the pain that millions of Americans are feeling as their nest eggs and retirement funds shrink dramatically. The Dow opened at 9625 on the day Obama was elected, at 7949 on the day he took office, and closed at 6547 last Monday.

    Of course, Obama’s detractors didn’t credit his policies when the index rebounded to 7224 by Friday. Republicans on yesterday’s talk shows shifted their attack to the overall economy, with House GOP Whip Eric Cantor saying on “Meet the Press” that there is a “lack of confidence” in the administration. Christina Romer, chair of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said that “of course the fundamentals are sound,” prompting host David Gregory to observe that she and the president now seem to be echoing what John McCain said during the campaign.

    Former Business Week editor Steve Shepard dismisses the notion of attributing sharp declines in the Dow to a new president.

    “To pin the blame on him is just fundamentally unfair and wrong,” says Shepard, now dean of the City University of New York’s journalism school. “It’s the party line of the Wall Street Journal editorial page.” While there is “a germ of truth” in the criticism — Shepard says that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner unveiled a “half-baked” bank bailout plan — “the decline of the market since Obama took office is largely related to the deepening of the economic disaster.”

    The Dow’s swoon began in the last 18 months of the Bush administration, after the index peaked at 14164. Serwer says the crisis was “a generation in the making” and furthered by the Bush administration’s “malignant neglect.” …

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....02411.html

    See, you can’t blame it on Obama – not when it was Bush’s fault.

    Kurtz makes it clear that’s his opinion early on, but he really should have moved those two paragraphs a bit further apart so his agenda wasn’t quite as obvious.

    Once again (no surprise), no mention of the fact that Obama’s attacks on industry haven’t helped any, nor any mention of the fact that the Democrats rebuked Bush every time he tried to increase regulations.

    Brainwashing for kids in school, and for adults on TV and newspapers.

    Are web sites like S&L the only repositories for truth left?

    I fear so…

    • dulcimergrl
      March 16, 2009 at 4:07 pm

      “Isn’t Obama trying to dig out from the huge economic mess left by his predecessor?”

      Actually, no. He’s been digging a deeper hole since election day. Anyone with half a brain can see it.

  14. BannedbytheTaliban
    March 16, 2009 at 2:46 pm

    Another round of guess the party in a corruption case:

    From the AP:

    Ex-Pa. senator convicted of 137 corruption counts

    By MARYCLAIRE DALE
    Associated Press Writer

    PHILADELPHIA — Vincent Fumo, once one of the most powerful figures in Pennsylvania politics, was convicted Monday of more than 130 counts of corruption for schemes that defrauded the state Senate and others of more than $3.5 million and helped pay for his lavish lifestyle.

    The 65-year-old former state senator was found guilty of all 137 counts against him, which also included obstruction of justice for destroying e-mail evidence.

    The jury deliberated about the Philadelphia Democrat’s fate for about six days after a five-month trial that was nearly derailed at the last minute by a juror who made postings about the case to Twitter and Facebook.

    http://www.wral.com/news/natio.....y/4747378/

    His party isn’t mentioned until the third paragraph, and of course, it is democrat, otherwise it would have been in the headline. I guess Ms. Dale got the memo that most people only read the first paragraph of most news articles. But I guess this isn’t really all that important. Afterall, what is a $3.5 million scam comparied to a $3.5 trillion dollar budget.

  15. proreason
    March 16, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    Gutsy gorgeous Victoria Jackson calls Obama a Cumminist on Fox News

    http://www.notoriouslyconserva.....obama.html

    Steve should make her the official designated S&L spokesperson.

  16. BillK
    March 17, 2009 at 2:16 am

    I’m sure you’ve all heard how out of control New York AG Andrew Cuomo has gotten, but still…

    From Fox Business:

    NY Attorney General to Issue Subpoenas on AIG Bonuses

    By Kathryn Elizabeth Tuggle

    New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said on Monday afternoon that he will issue subpoenas to acquire information from American International Group (AIG: 0.7801, 0, 0%) regarding $165 million in bonuses.

    Cuomo set a deadline of 4 p.m. Eastern time for receipt of the information, and that deadline was not met. Items requested include a list of all employees receiving bonuses, as well as their job description and job performance information.

    The $165 million in bonuses was sent to AIG’s financial products unit, which was held responsible for losses totaling billions of dollars.

    “I believe in transparency and disclosure,” Mr. Cuomo said via a conference call on Monday regarding the situation. “We believe taxpayers have a right to know.”

    AIG maintains that it was required to make the payments due to binding contracts with employees. And although those receiving the funds are employed by one of AIG’s losing divisions, the company’s hands are tied due to legally binding agreements, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited government advisor Lawrence H. Summers of the National Economic Council.

    On Monday, Cuomo echoed President Barack Obama when he said the Treasury Department would use “every single legal avenue” to prevent the bonuses from being distributed.

    Cuomo also stated that contracts can be renegotiated, and said that the rules had changed following AIG’s acceptance of government money.

    “You could argue that if taxpayers hadn’t bailed out AIG, the contracts wouldn’t be worth the paper they were signed on,” he said during the call.

    Cuomo said that if AIG maintains the information is privileged and private, “We’ll go to court and have that discussion.” …

    http://www.foxbusiness.com/sto.....g-bonuses/

    I’d like to see this go to court.

    I’d like to know whether the court will actually rule that employee job performance information is public information if the employer takes federal funds.

    I’d like to know whether there is a right to renegotiate contracts just because a business accepts federal funds without a declaration of bankruptcy.

    I’d like to know whether the New York AG can, in actually, “demand” any of this as there is no criminal conduct involved.

    Hey, the AG can ask for anything he wants, but I’d like to see the courts rule that businesses have to turn over any old data the AG wants without needing any legal reason for demanding it.

    • canary
      March 17, 2009 at 4:04 am

      I’d like to know whether the New York AG can, in actually, “demand” any of this as there is no criminal conduct involved.

      This is my opinion. My understandin is AIG is a private organization. The AG which is the Dept of Justice, would have to have a warrant to go in and demand this information. The AJ is to be notified by federal law enforcement, FBI, CIA, etc. in this situation that a federal crime is suspected, and sign for the DOJ agency to supeona and obtain the information. Now if this is to investigate a possible crime, then I believe the AIG would be entitled to an attorney to go before the DOJ, and represent them before handing the information over. I do not believe the contract can be regotiated, unless it’s in writing. If AIG signed something, or that upon recievement of money, they can be investigated. No telling. But, Obama has a new CIA agent, and then there is Obama’s new US Attornie General, who seems to think his roll is social issues, and telling white people they are cowards, which is not normal. And of course, everything is cozy for all the democrats federal workers, who didn’t pay their taxes. So, it’s hard to know all the facts. So, the runaway train going down hill, getting faster and faster, no telling. So, it’s all what was in writing. I don’t know why Waters can get all that money for her bank, and nothing was done. She didn’t have to know, cause Frank new. Nepotism in the federal government is against the law. And this was a big bank, and I don’t think they supoenad her bank information to see if they really needed the bail-out money. Money is the root to all evil. And all this scare stuff by Obama, maybe some people are grabbing what they can. The love of money is the root to all evil. I think the Obama team, should make a movie, or series, sitcom,
      since Obama wanted millions going to the movie industry. (possibly it’s the governement paying to make a movie about his life. hah hah. It’s just that Obama only gave a little change to his church over the years. And he’s trying to cut tax breaks to people that do donate to charity. Obama wants to be the one to determine where our money goes. To other countries for abortions. Maybe some former black panthers want their tatooes removed. Is he going to find out exactly how that tatoo removal money was spent.

  17. canary
    March 17, 2009 at 4:12 am

    Usually, Congressional Accounting Investigations are done for mismangement. Takes time. If a company isn’t transparent, it’s noted. Congress pressures, but really doesn’t have authority. So, this seems to be criminal procedures being done, in my opinion.

  18. BillK
    March 17, 2009 at 4:51 am

    From the Air Force Times:

    F-16 shot down Iranian drone in February

    By Michael Hoffman

    The Iranian unmanned aircraft downed by coalition forces last month in Iraqi airspace was shot down by an American F-16, according to an Air Force officer familiar with the operation who asked to remain anonymous.

    Coalition Air Forces tracked the Iranian drone for 70 minutes after it entered Iraqi airspace Feb. 25 before shooting it down 60 miles northeast of Baghdad, said 1st Lt. John A. Brimley, a spokesman at Multi-National Forces-Iraq, in a statement.

    Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz Mohammed Jassim, head of military operations at the Iraqi Defense Ministry, told Reuters the Iranians likely made a “mistake” flying the drone six miles inside Iraq, but a U.S. statement said the aircraft’s presence over Iraqi airspace “was not an accident.”

    Two pilots in the area confirmed it didn’t belong to coalition forces, Brimley said. The drone was an Ababil-3 reconnaissance unmanned aircraft, he said.

    It was shot down only after it was determined there was no risk of collateral damage, Brimley said.

    http://www.airforcetimes.com/n.....av_031609/

    How dare the Americans shoot down an unarmed reconnaissance aircraft!

  19. BillK
    March 17, 2009 at 12:58 pm

    That’s right, investors, it wasn’t your fault, you were conned into putting money in the market by the media.

    From a “isn’t Jon Stewart wonderful” AP:

    Liberal media watchdog begins anti-CNBC drive

    By David Bauder

    NEW YORK – Some liberal political activists and economists are seizing on comedian Jon Stewart’s attacks of CNBC to push an online petition drive urging the network to be tougher on Wall Street leaders.

    Spearheaded by the new Progressive Chance Campaign Committee and supported by the watchdog Media Matters and others, the group is asking CNBC to hire economic voices with a track record of being right on the current economic crisis, and do more to hold business leaders accountable.

    “You screwed up badly,” the petition, posted online Monday, reads. “Don’t apologize. Fix it.”

    CNBC has been in the firing line since Stewart pointed out network personalities who, in retrospect, offered bad financial advice. It culminated in Thursday’s tense appearance by CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Stewart’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central.

    CNBC had no comment on the petition drive. The network has recently defended its coverage by saying that it invites guests of all points of view on its broadcast.

    The network’s critics say that CNBC had been obsessed with getting access to business leaders, often at the expense of the truth.

    Among the contrarian points of view that the group suggested should get time on CNBC is that of Dean Baker, co director of the Center for Economic Policy Research. Baker predicted the collapse of the housing bubble in 2002, said Adam Green, spokesman for the Progressive Chance Campaign Committee. …

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....87yyGuGL8C

    Personally, I’m amazed they used the phrase “liberal media” and recognize that Media Matters qualifies…

  20. BillK
    March 17, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    But I thought Obama promised they’d be hiring once the Porkulus bill passed?

    From the AP:

    Caterpillar to lay off 2,454 workers in 3 states

    By Daniel Lovering

    PITTSBURGH – Caterpillar Inc. on Tuesday announced plans to lay off more than 2,400 employees at five plants in Illinois, Indiana and Georgia as the heavy equipment maker continues to cut costs amid the global economic downturn.

    Caterpillar, the world’s largest maker of mining and construction equipment, has seen its sales wither as the sluggish world economy and credit crisis weaken demand for its products, used to build everything from houses to highways. The company had expanded dramatically in recent years, helped by a building boom in developing countries.

    In response to the worsening conditions, Caterpillar in January announced job cuts that will ultimately eliminate 20,000 positions. It also said it would slash executive compensation by up to 50 percent and offer buyouts to about 25,000 U.S.-based employees. Caterpillar, which employs about 112,000 people worldwide, said it had imposed a global hiring freeze.

    In the latest cuts, the Peoria, Ill.-based company said 2,365 support and management workers had been notified of layoffs expected to last at least six months — including 245 announced previously — and 89 workers will be let go permanently.

    Among the affected workers are 1,726 people at plants in Illinois. They include 911 workers at a plant in East Peoria that makes track-type tractors and pipelayers and 815 at a plant in Aurora, where the company produces hydraulic excavators and wheel loaders. Caterpillar notified the employees Tuesday of the layoffs which are expected to last at least six months starting in June.

    In Indiana, Caterpillar said it notified 439 employees at its large engine factory in Lafayette of layoffs also expected to last at least six months, effective May 29. The plant makes diesel engines for boats, locomotives and other applications.

    Caterpillar notified 89 employees at its Jefferson, Ga., fuel systems plant that they would be laid off permanently when the company closes the facility, expected by the end of June. Work currently done at the plant will be shifted to factories in Thomasville, Ga., and Pontiac, Ill.

    Also in Georgia, Caterpillar said it had notified 200 employees at a plant in Griffin, where the company makes generators, engines and oil service units, of layoffs scheduled to begin in May.

    The company also has implemented so-called rolling layoffs, which vary in duration, at plants across the country and around the world, according to Jim Dugan, a Caterpillar spokesman.

    Caterpillar — perhaps best known for its yellow-and-black painted backhoes, tractors and paving. …

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....ar_layoffs

    Of course we know that Obama’s comment was a complete misrepresentation of what the CEO of Cat had said, but isn’t it amazing that the AP and MSM aren’t bothering to make the connection here?

  21. Odie44
    March 17, 2009 at 6:20 pm

    Bush Bashing Big News!!!

    From Reuters:

    Protests greet Bush’s first speech as ex-president
    CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – More than 100 protesters chanted “war criminal” and flung shoes in Calgary on Tuesday, angry that former U.S. President George W. Bush was in the Canadian city to give his first speech since leaving the White House…

    She had brought with her a makeshift “shoe cannon” that catapulted footwear, but complained that security personnel were not letting her use it…

    The reaction was in stark contrast to President Barack Obama’s first official visit to Canada last month, when he was fawned on by citizens and politicians alike…

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200.....ush_canada

    Of course take any number, even as paltry as 100 and doubt it. Then ask – why is this appearing on the Yahoo / MSN home page. And finally – look at the pics of Bush’s visit – last one Reuters sets up… Bush ducking a shoe.

    Nothing to see here folks. Russia – groovy, economy – we will have a plan tomorrowish and um… hope, change, um… Bush’s fault

    • Al Morone
      March 17, 2009 at 6:35 pm

      Bush deserves to be bashed. He was no conservative, just a totally incompetent airhead who ruined this country.

    • Odie44
      March 17, 2009 at 6:46 pm

      Al –

      Put the sippy cup down.

      Even if your domestic delusions were real – wtf does that have to do with CANADIANS protesting???

      And why is it “Top News”

      I would use the crayons to think this one out…

    • Consilience
      March 17, 2009 at 6:49 pm

      Sippy-cup!!! Well said. Bush was no conservative, but he didn’t ruin the country—-he got things moving and TAO took over and did a good job of moving us over the cliff…

    • Odie44
      March 17, 2009 at 6:56 pm

      Con -

      Agreed, though – remember the days when 4M new jobs and a “paltry” 3.5% GDP were music to your ears???

  22. Consilience
    March 17, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Indeed. I was a Bush supporter before TARP I—-any president who endorses/proposes the treasury secretary having unfettered access to $1T isn’t thinking—I’m thankful for his position on GWOT, but that act revealed that he was either out of touch or doesn’t understand our Constitution…

    • Odie44
      March 17, 2009 at 7:51 pm

      Whether right or wrong – I believe Bush did this, as a 2nd term , lame duck President, with an opposing party leading the House and Senate – as unfortunately a desperate attempt to “play nice going out”, and to mitigate any damage he may have perceived effecting Republicans, had he not allowed TARP I to go through. We all know the MSM/Left headlines… “Bush wants economy to fail” “Rep support failure of America… blah blah blah”

      I point this out – because the one trait we are sorely missing in Bambi – is a man who stands by his principles, regardless of polls and dogma. It was one of Bush’s greatest strengths – and as I mentioned – the cause of my disbelief when TARP I was signed…

    • Consilience
      March 17, 2009 at 8:32 pm

      I agree that Bambi has no honorable principles, but selling out the market to “play nice” is a pretty lame excuse….don’t get me wrong, Bush is light-years better than this stooge, but in the grand scheme, he sold us out and set a dangerous precedent.

    • proreason
      March 17, 2009 at 9:58 pm

      The problem with Bush that you are discussing is one I’ve begun to observe since this artificial “crisis” has been instigated. I just read a VDH blog that puts him in the same category as Dubya. VDH knows something really strange is going on, but there seems to be many villians and he can’t quite find the underlying truth about what has happened.

      The problem is that people like Bush are simply unable to believe that other people in this country, specifically The Moron and the reeking cabal behind him, can be evil enough to intentionally loot the country. The Bush “honorable men” have such an ingrained admiration for our institutions and Americans that they simply can’t accept the obvious truth.

      We’ve been conned; the crooks have setup their headquarters in the house on the hill; and they are running their scams with the products of our decades of labor.

      It can’t and it won’t stand.

  23. canary
    March 17, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    Warning. Not suitable for most young children, but worthy of this 5 year with supersonic memory. Lolo was his 2nd or 3rd Father. Don’t forget the famous photo of his Kenyan mother holding the chicken celebrating Obama’s victory, before performing the below ritual.

    excerpt Dreams from my Father (end of 2nd chapter)
    author Barack Obama

    “Don’t you think he’s a little young?”

    Lolo shrugged and looked down at me. “The boy should know where his dinner is coming from. What do you think, Barry?” I looked at my mother, then turned back to face the man holding the chicken. Lolo nodded again, and I watched the man set the bird down, pinning it gently under one knee and pulling its neck out across a narrow gutter. For a moment the bird struggled, beating its wings hard against the ground, a few feathers dancing up with the wind. Then it grew completely still. The man pulled the blade across the bird’s neck in a single smooth motion. Blood shot out in a long, crimson ribbon. The man stood up, holding the bird far away from his body, and suddenly tossed it high into the air. It landed with a thud, then struggled to its feet, its head lolling grotesquely against its side, its legs pumping wildly in a wide, wobbly circle. I watched as the circle grew smaller, the blood trickling down to a gurgle, until finally the bird collapsed, lifeless on the grass.

    Lolo rubbed his hand across my head and told me and my mother to go wash up before dinner. The three of us ate quietly under a dim yellow bulb-chicken stew and rice, and then a dessert of red, hairy-skinned fruit so sweet at the center that only a stomachache could make me stop. Later, lying alone beneath a mosquito net canopy, I listened to the crickets chirp under the moonlight and remembered the last twitch of life that I’d witnessed a few hours before. I could barely believe my good fortune.

    celebration chicken by his proud grandma
    http://www.tmz.com/2008/02/06/.....dma-proud/

  24. BillK
    March 18, 2009 at 1:47 am

    A look at our future, from Fox News:

    Christian Minister Beaten After Clashing With Muslims on TV

    A Christian minister in London who has clashed with Muslims on his television show says he was brutally attacked by three men who warned him, “if you go back to the studio, we’ll break your legs,” the Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

    The newspaper said Reverend Noble Samuel was driving to his studio when a car pulled over in front of him. A man got out and came over to ask him directions.

    “He put his hand into my window, which was half open, and grabbed my hair and opened the door,” Samuel said. “He grabbed my cross and pulled it off and it fell on the floor. He was swearing. The other two men came from the car and took my laptop and Bible.”

    Police were treating the incident as a “faith hate” assault and were looking for three Asian men.

    Pakistani-born Samuel, 48, hosts the hour-long Asian Gospel Show on the Venus satellite channel from studios in Wembley, England.

    During the live broadcast, station owner Tahir Al, a Muslim, appeared on-air to condemn the attack.

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509310,00.html

    Bravo for the station owner.

  25. BillK
    March 18, 2009 at 1:57 am

    See Dodd.

    See Dodd backpedal furiously.

    From FoxBusiness:

    Amid AIG Furor, Dodd Tries to Undo Bonus Protections in the ‘Dodd Amendment’ Rules

    By Rich Edson

    Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on Monday night floated the idea of taxing American International Group (AIG: 0.95, n.a., n.a.%) bonus recipients so the government could recoup some or all of the $450 million the company is paying to employees in its financial products unit. Within hours, the idea spread to both houses of Congress, with lawmakers proposing an AIG bonus tax.

    While the Senate was constructing the $787 billion stimulus last month, Dodd added an executive-compensation restriction to the bill. The provision, now called “the Dodd Amendment” by the Obama Administration provides an “exception for contractually obligated bonuses agreed on before Feb. 11, 2009” — which exempts the very AIG bonuses Dodd and others are now seeking to tax.

    Dodd’s original amendment did not include that exemption, and the Connecticut Senator denied inserting the provision.

    “I can’t point a finger at someone who was responsible for putting those dates in,” Dodd told FOX. “I can tell you this much, when my language left the senate, it did not include it. When it came back, it did.”

    “Because of negotiations with the Treasury Department and the bill Conferees, several modifications were made,” Dodd Spokesperson Kate Szostak in a response to FOX Business.

    The provision excluding those bonus payments made it into the final version of the bill, and is law.

    Separately, Sen. Dodd was AIG’s largest single recipient of campaign donations during the 2008 election cycle with $103,100, according to opensecrets.org. Also, one of AIG Financial Products’ largest offices is based in Connecticut.

    “Senator Dodd was completely unaware of these AIG bonuses until he learned of them in the past few days,” wrote Szostak. To suggest that the bonuses affecting AIG had any effect on Senator Dodd’s action is categorically false.” …

    http://www.foxbusiness.com/sto.....8212;time/

    Slimy or just completely incompetent?

    Hint: One should always make sure one reads amendments with your own name on them.

  26. BillK
    March 18, 2009 at 2:10 am

    Proving reality continues to be a concept that evades his grasp, this from Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)’s web site:

    Kucinich Requests Investigation into “Executive Assassination Ring”

    Washington D.C. (March 16, 2009) – Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) Friday sent a letter to Chairman Edolphus Towns of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee requesting an immediate investigation into allegations made by the investigative reporter Seymour Hersh that the White House operated an ‘executive assassination ring’ that circumvented Congressional oversight.

    Kucinich explains in the letter that, “Mr. Hersh made the allegation before an audience at the University of Minnesota on Tuesday, March 10, 2009. He stated, ‘Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving… It is a special wing of our special operations community that is set up independently. They do not report to anybody, except in the Bush-Cheney days, they reported directly to the Cheney office. . .Congress has no oversight of it.’”

    Kucinich adds, “If true, these operations violate longstanding U.S. policy regarding covert actions and illegally bypass Congressional oversight… Hersh is within a year or more of releasing a book that is said to include evidence of this allegation. However, we cannot wait a year or more to establish the truth.” …

    http://kucinich.house.gov/News.....tID=114621

    There has never been such a thing as a concept too wacky for the loons on the left as Hersh relies on his “My Lai” cred to peddle whatever fantasy he’s come up with this week.

    (Besides – how dare the President do anything without checking with the local CIA section chief! Horrors!)

    • canary
      March 18, 2009 at 3:48 am

      I can not believe Kucinich took this sales pitch at a university of young students, who will buy the book. I can’t believe he calls Hersh a dependable reporter. In 2006 Hersh said Bush would attack Iran. Meanwhile during campaigning it was Hillary (ya know the dead Foster thingy) and Obama that kept talking about attacking Iran. And what just happened yesterday, the U.S. under Obama blew up an Iran Drone flying over Iraq. Now I can imagine American soldiers being pretty freaked about that and doing it. And when you have women, children, blowing innocent civilians up in Iraq, and everyone looks and dresses a like with dang robes and masks, well, I’d like the Kersh to put a uniform on and carry a gun in Iraq for a tour.

  27. BillK
    March 18, 2009 at 2:14 am

    How exciting! Another left-wing political site!

    From the blog The Wrap:

    AOL Leaps Into Original News Content With PoliticsDaily.com

    New Media is about to meet Old Media. But not in the way you’d think.

    AOL is about to launch a politics site, hiring well-respected political journalists to do reporting and analysis, and thus moving the Time Warner division more aggressively toward becoming a producer of traditional news.

    The site’s top editor will be Melinda Henneberger, who has been on staff at The New York Times, Newsweek and, most recently, Slate. Henneberger told TheWrap that the launch will take place in April, “pegged to Obama’s first 100 days in office.”

    With cutbacks and collapse dominating most newsprint outlets (the Seattle Post-Intelligencer announced on Monday it would no longer produce a print edition), finding talent for an online portal has been almost an embarrassment of riches.

    AOL’s site will be “polypartisan” and focus initially on commentary rather than breaking news, Marty Moe, senior vice president of AOL’s MediaGlow content division, told TheWrap.

    “AOL is investing in a big way in news and in old school journalism,” Henneberger said. The goal is “quality news sites that have zero aggregation, original content, that pay writers a living wage, and that pay bloggers.”…

    http://www.thewrap.com/article/1921

    Because nothing says “old school journalism” like “commentary.”

    Henneberger confirmed that she has so far hired three writers and “two and a half” editors. The writers are Carl Cannon, White House correspondent for National Journal, USA Today columnist Walter Shapiro, and Patricia Murphy, creator of citizenjanepolitics.com.

    I’m excited, aren’t you?

    • MinnesotaRush
      March 19, 2009 at 1:26 pm

      I’m certain they are hiring with the Fairness Doctrine in mind.

      Uh huh. Righhhhhhht.

  28. BillK
    March 18, 2009 at 2:20 am

    Left-wing groups go after one of their own.

    From CNET News:

    Privacy activist asks FTC to halt Google apps

    By Declan McCullagh

    A privacy advocacy group has asked the Federal Trade Commission to pull the plug on Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and the company’s other Web apps until government-approved “safeguards are verifiably established.”

    If the FTC grants the request, hundreds of millions of Internet users would be unable to access their e-mail or documents until the agency’s formidable collection of lawyers in Washington, D.C., became satisfied with the revised applications. The outage would extend to businesses that pay for access to Google Apps.

    The Electronic Privacy Information Center submitted the far-reaching request to the FTC in a letter from its director, Marc Rotenberg, on Tuesday. It argues that a formal legal injunction halting all Google cloud-computing services pending formal government approval is necessary to “adequately safeguard the confidential information” of users.

    “If we were talking about a child safety seat that could not be securely attached to a car passenger seat, the commission in that instance would say to the company, ‘Look, you’ve got to fix that problem,’” Rotenberg, a lawyer and adjunct law professor, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “Consumers are at risk when that product is in the marketplace. We have a similar view of cloud computing at this point: people are at risk.”

    EPIC sent the letter a week after a bug in Google Docs exposed a small fraction of word-processing and presentation documents. Google said the problem affected only 0.05 percent of documents stored at the site, that affected Google Docs users had been notified, and it affected only people with whom users had already shared documents.

    As an additional punishment, EPIC wants Google to be forced to pay $5 million into a “public fund” that it and like-minded advocacy groups could financially benefit from.

    For its part, Google said it was reviewing EPIC’s letter and provided CNET with this statement: “Many providers of cloud computing services, including Google, have extensive policies, procedures and technologies in place to ensure the highest levels of data protection. Indeed, cloud computing can be more secure than storing information on your own hard drive. We are highly aware of how important our users’ data is to them and take our responsibility very seriously.”

    Paragraph 57 of EPIC’s letter asks the FTC to “enjoin Google from offering cloud computing services until safeguards are verifiably established.”

    Microsoft and Yahoo declined to comment on Tuesday. …

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-1357.....3-0-5a5Hdo

    A great comment on this closes the piece:

    Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the free-market Cato Institute, said that nothing Google has done is unfair or deceptive.

    “EPIC is unable to persuade the public of a problem, so it goes to a very willing government agency that has nothing else to do but machinate about these kinds of issues,” Harper said. He added, referring to the $5 million fund EPIC wants Google to set up: “This is a new fundraising tool.”

    The question is, would the Obama FTC risk ticking off the millions of Google Mail users to help fund a left-wing wacko group?

    I wouldn’t put it past them.

    • Steve
      March 18, 2009 at 7:48 am

      Hey, just wait until all of our medical records are put online, with Google running the show.

    • Odie44
      March 18, 2009 at 5:03 pm

      While not a Google lover – this reeks of Gustapo tactics.

      Shutting down Google so a bunch of partisian hacks and radical thieves can “pour over their apps” will have a ripple effect in everyday business, life and of course – to any other company anywhere. And considering Google has developed, created or bought the majority of the technology, intertwined with business and people – the last thing we need are gov dopes “giving their opinion”

      Its like shutting down America’s electricity grid to figure out “where initiatives aren’t green” ..

  29. BannedbytheTaliban
    March 18, 2009 at 9:41 am

    Obama’s Corpos to perform Census:

    From FoxNews:

    ACORN to Play Role in 2010 Census

    The U.S. Census is supposed to be free of politics, but one group with a history of voter fraud, ACORN, is participating in next year’s count, raising concerns about the politicization of the decennial survey.

    The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now signed on as a national partner with the U.S. Census Bureau in February 2009 to assist with the recruitment of the 1.4 million temporary workers needed to go door-to-door to count every person in the United States — currently believed to be more than 306 million people.

    A U.S. Census “sell sheet,” an advertisement used to recruit national partners, says partnerships with groups like ACORN “play an important role in making the 2010 Census successful,” including by “help[ing] recruit census workers.”

    The bureau is currently employing help from more than 250 national partners, including TARGET and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), to assist in the hiring effort.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....rn-census/

    The White House doesn’t need Census oversight. They will just have their voter fraud wing handle things.

  30. BannedbytheTaliban
    March 18, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    What congressional “show trail” has code pink not shown up for?

    From CNN:

    Long lines, high tension at AIG hearing

    WASHINGTON (CNN) — A line of businessmen, students, Code Pink protesters and union members stretched down the hall and around the corner in the Rayburn House Office Building.

    Reporters and camera crews jammed in the open space to get footage of the scene, described by witnesses as much like a circus.

    …A handful of women inside the hearing were from Code Pink, a grassroots anti-war group.

    When the hearing broke for recess they started speaking loudly about the cracking down on AIG. They raised signs that said “Fire AIG.”

    Code Pink members acknowledge that the group was started to protest war but said that this financial crisis was tied into the world’s problems and worthy of protest also.

    They had a group of more than 20, with some arriving at the House office building at 5 a.m., but not everyone got in.

    Code Pink member Cynthia Benjamin of Mount Vision, New York, drove to watch the hearing because her city has been particularly hard struck by the recession. The hospital she works at briefly closed for financial reasons and then reopened as an emergency room only.

    “So many have given up their bonuses and so many have lost their jobs, it’s an insult for people at AIG to take those bonuses,” said Benjamin, whose 31-year-old son is on his second deployment in Iraq. “My town is hurting and it’s only going to get worse. The only real jobs are with the military.”

    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITI.....ef=24hours

    Those evil military jobs, who would have thunk. And what does AIG have to do with the Iraq war?

    Code Pink members acknowledge that the group was started to protest war but said that this financial crisis was tied into the world’s problems and worthy of protest also

    When will Code Pink finally come out of the closet and admit to being a communist agitator group, or as I like to call them, commie-lite? And thank you CNN and the rest of the MSM for giving these moonbats a soapbox.

    • pdsand
      March 18, 2009 at 6:32 pm

      The only real jobs are with the military? Just a few short years ago John Kerry was saying people get stuck in the military because they don’t go to school. “You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq”.
      He served in Vietnam, by the way.

    • pdsand
      March 18, 2009 at 6:39 pm

      I’m surprised Code Pink doesn’t get a seat on the panel whenever they do these hearings anymore. The MSM reverently treats them as if they have a part in the proceedings already. And as it has been well-noted the media always slips them press passes so they can get in and act the fool.

  31. BillK
    March 19, 2009 at 1:41 am

    Rush mentioned this earlier today, but in case you weren’t listening, it will be interesting to see if this raises any “outrage.”

    From the AP:

    Fannie Mae to Pay Bonuses of Up to $1M for Four Execs

    WASHINGTON — Fannie Mae plans to pay retention bonuses of at least $1 million to four key executives as part of a plan to keep hundreds of employees from leaving the government-controlled company.

    Rival mortgage finance company Freddie Mac is planning similar awards, but has not yet reported on which executives will benefit.

    The two companies, which together own or back more than half of the home mortgages in the country, have been hobbled by skyrocketing loan defaults. Fannie recently requested $15 billion in federal aid, while Freddie has sought a total of almost $45 billion.

    Fannie Mae disclosed its “broad-based” retention program in a recent regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company was only required to disclose the amounts for the top-paid executives, who will pocket at least $470,000 on top of their base salaries.

    The bonuses are more than double last year’s, which ranged from $200,000 to $260,000. Another round of bonuses ranging from $330,000 to $429,000 are planned for next February.

    A company spokesman declined further comment.

    Fannie Mae said regulators determined that the bonuses were needed because keeping key employees “was essential to ensure our viability through 2010, which would allow Congress, the administration and other parties involved time to determine what the form and function of the company will be in future years.”

    The bonuses were authorized last year by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which seized control of Fannie and Freddie in September and ousted the companies’ former CEOs “It was critical to retain their most important asset — their employees — who are being asked to play a vital role in the nation’s economic recovery,” James Lockhart, the agency’s director, said in a statement. “As the previous senior management teams left, it would have been catastrophic to lose the next layers down and other highly experienced employees.”

    But the generous paychecks could prove politically touchy amid outrage over roughly $165 million in bonuses paid out over the weekend by bailed-out insurance giant AIG.

    Michael Williams, Washington-based Fannie Mae’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, is due to receive a $611,000 retention award this year on top of his $676,000 base salary.

    Williams received a $260,000 retention bonus last year and is in line for another $429,000 next February, for an expected total of $1.3 million, according to the SEC filing.

    David Hisey, the company’s deputy chief financial offer, is expected to receive a $517,000 retention award this year in addition to his $385,000 salary and $160,000 cash bonus. He received a $220,000 retention award last year and is due to receive $363,000 next February, for a total of $1.1 million.

    The other two executives receiving the bonuses are Thomas Lund, who oversees the company’s single-family mortgage business and Kenneth Bacon, who heads up housing and community development. Both are receiving about $1 million. …

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....s-g-execs/

    Hmmm:

    Fannie Mae said regulators determined that the bonuses were needed because keeping key employees “was essential to ensure our viability through 2010, which would allow Congress, the administration and other parties involved time to determine what the form and function of the company will be in future years.”

    Of course why should AIG worry about remaining “viable?”

    To use the public’s terminology used against AIG “why can’t Fannie Mae just hire someone cheaper?”

    Why should AIG want to retain employees?

    Silly them.

    • pdsand
      March 19, 2009 at 7:17 pm

      ““It was critical to retain their most important asset — their employees —”

      You know, for once in recorded history, this might be true in the case of Fannie Mae. In GAAP, the employees might literally be the closest thing that company has to assets…

  32. BillK
    March 19, 2009 at 1:45 am

    From the AP, more on the ethical Obama Administration:

    White House Computer Chief Once Shoplifted 4 Shirts

    Now it can be told: The mysterious petty theft that President Obama’s new computer chief committed at age 21 was shoplifting four dress shirts worth $134 from J.C. Penney.

    A 1996 Montgomery County, Md., police report obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday under a public records law shows Vivek Kundra was observed by a security guard putting the men’s shirts into a shopping bag and leaving the store without paying. Sgt. Tom Stanton wrote that Kundra was arrested after a brief foot chase and the property was recovered.

    Kundra pleaded guilty, paid a $100 fine and $55 in court courts and was ordered to do 80 hours of community service. The White House has called a “youthful indiscretion” long ago resolved.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....ed-shirts/

    I’ll leave the question of whether a past arrest in the background of a Republican nominee could be satisfactorily dismissed as a “youthful indiscretion” as an exercise for the reader.

    Though of course that’s the same way Obama dismisses the past crimes of Mr. Ayers.

    • MinnesotaRush
      March 19, 2009 at 1:32 pm

      So did he plead guilty in juvenile court? A “youthful indiscretion” at age 21. (roll of the eyes)

      But .. the thief should be right at home in the o-blah-blah staff.

    • MinnesotaRush
      March 19, 2009 at 1:35 pm

      Another thought .. question. Did he immigrate here to the US? Does he have both hands?

      My bad. Sorry.

    • proreason
      March 19, 2009 at 7:51 pm

      “Kundra pleaded guilty, paid a $100 fine and $55 in court courts and was ordered to do 80 hours of community service. The White House has called a “youthful indiscretion” long ago resolved.”

      what about stealing $870B from the U.S. taxpayers? is that also youthful indiscretion?

      It must be wonderful to be liberal. There really are no sins when it comes to oneself or one’s friends. Imagine going through life without ever doing anything wrong.

  33. BillK
    March 19, 2009 at 1:48 am

    From Fox News:

    Congress Invites Court Challenge With AIG Taxation Plan, Lawyers Say

    By Judson Berger

    Lawmakers outraged over the AIG bonuses have told the people who got the money to watch out — the government will get it back one way or the other, even if it means taxing the heck out of their paychecks.

    But legal scholars say Congress will have a tough time defending itself in court if it goes down that road.

    Not only would Congress be retroactively meddling with contractual agreements, they say, but it would be passing laws that would essentially target a specific group of employees.

    Jonathan Turley, George Washington University law professor, said targeting those employees through taxes would invite a valid court challenge.

    “It could well trigger years of litigation,” he said. “Just because a company or individual is unpopular does not mean the government can retroactively impose punitive measures against them. … There’s a host of difficult contractual and constitutional and statutory barriers that would have to be overcome by Congress.”

    Two of those difficulties, lawyers say, lie in Article I of the U.S. Constitution — a section stating Congress cannot pass any “Bill of Attainder” or “ex post facto” law.

    A Bill of Attainder is an act of the legislature that singles out and punishes a group or individual without trial. An ex post facto law retroactively changes the legal consequences of an act.

    “It’s a Bill of Attainder. It can’t be done,” Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., told FOX News when asked about proposals in the Senate to tax AIG. …

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....wyers-say/

    “Bill of Attainder?” Where have I head that before?

    Oh yeah, from Steve. :-)

    Democrats Threaten AIG Bill Of Attainder

  34. BillK
    March 19, 2009 at 1:53 am

    Showing the people can even derail the Obama steamroller if they’re paying attention.

    From Fox News:

    Obama Drops Controversial Health Care Plan for Wounded Veterans

    President Obama, after an uproar by veterans groups, has scrapped a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs for the treatment of troops injured in service.

    “In considering the third-party billing issue, the administration was seeking to maximize the resources available for veterans,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday in a written statement. “However, the president listened to concerns raised by the [veteran service organizations] that this might, under certain circumstances, affect veterans’ and their families’ ability to access health care.

    “Therefore, the president has instructed that its consideration be dropped,” Gibbs said.

    Obama met with 11 veterans service organizations on Monday and explained his plan to increase funding for Veterans Affairs by $25 billion over five years and bring more than 500,000 eligible veterans of modest income into the VA health care system by 2013.

    But the American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans group, said the president’s plan would have increased premiums, made insurance unaffordable for veterans and imposed a massive hardship on military families. It could have also prevented small businesses from hiring veterans who have large health care needs, the group said.

    The American Legion applauded Obama’s decision to drop the plan on Wednesday.

    “We are glad that President Obama listened to the strong objections raised by The American Legion and veterans everywhere about this unfair plan,” Cmdr. David K. Rehbein of the American Legion said. “We thank the administration for its proposed increase in the VA budget and we are always available to assist by providing guidance to ensure a veterans health are system that is worthy of the heroes that use it.” …

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic.....-veterans/

    Of course was this just a distraction – a “gimme” win to try to placate the right?

  35. BillK
    March 19, 2009 at 1:57 am

    I’d never expect such behavior from such an honorable institution!

    From Fox News:

    Two More Planned Parenthoods Caught on Tape In Alleged Statutory Rape Cover-Up

    Two more Planned Parenthood clinics have been caught on tape allegedly trying to conceal statutory rape.

    College students Lila Rose and Jackie Stollar said they entered the Phoenix clinics posing as 15-year-old girls and told employees that Stollar needed an abortion after being impregnated by her adult “boyfriend.”

    The video they shot shows Stollar apparently telling one clinic that the father in question was “a lot older than” her, and telling the second “he’s 27.”

    But rather than contact law enforcement, as is required by Arizona law if an adult-child relationship is revealed, the video shows the staffer at the first clinic state, “we don’t ask any questions.” The second tells the girls “everything is confidential.”

    Both went on to explain how the “teen” could dodge consent laws to get her abortion without telling her parents, according to the video.

    According to Liveaction.org, the clinics are the fourth and fifth Planned Parenthood centers implicated in the “Mona Lisa Project” — a developing multi-state undercover probe of Planned Parenthood clinics conducted by student-led non-profit Live Action. …

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509736,00.html

    No – Planned Parenthood is more concerned about getting their abortion dollars that complying with the law?

    Say it ain’t so!

    • canary
      March 20, 2009 at 2:53 am

      Oh, man remember that abortion doctor Wichita KS. that was shot but lived (I am totally agains this radical stuff. Dont think people should lower themselves to the doctor’s level. He is being charged for late term abortions, for not getting another doctor opinion that it’s life threatending to the mother. The wheels of justice are slow. Just saw where this guy thought he was dying and wante to confess to a murder like 20 years ago, and then ended up living, now charged. lol.

  36. proreason
    March 19, 2009 at 6:25 pm

    This must be the looniest thing yet. From the German magazine Der Spiegel:

    INTERVIEW WITH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO

    ‘Away From the Politics of Fear’

    Janet Napolitano, 51, is President Obama’s new Homeland Security Secretary. She spoke with SPIEGEL about immigration, the continued threat of terrorism and the changing tone in Washington.

    SPIEGEL: Madame Secretary, in your first testimony to the US Congress as Homeland Security Secretary you never mentioned the word “terrorism.” Does Islamist terrorism suddenly no longer pose a threat to your country?

    Napolitano: Of course it does. I presume there is always a threat from terrorism. In my speech, although I did not use the word “terrorism,” I referred to “man-caused” disasters. That is perhaps only a nuance, but it demonstrates that we want to move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur….

    http://www.spiegel.de/internat.....30,00.html

    What next? Replace “murder” with “non-accidental expiration”? Replace “crime” with “not nice behaviour”?

    Am I insane…….or am I living in an insane world?

    • MinnesotaRush
      March 20, 2009 at 1:57 am

      … and they said George Bush made us the laughing stock of the world.

    • pdsand
      March 20, 2009 at 2:22 am

      I think, perhaps that calling a terrorist a terrorist is a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur. That way if they blow up a bridge, you know it’s a terrorist, not a mad-caused disaster. If they bomb a building, it’s a terrorist, not a mad-caused disaster. I don’t care to imagine what a man-caused disaster is, but I picture something related to a barbecue grill being fired up at a lesbian wedding.

  37. BillK
    March 20, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    Given FDIC’s “warning” earlier this week, I can’t help but wonder what Bernanke thinks is “prudent.”

    From Marketwatch:

    Bernanke To Small Banks: Don’t Let Fear Drive Lending Plans

    By Greg Robb

    WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged community banks to operate prudently, but not to let fear drive lending decisions. Community banks are generally banks with less than $1 billion in capital. Bernanke said he understood that Washington was sending small banks mixed signals. On the one hand it was important to continue lending, while on the other it was important to have a strong capital position. Bernanke said the Fed had no option other than to rescue large financial firms. He said the Fed would pay close attention to bank pay and bonus practices going forward. He said the Fed was pleased, so far, with its new credit easing policies. He only made a brief mention of the Fed’s plan to purchase $300 billion of longer-term Treasury securities.

    http://www.foxbusiness.com/sto.....ing-plans/

  38. proreason
    March 20, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    Ooops. Little $1.6 Trillion oversight in Obamy’s budget. From an understanding Reuters:

    Senate’s Conrad sees $1.6 trillion in extra deficit

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad said on Thursday he expects federal deficit spending will be about $1.6 trillion greater over the next ten years than President Barack Obama’s budget plan forecasts.

    Obama submitted his budget outline to Congress last month which forecast almost $7 trillion in deficits through 2019, however a worsening economic picture is expected to make the budget outlook darker.

    Conrad told reporters that the additional $1.6 trillion over the next decade was based on projections of the Democratic majority’s budget committee staff.

    The Congressional Budget Office is due to issue its revised forecasts for the deficit and economic outlook on Friday, taking into account Obama’s budget proposal which included health care reform and other domestic programs such as curbing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding education.

    The expectation of much higher deficit spending comes as much of Washington was already worried about exploding deficits and government borrowing to finance it. China last week raised concerns that massive deficit spending and near zero interest rates would erode the value of its huge U.S. bond holdings.

    Conrad also said he did not plan to include any instructions in the budget plan he is crafting for health care or the greenhouse gas initiatives. Such instructions written into the budget would give it a privileged status and make it easier to become law, but likely spark a nasty fight with minority Republicans.

    http://www.reuters.com/article.....liticsNews

    Totally understandable, given The Moron’s busy busy schedule.

    These little oversights will happen.

    Let’s hope he isn’t too busy to keep his March Madness picks up-to-date.

    • proreason
      March 20, 2009 at 2:51 pm

      Oops oops. CBO says it a $2.3 trillion ouchie, not a $1.6 trillion ouchie:

      “The Congressional Budget Office figures, obtained by The Associated Press Friday, predict Obama’s budget will produce $9.3 trillion worth of red ink over 2010-2019. That’s $2.3 trillion worse than the White House predicted in its budget.

      http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....ama_budget

      But so what, right? Easy come, easy go.

      2.3 Trillion is only 2.3 times what you pay currently pay annually in taxes. But maybe you will be lucky and lose your job. Then, this little “oversight” will be FREE.

      And think of all the “benefits” you will get from this spending “oversight”.

      The Moron, is his benevolence, tried to make it easier on your psyche by “fudging” the numbers a bit, but they are what they are. After all, it’s not his fault.

  39. BillK
    March 20, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    The latest from the idiot controlling our access to domestic oil.

    From the [Associated Press]:

    Salazar defends higher oil royalties, taxes

    WASHINGTON (AP) – Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Monday he would consider tapping oil from Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if it can be done from outside the refuge’s boundaries, leaving animals and other wildlife undisturbed.

    However, Salazar emphasized the Obama administration stands firm that the Alaska refuge, known as ANWR, “is a very special place” that must be protected and that he is not yet convinced directional drilling would meet that test.

    Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has introduced legislation that would allow oil companies access to oil beneath the Arctic refuge’s coastal plain through directional drilling from platforms outside the refuge itself.

    Murkowski contends such drilling would leave the refuge surface land undisturbed, protecting wildlife.

    “The question of whether or not you can do directional drilling without impairing the ecological values of ANWR is an open question. Most of what I’ve seen up to this point is it would not be possible to do that,” Salazar said in a conference call with reporters.

    He said the directional drilling idea is “something that can be discussed” because of the advancements in the technologies in recent years.

    But Salazar said protecting ANWR’s ecology and wildlife is “not something we’re going to change our position on” when considering future oil and gas production. “There are special places to be protected and ANWR is one of those,” Salazar said when asked about Murkowski’s proposal.

    Meanwhile, Salazar said he will meet with major oil company executives on Thursday to reassure them that the Obama administration views oil as important to the country’s energy future.

    “My message to the oil companies will be simple. They are and will remain an important part of our energy future,” said Salazar. “… We share much common ground. We need to have an open dialogue.”

    At the same time, Salazar defended proposals to end a manufacturers’ tax break for the largest oil companies as well as higher royalties and new fees on oil pumped from federal waters.

    “It’s simply a sense of fairness,” said Salazar. …

    http://www.9news.com/money/art.....p;catid=75

    The oil companies are of course important to the country only as a source of tax revenue.

    Salazar is of course being true to form – he was majorly anti-oil as a Colorado Senator and he’s even more anti-oil as Secretary of the Interior.

    Salazar (and the Obama administration) of course also have no clue that oil companies don’t pay these fees… the American consumer does.

    • pdsand
      March 20, 2009 at 6:53 pm

      Not that I think this bill will pass, but the Senator in this case would be the one passing the law telling the Secretary of the Interior what to do, it sounds rather like Salazar has their roles reversed.

  40. BillK
    March 20, 2009 at 1:44 pm

    Yes, the White House actually was that stupid.

    From The (U.K.) Daily Telegraph:

    Gordon Brown is frustrated by ‘Psycho’ in No 10

    By Tim Walker

    While not exactly a film buff, Gordon Brown was touched when Barack Obama gave him a set of 25 classic American movies – including Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins on his recent visit to Washington.

    Alas, when the PM settled down to begin watching them the other night, he found there was a problem.

    The films only worked in DVD players made in North America and the words “wrong region” came up on his screen. Although he mournfully had to put the popcorn away, he is unlikely to jeopardise the special relationship – or “special partnership”, as we are now supposed to call it – by registering a complaint.

    A Downing Street spokesman said he was “confident” that any gift Obama gave Brown would have been “well thought through,” but referred me to the White House for assistance on the “technical aspects”.

    A White House spokesman sniggered when I put the story to him and he was still looking into the matter when my deadline came last night.

    By the way, when Obama’s unlikely gift was disclosed, a reader emailed me to ask if Clueless was among the films. Funnily enough, it was not.

    Brown, on the other hand, presented a rather more thoughtful gift to the American President in the form of a penholder carved from the timbers of an anti-slavery ship. The sister ship, in fact, of the one that was broken up and turned into the desk in the Oval Office.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new.....No-10.html

    It seriously makes you wonder who suddenly thought “Oh damn, we need a gift!” and like a panicked boyfriend buying what’s left in the floral department at 6:00 PM on Valentine’s Day just swung by Best Buy and picked up a handful of DVDs.

  41. BillK
    March 20, 2009 at 2:45 pm

    Let’s all jump on the bandwagon!

    From the Wall Street Journal:

    States Launch Joint AIG Probe

    By Liam Pleven

    A coalition of 19 state attorneys general is launching an investigation into controversial bonuses paid to employees at American International Group Inc.’s financial products unit, whose woes brought the insurer to its knees last year.

    New Jersey’s attorney general, Anne Milgram, notified the company of the probe in a letter signed by her counterparts in 18 other states.

    The letter said the officials wanted to “ensure the investing public, as was promised, that money received by the company is being utilized to improve the financial welfare of the company, not to pad the pockets of the same individuals who led to the financial crisis in the first place.”

    It said the probe was looking into “potential fraud” under New Jersey law, as well as other potential violations of state law.

    The letter, dated March 19, demanded that the company provide a list within five business days of all employees at the unit who got bonuses since September 2008, when the government stepped in with a bailout that rescued AIG from potential bankruptcy. The government has committed up to $173.3 billion to aid AIG.

    The letter also asked for copies of all employment contracts with people who got bonuses, and a list of the people who were involved in negotiating the compensation contracts …

    http://online.wsj.com/article/.....95697.html

    Confidentiality? Contract law?

    It all goes right out the window – who needs that anymore.

    Not when there’s yet another “crisis” that cannot be allowed to go to waste.

    It was bad enough when Congress and Cuomo were playing their game, but now more states are getting into the act, too.

    Let’s face it, we’re screwed.

    • Consilience
      March 20, 2009 at 3:38 pm

      BillK, Law means nothing to these dreadful bastards. Have to tell you, I’m coming to the conclusion that rhetoric will not suffice in this battle. There are some folks who need their asses whipped desperately and publicly, removed from office and tried for conspiracy…

  42. MinnesotaRush
    March 20, 2009 at 6:02 pm

    “New Jersey’s attorney general, Anne Milgram, notified the company of the probe in a letter signed by her counterparts in 18 other states.

    The letter said the officials wanted to “ensure the investing public, as was promised, that money received by the company is being utilized to improve the financial welfare of the company, not to pad the pockets of the same individuals who led to the financial crisis in the first place.”

    So are they investigating DC??? Dodd, Frank, o-blah-blah, Raines, etc, etc??? Yet another pandering smoke screen.

  43. U NO HOO
    March 20, 2009 at 6:08 pm

    I always feel racist when I hear about Obama playing basketball or discussing March Madness.

  44. U NO HOO
    March 20, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Bush gave Saddam a noose and the world was embarassed.

    Obama gave Brown useless DVDs and the world was what?

    • Steve
      March 20, 2009 at 7:03 pm

      UNH, remember to click on the “reply” link just under a comment, if you want want to reply to a specific comment.

  45. DW
    March 20, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    Our old friend George Galloway is crying the blues.
    From the Canadian Press:

    Canada bans outspoken British MP

    By Stephen Thorne, THE CANADIAN PRESS

    OTTAWA – Immigration Minister Jason Kenney will not intervene in a decision to ban British anti-war MP George Galloway from Canada despite opposition claims of censorship.

    Galloway termed the decision “idiotic” after Citizenship and Immigration Canada deemed the outspoken politician inadmissible on security grounds. He was exploring his legal options Friday, vowing to fight the ruling with “all means at my disposal.”

    Kenney’s office noted Galloway has expressed sympathy for the Taliban cause in Afghanistan and provided financial support to the Palestinian group Hamas, listed in Canada as a terrorist organization…

    …Galloway “last week publicly called for a coup d’etat in Egypt and the overthrow of the government there while at the same time delivering aid and resources to Hamas, which is a banned illegal terrorist organization,” Kenney said.

    “In this case, I believe folks that are supporting and promoting and helping terrorist organizations are not needed to visit Canada.”…

    …Galloway, banned from Britain’s Labour party in 2003 and now sitting as a left-wing Respect MP, issued a statement calling the decision “irrational, inexplicable and an affront to Canada’s good name.” …

    …It’s not the first time the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been linked to a controversial decision to bar entry to high-profile activists.

    In October 2007, officials banned two U.S. peace activists from speaking at a Toronto conference – Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, and retired U.S. army colonel Ann Wright, who has been arrested at various peace rallies.

    And a day before U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration, authorities barred Prof. Bill Ayers from attending a conference hosted by the University of Toronto….

    Full article here:
    http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Po.....31-cp.html

    You know, I could almost start to like that country.
    Oh -wait a minute…

  46. U NO HOO
    March 20, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    C-SPAN is on, Maxine Waters just called someone brain dead…didn’t she learn from BO’s slip last night on Leno…doesn’t really matter…sorry to bother you.

    • David
      March 21, 2009 at 12:37 am

      No this is different because the able Obama made fun of the handicap, Maxine speaks from lifelong experience.

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