Iran nuke program having problems

First the Iranian President admitted that the stuxnet virus actually did "some" harm to their centrifuges (translation: A lot of harm), then they had two of their nuke scientists attacked by bombers on motorcycles.
One of the scientists has died.
Iran has predictably blamed Israel and made the typically ridiculous statements about their "patience" being limited and warning of extreme reprisals.

Masked protesters outlawed (sort of)

Protesters in Washington, D.C. are now required to notify police prior to protesting outside of private residences while wearing masks.
Failure to do so "may" result in arrest.
A large part of the reason for this "strongly worded" bill is to curb animal rights protesters who have been harassing and intimidating people at their residences.

I don't understand why anyone has the "right" to wear a mask while protesting.
You absolutely do not have an expectation of privacy while engaging in such public arguments.
Anyone familiar with human nature knows that facing masked strangers who outnumber you and are (usually) in the grip of high emotion is intimidating and that wearing a mask provides an illusion of power that may lead some to commit acts they would avoid if they were exposed.

"Christmas Tree" bomber thwarted by feds

A Somali born naturalized citizen attempted to detonate a van bomb at a tree lighting ceremony in Portland Oregon on Friday.
Mohamed Osman Muhamud (whose name will be only reluctantly given by most of the press) believed that he had a van full of explosives that would be set off by cell phone.
When he dialed the number, waiting FBI agents arrested him.
He was yelling "Allahu Akbar!" as he was taken away.
Muhamud came to the FBI's attention when he began communicating with an "associate" located in Pakistan via e-mail.
The FBI pretended to be another associate of the first contact and took over communication with Muhamud, eventually providing him with fake explosives and watching him for many months prior to the arrest.
One damning act by this Yahoo is the stereotypical Jihad video he made.
Instant confession.

Sophisticated border tunnel found

The latest tunnel under the US/Mexican border is 1/2 mile long (2600ft), is lighted and ventilated and even has a rail system.
Just think what they could do with the right funding and legal rights.
We could have a tunnel that bypasses those dangerous border cities.

Al Gore admits a mistake

The world is ending!
We are doomed!
In a sure sign of impending apocalypse, Al Gore has admitted that he was wrong about subsidizing corn ethanol.
He is saying that he now supports ethanol production using a non-food basis; such as wood fiber.
Of course he didn't do it here and you may never see or hear of it in the mainstream media as it doesn't agree with their agenda.

What's next?
Will Al admit that there is no global warming (or at least stop blaming humans?)

Bristol's Pistols skewing votes on Dancing with the Stars?

A conservative blogger is taking credit for Bristol Palin's improbable success on Dancing with the Stars by claiming that he and his followers used Democrat style voting tricks to vote more often than allowed by the rules.
Kevin DuJan of hillbuzz.org claims that he orchestrated an election fraud to teach Liberals how it feels to have someone steal an election.
If his aim was to tee off the left, he has succeeded beyond his dreams (at least where fans of the show are concerned).
The show's executive producer Conrad Green is claiming that he is upset that so many are so angry that Palin, who is consistently scored low by the judges, is still on the show and a viable winner only because of viewer votes.
It is unfair that people like Brandy Norwood were booted from the show despite perfect scores but that is one of the show's draws.
You can vote for the underdog (or just plain dog) and keep them on the show.
You can see Brandy and Bristol's skills to compare (if you can handle it.)

Being a definite NON-fan of reality TV, I feel a bit of schadenfreude at all the sturm und drang.

War ramps up in Afghanistan

The military is sending M1 Abrams tanks to Afghanistan in order to give the military a greater reach on the battlefield and a more powerful punch against the Taliban.
The announcement claims that a company of tanks (11 tanks) will be used by Marines in the southwest portion of the country.
This move and other escalations in Afghanistan are not being as closely covered or criticized by the media as they would be if Obama were not the President.
The war is heating up and more soldiers will die, but the screamers in the streets are staying home in droves just because the White House has a Snarky Marxist living in it.

Mobile command center used for trysts

A firefighter and airport employee at Denver International Airport (DIA) were using a mobile command center for sexual encounters during duty hours and were caught after video of their activity was discovered.
The firefighter resigned when faced with termination and the female worker was fired, but filed for reinstatement after calling her termination "unfair".
You may want to use a disinfectant wipe on that console before you fire it up.

Rick Perry willing to send military into Mexico

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (who insists he isn't running for prez) on MSNBC made it clear that he thought we should send the military into Mexico if it will help end the violence and the cartel's control.
His phrasing could use improvement as he stated it this way:  “I think we have to use every aspect of law enforcement that we have, including the military."
The military is not law enforcement even though they have been forced into quasi-law enforcement missions in other countries. 
He recovers from his error with a comparison to military assistance given to other central and South American countries suffering the effects of narco-terrorist groups (sentiments also voiced by Hillary Clinton).
He also brings up the biggest stumbling block.
The Mexican people need to be on board with us sending armed troops into their territory in order to stem the flow of Mexican blood.


This could be an interesting direction for American-Mexican relations to take.
If the media and governments of both side were on board, it could ease tensions and actually make it harder to cross the border illegally.

If it was you

I have to say up front that I received a speeding ticket this year and have a bad taste in my mouth over the treatment I received by the justice system of the People's Republik of Kalifornia.
Having unburdened myself, I have a question:
If you were cited for driving 26mph over the speed limit in a 30mph and hitting a child who is now paralyzed, what do you think the punishment would be?

For reference, my punishment for 19mph over a 40mph limit (with no collision or injuries, on a Sunday morning with light traffic) was an initial $70 fine that came to $340 with "assessments" (Kalifornia's way of shafting drivers while increasing revenue without a tax vote).

Well in the case of the paralyzed child it ended with a $185 fine.
A judge decided that the driver was not negligent and did not "contribute to an accident".
Are you surprised?
Maybe even shocked?
Don't be.
He was a cop.
I am always quick to defend the police against the attacks they suffer from the left, but I have always had a burr under my saddle when it comes to their lack of understanding when it comes to the way the justice system grinds common citizens down with abusive, revenue generating fines for traffic infractions that cops almost never have to deal with.
This guy deserves a whole lot more hurt for what he did.

More failure in our schools

It is bad enough that our schools do not teach children right and wrong.
Well, at least they don't teach what most of us believe is right and/or wrong.
Now they are teaching us that even if you break the law, you can be a high profile student and still not be kicked out.
Pedro Ramirez is the student body president of Fresno State University and Jose Salcedo is the Student Government Association President at the Miami Dade College's InterAmerican campus.
They both recently revealed that they are and have been in our country illegally for years and have defrauded the schools, students, and taxpayers of the cities they live in.
It is quite likely that they will receive support and cover from activist groups and Democrat politicians known for defending criminal activity.

It is no coincidence that these "timely" revaluations come as Democrats in congress are poised to push for the "Dream Act" that would allow illegals who were brought to America under the age of 16 "through no fault of their own" if they meet certain criteria and follow the rules (after knowingly breaking them for years).

Am I the only one that finds it rather threatening that people here illegally are actively and openly engaging in politics in a way designed to force the door to our country open even more?

Congressional shift results from congressional shaft

State assemblies and congress have really smacked businesses hard and businesses (and employees) that can are voting with their feet.
This has been going on long enough and in large enough numbers that it is gaining seats in congress for biz friendly states.
Now THAT is a way to get the politician's attention.
Maybe some more will put away their biz bashing clubs.
Yeah, right!

Liberal Democrats lock out the press in post election meeting

Famous for shouting that their Conservative opponents are hiding things and need the light of truth shown on them, Liberal democrats held a post election meeting for wealthy donors and groups that barred the media.
The Democracy Alliance, which demands $15K/yr for membership and are urged to donate a minimum $100K to recommended groups, claimed that whatever happened in the meeting was "confidential".
The agenda was apparently about the failure of Liberalism to hoodwink the voters in this month's elections and strategies to match the organization and success of the Conservatives.
Considering the fact that the voters acted on truths finally learned despite the lying Liberal press, lying entertainment industry, lying Unions, and lying Liberal politicians; I don't see how they can turn things around quickly.
 

A dog's life

It's really unfair when you think about it.
Just like soldiers that return home after surviving the battlefields of the world, only to be killed by a mugger or in a traffic accident, a dog that saved soldiers lives; went on Oprah; and was given a "safe" home here in the US, has been killed.
This time it was just a "mistake".

Chip your pet!

Another non-headline story about the Gulf

The Gulf disaster that wasn't continues with reports of flourishing life in the sea.
This should be the headline for any "fair and balanced" news organization, but even Fox News seems to OK with it being  buried under "more important" stories.
Why would the media hide this story?
Maybe they missed the silver lining.
The fact that marine life has not only rebounded, but increased beyond expectation can be touted as a reason for limits on fishing.
The moratorium has provided a rare peek into the effect of leaving the sea alone for an extended period.
This phenomenon should be getting a lot of attention and rave reviews from the left, but they are "stuck on stupid" with their hatred of fossil fuels.  

San Francisco bans circumcision

San Francisco has long been a study in opposites and a hotbed of hypocrisy.
The latest proposed hypocritical move is their banning of circumcision for anyone under the age of 18.
On the surface, this may seem a sane and reasonable response to cultural practices that have been held up as painful and traumatizing treatment of the very young that has little justification.
That argument will probably go on for the next century.
The reality that skewers the lawmakers and those backing the ban is that there is no lower age limit for body piercing.
So, you can place a thousand devices in your kid's face (and perhaps more private areas) but you can't circumcise them until they are 18?
If passed, it couldn't possibly be an anti religious move by the city filled with people who's hostility towards religions that don't justify lying, rape, slavery, and genocide.
Could it?

BTW, the latest body mods allowed in cities like SF are:
LED implants (I light up your life)
Dermal anchors (a place to hang your purse or cell phone?)

Can we test our clowns too?

Tiririca the Clown ran for election in Brazil and actually won.
His fellow lawmakers, however were not amused and are forcing him to take literacy tests in order to prove that he is not amongst the 10% of Brazilians that cannot read or write.
He passed his first closed door test by proving he can read and write, now they want to test him further.

So the question this brings up is: Shouldn't we have our elected representatives prove some minimum competency when it comes to things like economics, government, the Constitution, etc.?
(I wonder if he hoped to get more than a "brazillion" votes)

Watchdog group wants Google treated like Halliburton

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) says that Google and Obama are too close and alleges that the internet company may have avoided a privacy breach investigation because of the relationship.
NLPC wants smaller and more ethical government.
They compare the Obama-Google link to the Bush Halliburton relationship.
I can see Google being in the tank for Obama and vice versa, but Bush and Cheney actually "worked" in real jobs when they were involved with Halliburton.
Still, comparisons aside, Google needs to be examined more closely following their admission concerning Wi-Fi snooping and possible retention of personal information by their "Street View" vehicles.

The ultimate quarterback sneak

Fake out plays are old hat in football, but there is always room for improvement.
A middle school football game in Texas was 6-0 when the down team tried a trick move.
The quarterback took the ball and pretended that the play was over and started walking to the ref, then sprinted to the goal line after passing through the opposition's line.
The video is already a You Tube favorite.

The Twinkie Diet wins!

A Nutrition Professor put himself on a diet where 2/3 of his food intake was Twinkies, Debbie Cakes, Oreos, Doritos and other "bad foods".
By controlling his caloric intake, he lost 27 pounds in 2 months, reduced his bad cholesterol and triglycerides, increased his good cholesterol, and decreased his body fat.
His diet included daily vitamins and protein shakes as well as vegetables like green beans and celery.
Mark Haub stresses that the long-term effects of such a diet are unknown and does not recommend it as a healthy approach to weight loss.

You know that there are people starting his diet right this minute.

Yogurt vs. gun road rage

The saying goes like this: "Only an idiot brings a knife to a gunfight!"
I would guess that applies to yogurt as well.
Mike Flannery cut off Gerald Williams on a Virginia highway, leading to Williams tailgating Flannery and Flannery "tapping" his brakes.
This escalated to Williams pulling around Flannery and tossing a yogurt at his vehicle and the unsurprising response of Flannery brandishing a pistol.
The WTF part of the story is that both drivers called the police and pulled over where directed.
The bigger WTF was that the gun waver only has a misdemeanor charge pending while the yogurt tosser is facing felony charges for "throwing a missile at a vehicle"!

Unbelievable!

California the LiLo of America?

Allysa Finley tells us in the Wall Street Journal that the People's Republik of Kalifornia is the Lindsay Lohan of states.
I cannot disagree.
Let's look at the list:
California is an adolescent brat with delusions of grandeur.
California is self destructive.
California is addicted to spending money like there is no tomorrow.
California is seen as a continuing train wreck by the rest of the states.
All attempts at rehab have thus far failed.

Yup, Allysa is absolutely right!

You gotta fight, for your right...

...to watch Fox News.
Susan Robinson joined the Southside gym partly for the freedom to watch what she wanted while she worked out.
What she wanted to watch was Fox News.
When she came in to the gym on the TV was not on Fox and she was told that management would not allow Fox News to be on.
The local Fox (Fox4) affiliate asked a lawyer who said there was no legal recourse for Robinson, but stated that the restriction was bad for business.
The gym must have realized the same thing as they notified Robinson that Fox was OK again.

81 Year old Florida Woman near death after wasp attack

A Florida woman stumbled onto an underground wasp nest setting of an attack that covered her with stings from head to toe.
Her husband can only wait and pray that she recovers from the coma she is in and that her organs do not succumb to the poison that has almost killed her.
Doctors say she is fortunate that she is not allergic and was healthy at the time of the attack.

I "stumbled" on a bumble bee nest once and was stung multiple times.
I did not rest until every single one of them was dead and their nest destroyed.
Their attack was a reaction to my mowing the grass and disturbing their nest.
My revenge was also a "reaction".

More violence in Mexico

Afghanistan is becoming less scary by the day as Mexico and Honduras become more violent by the day.
An American student was killed yesterday as the car he was riding in in Ciudad Juarez came under fire.
Eder Diaz was the fifth American killed in Ciudad Juarez in a week's time; all of the victims were from El Paso, TX.
Meanwhile a mass grave was discovered near Acapulco, Mexico that contained 18 bodies that are thought to be victims of Mexico's increased and ongoing drug violence. 

Airbus A380 Super Jumbo growing pains

A Qantas Airlines Airbus A380 was forced to make an emergency landing in Singapore after losing an engine that shredded its shroud and scattered debris onto an Indonesian island.
The Rolls Royce group is investigating the incident as well as another involving a Rolls engine on a Qantas Boeing 747 bound for Sydney from San Francisco, CA.
The A380 is the largest commercial passenger jet and is capable of carrying from 450 to 840 passengers and is in direct competition with the Boeing 747 even though the Boeing can only carry 524 passengers, max.
Qantas has grounded their fleet of similarly equipped planes until the issue is "resolved".

"Killer" Clown breaks reporter's face

A person dressed as a clown tried to scale a float during a Greenwich Village Halloween parade.
During the attempt, the clown grabbed the arm of Arthur Chi'en of WPIX and pulled him off balance and off the float.
Chi'en hit th ground with enough force to fracture his face badly enough to require reconstructive surgery.
The Clown ran off after realizing Chi'en was injured badly and has not yet been caught.

While I am certain this is a "before" picture, one commenter asked if it was and "after".
Cruel! So Cruel!
(Maybe Arthur will ask for some "adjustments" to enhance his career.)

Watch out for those Killer Clowns!

No more psychic readings for welfare recipients

The Governator announced that Psychics, pot shops, and other businesses deemed "inconsistent" with the intent of welfare.
Cruise ships, bingo halls and tattoo parlors have also been removed from the approved point of sale list where welfare cards can be used.
Of course, as one commenter stated: "So, they can still go to WalMart and buy beer and cigarettes?"

I see a Nobel coming out of this

Scientists in the UK (Cambridge) have discovered a previously unknown method used by the body to destroy viruses once they enter cells.
It was thought that the game was over when the virus invaded an individual cell because the body's defenses could not follow, but the new discovery shows that antibodies can piggyback the virus and enter the cell with it.
Once in the cell, the antibody triggers the cell's defenses, which dismember the virus within hours.
Scientists hope to use this knowledge to help boost the body's response to viral infections from the common cold to HIV.

Gee, isn't Cambridge the source of Climategate?

Embassy bombs in Greece

The Russian and Swiss embassies in Athens, Greece received package bombs today and other bombs were intercepted on their way to the German, Chilean and Bulgarian embassies.
Sources in and out of the government suspect that anarchist forces are behind the bombings, perhaps trying to remain in the news and relevant, as well as add recruits by blaming the current economy on capitalism.
Bombs have been more common in Greece following the murder of an anarchist by a policeman in 2008.
The killing emboldened the anarchists, who focused on the police and government.

Evil, Greedy, Liberal Corporation

Google slashed its tax liabilities by routing its profits through Ireland and the Netherlands over the last few years.
They avoided more than $3B in taxes by taking advantage of foreign tax havens.
Facebook and Microsoft have also used similar strategies to "do right by their investors".

Corporations and individuals have the absolute right to take advantage of legal methods of tax reduction, but I have two issues with companies like these:
1. If US taxes are too high for their tastes and they feel their shareholders deserve better, why not work to lower US corporate tax rates to make it better for ALL investors that hold stock in US companies and attract foreign corporations to the US?
2. If these particular corporations, which are run by and are the darlings of Liberals, are "not paying their fair share", aren't they just a bunch of hypocrites?