A Fog of Secrecy Descends Upon the Most Transparent Administration

WorldNetDaily described what lawyers for the Obama administration have done lately: "The federal government is arguing that previous court rulings applying the Freedom of Information Act to records such as the visitor logs at the White House are incorrect, and President Obama's administration should be allowed to withhold from the public the information it chooses...."

Sheriff Arpaio Considering Run for Governorship

KNXV-TV of Phoenix (ABC channel 15) says that Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County is considering whether to run for governor of Arizona, and plans to make a public announcement on Monday. If elected, communities thinking of setting themselves up as sanctuary cities had better brace themselves for the Arpaio smackdown!

Aren't You Proud to Have Her as Speaker of the House?

Oh wow, man! This incredible picture appeared on the cover of Capitol File magazine. Jed Skillman, a man with 20 years of experience in filming video commercials, comments on this airbrush job on Nancy Pelosi in American Thinker.

Seeking Out the Most Qualified

FOX News reports: Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law and lashings are required for women judged "immodest."

Gov. Crist Goes Over to the Dark Side, Parts 1 and 2

Part 1 was where Crist the opportunist announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate. Part 2 is where the Weekly Standard quotes Marc Ambinder:

Charlie Crist, soon to be independent Senate candidate from Florida, tried to reach White House chief of staff Emanuel through intermediates. WH refuses to take the call. Dems plan big talent/money blitz for Kendrick Meek...

"Illegal Is Not a Race," Says Arizona Tea Partier

Source: http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/28/tea-partiers-to-illegal-immigrants-sign-guestbook/?hpt=T2

As an antidote to the irrational screaming and finger-pointing coming from the left these days surrounding Arizona's attempt to stem the flood of illegal immigrants, we run this article about 2 members of the Tea Party movement.

Ben Shapiro Lays It on the Line

One of the most puzzling facts of American politics is how so many Jews in the United States have this death-grip on the Democratic Party, even though the current President is the most obviously anti-Semitic since Franklin D. Roosevelt. In "An Open Letter to American Jews," he pleads with them to start thinking and allow their natural instinct for self-preservation kick in.

Dignitas Caught in Undignified Act

The Daily Mail (U.K.) reports that The Dignitas Clinic, a Swiss firm that provides assisted suicide services, may have dumped as many as 300 urns containing the ashes of clients who went to them on a one-way trip. These urns were discovered by chance, by a rescue service that sent divers to look for a sunshade from one of their boats.

A Real Time-Saver from Time Magazine

Mark Halperin has compiled this helpful list of 12 people & groups the Democrats will demonize straight through November. So if you run across any of them, you can knowingly say, "There they go again" and keep movin' on. Former President George W. Bush, Glenn Beck, angry white males, and the Tea Party movement are noticeably absent, but should be included.

1. Wall Street executives.

2. Obstructionist Republicans in Congress.

3. Sarah Palin.

4. Insurance companies.

5. The past.

6. Fox News.

7. The (rest of the) media.

8. Mitt Romney.

9. Washington special interests.

10. Dick Cheney.

11. The status quo.

12. Rush Limbaugh.

Scare Tactic - Or Chilling Prophecy?

Dr. Gina Loudon has written a cautionary tale that reminds one of "1984" or "Brave New World." Whether this dystopia will come to pass, of course, is entirely up to us.

Bill Black Tells It Like It Is About Lehman Brothers

This eyebrow-raising testimony before the House Financial Services Committee deserves maximum dissemination. He said: "We have a self-fulfilling policy of regulatory failure because of the leadership in this era," referring to the failure to stop "liars' loans" from hemorrhaging billions of dollars.

The 8 Most Terrifying Holes on Earth

The 8 Most Terrifying Holes on Earth Found on the blog "Doug Ross @ Journal." Of course he saved the best for last.

The Plot Thickens

Right: Atomic structure of uranium.

An Iranian nuclear scientist has defected to Israel. Read all about it in the Jerusalem Post.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is engaged in discussions with President Mugabe to obtain uranium for much-needed economic assistance, including housing units, an oil refinery, tractor assembly plant, and beef cannery.

UPDATE: A Pajamas Media article by Ryan Mauro reports that the Iranians have run into technical difficulties enriching uranium with their centrifuges, and are trying to work out deals with Venezuela and Bolivia to scout out those countries for uranium deposits.

Sam Donaldson and His Nightmare Scenario

Media Research Center describes how Sam Donaldson of ABC News dropped the names of law school dropout Al Gore and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created when John Paul Stevens announced his retirement.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's do a little politics right now. The President heading up to Wall Street right now. In the meantime, Sam, he's right in the middle of deliberations again on another supreme court pick. Replacing Justice Stevens. Who are you thinking about?

SAM DONALDSON: Well, my pick would be Janet Napolitano. She's made a star of herself in the cabinet. A puff piece in the Washington Post this morning.

STEPHANOPOULOS: The Secretary of Homeland Security.

DONALDSON: That's right. Exactly. She faced the voters in Arizona. They liked her. And I like the idea that not just federal judges. I have nothing against judges should be on the court. And I'll give you another name. Let's go further. The Constitution does not say you have to be a lawyer to be on the Supreme Court.

STEPHANOPOULOS: That's right.

DONALDSON: I give you Al Gore.

STEPHANOPOULOS: [Seemingly shocked] Al Gore?

DONALDSON: All right. He's 62. But, he's still a few years kicking [sic]. I think he's confirmable, although there would be a fight to some extent. I think he might make a very good justice.

STEPHANOPOULOS [Incredulous]: There would be a massive fight! [Laughs]

DONALDSON: I said to some extent. [Laughs]

STEPHANOPOULOS: [to Brazile]: You was his campaign manager, you think he wants it?

DONNA BRAZILE: He would be qualified. But with a Nobel Prize and Oscar, I think Al Gore's going to continue to fight for climate change....

Russians Accuse Chinese of Building a Cheap Knock-off of SU-27 Flanker

Chinese version of Russian jet endangers bilateral relations
rt | 4/20/10 | Source: Free Republic

Posted on Saturday, April 24, 2010 10:57:24 AM by Flavius

Despite holding the position as one of the world’s biggest economies, China seems unwilling to shed its reputation for producing cheap replicas.

And one of their more ambitious copycat efforts may put a strain on Russia-China relations.

“This Chinese plane is simply a Russian design stuffed with local electronics,” says Maksim Pyadushkin from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technology about the Chinese J11B jet’s resemblance to the Russian Su-27. “It's a knock-off.”

NOTE: If the Russians sold the Chinese a couple of squadrons of SU-27s, what made them think that the Chinese wouldn't take at least one of them apart and reverse-engineer a fighter plane that was better and more advanced that what they could make on their own?

Words That Were Destined to Be Eaten

Neal Boortz has a field day with the following pronouncements made at the first Earth Day 40 years ago. He wrote: "Well ... I really must do something to celebrate Earth Day ... so how about this. I'm going to share a little list with you that was lifted from the libertarian website Reason.com."


Earth Day Predictions, 1970

"We have about five more years at the outside to do something."
Kenneth Watt, ecologist

"Civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind."
George Wald, Harvard Biologist

"We are in an environmental crisis which threatens the survival of this nation, and of the world as a suitable place of human habitation."
Barry Commoner, Washington University biologist

"Man must stop pollution and conserve his resources, not merely to enhance existence but to save the race from intolerable deterioration and possible extinction."
New York Times editorial, the day after the first Earth Day

"Population will inevitably and completely outstrip whatever small increases in food supplies we make. The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years."
Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"By...[1975] some experts feel that food shortages will have escalated the present level of world hunger and starvation into famines of unbelievable proportions. Other experts, more optimistic, think the ultimate food-population collision will not occur until the decade of the 1980s."
Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"It is already too late to avoid mass starvation."
Denis Hayes, chief organizer for Earth Day

"Demographers agree almost unanimously on the following grim timetable: by 1975 widespread famines will begin in India; these will spread by 1990 to include all of India, Pakistan, China and the Near East, Africa. By the year 2000, or conceivably sooner, South and Central America will exist under famine conditions....By the year 2000, thirty years from now, the entire world, with the exception of Western Europe, North America, and Australia, will be in famine."
Peter Gunter, professor, North Texas State University

"Scientists have solid experimental and theoretical evidence to support...the following predictions: In a decade, urban dwellers will have to wear gas masks to survive air pollution...by 1985 air pollution will have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching earth by one half...."
Life Magazine, January 1970

"At the present rate of nitrogen buildup, it's only a matter of time before light will be filtered out of the atmosphere and none of our land will be usable."
Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

"Air pollution...is certainly going to take hundreds of thousands of lives in the next few years alone."
Paul Ehrlich, Stanford University biologist

"We are prospecting for the very last of our resources and using up the nonrenewable things many times faster than we are finding new ones."
Martin Litton, Sierra Club director

"By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate...that there won't be any more crude oil. You'll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill 'er up, buddy,' and he'll say, `I am very sorry, there isn't any.'"
Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

"Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct."
Sen. Gaylord Nelson

"The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years. If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age."
Kenneth Watt, Ecologist

Inappropriate Laughter

President Obama seems to think that the Tea Party movement, other critics, and even the Constitution are a big joke. Now there must be some way to bring out his serious side. Hint: it takes place on the first Tuesday in November.

UPDATE: Dan Kennedy in Townhall.com writes a column with the message "he can dish it out, but he can't take it."

Breaking News: Navy SEAL Huertas Found Not Guilty

A six-man jury cleared one of the Navy SEALs accused of dereliction of duty and attempting to influence the testimony of another service member.

Music Video: "Gimme Back My Freedom"

Someone had to compose a rock song for the conservatives. Enter Ambassador Tom and the Mortgaged Youth. Tom Schweich actually did serve as an ambassador, and is now a Republican candidate for Missouri state auditor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgU7T2au2Wg&feature=pyv&ad=5478405991&kw=fox%20news

Some thoughts on the VAT (Value-Added Tax)

A wise man once said:

“When a new source of taxation is found it never means, in practice, that an old source is abandoned. It merely means that the politicians have two ways of milking the taxpayer where they had only one before.” —H. L. Mencken

Keep that saying in mind when you read this AP/Yahoo.com article.

Islamic Extremists Want to Issue a Fatwa on "South Park!"

In a FOX News article, a radical Muslim Web site warns that the popular cartoon series faces "violent retribution for depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit during an episode broadcast on Comedy Central last week."

Abu Talhah al Amrikee, the author of the post, continued by saying, "It's not a threat, but it really is a likely outcome," referring to the possibility that Parker and Stone could be murdered for mocking Muhammad. "They're going to be basically on a list in the back of the minds of a large number of Muslims. It's just the reality."

UPDATE: In a related development, Allen West (LTC, USA, Ret.) minces no words in assessing the threat in this YouTube video.

Another Rogue Nuclear Power on the Horizon: Burma (Myanmar)

FOX News has a report that the ruling military junta in that secretive country has plans to acquire nuclear weapons within the next few years, with the help of North Korea and A.Q. Kahn's network. If they pull it off, they could start an arms race involving other Southeast Asian nations and Australia.

Something to Think About as You Start Up Your Hummer

How an Icelandic volcano helped spark the French Revolution

Profound effects of eight-month eruption in 1783 caused chaos from US to Egypt, say experts
Greg Neale
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 15 April 2010 18.11 BST

Just over 200 years ago an Icelandic volcano erupted with catastrophic consequences for weather, agriculture and transport across the northern hemisphere – and helped trigger the French revolution.

The Laki volcanic fissure in southern Iceland erupted over an eight-month period from 8 June 1783 to February 1784, spewing lava and poisonous gases that devastated the island's agriculture, killing much of the livestock. It is estimated that perhapsa quarter of Iceland's population died through the ensuing famine.

Then, as now, there were more wide-ranging impacts. In Norway, the Netherlands, the British Isles, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, in North America and even Egypt, the Laki eruption had its consequences, as the haze of dust and sulphur particles thrown up by the volcano was carried over much of the northern hemisphere.

Ships moored up in many ports, effectively fogbound. Crops were affected as the fall-out from the continuing eruption coincided with an abnormally hot summer. A clergyman, the Rev Sir John Cullum, wrote to the Royal Society that barley crops "became brown and withered … as did the leaves of the oats; the rye had the appearance of being mildewed"....

Across the Atlantic, Benjamin Franklin wrote of "a constant fog over all Europe, and a great part of North America".

The disruption to weather patterns meant the ensuing winter was unusually harsh, with consequent spring flooding claiming more lives. In America the Mississippi reportedly froze at New Orleans.

The eruption is now thought to have disrupted the Asian monsoon cycle, [and] prompting famine in Egypt. Environmental historians have also pointed to the disruption caused to the economies of northern Europe, where food poverty was a major factor in the build-up to the French revolution of 1789...

Did You Feel the Earth Move? I Just Did!

Amid all the political posturing and scandal-mongering one sees in the media, this story jumped out at me as a breakthrough in our understanding of earthquakes. An Iranian cleric has declared that women who wear revealing clothing cause earthquakes.

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano News Coverage

The Christian Science Monitor has an article (and supplied the illustration to the left) about Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which has forced the cancellation of over 60,000 flights and could start a chain-reaction eruption of the much larger Katla volcano.

The Slate online magazine offers a pronunciation guide for this exotic name from an employee of the Icelandic embassy.

FOX News reports that limited service is now available to and from some European airports.

UPDATE: The first report of an eruption at another Icelandic volcano, Hekla.

Journalist Dismisses Tea Party as "Pity Party"

Ben Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times indulges in the usual liberal bias against the Tea Party movement. Read some of the feedback to his editorial at Free Republic.
A Pajamas Media article by Bob Owens describes some of the Left's pathetic efforts to infiltrate Tea Party rallies on 15 April.

Incredible Marine Reenlists Despite Losing Eyesight, Both Legs

The following story is excerpted from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Marine Cpl. Matthew Bradford is sworn in by Lt. Col. David Barnes. Bradford lost his eyesight and both legs after a roadside bomb exploded under him in Iraq's Al Anbar province in 2007.

After all he's been through, the only real regret Marine Cpl. Matthew Bradford says he has now is not being able to return to combat duty in Iraq.

But Wednesday, Bradford, 23, made Marine Corps history, becoming the first blind double amputee to re-enlist. In keeping with service tradition, Bradford was honorably discharged and allowed to say a few words as a civilian before re-enlisting.

The outdoor re-enlistment ceremony was held a few hundred feet from the Center for the Intrepid, dedicated just 11 days after Bradford was seriously wounded in Iraq.

It was at the cutting-edge rehabilitation center, funded with $50 million in private contributions, that he began his arduous and painful journey in June 2007 to learn to walk again with prosthetic limbs.

Bradford, who grew up in Winchester, Ky., and Dinwiddie, Va., had made up his mind that he was going to deploy as many times as the Marines wanted him to when he was hurt a few months into his first tour of Iraq.

A rifleman, he was on patrol in Al Anbar province and trying to help clear an area of roadside bombs when one of them exploded right under him the afternoon of Jan. 18, 2007.

Bradford lost his eyesight, and he had a fractured right hand and fragmentation wounds to the lower abdominal area. But what he said he hated the most was losing his legs. He required amputations below the knee on the right leg and above the knee on the left.

His physical therapist, Matt Parker, said Bradford put his complete trust in his rehabilitation team, at a time when the Intrepid Center was "extremely busy" with a first wave of severely wounded troops.

Since then, Bradford has inspired others by riding his hand cycle, with directions called out to him, in the Marine Corps Marathon. Last year, he hiked 10 miles of desert terrain in the grueling Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, N.M.

Bradford credited his years of playing football and basketball as a youth, and the never-give-up attitude of the Marine Corps, with preparing him for his recovery. He's learned to read Braille and works on a computer with the aid of special software. Friday, he received a promotion to corporal, based on leadership.

Less of a Threat, More of a Crackpot

The man who supposedly was leading a coordinated effort to disrupt as many Tea Party rallies today as possible, turns out to be an obscure teacher in Oregon who's under investigation, according to FOX News.

"The investigation by Oregon's teacher licensing agency comes in response to a public outcry over Jason Levin's public statements that he'll do anything short of throwing rocks to bring down the Tea Party....

"His school district is defending his right to free speech, but it's investigating whether he used district computers to spread his political message or worked on his Web site during school hours.

"In a now deleted post on his “Crash the Tea Party” Web site, Levin called on his supporters to collect the Social Security numbers — among other personal identifying information — about as many Tea Party supporters as possible at the numerous rallies scheduled to take place on Thursday – Tax Day...."

In Honor of All the Tea Party Rallies Taking Place Today

They say that in politics perception is reality, but obviously there is a disconnect here.

American Thinker has been swift to post some photo coverage of a Tea Party in Boston.

A little birdie handed us the following information. The organizer of CrashTheTeaParty.org issued the following marching orders on Twitter, so anyone intending to show up at Tea Parties in the following cities should be placed on HIGH ALERT.

Portland ME #1
Boston MA #1
Providence RI #1
Bridgeport CT #2
New York NY #1
Trenton NJ #2
Philadelphia PA #2
Wilmington DE #2
Baltimore MD #1
WASHINGTON DC #2
Richmond VA #1
Raleigh NC #1
Atlanta GA #1
Savannah GA #1
Jacksonville FL #2
Miami FL #2

These instructions were found at http://twitter.com/tpartycrasher and only list the eastern states, so there must be more cities added to the list by now. Our thanks to Free Republic.

UPDATE: Leftist plan to infiltrate & disrupt Tea Parties fizzles out, according to this Politico.com article.

Sen. Inouye Puts His Money on Hanabusa

A fascinating wrinkle in an already convoluted three-way race has suddenly materialized, according to Politico.com. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye has contributed $100,000 to the DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) in an effort to help out state Senate president Colleen Hanabusa, who is competing against fellow Democrat, former Rep. Ed Case and Republican city Councilman Charles Djou.

Connecting the Dots

The Associated Press reports that the Israeli government has ordered its citizens to get out of Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula ASAP. A shipment of Scud missiles to the Hezbollah has heightened what is already a tense situation. Add to that the rude reception that Prime Minister Netanyahu received from President Obama, the Americans' refusal to sell or give Israel any bunker-busting bombs, plus the lack of any action against the Iranian nuclear program, and you have the elements of another Mideast crisis.

UPDATE: Michael Ledeen of Pajamas Media wonders out loud whether Iran could produce a nuke earlier than expected, maybe in as little as a month. To be honest, it is difficult to speculate about such a secretive regime.

A Dog Worthy of This Name

Somewhere in a lonely back yard, a young dog lived chained to a tree without food, water or attention.

He waited for that food, and when it didn’t come, he ate dirt. Eventually the dog laid down and he didn’t get up.

But still, he didn’t die.

An anonymous Good Samaritan stepped in April 7 and rescued the German shepherd from sure death. The animal, not much more than skin and bone, wailed in agony on the way to get help.

The dog was taken to an emergency animal hospital in Orange County where a horrified veterinary technician called friends at German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County.

Everyone held their breath … would the dog make it through the night?

He made it, and GSROC went to work.

The nonprofit named the dog Courage and transferred him to Community Veterinary Hospital in Garden Grove where Dr. Bill Grant got to work.

“This is as bad as it gets,” Grant said Tuesday...
Read the rest of this heart-wrenching tale of animal cruelty at the Orange County Register Pet Tales.

UPDATE: An Irvine vet tech has been arrested as a suspect.

Army Officer Refuses to Appear at Ft. Campbell

Birther' Doc a No-Show at Campbell
April 12, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan

An Army flight surgeon apparently is sticking to his vow not to deploy until he is satisfied that President Barack Obama is a "natural born" citizen.

Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin did not report for duty at Fort Campbell, Ky. as ordered today, and a spokesman for the post said it's not likely he will.

"The last report I got as of Friday is that he is not going to report to Fort Campbell," spokesman Maj. Patrick Seiber said. "That's from our division surgeon."

Lakin's failure to report essentially dares the Army to bring charges against him for being an unauthorized absence....

Adventures in Design, Part 2

The following 3 T-shirt designs show what the human mind can accomplish with too much time on one's hands.


The above T-shirt shows what Chuck Norris looked like after he destroyed the periodic table.

This came out just in time for summer Tea Party rallies.

Obamaphiliacs would feel slighted if we left out one of their designs.

"[Vice President Joe Biden] is the man who, perhaps without intending, has given historical context to this presidency. After all, Obama sees himself as a successor to FDR and Truman, so now we have the historical procession: the New Deal, the Square Deal, and the Big [expletive] Deal. It would make a great T-shirt." --columnist Charles Krauthammer

I can personally identify with this one.

Source: work-killer.com

Adventures in Design, Part 1

Few blogs ON THIS PLANET are as alert as we are to innovative, original, or at least attention-grabbing developments in toilet technology. The picture to your left is from a Web site called "English Russia."

"10 reasons why Barack Obama is the most naïve president in US history "

It took a British correspondent, Nile Garrdiner, to summon enough courage to criticize President Obama in this manner:

"Despite some strong competition from Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter, President Obama has spectacularly blown the opposition out of the water, on almost every level, from appeasing America’s enemies abroad to building the foundations of a European-style welfare state at home. The end result is an America that is weaker, more vulnerable to attack, and mired in mountains of debt. No other president in US history has done more to undermine the original vision of America’s Founding Fathers, while replacing it with a reckless and risky agenda that threatens America’s ability to lead the free world...."

It didn't take long for the trolls to come out from under the rocks and take swipes at Dr. Gardiner. Here are a couple of comments:

1. You have got to be kidding me??!! every piece this little worm writes crawls further and further up his own little snivel hole.

2. Please dont have this jerk in your newspaper again. His ideas are just ridiculous and as a Fox contributor I would know in advance he is a Republican of the very rightist extreme. I dont want to read this drivel in the Telegraph . Please tell him to continue on Fox TV where his words will be received with admiration .

Bob Seger Rocks. So Does Luke Casey.

Check out this YouTube video:

After 23 brain surgeries and suffering a debilitating condition called hydrocephalus, 12 year-old Luke Casey has become a survivor who's gentle spirit and mature soul is an inspiration to everyone he meets.

Bob Seger Rocks has been honored at the 2009 Angelus Film Festival, the 2009 Columbia College Chicago Big Screen Film Festival, the 2010 Athens (OH) International Film & Video Festival and the 2010 Reality Bytes Film Festival.

Ryanair Preys on Desperate Travelers

Now that I got your attention, consider reading the AOL News account of this atrocity: charging air passengers to use the toilet!

You Decide: Several Musicians Play "Classical Gas"

Tommy Emmanuel takes off with this version. One admirer wrote in, "He's the Chuck Norris of guitars.He probably just looks at the guitar and it plays what he tells it to."

Glen Campbell, also an accomplished guitarist, is backed by a full orchestra.

Mason Williams, the man who made the song famous, performs for you.

Chet Atkins played it lovingly, as one might expect.

Vanessa Mae shows how it SHOULD sound like as a violin solo.

Poland in Mourning Over the Loss of Their President

Blogger Ed Driscoll was the first to inform us of the plane crash in western Russia in which over 130 people perished, including President Lech Kaczynski and his wife. All the passengers, including many top government officials, were going to Smolensk to observe the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre, where some 22,000 Polish military officers were wiped out. The Russians said that the crew of the Tu-154 aircraft disregarded the advice of Smolensk air traffic controllers to land in Minsk, which was not obscured by thick fog.

FOX News has a video report as well as an article.

You Have Been Forewarned!

Just as we informed you about the "Coffee Party," now another challenge to the Tea Party movement has appeared on the horizon: CrashTheTeaParty.org. Canada Free Press quotes Neil Cavuto of FOX News: "“Only eight days before a nationwide tea party, some over-caffeinated crashers [from Huffington Post and ACORN are] aiming to lay waste to it.”

The map on the right shows how many Tea Parties are being planned.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has a few choice words to say in "Alinsky's Avenging Angels."

A Republican Steps Forward as a Serious Contender in Hawaii!

Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou (standing in the blue aloha shirt in the upper left and lower right pictures), who is running in a special election to fill the House seat vacated by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, made an appearance before a warm and welcoming crowd at the Mililani High School cafeteria this evening [7 April]. In addition to preaching about the need for responsibile representation and fiscal responsibility, he described his track record for fighting corruption and introducing efficiencies on the local level.

Two grand observations he made about American democracy were:
1. Politicians say they do what's in the best interest of the people, but in reality they're more likely to try to do what's in the best interest of the VOTERS. In other words, if you don't vote, you drop off their radar screen.
2. He said that he's not asking his supporters to make any cold calls, but urged them to talk to 10 of their friends and relatives, and encourage them to do likewise. In theory, the best candidate should win; in practice, it's the best campaign that gets the candidate elected.

You can find out more about this promising young man at: http://www.djou.com/
The CFIF (Center for Individual Freedom) has an article that compares him to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.

UPDATE1: A word to the wise, from Ramesh Ponnuru of National Review:

The DCCC is pounding Charles Djou, the Republican candidate in a special House election in Hawaii, because he allegedly "still supports tax breaks for big corporations who would export our future.” The DCCC's evidence for this claim, according to the ad, is that Djou signed Americans for Tax Reform's pledge to oppose tax increases. That doesn't commit him to defending every tax break. He could, consistent with his pledge, support legislation to abolish whatever corporate tax breaks are at issue, so long as that legislation also cut taxes by an equivalent amount. Djou could even sponsor the legislation.

The Democrats have, in short, invented a phony issue.

UPDATE2: Djou has a fighting chance when the Democrat vote is divided between 2 candidates, Ed Case and Colleen Hanabusa. His prospects will improve even more if Democratic state Senator Will Espero jumps into the fray.

National Volunteer Month

It's healthy to take a month reflect upon the fact that you can make a difference in people's lives without having to wait for the government to step in, according to Jobing.com.

"Throughout the years, National Volunteer Month has gained support from all U.S. Presidents, governors, mayors and many other elected and appointed officials. Today, the occasion offers us a chance to honor those who already serve as tireless volunteers, and to get involved in something ourselves.

"Last year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that about 63.4 million people – or 26.8 percent of the population – volunteered with an organization at least once between September 2008 and September 2009. This is an increase from the 26.4 percent of the population that volunteered the previous year...."

You Picked a Fine Time to Lead Us, Barack Video

Jonathan McWhite came up with this parody, sung to the tune of Kenny Rogers' hit song, "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W57aBMYKvU

For fans of more serious music, there's a video of a Chilean contestant who entered "Sweden's Got Talent" and blew the audience away with his rendition of "Granada!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkURKQd7FO8

We Should Be Citizens, Not Victims or Martyrs

Team America PAC ran the story of INNOCENT BLOOD probably shed by an illegal immigrant (who's still at large). Here is one account:

Saturday night I planned on meeting with the local ranchers, many of whom have become good friends over the years. I wanted to get a first hand account of what was really happening on the border. Homeland Security's Janet Napolitano tells us that security is "imperfect but adequate" and that "there is no spill-over" of the violence in Mexico. She can tell that to the Krentz family.

One rancher, Rob Krentz, didn't make the meeting--that same morning he was murdered, probably executed, on his ranch by an illegal alien. Rob was out with his dog working on the ranch when he came across an illegal alien--he never so much as reached for any of the guns in his all terrain vehicle--no confrontation, no altercation. He was just shot to death. Authorities tracked the sole gunner's path from the crime scene back to the border.

Rob was a highly respected member of the community, and was known to give illegals, whom he found on his family's 35,000 acre ranch, food and water when they were in need. Why kill him? His brother and friends believe it was retribution.The day before the murder, Rob's brother had come across a number of illegals. He was able to detain eight of them along with their cargo--240 pounds of drugs--and turn them over to the Border Patrol.It's believed that one of the drug runners came back and killed Rob for his family's interference into their criminal activities.

The Krentz ranch has been in the family since 1907 and for over 15 years they have begged their government for protection. All they get is lies--deliberate lies from Homeland Security and the President that their border is secure. The government claims that we now have miles of fencing along the border south of the Krentz ranch--but it is only a vehicle fence!!

This sector of the border is packed with lucrative drug and human smuggling routes and Mexican drug cartels are fighting a bloody war to keep or get control of them. And Obama and his sidekick have the audacity to tell us our border is safe!

From a hidden video camera put on a lone route, we can see hundreds of illegals make their way into the U.S. every day! (See it for yourself on Team America's website). Last year, Border Patrol agents made more than 241,000 arrests in the sector of the border south of the Krentz ranch and, according to a local law enforcement officer, 20% of these illegals have criminal records in our country! Imagine what that number would be if we had access to the criminal records of their home countries!

We are giving known criminals free access into our country--and these violent thugs are getting bolder and bolder--killing those who stand in their way.

And still all we get from Washington is lies!!

Senator Harry Reid Buys a New Car

This story has been spreading rapidly over the Internet:

Sen. Reid goes to a local GM dealer in Washington, D. C. with the intention of buying a brand new vehicle. Harry looks around and finds one he likes.

After going back and forth with the salesman, Harry settles on a price of $45,000.

Harry and the salesman go back to the office to complete the paperwork. Harry works out a 4-year payment plan, and signs on the bottom line.

The salesman shakes Harry's hand and says, "Thanks Senator Reid, the car will be ready for pickup in 4 years."

Harry says, "What are you talking about? Where are the keys to my new car?"

The salesman replies, "No, you don't understand Senator. You make payments for 4 years... THEN we give you the car. You know, just like your health plan".

Harry, with a choking voice, says to the salesman, "But that's not fair".

The salesman says without any doubt or embarrassment:

NO S--T!

Get with the program Harry !!!!!!!!!!

The Wages of Sin

Michael Hirschorn of Business Insider has declared CNN dead, based on the fact that it has lost about half of its prime-time viewers in the past year.

Two Cool Web Sites

Ever wonder what a neighborhood you haven't seen, or have been away from for some time, looks like? Check out the Virtual Turnpike (www.vpike.com) for 360-degree ground-truth photos.

Meryl Runion's Speak Strong site explains how "the shortest distance between two points isn't always a straight line."

Schoolgirl Unimpressed by Obamamessiah Sighting

We had to go to a site in the U.K. to find out that while Obama's groupies camped out all night to catch a view of The One in Massachusetts, one girl dared to show lack of interest! To President Obama, the advantages of his healthcare plan are so self-evident that he has felt moved upon to embark on a nationwide speaking tour.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...

...but Obama will not tolerate the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. This non-news item about the President's notoriously thin skin is brought to you by NewsMax.