Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year!


These look like New Year's resolutions that we can live with.:-)

Thursday, December 30, 2010

NYT Plays Blame-the-Victim

This just in from Accuracy in Media:

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that police in Sweden and Denmark arrested five men suspected of plotting an “imminent” attack against a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in 2005. The Times has nothing to fear, however, for it was one of several major American newspapers that cowardly refused to publish the cartoons out of fear of offending Muslim extremists.

The papers that did not publish the cartoons, in addition to the Times, were The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Chicago Tribune....

Photographers Mourn Demise of Kodachrome (1935-2010)

An article in The Street announced that Dwayne's Photo in Parsons, Kansas will discontinue processing Kodachrome film, known for its archival qualities. Thus ends a popular slide film with a long and distinguished career.

A personal note: Paul Simon's 1973 hit, "Kodachrome," influenced me to buy my first Nikon camera, a 35-mm single-lens reflex model FG.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Nanny State Strikes Again (and Again)

With the deadly accuracy of a smart bomb, Michelle Malkin identifies the "Big Nannies of the Year." This bipartisan list includes names such as Michelle Obama, Gov. Huckabee, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and the city of Cleveland.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

We Beg to Disagree with Dr. Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer announced on FOX News that "defunding ObamaCare is a bad idea." We beg to disagree - fighting for repeal, starving the beast, turning public opinion against socialized medicine, and pushing counter-proposals for real healthcare reform - they're all good. John Hayward of Human Events makes the following analogy: "To return to those car metaphors everyone in politics is so fond of, funding ObamaCare is like pouring gasoline into the tank of an old beater that’s already on fire." Allahpundit at HotAir.com raises the excellent point that it you gave the flawed program any start-up money, it would be much harder to kill it a few years down the road.

How the Competition Handles Slow-News Weeks

Click on cartoon to enlarge.

Monday, December 27, 2010

What Assange Must Do to Raise Money for His Defense Fund

FOX News has a story about the hard-driving negotiations Julian Assange is conducting with publisher Alfred A. Knopf over a book deal ($1.3 million). And Glenn Beck's The Blaze reports that two-thirds of WikiLeaks' salary budget goes to Assange himself. He will need every dollar he can lay his hands on for the anticipated legal fees.

Safety Advisory: Beware of Chimney Fires

This warning came from correspondent Joe Franklin:

As you enjoy the holidays, please, PLEASE keep in mind that burning that discarded wrapping paper in the fireplace is VERY Dangerous. [NOTE: Do not use your fireplace to dispose of cardboard boxes, Christmas trees, or trash.]

The ink used on the design plus the chemical composition of the paper itself, makes it one of the hottest things you can burn in any type of normal fires. Couple that with the super heated air and its lifting ability, you have a recipe for a chimney fire. A super hot fire in a confined area that is sucking in air like a jet engine type of chimney fire. Once ignited it will superheat and burn off the carbon and other deposits in the chimney – that “soot” from so many normal fires.

If you get one, close off as much of the air intake you can – close the doors or tighten down the draft regulators if it is a wood stove. Then, call the fire department – even if you think it has burned itself out. Often some part of it is still smoldering; waiting for you to open the doors or the air intakes so it can jump back to life.

Please – have a joyous holiday; but do it safely.

This is the voice of experience speaking – who, very fortunately, already knew what to do. It certainly cleaned out my chimney, BUT I most clearly do NOT recommend that approach.

For more information about chimney fires, read "The Facts About Chimney Fires."

This Is What You Get for Questioning TSA

TSA Silences Pilot For Telling The Truth
Source: Investor's Business Daily, 27 December 2010

Ever watchful all 364 days of the year, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has discovered a new security threat — pilots who fly our planes and have questions about the TSA's security practices and policies.

Three days after a 50-year-old veteran pilot living outside Sacramento, Calif., posted a YouTube video to shed light on the security gaps he believes exist at major U.S. airports, he had his home raided by four federal air marshals and two sheriff deputies, including members of an anti-terrorism task force.

The pilot, who was deputized by the TSA to carry a handgun in the cockpit as a federal flight deck officer (FFDO), had his federally issued firearm and badge confiscated....

UPDATE: Glenn Beck's The Blaze has an article revealing the identity of the pilot: Chris Liu, who ought to be commended for his courage instead of being hounded by the TSA.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year



Let us never forget the reason why we celebrate Christmas.

Bombing at Christmas Mass, Courtesy of the "Religion of Peace"

This AP/NewsMax story describes how a bomb went off during church services on the predominantly Muslim Philippine island of Jolo, injuring one priest and 10 members of his parish. The most likely suspects: al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf militants, who have been exploiting the long-standing desire of many Filipino Muslims to secede from that country.

Friday, December 24, 2010

More Proof that Iran Is Supplying Insurgents in Afghanistan, Iraq

The legacy media in America have been strangely silent about this development, but the Telegraph [U.K.] reports what we have suspected for some time: that Iran has been shipping arms to our enemies in Afghanistan as well as Iraq.

"The officer, from the elite al-Quds force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, was captured by US special forces on December 18, a NATO spokesman said. Described as "a key Taliban weapons facilitator", he was arrested in Kandahar province....

"It is the first reported instance of the capture of an al-Quds officer in Afghanistan. Several Iranian soldiers and operatives were caught in Iraq between 2006 and 2008.

"The Iranian government is also reportedly releasing al-Qaeda terrorists from prisons to join the fight in Afghanistan and Pakistan. An intelligence official stated that three members of Osama bin Laden's family were also among those released."

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Unintentional Humor from the CIA

The Telegraph (U.K.) has this interesting story:

WTF? CIA sets up WikiLeaks Task Force

The CIA has set up a task force to be known by the acronym WTF to assess what damage has been done by the mass release of thousands of diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks.

The WikiLeaks Task Force will "examine whether the latest release of WikiLeaks documents might affect the agency's foreign relationships or operations," CIA spokesman George Little said.

The task force, headed by the CIA's Counterintelligence Center, is to make an inventory of the leaked cables and will report on the impact of the leaks, particularly regarding the ability to recruit of informants, a source who asked not to be named said.

Some of the leaked documents originated on the protected SIPRNET, or Secret internet Protocol Router Network, which is used to share classified information between different government branches.

But I Thought Anybody Could Pass the ASVAB Test!

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune ran an AP article that described how 23% of recent high school graduates flunked the Army entrance exam.

"Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career -- and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," said Education Secretary Arne Duncan. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Begging for a Fatwa

One of the redeeming features of conservatives is our sense of humor, and Iowahawk is a prime example. In his blog post, "Great Satan Lauds Assange as Infidel of the Year," David Burge writes enough to make any Islamic cleric want to put a price on Assange's head. Life imitates art: Strategy Page has an article entitled "WikiLeaks Is Anti-Islam."

Saturday, December 18, 2010

End of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The Senate has voted to repeal DADT, clearing the way for admitted gays and lesbians to enlist in the military, according to this Human Events report.

Leftist Fantasy Exposed: "Survey" of FOX News Is Flawed

Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism reveals the unsurprising finding that George Soros' money was behind the following statement that appeared on Alternet.

Yet another study has been released proving that watching Fox News is detrimental to your intelligence. World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, conducted a survey of American voters that shows that Fox News viewers are significantly more misinformed than consumers of news from other sources. What’s more, the study shows that greater exposure to Fox News increases misinformation.

The body of evidence that Fox News is nothing but a propaganda machine dedicated to lies is growing by the day.

Palin Derangement Syndrome

Free Republic has a documented example of Palin Derangement Syndrome by mentioning a Salon article calling for the assassination of Gov. Sarah Palin. This is just the beginning; imagine the frenzy that would follow if she announced that she would be running for President!

Friday, December 17, 2010

New York Times on Another Slippery Slope

Bill McGowan of FOX News raises some excellent points in his article, "The New York Times Sleeps With the WikiLeaks Dogs and Now It's Got Fleas." How did Julian Assange equate the United States to real dictatorships such as North Korea, Iran, or Myanmar without striking a single blow for freedom and democracy in those benighted nations? Here are a couple of paragraphs:

"Naming names of diplomats who have issued candid assessments of sensitive foreign affairs and foreign leaders, under the expectation of confidentiality, will destroy or diminish the trust and credibility of our envoys, and work against candid communication and sound policymaking.

"Disclosing information about the endeavors of human rights activists and political dissidents in authoritarian regimes -- not the United States of Julian Assange's fantasy, but real jackboot places like China and Burma -- will put them and their work at risk. In the end, there is likely to be less transparency, not more...."

The only question remaining is: Of what use is it to gain another Pulitzer Prize, if you lose your soul?

Republicans Beginning to Mend Their Ways on Pork

Ed Morrissey of HotAir.com has made the following comment:

"The defeat last night of the OmniPorkulus bill, as the Boss Emeritus calls it, gives us a chance to revisit the long-held — and long-true — belief that both parties are equally addicted to pork-barrel spending. That certainly proved true enough when Republicans held power, as earmarks skyrocketed and both parties squealed with delight at the trough. However, a new study by a coalition of of watchdog groups on the FY2011 budget proposal shows that one party has made great strides in weaning itself from K Street slop in the past year — and it’s not the Democrats..."

Thursday, December 16, 2010

"When the Money Runs Out"


The above cartoon is a suitable illustration for this sobering Human Events article by John Hayward.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Judge Tramples on Ancient Alpine Tradition Because It Offends Muslims

Is NOTHING sacred? Israel National News has a story about an Austrian judge who fined a man 800 euros for yodeling on a Friday, when Muslims were having their worship services, because "his yodeling offended his next-door Muslim neighbors, who accused him of trying to mock and imitate the call of the Muezzin."

Even lower on the grossness scale: Switzerland thinking of repealing incest laws because they are "obsolete."

Soda Tax: A Cash Cow for Government, Not an Effective Weight-Control Measure


According to a UPI article, a study conducted by Eric Finkelstein reveals that a soda tax would affect middle-income Americans the most, and that cutting off subsidies to producers of high-fructose corn syrup would have a stronger effect.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Enviro-kooks, Behold Thy Patron Saint!

Jan Moorhouse, a solid conservative, has unveiled a new cartoon series. "...today I'm announcing my latest venture. You can find it at http://www.alpoxalips.com. Al Poxalips travels the world explaining to people that while they think they are living in an age of technological miracles, they should turn most of them off. Everyone except him, of course. If 'Global Warming' prevails, there will definitely be an "Al Poxalips" in your future."


The West to the West Wing blog pays attention to the threat posed by Hezbollah and other sinister organizations.

Hezbollah has bases all over Latin America, but especially in the ultra-remote area where the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet. The Tri-Border Area, or TBA, is one of the most lawless regions in the world, and is the Latin American “headquarters” of Hezbollah — the center of its fundraising operations as well as its terrorist training camps. The illegal arms trade flourishes in the TBA, assisted by over 100 illegal airstrips. The TBA has been Hezbollah’s launching pad for terror cells all over the Americas, including the one that destroyed the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1992, and a Buenos Aires Jewish community center in 1994....

Another Sign of the Last Days

The Bible Prophecy Blog has a chilling interpretation of the so-called "food safety" legislation that will impose federal and international control over our agricultural industry. This brings to mind the deathless words of Thomas Jefferson:

"Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread."

True to its name, the blog quotes the following verses from the Bible:

Revelation: 13:16-17
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
This legislation sets the stage for the Revelation prophecy to be carried out legally in the United States. There will now be a system established that could incentivize turning in you neighbor for growing food, allows international authority over your land, and provides a fee system that can increase food costs at will.

Revelation 14:9-11 says,
"If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb."

No matter how hungry you are remember the promise of Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:31 and 33,
"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink?, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?...But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Virginia Judge Knocks Down Pillar of Healthcare Law

This looks like a case that will be fought all the way to the Supreme Court. CNN reports that U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson announced that the "individual mandate" clause requiring Americans to buy health insurance by 2014 is unconstitutional. Read the text of his opinion here.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

"The Love of Money Is the Root of All Evil"

Even though the Russians have had more than their share of problems with Islamic terrorists, nevertheless, they can't resist selling their second-rate equipment to countries or terrorist groups that could just as easily turn these weapons against them as they could against us. This New American article starts thusly:

"The release of over 250,000 diplomatic cables has revealed a lot about the intricacies of U.S. diplomacy. However, one aspect of the WikiLeaks release that has been much under the media's radar is what the leaked cables have said about Russia and its surrogate-state sponsorship of what would most accurately be described as an international terrorist network...."

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Bill Clinton Visit White House Again, Plays Co-President

An AP-Yahoo news story describes how President Obama, forced by political reality to cut a tax deal with the Republicans, enlisted the help of former President Bill Clinton.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Everything You Need to Know About Sarah Palin and the Left

Frank J. at IMAO has done it again! In his continuing "In My World" series he chronicles the behind-the-scenes action that the Lamestream media dare not touch.

It's Like a Rerun of the Cuban Missile Crisis


Shahab-3 missile launcher, with a 1300-1500 km range

Hudson New York ran an ominous story that makes us wish we had a President like John F. Kennedy to make a firm stand, instead of a self-absorbed wimp who obsesses on the threats posed by school bake sales, the Tea Party, and anyone who dares to criticize His Obamaness.

Iran is planning to place medium-range missiles on Venezuelan soil, based on western information sources[http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article11219574/Iran-plant-Bau-einer-Raketenstellung-in-Venezuela.html], according to an article in the German daily, Die Welt, of November 25, 2010. According to the article, an agreement between the two countries was signed during the last visit o Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Tehran on October19, 2010. The previously undisclosed contract provides for the establishment of a jointly operated military base in Venezuela, and the joint development of ground-to-ground missiles....

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Bradley Manning Now Knows Where His Friends Are

The Associated Press reports that PFC Bradley Manning, whose name is mud in the U.S. military for collaborating with Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, is regarded as a hero in Berkeley, California, where the city council is considering a resolution calling for his release.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Iraq Had WMD Program and Plenty of Time to Get Rid of the Evidence

The Law Enforcement Examiner has an article that the dinosaur media would rather have you ignore: one WikiLeaks revelation that appears to vindicate President George W. Bush is that there was far more evidence of Iraqi WMD activity under Saddam Hussein than has generally been made public.

...U.S. military intelligence discovered chemical weapons labs, encountered insurgents who were specialists in the creation of toxins, and uncovered weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. However, Washington, DC officials and the news media have ignored this information.

One of the WikiLeaks document dumps reveals that as late as 2008, American troops continued to find WMD in the region.

There are numerous mentions of chemical and biological weapons in the WikiLeaks documents, however the U.S. media appear only interested in those portions of the leaked material that highlight actions that are viewed as embarrassing for the U.S. military such as the accusation that U.S. commanders were aware of abuse and "torture" of prisoners by Iraqi soldiers and police officers....

Assange's Arrest Seen as a Lucky Break

Jack Shafer at Slate.com discusses the possibilities that are opening up to a master manipulator like Julian Assange.

Although a stay in stir [jail] and the prospect of Swedish prosecution might not sound appealing or even advantageous, it's actually a lucky break for Assange. I don't expect him to express his gratitude publicly, but I'll bet he's gamed out how to turn the Swedish arrest warrant, the extradition hearing, and beyond to his benefit.

From his jail cell, Assange becomes something he wasn't yesterday: a martyr. As martyrs go, he's not very appealing. He looks like an alien, talks more insane trash than an NBA point guard (he says he's practicing "scientific journalism"), believes that the ends justify the means, and possesses such an ego-swollen head it's a miracle that he can walk without toppling over....

Monday, December 6, 2010

Is Governor Christie Being Targeted by the Obama Administration?


Ed Lasky at American Thinker seems to believe so. Since running against the weakest possible Republican nominee in 2008 worked for Obama, he may take more active steps in ensuring that the same thing happens again in 2012. Otherwise he will suffer the same fate as ex-President Jimmy Carter.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

No Honor Among Anarchists

One would have expected even a trace of professional courtesy, but Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, made this harsh statement against President Obama:

President Barack Obama should resign if it can be shown that he approved spying by US diplomatic figures on UN officials, the founder of WikiLeaks said in an interview published Sunday.

"The whole chain of command who was aware of this order, and approved it, must resign if the US is to be seen to be a credible nation that obeys the rule of law. The order is so serious it may well have been put to the president for approval," Julian Assange told Spanish daily El Pais....

CNN has video and still photo coverage of the WikiLeaks bunker in Sweden, which is said to be "fit for a James Bond villain."

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Chuck Norris To Become an Honorary Texas Ranger


The Blaze ran a story about how Gov. Rick Perry is making Chuck Norris, who played a Texas Ranger on TV, and his younger brother Aaron, honorary Texas Rangers at a ceremony in Dallas.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Talk Show Host Puts Up $50,000 Reward for Assange

Nationally syndicated talk show host Todd Schnitt of Tampa, FL has offered $50,000 for information leading to the capture of the man behind WikiLeaks, Julian Assange.

EDITORIAL NOTE: We hope that other people will be able to add to the pot, providing an incentive for his swift apprehension. Perhaps the words "dead or alive" will need to be added soon, in case the Russians decide that he is a threat to their national security.

UPDATE: The Swiss have cut off one of Assange's bank accounts, according to FOX News. This, in addition to PayPal's dropping him from their list of accounts, will hit him where it really hurts.

More Than Just a Car


The Car Lust Blog provides us with an account of the late Tyler Shipman's [seated in wheelchair] passion for the Pontiac Fiero.