Take it from Janet Napolitano... WANG CHUNG TONIGHT~!

Happy New Year! I'm gonna PARTAY!

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Newspapers are nearly extinct...so, now what'll we use for Dog Trainers...?

(Just kidding! I prefer the electric collar shock treatment, of course!)

CHART OF THE DAY: The End Of Newspapers, 'fixed' today.

I certainly won't miss that nassty old gray lady, when she finally dissolves in a bucket of warm hydrogen hydroxide.

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Rush Limbaugh hospitalized for chest pains... UPDATE

...in Hawaii.

Prayers for Rush's recovery. He is a good man, a strong Conservative voice against the far-left loonies that have taken over the once-proud Democrat party.

Get well soon, my friend. God bless you.

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If you want to see just how sick the Left in the country is, follow their tweets.

#Rush #Rushlimbaugh #prayforRushLimbaugh

All these black tweeters are hoping #rushlimbaugh gets a black doc. Walter Williams hosts his show tomorrow. Morons.

But, word now is that he'll make a full recovery...

Sources tell KITV that Rush Limbaugh will stay overnight in the hospital in Honolulu and expect a full recovery. (thnx- @USABreakingNews)

Personally, if someone within my reach says anything derogatory about Rush, I'll simply loosen up a few teefs for 'em. That's just the way I roll.

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UPDATE 2 Just in, via Twitter...

ALERT: Rush was admitted to a Honolulu hospital today and is resting comfortably after suffering chest pains. Rush appreciates your prayers and well wishes. He will keep you updated via RushLimbaugh.com and on Thursday's radio program.

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Courtesy Call, to the White House...

This, seen at protein wisdom, is illustrative of Games Presidents Play and the Consequences of Poor Choices. Darleen Click...

To expand, I suspect that Barack Obama, child of privilege and born “black” into a left-dominated culture that fetishized him, grew up feeling entitled to his good fortune, regardless of real effort. His whole life he has had people scrambling to do for him, to see him as “the first black [fill in]” so as to be able to say to themselves “see what I did? I helped achieve this so I’m proving I’m not racist.”

Obama wanted healthcare “reform” but handed it off to Pelosi and Reid. Indeed, he bristled at any dissent, so much so, he cut off communication with Republicans on the issue last March. “I Won” Obama feels entitled to unquestioned deference — along with media facetime on his terms and whims. Just let him eat his waffle or make his tee time.

Abdulmutallab shouldn't have assumed a seat on any commercial flight, especially one bound for Detroit from Amsterdam, given the warning signs he had displayed. We knew this kid was trouble. Wheels didn't turn; people didn't act. Top Management must pay for this.

Janet Reno Napolitano should go. Today would be just fine, Janet, for a nice resignation letter. Or, if Barry has the ballz, a (fuzzy?) cowboy boot to your ass.

Dick Cheney...

"As I’ve watched the events of the last few days it is clear once again that President Obama is trying to pretend we are not at war. He seems to think if he has a low key response to an attempt to blow up an airliner and kill hundreds of people, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gives terrorists the rights of Americans, lets them lawyer up and reads them their Miranda rights, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if we bring the mastermind of 9/11 to New York, give him a lawyer and trial in civilian court, we won’t be at war.

“He seems to think if he closes Guantanamo and releases the hard-core al Qaeda trained terrorists still there, we won’t be at war. He seems to think if he gets rid of the words, ‘war on terror,’ we won’t be at war. But we are at war and when President Obama pretends we aren’t, it makes us less safe. Why doesn’t he want to admit we’re at war? It doesn’t fit with the view of the world he brought with him to the Oval Office. It doesn’t fit with what seems to be the goal of his presidency – social transformation—the restructuring of American society. President Obama’s first object and his highest responsibility must be to defend us against an enemy that knows we are at war." [emboldenings mine]

Good to hear from a real man, one who knows what's needed.

Listen up, Barry. You're supposed to take charge, make the right decisions, have the buck stop at your desk. A good start would be booting Napolitano.

Or yourself.

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2009 Mugshots of the Year: Rapists, Murderers, Madoff, and...

...mouthy Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gate Jr.

 LOL!

Click here to see the rest of the criminals.

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HEY HEY TSA: "There are many more LIKE ME" doesn't mean like HER

Seriously, TSA, you've got to learn what "LIKE ME" looks like.

And get some full-body scanners in every airport that feeds the U.S.A., privacy be damned.

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Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab could have been stopped...

...if "American Authorities" hadn't thwarted full-body scanners, for "privacy concerns".

Whoever those "American Authorities" are, they need to be fired. Asplodey Abdulmutallab should never have been aboard a plane bound for the U.S., period.

But, there's some good news! REPUBLICAN Congressman Peter King (R, 3rd District, NY), ranking Republican on the House Committee of Homeland Security, demands this full-body screening begin immediately for all foreign flights inbound to the United States...

"I would say right now we do need full body scan, especially when you have countries like Nigeria, which have inadequate security, and you have passengers transiting in Amsterdam and coming here," Congressman Peter King told CBS news in an interview.

"There is a brief violation of privacy with the full body scan, but on the other hand we can save thousands of lives,"

Joe Lieberman (Independent, currently hated by the far-left; the only sensible Senator in the Democrat caucus) is also on board for that process...

"Three hundred people could have been killed and untold more on the ground in Michigan if this plane had crashed," Lieberman said referring to the explosive used by the Nigerian al-Qaida suspect in his attempt to blow up a US passenger plane on Christmas day.

"There have been privacy concerns expressed about the use of these whole body imaging devices, but I think those privacy concerns, have to fall in the face of the ability of these machines to detect material like this, explosive on this individual,"

Crying, whiny leftists to complain in 3, 2, 1...

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Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Photo Released! UPDATED!

~*!~

Kid's drawers on display. 

Kid's 'mentors' released from Gitmo in 2007 (the least troublesome of the bunch; a sop to the whiny leftists).

Obama's fault? Where does the buck stop, again?

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What the bloody hell...? UPDATED

Aren't you glad Christians decided to give each other presents...?

Misuse of a cutting edge.

At lease when they cut themselves, they aren't cutting anyone else, eh?

UPDATE More weirdness...
A Pakistani Shiite (Muslim, of course) self-flagellates for Ashura.

Christmas vs. Ashura and Moral Equivalence

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Barack Hussein Obama: Prevaricator of the Year? Say it ain't so!

Via The Other McCain, the National Institute of Prevarication has received a nomination for BHO to be named Prevaricator of the Year, based on this video..."Seven Lies in 1 Minute 46 Seconds".

The good people at NIP are hesitant to accept the nomination, because, well, BHO is new on the job and can't be expected to tell the truth. Or something. Give him a break; he's just trying to establish a shadow government and who cares if INTERPOL can now arrest anyone in America without any U.S. Law Enforcement agency allowed to stop 'em? And exempt from FOIA to boot! Why, with that sort of goal in mind, who cares if BHO skirts the truth?

BHO did win the Nobel Peace Prize without, you know, doing anything actually peaceful. He can get this Prevaricator of the Year award and feel good about it, because he, you know, has lied enough to actually win it, and he deserves it.

There you go: let's let the little president man win this award and walk away with a clear conscience. For once.

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Stormy Daniels lends herself to a quick lesson in photo correction using the GIMP

This is my first foray into GIMP tutorials, using a 'discovered' photo of lovely Stormy Daniels, posted here on her own Twitpic account.

As you can see from the link, the original photo is somewhat blurred; has far too much exposed surface area, and Stormy's eyes are redshot. Completely unacceptable to me; I had to 'fix' that horrible photo...

(click to enlarge... )

I suppose I'd better make this a step-by-step tutorial, just in case you think I'm not serious, and was (gasp!) only desirous of posting a photo of Stormy Daniels for reasons of pulchritude or something. Never once crossed my mind! So, here's the process...

1) First, grab the original photo here (be sure to get the LARGE version).

2) Make sure you have the latest version of the GIMP (currently ver. 2.6.8).

3) To sharpen the blurs, I used an add-on plugin, a high pass filter, available here. I'm liking the high pass sharpening method better than the onboard options that come with the GIMP as standard fare; the options found under Filters-Enhance. Next best option to high pass (if you're too freakin' lazy to download the plugin) is Unsharp Mask (never use the standard 'sharpen' option, that never works out well).

4) Select those lovely eyes with your Ellipse selection tool, and use the Red-Eye Removal tool (Filters-Enhance-Red Eye Removal). You'll have to go in with the Smudge tool (using a very small brush; I scaled down to .32) and touch up as needed.

5) Use the Crop tool to best frame the photo. Save as needed.

This has to be the easiest tut on the 'net! Come back for more!

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Thanks! for the linky love from Smitty posting at The Other McCain (they're working up a transition to Wordpress, rsmccain dot com, coming in the near future).

For now, visit 'em at the old home with the Rule 5 Sunday Linkfest!

The "New" Cordial

Cowboy Blob has a holiday treat in mind: homemade berry cordials...

It makes a great Christmas gift and keeps your host too hammered to wake you up too early the day after Christmas! It's simple to make: in a clean storage jar, dump some chopped berries, sugar, spices (the recipes I've seen call for cloves, stick cinnamon, or coriander seeds) and seal it up for 2 to 6 months (the recipes differ).

Now that sounds like a take. I'll have to give cordial construction a try.

But there's more! Cowboy offers up a cordial invitation for anyone to caption or pshop his model's cordialities. Since I'm in no mood to pshop Barry or Nancy right this minute, sure, why not?

Presenting the "New" Extry-Special Super-Powered Blue Pill Cordial, inspired by that little blue "berry" what's so popular today (judged only by my spam e-mail contents, of course!). No, I won't name "it" here, there would be thousands of unsavory spammy-linked ads appearing within days.

This New Cordial is only for sharing with one special friend, as our model indicates.

(Regular lefty pshop disfigures will resume soon enough. There's always one or two of 'em out there who remain annoying...)

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Merry Christmas!- 2009-

Merry Christmas to all.

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U.S. Senate "Official" Christmas Card!

No foolin'! We got ours early this morning!

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Chris Dodd spanks 'junior' senators: you listening, Al Franken?

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on Wednesday ripped the Senate's "newest members" for the lack of comity in the upper chamber.

In a floor speech Wednesday night, Dodd said there is "nothing wrong" with partisanship, but added he has "been deeply disturbed by some of the [healthcare] debate I have heard, usually from newer members, usually those who have been here one, two, three years, who do not have an appreciation of what this chamber means and how we work together."

We knew Franken would work out well. Quit your griping, Dodd. Retire or something.

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Marines in Afghanistan

2nd Battalion 2nd Marines "Warlords" in Southern Afghanistan. Not at home for Christmas. Don't forget, please.

United States Marine LCpl. Franklin Romans of Mich. from the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines "Warlords" searches a house during an operation in the Garmsir district of the volatile Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

A United States Marines from the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines "Warlords" patrol during an operation in the Garmsir district of the volatile Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

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Barack Obama admits Copenhagen failure.

Barack Obama's achievements in Copenhagen failed to meet his personal lofty lefty goals; our little country can (temporarily) gasp out a whimper of relief. But such a whimper is barely sufficient to cover the howls from the train of pain that is Obamacare, as it's coming for our fragile economy. That'll be a trainwreck, just wait and see.

Obama, on COP15...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that disappointment over the outcome of the Copenhagen climate change summit was justified, hardening a widespread verdict that the conference had been a failure.

"I think that people are justified in being disappointed about the outcome in Copenhagen," he said in an interview with PBS Newshour.

"What I said was essentially that rather than see a complete collapse in Copenhagen, in which nothing at all got done and would have been a huge backward step, at least we kind of held ground and there wasn't too much backsliding from where we were."

Sweden has labeled the accord Obama helped broker a disaster for the environment, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the summit was "at best flawed and at worst chaotic," and climate change advocates have been even more scathing in their criticism.

The talks secured bare-minimum agreements that fell well short of original goals to reduce carbon emissions and stem global warming, after lengthy negotiations failed to paper over differences between rich nations and developing economies. Some singled out China for special blame.

So be it. If the weenies had gotten what they wanted, we might as well have unfolded our huts and settled back into a pre-industrial age. Got mule team?

Der Spiegel was especially vehement...

What a disaster. The climate summit in Copenhagen has failed because of the hardball politicking of the United States, China and several other countries -- and because people just can't seem to fathom how catastrophic climate change will be. They probably won't have long to wait before things become a bit clearer.

Ya little weenies, you wanted far too much too soon. We can't destroy the world's economies when the science is so far from settled.

Thank you, unknown hacker who wasn't a hacker atall but just a scientist who couldn't stand the lies anymore!

I anxiously await any sign that the weenies mouthing their anti-capitalist pro-socialist agendas are anything but full of shit. Show me something that's repeatable and consistent, then we'll go from there. I don't think they can. But that won't stop their attempts to CHANGE the world to their specifications.

Dirty socialists, the lot of 'em.

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Awesome Imagery: Underwater Volcano

In this image taken from a May 7, 2009 video and provided by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a plume of sulphur and molten lava erupts from the West Mata Volcano nearly 4,000 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean, south of Samoa. Scientists have captured on video fiery bubbles of molten lava, calling it a major geological discovery. Federal ocean scientists are presenting the video in San Francisco at a geophysics conference on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009. (AP Photo/NSF NOAA)

No political themes to be found, or intended, in this here post, whatsoever.

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Ben Nelson CAUGHT CHANGING HIS VOTE! What can we do to straighten out Washington DC?

From Erick Erickson at RedState...

The Senate of the United States just voted to table Jim DeMint’s proposed amendment that would prevent cash for cloture compromises.

As you will recall, Ben Nelson was bribed by Harry Reid to vote for the health care bill via targeted earmarks that will only benefit Nebraska.
DeMint asked for the Senate to suspend its rules to consider his amendment, which would prohibit such deals in the future.

Ben Nelson voted against Jim DeMint’s amendment, but when he realized the Democrats already had the votes to kill it, he raced back up to the clerk and changed his vote so the final record shows Nelson sided with DeMint.
Unfortunately for Ben Nelson, I have obtained the actual factual roll call sheet.

Click here to see the actual roll call vote Senator Ben (Cheap Date or Whore?) Nelson changed to save face.

I don't think good Nebraskans will keep this hairpiece in office any longer than necessary.

Do we have any U.S. Senators who aren't crooked to some degree?

Seems every time I read and learn more about our current political system, I'm less and less impressed.

It's time for a constitutional convention, to return State's Rights, and to heel this massive, bloated, out-of-control Federal government.  A remarkable concept, espoused in the Wall Street Journal...

The States Can Check Washington's Power

For nearly a hundred years, federal power has expanded at the expense of the states—to a point where the even the wages and hours of state employees are subject to federal control. Basic health and safety regulations that were long exercised by states under their "police power" are now dominated by Washington.
The courts have similarly distorted the Constitution by inventing new constitutional rights and failing to limit governmental power as provided for in the document. The aggrandizement of judicial power has been a particularly vexing challenge, since it is inherently incapable of correction through the normal political channels.

There is a way to deter further constitutional mischief from Congress and the federal courts, and restore some semblance of the proper federal-state balance. That is to give to states—and through them the people—a greater role in the constitutional amendment process.

The idea is simple, and is already being mooted in conservative legal circles. Today, only Congress can propose constitutional amendments—and Congress of course has little interest in proposing limits on its own power. Since the mid-19th century, no amendment has actually limited federal authority.

But what if a number of states, acting together, also could propose amendments?

In essence, 2/3rds of the states could summon a constitutional convention, to propose an amendment whereby states could propose constitutional amendments without having to call a constitutional convention. In theory, the several states could amend the constitution to thwart the power of the obviously out-of-control federal powers; returning at least some of these powers to the states.

Think of that...power returned to the states, closer to...home. Closer to the citizens.

There's fear of what might happen if we ever have another constitutional convention. Most of that fear comes from the federal level, because these beauracrats love their powers. However...

Even to propose such a course might seem imprudent—but then again, the Framers of the U.S. Constitution never thought the balance of powers between states and the federal government would ever get so profoundly distorted. James Madison dismissed claims that the new federal government could displace the states as "chimerical fears," assuring his readers in The Federalist Papers that "[t]he powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite." Indeed, the Framers considered a "vertical" separation of powers—between federal and state authority—just as important as guaranteeing the success of liberty as the "horizontal" separation of powers between the president, Congress and the courts.

True enough, re-establishing a proper balance—where, as Madison wrote in The Federalist Papers, Washington is responsible "principally [for] external objects" and the states for "all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people"—will not be easy.

The gain will be substantial. Although it seems that permitting the states to propose amendments is a small thing, especially because ratification would still require three-fourths of the states to agree, it would shift the power calculus—and create a potential for action that the president, Congress and courts could never ignore as they consider the proper boundaries of their own authority.

Moreover, the effort to enable the states to check Washington's power would provide a constructive outlet for much of the growing anger—specially evident in phenomena such as the "tea party" movement—toward the political elites of both parties. It is not a partisan proposal and is difficult to oppose. The purpose is to move significant authority closer to the electorate, but in a measured, "conservative" manner that is in no sense "populist."

Yes, there's much growing anger.

Summon a constitutional convention. Let's get this mess straightened out, restore power to the states, strengthen the weakened constitution, and end the dirty socialist takeover of our little country!

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Leftists, Progressives FURIOUS: ZOMG! OBAMA LIED TO US!! Meanwhile, the stinking zombie Obama-Reid Care bill clears the Senate

Such a purdy mouth when he lies, eh?

Jane Hamsher, creature from the FireDogLake, also hates her some Obama...

Jane Hamsher isn't a Republican by a long shot, but she's voting with the minority.

It's a bit late to sign the petition, Jane. The Senate just passed the final "60 votes required" hurdle; now they only need 51 votes tomorrow to get this thing passed.

Get you some of that hope and change, Jane~!

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Ben Nelson: a "Cheap Date" or a "Whore" ?

This Democrat sold his vote for $100 Million (estimated cost for 10 years of medicaid expansion exemption for Nebraska) just weeks after saying "My vote is not for sale. Period."

What a lying whore you are, Senator Ben Nelson (D), Nebraska.

You should've asked for more. The upkeep on that hairpiece must cost you hundreds of dollars a month. You could've added a line or two to get that covered, couldn't you?




No rest for the wicked, Senator. Get yourself cleaned up pronto, you'll have another date to service soon enough.

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Forget AVATAR. Watch ALMA, instead. But do it now! Limited Christmas run.

Rodrigo Blass creates this award-winning short animated film (designed to keep Chinese doll sales to a minimum?)

Avatar: White Guilt, spread thicker than oppressive oleo on cheap theater popcorn. Oh, and Raaaaacist! And, the 3-D glasses are for crap. One fingerprint from a popcorn-stained finger, and they're trashed. Trust me on this.

Alma: A limited-run production, a short, and NO BLUE PEOPLE ARE HARMED IN THIS FILM!
(did I mention it was short?)

No smell of cheap white-guilt popcorn there, sorry.

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h/t Silver Whistle in comments at this post, where Jeff G exposes yet more smear tactics of one Patrick Frey, Deputy District Attorney of Los Angeles County.

Jeff G...

As should be evident from the link, this latest ploy has nothing to do with altered comments; instead, it is yet another attempt to try to discredit me. The “hypocrisy,” “racism,” “child molester defender,” “violent maniac,” and “intellectual fraud” angles having all fallen flat, this “untrustworthy” gambit is merely the latest attempt to make a smear stick.
But a smear is only as good as its staying power. Hopefully, this latest ploy will be dismissed just like its predecessors now that it is clear that Frey’s apparent “outrage” is being deployed quite cynically and dishonestly.
****
meta-commentary, from Tommy The Cat

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Sigh. Meta-commentary, from... me. Featuring....BLUE PEOPLES!

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h/t Inferno (pre-colorized) Dan Collins, who collects and posts some fantastic under-this-world imagery.

Merry Christmas, Dan~!

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It's Never Good to Hate on the Internets.

Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney John Patrick Frey, Patterico, has launched a massive internet attack on Jeff Goldstein, blogger at Protein Wisdom. Not the first time he's lashed out at friendlies. Patterico's attacks started in March as a simple disagreement between old friends, but now it's taken on a surreal aspect that's seemingly without a happy ending.

Even that Walcott dude what fucks himself with a swordfish got in on the act.

What a freakin' mess it is.

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"The Health Care Bill is Political Suicide". That doesn't matter to Democrats, obviously; they getting used to Obama serving up lukewarm half-measues.

Sean Trende, posting at Real Clear Politics...

Health reform is shuffling toward its endgame, and even though the bill's popularity resembles George Bush's circa 2007, Democrats seem determined to push the bill through. Browse through certain liberal blogs, or listen to Democratic leadership speeches, and you'll read the same justification again and again: However bad passing this bill might be, politically speaking, not passing it would be much, much worse.

....
If Democrats need to appeal to Independents and moderates to hold their majorities, then passing this bill is a terrible idea.  The most recent polling shows that 81% of Republicans and 69% of Independents oppose the healthcare plan (with 74% of Republicans and 57% of Independents strongly opposing it).  With majorities of Independents strongly opposed to the bill, it's really hard to imagine any boost in Democratic turnout from passing the plan being enough to surpass the ensuing backlash from Republicans and Independents.
It isn't even clear that there will be a boost in Democratic turnout.  The latest version of the Senate bill holds little appeal for progressives. As I noted on the blog, without a public option, this bill becomes a wet, sloppy kiss to the insurance industry. It doesn't even represent a substantial triumph for liberalism by significantly expanding government through taxing the wealthy; there are large new subsidies, but for the most part the subsidies are paid for by gouging Medicare and taxing union health benefits. It really reads like a bill a moderate Republican would propose; it is a slightly stronger version of RomneyCare at this point. In other words, the only remaining group that might have even arguably been excited to vote for Democrats on this bill is now at best lukewarm on it.

Lukewarm and tasteless to all who consume.

As was the pablum climate consensus reached in Copenhagen (before Obama rushed back to DC to avoid the blizzard). Oh, you think I'm kidding about China and the US Treasuries?
Seems Obama might've annoyed our Red Creditors...From Shanghai Daily

In a discussion on the global role of the dollar, Zhu told an academic audience that it was inevitable that the dollar would continue to fall in value because Washington continued to issue more Treasuries to finance its deficit spending.

He then addressed where demand for that debt would come from.

"The United States cannot force foreign governments to increase their holdings of Treasuries," Zhu said, according to an audio recording of his remarks. "Double the holdings? It is definitely impossible."

"The US current account deficit is falling as residents' savings increase, so its trade turnover is falling, which means the US is supplying fewer dollars to the rest of the world," he added. "The world does not have so much money to buy more US Treasuries."

I guess Obama should've bowed, eh?.

---

Nancy Pelosi is furious.

...have you seen Drudge this morning? Wow, if looks could kill.

I'll give her something to be mad about.

Who else should be clapped in stocks I wonder?

I'll populate that later. Right now, I have to fly.

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Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi, Your Time is UP

Lockerbie bomber and Muslim terrorist Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi was released from prison in Scotland on August 20 because Scottish authorities were promised that he had end-stage prostate cancer, and 'had only 3 months to live'. He was celebrated as a returning hero in Libya.

Now, he's missing. A "major political embarrassment for the Scottish government"?

Nah. I think he just crawled off and died somewhere. He and his friends wanted just one more chance to confound their enemies, and hiding his remains was the last opportunity to do so.

The embarrassment for the Scottish government? That happened the day Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi was released.

---

h/t Dan Collins

Mene, Mene, Tekel,

Bitch.

---

Remember Japan's Lost Decade?

Paul Volcker seemingly does...

SPIEGEL: The US has not yet instituted any kind of reform policy. What we see is the government and the Federal Reserve pouring money into the economy. If one looks beyond that money, one sees that the economy is in fact still shrinking.

Volcker: What should I say? That's right. We have not yet achieved self-reinforcing recovery. We are heavily dependent upon government support so far. We are on a government support system, both in the financial markets and in the economy.

We can't borrow ourselves out of debt. Obama's current fiscal policies are ruinous. Should we be worried?

SPIEGEL: So what do you expect in the very near future?

Volcker: As an American, I have to be an optimist. But we have got a big challenge and we have to face up to it. And as you know, there is a lot of concern about the dysfunction of the political system.

SPIEGEL: So it is becoming harder to be an optimist?

Volcker: It's a challenge.

There you go.

h/t Business Insider, via Capitalogix

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Al Gore Caught Twisting Data for Political Purposes

Yes, once again, Al Gore is caught stretching a scientific analysis to fit his agenda. From the TimesOnline (you notice how our own media, U.S. media, does never cover anything that might harm Democrats? Let's hope they are all out of business, and soonest!) ...

Inconvenient truth for Al Gore as his North Pole sums don't add up

There are many kinds of truth. Al Gore was poleaxed by an inconvenient one yesterday.

The former US Vice-President, who became an unlikely figurehead for the green movement after narrating the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, became entangled in a new climate change “spin” row.

Mr Gore, speaking at the Copenhagen climate change summit, stated the latest research showed that the Arctic could be completely ice-free in five years.
In his speech, Mr Gore told the conference: “These figures are fresh. Some of the models suggest to Dr [Wieslav] Maslowski that there is a 75 per cent chance that the entire north polar ice cap, during the summer months, could be completely ice-free within five to seven years.”

Something our homeboy has been saying for a long time. He's already on the clock for his Dec. 13 2008 comments to a German audience swearing that in five years, the polar ice cap will be gone (video at the link). He repeats that nonsense at Copenhagen, and his once-pocketed scientist steps forward...

However, the climatologist whose work Mr Gore was relying upon dropped the former Vice-President in the water with an icy blast.

“It’s unclear to me how this figure was arrived at,” Dr Maslowski said. “I would never try to estimate likelihood at anything as exact as this.”

Mr Gore’s office later admitted that the 75 per cent figure was one used by Dr Maslowksi as a “ballpark figure” several years ago in a conversation with Mr Gore.

Besides the immediate benefit the East Anglia e-mail scandal gave us (a better look at how manipulation of data for political spin, and the depth to which scientists will sink to 'prove' that they are right; oh, and to keep the grants flowing) is the now-evident fact that some scientists are leery to stay quiet whilst their data is misused.

So, Big Al, what more are you gonna say?

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Bart Gordon understands what's gonna happen, gets OUT! Jim Tracy (R) sniffs at his seat...

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand: Bart Gordon's time in Tennessee's 6th District was up, whether he retired or not.

Excuse me whilst I revisit Cromwell...

"You have sat too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

Harrrumph. It's been a long wait. Good riddance, you Pelosi-supporting cap-and-trade-voting Democrat.

From The Hill...

Gordon's seat will vault to the top of the list of pickup opportunities. It went strongly -- 62-37 -- for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last year. Gordon didn't face a GOP opponent, but an independent candidate took 26 percent of the vote against him.

Former Rutherford County GOP Chairwoman Lou Ann Zelenik and activist Dave Evans are already running on the GOP side. Zelenik, in particular, could provide a well-funded challenge to Tracy.

So, Jim Tracy or Lou Ann Zelenick? Jim Tracy has big-time experience; Lou Ann is one of us, a grassroots 'teabagger' who will fight for Conservative positions. Bill Hobbs doesn't much like Lou Ann Zelenick. That's OK; he's done some good things for the Tennessee GOP, but there is room for new bloods.

Unless Jim Tracy wows, I'll support Lou Ann Zelenick. At least throughout the primary.

Oh, and Jim's not all that bad. But, new blood. Fresh ideas. Clean slate. Throw the permanent politicos out. And all of that.

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Kevin Jennings' "FISTER TWISTER": Not found in your average Vampire Bar

As a follow up to yesterday's post.

Thanks to Dan Collins for the impetus and for all of his collaborative inputs (we've come up with quite a few of these pshops; none would've come about without Dan's suggestions. I'm lazy that way. )

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Oh, the "Vampire Bar" reference? You should know that!

Saturday Tid Bits: Shatner and Palin; GLSEN and the REALLY Big Boy

You know, this bit off of Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show (last night?) was probably staged, but the look in William Shatner's eyes could lead one to think it might've been a real surprise. It's worth watching.



h/t Breitbart TV

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Dan Collins asked me to do a switcharoo in this 2005 Boston, MA (GLSEN-approved) schoolkid handout. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Dan's post...

...has amassed a flood of comments; including this gem...

Did Shoney’s restaurants give them permission to use the Big Boy in this way? Words cannot express how profoundly repulsive this is.

Those words make a pshopper happy! So, I'm happy, but happyfeet isn't much happy; his opinion is that Kevin Jennings (Obama's 'School Czar') is getting a raw fist.

I'm just glad that my kid is past the age of Obama's "Safe School" czarring.

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Friday Photo: A Walk in the Confederate (RAAAAACIST!!) Cemetery

The obvious conclusion(s): the groundskeepers must be RAAAAACIST!11!!1!!1!!

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Turgid in a Punchbowl: Barack Obama's Nobel Acceptance "Embarrassment" Speech

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton analyzes BHO's Nobel 'Peace' Prize acceptance speech... "amazing misconceptions..." "turgid..." "repetitive..." "high school level..." "no lead in his pencil..." (!) Watch the video. The link is to the full text of the speech.

Embarrassing, BHO, simply embarrassing.

BHO: "...we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetime..." No shit, Sherlock. But if you apologize enough for America, keep promoting your global leftist attitudes and narratives and, as Democrats are wont to do, continue to weaken our military under your watch (call it "yet another 'peace dividend!'") then you will set us up for more devastating surprise attacks. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Obama would've been better off just to bow in the general direction of Oslo (he could've used a prayer rug and really gotten down low) then sent the Hillary Bug to collect his prize. Or, better, send that little twerp, the embattled Schools Czar Kevin Jennings, over there with a 'fisting kit' (can you believe that story? maybe somehow it ties in to and explains Obama's bows ? ...)

Next, Obama shuffles off to Dopenhagen, where he'll perform even more amazingly stupid and mind-boggling hard-leftist pet tricks; this time, to advocate the continued destruction of the free marketplace! Just sign here on the dotted line...A surefire and faster way to enable the U.S.'s decline!

Hmmmph. I hope it snows seventy feet over there. With AlGore in attendence, it just might.

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h/t Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs

Nobel Prize Embarrassment Day for Barack Obama

Right this minute (close enough) Barack Obama is sneaking into Norway, snagging his unearned Nobel Peace Prize, pocketing the awards check, and getting the hell out of town (so fast that he's pissed off the King of Norway and every journalist in that diminutive and otherwise unimportant country; that the snub is real is noted in various news articles written all over the globe, including this one written in the previously-snubbed United Kingdom, who by now must be used to BHO's well-documented insensitivity to the  U.S.'s allies).

Various bloggers have posted articles on whether or not BHO is intentionally slighting and snubbing these pitiful Norwegians. Not so fast I say; I think BHO is simply embarrassed.

How can that be, you ask? How can this man, O!ne who lives for the aura of grandeur and pomposity and belts out those oh-so fantastical speeches (thanks, TOTUS!) ever be beset with even a hint of embarrassment? Are you sure he's embarrassed, or, as Dan Rhiel opines, he simply hates white people?

There may be something to that (or even more than a little something), but I'm thinking that when only 1 in 5 of your own countrymen (a CNN poll fer chrissake) think you deserve the prize, well, yes, simple embarrassment can creep in to even the most arrogant man in the United States. Fleeting as it may be, it's still quite possible.

So, Barack Hussein Obama, pick up your crackerjack prize and scuttle off to Copenhagen. There you will find some cheering crowds of 'scientists' and journalists you can speak to, their mindless polishing will salve your wounded ego. Ship that hunk of worthless metal back to the U.S.A. via UPS Ground; stash it in the White House basement.

Oh, and the check? Why not apply that to the National Debt you're now responsible for? It's not much, but since it's unearned (and possibly illegal) money, it'll be the thought that counts.

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Harry Reid at the end of his Rule (he won't be back).

This e-mail to me from the RNC, Michael Steele...

The e-post card is here.  My (deleted on arrival) card...

Go send the bastiche Hairy Reid a postcard. Or throw a bale of arugula at him, whichever is more convenient.

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Democrats agree to drop Public Option! (or do they?)

Is it really gone, or just layered under cloaks for to be brought out when certain conditions are met? The headline is promising...

AP sources: Dems reach deal to drop gov't-run plan

WASHINGTON (AP) -- After days of secret talks [emphasis mine -ed.], Senate Democrats tentatively agreed Tuesday night to drop a full-blown government-run insurance option from sweeping health care legislation, several officials said, a concession to party moderates whose votes are critical to passage of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

In its place, officials said Democrats had tentatively settled on a private insurance arrangement to be supervised by the federal agency that oversees the system through which lawmakers purchase coverage, with the possibility of greater government involvement if needed to ensure consumers of sufficient choices in coverage.

Rushing a bill through to save BHO's political hide. At the cost of some of their own hides...there's angst in the far-left camps. Soros can't be pleased with how his money isn't working for him.

The shittle will hit the fan today. Leftist Progressives who want nothing if they can't have the "Public Option" will be furious (if they aren't, look for hidden 'triggers' in this bill).

Washington, says George Will, is on the edge; ready to asplode. Lamar Alexander, famed Senate moderate, spoke of this Health Care Reform process thusly...

"This bill is historic in its arrogance—arrogance that we in Congress are wise enough to take this complex health system, that is 17 percent of our economy and serves 300 million Americans, and think we can write a 2,000-page bill and change it all… It's arrogant to dump 15 million low-income Americans into a medical ghetto called Medicaid that none of us or any of our families would ever want to join."

The showdown between House and Senate will be one for the ages. AllahPundit sums up concisely...

"Just know that, in the span of about five hours, Reid and company have set up not one but two separate death struggles with their pals in the House."

...those struggles being of course the Public Option (seemingly dead...really?) and that troubling abortion language (it's still in there, for to kill the children at government expense. We can ban 'Christmas' from public venues, but we'll allow abortions to be funded with public monies. I guess if the kids aren't there, there's no need for a Santa Clause, eh?)

What sort of gangling monster will this health care bill resemble when it shambles out of joint session and arrives at the president's desk for his signature? Not one either your or I will be pleased with, I'll wager.

There's plenty of arm-twisting left to do. Since Republicans are powerless (except for the vague threat of a filibuster in the Senate, a long-shot at best) this bill is and will be born as ALL DEMOCRAT.

Whatever it looks like, this bill, the future reform, whatever it turns out to be, is going to be a nice albatross to hang around Democrat's necks. That, and the Cap and Trade economy destroyer (even if it's disguised as CZAR- like EPA regulations) will be ALL DEMOCRAT. All CHANGE, as promised by the Joker in Chief.

If this country suffers and collapses (or worse) under the weight of all these far-left neo-Democrat's 'progressive' proposals they are forcing to fruition, we'll know who to blame.

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Stupid Tomato-Throwing Ugly-Mug Leftist misses Sarah Palin, hits Police Commander in the face. Goes to JAIL! FELONY!!!11!1!!

Look at this ugly bastard. From FOX News...

Man Chucks Tomatoes at Sarah Palin at MOA

The man misses and hits an officer instead

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man was arrested for throwing tomatoes at Sarah Palin during her book signing on Monday at the Mall of America.

Jeremy Olson, 33, allegedly threw two tomatoes from the second balcony, however did not come close to hitting Palin.

Bloomington Police report that Bloomington Commander Mark Stehlik was struck in the face with one of the tomatoes and may face charges for assaulting a police officer. Olson was booked at the Bloomington jail. He was arrested for suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA~!

Makes my day, this does. What a dumbass.

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Bank of America Collections Agent.... Fired. But they didn't hire her on as a 'Saint', now did they?

Jackie Ramos took a job with Bank of America, as a collections agent. Subsequently she was fired for her inability to do that job; so she's lashing out at BOA for her own inability to fulfill her job requirements.

It seems that you took the wrong job, Jackie, to start your career. Bank of America wasn't hiring a saint; they needed a collections agent. You can't redefine your job position, nor can you 'change the world' from BOA's collections department. You have to follow their rules, or you might lose your job. Sorry for that.

If you didn't like the rules or the working conditions, or the job's parameters, I'll bet you could've left at any time. Or asked for a transfer. Or something. Getting fired wasn't smart. That won't look good on your resume.

Maybe you should've worked for the Humane Society or the Salvation Army? You're young; it's prolly not too late for you to train to become a veterinarian.

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Rush Limbaugh interviewed by William Shatner

From Shatner's Raw Nerve, on cable's Biography Channel. One of the best interviews I've seen. Worth a watch.

Here's the transcript.

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Tiger Woods on the cover of GOLF DIGEST Magazine ...

UPDATED!

With apologies to Taylor Jones. Get over it already; fair use and all of that.

(Hey, Tiger Woods is on the cover of January's Golf Digest, with Barack Obama. I left Baracky out of this parody; not because I think Baracky is above messing around on M'Chelle, but because M'Chelle is not above putting a few golf clubs upside Baracky's backside if he does!) (Much like Erin did to Tiger. You go, girrrrl.)

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