Thursday, April 09, 2009

Three Terminator-inspired Bikes at New York Auto Show


Jalopnik: "Among all the shiny concept cars at the New York Auto Show, there's also three bikes. Confederate's Wraith, Fighter and Hellcat are scary pieces of Terminator-inspired robotic art."

Deep Packet Inspection


Okay, maybe you're not an expert in network technology. Perhaps you know nothing about TCP/IP other than the fact it's a bunch of letters. But DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) is a topic with which every American citizen should be familiar.

Canada's Privacy Commissioner has set up an informative website that describes the nature of DPI. The best parts are the descriptions by various tech gurus of the insidious possibilities related to government (or government-regulated and sponsored telcos) run amok on the Internet.

Gee, our intricate system of balances between Congress, lobbyists and corporations would never allow the FCC to become tainted, would it?


Teleprompter Says What?


The new posters are here.




Well, they'll be here as soon I upload this crap to Cafe Press.

Inspired by: Silence of the TOTUS.


Sheriff Arpaio to Sharpton and ACORN: Stick It


Dawn Teo, writing at the usually execrable PuffHo, offers a reasonably balanced look at an Arizona controversy over supposed racial profiling. Al Sharpton and ACORN have called on Sheriff Joe Arpaio to resign... "or else".

Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton and ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis jumped into the fray Tuesday, threatening to bring their vast national networks to march in the streets of Phoenix if Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), does not resign immediately.

In a national press event held via teleconference, civil rights leaders railed about Arpaio's immigration enforcement tactics, charging that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) engages in racial profiling, police brutality, and human rights violations. Speakers included Sharpton, Lewis, NAACP leaders, and other well-known civil rights activists.

Sharpton and Lewis vowed to come to Arizona personally if Arpaio does not resign immediately. Arpaio called a press conference in response and told local media that a small group of vocal opponents is trying to intimidate him by publicly calling him and his officers racists.

Arpaio seemed not to know Al Sharpton, saying, "What is his name? Sharpton? He wants me to resign? Have I got news for him. He can stick that in his pipe and smoke it."

Arpaio went on to say that Sharpton is "living in a fantasyland," adding, "I will never resign."

Sharpton, of course, had no comments to offer regarding Texas police officers Rick Salter (critically wounded), Rodney Johnson (KIA) and Stuart Jay Alexander (KIA), recent casualties of illegal aliens and a lawless, porous border region.

And speaking of 'racial profiling', I wonder when news outlets that offer the despicable Sharpton a bully pulpit will ask him about these incidents?

1991: A Hasidic Jewish driver in Brooklyn's Crown Heights section accidentally kills Gavin Cato, a 7-year-old black child, and antisemitic riots erupt. Sharpton races to pour gasoline on the fire. At Gavin's funeral he rails against the "diamond merchants" -- code for Jews -- with "the blood of innocent babies" on their hands. He mobilizes hundreds of demonstrators to march through the Jewish neighborhood, chanting, "No justice, no peace." A rabbinical student, Yankel Rosenbaum, is surrounded by a mob shouting "Kill the Jews!" and stabbed to death.

1995: When the United House of Prayer, a large black landlord in Harlem, raises the rent on Freddy's Fashion Mart, Freddy's white Jewish owner is forced to raise the rent on his subtenant, a black-owned music store. A landlord-tenant dispute ensues; Sharpton uses it to incite racial hatred. "We will not stand by," he warns malignantly, "and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business." Sharpton's National Action Network sets up picket lines; customers going into Freddy's are spat on and cursed as "traitors" and "Uncle Toms." Some protesters shout, "Burn down the Jew store!" and simulate striking a match. "We're going to see that this cracker suffers," says Sharpton's colleague Morris Powell. On Dec. 8, one of the protesters bursts into Freddy's, shoots four employees point-blank, then sets the store on fire. Seven employees die in the inferno.

If Sharpton were a white skinhead, he would be a political leper, spurned everywhere but the fringe. But far from being spurned, he is shown much deference. Democrats embrace him. Politicians court him. And journalists report on his comings and goings while politely sidestepping his career as a hatemongering racial hustler.

Arpaio is a 25-year veteran of the DEA. I'll take his word over that of ACORN and Sharpton any day of the week.


Larwyn's Link Kerplosion: Open Letter

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Email Doug.

A one-room school offers valuable lessons: BMW
Gutting the military: WSJ
Daily Scoreboard: Surber

Biden warns Israel not to attack Iran: Gateway
Open Letter: Please come and kill more of us: AmDig
Administration warns Israel, not Iran: AT (Lasky)

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!: PJM (Fernandez)
Despite spin, Obama cutting defense budget: Ace
Don't worry, we're covered: S, C & A

ACORN and Moncrief: unreported details: Publius
Biden vs. Cheney: Dead Wrong: AT (Arenas)
Why the Left loves Barney Frank: Gay Patriot

Newspaper owners are "mad as hell": Breitbart
Boston Globe loses $85 million a year: Observer
Google CEO sees newspaper future in advertising: AP

Obama -- Nuance + Exaggeration: Prairie
Let's all surrender our weapons -- you first!: Coulter
Tea Party Role Reversal: Dealing with the Provacateurs of the Left: PJM (Simon)

The drone "fired two missiles, blowing... the militants into pieces": News of Pakistan
Obama avoided Normandy Cemetery to avoid offending Brits, Germans: Schlussel
MI court overturns Sharia divorce: IIA

Sweatin' with the Socialists: Ibrahim
The Road to Area 51: LA Times
Darfur Shuffle: Cube

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Can a micro-car look cool?


At the New York Auto Show, Toyota unveiled its long-anticipated Scion iQ. It's a valiant attempt to make a SmartCar form-factor look cool. And, in my view, it succeeds.

While still in concept form, the iQ could be "sold here soon." It features 3+1 seating and an asymmetrical dash to reduce the space needed for HVAC.

Oh. And 18's.


Official White House Photo and Caption of "Bow-Gate"


Dan sent this one in.


Update: Jules Crittenden: "it was a posture malfunction".


"Obama May Block Sun's Rays to End Global Warming"


No, this isn't a hungover April Fool's joke. The Obama administration means business on climate change, even if its plans will destroy businesses large and small. Fox News reports that "Obama May Block Sun's Rays to End Global Warming".

To be fair, the headline is misleading. They really mean Obama's ego will be used to block the sun's rays.

Eh, sorry, couldn't resist.

The president's new science adviser said Wednesday that global warming is so dire, the Obama administration is discussing radical technologies to cool Earth's air.

(Is it so dire that we can call it "global warming" again -- or is it "climate change"?)

John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month that the idea of geoengineering the climate is being discussed.

One such extreme option includes shooting pollution particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays. Holdren said such an experimental measure would only be used as a last resort.

(This has all the makings of a bad James Bond movie... only Barack Obama is playing Ernst Stavro Blofeld.)

"It's got to be looked at," he said. "We don't have the luxury of taking any approach off the table."

Holdren outlined several "tipping points" involving global warming that could be fast approaching.

Once such milestones are reached, such as complete loss of summer sea ice in the Arctic, it increases chances of "really intolerable consequences," he said.

Twice in a half-hour interview, Holdren compared global warming to being "in a car with bad brakes driving toward a cliff in the fog."

(Or being trapped in car with Barney Frank and Chris Dodd during a cross-country trip.)

At first, Holdren characterized the potential need to technologically tinker with the climate as just his personal view. However, he went on to say he has raised it in administration discussions.

...But Holdren noted that shooting particles into the air — making an artificial volcano as one Nobel laureate has suggested — could have grave side effects and would not completely solve all the problems from soaring greenhouse gas emissions.

...Another geoengineering option he mentioned was the use of so-called artificial trees to suck carbon dioxide — the chief human-caused greenhouse gas — out of the air and store it.

(Artificial volcanoes and millions of artificial trees sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere... gee, I can't think of anything that could go wrong with that.)

At first that seemed prohibitively expensive, but a re-examination of the approach shows it might be less costly, he said.

Yeah, like printing trillions of dollars up.


I wonder what temperature on Earth would make this crew of scammers and idiots happy? Is there a right temperature for the planet?

Just wondering.

Update: TheBad:

So, what brilliant scheme are we pitching today, Brain?

Other than the same thing we do every day (taking over the world), here is what I propose, Pinky: to combat the human-created pollutants in the atmosphere that have been changing our climate, we intend to pump human-created pollutants into the atmosphere in order to change our climate.


Hat tip: Sean.


The curious case of 200 nearly identical MSM headlines


The following headlines have appeared in newspapers within the last 24 hours. This is not an inclusive list.

Third of Illinoisans went without health insurance in last 2 years: Sun-Times
Report: 2.5M in Michigan lacked health insurance: Chicago Tribune
Study: 29% of Ohioans have gone without health insurance: BizJournals
Report: More NJ residents lacking health insurance: Forbes
Study: Many Kansans are uninsured: BizJournals
Report tallies uninsured in Hawaii: KPUA AM 670
Study: 1 in 3 Alabamians have no insurance: BizJournals
1 out of 4 NH residents lacked health insurance within last two years: WBZ
1 out of 3 Coloradans lacked insurance in past two years: Denver Post
Nearly 1 in 3 Idahoans lack health insurance, study says: Idaho Statesman
One in four nonelderly Minnesotans has been without health insurance, study shows: Twin Cities
1 in 3 are uninsured in Georgia, study says: Augusta Chronicle
1.3 million Louisiana residents uninsured: Independent
Millions in N.C. lack health plan: Winston-Salem Journal
Uninsured are mostly working: Sun-Herald
Nearly one-third of Wyoming residents went without health insurance in past two years: Wyoming Tribune
Report finds health insurance lacking in W.Va.: Charleston Gazette
Nearly 1/3 Of Kentuckians Uninsured Says Report: WFPL Radio
REPORT: 254K Rhode Islanders Uninsured at Some Point from 2007-2008: ABC 6

There are more. I just stopped listing them because I grew weary -- so weary -- of the physical labor associated with cutting and pasting.

All of the stories were marketed by a liberal "advocacy group" called Families USA .

According to Discover the Networks, Families USA is a member of the "Progressive States Network", which works closely with (you guessed it) ACORN and the SEIU. These ultra-partisan groups have truly one agenda: big government.

During his presidential campaign, then-Senator Obama spoke to a conference of Family USA activists and promised, "I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country."

Data from the Census Bureau debunks the lie continually promoted by the mainstream media of the legendary 47 million uninsured Americans:

• 9.5 million people are illegal aliens
• 8.3 million uninsured people are those who make between $50,000 and $74,999 per year and choose not to purchase insurance
• 8.7 million uninsured people are those who make over $75,000 a year and choose not to purchase insurance

This leaves approximately 20 million uninsured; less than 7% of the population. Why do some people choose not to purchase insurance? 60 percent reported being in "excellent health or very good health" and purposefully decided not to buy insurance.

Further, 45% of the uninsured will have insurance within the next four months according to the Congressional Budget Office. Many are transitioning between jobs and purchase health insurance through their employers.

So what is the true extent of the "health care crisis" continually marketed by the big government leftists? The Kaiser Family Foundation, a liberal non-profit frequently quoted by the media, puts the number of uninsured Americans who do not qualify for current government programs and make less than $50,000 a year between 13.9 million and 8.2 million. That is a much smaller figure than the media report and is also subject to "the 45% rule", wherein that percentage will transition to new jobs within a four-month time-frame.

The mainstream media's willingness to act as an unthinking public relations arm for a tiny minority of left-wing radicals is truly despicable. But it's not unexpected for an industry destined, in large part, for the black hole of bankruptcy.

* * * * * * * * *

Update: A tipster who wishes to remain anonymous writes:

...I was struck by the promotion of this material by Families USA. When I was involved with [group] a few years ago, we checked out Families USA and found that they had almost no individual contributors to their non-profit organization. We obtained their 990 from IRS and found that we were totally funded by Big Labor and served as a "front group" in every sense of the term...

...Unlike the Heritage Foundation [for example], that proudly talks about grass roots financial support from 300,000 Americans, Families has no such support. All they get is a fat check from Big Labor.

ACORN, the SEIU and Chicago politics. What a wonderful web they weave, America.

Update II: Ace cuts to the heart of the matter.

Isn't it odd that the moment a hardcore liberal group sends out a study to the media, 200 headlines blossom?

I'm not sure that happens when Heritage or the AEI sends out a study.

I sorta think it doesn't.

Update III: JR points out that 60 Minutes -- which, as part of CBS, is nothing more than a discredited public relations arm of the Democrat Party -- aired a related story a few days ago. On 5 April, it featured "Bad Economy Leaves Cancer Patients Without Health Insurance In Dire Straits".

In October, just before election day, CBS Sunday Morning aired its own Obama infomercial. Entitled "Perils of American Health Care", it recited all of the Democrat talking points: from "47 million uninsured Americans" to "20,000 die annually because they don't get care."

And in December, the CBS Evening News tried its hand hawking the same, tired leftist propaganda. "Don't drop universal health care" included the missive Dear Barack - Now Is The Perfect Time To Splurge On Universal Health Care.

Quoting all of the discredited statistics ("the U.S. is 75th in health care" or some such tripe marketed by the U.N.), CBS treats its viewers like hypnotized schoolchildren. Come to think of it, that describes most Democrats I know.

Funny how no one thinks to ask why patients aren't jetting to the UK or Canada when they require serious medical attention.

Update IV: Wow. Chris Muir of Day by Day:


While I do declare, Charlotte... I think I'm blushin'. What an honor!

Update V: Writing at Red State, EPU ties the entire story together in beautiful fashion. It's a must-read.



Related: The Mary Jo Kopechne Universal Health Care Program.
Linked by: Instapundit, Mark Steyn at NRO's Corner, Gateway Pundit, Ed Driscoll: "Flood the Zone!", Lucianne, Patterico, Protein Wisdom, Jawa Report, Fox Nation, Bob McCarty, Jules Crittenden, Red State, Sister Toldjah, Cold Fury, Old Controller, Wikistan, Improved Clinch, Sundries Shack, Pirate Cove, Environmental Republican, USS Neverdock, Random Jottings, Memeorandum, Blue Crab Boulevard, Creative Minority Report, AGAHB, Grand Rants and Paul Ibrahim. Thanks!


The Ramifications of Weakness: American hostages taken by Somali pirates


Somali pirates captured Maersk Alabama, a U.S. flagged container ship, along with 20 American crew members on Wednesday. This ship was reportedly carrying millions of pounds of relief aid to Kenya's port of Mombasa.

The hijacking is the first to involve a United States-flagged ship and American crew members. TigerHawk has several questions.

Why has this not happened before? Why were these pirates not deterred by the prospects of a response from the United States Navy (the very first mission of which was to stop piracy from Africa)? What will our president do about it?

This is a far more important moment for Barack Obama than the news media, judging by the lack of coverage on cable news this morning, believes it to be.

Or wants it to be.

This all seems strangely familiar.

The modern Democrat Party has yet to learn the first rule of the elementary school playground.

Weakness begets conflict. And, unfortunately, this is just the first chapter.


Hat tip: Larwyn


Larwyn's Link Kerplosion: GM's new motorized wheelchair

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email!

Left ready to sabotage and smear Tea Parties: Malkin
Rep. Rogers: Pelosi 'Crazy... Mean as a Snake': SUS
'Blue Dog' Democrats are Posers: Say Anything

The nuclear illusionist: WSJ
A message to the rich: PJM (Whittle)
Tea Parties Scaring Reporters, No Film at 11: Powers

Coming up next: the PUMA: Fausta
Vote that (may have) changed the world: AT
Obama's word play: Goldberg

A Taliban Leader's Doomsday Promise: Zumwalt
Israel hunts nukes in Washington: Maginnis
A successful missile defense test: JWF

D.C. school system bids farewall to vouchers: PJM (Emanuel)
Obama's real message to Europe: AT
The horrific new Sharia mini-state: PJM (Weiss)

Detroit: More Registered Voters Than Residents: Gateway
Obama skipped Normandy visit... to avoid offending Germany?: AT (Lifson)
Obama administration can't avoid the unintended consequences: Corner

I'm against guns and violence, unfortunately reality has intruded on my delusional paradise: Big Hollywood
Self-help for women: "gun safety, kids, mindset, and much more": The Cornered Cat
Did Israeli scientists crack the energy code?: The Lid

Survivalists 2.0: Regular people get ready for the worst: McClatchy DC
iTunes is now DRM-free: PC World
Brilliant: GM to make wheelchair with motor: El Rushbo

Image Credit: The EIB Network.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Tired of unequal pay?



Show your support for El Presidente.

Top Ten Turbocharged Production Cars of All Times


That is, according to Popular Mechanics.

It's hard to find fault with their choices.


Ramirez hits one... back, back, back, back, back, back....




Hat tip: Lawhawk.


Thank heavens! The Stimulus checks arrived and ACORN is hiring!


Sounds like our Stimulus dollars have finally reached our favorite community agitators. ACORN is hiring and looking specifically for an "organizer" in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Think you're the right man or woman for the job? Be prepared for a grueling interview... if you have the right qualifications.

Pennsylvania ACORN is a chapter of ACORN, the largest low-to-moderate income membership organization in the country. We believe that Pennsylvania should belong to all the people – not just the wealthy and well-connected. We are an independent, multi-racial, progressive organization working through elections and legislative campaigns to advance issues important to poor, working and middle-class people. Current issues include: health care access, foreclosure and predatory lending, and education reform.

PA ACORN is hiring an organizer to recruit & mobilize low and moderate income people to win on a variety of issue based legislative campaigns, including passing health care reform, stopping foreclosures, and increasing resources for local schools. The organizer will also be responsible for working with grassroot leaders to identify local issues for local campaigns.

The organizer would work out of the Pennsylvania ACORN office in Philadelphia with daily travel to specific communities in targeted legislative districts, including Norristown, Upper Darby, & Chester City.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate a commitment to social justice issues, strong work ethic, a commitment to indigenous grassroot leadership, and the ability to work both independently & as part of a team. Previous organizing experience, Spanish, and knowledge of voter databases is also helpful but not required. Starting salary is commensurate with experience and organizer must have valid drivers license and reliable vehicle.

If interested, please send resume and cover letter to Ali Kronley at paacorn@acorn.org, with "Southeastern PA Organizer" in the subject.

Additional Qualifications:
Desired Qualifications:
* A demonstrated commitment to economic and social justice
* Minimum 1 year field organizing/canvassing experience; union, community, or political organizing experience is important.
* Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to meet goals and deadlines while working independently
* Strong work ethic, ability to multi-task, and commitment to local organizing
* Must have own reliable transportation and valid drivers license.
* Knowledge of voter files and databases preferred.
*Although deadline listed below is May 1st, we are looking to fill the position quickly so appreciate receiving applications soon.

No word on whether this group is also using the electronic screening application that I offered to create for ACORN:


Full-name:
Please enter your real name, you will have an opportunity to make up names later

Do you have access to a car or other vehicle?
Yes
No
Don't know/don't remember

If No, do you know how to hot-wire an ignition?
Yes
No

If Yes, how many homeless vagrants or illegal aliens can you transport?
0-1 Coupe
2-4 Sedan
5-7 Minivan
9-11 Conversion van
12-99 Schoolbus
100-199 Semi with empty trailer

Do you know any dead people?
No
Yes

If you had to make up names for some reason, which do you prefer to use?
Dead people
Disney characters
Members of the Dallas Cowboys/NFL team
Cast of Beverly Hills 90210
Cast of Star Trek
Superheroes like "Batman" or "Underdog"
Other cartoon characters like "Tin Tin" or "Jonny Quest"
Names of cheap beers, malt liquors and wines
Series of random letters like "Aasdfasdf Aasdfasfs"

Please check any relevant experience (check all that apply):
Intimidating bank employees
Slashing tires
Arson
Breaking and Entering
Armed Robbery
Pickpocketing
Mail fraud
Wire fraud
Real estate flipping, mortgage fraud
Rating subprime debt tranches "AAA"

How would you prefer to be paid?
Cash
Check
Cigs
Cigs (menthol)
Cheap beers
Cheap malt liquors
Cheap wine (specify red, white or gray)
Crack cocaine
Cans of mackerel

When can you start work?
Now
Tomorrow after 3pm

If tomorrow, do you need written directions to remember how to return here?
Yes
Maybe


Linked by: Wizbang. Thanks! Related: Obamacorn, Mickey Mouse, and John McCain. Hat tips: Leo Alberti (Obamacorn logo), Michelle Malkin and Larwyn.

March Nominees for the 2009 Contractor Awards


Jan sent these in.

Okay... I might get over the outlet in the shower. But I will not accept the toilet paper holder in the shower.

When the power company told its crew to run electricity to this house, I'm pretty sure they didn't mean to just stick all the wires through a hole in the roof!

Pretty safe, isn't it? Notice that the hot lead is at least a quarter inch from a metal oil pipe and it is almost 48 inches off the ground so the children won't touch it...

Yes, go right ahead and connect the dryer vent to the water heater flue.

What the... ?

The county inspector had just signed off on it. Said it was "all he could do since it was a remodel."

If you can't bend metal conduit, just use a few extra junction boxes!

When you do not have an outlet box, use a Nike box. Just do it!

You know you're a redneck HVAC tech when you use a chew can for a junction box.

Main load, acetone, grits, and tool storage panel.

"Screw that I-beam! That's the framer's problem."

Instead of flashing the penetrations, MacGyver installed buckets with pipes under the drips.

The listing read: "...shower and ceiling fan in master bath...." Eh, where does the wire go and how much glue did he use to stick that thing there?

The ad listed the house with a "whole house attic fan". Professionally installed no doubt.

"If you can vent one bathroom exhaust then three should work just as well!"

"Why should I pay an electrician to do it?"

"Yeah, it said to use 4 1/2" bolts. But these nails out of my nail gun ought to do."

"Flashing!? We don't need no stinking flashing!"

"Look: I had 18" of pipe and this bag of couplers."

I think this goes to a ceiling fan mounted on the ceiling of a bathroom on the other side of this wall. Maybe.

Supply air, meet return air.


Related: 2008 Contractor Awards.