Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Interpreting Obama's Speech to the AMA [Mister R.]


Mister R.:

Obama's speech to the AMA only proves the point we drove a few short days ago: Obama wants to protect his largest contributors while telling doctors how much they can make.

By publicly stating he does not want tort reform, he has politicized the process. And he will never achieve savings as long as lawyers can practice jackpot justice.

Even after the Wall Street Journal runs an article ("Why Doctors are heading for Texas") showing improvement in health care in Texas, the trial lawyers still spew the same, old, tired line: There is no evidence to suggest tort reform can reduce health care costs.

As the old saying says "there are liars, damn liars and lawyers."

There is a reason for that saying.


Related:
• Mister R. Chapter 1: The '47 Million Uninsured' Lie
• Mister R. Chapter 2: Health Care Insurance: Puzzling Questions No One Will Answer
• Mister R. Chapter 3: Obama's Pharmaceutical Delusions


You might be a redneck if...


What's that...? You say don't have a big pickup to tow your gooseneck trailer? Fear not! With a little careful, well thought-out engineering, you can solve your problem...

May I present the Class III Hitch Install (patent pending)?

Added some super heavy-duty chain for extra support on the tailgate (note the 'Heavy-Duty 'S' hooks to attach the chain). Also paid-up for some big Number 5/16 sheet metal screws to attach the Reese hitch frame to the tailgate (see 'em there -- one on each side?). Likely two more through the carpet into the floor pan inside...

Yep, probably overkill, but didn't want the possibility of having an axerdent.

Most of the time was spent on the front porch whittling down that MASSIVE solid pine 4x4 to fit precisely down into the hole in the ball mount receiver. Note also: The 14'x14' piece of 3/8' plywood on the underside of the tailgate to distribute the load more evenly and beef up that tailgate support.

A man can't be too safe!

She's hitched up and ready to roll!! Amazin' how the extra weight smoothes out the ride.

Needed to air up the rear tires a bit ('bout 160 psi).

They are out there, folks... and they vote (Democrat).

Hat tip: TDR

Larwyn's Linx: Prez outside law in IG firing

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Nation

Key Obama Ally says Prez Violated Law in IG Firing: Tapper
The Inspector General speaks: the inside story of his firing: Examiner
A 'Nuclear Bomb' in the Health Care Debate: Provocateur

Monica Conyers Ensnared in Federal Probe: BlogProf
Issa seeks documents on VIP mortgage deals : Hill
Medical Tort Reform: $100B a year Obama won't address: AT (Folks)

Return to ACORN General Hospital: AT (Peracchio)
Schumer, Waters honored for governing the “ACORN Way”: MonCrief
Cracking ACORN: Quotas by any name: PittLive

Video Explains Government-Run Health Care: BMW
AMA Speech: Same Ol', Same Ol': LoneCon
Tea Party sends a message: Instapundit

Health Care Costs in McAllen TX: Wizbang
When the White House governs Health Care: TigerHawk
A new weapons ban has begun: Red Ink Texas

Sotomayor's 'Fundamental' Flaws: AT (LaRue)
Looking at Chris Dodd's wife: Instapundit

World

Cyberwar Guide for Iranian Elections: BoingBoing
Revolutionary Guards had nothing to fear from Obama: Hashmonean
Bermuda isn't feeling the love: SIGIS

US spending hundreds of millions to arm, train Palestinians: JPost
Sham Elections Expose Non-Policy: Foundry

Economy

GE Capital Is Back In The Game To Win It: ZeroHedge
Geithner blames CEOs for financial crisis: S&L
We're going to spend $3 trillion to 'reduce costs': EIB

Obama Federal Blueprint Creates More Bureaucracy: WaPo
11% minimum wage increase will lead to 300K lost jobs: EnvEcon
Flashback: My Bipartisan Stimulus: Limbaugh

Media

Why Palin should appear on Letterman: Patrick
Buy the Globe for the price of a Globe: BuzzMachine

Climate

Worse than fiction: eGadFly

Cornucopia

Hot or not composite pics: IZI

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Cub-cam


London's Daily Mail features some great photographs of lions snapped by a hidden camera on the plains of Africa.

On a lazy afternoon in the Masai Mara, southern Kenya, three lion cubs are roused from their siesta.

Spotting something in the grass, the inquisitive trio move in for a closer look.

Captured by a remote camera disguised with elephant dung and grass, these intimate images give a unique insight in to the life of a jungle king...

Sneak Preview of ABC's Infomercial for Socialized Medicine


Need a sneak preview of the free, one-hour infomercial for socialized medicine that ABC will run for the Obama administration?

One segment of the show will reassure Americans that the long lines in public health centers won't be significantly worse than those in the DMV or the Social Security Office. Another portion will deal with the rationale for prioritizing illegal aliens above U.S. citizens and legal immigrants (to make their lack of prior health care treatment "fair").

Finally, an entire segment will remind Americans of the many free home remedies available in medicine cabinets, attics, basements, shoe boxes and moving boxes throughout the country. Like these.









Feel better?

Oh, and remember all of those bizarre references by progressives to a so-called "Bush Imperial Presidency" (only 356,000 references on Google)? I wonder how the drones like the real thing?



Images Credit: The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

Bling bling, Everytime I come around yo city, Bling bling


These Russian "barons" put the bling in bling-bling.



IZI has all of the photos.

Obama's Big Dig Leaves Unemployment at 16.4%


Boston's Big Dig project began in 1982 as a government-led attempt to fight the near constant gridlock that drivers experienced downtown while on Interstate 93.

The original plan called for the replacement of the rusting, elevated "Central Artery" (I-93) and a third harbor tunnel that would enhance access to Logan Airport.

By 1985, the project had received clearance from environmental regulators and was marketed to taxpayers as a $2.8 billion effort.

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), an organization with a checkered history of waste, graft and fraud, ran the project despite its obvious lack of experience in managing projects the size of "The Big Dig".

Over two decades, the project incurred numerous cost overruns, criminal arrests, tunnel leaks, a fatal collapse of a ceiling on a driver, significant usage of substandard materials and documented waste on a grandiose scale.

Instead of $2.8 billion, the Big Dig will cost at least $22 billion, an 800% overrun. And taxpayers will be paying the tab until 2038.

Consider the Big Dig in the context of the stunningly large "Stimulus" package. Instead of an estimated $2.8 billion for starters, the corpulent government construction tab arrives at over $100 billion.

It includes transportation infrastructure, which translates to roadways, bridges, public transportation, and airports; renewable energy projects and energy-efficiency initiatives; and upgrades to water infrastructure (both drinking and waste-water systems) as well as flood-protection projects.

Given the nebulous nature of many of the projects -- just what encompasses energy-efficiency, for example? -- it's unclear just how much waste and fraud will result. But one thing is certain: it will range from immense to spectacularly huge.

Case in point: Politico reports today that an Illinois "clean coal" plant called "FutureGen" will receive a billion dollars in "Stimulus" money. The plant has a long, troubled history involving half a million in Illinois taxpayer funds spent by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich; and was a pet pork project of both Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama. Put simply, FutureGen is rightfully called the "Costliest Pork Project in History."

100 similar, wasteful projects (PDF) have been identified by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and represent "egregious examples of stimulus dollars being handed out on the basis of politics rather than merit or need."

Furthermore, a little publicized Executive Order rescinded by Barack Obama will result in even more waste and expense.

Obama's action means that 84% of America's construction workers and 25,000 businesses will be ineligible to participate in any federally funded construction projects. Why? Because those workers and businesses are non-unionized.

That is precisely why Obama and Democrats in Congress rushed to ram the immense Porkulus package down taxpayers' throats before anyone even had a chance to read it.

It's called payback to the unions. Obama's executive order limits federally funded construction spending to union shops. And the "Spendulus" package is heavy in federally funded construction spending.

The combination is a festival of waste, fraud and mismanagement, topped off with a wonderful return-on-investment for the union bosses. The Porkulus package was not temporary, was not targeted, and it certainly didn't create any jobs. That's why even Joe Biden admits that it's a failure. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts current unemployment (U-6) at a shocking 16.4%.

The Stimulus was a payoff to the union bosses. It directly ripped off the U.S. taxpayer in order to redistribute wealth to Democrat cronies. Now that's change we can believe in.


Related reading: Tom Coburn's list of the worst 100 Stimulus projects, Wikipedia: Boston's Big Dig and The Big Dig comes to an End. Maybe.

Photo o' the day


Click here for the complete story.


Update: Carter will ask Obama to remove Hamas from terror list


Larwyn's Linx: Naive, Hypocritical or Dishonest?

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email! You can also follow me on Twitter.

Nation

Obamacare: Naive, Hypocritical or Dishonest? Yes: Samuelson
Obama jeered by Doctors during AMA speech: AP
Leading Dem Pollster admits Obamacare seen lacking: Kesler

U.S. likely to lose AAA rating: Prechter: Reuters
Biden admits: Stimulus FAIL: Real World
Walpin firing keeps getting curiouser: Morrissey

Rep. Bachmann: Obama Running A 'Gangster Government': KXMC
Limbaugh: Obama Ramping Up Hate Against Jews: Kessler
Surprise! Poll Finds Significant Anti-Semitism Among Democrats: Mere Rhetoric

A(nother) disillusioned ex-Obama supporter: AT (Smith)
Feinstein cancels event after lobbyist crows about access: Times
Dems plan sneak attack on Health Care: Marathon

World

The Revolution Will Be Digitized: LGF
Is A Free Iraq Coming Home To Roost In Iran?: LegalIns
Iranians Detonate Reality Bomb: Karl

No Win Situation for Obama: Yahoo
Iran's election process a 'sham': Bolton
A Time for Steel: Ace

Club Qaeda: Surber
Punting for Peace: Crittenden
Obama on Iran: I cannot be silent, even though I was silent for three days: Hot Air

Fat Bastage Gadahn Releases New Message: Jawa

Science

Material stops 2,000-degree fires -- but not in California: CNN
1972 discovery: Sana Qurans: TAB
Global cooling threatens crops: HyScience

Media

Hannity should heed forum posters and interview MonCrief: Gaynor
Damage Control: Letterman Offers Apology to Palin : JWF
The New Bankrupt Times' Heir Apparent to Walter Duranty: Matzav

Alinsky's Children: CBS, TNR and Andrew Sullivan: Fausta
Krugman psychoanalyzes Von Brunn: Maguire

Father's Day

Plenty of Gift Ideas for Dad: Uncrate

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Big Wipeout


Here's a sobering chart.

The Federal Reserve today announced that U.S. household net worth fell by $1.3 trillion in the first quarter, which sounds like a pretty big deal.

However, sometimes percentages and graphs tell a better story when it comes to numbers like this.

For example, since its peak in the third quarter of 2007, household wealth has decreased by 21.6%, or more than a fifth, which is the most dramatic fall in the series since reporting began more than a half century ago.

And just to emphasize how big of an economic shock this wipeout has been, take a look at the accompanying chart, which plots quarterly values of the 12-month change in net worth as a percentage of nominal gross domestic product.


How anyone could think that the effects of so much wealth destruction in such a short period of time could be quickly overcome is beyond me.

Because of hope! And change!

And Sparky: we're gonna go ahead and nationalize 20% of the economy, the entire health care industry, because, uhm, well, it's an emergency. Or something.

What's a real emergency is the fact that frickin' Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are bankrupt and our beloved mainstream media can't even point out that teensy weensy flaw in President Obama's logic.

Pro-Choice, Anti-Choice


I'll bet this isn't an original thought, but doesn't it strike folks as odd that "progressives" are pro-choice... except when it comes to:

• Health care choice

• School choice

• Unions in the workplace (i.e., the Orwellian "Employee Free Choice Act")

• Energy choice

• Car and SUV choice

• Light-bulb choice

• Toilet tank size choice

• Free markets in general

Perhaps someone could explain that conceptual dichotomy to me as well.

No Job, No House, but I'm not giving up my Blackberry!


From Crackberry:


Hell, if I were homeless, I'd try to keep my Curve too.


Withdrawal from Occupied Territories


Papa B. sent this one in ("When Bibi met Obama").



Miranda Rights and Amendment XI of the Constitution


Ben Barrack sends us an interesting observation. Consider, first, the recent article by The Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes, which describes the Administration's secretive move to Mirandize terrorists captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan.

Tenet is right, it’s a good thing KSM was captured before Barack Obama became president. For, the Obama Justice Department has quietly ordered FBI agents to read Miranda rights to high value detainees captured and held at U.S. detention facilities in Afghanistan, according a senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee. “The administration has decided to change the focus to law enforcement. Here’s the problem. You have foreign fighters who are targeting US troops today – foreign fighters who go to another country to kill Americans. We capture them…and they’re reading them their rights – Mirandizing these foreign fighters,” says Representative Mike Rogers, who recently met with military, intelligence and law enforcement officials on a fact-finding trip to Afghanistan.

Rogers, a former FBI special agent and U.S. Army officer, says the Obama administration has not briefed Congress on the new policy. “I was a little surprised to find it taking place when I showed up because we hadn’t been briefed on it, I didn’t know about it. We’re still trying to get to the bottom of it, but it is clearly a part of this new global justice initiative...”

...“The problem is you take that guy at three in the morning off of a compound right outside of Kabul where he’s building bomb materials to kill US soldiers, and read him his rights by four, and the Red Cross is saying take the lawyer – you have now created quite a confusion amongst the FBI, the CIA and the United States military. And confusion is the last thing you want in a combat zone.”

Note that Rogers, who is on the House Select Committee for Intelligence, only found out about this outrageous and unprecedented procedure because he was visiting Afghanistan. He found CIA and FBI officers astonished and confused at the conundrum posed by Obama: are we fighting a war or enforcing American laws?

In one case you level a building with a Tomahawk; in another you serve a warrant.

And this is worse than a return to a pre-9/11 mentality. It is instead endemic of a virulent anti-American agenda; one ordered and directed by groups like the ACLU.

Now back to Ben Barrack, who emailed us the following note.
As you read the Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution, think about the Obama Administration granting Miranda Rights to Islamic Terrorists.

Amendment XI of U.S. Constitution


The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

Perhaps an attorney can explain the dichotomy.

Larwyn's Linx: Pregnant silence on Iran's surge for freedom

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email! You can also follow me on Twitter.

Nation

Romney: Where's Obama on Iran?: LGF
The Walpin story: a lawless and bullying administration: Power Line
Dude, Where's My Stimulus?: LAT

The Exploding Carbon Tax: WklyStd
The Palin Pipeline: Sono Annoiato
Angry protesters greet Pelosi in Houson: GWP

Walpin-gate: Times
Are The Justices Delaying The Ricci Decision?: LegalIns
Hospitals fight back against Obama's Medicare cuts: AP

Lakers fans celebrate with riots, arson, attacks on police: Malkin
Flag Day 2009: Kesler

World

Insurrection, Day Two: Totten
The upsides of Iran's sham election: Pipes
Jimmy Carter versus Reality: Ziyon

Iranian People Scream for Freedom: Sadly, No!
Obama silent as protesters killed in streets: GWP
Obama strikes out: MoneyRunner

An email from Iran: GM's Place
Ahmadinejad stole the election -- just like Bush: LegalIns
Don't Iranians deserve hope and change, too?: PJM (Rubin)

Media

Biden photo-ops used Stimulus props: Kansas 'Lark
CBS Publishes Piece Comparing Bush to Ahmadinejad: NewsBusters
Twitter out of Iran: #cnnfail: AmPower

'We ignore Mark Levin while hawking failures Frum and Douthat': New York Bankrupt Times

Climate & Energy

Chilly June 2009 is one for the books: WGN
Heh! 'Not all glaciers respond equally to climate change': AP

Sci-Tech

The Astounding World of the Future: C&S
Is the Twitpocalypse nigh? Update: Mostly no: Cnet

Cornucopia

Bob & Tom's Obama-man: Patriot Room
Where your money goes (Illustration): FreshCon