Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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Larwyn's Linx: Treatment You Receive Five Years From Now

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email or reply via Twitter.

Nation

The Treatment You Receive Five Years From Now: Hewitt
Sotomayor Snubs the Senate: AT (Moran)
Court: Teaching in English Helps Immigrants: Brownfeld

Maxine Waters Warns Blue Dogs: PatRoom
Jihad in North Carolina: LGF
A Post-Racial President?: Sowell

Vouchers Matter: City Journal
Intimidated by the Administration: Organized Exploitation
A Czar Too Far - #7 (Sunstein): NoisyRoom

A Tea Party Erupts: Riehl
He subjagates the meek, with a legacy of failure: Exurban
President Obama, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Sgt. James Crowley walk into a bar...: WyBlog

Swift Birthers: LegalIns
Police Lose Immunity in "Flying Imams" Lawsuit: Jawa
The Great Communicator: Majorities Believe Obama's Plan Will Do the Exact Opposite of What Obama Claims: Ace

Economy

California Screaming: Driscoll
Stimulus to Nowhere: We Got Punk'd: Riehl
Boehner: Dems Censoring Chart Illustrating Their Government Health Care Labyrinth: GOPleader

Communist China Warns Obama On His Record Deficit: GWP
Bawney Fwank Leading By Example: JWF
Dodd, Conrad: Mortgage discounts were 'courtesy': Times

Climate & Energy

Chicago sees coldest July since 1942: CBS2
German wind power 5 times more expensive than conventional -- MI Dems want more!: BlogProf
Carbon Taxes & Public Sector Pensions: EcoWorld

Melting Waxman: NRO

Media

Frum vs. Levin: There's a Target-Rich Environment Elsewhere: Instapundit
Personal Aside: The Most Trusted Man in America? Hah!: Roeser
Pelosi's right: Her unpopularity doesn't matter: Examiner

AP Fact-Checks Democrats: Surber
Support For ObamaCare Decreases….NPR Blames The Ignorant American People: Aces
Michelle Malkin Releases "Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies": GWP

World

Enemy Capabilities: Crittenden
Confirmed: Obama sent letters to Arab heads of state... and they were ignored: Matzav
Taliban sets rules for handling captives: Canada (are these the 'Moderate Taliban'?)

Cornucopia

Obama Birth Certificate Smoking Gun: Exurban
The War on Cankles: WSJ

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

RED ALERT: Government-Run Health Care Backroom Deals Underway!


Steve Elliott, President of Grassfire.org, writes:

Two shadowy back-room deals are being struck right now in Congress as part of the Obama-Reid-Pelosi push to advance socialized healthcare before the August "recess."

In the House, Blue Dog Democrats are reviewing a private "compromise" that would advance ObamaCare to the House floor as soon as this Friday. Meanwhile in the Senate, six Senators are working behind closed doors on a bill that would allow the Senate to move ObamaCare through committee in the next few days.

THAT MEANS TWO CLOSED-DOOR, BACK-ROOM
DEALS ARE BEING STRUCK RIGHT NOW TO PUSH
US TO THE BRINK OF OBAMACARE THIS WEEK!

In both cases, details have not been released. We are simply told to trust members of Congress with the future of our health care and then accept their final vote.

If they get ObamaCare passed through the House and through the Senate Finance Committee this week, most of their work will be done. The Democrats will then simply iron out the differences (i.e. revert to the full ObamaCare blueprint).

Next 48 hours crucial

The next 48 hours are crucial and we must now fight this battle on two fronts -- the House and the Senate.

That's why we have just expanded our FaxFire campaign to include the six Senators who are striking the back-room deal.

Even if you have done so already, please go here right now to send your faxes opposing socialized health care to key members of this House committee along with the six Senate negotiators, your two Senators and Representative:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=20543&CID=122&RID=21768021

(As always, if you want to send your own faxes, we have provided the fax numbers and sample text for you. Just click here to access that information:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=20544&CID=122&RID=21768021

Action #2 -- Call your Representative and the "Senate Six"!

Also, call the "Senate Six" and tell them you do NOT want any government mandate program that further burdens our economy, undermines the private sector and creates a federal healthcare mandate on businesses or individuals.

The "Senate Six":
Max Baucus: 202-224-2651
Chuck Grassley: 202-224-3744
Kent Conrad: 202-224-2043
Jeff Bingaman: 202-224-5521
Olympia Snowe: 202-224-5344
Mike Enzi: 202--224-3424

Talking Points:

#1 -- I am outraged that the House and Senate are fast-tracking the President's socialized healthcare plan this week.

#2 -- I do not want the government to have more control and influence over my health care. That is why I reject House health care bill (H.R. 3200) and the soon-to-be-released Senate "compromise" plan that still creates a federal mandate.

#3 -- America cannot afford the $1.5 trillion price tag of socialized health care during these difficult economic times. I flatly reject any health care proposal that increases costs or imposes new taxes on any American.

Again, we are now fighting a two-front battle THIS WEEK that could determine whether socialized ObamaCare becomes a reality this year.

Please... schedule your faxes right now:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=20545&CID=122&RID=21768021

And please alert your friends. Thanks for taking action.

Call now. Operators -- that you are paying for -- are standing by.


Related Reading:
• 07/25/2009: Amnesty disguised as Health Care Reform
• 07/22/2009: Good News: Abortions and Assisted Suicides will NOT be Rationed!
• 07/21/2009: Obama's Ominous Implication: Euthanasia of the Elderly May Be Necessary
• 07/15/2009: A Quick Tour of Democrat Socialized Health Care
• 07/05/2009: Democrat Health Care, By The Numbers


Hat tip: Jasmine Sea. Linked by: Ben Barrack. Thanks!

For Queen and Country


You'll never guess who sent this one in.

A photo like this just doesn't come along every day!

One of the reasons Mummy

won’t let him be king

Yep. Papa B.

Behold: the horrific results of a Pastry Injection Attack


Cyberwar is hell and if you need further proof of that fact, this picture is icing on the cake.

What mad, misbegotten miscreants could have launched such a vicious, coldblooded attack?

This terrifying glimpse into the future of cyberwarfare makes clear the devastating consequences of Pastry Injection Attacks. Oh, the humanity.


Hat tip: Failblog.

'Green Shoots' -- or Just Projectile Vomiting?


The invaluable Zero Hedge offers a couple of startling looks into the world of commercial real estate. Exhibit A is a drive-by photo exhibition offered up by an anonymous reader.

I took a drive this evening from 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm and shot over 200 pictures of Florida real estate in crisis. What is really amazing if you notice the time and date on each picture.

I was able to shoot a picture about every 45 seconds while all alone driving in traffic including stopping for traffic lights and gas and parking in a safe place each time for each shot.

Everywhere you turn something is for lease or rent.

All these headlines in the media don't seem to have any effect on people so here is one road in one town ( out of thousands ) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida up to Pompano Beach ( about 8 miles ). I pretty much only shot the right side of the street because I did not want to do any U-turns. Some pics I shot across the street. This does not even include office buildings.

There is something for lease or rent in almost every single plaza or strip mall without exception. I also missed a lot more because of traffic and buildings set back from the street. This does not even include offices, homes, condos etc, this is just stuff abandoned or had a sign in front of it and I missed a LOT of signs.

This is not even all the empty lots that sit because the developer abandoned the project after buying up the whole neighborhood .

This is Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Gold Coast, The Venice of America, the Yachting capital of the world, folks.

The pictures start at the Fort lauderdale Beach on Sunrise Blvd. and go west to Federal Highway ( rte 1 ) north to Pompano Beach about 8 miles and finish in a random warehouse district off the main road. After that it got dark and I had to stop.

You will see Exotic car dealerships Burger King, Wendys, Fuddruckers, Hooters, Pier One, furniture stores, restaurants, clubs, boat dealers, businesses that have been there 20+ years, supermarkets, Saks 5th avenue (big white building in beginning), Macks Groves, Flaming Pit, the old 50's diner, a Ford dealer and a Dodge dealer...






...A golf course in beginning of slideshow. All GONE in just one 8 mile strip. Folks, this is the good side of town with the money...

I did not even go to the other side of the tracks or to other streets just one!

And Exhibit B, courtesy of RealPoint, describes the distressing world of, eh, distressed commercial mortgages.

In June 2009, the delinquent unpaid balance for CMBS [Ed: Commercial mortgage-backed securities] increased by a substantial $9.87 billion, up to a trailing 12-month high of $28.65 billion. Overall, the delinquent unpaid balance grew for the 10th straight month, up an astounding 585% from one-year ago...

...Overall, we now expect the delinquent unpaid CMBS balance to continue along its current trend and grow in excess of $50 to $60 billion before the end of 2009. Based upon an updated trend analysis, we expect the delinquency percentage to grow in excess of 6% before year-end 2009 (potentially approaching and surpassing 8% under our heavily stressed scenarios)...

...Throughout 2009, we expect to see continued high delinquency by unpaid balance for these three vintages due to aggressive lending practices prevalent in such years...

...our investigation reveals [that] [d]eals seasoned at least a year have a total unpaid balance of $814.4 billion, with $28.65 billion delinquent – a 3.52% rate (up from only 1.0% six months prior)... [and] [b]alloon default risk from highly seasoned transactions for both performing and non-performing loans coming due in the next 12 months that may be unable to secure adequate refinancing due to current credit market conditions, lack of financing availability, or further distressed collateral performance... Refinance and balloon default risk concerns from floating rate transactions, as many large loans secured by un-stabilized or transitional properties reach their final maturity extensions, or fail to meet debt service or cash flow covenants necessary to exercise such extensions... Further stress on partial-term interest-only loans...

Thank goodness we have a real pro, a real veteran with executive experience in the Oval Office. Because, heaven knows, faux "Stimulus" packages, onerous carbon Cap-and-Trade regulations, and socialized medicine -- on top of a quadrupled deficit -- are just what the doctor ordered.

It would appear that any 'Green Shoots' were either a figment of your imagination... or simply painted green by Ben Bernanke's handy printing press. In either case, reality beckons.


Entire drive-by exhibition: Photobucket.

Drudge Report Headline o' the Month


If Plugs and Blinky disappear for a week this summer, it'll be to get one last Botox apiece before the new taxes kick in.

Larwyn's Linx: Disaster in July

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email or reply via Twitter.

Nation

We've Figured Him Out: Stein
Five Things the U.S. Must Apologize For: Blatt
Progressives To Palin: Get Back In The Kitchen!: MereRhet

Conyers Sees No Point in Members Reading 1,000-Page Health Care Bill: CNS
Cambridge Officer: I won't vote for Obama again: Barrack
Gates Revises Tax Return Based On Blog Post: Riehl

Analysis: July a Disaster for Obama, Dems: Ace
The Price of 'Diversity': Corner
Tea Party at "ACORN" McCaskill's Town Hall: GWP

Economy

Krugman's Idiocy: The Second Coming of Keynes: Mises
The States Are Broke: EconomPic
977,000 Mortgages in California are Toxic Waste: HB, MD

Hoven's Index: First Six Months: AT (Hoven)
Liar: Dodd, Conrad told deals were sweetened: Malkin
Obama 2004: Bush Rushed Legislation Through Congress Without Allowing Time to Read Or Debate: NewsBusters

What to Ask Your Congressperson about Obamacare: AT (Cary)
Fannie Med: Senate Ready to Compromise on Government Health Bill?: Hot Air

Climate & Energy

Climate Fear Promoters Explain Record Cold and Snow: 'Global warming made it less cool': Depot

Media

Newsweek: Start Celebrating! The Recession Is Over!: Ace
Just how smart is Obama?: AT (Feldman)
Another Bad Sign for Obama: Apologist Ed Schultz Wonders if Obama Will Run for Re-Election: NewsBusters

Why the press loves the 'Birther' issue: Clouthier
Times bashes 'Birthers', blames Limbaugh: NewsBusters

World

Peace Plan Marks a New Era: Rubin
Next Round in Iraq: PJM (Mauro)
Genocide and Terror in France: GMP

Is North Korea Testing Biological Weapons on Children?: PJM (Chang)

Cornucopia

Madonnarms: Surber

Monday, July 27, 2009

California Dreamin': Now a Nightmare


Democrats have controlled California for over two decades. Their policies have transformed a beautiful, industrious state into a monumental catastrophe.

Open Borders and Easy Access to Welfare: as the stack graph shows, California accounts for 12% of the nation's population but 32% of welfare recipients. Only California and Texas registered high enough to include the state name on the Y-axis. Texas has 8% of the U.S. population and is equally burdened by border issues but has only 1/10th of California's welfare rolls.

More Open Borders, More Welfare: This pie will give you indigestion; California represents 32% of America's welfare caseload. Chuck Devore explains, "California's share of the nation's welfare recipients has been soaring since Democrat legislators severely relaxed welfare rules and eligibility while hiking benefits around 2001. The result was as predictable for welfare as California's high taxes and heavy regulations have been for jobs and business."

Even More Open Borders and More Relaxed Welfare Policies: While the Blue State of New York has its own bragging rights (highest per capita spending on welfare rolls), the distance between New York and the other states compared to California is like the distance between the Earth (other states), the Moon (New York), and the Sun (California). California is the only state that refuses to "seriously enforce the federal lifetime limit of 5 years of welfare for able-bodied adults."

California faces the biggest financial crisis in its history due in no small part to the waste, fraud, and abuse related to its outrageous entitlement programs. Devore calls them "a honey pot for many in America who find it easier to accept a taxpayer handout than to work."

This "generosity" with other peoples’ money impels Sacramento lawmakers to give such large sums of working Californians' money to non-working Californians inevitably results in less of the former and more of the latter. This is simple economics, and it's a shame that it escapes the architects of our state's governance today.


Powerful and Unaccountable Unions: San Francisco, to use a simple example, employs at least 100 unionized workers who earn over $200,000 annually (including a $350,000 a year "Special Nurse").

Los Angeles has nearly 300 retirees earning over $100,000 a year.

The website Pension Tsunami recently noted several articles of interest related to union pension funds. “Hidden Pension Fiasco May Foment Another $1 Trillion Bailout” summarizes how public employee pension funds have cooked their books for years. This has gotten worse in recent years, as public sector employee unions have, "consolidated their power in state and local governments by controlling elections [and] demanded unsustainable increases to the benefit packages of their members – often retroactively – from politicians whose survival depended on their obedience."

Gee, by all means, let's pass card-check (also known as "The Employee No Choice Act")!

The facts are indisputable: Blue States are melting down.

California is an ominous preview into America's future. Perhaps an enterprising progressive (or is that an oxymoron?) could explain why we should follow the Obama-Pelosi-Reid brain-trust into certain oblivion.


Hat tips: Chuck DeVore will be a candidate for Senate in 2010, challenging the egregious Barbara "Call Me Senator" Boxer, No Oil For Pacifists. Linked by: Maggie's Farm and Ed Driscoll. Thanks!

No Apology Necessary (From Sgt. Crowley)


Guest post by David H. Martin.

If anybody should apologize for the arrest of Harvard Professor Louis Henry Gates, it is President Obama, not the arresting officer.

The facts bear out that experienced Sgt. James Crowley acted totally within the bounds of proper police action. Here's what occurred. Sgt. Crowley responded to a call from Lucia Whalen reporting that a break-in was in progress in a neighborhood in Cambridge that had experienced several daytime burglaries. In fact the very house where the suspected burglary was taking place had a defective front door due to a forced entry a month earlier. When he arrived at the house rented from Harvard University by Professor Gates, Sgt. Crowley asked Lucia Whalen, the citizen who had reported that two men were trying to break into the house, to wait outside while he approached the house. [Ed: Updated per police tape]

From outside, Sgt. Crowley observed a man inside the foyer of the house, and asked him to step out on the porch so they could talk. The man, later identified as Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. replied, "No I will not" and demanded Sgt Crowley's identity. Sgt. Crowley in full uniform advised Professor Gates, in a reasonable tone, that he was a Cambridge police officer, told him his name, and that he was responding to a report of a burglary in progress. Before Sgt. Crowley could finish, Professor Gates opened the door and, in an agitated tone, yelled "Why? Because I'm black man in America?"

Despite Professor Gates' confrontational attitude, Sgt. Crowley calmly continued to do his duty, asking "Is anyone else in the house?" - information Sgt Crowley needed for his own safety and for the safety of Professor Gates. Professor Gates yelled, "It's none of your business!" and initially refused to show Sgt. Crowley any identification, although he eventually did produce a Harvard University ID. Sgt. Crowley called to advise his communications office that Professor Gates was with a man who appeared to be the resident, but was very uncooperative, and requested that the Harvard University Police respond.

At this point, Sgt Crowley was prepared to leave and walked out to the porch. Professor Gates hollered at Sgt. Gates to identify himself yet again, saying arrogantly, "You don't know who you're messing with!" He also called Sgt. Crowley a "racist" police officer. Sgt. Crowley advised Professor Gates that he had already identified himself and that if Professor Gates wished to speak further, he should come outside. Professor Gates continued to scream at Sgt. Crowley, repeatedly calling him a "racist cop," and then rudely yelled a demeaning invective: "I'll speak with your momma outside." (By this time another Cambridge policeman, Officer Carlos Figuerosa, was on the porch listening to Professor Gates' tirade and confirmed what Sgt. Crowley later reported.)

Unrelenting, Professor Gates followed Sgt. Crowley outside the house and continued to shout about "racist cops." After calmly warning Professor Gates to calm down a second time, Sgt. Crowley advised Professor Gates that he was going to have to arrest him. Professor Gates continued screaming, and Sgt. Crowley arrested him for disorderly conduct.

Had Professor Gates simply remained in his house or kept his composure, he would not have been arrested. But because of his bizarre and outrageous behavior, there is no question that he was arrested properly and according to established police procedures. Had Professor Gates displayed some emotional control and listened to Sgt. Crowley and understood why Sgt. Crowley was there and that he was required to investigate any call for a crime in progress he would have had no reason to be outraged.

Sgt. Crowley followed proper procedures -- those that any experienced and professional police officer would have done -- asked reasonable questions of Professor Gates and did not respond in kind to Professor Gates unreasonable tirade of race baiting. It was Professor Gates who played the race card and used race as an excuse to harangue an officer attempting to do his duty.

Police Officers have a duty to investigate calls from citizens suspicious of a crime in progress. They have a sworn duty to determine if a crime is being committed, if the area where a crime is alleged to be in progress is safe for themselves and citizens. Police work is a dangerous profession, often thankless and unrewarding. We should all give thanks that we have citizens like Sgt Crowley who accept their jobs and do their heroic duties day in and day out without regard for their own safety.

Both the governor of Massachusetts and the Mayor of Cambridge (both African Americans) made apologies. But Sgt. Crowley has nothing to apologize for. The Chief of Police should support this fine officer, despite the fact that the politically- correct lawyers for the City cowardly dropped the charges against Professor Gates. Instead, apologies should come first from Professor Gates for his racist tirade.

It is unfortunate that the President of the United States saw fit to comment on this case, admittedly without knowing any of the foregoing facts, and even more unfortunate that he tried to expand the concept of racial profiling as a common practice among police forces is also unfortunate and untrue. The President is the one who should apologize, not only to Sgt. Crowley, but to every policeman in America.


David H. Martin is Chairman of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund of Arlington, Virginia.

"A Sad Day for Tennis Fans"


Papa B, as you could have guessed, sent this one in.

"Fox News reports that tennis star Simona Halep may need to go under the knife soon."

...Halep wants surgery to reduce the size of her breasts.

...the 5-foot-5-inch Romanian tennis star said she thinks her 34DD bust is holding her back.

"This fall I'll have a breast reduction operation,” Halep said. “The breasts make me uncomfortable when I play."

Papa B states that tennis fans around the world are "in mourning."

Best of National Geographic


A stunning series of photos from National Geographic.










Hat tip: Inspiredology.

First Pitch Analysis


Chrissie sent this one in.





Not that there's anything wrong with that.


Linked by: Cold Fury and Don Surber. Thanks!