Doug Ross @ Journal

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Larwyn's Linx: 2012: When Dreams Died

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QOTD:"In combing through the results of the 2012 election — apparently finally complete, nearly two months after the fact — I continue to find many similarities between 2012 and 2004, and one enormous difference...

The popular vote margins were similar — 51 to 48 percent for George W. Bush in 2004, 51 to 47 percent for Barack Obama in 2012.

The one enormous difference was turnout. Turnout between the 2000 and 2004 elections rose from 105 million to 122 million — plus 16 percent. Turnout between the 2008 and 2012 elections fell from 131 million to 128 million — minus 2 percent.

Turnout is a measure of organization but also of spontaneous enthusiasm." --Michael Barone

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

THE ENTIRE NBC FIREARMS CRIME SAGA, POINT-BY-POINT: Is David Gregory Hiding From the Cops?

In his zeal to pursue additional -- and provably useless -- gun control laws, Meet The Press host David Gregory waved around a high-capacity magazine last Sunday to make a rhetorical point during an interview.

You probably know that the District of Columbia -- where the show is taped -- has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the U.S. (and the expected high rate of violent crime... but, I digress). In fact, D.C. prohibits the possession of high-cap mags, a crime punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of as much as $1,000.

• An enterprising blogger pointed this fact out after Meet the Press and noted that Gregory very well could be prosecuted for this crime.

• The hypocrisy is noteworthy: Gregory sends his children to a school protected by as many as 11 armed security officers, but I suspect he believes his children are more deserving of protection than yours.

• It turns out that NBC requested permission to use the mag -- and was denied. Blogger William Jacobson did the detective work and verified that the DC Metropolitan Police Department not only refused NBC's request but is now actively investigating the alleged crime.

• As you could have predicted, the entire antique media complex is running interference for Gregory:

(a) CNN's Howard Kurtz, for example, is shocked -- shocked! -- that anyone could be prosecuted for simple possession when no crime was intended. Welcome to the America in which tens of millions of law-abiding citizens live under threat of nonsensical and provably useless laws, Howie, you dunce.

(b) Fox News' Greta Van Susteren also labeled the pursuit of Gregory "silliness".

But, as Jacobson points out, "One of the problems with the ever expanding gun laws advocated by Gregory and others is that otherwise law-abiding citizens get caught up inadvertently violating the law... while criminals do what they please and powerful people don’t get prosecuted."

• The lurid gossip site TMZ is running interference, claiming that somehow the ATF got involved and said possession of the mag was jest fine. [Insert pregnant pause here] The ATF? Facilitating firearms crimes? Perish the thought.

• But it doesn't look like Gregory's convinced. Curiously, he's bailed out of hosting Meet the Press in DC this week, perhaps fearing a Blues Brothers-like greeting from the law enforcement community.

And it couldn't happen to a more deserving would-be tyrant. As Moe Lane observes, David Gregory can and should be arrested for violating DC's gun law.

I am perfectly serious. David Gregory needs to be arrested, for a very simple reason: if I publicly demonstrated my possession of an illegal magazine in DC then I would be arrested – which is something that I already knew very well. That David Gregory apparently did not is because David Gregory thinks that he is protected by privilege – which, as Robert Anton Wilson once reminded us, literally means ‘private law.’ The DC law is absurd and inequitable; it should be repealed. But if it is not going to be repealed then it absolutely must be enforced equitably.

DC's gun laws state that Gregory is a criminal. He should therefore be treated as one, just like you or I would be.

I WONDER WHY THEY WAITED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION? EPA Cranks Out Third Job-Killing Regulation in a Week

Merry Christmas, Tiny Tim: the EPA has issued yet another devastating regulation. The Boiler MACT rule will hit American companies with a double whammy: it will kill jobs and spike the prices of almost every good and service. Oh, and there's an added bonus: it will make U.S. companies even less competitive internationally.

The National Association of Manufacturers is calling out the Obama administration.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final Boiler MACT regulation:

“For the second straight week, the EPA has finalized another costly and crippling regulation at a time when our economy is on the brink. Boiler MACT will not create jobs, and studies indicate it could cost manufacturers as much as $14 billion. Manufacturers are understandably growing more pessimistic about the direction of the economy. The end-of-year regulatory assault on businesses, combined with the uncertainty of the fiscal cliff, makes for one of the worst business environments in living memory.

...this regulation remains far from being realistic. Currently, it is 20 percent more expensive to manufacture in the United States compared to our major trading partners, and Boiler MACT will only drive that differential higher...

And, as usual, these regulations were all withheld from the American public until after the election. This is just another example of how the progressive Left must hide who they are from the American people. It's called deception.

It's not just the fiscal cliff we have to worry about. It's not just the overhang of deficits. It's also the intentional, wanton destruction of the American manufacturing sector, pursued by the eco-statist Left through hundreds of thousands of pages of excessive regulations and executed by thousands of unelected, nameless bureaucrats.

Everyone with two neurons to rub together knows that the federal government has a catastrophic addiction to spending. And I can think of no better way to start fixing that problem than by nuking the EPA's budget, say, by 90 percent. Nuke it. It's the only way to be sure.

IRONIC PRIVACY FAIL: Facebook Founder's Sister Suffers Photo Leak

Well, if the sister of Facebook founder Jerry Zuckerberg screwed up her own privacy settings, what chance do the rest of us have?

...Mark Zuckerberg's sister Randi has complained about a Facebook privacy breach.

Randi, the former head of marketing for Facebook and the executive producer of Bravo's reality series Silicon Valley, complained when Callie Schweitzer, director of marketing and projects at VoxMedia, posted a photo of Randi and her family (including Mark) reacting to the new Poke app. Randi originally circulated the photo on Facebook to her friends, but Schweitzer posted it publicly on Twitter:

...Zuckerberg and Schweitzer have since deleted the conversation, but according to BuzzFeed, Schweitzer originally wrote "@randizuckerberg demonstrates her family's response to Poke" with a link to the pic. Randi then replied "@cschweitz: Not sure where you got this photo. I posted it only to friends on FB. You reposting it on Twitter is way uncool."

The article implies that Schweizer was not actually connected directly to Randi, but had simply subscribed to her updates.

So the failure was presumably either user error by Randi or facilitated by the vagaries of Facebook's notoriously nebulous privacy settings.

It doesn't help that this particular incident follows hot on the heels of Instagram's (a Facebook acquisition) public relations disaster.

It remains to be seen whether Facebook will get this privacy thing right, balancing the need to generate top-line growth with the privacy requirements of a fickle user community.

Hat tip: BadBlue Tech News.

Larwyn's Linx: The Real Cliff

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Nation

The Real Cliff: Christopher Demuth
Bloggers Outing Gun Owner Outers at The Journal News: CFP
‘How do you trust someone when they change their stance...?’: JWF

On Killing: Denninger
Brilliant: Jesse Jackson Asks Jail Inmates to Help End Gun Violence: JWF
Gunman William Spengler Used Bushmaster, Left Chilling Note: ABC

Four Words for Gun Grabbers: "Shall Not Be Infringed": Breitbart
Why Cuomo’s Nutty Gun Confiscation Plan Will Never Work: JWF
Look At All These Guns People Got for Christmas: AtlWire

Economy

Obama Scrooges Christmas: RSM
The government failed: Let’s depend more on the government!: CFP
Soaking the rich, Obamacare style: DC

The gift of self-empowerment: Malkin
Surprise: State-Run Broadcasting Pushes for Higher Taxes: NB
Boo hoo: Obama may cut vacation to deal with fiscal crisis: JPost

Scandal Central

Obama Claus: Adds Time To Collect $50K Reparations: Breitbart
So how does Journal – News reporter Dwight R. Worley rate a NYC pistol permit?: Fountain

Climate & Energy

Amateur Video of Tornado in Mobile, AL: Sooper

Media

DC Police Investigating NBC's Gregory for Violations of Gun Ban Laws: Breitbart
Planned Parenthood Did One Abortion Every 95 Seconds—As Many in One Year as Live In Cincinnati: CNS
Piers Morgan: Thousands petition for deportation: BBC

New York Tells Rapists, Thieves and Murderers Which Homes to Target: NoisyRm
Why the Jews Vote for the Democrats: CFP
BBC's 'Top Gear' Host to America: 'It took us 40 years to get rid of Piers Morgan, do not send him back': Breitbart

World

The Science of Islamophobia: GoV
Israeli PM Netanyahu's Christmas Message: JoshuaPundit
Human Rights Watch (partially) changes its tune - but only partially: Simply

Allah Akbar and Ho Ho Ho: Sultan Knish
Syria converts combat aircraft to WMD-armed drones: Hayom
Egypt's Morsi signs Islamist constitution into law: JPost

Prominent Imam in U.S.: Resurrected Caliphate Should Wage Jihad: Mauro
Christians suffer persecution worldwide during Christmas season: Twitchy
Muslims Open Fire on Midnight Mass at Nigerian Church: Atlas

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue.com/Tech)

Dark “Clouds” Forming After Netflix Outage Blamed On Amazon: CBS Philadelphia
Facebook Wants People To Pay (Them) To Spam (You): Denninger
Report: Chinese PLA Access 80% of “World’s Communications”: DefTech

Cornucopia

Merry Christmas From the Second Amendment: Dancing Czars
Video: The freaky deaky Norwegian kicker: Greenroom
From Slum to Swan Lake: AP

Image: Twisters to ice, holiday weather is perilous
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Linkiest

QOTD: "You may think it's a horrifying idea to arm teachers.

Did you ever think to stop and ask why you believe that, and whether your viewpoint is rational -- or whether you're being manipulated by the media and politicians for their own ends at the expense of your children?

Let's analyze this.

Do you think it's wrong to have an armed guard in your bank? How about the guy delivering the money to your grocery store in the armored car? Should he have a gun? Does your local grocery store's cash drawer -- or that of your bank -- have a higher value than your child? If you believe that the armored car or bank should have someone carrying a gun to protect that cash drawer while your child's teacher should not, that is what you believe.

How about the President? Should he have dozens of people all around him, every minute of the day, all with guns? How about Obama's two daughters -- should they have an armed Secret Service detail at their school, with guns, every single day? Do Obama's children have more value than yours? If you believe his children should have someone with a gun available to protect them but your child's teacher should be barred by law from carrying concealed and thus able to serve as a last line of defense for your child, that is what you believe.

How important are your children? More important than a drawer full of money? As important as President Obama's daughters? If you answered in the affirmative to both you do not want to ban guns -- you want the "Gun Free School" law repealed now and you want all teachers, administrators and staff who are willing and able to carry concealed firearms in the unlikely but possible case that a bad guy may try to murder your children." --Karl Denninger

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Note Alleging Slave Labor and Torture Found in Toy Made in China

A handwritten note discovered tucked inside a Made in China Halloween kit offers some troubling -- and entirely believable -- allegations.

The note was found by Julie Keith. The emotional letter had been sitting inside the package of a K-Mart 17 ’Totally Ghoul Piece Graveyard Kit” that Ms. Keith purchased a year ago to decorate her home. She did not use it last year. However, this past Halloween, Julie decided to open the box. That’s when she discovered the folded, handwritten note wedged between styrofoam skulls and bones.

Sir: If you occasionally buy this product, please kindly resend this letter to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persicution of the Chinese Communist Party Government will thank and remember you forever.

The letter continues, adding allegations of the horrible conditions under which the laborers are working;

• 15 hour workdays

• seven days a week (no holidays)

• low wages of 10 yuan per month (that works out to about $1.60 per month in U.S. dollars)

• For the record, China Daily reports that the average monthly salary for workers in that country ranges from 2742 to 4672 / yuan per month (or $440 to $750 per month). A salary of 10 yuan per month would be less than 5% of what the poorest regions are paying workers.

The author claims that many of the laborers are there for 1-3 years as punishment, although they were not afforded a trial. And poor work (in the eyes of the supervisors) often triggers torture and rude remarks.

There is also a charge in the unsigned letter that workers are forced to be there in retaliation for being Falun Gong members (something that is not approved by the CCPG – Central China Power Group).

While unverified, the note jibes with many other reports.

The People's Republic of China is a totalitarian slave state.

And yet it is routinely praised by the Left, from Barack Obama to The New York Times' Thomas Friedman. Which provides a perfect insight into their worldview.

Hat tip: BadBlue News.

A Merry Dependent Christmas to You and Yours

An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card resembles a typical credit or debit card. The EBT system is used to deliver "public assistance benefits", like the old food stamp program. It's ostensibly designed to simplify the delivery of benefits and reduce the stigma associated with using food stamps, but it is rife with fraud and abuse.

In Massachusetts, for example, nearly 90 percent of EBT benefits are withdrawn as cash.

Does it make any difference for the state to ban the use of EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards at tattoo parlors, strip joints or package stores if beneficiaries can use them to get cash from an ATM?

What difference does any kind of control on the use of the actual cards make if the benefit can accessed in cash?

...According to that EBT Commission report, 85% of EBT benefits, or $77 Million in a three month period between October and Dec. 2011, were translated into cash at ATMs.

So what difference does a ban on EBT cards at liquor stores, strip clubs and nail salons make if you can withdraw benefits in the form of cash? If the latest info on Twitter is any indication, none.

Lol ill put the whole EBT card on it RT @i65scootdawg: Bet some food stampson dis nets And celtics game @realniggasolo
— Solo Junior (@RealNiggaSolo) December 25, 2012

Lemme have thousands on that ebt -_______- Bruh..how many kids is that
— Desire` (@FoxiBrowne) December 25, 2012

Pray that congresspass that bill.OryourEBTand all that is done.
— blogkingnyc (@BlogKingNyc) December 25, 2012

Breaking down cocaine with an EBT.
— Jordan (@jordvnx) December 25, 2012

I'm thankful for this EBT giftcard I got. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to the homie Jesus
— AC (@ac_carter2) December 25, 2012

I BOUGHT ALL MY FOLOWERS. THERES A SERVICE DAT ACCEPTS EBT. IM POPPIN, U NOT. STOP HATIN BITCH
— Neville Corley (@nevillemanukkit) December 25, 2012

“@rickanbagher: Micheal Kors must have had a sale huh”<<naw these hoes been saving EBT up since June
— Applejack Milk (@YZFRStew) December 25, 2012

😂😂RT @gottahave_ash: Louis bag wit an EBT card in it . Swag !
— Dijon (@dijonlyte) December 25, 2012

But, remember Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer: even though the entire system is collapsing, there's nothing to cut.

Hat tip: Flopping Aces.