Friday, August 01, 2008

Photo o' the day: Hey, Obama wants a lot more than change



Hat tip: Pookie.

I smell an Oscar for Death Race!


Hey, add it up:

A sadistic, evil warden.

A futuristic prison.

A highly rated, televised race pitting prisoner against prisoner...

...to the death, with the winner gaining their freedom.

Jason Statham...

...who plays a NASCAR driver unjustly accused of killing his wife (hint: it was a setup).

Three obligatory prison fight scenes.

A crafty race veteran who befriends said NASCAR driver.

The very same sadistic, evil warden who demands said NASCAR driver compete in the Death Race.

A Mustang, V8 Fastback with 3/4" armor plating, smoke bombs, oil and napalm...

Oh, and "30mm Gatling guns" (word to the producers: those ain't 30mm chambers)... all hand-crafted by said crafty race veteran.

A said former NASCAR driver who figures out he was set up by said sadistic, evil warden to benefit her Nielsen ratings.

Who, during the race, is able to drive backwards to use his "30mm Gatling guns" to take out opponents.

And who, of course, exacts revenge against said evil warden while gaining his freedom (it's a loophole in the televised "death race" law).

Best of all... a movie trailer that spells out the entire freaking plot in excruciating detail.

I smell Oscar, baby, Oscar!

Obama's campaign admits their candidate played the race card


ABC News tackles the issue head-on.

Sen. Barack Obama's chief strategist conceded that the Democratic presidential candidate was referring to his race when he said Republicans were trying to scare voters by suggesting Obama "doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."

...Obama's camp initially denied the remark was a reference to Obama's race... Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, acknowledged on "Good Morning America" Friday that the candidate was referring, at least in part, to his ethnic background.

When ABC reports that Obama's campaign screwed up, you can pretty much assume that seven or eight billion people already knew it.

Flame War Response o' the Day


From CI (language warning):

VP_Spiro_T_Cheney: sorry, the f****** page won't even load.

WTF... I knoa they're short on $$$ but the McCain campaign can't afford more bandwidth???


StudSupreme: It's not my problem is your computer is a 10 year old junk box and you're still posting with a dial-up account.

Perhaps if you spent your college years studying science, math and/or engineering instead of 13th century Carpathian homoerotic romantic literature, and you were working at Intel or Broadcom instead of Starbucks or Safeway, you'd be able to afford a multi-processor water cooled Dell XPS710 in the study of your own California home instead of being camped out in your mom's basement in Topeka...........

Spiro T. Cheney's gonna feel that in the morning.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Democrats demand $10 a gallon gas


Here's a news flash that hasn't been covered by our beloved mainstream media: Democrats won't allow drilling in the United States... even if gas hits $10 a gallon.

Mitch McConnell (R-KY): "What is the definition of an emergency? Maybe it is $7.50 a gallon? Therefore I renew my consent request with the following modification... that the implementation date that triggers the modification would occur when the price of gasoline reaches seven dollars and fifty cents a gallon."

Ken Salazar (D-CO): "I... I... object".

MM: "Mr. President, I renew my request with the modification that the trigger be ten dollars a gallon at the pump."

KS: "I object."

* * *

We have enough oil to satisfy American needs for at least the next 100 years, but Democrats won’t let you have it. They’d rather you pay $10 per gallon at the pump and watch food prices increase 250% rather than agree to drilling. If you don’t want $10 per gallon gas, vote Republican.

Not to worry. Barack Obama has a plan.

There are things you can do individually, though, to save energy... Making sure your tires are properly inflated - simple thing...

But we could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling - if everybody was just inflating their tires? And getting regular tune-ups? You'd actually save just as much!

PMSNBC markets Barack Obama's additional claim that the billions in profits made by the oil companies (and paid out to around 100 million folks who own shares) are to blame.

Hours after Exxon-Mobil announced a record $12 billion quarterly profit, Obama whacked the oil industry. “While big oil is making record profits,” he said, “you’re paying record prices at the pump, and our economy is leaving working people behind.”

Obama defended his opposition to expanded offshore oil drilling, saying it wouldn’t provide “short-term relief or medium-term relief or, in fact, long-term relief.”

Obama, however, fails to note the government's involvement in "the tyranny of oil." About half of the oil companies' profits feed directly into the government's tax coffers:

ExxonMobil just announced their 2008 2Q earnings -- $11.7 billion -- which are being touted by the press as the "highest-ever" profit for a US company -- of course there is either a de-emphasis or no mention at all of the company's profit margin in most of these stories (ed. -- Exxon's 2008 2Q profit margin was just less than 8.5%) -- a number which might add some additional context to the report.

However, what might be most interesting about Exxon's 2008 2Q earnings report was its effective tax rate of 49% (pdf file), up from a rate of 44% in the 2Q of 2007.

And while Obama whines about Exxon-Mobil's $12 billion profit, during the same period, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, the UAE, Libya and Venezuela collected roughly $250 billion in sales of crude oil!


By opposing drilling, Democrats are demanding we send our money to the Middle East and not American companies like Exxon-Mobil.

By opposing drilling, Democrats are demanding $10-a-gallon gas.

By opposing drilling, Democrats are weakening America.

Vote accordingly in 2008.

Update: Krauthammer makes a compelling argument that the no-drill policy of the Democrats harms the planet.

The United States has the highest technology to ensure the safest drilling. Today, directional drilling — essentially drilling down, then sideways — allows access to oil that in 1970 would have required a surface footprint more than three times as large...

Does Pelosi imagine that with so much of America declared off-limits, the planet is less injured as drilling shifts to Kazakhstan and Venezuela and Equatorial Guinea? That Russia will be more environmentally scrupulous than we in drilling in its Arctic? [Pelosi's policy] simply exports it to more corrupt, less efficient, more unstable parts of the world — thereby increasing net planetary damage.

Read it all.

Would you park this car in a Tow Zone?


Apologies for the low-grade pictures. It's the best I could do with a Blackberry. I couldn't quite figure out which model Lamborghini this is. It looks a little like a Murcielago, but I'll freely admit I'm not up on cars in the $200K to $400K price range.





And it really was parked in a tow zone.

Letter to the Editor o' the Day: Sí se puede


A letter from Manual Alvarez, Jr. of Sandy Hook as published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

Editor, Times-Dispatch:
Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord." And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change," everyone yelled, "Viva Fidel!"

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?

Manuel Alvarez Jr. Sandy Hook.

Hat tip: Onthow via LGF Quick Links.

Edwards "Love Child" Birth Certificate Shows No Father!


The John Edwards Love Child Saga™ (I've gone ahead and trademarked the phrase) has finally broken through the mainstream media blockade. Lisa Zagaroli of McClatchy Newspapers reports:

Birth certificate of child linked to Edwards lists no father

The birth certificate of a child who a tabloid newspaper claims is linked to former Sen. John Edwards doesn't identify a father... The certificate, obtained by McClatchy today, shows Frances Quinn Hunter was born Feb. 27, more than two months after an Edwards aide claimed to be the father. Andrew Young, a former Edwards campaign finance director, claimed paternity in a statement from his lawyer posted at the political blog mydd.com...

The girl was born at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, Calif., to Rielle Jaya James Druck, also known as Rielle Hunter. Hunter, 44, was a videographer on Edwards' presidential campaign last year.

Asked Thursday why no father was listed on the birth certificate, Hunter's attorney, Robert Gordon of New York, said, "A lot of women do that.

Reminded that he and Hunter had publicly revealed the father's identity two months earlier to the National Enquirer, Gordon said, "That's a personal matter between them."

Gordon declined to comment further. (Ed: Ooops!!)

With unmarried couples, California State law requires both parents to sign a "Declaration of Paternity" form prior to the father's name being put on the birth certificate. If the father is not present, his name may be added to the birth certificate at a later date after proper forms are obtained from the Department of Vital Records.

On Wednesday, Edwards declined to answer questions about the allegations... About a dozen reporters and photojournalists attended a speech Edwards gave to an AARP Foundation symposium on poverty and aging in Washington... Edwards emerged near the rear of the hotel with two men. When approached by a reporter, Edwards said, "Can't do it now, I'm sorry" and quickly walked past.

Asked about the Beverly Hilton, Edwards said "sorry" and got into a waiting car with the other men. Asked twice more to address the Enquirer story, Edwards was silent until the car doors were closed.


Radar's latest Edwards update asks whether former NBA journeyman Eric Montross is the Edwards backer-turned-mistress-financier

Here's where things get weird: five days later, [DBKP] received a tip that the house Hunter had moved into was owned by a former NBA player who had contributed money to the Edwards campaign. Doing some digging, [another blogger] reported that the only former NBA player who had donated money to Edwards was Eric Montross, a UNC graduate who was drafted by the Boston Celtics back in 1994 and ended his NBA career in 2003. Montross gave $4,600 to Edwards during the 2008 election cycle; he was described as a "big backer of John Edwards' White House bid" by CNN. (Edwards went to UNC law school.)

...An Intelius search reveals that Montross does indeed currently reside in the Governors Club gated community, so that jibes with both the Enquirer's initial reporting as well as the subsequent blog tip.

DBKP's latest adds an entertaining tidbit:

Edwards Flees From Reporters 2nd Time in 10 Days


It may be too late for John Edwards to try out for the 1000 meters at the Beijing Olympics, but he's certainly getting in some practice running from reporters... Using a side area, usually reserved for the kitchen staff, John Edwards, fled from reporters, "at least some of whom wanted to question him about recent reports in the National Enquirer that alleged an inappropriate relationship with a former campaign videographer."

The best question raised in this whole affair: just where did the funds come from to pay Rielle Hunter? The American Thinker offers the best analysis of the financial aspects of the situation.

Huge DNC Contributor to Treasurer: Obama a bad investment


The following is a letter reportedly sent to DNC treasurer Andy Tobias. It was sent by "one of the DNC's biggest donors, a donor who has historically maxed out to the DNC and who was a maxed out donor in both the Kerry and Clinton campaigns."

It was sent as a direct response to comments made by Tobias that she [the donor] could not see the forest through the trees.

Dear Andy,

So you want to know what is taking me so long to "get on board"? Let me try to answer with some discussion of what my 25 years on Wall Street and the Hedge Fund community have taught me, and what insights I can share in order to explain my stance.

...Andy, if I worked and served the people in the 13th District in Chicago, I would have known all of the players. And to win that district, would I have gamed the system to run unopposed? Tony Rezko would not have had a seat at my table. Either Obama is a fool and is blind to what should have been obvious, or someone like Tony is fine by Obama's standards. The guy is a dirtball. And a dirtball would not be part of my circle, certainly not my inner circle. I would rather not be elected than associate with someone like Rezko.

Nor for political or any other reasons would I choose Rev. Wright, Rev. Meeks, or Father Plager as my spiritual mentors. Again, he is either blind or an opportunist. Would I be hanging out with Mr. Ayers? Would you? Would you refuse to be photographed with Gavin Newsom? There is a pattern with this guy - he manipulates; the ends justify the means. He lacks character.

Getting not one bill passed in the first 6 years of his career in not inspiring. Having Emil Jones hand him the ball 26 times on the one-yard line in order to make Obama a United States Senator does not cut it either. What deals he made, he did to benefit no one but himself. He never worked long enough in either Senate to help the people who elected him. Andy, I could never imagine you taking credit for legislation someone else slaved over. Starting in his community organizing days he claimed sole responsibility for other people's accomplishments all for the purpose to boosting his career.

In terms of the campaign itself, I had the opportunity to witness his methods up close. During the primaries I was in 6 states, 2 of which had caucuses; it was not clean. El Paso was a joke with the Obama campaign stealing the caucus packets, locking supporters out - Intimidation 101, 102 and 103. Fair elections do not seem to be a priority in my birth state. No other machine exists from the days of Boss Tweed, but Chicago's. How many elected officials are in jail?They are the joke of the nation. It is called the Chicago machine for good reason.

...Andy, I have consistently found you to be a compassionate person, but more importantly you have always put your money where your mouth is. Does it not bother you that a guy like Obama can serve a poor district and give away a paltry $1000 to charity? He only stepped up his giving when he decided to run for President and he knew his charitable giving would be made public. How could anyone see that much misery and not try to personally do something about it?

Please, show me something this guy ever did that was not done in a calculated fashion to create and advance his own personal narrative? Something selfless, perhaps, just because it was the right thing to do?

Every person I have talked to who worked at the Law Review at Harvard with him, or in the later part of his career, said the same thing: he was arrogant and self-centered. One person laughed, saying Obama wanted to be King of the World, that he was always running for something, never staying in one place long enough to amass accomplishments or be held accountable.

Do you not you find it troublesome that he has hundreds of paid bloggers, posting vicious attacks not only about the Clintons but her supporters as well? The whole purpose was to cast him as the second coming, while trashing her and quashing other points of view.

At first I thought is was just some hyped up kids, and then a pattern emerged. He paid others to do his dirty work. The most egregious sexist cracks were rampant, both on the Internet and the MSM. Yet, what did Howard and Obama say? Nothing. Obama promoted it, paid his bloggers to write it. Never once did he try to stop it. Howard, after the damage was done finally commented on it, but barely. Wink,
wink.

...[Obama] is turning out to be more like Bush than McCain; Obama is at least as arrogant as W, just more polished. Are you not ashamed, in these past weeks, of his reckless abandon of any pretense to a moral center on issues such as FISA, separation of church and state, gun control? And what he did to one of my heroes, Wes Clark? Insulting my intelligence and my standards will not win me over.

But, in this conversation, you will say, McCain wants to be in Iraq for 100 years. No, he said that as in Japan, or Korea, we could have a presence. We have been in both of those countries for 60 years and not leaving any time soon, and the world is safer for it.

Next will be, McCain is not knowledgeable about the economy. While with Carly Fiorina, who I remember from her Lucent days, at a town meeting he turned the mic over to Carly when asked about the mortgage mess, painting her as the expert. Wow - he gave a woman a compliment, praising her knowledge, referring to her as the expert. How often have you praised Charles, or me, and everyone for that matter? Why? Because you are gracious and you know it reflects well on you.

All this might not bother me if so much if the stakes where not so high, but they are. I am an issues person, not a cult of personality devotee. Substance matters. Barack is a politician, an inexperienced one at that, pretending he is different. I just see him as arrogant and power hungry. Our country deserves better, someone I would be proud to do business with.

Andy, my country comes first, not the Democrat party. Having said that, I believe that the Democratic Party has just kicked away the best candidate and our best chance to redeem our country, Hillary Clinton, a proven centrist. Given his resume, or should I say the lack of one, he is either ineffective or hiding something, neither answer gives me the warm and fuzzies. If she is chosen in Denver, you can count on my full and enthusiastic support. Until then,

I own my vote.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

FW: I do believe some will be annoyed...


Sean is on a roll of late...










What Barack Obama hid from his readers


Barack Obama likes to talk about something he calls "economic justice."

And "restoring fairness to the economy."*

Why would Obama promote divisiveness and class envy?

In his book "Dreams From My Father", Obama reveals his childhood mentor was a man he cryptically refers to only as "Frank."

"Frank" was infamous communist Frank Marshall Davis, who fled Chicago after the FBI and Congress began investigating him.

Obama followed in Davis' footsteps, becoming a "community organizer" in Chicago... with disastrous results.

His boss was a man named Gerald Kellman, whose identity Obama also tries to disguise in his book. Kellman and Saul "The Red" Alinsky were infamous Chicago socialists; Alinsky authored "Rules for Radicals" and advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government.

And though his own book is dedicated to his memory, Obama also omits his father's feverish communist leanings.

Barack Hussein Obama Sr. challenged Kenya's pro-Western government for being insufficiently socialist. "Theoretically, there is nothing that can stop the government from taxing 100% of income so long as the people get benefits from the government commensurate with their income which is taxed," Obama Sr. wrote.

Among Obama's first campaign sponsors were William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn; both are unrepentant terrorists and self-admitted communists who believe that the U.S. government must be toppled.

Though he's written two books about his life, Obama hid his father's background and his own career-long affiliations with radical socialists and communists. All were striving together for "economic justice" and class warfare as unreconstructed Communists.

Vote accordingly in 2008.

* Perhaps Obama learned these falsehoods from Jeremiah Wright, his racist spiritual adviser who also believes the economy is a "zero sum" proposition.

Linked by: Ace of Spades, American Thinker and Common Sense Junction. Thanks! Major hat tip: Investor's Business Daily.