Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Welcome to Illinois: Another Blue State Utopia is Utterly Broke

Some of the key graphics from http://www.illinoisisbroke.com.





Because Democrat Statists are like locusts, driving out successful individuals and businesses with ever-higher taxes, consider this a warning notice for neighboring states.

And food for thought: serving a few years as a back-bencher State Senator in this failed region is our beloved President's primary qualification for office.

  

California $20B In Hole Again; Teacher's Union Helpfully Lobbies for Higher Business Taxes (While Protecting 1,000 'Horrendous' Teachers From Layoffs)

Calley-For-Knee-Ah (I'm using Governor Jerkinator's pronunciation, so bear with me) is $20 billion in the red again, having last year kicked the can down the road, avoiding the tough cuts that needed to be made.

"Here we go again," said state Controller John Chiang, warning lawmakers that the state will run low on cash this spring unless they make adjustments in the weeks ahead... California is falling $6 billion short of the revenue it needs to fund basic programs in the current fiscal year and is projected to be short by another $14 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1.

...Democrats are searching for ways to sidestep the rule that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature for tax increases and to pass state budgets.

The state's largest teachers union is backing an initiative to close business tax loopholes.

You read that right: the teachers' unions want higher taxes for a state ranked the third worst tax climate for business in the nation. Its corporate income tax rate is already the highest in the West.

Far be it from me to suggest some cost savings strategies, but perhaps crushing the public union oligarchies would be a real nice start. After all, the Los Angeles School Superintendent has identified 1,000 "horrendous" teachers, but not a single one of them can be fired thanks to the teachers' union.

Hundreds of bad teachers have encamped in the LA school system and will be impossible to remove... The LAUSD superintendent has compiled a list of nearly 1,000 "performance cases," according to LA Weekly (via Reason). But getting rid of the teachers costs more than the schools can afford, thanks to state laws and a powerful union that protect teachers.

Recent efforts to oust teachers have resulted in secret buyouts (expensive), paid rehabilitation (expensive and ineffective), and lawsuits (very expensive)...

In the past decade, LAUSD officials spent $3.5 million trying to fire just seven of the district's 33,000 teachers for poor classroom performance — and only four were fired, during legal struggles that wore on, on average, for five years each. Two of the three others were paid large settlements, and one was reinstated. The average cost of each battle is $500,000.

During our investigation, in which we obtained hundreds of documents using the California Public Records Act, we also discovered that 32 underperforming teachers were initially recommended for firing, but then secretly paid $50,000 by the district, on average, to leave without a fight. Moreover, 66 unnamed teachers are being continually recycled through a costly mentoring and retraining program but failing to improve, and another 400 anonymous teachers have been ordered to attend the retraining.

It's been years since I studied math, but busting apart these public sector unions would represent a fine start at balancing the budget and returning some fiscal sanity to Calley-For-Knee-Ah.

Just half a decade late, Gov. Jerkinator finally figured out that kowtowing to monopolistic thugs wasn't such a great strategy. He's finally proposed cutting the size of the union workforce, reducing pay, right-sizing the broken pension system and crushing the ridiculous job "guarantee" agreements that were established during various collective bargaining sessions.

Personally, I think it's too late for California. It's just another Democrat Utopia that's circling the drain, along with Illinois, Michigan, New York and New Jersey. Hopefully, we can crush the Democrat majority in Congress this November before the infection fatally sickens the entire U.S.


Top Ten Reasons Women Prefer Guns Over Men

In light of Top Ten Reasons Men Prefer Guns Over Women, Solo writes:

One of the women in my unit read this and felt compelled to retort: 10 Reasons Women Prefer Guns Over Men

1. You can easily trade that snubby in for something with a longer barrel.

2. You can keep a gun clean with a little Hoppe's and some elbow grease.

3. A gun never complains about the fit of its holster.

4. A gun doesn't need to watch a bad Western on video before you take it to the range.

5. Too many rounds and shots over the years don't cause the trigger guard to grow and sag.

6. You can carry a gun in your pants all day without it becoming a pest.

7. A gun doesn't complain if you want to spend more than 15 minutes at the range.

8. Emission of noxious gases is always under your control.

9. A gun doesn't call you a tease after you do a bit of dry fire.

10. A gun doesn't need to take a nap after each shot.


Larwyn's Linx: Where Was The Concern For Bipartisanship In 2005?

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email. You can also install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget.

Nation

Where Was The Concern For Bipartisanship In 2005?: Hewitt
Nightmare: Brennan and the Flying Imams: Malkin
Why Obama Will Be Clinton Without the Comeback: BigGovt

Senator Don't Call Me Ma'am Is In Trouble: Malkin
Don't Expect Much Justice from Eric Holder: Reaganite
Obama's Fall: Barnes

Party of Lies: Tea Party Imposters: NNB
Give Me Tenure or Give Me a 9mm: AT
Scalia: "There Is No Right to Secede": NYPILB

"You Have The Right To Remain Dead": Wizbang

Economy

95,000 Jobs/Mo Not Enough Under Bush: S&L
In the Best of Hands: China Dumps $34.2B in Treasuries: GWP
Forced Unionization of Babysitters in Michigan: BlogProf

$135 Million of Your Money Wasted on ‘Green Wall’ In Oregon: RWN
Census Touts Thrift Days Before Audit Finds Waste: BMW
Census Bureau Has Already Wasted Millions: JWF

Teachers Unions Spends Dues on Left-Wing Causes AND Ally of Robert Mugabe: BigGovt
Democrat Congressman Steers Taxpayer Money to Convicted Drug Dealers: JWF

Climate & Energy

Obama's Executive Orders on the Environment: Maggie
Trump Wants Gore Stripped of Nobel Prize: GWP
Unintentional IPCC Laugh of the Week: CBullitt

The Real Climate Fraud is Measured in Dollars, Not Degrees: PJM
Lake Erie Virtually Frozen Over: Surber
Eco-Psychosis: Boulder’s AGW Brown Shirts: CBullitt

The AGW Smoking Gun: AT
A Sad Time for Scientists: RWN
Rare ABC News TV Debate: ''It's consistent with climate astrology, basically it's a horoscope.': Depot

Media

Instapundit and the "Wild Eyed People of Idaho": Adrienne
Daddy, When You Were A Kid Were There Really Moderate Democrats?: LegalIns
Obama's Executive Orders on Environment, Energy, Economy: Defining Crisis and Emergency: Maggie

Deglamorizing Sarah Palin: Althouse
The New York Times Truth Will Out. Or Be Outed by Recent Employees: American Digest
Fox Show Family Guy Makes Fun Of Trig Palin, Sarah Palin Responds: Anchoress

Another Moonbat Calls for Violence Against Republicans: RWN
Surprising No One: Liberal Media Completely Embargoes Phil Jones' Admissions: Ace
Napolitano on the Commerce Clause and the Patriot Act: YouTube

World

Obama-Clinton Diplomacy in Action! Ahmadinejad Attacks Obama For Not Closing Gitmo As Promised: GWP
Saudis to Obama Administration: We're Scared of Iran and You're Going Too Slow: BRubin
One half of Taliban are dead or gone in Operation Moshtarak: Maggie

Another Day, Another Obama Tie to Terrorism: Confederate Yankee
The Obami’s Engagement Dead End: JRubin
‘Mossad assassination squad used British passports’: London Times

SciTech

The Green Death: Doc Zero
CRU chief: Hey, why don’t bloggers disprove AGW instead of criticizing us?: Hot Air
RIM to give away server software: CNet

Cornucopia

Single mother-of-six finds £2m mansion on the net - and gets YOU to pay £7,000 a month rent: Daily Mail (UK)
Fool(proof) -- a Caption This Photo Contest: Snapped Shot


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

New FDIC Office in Town

Parker writes:

Doug, is it bad juju when the FDIC opens a temporary office in your town?

Announcement Number: 2010-DALD-B1006
Vacancy Description: Secretary CG-0318-06
Open Period: 02/10/2010 - 02/24/2010
Series/Grade: CG-0318-06
Salary: $38,233.00 TO $59,935.00
That pay scale beats flying regional jets in icing conditions.

Cheers, Parker

* * *

FDIC Opens a Temporary Midwest Satellite Office

The Chicago-area Office Will Assist with Asset Sales and Bank Closings

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced it will open a temporary satellite office in Schaumburg, IL to manage receiverships and to liquidate assets from failed financial institutions primarily located in Midwestern states. After conducting a competitive leasing acquisition process, the FDIC entered into a short-term agreement to lease space at 200 North Martingale Road, Schaumburg. The decision was based on mission needs and workload.

The new office will provide facilities for up to 500 non-permanent staff and contractors. Staffing will be based on the workload needs of this office, including the number of closings in the Midwest, the resulting number of receiverships, and the post-closing workload.

Throughout its history, the FDIC has used temporary satellite offices to keep temporary asset resolution staff closer to the concentration of failed bank assets they oversee. As the work diminishes, the temporary satellite offices are closed. The FDIC currently has similar offices in Irvine, California and Jacksonville, Florida... The FDIC expects to gradually move into the space starting in March
2010.

“Martingale Road in Schaumburg is booming with new businesses such as Career Education Corporation, FDIC, Whole Foods, Crate & Barrel, and Season’s 52 restaurant,” said Matt Frank, Schaumburg’s Economic Development Coordinator. “They are joining other corporate businesses in Schaumburg such as Motorola, Zurich, Experian, IBM, Verizon, Pepsi, GE, A.C. Nielsen, American Pharmaceutical Partners, and PepsiAmericas.”

Booming!

Because They Can't Get Their Way, Mainstream Democrats Advocate Abolishing the U.S. Senate. Not Just the Filibuster, the Entire Senate.

You remember that "Constitution" thingy? You know, the anachronism from a bygone era, which Democrat politicians and judges take an oath to uphold and then promptly forget about -- or claim that it's a "living and breathing" document?

To show you how far left the Democrat Party has moved over the last couple of decades, a serious debate appears to be raging within the party over the role of the United States Senate. Not just procedures like the filibuster, mind you, but whether there actually should be a Senate at all.

The anti-American Statists -- disguised as mainstream Democrats -- are debating this topic over at Laura Flanders' neck of the woods at FireDogLake in a panel discussion headlined "Should We Do Away With the Senate?".

With the election of Scott Brown to Ted Kennedy’s former Senate seat, Democrats in DC seemed to give up on getting any major legislation passed. 59 votes (well, 58 and Joe Lieberman) was just not good enough. The blame has been flying–it’s Obama’s fault, Rahm Emanuel’s, Harry Reid’s–but what if the problem simply is the Senate?

What can we change? Would eliminating the filibuster–the so-called “nuclear option” back when Republicans were suggesting it–be enough, or is the Senate, with its two-Senators-per-state-regardless-of-population mandate, just too fundamentally undemocratic? We ask the New Yorker’s Hendrik Hertzberg, author of ¡OBÁMANOS!: The Rise of a New Political Era, Lawrence Lessig, Harvard professor and author of a new Nation cover story on the subject, and Nancy Scola of the Personal Democracy Forum.

The panel discussion involves four prominent Democrats who bandy about falsehoods -- like "the filibuster is unconstitutional" -- with reckless abandon.

The program ends with the suggestion that the United States Senate and the Electoral College both be eradicated.

This discussion aligns nicely with news that President Obama now plans to legislate by Executive Order and dispense with the niceties of working with Congress.

* * * * * * * * *

Like spoiled children, anti-American Leftists are willing to dispense with the Constitution and literally toss thousands of years of human experience down the memory hole because they can't get their way.

Consider how the three branches of government came to be.

In Book VI of his Histories, the ancient Greek historian Polybius described three basic forms of government, each categorized by the number of those in power. He listed monarchy (rule by the one); aristocracy (rule by the few); and democracy (rule by the many). Polybius described, over time, how each type of government would gradually decline into their various corrupted forms of tyranny, oligarchy and mob rule, respectively.

Polybius believed that Republican Rome had designed a new form of government that could help check this inevitable decline. Rome combined all three forms of government -- monarchy (its elected executives, called consuls); aristocracy (the Senate); and democracy (the popular assemblies). In this mixed form of goverment, each branch would check the corrupting ambitions and power of the others.

Aristotle and Cicero likewise praised the construction of a "mixed constitution" and the requirement of a separation of three powers within government.


The French nobleman and legal expert Charles-Louis de Secondat, the Baron de Montesquieu, studied the rise and fall of the Roman Republic. He believed that a properly designed government, in order to prevent tyranny, would require three branches of government. The British philosopher John Locke followed suit and his powerful works inspired Thomas Jefferson as he authored the Declaration of Independence.

As well, America's Founding Fathers repeatedly cited Montesquieu's seminal Spirit of the Laws and its emphasis on checks and balances within government. As James Madison wrote, "the oracle who is always consulted and cited on this subject is the celebrated Montesquieu."

History teaches us that the decline of a society and the demise of a government comes with the institutionalization of corruption and a wanton disregard for the written law. Such is our situation today, wherein the states have become puppets of an all-powerful federal government that confiscates more and more private property while exerting increasing control over every aspect of our lives.

The greatest bulwark against tyranny in America has always been the Constitution, which instantiates our carefully designed system of private property, God-given individual liberties and free enterprise.

Yet today the Speaker of the House can't articulate why a federal takeover of the entire health care system is constitutional. And mainstream Democrats seriously debate the destruction of the U.S. Senate.

This crowd of leftists are literally advocating the overthrow of the United States government. Tossing aside thousands of years of human experience and advocating a return to a centralized, authoritarian form of government that can't work and has never worked.

What these Democrats offer is nothing less than treason.


Hat tip: W. Related: Whom Despots Fear. Linked by: Ed Driscoll and Blogmocracy. Thanks!

Top Democrat Strategists Formulate Awesomely Cool Plan to Recover From Bayh Defection: Obama Should Use Bully Pulpit More Often

Leave it to the Muffington Compost to publish the most insipid 'analysis' this side of a Dan Rather 'expose'. In the wake of the announcement that Evan Bayh has had it with the hard left, the brilliant Sam 'Franken' Stein reveals the mystery of Democrat failures to pass legislation: They haven't talked enough at the American people.

...Some of the most prominent names in the Democratic Party's consulting class argued on Monday that by dropping the pretense of rhetorical moderation, lawmakers could lay the groundwork for a comeback.

See, the people really want Cap-and-Trade, Socialized Medicine and Forced Unionization in the form of "Card Check"... that's what they were demanding at all those town hall meetings! Plus: they really love being called tea-baggers!

In an e-mail to the Huffington Post, Robert Borosage, co-director of the progressive Campaign for America's Future, practically begged Obama to flex the White House's muscle.

"Take [the Republicans] on -- from the damn White House," he wrote in an e-mail to the Huffington Post... "The issues are innumerable. The choices clear," Borosage added. "We've got the bully pulpit. Let's use the damn thing."

Precisely. Because the President is close to hitting five hundred speeches in little more than a year. If he can only get to a thousand...

Gee, Markos, even the Soros-funded commenters at Media Mutters are complaining about the number of Castro-like speeches by Dear Leader ("[it] makes me wonder when he finds time to actually work and provide leadership on legislative issues").

You'd think the "progressives" would rethink their agenda given crushing losses in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.

But that would require rational thought as opposed to ideology.

I can't wait for November.


Linked by: Michelle Malkin. Thanks!

Top Ten Reasons Men Prefer Guns Over Women

Papa B:

#10. You can trade an old 44 for a new 22 AND nobody gets hurt.

#9. You can keep one gun at home and have another for when you're on the road AND nobody gets hurt.

#8. If you admire a friend's gun and tell him so, he will probably let you try it out a few times.

#7. Your primary gun doesn't mind if you keep another gun for a backup.

#6. Your gun will stay with you even if you run out of ammo.

#5. A gun doesn't take up a lot of closet space.

#4. Guns function normally every day of the month.

#3. A gun doesn't ask, "Do these new grips make me look fat?”

#2. A gun doesn't mind if you go to sleep after you use it.

And the number one reason a gun is favored over a woman is...

#1. YOU CAN BUY A SILENCER FOR A GUN.

Fortunately my wife never reads my blog.

The Unhealthiest City in America

Ryan Seacrest presents:

The Unhealthiest City in America
.

Mmmm. Pizza for breakfast.


Larwyn's Linx: No, Ma’am, we don’t want you back in the Senate

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email. You can also install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget.

Nation

One Year Since the Porkulus Protest: Malkin
Obama Twitter Feed Controlled by George Soros?: S&L
Black Panther non-prosection payback?: Times

No, Ma’am, we don’t want you back in the Senate: GayPatriot
McCain and Hayworth: Tale of the Tape: AT
Barack Obama: Imaginary Friend of Democrats: AmDig

Democrats Don't Trust Americans: RWN
Bayh's Seat: Advantage Dems: Riehl
Why Citizens United Helps Grassroots: AT

Jihad: The Political Third Rail -- At CPAC: AT
NRCC's Young Guns: RWN

Economy

Study: Dems Cost US $2.36 Trillion in Oil Money: GWP
Debt and Deficit: HillBuzz
Going Out of Business Sale [Photo]: Fausta

Oh my: just 6% of U.S. believes Stimulus created jobs: GWP
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing: I can fix Detroit... for $1 Billion!: BlogProf
Trial Bar to Obama: Don't Even Think About Tort Reform: Hill

Don't count your chickens, GOP: Limbaugh
Class War: How public servants became our masters: Reason
After Doomsday, What?: Times

Climate & Energy

The Scandal of the Century Deepens: Malkin
Climategate: Phil Jones Still Has More Reflecting To Do: PJM
The Red-Hot Scam Unravels: Times

Media

Leftists: Evan Bayh is 'Immoral': LegalIns
God and Government: MNR
George Will: Cut strings on Democrat dependency agenda: BlogProf

Interviewing Thomas Sowell on Intellectualism: RWN
Liberals Say U.S. Is Ungovernable. Again.: AT
When You've Lost David Brooks...: NewsBusters

Newsweak: hey, terrorists, didja hear that we captured all this really cool stuff?: SIGIS
Crowley vs. Jones -- No Contest: JRubin
Is Glenn Beck a Bailout-and-Fed Supporter?: Langbert

Two Decades of Classic Bidenisms: Hanson
Steele: Dems are 'running for the hills': PuffHo

World

What if they got away?: JRubin
Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban’s Top Commander: Jawa
Al Qaeda's Rolodex captured on way to Yemen: Prairie

Mr. Obama Speaks to the Muslim World, Again: Bad Rachel
Obama's Homeland Security Assessment Avoids the Dreaded I-Word: JWF
Don't Show This to Orly Taitz: Surber

English-speaking terrorists only, please: SIGIS
Sharia in Ohio: Atlas
Iran: Are the Saudis in Secret Talks with Israel?: PJM

In the case of John Brennan (and Part II): Power Line
Collapse of the Euro is 'Inevitable': Daily Mail (UK)
Stacking the Deck Against Chevron in Ecuadoran Lawsuit: PJM

SciTech

Ballmer banks on Windows Phone 7 for the future: CNet
Please queue here for the next phish: Sophos

Cornucopia

Life 2.0: JoshuaPundit
Love Notes: Parkway Rest Stop
Flashlight transforms into submachine gun: Boing Boing


 

Monday, February 15, 2010

Lefty Blogger Bayh-Bashing Bonanza: MA, NJ and VA Were Outliers; We Want Real Progressives For Kamikaze Runs in November!

Talk about not having the pulse of the nation -- the lefty bloggers are in their own little echo chamber, whining over the fact that there aren't more real progressives in Congress.

Newshoggers: Call it a purge if you want but who needs the Republican's favorite Democrat. [sic]

Firedoglake: Don’t Let the Door Hit You in the Ass on the Way Out, Evan.

Crooks & Liars: Evan Bayh has decided to retire and another ConservaDem bites the dust. And the media blaming the dirty f#%king hippies for Bayh leaving will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2...

Yglesias: The noteworthy thing here is that Lane, who seems to like Bayh and not see him as a selfish, immoral grandstander basically sees Bayh as a selfish, immoral grandstander.

Cesca: My first thought was: I wonder if the Republican who will probably win this seat will support progressive bills and vote for cloture. [sic] ...the real red state strategy ought to be about changing hearts and minds on the ground. Door to door. Convince voters that progressive policies are better.

The Democrat Strategist: Expect Republican hyping of their chances (objectively still limited) of taking over the Senate this year to get amped up to a feral roar.

ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES: Yes, the Senate is hugely dysfunctional. Yes, the Republicans are acting like spoiled brats AND like the Mafia at the same time. But why does this mean that they should be allowed a better chance to get back into power? Is the inability of the Democrats to get some things done a good reason to let the wholesale destruction of this country to continue?

Liberal Values: There will be one less Republican in the Senate Democratic caucus with Evan Bayh announcing he will not seek reelection.

Raw Story: Bloggers: Bayh retirement will ’screw progressives’ yet again.

Taylor Marsh: ...no one wants him as vice president or any other top job, plus he has no leadership skills, because like too many other Democrats currently in power in Washington, Bayh can’t stand on a line on principle.

It's like the crushing defeats the Democrat Party suffered in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia never happened. Like the people really aren't demanding their representatives adhere to the Constitution. And that Americans really love Socialism.

These are good things. The modern leftists are so disconnected from reality they really have no idea what's going to happen to them in November.


Report: Sen. Babs Mikulski (D-MD) to spend 'more time with family', pursue 'other interests' or just avoid getting crushed in 2010 elections

VailSpot reports that Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) will soon announce that she will not seek reelection.

Mrs. Mikulski seriously fractured her right ankle last fall just prior to Edward M. Kennedy's death. Due to the severity of the fracture, she had to have open reduction surgery, that included the insertion of pins, as well as the use of special surgical boots, during recovery. She had tried to arrive in time for Mr. Kennedy's funeral but was turned away.

Her recovery has been exceptionally slow and she is evidently still in a great deal of pain. Reportedly, she has told her physician that she does not desire to seek reelection. Additionally, friends and family have been saying in the near future she will announce her retirement. Because of the very slow recovery, she has been forced to use a wheelchair, a walker or a cane in order to get around.

One of her complaints is that the health insurance that is provided for Congress is "poor" with high deductibles and "limitations" on coverage. My contact tells me that she told an aide that she should have inserted in the ObamaCare bill an amendment to improve Congressional health insurance!

Mrs. Mikulski was first elected to the Senate in 1986, and thus is a very senior member of the Democratic caucus. Despite this seniority, she has never been offered any important chairmanships or leadership positions. Born on July 20, 1936, she is 74 years old, come July...it is perhaps fitting that she has choose this year to retire...

Doesn't this behavior typify the Statist oligarchs who are the core of the modern Democrat Party? Mikulski was apparently less concerned with a sensible health care bill for constituents than improving her own "gold-plated" Congressional care.

Little wonder the citizenry is stockpiling tar and feathers.


Great News: 5 Million Workers Exhaust Unemployment Benefits in June as Housing Market Melts Down With Added Bonus: Bush Tax Cuts Expire Soon

By June the number of unemployed workers who have exhausted their benefits will hit five million. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are a record 6.31 million workers who have been unemployed 26 or more weeks. This represents 4.1% of the entire civilian workforce, the highest level since 1948.

Housing starts have fallen off the cliff. Builders were rushing to close home sales by June 30th to take advantage of the extended tax credit. But they expect Q3 to be extremely challenging since the credit will have expired. Housing starts often are a leading indicator for unemployment; but the continued softness in these numbers "suggest unemployment will stay elevated for some time."

What little housing activity that actually is occurring is funded by -- wait for it -- the taxpayers. In Elkhart, Indiana half of all mortgages use federal support, which encourage tiny down payments (e.g., 3.5%) and use a $7,500 tax credit for first-time buyers. In short, the same interventionist policies that helped melt the financial system down -- central-planning and wealth redistribution, Politburo-style -- rather than freeing the private sector to innovate, create and adapt to changing market conditions.

The White House was supposed to introduce a plan to revamp Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac this month with the introduction of its new budget. But it failed to do so, with little fanfare from the media. In fact, the Obama administration has been surprisingly mum about the GSE's even though it is dramatically "distorting the market", according to The New York Times. Denny Davis of Horizon Bank in Elkhart says that home buyers are actually purchasing homes to get $7,500 in cash as an emergency fund: "People are buying to get that tax credit, to get some reserve money. They’re saying, ‘If something happens, I will have a little bit of money to fall back on... That’s not healthy.”

In order to reduce retail vacancy rates, some cities have resorted to razing 'white elephant' malls. In Columbus, Ohio two empty malls were demolished, which took 1.1 million square feet of retail space off the market. As a result, the city's vacancy rate has dropped to 15.1% from 16.9%.

Effective March 31, the Fed is halting its purchase of mortgage-backed securities. Some experts believe that mortgage rates will jump a full 100 to 200 basis points, which would further damage the housing market.

All of these factors, however, pale in comparison to what will transpire at the end of the year.

We "are about to experience the largest tax increase in history" as the evil Bush Tax Cuts expire. For the so-called wealthy (an individual or business owner grossing $200,000 a year or a couple making $250,000 or more), taxes will skyrocket. Capital gains taxes will rise; itemized deductions will be capped; and the estate tax will also return.

In other words, the government will take even more money out of the hands of business owners, entrepreneurs and the middle class at precisely the worst time. The economy is flat on its back and those who would invest, innovate and hire are instead having the life choked out of them by an out-of-control centralized government that is addicted to spending money it doesn't have.

Don't look for any of this news to impact Democrat policy-making, however. That would require the use of fact, logic and reason -- not strong suits for the current crop of Marxist ideologues who currently hold the reins of power.


Obama on KSM Terror Trial: "Just Kidding"

Dan from New York:

Att: Retreating With Guns Blazing Dept.

Administration 'flexible' on 9/11 trial venue

AP, Mon Feb 15

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration prefers a civilian trial for the alleged 9/11 mastermind, but says that in the face of public and political opposition it must be open to a military tribunal.

In an interview published Monday in The New York Times, Attorney General Eric Holder said, "I have to be more forceful in advocating for why I believe these are trials that should be held on the civilian side." [Ed: With Obama & friends it's all about salesmanship]

However, Holder did not rule out a military trial for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, saying, "You have to be flexible."

Vice President Joe Biden defended the White House from critics of its approach to prosecuting accused terrorists, saying in interviews aired Sunday that it is not yet clear where Mohammed and four other Sept. 11 suspects held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be tried.

However, Biden said he believes Mohammed will be found guilty regardless of the venue.

###

Yo, Joe! Ever heard of the presumption of innocence? That kind of talk could prejudice the jury and get the case thrown out.


Is this wrong?

Bernie:



Bayh won't run in '10 because his passion for service has waned plus he'd get crushed in election, but mostly because he'd get crushed in election

Could the entire Senate be on the verge of flipping?

Michael Barone thinks it's a possibility, now that Indiana's Evan Bayh has announced his "passion for serving the people" has "waned".

A quick search lists the following Democrats who have bailed out over the last couple of months in order to pursue "other interests" or "spend more time with their families".

• Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)

• Rep. Patrick (Patches) Kennedy (D-RI)

• Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

• Rep. Vern Tincher (D-IN)

• Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)

• Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA)

• Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)

Which presumably means they've found other ways to fleece taxpayers.


Update: "Yikes, this wasn’t very considerate, was it?: 'Bayh’s decision will set Dems scrambling for a replacement. The deadline to file to reach the ballot is Friday, meaning any Dem considering running for the seat must make a decision quickly.'"

Fun with Nationwide's Greatest App in the World

Make your own spectacular T-shirts for all the pundits and preening politicians in your life.





Remember, it's not the gift -- it's the thought that counts.


Larwyn's Linx: A Bribe is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Have a great link you'd like me to review? Drop me an email. You can also install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget.

Nation

Taking Credit for Iraq: Cheney Rips Biden: RWN
A Bribe is a Terrible Thing to Waste: Pundette
It's never too early for a 2012 GOP preview: PJM

Why the House Democrats Are 100 Votes Short: Barone
Biden: KSM Will Be Found Guilty.: StoryBalloon
Fundraiser for Terror Supporter in Al-Awlaki’s Mosque: BigGovt

Menendez NJ Recall: Tea Party Goes to Court: BigGovt
Sham bipartisanship: Times

Economy

California is America's Greece: AT
The Folly of Financial Reform: BigGovt
Under Obama, Crony Capitalism Again Rules the Day: Barone

The Absurdity of the Proposed "Jobs" Bill: Hewitt
Obama Signs Bill Lifting Borrowing Cap in Private: Powers
SEIU’s Shameless Abuse of Olympic Games Tragedy: BigGovt

Climate & Energy

Phil Jones' Shockingly Candid Answers on Climate: PJM
Climategate: Lord Monckton takes a victory lap: Monckton
Global Warming Snow Job: Times

Wind Energy's Ghosts: AT
IPCC Science Scandals: Nothing New: RWN
Was there any actual warming to begin with?: Morrissey

I’ll stop posting these “Hitler finds out…” videos as soon as I stop laughing at them...: Powers

Media

Obama administration summed up in one headline: RWN
Katie Couric: Return of the Palin Slayer: AT
Instead of Understanding, Liberals Feel: RWN

9/11: a Remembrance: GM's Place
Bill Maher: We Liberals Hate the Troops: BlogProf
Liz Cheney Blasts Juan Williams On “Incompetence” of Obama Administration : GWP

Coulter: How Long Are We Going to Pretend That Biden Is Not Just Some Drunk Embarrassing Obama?: GWP
But wait…it gets Avatardier! : SondraK

World

A dangerous retreat from the war of ideas: Wolf
Sarah Palin’s friendship: JPost
French Parade Float Mock Obama Fail: CBullitt

More rights for terrorists means more dead terrorists: LegalIns
Top Obama Advisor John Brennan: 20% Recidivism Rate For Gitmo Detainees Is Not That Bad: GWP
Islam in Action: Sweden's Silent Exodus: TAB

SciTech

The Last Shuttle and the Rise of China: AT
Is your child's BMI the government's business?: Pundette
With sufficient followers on Twitter, you can cry out in the midst of an incident, get mass support... : Althouse

Cornucopia

Camouflaging myself in a Matisse...: Althouse
Wookie Lookies: Mirror
Car commercials from the 60's and 70's: YouTube

A Winter Olympics Primer: Curling, Snowboarding, Bobsled, Skeleton and Luge Explained: Powers
Dude Is Just Trying to Become an Internet Phenom, I Think: Ace


Sunday, February 14, 2010

Phil Jones and Michael Mann -- The Milli Vanilli of Science -- Sing Their Hit Song "Blame It On The (Tree) Rings" Live and In Concert

The only thing that's settled about this pair is that they're historic frauds.

A few decades from now, this pair of scammers will be in the picture books along with Piltdown Man and the Cardiff Giant.


Linked by: Michelle Malkin. Thanks!

Our friends the Saudis: vicious crackdown on Valentine's Day by religious police who despise the celebration of love, friendship and camaraderie

Earlier today the Saudi religious police successfully disrupted Valentine's Day celebrations throughout the Middle Eastern country.

...The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, also known as Haia, has been warning shops not to sell such items in the run-up to the annual holiday, deemed by the police as un-Islamic...

Florists, pastry shops, cosmetic stores and gift shops have all been under increased scrutiny in the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, celebrated around the world by giving gifts to loved ones.

“The presence of Haia officials near places where Valentine’s Day is likely to be celebrated is quite natural and it occurs every year,” Turki al-Shelail, spokesman for the Haia in Riyadh, was quoted as saying... "Our aim is to enlighten people so that they will not take part in such un-Islamic activities."

The crackdown has become a well-publicised annual game of cat and mouse between shops and the religious police as gift items that are available throughout the year become illegal for a few days... Many shops resort to hiding Valentine’s Day gifts to avoid drawing unwanted attention from the religious police.

“If they (the Haia) see one heart-shaped item or red rose they will take the stuff and close the shop,” Marth Sanluis, a Filipino worker at a flower shop in Jeddah, was quoted as saying.

Each February 14, romantics attempt to defy the religious police while avoiding punishment.

With a waist-high, lipstick-red teddy bear poised outside his shop, it was hard for Mohammed to hide his Valentine's Day black market goods inside a mall in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

It was Saturday, the eve of Valentine's, and he was worried that the Saudi religious police, who call the holiday a heretical practice in Islamic society, would confiscate his red, pink and white stuffed bears and other gifts.

...Red cakes, red-dyed chocolates, the ever-popular stuffed bears and even red roses were strictly off-limits... But shops and clients still schemed to make the best of the day, with telephone orders being made for bouquets and sweets for delivery from stock hidden in back rooms.

Couples looking for a romantic night out tried to skirt the kingdom's conservative Islamic laws, which ban unrelated men and women from socialising, and hunted for restaurants shielded from the watchful gaze of the Muttawa.

...Asked what would happen if he was caught dealing in red roses under the counter, another florist crossed his wrists in the universal sign of being handcuffed... In the eastern city of Dammam, nothing red was in sight in any flower shops on Thursday...

Mohammed, who had the metre (three feet) high teddy bear on display outside his shop, said he also had a system worked out... "I am afraid of being arrested, and I want to lock the door before they come," he said, explaining that if the Muttawa invaded he would be tipped off by the mall watchmen and pretend to be closed.

Tolerant!