Tuesday, June 03, 2014

OH, DAYAM: Mad Magazine Sticks the Landing

On a scale of one to 10, this one earned a 12.9 (for degree of difficulty):



Hat tip: Twitchy

TED CRUZ ISSUES AN APB: Where Did the Liberals Go?

This is why conservatives rally around men like Ted Cruz. Because he speaks truth to power, whether that power is in the clutches of the Democrat Party or in the Chamber of Crony Republicans. He's a brilliant man, a Constitutionalist, and unafraid to take on the Beltway elites who have grown fat, soporific, and complacent as our form of government, our currency, and our culture are destroyed.

Cruz's statement to the Senate is a keeper:

America is an exceptional country.

When our country was founded, we crafted a constitution that Thomas Jefferson explained would serve as chains to bind the mischief of government. There has never been more mischief of government than there is right now.

And the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the constitution, are precious to every American. The Bill of Rights begins with the first amendment. For over two centuries Congress has not dared to mess with the Bill of Rights.

This amendment here today, if adopted, would repeal the free speech protections of the first amendment.

Mr. Chairman, when citizens hear that they gasp. As immune as we are to abuse of power of government, citizens are still astonished that members of Congress would dare support repealing the first amendment.

And let’s be clear, this amendment doesn’t just do it to for corporation or just do it to billionaires. Nothing in this amendment is limited to corporations or billionaires. This amendment would give Congress absolute authority to regulate the political speech of every single American with no limitations whatsoever.

This amendments is about power, and its about politicians, silencing the citizens.

Mr. Chairman, when did elected democrats abandon the Bill of Rights?

#GameOfThrones: In Real Life, Oberyn Martell Stands Next to Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane

For Game of Thrones viewers who missed Sunday's episode, I'll forego the spoiler and simply highlight the following Instagram from the set that compares the physique of Oberyn Martell to that of Gregor Clegane (AKA "The Mountain").


In real life, "The Mountain" is played by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (pronounced, oh, what the hell, I have no idea). Björnsson is 6'9" and started his career in professional basketball. He subsequently began entering the World's Strongest Man competitions, finishing second this year, third in 2013 and 2012, and sixth in 2011.


Hat tip: BadBlue Fame (caution: some PG-13 content)

The 10 Most Stunning Revelations Surrounding the Bergdahl Fiasco


In my pathetic and desperate attempt to mimic popular websites, I'm now resorting to BuzzFeed-style Top 10 lists.

10. White House Overrode Internal Objections To Taliban Prisoner Release
"To pull off the prisoner swap of five Taliban leaders for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the White House overrode an existing interagency process charged with debating the transfer of Guantanamo Bay prisoners and dismissed long-standing Pentagon and intelligence community concerns based on Top Secret intelligence about the dangers of releasing the five men, sources familiar with the debate tell TIME."

9. Bergdahl Never Listed By Pentagon As Prisoner Of War
"In his five years of captivity, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was never listed by the Pentagon as a prisoner of war... After disappearing in eastern Afghanistan in June 2009, Bergdahl was listed by the Pentagon on July 1, 2009, as “duty status whereabouts unknown.” Two days later his status was changed to “missing/captured,” and it did not change again prior to his release."

8. Bergdahl Deserted, Leaving Note Saying He Was Disillusioned with the Army
"Sometime after midnight on June 30, 2009, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl left behind a note in his tent saying he had become disillusioned with the Army, did not support the American mission in Afghanistan and was leaving to start a new life. He slipped off the remote military outpost in Paktika Province on the border with Pakistan and took with him a soft backpack, water, knives, a notebook and writing materials, but left behind his body armor and weapons — startling, given the hostile environment around his outpost."

7. Pentagon knew Bergdahl’s whereabouts but didn’t risk rescue for ‘deserter’
"The Pentagon on several occasions had ground-level intelligence on where ArmySgt. Bowe Bergdahl was being held captive at various times — down to how many gunmen were guarding him — but special operations commanders repeatedly shelved rescue missions because they didn’t want to risk casualties for a man they believed to be a “deserter,” sources familiar with the mission plans said."

6. Susan Rice Claims Bergdahl served with “honor and distinction”
"Did the White House send Susan Rice out on another Sunday talk show fool’s errand? Just as with the Benghazi attack, Barack Obama’s national-security adviser went out on a Sunday to discuss a burgeoning controversy, and perhaps without a full set of the facts in front of her. When questioned by George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week, Rice tried to parry the question about Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s initial disappearance, which some of his fellow soldiers believed to be an act of desertion that cost more American lives. Rice insisted that Bergdahl had served with “honor and distinction,” a claim that will be tested in the coming days and weeks..."

5. Hours Later, White House Backpedals After Claiming Bergdahl ‘Served With Honor And Distinction’
"Deputy national security advisor Tony Blinken struggled to cover for his boss Susan Rice on Tuesday, backtracking from her contention that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl “served with honor and distinction” in the face of tough questions from NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell... Mitchell confronted Blinken over Rice’s Sunday claim that Bergdahl “served with honor and distinction” — an assertion almost immediately disproven by scores of Bergdahl’s comrades and official Pentagon reports, which show the soldier abandoned his post and may have been seeking to join the Taliban."

Larwyn's Linx: Bowe Bergdahl - - - Truth, Justice, and the Men Who Died For Him      

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Nation

Bowe Bergdahl: Truth, Justice, and the Men Who Died For Him: VictoryGirls
Obama's illegal, and highly questionable, Taliban prisoner exchange: Hayward
Pentagon 2010: Bergdahl Deserted Post, Halted Efforts to Rescue Him: WZ

Cruz: With Hillary, It’s ‘All Politics, All The Time’, Especially On Benghazi: DC
“Leave no deserter behind.”: Roger Kimball
Why Were The Other 3 Americans in Militant Custody Not Included?: Breitbart

Obama Sprinting to Finish Line to ‘Transform’ America: RWN
Obama smiles upon hearing Bergdahl father speak fluent Arabic: Black Sphere
Gold Star mom: 'This guy was worth my son's life?': GWP

Economy

Pimco’s Keynesian Fool Returns: Minsky Moments And Free Money : Stockman
The VA Scandal: A Union Shares Part Of The Blame: Patterico
Treasurys Are Screaming Crisis While Stocks Yawn: Pam Martens

Scandal Central

If It's Illegal Where Are The F***ing Indictments?: Karl Denninger
Behind the Gibson Guitar raid, cont'd: Overlawyered
In Which Your Host Finally Loses It and Goes All Conspiracy Nut: Stephen Green

Climate & Energy

EPA Making “Greatest Water Grab That We Have Ever Seen By Federal Government”: RWN
Obama Seeks Death Blow to Economy With Absurd Carbon Proposal: JWF
New EPA rules may reclassify the meaning of “water”: Allen West

Sacrifices on the Altar of Obama’s Vanity: Jonathan S. Tobin
Climate Change Pentagon Expert: My Goal Was to Induce Fear, Not be Accurate: Outcast
Obama’s new climate war opens: Hill

Media

RLC straw poll shows deep dissatisfaction with establishment choices: ConIntel
WH Official on Bowe Bergdahl’s Possible Desertion: “Frankly, we don’t give a s–t why he left”: JWF
NY Daily News Asks 'Does NYU Have a Jewish Problem?': TR

Democrats’ Nightmare Scenario for 2016: Michael Barone
Tapper: Hillary "definitely" should be questioned about her involvement in Taliban deal: Breitbart
AFP’s TXOnline 2014 in Pictures (17 Pics): John Hawkins

World

Susan Rice: It doesn’t matter if Bergdahl deserted to join the Taliban: Hideout
Why is Bowe Bergdahl having trouble speaking English?: BNI
Afghan president fumes at prisoner deal made behind his back: Reuters

Flashback: Taliban Beheaded Two Children While Negotiating Bergdhal’s Release: MenRec
The White House Has Been Sanctified And Claimed For Islam: ConservativeWife
German Police: Scapegoats and Punching Bags: GoV

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Watch John Oliver’s Brilliant, Concise Primer On Net Neutrality: TechCrunch
Google's first fashionable Glass frames are designed by Diane Von Furtstenburg: Engadget
Fifteen toys, games and tools that teach programming : SD Times

Cornucopia

We Are On Correct Path Comrades, June 2014 edition: MOTUS
Check Out Opening Sequence of Dinesh D’Souza’s Upcoming Film ‘America’: Blaze
Cool pic :) Thanks Mr. Pinko @iotw: iOTW

Image: Useful Idiots and the Strange Release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: BOOM: Chris McDaniel for Senate

QOTD: "...all the pain that the EPA will cause won’t actually save a single cute polar bear, keep an Arctic ice flow from melting or those pesky oceans from rising, assuming you believe all of the alarmist claims at the heart of the new warming orthodoxy. What, then, is this all about? The answer lies in the gargantuan conceit of the man in the Oval Office.

The official explanation for the gap between the president’s rhetoric and the actual impact of the EPA’s dictates is that what the president wants is to start moving the country in “the right direction.” That’s a sobering thought if you consider that what is happening here is a massive government intervention in the private sector to achieve an ideological rather than an economic goal. Anyone inclined to accept the EPA’s new role riding roughshod over both Congress and the economic interests of the country should think long and hard about the prospect that this is merely the first of a new series of rulings from Washington that could hamstring any hopes of a real recovery in the coming years.

More than that, though, is the fact that what Obama really wants here is to show the international community that he means business about restricting the ability of America to do business. The real audience for this spectacle isn’t so much in blue states where any bow in the direction of environmentalism is applauded as it is abroad where other nations are watching to see if the U.S. is really going to walk the walk on climate change rules that could do damage to the American economy. The president wants the Chinese to see that the U.S. will handicap its own industries in order to set a good example for the Communist nation that almost certainly will do little if anything to cap their own growing carbon emissions." --Jonathan S. Tobin

Monday, June 02, 2014

The Most Tragic Chart You'll See Today

Any careful and honest analysis of Obamanomics -- which excludes work by propagandist hacks like Paul Krugman and Thomas Piketty -- would reveal some pretty horrifying statistics.

You probably know about the ever-declining Labor Force Participation Rate, but Daniel Halper offers another nasty reality slap for Democrats, drones, progressives and other miscreants.

Startling charts from the Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee about male participation in the labor force, particularly men between the ages of 25-54...

"There are currently 61.1 million American men in their prime working years, age 25–54. A staggering 1 in 8 such men are not in the labor force at all, meaning they are neither working nor looking for work. This is an all-time high dating back to when records were first kept in 1955. An additional 2.9 million men are in the labor force but not employed (i.e., they would work if they could find a job). A total of 10.2 million individuals in this cohort, therefore, are not holding jobs in the U.S. economy today. There are also nearly 3 million more men in this age group not working today than there were before the recession began," the Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee claim...

"Although defenders of the current economy attribute shrinking labor force participation to the increasing pace of retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, these new statistics above confirm a trend that Barron’s recently diagnosed: 'The ratio of those over 55 in the workforce actually ticked up'—in other words, older Americans are being forced to return to work in a poor economy to make ends meet while many younger Americans simply aren’t working at all. In short, there is an unprecedented supply of working-age Americans who do not hold jobs."

This is a tragedy for working-age Americans, especially the youngest generation of workers.

Hope and change, indeed.


Hat tip: BadBlue News

Harry Reid's Fanatical Jihad Against the Koch Brothers Threatens the Free Speech of All Americans

By Elizabeth Slattery

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has promised the Senate will take up a proposed constitutional amendment this year that would radically alter the First Amendment.

The Senate resolution would allow Congress to limit fundraising and spending on election campaigns and independent political speech. Reid and others insist restricting the amount of money that may be raised and spent on political speech is not the same as limiting speech. That’s like saying that limiting the amount of newsprint a newspaper can buy does not limit its speech.

Having lost the battle at the Supreme Court, Reid and his cohorts are now pushing this constitutional amendment to reverse decisions—including Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC—that protect the rights of Americans to speak their minds about elected officials and candidates and to engage in the political process.

Shutting down conservative speech certainly appears to be a motivating factor behind this push to amend the First Amendment. Reid has given many interviews and speeches on the Senate floor demonizing the Charles and David Koch for “dumping unseemly amounts of money” into politics, “rigg[ing] the system” and “trying to buy the country.” Of course, he never mentions efforts by big Democratic contributors, such as George Soros and the SEIU. Imagine the audacity of those “un-American” and “shrewd businessmen” (Reid’s words) who would back candidates and causes they believe will make America better.

Very Cool Toy: Osmo

Now this is a really creative idea. The inventor, as I understand it, was concerned that kids no longer talked with one another when playing. They all had their heads buried in their smartphones or tablets, playing individually without collaborative problem-solving, interaction or social engagement.

Not your kids, of course. Other kids.

Anyhow, he created a very cool bundle of hardware and software that allows kids to learn and play together. It's called Osmo and you can check it out at PlayOsmo.com.

Osmo is a unique gaming accessory for the iPad that comes with games that will change the way your child plays.

Setup is a snap. Simply mount Osmo Reflector over your iPad's front‑facing camera. Reflective Artificial Intelligence and a built‑in mirror recognize and respond to your every real‑world move.

Osmo is crafted for kid‑durability and always ready to go: no batteries, electronics, or Wi‑Fi required. Works with the latest iPads including the iPad 2 and iPad Mini.

...Top educators from over 150 elementary schools nationwide, including the Bay Area’s best preparatory institutions, are raving about Osmo’s natural ability to foster creative, social, and emotional learning ‑ and how much their students love it...

...Osmo was invented by young parents out of Stanford and Google. Engineers at heart, the founders are personally committed to innovating new technologies that nurture positive play experiences for kids.

The basic gist of Osmo is that it intelligently reads the surface in front of the iPad when it's on its stand. It thereby allows kids to interact using game pieces, magic markers and the screen. Here are a couple of the games:

SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL: First words of Bergdahl’s father at White House were spoken in... Arabic

The indefatigable Allen West has the scoop:

Clare Lopez is a former CIA operations officer, a strategic policy and intelligence expert with a focus on Middle East, national defense, WMD, and counterterrorism issues, and a friend of mine.

She emailed me this morning a very poignant analysis that only someone knowing language and Islam could ascertain. She wrote:

“What none of these media is reporting is that the father’s (SGT Bowe Bergdahl’s father Bob) first words at the WH were in Arabic – those words were “bism allah alrahman alraheem” – which means “in the name of Allah the most gracious and most merciful” – these are the opening words of every chapter of the Qur’an except one (the chapter of the sword – the 9th) – by uttering these words on the grounds of the WH, Bergdahl (the father) sanctified the WH and claimed it for Islam. There is no question but POTUS knows this.”


Folks, there is a lot to this whole episode — like Benghazi — that we may never know. And this is not conspiracy theory, it is truth based upon Arabic and Islamic dogma and tradition.

Let me guess: we released five hardened terrorists -- who are certain to kill American soldiers and citizens again, perhaps by the score or thousands -- in exchange for an alleged Muslim sympathizer, deserter, and whack-job. With all due respect, of course.

Only in Obama's America.

See the video at Col. West's site.


Hat tip: BadBlue News

Larwyn's Linx: Bowe Bergdahl and His Father Have Some Serious Explaining To Do

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

Bowe Bergdahl and His Father Have Some Explaining To Do: Nice Deb
Claim: Bergdahl deserted to join Taliban, 6 Died trying to find him: GWP
Illegal Bowe Bergdahl Deal Stinks to High Heaven: MB

Take THIS GOP and Shove It; There Is A Better Way: Jen Kuznicki
Eric Cantor: The Amazing Adventures of Cantor and Gutierrez: MagNote
Barack Obama’s first loyalty is to Barack Obama: DTG

Terrorist freed by White House were labeled ‘high risk’ in 2008: Times
War Is Peace, Citizens Are The Enemy: NoisyRm
Mpls. Park Police apologize to libertarian candidate: KARE-11

Economy

California Senate passes $13 minimum wage, jobs flee in terror: Toldjah
This Is What's Wrong With The Legal System In America: ZH
Detroit east: Wildlife encroaches on Buffalo's thousands of vacant lots: Marathon

Harry Reid Threatens Private Property in America: Star Parker
Mapping 100 Years Of US Immigration By State: ZH
Medicare recipients can seek coverage for sex-change surgery: Fox

Scandal Central

IRS fails to evade discovery in targeting of pro-Israel group litigation: Power Line
UNREAL: Obama Admin Flies 400 Illegals Caught TX To AZ, Drops Them Off At Greyhound Station: WZ
Jewish Lobbying Group Wins Suit Against IRS–Targeted Because of Being Pro-Israel: RWN

Climate & Energy

Obama’s big EPA announcement tomorrow translates directly to higher electricity prices: WUWT
Will Warmists Switch Back To Calling It “Global Warming”?: Cove
EPA Told to Enforce Rules Nationally After Court Loss: Bloomberg

Media

Clinton Hack Stephanopoulos Ignores Benghazi During Interview with Susan Rice on ABC: MRC
NBC Anchor Slammed By Rabid Drones for Hinting at Opportunistic Photo Op With POW Dad: Sooper
Charlie Rose's Hourlong PBS Interview of Susan Rice Never Mentions Benghazi: NB

Amity Shlaes, Artist Paul Rivoche Discuss New Graphic Novel of The Forgotten Man: Ed Driscoll
Chicago Tribune reporter Jeff Coen’s own personal “Tell-Tale Heart” got him arrested: IP2P
Philip Hamburger’s Is Administrative Law Unlawful?: NRO

World

Negotiating With Terrorists: Inside the Capture and Release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl: Brad Thor
Democrat Senate Armed Services Chairman Worried about Taliban Five: WS
Taliban Joyous Over Bergdahl Swap, Vow to Get All Mujahideen Released ASAP: Tatler

China Rises as America Weakens: Bill Gertz
“A Euphemism for Political Cowardice”: GoV
Santa Claus and the Israel Lobby: Daniel Greenfield

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Nissan's magic mirror makes passengers disappear: Fox
Google will reportedly spend over $1 billion to build satellites that deliver internet access: TNW
ARM developing processors to make wearables 'invisible': CIO

Cornucopia

There Is A Good Case For Reparations: Derek Hunter
Scene in Hollywood: Sondrakistan
Beat My Caption: C&S

Image: Amity Shlaes, Artist Paul Rivoche Discuss New Graphic Novel of The Forgotten Man
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: BOOM: Chris McDaniel for Senate

QOTD: "Forty-one Democrats have signed on to co-sponsor New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall's proposed amendment to give Congress plenary power to regulate political speech. The text of the amendment says that Congress could regulate "the raising and spending of money and in-kind equivalents with respect to federal elections." The amendment places no limitations whatsoever on Congress's new power.

Two canards are put forth to justify this broad authority. First, "money is not speech." And second, "corporations have no free speech rights."

Neither contention bears even minimal scrutiny. Speech is more than just standing on a soap box yelling on a street corner. For centuries the Supreme Court has rightly concluded that free speech includes writing and distributing pamphlets, putting up billboards, displaying yard signs, launching a website, and running radio and television ads. Every one of those activities requires money. Distributing the Federalist Papers or Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" required money. If you can prohibit spending money, you can prohibit virtually any form of effective speech." --Sen. Ted Cruz

Sunday, June 01, 2014

Epic Branding Fails

Logo designs gone bad.



"Have We Just Put A Price On Other U.S. Soldiers?" Ted Cruz vs. Clinton Hack/ABC Host Stephanopoulos

Ted Cruz is the real deal, today handling Clinton hack-and-ABC "News" Host George Stephanopoulos as easily as a mama handles a tiny little baby. Read the whole transcript:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: I think where we are today is uncannily, is eerily like the late 1970s. By the way, if there is one person on earth thrilled about the job President Obama is doing, it's Jimmy Carter.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: Texas Senator Ted Cruz lighting up the crowd at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans yesterday. He won their presidential straw poll after that speech.

Senator, congratulations for that. Thanks for being here this morning.

CRUZ: Thank you, George. It's great to join you.

STEPHANOPOULOS: First let's get your reaction to the Bergdahl deal.

CRUZ: Well, look, all of us celebrate with Sergeant Bergdahl, with his family, I mean, looking at his parents there, I mean, that's emotional and it's powerful.

At the same time the terms of the deal are very troubling.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Why?

CRUZ: Well, for one thing, how many soldiers lost their lives to capture those five Taliban terrorists that we just released? You know, Ambassador Rice basically said to you, yes, U.S. policy has changed. Now we make deals with terrorists.

And the question going forward is, have we just put a price on other U.S. soldiers? What does this tell terrorists, that if you capture a U.S. soldier, you can trade that soldier for five terrorists we've gone after.

ERIC CANTOR: Brazenly Lying to the People of Virginia in Order to Ram Amnesty Down Our Throats

Maggie has an excellent backgrounder on Cantor's immigration deception, which our summer intern Biff Spackle was kind enough to illustrate.


Click here to support Dave Brat for Congress. Send a message to the Beltway Elites who brazenly lie to the American people to push their unpopular and unreasonable agendas.


Larwyn's Linx: Obama's Deal With the Taliban Directly Violates the Law

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Nation

Obama's Deal With the Taliban Directly Violates the Law: Patterico
Obama (2008): “I Have Never Supported Engagement With Terrorists”: MenRec
AWOL Traitor Traded for Taliban Terrorists?: Pamela Geller

Obama on Veterans Affairs Committee for 4 Years, Still Feigns Ignorance: WZ
Everything You Cannot Know About Obama Is In This Photograph: AmDigest
Obama Just Declared Open Season for Kidnapping Americans: MB

An Americans First Democrat Exposes Another Eric Cantor Lie: VDARE
Carney Quits Circus: Ed Driscoll
Where Things Stand in Mississippi: Ace

A Hillary Presidency Would Finish Off America: Sara Noble
#MSSen: Cruz offers veiled criticism of Cochran: David Freddoso
Obama Golfs with Money Buddy: Dossier

Scandal Central

The Power of the Purse Strings: House GOP Tries to Rein In Holder’s DOJ: Hideout
Government Expands Its Power Into Hundreds of Millions of American Homes: Sara Noble
The Other Guy Blinked: IRS Backs Down – for now: Hideout

Climate & Energy

Obama Uses Sick Children To Push His Climate Agenda: LoneCon
Senator: 'Death by Regulation' Means 'We'll All Be Paying a Lot More for Electricity': CNS
A World Turning Against Biofuels: RWN

Media

THE IRONY, IT BURNS: Ezra Klein in 2009: Does The Government Run Health Care Better?: Instapundit
BLOWBACK: Sandra Fluke's Hilarious Tweet: Twitchy
‘Leadership fraudfest’: Eric Bischoff rips into President Obama and Hillary Clinton: Twitchy

The NYT asks, “How old is too old to be President?”: Moe Lane
Mental Illness and Mass Killings: RWN
Maya Angelou was truly the Barack Obama of poetry: Cube

Laverne Cox Is Not a Woman: Facts are not subject to our feelings. : Kevin D. Williamson
“Heck of a job, Carney!” You too, Ricky S.: MOTUS
Christian Baker Ordered to Make Wedding Cake for LGBT Bullies: Sara Noble

World

Decapitation, Morality Squads and "Five-Star Jihad": A Month of Islam in Britain: Gatestone
The Shagged Sheep: Mark Steyn
Edward Snowden's Unaired Remarks About September 11: ZH

Here are the Taliban Terrorists Obama Released to Free POW Bowe Bergdahl: Eli Lake
Ayaan Hirsi Ali Questions Why America, the West Can Unite Against Apartheid But Not Sharia: Breitbart
Nearly 800 killed in Iraq's bloodiest month this year: U.N.: Reuters

Edward Snowden, Moscow’s Accidental Tourist: RWN
Hamas Pays Muslim Rioters $1,150 a Month to Throw Rocks at Jews: BCF
Why Spy, China?: RWN

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

Smile: Your Selfie Is A Mugshot For The NSA: Natasha Lomas
7,000 Vintage Photos From The American Museum Of Natural History: Fastcodesign
Dead and buried: Microsoft's holy war on open-source software: CNet

Cornucopia

Facts suggest vets delayed own tests to make Obama look bad: Cube
A Year of Action - May: The War on Spuds: MOTUS
African comedian: Kenyan Obama puts one over America: FOTM

Image: FOTM Caption Contest
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: BOOM: Chris McDaniel for Senate

QOTD: "In 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs paid at least $11.4 million to 174 nurses, mental-health specialists, therapists, and other health-care professionals who, instead of caring for veterans, worked full-time doing union business...

...In total, the VA spent at least $13.77 million on 251 salaried employees performing full-time union work. Others, who were not included on the list provided by the VA, work part-time for unions at the taxpayer expense. In fiscal year 2011, the latest on record, the VA used 998,483 hours of this “official time,” costing taxpayers more than $42 million...

...In Columbia, S.C., the VA pays one health technician a $40,706 salary to work for the American Federation of Government Employees... At that same location, CNN reported in January, a 44-year-old veteran named Barry Coates was forced to wait a year for a colonoscopy, despite intense pain, constipation, and rectal bleeding. When Coates finally got his appointment, doctors found a tumor the size of a baseball — Stage 4 colorectal cancer that had metastasized elsewhere." --Jillian Kay Melchior

Saturday, May 31, 2014

A Wearable Submarine

Daddy like:

Developed and built by Nuytco Research, this exosuit is made from hard metal and allows divers to operate safely down to a depth of 1000 feet. The suit has four 1.6 horsepower propulsion thrusters, fiber optic gigabit ethernet, and a host of telemetry devices.


The "Exosuit atmospheric diving system" (ADS) will allow wearers to work in deep water without facing problems with decompression. While still in testing right now, diver Michael Lombardi will be taking it out for its first full exploration mission later this summer, at a location called Canyons, approximately 100 miles off the coast of Rhode Island.

Ironman.


Hat tip: BadBlue Tech News

BOOM: Ted Cruz Wins RLC Straw Poll

By Conservative Intel

NEW ORLEANS, May 31, 2014 — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., excited the crowd at the Republican Leadership Conference when he addressed them this afternoon. He followed up his appearance with a victory in the event’s 2016 presidential straw poll, which was sponsored by Conservative Intel.

In the straw poll, 633 ballots were cast, which was attended by more than 1,500 people. The results were as follows:

1. Ted Cruz — 30.33 percent
2. Ben Carson — 29.38 percent
3. Rand Paul — 10.43 percent
4. Mike Huckabee — 5.06 percent
5. Rick Perry — 4.90 percent
6. Curt Clawson (write-in) 4.58 percent
7. Jeb Bush — 4.42 percent
8. Marco Rubio — 3.32 percent
9. Rick Santorum — 2.37 percent
10. Paul Ryan — 2.05 percent
11. Allen West (write-in) — 2.05 percent
12. Chris Christie — 1.11%
 

I’m Here to Chew Bubble Gum and Debunk the 97% Global Warming Myth… and I’m All Out of Bubble Gum

By Jim Lakeley

Climate blogger Tom Nelson alerted us to a study of Australian opinion about man’s role in making the planet boil (or not).

People are more likely to believe that humans cause global warming if they are told that 97 percent of publishing climate scientists agree that it does, a new study has found.

Well, yes. If I was told that, say, 97 percent of dentists agree that chewing Trident is better for your teeth than chewing bubble gum, that would make perfect sense. Trouble is, the idea that “97 percent of publishing climate scientists agree” human activity has created an out-of-control global warming crisis is a myth.

To cop the immortal words of Rowdy Roddy Piper in the B-movie classic “They Live”: I have come here to chew bubble gum and debunk this myth … and I’m all out of bubble gum.

One of the most commonly cited studies of the “97 percent” was conducted by a University of Illinois professor and a graduate student who asked the following questions to 10,257 Earth scientists working for universities and government research agencies:

Larwyn's Linx: 9 Top Lies of Outgoing WH Press Secretary Jay Carney

Send us tips! Bloggers: install a Larwyn's Linx widget. Get real-time news, 24/7, at BadBlue.

Nation

9 Top Lies of Outgoing WH Press Secretary Jay Carney: TR
Can the Legislative Roots of Obamacare Overturn the Law?: PJM
White House Tried To Cover Up Meeting Between Hillary And Obama: WZ

Hillary Clinton Blames Video For Benghazi Attack In New Book Novel: WZ
Widespread Memorial Day Black Violence Ignored by National Media: AT
House Dems unveil new gun bill: Politico

Boehner's intimidation tactics to keep his speakership: iOTW
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) seems… worried… about her electoral chances: RS
After primary loss, Tea Party stirs Georgia GOP runoff: Fox

Economy

1 in 6 American Men Between Ages 25-54 Are Not Working: WS
Despite Thomas Piketty, Voters Reject Economic Redistribution: Michael Barone
`Operation Choke Point' Details Disclosed in Government Memos.: WSJ

Scandal Central

ATF Charged with Creating Fictitious Crimes: Instapundit
“Obama Hits Suburbs After Election”: PW
Weekly Update: Fast and Furious Hero: JW

Hillary's Failed Benghazi Spin: Stephen F. Hayes
Woman Who Left Americans to Die: I won't play politics on the backs of dead Americans: JWF
'Dude!' Team Hillary reportedly hires Tommy Vietor for Benghazi spin control yes, that dude : Twitchy

Media

NYT: End Mass Incarceration Now -- A Fisking: TAB
Rolling Stoned: Low-info lies for low-info readers: Tom Blumer
ABC, NBC Ignore GDP Plummet, Again: MRC

Hillary Attacks Critics of Her Benghazi 'Hard Choices': TR
Apple’s newest executive advocating rape and murder of women- a radical homophobic racist: Michael Lofti
Sarah Palin on Veterans Affairs: 'Illegal aliens' get better care: Politico

World

Iranian Power Struggle Reaches New Heights, Threats Exchanged: IPT
Muslims Push for Taxpayer-Funded Halal Food in California Public Schools: Outpost
London’s Drive to Become the Sharia Finance Capital of the West: Breitbart

Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)

There Might Be 100 Million Planets In The Galaxy With Complex Life: UniverseToday
Home Depot staffer fired, tapped 30,000 accounts, shared card data: Adam Greenberg
Congressman bankrolled by ISPs tries to halt Internet regulation: Ars

Cornucopia

“If I only had a brain…”: MOTUS
This minor-league-baseball player hit a home run and guess who caught the ball?: Rare
Less Than 25% of West Point Cadets Stood Up For Obama After He Was Introduced: RWN

Image: Obama’s boldest move on carbon comes with perils
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Dave Brat for Congress: Fire Eric "Amnesty" Cantor!

QOTD: "With his lame duck status and this being his “year of action,” we should be terribly wary of what institutionalized edicts he’s putting in place — and especially, those we haven’t really heard much about. Because fundamental transformation has been given its legal go ahead through ObamaCare, and the offshoots of that re-imagining of the relationship between the people and the government, with the citizens as subjects and the government the sovereign, will be used in any number of ways to constrain liberty and choice, all in the name of the greater good." --Jeff Goldstein

Friday, May 30, 2014

THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX: Then, Now and the Lies They Told

101 years ago, the progressive movement in America -- an offshoot of the European socialists -- passed the 16th Amendment, which installed the federal income tax. Like all of the progressives' fables, it was predicated on lies.

Consider the dichotomy:



The federal government is insatiable.

It has become what the Framers feared.

It has become an unconstrained leviathan that inserts itself into every aspect of Americans' lives and ruins everything it touches. From Fannie Mae to the VA, from the "Great Society" to public sector unions, from the student loan business to Obamacare, it has a track record of failure and a legacy of misery.

And no matter its failures, it never downsizes. It never turns introspective, examines it failures and course-corrects. The elites who become lifetime politicians take an oath to uphold the Constitution and then refute it. Once in office, they revile its limits and scoff at its intent.

We Americans were blessed with the gift of the finest form of government ever seen in human history. And the progressives are trying to throw it all away, following the same ill-defined game-plan of centralized, authoritarian government with top-down decision-making that hasn't worked in all of human history, can't work, and will never work.

Precious little time remains to save this Republic.


6 STARTLING TIME-LAPSE PHOTO SEQUENCES: The Utter Collapse of the Democrat Utopia of Detroit

Using publicly accessible street maps, the folks at GooBing Detroit compared various Motor City properties over a period of time. Each of the following photo sequences were taken in the 2009 to 2011 time-frame.