Actually, Assange has made his aim crystal clear: justice and a just civilization through transparency of institutions and through a free press. This is solidly in accord with traditional American values. O’Reilly knows this but doesn’t believe it. He thinks Assange is a liar. This doesn’t fly. Read what Assange has to say here and here. He is devoted to reporting truths that are being suppressed and kept secret, and the consistent history of WikiLeaks shows it. It is very implausible that a man would expose himself to vilification and the great dangers that Assange faces without a very strong belief in the higher values that he is passionate about. O’Reilly is afraid, not so much at the internet attacks that he mostly speaks of in the clip, but of what he slips in toward the end. He worries about “terrorists and anarchists” out to “destroy our way of life.” This is a strange fear in many ways. It actually seems to be, for one thing, a fear of liberty and a free press. It reminds me of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. That kind of suppression of political dissent was rejected by Americans when they elected Jefferson in 1800. These Acts were widely regarded as unconstitutional. For another thing, it is a fear of change, if that change means greater liberty and a lower degree of government control over people’s lives, as most anarchists want. It’s Bill O’Reilly who is standing up for anti-American values at this juncture.
So, what do you think? Is Julian Assange an Anti-American zealot…. or just an exposer of corrupt Government?
I present and you decide. comments are welcomed here, please.
A Columbia University political science professor that blogs at the Huffington Post was charged Thursday with having a sexual relationship with his 24 year old daughter.
[David Epstein] was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with one count of incest in the third degree at an arraignment hearing on Thursday. According to police, the relationship appears to have been consensual.
Epstein declined to comment when reached on his cell phone Thursday evening.
His wife, Sharyn O’Halloran, chair of the executive committee of the University Senate and a tenured professor, also declined to comment when reached by phone.
The New York Daily News reports, “Epstein, who specializes in American politics and voting rights, has taught at Harvard and Stanford and often is quoted by news organizations.”
Epstein was not a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post, but what he did write was quite liberal.
Lovers necessarily keep or share secrets. Being in a healthy relationship means achieving a certain level of intimacy, where shared knowledge of each others’ weaknesses and insecurities is protected by a bond of mutual trust. Sometimes lovers might do devilish things that outsiders wouldn’t understand, or shouldn’t be privy to, and this is fine. But by and large, what they do is simply no one else’s business.
But imagine that the man in the relationship kept it a secret that he had other women on the side, kids, a criminal record, venereal disease, and basically betrayed his lover in every way imaginable, unbeknownst to her?
Now imagine a third party felt it was their moral duty to reveal it?
No one questions that governments must maintain a certain level of secrecy, including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told Time that “Secrecy is important for many things … [but it] shouldn’t be used to cover up abuses.” The entire premise of Assange’s whistleblower organization is this: To what degree is government secrecy justified? And when particular secrets could be damaging to the other partner in the United States government’s relationship — the American people — should these secrets be revealed in the name of protecting the public?
How often does our government use “national security” simply as an excuse to cover up questionable dealings? Reports Time: “in the past few years, governments have designated so much information secret that you wonder whether they intend the time of day to be classified. The number of new secrets designated as such by the U.S. government has risen 75% … . At the same time, the number of documents and other communications created using those secrets has skyrocketed nearly 10 times…”
To say that government must keep secrets is not to say that all government secrets must be kept.
As admitted even by Pentagon officials and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, none of WikiLeaks’ revelations do anything to compromise national security or endanger American lives — but they have wreaked havoc on political life in Washington, D.C. Americans are not supposed to know, for example, that their government bullied and threatened individuals and other governments that might have undermined the Copenhagen climate change summit in 2009. The federal government attempting to squelch anyone who might undermine global-warming dogma? Do WikiLeaks’ conservative critics believe revealing this is a “national security” risk?
Americans are not supposed to know, apparently, that behind the scenes Saudi Arabia has been encouraging the U.S. to take military action against Iran. But if we end up going to war with Iran shouldn’t it be in America’s national interest, and not simply as a subcontractor for another country? Asks Fox News’ Judith Miller: “Why should Americans not know that Arab states, often at the top level, have been urging Washington to take military or other drastic action against Iran, while they publicly oppose such action?”
And when did conservatives become so protective of Hillary Clinton? What happened to the days of the “Stop Hillary Express,” when right-wing talk radio portrayed the former first lady as Satan and theorized about all the devious ways in which, if in power, she might conspire to bring down the country? When WikiLeaks revealed that Secretary of State Clinton tried to obtain DNA, fingerprints, credit-card numbers, and other private information belonging to United Nations officials, we learned that Clinton’s style was every bit as mafia-esque as her conservative critics once warned. Yet conservatives now attack WikiLeaks for revealing what they once feared. It should also be remembered that the same conservatives now calling for Assange’s head either ignored or were sympathetic to Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame allegedly at the Bush administration’s behest — a revelation arguably far riskier to our national security than anything ever released by WikiLeaks.
But the worst hypocrisy throughout this controversy has been in conservatives reflexively defending the government and attacking WikiLeaks. Since when have conservatives believed that Washington should be able to shroud any action it likes in secrecy and that revealing government’s nefarious deeds is tantamount to treason? Isn’t it government officials who might secretly work for corporate, ideological or transnational interests — and against the national interest — who are betraying their country?
Interestingly, Wikileaks’ founder espouses the traditionally conservative, Jeffersonian view that America’s constitutional structure limits and lessens government corruption. Reported Time: “Assange appears to believe that the U.S. has not become ‘a much-worse-behaved superpower’ because its federalism, ‘this strength of the states,’ has been a drag on the combination of the burgeoning power of the central government and a presidency that can expand its influence only by way of foreign affairs.”
Decentralizing government power, limiting it, and challenging it was the Founders’ intent and these have always been core conservative principles. Conservatives should prefer an explosion of whistleblower groups like WikiLeaks to a federal government powerful enough to take them down. Government officials who now attack WikLleaks don’t fear national endangerment, they fear personal embarrassment. And while scores of conservatives have long promised to undermine or challenge the current monstrosity in Washington, D.C., it is now an organization not recognizably conservative that best undermines the political establishment and challenges its very foundations.
(CNN) – Defying President Obama, House Democrats voted Thursday not to bring up the tax package that he negotiated with Republicans in its current form.
“This message today is very simple: That in the form that it was negotiated, it is not acceptable to the House Democratic caucus. It’s as simple as that,” said Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen.
“We will continue to try and work with the White House and our Republican colleagues to try and make sure we do something right for the economy and right for jobs, and a balanced package as we go forward,” he said.
The vote comes a day after Vice President Biden made clear to House Democrats behind closed doors that the deal would unravel if any changes were made.
“Wow did the [White House] mishandle this,” a senior House Democratic Source told CNN. “Breathtaking. Members have major substantive concerns and they should have gently guided people to the finish line.”
Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon said: “They said take it or leave it. We left it.”
Naturally, it is the Democrats of the far left stripe who want to play politics with a bill that will actually help the middle class:
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said that “this means we will not bring this [agreement] to the floor as is. It has to be changed.”
Daly would not outline what revisions House Democrats specifically are seeking, but he did say that Pelosi would stand by today’s caucus resolution…
Asked whether Pelosi would bring up the package over the objections of her Democratic colleagues, Miller suggested that wouldn’t happen without further consultions with rank-and-file lawmakers.
“I still think it’s going to go through—why do you think it isn’t?” Frank said in a Thursday interview outside the caucus meeting. “I always knew a majority of Democrats would be against it. I still think they have the votes for it, yeah.” He added that House Democrats simply lacked the ability to have a major impact on the legislation: “I think the notion that the caucus controls legislation is not a good one.”
Frank emphasized that he still opposed the tax-cut bargain but nevertheless thought a vote should be held on the tax package as it currently stands. Speaker Nancy Pelosi will have to decide herself whether to bring the legislation to a vote on the House floor—a decision that many House Dems at the caucus meeting suggested was up in the air. But Frank was convinced that Pelosi would bring the president’s tax deal forward: “I think she will have to, yeah.”
So, at this point, I do not know what is going to happen, nor do I believe the Democrats know either. One thing I will say is this; if the Democrats decide to play partisan politics with this bill and let it and DREAM act bill die — over stupid stuff like ideological purity, the American people, especially the middle class —- like my parents, are going to be very highly ticked at Congress and basically the Democrats will be sealing their own fates come 2012.
Americans, not matter what their political leanings, understand one thing very well. Paying taxes, means losing their own money to the Government. Which in turn means less money of their own to spend, and that makes for a very unhappy constituency. Doing this sort of a bill, over something as idiotic as political ideology or purity is a suicide pact.
Honestly, I am ashamed of the Democrats at his point. They are doing the same damned thing that the Republicans did with George W. Bush back in 2006. They are following him to the edge of the cliff and jumping off with him, without regard for the Country or the well being of the American people. Not to mention for the well-being of their Party. At this point it is all about egos and ambition. It is insanity and will cost the Democrats for a very long time to come. The President of the United States gave them the best damned compromise that he could get and they are acting like spoiled brats. I am not trying to defending anyone or anybody, least of all the President. However, when I see that polls show that people actually like this Bill, right and left, I just have to wonder, who are these idiots on the hill looking out for?
It was inevitable, just not expected this soon. She had just posted a facebook farewell last night:
Elizabeth Edwards, the political wife whose public battle with breast cancer, coping with marital infidelity and continued advocacy for the downtrodden raised her profile above that of her husband, died Tuesday, WRAL News has learned.
Edwards, 61, died at her Chapel Hill home, where family and friends had gathered in recent days after doctors informed her that her cancer had spread and recommended that she not undergo further treatment.
“Today, we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth’s presence, but she remains the heart of this family. We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life,” the Edwards family said in a statement. “On behalf of Elizabeth, we want to express our gratitude to the thousands of kindred spirits who moved and inspired her along the way. Your support and prayers touched our entire family.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ be with the Edwards family; and yes, that does include John, in this hour of loss. May the Lord continue to be with them during this Holiday Season.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:42-43 KJV)
God Bless her, this poor lady had to endure more than any woman, let alone mother should ever have to endure. Mrs. Edwards lost a son, and had an total idiot for a Husband, who could not even remain faithful to her. May She find the peace that she was searching for.
I do truly believe that John Edwards and his wife, before the ugliness and separation; were truly populists. They, unlike many of their Democratic peers, truly believed in the ideals that the Original Democratic Party stood for. That everyone, regardless of color, social stature and wealth status; deserved a fair shot at the American dream. When John Edwards was running, during that primary. I would have voted for him in the Democratic Primary. Instead, I voted, at the time, for “none of the above” which was the choice.
Admittedly, my politics changed, greatly, over the course of the 2008 election season, especially when the Democratic Party began to embrace the monster whom they elected. Obama could not hold a candle to the class, and grace that Elizabeth Edwards and at the time, John Edwards showed. The Edwards campaign coined the phrase “Change” and the Obama campaign stole it and used it for their purposes —- which utterly disgusted me. Thus was one of the biggest reasons why I truly began to reevaluate my stance in politics.
May God Bless the family. I pray for the children. 🙁
If you would like to check out my remembrances from 2009 and 2010, please click here and here.
Cassy Fiano, who’s husband is in active duty service; remembers and points out some disturbing things happening at the Pearl Harbor Memorial:
Today marks the 69 year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The surprise attack shocked the nation and catapulted the United States into World War II. It was, at the time, the worst attack on American soil. 1,178 were wounded. 2,043 were killed. The water itself burned and bodies of the injured and the dead piled up.
As more are more Pearl Harbor survivors and World War II veterans leave this Earth, it becomes more and more of a distant historical event that we no longer honor and no longer remember. Each year, Pearl Harbor gets a little closer to becoming one of those events that we will only know of thanks to a few pages in a history book. The vast majority of survivors are gone now, and when there are none left, who will keep their memory alive? Who will honor the sacrifices of the fallen? Where survivors once fought the Japanese, they’re now fighting time — fighting to keep the memory of their fallen brothers alive, fighting to ensure that we continue to remember and honor Pearl Harbor always.
This summer, my husband and I chose to go to Hawaii for his pre-deployment leave. One of our first stops was at Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. We had the honor and privilege of meeting several survivors before riding out to the watery tomb of the 1177 American heroes killed that day. 33 survivors of the bombing of the Arizona chose to be interred with their shipmates.
[…]
Seeing the names of these heroes was an emotional moment. Far more saddening was the behavior of the people at the memorial. The park ranger on the boat on the way to the remains of the Arizona laughed and joked about partying that weekend. When learning there were service members aboard — my husband, a sailor, and an airman — she said nothing and continued laughing about her weekend party plans. Once we arrived at the memorial, I was appalled at the lack of respect shown. People ran around the memorial, laughing and joking. I couldn’t understand how anyone could treat the tombs of American heroes so callously. It was a warning sign, in my eyes, that too many have stopped seeing the attack on Pearl Harbor as the horrific day that it was, a day that deserves solemn remembrance and honor.
We can still make a choice, though. We can choose to remember the sacrifices of the men who fought valiantly and died with honor in service to their country.
We can remember men like Frank Flaherty. When it became known that the USS Oklahoma was going to capsize and the order was given to abandon ship, Flaherty chose instead to remain at his post with a flashlight, illuminating the way so that the rest of the turret crew could escape. Flaherty perished with the ship and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
We can remember men like Doris Miller, Navy Cross recipient. On the bridge of the USS West Virginia, Miller refused to leave his mortally wounded captain, despite enemy bombing and strafing and heavy fire. At great risk to himself, he moved his captain to a safer place and then returned to the bridge where he continued to man and operate a machine gun until ordered to leave the bridge.
We can remember men like William Turner, awarded the Bronze Star. Stationed at the Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, he jumped into the rear cockpit of an airplane with a fellow Marine, Master Sergeant Peters. Both men used the rear machine guns to fire at attacking Japanese planes, and despite being wounded, managed to shoot down one of the enemy planes. Private Turner ultimately died of the wounds he received that day on December 12th.
We can choose to let their memory fade away. Or we can choose to honor their valour, their bravery, their sacrifice.
Remember Pearl Harbor. Remember the men who fought and died 69 years ago today.
An alternative headline would be “What I hate about White Christian Conservatives.” I saw this, and first thing I thought was, “does this old man ever get out of his house and into the real world?”
Now, at first, I wanted to just say this guy was being a straight up racist. However, I do not know that to be a fact. I think it is more of that stuffy old white Conservative Christian stupidity that the Republican right is known for.
The nominees to receive the most prestigious awards in the music industry, the Grammy Awards, were just announced. Among the five nominees for Record of the Year is a song titled “F— You,” with the F-word, of course, spelled out and pronounced.
Here are the song’s opening lyrics:
“I see you driving ’round town
With the girl I love and I’m like,
F— you!
Oo, oo, ooo
I guess the change in my pocket
Wasn’t enough, I’m like,
F— you!
And f— her, too!”
The next lyrics add the S-word:
“I said, if I was richer, I’d still be with ya
Ha, now ain’t that some s–t? (ain’t that some s–t?)
And although there’s pain in my chest
I still wish you the best with a
F— you!
Oo, oo, ooo.”
And shortly thereafter, the N-word:
“I pity the fool that falls in love with you
(oh, s–t, she’s a gold digger)
Well
(just thought you should know, n—-)
Ooooooh.”
Dennis Prager is, of course, referring to this video here:
This video and song, of course, is about a young man, who has a crush on a young girl; who, of course, could care less about him. As someone who knows a little about that whole thing. I believe Dennis Prager needs to relax a little and maybe lighten up.
But wait! It gets better!
Quote:
It is also worth noting that the video of this song includes children who appear to be under 12 years of age and all the performers are black — a point I will address later.
I have long believed that MTV has done more damage to America’s young people than any other single institution. I am referring to the music videos, in which most images or scenes are shown for less than two seconds and thereby numb kids’ minds, and to the sexual imagery and sex talk that permeate the music videos and much of the rest of MTV programming.
But while MTV should be singled out for the damage it has done to America, the music industry in general has been equally guilty.
How does a song replete with expletives, whose very title is “F— You,” get nominated for a Grammy Award as Record of the Year?
The answer is that the music industry, from producers to artists, is largely populated by people who regard social and cultural norms as stifling. Their professional lives are dedicated to lowering that which is elevated, destroying that which uplifts, and to profaning that which is held sacred.
There is no better explanation for “F— You” being nominated as Record of the Year. It has little, if any, redeeming moral, social or artistic (to the extent that this word retains its original meaning) value. The lyrics are as vapid as they are obscene; the video further degrades that part of black life that is already too lacking in elevation; and there is the participation of children in a profanity-filled video.
For most of American history, a child who used such words was punished by his parents, and society instinctively knew how important it was not to expose children to obscenities. Today, adults in the music industry reward children for participating in videos laced with obscenities.
Nor is the nomination of “F— You” as Song of the Year an aberration. Two of the other four nominees are rap “songs” whose lyrics are also vile.
12 year old children!
Black kids saying “F— You!”
What’s next?
Your little 12 year old white daughter being gang raped by a group of wild black man? Horrors! 😯
Please. 🙄
I think Dennis Prager needs to relax and loosen up a little and realize that not everyone in American, including most black people are not out to get every Conservative White girl in America knocked up. Prager might also want to put away the Klan uniform, that decade ended long ago.
You say, “Hey! I thought you were a Conservative!?!?!”
Well, I am; albeit more of a fiscal Conservative, a libertarian-minded person. I find the good majority of social Conservatism to be downright hypocritical. Bristol Palin being a perfect example, not to mention her screwball Mother. (UGH!)
In closing, I believe if Dennis Prager spent more time fighting to define what the Republican Party is supposed to stand for; like trying to move it away from the George W. Bush warmonger Neo-Conservatism that it has been ensconced in since 2000 and back to the traditional Conservative, which is represented by sites like this one here. Then Prager might be doing something. Until then, he his just blowing Hot Air around and acting a bit like a Religious Holier than thou as well. Which, in all honesty, is doing nothing for the Republican Party. Well, except for making them look like total idiots to Independent thinkers, like myself and the rest of the Country.
Oh.My.God! The desperation of the Palin-Bots is becoming almost laughable.
You might think Hollywood liberals would embrace it as a feminist Cinderella success story: The teen mom, seduced and abandoned by a two-faced cheater, gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance at a nationally televised dance competition
I got news for you Mr. Robert Stacy McCain, you Neo-Naziturncoatfuck. Bristol Palin MORE THAN WILLINGLY spread those legs and those twat lips for Levi Johnson. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE who believes anything other than that, has got their head planted square in their ASS! …or at the very LEAST is some sort of Sarah Palin Fan boy or possibly….or more than likely both! 🙄
Jesus freaking H. Christ on a freaking Crack rock! The stupid on the right is becoming SO very hard to bear anymore! 🙄
Julian Assange poses a clear and present danger to American national security. The WikiLeaks founder is more than a reckless provocateur. He is aiding and abetting terrorists in their war against America. The administration must take care of the problem – effectively and permanently.
The recent WikiLeaks document dump is the latest example of Mr. Assange’s dangerous behavior. His release of more than 250,000 U.S. diplomatic cables, many of them containing classified information, is a major blow to our foreign policy. The essence of diplomacy – especially that of a great power – is the ability to conduct negotiations and hold talks in secret. Foreign leaders will not be willing to engage in sensitive discussions with American emissaries if their words are going to be splashed across the front pages of the world’s newspapers. Officials in autocratic and Islamist states often risk their lives to cooperate with Washington, usually by providing vital information or advice. They now face a further disincentive to help us: The U.S. government can no longer guarantee the privacy and secrecy of their discussions.
American diplomacy has been crippled. So has our ability to conduct the war on terrorism. For example, the cables cache reveals that the United States is working closely with Yemen’s dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh, in launching drone strikes against local al Qaeda bases. Al Qaeda has spread to Yemen. Its insurgency is growing. Yemen risks becoming what Afghanistan was before Sept. 11, 2001: a vast sanctuary for jihadists. Mr. Saleh insists that Yemeni public opinion – insular, xenophobic and increasingly Islamic – will not support the U.S. military presence on domestic soil. Hence, he says the pretense must be maintained that Yemen is firing the missiles, not America. This pretense has been shattered – and with it, perhaps, a key ally in the struggle against al Qaeda. Mr. Assange is helping chase the American infidel out of Yemen’s desolate deserts.
[………]
The United States is paying a severe price for Mr. Obama’s negligence. This is the greatest diplomatic crisis since the late 1940s, when communist agents in the U.S. government provided atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. The world is witnessing the absurd, almost surreal spectacle of the American superpower standing helpless in the face of a lone hacker. Her diplomatic secrets are no longer safe; her allies and friends are being betrayed; and her cyber-enemies are free to roam with impunity. America is no longer feared or respected.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. vows that he is looking into possible criminal charges against Mr. Assange. It is too late for tough talk. At this point, we are beyond indictments and courts. The damage has been done; people have died – and will die because of the actions of this puerile, self-absorbed narcissist. News reports say the WikiLeaks founder is hiding out in England. If that’s true, we should treat Mr. Assange the same way as other high-value terrorist targets: Kill him
Okay, here is the question that I feel the need to ask. Are we going to kill someone every time some whistle blower decides to speak out and expose some corruption in Government? Because if that is where we are headed, that is a slippery slope we can never recover from. Like anyone else, I am for open Government, I am also for seeing elected officials held accountable. However, if the United States Government and more importantly the United States Military is being put at risk, then by all means, arrest this guy and put him away.
I have no idea what Julian Assange‘s motivation is; whether it is conspiracy theory, politics or if he is just a pompous ass. But the idea of KILLING someone, just because decide to release some confidential information is not something, as a Conservative; who believes in rule of law and not Governmental treachery, that I can support. Because once you unleash that monster onto the American and World Wide Community, it cannot be stopped.
I would think that Jeff Kuhner would be a bit smarter than that. However, when you are working for a paper that basically was a cheerleader for the Bush Administration during the lead up to and during the Iraqi Invasion, one can expect only so much.
Well, I submitted this entry to Reddit and as I expected, it was voted down. What I did not expect is this, click the picture bigger:
Nice. 🙄
I wonder if the owners of Reddit would be willing to stand behind those sort of comments?
I explained as to why I called Helen Thomas what I did. Not because she was an Arab, but because of what she said, and this is the sort of hate that I get in return? I find it appalling that Reddit would allow such hate on their site. Unbelievable. 😯
So, the next time some idiot liberal tells you that the Republican Party is the party of hate — show them this blog entry, please.
Also, please note; this is not the first time this has happened to me. This is just the first time that I have chosen to go public with it. There have been times, when I have writing positive stuff about Conservatives, only to have it voted down. However, I have written stuff critical of Sarah Palin and Republicans and had it voted up. That my friends is bias and it needs to be stopped at Reddit, Period.
I put that headline up there intentionally, because Helen Thomas IS a Arab dog in my humble opinion. Anyone that would make an asinine comment like the one that she made, is a damn dog in my opinion.
Striking a defiant tone, journalist Helen Thomas, 90, said today she absolutely stands by her controversial comments about Israel made earlier this year that led to her resignation. But she stoked additional controversy with new remarks, claiming that “Zionists” control U.S. foreign policy and other American institutions. The local Jewish community strongly condemned her remarks.
“I can call a president of the United States anything in the book but I can’t touch Israel, which has Jewish-only roads in the West Bank,” Thomas said. “No American would tolerate that — white-only roads.”
Thomas, who grew up in Detroit the daughter of Lebanese immigrants, was in Dearborn today for an Arab Detroit workshop on anti-Arab bias. The Free Press asked her about her comments, which critics have said were anti-Israel.
“I paid the price for that,” said Thomas, a longtime White House correspondent. “But it was worth it, to speak the truth.”
“The Zionists have to understand that’s their country, too. Palestinians were there long before any European Zionists.”
Thomas claimed that “You can not say anything (critical) about Israel in this country.”
In a speech that drew a standing ovation, Thomas talked about “the whole question of money involved in politics.”
“We are owned by propagandists against the Arabs. There’s no question about that. Congress, the White House, and Hollywood, Wall Street, are owned by the Zionists. No question in my opinion. They put their money where there mouth is…We’re being pushed into a wrong direction in every way.”
Using this flea bag old biddy’s logic, Helen Thomas herself is indirectly responsible for 9/11. What am I talking about? Helen Thomas is a Arabic woman, she is Palestinian; so were the men who hijacked those planes on 9/11, so that makes Helen Thomas indirectly responsible for the terrorist attacks on 9/11. After all, if we are going to go the collective route and blame everyone for everything, why not blame Helen Thomas for 9/11?
In case, your one of those slow people; what I just wrote was sarcasm. Because it is, in fact, that stupid. But Helen Thomas has all that covered:
In the interview, Thomas talked about the problems that Palestinians face, saying that “Arabs are not terrorists.“
Which is quite funny, because it is the Arab Muslims that are doing the acts of terrorism —- not Jews, not Hindus, not Buddhists, not Christians; but Arab Terrorists. What Helen Thomas is referring to is the fact that a good majority of Americans believe that ALL Arabs are terrorists. There is a reason for this perception, it is because the majority of peace loving Muslims in America and abroad steadfastly refuse to stand up against those who choose to engage in terrorism, and chose to take a extremist stance on the Koran. Now, there is a defense for that, and I know what it is; it is because if these peace-loving Muslims abroad do speak up, they could be killed by those who are taking the extremist position.
There is a solution to that problem —– numbers. That’s right numbers. There is an old saying, “There is strength in numbers.” Peace-loving Arab Muslims in mass numbers need to rise up and take their Religion back from these cold blooded killers who have hi-jacked a Religion away from those who simply want to practice their religion in peace. Which is why the good majority of Muslims migrate here to American, so that they can do just that.
Now I could go on about what Helen Thomas has said, but I have to honestly ask myself. Is she worth it? The smart answer is no. Helen Thomas is just asking for the attention. I will not give it to her. She went on about the Iraq War, and repeated the liberal talking points about that war. Which is to be expected by her; as she herself, a liberal.
I called Helen Thomas an Arab dog, because that is what she is acting like — a Dog. This is not to say that I actually believe that ALL persons of Arabic decent are Dogs, as I do not. I believe that there are respectable persons of Arabic decent; I also believe that there are racist Anti-Semite Arabs as well. Helen Thomas is quite obviously one of those. Thus the reason why I called her an Arab Dog.
Last week we had typical pre-holiday light volume trading going into US Thanksgiving. The previous week I warned every one to trade with extreme caution because of the light volume and the fact that the market is on the verge of a sizable drop for both stocks and commodities. Any price action could not be taken seriously because of the light volume. We will not know until later this coming week what the big money wants to do… Buy or Sell, also what the manipulators will do… Seems like there are a lot of wild cards out there with Europe issues and both unemployment and payroll numbers out on Friday morning.
Below are a few charts showing my intermediate term outlook for gold and silver.
Gold & Silver Futures – Daily Chart
You can see both metal are showing a possible reversal head and shoulders pattern. While they have yet to confirm and close below the neck line we must be aware of this pattern and the risk/potential it provides us with. Both metals are still in an uptrend but showing signs of weakness.
US Dollar Index – Weekly Chart
This chart is not really that helpful for trading stocks, commodities or options right now but I wanted to post it because it allows me to show you how I analyze the market and my trades.
As you can see, the past 3 weeks have been in a strong uptrend reaching the first resistance level. The point of this chart is to show you that if you step out to the next longer time frame you can get a solid feeling of where an investment will find major support and resistance levels. Any investment not matter if it’s a stock, commodity or currency, if the price is trading in the middle of a large range like this chart you should not be taking large positions because it almost becomes a 50/50 bet on the market which is not a good winning strategy unless you are very experienced at managing your trades and money.
If you are going to trade then you want to focus on the underlying trend and you do that by looking at the next larger time frame. For example: if you focus on trading the daily chart, then you must step back each week and review the weekly chart to be sure you are trading with the underlying trend which is up for the dollar right now.
Weekend Trading Ideas:
Tuesday morning we saw the SP500 gap lower and continue to sell off. Traders started panicking out of their long positions and we could see it using the intraday market internals charts, which I cover each morning in the pre-market trading videos. Me being a contrarian (buying into market fear, selling into market strength) I used that high level of fear in the market along with the expected light volume holiday week ahead as an excuse to book profits near the lows on SP500 using the SDS bear fund allowing us to profit from the falling market. I feel we are going to have some crazy moves on the markets going into year end and it should be a lot of fun if done correctly.
Trading in general is a very difficult task especially if you are doing it for a living and planning on using your monthly income to pay bills, salaries etc… We all know the stress which comes with trading and if do not have a solid trading strategy, rules and cannot properly manage yourself (emotions) then you are most likely running into problems like over-trading, getting shaken out of trades easily, and taking bigger risks than your account can handle. Each of these cause more traders to blow up their accounts and big up on trading.
I am giving away my book on how you can control your trades, money and emotions. This short and to the point guide is full of my trading techniques, tips and thoughts which will help you get a handle of your emotions turning the market noise into music.
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This guy here, makes me look like a boy scout! Seriously. 😯
In all honesty, I am quite shocked that someone has not taken the law into their own hands and popped the guy. (and if you do not know what I mean by “popped the guy”, look it up……)
I mean, I admit that I use the “Google Juice”; But I use it for pretty much honest purposes. Which is blog promotion and so forth. This is guy is using Google to outright defraud people, which is morally wrong.
Either way, it is a perfect example of bad or evil capitalism. Yes, I do believe there is such a thing. The man is a scam artist. I am all for Business, Capitalism, and making money — but in a honest and legal manner. Not like this; that is dishonest and is illegal and this guy should be cooling his heals in a jail cell somewhere.
The biggest issue about this guy and his little scam operation; is that it makes honest, hard working small business owners look horrible. Because seeing that the New York Times is reporting it; it will be framed in the manner that the readers will believe that ALL business owners are like that. That my friends is simply just not the truth; not everyone is out to screw the customer like that.
Hell, I used to run a business, a very small one; but just the same, it was a small business and I went out of my way to make sure that my customers were always happy. As a result of that, many of them would come looking for me and would ask me, if I could get them what they wanted and I usually was able to get them what they wanted. I used to be in the Electronics Business. I sold CB radios and Accessories, at one time. I took care of my customers. If I could not beat the big guy’s prices, I would tell them and they usually would get it from the other person.
However, there were times when I could I get a good deal on something and I would pass it on to my customers. The point here that I am trying to make is this; this idiot is making a mockery of the business would. He is a rude jerk and is getting away with it. Not to mention the legality of what he is doing. But above all, it just makes small business owners look bad, and that my friends is just not good. Something should be done about him and quickly.
There is no maturity here; no self-reflection; no capacity even to think how to appeal to the half of Americans who are already so appalled by her trashy behavior and cheap publicity stunts. There is a meanness, a disrespect, a vicious partisanship that, if allowed to gain more power, would split this country more deeply and more rancorously than at any time in recent years. And that’s saying something.
I also give Sully credit for not swiping her on that silly screw up with the Korea’s. That was petty and stupid.
Having said that —- Let’s not even talk her appearing with that mentally depraved Feminist Nazi Geraldine Ferraro and acting like she was some sort of hero of hers. She did everything but go down on her, on live TV. Hmph, some Conservative. 🙄
Plain and simple, Sarah Palin is a damned liberal in a Conservative skin, who thinks she is entitled to be President —– because she is a woman. Reagan is a damned skirt; please don’t make me barf. She’s nothing more than a attention whoring twat, with foul mouthed and slutty daughters. She is not fit to be Mayor of Utah, much less President of the United States. The quicker she disappears from the public scene, the better.
I wonder, are the Palin daughters and fan boys going to some swear at me too? 🙄
Okay, for what it is worth. Yes, I know about this.
Quote:
SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean military went to “crisis status” on Tuesday and threatened military strikes after the North fired dozens of shells at a South Korean island, killing two of the South’s soldiers and setting off an exchange of fire in one of the most serious clashes between the two sides in decades.
President Lee Myung-bak met with security-related ministers and senior aides in the underground situation room at the Blue House, the presidential office and residence, and promised “a strenuous retaliation” if there was any further provocation, said the chiefpresidential spokesman, Hong Sang-pyo.
The North blamed the South for starting the exchange; the South acknowledged firing test shots in the area but denied that any had fallen in the North’s territory. It was in the same area that a South Korean naval vessel, the Cheonan, was sunk in March, killing 46 sailors. Seoul blamed a North Korean torpedo attack; the North has denied any role.
The United States, Britain and Japan on Tuesday condemned the latest attack. The White House called on North Korea to “halt its belligerent action.” American officials tracking the episode said that a total of 175 artillery shells had been exchanged by the two sides.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said that in addition to the two soldiers who were killed, 15 soldiers and 3 civilians were wounded. There was no immediate sense of the North’s casualties.
Television footage showed large plumes of black smoke spiraling from the island, and news reports said dozens of houses were on fire. The South put its fighter planes on alert but they did not take off.
Now, how do I feel like about this? Well, before I give my personal, Ed Morrissey gives a good assessment of what is happening here:
Attention – The six-party talks have stalled for a while. With their recent disclosure of a new uranium-enrichment facility, this is probably sword-rattling to focus attention on Pyongyang and to get its enemies to cough up more concessions.
Test – Kim has tested the mettle of every American President to determine how committed each is to South Korea’s security. Last year’s provocative missile launches showed that Barack Obama wasn’t committed at all to missile defense, and the sinking of a South Korean ship a few months ago didn’t prompt much more than finger-wagging from Washington. Nor did we do much after seizing a ship exporting banned arms to Burma.
Succession – Kim is very ill, and he needs to secure the succession to the third generation of his family. It will be difficult for any opponents in the military to suppress his son while he has them busy in a Great Patriotic War. It will be especially difficult if this attack nets the DPRK tangible concessions in negotiations with the US and Japan.
Addendum: This incident also shows the anachronistic priorities of the Obama administration on foreign policy and international security. Obama has pressed the Senate for immediate action on a new START treaty, whose predecessor aimed at ending an arms race with a country that literally no longer exists and an enemy that has since stopped being an acute military threat to the US. Meanwhile, the nuclear crises in North Korea and Iran continue apace, with no sense of urgency by this administration except when provocations like this occur
So far, the response has been predictable. China, Kim’s closest ally, has called for a return to the six-party talks — even though the revelation of the new uranium-enrichment facility violates all of the agreements Kim made in that process. If it’s a temper tantrum, it’s getting the desired result, at least for the moment.
The only thing that I have to add to this is this; we should, as much as we possibly can, stay out of this. We should be, which I see now, that we are — putting the pressure on China to take a stand against North Korea. Further more, I think we also should enable, somehow or another; Japan to make it very clear to North Korea, that if they continue this stupidity that they might end up regretting it.
I mean, I consider myself to me a Paleo-Conservative and War is not something that I really look forward to — however, when I see stuff like this here, people that have done nothing at all, getting their houses hit by missiles; that tends to really piss me off. I also believe that we should call this, for what it is — and that is terrorism. Regardless of the motivation, these people were terrorized by some asshole, who is basically being some sort of a attention whoring prima donna. Now, in any other case, I would not use that sort of language to describe a person. But in this case, it is totally appropriate.
Now, as for the Obama Administration; I will refrain from criticizing them. Because I do not believe that any other Republican or even the Bush Administration would do anything different.
Thursday was another example of Mr. Market playing games with traders and investors as equities and precious metals took part in a strong rally. Some market prognosticators noted short-term oversold conditions across the board while others discussed the potential for a strong reversal that could potentially take out recent highs. In addition to the regular banter, to the average retail investor the market sure looks rigged when the government decides to sell a large stake in a massive IPO offering and a shaky tape suddenly becomes stronger than garlic.
There is a lot going on in the news as of late, and the expiration of the Bush tax cuts looms large on the minds of many, particularly small business owners. So the real question becomes, what should traders be watching or paying attention to before the light volume Thanksgiving week? The answer is simple, watch the tape! The market will provide plenty of clues and it will eventually tip its hand, experienced traders will wait for this process to unfold.
At this point in time, it is a bit early to begin making predictions as to which direction the equities market will go. What we do know is that the market was oversold in the short-term, so this could be a pause before prices turn lower. In contrast, this could be the beginning of another bullish move breaking recent highs on its way to a “Santa Claus” rally. My stance is neutral at this point in time; S&P 1200 should offer significant overhead resistance while S&P 1170 / 50 period moving average is near term support. The chart listed below illustrates these key levels:
S&P 500
If price were to break out above S&P 1200 on strong volume, it is likely that we will see a retest of the recent highs around the 1220 area. Consequently, if price tests the S&P 1170 area and fails price will likely be magnetized to the 1140-1150 area. We will have our answers in due time, but until a definite direction is known, patience is warranted.
Treasuries
As discussed in my previous article, the ProShares Ultra Short 20+ year treasury ETF (TBT) bounced off of the 36 level and put on a short lived rally only to settle toward the bottom 1/3 of its recent price range. After the recent breakout, it would be constructive to see TBT consolidate before confirming a direction. The chart below shows the key levels on TBT:
U.S. Dollar
Instead of illustrating a gold chart, let us focus our attention on the U.S. Dollar Index. The chart below shows the dollar has pulled back and is now testing the 50 period moving average. I am anticipating a retest of the recent breakout over double tops and this key level is illustrated below. If support holds firm, higher prices for the U.S. Dollar in the near term will be likely.
The Contrarian Trade
Thursday’s price action in the S&P 500 offers a great example of the power of options, which are traditionally overlooked by most equity traders or investors. While I did not personally enter this trade, I did enter a short position with tight stops around the S&P 1197 level using futures contracts for a short term trade. I was looking for a short term decline which we subsequently received in the aftermarket and my limit orders were triggered.
The option trade that I discussed with one of my trading buddies and mentor, involved getting short Apple (AAPL) when its price was around $309.50/share. While I did not place this trade as I felt I had plenty of short side exposure via my e-mini futures position, the trade would have worked quite well. So the trade listed below is not a recommendation, but an illustration of how options can be a contrarian traders’ best friend.
AAPL has been trading in the $300 – $320 per share range for several weeks having broken out above $320 only to be smacked down into the range. During the recent selloff, AAPL crossed down through the $300 level only to encounter strong buying that pushed it above the key $300 area by the close of trade that day. Thursday’s rally had AAPL trading above $309.50/share and the 20 period moving average was right around the 310 level as can be seen from the chart below.
The 20 period moving average provides an adept option trader with a key level which he/she can define the risk of a short position using options. Through the utilization of a contingent stop based on AAPL’s stock price, a trader using this setup could place a stop around the $311.25 area to define their ultimate risk. As of Thursday, the AAPL weekly options that expire November 26 began trading.
The trade listed below is a put debit spread:
Buy 1 AAPL Nov. 26 310 Weekly Put – $5.00 / contract based on Thursday’s close
Sell 1 AAPL Nov. 26 300 Weekly Put – $1.47 / contract based on Thursday’s close
AAPL stock closed around $308.43 / Share
The profitability chart reflecting this trade is below:
The maximum risk this trade has per leg was around $350, however through the use of the contingent stop around $311.25, the risk per leg is around $150. The maximum gain would be $650 per leg if at expiration in one week AAPL was trading below $300/share. In the first hour of trading, AAPL sold off below $306 per share. If an option trader had more than one contract on, he/she could take partial profits and place a stop at the entry price insuring a winning trade and allowing room for the trade to run.
Obviously the trader may want to adjust his/her stop based on market conditions, but this is simply an example of what can be accomplished with options. Once the trader understands how to determine the risk that an option trade assumes, he/she can build trade constructions to fit nearly any trading style or strategy. For a contrarian trader, options offer an unbelievable opportunity to mitigate risk and maximize profits. Learning how to trade options does take time and effort, but the potential returns options offer when they are used appropriately are unparalleled.
Gold has become highly prized bling, as anxious and astute buyers alike, from hedge-fund players to central bankers, flock to the “currency of fear.” Gold at around $1,400 an ounce is almost double what it commanded two years ago, and gold’s price is up almost 25% so far this year alone.
It’s been a great ride. Except gold is a bad investment.
Gold’s feverish run has made a lot of people a lot of money, and though the rally has taken a breather in the last few days, there’s no shortage of flag-waving supporters who claim gold is on a march to $1,600, $1,800, $2,000 and beyond. After all, gold is still well below its 1980 peak, when it was worth around $2,300 an ounce in today’s dollars.
“Mercury poisoning,” is the answer from Barry Ritholtz, the very outspoken CEO and director of equity research at Fusion IQ, when asked where Zoellick’s idea might have come from.
Zoellick, also a former Treasury official in the Reagan administration and managing director at Goldman Sachs, made his suggestion in an op-ed in the Financial Times last Sunday, just days ahead of the Group of 20 major countries meeting in Seoul.
The suggestion was made to world leaders in order to address “global imbalances,” the diplomatic expression being used to refer to the impact of China’s vastly undervalued renminbi on other countries’ competitiveness.
All of the above is pure garbage. Gold is a hedge against inflation and the dollar. Do not listen to the Statists who want to seize all of the gold and give you a worthless dollar.
By the way, here is some SOUND investment advice pertaining to Gold:
There have been some major trend changes recently and it looks as though more investments are about to follow. The real question though is… Are You Ready To Take Advantage Of It?
It has been an exciting ride to say the least with the equities and metals bull market and the plummeting dollar. But it looks as though their time is up, or at least for a few weeks. Traders and investors will slowly pull money off the table to lock in gains or cut losses and re-evaluate the overall market condition before stepping back up to the plate and taking another swing.
Below are a few charts showing some possible money making trade ideas in the weeks ahead.
TBT 20+ Treasury Note Inverse Fund
This fund moves inverse to the price of the 20yr T.N’s also known as bonds. Looking at the chart you can see the recent reversal which took place. We had a great entry point shortly after this reversal took place using my low risk setup strategy.
Falling bond prices are considered to have a negative impact on equities because it implies that interest rates may start rising which means more investors will pull money out of stocks and put that money into a safe interest earning investment. You will typically see bonds change direction before equities. That being said the chart below is an inverse fund, so when this bond fund goes up, it means actually indicates bond yields are falling. I will admit these inverse funds really throw my brain for a loop at time… I prefer the good old days, buying long and selling short… so simple and clean… —- Read the rest Here
I ask you, go read the rest of that; listen to people, like the man at this link, who want to see you make and keep your money. Not force you to trust in an unsound money system, like the United States Dollar. If you are not interested in FTS’s and would to buy actual Gold, then try this link here.
In fact, here is a video that explain why you should own Gold and Silver:
Please Note: In the interest of full disclosure — There are links in this blog posted that if click on and product bought or signed up for, will result in the compensation of myself. This will come with no price increase to the customer at all. Think of it, as an easy way to support this blog and yours truly.
This is what happens when a train wreck, reality television star gets involved in politics and endorses political candidates; they lose:
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Sen. Lisa Murkowski has become the first Senate candidate in more than 50 years to win a write-in campaign.
Murkowski emerged victorious after a painstaking, two-week count of write-in ballots showed she has overtaken over tea party rival Joe Miller.
Her victory became clear when Alaska election officials confirmed they had only about 700 votes left to count, putting Murkowski in safe territory to win re-election.
Murkowski has a lead of about 10,000 votes, a total that includes 8,153 ballots in which Miller observers challenged over things like misspellings, extra words or legibility issues.
Murkowski is flying back to Alaska to address supporters, telling them that the campaign “made history.”
Miller surprised Murkowski in the GOP primary, prompting the incumbent to run as a write-in.
I felt good about Joe Miller, until Sarah Palin got involved, then I knew it would never happen, he would not get elected. This is what happens when Palin gets involved, people lose and lose badly. It is what happened when O’Donnell ran and it is now happening with Joe Miller. The truth is, Sarah Palin has zero business endorsing anyone at all. I just wonder, will her kids come to my blog and start swearing at me, like they did over on facebook, when someone started telling the truth about Sarah Palin and her idiotic show? It is to wonder.
The truth is Sarah Palin has never succeeded at anything; including being Governor of Alaska. This little failure here, is just more living proof of that. The Republican party should take notice of that and let this little incident here, be one of many pieces of evidence that Sarah Palin is not fit to the President of the PTA in Wasilla, Alaska; much less the President of the United States. If Sarah Palin wants to do anything to impress me, or anyone else in this movement that we call the Tea Party, she needs to pack up her little tampon box of silly ideas and go back to Alaska and try being a Mother to her children and a Wife to her Husband. That is if she even has any of that left at all.
We need leadership in Washington D.C. — not some shrieking harpy psycho, who is all for having a Christian version of Sharia law in this Country. Count me as one of the many American Paleo-Conservatives, who have taken a great pleasure in seeing one of psycho Sarah Palin’s endorsements doing a very righteous face plant. It could not have happened to better person and may this be the first of many more for this idiotic woman.
[David Epstein] was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with one count of incest in the third degree at an arraignment hearing on Thursday. According to police, the relationship appears to have been consensual.
