This has been making the rounds on Twitter and here it is:
Music: The Red Army Choir – Russian National Anthem
This blog is no longer active as of October 31, 2011

This has been making the rounds on Twitter and here it is:
Music: The Red Army Choir – Russian National Anthem
Despite all the spin by some; it looks like there was a decent crowd there today.
I’d say as many as Glenn Beck had at his rally.
However, it is fair to point out that there were communists, unionists, Liberals, and even few weirdos there.
Not to mention how they left the place: (H/T Doug Ross)
However, I will say, as a libertarian-minded person; that this people have as much right to assemble peacefully, as the Tea Party group does. They also have a right to believe the way that they wish, as do the Tea Party Crowd does — even if it is horribly wrong. Being wrong and incredibly stupid, is not against the law. Because if it were, I would have been jailed eons ago. 😛
This one comes via Mediaite:
Audio:
Transcript:
CNN’s Rick Sanchez is not happy with being made fun of constantly on The Daily Show and Colbert Report. It is from this jumping off point that he absolutely unleashed on Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and at times his own network, on Pete Dominick’s satellite radio show yesterday.
The big takeaway – Sanchez calls Stewart “a bigot,” then walks it back a bit, and he implies CNN is run by Jews.
The money quote:
I’m telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart, and to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority? Yeah.
Whoa……. 😯
What was I saying about people doing stupid stuff? Holy catfish…. 😯
To be fair, Sanchez did say that he was mindful of the past. But, cripes… Could you be just a little more sarcastic Rick?
A few other things: Sanchez ended his 8pmET version of Rick’s List today, and Parker Spitzer come in Monday. According to the same blog post, Dominick is starting a weekly Saturday 2:30pmET show on CNN tomorrow. We’ll get the audio up here shortly, but you can listen on Dominick’s site. And finally, we’ve reached out to CNN for a response.
He could be a little angry, maybe bitter. But my goodness. Does he have to be that much of sleazeball about it? 🙄
I’m just saying…
Now a Memeornadum Thread and the top news story of the day.
Also too, some of you might be thinking, what about you? Well, there’s a difference between being a wee little blogger and, um, ya know, Rich Sanchez.
Huge Update! CNN Says, “¡Adiós! ¡Hasta luego!”:
CNN released this statement today:
“Rick Sanchez is no longer with the company. We thank Rick for his years of service and we wish him well.“
They will broadcast CNN Newsroom from 3-5pm for the foreseeable future.
I got news for you though; he knew he was going. That is why he got on the air and said what he did. He knew things were changing and he was not apart of it. So, Rick went off and said what he did, to get out of his contract….. and it worked.
of course, Rick will play the victim card and someone will eat that up. I look for him to pop up over at MSNBC or somewhere similar.
From the “Seriously, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?!?!?!?” file:
The Video:
The Story via CNN:
Lusby, Maryland (CNN) — A conservative activist known for making undercover videos plotted to embarrass a CNN correspondent by recording a meeting on hidden cameras aboard a floating “palace of pleasure” and making sexually suggestive comments, e-mails and a planning document show.
James O’Keefe, best known for hitting the community organizing group ACORN with an undercover video sting, hoped to get CNN Investigative Correspondent Abbie Boudreau onto a boat filled with sexually explicit props and then record the session, those documents show.
The plan apparently was thwarted after Boudreau was warned minutes before it was supposed to happen.
“I never intended to become part of the story,” Boudreau said. “But things suddenly took a very strange turn.”
Here is another quote, and I realize that I might just catch grief for linking and quoting this; but at this point, I personally do not give two flips. Over at the liberal Media Matters for America, the following was said:
Riding a motorcycle on a wire stretched across the Grand Canyon is a “stunt.” Wearing a chicken suit to mock a political candidate for refusing to debate is a “stunt.” Unscrewing the cap on a salt shaker so your dining companion over-salts his soup is a “prank.”
Lying to a reporter in order to lure her onto a boat under false pretenses, then secretly recording her reaction to being confronted in an enclosed, unfamiliar environment by a strange man with handcuffs and sex toys, all while disparaging her as a “bubble-headed-bleach-blonde,” is not a “stunt.” It is the vicious, misogynist act of a twisted person whose 15 minutes should have expired long ago.
Let me officially go on the record saying that I agree with this one hundred percent. James O’Keefe should be chased out of the damned Conservative movement and ran out of it on a damned rail. This idiot is not doing a fucking thing for the Republican Party, for Conservatism, or any other damned thing related to it at all.
Of course, Sir-Idiot-Much, has this to say for his defense:
The document states it was written by “Ben.” According to the e-mail chain obtained by CNN, Ben Wetmore sent the document to O’Keefe and Santa. In a statement e-mailed to CNN, O’Keefe wrote: “That is not my work product. When it was sent to me, I immediately found certain elements highly objectionable and inappropriate, and did not consider them for one minute following it.”
He did not respond to follow-up questions. Wetmore did not respond to our questions about the document. Instead, he posted a YouTube video criticizing CNN’s coverage of the ACORN story.
What a lying piece of crap! This moronic tool got busted and now, he is trying to lie his way out of it. Here is hoping that CNN and this poor woman, sues the living crap out of this idiot and his so-called organization or that the Maryland Attorney General Office files charges against this moron. I mean, could you imagine the charges that this guy would faced; if he had actually went through with this and succeeded? Holy Hell! 😯
This goes well beyond your liberal versus conservative argument; this veers off into the misogynistic area. I notice that the Conservative Blogosphere is strangely silent about this too. I cannot for the life of me, understand why any conservative would even remotely defend this moron’s actions at all. There is no defense, he is a creep and ought to be blacklisted from the Conservative movement once and for all.
Please, folks, do not misunderstand me here, at all. I am all for arguing against the idea of big Government, entitlement of racial and gender type, and even protesting the Governmental take over of healthcare — hell, I even understand the liberals have basically overtaken the media and I am all for exposing their double standards. But not only do I think that this quite stupid, not to mention illegal. This is just straight up wrong and immoral, not to mention folks; it is just downright destructive to our cause. I mean, seriously, what the hell is doing something idiotic like this, going to do for our cause? Nothing! —-But make us even more stupid looking, that we already look to the left now.
In short and the bottom line: This was ill-conceived and the people behind it ought to be ostracized out of the movement…. for good.
—
Update: True to form, the Conservative media has turned out to denounce O’Keefe:
Brent Bozell III of Media Research Center:
The MRC unequivocally denounces James O’Keefe for his attempted assault on CNN. It isn’t just childish and immature; it’s ugly, dishonest and filthy. There is no place in the conservative movement for this type of behavior and that’s exactly what I warned about in a commentary piece I submitted to CNN.com just two days ago.
“Could the Citizen Journalist abuse the public trust?” I wrote in this piece that should run in the next few days. “Hypothetically, of course. Conservatives must all guard against this. Let there be scrutiny, by all means.” And I repeat: there must be scrutiny.
Bottom line: We want nothing to do with O’Keefe or his dirty antics.
If an enterprising citizen can expose media bias with a video camera and good idea, that’s a good thing. But I fail to see how luring a lone female reporter to a remote location and isolating her on a boat, surrounding her with sex toys and pornography, and trying to convince her that the virtual stranger sitting next to her is coming on to her, possibly in front of a “sex tape machine,” does that. That’s not a recipe for a gotcha video, it’s more like a step-by-step instruction on how to cause discomfort and fear. What an ugly and potentially traumatic situation to create on purpose. It’s not clever or funny, it’s sick.
There will no doubt be more details and, one assumes from the reporting, emails, that will fully establish who wrote what and whether O’Keefe was going to go through with the plan or not. Those details will probably be reported by Boudreau, an actual journalist.
So no, I don’t think “stunt” or “prank” are the right words. I think the one I would use is “despicable.”
Oh and Izzy Santa? Good for you.
I have avoided writing about this topic, because not too long ago, I was branded a Neo-Nazi and Anti-Semite by those whose business it is to play that card. However, as a Christian, as an American Conservative —- I will not sit idly by and allow a Jewish man to slander a Christian man in this manner.
However, let me say this; this is not about hatred towards a Jewish man. This is about a liberal man, who happens to be Jewish, taking a very nasty swipe at Christianity —- All in the name of politics. Let me clear, I said this in the title and I will say it again. Alan Grayson is an utter disgrace to the Jewish race and to Judaism itself. Alan Grayson should be refuted and severely chastised by the Democratic Party and told to remove the ad or be removed as the candidate for the House of Representatives. There is no place in politics for the bashing of political opponents religion.
Here is the video in question:
Now here are the words of Daniel Webster in their proper context:
Now this is very surprising, even Contessa Brewer over at MSNBC; much to her credit would not even let this one go:
Okay, can we be real about this now? If a Christian Conservative Republican candidate had attacked a Democratic Party candidate like this, the outrage would be apoplectic. However, because it is a Jewish man attacking a Christian — there is not a word of outrage. My question is why are not AIPAC and the many other Jewish lobbying groups putting out a statement condemning this sort of obvious slander of Christianity, by a liberal Jew?
I mean, could you just imagine; if a Republican Candidate put something like this out?
Could you just image what the Liberal Blogosphere would do to that person? —- Not to mention some in the Neo-Conservative Blogosphere! So, why is that this man is getting away with this, without any repercussions from the Democratic Party? Why is not AIPAC condemning it? Why is this man getting a free pass by the liberals?
While you are thinking about this:
Again, this is not about hate at all, it is about realism folks —- If the Republican Candidate had even remotely thought about putting an ad like the one above by a one David Duke. The outrage would be off the charts. However, because Alan Grayson is a Jewish liberal he gets a free pass. Why is that?
Until those in the media are willing to ask those questions, it is nothing more the rube for the Democratic Party and for the likes of Alan Grayson.
I happen to know why too… but first:
Via Politico:
More people are getting their news about the upcoming election from cable television than any other source, and from Fox News more than any other cable channel, according to a POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Poll released Monday.
The poll found that 81 percent of those polled get their news about the midterm elections from cable channels, like Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, or their websites, compared with 71 percent from national network news channels, such as ABC, NBC or CBS, and their websites.
Among cable news channels, Fox was the clear winner, with 42 percent of respondents saying it is their main source, compared with 30 percent who cited CNN and 12 percent who rely on MSNBC.
The results show the growing influence that 24-hour cable news has on shaping the political consciousness, despite the fact that network newscasts still draw many multiples of the number of viewers of even the highest-rated cable news shows.
“Because people can tune into cable at any time of day, I think the cumulative audience is probably larger than the cumulative audience for the three network news shows,” said Chris Arterton, dean of the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.
The real funny part about this, is the following:
Fox’s opinionated personalities were also rated as having the greatest positive impact on the political debate in the country. Bill O’Reilly was rated as having, by far, the greatest positive impact, with 49 percent of respondents rating him positively, and 32 percent negatively.
Glenn Beck was the second most-positively rated personality, with 38 percent of respondents saying he had a positive impact, and 32 percent saying he had a negative impact.
Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was the third-most-positively ranked, with 36 percent saying he has a positive impact on the discourse, but his negatives far outweighed his positives, with 52 percent saying he has a negative impact.
“To some extent, Limbaugh has become almost a caricature in a way, so I don’t know how much influence he has beyond entertainment value,” Arteron said. “Whereas, in some way, the other people on Fox are seen as more legitimate news operations.”
MSNBC’s personalities were largely ranked as unknown by respondents: 70 percent said they had never heard of Ed Schultz, 55 percent said they had never heard of Rachel Maddow and 42 percent said they had never heard of Keith Olbermann.
The reason?
(Borrowed from Weasel Zippers)
There is a personal angle to this story and I am going to share it with you. During the 1990’s, I was a watcher of CNN, mainly because that was about the only cable news outlet out there at the time. Please keep in mind that back on those days, I was very unaware or unconcerned about media bias. I always knew that the media, which I referred to, at the time, as the “secular media”; always had a bias against Christianity, Christians and the Church World as a whole.
However, I really do not know when it started really, most likely, after the election of George W. Bush; but it seemed like the bias and antagonistic mentality towards Christians, Christianity, and the Church World began to come to a feverish pitch around 2006 or so. At least, that is when I began to notice it with any somewhat real cognizant effort. The straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak, is when CNN did a special called “What is a Christian?” Which I felt was a purposeful attack on Christianity in general. However, when they did a special on Muslims, it was titled “God’s Warriors.” That is when I decided that CNN had “Crossed the Rubicon” in my book. So, I switched to MSNBC. I knew that MSNBC would be a bit like CNN, but they had tucker Carlson on there. Therefore, that would balance it out. I remembered tucker from the CNN days —- I also remember him being a bit of an asshole as well. I knew about his background, which admittedly made me cringe a bit. However, when I began watch his show, I found that I actually began agreeing with what he was saying. I should also point out, that this was around the time, that I began blogging. I was inspired, mainly by Lou Dobbs and with an utter frustration with what the Bush Administration was doing in Iraq.
However, things over at MSNBC began to change; first off, Tucker’s show was cancelled, that just flat out angered me. I thought Tucker’s show balanced out the other opinions, like Olbermann. Then the jockeying of talent around, all of whom had one thing in common — They were all liberal. That bothered me a bit. Therefore, I did what any sane, reasoned person would do. I began to watch Fox News — in a very limited fashion at first. I would watch Keith Obermann’s show at eight o’clock and then I would catch the repeat of Bill O’Reilly’s show at Eleven o’clock.
I should also mention that around this time, is when I began to see the writing on wall, so to speak, in the Democratic Party. The Party that once stood for middle class people and people like me, who were held back, due to personal circumstances, was becoming the party of identity politics. I also began to see that the Democratic Party was much biased and geared against middle class and above white people —- like me. Yes, I am aware, that identity politics and gender entitlement always was a faction within the Democratic Party. However, until the 2007 Primary, I do not believe that it was the “mainstay” of that party. In 2007, that all changed, with the battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama; it was the blacks against the feminists and that was when I decided that enough was enough. Also around this time, my blog was hacked and I had to start over from scratch and I decided that cheering for the left; even though I was a left-of-center and not really ever a fully-fledged Democrat — was an exercise in abject folly. Therefore, I began blogging from an Independent standpoint and as time went on, I found myself agreeing more and more with the right on most, if not all issues.
Now there are some issues that I am in disagreement with, however, they are nothing worth totally separating me from the right. Most of them are on the framing of arguments against the left. Example: Socialism and Unions —- I believe it to be a credible argument to say that socialism has contributed to the downfall of Michigan and the Detroit area. Further, I believe it to be a legitimate argument to say that the Unions have added to the cost of vehicles offered by the auto companies. The problem is that the right needs to work on the polish and verbiage of those legitimate arguments. Casting unions in the light of some covert Communist operation does nothing but make the right look like total buffoons.
Finally, my viewing of MSNBC finally stopped, after a woman by the name of Janeane Garofalo took to the airwaves on MSNBC and declared on Keith Olbermann’s show that the Tea Party movement was nothing more than a bunch of racist white people and racist rednecks. It was at that point, when I decided, that Keith Olbermann and his show were not something that I felt that I needed to watch any longer. I am sorry, but when you use your show and one of your guests as a proxy to insult a particular ethnic group of people — especially one that I happen to be involved in — you are practicing the politics of exclusion; and that is, I am afraid, not something that I can and will ever support. The Bush Administration tried this back in 2003, during the run up to and after the start of the Iraq War. Those that were opposed to the war in Iraq were labeled by the Bush Administration and its supporters as Anti-American. Conversely, it is believed by some, that certain persons within the Bush Administration purposely derailed the career of a covert C.I.A. agent of whom husband did criticize the decision to go to war.
This all again, is the practice of derisive politics, something I thought that the left detested; however, it seems that the left engaged in the same sorts of folly themselves — Not only in just the general politics itself, but also in the media coverage — but also in the actually reporting of news as well. I remember well how Keith Olbermann and many of his fellow liberals liked and still do like to blast Fox News for allow opinion to seep into the normal news programs in the morning. However, I have watched MSNBC, and have seen liberal bias in the morning news reporting there as well. Therefore, to this writer, that nullifies any argument that the left has against Fox News or any other sort of Conservative outlet. I mean, it only makes sense that you cannot criticize someone for doing something that you do yourself. Then again, common sense does not seem to be in great abundance in liberal Democrat circles these days. Just look at whom the Democratic Party installed as President — that ought to speak volumes as to the condition of liberalism, and the Democratic Party in general in this modern day and age. I mean a perfect example of the elite liberal establishment can be seen, when Bill Maher calls those who do not want the nationalized heathcare, as stupid. This is the attitude of the liberal populace and establishment as a whole; that most Americans are uneducated stupid people, who must have the enlightened ones makes the decisions, because most Americans are too stupid to know what it good for them — that is essentially liberalism distilled to its basic parts. This is why I sided against them. They do not trust people like me, to be able to make our own decisions. Further, they wish to quell my free will, which is given to me, by God himself, to accept or reject what it is that they wish to foist upon me.
In closing of this rather long article — I am quite the windbag, when I want to be — the reason for these dismal ratings for MSNBC is that that network has and is continuing to engage in intellectual dishonesty. This began right after the election of President Barack Obama. This should be proof that you just cannot propagandize the American people — not for very long anyhow. Americans are just smarter than the liberal elite and some elite among the Conservative establishment, give them credit for being. Americans just have that uncanny ability to know when they are being sold a line of tripe.
This friends, is what makes us a great Nation and for this, I am eternally grateful.
Nothing like watching a self absorbed douche bag getting schooled by another self absorbed douche bag.
Via the Busters:
Transcript:
AMY HOLMES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: In point of fact, Democrats did talk about healthcare endlessly. President Obama went out on the stump talking about, “Pass this bill, pass this bill.” Bill Clinton said once it was passed it would become popular. Bill Clinton now, he confesses that he made a mistake, that it has not become more popular.
BILL MAHER, HOST: It’s been kicked in for two days…
HOLMES: It’s become less popular, and here’s why.
MAHER: …and most of it doesn’t kick in till 2014. Could we wait till people see it before we can judge whether it’s popular?
HOLMES: You’re asking why…
(AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
MAHER: Please, sorry.
HOLMES: But you’re asking why Democrats are not campaigning on this. Because in the next 40 days with a bill that is hugely unpopular, it’s not good for their re-election process.
MAHER: It would be popular if they would talk about it. They could have, if they could stand up for what they believe they could have passed Medicare for all. That’s what they should have done. What they should have said is insurance companies have a million other things to insure. They insure your car and your house and if it rains and there’s a flood and an earthquake and Betty Grable’s legs and a million other things. They don’t need to also insure life. Life should be off the table.
HOLMES: They talked endlessly about it and their agenda was rejected by the American people, that’s a simple fact.
MAHER: Because they’re stupid.
This is where it gets good:
ANDREW BREITBART: So you’re, you’re officially not a Libertarian anymore, right? I mean, this position…
MAHER: Well..
BREITBART: …has run so far from the Libertarian position. Is this, so you admit that you have more of a, you know, European socialist leaning perspective on this issue?
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
BREITBART: Why is that funny?
MAHER: I’m, I’m not afraid, it’s not, I’m not afraid to say European socialism works.
No true-blue libertarian would ever say that, at all.
The funniest thing about this? I’m not sure Maher does know. He knows he’s more socialist than libertarian when it comes to health care, but as a general proposition about how he self-identifies, he seems hesitant when Breitbart puts it to him. That’s a testament, I think, to how intellectually attractive the libertarian brand is, ironically almost in inverse proportion to how successful it is at the polls. Democrats bristle at the “socialist” label but tell any Republican pol or pundit except Mike Huckabee that he’s a “libertarian” — especially in the year of the tea party — and he’s likely to agree, albeit with qualifiers. And why not? The brand means free markets, property rights, civil liberties, and most importantly for Maher, permissiveness towards drug use and sexual behavior. The Constitution + fun = crazy delicious. And because libertarianism tends to operate in popular debate as a critique of mainstream conservatism (even though, of course, economically it’s a much sharper critique of liberalism), it’s a useful way of endorsing certain elements of the GOP agenda without endorsing the entire rotten GOP brand, essentially shorthand for saying, “I like capitalism but I’m too thoughtful to be a Republican.” None of which is meant to impugn committed libertarians like the Reason crew, just guys like Maher who dig the label and the slight charge of dissident chic that it carries so much that they’re reluctant to part with it, even after they’ve (d)evolved into center-left Democrats.
True ‘dat! 😀
The difference is, that libertarians actually believe, unlike most Republicans, that big Government is actually a problem. Where most Republicans say that big Government is a problem, but in another breath praise big Government. (Hello Social Security!)
I am poking my head back in again — to comment on the big Bob Woodward story, that is the top story on Memeorandum.
I am referring to this:
President Obama urgently looked for a way out of the war in Afghanistan last year, repeatedly pressing his top military advisers for an exit plan that they never gave him, according to secret meeting notes and documents cited in a new book by journalist Bob Woodward.
Frustrated with his military commanders for consistently offering only options that required significantly more troops, Obama finally crafted his own strategy, dictating a classified six-page “terms sheet” that sought to limit U.S. involvement, Woodward reports in “Obama’s Wars,” to be released on Monday.
According to Woodward’s meeting-by-meeting, memo-by-memo account of the 2009 Afghan strategy review, the president avoided talk of victory as he described his objectives.
“This needs to be a plan about how we’re going to hand it off and get out of Afghanistan,” Obama is quoted as telling White House aides as he laid out his reasons for adding 30,000 troops in a short-term escalation. “Everything we’re doing has to be focused on how we’re going to get to the point where we can reduce our footprint. It’s in our national security interest. There cannot be any wiggle room.”
Obama rejected the military’s request for 40,000 troops as part of an expansive mission that had no foreseeable end. “I’m not doing 10 years,” he told Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at a meeting on Oct. 26, 2009. “I’m not doing long-term nation-building. I am not spending a trillion dollars.”
Woodward’s book portrays Obama and the White House as barraged by warnings about the threat of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil and confronted with the difficulty in preventing them. During an interview with Woodward in July, the president said, “We can absorb a terrorist attack. We’ll do everything we can to prevent it, but even a 9/11, even the biggest attack ever . . . we absorbed it and we are stronger.”
But most of the book centers on the strategy review, and the dissension, distrust and infighting that consumed Obama’s national security team as it was locked in a fierce and emotional struggle over the direction, goals, timetable, troop levels and the chances of success for a war that is almost certain to be one of the defining events of this presidency.
Obama is shown at odds with his uniformed military commanders, particularly Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. David H. Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command during the 2009 strategy review and now the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan.
Woodward reveals their conflicts through detailed accounts of two dozen closed-door secret strategy sessions and nearly 40 private conversations between Obama and Cabinet officers, key aides and intelligence officials.
Tensions often turned personal. National security adviser James L. Jones privately referred to Obama’s political aides as “the water bugs,” the “Politburo,” the “Mafia,” or the “campaign set.” Petraeus, who felt shut out by the new administration, told an aide that he considered the president’s senior adviser David Axelrod to be “a complete spin doctor.”
During a flight in May, after a glass of wine, Petraeus told his own staffers that the administration was “[expletive] with the wrong guy.” Gates was tempted to walk out of an Oval Office meeting after being offended by comments made by deputy national security adviser Thomas E. Donilon about a general not named in the book.
Suspicion lingered among some from the 2008 presidential campaign as well. When Obama floated the idea of naming Clinton to a high-profile post, Axelrod asked him, “How could you trust Hillary?”
Okay, first off, has everyone forgotten that 90% of what Bob Woodward writes is just straight up, sensationalized Bullshit? The Neo-Cons sure did say that, when Bob Woodward wrote his book about Bush. However, now the Neo-Cons are treating this book like the Gospel truth; because it is about a Democratic Party President. Of course, the warmongering Neo-Cons are eating the whole bit about the terrorist attack up and basically saying that President Obama wants another attack on America. Which is, of course, straight up bullshit.
Some of the other highlights are:
— Obama told Woodward in the July interview that he didn’t think about the Afghan war in the “classic” terms of the United States winning or losing. “I think about it more in terms of: Do you successfully prosecute a strategy that results in the country being stronger rather than weaker at the end?” he said.
— The CIA created, controls and pays for a clandestine 3,000-man paramilitary army of local Afghans, known as Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams. Woodward describes these teams as elite, well-trained units that conduct highly sensitive covert operations into Pakistan as part of a stepped-up campaign against al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban havens there.
— Obama has kept in place or expanded 14 intelligence orders, known as findings, issued by his predecessor, George W. Bush. The orders provide the legal basis for the CIA’s worldwide covert operations.
— A new capability developed by the National Security Agency has dramatically increased the speed at which intercepted communications can be turned around into useful information for intelligence analysts and covert operators. “They talk, we listen. They move, we observe. Given the opportunity, we react operationally,” then-Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell explained to Obama at a briefing two days after he was elected president.
— A classified exercise in May showed that the government was woefully unprepared to deal with a nuclear terrorist attack in the United States. The scenario involved the detonation of a small, crude nuclear weapon in Indianapolis and the simultaneous threat of a second blast in Los Angeles. Obama, in the interview with Woodward, called a nuclear attack here “a potential game changer.” He said: “When I go down the list of things I have to worry about all the time, that is at the top, because that’s one where you can’t afford any mistakes.”
— Afghan President Hamid Karzai was diagnosed as manic depressive, according to U.S. intelligence reports. “He’s on his meds, he’s off his meds,” Woodward quotes U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry as saying.
Again, I have to ask; how much of this is actual truth and how much of it is sensationalized bullshit?
Liberal Blogger No more Mister Nice Blog puts it correctly:
“It’s in our national security interest” “I am not spending a trillion dollars.” At least he understand that endless war is bad for America.
And the reason that’s important is that, if we’re still deeply mired in Afghanistan as of January 20, 2013, we’ll still be just as deeply mired four years later, because President Palin/Pence/Daniels/Thune/Huckabee/Barbour/Christie sure as hell ain’t gonna withdraw. But this semi-rationality on Obama’s part is going to be lost, and the bullet-point version of this entire book is going to be “Obama plans to surrender in Afghanistan to appease the evil traitorous voters in his party.”
I hate to say it; but he is absolutely correct. Because you all know that the Neo-Conservatives are all about perpetual war. But they call me a Neo-Nazi for pointing that out; and because I refuse to do the “Identity politics” for that particular warmongering class of people. I despise identity politics on the left and the right. That, according to the protected class, is being a Neo-Nazi. Which, like most of Bob Woodward’s writings, is just straight up bullshit.
Update: But of course. That is the same idiot that said that Iraq was an imminent danger to America and the rest of the free world back in 2003. Which of course, like Bob Woodward’s books; was straight up bullshit. 🙄
Disclaimer: It should not be assumed that I agree with all the opinions expressed in this video. I present it for your viewing pleasure and for information purposes only.
Thank you,
-Pat
————
Synopsis:
In this edition of the Reality Report, Gary Franchi discloses how the Department of Homeland Security is maneuvering around the 1974 Privacy act to set up a new centralized database for citizens. He also travels to New York to find out what the media neglected to cover regarding 9/11 memorials planned for the 9 year anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks. He interviews Richard Gage about Building 7’s collapse and 9/11 family member Manny Badillo recounts his confrontation with DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano while at the reflecting pool. John Uhlich is interviewed about why he traveled from Chicago to mourn his cousins murder at Ground Zero. Nina breaks down the headlines including DHS new Iris scanners and reveals the news about settlement connecting Autism to Vaccines. She also plays Candidate Marg Bakers inflammatory remarks about rounding up people for Concentration Camps and provides the truth behind the mysterious third beam of light that pierced the night sky in New York on 9/11. The viewers brand a new “Enemy of the State” and the mailbag is sifted.
A nice three in a row from the founder of …..Home Depot.
Quite bluntly — if you have lost this man and the people that frequents his stores; you are toast.
The Videos: (H/T to HotAir.com)
I can tell you right now; Obama is not getting elected in 2012; it is over for the “Hope and Change” era. Over quicker than it started.
Now, I await two things; one, I await for some identity politics ogre, to start carping about how this man is just some angry white racist bigot. Second, I await some liberal to say that this guy is just some angry rich white businessman. Well, let me be the first to tell you all something here. I happen to know a little about the crowd, who hangs around Hope Depot.
Contrary to what some might actually believe. The good majority of the people who buy products at Home Dept are the people; that are commonly known as the backbone of America in this globalist age —- Small Business owners; and the Obama Administration, with the sun-setting of the Bush tax cuts — is basically targeting that group of people. Granted, not all business owners make that kind of money. However there are those that do, and they usually have employees and when taxes increase on those people, sometimes, especially with the smaller businesses; employees have to be laid off, because the “overhead” is just too much of burden on those business people. This should be just common sense, but when you are dealing with socialist left, common sense tends to run in short supply. When you let someone go like that, that causes the said person to not be able to spend money to contribute to the economy; which hurts the service industry, and so on. Not to mention the fact that that person will have problems paying his bills. It is a vicious cycle and it gets worse as the cycle progresses.
You see, that is one thing that I have been trying to make clear here; and I guess I will just have to say it — most likely again. I am sure I have written here in the past. Anyhow, I do not write on this blog to defend the multi-billion dollar companies. They do not need my help; they have their P.R. companies and such. I write for the small business owner and the working man, who decides to go into business for himself; painting walls, building kitchens or whatever sort of trade that he desires to do; like driving a truck or whatever. Those people should be helped, not targeted for taxes and other such stupidity that the socialist left tries to cook up. Like it or not, my friends — but the small business owner and their businesses are the backbone of America. Yes, sure, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler have their place, as do every other big business. However, it is the small business owner, the entrepreneur that embodies the true Spirit of America. That is who I defend and will continue to here on this blog.
The blog is, and will always be — the Blog of the working man. Not the rich man — but those who work for themselves.
A song in tribute to whom I write for:
I hate to say it; but when the guy makes sense, the guy makes sense:
And make no mistake: voters probably handed a Senate seat to Democrats last night. Castle voters were polled and said they prefer the Democrat 2-1 over O’Donnell. It’s not impossible for her to win if the stars align just right. But wishing upon the stars works in the movies; in real life, not so much.
After O’Donnell’s victory, Sarah Palin issued a call for “unity” among Republicans. I fully support this and support candidate O’Donnell. She has deep flaws, but I’d rather see my flawed candidate in the Senate than the other side’s flawed candidate.
However, I can tell you that Palin’s “unity” directive is going to be hard to implement.
Part of the problem is the Republican establishment, which let slip the fact that they do not intend to give O’Donnell a cent to pursue her quixotic ambitions. The decision not to fund her mostly hopeless candidacy is defensible. The decision to announce that decision on election night is unforgivable.
If O’Donnell loses — I’m thinking “when” but saying “if” for the sake of our “unity” — Tea Partiers will not look for blame in the mirror. Establishment Republicans have given them a ready-made scapegoat, and they will flog it all the way to 2012.
Another part of the problem lies in the insufferable gloating of O’Donnell supporters over what was a fairly predictable primary victory. It does not foster “unity” to declare that O’Donnell beat “Mike Castle, Allahpundit, Charles Krauthammer, and Jim Geraghty.” It does not foster “unity” to label Paul Mirengoff a “loser” who needs to wear a dress for noting the obvious obstacles O’Donnell faces. If Twitter is any reflection of the mood among conservatives, I saw civil war last night. The Levin acolytes going around mimicking his name-calling behavior are hardly seeking “unity.”
With all their toldya so’s, you’d think these people had won the general election instead of handing it to the opposition.
If Sarah Palin truly seeks “unity,” at some point she is going to need to rein these people in.
Indeed, Patterico makes a good point. However, there is another side to this story; which I want to share with you all.
I was talking in private with Dan Riehl and I mentioned that I live here in the Detroit, Michigan area. Quite bluntly folks; The Democratic Party’s socialist policies; have screwed this area straight to hell. 30% Unemployment just in the city of Detroit. 30% —- that is a whole bunch of people out of work! In the proper CITY alone! Let’s not even get into the percentage of people that are unemployed here in the suburbs! Believe you me; it is a MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more, than you might think! That is not even mentioning the people that are, what is referred to as underemployed — or not making enough to even making their bills. Like family members of mine, who are just barely getting by. We need a business-friendly political climate in Washington DC, not to mention in Michigan — so that Business owners can start putting people back to work — with jobs, real jobs, where people; like those in my family with houses, and children and bills — can make a decent living again. (…and If *I* happen to score a job too, all the better, this writing and not getting paid is getting a bit old!)
Here is my point: O’Donnell might be a little nutty; she might have been a little dishonest in the past. However, if she can win this election; and makes it to DC and can reverse course on this damned socialist nightmare that we have upon us; especially here in Michigan — then damn it, I am ALL for it!
Here is my other point: Our Nation and the state of Michigan is in a serious crisis; we need real Republican ideals to get this nation back to work. Not RINO, Democratic Party lite stupidity. That sort of crap might have worked by in the days of prosperity; but let me be the one to “wee wee” on the RINO Parade —- That party is over folks, that ship sailed long ago and it is time to get back to our principles of Conservative values. If the Republican Party and the Conservative establishment does not do this; the Republican Party will die and the Nation; as we know it now, might just die with it — and in the end, we will be handing the socialists the victory they so very much desire in the end.
Now as for O’Donnell’s supposed dishonesty… here she is defending herself against the smears: (H/T HotAir)
I think she will be alright. Everyone just needs to give her a chance. Especially the Conservative establishment.
In this edition of the Reality Report:
Gary Franchi points out Obama’s latest Iraq War Bushism and welcomes We Are Change Founder Luke Rudkowski to the show.
Nina breaks down the headlines including Homeowners Associations restricting Gadsden Flags, the Blogger Shakedown of Righthaven LLC, the recent Emergency Declaration in North Carolina that suspended the 2nd Amendment and how Blackwater Security used shell corporations to acquire tax payer money.
The viewers answer whether or not the World Trade Center was a Controlled demolition in the mailbag and keep watching to see the viewer pick for this week’s Enemy of the State.
Two Sites to check out: http://RealityReport.TV | http://RestoreTheRepublic.com |
…and now the video:
Rarely do I ever concede a point to a liberal. However, in this case; it is fair to do so.
This morning Nicholas Kristof writes in the New York Times, about the Mosque Controversy:
For a glimpse of how venomous and debased the discourse about Islam has become, consider a blog post in The New Republic this month. Written by Martin Peretz, the magazine’s editor in chief, it asserted: “Frankly, Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims.”
Mr. Peretz added: “I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment, which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse.”
Thus a prominent American commentator, in a magazine long associated with tolerance, ponders whether Muslims should be afforded constitutional freedoms. Is it possible to imagine the same kind of casual slur tossed off about blacks or Jews? How do America’s nearly seven million American Muslims feel when their faith is denounced as barbaric?
This is one of those times that test our values, a bit like the shameful interning of Japanese-Americans during World War II, or the disgraceful refusal to accept Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe.
It would have been natural for this test to have come right after 9/11, but it was forestalled because President George W. Bush pushed back at his conservative ranks and repeatedly warned Americans not to confuse Al Qaeda with Islam.
As much as I hate to say it; Mr. Kristof is absolutely right. It should noted that Martin Peretz is, in fact Jewish and is, in fact, a rabid Zionist. In fact, Martin Peretz is known for the following comments:
Frankly, I couldn’t quite imagine any venture like [the Iraq War] in the Arab World turning out especially well. This is, you will say, my prejudice. But some prejudices are built on real facts, and history generally proves me right. Go ahead, prove me wrong. — Source
and:
But, frankly, Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims. And among those Muslims led by the Imam Rauf there is hardly one who has raised a fuss about the routine and random bloodshed that defines their brotherhood. So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges [sic] of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse. — Source
Like Kristof said; could you imagine if the above were uttered about the Jews or about the black race? There would a media frenzy about it. Believe me, I know; I have been attacked by those who are of the protected class and all for speaking my mind about them and how they attack those of whom they disagree.
The fact is, that this whole Mosque situation boils down to this; Islam versus Christian Nativists and Jews, Arabs versus Americans, whites versus non-whites. Am I calling those who oppose this mosque racists? Well, my question for you is this; do you feel that burning pages of the Koran normal acceptable practice? Would you feel the same way, if some Muslim took a page out of the Christian Bible and began burning it? How about the Tanakh, the Torah, or The ?umash, the Siddur, the Piyutim or even the Zohar?
The point I am trying to make here is this; I realize that radicalized Muslims attacked the World Trade Center, The Pentagon and Flight 93. However, when you punish an entire religion for the actions of a few, you are practicing a forum of collectivism. That is not anything remotely Conservative, nor is it anything remotely American. Being vigilant against terrorism is one thing; but being idiotic is another, this situation with this Mosque is well beyond that — on both sides.
Update: On the Other hand… these are videos from 9/11:
There are two sides to every argument; one would suppose. There is also this here.
(H/T to Richard Spencer of Alternative Right)
I think it’s time we got real; before we lose everything.
Well, duh, he is a liberal and a Democrat. He does believe in class warfare. Remember you Republicans and Libertarians that voted for him. (You know who you are…)
Via the NYT:
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday will make clear that he opposes any compromise that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy beyond this year, officials said, adding a populist twist to an election-season economic package that is otherwise designed to entice support from big businesses and their Republican allies.
Mr. Obama’s opposition to allowing the high-end tax cuts to remain in place for even another year or two would be the signal many Congressional Democrats have been awaiting as they prepare for a showdown with Republicans on the issue and ends speculation that the White House might be open to an extension. Democrats say only the president can rally wavering lawmakers who, amid the party’s weakened poll numbers, feel increasingly vulnerable to Republican attacks if they let the top rates lapse at the end of this year as scheduled.
It is not clear that Mr. Obama can prevail given his own diminished popularity, the tepid economic recovery and the divisions within his party. But by proposing to extend the rates for the 98 percent of households with income below $250,000 for couples and $200,000 for individuals — and insisting that federal income tax rates in 2011 go back to their pre-2001 levels for income above those cutoffs — he intends to cast the issue as a choice between supporting the middle class or giving breaks to the wealthy.
In a speech in Cleveland on Wednesday, Mr. Obama will also make a case for the package of roughly $180 billion in expanded business tax cuts and infrastructure spending disclosed by the White House in bits and pieces over the past few days. He would offset the cost by closing other tax breaks for multinational corporations, oil and gas companies and others.
While the speech will be centrist in its policy prescriptions other than the Bush tax cuts, Mr. Obama’s language will be partisan as he seeks to sharpen the contrasts between Republicans’ record and efforts by Democrats to create more jobs, aides said.
As much as I would like to jump up, holler and raise a fuss about this; I cannot. We all knew that this was coming. This should be a lesson to the Republican Party. That is, do not run weak or moderate Conservatives during elections. Because when you do; Conservatives, and I mean hardcore Conservatives will not vote — and this is what you get. I know that I, personally, will not be affected by this; neither will my family.
However, I am sure that there will be some families affected by this — not to mention a myriad of business owners out there. This will, I am sure, cause a downtown in hiring by businesses; which will add to the huge downturn in the economy. It is all a domino effect, starts at the top and goes to the bottom.
Another thing to think about; we do have to eventually pay for these two wars. I believe that those who profited off of both of these wars ought to be targeted for taxing. I believe that a special “War Tax”, ought to be appended to anyone making over $500.000 or more a year. I would target multinational companies, like oil companies and so forth. Especially those in Iraq. Perhaps next time, the warmongering class will not be so eager to start a war next time. This taxing would reinforce the idea that those wanting said war, should they actually have to pay for it. Foreign Policy has a price tag; and those who want follow Woodrow Wilson’s steps, should be required to pay that price tag.
Here you go, a video of New York Times reporter John Burns, who, by the way, was the best person covering the Iraq War.
The Video: (H/T HotAir.com)
Ed Morrissey makes a very important point:
On Iraq, it’s hard to see how Obama could have improved the situation. He followed the SOFA pact that George W. Bush negotiated with Nouri al-Maliki, and the Iraqi government made it clear they wanted us to stick to that schedule. If the Iraqis want us out entirely by the end of next year, we have little choice but to comply; to do otherwise would be a de facto reoccupation that will not fly well here at home or abroad. However, I’d say it’s entirely likely that Baghdad will rethink that final phase and ask us to remain for logistics, training, and air and sea protection for the next several years, and then the question will be whether Obama will agree to it or insist on a full withdrawal, even if it means the collapse of the nascent democracy in Iraq.
Afghanistan is a different problem, but one with potentially the same result. Obama owns Afghanistan more than he does Iraq, having made the decision himself to add more troops and get more aggressive, which means a failure there can’t be left on the doorstep of his predecessor. If Obama starts withdrawing from both fronts as they deteriorate, he will at least be the man who lost Afghanistan, if not Iraq as well, just as he has to prepare to convince Americans to give him another four years as Commander-in-Chief. For that reason, I doubt we’ll see a significant drawdown in either theater, and Obama will just have to remind the Left that they have nowhere else to go in 2012.
Ever notice how Neo-Conservatives will never say Bush screwed up with Iraq, at all? They will never admit, that there was an intelligence error — never. That is what Party loyalty does to a person.
Anyhow, some good reading about Nation-Building over at The American Conservative:
“Nation-building is the most prominent — and most important — part of the neocon doctrine,” wrote Jed Babbin in the American Spectator. “And the decision to pursue it is the principal reason that we are losing in Afghanistan, Iraq is falling apart, and the real enemy — the terror-sponsoring nations — have grown stronger.”
None of these writers can accurately be described as a budding noninterventionist. But most conservatives who opposed the Iraq War from the beginning and favored no more than a limited mission in Afghanistan can agree with them on the following: neither Islam nor foreign lands can easily be reformed by either bureaucrats or the force or the force of arms; our interventions have produced something closer to sharia states than Switzerland’s; Iran is now more powerful in the region rather than less.
There have l0ng been three main foreign-policy tendencies on the American Right: old-style conservatives who agree with Randolph Bourne that war is the health of the state and therefore favor less military intervention abroad; neoconservatives who want to preserve the United States’ global hegemony and engage in armed proselytizing for democracy; and defense-minded conservatives who believe the U.S. should strike forcefully at its enemies whenever it perceives itself, its interests, or its allies to be threatened.
Roughly speaking, these groups can be described as the Jeffersonians, the Wilsonians, and the Jacksonians. Among rank-and-file conservatives, the Jacksonians are by far the largest group. In the postwar era, the Jacksonians have tended to align with the Wilsonians. But there is no reason why that conjunction is inevitable.
With the exception of Ron Paul and some Ron Paul Republicans, the Jeffersonians have no major political figure to speak for them. Yet the popularity of the Wilsonians was always greatly exaggerated. The invasion of Iraq and the mass conservative acceptance of the Bush Doctrine were made possible by al-Qaeda’s act of mass murder on 9/11.
Throughout the 1990s, Wilsonian neoconservatives called for regime change in Iraq, but they did not succeed in rallying the grassroots Right to the cause. The conservative base tuned out the PNAC crowd. Millions of conservatives voted for Pat Buchanan, who opposed even the first war with Iraq, in the 1992 and 1996 Republican presidential primaries—even as neoconservative commentators were writing essays attempting to purge Buchanan from conservative movement.
Grassroots conservatives were repulsed by American bloodshed during our humanitarian intervention in Somalia. They opposed using our armed forces to deliver groceries to Third World countries and restoring a dubious left-wing character to power in Haiti. They objected to the bombing of Serbia and canceled their subscriptions to the Weekly Standard when that magazine sided with the Clinton administration on military action in the Balkans.
The years after 9/11 were a Jacksonian moment hijacked by neoconservatives. While most American conservatives liked the idea that the we could increase others’ freedom by defending our own against despots overseas, very few of them wanted to go to war to build schools in Iraq or promote democracy. They wanted to pay back the people who murdered their countrymen and make sure that such an attack never happened again.
They trusted that George W. Bush was the man for the job and were patient when he talked about lighting a fire in the minds of men. But ordinary conservatives nevertheless agreed with the following sentiment expressed by John Derbyshire: “What matters most is not the fire in the minds of men, which will burn at some level for as long as there are men, but the fire that results when fissionable material undergoes a fast chain reaction.”
You see the problem is that the very same people that stood behind George W. Bush and cheered him, as he charged off to war in Iraq and Afghanistan; are the same one who stand and in unison blame President Obama for any failures for the war in both Countries. The truth is that President Obama DID inherit BOTH of these wars for President Bush and it is because of utter incompetence of the Pentagon and State Department under President Bush, not to mention the entire intelligence community, is why we are in this mess in the first place!
So, instead of being noble and honest men, and admitting that they actually made mistakes, one being electing a President that was about as Conservative, as I am damned atheist; they would rather navel graze the whole thing and try and deflect the blame onto the Democrats, as much as they possibly can. The problem is with that little idiotic plan is this; thinking Americans, like this writer are just smarter than that, we know what happened and we know who was responsible for the actions of the President. I am fully aware of who goaded the President into declaring war with Iraq. I have no forgotten and neither have the American people. This is, one of a myriad of reasons, why John McCain lost the election. Because the American people did not want someone, who would take marching orders from the Neo-Conservatives.
So far, Obama has been showing his independence of the warmongering class in the Republican Party. Thankfully, under Michael Steele the warmongering class have been pushed aside; which is why people like William Kristol want him to resign so badly, that being because Michael Steele will not march to their orders and is expressing his own views, and not those who wish the United States to fight a perpetual war. I commend Michael Steele for that.
Another thing I think I need to be clear on; as you know, I did post a video, that was a warning to America. Some would look at that and say, “Are you not talking about of both sides of your mouth?” to that I would say no. That is because that video essentially validates what I have believed all along; that the notion of, “We must fight the terrorists there, so we do not have to fight them here” is idiotic at best. That is because there are radical Islamic terrorists that are already here now! That video proves as much. My personal issue with George W. Bush was not with fighting terrorism, which he began in Afghanistan. He however, was goaded by the warmongering class in the Republican Party to go to war with Iraq, which, for what it is worth, is what this class of people wanted to do during the Clinton years, but was rebuffed repeatedly. This caused, I feel, a distraction, as those who planned had this strange idea, that the invasion would be a cakewalk. I believe it would be understood that we all know now that this was a very flawed idea.
Much of what I said above, would be considered, what I like to call, “rearview mirror quarterbacking.” We all know this now, the problem is, where do he go from here? The best thing that can happen is Obama follow through with his promises to follow Bush’s pull out timetable in Iraq. We cannot continue to be the World’s police officer. If Iraq has an upheaval over there, let them. We did our part over there; we rooted the major player in the insurgency. We toppled Saddam. What happens after we have left is not our concern. As for Afghanistan, if we can catch or kill Osama Bin Laden, fine do so. However, if the Afghan Government and the Pakistani Government is that corrupt and does not want to be partner against the war on terror. I say cut our losses and pull out the troops and leave. Then send in specialized CIA assassins in there to hunt Osama Bin Laden down and kill him that way. I just do not see the justification for our Military personnel dying for a Government that is corrupt to its core. It just does not make any sort of sense to me at all.
Bottom Line: President Obama should not be blame for any of the failures of any of these wars. The President who started them should be blamed. President Obama should continue the turnkey plan given him by Bush, and should implement a better strategy in the Afghan theater. If the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan will not work with the United States on the capture or killing of Osama Bin Laden, then President should use the CIA to kill him.
This is a very interesting story; and I did not know anything about it. Until I saw a headline via ABC NEWS.
There has been a massive fire outbreak on the West and East sides of Detroit. It has been windy here for the last few days. Well, you take a windy day, add some electrical lines that have been arcing and sparking; plus dry conditions and you have a massive problem on your hands.
Videos and Story via WXYZ-TV in Detroit:
The Story:
DETROIT (WXYZ) – Detroit’s Fire Commissioner told Action News fires were burning at 80 locations between 4:00pm and 8:00pm Tuesday. No word on how many homes and buildings were destroyed. Many of the destroyed homes were abandoned.
Multiple homes were destroyed on Detroit’s east side.
On Moenart Street and Luce Avenue near Mound and McNichols 7 homes caught fire.
On Van Dyke near Quinn firefighters worked to control 20 homes. The fire spread across the city block to Robinwood Street. Firefighters say it’s possible the blazes in this neighborhood were ignited by a faulty transformer spraying sparks. Those sparks were carried by strong winds and started fires at a number of other houses. Folks on the block say they alerted DTE to the problem last week and nothing was done. Action News contacted DTE and they tell us they are investigating those claims.
An abandoned commercial building also burned near Chene and Hendrie on the city’s east side.
On Detroit’s west side four homes burned on Stoepel near Livernois and Margareta Avenue.
The Fire Commissioner told Action News during the height of the fires 236 firefighters were working. One firefighter was injured during the afternoon.
Strong winds are to blame for fueling many of the fires. The winds may also have prompted the flames. The Detroit Fire Department took calls on 140 wires down across the city from 8:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday. They stopped taking calls when the string of fires began. Investigators say one person is in custody being questioned about the fires on the east side.
My thoughts and prayers are with the people on Detroit’s East and West sides tonight. I remember back in the day in Southwest Detroit. We did have fires like that in the summer too. Sounds like the gents at the Detroit fire houses have their hands full. My Prayers go out to those guys as well.
I will say this; Detroit’s city management is to blame for the short handed situation. What you are seeing there is a result of horrible leadership under Kwame Kilpatrick, Detroit’s Former Mayor and now convicted crook. Not to mention the fact that parts of the city, just have some bad water lines and such, and cannot keep up the pressure to deal with the fires. You can thank some of the corrupt Democrats, who have funneled money to pet projects, instead of keeping up the city — for this horrible mess.
Some of the fires were set intentionally; that is a unfortunate part of inner city living and that is crime and arson. I cannot say to much. We had an arson less than a mile from my house here. It was a commercial business. The difference is, I live out here in the suburbs. Which really bothered me. Hopefully, they will catch the little bastard that pulled that little stunt.
Hopefully, the Detroit Fire Department gets a handle on the situation in the city. I feel for the people in those areas. Unable to get out, and move somewhere better. It sucks. My heart goes out to them. 🙁
If you are Christian at all; and happen to believe in Prayer. Say a small prayer for those in that area. I am sure that they would appreciate it.
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, WDIV-TV all have good coverage as well.
You know, I do not normally bring crap like this up. But this is just straight up crap:
Look what landed in my Moderation Que Earlier:
Author : Not Likely (IP: 209.131.62.113 , nat-dip4.cfw-a-gci.corp.yahoo.com)
E-mail : no@thanks.com
URL :
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=209.131.62.113
Comment:
You ought to be in trouble for butchering the English language in addition to your shallow-minded religious and political views.
I did a trace route of the IP address, and here’s what I got:
Tracing route to nat-dip4.cfw-a-gci.corp.yahoo.com [209.131.62.113]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.2.1
2 6 ms 1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
3 6 ms 10 ms 8 ms [snipped for my safety….]
4 8 ms 9 ms 7 ms ge-2-30-ur02.southgate.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.85.49.193]
5 9 ms 28 ms 10 ms te-9-2-ur02.woodhaven.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.87.190.181]
6 8 ms 12 ms 9 ms te-9-2-ur02.rockwood.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.87.190.177]
7 9 ms 9 ms 9 ms te-9-2-ur02.monroe.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.87.190.173]
8 13 ms 12 ms 12 ms te-0-4-0-2-ar01.taylor.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.87.190.169]
9 23 ms 21 ms 15 ms be-10-ar01.pontiac.mi.michigan.comcast.net [68.85.235.206]
10 27 ms 31 ms 31 ms pos-3-3-0-0-cr01.chicago.il.ibone.comcast.net [68.86.90.109]
11 72 ms 28 ms 92 ms xe-9-2-0.edge1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.71.248.25]
12 56 ms 27 ms 36 ms vlan51.ebr1.Chicago2.Level3.net [4.69.138.158]
13 52 ms 55 ms 54 ms ae-3-3.ebr2.Denver1.Level3.net [4.69.132.61]
14 53 ms 54 ms 69 ms ae-1-100.ebr1.Denver1.Level3.net [4.69.132.37]
15 92 ms 89 ms 89 ms ae-3-3.ebr2.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.69.132.57]
16 94 ms * * ae-92-92.csw4.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.69.134.222]
17 88 ms 89 ms 87 ms ae-41-99.car1.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.68.18.195]
18 94 ms 91 ms 93 ms YAHOO-INC-2.car1.SanJose1.Level3.net [64.152.64.2]
19 * * * Request timed out.
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.
25 * * * Request timed out.
26 * * * Request timed out.
27 * * * Request timed out.
28 * * * Request timed out.
29 * * * Request timed out.
30 * * * Request timed out.
Trace complete.
C:\>
Look up info:
#
# Query terms are ambiguous. The query is assumed to be:
# “n + 209.131.62.0”
#
# Use “?” to get help.
#
#
# The following results may also be obtained via:
# http://whois.arin.net/rest/nets;q=209.131.62.0?showDetails=true&showARIN=false
#
NetRange: 209.131.32.0 – 209.131.63.255
CIDR: 209.131.32.0/19
OriginAS:
NetName: FC-YAHOO1
NetHandle: NET-209-131-32-0-1
Parent: NET-209-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS2.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS1.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS5.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS4.YAHOO.COM
NameServer: NS3.YAHOO.COM
RegDate: 1999-07-09
Updated: 2005-08-25
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/net/NET-209-131-32-0-1
OrgName: Yahoo! Inc.
OrgId: YHOO
Address: 701 First Ave
City: Sunnyvale
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 94089
Country: US
RegDate: 2000-10-23
Updated: 2009-05-18
Ref: http://whois.arin.net/rest/org/YHOO
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I just wonder, if Yahoo.com approves of such behavior by their employees on company time. I will be sending a link of this posting to yahoo corporate and let everyone know if their response. This is just straight up wrong; and I wonder if yahoo does endorse terrorism? It sure seems that way to me. It might also explain why Yahoo is now all but overlooked by the majority of America over Google.com.
He writes another:
Author : Not Likely (IP: 209.131.62.113 , nat-dip4.cfw-a-gci.corp.yahoo.com)
E-mail : no@thanks.com
URL :
Whois : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=209.131.62.113
Comment:
You aren’t even capable of understanding your own commenter’s sarcasm. Find a new hobby. I’d suggest one that doesn’t involve setting down your befuddled musings in text.
That’s fine buddy, you keep leaving those little pud messages and I will keep posting them here and will forward them to yahoo corporate.
Remember this folks come 2010 and 2012, how tolerant liberals are, except when it violates their ideology.
Some Straight Awesomeness from these guys:
Remember this come November 2, 2010 and vote….accordingly.
This blog posting is most likely going to get me into trouble with some on the left… and maybe the right. However, at this point, I could honestly give two flips less. Yes, I am a moderate, when it comes to things like religion and social issues. I also tend to shy away from those who fight against the Muslims and where they want to build their houses of worship, because I happen to believe in freedom of Religion and in personal freedom, to build whatever one wants within the accordance of the law.
However, I feel that the following stories that are being ginned up by the liberal mainstream media are borderline libel towards those of us; who feel that radical Islam is a threat to the security of our Nation and a threat to the America way of life.
First, an idiotic report by ABC NEWS on how the Anti-Islamic rhetoric is heating up:
Today, a Christian pastor will hold the second service in a series bashing the planned Muslim community center in downtown New York City in a sign of increasing vocal anti-Islam rhetoric ahead of the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“When they decided to build a mosque and decided to preach what I consider a 1,400-year-old lie from Hell, I decided that somebody should be down there preaching the truth of God’s word,” Florida pastor Bill Keller said over the weekend.
Although his first service was sparsely attended, Keller is not alone.
Another preacher, Terry Jones from the Dove World Outreach Center in Florida, is planning what he called “International Burn a Koran Day” which encourages people to set fire to the Islamic holy book “in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam,” according to a Facebook page dedicated to the event.
[….]
Critics said the rhetoric is fueling anti-Islam violence. Late last month a Manhattan cab driver was allegedly stabbed by a passenger who reportedly asked him immediately before the attack if he was Muslim. Days later, a fire tore through the construction site of a planned Mosque in Tennessee. Investigators announced last week the cause of the fire was arson.
In response, leaders of Mosques from around the world are reaching out to other faiths for help.
“We are asking people to take into account security concerns… given the almost hysterical atmosphere we’re in right now,” said Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
First, whatever happened to freedom of speech? Since when did it become illegal to express ones feelings about another Religion? The man is a Christian; this Pastor is denouncing Islam as a false religion, and is protesting against those who practice radical Islam; by burning a copy of the Holy Koran; he is protected by the first amendment of the United States Constitution. Secondly, why is CAIR even being quoted in this article? This group, CAIR, which stands for the Council of American Islamic Relations, is a terrorist front organization, which has been tied to various terrorist organizations abroad. This proves to this writer, beyond a shadow of an ounce of doubt, that the liberal mainstream media is in alliance with or at least sympathetic to the cause of those who engage in the practice of radical Islam and who wish to wage jihad against this Country.
Oh, it gets better trust me.
If that is not enough to cause your blood pressure to skyrocket; how about this lovely report from the Wall Street Journal of how Gen. David Petraeus is now coming out against the Koran burning service planned by this Pastor:
KABUL—The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort.
Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.
“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,” Gen. Petraeus said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.”
Hundreds of Afghans attended a demonstration in Kabul on Monday to protest the plans of Florida pastor Terry Jones, who has said he will burn the Quran on Sept. 11.
Gen. David Petraeus said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger.
Afghan protesters chanted “death to America” and speakers called on the U.S. to withdraw its military convoy. Some of the protesters threw rocks at a passing military convoy, although officials told the rock-throwers to stop.
Military officials fear the protests are likely to spread beyond Kabul to other Afghan cities. In interviews with various media outlets, Mr. Jones has denied his protest will put troops in danger. Mr. Jones has been denied a permit for the demonstration but has said he plans to go forward with the his protest anyway.
Mr. Jones leads a tiny church of just 50 people, but his threat to burn the Muslim holy book has been condemned around the world and has garnered him international attention.
Well, it is certainly nice to know that our Military has our back. I guess the anti-war MoveOn.Org was right on that one. As Petraeus did end up betraying us all right; the American people, who believe that radical Islam is on the rise and that freedom of Religion is a constitutional right. I always thought that Petraeus was nothing more than a “Yes Man” for the Government and he has proven that here.
Finally, another little news article on CNN about idiots overseas protesting that Koran burning:
Jakarta, Indonesia — Thousands of Indonesians gathered Sunday outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta to protest a Florida church’s plan to burn copies of the Quran.
The Dove World Outreach Center in Gainsville, Florida, plans to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks by burning copies of the Muslim holy text. The center describes itself as a “New Testament church based on the Bible.” It made headlines last year when it distributed a T-shirt that said, “Islam is the devil.”
Protesters in Jakarta carried signs saying, “Jihad to protect Koran” and “You burn qu’ran you burn in hell.” The protesters included members of the hard-line Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia and the pluralism care movement, a multi-faith group.
“We hope that the U.S. government to stop this plan. We represent Muslim, Christians and other religions who all wants to avoid any clashes as a result,” Damien Dematra, the coordinator for the pluralism care movement, said in a news statement.
I have two words for these people — Boo Hoo, cry me a river. Let me remind those who read this blog, whom it was which attacked this Country on 9/11. First, it was not Radical Christians, Radical Hindus, or Radical Buddhists. In case anyone has forgotten, radical Islamists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001. Furthermore, I do not recall any of the Muslim community trying to stop Osama bin Laden from carrying out these attacks either from within the Middle Eastern Islamic World. Also, please, do not try to tell me, that no one else in the Middle Eastern Islam world knew that these attacks were going to happen. Believe me, they knew and they did not care or they wanted them to happen, just as much as radical Islamic jihadists did.
I said all that to say this here. To the American Muslim community, if there is anyone to blame for the rise of the American resentment towards Muslims; it is yourselves that you need to blame. You are blame for not rising up against these radical elements within your own Religion! Therefore, to the American Muslim Community, I have one simple thing to say about the rise in Anti-Islam rhetoric and feeling in this Country —- Deal with it or leave. For years, we Christians have been the victims of Anti-Christian rhetoric by liberals and various other sundry groups with missions to discredit us. Furthermore, every time some mentally unstable buffoon out there did something idiotic in the name of Christianity, we have had to contend with morons disrespecting our Religion. Now, it is your turn. Either you deal with it or you can always pack your bags and return to the country of your origin, because frankly, no one is keeping you here. You came here to live in freedom, and not under the oppressive Governments of your Countries of origin. Part of that freedom, is the freedom to disrespect other Religions; that is the part of the American experience. Either you learn to ignore that sort of a thing, or you leave. Please make your choice quickly, and please, stop the whining; you look like children when you do such things.
May the our Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and Religion never be revoked.
Update: Now a Memeornadum Thread
I think I will echo the same thoughts espoused by one of the greatest Bloggers in the Conservative Blogosphere — Mr. Ed Morrissey, in regards to the Passing of Marco Rubio’s Father. But first, the Presser:
Surrounded by family and loved ones, Marco Rubio’s father, Mario Rubio, passed away tonight at Baptist Hospital in Miami. He was 83 years old. Mario Rubio suffered from a long bout with emphysema and lung cancer.
In his final moments, Mario was accompanied by his loving wife of 61 years, Oria, his children Mario, Barbara, Marco and Veronica, and his extended family.
On the passing of his father, Marco Rubio issued the following statement:
“My father knew hard work and struggle from very early in his life. His mother died when he was only 9 years old. The day after his mother was buried he went to work with his father and did not stop working until he was 78 years old.
“He was by far the most unselfish person I have ever known, always focused on others, and never on his own well being. He was especially determined to provide his children opportunities he himself never had.
“My dad worked as a street vendor, security guard, apartment building manager and crossing guard. But for most of his life he was a bartender, and by all accounts a great one. But his greatest success came from the two most important jobs he ever had: husband and father.
“He was very proud of my public service. And over the last 18 months he became an expert channel surfer, constantly searching for my next television interview.
“I was blessed to be raised by a world class father. And I thank God for allowing my father to live long and healthy enough to see that the sacrifices he made for us were not in vain.”
For the entire Rubio family, as well as our campaign, politics will now be placed on temporary hold. We will resume our full schedule some time in the coming days. During this time, we respectfully ask for privacy for Marco and his family so they may mourn their loss in peace.
In lieu of flowers, the Rubio family requests honoring Mario Rubio’s memory by supporting the League Against Cancer/Liga Contra El Cancer http://ligacontraelcancer.org/.
Let me say this; first off, my most heartfelt condolences to the Rubio Family in this tragic time of loss — from my Family to theirs. Loosing someone you love is never easy at all. I could never even remotely fathom what it is that Marco Rubio is going through, I dread losing my Father, but I know that my Faith will get me through it. I know that is what Mr. Rubio and his Family are leaning on now.
Second of all; as we all know, Politics, especially here as of late, as become a bloodsport and can be nasty. There are times when there are exceptions to that rule. Here is an example:
Mr. Meek; you sir are class act. Thank you for showing the better side of humanity in a time such as this. If only there were more of you on this earth; it would be such a better place to reside. Thank you from someone, on this side of the aisle.
As for Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist, was also at the event. You sir ought to rot in the hottest part of the Devil’s hell for your asinine comment. Crist, when asked about this can only muster a ” Yeah, I heard about that.” Seriously? Is that the best you can do? Here’s hope you get what you rightfully deserve in November — defeated, forgotten and generally laughed at for being the egotistical ignorant bastard that you are.
Video:
The Story via Freedom’s Lighthouse, A pretty snazzy looking site, by the way. :
Here is Naked Emperor News video of the Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at a rally in Alabama back in July in which he essentially said African-American candidate Johnny Ford should win his State Senate Primary runoff against a white candidate – Billy Beasley – because the district is “heir property” to African-Americans.
Sharpton, for all his talk of wanting equality, actually uses “race” as a cottage industry for himself. It is impossible to square these comments with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream that people would someday be “judged by the content of their character” and not the “color of their skin.”
Here is the real funny part:
The voters did not agree with Sharpton. Beasley defeated Ford in the Democratic Primary runoff for the District 28 State Senate Seat by getting 62% of the vote.
Heh. So much for that entitlement to the State Senate in Alabama, aye Sharpton?
From the comments section over at Freedom’s Lighthouse:
Your heir property is in Africa.
In-Farking-deed! I always hear Blacks; all liberals of course, trashing America and complaining about how they are always oppressed by the White Man. I have one thing to say to them —- you can always go back where you originated from and live there and see how well you live. However, when someone does that; they are automatically called RAAAAACIST!
I am sure there is a particular Pony-tailed Homosexual that is about go into meltdown, because of this post right about now. Right Bob? Right.
Yes, that is right, I am one of those!
Er, um, I mean, a Son-of-a-bitch, I mean. 😛
Speaking of stupidity….
Via this Nimrod:
I do not minimize Al Qaeda’s intentions, which are barbaric. I question its capabilities. In every recent conflict, the United States has been right about the evil intentions of its adversaries but massively exaggerated their strength. In the 1980s, we thought the Soviet Union was expanding its power and influence when it was on the verge of economic and political bankruptcy. In the 1990s, we were certain that Saddam Hussein had a nuclear arsenal. In fact, his factories could barely make soap…
Some 30,000 people are now employed exclusively to listen in on phone conversations and other communications in the United States. And yet no one in Army intelligence noticed that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan had been making a series of strange threats at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he trained. The father of the Nigerian “Christmas bomber” reported his son’s radicalism to the U.S. Embassy. But that message never made its way to the right people in this vast security apparatus. The plot was foiled only by the bomber’s own incompetence and some alert passengers.
Such mistakes might be excusable. But the rise of this national-security state has entailed a vast expansion in the government’s powers that now touches every aspect of American life, even when seemingly unrelated to terrorism.
No, you nimrod, terrorist-supporting, idiot. We did not overreact. We had information that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. We acted on it. Yes, the intelligence was bad. So what? It happens. The truth is, once we weeded out the jack-wads, who did not know shit from shinola about running a fucking war; (Hello Rummy!) we were able to stabilize that Country and put leadership in there, that did not terrorize it’s own people.
So, yes, Iraq WAS worth it; and no we did NOT overreact.
Further more, once we break the back of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, it too will be worth it as well! People will die; that is the price you pay, when you fight a god-damned war. But in the end, when Afghanistan is free and clear of Al-Qaeda and their radical Muslim idiotic nonsense, it will be worth it.
I apologize in advance for the harsh tone of this posting. But I am about god-damned tired of these terrorist-appeasing, asshole, liberal retards telling me, that going to war against terrorists is not worth the god-damned hassle. Anytime, that the United States of America goes on the defensive, and also on the offensive, in the name of liberty and freedom, it is ALWAYS worth it! It was worth it in Germany, It was worth it in Japan, It was worth it in Korea, it was worth it in Grenada AND it was worth it in Iraq too, both god-damned times — and once the job is done in Afghanistan, it will be worth it there too.
So, on the behalf of all the Soldiers —- American and Coalition; both who died and especially those who came back in one piece and even those who did not — to Mr. Fareed Zakaria I say:
That is all…..
Update: I suppose that I should explain something here. The reason why this article provoked such a strong reaction out of me is this; I watched 9/11 unfold on TV. At the time I was a CNN watcher. All of it played out in front of me. I remember being paralyzed with fear, when the report came out, that there was a plane headed to the White House. Watching those buildings fall and seeing those images over and over and over; drove me into one of the worst depressions, that I have ever experienced. It, honestly, took me about 2 good years to get over that stuff. It took much prayer and some good old fashioned Bible reading to pull me out of that mess. Al-Qaeda caused that; and for that, I want them to pay, and pay dearly. Now you understand why it is, that I feel the way that I do.
Update #2: ….and of course, some terrorist supporting asshole links here; talking out his ass, as always. 🙄