30 April 2009

Celebrating 100 Days of Ineptitude

So the Great One hosted his 3rd prime-time press conference in as many months last night to commemorate his 100th day in office. I find it mildly amusing (read: hysterical) that Obama is so concerned about people knowing what a great job he's doing in office that he needs a press conference to remind us. If he were such a successful and effective president, would he really need to tie up prime-time television slots to tell us about it? Shouldn't we all just inherently know what a great president he is? Shouldn't his works speak for themselves? The obvious answer is yes, his body of work does speak for itself, which explains why Obama was so desperate to ram his twisted perception of reality down our throats.

Now I have to admit that I think I've developed an allergic reaction to the sound of Obama's voice, because I can only listen for so long before I get nauseated and break out in hives. Subsequently, I was unable to force myself to listen to his whole press conference. The parts that I did catch, however, were filled with hope and change.

For example, take Jeff Zeleny's (NY Times) question to the president. Now take a moment to think what kind of question you might ask if you were Mr. Zeleny. You represent a major "news" source (for the sake of debate we're not going to argue the veracity of that statement). You're on national television during prime-time. What kind of question do you ask? Do you ask a question about the economy? The growing size of government? Swine flu? How about the idiotic decision to buzz lady liberty with Air Force One without telling New Yorkers? There are a plethora of great, hard-nosed questions that you could ask. So which of these to Zeleny choose to direct to our Commander-in-Thief? The answer is D: none of the above. Instead, he chose to go with this tough, hard-nosed question: What has surprised, troubled, enchanted, and humbled you the most about being president? Seriously? Enchanted? WTF!? This guy writes for the NY Times? His question was so bad that he actually got laughed at by his fellow reporters! No wonder the NY Times stock price is less than the cost of the Sunday paper!

With in-depth, probing questions like this one, it should be obvious to my one reader that Obama would have to omit some reporters' questions in the interest of time. So who would you skip over if you were in his swanky, italian leather shoes? BET? Maybe Telemundo? Wrong again. Try Fox News. Wednesday's press conference marked the second of 3 pressies were Obama has snubbed Fox News. I'm sure he was more than a little peeved at the Fox Network for refusing to air the press conference because it conflicted with their prime-time network sweeps (they did show it on their news and business channels). But Obama's actions shouldn't surprise anyone, as his vitriolic hatred of Fox is a matter of common knowledge. In fact, he said this leading up to the press conference:
Those of you who are watching certain news channels on which I'm not very popular, and you see folks waving tea bags around, let me just remind them that I am happy to have a serious conversation about how we are going to cut our health care costs down over the long term, how we are going to stabilize Social Security...but let's not play games and pretend that the reason is because of the Recovery Act.
One thing that the press conference did do was assuage all my fears that Obama wants to convert our country to a European-style social welfare state.
You know, I don't want to run auto companies. I don't want to run banks. I've got two wars I've got to run already. I've got more than enough to do. So the sooner we can get out of that business, the better off we're going to be...

I don't think that we should micromanage, but I think that, like any investor, the American taxpayer has the right to scrutinize what's being proposed and make sure that their money is not just being thrown down the drain....

So I just want to help them get there. But I want to disabu
se people of this notion that somehow we enjoy, you know, meddling in the private sector, if -- if you could tell me right now that, when I walked into this office that the banks were humming, that autos were selling, and that all you had to worry about was Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, getting health care passed, figuring out how to deal with energy independence, deal with Iran, and a pandemic flu, I would take that deal.

And -- and that's why I'm always amused when I hear these, you know, criticisms of, "Oh, you know, Obama wants to grow government." No. I would love a nice, lean portfolio to deal with, but that's not the hand that's been dealt us.
So you see? Obama doesn't want to socialize this country...he has no choice. It's all Bush's fault, and Obama is just trying to pick up the pieces. But isn't it great to know that he doesn't want to nationalize the auto and banking industries? That he doesn't want to socialize the country? I know I'll sleep better tonight.

Oh, btw, Fox says suck it. Their ratings on 29 April 2009 killed NBC, ABC, and CBS.

And I'm sure that I'm the only one that finds it ironic Fox showed it's drama "Lie to Me", and the rest of the networks showed Obama opening his mouth. Maybe all the networks are on the same page, afterall.

29 April 2009

Your Transparent Government...

You've probably heard about about the scandal involving Jane Harman and a couple of individuals accused of espionage. The case can get kind of messy, so here to clear things up is Jon Stewart.

27 April 2009

Happy 100th Day-iversary, Mr. Obama!

Congratulations, Mr. Obama! You made it! Your first 100 days in office are finally complete! And what a busy 100 days they have been! You have done more to jeopardize our national security, destroy our international reputation, and annihilate the economy than all 43 previous presidents combined. And you've done it all in less than 100 days, and all while saving the environment! Hooray! Now that's something to really hang your hat on!

The NY Post ran a fitting tribute to our Dearly Beloved today commemorating this momentous occasion. It's entitled "100 Days, 100 Mistakes," and is worth the read of you have the time. But don't fret, Mr. President. At least Chavez and Castro still love you.

24 April 2009

Fat People Cause Global Warming


The Sun is reporting that fat people contribute more to global warming than those of us who have chiseled bodies, rock-hard abs, and extraordinary physiques. The report says that fat people may eat more than non-fatties. The increased food production required to feed these overweight monstrosities is literally destroying the planet, since food production accounts for about 1/5 of all greenhouse gases. And since fat people obviously loathe exercise the way that vampires loathe the sun, they drive more than the rest of us more athletic types. Not to mention all that extra methane gas they must be omitting. So you see? Al Gore is right! Humans are destroying the planet! And not just any humans, but fat humans! I think the solution is obvious. Government-sponsored food rationing for fat people. Or maybe we should implement our own "fat tax."

22 April 2009

Happy Earth Day!

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share with you the following thought, courtesy of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. It is read by the one and only Charlton Heston.

20 April 2009

Iran Trains Crack Team of Military Commandos

The US military has been put on high alert today after footage of an elite team of Iranian soldiers was leaked. These soldiers possess skills and abilities that far surpass our own. It is obvious that they are a select few chosen for their unique talents. The US military better start playing catch up!


This skill set will be particularly handy when the soldiers get caught stealing food because they're starving, and have their hands cut off under Iranian law. Go Team!

h/t: The Jawa Report

16 April 2009

Tea Party Smear

Hundreds of thousands of people turned out at tax day tea parties in 800 cities across America yesterday to protest anything from the increased taxes to big federal government. So how much coverage to the rallies get from the mainstream media? (That was a rhetorical question, and you don't actually have to answer it). It is truly inspiring to see such a grass roots (no, Pelosi, not astroturf...that would your man Axelrod) movement, all propelled by Americans who are concerned about the direction this country is going. So it is especially revolting to see how the MSM is covering it...when they decide to cover it at all (that's for you, NY Times). Michelle Malkin levels Pelosi in this video, as well as Susan Roesgen for her openly contemptuous coverage of the tea parties. WARNING: You may want to grab your air sickness bag before viewing this.


15 April 2009

GASP! Green Jobs Bad for the Economy?!

The word is starting to leak out that Obama's drive to create more green jobs might just actually end up costing the economy more than it helps it. I know, I know. That's crazy. I mean, the Messiah himself said it would help the country, so it has to be true, right?

The Big O has often used Spain as an example of how a nation can use federal funds to stimulate the economy through green initiatives.
Think of what’s happening in countries like Spain, Germany and Japan, where they’re making real investments in renewable energy. They’re surging ahead of us, poised to take the lead in these new industries.

Their governments have harnessed their people’s hard work and ingenuity with bold investments — investments that are paying off in good, high-wage jobs — jobs they won’t lose to other countries. There is no reason we can’t do the same thing right here in America...In the process, we’ll put nearly half a million people to work building wind turbines and solar panels; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to new jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain.
Don't see anything wrong with that plan? Maybe the Great One should have actually looked at the result of these projects before committing to them. Gabriel Calzada Alvarez, PhD, a researcher from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, has issued a report entitled, "Study of the Effects on Employment of Public Aid to Renewable Energy sources," that identifies the green projects that Spain has undertaken, and their economic consequences. Even if you only read the table of contents, you get a great idea of how successful their green initiatives have been. My favorite quote? Here you go (emphasis mine).
Thus, on average, the subsidized green job destroys the resources required to have created 2.2 jobs in the economy.

Consequently, through the use of both methods [two different calculations] we have reached a similar conclusion: for every green job, we can be highly confident that 2.2 jobs are destroyed elsewhere in the economy [or about 9 jobs destroyed for every 4 created], to which we have to add those jobs that the non-subsidized investment would have created.
Yup. Sounds like a great model. I'll bet the Obamanation was as thorough in researching this hair-brained ideas as they were in vetting so many cabinet-level candidates. Calzada goes on to say,
The study’s results show how such ‘green jobs’ policy clearly hinders Spain’s way out of the current economic crisis, even while U.S. politicians insist that rushing into such a scheme will ease their own emergence from the turmoil.
But what does a Spaniard know about the environment and economic progress? We should ask American who specializes in these things, like Pat Michaels, professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia and senior fellow in environmental studies at the CATO Institute. What's that? We already did? He said that he was not surprised with the findings, and that we should expect similar results here.

But for the Obamanation, it has never actually been about benefiting Americans. Instead, it has always been about ramming the progressive, liberal, left-wing agenda down our throats while assuring us that this is really what we want (remember, you should never waste a good crisis!). Besides, those kooks over at the CATO Institute are just a bunch of Right-Wing Extremists, anyway. Off with their heads!

Terrorism Update

Ed Morrissey over at Hot Air has written a scathing critique of the DHS report that I wrote about yesterday. Well worth the read.

14 April 2009

More Proof that I'm a Terrorist


After hearing that Missouri retracted its report linking militias and conservatives, I was questioning my status as an extremist/domestic terrorist. Well, never fear! DHS is here! DHS has issued a report (h/t: The Liberty Papers) entitled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment." The report essentially amounts to a hit list on conservatives, and is the most disgusting, federally-issued document that I have read in recent memory. Here are a few nuggets from the report:
Rightwing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters, and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning.
The possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.
Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, orrejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.
Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement.
Rightwing extremist chatter on the Internet continues to focus on the economy, the perceived loss of U.S. jobs in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and home foreclosures.
Rightwing extremists are harnessing this historical election as a recruitment tool. Many rightwing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use.
Rightwing extremists were concerned during the 1990s with the perception that illegal immigrants were taking away American jobs through their willingness to work at significantly lower wages. They also opposed free trade agreements, arguing that these arrangements resulted in Americans losing jobs to countries such as Mexico.
Many rightwing extremist groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises.
Rightwing extremist paranoia of foreign regimes could escalate or be magnified in the event of an economic crisis or military confrontation, harkening back to the “New World Order” conspiracy theories of the 1990s. The dissolution of Communist countries in Eastern Europe and the end of the Soviet Union in the 1990s led some rightwing extremists to believe that a “New World Order” would bring about a world government that would usurp the sovereignty of the United States and its Constitution, thus infringing upon their liberty.
No, these are not legitimate concerns. These are the irrational fears of a paranoid, extremist, fringe group. Congratulations, you're probably a domestic terrorist.

13 April 2009

The Fallacy of Equality

The term "equality" has been bothering me lately, especially as it has been slung around by the liberal media with regards to minorities, special interest groups, etc.

The founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal, and yet it is obvious that no two human beings are identical in any respect. We come from different places, look different, act different, have varying degrees of strength (super-human, in my case), intelligence (yes, I am omniscient, too), and other abilities. So how, exactly, are we all equal?

According to Dr. W. Cleon Skousen, we are treated as equals in 3 ways: in the sight of God, in the sight of the law, and in the protection of our rights. Constitutional writer Clarence Carson described it this way:
First, there is equality before the law. This means that every man's case is tried by the same law governing any particular case. Practically, it means that there are no different laws for different classes and orders of men. The definition of premeditated murder is the same for the millionaire as for the tramp. A corollary of this is that no classes are created or recognized by law.

Second, the Declaration refers to an
equality of rights...Each man is equally entitled to his life with every other man; each man has an equal title to God-given liberties along with every other.
But it seems that we've lost the original meaning of the term "equality." No longer is it about equal opportunity, but it is about equal things. As an example, I was reminded of a billboard that I saw a while ago here in Memphis that proudly proclaimed that if you couldn't afford to pay for a cell phone, the government would help you get one. Really? Is the right to a cell phone one of those unalienable rights that I slept through in my civics classes? If you can't afford a cell phone, guess what? TOUGH! If it is that important to you, go out and get a second job, or cut some of those trips to Mickey D's out (although we ARE very proud of our official status here in MS as the most obese state in the country). The argument here is that you need a cell phone in case of emergencies. Really? Where were the cell phones for the first 18+ years of my life? I seemed to manage just fine! We've become so accustomed to certain luxuries and amenities that we view them as "essential" to our survival. Of course, we are certainly not the first generation to confuse this definition, and we will undoubtedly not be the last. John Adams was in France when Jean Jacques Rousseau was teaching that all men were designed to be equal in every way. In response, Adams wrote:
That all men are born to equal rights is true. Every being has a right to his own, as clear, as moral, as sacred, as any other being has...But to teach that all men are born with equal powers and faculties, to equal influence in society, to equal property and advantages through life, is as gross a fraud, as glaring an imposition on the credulity of the people, as ever was practiced...
It should be obvious, then, to anyone who can objectively analyze a subject, that we are, in fact, created equal by God, and that we all have equal opportunities to succeed in this country based on our own merits. This also means that we are all subject to the same consequences as a result of our actions. Granted, the implication of this law (equality) has not always been executed justly. But an unjust application of the law does not make the law itself unjust. It just means we need to support those will more appropriately carry out the law as it is established.

08 April 2009

Move over Jack Bauer: Meet Marcus Luttrell

If you haven't seen this video, or heard his interviews on the Glenn Beck radio program, you really need to. THIS is the epitome of what a hero should be. Marcus Luttrell is one of the baddest people on the planet. Glenn Beck said on his radio program said that Marcus makes Jack Bauer look like Screech from Saved by the Bell. This is the Navy SEAL that was the lone survivor (also authored the book Lone Survivor) of Operation Red Wing (for which he was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart).

Last week 4 low-life teenagers in TX were going around joyriding and shooting people's dogs (they had Michael Vick jerseys on, btw). First of all, you don't shoot people's dogs just for the hell of it. Second of all, you don't shoot the Lone Survivor's dog. Marcus chased them through 4 counties before the drivers were finally forced to pull over after hitting police rollers. Here's the thing. At one point he was able to ram them off the road into a ditch about 3 miles from his home. He had a gun leveled at the driver. No one was around. They just shot his dog (who, incidentally, was given to him as a coping mechanism after he retired from the SEALs, and is named DASY, with each letter representing him and his SEAL team). You know what he did? Nothing. He exhibited perhaps the greatest amount of self-control I have ever heard of. He was as a member of the most elite division of the most powerful military on earth. Every instinct he had must have been screaming at him to take them out. But he didn't. He trusted the justice system of the country to which he dedicated his life.

Just so there's no misunderstanding, I very seriously doubt I would have been able to do the same. Those of you who know me and know how much we love our dogs and consider them part of our family will understand. And DASY meant so much more to Marcus than I can imagine. If it were me, I think I would have walked up to them and happily have shot them between the eyes. I don't even know that I would have been conflicted about it. I'm sure I would have had that moment of general human conscience where I asked myself if I really wanted to do this. But I believe that in my mind it would seem (at the moment) incredibly justifiable. (Especially in TX, and given that the criminal had discharged a gun on my property).

And here's where I see Marcus as miles above me. Marcus not only had to overcome the knee-jerk, reactionary, revenge-driven response that all of us average Joes would have faced. He's been trained to eliminate a threat at the first opportunity. Threat identified. Threat eliminated. Simple as that.

Please keep Marcus in your prayers. He has by no means forgiven these punks, and he may not be able to restrain himself the next time he runs into one of them. (In fact, he found out where to find one of the kids during the day, so he left town so that he wouldn't be tempted to take him out). He's trying to cope with losses and horrors that neither you nor I can ever imagine.


UPDATE: Just in case you need more evidence of what kind of man Marcus is, check out the video below. 'Nuf said.

Barackmobile

It's nice to see that the new Government Motors is actively seeking to overhaul its company in an attempt to make it more profitable. (I guess that to be "more profitable" would imply some previous level of profitability. So I suppose they're just trying to become profitable, period).

As part of that endeavor, GM is investing heavily in more fuel efficient and greener vehicles (you know, since there is such an enormous market for that in the US). Their latest project involves a partnership with NH based Segway to produce the Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility (charmingly called PUMA) vehicle. Are you ready for these wicked specs? It will weigh 300 lbs and travel up to, *gasp*35 mph! Holy freaking crap! Where do I sign up?

Never mind that it looks like someone took a couple wheels off my old big wheel and threw them on a garbage can. Or that I've seen bar stools that can go faster. This is the wave of the future! We will all soon be trading our cars in for these babies! Especially when the government mandates that the banks cease to provide loans for evil polluting combustion vehicles, and can only provide loans for these glorious, eco-friendly, mobile chick-repellers. But who really needs to date, anyway? Certainly no one driving one of these bad boys. But I'm sure the crew of the Starship Enterprise would be impressed.

Unfortunately, the PUMA isn't scheduled to be available until Q1 2010. But this just-released photo show you the design planned for the final model:


All hail the Glorious Leader! Just one question, though. Where do you fit the teleprompter? ZING!

07 April 2009

Even Microsoft Needs a Little Stimulus Love


The Microsoft Corporation is, by nearly any measure, the poster child for an efficient and effective business model. Whether or not you like the company or its products, it's tough to argue with the numbers. While the US economy grew just over 1% in 2008 (although it lost over 6% in Q4 alone), and many companies saw net losses last year, Microsoft still posted moderate gains. In 2008, Microsoft posted $60 bn in revenue, an operating income of $22 bn, and a net income of $17 bn. At the end of last year, Microsoft also reported $72 bn in total assets, and $36 bn in total equity. Granted, their earnings may have not been what they have in the past, but the company still netted a significant amount of money last year.

So it's no wonder that some residents of Redmond, WA are very upset about a plan for Microsoft to use $11 million of stimulus money to build a bridge that will connect 2 campuses at Microsoft's headquarters.

Here's the thing. Microsoft is spending $17.5 million of its own money to build the public access bridge, and studies have estimated that Microsoft would account for around 42% of the bridge's traffic. (For those of you mathematically challenged, they're paying about 49% of the bill). So that kind of seems fair, right? Opponents are arguing that while Microsoft's contribution is certainly significant, the public money that will be diverted could be better spent elsewhere.

I understand both sides of this debate. But here's the thing. The porkulus bill that was passed was one big pet project/earmark cesspool, so if you're going to get upset at anyone, be upset at your legislators and senators for voting for the thing (without reading it, I might add). Microsoft is simply doing what it does best; making decisions that are in the best interest of Microsoft and it's employees and investors. In fact, if you're a Microsoft investor, you should be grateful that the company has the common sense to take advantage of savings opportunities when presented to them (including laying off 5000 employees). Maybe the auto industry wouldn't be such a mess if they had the cajones to make tough decisions (curse you, UAW). At least this pet project is being partially funded (almost 50%) with private money and will benefit the community, and is only a drop in the $11 Trillion (that's Trillion with a capital T) bucket. Unlike a certain senator's maglev project.