Happy Hanukkah!

Here is the hit song, "I'm Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica" by Tom Lehrer:

The Perfect Gift

A Treadmill You Can Ride Outdoors!

Hat tip: Autobloggreen



This is for the person who has everything. Why walk, run, or ride a bike when you (or someone special in your life) can have one of these things?

Governor Jindal Speaks Out

From an interview on MSDNNBC

Here is a link to an interview NBC's David Schuster did with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. (Sorry, I couldn't make the embed code work correctly.) Gov. Jindal absolutely puts Schuster in his place. More importantly, Jindal outlines well what went wrong, and what to do right. At least he can communicate good conservative ideas and bring people together.

Sale!

Hat tip: Media Blog at National Review Online

"Twas the Night Before Elections

This has been making the rounds on e-mail:

Twas the night before elections

"'Twas the night before elections
And all through the town
Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!

I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap
Had cut off the TV
Tired of political crap.

When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise
I peered out of my window
Saw Obama and his boys

They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay
To give to the others
Who had not worked a day!

He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink

He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!

'On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Biden and Ayers!
On Acorn, On Pelosi'
He screamed at the pairs!

They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight
I heard him laugh at the nation
Who wouldn't stand up and fight!

So I leave you to think
On this one final note-
IF YOU DON'T WANT SOCIALISM
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!! "

Shock: Important Democratic Constituency Seen Slipping away in the 11th District

Gerry Connolly Makes Desperate Attempt to Win Dead Voters

Hat tip: Too Conservative

Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman and candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District Gerry Connolly (D) was caught doing some late “trick or treating” at the funeral for police Lieutenant Frank Stecco on Saturday, November 1, 2008. While Stecco’s family was receiving the love and support of friends and family, Connolly decided to be the “rotting pumpkin” at the door.

“Dead people are an important source of votes for the Democratic Party,” said an unnamed analyst. “However, with the investigations of ACORN as well as the rise in John McCain’s poll numbers, Connolly cannot afford to take anything for granted anymore.” It is also believed that the Connolly campaign has become paranoid over rival Keith Fimian’s (R) home inspection business, with the Connolly campaign holding the irrational belief that Fimian has the resources to find skeletons in all kinds of closets.

It is not known what kind of success Connolly had at the funeral. “Generally, Gerry talks about property taxes in a way that could wake the dead,” said a campaign source. Once that is accomplished, Gerry makes his pitch by threatening to raise takes on the cemetery plot. He has been known to bully quite a few of the deceased this way, though he wanders off to discussing rail to Hades in order to avoid delays at the River Styx, and in doing so can even kill off quite a few of the living voters.”

The Fimian campaign avoided comment out of respect for the deceased, though a spokesman did remind the public about a famous quote from Mark Twain. In his essay “At a Funeral,” Twain concluded with the words, “Do not bring your dog.” According to the Fimian campaign spokesman, “Clearly, the Democrats have forgotten an important lesson out of American literature.”

My Grandfather Died Today

I got some sad news that my last living grandparent died today. He was 105 and lived in Jerusalem. My grandfather was born in Salonika, Greece, in 1903 and immigrated to what is now Israel in 1913. (At that time the area was still ruled by the Ottoman Empire.) He was a tailor by trade and mended clothes well into his old age. He was deeply religious and prayed daily, even as a centenarian.

Since he lived overseas, I did not get a chance to see him very often, something I regret. He was always happy when we were able to visit, though. He was not able to be at my wedding, but I was able to bring my wife over to Israel to meet him. Unfortunately, my children will never get that chance.

Please say a prayer for Ovadiah ben Avraham v'Simha. May his memory be for a blessing.

Military Being Disenfranchised in Fairfax County -- UPDATED

Hat tip: Ace of Spades

The Newport News Daily Press reports that Fairfax County is rejecting the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot. The registrar says he is only following the law. These military absentee ballots are used when members of the armed services who are posted overseas are not sure if the State absentee ballots will make it to them on time.

According to the article:

Fairfax general registrar Rokey Suleman said Thursday that he has had to reject some of the ballots because of a Virginia law passed in 2002. That law — then called Senate Bill 113, sponsored by then state Sen. Bill Bolling — requires that when an overseas citizen wants to request an absentee ballot and cast a vote with the same paperwork, it requires not only a witness signature but also the current address of the witness.

The McCain campaign said there's not even a space for the witness to list an address. Suleman agreed; he said the federal document was changed in recent years and the space for the witness address was removed. But the Virginia law hasn't changed.

Here's an interesting comment from the registrar:

"I can't ignore the law," Suleman said. "I think it stinks."

No, what stinks is Gerry Connolly's Fairfax County. For some reason, other jurisdictions don't seem to have a problem here. Is it just coincidence that 68% of the military favor John McCain over Barack Obama?

UPDATE: There may be a resolution to this issue. (Hat tip: The Corner) This still shows that the Fairfax Democrats tried to disenfranchise our military. Shame on them!

Thanks also to all the bloggers who carried this story. My apologies to those who posted on the subject before I did (like UCV), and I didn't catch it right away.

Union Dues Hard at Work

The latest Education Intelligence Agency Communiqué has an interesting item about how the teachers’ unions spend their members (often forced) dues money. It seems that without any major collective bargaining issues or ballot issues directly related to education, the union has a little more money than they know what to do with. But do you think the unions would ever return a surplus to its members? Naaaaah! As EIA writes:

But what happens if there are few or no major education-related issues or initiatives to battle, especially in a presidential election year, and your fund keeps filling up? Continually rolling it over eventually leads to delegates questioning whether that dues assessment is needed at that level. Even after accounting for a prudent reserve, the union has money to burn in 2008, and there is no shortage of people with ideas about how to spend it.

So the union's horizons broaden. Since there are no imminent threats, the union spends money on stamping out possible future threats (ConCons). There are 12 initiatives on California's ballot, none of which have the remotest relationship to public education. But the 800 or so members of the CTA State Council are mostly good liberals, their allies are all on the No on Prop 8 side, and the union's GLBT Caucus is powerful and influential. The result is a total of $1.25 million to protect gay marriage. If Prop 8 had been on the ballot in November 2005, along with Gov. Schwarzenegger's education initiatives, CTA would not have spent a dime on it.

The Sacramento ABC affiliate has more on this issue.

[Note to the reader: California Prop 8 is a ballot initiative to add a State Constitutional Amendment to support traditional one-man, one-woman marriage.]

So let’s remember this as Mark Warner, Gerry Connolly, Judy Feder, Jim Moran, and, of course, Barack Obama favor compelling workers to join unions and pay dues to support such causes. Not exactly Virginia (or American) values, eh? Remember, the unions always claim that dues do not go for political causes, but as recent filings required by the Department of Labor show, the unions have a way of making “grants” to “non-profits” that support various left-wing political agendas.

Diabetes Awareness

Hat tip: Wild and Precious Life

Let’s put aside our partisan differences for just one minute:



My nephew has Type 1 Diabetes as well as Celiac Disease. The contest described in the above video is designed to raise awareness. Let’s just say that when I found out about diabetes, celiac, and their effects on the people who have these diseases and their families, it was quite an eye-opener! Family dinners and get-togethers will never be the same again.

Barack the Plumber

I got the following cartoon from "Americans for Limited Government."

Spreading the Wealth

Plumbing the Obama Tax Hike

Wealth
Uploaded by luvnews

A plumber has figured out that Obama’s tax plan will raise his taxes and confronts Barack Obama about it.. Transcript (hat tip to The Corner at NRO):

"Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" the plumber asked, complaining that he was being taxed "more and more for fulfilling the American dream."

"It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success too," Obama responded. "My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

My wife and I heard the excerpt this morning. Her reaction was that maybe Senator Obama can take some of the money he is spending on his daughters’ posh private schools (which I am estimating is at least $30,000 per year) and spread some of that wealth around! She then proceeded to explain Obama’s destructive tax hikes to our seven-year-old son. He understood pretty well, I am proud to say.

What gets me is the fact that Obama didn’t try to deny anything. Didn’t he and/or Joe Biden claim in the debates that very few small businesses would be affected by the taxes on small businesses? Here is one plumber who has figured out that the tax burden would be increased! Clearly, Obama’s tax plan (assuming the Democrats in Congress don’t make taxes even higher) will affect several small businesses, whether they be plumbers, accountants, asphalt pavers, lawyers, doctors, etc.

As our Marxist friends like to tell us, "From each according to his ability; to each according to his need." I hope John McCain throws some “cold water” on the Obama business tax plans in the upcoming debate.

ACLU Tries to Get Virginia Registrars to Allow Students to Vote

Isn’t this Illegal?

Hat tip: Ace

Here is the article.

[Radford Registrar Tracy] Howard says student registration drives are an issue. Groups conducting these drives "have at best simply misinformed on-campus individuals and at worst lied to them" about registration rules, he wrote in his response to the ACLU. They are also holding applications longer than they're supposed to and flooding Howard's office with them.

I wonder how these students feel about having to register their cars in Virginia and paying personal property tax? Hmmm, I smell an ACORN!

Blog-iversary!

Today marks two years since I started the Isophorone blog. Thanks to all of you for reading!

Today is also my birthday.

To Err Is Human . . .

. . . to really screw up takes a community organizer!

Stanley Kurtz of National Review Online has the details of ACORN's pressure program.

CNN also Exposes the Ayers and Obama Connection

Hat tip: The Corner at National Review Online

HUD Audit: Virginia Misspent over $3 Million under Mark Warner

Just One Program

See audit from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Inspector General for Audit, Philadelphia Regional Office, dated September 18, 2006, here.

Summary of what HUD found:

The Commonwealth did not ensure that HOME [HOME Investment Partnerships program] funds were disbursed and used in accordance with federal regulations. We reviewed project funds disbursed through the Commonwealth’s Affordable Housing and Preservation program, operating assistance grants awarded to community housing development organizations, and downpayment and closing cost assistance provided though the Commonwealth’s Single Family Regional Loan Fund. The Commonwealth did not always comply with federal regulations and/or its own requirements in its disbursements and and administration of HOME funds for various purposes. These problems occurred because it did not develop and document critical risk assessments and implement an adequate monitoring program to ensure that it properly administered the HOME program. As a result, HOME funds totaling $183,706 were used for ineligible expenses or activities and $527,060 in expenses were unsupported. The Commonwealth also accumulated more than $3.2 million in administrative funds that should have been used to improve its administration of its HOME program and to fund eligible HOME projects. Doing so would have enabled the Commonwealth’s HOME program to better meet its main goal of providing affordable housing for low-income households.

[Emphasis mine.]

Wow! A waste of about $3.3 million in just one program! Note that the audit covered the time period from 2002 – 2005, just when Mark Warner was Governor of Virginia. If that much waste exists in one program, don’t you wonder what else is lurking out there?

I guess we really needed that tax hike!

Clinical Diagnosis: Palin Derangement Syndrome

Hat tip: Alarming News

The Dr. Helen blog at Pajamas Media quotes a request for advice sent from a Democrat mother of three to Salon:

And then came Sarah. My reaction to her, and the way the Republican Party threw her in our faces, and the pandering and hypocrisy that was behind their decision to do so, was immediate, visceral, and indeed, vicious. I have crossed every line I believed should never be crossed in public discourse — I have criticized not only her policies and her record, but her hair, her personal style, her accent, her abilities as a mother, etc. I’ve also begun to suffer personally and professionally. I bore my friends with my constant tirades against her, and am constantly distracted from my work by my need to continually update myself on the latest criticism, and indeed, ridicule, of her. In my hatred for her, I have begun to hate myself. I don’t want this woman ruining my life before she even gets a chance to ruin our country. How do I stop? Is there a self-help group for this? A “Hater”

Interestingly, friends and coworkers are mentioned in the letter, but no husband or family. Those three children of the letter writer must live in an interesting household, to say the least!

The Salon advice columnist comes up with some hokey psychoanalysis of his own and tries to create a Myers-Briggs profile for Governor Palin. Apparently, some of these Myers-Briggs personalities are downright dangerous! Who knew?

All this only confirms a theory of mine that if Sarah Palin did not exist, the angry leftists would have to invent her. She is the latest object of seething anger that dates back to Ronald Reagan, through both President Bushes, and now her. Sadly, I don’t think this will end with Gov. Palin, either. I can only hope that these sad, angry people don’t fly any more out of control than they already have.

I wonder of treatment of these derangements would be mandated under an Obama health plan?

As Tom Lehrer said back in the 1960s, “There are some people in this world who do not love their fellow human beings and I HATE people like that!”

Moonbats Strike Again

Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings (D), in front of a Jewish audience:

“If Sarah Palin isn’t enough of a reason for you to get over whatever your problem is with Barack Obama, then you damn well had better pay attention,” Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida said at a panel about the shared agenda of Jewish and African-American Democrats Wednesday. Hastings, who is African-American, was explaining what he intended to tell his Jewish constituents about the presidential race. “Anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks. So, you just think this through,” Hastings added as the room erupted in laughter and applause.

Of course, anyone who goes to a church of a Jew-hating minister, takes big campaign contributions from corrupt Fannie Mae executives, and gets mentored by a terrorist does care about blacks and Jews?

Debate Scene I'd Like to See

Imagine this: At a Presidential debate, Obama does his usual stuttering and sputtering and self-contradiction. When it is McCain's turn, he looks at the press and says, "It's OK. You can turn on his Teleprompter now. It won't do him much good anyway."

The BBQ Song

Putin Gets What He Has Coming

Back in August I commented on how Russia was damaging its economy because of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s Bonapartist adventures. So given how the Russian markets had sunk at that point, did any of you buy? I sure hope not! Here is the latest performance chart for the Russia Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) RSX:

Bloomberg reports that trading on Russia’s stock exchanges had to be halted due to back-to-back double digit percentage losses. Interest rates are also double digit. Credit has dried up in Russia in part due to bank shares dropping and in part to the Lehman Brothers collapse.

In the meantime, London’s Daily Telegraph reports that Russia wants to make unilateral claims on the Arctic. Putin is also increasing his defense spending significantly. Does this guy not get it? We all know how well the Soviet Union performed. Does he think he can have it both ways with his restrictions on speech and press and still encourage a booming market economy?

We’ll see what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has to say tomorrow.

Poll: McCain Winning the New York Jewish Vote

Kvell, Bubbie, Kvell!

Hat tip: SWAC Girl

I was absolutely shocked to read an article in the New York Post that said that not only had John McCain cut Barack Obama’s lead in New York to five points, but also that McCain was actually polling with a majority of the Jewish vote.

Obama has had a reversal of fortunes among Jewish voters. His support has plummeted 35 points, from a lead of 50-37 to a 54-32 deficit in the new poll.

This must be the first time since before the Great Depression that a majority of the Jewish vote has gone Republican. My guess is that a combination of factors are at work:

1) The New Deal generation (whose who came of voting age in 1932) has pretty much died out

2) Security concerns for the U.S. and Israel greatly influence the vote, and Obama’s weaknesses in this area are hurting him badly

3) Tolerance of anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish bigotry within the Democratic Party is finally starting to have negative repercussions

4) The proportion of Orthodox Jewish voters has grown, and like morally conservative Christians, they are pro-life and favor the Republican candidates

5) Like many voters (particularly in high cost of living areas like New York), Jewish voters are concerned about the economy and particularly Obama’s plans to raise taxes on income, investments, and estates.

6) The scandals and mismanagement brought about on the local level by Democrats like Eliot Spitzer and Jon Corzine are also reflecting badly on the national Democrats.

The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is reporting that Florida Democrats are seeing increasing resistance to Obama among the normally reliably Democratic Jewish elderly. Maybe this explains McCain's expanding lead in Florida as well.

So should the symbol for excited Jewish Republicans should be called the KVELLephant?

Biden on His Qualifications

Inspired by NOVA Townhall

“She’s a truly close personal friend and she is qualified to be President of the United States of America, she’s easily qualified to be Vice President of the United States of America and quite frankly it might have been a better pick than me,” he continued. "I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate.”

So let’s see if we get this straight: A junior Senator who has served in the Senate since 2001 is a better pick than a powerful Senate committee chairman who has served since 1973.


moar funny pictures

Thanks also to The Write Side of My Brain for bringing the Icanhascheezburger.com site to my attention.

Palin and Foreign Policy

Met with Israeli Consul

In an article that started by repeating the false charges by Rep Robert Wexler (D-MarylandFlorida) that Sarah Palin supported Pat Buchanan in 2000, the Israeli news service YNet News reports that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin keeps warm relations with Alaska’s Jewish Community (a.k.a the “Frozen Chosen”). More interestingly, the article also mentions that Palin met with Israeli Consul General for the Pacific Northwest David Akov.

Meanwhile, Jewish sources and Israel-friends in the United States told Ynet that the Alaska governor has maintained very warm relations with the small Jewish community in the state, which comprises roughly 4,000 people. Moreover, Palin met with Israeli Foreign Ministry official David Akov, who served as Israel's Consul General for the Pacific Northwest Region.

During the meeting, the two discussed cooperation between Israel and Alaska on various issues, such as counter-terrorism efforts. Akov invited Palin to visit Israel and the governor expressed her desire to do so. She also reportedly told Akov that Alaska's residents love Israel.

(Note: Sarah Palin was a supporter of Steve Forbes, not Pat Buchanan in the 1999 - 2000 time frame.)

Another YNet News article discusses Palin’s meeting with Israeli filmmaker Elan Frank. Frank was surprised to find that Palin Keeps an Israeli flag in her office. (Hat tip: Petitedov)

"She had an Israeli flag, of all the things, mounted on her office wall, and I have that on film" he said. "I was very surprised to see that and when I asked her about it, she said that she loves Israel and the she had friends who visited the country and brought her the flag."

Now we have given our friends on the unhinged left another reason to spew venom at Sarah Palin!

Pauvre Petits Enfants

French may have to work more than 35 hours per week

Another School Year

With More Fees as Well

We have now passed our first week of the new school year, and so far, so good. Our younger one just started preschool. At the orientation session, he threw quite a few tantrums and even tried to rip his clothes off. When school actually started, however, he was pretty well-behaved. I shouldn’t tempt fate, but so far, so good.

Our older son is enjoying second grade and seems to have a nice teacher. A girl in his class must like him because she keeps bugging him with all kinds of concerns every time there is work to do.

The school where our older son goes also has a chess club. We started him on chess this summer since there our local library had drop in sessions in the evening. He has also tried his luck online. The game of chess involves more skill and less luck than “Sorry.” Here’s what gets us: They are charging a $50 fee for chess!

More Cool Stuff in Hebrew

You may have noticed that I have posted pictures of John McCain and Sarah Palin with Hebrew letter captions. (Thanks to The Road Taken for the images.) Here is another source for McCain/Palin paraphernalia in Hebrew letters:

Debunking the “Troopergate” Myth

Investigations Began Before Palin Became Governor of Alaska

Hat tip: Ace of Spades

I found a helpful timeline from a blog called Flopping Aces. This is clearly a work in progress, but the information puts the whole police investigation in perspective. From the looks of things, Sarah Palin’s ex-brother-in-law, Mike Wooten, was a police officer who was under investigation for domestic violence and misconduct on the job. According to reports, this guy allegedly tasered his own child! The Palins were part of the investigation even before Sarah Palin was elected Governor. She is also fully cooperating with the investigation of the whole incident. The comments to this blog entry seem to clarify and explain things quite a bit.

UPDATE: Badrose has called my attention to this synopsis from BeldarBlog. It got me thinking about a couple of things:

1) What if Palin had done nothing? Wouldn't all the leftists be whining about her inaction against an abusive cop?

2) Note the difficulty in getting rid of such a bad actor and dealing with public employee unions. Now remember that Obama, Warner, Connolly, and Feder all favor forcing "card check" and union thugs on workers everywhere to force unionization on the rest of us. One reason many European economies are so sick is that union rules make it difficult to fire anyone. Here is a glaring example, so Obama, Warner, Connolly, and Feder must think that this is the proper role model for the rest of us.

Joe Biden Opposed the Alaska Pipeline

The 1970s Oil Pipeline, That Is

Hat tip: Powerline

See this interview CNBC's Maria Bartiromo had with Sarah Palin.

Do you think that Obama and Biden are still going to say that the Alaska pipeline was a bad idea and should be shut down and dismantled? Despite all that enviro-whacko screaming about dire environmental consequences, the caribou and other animals in the Arctic environment have flourished.

Let's keep reminding the voters about the Democrats, the party of darkness and shortages.

Counter-Protest Sign

Hat tip: Powerline

Zombietime has some great pictures up of the stinkfest known as "Recreate 68." A few counterprotesters showed up; here is an excellent sign:

I thought you guys at UCV would enjoy this one especially!

So Two Wrongs Make It Right?

Hat tip: My firend Dan

It appears that the Democrat party has suddenly developed a keen sense of morality. John Edwards has been removed from speaking at the Democrat convention for having an extra-marital affair and lying about it.

And . . . in his place, Bill Clinton will be speaking!

Democratic Convention Coffee

News that Will Have You Glazed Over

In honor of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Dunkin Donuts is offering a “Java Joe” coffee special. It is a cup of Joe made of a light Kenyan/Indonesian blend with a mild Indian accent. Price is $20.08 plus 70% tax. This concoction is easiest to swallow if it is creamed heavily.

ObaMacaca!

Barack Obama Selects Joe Biden as Running Mate

Hat tip: Virginia Virtucon



Anyone have a “slight Indian accent?” So why were former Senator George Allen’s words so offensive, but Biden’s were not? Somehow I think our friends on the left will let this one go quite easily.

I am not defending either person here. What George Allen and Joe Biden said were both pretty immature, the former out of anger or frustration, and the latter as an attempt to be smarter than everyone else. However, I really don’t look upon either one as a racist. All I sometimes wonder is what standard people (especially those on the left) use before making their accusations.

By the way, isn’t “Obamacaca” one of the 57 States cited by Barack Obama?

Obama Endorses Slave Labor in Virginia

Highlights Kaine’s Lack of Transportation Plan

Hat tip: Hot Air

Former Illinois State Senator Barack Hussein Obama Soetoro Jr. told a real whopper in Virginia:

Everybody’s watching what’s going on in Beijing right now with the Olympics. Think about the amount of money that China has spent on infrastructure. Their ports, their train systems, their airports are vastly the superior to us now, which means if you are a corporation deciding where to do business you’re starting to think, “Beijing looks like a pretty good option.”

Where do we begin? Let’s see, how about the fact that China has a reputation for using slave labor? I must say, this remark is, er, ironic given that Obama said this in antebellum plantation country!

And this coming from the same Barack Obama who decried foreign competition not too long before in other areas of Virginia. Oh, well, that, too, was ancient history.

Where does China get the energy to run all that fabulous infrastructure? If you are an Obamamoron, maybe you think it all comes from the plug!

Even more interestingly, as Q and O points out, a lot of what you see on the Olympics is just a bit of a façade. China still has a lot of people using bicycles. Then again, Chinese are making and buying lots of cars, which I thought the leftists opposed (except for themselves). The leftists also seem not to be able to assign responsibility for the resulting increase in fuel prices to demand in places like China; they would rather blame ExxonMobil.

If things are so great with the Chinese, maybe Obama would like to eat some fried cicadas and other delicacies. By the time we are all done with his tax hikes, that’s all the rest of us will be able to afford to eat!

Hey, as Lincoln Steffens (1866 – 1936) said, “I have seen the future, and it works.” That fits just right for someone like Obama who associates with unrepentant leftists. All the wrong history repeats itself with this guy, don’t you think?

Even more interestingly, Obama has to talk about transportation in front of Timmy! Kaine. Um, isn’t that the same Tim Kaine who has shown absolutely no leadership on the issue of transportation?

California: Hybrid and Electric Cars are Too Quiet

Hat tip: Autobloggreen

Now Ah-nuld gets to decide, and Maryland is studying the issue as well. Peas in a pod?

Electric cars and gas-electric hybrids are so quiet that they present a safety hazard for the visually-impaired. In response, the California legislature has passed a law requiring a minimum noise level. Cars have come a long way, haven’t they?

Is this a case of lawmakers run amok? Or is this the result of technology that various governments have pushed for really hard without considering all the drawbacks?

Once again, the superiority of the diesel engine is demonstrated, right? ;)

Interesting Death Notice in the New York Times

Richard III.

For those of you who think this is obscure history, well, you aren't altogether wrong. Richard III was King of England from 1483 to 1485. He may be best known (and even that's a stretch) to modern audiences through the Shakespeare tragedy in which Richard is the title character. He is one of Shakespeare's best villains. Interestingly enough, the play is one of those closest to Shakespeare's own time and contains a higher amount of factual basis than most of the others. Of course, William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) worked for Elizabeth I (who ruled from 1558 - 1603), the granddaughter of the King who defeated Richard III in battle.

Historically speaking, Richard III was the youngest brother of King Edward IV, who died in 1483. Edward IV's oldest son, Edward V (who was a child at the time), was supposed to be crowned King of England, but then the younger Edward and his siblings were declared illegitimate on their uncle Richard's orders. Edward V and his younger brother (also named Richard) mysteriously disappeared in the Tower of London, and Richard III was crowned King of England. The bodies of Edward V and his brother were found almost 200 years later during a 17th century Tower renovation project.

Richard III is best known for establishing bail for criminals during his brief reign. Also, during that time, Richard's wife, as well as his son and heir, died. In 1485, forces allied with Welshman Henry Tudor (who had a tenuous claim to the British throne) invaded England, and these forces met with Richard's at Bosworth field. On August 22, 1485, Richard was killed in that battle, and Henry Tudor was crowned Henry VII. This battle also marked the last major conflict of the "Wars of the Roses" (though fighting continued for some years thereafter). According to Shakespeare, Richard III uttered the famous words, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" before being killed in battle. Henry VII married Elizabeth, the sister of the two boys who disappeared in the Tower, and ruled until his death in 1509. (Elizabeth I, Shakespeare’s patron, was granddaughter of Henry VII. Her successor, James I, was great-grandson of Henry VII.)

Given how long the "Princes in the Tower" (as Edward V and his brother Richard are known) were dead before they were discovered, it is impossible to tell how old they were when they were murdered. A difference of two years in age would make a huge difference as to who was responsible for ordering their deaths. Circumstantial evidence points to Richard III; however, Henry VII would have had no interest in having them alive, either. The Richard III Society, who places the In Memoriam notices in the New York Times every year, believes Richard III was framed by history (and alas, history is often written by the victor). Author and historian Allison Weir sifts through historical evidence and places the blame squarely on Richard III. In any case, it is a real murder mystery, one of the few actual ones in a Shakespeare play.

Shakespeare blames a lot of deaths (probably more than historically accurate) on Richard III. He also implied that Richard had an unhealthy interest in his niece Elizabeth (the sister of the Princes in the Tower, who was about 14 at the time). The main gist of the play, besides the historical debate, concerns a man who is so power-hungry that he murders most of his enemies, and then turns on his friends as they become disgusted with him. Finally, with few friends left and a whole host of enemies, he himself falls and justice is served.

I have often compared the Clintons with Richard III. Bill and Hillary Clinton are people who are a bit mad for power and turn on their political enemies rather viciously (though I am not blaming the Clintons for anyone’s death). It is apparent that even Democrats have become disgusted with the antics of Bill and Hillary and have mostly abandoned the formerly President and First Lady. Perhaps the early primaries did turn into the Clintons’ “winter of discontent” (to paraphrase Shakespeare). Imagine what would happen if Hillary did try to wrest the Democratic nomination from Barack Obama!

Several stage productions of Richard III have been filmed. In addition, Al Pacino starred in a film called “Looking for Richard” about making a production of Richard III. I recommend this film as Pacino does a good job of portraying a villainous character.

So you can commemorate this day however you want, if at all. I always put a message on my office voice mail about the Battle of Bosworth whether or not I am in. (Please don’t tell my boss.) This is an interesting topic of study with or without all of Shakespeare’s embellishment.

“Barack Obama and Tony Rezko Both Grew Up in Muslim Countries”

How Does That Sound?

The Democratic National Committee created a shameful ad that kept trying to tie Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) to Jack Abramoff and made repeated mention of Cantor’s religion. So I was thinking, let’s turn the tables and do this to Obama. What could we get?

“Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses? Barack Obama and convicted felon Tony Rezko both grew up in Muslim countries. . . "

We can make other variations:

“Barack Obama and hate-monger Louis Farrakhan both are black.”

“Barack Obama and indicted Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick both are black.”

“Barack Obama and radical William Ayers both support terrorists.”

The Democrats screamed bloody murder about the “Willie Horton” ad in 1988 (in which Republicans accused Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis of releasing violent criminals on furloughs too readily. Ironically, Al Gore was the first to make an issue of Willie Horton, who happened to be black.) It’s funny how the racial identity politics of the Democrats is starting to bite them back. Somehow they see nothing wrong now with going after Jews, but hey, what have the Jews done for the Democrats recently?

More to the point, the Democrats do not have any kind of sensible policies when it comes to taxes, energy, or national security. So they have to create this side show on race to distract attention. The past century is full of tragic examples of what happens when politicians harness racial animosity to gain or retain power. Really, I didn’t think the Democrats would get this bad, but maybe these kinds of actions are the logical result of these kinds of strategies. (Note that the Democrats are now even attacking former Soviet Jewish dissident Natan Sharansky.)

I would like to thank my fellow conservative bloggers, such as Mason Conservative, Right-Wing Liberal, The Write Side of my Brain, Shaun Kenney, and Virginia Virtucon, and many others. Note to I’m Surrounded by Idiots: The Obama campaign isn’t totally surrounded by Jew-haters. Some of the Obama campaign’s advisors appear to be self-hating Jews.

Raisin' McCain Video

From John Rich.

Caputo Explains Absence from Special Session on Transportation

Testing “Environmentally Acceptable Altenatives”

Hat tips: Too Conservative, Scott’s Morning Brew, Powerline

Fairfax Delegate Carmine “Chuck” Caputo (D-67) finally gave his constituents an explanation as to why he missed the General Assembly Special Session that had been called to deal with transportation. According to Caputo, he was on a site visit to examine the feasibility of biodiesel-based river transport at the invitation of former Vice President Al Gore. Caputo helpfully provided a picture of the vessel and says he plans to "float" this idea in the next General Assembly session.






“With this ship we can move hundreds, if not dozens of people monthly,” said Caputo. “It will take care of the need for outer crossings or burdening my constituents with additional lane miles of roads. Since Governor Kaine clearly has no interest in building new roads for Northern Virginia, I thought that Al Gore’s boat would be the logical alternative.”






Caputo heaped praise on Gore and the eponymously-named “BS-1.” “The BS-1 is even equipped with a jet ski that can take commuters on smaller bodies of water. With proper planning, I am confident that we can test it on Little Rocky Run. I am also confident that we can cut a few minutes off the carbon emissions from those pesky little Smart cars.”

Al Gore was a gracious host. “He gave me a few carbon credits for my birthday,” said Caputo. “I think he will also put in a good word for me with Ted Kennedy so I can research his environmentally-conscious marine transportation technology as well."

Kaine and Jindal Debated on "Meet the Press"

Transcript can be found here.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) debated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” this past Sunday, August 17, 2008. Moderator David Gregory asked each of them a series of questions about the likely Democratic and Republican nominees, Sens. Barack Hussein Obama and John McCain, respectively. The Kaine/Jindal debate starts about 16 minutes into the program.

While both were clearly articulate spokemen for their respective party’s causes, Gov. Jindal clearly landed some damaging blows to Obama’s tax plan when he pointed out how Obama would raise taxes on people who make at least $42,000 per year. Kaine also made a fool of himself when he said that McCain was “the last remaining cheerleader” of our victorious efforts in Iraq. I guess Tim Kaine doesn’t respect the troops that much, which is odd given the number of military personnel and contractors who live and work in Virginia. Kaine did come out in support of abstinence education programs, which I am not sure is consistent with his previous positions on the subject.

Overall, it was a good discussion, though it seemed to me that Kaine got more speaking and response time than Jindal did. Maybe someone has timed the program and can give an accurate figure. According to my word count, Kaine had 1,438 words (minus the hellos, goodbyes, and a mumble or two), while Jindal had 1,002 words.

UPDATE: I decided to delete the previous post based on my glaring error. Title is now changed to Kaine, rather than Obama and Jindal. Here I thought I was too young for senior moments (or this is what I get for posting late at night when children are creating distractions)! If Obama does win this year, we may very well have Obama/Jindal debates in 2012.

I apologize to all my readers for this mistake. Thanks, Vivian!

Top Five in Demand Majors

I saw this Yahoo new item that listed the top five majors currently in demand:

1. Mechanical Engineering
2. Accounting
3. Finance
4. Business Administration
5. Civil Engineering

Starting salaries for mechanical engineers average $57,821. Actually, I am surprised the chemical and/or petroleum engineers are not on that list.

Some interesting patterns emerge about that list. Most importantly, each one requires quite a bit of mathematical aptitude. From what I have observed, graduating from engineering, accounting, or business school is rather difficult for those who cannot do the math. (The good news for those without math skills is that they can always land a job at the New York Times.)

The other big point that I get is that all these fields require quite a bit of multidisciplinary cooperation. For example, mechanical engineers often work with chemical, electrical, automotive, and other kinds of engineers. They often perform cost estimates as well. Accountants and business administrators usually work with people of many different backgrounds to understand where the money goes and why. Civil engineers often work with architects. The examples are endless.

The most successful people in any major, of course, have good communications skills, people skills, and acquire a variety of talents. However, basic grounding in things like math skills gives us abilities that last a lifetime. We hear a lot these days, for example, about an employee in a home improvement store who needs a calculator to be able to multiply by ten. How do people like that get out of high school? I become more and more convinced that drilling the basics into students is more cost-effective than allowing use of expensive or even inexpensive electronic “toys” (like calculators or computers).

When I was in high school I had this chemistry teacher, Mr. Perlmutter, who was one of those guys who didn’t allow use of calculators during the first quarter of the year. We had to use slide rules or be able to calculate things by hand (as well as learn significant figures and scientific notation). He was tough, but let me tell you, everyone learned! After getting an education from a guy like that, you certainly understand what numbers are supposed to mean.

Then again, maybe I am getting to be a crusty curmudgeon in my old age . . .

BBC Makes Secret Video of Russians Still in Georgia

See embedded video at Powerline

Vladimir Bonaparte is still digging in! Somehow our leftist friends will still insist on blaming America first.

While We're Reminiscing About 1970s Ads . . .

My wife thought I was making this up until I found it on YouTube!

Something for Riley to use on his Friday video posts.

New Obama Ad!

Or a parody of one, anyway. Yes, it's "The New Seekers" on this early-1970s video with ABBA and the Coca-Cola ad thrown in.

I think the McCain campaign can have fun with this. After all, Obama once thought that coke was the real thing, too!

Russia Declares War on . . . Itself?

Putin Power Punting Prosperity

I’ve seen a couple of good editorials in the Wall Street Journal this week with back stories about Russia in the wake of its military action against the Republic of Georgia. In addition to Bonapartist ventures beyond its borders, the Russian government has been harassing domestic businesses again. Check out this editorial from the August 11 Wall Street Journal:

The story revolves around Russian coal and steel company Mechel, which is publicly listed on the New York Stock exchange. On Friday the firm said it was going to postpone a preferred share placement in the wake of a battering its shares took from the volatile Mr. Putin.

Late last month, Mr. Putin accused the company of price gouging and tax evasion and warned of investigations to follow. He also got personal after Mechel CEO Igor Zyuzin failed to show up to a meeting the prime minister was holding with business leaders. "The director has been invited, and he suddenly became ill," said Mr. Putin, according to the Moscow Times. "I think he should get well as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will have to send him a doctor and clean up all the problems." Mr. Zyuzin had been hospitalized a day earlier with heart problems.

Coming from Mr. Putin, such talk is nothing short of terrifying: Consider the fate of former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, now in jail in Siberia while Yukos's assets were gobbled up by state-owned oil company Rosneft. Investors swiftly took note: Mechel's stock dropped by more than 33% in a day, while the Russian exchange fell by 9%.

Interestingly, exchange-traded funds related to Russia have plunged since the beginning of June. The Market Vectors Russia ETF Trust (NYSE: RSX) fund is down close to 30% since that time, with some deep declines in the past week or so. Harassment of the free market is never a good thing in any country!

The Journal’s Holman Jenkins also chronicles Russia’s (and particularly Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s) mad drive to control energy supplies.

Western governments and Western oil executives have played an unwise role in Mr. Putin's plan. No amount of contract abrogation, outright seizure of property or subsidiary mayhem by Russian authorities seems able to dissuade them from throwing good money after bad in pursuit of Russian resources. Western minority shareholders in Yukos were wiped out with nary a peep when the Russian government seized the oil company on tax charges. There's been virtually no official pushback as environmental offenses were alleged as a reason to squeeze Western partners out of various drilling and pipeline projects after billions of dollars were committed.

Indeed, with what breezy confidence Mr. Putin must have turned Western oil companies into his political punching bags, knowing that back home Western politicians (Nancy Pelosi, Byron Dorgan, Dick Durbin, etc.) were doing exactly the same in pursuit of their own narrow and shortsighted political quests.

Jenkins makes some devastating statements about the consequences of not standing up to this state-sponsored bullying as well as the vapid view on energy of Congressional Democrats (and their 2008 presumptive Presidential nominee).

There is a certain irony in the similarity of the Democrats’ and Putin’s worldview. In each case, government control and power grabs seem to be motivating factors. Both have strong opposition to assertiveness on behalf of freedom and free markets. And both are, in the end, quite destructive with their policies.

I am glad to read that President Bush is starting to take more assertive action against the Russians. From everything we have seen, John McCain understands this whole situation inside and out, while Barack Obama is still trying to figure out if the Florida, South Carolina, or Tennessee National Guards would be the most appropriate to send. The initial reaction of many Democrats, to engage in blame, or even open sympathy to the Russians, is very telling. Reminds me of another decade, say, 30 years ago.

Separated at Birth

Hat Tip: My friend Dan

Obama Impresses Russians with Kaine’s Eyebrows

“From Bush to Bushy”

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today acknowledged that Russia had complied with former Illinois State Senator Barack Hussein Obama Jr. Soetoro’s request that Russia cease military operations against the Republic of Georgia. “We were not going to listen to this Obama,” said Medvedev. But then just like this we see Tim Kaine with those Brezhnev eyebrows, and we knew that Obama meant business. They understand that what is ours is ours, and what is theirs is negotiable.”

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine’s increased prospects as a potential Vice Presidential candidate certainly has raised eyebrows, so to speak. Rumor has it that one reason the Russians agreed to listen to Obama is that Kaine secretly promised Virginia road money to Russia. “Kaine is still working on a transportation plan despite the failure of the recent special session,” said a source that refused to be identified. “He is very sure that State Senate Democrats will agree to send Virginia tax dollars to Russia for their roads so Democrats will have another excuse to propose tax hikes.”

The McCain campaign was quick to respond to Kaine’s sudden prominence. “If the Obama campaign thinks that this is real foreign policy, they had better ‘trim’ their expectations,” said a statement from the campaign. “Clearly, it is all style over substance with a bunch of ‘hair’-brained schemes. Obama and Kaine would be truly lost if they were in the 'thick' of it.”

The Obama campaign dismissed Republican criticism. “Anyone could have predicted the arched lines of their ‘lowbrow’ expectations,” said the Obama campaign. “Kaine brings a message of ‘raised’ hope a lot more than anyone could have foreseen. On foreign policy, we Democrats have a 'ridge' that is 'supraorbital.' This country is going from Bush to bushy!”

John Edwards Files Lawsuit against OB/GYN

Former Senator and Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards today filed a lawsuit against the doctor who delivered Rielle Hunter’s baby girl. Hunter, who was hired to perform some Internet-related consulting for the Edwards campaign, had an affair with the former Senator, according to the Edwards’ admission.

In the lawsuit, Edwards charges the physicians with gross negligence in allowing Hunter to deliver a healthy baby. “I could feel in every follicle of my finely blow-dried hair that this baby did not want to create a scandal,” said Edwards in a written statement. “In fact, I could channel the baby’s thoughts for months. What kind of doctor would permit such a tragedy to persist under these circumstances?” Edwards is asking for $50 million dollars, plus an undisclosed amount that is believed to be equal to payments to Hunter.

Edwards would not give an interview about this lawsuit. However, a supporter of Edwards, who would only give his name as “Bubby,” said that “We all know how Rielle was passed around more than conspiracy theories at a nut, er, netroot convention. This is why Democrats stand for more government involvement in health care. It is all the fault of Bush’s policies to allow these doctors to act in an unrestricted manner.

“Heck, Hillary had her husband Bill on her side. What else did you expect John Edwards to do? Besides, John knew that Elizabeth would be OK with it. After all, he channeled her thoughts also.”

Where Democrats Do Want to Drill

Hat tip: Bill Hobbs





Courtesy of the Tennessee Republican Party

Mark Warner: Too Extreme Even by George McGovern’s Standards

McGovern Opposes Obama/Warner/Connolly Forced Unionization

Hat tip: Ace of Spades blog

I blogged recently about how Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner came out in support of the deceptively-named “Employee Free Choice Act” (EFCA). The main reasons Democrats and unions want this law is that it has a feature called “card check” by which union thugs can intimidate workers into signing a petition advocating for union organization rather than having a secret-ballot election. Unions would then use the extra dues money to give (directly or indirectly) to their Democrat friends.

In today’s Wall Street Journal, former Democratic Senator and 1972 Presidential nominee George McGovern came out in opposition of this bill (which has passed the House of Representatives). In a piece titled, “My Party Should Respect Secret Union Ballots,” he said, in part:

The key provision of EFCA is a change in the mechanism by which unions are formed and recognized. Instead of a private election with a secret ballot overseen by an impartial federal board, union organizers would simply need to gather signatures from more than 50% of the employees in a workplace or bargaining unit, a system known as "card-check." There are many documented cases where workers have been pressured, harassed, tricked and intimidated into signing cards that have led to mandatory payment of dues.

Under EFCA, workers could lose the freedom to express their will in private, the right to make a decision without anyone peering over their shoulder, free from fear of reprisal.

Now you know why I tend to use the term “left-wing” rather than “liberal” to describe our friends in the Democratic Party. Given how they are losing in the marketplace of ideas over the long term, the only way they can keep any semblance of power is via intimidation.

By the way, the Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, Gerry Connolly, also supports this legislation, and Senator Jim Webb has co-sponsored it in the U.S. Senate. It’s nice to know that Mark Warner, Gerry Connolly, and Jim Webb are more out of the mainstream than George McGovern. Warner claims to be a "radical moderate?" I find that Astounding!

Saudis Slam Israeli Nissan Ad

Can’t Take What They Dish Out

Hat tip: Autobloggreen



Nissan Motor Corporation is actually facing a boycott by Arab Gulf states after an Israeli ad depicted a Saudi oil sheikh going crazy over the sight of the new Nissan Tilda. In the ad, the sheikh pounds the car and says things like "Hawks should peck at you day and night."

Isn’t this pretty funny coming from the people who fund madrassas that teach budding young terrorists that Jews (and other non-Muslims) are pigs and monkeys? Maybe these clowns should try to cram their posteriors into one of these vehicles. While they are at it, they can work on obeying traffic laws, also. Hey, not everyone has access to the big, powerful Benzes and BMWs!

It is not known yet whether or not the Obama campaign is working on a scolding response.

Astounding

Every time I see the word "astounding," I think of this old Borscht Belt joke:

These two women were having lunch. The first one was bragging about her great house, her husband's great job and career, etc. The second woman responded with, "Astounding!"

The first woman talked about her wonderful vacations. The second woman said, "That's astounding!"

The first woman talked about her smart, successful, good-looking children. The second woman responded replied with, "Astounding!"

Well, you get the idea. Finally, the first woman said to the second, "But enough about me. What have you been doing?"

The second woman said, "I've been going to charm school."

The first woman asked, "Really? Charm school? What do they teach you in charm school?"

The second woman replied, "They teach you to say 'Astounding' instead of 'Bullshit!'"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I say all this because I have been reading about how Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sent to jail today for violating pre-trial travel restrictions. Back in May 2007, Illinois Senator Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. said glowingly that fellow Democrat Kilpatrick "is going to be doing astounding things for many years to come."

Astounding, indeed. Obama is rapidly rising in that "astounding" level himself, possibly in more ways than one.

Hat tip to Powerline for the Obama quote. (There is a video in their post also.)

Why George Clooney Is Holding an Obama Fundraiser in Switzerland

According to recent news reports, actor George Clooney is set to host a fundraiser for likely Democratic candidate Barack Hussein, Obama, Jr. in Geneva, Switzerland. The fundraiser will feature a $1,000 per person reception followed by a $10,000 per plate dinner.

My theory for why this event will be in Switzerland? So Marc Rich and Roman Polanski can attend!

Song Dedication to the Speaker

We've all had a lot of fun at the expense of Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her adjournment of the House of Representatives. As we remember, she adjourned the House without allowing a vote on drilling and then had the lights shut off. She then went on a book tour, and ironically, the title of her book is Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters.

In honor of the speaker, I just wanted to dedicate this song to her. The last line is perfect:

You got the power to turn on the light.

Gaza, Georgia, What’s the Difference?

Terrorists for Obama

Pamela at Atlas Shrugs has received some interesting paperwork concerning contributions to the campaign of Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. It turns out that contributions form the Rafah refugee “camp” in Gaza were marked with the State abbreviation “GA” to make them look like they came from Georgia. A one day set of contributions on October 30, 2007 totals more than $7,000. Isn’t that more than American citizens are allowed to donate?

This makes me wonder if more foreign contributions are being funneled “Clinton style” through immigrant communities in the U.S.

More suspicious contribution information here and here. Note that contributions are not in even dollar amounts. Foreign currency conversion, maybe?

House Democrats Implement New Energy Plan

Shut off the Lights on the Republicans

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) today put on display what she expects to be a modern energy plan for the country. As Republicans demanded debate and a vote on an energy plan that would open new domestic resources to exploration and drilling, the Democratic leadership adjourned Congress and shut off the lights.

“We are setting a good example with this sort of conservation,” said Speaker Pelosi. “We can cut the power bill in the House, and probably in the Senate also by shutting the lights and sound off every time the Republicans want to speak. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is interested in doing the same thing to the Republicans and to Joe Lieberman (I-CT).”

When asked how she got the idea, Pelosi responded, “It’s quite simple. Many of my constituents in the San Francisco Bay area universities often keep those with a conservative point of view from speaking. Professors at San Francisco State and Cal-Berkeley were very helpful in designing this ingenious energy-saving plan. Besides, former Vice President Al Gore has promised us all kinds of carbon credits. Now I can take my grandchildren on more rides in the limos and airplanes. See, I told everyone I wanted to save the planet!”

Pelosi is looking at other energy-saving ideas. “Maybe I will cut off the electricity and phones in the Republicans’ offices,” she said.

Top Ten Bad Jokes about Obama’s Energy Policy

In No Particular Order

We heard about Senator Barack Obama’s latest important alternative to drilling: Getting everyone to make sure that their tires are properly inflated. This inspired us to come up with our own political “spin.”

1. Since he beat Hillary, he has felt that he was having a “Goodyear.”
2. He was going to deliver a “stem” winder but got lost.
3. He should “tread” lightly on the issue.
4. Obama is obviously not well-rounded.
5. Democrat policies always lead to inflationary pressures.
6. The Democrats have demonstrated how they are out of alignment and balance.
7. Attacks by Republicans have gotten Obama overly “torqued.”
8. Barack Obama will propose use of tire inflation for “carbon sequestration.”
9. Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was none too good with “rubber” things, either.
10. Obama gets no rolls so he goes “pop.” (Inspired by my seven-year-old son.)

If you are not too “tired” of these bad jokes, feel free to add more in the comments section.

Funny Algore T-Shirt

You can buy it here.

At least Dan Quayle Knew His Committee Assignments

Obama makes a slight error in naming a committee on which he serves.

Now, in terms of knowing my commitments, you don't have to just look at my words, you can look at my deeds. Just this past week, we passed out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which is my committee, a bill to call for divestment from Iran, as a way of ratcheting up the pressure to ensure that they don't obtain a nuclear weapon.

As Powerline notes,

But Obama is not a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Obama just made that up so he could count the committee's action as one of "my deeds."

I am guessing that the press would be a lot less forgiving if John McCain had made such an error.

Liquid Entertainment Planned for Democratic Convention

"Netroots Rising," or Dishonorable Discharge?

Denver firefighters have learned of a house full of urine being stored to throw at police.

I know, you wonder why or how these protesters want to throw a whole house instead of just the urine they have stored in it. (Yes, Leslie, I wrote that just for you!)

Reader, please don't despair. We have heard for a long time how the Democrats are emphasizing the concept of recycling for the 2008 Denver Convention. Aren't you proud of the entrepreneurial spirit that has gripped their most fervent supporters to carry the concept one step further? Just don't accuse the Democrats of being "yellow" or anything like that!

Hat tip to Ace, who also notes that the Democrats' Nutroot supporters are "Full of piss and vinegar, but mostly piss."

Love on the Inside

The new Sugarland album came out today. (Get the deluxe fan edition for extra songs.) Here is the first track that has been released.

WARNING: If you have children who listen to this, you will hear a LOT of high-pitched "All I want to do-oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-whoo-oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-whoo-oo-oo-oo-oo . . ." Let's just say that I know this from personal experience already.

You can find more album information and clips at the Sugarland web site.

There’s a Hole in the Budget, Dear Marky, Dear Marky

Where Have All the Taxes Gone?

The Right Wing Liberal has a fantastic analysis of what happened with the revenue that came to the Commonwealth of Virginia after the sales tax hike of 2004. Then Governor Mark Warner, with the help of General Assembly Democrats and enough left-leaning Republicans, achieved enough of a majority to raise the Virginia sales from 4.5% to 5%. Of course, at the time, we were all told how the money was needed for road construction, for schools, etc.

Of course, this failed to happen, and the jurisdiction that pays the most, Fairfax County, got penalized the most. Instead, most of the money was used for the expansion of various social programs. If the money were used more efficiently, services would have been delivered more efficiently to those who needed them, we would have had money for roads, and we still would not have needed the sales tax increase!

Once again, this serves as a warning to people in other States. I know that Maryland and New Jersey raised their sales taxes recently. Don’t you wonder where all that money is really going also?

Warner Translator

Marky Mark on Energy

I will admit to not being as good as Right-Wing Liberal concerning translations of Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner’s rhetoric. However, the past debate has given all of us plenty of fodder for satire, so here is my humble contribution. By the way, if you have not read SWAC Girl’s account of the debate, you should. It is definitely the best account.

The Washington Post carried an account of the debate. Here is what Mark Warner’s debate comments were summarized:

Warner, whose energy plan calls for getting tougher with OPEC and increasing regulation on investors who speculate in the oil market, did not rule out more drilling. He has said that he is skeptical of drilling for oil offshore, but during the debate he said he would support a bill to lift the moratorium on drilling and allow states to decide.

TRANSLATION:

This gas price issue is killing us Democrats and may sink my campaign. I’d better come up with something halfway decent to make voters forget that I vetoed off-shore drilling when I was Governor.

Right after the debate, here is what Warner said to the Post:

Later, when pressed by reporters, Warner said he would support drilling off Virginia once "environmental standards" were met, but he did not elaborate.

"Where I strongly differ from Jim Gilmore's position is that somehow that is the silver bullet that is going to solve all the nation's energy problems," Warner said.

TRANSLATION:

My friends in the Sierra Club will tell me when environmental standards are good enough, which is basically, never. And on energy, I am just full of hot air.

Again, for those of you in other States, this is a template of what your Democratic Congressional and Senatorial candidates will try to do. Without any drilling, they just might “self-combust.”

A Second Republican Governor Named Sarah?

Hah! I beat Chris to the punch! This time it's Sarah Steelman, Missouri State Treasurer, who is running for Governor there. She seems to be in a pretty tight primary race, and the Republican Party establishment is pretty ticked at her for being a fiscal conservative and for upsetting some pretty powerful political families.



Kimberley Strassel has a great article about her in today's Wall Streeet Journal. She has even fought ethanol subsidies!

There was also Ms. Steelman's attempted cleanup of an ethanol program. The treasurer announced her office would no longer provide below-market interest rates for ethanol plants that counted state officials or their relatives among investors.

Among companies barred was Show Me Ethanol, whose shareholders included Mr. Blunt's son Andy – one of the state's top lobbyists – as well as Republican state Rep. John Quinn and his wife, not to mention the wife of Republican U.S. Rep. Sam Graves. Instead of thanking Ms. Steelman for ridding it of this conflict, in May the Missouri state senate voted to overturn her policy. It did so with a head-count vote, so as to avoid a written record.

I'll drink to cutting those ethanol subsidies!

Steelman's website is here.

Another Global Warming Proponent Turns Skeptic

Notice It’s Almost Never the Other Way Around

Hat tip: Gabriel Malor at Ace of Spades

Get this – a former official at the Australian Greenhouse office, one who wanted quick action before all the science was really debated fully, is now skeptical about the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change. I find it interesting that this scientist has noticed the lack of public debate on the matter. Ya think Al Gore and company like it that way?

The last point is particularly relevant to the “debate:”

The new ice cores show that in the past six global warmings over the past half a million years, the temperature rises occurred on average 800 years before the accompanying rise in atmospheric carbon. Which says something important about which was cause and which was effect.

None of these points are controversial. The alarmist scientists agree with them, though they would dispute their relevance.

The last point was known and past dispute by 2003, yet Al Gore made his movie in 2005 and presented the ice cores as the sole reason for believing that carbon emissions cause global warming. In any other political context our cynical and experienced press corps would surely have called this dishonest and widely questioned the politician's assertion.

Tells you something about the “experience” of the press corps, right? Even more astounding is what follows:

The world has spent $50 billion on global warming since 1990, and we have not found any actual evidence that carbon emissions cause global warming. Evidence consists of observations made by someone at some time that supports the idea that carbon emissions cause global warming. Computer models and theoretical calculations are not evidence, they are just theory.

I can tell you from personal experience, having worked with environmental modelers, that I do not trust them as far as I can throw them. There’s always something badly wrong with the assumptions that go into models, and what gets presented to the public is the most extreme result, even if it is not very plausible.

What is going to happen over the next decade as global temperatures continue not to rise? The Labor Government is about to deliberately wreck the economy in order to reduce carbon emissions. If the reasons later turn out to be bogus, the electorate is not going to re-elect a Labor government for a long time. When it comes to light that the carbon scare was known to be bogus in 2008, the ALP is going to be regarded as criminally negligent or ideologically stupid for not having seen through it. And if the Liberals support the general thrust of their actions, they will be seen likewise.

Maybe one can say the same for America’s Democratic Party?

State Department Church Calendars!

Well, Not Quite . . .

Check out Snapped Shot for the info, plus some cool Photoshopping ideas to create the next hit State Department calendar. Hey, they don’t call the place “Foggy Bottom” for nothing!

You think the diversity crap is bad now, just wait to see if Obama becomes President. Then all semblance of adult supervision will completely disappear. But our sources will have fun telling us about it! “White Folks and Diversity,” anyone?

Warner and Connolly Support Compulsory Union Membership

Secret Ballots for Me, but not for Thee

Hat tip: Anonymous Is a Woman

I do not normally link to my fellow bloggers on the left side of the political spectrum, but in this case I wanted to thank Karen of Anonymous is a Woman for posting this information. At a recent AFL-CIO Fourth of July picnic, Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner endorsed the (“exquisitely mistitled, in the words of George Will) “Employee Free Choice Act,” which is a union-backed ploy to intimidate workers into approving labor unions in the workplace (cosponsored by Senator Jim Webb among others). AIAW also indicated that 11th CD Democratic candidate Gerry Connolly supports this legislation.

The proposed legislation, which has already failed in the current Congress, has a provision called “card check” While its left-wing supporters give the usual heart-felt speeches about how it gives workers a “choice” about whether or not to join a union without those eeeeeeevil bosses interfering with their decisions, it in fact allows unions to organize a workplace without a secret ballot. Employees must publicly declare support or opposition to unionization, and thus be subjected to notorious labor union harassment and intimidation techniques.

Karen helpfully posted a link to an AFL-CIO web page that claimed that 60% of workers would join a union if they just had the chance. Well, heck, I say, give them a secret ballot and let’s have a vote! Isn’t it ironic that politicians who are elected via secret ballot want to take that right away from American workers?

We all know the real reason for this – labor unions in the private sector have declined in membership for years. The unions need coerced dues money for political purposes (er, to contribute to worthy non-profits) to push their left-wing agenda. The old generation of union organizers and union members has been dying off, thus leading to labor’s desperation. In addition, free market ideas concerning portability of benefits, personal retirement accounts, and school choice (not to mention legacy costs imposed on stockholders and taxpayers by the union agreements of old) have helped demonstrate to a more mobile society that the bureaucratic power of union leaders is outmoded and even counterproductive.

In many ways, I do feel sorry having to write this. My grandfather, a 1930s era card-carrying communist, was a union organizer. I know enough history to realize that unions did play a role in getting workers safer working conditions in many occupations. Many unionized workers do believe in doing good work for their employers and customers. However, the same 1930s mentality contains an overly adversarial relationship that only hurts employers and workers. Unfortunately, the strong-arm tactics that have persisted throughout the years have only made the “On the Waterfront” image of the unions persist.

I realize that Karen and I will disagree on the intent and outcome of the card check legislation, but I thought that this issue deserved (some admittedly backhanded) publicity. So Karen, I do respect your opinion.

By the way, I also hope that Mark Warner, Gerry Connolly, and other Democrats advertise loudly their support for this legislation. The bloggers who support these candidates should do all they can to spread the word as well, and post more videos just like Karen did. Maybe the candidates will post them on their web sites. With any luck, 11th CD Republican nominee Keith Fimian and the Republican Senate nominee, former Governor Gilmore, will help voters understand the agenda of the Democrats as well.

For those of you in other States, please remember that your Democratic candidates most likely support the same legislation. It is your duty to find out.