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Beauty Queen Carrie Prejean - Is She Strange?

tLIB — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:15:04 GMT

Beauty Queen Carrie Prejean - Is She Strange? More sex tapes! Plus she is a liar and asked others to lie. Besides her looks, do you like her?[size=18][b]Carrie Prejean: Larry King and sex tapes, plus 8[/b] [/size][quote]And who says beauty queens aren't articulate, well-rounded people?Along with a hilarious temper tantrum thrown on Larry King Live this week, the dethroned Miss California, Carrie Prejean, is in more hot water, as it was revealed that the beauty queen reportedly made seven more adult content videos (which were again...ahem...solo in nature) in addition to the one which has already surfaced. Also, a whopping 30 topless or completely nude photos have been unearthed to her name.Apparently when she called her first reported video the "biggest mistake" of her life, she forgot about the seven other very similar mistakes.Prejean was dethroned in June for breach of contract and she filed suit against the pageant for libel stating she was discriminated against due to her conservative and religious opinions. However, on November 3rd, after the first sex tape was revealed, she quickly reached an out of court settlement. Wonder why? [/quote]

Economics and the Economy

GOODave — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:50:39 GMT

I've recently been turned on to a 1946 book by Henry Hazlitt called [i]Economics in One Lesson[/i]. On page one, Hazlitt makes a keen observation that so captured me, I'm now intent on reading the entire book:[quote]But the tragedy is that, on the contrary, we are already suffering the long-run consequences of the policies of the remote or recent past. Today is already the tomorrow which the bad economist yesterday urged us to ignore. The long-run consequences of some economic policies may become evident in a few months. Others may not become evident for several years. Still others may not become evident for decades. But in every case those long-run consequences are contained in the policy as surely as the hen was in the egg, the flower in the seed. From this aspect, therefore, the whole of economics can be reduced to a single lesson, and that lesson can be reduced to a single sentence: [i]The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups.[/i]Nine-tenths of the economic fallacies that are working such dreadful harm in the world today are the result of ignoring this lesson. Those fallacies all stem from one of two central fallacies, or both: that of looking only at the immediate consequences of an act or proposal, and that of looking at the consequences only for a particular group to the neglect of other groups.[/quote]In chapter 2, Hazlitt discusses such a fallacy and uses a metaphor of a kid throwing a rock through a bakery window: The crowd gathers and waxes philosohpical about the $250 the Baker will pay to the Glazier to replace the window. From their perspective, that $250 is a boon to the economy as it gets spent by the Glazier to other vendors and merchants, then spent by each of them to those down the line, and so on in ever-widening circles.What the crowd (and, by extension, many in our government) fail to realize, though, is that the $250 the Baker gave to the Glazier was INTENDED to go to the Tailor for a new suit but, since the Baker had to pay the Glazier, the Tailor (and all his down-stream merchants and vendors and family) have to now go without.I thought that was a great lesson and I would appreciate your thougths.

Sarah Palin Book

tLIB — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:55:42 GMT

Usually write their tell-all book after they retire from campaigning. I think this has ended her career. Also, from what I have heard, many party insiders are not happy with her sour grapes. Levi Johnston says she was just cashing in. She never mentions him in her book. [quote]CHICAGO — Sarah Palin said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that it's heartbreaking to see the road that Levi Johnston, the father of her grandson, has taken and that the soon-to-be Playgirl model hasn't seen his baby in awhile.In an episode that aired Monday, the two women also talked about the controversy surrounding Palin's possible appearance on the show last year and touched on whether the former Alaska governor planned to run for president in 2012.Palin and Winfrey embraced as the one-time Republican vice presidential candidate walked onto the talk show stage. Palin's 413-page book, "Going Rogue," will be released Tuesday and she begins a book tour Wednesday in Grand Rapids, Mich.The new memoir doesn't mention Johnston, who has sparred repeatedly with his former mother-in-law-to-be. Johnston and Palin's daughter Bristol Palin are parents to son, Tripp.When Winfrey asked about Johnston, Palin said she didn't think "a national television show is the place to discuss some of the things he's doing and saying."But Palin went on to say she finds it "a bit heartbreaking to see the road that he is on right now" and that "it's not a healthy place to be."[url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hp5n6zoE8E-zEsmP4dl4d8LnzpPgD9C0SBFG1]More[/url][/quote]

Getting Your Credit Card Charged Without Your Permission

tLIB — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:45:20 GMT

Well, actually you might have given permission, but you didn't know it. You are charged every month for a "club". Here is a new hot story:[quote]Imagine that you visit Restaurants.com and purchase a gift card for a friend. During the checkout process, a screen asks if you want to save ten dollars on the purchase you just made, and it shows a single "Continue" button, as though this is just one more step in the process. On the next page, you are offered information about some kind of discount club that will give you cash back on the purchase you just made, and there's a box for entering your e-mail address. You do so, thinking to yourself, "What can they do with my e-mail address, right? I'll at least get some more information on what this is all about, or maybe I'll sign up for this free trial. Can't hurt, since they don't have my payment info."You think nothing of it for months until, on one rainy Saturday, you look more closely at your credit card statement and wonder why you're being charged $12 a month? Digging through your previous statement, it's clear that the mysterious charge recurs monthly, and has been going on since you purchased that gift certificate.When you call the 1-800 number listed next to the charge, you find out that you're a member of a "rewards club"! Congratulations! That $10 savings has now cost you $70 plus twenty minutes on the phone—and all from entering an e-mail address at a retailer you thought to be legitimate.[/quote]http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/11/internet-deception-a-lucrative-business-to-be-in.ars

General Motors in China

tLIB — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:41:22 GMT

Buick is very popular in China; it is a status symbol and considered better quality. They let their designers do the work. Unlike in the US, the guy that bought the car usually doesn't drive the car. They are usually in the back seat, so the amenities are back there. [quote]General Motors, the American car giant driven to bankruptcy by the global recession, will begin paying back bailout money from the US government as early as next month.The company said it lost US$1.2bn in the period from July, when it emerged from bankruptcy protection, to the end of September - but it was a figure that delighted investors and prompted some fighting talk from management.Forecasts laid out in bankruptcy court had promised a much worse figure.The Government Accountability Office in Congress said earlier this month that the US taxpayer was never likely to recoup its investment in GM, but Mr Henderson used yesterday's results announcements to say: "It is my mission to disprove the GAO."And he told the Bloomberg news agency: "I've been asked probably a hundred times, 'When are you going to start paying back the taxpayer?' The answer is now."Analysts pointed out that the summer months covered by GM's first post-bankruptcy results coincided with the US government's $3bn cash-for-clunkers rebate scheme, which subsidised new car purchases by drivers who traded in less fuel-efficient vehicles.[/quote][url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10609814]More[/url][quote] BEIJING (Dow Jones)--General Motors Co. said Monday its sales in China last month more than doubled from a year earlier to 166,911 vehicles.Sales in the January-October period rose 59.8% from the same period last year to 1.46 million units, the U.S. auto maker said in a statement. It didn't give year-earlier figures.Sales at its flagship passenger vehicle joint venture, Shanghai General Motors Corp., in the January-October period rose 46.5% from a year earlier to 548,707 units, it said.Sales at its mini-commercial vehicle joint venture, SAIC-GM-Wuling Autmobile Co., rose 65.9% over the same time frame to 891,285 units. GM owns a third of the venture.GM's third vehicle-making joint venture, FAW-GM Light Duty Commercial Vehicle Co., sold 8,687 units in October. The JV was established in August. -By Patricia Jiayi Ho, Dow Jones Newswires; (8610) 6588 5848; patricia.ho@dowjones.com[/quote]

Question about Obama's "thinking".

MPH — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:57:18 GMT

Why is it that when it comes to the Afgan war, Obama says he needs to "take his time" to be assured of making the "right" decision? YET, when it comes to getting a health care bill passed he doesn't seem to place ANY importance on allowing Congress to "take their time" to get it "right" (let alone READ the bills and understand them). They just need to get "something" passed "quickly". I know what my answer is. What are your thoughts?

Lies of Political Expedience

GOODave — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:13:43 GMT

I'll grant you, pretty much all politicians lie. I'm also willing to consider (there, I've considered it) that it only seems like Democrats are lying much more these days since they are the ones coming up with the bills that get all the press.However, recall all the campaign promises Obama made ("Change we can believe in," "an open and visible government, responsive to the people," "hold politicians accountable," "post all legislation for 5 days so public can review," .. and on and on and on). Then, the whole Fox News ostracization deal to hide the House of Reps creation of a new HC bill and Pelosi affirming she would make the legislation available to the public 72 hours prior to a vote so we could review it (nevermind that 72 hours is hardly suitable to review 2000 pages), and Owens (democrat elected in NY's 23 congressional district last week) insisting he would vote against the health care legislation if he was elected ... he got elected and sworn in JUST IN TIME to vote [u]for[/u] pelosi-care.How much are we supposed to just sit and take?

Anyone here visit Section 60?

ILVet — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:23:48 GMT

Anyone here visit Section 60? Three of mine are there.

Senate Debate on Health Insurance legislation

GOODave — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:40:06 GMT

[quote][b][size=5]Senate controversy over abortion already underway[/size]Posted: November 9th, 2009 06:20 PM ET[/b]From CNN's Dana Bash and Ted BarrettWashington (CNN) - In a sign that the wrenching House debate over abortion is already vexing Senate Democrats, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson told CNN Monday he will vote against any health care bill that does not include the strict abortion restrictions that passed the House."If there's public money going to fund abortions, I can't support it, period, no matter what else is in it," said Nelson, a staunchly anti-abortion Democrat....Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, a leading abortion rights voice in the Senate, told CNN Monday that approach was "radical" and "unfair to women," and said she will meet with a group of female senators Tuesday to start looking for a way to limit abortion restrictions in the Senate health care bill."We want to make sure we don't deny women the opportunity to avail themselves of a totally legal procedure," Boxer told CNN in a phone interview. "We believe this is unfair to women, it singles them out as a group. There is no other procedure in this bill that is denied."With Boxer's Democratic colleague from Nebraska, Ben Nelson, just as adamantly opposed to a health care bill without strict abortion prohibitions, it appears the Democratic abortion divide in the Senate is threatening to derail its health bill - just as it almost did in the House.[/quote]AND, of course, there's more to [url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/09/senate-controversy-over-abortion-already-underway/][color=#BF0000]the story on CNN[/color][/url], if you're interested.

The REpublican Party

tLIB — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:28:14 GMT

Like I said before, I blame Bush and his supporters for the destruction of the Republican party. I am not sure if it is getting better or worse for the party. In upstate New York a moderate Republicandropped out of the race for Congress and endorsed the Democrat over the Conservative challenger.Nightline had a segment on the elections today. My take on it is that there are many splinters in the party. The biggest splinter is more conservative. But will the splinter group be able to beat the Democrats?

How is Obama Doing?

tLIB — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:07:00 GMT

I have never met anyone I agreed with 100 percent. When Bush Jr. was elected I was happy he beat Gore. Well, hindsight is 20/20. Compared to President Bush Obama is doing great. There are a few things I would change, but he has done some things I wanted done.

Reading the bills.

4tunate1 — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:56:56 GMT

Some of our erstwhile politicians scoff at the idea that they should read the bills they vote on. They further posit that we ordinary folks could never understand the legislation, so we shouldn't read it either.
Great, huh? The one thing I liked about Obama during his campaign was his promise to put all important legislation online for 48 hours before signing it into law. Not once has he done this since being elected, and now his minions in the democratic congress want to withhold legislation from the public that would literally affect the lives of every person in the country, and not even read it themselves. They've rejected every amendment offered that would require transparancy.
How can any citizen, no matter what political party or ideology, support this? Crying about special interests and big corporations running the country, and then voting for people who let these special interests write the laws we must live by.
It's insanity!

Grayson confronted by FOX

MPH — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:47:23 GMT

Alan Grayson seems to enjoy the attention he gets by his inflammatory remarks on the floor of the house, but seems to lose his nerve when asked legitimate questions and is held accountable.http://storyballoon.org/videos/bill-oreilly-producer-griff-jenkins-confronts-alan-grayson/Your thoughts?

The Media is being Bamboozled

GOODave — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:51:24 GMT

I'll give this to them: They are definitely going with their strength here. The Obama administration, headed by quarterback and coach, Rahm Emmanuel, have been manipulating the media all along and one has to admire it when a plan comes together. October 6: David Axelrod "just happens" to be in NY and decides to ring up his "good friend," Roger Ailes at Fox News to go for coffee (some accounts make it a "steak dinner"). They talk and until recently the details of the conversation were sketchy but it is being alleged that Axelrod gave Ailes a chance to convert over to the Obama way of thinking (in other words, quit criticizing Obama). Ailes allegedly accused Axelrod of confusing Fox's opinion side with their news side and insisted Fox News will remain "fair and balanced." BUT WAIT ... that was all part of the plan. Obama's henchmen were weary of responding to questions about healthcare so they "invented" the fox news war to push "healthcare" off its pedestal... notice the new legislation hasn't been much mentioned since the first salvo. BUT WAIT, there's more: Rahm and company knew how the media would react if they tried to exclude Fox from anything important and they REALLY didn't want the "pay czar" interviewed after it was leaked that he acted unilaterally in decreasing CEO pay recently. So they invent another crisis, excluding Fox News from the reporter pool, and as they knew they would, the media responded and said they wouldn't attent either. The media is being manipulated and they don't even realize it.

Murtha not fond of democratic procedures?

MPH — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:16:20 GMT

I find this unbelievable. How much of this goes on with the Dems in "control" of Congress. http://www.youtube.com/v/ywgUCdefSW8I'm sure ILVet will find some way to defend it though.;)I'll be waiting to hear how I'm misinterpreting it.:rolleyes:

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

tLIB — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:39:09 GMT

[quote]Don't include Virginia gubernatorial candidate Republican Bob McDonnell among those conservatives who are deriding the Nobel Committee for awarding its Peace Prize to President Obama less than nine months after he took office.

"I'm delighted to see the President of the United States bring honor to our country by receiving the Nobel Peace Prize," McDonnell said this afternoon. His Democratic opponent Creigh Deeds issued a statement early this morning praising the committee for its selection.

McDonnell said he'd been on the road and had not extensively read the committee's reasoning for the award, other than that it had to do with Obama's diplomatic efforts. But he said he was pleased with anything that "brings accolades to the United States." And then he repeated, "I'm delighted to see him win the award."

McDonnell's answer stands in stark contrast to the reactions of others in in his party, including Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele, who said it was "unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights."

[url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/10/mcdonnell_delighted_obama_won.html]More[/url]

[/quote]

Health care profits

mrlobo69 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:21 GMT

A big liberal argument is that the private insurers are making too much profit. Is that true? Liberals argue that profits have quadrupled over the past few years, while the conservatives state the profit margin is only 3%. Who is right?I found an overly simplistic article to start the discussion:http://www.kfxd.com/pages/messageboard?did=248&f_act=topic&topid=858&thid=2089You do the math: Premiums (Income ): $1,200 billion ($1.2 Trillion) Expenses (Benefits Paid) 854 billion Gross Margin 346 billion (1.2 T - 854 B) Administrative Costs 179 billion Profits What is left minus taxes = $150 billionThis is silly because you will never have the claims equal the exact amount you get in premiums. Also, out of the so called profits, it is not stated how much is paid out to stock holders and how much is invested to meet future claims. Any thoughts?

Web Bot

tLIB — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:08:38 GMT

OK, there is this program that they used to use to predict the stock market. It basically is a robot that goes across the Internet looking for keywords and analyzing data to come up with some forecast.Here is some information:[quote]Since its conception in the late 1990’s, the Web Bot Project has made a number of very accurate and insightful predictions regarding coming events. Originally designed to track stock market trends, the Web Bot uses a system of spiders that crawl the Internet looking for patterns of behavior, trends and chatter pertaining to coming events. This tool is believed to be able to forecast the future by tapping into the collective unconscious of society.One of the first accurate predictions from the Web Bot program took place in June of 2001. The program predicted that a life-altering event would take place within the next 60-90 days. An occurrence of such proportion that it's effects would be felt worldwide. The program based its prediction on "web chatter" and regrettably, the prediction proved accurate when the Twin Towers fell on 9/11/2001.[/quote]My wife is into this stuff. She says the bot is predicting a stock market crash for October. Now that the stocks are way overblown considering the unemployment rate etc., this is expected. She believes the crash will occur on the 26th.She also said the bot predicts Israel will attack Iran causing a worldwide crisis cutting off the oil supply from the Persian Gulf. Maybe November.So we will have a major economic disaster followed by massive inflation. Who knows?? I just though I would share that with you. We will see what happens.

Baucus bill

mrlobo69 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:16:02 GMT

The office asserted the plan would provide insurance to an additional 29 million people and extend coverage to 94 percent of the country's nonelderly population.

So who are the 6% that will not get coverage?

How does the plan cost $829 billion yet reduce the deficit by $80 billion?

If someone decides to take the penalty instead of get insurance, where does that penalty money go? How does the government spend it?

David Letterman Scandal

tLIB — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:47:02 GMT

This is what I think: David Letterman didn't break the law. The extortionist did. Lock that guy up (after he is proven guilty).

Here is the story:

[quote]David Letterman announced on Thursday that his on-air comments would be all he was going to speak about in regards to the $2 million extortion plot against him, but the topic filled his CBS Late Show on Monday.

The New York Post is giving further details of what happened from the diary of the former Late Show staff member Stephanie Birkitt, who was identified as the head of the scandal.

The newspaper says that Birkitt was his former assistant and she wrote that she had an affair with him even after moving in with Robert “Joe” Halderman. The producer is now being charged with attempted blackmail on Letterman.

Last fall, the Post says that the 62-year-old and the 35-year-old assistant hiked together on his Montana ranch, where he and Regina Lasko were married this past March. A source also added that Halderman stayed home in Connecticut while the two spent time together and Birkitt told him that she was simply Letterman’s “best friend” and shared a “platonic relationship.”

Other details emerging were of Letterman driving Birkitt to Norwalk, Conn., where she shared a home with Halderman and that, after she graduated Law School, Letterman offered her a job as his personal lawyer.

Sources also said that Halderman got ahold of the diary in December and grew angry when finding out the relationship between the two. On Monday, his lawyer, Gerald Shargel, said that Halderman’s side has not been heard and that the Late Show is manipulating the media. “David Letterman gave what he wanted the public to know.”[/quote]

Acorn receives "fire safety and prevention" grant?

MPH — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:38:17 GMT

Just hearing some blurbs about Acorn receiving a grant from FEMA for fire safety and prevention. The grant was for nearly $1 million. Almost every recipient is a fire department or some sort of safety dept. What gives? Since when does Acorn have ANYTHING to do with fire safety? And why is this not MAJOR news given the corruption uncovered recently?

http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/29/exclusivefema-awards-fire-prevention-grant-to-acorn/

Am I missing something?

Dept. of Health and Human Services issues "cease and desist" orders to insurance companies.

MPH — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:16:19 GMT

Sooooo, now the Dept. of HHS thinks it can tell insurance companies how and what to communicate to their clients?

http://209.157.64.200/focus/news/2346226/posts?page=4

When are people going to WAKE UP? This administration has, and will continue to, run roughshod over anyone and or anything in it's path.

Does anyone think that (those "evil") insurance companies should not be afforded the right to freedom of speech? They don't have a right to voice their opposition to the health care bill?

What say you?

Wall Street Money

4tunate1 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:17:01 GMT

I see where Sen. Chuck Schumer D-NY is being "showered" with big money contributions from Wall Street firms. What has he done for them? The unholy alliance between Goldman Sachs and this corrupt government, both parties, comes to mind. Using the power of government to gain advantage over competitors, chairman of GE sitting on the board of the NY Fed (AND advising the pres.), along with union bosses. Oligarchy anyone? Are we completely lost yet? I wonder.

US Protests 'Attempted Smear' of Diplomat in Moscow

tLIB — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:54:04 GMT

[quote]US Protests 'Attempted Smear' of Diplomat in Moscow
By VOA News
24 September 2009

US Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle (file photo)
John Beyrle (file photo)
The U.S. ambassador to Moscow has filed a formal protest with Russia over what he says is an "attempted smear" of a U.S. diplomat with a purported sex video involving an apparent prostitute.

Ambassador John Beyrle lodged the protest with the Russian Foreign Ministry Wednesday evening. He told a news broadcast by the U.S. television network ABC it has "no place" in the kind of relationship Washington is trying to build with the Russian Federation. He called the video a montage of a lot of different clips - some of them clearly fabricated.

In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelley called the video linked to diplomat Kyle Hatcher a "smear campaign in the Russian press, and on the Internet."

The Russian Foreign Ministry is expected to release a statement later Thursday.[/quote]

[url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-09-24-voa30.cfm]More[/url]

Did Fox News Lie?

tLIB — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:06:06 GMT

[quote]WASHINGTON (CNN) — Fox News is under fire for a newspaper ad they purchased Friday that inaccurately accused its competitors, including CNN, of failing to cover last weekend's Tea Party protests in Washington.

"How did, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN miss this story?" Fox's newspaper ad asks.

The answer: They didn't.

CNN provided live coverage of the rally in Washington on Saturday, dispatching more than a dozen personnel, including multiple camera crews and the CNN Express Bus, to cover the event. Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser was live at Freedom Plaza; Correspondent Kate Bolduan reported live from the Capitol and throughout the crowd; All Platform Journalist Jim Spellman provided live hits all day after traveling for weeks on the Tea Party Express Bus; and CNN Correspondent Lisa Desjardins was live for CNN and CNN Radio from the National Mall.

CNN's Rick Sanchez weighs in on Fox's ad

CNN's coverage also included numerous live reports and interviews with protesters and newsmakers, including rally day speaker Sen. Jim DeMint and activist Art Gerhart, who was on the set with anchor Don Lemon to discuss the event.

In addition, CNN.com provided a live stream of the rally throughout the day.

ABC referred Friday to a statement by Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks — the group that organized the event – characterizing the network's coverage that day as "fair and honest." The rally story was featured on the network's morning shows, nightly news broadcast, in extensive radio reporting and online.

MSNBC also pointed to its own reporting. "Just like every other network mentioned in the ad, MSNBC covered last Saturday's protest," the network said in a statement.

CBS detailed its coverage of the event in a statement issued Friday afternoon.

[url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/18/networks-respond-to-false-fox-ad/]More From CNN[/url][/quote]

Received a funny email today.

ILVet — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:36:20 GMT

This was sent to me today. I laughed and thought I would share:

I, ________________________, do solemnly swear to uphold the principles of a socialism-free society and heretofore pledge my word that I shall strictly adhere to the following:

I will complain about the destruction of 1st Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 1st Amendment Rights.

I will complain about the destruction of my 2nd Amendment Rights in this country, while I am duly being allowed to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights by legally but brazenly brandishing unconcealed firearms in public.

I will foreswear the time-honored principles of fairness, decency, and respect by screaming unintelligible platitudes regarding tyranny, Nazi-ism, and socialism at public town halls. Also.

I pledge to eliminate all government intervention in my life. I will abstain from the use of and participation in any socialist goods and services including but not limited to the following:

* Social Security

* Medicare/Medicaid

* State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)

* Police, Fire, and Emergency Services

* US Postal Service

* Roads and Highways

* Air Travel (regulated by the socialist FAA)

* The US Railway System

* Public Subways and Metro Systems

* Public Bus and Lightrail Systems

* Rest Areas on Highways

* Sidewalks

* All Government-Funded Local/State Projects (e.g., see Iowa 2009 federal senate appropriations)

* Public Water and Sewer Services (goodbye socialist toilet, shower, dishwasher, kitchen sink, outdoor hose!)

* Public and State Universities and Colleges

* Public Primary and Secondary Schools

* Sesame Street

* Publicly Funded Anti-Drug Use Education for Children

* Public Museums

* Libraries

* Public Parks and Beaches

* State and National Parks

* Public Zoos

* Unemployment Insurance

* Municipal Garbage and Recycling Services

* Treatment at Any Hospital or Clinic That Ever Received Funding From Local, State or Federal Government (pretty much all of them)

* Medical Services and Medications That Were Created or Derived From Any Government Grant or Research Funding (again, pretty much all of them)

* Socialist Byproducts of Government Investment Such as Duct Tape and Velcro (Nazi-NASA Inventions)

* Use of the Internets, email, and networked computers, as the DoD's ARPANET was the basis for subsequent computer networking

* Foodstuffs, Meats, Produce and Crops That Were Grown With, Fed With, Raised With or That Contain Inputs From Crops Grown With Government Subsidies

* Clothing Made from Crops (e.g. cotton) That Were Grown With or That Contain Inputs From Government Subsidies

If a veteran of the government-run socialist US military, I will forego my VA benefits and insist on paying for my own medical care

I will not tour socialist government buildings like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

I pledge to never take myself, my family, or my children on a tour of the following types of socialist locations, including but not limited to:

* Smithsonian Museums such as the Air and Space Museum or Museum of American History

* The socialist Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson Monuments

* The government-operated Statue of Liberty

* The Grand Canyon

* The socialist World War II and Vietnam Veterans Memorials

* The government-run socialist-propaganda location known as Arlington National Cemetery

* All other public-funded socialist sites, whether it be in my state or in Washington, DC

I will urge my Member of Congress and Senators to forego their government salary and government-provided healthcare.

I will oppose and condemn the government-funded and therefore socialist military of the United States of America.

I will boycott the products of socialist defense contractors such as GE, Lockheed-Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Humana, FedEx, General Motors, Honeywell, and hundreds of others that are paid by our socialist government to produce goods for our socialist army.

I will protest socialist security departments such as the Pentagon, FBI, CIA, Department of Homeland Security, TSA, Department of Justice and their socialist employees.

Upon reaching eligible retirement age, I will tear up my socialist Social Security checks.

Upon reaching age 65, I will forego Medicare and pay for my own private health insurance until I die.

SWORN ON A BIBLE AND SIGNED THIS DAY OF __________ IN THE YEAR ___.

_____________ _________________________

Signed Printed Name/Town and State

More people die every year because of lack of insurance then drunk driving and homicide combined.

ILVet — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:26:49 GMT

Very interesting read:
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE58G6W520090917[/url]

[quote]Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

"We're losing more Americans every day because of inaction ... than drunk driving and homicide combined," Dr. David Himmelstein, a co-author of the study and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard, said in an interview with Reuters.

Overall, researchers said American adults age 64 and younger who lack health insurance have a 40 percent higher risk of death than those who have coverage.[/quote]

Dems torpedo Obama pledge

4tunate1 — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:49:34 GMT

Finance committee Democrats voted to kill an amendment that would require making their final health care bill public for 72 hours before voting for final passage. John Kerry said it would delay the bill for weeks. President Obama pledged to make all important bills available to the public before voting on passage.
They must all be racists.

Obama junks Bush's European missile defense plan

tLIB — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:16:17 GMT

Obama junks Bush's European missile defense plan

By ANNE GEARAN (AP) – 39 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama abruptly canceled a long-planned missile shield for Eastern Europe on Thursday, replacing a Bush-era project that was bitterly opposed by Russia with a plan he contended would better defend against a growing threat of Iranian missiles.

The United States will no longer seek to erect a missile base and radar site in Poland and the Czech Republic, poised at Russia's hemline. That change is bound to please the Russians, who had never accepted U.S. arguments, made by both the Bush and Obama administrations, that the shield was intended strictly as a defense against Iran and other "rogue states."

Scrapping the planned shield, however, means upending agreements with the host countries that had cost those allies political support among their own people. Obama called Polish and Czech leaders ahead of his announcement, and a team of senior diplomats and others flew to Europe to lay out the new plan.

"Our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America's allies," Obama said in announcing the shift.

[url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g9DDGIUcpNOK9eEn8fpm73W_rG7wD9APALGO2]AP Story[/url]

Muslim "march on Washington"

MPH — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:33:42 GMT

What are your thoughts on this Muslim "march"?

I'll be curious to see what kind of attention Obama gives this event. I, personally, don't think he should acknowledge it any more than he did the National Day of Prayer. He chose not to do anything to acknowledge the National Day of Prayer other than issue a "proclamation".

I have an inkling he will do more than issue a proclamation for the Muslims.;) Time will tell.

Education reform

mrlobo69 — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:57:01 GMT

I got a letter from Debbie Halvorson with a curious statement:

[quote]On Thursday, the House passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). As a result, over 13,000 college students in our district could have an increased opportunity to receive financial aid for college. It will significantly increase government grant and loan assistance for tuition payments for so many who want to go to college but can’t because the money just isn’t there – especially during these rough economic times. Through changing the way the government sponsors federal loans, SAFRA will save taxpayers nearly $87 billion and direct $10 billion back to the Treasury, reducing the federal deficit. This is legislation that maintains my commitment to both education and fiscal responsibility, and I look forward to it passing the Senate soon.[/quote]

How exactly do you increase grants and loans and reduce the federal deficit?

Criminal ACORN

4tunate1 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 07:39:57 GMT

A recent news article in the Baltimore Sun reported that the States Attorney in that county is considering charges against the reporters who uncovered the ACORN staffers plotting illegal tax evasion and prostitution activity. If this is true, it shows another mind numbing example of upside down investigatory decisions by elected law enforcement officials. Outrageous and dangerous!

Citizen Power

4tunate1 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:18:26 GMT

Today, the House of Representatives voted to defund ACORN, following the Senate vote Tuesday. This the result of the efforts of 2 young citizens, spending their own money, revealing criminal behavior by this group. Despite years of effort by some politicians, and a few columnists, nothing happened.
I am a little conflicted. I am impressed and gratified that mere citizens can effect such changes, I am also appalled that government officials and so-called journalists have allowed this travesty to go on so long.
By the way, where's the investigation into this ACORN mafia in Illinois? Come on Pantagraph, go for a Pulitzer and help the citizens of this state!

Big Banks Are Back To Normal

tLIB — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:29:38 GMT

Biggest banks taking new risks
A year after crisis began, bailed-out firms show signs of reverting. Obama will make a plea today.

By Stevenson Jacobs

Associated Press
NEW YORK - A year after the financial system nearly collapsed, the nation's biggest banks are even bigger and regaining their appetite for risk.

[b]Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., and others that have received tens of billions of dollars in federal aid are once more betting big on [size=18]bonds, commodities, and exotic financial products[/size], trading that nearly stopped during the financial crisis.[/b]

That Wall Street is making money again in essentially the same ways that plunged the banking system into chaos in the fall is reason for concern on several levels, financial analysts and government officials say.

There have been no significant changes to federal rules governing their behavior. Proposals that have been made to better monitor the financial system and to police the products that banks sell consumers have been held up by lobbyists, lawmakers, and turf-protecting regulators.

Through mergers and the failure of Lehman Bros. Holdings Inc., the mammoth banks whose near-collapse prompted government rescues have gotten even bigger, increasing the risk they pose to the financial system. And they still make bets that, in the aggregate, are worth far more than the capital they have on hand to cover potential losses.

[url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090914_Biggest_banks_taking_new_risks.html]More[/url]

Jimmy Carter

tLIB — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:52:32 GMT

[quote]WASHINGTON -- Former President Jimmy Carter fueled a renewed political furor over race by saying Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during President Barack Obama's speech last week was "based on racism."

The former president's remarks drew a rebuke Wednesday from Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, who called accusations of racism "an outrage."

The White House on Wednesday sought to distance itself from the debate. Spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "The president does not believe that the criticism comes based on the color of his skin."

Mr. Obama has sought during his presidential campaign and much of his first months in office to downplay racial divisions. But Mr. Wilson's shout of "You lie," during Mr. Obama's speech on health care, and the reaction to that event, have brought sensitive issues of race back to the surface.[/quote]

[url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125315543546118589.html]More[/url]

Illinois Senators support ACORN

4tunate1 — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:55:07 GMT

The Senate voted 83-7 to withhold any more federal funding for ACORN. Two of the 7 were Richard Durbin and Roland Burris. Since there is evidence linking ACORN to fraud, tax evasion, voter fraud, and facilitation of prostitution, including that of minor girls from foreign countries, does this mean these senators support this activity? Of course not, but it may behoove them to use the power of their office to investigate this organization to at least refute these allegations, instead of blindly voting to protect ACORN. Important? I think so!

Patrick Swayze dies at 57

tLIB — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:43:14 GMT

By CHRISTY LEMIRE, AP Movie Writer Christy Lemire, Ap Movie Writer – 1 min ago

LOS ANGELES – Patrick Swayze, the hunky actor who danced his way into moviegoers' hearts with "Dirty Dancing" and then broke them with "Ghost," died Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.

"Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months," said a statement released Monday evening by his publicist, Annett Wolf. Swayze died in Los Angeles, Wolf said, but declined to give further details.

Fans of the actor were saddened to learn in March 2008 that Swayze was suffering from a particularly deadly form of cancer. He kept working despite the diagnosis, putting together a memoir with his wife and shooting "The Beast," an A&E drama series for which he had already made the pilot.

Swayze said he opted not to use painkilling drugs while making "The Beast" because they would have taken the edge off his performance. The show drew a respectable 1.3 million viewers when the 13 episodes ran in 2009, but A&E said it had reluctantly decided not to renew it for a second season.

When he first went public with the illness, some reports gave him only weeks to live, but his doctor said his situation was "considerably more optimistic" than that. Swayze acknowledged that time might be running out given the grim nature of the disease.

"I'd say five years is pretty wishful thinking," Swayze told ABC's Barbara Walters in early 2009. "Two years seems likely if you're going to believe statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I'd better get a fire under it."

C. Thomas Howell, who co-starred with Swayze in "The Outsiders," "Grandview U.S.A." and "Red Dawn", said: "I have always had a special place in my heart for Patrick. While I was fortunate enough to work with him in three films, it was our passion for horses that forged a friendship between us that I treasure to this day. Not only did we lose a fine actor today, I lost my older `Outsiders' brother."

Other celebrities used Twitter to express condolences, and "Dirty Dancing" was the top trending topic for a while Monday night, trailed by several other Swayze films.

Ashton Kutcher — whose wife, Demi Moore, co-starred with Swayze in "Ghost" — wrote: "RIP P Swayze." Kutcher also linked to a YouTube clip of the actor poking fun at himself in a classic "Saturday Night Live" sketch, in which he played a wannabe Chippendales dancer alongside the corpulent — and frighteningly shirtless — Chris Farley.

Kanye West Posts Second Apology to Taylor Swift for VMAs Out

tLIB — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:20:35 GMT

[img]http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/6/6/3/4/30084366-30084371-slarge.jpg[/img]

[b]Kanye West Posts Second Apology to Taylor Swift for VMAs Outburst[/b]

[quote]Kanye West took to his blog once again today to apologize to Taylor Swift in a short, uncharacteristically lower-case post that referenced his outburst in the middle of Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards. “I feel like Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents when he messed up everything and Robert DeNiro asked him to leave…,” Kanye writes. “That was Taylor’s moment and I had no right in any way to take it from her. I am truly sorry.”

Look back at the 2009 VMAs most memorable moments.

As Rolling Stone reported, West posted an all-caps apology to Swift on his blog last night, though it wasn’t a total mea culpa (his “apology” essentially reiterated what West said on the VMAs stage: “I’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!… Beyonce’s video was the best of this decade!”) The original post featuring Kanye’s apology generated such a traffic jam that his blog ultimately crashed, and when it finally came back online, the apology had been erased.

[url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/14/kanye-west-posts-second-apology-to-taylor-swift-for-vmas-outburst/]More[/url][/quote]

Congressional Request.

4tunate1 — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 06:09:16 GMT

Show me your competence in administering health care by making the VA medical services, and Medicade/Medicare state of the art and cost effective, Until you do this, LEAVE IT ALONE!!!

What's So Bad About Obama's Education Speech?

tLIB — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:00:51 GMT

[quote]What's So Bad About Obama's Education Speech?
President Obama's planned Sept. 8 speech to the nation's students has sparked what I'd call an automated controversy. The controversy isn't that Obama has announced something controversial, but rather than he's announced something. Full stop. He would like to speak to children about "the need to work hard and stay in school," according the AP, and conservatives are screaming as though playing the tape backward will unveil the subliminal message "Capitalism is deeeaaddd" or "Organize your communityyyy" or something. I'm sorry, I've recently pledged to avoid offering caricatures of the opposition, but this time I'm really struggling to find an opposition that doesn't caricature itself.

Gary Bauer, American Values leader and former undersecretary of Education under Reagan, concluded in his daily email (via Dave Weigel):

Once again, the Obama Administration is using its power in unprecedented ways, this time injecting itself into the nation's classrooms. Tuesday may be a good day to sit in on your child's classes.

To do what exactly, one can only guess. Distract the children with nagging? Bauer asks what I suppose is a fair question: "How would the media have reacted if President Bush had been beamed into classrooms coast-to-coast?" If he's means the first President Bush, the answer is "They did nothing." George H. W. Bush made a similar speech to the nation's students in 1991, and all reports indicate that we withstood the agitprop. [/quote]

[url=http://business.theatlantic.com/2009/09/whats_so_bad_about_obamas_education_speech.php]More[/url]