IT'S TIME WE WERE HONEST WITH ONE ANOTHER

This is a fascinating story…..and one that in the news.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/09/28/iranian-pastor-faces-execution-for-refusing-to-recant-christian-faith/?test=latestnews

This is obviously the story of an evangelical Christian pastor in Iran who has been sentenced to death for refusing to recant his faith in Christ.  His lawyer thinks he has a very good chance (95%) of getting off of the death penalty but that he will still have to do some jail time…..for being a Christian.

Now THIS story is unconnected…….a little bit.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/28/massachusetts-man-arrested-in-plot-to-destroy-pentagon-us-capitol/?test=latestnews

This one is obviously about a US citizen, a Muslim, that declared jihad on the US and had a really hair brained plan to attack the Pentagon and the White House with model airplanes loaded with explosives.

So how WOULD these stories be connected?

In the second story, note that the US Attorney, Carmen Ortiz, says that this action by the culprit is not reflective of any particular culture, community or religion.

What are we not getting here?  I mean I know, I KNOW, that under this regime, we will never be able to CALL Islam what it is, can never put our finger on Islam as a culture of violence, which it is, a community and religion that is backwards and hateful and deadly; I get it.  But can we not at least admit that we are being dishonest about it?  I would settle for that, because I live out in the country and I have guns and will not hesitate protect myself if the government refuses to do the same.

Carmen Ortiz is an idiot……OF COURSE the culprit in the attempt on the Pentagon and the White House is reflective of a particular culture, community or religion.  To deny that is LUDICROUS.

Let me give you my thoughts on this.

1.  The Palestinians are far more concerned about destroying Israel than they are about having their own state.

2.  Any nation, culture, religion that would sentence you to death for your faith is backwards and cannot be dealt with in a civilized manner.  I am a Christian and I have friends and associates of all faiths and SOME non-faiths …..and guess what?  In western thought NONE of them need to be in jail because they are not Muslim.  As a matter of fact, in CIVILIZED thought none of them need to be in jail or get the death penalty because they are not Muslim.  Who the hell cares?  I might think you are an idiot for being a Mormon (and IMHO I DO - I read that book……it is damned near as ridiculous as the Koran), but I am not going to put you in prison, let alone KILL you.

3.  For our country to ignore that we ARE at war with ISLAM is absolutely ridiculous; how can you read the first story and then take the comments of Ortiz, in the second story seriously?  When someone says that they have no choice but to bring violence to the US because he declared jihad on the nation……after all that we have seen in the past 11 years……how do you keep a straight face and say that attacks on the US are not linked to a culture, community or religion?  It is an absurd denial.

We have to get serious about this and be honest with ourselves ……or we are going to lose this country…. if not from within (as Khrushchev once predicted) and like is currently going on, then we will lose it from without - from Islam.

So are these two news stories connected?  You bet your sweet ass they are!

THE FLORIDA DEBATE......

I didn't keep copious notes on this one - mainly because I slept thru the first 20 minutes!

My overwhelming emotion after watching the part I DID watch is sadness.  Sad that we don't have a candidate that can blow Obama out of the water.  One that can AND WILL.... the candidate is going to be Romney and he will be McCain redeux.  Romney may say he's not a politician but he is NOT grounded in principles, but in politics.  He's slick and smarmy, and he may be able to beat Obama - and I'll hold my nose and vote for him just as I did for McCain, because the country cannot take the alternative.

I thought Perry would be the one.... he has all the 'moves'... but he was suffocated last night with baggage of his own making.  He's balls on correct on the SS Ponzi thing but he cannot explain it clearly in a one-minute sound bite.  He's right about it, the facts back him up.... but his opponents on the right, and worse - on the left, will demonize his stance.  Strike 1.  Strike 2 is the vaccine thing.... government in your face and no justification, ESPECIALLY the way he made it happen.  His admission that it was the wrong WAY is a plus, but he hasn't properly defended his position other than to say he will always be on the side of life. 

Strike 3 finished him off last night. Illegal immigration and how he's handled it.  Did he say he opposes a fence?  Doesn't matter.... he's allowing illegals to suck on the tit without remorse.  Saying it's because he has a heart..... well, I know he's a Christian man but he's Bush Lite on this.  I give him some leeway because Texas has a long border with Mexico.... and he has to work for the support of the LEGAL Hispanic community.  He should have been ready for the instate tuition question with a 'stop this shit in its tracks' response.  He had none, he stuttered and obfuscated and looked weak...... OMG - he looked like a frigging RINO!  This was strike 3 for me and I'm honestly so very saddened.

Cain was great - didn't know about his cancer and it was a touching and accurate assessment of our medical care system and our future under Obamacare.  He won't be the candidate.  Bachmann looked lovely in red.... but she's starting to sound shrill.  She and Santorum are the only two TRUE conservatives in the bunch.... and sadly, neither has a chance.  Gary Johnson had his 15 seconds of fame with the shovel-ready joke.  Ron Paul is nuttier than squirrel shit but the left (especially the MSM) is pushing him because Obama wouldn't even have to campaign to get re-elected.  Huntsman should go back to China. 

And Newt...... OMG - if he had been my history professor in college, I would have made an A+ instead of..... well, we won't go there!  He's brilliant and articulate and could do the job with half his brain tied behind his back.  He has more personal baggage than Clinton, and while I don’t really CARE about that (which saddens me that I DON’T) the MSM will use it as a distraction, and A.D.D. NEWT will let it get him off message.  And he may have sexual skeletons in his closet.  I can’t imagine he’s married all the women he’s nailed.  I love Newt and I would campaign my ass off for him if I thought he had a chance.

So I’ll hold my nose and vote for Mitt.  I would prefer he was a Christian.  I would prefer he didn’t waffle with the political winds.  I would prefer he wasn’t a RINO.  I will hope he goes after Obama on his record, because he HAS one now and it sucks.  Yeah….. I’ll hold my nose.

http://firebird-writes.blogspot.com/

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/

WHAT A GOOBER!

The original photo from Getty Images.... this isn't photoshopped - this is our idiot president waving in an official photograph - not only rude, but NOT diplomatic!

See the photo on MSNBC blog:

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/20/7862290-barack-obama-joins-open-government-partnership-for-group-photo?threadId=3227073&commentId=58241852#c58241852

IN ALL THE UPROAR OVER THE SOLAR COMPANY SCANDALS - DON'T FORGET OPERATION FAST AND FURIOUS - WHICH IS THIS ADMINISTRATIONS REAL SCANDAL!

OPERATION GUNWALKER [a/k/a OPERATION FAST & FURIOUS] is about an attack on the rights of American citizens by a rogue Administration that deliberately skewed the statistics on U.S. guns in Mexico so THAT IT COULD JUSTIFY ITSELF IN CALLING FOR DRACONIAN NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS AND GUN BANS.  And then when honest and conscientious ATF agents blew the whistle on the scheme, the Administration took great effort to cover it up.

Congressman Daryl Issa, whose congressional committee is investigating ‘fast & Furious’ has decided to bypass the mainstream media and take his case directly to the bloggers, who have been doing yeoman’s work on covering this story.  Issa conducted a ‘news conference’ via phone with Issa’s news conference via phone Mike Vanderboegh, David Codrea, Dave Workman, Bob Owens, and Katie Pavlich.

Issa’s decision marks a watershed event, signaling that the era of big media domination of the news is over.

The mainstream media’s handling of the scandal has been less than thorough to say the least. Most have ignored it outright. The rest have treated the story as a minor occurrence during which ‘a sting operation went awry due to the misguided actions of rogue ATF agents.

The story is about an attack on the rights of American citizens by a rogue Administration that deliberately skewed the statistics on U.S. guns in Mexico so that it could justify itself in calling for draconian new gun control laws and gun bans. And then when honest and conscientious ATF agents blew the whistle on the scheme, the Administration took great effort to cover it up.

Quoting Katie Pavlich on townhall.com yesterday:

In a conference call this morning with Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Darrell Issa, reporters were told the Attorney General in Mexico has confirmed at least 200 murders south of the border happened as a result of Operation Fast and Furious.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention, as the Attorney General in Mexico is so concerned, she’s made the point that at least 200 Mexicans have been killed with these weapons and probably countless more,” Issa said.

Eleven crimes in the United States have been linked to Operation Fast and Furious up to this point. Issa said he expects as the investigation in the operation continues, more crimes connected to Fast and Furious will come to light and be exposed. This is not surprising, considering out of 2500 weapons the Obama Justice Department allowed to “walk,” and that only 600 have been recovered, the rest are lost until they show up at violent crime scenes. The damage from Operation Fast and Furious has only started to be seen. Remember, the Mexican Government and ATF agents working in Mexico were left completely in the dark about the operation.

In another blogger’s account of the conference call, Mike Vanderboegh wrote this exchange he had with Issa: 

I asked: about FBI complicity in Gunwalker. “Given that we now know about FBI paid informants further up the cartel chain and a third gun that ‘disappeared’ from the Terry murder scene indicating the FBI is covering up the true circumstances of his death, when will we see Robert Mueller and his apparently-complicit minions under oath?” Issa indicated that he thought the third weapon disappeared because “people were panicking.” He added later, “The smoking gun is the gun that killed Brian Terry.”

Asked about Janet Napolitano‘s knowledge of Gunwalker, Issa cracked that in Janet’s DHS, “Freedom of information is an oxymoron.” He indicated that they would continue to ask questions to get as far up the chain as possible.

Asked about the overall purpose of Gunwalker, he demurred on agreeing outright with the “conspiracy against the Second Amendment” theory which sources say was the entire point of the larger exercise, but said:

“The administration wanted to show that guns found in Mexico came from the United States.”

Since this scandal came to light in March 2011, the Obama Justice Department has continually stonewalled the investigation from the House Oversight Committee, and not much has changed. Issa said there is an ongoing cover-up of a pattern of ongoing mistakes and that the Justice Department continues to use petty prosecutions to limit information given to the Oversight Committee.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2011/09/20/attorney_general_in_mexico_200_murders_result_of_operation_fast_and_furious

http://tancredoradio.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/congressman-issa-discards-mainstream-media-for-bloggers/

RELATED ARTICLES:

§  Issa: Fast And Furious Has Seriously Damaged Our Relationship With Mexico – Special Prosecutor May Be Appointed (nicedeb.wordpress.com)

§  CBS: “Secret recordings raise new questions in ATF ‘Gunwalker’ operation.” Again, I ask: when is Darrell Issa going to go after the FBI cover-up?(tancredoradio.wordpress.com)

§  NY Times hatchet job on Issa may be imploding (gunnyg.wordpress.com)

§  Issa to launch probe of Obama actions on Solyndra, LightSquared (thehill.com)

§  ‘Fast and Furious’ Explodes: Brian Terry Cover-Up, White House Emails Revealed(tancredoradio.wordpress.com)

§  Fox News Special Report – Congress Close To Contempt Hearings and Special Prosecutor For Gunwalker (nicedeb.wordpress.com)

§  House Oversight to investigate government loan programs (hotair.com)

§  Boom: Congressional Investigators Find Evidence of a Gunwalker Coverup(tancredoradio.wordpress.com)

§  Soros, and AFSCME Funded Group Files Ethics Complaint Against Darrell Issa As He Probes Gunwalker Plot (nicedeb.wordpress.com)

§  The NYT files: More than 13 errors in front-page piece about Issa (hotair.com)

UH OH

First it was a four-star general, and now a federal agency official says the White House sought changes to his testimony on a wireless project tied to a prominent Democratic donor.

A second government official has come forward saying the White House tried to influence his testimony concerning a wireless broadband project backed by a Democratic donor that military officials fear might impair sensitive satellite navigation systems.

Anthony Russo, director of the National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing, told The Daily Beast he rejected “guidance” from the White House’s Office of Budget and Management suggesting he tell Congress that the government’s concerns about the project by the firm LightSquared could be resolved in 90 days, a timetable favorable to the company’s plans.

READ ON:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/19/lightsquared-second-witness-rejects-white-house-testimony-guidance.html

http://firebird-writes.blogspot.com/

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/

FROM THE CHICAGO FRIKKING TRIBUNE!!!!!!

Why Obama should withdraw from the 2012 race...

Steve Chapman

September 18, 2011

I checked the Constitution, and he is under no compulsion to run for re-election. He can scrap the campaign, bag the fundraising calls and never watch another Republican debate as long as he's willing to vacate the premises by Jan. 20, 2013.

READ MORE..... PLEASE!!!!  LOL

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-chapman-obama-reelection,0,622512.column

OBAMA OPTS OUT OF BLIND TRUST FOR PERSONAL INVESTMENTS..... HMMMMM

Estimated net worth: $5 million

Obama is the grandson of a goat herder. He is a former constitutional law professor and civil rights attorney. Book royalties constitute most of Obama's net worth.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/05/the-net-worth-of-the-us-presidents-from-washington-to-obama/57020/#slide43

Most presidents put their investments into blind trusts when taking office to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest. President Obama didn’t do that, in the name of transparency of course.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041603420.html

FROM THE WASHINGTON FRIGGING POST!  4/16/2010

For Obama, lack of huge stock portfolio helps avoid need for blind trust

He's the ultimate public official. And public officials put their money in blind trusts, right? It's a way of getting around the whole "conflict-of-interest, don't want the appearance of impropriety" thing.

In fact, President Obama has rejected the approach taken by most of his predecessors in the modern era.

His personal wealth -- which is rapidly growing -- is not shielded from his view.

Why not?

Officially, the answer is that the president wanted more transparency in his personal finances -- fitting in with his pledges to be the most open White House in history.  [EDITORIAL NOTE:  ROFLMAO!]

"The choice not to have a blind trust is an effort to be transparent about where his money is kept, and the public can see his latest financial disclosure documents, which we have made public and accessible on the Web site," a senior White House official said. But a little digging into Obama's financial disclosures suggests another answer.

According to documents Obama filed in May of 2009 (another round is due next month), most of the first family's money is invested in plain vanilla U.S. Treasury bonds. Those are the kinds of low-yield investments that are unlikely to provoke any conflict of interest concerns.

Kenneth A. Gross, a lawyer at Skadden Arps, is a key adviser to uber-wealthy New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He said in an interview that Obama has no need for a blind trust.

"I think it's an instinctive thing -- oh you are in public office now, you should set up a blind trust," he said. "You can avoid a blind trust fairly easily by putting money into investments such as a widely diversified fund."

Gross, who said Bloomberg has largely avoided putting his billions into a blind trust, said Obama does not own hundreds of individual stocks that could be bought and sold, causing him to recuse himself on numerous issues.

"There's no blessed reason why you would set up a blind trust for that kind of investment," Gross said of Obama. "He's got his money in exactly the kinds of investments that don't require a blind trust."

In theory, Obama is the one man in the country (along with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke) who could affect interest rates, and thus the value of his Treasury bonds. But Gross said that's a stretch.

Melanie Sloan, the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said she tends to favor blind trusts for most politicians.

"The blind trusts are necessary so it's clear to other people that you are not making decisions that affect your own financial interests," she said. "They get in trouble all the time when they are making decisions that make their own stock portfolio worth more."

http://firebird-writes.blogspot.com/

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/

OBAMA'S SOLAR PROBLEMS GROW FASTER THAN THE DEFICIT

8/15/2011:  ASCENT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES - On Monday, struggling solar thin-film maker Ascent Solar Technologies said it plans to sell a stake in the company and license its technology to Chinese conglomerate TFG Radiant Group. TFG Radiant Group promises to spend roughly $165 million to build a factory in China [1]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

3/27/2010:  BP SOLAR - BP will close its solar-panel manufacturing plant in Frederick MD, the final step in moving its solar business out of the United States to facilities in China, India and other countries.  Just 3-1/2 years ago, in an announcement widely hailed by Maryland officials and promoters of "green jobs," BP unveiled a $70 million plan to double output at the facility and erected a building to house the production lines.  But on Friday the company said it would lay off 320 workers and keep only a hundred people involved in research, sales and project development. [7]  BP Solar received $11,670,754 in tax credits in January, 2010 [4]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

9/16/2011: CALISOLAR, INC. - Calisolar Inc., a solar manufacturer that withdrew its application for a U.S. Energy Department loan guarantee, is firing 23 percent of its workforce as it shifts its business model.

Closely held Calisolar is firing 80 people at a solar-cell plant and will focus on manufacturing polysilicon used to make the cells, the Sunnyvale, California-based company said today in an e-mailed statement. Calisolar has 350 employees, according to its website.

The job cuts come as solar manufacturers are struggling with foreign competition and plummeting prices for their products. Prices for solar cells have dropped 43 percent in the past year, and solar-panel manufacturers Evergreen Solar Inc., SpectraWatt Inc. and Solyndra LLC have filed for bankruptcy in the past month. [8]  Calisolar received a tax credit in January, 2010 of $51,563,980  [4]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8/15/2011:  EVERGREEN SOLAR - Evergreen Solar Inc., the Massachusetts clean-energy company that received millions in state subsidies from the Gov. Deval Patrick administration for an ill-fated Bay State factory, has filed for bankruptcy, listing $485.6 million in debt.  Greg Bialecki, Patrick’s economic development czar, defended the administration’s support for the once-promising Evergreen. The state is still trying to recoup about $4 million in cash from the Marlboro-based company.

Evergreen, which closed its taxpayer-supported Devens factory in March and cut 800 jobs, has been trying to rework its debt for months. The cash-strapped company announced today has sought a reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware and reached a deal with certain note holders to restructure its debt and auction off assets [2]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8/15/2011:  FIRST SOLAR, INC. – First Solar reported lackluster second-quarter financial results. The company’s net income dived 61.6 percent down to $61.1 million from $159 million in the same quarter a year ago. That led to earnings of $0.70 per share, down 63 percent from $1.84 per share a year ago. At the same time, sales dropped 9.4 percent to $532.8 million from $587.9 million during the same period.  [1] First Solar received a tax credit in January, 2010 of  $16,320,000 [4]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

9/16/2011:  LIGHTSQUARED - LightSquared Scandal Explodes.  Allegations… first made in February about White House political favors for a company called LightSquared are starting to get the attention they deserve.  It’s being reported that Obama was an early investor in LightSquared, before he became president … The White House is facing accusations that it tried to pressure an Air Force general to change his testimony on the GPS interference issue.  The accusation that Gen. William Shelton was pressured came at the same time the White House was attempting to explain its role in the awarding of $500-million loan guarantee to now-bankrupt Solyndra, in which billionaire Obama bundler George Kaiser was a major investor. [5]  Julius Genachowski, another former Obama fundraiser and big party donor who was named to head the FCC, was called to testify before Congress about fast-tracking waivers to LightSquared, but he refused to appear, said Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) [12]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

9/7/2100:  SOLARWORLD - Major Solar Manufacturer SolarWorld Shuts Down California Solar Module Factory, Cuts Workforce in Germany.  It plans to lay off 186 employees at the end of October, more than half of its local workforce.  Employees at SolarWorld Industries America were told Tuesday they were being let go, said spokesman Ben Santarris. They will receive pay and benefits through Oct. 28, plus severance pay. Outplacement services also will be provided." [3] SolarWorld received a tax credit in January, 2010 or $82.5 BILLION. [4]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8/16/2011:  SOLON SOLAR - German solar maker Solon announced that it will shutter a Tucson, Ariz. panel factory and cut 60 jobs.  The news is yet another sign that competition from Chinese solar manufacturers and low costs of panels are leading to consolidation in the solar manufacturing industry. Combine that with declining solar subsidies in key European markets such as Italy and Germany, and sales for many solar companies have been significantly disrupted. [1]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

9/12/2011:  SOLYNDRA – In May, 2010, accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP warned that Solyndra, the recipient of $535 million in federal loan guarantees, had financial troubles deep enough to “raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.”

The Obama administration stood by Solyndra through the auditor’s warning, the abandonment of a planned initial public offering and a last-ditch refinancing where taxpayers took a back seat to new investors. That unwavering commitment has come under increasing scrutiny since the company’s travails culminated in its filing for bankruptcy protection on Sept. 6 and a raid on its headquarters by the Federal Bureau of Investigation two days later. [6] Billionaire Obama bundler George Kaiser was a major investor. [5]

A second top fundraiser for President Barack Obama was linked to a federal loan guarantee program that backed Solyndra.  Steve Spinner, who helped monitor the Energy Department’s issuance of $25 billion in government-backed loans to renewable energy projects, was one of Obama’s top fundraisers in 2008 and is raising money for the president’s 2012 re-election campaign.  [10]  Spinner’s wife’s law firm represented Solyndra, Inc.  Spinner was named an advisor to Energy Secretary Steven Chu and was charged with helping oversee a loan guarantee program authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the economic stimulus program.  In the Solyndra scandal, the White House pressured the U.S. Department of Energy to provide a half-billion dollar grant to a financially questionable solar energy company in pursuit of the president’s agenda for “green” technology.  [11]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8/26/2011:  SPECTRAWATT, INC. - New York-based solar company SpectraWatt Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection this week - the second US solar company to do so this month.  Like Evergreen Solar which filed last week, SpectraWatt blames increasing competition from low-cost manufacturers in China and the falling prices of solar panels, caused by an oversupply on the market and a dip in the pace of solar installations. [9]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

8/15/2011:  SUNPOWER - SunPower widened its second-quarter losses to $147.9 million, or $1.51 per share, from $6.2 million, or $0.07 per share, for the year-ago quarter. At the same time, SunPower reported $592.3 million in revenue for the third quarter, up 54 percent from $384.2 million in the year-ago period.  [1]  SunPower received $10.8 BILLION in tax credits.  [4]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[1] http://gigaom.com/cleantech/solar-crunch-solon-to-close-u-s-factory/

[2]  http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1358998

[3] http://www.solartown.com/community/news/view/major-solar-manufacturer-solarworld-shuts-down-california-solar-module-factory-cuts-workforce-in-germany

[4] http://www.irs.gov/businesses/article/0,,id=242969,00.html

[5] http://nlpc.org/stories/2011/09/16/lightsquared-scandal-explodes

[6] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-12/obama-team-backed-535-million-solyndra-aid-as-auditor-warned-on-finances.html

[7] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032604611.html

[8] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-14/calisolar-fires-23-percent-after-turning-down-loan-guarantee.html

[9]  http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/22837

[10]  http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/good-grief-another-top-obama-fundraiser-linked-to-solyndra-scandal/

[11] http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20110917obama_fundraiser_linked_to_federal_loan_for_failed_solar_company

[12] http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2779275/posts

NOW THAT’S FUNNY RIGHT THERE!

From the Huffington Post – noted conservative rag (not!)

A little over two weeks ago, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, the third-richest person in the world, penned an op-ed critical of the low tax rates for the superrich.  It would seem his own company, Berkshire Hathaway, hasn't prioritized paying its rightful share in a timely fashion either.

Berkshire Hathaway, the eighth-largest public company in the world according to Forbes, openly admits to still owing taxes for years 2002 through 2004 and 2005 through 2009, according to the New York Post. The company says it expects to "resolve all adjustments proposed by the US Internal Revenue Service" within the next year.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway owes $1 billion in back taxes…

http://firebird-writes.blogspot.com/

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/

HERE'S AN INTERESTING LINK...... NO FURTHER COMMENT

http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/washington-insider-obama-member-of-chicago-gay-mans-club/

SHALOM?

Seems Tuesday’s outcome in NY9 got SOMEONE’S attention!  They are even starting to be nice to Netanyahu…. To be sure the Jewish community can see through this farce!

Sensing trouble, the Obama campaign and Democratic Party leaders have mobilized to solidify the president’s standing with Jewish voters. The Democratic National Committee has established a Jewish outreach program. The campaign is singling out Jewish groups, donors and other supporters with calls and e-mails to counter the Republican narrative that Mr. Obama is hostile to Israel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/15/us/politics/obama-israel-policies-may-cost-democrats-votes.html?_r=2&hp

http://firebird-writes.blogspot.com/

http://firebird-cooks.blogspot.com/

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! DINNER WITH BARACK! $5 FOR A CHANCE TO MEET HIM AT 5 GUYS BURGERS!

Obama Sends Out Creepy Email: 'Sometime Soon, Can We Meet For Dinner?'  Now I'll be the first to admit I've not been kind to this President because I don't believe in A SINGLE THING he stands for and I think he's destroying America.  But THIS???  I mean - c'mon!  This is trashing the office he holds worse than sitting in the Oval Office with his tie loose and his feet on the desk!!!  [As a side note, I wouldn't donate $5 to him if it was a guarantee he would clean up after my Christmas party!]  Can you say DESPERATION!?

Here's the body of the email!!!!

Friend --

Supporters like you are the reason I'm here, and the values we share have always made our organization more than just a political campaign.

So whenever I can, I want to take the opportunity to meet you. Last month, that meant I got to talk to folks in Iowa about small-business opportunities, and sit down with a group of volunteers from around the country who helped build this campaign in their communities this summer.

Please donate $5 or more to be automatically entered for a chance to join me for dinner. If this sounds a bit familiar to you, it's because we've done this before. In fact, my hope is that I'll be able to keep doing these dinners throughout the campaign.  They're a chance for me to talk one on one with people like you who are taking ownership of this campaign and connect with the work going on every day in neighborhoods across the country.

Today, I want to ask if you'll join me and three other supporters for a meal and conversation sometime soon.

That's why I'm asking for your donation today. I hope you'll take a minute to help build this campaign. When you do, you'll have a chance to join me for dinner:

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/o2012-dinner-with-barack-sept?source=20110914_BO_misc&utm_medium=email&utm_source=obama&utm_campaign=20110914_BO_misc

Maybe I'll get to thank you in person.

These dinners also set our campaign apart. No matter what our opponents do over the next 14 months, dinners like these are how we will continue to put people at the heart of this campaign -- and prove that we don't need checks from Washington lobbyists or special-interest PAC money to win an election. We can do it person to person, in our neighborhoods and backyards, and over the dinner table.

Barack 

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-sends-out-creep

THE POST OFFICE IS DEEP IN DEBT - BUT UNIONS DON'T PERMIT LAYOFFS SOOO....EMPLOYEES ARE PAID TO SIT IN A ROOM AND DO NOTHING ALL DAY

Would you believe the U.S. Postal Service, which lost a whopping $8.5 billion in 2010, spends millions of dollars a year paying thousands of employees to do absolutely nothing?  It's the truth.

"This is called standby time, and occurs when workers are idled but paid due to reassignments and reorganization efforts," according to the Postal Service's Office of Inspector General.

Where else could you get paid a decent salary for sitting in an empty room, doing absolutely nothing?

Cost of Standby Time

Standby time cost the Postal Service about $30.9 million in 2009, the equivalent of some 1.2 million hours. The semi-independent government agency paid out $22 million in 2010 in standby time, according to the Office of Inspector General.

Standby time represents a relatively small portion of the overall work done by the Postal Service. Still, it's about the same as having more than 1,000 workers on the clock but not having anything for them to do.

See also: Find Postal Service Jobs Without Being Scammed

"Although reducing standby hours remains a top management priority, it is small relative to overall work hours and does not take away from the substantial progress made in reducing work hours," the Inspector General's Office said in a 2011 report.

In 2010, for example, the 1.4 million hours of standby time represented less than 1 percent of the 1.18 billion work hours put in by Postal Service employees.

How Standby Time Works 

The Postal Service cannot simply lay off employees because of declining mail volume under its contracts with the major labor unions.

So workers impacted by such slowdowns report to work, but sit around in conference rooms, break rooms and occasionally 12-foot-by-8-foot storage closets, according to a 2009 report by Federal Times. The Postal Service reportedly calls those rooms "resource rooms." Employees who resent being bored refer to them derisively as "holding pens."

"The Postal Service records standby hours for career bargaining unit employees who are guaranteed work hours, as required by applicable national labor agreements, when there is insufficient work available," according to the Office of Inspector General.

"Standby time is used for unplanned impacts that effect employee complement, unplanned, low-work-volume periods on a particular day or days; or other unplanned events such as equipment breakdown."

Standby Time Policies

Nonetheless, Postal Service managers have said their hands are tied when it comes to standby time. "Volume has dropped, we don't get the same mail receipts we used to get, and our overtime is already pretty much nil," Edward Jackson, the plant manager at the mail processing facility in Washington, D.C., told Federal Times. "But we still have to keep them in a pay status. So we put them in the standby rooms."

READ ON:  http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/consumerawareness/a/Postal-Service-Standby-Time.htm

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TAXPAYER-FUNDED NEWS - EDITED TO HIDE AN OBAMA GAFFE!

In Obama's rant on Thursday night before a joint session of Congress (which BTW he DEMANDED rather than was invited to speak at - someone needs to share with this constitutional attorney that he's  CO-EQUAL branch of government - not the king!) he made several 'misspeaks'..... PBS edited one really dumb one - your tax dollars at work!

The New York Times transcript has the following quote:

"We all remember Abraham Lincoln as the leader who saved our Union.  Founder of the Republican Party.  But in the middle of a civil war, he was also a leader who looked to the future -- a Republican President who mobilized government to build the Transcontinental Railroad -- (applause) -- launch the National Academy of Sciences, set up the first land grant colleges.  (Applause.)  And leaders of both parties have followed the example he set."

But how does it appear in the PBS transcript?

"We all remember Abraham Lincoln as the leader who saved our Union.  But in the middle of a Civil War, he was also a leader who looked to the future - a Republican president who mobilized government to build the transcontinental railroad; launch the National Academy of Sciences; and set up the first land grant colleges.  And leaders of both parties have followed the example he set.”

READ ON:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/09/pbs_alters_transcript_to_hide_obama_gaffe.html

ONLY A LIBERAL COULD HAVE WRITTEN THIS ONE!

Glenn Kessler posted a blog on The Washington Post blog site on 9/8 called ‘A Primer on Social Security’.  The blog begins with Gov. Rick Perry’s assertion that SS is a Ponzi scheme.  Then he proceeds to ask and answer questions about SS.  As you read down you come to the question:  Why wasn’t the surplus cash generated by Social Security placed in stocks or something else? And his answer, which is how a liberal thinks:

That has been an option discussed from time to time, though people were concerned about government control of corporate assets and having retirement funds subjects to market swings.  But it’s important to remember that if the $2.6 trillion now in the Social Security trust funds had been invested in some other security, not only would the value of the trust funds be subject to more volatility, but all things being equal, the publicly held debt of the United States would be $2.6 trillion higher today. That’s because for years the Social Security surpluses were used to help fund government operations, thus reducing the overall budget deficit….

In answering his own question, the author is saying ‘Gee – if we hadn’t taken the SS trust assets and dumped them into the general pot, look how much HIGHER our national debt would be‼!’

And Mr. Kessler tacitly blames current retirees for the mess that is now SS. 

The baby boom generation has begun to retire, reducing the number of workers per retiree.  Meanwhile, people are living longer and thus would collect benefits longer, while parents are not having as many children, which limits the pool of new workers.

SHAME!  SHAME!  SHAME!  On all you baby boomers for not having flocks of kids to keep the pool of workers paying in to this ‘Ponzi scheme’. 

What’s a Ponzi scheme, you ask?  A fraudulent investing scam that promises high rates of return at little risk to investors.  The scheme generates returns for older investors by acquiring new investors.  This scam actually yields the promised returns to earlier investors, as long as there are more new investors.  Hmmmmm… the defenders of SS say it is NOT a Ponzi scheme because it’s not ‘fraudulent’.  That’s bullshit – semantics.  Just because it’s government sanctioned does not mean it’s not fraudulent.

And it is NOT the boomers’ fault SS is going broke – this can be laid at the doorstep of the federal Government (are you surprised?)

Back in the day….. the family WAS most of the private sector.  Families were necessarily large because there was farming to be done, smaller children to be cared for, crops to be harvested, trees to be cut and lumber to be made, and old folks to be cared for.  ‘Currency’ was gotten by selling what the family generated – or people traded for the things they needed.  Then along comes Uncle Sam and Social Security – a government with its heart in the right place and little else.  With the end of the Great Depression and the onset of WWll, more people entered the labor force and the older generation had the ‘security’ of being able to take care of themselves (with a little help from their kids).  The need for large families decreased.  It wasn’t a conscious decision by parents not to have large families so SS would go belly-up.  It was just the way of life in the middle of the last century.  Families just got smaller.

I submit that Social Security IS fraudulent because…. the money was taken for a specific purpose and then diverted to another.  This is a crime against everyone who has contributed to the system.  SS IS a Ponzi scheme because eventually there is not enough money to go around and the ‘pyramid’ collapses.  That collapse is not far away.

Read Kessler’s complete blog:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/a-primer-on-social-security/2011/09/08/gIQAAvYkCK_blog.html

SPECIAL ELECTION TUESDAY IN NY TO FILL THE WEINER SEAT

Davie Weprin (D, NY) running against Bob Turner (R, NY) for Anthony Weiner’s congressional seat in a special election on Tuesday, September 13.

Weprin was dealt a blow by fellow Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who endorsed Turner.  Hikind said that electing Turner would "send a message to President Obama about his failed, disastrous economic policies and his reckless policies toward Israel."  The bad blood between the two Democrats began when Weprin voted for gay marriage and compared opposing gay marriage to "outlawing marriages between Jews and non-Jews or interracial marriages.”  

Both Hikind and Weprin hail from the 9th district's sizable Orthodox Jewish community.  (Turner is a Catholic, and he opposes gay marriage.)

A poll yesterday  [9/9/11] shows that Republican Bob Turner holds a six-point lead in next week's special election to replace disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y  The Siena College poll shows voters in the overwhelmingly Democratic district are poised to deliver a stinging rebuke to President Obama and his party.  Six percent of likely voters in the Sept. 13th election are undecidedPublish Post.

A win by Turner would be historic.

CAN YOU SAY 'ASSHOLE'!!!

Harry Reid has scheduled a vote immediately following Obama's speech tonight, and it's not one many Republicans will want to miss. As soon as Obama is done talking, the Senate will take up a measure disapproving of the $500 billion increase in the debt limit.

The vote to disapprove of the debt ceiling increase was negotiated in debt-ceiling deal cut this summer. The measure gives Republicans a chance to vote against raising the nation's borrowing limit, though ultimately it will be impossible to stop.  Even if the disapproval measure passes both chambers, Obama will veto it and Republicans do not have enough votes in the Senate to override him.

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/reid-rains-vitters-saints-party

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IF YOU WATCH OBAMA'S SPEECH TONIGHT, KEEP A BARF BAG HANDY!

The talking points [for tonight’s speech before a joint session of Congress] repeat Obama’s favored campaign-trail themes, depicting the economy as a victim of President George W. Bush; the Republicans as unpatriotic and greedy partisans; and Obama as an optimistic, fair-minded, reformist, bipartisan, fiscal moderate.

The White House’s pre-speech spin ramped up this morning when Carney appeared on morning TV shows to announce that the president’s package of proposals will be collectively titled “The Americans Jobs Act.”

The talking points begin with the claim that Obama’s proposals are “based on bi-partisan ideas” and “fully paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.”

The GOP will likely insist that this is a poll-tested euphemism for a tax hike on business owners, [which it IS].

To downplay any impression that Obama is acting in a partisan fashion, the script also declares that all of Congress — not just Republicans — is at fault. “Every day, people in this country are working hard to meet their responsibilities. The question now is whether Washington will meet theirs … The time for obstruction and gridlock is over. Congress needs to put country ahead of politics,” say the talking points.

http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/08/white-house-releases-talking-points-to-liberals-ahead-of-speech/

LIGHTEN UP!

HOW I SAW TONIGHT'S DEBATE

Well Matthews opening comment was inappropriate speaking of the Kennedy brothers and Robert’s comment to Jack before the debate:  Kick him in the balls….

Let the games begin

Brian Williams of MBC News and John Harris of Politico narrating…

Starting with the economy – polls say it was Bush’s fault!  LMAO!

First question to Perry… about quality of jobs….. excellent answer – next to Romney about private sector experience.  Perry called him a buyout specialist as Gov. of Mass.  Romney touts record in private sector with a little jab at Perry.  Another good answer.  Another question to Romney – breaking down companies and selling the pieces.  Another good Romney answer.  Gave Romney way too much time.  Back to Perry for rebuttal…. Shot Romney down as a governor… back to Romney to rebut the rebuttal…. Are there others on the stage?  LMAO -  Perry says Dukakas created more jobs than Mitt – Mitt said W created more than Rick

Next to Santorum who explains his jobs plan – cutting corporate rate and doing thing democrats will support – UGH

Same to Cain – eliminate tax code, 9-9-9 plan   9% personal tax, 9% sales, 9% corporate tasx

Lmao – Cain said if 10% is good enough for God – 9% ought to be good enough for government - great line!

Huntsman – question on China – says we have to fix our core because we can’t have a trade war with China… wishy/washy answer… lived overseas 5 times

Finally to Bachmann…. She wants less regulations – list bad regs… new one beinb put into place with Obamacare… it’s killing jobs.  Same answers as before

Next to Ron Paul…. Called him an absolutist – says government doesn’t need to be regulating everything – let the market regulate itself.  Regulate at the state level.  Williams asks about regulations for drug companies.  Applause for his answers

Gingrich wrote intro for Perry’s book… lmao – is Perry qualified?  Newt said if Perry writes another book, he’ll write another foreward.  Talked about Reagan creating jobs and him creating jobs as Speaker.  Says Obama committeed to socialism and class warfare.

Politico guy asking about healthcare…. Starts with Romney and what he said 4 years ago.  Asking about Romneycare – Perry says was an example of what won’t work – mandate.  Asking Romney about the individual mandate – will waiver all states from Obamacare first day in office.  23 minutes in and Bachmann has had 1 minute.

To Bachmann on Obamacare – says law has to be repealed – talking about her leading the repeal in Congress. 

Newt attacks questioner… says all agree it has to be repealed and he won’t take part in getting Republians fighting…. Says republicans will repudiates the news media who are trying to get them fighting.

Cain – no mandate constitutional if people are required to buy something.

Santorum – asking since he’s a devout Catholic… 1/7 people qualify as poor – where do poor place in a Santorum administration.  Let the fight for welfare reform.  Put a work requirement in place for welfare and poverty dropped.  Obama ex. Order undid workfare  Excellent answer

Romney – can you get gas prices down – good answer – developing our own resources…. Attacked Obama for blocking energy   Bachmann touts how many jobs would be created if we went after our own energy resources.  Huntsman – brings up teleprompter….

[questioners are NOT keeping the time even]

Asked Paul about the minimum wage… says he’s a doctor and no one asked him about Obamacare…… went off on mandates… don’t need government running our lives…

Perry and Paul exchange ‘letters’ comments – Perry wrote to Hillary and Paul wrote to Reagan.

Whew!  First break!  This debate so far is fast paced, funny, and every single candidate is giving excellent answers.  Newt’s a bit defensive but dead on with his remarks; Bachmann’s repeating her lines – borrrrrrring…. Perry’s doing great and Romney’s still too plastic and programmed…. Santorum’s answers are good but he’s getting left out, as is Cain – who’s responses so far are excellent.  Huntsman has a lot to say but I just don’t like him…. Will try to stay open.

============================

Opened with a truibute to Reagan Library…. Film of Ron and Nancy… she’s lovely.  The films of them were heartwrenching… and she’s in the audience!  Yaaaaaaaa

Perry wrote ‘Fed Up’ – called SSI the program that tossed aside states rights – need to focus on changing SS… but people should not worry but says it’s a Ponzi scheme for youth of today.  Perry stood by comment that it’s a Ponzi scheme and youth of today know it

Romney on SSI…. Issue’s not funding – Congress has raided SS… says it must be fixed – not ended…. Duh.

Cain says use Chilean model for retirement.

Paul attacks Perry for forcing 12 year olds to take HPV vaccine… not good social policy.  Did it with an executive order – legislature repealed it.  Paul says he will not use executive orders.

Bachmann on HPV – says parental rights rule – government should not impose rules on what should happen to kids – segued into education and who controls.

Perry replies…. An opt for all…. But stands by the idea of saving lives however

Perry’s book says republicans were wrong to create dept of HS… Santorum attacks Perry as wrong on Gardisil.  Should be a parental responsibility.  (I would ask about all the vaccinations kids have to get to start school that are required by law)

Newt on Homeland Security…. Says people are there who want to kill us – need an ability to respond.  Would Paul repeal the TSA – should be airline’s responsibility… Paul calls for private sector to take care of security. 

FEMA – what happens if FEMA doesn’t respond (don’t get me started on THIS one) – Paul had a great answer.  Uh oh – said take a/c’s out of tents in Afghan and put the money saved in FEMA……. He’s getting nutty

Question to Perry on education cuts.. Texas ranks low compared to other states.. Perry says because of sharing a border they have a unique education problem.

Newt agrees with Obama only on Charter Schools… says parents need school choice. 

Jose –Dias Billard joins questioners…. Talking about immigration – asks Perry first thing he would do on the border – answered boots on the ground.. secure the border with personnel and aircraft.  THEN have a discussion on immingration reform.  Called out Obama on saying border was safe.  Romney wants a fence and agents – and stop sanctuary cities, free education, and stop employers who hire – no amnesty.  Applause.

Newt – control border and have a legal guest worker program, English as official language – learn history.

Santorum – come legally – secure border first – then decide what to do with illegals here

Bachmann – fence  and stop giving subsidies to illegals – what to do with those here – not a great answer from any of the candidates – she likes 1950 immigration rules.

Cain – solve all the problems – border, promote path to citizenship, enforce laws we have now and empower states to solve the problem.

Huntsman – legal immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed

Paul – remove easy road and benefits; nutty again

FINAL BREAK – talking times were a little more equal – questions stunk. The immigration question was a waste of time IMHO because the solution is not a 60-second sound bite.  Newt is the only one focusing on attacking Obama – Bachmann is NOT excelling – her answers are repeats, as are Santorum’s.  Cain is still strong.

Quicker round for last go?

Tea party question for Romney…..  are you a member?   Asked Perry about debt/spending question – would not raise taxes.  Wants a Balanced Budget Amendment.   Huntsman – no pledges.  Romney – we have an absence of leadership and Obama is over his head.  Questioners are giving Romney far too much time. 

Asking about military…. Bachmann - Obama has weakened the military – shouldn’t have gone into Libya.. Santorum says hearing isolationist views – US is a force around the world.  Huntsman – green and evolutionist?  Perry, no on green/global warming

Newt – would fire Bernanke tomorrow – not been accountable and his policies have been a disaster

Perry – favors capital punishment – huge applause – don’t do the crime if you don’t want to do the time

My conclusions on winners/losers:

Romney and Perry – too close to call

Perry was impressive and relaxed; Romney was less scripted and strong

Newt – always spontaneous and poignant

Cain – strong night

Huntsman – don’t like him but had some good answers

Bachmann -  not a great night

Paul – as meds wore off, he got nuttier - again

Santorum – think he will drop out soon

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