Friday, May 31, 2013

The Worst Anti-Keystone Pipeline Video Ever

Rocks sink? Holy shit!

Maduro Accuses Colombia of Destabilizing Venezuela after Capriles Visit


HT: BBC

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who is still fighting opposition claims of voter fraud in April's presidential election he captured by less than one and one half percentage points, is once again on the Caracas soapbox: this time accusing the Colombian government of supporting efforts to destabilize his country.

His reasoning behind this latest row between the two South American ideological opponents? Henrique Capriles, his opponent in April's election who contends the vote results are fraudulent, is on a continent spanning campaign to convince other governments of his case and he just happened to visit Bogota.

And diplomatic hell has broke lose.

Colombian President Juan Santos dismissed the "crazy" allegations and said the dispute was the result of Maduro's misunderstanding and that the row should be resolved diplomatically between the two nations.

Well, that's where Mr. Santos is wrong. Maduro knows the Colombian government is not attempting to overthrow his regime, but it definitely sounds good to his Chavista compatriots who dislike the American aligned government in Bogota and usually buy into the former bus driver's absurd accusations and theories.

What say you?

Gabriel Gomez Receives Generous Fundraising Pitch from Mitch McConnell


With the race to replace now Secretary of State John Kerry in the U.S. Senate entering its final weeks, Massachusetts Republican and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez is not only polling within striking distance of longtime Democratic Congressman Ed Markey, but he's receiving some notable help from some senatorial pillars of the GOP caucus.

After being joined by Arizona Senator John McCain to campaign in early May, Gomez has recently seen the National Republican Senatorial Committee set up office in the Bay State to aid his candidacy's final stretch in the closing weeks and the NRSC's head, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, promising to match up to three times any donations for Gomez's campaign up to $32,000.

Senate Republicans, who control 44 of 100 seats in Congress's upper house, obviously see an opportunity to once again elect an off-year popular moderate to join their caucus from the typically liberal Massachusetts and perhaps aid the party in its quest to achieve their first Senate majority since 2006.

Very interesting developments.

What say you?

BREAKING: Islamic Government of Turkey Potentially Collapsing; Pictures and Updates, May 31, 2013

As one person following put it, "It has hit the fan."

A quick update from Reuters:
Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon on Friday at demonstrators in central Istanbul, wounding scores of people and prompting rallies in other cities in the fiercest anti-government protests in years.

Thousands of demonstrators massed on streets surrounding Istanbul's central Taksim Square, long a venue for political unrest, while protests erupted in the capital, Ankara, and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir.
Protests in the street:


Oklahoma City Tornado Video 5/31/2013


Oklahoma Tornado Pictures 5/31/2013

Update: Video here.

Photo Credit: KWTV

Turkey Protest Pictures 5/31/2013

Photo credit
Los Angeles Solidarity Protest. Photo credit

Photo credit

Oklahoma City Tornado Map 5/31/2013



More here. Stay safe.

Tornado Warning in Oklahoma City, Central Oklahoma

If you are in the area, take shelter immediately.  Multiple large tornadoes have been spotted.

From the National Weather Service:
The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a Tornado Warning for: Central Oklahoma County in central Oklahoma. Northwestern Cleveland County in central Oklahoma. Eastern Canadian County in central Oklahoma.
  • Until 7:45 pm CDT.
  • At 6:51 pm CDT, a thunderstorm with a history of producing strong damaging tornadoes was located 4 miles southwest of Bethany. A tornado may develop again at any time. Doppler radar showed this dangerous storm moving east to Southeast at 20 mph. This is a tornado emergency for Wiley Post Airport, Will Rogers World Airport, Bethany, downtown Oklahoma City, and North Moore, take immediate tornado precautions now. In addition to a tornado, dangerous and extremely large destructive hail up to softball size is expected with this storm.
  • Locations impacted include: Oklahoma City, Moore, Del City, Yukon, Bethany, Mustang, Warr Acres, Nichols Hills, Forest Park, Valley Brook and Lake Aluma.

EPA Regulation Causes Ambulance to Break Down on Way to Hospital; Patient Dies

From MyFoxDC:
The D.C. fire department is trying to determine why one of its newer diesel ambulances broke down as crews were transporting a patient in cardiac arrest.

It happened on I-295 Wednesday afternoon as Ambulance 19 was taking a shooting victim to the hospital. Then it took several minutes for a second ambulance to arrive.

The driver of Ambulance 19 is telling investigators the indicator lights on the emission control system suddenly and unexpectedly jumped from a warning to shut down in a matter of seconds, and as the engine died, she was able to pull the rig to the side of the road.

The question now is why? And can these newer rigs be trusted to be there in an emergency?

When the D.C. fire department began buying these diesel engine ambulances a few years ago, officials knew they would have to manage them with a new emission control system that would automatically shut the engine down if it wasn't allowed to what's called "regenerate.”

It was a mandate from the Environmental Protection Agency.
DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

Oklahoma City Tornado Videos, May 31, 2013


Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson Information 5/31/2013

Some information coming to us from local press.





Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson called law enforcement after finding the substance, suspected of being ricin. The couple's home is in New Boston,

about 25 miles west of Texarkana.

Sources say Shannon Richardson is pregnant. The couple wed on Oct. 9, 2011, according to Bowie County records.

Nathaniel Richardson, who works at Red River Army Depot, was been detained by federal officials Thursday but it is unclear Friday morning where he is being held.

More here.

US 59 Houston Fire Pictures



More here.

US 59 Four Alarm Fire Information in Houston Texas

Four reportedly injured in the blaze.

Two of the injured are in critical condition. Initial reports say a firefighter injured his knee and was taken to a nearby hospital.

The fire broke out at the Southwest Inn at about 12:10 p.m. along the inbound Southwest Freeway near Hornwood, according to the Houston Fire Department. The flames also burned a sports bar and disco.

The blaze sent black smoke billowing over the freeway, causing traffic to slow in the area.

Initial reports indicate police closed several entrance ramps to the freeway near the scene.

It was unclear what sparked the blaze.

More here.

Declining Consumer Spending Belies Slowing Economy

Some more "unexpected" news coming out of the economy. Consumer spending has fallen as wages are not keeping up with inflation.

Oh, and those new taxes haven't helped.

The retrenchment in spending indicates consumers may be starting to feel the impact of higher taxes. But a separate report Friday showed consumer confidence rose to a six-year high in May, suggesting the decline in spending may be temporary.

Americans are taking home less pay this year because of a 2 percentage point increase in Social Security taxes. A person earning $50,000 a year has about $1,000 less to spend this year. A household with two high-paid workers has up to $4,500 less.

Ricin Letter Suspect Nathaniel Richardson Information 5/31/2013

Some information coming to us from local press.


Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson called law enforcement after finding the substance, suspected of being ricin. The couple's home is in New Boston,

about 25 miles west of Texarkana.

Sources say Shannon Richardson is pregnant. The couple wed on Oct. 9, 2011, according to Bowie County records.

Nathaniel Richardson, who works at Red River Army Depot, was been detained by federal officials Thursday but it is unclear Friday morning where he is being held.

More here.

After Earth: the Worst Movie Ever Made?

The Wall Street Journal wonders:
Is "After Earth" the worst movie ever made? Maybe not; there's always "Battlefield Earth" to remind us how low the bar can go. But that's the wrong question, since it implies that this bizarre enterprise is a movie in the conventional sense.

At first the production exhibits movielike characteristics, a sort of "Star Trudge" crossed with a hero's journey by way of Joseph Campbell. The story begins on a planet that has served as humanity's refuge since Earth became uninhabitable. Will Smith is Cypher Raige, the commanding general of a U.N.-sanctioned peacekeeping group—I'm only reporting what's on the screen—called the United Ranger Corps. Mr. Smith's son, Jaden Smith, is the general's son, Kitai, a painfully earnest 13-year-old who's desperately seeking approval from his authoritarian father, even though the old man seems to have no approval to give. Despite the sci-fi trappings, and dollops of almost literally unspeakable dialogue—"Graviton buildup could be a precursor to mass expansion," someone warns someone else—"After Earth" is basically a two-character study of what happens to father and son after their spaceship crashes on a quarantined planet that is, in fact, Earth, but Earth infested with exceedingly cheesy digital monsters.

Here again, the action conforms to a recognizable movie template. With his father gravely injured and unable to extricate himself from the ship's wreckage, Kitai must summon the courage to go forth on his own and fight whatever demons come his way in order to find the electronic beacon that will bring lifesaving help. In other words, a familiar tale of a boy surviving vicissitudes to become a man. Yet this variant of the template, as directed by M. Night Shyamalan from a script he wrote with Gary Whitta—and based on a story by Mr. Smith—soon takes the form of turgid pontifications that Cypher lays on Kitai at every step of the poor kid's way. (They're connected by a fancy communication system that only emphasizes the disconnections of the quasidramatic structure.) "Every single decision you make will be life or death," the general intones. Or, rather, "Every...single…decision…you…make…will…be…life...or...death," because every…single…word…the…general…speaks…is…spoken…slowly…for…emphasis. It's gravity without gravitas.

I've never seen a movie that moves so slowly, or takes itself so seriously, which is why it doesn't seem like a movie at all, but a sermon whose central subject is fear: "Danger is real," the father tells the son, "but fear is a choice." So a right question might be why "After Earth" was made. The sermon echoes a central theme of Scientology. Is that the production's subtext, or are there reasons yet to be uncovered why humor and humanity have been essentially banished; why everyone looks pained; why the very notion of entertainment has been banished in favor of grinding didacticism, and why Mr. Smith, who has been such a brilliant entertainer over the years and decades, looks as if he has undergone a radical charismaectomy? It…is…all…very…mysterious…and…deeply…dreary.
One of said cheesy monsters

Report: Yemeni Houthis Fighting for Assad in Syria

Yemen's Houthi Shiite rebellion shows no signs of slowing, but it does show signs of spreading. Reportedly, the allies of Iran are heading to Syria to help embattled dictator Bashar al-Assad. Hundreds of fighters are passing through Lebanon with the help of Hezbollah and Iran. This comes after Hezbollah has pressed thousands of jihadis into the fight to assist the Syrian regime.

A Yemeni official told the paper that hundreds of Houthi rebels are fighting in Syria and they view the fighting there as a "holy jihad."

The source said that the fighters first travel to Hezbollah camps in Lebanon and then cross the border into Syria.

"The arrival of Houthi fighters in Syria coincided with the announcement of Hezbollah’s involvement in the fighting alongside the Syrian regime,” said the source.

New Tsarnaev Brothers video Released

Nathaniel Richardson Facebook Information (Ricin Letter Suspect) 5/31/2013

Some information coming to us from local press.





Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson called law enforcement after finding the substance, suspected of being ricin. The couple's home is in New Boston,

about 25 miles west of Texarkana.

Sources say Shannon Richardson is pregnant. The couple wed on Oct. 9, 2011, according to Bowie County records.

Nathaniel Richardson, who works at Red River Army Depot, was been detained by federal officials Thursday but it is unclear Friday morning where he is being held.

More here.

Now the Democrat is Out of the Minnesota Congressional Race to Replace Bachmann

It seems like no one wants to run for the MN-6 district currently represented by Michele Bachmann. Her Democratic opponent from 2012, Jim Graves, has announced that he is not running for the seat next year. This leaves the district open, especially considering it is an R+8.

Except one interview. Graves kindly reached out to me Thursday night to offer a brief interview and agreed that MinnPost could break the story this morning, a short time before his official statement is released. Here is what he told me:

“Basically, after all that’s gone on, and with Michele Bachmann now stepping down, I’ve been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, ‘Mission Accomplished.’ She wasn’t representing the people of the 6th District appropriately, and now she won’t be representing them. There’s no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann. So we accomplished that task.”

Ricin Letter Suspect Nathan Richardson Information 5/31/2013

Some information coming to us from local press.


Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson called law enforcement after finding the substance, suspected of being ricin. The couple's home is in New Boston,

about 25 miles west of Texarkana.

Sources say Shannon Richardson is pregnant. The couple wed on Oct. 9, 2011, according to Bowie County records.

Nathaniel Richardson, who works at Red River Army Depot, was been detained by federal officials Thursday but it is unclear Friday morning where he is being held.

More here.

Russia to Sell MiGs to Syria

Russia being as helpful as ever.

Russia is selling more than 10 fighter jets to the Syrian regime, MiG corporation CEO Sergei Korotkov said on Friday. A Syrian delegation was currently in the Russian capital to sort out the contract details, he said. 
The MiG-29MM2 jets will be delivered accordingly, Mr. Korotkov told journalists in Lukhovitzy outside Moscow, Interfax news agency reported.

Joblessness in Eurozone Reaches 12.2%

The situation in Europe continues to spiral as unemployment has jumped again. While inflation has remained low, the situation is still tenuous, especially as France and Britain are on the edge of recession.

That rise may quieten concerns about deflation, but the deepening unemployment crisis is a threat to the social fabric of the euro zone. Almost two-thirds of young Greeks are unable to find work, exemplifying southern Europe's 'lost generation'.

Senator Kirk Proposes Mass Arrest of Gangster Disciples


Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill) is seeking ways to better help local and federal law enforcement in the City of Chicago combat gang violence, in particular the roughly 18,000 members of the umbrella group Gangster Disciples, and after decades of helplessly watching as do good social programs had little, or nor affect on gang violence, he has a new approach.

And it is definitely raising eyebrows across the Windy City.

Kirk, who previously represented part of Chicago in the House and was elected to the Senate in 2013, is definitely not making friends with his suggestion to spend $30 million on combating gang violence through, what I can only call a Harvey Dent like strategy, to go on the streets and round up any scum even loosely associated with the Gangster Disciples.

It's definitely an interesting concept, one I've actually thought of before, but I'm not exactly sure how City officials could enact if because (1.) it's rather difficult to detain criminal suspects on association alone, see U.S. Constitution, (2.) a war on the streets would break out between police and gang members as mass arrests occur and (3) where are you going to house 18,000 new inmates?

But this isn't to say there is no merit to his proposal. It would give law enforcement serious teeth to battle 250+ splinter factions under the Disciples criminal umbrella, effectively declaring criminal association fully illegal and punishable, which although causing legal concerns would be the definitive tool in not only police hands but the district attorney's, and would open a whole new front to combating Chicago's horrific gangs.

Although I'm split on the issue, the Chicago Tribune is definitely not kind towards Kirk's idea, but what do you think?

RNC: The Buck Stops Where?

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Is the Necessary and Proper Clause either Necessary or Proper?

I want to begin by saying that I believe the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, with the Bill of Rights included, comprise the most enlightened, ennobling, and beneficial documents ever penned by the hand of man. I also believe that the Constitution afforded the United States the greatest level of freedom and opportunity ever experienced by humanity. This freedom and opportunity in turn released the talents and abilities of the American people to build the greatest nation ever to exist, rising from thirteen states exhausted and impoverished from years of war into a prosperous and powerful nation which by the end of the twentieth century stood upon the world stage as the uncontested sole superpower.

Simplicity is the essence of genius while over-simplification is the essence of fraud. In a picture perfect example of the truism “The victors write history” what we have been taught concerning the writing and ratification of the Constitution is actually a politically slanted version of the truth. This highly patrician account is also an example of over-simplification.

We are taught that the Articles of Confederation were an abject failure because they were too weak. Shay’s Rebellion scared the venerable leaders who had led and won the Revolution. George Washington and Co. came back from retirement to once again save the nation writing an “almost” divinely inspired document. There was only token dissent to the immediate acceptance of this tablet from the mount by some shadowy unknown people collectively called the “Anti-Federalists.” However after some well-written articles by future leaders called the Federalists, We the People overwhelmingly voted for ratification and the Constitution immediately ushered in the blessings of liberty and opportunity for all rescuing the United States from anarchy and stagnation. Amen.

This is a thumb-nail sketch of what our thumb-nail sketch type history education once delivered as gospel in American public schools. Today, those lucky enough to live in a school district that still includes American History are instead treated to the progressive’s litany of American crimes and debauchery. However, as our constitutionally limited government exceeds all previous limits, is either of these offerings good enough? Americans from all walks of life watch in stunned disbelief as the Federal Government on steroids swallows the economy, health care, the financial system, major manufacturing, the insurance industry, and anything else that doesn’t move fast enough to get out of the way. Can the States themselves be far behind?

How did this come about? How did a government born in the shackles provided by a written constitution designed to limit its power swell into the all-powerful OZ?   

Quite simply it was through the deception of the Progressives evolving our Constitution from a rock-solid framework limited to what it actually said to a living document that is constantly being re-interpreted. Thus without amendment, without debate, without a vote our leaders have nudged us from land of liberty to the centrally-planned surveillance state which today sends the IRS after their enemies, leaves our borders open, our opportunities closed, and our sons and daughters manning hundreds of garrisons around the world.

One of the key tools in this century long quest to transform America has been the use of the so-called elastic clauses in the Constitution. One major clause used to accomplish this is found in Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 which states, “The Congress shall have Power To ...make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.”

There are several ways to look at this clause and its meaning. First we need to look at what is called “Original Intent,” or what those who wrote the clause meant. Then we will look at what those who ratified the Constitution thought it meant. Finally we will look at how the Progressives interpret and re-interpret their favorite clause.

The necessary and proper clause was added to the Constitution by the Committee of Detail with no debate. Nor was it the subject of any debate during the remainder of the Convention. The reason why this clause was neither attacked nor defended during the Convention becomes clear from the statements of the Framers during the ratification process. James Wilson, one of the most eloquent defenders of the Constitution, a signer of the Constitution, and one of the first justices of the Supreme Court, said that this clause gave the federal government no more or other powers than those already enumerated in Section 8 of Article I and that “It is saying no more than that the powers we have already particularly given, shall be effectually carried into execution.” The Framers felt as if the clause was merely saying that which had been delegated could be used.

During the ratification debates this clause was a hot topic. Brutus proclaimed that through the Necessary and Proper Clause “This government is to possess absolute and uncontrollable power, legislative and judicial, with respect to every object to which it extends…” the debate raged back and forth between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists in newspapers, pamphlets, and on the floor of the ratification conventions. Eventually the Federalists won the day and the Constitution was ratified. The result? The interpretation of this clause that was generally accepted by the ratification conventions was that it added no new or expandable powers to the federal government.

Since the New Deal era, Progressives have argued that the Necessary and Proper Clause expands the powers of the federal government to any it deems necessary and proper. In other words the federal government has all the power necessary to do whatever they want about anything they want. The executive department has been using this clause to grab power since Hamilton used it to found the First bank of the United States in 1791. The Supreme Court has been stretching this clause since they ruled in Mcculloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. 316 (1819) to give themselves the power of judicial review. This expansionist interpretation has been upheld by the Supreme Court on numerous occasions and is today the accepted opinion amongst the political-media-corporate establishment.

It is my belief that if we have a better understanding of where we came from and how we got here that we would have a better understanding of where we are. If we understand where we are perhaps we will see the way to get back to where we wanted to go when we started: back to a limited government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Knowing how a simple clause meant to say that what had been delegated could be used has evolved into near totalitarian power shows us that just as the present use of the Necessary and Proper Clause is neither necessary nor proper.  And thus a government of the people, for the people and by the people has been hijacked and become something else.

No matter what we have been taught, no matter even what the reality was the reality is that the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation as the supreme law of the land. The announced purpose of the Constitution’s writing and adoption was to provide a limited government which respected both the rights of the States and the people. Since this was the stated and accepted purpose of the Constitution after two centuries and several decades can We the People deny any longer that it has failed?  

Failing and failure are two different things. Everyone who has ever succeeded has failed. It is falling forward from that failure which ultimately brings success. If the Constitution has failed what do we do now? Where’s the reset button.

Dr. Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion.  He is the Historian of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com © 2013 Robert R. Owens drrobertowens@hotmail.com  Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens / Edited by Dr. Rosalie Owens

 

 

Swiss (Zurich) Shooting Information 5/31/2013

Some troubling news out of Zurich.

Police say they are searching for a suspect who fled the scene. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.

They cordoned off the surrounding streets, according to the Tribune de Geneve.

The men, both Turkish nationals, are believed to be in stable conditions in hospital.

Police have evacuated four people from the building, according to Swiss media. The Langstrasse, a major route in the centre of the city, has now reopened to traffic.

More from the BBC.

Ted Cruz: Worst Victims of ObamaCare are Poor, Single Mothers

The New York State Republican Party held an annual fundraiser at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. For three brief hours, one building in Manhattan had a majority conservative audience. Packed with party bigwigs, the swank event had one main feature: Senator Ted Cruz from Texas (for some reason, there were no GOP Senators from New York).
Sorry for the quality
Cruz wowed the crowd, combining the story of his parents and upbringing with the principles of prosperity and conservatism. His message largely focused on the 47%. He said that one of the key issues that Mitt Romney should have focused on was that rather than saying that "You did build that" he should have said, "You can build that." Opportunity belongs to all, and not due to government handouts.



I was there to record perhaps the most prescient portion of his remarks, which lasted about twenty minutes.

When Cruz spoke of ObamaCare, he highlighted the danger it posed to small businesses and the overregulation of the economy.



"That's a $5,500 swing, and who do you think it impacts the most? ... If you're a single mom struggling to make ends meet, $5,500 out of your pocketbook makes a real difference. You know what? When we were debating ObamaCare a couple of months ago on the floor of the Senate, I read out of a newspaper from Oklahoma that quoted a single mom that was working at a fast food restaurant and she and every other of her employees had just had their hours forcibly reduced to 29 hours a week because ObamaCare kicks in at 30 hours. She said 'Look, I understand, you know, that these businesses are going to go out of business otherwise. But,' the single mom said, 'I have two kids at home. I can't feed my kids on 29 hours and neither can all of the other single moms that are struggling to make ends meet."
Cruz parlayed the message of economic responsibility combined with the crushing effect overregulation has on the poor and the most vulnerable in society.

Michael Ramirez Eric Holder Lead Cartoon 5/29/2013


From the always brilliant Michael Ramirez of the Investors Business Daily on Attorney General Eric Holder finding the lead... On himself.


No comment necessary.

Obama Ricin Letter Found 5/30/2013

In a turn for the troubling, a letter containing the poison ricin was found sent to the President. This comes after letters containing the same poison were sent to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. More from CNN.

A U.S. law enforcement official said the letter was addressed to President Obama.
The letters sent to Bloomberg and his group are suspected of containing poison. 
Preliminary tests indicate ricin was found in the letters, New York Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said Wednesday.

Battle of Qusair: Syria's Benghazi


In every civil war and domestic conflict there is a turning point where either foreign powers decide to intervene and stop the bloodshed or remain permanently on the sidelines and watch as one completely massacres the other, think the ethnic cleansing that occurred in the 1990's Balkans.

We recently had to make this decision in Libya when Colonel Qaddafi had rebel forces with their backs against the wall and nearly defeated in Benghazi after they were a stone throw's distance from Tripoli just days before. We chose to intervene and thanks to the efforts of NATO air superiority we gave the rebels hope in their fight and now there is no more Qaddafi to plague the world.

France also had to make this decision in the past couple of months when they decided to intervene in the Malian civil war to prevent the Islamic takeover of the once thriving Saharan nation that had been sadly embroiled in ethnic conflict and witnessed the destruction of records and antiques in the ancient Timbuktu.

And now the western world must come to a decision on the question of Syria.... We have a nation where their President is engaged in brutal, massacre-like war crimes against his own populace and the rebels are once again a ragtag band of largely non-military fighters being pinned by the combined efforts of their own military and foreign terrorists from neighboring Lebanon.

The name of this battlefield is Qusair but the consequences are the same as in the Libyan conflict: al-Assad has a large contingent of Syrian forces and Hezbollah fighters numbering in the thousands besieging the city that is a crucial transportation hub for both sides and rebel fighters cannot afford a defeat in this pivotal fight.

We have watched as Bashar al-Assad has murdered 80,000 of his own people, deploying chemical agents on them in certain cases, and we have watched as mini-massacres have occurred unabated across all Syria and we have watched as Assad had taunted the world with Russian supplied missiles and now Hezbollah fighters, using any weapon or fighter to put down his own people.

Are we done watching as conditions in Qusair deteriorate daily or are we deciding to allow tyranny to win and the opposition to fall in Syria? That is the question we must ask ourselves and our governments, and it would be a good idea to do so now.

What say you?

Silver's Empire Cracking: Second Democrat Calls for Resignation


HT: New York Daily News

In the aftermath of Assemblyman Vito Lopez's resignation, due to constant inappropriate behavior with female staffers and interns, New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has faced the wrath of good government groups and editorial boards for his role in attempting to cover up Lopez's lewd harassment.

The worst being a secret $103,000 taxpayer funded bribe Speaker Sheldon authorized to silence two staffers who accused Lopez of wrongdoing, just years after authorizing a similar "settlement" to a young woman who alleged one of his personal aides engaged in sexual misconduct.

With all of Silver's recent bribery - four of his Assembly Democrats either resigning or facing corruption charges this year alone and his legacy for heavy handed legislating that often targets opposition within his ranks - calls have started to drown Albany for the two decade long reign of Silver to cease and desist.

However, with Democrats controlling 104 (69%) of the 150 Assembly seats, only they can remove the corrupt Silver.... and after a political empire built upon corruption and intimidation has been in place for decades, the likelihood of that occurring is unbelievably minuscule.

But there is hope: Assemblywoman Inez Barron, a Brooklyn Democrat, became the second Democrat member to call for Speaker Silver's resignation - joining Buffalo area Assemblyman Michael Kearns. It reportedly didn't faze Silver has he simply said "she never voted for me for speaker in the first place."

We're still a long, long ways from the 53 Assembly Democrats needed to overthrow Silver from power, however, with pressure mounting on Upstate Democrats and female legislators to take a stand against a culture of corruption and harassment in Albany's lower house, we might just begin to see more and more join the growing chorus calling to remove Silver and institute new leadership.

What say you?

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Letters Addressed To Mayor Bloomberg Found To Contain Ricin

Stormy Wednesday in Upstate New York


My oh my.... The weather in Central New York was something else today.

In the course of only an handful of hours we went from a wet, dewy morning to pleasant sunshine radiance this afternoon to severe thunderstorms that reportedly saw at least one tornado, or funnel like cloud, touch down in a nearby town to mine and after the rain subsided, sunshine and mugginess to cap the evening. 

Picture of today's storms in Columbia County (Theresa Layton-Crystal)
The unbelievably powerful forces of nature were on full display in Upstate, New York this afternoon and if the predicted weather over the next several days is any indicator, we could be looking at more atmospheric disturbances playing out both on our television screens and outside of our kitchen windows.

What say you?

25 Tea Party Groups Sue Obama Administration, IRS

This is what the Obama Administration gets for discrimination. Let's just hope the justice system prevails.

From Politico:
A conservative watchdog group filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of 25 tea party groups against the Internal Revenue Service and Obama administration officials.

The complaint, filed by the American Center for Law and Justice, alleges that the Obama administration overstepped its authority and violated the First and Fifth amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

It’s the latest in the unfolding legal drama over the IRS’s admitted targeting of tea party groups — a scandal that has already cost the acting head of the agency his job.

“As this unconstitutional scheme continues even today, the only way to stop this flagrant and arrogant abuse of our clients’ rights is to file a federal lawsuit,” Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ, said in a statement. “The lawsuit sends a very powerful message to the IRS and the Obama administration — including the White House: Americans are not going to be bullied and intimidated by our government.”

Dem Party Communications Director: Press 'Forfeits [Their] Rights' if They Don't Meet with Holder

The irony is thick on this one.

Eric Holder, who committed perjury when giving testimony to Congress about the AP-tapping scandal, has agreed to talk to the press. He only has one condition: it must be off-the-record, and no one outside of the room must ever know what happened.

In response, the New York Times has decided to boycott the presser, with Executive Editor Jill Abramson stating, "It isn’t appropriate for us to attend an off the record meeting with the attorney general."

Well, the Democrat party is none-too-pleased with the NY Times' stand. In fact, Democratic Party Communications Director Brad Woodhouse decided to not only lash out at the Times, but also at press rights as a whole.

Writing on Twitter, he declared that if the press does not want to attend the secret meeting that no one must ever know about, then they "forfeit [their] right gripe" about illegal activity that Eric Holder conducts:
Naturally, this incredibly asinine statement was met with derision:


However, Woodhouse's statement should not simply be written off as a stupid statement. Rather, it typifies the Obama White House's attitude that either you put up with what we do, you shut up, or else.

U.S. Drone Eliminates Pakistan Taliban Number Two


HT: Reuters

Civil liberties advocates and the Pakistani government might object to the use of U.S. Predator Drones in our ongoing terrorist extermination program, better known as the War on Terror, but I absolutely love the things. If you really need to know why, the great news from Pakistan should more than suffice.

Wali-ur-Rehman, second in command of the Pakistani Taliban and poised successor to the current leader, was eliminated early this morning in North Waziristan - a hotbed of islamic extremism and militant activity - along with three others in, you guessed it, a predator drone missile sending his Talibani ass to hell.

The Pakistani government, of course, condemned the drone strike in no uncertain terms, but in actuality was simply rehashing the constant complaint of Pakistan officials being aggravated drones operated 10 thousand miles away in air conditioning can better secure the savage tribal areas than their own military can.

So... Another islamic dirt bag bit the bullet and people actually want to complain about the weapon used to deliver justice? What kind of world do we live in...

What say you?

Video: Holder Likely Committed Purjery

FBI Agent allegedly took cash and gifts from ex mob informant

I’m so sure this happens regularly, but its’ not every day an ex-mobster comes forward and alleges that his FBI handler asked for gifts and cash. Russian ex-mob member turned FBI informant Mani Chulpayev made these not so shocking allegations yesterday and an FBI investigation has been launched to establish the validity of his claims.
Chulpayev told investigators at the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General that he was asked for and supplied his FBI handler with lavish “gifts” of jewellery, cash, basketball tickets, watches, expensive sports shoes and even the usage of luxury cars. Lawyer George Plumides has given a statement regarding the informant’s claims and says that the agent obstructed a murder investigation and exploited his client’s connections. Dante Jackson has been named as the agent and he should have rather stayed home and enjoyed the best casino games at Gaming Club online casino ¸where his cash would have been won legitimately and had no strings attached.
Chulpayev has been indicted in the 2012 murder of a popular Atlanta rapper who went by the name of Lil Phat and the FBI alleges that he helped arrange the rappers murder with 4 other men. Prosecutors have stated that it is believed that Chulpayev and the other suspects organised the hit due to a dispute over drugs and other business dealings that had gone awry, but Plumides says his client has a solid alibi for the night of the shooting.
It was these murder charges that led to Chulpayev lifting the lid on the agent who has been requesting gifts. Chulpayev has been working as an FBI informant for over a decade and in the past has twice managed to avoid long prison terms or deportation in exchange for information. The FBI is clearly taking the allegations against one of its own seriously and they have confirmed to ABC news that the DOJ’s Inspector General and the FBI’s Inspectoral Division are both looking into the allegations made against the agent.
It has been said that the Russian ex-mobster has become almost untouchable within the fold of the FBI and the allegations against his handler are going to be taken extremely seriously. Whether this is a diversion tactic on his behalf, or if Jackson, his handler really did ask for bribes remains to be seen.

Michele Bachmann Wont Seek Reelection to House


Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who is currently serving her fourth term in the House and who sought the Republican nomination in last year's presidential primaries, has announced that she will not seek a fifth term in office next year amid investigations into her presidential finances, and political rumblings concerning her dim reelection hopes.


Bachmann, who was first elected in 2006, has proven to pundits that hitching your tent to the Tea Party movement is not only a smart political move but can even provide a brief wind in your presidential sail - although she also proved a discussion involving gardasil is not her strong suit - and has made her a queen darling of conservatives.

This will set off a firestorm in her congressional district, as the Democrat who came within 5,000 votes of unseating her last year is seeking his party's nomination again and Republicans have to seek an individual capable of brushing off some of Mrs. Bachmann's extreme politics and appeal to an electorate she never won a majority of.

Although the opinions concerning her retirement will vary, none can disagree that she definitely rocked the core of Washington every time she took on an issue and gave the Tea Party a very prominent seat in D.C.

What say you?

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Venezuela Embassy Shooting Information 5/28/2013

Some troubling news coming out of Venezuela today.

"We can confirm that two members of the US embassy in Caracas were injured during an incident early this morning," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters in Washington.

"Medical staff inform us that their injuries are not life-threatening," he added, noting that they were hurt at "some sort of a social spot" but without specifying the venue or nature of their injuries.

US diplomatic sources later confirmed to AFP that the two men were shot.

The Venezuelan media identified the two men as Roberto Ezequiel Rosas and Paul Marwin, and said they were military attaches at the embassy, but neither the State Department nor the embassy in Caracas would confirm those reports.

From AFP.

Cargo Train Derails in Baltimore, Causing Explosions and Buildings to Collapse

From CBS:
A cargo train derailed in East Balitmore County, causing a huge explosion that could be heard across the city, CBS News affiliate WJZ reports.

The derailment occurred just after 2 p.m. in Rosedale, just northeast of Baltimore City, and sent a large tower of smoke into the sky that could be seen from miles away.

Police and fire crews are responding to the area after receiving numerous calls to 911. It is not yet known if there are any injuries.

House Judiciary Investigating Eric Holder Felony

I'm just sure that this is the only thing that the White House has ever lied to us about.

From the Hill:
The House Judiciary Committee is investigating whether Attorney General Eric Holder lied under oath during his May 15 testimony on the Justice Department’s (DOJ) surveillance of reporters, an aide close to the matter told The Hill.

The panel is looking at a statement Holder made during a back and forth with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) about whether the DOJ could prosecute reporters under the Espionage Act of 1917.

“In regard to potential prosecution of the press for the disclosure of material -- this is not something I’ve ever been involved in, heard of, or would think would be wise policy,” Holder said during the hearing.

However, NBC News reported last week that Holder personally approved a search warrant that labeled Fox News chief Washington correspondent James Rosen a co-conspirator in a national security leaks case.

The panel is investigating whether NBC’s report contradicts Holder’s claim that he had not looked into or been involved with a possible prosecution of the press in a leaks case.

Video: John McCain Visits Syria


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Russia to Deliver S-300 Missiles to Assad Regime to Prevent Foreign Intervention


You know... Sometimes I really just hate Moscow with every fiber in my being.

This is one of them.

It is bad enough the Russians have been covering for Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime the past two years, and by default over 80,000 dead civilians as a result of the Syrian government's crackdown on dissidents and harsh conduct of their never ending civil war, but now they're just crossing the line and pissing me off.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced Moscow will deliver S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Assad's regime in order to "stabilize" possible foreign intervention into the rogue state and prevent outside forces from intervening (question: are not the Russians intervening on Assad's behalf? I digress...)

The S-300 is reportedly one of the more potent and effective anti-aircraft missiles in use today, with the capability to both track 100 separate incoming targets and simultaneously fire on 12. They require zero maintenance as they are sealed upon completion and ready for use at any time.

And now Damascus is going to have these missiles pointed towards Tel Aviv in case the Israeli's attack, Istanbul to keep an eye on NATO and Turkish warplanes and the Mediterranean Sea if the U.S., Great Britain or other Western powers finally get the nerve to take action.

Just freaking wonderful.

I hate Russia.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Picture of Abandoned Car on Brooklyn Bridge 5/27/2013

Credit: CBS News

Esteban J. Smith Information 5/27/2013

The alleged shooter is a Marine.

More info here.

Cause of Brooklyn Bridge Closing Information 5/27/2013

A suspicious abandoned car seems to be the cause.

The vehicle was found in the right lane of the Manhattan bound side of the bridge, mid-span.
Traffic was diverted, as video from CNN affiliate WABC showed police vehicles blocking access.
Video also showed someone in a protective body suit combing through the vehicle. Afterward, an officer wearing no protective gear walked right up to it with a dog.
The car has no plates, nor does it have a vehicle identification number, according to Christopher Miller, a spokesman with the New York City Office of Emergency Management.

From CNN.

Wal-Mart Commits to Hiring 100,000 Veterans


Wal-Mart has kicked off Memorial Day 2013 by publicly committing to hire any non active duty, honorably discharged United States veteran who comes into their store working for work within their first year off duty. Wal-Mart's goal is to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years.


As someone who has worked for Wal-Mart roughly twenty months and also briefly served in the National Guard, I can tell you from experience that the retail giant could use military like effectiveness and discipline for greater success on a local store by store basis. Not to mention but military style latrine cleanliness would be nice also...

I've heard grumblings from my co-workers and I'm sure many Wal-Mart employees are unenthusiastic for this preferential hiring, but come on... Lets be realistic here: Wal-Mart is looking to hire 100,000 veterans, the men and women who have served active duty or combat to defend our nation, and with the job climate still difficult out there - they deserve the first break.

And besides, with low staffing plaguing the 4,000 stores located in the United States, I'm sure everyone will appreciate an increase of 25 employees at every store on average over the next couple of years just from all the veteran hires, which will reduce the burden on our employee strapped shifts.

What say you?

3 Feet of Snow Falls on Upstate New York, Vermont


Thank God I live in Central New York and several hours away from the Adirondacks, because nearly three feet of snow on Memorial Day weekend would likely induce severe cardiac arrest within this winter wearied nineteen year old.

Via UPI:
The calendar may say it's late May but it looked more like January in New York and Vermont this weekend with up to nearly 3 feet of snow falling.
The weather forecasting service Wunderground.com said heavy snow was recorded in the higher elevations of upstate New York and elsewhere in the region. Whiteface Mountain in New York's Adirondack Mountains, at nearly 5,000 feet elevation, got the most -- 24-34 inches since Friday. But even Greensboro, Vt., which is at only 900 feet elevation, got 4.5 inches.
Jay Peak, Vt., got 18 inches, Mount Mansfield, Vt., had 13 inches and Walden, Vt., received 6 inches.
The New York cities of Binghamton and Syracuse got trace amounts, just enough to break 40-year-old records for the latest snowfall.
I'm sure it has something to do with global warming and whatnot...

Cause of Phoenix Comicon Evacuation 5/26/2013

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Grant Acord Facebook Information 5/25/2013

Grant Acord, aged 17, is accused of a plot to plant a bomb in his Oregon high school.

His YouTube page information.

He watched this movie:



And commented:

Hey, I really enjoyed the video. In my opinion it had the best info of any zombie video I have seen on youtube. I will be making a similar zombie video as well. I hope you will watch it if you have time

From his Facebook page.
Page here.

Brooklyn Bridge Cab Fire Picture 5/25/2013

Photo credit
Photo Credit


San Antonio Flood Map Information 5/25/2013

Map below.

More information here.

French Soldier Paris Stabbing Photos 5/25/2013


News organizations from around the world have been covering the scene in Paris where a French soldier on patrol was stabbed by a robed man, most likely a copy cat of Wednesday's attack on a British soldier in the London neighborhood Wollwich that took Drummer Lee Rigby's life.

Here are some photographs of the scene:




French Soldier Stabbed in Throat at Shopping Plaza


Just days after a British soldier was killed while off-duty in a London neighborhood, beheaded by two radicalized brothers, a French soldier was stabbed in the throat earlier today just outside of Paris while patrolling a busy business intersection in the La Defense shopping area with two other soldiers.

French police guarding the perimeter at the La Defense shopping area
French President Nicolas Hollande cautioned against jumping to conclusions (Really? The assailant was dressed in robes and follows the exact pattern as the London attack) regarding the attack during a news conference in Ethiopia while the Interior Ministry released a statement saying the young soldier's life isn't endangered.

My personal fears of copy-cat terrorists adapting the London attack and using them against their nation's police and military forces have been realized... It's sad we live in a world where no soldier is safe.

San Antonio Flooding Picture 5/25/2013

Terrible.
Photo credit

Paris Beheading Information 5/25/2013

Michael Adebowale Facebook Information 5/25/2013

Michael Adebowale is believed to be the other London beheading suspect. We have been able to find Facebook profiles with similar information but none of his sepcifically.

Some information from the Independent on the suspect.

Like 28-year-old Adebolajo, Adebowale, who may have met his apparent co-conspirator while they attended university, is of Nigerian descent and comes from a Christian background. As in the case of Adebolajo, Wednesday’s events left those who know Adebowale stupefied at the conversion of a football-loving adolescent into an apparent killer.

A schoolfriend, who had known Adebowale for a decade at nearby Kidbrooke School, one of Britain’s first purpose-built comprehensives, told The Independent that he had converted to Islam in the past four years but shown no sign of extremism.

Tony, 23, said: “Mike was a normal kid – football, bit of blow, girlfriends, the normal things. We mucked around together but he got all religious when he was around 18 or 19. He’s not an in-your-face kind of guy so he didn’t really talk about Islam much. I definitely didn’t hear him talk about violence or anything. He was into peaceful stuff. But I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. I don’t know what happened since.”

Paris Stabbing Attack Information 5/25/2013

Grant Acord Information 5/25/2013

Grant Acord, aged 17, is accused of a plot to plant a bomb in his Oregon high school.

His YouTube page information.

He watched this movie:



And commented:


Hey, I really enjoyed the video. In my opinion it had the best info of any zombie video I have seen on youtube. I will be making a similar zombie video as well. I hope you will watch it if you have time



From his Facebook page.
Page here.

Two Freight Trains Collide in Missouri, Causing Highway Overpass to Collapse: Only Minor Injuries


For the second time this week two trains have collided on a busy railroad intersection, and unbelievably, only injuries have been reported in both cases by authorities. The first crash was a commuter train in Connecticut, while the second crash, just this morning in Missouri, were two full-cargo freight-liners.

But the fact no one died in this morning's crash in Scott County, Missouri is an outright miracle by any sane person's definition: not only did the crash cause diesel fuel to leak and catch fire immediately after the crash, but the crash was a typical t-bone accident and the train that was struck jettisoned the tracks and slammed into a nearby highway overpass - causing it to collapse with cars driving on it at the same time.

Not sure what would be scarier... Seeing a train slam into the overpass I'm driving on or collapsing in my car with the overpass
Thankfully, it was pre-dawn and traffic was minimal on the Highway M overpass, but somehow all seven injuries - including the two conductors and five people who were driving on the overpass - were minimal, listed in fair condition by their local hospital and non life threatening.

Trains colliding usually means someone is going to be hurt, but two trains colliding in the same week - one transporting hundreds of commuters and the other wiping out an active highway overpass - and only non-fatal injuries occur is a miracle to best miracles.

What say you?

BBC: Germany Most Popular Nation in World, Iran Least


According to a new international survey conducted by the British Broadcasting Company: 59% of the 26,000+ individuals surveyed hold a mostly positive view of Germany - making the industrial giant most popular among all the nations in the world.


Germany topped Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and France for most popular; while Iran, Pakistan and North Korea inhabited the unpopular section. Brazil, America and China occupied the middle ground with 42-46% averages.

One would assume the Germans popularity came from bailing out a fifth of the European Union during the global economic recession, but the poll found interestingly high negatives from rescued nations, due to anti-austerity measures required by Chancellor Merkel and her EU partners in exchange for much needed funds.

Then again maybe everyone just loves the autobahn...

Regardless, the Germans are also viewed as the most arrogant and uncaring of European nations, which I'm sure they really don't give two shits about. Hell, they started two catastrophic wars in the twentieth century... both of which they lost miserably... and who is the strongest and most powerful nation in continental Europe today? Oh, Germany.

What say you?

Side note: How exactly is Russia viewed more positively than Israel? Russia is funding al-Assad's political genocide within Syria while Israel targets and destroys jihadists attempting to drown the world in blood. I would also like to point out Israel has political and media freedoms while Moscow imprisons their opposition....

Friday, May 24, 2013

Hall of Famer Charles Barkley: NBA, Refs Cheating; "I Know the NBA Wants the Heat in the Finals, But Tell Your Referees to Calm Down"

President Obama Forgets Marine One Salute (Video)


Another day. Another breach of protocol by President Obama towards his U.S. Marine detail. I am really getting tired of this president's indifference towards our men and women in uniform.

What say you?

Michael Ramirez Covering Your Behind Cartoon 5/23/2013


Michael Ramirez of Investors Business Daily took both President Obama and his White House spokesman Jay Carney to task for the culture of cover-ups currently enveloping Washington, while reminding readers of the President's unorthodox behavior in a press conference last week:


We definitely don't need any more evidence to convince me the President leads from behind, and Carney does his best to cover the garbage coming from that leadership.

What say you?

Fighter Jets Scrambled To Plane After Two Men Threaten to Blow it Up

From Sky News:
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a plane was escorted to the ground by fighter jets.

The British nationals were led off the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane by armed police officers, after it was diverted to Stansted Airport following a disturbance in the cabin.

Superintendent Darrin Tomkins of Essex Police confirmed a threat was made as the plane, flying from Lahore to Manchester with 297 passengers on board, was preparing to land.

According to Pakistan's Express News, one of the passengers claimed there were explosives on the plane, although Supt Tomkins said no suspicious items have been found.