The First Step on the Road to 9/11

I like Debbie Schlussel.  I've been reading her for some time, and I really do think she gets a bum rap from some other bloggers.  True, she had feuds with some, but I'm not close enough to the circumstances to know what the tangled details reveal, and, frankly, I haven't the time to untangle them.

This link is LONG - but important to read, in full, as it traces the long and convoluted road from the murder of a rabbi, to 9/11 and beyond.  You need to inform yourself, so the next step on the road doesn't come as a surprise.

Share

Yet Another Border Outrage (YABO)

I received this information in an email today.  I made a point of checking out the link, as well as making sure that it wasn't an urban rumor.

52 Mil To Restore Habitat Damaged By Border Fence

by Judicial Watch, Inc. on Monday, November 1, 2010

The region where an illegal immigrant murdered an Arizona rancher six months ago remains plagued by Mexican drug-cartel violence yet the Obama Administration has chosen to spend $52 million on restoring habitat damaged by the border fence rather than secure the area.

A chunk of the cash—$14.3 million—will fund more than a dozen habitat restoration projects in a region long afflicted by the violence of Mexican drug and human smuggling operations. It’s an area where earlier this year a veteran cattle rancher (Robert Krentz) was gunned down by an illegal immigrant on his 34,000-acre property in Cochise County near the southern border.

Instead of dedicating resources to securing the crime-infested border region, the government will spend tens of millions of dollars to develop jaguar management plans, monitor fish populations, study bat movements, restore wetlands and plant various species of an ornamental tree native to the southwestern United States. The goal is to restore the areas damaged by construction of the border fence, according to the Arizona newspaper that reported the story over the weekend.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_e2f4eb0f-6ade-5974-9c94-b39f9954fd3a.html

Billions have been spent on erecting fences along the 2,000-mile southern border and its time Uncle Sam allocates cash to protecting animals and plants, according to a government official quoted in the story. In this particular crime-infested area of Arizona, the tax dollars will go to six initial projects that include monitoring jaguars and restoring jaguar habitat ($2.1 million), monitoring endangered long-nosed and Mexican bat roosts ($1.9 million) and restoring vegetation in a stretch “damaged” by 5.2 miles of fence near Lukeville ($980,000).

Pointing out that the region’s ranchers and residents live in a “lawless” area “controlled by drug cartels,” the Arizona Cattlemen's Association suggests that the government prioritize protecting humans over wildlife. Drug smugglers disrupt everyday life and ranchers see the degradation of their environment yet the administration doesn’t help restore their habitat, the group points out.

This is one of those "last straw" episodes that should make us go a little gonzo.  Please, please, contact:

Your Senator
Your Representative
The White House (yeah, I know - it does seem to be a giant waste of time, but they still need to hear it)
The Department of the Interior (they are who are in charge of Wildlife Management - this link will take you directly to the Fish and Wildlife Service's online comment page)

Share

The Man Who Made Jimmy Carter Look Ept

Barack Obama

Elitist, arrogant

Incapable of talking without a teleprompter

A disaster for our economy

His fumbling incompetence makes Jimmuh look good.

Share

A Last Pitch for Your Vote

36 Reasons to vote Democrat.

Share

Why I Refuse to Join the AARP

The American Thinker has a post on organizations that endorsed policies that not only DIDN'T benefit its members, but directly HURT them.  On of those organizations is AARP.

Founded as a nonprofit advocate for retirees on issues affecting older Americans, AARP counts 40 million members. It is ten times the size of the National Rifle Association and not far behind the 68-million-member Catholic Church. Two-thirds of its $800-million annual budget comes from insurance sales, and another $240 million from membership dues, giving it a budget five times the size of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is arguably the most powerful lobbying group for seniors and Baby Boomers.

But AARP's endorsement of ObamaCare was clearly made at the expense of its members' best interests. Obama's health insurance program targets seniors for $313 billion in Medicare cuts over the next ten years. That gives AARP a profitable opportunity to sell Medigap insurance. With fewer seniors on Medicare Advantage, demand for Medicare fee-for-service insurance will expand, as will royalties to AARP, which already command 30% of the Medigap insurance market.  The organization's call for $500 billion in Medicare cuts was made because it recognized that it would lose money if it didn't stop the Medicare Advantage program. Further, ObamaCare not only cuts Medicare, but it also limits patient-doctor choice and rations health care. Yet AARP remains a supporter, putting its commercial interests over the needs of its membership. 

This group DOESN'T represent the seniors it purports to.  It does not represent their interests, which, in addition to getting benefits for their members, should also realize that almost all of their members have children and grandchildren - whom the members want to NOT be made bankrupt for the sake of Granny and Gramps.

The insurance that AARP sells is NOT the best deal for seniors - it is just the insurance that offers the organization the best payoff.  Moneywatch has an analysis of AARP's offerings, and they aren't impressed.

Ed Hinerman, an insurance analyst, agrees that AARP often pushes bad plans for their target group.

I know the card comes with a low yearly membership rate, and it brings enticing coupons and offers, but consider tearing it up next time, and throwing it in the place it has earned - the garbage.

Share

American Idol

Barack Obama is slated to appear before American Idol's Ryan Seacrest today in an apparent effort to drum up the youth vote.

Lots of luck, Mr. President.

That's right, the young people aren't as excited to vote this time, because you haven't made enough trendy appearances. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that you didn't deliver on campaign promises that meant the most to them - jobs, DADT, closing down the War on Terror, environmental issues, making it possible for them to move out of Mumsy and Daddums house, etc.

Ohhhh, no - it was just that they are too mentally feeble ("feebs") to find the spot on the channel changer where REAL presidents appear - the news shows - and needed you to hunt them down on their "fluff shows".

Yeah, that's the ticket.

Good thing you chose Ryan Seacrest - he's used to dealing with overinflated ego-driven divas. You should be right at home.

Share

Bush's First Pitch - World Series 4

This was nice. "Young" Bush rode out, accompanied by his dad, HW. The elder Bush was clearly a little frail, had a hip that was apparently "dinky". He leaned heavily on his cane.

The younger Bush stood with his dad for a short while, enjoying the moment, and probably enjoying having his dad share the moment with him.

Then, he wound up, and sailed a lazy one, right into the catcher's mitt. No trying for the fastball, no dramatics. It was clearly something he'd done many times in the past, and was comfortable with. Click on the link on the title to see it.

Share