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Sunday, August 28, 2011
Never Abandoned
While Hurricane Irene bears down on much of the mid Atlantic states on its way north, and residents of the Washington, D.C. area have been advised to remain indoors, the elite soldiers who are the sentinels at Arlington Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknowns remain at their posts.
Since taking over the mission on April 6, 1948, Tomb Sentinels from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment’s “The Old Guard” have guarded the Tomb for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of the weather.
Sentinels trade off marching in front of the tombs that are the final resting place for unknown soldiers from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb is a popular stop for Washington tourists.
- http://weaselzippers.us/
Federal government to reimburse states for Irene damage
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricane Irene could cost U.S. state and local governments billions of dollars in damages, but funds from the federal government might ultimately cover much of this expense.
It is too early to estimate the cost of the storm, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said New Jersey alone may have suffered tens of billions of dollars in damage.
The timing is terrible for municipalities as they dig their way out of their bleakest economic period in decades after the financial crisis and recession sank budgets and forced widespread cuts in expense and increased taxes.
Anyways, the Obamessiah and his boy start screaming wolf over a Category One storm and the millions of dollars and lives at risk, everybody freaks out, and when it's all said and done, the feds are gonna bail them out.
Now the headscratching begins and motherfuckers from the High Gov'ner His Ownself on down to the crackhead on the corner is going to start thinking of all the fucked up shit they had before the storm and now Uncle Barack is going to give them money for shit that wasn't worth much to begin with. Roof leaked during the storm? Here ya go.
Roads that were full of potholes got another one because of the storm? Can't be having that now, go repave that motherfucker and widen it while you're at it. We're buyin'.
Merchandise damaged at your used tire shop during the storm? Valued at $750,000? No problemo, Senor.
You lost business because of the storm? Gotcha covered, man.
Yeah, I can see it now. And every fucking nickel is going to come out of a treasury that was broken (blame Bush, blame Bush) long ago and fucking destroyed by Obamessiah and his gang of thieves. My line of thinking on this is that maybe they should've held off before announcing this. Granted, there was going to be some fleecing anyways but shit, let the waters recede before you start throwing our money away.
But the big question in my camel toe obsessed mind is this: What about letting the fucking insurance that everybody pays (including cities and counties/townships) handle it? I mean, that's what it's for right? But I can see their point too - the insurance companies are going to go crying to the feds for a bailout anyways, so why not just cut out the middle man?
It is too early to estimate the cost of the storm, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said New Jersey alone may have suffered tens of billions of dollars in damage.
The timing is terrible for municipalities as they dig their way out of their bleakest economic period in decades after the financial crisis and recession sank budgets and forced widespread cuts in expense and increased taxes.
*****
And you can bet your sweet redneck ass that those damages are gonna be hugely overestimated. That fucking punk Christie is already estimating tens of billions of dollars - that's a joke. If you bulldozed every square inch of New Jersey you'd be hard pressed to come up with 250 bucks worth of damage. I know, I've been there. Twice. Granted, it was just long enough to catch the very next flight out, but still....Anyways, the Obamessiah and his boy start screaming wolf over a Category One storm and the millions of dollars and lives at risk, everybody freaks out, and when it's all said and done, the feds are gonna bail them out.
Now the headscratching begins and motherfuckers from the High Gov'ner His Ownself on down to the crackhead on the corner is going to start thinking of all the fucked up shit they had before the storm and now Uncle Barack is going to give them money for shit that wasn't worth much to begin with. Roof leaked during the storm? Here ya go.
Roads that were full of potholes got another one because of the storm? Can't be having that now, go repave that motherfucker and widen it while you're at it. We're buyin'.
Merchandise damaged at your used tire shop during the storm? Valued at $750,000? No problemo, Senor.
You lost business because of the storm? Gotcha covered, man.
Yeah, I can see it now. And every fucking nickel is going to come out of a treasury that was broken (blame Bush, blame Bush) long ago and fucking destroyed by Obamessiah and his gang of thieves. My line of thinking on this is that maybe they should've held off before announcing this. Granted, there was going to be some fleecing anyways but shit, let the waters recede before you start throwing our money away.
But the big question in my camel toe obsessed mind is this: What about letting the fucking insurance that everybody pays (including cities and counties/townships) handle it? I mean, that's what it's for right? But I can see their point too - the insurance companies are going to go crying to the feds for a bailout anyways, so why not just cut out the middle man?
The Pinkos are at it again - planning an "occupation" of Freedom Square in DC on 10/06
Thanks to Bill for kicking this to me.
Coyote bits from Steve
EASTERN COYOTES ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOUR WESTERN ONES.
When coyotes migrated east they circled around the Great Lakes. Along they way they picked up some wolf DNA. So says the Oct. 2010 issue of National Geographic.
That means is our coyotes are a bit larger than yours. The .223 is the smallest round local hunters use. More and more using the 6.5 & 6.8 mm rounds ... at least from AR platforms.
Still as crafty. Most suburban 'yotes don't howl. No sense in upsetting the local caterers.
The local bicycle trail is a major commuter route for the critters going from open areas in Loudoun County to the dumpster dense environs of Herndon and Reston.
Gun buddy set up an IR game camera to catch the snots running their motor bikes on the bike trail. Along with the punks he got good photos of 4-5 coyotes east bound in the evening and west bound
in early morning.
Early morning bicycle riders have gotten use to seeing a coyote or three sitting in the shadows waiting for the small yippy dogs to accompany their jogging humans. Sort of a buffet that comes to you.
A few weeks ago a pack tried to cut a small child away from a group of kids in a playground. The lone adult was on her Blackberry and it was a Labrador Retriever that busted up the pack. Needless to say that's one Lab who gets prime cut every night.
Our local Canadian Geese population has dropped significantly thanks to the coyotes fondness for their eggs. Oh, ya. Our Hispanic neighbors also do their bit do lower the goose population by eating adults.
WTF?
Obama goes to a primary school to talk to the kids to get a little PR. After his talk he offers question time. One little boy puts up his hand and Obama asks him his name.
" Walter," responds the little boy."And what is your question, Walter?
"I have 4 questions:
First, why did the USA Bomb Libya without the support of the Congress?
Second, why do you keep saying you fixed the economy when it's actually worse?
Third, why did you say that Jeremiah Wright was your mentor, then said that you knew nothing about his preachings and beliefs?
Fourth, why are we so worried about Brazil drilling for oil, but we aren't allowed to?"
Just then, the bell rings for recess. Obama informs the kiddies that they will continue after recess.
When they resume Obama says, "OK, where were we? Oh, that's right: question time.. Who has a question?"
Another little boy puts up his hand. Obama points him out and asks him his name.
"Steve," he responds.
"And what is your question, Steve?"
Actually, I have 6 questions.
First, why did the USA Bomb Libya without the support of the Congress?
Second, why do you keep saying you fixed the economy when it's actually worse?
Third, why did you say that Jeremiah Wright was your mentor, then said that you knew nothing about his preaching’s and beliefs?
Fourth, why are we so worried about Brazil drilling for oil, but we aren't allowed to?
Fifth, why did the recess bell go off 20 minutes early?
And sixth, what the FUCK happened to Walter?"
- Stevienatt
Coming here soon
Norwegian Police Arrest Man for Stockpiling Weapons, Explosives
Norwegian police say they have arrested a right-wing extremist who has been stockpiling weapons and explosives at his home in Oslo, but has no connection to mass killer Anders Behring Breivik.
Norwegian police say they have arrested a right-wing extremist who has been stockpiling weapons and explosives at his home in Oslo, but has no connection to mass killer Anders Behring Breivik.
"The police have no information linking him to Breivik, but after the terrorist attacks, they did not want to take any risks and made the resources available to find this person as quickly as possible," the Daily Verdens Gang reports.
The man is being investigated for the "possession of unauthorized weapons, possession of explosives and making threats,” according to his lawyer, Vidar Lind Iversen.
Breivik killed 77 people on July 22 in a bombing in Oslo and shooting rampage on a nearby island, and has since confessed to the killings.
*****
To be honest with you, I'm surprised the same thing isn't already happening here on a large scale basis.
Evidently, judging by the number of people with bug-out bags (SHTF bags, git kits, etc.), I'm not the only one that thinks so.
Holy shit! Evacuate Kansas City! Indianapolis! Des Moines!
MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Jose formed near Bermuda on Sunday, becoming the 10th named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, U.S. forecasters said.
At 2 p.m. EDT, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Jose was 60 miles west of Bermuda and churning northward over the central Atlantic Ocean. It posed no threat to the U.S. coast or to energy interests in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm was packing top sustained winds of 40 mph and little change in strength was expected over the next 24 hours, the hurricane center said.
It said stiff winds were buffeting Bermuda, where Jose was expected to dump up to 3 inches of rain. But the storm was forecast to lose strength on Monday before dissipating as it takes a projected north-northeast track further out to sea.
Jose formed near the British territory on Sunday morning as Hurricane Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, hit New York after swirling up the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina, where it made landfall on Saturday.
At 2 p.m. EDT, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Jose was 60 miles west of Bermuda and churning northward over the central Atlantic Ocean. It posed no threat to the U.S. coast or to energy interests in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm was packing top sustained winds of 40 mph and little change in strength was expected over the next 24 hours, the hurricane center said.
It said stiff winds were buffeting Bermuda, where Jose was expected to dump up to 3 inches of rain. But the storm was forecast to lose strength on Monday before dissipating as it takes a projected north-northeast track further out to sea.
Jose formed near the British territory on Sunday morning as Hurricane Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, hit New York after swirling up the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina, where it made landfall on Saturday.
Lies, bullshit and video
One thing my folks taught me about lying (or 'mis-speaking' for all you politically correct fuckers) is that it'll ALWAYS come back to bite you in the ass.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Miss Ann speaks
LIBERALS AREN'T FUNNY, THEY'RE A RIOT!
August 17, 2011
Like you, I've been horrified by the eruptions of mob violence around the globe this summer. But having spent the last two years researching and writing a book about mobs, I'm also grateful to the ruffians for taking to the streets so soon after my book was released.
Thanks, you dirty animals. I knew you wouldn't let me down.
When I decided to write about mobs, it was a relatively peaceful period. But as long as there is evil in the world, mobs will never be finally defeated. And as long as there are liberals, there will be some people stoking the mobs.
It was only a matter of time, although even I didn't expect it quite this soon.
Mobs are always the same -- destructive, left-wing and without any clear cause. Why were young people in Britain tearing apart their cities, burning down businesses and stealing electronics and designer clothes? Because the cops shot someone? Please.
What has gotten on the last nerve of rioters in Greece, Paris and Vancouver? They're jobless? Their government benefits have been cut? Their hockey team lost? They might as well destroy police cars because they're upset about rainy days. (That's not a suggestion, by the way -- more of a rhetorical flourish.)
Why were public sector union workers in Wisconsin busting up the capitol and physically attacking Republican legislators? MSNBC's Ed Schultz says it was because Republicans were trying to take away the people's "civil rights."
(Evidently, research showed the last seven people actually watching MSNBC were Wisconsin public school teachers.)
You have to do some digging to find out the public sector employees were upset that Republicans wanted government unions to engage in collective bargaining only over salary, but not work conditions or benefits -- all funded by the taxpayers.
Why were black and Hispanic gang members looting after the Rodney King verdict? As if you needed to know, a Los Angeles policeman recently told me that the gang members he arrested in the riots said they didn't know or care about Rodney King.
Why were masked hoodlums smashing Starbucks windows in Seattle a decade ago when some bankers came to town? They're against the "global economy"? What does that even mean?
Like Satan, mobs are good only for destruction and chaos. The putative "cause" is always incidental. As Jesus said, "They hated me without a cause."
The French Revolution is the template for all mob uprisings, and the signal event of that lunacy was an attack on a prison housing only half a dozen prisoners.
As best anyone can tell, the storming of the Bastille was instigated by a rumor that the laughably impotent King Louis XVI was about to stage an attack on the National Assembly. Or perhaps they were upset that the inept finance minister, Jacques Necker, had been fired. Or they thought the Bastille was an eyesore.
(The only other possible cause was recently ruled out when it was conclusively determined that France had no teachers unions in the late 18th century.)
No one is sure -- but a good time was had by all! Except the prison administrators murdered in the attack.
Liberals love mobs because rioting and anarchy is their path to power.
Making sound proposals based on facts and logic is not their metier. Issuing impossible promises to the easily fooled is their specialty. For more on this, see "The 2012 Democratic Platform."
The entire Democratic Party is currently promising to "save" Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in their present form. According to Obama's own Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, in less than 10 years, spending on those three entitlement programs, plus servicing the national debt, will consume 92 cents of every dollar in the federal budget.
The Democrats are openly lying to voters. It is a mathematical impossibility for these programs to continue without major reform now, or complete bankruptcy later -- and not very much later.
But Democrats' real achievement has been in destroying the family, and thereby creating an endless supply of potential rioters.
When blacks were only four generations out of slavery, their illegitimacy rate was about 23 percent (lower than the white illegitimacy rate is now). Then Democrats decided to help them! Barely two generations since LBJ's Great Society programs began, the black illegitimacy rate has tripled to 72 percent.
Meanwhile, the white illegitimacy rate has septupled, from 4 percent to 29 percent.
Instead of a "War on Poverty," it should have been called a "War on the Family."
The vast and permanent underclass created by the welfare state is a great success story for the Democratic Party, which now has a loyal constituency of deadbeats who automatically vote for the Democrats to keep their Trojan horse "benefits" flowing.
It's the Democrats' "heroin dealer" model of government.
Apparently, it takes a lot of government workers to minister to the poor, inasmuch as government employment has skyrocketed in tandem with the family's disintegration. As long as Democrats are serving their principal constituency -- recipients of taxpayer money -- they don't care what happens to the rest of society.
They champion any mob that will increase their political power. Liberals promote welfare dependency, class warfare, endless government programs staffed with public sector workers, street protests, coddling criminals and physical attacks on their ideological opponents. This is how they create reliable Democratic voters.
True, government employees are doing jobs we don't want done, can never be fired, are bankrupting the country and periodically break out in mob violence.
True, also, that the children of broken families sometimes burn city blocks to the ground or kill their great-grandmothers with swords. But what a voting bloc!
Like you, I've been horrified by the eruptions of mob violence around the globe this summer. But having spent the last two years researching and writing a book about mobs, I'm also grateful to the ruffians for taking to the streets so soon after my book was released.
Thanks, you dirty animals. I knew you wouldn't let me down.
When I decided to write about mobs, it was a relatively peaceful period. But as long as there is evil in the world, mobs will never be finally defeated. And as long as there are liberals, there will be some people stoking the mobs.
It was only a matter of time, although even I didn't expect it quite this soon.
Mobs are always the same -- destructive, left-wing and without any clear cause. Why were young people in Britain tearing apart their cities, burning down businesses and stealing electronics and designer clothes? Because the cops shot someone? Please.
What has gotten on the last nerve of rioters in Greece, Paris and Vancouver? They're jobless? Their government benefits have been cut? Their hockey team lost? They might as well destroy police cars because they're upset about rainy days. (That's not a suggestion, by the way -- more of a rhetorical flourish.)
Why were public sector union workers in Wisconsin busting up the capitol and physically attacking Republican legislators? MSNBC's Ed Schultz says it was because Republicans were trying to take away the people's "civil rights."
(Evidently, research showed the last seven people actually watching MSNBC were Wisconsin public school teachers.)
You have to do some digging to find out the public sector employees were upset that Republicans wanted government unions to engage in collective bargaining only over salary, but not work conditions or benefits -- all funded by the taxpayers.
Why were black and Hispanic gang members looting after the Rodney King verdict? As if you needed to know, a Los Angeles policeman recently told me that the gang members he arrested in the riots said they didn't know or care about Rodney King.
Why were masked hoodlums smashing Starbucks windows in Seattle a decade ago when some bankers came to town? They're against the "global economy"? What does that even mean?
Like Satan, mobs are good only for destruction and chaos. The putative "cause" is always incidental. As Jesus said, "They hated me without a cause."
The French Revolution is the template for all mob uprisings, and the signal event of that lunacy was an attack on a prison housing only half a dozen prisoners.
As best anyone can tell, the storming of the Bastille was instigated by a rumor that the laughably impotent King Louis XVI was about to stage an attack on the National Assembly. Or perhaps they were upset that the inept finance minister, Jacques Necker, had been fired. Or they thought the Bastille was an eyesore.
(The only other possible cause was recently ruled out when it was conclusively determined that France had no teachers unions in the late 18th century.)
No one is sure -- but a good time was had by all! Except the prison administrators murdered in the attack.
Liberals love mobs because rioting and anarchy is their path to power.
Making sound proposals based on facts and logic is not their metier. Issuing impossible promises to the easily fooled is their specialty. For more on this, see "The 2012 Democratic Platform."
The entire Democratic Party is currently promising to "save" Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in their present form. According to Obama's own Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, in less than 10 years, spending on those three entitlement programs, plus servicing the national debt, will consume 92 cents of every dollar in the federal budget.
The Democrats are openly lying to voters. It is a mathematical impossibility for these programs to continue without major reform now, or complete bankruptcy later -- and not very much later.
But Democrats' real achievement has been in destroying the family, and thereby creating an endless supply of potential rioters.
When blacks were only four generations out of slavery, their illegitimacy rate was about 23 percent (lower than the white illegitimacy rate is now). Then Democrats decided to help them! Barely two generations since LBJ's Great Society programs began, the black illegitimacy rate has tripled to 72 percent.
Meanwhile, the white illegitimacy rate has septupled, from 4 percent to 29 percent.
Instead of a "War on Poverty," it should have been called a "War on the Family."
The vast and permanent underclass created by the welfare state is a great success story for the Democratic Party, which now has a loyal constituency of deadbeats who automatically vote for the Democrats to keep their Trojan horse "benefits" flowing.
It's the Democrats' "heroin dealer" model of government.
Apparently, it takes a lot of government workers to minister to the poor, inasmuch as government employment has skyrocketed in tandem with the family's disintegration. As long as Democrats are serving their principal constituency -- recipients of taxpayer money -- they don't care what happens to the rest of society.
They champion any mob that will increase their political power. Liberals promote welfare dependency, class warfare, endless government programs staffed with public sector workers, street protests, coddling criminals and physical attacks on their ideological opponents. This is how they create reliable Democratic voters.
True, government employees are doing jobs we don't want done, can never be fired, are bankrupting the country and periodically break out in mob violence.
True, also, that the children of broken families sometimes burn city blocks to the ground or kill their great-grandmothers with swords. But what a voting bloc!
Now if only he could do something to piss off all the racist negroes that voted for him because he's half black
WASHINGTON (AP) — Whites and women are a re-election problem for President Barack Obama. Younger voters and liberals, too, but to a lesser extent.
All are important Democratic constituencies that helped him win the White House in 2008 and whose support he’ll need to keep it next year.
-Women no longer are a bright spot for Obama.
At the 100-day mark of his presidency, they gave him significantly higher approval ratings than did men, 68 percent to 60 percent. That’s since fallen dramatically.
In the latest AP-GfK survey, less than half of all women and less than half of all men approve of the job Obama is doing. Just 50 percent of women said Obama deserves re-election.
Still, women are more likely than men to see Obama as empathetic or a strong leader, and they give him sharply higher positive ratings on his handling of the economy. Forty-three3 percent of women approve, compared with 29 percent of men.
-Younger voters and liberals are showing doubts about him, too.
Obama won younger voters in 2008 by a bigger margin than Democrat Bill Clinton in his victories in 1992 and 1996. But younger Democrats are no more apt to say the president deserves re-election than are older Democrats. Twenty-seven percent of Democrats under age 45 say Obama is not a strong leader, compared with 11 percent in June.
While a majority of liberals continue to say they view Obama as a strong leader, the strength of those opinions dropped sharply this summer. The share of liberals who say “strong leader” describes Obama “very well” has fallen from 53 percent to 29 percent in the aftermath of the debt-ceiling debate.
“Sometimes he needs to put his foot down and not be the nice guy,” said Democrat Kathleen Salak, 44, of Omaha, Neb.
The most recent AP-GfK poll was conducted Aug. 18-22 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
All are important Democratic constituencies that helped him win the White House in 2008 and whose support he’ll need to keep it next year.
-Women no longer are a bright spot for Obama.
At the 100-day mark of his presidency, they gave him significantly higher approval ratings than did men, 68 percent to 60 percent. That’s since fallen dramatically.
In the latest AP-GfK survey, less than half of all women and less than half of all men approve of the job Obama is doing. Just 50 percent of women said Obama deserves re-election.
Still, women are more likely than men to see Obama as empathetic or a strong leader, and they give him sharply higher positive ratings on his handling of the economy. Forty-three3 percent of women approve, compared with 29 percent of men.
-Younger voters and liberals are showing doubts about him, too.
Obama won younger voters in 2008 by a bigger margin than Democrat Bill Clinton in his victories in 1992 and 1996. But younger Democrats are no more apt to say the president deserves re-election than are older Democrats. Twenty-seven percent of Democrats under age 45 say Obama is not a strong leader, compared with 11 percent in June.
While a majority of liberals continue to say they view Obama as a strong leader, the strength of those opinions dropped sharply this summer. The share of liberals who say “strong leader” describes Obama “very well” has fallen from 53 percent to 29 percent in the aftermath of the debt-ceiling debate.
“Sometimes he needs to put his foot down and not be the nice guy,” said Democrat Kathleen Salak, 44, of Omaha, Neb.
The most recent AP-GfK poll was conducted Aug. 18-22 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
I don't hate islam because I listened to Abe
Obama-Allied Center For American Progress Blames Rich Jews For Stoking “Islamophobia” In America…
(American Thinker) — The Obama-allied Center for American Progress has released a report that blames Islamophobia in America on a small group of Jews and Israel supporters in America, whose views are being backed by millions of dollars. This “network”, according to the news release, have “have worked hard to push narratives that Obama might be a Muslim, that mosques are incubators of radicalization, and that “radical Islam” has infiltrated all aspects of American society — including the conservative movement.
Who are the figures mentioned as the promoters of prejudice? Most of them are prominent Jews and supporters of Israel, such as David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes and Steven Emerson (the founder of the Investigative Project on Terrorism). The eight foundations mentioned as funding this effort include are almost exclusively ones founded and funded by Jewish donors, and lest readers not be aware of this fact, the Center for American Progress lists not only the other beneficiaries of the charities and foundations (most of them having Jewish or Israel in the title) but also goes to the trouble of naming the individuals behind these charities — not just the donors but also those who serve on the boards.
Why include this additional information except to highlight that Jewish people are behind this effort to “defame” Muslims? By “outing” the people involved, the report puts endangers them. Furthermore, this “report” relies on the conspiracy and age-old anti-Semitic trope that Jews fan prejudice towards others and promotes divisions for their own nefarious purposes (to support Israel in this case). This mindset is straight out of Mein Kampf.
The report also stokes the view that rich Jews operate behind the scenes and use their wealth to control the media and government policy (politicians are also mentioned as being ensnared in this web).
The Center for American Progress was founded by Herbert and Marion Sandler (prominent mortgage bubble billionaires who partner with George Soros in his political activities). The Center for American Progress to a great extent is funded by George Soros and his Open Society Institute. George Soros is a fierce opponent of Israel and alleges that the Israel “lobby” all but controls American foreign policy. This view is echoed by Stephen Walt who flags this report in his column at the Foreign Policy website.
- Weasel Zippers
I think phobia doesn't accurately describe what we're feeling here as the word basically means an "irrational fear".
I'm pretty sure that most Americans don't dislike (or hate, in my case) islam because they've been listening to a bunch of rich Jews. I think it might be because of a declared war by them against us, as well asTWO attacks on the World Trade Center, the Beirut barracks bombing, the bombing of the USS Cole, and numerous (way too fucking many to list here) terrorist attcks over the years.
Then you throw in the fact that they've not only pretty much taken over Europe and is trying to turn it into the same shit holes they came from and is going to do the same here and then you gotta wonder just what ISN'T there to hate about the motherfuckers?
(American Thinker) — The Obama-allied Center for American Progress has released a report that blames Islamophobia in America on a small group of Jews and Israel supporters in America, whose views are being backed by millions of dollars. This “network”, according to the news release, have “have worked hard to push narratives that Obama might be a Muslim, that mosques are incubators of radicalization, and that “radical Islam” has infiltrated all aspects of American society — including the conservative movement.
Who are the figures mentioned as the promoters of prejudice? Most of them are prominent Jews and supporters of Israel, such as David Horowitz, Daniel Pipes and Steven Emerson (the founder of the Investigative Project on Terrorism). The eight foundations mentioned as funding this effort include are almost exclusively ones founded and funded by Jewish donors, and lest readers not be aware of this fact, the Center for American Progress lists not only the other beneficiaries of the charities and foundations (most of them having Jewish or Israel in the title) but also goes to the trouble of naming the individuals behind these charities — not just the donors but also those who serve on the boards.
Why include this additional information except to highlight that Jewish people are behind this effort to “defame” Muslims? By “outing” the people involved, the report puts endangers them. Furthermore, this “report” relies on the conspiracy and age-old anti-Semitic trope that Jews fan prejudice towards others and promotes divisions for their own nefarious purposes (to support Israel in this case). This mindset is straight out of Mein Kampf.
The report also stokes the view that rich Jews operate behind the scenes and use their wealth to control the media and government policy (politicians are also mentioned as being ensnared in this web).
The Center for American Progress was founded by Herbert and Marion Sandler (prominent mortgage bubble billionaires who partner with George Soros in his political activities). The Center for American Progress to a great extent is funded by George Soros and his Open Society Institute. George Soros is a fierce opponent of Israel and alleges that the Israel “lobby” all but controls American foreign policy. This view is echoed by Stephen Walt who flags this report in his column at the Foreign Policy website.
- Weasel Zippers
*****
I think phobia doesn't accurately describe what we're feeling here as the word basically means an "irrational fear".
I'm pretty sure that most Americans don't dislike (or hate, in my case) islam because they've been listening to a bunch of rich Jews. I think it might be because of a declared war by them against us, as well asTWO attacks on the World Trade Center, the Beirut barracks bombing, the bombing of the USS Cole, and numerous (way too fucking many to list here) terrorist attcks over the years.
Then you throw in the fact that they've not only pretty much taken over Europe and is trying to turn it into the same shit holes they came from and is going to do the same here and then you gotta wonder just what ISN'T there to hate about the motherfuckers?
Get your copy of the Constitution here
I read a LOT of blogs. Right Wing blogs. That being said, a common theme seems to be that the "leaders" of our Nation are ignoring the Constitution and Bill of Rights. While I don't disagree with that even a little bit, it raised a question in my mind:
How many people actually own a copy of them? And if you do, how often do you refer to it?
Hey, I'm not criticizing anybody here - we're all somewhat familiar with these documents, having studied them in high school and/or college - but how many folks have the means on hand to refresh their memories?
Let me put it this way: If you can't list and describe the first Ten Amendments, your memory needs a little help.
You can get this refresher by contacting the Heritage Foundation at www.heritage.org or call (800) 546-2843 and ordering your very own pocket sized copy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Hit the Bookstore link to find it. Not only can can you get your own copy, but you'll get 9 more to give to friends, mail to the White House, whatever, and it'll only cost 10 bucks for a packet of 10 copies.
An added bonus is that when you do so, you'll probably be placed on a government terrorist watch list.
How many people actually own a copy of them? And if you do, how often do you refer to it?
Hey, I'm not criticizing anybody here - we're all somewhat familiar with these documents, having studied them in high school and/or college - but how many folks have the means on hand to refresh their memories?
Let me put it this way: If you can't list and describe the first Ten Amendments, your memory needs a little help.
You can get this refresher by contacting the Heritage Foundation at www.heritage.org or call (800) 546-2843 and ordering your very own pocket sized copy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Hit the Bookstore link to find it. Not only can can you get your own copy, but you'll get 9 more to give to friends, mail to the White House, whatever, and it'll only cost 10 bucks for a packet of 10 copies.
An added bonus is that when you do so, you'll probably be placed on a government terrorist watch list.
That did the trick
President Obama walks into the Bank of America to cash a check. As he approaches the cashier he says, "Good morning, Ma'am, could you please cash this check for me?"
Cashier: "It would be my pleasure, sir. Could you please show me your ID?"
Obama: "Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to. I am President Barrack H. Obama, president of the United States of America."
Cashier: "Yes, sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of imposters and forgers, etc., I must insist on seeing ID."
Obama: "Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."
Cashier: "I am sorry, but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."
Obama: "I am urging you to please cash this check."
Cashier: "Look, sir, here's what we can do: one day Tiger Woods came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putting iron and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his check. So, what can you do to prove that you are really the President of the United States?"
Obama stood there thinking, and thinking, and finally says: "Honestly, there is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing."
Cashier: "Will that be large or small bills, Mr. President?"
- Texas Fred
Cashier: "It would be my pleasure, sir. Could you please show me your ID?"
Obama: "Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to. I am President Barrack H. Obama, president of the United States of America."
Cashier: "Yes, sir, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of imposters and forgers, etc., I must insist on seeing ID."
Obama: "Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."
Cashier: "I am sorry, but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."
Obama: "I am urging you to please cash this check."
Cashier: "Look, sir, here's what we can do: one day Tiger Woods came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putting iron and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his check. So, what can you do to prove that you are really the President of the United States?"
Obama stood there thinking, and thinking, and finally says: "Honestly, there is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing."
Cashier: "Will that be large or small bills, Mr. President?"
- Texas Fred
But she got it on sale......
Let them eat peas.
Her Royal Highness Queen Michelle Obama was out biking this week near Martha’s Vineyard.
She wore a $156 (was $200) T-shirt for the workout.
- http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/
Her Royal Highness Queen Michelle Obama was out biking this week near Martha’s Vineyard.
She wore a $156 (was $200) T-shirt for the workout.
First Lady Michelle Obama prepares to dismount her bicycle along with her daughter Sasha Obama, foreground right, following a bike ride in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest in West Tisbury, Mass., on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. The first family, including President Barack Obama and daughter Malia Obama, both not shown, participated in the outing. (AP/Steven Senne)
She wore the same shirt painting on 9-11.- http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/
Friday, August 26, 2011
Colorado's getting to be as bad as Kalifornia
Colorado Springs, CO.
An El Paso County jury on Friday awarded nearly $300,000 to the daughter of a burglar who was fatally shot in 2009 while breaking into an auto lot.
Parents of the victim, Robert Johnson Fox, embraced their attorneys after a judge announced the jury’s verdict, capping a two-week-long civil trial in which business owner Jovan Milanovic and two relatives were painted as vigilantes who plotted a deadly ambush rather than let authorities deal with a string of recent burglaries.
Phillip and Sue Fox, who filed suit for wrongful death in 2010 on behalf of Fox’s 3-year-old daughter, called the jury’s award a victory in their fight to seek accountability for the death of their son, who they say never posed a threat to the heavily armed men.
“Rob was in the wrong place doing the wrong thing, but the punishment didn’t fit the crime,” Sue Fox said afterward. “I can’t excuse his actions, but he didn’t deserve to be executed.”
The exact amount of the award was $269,500, for factors such as loss of companionship and loss of future earnings. The family will also be awarded some of the costs associated with the more than yearlong legal battle.
The jury of three men and three women deliberated for 2½ days over closely contested testimony about the predawn shooting on April 19, 2009.
Fox, 20, was shot after he and a friend scaled a fence to get inside Southwest Auto Sales at 2444 Platte Place in the city’s Knob Hill neighborhood. According to the accomplice, Brian Corbin, they had smoked methamphetamine and were looking to steal anything to buy more drugs.
Corbin testified he saw two armed men charge out of a building and run in their direction, one of them shouting “we’re gonna get you” in an obscenity-laced threat. Corbin, who escaped by climbing over a car and jumping a fence, said he felt a bullet pass by him as someone fired four gunshots.
Fox was standing inside a small shed when a .45-caliber rifle bullet passed through the shed’s door and pierced his heart.
Police said in a 145-page investigative report that the intruder had knives in his pockets and one strapped to his ankle, but never posed a threat to Milanovic or the other men, his father Ljuban Milanovic and brother-in-law Srdjan Milanovic.
The men are refugees who came to the United States from the former Yugoslavia in 1998.
Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/jury-123946-burglar-lot.html#ixzz1WBq919Pl
An El Paso County jury on Friday awarded nearly $300,000 to the daughter of a burglar who was fatally shot in 2009 while breaking into an auto lot.
Parents of the victim, Robert Johnson Fox, embraced their attorneys after a judge announced the jury’s verdict, capping a two-week-long civil trial in which business owner Jovan Milanovic and two relatives were painted as vigilantes who plotted a deadly ambush rather than let authorities deal with a string of recent burglaries.
Phillip and Sue Fox, who filed suit for wrongful death in 2010 on behalf of Fox’s 3-year-old daughter, called the jury’s award a victory in their fight to seek accountability for the death of their son, who they say never posed a threat to the heavily armed men.
“Rob was in the wrong place doing the wrong thing, but the punishment didn’t fit the crime,” Sue Fox said afterward. “I can’t excuse his actions, but he didn’t deserve to be executed.”
The exact amount of the award was $269,500, for factors such as loss of companionship and loss of future earnings. The family will also be awarded some of the costs associated with the more than yearlong legal battle.
The jury of three men and three women deliberated for 2½ days over closely contested testimony about the predawn shooting on April 19, 2009.
Fox, 20, was shot after he and a friend scaled a fence to get inside Southwest Auto Sales at 2444 Platte Place in the city’s Knob Hill neighborhood. According to the accomplice, Brian Corbin, they had smoked methamphetamine and were looking to steal anything to buy more drugs.
Corbin testified he saw two armed men charge out of a building and run in their direction, one of them shouting “we’re gonna get you” in an obscenity-laced threat. Corbin, who escaped by climbing over a car and jumping a fence, said he felt a bullet pass by him as someone fired four gunshots.
Fox was standing inside a small shed when a .45-caliber rifle bullet passed through the shed’s door and pierced his heart.
Police said in a 145-page investigative report that the intruder had knives in his pockets and one strapped to his ankle, but never posed a threat to Milanovic or the other men, his father Ljuban Milanovic and brother-in-law Srdjan Milanovic.
The men are refugees who came to the United States from the former Yugoslavia in 1998.
Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/jury-123946-burglar-lot.html#ixzz1WBq919Pl
Go blame your own people, Phil.
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - President Felipe Calderon declared three days of mourning on Friday and demanded a crackdown on drugs in the United States after armed men torched a casino in northern Mexico, killing at least 52 people.
Under intense pressure as violence soars, Calderon said he would send more federal security forces to the city of Monterrey, where gunmen set fire to an upmarket casino on Thursday in one of the worst attacks of Mexico's drugs war.
Lashing out at corrupt officials in Mexico and "insatiable" U.S. demand for drugs for fomenting the violence, Calderon urged Congress to stamp out drug consumption and stop illegal trafficking of weapons across the border into Mexico.
"We're neighbors, we're allies, we're friends, but you are also responsible," a somber and angry Calderon said to the United States in a speech after meeting his security advisers.
I hate this bastard
TEHRAN — An Iranian official has announced once again that U.S. filmmaker Michael Moore plans to visit Iran in autumn.
“He has asked [for permission] to travel to Iran, and we are trying to invite him to the Cinéma Vérité,” Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs Javad Shamaqdari said during a meeting at the Documentary and Experimental Film Center (DEFC) in Tehran on Wednesday.
The Cinéma Vérité is an Iranian international festival for documentary films, which is organized by the DEFC.
“Michael Moore has said that he has watched some Iranian films, which were very special for him,” Shamaqdari said.
“He said that he has never had such an image of Iran as was shown in the films, and that he was astonished to see Iranian youth skiing and going to coffee shops,” he added.
“He has said that he wants to visit Iran to do research about the country. In addition, he is an opponent of U.S. government policies and he wants to show his objection by traveling to Iran,” Shamaqdari stated.
- http://weaselzippers.us/
Maybe the motherfucker can reminence with Hanoi Jane about their experiences while enjoying a post-coital cigarette.
When I did a google search for the picture, I saw one with him waving a little American flag. No fucking way in hell would I disgrace our Nations' flag like that.
So I picked the one I did solely because after picture #3 I was already sick of looking at his face.
“He has asked [for permission] to travel to Iran, and we are trying to invite him to the Cinéma Vérité,” Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs Javad Shamaqdari said during a meeting at the Documentary and Experimental Film Center (DEFC) in Tehran on Wednesday.
The Cinéma Vérité is an Iranian international festival for documentary films, which is organized by the DEFC.
“Michael Moore has said that he has watched some Iranian films, which were very special for him,” Shamaqdari said.
“He said that he has never had such an image of Iran as was shown in the films, and that he was astonished to see Iranian youth skiing and going to coffee shops,” he added.
“He has said that he wants to visit Iran to do research about the country. In addition, he is an opponent of U.S. government policies and he wants to show his objection by traveling to Iran,” Shamaqdari stated.
- http://weaselzippers.us/
*****
Maybe the motherfucker can reminence with Hanoi Jane about their experiences while enjoying a post-coital cigarette.
When I did a google search for the picture, I saw one with him waving a little American flag. No fucking way in hell would I disgrace our Nations' flag like that.
So I picked the one I did solely because after picture #3 I was already sick of looking at his face.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
God Bless Elmer Keith
My Ruger Blackhawk in 41 Magnum will eat damned near anything I feed it as long as it's max or near max for heavier bullets.
It shows a preference though for 296 or H110, although I do have a pound or two of 2400 that I load with occasionally. The 2400 shoots fine but it burns dirtier than hell in my handgun.
One of my favorite loads to shoot is 20 grains of H110 under a 280 grain Wide Flat Nosed Gas Checked hardcast bullet. Cranks on downrange mighty smart, too.
I bought that 41 back in the mid 80s and put more than a few thousand full-house loads through it (and not a single fucking factory round), carry it constantly when I'mlost wandering in the mountains, yet it's just as tight as the day I bought it. Matter of fact, other than some minor holster wear and a nick on the ejector housing, it looks the same too.
My Ruger Blawkhawk in 41 Remington Magnum with heavy loads - 280 gr. hardcast Wide Flat Nosed Gas Checked Semi Wadcutters (Beartooth Bullets) over 20 grains of H110 and a large magnum pistol primer.
The handgun is a New Model Blackhawk, 6 1/2" barrel, one piece Pachmeyer grips, a free-spinning pawl (allows you to rotate the cylinder in either direction), dehorned hammer and a 3 pound trigger with no creep.
And now a couple of pictures of Pops shooting it a couple of years ago. One shot is right before he pulls the trigger, the second is in full recoil.
It shows a preference though for 296 or H110, although I do have a pound or two of 2400 that I load with occasionally. The 2400 shoots fine but it burns dirtier than hell in my handgun.
One of my favorite loads to shoot is 20 grains of H110 under a 280 grain Wide Flat Nosed Gas Checked hardcast bullet. Cranks on downrange mighty smart, too.
I bought that 41 back in the mid 80s and put more than a few thousand full-house loads through it (and not a single fucking factory round), carry it constantly when I'm
My Ruger Blawkhawk in 41 Remington Magnum with heavy loads - 280 gr. hardcast Wide Flat Nosed Gas Checked Semi Wadcutters (Beartooth Bullets) over 20 grains of H110 and a large magnum pistol primer.
The handgun is a New Model Blackhawk, 6 1/2" barrel, one piece Pachmeyer grips, a free-spinning pawl (allows you to rotate the cylinder in either direction), dehorned hammer and a 3 pound trigger with no creep.
And now a couple of pictures of Pops shooting it a couple of years ago. One shot is right before he pulls the trigger, the second is in full recoil.
And now in full recoil.
Faithful 'til the end
Jon Tumilson, a Navy SEAL, was one of 30 Americans killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter. He was mourned at a service in Rockford, Iowa, attended by 1,500 family members, friends--and Hawkeye, Tumilson's dog.
The Labrador retriever was such an important part of Tumilson's life that the friends and family of the San Diego resident called the dog his "son."
When Tumilson's friend Scott Nichols walked to the front of the room to speak, Hawkeye followed, Today.com reports. "As Nichols prepared to memorialize his friend, Hawkeye dutifully laid down near the casket," Scott Stump writes.
A video clip of the mourning dog can be seen here. KIMT-TV of Mason City, Iowa, covered the funeral.
The Labrador retriever was such an important part of Tumilson's life that the friends and family of the San Diego resident called the dog his "son."
When Tumilson's friend Scott Nichols walked to the front of the room to speak, Hawkeye followed, Today.com reports. "As Nichols prepared to memorialize his friend, Hawkeye dutifully laid down near the casket," Scott Stump writes.
A video clip of the mourning dog can be seen here. KIMT-TV of Mason City, Iowa, covered the funeral.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Ten MILLION Dollars to amuse Moochelle.....
Michelle Obama is accused of spending $10 million on vacations this year.
The Daily Mail reported, via Free Republic:
The Daily Mail reported, via Free Republic:
The Obamas’ summer break in Martha’s Vineyard has already been branded a PR disaster after the couple arrived four hours apart on separate government jets.
But according to new reports, this is the least of their extravagances.
White House sources today claimed that the First Lady has spent $10 million of U.S. taxpayers’ money on vacations alone in the past year.
Branding her ‘disgusting’ and ‘a vacation junkie’, they say the 47-year-old mother-of-two has been indulging in five-star hotels, where she splashes out on expensive massages and alcohol.
The ‘top source’ told the National Enquirer: ‘It’s disgusting. Michelle is taking advantage of her privileged position while the most hardworking Americans can barely afford a week or two off work.
Rick can't even take a dump in peace
I was headed towards a bathroom to send my sweetie a quick text - we're not allowed to use cell phones in the warehouse - when I saw my partner Ricks' towmoter parked outside the bathroom.
Fuck, what timing.
I strolled on in, whipped out my phone, stuck my hand over the top of the stall and took a picture of Rick sitting on the toilet taking a shit and texting HIS sweetie.
"Hey.... What the.... MotherFUCKER!!!!!!"
It was hilarious imagining him trying to wipe his ass, pull up his pants and text all at the same time. I was still laughing my ass off when he came out of the bathroom pissed as hell. "Who in the hell takes a picture of somebody taking a shit?"
I just shrugged and grinned. No sense in lying and denying, so I might as well cop to it and dare him to do something about it.
After several minutes of threats, I got far enough away from him to where I could check the picture and saw a blurry mess so I deleted it out, then went and told every English speaking motherfucker in the warehouse, all 12 of them, that I took a picture of Rick taking a shit just to fuck with him.
It worked. He got laughed at all day long and still hasn't spoken to me.
He was lucky today. Usually when I catch him on the toilet I sneak out and get a roll of 4-ply TP, then soak it in cold water to where it's just a soggy mess, walk back about 10 feet away and then throw it as hard as I can over the top of the stall so it slams into the wall about 2 feet over his head, splattering him with cold water and tiny bits of wet toilet paper.
What a way to start the day, huh?
Fuck, what timing.
I strolled on in, whipped out my phone, stuck my hand over the top of the stall and took a picture of Rick sitting on the toilet taking a shit and texting HIS sweetie.
"Hey.... What the.... MotherFUCKER!!!!!!"
It was hilarious imagining him trying to wipe his ass, pull up his pants and text all at the same time. I was still laughing my ass off when he came out of the bathroom pissed as hell. "Who in the hell takes a picture of somebody taking a shit?"
I just shrugged and grinned. No sense in lying and denying, so I might as well cop to it and dare him to do something about it.
After several minutes of threats, I got far enough away from him to where I could check the picture and saw a blurry mess so I deleted it out, then went and told every English speaking motherfucker in the warehouse, all 12 of them, that I took a picture of Rick taking a shit just to fuck with him.
It worked. He got laughed at all day long and still hasn't spoken to me.
He was lucky today. Usually when I catch him on the toilet I sneak out and get a roll of 4-ply TP, then soak it in cold water to where it's just a soggy mess, walk back about 10 feet away and then throw it as hard as I can over the top of the stall so it slams into the wall about 2 feet over his head, splattering him with cold water and tiny bits of wet toilet paper.
What a way to start the day, huh?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
A 5.8 shaker? Not even worth waking up for.....
MINERAL, Va. (AP) — Tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada were jolted Tuesday by the strongest earthquake to strike the East Coast since World War II. Three weeks before the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, office workers poured out of New York skyscrapers and the Pentagon, relieved it was nothing more sinister than an act of nature.
There were no known deaths or serious injuries, but cracks appeared in the National Cathedral, and three capstones broke off its tower. Windows shattered and grocery stores were wrecked in Virginia, where the quake was centered. The White House and Capitol were partly evacuated.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake registered magnitude 5.8. By West Coast standards, that is mild. But the East Coast is not accustomed to earthquakes at all, and this one unsettled some of the nation's biggest population centers.
There were no known deaths or serious injuries, but cracks appeared in the National Cathedral, and three capstones broke off its tower. Windows shattered and grocery stores were wrecked in Virginia, where the quake was centered. The White House and Capitol were partly evacuated.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake registered magnitude 5.8. By West Coast standards, that is mild. But the East Coast is not accustomed to earthquakes at all, and this one unsettled some of the nation's biggest population centers.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Hope and Change. Yup. Uh-huh. You bet.
USA becomes Food Stamp Nation but is it sustainable?
"It's kind of sad that even though I'm working that I need to have government assistance. I have asked them to please put me on full-time so I can have benefits," said the 32-year-old.
She's worked at Wal-Mart for nine months, and applied for food stamps as soon as her probation ended. She said plenty of her colleagues are in the same situation.
So are her customers. Bill Simon, head of Wal-Mart's U.S. operations, told a conference call last Tuesday that the company had seen an increase in the number of shoppers relying on government assistance for food.
About forty percent of food stamp recipients are, like Saucedo, in households in which at least one member of the family earns wages. Many more could be eligible: the government estimates one in three who could be on the program are not.
"If they're working, they often think they can't get help. But people can't support their families on $10, $11, $12 an hour jobs, especially when you add transport, clothes, rent." said Carolyn McLaughlin, executive director of BronxWorks, a social services organization in New York.
The maximum amount a family of four can receive in food stamps is $668 a month. They can only be used to buy food -- though not hot food -- and for plants and seeds to grow food.
Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all made efforts to raise awareness about the program and remove the stigma associated with it.
In 2004, paper coupons were replaced with cards similar to debit cards onto which benefits can be loaded. In 2008 they were renamed Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits though most people still call them food stamps.
Despite the bipartisan support for the program in the past, some of the recent political rhetoric has food stamp advocates worried.
Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich last year derided Democrats as "the party of food stamps". And Republican leaders in the House of Representatives propose changing the program so that the funding is through a "block grant" to the states, rather than allowing it to grow automatically when needed due to an emergency, such as a natural disaster or economic crisis.
In some parts of the country, shoppers using food stamps have almost become the norm. In May 2011, a third of all people in Alabama were on food stamps -- though part of that was because of emergency assistance after communities were destroyed by a series of destructive tornadoes. Washington D.C., Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon and Tennessee all had about a fifth of their population on food stamps that month.
"Food stamps have traditionally been insulated from politics," said Parke Wilde, professor of U.S. food policy at Tufts University. "But as you look over the current fiscally conservative proposals, the question is, has something fundamentally changed?"
A LOW WAGE SUPPORT PROGRAM
Over the past 20 years, the characteristics of the program's recipients have changed. In 1989, a higher percentage were on benefits than working, but as of 2009 a higher percentage had earned income.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Genna Saucedo supervises cashiers at a Wal-Mart in Pico Rivera, California, but her wages aren't enough to feed herself and her 12-year-old son.
Saucedo, who earns $9.70 an hour for about 26 hours a week and lives with her mother, is one of the many Americans who survive because of government handouts in what has rapidly become a food stamp nation.
Altogether, there are now almost 46 million people in the United States on food stamps, roughly 15 percent of the population. That's an increase of 74 percent since 2007, just before the financial crisis and a deep recession led to mass job losses.
At the same time, the cost doubled to reach $68 billion in 2010 -- more than a third of the amount the U.S. government received in corporate income tax last year -- which means the program has started to attract the attention of some Republican lawmakers looking for ways to cut the nation's budget deficit.
While there are clearly some cases of abuse by people who claim food stamps but don't really need them, for many Americans like Saucedo there is little current alternative if they are to put food on the table while paying rent and utility bills."It's kind of sad that even though I'm working that I need to have government assistance. I have asked them to please put me on full-time so I can have benefits," said the 32-year-old.
She's worked at Wal-Mart for nine months, and applied for food stamps as soon as her probation ended. She said plenty of her colleagues are in the same situation.
So are her customers. Bill Simon, head of Wal-Mart's U.S. operations, told a conference call last Tuesday that the company had seen an increase in the number of shoppers relying on government assistance for food.
About forty percent of food stamp recipients are, like Saucedo, in households in which at least one member of the family earns wages. Many more could be eligible: the government estimates one in three who could be on the program are not.
"If they're working, they often think they can't get help. But people can't support their families on $10, $11, $12 an hour jobs, especially when you add transport, clothes, rent." said Carolyn McLaughlin, executive director of BronxWorks, a social services organization in New York.
The maximum amount a family of four can receive in food stamps is $668 a month. They can only be used to buy food -- though not hot food -- and for plants and seeds to grow food.
Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all made efforts to raise awareness about the program and remove the stigma associated with it.
In 2004, paper coupons were replaced with cards similar to debit cards onto which benefits can be loaded. In 2008 they were renamed Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits though most people still call them food stamps.
Despite the bipartisan support for the program in the past, some of the recent political rhetoric has food stamp advocates worried.
Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich last year derided Democrats as "the party of food stamps". And Republican leaders in the House of Representatives propose changing the program so that the funding is through a "block grant" to the states, rather than allowing it to grow automatically when needed due to an emergency, such as a natural disaster or economic crisis.
In some parts of the country, shoppers using food stamps have almost become the norm. In May 2011, a third of all people in Alabama were on food stamps -- though part of that was because of emergency assistance after communities were destroyed by a series of destructive tornadoes. Washington D.C., Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon and Tennessee all had about a fifth of their population on food stamps that month.
"Food stamps have traditionally been insulated from politics," said Parke Wilde, professor of U.S. food policy at Tufts University. "But as you look over the current fiscally conservative proposals, the question is, has something fundamentally changed?"
A LOW WAGE SUPPORT PROGRAM
Over the past 20 years, the characteristics of the program's recipients have changed. In 1989, a higher percentage were on benefits than working, but as of 2009 a higher percentage had earned income.
"SNAP is increasingly work support," said Ed Bolen, an analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
And that's only likely to get worse: So far in the recovery, jobs growth has been concentrated in lower-wage occupations, with minimal growth in middle-income wages as many higher-paid blue collar jobs have disappeared.
And 6 percent of the 72.9 million Americans paid by the hour received wages at or below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour in 2010. That's up from 4.9 percent in 2009, and 3 percent in 2002, according to government data.Bolen said just based on income, minimum wage single parents are almost always eligible for food stamps.
"This becomes an implicit subsidy for low-wage jobs and in terms of incentives for higher wage job creation that really is not a good thing," said Arindrajit Dube, an economics professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, whose research shows raising the minimum wage would spur economic activity.Until a couple of weeks ago Tashawna Green, 21, from Queens Village, New York, worked 25 hours a week at an $8.08 hourly rate at retailer Target. She is on food stamps, and says a good number of her former colleagues are too.
"It's a good thing that the government helps, but if employers paid enough and gave enough hours, then we wouldn't need to be on food stamps," said Green, who has a six-year-old daughter.
Of course, with an unemployment rate over 9 percent, some argue that those with any job at all are lucky.
Millions of Americans whose unemployment benefits have expired have to exist only on food stamps and other government aid, such as Medicaid healthcare support.
And even with unemployment benefits, said Jessica King, 25, from Portland, Oregon, her family juggles bills to ensure the electricity stays on. They are also selling some belongings on Craigslist to raise funds.
King's husband Stephen, 30, an electronics assembly worker, lost his job two months ago when she was seven months pregnant with their second child. It was the third time he has been laid off since 2008.
She said she was reluctant, initially, to go on food stamps.
"I felt the way our national debt was going I didn't want to be part of the problem," said King, who used to work as a cook at a faith-based non-profit organization.
"But I didn't know what else to do and I got to a point where I swallowed my pride and decided to do what was best for my daughter."
- Yahoo news
The natives are getting restless, Bwana.
(NY Times) — Of all the places to hear fulminations against President Obama, one of the least expected is the corner of 71st Avenue and Queens Boulevard, in the heart of a Congressional district that propelled Democrats like Geraldine A. Ferraro, Charles E. Schumer andAnthony D. Weiner to Washington.
But it was there that Dale Weiss, a 64-year-old Democrat, approached the Republican running for Congress in a special election and, without provocation, blasted the president for failing to tame runaway federal spending. “We need to cut Medicaid,” she declared, “but he won’t do that.” She shook her head in disgust. “He is a moron.”
After nodding approvingly for a time, the Republican candidate, Bob Turner, signaled for an assistant to cut off Ms. Weiss. Frustration with Mr. Obama is so widespread, he explained later, that he tries to limit such rants to about 30 seconds, or else they will consume most of his day. . . .
The race was widely viewed as a sleepy sideshow — a mere formality that would put David I. Weprin, a Democratic state assemblyman and heir to a Queens political dynasty, into a seat known for its deep blue hue.
Instead, the race has become something far more unsettling to Democrats: a referendum on the president and his party that is highlighting the surprisingly raw emotions of the electorate.
But it was there that Dale Weiss, a 64-year-old Democrat, approached the Republican running for Congress in a special election and, without provocation, blasted the president for failing to tame runaway federal spending. “We need to cut Medicaid,” she declared, “but he won’t do that.” She shook her head in disgust. “He is a moron.”
After nodding approvingly for a time, the Republican candidate, Bob Turner, signaled for an assistant to cut off Ms. Weiss. Frustration with Mr. Obama is so widespread, he explained later, that he tries to limit such rants to about 30 seconds, or else they will consume most of his day. . . .
The race was widely viewed as a sleepy sideshow — a mere formality that would put David I. Weprin, a Democratic state assemblyman and heir to a Queens political dynasty, into a seat known for its deep blue hue.
Instead, the race has become something far more unsettling to Democrats: a referendum on the president and his party that is highlighting the surprisingly raw emotions of the electorate.
Time to face reality, Slick.
President Barack Obama says his low approval rating is a reflection of public unhappiness with Congress.
Obama tells CBS in an interview broadcast Sunday that he’s “impacted,” just like Congress, when people aren’t happy with Washington.
He says he understands that his arguments that the country would have been worse off if he hadn’t taken certain actions don’t resonate with the millions of unemployed people. [or millions of employed people]
The president, who’s vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, says he expects to be judged in November 2012 on whether things have improved.
Recent public opinion polls have shown Obama’s job approval rating at near 40 percent, the lowest of his presidency.
What's this "the country would have been worse off if he hadn’t taken certain actions" shit? His "actions" are what got us into this mess and his continued actions are going to keep fucking us.
Obama tells CBS in an interview broadcast Sunday that he’s “impacted,” just like Congress, when people aren’t happy with Washington.
He says he understands that his arguments that the country would have been worse off if he hadn’t taken certain actions don’t resonate with the millions of unemployed people. [or millions of employed people]
The president, who’s vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, says he expects to be judged in November 2012 on whether things have improved.
Recent public opinion polls have shown Obama’s job approval rating at near 40 percent, the lowest of his presidency.
*****
What's this "the country would have been worse off if he hadn’t taken certain actions" shit? His "actions" are what got us into this mess and his continued actions are going to keep fucking us.
Now that you mention it.....
Obama FOCUSES on the economy…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on jobs (3 times)… the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or Syria…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on immigration…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on small business…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
I’m BEGINNING TO SEE A PATTERN
- Texas Fred - http://texasfred.net/
Obama FOCUSES on jobs (3 times)… the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or Syria…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on immigration…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
Obama FOCUSES on small business…the market tanks…he goes on vacation…
I’m BEGINNING TO SEE A PATTERN
- Texas Fred - http://texasfred.net/
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