What a piece of shit.
He wants to make sure they (diplomats) come home "because they are not soldiers."
FTA All The Way, right?
Thanks to Stu for sending in the link.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Woo-hoo! This'll be better than A Day Without Mexicans!
Government shutdown preparations begin as funding talks stall
The Obama administration is alerting employees to the possibility of a partial government shutdown if talks on bills to fund the government and extend the payroll tax cut collapse later this week.
With Congress facing a midnight Friday deadline to either pass a short-term or final measure to fund government operations for the remainder of the fiscal year, Cabinet secretaries and agency heads planned to send an e-mail message to workers by close of business Wednesday informing them that a shutdown could occur, according to multiple administration officials familiar with the plans.
- WaPo
With Congress facing a midnight Friday deadline to either pass a short-term or final measure to fund government operations for the remainder of the fiscal year, Cabinet secretaries and agency heads planned to send an e-mail message to workers by close of business Wednesday informing them that a shutdown could occur, according to multiple administration officials familiar with the plans.
- WaPo
Gotta be California (again)
San Fransicko to be exact. Check out the banner above his/her/it's shoulder.
- Irish
Dictator Obama
In an interview with KOAA-TV, a local news channel from Colorado Springs, Colorado, President Obama says if Congress is not willing to pass legislation he wants, he will do it himself in order to win another term. Read the transcript below.
Rob Quirk, KOAA-TV: "And one year from today we will know if this a one-term or two-term president. So, I asked the president what will it take from now until then to not only win Colorado again, but reelection as well."
President Obama: "Well, what we're going to have to do is continue to make progress on the economy over the next several months. And where Congress is not willing to act, we're going to go ahead and do it ourselves. But it would be nice if we could get a little bit of help from Capitol Hill."
- Real Clear Politics
Rob Quirk, KOAA-TV: "And one year from today we will know if this a one-term or two-term president. So, I asked the president what will it take from now until then to not only win Colorado again, but reelection as well."
President Obama: "Well, what we're going to have to do is continue to make progress on the economy over the next several months. And where Congress is not willing to act, we're going to go ahead and do it ourselves. But it would be nice if we could get a little bit of help from Capitol Hill."
- Real Clear Politics
It's true, I have no shame.
Yup, that's the ol' bunghole. Looks like you can sail a ship down that motherfucker, huh?
Found this picture of my colonoscopy in my locker at work and figured to bring it home to share with y'all. I'm pretty sure everybody at work has already seen it.
Ponder this, Obama.
The Obamessiah didn't want to destroy that drone after it went down or insert a team to recover it because the little bitch was worried that it would be construed as an act of war.
Isn't overflying their sandbox without their permission an act of war? I'm not talking about satellites here, I'm talking about flying in their airspace.
So what difference would a couple of dozen big motherfucking bombs make? We wouldn't be out a drone, beaucoup military secrets, the data that was already on the drone, plus that little monkey faced motherfucker wouldn't be punking us out.
Shit man, they've already threatened to destroy us and are working on the method to do so without any interference from us.
Isn't overflying their sandbox without their permission an act of war? I'm not talking about satellites here, I'm talking about flying in their airspace.
So what difference would a couple of dozen big motherfucking bombs make? We wouldn't be out a drone, beaucoup military secrets, the data that was already on the drone, plus that little monkey faced motherfucker wouldn't be punking us out.
Shit man, they've already threatened to destroy us and are working on the method to do so without any interference from us.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Did you try 'Pretty Please....?'
“Obama is hoping that the Iranian government is in a Christmas mood because he has asked Tehran to send him his Christmas present. Iran mocks Obama who ‘begged' for [his] Drone back,” chided the semi-official Fars News Agency.
"We have asked for it back. We'll see how the Iranians respond," Obama said following a meeting at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Iran said last week it downed an advanced RQ-70 drone. The Obama administration initially denied the report, but later admitted it had lost a drone.
"Given Iran's behavior to date, we do not expect them to comply," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. President Obama reportedly turned down proposals to try to bomb the drone or retrieve it, fearing such an act would be considered an “act of war.”
"This is not only an intelligence victory for us, but a defeat for our enemies," said a senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
The RQ-170 has special coatings and a batwing shape designed to help it stay undetected by radar.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast lambasted Obama, saying that ”it seems that he has forgotten that Iran's air space has been violated, espionage operations have been carried out, international laws have been violated and Iran's internal affairs have been interfered with.”
Iran now claims that the United States has lost 90 drones since 2007.
“The Drone Crash Database of the global research says thirteen drone crashes have taken place over the past ten months, including the stealth drone in Iran,” Fars reported.
- Israel National News
Driving while talking on the phone a federal offense?
NTSB seeks nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices
[This post has been updated]
The National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices Tuesday, following its investigation into a deadly accident last year in Missouri.
NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman discussed the recommendations during a press conference after a meeting on that accident.
“According to [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,”she said. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving.”
While the NTSB investigates transportation and pipeline accidents and makes recommendations on safety rules and regulations, it has no power to implement them.
The NTSB’s recommendations urge all 50 states and the District ”to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices (other than those designed to support the driving task).” According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 35 states, including Maryland and Virginia, and the District ban texting while driving.
Read the rest here at WaPo.
The National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices Tuesday, following its investigation into a deadly accident last year in Missouri.
NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman discussed the recommendations during a press conference after a meeting on that accident.
“According to [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,”she said. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving.”
While the NTSB investigates transportation and pipeline accidents and makes recommendations on safety rules and regulations, it has no power to implement them.
The NTSB’s recommendations urge all 50 states and the District ”to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices (other than those designed to support the driving task).” According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 35 states, including Maryland and Virginia, and the District ban texting while driving.
Read the rest here at WaPo.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Ah, domestic life.
About a month after Lisa moved in she asked "Hey, you want to play some cards or roll some dice?"
What the fuck kind of games are those to play with somebody you care about?
"Oooooookay......" I said as I retrieved my 41 and fighting knife from the safe and laid them on the table.
"Whoa, what are you doing? What's all this he-man shit for?" she wanted to know.
"I thought you wanted to play cards. I ain't playing no cards without my weapontry close at hand. A man can get killed if he forgets or gambles away his arms. What do you want to play?"
"Oh Jesus. I take it you won't gamble in a casino because you can't carry a gun."
"Nope, just gotta gamble with your coat on."
The upshot of the evening was she taught me some new card games and commenced to beat the shit out of me all night long. I should've retained my firearms.
What the fuck kind of games are those to play with somebody you care about?
"Oooooookay......" I said as I retrieved my 41 and fighting knife from the safe and laid them on the table.
"Whoa, what are you doing? What's all this he-man shit for?" she wanted to know.
"I thought you wanted to play cards. I ain't playing no cards without my weapontry close at hand. A man can get killed if he forgets or gambles away his arms. What do you want to play?"
"Oh Jesus. I take it you won't gamble in a casino because you can't carry a gun."
"Nope, just gotta gamble with your coat on."
The upshot of the evening was she taught me some new card games and commenced to beat the shit out of me all night long. I should've retained my firearms.
But this is just a peaceful assembly protected under the Bill of Rights, right guys?
Well, that's one way to gain support from the population - threaten their wages, prevent groceries and goods from getting to their tables, homes and workplaces and misbehaving in general.
Truckers say if Occupiers are trying to go after the so-called one-percent, they’re going about it the wrong way.
“If you gonna occupy something, go occupy the federal government. Go occupy the people that got the money,” trucker Anthony Green Sr. “I don’t have no money. I’m trying to make that money.”
If the port shutdown continues, truckers predict prices for electronics and food could increase at stores with merchandise delivery delayed.
Tomorrow, the trucking company plans to send a few scouts to the Port of Oakland before deciding whether to send their drivers.
Sacramento CBS Local
Occupy Protesters Have Blocked Access to Three West-Coast Ports
Protesters who said they wanted to shut down ports along the West Coast Monday appear to be getting traction in Oakland, Portland, and Long Beach, where they've blocked access roads and stopped trucks from making deliveries. The Port of Oakland has reportedly closed, The Guardian reports in its live blog, while Long Beach protesters are facing down police as they refuse to move from an intersection, the Los Angeles Times reports. Portland, too, has protesters massing at the entrances to its port, where they blocked trucks from entering and apparently disrupted the port's operation for the day. On the East Coast, meanwhile, police have reportedly started arresting Occupy Wall Street protesters who targeted Goldman Sachs in what they're calling a "squidding" demonstration.
In New York, meanwhile, police have reportedly arrested several protesters at the Goldman Sachs action, confiscating live-streaming video equipment, according to NewYorkist on Twitter. One of those arrested, Brooklyn writer John Knefel, estimated 17 people had been arrested so far.
Yahoo News
*****
Port Shutdown Puts Sacramento Truckers Out Of Work
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Occupy Wall Street protesters have managed to at least partially shut down some of the West Coast’s busiest ports in the hopes they will cut into the corporations that run the docks. However, more than one hundred truckers in Sacramento say they are the ones being hurt.
The entire fleet at Devine Intermodal in West Sacramento is parked, leaving 120 drivers out of work, at least for the day.
Normally the drivers would be making two daily roundtrips to the Port of Oakland to pick up or deliver cargo.
The truckers are furious. If they don’t drive, they don’t get paid.
“Yeah, we’re all gonna lose about $600 today. That’s big money for this economy,” said trucker Dwayne Forcell.
A dispatcher with the Devine Intermodal visited the port this morning before making the call not to send the trucks. The one day of lost wages could make a big difference with profit margins in the industry so small.Truckers say if Occupiers are trying to go after the so-called one-percent, they’re going about it the wrong way.
“If you gonna occupy something, go occupy the federal government. Go occupy the people that got the money,” trucker Anthony Green Sr. “I don’t have no money. I’m trying to make that money.”
If the port shutdown continues, truckers predict prices for electronics and food could increase at stores with merchandise delivery delayed.
Tomorrow, the trucking company plans to send a few scouts to the Port of Oakland before deciding whether to send their drivers.
Sacramento CBS Local
Occupy Protesters Have Blocked Access to Three West-Coast Ports
Protesters who said they wanted to shut down ports along the West Coast Monday appear to be getting traction in Oakland, Portland, and Long Beach, where they've blocked access roads and stopped trucks from making deliveries. The Port of Oakland has reportedly closed, The Guardian reports in its live blog, while Long Beach protesters are facing down police as they refuse to move from an intersection, the Los Angeles Times reports. Portland, too, has protesters massing at the entrances to its port, where they blocked trucks from entering and apparently disrupted the port's operation for the day. On the East Coast, meanwhile, police have reportedly started arresting Occupy Wall Street protesters who targeted Goldman Sachs in what they're calling a "squidding" demonstration.
The protests on the West Coast got started before dawn, when the San Francisco Chronicle reports demonstrators marched to the port to block the roads leading in:
A group of roughly 100 marchers were met by a line of police in riot gear near the intersection of Seventh Street and Middle HarborRoad. Protesters began marching in a circle, preventing trucks from getting through. At least one demonstrator had set up a tent in the intersection.One trucker, clearly frustrated, blew his air horn and tried to drive through the crowd.
The trucker's frustration seems to mirror that of the International Longshore Workers Union, which did not sanction Monday's port actions. The ILWU said the protests would do harm to its members, costing them a day's pay, according to the Chronicle. But The Guardian reports that protesters say they're acting in support of the ILWU.
In New York, meanwhile, police have reportedly arrested several protesters at the Goldman Sachs action, confiscating live-streaming video equipment, according to NewYorkist on Twitter. One of those arrested, Brooklyn writer John Knefel, estimated 17 people had been arrested so far.
Yahoo News
I just knew he was from Kalifornia.....
Calif. senator threatens boycott over Lowe's ads
LOS ANGELES -- A state senator from Southern California was considering calling for a boycott of Lowe's stores after the home improvement chain pulled its advertising from a reality show about Muslim-Americans.
Calling the retail giant's decision "un-American" and "naked religious bigotry," Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he would also consider legislative action if Lowe's doesn't apologize to Muslims and reinstate its ads. The senator sent a letter outlining his complaints to Lowe's Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Niblock.
The retail giant stopped advertising on TLC's "All-American Muslim" after a group called the Florida Family Association complained the show was "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."
The program premiered last month and chronicles the lives of five families from Dearborn, Mich., a Detroit suburb with a large Muslim and Arab-American population.
"The show is about what it's like to be a Muslim in America, and it touches on the discrimination they sometimes face. And that kind of discrimination is exactly what's happening here with Lowe's," Lieu said.
The Florida group sent three emails to its members, asking them to petition Lowe's to pull its advertising. Its website was updated to say that "supporters' emails to advertisers make a difference."
Read the rest here.
LOS ANGELES -- A state senator from Southern California was considering calling for a boycott of Lowe's stores after the home improvement chain pulled its advertising from a reality show about Muslim-Americans.
Calling the retail giant's decision "un-American" and "naked religious bigotry," Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he would also consider legislative action if Lowe's doesn't apologize to Muslims and reinstate its ads. The senator sent a letter outlining his complaints to Lowe's Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Niblock.
The retail giant stopped advertising on TLC's "All-American Muslim" after a group called the Florida Family Association complained the show was "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."
The program premiered last month and chronicles the lives of five families from Dearborn, Mich., a Detroit suburb with a large Muslim and Arab-American population.
"The show is about what it's like to be a Muslim in America, and it touches on the discrimination they sometimes face. And that kind of discrimination is exactly what's happening here with Lowe's," Lieu said.
The Florida group sent three emails to its members, asking them to petition Lowe's to pull its advertising. Its website was updated to say that "supporters' emails to advertisers make a difference."
Read the rest here.
We just flock to you for your sage wisdom regarding politics
She is a staunch Democrat known for her political activism, if not her amazing figure and acting career.
But Jane Fonda didn't hold back during a CNN interview on Friday after she asked about her opinion of the Republican presidential candidates.
The 73-year-old, who starred in Barbarella and Coming Home, was asked by Piers Morgan to comment on the intellectual capacity of the GOP candidates.
She replied: 'They all scare me frankly. I get depressed and scared when I look at the Republican debates.
'I'm worried about anybody getting elected to office who says we have to do away with or privatise social security, we have to reduce medical health insurance, we have to not raise taxes.
'And, oh, there's no problem with the environment, this is all made up by the left, the scientists don't really know what they're talking about - this worries me.'
The Hollywood star also spoke of her hopes that President Barack Obama would be reelected for a second term.
She told CNN: 'I wish that he would be stronger. I think he will be in his second term.'I think he's going to be reelected. I think he's a good man, but I wish that he was tougher on the issues that I care about and that a lot of people care about.'
Article from Daily Mail
*****
May you rot in hell.
I see your lips moving, don't hear a damned thing you're sayin'
President Obama reminded everyone there that "the manifestation of God's love" Jesus Christ was born more than 2000 years ago.
"For me and for millions of Americans, the story has filled our hearts and inspired our lives. It moves us to love one another, to help and serve those less fortunate, to forgive, to draw close to our families, to be grateful for all that has been given to us. To keep faith, and to hold on to an enduring hope in humanity." Obama added, "Service to others; compassion to all; treating others as we wish ourselves to be treated -- those values aren’t just at the center of Christianity. Those are values that are shared by all faiths."
The president concluded, "So tonight let us all rededicate ourselves to each other, and in that spirit, from my family to yours: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.”
Excerpted from The Washington Examiner
Coming from somebody else's mouth, this would've been beautiful. From his mouth, they're just words that immediately are suspect.
"For me and for millions of Americans, the story has filled our hearts and inspired our lives. It moves us to love one another, to help and serve those less fortunate, to forgive, to draw close to our families, to be grateful for all that has been given to us. To keep faith, and to hold on to an enduring hope in humanity." Obama added, "Service to others; compassion to all; treating others as we wish ourselves to be treated -- those values aren’t just at the center of Christianity. Those are values that are shared by all faiths."
The president concluded, "So tonight let us all rededicate ourselves to each other, and in that spirit, from my family to yours: Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America.”
Excerpted from The Washington Examiner
*****
Coming from somebody else's mouth, this would've been beautiful. From his mouth, they're just words that immediately are suspect.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Cleanin' My Gun
This song kicks ass.
Lyrics are below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkUj0aGUBeo
I keep a weather eye on the horizon, back to the wall
I like to know who's coming through the door at us all
It's the old Army training, kickin' in
I'm not complaining
It's the world we live in
Ronny and Malarkey, they're a devious firm
They'll take you to the cleaners, let you burn
The help is breaking dishes in the kitchen,
Thanks a lot
We hired the worst dishwasher
This place ever got
Hidden below the radar, they want to spoil our fun:..
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun
Remember it got so cold ice froze up the tank
We lit a fire beneath her just so she would crank
Keep a weather eye on the horizon
Tap the storm glass now and then
We got a case of Old Damnation
For when you get here my friend
We can have ourselves a party before they come
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun
We had women and a mirror ball, we had a DJ
We used to eat pretty much all came this way
Ever since the goons came in took apart the place
I keep a tire iron in the corner just in case
Gave you a magic bullet on a little chain
Keep you safe from the chilly winds
And the howl of the rain
We're gonna might need bullets, should we have stuck
Any which way, we're gonna need a little luck
You can still get gas in heaven and drink in kingdom come:
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun.
Sent in by Murray.
Lyrics are below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkUj0aGUBeo
I keep a weather eye on the horizon, back to the wall
I like to know who's coming through the door at us all
It's the old Army training, kickin' in
I'm not complaining
It's the world we live in
Ronny and Malarkey, they're a devious firm
They'll take you to the cleaners, let you burn
The help is breaking dishes in the kitchen,
Thanks a lot
We hired the worst dishwasher
This place ever got
Hidden below the radar, they want to spoil our fun:..
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun
Remember it got so cold ice froze up the tank
We lit a fire beneath her just so she would crank
Keep a weather eye on the horizon
Tap the storm glass now and then
We got a case of Old Damnation
For when you get here my friend
We can have ourselves a party before they come
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun
We had women and a mirror ball, we had a DJ
We used to eat pretty much all came this way
Ever since the goons came in took apart the place
I keep a tire iron in the corner just in case
Gave you a magic bullet on a little chain
Keep you safe from the chilly winds
And the howl of the rain
We're gonna might need bullets, should we have stuck
Any which way, we're gonna need a little luck
You can still get gas in heaven and drink in kingdom come:
In the meantime, I'm cleaning my gun.
Sent in by Murray.
Police employ Predator drone spy planes on home front
Unmanned aircraft from an Air Force base in North Dakota help local police with surveillance, raising questions that trouble privacy advocates.
December 10, 2011, 6:12 p.m.
Reporting from Washington—
Armed with a search warrant, Nelson County Sheriff Kelly Janke went looking for six missing cows on the Brossart family farm in the early evening of June 23. Three men brandishing rifles chased him off, he said.
Janke knew the gunmen could be anywhere on the 3,000-acre spread in eastern North Dakota. Fearful of an armed standoff, he called in reinforcements from the state Highway Patrol, a regional SWAT team, a bomb squad, ambulances and deputy sheriffs from three other counties.
He also called in a Predator B drone.
As the unmanned aircraft circled 2 miles overhead the next morning, sophisticated sensors under the nose helped pinpoint the three suspects and showed they were unarmed. Police rushed in and made the first known arrests of U.S. citizens with help from a Predator, the spy drone that has helped revolutionize modern warfare.
Janke knew the gunmen could be anywhere on the 3,000-acre spread in eastern North Dakota. Fearful of an armed standoff, he called in reinforcements from the state Highway Patrol, a regional SWAT team, a bomb squad, ambulances and deputy sheriffs from three other counties.
He also called in a Predator B drone.
As the unmanned aircraft circled 2 miles overhead the next morning, sophisticated sensors under the nose helped pinpoint the three suspects and showed they were unarmed. Police rushed in and made the first known arrests of U.S. citizens with help from a Predator, the spy drone that has helped revolutionize modern warfare.
A Predator drone spy plane helped police make arrests after a North Dakota family's run-in with a local sheriff. Rodney Brossart, shown here, and his daughter and his three sons face felony charges. (Lake Region Law Enforcement Center / December 8, 2011)
But that was just the start. Local police say they have used two unarmed Predators based at Grand Forks Air Force Base to fly at least two dozen surveillance flights since June. The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration have used Predators for other domestic investigations, officials said.
"We don't use [drones] on every call out," said Bill Macki, head of the police SWAT team in Grand Forks. "If we have something in town like an apartment complex, we don't call them."
The drones belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates eight Predators on the country's northern and southwestern borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers. The previously unreported use of its drones to assist local, state and federal law enforcement has occurred without any public acknowledgment or debate.
Congress first authorized Customs and Border Protection to buy unarmed Predators in 2005. Officials in charge of the fleet cite broad authority to work with police from budget requests to Congress that cite "interior law enforcement support" as part of their mission.
In an interview, Michael C. Kostelnik, a retired Air Force general who heads the office that supervises the drones, said Predators are flown "in many areas around the country, not only for federal operators, but also for state and local law enforcement and emergency responders in times of crisis."
But former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), who sat on the House homeland security intelligence subcommittee at the time and served as its chairwoman from 2007 until early this year, said no one ever discussed using Predators to help local police serve warrants or do other basic work.
Using Predators for routine law enforcement without public debate or clear legal authority is a mistake, Harman said.
"There is no question that this could become something that people will regret," said Harman, who resigned from the House in February and now heads the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington think tank.
In 2008 and 2010, Harman helped beat back efforts by Homeland Security officials to use imagery from military satellites to help domestic terrorism investigations. Congress blocked the proposal on grounds it would violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from taking a police role on U.S. soil.
Proponents say the high-resolution cameras, heat sensors and sophisticated radar on the border protection drones can help track criminal activity in the United States, just as the CIA uses Predators and other drones to spy on militants in Pakistan, nuclear sites in Iran and other targets around the globe.
For decades, U.S. courts have allowed law enforcement to conduct aerial surveillance without a warrant. They have ruled that what a person does in the open, even behind a backyard fence, can be seen from a passing airplane and is not protected by privacy laws.
Advocates say Predators are simply more effective than other planes. Flying out of earshot and out of sight, a Predator B can watch a target for 20 hours nonstop, far longer than any police helicopter or manned aircraft.
"I am for the use of drones," said Howard Safir, former head of operations for the U.S. Marshals Service and former New York City police commissioner. He said drones could help police in manhunts, hostage situations and other difficult cases.
But privacy advocates say drones help police snoop on citizens in ways that push current law to the breaking point.
"Any time you have a tool like that in the hands of law enforcement that makes it easier to do surveillance, they will do more of it," said Ryan Calo, director for privacy and robotics at the Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society.
"We don't use [drones] on every call out," said Bill Macki, head of the police SWAT team in Grand Forks. "If we have something in town like an apartment complex, we don't call them."
The drones belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates eight Predators on the country's northern and southwestern borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers. The previously unreported use of its drones to assist local, state and federal law enforcement has occurred without any public acknowledgment or debate.
Congress first authorized Customs and Border Protection to buy unarmed Predators in 2005. Officials in charge of the fleet cite broad authority to work with police from budget requests to Congress that cite "interior law enforcement support" as part of their mission.
In an interview, Michael C. Kostelnik, a retired Air Force general who heads the office that supervises the drones, said Predators are flown "in many areas around the country, not only for federal operators, but also for state and local law enforcement and emergency responders in times of crisis."
But former Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice), who sat on the House homeland security intelligence subcommittee at the time and served as its chairwoman from 2007 until early this year, said no one ever discussed using Predators to help local police serve warrants or do other basic work.
Using Predators for routine law enforcement without public debate or clear legal authority is a mistake, Harman said.
"There is no question that this could become something that people will regret," said Harman, who resigned from the House in February and now heads the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington think tank.
In 2008 and 2010, Harman helped beat back efforts by Homeland Security officials to use imagery from military satellites to help domestic terrorism investigations. Congress blocked the proposal on grounds it would violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from taking a police role on U.S. soil.
Proponents say the high-resolution cameras, heat sensors and sophisticated radar on the border protection drones can help track criminal activity in the United States, just as the CIA uses Predators and other drones to spy on militants in Pakistan, nuclear sites in Iran and other targets around the globe.
For decades, U.S. courts have allowed law enforcement to conduct aerial surveillance without a warrant. They have ruled that what a person does in the open, even behind a backyard fence, can be seen from a passing airplane and is not protected by privacy laws.
Advocates say Predators are simply more effective than other planes. Flying out of earshot and out of sight, a Predator B can watch a target for 20 hours nonstop, far longer than any police helicopter or manned aircraft.
"I am for the use of drones," said Howard Safir, former head of operations for the U.S. Marshals Service and former New York City police commissioner. He said drones could help police in manhunts, hostage situations and other difficult cases.
But privacy advocates say drones help police snoop on citizens in ways that push current law to the breaking point.
"Any time you have a tool like that in the hands of law enforcement that makes it easier to do surveillance, they will do more of it," said Ryan Calo, director for privacy and robotics at the Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society.
It's true, I'm blessed.
A pot of homemade cream of broccoli soup
One of the many things I love about Miss Lisa is her ability to whip up a delicious meal with damned near anything that happens to be in the house.
This morning I woke up to the lovely smell of one of her homemade soups which is going to simmer and bubble all day long.
Bacon sandwiches for lunch and soup for dinner. Damn. Now if I just had a nice coyote to skin out, it would be THE Perfect Day.
Showers every other week? Oooooh.......
The Occupy Movement has given us reporters plenty of fodder for good stories -- some informative and others entertaining. And while it appears Occupy SF has ceased to exist as a camp since police raided the encampment on Wednesday, there are still plenty of amusing stories to tell.
For instance, this San Francisco guy is desperate to reoccupy the Financial District, which is why he is looking for someone to help him set up his tent -- and occupy it with him. So he did what any normal searching San Franciscan would do: He posted an ad on Craigslist.
Although it's far from your average "looking for a housemate" ad.
Here's his sales pitch:
Aside from sounding paranoid, here's a little more about him: "I am clean and keep a neat tent. I shave and shower every other week, we can alternate so some one is always in the tent. My girlfriend will bring food so we don't have to leave."
And if that isn't enticing enough, the rent is cheaper than a cardboard box. "$1.00 rent is due upon our agreement and is due on the first of every month. It is not refundable as your dollar symbolizes your dedication to the tent and our cause," according to the ad.
SF Weekly
For instance, this San Francisco guy is desperate to reoccupy the Financial District, which is why he is looking for someone to help him set up his tent -- and occupy it with him. So he did what any normal searching San Franciscan would do: He posted an ad on Craigslist.
Although it's far from your average "looking for a housemate" ad.
Here's his sales pitch:
"I want a roommate to help set up a new camp and watch my back in case the NAzis with the GERMAN dog come back to kick me out. I also have a video camera we can share in case they harrass us.
Aside from sounding paranoid, here's a little more about him: "I am clean and keep a neat tent. I shave and shower every other week, we can alternate so some one is always in the tent. My girlfriend will bring food so we don't have to leave."
And if that isn't enticing enough, the rent is cheaper than a cardboard box. "$1.00 rent is due upon our agreement and is due on the first of every month. It is not refundable as your dollar symbolizes your dedication to the tent and our cause," according to the ad.
SF Weekly
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The First Ho...? And I was just being facetious before...
The Globe magazine just released a bombshell and is reporting that Michelle Obama is having a “steamy secret affair” with a Secret Service Agent. According to The Globe, rumors started to circulate that Obama may be having an affair after her recent admission to NBC’s Al Roker that she frequently “sneaks out” of the White House; and the ever increasing time she is spending away from the White House may be a cover to hide “a sizzling affair she’s carrying on with a Secret Service agent.”
According to The Globe’s anonymous source: “The rumors are that she’s getting it on with a Secret Service agent who is not part of her detail. … Her frequent outings away from the White House give her and him an opportunity to get together.” The source adds: “Something has been going on for a couple of months and there’s no question Barack is embarrassed about her increasingly frequent excursions away from him at the White House.”
The allegations are, of course, unsubstantiated and only time will tell if the allegations will fizzle or blow up into a major issuing in the upcoming presidential campaign. Typically, the media will not report unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources, but the recent media feeding frenzy over unsubstantiated allegation against businessman Herman Cain, which literally sank his candidacy, leave the question open: will the media pursue, or even bother to investigate this story?
When it comes to the Mainstream Media, anything goes. That much is clear. But will the media apply the same standard to Obama as to Cain? Only time will tell.
America's Conservative News
According to The Globe’s anonymous source: “The rumors are that she’s getting it on with a Secret Service agent who is not part of her detail. … Her frequent outings away from the White House give her and him an opportunity to get together.” The source adds: “Something has been going on for a couple of months and there’s no question Barack is embarrassed about her increasingly frequent excursions away from him at the White House.”
The allegations are, of course, unsubstantiated and only time will tell if the allegations will fizzle or blow up into a major issuing in the upcoming presidential campaign. Typically, the media will not report unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources, but the recent media feeding frenzy over unsubstantiated allegation against businessman Herman Cain, which literally sank his candidacy, leave the question open: will the media pursue, or even bother to investigate this story?
When it comes to the Mainstream Media, anything goes. That much is clear. But will the media apply the same standard to Obama as to Cain? Only time will tell.
America's Conservative News
You can take the boy out of the country......
A new priest, born and raised in Texas, comes to serve in a city parish and is nervous about hearing confessions, so he asks the older priest to sit in on his sessions.
The new priest hears a couple of confessions, then the old priest asks him to step out of the confessional for a few suggestions.
The old priest suggests, "Cross your arms over your chest, and rub your chin with one hand and try saying things like 'yes, I see,' and 'yes, go on,' and 'I understand.'"
The new priest crosses his arms, rubs his chin with one hand and repeats all the suggested remarks to the old priest.
The old priest says, "Now, don't you think that's a little better than slapping your knee and saying, "No shit, what happened next?"
The new priest hears a couple of confessions, then the old priest asks him to step out of the confessional for a few suggestions.
The old priest suggests, "Cross your arms over your chest, and rub your chin with one hand and try saying things like 'yes, I see,' and 'yes, go on,' and 'I understand.'"
The new priest crosses his arms, rubs his chin with one hand and repeats all the suggested remarks to the old priest.
The old priest says, "Now, don't you think that's a little better than slapping your knee and saying, "No shit, what happened next?"
-Rob
Mr. President has a Little Stick
Jennifer Griffin of Fox News exposes evidence that Barack Obama wimped-out when faced with a decision to either protect American intelligence and national security or upset the Iranians.
“With early knowledge that the aircraft had likely remained intact, the senior U.S. official also told Fox News that President Obama was presented with three separate options for retrieving or destroying the drone. The president ultimately decided not to proceed with any of the plans because it could have been seen as an act of war, the official told Fox News.”
“Among the options the U.S. considered were sending in a special-ops team to retrieve the drone; sending in a team to blow up the aircraft; and launching an airstrike to destroy it.”
www.weaselzippers.us
“With early knowledge that the aircraft had likely remained intact, the senior U.S. official also told Fox News that President Obama was presented with three separate options for retrieving or destroying the drone. The president ultimately decided not to proceed with any of the plans because it could have been seen as an act of war, the official told Fox News.”
“Among the options the U.S. considered were sending in a special-ops team to retrieve the drone; sending in a team to blow up the aircraft; and launching an airstrike to destroy it.”
www.weaselzippers.us
Huh, I don't think there's a damned thing funny about it.
The High Sheriff Her Ownself proud of the nickname 'Big Sis'
DHS chief is proud at being named after the fictional dictator of a totalitarian state
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Friday, December 9, 2011
After being asked if the encroaching eyes of big government were giving the U.S. a bad name during a CFR event earlier today, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano responded by saying she was pleased with being dubbed “Big Sis” by the Drudge Report.
Discussing airport security, moderator Terry Moran stated, “There is this sense of encroaching eyes of government on us at every single stage, you get that all the time, so what do you say as you reach these agreements, push our borders and the United States’ way of doing things out into countries which have different traditions and values, perhaps? Is big sister watching?”
“I think ‘big sis’ is my moniker in the Drudge Report,” responded Napolitano.
“I knew I’d actually made it when I had my own name in the Drudge Report. You know, that’s the standard,” joked the DHS chief, pumping her fist in the air, and receiving a few chuckles in response from the CFR elitists in the audience.
Unfortunately for Napolitano, being named after a fictional dictator of a totalitarian state where the government keeps constant surveillance of its citizens is not something to be proud of.
Napolitano is obviously very pleased with herself for riling the privacy-oriented Matt Drudge and his millions of readers. Back in September, she also referenced the moniker during a Politico breakfast meeting.
“I think that what he means is we are watching too much—kind of an Orwellian view. He’s just wrong. I mean, he’s just wrong,” Napolitano declared.
As we subsequently documented, it is in fact Napolitano and the despised federal agency she fronts which has been repeatedly been proven wrong on privacy issues.
Homeland Security and its subsidiary the TSA have been caught time and time again lying about both privacy and health issues in a transparent ploy to undermine genuine concerns.
The DHS has repeatedly lied about the privacy and health threats posed by naked body scanners in an effort to keep the controversy under wraps, as well as withholding evidence.
It has also taken on the very “Orwellian” role Napolitano dismisses by placing journalists and others who have been critical of the TSA on terrorist watch lists.
DHS chief is proud at being named after the fictional dictator of a totalitarian state
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Friday, December 9, 2011
After being asked if the encroaching eyes of big government were giving the U.S. a bad name during a CFR event earlier today, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano responded by saying she was pleased with being dubbed “Big Sis” by the Drudge Report.
Discussing airport security, moderator Terry Moran stated, “There is this sense of encroaching eyes of government on us at every single stage, you get that all the time, so what do you say as you reach these agreements, push our borders and the United States’ way of doing things out into countries which have different traditions and values, perhaps? Is big sister watching?”
“I think ‘big sis’ is my moniker in the Drudge Report,” responded Napolitano.
“I knew I’d actually made it when I had my own name in the Drudge Report. You know, that’s the standard,” joked the DHS chief, pumping her fist in the air, and receiving a few chuckles in response from the CFR elitists in the audience.
Unfortunately for Napolitano, being named after a fictional dictator of a totalitarian state where the government keeps constant surveillance of its citizens is not something to be proud of.
Napolitano is obviously very pleased with herself for riling the privacy-oriented Matt Drudge and his millions of readers. Back in September, she also referenced the moniker during a Politico breakfast meeting.
“I think that what he means is we are watching too much—kind of an Orwellian view. He’s just wrong. I mean, he’s just wrong,” Napolitano declared.
As we subsequently documented, it is in fact Napolitano and the despised federal agency she fronts which has been repeatedly been proven wrong on privacy issues.
Homeland Security and its subsidiary the TSA have been caught time and time again lying about both privacy and health issues in a transparent ploy to undermine genuine concerns.
The DHS has repeatedly lied about the privacy and health threats posed by naked body scanners in an effort to keep the controversy under wraps, as well as withholding evidence.
It has also taken on the very “Orwellian” role Napolitano dismisses by placing journalists and others who have been critical of the TSA on terrorist watch lists.
Somebody had a boo-boo
I'm really hoping that it was a cow or a gang of Occupy Wall Street protesters that the bus hit instead of innocent people.
Fat Boys - from the archives*
*because I'm fucking brain dead this morning and can't come up with anything original to post until I have a couple more pots of coffee.
Okay, time for a Fat Boy post.
I feel fairly qualified to comment on the subject because I have grown up around fat boys, I have fat boys for friends, I have fat boys in my family, I work with fat boys and well, I'm a fat boy too. If that don't make me an expert on fat boys, I don't know what will.
I was always skinny until about 45 years of age, weighing in at about 165 pounds most of my adult life. After that I don't know what the fuck happened. I stand 5'10" tall (unless I'm filling out an online profile then I stand 6' tall) and weigh in at 210 pounds. I have weighed as much as 240. So I know how you feel and I know the justifications you make for your fatness. Been there, done that. But over the past couple of years I have come to the realization that I will probably never see my scales at 165 pounds again and you know what? I'm fine with it.
But you may not be so I'm going to fuck with you. I'm going to be truthful, but brutally honest. And you might even start to feel better about yourself after reading this.
Ready?
First thing I'm going to do is give you a list of "don'ts". Here goes:
Don't try to explain your fatness as thyroid problems. Even if you have a thyroid condition, nobody's gonna believe you. Admit it - you're fat because you eat too much of the wrong things and drink too much goddamn beer. Yes, you may have gained weight because your metabolism slowed down but if that's the case, you damned sure didn't slow down your fucking food intake.
Don't tell people you weigh "about" x pounds. You say that and any woman, cop, or medical professional is automatically gonna add 20 pounds. If they wanna know, tell 'em. It'll serve 'em right for being a nosey fucker.
Don't describe yourself as "heavy". You ain't heavy, you ain't big, you're fat. Words don't change a fact.
Don't suck in that belly when a woman walks past. Lots of women like fat boys and lots of women like men with beer bellies. It detracts from theirs.
Don't wear stripes to make yourself look thinner. It doesn't work. If you're wearing stripes and somebody gets a look at your gut from the side, it'll look like a ski ramp. That stripes thing was thought up by some fag designer so he could sell striped clothes to fat chicks. Wear whatever the fuck you want.
Don't squat down in public unless you have something or somebody handy to haul your fat ass back up.
Don't run. Don't ever run. Period. Folks will make fun of you, you'll probably blow a knee out, you may bring on a heart attack and worse of all, you may shit your pants. Don't run.
Don't go out to eat and order just a salad. Everybody knows the first thing you're going to do as soon as you leave anyways is stop at Shoney's and eat an entire strawberry pie or wipe out a pig at the nearest barbecue joint, so go ahead and eat what you want at the restaurant.
Don't wear sweatsuits as your normal attire. The problem with this is twofold - you look even fatter and like more of a slob.
Don't wear your shirts tucked in. It accentuates your belly and the motherfucker never stays tucked in anyways.
Don't skimp on the deodorant. Us fat boys sweat more because we gotta work that much harder to haul our fat asses around. When you think you've put enough on, add more.
Okay. Now being fat ain't the end of the world. You can drive pickups in the city and nobody will think you're a hick, you can wear overalls and get away with it, you can push littler people out of the way and they won't push back, you can do all kinds of shit and get away with it because you obviously have the ass to back up your mouth.
You can eat whatever you want in public, your ol' lady loves you because you make her look small and because you weigh so much you can drink more without being legally drunk.
Don't you feel better now?
Little Johnny strikes again
Little Johnny's neighbour had a baby. Unfortunately, the baby was born without ears.
When mother and new baby came home from the hospital, Johnny's family was invited over to see the baby. Before they left their house, Little Johnny's dad had a talk with him and explained that the baby had no ears. His dad also told him that if he so much mentioned anything about the baby's missing ears or even said the word ears, he would get the asskicking of his life when they came back home.
Little Johnny told his dad he understood completely.
When Johnny looked in the crib he said "What a beautiful baby".
The mother said, "Why, thank you, Little Johnnie".
Johnny said "He has beautiful little feet and beautiful little hands, a cute little nose and really beautiful eyes. Can he see?"
"Yes" the mother replied "we are so thankful. The Doctor said he will have 20/20 vision".
"That's great" said Little Johnny " 'cause he'd be fucked if he needed glasses".
Friday, December 09, 2011
Thursday, December 08, 2011
I thought we killed that sumbitch
Chuey, a guy I work with, clowning for me - doing his bin Laden impersonation.
Chuey don't speak English real well, about the only thing he's ever said to me that I could understand was "Good morning Cowboy" or "Fuck you Cowboy".
So I tell him (through one of his buddies) "Hey, I was going to call immigration on your illegal ass, but now I'm thinking maybe DHS."
That got me a Fuck you Cowboy.
Chuey don't speak English real well, about the only thing he's ever said to me that I could understand was "Good morning Cowboy" or "Fuck you Cowboy".
So I tell him (through one of his buddies) "Hey, I was going to call immigration on your illegal ass, but now I'm thinking maybe DHS."
That got me a Fuck you Cowboy.
N-i-c-e coyote!
Anonymous sent me the link to this beautiful coyote that he got.
Prime hide and a healthy dog, isn't it? I wish ours out here were as pretty - every one that I've gotten in the last two years has had either bad scars or at least a touch of the mange. I won't even handle one of those mangy coyotes.
But he mentioned that he didn't know how to process the hide. Believe me, you don't want to know how. It's a nasty foul, business. You've got to knock all the fat and meat off the inside of the hide and then run it through a couple of chemical processes. That and the fact it'll run you about 20 bucks a pelt to do. What I'm going to do from now on (if I ever get an animal with a decent pelt) is take my shit to a tanner.
So I'm going to tell you how skin a dog.
First off, get yourself a couple of decent skinning knives. It doesn't have to have a 6" blade - you're skinning a coyote, not a buffalo. My knives have a 3" blade and look like paring knives, but they're sharp enough to shave with. Why two knives? So you won't have to re-sharpen in the middle of the job.
Coyotes and foxes are case skinned, meaning there's no cut up the belly. What you'll end up with is a tube of coyote fur with a tail on one end and a head on the other.
Cut the front paws off at the knee joint- your fur buyer doesn't want that scrap and if you're going to keep it, it'll look funny with them hanging there. Then hang it upside down from a skinning gambrel with the back legs about 18 inches apart. Make a 4 inch cut up the backside of the tail. Then make a tight circle around each back leg between the ankle and the knee. Starting at one leg, run your knife to the other cut. Cut the fur around the asshole. Then take a pair of channel locks or a tail puller and pull the bone from the tail. Now the fun part starts.
Start pulling the hide down evenly, from the legs to the head, making small cuts when you need to and only when you absolutely have to. Coyotes are so thin skinned it ain't funny and it doesn't take much to cut a hole in the hide. Pull the hide all the way down to the head. Here's where most of your knife work is going to come in.
Because there's so little fat on the head, the hide sticks a little more, so you'll need to help it along with the knife. Cut through the cartilage in the ear. Being very careful, skin around the eyes. Don't fuck it up by cutting too liberally, otherwise your pelt will have big eyes and look funny. Pull the hide over the snout, skinng the mouth out with the lips still on, so the hide is hanging from the tip of it's nose. Snip it off, leaving the leather pad of the nose with the hide.
You're done with the skinning.
Leave the hide inside out and lay it on a flat, level surface. Use the hood of the pickup if you have to, you can always wash it next month. Knock off the chunks of fat and meat, rub it down good with non-iodized salt and roll it up as is, put it in the cooler ( put your beer on one side so it doesn't get hair from the tail on them) and take it to your local tanner. He'll charge you about 30 bucks a hide.
If you can't find a tanner in your phone book, just find a taxidermist and ask him where he sends his hides to be processed.
If there's any delay in getting the hide to a tanner, keep that fucker cold. Coyote hides green up pretty quick. Matter of fact, keep it rolled up, put it in a garbage bag and throw it in the freezer. It'll keep for 3-4 months there.
One more quick tip - it's a hell of a lot easier to skin a freshly killed coyote than it is to sking and cold stiff one.
Prime hide and a healthy dog, isn't it? I wish ours out here were as pretty - every one that I've gotten in the last two years has had either bad scars or at least a touch of the mange. I won't even handle one of those mangy coyotes.
But he mentioned that he didn't know how to process the hide. Believe me, you don't want to know how. It's a nasty foul, business. You've got to knock all the fat and meat off the inside of the hide and then run it through a couple of chemical processes. That and the fact it'll run you about 20 bucks a pelt to do. What I'm going to do from now on (if I ever get an animal with a decent pelt) is take my shit to a tanner.
So I'm going to tell you how skin a dog.
First off, get yourself a couple of decent skinning knives. It doesn't have to have a 6" blade - you're skinning a coyote, not a buffalo. My knives have a 3" blade and look like paring knives, but they're sharp enough to shave with. Why two knives? So you won't have to re-sharpen in the middle of the job.
Coyotes and foxes are case skinned, meaning there's no cut up the belly. What you'll end up with is a tube of coyote fur with a tail on one end and a head on the other.
Cut the front paws off at the knee joint- your fur buyer doesn't want that scrap and if you're going to keep it, it'll look funny with them hanging there. Then hang it upside down from a skinning gambrel with the back legs about 18 inches apart. Make a 4 inch cut up the backside of the tail. Then make a tight circle around each back leg between the ankle and the knee. Starting at one leg, run your knife to the other cut. Cut the fur around the asshole. Then take a pair of channel locks or a tail puller and pull the bone from the tail. Now the fun part starts.
Start pulling the hide down evenly, from the legs to the head, making small cuts when you need to and only when you absolutely have to. Coyotes are so thin skinned it ain't funny and it doesn't take much to cut a hole in the hide. Pull the hide all the way down to the head. Here's where most of your knife work is going to come in.
Because there's so little fat on the head, the hide sticks a little more, so you'll need to help it along with the knife. Cut through the cartilage in the ear. Being very careful, skin around the eyes. Don't fuck it up by cutting too liberally, otherwise your pelt will have big eyes and look funny. Pull the hide over the snout, skinng the mouth out with the lips still on, so the hide is hanging from the tip of it's nose. Snip it off, leaving the leather pad of the nose with the hide.
You're done with the skinning.
Leave the hide inside out and lay it on a flat, level surface. Use the hood of the pickup if you have to, you can always wash it next month. Knock off the chunks of fat and meat, rub it down good with non-iodized salt and roll it up as is, put it in the cooler ( put your beer on one side so it doesn't get hair from the tail on them) and take it to your local tanner. He'll charge you about 30 bucks a hide.
If you can't find a tanner in your phone book, just find a taxidermist and ask him where he sends his hides to be processed.
If there's any delay in getting the hide to a tanner, keep that fucker cold. Coyote hides green up pretty quick. Matter of fact, keep it rolled up, put it in a garbage bag and throw it in the freezer. It'll keep for 3-4 months there.
One more quick tip - it's a hell of a lot easier to skin a freshly killed coyote than it is to sking and cold stiff one.
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