How do you say "stimumlus" in Libyan?

Story here.

At just about every bank we saw, there were long lines of men and women waiting for the cash handouts that Col. Moammar Gadhafi had just announced.


The leader was giving each family 500 dinars, the equivalent of about $450. For most people here, that covers salary for a month or two.

I wish he'd make up his mind whether he wants to shoot the people or pay them.  But hey, what do I know about being a third world dictator?  By shooting first, he's thinned out the herd of people who would jump for a check for 2 months wages.  Further, I would expect that those not shot by the government are put into a "correct" frame of mind when they're in line to get paid by the government. 

The only difference for America might be the reversal of the order.  

Small Nuclear War Could Reverse Global Warming for Years

Small Nuclear War Could Reverse Global Warming for Years


Regional war could spark "unprecedented climate change," experts predict.
 
In your face Edwin Starr.  War is good for something.  Huah!  Good God Y'all!
 

 
War is the answer.  At least for global warming.  So is it time to give war a chance? 
 
Presumably, it must be the duty of humanity to throw a little fallout. 
 
Oh and hey, when an India and Pakistan get it on, could we please stop all of the environmental controls projects for our powerplants and such?  You know, the ones that have consumed countless billions of dollars of capital that have been paid for on your electric power bill-all in the name of combating global warming. 
 
Just keeping it real.

Reports From Saturday's Protests in ATL and RDU

WRSA sends

Read it all. 

Somewhere around half way through, I stated (to the capitol police officer) we basically had two choices here; 1) let us return to peaceably demonstrating and exercising our first and second amendment rights or, 2) he could arrest us. The first officer we met, who was patiently standing by listening to the entire debate immediately motioned for a State Trooper standing across the street to come over and I thought we were about to get “hooked up.”

This is another profile in courage. 

Resist. 

Denninger: Honesty

Denninger's post is worth reading every single minute it takes you to read every single word. 

More GOPeasement: Boehner and The Shutdown

Read this heartwarming story from ABC News. 

We have a moral responsibility to address the problems we face.  That means working together to cut spending and rein in government – NOT shutting it down. 

So what has all this Tea Partying gotten us again? 

A couple of observations:

• Boehner and the GOP are showing enormous weakness in the face of a ruthless foe.  Sort of like in 2000 when Israel offered Yasser Arafat almost everything he'd ever asked for.  We all remember how well Arafat responded to that, right?  Look for a similar response from Team HusseinO. 
• The reason may be different, but just like 1995, the Democrats want a shutdown. 
• Which is why you should look for a shutdown anyway.  No budget the GOP proposes will be accepted by the Senate and Obama. 
• Every other third world dicatorship is having a mob in their capitol city.  Obama feels left out.  As previously discussed here, I think an invasion of Washington by his friends is central to Obama's plans. 
• Seeing their flaccid behavior when times are good, what hope can anyone place in these men and women when times get really bad? 

I offer up as further food for thought that after Arafat rejected the July, 2000 offer from Israel, the Second Intifada erupted. 

Gingrich, Obama, Impeachment

Drudge had this flashy with the siren and everything.  At least for a few minutes until the latest Quadaffiya story came up.  Whew!  Glad that's calmed down!

Story here.

It still amazes me to hear folks talk about getting Obama out in another 2 years as if he were just another run of the mill Jimmy Carter or 1st term Bill Clinton. 

As if America could withstand another 2 years of this. 

Some would persist and harrumph confidently that America is bigger than one man.

Yet Obama is the true believer of his cause.  He's not a degenerate like Clinton.  He's not a drunk like Kennedy.  He's not a man satisfied with a little fiefdom like Robert Byrd.  He's not a boob like Carter or (insert FaNEPreCan here).  He does not demonstrate himself to be filled with greed for money like so many of his party.  And his cause is collectivism.  Communism by another name.  He genuinely hates America. 

Some would make a hollow boast that 200 years of freedom couldn't be overturned in just 4 years. 

I wonder if the Japanese people thought their culture-millenia old could change so quickly after December 7, 1941?  Not even 4 years later, they got to hear their Emperor's oh-so-pure voice for the first time on the radio-in a speech.....declaring surrender. 

If the GOP were serious about changing the game in Washington, then the Impeachment charges would have been readied for day 1.  Are we lacking for evidence?

Sure, the aisle-crossers in the Senate would have quietly killed it.  It is the principle of the thing though.  More on that in a separate post that has been percolating for a while.

The GOP has yet to put Team HusseinO on the defensive.  More to the point, they have yet to do anything that earns them respect from their opponent.  They have yet to sock Team HusseinO in the jaw, take the ball, and go on the offensive. 

PS: FaMaPreCan = Failed New England Presidential Candidate.  I've lost track of all of them and to be honest couldn't tell you the difference in any.

WRSA: Q&A With Matthew Bracken

Western Rifle Shooters Association: Q&A With Matthew Bracken - Castigo Cay
A good Q&A with Bracken that is worth your time. 

Regular readers know that I've gone through the Enemies Foreign and Domestic series.  They come highly recommended here at The Cliffs.

They are great books written over the last decade that even today seem eerily present tense. 

Shoot The People

This story from Denninger by way of Dylan Ratigan.

On Saturday night, when Mother Jones staffers tweeted a report that riot police might soon sweep demonstrators out of the Wisconsin capitol building—something that didn’t end up happening—one Twitter user sent out a chilling public response: “Use live ammunition.”



From my own Twitter account, I confronted the user, JCCentCom. He tweeted back that the demonstrators were “political enemies” and “thugs” who were “physically threatening legally elected officials.” In response to such behavior, he said, “You’re damned right I advocate deadly force.” He later called me a “typical leftist,” adding, “liberals hate police.”

Only later did we realize that JCCentCom was a deputy attorney general for the state of Indiana.

We saw exactly that in Egypt.

It's illegal for a private citizen in Egypt to own a rifle. Yet there were people being sniped - shot in the head from a long distance - during the protests. Who was doing the shooting? Obviously it was government goons as they were the only ones with the requisite weapons.

Now we see advocacy of doing exactly the same thing right here in America.

An apparent government employee - a Deputy Attorney General no less - appears to have publicly advocated firing on protesters.

Well, if the left were to fire on protestors in Wisconsin who are shutting down the State Capitol...wouldn't that be left vs. left. 

I refer the reader to the Fair Warning.  Being on the left side of things only means the beast eats you last. 

In the earlier post, I forgot to include one other thing that could happen with a Thugnut sponsored invasion of Washington D.C.

• A state of emergency invoking various clauses and executive orders to unleash a whole new wave of unconstitutional powers against the people in the D.C. area.

With the state of emergency, it will be easy to keep people from getting in or out-essentially cementing the thugnuts' position within the District of Criminals. 

The pace is quickening.

The question has always been, "What if those big diesel trucks stop delivering in your AO?" 

I've got a better question, What if they stopped delivering to D.C.? 

Isn't it convenient...

Some "coincidences"

• Several countries in the Middle East suddenly teeter on the brink of being overthrown
• Several US States are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy
• The US is facing a choice of raising their debt ceiling or perhaps another government shutdown

It's all preparation and all being done by the same folks. 

Overseas:
Read this article from Red State concerning the role of the Left in the Middle East uproar from January 30.  I read this a while back and made no comment at the time. 

This uproar is predictably leading to a big spike in oil prices-further pinching the wallet of the few productive Americans remaining.

In the States:
How is it that so many US States are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy at the same time?  Isn't that convenient? 

Some states refused the stimulus money because there was a string attached.  Does anyone remember that little clause?  If your state took the money, then you had to make the commitment to maintain that level of funding after the stimulus money ran out which was 2 years later.  (i.e. right after We The Democrats get our asses kicked in the November 2010 elections).  I can't help but notice by the calendar that it is indeed 2 years later and we're starting to see those states forced to face up to the budget problems that they ignored for 2 years-thanks to the stimulus. 

It's just like giving a druggie another hit, then having nothing more for them.  The druggie starts coming down, then goes into detox.  Insert "Your State Here!" sign here. 

Of course, when the tax feeders take to the streets to protest, Organizing for America steps in to help them.  Grigg asks, What would happen if tax victims, rather than tax-feeders, were to go on strike?


As one commenter here noted, the idea is to delegitimize the states and emphasize Uncle Fedgov.  Without the states, we could just be one big happy nation.  Right? 

In Washington:
The US is facing a similar moment of decision that has been deferred.  Perhaps if there was at least a budget written for 2011-but that's the fault of the Democrats...isn't it? 

Will the House GOP'ers cave and vote for raising the debt ceiling?  Or will they shut the government down? 

Let me get into the head of Team Obama for a second. 

All the protesting that has happened to date is just getting America acclimated and comfortable with the idea that it's okay for union lefties to walk off the job to demand more money from your wallet.  Team Obama is drooling at the possibility of a government shutdown that would dwarf all other news.  They are positively salivating at the idea of being able to bring an equal number of thugnuts to take over Washington D.C. and do a few things. 

• Dominate the news cycle. 
• Eclipse the 9-12-09 rally. 
• Prevent the Tea Parties from getting into Washington without a literal fight.  (Remember, what the left says, it's time to "get a little bloody.")

Oh, and when the $8 dollar a gallon gas is all you can buy, then how will the Tea Party folks get to Washington?  Spending their own money?  Ha!  The SSEIU will trump that by running their busses-their tanks no doubt topped off from the ACORN/Organizing for America stash. 

Isn't it convenient that this is all happening at about the same time? 

During 2010, many openly wondered why the left was acting as if the 2010 election wouldn't matter.  We may be about to get our answer. 

Apologies for any grammar or punctuation problems.  I'm on my lunch break as it is and need to get back to it!

Larry Pratt on Foxy News

As Mike noted on SSI, Megyn Kelly...

Tactical Ninja starter suit.

had Larry Pratt...



Larry Pratt, armed and speaking at RTC 4-19-10. 

 ...onto her show today. 

The results are worth watching and reviewing.  Kelly tries to close the shattered door on Pratt's mention of Gunwalker, but he used the breaching attachment and blasted that door off the hinges.  He lets her know it's still inside the house before he's all done. 



Put the "hell" to the "yeah." 

It might ordinarily be humorous to hear Kelly's proetsts that Project Gunwalker is not what she wants to talk about.  But Project Gunwalker is central to the entire reason why nobody can get an ATF director confirmed.  The agency is corrupt.  Gunwalker is the rule, not the exception. 

Foxy News
We report
You shut the hell up

TL In Exile: The Fight Has Come To Me

TL In Exile: The Fight Has Come To Me

I prefer to engage whenever and wherever they appear. I will go out to fight them in the streets, in the parks, on the steps of the capitol, because I know that if I don't I will soon be fighting them on my lawn. The fight has come to me.

...we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

FLASH: FOXY NEWS COVERS GUNWALKER

Foxy News covers Project Gunwalker.  Sipsey Street post here.

Now for action:

Are all of you leaving a comment on the FoxNews story that links back to the Journalist's Guide?  You know, the one at the top of my page? 

You should.


I'll make it easy.  Cut and paste the Journalist's Guide link from here http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker 


to the comments section over here

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/22/agent-brian-terry-policy-silence/

I think all I said in my comments was that the "other sources" broke the story 2 months ago.  If you want the real information, go here (link). 

That story has 435 comments that by default scroll from the most recent on down.  Consider that 435 people decided to comment on this story.  Wonder how many visits and pageviews that story has? 

Let's go a step further.  Are there any other stories out there that tangentially mention Agent Terry's death?  Do they have a comments section?  Can you sign in using an existing account and link them to the Journalist's Guide-which I consider to be the Read Me First file? 

If this thing is going to get bigger, it needs help.


Do it for the children.

Light Posting Ahead

I'm working on a couple of projects and commitments that are requiring some time this week.  But the posting of original material may be light for the next few days. 

Of course, if Xochitl Hinojosa speaks up on the Giffords shooting, Mark Kelly's upcoming mission, Project Gunwalker, or the SEIU's war wagon, you know that we here at the Cliffs will be all over it like MicHELLe Ceauşescu on some heart healthy ribs. 

As Barney Fife once said, "We'll be on a number 2 amber alert.  One of us awake at all times."

Malkin: SEIU Purple Thug Tour Schedule

From WRSA, Malkin: SEIU Purple Thug Tour Schedule

The SEIU thugbus is coming soon to an AO near you!

2/21 – Helena, MT
2/21 – Carson City, NV
2/21 – Raleigh, NC
2/21 – Austin, TX
2/21 – Madison, WI
2/22 – Sacramento, CA
2/22 – Denver, CO
2/22 – Des Moines, IA
2/22 – Annapolis, MD
2/22 – Boston, MA
2/22 – Springfield, MA
2/22 – St. Paul, MN
2/22 – Santa Fe, NM
2/22 – Columbus OH
2/22 – Providence, RI
2/22 – Montpelier, VT
2/22 – Madison, WI
2/23 – Hartford, CT
2/23 – Atlanta, GA
2/23 – Scranton, PA
2/24 – Canton, OH

Just a reminder, graphics are available here at The Cliffs.  I think one would only need to vectorize these graphics so that they wouldn't go all pixelly on you when you scaled up to posterboard size. 

Updated: Don't forget. 

If Madison, Wisconsin = Cairo, Egypt, then the

Thugnuts (the SSEIU types)  = Muslim Brotherhood

Blowback from Apostates of Liberty

A great discussion has been opened by the earlier post regarding the Apostates of Liberty.

One comment that helped to stir the pot was offered by Shadowfox 24 who had this to say in reply:

Perhaps if you'd listened for more than a "blurb" you'd have heard Rush go on to make all your points about these rent-a-mobs, their leaders and the Dem politicians before you did.

Perhaps if you'd listen for more than a "blurb" you'd realize that the ONLY people pushing the birth certificate "ad infinitum/ad nauseum" are Libertarian bloggers. The rest of us moved on the real damage the 2nd openly Communist presidency has been doing long ago.

Perhaps if you listened for more than a "blurb" you'd know that he pushes people to action EVERY SINGLE DAY. What he refuses to do is to do it for you! He's not going to fund your movements for you. He's not going to get signatures for your petitions for you. He's not going to make your phone calls for you and he's not going to pressure your elected officials for you. Physician heal thyself! aka If you want action then be the action!

I wouldn't be a conservative and wouldn't be politically active/aware if not for Rush. He provided the spark in my life and now I provide my own momentum. But if you've waiting for Rush to come on air and advocate that elected Dems start being made to dance the 'Mussolini Shuffle' then you're going to be waiting a long damn time, thank God...

My response:

Oooh! I insulted the great Maha-Rushie!


Good!

Then tell him and his 20 million listeners to come onto my site and prove me wrong.  I'll gladly accept his wrath and that of his audience.  I dare the great one to come out and crush me with the dull edge of his rapier like wit.  Bring it on.  There's a lot that we agree on, but if Rush or any of his listeners would like to explain to why a plummeting airliner that's lost power and controls won't crash into earth, I'm all ears. 

As far as me only listening to a blurb, Rush’s suggestion is that you have to listen to his show for about 6 weeks before you really start to get it all into context.  Which means that after 6 weeks, you start hearing themes repeated.  The more you listen, the more you find that you only need a blurb to figure out on your own, the rest of what he’s got to say.  Which is exactly what I did.  Your comment confirms that.  Thanks!

When I started listening to Rush in the summer of 1993, I had to listen for about those 6 weeks before my mind was changed from ignorant to conservative.  This is about the same length of time that it took me in the summer of 2009 reading sites like Western Rifle Shooters and Sipsey Street Irregulars before my mind was changed again from conservative to Liberty minded. 

If a 6 week rule is good enough for him, then it’s good enough for me.  If you come to my site, or any of my linked sites and read for about  6 weeks and you’ll get it all in context.  Otherwise, you’ll get the half of the message.  Will you hear some things repeated?  Sure.  After all, who can forget Cliffs rock star, Xochitl Hinojosa?

Conservatism is holding the line.  Conserving.  Holding the line sounded good in 1993.  In 2011, what “line” is there to hold?  The Patriot Act snoops into every corner of our lives.  The TSA molests us at the airport.  Obamacare is passed.  The EPA wants to regulate an element of the periodic table.  QE2 has been committed.  Our borders are a joke and our chosen one sues states to keep it this way.  Freedom requires going on offense.  For some reason, conservatives are unable or unwilling to do this.

In the way of action, I joined others in shouting down Hillary's healthcare bus.  I stood with about a dozen other people on the side of a busy highway in the cold, pouring rain in February, 2009 as we birthed the Tea Party movement.  I have stood on the sidewalk outside the Federal Reserve in Atlanta with an M-1 Garand.  I have stood up with an AR-15 on my back, within sight of the Capitol Dome, in full view of a hundred cameras, reporters, and probably the Death Star itself and called our government Commiekazis.  In the way of action, many have done and given more than I have.  But I have nothing to apologize for or be ashamed of. 

Some of my readers pointed out some things that I should have thought of.  Like how we who stood up at RTC rallies were smeared from the left and ignored by the right.  The silence from the right was worse than anything the left could say or do.  At a time when we really needed friends, we found out that we had few-if any.

I believe in that the time after 4-19-10, I got to feel a little of the burden of Patrick Henry.

...[I]t is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the numbers of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?

Later, Henry in a thunderous closing that echoes Joshua 24:15 says this:

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Read it all.  How amazing the currency of his heart, his thoughts and his words! 

Patrick Henry's speech was not addressed to the crown. It was addressed to the good men around him as a call to cease indulging the illusions of hope, face the truth, and join the battle where it actually is (not where they imagined it to be.)  His speech took place at a time when death seemed a much more likely outcome than liberty.  Standing on this side of history, it's all too easy for us to take his words and his heart for granted since we know the outcome. 
I believe these apostates of liberty that I wrote about are indulging in the illusions of hope.  Some commenters have pointed out that the FCC might yank their licenses if they "went too far."  Well isn't that too bad?  How does that compare to what the founders went through?  And say, wouldn't a yanked license or two prove my point? 

"If you people don’t stop this, and now is the time and place, you people wouldn’t make a pimple on a fighting GI’s ass. Get guns." - Bill White, Athens, Tennessee.  1946


So one more time, how much did our founders have to sacrifice?  How can we be unwilling to repeat the sacrifice of our founding fathers, yet still claim to honor them?  God help us. 

Finally, if nothing I’ve written gets through or connects with you, what size boots do you wear?

If you read one article, read this one

No.  Not this post, this one at WRSA

Denninger: If You Read One Article This Month...

Yeah, I know, Denninger says if you read only one article this month to read the Rolling Stone article. 

I will go further and say that maybe you should read absolutely nothing else today and read this one post. 


Give Egypt, Wisconsin, Gunwalker, and even The Cliffs a rest and read what CA has to say in this post.

Apostates of Liberty

A decent column.

The blowup in Wisconsin is merely the beginning of the same kind of Greece fires we saw last year. 

According to unions consisting of civil servants, the solution is to every problem is to raise taxes on the rest of us.  Wow, if only I could do that at my job.  A bunch of us get together to bang our silverware on the high chair and demand of our employer that they give in to every ridiculous demand.  It's Starving The Monkeys 101.  Nothing more. 

Democrats flee the state capitol when it's time to vote-knowing that they don't have the votes to stop it, but that they must at least be present for the vote to be legal. 

I'm partial to Denninger's solution.

The Governor is entitled to fire them all.  And he should do so.

Right now.

Word. 

I caught a blurb of Rush while at lunch.  He was raising a fuss that the leadership of the left sits on their hands while their thugnuts using vicious and violent rhetoric.

As if....  Sigh.  I used to listen to Rush, but now, I may only be able to tolerate a minute or two.  He refuses to get it. 

This behavior from the thugnuts is precisely what the left wants.  It's what their leaders instruct and program them to do and they dutifully obey.  Why would they call for civility now?  That's part of the Rules for Radicals.  Why would they call for Wisconsin unions to stop comparing Gov. Walker to Mubarak?  Or Hitler?  It's precisely what they want.  Besides if a state like Wisconsin can roll back something this big, then what could more conservative states do?  (Note: Coming soon to a state capitol near you.) 

Having made a living for 2 decades off the behavior of the left, you'd think Rush would not be surprised or outraged at the leaders of the left sitting on their hands.  

Rush and many like him have the ability to steer the discussion, to set the agenda, to go on offense.  And they largely refuse.  Instead, we get flash stories about what Justin Bieber thinks about America.  Or a Journolist who gets treated badly by a mob.  Or birth certificate, ad infinitum.  (And ad nauseum!)  But never enough to actually encourage people to....DO anything. 

Rush could be the George Soros of the right if he wanted to-funding the restoration of liberty at every turn.  People who have been in this fight a lot longer than me have been saying it for decades and yet Rush and others like him seem pathologically incapable or unwilling to make the leap of imagination.  It's not that there can be no common ground (future tense).  The reality is that there is no common ground (present tense, right now, period, full stop).   Then again, having made millions for 2 decades off the behavior of the left, why should Rush be in a hurry to see it come to a close?  Why should any of the “conservative” media like Drudge, Joe Farah, Bill O'Reilly, or National Review be in a hurry to achieve victory that would mean an end to their power, position, and maybe their prosperity?


Perhaps that’s why they all sat on their hands for Restore The Constitution last year.

Perhaps that’s why they’re all sitting on their hands for Project Gunwalker now.

“Follow the money”, right Rush?

On the one hand, it's easy to kick collectivists as enemies of liberty.  I'm not so sure the greater threat to liberty isn't posed by Rush and those like him.  It's interesting that on the one hand, he and others like him have prospered from the outrage at collectivist tactics and strategy, yet that seldom translates into real results.  It's like perpetually keeping the tea kettle at 211 degrees.  The pot rumbles a little, a low, wet, gurgly, annoying whistle starts to happen.  But never any boiling.  Tea Party indeed!  It seems like someone claiming to be a leader who was actually interested in victory might have actually...you know, reached 212 and put that steam to work rather than backing off every time the pot made a little noise. 

Our founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence,

"...we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

The attitude typified in the conservative media-and among many "conservative" politicians could best be embodied by this adaptation:

"We pledge to sacrifice our honor for the rest of our lives for your sacred fortunes."

To bend a verse of scripture slightly, it is as if they have a form of Liberty, but are denying the power thereof.  I therefore crown them as Apostates of Liberty.

I have a simple message for them all:

Join the forces of liberty today, or join them tomorrow. 

Some will join today and help the fight.  Others though are waiting to join until later-perhaps hoping that if we're wrong.  If history is any guide though, then these late-comers to liberty could simply have their own corpses thrown on top of those they refused to help.  What an irony, by not succeeding in not being the first killed for freedom, they would still be, "on top of the heap" so to speak. 

If you fail to join us as free men to stand up today, then you may join our corpses tomorrow at the bottom of an unmarked pit. 

And in the spirit of the Fair Warning to The Collectivists, let me offer a fair warning to the Apostates of Liberty.  You may continue to commit idolatry against Liberty, worshipping money as your god while it lasts.  But when it all hits the fan, the man who in good times begged for your help while you plugged your ears may not lift a finger to help you when times are bad. 

When we get right down to it, the only difference between the Apostates of Liberty and the Collectivists is that the Collectivists have taken off the mask.  At least we can know them by their deeds. 

Alvie D. Zane
III

The Cliffs of Insani-TV!

I'm adding a video gadget to the right side for my YouTube Channel which I'm calling, "The Cliffs of Insani-TV!"

You can tell who's still new to this whole blogging thing. 

Madison, Wisconsin = Cairo, Egypt

This is the equation some of the thugnuts have thrown out today in Wisconsin.

Gov. Walker = Mubarak

Oh.  I understand.  I guess they won't mind my equation:

Thugnuts = Muslim Brotherhood

Glad to help make that clear. 

What to call her?

In a "landslide" you the Cliff dwellers have made your voices heard.  Every hanging chad has been hung, every dimpled ballot fondled, we've counted every vote and voted every count.  The polls were held open a little long even-just to make sure we didn't disenfranchise single mothers and minorities.  But the election results have now been certified. 

Michelle Obama will heretofore be refered to as MicHELLe Ceauşescu.

I have a number of irons in the fire at the moment, but there may be a photo in the works later.

Inmates scam IRS for $39M, IRS Needs 1054 new agents

Two stories of interest. 

Healthcare law requires new IRS army of 1054


Cheating IRS nets inmates $39M

As Andy Dufresne says in Shawshank Redemption:


The funny thing is - on the outside, I was an honest man, straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook.

It just can’t be a coincidence that these two stories come out so close to each other. Seems like some sort of recruiting program to me.  Problem, meet solution.  Solution, problem.

The inmates clearly have instant cred for one of these new jobs. The IRS clearly needs help.  I know!  Perhaps a work release program that lets some of them work for the IRS?  And how heartwarming will it be when the new parolee IRS agent comes to your door with a short barrelled 12 gauge shotgun-purchased with your money? 

Hold onto your wallet. 

Being sober is boring

Story here.

I said stay off the crack, and I still think that's pretty good advice, unless you can manage it socially. If you can manage it socially, then go for it, but not a lot of people can, you know?

Sheen: On the Highway to L.  (Love the "L" over the head.)

So then how is one to know if they can't handle crack unles one tries it?  Just speaking hypothetically here. 

So why would I mention this Celebretard on the Cliffs? 

Because Obama is the Charlie Sheen of US Presidents. 


People are gettin' all wee-weed up out there.


I really think that one should stay off of the stimulus, Obamacare, bailouts, TARP, Project Gunwalker, War On Obesity, QE, buying car companies, and bowing.  But some people think that they can stay perpetually high/drunk on all this, and still stay on top of it all. 

If being sober is boring, will death be...exciting? 

Thanks to Obama, the US and Sheen can share the same epitath on their tombstones. 

Like Sheen, the US is just living day to day-one high to the next.  The date hasn't been chiseled in there yet, but the course isn't changing, and the destination is undeniable. 

Open Letter to Matt Drudge

In your book, The Drudge Manifesto, you said something to the effect that as a reporter, you follow your nose and go with what smells.


I would like to draw your attention to something that smells.

Bad.

It’s known as “Project Gunwalker.”

The bottom line is that the ATF has been complicit in allowing hundreds of legally purchased American firearms to be sent south of the US Border. This was done to pad their statistics and advance their budget and objectives. Mexican authorities were kept in the dark at the direction of ATF management over the objections of ATF agents.

One of the guns used in this ATF operation was involved in a December 2010 incident where Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed.

To date, the reporting on this has been done by David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh. They have been in contact with the whistleblower agents. They have also pressed for a Congressional investigation into the matter. This has resulted in at least one Senator choosing to press the issue with the Department of Justice. This is real.

I ask you to do the following:

1) Read A Journalist’s Guide to Project Gunwalker to see what has been done to date.
2) Test it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. Compare what the mainstream press is saying to what Codrea and Vanderboegh are saying.
3) Consider the implications. This is the same ATF that botched the raid on Randy Weaver. This is the same ATF that botched the raid on the Branch Davidian compound. This same ATF is now part of a much larger Homeland Security effort with the opportunity to grab more power than anyone would have dreamed possible only a decade ago.
4) Especially consider the implications in Arizona. This is the state that’s countersuing the US for failing to secure the borders. All the while the ATF is complicit in gun smuggling into Mexico!?
5) Take action!

I will add as a disclaimer that yes, Mike Vanderboegh is the same man who called on the modern day Sons of Liberty to break the windows of local Democratic Party offices prior to the final votes on Obamacare. I hasten to add that it doesn’t matter. If this story is even partially true, then our own government is with one hand is working hard to restrict access to firearms for law-abiding Americans, and helping to improve that same access for Mexican drug cartels with the other. What are a few windows next to that? Or Brian Terry’s life?

If you confirm the veracity of the story and agree that this has a sufficient level of importance, then you have the capability to investigate further, to shine the spotlight of public attention on this case, and thus increase the pressure on the government to come clean. Neither Codrea or Vanderboegh can bring this kind of influence to bear on the case. You can and I’m asking you to do it. For Brian Terry. For all of us.

Thank you very much for what you do.

Sincerely
Alvie D. Zane
cliffsofinsanity2010.blogspot.com

Feel free to cut, paste, and send.

CBS News' Lara Logan Assaulted During Egypt Protests

Story here.

"In the crush of the mob, she was separated from her crew. She was surrounded and suffered a brutal and sustained sexual assault and beating before being saved by a group of women and an estimated 20 Egyptian soldiers."

So is CBS in favor of Sharia law or not? 

Doesn't that require that Logan be stoned to death as an honor killing for allowing herself to be sexually assaulted? 

Or would we prefer to "impose morality" on others in this situation? 

One last question, why is this the top headline on Drudge ...

...instead of this.

It has been said, "It is the job of journalists to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." Which seems really ironic because for the last, oh, I don't know....few decades or so, the Journolists have been all about comforting themselves and afflicting everyone else.


Could it be that journalists circle the wagon as quick and tight as anybody? 

Let's ask him. 

TL In Exile: We Are The Men Of Our Times

TL writes:

We are the men of our times, the keepers of our own legacy. What will they say of us as time goes by? Would you prefer to have been with Washington, Grant, Lee, Eisenhower or Patton? That was not our duty, ours is not so clear and obvious leadership to reward with obedience. We are left to our own leadership, our own responsibility for our actions and our inaction.

This is one of the best pieces I have read regarding our struggle.  Both from the standpoint of the heart and the head. 

Read the rest here.

Giffords speaks....again!

Story here

Giffords also briefly spoke with her brother-in-law Scott Kelly by telephone Sunday afternoon as he orbited aboard the International Space Station.

A practice run for hubby's upcoming mission?  (That would be #2 in my list of possibilities for the upcoming Endeavor mission.)  Got video?  Sorry, but ever since that whole kern thing, I'm kind of skeptical of claims made in the absence of evidence. 

Kelly said she is trying so hard that her speech therapist, who only a few days ago was trying to get her to talk more, is now asking Giffords to slow down and make sure she hears the question before giving an answer.

As an example, Kelly spoke of a time when the therapist had three cards on a table, one with a picture of George W. Bush, one with a picture of President Barack Obama and another with an image of George Washington.

"Before she was asked a question, she'd picked up the card and held it up and said 'George Bush,'" Kelly told NBC's Brian Williams. "She's a hard worker and she's trying. She's speaking a lot and at some level they are asking her to slow down a little bit."

Stimulus and response. Clearly the fetish for Bush was drilled deeper into the brain than Loughner’s bullet. 

A humiliating setback for Eminem

Eminem, nominated for 10 Grammies in the rap category ended up with only...

2

At least he's got one of those Chrysler/Fiat 200s!

New! iPhone Confession app!

Disclaimer: Author is not Catholic nor is this intended as an anti-Catholic rant.  Anyone offended at The Cliffs of Insanity may feel free to ... face in another direction.  Or as DJ Khaled says in this Net 10 League of Evil mashup (by the way, somebody out there has some real talent), "If you not from here, you can walk it out." 

So I'm sitting there in Sunday school and our teacher says that he heard there's this new iPhone app where you can send in your confession from your iPhone. 

Me: You've got to be ki

Classmate 1 (looking it up on his phone): Nope, it's real, (holding up iPhone).

Story here.

Despite looking almost as much fun as the real thing, the app doesn't aim to replace traditional confession—instead, it's a tool to help users understand their actions before visiting their priest. To this, the church approves: in what appears to be a first, senior officials in America bestowed their seal of approval to a mobile phone application.

"Fun"
I didn't realize confessional was supposed to be "fun." 

I can already see the advertisement:
Too busy to stop by the confessional?  Then try this new iConfess app!  For only $1.99 you can enter your confessions right from your iPhone wherever you are.

On the golf course. 
"Stupid $^&$# slice!!!!!  Hang on guys, give me just a second." 

At the bar....
"So babe...you come here often?  Hang on just a sec, I need to put something in on my phone."

On the highway...
"Father, forgive me because I'm too busy to put down this phone and drive.  I just hit a couple of kids in a school crossing."

At the casino...
"Woooo when the train comes in, everybody rides!!!  This is for you dealer.  Can you cash me out?  I'll be right back."

In Washington, D.C...
"Father, I voted in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  But at least they supported a ban on funding for partial birth abortions."

In the hotel lobby...
"Can you uh....remove this one movie off the hotel bill.  I'll just pay cash for that."

In the mall...
"So there I was reading War and Peace as I walked through the mall and then out of nowhere, I just tripped and fell right into this fountain.  I got very angry as I heard everyone laughing at me."

Predictably, gay rights groups are outraged because the app "promotes anti-gay spiritual abuse."  We never hear the end of it from gay rights groups when you mention the abuse Matthew Shepard suffered.  Where Jesse Dirkhising is concerned, we never hear the beginning.  By the way, when I did a quick Google on both names, here were the hits:

Matthew Shepard: ~796,000 results

Jesse Dirkhising: ~3,710 results

In the same spirit of contrasting Aiyana Jones and Christina Taylor Green, what in God's name is wrong with us? 

I presume from their outrage that the application at least largely agrees with what the Bible says is sin-and what the Bible says about sin.  The Catholic Church could say that sunlight is good for plants and gay rights groups would be outraged. 

Other thoughts:

• Will users confess TO their iPhone or THROUGH their iPhone?  Think carefully about the answer here because neither one seems appealing in its import. 
• A strong argument might be made that smartphones themselves have become idols and many users, idolators.  Confession to your phone would tend to reinforce that idolatry, no?
• If a confession is sent through the phone, then I wonder how long it will take NSA to develop a counter-app to intercept all those confessions?  For Homeland Security...of course. 
• If a confession is only sent to the phone, then I wonder how long it will take NSA to develop a counter-app to read those confessions off of the phone and transmit to their headquarters?  For Homeland Security...of course.
• This iConfess application could then be directly linked to your iSnitch app.  Yay!
• I'm sure that police forces would never troll through someone's iConfess application to read what confessions have been made by someone they just arrested.  Would they? 
• Doesn't God need one of these?  Or maybe just the clergy if you're Catholic.  I know, I know, the article says that it isn't supposed to replace confession.  But I presume the next step is that the sinner can simply dock his iPhone at the confession booth and the priest on the other side will be able to instantly read what's wrong-just like a mechanic and OBD II codes.  Why you won't even have to talk.  You'll be virtually confessed up and virtually Catholic.  Thank God there won't be any cellphones in heaven.

It only reinforces what I blogged about in A Perfect Metaphor.

Just replace Uncle Sam with Pope Benedict.

If only we bowed our heads toward The LORD God Almighty as often as we bow towards our cellphones.

Project Gunwalker Bar

As Cliffs dwellers know, I have not spent a lot of space here discussing the Project Gunwalker story.  It's not for lack of interest or caring.  Frankly, if you want the best info, go to David or Mike.  I do not want to put up anything that will distract from that. 

But I do not want readers to miss the importance of this investigation, the courage of the ATF agents who are putting themselves on the line to reveal the truth, or the hard work that David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh have put into this. 

For that reason, I have added the Project Gunwalker Bar to the top of this blog.  It contains a link to what I consider to be the primary "Read Me" file for Project Gunwalker.  It then contains links to searches of both of their sites for all of their posts and stories that mention "Project Gunwalker."  Finally, a link to the open letter that I have sent to Governor Brewer and encourage all of you to do likewise. 

In this way, Project Gunwalker stays the lead story here regardless of whatever else comes to my mind. 

The Naked Gun, Copyrights, and other stuff

So there I was minding my own business when my oldest son notices the picture on the cover of the Naked Gun DVD. 

And he says, "That doesn't make any sense." 

"How so?", I ax him. 

"Because if the bullet is supposed to be flying, then it wouldn't be the casing that's flying, just the bullet itself.  (long pause)  Of course, he couldn't just stand on just the bullet because there's not enough room and that would look awkward." 

"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

"You owe me one.", he gleefully adds as he leaves the room. 

Indeed. 

I'm still a little sore that the Youtubes pulled the compilation clip I put together of Frank Drebin's patdowns. 

Maybe the DHS and TSA hate competition.  Plus, being humorless hags, they can't stand the idea that anyone would perceive Security to be anything less than a Very Serious Subject. 

Maybe the movie company didn't like it.  Which is strange because it isn't like I showed it submerged in a jar of urine or covered in endangered Indian elephant feces.  On second thought, maybe I should have done it this way.  Liberals would have defended the artistic expression and the NEA would be chasing me down to shove grant money in my pocket.  It would be untouchable!  (in more ways than one)  But I can't do the Zuckers or Leslie Nielsen like that over something so trivial. 

I often use humor to communicate. My canvas is often the Serious Work of Very Serious People and Groups that I fail to take seriously enough.  Or it could be something intended to be hilarious that happens to hit the mark exactly.  In short, I view part of my mission and contribution to the cause as performing satire and snark against the serious using a biting humor to bring out the truth.  Ann Coulter says that liberals don't get mad when you lie about them, they get mad when you tell the truth.  In the same way, humor has to have some truth to actually be funny.  This is why Leslie Nielsen is a hero because so many times, what he's doing is telling the truth.  You all understand (I hope) that humor often the means to an end around here and not always an end unto itself.  I sometimes use the serious to generate humor and humor to generate something serious. 

Still though, I think there's a bigger issue going on. 

After a brief dinner discussion with a member of the Jedi council, he offered up a very interesting thought that I agree with and chose to run with here. 

The next wave of "censorship" and control will come along the line of copyrights. 

Who? Who will be doing the "censorship"?  Tyrants.  Either directly through an alphabet stew of government agencies all Very Concerned about Security, or through useful surrogates that control the access to this information. 

Why? 
Tyrants hate being mocked.  They are so easily offended and so quick to feign offense and cry for their own rights.  Now we recognize this a superficial affront to their image.  However, for a tyrant, image is everything.  Mocking them undercuts their ability to create fear, manipulate emotions, and continue to dominate.  Tyrants hate being mocked because it is so bloody effective. 

The kind of "art" that I do is not totally original like an Oleg Volk.  But it's still effective. 

How?
I refer you again to GardenSERF's post Shaving off Communication Like A Razor.  The government knows that it cannot yet risk a Red Line event.  Then again, these are people who have practiced incrementalism for decades.  They're just as happy to simply continue gaining ground slowly. 

Content?  What content?  Oh, you mean that post that was blocked for (hate/violence/racism/bigotry/pornography)?  It was deleted. 

Too bad you won't be able to decide for yourself.  Too bad the left won't also delete the approximately 8,252,721,347,839,878,125 uses of the word "teabagger" that they have spewed in the last 2 years. 

What?
Consider how many videos exist that use a similar means for similar ends to what is described above?  How many images?  How many ideas and/or words?  What if you start making that content disappear? 

Also, what if you start meddling with search engines like the ubiquitous Google so that certain items simply never get a hit?  This may be ludicrously obvious, but Google is just a program and programs are programmed by programmers.  How do you know that you've really got all the results?  How are the results filtered and sorted? 

After all, where would The Cliffs of Insanity be without traffic about Xochitl Hinojosa?  Some may argue that Xochitl "made" The Cliffs Of Insanity.  However, based on this screenshot, I could always argue the opposite-that it is The Cliffs that has "made" Xochitl.  (Aside: I assume by the name and other commenters that she's of Hispanic descent.  I wonder if she'd be interested in Project Gunwalker?) 

The effort under the color of copyrights on this type of expression is one way to pre-empt mocking, satire, and poking fun at the Very Serious People.  If you remove a video that has several million hits, then several million people will know about it and get upset.  If you remove a video that only has a few hundred hits, who knows?  Who cares?

Though I replaced it with an embed to another video, the Audi commercial I used on the Imported From Detroit post disappeared with a similar copyright message.  Hmmmmmmm?  Strange because there seem to be a dozen different versions of this commercial out there.

If you're the tyrant, here are the benefits:

(Aside: I can't understand-much less explain this thinking by trying to just think the way I think.  I need to think the way the tyrant thinks.  Take heed.)

• Dissent can be smothered in the crib.  Again, delete a video with 3 million hits and you'll never hear the end of it.  Delete a video with 300 hits and you'll never hear the beginning of it. 
• Using the guise of standards "we can all agree on" is a great way to fast forward any discussion beyond the relevant point and effectively castrate the debate.  Because "something we can all agree on" = "something no one is allowed to argue with". 
• As GardenSERF notes, deletion does nothing to the free flow of information on the web.  People can still use the web all they like, but all they will see is what those in power want them to see. 
• Using all of the above, the red line of "kill switch" is never approached and incrementalism marches on.  In fact, the red line of "kill switch" might actually be a red herring.

So what does all this mean and why does it matter?  

A couple of thoughts to wrap up.

• What are others doing to fight for fair use rights?  How could they be helped?
• If the kill switch is indeed a red herring and would never be used, then censorship on the copyright issue could very well be a canary in the coal mine for the broader issue of Internet Censorship and control. 
• What ways are there around this? 

You Can't Afford To Miss

Another WWII poster.  With an update

You all know I'm all about the "subtle" so be sure to look for ALL of the details in here.

Keep it up Brother

A reader sent me a great WWII poster that needs no update from me to make it current or relevant to ATF agents blowing the whistle, to Mike or David, or to any of the rest of you. 

RESIST. 

A perfect metaphor for the USA

I stated the other day that the lady and her iFountain provided the perfect metaphor for the US.  That this is exactly where we were as a nation. 

With that in mind, I provide you a perfect visual. 

But wait, the thick plottens...

Which way are YOU facing? 

Letter to Governor Brewer, Update

A couple of loose ends.  I was in a hurry at lunch and forgot to include these:

• It was so obvious that I forgot to include it, but treason should be among the potential crimes to be considered and listed in your letter. 
• Also, to contact Governor Brewer, go here.  There's an online contact form.  (By the way, the entire text of the letter I wrote will fit into this window for submission.)   

The full mailing address is:

The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Telephone (602) 542-4331
Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883 (within Arizona only)
Fax (602) 542-1381

Government Motors and Chrysler/Fiat give mega bonuses

Apparently, business is booming for government owned automobile manufacturers.  Story here.

GM plans to pay bonuses to most managers equal to 15 percent to 20 percent of their annual salary and as high as 50 percent to less than 1 percent of its 26,000 U.S. salaried employees, said one of the people, who asked not to be named revealing internal plans. Bonuses for Chrysler’s 10,755 salaried workers will average about $10,000, with a small group getting as much as half of their salary, one of the people said.

"What does this town know about luxury, huh!?"


"This is the motor city. This is what we do!"...so if you don't like our bonuses, then you can take a %$#%@** and &%$*!@ it in your @*#$&@ you *@^!*!!


Even better, since management got bonuses now the union will show us their true colors. 

This is a case where bonus is two words. 

Bone



Us

Arizona Sues US. A request for Gov. Brewer.

Arizona sues US. 


This is refreshing to see. 

Thinking about how we could use this, here's a draft of a letter I intend to send to Brewer.  Cut and paste if you like. 
_____________

Dear Governor Brewer,

I note with satisfaction your countersuit against the Federal Government for their mishandling of U.S. border security. Brava, governor! This country was founded by sovereign states. States again need to assert this sovereignty-especially when Federal policy is being implemented with injury to the states.


I am writing you to offer you another source of fuel that may help your lawsuit. 

There is an ongoing investigation into credible allegations that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has given implicit and/or explicit approval to the moving of guns purchased in the US to Mexico.  This was done to pad statistics used to further expand ATF's power, budget, and objectives.  This was done without advising Mexican authorities.  This has been done in spite of internal ATF protests which have been overruled by ATF management.  Further, one of the guns used in operation was involved in a December 2010 incident where Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed.  

This is well-documented by a number of facts that have been brought to light by ATF agents who are doing so at great personal risk to themselves.  David Codrea and blogger Mike Vanderboegh have doggedly investigated this through their own sources and uncovered more facts.  United States Senator Charles Grassley has begun asking questions about this investigation to the US Department of Justice.  Rest assured that this is not some group of conspiracy theorists concocting this from thin air.  This is real and it must be stopped.

Worse than what has already taken place, there now appears to be a cover-up taking place within Main Justice.  As this involves trafficking weapons across the border, this now goes beyond government misconduct, but becomes an international incident.  As this involves the death of Agent Terry, one can credibly argue that the ATF by their actions is an accomplice to his murder.  But is this the end of the story, or only the beginning? 

I ask you and your staff to do just a few things:

• Carefully study the timeline, the facts, and the allegations of Project Gunwalker.
• Perform your own investigation into the facts of this case so that you can verify the facts and draw your own conclusions.

For more information on Project Gunwalker I direct you to begin by reading A Journalist's Guide To Project Gunwalker.  Also, I highly recommend that you contact David Codrea (dcodrea@hotmail.com) and Mike Vanderboegh (georgemason1776@aol.com) personally.

The allegations made in the Project Gunwalker investigation may have a direct impact upon the State of Arizona.  For this reason, I therefore I encourage you in the strongest terms to include Project Gunwalker as part of Arizona’s lawsuit against the Federal government where appropriate.

By including Project Gunwalker in your lawsuit, you create a win-win situation where the following is true:

1. Arizona's lawsuit helps to draw additional media attention to Project Gunwalker investigation.  The light of discovery will help to reveal the full truth and see that justice is done.
2. The Project Gunwalker investigation helps Arizona's lawsuit against the US.   

Governor Brewer, I am convinced that the success of this investigation will correlate very closely to the success of Arizona's lawsuit.  You have the opportunity to help both.  I believe that in this case, what's good for Arizona is good for America.  As far as I'm concerned, we're all Arizonans and I stand with you. 

I hope that you’ll carefully consider and act upon this request.  I wish you and Arizona success regardless of your decision regarding Project Gunwalker.

Sincerely,

Resources:

• A Journalists guide to Project Gunwalker: http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/a-journalist-s-guide-to-project-gunwalker
• David Codrea's column, Gun Rights Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/david-codrea
• Mike Vanderboegh's blog, Sipsey Street Irregulars: http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/
• David's e-mail: dcodrea@hotmail.com
• Mike's e-mail: georgemason1776@aol.com

Giffords speaks....(!)

Story here.


She said she wanted toast for breakfast one morning.

"That's what's so mysterious and great about this, because she is recovering and no one can really give you the goal line and when it will be finished because it's really unknown," Riggs said.

Just like James and Sarah Brady.  No one can really give us a goal line and when they’ll be finished trying to milk that one event because it’s really unknown.  And no one can really give you a goal line on Giffords recovery because there's no telling how much they could milk this one event.  Never let a crisis go to waste.

At this stage of recovery, it is unlikely that Giffords would be able to say more than one to two words at a time,

Uh….can you say two words at the same time?  I guess she can't even put her elbow in her ear.  Another possibility for the propaganda machine: Carolyn McCarthy makes a visit to Giffords and Giffords, softly and weakly utters TWO words...."gun ..........control."

In another article, it says that she may try to attend Shuttle launch. 

When asked if Giffords might be well enough to attend his launch, Kelly said: "Absolutely. I have every intention that she'll be there for the launch. I've already talked to her doctors about it."

Told you

Mark Kelly tells reporters that he knows Giffords very well and said she’d be comfortable with his decision to fly the upcoming shuttle mission.  When she talked the other day, maybe that was her trying to say that you’re toast if you go on this mission and leave me.
Later, the article says that Giffords

“playfully took the ring off a nurse’s finger”

Well that's certainly a sign of normalcy for a Democrat!  Since theft is typical Democrat behavior, I submit that she's made a full recovery and is ready to go to Washington now.  If it were Ted Kennedy in her place, he could have playfully ripped open the nurse’s shirt and the press would have blissfully passed this by as, "Kennedy is responding to stimulus."

"I obviously weigh time that I can spend with her, with what I think is in the best interest of NASA and my crew. So that's a debate I had with myself," Kelly said.

Obviously.

So are you saying that NASA lets you make a determination all by yourself when several billion dollars worth of hardware and 6 other lives are on the line?  As if there's nobody else in the entire program who is willing and able to fly the mission.

Susan Hileman, who was wounded in Tucson, trusts Kelly's decision. She was holding 9-year-old Christina Green's hand when the shooting erupted. The girl was killed.

"I'm sure this decision was carefully made and thoughtfully made, and right for him and for them," said Hileman, who was shot three times.

Innocent bystander comments. Uh….why is this relevant to anything?




Wait for it…




Because she was holding Christina Green’s hand and she was shot 3 times. (that's 10% of Loughner's 33 round super-ultra-high-extended capacity magazine)  Therefore anything she says is above argument or discussion or debate.  Just like one of Comrade Elena’s one-way conference calls. 

Rabbi Stephanie Aaron, who married Giffords and Kelly in 2007, said the couple has been communicating but she didn't elaborate.

But didn’t elaborate.  Is it talking?  Winking?  Shaking of the head?  Ouija board?  Telepathy?  Smoke signals?  She only said one word the other day.  One presumes that whatever form of communication is going on now is even simpler than that.  How much elaboration is really required?  Apparently the Journolists aren’t interested enough to bother asking the question to find out either.

Did you notice earlier that Kelly did not say, “I talked with HER about it.”, but that he had talked with her doctors.  But the female rabbi (would that be a rabbette?) says that they're communicating.  So why not ask Giffords?  Perhaps I shouldn't be so hard on the guy.  After all, he passed on the State of the Obama address to stay with her.  On the other hand, he did watch the address on TV.  


Holding Giffords' hand, watching the State of The Obama Show.

 I'm really glad that Giffords is improving.  Otherwise she could be headed for another one of those Terri Schiavo sagas.

"I think that once he saw that Gabby was so strong and on the mend .... that he made the decision based on, I'm sure, what her wishes would be," Aaron said.

He made the decision based on, I’m sure, what her wishes would be. Which is not to be confused with the more definitive "is" or "are".  Whew! Glad you’re sure about that. 

So the astronaut himself can weigh out how much time to spend with his recovering wife, vs. how much time to spend training to fly a Shuttle mission where his decisions can affect several billion dollars worth of property and the rest of the crew and pass self-judgment on his own fitness to command the mission.  At least some of this based on what Giffords' decision would be. 

Well, it was really touch and go for me there, since only a rabbette and a shooting victim giving him the thumbs up.  But since the shooting victim was holding Christina Green's hand, I guess it's all good. 

The propaganda Wurlitzer is just warming up.

The Accountability Curve

There was another great comment today in the AJC Vent that I wanted to hit separately:

Why is it that everybody has rights except the ones paying the bill?

Because of this:


The Accountability Curve


This is an idea that I had the other day while discussing a particular organizational problem with a friend.  The specifics aren't important, but what I came to realize is that in many cases, there is a relationship between accountability and money. 

Definitions:
Accountability is defined here as stuff that you can get fired or jailed for. 
Money can be variably defined as salary, wages, prestige, power, position. 

Ideally, the graph of accountability vs. money should be mostly proportional.  As you increase accountability, the money increases as well.

However, what I've come to observe in many different places is a trend where those at the very bottom and very top are almost totally excused of any accountability.  Instead, accountability is pushed to the middle (from both ends-mind you).

In a previous job there was a standard excuse for an equipment lockout to be incorrect.  "Well, we've got some new guys on shift."  As if they couldn't be expected to do it right.  When the management makes excuses like that for, what incentive is there to be more accountable?  So accountability for making sure that the lockout was correct was pushed uphill to those who would be working behind the lockout. 

At this same job, I had to write a report detailing why a piece of equipment failed and what we would do to prevent recurrence.  I presented the case in this report that we needed a culture change around a particular practice and that this culture change needed to come from the top all the way down.  Management's response was to have me perform informational sessions for a number of groups to highlight the issue.  (Yet I had no authority to actually require them to uphold a particular standard, much less raise the standard-if one actually existed.)  In this case, accountability for the change was pushed down to my level.

But take this curve into society.  Does it still hold? 

Thugnuts can bludgeon Kenneth Gladney or Nathan Tabor and suffer no apparent consequence.  What if you try to do likewise? 

Banksters can steal us blind for trillions and commit mortgage fraud that is roughly equivalent to Grand Theft Nation.  Think you'll be treated equally if you walk away from your underwater mortgage that was robosigned and artificially inflated? 

I think that it does hold true.  Which leads to this graph. 

High accountability would translate to low influence.  Low accountability would translate to high influence.  Seems to work that way.  

As a disclaimer, there's no real math behind this.  I'm simply trying to visually represent what I think is really going on.   

Seen in "The Vent "

Seen in the AJC Vent

Roadside cross/memorials are no longer allowed...BUT...you can buy one from the state for $100.00. If we can't put them there ourselves due to laws, how can they do basically the same thing AND charge us for it?

Uh….because you LET THEM

First Lady's Office Holds ‘Listen Only’ and 'Invitation Only' Conference Calls

First Lady's Office Holds ‘Listen Only’ and 'Invitation Only' Conference Calls for Reporters CNSnews.com:

"On Tuesday, the office of First Lady Michelle Obama sponsored several conference calls featuring administration officials discussing Mrs. Obama's “Let’s Move!” campaign to combat childhood obesity but “with listen-only lines for the media,” according to The Washington Daybook. On Wednesday, Mrs. Obama personally conducted a conference call for “online media” that was “by invitation only,” according to the Daybook."

Ah yes, MicHELLe Obama.


We chuckled when Hillary held a “Listening Tour.”  MicHELLe however, has abandoned all pretense and now holds a listen only call.  In other words, you STFU because you have nothing to say that could add any value.

To borrow some from Frozone from The Incredibles:

"She starts monologuin’."

Having just finished Red Horizons, I am now in a quandry.  Do I call her, Elena Obama MicHELLe Ceausescu, or maybe MicHELLena? 

I know, we'll have a poll!

Michael Moore's 9/11 profits

Michael Moore is suing for profits on his Farenheit 9/11 film.  Story here.

Sigh.

Maybe he could make one of those gotcha documentaries about the evils of Hollywood?

Shelby County, AL School Tax Renewal

Shelby County, AL is having a vote today to decide on renewing a bond issue.  This won't increase your taxes, but will allow them to keep them the same for a very long time.  The renewal doesn't even kick in for several more years.  So it's not a tax increase, see?  A velvet threat.  Behind this though is the knowledge that if this vote fails then other things will be set into motion. 

Oh, did I mention that the school board itself is promoting this with cute little notes sent home with the kids and a website (that are almost certainly paid for with tax dollars)?

• A non-stop campaign from now until the bond expires to renew it.  After all, they've got several more years as well as the taxpayers' monies to campaign for this and renew it.  
• Guilt trip.  If we don't get funding then we'll fall behind other communities and it would be a less desirable place for people to move in.  (Well, wouldn't it be good to slow the influx of people at some point?  Shelby County is one of the fastest growing in the state.)
• A bait-and-switch campaign with an implied threat.  "Well, you know if this bond renewal fails then we might have to raise property taxes....."

A friend sent me this e-mail which I've modified only slightly to shade the identity.  Consider the vast difference in worldviews. 

______________________________

Thought you might like this exchange on Facebook in my response to urging folks to vote against extending a 30 mill tax increase for the next 30 years here in Shelby County, AL. I have known this person since we moved here in 2002. I have been a chaperone on youth trips that included her. I've seen her grow into a young woman. My wife planned her wedding. Her son and my youngest child are the same age. They are in the same classes at Church. However, her mom works in the lunch room at a county school. I have prayed with her and her family when they have suffered problems. We have even helped them financially.


Feel free to blog about this. It sheds some light on just how unpleasant it's likely to become for all of us as things continue to unravel. Copying Pete of WRSA since he blogs about the subject of where loyalties are going to fall as the going gets tougher.

[redacted] to III:
Just an FYI: the tax renewal that is up for vote WILL NOT result in a tax increase-this is strictly voting to RENEW the taxes, which if we do not then the schools will not be able to borrow money and build new schools. They will also start cutting out extra activities, like sports for example, and pack more kids in a classroom then now. If you don't believe me look in Sunday's Birmingham News.

III: OK, I stand corrected. I'm voting if I want to keep paying my current tax rate or pay less. Gotcha.

[redacted]: Yes-if it gets turned down & they bring it back up again they might do an increase....I'd rather keep it the same or it go down then it increase. My opinion is if they've done well with it being at the rate it is now then they can keep it the same rate. If we vote yes it locks it in for 30 years I believe.

[redacted]: Plus if it gets turned down & keeps getting turned down Any baby/toddler/little kid isn't going to have the education they deserve. Granted, I think they misuse alot of that money (the teachers don't see it) but in order for them to be able to borrow money to build new schools, get new books, etc then it has to pass.

III: When the superintendent takes a 30% pay cut I'll reconsider.

[redacted]: well, think before your vote. This will effect your children one way or another. This WHOLE thing is about being able to borrow money for them to build things called SCHOOLS. Get things like BOOKS. It isn't all about stupid pay. You have to consider everything and considering if anything every happened to your job and both you and Steph had to work and YOUR children go to a public school...how would you like crowded classrooms and the possibilty of NOT having bands, clubs, sports, etc?!?!

III: I'll see to it my kids get the education they deserve out of my pocket. I don't rely on the government to use its police power to take money from others to pay for it.

[redacted]: so for children who have to go to public schools, it's not as good as private?!?!

III: All schools should be pay as you go. Write a check every month for your children.

[redacted]: you are retarded. If that was the case then there would be alot of children who do not go to school. I think someone hit you on the head too hard. Thank God we don't pay you to think.

[redacted]: Okay, I take that back cuz that was really mean and I am sorry. You aren't retarded...all the time :) Our opinions differ and that's okay. That makes you you and me me.