Political Digest for March 24, 2012

The Old Jarhead Blog: Bringing you news and information the MSM is too busy covering American Idol, celebrity affairs and sensational missing person cases to cover. Please forward to friends who need to be informed.

I will be out of pocket Saturday with family business, so no Political Digest on Sunday. Just talk among yourselves until I return. ~Bob

Charities I support

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2011/09/charities-i-support.html

Lone Wolf?

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2012/03/lone-wolf.html

Cartoon.

Obama: ‘If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon’
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/217795-obama-if-i-had-a-son-hed-look-like-trayvon

President Obama promised a full investigation of the killing of Trayvon Martin Friday, saying, "If I had a son he’d look like Trayvon.” “And I think [Trayvon’s parents] are right to expect all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness that it deserves and that we’re going to get to the bottom of what happened,” Obama said in response to a reporter's question. ( “You asked what I’m doing about crushing debt, souring gas prices and threats of nuclear terrorism from Iran? Hey, look over there! A kid was shot in Florida!” If Trayvon were Obama’s son, he’d be on a taxpayer-paid Spring Break, protected by the Secret Service, so perfectly safe. As to the ten people murdered in Chicago last weekend? No so much concern there. ~Bob.)

Zimmerman was on the ground being punched when he shot Trayvon Martin by Kyle Rogers

http://www.examiner.com/charleston-conservative-in-charleston-sc/zimmerman-was-on-the-ground-being-punched-when-he-shot-trayvon-martin?cid=PROD-redesign-right-next

Excerpt: Almost all of the news items about George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin contains a combination of false statements, opinions presented as facts, transparent distortions, and a complete absence of some of the most relevant details. Almost all news items are written solely from the point of view of the grieving family. The media also fills their articles with outdated baby-faced pictures of Trayvon. Very few include that he was a towering 6'2” football player. (The spin from the other side. As I said yesterday, the people protesting (and rioting in some cases) don’t know the facts. We may never know the facts. That this has become a media and political feeding frenzy doesn’t help us sort it out. Too many people are now vested in their version of the story. One can wish there was this much attention to the daily murders in our cities, but they are mostly minorities killing minorities, so the dead serve no purpose to the power-hunters. Cases like this serve to keep the public focused off things like debt, jobs and the economy. But no politician can afford to get in front of a media stampede. ~Bob.)

Who is George Zimmerman?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/who-is-george-zimmerman/2012/03/22/gIQAkXdbUS_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

Excerpt: The shooter was once a Catholic altar boy — with a surname that could have been Jewish. His father is white, neighbors say. His mother is Latina. And his family is eager to point out that some of his relatives are black.

I have sat back and allowed myself time to assess the current episode revealing itself in Sanford Florida...by Rep. Allen West

http://www.facebook.com/notes/congressman-allen-west/i-have-sat-back-and-allowed-myself-time-to-assess-the-current-episode-revealing-/320362644683436

Al Sharpton Is Right: George Zimmerman should be charged. By Rich Lowry

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/294226/al-sharpton-right-rich-lowry

Excerpt: What is true of the stopped clock is also true of the perpetually aggrieved, shamelessly exploitative publicity hound: Through sheer chance, he occasionally will be right. The Trayvon Martin case appears to be one of those instances for Al Sharpton. The longtime provocateur and MSNBC host has a leading role in the protests over the lethal shooting of the 17-year-old Martin at the hands of a zealous neighborhood-watch volunteer in the Florida community of Sanford. (Lowry is a conservative writer for National Review. ~Bob.)

'They begged for their lives with their trousers down': Two lost drunk British holidaymakers 'were gunned down after taking wrong turn on

Florida street

'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2118785/Shawn-Tyson-said-murdered-James-Cooper-James-Kouzaris-Sarasota-Florida.html

Excerpt: Two British tourists holidaying in Florida begged for their lives with their trousers pulled down before they were mercilessly shot dead, a court has heard. Shawn Tyson, who turned 17 on Monday, is said to have murdered James Cooper, 25, and James Kouzaris, 24, after they drunkenly stumbled into the rundown Newtown neighbourhood of Sarasota. (Black shooter, white victims, little national interest. If Obama had a son, would he look like Shawn? ~Bob.)

Bail set at $500,000 for fatal party assault suspect

http://www.krem.com/news/local/North-Spokane-man-remains-in-critical-condition-after--142865105.html

Excerpt: The Spokane County Persecutor’s Office upgraded charges Tuesday against Treven Lewis. The 18-year-old was originally charged with assault, but now faces a charge of 2nd Degree Murder. Frank Motta died March 15th after suffering a critical head injury trying to break up a party. (Black 18-year-old charged with killing a 75-year-old white guy, little national interest. If Obama had a son, would he look like Treven?

Stimulus recipient under investigation for insider trading

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-57402463-10391695/stimulus-recipient-under-investigation-for-insider-trading/?tw_p=twt

Excerpt: A company given $126.2 million in stimulus taxpayer funds from the U. S. Department of Energy is under investigation for insider trading according to a federal subpoena obtained by CBS News. The company, San Francisco-based Ecotality, makes and installs chargers for electric cars. (You’ll know it’s true if Obama denies any connection to them. ~Bob.)

Democrats: Bush could control gas prices, but Obama can’t

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/22/democrats-bush-could-control-gas-prices-but-obama-cant/

Excerpt: This Washington Post poll demonstrates an interesting phenomenon. In 2006, 73 percent of Democrats believed the Bush administration could reduce gas prices. Today, just 33 percent of Democrats believe there is anything President Obama can do about them.

10 Signs That America Is On The Verge Of A Horrible Municipal Debt Crisis

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/10-signs-that-america-is-on-the-verge-of-a-horrible-municipal-debt-crisis?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-signs-that-america-is-on-the-verge-of-a-horrible-municipal-debt-crisis

Excerpt: Is America on the verge of a horrible municipal debt crisis? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. From coast to coast there are an increasing number of cities, towns and counties that are rapidly going broke. (Must have read my book. ~Bob.)

Paul Ryan’s Budget Proposal Makes Defense a Priority

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/03/22/paul-ryans-budget-proposal-makes-defense-a-priority/

Excerpt: In surveying the state of the U.S. military today and potential threats on the horizon, Ryan said that the President’s defense budget is inadequate. He said that strategic considerations should drive defense budget numbers, not the other way around. Unfortunately, the President’s defense budget, and the defense guidance that preceded it, were both budget-driven exercises….”

Agents appeared to have probable cause to arrest Fast and Furious suspect, documents show

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/22/agents-appeared-to-have-probable-cause-to-arrest-fast-and-furious-suspect/#content#ixzz1ptN5lYbl

Excerpt: “Documents released Thursday show that federal agents appeared to have probable cause to arrest the biggest buyer of assault weapons in the Fast and Furious operation -- eight months before Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's death ended the scandal-ridden program. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, have demanded Attorney General Eric Holder provide a briefing as to why ringleader Manuel Celis Acosta was not arrested earlier given repeated evidence that he was running guns.

'Fast and Furious' probe: Chief suspect released more than once

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-fast-furious-celis-acosta-20120322,0,7732026.

Excerpt: Manuel Celis-Acosta, the chief suspect in the ATF’s "Fast and Furious" investigation who was caught but released at the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2010, was also stopped and released two months earlier while in possession of a Colt .38-caliber pistol purchased illegally under the gun-tracking operation. The revelation that officials twice declined to arrest their prime suspect shows that agents were keenly aware of Celis-Acosta’s activities yet repeatedly turned down opportunities to charge him with felony offenses and bring a quick end to the Fast and Furious probe. Instead, the investigation dragged on for months more, with the loss of about 1,700 U.S. firearms on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

A Conflicted GOP

http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/cook-report/the-cook-report-a-conflicted-gop-20120322

Excerpt: Coming out of the halcyon tea party period of 2009-10, they sought a nominee who was not only an unbridled, undiluted conservative but also expressed the passion, stridency, and—yes—anger, associated with the tea party movement. (…) Republicans were also looking for someone who could go toe-to-toe against President Obama in the fall debates. Thus, the 21 GOP debates have taken on a greater importance than such face-offs have in any other presidential-nomination processes. (…) Finally, GOP voters wanted to pick the candidate who stood the best chance of beating Obama in November.

Soldiers loot Mali presidency after ousting leader

http://news.yahoo.com/soldiers-loot-mali-presidency-ousting-leader-112435176.html

Excerpt: Drunk soldiers looted Mali's presidential palace hours after they declared a coup on Thursday, suspending the constitution and dissolving the institutions of one of the few established democracies in this troubled corner of Africa. ... They introduced themselves as the National Committee for the Reestablishment of Democracy and the Restoration of the State, known by its French acronym, CNRDR. (They'll reestablish democracy as soon as the looting is over and the booze gone. ~Bob.)

Syrian rebels running out of ammunition as government presses offensive

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-rebels-running-out-of-ammunition-as-government-presses-offensive/2012/03/22/gIQA05CNUS_story.html

Excerpt: Syrian rebels battling the regime led by President Bashar al-Assad are running out of ammunition as black market supplies dry up, neighboring countries tighten their borders and international promises of help fail to materialize, according to rebel commanders and defected soldiers who have crossed into this Turkish border town in recent days in a quest for money to buy arms.

Human rights in Cuba deteriorate, warns Amnesty

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17475434

Excerpt: Cuba has intensified its harassment of dissidents and human rights activists, according to Amnesty International. The campaign group's report says the number of people intimidated and taken into custody has risen sharply over the past two years. (Maybe Michael Moore will make a movie? ~Bob.)

Obama to nominate Dartmouth President Jim Yong Kim to head World Bank

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/official-obama-to-nominate-dartmouth-college-president-to-head-world-bank/2012/03/23/gIQAAPLiVS_story.html

Excerpt: Senior administration officials say President Barack Obama is nominating Dartmouth College President Jim Yong Kim to head the World Bank. It’s a surprise choice for the World Bank’s top job. A physician by training, Kim is a prominent figure in the global health world.

Worth Reading: Social Security by Choice

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=21736&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: The experience of three Texas counties offers a realistic demonstration of how Social Security can be successfully reformed. Galveston, Matagorda and Brazoria counties opted out of Social Security in the early 1980s, and have since developed and implemented what they call the Alternate Plan, says Merrill Matthews, a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation. Like Social Security, employees contribute 6.2 percent of their incomes, which the counties match with the option of providing more (as Galveston does). Unlike a traditional IRA or 401(k) plan, which account holders can actively manage, the contributions are pooled, like deposits to a bank savings account. Top-rated financial institutions then bid on the right to manage the funds, offering minimum interest rates that yield significant protection from market downturns. The plan avoids the pitfalls of pay-as-you-go systems by giving workers only what they pay in. The experience of the three counties' employees over the past 30 years speaks to the effectiveness and efficiency of the plans. While paying out substantially higher payments to retired workers, the plans do not face burdensome unfunded liabilities that haunt many states' legislatures. A lower-middle income worker making about $26,000 at retirement would get about $1,007 a month under Social Security, but $1,826 under the Alternate Plan. A middle-income worker making $51,200 would get about $1,540 monthly from Social Security, but $3,600 from the Alternate Plan. And a high-income worker who maxed out on his Social Security contribution every year would receive about $2,500 a month from Social Security compared to $5,000 to $6,000 a month from the Alternate Plan.

Jason Delisle on the Federal Student Loan Program

http://www.nationalreview.com/agenda/293789/guest-post-jason-delisle-federal-student-loan-program-reihan-salam

Excerpt: Federal student loans are not profitable for the government, nor does the government break even on the loans. Using fair value estimates, student loans are the government’s most expensive loan program. In most years, taxpayers will spend about three times as much on the student loan program ($12 billion) as they do guaranteeing home mortgages through the Federal Housing Administration ($3.5 billion). Taxpayers will even spend less on average each year guaranteeing mortgage-backed securities through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ($5 billion) than they will making student loans.

The Big Lie at the Heart of the Highway Bill

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/03/the-big-lie-at-the-heart-of-the-highway-bill/254616/

Excerpt: The Senate-passed highway bill takes a big step backward on pension policy by adopting a provision that allows employers to shirk some of their pension plan contribution obligations. This provision is being marketed as a job creation measure, a claim that's little more than economic nonsense. In reality, this provision increases the risk of taxpayer-funded bailouts while serving as a budget gimmick to help Congress fund transportation spending.

Worth Reading: Reducing Federal Aid Key to College Affordability

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=21739&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DPD

Excerpt: As the federal government seeks to address the skyrocketing tuition rates of postsecondary institutions, one consideration has been to expand bankruptcy eligibility so that students can escape crushing loan debt. … According the College Board, between the 1981 and 2011 school years, inflation-adjusted aid per full-time equivalent student rose from $4,418 to $13,914 -- a 215 percent increase. Over the same timespan at four-year public institutions prices expanded from $2,242 to $8,244 -- a 268 percent increase. At four-year, nonprofit private institutions prices rose from $10,144 to $28,500 -- a 181 percent increase. ... According to data from the federal Digest of Education Statistics, only 55 percent of first-time, full-time bachelor's degree seekers at public institutions finish their degree within six years. … Researchers found that 45 percent of students in their sample demonstrated no significant learning in their first two years of college, and that 36 percent demonstrated no learning in four years. (I often cite the National Center for Policy Analysis. [NACP.org] They do great work, and are worth following and supporting financially if you can. ~Bob.)

Wisconsin GOP: Romney, 46%, Santorum 33%, Paul 8%, Gingrich 7%

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/wisconsin/2012_wisconsin_republican_primary

Excerpt: Mitt Romney holds a double-digit lead over Rick Santorum in Rasmussen Reports’ first look at the Wisconsin Republican Primary race.

Why I Left Islam by Ali Sina

http://www.islam-watch.org/AliSina/why_I_left_Islam.htm

Excerpt: I am often asked, Why I left Islam? As absurd as it may be, some Muslims cannot even allow themselves to think that leaving Islam is an option, or even possible. They rather think that those who leave Islam are paid Jewish agents than accept the fact that people have freedom to think and some may even think that Islam is not for them. The following are my reasons: (And, of course that whole “Death to Apostates” thing may keep Muslims from leaving. ~Bob.)

Obama's green energy policies make America vulnerable to terrorism

http://www.irishcentral.com/story/news/from-the-right/133821608.html

Excerpt: President Obama's decision to shelve the Keystone oil Pipeline project until after the Presidential elections, comes at the same time of news Iran is on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons. The "decision" showed that this vital step in keeping our nation protected from outside threats to our energy supply, is based on politics, rather than what is best for our country.

Worth Reading: Where did stimulus money really go? By John Lott

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/03/23/where-did-stimulus-money-really-go/#ixzz1pxRiJ4ST

Excerpt: When President Obama signed his economic stimulus plan into law on February 17, 2009, he promised it “includes help for those hardest hit by our economic crisis,” and “As a whole, this plan will help poor and working Americans.” But the newest data on how the stimulus money was given out across the 50 states and the District of Columbia shows a perverse pattern: The states hardest hit by the recession received the least money. States with higher bankruptcy, foreclosure, and unemployment rates got less money. And lower-income states also received less. (The Chicago way: Reward your friends, punish your enemies. ~Bob.)

Worth reading: The message no one wanted to hear By Kevin D. Freeman

http://www.legion.org/magazine/162503/message-no-one-wanted-hear

Excerpt: Events of the past dozen years clearly show that America's adversaries have gained ground in non-military ways. Could the 9/11 terror attacks, high gas prices, market volatility and the U.S. credit rating downgrade all be linked to the same strategy? In 1999, two Chinese colonels, Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, wrote a groundbreaking book titled "Unrestricted Warfare" that was published by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Press. They begin the book with the simple acknowledgement that the Gulf War of 1991 changed warfare forever.

Anti-Gun Groups Silent on Fast and Furious

http://pjmedia.com/blog/anti-gun-groups-silent-on-fast-and-furious/

Excerpt: The Brady Campaign, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Mayors Against Illegal Guns have refused repeated requests by PJ Media for comment on the hundreds of Mexican citizens believed murdered with firearms provided by the Obama administration.

House Jew, Field Jew: The Daily Beast's new group blog, "

Zion Square

," and the sad saga of Peter Beinart.

http://pjmedia.com/blog/house-jew-field-jew/

Excerpt: What is also ubiquitous, inescapable, and everywhere, however, is Jews like Beinart, who have salvaged otherwise drifting careers and explained away otherwise troubling facts by adopting a stance toward Israel and Zionism — about which, in fact, they know very little — that is characterized by a studied ambivalence, a critical stance, ethical qualms, perhaps even a troubled relationship. For non-Jews who regard Israel and its supporters with little more than unabashedly racist contempt, this is all terribly gratifying, of course (it is, after all, the price of club membership), but it is neither — as its practitioners imagine it to be — particularly new or original. It amounts to little more, in the end, than your average public auto-da-fe, the ancient reality that Jews must always apologize for standing up for themselves; gentiles never do.

US policies encourage immigrants to stay, study finds

http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/us-policies-encourage-immigrants-stay-study-finds-15427

Excerpt: U.S. policies and laws aimed at improving the nation's immigration system have unintentionally spurred more immigrants – authorized or not – to stay in the United States, according to a new paper released today.

Do We Have an Energy Policy? By Victor Davis Hanson

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/294170/do-we-have-energy-policy-victor-davis-hanson

Excerpt: “Speculation” may explain some gasoline-price rises, but the downside of speculation is impossible unless there is bad news to speculate about, like the following: the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz may get hotter rather than cooler; the U.S. as a major consumer and producer is not eager to tap new sources of oil; U.S. fiscal policy is to print money, borrow, and not back the dollar; people may drive more rather than less in the upcoming summer; China and India may soon be using more not less oil; and the global economy may recover somewhat and spike demand rather than get worse and lower it.

Some Clean-Energy Loans Raise Flags

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577297511300601688.html

Excerpt: The Department of Energy has placed nearly one-third of its clean-energy loan portfolio on an internal "watch list" for possible violations of terms or other concerns, according to a copy of the list obtained by The Wall Street Journal, highlighting how such concerns have spread beyond the now-bankrupt Solyndra LLC. The redacted copy, released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Journal, showed that as of Feb. 29 there were 10 projects on the watch list out of 32 loans and loan guarantees made to electric-vehicle and renewable-energy companies. (How many are on the Obama Contribution Solicitation List? Guess: 100%. ~Bob.)

Bernard Goldberg: Time to Go, Rick

http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/time-to-go-rick/?utm_source=BernardGoldberg.com+Newsletter&utm_campaign=971a21917c-NEWSLETTER&utm_medium=email

Excerpt: It’s time for Rick Santorum to go. He’s getting more whiny than usual and it’s getting tiresome. Like Newt Gingrich, he’s not going to win the nomination, and I suspect he knows it. But I get the impression that he doesn’t really care who wins in November – unless it’s him. Where did I get an idea like that? From Rick Santorum himself.

US Intelligence to keep tabs on Americans with no ties to terror

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/22/us-intelligence-to-keep-tabs-on-americans-with-no-ties-to-terror/#ixzz1puEWZxCA

Excerpt: The U.S. intelligence community will be able to store information about Americans with no ties to terrorism for up to five years under new Obama administration guidelines. Until now, the National Counterterrorism Center had to destroy immediately information about Americans that already was stored in other government databases when there were no clear ties to terrorism.”

The New Nazis By Daniel Greenfield

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/mobile/mobile-article/45429

Excerpt: There was a time when Jewish children were hunted down and killed in France. Their killers believed themselves to be members of a superior group that was destined to rule the world and enslave or exterminate members of inferior groups. The cowardice and appeasement of the French authorities allowed them to operate freely, to kill Jews and launch attacks on other countries. (It is not only Jews who are under attack by Islamists [and the "moderate" Muslims who are content to practice lawfare]. There is a clear jihad against Christians. If they are killing and expelling Christians from countries they control, what will the Muslims do when they reach 20 or 25% of a "Christian" country's population and can stymie their parliaments? Enshrinement of sharia alongside a constitution and/or civil law will make victimizing non-Muslims a protected activity. --Cordially, Larry Greenberg)

“He grabbed her by the hair and then shot her in the head”

http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/johnransom/2012/03/23/tolerating_islam_he_grabbed_her_by_the_hair_and_then_shot_her_in_the_head/page/full/

Excerpt: Mehdi Nedder knew the suspected Islamic terrorist, Mohamed Merah, only “slightly,” says the Associated Press. But what he knows about him now has him slightly more worried. Merah, 21, killed seven people in Toulouse, France, including three children, who just happened to be Jewish, and three French paras, who just happened to be soldiers, before he was finally killed in a shootout with police.

Senator Scott Brown touts pair of legislative wins, including ban on Capitol Hill insider trading

http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2012/03/senator-scott-brown-touts-pair-legislative-wins-including-ban-capitol-hill-insider-trading/SoS8NotBm30OVyatwxtzWI/index.html

Excerpt: Senator Scott Brown won a pair of legislative victories today, one focused on banning insider trading on Capitol Hill and the other aimed at helping business startups raise capital.

Unemployed Layabouts Announce General Strike; Sitting-Around-Collecting-Checks Industry Could Be Imperiled

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/327743.php

Excerpt: Occupy, the people who have no jobs, have announced they're going to take a break from not working and go on strike from not working, which, logically speaking, should mean they'll in fact start working. (So, does that mean fewer rapes or pooping on flags and cop cars on May 1? Might be longer lines at Starbucks that day. ~Bob.)

Obama touts energy policy, flubs fuel fact By Neil Munro - The Daily Caller

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/22/obama-touts-energy-policy-flubs-fuel-fact-video/#ixzz1puN8wFEA

Excerpt: President Barack Obama’s struggled to defend his price-boosting energy policies during a speech in Cushing, Okla., today, even as rapidly spreading criticism and rising gas prices damage his poll ratings. “He was incredibly defensive because little of what he says is true — that’s his dilemma,” said Dan Kish, a vice president at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Energy Research.

Exclusive: GM replacing some 9,500 Chevrolet Volt chargers after overheating complaints

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/exclusive-gm-replacing-9-500-chevrolet-volt-chargers-212439012.html

And how much will this fix to the Obamamobile cost the taxpayers? ~Bob.

Sweeping changes proposed for Michigan concealed handgun law

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/sweeping_changes_proposed_for.html

Excerpt: Gun on his hip, state Sen. Arlan Meekhof demonstrates his support. Michigan’s 83 county gun boards would be eliminated under the most sweeping rewrite in a decade proposed for Michigan’s concealed weapons law.

France: After jihad massacre at Jewish school, Muslim group reassures French about its determination to fight against jihad and Islamic antisemitism -- no, wait...

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/03/france-after-jihad-massacre-at-jewish-school-muslim-group-reassures-french-about-its-determination-t.html

Excerpt: Actually -- you guessed it -- it cautioned against "Islamophobia." Yet again a Muslim group claims victim status after a jihad attack, instead of making any genuine effort to prevent the next one. This obviously gives the lie to their claims of moderation and their entire public posture, but no one seems to notice or care.

French killings refocus fears on 'solo' acts of terror

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/21/world/europe/france-solo-terror/

Excerpt: Gueant said Wednesday that Merah became radicalized amid a small salafist group in Toulouse and had connections to a group called Forsane Alizza ("Knights of Pride"). But there is no evidence that any of its members was involved in or aware of his plans. Forsane Alizza was outlawed in January by the French government, which alleged that it was a terrorist organization training members "for armed combat." For its part, the group said its mission was to fight Islamophobia and has said it will contest the government's decision. (Good job fighting “Islamophobia” with this guy. He was not a “lone wolf.” He had an army of supporters in the Media and the Left who refuse to recognize Jihad’s foundations in mainstream Islamic thought. ~Bob.)

Rise In Local, Federal Perks For Illegal Immigrants

http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2012/03/rise-in-local-federal-perks-for-illegal-immigrants/

Excerpt: Throughout the country, federal and local governments are going out of their way to accommodate illegal immigrants by offering them rights, privileges and costly perks never before available to those who violate the law. In New York City for instance, officials have created a special scholarship fund specifically for undocumented aliens who want to attend college but don’t qualify for publicly-funded aid because they live in the U.S. illegally.

You're an Engineer? You're Hired: The unemployment rate in the field these days is a super-low 2 percent.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2012/03/22/youre-an-engineer-youre-hired

Better prospects than those who major in “Peace Studies” or Sociology, but the downside is you really have to learn stuff. Plus be good at math, not a progressive strength. ~Bob.

Ethics committee opens second look into Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/217863-ethics-panel-opens-second-look-into-rep-buchanan

Excerpt: The House Ethics Committee is pursuing a second inquiry into Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), according to documents released Friday. The committee has not revealed the nature of the latest complaint and won't have to until May 9, the deadline for the panel to decide how to proceed. The three-term lawmaker is also undergoing a separate ethics inquiry that deals with incomplete financial disclosures.