Political Digest for May 22, 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.

Best older posts for new blog readers

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-older-posts-for-new-readers.html

Worth reading: Why Do We Regulate? By John Goodman

http://healthblog.ncpa.org/why-do-we-regulate/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HA#more-25538

Excerpt: I came across an answer to this question the other day by Uwe Reinhardt at The New York Times economics blog. Professor Reinhardt tells us that “regulations are usually a legitimate response to mischievous games played by some parties in the private sector.” If you’re not an economist, that statement may not strike you as especially odd. After all that’s what you would likely hear in just about any garden variety history class. Or sociology class. Or political science class. But then again, most historians, sociologists and political scientists have never mastered even rudimentary economics. To understand economic regulation one must turn first to people with a bit more knowledge. Interestingly, the father of economics, Adam Smith, devoted a good bit of his treatise, An Inquiry into the Nature and Cause of the Wealth of Nations, to the subject of regulation of economic activity. Smith observed that the vast majority of government regulations serve no useful social purpose at all. Far from protecting consumers, most government intervention in Smith’s day was designed to protect producers and other special interests. They served the interests not of buyers of goods and services, but of the sellers. Further, society would be much better off if these laws were simply repealed. What about the modern era? It’s amazing how little things have changed. (I’ve used more than the usual excerpt in hopes that readers will follow—and support—http://www.ncpa.org/. Very worthwhile think tank. This is right on target. In my experience, regulations are more often designed to get government to put its thumb on the scale for the interest group lobbying for the regulations. ~Bob.)

Ten Thousand Commandments 2012: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State. By Clyde Wayne Crews

http://cei.org/studies/ten-thousand-commandments-2012

Excerpt: The scope of federal government spending and deficits is sobering. Yet the government’s reach extends well beyond the taxes Washington collects and its deficit spending and borrowing. Federal environmental, safety and health, and economic regulations cost hundreds of billions—perhaps trillions—of dollars every year over and above the costs of the official federal outlays that dominate the policy debate. Economics 101 on tax incidence explains how and why firms generally pass along to consumers the costs of some taxes.

Student Loan Payroll Tax Increase: Another Attack on Small Business. By Curtis Dubay

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/05/student-loan-payroll-tax-increase-another-attack-on-small-business

Excerpt: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) has proposed to offset the cost of continuing to subsidize these loans by raising taxes on small businesses to the tune of $9 billion over 10 years.[2] This is the latest in a series of tax increases on small businesses pursued by both President Obama and Reid. It would set a dangerous tax policy precedent that Congress should reject.

When Cupcakes Are the Enemy of Schoolkids. By Stephanie Armour

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-05-03/when-cupcakes-are-the-enemy-of-schoolkids

Excerpt: Public school students in Maryland’s Montgomery County know they’d better not even think of holding a bake sale to raise money for the football team or math club. Selling sweets is outlawed during the school day, and officials make the rounds to ensure no illicit cupcakes are changing hands. “If a bake sale is going on, it’s reported to administration and it’s taken care of,” says Marla Caplon of the county’s food and nutrition services. “You can’t sell Girl Scout cookies, candy, cakes, any of that stuff.” (In the Brave New World of the statists, kids will be raised in a protective bubble. And as adults will have no immunity from the vicious vicissitudes of life. ~Bob.

Worth Reading: White House visitor logs provide window into lobbying industry

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-visitor-logs-show-lobbying-going-strong/2012/05/20/gIQA2ok4dU_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

Excerpt: The White House visitor records make it clear that Obama’s senior officials are granting that access to some of

K Street

’s most influential representatives. In many cases, those lobbyists have long-standing connections to the president or his aides. Republican lobbyists coming to visit are rare, while Democratic lobbyists are common, whether they are representing corporate clients or liberal causes. (Let’s be clear. Lobbying is constitutionally protected. The US Constitution gives you the right to ask Congress for “the redress of grievances.” But with an-almost 24/7/365 government, you can’t be there every day to represent veterans, or teachers, or business, or doctors or union members, or whatever group you belong to. So you get together and hire someone. And lobbyists provide a necessary service, giving elected officials and bureaucrats information and a point of view they might not otherwise get. The problem comes when it is the money and gifts in the hands of the lobbyists, rather than the arguments or facts in their briefcases, that tips the balance. Increasing, this has been the case on both sides of the aisle. Which is why this article shows that the Obama Administration, his pious hypocrisies to win votes aside, gives a lot more access to leftist base and Democrat fund-raising lobbyists. “Redressing their grievances” garners more cash and votes than talking to business or small-government types. But nice to see the MSM not coving for him on this, as in the past. ~Bob.

Romney could best Obama in fundraising. By Chris Cillizza

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/romney-could-best-obama-in-fundraising/2012/05/20/gIQAbVafdU_story.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

Excerpt: Here’s a scary thought for Democrats: It’s entirely possible that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and the Republican National Committee will outraise President Obama and the Democratic National Committee in the seven-month sprint to the general election. In April, the first month in which Romney was untethered by concerns about the primary fight and in which he and the RNC linked up efforts, their combined haul was just north of $40 million — almost the exact amount the president and the DNC gathered in that time frame.

Outside NATO summit in Chicago, protesters in violent clash with police

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/peace-protesters-gather-in-chicago-for-nato-summit/2012/05/20/gIQAJ7WWdU_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

Excerpt: Thousands of peace activists thronged city streets to protest meetings of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Chicago on Sunday, a march for military veterans that was capped by a violent conflict with police. Dozens of protesters stormed the police line after an emotional ceremony close to

McCormick Place

, where the NATO summit is being held. Protesters were beaten with police batons. One serious head injury was observed. (It’s going to get worse, folks, as the money runs out. ~Bob)

Inside Sunday’s violent clash between ‘Black Bloc’ anarchists, cops

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/12666712-418/inside-sundays-violent-clash-between-black-bloc-anarchists-cops.html

Excerpt: The battle at Michigan and Cermak flared and then slowed, and then flared again in bursts between 5 and 6:30 p.m. By then, much of the Black Bloc had slipped away, leaving behind a scene of bloodied protesters and four injured cops, including one stabbed in the leg.

Important: Popular House-passed line-item veto bill hits brick wall in Senate

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/228483-popular-line-item-veto-bill-hits-brick-wall-in-senate

Excerpt: The House-passed line-item veto bill, which has been endorsed by the White House, is on life support in the Democratic-controlled Senate. More than four months after the House approved the measure, co-sponsored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and ranking member Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the Senate hasn’t touched it. (much needed. But trust me, Obama doesn’t really want it, which is why his senate allies are not moving it. He wants the political benefit of being for it. But if there was a line-item veto, every time one of his leftist buddies larded up the budget with an earmark for a favored contributor group, Obama would have to veto it, or be held responsible for it. I hope we’ll see if President Romney is really for it. ~Bob.)

No Virginia, There Is No Sanity Clause In Obama Drilling Permit Policy

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2012/05/15/no-virginia-there-is-no-sanity-clause-in-obama-drilling-permit-policy/

Excerpt: To hear him [Obama ~RGP] tell it, these achievements are appropriately attributable to his foresight and actions, rather than to an entrepreneurial energy industry. Speaking at a January 17 meeting of his Jobs and Competitive Council he complained about lack of recognition of this fact, stating, “Folks are acting as if that [natural gas boom] just sprung out of thin air and is one more example of the dynamism of the marketplace.” While he’s right about natural gas production being at record high levels and oil up very slightly, he forgot to mention that is occurring on private and state-owned lands, not on federal lands which presidents have control over. In fact the EIA has reported that both natural gas and oil production have declined on federal lands since he took office. (The author recalls the recent history of the fossil fuel industry since 2007, drawing comparisons between then and now. It reminds us that many political statements fall into the legally unenforceable category of “lover’s hyperbole”—“Of course I’ll give you what you want; first thing in the morning, baby, but we can’t stop now.” Note that this tactic has to be older than history and often still works. “All of the above” is certainly in that category. Ron P.)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Endorses Walker

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/milwaukee-journal-sentinel-endorses-walker_645215.html

Excerpt: Everyone has an opinion about Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.

Here's ours: We see no reason to remove Walker from office. We recommend him in the June 5 recall election.

Dems Whine About Paper Endorsing Scott Walker. By Daniel Halper

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/dems-whine-about-paper-endorsing-scott-walker_645234.html

Excerpt: The Democratic response to the disappointing news of not being endorsed by the largest newspaper in the state? To whine, to make accusations of bias, and to bring up ... Joe McCarthy.

Mayor Barrett was meeting with union organizers when he missed police memorial

http://www.620wtmj.com/news/local/152046615.html

Dem priorities. ~Bob. Excerpt: It turns out, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was in Oshkosh talking with union organizers when he missed an event in Milwaukee honoring law enforcement in southeast Wisconsin, including Milwaukee Police officers. Law enforcement officials are angered and looking for answers after Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett did not attend two separate law enforcement recognition ceremonies this week, including one that recognizes Milwaukee police officers killed in the line of duty.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel endorses Scott Walker in the recall election.

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2012/05/milwaukee-journal-sentinel-endorses.html

Excerpt: People who couldn't wait for the next election have made the state dump $18 million into the recall. Ironically, their candidate is a man who is tentative and slow to act. (How many union members must be laid off to make up the $18 million the recall cost? ~Bob.)

Wind Energy: The Wheels are Coming Off the Gravy Train

http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm/10625/Wind-Energy-The-Wheels-are-Coming-Off-the-Gravy-Train

Excerpt: The industry’s fortunes didn’t get any better when on May 4, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote an editorial titled, “Gouged by the wind”, in which they stated: “With natural gases not far from $2 per million BTU, the competitiveness of wind power is highly suspect.” Citing a study on renewable energy mandates, the WSJ says: “The states with mandates paid 31.9% more for electricity than states without them.” Then, last week the Financial Times did a comprehensive story: “US Renewables boom could turn into a bust” in which they predict the “enthusiasm for renewables” … “could fizzle out.” (A great quote from T. Boone Pickens near the article's lead. This interesting look behind the scenes at the wind industry and its political maneuvering and how that impacts reporters covering them is instructive. Just as a reminder, no one at TOJ gets paid either. Ron P. Well, while I don’t get paid, with retirement not far off, I will consider reasonable offers to sell out. {Liberals—this is known as a joke. Look it up.] I think the Eagle-Choppers may be entering the Solyndra Death spiral. ~Bob.)

44% See Romney’s Business Past As Reason to Vote For Him, 33% Disagree

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_presidential_election/may_2012/44_see_romney_s_business_past_as_reason_to_vote_for_him_33_disagree

Excerpt: Democrats have begun criticizing Mitt Romney’s business record, but a plurality of voters view the Republican’s business past as a positive. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that Romney’s track record in business is primarily a reason to vote for him. Thirty-three percent (33%) see his business career as chiefly a reason to vote against him. Twenty-two percent (22%) are undecided.

51% Predict U.S. Government Will Go Bankrupt Before Budget Is Balanced

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/federal_budget/may_2012/51_predict_u_s_government_will_go_bankrupt_before_budget_is_balanced

Excerpt: Just over half of U.S. voters are still skeptical that their elected officials will get the federal budget under control before it’s too late. (The other 49% believe that Tinker Bell will arrive riding a golden unicorn to sprinkle fairy dust on the budget and save the day. ~Bob.)

Culture Challenge of the Week: Reaching the Non-Religious. By Rebecca Hagelin

http://patriotpost.us/opinion/rebecca-hagelin/2012/05/15/culture-challenge-of-the-week-reaching-the-non-religious/

Excerpt: According to Gallup, each of the presidential candidates, Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Barack Obama, benefits from a core group of supporters defined by their religious perspectives. President Obama commands strong support (54% v. 38% for Romney) among white Americans who describe themselves as non-religious, while Mitt Romney followers are decidedly religious (62% of moderately or strongly religious voters support Romney while just 29% are fans of President Obama). (Obama’s supporters are very religious, they just don’t know it. They all worship at the All-Powerful-Government Green Church of The One. ~Bob.)

A Nightmare in Tewksbury. By George Will

http://patriotpost.us/opinion/george-will/2012/05/20/a-nightmare-in-tewksbury/Excerpt: The U.S. Department of Justice intends to seize it, sell it for perhaps $1.5 million and give up to 80 percent of that to the Tewksbury Police Department, whose budget is just $5.5 million. The Caswells have not been charged with, let alone convicted of, a crime. They are being persecuted by two governments eager to profit from what is antiseptically called the "equitable sharing" of the fruits of civil forfeiture, a process of government enrichment that often is indistinguishable from robbery. (Thus freedom dies. How is this different from Nazi Germany seizing Jewish property for the good of the state? ~Bob.)

The Week That Was: 2012-05-19 (May 19, 2012)

http://www.sepp.org/twtwfiles/2012/TWTW%20-%205-19-12.pdf

Excerpt: Quote of the Week: Scientifically it is sheer absurdity to think we can get a nice climate by turning a CO2 adjustment knob. ~Klaus-Eckar Puls, German physicist and meteorologist who supported the IPCC until he conducted his own investigation. [H/t Timothy Wise, link under Challenging the Orthodoxy.] (As usual, the excerpt is taken from Ken Haapala’s summary of the week’s news. The numbered articles are republished in their entirety at the end of the post. Many are worth reading. Ron P.)

The New Phrenology: How liberal psychopundits understand the conservative brain. By Andrew Ferguson

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/new-phrenology_644420.html\

Excerpt: We have entered the age of the psychopundit (we can thank the science writer Will Saletan for this excellent word). Thomas Edsall, for example, is a veteran political reporter widely admired by people who admire political reporters. He has become very excited by social science, as so many widely admired people have. Studies show—as a psychopundit would say—that Edsall is excited because social science has lately become a tool of Democrats who want to reassure themselves that Republicans are heartless and stupid.

A Questionable Partnership

http://www.legion.org/landingzone/166418/questionable-partnership

Excerpt: The U.S.-Iraq negotiations, it pays to recall, were building toward a long-term bilateral security partnership. American and Iraqi military commanders counted on the agreement to secure a modest-sized force of around 20,000 U.S. troops to train and back up Iraq’s nascent army. But those negotiations collapsed, and Washington abruptly left Iraq to fend for itself. (Incisive article. My thanks to John Maurer for sending it. Ron P.)

Worth Reading: Bernard Goldberg: The X Factor(s)!

http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/the-x-factors/?utm_source=BernardGoldberg.com+Newsletter&utm_campaign=91a1098b03-NEWSLETTER&utm_medium=email

Excerpt: A lot of my conservative friends are convinced that Mitt Romney is going to win come November. More than a few think he’s going to win big. Optimism is a good thing, and I hope it’s based on something more than wishful thinking. (We could, of course, have an X-factor moment the other way. I still think this election will like be decided by political, economics and/or international events yet to happen. ~Bob.)

Obama: Slaughter of Christians a misunderstanding

http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/obama-slaughter-of-christians-a-misunderstanding/

Excerpt: The violence in northern Nigeria is mistakenly viewed as a religious conflict rather than simply a tribal dispute over land, according to the Obama administration. Despite the ongoing Muslim destruction of churches and the slaughter of Christians – including many murdered during worship services – the U.S. Agency for International Development claims that the misunderstandings make it difficult to administer aid programs. Unfortunately, it’s a 13-century-old misunderstanding based on the Quranic injunction to Muslims to fight the unbelievers until they convert to Islam, submit to subjugated Dhimmi second-class-citizen status and pay ruinous jizra taxes, or are dead. Good luck changing their minds. ~Bob.)

Gregory Jaczko Resigns: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Steps Down

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/gregory-jaczko-resigns-nrc-nuclear-regulatory-commission_n_1531805.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D162628

Excerpt: A separate former senior Democratic aide who has worked with Jaczko, Magwood and Flint said that Yucca is the impetus for the industry's opposition to the outgoing chairman. Magwood "and the industry hate Greg because they think he was put on the commission by Reid, who's anti-Yucca, and he's gonna be a Reid stooge. And you know what? They're f*cking right," the former aide said.

A Force for Liberty from China to Cuba

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/21/morning-bell-a-force-for-liberty-from-china-to-cuba/?roi=echo3-12073459124-8706379-52b17d7386fb56ce63ed8dc8bc5f43b3&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Excerpt: On Saturday night, blind Chinese legal activist Chen Guangcheng arrived in Newark, N.J., after escaping seven years of persecution in China. With the sweet land of liberty under his feet, Chen breathed the free air and remarked, "We should link our arms to continue in the fight for the goodness in the world and to fight against injustice." Chen's newfound freedom is a cause for celebration, but it is also a reminder that America must continue to be a force for liberty in the world, whether on the other side of the world or 90 miles off the shores of Florida.

Worth Reading: Booker’s Bungle. By Conn Carroll

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/morning-examiner-booker%E2%80%99s-bungle/554381?utm_source=WP%20TEMPLATE:%20Morning%20Examiner%20-%2005/21/2012&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Washington%20Examiner:%20Morning%20Examiner

Excerpt: How much damage did Newark Mayor Cory Booker do to President Obama’s reelection campaign on Meet the Press yesterday? It is still far too early to tell, but judging from the swift reaction of Obama’s campaign, Chicago must view the potential damage to be huge. The fun started on Sunday when David Gregory asked Booker to defend the Obama campaign ads attacking Romney over his tenure at Bain Capital. (So Booker tells the truth and it’s a “bungle”? I guess by the Obama standards. Booker Must Be Destroyed! The One Has Spoken! ~Bob.)

Cory Booker commits the classic Washington gaffe

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/cory-booker-commits-the-classic-washington-gaffe/2012/05/21/gIQA9Sc1eU_blog.html

In Washington, there’s an old cliche: A gaffe is when a politician is accidentally honest That’s what happened to Newark (N.J.) Mayor Cory Booker during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. Booker, who is widely regarded as a fast riser in Democratic politics, veered badly off message when he defended Bain Capital — the longtime employer of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney — and described the negative tone of the campaign as “nauseating”. (Joe Scarborough joked that Booker’s follow-up message “clarifying” his remarks “looked like a hostage video.” –JammieWearingFool Tweet.)

Big Bain Backfire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKYcMZFhzcc&feature=youtu.be

Good ad. ~Bob.

Occupiers at NATO Summit no match for Capitalist Pig’s Jonathan Hoenig; Hilarity ensues

http://twitchy.com/2012/05/20/occupiers-at-nato-summit-no-match-for-capitalist-pigs-jonathan-hoenig-hilarity-ensues/?utm_source=autotweet&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=twitter

Funny picture. ~Bob.

Premonitions of the Fall (in temperature)

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/05/20/premonitions-of-the-fall-in-temperature/#more-63946

Excerpt: The first prediction of the current climatic minimum was made by Hubbert Lamb in 1970 in a report (Weiss and Lamb) for the German Navy. He did it by making a reconstructed record of the average frequency of south-westerly surface winds in England since 1340. Quoting Lamb “We sense a cycle or periodicity of close to 200 years in length.” and “There may be a valuable indication of the origin of this apparent 200 year recurrence tendency, in that the sharp declines of the south-westerly wind indicated in the late 1300s, 1560s, 1740s-1770s and now, in each case fell at about the end of a sequence of sunspot cycles which built up to periods of exceptionally great solar disturbance (around 1360-80, the 1570s, the 1770s, the 1950s and more recently). (If Lamb (and the others using similar methods) are correct, it may get REALLY cold, really fast. Don't know about you, but I'd rather be warmer than colder. Ron P. I read a terrific, action-Scence Fiction novel by John Ringo, The Last Centurion, which envisions a near future beset by both plague and global cooling. It was written before 2008, so it pictures a thinly-disguised Hillary Clinton at the inept president dealing with this. Still. Not far off. Wish I had time to read more of his stuff. http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Centurion-John-Ringo/dp/1439132917/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337619105&sr=1-1 ~Bob. )

Worth Reading: The Myth of a U.S.-Russia Strategic Partnership: Are Russians still supposed to act grateful that we no longer live under Brezhnev or Stalin? By Garry Kasparov

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303360504577408513664745048.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Excerpt: After four years of Dmitry Medvedev keeping the czar's throne warm, Vladimir Putin is once again Russia's president. There were no public celebrations to accompany Mr. Putin's inauguration on May 7. Quite the opposite. Moscow's streets had been cleared by a huge security presence; the city turned into a ghost town. (I assume this is the brilliant chess player [though I note he never beat me] who had the fame and courage to defy the Soviets. Another Russian hero of freedom. ~Bob.)

Over the next five years, more than one million military service members will return from active duty. By Stan Mcchrystal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304371504577403862643373548.html?mod=djemITP_h

Excerpt: 'Wanted for hire: Enterprising, reliable self-starter. Must work well in teams. Technological literacy and leadership experience a plus." This notice could be posted by many businesses today as they look for employees to help them survive, and thrive, in difficult economic times. (Nice to see the General still concerned about the troops. ~Bob.)

How Dems forgot the public good By Jay Cost

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/how_dems_forgot_the_public_good_VTyujG2Wys9h2UAI56ZQBM#ixzz1vVLiXRKh

Excerpt: Over the last few months, the Obama-Biden campaign and its allies have offered up phony issues to drive the national political conversation — the Buffett rule, the “war on women,” the student-loan fight, the “Life of Julia” ad, the gay-marriage debate and so on. From the president to the lowliest MSNBC Democratic talking heads, the party has focused on one silly item after another. Usually, these diversions are saved for the fall, when voters start to pay attention. Why are they so intent on dominating the news with manufactured pseudo issues so early in the presidential campaign?

Not That the Obama Administration Has Noticed, But Drugs Are Expensive to Develop. By Sally Pipes.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2012/05/14/not-that-the-obama-administration-has-noticed-but-drugs-are-expensive-to-develop/

Excerpt: Not that anyone in the Obama Administration has noticed. Obamacare will hit pharmaceutical firms with more than $20 billion in new taxes over the next ten years. Some firms may conclude that they can’t shoulder both a hefty tax bill and the risk of a multimillion-dollar research failure. (having sold out to Obama on Obamacare, Big Pharma must wonder what they are doing under the bus. Welcome to The Chicago Way, boys. ~Bob.)

Michelle says Barack's Home country is Kenya - full statement

http://m.youtube.com/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdBJihJBePcs%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&feature=youtu.be&v=dBJihJBePcs&gl=US

Another crazy birther. I don’t believe her, About much, in fact. ~Bob.

Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks. By Mark Clayton

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0512/cybersecurity_utilities_not_protected.php3

Excerpt: With America now trying to thwart a cyberattack on its natural gas industry, it is helpful to recall the hectic days after 9/11, when industry scientists raced to shield from potential terrorist cyberattacks hundreds of thousands of vulnerable devices that control vital valves and switches on America's gas pipelines, water plants, and power grid.

Quote

There is no prejudice so strong as that which arises from a fancied exemption from all prejudice. --William Hazlitt

Iran committed to ‘full annihilation of Israel,’ says top Iranian military commander. By Reza Kahlili

http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/20/iran-committed-to-full-annihilation-of-israel-says-top-iranian-military-commander/#ixzz1vTXwX487

Excerpt: Iran is dedicated to annihilating Israel, the Islamic regime’s military chief of staff declared Sunday. “The Iranian nation is standing for its cause and that is the full annihilation of Israel,” Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said in a speech to a defense gathering Sunday in Tehran. His remarks came on the day International Atomic Energy Agency director Yukiya Amano flew to Tehran to negotiate for inspections of Iran’s nuclear program.

Go Irish! Notre Dame, Catholics sue Obama over contraception mandate
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/legal-challenges/228585-washington-archdiocese-sues-administration-over-birth-control-mandate

Notre Dame University joined other Catholic institutions Monday in suing the Obama administration over its contraception mandate. The lawsuit argues the mandate in the healthcare law requiring that insurance plans cover birth control for women without a copay violates the religious freedom of Catholic institutions.

State Voices: National Progressive Network Funding Local Progressive “Grassroots.” By Aaron Gardner

http://www.redstate.com/aarongardner/2012/05/21/state-voices-national-progressive-network-funding-local-progressive-grassroots/

Excerpt: State Voices, a national network of Progressive 501(c)3′s, has targeted Colorado for years. They provide GOTV technology, polling data, various other political advocacy tools, and cash to state affiliates such as the Colorado Civic Engagement Roundtable. The biographies for State Voices national staff tout connections to the AFL-CIO, Common Cause, the Sierra Club, and ACORN to name a few.

Germany: Islamic supremacist calls for murder of members of anti-Sharia party

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/05/germany-islamic-supremacist-calls-for-murder-of-members-of-anti-sharia-party.html

Excerpt: "Far right" in this story and other mainstream media stories means opposition to Islamization and Sharia.

Israel To Remain an Enemy, Says Syrian Rebel Leader

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155986#.T7k-IL_j5pc

Excerpt: As Syria creeps into total anarchy, rebels also insist that Israel will remain an enemy after the anticipated fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad. President Barack Obama told the G-8 Summit Saturday that Assad must leave. (Given that Jew-hating is ingrained in Muslim thought for centuries, some of this may be political pandering to the base, like Obama bashing the rich at $40k-a-plate dinners. But we are giving arms to people who will use them to kills us and our friends, I fear,. ~Bob.)

Obama to urge Afghan president Karzai to push for Taliban settlement

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/20/obama-karzai-taliban-settlement

Excerpt: Barack Obama is to use the Nato summit to press the Afghan leader Hamid Karzai to engage with greater urgency with the Taliban about a political settlement in Afghanistan. 9wel, we urged South Vietnam to settle with the North, and that worked out okay for them, except for the millions murdered after the South fell in 1975, when Congress withdrew aid to them. Or the millions of Vietnamese now who might want freedom of speech, religion and the press. So what could go wrong? ~Bob.)

Flashback: Jeremiah Wright Praised CNN’s Roland Martin As ‘Long-Term Friend.’ by Joel B. Pollak

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/05/21/Flashback-Jeremiah-Wright-Praised-CNN-Roland-Martin-as-Long-Term-Friend

Excerpt: In an article on CNN.com today, CNN contributor Roland Martin lashes out at Republicans for any attempt--real or potential--to make Barack Obama's incendiary former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, an issue in the 2012 elections. Martin fails to disclose that he is a "long-term friend" of Wright, according to a "shout-out" Wright gave Martin during a speech to the NAACP in 2008--long after Wright had become a notorious household name….

Economist Nouriel Roubini predicts trouble ahead for economy. By Maria Bartiromo

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/bartiromo/story/2012-05-18/nouriel-roubini-global-economics/55094776/1

Excerpt: Q: Where are we in the economic recovery? A: There is an overall slowdown of global growth. Europe is in a recession in the periphery countries, and it's getting worse. There is a double-dip recession in the United Kingdom, sluggish growth in Japan, and the data from many emerging markets are also suggesting a slowdown in China, Russia, Brazil, India and places like Turkey, Mexico and South Africa.

Worth Reading: Greek talks collapsed amid anger, insults, “unreality.” By Ed Morrissey

http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/21/greek-talks-collapsed-amid-anger-insults-unreality/

Excerpt: This may end up being the political quote of the year, uttered by the president of Greece after talks aimed at forming an emergency government collapsed last week:

“Gentlemen, we are finished,” said the patrician President, calling an abrupt halt to two hours of baiting and cat-calling between furious Greek politicians. “I’m starting to get upset myself now. We are finished.”

Mostly Peaceful Chicago Rioters: “What do we want? Dead cops!”

http://www.jammiewf.com/2012/mostly-peaceful-chicago-rioters-what-do-we-want-dead-cops/

Excerpt: This is “Democracy in action” according to the thugs. Really? Dead cops represents democracy in action? … The group, which chanted “What do we want? Dead cops!” as it left Grant Park at 2 p.m., surged to the front of the protest crowd and tried to break through the imposing line of Chicago cops in riot gear blocking its path.

Iranian rapper in hiding, but defiant after call for his death

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/05/21/iranian-rapper-in-hiding-but-defiant-after-call-for-his-death/#ixzz1vWD1rA7h

Excerpt: The Iranian-born rapper marked for death for insulting a ninth-century imam and criticizing Tehran's regime as corrupt is determined to press his message to young fans, according to the German author who hid Shahin Najafi in his home.

Previously Scrubbed From YouTube Shows Trayvon Martin Participating in Local Fight Club

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/05/newly-discovered-video-previously-scrubbed-from-youtube-shows-trayvon-martin-participating-in-local-fight-club/

Excerpt: It appears that Trayvon was involved in and enjoyed underground fights.

Does Facebook Wreck Marriages?

http://blogs.smartmoney.com/advice/2012/05/21/does-facebook-wreck-marriages/

Excerpt: More than a third of divorce filings last year contained the word Facebook, according to a survey by Divorce Online, a UK-based legal services firm. And over 80% of U.S. divorce attorneys say they’ve seen a rise in the number of cases using social networking, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. (A friend of mine has changed his status from “henpecked” to “intimidated.” ~Bob.)

Ted Cruz Surges in New Texas Senate Primary Poll

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/21/Ted-Cruz-Surges-In-New-Poll-of-GOP-Texas-Senate-Primary?utm_source=co2hog&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BigGovernment+%28Big+Government%29

Excerpt: A new poll of the Texas Republican Senate primary race shows conservative candidate Ted Cruz surging to nearly within the margin of error against moderate establishment front-runner David Dewhurst. 

Worth Reading: Winning Battles, Losing Wars. By Victor Davis Hanson

http://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/winning-battles-losing-wars/?singlepage=true

Excerpt: Given that the United States fields the costliest, most sophisticated, and most lethal military in the history of civilization, that should be a silly question. We have enough conventional and nuclear power to crush any of our enemies many times over. Why then did we seem to bog down in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan? The question is important since recently we do not seem able to translate tactical victories into long-term strategic resolutions. Why is that? What follows are some possible answers. (Excellent essay, with the final points made at the end being exactly what I have always said (in slightly different form) were the lessons of Viet Nam. --Del)

Al Nusrah front claims latest suicide attack in Syria

http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2012/05/al_nusrah_front_claims_latest.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournalSiteWide+%28The+Long+War+Journal+%28Site-Wide%29%29

Excerpt: The Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant has claimed yet another suicide attack in Syria. The group released a statement today claiming credit for the May 19 suicide attack on Syrian intelligence services in Deir al-Zor. The Al Nusrah Front, which has been described as an al Qaeda-linked jihadist group in Syria, said the attack was designed to avenge "the aggression of the regime's dogs in Deir al-Zor."