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Posted September 17, 2012By Nathan A. Barton © 2012 Culture wars It’s official: Coke and Pepsi okay for LDS (Washington Post) On Wednesday (Aug. 29), the LDS church posted a statement on its website saying that “the church does not prohibit the use of caffeine” and that the faith’s health-code reference to “hot drinks” ‘’does not go beyond (tea and coffee).” A day later, the website wording was slightly softened, saying only that “the church revelation spelling out health practices ... does not mention the use of caffeine.” I saw this article last week but misfiled it; it is (to me, in the West) significant. I have known LDS - of all kinds - for decades: faithful AND Jack Mormons (a term which usually refers to those who are at best lukewarm in their faith and ignore some or all of the “words of wisdom” - which included the ban on caffeine). I cannot ever recall ANY of them - from two-by-two missionaries to bishops to presidents of wards to the worst Jack Mormon - who ever said that the prohibition on “hot drinks” did not apply to ANY beverage (or material, such as NoDoze) which contained caffeine. They might have disagreed with it, might have thought it wrong, but they didn’t dispute it. If Romney has, prior to this announcement, drunk even a can of Diet Coke, he is at best a hypocrite (as we know he is in so many other things). Of course, he would be far from the first prominent LDS member (or leader) to be such a hypocrite. There is more than enough evidence that Joseph Smith, Jr. and his family, and many of the original Apostles and Seventy, as well as their followers in the 1840s and all the nineteenth century who drank not just coffee and tea but alcohol. But the prohibition on these remained and was extended to cola drinks and then to such drinks as Mountain Dew and the modern “energy drinks.” This “clarification” as it is described almost certainly HAD to come as a revelation. Now, keep in mind that the LDS church of Salt Lake does not define revelation as most christians or religions would, but rather in the same way as the Roman Catholic Church defines the “ex cathedra” infallibility of the Pope. Like the Manifesto forbidding polygamy, the revelation allowing people of color into the priesthood, and many other actions, this was thought out long and carefully in the First Presidency and the General Authorities, and (in their way) prayerfully considered before the action was taken. The questions, politically and socially, are simple: Why? and Why at this point? It certainly isn’t to allow Romney to drink Coke on the campaign trail or in the White House. And it certainly will not affect the idea that LDS (and the LDS church of Salt Lake itself) from owning (as it is rumored) a large piece of Coca-Cola, Inc., bottling and canning and distributing companies galore, or a myriad of supermarkets and convenience stores and farm supply stores and much else that sell not just caffeinated drinks but beer and alcohol and tobacco products. That has NEVER been considered to be sinful by Salt Lake. Nor would it seem to be an attempt by Salt Lake to make the LDS seem more mainstream. I don’t have an answer. But I suspect that it is important, for many reasons. Government-run, Tax-funded schools Could School Choice Erase the Income Gap? (Real Clear Markets) In 2011, private schools had a 98 percent graduation rate; in contrast, the 2011 graduation rate for public school children who started high school in 2007 was 75 percent... School choice STILL has government-run (ruined), tax (theft)-funded schools. The only real choice is clear: PRIVATE or HOMESCHOOLING is essential for a free people. Home front Who Plans Best for Natural Disasters? (The Freeman) The private sector can quickly move supplies because they have decentralized and local knowledge, giving employees a lot of discretion on how best to respond when natural disasters occur... This is not true, of course, for ALL private businesses: too many are modeled on government and have hardening of the arteries while ignoring basics like taking care of customers and making a profit. OR they are constrained by government contracts and funding. But for the most part this is the case. Private efforts, for-profit or not-for-profit, can respond both more quickly and more accurately to threats like natural disasters. Theft by government What's to Blame for the Summer Gas Price Spike? (US News & World Report) Americans paid higher prices at the pump over the Labor Day weekend than during any previous Labor Day weekend... US News knows the answer, of course: GOVERNMENT is to blame, from EPA dictating all kinds of different blends to the White House playing games with Canadian imports and the Keystone XL and all the on-again, off-again leasing of known oil on federal land (which the government shouldn’t own, anyway). Politics 2012 - Abominable Act Romney says he would keep some parts of Obama’s health-care law (Washington Post) Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says that while he intends to dismantle the Obama administration’s health-care law if elected, he will retain several key provisions, including coverage for preexisting conditions. So why bother to vote for him? Tyranny is tyranny, whatever color they wear or name they claim: The GOP or The Democracy. Now that Ron Paul is no threat whatsoever, they can reveal the full details of how much like the Democracy the GOP (and its candidate, AGAIN) are alike. Monday, September 10, 2012 Politics 2012 - Theft by government Romney: Fewer Tax Deductions for the Wealthy, No Tax Hikes on Middle Class (CNSNews.com) So Romney, too, refuses to publicly acknowledge the fact that the vast majority of taxes on income are paid by a very small percentage of rich Americans - he is pandering to the Dems and the voters who can’t be bothered with the truth. Mama's Note: Neither the amount nor what it is used for matters here, much less who pays it. All tax is THEFT. There is zero justifcation for theft, regardless of the excuses. The unexamined truth is that this theft damages everyone, always, even the thieves in the long run. Home front Survey Documents ‘Religious Hostility’ Across America (CNSNews.com) Not hostility, tough love! Seriously, polls indicate that 20% of Americans do NOT ever participate in religious services (about 45% do so weekly). To expect that that 1% (3,000,000 people) are hostile should not come as any surprise. Indeed, I suspect the number might be 2-3%, or as many as 9,000,000 people, considerably more people than are likely Islamic terrorists or supporters thereof. And, of course, hostility can range from mild to bloody-handed. Government-run, Tax-funded Schools - Nanny state Chicago Teachers on Strike, But Many Schools Open to Serve Free Meals (CNSNews.com) Ah - no education, just welfare straight up. Why aren’t the cooks and servers on strike? Different union and no solidarity? Or no union? Of course, this is also realpolitick - failure to feed these children might quickly lead to mobs and looting of stores and other businesses (even the schools themselves) as the "Street Senate" fears for its life. It is coming. Islamic wars: Afghan front Americans Numbed to U.S. Troop Deaths, Averaging 31 a Month (CNSNews.com) No, not all Americans are numbed. But too many still think that this is the price we pay for defending freedom and liberty and NOT the price of empire and stupid government. It is one thing to pay a life a day for liberty, but to pay one American and a dozen Afghani lives a day for empire? Politics 2012 Obama: 'I Could Not Have a Better Vice President' (CNSNews.com) Ah, yes, what a wonderful straight line! How can we respond? (a) It takes a clown to know one? (b) Or is it a matter of being so bad that it makes him look good? (c) Or perhaps it is because any potential assassins (or impeachment initiators) look and see what they’d get? Islamic wars: Afghan front U.S. Hands Over Bagram Prison to Afghans (CNSNews.com) I understand the ceremony included a ceremonial washing of hands in a small basin of water. Seriously, if it weren’t for the waste of taxpayer’s money, far better to have leveled the place and turned it into a memorial park with a few playgrounds. Of course, the Afghans will trash it soon enough, I'm sure. Politics 2012 Romney Says Bill Clinton 'Really Did Elevate the Democratic Convention' (CNSNews.com) If they wanted elevation, why not have Jerry Brown speak? He has always been as high as a kite. I don’t really understand why Romney would praise Clinton; or does he want to face Hillary in 2016? (Admittedly, Clinton is unique: do you realize that he is the FIRST member of the Democracy to hold two terms since FDR!?! Think: there was Truman (one elected term after filling FDR's last), Kennedy (killed), Johnson (one after filling JFK's), and Carter!) Islamic wars: Persian front Iran Slams Canada's Surprise Decision to Sever Diplomatic Ties (CNSNews.com) Seems rather rude of Ottawa, at that. Suppose they are off their feed, eh? I didn’t think Canada had enough testosterone left to do something like this, and I am sure that Tehran didn’t either. The "messiah" Obama Proclaims Three National Days of Prayer and Remembrance for 9/11 (CNSNews.com) Apparently without mentioning to WHOM we are to pray. And certainly his intent in “Remember 9-11” is NOT the same as expected from “Remember the Alamo” or “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Unless you are some poor Afghan villager, of course. American front - Border jumpers Border Patrol Halts Free Flights to Mexico for Illegal Aliens Captured in U.S. (CNSNews.com) Well, rats! I missed my chance. I figured if I ever had time to take a real vacation, I could forget my English and not carry my wallet and get picked up by ICE and flown to Mexico City or Vera Cruz or some place free by Uncle Sugar, mooch around a bit and then start speaking English and get deported back to El Paso or Nuevo Laredo or Sierra Vista and hitchhike home! Mama's Note: Hmmm, except for the obligatory stay in a Mexican jail (which I hear is NOT nice), that might have worked out except for one other thing... I can't quite picture you passing for a Mexican to start with. :) Stupid cop tricks NYPD officer fired for ticketing dead people to meet 'quotas' (Digital Journal) Staten Island - A story has emerged that a NYPD officer had been issuing bogus traffic tickets, some of which were given to people long deceased. The officer in question says he did so to satisfy departmental bosses who were pushing for monthly quotas to be filled. Mama's Note: The dead have many political uses, and can't even complain... but this guy was evidently in a "catch 22" situation. No excuse, of course. If he actually had scruples about it, he needed to find a different line of work. Nathan: He may have had just enough of a guilty conscience to do it - or conversely was too lazy to get out and hustle some REAL violators. In NYC, I would guess that traffic cops have a “target rich” environment. Since he did NOT get some other work, I suspect laziness is the cause. Home front - Self defense? Cops: Woman kills husband, mistaking him for intruder (NBC News) Mama's Note: This happened at noon? Something smells really bad about this story. It doesn't seem possible she couldn't see who it was at that time of day. No mention of possible spousal abuse either. Wish they would follow up on these stories... Nathan: Amen. Maybe there was a lot going on - including the odd idea that the husband may not have normally come home at noon. Ah, another great germ for Agatha Christie if she were still around! Privatization Honduras Sets Stage for Three Privately Run Cities (Associated Press) In six months, investors will begin constructing three cities in Honduras that are privately run with their own government, laws and tax systems... A new beginning? Maybe, though the government will regulate and nitpick these companies to distraction. Similar proposals have been made in Wyoming. The tax part is of great interest: could you find a way to negotiate away state and local taxes in Wyoming through some sort of "payment in lieu of taxes" (PILT) sort of like medieval cities buying their freedom of the feudal system of counts or barons and kings? Abominable Act - Theft by government Health Care System Wastes $750 Billion a Year (CBS News/Institute of Medicine) The U.S. health care system squanders $750 billion a year, roughly 30 cents of every medical dollar, through unneeded care, byzantine paperwork, fraud and other waste... My suspicion is that this estimate is low - but never fear, the Abominable Act will increase this to a reasonable level: the goal is probably at least 50 cents on the dollar. Remember, to the unions and Tranzis, “unneeded care” and “byzantine paperwork” are just full employment for those who play the game their way. The person having (getting) to fill out the paperwork does not consider their work to be “waste,” remember. Home front Unelected Unions: Why Workers Should Be Allowed to Choose Their Representatives (Heritage Foundation) In Florida, 10 of the largest school districts unionized; only 1 percent of the teachers who voted for the union representatives teach today... I found this incredible: but then realized that their commitment to “democracy” is as skin-deep as their commitment to serving children (except AS lunch) or all their other claims. You can barely call this “lip-service.” War on some drugs - Nazgul Virginia: Judge sentenced to 30 days for gardening (The Raw Story) "A judge in Virginia has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for growing more than 40 marijuana plants in his home, according to the Associated Press. Attorney and substitute judge James H. Allamong Jr. was sentenced on Monday after the felony charges were knocked down to a misdemeanor. The marijuana plants were discovered by fire fighters last year who had responded to a blaze at a building near Allamong's home. He said the plants were purely for personal use and that he used to drug to treat the pain from injuries he sustained in Vietnam." [editor's note: A pot-smoking judge NOT from California? Could this be the 'tipping point' we've been seeking? - SAT] (09/10/12) Steve needs to be realistic: this isn’t going to change things in Virginia, except to make sure that firefighters don’t rat out judges and other powerful public officials. Of course, this guy was just a “substitute” judge. I bet he doesn’t even belong to the union. Tuesday, September 11, 2012 Chi-town - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools U.S. Department of Education: 79% of Chicago 8th Graders Not Proficient in Reading (CNSNews.com) Why do they want ANY of these striking teachers back? They’d be better served by having other gang members teach them to read. Chi-town - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools $4 Billion in 4 Years: Federal Subsidies to Chicago Schools (CNSNews.com) Ah, NOW we know why they are such a failure, and why the union thinks it can get more. Stupid government tricks FAA Honors 9-11: ‘WEEEE,’ ‘WLLLL,’ ‘NEVVR,’ ‘FORGT’ ‘SEP11’ (CNSNews.com) No, this is NOT The Onion: apparently this silliness is serious: lip-service (literally) to “Freedom” and honoring those who died. I wonder if Nero ever played a composition on his lyre that “honored” his victims in the arena? Stupid government tricks Under Obama, 11,327 Pages of Federal Regulations Added (CNSNews.com) As the “Messiah” he needs a better editor. A quick search shows that the Zondervan Greek and English Interlinear New Testament (NASB/NIV) (that is, it has two English translations and the original Greek with literal English word translations between the lines) has just 1,104 pages, almost exactly 1/10 of the 11,327 pages of FedGov regs. And you thought your maiden aunt was a motor mouth! Government war on religion - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools ‘Religious Freedom’ Campaign Aims to Keep Religion Out of S.C. Public Schools (CNSNews.com) In other words, NO religious freedom in these institutions, if they have their way. Except, of course, for those who practice the state religion of worshipping the state, nature (Gaia or environism), or humanism. The teachers and other staff push these religions. Nanny state - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools Students Must Choose Fruits, Veggies for Reduced School-Lunch Price to Apply (CNSNews.com) Ah, yes, just like school choice in most places. Is this one of the “exciting” changes? First Consort's Nanny state - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools Mrs. Obama’s Back to School Message: ‘Exciting Changes’ in Cafeteria (CNSNews.com) As president of France, DeGaulle was proud of the fact that in a corner of his office there was a bookcase in which was a schedule and books so that he could look there and see exactly what every student in France was studying at that precise hour of the day. The First Consort is pushing towards that: being able to look and see what every student in every government-run school in the nation will be eating for breakfast, lunch and afternoon/after-school snack. Or at least what they are being offered - and perhaps the contents of the trash cans, to boot! By the way, why and how do we allow the "First Consort" to send messages to our children? First Children - NOT GRTF school Obama’s Kids’ School: $34,268 a Year – Includes 'Hot Lunch' (CNSNews.com) Just chock full of veggies and fruits, too - and I bet the hot lunch has those items on the menu as well. Seriously, the average private school in the country costs less than your standard GRTF school (which is above $10,000 per pupil per year), but only the best for our beloved “messiah’s” offspring, right? And note, this is a private school and technically NOT tax-funded but that is only NOT DIRECTLY TAX FUNDED since the family paycheck is directly from our taxpayer pockets! Mama's Note: And I would venture to guess that the other students in this "private school" are also the children of government employees and politicians - not a single one of them producing anything worth a penny of their paychecks. Islamic wars: South Asian front Despite Haqqani Network, Administration Insists That Pakistan Is a Crucial Ally (CNSNews.com) Ah, yes, a crucial ally (just like Egypt and Libya) - but for what secret war? Certainly not a war against “terrorism” - at least not non-governmental terrorism. Theft by government CBO: Deficit to Hit $1.17 Trillion So Far in Fiscal Year 2012 (CNSNews.com) How long can we continue to spend and spend and spend? The end is near: and indeed, the intent may be to trigger a massive hyperinflation to let this be “paid off.” Mama's Note: That's only going to help if they can't get any more credit after the bust. That will depend a lot on which creditors manage to make it to the front of the line when payback time comes. World wars: dead soldiers Sebelius: Army Suicide Rate at All-Time One Month High of 38 (CNSNews.com) Does she see this as a milestone of which to be proud? We are losing an average of 31 soldiers per month in the Afghan “war” (occupation), so more are killing themselves than are being killed. (FYI, by comparison, about 140-150 police officers in the US are suicides each year; about a dozen per month) Chi-town - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools Gang Violence a Concern for Strike-Stranded Students in Chicago (CNSNews.com) The unions are serious about this strike, I guess. And when you add in the police, the students are in real trouble, eh? Nanny state - Government-ruined, theft-funded schools Oregon: If you like peanut-butter-and-jelly you might be a racist (Political Outcast) “Verenice Gutierrez picks up on the subtle language of racism every day. Take the peanut butter sandwich, a seemingly innocent example a teacher used in a lesson last school year. “‘What about Somali or Hispanic students, who might not eat sandwiches?’ says Gutierrez, principal at Harvey Scott K-8 School, a diverse school of 500 students in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood. What is taught in the modern GRTF school? Here we have some idea. Politics 2012 DNC stupidity (Navy Times) During the DNC, a video tribute to veterans featured Russian warships and NOT American ships. Thanks to Darryl for this one: Darryl: This probably wasn’t done on purpose…but what a mistake. Darryl Nathan: My base mind and rude instincts think otherwise: it does not take a military intel specialist to recognize the blue-on-white St. Andrews cross as being a Russian flag (the white-on-blue St. Andrews cross is the Scots flag): it is the sort of childish insult that a good many senior operatives of the Democracy love to give, and one that screams for a (hypocritical) apology. Wednesday, September 12, 2012 Politics 2012 Obama Not Canceling Campaign Trip to Las Vegas (CNSNews.com) Like Elvis and all the rest, he could not disappoint his fans, of course. And it is only private business that should not go to Vegas: it is fine for any government employees or elected officials to enjoy themselves there. Islamic wars: Arab street revolt ‘Is This an Act of War?’ Obama Turns His Back on Questions about Libyan Attack (CNSNews.com) The thing is, the conservatives are just as wrong as the "messiah" and his minions on this. An attack by unknown persons cannot lead to a declaration of war unless you know WHO they are and what entity they represent. If there is no evidence that they are under the command of the "legitimate" government of Libya (which is, of course, a joke itself, then Libya has not committed an act of aggression - and this is a crime by persons unknown. Islamic wars: Arab street revolt Clinton: ‘How Can This Happen in a Country We Helped Liberate?’ (CNSNews.com) "Liberate" is such an elastic term. Theft by government America's Under Water: Debt Equals 103 Percent of GDP (CNSNews.com) This is just the "recognized" debt and not the whole public debt, even of the FedGov. Add the real debt and the debt of the states and the local governments and it shows what we already know; we are in trouble. This is why inflation MUST be encouraged (and concealed) so that the debt can be "paid." Islamic wars - Stupid US tricks U.S. Embassy Condemns Those Who ‘Hurt the Religious Feelings of Muslims’ (CNSNews.com) The Muslims can have their feelings hurt, but Jews and christians and others are just too thick-skinned to be bothered. Yes, I think you could claim that she is condemning OTHER Muslims who do this to their own brethren, but that would not match with her other statements over the past few years. Religious freedom Cardinal Dolan: ‘Outrage Over HHS Mandate Not About Its Coverage of Chemical Contraceptives and Abortion Inducing Drugs’ (CNSNews.com) ... "I want to 'restore the luster' on this 'first and most cherished freedom,'" Cardinal Dolan said near the beginning of his speech, which was sponsored by the John Carroll Society. "See I'm afraid that the promotion and protection of religious liberty is becoming caricatured as some narrow, hyper-defensive, far-right, self-serving cause. Nothing can be more inaccurate. Rather, freedom of religion has been the driving force of almost every enlightened, un-shackling, noble cause in American history." ... “The second omen comes from direct intrusion of the government into the very definition of a church’s minister, ministries, message, and meaning,” said the cardinal. “Thus, to say it again, the wide ecumenical and inter-religious outrage over the HHS mandate is not about its coverage of chemical contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs--in spite of the well-oiled mantra from our opponents--but upon the raw presumption of a bureau of the federal government to define a church’s minister, ministry, message, and meaning. This is a very mixed message. The RC bishops are correct, but this evil is not limited only to the Abominable Act (ObummerCare): this has been the position of government for decades, including the infamous Johnson Amendment which allowed the IRS to define churches and all the rest. And to claim that religion is the root of such things as the "progressivism" of Wilson or Roosevelt's "New Deal" is a base attack on religion: at least the pure and undefiled religion found in the Bible. For centuries, the RC Church itself supported and practiced tyranny; now it finds itself again where it should have always been: on the side of God and liberty AGAINST the evil of government. This evil is not an EXCEPTION to otherwise good government, but as Paul and others taught, part of the inherent evil of government. Politics 2012 Gallup: Obama's Lead Over Romney Grows to 50%-44% (CNSNews.com) I wonder what the REAL numbers are? Does anyone know? The media certainly has a very vested interest in giving out false numbers. Self-defense - Home front Chick-fil-A-Carrying Gunman Got Off 3 Shots at FRC Attack Before Subdued (CNSNews.com) ... Perkins then described in detail what happened on Aug. 15, when Floyd Corkins III, armed with over 50 rounds of ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches, allegedly opened fire at the FRC, saying, “I don’t like your politics.” I suppose that the only LOGICAL action to take is to prohibit Chik-fil-A sandwiches as being tools of terrorists. There is no question that this IS domestic terrorism, but we hear very little in the media about it. Of course, it is not that dissimilar to what happens daily with SWAT teams and DEA raids and all the rest: just that this man was not wearing a black or blue uniform and was carrying Chik-fil-A instead of donuts. Politics 2012 Palin: 'You Either Get Free Stuff or You Get Freedom' (CNSNews.com) True indeed and a neat way of putting it. With more and more "Americans" getting more and more welfare from the government, the loss of freedom is more apparent by the day! American front - Border jumpers IG: Criminal Aliens Who Gave False Information to CBP Not Flagged in IDENT Database (CNSNews.com) Well, you wouldn't want to find false information put in the databases, would you? And of course, the only reason that they gave false information is because they were afraid of the government. That excuse perfectly acceptable for non-Americans: it is just Americans who get in such trouble for giving false information because they are afraid of the government. That makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Politics 2012 Van Jones: Democratic Party Becoming ‘Party Where You Can Be Spiritual but Not Religious’ (CNSNews.com) That happened a long time ago. But it is “spiritual” only by THEIR definition, not anything commonly accepted as that. Mama's Note: Seems to me that the definition of "spiritual" has to be an individual matter, the same as anything else that is a matter of thought and belief. The "accepted" definition has been used as a tool of conquest, murder and tyranny for most of human history. Just depends on who "accepts" it and who does not. Tranzis - Government-run, Tax-funded Schools Chicago Teachers Union President: Strike is About ‘The Very Soul of Public Education’ (CNSNews.com) The very soul of an inherently soulless institution. Money isn't enough. Power and a total disregard for accountability and responsibility is essential. Stupid US tricks - Islamic wars Clinton: U.S. 'Deplores' Religious Intolerance, But No Justification for Violence (CNSNews.com) Never mind that the world’s Muslims (except for the 1-2% apostates who practice a “religion of peace” that looks like but is not really Islam) are far more intolerant than any modern “christian” or “jewish” sect that has more than about 200 followers. She ignores the fanatic followers of a dirty old pedophile and mass murderer and bandit to go after some misguided people who claim to follow Jesus of Nazareth. Crash of 2009 - Theft by government Boehner on Avoiding Fiscal Cliff: Obama ‘Absent Without Leave’ (CNSNews.com) It would be better if the cliff happened this month than six months or six years from now; the "messiah" is fearful of getting sucked into the ruckus so he stayed away. World wars: East Asian front S. Korea, U.S. practice occupying N. Korea (AFP) South Korean troops practiced a war scenario involving the occupation and stabilization of North Korea during a joint military drill with the United States last month, a report said Tuesday. This is condemned as a bad thing, and it would be horrible, but too many people view it as a necessary action that will happen sooner or later, and see allowing North Korea to collapse into a violent nihilist chaos or some clump of successor warlords as very bad not only for their own people but for the nations around them. Technology Raspberry PI is here (Business insider) New micro-computer for tens of thousands of uses, many not even conceived of at this point. This is also exciting news: something this small and flexible recalls the stories of people like Heinlein (Door into Summer) and the advances we can expect people to come up with are impossible to imagine at this time. Thursday, September 13, 2012 Stupid US tricks - Islamic wars Obama Administration Still Not Ready to Call Benghazi a Terror Attack (CNSNews.com) I suppose it just "happened" to be on 9-11, just "happened" to be by Muslims, and that the real reason was that this ambassador was swiving one of the attackers' daughters, so that it was really an honor killing. Stupid government tricks - Islamic wars Hurting Muslims’ Feelings ‘Cannot Be Tolerated,’ Egypt’s Ruling Party Says (CNSNews.com) This of course reinforces Hilary Clinton's callous remark earlier: Muslims are such gentle and peaceful and weak folks that it is a hideous act to hurt their feelings. Fortunate, isn't it, that this does not apply to the feelings of Jews and those who profess (or claim to profess) Christ as Lord. And Egypt is not, fortunately, the only government to point this out, as the next story tells us. Islamic Bloc: We Told You Something Like This Would Happen If You Hurt Our Feelings (CNSNews.com) Well, yes, we sort of knew this, didn't we? We force them, time and time again, to go out and kill each other and kill ferengi because we say bad things about them and their Prophet and their nation. Of course, the liberals and Tranzis tell us that it is our constant invasions and killing of millions of them - together with stealing oil and other resources from them - that make them keep trying to kill Westerners. But never fear, the FedGov is standing up against this sort of nonsense, as the next story tells us. Clinton Explains why U.S. Can't Ban 'Disgusting and Reprehensible' Anti-Islam Video (CNSNews.com) Amateur and stupid and poorly done, but she gets a bit carried away about this film (which she has apparently not seen). And she stands up (unlike a good deal of the Administration and the military command) for that quaint little American custom of free speech, even though it is clearly disgusting and reprehensible in itself to the vast majority of the Ummah (the Dar al-Islam, or house of submission: the Muslim world). Congress inaction - the "messiah" House Judiciary Committee Considers Obama's 'Go It Alone' Approach to Executive Power (CNSNews.com) What will they do? About as much as the Senate did to Augustus for exercising more and more "executive power." Why? Because the "messiah" builds on the grabbing of power of a dozen or more executives: Bush I and II, Clinton, Nixon, Johnson, Roosevelt, right back to Lincoln and Jackson. AND Congress is pleased: it gets more power, more money, more of everything for itself and its retirees and its incoming freshmen. It is a WIN-WIN-Lose situation where the only losers are the American people and people of the world - who after all lose just their liberty. Islamic wars: Home front American Al Qaeda Operative: 'Obviously, Obama Doesn't Know What the Future Holds' (CNSNews.com) And obviously, Al Qaeda has plans for the future which involves the "messiah" and the United States. Al Qaeda has clearly decided that what little resolve this nation had has been squandered, and that now that Osama is dead, the US will do nothing further. Politics 2012 Obama Retakes Lead With Catholic Voters, Says Gallup Poll (CNSNews.com) If we didn't believe the Gallup Poll earlier in the week, we've even less reason to believe it this time. The polling data seems to have nothing at all to do with reality. Of course, when you select the RIGHT group of Catholics to chose to poll... Education College May Never Be the Same (USA Today) Massive Open Online Courses offer the possibility for people around the world to get quality education at little to no cost... The potential is incredible - we have been heading this way for nearly 20 years. This will be perfectly in place when the higher education bubble bursts. The only thing is, what do we do with all those elaborate campuses? Education Social Networking in Education (National Center for Public Analysis) Social networking has revolutionized the way people connect and conduct everyday business. It only makes sense that educators take advantage of social networking to enhance the learning experience for students across the country. For example, Grockit, among many other companies, is changing the way students prep for tests and study by making it more convenient and social, says Michael B. Horn, the cofounder and executive director of Education of Innosight Institute. Students can sign up through Facebook or Grockit directly and work through questions or watch tutor-recorded videos for help. Additionally, students can enter group mode and study with friends on Facebook. This allows students to get feedback on how they're doing and see their scores and overall improvement on a subject. Ditto for "lower" education - what will be done with all those buildings? And WHAT will be done with all those NEA and AFT employees when they are no longer needed? I can hardly wait. Abominable Act - Theft with government help Health Insurance Costs Continue to Climb (National Center for Public Analysis) Annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $15,745 this year, up 4 percent from last year, with workers on average paying $4,316 toward the cost of their coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) 2012 Employer Health Benefits Survey.
Mama's Note: Yes. But that's not even the bad news. Having insurance does not mean you can find a doctor or get any actual care. If you are interested in the real story, this blog tells it like it is. The only intelligent answer is to do whatever it takes to get healthy now, as fast as possible, and find alternative sources for medicine you simply can't live without. There will also soon be a growing "black market" of clandestine clinics and physicians, so make friends with a few of them now while you can. Technology of Tyranny Dutch ‘Robot Bins’ Require ID and Charge for Trash by Weight (The Blaze) In a few Dutch cities, “smart” trash cans that require an ID to unlock are being rolled out in an effort to not only encourage recycling but to prevent theft of the containers as well. The Register reports more than 6,000 of these “robot bins,” which charge the user based on how much they throw away — while recycling items goes free of charge — are being installed in the hopes 1) locals don’t use their own bins, 2) to prevent theft of bins, 3) to save the city money and 4) to reduce the carbon footprint. Pay-as-you-go pricing is NOT a creature of the market but of the government, and all these "benefits" are the result in the short- and long-term of government meddling with the market. Trash is one more area in which government does NOT belong: it is a service (like all other services) that should be provided by voluntary agreement between the user and the provider. Science Atomic bond types discernible in single-molecule images (BBC) A pioneering team from IBM in Zurich has published single-molecule images so detailed that the type of atomic bonds between their atoms can be discerned. Mama's Note: So exciting to think where all this could lead. :) If only we could get the trillion pound gorilla out of the way. Sigh. Nathan: It is important to remember that with each passing day, the technology is improving that will let us ignore or just bypass/work around that gorilla, government. Politics 2012 Iowa: GOP elector nominee resigns in protest of Romney (Yahoo.com) A Republican appointed to the Electoral College, Melinda Wadsley was expected to cast her vote for Mitt Romney if he won the state of Iowa in the presidential election. Wadsley decided Thursday she couldn't in good conscience vote for Romney — she had backed Ron Paul during the GOP primary — and resigned to allow the Iowa GOP to choose someone else for that duty. It is an old fashioned sort of gesture, and sure to again fire up the debate over popular vote. However, it is important to note that this story is full of errors - or lies. She is NOT "appointed to the Electoral College." Yahoo's writers and editors are stupid. She was NOMINATED to the Electoral College by the GOP, either by ballot or in convention. She will NOT be ELECTED to the College (NOT "appointed") unless (under Iowa law) Romney-Ryan receive a plurality of the popular vote in Iowa in November when the voters are actually casting a vote for Wadsley and her fellow Republican electors. This is the way it is done, and it makes sense and avoids all kinds of "democratic" problems with voting and choosing a president. As if it really mattered whether the incumbent or Romney wins. Our right of self-defense - Theft by government ATF's latest gun grab (Washington Times) (The Obama administration is making it easier for bureaucrats to take away guns without offering the accused any realistic due process. In a final rule published last week, the Justice Department granted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) authority to “seize and administratively forfeit property involved in controlled-substance abuses.” That means government can grab firearms and other property from someone who has never been convicted or even charged with any crime. Nathan: These kind of work-arounds our freedoms are prized by government. We see it every day in the machinations and actions of the EPA, in the War on Some Drugs, and now on a fresh round of a "War on Self Defense." As with similar actions taken with the connivance of the VA against veterans, this outlaws another slice of society. Mama's Note: Oh yes. One has to wonder at such stupidity. It's like teasing a dog... even a nice dog... eventually - well, someone might get bitten. Theft by government - Hitting back Massachusetts?: Man Pays Traffic Ticket with Origami Pigs (Freedom's Phoenix) Here's a guy who really wanted to stick it to the man. A video uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday shows a man paying for a $137 traffic ticket with 137 painstakingly folded origami pigs. They are cute! And perfectly legal. Bypassing the powers-that-be This On-Demand Car Repair Site Could Disrupt The Factory Model (www.businessinsider.com ) A new car service called YourMechanic is taking aim at the old school repair shop. Its strategy is a disruptive peer-to-peer model, which lets drivers research and book appointments with mechanics online without having to go through shop owners. (via Freedom's Phoenix) An interesting way around the middleman, and useful when traveling, I expect. But it is mainly in large urban areas, I'm sure. Mama's Note: Well, that sounds interesting... but I can't figure out how to get the car into the little wire! In this town, we have several shops to choose from, two of them the "shade tree" variety. I'd much rather deal with someone I know and trust than any stranger, even if it costs me a little more to support the neighborhood mechanic. Islamic wars: Arab street revolt Revealed: inside story of US envoy's assassination (www.independent.co.uk) The killings of the US ambassador to Libya and three of his staff were likely to have been the result of a serious and continuing security breach, The Independent can reveal. American officials believe the attack was planned, but Chris Stevens had been back in the country only a short while and the details of his visit to Benghazi, where he and his staff died, were meant to be confidential. The US administration is now facing a crisis in Libya. Sensitive documents have gone missing from the consulate in Benghazi and the supposedly secret location of the "safe house" in the city, where the staff had retreated, came under sustained mortar attack. Other such refuges across the country are no longer deemed "safe". Some of the missing papers from the consulate are said to list names of Libyans who are working with Americans, ... According to senior diplomatic sources, the US State Department had credible information 48 hours before mobs charged the consulate in Benghazi, and the embassy in Cairo, that American missions may be targeted, but no warnings were given for diplomats to go on high alert and "lockdown", ... Even the Brit mainstream media is so incredibly stupid that I have to suspect that it is an act. ANYone planning an operation like this would HAVE to have good intelligence sources (and the US State Department is a sieve for intelligence and has been for 80 years or more), would HAVE to have a series of plans and contingencies to allow them to execute when the best target and opportunity area available, and HAVE to provide backup. This is NOT a skill that requires centuries or even decades to acquire and does NOT require a large team to carry it out. Indeed, the smaller the team the better. It does not require high technology, either: but it is obvious from the American response that in spite of decades of experience, professional training, high technology, and some (theoretical) intelligence, that the US either (a) messed up big-time or (b) decided to let it happen. And THAT should scare every employee and contractor of the State Department AND every other FedGov agency out there - they too can be just cannon fodder. **************** Your comments and feedback are welcome! Now PoL has its own forum at The Mental Militia! Check it out Nathan Barton Written from the Four Corners, a land and community which has some (but not much) freedom left, but where even that liberty hangs by a thread. Nathan is a christian, a free-market anarchist, military officer, engineer, and writer. Feel free to contact him through The Price of Liberty. Special Feature! Add your signature to the NEW Declaration of Independence By Robert Greenslade To Read previous Commentaries, go to the archives page and click onto the link for the week. The commentaries are linked from the weekly front pages. Please note: Information about readers is never given or sold to anyone for any purpose. Remember, however, that many people can read and recover anything posted to web sites or email unless it is carefully encrypted. Please take personal responsibility for what you post anywhere. MamaLiberty) |
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