Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Twitter to Launch "Lists"

Twitter is coming out with a new way to figure out who you should follow. Now you can search for key words, hash tags, or see who people you follow tweet with or follow. Soon, you will be able to lists of users that are categorized and recommended in groups. It sounds to me like a more formalized "#FollowFriday" where you can follow everyone recommended with a lot fewer mouse clicks.

http://blog.twitter.com/2009/09/soon-to-launch-lists.html

"The idea is to allow people to curate lists of Twitter accounts. For example, you could create a list of the funniest Twitter accounts of all time, athletes, local businesses, friends, or any compilation that makes sense.

Lists are public by default (but can be made private) and the lists you've created are linked from your profile. Other Twitter users can then subscribe to your lists. This means lists have the potential to be an important new discovery mechanism for great tweets and accounts.
"

Empire State Building Lit up For 60th Anniversary of Communist China

Here are some pictures I took of the Empire State Building lit up in honor of the 60th anniversary of Communist China. The pictures were taken near Union Square on (corner of 5th ave and 14th street).

Pictures embedded below.







http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hUZamhqvPGVrYZpGq_clUpC7dAUg

"New York's iconic Empire State Building will light up red and yellow Wednesday in honor of the 60th anniversary of communist China.

The Chinese consul, Peng Keyu, and other officials will take part in the lighting ceremony which will bathe the skyscraper in the colors of the People's Republic until Thursday, Empire State Building representatives said in a statement.
"

Saudi Arabia Gives Israel The Green Light to Use Their Airspace to Bomb Iran

Let me see if I have this strait; officials in the US are calling for America to shoot down Israeli jets headed to bomb Iranian nuclear sites if they fly over Iraq (Berman Post: Zbigniew Brzezinski - 'US Should Shoot Down Israeli Jets if They Cross Into Iraqi Airspace') and Saudi Arabia is giving Israel the 'green light' to use their airspace.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/130251/Saudis-will-let-Israel-bomb-Iran-nuclear-site (via http://minx.cc/?post=292926)

"INTELLIGENCE chief Sir John Scarlett has been told that Saudi Arabia is ready to allow Israel to bomb Iran’s new nuclear site.

The head of MI6 discussed the issue in London with Mossad chief Meir Dagan and Saudi officials after British intelligence officers helped to uncover the plant, in the side of a mountain near the ancient city of Qom.

The site is seen as a major threat by Tel Aviv and Riyadh. Details of the talks emerged after John Bolton, America’s former UN ambassador, told a meeting of intelligence analysts that “Riyadh certainly approves” of Israel’s use of Saudi airspace.
"

Israel to Trade 20 Prisoners For a Video of Gilad Shalit

Israel is preparing to trade 20 prisoners for a video of Gilad Shalit; a video. As I said in my last post about Shalit when it looked like he was about to be released (Berman Post: Gilad Shalit to be Released?); the problem with any deal is that it may encourage more cross boarder raids with the goal of capturing more Israeli soldiers to make deals with. That was when the probable trade was a prisoner exchange. This trade is prisoners for a video. It is an even worse idea because the incentive now is even greater. Capture an Israeli soldier and you do not even have to give them back to get prisoners, pictures of the captured soldier are enough.

http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=3.0.3829248471 (via http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/09/israel-set-to-swap-20-palestinian-prisoners-for-video-of-gilad-shalit.html)

"Israel is set to receive fresh video footage of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit proving he is alive in exchange for the release of 20 female Palestinian prisoners.

Shalit has been held in the Gaza Strip since his abduction in 2006 by Palestinian militants.

The video will be handed over after a decision by Israel's security cabinet to release 20 Palestinian women held in Israeli jails, Israeli daily Haaretz said on Wednesday.

The video will be viewed as definite proof that Shalit is still alive.
"

Time to Prank Congress

It seems like a sensible request that out representatives actually read the bills they vote on, before they vote on them (Berman Post: ReadTheBill.org and Berman Post: "Read The Bills Act" (RTBA)). Some of our representatives openly admit that they do not read the bills (Berman Post: Paul Hodes (D-NH) Admits to Not Reading The Bills Before Voting on Them and Berman Post: Specter Admits he Does Not Read Bills Before Voting on Them). Some even complain about the prospect of being forced to read the bills or make a joke out of the idea (Berman Post: Hoyer - "If Every Member Pledged to Not Vote For it if They Hadn’t Read it in Its Entirety, I Think we Would Have Very Few Votes" and Berman Post: Conyers - "What Good is Reading The Bill if it’s a Thousand Pages And You Don’t Have Two Days And Two Lawyers to Find Out What it Means"). They voted to not even let the public have enough time to read the bill before congress votes on them (Berman Post: Democrats Reject Amendment to Put Health Care Overhaul Online 72 Hours Before Vote). The above links are just the tip of the iceberg.

Instead of just asking nicely, or trying unsuccessfully to get measures passed forcing our representatives to read the bill, we could just prank them. How you ask? Relatively simply, get a provision placed in the middle of the bill saying; "anyone who votes yes to this bill without first mailing a letter to _____, agrees to donate 5% of their yearly taxpayer funded salary to be split evenly between everyone who sent the letter to the aforementioned address". I thought about a strait forfeiture of salary, but you want to incentivise the people who read the bill and find the provision to not tell others.

Ok, I am not actually calling for people to prank congress. I am not sure we could get anyone to add that line, and if someone did I do not want to be charged with treason. The real point is that if our representatives do not read the bills they vote on then someone could sneak something in and it may not be as harmless as a little prank.

Starbucks Makes a Town Hall Protester Joke in an Ad

Starbucks takes a crack at humor regarding the 'town hall protester' in a new ad.

Video embedded below. (from http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/29/video-new-starbucks-commercial-goofs-on-townhall-protesters [via http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/85973])

Bette Midler - 'Glenn Beck Could Set Off a Rwandan-Like Genocidal Conflict in America'

I do not recall Beck ever calling on Americans to grab there machete's and hunt people down.

Video embedded below. (From http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2009/09/30/bette-midler-warns-glenn-beck-could-set-rwanda-civil-war-u-s)

"Time Telescopes" to Increase Data Transfer Speed 27 Times Faster Than Current

Special lenses creating a 'time telescope' may be able to increase the transfer speed of fiber optic cables by 27x. It works be adding more data into each light pulse. The light is not speeding up, but each 'light information packet' has much more information.

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-09/time-telescopes-could-make-fiber-optics-27-times-faster

"If it were up to us, everything would be faster by at least one order of magnitude, but the laws of physics often get in the way of unlimited speed and efficiency. Take fiber optic data transfer: the pulses of light carrying data through the worldwide network of fiber optics move really fast, but alas, cannot go any faster than they do. However, scientists at Cornell University have figured out a way to pack more data into those pulses of light, using a system they're calling a "time telescope," which has the potential to increase fiber optic data speeds by 27 times.

The "time telescope" works by passing the data-laden pulses of light through two "time lenses." A silicon waveguide combines a passing light pulse with another infrared laser pulse that vibrates the atoms of the waveguide, in turn shifting the frequencies of the pulse before it exits the waveguide. The front of the wave pulse is shifted down in frequency, the back end shifted up. The result: the front slows, the rear speeds up, and the light pulse crushes together like a soda can that's been stepped on, with the rear catching up to the front right at the lens's focal point.
"

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Senate Makes it Extra Clear That ACORN Will Get no Funds From Them

The Senate just wanted to make it extra clear, as Congress has done (Berman Post: Congress Makes it Extra Clear That ACORN Will Get no Funds From Them), that ACORN will get no funding from them (Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing).

http://congress.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/09/29/with-no-fanfare-senate-hits-acorn-again

"With no fanfare and no roll call vote, not even a speech -- the Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved an amendment by Sen. Mike Johanns, R-NE, that bars any funds from the Defense spending bill from going to ACORN.

Johanns promised to introduce a similar amendment on every spending bill Congress considers this year, until the chamber takes up his broader bill that would impose permanent ban on ACORN receiving any federal funds.

It took the Senate a little over one minute to consider the measure.
"

Past related posts: (see ACORN label for the latest)
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in Baltimore Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Child Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Coverage of ACORN's Latest Scandal
Berman Post: Census Bureau Cuts Ties With ACORN
Berman Post: People Facing Prosecution in ACORN Scandal Are ... The People Who Exposed Them!?!
Berman Post: Complete Audio of ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in NY Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Patricia Jessamy, The Person Who Decides Who to Prosecute in The ACORN Scandal, is an Avid Obama Supporter / Contributor
Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing
Berman Post: Lack of ACORN Scandal Coverage in MSM, And Obama's Connection to ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Was Operating Illegally in Maryland?
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: RICO Charges Warranted Against ACORN?
Berman Post: Jon Stewart Skewers The Main Stream Media Over Ignoring ACORN Controversy
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Two)
Berman Post: Andrew Cuomo And Christine Quinn Moving to Freeze ACORN (NY) Funding Pending an Investigation
Berman Post: ACORN Orders a Halt to Any New Intakes Into ACORN's Service Programs Pending Completion of an Independent Review
Berman Post: Gibbs Calls ACORN Employees' Conduct "Completely Unacceptable"
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Three)
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution (Video)
Berman Post: House Passes H R 3221 by a Vote of 345-75 to Defund ACORN
Berman Post: "ACORN’s Internal Audit is a Sham"
Berman Post: Leno Skewers ACORN
Berman Post: Minnesota Governor Orders Stop All ACORN Funding
Berman Post: "ACORN Funded Prostitution Zone"
Berman Post: Breitbart - 'Release Method of ACORN Videos Designed to Show Lying / Corrupt ACORN And Media
Berman Post: Doug Giles Talks About His Daughter's ACORN Expose
Berman Post: Obama is For an Investigation Into ACORN, Says it is Something he Has Not Followed Closely
Berman Post: Bertha Lewis on Fox News Sunday
Berman Post: Power Line Blog Defends James O'Keefe
Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe
Berman Post: Alfonzo on "The Squiraliness of ACORN"
Berman Post: ACORN's Tax Issue
Berman Post: ACORN Scrubbed From Serve.gov Site
Berman Post: Washington Post Runs a 'Correction' For an Unfair Attack Against O'Keefe
Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Sues James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles And Andrew Breitbart
Berman Post: IRS Files Two-Million Dollar Lien Against ACORN
Berman Post: Congress Makes it Extra Clear That ACORN Will Get no Funds From Them
Berman Post: Treasury Inspector General Agrees to Review ACORN

Alan Grayson (D) - "The Republicans Want You to Die Quickly if You Get Sick"

Alan Grayson (D) has a slightly skewed notion of what the Republican health care plan alternative is.

Video embedded below. (from http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/29/video-democratic-idiot-explains-the-gop-health-care-plan-to-you)

Iranian Revolution - Aftermath

The Iranian Revolution (Iranian Revolution (GR88)) is over . The flare ups, and there will likely be more, do not change that. There are a few lessons to be learned from the experience. (See "Past related posts" toward the bottom of the page for more information regarding the references and statements about the revolution.)

Most important is that the desire for freedom knows know geographic, ethnic, religious or cultural bounds. As you look around the world, the quest for freedom may use different means and have apparent different outcomes, but the effect sought is the same. There are exceptions to this rule, but they require a level of indoctrination and isolation that is increasingly hard to sustain. The people of Iran yearn to be free. The sacrifices they made, and some continue to make, is undeniable.

Most obvious from the failure; a well armed government is easily able to keep an unarmed population suppressed as long as they are willing to implement brutal tactics. This truth is not knew. There have been other examples in history where the choice has come down to massacre the peaceful marchers or capitulate to their demands/desires. Technological advances mean that fewer people are needed to comply with the 'massacre' order, and that the choice will almost certainly be broadcast live to the world.

Most dishearteningly, there is serious question as to if the United States will stand with and throw its weight behind the people trying to remove the shackles of oppression. We certainly did not here; and adding Israel (Berman Post: Obama Calls For a Contiguous Palestinian State? Split Israel in Half?) and Honduras (Berman Post: Obama Administration Cuts Off Aid to Honduras) it may be part of new trend.

Most interesting is the new roll technology plays in these struggles. Everyone has the capacity to be a mass publisher with both large and linked-small networks of people making it extremely difficult to cut off the information flow. Large masses of people can be assembled in relatively short order, with no need to drag the big media agencies along. The notion of a 'citizen soldier' also takes on a completely new meaning. People half way around the globe can help the revolutionaries in a wide verity of ways. They can helping disseminate information and keep it flowing, hide the revolutionaries using proxies and masking, and even launch attacks by hacking or participating in Denial of Service attacks, all from safety. Helping in these ways does not even require being tech savvy anymore, just being willing to download a program on your computer and leave it running.

Most promisingly is that an oppressive government does not change people's desire for freedom. It just pushes it underground. You see that in Iran with the 'flare ups'. You do not see it in the secrete meetings they are having as they reorganize and plan; but do not make the mistake in thinking that they are not. There are other methods at there disposal that are being implemented. The specifics are not as important as the effects. Some people say that the revolution, even failed, has weakened and cracked the foundation of the authoritarian regime. Others say that the effect was more to highlight them instead of create them. Either way, the cracks are certainly their now and people are working behind the scenes to widen them.

This revolution attempt may be over, but I am confident/hopeful that I will live to see more, one that may finally succeed. My guess is that they are waiting for a leadership change in the United States or some evidence that we have once again started supporting people marching for freedom. That or for a military strike against their countries nuclear facilities using the destruction of command and control centers as part of the attack as a perfect time to take to the streets with a weaker and disorganized government.

Past related posts: (Label - Iranian Revolution (GR88))
Berman Post: Iranian Election Viewed as Rigged
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Protest (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Riots Continue
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Protest at Union Square (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Six)
Berman Post: Prayer Vigil For The Fallen Iranian Protesters (NYC)
Berman Post: Iranian Election Fraud Riots (Day Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Ten)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eleven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twelve)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fourteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Sixteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Seventeen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Eighteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Nineteen)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Twenty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Thirty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Seven)
Berman Post: How Obama Should Have Handled The Iranian Protests
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Forty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Three)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Four)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Five)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Six)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Seven)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Eight)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Fifty-Nine)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Sixty)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Sixty-One)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution (Day Sixty-Two)
Berman Post: Iranian Revolution - Over
Berman Post: Flare up in Iran

Alfonzo on Obama Worship

If he had only waited a few hours (Berman Post: Community Organizers Praying to Obama?); then again, he already had plenty of material.

Video embedded below.

Community Organizers Praying to Obama?

It is hard to tell exactly what is going on in the video, but it is being reported as Community Organizers appearing to pray to Obama when he was president elect.

Video embedded below. (from http://www.breitbart.tv/shock-discovery-community-organizers-pray-to-president-elect-obama)

A Third Video of School Kids Singing For Obama

Here is a third clip of school children Singing for Obama (first Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama?, second Berman Post: Another Video of Kids School Kids Singing About Obama). This one reportedly took place at a PTA meeting meaning that the parents were likely watching. Not sure if that makes this better or worse; better that knew, worse that the parents saw nothing wrong with this.

Video embedded below. (from http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/28/video-hey-whos-up-for-another-clip-of-kids-chanting-about-obama)

Monday, September 28, 2009

MySpace Bombards Twitter With Status Updates, Pushes Lnk.ms to Second Place

MySpace's Twitter integration has led to a flood of status updates to Twitter (Berman Post: Twitter Integrated Into MySpace and AOL). So many in fact, that MySpace's url shortener is now the second most used on Twitter. It is a distant second from bit.ly, but more than 50 percent ahead of third place tinyurl.com.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/09/28/myspace-floods-twitter-with-status-updates-now-no-2-source-of-short-links

"Never underestimate the power of two-way sync and large social networks. A week ago, MySpace turned on two-way sync with Twitter, allowing members to post their status updates to Twitter directly from MySpace. Those updates appear in Twitter with a short link back to MySpace, using MySpace’s own link shortener, “http://lnk.ms/.”

MySpace status updates are now flooding Twitter. Those MySpace short links account for 17 percent of all passed links on Twitter, according to Tweetmeme, making it the No. 2 link shortener after bit.ly, which rules with 68 percent. The day of the launch, lnk.ms accounted for 8.56 percent of all passed links on Twitter. MySpace has had its own short URL for about six months, but it’s only now taking off with two-way sync.
"

Obama Regarding Iran - ""I'm Not Interested in Victory"

Obama had a rather interested choice of words when asked a question about Iran.

http://hotairpundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-at-g-20-on-iran-im-not-interested.html

"


Well done Chip Reid....You showed the President's hand...
Reid: Thank you Mr. President, you just mentioned sanctions that have bite, what kinds of sanction, and I know you can't get into details but what kind of sanctions at all would have bite with Iran, do you really think that any kind of sanctions would have any effect on somebody like Ahmadinejad, secondly some of your advisers today said that this announcement was a victory, do you consider it a victory and if so why didn't you announce it earlier since you have known since you were President elect?..
Obama flustered by the question,
"I'm not interested in victory, I'm interested in solving the problem "
"

Obama Calls For a Contiguous Palestinian State? Split Israel in Half?

At Obama's address to the United Nations, he seemed to call for a contiguous Palestinian State. The comment has seemingly gone unnoticed but has huge implications. Specifically, Obama called for "Palestinian state with contiguous territory". Look at a map, the only way to connect Gaza and the West Bank is to cut Israel in half. That or 'book end' Israel will a long string boarder around Israel. With the possibility of shooting down Israeli planes heading toward Iran (Berman Post: Zbigniew Brzezinski - 'US Should Shoot Down Israeli Jets if They Cross Into Iraqi Airspace'), continued attacks against 'settlements' (Berman Post: Obama Administration Attacks Israel Over 'Settlement' Construction) taking an even stronger tone in his speech at the UN, resulting in a relationship in tatters (Berman Post: Only Four Percent of Israeli Jews Think Obama is Pro-Israel), this does not seem as crazy a notion as it would have a year ago. That is for a United States president to make such a proposal potentially cutting Israel in half.

Video embedded below. (jump to 20:50)



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/us/politics/24prexy.text.html?pagewanted=all (bold mine)

"I will also continue to seek a just and lasting peace between Israel, Palestine, and the Arab world. (Applause.) We will continue to work on that issue. Yesterday, I had a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas. We have made some progress. Palestinians have strengthened their efforts on security. Israelis have facilitated greater freedom of movement for the Palestinians. As a result of these efforts on both sides, the economy in the West Bank has begun to grow. But more progress is needed. We continue to call on Palestinians to end incitement against Israel, and we continue to emphasize that America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. (Applause.)

The time has come -- the time has come to re-launch negotiations without preconditions that address the permanent status issues: security for Israelis and Palestinians, borders, refugees, and Jerusalem. And the goal is clear: Two states living side by side in peace and security -- a Jewish state of Israel, with true security for all Israelis; and a viable, independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967, and realizes the potential of the Palestinian people. (Applause.)
"

Pictures Can be Misleading

Pictures can be misleading, even when they are not doctored.

Video embedded below. (from http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/was-president-obama-kissing-another.html)

Democrats Reject Amendment to Put Health Care Overhaul Online 72 Hours Before Vote

Not only does Congress seem to refuse to read the bills they vote on, indeed some consider the notion comical, but they are trying to make sure that the public does not have an opportunity to read them until after they pass. Democrats rejected an amendment purposed by the Republicans that would require the Health Care bill be online for three days before the vote. The reason the Democrats rejected it, because it would delay voting for a week or so. So what; a complete overhaul of our health care system and a major chunk of the economy can not wait an extra week or two to make sure it is the right move?!?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jlMpJGn28kqCcgU-aGcYE_ZHW-ywD9AT460O0 (via http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/85646)

"Senate Finance Committee Democrats have rejected a GOP amendment that would have required a health overhaul bill to be available online for 72 hours before the committee votes.

Republicans argued that transparency is an Obama administration goal. They also noted that their constituents are demanding that they read bills before voting.

Democrats said it was a delay tactic that could have postponed a vote for weeks.
"

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Another Video of Kids School Kids Singing About Obama

A second video of school children singing to Obama has surfaced (first Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama?). This one does not seem nearly as bad as the other.

Video embedded below. (from http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/26/the-obligatory-second-video-of-kids-singing-about-obama)



Transcript (from the Youtube page)

"The Obama Song ("Proud American")
By Mr. B and the students of Room 8
February 2009

Obama is the President!
First African America in history
44th president of the United States
The ground has shifted
The world has changed!

CHORUS:
Oooo Im a proud American
Oooo yes yes yes yes YES WE CAN!

Im going to study really hard just like Barack
Learning never ever stops
Gonna set my goals HIGH and graduate
You might be looking at the President of 2048!

We are a nation of a thousand colors, look at me
Our strength is our diversity
Walking hand in hand we sing
Each a day a little closer to the dream of Dr. King

(Exerpt from MLK's "I Have a Dream, 1963)

Together we walk
Me and you
So so much work
Left to do.
"

Terrorists Use a "Body Bomb"

Terrorists used a 'body bomb' in an attack on a Saudi Prince. The explosive was implanted in the terrorist's body and set of by a cell phone. It is unclear exactly what if any screening the man went through, but such devises seem exceptionally hard to detect. This could become a massive security problem.

Video embedded below. (from http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/27/video-the-implications-of-the-body-bomb)

Safe Tweeting Advice from CNN

Twitter can be a very useful tool for disseminating and gathering information. If you do not know what you are doing, you could end up following the wrong link and downloading a virus or become the victim of a phishing attack. CNN offers some useful tips on staying safe on Twitter.

Video embedded below.



http://mashable.com/2009/09/26/cnn-trustworthy-tweeting

"Mashable’s Ben Parr joined via phone and highlighted Powertwitter.me, a browser add-on that expands short URLs so you know what you’re about to click on. He also pointed to Tweetblocker, a Twitter spam-fighting site we’ve covered before on Mashable (Mashable): the site lets you enter a username and see if that person is a spammer.

Another site highlighted: TweetGrade. This handy tool lets you enter a Twitter username and see how worthwhile it would be to follow that person: it’s particularly useful if you receive a message that the person is following you and want to know if you should follow them back.

A final tip offered (and probably the most valuable): the account Twitter.com/spam is the official way to report spammers to the Twitter (Twitter) staff. Just send a direct message to this account to let them know you’ve spotted a spammer.

"

Lefty Underwear

To long, left handed people have been discriminated against forced to wear underwear designed for right handed people. Fear not, for the discrimination has come to an end. Now lefties can go to the bathroom as efficiently as righties. Well, as efficiently as righties while not forced to use their right hands.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2651234/New-pants-give-access-to-left.html (via http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2009/09/breakthrough-for-mankind-underwear-for.html)

"PANTS designed for lefties have gone on sale in the UK for the first time — saving men up to three potentially vital seconds when visiting the loo.

The ground-breaking underwear will have an opening slit made HORIZONTALLY at the top of the gusset, instead of the right-hand side.

It means left-handed men won't get left behind when they fumble for access in front of the urinal.
"

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Treasury Inspector General Agrees to Review ACORN

The Treasury Inspector General Agrees joins the Justice Department Inspector General (Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe) in launching a review or investigation of ACORN.

http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/24/breaking-treasury-inspector-general-to-review-acorn

"Treasury Department Inspector General, J. Russell George agreed to comply with a request submitted by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) to conduct a review of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and of the IRS’s oversight of nonprofit organizations."

Past related posts: (see ACORN label for the latest)
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in Baltimore Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Child Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Coverage of ACORN's Latest Scandal
Berman Post: Census Bureau Cuts Ties With ACORN
Berman Post: People Facing Prosecution in ACORN Scandal Are ... The People Who Exposed Them!?!
Berman Post: Complete Audio of ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in NY Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Patricia Jessamy, The Person Who Decides Who to Prosecute in The ACORN Scandal, is an Avid Obama Supporter / Contributor
Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing
Berman Post: Lack of ACORN Scandal Coverage in MSM, And Obama's Connection to ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Was Operating Illegally in Maryland?
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: RICO Charges Warranted Against ACORN?
Berman Post: Jon Stewart Skewers The Main Stream Media Over Ignoring ACORN Controversy
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Two)
Berman Post: Andrew Cuomo And Christine Quinn Moving to Freeze ACORN (NY) Funding Pending an Investigation
Berman Post: ACORN Orders a Halt to Any New Intakes Into ACORN's Service Programs Pending Completion of an Independent Review
Berman Post: Gibbs Calls ACORN Employees' Conduct "Completely Unacceptable"
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Three)
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution (Video)
Berman Post: House Passes H R 3221 by a Vote of 345-75 to Defund ACORN
Berman Post: "ACORN’s Internal Audit is a Sham"
Berman Post: Leno Skewers ACORN
Berman Post: Minnesota Governor Orders Stop All ACORN Funding
Berman Post: "ACORN Funded Prostitution Zone"
Berman Post: Breitbart - 'Release Method of ACORN Videos Designed to Show Lying / Corrupt ACORN And Media
Berman Post: Doug Giles Talks About His Daughter's ACORN Expose
Berman Post: Obama is For an Investigation Into ACORN, Says it is Something he Has Not Followed Closely
Berman Post: Bertha Lewis on Fox News Sunday
Berman Post: Power Line Blog Defends James O'Keefe
Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe
Berman Post: Alfonzo on "The Squiraliness of ACORN"
Berman Post: ACORN's Tax Issue
Berman Post: ACORN Scrubbed From Serve.gov Site
Berman Post: Washington Post Runs a 'Correction' For an Unfair Attack Against O'Keefe
Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Sues James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles And Andrew Breitbart
Berman Post: IRS Files Two-Million Dollar Lien Against ACORN
Berman Post: Congress Makes it Extra Clear That ACORN Will Get no Funds From Them

"Did you know?" (Economist)

This video hits you with a lot of interesting information fast.

Video embedded below. (from http://mashable.com/2009/09/25/media-convergence-stats)

"Fly Next to Your Children Fee" on British Airways

British Airways will now be charging passengers between 10 and 60 British Pounds to ensure they are sitting next to a family member; per seat. I wonder what they would do if someone with small children either refused to pay or just forgot. Could they really separate a infant from their parents?

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/25/british-airways-adds.html

"British Airways has broken new exciting new ground in the race to make flying as awful as possible: they have announced a fee (ranging from £10-60 per passenger) for advance seat selection, explaining that this will be the only way that families and other groups travelling together can be assured that they'll be sitting next to each other."

Congress Makes it Extra Clear That ACORN Will Get no Funds From Them

The House of Representatives voted for a temporary budget extension, but made sure to make it extra clear that the extension will in no way be used to give ACORN more funds.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/09/congress_slaps.html

"The House voted today to avert a possible government shutdown next week by temporarily extending the current federal budget. But Democrats inserted a provision saying that ACORN could not receive funding under the stopgap measure or any prior legislation."

Past related posts: (see ACORN label for the latest)
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in Baltimore Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Child Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Coverage of ACORN's Latest Scandal
Berman Post: Census Bureau Cuts Ties With ACORN
Berman Post: People Facing Prosecution in ACORN Scandal Are ... The People Who Exposed Them!?!
Berman Post: Complete Audio of ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in NY Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Patricia Jessamy, The Person Who Decides Who to Prosecute in The ACORN Scandal, is an Avid Obama Supporter / Contributor
Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing
Berman Post: Lack of ACORN Scandal Coverage in MSM, And Obama's Connection to ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Was Operating Illegally in Maryland?
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: RICO Charges Warranted Against ACORN?
Berman Post: Jon Stewart Skewers The Main Stream Media Over Ignoring ACORN Controversy
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Two)
Berman Post: Andrew Cuomo And Christine Quinn Moving to Freeze ACORN (NY) Funding Pending an Investigation
Berman Post: ACORN Orders a Halt to Any New Intakes Into ACORN's Service Programs Pending Completion of an Independent Review
Berman Post: Gibbs Calls ACORN Employees' Conduct "Completely Unacceptable"
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Three)
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution (Video)
Berman Post: House Passes H R 3221 by a Vote of 345-75 to Defund ACORN
Berman Post: "ACORN’s Internal Audit is a Sham"
Berman Post: Leno Skewers ACORN
Berman Post: Minnesota Governor Orders Stop All ACORN Funding
Berman Post: "ACORN Funded Prostitution Zone"
Berman Post: Breitbart - 'Release Method of ACORN Videos Designed to Show Lying / Corrupt ACORN And Media
Berman Post: Doug Giles Talks About His Daughter's ACORN Expose
Berman Post: Obama is For an Investigation Into ACORN, Says it is Something he Has Not Followed Closely
Berman Post: Bertha Lewis on Fox News Sunday
Berman Post: Power Line Blog Defends James O'Keefe
Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe
Berman Post: Alfonzo on "The Squiraliness of ACORN"
Berman Post: ACORN's Tax Issue
Berman Post: ACORN Scrubbed From Serve.gov Site
Berman Post: Washington Post Runs a 'Correction' For an Unfair Attack Against O'Keefe
Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Sues James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles And Andrew Breitbart
Berman Post: IRS Files Two-Million Dollar Lien Against ACORN

Friday, September 25, 2009

Obama's Health Care Speech Used to Indoctrinate Students

Obama's Health Care Speech (Berman Post: Obama Address Congress on Health Care Plan) appears to have been used to try an indoctrinate Students. The speech was not shown at the school, but the anatomy teacher made their class watch it and then gave a quiz on it. The quiz appeared to be more than your garden variety 'were you paying attention', but forced the students to accept what Obama said as fact after stifling an attempt at debate. Given that this happened to a class of high school seniors it is not as egregious as indoctrinating young school kids (Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama?), but it is still wrong for a teacher to push their ideology on their students.

http://smartgirlnation.com/2009/09/the-president-speaks-to-our-children-information-or-indoctrination

"Her daughter, a senior in high school, had come home upset because, although the speech was not shown in her school, her anatomy teacher had made the class watch the President’s health care speech. After the video was shown, the students were given a short quiz about the speech. The questions asked gave the assumption that the answers provided in the President’s speech were fact and not opinion. The students were given no opportunity to discuss opposing views or have a debate on the topic. In fact, when one student stated that the President had lied, the student was told that kind of talk was unnecessary. Students in the class with opposing views were forced to remain silent or whisper amongst themselves.

The daughter of our member was so upset about what had occurred that she refused to finish the quiz and brought it home to her mother for review. A copy of the quiz is provided below. Some of these students were educated on the health care debate going on in the country, while others simply took the information as fact and filled out their quiz. For those students, President Obama’s speech was their education. Is that not considered indoctrination?
"

Copy of the quiz available at the source.

Baby Dancing to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"

Video embedded below.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu's Speech to The United Nations

It is about a half-hour long; watch the whole thing.

Videos embedded below. (from http://yidwithlid.blogspot.com/2009/09/netanyahu-to-world-shame-on-you.html)







Jump to Search Snippet

Google is rolling out an improvement to the search function. This is not a change to their search algorithms, but in how you get to what you are looking for. When searching, a mini blurb or excerpt is show under the link to give you an idea the result has what you are looking for. In pages with a lot of text, you may only be interested in the content surrounding that small snippet, but it can be frustrating trying to find it. Previously you had to either skim the page or try a "find". Google now offers a direct link to open the page right where the snippet is to make the process easier.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/jump-to-information-you-want-right-from.html

"Normally, a search snippet shows how a page, as a whole, relates to a your query by excerpting content that appears near and around where your query terms show on the page. But what if only one section of the page is relevant to your search?

That's where these new features can help, by providing links within the snippet to relevant sections of the page, making it faster and easier to find what you're looking for. Imagine, for example, that we're researching trans fats and cholesterol, and their effects on the body. If we start with a generic query like [trans fats], Google returns several results with lots of information about trans fats in general, including this result from Wikipedia:

Now, included with the snippet are links to specific sections within the page, covering different subtopics of trans fats. Since we're particularly interested in what's healthy and what's not, "Nutritional guidelines" is probably where the most relevant information is. Clicking this link will take you directly to that section, midway down the page.
"

Zbigniew Brzezinski - 'US Should Shoot Down Israeli Jets if They Cross Into Iraqi Airspace'

Zbigniew Brzezinski opined that we should shoot down Israeli planes on their way to bomb Iran if they cross in to Iraqi airspace. Before delving a little deeper, it is important to point out that Brzezinski is not just some random loon from the street but an; "adviser to former US president Jimmy Carter, described the Bush administration's policy of maintaining the option of military action against Iran as "counterproductive."

Now Brzezinski, who advises Obama on foreign policy, is calling for the US to shoot down Israeli jets.
Brzezinski is known to be anti-Israel.
" (http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/obama-foreign-policy-advisor-calls-for.html).

Think about this for a second, Americans shooting down Israeli planes to protect Iran's nuclear program. While I hope we are a ways off, that is the general direction our relationship with Israel seems headed (Berman Post: Obama Administration Attacks Israel Over 'Settlement' Construction and Berman Post: Only Four Percent of Israeli Jews Think Obama is Pro-Israel). Would Obama give the order; I hope not. Giving the order or not is only one branch of a potentially disastrous move. If Obama does not give the order, he also has the option to warn Iran; a move that could be almost as damaging to Israel's efforts.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/09/brezinski_calls_for_obama_to_s.asp

"In a little noticed interview with the Daily Beast (presumably little noticed because serious people don't read the Daily Beast), Zbigniew Brzezinski suggests that Barack Obama do more than just refuse to support an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear sites -- the American president must give the order to shoot down Israeli aircraft as they cross Iraqi airspace:



DB: How aggressive can Obama be in insisting to the Israelis that a military strike might be in America’s worst interest?



Brzezinski: We are not exactly impotent little babies. They have to fly over our airspace in Iraq. Are we just going to sit there and watch?



DB: What if they fly over anyway?



Brzezinski: Well, we have to be serious about denying them that right. That means a denial where you aren’t just saying it. If they fly over, you go up and confront them. They have the choice of turning back or not. No one wishes for this but it could be a Liberty in reverse.



Contrary to Brezinski's half-hearted disclaimer that no one wishes for such an outcome, there are plenty on the left who would delight in a pitched battle between the United States and Israel. Democrats in Congress routinely support resolutions affirming Israel's right to take whatever steps it deems necessary to assure its own national defense. And Obama has at least paid lip service to the concept. But hostility to Israel among the rank and file is very real on the left -- and among "realists."

"

New Jersey's Department of Education Commissioner Orders Review of School Children 'Indoctrination Song'

Education Department spokeswoman Beth Auerswald said that New Jersey's Department of Education Commissioner has ordered a review of the children being taught to sing Obama's praises as an official school activity on school time. The superintendent has been directed to investigate, but the person already put out a statement indicating they were more upset it was video taped and released then it happened (Berman Post: School Kids Being Taught to Praise Obama Was an Official School Activity).

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/24/elementary-school-students-reportedly-taught-songs-praising-president-obama

"The commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Education ordered a review on Friday following the posting of a YouTube video depicting school children singing the praises of President Obama.

In a statement to FOXNews.com, Education Department spokeswoman Beth Auerswald said the commissioner has directed the school's superintendent to review the matter. Auerswald said the commissioner wants to ensure that students can celebrate Black History Month without "inappropriate partisan politics in the classroom."

"In addition, it is our understanding the teacher in question retired at the end of the last school year," the statement continued.

Auerswald declined to indicate exactly what the review would entail or possible ramifications.
"

Past related posts:
Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama?
Berman Post: School Kids Being Taught to Praise Obama Was an Official School Activity
Berman Post: Norah O’Donnell (MSNBC) Seems to Find Nothing Wrong With Kids Being Taught to Sing Obama's Praises

Women Pregnant Twice at The Same Time !?!

A lady from Arkansas got pregnant twice, nothing unusual about that. What is so unusual is that she got pregnant twice at the same time. In other words she got pregnant while she was already pregnant. The medical term for this is "superfetation" meaning conceiving while pregnant. There are only about ten documented human cases of superfetation, and there is some question to if some of them were legitimate / misdiagnosed.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ReproductiveHealth/pregnant-woman-pregnant-julia-grovenburg-conceives-consecutively/story?id=8656369

"Doctors successfully located Todd and Julia Grovenburg's growing baby girl Jillian, but then discovered another smaller baby -- what could be Jillian's younger brother -- growing beside her.

The Grovenburgs may have conceived their son Hudson a full two-and-a-half weeks after Jillian, according to statements given to KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith-Fayetteville, Ark.

Different from identical twins or fraternal twins, the Grovenburg babies would have separate due dates and are considered to be a rare medical occurrence.
...
Reports of superfetation, or conceiving while pregnant, are so rare that Boyle said, "There is no prevalence or incidence in the literature. I could only find about 10 reported cases."

Grovenburg's obstetrician, Dr. Michel Muylaert, confirmed to KFSM-TV that the Grovenburgs may be dealing with the extraordinarily rare case of superfetation.
"

Norah O’Donnell (MSNBC) Seems to Find Nothing Wrong With Kids Being Taught to Sing Obama's Praises

Norah O’Donnell (MSNBC) apparently sees nothing wrong with you school kids being taught to Sing Obama's praises during school time as an official school activity (Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama? and Berman Post: School Kids Being Taught to Praise Obama Was an Official School Activity). I wonder if she would feel the same way if they were singing about a Republican? It really should not matter. It is completely inappropriate for a teacher to be pushing political ideology on students regardless of age, but is especially troubling when it is done to to children so young.

Video embedded below. (from http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2009/09/24/msnbc-s-norah-o-donnell-aggressively-defends-video-kids-singing-obam) (transcript of the exchange at the source)

A Lamp That Uses Human Blood For Energy

A lamp has been created that runs on human blood. You break off the top, drop in a tablet, then drop in some of you blood. It is a one time use lamp designed so that "the user must consider when light is needed the most, forcing them to rethink how wasteful they are with energy, and how precious it is". Um, I think this is how the Matrix started...

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/09/23/lamp-that-runs-on-hu.html

"Mike Thompson's "Blood Lamp" is a single-use lantern that draws its energy from a drop of your blood, making you consider the cost of energy in a uniquely personal way.




For the lamp to work one breaks the top off, dissolves the tablet, and uses their own blood to power a simple light. By creating a lamp that can only be used once
"

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Twitter Integrated Into MySpace and AOL

A clear sign that both Twitter is becoming more main stream and the trend toward integration is accelerating, Twitter has been integrated in to MySpace and AOL. This means some of the 'work-arounds' may now fall by the wayside.

http://blog.twitter.com/2009/09/myspace-gets-twitterized.html

"This week, fans of MySpace have started taking their @usernames with them by syncing their accounts with Twitter.

When you sync your MySpace account with Twitter, you'll be able to update your status as you normally would from your home page, status and mood page, or mobile phone. When you update your status on MySpace it will also update Twitter—and, the reverse is true.
"

http://blog.twitter.com/2009/09/one-more-thing-twitteraol.html

"Like we said earlier today, people should read or write tweets wherever they prefer and there's a large portion of Internet users who prefer AOL. As a proud partner in AOL Lifestream, Twitter will be smoothly integrated into AIM, Bebo, and AOL.com. Some of your other favorite services like YouTube, Flickr, Digg, and Facebook are also part of the action."

School Kids Being Taught to Praise Obama Was an Official School Activity

The school children being taught to sing Obama's praises (Berman Post: School Children Taught to Praise Obama?) were done so as an official school activity. In the official statement put out by the Superintendent Christopher Manno, they seem more disturbed that it was video taped and posted online then the action itself.

http://exurbanleague.com/2009/09/24/confirmed-kids-praising-obama-an-official-public-school-activity.aspx

"The Burlington Township School District, to which B. Bernice Youngs Elementary School belongs, posted the following Letter to Parents this morning.
Dear Burlington Township Families:

Today we became aware of a video that was placed on the internet which has been reported in the media. The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama. The activity took place during Black History Month in 2009, which is recognized each February to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country. Our curriculum studies, honors and recognizes those who serve our country. The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized.

If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me or Dr. King, Principal of B. Bernice Young School, directly.

Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher M. Manno,
Superintendent of Schools
So, a public school had an official lesson using impressionable children to praise Barack Obama. The song they used even co-opted lyrics from "Jesus Loves the Little Children" with Obama's name inserted in place of God.
"

IRS Files Two-Million Dollar Lien Against ACORN

It seems that the IRS did not just cut ties with ACORN (Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN), they also filed a $2,000,000 dollar lien.

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2009/09/irs-severs.html

"The IRS has severed ties with ACORN, after several of its employees were caught on video giving advice to a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp. (ACORN in the the past has worked with various groups in providing tax assistance to the poor through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).) In addition, the IRS has filed over $2 million in tax liens against the organization."

Past related posts: (see ACORN label for the latest)
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in Baltimore Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Child Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Coverage of ACORN's Latest Scandal
Berman Post: Census Bureau Cuts Ties With ACORN
Berman Post: People Facing Prosecution in ACORN Scandal Are ... The People Who Exposed Them!?!
Berman Post: Complete Audio of ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in NY Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Patricia Jessamy, The Person Who Decides Who to Prosecute in The ACORN Scandal, is an Avid Obama Supporter / Contributor
Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing
Berman Post: Lack of ACORN Scandal Coverage in MSM, And Obama's Connection to ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Was Operating Illegally in Maryland?
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: RICO Charges Warranted Against ACORN?
Berman Post: Jon Stewart Skewers The Main Stream Media Over Ignoring ACORN Controversy
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Two)
Berman Post: Andrew Cuomo And Christine Quinn Moving to Freeze ACORN (NY) Funding Pending an Investigation
Berman Post: ACORN Orders a Halt to Any New Intakes Into ACORN's Service Programs Pending Completion of an Independent Review
Berman Post: Gibbs Calls ACORN Employees' Conduct "Completely Unacceptable"
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Three)
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution (Video)
Berman Post: House Passes H R 3221 by a Vote of 345-75 to Defund ACORN
Berman Post: "ACORN’s Internal Audit is a Sham"
Berman Post: Leno Skewers ACORN
Berman Post: Minnesota Governor Orders Stop All ACORN Funding
Berman Post: "ACORN Funded Prostitution Zone"
Berman Post: Breitbart - 'Release Method of ACORN Videos Designed to Show Lying / Corrupt ACORN And Media
Berman Post: Doug Giles Talks About His Daughter's ACORN Expose
Berman Post: Obama is For an Investigation Into ACORN, Says it is Something he Has Not Followed Closely
Berman Post: Bertha Lewis on Fox News Sunday
Berman Post: Power Line Blog Defends James O'Keefe
Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe
Berman Post: Alfonzo on "The Squiraliness of ACORN"
Berman Post: ACORN's Tax Issue
Berman Post: ACORN Scrubbed From Serve.gov Site
Berman Post: Washington Post Runs a 'Correction' For an Unfair Attack Against O'Keefe
Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Sues James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles And Andrew Breitbart

ACORN Sues James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles And Andrew Breitbart

ACORN has filed suit against James O'Keefe, Hannah Giles and Andrew Breitbart. Technically speaking, the film makers may have violated the law and as such, may actually lose the case. I can not help feel like this is part of a trap though. The film makers have been a few steps ahead of ACORN and have not only expressed no fear from a law suit but actually dared ACORN to sue. The trap here may be a trade off between what ever the (hopefully) minuscule punishment is for illegally recording someone against the use of discovery to find out even more damming things to use to bring down ACORN.

http://biggovernment.com/2009/09/23/breaking-acorn-sues-hidden-camera-filmmakers

"Community activist group ACORN is suing the makers of a hidden-camera video that showed employees of its Baltimore office giving tax advice to a man posing as a pimp and a woman posing as a prostitute.

The liberal group contends that the audio portion of the video was obtained illegally because Maryland requires two-party consent to create sound recordings.
"

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9AT8VMO4&show_article=1

"The two employees seen in the video were fired after it was posted online. The lawsuit says the employees, Tonja Thompson and Shera Williams, suffered "extreme emotional distress."

The multimillion-dollar lawsuit seeks damages from James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles, who played the pimp and prostitute in the videos, and from conservative columnist Andrew Breitbart, who posted the videos on his Web site.
"

Past related posts: (see ACORN label for the latest)
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in Baltimore Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Child Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Coverage of ACORN's Latest Scandal
Berman Post: Census Bureau Cuts Ties With ACORN
Berman Post: People Facing Prosecution in ACORN Scandal Are ... The People Who Exposed Them!?!
Berman Post: Complete Audio of ACORN Employees in DC Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employees in NY Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: Patricia Jessamy, The Person Who Decides Who to Prosecute in The ACORN Scandal, is an Avid Obama Supporter / Contributor
Berman Post: Johanns Amendment #2355 to H.R. 3288 Passes - Senate Votes to Defunds ACORN Housing
Berman Post: Lack of ACORN Scandal Coverage in MSM, And Obama's Connection to ACORN
Berman Post: ACORN Was Operating Illegally in Maryland?
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution
Berman Post: RICO Charges Warranted Against ACORN?
Berman Post: Jon Stewart Skewers The Main Stream Media Over Ignoring ACORN Controversy
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Two)
Berman Post: Andrew Cuomo And Christine Quinn Moving to Freeze ACORN (NY) Funding Pending an Investigation
Berman Post: ACORN Orders a Halt to Any New Intakes Into ACORN's Service Programs Pending Completion of an Independent Review
Berman Post: Gibbs Calls ACORN Employees' Conduct "Completely Unacceptable"
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Bernardino (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Tax Evasion And Prostitution (Part Three)
Berman Post: ACORN Employee in San Diego (California) Give Advice to Pimp on Human Trafficking And Prostitution (Video)
Berman Post: House Passes H R 3221 by a Vote of 345-75 to Defund ACORN
Berman Post: "ACORN’s Internal Audit is a Sham"
Berman Post: Leno Skewers ACORN
Berman Post: Minnesota Governor Orders Stop All ACORN Funding
Berman Post: "ACORN Funded Prostitution Zone"
Berman Post: Breitbart - 'Release Method of ACORN Videos Designed to Show Lying / Corrupt ACORN And Media
Berman Post: Doug Giles Talks About His Daughter's ACORN Expose
Berman Post: Obama is For an Investigation Into ACORN, Says it is Something he Has Not Followed Closely
Berman Post: Bertha Lewis on Fox News Sunday
Berman Post: Power Line Blog Defends James O'Keefe
Berman Post: Justice Department Inspector General Launches Limited Internal ACORN Probe
Berman Post: Alfonzo on "The Squiraliness of ACORN"
Berman Post: ACORN's Tax Issue
Berman Post: ACORN Scrubbed From Serve.gov Site
Berman Post: Washington Post Runs a 'Correction' For an Unfair Attack Against O'Keefe
Berman Post: IRS Cuts Ties with ACORN
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