Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Obama - 'Unemployment’s at 9.6% But at Least it is Not 12, 13, or 15%'
Video embedded below.
Obama Mocks Commissions, Then Established Them
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20009286-503544.html
"President Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is meeting today as part of its efforts to craft recommendations by December on how best to address America's red-ink problem.
Mr. Obama established the commission in February, saying debt and deficits can "hobble our economy" and "saddle every child in America with an intolerable burden."
Yet the president's decision to establish a commission to address a problem he described as potentially catastrophic seems odd in light of his earlier criticism of commissions in general. As Ari Shapiro noted on National Public Radio today, the president mocked the notion of commissions to address problems back when he was a candidate.
Here's Mr. Obama on September 18, 2008, not long after the economic collapse: "Senator McCain's first answer to this economic crisis was - get ready for it - a commission. That's Washington-speak for 'we'll get back to you later.'"
"Folks, we don't need a commission to spend a few years and a lot of taxpayer money to tell us what's going on in our economy," he continued. "We don't need a commission to tell us gas prices are high or that you can't pay your bills. We don't need a commission to tell us you're losing your jobs. We don't need a commission to study this crisis, we need a President who will solve it - and that's the kind of President I intend to be.""
Independent Review Gates Arrest Concludes Both Missed Men Missed Opportunities to Deescalate
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/cambridge-police-to-release-review-of-gates-arrest-25-apx-20100630
"An independent review of last year's arrest of black Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. by a white police sergeant says both men missed opportunities to "ratchet down" the situation and end things more calmly.
The review released Wednesday said the incident was sparked by "misunderstandings and failed communications," and by a "certain degree of fear" each man had for the other."
Past related posts:
Berman Post: Obama - 'I do Not Have All The Facts, But The Police Acted Stupidly'
Berman Post: Henry Louis Gates Has a Tax Problem
Berman Post: Obama, Gates And Crowley to Meet Over a Beer Today
Berman Post: 'Beer Summit' Appears to Goes Well
Berman Post: 'Beer Summit' Aftermath
Berman Post: Gates Cracks Jokes Following The Beer Summit
Christian Adams (DOJ Attorney) Resigns Over Dismissal of Black Panthers Voter Intimidation Case
Update (7/1/2010): Part Two End of Update.
"Adams is scheduled to testify before the Commission on Civil Rights on July 6th. Stay tuned."
Past related posts:
Berman Post: Black Panthers Intimidating Voters in Pennsylvania?
Berman Post: Voter Intimidation Complaint Against Night Stick Wielding Black Panther Members Dismissed
Berman Post: Black Panther Who Intimidated Voters in Philadelphia Was/Is a Credentialed Poll Watcher For The Democrats
Berman Post: Inquiry Opened Into Dismissal of Black Panther Case
Berman Post: Obama's Justice Department Went to Bat For The Black Panther Then Covered it up
Biden Claims a GOP 'Blitzkrieg'
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2010/06/biden-claims-a-gop-blitzkrieg.html
"Vice President Biden is out with an alarmed e-mail cash appeal warning that the GOP will mount a “blitzkrieg” against Democrats in the fall.
Comparing GOP tactics to the fast-striking forces of Nazi Germany, Biden warns in a message sent by the DCCC today: “As things heat up, you can expect House Democrats will be hit with a GOP blitzkrieg of vicious Swift-Boat-style attack ads, Karl Rove-inspired knockout tactics, thinly veiled attempts at character assassination and tea party disruptions.”
And while the GOP is mounting a blitzkrieg, Democrats are the allies.
“Our Democratic allies in the House need your help, and the President and I hope we can count on you to come to their defense so we can hold onto our Democratic Majority and continue moving American forward in a new direction,” Biden writes in the appeal."
US Accepting Some International Assistance For BP Oil Spill
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/US-accepts-international-apf-4104246595.html?x=0&.v=2
"The United States is accepting help from 12 countries and international organizations in dealing with the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
...
The identities of all 12 countries and international organizations were not immediately announced. One country was cited in the State Department statement -- Japan, which is providing two high-speed skimmers and fire containment boom.
More than 30 countries and international organizations have offered to help with the spill. The State Department hasn't indicated why some offers have been accepted and others have not."
Ultrasound, a New Male Contraceptive?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/medicine/article7124582.ece
"A one-off blast of ultrasound could work as a reversible contraceptive for men, according to scientists.
If preliminary results are confirmed, applying therapeutic ultrasound to the testes for ten to fifteen minutes could be provide protection for up to six months.
James Tsuruta, of the University of North Carolina, who led the research, said: “We think this could provide men with reliable, low-cost, non-hormonal contraception from a single round of treatment.”"
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
First Ever Global Gravity Model of Earth
Picture embedded below.
"The sleek and sexy-looking GOCE satellite has provided a new, finely detailed look at Earth's gravity – in high definition. This is the first-ever global gravity model and is based on just two months of data from the low-flying GOCE. "GOCE is delivering where it promised: in the fine spatial scales," GOCE Mission Manager Rune Floberghagen said. "We have already been able to identify significant improvements in the high-resolution 'geoid', and the gravity model will improve as more data become available."
GOCE stands for Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer."
Breitbart Offers $100,000 For Full 'JournoList' Archive
http://bigjournalism.com/abreitbart/2010/06/29/reward-100000-for-full-journolist-archive-source-fully-protected
"I’ve had $100,000 burning in my pocket for the last three months and I’d really like to spend it on a worthy cause. So how about this: in the interests of journalistic transparency, and to offer the American public a unique insight in the workings of the Democrat-Media Complex, I’m offering $100,000 for the full “JournoList” archive, source fully protected. Now there’s an offer somebody can’t refuse.
Ezra Klein’s “JournoList 400” is the epitome of progressive and liberal collusion that conservatives, Tea Partiers, moderates and many independents have long suspected and feared exists at the heart of contemporary American political journalism. Now that collusion has been exposed when one of the weakest links in that cabal, Dave Weigel, was outed. Weigel was, in all likelihood, exposed because – to whoever the rat was who leaked his emails — he wasn’t liberal enough.
...
The fact that 400 journalists did not recognize how wrong their collusion, however informal, was shows an enormous ethical blind spot toward the pretense of impartiality. As journalists actively participated in an online brainstorming session on how best to spin stories in favor of one party against another, they continued to cash their paychecks from their employers under the impression that they would report, not spin the agreed-upon “news” on behalf of their “JournoList” peers.
The American people, at least half of whom are the objects of scorn of this group of 400, deserve to know who was colluding against them so that in the future they can better understand how the once-objective media has come to be so corrupted and despised.
We want the list of journalists that comprised the 400 members of the “JournoList” and we want the contents of the listserv. Why should Weigel be the only person exposed and humiliated?"
Robert Byrd (D) Dies at 92
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/robert-byrd-dead-92-senates-longest-serving-senator/story?id=6692830
"West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd , the longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate, died early this morning. He was 92.
...
Byrd always carried a copy of the Constitution and often pulled it out in one of his fiery speeches on the Senate floor. But what set him apart from other senators was that "he could put it back in his pocket and recite it verbatim, the whole Constitution," recalled Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont.
In his 51 years in the Senate, the Democratic senator cast more than 18,600 votes -- more than any other senator to date.
...
Despite his successful political track record, the Senate's senior Democrat was no stranger to controversy, and was once a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
Byrd said he joined the white supremacist group in 1942 because it "offered excitement." He claimed the Klan was an "effective force" in "promoting traditional American values" and "was strongly opposed to communism."
...
In a 1947 letter, Byrd vowed never to fight "with a Negro by my side. Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."
...
In 1964, Byrd filibustered the landmark civil rights legislation for more than 14 hours but later said it was his biggest regret in the Senate. Decades later, he opposed the nominations of the Supreme Court's two black justices -- liberal Thurgood Marshall and conservative Clarence Thomas."
Santelli - "Stop Spending, Stop Spending, Stop Spending"
Video embedded below.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Joe Biden - "There’s no Possibility to Restore 8 Million Jobs Lost in The Great Recession”
"Vice President Joe Biden gave a stark assessment of the economy today, telling an audience of supporters, "there's no possibility to restore 8 million jobs lost in the Great Recession.""
ChatRoulette Creating Penis-Recognition Algorithm to Block Problematic Users
http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2010-06/chatroulette-plans-genital-scanning-software-block-perverts (via)
"There's something exhilarating about meeting someone new, whether it's in a coffee shop or online. That is, until your new pal pulls a Lyndon Johnson and gets really friendly.
That sort of behavior is pretty common on Chatroulette, where users can "meet" and chat with random people with a click of a mouse. But to cut down on the parade of penises, the service is planning to add image-recognition software that will filter out shots of male genitalia, TechCrunch reports.
Changes could also include a system that flags users who are consistently "nexted" -- skipped past -- presumably because they are exposing themselves or otherwise being disgusting."
Feds Halt Berm-Building Dredging
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/23/feds-halt-berm-building-dredging-by-louisiana
"The feds did start building sand berms to keep the oil out of Louisiana wetlands, but late yesterday they blocked those efforts to save the Louisiana coast:
The federal government is shutting down the dredging that was being done to create protective sand berms in the Gulf of Mexico.
The berms are meant to protect the Louisiana coastline from oil. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department has concerns about where the dredging is being done.
If the federal government has “concerns” over the location of the dredging, then they should have made that decision immediately. After all, they have had 64 days now in which to react to the disaster by building these berms themselves. Governor Bobby Jindal has been shouting about this very issue since almost the first days of the crisis, along with skimmers, boom, and all sorts of other efforts.
Now, more than two months after the spill started, the government is still vacillating on the precise location from to dredge, a decision that should have been made in hours, not months. It’s yet another example of a lack of leadership and engagement on this crisis. Instead of throwing every available resource at the spill, the people in charge are debating the finer points of sand dredging as the oil washes up on shore. It’s as if this is a theoretical construct in a graduate-school bull session rather than a real-world disaster requiring actual leadership and decisiveness.
"Petraeus to Remove 'Courageous Restraint' Medal?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/25/petraeus-modify-afghanistan-rules-engagement-source-says
"A military source close to Gen. David Petraeus told Fox News that one of the first things the general will do when he takes over in Afghanistan is to modify the rules of engagement to make it easier for U.S. troops to engage in combat with the enemy, though a Petraeus spokesman pushed back on the claim.
Troops on the ground and some military commanders have said the strict rules -- aimed at preventing civilian casualties -- have effectively forced the troops to fight with one hand tied behind their backs."
Israel Arming in Saudi Arabia?
http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=179610
"Israel Air Force aircraft dropped off large quantities of military gear at a Saudi Arabian military base a week ago, in preparation for a potential attack on Iran, a number of Iranian and Israeli news outlets have reported.
The unconfirmed report, first published by the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars and the Islam Times Web site, claimed that on June 18 and 19, Israeli helicopters unloaded military equipment and built a base just over 8 km. outside the northwestern city of Tabuk, the closest Saudi city to Israel, located just south of Jordan. All civilian flights into and out of the city were said to have been canceled during the Israeli drop-off, and passengers were reportedly compensated by the Saudi authorities and accommodated in nearby hotels."
Supreme Court (5-4) - 'Second Amendment Gives Americans a Fundamental Right to Bear Arms'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/28/AR2010062802134_pf.html
"The Supreme Court ruled for the first time Monday that the Second Amendment provides all Americans a fundamental right to bear arms, a long-sought victory for gun rights advocates who have chafed at federal, state and local efforts to restrict gun ownership.
...
The case is Bilski v. Kappos.
The guns case was the logical sequel to the court's 5 to 4 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller. That decision established for the first time that the Second Amendment's "right to keep and bear arms" referred to an individual right, not one related to military service."
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Germany Crushes England 4-1, But Because of a Horrid Call?
Video embedded below.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/worldcup2010/3031550/Germany-4-England-1.html
"Uruguayan assistant ref Mauricio Espinosa, who must have been half-blind, somehow failed to notice that Frank Lampard's shot had travelled a good four feet over the line after rattling the underside of the bar.
It would have got England back level at 2-2 from 2-0 down.
...
German journalists in the press box found it all highly amusing.
Was this revenge for 1966 and Geoff Hurst's infamous goal?
Hurst's was debatable, Lampard's wasn't even an argument.
Capello claimed, had the goal been given, it would have been a different game - that psychologically the whole dynamic would have changed."
Did Obama Drop The 'N-Bomb' (Nationalize) on BP?
Once you get through all the affirmative reasons it is not, you are left flipping it around and asking what were they trying to prevent. The only thing that comes to mind is Obama dropping the 'N-bomb', Nationalization. It did not necessarily have to be with that word, but some other threat of taking over significant portions of BP or in another way substantially lowering the value of the corporate entity beyond the $20 billion. Something which made handing over the $20 billion, which seems a bad decision, the lesser of two evils.
'A-Whale' Still Not in The Gulf
http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/27/day-68-why-isnt-the-a-whale-in-the-gulf-yet
"The A-Whale bills itself as the largest open-water oil skimmer in the world, and it’s at least very impressive. Originally an oil and ore tanker, the ship’s owners recently refitted the ship to do exactly the kind of work that the US so desperately needs in the Gulf of Mexico, and to do it on a vastly larger scale than current operations can handle. According to the ship’s project manager, the entire American effort in 66 days has skimmed off 600,000 barrels of oil. The ship’s owners claim that A-Whale can skim 500,000 barrels a day.
So where is the A-Whale now? In the Gulf? Not yet. It’s on its way there after being tied to a dock in Norfolk, Virginia, and won’t be allowed to join the cleanup effort until the Coast Guard and the EPA figure out whether it meets their standards"
Saturday, June 26, 2010
US Eliminated From The World Cup by Ghana (2-1)
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9GJ6LPO1&show_article=1
"The United States was eliminated from the World Cup by Ghana for the second straight time as Asamoah Gyan scored 3 minutes into overtime, leading the Black Stars to a 2-1 second-round victory Saturday night"
Democrat County Supervisor Peggy - 'If Arizona Was on The Boarder With Mexico Then The Immigration Bill Might be ok'
Video embedded below.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Cops Taze an 86 Year Old Disabled Grandmother in Her Bed
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/24/28330.htm (via) (bold mine)
"Police Tasered an 86-year-old disabled grandma in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she couldn't breathe, after her grandson called 911 seeking medical assistance, the woman and her grandson claim in Oklahoma City Federal Court. Though the grandson said, "Don't Taze my granny!" an El Reno police officer told another cop to "Taser her!" and wrote in his police report that he did so because the old woman "took a more aggressive posture in her bed," according to the complaint.
...
The grandma, Lona Varner, "told them to get out of her apartment."
The remarkable complaint continues: "Instead, the apparent leader of the police [defendant Thomas Duran] instructed another policeman to 'Taser her!' He stated in his report that the 86 year-old plaintiff 'took a more aggressive posture in her bed,' and that he was fearful for his safety and the safety of others.
"Lonnie Tinsley told them, 'Don't taze my Granny!' to which they responded that they would Taser him; instead, they pulled him out of her apartment, took him down to the floor, handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a police car.
"The police then proceeded to approach Ms. Varner in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she began to suffer oxygen deprivation.
"The police then fired a Taser at her and only one wire struck her, in the left arm; the police then fired a second Taser, striking her to the right and left of the midline of her upper chest and applied high voltage, causing burns to her chest, extreme pain and to pass out.
"The police then grabbed Ms. Varner by her forearms and jerked hands together, causing her soft flesh to tear and bleed on her bed; they then handcuffed her."
Oily Rain in Louisiana?
Video embedded below.
"To cleanse the palate, a vid that’s now circulating on Twitter and will almost certainly be viral tomorrow morning even though it’s probably a hoax.
Let me stress: Probably.
We contacted the EPA for a comment on the possibility, but so far we haven’t received a definitive answer. An EPA media representative did point us to this article from Tampa Bay’s 10Connects news site, which quotes National Weather Servce Science and Operations Officer Charlie Paxton. According to Paxton, black rain isn’t possible since oil doesn’t evaporate. It is possible, however for rain to mix with other particles–perhaps including Corexit [an oil dispersant being used by BP]. And water spouts can pick up oil and carry it for short distances…
Update: The EPA sent us this statement: “EPA has no data, information or scientific basis that suggests that oil mixed with dispersant could possibly evaporate from the Gulf into the water cycle.” But one of our readers points us to a report (PDF) from the former Minerals Management Service claiming that lighter crude oils can evaporate. So it might be possible that oil is mixing with rain.
Jalopnik notes a study indicating that oil which mixes with water for long periods will emulsify, which in turn increases the likelihood of evaporation. Toss a little Corexit into the mix and the sky’s (literally) the limit."
Jewish Dance Group Stoned in Germany
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100624/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_jewish_attack
"Arab youths threw stones at a Jewish dance group during a street festival in Hannover, injuring one dancer and forcing the group to cancel its performance, German police and dance officials said Thursday.
The teenagers also used a megaphone to shout anti-Semitic slurs during the attack Saturday, Hannover police spokesman Thorsten Schiewe said.
...
Six suspects have been identified — five Arabic immigrants and one German — and police are looking for the other three, police said. The six range from nine to 19 years old and have been questioned by police.
Hannover prosecutors are investigating those involved on suspicion of incitement and causing serious bodily harm, prosecutor Irene Silinger said."
"Disorderly Conduct" Now Includes Handing Out Bibles Outside An Arab Festival
Video embedded below.
"Under Sharia law, it is forbidden to proselytize to Muslims, and no Muslim can leave the faith. Dearborn, Michigan, is home to a substantial Muslim population, and there is strong evidence that local authorities now enforce sharia in preference to the Constitution of the United States. Thus this Associated Press story about the arrest of four Christian missionaries that took place on Friday:
"
Police in the heavily Arab Detroit suburb of Dearborn say they arrested four Christian missionaries for disorderly conduct at an Arab cultural festival.
Police Chief Ron Haddad says his department made the arrests Friday. The four are free on bond.
Rory Reid (D) Drops Last Name in Campaign Ad
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/governor-races/105011-harry-reids-son-leaves-last-name-out-of-first-campaign-ad
"Reid, the son of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), doesn't say his name at any point during the ad, but it prominently features his campaign logo, "Rory 2010."
Observers noticed that throughout the gubernatorial primary, Rory Reid seemed to distance himself from his father, who faced high disapproval ratings from voters.
It looks like, for now, Rory Reid is staying with that strategy, although Harry Reid's numbers have been steadily improving and strategists believe Sharron Angle's winning the Republican Senate nomination will help return Sen. Reid to Washington.
Rory Reid's website also neglects to mention his last name on its main banner, which reads "Rory 2010.""
Paul McCartney - 'Climate Warming Deniers Are Like Holocaust Deniers'
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3027440/Exclusive-Paul-McCartney-chat.html
"THE shocking images of oil-covered wildlife and ruined beaches across the Gulf of Mexico have horrified millions.
But passionate green campaigner Sir Paul McCartney believes the environmental disaster may have a silver lining, with the search for clean, renewable energy now being pushed forward.
The Beatles legend said: "Sadly we need disasters like this to show people. Some people don't believe in climate warming - like those who don't believe there was a Holocaust.
"But the facts indicate that there's something going on and we've got to be aware of it if we want our kids to inherit a decent world, not a complete nightmare of a planet - clean, renewable energy is for starters.""
BP Document - Spill Could be 100,000 Barrels a Day
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/20/congressman-releases-bp-doc-showing-potential-barrels-oil-spilling-gulf-day
"
Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey on Sunday released an internal BP document that shows the oil spill could spew 100,000 barrels a day into the Gulf of Mexico, far more than has been estimated in public accounts.
The worst-case scenario is based on what would happen if the damaged wellhead were removed and not capped. The document showed a low-ball estimate of 55,000 barrels per day.
Click here to read the document.
Markey, who's been a vocal critic of the oil giant, said BP has been unscrupulous since the start of the crisis.
"Right from the beginning, BP was either lying or grossly incompetent. First they said it was only 1,000. Then they said it was 5,000 barrels. Now we're up to 100,000 barrels," Markey said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"Thursday, June 24, 2010
Isner (American) Defeats Mahut (French) in Epic, Record Obliterating Wimbledon Game
Video embedded below.
"When John Isner finally won the longest match in tennis history, he collapsed on the Wimbledon grass and then summoned one last burst of energy, springing to his feet to give his opponent a bear hug.
Isner hit a backhand up the line Thursday to win the last of the match's 980 points, and he beat Nicolas Mahut in the fifth set 70-68.
The first-round marathon took 11 hours, 5 minutes over three days, lasting so long it was suspended because of darkness -- two nights in a row. Play resumed Thursday at 59-all before an overflow crowd on cozy Court 18 and continued for 20 games and 65 minutes before Isner won.
The score that broke the scoreboard at one point: 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68.
...
The match lasted so long because neither player could break serve. Isner finished with 112 aces and Mahut had 103, with both totals eclipsing the sport's previous high of 78. They combined to hold for 168 games in a row.
...
The fifth set alone took 8 hours, 11 minutes, surpassing the previous longest match, which took 6 hours, 33 minutes at the 2004 French Open."
Nanny State to Start Tucking us in at Night
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/7851292/Japanese-told-to-go-to-bed-an-hour-early-to-cut-carbon-emissions.html
"Japanese households are being urged to go to bed one hour earlier than normal in order to help tackle climate change.
The Japanese government has launched a campaign encouraging people to go to bed and get up extra early in order to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions.
The Morning Challenge campaign, unveiled by the Environment Ministry, is based on the premise that swapping late night electricity for an extra hour of morning sunlight could significantly cut the nation's carbon footprint."
BP Accused of Intentionally Burning Sea Turtles Alive
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/oil_spill/is-bp-burning-sea-turtles-alive-06222010
"A boat captain working to rescue sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico says he has seen BP ships burning sea turtles and other wildlife alive.
Captain Mike Ellis said in an interview posted on You Tube that the boats are conducting controlled burns to get rid of the oil.
"They drag a boom between two shrimp boats and whatever gets caught between the two boats, they circle it up and catch it on fire. Once the turtles are in there, they can’t get out," Ellis said.
Ellis said he had to cut short his three-week trip rescuing the turtles because BP quit allowing him access to rescue turtles before the burns.
"They're pretty much keeping us from doing what we need to do out there," Ellis said.
...
Ellis said most of the turtles he has seen are Kemps Ridley turtles, a critically endangered species. Harming or killing one would bring stiff civil and criminal penalties and fines of up to $50,000 against BP."
Kanjorski (D) - 'We Are Giving Relief to Average, Good American People, Not Minorities or Defective People'
Video embedded below.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
McChrystal Out, Petraeus in
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/23/AR2010062300689_pf.html
"President Obama dismissed Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal on Wednesday after concluding that his military chief in Afghanistan had badly damaged the chain of command and could no longer work effectively with the civilian leadership at a crucial moment in the war.
White House officials said Obama's decision, made over a tense 40 hours, pitted his desire to retain a talented general who designed the Afghan strategy against the importance of preserving the authority of the commander in chief. Ultimately, his decision to turn over the Afghan command to Gen. David H. Petraeus allowed the president to keep his war strategy intact, given the general's key role in formulating it last year, and changed the calculus of a choice that once seemed to have no political upside."
Cap Removed From BP Oil Spill Vent
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9GH5EQ00&show_article=1
"Tens of thousands of gallons more oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday after an undersea robot bumped a venting system, forcing BP to remove the cap that had been containing some of the crude.
The setback, yet another in the nine-week effort to stop the gusher, came as thick pools of oil washed up on Pensacola Beach in Florida and the Obama administration tried to figure out how to resurrect a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling.
When the robot bumped the system just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, gas rose through the vent that carries warm water down to prevent ice-like crystals from forming, Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said.
Crews were checking to see if crystals had formed before putting it back on. BP spokesman Bill Salvin could not say how long that might take.
"We're doing it as quickly as possible," he said.
Before the problem with the containment cap, it had collected about 700,000 gallons of oil in 24 hours and sucked it up to a ship on the surface. That's oil that's now pouring into the Gulf."
White House - 'Obama Playing Golf Does us All Good, Tony Hayward (BP) Taking a Break is Bad'
Video embedded below.
Supreme Court Upholds Anti-Terror Assistance Law
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_supreme_court_anti_terror_law
"The Supreme Court upheld the government's authority Monday to ban aid to designated terrorist groups, even when that support is intended to steer the groups toward peaceful and legal activities.
The court left intact a federal law that the Obama administration considers an important tool against terrorism. But human rights organizations say the law's ban on providing training and advice to nearly four dozen organizations on a State Department list squanders a chance to persuade people to renounce extremism.
The justices voted 6-3 to reject a free-speech challenge from humanitarian aid groups to the law that bars "material support" — everything from money to technical know-how to legal advice — to foreign terrorist organizations."
US Beats Algeria 1-0, Moves on to The Second Round of The World Cup
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=264048&cc=5901&ver=us
"Landon Donovan scored in the first minute of stoppage time off a rebound, advancing the United States to the second round at the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Algeria.
With the U.S. perhaps three minutes from elimination, Jozy Altidore was stopped on a breakaway by goalkeeper Rais Bolihi. Donovan hustled in and kicked in the rebound to win Group C Wednesday.
After his U.S. record 44th international goal, Donovan joyously ran to the corner flag and his teammates ran down the touchline to mob him. Donovan was in tears when the game ended and the United States had moved into the second round."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Texas Democrats Kesha Rogers Causing Problems For Her Party
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/302826.php
"She's been stirring up a hornet's nest saying shit like this:
As I have repeatedly stated, Barack Obama is a threat to the continued existence of the United States, and he must be impeached, or resign. The real question is, what will we replace his bad policies with? Real patriots understand the need to think ahead, to create a meaningful purpose and direction as we rebuild our nation. We know that the next several generations need a better world to live in, which can only be a Post-Obama World.In case you were wondering about the subtle conspiracy theme that kinda bubbled up there, she's apparently a devout LaRouchite."I have based my campaign for U.S. Congress on a vision for a post-Obama world, one full of nuclear power, an interplanetary manned space program, high-speed railroads, and productive jobs for young people. This is a world where Wall Street bailouts don’t exist, and the retirements, mortgages, and life savings of real people are protected from funding someone’s gambling addiction. This is a world where the U.S.A. is once again a sovereign nation, beholden to its citizens, and working with other sovereign nations in pushing forward mankind’s scientific and cultural greatness, by fostering the creative imagination of the individual in society; it is a world free from the industrial-banking cartels of the British Empire, as well as the degraded views of mankind pushed through today’s “pop culture”...
Judge Halts Obama's Deep Water Drilling Moratorium
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/22/judge-halts-obamas-oil-drilling-ban
"A federal judge in New Orleans halted President Obama's deepwater drilling moratorium on Tuesday, saying the government never justified the ban and appeared to mislead the public in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Judge Martin L.C. Feldman issued an injunction, saying that the moratorium will hurt drilling-rig operators and suppliers and that the government has not proved an outright ban is needed, rather than a more limited moratorium.
He also said the Interior Department also misstated the opinion of the experts it consulted. Those experts from the National Academy of Engineering have said they don't support the blanket ban.
"Much to the government's discomfort and this Court's uneasiness, the summary also states that 'the recommendations contained in this report have been peer-reviewed by seven experts identified by the National Academy of Engineering.' As the plaintiffs, and the experts themselves, pointedly observe, this statement was misleading," Judge Feldman said in his 22-page ruling."
Update (7/9/2010): injunciton stands
Dutch Police Use 'Decoy Jews' to Stop Anti-Semitic Attacks
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/7846704/Dutch-police-use-decoy-Jews-to-stop-anti-Semitic-attacks.html
"Dutch police are to use "decoy Jews", by dressing law enforcers in Jewish religious dress such as skullcaps, in an effort to catch anti-Semitic attackers.
Lodewijk Asscher, Amsterdam's mayor, has ordered the new decoy strategy to cut the number of verbal and physical attacks on Jews, amid fears that anti-Semitic "hate crime" is on the rise.
"Jews in at least six Amsterdam neighbourhoods often cannot cross the street wearing a skullcap without being insulted, spat at or even attacked," according to local reports."
273 Unreleased Jackson Tracks Discovered
http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/06/22/jackson-five-surprise-273-new-tracks-discovered
"Howard Mann, the Toronto entrepreneur who bought a warehouse full of Jackson family paraphernalia, has a surprise for Michael Jackson fans and the singer’s estate.
He has the masters to 273 unreleased Jackson tracks. Some are Michael alone, some are duets with superstars like Tina Turner, and some are with the Jackson family.
A good chunk of them come from the 1975 CBS variety series featuring the whole family.
According to Mann, who seems to know his stuff, the Jacksons were between the end of their Motown contract that summer and the beginning of one with Epic Records."
Apple Collecting And Sharing Users' Locations Data
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/06/apple-location-privacy-iphone-ipad.html
"Apple Inc. is now collecting the "precise," "real-time geographic location" of its users' iPhones, iPads and computers.
In an updated version of its privacy policy, the company added a paragraph noting that once users agree, Apple and unspecified "partners and licensees" may collect and store user location data.
When users attempt to download apps or media from the iTunes store, they are prompted to agree to the new terms and conditions. Until they agree, they cannot download anything through the store.
The company says the data is anonymous and does not personally identify users. Analysts have shown, however, that large, specific data sets can be used to identify people based on behavior patterns."
Monday, June 21, 2010
Faisal Shahzad Pleads Guilty
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/21/national/main6603934.shtml
"A Pakistan-born U.S. citizen pleaded guilty Monday to carrying out the failed Times Square car bombing, saying he wanted it known that unless the U.S. stops attacking Muslim lands, "we will be attacking U.S."
Faisal Shahzad, 30, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Manhattan just days after a federal grand jury indicted him on 10 terrorism and weapons counts, some of which carried mandatory life prison sentences.
...
At one point, she asked him if he was sure he wanted to plead guilty.
He said he wanted "to plead guilty and 100 times more" to let the U.S. know that if it did not get out of Iraq and Afghanistan, halt drone attacks and stop meddling in Muslim lands, "we will be attacking U.S.""
Past Related Posts:
Berman Post: Failed Car Bomb in Time Square (NYC)
Berman Post: Attempted Time Square Bomber Used The Wrong Fertilizer
Berman Post: Faisal Shahzad (Pakistani-American) Arrested in Connection With Failed Time Square Car Bombing
Berman Post: Should Faisal Shahzad Have Been Read His Rights?
Berman Post: Brewer (MSNBC) Indicates She is Sorry Attempted Time Square Bomber is Not a Tea Party Protester
Berman Post: ThinkProgress - 'Media Ignoring That Man Who First Alerted Police To Failed Times Square Bombing Is A Muslim'?!?
Berman Post: Shahzad Tells Cops he Wanted Revenge For US Drone Strikes
Berman Post: Obama Administration Removed Faisal Shahzad From Terror Surveillance List Before Atack
Berman Post: Holder - Pakistani Taliban Behind Attempted Times Square Car Bombing
Berman Post: Faisal Shahzad Had Five Targets
US And Israel Warships Pass Through The Suez
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138164
"Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi."
Rahm Emanuel to Quit
"Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is expected to leave his job later this year after growing tired of the "idealism" of Barack Obama's inner circle."
Sunday, June 20, 2010
No, What Now ... 'Asians'?
Video embedded below.
Kagan Swore in Emails
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/19/us/politics/19kagan.html
"Her writing could be earthy, with at least three messages using variations on the two most common swear words.
In one, she responded to a message with a single word, weaving one of them into “unbelievable.” In another, she said her staff should not take on empty tasks. “You should go,” she said, “but don’t volunteer us for the” scutwork — though she substituted an epithet for the first part of that last word. "
Women to be 'Used' in Next 'Aid Flotilla'
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?ID=178935
"Women are “the new secret weapon” in use against the “thieving enemy," said Samar Alhaj, the woman leading the Lebanese boat that is scheduled to try to break the naval blockade on Gaza in an interview with a regional Israeli Arabic- language radio station in Nazareth. The Israeli government has linked the boat to Hizbullah ”
Asked on Radio A-Shams by Zohair Bahloul why the ship, Mariam, would only be carrying women, she said, “We are women in order not to give the thieving enemy an excuse to use arms against the ship.”"
Past related posts:
Berman Post: Bloody Clash Off Coast of Gaza When Activists Tried to Break The Blockade
Berman Post: Turkey May Send Navy Ships to Accompany Next 'Gaza Aid' Ship
Berman Post: Gaza Supply Ship 'Peace Activists' Actually Al-Qaeda And Muslim Brotherhood Members
Berman Post: More Video of 'Peace Activists' Violently Trying to Break The Israeli Blockade
Berman Post: Netanyahu - "The Jewish State Has a Right to Defend Itself" (Plus More Video)
Berman Post: Flotilla Choir Presents - "We Con The World"
Berman Post: Israel Tries to Deliver 'Flotilla' Aid to Gaza, Hamas Refuses
Berman Post: Second 'Relief Flotilla' Blocked And Boarded Without Major Incident
Berman Post: Media Outlets Editing Photos to Remove Gaza Flotilla 'Peace Activists' Weapons
Berman Post: Obama - 'Israel Should Only Blockade Arms Shipments Boats to Gaza'
Berman Post: 'Reverse Aid Flotillas' Planned From Israel to the Kurds in Turkey
Berman Post: Obama to Support The UN Investigation of Israel?
'Courageous Restraint' Medal Putting Allied Forces in Danger
No one is advocating for indescribably killing innocent bystanders for no reason, what, what people are saying is that coalition forces should not act in a way that incentives the terrorists taking human shields.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/courageous-restraint-in-action-us-pilots-find-it-hard-not-to-respond-when-fellow-soldiers-are-under-attack-95008154.html
"ABC News reporter Martha Raddatz was allowed to fly in an Air Force F-15E fighter jet on a combat mission in Afghanistan. The plane was loaded with 500-pound bombs and ready to protect coalition forces on the ground. But the guiding principle of the mission, Raddatz writes, was to exercise “courageous restraint,” that is, to not fire at the enemy if there were the possibility that civilians might be hurt or if buildings might be damaged — even if that meant that American or coalition forces were in great danger.
“Sometimes not firing can be tough,” Raddatz writes. “Pilots say it’s hard to watch their fellow soldiers on the ground taking fire.”
But that’s what they do, under orders from top American commanders. On this mission, when a French officer on the ground requested a bomb be dropped on the enemy, the U.S. pilot said no, opting for strafing instead because it would be safer for those on the ground — except, of course, for the coalition forces."
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Video of the Awful Call Against The US Playing Slovenia (World Cup)
Video embedded below.
Video embedded below.
Experts See 'How-Not-to' Book Emerging From BP Oil Spill Cleanup
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/17/AR2010061705808.html
"The fight against the gulf oil spill is already writing lessons for future cleanups. Unfortunately for the gulf coast, outside experts say, many are lessons in what not to do.
Since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, outsiders watching the cleanup say, the federal government and BP have made key mistakes that delayed or distracted the effort to stop the spill. Some were probably inevitable: BP engineers and government officials were forced to improvise in the face of mounting disaster.
But other missteps -- seen with the calm and clarity of hindsight -- look as if they could have been avoided."
Obama Administration Will Challenge Arizona Immigration Law
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20008171-503544.html
"The comment was striking because both President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder had said only that the administration was considering a suit. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who signed the law, called Clinton's comments stunning and added that "to learn of this lawsuit through an Ecuadorean interview with the secretary of state is just outrageous." She has said in the past she is prepared for a court fight.
It was unclear yesterday whether Clinton's comments were simply a prediction or mistake or whether instead she was getting ahead of a planned announcement by the administration.
Now a senior administration official tells CBS News that the federal government will indeed formally challenge the law when Justice Department lawyers are finished building the case. The official said Justice is still working on building the case."
Obama's Spill Recovery Chief (Czar) is a Part Time Job?!?
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10949857
"President Barack Obama's point man charting a new future for the oil-poisoned Gulf Coast will do the job part-time. Some environmentalists said the job demands someone's full attention.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who oversees 900,000 Navy and Marine personnel, is inheriting an amorphous second job as the Obama administration's leader of long-term environmental and economic planning. His task is no less than rebuilding a region still suffering after Hurricane Katrina and beset by decades of environmental problems.
Mabus won't resign from his Navy job. When President George W. Bush picked Donald Powell to lead the recovery after Hurricane Katrina, Powell resigned as head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp."
Friday, June 18, 2010
Kagan Compared The NRA With The KKK?
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NGFkY2E5Zjg1OTFmYjMwODY1ODhlNDVkNTQ0OTdhOTI=
"It has become clear that Elena Kagan, Obama’s most recent Supreme Court nominee, is no friend of gun rights, to say the least. While clerking for Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall in 1987, she wrote the judge that she was “not sympathetic” to a Second Amendment–based challenge to the D.C. gun ban. While serving in the Clinton administration, she wrote a memo that “paved the way for an executive order banning dozens of semiautomatic weapons,” according to the L.A. Times.
And National Review has learned that in 1996, Kagan apparently tied the NRA to the KKK — yes, the KKK — while debating the Clinton administration’s position on a bill.
The bill in question was the Volunteer Protection Act, which, when it was passed and signed the following year, protected some non-profits’ volunteer workers from tort liability in certain cases. The administration worried that it would apply to volunteers from unlikable non-profits.
Two documents discovered at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and obtained by National Review suggest that Kagan was involved in these discussions. One does not contain her name, but the handwriting appears to be hers. (You can see an example of Kagan’s handwriting here.) It has the name of administration colleague Fran Allegra at the top, and lists two “Bad guy orgs” that might be covered — the NRA and the KKK."
US Draws Against Slovenia (2-2) ... Robbed?
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/worldcup2010/2010/06/18/2010-06-18_us_stages_furious_rally_to_earn_22_draw.html
"The United States staged the greatest rally in its World Cup history Thursday, overcoming a two-goal halftime deficit to record a 2-2 draw with Slovenia at Ellis Park.
Michael Bradley's goal in the 82nd minute tied the game, giving his father, coach Bob Bradley, an early Father's Day present and the never-say-die Americans a fighting chance to reach the second round of South Africa 2010.
...
It appeared the Americans had pulled ahead in the 84th minute on a Maurice Edu goal off a Landon Donovan free kick, but referee Koman Colibaly apparently called a foul before Edu got the ball.
"I'm a little gutted to be honest," Donovan said. "I don't know how they stole that last goal from us. I'm not sure what the call was. He (the referee) wouldn't tell us what the call was."
"I still don't know why the goal was disallowed," Bob Bradley said after the match."
Greenspan - 'US May Soon Reach Borrowing Limit'
http://preview.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-18/greenspan-says-u-s-nearing-limits-on-borrowing-capacity-restraint-needed.html
"Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the U.S. may soon face higher borrowing costs on its swelling debt and called for a “tectonic shift” in fiscal policy to contain borrowing.
“Perceptions of a large U.S. borrowing capacity are misleading,” and current long-term bond yields are masking America’s debt challenge, Greenspan wrote in an opinion piece posted on the Wall Street Journal’s website. “Long-term rate increases can emerge with unexpected suddenness,” such as the 4 percentage point surge over four months in 1979-80, he said.
Greenspan rebutted “misplaced” concern that reducing the deficit would put the economic recovery in danger, entering a debate among global policy makers about how quickly to exit from stimulus measures adopted during the financial crisis. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said this month that while fiscal tightening is needed over the “medium term,” governments must reinforce the recovery in private demand."
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Hillary Clinton - 'Yes, Obama is Filing a Lawsuit Against The Arizona Immigration Law'
Video embedded below.
NYC Water
Picture embedded below.