Saturday, July 31, 2010

Church Sign Win - "Honk if You Love Jesus, Text While Driving if You Want to Meet Him"

Picture embedded below.

epic fail photos Church Sign Win

Woman's Nude Photos Exposed Intentionally by Dell Tech Support

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"So she called Dell support for help with her new Dell computer and delicate problem. She was connected to a Dell support contractor in Mumbai, India named Riyaz Shaikh.

"I trusted him. I trusted him because he was a Dell technician and I don't like the cyberworld, you're so vulnerable," said Fitzgerald.

She gave the technician permission to access her computer remotely and watched as he found the pictures and downloaded them.

"Oh yeah, I'm totally convinced. I watched him take the pictures out of my e-mail. I watched him," said Fitzgerald.

Shortly thereafter, 16 nude photographs appeared on a vulgar website created for the sole purpose of displaying her pictures.

"I've been violated. My life's been violated," said Fitzgerald.
"

Taliban Hunting Down Informants Revealed in Wikileaks Document Dump

Video embedded below.



"In an interview with Channel 4 News, Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, said they were studying and investigating the report, adding “If they are US spies, then we know how to punish them.”

The warning came as the US military's top officer, Admiral Mike Mullen said that Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, may already have blood on his hands following the leak of 92,000 classified documents relating to the war in Afghanistan by his website.
"

Democrats Will Not Repeal 1099 Provision in ObamaCare

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/07/31/dems-wont-repeal-1099-provision-in-obamacare

"The bad news: as I predicted yesterday, the bipartisan effort to repeal the ObamaCare provision that requires companies to create 1099 forms for every business-to-business transaction has run aground on the shoals of Pay-Go.  The good news: four months after the bill passed, the Associated Press has caught up to the story:


Tucked into the new health care law is a requirement that could become a paperwork nightmare for nearly 40 million businesses.


They must file tax forms for every vendor that sells them more than $600 in goods.



The goal is to prevent vendors from underreporting their income to the Internal Revenue Service. The government must think vendors are omitting a lot because the filing requirement is estimated to bring in $19 billion over the next decade.


Er, maybe the AP could have asked that question a few months ago.  Three months ago, Cato’s Chris Edwards had not only identified the provision, but the potential scope of the problem.  It would have been even more helpful to have had a debate on this provision earlier than that — oh, say, before Congress passed ObamaCare and Barack Obama signed it into law.



Instead, Democrats now need to either find new revenue to replace the $19 billion or make a commensurate amount of cuts, thanks to their Pay-Go rule and their no-deficit pledge for ObamaCare.  Guess which approach they took?

"

Arizona Appeals Order Blocking Parts of Immigration Law

No surprise here following the judges order.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100729/ap_on_re_us/us_arizona_immigration_55

"Arizona is appealing a federal judge's order that put most of the state's immigration law on hold.

The state's appeal filed Thursday asks that U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton's preliminary injunction be lifted so that all of the law can take effect.

Lawyers for Gov. Jan Brewer also are asking that the appeal be considerer quickly.
"

Weiner (D) vs King (R)

Video embedded below.



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Friday, July 30, 2010

"Dear Bell And Yellow Pages. We All Have a Thing Called 'The Internet', Please Stop Wasting Stuff."

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The World's Funniest Klavan on the Culture Bloopers

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Details of 100 Million Facebook Users Published Online

Well, republished would be a more appropriate description. The company only copied information people set to be public. If you do not want your information out there, do not put it out there. This is a good reminder of that.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38463013/ns/technology_and_science

"The personal details of 100 million Facebook users have been collected and published online in a downloadable file, meaning they will now be unable to make their publicly available information private.

However, Facebook downplayed the issue, saying that no private data had been compromised.

The information was posted by Ron Bowes, an online security consultant, on the Internet site Pirate Bay.

Bowes used code to scan the 500 million Facebook profiles for information not hidden by privacy settings. The resulting file, which allows people to perform searches of various different types, has been downloaded by several thousand people.
"

Anthony Weiner (D) Loses it on House Floor

Video embedded below.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

DOJ Accused of Stalling on MOVE Act For Voters in Military

Not doing everything reasonable to ensure the rights of our soldiers, who are risking their lives to ensure our rights and security, the fundamental right to vote is shameful. Intentionally hindering/blocking/stalling reasonable measures meant to ensure that right is truly awful.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/28/exclusive-doj-stalls-voter-registration-law-military

"The Department of Justice is ignoring a new law aimed at protecting the right of American soldiers to vote, according to two former DOJ attorneys who say states are being encouraged to use waivers to bypass the new federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act.

The MOVE Act, enacted last October, ensures that servicemen and women serving overseas have ample time to get in their absentee ballots. The result of the DOJ's alleged inaction in enforcing the act, say Eric Eversole and J. Christian Adams — both former litigation attorneys for the DOJ’s Voting Section — could be that thousands of soldiers' ballots will arrive too late to be counted.
"

Teacher Fired For Blowing Whistle on Other Teachers Eating Kids Lunches

http://www.philly.com/philly/education/99296329.html

"SAMENIA MAYER said that she'd always tried to do right by the students she served at Germantown High, where she recruited and trained mentors to keep incoming freshmen on the right path.

So, when she noticed that teachers there were helping themselves to federally funded lunches before their students could get to them during a summer program, she complained to the principal, who ignored her complaints, she said.

Mayer said that the problem became so bad that even when the school ordered more than 100 boxed lunches for about 80 students, up to 20 students still went hungry, an allegation that students backed up last week.

She alerted alumni, clergy and community organizers, about what was going on, but when nothing changed, she called and e-mailed staff at the school district, seeking action. She was told to raise her concerns with the school's principal, Margaret Mullen-Bavwidinsi, who turned around and fired her, Mayer said. To add insult to injury, the day after she was fired, signs went up around the building warning teachers not to eat the students' food.
"

Ed Morrissey - Obama White House Gives Its Economic Policies a Good, Solid F+

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/07/26/obama-wh-gives-its-economic-policies-a-good-solid-f

"The Wall Street Journal minded the store, however, and noticed the late release of the White House’s semi-annual budget review.  It’s easy to see why the Obama administration didn’t want to draw any attention to it (via Instapundit):



Democrats have been running Congress for nearly four years, and President Obama has been at the White House for 18 months, so it’s not too soon to ask: How’s that working out? One devastating scorecard came out Friday from the White House, in the form of its own semi-annual budget review.


The message: Tax revenues are smaller, spending is greater, and the deficits are thus larger than the White House has been saying. No wonder it dumped the news on the eve of a sweltering mid-July weekend.


In fact, deficits grew even as the White House claimed that the economy grew, even at the anemic pace we’ve seen thus far.  Their projection for future growth is ambitious — greater than 4% starting in 2012 after slowly accelerating this year and next, which the White House claims will reduce the deficit naturally through greater revenues.  The WSJ points out the fallacy of that fantasy"

Obama to Appear in Madden NFL 11

Video embedded below.

Rick Santelli - 'If They Put Father of The Tea Party on my Tombstone They Can Bury me With a Smile'

His rant is credited with launching the movement; or at least giving it a major just, and he seems pleased.

Video embedded below.



"And no matter how loud the debate, Santelli has "great respect" for his fellow CNBCers. "It's not personal...I don't do this for any other reason that I naturally have a passion when I find topics that are interesting. It's purely philosophical differences."

But despite his passionate beliefs, Santelli doesn't "see politics in my future." A self-described Independent, though, he's pleased that after his '09 rant, some call him the Father of the Tea Party. "Look, if that's what they put on my tombstone, they can bury me with a smile.

"...This grassroots movement of the Tea Party, to me, is as American as it gets. And whether you are left, center, or right, to me it's not about politics. It's about, in this country, we're not afraid to speak up."
"

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Dying Star Resembles Beautiful Bird

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University Diploma Contingent on Supporting Gay Rights

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Cameron Calls Gaza a 'Prison Camp'

The only "Prison Camp" in the world that sports a Luxury Mall...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.1a40d4cce35f970833f2c65ba156eefb.7f1&show_article=1

"Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday urged Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip, slamming the current state of the Palestinian enclave as a "prison camp."

"Let me be clear that the situation in Gaza has to change... Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp," he said in a speech to a business association during a visit to Turkey.
"

Why The Moon Landings Were Not Faked

Of course, there is also the equipment we left behind which allows us to accurately track the distance of the moon from the earth.

Video embedded below.

Seven People Have Been Entrusted With The Keys to Restart The Internet

http://gizmodo.com/5597964/seven-people-have-been-entrusted-with-the-keys-to-the-internet

"

The basic idea is that in the event of an Internet catastrophe, the DNSSEC (domain name system security) could be damaged or compromised and we'd be left without a way to verify if a URL is pointing to the correct website. That's when the holders of these smart cards would be called into action:



A minimum of five of the seven keyholders – one each from Britain, the U.S., Burkina Faso, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, China, and the Czech Republic – would have to converge at a U.S. base with their keys to restart the system and connect everything once again.



A minimum of five people is needed because each of the smart cards contains only a fraction of the recovery key necessary to set things right again. This means that no single person will hold all the power to resetting our little cyber world. [BBC via PopSci]

"

Librarian of Congress - ''Jailbreaking' (iPhone) Does Not Violate Copyright Protections'

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-26/apple-iphone-users-have-u-s-blessing-to-jailbreak-add-own-applications.html

"Owners of Apple Inc.’s iPhone can unlock the device to use applications not authorized by the company, the U.S. Library of Congress said.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington added the practice, described in the ruling as “jailbreaking,” to a list of actions that don’t violate copyright protections. The decision affecting iPhones and other smartphones was posted today on the agency’s website.
"

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Van Jones - Stop Worrying About The Deficit, The Government Can Just Take More Money From Rich Companies

And people argued that he is not a socialist?

http://dailycaller.com/2010/07/24/van-jones-stop-worrying-about-the-deficit-the-government-can-just-take-more-money-from-rich-companies

"While the federal government sinks deeper into debt than any time since World War II, former White House “green jobs” adviser Anthony Van Jones said it was time to stop worrying about budget deficits and pressure Washington to take more money from American businesses to fund larger social and infrastructure projects.

“This is a rich country. We have plenty of money, and if you don’t believe me, ask Haliburton,” Jones told a group of progressive bloggers and activists at the Netroots Nation convention Friday. “There’s plenty of money out there; don’t fall into the trap of this whole deficit argument.”

“The only question is how to spend it,” he added.

American corporations currently face the second-highest corporate tax rate in the world, according to the Tax Foundation.
"

Man's House Hit by Asteroids on Six Different Occasions

What is he going to do when the aliens start dropping bigger rocks; or you know, a bomb?

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/835482-man-hit-by-six-meteorites-is-being-targeted-by-aliens

"Radivoje Lajic first came to international attention in 2008, shortly after the fifth meteorite had crashed into the roof of his house in the northern village of Gornji Lajici.

And now, within the past month, another rock has hit the roof of his house, in defiance of all the odds - making it six strikes since the plague of meteorites began in 2007.

Experts at Belgrade University have confirmed that all the falling rocks he has handed over were meteorites. They are now trying to work out what exactly it is about his house that particularly attracts them. The strikes always happen when it is raining heavily, he says, never when there are clear skies.

Lajic has his own explanation, of course. After the fifth rock struck his house, he said: 'I am obviously being targeted by extraterrestrials. I don't know what I have done to annoy them but there is no other explanation that makes sense. The chance of being hit by a meteorite is so small that getting hit six times has to be deliberate.'
"

"Do Not Vote For my Dad!"

Campaign attack ad cuts about as close to home as you can.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/99276594.html

"An Oklahoma judicial candidate is fending off a political attack from his daughter, who has taken out a local newspaper ad urging voters: "Do not vote for my dad!"

McClain County judicial hopeful John Mantooth's daughter and son-in-law paid for the quarter-page advertisement, which features a picture of the daughter's family, highlights cases in which Mantooth has been sued and lists a website the couple started, http://www.donotvoteformydad.com.

Mantooth said the bad blood stems from his 1981 divorce from his daughter's mother.
"

Picture embedded below.

Change of Leadership at BP Tony Hayward Out, Bob Dudley in

Bob Dudley will be the first American to hold that position.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/new_boss_huge_loss_for_bp_and_taxpayers_9s6Gr0BrjBlIquOL6UoJzN

"Oil giant BP launched a plan to repair its battered image in the United States on Tuesday, ditching its gaffe-prone chief executive and promising to slim down by trebling an asset sale target to $30 billion.

However, the company, the target of public anger over its Gulf of Mexico oil spill, tempted further ire by denying it needed cultural change and offsetting the costs of the spill, including expected fines, against its taxes.

The tax move will cost the U.S. taxpayer almost $10 billion.

BP said Tony Hayward would stand down in October, to be replaced by American Bob Dudley, as it unveiled a $17 billion quarterly loss due to the costs of the biggest oil spill in U.S. history.
"

New Leak on Gulf Coast

This one is unrelated to the BP oil spill an is thought to have been caused by a boat colliding with it.

Video embedded below.

Monday, July 26, 2010

I Shot The Serif

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Bobby Jindal (R) - Moratorium Is Bad For Our Security And Economy

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Kerry (D) Caught Apparently Dodging His States Taxes

If the tax really is that bad why not push for everyone in his state to not be burdened by it.

Video embedded below.

Howard Dean (D) - "Fox News is Racist"

As far as I can tell, Howard Dean's argument is that Fox News is Racist because Obama pushed for Shirley Sherrod's firing for fear that Fox News Would air the tape, even though they had no aired the tape until after the firing, and when Beck finally did air the tape the following day he came out in support of Shirley Sherrod. Yeah, I do not really get it either.

Video embedded below.



Past Related Posts:
Berman Post: Breitbart to NAACP - 'You Are The Racists And I Have Tapes to Prove it'
Berman Post: Breitbart Releases His 'NAACP is Racist' Tape
Berman Post: Shirley Sherrod Resigns Over Racist Tape
Berman Post: Fall Out From The Full Shirley Sherrod Tape
Berman Post: Flogging Breitbart & the Sherrod Charade

Examining Black Loyalty to Democrats

Video embedded below.

The Great Divide Between 'Mainstream' And 'Political Class'

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2010/07/026838.php

"The current state of American politics can be summed up in this poll data, published today by Rasmussen Reports:





75% of Likely Voters prefer free markets over a government managed economy. Just 14% think a government managed economy is better while 11% are not sure.





Well, one would hope so. But here is the kicker:





America's Political Class is far less enamored with the virtues of a free market. In fact, Political Class voters narrowly prefer a government managed economy over free markets by a 44% to 37% margin.





That strikes me as a rather stunning finding."

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Democrats Block Amendment to Ensure Press Access to BP Oil Spill

Most open and transparent administration ever...

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Democrats-block-amendment-to-ensure-press-has-access-to-oil-spill-98466894.html

"Democrats refused to allow a vote today on an amendment introduced today by Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., to ensure press access to the gulf oil spill. Broun's amendment was a response to numerous reports that government authorities and BP are keeping the press away from areas affected by the spill. The amendment reads as follows:


Except in cases of imminent harm to human life, federal officials shall allow free and open access to the media of oil spill clean up activity occurring on public lands or public shorelines, including the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.



The amendment was introduced during committee markup of the CLEAR Act, or "Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act of 2009." According to the legislative text, the bill is to "provide greater efficiencies, transparency, returns, and accountability in the administration of Federal mineral and energy resources by consolidating administration of various Federal energy minerals management and leasing programs into one entity to be known as the Office of Federal Energy and Minerals Leasing of the Department of the Interior, and for other purposes."


“The media has a responsibility to not only accurately report the news but to keep everyone associated with the spill accountable. President Obama promised transparency, but we have seen numerous examples where that is not the case," said Rep. Broun in a statement. "There is no excuse for reporters and photographers to be denied access to public places unless their life is in imminent danger. This amendment is necessary in order to eliminate any confusion and ensure that First Amendment rights truly are protected.”

"

Judge Balks at Preemption Argument in Arizona Immigration Bill Lawsuit

If this is any indication Holder better get the second suit ready.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072201548.html

""Why can't Arizona be as inhospitable as they wish to people who have entered or remained in the United States?" U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton asked in a pointed exchange with Deputy Solicitor General Edwin S. Kneedler. Her comment came during a rare federal court hearing in the Justice Department's lawsuit against Arizona and Gov. Jan Brewer (R).

Bolton, a Democratic appointee, also questioned a core part of the Justice Department's argument that she should declare the law unconstitutional: that it is "preempted" by federal law because immigration enforcement is an exclusive federal prerogative.

"How is there a preemption issue?" the judge asked. "I understand there may be other issues, but you're arguing preemption. Where is the preemption if everybody who is arrested for some crime has their immigration status checked?"
"

Flogging Breitbart & the Sherrod Charade

Video embedded below.



Past Related Posts:
Berman Post: Breitbart to NAACP - 'You Are The Racists And I Have Tapes to Prove it'
Berman Post: Breitbart Releases His 'NAACP is Racist' Tape
Berman Post: Shirley Sherrod Resigns Over Racist Tape
Berman Post: Fall Out From The Full Shirley Sherrod Tape

White House Backed Release of Lockerbie Bomber

There was already word that Obama knew it was coming beforehand. Now there is a document showing that this was the preferable outcome of the Lockerbie bomber who could live for decades; preferable that is to him being transferred to a Libyan prison. This seriously cuts against the notion that this was a 'surprise'.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/white-house-backed-release-of-lockerbie-bomber-abdel-baset-al-megrahi/story-e6frg6so-1225896741041

"THE US government secretly advised Scottish ministers it would be "far preferable" to free the Lockerbie bomber than jail him in Libya.

Correspondence obtained by The Sunday Times reveals the Obama administration considered compassionate release more palatable than locking up Abdel Baset al-Megrahi in a Libyan prison.

The intervention, which has angered US relatives of those who died in the attack, was made by Richard LeBaron, deputy head of the US embassy in London, a week before Megrahi was freed in August last year on grounds that he had terminal cancer.

The document, acquired by a well-placed US source, threatens to undermine US President Barack Obama's claim last week that all Americans were "surprised, disappointed and angry" to learn of Megrahi's release.

Scottish ministers viewed the level of US resistance to compassionate release as "half-hearted" and a sign it would be accepted.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

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The US has tried to keep the letter secret, refusing to give permission to the Scottish authorities to publish it on the grounds it would prevent future "frank and open communications" with other governments.
"

Saturday, July 24, 2010

PLO Flag to Fly in DC

Be sure to read the last sentence of the quote.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138752

"The United States State Department has announced to the Palestinian Authority/Palestinian Liberation Organization Mission representative in the United States that its status will be upgraded from a 'bureau' to that of a "general delegation' and that this change will allow the office in which the representation is situated to fly the PLO, now also the Palestine Authority, flag at its entrance.

The upgrading, besides allowing the flag to be flown, also grants certan privileges to the delegation staff, such as diplomatic immunity, although it is not equal to embassy status.
...
Israeli Radio reported that sources in Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said that the Prime Minister knew of the planned step and did not object to it. . Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem claimed that the step was taken to strengthen Abu Maazen and try to get him to agree to direct talks with Israel. However, they expressed dissapointment that the White House did not make ceasing the PA's anti Israel incitement a condition for the status upgrade.
"

CNN Host Calls for Crackdown on Bloggers

Video embedded below.

Britain Plans to Decentralize Health Care

It really is strange to see conservative ideals finally prevailing in Europe because of the utter failure of liberal policies (again) while the US moves in the opposite direction. If countries were represented by a person, you would almost expect England to say to the US; 'hey buddy, you really do not want to head in that direction; been there, tried that, blew up in my face'.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/europe/25britain.html

"Practical details of the plan are still sketchy. But its aim is clear: to shift control of England’s $160 billion annual health budget from a centralized bureaucracy to doctors at the local level. Under the plan, $100 billion to $125 billion a year would be meted out to general practitioners, who would use the money to buy services from hospitals and other health care providers.

The plan would also shrink the bureaucratic apparatus, in keeping with the government’s goal to effect $30 billion in “efficiency savings” in the health budget by 2014 and to reduce administrative costs by 45 percent. Tens of thousands of jobs would be lost because layers of bureaucracy would be abolished.
"

Canada Pilot Has a Very Bad Day

It could have been much worse if they did not eject from the doomed jet.

Video embedded below. (via)

To Protest Hiring of Nonunion Help, Union Hires Nonunion Pickets

You really can not make this stuff up...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704288204575362763101099660.html

"Billy Raye, a 51-year-old unemployed bike courier, is looking for work.

Fortunately for him, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is seeking paid demonstrators to march and chant in its current picket line outside the McPherson Building, an office complex here where the council says work is being done with nonunion labor.

"For a lot of our members, it's really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else," explains Vincente Garcia, a union representative who is supervising the picketing.

So instead, the union hires unemployed people at the minimum wage—$8.25 an hour—to walk picket lines. Mr. Raye says he's grateful for the work, even though he's not sure why he's doing it. "I could care less," he says. "I am being paid to march around and sound off.
...
"It is bizarre," says Lynne Baker, a school spokeswoman, about the union's hiring of nonunion picketers.

Inside, Juan Flores, Can-Am's foreman, said his nonunionized workers are paid fairly. Of the protesters, he said, "I don't blame them—they need the money, but they look like they are drunk or something."

The union's Mr. Garcia sees no conflict in a union that insists on union labor hiring nonunion people to protest the hiring of nonunion labor.

He says the pickets are not only about "union issues" but also about fair wages and benefits for American workers. By hiring the unemployed, "we are also giving back to the community a bit," he says."
"

Calvin Klein Jeans Puts up QR Code Billboards

This is an interesting way to skirt the sensors, though unless I missed something this ad is fairly mild by Calvin Klein standards. They are also banking on their customers having smart phones and the knowledge of what a QR code is and how to use them.

Picture embedded below.



"This past weekend, Calvin Klein Jeans replaced three of its billboards — two in downtown New York and one on Sunset Boulevard in LA — not with another racy montage of scantily clad models, but with a bright red QR code under the words “Get It Uncensored.”

Passersby can use their smartphones to snap a picture, which will pull up an exclusive, 40-second commercial featuring models Lara Stone, “A.J.,” Sid Ellisdon, Grayson Vaughan and Eric Anderson.
"

Computers Now Helping Bring Back Dead Languages

There is a significant limitation to this technology so far; the computer needs to have a basis from which to make comparisons. That means a language with no part of it surviving to present day can not be brought back with this, though they are working on it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1296214/Computer-program-translates-ancient-language.html

"Scientists have used a computer program to decipher a written language that is more than three thousand years old.

The program automatically translated the ancient written language of Ugaritic within just a few hours.

Scientists hope the breakthrough could help them decipher the few ancient languages that they have been unable to translate so far.

Ugaritic was last used around 1200 B.C. in western Syria and consists of dots on clay tablets. It was first discovered in 1920 but was not deciphered until 1932.
"

WISE Mission Completes All-sky Infrared Survey

http://www.universetoday.com/2010/07/20/wise-mission-completes-all-sky-infrared-survey

"If you take a lot of digital pictures, you're probably familiar with the frustration of keeping track of dozens of files, and always running out of hard drive space to store them. Well, the scientists and engineers on NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission have no pity for you. Their spacecraft just finished photographing the entire sky in exquisite detail: a total of 1.3 million photos.

"The eyes of WISE have not blinked since launch," said William Irace, the mission's project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Both our telescope and spacecraft have performed flawlessly and have imaged every corner of our universe, just as we planned."

WISE surveys the sky in strips as it orbits the earth. It takes six months of constant observing to map the entire sky. By pointing at every part of the sky, astronomical surveys deliver excellent data covering both well-known objects and those that have never been seen before.
"

On Being Labeled as a 'Racist'

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39745.html

"A clear pattern of behavior has emerged over the last 16 months. According to liberals, if you disagree with their thinking, and if you disagree with the Obama administration, you are not only wrong, you are a “racist.”

The latest strike by the left comes from the NAACP, which has resolved that the tea party movement is inherently “racist.” At its most simple, this is a direct attack on the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans.

The NAACP has long history of liberalism and racism.

If you are a conservative — including a conservative African-American — there is no room for you at the NAACP. If you have opinions that differ from the NAACP and the liberal establishment, and if you are African-American, you are an “Uncle Tom,” a “negro,” “not black enough” and “against our people.”

In other words, the NAACP fancies itself the thought police for millions of black Americans. Disagree with them and you will be ostracized and attacked. You will be subjected to public humiliation and racist commentary from NAACP leadership. The message is clear: Toe the line or pay the price.

But the NAACP does not stand alone in this regard. The left has a long history of using the race card. It has been pulled on people across the political spectrum.
"

Friday, July 23, 2010

Hat Fail

Picture embedded below.

fail owned pwned pictures

Brown Beret Protester - "You’re Too White, go Back to Europe"

Notice that once again the racism is targeted at the Tea Party Protesters, not coming from the Tea Party Protesters.

Video embedded below.

Andrew Klavan: Obama's Beach Blanket Recovery: It's Happy, Snappy & Incredibly Crappy

Video embedded below.

Heritage Foundation in the Green Room - Christian Adams on The New Black Panther Case

Video embedded below.



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
Berman Post: Christian Adams (DOJ Attorney) Resigns Over Dismissal of Black Panthers Voter Intimidation Case
Berman Post: Part Two of Christian Adams (DOJ Attorney) Interview Regarding Black Panther Voter Intimidation Case
Berman Post: Christian Adams (DOJ Whistle Blower) - 'Mandate Not to Enforce Illegal Voters Get Taken Off Vote Rolls'
Berman Post: Chris Baker Interviews Christian Adams Regarding DOJ Enabled Voter Fraud in Minnesota
Berman Post: New Black Panther Party Chairman Malik Zulu Shabazz Interviewed by Tommy Christopher (Mediaite)
Berman Post: Megyn Kelly (Fox News) Interviews Black Panther Party Chairman Malik Zulu Shabazz
Berman Post: New Black Panther Party President Malik Zulu Shabazz Admits Voter Intimidation
Berman Post: New Black Panther Party Leader Malik Zulu Shabazz Praises Osama Bin Laden And Taliban
Berman Post: Geraldo Interviews New Black Panther Party Leader Malik Shabazz
Berman Post: Brad Sherman (D) Claims to be Unfamiliar With The New Black Panther Party Case Being Dismissed by The Department of Justice
Berman Post: Megyn Kelly (Fox News) on Accusations Her Coverage of The Black Panther Case is Racist

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Fall Out From The Full Shirley Sherrod Tape

Breitbart warned the NAACP and then dropped the video resulting in a breakneck speed forced resignation. She said the White House forced her to resign mainly from fear of Fox News. Then the full tape was released, after the NAACP had condemned her, having the tape in their possession the whole time. The tape showed that she was talking about incident that happened years back; a story of redemption where she got past her racism. That is not to say that it was free of racism, but much less then originally appeared. Breitbart said the story was never supposed to be about her, but about the reaction of the crowd; the crowed that could not know it was a story of redemption while they seemed to be acknowledging the incident with approval. Vilsack fell on his sword, repeatedly, Gibbs apologized, and Obama seemed to acknowledge that this was another 'I do Not Have All The Facts, But The Police Acted Stupidly' which incidentally happen exactly one year ago. Obama has talked to her and she has since been offered a new job.

Navy Successfully Uses Laser to Shoot Down a Drone

It may not be much to look at, but represents a significant advancement. This is way beyond a simple Dazzlers, it is something that can destroy the target. It does occur to me though that a great companion weapon system to this would be the shelved airborne laser. Ok, maybe not really a companion weapon system, but why shelve something that works in the air while pursuing something similar on the water?

Video embedded below.



"The successful test of the Laser Weapon System off the coast of California was announced during the Farnborough International Air Show, which is taking place this week in England.

The technology, jointly developed with Raytheon, used industrial strength lasers, is more than just your run-of-the-mill PR exercise. In its write-up of the technology, Scientific American correctly notes that the shoot-down of the drones over water constitutes an advance over previous Raytheon tests which focused on static targets.
"

Obama Moves Away From 'Freedom of Religion' Toward 'Freedom of Worship'

I do not think there is much of a story here. The phraseology seems more semantic than positional. It is something worth keeping an eye on though.

http://catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=37390&page=1

"Since the initially strong language on religious freedom used in President Obama's Cairo speech, presidential references to religious freedom have become rare, often replaced, at most, with references to freedom of worship. A purposeful change in language could mean a much narrower view of the right to religious freedom. Does this change of language indicate a change of policy? As Catholics, this is an area where we must remain vigilant. These small changes can be used to change our perception of rights and freedoms."

Facebook Tops 500 Million Users

More than half a billion people are now Facebook users. If it were a country, Facebook would be the third most populist nation by a healthy margin. If you are one of those 500 million, you should know you can get the Berman Post feed at Facebook.com/BermanPost.

http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=409753352130

"As of this morning, 500 million people all around the world are actively using Facebook to stay connected with their friends and the people around them.



This is an important milestone for all of you who have helped spread Facebook around the world. Now a lot more people have the opportunity to stay connected with the people they care about.



To celebrate, we've put together a collection of stories you've shared with us about the impact Facebook and your friends have had on your lives.



We're launching a new application called Facebook Stories where you can share your own story and read hundreds of others, categorized by themes and locations around the world. These stories include:
"

Confidence in Congress Now at 11%

11%, really; I have a bridge I want to sell those people...

Picture embedded below.

Confidence in Institutions, 1973-2010: Congress -- % Great Deal or Quite a Lot of Confidence

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Obama Signs Major Financial Overhaul in to Law

Was the signing in the Reagan building intentional symbolism?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/ap_on_bi_ge/us_financial_overhaul_11

"Reveling in victory, President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed into law the most sweeping overhaul of financial regulations since the Great Depression, a package that aims to protect consumers and ensure economic stability from Main Street to Wall Street.

The law, pushed through mainly by Democrats in Washington's deeply partisan environment, comes almost two years after the infamous near financial meltdown in 2008 in the United States that was felt around the globe. The legislation gives the government new powers to break up companies that threaten the economy, creates a new agency to guard consumers and puts more light on the financial markets that escaped the oversight of regulators.
...
Republicans portray the bill as a burden on small banks and the businesses that rely on them and argue it will cost consumers and impede job growth. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California called Obama's bill-signing a "charade" that ignored the root causes of the financial crisis.

The president said otherwise. He argued that a crippling recession was primarily caused by a breakdown in the financial system that cannot happen again.
"

Obama - 'Republicans Have a Lacks of Faith in The American People'

He has this backwards; the people pushing for smaller government have more faith in the American people. It is the people pushing for bigger government who believe that they know better then the rest of us, consequently lacking faith in the average person's ability to decide for themselves what is best.

Video embedded below.

Luxury Mall Opens in Gaza City

Kind of breaks the narrative...

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138671

"While Hamas continues to complain that Gaza lacks building materials, a luxury mall in Gaza City held its grand opening over the weekend. Among the goods on sale are Israeli men's clothing, and items from Turkey, France, and the United States.
...
A variety of stores sell cosmetics, clothing, office supplies, toys, shoes, appliances and more. The mall boasts air conditioning and a delivery service.

Hamas has often accused Israel of creating a “siege” by keeping its border crossings to Gaza closed. According to Hamas, Gaza lacks electricity and building supplies.

Gross, who has previously posted pictures of fancy restaurants, shops filled with goods, and even an Olympic-size swimming pool during the “Israeli siege,” pointed out that Gaza enjoys a higher standard of living than Turkey, which recently sent citizens on a flotilla to Gaza in violation of an Israeli naval blockade of Hamas. Noting that life expectancy and literacy rates are higher in Gaza than in Turkey, while infant mortality rates are lower, he asked, “Have they considered that perhaps the humanitarian flotillas ought to be going in the other direction, towards Turkey?”

Despite the bargain prices, Israelis are advised that it is forbidden to enter Gaza.
"

Iller: Obama Zombies Strike Back

Young Obama supporters have a little fun with the conservative commentator given label of 'Obama Zombies'.

Video embedded below.

Amendment Slipped in to ObamaCare Legislation Tracks Coin And Bullion Transactions

If there is consumer fraud that is something that should be investigated (the topic of the clip), but how does tracking gold sales in any way reasonably relate to ObamaCare?

Video embedded below.



"Section 9006 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will amend the Internal Revenue Code to expand the scope of Form 1099. Currently, 1099 forms are used to track and report the miscellaneous income associated with services rendered by independent contractors or self-employed individuals."

Median Duration of Unemployment (Graph)

Picture embedded below.

Elections Officials Reject Candidate's "NOT The Whiteman's Bitch" Slogan on Ballot

Ieshuh Griffin assures people her attempted slogan "NOT The Whiteman's Bitch" is "not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not". I would imagine if prompted she would say it is not meant to be derogatory to a sex either...

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/98941309.html

"State elections officials narrowly rejected a Milwaukee Assembly candidate's attempt to run with the slogan "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch' " under her name on the ballot.

Ieshuh Griffin, a Milwaukee independent running to replace retiring Rep. Annette "Polly" Williams (D-Milwaukee), said in response she would sue the Government Accountability Board for infringing on her freedom of speech.

"I'm not making a derogatory statement toward an ethnic group. I'm stating what I'm not," Griffin told board members. "It's my constitutional right to freedom of speech."

In other action, the state elections agency Wednesday knocked three state Assembly candidates and one congressional candidate off this fall's ballot but kept U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Madison) on it.

Unlike candidates from the established Democratic and Republican parties, independents are allowed a five-word statement of purpose on the ballot to explain to voters what their candidacy is about.

Shane Falk, a staff attorney for the Accountability Board, said that the board had the ability to restrict obscene or derogatory candidate statements from the ballot.

The board staff ruled that the statement should not be allowed. With one member absent, the board voted 3-2 in favor of reversing that ruling and allowing the wording. Under board rules, however, four votes are needed to overturn a staff decision.

As a result, Griffin will be on the ballot with "independent" by her name and nothing else.
"

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Parachuting Donkey Shocks Beachgoers (Russia)

Video embedded below. (via)

Live Action Films Video - "It’s Not a Person"

Live Action Films Video releases another sting video against Planned Parenthood.

Video embedded below.

Shirley Sherrod Resigns Over Racist Tape

Breitbart warned the NAACP and then dropped the first video resulting in the first resignation. Breitbart did say tapes; what is the over-under on him dropping another one tomorrow?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/19/clip-shows-usda-official-admitting-withheld-help-white-farmer (Via)

"Days after the NAACP clashed with Tea Party members over allegations of racism, a video has surfaced showing an Agriculture Department official regaling an NAACP audience with a story about how she withheld help to a white farmer facing bankruptcy -- video that now has forced the official to resign.
...
The Agriculture Department announced Monday, shortly after FoxNews.com published its initial report on the video, that Sherrod had resigned.

"There is zero tolerance for discrimination at USDA, and I strongly condemn any act of discrimination against any person," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a written statement. "We have been working hard through the past 18 months to reverse the checkered civil rights history at the department and take the issue of fairness and equality very seriously.

The NAACP released a statement late Monday condemning Sherrod's admission.

"We are appalled by her actions, just as we are with abuses of power against farmers of color and female farmers," the statement said.

"Her actions were shameful," it continued. "While she went on to explain in the story that she ultimately realized her mistake, as well as the common predicament of working people of all races, she gave no indication she had attempted to right the wrong she had done to this man."
"

Matthews (MSNBC) to Tea Party - 'Tear Down Those Racist Signs And Then I'll Believe You!'

Video embedded below.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Google's Grandmother’s Guide to Video Chat Being Put to Good Use

Google's Grandmother’s Guide to Video Chat has apparently been helpful and put to good use.

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/video-chatting-with-grandma.html

"Two weeks ago we asked you to submit photos of you video chatting with your grandma. Thank you for all your submissions! As promised, we’d like to highlight a few photos that particularly touched us.

Emmanuel from Israel submitted this photo and wrote "My grandmother lives in Nice, France and could not come to our wedding in Israel, this is as close as we got to having her with us."


Charlie from New York City sent in these great photos of his daughter Maayan’s first video chat with her grandparents in Portland.



And Niranjan from Bangalore submitted this photo of him video chatting with his grandmother in Mumbai while away at college.


Thanks again for your submissions-- and happy video chatting!
"

States With Stricter Gun Control Laws Are Less Safe

Glenn Reynolds refers to this sarcastically as a "SHOCKING DISCOVERY". Of course it is not, statistics and analysis constantly show this, liberal hand wringing aside. Even if we did not have the data to back up the claim so clearly, it would still be a simple notion just on its logic. There is a mini logical proof I use when debating people in favor of strict gun control:

Part one - Ask; "Do you think that criminals (murders, rapists, bank robbers...), people who by definition are law breakers, will respect gun control laws?"

If they answer yes - back to part one, rephrased slightly, until they give you the only valid answer; that law breakers break the law.

When they answer no - move to part two

Part two - Say; "So what you are saying is that the only thing gun control laws due is prevent the law abiding citizens, the people who we want to have the guns, from defending themselves."

If they answer no - go back to step one

If they answer yes - just wait for them to understand and acknowledge they have become supporters of the second amendment.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/states-with-stricter-gun-control-laws-are-less-safe

"After collating gun ownership rates with FBI violent crime rates, other interesting correlations appear:




  • As gun ownership levels increase, Brady grades decrease.

  • States with higher gun ownership levels have less violent crime and murder.



































































Gun Ownership vs. Brady, Violent Crime, Murder
Percent Gun

Ownership
20012002
Ave.

Grade

FBI RatesAve.

Grade

FBI Rates
ViolenceMurderViolenceMurder
Under 30%B+610.07.6B+599.78.2
30-40%D+424.54.9D+422.45.0
40-50%D+410.74.9D+406.54.8
Over 50%D-319.64.2D-314.83.9

Brady’s “reasonable” gun control correlates with reduced gun ownership and higher rates of overall violence and murder.


Collating gun ownership rates with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) homicide data underscores the above conclusions:



  • States with the lowest firearms ownership average the highest firearm and non-firearm homicide rates.


  • As firearms ownership rates increase, homicide rates generally decrease.

  • States with the highest gun ownership have the lowest firearms homicide rates.






























































Gun Ownership vs. CDC Homicide Rates
Pct. Gun

Ownership
20012002
TotalFirearmNon-FATotalFirearmNon-FA
Under 30%9.324.904.428.095.612.47
30-40%5.523.312.205.473.462.01
40-50%5.633.582.045.243.491.75
Over 50%5.123.221.905.223.182.04

(Note: the CDC collects information from death certificates, while the FBI collects data from law enforcement agencies.)
...
These data show that law-abiding Americans are safest where they have the easiest access to firearms, rendering Henigan’s premise invalid."

Black Female Tea Party Candidate Cedra Crenshaw (R) Fights Illinois Democrats to Get on Ballot

Destroying the narrative...

Video embedded below.

McConnell (R) Not Interested in Weighing in on Charges of Racism in Tea Party

Just to make things clear, Biden (after prompting) defends the Tea Party against the baseless charge of racism, but Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R) is 'Not Interested' in getting into the debate...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/109401-mcconnell-not-interested-in-weighing-in-on-tea-party-racism-debate

"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stayed out of the debate over whether there are racist elements in the Tea Party movement, saying he had better things to worry about -- namely, GOP efforts in the midterm elections.

"Oh my goodness -- in the whole country is there racism?" McConnell responded when asked by CNN "State of the Union" host Candy Crowley if there was racism in the movement, as charged by the NAACP.

"I'm not interested in getting into that debate," the leader said. "...There are all kinds of things in America that make me uncomfortable, both on the right and the left."
"

Obama's Management of GM And Chrysler Cost 10,000+ Jobs

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/19autos.html (via)

"President Obama’s auto task force pressed General Motors and Chrysler to close scores of dealerships without adequately considering the jobs that would be lost or having a firm idea of the cost savings that would be achieved, an audit of the process has concluded.

The report by Neil M. Barofsky, the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief Program of the Treasury Department, said both carmakers needed to shut down some underperforming dealerships. But it questioned whether the cuts should have been made so quickly, particularly during a recession. The report, released on Sunday, estimated that tens of thousands of jobs were lost as a result.

“It is not at all clear that the greatly accelerated pace of the dealership closings during one of the most severe economic downturns in our nation’s history was either necessary for the sake of the companies’ economic survival or prudent for the sake of the nation’s economic recovery,” the report said.
"

Breitbart Releases His 'NAACP is Racist' Tape

Breitbart warned the NAACP and here it is.

Video embedded below.

Biden - 'Obama And I do Not Believe The Tea Party is Racist'

Biden does repeat the debunked claims of the 'N-word' being hurled at black Congressman during the ObamaCare debate, but ultimately comes around unequivocally saying that the Tea Party is not racist. The NAACP must be pretty lonely out there on the fringes believing the contrary.

Video embedded below.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Obama Administration Now Arguing Insurance Mandate is a Tax

So much for 'penalty, not a tax'. It appears they fear the challenges have serious merit; something I believe and have been talking about. Head over to http://volokh.com/2010/07/18/so-much-for-frivolous-commerce-clause-challenge-to-individual-mandate for some analysis of the pitfalls of this new argument.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/health/policy/18health.html

"When Congress required most Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty, Democrats denied that they were creating a new tax. But in court, the Obama administration and its allies now defend the requirement as an exercise of the government’s “power to lay and collect taxes.”

And that power, they say, is even more sweeping than the federal power to regulate interstate commerce.

Administration officials say the tax argument is a linchpin of their legal case in defense of the health care overhaul and its individual mandate, now being challenged in court by more than 20 states and several private organizations.
...
In a brief defending the law, the Justice Department says the requirement for people to carry insurance or pay the penalty is “a valid exercise” of Congress’s power to impose taxes.

Congress can use its taxing power “even for purposes that would exceed its powers under other provisions” of the Constitution, the department said. For more than a century, it added, the Supreme Court has held that Congress can tax activities that it could not reach by using its power to regulate commerce.

While Congress was working on the health care legislation, Mr. Obama refused to accept the argument that a mandate to buy insurance, enforced by financial penalties, was equivalent to a tax.
"

First Dog Bo Takes Own Private Jet to Join Obama on Family Vacation

As Glenn Reynolds forcefully puts it; "I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ONE GODDAMN WORD ABOUT MY CARBON FOOTPRINT: “Arriving in a small jet before the Obamas was the first dog, Bo, a Portuguese water dog given as a present by the late U.S. Sen Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.”


UPDATE: Note the appended “clarification” to the story, which says that Bo didn’t get his own plane to himself, but was accompanied by other staffers. But reader Ed Stephens writes: “Do you think any reporter will have the nerve to ask Obama directly about flying the dog on a private jet?”


ANOTHER UPDATE: A reader emails: “The first reporter that *does* ask about the dog’s private jet, will get immediate street cred (and Tea Party cred) that will send shock waves through the MSM.” But the lunch invitations will dry up.

"

Union Violence at Pro-Democratic Party Union Rally in California

Video embedded below.

Atheists Using Hair Dryers to 'De-Baptize'

I am usually one that says 'to each his own', but is it really necessary to do something that seems to have no other purpose but to inflame opponents?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/17/atheists-reportedly-using-hair-dryers-baptize

"American atheists lined up to be "de-baptized" in a ritual using a hair dryer, according to a report Friday on U.S. late-night news program "Nightline."

Leading atheist Edwin Kagin blasted his fellow non-believers with the hair dryer to symbolically dry up the holy water sprinkled on their heads in days past. The styling tool was emblazoned with a label reading "Reason and Truth."
...
Kagin doned a monk's robe and said a few mock-Latin phrases before inviting those wishing to be de-baptized to "come forward now and receive the spirit of hot air that taketh away the stigma and taketh away the remnants of the stain of baptismal water."
"

What Comes After ObamaCare Repeal?

Video embedded below.

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