Saturday, October 10, 2009

Daily Round-Up Round Two



54% Favor Middle-Class Tax Cuts Over New Spending on Health Care

Saving Consumers from Themselves. The trouble with Obama’s proposal for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. Because living in a Nanny State is ever so much fun.

The Dems' Fate Accompli? Also known as cramdown.

Peace Prize Winner Obama's No Champion of Human Rights. To cap its blindness and deafness to human rights -- the Obama White House has stiffed the Dalai Lama.

State Budget Problems Expected to Get Worse. Probably a lot worse.

U.S. Blocks Oil Drilling at 60 Sites in Utah. Because the economy needs energy to be really, really expensive right now.

Obama: Consensus and obstructionism on health care. Blatant Liar is the phrase that comes to mind after reading this AP report.

Multi Daily Round-Up 10-10

I'm doing a combo round-up today because it is a Saturday and I wanna play.



CORRUPTION
More Stonewalling from the Most Transparent Administration in History

What Price for Obama’s Nobel Prize? Do the Norwegians have an agenda?

Mike Huckabee: Conservative criticism of Obama's Nobel Peace Prize sounds like 'right-wing whining' Huckabee is not wrong, the Nobel committee was wrong but unless Obama nominated himself, it's not his fault. That said, visit this site here and watch Rush Limbaugh implode.



Did President Obama Learn Nothing from Ving Rhames? Watch from the 4 minute mark.


Weekend Update: MSM Breaks Up with Obama

U Advocates the Counting of Illegal Immigrants in Census

2010 Census Still a Boondoggle for the Left Especially when there's this HUGE list of Big Labor Unions "helping" with the Census. Charming.

A Defense Bill Should Be About Defense — Not Liberal Social Policies

Seeking to Quell Unrest, Obama to Address Nation's Largest Gay Rights Group Saturday. President Obama will speak at a fundraising dinner gala hosted by the Human Rights Campaign, a group that recently blasted the Obama administration for attempting to dismiss the first gay marriage case filed in federal court. Barney Frank thinks the planned march is a waste of time. Frank: D.C. Gay Rights March Misses Mark

Pelosi & Obama Misread the Tea Leaves: No Liberal Mandate from 2008

Truth will out. What happened to global warming? It's called the weather and it has changed.

THE WEEK IN BLOGS: What's It Take To Creep Out Pelosi ... And Have You Seen This Man?

Dear Harvey: Please Get Over Yourself

The Dawn of a New Era in Infotainment. The evolving — or, rather, devolving — standards of the legacy media.

Nipping Political Speech at the Grassroots. When the First Amendment counts most, the court has been AWOL.



OBAMACARE
Liberal Health Care Ideas: DOA

Obama's Health Plan Offers Medicare Cuts, Tax Increases First, Benefits Later. Under President Obama's health care bill, federal subsides to help low- and middle-income households to pay for health insurance won't start flowing until 2013, but Medicare cuts and a sizable chunk of the tax increases to pay for the overhaul kick in immediately.

Related from AP: Wait for benefits is 3 years if health care passes. First we pay more taxes for three years and then we lose all our healthcare choices because they are now being dictated to us by a nameless and faceless bureaucrat? Good Times.

U.S. Health Care Debate Feeds Anti-Americanism in Europe (Part I)

Read the health bill! Not as easy as you think. Yes but it can and should be done.

Faux Fiscal Restraint on the Road to Budgetary Armageddon. The Baucus bill is deficit reduction that only spendthrifts could love.



IN ECONOMIC WOES
The Mundell-Laffer Solution. A stable King Dollar and lower tax rates could save the nation at this critical juncture.

The Pork Report: October 9, 2009

Runaway Debt

A Satire With Consequences

Report: Reining in lawsuits would cut deficit

Full-Year TARP Results: Banks Hoard More Cash, Make Fewer Loans

Why Do Federal Workers Make Twice As Much As Private-Sector Workers? Good question.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Ranking Pixar Movies

Armchair Commentary has a post today ranking the Pixar Movies. I disagree with his order but I do agree that they are the Best. Movies. Ever.

My ranking below:
1. Finding Nemo
2. Monsters Inc
3. Cars
4. Toy Story
5. The Incredibles
6. Wall-E
7. Ratatouille
8. Toy Story 2
9. Up
10. A Bug's Life

It kills me to put them in order - especially the top five. Actually, my real ranking would be something like this:

1 Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, The Incredibles
2. Wall-E, Ratatouille, Toy Story 2, Up, A Bug's Life

Govt-Funded Research Unit Destroyed Original Climate Data

In the wake of a revelation by a key research institution that it destroyed its original climate data, the Competitive Enterprise Institute petitioned EPA to reopen a major global warming proceeding.

So basically, the EPA wants to regulate carbon dioxide emissions based on a study that has destroyed its data.

Do not think for one tiny moment that regulating carbon dioxide will make our lives easier. Heating your home will be more expensive. Cooling your home will be more expensive. Driving anywhere will be more expensive. Food will be more expensive. Gas will be more expensive. All manufactured products will be more expensive.

Life will be more expensive.

Barriers to Individual Achievement

From The Competitive Enterprise Institute.

So Sound A Man

God Bless Daniel Hannan

What Was Norway Thinking?

Originally posted here by my husband over at NRO-The Corner.
I wondered first if the Nobel decision was a calculated snub to Gordon Brown, who literally saved the world. Then I realized I should ask my good friend Lene Johansen, a Norwegian-born writer currently based in Philadelphia, just what the Norwegian-based committee thought it was doing. Here's her response in full:
There were a few critics in Norway when Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but the Obama award is quite different. Members of parliament have been sending out incredulous tweets all morning, and the national subject matter experts are surprised and say Obama does not have a sufficient track record yet.

One of the most outspoken critics is Jan Arild Snoen, president of American-Norwegian friendship organization Monticello Society and editor of the political magazine Minerva.

“This is a scandal,” He said to Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. “It is a ‘peace and war and stuff’ award. The committee continues the star power strategy that started with Gore receiving the Prize.”

Nils Buthenschøn, president of the Human Rights Institute expresses a similar sentiment in the same story. “It seems like the committee wanted to award the Prize to the American president to confirm the status of the Prize rather than the worthiness of the candidate”, he says


They do have a point; Obama had been in office 11 days when the nomination deadline came around on February 1. Europe and Norway was suffering from an Obama fever that only could be matched by the U.S. fever right around Election Day. The love affair still persists among the political class, because they admire the political craftsmanship of his campaign. This might be the official “world” endorsement of Obama’s presidency; since they still are sore they could not vote in the U.S. election.

Europeans also adore Obama for shifting the U.S. political focus to the left. Norwegian politicians are no exception, and Norway continues to rank #1 on UNDP’s Development Index. This index measures how much a government assists its citizens, while Norway barely makes it into the ranks of mostly free countries on the Economic Freedom Index. The adoration for Obama’s re-orientation of U.S. Politics is evident in the announcement.

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee states. “His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.”

One person that did predict this result was Gerhard Helskog, an experienced reporter covering the foreign desk for TV2, the largest private newsnetwork in Norway. He said the new committee chair, Torbjørn Jagland like to think big, and Obama was big in Jagland’s eyes.

Jagland is a former prime minister and was recently elected new General Secretary of the Council of Europe. He received critique for staying in the post as Nobel Committee chair after accepting this position. Norwegian experts feared that leadership of an international political organization would lead people to question the independence of the Nobel Committee.

Alfred Nobel’s reason for letting the Norwegian Parliament handle the peace price was that Norway did not have an independent foreign policy at the time. The Prize would therefore be handled by a politically independent body. This award makes it clear this is no longer the case.

Several experts, including head of Norwegian Institute of Foreign Affairs Jan Egeland and head of the International Peace Research Institute, Kristian Berg Harpviken, thought the Committee would give out a “traditional” peace prize again this year. Last year’s prize was traditional; it went to Martti Ahtisaari, who brokered peace in Kosovo in 2005. Most people probably never even heard of this former Finnish president.

“I don’t think Jagland referred to a celebrity when he said the choice will be noticed internationally,” Harpviken said to Aftenposten earlier this week. “I think it means a winner with a broad base of support.”

Boy was he wrong. Jagland is continuing the tradition with celebrity winners. Snide tweets from Norway this morning said any world politician that Jagland wanted to dine with should watch out, because they are all future candidates.

I think Hellskog was kind when he thought a Prize would be a recognition of America’s leadership in the world. Helskog spent many years here as a correspondent and has expressed great love for the U.S. Personally, I don’t believe this is a recognition of U.S. leadership role, but the world embracing us for joining the flock. That is a recognition no American president ought to accept.

Why, Why, Why?

A lot of people have asked that question in response to the awarding of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize to Obama. Below is a terrific list of blogsphere responses to this news lifted mostly from Instapundit (thanks and sorry). I'll add more when I find them. I imagine there will be lots of commentary.

And, it occurs to me, given the ridiculous news about Obama's Nobel Prize, that tonight is going to be the Mother of all Friday Night News Dumps.


OBAMA WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE? “For what?”

UPDATE: What do Barack Obama and Yassir Arafat have in common?

Plus, Mickey Kaus: Turn It Down. “Say he’s honored but he hasn’t had the time yet to accomplish what he wants to accomplish.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Doug Mataconis on Facebook: “Teddy Roosevelt wins Peace Prize for stopping a war. Carter wins Peace Prize for a lifetime of work. Obama wins Peace prize for breathing.”

MORE: Heh.

I say, not bad for a guy who’s been acting like Bambi caught in the headlights of history.

STILL MORE: London Times: Absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize. Oh, it was already a mockery.

Meanwhile, Mataconis is on a roll on Facebook: “How can Obama win the Nobel Peace Prize on the same day that he’s becoming the first POTUS to bomb the Moon?”

It’s Frank J. Fleming’s world. The rest of us just live in it.

MORE STILL: Various reader comments:

“It’s a peace prize, not a peace peace prize.”

“How do you say ‘jumped the shark’ in Norwegian?”

“Today the Nobel Committee announced a posthumous Peace Prize for Neville Chamberlain.”

“Why not the Cy Young Award, too?”

“Let’s be fair . . . he did pull off the Beer Summit.”

Plus, Jacob T. Levy on Facebook: “The US border agent in Toronto– the armed representative of the state who was holding my passport– asked me what I thought of the Nobel, got angry when I was anything less than celebratory, and didn’t want to give my passport back– wanted to keep arguing.”

Americans want to be loved.”

The subprime Peace Prize.”

Salena Zito: “Well, this makes his meeting with his war team today awkward.”

HuffPo: Whatever Happened to Awarding For Deeds Actually Done?

Richard Cohen:
In a stunning announcement, Millard Fillmore Senior High School chose Shawn Rabinowitz, an incoming junior, as next year’s valedictorian. The award was made, the valedictorian committee announced from Norway of all places, on the basis of “Mr. Rabinowitz’s intention to ace every course and graduate number one in class.” In a prepared statement, young Shawn called the unprecedented award, “f—ing awesome.”

At the same time, and amazingly enough, the Pulitzer Prize for Literature went to Sarah Palin for her stated intention “to read a book someday.” The former Alaska governor was described as “floored” by the award, announced in Stockholm by nude Swedes beating themselves with birch branches, and insisted that while she was very busy right now, someday she would make good on her vow to read a book. “You’ll see,” she said from her winter home in San Diego.

And again in a stunning coincidence, the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences announced the Oscar for best picture will be given this year to the Vince Vaughn vehicle “Guys Weekend to Burp,” which is being story-boarded at the moment but looks very good indeed. Mr. Vaughn, speaking through his publicist, said was “touched and moved” by the award and would do everything in his power to see that the picture lives up to expectation and opens big sometime next March.
Heh.

Posted at 6:59 am by Glenn Reynolds

NEWS AND COMMENTARY LINKS
What Price for Obama’s Nobel Prize?

From a reader:

Any chance we can get Kanye West to attend the ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize. Talk about a time for him to step up
. Obama says he'll accept Nobel as 'call to action'. Well it would have to be wouldn't it? He hasn't DONE anything yet.

Obama is surprise winner of Nobel Peace Prize

From the UK, Absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize.

Even This BBC Forum seems to think it is too soon.

President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize Links to the citation report.

Of all the nominees like dissidents who truly risk their lives to fight for peace, The Nobel Peace Prize Isn't That Funny.

Maybe the Nobel committee felt sorry for him afterall. 'Greater embarrassment' than losing Olympics.

Usually the Wall Street Journal's headlines are NOT from the big book of D'uh. Nobel Committee's Decision Courts Controversy. They aren't wrong though.

Uh huh. World leaders hail Obama's Nobel Prize. Of course, they do. They all hope to get one themselves now that the prize is being handed out like peanuts.

Obama Peace Prize win has Americans asking why?

On a lighter note, Palin, Vaughn, Rabinowitz Win Awards

Does He Have to Ask Congress for Permission? Apparently yes.

In Economic Woes 10-09



Wonder why the stimulus isn't working? Montana: Stimulus Funds Go to Study Volcanoes in the Andes, Periodontal Disease, Shakespeare.

The Problem Is Spending, Not Deficits. Yes, yes it is. VIDEO.

Jobless Rate Offers GOP Potential Rallying Cry in 2010, 2012 Elections. Despite signs of improvement in the economy, the unemployment rate keeps climbing -- up to a 26-year high of 9.8 percent in September -- providing Republicans political ammunition and putting Democrats on the defensive.

This can't be good. Welcome to Zimbabwe: World Economic Forum ranks U.S. financial stability 38th, currency stability 50th globally.

Proposals to create jobs add up to second stimulus. That'll help because the first stimulus was so terrific.

Democrats' Proposals Add Up to Second Stimulus. Proposals include extending a popular tax credit for first-time home buyers, and creating a new credit for companies that add jobs, appearing a lot like another economic stimulus package.

Corruption Daily Round-Up 10-09



JUNK SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENTALISM CORRUPTION
Climate Talks Failure Would Embarrass Obama, EU Says Is that a threat or a promise?

Climate porn campaign drowns dog for £6m VIDEO. It is truly ghastly. Nature Magazine blog calls it, Worst. Climate. Campaign. Ever.

It's not about the climate, it's about controlling people. 5 Technologies Missing From the Clean Energy Bill.

Greens more likely thieves and liars, says shock study. No offence, but I don't find this study "shocking" at all.

Nuclear engineer from Cern lab arrested for al-Qaeda links. Maybe scientists should be vetted better?



MEDIA CORRUPTION
Edsall Admits the Obvious

The FTC's Mad Power Grab. The commission's preposterous new endorsement guidelines. It's as if at the FTC, the phrase goes, "First thing we do, let's kill all the bloggers."

Doing the reporting Journalists won't. Interview with Andrew Breitbart

Ron Ziegler’s Revenge

Cloistered Media Libs Don't Get It


GENERAL CORRUPTION
Fair and Decent? The number of Americans that believe others are fair and decent is dropping. Gee I wonder why. This is a three-fer in the corruption round-ups.

The Polanski Culture: Hollywood’s Push to Normalize Sex With Children AND Sense and Sexuality

Payback's a bitch, but not as much as an enraged wife. DAVE's $300 MILLION DIVORCE

Political Corruption Daily Round-Up 10-09



It occurs to me, given the ridiculous news about Obama's Nobel Prize, that tonight is going to be the Mother of all Friday Night News Dumps.

Tuscan TEA Party Protest - Help fight the corruption! AND Interview with Kevin Jackson: A Proud Conservative with a Relevant Message. Mr. Jackson is the author of The BIG Black Lie.

Cameron attacks ‘big government’. Too bad no one over here seems to be.

Congress acts to extend hate crimes to cover gays. Because hurting people isn't a crime to begin with?

Social Conservatives Mount Last-Ditch Effort to Stop Hate Crimes Bill. Social conservatives opposed to a hate crimes bill that would extend federal protection to gay and transgender victims and nearing passage in Congress are mounting a last-ditch effort to defeat it.

Senate Democrats reach deal on extending benefits. Wouldn't it be a better idea to STOP spending and START job creation?

How long can Democrats stand by Charlie Rangel? How long can a Democrat look in the mirror?

Charlie Rangel's Cloud. An Ethics Case Could Drag Democrats Down. I think Rangel already is.

Ethics Committee to Expand Investigation Into Rangel Allegations. The Committee said Thursday that it has reviewed more than 12,000 pages in documents, conducted 34 interviews and held 30 hearings into Rangel's alleged misdeeds, which include failure to pay taxes and disclose income -- as much as 1.3 million -- he earned from multiple properties.

Senate 2010: Most endangered seats AND Republicans Aroused; Dems, Not So Much

Fair and Decent? The number of Americans that believe others are fair and decent is dropping. Gee I wonder why. This is a three-fer in the corruption round-ups.

More Illegal-Alien Euphemisms

Obama Urges Congress to Create Consumer Protection Agency Obama says the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency would have one mission, 'to look out for the financial interests of ordinary Americans.' Don't we already have these protections in place?

Crime, Census and Censorship

Speaking of censorship. Honey, They Gave Away the Internet

From Great Britain, the dangers of big government via The Nanny State Gets Nasty

That's what happens when you elect clowns. Franken gets testy over statistics

Pelosi's Sinking In the Swamp. If she hopes to survive a bloody battle in 2010 -- one where her own words and actions will be used against her -- Speaker Pelosi must insist that New York Congressman Charlie Rangel resign immediately.

ACORN/NEA/BIG LABOR Round-Up 10-09



ACORN’s GOP Supporters

Rathke’s Reach: Critical ACORN Doc Found on Asian Website

ACORN activists refuse to buckle to video scandal.

Fool Me Hundreds of Times: Who Gets to Clean Up ACORN?

Fake Art for a Fake President? Perfect for a fake NEA.

Fair and Decent? The number of Americans that believe others are fair and decent is dropping. Gee I wonder why. This is a three-fer in the corruption round-ups.

ACORNCracked.com A good website for following this scandalous group.

Obamacare Daily Round-Up 10-09



Tort Reform Reduces Federal Deficit, Congressional Analysts Say. The finding bolsters one of Republicans' top health proposals, and provides them with momentum to press for tort reform to be included President Obama's sweeping health care legislation.

The Real Cost of the Baucus Bill: $2 Trillion+

Health care tab to be paid by taxpayers, businesses, seniors

Baucus' hefty bill

From the Wall Street Journal The Greatest Show on Earth. Step right up: A new entitlement that cuts the deficit! Or as the New York Post more succinctly puts it, Baucus' cooked books.

Read the health bill! Not as easy as you think. And that my friends, is part of the problem.

Hatch on the peace prize and Obamacare:


The Baucus Conundrum Sounds like the title to a Big Bang Theory episode.

Health Care Reform: Getting Our Language Right. Because it's not about taking over 15% of the economy, it's about sounding good.

Is Baucus Strong-Arming Humana? FOIA Requests on the Way. But I thought the government was NOT going to force anyone to do anything they didn't want to... oh right.

Controlling Healthcare Costs The American Way: Not Doing It

America On The Couch: Death & Free Health Care, Why We Want One & Fear The Other

Private does it better than Public. Armed to the Teeth: The Fight Over Rural Dental Care

Waste Not, Want Not: The Key to Reducing Costs

U.S. Chamber to Congress: Listen to Voters and Include Medical Liability Reforms in Health Care Legislation

What Congress Will Find in Health Insurer Pay

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Why? What has the man accomplished? Ever? Astonishingly, the nominations closed after Obama had only been in office about two weeks. TWO WEEKS!

I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit.

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize Great. Right up there with Arafat and Gore. Another classy move Nobel committee.

Since I've been born these are the Nobel Peace Prize recipients (my opinion in paraenthesis):
2009 - Barack Obama (ugh)
2008 - Martti Ahtisaari (No Opinion)
2007 - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Al Gore (Chronic Liar)
2006 - Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank (Good Guy)
2005 - International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei (ugh)
2004 - Wangari Maathai (ugh - greenie)
2003 - Shirin Ebadi (mixed)
2002 - Jimmy Carter (Double yuck)
2001 - United Nations, Kofi Annan (ugh)
2000 - Kim Dae-jung (decent guy)
1999 - Médecins Sans Frontières (decent org)
1998 - John Hume, David Trimble (no opinion)
1997 - International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jody Williams
1996 - Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, José Ramos-Horta
1995 - Joseph Rotblat, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
1994 - Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin (Really Arafat?)
1993 - Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk (Mmmmmm,ok)
1992 - Rigoberta Menchú Tum
1991 - Aung San Suu Kyi
1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev (mixed)
1989 - The 14th Dalai Lama
1988 - United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UN wusses)
1987 - Oscar Arias Sánchez
1986 - Elie Wiesel (good guy)
1985 - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
1984 - Desmond Tutu (ok guy)
1983 - Lech Walesa (was a good guy, now ok)
1982 - Alva Myrdal, Alfonso García Robles
1981 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
1980 - Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
1979 - Mother Teresa (BEST WOMAN EVER)
1978 - Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin
1977 - Amnesty International (half ugh/half good)
1976 - Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan
1975 - Andrei Sakharov
1974 - Seán MacBride, Eisaku Sato
1973 - Henry Kissinger, Le Duc Tho (ugh)
1972 - The prize money for 1972 was allocated to the Main Fund
1971 - Willy Brandt
1970 - Norman Borlaug (BEST MAN EVER)
1969 - International Labour Organization
1968 - René Cassin

Some of these people were great, some were good, most are just yucky. Giving Obama a peace prize makes no sense, except politically. It is official. The Nobel Peace Prize has no meaning.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Polanski Supporters and Their Upcoming Movies

Here is the list of Hollywood people who've signed a petition supporting admitted child-rapist Roman Polanski. Now this list simply represents those who've signed a petition and not idiots like Whoopi Goldberg who said it wasn't a "rape-rape".

I've pulled out the major names from the petition and the films these child-rapist supporters will be releasing soon (source www.imdb.com). May I suggest you go elsewhere.

MAJOR NAMES BELOW:

Wes Anderson - The Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009
My Best Friend (in prod.)
Darren Aronofsky - Black Swan 2010
(in prod. - Breaking the Bank, The Hunt, Black Files, Robocop, Riverview Towers)
Jonatham Demme - Neil Young Trunk Show 2009
Marley 2010
Stephen Frears - Cherie 2009
Tamara Drew 2010
The Burial (in prod.)
David Lynch - My Son, My Son What Have You Done? 2009
Change Begins Within 2009
King Shot 2010
Snootworld (in prod.)
Martin Scorsese - Untitled George Harrison Documentary 2009
Shuttered 2010
Silence 2010
Sinatra 2010
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt 2010
Penelope Cruz - Nine 2009
Rain in Spain (in Prod.)
Alfonso Cuaron - A Boy And His Shoe (pre-prod.)
- Saturn and The End of Days (dev.)
- The Witches (dev.)
Guillermo del Toro - Biutiful 2009
- Don't Be Afraid of the Dark 2011
- Hater 2010
- Pinnocio (dev.)
- Bag of Bones (dev.)
Terry Gilliam - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 2009
- The Man Who Killed Don Quixote 2011
Buck Henry - Jailbird (in dev.)
Get Smart 2 (in dev.)
John Landis - Burke and Hare 2010
- Epic Proportions 2010
- The Rivals 2011
Michael Mann - Empire (in dev.)
- Death of a Dissident (in dev.)
- Texas Killing Fields (in dev.)
Tilda Swinton - Gene to the Fourth (in dev.)
Harrison Ford - Crossing Over 2009
- Extraordinary Measures 2010
- Morning Glory 2010
- Indiana Jones 5 (in dev.)
Sam Mendes - Away We Go 2009
- Preacher (in dev.)
- Butcher's Crossing (in dev.)
- Middlemarch (in dev.)
- Lost in Austen (in dev.)
- Netherlands (in dev.)
Mike Nichols - High and Low (in dev.)
- Deep Water (in dev.)
Natalie Portman - Brothers 2009
- Love and Other Impossible Pursuits 2009
- Hesher 2010
- Your Highness 2010
- Black Swan 2010
- Thor 2011
Kristin Scott Thomas - Nowhere Boy 2009
Steven Soderbergh - Night Train 2010
- The Prince of Providence 2011
- Cleo 2011
Diane von Furstenberg - Just remember she supports a child rapist when you consider buying her clothes.
Salman Rushdie - Just remember he supports a child rapist when you consider buying his books.
Milan Kundera - Just remember he supports a child rapist when you consider buying his books.
Bernard-Henri Lévy - Philosopher, apparently his deep thoughts don't cover the ethics of raping children.
Woody Allen - No movies in production or pending
Jeremy Irons - No movies in production or pending


Full list link, here. Text fisked here.

FYI - Hollywood's Lame Defense of Roman Polanski

Below are some names of people who have verbally supported Polanski - more will come as I find them.
Whoopi Goldberg - On The View
Debra Winger - at presentation of lifetime achievement award to Polanski in Switzerland
Lech Walesa - (former pres. of Poland)
Ethan Coen - Of The Coen Brothers (A Serious Man- 2009, Hail Ceaser - pre-prod. 2009, and True Grit - in dev.)
Patrick Goldstein - Entertainment Columnist for the LA Times
Kim Morgan - Huffington Post blogger
Joan Z. Shore - Co-founder, Women Overseas for Equality (I guess they don't need your donations)
Anne Applebaum - Washington Post Columnist
Jeff Wells -HollywoodElsewhere blogger
Glenn Kenny - Film writer and Premiere mag. film critic
Robert Harris - Author
Jeff Berg - Polanski's agent
Mike Medavoy - Producer (Colter's Run-in dev., The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag-in dev., Mile Zero-in dev., The Last Voyage of Demeter-in dev., The Day They Stole the Mona Lisa-in dev., RoboCop-in dev., The Long Road Home-in dev., The Soundman-in dev., Playing for Pizza-in dev., Stepmonster-in dev., The Heretic-in dev., The Brass Wall-in dev., Black Swan, 2010-pre-prod., Shutter Island, 2010-post-prod., Shanghai 2010, The Wildest Dream, 2010)
John Farr - writer & Huffington Post blogger
Patricia Arquette - TV Show Medium; (Movies: Untitled 12-Year Richard Linklater Project - 2013-post-prod., A Single Woman 2009)
Lisa Kudrow - (Dirty Girl 2009, Easy A - 2010, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits 2009, Bandslam 2009, Paper Man 2009, Hotel for Dogs 2009, Powder Blue 2009)
Jillian Michaels - trainer for Biggest Loser

Sources: Here A. Here B. Here C. Here D.

In Economic Woes 10-08



It's Official: The 2009 Deficit is $1.4 Trillion

The Weak-Dollar Threat to Prosperity. Measured in euros, U.S. per capita GDP is down 25% since 2000.

Bachmann voices ire at ‘Bail-out Nation’ (need to register to read whole article - free)

The Pork Report: October 8, 2009

How About a Congressional ‘Clawback’ for Taxpayers

80% Marginal Tax Rates After Health Care Reform?

IRS Made Errors in Stimulus Payments to 400,000 Taxpayers

Private School vs. Public School

Mrs. Pelosi's VAT. The Speaker floats a middle-class tax hike.

Tax the Rich? How's That Working?

The Flood of Foreclosures Shows No Sign of Ebbing

We Are Now the Biggest Keynesians in the World. Oh Goody.

Cash for Chaos

A Conservative "Stimulus" That Actually Worked

Corruption Daily Round-Up 10-07



POLITICAL CORRUPTION
Obama’s America- the Gordon Brown years? My husband just returned from England, his beloved homeland, and he described it as ruined (actually he used a rare curse word) because of Blair and Brown. Heaven forbid we allow Obama to do the same to us.

Return of Walpin-gate. The White House tries a limited modified hangout

The Right’s Real Problem: Too Big to Fail

The Pork Report: October 8, 2009

Real Members of Congress: PJTV Salutes Mr. Faithful Like A Trial Lawyer

How About a Congressional ‘Clawback’ for Taxpayers

Obama's woes keep piling up around globe

Tax the Rich? How's That Working?

Will the Census Count Illegal Immigrants?

Chicago Violence Haunts Obama as Gun-Control Backers Left Cold

The Moral Hazard of Big Governments

The New Era of Big Government. Voters would like it to end. Now.

Roman Polanski Backers Gave $34K To Obama, DNC

80% Marginal Tax Rates After Health Care Reform?

Mrs. Pelosi's VAT. The Speaker floats a middle-class tax hike.

Census Bureau sending violent felons to our doors?

The Power of Payback From the great Victor Davis Hansen

Community Leaders Excluded from Duncan and Holder Meeting

Boehner Fights 'Phantom Amendments'

Is Barack Obama Jesus Christ? Klavan answers the question.

Message to Obama from Jon Stewart.

Wall Street bailouts: Business as usual. President Obama’s proposed reforms may be pro-business, but they’re not pro-free market. ‘Too big to fail’ backstops only ensure failure down the road.


RANGEL CORRUPTION Sub-Division
Rangel Should Just Resign Already

Rangel's enablers


MEDIA/GENERAL CORRUPTION
(UPDATED) School Kids Sing Praises of Health Care Reform on CNN. Video - School Kids Sing For Health Care Reform On Set Of CNN

Breitbart shapes conservative agenda

Required FTC blogger disclosure

Hollywood, Media Misfire on Polanski and Letterman

Black Tea-Partyer calls out Garofalo over ‘white power’ statement. Isn't it corrupt to give Garofalo a platform?

The Elephant in the Room: Christian freedoms at risk. Why would the U.S. government force a Catholic college to pay for birth control?

Apparently, having Faith is a form of dementia to some.

More Racist Rants from the Anti-Black-Conservative Left


JUNK SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENTALISM CORRUPTIONBig, Green, Global Government

Scientist: Carbon Dioxide Doesn't Cause Global Warming

Boxer-Kerry Climate Bill would Endanger Taxpayers, Economy, Citizen Group Warns

Over the Summer, a Spread of Thicker Arctic Ice

The Cultural Contradictions of Environmentalism: Fast Breeder Reactor Edition

Is Bill Ayers Now Playing Conservatives? Why He Should Not be Taken Seriously

Don't Count on Us. The coming Census debacle

ACORN/NEA/BIG LABOR Round-Up 10-08



Politicizing the Arts Community: What Did the White House Do Wrong?

Breaking: Cross-Dressing Escort Registered by ACORN Imprisoned for Voter Fraud, ACORN Probe Continues in Ohio

Inadequate Record-Keeping Cost Acorn Housing $130K

Durbin Amendment Calls for Review, Audit of ACORN and Affiliates

Your tax dollars at work. Clothespins + Skin = Art (Really?)

Census Bureau sending violent felons to our doors? So that's where ACORN got the idea.

Johanns: Obama ‘Tone-Deaf’ on ACORN

ACORN Divorces SEIU?

Obamacare Daily Round-Up 10-08



The Sum Total Of Health Care Reform: $1 Trillion to expand coverage by 6%

Grassley: The 'Untold Story' of the CBO Report

Redefining 'Saving'

Manipulating the CBO: The Baucus Bait and Switch

Health Care and the Dollar

Melt the phones. Senate panel to vote on health care bill next week

U.S. Chamber to Congress: Listen to Voters and Include Medical Liability Reforms in Health Care Legislation

The GOP Is Winning the Health-Care Debate. Gallup says independents now favor Republicans by nine points.

The Moral Hazard of Big Governments

Would Your Company Like to Sponsor the Next Installment of Liberal Lies on National Health Care?

Boehner Fights 'Phantom Amendments'

Keith Olbermann Special on Health Care Tonight – The Drinking Game. See ya there.

The Polls have it. Americans do NOT like Obamacare. Pew here.
American Voters Oppose Obama Health Care Plan, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds

80% Marginal Tax Rates After Health Care Reform?

Senate GOP Folding Over Health Care Reform [updated]

A Better Way to Health Reform

GOP raising money from docs

Better Definition Of Small Business Needed For Health Care Reform

Hectic Day

In no particular order, today I have made a plate pie. I've done a bunch of home-related work on the computer. I've helped a neighbor with a catering project. I've taken my child to his weekly OT session. I've babysat neighbor's children this morning. My father stopped in unexpectedly for lunch. I've taken a neigbhor to the gas station because their car was on empty. I'm babysitting a neighbor's child right now. And my husband has just returned from a week-long business trip.

In short, it's been busy and I haven't been able to do the round-ups today. I may try this evening but chances are I will try harder to get a bottle of wine inside of me instead.

I promise nothing.

Headline Disconnected

Voters Back Obama Over Republicans on Health Care, Poll Finds.

The headline makes it sound like the healthcare reform has support but if you read the body of the article you find this...
At the same time, voters disapproved of the way Obama was handling health care, 51 percent to 41 percent. His health-care plan was opposed by 47 percent, supported by 40 percent.


So while the public still supports Obama in general, they are rejecting the healthcare reform, except for the Public Option which as a program to compete with private healthcare is supported. I'll bet the farm that if the Public Option is presented with the Individual Mandate, that support bottoms out.

This is yet another example of the media desperately trying to spin straw into gold but ending up with chaff.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

My Daughter Is A Brownie

And I'm a co-Cookie Mom for her troop. And all that means is this picture really resonates with me. Enjoy.

Click On This



I double dare you. teehee. Your co-workers will HATE you. (Thanks Jonah)

Does Your Taste in Art Reveal the Inner Workings of Your Mind?

I dunno, but I think it is awfully interesting that one of the art pieces the Obama's have borrowed from a museum in order to decorate the White House with is this one below.
("I think I'll ... " by the California artist Ed Ruscha. It deals with the subject of indecision).

Given Obama's demonstrated dithering and outright reluctance to make a decision, one might be inclined to believe your taste in art does reveal something about you.

In Economic Woes 10-07



Further Proof of the Need for Energy Independence

Residents Get Chance At Stimulus Money. I think they'd prefer jobs.

Why the GOP shouldn’t embrace calls for a VAT

I guess the question is how does this trend impact our economy?For Whom Do The 47% Who Pay No Income Tax Vote? Following up on last week's post, 47% Will Pay $0 Income Tax in 2009: this chart breaks down the 2008 presidential election by income:


Assessing China's financial power

'How's That Stimulus Working for You?

A new mommy tax. I SOOOO do not think so.

Prospects for a small business-fueled employment recovery. Nil to none.

TEA Party Round-Up 10-07



Shouts, insults fly at Rep. Israel's health care town hall. Good.

The Contract From America: By the People, For the People & Created Online

California gubernatorial hopeful Gavin Newsom's town-hall meeting [Updated] VIDEO

Corruption Daily Round-Up 10-07


I define corruption not only as wrong-doing but wrong-thinking. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but calling people racist because they disagree with you is wrong-thinking and therefore corrupt. Claiming something is true when it is not is wrong-thinking and therefore corrupt. Keeping poor people poor through deliberate government policy is wrong-thinking and therefore corrupt. You get the picture. I am posting these examples of corruption because I believe in naming and shaming.

POLITICAL CORRUPTION
Progressivism? Not so fast, folks. Personally I believe progressivism is socialism-lite and the political gateway drug from center liberalism to far-left communism.

Democrats defeat GOP attempt to remove Rangel

DHS strips Arizona sheriff of authority to patrol for illegal immigrants.

Lawmaker sends letter to Obama: Fire Jennings now AND Democratic Senator Takes White House to Task Over 'Czars'

Uncovered Audio: Obama’s ‘Safe Schools Czar’ Criticizes Schools for Promoting Heterosexuality Ugh!

Congressional leaders fight against posting bills online

RS Didn't Answer 22.4 Million Taxpayer Phone Calls As Instapundit put it, "BUT DON’T WORRY, HEALTH CARE WILL BE DIFFERENT"

Approval of U.S. Congress Falls to 21%, Driven by Democrats. Gee, I wonder why.

Perhaps this is the reason why Congress has a 21% approval rating. House: Working hard or hardly working?

Obama kowtows to labor unions From the Boston Globe (!) and a two-fer, political and union corruption.

Was Buffy Wicks Also Behind Missouri’s Obama Truth Squad? VIDEO and a two-fer ACORN/UNION and political corruption.

For Whom Do The 47% Who Pay No Income Tax Vote? Following up on last week's post, 47% Will Pay $0 Income Tax in 2009: this chart breaks down the 2008 presidential election by income:



INTERNATIONAL POLICY CORRUPTION
Assessing China's financial power

Chávez jokes about helping Iran build nuclear bomb. Thank goodness Obama spent so much time appeasing them.

I thought Obama's plan of alienating allies and appeasing enemies would heal the whole world. HA! Anti-Americanism Is Alive and Well in the UK


DOMESTIC POLICY CORRUPTION
Study: Redistribution of income due to HR3200

New plan might allow Dems to slip public option through Senate. If you have to make laws by stealth, then chances are your laws are corrupt.

Obama Cracks Down on Kickbacks And Payoffs In The Blogosphere

Congressional leaders fight against posting bills online

Coburn: Senate Votes to Prioritize Pork Over National Defense

Education Secretary Arne Duncan Completely Flops On Colbert

Congress Plots to Cap and Spend A two-fer bad domestic policy based on junk environmental science!

A new mommy tax. I SOOOO do not think so.


ACORN/NEA/UNION CORRUPTION
Lamar Smith: Special Prosecutor Should Investigate ACORN Any bets on whether Holder will investigate ACORN any more than he has that voter intimidation case?

WHY?!? ACORN Awarded $1M Grant Over Firefighters. Nearly $1 million in Homeland Security funding typically earmarked for fire departments has been awarded to ACORN, despite a clear signal from Congress that it intends to cut off federal funding to the embattled group.

Obama kowtows to labor unions From the Boston Globe (!) and a two-fer, political and union corruption.

ATLAS EXCLUSIVE: ACORN Threw Out Republican Voter Registrations

Rep. Issa Responds to ACORN’s Bertha Lewis

ACORN and SEIU Have Been Going Steady a Long Time: Did They Break Up?

La. Escalates ACORN Probe After Embezzlement. Louisiana's attorney general steps up an investigation into the embattled community activist group.

ACORN Story Gets Curiouser and Curiouser

Louisiana Attorney General Serves ACORN With 2nd Subpoena: Full Text

Taking Down Unions, One At A Time

Was Buffy Wicks Also Behind Missouri’s Obama Truth Squad? VIDEO and a two-fer ACORN/UNION and political corruption.

I (heart) IowaHawk & Ed Driscoll.



JUNK SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENTALISM
Congress Plots to Cap and Spend A two-fer bad domestic policy based on junk environmental science!


MEDIA AND GENERAL CORRUPTION
The ACLU’s Real Agenda in the Mojave Desert

Elites and Tyrants

The Breitbart Dilemma

Of Governance & Photo Ops, Lab Coats or Straight Jackets

Ayers Dreams of Obama. Increasing evidence that domestic terrorist William Ayers ghost-wrote Obama's autobiography? Right now it is hearsay based on this, Obama a Liar??? Ayers admits to writing Obama's book. We will see but I doubt we can trust anything Ayers says as does PowerLine. There's more and I'm beginning to wonder is he saying yes he wrote it when he didn't in order to make Obama's opponents look stupid or is he saying yes he wrote it when he did in order to make Obama look stupid? Or is he just another leftwing hipster douche bag playing mind games in order to get media attention?

Obamacare Daily Round-Up 10-07



Government Medicine Kills. Let’s compare America’s system with Canada’s and Great Britain’s.

I do not believe this report is accurate. Congressional Analysts: Senate Finance Health Care Bill Will Cost $829 BillionThe preliminary report, released Wednesday by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, said the committee's health care reform package will not add to the national deficit -- and will save $81 billion over the next 10 years.

Obama: Health Care Plan Would Give Seniors Right To Choose How They Are Killed

New plan might allow Dems to slip public option through Senate. If you have to make laws by stealth, then chances are your laws are corrupt.

Oh goody! Higher taxes in health care bill

Health care issues: Coverage by employers

The Lesson of State Health-Care Reforms. The major provisions of ObamaCare already have been tried. They've led to increased costs and reduced access to care.

And yet, State-Run Health Insurance Plans Gain Support. Some influential centrist Democrats in the Senate and a small group of Republicans are warming to a compromise that envisions health-insurance plans run by state governments.

Health Care Bill Faces Challenges in House, Senate

Backdoor insurance for illegals

Sebelius: Americans must get swine flu vaccination

Of Governance & Photo Ops, Lab Coats or Straight Jackets

Critical Condition - a website that publishes real doctor's opinion's on Obamacare.

Not a Death Panel, a Death Mandate

Frankenstein’s Monster: ObamaCare’s ‘Individual Mandate’

Senate Health Bill Imposes $29B More in Taxes. Congressional tax experts reported that the bill would impose more taxes on health care industries than originally thought -- levies that could be passed on to consumers

I got your healthcare reform right here. Study: Choose an Educated Wife for a Longer Life

Bobby Jindal's Brave Move

A new mommy tax. I SOOOO do not think so.

Study: Redistribution of income due to HR3200

Glimpse of our healthcare future under Obamacare? 'This is Really Crazy, It's Not Worth All This'

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

General Round-Up of News Items 10-06


A hodgepodge of stuff in no particular order.

Scandalous Behavior
The Most Transparent Administration Ever? Not at DOJ

Foolish Foreign Policy
Klaus No Santa I suspect Poland and the Czech Republic wouldn't feel compelled to join the anti-capitalistic EU if Obama hadn't abandoned them when he cancelled the missile shield program. These two good democracies will now be crushed under the weight of Europe's socialism.

Too Self-Absorbed to Lead?
The Charge Of Narcissism

Arrogance Beyond Measure
ACORN: Congress can't hurt us

Anti-Obamacare
Docs Against the Plan

Media Bias
Toadying Watch. CNN does some massive brown-nosing.

John Barrasso Talks about Tort Reform, Medicaid, and Republican Health Care Reform Ideas

Destroyed Data Destroys Credibility

Govt-Funded Research Unit Destroyed Original Climate Data.
CEI Petitions EPA to Reopen Global Warming Rulemaking.

In mid-August the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit (CRU) disclosed that it had destroyed the raw data for its global surface temperature data set because of an alleged lack of storage space. The CRU data have been the basis for several of the major international studies that claim we face a global warming crisis. CRU’s destruction of data, however, severely undercuts the credibility of those studies.

In a declaration filed with CEI’s petition, Cato Institute scholar and climate scientist Patrick Michaels calls CRU’s revelation “a totally new element” that “violates basic scientific principles, and “throws even more doubt” on the claims of global warming alarmists.

CEI’s petition, filed late Monday with EPA, argues that CRU’s disclosure casts a new cloud of doubt on the science behind EPA’s proposal to regulate carbon dioxide.
Basically, the EPA is using discredited studies to justify regulating carbon dioxide which in itself is a massive attempt to control our energy supplies and lifestyle.

.

I Thought Conservative Was The New Gay


New Anti-Smoking Ads Warn Teens 'It's Gay To Smoke'

ACORN's Got A Deck of Them.


ACORN's Lewis suggests opponents are racist.

I'm getting sick and tired of seeing this card being played. Let's just be clear.

If you think prostitution is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think child prostitution is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think cheating on your taxes is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think helping illegal immigrants enter the country illegally is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think embezzlement is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think aligning with union thugs is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think protecting law-breaking employees is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think committing election fraud is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think hiring identity fraud felons to help fill out voter registration cards is wrong, then you might be a racist.

If you think claiming to have killed someone is wrong, then you might be a racist.

I should come up with 52 so we can have a full deck of anti-race cards to play with against ACORN's. Feel free to come up with suggestions.

Golly I do, I do love Townhall Videos!




Plus an extra link Mark Warner and the Health Care Vapor Bill Democrats are using every trick in the book to pass a law without the informed consent of the American People.

PJTV Videos

From The Hicks Files
Worse Than Van Jones? Obama's Diversity Czar - Mark Lloyd - Has Problems In His Past.

A Prescription for Stupidity: Listen to Michael Moore and the Rest of Hollywood

White House ToDos: Appoint Radicals, Ignore Protests, Play With Fire.

The Next Invasion: As Illegals Move Home, Cartel Warfare Comes to America. How Will Obama Respond?

From the great Sonja Schimdt - A Glimpse Into Our Future

Afterburner with Bill Whittle - Game Theory and a Losing Strategy: Obama's Bad Judgment With The Prisoner's Dilemma