Visit this website and see the special Democrats-only 1040 Tax Return.
Remember it's all the details.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
More Bacon Please
http://bacolicio.us/
Copy the above and paste it in front of any URL for a bacon-licious website.
For example see here.
Thank you Jonah, may I have another?
Copy the above and paste it in front of any URL for a bacon-licious website.
For example see here.
Thank you Jonah, may I have another?
Don't Say We Didn't Warn You
My husband's Post on NRO - The Corner
Regulate First, Think Later . . . or Never
Quin Hilyer has a good column in the Examiner today on the subject of the ludicrously over-reaching Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. This little-noticed piece of legislation could have significant effects on a wide variety of small businesses:Antiques dealers, toymakers, electronics retailers, even book manufacturers and diaper makers all are agitated, and in many cases confused, about the new law that is scheduled to take effect Feb. 10. As usual, only the plaintiffs’ attorneys are rubbing their hands in glee.
Last August, Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which mandates that all products for children ages 12 and under be tested for lead and phthalates (a chemical in many plastics), and that no such products be sold with lead contents higher than 600 parts per million. (Ingested lead, of course, can cause serious health problems, including learning disabilities in children.)
The sales ban applies retroactively, too: Even if the items in question were made 100 years ago, The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has advised that a second-hand store could be subject to lawsuits or even “criminal penalties” for selling them.
Even antique lead soldiers sold as collectibles for display, rather than as play toys, could conceivably trigger punishment.
The CPSC has reacted to criticism by announcing a stay in testing requirements for a year, but Quin explains why that actually offers no relief.
I wrote about this a while back on OpenMarket (as did Hans Bader here), while Walter Olson has been all over the subject on Overlawyered. I can't think of a more accessible example of the unintended consequences of regulation.
Emulating Adults
A couple of days ago, I was watching a TV program that featured a segment from what must have been the 1950s, a school documentary on how to throw a party.
It showed teenage girls discussing who to invite, party games to play, and how to behave in a well-mannered way. The party was hilariously dull and droll, with etiquette interruptions by the voice over.
And that's what shook me up. These 1950s teenagers were shown wearing nice dresses and suits. They played their games and ate their party food as well-mannered young adults. I imagine that the teenagers were shown this video at school in order to teach them good manners and non-venal behavior during boy/girl social mixing.
How accurate this was to real life in the 1950s is up for debate. The complete lack of early rock-n-roll or any music is a good indication that this "party" may not have completely been the norm.
But it was the ideal.
These kids were depicted emulating what was considered appropriate adult behavior. This is what the Baby Boomers revolted against, claiming decency was oppression.
Now, two generations later the closest thing one has to a video showing teens how to throw a party is some ghastly booty-call of a video with half-naked girls simulating fornication.
Thanks Baby Boomers. Thanks a effing lot.
I'm stuck raising my two children in the wreckage of your bad behavior, your inability to behave like a grown ups. You tore down the ideal because you were too lazy and spoiled to live up to it and now your children and your grandchildren are suffering.
My husband and I try to behave like the adult role models all parents should be (we fail at times, we are human) in the hopes that our children will emulate adults rather than overgrown and aging boomers. It's hard going but worth it if we can preserve our children's characters. For as Edmund Burke once said, "A loosening of morals leads to a hardening of hearts."
It showed teenage girls discussing who to invite, party games to play, and how to behave in a well-mannered way. The party was hilariously dull and droll, with etiquette interruptions by the voice over.
And that's what shook me up. These 1950s teenagers were shown wearing nice dresses and suits. They played their games and ate their party food as well-mannered young adults. I imagine that the teenagers were shown this video at school in order to teach them good manners and non-venal behavior during boy/girl social mixing.
How accurate this was to real life in the 1950s is up for debate. The complete lack of early rock-n-roll or any music is a good indication that this "party" may not have completely been the norm.
But it was the ideal.
These kids were depicted emulating what was considered appropriate adult behavior. This is what the Baby Boomers revolted against, claiming decency was oppression.
Now, two generations later the closest thing one has to a video showing teens how to throw a party is some ghastly booty-call of a video with half-naked girls simulating fornication.
Thanks Baby Boomers. Thanks a effing lot.
I'm stuck raising my two children in the wreckage of your bad behavior, your inability to behave like a grown ups. You tore down the ideal because you were too lazy and spoiled to live up to it and now your children and your grandchildren are suffering.
My husband and I try to behave like the adult role models all parents should be (we fail at times, we are human) in the hopes that our children will emulate adults rather than overgrown and aging boomers. It's hard going but worth it if we can preserve our children's characters. For as Edmund Burke once said, "A loosening of morals leads to a hardening of hearts."
FEMA's Latest Failure
Democrats are saying FEMA is doing a terrific job dealing eith the midwest freeze, while people actually suffering are wondering what the heck FEMA are doing.
Thousands are still without power and have not seen a single FEMA person on the ground. The Kentucky Governor Beshear waited two days before asking for FEMA help and Obama signed the authorization hours later.
And yet...
I'm sure FEMA and all the other Emergency Management personal are doing their best and my prayers are with them all. But where is the media outrage? While not quite Katrina level, this is storm has impacted a huge swath of America and Americans are dying.
Why so quiet MSNBC, CNN et al? Where is your god now?
Thousands are still without power and have not seen a single FEMA person on the ground. The Kentucky Governor Beshear waited two days before asking for FEMA help and Obama signed the authorization hours later.
And yet...
Brocton Oglesby, director of emergency management in Hopkins County, said he has seen virtually no contribution from FEMA in the county, where more than half of the 27,000 homes remained without electricity.The article just goes on and on.
"They need to be here — at least a presence, a liaison to work with us, to start feeding information and gearing up for the next stage," Oglesby said. "That's where they're going to be needed the most."
I'm sure FEMA and all the other Emergency Management personal are doing their best and my prayers are with them all. But where is the media outrage? While not quite Katrina level, this is storm has impacted a huge swath of America and Americans are dying.
Why so quiet MSNBC, CNN et al? Where is your god now?
Monday, February 2, 2009
MissPerceptions
Another Obama misperception is that Michelle Obama is actually happy to be a mom.
She's not. Supermarket tabloids claim she's "keeps it real" however she also has a personal chef.
Now she's embarking on a "listening tour" of the federal government. Shades of Clintonian Healthcare!
Michelle Obama is a scary broad, just read her college thesis paper from Princeton. Oh, and by the way, why haven't Columbia and Harvard released Obama's papers?
Those who voted for Obama did not vote for his wife (necessarily) and no First Lady should meddle in government unless she has also been elected to a defined position.
She's not. Supermarket tabloids claim she's "keeps it real" however she also has a personal chef.
Now she's embarking on a "listening tour" of the federal government. Shades of Clintonian Healthcare!
Michelle Obama is a scary broad, just read her college thesis paper from Princeton. Oh, and by the way, why haven't Columbia and Harvard released Obama's papers?
Those who voted for Obama did not vote for his wife (necessarily) and no First Lady should meddle in government unless she has also been elected to a defined position.
New Deal Was A No Deal
The Wall Street Journal has a fine article about how the "New Deal" did not pull us out of the Great Depression but rather kept us in it by Economics Professors Cole of the University of Pennsylvania and Professor Ohanian of UCLA.
The main lesson we have learned from the New Deal is that wholesale government intervention can -- and does -- deliver the most unintended of consequences. This was true in the 1930s, when artificially high wages and prices kept us depressed for more than a decade, it was true in the 1970s when price controls were used to combat inflation but just produced shortages. It is true today, when poorly designed regulation produced a banking system that took on too much risk.
Shelter California
Victor Davis Hanson explains why liberal/socialist California has gone from Hotel California to Homeless Shelter California.
Always a good read.
Always a good read.
Rendition
Over at RedState, Moe Lane is getting a lot off his chest about Obama and rendition and "I told you so".
Five Stars for really satisfying rant!
Five Stars for really satisfying rant!
Leaving them Frozen
Steve Gill has a piece over at Pajamas Media about the disturbing lack of action on Obama's part towards the Tennesse/Kentucky tragedy.
Leaving people to freeze to death is vile. Obama should be ashamed.
But the real villian is the media for not even mentioning that 42 people have died, thousands are freezing, and potable water is in short supply. This should be a national tragedy. Instead not a peep from the news organizatons.
SHAME! SHAME! INHUMAN SHAME!
Death Toll UPDATE Here
Leaving people to freeze to death is vile. Obama should be ashamed.
But the real villian is the media for not even mentioning that 42 people have died, thousands are freezing, and potable water is in short supply. This should be a national tragedy. Instead not a peep from the news organizatons.
SHAME! SHAME! INHUMAN SHAME!
Death Toll UPDATE Here
American Worker Ad
Mark Krikorian does hero's work over at Center for Immigration Studies. He offers this ad as a reminder of what's at stake during this recession.
Liberate to Stimulate
The article below is by my husband and originally posted on NRO - The Corner
The Financial Times used to be the cleverest newspaper in Britain. Then it went global and its quality dropped significantly. There's a great example in today's editorials, where the pink paper argues that, because there is so little spending in the borrow-and-spend bill that would actually, you know, stimulate, it would be a crime for Republicans to delay it.
Meanwhile, over at Bloomberg, Kevin Hassett spells out exactly how much the Act will cost taxpayers when the bill becomes due. He has a nice analogy setting out what the government would force you to buy, depending on your tax bracket, with the proviso that the government would then force you to give it away.
So what should we do? There's an inkling in the Washington Times today, from, of all people, George Deukmejian, Pete Wilson, and Gray Davis. They point out that "shovel-ready" projects are just maintenance work, because infrastructure projects are bogged down in environmental regulations. They don't quite get to the conclusion, so let me say it for them: if you want to build infrastructure sharpish, you're going to have to set aside those environmental regulations by law. Any "stimulus" bill that doesn't include relief from the provisions of the National Environmental Protection Act, for instance, isn't going to get any infrastructure project going any time soon.
So if you want to stimulate, you're going to have to liberate. Similar arguments can be made as regards Davis-Bacon and 13C. There are a bunch of other such ideas, which will also get the economy moving by getting government out of the way. For example, finally suspending mark-to-market accounting properly, which will be a huge boon to the banks. Or getting rid of the burdens of SarbOx and other ridiculous and ineffectual regulations on small businesses. Antitrust reform would help, too. And you could even think about finally getting rid of the Corporate Income Tax, a hold-over from the days when income tax itself was unconstitutional, and which, at least before the 2005 reforms, probably cost more to collect than it raised in income.
If you want hope and change, rather than the same old pork barrel policies, that's the way to go: liberate to stimulate (it'll catch on).
Sarah Speaks
Gov. Palin has an article in The StarTribune making a VERY strong case for drilling in ANWAR. She is absolutely correct and if the current administration does not drill, then it is dooming us to expensive energy for decades to come.
Steele Chair
Micheal Steele is the RNC Chairman now and while my first choice was Ken Blackwell, this Forbes profile of him seems to indicate that Mr. Steele will be a force for good in the revival of conservativism.
I'm still feeling a little sulky but I am happy to support the Chairman because he's got a lot of work to do.
I'm still feeling a little sulky but I am happy to support the Chairman because he's got a lot of work to do.
A Brilliant Idea
India is attempting to develop a $10 laptop in order to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
This is a brilliant idea - one that is bound to have profound impact on our global society. The more people have access to computers and the Internet, the more ideas can enter the marketplace. The more ideas, the more opportunities to develop the good ideas.
An American attempted this before and met resistance from Intel chip maker.
This is a brilliant idea - one that is bound to have profound impact on our global society. The more people have access to computers and the Internet, the more ideas can enter the marketplace. The more ideas, the more opportunities to develop the good ideas.
An American attempted this before and met resistance from Intel chip maker.
It comes as an answer to the One Laptop per Child project (OLPC) led by Nicholas Negraponte, the American scientist, which set out to produce a computer for $100. The US venture ran into problems when large companies including Intel, the biggest chip manufacturer, refused to co-operate.Hopefully, Intel will regret it's intransigence and change their mind because this could be an amazing step forward for the human race.
This Doesn't Bode Well
"Discrete talks" usually means "secret negotiations" - and yes, I know it is common.
But why is Obama talking to Syria and Iran in the first place and for the past few months? He knows Americans don't want to negotiate with terrorists, so he does it behind our backs until he can announce a "done deal".
Given the patterns of behavior from this man, I suspect Obama is going to make Nixon look like a Boy Scout.
But why is Obama talking to Syria and Iran in the first place and for the past few months? He knows Americans don't want to negotiate with terrorists, so he does it behind our backs until he can announce a "done deal".
Given the patterns of behavior from this man, I suspect Obama is going to make Nixon look like a Boy Scout.
Refinancing Sleaze is Still Sleaze
Sen. Dodd has yet to reveal exactly what his sweetheart mortgage deals with Countrywide were - despite promising over 6 months ago.
Now he is announcing he will refinance them with a new company selected by a third party.
Who cares? He got a sleazy "Friends of Angelo" mortgage from Countrywide and now he's trying to "launder" his mortgages rather than fess up.
Sleazy behavior never comes clean.
Now he is announcing he will refinance them with a new company selected by a third party.
Who cares? He got a sleazy "Friends of Angelo" mortgage from Countrywide and now he's trying to "launder" his mortgages rather than fess up.
Sleazy behavior never comes clean.
Ghastly Green
I think I'd prefer the bulletproof backpacks to reusable menstrual pads.
UGH!
They are called "Moonpads" (how Wicca) and are made of 100% organic cotton.
Now I don't know about you but there is not a single thing I can think of that is actually positive about these. Reusable means you have to wash them wasting water and energy. Plus organic cotton is one of the more wasteful organic products to grow in terms of land use, water use, and productivity.
What a revolting scam this is. Thank goodness, it is based out of Australia but apparently there is a contest to win them if you want.
UGH!
They are called "Moonpads" (how Wicca) and are made of 100% organic cotton.
Now I don't know about you but there is not a single thing I can think of that is actually positive about these. Reusable means you have to wash them wasting water and energy. Plus organic cotton is one of the more wasteful organic products to grow in terms of land use, water use, and productivity.
What a revolting scam this is. Thank goodness, it is based out of Australia but apparently there is a contest to win them if you want.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Why Parent's Need To Be Better Parents
Bullet Proof Backpacks are for sale at the BulletBlocker website - you can even build your own bullet proof backpack.
That there is a market for these items is both upsetting and unsurprising. To me, it says we need parents to do a better job raising their children so guns in school are no longer possible.
If you are concerned about your child, however, BulletBlocker is running a sweepstakes where you could win a bulletproof vest and more.
Yikes!
That there is a market for these items is both upsetting and unsurprising. To me, it says we need parents to do a better job raising their children so guns in school are no longer possible.
If you are concerned about your child, however, BulletBlocker is running a sweepstakes where you could win a bulletproof vest and more.
Yikes!
Now They Want Your Children
The totalitarian liberal environmentalists have a long history of wanting "population control" - think China's murderous regime.
The Sierra Club has long endorsed population control and early in its history eugenics as a way to keep the Earth uninfected by humans.
Now a new joker named Jonathon Porritt of Britian's Green Party has emerged saying we should only have two children (at least that's double the one child allowed Chinese rule).
Of course, what will Porritt do if a happily married couple decides to have more than two children? He doesn't say. But since liberal socialists/progressives have gone down this path before, we can, historically speaking, predict that - at best, this family-planning will involved fines and tax increases against families with more than two children. Or at worst, forced sterilization.
I'm not kidding folks, they did this in America under FDR, you can look it up.
The Sierra Club has long endorsed population control and early in its history eugenics as a way to keep the Earth uninfected by humans.
Now a new joker named Jonathon Porritt of Britian's Green Party has emerged saying we should only have two children (at least that's double the one child allowed Chinese rule).
Of course, what will Porritt do if a happily married couple decides to have more than two children? He doesn't say. But since liberal socialists/progressives have gone down this path before, we can, historically speaking, predict that - at best, this family-planning will involved fines and tax increases against families with more than two children. Or at worst, forced sterilization.
I'm not kidding folks, they did this in America under FDR, you can look it up.
R.D.S. is the New B.D.S.
Obama attacks Rush Limbaugh in a sad attempt to push republicans to vote for his abomination of a stimulus package. That backfires and unveils yet a new derangement syndrome for liberals - "Rush Derangement Syndrome".
The ever excellent Michelle Malkin when not having hot chocolate with her whipped cream (recent twitter post) interviewed Mr. Limbaugh and has posted a really strong piece at her website and The New York Post.
The ever excellent Michelle Malkin when not having hot chocolate with her whipped cream (recent twitter post) interviewed Mr. Limbaugh and has posted a really strong piece at her website and The New York Post.
Peter Hitchens Gets Fisked But Good
By a great British conservative named Iain Dale.
Peter Hitchens decides to say some really awful things and Iain Dale takes him to school. If you enjoy a good fisking, then this is for you - enjoy!
Peter Hitchens decides to say some really awful things and Iain Dale takes him to school. If you enjoy a good fisking, then this is for you - enjoy!
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