NSW Incident Alerts posted a great photo (top) on Facebook, showing the plane stuck in the ferris wheel.
NSW describe the photo: "A light stunt plane has crashed into a Ferris Wheel at the Old Bar Festival. The Pilot and Co-Pilot are in a serious condition, and emergency services are working to remove the wreckage from the wheel and rescue the people still on the ride. Photo submitted By Julieanne Brache."
UPDATE: ABC (Australia) Reports that four people were rescued after a Cheetah S200 stunt plane crashed into the ferris wheel at the Old Bar Festival about 10:00am on Saturday, October 1 (NSW time). Rescued were two children, who dangled in basket atop the ferris wheel for about an hour, and the plane's pilot and his son. Nobody was killed or seriously injured. The Old Bar Beach Festival is at Taree, New South Wales (also see map).
Another great photo of the plane-ferris wheel crash (right) comes from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. According to ABC, "Police say the plane crashed shortly after 10.00am (AEST) this morning at the Old Bar Festival at Taree. Local officers say two people are trapped in the plane with two children stuck on the ferris wheel. The plane is leaking aviation fuel and emergency services have been spraying the plane and wheel with foam."
"The plane was taking off from the grass airstrip," says ABC, "and failed to get enough altitude to clear the ferris wheel, which was recently placed at the southern end of the strip for the local festival. Flyers from around the country have come to the area for the long weekend." Full story at ABC.net.au
UPDATED: Stunt Plane Crashes Into Ferris Wheel at Fairgrounds in New South Wales, Australia
September 30, 2011 - U.S. forces killed two U.S. citizens who had become important Al Qaeda operatives. Dead are senior Al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki Samir Khan, plus two others who were traveling with them in Yemen early this morning. The terrorists were taken out by "a CIA-led U.S. drone strike, marking the highest-profile takedown of terror leaders since the raid on Usama bin Laden's compound," reports Fox News.
The operation involved two Predator drones. They flew over al-Awlaki's convoy and fired Hellfire missiles, killing al-Awlaki. Fox News says that a senior U.S. official claims that the operation "was carried out by Joint Special Operations Command, under the direction of the CIA."
"Al-Awlaki would be the most prominent Al Qaeda figure to be killed since bin Laden's death in a U.S. raid in Pakistan in May," says Fox News, which also notes that U.S. Defense Secretary Leon
Panetta said in July that Al-Awlaki was on the most wanted list, which included Ayman al-Zawahri, bin Laden's successor as the terror network's leader."
The FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist List says that "Ayman Al-Zawahiri has been indicted for his alleged role in the August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya." Al-Awlaki, says the FBI, was designated by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist” on July 12, 2010. (Also see Terrorism Designations Press Releases, U.S. Dept. of State)
CBS reports that while Samir Khan two fellow convoy passengers were also killed, Awlaki was the real target. "He had narrowly escaped an earlier drone strike the week after the Bin Laden raid," said CBS, "and this time the U.S. was taking no chances."Fox News notes that "Al-Awlaki was a U.S.-born Islamic militant cleric who became a prominent figure with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the network's most active branch."
One of Al-Awlaki's most important roles within Al Qaeda was propagandist. As a native English speaker and one who had first hand knowledge of American culture, he was especially effective at recruiting jihadists from within the U.S.
"Awlaki has become a prominent cyber-jihadist," reported Long War Journal in July. "Combining his ability to communicate in English with his charisma with young, radical Muslims and his presence on the Web, Awlaki has developed a large following. He gives numerous lectures and speeches via the Internet and teleconferences. US law enforcement agencies and intelligence services consider Awlaki to be a prime recruiter for al Qaeda as well as a provider of the needed religious justifications, or fatwas, for jihadis to carry out attacks."
That deadly voice has been silenced. There will be others.
Governments don't run the world, Goldman Sachs runs the world. "In less than 12 months," the trader said, "the saving of millions of people is going to vanish. And this is just the beginning." You better read this...
September 30, 2011 - An independent market trader made world news headlines earlier this week by telling the BBC that the euro rescue plan will fail and, as a result, markets will crash (video below). He warned people to "get prepared" to survive the next depression. Alessio Rastani was interviewed on the BBC on September 26, and what he said stunned those in the studio. Although Rastani's predictions are full of doom and gloom, some of his words are actually encouraging even for little guys like you and me.
"This problem cannot be solved," he said. "I'm fairly confident the euro is gonna crash, and it's gonna fall pretty hard because markets are ruled right now by fear. Investors and the big money, the smart money, I'm talking about the big funds, the hedge funds, the institutions, they don't buy this rescue plan. They basically, uhm, they know the market is toast. They know the stock market is finished."
That's all pretty ominous, and very bad news for Europe if Rastani is correct. Not everyone will inevitably suffer, however, as he went on to say."The euro, as far as they're concerned, they don't really care," Rastani said of the "smart money" and institutions. "They're moving their money away to safer assets, like treasury bonds, 30-year bonds, and the U.S. dollar. So, it's not gonna work."
There, did you catch that? Rastani listed "safer assets" that could provide shelter, if you will, for some of us in the coming economic typhoon. There's even more hope, as you will see in a moment.
When asked by the news anchor what could raise investor confidence and possibly avoid the financial meltdown that Rastani predicts, he shook his head and raised an eyebrow. He then provided a shocking answer to the anchor's naive question.
"That's a tough one. Uhm, personally, it doesn't matter. See, I'm a trader. I don't really care about that kind of stuff. If I see an opportunity to make money I go with that. So, for most traders it's not about, we don't really care that much how they're gonna fix the economy, how they're gonna fix the whole situation. Our job is to make money from it. And, personally, I've dreaming of this moment for three years."
In other words, Rastani and other traders are not afraid of the coming economic tsunami. They will profit from it, just as many profited in the Great Depression of the 1930's.
Does that make Rastani and his fellow traders evil? Well, no, it does not. Remember that Rastani did not cause Greece to spend itself into bankruptcy, nor are he and his trader colleagues reponsible for decades of the socialist programs that have put so much of the rest of Europe into the financial dumpster. Rastani and his friends, as traders, respond to the buffoonery of nations and corporations. Vultures have an unfairly bad reputation, but it should be remember that they do not kill anything. They merely swoop in to wait and watch the dying gazelle, then take advantage of the fact that it died without their intervention. Traders don't kill. They scavenge, and like the vulture, that means cleaning up messes that most others don't want any part of.
"I have a confession," he went on to say, "which is, I go to bed every night, I dream of another recession. I dream of another moment like this. Why? Because people don't seem to really remember, but, the depression in the Thirties wasn't just about a market crash. There were some people who were prepared to make money from that crash, and I think anybody can do that. "
That bears repeating, because Rastani indicates that ordinary people can survive the predicted Great Depression Two. "The depression in the Thirties wasn't just about a market crash. There were some people who were prepared to make money from that crash, and I think anybody can do that."
Yes, you and me! "It isn't just for some people and the elite," Rastani said, "Anybody can actually make money. It's an opportunity. When the euro and the big stock markets crash, if you know what to do, if you have the right plan to set up, you can make a lot of money from this." Sounds good, right? While your employer crashes, you could right the wave and end up on top, right?
"For example," Rastani explained, "hedging strategies is one. Investing in treasury bonds, that sort of stuff." This is not complicated stuff, assuming you still have any cash left to invest. Rastani urges those of us who are able to invest to do it now, without delay.
"This economic crisis is like a cancer," Rastani told the nervous news anchor in studio. "If you just wait and wait, thinking this is going to go away, just like a cancer it's gonna grow and it will be too late. What I would say to everybody is, get prepared."
He cautioned that it is useless to hope that governments will "sort things out." His reason for saying that: "Government don't rule the world, Goldman Sachs rules the world. Goldman Sachs does not care about this rescue package."
People need to learn how to "make money from a downward market," Rastani said. The first thing you should do, he said, is protect your assets (assuming you still have any). "Because in less than 12 months," he said, "the saving of millions of people is going to vanish. And this is just the beginning."
Excuse me. I'm off to buy some ammo and freeze dried food.
RELATED:
Newsmaker: Alessio Rastani - Sydney Morning Herald
I made it to Sun Prairie, WI on Saturday, September 24 to watch the The Planet Bike Cup competition presented by U.S. Gran Prix Cyclocross. It was a perfect early fall morning, crisp air with big puffy clouds overhead.
There will be three more USGP Cyclotron events this year: The New Belgium Cup - Fort Collins, CO on October 8th and 9th; The Derby City Cup - Louisville, KY on November 12th and 13th; The Portland Cup - Portland, OR on December 10th and 11th.
Please enjoy my slideshow with 140 images from the event, below; a video by USGP Cyclotron and a course map follow.
For roughly 4,000 Jewish U.S. troops, a new year begins at sundown on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011.
A beautiful article by Alison Buckholtz explains the sacrifices that they make on this high holiday. The title of her piece is "Onward Jewish Soldiers." Here is a brief excerpt:
After my memoir about being a military wife was published last spring, I received dozens of emails from individuals asking how they can send even more holiday cards and packages to Jewish troops. Our story was warmly received, especially by those whose relatives served the nation in earlier wars. We seemed to confirm their hope that a younger generation of Jews continues to contribute to the country that made our success (and successful assimilation) possible....
May G-d bless everyone who serves in the United States armed forces. For our Jewish brothers and sisters, we wish them all a Shana Tova, Happy New Year, and a safe return.
“Leshanah tovah tikateiv v’teichateim -
May you be inscribed for a good year!”
Rosh Hashanah will start at sunset on Wednesday, September 28 (light candles at 6:19 p.m. Central Time; find your candle lighting time here. The festive holiday continues through Friday, September 30. Rosh Hashana is followed by Shabbat Teshuvah (Shuvah) on Saturday, Oct. 1, and then the Fast of Gedaliah on Sunday, Oct. 2. It all helps usher in the Jewish New Year (5772).
Whether you're Jewish or Gentile, you'll enjoy the loads of information available about Rosh Hashanah - including recipes, oy! - at Chabad.org. They have the full 411 on other Jewish holidays, too. They even have a very cool candle lighting guide that tells you when sunset will occur in your location. Another good resource is the Introduction To Rosh HaShanah at the Orthodox Union's website. L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu and Happy New Year!
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The greeting card giant now offers eight job loss-related sympathy cards, plus 20 e-cards with generic sympathy messages. All 28 items come up in a search for "job loss" on Hallmark's website.
In addition, the Burns & Poe band had to hire a film crew to record the video for their song "I Need A Job." At least one cameraman and a grip can thank Obama for that gig.
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.
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When does common sense security get pushed over the edge? When does vigilance become creepy? Homeland Security seems determined to find out.
We've had it up to here with groping in the airport, wiretapping, and so on. We seem to be tolerating all of that, but they may have just gone too far. Now they're invading a semi-sacred institution, a refuge from life's roughness. They've stepped into the coffee shop. Or, if you will, into the corner cafe.
"Big Brother is watching you while you drink your coffee, or at least imploring you to watch others while you drink your coffee," writes the Daily Caller.
If you live in a city that has public transportation, you've probably seen those somber security-minded signs urging you to be vigilant. "If you see something, say something," they tell us. See that unattended bag in rear of the bus? It might be filled with nails, ball bearings and explosives. 
See that nervous guy in the middle of the subway car? Does he seem a bit too sweaty, and is he fidgeting with something inside his jacket? You better call 911, or talk to a transit employee immediately.
There's nothing wrong with that, I suppose, in this era of random and unpredictable acts of terror.
Be alert in public. It's always been a good idea, and we've always done it. If you see someone acting suspiciously on the street, peeking into cars or house windows, call the cops.
As for the coffee shop intrusion, Department of Homeland Security is stamping itself onto coffee cup sleeves. “If you see something, say something,” they say, just like the transit signs. “Report unattended bags and unusual behavior to police or transit personnel.” We see this message elsewhere ad nauseum. Can't we be left alone while we hide away in a latte den, for God's sake?
DHS is waging its info war on coffee shops via securetransit.org. Securetransit is funded "under a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Grant Programs Directorate (FEMA/GPD) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security."
Where does it stop? Will DHS also print up a half a billions dollars' worth of cocktail napkins for distribution to bars and taverns? What about ads on the sides of milk cartons? How about putting "If You See Something Say Something" fortune cookies in every Chinese restaurant in the U.S.?
A final thought: Wouldn't the message be more effective if it was made location-specific? Perhaps something like, “If you see something, say something. Report unattended cups and over-caffeinated behavior to a barista or manager.” I'm just saying.
September 23, 2011 - What's the name of that satellite that's tumbling to Earth? You know, the one that just might land on your head tonight or tomorrow? What's it called?
In other words, just about anywhere. Nobody really knows when or where for certain yet, and NASA says they probably won't know until about two hours before the final fiery re-entry. (See special info graphic of the UARS orbit below.) How big is the crashing satellite? About the size of a double decker bus. It weighs more than six tons (almost seven). But, advises UFO Shock, there's really no reason to panic.
How fast will it be moving when it hits the ground? It will break up into many pieces that will burn up before hitting the planet, but NASA expects about 20 to 30 large chunks to survive the re-entry. Those will likely be moving at just over 200 miles per hour, and could be as large as a refrigerator and weigh about 300 pounds.The Federal Aviation Administration has warned pilots be vigilant for the falling NASA satellite, according to MSNBC today. "FAA officials released the special notice," says MSNBC, "after NASA refined its estimates for the re-entry time of its Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).... that will fall from space sometime in the next 18 hours."
Source: SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration
Troy Davis, 42, was executed in Jackson, Georgia by lethal injection and died at 11.08 PM ET. (Earlier coverage of the battle to stay the execution of Troy Davis here...)
FINAL UPDATE: Troy Davis, 42, was executed by lethal injection and died at 11.08 PM ET in Georgia.
September 21, 2011 - Just minutes ago, at 10:18 PM Eastern Time, attorneys for Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis said that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied Davis's request for a stay of execution. The execution is expected to happen at any minute now.
The Christian Science Monitor reports that Davis, a convicted cop-killer, "will be executed by way of lethal injection Wednesday night in Butts County, Georgia, despite appeals from thousands worldwide for his pardon."
Davis was convicted in 1991 for the murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail (photo).
RELATED:
White Supremecist Executed For Texas Dragging Death - Houston Chronicle
LATEST UPDATE: DAVIS WILL BE EXECUTED AT 11 PM EASTERN.
"Death row inmate Troy Davis's hopes of a last-minute reprieve were fading after Georgia courts refused to halt the execution scheduled for 7:00 pm local time on Wednesday," reports The Guardian UK. "[Georgia's] supreme court rejected a last-ditch appeal by Davis's lawyers over the 1989 murder of off-duty policeman Mark MacPhail.... Earlier, a Butts County superior court judge also declined to stop the execution...." Full report on the Troy Davis execution drama at The Guardian UK...
That report explains that the U.S. Supreme Court did not give an actual reprieve to Davis. Davis's attorney "told AFP that the state of Georgia was simply delaying the execution until the top U.S. court announced its decision." AFP the prison is delaying the execution "out of respect for the court."
Photograph by: Tami Chappell, Reuters
UPDATE - 7:50 PM EDT - Troy Davis execution set to go ahead as judge rejects last-ditch appeal. Please see: IT'S BACK ON: TROY DAVIS EXECUTION WILL HAPPEN, GEORGIA REJECTS US SUPREME COURT RULING --- UPDATE: DAVIS WILL BE EXECUTED AT 11:00 PM EASTERN.
"Davis, 42, was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 7 p.m. EDT," reports the International Business Times, "but his lawyers and supporters have been fighting feverishly to delay the execution because of doubts about the evidence used to convict him of murder 20 years ago. It was not clear how long the delay would last, or even if it would lead to a stay on the execution."
The Guardian (UK) reports that "The execution of Troy Davis was delayed temporarily by the US supreme court on Wednesday night in a dramatic intervention just as he was due to be put to death by lethal injection." More about Troy Davis at The Guardian...
September 20, 2011 - In a "surprise appearance" at the American Islamic College Conference in Chicago on Saturday, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL 5th Dist.) apologized to Muslims on behalf of the United States "for discrimination."
Quigley gave no specifics about the discrimination to which he referred in the video, which was made by friend and colleague Rebel Pundit. Leading up to his apology, Quigley made general references to "scapegoats" and people who are "different," but he offered no examples of that for which he apologized.
"He rambled on about the typical racism and discrimination that the liberal left is so convinced America is rampantly infected with," wrote Rebel Pundit. "As you can see in the video.... he proceeded in his congressional capacity to apologize on behalf of the country for discrimination against muslims’ faith."In other words, Quigley implied that the U.S. has been - and still is - discriminating against Muslims within our own borders. By apologizing "on behalf of this country," Quigley was acting as your proxy. In effect, the Democrat congressman was telling a room full of Muslims that you and I have been guilty of discrimination toward them.
Does this apologist speak for you? Click here for contact information for Congressman Mike Quigley. Let him know how you feel about his apology and calling this nation discriminatory. You can also tweet him at @RepMikeQuigley or visit him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/repmikequigley.
September 17, 2011 - Live streaming of "US Days of Rage," the attempted "occupation" of Wall Street in New York. They began on September 17, 2011 and continue. Organizers vowed to hold the streets of New York "for weeks" with 20,000 protesters, but there are signs that the crowd "of hundreds" is already thinning out. Mark this as #FAIL so far. (Also see the informative video below the livestream box.)
Sept. 16, 2011 - Happy, peaceful liberals from around the United States will come together on Saturday, Sept. 17. For a love-in? A flower power rally? To teach the world to sing?
No, kids, the lovable leftists will stage their "US Day of Rage" march to "occupy" Wall Street in New York and elsewhere across the country. Their goal: Disrupt bankers, free Tibet and cure the heartbreak of psoriasis. How? Their website says they will camp on the sidewalks and “occupy” the area for “a few months.”
Do these clowns really think that they can throw the "banksters" out of their executive suites and usher in a new dawn of some kind of anarcho-socialist pie-in-the-sky Utopia by pitching tents on Wall Street? You bet they do, and why not? Some of the older goofs in the crowd may have participated in the failed attempt to levitate the Pentagon back in the Sixties.
You can believe that law enforcement, from the local cops to State Police to the FBI and Homeland Security are on alert tonight and through the weekend over this. The intel work being done indicates just how seriously officials consider the "occupation" of Wall Street to be a potential for major mischief.
There's nothing like a bunch of pissed off punk progressives and bitter old hippies gathering for a coast to coast burst of screaming angst to bring us all together.
World Net Daily (WND) reported yesterday that advertisements for "Day of Rage" claim the protests at Wall Street and nationwide will be 'non-violent.' However, the official website provides resources, including videos and detailed written instructions, for protesters to engage in 'civil disobedience'. The resources provided include instructions on how to resist police arrest and disrupt court hearings."
In addition to New York, there will be Day of Rage events in Austin TX, Los Angeles CA, San Francisco CA, Portland OR and Seattle WA. You can see details at the US Day of Rage website.
Let's give these lunkheads the benefit of the doubt and assume that they really don't want any violence to occur. If that's so, their choice of words is lousy. "Occupy," "resist arrest" and "rage" are not exactly calming words. Perhaps it's just that the Left can't help itself. Use of those words is hard wired into them. It's instinct. They can't help themselves.
The Gothamist summed it up nicely in a must-read article: "If these groups want to make an actual impact, they'd better find a slogan, and fast. The trouble seems to be that there are simply too many things to protest, so the whole thing may suffer from the same affliction as Mr. Burns: Three Stooges Syndrome." Read more about US Day of Rage at The Gothamist...
Let's now jump back into Reality. The organizers of the US Day of Rage are veteran rabble rousers and have shown themselves to be quite willing to get a crowd riled up to the boiling-over point. To be fair, the majority of people participating as "occupiers" will have non-violent intentions. But they are being used.
The majority of protesters in Chicago for the 1968 Democratic National Convention, or at the anti-WTO protest in Seattle in 1999 did not want violence, but they got it. All it takes is a few well positioned provocateurs in a big crowd to set of a spark. Once the fuse is lit, it's very hard to put out.
The Left is given to hyperbole and self-deception, as well. They've painted their US Day of Rage as some Epic Moment in History, even before it has happened. The organizers hope that their "occupation" of Wall Street will be a "Tahrir moment." By that, they are comparing themselves to the protesters in Tahrir Square, Cairo, where protesters bravely stood against the Egyptian army in a successful attempt to oust President Mubarak in February. Such conceit.
Well, here's a news flash for US Day of Rage: You're puny in comparison to the Egyptian protesters. As soon as Starbucks stops serving you coffee because you've smashed their store windows out, you'll be demoralized.
More from the Sept. 15 WND article (with emphasis added):
"There are other indications a coalition of radicals and unions are planning chaos using the current economic crisis. Last month, WND reported that a slew of extremist organizations, some tied to Obama, are preparing protests to coincide with major NATO and G-8 summits in Chicago next May. Foreshadowing possible violent confrontations, some of the same radical trainers behind the infamous 1999 Seattle riots against the World Trade Organization have been mobilizing new protest efforts geared toward world summits as well as the current economic crisis. Some of the activists are tied to Obama."It's interesting that the left-leaning media are giving the US Day of Rage organizers a pass on their language choices. Imagine a Tea Party rally, or a Republican fundraiser, that promised to occupy a city or neighborhood and force it to its knees.
You can follow Rage on Twitter by searching there for #OccupyWallStreet, #S17 and #Sept17. There's also the "US Day of Rage" page on Facebook. After September 17, there's more: Get ready for #Oct6. That will fail just as surely as the September 17 antics will.
September 16, 2011 - Obama's new Orwellian snitch website, "AttackWatch.com," became a laughingstock of the Internet within hours of its debut earlier this week. Launched as a tool of Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, AttackWatch has become an instant public relations disaster for a president whose popular is already in the dumpster. Even a lot of liberals are mocking it, including the left-leaning Washington Post:
"The Obama campaign has outdone itself again," wrote Alexandra Petri at the Post. "First the creepy tapping e-mails. Now this — Attack Watch , a site designed to 'Get the facts. Fight the smears . . . and help stop the attacks on the President before they start.'....Who designed your page interface? George Orwell?"
Chicago News Bench jumped on the AttackWatch mockery early, attacking AttackWatch on Tuesday. We noted that used the same color scheme of the Third Reich - red, black and white. Team Obama also has a Twitter presence with @attackwatch, which is also being mocked by conservatives using the hash tag of #attackwatch.
The mockery is coming in a constant barrage, from blogs and newspaper columnists to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The "AttackWatch" Facebook group was created by Michelle Ray, a libertarian woman, for the purpose of mocking Obama's website. AttackWatch.com is getting plenty of derision over at my own Middle Earth Tea Party group on Facebook, too.
This video, below, is titled "Hitler Discovers ATTACKWATCH is a Joke!"
The following video was made in 2009, in response to a previous Obama effort to get people to snitch on each other by reporting them to flag@whitehouse.gov.
Sept. 13, 2011 - Barack Obama is at it again: He wants you to snitch on anyone who is critical of him. (See video below.)
In Obamaland, thinking and speaking freely is considered to be an offense. "AttackWatch.com" is a subpage of my.barackobama.com, which is produced by Obama For America. There, Americans are asked to report "smears" against Obama. In other words, to report people for exercising their right to free speech, free thought and, yes, the right to utter incorrect statements about politicians.
We've seen this before from the White House. In 2009, Obama's propagandists asked Americans to narc on anybody who criticized Obama's proposed health care legislation: "If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."
The Gestapo would admire Obama's clever use of the Internet, which can be much more efficient than knocking on doors at three in the morning. But, again, to keep my liberal friends from wetting their pants, I repeat that Obama is no Hitler. Actually, Obama is more like Benito Mussolini in the early days of his rule of Italy.
Remember Linda Douglas, sitting at her White House computer, complaining that "facts are stubborn things?"
At that time, an uproar of indignation went up across America. Typical of that reaction was this from The Freedom Medium: "And now this administration wants you to drop a dime on anyone who says something against their agenda? What's next, swastikas?"
That was August, 2009. Two years later, we're seeing it again. No swastikas, of course, but the same Third Reich stench of thought and speech intimidation.
Back in early 2008, when unaccomplished Illinois State Senator Barack Obama was still running for President, some people called him a fascist. Some still do, of course, and they are laughed at an mocked just as they were in 2008.
Perhaps, however, they are mocked a bit less in late 2011, however, for we have seen for ourselves that Obama has indeed displayed some fascist behavior. Keep in mind that "fascist" does not necessarily mean "Nazi," and I am in no way saying that Obama is a genocidal lunatic a la Hitler.
Jonah Goldberg's book "Liberal Fascism" showed us how modern U.S. "progressives" are the true heirs to the European fascists.
Goldberg himself said, "I reject entirely the idea that liberals today are literally Nazi-like, particularly if we are going to define Nazism by what 'they were known for.' Liberals don’t want to invade Poland or round up Jews." No, but I know plenty of them who would round up "the bankers" and "the rich." A scapegoat by any other name is still a scapegoat.
Obama seems to like some modern Gestapo-lite tactics, however. To wit, that new website of his. It asks people to "Get the facts. Fight the smears."
How can people "fight the smears?" Simple: Snitch on friends, coworkers, neighbors, and anybody else who you repeats a rumor or forwards an email that is critical of Obama.
Is it just coincidence that the color scheme of "AttackWatch.com" is black, red and white -- the colors of the Nazi flag? Let's hope so, but I have a dark feeling that there was something Freudian going on in the head of the page's designer. Don't forget to report this post to AttackWatch.com.
September 9, 2011 - Texas - Texas is battling its worst wildfires ever. More than 1,400 homes have been destroyed. The White House, however, seems to be ignoring a request to declare a major Texas a disaster area.
Is President Obama deliberately ignoring Texas's desperate plea for help? According to CNN today, "Texas needs an immediate disaster declaration from President Barack Obama allowing access to heavy equipment and other assistance to help battle wildfires burning across the state, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said." (See his video press conference from Sept. 8 below.)
CNN further reports that Dewhurst says that the White House has not responded to a previous request for assistance. When the White House was asked about this, says CNN, "There was no immediate response."
Dewhurst is the Acting Governor of Texas this week while Gov. Perry is on the campaign trail. Perry is running for the Republican presidential nomination and could be real contender against Obama in 2012.
That previous request was made by Dewhurst on Wednesday, September 7. He issued the following statement after requesting a federal Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas:
"I've been working very closely with Governor Perry and our emergency personnel, and we're doing everything we can – using all of the state resources at our disposal to contain these wildfires, ensure public safety and protect Texans' lives and property. Because so many fires are burning across the state, our resources are spread pretty thin. That's why we need the federal government to step up to the plate immediately. We need to cut through the red tape and get Texas the help we need today. There are federal resources – including aircraft, bulldozers and other heavy equipment – that can and should be made available right away."
One has to wonder if this is a way for Obama to shove a thumb in the eye of Texas Gov. Rick Perry. While all economic recovery efforts of the Obama Regime have failed so far, Perry has overseen a state in which one third of all new jobs in the U.S. have been created in the past year. In other words, the success of Texas highlights the failed policies of Obama's Washington. This may account for the lack of a response from the White House.
Bastard Obama Won't Apologize For Bastard Hoffa's Offensive Labor Day Speech
The SOBs at the White House are refusing to distance themselves from the remarks by Jimmy Hoffa, Jr., the top Bastard of the International Bastardhood of Teamster Bastards.Watch a video here, in which ABC News reporter Jake Tapper tries to get a straight answer from Barack Obastard's press secretary, little son of a bitch Jay Carney.
The Washington Times has a great piece about Carney's non-sensical, hypocritical response to Tapper's good questioning.
The double standards in the White House is stunning.
Hat tip to Pat Dollard.
Video: Jimmy Hoffa Jr. Declares Class Warfare Against Tea Party "Sons of Bitches"
September 5, 2011 - Detroit -Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa, Jr. called Tea Party people "son of a bitches" in a Detroit rally today. He made the remark as he stirred up the crowd prior to Barack Obama's Labor Day speech. "President Obama," he said, "this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these son of a bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong," Hoffa added. (Watch the video below.)
UPDATE 9/6/2011: Bastard Obama Won't Apologize For Bastard Hoffa's Offensive Labor Day Speech
Perhaps Hoffa doesn't understand that, with his words today, he has effectively declared war on many Teamsters rank and file members. Those are the ones whose paychecks are regarded as open cookie jars by union leaders, and not just the Teamsters.
A call for violence: As I've written before, I am hearing calls for violence on the streets of Madison, Wisconsin. Several self-described "progressive liberals," who did not know they were speaking to a Tea Party conservative, told me that union leaders in Milwaukee have said privately that "violence would be justified" in their fight against Gov. Scott Walker. Other folks have said that they themselves would be "okay with violence" in "the struggle for collective bargaining rights." Liberals have been violent on a massive scale in the past. Why should we believe that they would not be so again? The folks I have spoken with are itching to rumble.
One must wonder about the hints of violence in Hoffa's remarks today. When he said "Let's take these son of a bitches out," did some lunatic take that the wrong way? After all, in the wake of the Giffords shooting earlier this year, Democrats went balistic (no pun intended) over "vitriolic rhetoric" of conservatives. They rushed to link such "vitriol" to a motivation for the attack on Giffords. So, today, we hear the leader of the Teamsters offer his union members up as conscripts in Obama's "army," for the purpose of "taking out" the opposition.
"Alright, alright, Jimmy Hoffa Jr. was not calling for blood in the streets," wrote John Romano at the Yes But Whatever! blog, " but his rhetoric will surely be worrisome to many. It hasn’t been a year since Gabrielle Giffords was shot and the media attacked Sarah Palin for using a target graphic in a campaign ad for Congressional candidates her PAC backed in 2010. Where is the new era of civility that the Democrats called for?" Good question. Where is the civility, Mr. Hoffa? You can bet that no Democrats, and certainly not Comrade Obama, will call Hoffa's words "vitriolic." In fact, Obama let it slide.
"Naturally," wrote Warner Todd Huston today, "the Constitutional Professor in Chief said nothing about Hoffa’s disgusting display. But that shouldn’t be surprising. Obama himself has been known to employ all manner of violent tinged campaign rhetoric. He likely saw nothing wrong with Hoffa’s words nor those of the race-baiters in Congress from earlier."
In fact, after Hoffa made his vitriolic speech, Obama told the crowd that he was proud of Hoffa. Civility, anyone?
Hoffa's words are a tinny echo of a call to "get a little bloody" made by Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA) in February, 2011. "I'm proud to be here with people who understand that it's more than just sending an email to get you going," he said. "Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary." (Watch a video here, and see a couple of videos about union violence below.)
So here's to the Little Guys, the unions members who are abused by their own union leaders for the sake of enriching themselves and bastards like Hoffa. More and more union members are fed up with those corrupt union leaders, and it should be no surprise to anyone that union membership is down.
Nationally, less than 7% of private sector employees are union members. While unions were beneficial and necessary in the past to help fight workplace abuse, the tables have turned. Long gone are the days of sweat shops, and we have a five-day work week. Thanks are owed to unions of the past for those advances. Today, however, it is the unions themselves that are the abusers.
RELATED:
Hoffa Threatens GOP: "Take These Son Of Bitches Out" - Real Clear Politics
Jimmy Hoffa Declares War on Non-Union America - Yes But However
Union membership goes down in Wisconsin - Stevens Point Journal
John F. Kennedy and Madness of the American Left - American Spectator
The Numbers Behind the Union Decline - Indiana Chamber
September 2, 2011 - Chicago - John Tillman has written a nice memorial post in honor of Ralf Seiffe, a great patriot who died unexpectedly on Sept. 1.
I, too, am saddened by the fact that I will never get to know this man as well as I would have liked to. He was a sharp and upbeat guy that I'd had the pleasure to meet and interact with on numerous occasions over the past four years. I'll always remember him from meetings at the Lincoln restaurant in Chicago or at Tea Party meetings downtown. He was always smiling.
Here is an excerpt from Tillman's post:"The liberty movement lost a great friend when Ralf Seiffe died unexpectedly yesterday morning. Ralf was truly one of life’s unique characters that come along all too rarely. Ralf was a joyful lover of life, people, history, culture and, of course, liberty. Ralf was a fountain of creativity. He always had a breadth and depth of knowledge on his many brainstorms, but what was so amazing to me was that he always knew more pertinent and interesting information about my crazy ideas than I did. Not only that, he could add value to the idea of the guy on the bar stool sitting next to us on a Friday afternoon at Hackneys...."
Read the rest of this at the Illinois Policy Institute Blog...
Black Conservative Says Black Liberals Racist If They Voted For Obama Just Because He's Black
That guy is the great patriot Kevin Jackson. The title of this video is "Racists That They Are, Blacks Voted For Obama Because He's Black, Not Because He's Qualified." Got that? Good. Now watch the video. Read more about Kevin Jackson, and check out his own great web site, "The Black Sphere."
