Justice wants Dayton to provide relief to black job candidates

Talk about opening a "can of worms"....

DAYTON — The U.S. Department of Justice wants the city of Dayton to pay blacks who didn't qualify for jobs with the police and fire departments because they failed to meet requirements now challenged in a federal lawsuit.

In a settlement proposal dated Nov. 13, the Justice Department wants the city to distribute a lump sum of $450,000, hire and offer $18,900 in back pay to black applicants who:

• Took the police exam in 2006 but were delayed or denied employment because of their scores on an entrance exam the Justice Department says is discriminatory.

• Were denied employment or deterred from applying by the fire department in 2004 or later because they did not meet requirements now challenged by the Justice Department.

The proposal also states the city must develop new hiring procedures for firefighters and police officers.

Blagojevich to name Burris to Senate

Don't forget to bring plenty of popcorn, this could be fun...

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected today to name former Illinois Atty. Gen. Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

The action comes despite warnings by Democratic Senate leaders that they would not seat anyone appointed by the disgraced governor who faces criminal charges of trying to sell the post, sources familiar with the decision said.

I'll say one thing, the guys got Chutzpa.

McKinney relief boat rammed by Israeli navy

The naivete' of these imbeciles is truly mind boggling, this is not a freakin game. What they either fail to comprehend or refuse to understand is that a state of war exists and they are NOT an internationally recognized relief organization. That makes them potential combatants and hence subject to legitmate attack. They're damn lucky they didn't get their a$$ blown out of the water.

A boat carrying international peace activists, including former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said.

The crowds on the docks in the Lebanese port city of Tyre were jubilant and cheering as they welcomed the vessel.

The boat, which set off from Cyprus Monday wanted to make a statement and deliver medical supplies to embattled Gaza. The trip’s organizers said the boat was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, at the time of its close encounter with the Israeli navy.

“Our boat was rammed three times, twice in the front and one on the side,” McKinney told CNN Tuesday morning. “Our mission was a peaceful mission. Our mission was thwarted by the aggressiveness of the Israeli military.”

She called on President-elect Obama to address the Gaza crisis, saying the weapons being used by Israel were supplied by the United States.

Troops' support of Obama iffy

I'd say that's a definate understatement.

When asked how they feel about President-elect Barack Obama as commander in chief, six out of 10 active-duty service members say they are uncertain or pessimistic, according to a Military Times survey.

In follow-up interviews, respondents expressed concerns about Obama's lack of military service and experience leading men and women in uniform.

''Being that the Marine Corps can be sent anywhere in the world with the snap of his fingers, nobody has confidence in this guy as commander in chief," said one lance corporal who asked not to be identified.

Underlying much of the uncertainty is Obama's stated 16-month timetable for pulling combat troops out of Iraq, as well as his calls to end the ''don't ask, don't tell" policy to allow gays to serve openly in the military, according to survey responses and interviews.

Considering Hussein "accused the troops of indiscriminate bombing of villages and then voted to cut off funding to them in the middle of a war" it's hardly surprising.

White House Blasts Hamas: "These people are nothing but thugs"

Be sure and read the entire article, it may be the last unabashedly pro-Israel sentiment we hear from the White House in a very long time.

The Bush administration, meanwhile, spoke out forcefully for Israel.

“These people are nothing but thugs, so Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas that indiscriminately kill their own people,” said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council. “They need to stop. We have said in the past that they have a choice to make. You can’t have one foot in politics and one foot in terror.”

Christmas Saturday Funny

Pakistan moves troops toward Indian border

Having things heat up between two antithetical nuclear armed countries that border one another is not a welcome development.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan began moving thousands of troops to the Indian border Friday, intelligence officials said, sharply raising tensions triggered by the Mumbai terror attacks.

India has blamed Pakistani-based militants for last month's siege on its financial capital, which killed 164 people and has provoked an increasingly bitter war of words between nuclear-armed neighbors that have fought three wars in 60 years.

The troops headed to the Indian border were being diverted away from tribal areas near Afghanistan, officials said, and the move was expected to frustrate the United States, which has been pushing Pakistan to step up its fight against al-Qaida and Taliban militants near the Afghan border.

Two intelligence officials said the army's 14th Division was being redeployed to the towns of Kasur and Sialkot, close to the Indian border. They said some 20,000 troops were on the move. Earlier Friday, a security official said all troop leave had been canceled.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

ACLU IS BERN-ED TO TUNE OF 850G

The American Civil Liberties Union sent out an emergency appeal to card-carrying members and donors this week after realizing it is a victim of Bernard Madoff's self-confessed Ponzi scheme.

"We've been hit hard in a way that no one could forecast," Alma Montcla, director of administration and finance for the left-leaning advocacy group, wrote this week.

"Two foundations that have been incredibly generous and longstanding supporters of our national security and reproductive freedom work have been victimized by the Madoff scandal - forced to close their doors and terminate their grants," the plea said.

I guess these clowns have never heard the phrase “If it sounds to good to be true it generally is”.

It’s all a matter of greed and when everyone else is getting 4% and Madoff is offering three times that return maybe a little light bulb should have gone on.

Global Warming Truths Begin Bubbling to the Surface

Climate concensus? Not so much...

The UN global warming conference held in Poland last week faced a serious challenge from over 650 dissenting scientists from around the globe who are criticizing the climate claims made by the UN International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore.
Set for release this week, a newly updated U.S. Senate Minority Report features the dissenting voices of over 650 international scientists, many current and former UN IPCC scientists, who have now turned against the UN.

The report has added about 250 scientists (and growing) in 2008 to the over 400 scientists who spoke out in 2007.

The over 650 dissenting scientists are more than 12 times the number of UN scientists (52) who authored the media hyped IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers.

Liberal Insanity

From the Collins Report, examples of leftist bizarro pseudo logic.

Liberalism is a sickness that should be laughed at and mocked. This 2008 year end roundup of stupid political correctness rules proves it. Join me in feeling superior to the nitwits who think this crap makes the world a better place.

Frightened of offending anyone, the University of Pittsburgh now allows men who “feel” they are women to move into women’s dorms with rights to shower with females and sit in the stalls next to them.

An Australian idiot has ruled Santa’s “Ho ho ho!” laugh is offensive. When stopping Down Under, Santa has to change his laugh to “Ha ha ha.”

Fishkill New York, a place named by Dutch settlers to mean “fish stream,” was recently asked by the morons in PETA to change its name to “Fishsave.”

Two reports from England show: a simpleton created an application for Air Traffic Controllers in Braille so as not to offend blind applicants; and a woman who escorts an epileptic child to school was forced to undergo a criminal records check, to continue doing so, even though she’s the child’s Mother!

Not even other liberals are safe from being pulled down into the political correctness pit of stupidity. At Berkeley (where else?) a pack of liberals were “sitting in” to save a stand of trees and stop construction of a new athletic field. The chancellor called them racists because the new building would be used to attract “minority student athletes.”

The “student” protestors, three Latinos and a “Native American” were led by “Running Wolf” who cried.. chancellor was pitting “colored against colored.”

Quote of the Week

In reference to Obama's "internal" investigation proclaiming himself and his staff completely right and proper in his "negotiations" with Blagojevich:

"Imagine the [Press] uproar if Cheney investigated himself over something equally similar and"pronounced himself innocent."

Para-Ord.45 at FR

Bears Win Even With Global Warming

Bears baaaaarely, but hey, a wins a win....

And the Bears had to overcome the elements, too, as did the Packers.

The temperature at Soldier Field was announced at 2 degrees, making it the coldest home game in Bears' history since records started being kept in 1963. The wind chill was 13 below, the second-lowest in recorded team annals, so the longtime rivals known for their ability to play in cold weather were tested by the elements.

A week after getting pay increase, Syracuse garage workers see their hours cut

The UAW and their members did it, the meat packing unions did it and now these guys. It's called cutting your own throat and heavyhanded wage "negotiation" whether it be through arbitrators or the courts usually ends up screwing the rank and file.

Syracuse, NY -- Ten weeks after a Syracuse City Court judge found that Murbro Parking was required to pay a "living wage" to workers who staffed city-owned garages, the employees are tired of waiting for answers.

In November, they started earning the $13.11 per hour required by the living wage law enacted in 2005 to keep workers under city contracts out of poverty.

But a week later, the employees experienced a less welcome change -- their 40-hour workweek was cut back to 35 hours. Managers' hours were cut, too. One manager said the result was a reduced paycheck, after overtime was eliminated and regular hours were cut below 38.

Report says Ohio's former AG raided campaign cash

And it's time once again to play "Name that Party"!....

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ex-Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann denies allegations he used campaign money to bankroll family vacations and home repairs.

Dann tells The Associated Press he'll prove to the Ohio Elections Commission that the allegations are either false or "lack a basis in law."

A complaint filed with the commission by Ohio's inspector general accuses Dann of reporting incomplete, inaccurate and false information about campaign expenditures. The Columbus Dispatch says the documents allege, among other things, that Dann laundered campaign money to pay for a $40,000 home security system and new windows and to pay for rent and utilities on a condo.

Dann resigned as Ohio's attorney general last May after admitting he'd had an affair with an employee.

Just in case you are new and not too good at this game, he's a Dem.

Palin's daughters boyfriends mother arrested for Oxycontin illegality

Now the million dollar question...what the hell does this have to do with anything?

WASILLA, Alaska - Wasilla resident Sherry L. Johnston , mother of Bristol Palin's boyfriend, faces a Jan. 6 court date for an oxycontin-related arrest at her home by Alaska State Troopers .

Little additional information was available Friday on the case as authorities remained unusually tight-lipped about details. But Palmer court records listed Johnston's scheduled court date and a troopers spokeswoman said in a release late Friday afternoon that the charges "are in relation to the drug oxycontin."

Johnston is the mother of Levi Johnston , who Gov. Sarah Palin said was the father of Bristol Palin's unborn child. Levi Johnston joined the Palins at the Republican National Convention when Palin was running for vice president. It was during the convention that the governor and her husband, Todd, announced Bristol's pregnancy.

That Kwazy Kwanzaa

'Twas the night before Kwanzaa And all through the 'hood,
Maulana Karenga was up to no good.

He'd tortured a woman and spent time in jail.
He needed a new scam that just wouldn't fail.
("So what if I stuck some chick's toe in a vice?
Nobody said revolution was nice!")

The Sixties were over. Now what would he do?
Why, he went back to school -- so that's "Dr." to you!
He once ordered shootouts at UCLA
Now he teaches Black Studies just miles away.

Then to top it all off, the good Doctor's new plan
Was to get rid of Christmas and piss off The Man.

Karenga invented a fake holiday.
He called the thing Kwanza. "Hey, what's that you say?

"You don't get what's 'black' about Maoist baloney?
You say that my festival's totally phony?

"Who cares if corn isn't an African crop?
Who cares if our harvest's a month or two off?
Who cares if Swahili's not our mother tongue?
A lie for The Cause never hurt anyone!

"Umoja! Ujima! Kujichagulia, too!
Collectivist crap never sounded so cool!
Those guilty white liberals -- easy to fool.
Your kids will now celebrate Kwanzaa in school!"

And we heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight:
"Happy Kwanzaa to all, except if you're white!"

Kathy Shaidle

Palin Passes on $25,000 Increase in Pay

Talks the talk, walks the walk baby.

JUNEAU, Alaska, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said she would refuse a $25,000 pay raise during her current term as Alaska governor.

A state commission recommended boosting the governor's pay to $150,000 from $125,000.

The five-member state Officers Compensation Commission, created by the state Legislature, also said legislators needed more money, along with the lieutenant governor and government department heads, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

She doesn't just think like one of us, she IS one of us.

Obama's inaugural choice sparks outrage

Obama will soon realize (if he hasn't already) that he can do one of two things, please the 20% of left wing wackos that elected him or the rest of us.

(CNN) -- Prominent liberal groups and gay rights proponents criticized President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday for choosing evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the presidential inauguration next month.

Warren, one of the most influential religious leaders in the nation, has championed issues such as a reduction of global poverty, human rights abuses and the AIDS epidemic.

But the founder of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, has also adhered to socially conservative stances -- including his opposition to gay marriage and abortion rights that puts him at odds with many in the Democratic Party, especially the party's most liberal wing.

Oil Close at Just Above $40/Barrel

And the left screams bloody murder as their utopian dream of the "clean" energy's economic viability smashes headlong into reality.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped to their lowest in more than four years on Wednesday after OPEC announced a record supply cut that dealers said may fail to fully offset slumping world energy demand.

U.S. crude oil prices fell $3.54 to settle at $40.06 a barrel after dipping below $40 for first time since July 2004. London Brent fell $1.12 to $45.53.

Oil prices have fallen more than $100 since July as a global financial crisis cuts into consumer and industrial fuel demand, and top forecasters are now predicting the first decline in world energy use since 1983.

Richardson dodges questions on jury probe

This could end up being the most corrupt administration of a President elect in the history of the United States. At least Bill Clinton waited a few years into his administration before disgracing the office.

Gov. Bill Richardson cut short a news conference Tuesday, abruptly leaving the room and ignoring reporters' questions about a federal grand jury investigation.

A grand jury in Albuquerque reportedly is looking into a possible "pay-to-play" connection between a Beverly Hills financial company's large contributions to Richardson political action committees and nearly $1.5 million the company received for work on a state road-building program.

Richardson at news conferences normally fields inquiries on virtually any subject a reporter wants to ask about. And he frequently lingers in the room to take even more questions after the conference is over.

Gingrich: RNC Ad is 'Destructive Distraction'

OK it's official, Newt's lost it. Gingrich:

Dear Chairman Duncan,I was saddened to learn that at a time of national trial, when a president-elect is preparing to take office in the midst of the worst financial crisis in over seventy years, that the Republican National Committee is engaged in the sort of negative, attack politics that the voters rejected in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles.

The recent web advertisement, "Questions Remain," is a destructive distraction. Clearly, we should insist that all taped communications regarding the Senate seat should be made public. However, that should be a matter of public policy, not an excuse for political attack.

In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them, regardless of his Party.

From now until the inaugural, Republicans should be offering to help the President-elect prepare to take office.

45% Suspect Obama Team Involved in Blagojevich Scandal

One of the primary reasons Illinois has a problem is the voters refuse to accept that one exists..

Forty five percent (45%) of U.S. voters say it is likely President-elect Obama or one of his top campaign aides was involved in the unfolding Blagojevich scandal in Illinois, including 23% who say it is Very Likely.

Just 11% say it is not at all likely, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken Thursday and Friday nights.

Voters nationally are more skeptical than those in Illinois. Thirty-two percent (32%) of Illinois voters said in a survey late last week that there is no way Obama was involved in the Blagojevich case, while only 13% said it is Very Likely that the president-elect was involved, with another 13% saying it is Somewhat Likely.

The old adage about what sleeping with dogs illicits seems particularly applicable at this point.

Obama team: No inappropriate contact

Oh well, that's that then...

WASHINGTON - An internal review shows aides to President-elect Barack Obama had no "inappropriate discussions" with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich or his staff concerning the search for a Senate replacement from Illinois, a spokesman for the presidential transition office said Monday.

But spokesman Dan Pfeiffer also said the office won't release details of its review until the week of Dec. 22 at the request of prosecutors "in order not to impede their investigation of the governor."

That's Christmas week, when few people will be paying attention and when Obama plans to be celebrating the holiday in Hawaii.

First is was NO contact, now it's no "inappropriate" contact. We'll see how they alter that statement.

Warmist hysteria intensifies as temperatures plunge

Lifson with another great piece.

With temperatures falling since 1998's peak, and much of the nation shivering, global warming propagandists become have become shriller, even asserting counterfactual propositions. Case in point: Seth Borentstein "science" reporter for the Associated Press.

Noel Sheppard of Newsbusters debunks the "global warming is accelerating" nonsense offered by AP to gullible (or mendacious) editors in newsrooms across the country. It is remarkable to see bald-faced lies so readily debunked.

The willingness of media outlets to offer self-evident tripe in the face of both the data of the past decade and the immediate experience of people in their daily lives right now has to be considered a form of hysteria. Both the Associated Press and the newspapers which collectively own it are in serious economic trouble, with substantial layoffs accomplished and likely to be repeated, and questions about their survivability evident to everyone.

Thousands celebrate in Baghdad as violence falls

How long before ZerO tries to take the credit. Oh, wait, that's already happened.

Iraqis have visited Baghdad's parks and shrines in their thousands in the past few days during a major Muslim festival, the highest turnout for years as violence falls in the Iraqi capital, security officials said.

For much of last year the city was still mired in sectarian bloodshed, unleashed shortly after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Mutilated and tortured bodies were dumped on the streets almost daily.

Now Iraqis screamed and shouted from Zawraa park's "Space Gun" ride, which spins people full circle and holds them upside down in the air, handbags and glasses tumbling 30-feet (9 metres) onto the floor below with each revolution.

"We are proud of ... achievements that led millions of people to visit shrines, mosques, parks and fairs in a way Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces haven't seen before," Baghdad security spokesman Major-General Qassim Moussawi told reporters.

Film Critique of the Week

Commenting on the [Green] remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still

'Klaatu barada crappo'...turns an intelligent and thoughtful film into what might be called a boys' adventure yarn if that weren't an insult to both boys and yarn.

Van Johnson, heartthrob in ’40s, dies at 92

Honestly I thought he had passed some years back. Just goes to show when a star is out of the spotlight one assumes their demise. One of my top ten movies co-starred this great actor. The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Quote of the Week

From Rush Limbaugh 12/12/08 When Rush threw out the tired hackkneed phrase "Yes We Can" the caller chimed "I Wish They Wouldn't"

Touche!

Is Emanuel the adviser on gov tape?

If it's shown that Obama's Thug in Chief is indeed the "advisor" referenced it should come as anything but a surprise.

President-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, refused to take questions from reporters this morning about whether he was the Obama “advisor” named in the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The complaint states Blagojevich wanted a promise of a high-level appointment or some other reward for Blagojevich in exchange for Blagojevich naming Obama’s friend Valerie Jarrett to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

Emanuel was uncharacteristically absent from Obama’s news conference this morning. He was spotted two hours later in the lobby of Chicago’s City Hall. He was there to listen to his two children performing in a concert with their school, Anshe Emet.

An Open Letter to a Friend

Last night I had a rather heated discussion with a conservative and very smart guy I have known for some 45 years. Yes, that's right, 45 YEARS! We grew up together, we saw each other turn from kids to boys to men and during that time we often went opposite directions but never lost our appreciation for each others company.

Somehow through all those years we have managed to stay in relatively close contact even though we're physically separated by hundreds of miles, and equally amazing we ended up astonishingly sympatico with each others values and beliefs.

Now to the disagreement. We had discussed several topics and as usual agreed down the line when the subject of Hussein's birth certificate came up. It was at that point in time that my great friend uttered something that floored me. ..."Does it really matter?". His assertion basically being that the Constitutional provision concerning natural birth was probably insignificant compared to the damage it could potentially do to the country if this was pursued and "The One" would be shown to be of foreign birth.

His concern for our great nation and his willingness to swallow a bitter pill for the good of the country is as admirable as it is misguided. There are but 3 requirements that our brilliant founding fathers felt important enough to include in the second most sacred of documents ever published and one of those three is that the head of the Executive Branch of our government be a "NATURAL BORN CITIZEN". What was their intent? That could be debated endlessly, but the bottom line is it wasn't parsed, modified with caveats, or diluted. It is what it is and to ignore that basic requirement is to essentially admit that the Constitution is rather than a sacred and inviolate document only to be amended as prescribed, but, rather, simply a "guide" to be invoked when convenient and discarded when expedient.

Many readers of this blog may question my candor on this, but, I DO truly hope that Obama does meet the Constitutional requirements to be POTUS. As G [my bud] acccurately argues, the alternative could be devastating to the country. But, more devastating yet, would be the subverting of our nation of laws to accomodate our nation of men. An old adage comes to mind...."The road to hell is often paved with the best of intentions" The natural born requirement may not be good, or right, or even smart but it is the law and to disregard it in an attempt to foster momentary political harmony is to delegitimize all that we are.

Obama Administration Accepts a Nuclear Iran

How utterly naive can Obama be? First, the Israelis have more than an adequate capability of giving an overwhelming nuclear reponse without us. Secondly, a nuclear response offers little deterrence to Iran and thirdly this guarantee would offer little solace to the Israeli's as their major city's lie in waste and burning.

President-elect Barack Obama will offer Israel a strategic pact designed to fend off any nuclear attack on the Jewish state by Iran, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday.

Haaretz, quoting an unnamed source, said the Obama administration would pledge under the proposed "nuclear umbrella" to respond to any Iranian strike on Israel with a "devastating U.S. nuclear response."

Granting Israel a nuclear guarantee would essentially suggest the U.S. is willing to come to terms with a nuclear Iran, the paper reported.

According to the paper's source, Obama's nuclear guarantee would be backed by a new and improved Israeli anti-ballistic missile system. The Bush administration took the first step by deploying an early-warning radar system, which enhances the ability to detect Iranian ballistic missiles.

650 Eminent Scientists are Global Warming Skeptics and the List is Growing

Some of the biggest scientific names in the business are beginning to resent being associated with the junk science known as the Global Warming Concensus.

POZNAN, Poland - The UN global warming conference currently underway in Poland is about to face a serious challenge from over 650 dissenting scientists from around the globe who are criticizing the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore. Set for release this week, a newly updated U.S. Senate Minority Report features the dissenting voices of over 650 international scientists, many current and former UN IPCC scientists, who have now turned against the UN. The report has added about 250 scientists (and growing) in 2008 to the over 400 scientists who spoke out in 2007. The over 650 dissenting scientists are more than 12 times the number of UN scientists (52) who authored the media hyped IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers.

The U.S. Senate report is the latest evidence of the growing groundswell of scientific opposition rising to challenge the UN and Gore. Full Report Set To Be Released in the Next 24 Hours.

Who's Lying?

So who was lying about talking [or not] with Blagojevich concerning the replacement for Hussein's vacant Senate seat, Axelord or "The One"? You decide.

CHICAGO, ILL. -- Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.

That's one of Obama's first priorities today.

He's meeting with Governor Rod Blagojevich this afternoon in Chicago to discuss it.

Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement.

Here's an article from the same publication that confirms they did indeed meet: QUINCY, IL -- Now that Barack Obama will be moving to the White House, his seat in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois will have to be filled.

Obama met with Governor Rod Blagojevich earlier this week to discuss it. Illinois law states that the governor chooses that replacement. There's already been speculation about his selection...from Congressman Jesse Jackson, Junior to Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.

Update:Say what????

KHQA TV wishes to offer clarification regarding a story that appeared last month on our website ConnectTristates.com. The story, which discussed the appointment of a replacement for President Elect Obama’in the U.S. Senate, became the subject of much discussion on talk radio and on blog sites Wednesday.

The story housed in our website archive was on the morning of November 5, 2008. It suggested that a meeting was scheduled later that day between President Elect Obama and Illinois Governor Blagojevich. KHQA has no knowledge that any meeting ever took place. Governor Blagojevich did appear at a news conference in Chicago on that date.

My good friend Rotwang, are you believing this?

Despicable Associations

If this is an example of Hussein's character judgement, we're in for a long 4 years....or maybe not.

On the Chicago TV show "Public Affairs with Jeff Berkowitz" on June 27, 2002, state Sen. Obama said, "Right now, my main focus is to make sure that we elect Rod Blagojevich as Governor, we..."
"You working hard for Rod?" interrupted Berkowitz.
"You betcha," said Obama.
"Hot Rod?" asked the host.
"That's exactly right," Obama said.

Birds of a Feather?

Feds take Gov. Blagojevich into custody

Saw this coming.

A source said today that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody at his North Side home this morning. The U.S. attorney's office would not confirm the information.

A Blagojevich spokesman said he was unaware of the development. "Haven't heard anything -- you are first to call," Lucio Guerrero said in an e-mail.

Update: Fox: RAW DATA: Press Release on Blagojevich Arrest

Really an amazing document. It's almost inconceivable how arrogant this guy truly was [is].

Homeowners who modified loans are in trouble again

Unfortunately "The One" hasn't figured out yet that redistibuting the wealth will illicit similar results.

(AP:WASHINGTON) More than half of all homeowners who had their loans modified to make the payments more affordable in the first half of the year are already in default again, banking regulators said Monday.

The new data raise questions about whether government money may be better spent on creating jobs, rather than averting foreclosures, said John Reich, director of the federal Office of Thrift Supervision office at a housing industry forum sponsored by his agency.

Streisand, President Bush Share Awkward Smooch

Way above and beyond the call of duty.

WASHINGTON -- Barbra Streisand got an awkward kiss on the cheek from the president, and yes, she gave him a smooch back.

Streisand, a vocal critic of President George W. Bush, was a guest Sunday at the White House just before one of Washington's few A-list events: the Kennedy Center Honors.

"Art transcends politics this weekend," the longtime Democrat said beforehand. Still, she said it would have been "lovely" if she could have received the award while President-elect Barack Obama was in office.

The singer and actress was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, along with actor Morgan Freeman, country singer George Jones, dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp and musicians Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.

Indicted Rep. William "Freezer Cash" Jefferson Booted

Thank goodness the voters in NO did what the Democrats in Congress were too gutless to do.

NEW ORLEANS -- Voters in Louisiana ousted indicted Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on Saturday, instead electing a Republican attorney who will be the first Vietnamese-American in Congress.

Unofficial results showed Anh "Joseph" Cao denying Jefferson a 10th term. Republicans made an aggressive push to take the seat from the 61-year-old incumbent, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, laundering money and misusing his congressional office.

Cao, 41, won a predominantly black and heavily Democratic district that covers most of New Orleans.

IAEA chief says efforts to curb Iran nuke program 'a failure'

It certainly didn't take a rocket scientist to realize this 4 years ago. But in the spirit of multilateral cooperation with the EU and others we blissfully went along with ElBaradei and the UN. Now we have forced Israel to make up for our naivete' and lack of cahonies.

Efforts by the ElBaradei and the UN forcing Israel to international community to isolate Iran in hopes of curbing its nuclear weapons program have failed, the head of the United Nations watchdog told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the newspaper that the sanctions regime imposed by members of the United Nations Security Council has not prevented the Islamic republic from accumulating technology and know-how that could be used to build atomic weapons.

MN Recount: Coleman increases margin over Franken (UDATED& BUMPED)

With 82% of votes recounted Norm Coleman has actually extended his lead .

Update: With 88% of the votes recounted Coleman is up by 282

Update II: 92% of the votes recounted and Coleman is up by 340.

Update III: Minneapolis discovery costs Franken 36 votes

Gained 37 lost 36, I'll take that...

What Maplewood giveth, Minneapolis taketh away. Elections officials in Minnesota's largest city today discovered that one precinct came up 133 ballots short of election day totals, resulting in a net loss for Democratic challenger Al Franken of 36 votes.

Update IV: 98% of the votes recounted, Coleman is up by 316.

Update V: With 99% of the vote recounted Coleman is up by 251.

Update VI: The Minnesopta SOS site is showing 100% of the votes recounted and Coleman maintaining a 238 vote lead. Coleman lost a total of 2685 votes while Franken lost 2708 giving Coleman a net pick up of 23 votes from his initial total.

Quote of the Week

Bill Richardson at the Democrat National Convention Sept. 1: "Barack Obama is the best candidate for the Hispanic community because our community wants a united country. Obama is an immigrant. When he speaks to Latinos, he doesn't just speak about immigration and civil rights."

Immigrants by definition cannot be natural born citizens. HMMMM.

Feds taped Blagojevich

Got to be something in the water...

Federal investigators recently made covert tape recordings of Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the most dramatic step yet in their corruption investigation of him and his administration, the Tribune has learned.

As part of this undercover effort, one of the governor's closest confidants and former aides cooperated with investigators, and that assistance helped lead to recordings of the governor and others, sources said.

The cooperation of John Wyma, 42, one of the state's most influential lobbyists, is the most stunning evidence yet that Blagojevich's once-tight inner circle appears to be collapsing under the pressure of myriad pay-to-play inquiries.

Sarah Palin Tells Oprah to Pound Salt

YOU GO GIRL!

It’s not Oprah Winfrey’s fault that former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin hasn’t been a guest on her talk show yet, according to her.

Winfrey declared, “I said I would be happy to talk to Sarah Palin when the election was over... I went and tried to talk to Sarah Palin and instead she talked to Greta [Van Susteren]. She talked to Matt [Lauer]. She talked to Larry [King]. But she didn’t talk to me. But maybe she’ll talk to me now that she has a [multi-million dollar] book deal.”

When asked if Oprah will have Barack Obama on the show, she responded, “There’s always an open invitation for the president-elect and first lady.”

Winfrey spoke to Extra at last night’s Alvin Ailey Dance Theater’s 50th anniversary celebration where she served as honorary chair. Winfrey joked, “In my wildest, wildest, crazy, crazy dreams, I am a dancer…When I’ve like had too many tequila shots and I go to sleep, I dream of being a dancer.”

Woman sues bar after being stuck in toilet

Do women really actually sit on a bar toilet when doing their business???

A New Jersey woman is suing a Lower Saucon Township sports bar and restaurant, saying she got stuck inside a toilet bowl for 20 minutes after the handicapped toilet seat she sat on cracked.

Kathleen Hewko of Delran Township had hip surgery prior to the Nov. 19, 2006 incident and was re-injured when the seat cracked in half at Starters Pub on Route 378, ''violently'' dropping her into the bowl, according to the lawsuit, filed last month in U.S. District Court in Allentown.

Hewko, who weighs 130 to 140 pounds, screamed for help before finally getting out, according to her attorney, John D. Cirrinicione of Philadelphia, who says the seat was defective.

Israel Preparing to Strike Iran Without U.S. Consent

Although this is the third time I've read this in the last year I tend to believe it is more likely now then ever as the motivating deadline of January 20th is fast approaching.

Israel is drawing up plans to attack Iran's nuclear facilities and is prepared to launch a strike without backing from the U.S., an Israeli newspaper reported Thursday.

Officials in the Israeli Defense Ministry told The Jerusalem Post that while they prefer to act in consultation with the U.S., they are preparing plans that would allow them to act alone.

"It is always better to coordinate," a senior Defense Ministry official told the newspaper. "But we are also preparing options that do not include coordination."

Cramer: Make Me SEC Chariman

Four words, Loud mouth, boorish clown. This self important jerk has cost a lot of people a lot of money with his flippant often misguided advice. Even Obama is not that stupid, or is he?

While Chris Matthews mulls a run for the senate, another member of the peacock wants to be SEC chairman. Here's Jim Cramer from tonight's "Mad Money."

Do you want the market to become a safe place to invest again? A place where the playing field between the longs, the regular investors like yourself, and the shorts...often hedge funds...willing to destroy good companies in order to turn a profit?

Do you want that? Do you want a level playing field? Then I know what you want. I know who you want. You want James J. Cramer to be your next SEC Chairman. THat's right. I'm throwing the hat in the ring. As of now, I am formally putting myself forward for the job of SEC Chair and I want it. And frankly, Obama will be smart to give it to me.

Few Thoughts On Chambliss Win

First , one cannot minimize the size of this victory both in terms of scope and spread. Had Chambliss lost the Democrats would have likely been further energized to do whatever was neccessary to steal the Minnesota Senate seat thus giving them the filibuster proof majority that would we all dread.

Secondly, it was a wake up call moment for the left. They realized that even though they have made significant gains in the last 4 years, they are far from invincible. Ludicris and Clinton were no match for Sarah Palin in Georgia as Chambliss crushed Martin by 14% points. BTW just to give you a feel for how the base feels, McCain drew crowds of around 1000 people, Romney less than 500 and Palin 4-5000.

This win should point out one very important fact to the Republican leadership....You can't win elections without a high percentage turnout of your base and Noonan/Parker/McCain type centrist compromisers DON"T turnout the base.

Chambliss/Martin Runoff Live Thread

Georgia SOS

Update VII: 13% reporting
Chambliss 67%
Martin 33%

Update VIII: 17% reporting
Chambliss 66%
Martin 34%

Update IX:28% reporting
Chambliss 65%
Martin 35%

Update X:

Chambliss 62%
Martin 38%

UpdateXI: 40% reporting
Chambliss 63%
Martin 37%

UpdateXII: 52% reporting
Chambliss 62%
Martin 38%

Update XIII: 63% reporting Chambliss +293,000
Chambliss 61%
Martin 39%

Update XIV:68% reporting
Chambliss61%
Martin 39%

UpdateXV: AP Calls it for Chambliss!

Sayonara Mel

Good news of the day.

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (R) has decided against seeking a second term, a decision he will formalize shortly in the Sunshine State, according to an informed party source.

Martinez's decision was based on a desire for more free time and a less scheduled life, said the source. The first term senator also was an almost certain Democratic target in two years time although those familiar with Martinez's political prospects insisted his strengths in South Florida, coupled with his political base along the I-4 corridor, made his path to reelection possible.

Don't let the door hit you in the arse.

Indictments against Cheney, Gonzales dismissed

Senor' Guerra, way to waist taxpayers time and money a$$...

RAYMONDVILLE, Texas – A judge dismissed indictments against Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Monday and told the southern Texas prosecutor who brought the case to exercise caution as his term in office ends.

Willacy County District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra had accused Cheney and the other defendants of responsibility for prisoner abuse. The judge's order ended two weeks of sometimes-bizarre court proceedings.

Guerra is leaving office at the end of the month after soundly losing in his March primary election.

Napolitano Leaving gives Ariz a Republican governor

One of the few silver lignings in a very big dark cloud...

PHOENIX – President-elect Barack Obama's announcement Monday that Gov. Janet Napolitano is his choice to head the Department of Homeland Security means a Republican will move into the governor's office.

Arizona does not have a lieutenant general, so the Democratic governor's midterm departure — if she is confirmed as secretary of homeland security — means she will be succeeded by Secretary of State Jan Brewer, a Republican in a state that leans toward the GOP.

"It is difficult to leave one job for another but one must go where one can best serve," Napolitano said during a news conference in Chicago with Obama and other newly announced members of his national security team.

Credit Where Credit ISN'T Due

From Confederate Yankee: Attempts to Give Obama Credit for Iraq Success at Odds with the Truth