Police handcuff Ga. kindergartner for tantrum

The little moster is lucky she didn't get tazed.

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Police in Georgia handcuffed a kindergartner after the girl threw a tantrum and the police chief defended the action.

The girl's family demanded Tuesday that this central Georgia city change policy so that other children aren't treated the same way. They say the child was shaken up by being put in a cell at the police station.

Salecia Johnson, 6, was accused of tearing items off the walls and throwing furniture in an outburst Friday at Creekside Elementary School, Macon television station WMAZ-TV (http://on.wmaz.com/HPb7nr ) reported. Police said the girl knocked over a shelf that injured the principal.

Mitt Romney leads Obama in first Gallup national tracking poll

My Golden Retriever should beat Obama and by a greater margin.

Mitt Romney leads President Obama in the first Gallup national daily tracking poll.

Romney took 47 percent support from surveyed registered voters, while Obama took 45 in a poll conducted between April 11 and April 15. Romney's edge though is within the poll's three point margin of error.

Independents tipped the scale in favor of Romney, going for the former Massachusetts governor 45 percent to 39.

Former Dem. Congressman Kennedy Alleges 'Quid Pro Quo' for Access to White House

Does anyone actually believe that anything has changed? He!!, Obama administration politics are setting new lows on a daily basis.

Access to the Obama White House is in direct correlation to the amount of money donated to the president's reelection effort and the Democratic party, the New York Times reports today. The Times reports: "those who donated the most to Mr. Obama and the Democratic Party since he started running for president were far more likely to visit the White House than others. Among donors who gave $30,000 or less, about 20 percent visited the White House, according to a New York Times analysis that matched names in the visitor logs with donor records. But among those who donated $100,000 or more, the figure rises to about 75 percent. Approximately two-thirds of the president’s top fund-raisers in the 2008 campaign visited the White House at least once, some of them numerous times."

But the most explosive allegation in the news story comes from former Democratic congressman Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Ted Kenney, who calls what the Obama White House is doing "quid pro quo."

Patrick J. Kennedy, the former representative from Rhode Island, who donated $35,800 to an Obama re-election fund last fall while seeking administration support for a nonprofit venture, said contributions were simply a part of “how this business works.”

“If you want to call it ‘quid pro quo,’ fine,” he said. “At the end of the day, I want to make sure I do my part.”

Sunday Funny

Thanks RR.

Astronauts condemn NASA’s global warming endorsement

This is going to leave a mark.

In an unprecedented slap at NASA’s endorsement of global warming science, nearly 50 former astronauts and scientists—including the ex-boss of the Johnson Space Center—claim the agency is on the wrong side of science and must change course or ruin the reputation of the world’s top space agency.

Challenging statements from NASA that man is causing climate change, the former NASA executives demanded in a letter to Administrator Charles Bolden that he and the agency “refrain from including unproven remarks” supporting global warming in the media.

“We feel that NASA’s advocacy of an extreme position, prior to a thorough study of the possible overwhelming impact of natural climate drivers is inappropriate,” they wrote. “At risk is damage to the exemplary reputation of NASA, NASA’s current or former scientists and employees, and even the reputation of science itself.”

The letter was signed by seven Apollo astronauts, a deputy associate administrator, several scientists, and even the deputy director of the space shuttle program.

Michelle Obama's $300K "Job" at Hospital Eliminated

Surprise surprise.

You might remember this one...

After Barack Obama became an Illinois state legislator, his wife moved up as well, scoring a job as 'vice president of community relations' at the University Of Chicago Hospital for a very generous salary of $121,910. When Obama became a senator in 2005, her 'salary' leapfrogged to $$316,962 for the same job...and one of Senator Obama's first acts in office was to see to it that the hospital received over a million dollars of your tax dollars as an earmark.

Well, Michelle has moved on,and guess what...that vital job of hers,worth a salary of over $300 K has been quietly eliminated.

It's the Chicago Way, cushy no-show jobs in exchange for political patronage...fist bump.

US Posts Biggest March Budget Deficit In History

Yet one more dubious milestone courtesy of the Obama administration.

Following the all time record high February budget deficit of $232 billion, the US March budget deficit number is in, and in addition to being bigger than expected, coming at $198.2 billion on expectations of "only" $196 billion, the government outlay in the past month also is the largest March deficit on record. This brings the total deficit in fiscal 2012 to $779 billion, which is to be expected for a country gripped in total political chaos and which is unable to either raise revenues or lower spending.

What is more disturbing is that over the same period (Oct 1 2011 - March 31, 2012), the US government issued $792 billion in debt, a trend that will continue. What is most disturbing is that the comparable tax revenues net of refunds, "matching" this increase in deficit and spending, are only $693 billion, in other words the US government is funding well more than half of its cash needs with debt rather than with tax revenue. Just like Japan.

Trump On Ryan Budget: "Biggest Reason" Why GOP Would Lose In 2012

Now aren't you glad you didn't vote for this guy.

Donald Trump on Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)'s budget proposal: ""It is catastrophic what he's done. If they lose, it will be the single biggest reason why the Republicans lost: the Ryan plan."

'Frasier' callers exposed as undercover celebrities

Dr. Frasier Crane, "Celebrity Rehab" host? It's not that far-fetched. This video sheds some Hollywood spotlight behind the scenes of "Frasier," that ninetiest of all '90s sitcoms, and finds that the fake radio doc's callers were largely celebrities making "The Simpsons"-style guest appearances. Helen Mirren, Halle Berry, Matthew Broderick, Ben Stiller and even a young Hilary Duff brought their problems to the "airwaves" in uncredited roles. When you hear them now, it's pretty obvious, and pretty awesome.

In related news, we hope Niles and Daphne are doing alright.

Unbelievable, are these a$$ covering crazies trying to equate a purely entertainment network show with real news? The disingenuousness is truely blatant.

He Is Risen!

Source: NBC News fires producer involved in editing audio of George Zimmerman’s 911 call

The MSM "creating" the news.....NAAAWWWWW.

NEW YORK — NBC News has fired a producer for editing a recording of George Zimmerman’s call to police the night he shot Trayvon Martin, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said Saturday.

The person was not authorized to talk about the situation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The identity of the producer was not disclosed.

An NBC spokeswoman declined to comment.

The producer’s dismissal followed an internal investigation that led to NBC apologizing for having aired the misleading audio.

NBC’s “Today” show first aired the edited version of Zimmerman’s call on March 27. The recording viewers heard was trimmed to suggest that Zimmerman volunteered to police, with no prompting, that Martin was black: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

But the portion of the tape that was deleted had the 911 dispatcher asking Zimmerman if the person who had raised his suspicion was “black, white or Hispanic,” to which Zimmerman responded, “He looks black.”

Job Growth Loses Steam

Time to print more money!

WASHINGTON—U.S. job growth slowed in March, and the labor force shrank, signaling that the economy could be losing momentum.

Jobs outside of agriculture grew by 120,000 last month—half the number that the economy added the prior month—the Labor Department said Friday, marking the first time since November that job growth fell below 200,000.

The unemployment rate, obtained by a separate survey of U.S. households, ticked down a tenth of a percentage point to 8.2%, but the drop resulted in part from fewer Americans seeking work.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected a gain of 203,000 in payrolls and for the jobless rate to remain at 8.3% for March.

Employment numbers stink but unemployment drops a tenth of a percent, HERE'S why.

Healthy polar bear count confounds doomsayers

Algore sucks hind (bear) teat yet again.

The debate about climate change and its impact on polar bears has intensified with the release of a survey that shows the bear population in a key part of northern Canada is far larger than many scientists thought, and might be growing.

The number of bears along the western shore of Hudson Bay, believed to be among the most threatened bear subpopulations, stands at 1,013 and could be even higher, according to the results of an aerial survey released Wednesday by the Government of Nunavut. That’s 66 per cent higher than estimates by other researchers who forecasted the numbers would fall to as low as 610 because of warming temperatures that melt ice faster and ruin bears’ ability to hunt. The Hudson Bay region, which straddles Nunavut and Manitoba, is critical because it’s considered a bellwether for how polar bears are doing elsewhere in the Arctic.

Best R&R Video of All Time

Granted being a male I'm pedjudiced but hey, I call e'm as I see em.

Vid here

Sexy as he!! without being vulgar, you decide.

Sarah Palin is Awesome on "Today"

Watch HERE.

America Is #1…In Corporate Taxes

Yet one more dubious milestone achieved under the Obama administration.

America is used to leading the world but not like this: As of April 1, the U.S. has the dubious distinction of being the developed economy with the highest corporate tax rates.

On Sunday, corporate taxes in Japan dropped to 38%, making America's 39.2% rate the world's highest and well above the average of 25.4% for developed nations, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Amid the broader issue of reforming the tax code, corporate tax rates have already been a hot-button issue on the campaign trail: President Obama has proposed lowering the top rate to 28% while Mitt Romney's plan would drop it to 25%. Anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist says dropping corporate rates to 25% is just "the first bite at the apple." America's new standing as the world's top corporate tax regime is adding further fuel to the partisan fire.

Have a Glorious Palm Sunday

Sunday Funny

Keith Olbermann Fired....Again

Just 14 months after he was dumped from MSNBC, Keith Olbermann has been fired again.

The liberal loudmouth was dismissed yesterday from his latest gig hosting a talk show at Al Gore’s Current TV network, the former vice president announced in a statement laced with bitterness toward Olbermann.

“Current was . . . founded on the values of respect, openness, collegiality and loyalty to our viewers,” the cable network said in a statement signed by Gore and Current TV co-founder Joel Hyatt. “Unfortunately, these values are no longer reflected in our relationship with Keith Olbermann, and we have ended it.”

Inane Pic of the Day

ABC unsure.

Question of the Day

What if Trayvon Martin had killed George Zimmerman?

One thing for sure, we wouldn't even know about it.

Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show ends a day early

Talk about rearranging check chairs on the Titanic.

The short life of “The Rosie Show” got even shorter Thursday when OWN aired the finale of the anemically rated program a day early.

Talk show host Rosie O’Donnell did the equivalent of slipping quietly out the back door when she capped off Thursday’s broadcast not with any parting words, but with a performance by singer Josh Kelley.

Kelley’s performance had been taped — and had aired — a few months ago, back when O’Donnell was doing her show in front of an audience in a much larger space at Chicago’s Harpo Studios.

The show since had been stripped of its live band, game show segments and confetti showers in favor of a small, quiet set where O’Donnell presided over one-on-one interviews.

The retooling couldn’t save the daily talk show, which was drawing fewer than 200,000viewers on the fledgling Oprah Winfrey Network.

Hy-Vee reverses stance on 'pink slime'

Hy-Vee Inc., after being pressured by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, announced Wednesday that its stores would continue to offer ground beef containing a controversial ground beef additive.

Producers call it "lean, finely textured beef," but it has become widely known as "pink slime."

Hy-Vee's announcement, revealed during a Wednesday afternoon press conference in Des Moines with Branstad and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, marks a quick reversal of the Iowa-based chain's stance last week to join several other grocery chains and drop products containing the additive.

"The governor called and expressed his concern," Ruth Comer, a Hy-Vee spokeswoman said in an interview. "We were already looking at what we might do to take care of customers, and the governor's voice certainly did factor into the feedback we were already receiving."

Actually it’s what’s referred to in the industry as “Baader meat”. It’s perfectly good and wholesome in it’s content and derivation.

A machine called a Baader or similar machine removes the remaining meat on the bones that cannot be removed by hand. It’s more finely textured because of the process that the machine uses (high pressure) to remove the remaining meat. A small percentage is added to regular ground product so that the texture is basically unchanged.

Frankly, this is much ado about nothing.

Spike Lee Silent After His Tweet Jeopardizes Elderly Couple's Lives

Speaking of lawsuits...

“Elderly couple abandons their home after address is posted on Twitter as that of George Zimmerman” read the headline of an article yesterday in the Orlando Sentinel. Spike Lee’s twitter account went into Radio Silence yesterday morning after it was revealed he mistakenly tweeted to over 247,000 twitter followers the address of an elderly Florida couple instead of George Zimmerman’s address, the man who shot Trayvon Martin. Mr. Lee’s tweet resulted in hate mail, strangers dropping by, and other disturbances that panicked the couple who then fled from their home for fear of their lives. It remains to be seen if Spike Lee will contact the couple to assist them financially with the costs associated with their having to abandon their home or at minimum publicly apologize to them for his putting their lives in danger.

The Hollywood Reporter was reporting last night that the “Elderly Couple at Address Spike Lee Tweeted Are Living in Fear” as some of Lee’s twitter followers tweeted, “Let’s turn up the heat on his bitch ass!!!” and “Get this mutha f#####!!” as the followers retweeted the elderly couple’s address after being misled by Spike Lee.

As some criticized George Zimmerman for going into hiding, Spike Lee apparently took a similar cowardly route. “A call placed to Lee's office in New York was answered by a man who said the film director was unavailable for comment.”

Global warming: Earth heated up in medieval times without human CO2 emissions

But, but, this is settled science!

Current theories of the causes and impact of global warming have been thrown into question by a new study which shows that during medieval times the whole of the planet heated up.

It then cooled down naturally and there was even a 'mini ice age'.

A team of scientists led by geochemist Zunli Lu from Syracuse University in New York state, has found that contrary to the ‘consensus’, the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ approximately 500 to 1,000 years ago wasn’t just confined to Europe.

In fact, it extended all the way down to Antarctica – which means that the Earth has already experience global warming without the aid of human CO2 emissions.

George Zimmerman 'withdrawn' from college

Expect a major lawsuit after Zimmerman is absolved.

Ignoring such basic American Constitutional rights as innocent until proven guilty not to mention the 40 year old unconstitutional right for selective minorites to affirmative action, Seminole State College in Florida has "withdrawn", as the college euphemistically put it, (in other words kicked out) Hispanic white American student George Zimmerman. Why? Channel 6 of Orlando explains. SSC officials released a statement saying, "Due to the highly charged and high-profile controversy involving this student, Seminole State has taken the unusual but necessary step this week to withdraw Mr. Zimmerman from enrollment.

This decision is based solely on our responsibility to provide for the safety of our students on campus as well as for Mr. Zimmerman." Will there now be mass media gimmick demonstrations demanding his reinstatement, claiming discrimination? Hmmm, I think not.

Police: Zimmerman says Trayvon decked him with one blow then began hammering his head

Unfortunately much of the MSM and black leadership won't let the facts get in the way of their sensational meme.

With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered, authorities have revealed to the Orlando Sentinel.

That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say.

Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened, but that night, Feb. 26, and in later meetings he described and re-enacted for police what he says happened.

In his version of events, he had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.

California Tax Revenues Plunge

The Michigan template...

“Chicken Nuggets” Teacher Breaks Down in Tears Under Questioning Before Resignation

Appears Ms. Maynor might skip a few McNuggets herself and bring some cottage cheese from home.

(RAEFORD) – The pre-K teacher involved in the “chicken nuggets” incident in Hoke County changed her version of what happened after undergoing three separate interrogations. Margaret Maynor was brought to tears in the third session. She submitted her resignation soon after.

In a highly unusual move, the Hoke County School System released documents from the teacher’s personnel file purportedly showing why the pre-K instructor resigned.

Previous articles reported some students with homemade lunches were given trays of school food because their bag lunches didn’t meet federal nutrition standards. One girl didn’t touch her homemade lunch and just ate three school chicken nuggets.

$683,161 — The Number Congress Doesn’t Want You to See

“The money from Heaven will be the path to Hell,” Robert Wiedemer, author of New York Times best-selling book Aftershock, unapologetically warns Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and President Barak Obama in a recent interview.

Wiedemer is among a small group of financial experts notifying the Washington, D.C., establishment that their addiction to spending (the money from Heaven) will hurl America into economic cataclysm (Hell).

Commodities investment expert Jim Rogers adds to Wiedemer’s words of caution, “America is going to pay the price for all these mistakes . . . Mr. Bernanke has been wrong for 400 weeks in a row now. He’s never right about anything.”

In a CNBC interview, billionaire Donald Trump says Bernanke’s printing policy will lead to “massive inflation” and is warning investors to take steps now to protect themselves.

Most dismiss such warnings. But consider this: Since Obama’s inauguration, the federal debt has increased by $4.2 trillion. That is more than ALL the debt racked up from the birth of our country through President George H.W. Bush, according to CNS News. That comes out to a staggering $53,642 per family of four.

When Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, interest owed on debt, and other obligations are included, America’s real debt is a daunting $55 trillion, leaving the average family of four with a jaw-dropping bill of $683,161.

WOW!

Bam’s angry adviser

Welcome to the party pal.

Back when he agreed to advise the Obama administration on economics, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt told friends that he thought it would be good for GE and good for the country. A life-long Republican, Immelt said he believed he could at the very least moderate the president’s distinctly anti-business instincts.

That was three years ago; these days Immelt is telling friends something quite different.

Sure, GE has managed to feast on federal subsidies, particularly the “green-energy” giveaways that are Obamanomics’ hallmark.

But Immelt doesn’t think he’s had anywhere near as much luck moderating the president’s fat-cat-bashing, left-leaning economic agenda of taxing businesses and entrepreneurs to pay for government bloat.

Friends describe Immelt as privately dismayed that, even after three years on the job, President Obama hasn’t moved to the center, but instead further left. The GE CEO, I’m told, is appalled by everything from the president’s class-warfare rhetoric to his continued belief that big government is the key to economic salvation.

Indiana cancels three specialty plates, including gay youth group's

Promoting ones sexual preferance on a license plate is truely ridiculous.

INDIANAPOLIS — After 20 state senators complained about a pro-gay rights group’s specialty license plate, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has canceled that plate and two others.

The Indiana Youth Group’s plate is out, officials there said Friday. So is the Indiana 4-H Foundation’s plate and the Greenways Foundation’s plate.

The reason: They violated the contract organizations that offer specialty plates sign with the state by selling low-numbered plates to the highest bidders.

Indiana’s specialty plates program is a fundraising tool for nonprofits. It allows Hoosier motorists to pay $40 for plates — $15 of which goes to the state to cover administrative costs, and an extra $25 of which goes to those organizations.

However, those groups are not allowed to tie fees to the plates that exceed the $40 they pay to the BMV, officials there said Friday.

Consumer prices rise sharply in February

You can't continue to print money willy nilly forever without some serious consequences.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The cost of living in February rose by the fastest amount in 10 months as Americans paid sharply higher prices for gasoline, according to the latest government data.

The consumer price index jumped 0.4% last month on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Labor Department said Friday. That was slightly below the 0.5% increase forecast by a MarketWatch survey of economists.

The higher cost of consumption last month easily outstripped a 0.1% gain in hourly pay for U.S. workers. As a result, inflation-adjusted earnings fell 0.3% in February to mark the second straight decline.

The increase stemmed mostly from 6.0% spike in the price of gasoline — the biggest jump since December 2010. That accounted for about four-fifths of the increase in the overall CPI.

Graphic of the Day

Obama Administration Blocks Law Requiring Texas Residents to Show Photo ID Before Voting

The Justice Department is objecting to a new photo ID law in Texas for voters, saying the state has failed to demonstrate that the the law is not discriminatory by design against Hispanic voters.

The department's head of the civil rights division, Tom Perez, wrote a a six-page letter to Texas' director of elections saying that Texas has not "sustained its burden" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act to show that the new law will not have a discriminatory effect on minority voters. About 11 percent of Hispanic voters reportedly lack state-issued identification.

Perez wrote that while the state says the new photo ID requirement is to "ensure electoral integrity and deter ineligible voters from voting" the state "did not include evidence of significant in-person voter impersonation not already addressed by the state's existing laws."

The only discrimination that's going on is against illegal voters and fraudsters.

Tiger Woods says "No Mas"

Tiger Woods after shooting a dismal +3 for 11 holes and tied for 26th place withdrew from the Doral Cadillac Championship. He "says" it's due to a leg injury.

Could be just embarrassment over his pi$$ poor performance.

Needless to say, the press was devastated.

Sunday Funny

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19 (see trends).

With the perception growing that he will be the GOP nominee, Romney leads President Obama by five points in a hypothetical 2012 matchup.Today's numbers show Romney at 48%, Obama at 43%. That’s Romney’s largest lead since December.

About time.

Employment Situation Summary: Employment +227K, Unemployment unchanged at 8.3%

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment rose in professional and businesses services, health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, and mining.

This in the face of Gallup's survey:

The unemployment rate shot up by half a percentage point in February, according to figures released by the polling organization Gallup on Thursday.

The jump from 8.6 percent in January to 9.1 percent last month is the largest month-by-month increase in more than a year, Gallup said. It is the highest rate since August.

Hmmmm, who do you think is cooking the books?

Govt. sets record deficit in February

Obama clocks in with yet another dubious milestone during his presidency.

The federal government recorded its worst monthly deficit in history in February, according to a preliminary report Wednesday from the Congressional Budget Office that said the deficit in fiscal year 2012 is already more than half a trillion dollars.

The CBO’s figures show that despite repeated efforts to trim spending, the government has borrowed 42 cents of every dollar it spent during the first five months of this fiscal year.

The nonpartisan agency projected the government will run a deficit of $229 billion in February, the highest monthly figure ever. The previous high was $223 billion a year ago, in February 2011.

It is the 41st straight month the government has run a deficit — itself a record streak that dates back to the final months of President George W. Bush’s tenure. Before now, the longest streak on record was 11 months.

For all of fiscal year 2012, which began Oct. 1, the budget analysts said the government has raised $869 billion in revenue but spent $1.5 trillion so far.

After ripping on Rush Limbaugh, Axelrod planning appearance on Bill Maher’s show

Liberal hypocrisy at it's finest.

David Axelrod, President Obama’s senior campaign strategist, is scheduled to appear on Bill Maher's late-night talk show within the next few weeks, according to Kelley Carville, an HBO spokesman.

As the controversy over Rush Limbaugh's comments about Sandra Fluke continued, a former Obama White House official today joined Republicans in pointing out that Maher, who recently donated $1 million to a pro-Obama super PAC, has a history of his misogynistic slurs…

“Palin is right to point out that Bill Maher has said some pretty disgusting things about women, comedian or not. they are rush like,” Austan Goolsbee, the former chairman of President Obama’s Council on Economic Advisors, and currently a professor at the University of Chicago, tweeted…

In a conference call with reporters today, Axelrod invoked Limbaugh on several occasions.

Wednesday Funny

Tea Party Claims First Scalp

One down...

Perhaps, the biggest news of the night is outside the confines of the presidential election. In OH-2, Representative Jean Schmidt was defeated in a stunning upset by conservative challenger Brad Wenstrup. She is the first of those who voted for the debt ceiling deal to go down in a primary. This should encourage us to focus our attention on congressional races in the coming weeks. There are primaries in Alabama and Mississippi next week. Several weak incumbents, such as Jo Bonner, Spencer Bachus, and Steve Palazzo, have primary challengers. I’m especially interested in Bachus’s seat. Let the house cleaning begin. We should not leave any stone unturned.

Wisconsin Voters Now Oppose Walker Recall By 11-Point Margin

Appears that several million union dollars are down the toilet, good.

Fifty-four percent of Wisconsinites oppose the recall of Gov. Scott Walker, according to the most recent polling data from Rasmussen Reports. In a phone survey of 500 likely voters, Rasmussen also said 52% at least somewhat approve of Walker’s job performance to date, while 46% at least somewhat disapprove. The findings include 40% who strongly approve and 40% who strongly disapprove. By party, the poll revealed that 78% of Republican voters strongly approve of Walker’s performance and 73% of Democrats strongly disapprove.

Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 58% at least somewhat approve of Walker’s performance, including 36% who strongly approve. Forty-three percent say they would vote to recall Walker and remove him from office, but 54% would vote against recall; 80% of the state’s Democratic voters would vote to remove Walker, but 89% of Republicans and 58% of unaffiliated voters would oppose that recall.

Tuesday Funny

The Carbonite Hypocrites

You no doubt have heard the super socially conscious folks at "Carbonite" recently cancelled their advertising on Rush Limbaughs radio program because of his characterization of Sandra Fluke as a "slut" due to the fact she wants the federal government (you and me) to pay for her rather promiscuous lifestyle ($1000.00/yr).

Well as it turns out MSNBC's Ed Schultz did the same thing to Laura Ingraham and this time without cause: …and what do the Republicans thinking about?” Schultz said. “They’re not thinking about their next-door neighbor. They’re just thinking about how much this is going to cost. President Obama is going to be visiting Joplin, Mo., on Sunday but you know what they’re talking about, like this right-wing slut, what’s her name?, Laura Ingraham? Yeah, she’s a talk slut….

Well, the the wonderful folks at Carbonite never said a word let alone pulled their advertising. The hypocrisy is so blatant it's astounding. My suggestion would be to let "Carbonite" know what you think of them by pulling your hard earned dollars from their coffers, cancel your account.

Here's a good alternative: Mozy Computer backup

We’ll mock Jesus but not Mohammed, says BBC boss

The head of the BBC, Mark Thompson, has admitted that the broadcaster would never mock Mohammed like it mocks Jesus.

He justified the astonishing admission of religious bias by suggesting that mocking Mohammed might have the “emotional force” of “grotesque child pornography”.

But Jesus is fair game because, he said, Christianity has broad shoulders and fewer ties to ethnicity.

Bias...

Mr Thompson says the BBC would never have broadcast Jerry Springer The Opera – a controversial musical that mocked Jesus – if its target had been Mohammed.

He made the remarks in an interview for a research project at the University of Oxford.

Mr Thompson said: “The point is that for a Muslim, a depiction, particularly a comic or demeaning depiction, of the Prophet Mohammed might have the emotional force of a piece of grotesque child pornography.”

In other words Muslims will kill us for it, Christians will not. What a disingenuous chickensh!t.

Sunday Funny

Thanks RR.

Youcef Nadarkhani Executed: Christian Pastor Hanged in Iran for Being Christian UPDATE: Maybe

There's a special place in heaven for him and a horrific place in hell reserved for all those responsible.

Youcef Nadarkhani has been executed in Iran. He is the Christian pastor who has been imprisoned and found guilty by the courts in Iran of being a Christian. Now he’s been executed in spite of international appeals to spare his life. He was hanged today.

Youcef Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 for being a Christian in a muslim country – specifically Iran. The 34-year-old father and husband was charged with refusing to convert to Islam. He was given the opportunity to renounce his Christian religion and refused, resulting is his condemnation and sentence to death by hanging.

There is breaking news that he has been put to death by hanging because of his refusal to renounce his Christian religion and acceptance of islam.

Richard Lugar: U.S. Senator Defends His Indiana Residency

Lugar needs to go, he's the quintessential example of a RINO.

Tea Party groups in Indiana have made him their No. 1 target, saying the silver-hailed senator has strayed from Republican principles too many times.

They are backing state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, creating Lugar's first Republican primary challenge since he took office.

Another complication: Lugar's startling revelation that he sold his home in Indianapolis and bought one outside Washington shortly after winning his first election to the Senate three decades ago.

Abound Solar Got $400M Fed Loan Despite Low Rating

What's the big deal, it's Obama's money, oh wait....

A month before Abound Solar announced it would be laying off nearly half its workforce, Congressional Republicans alerted the U.S. Department of Energy that they had questions about the decision to loan the Colorado firm $400 million.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asked Energy Secretary Steven Chu to explain how the solar panel manufacturer had qualified for the loan after the ratings firm Fitch had determined the company would make a "highly speculative" investment. Energy officials maintain hope that Abound will find its way in a tough solar energy market. "While the challenges facing solar manufacturers have been widely reported," said LaVera, "we continue to believe that supporting innovative companies like this is important to ensuring our nation has the ability to compete for the clean energy jobs of tomorrow."

Woman called 'slut' by Limbaugh is 'stunned, outraged'

The truth stings.

The ongoing debate over birth control took a particularly nasty turn recently when conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and “prostitute” for speaking out about the issue.

Fluke, a birth control activist, spoke with TODAY’s Matt Lauer about Limbaugh’s comments and the failure of a GOP-sponsored amendment that would have allowed employers at religious institutions to opt out of providing contraception in health plans.

Arizona Sheriff: Obama Birth Certificate Forged

Sheriff Arpaio presents results of volunteer "cold-case posse" investigation.

VIDEO HERE.

More HERE.

You gotta love this guy.

Afghan Troops Again Turn Guns on U.S.

May be time for another apology.

CBS News) KABUL - Two U.S. troops have (sic) were shot dead by three Afghan gunmen Thursday at their base in the southern Kandahar province, and two of the three shooters were Afghan National Army soldiers - another blow to a U.S. strategy pinned on direct partnership with Afghan forces.

The two Afghan troops who opened fire were killed by U.S. troops, and a third shooter, a teacher at the joint U.S.-Afghan base, was wounded.

U.S. announces diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea

The United States announced a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea Wednesday.

Under an agreement reached in direct talks in Beijing last week, North Korea has agreed to allow the return of nuclear inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, and has agreed to implement a moratorium on long-range missile tests, nuclear tests, and nuclear activities at Yongbyon, including uranium enrichment activities, the State Department said. In return, the United States will provide North Korea with a large food aid package.

Bright the latest Indiana electric vehicle startup to call it quits

The one positive of Obama's presidency is that his administration is even incompetent at carrying out it's own stupid high priorities.

Just when it seemed like things couldn't get worse, Indiana received more bad news on the electric vehicle front Wednesday as another promising hopeful announced it would call it quits.

Bright Automotive, which had plans to deliver 300 manufacturing jobs to Indiana by 2012 pending the outcome of a loan from the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, announced Wednesday it has withdrawn its DOE application and will wind down operations in Indiana.

In a scathing letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Bright Automotive Chief Executive Reuben Munger and Chief Operating Officer Mike Donoughe described an overly bureaucratic process and called the department ineffective in its mission to meet President Barack Obama's goal of adding one million plug-in vehicles to the road by 2015.

Subsidized Green Energy Company Struggles, Lays Off Workers — Rewards Top Executives

Executive welfare courtesy of the American taxpayer.

In the nine months since David Prystash was named Chief Financial Officer of A123 Systems — the battery manufacturer that received $390.1 million in federal and state subsidies — the company has laid off 125 employees and had a net loss of $172 million through the first three quarters of 2011.

A123 Systems also learned earlier this month that the company that was to be the main purchaser of its batteries — Fisker Automotive — had its federal funding cut off for missing milestones and had to lay off its own employees. A123 Systems had invested $23 million into Fisker.

Yet, this month A123’s Compensation Committee approved a $30,000 raise for Prystash just days after Fisker Automotive announced the U.S. Energy Department had cut off what was left of its $528.7 million loan it had previously received.

Prystash wasn’t the only executive to see a big raise this month. Robert Johnson, vice president of the energy solutions group, got a 20.7 percent pay increase going from $331,250 to $400,000, while Jason Forcier, vice president of the automotive solutions group, saw his pay increase from $331,250 to $350,000. Prystash’s raise was 8.5 percent, going from $350,000 to $380,000.

Israel will keep US out of the loop if it decides to strike Iran’s nuclear program

With Obama in charge, who could blame them.

WASHINGTON — Israeli officials say they won’t warn the U.S. if they decide to launch a pre-emptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities, according to one U.S. intelligence official familiar with the discussions. The pronouncement, delivered in a series of private, top-level conversations, sets a tense tone ahead of meetings in the coming days at the White House and Capitol Hill.

Israeli officials said that if they eventually decide a strike is necessary, they would keep the Americans in the dark to decrease the likelihood that the U.S. would be held responsible for failing to stop Israel’s potential attack. The U.S. has been working with the Israelis for months to persuade them that an attack would be only a temporary setback to Iran’s nuclear program.

Gallup: 72% of All Americans and 56% of Democrats Say Obamacare Mandate Unconstitutional

Surprising that even a plurality of Democrats are clear headed on this issue.

(CNSNews.com)- Seventy-two percent of American adults and 56 percent of self-professed Democrats say that the provision in the health-care law signed by President Barack Obama that requires individuals to purchase health insurance or pay a fine is unconstitutional, says the Gallup Poll.

In March, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear cases challenging the constitutionality of the mandate.

Among Republicans, according to the poll, 94 percent say the mandate is unconstitutional and 6 percent say it constitutional. Among Independents, 70 percent say it is unconstitutional and 21 percent say it is constitutional. In contrast to the 56 percent of Democrats who say the mandate is unconstitutional, only 37 percent say it is constitutional.

Monday Funny

Seven Americans wounded in attack on NATO base in Afghanistan

Hey Obama, looks like that apology is working out well for you.

(Reuters) - Seven U.S. military trainers were wounded on Sunday when protesters in Kunduz in northern Afghanistan threw a grenade at their base, provincial police chief Samihullah Qatra told reporters.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed there had been an explosion outside one of its bases in northern Afghanistan, but declined to comment on casualties.

Saturday Eve Funny

Sorry folks, this one breaks me up.

"Mammas Please Let Your Babies Grow up to be Commies"

One can only hope he forgets his way home.

Sean Penn was Hugo Chavez' guest of honor (again) last week, serving as keynote speaker at graduation ceremonies for Venezuela's Salvador Allende Medical School. "Allow me to impart a little anecdote," beamed the two-time Oscar winner to the enchanted crowd. "I had the privilege (italics mine) to introduce my children to comandante Fidel Castro and as he posed for a photo between them I told him: "President, (italics mine) I'll now be denounced in the U.S. for educating my children as socialist revolutionaries.

So Castro responded: "That's among the best things that could happen to them.”

Besides his fame as wife beater with baseball bats, Sean Penn also claims fame as an advocate against the death penalty. His Oscar–winning role in Dead Man Walking where he played a convicted rapist and murderer who perished by lethal-injection in Louisiana seems to have made a deep impression upon Penn.

Police: Intruder Shot By Homeowner Dies

Another happy ending courtesy of Smith & Wesson.

GLEN ARM, Md. -- A home intruder was shot and found dead more than a mile away from a house that he was trying to break into, police in Baltimore County said.

At about 9 a.m., police said they received a call for a burglary in progress with shots fired from a house in the 11500 block of Glen Arm Road in Glen Arm.

SkyTeam 11 HD Capt. Roy Taylor said police found numerous shell casings and a blood trail at the scene. Police said there were two bullet holes in the home's front window.

Investigators told 11 News that the female homeowner saw the man as she came out of a bedroom, and she fired her handgun at him.

"The burglar also fired several rounds. The suspect was struck by the homeowner," said Baltimore County police spokesman Lt. Rob McCullough. [Police search the vehicle in which the suspect was found dead.] Police search the vehicle in which the suspect was found dead.

Another Obama fundraiser turns out to be a bad ambassador

Just one more incompetent leach in the Obama administration sucking the life out of this once great nation. Don't expect to see it anywhere but here.

Candidate Barack Obama promised to end the time-honored American practice of appointing ambassadors who have no experience in foreign policy, but President Obama has completely ignored that promise, appointing fundraisers to dozens of ambassadorships all over the world.

Today, the State Department revealed that another fundraiser turned ambassador ran her embassy into the ground ... only to return to fundraising and leave the State Department to pick up the pieces.

According to a new State Department inspector general's report

on the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas, Ambassador Nicole Avant presided over "an extended period of dysfunctional leadership and mismanagement, which has caused problems throughout the embassy" since she was appointed by the president in 2009. Prior to being America's envoy in the Caribbean, Avant was Southern California finance co-chairwoman of Obama's presidential campaign and vice president of Interior Music Publishing.

According to her glowingly positive Wikipedia page, Avant spent her time in the Bahamas "focused on five priority initiatives: Education, Alternative Energy, Economic and Small Business Development, Women's Empowerment and Raising awareness of the challenges facing people with disabilities."

But according to the State Department's internal investigation, Avant was away from the embassy an inordinate amount of time -- mainly shuttling back and forth to her home in Los Angeles -- and when she was in town, she worked from her residence most of the day.

Avant was absent from the embassy 276 days between September 2009 and November 2011, including 102 "personal" days and 77 "work travel" days to the United States, of which only 23 were on official orders.

New Ice Age to Begin in 2014

The left will blame it on the burning of fossile fuels, just watch.

“Forecasters predict that a new ice age will begin soon,” says this article on russia-ic.com. “Habibullo Abdusamatov, a scientist from the Pulkovo Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences considers that the sharp drop in temperature will start on the Earth in 2014.

“According to the scientist, our planet began to “get cold” in the 1990s. The new ice age will last at least two centuries, with its peak in 2055.

Sharia in Pennsylvania: Muslim admits to attacking atheist; Muslim judge dismisses case

This is truely surreal.

This is enforcement of Sharia in a Pennsylvania court. The attacker supposedly got off because he "is an immigrant and claims he did not know his actions were illegal, or that it was legal in this country to represent Muhammad in any form. To add insult to injury, he also testified that his 9 year old son was present, and the man said he felt he needed to show his young son that he was willing to fight for his Prophet."

Then, Judge Mark Martin, himself a Muslim, told the atheist, Ernest Perce V.:

“Having had the benefit of having spent over 2 and a half years in predominantly Muslim countries I think I know a little bit about the faith of Islam. In fact I have a copy of the Koran here and I challenge you sir to show me where it says in the Koran that Mohammad arose and walked among the dead. I think you misinterpreted things. Before you start mocking someone else’s religion you may want to find out a little bit more about it it makes you look like a dufus and Mr. (Defendant) is correct. In many Arabic speaking countries something like this is definitely against the law there. In their society in fact it can be punishable by death and it frequently is in their society.

Department of Education: Catholic Schools Beat Public Schools

Color me shocked!

When two schools meet in a basketball game, the winner is indisputable. One team outscores the other.

The same is true in certain types of academic competition. When students take standardized national tests, students from some schools outscore students from others.

In the most recent round of National Assessment of Educational Progress tests, which are administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the winners were indeed indisputable. Catholic schools thrashed public schools.

It wasn't close.

"In 2011," says the Department of Education in a report on the NAEP tests, "the average reading score for eighth-graders attending public schools was 19 points lower than the overall score for students attending private schools,and 20 points lower than for students attending Catholic schools specifically."

Or not.

WH Senior Advisor: Unemployment Stimulates the Economy

I've heard to ridiculous spin before but this takes the cake...

This evening, speaking at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said that folks getting and spending unemployment checks is a healthy thing . . . because it stimulates the economy:

"Even though we had a terrible economic crisis three years ago, throughout our country many people were suffering before the last three years, particularly in the black community," Jarrett said. "And so we need to make sure that we continue to support that important safety net. It not only is good for the family, but it's good for the economy. People who receive that unemployment check go out and spend it and help stimulate the economy, so that's healthy as well."

The Budget of a Left-Wing Progressive.

Click and read the whole thing, Barnes nails it

President Obama’s budget for 2013 is pure Obama. How do we know? Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman, was once asked how to become a budget expert. “You have to read the budget,” he said. To know Obama, it’s similar. You have to take positions he’d rather not. Only sympathizers, notably media types, believe any of those notions.

The truth is not hidden. One merely has to digest the new budget Obama unveiled last week, his budget last year, and his four major speeches since last April, and the real Obama comes into focus. He turns out to be a left-wing progressive who rejects many of the mainstream political and economic ideas of post-World War II America.

Report: Millions of jobless file for disability when unemployment benefits run out

Another unintended consequence oozes from the festering pustule we recognize as Obamaville.

Being unemployed for too long reportedly is driving people mad and costing taxpayers billions of dollars in mental illness and other disability claims.

The New York Post reported Sunday that as unemployment checks run out, many jobless are trying to gain government benefits by declaring themselves unhealthy.

More than 10.5 million people -- about 5.3 percent of the population aged 25 and 64 -- received disability checks in January from the federal government, the Post wrote, a 18 percent jump from before the recession.

Among those claiming disability, 43 percent are asking for benefits because of mental illness, the Post wrote. A growing number of those people are older, former white-collar workers.

Sunday Funny

Thanks RR.

For Women Under 30, Most Births Occur Out of Wedlock

The perfect recipe for creating a permanent dependent underclass.

LORAIN, Ohio — It used to be called illegitimacy. Now it is the new normal. After steadily rising for five decades, the share of children born to unmarried women has crossed a threshold: more than half of births to American women under 30 occur outside marriage.

Once largely limited to poor women and minorities, motherhood without marriage has settled deeply into middle America. The fastest growth in the last two decades has occurred among white women in their 20s who have some college education but no four-year degree, according to Child Trends, a Washington research group that analyzed government data.

Among mothers of all ages, a majority — 59 percent in 2009 — are married when they have children. But the surge of births outside marriage among younger women — nearly two-thirds of children in the United States are born to mothers under 30 — is both a symbol of the transforming family and a hint of coming generational change.

Large racial differences remain: 73 percent of black children are born outside marriage, compared with 53 percent of Latinos and 29 percent of whites. And educational differences are growing. About 92 percent of college-educated women are married when they give birth, compared with 62 percent of women with some post-secondary schooling and 43 percent of women with a high school diploma or less, according to Child Trends.

And therein lies the problem.

Real Unemployment Rate

The only illustration you'll ever need to see concerning unemployment (blue line worker participation % constant).

CBO: Longest Period of High Unemployment Since Great Depression

Now all at the same time, THANKS OBAMA!

After three years with unemployment topping 8 percent, the U.S. has seen the longest period of high unemployment since the Great Depression, the Congressional Budget Office noted in a report issued today.

And, despite some recent good news on the economic front, the CBO is still predicting that unemployment will remain above 8 percent until 2014. The report also notes that, including those who haven't sought work in the past four weeks and those who are working part-time but seeking full-time employment, the unemployment rate would be 15 percent.

Foreclosures on the Rise Again

If the economy's improving I'm Jeremy Lin.

After a year-long reprieve from rising foreclosures, the numbers are going up again.

One in every 624 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in January, up 3 percent from the previous month, according to a new report from RealtyTrac. Foreclosure activity froze in many states in 2011, due to processing delays after fraud, or so-called "Robo-signing," were uncovered in the fall of 2010. The thaw is now on.

"We expect the pattern of increasing foreclosures to continue in the coming months, especially given the finalized mortgage and foreclosure settlement reached in early February between 49 state attorneys general and five of the nation's largest lenders," said RealtyTrac's CEO Brandon Moore in a written release. "Foreclosure activity increased on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than 12 months in Florida, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania, following a pattern we saw in late 2011 in states such as California, Arizona and Massachusetts."

U.S. startups hits 25-year low

Another grim milestone courtesy of the Obama administration.

Unemployed Americans who started businesses last year was the lowest in at least a quarter-century.

In 2011, 3.3% of out-of-work Americans started businesses, compared to 4.7% in 2010. But recent start-up activity is anemic compared to 1989 when 20.3% of unemployed were starting businesses. Until 1997, start-up activity was typically in double digits.

“Basically, it was not a very inviting environment for would-be entrepreneurs,” said John A. Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. “While big business definitely began to reap the benefits of the recovery in 2011, conditions were not nearly as fruitful for existing small business, let along those attempting to get up off the ground.”

Romney may be running low on cash.

Hmmmmm.

"The former Massachusetts governor’s gold-plated fundraising machine has depended almost exclusively on big checks from the wealthy individuals — business leaders, Mormon allies, longtime Republican Establishment donors — whom Romney and his team have been cultivating for years, pressing the cases that resonate for those crowds: That he’ll cut taxes; that he’ll beat Barack Obama; that he’s inevitable and they’d better get on board.

But Romney has proved unable to tap into the emotion-drived small-dollar contributions that helped power Barack Obama in 2008, and which fueled even his more Establishment rival, Hillary Clinton, this time four years ago when she too began to run out of big donors. The result: Republican fundraisers say that despite his success so far, they think Romney is fast approaching a wall, and that he will likely be forced to pay for the campaign out of his own deep pockets."

Bangkok bomber blows off his own legs

Another feel good story, this time from Thailand.

A bungling Iranian bomber blew off his own legs when he hurled a grenade at Thai police outside a Bangkok school - which bounced off a tree and then exploded at his feet.

It came after he had blown up his own home and then hurled a grenade at a taxi driver who would not accept him as a passenger, the Bangkok Post reports.

Police allegedly found an Iranian ID card in a satchel close to the blast in the Thai capital, and unconfirmed reports suggest he is called Saeid Moradi.

Other than the injured innocents this would have been a perfect ending. (Graphic)

Oprah Cheats

Typical liberal, the ends always justify the means.

Oprah Winfrey may be feeling the pressure over her fledgling network’s sputtering ratings.

A tweet from the talk show host’s Twitter account asked followers, “Every 1 who can please turn to OWN especially if u have a Nielsen box,” in what seems to be a plea to boost ratings numbers.

Winfrey publically apologized for the tweet, which was subsequently deleted — after being informed that the move may have violated Nielsen policy prohibiting networks from influencing ratings.

“I removed the tweet at the request of Nielsen,” Winfrey said in a statement Monday. “ I intended no harm and apologize for the reference.”

No, she INTENDED to skew a legitimate process by encouraging people to lie. The harm was done by kneecapping all those who play by the rules.

Morning Examiner: Obama’s budget lies

This is the most disingenuous administration in the last 60 years and that's being generous.

White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew appeared on all five Sunday talk shows yesterday to defend the budget President Obama will release today. On two of those shows, CNN’s State of the Union and NBC’s Meet the Press, Lew flat out lied about the Democrats’ failure to pass a budget since Obamacare became law.

First on Meet the Press, David Gregory asked: “Here’s a stat that a lot of people may not know, but it’s pretty striking. The number of days since Senate Democrats passed a budget is 1,019. Can you just explain as a former budget director, how do you fund the government when there’s no budget?”

Lew replied: “Well, you know, one of the things about the United States Senate that I think the American people have realized is that it takes 60, not 50 votes to pass something. And there has been Republican opposition to anything that Senate Democrats have tried to do.”

Later on CNN, Candy Crowley asked...

[Snip]

Both Crowley and Gregory let Lew’s statement go by unchallenged. It fell to ABC News‘ Jake Tapper to fact check the White House. He reported, “That’s not accurate. Budgets only require 51 Senate votes for passage, as Lew — former director of the Office of Management and Budget — surely must know. White House officials did not dispute that Lew misspoke.

[Snip]

Maybe if Lew had made this statement on just one program, it would be believable that he “misspoke.” The fact that he made the statement on two programs, and that he is the former director of the Office of Management and Budget, shows that he both knew his statement was false, and he intended to make the false statement...

Sunday Funny

Santorum Surges Into the Lead

PPP isn't the most reliable pollster on the planet but this is interesting nonetheless.

Riding a wave of momentum from his trio of victories on Tuesday Rick Santorum has opened up a wide lead in PPP's newest national poll. He's at 38% to 23% for Mitt Romney, 17% for Newt Gingrich, and 13% for Ron Paul.

Part of the reason for Santorum's surge is his own high level of popularity. 64% of voters see him favorably to only 22% with a negative one. But the other, and maybe more important, reason is that Republicans are significantly souring on both Romney and Gingrich. Romney's favorability is barely above water at 44/43, representing a 23 point net decline from our December national poll when he was +24 (55/31). Gingrich has fallen even further. A 44% plurality of GOP voters now hold a negative opinion of him to only 42% with a positive one. That's a 34 point drop from 2 months ago when he was at +32 (60/28).

Benefit Costs Sunk Benton Harbor's Finances

I grew up just a stones throw from Benton Harbor and have watched it self destruct slowly for many years. It's a microcsm of Detroit. Across the river is St. Joe, about the same size and doing quite well under a similar economic environment. The difference, St. Joe is almost all white and Benton Harbor is almost all black. Don't get me wrong, it's not racial but political. BH has been electing liberal Democrats since the beginning of time and St Joe is far more Republican and conservative.

The story of Benton Harbor's financial troubles has been well known since the town made national news when Gov. Jennifer Granholm appointed former state Auditor General Joseph Harris as the emergency manager in April of 2010.

Benton Harbor was in the midst of a six-year cycle where it had overspent its budget by $8 million.

What may not be as well known are the details of a union contract that played a part in the city’s financial crisis. The city had worked under the contract for eight years, an unusually long life for a union deal.

Under that contract, the city was giving raises as high as 15 percent to some of its employees and paying for 100 percent of health care premiums for all its employees. Also, employees contributed just 3 percent of their salary to their defined-benefit retirement plans.

In 2002, the city’s Michigan Council No. 25 AFSCME AFL-CIO Local 1433 contract was signed. It expired in 2008, but stayed in place until the new contract was passed July 1, 2011.

“This situation didn’t happen overnight,” said Paul Kersey, director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. “The difficulties they were having certainly didn’t just pop out of nowhere.”

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois

One of the most advisarial business environments in the country, any wonder why.

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state.

The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic excavators.

Peoria County had submitted a regional proposal for the facility at the end of last year, and the Galesburg area also had a proposal on the table for the manufacturer. Peoria's proposal reportedly included economic incentives as well as a promise of a legislative effort to establish a tax increment financing district to benefit the company.

At its core, Caterpillar's decision reflects some concerns its officials had previously expressed about the economic condition of the Land of Lincoln.

BTW, CAT announced they will be locating a somewhat smaller facility in Indiana. You know that Indiana just passed right to work legislation. Coincidence?

Dependence on government up 23 percent under President Obama

We are in trouble sports fans....deeeep trouble.

President Barack Obama has proved his adeptness at exploiting the vote pump: Dependence on government has increased by 23 percent under his administration, according to the Heritage Foundation 2012 Index of Dependence on Government.

More people than ever before — 67.3 million Americans — depend on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. Consider: The nation committed more than 15 times the resources in 2010 than in 1962 to pay for people who depend on the government. More than 70 percent of the nation’s spending goes to dependence programs, up from 28.3 percent in 1962 and 48.5 percent in 1990. The Index grew 8.1 percent in 2010 alone.

So, lest you think the increase in dependence stems primarily from temporary, recession-related rises in flexible spending programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, note well that increased dependence has been a steady trend for the entire decade the Heritage Foundation has released its index.

At the same time, the percentage of the population that pays no federal income taxes whatsoever has also increased. In 1984, just 14.8 percent of Americans — or 34.8 million tax filers — paid no federal income taxes; in 2009, 49.5 percent — or 151.7 million tax filers — paid nothing.

Report: Iranian Special Forces Are Marching Into Syria

Since Iran has no border with Syria, which country are they marching through, Iraq or Turkey???

According to the Turkish newspaper, Sabah, the commander of the Quds forces, Qassem Soleimani and 15,000 of his fighters have entered Syria with the mission of assisting in the suppression of the Syrian protestors. The Quds forces will act as a firewall for the Assad regime as the Syrian army is finding itself in a difficult situation where many officers are joining the opposition because they do not approve of the mass killings of the civilians, which so far has taken the lives of more than 5,000 people.

Other sources have indicated that Qassem Soleimani has a permanent presence in Syria’s war room overseeing and managing the attacks on the opposition.

Khamenei has said that Syria is the red line, adding that the fall of Assad will not be tolerated. Qassem Soleimani is urging Assad to enforce a complete lockdown of information to the outside world and to use a vicious clampdown to put an end to the uprising before the West can possibly get involved militarily.

High-school Shocker: Lesson Sheet Elevates Communism over “Capitalism”

United Soviet Socialist Republic of Des Moines.

When parent Jeff Travis saw a lesson sheet his son received in social studies class, he was shocked. Using propaganda that could have been disgorged by the KGB, the flier seemed to elevate communism over “capitalism.”

Distributed in Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, the lesson sheet includes a cartoon (portion shown below) that purports to illustrate the differences between the two systems. In the left panel are two unhappy-looking workers with balls and chains tied to their ankles who toil away on one side of a machine while all the profit spills out the other side into a bag held by a smiling, stogie-smoking, portly business owner in a hat. It is labeled “Capitalism — In theory.” In the right panel, communism is presented “in theory” with two smiling workers standing relaxed at the same machine while all the profit comes back their way.

Another Unemployment Rate Fairy Tale

Just so there's no confusion.

The BLS reported that the closely followed "headline" (U-3) unemployment rate fell to 8.3% in January. This represented a decline of 0.2 percentage points from the previous month's level and the lowest level since February 2009. So, why isn't this good news?

The problem isn't just that the employment report wasn't good news, it's that the employment report wasn't even news. Rather, it was simply the latest monthly installment of the long-running story contained within President Obama's so-called "economic recovery": falling labor force participation. For the past 31 months, discouraged workers have been dropping out of the labor force in unprecedented numbers.

At the end of the recession (June, 2009), the labor force participation rate was 65.7%. In January 2012, it was 63.7%. The difference between these two numbers represents 4.8 million people who have given up on looking for work.

If the labor force participation rate for January 2012 had remained the same as it was in December 2011, the unemployment rate would have risen by 0.2 percentage points to 8.7%, rather than falling by 0.2 percentage points to 8.3%.

However, this comparison does not even begin to show the damage being done by Obamunism.

If the labor force participation rate had remained where it was when Obama took office (65.7%), the unemployment rate for January 2012 would have been reported at 11.0% rather than 8.3%. In January 2009, unemployment stood at 7.8%.

Sunday Funny

Thanks RR.

Abbott & Costello Discuss Unemployment

COSTELLO: I want to talk about the unemployment rate in America .

ABBOTT: Good subject. Terrible times. It's about 9%.

COSTELLO: That many people are out of work?

ABBOTT: No, that's 16%.

COSTELLO: You just said 9%.

ABBOTT: 9% Unemployed.

COSTELLO: Right 9% out of work.

ABBOTT: No, that's 16%.

COSTELLO: Okay, so it's 16% unemployed.

ABBOTT: No, that's 9%...

COSTELLO: WAIT A MINUTE. Is it 9% or 16%?

ABBOTT: 9% are unemployed. 16% are out of work.

COSTELLO: If you are out of work you are unemployed.

ABBOTT: No, you can't count the "Out of Work" as the unemployed. You have to look for work to be unemployed.

COSTELLO: But ... they are out of work!

ABBOTT: No, you miss my point.

COSTELLO: What point?

ABBOTT: Someone who doesn't look for work, can't be counted with those who look for work. It wouldn't be fair.

COSTELLO: To who?

ABBOTT: The unemployed.

COSTELLO: But they are ALL out of work.

ABBOTT: No, the unemployed are actively looking for work... Those who are out of work stopped looking. They gave up. And, if you give up, you are no longer in the ranks of the unemployed.

COSTELLO: So if you're off the unemployment roles, that would count as less unemployment?

ABBOTT: Unemployment would go down. Absolutely!

COSTELLO: The unemployment just goes down because you don't look for work?

ABBOTT: Absolutely it goes down. That's how you get to 9%. Otherwise it would be 16%. You don't want to read about 16% unemployment do ya?

COSTELLO: That would be frightening.

ABBOTT: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Wait, I got a question for you. That means they're two ways to bring down the unemployment number?

ABBOTT: Two ways is correct.

COSTELLO: Unemployment can go down if someone gets a job?

ABBOTT: Correct.

COSTELLO: And unemployment can also go down if you stop looking for a job?

ABBOTT: Bingo.

COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment down, and the easier of the two is to just stop looking for work.

ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like an economist.

Global Warming Heats Up In The Classroom

Attempted indoctrination of our youth with junk science.

The debate over global warming is now entering the classroom and its proponents are alarmed. It seems the “dogma” of the existence of global warming is running into problems as boards of education in several states have established a standard that requires the presentation of climate change “denial” as a valid scientific position. Legislators in other states have introduced bills that require equal time for climate change skeptics’ views in the classroom. With new national science standards from kindergarten through twelfth grade due by the end of 2012, we can expect to see a heated debate over climate change appear more often in court and in the classroom.

The National Center for Science Education’s [NCSE] is challenging such restrictions. It seems anyone who so much as questions the reality of man-made climate change is in a psychological state of “denial” of established science. The Center’s education initiative [1] seeks to impose the climate change agenda upon our school children leaving no room for scientific method or debate.

In the opinion of the NCSE, “there is virtually unanimous scientific agreement about climate change.” What is this claim founded upon and who are the renowned scientists that signed on to this statement? It seems NCSE has simply dismissed all those who disagree with climate change theory.

Note that no figure of the percentage of scientists in agreement is given, perhaps because they deem the number to be so insignificant. A simple exaggerated statement suffices to provide all the emotional arguments to justify their agenda.

Record 1.2 million people fall out of the labor force in 1 month

Before you get too giddy about the latest unemployment data.

A month ago, we joked when we said that for Obama to get the unemployment rate to negative by election time, all he has to do is to crush the labor force participation rate to about 55%. Looks like the good folks at the BLS heard us: it appears that the people not in the labor force exploded by an unprecedented record 1.2 million.

No, that's not a typo: 1.2 million people dropped out of the labor force in one month! So as the labor force increased from 153.9 million to 154.4 million, the non institutional population increased by 242.3 million meaning, those not in the labor force surged from 86.7 million to 87.9 million. Which means that the civilian labor force tumbled to a fresh 30 year low of 63.7% as the BLS is seriously planning on eliminating nearly half of the available labor pool from the unemployment calculation. As for the quality of jobs, as withholding taxes roll over year over year, it can only mean that the US is replacing high paying FIRE jobs with low paying construction and manufacturing. So much for the improvement.

So basically they they get the smaller unemployment percentage by reducing the numerator of the equation.

Report: Union membership dwindles in WI, across U.S.

An encouraging trend indeed.

MADISON — If labor unions’ strength lies in numbers, a new report indicates unions’ most powerful days may be behind them.

Membership in organized labor unions dropped last year in Wisconsin by 16,000, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That left 13.3 percent of the employed population — 339,000 workers — represented by unions, down from 14.2 percent in 2010.

“I think at this point, we’ve gotten to the point where the unionization rates are so low that for many workers, they don’t have any exposure to unions and unions are not seen as a normal part of working lives,” said William Powell Jones, a University of Wisconsin-Madison associate professor in history whose specialty is the history of the labor movement.

Challenger: Job cuts increased in January

One step forward two steps back.

The U.S. job market stumbled out of the gates in 2012 -- at least according to one report.

Planned job cuts for the month of January totaled 53,486, according to a report from outplacement consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That's a 28% increase from December and the highest total since the 116,000 cuts announced in September.

Leading the way were financial firms and retailers, which announced lay-offs totaling 7,611 and 12,426, respectively. Cuts of seasonal retail workers typically don't show up in the report, Challenger said.

The Challenger report follows data Wednesday from payroll processor ADP saying that the private sector added 170,000 jobs in January, down sharply from 292,000 in December.

OFFLINE

Internet down in the heartland, hopefully be back tommorrow.