I apologize for the lack of posting but I've been quite busy. I should be back up and running within the next few weeks. Until then, expect sosme links to important stories or perhaps some trackbacks. As promised, my first link:
Kerry: U.S. A "Pariah" Nation Under Bush - More evidence that Kerry is a traitor.*
*Make sure to read the comments - the libs are really being realisitic.
HT: DR
Monday, January 29, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Corn, Corn, Corn - Where has all the Corn gone?
Below is more evidence that government mandates generating superficial demand destroy the free-market economy:
NEZAHUALCOYOTL, Mexico -- Thick, doughy tortillas roll hot off the conveyor belt all day at Aurora Rosales's little shop in this congested city built on a dry lake bed east of Mexico City.
Using cooking techniques that date to the Mayan empire, Rosales has never altered her recipe. Nor did her father, grandfather or great-grandfather.
On good days, the neighbors line up for her tortillas.
But these are not good days, and sometimes hours pass without any customers.
Mexico is in the grip of the worst tortilla crisis in its modern history. Dramatically rising international corn prices, spurred by demand for the grain-based fuel ethanol, have led to expensive tortillas. That, in turn, has led to lower sales for vendors such as Rosales and angry protests by consumers.
The uproar is exposing this country's outsize dependence on tortillas in its diet -- especially among the poor -- and testing the acumen of the new president, Felipe Calderón. It is also raising questions about the powerful businesses that dominate the Mexican corn market and are suspected by some lawmakers and regulators of unfair speculation and monopoly practices.
Tortilla prices have tripled or quadrupled in some parts of Mexico since last summer. On Jan. 18, Calderón announced an agreement with business leaders capping tortilla prices at 78 cents per kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, less than half the highest reported prices. The president's move was a throwback to a previous era when Mexico controlled prices -- the government subsidized tortillas until 1999, at which point cheap corn imports were rising under the NAFTA trade agreement. It was also a surprise given his carefully crafted image as an avowed supporter of free trade.
Read the entire Washington Times article here.
NEZAHUALCOYOTL, Mexico -- Thick, doughy tortillas roll hot off the conveyor belt all day at Aurora Rosales's little shop in this congested city built on a dry lake bed east of Mexico City.
Using cooking techniques that date to the Mayan empire, Rosales has never altered her recipe. Nor did her father, grandfather or great-grandfather.
On good days, the neighbors line up for her tortillas.
But these are not good days, and sometimes hours pass without any customers.
Mexico is in the grip of the worst tortilla crisis in its modern history. Dramatically rising international corn prices, spurred by demand for the grain-based fuel ethanol, have led to expensive tortillas. That, in turn, has led to lower sales for vendors such as Rosales and angry protests by consumers.
The uproar is exposing this country's outsize dependence on tortillas in its diet -- especially among the poor -- and testing the acumen of the new president, Felipe Calderón. It is also raising questions about the powerful businesses that dominate the Mexican corn market and are suspected by some lawmakers and regulators of unfair speculation and monopoly practices.
Tortilla prices have tripled or quadrupled in some parts of Mexico since last summer. On Jan. 18, Calderón announced an agreement with business leaders capping tortilla prices at 78 cents per kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, less than half the highest reported prices. The president's move was a throwback to a previous era when Mexico controlled prices -- the government subsidized tortillas until 1999, at which point cheap corn imports were rising under the NAFTA trade agreement. It was also a surprise given his carefully crafted image as an avowed supporter of free trade.
Read the entire Washington Times article here.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
A Famous Email Chain
I've come across this a few times in my in-box but thought I'd post it on the chance that it may be new to a few:
For those who didn't know about history...
Here is a condensed version...
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:
1. Liberals; and
2. Conservatives.
Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery.
That's how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.
Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.
Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.
Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.
Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history: It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it. A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will beforwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.
For those who didn't know about history...
Here is a condensed version...
Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:
1. Liberals; and
2. Conservatives.
Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery.
That's how villages were formed.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.
Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.
Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass.
Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.
Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history: It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it. A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will beforwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
"Just Say No to McCain"
UPDATE to my last post which is featured below.
Well, the anti-McCain brigade is gaining ground and Little Miss Chatterbox has posted a phenomenal piece on why McCain should not be our Republican nominee. I've extracted a little piece and pasted it below but I encourage you all to read the entire post here. The following piece is one of the six reasons why McCain doesn't deserve the nomination:
"2) He was the head of the backstabbing gang of 14. I cannot even begin to tell you how this incident made my blood boil. One of the reasons I was so concerned about the outcome of the elections in 2000 & 2004 was because judicial nominees are so important. I had been just sick about how the Democrats were filibustering all the nominees and not even letting them come to the floor for a vote. The word on the street was that the Republicans were going to go with the "nuclear option" or the "constitutional option" as Rush termed it. I was so excited that finally there would be no more obstruction and filibustering. Right before it was to happen I see the breaking news that McCain and 13 other senators have come up with this ridiculous compromise where as always the Republicans do all the compromising. Ever since that day the phrase "Over my dead body will John McCain get the Republican nomination" often comes out of my mouth."
On another note, LMC has pointed me to the blogroll that is behind the anti-McCain rally. I encourage you all to join as I have.
Trackback
Well, the anti-McCain brigade is gaining ground and Little Miss Chatterbox has posted a phenomenal piece on why McCain should not be our Republican nominee. I've extracted a little piece and pasted it below but I encourage you all to read the entire post here. The following piece is one of the six reasons why McCain doesn't deserve the nomination:
"2) He was the head of the backstabbing gang of 14. I cannot even begin to tell you how this incident made my blood boil. One of the reasons I was so concerned about the outcome of the elections in 2000 & 2004 was because judicial nominees are so important. I had been just sick about how the Democrats were filibustering all the nominees and not even letting them come to the floor for a vote. The word on the street was that the Republicans were going to go with the "nuclear option" or the "constitutional option" as Rush termed it. I was so excited that finally there would be no more obstruction and filibustering. Right before it was to happen I see the breaking news that McCain and 13 other senators have come up with this ridiculous compromise where as always the Republicans do all the compromising. Ever since that day the phrase "Over my dead body will John McCain get the Republican nomination" often comes out of my mouth."
On another note, LMC has pointed me to the blogroll that is behind the anti-McCain rally. I encourage you all to join as I have.
Trackback
Monday, January 15, 2007
McCain & Giuliani - RINOs at Best.
John McCain and Rudy Giulian have been the front-runners for the Republican ticket since the 2008 presidency talks began. McCain and Giuliani, both moderates at best, are currently our strongest choices for the presidency. Some conservatives are beginning to realize and voice their views - including Christian leader James Dobson.
Recently, Dobson has openly admitted his "dislike" for McCain and I commend him:
"Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances," said James Dobson, founder of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family as well as the Focus Action cultural action organization set up specifically to provide a platform for informing and rallying constituents.
Dobson, who always is careful to note that he's not speaking for the non-profit ministry, which cannot advocate for or against candidates legally, also doesn't hesitate to state his personal opinions on social or political issues and agendas.
Several times he's talked to Republicans, the traditionally conservative political party, about the need to maintain the values of that large part of the U.S. population, or lose the support of those people.
Dobson is making the right move by stomping out this 'brush fire' early. Neither McCain nor Giuliani should be our choice for the Republican ticket. Dobson is obviously expressing his opinion but more importantly, this opinion is based on facts. McCain is a RINO and nothing more - a victory for McCain would be a victory for the Democrats. It is well known fact that McCain has done more work with Feingold (D-AlQaeda) than any Republican.
Let's stomp out this fire together and consider true conservatives for the presidency in 2008, not RINOs like Giuliani or McCain. Let's look for a conservative that will defend our country inside and out. A conservative with values and objectives that hold true to the majority of the United States including:
- Saving and reforming Social Security for current and future generations;
- Providing tax relief to working families through ending the marriage penalty and providing marginal tax rate reductions;
- Reforming and streamlining the way the federal government does business;
- Making the federal tax code flatter, simpler and fairer;
- Fighting to protect the most vulnerable in our society: the unborn, the weak, the elderly, and the disabled;
- Ensuring that America continues an aggressive war on terror;
- Guarding against the erosion of our freedoms and right to govern ourselves.
With all that said, Neo-Con* Tastic's official choice for the Republican nomination will be a true "Reagan Republican", Sam Brownback.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Stem Cell Research - Now safe for babies too!
The Vatican is in support of a new form of stem-cell research:
"The Vatican on Tuesday welcomed a new way of extracting stem cells that does not use human embryos, calling it a significant advance that could help medical research without going against Roman Catholic beliefs.
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, said the discovery showed medicine can progress without destroying human embryos.
U.S. researchers reported on Sunday that stem cells found in the amniotic fluid protecting babies in the womb were nearly as powerful as embryonic stem cells in producing adaptable cells that scientists hope can someday transform medicine.
The Catholic Church and other religious groups have been staunch critics of the most common method of stem cell research, which involves extracting cells from human embryos, because they believe such organisms are humans from the moment of conception."
Of course, the liberals of the world will still want to perform stem-cell the old-fashioned way, God forbid they agree with the Catholics (pun intended).
"The Vatican on Tuesday welcomed a new way of extracting stem cells that does not use human embryos, calling it a significant advance that could help medical research without going against Roman Catholic beliefs.
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, said the discovery showed medicine can progress without destroying human embryos.
U.S. researchers reported on Sunday that stem cells found in the amniotic fluid protecting babies in the womb were nearly as powerful as embryonic stem cells in producing adaptable cells that scientists hope can someday transform medicine.
The Catholic Church and other religious groups have been staunch critics of the most common method of stem cell research, which involves extracting cells from human embryos, because they believe such organisms are humans from the moment of conception."
Of course, the liberals of the world will still want to perform stem-cell the old-fashioned way, God forbid they agree with the Catholics (pun intended).
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Nagin's Chocolate is turning Sour.
It seems as if Nagin has another problem on his hands...
NEW ORLEANS - With at least eight slayings in the city in the first week of the new year, officials are considering a curfew to help stem the violence, the police superintendent said Saturday.
"It's something we're just sort of talking about, to see if that will make a difference," police Superintendent Warren Riley said.
Mayor Ray Nagin, meanwhile, urged residents not to leave the city, still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, because of the recent killings. He said the slayings could be a tipping point that "galvanizes our community" to find solutions.
Some residents have called for a march on City Hall on Thursday to demand action to curb the violence.
Nagin and Riley both tried to reassure residents that they were doing all they can to make the city safer. Riley said some covert operations were under way and Nagin said he hoped to have details sometime next week on a "more creative, aggressive" plan developed in talks he has had with local ministers.
Riley said the slayings are a part of a chronic problem that goes back to the city's school system and what he sees as the city's failure, over many years, to adequately educate and provide job opportunities for residents.
He said he's also concerned about making sure "hard-core criminals" are prosecuted and kept in jail.
Problems will continue until there are improvements in the criminal justice system, which has struggled to get court cases moving again since Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Riley said.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
One is the lonliest number....
It seems as if Kerry's asinine remarks are coming back to haunt him - this time in a troop mess hall. Read the article here.
HT: Spook
HT: Spook
Conscientous Rejector?
More like traitor.
"First Lt. Ehren Watada, a 28-year-old Hawaii native, is the first commissioned officer in the U.S. to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq. He announced last June his decision not to deploy on the grounds the war is illegal.
Lt. Watada was based at Fort Lewis, Washington, with the Army's 3rd (Stryker) Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He has remained on base, thus avoiding charges of desertion.
He does, however, face one count of "missing troop movement" and four counts of "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.
Watada's court martial is on February 5. A pre-trial hearing is set for January 4, with an added scope of controversy: the Army has ordered two freelance journalists, Sarah Olson and Dahr Jamail, to testify against Lt. Watada at the hearing. Both journalists are fighting the subpoenas.
Kevin Sites recently spoke with Lt. Watada about the reasoning behind his decision, the controversy the decision has caused and how he is dealing with the repercussions."
You can read the interview in full here. On a positive note, all of the troops in his platoon are safer considering he isn't watching their backs.
"First Lt. Ehren Watada, a 28-year-old Hawaii native, is the first commissioned officer in the U.S. to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq. He announced last June his decision not to deploy on the grounds the war is illegal.
Lt. Watada was based at Fort Lewis, Washington, with the Army's 3rd (Stryker) Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He has remained on base, thus avoiding charges of desertion.
He does, however, face one count of "missing troop movement" and four counts of "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman." If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.
Watada's court martial is on February 5. A pre-trial hearing is set for January 4, with an added scope of controversy: the Army has ordered two freelance journalists, Sarah Olson and Dahr Jamail, to testify against Lt. Watada at the hearing. Both journalists are fighting the subpoenas.
Kevin Sites recently spoke with Lt. Watada about the reasoning behind his decision, the controversy the decision has caused and how he is dealing with the repercussions."
You can read the interview in full here. On a positive note, all of the troops in his platoon are safer considering he isn't watching their backs.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Oprah - Building Schools and Prejudice
Just recently, the $1.5 billion Oprah Winfrey opened up a "Leadership Academy" just outside of Johannesburg in South Africa. The school, primarily for 12 and 13-year old girls, is set on 22 acres of land costing roughly $40 million.The story is being published everywhere on television and on the Internet but oddly enough, not everything from the press conference was reported in detail. During the press conference, numerous questions were asked about her motives and the school, even touching down on the fact that there was not one single white child attending the inaugural class. Now this obviously comes as a shock to most because Johannesburg is predominantly black but has a huge population of 7 million with 17% being Caucasian.
I searched long and hard for her specific quote in regards to the "white question" but will have to paraphrase with what I heard on television. When answering the question, Winfrey said something along the lines of 'I don't have to answer to the white people of this country.' It comes as a shock to me that she'd say such a thing but more importantly, how that will affect the youth attending this academy.
I feel that this comment was offensive for a few reasons but most importantly due to the context. The question simply asked 'why there weren't any white children attending the school', not 'why aren't you accommodating the whites.' Furthermore, if a rich Caucasian opened a school and only invited Caucasians, they'd immediately be branded a racist by the likes of Sharpton, Jackson, and ironically, Winfrey.
A lesson for Winfrey - If you open a "leadership academy" to youths and are commenting on the school itself, try to avoid comments that can be misconstrued by the youth you intend on molding.
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