Moronic Racist Democrat Apologizes to Palin ... Well, Not Really

Leave it to a disgraced impeached judge to utter such a moronic statement in the first place. But really, this apology isn't worth diddly squat since this slob still stands behind the sentiments of his remarks in the first place.

An African-American congressman from Florida is apologizing for his comment that black and Jewish voters should not support Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin because "anybody toting guns and stripping moose don't care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks."

"I regret the comments I made last Tuesday that were not smart and certainly not relevant to hunters or sportsmen," Rep. Alcee Hastings said in a statement issued Monday.

What did hunters have to do with it. You were trying to scare the shit out of blacks and Jews.

Of course, he doesn't really mean it though.

In his statement Monday, Hastings said he still backed the sentiment behind his initial remarks. "The point I made, and will continue to make, is that the policies and priorities of a McCain-Palin administration would be anathema to most African Americans and Jews," he said in his statement. "I regret that I was not clearer and apologize to Governor Palin, my host where I was speaking, and those who my comments may have offended."

That's an apology?

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Obama Lead Slips to Four in WaPo Poll

No reason to blare any trumpets yet, but considering they had Obama up nine last week, there's some room for optimism.

Negativity about the country's financial prospects continues to lift Obama, but he now has a narrower advantage over McCain in Post-ABC polling than he did last week. Overall, Obama holds a slim lead over McCain in the new national poll, with likely voters dividing 50 percent for Obama to 46 percent for McCain.

In the last poll, Obama led by a a nine-point margin. At that time, McCain advisers sharply criticized the results as being out-of-step with other surveys. Still, the new poll marks only the second time either of the candidates has reached 50 percent. Other national polls also indicate that Obama opened up a lead as the country's financial situation deteriorated over the past two weeks.

Not quite sure how the economic mess and Obama's lack of involvement lifts him when he lost five points, but hey, we are dealing with the Washington Post here.

They also oversampled among blacks, so consider that.

This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone September 27-29, 2008, among a random national sample of 1,271 adults, 1,070 registered voters and 916 likely voters. The survey includes additional interviews with randomly selected African Americans, for a total of 165 black respondents.

Curious, it's three points when it becomes likely voters, and look at who is getting 4%, none other than Ralph Nader.

The economy, by far, is the most important issue at 51%. Experience checks in at 2%, explaining the media's obsession with Sarah Palin's obvious edge in experience over the community organizer.

On eight top issues, the candidates split evenly.

In other good news, global warming failed to even register as an issue (The Goracle was unavailable for comment).

Considering Obama's recent rise in the polls, this signifies an opening for McCain. A good performance by Palin Thursday could at least reassure those on edge about her, and McCain needs to do more to tie the bailout mess and Democrat complicity in the fiasco to Obama while pounding home his relation to Fannie Mae, Franklin Raines and Jim Johnson. The public is angry and now that they're reallly paying attention to who had so much stock in propping up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, their naive notion that Obama would actually help right the economic ship can be exploited.

Real Clear Politics has Obama by a 4.8 average. With five weeks to go, McCain better move quickly and decisively.

Weird Blogger's Obsession With Sarah Palin Takes Ominous Turn

I'm talking, of course, about Andrew Sullivan, who's taken his bizarre hatred of Sarah Palin to obscene levels already, but it now has passed into the psychotic.

Still, Ahmadinejad is still much more accessible to the US press than Sarah Palin. In that single instance, he respects American democracy better than John McCain and the Republican party.

This is mental illness, folks.

Update: Apparently, the sickness has gone mainstream.

We now have media and bloggers defending the Iranian regime in order to attack Sarah Palin.

Just sick.

Update: Oof. Yet another couple of bizarre cases of PDS.

Media Finally Catches Up With Matt Damon

Earlier this month renowned political genius Matt Damon treated us to his incisive wisdom on the selection of John McCain, acting "terrified" at the prospect of McCain dropping dead and the novice mayor of a small town walking around with a gaggle of rugrats and the nuclear codes. As evidence to buttress his fears, Damon cited actuarial tables as evidence McCain was practically a goner.

Well, we've been waiting patiently, but finally the media has caught up with the program.

If John McCain is elected and goes on to win a second term, there's as much as a one-in-four chance America could see its first woman president — Sarah Palin.

It's actuarial math.

The odds highly favor either McCain or Barack Obama completing a first term in good health. After that, McCain's odds are still fairly solid, but his chances of dying or being in poor health go up faster than Obama's, mainly because of his age.

An Atlanta actuarial company specializing in individualized estimates of life and health expectancy has run the numbers for McCain, 72, and Obama, 47. The firm, Bragg Associates, calculated the odds of the candidates dying in office, adjusted for their known health problems.

McCain would be the oldest president to begin a first term in office. By the end of a second term, Jan. 20, 2017, he would have a 24.44 percent chance of dying, compared with 5.76 percent for Obama, the firm estimates.

Stunning, isn't it, that a man 25 years older than another would have a higher chance of dying.

Sheer. Fucking. Genius.

Of course, they pretend that Obama has quit smoking and downplay his respiratory problems and family's history of cancer.

He classified the Democrat as a smoker with minor upper respiratory problems, probably linked to his smoking. Obama announced in February that he was trying to quit smoking again, with the aid of nicotine gum.

"We don't consider you a nonsmoker until you stay quit for 12 months," said Brooks.

He was trying. Seven months later, nobody has asked him about it.

But Obama has a family history of cancer. His mother died of ovarian cancer and his maternal grandfather died of prostate cancer.

Based on this, should I be concerned that Crazy Joe mighr become president?

H/T Hot Air.

In cased you missed it, here's the Mensa member filling the airwaves with his knowledge ... that he reads from cue cards.

Sheila Jackson Lee and The Art of Stupidity

Conservative Punk caught this gem of nitwit Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee praising Barack Obama, the man who took credit for the bailout before it failed, for delivering the votes.

Just one problem. She voted against it, even though he didn't deliver diddly squat.

Got all that? Get out the wading boots before watching the video.

This isn't Lee's only foray into the land of make believe. Last year she claimed Venezuela was a friendly nation. Of course, so does another friend of Barack's Obama's, but why drag Bill Ayers into this?

Lee is also famous for suggesting the names of hurricanes should be more representative of the cultures they impact.

Seriously.

Shocking Revelation: VP Candidate Linked to Segregationist Housing

I figured I'd keep the suspect's name out of the headline and maybe the Obama goon squads will think it's related to Sarah Palin.

Considering the nonsense they'll smear her with, maybe it's worth noting this item from the New York Times way back machine about Gaffe-master Joe Biden. I briefly heard a mention of this from Sean Hannity today and though at first it may have been a current story. But since Biden's running with He Who Shall Not Be Criticized Under Penalty of The Truth Squad, the media obviously is reticent to note his link these days.

A Republican supporter of the nomination of Associate William H. Rehnquist of the Supreme Court to be Chief Justice today disclosed records that showed a home in which Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. lived for three years had a deed barring ownership by blacks.

James McClellan, head of the Center for Judicial Studies in Cumberland, Va., said that from August 1971 to October 1974 the home was the legal residence of Mr. Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has been holding hearings on the Rehnquist nomination.

''It suggests perhaps an element of hypocrisy'' for Mr. Biden and other Democratic senators to question similar restrictive deeds on property owned by Justice Rehnquist, he said. Senator Biden could not be reached immediately for comment.

Justice Rehnquist was questioned about deeds to a former home in Phoenix that barred ownership by nonwhites and a vacation home in Vermont that barred ownership by Jews. He has said that the restrictions, although offensive, were unenforceable.

OK, you say, this dates back to the early 70s. Still, do you think for a second if John McCain or Sarah Palin had any such association in the past it wouldn't be newsworthy?

Panic in the Streets: Dow Surges 485 Points, September Consumer Confidence Rises

Of course, try finding anyone being slightly optimistic about today's rise on Wall Street.

This headline, for starters.

Wall Street climbs halfway out of yesterday's hole; credit woes worsen

Halfway? Hmm. Let's see. Did the Dow fall 970 points yesterday?

Whatever the reason — bailout optimism, bargain hunting or just a big dead-cat bounce — the markets rebounded about halfway today.

The Dow Jones regained 485 of the 777 points it lost yesterday (+4.6%), closing at 10,850. That was the third biggest point gain ever. For the month, however, the Dow was down 6%.

Still, it's no reason for unbridled optimism, though at the same time, the catastrophic headlines from Monday need to be put in perspective.

The bell on Wall Street just stopped clanging and the pessimism is in full force.

Meanwhile, in news sure to be buried, consumer confidence rose in September? How can this be?

US consumer confidence rose unexpectedly for the third straight month in September as expectations for the economy over the next six months rose despite weak conditions in financial markets, a closely-watched survey of consumer attitudes reported Tuesday.

The New York-based Conference Board said its Consumer Confidence Index rose unexpectedly to 59.8 in September from an upwardly revised 58.5 level in August.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters IFR Markets were expecting overall consumer confidence in September to fall to 55.5 from the 56.9 level originally reported for August.

So the analysts expected it to be 55.5, but instead it's 59.8. Hey, what's a measly 4.5 points among analysts?

Future Members of the Mainstream Media

Really creepy. Reminds me of the Hitler Youth or the kids singing to the Dear Leader in North Korea.

Others would call it child abuse.

H/T LGF.

Bob Owens notes whose behind this effort, including Jeff Zucker, the President of NBC.

Isn't that special?

More at Wizbang and Michelle Malkin.

Here's another group of whackjobs.

What a Guy: Biden Plans to 'Go Easy' on Palin

How's this for irony? The human gaffe machine plans to take it easy on the poor, beleaguered Sarah Palin if she commits a gaffe during their debate Thursday.

How magnanimous of him.

If Sarah Palin goofs, flounders, stumbles or blunders during her debate against Joe Biden on Thursday night, Biden is going to let it slide.

“If she makes a gaffe, he underplays it,” one of the people prepping Biden for his vice presidential debate told me. “At most, he says, ‘I am not sure what Gov. Palin meant there.’”

There are three reasons for this. First, Biden does not want to look condescending. For the same reason, he plans on referring to Palin as “Gov. Palin” during the debate and never as “Sarah.” (He will sometimes refer to John McCain as “John,” however, because they have been senators together for many years.)

Second, Biden knows the press is going to pounce on any mistakes, and so he does not need to.

Third, and most important, Sarah Palin is not Biden’s true target.

“Joe Biden’s No. 1 job during the vice presidential debate is to keep the focus on the top of the ticket,” the Biden debate prepper told me. “He is going to keep the focus on John McCain.”

No word on what Palin will do when Biden shoves both feet in his own mouth. Clearly, the media will overlook that, not wanting to appear condescending to the esteemed Senator, who, apparently to the media, doesn't commit colossal blunders.

Michelle Malkin links. Thanks!

New York Sun Goes Under

This certainly isn't the first paper in New York to go under (go back and look how many papers there used to be in the 1940s and 1950s), but I enjoyed the Sun for their investigative reporting, notably from Eli Lake.

They've only been around for six years, but clearly didn't establish enough readership to sustain any longer.

It is my duty to report today that Ira Stoll and I and our partners have concluded that the Sun will cease publication. Our last number will be the issue dated September 30, the first day of Rosh Hashanah. I want you to know that Ira and I, and our partners, explored every possible way to avoid having to cease publication.

We have spoken with every individual who seemed to be a prospective partner, and everywhere we were received with courtesy and respect. I tend to be an optimist and held out hope for a favorable outcome as late as mid-afternoon today. But among other problems that we faced was the fact that this month, not to mention this week, has been one of the worst in a century in which to be trying to raise capital, and in the end we were out not only of money but time.

Has Bob Herbert Ever Heard of Nancy Pelosi?

Any of these people look familiar?

Obviously, Bob Herbert isn't the brightest of the dim bulbs populating the esteemed newsroom at the New York Times, but this childish diatribe today ushers him into the realm of Paul Krugman.

George H.W. Bush warned us about “voodoo economics” in 1980, but the ideologues clamped a gag on him and put him on the Gipper’s ticket. For much of the time since then, the madmen of the right have carried the day. They were freed of their remaining few restraints with the ascendance of George W. Bush in 2000.

These were the reckless clowns who led us into the foolish multitrillion-dollar debacle in Iraq and who crafted tax policies that enormously benefited millionaires and billionaires while at the same time ran up staggering amounts of government debt. This is the crowd that contributed mightily to the greatest disparities in wealth in the U.S. since the gilded age.

This was the crowd that cut the cords of corporate and financial regulations and in myriad other ways gleefully hacked away at the best interests of the United States.

Now we’re looking into the abyss.

Herbert manages to get through an entire column with somehow failing to mention the words Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Franklin Raines, ACORN, and Barack Obama.

I understand there's an obsession at the New York Times with destroying all things Republican, but at some point can these sages actually step back and review the history of why there's such a mess with the housing market?

It's not as if Herbert has to actually leave his office to do any research. All her needs to do is start here, his own newspaper.

''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''

Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.

In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's.

Google it, Bob. It's not that difficult.

This isn't meant to absolve the GOP of any blame, but the media does a grave disservice to the public when it willfully shields the culprits and points the finger at people who are actually trying to help fix this mess.

Is Herbert even aware Congress is at a 10% approval rating?

The 228-205 defeat reflects badly on all concerned, starting with the Democrats who run the House. The majority party is responsible for assembling a majority vote, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi failed in that fundamental task.

Her highly partisan speech on the floor -- blaming "right-wing ideology of anything goes, no supervision, no discipline, no regulation" for the financial distress -- is no excuse for Republicans to vote no. But it is indicative of the way she has governed for the past two years -- like Tom DeLay without the charm. The cynics are saying Ms. Pelosi deliberately tanked the bill by giving 95 Democrats a pass, knowing failure would hurt John McCain, and given her track record we can see why people would believe it.

I'll help Herbert out a bit more here, with a look at Obama and ACORN and more on the history of Democrats defending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

'By the Time I'm Sworn In, I Will Look the Part'

Well, the way the polls keep trending, he'll be sworn in in January. Whether he'll ever look the part is up for debate.

Still, a bit too cocky for my taste and a transparently lame attempt to appeal to older voters.

Despite being relatively young at 47 compared to rival Republican candidate John McCain's 72 years, Obama admitted his hair is ageing and he is willing to embrace his ashen colour.

The Illinois junior senator said he will refrain from dyeing his greying curls because he believes the visible signs of ageing will help him appeal to older voters.

He said this month: 'They want to see more grey hairs. I would point out that over the past 19 months, I've accumulated quite a few.'

Obama's barber in Chicago, Zariff, who has cut the presidential candidate's hair for 15 years, says his famous client started going grey three years ago.

He said: 'It has showed up a little bit more, especially in the past year...

'Well, if he’s under any stress, I don’t notice it. He’s pretty smooth when it comes to that.'

Zariff said he cuts Obama's hair once a week, at the cost of $21 a pop.

In July, a confident Obama said: 'The grey is coming quick. By the time I'm sworn in, I will look the part.'

Got to give him some props at least for not blowing hundreds of dollars on a haircut like Bill Clinton or John Edwards. And imagine my surprise that a guy named Zariff only charges $21.

Seriously, though, I don't think in the end your hair color is going to matter to people who take their vote seriously.

Arrogant Rangel Continues to Flout the Law

Honestly, who can blame him? He knows the Democrats won't do anything to him, he'll continue to be re-elected by overwhelming margins and he can just turn around and whine that the New York Post is hounding him and the lemmings will lap it up.

I'm seriously considering changing my political affiliation to Democrat. Then I too can get away with breaking the law and not face any punishment, right?

Three months after Rep. Charlie Rangel admitted he improperly converted a rent-stabilized apartment into his political campaign office - and promised to give it up - the embattled pol still has not moved out.

For the past decade, Rangel's political operation has been headquartered in a $682-a-month, one-bedroom apartment at Lenox Terrace - the same Harlem building where he has three other rent-stabilized apartments for personal use.

And even with the furor over his sweet rental deals continuing, Rangel doesn't plan to move his operations to a $4,000-a-month renovated brownstone at 193 Lenox Ave. until mid-October, according to his lawyer, Josh Galper.

The lease on the current apartment at 40 W. 135th St. expires Oct. 31.

On July 14, Rangel said he'd vacate the office, amid revelations about his cluster of rent-stabilized apartments.

"He was disingenuous at the least. That was deceptive. Moving doesn't mean when the lease is up," said Melanie Sloan, director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics.

If that's not bad enough, he's tooling around in a taxpayer-funded Cadillac that's doubling as a campaign vehicle.

Sweet deal.

Rep. Charles Rangel's taxpayer-provided Cadillac DeVille is pulling double duty as his political campaign vehicle, The Post has learned.

The dual use of the luxurious wheels for official and political purposes may run afoul of House rules and add to the Harlem congressman's mounting ethical woes.

Rangel's Member's Representational Allowance covers the cost of the 2004 model, which he leases for $777.54 a month.

House rules forbid using any allowance funds for political purposes.

But Rangel's lawyer, Lanny Davis, confirmed the vehicle has been used to take the congressman to political and campaign events.

"It is my understanding that Congressman Rangel uses the car in New York City almost entirely for official purposes," he said. But "it is obviously difficult for any member of Congress to determine the difference between political and official activity when making visits in his or her district."

Kyle Anderson, a spokesman for the Committee on House Administration, said the rules are clear.

"The [Member's Representational Fund] is for the execution of official representational duties. Political and campaign activities would not be included under the purview of official representational duties," he said.

As noted earlier, his constituents don't care what this guy does and will blindly vote for him, so why he even bothers campaigning escapes me.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

There's The Optimistic American Spirit: 33% Think We're Already in a Depression

In some ways I can't blame this reaction, especially when you have the Democrats and media pounding into their heads nonstop that we're all going down the tubes. But what does it tell you about the level of ignorance when we've not even been in a recession for seven years that a third of the country believes we're in a depression?

As people on Wall Street and Main Street hold their breath to see if a federal bailout of the nation's financial institutions will work, Americans are starting to speak — not whisper — the word "depression."

In a sign that anxiety is growing, 33% of 1,011 adults surveyed over the weekend by USA TODAY and Gallup said the economy already is in a depression (though by economists' measures it is not). Just 12% said that 10 months ago.

"From the working people's point of view, we're losing jobs and have rising unemployment," says Charles Dooley, 64, of Audubon, N.J., who delivers newspapers for The Philadelphia Inquirer. "Yes, I think we're in a depression."

Seventy-three percent said U.S. financial troubles will get worse before they get better. They expect their taxes to go up, and many worry about affording retirement or maintaining their standard of living. Nearly half worry about their homes losing value; 20% are seriously looking at taking money out of the stock market.

So a third of the country thinks we're in a depression and expect taxes to go up. Yet they're ready to give the Democrats control of the White House, Congress and the Senate simultaneously, which likely will fulfill their prophecy.

Instapundit links. Thanks! Thanks also to Hot Air for the link.

Shameless Obama Takes Credit for Bailout

He takes all the credit and John McCain gets none, of course.

Man, is this guy full of himself or what?

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Sunday his Republican rival deserves no credit for helping to forge a tentative agreement on the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.

Instead, Obama said he deserves credit for making sure the proposal includes safeguards for taxpayers. Obama said he is inclined to support the bailout because it includes increased oversight, relief for homeowners facing foreclosure and limits on executive compensation for chief executives of firms that receive government help.

"None of those were in the president's provisions. They are identical to the things I called for the day that (Treasury) Secretary (Henry) Paulson released his package," Obama said. "That I think is an indication of the degree to which when it comes to protecting taxpayers, I was pushing very hard and involved in shaping those provisions."

The safeguards were supported by many in Congress, including Democrats and Republicans.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain announced last week that he was suspending his campaign to focus on the crisis.

Asked during an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether McCain deserved credit for bringing lawmakers together, Obama said "no."

"Here are the facts: For two weeks I was on the phone everyday with Secretary Paulson and the congressional leaders making sure that the principles that have been ultimately adopted were incorporated in the bill," Obama said.

Well, if he wants credit for this dog of a bill, he can have it.
Of course, if he's president and this turns out to be a fiasco, then he'll blame McCain.

Maybe Obama can have his truth squad investigate himself.

More on this mess from Gateway Pundit and Michelle Malkin.

Thanks to Gateway Pundit for the link.

Famously Tolerant Liberals On Display in NYC

Thankfully the denizens of the Upper West Side are so famous for their open-mindedness and tolerance, otherwise we might get the wrong impression judging by their behavior.

Via Sister Toldjah. H/T Kate.

'I Think It Would Be Helpful If Charles Rangel Stepped Down'

Nancy Pelosi obviously doesn't have the guts to say this, but surprisingly enough, another Democrat does.

Rep. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said Sunday that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) should step down from his chairmanship while an ethics investigation takes place.

Questioned by host Tom Brokaw on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’, Udall initially cited the ethics process and demurred.

When pressed, though, he said that it would be “helpful” if Rangel stepped down.

“I think it would be helpful if Charles Rangel stepped down,” Udall said. “But he’s served the country well. We need his expertise, and I know, whatever happens, Tom, he will do right by the country.”

Udall tempered his comments, though, praising Rangel for his military service in the Korean War and his knowledge of tax issues.

Heh. His knowledge of tax issues? Like how to avoid paying them?

Udall is looking to win a Senate seat in Colorado, and obviously Rangel has become an issue, as well he should.

Udall is running against former Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.) for Colorado’s open Senate seat, and both appeared on the Sunday morning program as a part of the program’s Senate debate series.

Schaffer suggested Udall should have been more forceful in denouncing Rangel.

“If you’re a member of the House, and the head of your tax-writing committee admits he doesn’t pay taxes, you’ve got to have the courage to stand up and say he needs to go,” Schaffer said.

Personally, I think it would be helpful if Rangel were held accountable for his crimes. But he's a Democrat, so he has special privileges.

Media Bias: It's Not Just an American Problem

Those of us here in America who have to suffer through the relentless bias of CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, CNN and MSNBC have it bad enough. The folks over in the U.K. also are subjected to it as well, though they have fewer viewing options.

Prime case in point is this propaganda piece disguised as a comprehensive look at "global warming," or whatever it is the doomsayers are calling it these days.

The BBC is being investigated by television watchdogs after a leading climate change sceptic claimed his views were deliberately misrepresented.

Lord Monckton, a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, says he was made to look like a ‘potty peer’ on a TV programme that ‘was a one-sided polemic for the new religion of global warming’.

Earth: The Climate Wars, which was broadcast on BBC 2, was billed as a definitive guide to the history of global warming, including arguments for and against.

During the series, Dr Iain Stewart, a geologist, interviewed leading climate change sceptics, including Lord Monckton. But the peer complained to Ofcom that the broadcast had been unfairly edited.

‘I very much hope Ofcom will do something about this,’ he said yesterday.

‘The BBC very gravely misrepresented me and several others, as well as the science behind our argument. It is a breach of its code of conduct.

‘I was interviewed for 90 minutes and all my views were backed up by sound scientific data, but this was all omitted. They made it sound as if these were just my personal views, as if I was some potty peer. It was caddish of them.’

Ofcom confirmed it was looking into a ‘fairness complaint’ about the documentary.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘We stand by the programme.’

Lord Monckton, 56, a former journalist and Cambridge graduate, says scientific data shows the world is cooler today than in the Middle Ages.

Such scientific data is to be squelched since the proponents of the global warming theory have invested so much and can never admit they're been promoting a fraud.

The BBC should be held accountable, but probably never will be. The bias is too entrenched.

NFL Week 4

We're already hitting the quarter-pole of the NFL season and the byes begin, so we have only 13 games on the schedule and few marquee matchups. Three of the league ratings grabbers--the Patriots, Colts and Giants--are all off, so catch up on your yard work or watch some baseball if you have lousy games on in your market.

We went 9-7 in Week 3 and now stand at 2602-1 for the 2008 season.

SUNDAY
Cardinals +1.5 JETS: Have to think Favre will get in sync with his receivers eventually, but right now Jets are playing confused. Just when you think they have momentum, like when they get withing 17-14 of the Chargers Monday night, they go and pull that bone-headed onside kick. Slick move, Mangenius. Now, good luck stopping Arizona's pass attack. Cardinals 24-20

Broncos -9 CHIEFS: Kansas City called to ask if I was interested in starting at QB this week, but frankly my arm strength just isn't what it used to be and my knees ache. I'll say this for the Jets though, I'm sure they're happy Herman Edwards left. Denver can name the score. Broncos 34-20

BENGALS -3.5 Browns: A battle of the winless, two teams heading in the same direction--down the tubes. Bengals at lest showed some life against the Giants while the Browns got smoked by Baltimore. All you knuckleheads who picked Cleveland to be a playoff team, raise your hands. You know who you are. Bengals 37-27

JAGUARS -7 Texans: Jags were staring at an 0-3 hole before stunning the Colts last week and have some momentum now. Houston could be a contender. In 2015. Jaguars 20-10.

49ers +5 SAINTS: Jeremy Shockey already on IR in New Orleans. Giants are 3-0 and have two draft picks in return, including a No. 2 next year. I'll take that deal. Saints 27-24

Falcons +7 PANTHERS: Bet you didn't know the Falcons lead the league in rushing yards. Bet you also didn't know road team has won last five in this matchup. Well, that ends today. Panthers 20-17

TITANS -3 Vikings: Ornery Titans defense has been fantasizing about the abuse they're going to lay on Gus Frerotte. Oddly enough, so has Frerotte. Always knew there was something strange about him. Titans 20-16

Packers +1 Buccaneers: Seems like every Bucs game is a life and death struggle. This should be no different. Packers are still better than they looked against Dallas. Packers 21-20

Bills -8 RAMS: Rams in complete disarray and Scott Linehan may not see midseason. If they lay a beating on St. Louis today, Bills could lay claim to being the top dog in the AFC. Really. Bills 27-13

Chargers -7.5 RAIDERS: How lame is the NFL schedule this week? We actually get this dog of a game in the New York market. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not losing sleep over the Lane Kiffin soap opera. Chargers 38-13

Redskins +11 COWBOYS: On the upside, we in New York get this game against the San Diego-Oakland dud. Dallas may already be on cruise control, but too many points to lay in a divisional game. The only question left for Dallas is how exactly will Tony Romo screw up in the eventual playoff loss? Cowboys 31-24

SUNDAY NIGHT
Eagles -3.5 BEARS: Eagles already showing signs of wear and tear but have enough to withstand the pop-gun Bears attack. People only care about baseball in Chicago right now. And the buffoonish community organizer with a bracelet. As always, The Olbermann Rule is in effect. Eagles 24-20

MONDAY NIGHT
STEELERS -5.5 Ravens: Baltimore is 2-0 only because they've faced the dregs from Ohio their first two games. A huge step up in competition. Now Joe Flacco gets his welcome to the NFL. Steelers 26-14

Market Mess Impacting Europe

The financial market mess in the U.S. is now having an impact on Europe.

U.K. authorities are working with Bradford & Bingley PLC to consider the firm's future, as the beleaguered lender grapples with a loss of investor and ratings agencies' confidence, The Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition on Saturday.

Citing a spokesman, the report said the treasury and the Financial Services Authority and the Bank of England are assisting Bradford & Bingley to consider the implications of the recent financial turmoil on the business.

Shares of B&B, which is facing a loss of confidence in the wake of profit warnings and twice restructuring a capital raising plan, have hit new lows in recent days. Its problems were made worse by the recent downfall of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and by renewed rating downgrades, calling into question its ability to fund itself, the Journal reported.

You are seeing the impact of the drawing out the negotiations in Congress. It's like two doctors standing over a patient who is bleeding to death and the doctors are arguing over what scalpel to use to save the patient. Hundreds of billions of dollars of economic damage is happening while the dithering continues.

He Might Have a Bracelet, But He has No Credibility

Ask yourself. Does a guy who pretends to support the military have any credibility when he votes to cut off funding for them?

I didn't think so.

And if you haven't seen it, here's video of the pathetic "I have a bracelet, too" moment that made Obama look like an amateur. Would help if you could remember the soldier's name without looking at your notes, Barry.



H/T Hot Air.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

RIP, Paul Newman

The legendary actor Paul Newman has died.

A spokeswoman for screen legend Paul Newman says the actor has died at age 83.

Spokeswoman Marni Tomljanovic says Newman died Friday of cancer. No other details were immediately available.

Newman was nominated for Academy Awards 10 times, winning a regular Oscar in 1987 for "The Color of Money" and two honorary ones. He was equally at home in comedies such as "The Sting" and dramas such as "Hud."

As a kid the first movie I recalled with Newman was "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", which I recently viewed again. Other favorites I enjoyed of his were "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Sting".

Few people did more for charity than Newman, and he's remembered here.

"Paul Newman's craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all.

"Paul had an abiding belief in the role that luck plays in one's life, and its randomness. He was quick to acknowledge the good fortune he had in his own life, beginning with being born in America, and was acutely aware of how unlucky so many others were. True to his character, he quietly devoted himself to helping offset this imbalance.

"An exceptional example is the legacy of Newman's Own. What started as something of a joke in the basement of his home, turned into a highly-respected, multi-million dollar a year food company. And true to form, he shared this good fortune by donating all the profits and royalties he earned to thousands of charities around the world, a total which now exceeds $250 million.

"While his philanthropic interests and donations were wide-ranging, he was especially committed to the thousands of children with life-threatening conditions served by the Hole in the Wall Camps, which he helped start over 20 years ago. He saw the Camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back, and raise a little hell. Today, there are 11 Camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Through the Camps, well over 135,000 children have had the chance to experience what childhood was meant to be.

God bless.

Now what would a tribute to Newman be without this classic scene?



And this one:

No More Golden Parachutes for Disgraced CEOs! Except for Those Who Contribute to Schumer and Obama...

For all the chest-pounding by Washington politicians, especially Democrats, about CEOs of failed banks and financial institutions receiving "golden parachutes," why is it these guys all tend to be big bucks Democrat contributors?

Can you say hypocrisy, boys and girls? It's bad enough Barack Obama has the audacity to do this while he's pals with Franklin Raines, who walked away from Fannie Mae with $90 million, but now comes news that the CEO of the failed Washington Mutual bank, Alan Fishman, may walk off with a $13 million package.

With the US financial system teetering on the brink yesterday, it emerged that the chief executive of failed bank Washington Mutual may end up with a "golden parachute" of more than $13 million - for 18 days he held the job.

Alan Fishman was handed a $7.5 million signing bonus when he joined the barely solvent bank on Sept. 7, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Shockingly, his employment agreement also provided for a $6.15 million lump-sum severance payment if he were canned without cause, the filing shows.

Fishman ended up being in charge of the biggest bank failure in US history.

The former chief executive of Brooklyn-based Independence Community Bank had been hired to help the bank rebound from soaring mortgage losses.

Normally at a time like this, the biggest media whore on the planet would trample his mother rushing to the cameras to denounce this stunning development, but Charles Schumer is oddly silent.

Perhaps that's because he's taken money from Fishman. Nine times, in fact. Looks like he took so much he had to give some back, in fact. You'll also notice the name Barack Obama on that list as having accepted a contribution from Fishman.

To be fair, Fishman donated once to Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani (11 years ago, in that case), but the overwhelming majority of his largesse went to Democrats.

Schumer, of course, is all too familiar with failed banking institutions, as some argue he caused a run on one already.

I won't be holding my breath awaiting his denunciation of his pal Fishman.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Kissinger: McCain Is Right

In what should go down as one of Barack Obama's most pitiful performances in Friday night's debate, he kept childishly insisting Henry Kissinger supported his stance on direct high level talks with Iran. In fact, Obama belabored the point at least three times.

Oops.

"Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level. My views on this issue are entirely compatible with the views of my friend Senator John McCain. We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that any negotiations with Iran must be geared to reality."

Another lame moment was after McCain told a heartfelt story of a soldier who was killed in Iraq and how his mother gave him his troop bracelet. It was a poignant moment and McCain does well with those.

Of course, then Obama, like a first-grader chimes in with 'I have a braclet, too," only bumbling badly by having to look down at his notes to check the name of the soldier.

Weak.

Some dubious instant polls claim Obama won last night. Not quite sure of the methodology involved, but the results are all the media needs to declare Obama a winner.

The mild consensus in the press file was that McCain won, if not in particularly dramatic fashion. The two insta-polls out -- from CBS and CNN -- found the opposite: That Obama won by a wide margin. CBS had it 39% to 25% for Obama, CNN 51% to 38%.

Maybe the difference was expectations. People covering the campaigns think of Obama as a much-improved debate, and McCain as at times a weak one. McCain, by that standard, overperformed. But people tuning into the race now now think of McCain as an experienced hand, and Obama as a newcomer.

Rich Lowry thinks McCain was victorious.

Rapid Response: McCain Already Has New Ad From Debate

Damn, that was fast.

Quick takes on the debate: I thought McCain was aggressive and pounded home the experience message. Obama kept repeating himself ($10 billion a month in Iraq ... yeah, we know) and often looked flustered and petulant.

As I was watching and he kept saying McCain was right, I though that would make for a good ad.

So here it is already.

H/T Instapundit.

Ted Kennedy Suffers Seizure

Apparently from a change in his meds, but nothing major since he's already gone home.

Sen. Edward Kennedy had a mild seizure shortly after 5 p.m. today, triggered by a change in medication, according to a statement from the senator's office.

Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer, was taken Cape Cod Hospital at 5:15 p.m. by the Hyannis Fire Department, according to Barnstable police.

Doctors decided to send Kennedy home at 7:45 p.m. He and his wife, Victoria, were ushered out of the hospital and into a private car headed for the Hyannisport compound.

Oops: Joey Plugs Gaffes Again

The surprising part is not that Clueless Joe keeps screwing up, it's the fact the Associated Press bothers to report it. A small sign of progress in an otherwise relentlessly hostile media campaign against John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Joe Biden charged Thursday during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania that John McCain's tax proposals for health insurance would be "the largest tax increase in the history of America for the middle class." He was wrong.

McCain does propose taxing the health benefits that some 156 million people get through the workplace. That's a major change, because now no income taxes are levied on those benefits, but it's not the whole story.

So, as Biden explained, someone who makes $40,000 and gets $12,000 in health insurance benefits would end up paying income taxes on $52,000. But what Biden didn't say was that McCain also proposes to give the insured a new tax break in exchange — a $2,500 tax credit for individuals and a $5,000 tax credit for families.

For most families, that tax credit would for several years be more generous than the current tax break for employer-sponsored health insurance. An analysis of McCain's plan by the Tax Policy Center estimated that McCain's plan would increase the federal deficit by $1.3 trillion over 10 years, mainly because it would lead to less tax revenue coming in. The same group says Obama's plan would increase the deficit by $1.6 trillion over the same period.

"McCain's plan seems to be a significant tax cut, at least in the short term," said Len Burman, who oversaw the analysis for the center, a joint venture of two liberal-leaning think tanks, the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute.

Be that as it may, either way you slice it, I get queasy seeing the word trillion tossed around.

Since it's Friday night, why not some video of one of my favorite Biden gaffes this campaign season?

Obama Memo Acknowledges McCain Will Eat Him Alive Tonight

Talk about lowering expectations. This is basically conceding Obama is a total lightweight on tonight's subject, foreign policy, and says that barring a catastrophic gaffe from McCain, the community organizer will look OK if he's not quivering in the fetal position by night's end.

Plays loose with the truth, of course, but what do you expect when you're candidate is a total zero?

If he slips up, makes a mistake, or fails to deliver a game-changing performance, it will be a serious blow to his campaign. Given his unsteady performance this week, he desperately needs to win this debate in a big way in order to change the topic and get back to his home turf.

Such smarmy arrogance befitting a man who has no accomplishments in life but two memoirs.

Update: Good Lord, is there any level of dishonesty Obama won't sink to? (Via Hot Air.)

MSNBC Yanks Ad Questioning McCain's Health

We noted this disgusting ad unveiled by Howard Dean's brother yesterday and at the time CNN had refused to run it. Well, after much criticism, the low-rated MSNBC, an adjunct of the Obama campaign, has decided to pull it.

Smart move. You know something's really got to stink that even MSNBC runs from it.

The cable network MSNBC on Friday stopped airing a commercial by two liberal groups that makes an issue of John McCain's past bouts with skin cancer and demands that he release his medical records to the public.

"The ad had not been thoroughly vetted prior to air, and has since been removed from our commercial rotation," NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said in an e-mail. She did not elaborate.

Funny, but wasn't MSNBC talking about how a certain someone was properly vetted a few weeks ago?

Naturally, the moonbats whine.

MSNBC's decision came a day after FOX New commentator Bill O'Reilly denounced the ad on his cable program as "perhaps the most vicious political ad of the campaign." O'Reilly singled out Dean and Brave New PAC's Robert Greenwald, a California film producer, for blame, and also mentioned Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of NBC parent company General Electric, and NBC CEO Jeff Zucker. "They should be ashamed, but they are anything but," O'Reilly said.

"Democracy for America stands behind the ad 100 percent," spokesman Daniel I. Medress said. "It's disappointing (MSNBC) would take marching orders from Bill O'Reilly. And it's disappointing that they don't want the American people to be able to ask the question of John McCain to release his medical records."

Of Questions And Answers

Because Jim Lehrer is a boring old fool and loathe to offend anybody, we know a question that won't be asked tonight:

Yo 'Bama -- doooooood!


PALIN STILL GOT YOUR GOAT?

Rarefied Air

Czech President Klaus to pay working visit to United States


Czech President Vaclav Klaus leaves on Monday for a working visit to the United States during which he will be presented with two decorations for freedom promotion and meet some local politicians and businessmen, according to his web page.

He will visit the cities of Portland, Seattle and Phoenix during the visit from which he will return to Prague on October 4.

In Portland, Oregon, Klaus will attend the presentation of his book Blue, not Green Planet, in which he criticises the alleged provoking of panic over global warming that will be issued in a second edition in the United States.

In Seattle, Klaus will be presented with Columbia Award that has been bestowed on him by the Washington Policy Centre (WPC).

Its winners include former U.S. president Ronald Reagan, current president's brother Jeb Bush and former New York mayor Rudolf Giuliani.

In Seattle, Klaus will also meet managers of Microsoft company.

On Thursday, Klaus will be presented with Barry Goldwater Award for Liberty in Phoenix.

Its winners include Reagan, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and economist Milton Friedman.

The award, called after former Republican senator Barry Goldwater, is awarded by Goldwater Institute for an exceptional contribution to the development of human freedom.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Klaus has visited the United States many times since he became Czech president for the first time in 2003, but has never been there on an official state visit.

Three years ago President Bush, however, received him in the White House.

Last year Klaus welcomed Bush in Prague where Bush promoted the U.S. plans for the stationing of elements of the anti-missile shield in Central Europe.

And the words community organizer are nowhere to be found in his curriculum vitae.

Via ČeskéNoviny

How Do You Throw Fire on Flames?

There may be no more a detestable politician on the planet than the unctuous and loathsome Charles Schumer.

This is just pathetically desperate stuff.

During a speech on the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D) urged President Bush to "respectfully tell Sen. McCain to get out of town. He's not helping."

Schumer also requested that Bush get the his House Republicans in line. "We need President Bush to take leadership. We need President Bush, first and foremost, to get the Republican House members to support his plan or modify it in some way to bring them on board," he said.

He added, "When you inject presidential politics into some of the most difficult negotiations under normal circumstances, it is fraught with difficulty. Before McCain made his announcement, we were making great progress. Now after his announcement, we are behind the 8 ball. We have to put things back together again."

"So this is a plea to President Bush, for the sake of America, please get your party in line. Get the House Republicans to be more constructive; get Sen. McCain to leave town and not throw fire on these flames. And maybe we can get something done."

The Democrats will say and do anything to distract the public from who created this mess: themselves, and Schumer in particular played a large role.

RNC spokesman Danny Diaz issues this statement responding to Schumer: “Chuck Schumer is now attacking the person working to solve the mess he helped create. While Schumer was against reform in the housing industry, Sen. McCain was calling for it. And now that we have reached an economic crisis, Sen. McCain is focused on finding a solution and Schumer is focused on leveling political attacks."

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Heartache: When Your Dog Cheats On You

A little comic relief for a Friday afternoon. And please, don't any of you pet owners get in my face over having a chuckle over this.

Country songs are filled with anguished lyrics about cheating wives and husbands. But sometimes it’s not always people who are doing the leaving and breaking hearts. Dogs and cats can also cheat on their owners, leaving their own homes in pursuit of something better, or different. And perhaps more painfully, some pets carry on affairs right under their owner’s nose.

Audrey Pavia of Norco, Calif., has an 8-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Nigel who forgets all about her when their friend Arden Moore visits.

“Whenever I know Arden is going to be around, I prepare myself emotionally for what's coming,” Pavia says. “As soon as Arden enters the room, Nigel is no longer my dog. All his attentions and affections are completely focused on her. My obedient dog who normally watches my every move doesn’t exist when Arden is around. He is her dog. I am invisible. And if I insist that he listen to me — which I must do with an uncharacteristic stern voice — he looks at me with great disdain. I can almost hear him saying, ‘Geez, I wish you'd get lost.’ ”

Other dogs are looking to move on up, on the hunt for the next best gig.

Some upwardly mobile pets may look for another home if they meet someone who has tastier food, more time for affection, better toys or a softer couch.

Veterinary behaviorist Terry Curtis of the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville has a cat that moved in with her after throwing over her first owner.

Molly, an orange tabby, originally belonged to Curtis’s neighbors, who also had two dogs and a newborn. The cat started coming over to visit Curtis and stayed longer each time.

“At my house, she could have toys, get more attention and not be bothered by the dogs,” Curtis says. When Curtis finally moved, Molly went with her. “The neighbors were really good friends of mine and they loved Molly, but they could tell she was happier with me.”

Worried that Fido is going to dump you? There might be help.

But if you don't want to put up with your pooch pining for another — or worse, give him up, it’s easy to develop a stronger bond with him. Start by teaching him, on leash, that he can have everything he wants, but only if he sits and looks at you, says veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist Sophia Yin, who practices at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists.

For several days, instead of just randomly petting your pooch or giving him a treat, let him practice getting what he wants when he sits and focuses on you. Reward him with five seconds of petting at a time, then stop. By stopping in between, you’re rewarding the dog for continuing to stay with you and look at you, Yin says.

“Play little games where you have the dog sit, give a treat, then run, stop, sit, get a treat again," she says. "Basically, you’re teaching the dog that you’re fun.”

Can pet alimony abd custody battles be far behind?

Perfect Place For An Obama Fundraiser

No doubt his supporters will feel at home raising money here.

A Manhattan nightclub known for X-rated burlesque and drug raids is scheduled to host a fund-raiser for Barack Obama tonight.

The Box, a Lower East Side celebrity favorite, has invited Obama supporters to donate $50 to watch tonight's scheduled debate on the club's big-screen television.

Organizers also plan to conduct on-site voter registration.

In August 2007, a risqué late-night stage show was canceled after cops raided the Chrystie Street club and randomly searched some patrons for drugs.

The 1 a.m. raid forced the club to cancel its second show of the night, a revue featuring scantily clad showgirls, a gender-bending singer and a dancing dwarf.

An Obama spokesman, Blake Zeff, said the event is not affiliated with the campaign, and campaign officials know nothing about it.

Last week, Community Board 3 voted to strip The Box of its liquor license. Members said owner Simon Hammerstein misled them when he first applied, claiming he was opening a dinner theater, when The Box is actually a raunchy cabaret - one that features all sorts of wild sex acts on stage.

Of course, they claim to know nothing about it, but I'm sure they'll be happy to accept all the money raised.

New York Times Heading South?

And so the fate of the country’s (and perhaps the world’s) most esteemed journalistic institution will be determined, in part, by a fortune that was made a half-century ago in the coal mines of Kentucky and on the highways of Alabama by a man who carried a sidearm into union drives and never met a Republican he didn’t like. It’s an irony fit for the pages of the New York Times.

And who is that man?
That would be John Harbert III, and now his son, Raymond Harbert, is the owner of a hedge fund called Harbinger Capital Partners, and now own 20% share of the New York Times. That makes them the largest shareholder of the Times next to the Sulzberger family, which founded the paper and have run it since it's inception.
How ironic will it be that the Old Gray Lady may actually be taken over by the same gun toting, bible clinging, conservative values people that they so despise.
I wish it would happen, if nothing else then to see Maureen Dowd have to clean out her desk and post a resume on Monster dot com.
Let me add this quote from New York University marketing professor named Scott Galloway, who is working on the Harberts on some of the deal.

“Let me be clear: I think the newspaper business is a shitty business,” Galloway tells me, in his spartan little office at Harbert Management during an interview that took place before he became actively involved with the company. “The Sacramento Bee, the Chicago Tribune—I think a lot of those newspapers are fucked.” Not the Times, however: “The New York Times is like Yahoo with content,” Galloway says.

The article is long but well worth reading, and don't forget--y'all come back again, ya hear.

Comedy Gold: Daughter of Radical Islamist Works The Pole

With any good fortune, this freak will suffer a massive coronary when he reads the paper today.

The daughter of the radical Islamic cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed is a pole dancer, it emerged last night.

Yasmin Fostok, 27, has admitted rebelling against her father's strict Muslim beliefs by performing semi-naked in London bars and nightclubs.

She lives as a single mother in South East London, bringing up her three-year-old son conceived during an arranged marriage to a Turkish man which has since collapsed.

Miss Fostok, who left the Bakri former home in North London four years ago, said: 'I don't get on with my dad. I don't agree with his views - I just get on with my life and that is it.'

It has been reported that Miss Fostok regularly works in bars in the West End and has toured other countries as a podium dancer with a troupe called Ibiza Untouched.

She is also thought to work a fire-eating routine into her act and performs semi-naked inside cages.

She has dyed her hair blonde, has several tattoos of her name on her ankle and a dragon on her back and changed her Muslim name Youssra to Yasmin to try to conceal her identity.

She said: 'I don't normally do topless work but I'm willing to go topless if the venue is right.'

Last night her father said: 'If this is true I am deeply shocked.'

Speaking from Lebanon, where he has lived since being exiled from the UK three
years ago, he added: 'She was brought up properly in the Muslim faith but she is free to make her own choices in life. But I am still shocked.

'I haven't spoken to her for a long time, because I believed she was living with her family in Turkey. But I knew nothing of this.

'She should not seek forgiveness from me, she should seek forgiveness from God.

Sadly, there are no photos available of Ms. Fostok.

Update: Now there are photos.

'You Want This Ethics Committee to Instill Public Confidence'

Considering public approval of Congress is at an all-time low, something called an Ethics Committee sounds like an oxymoron. To think New York's Charles Rangel is going to receive anything more than a slap on the wrist and a pat on the back is to delve into fantasy, especially when you consider one of the Democrats on the committee has received campaign contributions from the tax cheat.

The members of the House panel investigating Rep. Charles Rangel's possible ethical lapses are no strangers to the embattled Harlem pol.

Rangel, a 19-term Democrat, has crossed paths with all four members of the special subcommittee of the House Ethics Committee that is probing four possible breaches of ethical rules.

He partied with the chairman of the subcommittee, Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), at Tony Bennett's 80th-birthday gala.

But the two have also butted heads over tax policy. Green, from Houston, opposed Rangel's attempt as chairman of the powerful tax-code-writing Ways and Means Committee to further tax oil companies.

The second Democrat on the committee, Bobby Scott, of Newport News, Va., received $1,000 from Rangel's own congressional campaign fund on March 28, federal filings show.

"It would be better to give the money back," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the left-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "You want this Ethics Committee to instill public confidence."

Scott's office did not return calls for comment.

Naturally.

Former Comedian Whines About McCain

Memo to David Letterman: Get over it, already. It's not all about you. In case you hadn't noticed, John McCain has more pressing issues to tend to than to come out and yuk it up with you.

Considering your ratings haven't been all that great for years now, it also doesn't make much sense to alienate a good portion of your audience that may like McCain.

Late Show" host David Letterman kept up a verbal assault on John McCain Thursday, saying he felt like an "ugly date" because the GOP presidential candidate backed out of a scheduled appearance on his talk show.

The night before, Letterman had said McCain's decision to suspend his campaign to deal with the economic crisis "didn't smell right." Letterman substituted MSNBC's "Countdown" host - and critic of the Arizona senator - Keith Olbermann when McCain called him to say he wouldn't appear Wednesday.

The comic was unhappy when McCain sat for an interview with Katie Couric instead of him Wednesday - and even more perturbed to learn that McCain didn't leave New York until Thursday.

He said he felt like a "patriot" to let McCain off his commitment to deal with the economy and "now I'm feeling like an ugly date."
"That's what I feel like, I feel like an ugly date," he said. "I feel used. I feel cheap. I feel sullied."

What's with this diva-like attitude? Now it's patriotic to allow someone to cancel an appearance? Please.

The late-night comic banged away at McCain on Thursday from the opening of his monologue.

"You're here on a good night," he told the audience. "So far none of our guests have canceled."

He talked about daredevil David Blaine's feat of hanging upside down in New York's Central Park for 60 hours.

"They just left the guy hanging there," he said. "It's the same thing McCain did to me last night."

Grow up and act like a man.

Mark Levin Goes Nuclear on Bill O'Reilly

Well deserved opprobrium from The Great One.

Really, WTF is O'Reilly talking about?

AP Sulks Because McCain Campaign Hasn't Ground to a Complete Halt

As evidence how pathetic this item is, they're using the Huffington Post as a source. My head hurts just trying to grasp that. Of course, they're too incompetent to even link the story, and my brain started melting trying to find it over there.

Anyway, since John McCain decided to put the nation's best interest in front of personal ambition, I guess the Internet sleuths decided to call around to see if every single McCain campaign employee was in a state of suspended animation.

Better they should ask why Howard Dean and his brother thought today was a good time to run an ad suggesting McCain is thisclose to death.

Still, the funniest part of this amateur attempt at gotcha is the non-bylined story calling the Huffington Post left-leaning. Yeah, so was Joe Stalin.

Republican presidential nominee John McCain vowed Wednesday to suspend his campaign to focus on the nation's financial crisis, but there were plenty of signs of activity Thursday — including an apparently live fundraising link on the campaign's Web site.

On Wednesday, McCain said: "Tomorrow morning, I will suspend my campaign and return to Washington after speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative. I have spoken to Sen. Obama and informed him of my decision and have asked him to join me."

He offered no details, but senior campaign adviser Steve Schmidt later told reporters: "We're just not going to engage right now in the back and forth of the campaign," adding that meant appearances, rallies and TV advertising would be canceled. In an e-mail to reporters, spokesman Brian Rogers added that fundraising would be halted, too.

McCain appeared that evening in an interview on CBS' newscast, but canceled a planned appearance on David Letterman's "Late Show." His vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, made a highly visible visit to ground zero in New York on Thursday morning. McCain spokeswoman Nicole Wallace appeared on NBC's "Today" show.

The campaign sought to pull television ads off the air, but halting ads isn't like turning off a light switch because of the many broadcast stations must be contacted through middlemen. But Schmidt, speaking to reporters Thursday evening, said: "All of our television advertising at this hour is down."
...
E-mail messages continued to trickle out from the campaign, but at a far slower rate than normal. And the Huffington Post, a left-leaning Web site, said it had called 15 McCain campaign offices in battleground states, and none said it was suspending operations.

All Barack Obama Has Ever Run Is His Mouth

Ouch.

Děkuji vám, al-Gore!

Czech Rep makes billions by selling its clean air
On Tuesday, Environment Minister Martin Bursík signed a memorandum of understanding with Hideaki Kumazawou, Japanese Ambassador to the Czech Republic. That enables the Czech Republic to start trading with its "clean air" and earn dozens of billions of crowns [CZK16.6719 = US$1.00 Ed.].

How is that possible? The Czech Republic does not have any difficulties to fulfill the Kyoto Protocol in which developed countries committed to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Czech Republic even exceeds its commitment. Countries that have a similar reserve can sell their saved exhaustion to countries that have been unable to fulfill their commitment.

One of those countries is Japan that now wants to buy the saved carbon dioxide in the Czech Republic.

"This memorandum was a basic requirement of the Japanese side for their future purchase of emission units," Jakub Kašpar, spokesperson for the Environment Ministry said.

5 billion worth of clean environment

How many emission units the Japanese state actually buys is up to further discussions. The Czech Republic has 150 million units available while Japan needs more than one billion units.

Besides Japan, the Czech government has held talks with Spain, Austria and New Zealand. Another option would be that the Czech Republic sells its units in an auction.

Uh-oh. Apply free market principles? How eeeevil. Chimpy McHilterBurton must be involved.

Environment Ministry plans to sell two thirds of its free units and keep the rest as a reserve.

"In general, we would like to sell most of our emission units in an auction because their price might be higher due to competition," said Environment Minister Martin Bursík. His Ministry hopes to sign the first agreements this year.

The profit might reach CZK 25 billion [US$1.51 bil Ed.] depending on the market price. Environment Ministry plans to invest the money in building insulation and clean heating.

"We are currently drafting a grant program that would support energy savings, usage of renewable natural resources for heating and hot water in apartments and family houses," Jakub Kašpar said.

Czech Republic among the worst

Based on the recent report by European Commission, the Czech Republic is the fourth worst of 27 European countries. Only Finland, Ireland and Luxembourg are doing worse, while Luxembourg is the European greenhouse record breaker if compared with the number of inhabitants.

In Kyoto, the Czech Republic committed together with the entire European Union to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent between 2012 and 1990. But due to the decrease of industry production, that was a piece of cake. Today, the emissions are 24 percent lower than in 1990.

"The Czech Republic has been fulfilling its commitments set by the Kyoto protocol with a cushion," the Report on the environment conditions informed about 1997. The Czech government will soon have the report available.

Cars and airplanes cause troubles

The same report points out that the emission has been growing slowly in the last couple of years. The main problem is transportation - both automobile and air transportation.

"The emissions stopped decreasing in 2005 when a slow increase started. This negative trend is caused mainly by growing emissions caused by the transportation," the report states.

Paradoxically, the Czech Republic is one of the worst polluters in Europe when counted per capita.

While the share of emissions caused by transportation reached four percent of the entire amount of emission in 1990, today it accounts for almost 13 percent.

Just the air transportation by itself has a four times larger performance that in 1989.

Hmm. Economic prosperity since transformation from a Soviet slave-state to captialist democracy. Rise in transportation-related emissions since making that transformation.

Eureka! Proof-positive that capitalism is eeeeevil.


Via Aktuálně.cz


Photo credit: Ludvík Hradilek

Michelle Obama Subjected to Hard-Hitting Interview About Slumber Parties

Back in July after the Obamas shamelessly pimped their kids on television for Access Hollywood, they came under some scrutiny and later claimed they wouldn't be doing that any longer.

Which, of course, was an outright lie, since they did it again a couple of weeks later.

So imagine my shock to find out that none other than Michelle Obama is now returning for three nights again on Access Hollywood to discuss the all-important issue of slumber parties.

How do you keep 15 kids entertained on the campaign trial?

If you're Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, you throw a slumber party.

The night of Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention, her daughter Malia, 10, said she needed to make an announcement.

"I was like, 'What? Was I bad?' " Obama tells Access Hollywood in a series of interviews to air Sept. 25, 26 and 29. "She said no, but we have to have a sleepover tonight."

The sleepover happened the next night and the guest list included Biden's granddaughters and about 15 children of campaign staff.

At a recent campaign stop in Allentown, Penn., Obama and Biden chatted about how they had formed an immediate bond.

"It was just one of those magical moments where we spent a week together and after that week, you know Michelle put her arms around me and I put my arms around her and she said, 'I love you,' and I said, 'I love you, too,' " Biden recalls. "We just clicked."

Barf.

Somehow I doubt we'll be seeing Sarah Palin for three nights on Access Hollywood chatting about slumber parties.

H/T Writer Mom via LGF links.

Pakistan Troops Fire at U.S. Choppers

I guess they're not really our friends, as if they ever were.

Pakistani troops fired on U.S. helicopters which had crossed into Pakistan from Afghanistan on Thursday, the Pakistani military said.

In a conflicting version of the incident, the U.S. military denied the aircraft had flown into Pakistani territory. There were no casualties nor were the helicopters damaged, NATO said.

The shooting took place amid rising tension between Pakistan and the United States -- normally close allies in the U.S-led "war on terror" -- after U.S. troops launched missile attacks and a helicopter-borne ground assault into Pakistan this month.

The Islamabad government condemned those raids and said it would not tolerate any infringement on its territory.

Pakistan said its soldiers fired warning shots at the helicopters on Thursday after they intruded into Pakistani airspace, a Pakistani military spokesman said.

"There were two helicopters from Afghanistan that crossed into Pakistani territory," spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said. "Our soldiers fired warning shots and those helicopters returned fire and flew back."

Keep it up, folks. When you're completely overrun by the Islamonazis, don't plan on getting much help.

Seeds of Corruption: Hey, Obama, Where'd That $100,000 in Garden Money Go?

Hmm. Might it be that The Messiah is corrupt?

We report, you decide.

A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent.

The garden was never built. And now state records obtained by the Sun-Times show $65,000 of the grant money went to the wife of Kenny B. Smith, the Obama 2000 congressional campaign volunteer who heads the Chicago Better Housing Association, which was in charge of the project for the blighted South Side neighborhood.

Smith wrote another $20,000 in grant-related checks to K.D. Contractors, a construction company that his wife, Karen D. Smith, created five months after work on the garden was supposed to have begun, records show. K.D. is no longer in business.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan -- a Democrat who is supporting Obama's presidential bid -- is investigating "whether this charitable organization properly used its charitable assets, including the state funds it received," Cara Smith, Madigan's deputy chief of staff, said Wednesday.

In addition to the 2001 grant that Obama directed to the housing association as a "member initiative," the not-for-profit group got a separate $20,000 state grant in 2006.

Oh, so an Obama Democrat is "investigating" this case.

Never mind.