'No One Gets Brought Up Thinking They'll Be a Floozy'

A real banner day for the teaching profession. First we had the New Jersey teacher busted in a cash-for-grades scheme.

Now here we have a teacher fired in April now doing porn. Heck, the school year hasn't even begun and we have two early candidates for teacher of the year.

A Floridian biology teacher fired after posing for racy pictures has landed a new career – in pornography.

Tiffany Shepherd, 31, made headlines in April after bikini-clad pictures of her on a fishing charter got her canned from Port St. Lucie High School. She turned to doing porn, she told a Florida news outlet, after losing custody of two of her three kids to her ex-husband and sending out 2,500 resumes – some even to prisons – without landing a new teaching job.

"I'm not particularly proud of it. To be honest, I hate it," Shepherd told Page2live.com. "I'm an educated woman, but I never thought it would come to this. No one gets brought up thinking they'll be a floozy."

On screen, Shepherd goes by the name Leah Lust and has filmed five feature films, including one titled ‘My first sex teacher,' where Shepherd portrays the very job she's been trying to get back.

"It's very professional," says Shepherd on the Web site. "Everyone's tested -- for venereal diseases and AIDS -- and I'm carrying around my little piece of paper that says I'm fine. They love me because I take care of myself and I don't run out to party with my money.

More here.

Under the name Leah Lust, she's appeared in movies such as Please Bang My Wife and My First Sex Teacher. Shepherd is angry about the second film, saying, "I’m livid about that one. It wasn’t supposed to be about a teacher and a student. I didn’t even know the name of the film until I saw it online.”

Imagine that! Unethical porno makers.

Connecticut Man Puts Parents Up for Sale on Craigslist

Ouch. Only asking for $155 or best offer.

Got lots of use out of these guys over the past 50 years but it's time to move on. Excellent overall condition. Still plenty of life left in them. Will consider trade for newer model, hot blonde under age 40 or an Erector Set in good condition. MUST SEE! Please email or call Michael for additional details and pics. $155.00 OBO-

Of course, it's just a gag. Or we think it is.

A Connecticut man put his parents up for sale on Craigslist as a joke to pass the time on a rainy weekend.

Michael Amatrudo, a 51-year-old Madison resident and insurance executive, says in the ad that he's gotten "lots of use out of these guys over the past 50 years, but it's time to move on." He says he'll take $155 or a trade for a younger set of parents, an Erector set or a "hot blonde."

Amatrudo says he's gotten dozens of responses from around the country, including inquiries about who would pay the shipping cost and how many days it would take to receive them.

NJ Teacher Runs Cash-for-Grades Ring

She learned well from her union bosses. They've been extorting the taxpayers all these years and now she's shaking down their kids.

A former teacher at Colts Neck High School has been arrested after she allegedly collected money from students in exchange for boosting their grades.

Authorities said then-social studies teacher Megan Laboy, 30, collected more than $1,400 during the 2008-09 school year. Laboy allegedly told her students she would give the money to various charities and in turn give them extra credit on their final grades and exams, but instead kept the money for herself, Sgt. Joseph Whitehead said.

Laboy, of Howell, turned herself in at police headquarters this morning and was released on her own recognizance after being charged with one count of third-degree theft by deception.

Whitehead declined to discuss how much Laboy charged students or disclose which charities students were told would receive the money. He said the scheme was "well known" to students, more than 100 of whom were interviewed by police since the investigation was opened on June 4.

Laboy, employed by the district since 2001, allegedly told students the grades-for-cash scheme was approved and backed by administrators within the Freehold Regional High School District, police said.

District spokesman James Quirk said Laboy is no longer employed at the school, but declined further comment about the arrest or investigation. Records show she was paid $65,195 in 2008-09.

Tough getting by on such a paltry salary, I guess.

The Death of the Prius

Automakers are starting to find out that building vehicles which rely on materials for power that are rarer then the current source of power may not not exactly work out for them. In other words, making hybrid vehicles which run on electricity with no visible means of support may prove to be a dead end or at least a very costly one.

The Prius hybrid automobile is popular for its fuel efficiency, but its electric motor and battery guzzle rare earth metals, a little-known class of elements found in a wide range of gadgets and consumer goods.

That makes Toyota's market-leading gasoline-electric hybrid car and other similar vehicles vulnerable to a supply crunch predicted by experts as China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, limits exports while global demand swells.

Sort of funny, too, which natural resources are evil while others are okay to strip away from Mother Earth as long as they mesh with the liberal enviro-wacko philosophy.

So just like rushing to embrace ethanol has led to higher food prices and increased starvation in other parts of the world due to food sources being diverted to make energy, so too it looks like this rush to embrace hybrids will only lead to higher automobile prices along with depletion of other resources. The higher vehicle prices don't bother the enviromental crowd--they would just as soon all automobiles would dissappear and everybody be reduced to walking or riding a bike--but I bet they are tying themselves in knots trying to explain why oil is bad but these so-called rare earth minerals are okay.

Don't forget, part of the pending Cap and Trade legislation, which passed out of the House and is now waiting in the Senate for a vote, imposes mandates for just such vehicles and puts other sanctions on automakers in regards to what kind of vehicles they can produce and that you can buy.

Carrie Prejean to Sue Miss California Officials

Good for her. And good for us since we get another opportunity to run a photo of the lovely Miss Carrie Prejean.

Carrie Prejean’s attorney, Charles S. LiMandri announced today that the former Miss California USA is filing a complaint in the Superior Court of California against Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler, and publicist Roger Neal. The complaint cites damages to Miss Prejean including libel, public disclosure of private facts, religious discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Miss Prejean was fired from her role as Miss California USA in June of this year, following several months of controversy over her answer at the Miss USA pageant regarding same-sex marriage. Lewis claimed Miss Prejean’s termination was due to a violation of contract. Miss Prejean’s complaint will refute that allegation, and demonstrate that both the chronology and factual evidence clearly show she lived up to all her contractual obligations, but was fired, harassed and publicly attacked solely due to her religious beliefs.

Countdown to a meltdown from Ms. Perez Hilton is on...

Update: A reader says 'Photos of Carrie Prejean are like Lay's Potato chips....you can't have just one.'

Indeed! What was I thinking?

Gen. Honore Dismisses Talk of Senate Run

Sigh. It would have been fun, but I guess it's not meant to be.

The general who led military relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is denying a report that he may challenge Louisiana Sen. David Vitter in 2010, calling it "speculation and rumors" Sunday.

Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, now a CNN emergency preparedness analyst, said he is moving back to his home state. But "No one's talking to me about running for Senate," Honore said.

"That is a serious rumor that's got started that's created a lot of buzz," said Honore, who left the Army in 2008. But he said he has never declared a party affiliation, and any talk of a Senate run is "all about speculation and rumors."

Honore is best known for taking over a widely criticized relief effort after Katrina flooded most of New Orleans in August 2005. The city's mayor, Ray Nagin, famously described the cigar-chomping three-star general as a "John Wayne dude" who could "get some stuff done."

'How the Hell Does Star Trek Smell Anyway?'

Yet another sign of the apocalypse: Star Trek cologne.

Put down your phasers, Star Trek fans.

If you really want to stun the Trekkie of your affections, try spraying on a little sci-fi scent behind those Vulcan ears.

Riding on the buzz surrounding the latest Star Trek movie, released in May, online fan merchandise company Genki Wear is selling three new fragrances, the idea of which was met with mixed reviews among Trekkies yesterday at Fan Expo Canada's last day.

Peter Palermo, a 42-year-old college professor decked out in a Deep Space Nine Starfleet uniform, said he would buy Pon Farr, a scent named after the mating cycle in which Vulcans are thrown into blood fever every seven years and can only survive if they passionately make love.

"The sexy side of Pon Farr is kind of interesting," he said.

Pon Farr also piqued Leonard Nimoy's interest. The actor, who portrayed Spock in movies and the original television series, had a good laugh when he heard about the colognes from a fan yesterday.

At first he wouldn't commit to wearing one of them. "I don't know, I'd have to smell them. Who knows? I might find it irresistible."

But his days as a Vulcan must have had an impact. "Really?" he said, his eyes lighting up when the Star told him Pon Farr was one of the scents. "Let's go for that one."

Another scent, Tiberius, is named after Captain James Tiberius Kirk. The company says it "embodies bravery and spirit, blending chemistry and emotion." Apparently, citron, black pepper and white musk will do that.

And the last scent, Red Shirt, is said to: "Smell like the future, because tomorrow may never come," referring to the expendable extras who tend to get killed during a mission.

Sally Grande, 58, an Oshawa Trekkie, said she plans to wear her Pon Farr every day.

But some fans found the marketing gimmick over the top.

"How the hell does Star Trek smell anyway? To me it smells like a VHS tape," said Maya Ter Stege, 21.

I was never much for Star Trek or any of the movies, but considering the following they have you could bottle dog piss and some of these people would wear it.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Tanking: Obama Approval Hits New Low

The good news? His approval rating is down to 46%. The bad news? His approval rating is 46%.

We've still got a lot of work to do.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 30% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) are confident that Congress knows what it’s doing when it comes to the economy. If Americans could vote to keep or replace the entire Congress, 57% would throw out all the legislators and start over again. Just 25% would vote to keep the Congress.
...
Overall, 46% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That’s the lowest level of total approval yet measured for Obama. Fifty-three percent (53%) now disapprove. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Democrats approve while 83% of Republicans disapprove. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 66% disapprove.

Those are wretched numbers among independents, which lends credence to the idea the GOP stands to gain a lot of seats in the 2010 midterms.

MSNBC Hosts Can't Defend Krazy Keith

In fairness to Rush Limbaugh, putting the psychotic Keith Olbermann on his level is a bit of a stretch, but the question is still valid. Why don't Democrats distance themselves from the raving MSNBC lunatic?

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Rewriting History: 'Ted Kennedy Spent His Life Looking Out for Others'

The revisionist history and whitewashing of Ted Kennedy's life continues. Today's installment of inanity comes from none other than the diminutive Daily News sportswriter Mike Lupica, who never met a Democratic tush he didn't smooch.

Who knew St. Edward of Hyannis Port was so selfless? Naturally Kennedy's magnanimity helped him rise above the level of mortal men, especially those evil right-wingers on the radio. Can someone please help Lupica get through a column without invoking his tired canards about the right?

There was tragedy in his life, and constant loss. He helped create a terrible tragedy himself at Chappaquiddick. That does not change with his passing. Nor does this: Kennedy was a giant of this country, of public service, of the U.S. Senate, and he makes so many politicians he leaves behind look small enough to fit in your pocket.

To the end, he showed that differences in philosophy and ideology didn't have to bring more meanness and hatred to the country, as well as hate sells now on right-wing radio and television, as much of a growth industry as it has become.

Where is this rightwing televison he speaks of? I'd really appreciate knowing so I could watch some.

Also, if Lupica is so offended by all the hate and meanness, he may want a refresher as to when that all began. And it wasn't on the radio.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Update: Thanks to Infidel Joe for reminding me of this blast from the past. Chilling stuff. But since it was on the evil "rightwing radio" I guess Mikey Lilliputian never heard it.

More detail on the events of July 1969 here.

Michael Jackson Story Gets Even Weirder

Just when you thought everything surrounding Michael Jackson was strange enough, now comes word as to who the mystery father of one of his kids might be.

ACTOR Macaulay Culkin is the mystery dad of Michael Jackson's son Blanket, it was claimed last night.

The Home Alone film star is said to have donated sperm to help Jacko create his seven-year-old offspring - real name Prince Michael II - with an unknown surrogate mum.

The two celebrities became firm friends after Culkin, now 29, shot to fame as a child in the 1990 box office smash.

He went on to star alongside Jackson in the video for his hit song Black or White in 1991, regularly visited the singer's Neverland ranch, and took the witness stand to defend him at his 2005 child molestation trial.

One source said: "It is well known Jackson and Macaulay shared a unique bond.

"Now rumours are spreading like wildfire that Macaulay, who Jackson nicknamed Mack, is actually Blanket's biological dad."

Fevered speculation gripped the US after repeated claims that a "well-known Hollywood actor" donated the sperm for Blanket.

Now sources close to Jackson say the Thriller star asked Culkin for the donation to help him complete his "perfect" family.

The source added: "This isn't just chitter-chatter, even Culkin suspects he's Blanket's father.

"So many names have been mentioned as prospective dads, and this is probably the wackiest yet.

'Sandwich King' Dodd Calls for Civility

One of the nastiest, angriest men in politics is now delving into stand-up comedy, apparently.

Democrats evoked memories of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on Sunday in calling for a civil debate over plans to overhaul the nation's health care system. A key Republican said Kennedy's death leaves Democrats without a leader capable of forging a bipartisan compromise.

Kennedy was long known as a personable senator who could engage in a blistering partisan debate one day and strike a deal with his adversaries the next. The liberal Democrat repeatedly worked with conservative Republicans to pass major legislation, including programs to expand health care coverage for children and add a prescription drug benefit for older Americans on Medicare.

His absence, Democrats said, would be felt as lawmakers struggle to craft legislation aimed at cutting costs while providing coverage to the nearly 50 million Americans who lack it.

One longtime Kennedy friend and ally, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., said lawmakers who want to honor the late senator should "put behind us the blistering days of August, enter the cool days of September, and start acting like senators again."

A real cut-up, that Sandwich King.

Robert Bork was unavailable for comment.

To the left civility means shutting up and going along with what they say.

Not the kind of civility I'm looking for.

NBC Hires Bush Daughter

She's kept a very low profile in recent years and I must say the last network that you'd think of hiring a Bush--or any Republican for that matter--is NBC.

You can imagine Keith Olbermann's head exploding right about now.

NBC's "Today" show has hired someone with White House experience as a new correspondent — former first daughter Jenna Hager.

The daughter of former President George W. Bush will contribute stories about once a month on issues like education to television's top-rated morning news show, said Jim Bell, its executive producer.

Hager, a 27-year-old teacher in Baltimore, said she has always wanted to be a teacher and a writer, and has already authored two books. But she was intrigued by the idea of getting into television when Bell contacted her.

"It wasn't something I'd always dreamed to do," she said. "But I think one of the most important things in life is to be open-minded and to be open-minded for change."

Beware Those Obama 'Insurance Agents'

Agents of change

I'm figuring this crew must be card-carrying ACORN members or SEIU members.

Three people posed as insurance agents hawking President Obama's health-care reform plan to gain entry to a Long Island home, where they pistol-whipped, shot and robbed two women and a man, authorities said.

Vance Jackson, 46, of Yonkers, and Benjamin Thompson, of Brooklyn, were arraigned yesterday in Central Islip on attempted-murder and burglary charges.

A female accomplice, Natalie Taylor, 26, of Nyack, is expected to be arraigned today.

The men were nabbed about a mile from the Huntington crime scene in an SUV, and Taylor was apprehended a few hours later, police said.

Prosecutors said Thompson and Taylor approached a home on Virginia Avenue at around noon Friday, and then began to talk about Obama's policies, while Jackson pushed into the door seeking cash.

Taylor allegedly pistol-whipped one woman, and Thompson shot another in the foot as Jackson led the man upstairs to retrieve some cash.

"When he didn't get enough money, he shot the man twice in the neck, once in the back, and once in the chest," said a Suffolk County prosecutor at the men's arraignment.

Prosecutors said the two men, both with lengthy rap sheets, hatched the plan when they met for the first time at a parole meeting in Brooklyn.

Thompson was out on parole with four violent felony convictions. Prosecutors believe he has 17 felony and five misdemeanor cases pending. Jackson also has at least six convictions for violent felonies.

Change you can believe in.

Hulking First Lady Bumps Her Head Boarding Air Force One

Guess these things tend to happen when you're 6-foot-9.

Seems to be a family tradition.



Meanwhile, yet another look at America's fashion icon.

Classy: Kids Exploited at Kennedy Mass to Promote ObamaCare

Via Gateway Pundit.

Really, these people just have no shame, sending little kids up there for the cause. And that second kid, don't his parents know a decent barber? Good grief, clean that kid up.

Best summed up here.

The boss has been writing about the left’s use of kids as sympathetic “human shields” for their policies for years and years, but even so, I’m amazed. I thought the moral authority of the religious setting would create enough cover for Obama or whoever to toss a few bones to health care in their eulogies; I guess, like Karl says, they were skittish after the Wellstone memorial fiasco and figured they couldn’t take any chances. Enter this poor little boy, charged with politicizing a prayer because the gutless pols around him didn’t have the balls to do it themselves.

For all the finger-wagging and tut-tutting from the left about the sacred separation of church and state, it always seems they're the ones invoking religion into politics. Which explains why they worship at the altar of liberalism.

Love this headline:

Kennedy remembered for 'the dream he kept alive'

Plus a little unintended black humor.

Hundreds lined nearby sidewalks, ignoring the rain, as the funeral procession passed.

"I said to myself this morning, 'No matter what the weather, I'm going, I don't care if I have to swim," said Lillian Bennett, 59, who added she was a longtime Kennedy supporter and determined to get as close as she could to the invitation-only funeral.

I'll always remember him for who he didn't keep alive.

Leftwing Icon To Be Released From Prison

I know, I know, you say there are plenty of leftwing heroes in jail, but this one in particular became an instant icon for an attempted assault on President Bush last year. He'll likely start a speaking tour of college campuses and do the rounds on the news chat shows pretty soon. Probably will become a HuffPost blogger in the not-too-distnt future since he's already got his journalist credentials.

An Iraqi journalist jailed after hurling his shoes at former President George W. Bush will be released next month after his sentence was reduced for good behavior, his lawyer said Saturday.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi's act during Bush's last visit to Iraq as president turned the 30-year-old reporter into a folk hero across the Arab world amid anger over the 2003 invasion.

He has been in custody since the Dec. 14 outburst, which occurred as Bush was holding a joint news conference with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

He was initially sentenced to three years after pleading not guilty to assaulting a foreign leader, then the court reduced it to one year because the journalist had no prior criminal history.

Rangel Lied, 'Most Ethical Congress Ever' Died

The hits just keep coming for New York's corrupt Congressman Charlie Rangel. He's probably privately giving thanks this is the week Ted Kennedy died since most of these reports of his sudden windfall seem to be flying under the national radar.

Rep. Charles Rangel claimed on mortgage papers that a Harlem brownstone was his principal residence -- even though he was living elsewhere at the time, The Post has learned.

When the Democrat -- who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee -- took out the mortgage in 1990, he said the property on West 132nd Street was his "principal residence," records show.

But Rangel has been living since the 1970s in Harlem's Lenox Terrace apartment complex, where he improperly amassed four rent-stabilized properties.

State law requires that rent-regulated apartments be the tenant's residence.

"I will reside in the Property (on 132nd Street) for at least six (6) months of every calendar year," read Rangel's mortgage contract with Citibank, which is on file with the city.

The terms of the $60,000 loan appear to be normal for that time, but lenders say claiming principal residency when you live elsewhere is a serious breach.

"It's fraud or a mistake," said David Reed, an author of several popular books about mortgage lending.

I lean toward the former considering we're dealing with one of the greatest frauds to ever sit in Congress.

Despite overwhelming evidence this guy has skirted numerous laws, he still keeps his sense of humor.

Meanwhile, Rangel again refused to answer any questions yesterday.

"My only concern is just to see how is the press going to handle the mistakes that clearly they've made after the investigations have been completed and the Ethics Committee has worked its will," he said.

It's not as if the Post is the only local paper covering his shenanigans. Things are so bad even the NY Times isn't giving him a pass.

Mr. Rangel declined to discuss the latest revelations about his finances, which were reported on Friday by The New York Post.

Republicans said Friday that Mr. Rangel’s lapses in fully disclosing his finances were part of a long list of transgressions and renewed a demand that he be replaced as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which writes the tax code and is involved in shaping major policy, from the financial bailout to the health care plan.

“The ball is in Speaker Pelosi’s court,” said Bill Steel, a spokesman for the House minority leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio. Referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, he added, “How much longer will she allow Representative Rangel to keep such a powerful and influential position, given the staggering array of ethical allegations he faces?”

Republicans also pressed Mr. Rangel to prove that he paid taxes on the previously unreported rental income. Last year, Mr. Rangel acknowledged that he owed more than $10,000 in back taxes because he had failed to report more than $70,000 in rental income from a villa in the Dominican Republic. “Obviously we need a full accounting of assets, the income on them and the tax implications,” Mr. Steel said.

Obviously we need the Obama Justice Department to investigate this fraud, but they're too busy investigating the people who keep us safe.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Gen. Honore to Run For Senate in Louisiana?

Can you imagine this man on the Senate floor berating the Democrats for being Stuck on Stupid? Who cares that he might oust an incumbent Republican? David Vitter has plenty of baggage, plus we can see how much the left really has transcended race when they begin attacking a black man for having the audactiy to be a Republican.

In a breaking story, The Louisiana Weekly and Bayoubuzz.com have learned that the hero of Hurricane recovery, General Russell Honore is seriously considering entering the Republican Primary for the U.S. Senate seat against incumbent David Vitter. Honore, a Republican since the Reagan Administration and a registered Louisiana voter from his Zachary home, has spoken to friends and supporters in the last two weeks signaling that he is, according to one, "more than 50% sure that he will run."

The news comes mere hours after Third District Congressman Charlie Melancon announced his firm intention to be the Democratic challenger to David Vitter in the fall of 2010. Melancon, who represents the critical swing areas of Central Acadiana--a region known for crowing statewide candidates--has already proven a serious obstacle for the incumbent Senator to keep his job. Even if Vitter should emerge victorious from the closed Republican primary, a bruising fight against Honore could leave the Senator financially and visibly weakened before the onslaught of a Moderate Democrat like Melancon--one of the leaders of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Caucus in the House.

While polls show Vitter as the clear favorite in both the primary and the general election, one very senior Louisiana Republican predicted that if Honore runs, "He wins." As that GOP party elder further explained to the www.louisianaweekly.com and Bayoubuzz on the promise of confidentiality, "All he has to say is 'Stuck on Stupid', and Vitter is toast."

Military voters, who constitute a plurality of the Republican electorate, will flock to Honore, and the party leader in question also believes that the General's race will matter to primary voters less than his social stands. Honore admitted through aides to the Weekly that he is "pro-life and pro-family".

Now, just imagine Honore taking on this candidate in the general election.

Don't Try This Trick at Home, Kids

Sorry to tell you ladies, but he's taken.

A cigarette-puffing magician is planning to lick his 40-year habit with a stunt that's sure to make his audience gag - by turning himself into a human ashtray.

Richie Magic, 53, plans to set a new record tomorrow by snuffing out 200 lit cigarettes in his mouth and chewing them in front of a Queens magic shop.

He intends to quit smoking after the mouth-charring event at Rogue Magic and Fun Shop in Elmhurst at 8:30 p.m. He wants the stunt to burn a message in the minds of teens.

"I want them to know that if you smoke, your mouth will look, feel and smell like a human ashtray," said Magic, 53.

The record-breaking attempt comes just weeks after the illusionist and sideshow stunt man set a record for stuffing 20 lit cigarettes in his mouth in 29 seconds - an act that he now calls "just a snack."

After retiring from a 26-year career as a Westchester County correction officer, Magic devoted all of his time to his act, which had been his hobby since he was 10 years old. He legally changed his last name to make it official.

"It was just easier that way," Magic said. "People see my name everywhere."

As he became more popular in the circuit, Magic saw that kids were looking up to him as a performer.

"A lot of kids ask me to mentor them," Magic said, and added that he didn't want them to pick up the habit that has tormented him his entire life.

"But when I tell them not to smoke, I'm a smoker," he said.

Tired of being a hypocrite to aspiring magicians and street performers, Magic decided to make the record-setting event his quitting day.

Nervous about kicking a life-long habit, Magic admitted that practicing for the event has made him a bit anxious to quit.

"I've eaten over 2,000 cigarettes this month," he said. "It's disgusting."

Barbara Magic, 49, looked away as her husband practiced by cramming a pack of lit Marlboros in his mouth on Tuesday in front of the magic shop. A smoker for 25 years, she plans to take her last puff at the event, too.

"I don't know if I can watch the whole 200," Barbara said. "I'm a little scared for his safety."

That Time of Year: National Geographic to Air 9/11 Conspiracy Show

Nothing like giving airtime to a bunch of pathetic lunatics who provided inspiration for the famed comment from a fatuous fathead that fire couldn't melt steel.

These cretins have been so thoroughly debunked the past couple of years it's a wonder why the National Geographic Channel would even bother airing this rubbish. On the upside, however, it's helping provide a little comic fodder as we approach the eighth anniversary of 9/11.

EIGHT years after Sept. 11, the debate over what exactly happened that tragic day -- and who is to blame -- rages on.

Several of the most widely known tenets dear to the hearts of those who don't believe the official explanation for what brought down the Twin Towers are put to the test Monday night in an unusual National Geographic Channel special, "9/11: Science and Conspiracy."

* Was the Pentagon hit by an airplane or a missile?

* Did the Twin Towers really collapse from fires caused by burning jet fuel?

* Or were carefully placed explosives inside the buildings the real cause of its collapse?

The special is built around a series of scientific experiments that were conducted under the watchful eyes of a group of Truthers -- the name the conspiracy movement has given itself.

But at least one local Truther -- Sander Hicks, producer of WeDemandTransparency.com and author of the controversial conspiracy book, "The Big Wedding" -- has seen a critic's DVD of the special and has his own reaction:

"This documentary is clearly part of the cover-up," he says.

The men in white coats are here to see you now, Mr. Hicks.

'We're Not Going To Go Out and Hunt Obama'

Way to help the cause, pal. He's beatable on the issues, but saying dumb things like this just give the Obamamedia a hammer to smash over the heads of Republicans.

An Idaho Republican gubernatorial hopeful insists he was only joking when he said he'd buy a license to hunt President Barack Obama.

Rex Rammell, a long-shot candidate slated to run against incumbent C.L. "Butch" Otter in the May 2010 GOP primary, made the comment at a Republican rally Tuesday in Twin Falls where talk turned to the state's planned wolf hunt, for which hunters must purchase an $11.50 wolf tag. The hunt is due to begin on Tuesday.

When an audience member shouted a question about "Obama tags," Rammell responded, "The Obama tags? We'd buy some of those."

Rammell told The Associated Press Thursday he sees no reason to apologize for the comment because it was just a joke.

"What I would say to all my Democrat Idahoans: Take a deep breath and relax," he said. "We're not going to go out and hunt Obama."

He also told the Times-News newspaper, "I would never support him being assassinated."

After Rammell's comment was published in the Times-News, he said one person sent him an e-mail indicating he would ask the FBI for an investigation.

Threatening the president can be a felony punishable by five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

"I'm probably safe," Rammell said. "I'm not the one that started the whole thing."

Debbie Dujanovic Bertram, an FBI spokeswoman in Salt Lake City, said the agency couldn't comment on whether it was investigating or if it had received a complaint.

Democratic Party Chairman Keith Roark said Rammell comes from the far right of the GOP, but that's no excuse for his comment.

"Rex Rammell is pretty shrill, and I don't think he represents the mainstream of the Republican Party by any means," Roark said. "But I think the Republican Party in this state and elsewhere would be well served by making it clear those types of comments are very inappropriate."

Naturally the kooks are having a field day with this.

Bammy Needs a 'Break From His Vacation'

Poor thing must be exhausted from racking up those triple-bogeys and re-reading books.

After a mid-August trip to America's national parks and a weeklong vacation on Martha's Vineyard, President Obama plans ...

... to take a little more time away from the office next week.

Obama will head to Camp David on Wednesday, Sept. 2, and stay through the weekend, White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters in a Thursday briefing.

Joking that it may have been "wishful thinking" to suggest Obama's current trip out of Washington would coincide with a news-free week, Burton quipped that the president needs a "break from his vacation."

For the second time in just a few days, however, the deputy press secretary emphasized that Obama hasn't disengaged from his responsibilities.

"When you're president, you've always got that job," Burton said.

Frankly I wouldn''t mind if this clown went on a permanent vacation. I hear Kenya is lovely this time of year. Maybe he can stay at his brother George's hut.

Meanwhile, our fearless leader rode a bicycle sans helmet yesterday. Way to man up.

I guess he couldn't handle the jokes after this episode last year.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Classy: Ted 'The Swimmer' Kennedy Cracks Chappaquiddick Jokes

Remember, we're not allowed to makes any jokes about the sainted one. But it's OK for him to wax funny about the woman he murdered.

Well, sorry, but the gloves are now officially off. I tried to be nice about this, but get criticized anyway by the lunatics on the left.

More from Jules Crittenden.

Remember, if it weren't for this, there wouldn't be any need for The Swimmer's tasteless jokes.

It's Time for the Rangel Perpwalk

Enough is enough. It's time for this thug to face the law. That is if Eric Holder and the Obama Justice Department see it fit to prosecute criminal Congressmen and not CIA operatives just keeping us safe.

Or maybe John Edwards was right when he proclaimed there were two Americas. Right now I do see two Americas. One for law-abiding taxpayers and another for criminal Democrats.

Rep. Charles Rangel failed to report as much as $1.3 million in outside income -- including up to $1 million for a Harlem building sale -- on financial-disclosure forms he filed between 2002 and 2006, according to newly amended records.

The documents also show the embattled chairman of the Ways and Means Committee -- who is being probed by the House Ethics Committee -- failed to reveal a staggering $3 million in various business transactions over the same period.

This week, Rangel filed drastically revised financial-disclosure forms reflecting new, higher amounts of outside income and numerous additional business deals that had not been reported when the reports were originally filed.

In 2004, for instance, Rangel reported earning between $4,000 and $10,000 in outside earnings on top of his $158,100 congressional salary.

But the amended filings show that after the sale of a property on West 132nd Street, his outside income that year was somewhere between $118,000 and $1.04 million.

The forms filed by House members provide for a range of value on such transactions, so the precise number isn't publicly known.

Rangel also lowballed his income by as much as $70,000 in 2002, $46,000 in 2003 and $117,000 in 2006, records show.

Only in 2005 did Rangel reveal his total outside income.

Members of Congress are required to disclose all their assets and outside income in an effort to expose possible undue influences.

Rangel's office insists the Harlem Democrat did not conceal any outside income from the IRS and is paid up on his taxes.

The Post revealed yesterday that Rangel is in arrears on New Jersey property taxes -- for property that for more than 15 years he failed to disclose to Congress and the public.

Another area of wide discrepancy in his financial-disclosure forms is where he's required to list financial transactions.

Every year between 2002 and 2007, Rangel failed to include all his deals for the year, according to records.

Seems to be enough evidence for prosecution.

Rep. Charlie Rangel's multimillion-dollar "oops" this month raises plenty of good questions, but this may be the best: How can Democrats continue to close their eyes to such sleaze?

And, more to the point, this: Will prosecutors follow up on any of it?

Rangel's "corrections" to his financial-disclosure statements from 2002 through 2007 are stunning, even by the low standards of this "error"-prone paperwork-filer -- who, by the way, happens to be in charge of writing the nation's tax laws.

The Harlem Dem now admits that he failed to disclose several million dollars in income and business deals during those years -- including up to $1 million from the sale of a building on 132nd Street.

How could that happen?

Charlie won't say.

Even stranger, city records show that Rangel still owns the building.

How can that be, if Rangel sold it, as he now claims? Maybe the records are wrong, but Charlie's not talking.

Can't be long until this thug plays the race card.

Color This Change

Recently an organization called Color of Change has taken exception with some things that Glenn Beck has said on his show on Fox News, so they started blackmailing, (can I say that?) companies that advertised during his time slot. They are claiming a lot of success and maybe they are having some effect, but not the one they wanted.

Glenn's ratings continue to soar, even though his show airs at 5 pm EST when a lot of us are stuck in rush hour traffic coming home from our job. Well those of us that still have one after the resounding success of the stimulus package has had.

Beck attracted 2.81 million viewers Monday, his third-largest audience since his show launched on Fox News in January, according to Nielsen Media Research data provided by the network. On Tuesday, nearly 2.7 million viewers tuned in, his fifth-largest viewership to date. And the conservative host got a plug from former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who urged people to watch his program in a post on her Facebook page.

While the Color of Change is bragging about their success I would sort of take that with a grain of salt. The companies have not pulled their advertising from Fox, rather Fox has simply moved those commercials to different times, so they continue to reap the benefits of those advertising dollars. The second part is without all of those commercials Glenn now has more time to conduct interviews and have his say, so in essence these idjits have given Glenn more air time to take this administration to task and ask those disturbing questions about Barry O's "friend", who are now political appointees.


If this is victory they must have a really good definition of defeat, I am thinking something along the lines of what happened to the Romans at the hands of Hannibal at The Battle of Lake Trasimene.

Lowlife Congressman Demands to See Constituent's ID

It's come to this folks. We're reduced to the level where obnoxious Democrats are demanding to see the ID of people who have the temerity to question them.

Where are your papers!

Sheer projection. This stooge Moran knows full well Democrats themselves bus in protesters and union thugs from outside districts to make it appear people support this travesty. And he's got the gall to ask one of his own constituents for ID.

This video should make great commercial fodder during the 2010 election cycle.

Democrat Civil War: Loony Stark Calls Moderates 'Brain Dead'

The Democrats are imploding. Not content to lash out at average Americans resisting socialist ObamaCare, now the far-left Bay Area kook Pete Stark is going off on his fellow party members. Who knows, maybe some of the Blue Dogs might come to their senses and switch parties.

A key House liberal suggested Thursday that party moderates who've pushed for changes in health care legislation are "brain dead" and out for insurance company campaign donations.

Moderate Blue Dog Democrats "just want to cause trouble," said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who heads the health subcommittee on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.

"They're for the most part, I hate to say, brain dead, but they're just looking to raise money from insurance companies and promote a right-wing agenda that is not really very useful in this whole process," Stark told reporters on a conference call.

A spokeswoman for the Blue Dog caucus did not immediately respond to an e-mail request for comment.

These Blue Dogs are in a no-win situation. If they continue to resist the Democrats they face being further ostracized within their own ranks, not to mention being threatened, subtly or overtly. If they go along with ObamaCare they face almost certain defeat in the conservative-leaning districts they represent. The smart move would be to jump ship in a bid to salvage their political careers. They're certainly no more liberal than northeast RINOs, so what do they have to lose? It would lay waste to ObamaCare, Nancy Pelosi's tenure as House Speaker would be on life support, they could wield influence in the GOP and a grateful nation would owe them a debt of gratitude.

They sure aren't getting any gratitude being insulted and called brain dead.

Great Moments in Photoshop History: Microsoft Edition

(NY Post, click to enlarge)

Memo to the geniuses at Microsoft: When you start Photoshopping heads, make sure you check the rest of the body parts.

Apparently, Polish business executives won't buy products if the advertisements feature African-Americans.

That appeared to be the assertion software giant Microsoft put forth when it served up a doctored display ad on the Polish version of the company's Web site.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant was red-faced yesterday after consumers noticed that the company replaced an African-American man featured in the US version of its ad with the head of a white man for the Polish version.

The US ad, meant to showcase Microsoft's business IT software, features a politically correct ethnic mix of a white woman, black man, and Asian man seated around a conference table. In the Polish ad, however, the head of a white man replaces the black man.

Some online commentators suggested that Poland's predominately white population might have been a factor in doctoring the image. Indeed, the largest non-white group in Poland is the Vietnamese, which account for around 3 percent of the country's 38 million citizens.

If the ad's designers were more adept at Photoshop, however, perhaps no one would have noticed. But the software geniuses forgot to swap out the black man's hand, which is clearly visible in the ad resting on the conference table.

Moving to quickly squash the racially charged kerfuffle, Microsoft apologized and said that it was "looking into the details of the situation."

Perhaps Bill Gates will soon be visiting the White House for a beer. Furthermore, how much longer until the race pimps shake Microsoft down?

Another Failed Obama, er British Plan

Are any of the liberal Democrats listening or paying attention to the news coming out of Europe, and more specifically England in regards to what happens when you keep raising taxes?

We have all heard all the stories coming from the country once known as Great Britain regarding the debate over government control of the healthcare system but I don't think much attention is being paid to all of the other news from across the Big Pond regarding financial matters.

Today's entry in that list of warning signs that we really ought to pay attention to but aren't, is about American expats who are now fleeing England and returning home due to the rising tax rates. Where will they go when they find out the tax rate here, if the Democrats have their way, will soon make those tax rates seem like small potatos?

Americans are heading home as Britain plans a 50 percent tax rate for those who earn more than 150,000 pounds ($248,000) a year and employers cut benefits for workers living abroad, reducing the allure of London. That comes a year after the U.K. said foreigners who have lived in the country for more than seven years must pay 30,000 pounds annually or give up the special status that shields overseas income from British taxes.

Anybody else get a sort of deja vu feeling when they see the amounts quoted? Do you sometimes think that the only thing Barry O is doing is looking at policies imposed in England, which have mostly failed, and proposing them here and trying to claim them as original or his own?

That $250,000 amount sure seems to be some sort of magic number.

Chris 'Sandwich King' Dodd Vows to Carry on Ted Kennedy's Work

I guess from here on out Connecticut sleazebag Chris Dodd will only be doing open-faced waitress sandwiches.

Desperate to maintain his standing as one of the most corrupt members of the U.S. Senate, the oily Democrat promises to keep carrying out the legacy of his now deceased drinking buddy. So I guess he now plans on driving off bridges, slandering judges, guzzling copious amounts of Chivas Regal and groping drunken women. All that while getting favorable mortgages from shady lenders and helping run our financial system into the ground.

In other words, business as usual.

Sen. Christopher Dodd says he'll push hard to win the far-reaching health care overhaul championed by Sen. Edward Kennedy, whom Dodd viewed almost like a brother.

Dodd's dedication to carrying on Kennedy's career-long quest for universal health care is not surprising. Dodd, D-Conn., and Kennedy, D-Mass., were friends since Dodd arrived in the Senate nearly 30 years ago and served together for years on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that Kennedy chaired. Tapped by Kennedy himself, Dodd filled in for his ailing friend this summer as Kennedy's committee tackled, and approved, a bill to expand health insurance coverage, the first time a congressional panel has approved a health care overhaul plan.

In a voice choked with emotion, Dodd recounted for reporters his final months with Kennedy, 77, who died Tuesday after battling brain cancer.

"I don't remember not knowing him," said Dodd. "It's like losing a brother."

Of course Dodd may not realize it in his moment of grief but Barack Obama is now the last Kennedy brother. Move over, Chrissy.

It's funny, but if universal health care was Kennedy's life goal, why did he oppose Richard Nixon's plan back in the 1970s?

Ted Kennedy often said his biggest political mistake was turning down a health care deal with Richard Nixon, and Kennedy's old lament had Democrats yesterday thinking again about compromise on reform.

Kennedy said he turned down the universal health coverage plan offered by the Republican President in the early 1970s because it wasn't everything he wanted it to be. He later realized it was a missed opportunity to make major progress toward his goal.

Texas Farmer Says No to Obama

If you're flying over Texas this might be a welcome message.

A Lubbock man took out his frustrations with the Obama health care plan recently by plowing his protest into a field of weeds. The plan could cost taxpayers trillions of dollars over the next several years, MSNBC reports.

Sam Bates, a former art teacher cut down some weeds and left a large message visible from the sky: “Say no to Obama!”

"I thought, maybe some pilots flying from here to Dallas would get a good chuckle," Bates said.

Al Franken and Swindlers: Perfect Together

These Democrats are just amazing. Everywhere you look they're up to their ears in corrupt cronies. Just a day after a major Democrat fundraiser was busted for fraud, Minnesota's neophyte senator, the failed comedian, was forced to cancel a fundraiser being held by a convicted swindler.

Sen. Al Franken said Wednesday that he canceled a fundraiser after learning the host of the event served a year in prison for swindling some northern Minnesotans.

The host was Mark Erjavec, who was convicted in 1997 of theft by swindle. He served a 13-month jail sentence in St. Louis County.

The self-described real estate entrepreneur has also faced tax liens and a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Franken's campaign finance director, Dinah Dale, said the Thursday fundraiser was called off "as soon as we learned about Mr. Erjavec's past."

So they're basically admitting they do not vet these people before jumping into bed with them. Why on earth would a politician schedule a fundraiser with someone whose background they have no knowledge of? Are they simply incompetent or were they just looking the other way while trying to line their pockets?

Well, that answer is easy: They don't care where the money comes from so long as it keeps flowing in.

Franken had been expected to attend the evening event at a St. Paul home on Summit Avenue two doors down from the historic James J. Hill House.

Suggested contributions included $2,400 for a co-host, $1,000 for a sponsor, $500 for a benefactor, $250 for a patron and $100 for a friend.

Erjavec's former lawyer, Bruce Williams, of Virginia, Minn., said his client, 21 at the time, was immature and regretted his actions. One potential victim was a Roman Catholic priest from Chisholm who said he invested $10,000 of his own and his parish's money into a certificate of deposit that turned out to be forged.

"He did his time, and life goes on," Williams said.

In May, the IRS filed a federal tax lien against Erjavec for $14,258. A trademark infringement suit against him by General Electric ended with a permanent injunction. He also has been sued for breach of contract, consumer fraud and violating federal truth in lending laws.

The convict naturally has a good excuse for his rampant criminal behavior: the economy.

"As the economy has had its challenges, I continue to work through my own personal challenges," the statement said. "It's unfortunate that my personal support of the senator has been used in a business dispute."

The folks in Minnesota must be thrilled to be stuck with Franken for another five years.

Surprise! Suddenly Wealthy Rangel Also a Tax Cheat

Considering Charlie Rangel just happened to stumble across nearly $800,000 in previously unreported assets, does it surprise anyone the chairman of the House committee that writes tax law also happens to be a tax cheat?

The Tax Man is a deadbeat.

Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, has failed to pay taxes on two plots of land he has in New Jersey, records show.

Rangel's ownership of the small, undeveloped properties came to light on Tuesday only after he drastically amended at least six years of financial-disclosure forms he had filed annually with the House clerk as required by law.

The corrected filings as much as doubled the amount of personal wealth Rangel has claimed going back years and revealed at least $780,000 in previously unreported assets.

The Harlem Democrat concealed somewhere between $38,902 and $116,800 in 2007 income, according to the revised filings.

Among the assets he failed to list was a checking account containing somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000.

Also undisclosed for years were two lots he owns in Glassboro, NJ, about 100 miles from the city.

Rangel is delinquent on his taxes on that property, according to the Gloucester County Clerk's office.

He currently owes $159.39 in unpaid property taxes for the second and third quarters of this year, according to the clerk's office.

Rangel's second-quarter taxes were due May 1 and his third-quarter taxes were due at the beginning of this month.

Skating on property taxes is nothing new for Rangel.

A review of property records for the borough of Glassboro revealed at least six tax liens levied against Rangel's property during the past 16 years.

Just last year, two separate liens were levied against both properties owned by Rangel.

Of course if you were the owner of such undisclosed properties you probably would have forfeited them despite the seemingly small amount of taxes owed. You see, you're just an average schmo, not a well-protected member of the political class who just so happens to be a member of the most ethical Congress ever. Since Rangel also has a certain complexion, he also has that ace in the hole ready to use at any time--calling critics racist.

Rangel was allegedly going to explain his sudden windfall but apparently found better things to do yesterday.

Rangel's office did not respond to repeated questions yesterday from The Post about his failure to pay taxes.

Meanwhile, Rangel was scheduled to hold a press conference yesterday just as dozens of stories revealed his ongoing ethical woes in Congress.

Rangel canceled the press conference at the last minute, citing "changes in his schedule," according to one participant.

Of course Rangel can hold his seat for life since he wins overwhelmingly in his solid Democrat district and Queen Pelosi will never show him the door. But if the GOP is smart (always a huge if), Rangel becomes a poster-boy for all things corrupt during next year's election cycle. That is, of course, unless they're afraid of being called racist.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Another Stimulus Success Story: Cash for Criminals

This will no doubt go over well.

The federal government sent about 3,900 economic stimulus payments of $250 each this spring to people who were in no position to use the money to help stimulate the economy: prison inmates.

The checks were part of the massive economic recovery package approved by Congress and President Barack Obama in February. About 52 million Social Security recipients, railroad retirees and those receiving Supplemental Security Income were eligible for the one-time checks.

Prison inmates are generally ineligible for federal benefits. However, 2,200 of the inmates who received checks got to keep them because, under the law, they were eligible, said Mark Lassiter, a spokesman for the Social Security Administration. They were eligible because they weren't incarcerated in any of the three months before the recovery package was enacted.

"The law specified that any beneficiary eligible for a Social Security benefit during one of those months was eligible for the recovery payment," Lassiter said.

The other 1,700 checks? That was a mistake.

Checks were sent to those inmates because government records didn't accurately show they were in prison, Lassiter said. He said most of those checks were returned by the prisons.

The Boston Herald first reported that the checks were sent to inmates.

The inspector general for the Social Security Administration is performing an audit to make sure no checks went to ineligible recipients, spokesman George E. Penn said.

The audit, which had already been planned, will examine whether checks incorrectly went to inmates, dead people, fugitive felons or people living outside the U.S., Penn said.

Basically all the people any stimulus money should not be going to. Glad to see my tax money being so well spent.

'I Just Wanted to Come and Breathe the Same Air as Them'

Obama worship taken to an absurd extreme. Good grief, people, he's not a higher being.

This town has been a summer haven for generations of African-Americans, from writers like Dorothy West to civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

But none have caused quite as much commotion as President Obama, whose dinner out here Tuesday night had residents flooding into the streets - and bursting with pride.

"I just wanted to come and breathe the same air as them," said Gloria Rayburn, 75, who joined some 800-plus others along Oak Bluffs' main drag, where they had gathered in hopes of catching a glimpse of America's first black President.

I guess that nonsense from Obama about wanting privacy was BS.

More on the silliness here.

Hundreds of appreciative onlookers bid good-night to the president and first lady after their dinner with shouts of "We love you," and "Thank you for everything."

Ace links. Thanks!

Obama's Summer Re-Reading

One of the dumbest annual exercises is the media's silly obsession with what presidents read during their summer vacation. Since they thought George W. Bush was such a dunce they always made sure to tell us what he was supposedly reading between covering his brush-clearing and Cindy Sheehan press conferences. So naturally with Barack Obama touted to be some towering intellect we've already seen countless stories about what he's reading while not sending us further into crushing debt and hitting triple bogeys on the golf course.

So we note with some amusement this report from a sharp-eyed NY Post scribe.

Looks like President Obama is one slow reader.

The commander in chief's list of beach books for his Martha's Vineyard vacation includes an environmental best seller that he bragged about reading almost a year ago on the campaign trail.

Obama was so taken with Thomas Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded" that he quoted it at a rally last September in Flint, Mich., and one media outlet described it as the book that was currently on the then-candidate's nightstand.

The 448-page book appeared again on Monday on the list of five books that Obama planned to read on his vacation in Martha's Vineyard.

For his weeklong vacation, the White House claims Obama also brought along four other books -- ranging from gritty crime drama "Lush Life" by Richard Price to David McCullough's 752-page "John Adams."

Maybe he should have brought a golf book.

After hitting the links at the Mink Meadows course in Vineyard Haven with his personal chef Sam Kass, a neighbor spotted Obama shooting a triple bogey -- at best.

No doubt Obama's lackeys at MSNBC and CNN will be yukking it up over this gaffe.

Instapundit, Ace and Hot Air link. Thanks!

RIP, Ted Kennedy

As any casual reader of this blog knows we had little love for Senator Ted Kennedy, though today we pass along our condolences to the Kennedy family on the death of the Massachusetts senator.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who carried aloft the torch of a Massachusetts dynasty and a liberal ideology to the citadel of Senate power, but whose personal and political failings may have prevented him from realizing the ultimate prize of the presidency, died at his home in Hyannis Port last night after a battle with brain cancer. He was 77.

“We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever,’’ his family said in a statement. “We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness, and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it’s hard to imagine any of them without him.’’

Overcoming a history of family tragedy, including the assassinations of a brother who was president and another who sought the presidency, Senator Kennedy seized the role of being a “Senate man.’’ He became a Democratic titan of Washington who fought for the less fortunate, who crafted unlikely deals with conservative Republicans, and who ceaselessly sought support for universal health coverage.

“Teddy,’’ as he was known to intimates, constituents, and even his fiercest enemies, was an unwavering symbol to the left and the right - the former for his unapologetic embrace of liberalism, and latter for his value as a political target. But with his fiery rhetoric, his distinctive Massachusetts accent, and his role as representative of one of the nation’s best-known political families, he was widely recognized as an American original. In the end, some of those who might have been his harshest political enemies, including former President George W. Bush, found ways to collaborate with the man who was called the “last lion’’ of the Senate.

While we have no doubt the Democrats will do all they can to exploit his death and will probably have a Wellstone memorial on steroids, we'll stay above that.

Update: The first thing the NY Times concerns themselves with is how quickly can the Democrats replace him in order to pass ObamaCare.

While Massachusetts voters would likely vote in another Democratic senator, any delays caused by a special election could hinder efforts by the party to corral the 60 votes needed in the United States Senate to move health care legislation forward.

But the effort to find a quick replacement for Mr. Kennedy may prove complicated. In the week before his death, reaction to his request on Beacon Hill ranged from muted to hostile. The state’s Democrats found themselves in the awkward position of being asked to reverse their own 2004 initiative calling for special elections in such instances.

Heck, the Democrats never concerned themselves with being rank hypocrites, so why bother now?

Instapundit links. Thanks!

Plenty of reaction via Memeorandum.

Update: Needless to say, Rush Limbaugh has been proven right before he even takes to the Golden EIB microphone today.

Great News: Cash for Clunkers Rebates are Taxable

When something seems to be too good to be true, remember there are some sneaky Democrats likely behind it waiting to pick your pocket.

The Cash For Clunkers program is adding to the activity at treasurers' offices all around South Dakota. First, people were asking for proof of ownership, so they could show they owned their vehicle for a full year, allowing them to cash it in. Now, they'll be returning to register their new vehicle. And when they do, new owners need to bring every bit of paperwork provided to them by their dealer.

"That means they need their title, their damage disclosure, their bill of sale and the dealers have 30 days to get that to them," Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson said.

But many of those cashing in on the clunkers program are surprised when they get to the treasurer's office windows. That's because the government's rebate of up to $4500 dollars for every clunker is taxable.

"They didn't realize that would be taxable. A lot of people don't realize that. So they're not happy and kind of surprised when they find that out," Nelson said.

You've been hosed.

The amusement here is how most (if not all) states compute sales tax (charged when you register the vehicle.)

When you buy a new car you pay tax on the difference between the new car's purchase price and the trade-in you present to the dealer. This is an intentional distortion in the law that is intended to favor dealers over private-party used car sales; if you sell your used car privately the new buyer pays sales tax but you do not get the offset on the purchase of your replacement vehicle - the only way to get that is to trade the car.

Dealers use this, of course, in negotiations, effectively pocketing the sales tax - and why not? It's a real difference to you!

But the "cash for clunkers" is not a trade-in. That's a $4,500 check from the government, basically.

So you get nailed at least once and possibly twice. Specifically, you pay sales tax on the full vehicle price (effectively paying sales tax on the $4,500!) and what's worse those states that tax income (that would be most of them!) might wind up counting this as income for state income tax purposes too, effectively taxing you twice.

Via Business Insider.

Tonight's Mega Millions Lottery Winner is ... Charlie Rangel!

Well, not exactly, but whoever wins tonight's quarter-billion dollar jackpot won't be the only one today who stumbled upon some newly-found (cough) wealth.

Embattled Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel, who has been plagued by a series of ethics investigations over the past year, has disclosed more than $500,000 in previously unreported assets, according to a report today.

Among the new items on Rangel's amended 2007 financial disclosure forms were an account at the Congressional Federal Credit Union worth at least $250,000, another account with at least $250,000, land in New Jersey and stock in Pepsi and fast food giant Yum!, Congressional Quarterly reported on its Web site.

None of those investments appeared on the original report, which Rangel (D-Harlem) originally filed in May 2008.

In the original report, Rangel's net worth was listed between $516,015 and $1.3 million. The amended report shows his net worth in 2007 at roughly double that amount to a whopping $2.4 million.

Rangel also revised his disclosed investment income from 2007.

The original report showed he had received between $6,511 and $17,900, but the new report shows between $45,423 and $134,700, according to Congressional Quarterly.

Sure looks like Yum! also kept him amply served in fast food.

More from CQ.

Rangel is already the subject of two separate investigations by the House ethics committee, and the latest disclosures will only bring more scrutiny to the chairman, whose committee is deeply involved in the debate over changing the health care system.

One ethics subcommittee is examining a variety of matters related to Rangel. He has been accused of violating city rules by maintaining multiple rent-controlled residences in New York; he failed, for two decades, to tell the IRS about income from a rental property in the Dominican Republic; and the Washington Post reported last year that Rangel was using official letterhead to solicit corporate contributions for an earmark-subsidized education center at City College of New York that bears his name.

One disclosure in the reports addresses the issue the other ethics subcommittee is exploring: a three-day conference in November to Sonesta Maho Bay Resort & Casino in St. Maarten. The trip sparked an investigation after a conservative group, the National Legal and Policy Center, claimed Rangel and other lawmakers violated House rules by accepting money for a trip lasting more than two days that was paid for by companies that employ lobbyists.

But Rangel’s new financial disclosure form states that the trip was paid for by New York Carib News Foundation, which is affiliated with a newspaper aimed at New York’s Caribbean immigrant community. Rangel reported taking a similar trip to Antigua and Barbuda paid for by the same organization a year earlier.

Other lawmakers who went on the same trip and have been examined by the ethics committee were Reps. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick , D-Mich; Donald M. Payne , D-N.J.; Bennie Thompson , D-Miss.; and Del. Donna M.C. Christensen , D-V.I.

Ah yes, the most ethical Congres ever.

It's time to call in the U.S. attorney.

Rangel can’t claim that he merely overlooked reporting a half million in various assets. These omissions appear willful and deliberate. Of course, we have no idea whether he has finally reported all his assets or is still hiding more. In any case, this is a matter not only for the Ethics Committee but also the U.S. Attorney. Lawmakers have gone to jail for less serious flaws in their financial disclosures.

Major Democrat Fundraiser Charged With Fraud

Democrats and fraud, perfect together. And in what should be considered a stunning development, the word Democrat actually appears in the Reuters headline.

The U.S. attorney in New York on Tuesday charged a New York investor and major Democratic fund-raiser with a $74 million scheme to defraud Citigroup Inc (C.N).

Hassan Nemazee, 59, was charged with one count of bank fraud, and faces up to 30 years in prison plus a fine. His lawyer Marc Mukasey, a former federal prosecutor, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Nemazee was a national finance chair of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign, and a supporter of John Kerry's run for the White House in 2004.

He typically donates more than $100,000 annually to Democratic political candidates, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Charles Schumer, and sits on the board of the Iranian American Political Action Committee .

Bill Clinton, when he was president, nominated Nemazee to be U.S. ambassador to Argentina.

Prosecutors said Nemazee, the chairman and chief executive of Nemazee Capital Corp, sought to induce Citigroup's banking unit to lend up to $74 million based on fraudulent and forged documents suggesting that he had hundreds of millions of dollars of accounts available as collateral.

They said Nemazee also provided Citigroup with fake references so that when the bank would try to confirm details about his accounts, it would actually be contacting him. The scheme lasted from December 2006 to this month, the prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said federal agents stopped him on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Rome, and that he repaid a more than $74 million loan to Citigroup the following day.

Sounds like he was going to abscond like another Clinton pal, Marc Rich.

Chuckie Schumer ought to be pleased to find out another of his major fundraisers now faces prison, just like his pal Bernie Madoff.

In addition to Nemazee and the now-imprisoned Norman Hsu, I wonder how many other criminal fundraisers were helping Hillary Clinton?

Here's a rundown of Democrats Nemazee contributed to: Also included are Democrat Senators Barbara Boxer, Joe Biden, Kirsten Gillibrand, Frank Lautenberg, Dick Durbin, Carl Levin, and Jay Rockefeller.

I'll wait with breathless anticipation for all of them to comment and offer to return his dirty money.

Michelle Malkin already has material for a new chapter of her best-selling book.