Last week the Associated Press created a firestorm by sending a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notice to the liberal news aggregation blog called the Drudge Retort. (Not Drudge Report). They accused the site of infringing on their copyright by including excerpts of AP stories. They also announced that they will start charging bloggers, or anyone for that matter, who post as little as 5 words on their sites. I do agree that cutting and pasting an entire story or not linking to the original source is wrong, but the AP is going way beyond the copyright laws by insisting that excerpting as little as 5 words amounts to an infringement.

I believe the Associated Press is taking a page from the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and have decided to join the "sue as a business model" gravy train. The AP, like the RIAA, is trying to redefine fair use. The RIAA has created a revenue stream for themselves simply by threatening lawsuits. They don't even have to go to court because they only threaten people of modest means who cannot afford to defend themselves. They will never go after big pocket downloaders because there is an extreme risk to them if they lose even one case. This has been extremely lucrative for the RIAA who so far have sued over 20,000 people with an average settlement of $3000.00. This amounts to over 60 million dollars in settlements without having to spend a day in court.

Where the Associated Press went wrong is they did not realize how connected the blogesphere is where even a relatively small blog can communicate with the major bloggers. If the Associated Press threatens to sue any blogger no matter how small the story will snowball and traverse the entire blogesphere in lightning speed.

Another major miscalculation by the AP is they went after a popular blog that could defend itself if it had to, not to mention the fact that the AP's position is so legally weak that lawyers would be chopping at the bit to take on a case like this. The AP quickly realized their colossal blunder and backed down at least where the Drudge Retort is concerned, but I don't believe this is the end of this controversy. One thing is for sure, the AP will do anything to keep this out of court because they do not want to set any precedents that may hurt them. The big bloggers are safe from lawsuits no matter how much they quote AP stories but I would not be surprised to see intimidating letters from the AP sent to small bloggers that will demand cash settlements with additional threats if they post the letters on their blogs or make them public in any way.

The Associated Press has set up a website that bloggers can pay for excerpts and it starts at $12.50 for as little as 5 words. What is particularly heinous is their "terms of use". In it a blogger must agree not to criticize the AP, nor any of it's members or writers or even the people who are the subjects of the article. So in other words if I agreed to their terms and post an excerpt of an AP story on Barrack Obama, John McCain, or President Bush, I would be violating the terms if I was to criticize them in my article. So not only is the AP trying to take away our fair use rights but they are attempting to take away our freedom of speech as well, and at the same time wanting us to pay them for the privilege of linking to them.

As long as the Associated Press continues this outrageous attack on our fair use rights this blog will no longer link to any AP articles. Many other bloggers are doing the same including many of the major blogs. Once the AP sees their traffic go down they may learn to appreciate how valuable bloggers are to them.

Hillary Clinton's inevitable cakewalk through the primary process, specifically tailored for her triumphal march to the presidency by divine right, has been thrust down to the flames of Hell where it belongs. The Clinton dynasty is vanquished. Good bye and good riddance.

Ding dong the witch is dead. Barrack Obama has dropped a house on her.

Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.
Wake up - sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed.
Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead. She's gone where the goblins go,
Below - below - below. Yo-ho, let's open up and sing and ring the bells out.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Witch is dead!

Today Hillary conceded defeat and "endorsed" Barrack Obama. With 30 million in bills, her campaign is now relegated to begging for cash to bail her out. When she returns to the Senate she may find her power severely diminished. She was afforded unprecedented power for a junior Senator since she had always been the presumptive Democratic nominee. Now that she returns with her tail between her legs and the fact that many of her colleagues backed Obama, she may find it a rather chilly place. Her only chance now is for Barack Obama to lose this election then she can try again in four years. I wouldn't put it past her to secretly work for his defeat.

Barack Obama seems to have a 6th sense. In a Memorial day speech in New Mexico he said:

On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes — and I see many of them in the audience here today — our sense of patriotism is particularly strong.

So does Barack Obama really see dead people?





Trackbacks and Links: Michelle Malkin; Wizbang; Stop The ACLU; Hot Air:

Subway Sandwiches is holding a creative writing contest where winners can win athletic equipment, gift baskets and Subway cards. The problem is they are excluding home schoolers from entering the contest. Are they afraid that home schooled children will have too much of an advantage? Judging by the spelling errors in their ad the writers are obviously products of government schools. They could learn a thing or two from home schooled children.


This is an outrage. Here is the phone number and address of Subway Corporation:

Subway Franchise Headquarters
325 Bic Drive
Milford, CT 06461-3059
800 888-4848

Or fill out this online comment form

Let them know that they may allow discrimination in the "Untied States" but not the United States.

Hat tip to Michelle Malkin for bringing this to our attention.

Trackbacks

How NOT to Hold a Contest at Your Store | Musings From a Catholic Bookstore;
Subway = “Wrong Way” On Contest Homeschool Ban? » OpinionBug.com;
Up North Mommy;
Socialist “Curriculum” cannot penetrate home schools…therefore, they must be outlawed. (Updated);
Wizbang;
Sierra Faith;
Dear Subway, : Adam LawsonSubway sandwiches HATES home schoolers! | The TIW Blog;
No Home Schoolers need apply - I don’t like Subway anyway | Scott's Morning Brew
Citizens for Reasonable and Fair Taxes - Subway Says "NO" to Homeschoolers;

She said she dodged bullets in Bosnia, but can she dodge this bullet she aimed at herself? yesterday she implied that she is staying in the race in case something happens to Barack Obama similar to what happened to Bobby Kennedy in June of 1968. Kennedy was Assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in California after winning the California Primary.



Knowing how vindictive Hillary Clinton is, could this have also been payback for The Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama? Ted Kennedy was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and emotions have to be running very high in the Kennedy family. This reminder of a family tragedy can only add to the pain they are currently going through.

Hillary made a half hearted apology but she never mentioned Obama for her self serving and ill-conceived remarks.

Clinton Remark on Kennedy’s Killing Stirs Uproar

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

BRANDON, S.D. — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton defended staying in the Democratic nominating contest on Friday by pointing out that her husband had not wrapped up the nomination until June 1992, adding, “We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”

Her remarks were met with quick criticism from the campaign of Senator Barack Obama, and within hours of making them Mrs. Clinton expressed regret, saying, “The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Senator Kennedy,” referring to the recent diagnosis of Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s brain tumor. She added, “And I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and in particular the Kennedy family was in any way offensive.”

Still, the comments touched on one of the most sensitive aspects of the current presidential campaign — concern for Mr. Obama’s safety. And they come as Democrats have been talking increasingly of an Obama/Clinton ticket, with friends of the Clintons saying that Bill Clinton is musing about the possibility that the vice presidency might be his wife’s best path to the presidency if she loses the nomination.

Like a vulture, Hillary is staying in the race hoping some unfortunate event knocks Obama out of the race where she can step in. Knowing how many fatal "accidents" and "suicides" have occurred with people associated with the Clinton's you never know what will happen, but if I was Barack Obama I wouldn't go any where near Fort Marcy Park.

Related Posts:
Hillary Dodges Bullets and Bills
Hillary Clinton's Scorched Earth Policy

Hillary's RFK Assassination Gaffe Lights up the Blogosphere:

Stop The ACLU: Hillary: I’m Staying In, Just in Case Obama Gets Assassinated?;
Ed Driscoll.com;
South Dakota Moderate: Clinton’s Latest Excuse;
Scared Monkey: Hillary Clinton: I’m Staying in Race, You Never Know if Obama Could Gets Shot Like Robert Kennedy … Assassination Comments!!!;
Clinton Apologizes After Invoking RFK Assassination To Stay In Race;
The World According To Carl;
Gun Toting Liberal: Question Of The Day: Did Hillary Clinton Just Make A Veiled Threat Of An Obama Assasination?;
Stuck On Stupid;
PAXALLES;
One Utah: Hillary’s No Good, Terrible, Awful, Very Bad Day;
Hot Air: Hillary: I’m sticking around in case Obama gets shot;
Michelle Malkin: Hillary's Foot-in-Mouth Moment;
Outside the Beltway:Hillary: Obama Assassination Insurance;
Blogs of War: Conservative Blog Roundup;
Riehl World View: Shh! ... JFK, RFK and King Were Assassinated;
Axis of Right:Is She Who Must Not Be Named Being “Dean Screamed”?
Protein Wisdom: The irony of the Hillary Clinton/RFK flap [Karl];
Wizbang Blog:Hillary: I'm Staying in the Primary in Case Obama is Assassinated;
Sister Toljah: Boneheaded Political Comment of the Week;
Macs Mind: Did Hillary Signal the "Code Red"?;
Jules Critenden: Stupid, Tasteless, Calculated?;
Bald Eagle 08: 12 Reasons why Hillary's Assassination Remark is a Big Deal.;
Amboy Times: That's why Hillary is Still In?;
Andrew Sullivan-Atlantic.com: 'Paging Dr Freud';
Below The Beltway: Hillary Apologizes For Robert Kennedy/Obama Remarks
Below The Beltway: Hillary Clinton: I’m Staying In The Race Because Barack Might Die Like RFK



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Hillary Clinton’s RFK Assassination Remarks - Conservative Blog Roundup Excerpt: Hillary can actually find a little sympathy on the right. It kust goes to show you how truly bizarre this race has become. Little Green Footballs The ridiculous media hyperventilation over Hillary Clinton’s remark about Robert Kennedy’s assassina... Weblog: Blogs of War Tracked: 05.24.08 - 12:57 pm

Video: Vets4Freedom have a question of Obama Excerpt: As many of you remember, the Vets For Freedom went to DC on April 8, 2008, to meet with our congressmen and senators on the same day that General Patraeus was to testify before congress. Most of the people we pay to be there showed up, including Weblog: Rosemary's Thoughts Tracked: 05.25.08 - 4:15 am

Memorial Day - For Freedom's Warriors Excerpt: All of us denounce war -- all of us consider it man's greatest stupidity. And yet wars happen and they involve the most passionate lovers of peace because there are still barbarians in the world who set the price for peace at death or enslavement and... Weblog: Maggie's Notebook Tracked: 05.25.08 - 4:25 am

Update: We did it again! No H-2B visas! Excerpt: I have just received the great news that all the phone calls we have made to our Congressional people have caused them to strip not only the Ag Jobs amnesty bill from the Defense supplemental, but we have also stripped the additional guest worker Weblog: Rosemary's Thoughts Tracked: 05.25.08 - 5:15 am

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is suing the Bush administration for its pandering to extreme environmentalists by designated the polar bear as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, or as I call it the "Stop All Development the Left doesn't like Act". Alaska Governor says that the polar bear numbers are healthy and the designation is based on questionable climate models.

By Yereth Rosen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - The state of Alaska will sue the U.S. government to stop the listing of the polar bear as a threatened species, arguing the designation will slow development in the state, Gov. Sarah Palin said on Wednesday.

Palin said the state will file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington challenging U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne's decision to grant Endangered Species Act protections to the polar bear.

The Republican governor has argued that the ice-dependent polar bear, the first mammal granted Endangered Species Act listing because of global warming, does not need additional protections.

"We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it's unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models," said Alaska Assistant Attorney General Steven Daugherty.

As predicted extreme environmentalists are unhappy with the "threatened" designation. They are suing to force the administration to list the polar bear at the most restrictive designation to "endangered". Doing so would put off limits any activity that is thought to harm polar bears and since this designation is based entirely on global warming theory it has the potential to restrict or even stop all activities that is thought to contribute to global warming. This is why these extremist groups want so badly to change the designation to "endangered".

By Dan Joling, Associated Press Writer

ANCHORAGE — Conservation groups returned to court to challenge Bush administration efforts to help save the polar bear, saying federal officials' refusal to include steps against global warming violates the Endangered Species Act.

In court documents filed late Friday, the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups asked a federal judge to reject Interior Department actions that were announced last week.

Polar bears are threatened with extinction in many areas because of the melting of their sea ice habitat. The groups say greenhouse gas emissions have led to rapid melting in the Arctic.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, facing a court deadline because of the groups' earlier lawsuit, had announced Wednesday that polar bears would be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

ALASKA DEBATE: Governor says polar bear listing not merited, jeopardizes oil search

FROM LAST WEEK: U.S. adds polar bear to threatened list

Among the steps he proposed to help them were increasing research and working with Canada to help the bears survive in the wild. But he rejected the addition of broad steps to reduce greenhouse gases, saying he would not allow the Endangered Species Act to be "misused" to regulate global climate change.

Kassie Siegel, climate director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said the administration's proposal "violates both logic and the law" because it did not address the primary threat to polar bears. The listing of polar bears under the law is significant, she acknowledged, but the groups want them classified as endangered, a more serious category than threatened.

Joining in the court case were Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council. They announced their new federal court filing on Tuesday.

Interior spokesman Shane Wolfe said the department generally does not comment on pending litigation.

"The simple fact is that the Endangered Species Act is not a means to address the global challenges of climate change, which call for a global solution," he said.

Let us hope that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, along with common sense, prevails. If the other side wins we will long for the day that gas prices were only 4-5 dollars a gallon. Isn't it interesting that the same people who are putting road blocks to drilling our own oil are the same (Nancy Pelosy) that are complaining about the price of gas. The truth is these dangerous extremists would be just as happy to see gas at 10 - 15 dollars a gallon if the bulk of it was going to the government. They just don't like seeing all the money go to the oil companies. These eco-fascists don't give a damn about polar bears. What they want is our freedom and strict controls imposed over every aspect of our lives. They are enemies of capitalism and our way of life. They must be opposed and stopped or else the freedoms we have enjoyed for over 200 years will be over.

Related Post: Bush Administration Grants Environmentalists Absolute Power

	Air conditioned comfort under hot lights.
Are you going to eat that whole sandwich?
	Nice SUV Obama!
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

Don't worry Senator Obama. We'll make the sacrifices so you wont have to.


Related Post: We Must Do More To Offset The Celebrity Lifestyle

Trackbacks and Links: Hot Air; Slublog; Michelle Malkin; Don Surber;

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has said the Republican Party needs to "rebrand" itself, and that we are no longer appealing to the majority of Americans. He says we need to bring the party to the center? Is this true, or is moving left to the center what is hurting the party in the first place? A GOP rebrand like that sounds like the best idea since New Coke.


Thank you Michelle Malkin for featuring my Photoshopped New GOPon your blog!

Schwarzenegger calls for 'rebranding' GOP

Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Sunday, May 18, 2008

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger created shock and awe in the Republican Party when he warned years ago that the GOP was in danger of "dying at the box office" by failing to make the sale to a wide swath of voters.

And with the presidential election looming, the Republican governor of the nation's most populous state - a decidedly blue state - has now found a chorus of agreement. The Republican "brand" - thanks to an unpopular president, a war, gas prices, foreclosures and deficit - has become such damaged goods that GOP Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia groused last week that "if we were dog food, they would take us off the shelf."

The answer for GOP presidential candidate John McCain: take a page out of the Schwarzenegger playbook and sell a product that is "counter" to the current GOP brand on issues like global warming, spending and even immigration reform.

McCain comes to the Golden State this week on a campaign and fundraising swing, including a rally Thursday in Stockton being publicized with an invitation graced by a picture of a McCain hug - not with President Bush but with Schwarzenegger.

And the governor, in an interview with The Chronicle last week, had some candid advice and observations, not only about the GOP brand - but on McCain's efforts to expand his appeal to independents and disillusioned Democrats.

Schwarzenegger is right about the fact the GOP is in dire straits, but taking it further left is a recipe for disaster and will most likely result in a split with the conservative base. If that happens the GOP ceases to be a major party that can counter the Democrats when they seek to enact their socialist agenda when they are expected to win big this November.

The Democrats are so confident they will win this fall they are beginning to expose their socialist side that they normally try to hide. Barack Obama, the presumed Democrat nominee, told a crowd in Oregon that we can no longer drive the car we want, eat what we want or heat and air condition our homes at a comfortable level.

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

What this is, is code for socialist policies that will give the government the power to tell us what we can drive, eat, and how to live. This is not the America any of want to live in but this is exactly where Democrats want to take us, and a weakened GOP will be powerless to stop it. The GOP does not need to be rebranded. What it needs is to get back to bedrock conservative principles such as lower taxes and spending, accountability, individual freedom and liberty, and family values, and national sovereignty. Not only say that we believe these things but actually implement them. Republicans in Congress are in trouble because they have abandoned those core values. We cannot win by being Democrat lite, neither can we win by being less socialist than the Democrats. We need to boldly proclaim who we are and what we believe in. Unfortunately, the new standard bearer for the GOP, John McCain, is taking the Schwarzenegger route and bringing the Party further to the left. The Republican "Re-brand" may turn out to be the biggest marketing disaster since New Coke.

Trackbacks and Links: Michelle Malkin- The Schwarze-fication of the GOP; One Utah-Michelle Malkin Harvesting Utah for Last Right-Winger Standing; Adam's Blog-Obama Knows Best;

Barack Obama has taken offense at President Bush's Speech where the President warned about the dangers of appeasement. It seems like the President hit a nerve that may prove to be based in reality. Like Neville Chamberlain before him, with Obama as President there may very well be appeasement in our time.
A speech by President George W Bush delivered in Israel has set off a firestorm of controversy among Democrats who are claiming it was an attack on Barack Obama's foriegn policy credentials. The White house has denied this and said it was targeted towards Jimmy Carter who has recently met with dictators and terrorists. Obama has already said that as President he vows to do the same thing and directly sit down with the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Basher Assad of Syria as well as leaders of Hamas.

Even if Bush's speech was aimed at Carter his words still ring true with Barack Obama which is why the accusation of appeasement has hit home with the Democrats.

Bush said "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We've heard this foolish delusion before."

Bush also mentioned an American senator in 1939 wishing he could have talked Hitler out of his invasion of Poland. "We have an obligation to call this what it is: the false comfort of appeasement."

Bush is absolutely correct. To carry on a duologue with rogue states and terrorists would be a huge mistake and can only result in appeasement. In return for talks our enemies may give false promises of peace in exchange for US concessions, but what we give up will never be enough until we give them what they ultimately want, the complete abandonment of Israel, which is completely unacceptable. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is case in point why negotiations do not work. Israel has offered concession after concession and the Palestinians demand more and more. Remember "Land for peace". Giving up land didn't buy them one iota of good will. Every time there seems to be a peace breakthrough it is always some Palestinian group that sabotages it because their goal is not a Palestinian state living peacefully along side Israel but the entire destruction of Israel. Any negotiations that Israel engages with the Palestinians is a suicide pact on their part because that is the sole aim of the Palestinian Authority.

In the movie Independence Day The President asked the alien what they wanted humans to do. The alien simply said "die". How do you negotiate with that? It's the same position that these dictators and terrorists have for us.

Dictators and terrorists perceive diplomacy, without the willingness to back it up with force, as a sign of weakness and they will use it to their advantage. The only way to secure peace is to back up our words with strength that will force them to offer concessions not us. With any negotiation the party that has the least to lose always has the upper hand. We need to make sure that our enemies know they have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Neither Carter, nor Barack Obama have the ability to negotiate in a position of strength since they have already signaled a willing to make deals with them. Obama as President will offer never ending concessions which will not achieve the peaceful resolution he seeks, but instead repeat the mistakes of appeasement which history has shown over and over again that it will only result in disaster.

Related Post: Jimmy Carter, Unwitting Crusader for Islamofascism



Trackbacks and Links: Hot Air;Gateway Pundit; Michelle Malkin;

Mike Huckabee may have taken his name off of John McCain's short list for his VP running mate by shooting off his mouth and inserting foot. During a speech to the NRA he made a bad taste joke about someone pointing a gun at Barack Obama to a stunned crowd. Watch Video...




Trackbacks and Links: Michelle Malkin:Confirmed: Huckabee is an idiot; Hot Air: Huckabee jokes at NRA conference about someone trying to shoot Obama; Don Surber:Open Mouth, End Career;

The Republican party is facing an absolute shellacking by Democrats this Fall. Suffering from huge congressional special election losses are harbingers of things to come. What has happened to the GOP to catch the ire of the American electorate? Is it an abandonment of conservative principles, or their new found love to spend, spend, spend, or encouraging illegal immigration? No, not at all. The problem with the Republican Party is they just haven't come up with a catchy slogan.

Barack Obama has taken sloganeering to lofty new heights. So how does the GOP counter empty sloganeering? Well apparently with empty sloganeering of their own. Obama has his "Change We Can Believe In". slogan so the GOP has come up with "A Change you Deserve".

--Update 5/16 9:18PM MDT--

The National Republican Party, after much deserved laughter and ridicule, has decided to dump their new empty slogan "Change You Deserve" to another empty slogan "Change America Deserves". Not too much different but it avoids being compared to an anti-depressant.

--End Update--

Well the only change the Republican party deserves is a change in current leadership and getting back to proven conservative principles. The current crop of Republican office holders can either change themselves and champion real conservative causes like limited government, less spending, personal liberty, and promoting values, or they can stay on their present course and get the change they deserve which is thrown out of office and let the Democrats take the whole shebang. That may be the only way to get the Republican Party back to a position where they can be trusted with the reins of power again.



How fitting that the GOP would pick a slogan used for an anti-depressant pill. When the Republicans lose big time and the Democrats have free rein to push through all their socialist programs, we will all be needing them. But hey with socialized medicine we can all get them for free.

1. Media Mythbusters Blog » Blog Archive » Media Bias Roundup - 05/13/08
2. Michelle Malkin » Suck-Up Watch: NYTimes’ love letter to Barney Frank
3. The Obama Change Machine | Conservative247
4. Right Wing Nut House » POLL: AMERICA IS A SUCKY PLACE TO LIVE RIGHT NOW
5. Moonage Political Webdream » Blog Archive » Change You Deserve?
6. The Other McCain: GOP VP DOA
7. The GOP Is All About Anti-Depression « Beltway Snark
8. Fresh Bilge » Barr the Door
9. The Write Side of My Brain » Michelle Malkin: The stupid party strikes again
10. Michelle Malkin » Dirty race-card tricks in Mississippi: The KKK ploy; Update: Neck and neck; Update: Democrat wins dirty
11. Michelle Malkin » Betting pool: How long ’til the GOP starts claiming “We are the change that we seek?”
12. Democrats Win Mississippi Special Election » The American Mind
13. House of Eratosthenes
14. Plumb Bob Blog » Change We Deserve, Indeed
15. dustbury.com
16. Michelle Malkin » GOP contest: The slogan change you deserve
17. BipolarNation.com » The “Patriot” Label and Why Obama Could Win in a Landslide
18. Michelle Malkin » The spanking they deserve: NRCC gets an earful

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It IS Time Excerpt: We discussed what a Winning GOP Strategy would be and why the GOP would not use it. As we were talking and ranting, in the back of my mind the Politico piece was reverberating between my ears, a sometimes scary experience. Weblog: A NEWT ONE Tracked: 05.16.08 - 2:07 am

Good for your heart Excerpt: A bullied office worker has been awarded £5,000 after her boss raised his right buttock from his chair and broke wind in her direction. ... Weblog: nuke gingrich Tracked: 05.16.08 - 6:20 am

Terror Alert Excerpt: United States President George W. Bush is visiting Saudi Arabia begging King Abdullah to produce more oil and thus lower the price of gasoline for Americans. Pathetic. Why isn't Bush begging Congress to produce more here at home so he Weblog: Right Truth Tracked: 05.16.08 - 8:53 am

PATIENT EVIL - An R.J. Godlewski / Right Truth Blog Exclusive - Chapter Four Excerpt: PATIENT EVIL An R.J. Godlewski and Right Truth Blog Exclusive eBook Chapter Four May, 20xx Room LL35-35, The Pentagon Washington, D.C. Jonas Prinkler hated cockroaches; particularly the big, juicy specimens that reminded him of his ex-wife. Still, he a... Weblog: Right Truth Tracked: 05.16.08 - 6:46 pm

Care to Flip Virtual Burgers? Excerpt: My Virtual Summer Job - Alexandra Alter, The Wall Street Journal While his friends scramble for jobs flipping burgers or bagging groceries this summer, 18-year-old Mike Everest will be working as a trader in the fantasy Web world of Entropia Weblog: Diary of the Mad Pigeon Tracked: 05.17.08 - 5:34 am

PATIENT EVIL - An R.J. Godlewski / Right Truth Blog Exclusive - Chapter Five Excerpt: PATIENT EVIL An R.J. Godlewski and Right Truth Blog Exclusive eBook Chapter Five Room LL35-36, The Pentagon Seth Carmassi chewed on his lower lip as he gazed upon the ramshackle office. After twenty-five years of chasing terrorists all over God’s Weblog: Right Truth Tracked: 05.17.08 - 5:46 pm

Mark May 14, 2008 on your calendars because it is a day that will live in infamy. It was the day that the Bush Administration and the Interior Department handed the Sierra Club and other extreme environmentalists the ultimate weapon. They are now in possession of a weapon that will rain fire on the US economy more devastating than any WMD ever devised by man.

Polar Bear Is Named 'Threatened' Species

U.S. Cites Shrinking Arctic Ice

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 15, 2008; Page A01

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne listed polar bears as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act yesterday, saying the loss of Arctic sea ice in a warming climate could drive them to the brink of extinction in less than four decades.

Although the Bush administration handed environmentalists a victory they had sought for more than three years, Kempthorne said he would ensure that his decision did not "open the door" for activists to force the adoption of limits on greenhouse gas emissions linked to global warming.

The act "is not the right tool to set U.S. climate-change policy," he said in a news conference. "This has been a difficult decision. But in light of the scientific record and the restraints of the inflexible law that guides me, I believe it was the only decision I could make."

This statement by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has to be the most naive, misguided statement ever uttered by a government official. He says his decision would not "open the door for activists to force the adoption of limits on greenhouse gas emissions linked to global warming"? He has to be absolutely brain dead if he thinks his action today isn't going to be used by activists to ram through everything their heart's desires. He has effectively given them, and activist judges, God like powers to regulate every single aspect of human behavior. What he has done is tied a "threatened" species to global warming, and has said that global warming is a direct threat to the Polar Bear. What this means is that anything that is even thought to contribute to global warming will be a violation of the Endangered Species Act.

This has the potential of stopping all economic activity in its bear tracks. Dirk Kempthorne also said

"Kempthorne made clear that the decision would not justify regulating emissions from power plants, vehicles or other human activities."

Oh sir, this is second most naive statement ever uttered by a government official. This decision not only can shut down every carbon emitting factory but it has killed any possibility of drilling in ANWAR and has the potential to stop oil drilling or even oil refining anywhere in the United States or its territories. Don't just stop at oil, he has declared global warming a threat to an endangered species which means All human activity that is thought to contribute to global warming is now a violation of the Endangered Species Act. The very act of starting your car could be ruled a violation.

This is a big day for environmentalist because they have been given the ultimate weapon. Starting today it doesn't matter if global warming is real or a hoax, that argument is completely irrelevant now because extreme environmentalists will move forward boldly in the courts and will only be limited by their own imaginations. The Sierra Club can now hold aloft a huge banner saying "Mission Accomplished" Because the Bush administration has granted them absolute power.



Trackbacks and other links: Michelle Malkin; Hot Air; One Utah; Sciforums; Suitably Flip; Black Bear Blog; Presto Pundit; Reality Check; Say Anything; Hugh Hewitt: ''Polar Bear Decision Day

Hillary Clinton won big in the West Virginia race, handing Obama one of his worst defeats yet. Clinton won overwhelmingly with white women and men, exposing one of Barack Obama's main weaknesses and could spell his undoing in November.

Whites, Women Give Hillary Huge Win in W. Virginia

Hillary Rodham Clinton coasted to a large but largely symbolic victory in working-class West Virginia on Tuesday, handing Barack Obama one of his worst defeats of the campaign yet scarcely slowing his march toward the Democratic presidential nomination.
FULL STORY

Obama has lost most all the major states, and after the fiasco with the "Reverend" Jeremiah Wright controversy, he has seen his support among middle class and lower class whites deteriorate. He still enjoys massive support among African Americans and Hispanics, but will that be enough for a victory in the general election? There are surely more controversies to follow and it will be interesting to see how Obama weathers them. He is also going to have to present more specific positions on issues because his penchant for sloganeering and empty rhetoric will only take him so far.

Obama's Achilles Heel isn't white racism because earlier in the campaign he enjoyed wide support from middle and lower class white men and women. The support from this segment of America has dropped since the Wright revelation and other information that has come to light. If it was about racism he never would have had that support in the first place. The truth of the matter is that many white Americans are uncomfortable with electing someone who subscribes to Black Liberation Theology and has at least tangential ties to the Black Panther Party, Nation of Islam, and the Weather Underground. The West Virginia race illustrated how much ground he has lost from white America because of it.

Barack Obama also made a verbal gaffe that has some conservative tongues wagging. In a speech he forgot how many states there are. As he fumbling over his words he blurted out that he would like to be President of all 57 states. Hmmm, wonder where he came up with the number 57? Well according the an article at Stoptheaclu.com it may have been a Freudian slip because there happens to be exactly 57 Islamic states in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, with a permanent delegation to the UN? Maybe, but it's certainly fun to make the connection. Cao from Cao's Blog sent me more information: See this video here. Who knows, It could have been a hidden slight on his wife Michelle who's sometimes outlandish statements are reminiscent of the always irrepressible Theresa Heinz Kerry who is the heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune. Obama's slip could be a veiled reference to her because of Heinz 57, or maybe he plans on some old fashioned imperialism, perhaps annexing Canada or maybe even Mexico? That would solve the illegal immigration problem wouldn't it?






Trackbacks and links: Stop The ACLU; Caos Blog; Michelle Malkin; Hot Air; Slublog; The Moderate Voice; Blogs of War; Andrew Sullivan;

Just when I thought I could actually hold my nose and vote for John McCain he does something that makes even a begrudging vote very difficult. In order to garner votes by liberals and "green" (green is the new red) moderates, at the expense of the conservative base, he has decided to take on Algore's mantra and called global warming "indisputable".



--Update 5/13 3:05pm MDT--




Well I'm sorry Senator McCain but I reserve the right to dispute global warming any time. He says he wants to use free market principles to stop global warming? I thought it was capitalism and free markets that caused global warming? Besides scientists are now saying that due to a cooling trend global warming will be put on hold for a decade which gives global warming alarmists another ten years to warn with their catastrophic predictions. Notice they are always moving up the date? It's always something in the future but we must act now.

The sad part is this may give political cover to other Republicans that want to push global warming. Many are jumping on the bandwagon because it is politically popular right now. They are trading principles for political expediency which is exactly why the party is struggling right now. Whether we spend billions on global warming using "free market principles", or spending billions on it with socialism, the results will be the same, billions of dollars thrown down a rat hole all based on a hoax. When the jig is up and global warming is exposed as a fraud neither the Republicans nor Democrats will have clean hands and both will be complicit in the biggest scam ever perpetrated in history.

McCain's visit with La Raza (The Race) was also inexcusable. There are many Hispanic groups that he could visit that don't have aims to reclaim the entire South Western United States, including his home state of Arizona, for Mexico.

One thing is for sure if McCain was to name Mike Huckabee as his VP running mate I will be 100% against him even if it means enduring four years with a Democrat President.

So who shall we support? Bob Barr threw his hat in the ring as a Libertarian. I don't think so. there is also Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Hillary, Obama, or McCain? It's a veritable rogues gallery of choices this election season. How about none of the above? Now that's a candidate I can support.



Trackbacks and Links: Michelle Malkin; Hot Air; The Daily Conservative; Right Wing NutHouse;

I was going to live blog the convention but UVSC has no public wireless internet connection, so I will just give my report.

I do have a couple of small gripes. First of all I did not like the venue. Nothing against UVCC (Utah Valley Community College), but the arena and surrounding area was too cramped to host such a large event. In past state conventions the candidates mingled more with the delegates prior to the start of the convention. This time it seems like many of them only had staff and supporters manning their booths and answering questions. In 2004, then candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. was very accessible, but this time he was there just long enough to give a speech. My congressmen Rob Bishop took time to talk to me and answer some of my questions. Congressman Rob Bishop personally called me the other day and thanked me for being a delegate, that along with being available at the convention to talk to other delegates while running unopposed was very impressive to me. I thanked him for being so gracious even though he didn't have to. He said he felt bad he was not able to get a hold of all the delegates in his area. Just attempting was a class act in my book. Thank you being for my Congressman Mr. Bishop I was happy to support you even though it was by acclamation. Same to Representative Curtis Oda, my legislator who was also very gracious even though he had already sewn up the nomination at the Davis County Republican Convention. That says a lot about both these fine men's characters.

It was a very uneventful convention until later on. That is when the fireworks started. Jason Chaffetz, who is a former chief of staff to Governor Huntsman, came within 10 votes of unseating Representative Chris Cannon. In the beginning there were three candidates vying for the 3rd Congressional District seat, but lawyer and brother of former Governor Mike Leavitt, David Leavitt had been eliminated earlier and had thrown his support to Cannon. After Leavitt had been eliminated he pulled off a stunt that may have played a part in nearly ousting the incumbent Congressmen. Before the 3rd balloting for the 3rd Congressional district and right after the chair had told the campaigns not to distribute campaign literature inside the arena several lines of young Leavitt supporters entered from all four corners wearing Leavitt t-shirts and holding up Cannon signs. The room erupted in boos and the groups were ordered to put down the signs and leave the arena. Some complied but many kept marching throughout the arena. It took several minutes to get them all out. By then the damage was done. I thought at the time how stupid this was and could easily cause a backlash. I was right. It's not a good idea to upset those that hold your political future in their hands.

Senator Orin Hatch urged the state GOP to throw their support to John McCain. He said we all must be united to beat the Democrats this fall. The delegates chosen to attend the National Republican convention are bound by party rules to vote for Mitt Romney since he won the Presidential Republican primary with 90% of the vote. A resolution that would have released them to vote for McCain was not brought up for a vote. After Hatch's remarks a John McCain video was presented. After the video some delegates yelled "Where's the Ron Paul video?". You have to hand it to the dedication of those Ron Paul supporters.

We also were given a rant by Mike Ridgway He was running for National Republican Committeeman. Not that he thought he could win, but he knew it would give him a platform to since each candidate was given an opportunity to speak. He doesn't believe in the convention system, but thinks there should only be primaries. In Utah regular citizens like myself can attend caucus meetings where we elect each other delegates to the county and state conventions. This year I was elected to both. During the convention we vote on many candidates running for the same office. If one candidate can get 60% of the delegate votes then they are the Republican nominee. If the two highest vote getters do not get 60% then a primary is conducted just for those two candidates. Often times it can take several rounds of voting to come up with those two candidates. It is not a perfect system but I believe it is superior to a general primary. Candidates and the parties do not have to spend massive amounts of money to reach a few hundred delegates like they do when they have to reach the entire population in their areas. This gives people like Jason Chaffetz a chance to possibly unseat a congressman like Chris Cannon. In a general primary it is usually the person who has the largest war chest and can spend the money on TV ads that win. Primaries are also more prone to mischief (just look how successful Rush Limbaugh's "Operation Chaos" has been) and favor special interests since so few people vote in primaries, especially in off year elections.

I had a good time at the convention. Hats off to everyone involved. Congratulations to the winners, better luck next time to the losers, and good luck to those who will face off in primaries.


Thanks for the hat tips:

KNVU's For The People: What you get with a Governor with an 85% appproval rating-

Utah Republican Party : Leadership That Delivers, Utah State Convention 2008 official blog

Other links:

Two Guys from Quantico: Utah State Republican Convention

Phil Windley's Technometria: Final, 2008 Utah State Republican Convention

Sausage Grinder

Basically Speaking: Statesmen or Politician?

Recently the Catholic Church, directly from the Vatican, issued an edict instructing all diocese and parishes to withhold all records from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) including any of its members. The LDS Church has the worlds largest family history library which many in and outside the church rely on to trace their family trees.

Read of Catholic records controversy in the Deseret Morning News

The LDS Church depends on records from civic and various church records To build the family history library. Without this valuable service the average person would find it difficult if not impossible to trace their family lines more than a couple of hundred years. In the middle ages and up to the 18th century most governments did not keep track of individual records except for royalty and nobility. Churches in many cases are the only entities that kept records of individual members and now the Catholic Church has essentially closed the door to family researchers to trace back to that period since prior to the reformation the Christian world was Roman Catholic.

The Catholic Church have done this because they object to the practice of baptism for the dead calling it an "erroneous practice" even though it is mentioned in the New Testament*. What is erroneous is their and many other peoples misconception of baptism for the dead. As LDS we believe everyone ever living must be baptized to live with God in the afterlife. Since God gave that commandment He had to provide a way for everyone to at least have the opportunity because God cannot give a commandment that is only available to some and then hold accountable those who never had the chance. No merciful or loving God worthy of worship would do that. This is what baptism for the dead does, it gives everyone a choice to accept or reject the gospel. It does not make any dead person a Mormon and in no way denies anyone their free agency.

This edict from the Catholic Church is wrong, and has massive repercussions that I don't think the Vatican has fully considered. The LDS church reached an agreement with Jews to not baptize holocaust victims without their direct survivors permission. I'm sure that a similar accommodation could be made for the Catholic Church where their wishes can be respected, the LDS Church can follow their teachings and those of any faith or no faith at all can have access to their family records. It's the Christian thing to do.

*1 Corinthians 15:29 (King James Version)

Conservative and liberal bloggers alike are writing Hillary Clinton's political obituary today, and it does look like Hillary may have lost the nomination this time, but don't look for her to throw in the towel just yet.
The Clinton's are both ruthless and vindictive and will not go quietly. Hillary may not even be running for the 2008 Democratic Party nomination anymore but looking ahead at 2012. She knows 2012 will be her final shot at the presidency because she will be too old come 2016. The only thing standing in her way in 2012 is the same thing standing in her way in 2008, Barack Hussein Obama. She cannot let him win because that would in fact be the final stake through the heart of the Clinton political machine. Her only chance is to damage him during the primary and let McCain finish off the remains in the general election and she may even aid McCain behind the scenes. If Obama does win she may even undermine him to make him vulnerable in 2012. Never underestimate the depths that the Clinton machine will go to accomplish their objectives because to them nothing is off limits.

Look to the Hillary's nuclear option. Florida and Michigan are going to fight hard to get their delegates seated. Hillary has been fighting as well, but Obama has opposed any deal with these states to make their votes count. Democrats can never again say that Republicans disenfranchised voters in 2000 without looking like the hypocrites that they are.

Hillary Campaign:

I'm not dead!

Super-Delegates:

'Ere. She says she's not dead!

Obama Campaign:

Yes, she is.

Hillary Campaign:

I'm not!

Super-Delegates:

she isn't?

Obama Campaign:

Well, she will be soon. her campaign's very ill.

Hillary Campaign:

I'm getting better!

Obama Campaign:

No, you're not. You'll be stone dead in a moment.

Super-Delegates:

Oh, I can't take her like that. It's against regulations.

Hillary Campaign:

I don't want to quit the campaign!

Obama Campaign:

Oh, don't be such a baby.

Super-Delegates:

I can't take her.

Hillary Campaign:

I feel fine!

Obama Campaign:

Well, do us a favour.

Super-Delegates:

I can't.

Obama Campaign:

Well, can you hang around a couple of minutes? She won't be long.

Obama Campaign:

Well, when's your next round?

Super-Delegates:

2012.

Hillary Campaign:

I think I'll go for a walk.

Obama Campaign:

You're not fooling anyone, you know. Look. Isn't there something you can do?

Hillary Campaign:

I feel happy. I feel happy.

[whop]

Obama Campaign:

Ah, thanks very much.

Super-Delegates:

Not at all. See you in 2012

Trackbacks and links:

1. Michelle Malkin
2. PAXALLES
3. Rhymes With Right
4. Is It All Over for Hillary? : Stop The ACLU
5. Conservatives for Hillary? - updated » Pursuing Holiness
6. Allahpundit: Hillary's game is over [in spite of Operation Chaos?] | The TIW Blog
7. Webloggin - Blog Archive » No Rocky Analogy for Indiana Squeaker, Clock Just About Down to Zero for Hillary Clinton
8. No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » The Morning Scramble - 5/7/2008
9. Jules Crittenden » Not Dead Yet
10. Hillary Clinton’s Audacity of Denial (Illustrated with Video) - Shallow Nation
11. The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Will Fla. & Michigan Democratic Voters Sue to have their votes counted?
    
12. Hot Air
    
13. Don Surbur

Celebrities are being criticized for not practicing what they preach concerning global warming. They are flying gas guzzling private jets and require fleets of SUVs for their vast entourages. Algore's carbon footprint is so large it would take a mile long convoy of cement trucks full of Plaster-of-Paris and thousands of Boy Scouts to cast it. He should be called Al "big foot" Gore.

We as non-celebrities need to do more on our part to offset the lifestyles of these invaluable do-gooders. We just aren't sacrificing enough to allow these jet setters to enjoy the high life guilt free. We need to do without heat in our homes. That warm feeling in our hearts knowing we are doing our part to offset the lifestyles of the rich and famous should offset any frost building up on our sofas. Just make sure you are bundled up with parkas and plenty of blankets and you'll do just fine. Do we really need lights? Since turning our TV off is out of the question, since that would adversely effect our favorite celebrities and possibly put a crimp in their lifestyles, we can use the glow of our sets to light our homes so keep your TV on and get rid of all those power guzzling light bulbs. We should limit our driving exclusively to trips to the movie treater or video stores because that too will benefit our favorite celebrities and allow them to take their private jets to Milan, and Paris, and assorted exotic locations. We can walk or ride a bike to work. That twenty mile walk should do a lot to take off those extra pounds accumulated from sitting watching our favorite celebs living it up. So lets all cooperate and do our part to offset their lavish lifestyles. Do it for the stars! Do it for the planet! It's all up to you. If you are a celebrity you will know there are millions of people sacrificing everything so you can fly that private jet 100% carbon neutral.

From the Daily Mail

You hippy-crites! When it comes to saving the planet do celebrities practise what they preach?

Last updated at 10:15am on 6th May 2008

Is the hot air emitted by celebrities when they spout ecological platitudes a greenhouse gas?

If so, then the melting of the polar ice caps just moved a step closer, following calls by Trudie Styler, a leading celebrity ecological hypocrite - call them hippy-crites for short - for the general public to eat more locally grown vegetables.

Campaigning against food miles might seem an unlikely cause for Styler, given that a tribunal last year heard how she ordered her personal chef to travel over 100 miles to make a bowl of pasta for her youngest child and has sold olive oil and honey from her Tuscan estate, Il Palagio, 1,000 or so miles away, in Harrods in London.

So it was hardly surprising that an alert journalist present at the lecture, which was being staged as part of the Earls Court Real Food Festival, had the wit to question the environmental record of Styler and her husband Sting.

The couple's carbon footprint, the impertinent ink-stained wretch pointed out, has been estimated at 30 times greater than the average Briton's. How did Styler and Sting - who have seven homes - square that with their environmental crusading?

Styler conceded that as Sting "has a 750-person crew to bring around the world, it is a difficult challenge".

Her rare moment of ecological candour was shortly replaced by the more familiar self-congratulation and justification, however.

"I would like to think that we both work pretty hard for the rights of indigenous people and for the rights of conservation of the Amazon rainforest, but we do need to get around," she said.

Of course, Sting and Trudie's "do as I say not as I do" approach to the dilemma of environmental pollution is by no means unusual among the carbon-guzzling lifestyle of the celebrity elite.

Here's a roll call of some other startlingly hippy-critical celebrities:

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