Thunder Pig

A Look Back: 2008 Veterans Day Program in Franklin, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

I'm looking forward to the Veterans Day Parade in Franklin on Wednesday. I've been thinking about different ways I can cover the event on Wednesday, and here is an hour long video I made of last year's event, followed by a shorter highlight reel that is only ten minutes...

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Remember the 8th of November

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:37:00 +0000

At about 0600 on the morning of 8 November C Company began a move northwest toward Hill 65, while B Company moved northeast toward Hill 78. Shortly before 0800, C Company was engaged by a sizable enemy force well dug in to the southern face of Hill 65. At 0845, B Company was directed to wheel in place and proceed toward Hill 65 with the intention of relieving C Company.

B Company reached the foot of Hill 65 at about 0930 and moved up the hill. It became obvious that there was a large enemy force in place on the hill, C Company was getting hammered, and by chance, B Company was forcing the enemy's right flank.

Under pressure from B Company's flanking attack the enemy force—most of a People's Liberation Armed Forces (Viet Cong) regiment—moved to the northwest, whereupon the B Company commander called in air and artillery fire on the retreating troops. B Company halted in place in an effort to locate and consolidate with C Company's platoons, managing to establish a coherent defensive line running around the hilltop from southeast to northwest, but with little cover on the southern side.

Meanwhile, the PLAF commander realized that his best chance was to close with the US forces so that the 173rd's air and artillery fire could not be effectively employed. PLAF troops attempted to out-flank the US position atop the hill from both the east and the southwest, moving his troops closer to the Americans. The result was shoulder-to-shoulder attacks up the hillside, hand-to-hand fighting, and isolation of parts of B and C Companies but the Americans held against two such attacks. Although the fighting continued after the second massed attack, it reduced in intensity as the PLAF troops again attempted to disengage and withdraw. By late afternoon it seemed that contact had been broken off, allowing the two companies to prepare a night defensive position while collecting their dead and wounded in the center of the position. Although a few of the most seriously wounded were extracted by USAF helicopters using Stokes litters, the triple-canopy jungle prevented the majority from being evacuated until the morning of 9 November.

The result of the battle was heavy losses on both sides—48 Paratroopers dead, many more wounded, and 403 dead PLAF troops.

Operation Hump is memorialized in a song by Big and Rich named 8th of November (Introduction, by Kris Kristofferson):

“

On November 8th 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on "Operation Hump", war zone "D" in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 VC. 48 American soldiers lost their lives that day. Severely wounded and risking his own life, Lawrence Joel, a medic, was the first living black man since the Spanish-American War to receive the United States Medal of Honor for saving so many lives in the midst of battle that day. Our friend, Niles Harris, retired 25 years United States Army, the guy who gave Big Kenny his top hat, was one of the wounded who lived. This song is his story. Caught in the action of kill or be killed, greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for a friend.

Read an account of the battle from John Holland.

Here is the official account of Lawrence Joel's Medal of Honor citation:

Rank and organization: Specialist Sixth Class (then Sp5c), U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 November 1965, Entered service at: New York City, N.Y. G.O. No.: 15, 5 April 1967. Born: 22 February 1928, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp6c. Joel demonstrated indomitable courage, determination, and professional skill when a numerically superior and well-concealed Viet Cong element launched a vicious attack which wounded or killed nearly every man in the lead squad of the company. After treating the men wounded by the initial burst of gunfire, he bravely moved forward to assist others who were wounded while proceeding to their objective. While moving from man to man, he was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire. Although painfully wounded his desire to aid his fellow soldiers transcended all personal feeling. He bandaged his own wound and self-administered morphine to deaden the pain enabling him to continue his dangerous undertaking. Through this period of time, he constantly shouted words of encouragement to all around him. Then, completely ignoring the warnings of others, and his pain, he continued his search for wounded, exposing himself to hostile fire; and, as bullets dug up the dirt around him, he held plasma bottles high while kneeling completely engrossed in his life saving mission. Then, after being struck a second time and with a bullet lodged in his thigh, he dragged himself over the battlefield and succeeded in treating 13 more men before his medical supplies ran out. Displaying resourcefulness, he saved the life of one man by placing a plastic bag over a severe chest wound to congeal the blood. As 1 of the platoons pursued the Viet Cong, an insurgent force in concealed positions opened fire on the platoon and wounded many more soldiers. With a new stock of medical supplies, Sp6c. Joel again shouted words of encouragement as he crawled through an intense hail of gunfire to the wounded men. After the 24 hour battle subsided and the Viet Cong dead numbered 410, snipers continued to harass the company. Throughout the long battle, Sp6c. Joel never lost sight of his mission as a medical aidman and continued to comfort and treat the wounded until his own evacuation was ordered. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. Sp6c. Joel's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

Health Care Bill HR3962 Passes Vote: 220-215 NC-11 Congressman Shuler Votes No

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:37:00 +0000

The Democrats have just energized the Republican base more than any Republican could have tonight.

Here is how the votes stacked up:

39 Democrats voted No, and only 1 Republican, Joseph Cao of Louisiana's 2nd District voted Yes.

Here is how the North Carolina Delegation voted: (Democrats in bold)

Voting YES

Butterfield, Etheridge, Miller, Price, Watt

Voting NO

Coble, Foxx, Jones, Kissell, McHenry, McIntyre, Myrick, Shuler

Here is the full list: (Republicans in italics)

Voting YES

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Baldwin
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boswell
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown, Corrine
Butterfield
Cao
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Castor (FL)
Chu
Clarke
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Dahlkemper
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Driehaus
Edwards (MD)
Ellison
Ellsworth
Engel
Eshoo
Etheridge
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Foster
Frank (MA)
Fudge
Garamendi
Giffords
Gonzalez
Grayson
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva

Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Halvorson
Hare
Harman
Hastings (FL)
Heinrich
Higgins
Hill
Himes
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hodes
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick (MI)
Kilroy
Kind
Kirkpatrick (AZ)
Klein (FL)
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Luján
Lynch
Maffei
Maloney
Markey (MA)
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McNerney
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murtha
Nadler (NY)
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz

Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Perriello
Peters
Pingree (ME)
Polis (CO)
Pomeroy
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Richardson
Rodriguez
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Sánchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schauer
Schiff
Schrader
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Serrano
Sestak
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Space
Speier
Spratt
Stark
Stupak
Sutton
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Titus
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Velázquez
Visclosky
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Wexler
Wilson (OH)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth

Voting NO

Aderholt
Adler (NJ)
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Austria
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett
Barton (TX)
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Blackburn
Blunt
Boccieri
Boehner
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boozman
Boren
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd
Brady (TX)
Bright
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Buyer
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Cantor
Capito
Carter
Cassidy
Castle
Chaffetz
Chandler
Childers
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Cole
Conaway
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis (AL)
Davis (KY)
Davis (TN)
Deal (GA)
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards (TX)
Ehlers
Emerson
Fallin
Flake
Fleming
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx

Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gordon (TN)
Granger
Graves
Griffith
Guthrie
Hall (TX)
Harper
Hastings (WA)
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Hoekstra
Holden
Hunter
Inglis
Issa
Jenkins
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan (OH)
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Kissell
Kline (MN)
Kosmas
Kratovil
Kucinich
Lamborn
Lance
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee (NY)
Lewis (CA)
Linder
LoBiondo
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey (CO)
Marshall
Massa
Matheson
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McClintock
McCotter
McHenry
McIntyre
McKeon
McMahon
McMorris Rodgers
Melancon
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)

Miller, Gary
Minnick
Moran (KS)
Murphy (NY)
Murphy, Tim
Myrick
Neugebauer
Nunes
Nye
Olson
Paul
Paulsen
Pence
Peterson
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe (TX)
Posey
Price (GA)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rehberg
Reichert
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Royce
Ryan (WI)
Scalise
Schmidt
Schock
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shadegg
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Skelton
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Souder
Stearns
Sullivan
Tanner
Taylor
Teague
Terry
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Turner
Upton
Walden
Wamp
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

The 2010 Election Campaign starts NOW.

See your local party chairman sometime on Monday to see where you can help....

Watch the US House of Representatives Debate Health Care Live

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:51:00 +0000

**11.09pm** The bill has passed 220-215. Read more by clicking here.

For those of you who cannot watch on TV live, but have a broadband Internet connection, you can watch it here today:

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The Blatant and Utter Hypocrisy of the Media And They Wonder Why We Don't Trust Them?

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:52:00 +0000

7 November 2009: Consider this: the murderous actions of Nidal Malik HASAN at Ft. Hood on Thursday resulted in more deaths and injuries in that single attack than in 15 years of violence at abortion clinics in the U.S. and Canada. Two days after the bloodbath at Ft. Hood, government officials from the President to local politicians, the media, their pundits and other experts are publicly cautioning against linking any religious or ideological motives to the actions of Nidal Malik HASAN.

Immediately after the murder of Dr. George Tiller, a noted abortionist at a women’s clinic in Wichita, Kansas on May 31, 2009 and the subsequent arrest of “anti-abortion extremist Scott Roeder,” however, the motives behind the killing of Dr. Tiller were never questioned. Those same politicians and pundits who are currently urging the public not to jump to the conclusion that HASAN’s motives were religious and ideological in nature are the same who immediately concluded that the murder of Dr. Tiller was a result of an anti-abortion extremist.

The blatant hypocrisy does not end there.

Source: Northeast Network Intelligence

Commentary

How many times must Americans be slaughtered by Muslims who have suddenly decided to wage a personal jihad?

How long will the Media continue to act as accomplices after the fact?

How long before the people of America finally call shenanigans?

Read more about Media Bias in this case at the Media Research Center.

Also check out Sudden Jihad Syndrome at Front Page Magazine.

Asheville 2009 Municipal Election Results and Commentary

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:43:00 +0000

Yesterday was an off year Municipal Election across most of the country, and here are the results of a few of the races I tracked in Buncombe County.

All data for this post was culled from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

Here are the details of the races available as of 5.57 am this morning:

Asheville Mayor

78.75 % 9,543 Incumbent Terry Bellamy
20.06% 2,431 Robert Edwards

City Council (Top 3 Are Seated)

19.24% 6,567 Esther Mannheimer
18.46% 6,301 Gordon Smith
17.28% 5,899 Cecil Bothwell
_________________________
13.91% 4,749 Incumbent Carl Mumpower
13.53% 4,620 Write-In (most are probably for Incumbent Robin Cape)
10.18% 3,476 J. Neal Jackson
07.40% 2,525 Ryan Croft

There is no data on the state website that breaks down voter turnout by municipality, just an overall figure for all of them, so take that in mind when you look at the following figures...

17,199 ballots were cast out of 88,229 registered voters for a turnout of 19.49%.

According to latest statistics available on the Buncombe County website, there are (as of 10-15-09) there are 64,235 registered voters in Asheville. 32,993 are Democrats, 19,127 are Unaffiliated, and 12,012 are Republican.

Commentary

During this election cycle, the "conservative" candidates took a pledge not to raise more than $3,000 in their campaign. In fact, Carl Mumpower did not actively seek re-election by organizing a campaign effort. He attended what forums he was invited to and sent missives via email stating his positions. As far as I can tell, the other conservatives took their lead from him.

That is no way to serve the people, or to protect their interests.

I hope that, in the future, conservative candidates will run for office in Asheville with the concept firmly implanted in their skulls that they must organize a campaign that raises money, gets their message out, and gets people excited enough to volunteer for the campaign and build a real network that can feed the campaign money, more volunteers, and an effective Get out the Vote effort for early voting and on election day.

If they want to see how to effectively do that, they can look no further than the campaigns of the three people who will be sitting in the Asheville City Council Chambers soon. I was particularly impressed with the organization that Gordon Smith and his campaign created.

I would like to thank Carl Mumpower for his years of service to Asheville during his time on the Asheville City Council. I hope he gets that rest he has been wanting.

Interesting Facts:

Gordon Smith had about 300 donors to his campaign, and Cecil Bothwell had about 550 donors and about 750 volunteers according to a video report on the WLOS website.

Stuart Coleman Wins Appeal; Wiccans, Lefties, Progressives and Haters of Private Property in Asheville Gnash Their Teeth

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:23:00 +0000

The important parts of the ruling...

The Court of Appeals ruled that Pack's offer to the county called for Pack Square, not the land he gave, to be dedicated to public use forever.

Two 1901 deeds signed by Pack do include limitations on the use of the land. But the court ruled the limits in the first deed are overridden by another part of the document.

The second deed indicates the land should be used "forever ... for the site of a County Court House, County Offices" and related purposes. But the judges ruled that deed is irrelevant because Pack had already given up control over the land in the first deed.

The article:

RALEIGH — Land near Asheville's City Hall does not have to remain public, N.C. Court of Appeals judges ruled today, siding with developer Stewart Coleman.

The decision by a unanimous three-judge panel reverses a Buncombe County Superior Court judge's ruling that the county commissioners' sale of land to Coleman was invalid. The 2006 sale of the grassy spot dominated by a large magnolia tree,

and Coleman's plan to build condominiums on it has drawn criticism since it became public.

Coleman last month withdrew his application for the condo building and is pushing ahead with plans for a restaurant and bar on part of the property.

Descendants of land donor George Willis Pack sued Coleman's company and the county, saying their ancestor intended the land to be used forever as a public space.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

Commentary

Today is a GOOD DAY for Private Property Rights and Freedom!!!

We must remain vigilant because there is no way that the Lefties and those that worship the Collective will accept the ruling of the appeals court.

Below is a picture of Wiccans in Asheville beneath the Magnolia Tree worshipping their Dark Lord, Satan...

State Policy Network Annual Meeting Livestreaming November 2nd-4th

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:50:00 +0000

Can’t make the trip to Asheville next week for the State Policy Network 17th Annual Meeting? Then join us from the comfort of your computer on NewMediaTV.org for live streaming of key note speakers, policy sessions and technology training.

NewMediaTV.org is excited to announce that we will stream many sessions for the SPN Annual Meeting this year between November 2-4.

Monday, November 2

9:00am-9:30am Podcasting 101 with Cindy Cerquitella, Atlas Economic Research Foundation

9:45am-10:15am How to Plan Your Small Video Project with Pete Eyre, Motorhome Diaries

10:30am-11:15am WIKI 101 with Kristin McMurray, Sam Adams Alliance

11:15am-12:00pm Basic web management – what to do if you’re not a tech person with Michael Toguchi, eResources

12:00pm Previously recorded: Robert A. Levy, Chairman, Cato Institute

2:00pm-3:00pm About Solutions: A Roadmap to State Budget Reforms with Leonard Gilroy, Director of
Government Reform, Reason Foundation

3:00pm-3:45pm Video Recording with Jason Talley, Motorhome Diaries

4:00pm-5:00pm Social Networking 101 with Adam Mueller, Motorhome Diaries

Check out New Media TV for the full schedule and more information. I've also placed a player on Conservative Thunder.

This is the first that I've heard of the State Policy Network, so this should be interesting.

Former NC Governor Mike Easley Campaign Fined $100,000, NC Democratic Party Fined $9,000 For its Part

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:31:00 +0000

BREAKING NEWS:

Raleigh, NC--Former North Carolina Governor Mike Easley's Campaign has been ordered to pay $60,000 in civil penalties and $40,000 to pay for the investigation into it's violations of Campaign Law in North Carolina. The Democratic Party of North Carolina has been ordered to pay $9,000 in civil penalties for it's part in funneling donations to the Easley Campaign in violation of North Carolina Election Law.

Here is the audio of the result of the North Carolina State Board of Elections investigation into the Easley Campaign hearing:

Watch Governor Easley Hearing Live NC State Board of Elections

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:39:00 +0000

This stream is courtesy of the Raleigh News & Observer.

Northeast Intelligence Report: US Mosques & Islamic Centers serving as paramilitary training centers for jihad

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:44:00 +0000

29 October 2009: A 45 page federal complaint unsealed Wednesday (PDF copy here), the raid on a Detroit warehouse and Detroit area residences, the shootout between mosque leader Luqman Ameen ABDULLAH, a/k/a Christopher THOMAS and law enforcement officials should be sufficient verification of the validity of our previously published investigative and surveillance findings that Islamic terror training is taking place on America soil.

On Wednesday, federal, state and local law enforcement officials raided a suburban Detroit warehouse and at least three Detroit area residences after a federal complaint was unsealed charging eleven-(11) individuals with a variety of crimes relating to Islamic terrorism. During the raid at the warehouse, ABDULLAH, 53, a “homegrown” Black Muslim terrorist and mosque leader fired on authorities as they executed the arrest warrant at that location. Before being killed by authorities, ABDULLAH shot and killed a K-9 dog.

Authorities state that six men are in custody while others remain at large. ABDULLAH, who converted to Islam while in prison, was the Imam of the Masjid Al-Haqq (mosque) in Detroit. The spiritual leader of the group is Jamil Abdullah Al-AMIN, formerly known as H. Rap BROWN, a prominent Black Panther in the late 1960s and early 1970s. BROWN is currently incarcerated for the murder of two police officers in Georgia.

American streets will become the new Islamic Jihad battleground

The information contained within the federal complaint against the Detroit suspects is clear: Islamists in the US are advocating the spread of Islam through the use of violent jihad, and they are utilizing mosques and Islamic centers as their training grounds. The Northeast Intelligence Network has warned about this very issue, and even provided evidence of such activities.

Source: Northeast Intelligence Network (read the whole article over there)

Commentary

It is just a matter of time before the Islamists bring their war on Western Civilization to our soil in force. I hope that you are taking precautions in your life to be ready when it comes.

WNC News LinkFest October 28, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:43:00 +0000

Buncombe County

Asheville Journalism - Who are you sleeping with? Will you awake?

Journalism in Asheville North Carolina could, at many times, be very biased. When an insider or outsider is looking for information; they do not want to listen to reporters only tooting the horn of businesses that advertise with their publication or their friendly contacts. I believe this issue is being dealt with in the Mommy Blogging world as well. Some of these famous bloggers were being paid to put their approval on certain items that they did not necessarily believe in or even use. The outcome... hundreds and thousands of "followers" followed their advice and purchased the product. Everyone makes some money so it is right, Right?!

So called journalists many times do the same thing. Even though we hope that journalism carries a non-partial attitude when it comes to community, networking and sharing; writers who have a certain "control" when it comes to media, use this avenue many times to limit the messages of others and exclude. While some scream "community" to simply gain fans - many in the community remain excluded.

Even on your local Twitter scene. I would be a networked hireling if all I read and retweeted was what my fellow reporter friends posted. Some individuals are just as closed. They retweet any good thing or absurdity that their clique posts, and pass over a lot of great info that others may contribute for fear of losing control, seeming like they are a traitor, or to hang onto a false superiority. Weakness.

The Battle for Swannanoa

In June, state Sen. Martin Nesbitt (D-Buncombe) had something to say to his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee.

"This is about the town of Swannanoa, and I know you don't want to know anything about it, but I'm going to tell you anyhow," he said, introducing legislation to put the General Assembly's stamp of approval on incorporating the town and to set a referendum for Nov. 3. "This will be the site of the first Tiger Woods golf course in North America," he continued (incorrectly, since most of Woods' Cliffs at High Carolina Course will be in Fairview). "For those of you who've been through it, I don't know why Swannanoa isn't bigger than the city of Asheville. It's the most beautiful place you've ever seen. It's got Interstate 40, it's got sewer and water."

Future founding father? Swannanoa incorporation task force leader Dave Alexander says incorporation is necessary to give the potential town control over its own destiny. Photo by Jonathan Welch
Sen. Jerry Tillman (R-Montgomery) seconded Nesbitt's motion, and the finance committee approved the bill. The whole process, including the time senators spent laughing about the town's name and Tiger's golf course, took less than three minutes.

Flashbacks of Roll Plays

Eighteen people showed up to address Asheville City Council about contaminated water in Buncombe County. The item wasn’t on the agenda because Asheville has no jurisdiction over something like that happening outside its boundaries.

Now, I am not a scientist. There is nothing scientific about me. I did, however, get a B.S. from Lyman Briggs College, the distinguished science school at Michigan State. It was one of the innovators in a course of study now known as Science & Technology Studies (STS). The curriculum was designed to train graduates to be more than geeks, but to be savvy about the interface of science and public policy. The lesson to be learned was it was insufficient to have a good idea, one had to overcome superstition and charismatic opposition if they wanted to see it come to fruition.

The reason I mention this is, from the onset, the CTS scare has been played out like some of the scenarios from the STS courses, replete with the post hoc ergo propter hoc death list. Certain samples of well water show ever-increasing and astoundingly high levels of trichloroethylene, even though the plant accused of contaminating the groundwater has been gone for years. Both Buncombe County and the EPA are struggling to reproduce appreciable levels of contaminants.

Candidates at Leadership Asheville (photo slideshow)

Steve Martin to perform at MerleFest

WILKESBORO, N.C. (October 28, 2009)—MerleFest 2010, presented by Lowe’s, is proud to announce that multi-talented Grammy® and Emmy® winning actor/comedian/musician Steve Martin will perform on the Watson Stage on Saturday, May 1.
“I’ve heard great things about MerleFest for years,” said Martin. “As a musician, it’s an event I’m really looking forward to playing.”

Martin is currently drawing rave reviews as he tours in support of his Rounder Records release, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, which spent multiple weeks at the top of the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums Chart. Touring with Martin are the Steep Canyon Rangers, who will perform with him at MerleFest. Together they have performed at the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The View, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Carnegie Hall, the Ryman Auditorium, and other venues in cities including Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, Toronto, Chicago, Denver, Santa Fe and Troy, NY. The tour will wrap up on November 9 at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Jackson County

Balsam Mountain Preserve foreclosure proceedings continued

Jackson County Clerk of Court Ann Melton agreed Wednesday (Oct. 28) to continue foreclosure proceedings between Balsam Mountain Preserve and its lender, TriLyn.

The lending company filed a foreclosure notice with Jackson County earlier this month. Based on the foreclosure filing, BMP is apparently in default on loans totaling $19.8 million. Property the lender is foreclosing on includes one 4,200-acre tract plus several smaller tracts, according to the document on file in the Jackson County Clerk of Court’s Office.

Sylva lawyer Jay Coward, who is representing the developer, introduced the motion to continue during a hearing with Melton. Because of a receivership hearing set for Friday, Oct. 30, he requested that the hearing be pushed back to Monday, Nov. 30.

“That hearing could alter our whole defense,” he said.

Macon County

Senator Burr shares his thoughts on health care, jobs, veterans issues

Asked his objections to the latest version of the health care reform bill that has passed the Senate Finance Committee and what he would like to see included in legislation, Burr commented:

"The debate in Washington up to this point has not been about health care reform, it's been about coverage expansion. If the Finance Bill had any reform in it, the savings from the reform would pay for the expansion, but it doesn't.

The objections are not with coverage expansion-I clearly do that in my bill (referenced below). The objections are with the fact that they are using new money to pay for the expansion, and that comes in the form of increased fees and taxes that will be passed on to health care beneficiaries."

Burr, a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension, said he does not support a government-run health care option (public option). "The fact that you've got a government entity does not assure you competition. What assures you competition is allowing companies the flexibility to offer different types of products."

13th Annual Pumpkinfest in Franklin

Haywood County

Haywood County braces for economic impacts of prolonged I-40 closure

By all indications, the closing of Interstate 40 due to a massive rockslide will be more than just a minor headache for many.

Through traffic heading west to Tennessee will be directed to I-26 from Asheville, where cars would have to travel 130 miles to link back up with I-40 across the state line.

Though much of Haywood County will still remain accessible off I-40, it’s feasible that widespread news of the rockslide might turn off visitors to the area.

Most likely to suffer from the road closing are the restaurants, gas stations, motels and tourist-oriented businesses that rely heavily on traffic coming through I-40.

Pilot Travel Center, a truck stop in Waynesville near exit 24, was already feeling the impact of a desolate I-40 on Monday afternoon. A few trucks were scattered here and there, but the vast majority of parking spots sat empty.

Ashley Duckett, an employee at the Pilot convenience store, said business was “dead” on Sunday, the day the rockslide occurred.

“It’s usually booming,” said Linda Henry, another employee at the store, adding that business will definitely hurt without truckers stopping by to fuel up, have a meal, or take a shower.

The people who did walk into the store were only interested in one thing: directions.

“Every other person coming in here is asking how do I get to Tennessee? How do I get to Knoxville? How do I get to Gatlinburg?” said Henry.

Watauga County

Appalachian holds 8th annual entrepreneur summit Nov. 6

BOONE—People interested in owning their own business can learn from the experts at the 8th Annual Carole Moore McLeod Entrepreneur Summit Nov. 6 at Appalachian State University.

Multiple concurrent sessions run at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. in the Walker College of Business in Raley Hall. A keynote speech by Matthew Szulik, chairman of Red Hat and the 2008 Ernst and Young National Entrepreneur of the Year, will begin at 11 a.m. in Valborg Theatre located adjacent to Raley Hall in Chapel Wilson Hall.

The entrepreneur summit is named for Carole Moore McLeod in recognition of her gift that provides ongoing support of the program. She is a 1981 business graduate of the Walker College of Business. “There is nothing more exciting to experience the students creativity and feel their desire to start a new business,” she said.

The entrepreneur summit is free and open to the public, however seating is limited. Parking is available in the Rivers Street parking deck and shuttle service to and from Raley Hall will be provided. For a complete schedule and list of businesses participating in the event, and to register, visit www.entrepreneurship.appstate.edu. For more information, contact Julia Rowland with Appalachian’s Center for Entrepreneurship at 828-262-8325 or rowlandja@appstate.edu.

JPA Live Radio for October 28, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Joshua P. Allem is one of my favorite hosts on Blog Talk Radio (there are soooo many of them that are fun to listen to....

The show starts at 4pm EDT and runs for 2 hours. The same player will also play the podcast after the show is over, so bookmark this post and return later if you can't stay for the whole show!

More Josh Goodness

Josh has a blog, and you can visit his Blog Talk Radio page to listen to, or download past shows.

Ares I-X Successfully Launches!

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:57:00 +0000

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 23 times the power output of the Hoover Dam, the Constellation Program's Ares I-X test rocket zooms off Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Here are the videos of the launch from SpaceVidCast:

The Launch. Go to 5 minutes, if you just want to see the launch itself.

Replays of the launch from various angles...most with no audio.

And here is a LaunchPad Video that walks you through what NASA expected to accomplish with this test...

Watch Ares I-X Test Launch Live (Atmospheric Test Flight) Attempt #2

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:41:00 +0000

I couldn't resist altering the image...

**update 6.28am 10-28-2009**

Yesterday's attempt didn't go so well, so here goes again...

With the countdown under way, the launch team is targeting a 6 a.m. rollback of the rotating service structure. The launch window opens at 8 a.m. and extends until noon. At present, the most likely T-0 may come between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m.

Just as yesterday, the weather will be the question of the day. The forecast is for 60 percent "no-go" once again. Overnight, weather moved through the area producing rain and lightning. There were four strikes near the launch pad, and vehicle testing is running concurrently with the count to ensure there are no issues as a result. So far, all results are good. The closest strike was .44 miles away from the pad.

The Launch. Go to 5 minutes, if you just want to see the launch itself.

Replays of the launch from various angles...most with no audio.

The video feed is provided by SpaceVidCast, who are my favorite source for watching NASA-TV on the Internet, and they have an excellent show that they do live every Thursday night. Check them out!!!

Ares I-X is the first test flight in the Ares I development program. Ares I is a launch system forhuman spaceflights being developed by NASA, the space agency of the United States. The vehicle used for the Ares I-X suborbital test flight will be similar in shape, weight and size to the planned configuration of later Ares I vehicles, but will have largely dissimilar internal hardware. Ares I-X is scheduled for launch on October 27, 2009.

Ares I vehicles are intended to launch Orion crew exploration vehicles. Along with the Ares Vlaunch system and the Altair lunar lander, Ares I and Orion are part of NASA's Constellation Program, which is developing spacecraft for U.S. human spaceflight after the Space Shuttle fleet is retired.

Source: Wikipedia

More Info: NASA I-X Briefing

Once the event is over, I will replace the live player with video of the launch, should all go as planned.

Code Pink Jodie Evans story beaks on Blog Talk Radio and Big Government

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:48:00 +0000

Jodie Evans is to the left of Hugo Chavez in this photo

The above player is from the Andrea Shea King Show regarding the investigation into Jodie Evans.

Andrea has an excellent blog called The Radio Patriot.

Why does Jodie Evans merit such face time with the president even though she acts as an agent of influence for the anti-American governments of Iran, Cuba and Venezuela, as well as Middle Eastern terrorists?
Jodie Evans helped rally the Los Angeles progressive community to Obama’s side by co-hosting the first Hollywood fundraiser for Obama in February 2007 along with her partner (and ex-husband) Max Palevsky and the Dreamworks trio of Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. Jodie Evans went on to be appointed a fund raiser for Obama.
Over the life of the campaign, Jodie Evans became one of Obama’s top donors, giving the maximum $2300 to his respective primary and general election funds and tens of thousands of dollars more to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint Obama-Democratic National Committee fund.
Jodie Evans issued several public endorsements of Obama during the campaign targeting the progressive community.
Jodie Evans and Code Pink hosted a get out the vote training effort for Obama in October 2008.
That Jodie Evans is a respected power-player in the Democratic party is no surprise. She worked for Gov. Jerry Brown and managed his 1992 presidential campaign. However, the mainstream media continually gives Jodie Evans a pass, as was noted in this LA Weekly article from 2003 that chastised the Los Angeles Times for ignoring Jodie Evans’ role as a state Democratic party operative in an article on efforts to stave off the recall of her longtime colleague, Gov. Gray Davis.
What is surprising, or should be, is how upfront she is about her pro-terrorist politics and how accepting Obama and her fellow Democrats are of her. That someone with Jodie Evans’ background operates at the presidential level in American politics is extremely disturbing.
Last year, right before Jodie Evans attended another high dollar event for Obama, she gave a radio interview in which she sympathized with Osama bin Laden about his reasons for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that murdered nearly 3000 Americans and foreign nationals.

Source: Big Government

Commentary

In my opinion, these investigative efforts are better than the dead-end Obama Birth Certificate craze.

Here is my standard answer (and challenge) to the Obama Birthers:

Even *IF* you could prove that Obama was born outside the USA, there is nothing that would be done about it.

The Supreme Court is very unlikely to act upon it. There just simply aren't enough justices who are willing to cause a Constitutional Crisis.

There are also not enough votes in either the US House or Senate to even get an impeachment rolling.

Those are the stone cold facts.

If people want to investigate something, there are plenty of people in the House of Representatives and the US Senate to investigate. There are also plenty of groups like ACORN, SEIU, Unions, Media Matters, George Soros and hundreds of other people and organizations where your time would be better spent.

And, an even better project would be organizing voters and registering conservative voters at the precinct level. Too many people who call themselves conservatives have never once darkened the door of their local party headquarters to volunteer for canvassing and other party-building activities...nor have they helped raise funds.

That is the tragedy of why people like Obama can get elected.

The 2009 Keeper of the Flame Award

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:46:00 +0000

If you have trouble seeing the video click here.

"We can NOT hope to win a war by talking down our country and those who do its hardest work - the men and women of the military and the intellegence services - they are the true Keepers of the Flame."

- Vice President Richard B Cheney

The Keeper of the Flame Award was inaugurated in 1990 by the Center for Security Policy to bestow recognition on those individuals who devote their public careers to the propagation of democracy and the respect for individual rights throughout the world. The Award acknowledges both the past contributions of its recipients and to remind others who share their commitment to freedom and economic opportunity of the work yet to be done.

In 2009, the Center for Security Policy is proud to honor Vice President Richard Cheney with its annual Keeper of the Flame Award.

Vice President Richard B. Cheney has had a distinguished career as a businessman and public servant, serving four Presidents and as an elected official. Throughout his service, Mr. Cheney served with duty, honor, and unwavering leadership, gaining him the respect of the American people during trying military times.

Mr. Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 30, 1941 and grew up in Casper, Wyoming. He earned his bachelor's and master's of arts degrees from the University of Wyoming. His career in public service began in 1969 when he joined the Nixon Administration, serving in a number of positions at the Cost of Living Council, at the Office of Economic Opportunity, and within the White House.

When Gerald Ford assumed the Presidency in August 1974, Mr. Cheney served on the transition team and later as Deputy Assistant to the President. In November 1975, he was named Assistant to the President and White House Chief of Staff, a position he held throughout the remainder of the Ford Administration.

After he returned to his home state of Wyoming in 1977, Mr. Cheney was elected to serve as the state's sole Congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was re-elected five times and elected by his colleagues to serve as Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987. He was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference in 1987 and elected House Minority Whip in 1988. During his tenure in the House, Mr. Cheney earned a reputation as a man of knowledge, character, and accessibility.

Mr. Cheney also served a crucial role when America needed him most. As Secretary of Defense from March 1989 to January 1993, Mr. Cheney directed two of the largest military campaigns in recent history - Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Storm in the Middle East. He was responsible for shaping the future of the U.S. military in an age of profound and rapid change as the Cold War ended. For his leadership in the Gulf War, Secretary Cheney was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George Bush on July 3, 1991. He served as Vice President of the United States under President George W. Bush from 2001-2009.

Mr. Cheney married his high school sweetheart, Lynne Ann Vincent, in 1964, and they have grown daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, three granddaughters and three grandsons.

Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party (The NY-23 Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:35:00 +0000

When Congressman John McHugh resigned as the Representative from NY-23 to become Secretary of the Army for the Obama Administration, a curious chain of events was set into motion that has led to an exposure of one of the things has been so wrong about the Republican Party for so long...

The Establishment, Eisenhower, or Country Club type of Republicans have always courted the conservative vote when it comes time to running for office, but ignore conservatives once in office.

John McCain and Lindsey Graham are perfect examples of this phenomena.

This race will be an early indicator as to whether or not the recent Tea Party Movement has developed enough of a following to make a dent in Congressional Districts that aren't already safe districts for one party or the other.

Source: Conservative Thunder (read the whole thing)

Commentary

I am looking forward to see what the results of this race will be on Nov 3rd.

I hope that Doug Hoffman can overcome both candidates.

Curious About the Socialist/Communist/Progressive Agenda for America?

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:48:00 +0000

One of the pillars of my effort in communicating the danger that Progressives pose to America has been by showing you the degree to which their agenda matches the agenda by avowed Socialist and Communists, which are one and the same when it comes to their desire to destroy American Capitalism and replace it with a command and control economy.

There is a Socialist Conference going on in San Fransisco (no surprise there) next Saturday that can shed some light for us regarding the Socialist Agenda for America. Here is the schedule of speakers:

9:30 to 11:00am - Plenary: Capitalism as Organized Crime

Tamara Khoury, PSL activist, Students Fight Back!
Eugene Puryear, PSL 2008 Vice Presidential Candidate
Brian Becker, National Coordinator ANSWER Coalition, member - PSL National Committee
Discussion period

11:10am to 12:40pm - Workshop Session I

Workshop 1: Revolution in Latin America
Presenters:
Gloria La Riva, PSL 2008 Presidential Candidate, Coordinator-National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
Carlos Alvarez, PSL 2010 Candidate for Governor of California
Discussion of the anti-imperialist struggles in Latin America, Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution, the role of socialist Cuba and the role of revolutionaries in the U.S.

Workshop 2: Socialism: What it really is, Why we need it
Nathalie Hrizi, PSL 2008 Candidate for Congress
Peta Lindsay, Students Fight Back, Los Angeles
Discussion of the differences between capitalism and socialism, is socialism possible in the U.S., and why only socialism can solve the growing crisis in society.

12:40 to 1:30pm - Lunch
1:30 to 3:00pm - Workshop Session II

Workshop 1: Organizing against racism and bigotry
Cristina Gutierrez, Coordinator - Barrio Unido for Full and Unconditional Amnesty
Stewart Stout, Organizer - Equal Rights Initiative
Peta Lindsay, Students Fight Back
Discussion of the struggle against racist oppression, for LGBT equality and immigrant rights.

Workshop 2: The struggle against U.S. imperialism
Eugene Puryear, PSL National Committee
Sarah Carlson, ANSWER Coalition activist - San Francisco
Carlito Rovira, Puerto Rican community activist and PSL National Committee
Discussion of U.S. imperialist aims and the people’s struggle for liberation.

3:10 to 4:00pm - Closing Plenary: Capitalist Crisis and the Need for Revolutionary Change

Frank Lara, PSL San Francisco organizer
Brian Becker
Peta Lindsay
Discussion period

Source: Party for Socialism and Liberation
Hat Tip: American Power (go read his take on it as well)

What kind of people are those speaking at this event? What have they said in public before? Here is your chance to hear it and read it for yourself. And while you do so, remind yourself at how very close the talking points these people use are to what you hear out of your typical Progressive Democrat. Most of the time, all that separates these Socialists/Communists from Progressives is what they chose to call themselves. Also, consider how closely their talking points about our battle against radical Islam is to what you hear out of the typical Ron Paul Supporter...food for thought, eh?

First, the speakers who are listed as speaking in a plenary entitled: Capitalism as Organized Crime.

Speaker: Tamara Khoury

An article of hers defending Palestinian Terrorist Groups:

Who are the al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades?

All modern states maintain armed bodies for the purpose of both domestic policing and national security, but the Palestinians have long been denied the right to formal statehood. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent acceptance of a Palestinian “state” came with the important condition that it be demilitarized (and thus not a “state” at all).

The Palestinian political-military organizations play a dual role: fighting the Israeli occupation as a basic tenet of self-determination and self-defense and functioning as the state apparatus long denied to the Palestinian people. Even now that Fatah’s current leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has steered the party into an alliance with Israel and the United States, the al-Aqsa brigades still exist as a resistance force.

.
Source: PSL Web Setting the record straight about Abu Aita and the al-Aqsa Brigades

Speaker Eugene Puryear

Eugene Puryear was the 2008 vice-presidential candidate of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, despite being 22 years old and ineligible for the office. He was born February 28, 1986.

Puryear is an active anti-war and social justice organizer in Washington, D.C. He is a volunteer organizer in the anti-war coalition ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).

Puryear is an organizer in the movement to Free the Jena 6. Puryear spoke at the 1,500-strong rally for the Jena 6 at Howard University, the first major national protest to bring attention to the case.

Born in Charlottesville, Va., Puryear has been an organizer in the anti-war movement since high school, when he led a walkout of over 800 students. He has chaired and participated in numerous rallies and marches—including the Sept. 24, 2005, anti-war march of 350,000 people, the 2005 counter-inaugural protest, and the Sept. 15, 2007, mass die-in and anti-war protest at the White House.

Puryear has been profiled by the Washington Post, and interviewed by outlets such as WPFW, WOL-AM, WBAI, the Final Call newspaper, Blackamericaweb.com, WTOP and the Associated Press. He is a regular contributor to Socialism and Liberation magazine and Liberation, the newspaper of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. He is a member of the National Committee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Here is an article written by Puryear after the election of Barack Obama as our 44th President:

While the capitalists, the mass media and many in the progressive movement hope for a lengthy honeymoon period for President-elect Obama, the deteriorating economic situation on the ground floor of society is likely to lead to an increase in independent political organizing in communities across America, especially in the most oppressed communities, where the pain is being felt the most.

What does Obama have in store
for the workers who turned to him
hoping for change?

Since the Nov. 4 election of Barack Obama, the question has been raised repeatedly: "How will he govern?" With right-wing elements raising the bogeyman of an "ultra-liberal" agenda, Obama has responded with appointments and rumored appointments that point more towards continuity than change.

The president-elect’s first appointment was Rahm Emmanuel, a former Clinton White House staffer. Emmanuel has been a central strategist of the pro-war and pro-capitalist policies pursued by Democrats in the post-2006 election Congress.

In the face of the spiraling economic crisis, the president-elect faces a unique contradiction. On the one hand, he has been entrusted by the most powerful people in the country with the duty of managing the capitalist state. On the other hand, Obama rose in the political establishment in part by promising the people that he would bring about change. In the past few months, "change" has come to mean—in the minds of workers and many others in the country—relief from the economic crisis.

At the same time the corporations intensify their attacks on working people to hold onto and maximize their profits during the recession, working people will be suffering from unemployment, lower wages, attacks on benefits, lack of health care, education cuts and a broad assault meant to force workers to bear the brunt of the crisis. The ruling class will expect Obama, as president, to lead this assault and at the same time defuse mass resistance to it.

Source: PSL Web: How will President Obama 'rule'?

Speaker: Brian Becker

The video below is from a show called Conversations" with Harold Hudson Channer that is almost an hour long, and is very informative about his history and positions...

Brian Becker is a Marxist to the core, and here are just a few tidbits of his evil ideology of anti-Capitalism and anti-Americanism...

Brian Becker is a Co-Director of Ramsey Clark's International Action Center (IAC) and a steering committee member of International A.N.S.W.E.R. Both are front groups for the Marxist-Leninist Workers World Party (WWP). Through his association with these organizations, Becker has been a prominent figure in the anti-war movement's massive rallies against the war on terror.

Becker is a member of the Secretariat of the WWP of the United States, which is a staunch supporter of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il. As Chairman of the "U.S. Troops out of Korea Committee," Becker has accused the United States of conducting a campaign of genocide against North Korea.

This article below is in opposition to the liberation of Communist East Europe...

Much more is at stake than the fate of one leader, or even of the Serbian Socialist Party and the Party of the United Left.

The consequences of capitalist counter-revolution are unambiguous. In Russia between 1989 and 1996, the report says, wages fell 48 percent. Income derived from rent, meaning landlords' profits, jumped to 23 percent.

During the days of the Soviet Union, rent was restricted to no more than 5 percent of a worker's wage. The money went into social funds administered by the state. There was no such thing as landlords.

The report goes on: “There are [other] serious human deprivations. Between 1989 and 1996 male life expectancy [in Russia] declined by more than four years, to 60.”

Throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union “the transition from centrally planned to market economies was accompanied by large changes in the distribution of national wealth and income. Data on income inequality indicate that these changes were the fastest ever recorded.”

Source: Hartford Web Publishing: socialist breakup in Eastern Europe devastates workers

Next, the speakers who are listed as speaking in a workshop entitled: Revolution in Latin America.

Speaker: Gloria La Riva

Here is a video of her speaking at an anti-American war protest sponsored by the ANSWER Coalition...

Gloria La Riva's political positions are delineated in detail on the On The Issues webpage.

She supports:

Rational social & economic planning, rather than "market"

Pay reparations, with interest, for slavery.

Capitalist system creates war, poverty and racism

Free trade enriches capitalists and displaces humans

Create a universal healthcare system

Full rights and equality for all undocumented immigrants

Winter Reading Project

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:45:00 +0000

It has been a tradition for me the past few years to undertake a reading project for the long cold months of winter, usually a series of history books or a long Science Fiction or series of Historical Fiction novels.

This year, I am currently undecided which of two book series to tackle, Will and Ariel Durant's "The Story of Civilization" (pictured above) or the Encyclopedia "Great Book of the Western World".
I already own The Story of Civilization, having purchased them over a period of years at yard sales, used book stores and discarded book sales from regional libraries. (For the life of me, I cannot comprehend why a library would get rid of these books).
I have read bits and pieces of both before, but to tackle the whole series of either at once seems like more than I can chew.

Right now, I'm reading my way through the Honorverse series of Science Fiction books...so I'll have a couple of weeks to make up my mind.

How the National Football League Supports the Criminalization of Conservative Thought, Part 1 DeMaurice Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:05:00 +0000

Unless you've been under a rock for the past few days, I am sure that you've heard something of the controversy started by race-baiters in the Democratic Party over the inclusion of Rush Limbaugh in a group that was bidding for the the purchase of part of the St Louis Rams, a franchise of the NFL.
[Rush article in WSJ]

Here are a few excerpts from articles about the opposition to Rush Limbaugh, a conservative, as part of this group:

From ESPN:

NFL Players executive director DeMaurice Smith on Saturday made a move to solidify the union against a bid by conservative talk show radio host Rush Limbaugh as part of a group that aims to purchase the St. Louis Rams.

Source: ESPN

Who is DeMaurice Smith, and what part do politics play into his opposition to a nationally known conservative being part of a group seeking to be part owners of an NFL franchise?

DeMaurice Smith has been the NFL Players Executive Director since March of 2009. He was formerly an attorney with Patton Boggs. He was named one of “The Top Fifteen Black White-Collar Criminal Defense Attorneys” by Corporate Crime Reporter in 2007. He has also given a lot of money to Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama.

He gave $2,000 to John F Kerry in 2004 and $3,300 to Barack Obama in 2008.

He has also given $500 to the DC Representative to the House of Representatives, Eleanor Norton Holmes...a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

He has also given to the Democratic Party of Virginia and to Senator Evan Bayh.

Don't you think that politics had a little something to do with DeMaurice Smith's opposition to Limbaugh, a conservative, being part of a group that is seeking to be part owners of an NFL Franchise?

I certainly do.

Tomorrow, I will look at another person who has gone on record opposing the inclusion of Rush Limbaugh as part of a group seeking to be part owners of an NFL Franchise.

Serial Killer Caught by Father

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:06:00 +0000

The Collector

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:53:00 +0000

View on ExposureRoom

Waterrock Knob Time Lapse

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:32:00 +0000

I shot this from the top of Waterrock Knob [Peakbagger Info] on the Blue Ridge Parkway looking southeast. Original time frame is 47 minutes. Waterrock Knob is located in Jackson County, NC and is about half a mile from the Waterrock Knob Parking lot and Visitor Center. The hike is strenuous, with some rocks to climb up, and one ledge to skirt. Bring some water with you of you go to the top. There is also a good area for picnics at the top, but be sure to pack your trash out with you when you are done.

I have about three more videos and a slide show to go before I work my way through the material I shot on Tuesday.

Today Is Blog Action Day – Blog About Global Warming My Contribution

noreply@blogger.com (Thunder Pig) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Today is the day in which multitudes of Lefty bloggers will be blogging their little hearts out about how mankind is destroying the earth and is changing the global weather patterns and causing the earth to heat up.

I here to tell you that human-caused Global Warming is a hoax. Just as Lefties were wrong and cried and screamed and warned us of the dangers of the coming Ice Age back in the 70's, they are wrong now. They are taking advantage of the way temperatures trend during warming and cooling cycles.

The earth has been warmer than it is now, and life thrived...even with more carbon dioxide in the air than we have now. As recently as the year AD 1000, Greenland was warm enough to produce grapes for making wine. When the next cooling cycle came, the Vikings had to abandon their vineyards and flee.

The earth has also been colder than it is now, with Ice Ages galore, including the Little Ice of the 17th Century and a smaller cold cycle from the 1940's to the 1970's. We are even in one now...global temperatures have been in decline since 1998 [source 1] [source 2], and will likely continue declining for the next two or three decades....so don't sell off your cold weather gear just yet, you might be needing them sooner than you think!

You can find out more about the lies that Lefties and Enviros have been telling us by visiting the following websites:

Watt's Up With That?

Al Fin (climate cycles keyword search)

Tom Nelson has an excellent blog where he links to zillions of articles

Global Warming Hoax News

WHNO News Feed

I've uploaded a few videos mocking the concept of human-caused Global Warming over the past couple of years, and here are a couple, complete with green borders to show you that I, too, care about the earth:

An Earth Day Celebration

July 18, 2007