Chicago News Bench

New Gingrich Anti-Romney Video "Blood Money: Romney's Medicare Scandal"

2012-01-26T20:36:00.002-06:00

Image via Wikipedia
January 26, 2012 - Newt Gingrich plays rough, and his supporters do too. Some of his supporters comprise a super pac called Winning Our Future, and they are determined to to crush - not merely defeat but crush - Mitt Romney. Here is a teaser for their upcoming "documentary" from the pro-Gingrich war-machine.

It's called "Blood Money: Romney's Medicare Scandal." Watch it now, below... This video is the second in WOF's series of anti-Romney attack videos. The first one has the blunt title of "King of Bain 'When Mitt Romney Came To Town'," posted to WOF's YouTube channel on January 23. You can watch "King of Bain" (28:01) below, too.

Mark Oxner's Campaign Video Shows Obama as Crazy Ship Captain, Alan Grayson as his Parrot

2012-01-25T12:50:00.005-06:00

January 25, 2012 - There are a lot of badly made campaign videos out there, but now and then one comes along that can only be called brilliant. Congressional candidate Mark Oxner (Republican) has released one of those. It was released last night.

It's titled "Turn This Ship Around: Mark Oxner For Congress" (watch below). Oxner, 40, is running in Florida's new 27th Congressional District against uber-liberal Alan Grayson (Democrat).

The video not only slams former Grayson, but also Barack Obama, depicting Obama as the demented captain of ship about to sail over a deadly waterfall. Grayson is accurately portrayed as Obama's faithful parrot.

For those who might thing Oxner's video is unfairly harsh, it would be fitting now to remind you that Grayson compared Daniel Webster, his Republican challenger in 2010, to the Taliban. A Grayson campaign video called Webster a "religious fanatic" and accused him of being "anti-woman." Grayson was heavily criticized by Florida media for going too far in his criticism, and many voters felt the same: Webster beat Grayson in the 2010 race for Florida's old 8th District.

Grayson is known for his outrageous and often deliberately false statements. In 2009 he said that Republicans "want you to die quickly" (see video at left).

Former CIA Officer, HuffPo Contributor, Charged With Violating Espionage Act

2012-01-23T19:01:00.003-06:00

John Kiriakou, left, and his attorney John Hundley, leave
federal court in Alexandria, VA. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Source: The Guardian (UK)

January 23, 2012 - Former CIA officer John Kiriakou was arrested and accused of leaking classified information to reporters.

The Justice Department today charged Kiriakou, 47, with leaking classified information to reporters repeatedly, "including the identity of a covert officer and details about the capture of terrorism suspect Abu Zubaydah," the U.S. Justice Department said.

The Justice Department's actions agains Kiriakou, notes Don Grandoni at The Atlantic Wire, is "the second time this month the agency is sending the message that it doesn't like its ex-agents to be talking to reporters." However, added Grandoni, "the leaks do involve the identities of two CIA officiers."

A federal grand jury charged Kiriakou with one count of violating the Intelligence Agencies Protection Act, two counts of violating the Espionage Act and one count of lying to the CIA about his actions.

NBC reported today that Kiriakou surrendered to the FBI this morning. "In an initial court appearance in Alexandria Monday afternoon," wrote NBC's Michael Isikoff, "Kiriakou waived a preliminary hearing and was released on a $250,000 bond after surrendering his passport and agreeing to stay in the Washington area and not to contact any witnesses in the case. His lawyer, Plato Cacheris, did not immediately respond to a request for comment."

The "Lawfare" blog notes today that Kiriakou, 47, of Arlington, VA, "was a CIA intelligence officer between 1990 and 2004, serving at headquarters and in various classified overseas assignments. He is scheduled to appear at 2 p.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson in federal court in Alexandria." Lawfare also posted the full criminal complaint against Kiriakou (filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia).

Kiriakou has been a busy journalist himself. In addition to being a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post. According to his bio post at HuffPo, "John Kiriakou is an intelligence and counterterrorism consultant for ABC News and a former senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, focusing on the Middle East, South Asia, and international terrorism."

Kiriakou also co-authored a book (with Bruce Riedel and Michael Ruby) called "The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror." In fact, much of what Kiriakou is charge with involves the time during which he was writing it. (See a video interview of Kiriakou about his book at booktv.org.)

NBC Washington notes that the U.S. Attorney's office "also said that while Kiriakou was writing his book, he lied to agency investigators in an attempt to secure permission to write about a confidential surveillance technique. Kiriakou wanted to include information about the 'magic box,' a device that could locate any switched-on cell phone, and allegedly told investigators lies about his knowledge of the device and whether or not it was confidential."

Oddly, his bio at HuffPo omits the fact that his tenure with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was actually as an investigator for Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) between 2009 and 2011. It's also odd that his HuffPo bio does not mention that he is one of their own frequent contributors.

UPDATED: Sen. Mark Kirk Suffers Stroke, Recovering Nicely

2012-01-23T16:19:00.002-06:00

Image via Wikipedia
UPDATE, JAN. 24, 2012 - We are happy to report that Mark Kirk is recovering quickly from the stroke he suffered last weekend. He is breathing on his own after undergoing three hours of surgery - and he's already asking for his Blackberry phone.

January 23, 2012 - Chicago - U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois was hospitalized over this past weekend after he suffered a stroke. Doctors performed surgery on the senator today to remove a four-inch-by-eight-inch portion of his skull to relieve pressure on the brain.

Sen. Kirk's said that he checked himself into Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, where doctors discovered a "carotid artery dissection in the right side of his neck." He was then moved to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Kirk, 52, "is expected to recover cognitive functions but could have some physical impairment," reports the Chicago Tribune today, "following a weekend stroke, the neurosurgeon who operated on the senator said today following three-hour surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital."

The Tribune quotes Dr. Richard Fessler as saying that the stroke may leave Sen. Kirk with limited movement of his left arm and/or leg, and could cause some facial paralysis.

"Fortunately," said Dr. Fessler, "the stroke was not on the left side of his brain, in which case it would affect his ability to speak, understand and think."

Sen. Kirk, a Republican, is the junior Senator from Illinois and a former member of the House of Representatives. He currently holds the U.S. Senate seat in Chicago that was once held by Barack Obama. He beat Democrat Alexi Giannoulias in 2010. Giannoulias is a former Illinois State Treasurer.

Chicago News Bench has been harshly critical of Mark Kirk's politics in the past, but we wish him a full and speedy. We also wish courage and strength for his family.

Canadian TV Commentator Slams Obama for Keystone Debacle

2012-01-22T17:12:00.002-06:00

Canadian television commentator and columnist Ezra Levant laid into Barack Obama for his recent rejection of the Keystone Pipeline project.

Here is Levant's great rant, on video, about what he calls Obama's "Keystone cop-out."

Levant also wrote about it in the Calgary Sun on January 21. His column had the great headline, "Obama chose conflict Venezuelan oil over ethical Canuck oil, and movie stars over working men, women."

Here is an excerpt:

U.S. President Barack Obama made a choice last week: He chose Venezuela over Canada. That's what he did when he rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that would have taken oilsands oil from Alberta to the Gulf Coast of Texas.

That pipeline would have delivered 700,000 barrels of oil every day from Canada (and from a new oilfield called Bakken that straddles the North Dakota-Saskatchewan border). Which is almost precisely the amount of oil Venezuela now ships to the United States, to those same refineries in Texas. With one fell swoop, Obama could have replaced conflict oil, from a belligerent, authoritarian OPEC regime, with ethical oil from Canada. But he didn't. More at the Calgary Sun...

You can also read more at Levant's blog, which is cleverly called "Ezra Levant."

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club Helps Consumers Save On Medications

2012-01-22T17:00:00.004-06:00

This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

January 22, 2012 - Consumers looking for ways to save money on their medications can do so with the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. According to Walgreens, a full year membership in the program costs only $10.00 and covers "everyone in your immediate family, including a spouse, dependents 22 and younger and pets. Individuals may join for $5." Some of the many benefits included are discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions (yes, pets!), nebulizers and diabetic supplies.

In a time when everybody wants to get the most for their money, the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens is good to know about. The low cost of joining is great, of course, but what does the program include? Quite a lot, it turns out. Bot the family membership and the individual membership include discounts on over 8,000 brand name and generic medications commonly prescribed "to treat a wide range of medical conditions" such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.

The family membership covers all of the people in your immediate family (spouse, dependents under the age of 23, and even pets). If your grandmother is living with you, however, you needn't worry: Walgreens says that " additional adult family members living in the same household, like a parent or grandparent" can enroll separately for only $5.00.

The Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens includes a wide variety of medications, including many preventative and "lifestyle" medications. Most chronic conditions are included, and "all drug classes are represented." For more about this, you can see the brief brochure that Walgreens has online.

As if the great discounts on medications weren't enough, the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens even lets you get bonuses when you buy Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

Walgreens is showing its commitment to providing Americans with low-cost, high quality medications with their Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens. I don't know about you, but I like to support any merchant that goes the extra mile to give that kind of service. Show your support for Walgreens and stay updated about this and more by "liking" Walgreens on Facebook and following Walgreens on Twitter. (I did!)

Congressional Republicans 'Terrified' To Run With Gingrich: Britt Hume

2012-01-22T14:42:00.002-06:00

January 22, 2012 - by Tom Mannis - Is Newt Gingrich's South Carolina Republican primary victory yesterday a good thing for the Republican Party? Not really, says Britt Hume, senior political analyst at Fox News. In fact, said Hume last night, it's "terrifying" for Republican members of Congress (both the House and the Senate) who are running for reelection in 2012.

You should not be surprised by Hume's statement. Gingrich, after all, made a lot of enemies within his own party when he was Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 1990s.

Many of those were members of Congress whose toes he stomped on to get his "Contract With America" rammed through the House. (The Senate did not approve of the Contract however, and with President Clinton's vetoes the Contract was actually defeated.) Conservatives in the House of Representatives were so upset with Gingrich, in fact, that they challenged Speaker Gingrich's method of bullying members in a resolution.

"The truth is, nobody actually likes Mr. Gingrich," writes Charles Hurt in The Washington Times today. "They just really don’t like Mr. Romney or Mr. Santorum, and they are a little worried about Rep. Ron Paul." Hurt calls Gingrich "the king of drama," who sometimes plays "the soul-searching Hamlet and at other times the destructive King Lear."

Indeed, many conservative voters are fearing a replay of 2008, in which mealy-mouthed RINO John McCain was pitted against the smoother, hipper Barack Obama. Three years ago, most of us on the Right held our noses and voted for McCain. Others (stupidly) refused to vote for him because he was too moderate or liberal on various issues.

The Contract "set the Republican agenda, which included curbing spending and cutting government waste, opening committee meetings to the public, and reining in the budget," and is credited with helping Republicans to achieve their first majority in the House in 40 years. (Mitt Romney, running against incumbent Ted Kennedy for U.S. Senate in 1994, opposed the Contract.)

Most true conservatives today regard Gingrich as a RINO (Republican In Name Only). MofoPolitics.com reminds us of "that time Newt Gingrich heaped praise on environmentalist wacko John Kerry and agreed [with] '60 percent' of his psychotic liberal environmental policies." Mofo reminds us, as well, of "that time Newt Gingrich sat on a couch w/ that nazi witch Nancy Pelosi" and of "that time Newt Gingrich worked together w/ Al Sharpton on some Education bullsh*t that amounted to absolutely nothing." (Links added by me.) Mofo has other Gingrich memories to share with you, too.

In December of last year, former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) said that Newt Gingrich "lied to the president of the United States" during budget negotiations with George H.W. Bush. Simpson has some bitter memories of the battle for the Contract With America. His story got minor media attention, then quickly faded. It may well surface again before the Republican National Convention.

"Simpson is part of the wing of the Republican Party establishment that remembers Gingrich as a disruptive and destructive force," reported Boston.com on December 9, 2011. Simpson said Gingrich was "one who caused self-inflicted damage to the party and helped set up President Bill Clinton’s 1996 reelection and other Democratic victories."

"Now," wrote Boston.com's Michael Kranish, "many members of the Republican Party establishment are watching Gingrich’s rise with trepidation, fearing a repeat may be at hand. In response, some Republicans have aligned with Mitt Romney, and even those who have not made an endorsement, including Simpson, are hoping to remind voters of Gingrich’s record."

In late January of 2012, we find ourselves looking at four remaining candidates, with Gingrich and Romney, both RINOs, as the front runners.

Let's face facts: Neither Rick Santorum nor Ron Paul stand a chance of winning the GOP nomination for president in 2012. While Santorum is a stiff social conservative, he's uninspiring, bland, and was the only Republican who to defend the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which threatened Internet freedom until public outcry defeated it last week. Paul, a Libertarian isolationist appeaser who is trespassing in the GOP primaries by posing as a Republican, is frightening to many would-be Republican voters. He doesn't stand a chance of getting the nomination, either, but he has left open the option to run as a third party candidate. (Is it any coincidence that Ron Paul has same initials as Ross Perot? In 1992, conservative Perot siphoned off enough votes from George H. W. Bush that Bill Clinton won the election.)

We conservative voters are left, then, with the prospect of reliving the nightmare of 2008, but with a few extra boogie men in the cast. Santorum, considered "too conservative" by many. Ron Paul, considered too loony by most. Romney, considered by many to be too liberal and now weakened by the South Carolina Gingrich Primary Landslide. Gingrich, the current front runner but also considered too liberal by many.

Of all of them, Gingrich gives the most powerful performance in a debate. That seems to be the one thing that Republicans and conservatives can agree on about him. It's just too bad that what Gingrich says so powerfully has so often sounded like it came from the mouth of a progressive liberal.

UPDATE 2: Current Numbers in South Carolina Republican Primary (Developing)

2012-01-21T20:05:00.005-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

January 21, 2012 - This is according to the South Carolina State Election Commission (SCEC) website.

UPDATED 9:43 PM ET:
Ballots cast: 249,862 (of 2,804,231 registered voters); turnout: 8.91 %.
Gingrich: 39.35% (97,995 votes)
Romney: 28.39% (70,707 votes)
Santorum: 17.54% (43,675 votes)

Earlier: According to the SCEC, only 436 of 2,129 precincts have "completely reported." That's only 20.48% of precincts reporting as of 9:00 PM ET. SCEC reports that only 133,721 votes were cast, which is a voter turnout of 4.77% of the 2,804,231 registered voters in South Carolina.

9:00 PM ET - The Republican primary results are still coming in, and there is NO official winner yet, despite what the media are saying. As of 8:55 PM ET, Newt Gingrich has 32,982 votes counted (39.32 %) in today's South Carolina Republican primary election. Mitt Romney now has 27,726 votes (27.27%).

(Also see our earlier report.)

UPDATED: Not So Fast: Did Gingrich Really Win In South Carolina? Maybe, Maybe Not

2012-01-21T19:05:00.004-06:00

January 21, 2012 - 7:45 PM ET - Seems everyone is rushing to proclaim Newt Gingrich as the winner in today's Republican primary in South Carolina. Most of this is based on exit polling of some voters. But hold on a minute: The polls just closed at 7:00 PM ET. In the opinion of Chicago News Bench, the proclamation of Gingrich, at this point, is premature.

SEE NEWEST UPDATE HERE. SEE PREVIOUS UPDATE BELOW:

We're not saying that Gingrich did not win. All we're saying is that the official results are not in yet. According to the South Carolina State Election Commission, Romney was officially ahead of the pack with 47.67% (941) of the counted votes. Gingrich was trailing with 25.26% (497 votes). This is in sharp contrast to what the media say their exit polls show.

UPDATE, 7:30 PM ET:
The South Carolina State Election Commission website now shows Gingrich pulling ahead, with only two (2) counties completely reporting and six (6) partially reported.
Gingrich: 37.21% (16,201 votes)
Romney: 27.37% (11,917 votes)
Santorum: 18.86% (8,212 votes)
Paul: 14.12% (6,146 votes)

Too many of us remember when Al Gore was prematurely proclaimed the winner in 2000. You'd think the media would learn. They have not.

Hey Newt Gingrich, How Do You Say 'Douchebag' En Espanol?

2012-01-16T15:11:00.003-06:00

January 16, 2012 - Newt Gingrich recently released a campaign video (left) that actually attacks Mitt Romney for his ability to speak French.

Gingrich wants people to think that Romney is like liberal Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and like Comrade Barack Obama just for having a foreign language skill, which is ridiculous.

The hypocritical Gingrich doesn't think, however, that his own ability to speak Spanish (badly) makes him "like Obama," who also has the ability to speak Spanish (badly). Watch Gingrich do what uber-liberal Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy used to do in the video below.

In fact, Gingrich's hypocrisy is breathtaking: He holds a doctorate in European history from Tulane University. To really drive home the idiocy of Gingrich's attack ad is the fact that Gingrich himself is apparently fluent in French.

While he's quick to question the patriotism of Mitt Romney (of whom I am NOT a supporter), Gingrich has sloppily pandered to Spanish-speaking voters en Espanol.

Gingrich's attack ad says of Romney, “And just like John Kerry, he speaks French, too.” Well, parlez vous "douche bag," Monsieur Gingrich?

John Kerry (via RottenTomatoes.com)Hell, I speak French (badly), and I'm more conservative than Gingrich. What the hell is wrong with Gingrich, making a video as stupid as this one? How ignorant and stupid does he hope conservative voters are? There are many legitimate things for which to criticize Romney, so why is Gingrich stooping to such a sophomoric issue to single out?

The whole sordid attack by Gingrich is as absurd as the recent attack video by Ron Paul supporters of John Huntsman for his ability to speak Mandarin Chinese fluently. (Huntsman dropped out of the Republican presidential race today.)

Obama uses a fork when he eats, and I sure Romney and Gingrich do too, but I don't think that this commonality makes them philosophically similar. Gingrich has shown throughout this campaign that he's a mean-spirited person, and a hypocrite to boot.

UPDATED: Cowardly Suzanne Elder Scrubs Campaign Video

2012-01-13T15:00:00.011-06:00

"What did they say in February 2008 about Heather Steans? Back then, Steans was hand picked by the Democrat Machine to replace Carol Ronen in the 7th District State Senate race. Interviewed in this video are Suzanne Elder, who ran unsuccessfully against Steans, and Jeff Smith, who is currently running for State Representative in the 18th District." ~ Originally posted 12/19/2009

Ashamed of Her Own Words: Cowardly Suzanne Elder
doesn't want you to see her 2008 campaign video

UPDATE, JANUARY 2012: Suzanne Elder has proven herself to be a dishonest, cowardly revisionist of the public historical record. Like her Soviet counterparts who removed unpleasant truths from text books and people's memories, Elder has been busy removing her own actions from the public record.

The video that was posted here on December 19, 2009 was "Virtual Democracy Presents Suzanne Elder." It was a campaign ad. There is no other way to consider the video. It was released while she was running for office, and it featured Elder and several locally well known Democrats bad-mouthing Heather Steans.

One of those Democrats who dissed Heather Steans is Jeff Smith, who has done legal work for Elder. He was also running in the Democrat primary for the 17th House District (IL) until he suspended his campaign for mysterious reasons on January 12, 2012.

Elder has been sucking up to her one-time rival, IL State Senator Heather Steans, for a couple of years now. Because the video featured statements that were highly critical of Steans, Elder filed a copyright complaint with YouTube, claiming that she owned the copyright to the video. However, this video was a campaign ad, and copying it to post here or on YouTube falls under Fair Use in exactly the same way that you or I could freely post an old campaign ad for Al Gore or George Bush. Elder has been busy wiping out any record of what she once loudly said in order to get elected. Today, she suppressed the truth because it makes it hard for her to work within the corrupt Democrat Machine in Chicago and Illinois.

Elder was quite willing to make those statements, and to present anti-Steans statements by others, back in 2008. Now that she's cozy with the Democrat Machine corruptocrats again, the video is an inconvenient irritation. I have little doubt that Steans and the Machine put pressure on Elder to get the video taken down. You can see the email, below, that YouTube sent to me on her behalf.

THE EMAIL FROM YOUTUBE

Date: Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 1:14 PM
Subject: Video removed - Copyright Infringement

Dear rogersparkbench:

We have disabled the following material as a result of a third-party notification from Suzanne Elder claiming that this material is infringing:

Virtual Democracy Presents Suzanne Elder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYoCTAyVKh8

Please Note: Repeat incidents of copyright infringement will result in the deletion of your account and all videos uploaded to that account. In order to prevent this from happening, please delete any videos to which you do not own the rights, and refrain from uploading additional videos that infringe on the copyrights of others. For more information about YouTube's copyright policy, please read the Copyright Tips guide.

If one of your postings has been misidentified as infringing, you may submit a counter-notification. Information about this process is in our Help Center.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material was disabled due to mistake or misidentification may be liable for damages.

Sincerely,

— The YouTube Team

A Year Later, Illinois Tax Hikes Are Miserable Failure

2012-01-12T17:59:00.005-06:00

Image via Wikipedia
January 12, 2012 - ILLINOIS - Every conservative in this tax burdened state knew things would only get worse when the Democrat-controlled legislature raised taxes in January one year ago. We warned, we screamed, that it would discourage new business ventures and chase away existing ones. They did not listen. They never do.

A year ago today, the Illinois General Assembly decided to raise the individual income tax rate by a whopping 67%. The corporate income tax rate was increased by 46%.

Even a few of the libs here (those with partial regrowth of their frontal lobes) knew this would happen. What, then, is wrong with Gov. Quinn and the rest of the mentally-challenged Democrat legislators in Springfield?

“We have some temporary tax increases that are designed to pay our bills, get Illinois back on fiscal sound footing and make sure that our state has a strong economy.” - Gov. Pat Quinn, Democrat, Illinois

Image via WikipediaNote Gov. Quinn's use of the phrase "temporary tax increases." Turns out it might be as "temporary" as the tolls on Illinois highways: It's here for good, in other words.

A stunning (but not surprising) report released today by the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) notes that Quinn's tax hike not only didn't work, it caused more damage to the state's economy. "One year later,"says IPI, "it’s clear the tax hike was the solution to neither Illinois’ fiscal problems nor its continuing economic decline. Today things are worse." IPI's report, called "The Verdict Is In: The Tax Hike Failed," goes on to cite reasons why:

1. Spending grew, bills went unpaid and pension reform stalled.

2. Illinois’ unemployment problem worsened.

3. The tax hike made Illinois less competitive and forced businesses to leave the state.

The full report, of course, gives very detailed information about the above reasons for the tax hike's failure to mend the Illinois economy.

IPI also points out that "The tax hike spurred a number of companies to leave or threaten to leave. The state resorted to handing out tax incentives to keep large businesses from leaving. This reinforced Illinois’ reputation of favoring the powerful and connected at the expense of everyone else. It is this perception – grounded in reality – that keeps many entrepreneurs from even considering Illinois as a place to found or grow their business," and "Overall, Illinois fell to 28th place in 2012, from 16th place in 2011 (revised). In particular, Illinois fell 16 places in the corporate sub-index, dropping to 45th in the nation, from 29th prior to the tax hike."

WJBC notes today that "The increases are estimated to bring in about $7 billion in revenue for 2011, but even that shot of cash is not expected to cover expenditures. Quinn’s budget office projects that the state will run a deficit of $507 million this fiscal year and an even larger deficit of $818 million in fiscal 2015, when the majority of income tax increases are set to expire, and he has not identified how to balance that budget." Well, ain't that great? Happy new year, Illinois.

The Illinois budget is still out of control, thanks to Quinn's band of progressive liberal morons in Springfield. "Quinn’s budget office projects that the state will run a deficit of $507 million this fiscal year," says the WJBC report, "and an even larger deficit of $818 million in fiscal 2015, when the majority of income tax increases are set to expire, and he has not identified how to balance that budget."

Please also see "Taxburgers and Fee Fries."

The Incredibly Dumb Meghan McCain: Perfect for MSNBC

2012-01-11T17:04:00.002-06:00

Image via Wikipedia MSNBC is appropriately called "MSLSD" by conservative talker Mark Levin. There are many reasons that Levin's derisive renaming of the cable network is appropriate. After all, watching MSNBC is - I'm told - not so different than an acid trip, in which reality is distorted and the unreal seems real.

The left-leaning network has yet another reason to be compared to a bad hallucinatory experience: Arizona Senator John McCain's daughter, Meghan. She's a "contributor" to MSNBC. Like her father, she calls herself a Republican. We know better, however. While she's easy on the eyes, she tends to make our brains hurt.

Ms. McCain shows her innate stupidity in a multitude of ways, and The Daily Caller was kind enough to bring two of them to our attention recently. During a Monday, January 9 guest appearance on MSNBC she said the Obamas deserve some privacy like anyone else. McCain said Barack Obama deserves a “small emoticon of privacy.” She said as much Monday in a morning MSNBC appearance:

"Emoticon of privacy?" An emoticon is "a textual expression representing the face of a writer's mood or facial expression. For example, :), :(, and :D. They are often used to alert a responder to the tenor or temper of a statement, and can change and improve interpretation of plain text" according to ComputerUser.com. She probably meant to use the word "modicum," which means "a small portion : a limited quantity."

McCain was quickly mocked for her misuse of "emoticon" and she defended herself with this on Twitter: “Thanks everyone, was talking quickly and said ModiCOM instead of ModiCUM this morning. Thanks for obsessing over my every waking word."

Meghan McCain apparently did not review the tape in which she clearly said "emoticon" at least twice. Even her defense was flubbed. She gets some credit from us, though, for correctly using the word "obsessing." The Daily Caller points out yet another Meghan McCain MSLSD moment in which she said that Michele Bachmann is "just more smarter" than Sarah Palin. "More smarter," of course, is lousy grammar, even by MSNBC standards. You can see that video here.

Romney Wins NH Primary, Ron Paul Places Second (Final Results)

2012-01-10T20:10:00.007-06:00

Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr
January 10, 2012 - RINO Mitt Romney, the guy who thinks a healthcare mandate "is conservative," won the Republican primary election in New Hampshire tonight.

Final New Hampshire Republican Primary Results 2012
Source: uselectionatlas.org

Candidate	Votes	Vote %	Delegates	Delegates %
Mitt Romney	95,669	39.38%	7	58.3
Ron Paul	55,455	22.83	3	25.0
Jon Huntsman	40,903	16.84	2	16.7
Newt Gingrich	22,921	9.43	0	0
Rick Santorum	22,708	9.35	0	0
Rick Perry	1,709	0.70	0	0
Other Candidates	1,207	0.50	0	0
Buddy Roemer	919	0.38	0	0
Write-Ins	787	0.32	0	0

Associated Press report this: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, adding to a first-place finish in last week's Iowa caucuses and establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination. Ron Paul finished second, with Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum trailing.... With his victory, Romney became the first Republican to sweep the first two contests in competitive races since Iowa gained the lead-off spot in presidential campaigns in 1976.

As of 9:31 PM ET, 153 of the 301 (51%) New Hampshire precincts had reported. Romney had 37% of the reported votes, with Ron Paul taking 23% so far. (The counting continues at this time; see WMUR.com for updates throughout the night.) Huntsman, at this time, is ahead of Gingrich by 17% to 10% of the votes counted so far. Both Buddy Roemer and Vermin Supreme, for those of you who follow such things, each had 0%.

That's right, the voters in New Hampshire settled for squishy, left-leaning "Republican" Romney. In fact, the best damned headline of the night comes from the (ugh!) Huffington Post. "New Hampshire Primary Election Results 2012: Mitt Romney, The Man They're Settling For." Well, we can rest assured that our second worst president ever, Jimmy Carter, is happy tonight.

After all, Carter endorsed Romney in September, 2011. A report about that in The Washington Times hit the nail on the head: "In an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, Carter said that he would be “very pleased to see him win the Republican nomination.” For a presidential candidate trying to win over conservative Republicans, this endorsement is a telling sign of what kind of president he would be." We are so doomed.

What's For Dinner? Serve Up Family Memories With Your Own Unique Family Recipe Book

2012-01-08T16:52:00.000-06:00

My mother was a great cook. Nearly 19 years after she passed away, I still have fond memories of the special dishes she would whip up for our family. Some were simple, others elaborate, all treasured.

Like many people, my mother wrote down her recipes on index cards. Unfortunately, I lost them in the 1994 Northridge earthquake in L.A. There is no way to recover them; they are lost forever.

If she had been able to turned her recipes into a book with the Great Family Cookbook Project, I would still be able to access those flavorful memories online.

Save your recipes for those you love with this easy, fun and affordable way to create and print your own full-color family cookbook.

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Was It a Saudi Plane or Russian Plane That Made An Emergency Landing in Karachi Today?

2011-12-25T02:41:00.000-06:00

Is this plane Russian or Saudi?

December 25, 2011 - Karachi, Pakistan - There seems to be some media confusion about the nationality of an airplane that "crash landed" at Karachi's Jinna International Airport today. Some are saying it's from Russia, others say it's from Saudi Arabia.

"A Saudi chartered plane MD 83, with 72 people on board having a nose wheel problem made a safe landing at Karachi Airport on Sunday," reports the Associated Press of Pakistan. That report went on to say that "the plane was heading from Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, to Quetta."

The News Tribe, however, reports this: "A Russian Airline flight from Tabuk to Quetta made an emergency landing at Jinnah International Airport Karachi on Sunday morning due to mechanical problems." The plane, says News Tribe, "had 72 passengers on-board including crew."

Jinna Airport, Karachi (image via Wikipedia)Could it be coincidence that two planes, one Russian and one Saudi, with the same number of passengers and traveling from and to the same cities, would both make a safe emergency landing in Karachi on the same day? I seriously doubt that. This was one plane, but somehow different news outlets are reporting that it's Saudi while others say it's Russian. How is that possible?

TheNews.com has a story today, "Saudi private airline plane's safe emergency landing," about - get this - a plane on its way from (you guessed it) Tabuk to Quetta. Guess how many people were on board. Yep, 72.

GeoNewsZone.com, however, says that "A Russian plane landed in Karachi because its wheels were not unfolding. The pilot informed the control room on Sunday."

Judging from late updates, it would seem that the plane is actually Saudi and that initial reports that it was Russian were in error. Some of the media are a little slow to correct mistakes. Several have, but many are still reporting that the plane was Russian.

It's Panic Time! Last Minute Christmas Shopping Guides

2011-12-20T15:08:00.012-06:00

December 20, 2011 - For those of you have put off the inevitable til the last minute, I've put together a list of lists that you might find helpful. There is not much time left to order Christmas gifts that need to be delivered, but there are quite a few merchants still offering free overnight shipping. Another option for shopping procrastinators: Digital downloads. Those are software items that you can instantly have delivered right to your own computer, which you could then email to someone. Let's get right to it:

Amazon.com is offering all kinds of crazy deals, far too many to list here. Some hightlights include free two-day shipping on many items, including their Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi. As Amazon says, "Order now. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis. U.S. only Want it delivered Wednesday, December 21? Order it in the next 1 hour and 30 minutes [as of 2:45 PM CT], and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout." Delivery details here.

For speed-of-light delivery, check out Amazon's software downloads. You'll find everything from tax software to video games to MS Office to language learning software such as Rosetta Stone. Right now you can save 10% off the list price of all Rosetta Stone download titles. For your instant viewing pleasure, browse through more than 54,000 movies at the Amazon's Instant Video page.

Still ot sure what to get? Check out Amazon's "Today's Deals" at Amazon for last minute ideas and awesome deals, or see our very own Chicago News Bench Shopper.

MassLive.com has a nice list that they put together, which includes these merchants:

American Eagle Outfitters has taken an additional 40% off of everything, including clearance items. Use the online promotion code “39427841” at checkout. Free shipping for orders over $100.

(Note: Amazon.com is offering up to 50% off on Apparel and Accessories, with free "super saver shipping" and free returns on clothing.)

Lord & Taylor has cut 20% off all items on their site. Use coupon code “GIFT” (or print out a coupon for a brick and mortar store). Orders of $99 get free shipping.

The Gap - Today is the last day to order for delivery by Christmas. Use promo code “GAPCHEER” to get additional at checkout.

American Apparel is offering up to 70% off on selected items. Use coupon code “GIFTED11” for free standard shipping (but MassLive notes that they don't guarantee orders to arrive by Christmas with standard shipping; you'll need to pay extra for overnight or two-day).

Kaboodle has a great list of 16 online stores that "deliver by Christmas - even if you order at the last minute!" NOTE: The Kaboodle list is on Yahoo.com, which messed up the links. I have those stores listed here, but with good links. Those stores are:

Zappos, Amazon.com, Apple, Free People, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrum, Endless.com, ShoeBuy.com, Best Buy, Overstock.com, Forzieri, Ballard Designs, 80sPurple, Red Envelope and Tommy Hilfiger. See more shopping ideas at Kaboodle.

Layaway Angels Are Great, But...

2011-12-19T16:15:00.002-06:00

The Homeless Patriot writes about those "layaway angels," the kind hearted souls who are anonymously paying off the layaway Christmas gifts for people at Kmarts and Wal-Marts. Trouble is, says HP, those angels could be doing a lot more good for a lot less money. An excerpt....

I am truly happy that my Facebook friend was helped by a layaway angel. I am also happy that she is fortunate enough to have two jobs, a home to live in, and food for her family. Many folks these days cannot make it with only one, and millions do not even have that.

However, I do have a small issue with all of this. No, I am not saying the angels should not do what they are doing. I think it is a wonderful thing. It is people helping people, after all, asking nothing in return except feeling good about what they have done..." Read More at The Homeless Patriot: "Angry About Angels: Layaway Crap Versus Food"

Video: North Korean TV Announcement of Kim Jung Il's Death

2011-12-18T23:16:00.002-06:00

December 18, 2011 - This is how the North Korean people learned about the death of their leader Kim Jung Il earlier today, as reported by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

See related story from BBC World News.

Updated: North Korea's Dictator Kim Jung Il Is Dead

2011-12-18T22:24:00.008-06:00

Kim Jung Il: Dead at last

December 18, 2011 - CNN and other news outlets are now reporting that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is dead. North Korean state run television says he died on Saturday at local time 8:30 a.m. He was 69 years old. It was reported in 2008 that he had a stroke, which greatly weakened his strength. Like his father before him, Kim Jong Il was held as a god-king by his subjects, ruling over this communist nation with an iron fist. He was called "Dear Leader." (See CNN video report)

Korea's new dictator: Kim Jong Un

Al Jazeera is saying that the official North Korean news agency KCNA "said Kim died on Saturday of a 'severe myocardial infarction along with a heart attack' on board a train during one of his field trips outside the capital of the communist country. An autopsy was performed on Sunday, and the North declared a period of national mourning from December 17 to 29." Watch the KCNA televised announcement here.

It's always 1984 in N. Korea

Fox News reports that Kim "appeared relatively vigorous in photos and video from recent trips to China and Russia and in numerous trips around the country carefully documented by state media." Fox also says Kim "was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease."

Starvation and deprevation have long been a problem in North Korea, which is called the most reclusive country on Earth. It is feared that North Korea is close to becoming a nuclear power, and is suspected of helping Iran with its nuclear program.

Since 2010, North Korea has been prepared for Kim's son, Kim Jong Un, to succeed him as the communist nation's leader. It's the continuation of a dynasty: Kim Jong Il inherited the rule of North Korea after his father, Kim Il Sung, died in 1994. Kim Il Sung was the founder of North Korea.

WordPress Users Save $319 With Rare WPMU Dev Coupon

2011-12-18T20:26:00.010-06:00

Do you have a WordPress website? Here is a great deal. A rare coupon from WPMU Dev will now save you $319.00. Get a full one-year subscription for only $100.00.

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Poll: Who Won the Dec. 15 Republican Debate in Iowa?

2011-12-15T22:00:00.014-06:00

Vote now (poll is below) to let us know who you think won the Republican debate in Sioux City, Iowa. It was the last major debate to happen before the Iowa caucus, less than three weeks away.

What's a caucus?"The caucus process has been used since Iowa became a state in the 1840s, but Iowa's First in the Nation status did not gain its current political and media prominence until the 1970s. Caucus meetings for both political parties are held every other year. Prior to 1972, Iowa's caucuses were held during the middle of the primary calendar." More about the Iowa caucus at IowaGOP.org...

Massive 7.7 Earthquake Shakes Four Midwest States, Felt in Boston

2011-12-15T15:33:00.000-06:00

Image via WikipediaDecember 16, 1811 - A violent earthquake shook southeastern Missouri and neighboring states at approximately 2:15 a.m. in the small town of New Madrid, Missouri on the Mississippi River. That's in the "Kentucky Bend" region (map, left).

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) extimates the quake at M7.7. Early reports indicate that there was minimal damage to buildings, but there are no reports of deaths in the sparsely populated area of southeastern corner of the state. The shaking was felt widely throughout the region, and even rang church bells in Boston - half way across the country. More at UFO Shock....

Messy, Disorganized Work Place? Enter the Pimp Your Cube Contest!

2011-12-14T03:01:00.008-06:00

This post brought to you by Contest Factory. All opinions are 100% mine.

They say that a clean desk is the sign of a sick mind. I’m not sure who “They” are, but an overly clean desk - or office, for that matter - just might be the sign of somebody suffering from OCD. On the other hand, some folks push the envelope of sanity a bit too far by allowing their workspace to become a nightmare of dust, dirt, litter and downright disorganization.

If you are one of those people, you could win big in the Pimp My Cube Contest! Check out this funny video, and learn how to enter the contest below it.

Your hideous workspace could win you some cool prizes. “Pimp My Cube” is looking for the worst, most pathetic and messy cubicles or offices. If you have bad furniture, ancient technology or a desk that’s falling apart, that’s cool! Is the place where you work messy, unorganized, noisy, dirty or too dark? A filthy bathroom? Anything that makes where you work just plain heinous counts, and Pimp My Cube wants to know about it!

Here is what Pimp My Cube says:

“We want people to upload a video showing their cube/office/workspace while they explain the details about why it is horrible and why it is so important that Contest Factory come in and ‘Pimp’ their cube.”

Cool, huh? Okay, so you enter your video into the Pimp My Cube Contest, and then you get your friends, family and coworkers to vote for your video. You will get sweepstakes entry points for registering, voting, commenting and inviting others to register for the contest. I recommend including your mother as a voter. All those years of you ignoring her telling you to clean up your room are about to pay off! Mom will be so proud!

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: Click over to the PMC website and register, then upload your videos to enter in the contest. After your video is approved, tell everyone you know to vote on your video. That, you see, improves your chances of winning. Easy peasy, right? Now get to it, and good luck!

U.S. Drone Crashes at Seychelles International Airport

2011-12-13T11:30:00.002-06:00

12/13/2011 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- An Air Force MQ-9 Reaper crashed at the Seychelles International Airport in Mahe at 10:22 a.m. Dec. 13. [See Map]

Image by james_gordon_los_angeles via Flickr

The MQ-9 was not armed and no injuries were reported. The Seychelles government leaders were immediately notified, and the U.S. military and the Civil Aviation Authority of Seychelles are coordinating the removal of debris. The runway at the airport has reopened for normal traffic. The cause of the incident is unknown and currently under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available. (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs) More details at UFO Shock...

I Poo'd In Space: BLR's New Parody of Rick Perry's "Strong" Video - Plus More!

2011-12-12T22:48:00.004-06:00

The comedic geniuses at Bad Lip Reading (BLR) have done it again. Known for their hilarious, nonsensical vocal dubs over candidates' real videos, they've taken Texas Governor Rick Perry's "Strong" campaign video and made it even funnier than the original.

The original (left) is also known as his "war on religion" video. Many see the video as an attack on gays in the military. Others like it for advocating that children be allowed to pray in public schools. Watch the parody and the original below. BLR's parody is below. It is not the only parody of the "Strong" video, however....

Bad Lip Reading: Rick Perry's "Strong" ad - watch more funny videos

The Perry "Strong" video caused such a controversy that it naturally also inspired many parodies. I'd say that BLR's is the best, but there are some other goods ones too.

My only criteria for "good," in this case, is that makes me laugh and it doesn't attack Perry viciously. BLR is good at poking fun at politicians without turning it into a personal attack. In fact, they keep their parodies non-political, which makes them appealing to everyone.

Some say that Perry's campaign ad went too far in the way he dissed gays in the military. Other people say he seems overly concerned about prayer in school. Time will tell whether the ad is a political smart one. How voters react to it is yet to be fully understood. Whether or not this video works for Perry's campaign, one thing is for certain: Rick Perry has made a valuable contribution to the realm of Internet humor videos.

Here's one, above, that meets my criteria: Perry's words are repeated in a stereotypical gay man's voice. For more parodies of Rick Perry's video, just go to YouTube and search for "rick perry strong." While you're there, check out BLR's own YouTube channel.

Breitbart Rips Into Glenn Beck For Calling Tea Party Racist

2011-12-12T19:31:00.004-06:00

Image via Wikipedia
Suppose, for the sake of discussion, that Newt Gingrich gets the Republican nomination for president. If you vote for Gingrich instead of Obama next November, says Glenn Beck, you're a racist. That's what he told Fox News host Andrew Napolitano on December 9's "Freedom Watch" show. Here's what Beck said:

“If you have a big government progressive, or a big government progressive in Obama… ask yourself this, Tea Party: is it about Obama’s race? Because that’s what it appears to be to me. If you’re against him but you’re for this guy, it must be about race. I mean, what else is it? It’s the policies that matter.”

Got that? I'm no fan of Newt Gingrich, and I agree that he is not a true conservative. But Gingrich would be a helluva lot better than another four years of Obama. I say that without consideration for race. I say that because Barack Obama's socialist policies, combined with his fascist embrace of banks and auto manufacturers, not to mention "Obamacare," have taken this country from serious condition in 2008 to critical in 2012. Gingrich could not possibly be worse, and even with his progressive tendencies in some areas, President Gingrich would be better for the nation than more of Obama.

Yet Glenn Beck says that you would be a racist if you voted for Gingrich over Obama. Beck's premise for saying that is flawed: He equates moderate Republican Gingrich with quasi-Socialist, Constitution trampling Obama. Again, I'm no fan of Gingrich, but I'll willingly and without hesitation hold my nose and vote for him next November if it comes down to that.

Beck's own hypocrisy here is stunning. On the April 6, 2010, Beck said this:

"When did referring to someone as a socialist become akin to calling somebody a racist name? I mean, I understand the meaning of racist words and the hurt there. But socialism is not that. That's political ideology defined by discernable characteristics and if somebody points out those characteristics, you're pointing out a political viewpoint or policy." - Glenn Beck show, Fox News

In that show, Beck called Obama a Marxist. He's called Obama a Marxist many, many times. Call Gingrich what you will, nobody has ever seriously thought of him as a Marxist. Why Beck suddenly feels that getting Gingrich as our next president would be worse than four more years of the "Marxist" Obama is a mystery.

Today, in late 2011, Beck is equates a voting for Gingrich over voting for Obama to racism. Perhaps Beck forgot his own words, or did not mean them in the first place. Perhaps he no longer thinks that Tea Party people - or anybody else, for that matter, including Democrats who have lost faith in the Obama they once voted for - are capable of choosing Gingrich over the full destructive policies of Obama. To paraphrase Beck himself, to vote for Gingrich over Obama would be voting out a political viewpoint or policy, not racism. I mean, I understand the meaning of racist words and the hurt there. But voting for the far-lesser of two evils, and against more Marxism, is not that.

Breitbart and Beck both have huge egos, so it should be interesting to watch this clash of media titans as it plays out. I suspect it will not end soon. Breitbart's book, "Righteous Indignation: Excuse Me While I Save the World!" is available at Amazon.com and is testimony to his sense of self importance. (While you're at Amazon, by the way, check out "Debunking Glenn Beck: How to Save America from Media Pundits and Propagandists" by Karl Alan Rogers.)

Image via WikipediaI was a Glenn Beck fan years before many of you probably even heard of him. I loved his goofy radio show, and it was interesting to watch him "evolve" into a serious political commentator. What's worried me over the past two years, and really broke his spell on me about a year ago, was the realization that Glenn Beck is no expert on anything.

Beck repeats what he's told by paid staffers and advisors who have fooled him into thinking that they are experts. Sure, I've agreed with much of what Beck has told us, but just this one statement alone is enough for me to no longer simply not be a Beck fan. I now actively dislike him.

I don't trust him. I am offended by him. As Breitbart said of Beck, "“I don’t care what he does, because he is dead to me."

New Norton Products Protect You From Invisible Cyber Attacks

2011-12-11T04:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Norton Small Business by Symantec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Your business is your life. You lock it up at night, making sure your business is secure against intruders. You turn on your burglar alarm and activate your CCTV for added security, but none of those measures can protect you against an invisible, silent cyber attack. If your computers are not properly protected, the meanest guard dog in the world can only give you a false sense of security.

Cybercriminals can invade your business without physically entering it. From the other side of the planet, they could steal your sensitive information, destroy your data, or both. Let me point out that this same protection would help your at home, too. If you’re like many Americans today, you keep a lot of important files on your home computers: Precious family photos, banking and credit card information, and other important things that you can’t afford to lose.

Norton has two new products that I want to point out to you. These could save your small business a lot of grief: Norton 360 Version 5.0 and Norton Internet Security 2012. These both launched in September 2011. Please take a look at them, compare them, and decide which is right for you. Both offer top-notch protection.

I wish I'd had these Norton products available to me in late 2010, when my home computer was hit by a wicked virus that came in via the Internet. It took me several days just to restart my computer in safe mode. My only option at that point was to reformat my hard drive, which caused me to lose everything that was on it. I don’t want that to happen to any of my readers.

Do me a favor, please: Write a comment here to let me know which Norton product would most help you. I'd love to hear from you and share your experiences and suggestions with other readers.

Avoid losing years of work and potential legal problems by ensuring the security of your customers' information and your valuable data. Don't put yourself in the position of one day saying, "I should have had better protection."

Small businesses like yours are the real engine of the U.S. economy. These days, technology drives small businesses. What would you do without your spreadsheets, databases, Internet connection and other computer-driven tools? A recent survey of small business owners showed that 28 percent said technology is one of their top business priorities, even more important than of reducing their labor costs.

Given that fact, it’s amazing that nearly 59 percent of small business owners said they have had some kind of malicious software on their computer over the past three years. That's viruses, trojans and other "malware." Fifty one percent said they paid an expert to clean their computers. We're talking about email, web surfing, downloading and uploading important documents, and any other online activity.

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Norton can give you the added security that is needed in today's vulnerable digital business environment. Don't put off what you should have done yesterday. Why pay "experts" to clean up a problem that you could easily avoid in the first place? There's a great deal waiting for you today: You can get 30% off Norton Small Business Products now. Don’t wait: There’s a virus coming your way soon.

Herman Cain's Attorney Tells Piers Morgan That The Media Suck

2011-12-01T23:28:00.000-06:00

December 1, 2011 - Herman Cain's attorney Lin Wood stood his ground nicely this evening as a guest on "Piers Morgan Tonight" (CNN). Effete Leftist water boy Morgan interviewed Wood, concentrating on the recent allegations by Ginger White of having a 13-year "affair" with Cain. Morgan, unhappy that Wood was not caving in, was contentious and actually called him "naive" more than once. Morgan seemed unable to comprehend Wood's repeated argument that none of the accusations against Cain have been proven to be true.

"I'm sorry if you find me naive," Wood said, "or if you find my statements about Mr. Cain preposterous." Referring to What I find naive is the failure on the part of the members of the media to be asking the tough questions of the accusers.

Wood said several times that the media should be asking equally tough questions of the women who are accusing Cain of wrongdoing, Morgan kept shifting from feigned indignity to partial stupor. Great back-and-forth here, worth watching. Lin Wood held his ground nicely.

Duh: Obama Gets Name of British Embassy Wrong

2011-11-30T21:37:00.004-06:00

November 30, 2011 - You thought it was pretty funny when Herman Cain messed up the name of Uzbekistan, didn't you? Sure you did. "U-becky becky becky becky stan stan," is what he called it, albeit tongue-in-cheek, as he said in an interview in October.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton quickly had a good laugh about it with none other than Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan. Yep, pretty funny when a conservative politician intentionally mispronounced Uzbekistan, eh?

But what about Barack Obama's expertise on foreign affairs? In a press conference last night, Obama had no teleprompter. In a remarkably ignorant statement, he called condemned the recent storming of the British Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Problem is, he called it "the English Embassy."

For those of you who, like Obama, are as ignorant about foreign affairs as the average 3rd grader, the correct term is "British Emabassy," not "English Embassy."

This is succinctly explained by Nile Gardiner at The Foundry in a Nov. 30 column:. "In case the president is unaware," he wrote, "England forms part of Great Britain, which also includes Scotland and Wales, though not Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. There is no such thing as an 'English' embassy anywhere in the world, and there hasn’t been one for several centuries."

What Obama did, in effect, was to refer to a foreign embassy that technically does not exist. There is no such thing as an "English Embassy" anywhere on Earth. Gardiner also wrote that "One can only imagine the kind of howls of derision that would greet any presidential contender if that kind of basic error were made..."

Great Britain has no embassies, just England does not. England is part of Great Britain, which in turn is part of the United Kingdom.

The "Know Britain" website tells us that many Brits are confused by what the term "Great Britain" means. "Try asking a person living in the United Kingdom the exact meaning of the expression they have on their passports: 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. Many will not be able to provide an adequate answer. No wonder, therefore, that confusion also exists outside the United Kingdom and that in other European countries people erroneously group together the English, Scottish and Welsh under the word in their own language meaning 'English'."

Will Hillary Clinton yuk it up with any world leaders about Barack Obama incorrectly calling the British Embassy in Tehran the "English Embassy?" No, I don't think so either, and the Mainstream Media won't play it up either.

Obama's defenders might call his "English Embassy" reference an understandable gaffe, but it clearly was not. Rather, it was the result of Obama's ignorance.

In the press conference, Obama said the following: "All of us, I think, are deeply disturbed by [pause] the [pause] aaahhh [pause, brain fart] crashing of, uh, the English Embassy. Ah, thuh, the embassy of the United Kingdom in Iran." He got it wrong not once, but twice. It is not the "embassy of the United Kingdom." It is the embassy of Great Britain, or "British Embassy."

The President of the United States should certainly know this. But we'll give him this much: He's on a par with some of the lesser educated citizens of the UK for not knowing the basic political makeup of the British Isles.

Here's something else we can (and should) all laugh at: Michele Bachmann has stated that she would close the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Problem is, the United States does not have an embassy anywhere in Iran. We haven't had one since the Iranian hostage crisis during the Carter administration, when revolutionaries stormed our embassy there and held it for 444 days.

Talking Points Memo reports that, "According to a tweet from NBC News’ Jamie Novogrod, Bachmann responded to the recent raiding of the British embassy in Iran, by saying that if she was President, she would close down the U.S. embassy there." What's especially disturbing about Bachmann's statement is the fact that she is a member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence.

Cain Still 'Reassessing' His Campaign | Ya Lost Me, Herman

2011-11-30T16:19:00.002-06:00

November 30, 2011 - I've been an avid supporter of Herman Cain for many months now. I like the man, I like his 9-9-9 tax plan as a starting point for reforming the federal tax code, and I love his background as a successful businessman. I have defended him against the slander and libel of those who accuse him of unproven sexual misconduct.

However, I can no longer support Herman Cain because he has shown that he is willing to waste my time and the time of his many remaining campaign workers. It comes down to this: Crap or get off the pot. Are you in? Or are you out? Stop sending mixed signals to us.

Earlier this week, Cain told campaign staff that he was "reassessing" his run for the presidency in the wake of multiple accusations of sexual harassment and even of having a long-time affair.

An Associated Press report yesterday said that "Herman Cain’s Iowa campaign chairman [says] that the candidate is reassessing his presidential campaign a day after an Atlanta businesswoman alleged a 13-year extramarital affair with the Republican."

This caused immediate concern, of course, among Cain's supporters. His campaign gurus tried to calm us later by "explaining" that Cain's use of the word reassessing had been misunderstood. Jim Galloway highlighted this in a post yesterday in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC).

Galloway wrote this:

"On the other hand, Daniel Malloy, the AJC’s man in Washington, just got off the phone with Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon, who sent this note." We then get the note, from which we read this (my emphasis added):

Gordon acknowledged that Cain in a staff call this morning used the word “reassess” about the campaign, but said it was not about whether or not he was going to drop out. Similar reassessments took place after the Iowa straw poll and at one point when the campaign was low on money, he said.

“My interpretation of that is that we are looking to assess where we are at today and where we need to be moving into the primary,” Gordon said. The campaign will rethink what states Cain visits, the types of speeches he gives and what interviews he conducts.

Today in Ohio, however, Cain blew Gordon's explanation out of the water. Speaking in West Chester, Cain was asked immediately after his speech if he was staying in or dropping out of the race. "Are you going to drop out, Mr. Cain?" came the question from off-camera. Cain's answer: "We are reassessing." (See 1:05 in the video here.)

The question was lobbed at Cain a few more times. About the fourth time he was asked, he said, "We are reassessing as we speak." Asked to be more specific, Cain responded, "Yes. Reassessment means reevaluation."

As Cain shook hands from admirers, he was then asked "What are supporters telling you right now?" His smiling response was, "Supporters are, it, it's been a groundswell of positive support," he said, "got, got it real quick? Groundswell, groundswell."

This is unsettling to me and to many Cain supporters I've had contact with today, since the Ohio speech. I don't know about any "groundswell" of support over the past 24 hours for Cain, and I'm fairly well in touch. Was he exaggerating, or has his campaign advisors misinformed him?

Was J.D. Gordon lying about reassessment? Or was he simply misinformed? Or, perhaps, did he himself misunderstand whatever explanation was given to him to share publicly? Hard to know.

Surely, though, Herman Cain was aware of the confusion, and the apparently confused explanation, of his use of the work "reassess." Surely his people advised him about this, which leads me to question his use of that word again today. What Herman Cain is doing, in effect, is dodging the question of whether he will stay in the Republican presidential primary race.

That, in my opinion, is disrespectful of the thousands of us who have spent time, and many have spent money, to support the Cain Campaign. We've stood by as his -character was being assassinated. We explained 9-9-9 to those who are arithmetic challenged. We are owed an answer to the question, and we are owed more than the non-definitive "we are reassessing."

There are deeper, longer term concerns here, as well. Herman Cain likes to say in his campaign speeches that a president should surround himself with good people. That's true, of course, but one wonders how good the people are who currently surround him. If Herman Cain cannot respond with specificity and certainty about staying in the race, then how would he respond to a question from an allied nation's leader about an urgent matter affecting our national security? If he would allow the attempts at character assassination to take him out of the race, how would President Cain respond to the daily and even more vicious attempts to attack his character? After all, that's just part of the president's job burden. Would he resign or brush it off and stay strong?

So, to Herman Cain I say this: Crap or get off the pot. Man up and make a decision. Then give your supporters their props by letting them know what you've decided.

Last-Minute Guide To Hot Cyber Monday Deals (Don't Panic!)

2011-11-28T20:45:00.001-06:00

November 28, 2011 - Cyber Monday - Did you get a chance to shop online today? Many of you did just that while you were at work (shame on you). Some of you did it from, and maybe you even called in sick just so you could shop without the boss looking over your shoulder. Perhaps, though, you are only now getting around to searching for the best Cyber Monday deals online.

Be sure, too, to check out Amazon.com's limited time lightning deals. They change rapidly and without warning, but you can save up 72% depending on the deal flashing on the screen.

Well, don't panic. I threw together this quick list of some of the best online merchants offering great discounts. And get this: A lot of those merchants are extending their "Cyber Monday" sales through this entire week. I've also included several great site that have many, many more merchants for you. Happy shopping!

The List (in alphabetical order):
Aeroplstale ... www.aeropostale.com
Aj Madison Appliances ... www.ajmadison.com
Amazon.com ... www.amazon.com
Apple Store ... store.apple.com
Athleta ... athleta.gap.com
Avon ... shop.avon.com
Banana Republic ... bananarepublic.gap.com
Bare Necessities ... www.barenecessities.com
Barnes and Noble ... www.barnesandnoble.com
Bath and Body Works ... www.bathandbodyworks.com
Best Buy ... www.bestbuy.com
Body Shop, The ... www.thebodyshop-usa.com
Charlotte Russe ... www.charlotterusse.com
Dell Computers ... www.dell.com
Discovery Channel Store ... store.discovery.com
Disney Store ... www.disneystore.com
Drugstore.com ... www.drugstore.com
eBags ... www.ebags.com
Eddie Bauer ... www.eddiebauer.com
Express (apparel) ... www.express.com
Gap, The ... www.gap.com
Groupon ... www.groupon.com
Harry and David ... www.harryanddavid.com
Her Room ... www.herroom.com
Home Shopping Network ... www.hsn.com
HP (computers) ... www.shopping.hp.com
JC Penney ... www.jcpenney.com
K-Mart ... www.kmart.com
Kohls ... www.kohls.com
Lands End ... www.landsend.com
Lenovo (computers) ... www.lenovo.com
Lowes ... www.lowes.com
Macy’s ... www.macys.com
Microsoft Store ... www.microsoftstore.com
National Geographic Store ... shop.nationalgeographic.com
Nautica ... www.nautica.com
Nike ... store.nike.com
Nordstrom ... shop.nordstrom.com
North Face ... www.thenorthface.com
Old Navy ... oldnavy.gap.com
Overstock.com ... www.overstock.com
Piper Lime ... piperlime.gap.com
QVC ... www.qvc.com
Sears ... www.sears.com
Sheplers (Western Wear) ... www.sheplers.com

More Cyber Monday Lists:
CyberMonday.com
5 Cyber Monday Websites for Finding Great Deals
Deal News Cyber Monday Deals

UPDATE 4: LOUD EXPLOSIONS ROCK IRANIAN CITY | CONFLICTING REPORTS CAUSE CONFUSION

2011-11-28T14:03:00.015-06:00

November 28, 2011 - IRAN - Two mysterious explosions shook the city of Isfahan (or "Asfahan") in western Iran today, reports Ya Libnan, which quotes the semi-official Fars News Agency. The explosions are thought to have happened at or very near the Shahab-4 Ballistic missile facility.

"Two explosions have been reported in the Iranian town of Isfahan," reports JewishPress.com. "The first occurred at around 2:30 AM and was originally reported by Farsnews, until the report was taken down. Israel’s Channel 10 is reporting that a second explosion occurred not long ago at a Shahab-4 ballistic missile facility, also in Isfahan. Isfahan hosts a nuclear technology center and a uranium conversion facility, as well as a production plant which make alloys for nuclear reactors."

www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/shahab-4.htm

It is still not clear what exploded or what caused the explosions. The only thing that is certain is that there are conflicting reports and a lot of confusion about the incident, as the Israel Matzav blog reports.

This may be significant because a uranium conversion plant not far from Isfahan went became fully functional in 2004. Today's blast comes as tensions between Israel and Iran are at an all-time high, and there is much speculation that Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities in an effor to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons.

An updated item from Haaretz highlights how confusing this story really is. Some of the confusion is intentional. "Speaking with Fars news agency," reports Haaretz, "Isfahan’s deputy mayor confirmed the reports and said the authorities are investigating the matter. However, after the incident was reported in Israel, the report was taken off the Fars website." (My emphasis added.)

According to The Telegraph UK, "some sources told news agencies there had been a blast on military facilities, [but] others said there had been a fireball at a petrol station. Residents of the city were independently telling relatives and friends overseas that the city had been shaken by a massive blast in the early afternoon."

Fox News is also referring to the Fars report, and added "the Pentagon and the International Atomic Energy Agency both said they had no reports of an explosions in the city, which has a uranium conversion plant nearby."

Meanwhile, Haaretz (Israel) is also reporting that North Korea has supplied Syria and Iran "with a special kind of steel used to upgrading missiles and building centrifuges for uranium enrichment, the German newspaper Die Welt reported over the weekend."

And, just as a footnote, it will be 64 years ago tomorrow that the United Nations created the modern nation of Israel. On November 29, 1947 the U.N. passed Resolution 181, which divided the British-ruled Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state.

Chicago News Bench

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UPDATE 4: LOUD EXPLOSIONS ROCK IRANIAN CITY | CONFLICTING REPORTS CAUSE CONFUSION