Off Topic: do your thing forums on Poorbuthappy.com

Acorn At It Again

By greg on Nov 21, 2009, 18:51 (today).

Seems like Acorn gets blamed for everything! Here in the 23d congressional district Conservative Doug Hoffman is blaming Acorn for what is looking like defeat for him. He conceded too quickly and still has a very slim chance but highly unlikely as they are still counting write in votes. Funny thing is he is blaming Acorn and Acorn doesn`t even exist around here! They had nothing to do with anything in this district. Wonder who`s pulling his strings Sorry to dissappoint all you Acorn bashers!

Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson

By Catfish35 on Nov 21, 2009, 10:46 (today).

When Jessica Simpson lost her dear little dog to a wayward Wiley E. Coyote back in September this year most folks did not believe it. Jessica twittered Tony and congratulated him on his first game in the new Stadium and many thought Tony just ignored Jessica and sort of blew her off about the dog trauma. Sources say that Tony actually really did call jessica Simpson and acknowledge the incident and sent his sympathies !

Fat People might want to avoid Peru

By billyb on Nov 20, 2009, 19:10.

Peruvian police: Gang killed people for their fat AP By ANDREW WHALEN, Associated Press Writer Andrew Whalen, Associated Press Writer – Fri Nov 20, 3:10 am ET LIMA, Peru – Police say a gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics, although medical experts say they doubt a major market for fat exists. Three suspects confessed to killing five people, but the gang may have been involved in dozens more, said Col. Jorge Mejia, chief of Peru's anti-kidnapping police. He said one suspect claimed the gang wasn't the only one doing such killings. Mejia said two of the suspects were arrested carrying bottles of liquid human fat and told police it was worth $60,000 a gallon ($15,000 a liter). The fat was sold to intermediaries in Peru's capital, Lima, and police suspect it was then sold to cosmetic companies in Europe, Mejia said Thursday, but he could not confirm any sales. Medical experts expressed doubt about an international black market for human fat, though it does have cosmetic applications. A dermatology professor at Yale University, Dr. Lisa Donofrio, speculated that a small market may exist for "human fat extracts" to keep skin supple, but she said that scientifically such treatments are "pure baloney." At a news conference, police showed reporters two bottles of fat recovered from the suspects and a photo of the rotting head of a 27-year-old male victim. Suspect Elmer Segundo Castillejos, 29, led police to the head, recovered in a coca-growing valley last month, Mejia said. Mejia said Castillejos recounted how the gang cut off its victims' heads, arms and legs, removed the organs, then suspended the torsos from hooks above candles that warmed the flesh as fat dripped into tubs below. Six members of the gang remain at large, Mejia said. Among them was the band's alleged leader, Hilario Cudena, 56, who Castillejos told police has been killing people to extract human fat for more than three decades. This year alone, at least 60 people are listed as missing in Huanuco province, where the gang allegedly operated, though the province is also home to drug-trafficking leftist rebels. Mejia said police received a tip four months ago that human fat from the jungle was being sold in Lima. In August, he said, police infiltrated the band and later obtained some of the amber fluid, which a police lab confirmed as human fat. On Nov. 3, police arrested Serapio Marcos Veramendi and Enedina Estela in a Lima bus station with a quart (a liter) of human fat in a soda bottle. Their testimony led to the arrest of Castillejos three days later at the same bus station. The three are charged with homicide, criminal conspiracy, illegal firearms possession and drug trafficking, according to a statement from Lima Superior Court. Police said they were searching for the alleged buyer. Police dubbed the gang the "Pishtacos" after a Peruvian myth dating to pre-Columbian times of men who killed to extract human fat, quartering their victims with machetes. Medical authorities contacted by The Associated Press said human fat is used in anti-wrinkle treatments — but is always extracted from the patient who is being treated, usually from the stomach or buttocks. "There would be a risk of immunological reaction that could lead to life-threatening consequences" if fat from someone else were used, said Dr. Neil Sadick, a professor of dermatology at Cornell Weill Medical College in New York. Dr. Adam Katz, a professor of plastic surgery at the University of Virginia medical school, was incredulous when told about the Peruvian ring. "I can't see why there would be a black market for fat," he said. "It doesn't make any sense at all, because in most countries we can get fat so readily and in such amounts from people who are willing and ready to donate that I don't see why there would ever be a black market for fat, of all tissues." ___ Associated Press writers Franklin Briceno in Lima and Frank Bajak in Bogota contributed to this report. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091120/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_peru_murder_ring

2010 soccer World Cup - France qualifying over Ireland

By Darloup on Nov 20, 2009, 18:19.

My American friends are not usually keen soccer fans (although the USA national team qualified ;-) ). But, you probably already know how France qualified over Ireland when French captain Thierry Henry used his hand (not once, but twice) to score a decisive goal during a match - and got away with it since the referee didn't see it. This is a national shame. Even assuming that the first hand was an "accident", Henry's behavior is simply unacceptable. He should have talked to the referee and explained to him what happened. Ireland WAS the better team and deserved to go through. Think what you may about the French, the majority of us are utterly ashamed about what happened. We love to win (and we won the cup in 1998), but not in this way. This sucks big time.

Circling Sharks Smell American Blood

By tasco66 on Nov 20, 2009, 05:34.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/11/19/circling_sharks_smell_american_blood_99205.html

What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?

By tasco66 on Nov 20, 2009, 04:08.

$100 Million http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/the-100-million-health-care-vote.html

Barack Obama rewards big donors with plum jobs overseas

By tasco66 on Nov 19, 2009, 05:24.

Is this the change you expected lefties? http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29699.html

Obama's Home Teleprompter Malfunctions During Family Dinner

By aztec on Nov 18, 2009, 11:11.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obamas_home_teleprompter?utm_source=videoembed

oh boy! condoms to help the climate situation...what next?

By dwmte7 on Nov 18, 2009, 09:58.

LONDON – The battle against global warming could be helped if the world slowed population growth by making free condoms and family planning advice more widely available, the U.N. Population Fund said Wednesday. The agency did not recommend countries set limits on how many children people should have, but said: "Women with access to reproductive health services ... have lower fertility rates that contribute to slower growth in greenhouse gas emissions." "As the growth of population, economies and consumption outpaces the Earth's capacity to adjust, climate change could become much more extreme and conceivably catastrophic," the report said. The world's population will likely rise from the current 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion in 2050, with most of the growth in less developed regions, according to a 2006 report by the United Nations. The U.N. Population Fund acknowledged it had no proof of the effect that population control would have on climate change. "The linkages between population and climate change are in most cases complex and indirect," the report said. It also said that while there is no doubt that "people cause climate change," the developing world has been responsible for a much smaller share of world's greenhouse gas emissions than developed countries. Still, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, the U.N. Population Fund's executive director, told a news conference in London on Wednesday that global warming could be catastrophic for people in poor countries, particularly women. "We have now reached a point where humanity is approaching the brink of disaster," she said. In three weeks, a global conference will be held in Copenhagen aimed at reaching a deal to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which required 37 industrial countries to cut heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. On Wednesday, one analyst criticized the U.N. Population Fund's pronouncements as alarmist and unhelpful. "It requires a major leap of imagination to believe that free condoms will cool down the climate," said Caroline Boin, a policy analyst at International Policy Network, a London-based think tank. She also questioned earlier efforts by the agency to control the world's population. In its 1987 report, the U.N. Population Fund warned that once the global population hit 5 billion, the world "could degenerate into disaster." At the time, the agency said "more vigorous attempts to slow undue population growth" were needed in many countries. According to Boin, "Numerous environmental indicators show that with development and economic growth we are able to preserve more natural habitats. There is no causal relationship between population density and poverty." In this month's Bulletin, the World Health Organization's journal, two experts also warned about the dangers of linking fertility to climate change. "Using the need to reduce climate change as a justification for curbing the fertility of individual women at best provokes controversy and at worst provides a mandate to suppress individual freedoms," wrote WHO's Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum and Manjula Lusti-Narasimhan. ____ On the Net:

How to Drive a Hummer in Iraq

By tasco66 on Nov 18, 2009, 09:49.

The Nobel Prize Committee overlooked another black man that also qualifies for the Nobel Peace Prize

By tasco66 on Nov 18, 2009, 09:22.

Obama Has Failed the World on Climate Change

By tasco66 on Nov 17, 2009, 12:52.

Looks like Germans are giving up on Obama US President Barack Obama came to office promising hope and change. But on climate change, he has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, George W. Bush. Now, should the climate summit in Copenhagen fail, the blame will lie squarely with Obama. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,661678,00.html

British Army tells its soldiers to bribe Taliban with 'bags of gold'...

By tasco66 on Nov 17, 2009, 12:48.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6919516.ece

Even he is asking for a bailout!

By tasco66 on Nov 17, 2009, 05:19.

The new Obama bailout economy

London’s ‘New Era’ of Air Pollution Threatens Olympics in 2012

By tasco66 on Nov 16, 2009, 13:29.

Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- London, which has some of Europe’s worst air pollution, may have to ban cars and reschedule events during the 2012 Olympics to ensure optimum conditions for athletes, a leading air-quality scientist said. The U.K. capital is in a “new era” of air pollution, mostly caused by emissions from diesel-powered cars, vans and buses, said Professor Frank Kelly, director of the King’s College Environmental Research Group. The city of 7.5 million residents has the worst record for nitrogen dioxide pollutants among European capitals and one of the worst for dangerous airborne particles. Politicians including Mayor Boris Johnson aren’t doing enough to cleanse the air, Kelly said. Beijing last year and Athens in 2004 struggled with air pollution during the games. “Whether we get a few months of good air quality during the Olympics -- it will be totally in the hands of the gods, it will depend on weather conditions,” Kelly said in a Nov. 11 interview. Organizers may have to limit traffic, reschedule events to a time of day with better air quality or move them to less polluted sites, he said. The U.K. is spending 9.3 billion pounds ($16 billion) on construction for the games, one of Europe’s largest building projects. It includes the main Olympic Park in east London. Organizers expect 14,000 athletes to attend, along with 20,000 members of the media, and may sell 9 million tickets. ‘Rain-Dispersal’ China spent $17 billion on cleaning the air, including firing “rain-dispersal rockets” at clouds, removing two-thirds of Beijing’s 3.3 million cars from the road for two months and shutting factories. It won plaudits as weather conditions improved. London’s dirty air, though less serious than Beijing’s, dates to medieval times, when soft sea-coal was burned in homes, breweries and factories, according to “The Big Smoke,” author Peter Brimblecombe’s book on air pollution. King Edward I tried unsuccessfully to ban the high-sulfur fuel in 1306. In 1661, London diarist John Evelyn observed that the city was covered “in such a cloud of sea-coal, as if there be a resemblance of hell upon earth.” In 1879, a coal-smoke saturated fog hovered over London for four months, and another in December 1952 was blamed for as many as 4,000 deaths. Parliament passed the Clean Air Act in 1956, and natural gas replaced coal in most homes, eliminating the city’s so- called “pea soup” fogs. Diesel Sales The popularity of diesel-powered vehicles has boosted airborne particulates, said Kelly, whose Environmental Research Group operates 160 monitoring sites around the city and analyzes the data for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Sales of diesel-powered cars made up 43 percent of Britain’s sales last year, compared with 14 percent in 2000, according to the U.K. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Diesel engines are generally more fuel efficient than gasoline models. They produce a type of particle, known as PM10, which can hamper breathing. Factories, construction sites and wind-blown material from other countries also contribute. Particulate concentrations have increased 0.4 percent a year in London since the late 1990s, according to King’s, a University of London college. EU rules require an average of no more than 40 micrograms of PM10s per cubic meter of air and a daily level of 50 micrograms may not be exceeded more than 35 times annually. Greater London had an average of 43.3 micrograms in 2007, and exceeded 50 micrograms on 102 occasions, according to DEFRA. Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s government has asked the EU for more time to meet the particulates and nitrogen dioxide targets. ‘Country Mile’ London’s nitrogen dioxide levels exceed EU rules by “a country mile,” said Gary Fuller, an air-quality expert at King’s. The pollutant is a product of burning fuel by vehicles, aircraft, power stations and heating systems. Some inner London roadside locations exceed the limits by a factor of two, according to the mayor’s draft Air Quality Strategy. The city estimates that 2.3 million residents were exposed to excessive nitrogen dioxide levels in 2006. London air pollution contributes to as many as 3,000 premature deaths a year, the city’s legislative assembly said in a May report. Johnson, who is a member of the Olympic Board that oversees games planning, has reversed some of predecessor Ken Livingstone’s anti-pollution programs. He is scrapping the western section of the congestion-charge zone that requires drivers to pay an 8-pound daily entry fee. Banning Taxis He postponed an extension of a low-emission zone that fines the owners of the dirtiest heavy trucks to include smaller vans, saying the rules would be too costly for small businesses during the recession. The mayor’s clean-air plans include buses powered by diesel-electric hybrid engines, banning older taxis and upgrading public transportation. His office said Nov. 12 that “the smooth running of London’s Olympic games will not be affected by poor air quality.” London’s PM10 levels will fall by 25 percent by the time the games begin, Johnson said. Kelly is skeptical. “If we have heavy cloud cover and very little wind, we’re going to get pollution episodes and everybody will say, ‘Why didn’t we do more to improve air quality in London?’” said Kelly. http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=arLpHvpEGn9o&pos=13

First Lady requires more than twenty attendants

By aztec on Nov 16, 2009, 06:00.

"How things have changed! If you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Miz Michele are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by John Q. Public:" That means you and me! http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12652

Fall Of The Republic - The Presidency Of Barack H Obama - The Full Movie HQ

By tasco66 on Nov 16, 2009, 05:27.

Concerns Rise Around Obama Trip

By tasco66 on Nov 15, 2009, 15:51.

SHANGHAI -- President Barack Obama arrived here late Sunday to press China on issues from climate change to economic restructuring, amid rising concerns that his first swing through Asia as president will yield more disappointment than progress on trade, human rights, national security and environmental concerns. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125827619829149095.html

Air France flight 447: A disaster waiting in the wings

By tasco66 on Nov 15, 2009, 07:12.

When an Air France jet came down in a gigantic storm over the Atlantic in June, killing all 228 on board, the Schnabl family was split in half. But new evidence suggests the tragedy could have been avoided http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6914870.ece

2 parties

By christobeldawg on Nov 15, 2009, 00:06.

This is how I see the 2 parties' leaders: Republicans Don't fok wit Whitey Limit government Lower taxes Fight wars Fear God Oppress differing views Apologize for not keeping it in their pants Democrats Look out for the poor Government solves all problems Throw money at it Don't fight wars All Gods, or not Gods, are good Allow all views, except for those of Whitey and the Republicans Apologize for not keeping it in their pants

dance like a gringo! dance like negrito!

By goin_south on Nov 14, 2009, 20:47.

FOX " News "............... caught again.

By RAAAY on Nov 14, 2009, 16:43.

Funny story. Not funny also, as it illustrates the policy in Fox to falsify the actual news, to fit in with their agenda, of conning their less educated viewers. . . On his show the next night, Hannity apologized, saying it was a mistake. Funny. .

Looks like Raaayyy owes Darloup $100

By tasco66 on Nov 14, 2009, 14:32.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-11-14-1762002602_x.htm

That's it Raaayyyy

By tasco66 on Nov 14, 2009, 10:36.

I'm not lending you any of my cars anymore

How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow

By tasco66 on Nov 14, 2009, 07:16.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/11/obama-emperor-akihito-japan.html

Acorn and the Housing Bubble

By aztec on Nov 14, 2009, 07:00.

"All agree that the bursting of the housing bubble caused the financial collapse of 2008. Most agree that the housing bubble started in 1997. Less well understood is that this bubble was the result of government policies that lowered mortgage-lending standards to increase home ownership. One of the key players was the controversial liberal advocacy group, Acorn (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). The watershed moment was the 1992 Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act, also known as the GSE Act. To comply with that law's "affordable housing" requirements, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would acquire more than $6 trillion of single-family loans over the next 16 years. Congress's goal was to force these two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to purchase loans that had been originated by banks—loans that were made under the pressure of another federal law, the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), to increase lending in low- and moderate-income communities." By EDWARD PINTO http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298004574459763052141456.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular

Tomatoes are lovely

By RAAAY on Nov 14, 2009, 02:02.

Sorry I don't have any pictures to post, I'll try and organize some...........but, aren't tomatoes lovely ?

2-way ignore

By goin_south on Nov 13, 2009, 20:22.

Peter (Moderator) (Trustee board) (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 13, 2009, 18:45 (today): flag Closing this thread, goodnight all :) Poor but snappy

New record for the Commander in Chief

By tasco66 on Nov 13, 2009, 12:44.

Suicides in U.S. Army Are on Track to Reach New High http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aquBCzT7ZMLs&pos=9

The End is Near.....

By goin_south on Nov 12, 2009, 22:21.

The Beginning of the End of Political Correctness is here. And, the red tide of socialism is loosing ground. In America (north! of course!)

Freedom and Veterans Day at GITMO

By jb_fastpitch on Nov 12, 2009, 18:02.

http://www.pjtv.com/video/Specials/Bill_Whittle_from_Gitmo%3A_A_Message_for_All_of_America%27s_Veterans/2704/

Ireland versus France (soccer)

By Darloup on Nov 12, 2009, 18:00.

So Ireland is meeting France in a few days to get a ticket to the soccer World Cup in South Africa. Fancy a bet, Raaay? I've been hard pressed to give $100 to Brians' favorite charity. And I am sure you have too... Here is an opportunity... If France is qualified, YOU give 100USD to Brians' charity. If Ireland is qualified, I give 100USD to Brians' charity. Fair enough?

UPLOADING PHOTOS FOR DUMMIES

By barrumundi on Nov 12, 2009, 17:44.

This is an attempt to provide easy to follow instructions for uploading photos to PBH via Tinypic. I hope this works........

Federal deficit sets October record of $176.4B

By tasco66 on Nov 12, 2009, 12:33.

The messiah makes history again... http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Federal-deficit-sets-October-apf-2373356521.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode= Now after this, why he was not awarded the economic Nobel prize is beyond comprehension.

Republicans Edge Ahead of Democrats in 2010 Vote

By tasco66 on Nov 12, 2009, 05:25.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/124226/Republicans-Edge-Ahead-Democrats-2010-Vote.aspx

Gold 3000?

By bravo on Nov 12, 2009, 05:19.

Gold hit a record high again, so I was looking up information on the internet and stumbled on this article claiming gold could possibly go up to $3000 an ounce by 2015: http://seekingalpha.com/article/160592-gold-1200-by-year-end-1500-in-2010-3000-by-2015-2017 Sounded like a but of a stretch to me since part of his theory is based on the fact that we might end up with a “double-dip” recession and that we might need a new stimulus. The American public is still pissed off about the first stimulus. Then i read this next article and now i think he might be onto something: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Ten-most-troubled-states-in-cnnm-2889165804.html?x=0&.v=7 Any thoughts?

Democrat Ben Nelson Draws a Line in the Sand on Health Care

By tasco66 on Nov 11, 2009, 09:30.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/subway-series-senator-ben-nelson-abortion-amendment-health/story?id=9045075

Racist prof busted in Columbia gal 'punch'

By tasco66 on Nov 11, 2009, 08:15.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/prof_busted_in_columbia_gal_punch_JmsXQ3NzaAt8uG6uUySGTN

Happy Veteran's Day to Those Who Served

By miamimike on Nov 10, 2009, 22:51.

Here's hoping you enjoy the day ! Me, I'll be attending our Local Ceremonies in North Miami sponsered by our VFW and American Legion where I'm a member.

Political Math.

By scumbuster on Nov 10, 2009, 19:27.

Another bar

By sloopskipper on Nov 10, 2009, 12:34.

A previous post reminded me of an uncle of mine. This was my father’s, long dead, younger brother, Ollie. Although, with his swarthy complexion, you might guess him to be of some Mediterranean extraction, he came from German stock. After WWII Ollie owned a very popular nightclub (with all sorts of live entertainment) in Pennsylvania, and in this case the innkeeper was the provocateur. He had a habit of moving between two patrons at the bar, and engage them in a three way conversation. Somehow he managed to incite an argument between the two, and then walk away chuckling. My wife’s uncle might have said; “This story is true, it just never happened”, but it did.

John Allen Muhammad to be executed tonight

By vinod on Nov 10, 2009, 10:42.

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=22554983 Link doesn't copy properly Here is the last part documentid=22554983 Where are his apologists crying out "RACISM"?????

The Lords of Entitlement

By tasco66 on Nov 10, 2009, 05:08.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi defied policy logic and public opinion late Saturday night, ramming through the House a nearly 2,000-page health-care leviathan that counts as the biggest expansion of the federal government since the New Deal. As President Obama likes to say, this was a "teachable moment" about our current government. The vote was 220 to 215, with 39 House Democrats joining all but one Republican in opposition. Mrs. Pelosi had to cajole and bribe her way to the magic 218, and the list of her promises must be stacked to the ceiling. The lone Republican, Joseph Cao, represents a Democratic-leaning Louisiana district and extracted a promise that Mr. Obama would increase Medicaid payments to his state, and even then he only voted after Democrats had already hit 218. Let no one suggest this was the "bipartisan" health reform that Mr. Obama has long promised. The bill is instead a breathtaking display of illiberal ambition, intended to make the middle class more dependent on government through the umbilical cord of "universal health care." It creates a vast new entitlement, financed by European levels of taxation on business and individuals. The 20% corner of Medicare open to private competition is slashed, while fiscally strapped states are saddled with new Medicaid burdens. The insurance industry will have to vet every policy with Washington, which will regulate who it must cover, what it can offer, and how much it can charge. We have little sympathy for the insurers, or for that matter most of the other medical providers who signed on to this process only to claim now to be appalled by the result. The insurance lobby—led by Aetna CEO Ron Williams—made the Faustian bet that it could trade new regulations for more new subsidized customers who would face a tax penalty if they didn't buy their insurance. The Pelosi bill includes the regulation but guts the tax penalty because it's unpopular. Insurers will thus have to cover more sick people with fewer dollars, as healthy folk opt out of coverage until they are sick. This writing was on the wall months ago, but the insurers chose to play an inside game rather than shape public opinion. Judging by their weekend statement—criticizing the House bill but vowing to seek "bipartisan" reform—they will now throw themselves at the mercy of the Senate. Good luck with that. The real victims are their customers, most of whom will pay more for insurance as the new mandates raise costs. Mrs. Pelosi's craftiest political turn was a last-minute compromise to strip federal funds from insurance plans that cover abortions. The deal—negotiated by Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak and supported by the National Right to Life Committee—gave cover to 40-some Democrats to support the larger bill. However, as subsidized costs soar, government will have no choice but to ration medical care, starting with the aged and grievously ill. Is pre-natal life more valuable than the elderly? We're reminded of the way pro-lifers supported Anthony Kennedy over Laurence Silberman for the Supreme Court in 1987 merely because Mr. Kennedy was a Catholic who claimed to personally oppose abortion. Mr. Stupak played the right-to-lifers like a Stradavarius. The real importance of the abortion uproar is as preview of the politics that will dominate every medical coverage issue if ObamaCare becomes law. Every decision of what to insure or not—when an MRI can be used, or whether a stage-four breast cancer patient can get Avastin or some future expensive drug—will become subject to political intervention over moral disputes or budget constraints. Heretofore, these decisions have largely been made between a doctor and patient. This is the real "right to life" issue. Perhaps the most unsurprising news in this drama was the collapse of the Blue Dog "deficit hawks." Enough of them always cave in the end to give Mrs. Pelosi her way. It's nonetheless worth noting the surrender of that most vocal scourge of deficits, Tennessee's Jim Cooper, who voted aye on grounds that the bill can be improved in the Senate. But Max Baucus's Finance Committee bill includes a similar gimmick of making the numbers look good by using 10 years of new taxes to finance only seven years of spending (six in the House). The deficits explode in the second decade and beyond in both bills. The House also contains a new government long-term insurance program that starts collecting premiums in 2011 but doesn't starting paying benefits until 2016 and then runs out of money in 2029. North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad called it "a Ponzi scheme of the first order, the kind of thing that Bernie Madoff would have been proud of" in an interview with the Washington Post in late October. Mr. Cooper has with a single vote made his entire career irrelevant. Yet 39 other Democrats were given a pass on the vote, as the leadership knows how unpopular this bill is in most of America. They know this legislation is not the result of some national consensus in favor of expanding state power. Its passage was possible only because of temporary liberal majorities that are intent on fulfilling their dreams of a cradle-to-grave entitlement state. If they lose Blue Dog seats, or even their majority, in the short term, so be it. As the party of government, Democrats believe they will benefit in the long run from a much larger government. Unless the Senate has an epiphany of common sense, Americans will be paying the bills for this willful exercise for generations to come. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704402404574523613159447566.html

11 children in Brampton, Ont., get double dose of H1N1 flu shot by mistake

By babygirl on Nov 9, 2009, 15:38.

http://health.lifestyle.yahoo.ca/channel_health_news_details_19856.htm Provided by: The Canadian Press Written by: Pat Hewitt, THE CANADIAN PRESS Nov. 8, 2009 TORONTO - A Brampton, Ont., man is questioning why the nurse who gave his young daughter and almost a dozen other children double the recommended dose of the H1N1 flu vaccine is still giving out the swine flu shot. It's just the latest problem to surface in Ontario's bumpy rollout of the swine flu vaccine. That rollout has included vaccine shortages, days-long lineups for vaccinations at public clinics and board members at about a dozen Toronto hospitals and several players and staff from the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and the NBA's Toronto Raptors being allowed to jump the queue in getting their flu shot ahead of the general public. Ted Hedrich said in an interview from his home in Brampton on Sunday that he was told that his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Selena, was one of 11 children who were given the higher dose by a nurse working at the Indell Lane clinic last Monday afternoon. But he wasn't called by a Peel Public Health supervisor until Thursday when he was told of the error, he said. Health officials have recommended young children only get half the adult dose initially - which would be 0.25 ml for children - and then get the other half several weeks later. But Hedrich said his daughter was given 0.5 ml. Hedrich said he was told the nurse now has been retrained on the proper procedure. "I was absolutely shocked," he said, that the nurse was still giving flu shots. He said he thinks the nurse should lose her licence, noting someone who accidentally shoots someone with a gun would likely go to jail. A second Peel Public Health supervisor called him on Friday to express sympathy and ask how his daughter was doing, but didn't give him a formal apology, he said. He took Selena to their family physician on Friday and was told to take his daughter for X-rays because she had a "slight rasp" in her chest, he said, adding she hasn't felt well since getting the vaccine. "She's got the sore throat, runny nose, dysentery. There's been no fever and no aches and pains, which we're just praying that none of those pop up," he said. However Peel Public Health officials and the family doctor wouldn't say if the symptoms were related to the flu shot, he said. Hedrich said he regrets allowing his daughter to get the flu shot, but at the time, he and his wife Lisa were swayed by news of the deaths last month of 13-year-old Toronto hockey player Evan Frustaglio and Vanetia Warner, a 10-year-old girl from Cornwall. "We weren't sure if we were going to take my daughter in for the shot. The two healthy kids dying kind of sealed it," he said. He didn't want to take any chances, so his wife and daughter waited a couple of hours in line to get the inoculation. He said his wife got her flu shot first, then his daughter. Hedrich, who is a project engineer manager, said he won't be getting a flu shot when the vaccine is available to the general public. He said he has sent emails to people he knows, advising them to be cautious when getting a needle, and check the dose themselves. "Do not take for granted that just because somebody says they are a nurse or whatever, they're going to give you a shot, you ask about their qualifications and then you demand to see that the shot is the proper dose," he said. Unfortunately a lot of people put medical personnel on a pedestal, he said. His family has been calling him to check that his daughter is all right and his neighbours have provided support. Even his pharmacist has called him to check on Selena, he said. Hedrich remains worried about what long-term effect the double dose of vaccine could have on his daughter. He said he has consulted with his lawyer, but would not elaborate on whether he is considering any legal action. Peel Region's associate medical officer of health, Dr. Kathleen Dooling, said in a statement there are no significant ill effects found for children at that dosage level. Peel Region is investigating how the error occurred and taking steps to ensure it is not repeated, she said. Ontario is expected to get 770,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine this week for those considered at high risk, but it's still unclear when it will arrive, Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, said on Friday. There's still no firm date on when it will be available to the general public.

Man bites dog

By span_colombia on Nov 8, 2009, 22:45.

Brazil student expelled after wearing mini-dress SAO PAULO – A Brazilian university has expelled a woman who was heckled by hundreds of fellow students for wearing a short, pink dress to class — publicly accusing her Sunday of immorality. The private Bandeirante University in Sao Bernardo do Campo, outside Sao Paulo, said 20-year-old Geisy Arruda disrespected "ethical principles, academic dignity and morality." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091109/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_brazil_short_dress;_ylt=Amx_XesgcrNrtdk2Hrb50_39xg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTE1NXIzb2JzBHBvcwMzBHNlYwN5bi1jaGFubmVsBHNsawNicmF6aWxzdHVkZW4-

A One Man Band: Hilarious and Brilliant

By Byron_Kostner on Nov 8, 2009, 09:43.

RCMP charge Rwandan with war crimes

By babygirl on Nov 7, 2009, 18:37.

RCMP charge Rwandan with war crimes http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=22537559 The Mounties have arrested a 37-year-old Rwandan man in southwestern Ontario and charged him with war crimes related to the 1994 genocide in his home country. Investigators picked up Jacques Mungwarere, who's been living in Windsor, Ont., late Friday in the city and took him to Ottawa, where he made a brief court appearance Saturday and was remanded in custody until another court date on Thursday. Mungwarere becomes the second person to be charged with genocide under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, which became law in October 2000. But the case, which has been more than six years in the making, is shrouded in secrecy. The RCMP war crimes unit would only confirm that Mungwarere was accused of committing an act of genocide in the area of Kibuye, Rwanda. The community is the capital of a western province and is situated on a lake that borders Rwanda and the Congo. It was the scene in 1994 of a horrific massacre where at least 2,000 Tutsis died when bulldozers knocked down the church where they had sought refuge. RCMP cagey about details RCMP Sgt. Marc Menard refused to go into details about the allegations against Mungwarere, saying that prosecutors in the Justice Department will have to answer specifics. Officials with the Justice Department were not immediately available to comment. "The RCMP's position is that we take this very seriously," Menard said Saturday. "We're committed to prosecuting these cases to the full extent of law, and we're going to hold those involved in these types of crimes accountable for their actions." Nearly 800,000 members of Rwanda's Tutsi minority and moderates from the Hutu majority were slaughtered during the 100-day Rwandan genocide in 1994. Last May, Desire Munyaneza became the first person ever convicted under the War Crimes Act. A Quebec judge sentenced him to life in prison last month, with no chance of parole for 25 years. In a statement, the RCMP's war crimes section said the investigation involving Mungwarere began in February 2003 after the unit received a complaint from a concerned citizen. But Menard couldn't say whether the tip originated in Canada or elsewhere. How Mungwarere came to be in Canada and what his status might be in the immigration system is unclear. Menard said the Canada Border Services Agency would have to answer that, and officials there were not immediately available for comment. "I can only say that he is a Rwandan national," he said in an interview. cbc.ca (Copyright: (C) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, http://www.cbc.ca/aboutcbc/discover/termsofuse.html#Rss)

COC / Pearls Before Swine

By whitewidow on Nov 7, 2009, 17:18.

I've been on a COC kick lately...... Maybe LC or Babygirl will appreciate some of this older chit...

Hijacked Again. "The Religion of Peace" according to delusional state-run media.

By jb_fastpitch on Nov 6, 2009, 20:55.

From Washington Post: 'Horrific outburst of violence' An Army psychiatrist allegedly opened fire Thursday in a crowded medical building at Fort Hood, Tex., killing at least 13 people and wounding others. Probe of suspect's motive begins WEB POSTINGS SPUR QUESTIONS Officials may not have heeded warning signs By Scott Wilson, Carrie Johnson and Spencer S. Hsu Saturday, November 7, 2009 Investigators on Friday bore down on the possible motives of Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the alleged Fort Hood gunman, to determine whether his actions were driven by stress related to his upcoming deployment to Afghanistan or to an Islamist political ideology. Law enforcement officials also faced questions about whether they had missed possible warning signs. Six months ago, investigators came across Internet postings, allegedly by Hasan, that indicated sympathy for suicide bombers and empathized with the plight of Muslim civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a federal official briefed on the situation. The official, and another source, said investigators never confirmed whether Hasan was the author of the postings and did not pursue the matter. The postings were among a handful of possible red flags that preceded Thursday's rampage, in which 13 people were killed and 38 were wounded in the deadliest mass shooting on a U.S. military installation to date. Friends and acquaintances said Hasan had been increasingly agitated over the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he reportedly said the U.S. "war on terror" was a "war on Muslims." Officials have seized Hasan's computer to determine his role in the blog posts and other writings. ______________________________________________________________________ Fort Hood shooter regularly described war on terror as "war on Islam" Islamic jihadists routinely characterize anti-terror efforts as part of a "war on Islam." But of course, there is no war on terror, and there is no war on Islam. There is just the Islamic jihad against the U.S. and the West. "Hasan Called War on Terror 'War Against Islam,' Classmate Says," by Justin Blum for Bloomberg, November 6: Nov. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Major Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people and wounding 30 others at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas, regularly described the war on terror as "a war against Islam," according to a doctor who was in a graduate program with him. While studying for a masters degree in public health in 2007, Hasan used a presentation for an environmental health class to argue that Muslims were being targeted by the U.S. anti-terror campaign, said Val Finnell, a classmate. "He was very vocal about the war, very upfront about being a Muslim first and an American second," said Finnell, 41, a preventive medicine doctor in Los Angeles, in an interview today. "He was always concerned that Muslims in the military were being persecuted."... Posted by Robert on November 6, 2009 12:15 PM | 45 Comments Print this entry | Email this entry | Digg this | del.icio.us | Buzz up!

Do not fok with Elizabeth Lambert, on the soccer pitch or otherwise

By billyb on Nov 6, 2009, 18:12.