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February 2010
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April 2010

WTF: LINDSEY GRAHAM -- AGENT OF THE SOCIALIST DEMOCRATS?

With all the revelations about the unsettled state of climate science, the fraud and manipulation of the models and their data and the apparent subversion of the peer-review process, one wonders why Senator Lindsey Graham would join with leftist democrats John Kerry and Joe Lieberman to paint the Republican name on a bill that will cripple the United States economy and serve as the vehicle for the government’s control over energy producers and consumers?

Learning from healthcare, the effectiveness of government bribes …

According to the Financial Times …

“Senators form bipartisan climate bill”

“Three senior US lawmakers are piecing together a sweeping bipartisan energy and climate bill, which looks set to include sweeteners to galvanize support among Republicans and industry groups.”

Why any Republican would support the toxic agenda of Barack Obama and still be considered as a party member is beyond me …

“The proposed legislation, encouraged by President Barack Obama, dilutes a climate bill that stalled last year in the Senate. The senators have hosted meetings with industry groups over the past two weeks, revealing details about their plan that would cap carbon emissions while expanding offshore oil drilling and nuclear power generation.”

This legislative effort may not dilute the Russian-style command and control apparatus of centralized government control. And you can bet the hooks for follow-on legislation will allow the easy passage of the rest of the Obama agenda in the guise of amendments tacked on to unrelated bills or as technical corrections.

Liberal, Progressive, Socialist, whatever …

“The bill’s sponsors – John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, Joseph Lieberman, the Independent from Connecticut, and Lindsay Graham, the South Carolina Republican – said the new sectoral approach would begin imposing carbon caps on utilities in 2012 and manufacturers in 2016.”

“The bill includes a new petrol tax, which would be passed on to consumers, though this could be vulnerable in the efforts to reach a compromise. By mentioning investment in conventional energy, the senators have elicited favourable responses from industry leaders, including BP executives and lobbyists from the US Chamber of Commerce, who opposed the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill passed by the House of Representatives last spring. After meeting the senators, Bruce Josten, the chamber’s top lobbyist, said their efforts were “largely in sync” with industry targets.”

Lindsey Graham: Judas goat leading the Republicans further down the road away from victory?

“Mr Graham, distinguishing his legislation from last year’s bill, told reporters this month ‘the cap-and-trade bills in the House and Senate are dead’ and would be replaced.”

“He hopes his sector-by-sector approach to regulation, unlike Waxman-Markey’s economy-wide cap, will help him save face among conservatives. His role in the bill’s formulation was itself in doubt after he said the Democrats’ handling of healthcare reform ‘poisoned the well’ for bipartisan co-operation.”

Once a turncoat collaborator, always a turncoat collaborator … just ask Lindsey Graham’s best friend, John McCain, the author of the McCain-Lieberman bill to combat global warming.

“The senators hope to send details of the bill to the Environmental Protection Agency this week. The bill is likely to be introduced by late April. Despite bipartisan sponsors, its passage is not guaranteed. Last week, 10 Democratic senators said they would not support unlimited offshore oil exploration. Meanwhile some environmentalists said the bill would curb the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.”

Bottom line …

We are going to see another thousand page+ bill written in hyper-technical language which nobody will read nor understand – all to be rammed up the arse of an unwilling American public by a democrat-led congress that doesn’t give a damn about freedom, our economy, energy independence or our sovereignty.

We need to nullify aisle-hopping RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) like John McCain and Lindsey Graham before they lead our nation into European-style socialism – run by the government central planners and the unions.

-- steve

Reference Links … 

FT.com / US & Canada - Senators form bipartisan climate bill


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


Media observer/commentator demonstrates left-wing hatred and bias ...

It is becoming more obvious that the far-left’s shrill voice is rising to hysterical levels. Here is an example from a website that purports to be a commentator on media matters.

What is Fishbowl: LA …

“FishbowlLA is a blog about L.A. news and entertainment media. It is owned and operated by mediabistro.com.”

Who is Tina Dupuy  …

Tina Dupuy (tee-na*doo-pwee) - An anti-social commentator, stand-up comic and wedge issue fan, Tina is an award-winning writer and a freelance investigative journalist. She has lived all over the world and was once called ‘a filthy whore’ by Pastor Fred Phelps but has not let that prejudice her against other mental patients...many of whom are her close friends. www.TinaDupuy.com.”

Personally, I find her to be more attractive and funnier than Janeane Garofalo who has about the same career characteristics and twisted outlook on anything and everything that is not part of the far-left socialist/communist/politically correct world.

An example of their rhetoric …

“'Turd Blossom' Gets Treated Like Crap in Beverly Hills”

By Tina Dupuy on Mar 30, 2010 07:46 AM

“Geez, people, where can the architect of an unpaid for preemptive war based on a false premise get some respect while shilling his self-serving tome in an attempt to legitimize himself these days? If NOT Beverly Hills then where? Sorry Karl Rove, they are usually super tolerant of slime-ridden festering douche bags in Beverly Hills. Those people you encountered must have been bussed in from the Valley or something.”

Here is the event …

But it is OK – they are commentators, not journalists – although they weigh-in on media matters. But you might question what they are saying when the topic becomes more serious and demands critical observation and comment.

But they may affect a large number of journalists and creative people as their website is mostly viewed by members of the media seeking to polish their skills or find a job in this difficult economy.

-- steve

'Turd Blossom' Gets Treated Like Crap in Beverly Hills - mediabistro.com: FishbowlLA


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


Meet President Obama's Future Army ...

I am extremely concerned …

We have seen the passage of a complex piece of legislation which is not well-understood by those who signed it into law and which contains numerous provisions that appear to thwart the United States Constitution by placing every citizen (and even non-citizens) under the direct control of the government when it comes to receiving life-sustaining healthcare. Much of this bill is hyper-technical and references existing laws by numerical reference. The power to implement this legislation is ceded to unnamed czars, boards, panels and commissions headed by political appointees of the President or his designee, the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Never, in the history of the United States has any political party so breached the checks and balances envisioned by our founding fathers so as to become a direct threat to the freedoms of American citizens.

And never has the American public been held hostage to a corrupt political regime which is hell-bent on pursuing a European socialist agenda as well as rewarding those corrupt organizations who supplied the financing and voter support.

Specifically, I am worried that the America we know and love; the America which was built on individual efforts and sacrifice is about to be re-distributed as if we were Mexico and Obama was the Mexican Revolutionary General Pancho Villa.

“Villa and his supporters, known as Villistas, seized hacienda land for distribution to peasants and soldiers. He robbed and commandeered trains, and, like the other revolutionary generals, printed fiat money to pay for his cause.” <Source>

So I am attempting to connect the dots … and what I see scares the bejesus out of me. 

Connecting the dots …

Dot One: An administration that sees a political advantage in a real or imagined crisis.

Rahm Emanuel on the benefits of a crisis …

In a CBS interview on Face The Nation, Rahm Emanuel said: “Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste. They are opportunities to do big things.” <Source>

  Dot Two: The corrupt United Nations can always be counted on exaggerating a healthcare crisis to enlarge the scope of the powers, their bureaucracy, their funding and media presence. We have seen this with wildly inaccurate population projections, inaccurate HIV/Aids numbers, the creation of a non-existent swine flu epidemic and the latest example, the H1N1 Swine Flu epidemic. With U.S. health authorities citing the non-partisan, non political World Health Organization as they mobilized for action.  

Ginning up a faux health care crisis …   

“The H1N1 influenza outbreak, which began in April last year, was marked by controversies over whether the WHO and public health authorities had exaggerated the risks of H1N1 and created unnecessary alarm by declaring it a 'pandemic'.”

“The WHO has also been criticised for its pandemic alert system that focuses on geographical spread of the outbreak rather than its severity, and on alleged conflicts of interests between health officials and experts and vaccine makers.” <Source>

Dot Three: a civilian army, armed as well as the military, ready to act upon presidential orders in a crisis.

SEC. 430. ESTABLISHING A READY RESERVE CORPS.

Section 203 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 204) is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 203. COMMISSIONED CORPS AND READY RESERVE CORPS.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-There shall be in the Service a commissioned Regular Corps and a Ready Reserve Corps for service in time of national emergency.

(2) REQUIREMENT.-All commissioned officers shall be citizens of the United States and shall be appointed without regard to the civil-service laws and compensated without regard to the Classification Act of 1923, as amended.

(3) APPOINTMENT.-Commissioned officers of the Ready Reserve Corps shall be appointed by the President and commissioned officers of the Regular Corps shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(4) ACTIVE DUTY.-Commissioned officers of the Ready Reserve Corps shall at all times be subject to call to active duty by the Surgeon General, including active duty for the purpose of training.

(5) WARRANT OFFICERS.-Warrant officers may be appointed to the Service for the purpose of providing support to the health and delivery systems maintained by the Service and any warrant officer appointed to the Service shall be considered for purposes of this Act and title 37, United States Code, to be a commissioned officer within the Commissioned Corps of the Service.

(b) ASSIMILATING RESERVE CORP OFFICERS INTO THE REGULAR CORPS.-Effective on the date of enactment of the Affordable Health Choices Act, all individuals classified as officers in the Reserve Corps under this section (as such section existed on the day before the date of enactment of such Act) and serving on active duty shall be deemed to be commissioned officers of the Regular Corps.

(c) PURPOSE AND USE OF READY RESERVE.-

(1) PURPOSE.-The purpose of the Ready Reserve Corps is to fulfill the need to have additional Commissioned Corps personnel available on short notice (similar to the uniformed service's reserve program) to assist regular Commissioned Corps personnel to meet both routine public health and emergency response missions.

(2) USES.-The Ready Reserve Corps shall-

(A) participate in routine training to meet the general and specific needs of the Commissioned Corps;

(B) be available and ready for involuntary calls to active duty during national emergencies and public health crises, similar to the uniformed service reserve personnel;

(C) be available for backfilling critical positions left vacant during deployment of active duty Commissioned Corps members, as well as for deployment to respond to public health emergencies, both foreign and domestic; and

(D) be available for service assignment in isolated, hardship, and medically underserved communities (as defined in section 399SS) to improve access to health services.

(d) FUNDING.-For the purpose of carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Commissioned Corps under this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to the Office of the Surgeon General for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Funds appropriated under this subsection shall be used for recruitment and training of Commissioned Corps Officers. <Source>

Question: Why do we already have a United States Public Health Service headed by an Admiral with the title Surgeon General of the United States and why would this extension be necessary?

Question: How does this legislation impinge on states rights and the existence of individual state national guard units?

Question: Why would people be appointed without regard to civil service and compensated without regard to the normal pay scales found in the Classification Act?

Question: What are “routine public health” response missions and why would they exist outside of emergency response missions?

Question:  Why would the legislation specify “service assignment in isolated, hardship and medically underserved communities” rather than the site of an existing emergency.

Question: Will this legislation permit trained individuals to take up arms, ostensibly for self defense and the protection of critical healthcare supplies?

Question: Will this domestic force include intelligence, surveillance and tracking units?

Question: Will this domestic force be able to deny healthcare services to American citizens and/or force American citizens to accept healthcare?

Question: Will this section of the healthcare legislation skirt the Constitution and render the Posse Comitatus Act null and void?

“The statute generally prohibits federal military personnel and units of the National Guard under federal authority from acting in a law enforcement capacity within the United States, except where expressly authorized by the Constitution or Congress. The Coast Guard is exempt from the Act during peacetime.” <Source>

Unprecedented control …

We have all heard privacy advocates attacking a national identification card and roundly condemning the government’s requirement for standardized drivers licenses. I wonder what they will say when they find that the healthcare legislation mandates the creation of the largest database in the history of the United States? A database which will track every man, woman and child. A database which will contain your medical, financial, employment and social history – all under the guise of medical records? Imagine your entire financial history being laid bare and accessible to highly-politicized and unionized government workers as they “means test” you to determine your so-called healthcare insurance premiums?

Imagine legislation which demands that individuals purchase government-approved products and services from government-approved vendors – with the failure to comply resulting in fines or imprisonment. All enforced by the Internal Revenue Service.

Imagine legislation which creates a class of super-citizens (no not the bureaucrats) consisting of illegal aliens who do not have to follow our laws, but will receive healthcare and social services as if they were American citizens.

Bottom line …

Should the Administration be able to pass cap-and-trade legislation giving it direct control over energy producers and consumers – and by extension our entire economy … 

Should the Administration pass Immigration reform which will allow millions of illegal aliens with little or no allegiance to the United States of America or her  Constitution -- and who will vote for those promising the largest entitlement package …

We will be facing a cataclysmic restructuring of America. Where political commissars, czars and petty bureaucrats will literally determine who lives and dies and which business thrive and which will languish and die.

Consider your duty as an American citizen – a duty now as important as those soldiers fighting on the front lines for our freedom – and fight back against this malignant socialist/democrat party. Or suffer the consequences.

Obama and his band of ignorant, corrupt and socialist democrats have declared war on the people of the United States. If we cannot stop their mad rush to complete their agenda in 2010 and 2012, then you just may find yourself under the yoke of government oppression in 2014.

-- steve


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


[X] VOTE NO -- NO MORE DEBT AND SOCIALISM -- NO JERRY BROWN IN 2010!

Jerry Brown is the epitome of a far-left liberal democrat. The man who did more to ruin the formerly Golden State of California with his liberal social engineering than any other politician since – and now he wants a second chance to finish his destructive job.

This is the man who brought forth public employee unions on the scene – insuring that everything would cost more and more while the public employees worked less and less.

This is the man who created an entire class of privileged state workers who did not have to worry about layoffs, substandard medical care, earning salaries less than the private sector and retiring in style after a comparitively few years.

This is the man who ignored repairing and replacing California’s crumbling infrastructure to engage in social engineering, welcoming hordes of illegal aliens to our state – insuring that state social services were taxed to the max and could not serve many legal residents.

This is the man who gave us the diamond lane and who stopped building out freeways in the hopes he could force us into mass public transit.

This is the man who is reluctant to prosecute criminals, but will jump over large buildings to prosecute violators of climate change regulations.

This is the man who hopes he can jump the line and use the union’s money and influence to continue his reign of tax terror upon all Californians.

And now he as a deep-pockets supporter with hundreds of thousands of voters ready to defend their jobs by following the union’s command …

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California announced today that it has endorsed Jerry Brown for Governor after an unprecedented open and democratic endorsement process.”

I wonder if this is the same open and democratic process that Obama, Pelosi and Reid tout just before doing whatever they want; disregarding the wishes of the people who oppose their actions?

“This process allowed for all 700,000 members to participate in selecting the team of candidates that will lead California’s recovery after a long and painful recession that has cost Californians their jobs, their homes, their healthcare and their retirement security.”

Yeah right …

They attended staged events where pre-selected candidates made their pitch to the audience. Then they were allowed to clap. I wonder if the purple-shirted thugs were lining the walls or if the speeches were translated into Spanish.

“Jerry Brown is uniquely qualified and unquestionably committed to be the Governor who will lead California’s recovery, and that’s why 700,000 SEIU California members will make electing him our first priority as we lead the fight to rebuild California,” said Bill A. Lloyd, President of the SEIU California.”

This is the same union which gave us Barack Obama and has been rewarded by the recess appointment of Craig Becker who believes that the National Labor Relations Board exists to push unionism farther into the fabric of America.

“Today’s endorsement comes after thousands of working Californians in eleven video- linked sites took part in an unprecedented ‘Rebuild California Town Hall’ meeting on Saturday where candidates running for Governor and other statewide offices made their case for how they plan to Rebuild California.   Last Saturday’s town hall enabled all 700,000 workers represented by Service Employee International Union (SEIU) California to participate in person or via the internet and hear firsthand how candidates plan to lead the state out of a deep recession and invest in our future.”

Truth-be-told, the cost of past and current public employee unions is what has brought our formerly golden state to the brink of bankruptcy. Lifetime employment for teachers after two years of service, without a comprehensive review. Early retirements with the possibility for being hired back as a consultant with the same salary and benefits. We are in trouble because of the incestuous relationship between our public employee unions and our politicians who openly court them for their money and voter support.

Where is the part where they vote on how their dues money is going to be spent by the corrupt union leadership?

“After a long and painful recession, California’s recovery must be job number one for our leaders in Sacramento,” said Dianne Bradford, a nursing home evaluator in San Diego. “We know that Jerry Brown is committed to protecting jobs and vital services so that we can once again invest in service – like education and education that affect peoples’ lives.”  

Translation: Jerry Brown is committed to protecting the jobs of union members and the vital services which are offered by union employees.

And we expect those we support to do our bidding, even in the face of public resistance …

And how is that “Hope and Change” working out for the American public? Transparency, Accountability and ethics are just campaign slogans. All the while Obama is pursuing an openly socialist agenda.

About the SEIU …

“SEIU California is a coalition of over 700,000 janitors, social workers, security officers, home care workers, school and university employees, healthcare workers, and city, county and state employees represented by SEIU local unions throughout California."

“We come together to build a better California by fighting to pass policies and elect candidates that benefit working families and advance the issues we care about: affordable healthcare, good wages, retirement security for all, a healthy environment, good schools and universities, and stronger communities. We believe that by working together we can build a California where working families can thrive again.”

The union is socialist from the top down …

And let us not forget SEIU President Andy Stern, Obama’s unregistered lobbyist pal who visited the White House more than any other person … the man who speaks proudly in communist slogans like “Workers of the World Unite” and who openly declares “We use the power of persuasion first. If it doesn't work, we try the persuasion of power." All with an open goal of “wealth redistribution.”

The real face of the SEIU …

Bottom line …

Jerry Brown will do to California what Barack Obama is doing to America – miring it in crushing debt, proposing environmental policies which will cripple industry and our economy. Insuring that jobs will be outsourced to other countries. And ignoring the rights and freedoms of all Californians in the process.

Vote NO!

-- steve

Reference Links:

SEIU CA Endorses Jerry Brown for Governor 

Let's 'Share the Wealth' -- America's most powerful union boss says Europe offers a good economic model.

SEIU -- Union organizing propaganda mars Olympic Games?
Obama as the Manchurian Candidate?
Screw the teacher's and government worker's unions ... they are ...

“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


SECURITY BREACH BY STUPIDITY ...

Security, especially in connection with computer systems, is first and foremost on everyone’s mind these days. Stories abound about hackers breaking into systems to steal access credentials. Phishers sending phony e-mails to convince you to log-on to a bogus website that looks like your bank. People who call you on the telephone to ask you to verify your account details.

Whether it is is called pretexting, social engineering, phishing or good old hacking, it is costing Americans multiple millions of dollars each year. The truth is that most computer-related theft is an inside job. An executive or employee who already has the access credentials and somehow becomes motivated enough to steal.

But I reserve a special place on my threat list for companies who are so blind or stupid as to create their own problems – and in the process, create problems for the rest of us trying to maintain secure systems.

Today’s cautionary tale …

Today’s outrage comes from a provider of Internet-based telephone services, also known as VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol – which is an inexpensive and reliable way to use the Internet to replace costly telephone  services that are offered by the major common carriers.

It starts out with a good practice …

The service provider recognizes that the computer connection that you are using is not the same one that was used when you signed-up for their service.

Their response is to send you a cautionary e- mail advising you that :

“This message was generated in response to an attempt to access your account from a computer we did not recognize. If you did not attempt a login from a different computer, we recommend change your password immediately.”

Thank you for your help in keeping your account secure.”

and ends with a security breach …

This appears to be a helpful message from a security-conscious company … until you ironically realize that the message also prominently features both your account number and password and has been sent over the Internet in clear, easily readable text which could be read by anyone curious enough to intercept the message.

The security code for your account xxxxxxxxx  is:

xxx

End result: your security has been breached by stupidity.

But it gets worse …

Of course, being a responsible customer, you notify the vendor of the problem – sending a copy of the e-mail with the account and password x’ed out to preserve security.

Since the company is responsive to all such communications, you receive an e-mail verification of the receipt of your communication followed by a personal telephone call by a customer service representative. Great customer service.

Until your customer service representative doesn’t seem to understand what you are talking about when you mention a bad practice which could lead to a security breach. He then asks you to provide access to your computer to capture a screenshot of the original e-mail. Which brings the security issue to the forefront once again.

One, after offering to send him a copy of the original e-mail (of course, with the redacted account information),  he claims that he cannot receive an e-mail at his location. Something about a server and the lack of access to individual e-mails.

Two, I did not follow up his offer of allowing him access to my computer – and didn’t even want to know how he proposed to accomplish this task. My computer sits behind a secure firewall and contains what the government fondly calls NPI – Non-Public Personal Information. Credit card account numbers, passwords, financial information and other information that is required by law to be protected. Even though it is encrypted, providing unrestricted access to your computer is a very, very bad idea.

And three, this was no ordinary customer service representative – he was simply a voice on the telephone. I could not see his company—issued identification and knew nothing about him or even if he was a legitimate employee of the vendor. Even worse, he was a foreign national operating out of a foreign country; not subject to United States law and could not be easily apprehended by the appropriate U.S. law enforcement officials. A crap-shoot at best.

Thanking him and explaining I would  take the matter up with management, I told him he could close the trouble ticket. Again, I received an acknowledgement e-mail (this time only referencing the account number and trouble ticket) followed by a chance to participate in a customer service survey. Again, great customer service and follow-up.

The plan …

The plan is simple. To call the chief security officer and explain the situation to him on Monday. After all, this appears to be a reputable company headquartered in the United States and deserving of a second chance.

Bottom line …

This story provides a cautionary tale for people who should become more aware of computer security and the possibility that an e-mail or telephone call can place you and your data in jeopardy.

Be aware: there are people that do not wish you well circulating in the world just waiting for the opportunity to drain your bank account or assume your identity. Forewarned is forearmed.

-- steve

P.S. This is not the first time security has been breached by stupidity, nor will it be the last.

Is Time Warner Cable Compromising your PayXpress Account Security (and other financial accounts) with their stupid mistake? (The reason I used the Time Warner name was that they were unresponsive to my request to speak to their security people)


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


IS THE GAO'S GLOBAL WARMING REPORT BIASED AND FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED?

There is no doubt in my mind that the government, both the Administration and Congress, is thoroughly corrupt when it comes to pursuing public policies based on the hypothesis that such public policies will prevent the hypothetical planetary crisis known as global warming.

Yes, it is a scientific hypothesis – unproven by direct comparison with historical temperature records or the use of so-called climate proxies such as tree rings, ice cores and ocean sediments. The basis for most of the dramatic projects lies in computer models using flawed assumptions and/or heavily manipulated data. These models fail to account for the historical temperature data for the last twelve years and the dire predictions have resulted in backtracking and restatements of potential effects.

The truth of global climate change seems to be ignored: that the Earth has been hotter, colder, with higher carbon dioxide concentrations and lesser carbon dioxide concentrations in periods when man’s industrialization and large-scale farming activities were negligible. Climate is cyclical and ever-changing and there is absolutely no reason to believe that this change is immediate or as dramatic as the alarmist portray.

Is the Government Accountability Office part of the global warming scam …

Like the Congressional Budget Office, the Government Accountability Office is an honest, reliable source of information. However, like all government-led and government-run operations, they report ONLY on what they are asked or use the assumptions which they have been given. Therefore, we shall assume that report has been politically compromised as it is addressed to Senator Max Baucus, the democrat Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, a known proponent of the Administration’s cap-and-trade agenda.

And while the report may be honest in its reporting, let us consider the source of its fundamental information … 

“To address this objective, we reviewed and analyzed academic and professional literature produced by research organizations, academic institutions, environmental groups, and industry associations, including international research.”

There is no doubt that there has been a concerted effort on behalf of governments, educational institutions, scientists and the special interests to persuade the American public, and, by extension, the world that there is a need for public policies to address the subject of global warming. Opponents, including many well-credentialed and noteworthy scientists have been shut out of this debate or are too afraid to risk their funding and research projects to speak out against overwhelmingly powerful forces who are acting out of self-interests. Therefore, the initial review of the literature, at least when it comes to the subject of climate change and global warming, is severely biased towards the acceptance of unproven science and mere speculation. 

Others used as source material include a pro-government, pro-socialist European Union which openly touts global warming in terms of wealth redistribution and other social and societal factors which have little or nothing to do with climate change. Again, examining biased data.

And yet more information was reviewed from those who are already engaging in emissions trading and who definitely have a money-based bias for expanding the program.

My conclusion is that the honest reportage of biased information is more likely than not to produce a biased report reflective of those who have the most to gain from this global warming initiative.  

What did they say: Observations on Options for Selling Emissions Allowances in a Cap-and-Trade Program …

“Congress is considering proposals for market-based programs to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Many proposals involve creating a cap-and-trade program, in which an overall emissions cap is set and entities covered by the program must hold tradable permits—or ‘allowances’— to cover their emissions.”

This has got to be the sweetest scam in the history of the world …

The politicians are creating a system to sell you the very air you breathe at exorbitant prices.

First, the greenhouse gas known as carbon dioxide is a vital necessity of life. The gas is absorbed by plants which in turn emit life-sustaining oxygen. It is not a pollutant – unless the government decides to define it as such.

Second, the real and most significant greenhouse gas that truly affects weather is water vapor – clouds; which greatly overshadows the effect of any atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Third, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans is somewhat constant; ever changing with the natural conditions. When temperatures rise, more carbon dioxide comes out of solution and enters the air. Which explains why the rise in carbon dioxide is not a causal factor in global climate change, but a result of warming oceans.

Fourth, carbon dioxide’s effects on global temperature are miniscule when compared to the Sun’s output, our orbit around the Sun, the Earth’s rotational dynamics, our volcanic activity, ocean currents and of course water vapor.

And fifth, it was necessary to choose “carbon dioxide” in order to control the production and use of energy – which, in turns, controls our economy and our lives. The government’s global warming plan is about wealth redistribution and control over social policy – the same things that we are finding out about the Administration’s healthcare initiative.

This is big business …

“According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the value of these allowances could total $300 billion annually by 2020. The government could either sell the allowances, give them away for free, or some combination of the two.”

The Wall Street Wizards, especially those with connections to Goldman Sachs, have the administration by the balls. So, imagine, if you will, a scam like the mortgage meltdown – creating and trading pieces of paper backed by mortgages. Only this time, these derivatives will be backed by nothing more than other pieces of paper, pollution certificates issued by some “official” agency in return for a piece of the action. Imagine the ginormous profits that the Wall Street Wizards will make creating and trading these bogus securities? Everyone wins, but the taxpayer who finds that the national treasury is being looted to provide subsidies (wealth redistribution) and the taxpayers who are seeing the fruits of the labor disappear into the pockets of unionized government bureaucrats and the special interests promoting this scam. Remember folks, that $300 billion is coming out of your pocket or adding to the deficit – those who trade emission credits produce nothing of value to our economy except paper profits.

Indulgences …

I cannot read the following paragraph without considering the indulgences sold by corrupt popes in order to permit the recipient to engage in both minor and major vice. Same deal with your government.

Some existing cap-and-trade programs have experience selling allowances. For example, member states participating in the European Union’s (EU) Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) have sold up to about 9 percent of their allowances, and the amount of auctioning is expected to increase significantly starting in 2013. In the United States, the 10 northeastern states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have auctioned about 87 percent of their allowances.”

Hobson's Choice: take it or leave it … pick one and shut up?

“This report is part of GAO’s response to a request to review climate change policy options. This report describes the implications of different methods for selling allowances, given available information and the experiences of selected programs.”

Again, starting with pro-trading literature …

“ GAO reviewed relevant literature and interviewed program officials from the EU and RGGI, economists, and other researchers.”

No recommendations – because the premise is fundamentally flawed?

Not only is the premise of being able to effect global climate change fundamentally flawed – but the concept of an auction among competing parties is also flawed.

Since the money being used by the bidder is not their own and the costs will be passed along to the taxpayers (subsidies) or the ratepayers (customers), there is little or no incentive to hold bidding down. Thus, increasing the profits for the government and the special interests cashing in on the trading scheme.

This report contains no recommendations.
The method of selling emissions allowances can have significant implications for a cap-and-trade program’s outcomes, and therefore, it is important that the method be chosen based on well-defined goals.

“Goals often cited by program officials and economists include: maintaining simplicity and transparency, maximizing participation, promoting economic efficiency, generating a price that reflects the marginal cost of reducing emissions, avoiding market manipulation, raising revenues, and minimizing administrative costs.”

Here I must scream “bullshit!” Those are the systemic goals of which only two are honest: “raising revenues and minimizing administrative costs.  There is absolutely no proof that this scheme will affect the weather – either locally, regionally, nationally or globally. There is also no proof that this scheme will do anything to reduce local pollution which will continue to kill or sicken the local residents who are suffering from the pollution allowed by the government’s indulgences.

“According to program officials, it is important to identify goals prior to choosing a sales method, as tradeoffs may exist. Some goals may also be interrelated—for example, a simple and transparent design may boost participation and reduce the risk of market manipulation.”

Are they effin kidding me … the market is designed to be manipulated by those who are profiting from this scheme.

If you want to see the corruption in a bidding process, let us briefly consider the bidding process by which the Federal Reserve provides funds to banks.

On March 8, 2010, the Federal Reserve conducted an auction of $25 billion in 28-day credit through its Term Auction Facility. The interest rate was one-half percent, 53 financial institutions requested $3.41 billion dollars.

Who cares what the bid really was, the policy of the Fed is to channel money to the financial institutions at such an abysmally low rate that they could make a guaranteed profit by putting the money into other treasury securities, expand their credit card lending at 22.9% or simply lend money at the prime rate of 3.25 percent. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

So who cares what the auction results of these bogus indulgences yields. It facilitates the far left government’s wealth distribution scheme by picking the pockets of the taxpayer and giving subsidies to the poor. It enlarges government, raises taxes and curtails the energy habits (and lifestyle) of the average American. Reducing our standard of living to that found in Europe. Perhaps so the disadvantages of combining governments sometime in the future will be less of a shock to those who no longer have to view the disparity between how we live and how the Europeans live.

Bottom line …

To honestly assess the current state of climate science you need honest scientists and brokers; not scientists and politicians who are shading the results to advance their own self-interests and/or political agenda. As we have seen from the whistle-blower e-mails emanating from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia University, scientists have made a muddle of the raw data, cannot provide the datasets leading to their predictions and have generally engaged in an attempt to alter the consequences of their work for media consumption. That is when they are not outright lying about their work and its implication or attempting to subvert the “peer review” process that has been the basis of scientific inquiry over the years.

In this case, it is clear to any rational thinker that the auction process is subverted by the very nature of the bidders. They have no real financial stake in the outcome, using taxpayer subsidies or ratepayer/end-user funds to purchase the pollution credits which allow them to continue their unconscionable polluting ways rather than mitigate the underlying problem. 

The only beneficiaries of this plan are the government itself, the politicians who guide public policies and the special interests who capitalize on public policy for their self interests and self-enrichment. 

This is a bad idea, proposed by dishonest people, which will do little or nothing to control pollution or affect the global climate. What it will do is further the subjugation of the American citizens who will be enslaved in a cycle of higher costs, less service and less personal choice and freedoms.

The solution is clear: throw these dishonest bad actors out of office and elect honest brokers who will serve the needs of “we the people” in an transparent, accountable and ethical manner.

It is your life, and the lives of your children, that is on the line in the upcoming election cycle. Vote as if your life depended on its outcome – as it surely does.

-- steve

Reference Links:

GAO Report Highlights:

CLIMATE CHANGE: Observations on Options for Selling Emissions Allowances in a Cap-and-Trade Program – Highlights |Government Accountability Office

CLIMATE CHANGE: Observations on Options for Selling Emissions Allowances in a Cap-and-Trade Program – Full Report |Government Accountability Office


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


CONTROL: FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE NOW PLANNING TO TAKE OVER THE INTERNET AND OUR LIVES?

From radio and television, the FCC wants to control energy and the Internet …

According to the Federal Communications Commission, their National Broadband Plan would become the foundation for the federal government to establish a nationwide “smart grid” that would be used to pursue public policy. Primarily by providing the infrastructure to control how Americans use and are charged for energy.

This is so far from the original mission of the Federal Communications Commission as to be considered a dangerous expansion of un-mandated and unwanted federal power.  Remember, the FCC was assigned the duty to license commercial and amateur broadcasters, allocate frequencies, control potential overlaps of broadcast coverage and set technical standards to maintain the integrity of the broadcast signal.

So how did the highly politicized FCC suddenly assume the dominant role in energy distribution when other federal agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology are better equipped to deal with the development of digital standards and the distribution of energy?

This is an extremely dangerous expansion of government power into the realm of private enterprise …

According to CNSNews … 

The National Broadband Plan, recently published by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), would lay the groundwork for the federal government to establish a nationwide “smart” electrical grid that would change how Americans use and pay for electricity, affecting such things as homes and transportation with battery-powered cars.”

The reason the government is going to use to take over control of the Internet … 

“The proposal, published March 16, outlines the federal government’s plan to use the nation’s broadband Internet infrastructure to further key national policy goals, including health care, education, and energy.” 

“The intersection of federal energy policy and myriad private sector broadband and wireless Internet networks, which the government hopes to harness, is known as the smart grid, a high-tech linking of the country’s Byzantine electrical infrastructure centered around green energy production and Internet connectivity.”

“As the plan states, ‘Broadband and advanced communications infrastructure will play an important role in achieving national goals of energy independence and efficiency.’"

To achieve a rational national energy policy, we need to elect “honest brokers” to office in the hopes that they will not be coerced with legal bribes (campaign contributions and voter support from unions and energy producers) into further delaying the exploration and retrieval of our own petroleum resources, enlarge generation capabilities to prevent “peak pricing” scams, build out our nuclear power generation capability to generate abundant, cost-effective, renewable and clean energy – and enlarge the energy distribution grid to get the energy from its source to its destination. Command and control is only a small part of this picture.

Perhaps they should increase the sources of energy simultaneously with increasing command and control over energy?

“The proposal explains that to achieve this national goal, the government plans a ‘massive’ build-out of information technology to construct a ‘smart grid’ where government, industry, and individuals can monitor energy production and use in real time, allowing consumers to apparently better control their energy usage and public utilities to apparently better control the production and flow of energy.”

It is my opinion that the government is planning to control the creation, use and fees charged for energy for the benefit of the politicians and the special interests they pander to – without expanding our current energy infrastructure. This would allow the government to raise revenue through the type of indirect taxation you find on your utility bills – and which never appears as consolidated amount on any official document.

“The smart grid would work by using the national broadband system the government hopes to create to connect homes and businesses in a two-way system, allowing consumers to monitor their power usage and power companies to manage power generation and demand.”

According to the far left liberals: energy control by raising energy costs and taxes …

This does absolutely nothing for energy independence except reduce demand by increasing the cost of energy. A deal which increases revenue for those who generate and distribute energy and those who tax the energy end users.

“This two-way system would allow consumers to directly control their electricity usage and also allow public utilities to take power from consumers when they are not using it, putting power back onto the grid for others to use.”

Take power from consumers when they are not using it? Power is immediate – it is extremely hard and expensive to store – and unless the bill anticipates each user might have their own generation capability, this reads like “energy rationing.” Personally, I do not plan to own and operate a solar array or windmill. I also do not want the government to tell me when I can use my air conditioner or heater.

Remember Enron and California …

The California liberal democrat whackos who have almost bankrupted our formerly golden state were held hostage by ENRON who gamed the system. The state lacked the guts to pursue those who screwed over the public and I am still paying Southern California Edison for the bonds the state issued to pay for energy at peak demand and peak prices. Learning after the fact that the peak demand was caused by ENRON personnel colluding with power plant operators to place the plant in “maintenance” status to drive up the prices of energy.

See for yourself …

Placing our economy and nation at risk …

“These changes are needed, the plan says, because the government wants to move toward renewable power sources, which are not as reliable as fossil fuels. This means that utilities must be able to take power from consumers when they are not using it.

“'But renewable power can be intermittent; clouds can mask the sun and wind can stop blowing without warning.”

Why would our government imperil our economy and our nation by relying on intermittent and unreliable power sources? All based on a bogus theory involving so-called “global warming” which is more about enlarging government and exerting control over American citizens than it is about changing the dynamics of our weather.

Absolute governmental madness …

Like healthcare, cap-and-trade and energy policies are designed to enlarge government, raise taxes and reduce the freedoms of the American public.

Unless we replace the current evildoers in government with honest brokers, our nation, as we now know it, will slowly disappear into a European socialist state with power shared between corrupt politicians and the unions.

Vote the bastards out before they destroy our nation with their corruption and far-left political ideology.

-- steve

Capture2-20-2009-8.30.27 PM

Reference Links:

CNSNews.com - FCC’s Broadband Plan Sets Groundwork for National Smart Grid To Transition To More Green Energy Use: Electric Cars, Solar Panels

The National Broadband Plan: Connecting America | U.S. Government

T. BOONE PICKENS: MAKEOVER OF A ROBBER BARON?


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


Death penalty cases demand a review ... (Updated)

UPDATE: 10-29-10 INNOCENT MAN FREED FROM DEATH ROW

Texas Monthly is reporting ...

"For eighteen years Anthony Graves insisted that he had nothing to do with the gruesome murder of a family in Somerville. That’s exactly how long it took for justice to finally be served."

 "At the recommendation of the Burleson County district attorney’s office, state district judge Reva Towslee-Corbett signed a motion that stated, simply, 'We have found no credible evidence which inculpates this defendant.' In other words, all capital murder charges were dropped."

"Former Harris County assistant district attorney Kelly Siegler, who has sent nineteen men to death row in her career, went even further in her statements. Siegler laid the blame for Graves’s wrongful conviction squarely at the feet of former Burleson County D.A. Charles Sebesta. 'Charles Sebesta handled this case in a way that would best be described as a criminal justice system’s nightmare,' Siegler said. Over the past month, she explained, she and her investigator, retired Texas Ranger Otto Hanak, reviewed what had happened at Graves’s trial. After talking to witnesses and studying documents, they were appalled by what they found. 'It’s a prosecutor’s responsibility to never fabricate evidence or manipulate witnesses or take advantage of victims,' she said. 'And unfortunately, what happened in this case is all of these things.' Graves’s trial, she said, was 'a travesty.'”

Original Blog Entry ...

Update: With only hours to go before the publication of this blog entry, I saw a news bulletin that demanded that my original blog entry be modified.

Supreme Court stops execution of convicted killer in Texas 

With just an hour to spare, the Supreme Court blocked the Wednesday evening execution in Texas of convicted murderer Hank Skinner, who maintains his innocence and who has sought DNA testing of key evidence for a decade.

The justices issued a stay of execution and said they wanted more time to consider Skinner's appeal. It will probably be several weeks before the court decides whether to hear his case.

Last year, the court ruled 5 to 4 that the Constitution does not give convicts the right to demand DNA testing of crime-scene evidence. The case, however, did not involve a prisoner facing execution. <Source|LA Times>

This is exactly the way the Supreme Court should work when a man’s life is at stake and there is any potential for executing an innocent man. I do not know whether or not he is innocent, but this is the way I want the law to work.

Original Blog Entry …

A number of years I was an adamant proponent of the death penalty, especially in cases where guilt is irrefutably established by both witnesses and the evidence. However, in the intervening years, I have witnessed the egregious manipulation of high-profile death penalty cases by both the investigators and the prosecution for personal and political reasons. Now I am not so sure that I would blindly adhere to my previous position.

Considering the time, legal effort and money that is spent to house the condemned prisoner and exhaust all appeals, it seems to me to be a cost-effective procedure to use DNA testing where there is the possibility (not I did not say probability) of exculpatory evidence.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting … 

“Texas death row inmate's final request: DNA testing”

“His odds look poor, but a murder convict hopes the Supreme Court makes Texas put off his execution.”

“Texas death row inmate Hank Skinner, convicted of murdering his girlfriend and her two sons 16 years ago, has only one request before he is executed next week.
He says the state should be required to do DNA tests of evidence from the victim, such as semen and blood under her fingernails, that could prove, once and for all, who was the real killer. His lawyers do not say they are certain he is innocent. They are certain, however, that no one should be put to death without testing crucial evidence that could show the wrong man was convicted.”

“Skinner has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block the execution, set for Wednesday, to permit time for the testing.”

Could he be innocent? 

“But police and prosecutors did not test other evidence from the crime scene, including a vaginal swab from the victim and her fingernail clippings. It appeared as though she had been raped and struggled with her killer.
Busby had left a New Year's Eve party before midnight after her drunken uncle made rude sexual advances.”

“Two bloody knives also went untested, even though her 20- and 22-year-old sons had been stabbed to death. Skinner's appointed defense lawyer could have had this evidence tested prior to the trial, but he did not do so.”

Is this a case of attorney malfeasance or simply a delaying tactic to postpone the execution of the sentence?

"’In any investigation today, all of this evidence would have been tested for DNA,’ said Rob Owen, a University of Texas law professor who now represents Skinner. ‘But why not do the testing now?’"

“Prosecutors declined to comment. But they, and some of the judges who have ruled on his appeals, said that because Skinner's trial lawyer did not ask for the extra DNA testing, it was too late now. Other judges said that because they saw ‘ample evidence’ of his guilt, no further testing was required. In January, a magistrate rejected Skinner's final appeal.”

No man should be executed unless the verdict was produced by evidence beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt.

But there appears to be some level of doubt in this case.

“arose about Skinner's guilt 10 years ago after an investigation by students from the Medill Innocence Project at Northwestern University. They found another ex-girlfriend who had seen Skinner shortly after the murders and said he was too drunk and disoriented to have killed three people, including one son who stood 6-feet-6 and weighed 225 pounds. She also said Skinner did not have cuts or scratch marks, as would have been expected after a struggle.”

“The students also found a neighbor of the uncle who said he had cleaned his van and removed the carpet a day after the killings. The uncle did not come under investigation, and later died in an auto accident.”

The request seems reasonable to me …

“Skinner's current lawyers have asked Gov. Rick Perry to postpone the execution for a month to allow for the testing. They also asked the high court for an emergency order to block the execution.”

“Owen said that if blood or skin from the victim's fingernails has DNA matching Skinner's, it would confirm his guilt. If the test finds the DNA of another man, ‘I think that exonerates him,’ he said.”

Just who does the Supreme Court represent these day: Political ideologues or the Constitution?

“Skinner's appeals run squarely into a 5-4 ruling from the Supreme Court last year saying the Constitution does not give convicts the right to demand DNA testing of crime-scene evidence. But that case involved a paroled rapist in Alaska, not a prisoner facing execution with evidence still untested.”

I think that the Supreme Court’s precedent is not applicable in this case. Everything that can be practically done should be done to determine a man’s guilt or innocence when he is facing a capital crime.

Bottom line …

For those who think I might be turning into a liberal, rest assured my opinion is conditioned on the Constitution’s safeguards. I believe that the Supreme Court should take into consideration that a man’s life is sacrosanct and that it should be safeguarded under any and all ambiguous conditions. To the extent of providing mandatory retroactive DNA testing of old evidence in capital cases and to commuting the sentences of those with ambiguous cases to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

And for those who knowingly aid and abet the incarceration of an innocent man or who stand in the way of his defense, I believe that there should be a stiff jail sentence to discourage bad behavior on the part of investigators, prosecutors and politicians.

In my perfect world, Roland Burris would not be a sitting Senator, but an inmate for knowingly keeping a man on death row for political reasons. <Source>

There is a time for political ideology … but when a fellow human beings life is at state under questionable circumstances, I would much rather err on the side of life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than execute an innocent man.

-- steve

Reference Links:

Texas death row inmate's final request: DNA testing - latimes.com

Supreme Court stops execution of convicted killer in Texas|latimes.com


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


WARNING: WITH THE PASSAGE OF OBAMACARE, THE SCAM ARTISTS WILL DESCEND IN FORCE!

With emotions on both sides of the Obamacare debate running at a fever pitch, it is a sure bet that both political parties, individual politicians, advocacy groups and SCAM artists will be preying on American citizens … requesting funding to continue the fight over this most contentious issue.

Truth-be-told, there are those who will do or say anything to raise funds from unwary, but patriotic Americans ...

We must raise an additional $50,000 to defeat those Members of Congress who voted for the socialistic Health Care bill.

$50,000 in 5 days.  We're going to vote these awful Big Government politicians out of office, and we're going to "Repeal the Bill!"

Please support us and contribute online - JUST CLICK HERE.

The best defense against those who have attempted to destroy America – on both sides of the aisle – is to withhold all funds to both political parties, individual politicians and others who are advocating any position on Obamacare. This money should be given to the opponents of those incumbents who voted for Obamacare or those opposing legislators who have voted with the democrats on other key issues relating to global warming or immigration reform.

Sincerely,

Michael Steele
Chairman, Republican National Committee

P.S.: The RNC's money bomb is happening now. Send Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama a message by making a 2010 campaign contribution of $40 or more today. Go to GOP.com right now to help our Party raise $402,010 in the next 40 hours through the RNC's money bomb. Thank you.

2

In fact, I would suggest that the greatest impact “we the people” could muster would be to throw out all incumbents – on both sides of the aisle.

Without your involvement, we can't win. Millions of individual Americans must step forward to fight this battle. Are you one of them?

Please, take the time right now to make a contribution of $35, $55, $75, $150 or more to help us defeat Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama and REPEAL this bill!

Sincere thanks,

Congressman Darrell Issa

Honorary Chairman

PS. There’s only one way to repeal this terrible healthcare takeover, and that’s to win back control of Congress. If living in a free America where individual choice is a way of life is important to you, please make a contribution of $35, $55, $75, $150 or more right now.

Contribute

So, if you are approached for funds, return their envelopes empty – with a note that you do not trust any of the bastards that allowed this travesty to be visited upon the American public.

Bottom line …

While the democrats are the most egregious participant in this Constitutional travesty, let us not forget that the republicans set the stage and the special interests who have bought and paid for legislators on both sides of the aisle are preparing to divide the political spoils.

There is no promise that any funds that flow to the existing political parties or individual politicians will be used to change anything except their self-centered push to gain or maintain their political power. We the people be damned.

Want to make an impact … donate, not to the party, but to the politician that is running against one of the incumbents that brought America to the brink of socialism and then pushed us down the slippery slope.

Be wary of scam artists, but more importantly tell the party and the politicians: No change, no reform – no money!

-- steve


“Nullius in verba”-- take nobody's word for it!
"Acta non verba" -- actions not words

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”-- George Bernard Shaw

“Progressive, liberal, Socialist, Marxist, Democratic Socialist -- they are all COMMUNISTS.”

“The key to fighting the craziness of the progressives is to hold them responsible for their actions, not their intentions.” – OCS

"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius

“A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims... but accomplices” -- George Orwell

“Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt." (The people gladly believe what they wish to.) ~Julius Caesar

“Describing the problem is quite different from knowing the solution. Except in politics." ~ OCS


WARNING: The far-left is planning to resurrect ACORN-style community organizing in time for 2010 election and federal funding ...

Misleading misdirection … 

Pardon my cynicism where the far-left radical community organizer ACORN is involved. ACORN with its deliberately dense, interlocking structure that is designed to prevent public scrutiny and legal accountability for its actions has announced that it is closing its operations.

Don’t believe it for a second.

The entity formerly known as ACORN may not survive as a brand, now that they have become a lightning rod for media scrutiny and especially where federal funding is involved. But, make no bones about it, the legal entity known as ACORN will be gone, but its leadership will simply adopt a new, clean name and re-apply for federal grants and funding … which we believe the Obama Administration will be only too happy to provide.

The media blitz to convince the public that ACORN is gone …

As reported in the New York Times …

“Acorn on Brink of Bankruptcy, Officials Say”

“The community organizing group Acorn, battered politically from the right and suffering from mismanagement along with a severe loss of government and other funds, is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, officials of the group said Friday.”

“Acorn is holding a teleconference this weekend to discuss plans for a bankruptcy filing, two officials of the group said. They asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the news media.”

“Over the last six months, at least 15 of the group’s 30 state chapters have disbanded and have no plans of re-forming, Acorn officials said. The California and New York chapters, two of the largest, have severed their ties to the national group and have independently reconstituted themselves with new names. Several other state groups are also re-forming outside the Acorn umbrella, and will not be affected if the national organization files for bankruptcy.”

Politico is reporting …

“Acorn folds”

”The ACORN Association Board met on Sunday March 21 and approved a set of steps to responsibly manage the process of bringing its operations to a close over the coming months. These include:

* Closing ACORN’s remaining state affiliates and field offices by April 1st; and
* Developing a plan to resolve all outstanding debts, obligations and other issues.”

ACORN was always a very decentralized group, with a great deal of its activity and power concentrated in local chapters from New York to Arkansas -- the strongest of which will survive.

A criminal enterprise?

“Darrell Issa of California, the ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, described Acorn at a December hearing as a ‘criminal organization’ working hand-in-glove with the Obama administration. In February, committee Republicans released a report saying that Acorn ‘exploits the poor and vulnerable’ for political gain.”

With the official entity known as ACORN expunged from the media and public consciousness, the will to prosecute the moribund organization and its leaders will subside. Thus allowing them to get away with election fraud, misuse of government and charitable funds and what might be a host of other civil and criminal wrongdoing.

With millions in play and motivation to continue the game …

There is every reason to believe that the leadership is executing a contingency plan which will keep the actual community organizing efforts and fundraising alive under new names – but possibly under the control of the old leadership.

“The national organization’s housing affiliate, long one of the best-financed offshoots, has been hit especially hard. The group, which changed its name to the Affordable Housing Centers of America this year, now has 17 offices, down from 29 a year ago. The housing group’s annual budget has dropped to $6 million this year, down from $24 million last year.”

“Wade Rathke, who founded the organization, announced on his blog that ACORN International has officially changed its name to ‘Community Organizations International.’

“The New York chapter has been replaced by a new group, called New York Communities for Change, whose Web site promotes many of Acorn’s goals and many of whose staff and community members are the same.” <Source

“ACORN decided to reconstitute its California operation as the ‘new’ group Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment  which is said to be ‘up and running as an independent state-wide organization with no legal, financial or structural ties to ACORN.’" <Source>

Bottom line: new name, same far-left toxic political agenda …

I sincerely believe that Obama, ACORN and the SEIU are preparing for a major effort in the 2010 and 2012 election cycle. Formally trashing the ACORN name in such a manner as to allow newly-constituted ACORN-like entities to apply for federal and state funding and continue their community organizing activities on behalf of a far-left and radicalized democrat party. The name changes, but the corruption and political agenda remains.

Perhaps the individuals who are involved with ACORN should be investigated and prosecuted rather than allowing the organization to plead guilty and avoid punishing an individuals responsible for the corruption of the American electoral process and the mismanagement of non-profit funds for personal and political use.

By using the bankruptcy ploy, ACORN may forestall civil, criminal and political consequences in order to continue their anti-American socialist game.

Like cockroaches … ACORN’s leadership will survive and prosper … especially under Obama’s radical far-left tutelage.

-- steve

 Reference Links:

Acorn on Brink of Bankruptcy, Officials Say - NYTimes.com

Acorn folds - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com

ACORN drops tarnished name and moves to silence critics

ACORN: Crunch Time -- the democrats need ACORN to be functioning in 2010 and will do anything to use YOUR money to promote THEIR political agenda |OneCitizenSpeaking


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