Tuesday, December 17, 2013

True class-------Duck Dynasty Star Ducks Barbara Walters Interview--to Go Hunting

Duck Dynasty Star Ducks Barbara Walters Interview--to Go Hunting | CNS News:
"Radar Online is reporting that Robertson bailed on Walter’s ‘Most Fascinating People’ interview last month for the ABC network.
Walters talked with other members of the Robertson family, and Phil’s wife, Miss Kay, reportedly told her that the 67-year old founder of Duck Commander would rather shoot ducks than do the interview.
Walters says on-air that she has, “never been superseded by a duck before.”"

This may be an option with Obamacare!

"

Facts can be inconvienent things------Basic Facts of Growth and Development

Basic Facts of Growth and Development | MRUniversity:
"Some basic data on development, both across countries today and through time. 
We make use in this video of the excellent tool Gapminder made famous by Hans Rosling."

Another example of where institutions matter in economic development: growth miracles and growth disasters. Right after WWII, Japan was one of the poorest countries in the world. But by the 70s and 80s, it was growing as fast as the United States. On the other hand, Argentina was at one point one of the richest countries in the world, but has more recently seen a declining growth rate. For more, fast forward to 6:35 in this video: http://bit.ly/1bV3Z7B
Another example of where institutions matter in economic development: growth miracles and growth disasters. Right after WWII, Japan was one of the poorest countries in the world. But by the 70s and 80s, it was growing as fast as the United States. On the other hand, Argentina was at one point one of the richest countries in the world, but has more recently seen a declining growth rate. For more, fast forward to 6:35 in this video:

Haven't some earned enough? Judge Takes Steps to Criminalize the Rich

Judge Takes Steps to Criminalize the Rich - John Ransom - Townhall Finance Conservative Columnists and Financial Commentary - Page 1:
"Rich kids are so privileged, so oblivious, that they can develop a type of mental disorder that makes them no longer responsible for their actions or aware of consequences. 
At least that is the conclusion of one judge in Texas who handed down a light sentence to a teen involved in a drunk driving accident that resulted in death.

“When a lawyer argued that a 16-year-old involved in a fatal drunk-driving collision in Texas suffered from ‘affluenza,’” reports Discovery.com, “or being so privileged by his rich parents that he wasn’t capable of distinguishing the consequences of bad behavior, many eyebrows were raised.
But it seemingly convinced the judge, who issued a minimal sentence to the teen whose car killed four people.
Ethan Couch was ordered to probation and alcohol treatment, but will not go to jail.”

While in the case cited above it helped the defendant escape more severe consequences for his actions, it sets a precedence that says that money is a type of mental disorder from which society has to protect itself."

A spoof. Sorta. Wait til they see their checks after Obamacare......Man Returns To Work After Vacation With Fresh, Reenergized Hatred For Job | The Onion

Man Returns To Work After Vacation With Fresh, Reenergized Hatred For Job | The Onion - America's Finest News Source:
"EUGENE, OR—Arriving back at work after a two-week winter vacation, local marketing assistant Matthew Bueso told reporters Monday he was happy to return to the office with a fresh and rejuvenated loathing for his job.
“It’s always nice to get away for a few weeks, clear my head, and come back invigorated with a newfound disgust for my place of employment and the various responsibilities of my thoroughly depressing job,” said Bueso, 38, noting that his time away had inspired him to complete mind-numbing administrative tasks, engage in idle discussions with his aggravating coworkers, and listen to bullshit inspirational speeches from his boss with a rekindled sense of anger and despair. 
“I’m rested, my batteries are recharged, and I’m ready to despise my entire professional life more intensely than ever before!”
At press time, a revitalized Bueso was furiously balling his fists at the sound of a nearby coworker’s loud typing."

Actually, it's simple. Barry's just waitin' for them to up the ante-----All Isn’t Calm, All Isn’t Bright

All Isn’t Calm, All Isn’t Bright - GOP
OBAMACARE THREATENS A RELATIONSHIP THAT WAS ONCE SO TENDER AND MILD

In September, The White House Rejected Labor Union Leaders Request That Union Health Plans Be Eligible For ObamaCare’s Health Subsidies. 
“The Obama administration on Friday told labor union leaders that their health plans would not be eligible for tax subsidies under ObamaCare next year. 
A White House official said the Treasury Department has concluded that such an exemption is not possible under the Affordable Care Act. 
The labor unions have been asking that their union plans, known as Taft-Hartley plans, be eligible for premium subsidies the way plans on the new insurance exchange will be.”
 (Byron Tau and Jennifer Haberkorn, “W.H. Rejects Labor’s Bid For ObamaCare Exemption,” Politico, 9/13/13)
  • Following A Meeting With The White House About ObamaCare’s Negative Effect On Its Members, Union Leaders Were “In No Mood To Talk To Reporters.” 
  • “Labor officials met privately with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Labor Secretary Tom Perez on Friday afternoon to press their case that the Affordable Care Act will have consequences for the benefits of union employees. … Union officials emerged from the meeting in no mood to talk to reporters after more than an hour of closed-door consultations with the president and administration officials.” 

Hmmmm, the MSM sorta decided not to make a big deal about this. What a shock! Republican Wins Democrat Seat in Kentucky Running Against Obamacare

Plus, add another hot conservative to the long list!
Republican Wins Democrat Seat in Kentucky Running Against Obamacare - Red Knuckle Politics:
"Tuesday night in Western Kentucky’s 7th District, Republicans moved closer to flipping the house and taking control in 2014.
Suzanne Miles defeated Democrat Kim Humphrey by just 112 votes in a special election to give Republicans 46 seats in the 100-member house.
This was a huge upset and a huge win for the GOP because Miles had been trailing Humphrey by 6 points in recent polling.
Even more important is that this win gives Republicans the momentum they need to gain control of the State House, which they haven’t controlled since 1921."

The American press is SCUM! When the Press Makes Life or Death Decisions

When the Press Makes Life or Death Decisions | The Volokh ConspiracyThe Volokh Conspiracy

When the Press Makes Life or Death Decisions



The Associated Press recently ran a long story about Robert Levinson,  a former FBI agent who disappeared while in Iran.  Levinson later showed up in Internet photos suggesting he was a hostage.  The AP story made clear that the former agent had a long relationship with the CIA and was likely working on a CIA project when he went to Iran.
Robert levinsonThat means the AP story was a potential death sentence for Levinson.  How did AP decide whether to release such dangerous information?  Well, here’s what its executive editor said (emphasis added):
In the absence of any solid information about Levinson’s whereabouts, it has been impossible to judge whether publication would put him at risk. It isalmost certain that his captors already know about the CIA connection but without knowing exactly who the captors are, it is difficult to know whether publication of Levinson’s CIA mission would make a difference to them. That does not mean there is no risk. But with no more leads to follow, we have concluded that the importance of the story justifies publication.
Short version: Unless someone proves this story will kill Levinson, it’s too good to sit on.

California Union Pays Only 1.7% of Income in Taxes, Yet Demands Corporations "Pay Their Fair Share"

California Union Pays Only 1.7% of Income in Taxes, Yet Demands Corporations "Pay Their Fair Share" - Kyle Olson - Page 1:
 "The CFT’s 2013 LM-2 financial report reveals the union received $21,866,549 in “total receipts.”
That type of annual revenue is probably on par with a lot of big corporations.
And the union certainly acts like a corporation in the manner in which it compensates top employees:

·Jeffery Freitas, Secretary-Treasurer - $166,664
·Daniel Martin, Executive Director - $150,557
·Kenneth Burt, Political Director - $140,102
·Fred Glass, Communications Director - $139,456
Yet the union only paid $371,150 in “direct taxes.” Labor unions are categorized as non-profits by IRS rules and therefore are immune from income taxes.

So these numbers reveal the union paid 1.7 percent of its income in “direct taxes.” 
Does that qualify as its “fair share?”"

Yes Virginia, there is a ....difference.

Presidents of Davenport, Hope among highest-compensated private college leaders in Michigan, survey shows

Presidents of Davenport, Hope among highest-compensated private college leaders in Michigan, survey shows | MLive.com:
"Davenport President Richard Pappas received $645,480 in total compensation between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. That’s up from $581,564 the previous year."

A lot of GOPers would like to return this "gift"........

It is impossible to be an honest person and support Obamacare. Unless you are a moron. Usually both...... -5 Things Obamacare Teaches You About Liberals

5 Things Obamacare Teaches You About Liberals - John Hawkins
1) It's inherently dishonest: In many ways, Obamacare is a typical liberal program. .......it's a standard liberal program that makes promises it never intends to keep and does more damage than good. 
2) Results are irrelevant: Barack Obama promised that if you like your insurance, you can keep it. He said the same thing about your doctor. He claimed Obamacare would REDUCE the cost of health care, save the average person money and provide universal coverage. Not only are all of those promises untrue, but it's hard to miss the fact that no one on the Left SEEMS TO CARE. 
.......whether a liberal supports a program doesn't have anything to do with whether it works or not.
3) It penalizes success: So, in order to help a relatively small number of people, liberals are perfectly willing to penalize Americans -- who worked hard, played by the rules and took care of themselves -- with much higher costs and lost plans. This is standard operating procedure for liberals who act as if doing well enough to live your life free of welfare, food stamps and government nannies is "cheating."
4) It doesn't work: .....You think a billing dispute with an insurance company is unpleasant? Wait until you're hashing it out with the IRS. You don't like to deal with your insurance company? Wait until you have a problem with your insurance and can't get it corrected until you get approval from a government agent. Our government is slow, stupid, arrogant and generally unfriendly to consumers. The more government you have in your life, the more unpleasant your life is likely to be.

5) There are no trade-offs: Liberals seem to be incapable of mentally comprehending trade-offs. So instead, they present Utopian visions of how life would look in a perfect world and offer that up as a political alternative to the messy, oftentimes unpleasant reality we live in. That would be fantastic if Santa Claus, Star Trek replicators, and genies were real, but when you seek heaven on earth, you're more likely to start wandering towards hell.

I'm thinkin' they're gettin' a D-..... but prolly not.....Prof corrects minority students' capitalization, is accused of racism

Prof corrects minority students' capitalization, is accused of racism | The Daily Caller:
"Racial tensions are inflamed at the University of California at Los Angeles following several incidents — most notably, one where a professor corrected the grammar, punctuation and capitalization in minority students’ assignments.

The act of correcting a black student was “micro-aggression,” according to the members of the student group “Call 2 Action: Graduate Students of Color,” which launched a sit-in during a subsequent meeting of the class.

“A hostile campus climate has been the norm for Students of Color in this class throughout the quarter as our epistemological and methodological commitments have been repeatedly questioned by our classmates and our instructor,” wrote the group in a statement to the college.
“[The] barrage of questions by white colleagues and the grammar ‘lessons’ by the professor have contributed to a hostile class climate.”"

Holy crapoli! We're gonna need a bigger....furnace! November 2013 Sunspots: Trends

November 2013 Sunspots: Trends | Inform The Pundits!:
"The latest solar data from this month reinforces the belief that our sun is headed into a long-term period of low solar activity.

As time goes on a link between decreasing solar activity and the halt in global warming 17 years ago becomes harder and harder to deny."

Why are the healthfood junkies always sick? ...Multivitamins won't boost health, waste of money: Researchers

Multivitamins won't boost health, waste of money: Researchers - CBS News:
"“Enough” with the multivitamins already.

That’s the message from doctors behind three new studies and an editorial that tackled an oft-debated question in medicine: Do daily multivitamins make you healthier?

After reviewing the available evidence and conducting new trials, the authors have come to a conclusion of “no.”

“We believe that the case is closed -- supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful,” concluded the authors of the editorial summarizing the new research papers, published Dec. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
“These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention.
Enough is enough.”

They went on to urge consumers to not “waste” their money on multivitamins."

And we sit back waiting for them to assimilate? Ain't gonna happen folks. Gonna be us be assimilatin' Europe: Islamic Fundamentalism is Widespread

Europe: Islamic Fundamentalism is Widespread :: Gatestone Institute:
A discussion paper published by the Germany-based Gustav Stresemann Foundation -- a think tank dedicated to the preservation and advancement of liberal democracy in Europe -- warns that national and international Islamic organizations are increasingly putting pressure on Western politicians gradually to criminalize any critique of Islam.
In a commentary on the study, the German newspaper Die Welt says the findings cast serious doubt on the unbridled optimism of European multiculturalists, who argue that Muslim citizens will eventually internalize the mindset of Western democracies.
The majority of Muslims in Europe believe Islamic Sharia law should take precedence over the secular constitutions and laws of their European host countries, according to a new study, which warns that Islamic fundamentalism is widespread and rising sharply in Western Europe.
The "Six Country Immigrant Integration Comparative Survey"—a five-year study of Moroccan and Turkish immigrants in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland and Sweden—was published on December 11 by theWZB Berlin Social Science Center, one of the largest social science research institutes in Europe.
According to the study (German and English), which was funded by the German government, two thirds (65%) of the Muslims interviewed say Islamic Sharia law is more important to them than the laws of the country in which they live.
Three quarters (75%) of the respondents hold the opinion that there is only one legitimate interpretation of the Koran, which should apply to all Muslims, and nearly 60% of Muslims believe their community should return to "Islamic roots."

Amazon does Obama- Pulls Access to Purchased Christmas Videos During Christmas

"If you like your movies, you can keep your movies!"
Well..... not all your movies.......
Amazon Pulls Access to Purchased Christmas Videos During Christmas | TorrentFreak:
"Disney has decided to pull access to several purchased Christmas videos from Amazon during the holiday season, as the movie studio wants its TV-channel to have the content exclusively.

Affected customers have seen their videos disappear from their online libraries, showing once again that not everything you buy is actually yours to keep."

Everyone is generous .... with someone else's moolah........Will Walmart shoppers support "Every Day High Wages?"

"Romney voters....."
Hilarious!

▶ Will Walmart shoppers support "Every Day High Wages?" - YouTube: "

Dude, where's my brain? ....Chronic marijuana use may alter brain structure, study finds

Chronic marijuana use may alter brain structure, study finds | Fox News:
"Heavy marijuana users may have abnormal brain structures which can lead to poor memory, Nature World News reported.

In a new study, researchers from Northwestern Medicine used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to analyze the brains of 67 former marijuana users.
The participants had begun their drug use when they were 16 to 17 years old, but they had all been marijuana free for an average of two years at the time of the study.

The imaging scans revealed that participants’ chronic marijuana use was associated with poor growth in the brain’s deep subcortical gray matter – a region linked with memories.
The researchers also found that the brain structures of the marijuana users closely resembled the brains of schizophrenia patients."

Today in history

Chase's Calendar of Events:
110 years ago, in 1903, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first documented successful powered airplane flight.

Monday, December 16, 2013

These guys are making the Mafia look like "America's Dumbest Criminals" in comparison. ===The Environmental Movement: How Corrupt Is It?

The Environmental Movement: How Corrupt Is It? | Power Line:
"We have written mostly about the corruption of Greens in America, where Al Gore has become a standing joke.
But the Daily Mail has performed the valuable service of exposing the corruption that is rampant among British environmentalists; specifically, global warming alarmists:

The Mail on Sunday today reveals the extraordinary web of political and financial interests creating dozens of eco-millionaires from green levies on household energy bills.

A three-month investigation shows that some of the most outspoken campaigners who demand that consumers pay the colossal price of shifting to renewable energy are also getting rich from their efforts."
One is tempted to ask why anyone should be surprised by this, but of course, many people had no idea that the environmental movement is a cesspool of corruption.
Enquiries by this newspaper have revealed:
* Four of the nine-person Climate Change Committee, the official watchdog that dictates green energy policy, are, or were until very recently, being paid by firms that benefit from committee decisions.
* A new breed of lucrative green investment funds, which were set up to expand windfarm energy, are in practice a means of taking green levies paid by hard-pressed consumers and handing them to City investors and financiers.
* £3.8 billion of taxpayers’ money funds the new Green Investment Bank, set up by the Department of Business and Skills. One of its biggest deals involved energy giant SSE selling windfarms to one of the new green funds, Greencoat Wind. The Green Investment Bank’s chairman, Lord Smith of Kelvin, is also chairman of SSE. The bank says it ‘provided expertise’ to enable BIS to take a £50 million stake in Greencoat, which helped fund the SSE sale.
* The same bank’s chief executive, Shaun Kingsbury, is one of the UK’s highest-paid public sector employees. His £325,000 salary is more than twice the Prime Minister’s.

WeMOG for Wed Dec.18 1:00PM

Meet at the Picnic Shelter/Cross Country Ski Trails, Hoffmaster State Park @ 12:55.  Skis meet trail at 1:00 sharp.  
Plan to ski for about 2 hrs.  
May want to put boots in car, in case conditions change by Weds.  
Skiing was wonderful today and more snow is expected.  
YES!!!!!

Great video! Send it to your kids! NOW...before it's too late! ---Why Opt Out of Obamacare?

Why Opt Out of Obamacare?:
"FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS SIGN UP FOR A BAD DEAL!
Good news! 
You are not required to purchase health insurance through an Obamacare exchange! 
There are cheaper, better options for young people.

Sign our petition and declare that you will opt-out of Obamacare.
Add your voice to those young Americans who know the truth about Obamacare.
The more who sign the petition the greater our voice.
Opt out!"

They're not so good at weather. Awful at climate. So why are we (borrowing from the Chinese) paying them so dang much? ---------Climate alarmists' search for proof going cold

Mark Landsbaum: Climate alarmists' search for proof going cold | warming, global, temperature - Opinion - The Orange County Register:
"Recall global warming hysteria’s halcyon days?
Just 13 years ago, Dr. David Viner, senior scientist at Britain’s University of East Anglia’s climatic research unit, confidently predicted that, within a few years, winter snowfall will become “a very rare and exciting event.”
“Children just aren’t going to know what snow is,” he said.

Of course, that doesn’t mesh with what happened.
This past October, the UK Express headlined, “Worst winter for decades: Record-breaking snow predicted for November.”"

Less than 3 minutes. Well worth your time-Merry Christmas-------Good News! (In a Scale) | Adventures of a Music Teacher

Good News! (In a Scale) | Adventures of a Music Teacher

In a nation full of shocking scandals, this ought to be at the top our our collective outrage. ....... It's not----------The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder

The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder - NYTimes.com:
"He noted that recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the diagnosis had been made in 15 percent of high school-age children, and that the number of children on medication for the disorder had soared to 3.5 million from 600,000 in 1990.
He questioned the rising rates of diagnosis and called them “a national disaster of dangerous proportions.”

“The numbers make it look like an epidemic.
Well, it’s not.
It’s preposterous,” Dr. Conners, a psychologist and professor emeritus at Duke University, said in a subsequent interview.
“This is a concoction to justify the giving out of medication at unprecedented and unjustifiable levels.”

38 Test Answers That Are 100% Wrong But Totally Genius At The Same Time

18.38 Test Answers That Are 100% Wrong But Totally Genius At The Same Time | Distractify

You'll get what we allow you to get!-------------------If You Like Your Checking Account, You Can Keep Your Checking Account

If You Like Your Checking Account, You Can Keep Your Checking Account | National Review Online
Looks like the government may have found a way to pay down all that debt:
Shannon Bruner of Indianola logged on to her checking account Monday morning, and found she was almost 800 dollars in the negative.
“The first thing I thought was, ‘I got screwed,’” she said.
The Bruners enrolled for insurance on the Washington Healthplanfinder website, last October. They say they selected the bill pay date to be December 24th. Instead the Washington Healthplanfinder drafted the 835 dollar premium Monday.
But don’t worry, the government is in full compliance with its requirement to give them advance notice of the early seizure:
Washington Healthplanfinder emailed the Bruners a few days ago telling them to log in to view their invoice, something they couldn’t do because the website has been down. The Bruners haven’t been able to get through on the helpline either. They finally contacted Healthplanfinder administrators by posting a message on their Facebook page.

Read the "if"s and cry for those who need their first job-----------George F. Will: Raise the minimum wage? It’s iffy.

George F. Will: Raise the minimum wage? It’s iffy. - The Washington Post:
"Liberals’ love of recycling extends to their ideas, one of which illustrates the miniaturization of Barack Obama’s presidency.
He fervently favors a minor measure that would have mostly small, mostly injurious effects on a small number of people.
Nevertheless, raising the minimum hourly wage for the 23rd time since 1938, from today’s $7.25 to $10.10, is a nifty idea, if:"