AM Fruitcake

History for May 18

History for May 18 - On-This-Day.com
Frank Capra 1897 - Film director ("It's a Wonderful Life"), Perry Como 1912 - Singer, television personality, Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyla) 1920


Dwayne Hickman 1934 - Actor, Reggie Jackson 1946 - Baseball player, Tina Fey 1970 - Actress, comedian ("30 Rock," "Saturday Night Live")


1642 - Montreal, Canada, was founded.


1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte was proclaimed emperor by the French Senate.


1917 - The U.S. Congress passed the Selective Service act, which called up soldiers to fight in World War I.


1934 - The U.S. Congress approved an act, known as the "Lindberg Act," that called for the death penalty in interstate kidnapping cases.


1951 - The United Nations moved its headquarters to New York City.


1953 - The first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound, Jacqueline Cochran, piloted an F-86 Sabrejet over California at an average speed of 652.337 miles-per-hour.


1980 - Mt. Saint Helens erupted in Washington state. 57 people were killed and 3 billion in damage was done.


1983 - The U.S. Senate revised immigration laws and gave millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program.

White House Refuses to Let Obama Adviser Ben Rhodes Testify After His Stunningly Candid Remarks on Iran Deal | TheBlaze.com

White House Refuses to Let Obama Adviser Ben Rhodes Testify After His Stunningly Candid Remarks on Iran Deal | TheBlaze.com:

"Controversially candid Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes will not have to testify before Congress regarding the Iran nuclear deal, the White House announced Monday.

Rhodes was initially called to testify at a Tuesday hearing on “White House Narratives on the Iran Nuclear Deal” by House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) after Rhodes gave a remarkably blunt interview to the New York Times Magazine on the Iran deal. However, Fox News reported that Chaffetz received a letter from White House counsel W. Neil Eggleston Monday, which explicitly said the Obama advisor would not attend."

High School Bans Flags, Including Old Glory, in Effort to Not Offend Students — but Officials Were in for Quite a Surprise | Video | TheBlaze.com

High School Bans Flags, Including Old Glory, in Effort to Not Offend Students — but Officials Were in for Quite a Surprise | Video | TheBlaze.com:

"I don’t see how you can pull someone’s right to walk in graduation because they were being patriotic,” Bogart said.

One veteran even showed up at the high school to stand in solidarity with the students. “We’re all proud of this flag,” he told KKCO. “Thousands of people have died for this flag. I think we should be behind the kids.”"

Millennial Students Feel ‘Pressure’ to Support Clinton, Even Though They Don’t Trust Her | Video | TheBlaze.com

Millennial Students Feel ‘Pressure’ to Support Clinton, Even Though They Don’t Trust Her | Video | TheBlaze.com:

"Millennial students at George Washington University are feeling “pressure” to support Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton because she’s a woman, but when asked if they trust her, they simply say, “Next question.”

“I just think that, yeah, there’s a lot of feminist pressure to vote for Hillary,” one woman told Campus Reform, a conservative news site focused on higher-education. Another added, “It’s a pretty good conspiracy.”

Senate Passes Legislation Allowing Families of 9/11 Victims to Sue Saudi Arabia | TheBlaze.com

Senate Passes Legislation Allowing Families of 9/11 Victims to Sue Saudi Arabia | TheBlaze.com:

"WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia, rejecting the fierce objections of a U.S. ally and setting Congress on a collision course with the Obama administration.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, approved by voice vote, had triggered a threat from Riyadh to pull billions of dollars from the U.S. economy, if the bill is enacted."

How Bernie Sanders’ Wife Destroyed Burlington College

Bernie Sanders | Jane Sanders | Burlington College | Closing

How Bernie Sanders’ Wife Destroyed Burlington College

A major pillar of the Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign is free college. 

In perhaps the most tragically ironic political metaphor of this election, Burlington College, a small privately owned school in Vermont is now going out of business, largely due to decisions made by Bernie Sanders’ wife, Jane, who served as the college’s president for seven years.

When Jane Sanders was hired by Burlington College in 2004, the school was already facing financial problems but was able to maintain day to day operations for several years.

Things began to change in 2010, when Jane Sanders led the school to a financial decision which would forever alter the school’s destiny.

Under her leadership, Burlington College purchased a lakefront property from the Catholic Diocese of Burlington for $10 million dollars with the goal of expanding the school’s campus.

The decision was considered risky at the time because the school made the purchase by going into debt.
...Sanders resigned in the fall of 2011 and left the school with a golden parachute of $200,000.

...Coupled with the continuing bad financial news for Burlington College, came allegations from the Catholic Diocese of Burlington, which in April of this year announced they wanted Jane Sanders investigated for fraud.

Heat Street reported:

Catholic Parishioners: Investigate Bernie Sanders’ Wife for Fraud

The diocese did not respond to a request for an interview. But a source with direct knowledge of the diocese’s involvement in the land acquisition says Burlington College almost immediately struggled to meet its obligations.

“It was within a relatively short time after closing [the deal], they were experiencing financial problems that made it impossible to pay the diocese,” the source says, adding that Burlington soon went into default mode on its loan.

Parishioners now say that to secure loans to buy the land, Ms. Sanders misrepresented the amount that had been pledged to the college in its fundraising push.

Additionally, the Washington Free Beacon reported in January of this year that under Jane Sanders’ tenure, Burlington College steered funds to her daughter and a family friend who had been an adviser to Bernie Sanders while he was mayor of Burlington...

...The Sanders campaign and their allies in media may try to spin this unfortunate situation but the bottom line in undeniable. 

Burlington College is a victim of poor decisions and crony politics on the behalf of Jane Sanders.

The fact that her husband wants to transform the way higher education is paid for nationwide should give every American voter pause.

Hope? Maybe. Change? You betcha!-----AGE OF MISINFORMATION: Meet Your New Media Overlords.

Instapundit » Blog Archive » AGE OF MISINFORMATION: Meet Your New Media Overlords. The standard history of the media revoluti…:
AGE OF MISINFORMATION: Meet Your New Media Overlords.

The standard history of the media revolution goes something like this: At midcentury, the national media landscape was monopolized by three major television networks and two major magazines. A handful of centrist media executives has tremendous power over the flow of information; it took effort to access news and commentary too far to either side of the political spectrum. Then came cable, which put pressure on the old monopolies and facilitated the rise of some insurgent political outlets. In the 1990s, thanks to the creation of the internet and the rise of blogging, subversive political materials became easier to access, and legacy media gatekeepers lost still more control over what stories were newsworthy and what opinions were acceptable. Finally, social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook completed the democratization of media—giving ordinary people a platform, disrupting the press establishment, and transferring power for regulating the flow of information from media elites to the masses.

But has it really worked out that way? A new report from Gizmodo alleges that Facebook’s “trending” function (a list of popular news items featured prominently on hundreds of millions of users’ home pages) is not generated by an impartial algorithm, but by a handful of young Facebook employees—and, moreover, that those employees systematically manipulated the results to exclude right-leaning news. . . .

Facebook is sure to take issue with the story (it declined to comment for Gizmodo). But even if certain details are credibly called into question, the report highlights the tremendous power that internet and social media companies have achieved over the distribution of information—more than the television networks of yore could have ever dreamed of—and the ways they could tilt public opinion if they chose to do so. It may be that instead of dethroning the information gatekeepers, new media has simply transferred power from middle-aged WASPs in stuffy New York City network newsrooms to a more diverse, and younger, set of elites in posh Silicon Valley open offices. These new elites have their own set of interests and priorities—for the most part, socially liberal and meritocratic, rather than centrist and institutionalist. But they are not, by any means, “impartial,” or equally open to all viewpoints...

Should we expect antitrust and consumer-fraud investigations (since Facebook apparently lied about its activity) from Republican state attorneys general?

Related: Could Facebook Swing An Election?"

After ‘Classified’ Briefing, GOP Rep. Claims Obama Admin. Is Withholding Details of Iran Naval Incident That Will Shock Nation | TheBlaze.com

After ‘Classified’ Briefing, GOP Rep. Claims Obama Admin. Is Withholding Details of Iran Naval Incident That Will Shock Nation | TheBlaze.com:

"Rep. Randy Forbes (R., Virginia) told the outlet the Obama administration is keeping certain details of the incident secret but that he’s had “a full classified briefing” from military officials — and a full report to the public may not come to light for a year.

“I think that when the details actually come out, most Americans are going to be kind of taken aback by the entire incident, both how Iran handled it and how we handled it,” Forbes told the outlet. “I think that’s going to be huge cause for concern for most Americans. That’s why I’ve encouraged members of Congress to get that briefing so they do know exactly what did take place.”

Bison becomes official national mammal of U.S.

Bison becomes official national mammal of U.S. - Baltimore Sun:
"The bison has become the official national mammal of the United States under legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama on Monday.
Lawmakers spearheading the effort say the once nearly extinct icon deserves the elevated stature because of its economic and cultural significance in the nation's history.
...About 30,000 wild bison roam the country, with the largest population in Yellowstone National Park.
Supporters of the legislation say they believe the recognition will elevate the stature of the bison to that of the bald eagle, long the national emblem.."

CBO: Nearly 1 in 6 Young Men in U.S. Jobless or Incarcerated

CBO: Nearly 1 in 6 Young Men in U.S. Jobless or Incarcerated - Breitbart:
Nearly one in six young men (between the ages of 18-34) in the U.S. were either jobless or incarcerated in 2014, according to a new government report.
It details a striking amount of male alienation that has been on the rise since the 1980s.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), out of the 38 million young men in the U.S. in 2014, 16 percent were jobless (5 million or 13 percent) or incarcerated (1 million or 3 percent).
The share of young men without a job or in prison has increased substantially since 1980, when just 11 percent of young men fit into either category..."

Lunch video-----RIGHT ANGLE: DIVERSE OR DEMEANING?

Noon-toon

Meme Depicts REAL Problem With Transgender Bathroom Laws | The Federalist Papers

Meme Depicts REAL Problem With Transgender Bathroom Laws | The Federalist Papers:

"Now that the federal government is once again suing one of it’s own states for passing laws it does not like. Add to that President/King Obama’s issuance of a decree concerning transgender access to bathrooms in America’s schools and the subject of who may use which facilities is firmly in the national conscience.
Lost in the discussion over reproductive organs are two far more serious issues, that of state’s rights –can a state pass it’s own laws or does big brother Washington D.C. run and control everything; and what should be the biggest concern of all —"

This shortage is pure "cash flow". Doesn't include bond payments. Socialism!-----Detroit schools face bankruptcy without state help, report says

Detroit schools face bankruptcy without state help, report says - Crain's Detroit Business:
The deteriorating finances of Detroit’s public schools may result in a bankruptcy filing if Michigan lawmakers don’t agree on a rescue package within the next two months, according to Moody’s Investors Service.
...Were a bankruptcy to occur, the holders of the district’s general-obligation debt should be unimpaired because the securities are backed by the state’s school-bond program, according to Moody’s.
Holders of state-aid bonds are “at risk” because debt service is paid from state funds that would otherwise go toward operations, Moody’s said in the report.
In fiscal year 2017, debt service on state aid revenue bonds is $105.3 million.
“Without an infusion of a significant amount of additional cash beyond the district’s existing short-term borrowing authority in fiscal 2017, it would be highly unlikely that the district would have resources to make payroll and debt service throughout the year,” Moody’s said.

If schools are so "dangerous" why are we sending these poor kids into them?-----Feds Promote Rainbow Badges for Teachers, Staff at Public Schools to Identify as LGBT ‘Allies’

Feds Promote Rainbow Badges for Teachers, Staff at Public Schools to Identify as LGBT ‘Allies’: "The federal government’s anti-bullying website posted a blog last month touting the OUT for Safe Schools program started by homosexual activists in the Los Angeles, Calif., public schools where “rainbow badges” are worn by teachers and staff to identify them as “allies” of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender students.
“School continues to be a dangerous place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth,” said the April 19 blog, which was written by staff from the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the Department of Education.
The blog said that 30,000 rainbow badges were provided to Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teachers, administrators and staff “to wear voluntarily that proudly identify themselves as allies and protectors of students who are LGBT.”
“Despite increased public acceptance of LGBT people in general, many school campuses remain toxic environments for LGBT students, contributing to higher rates of suicide, depression, homelessness and HIV infection,” Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the Los Angeles LGBT Center."

HOPENCHANGE: Despite $10B ‘Fix,’ Veterans Are Waiting Even Longer To See Doctors.

Instapundit » Blog Archive » HOPENCHANGE: Despite $10B ‘Fix,’ Veterans Are Waiting Even Longer To See Doctors. This part is in…:
"HOPENCHANGE: 
Despite $10B ‘Fix,’ Veterans Are Waiting Even Longer To See Doctors.

This part is instructive:

Congress and the VA came up with a fix: Veterans Choice, a $10 billion program that was supposed to give veterans a card that would let them see a non-VA doctor if they were more than 40 miles away from a VA facility or they were going to have to wait longer than 30 days for a VA provider to see them.

There was a problem, though. Congress gave the VA only 90 days to set up the system. Facing that extremely tight time frame, the VA turned to two private companies to administer the program and help veterans get an appointment with a doctor and then work with the VA to pay that doctor.

Although the idea sounds simple enough, the fix hasn’t worked out as planned. Wait times have gotten worse — not better.

"You don’t fix a broken program by putting it in charge of a new program"

Uh-Oh: Putin Has Something UNBELIEVABLE That Belongs To Hillary, May Doom Her Campaign

Uh-Oh: Putin Has Something UNBELIEVABLE That Belongs To Hillary, May Doom Her Campaign:

"The scandal keeps getting hotter for Hillary Clinton regarding her email pratices, as a new revelation shows the critical level to which the presumptive Democrat nominee may well have put national security at risk during her tenure as secretary of state.

Despite Clinton’s assertion that none of the official emails managed through her home-brew server — which she used exclusively while head of the State Department — were classified or hacked into, it is now being reported that Russian security services have 20,000 of those digital communications in their possession."

AM Fruitcake

History for May 17

History for May 17 - On-This-Day.com
Edward Jenner 1749, Joseph Norman Lockyer 1836, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini 1900


Dennis Hopper 1936 - Actor, Bill Paxton 1955 - Actor, Enya 1961 - Musician


1756 - Britain declared war on France, beginning the French and Indian War.


1792 - The New York Stock Exchange was founded at 70 Wall Street by 24 brokers.


1814 - Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden. Norway's constitution, which provided a limited monarchy, was signed.


1875 - The first Kentucky Derby was run at Louisville, KY.


1940 - Germany occupied Brussels, Belgium and began the invasion of France.


1985 - Bobby Ewing died on the season finale of "Dallas" on CBS-TV. He returned the following season.


1990 - Kelsey Grammer was sentenced to 30 days in jail for DWI.


1996 - U.S. President Clinton signed a measure requiring neighborhood notification when sex offenders move in. Megan's Law was named for 7-year-old Megan Kanka, who was raped and killed in 1994.

Blog: DNC leaders flee Nevada State Dem Convention, call in sheriff’s deputies and hotel security as dispute over delegates escalates into violence

Blog: DNC leaders flee Nevada State Dem Convention, call in sheriff’s deputies and hotel security as dispute over delegates escalates into violence:

"Bitterness and violence erupted yesterday at the Democrats’ Nevada State Convention in Las Vegas, as 64 Sanders delegates were disqualified, allowing Clinton to take 7 of the 12 delegates up for grabs.  Party officials there ignored a motion from the floor and rammed through a vote according to the wishes of the Clinton campaign.  It’s almost as if the Hillary faction genuinely fears for the nomination it supposedly has sewn up."

Canada: Muslim Imam admits refugee resettlement is caliphate-building!

Canada: Muslim Imam admits refugee resettlement is caliphate-building! « Refugee Resettlement Watch
Syrian refugees are an important part of the plan!

What a find by Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch (hat tip: Chris):

You can learn more shocking information about Imam Mazin Abdul-Adhim’s caliphate ideas (sounds like he would like to be the Caliph himself!) here:  http://en.cijnews.com/?p=30769

This Toronto Sun story dates from January, and the video from November; we don’t usually post archival material, but this is important enough to make an exception. Mazin Abdul-Adhim says: “The problem is that we don’t understand our own system — the Khilafa (caliphate). And therefore, how do we support the people of Syria? We must send money and help the refugees that are coming here in every way that we can.” The Toronto Sun reports: “Helping Syrian refugees coming to Canada and building an Islamic caliphate are part of the same cause, according to a pro-Shariah speaker at an Islamic conference in Hamilton.”

How can they possibly be part of the same cause? How does helping the refugees who are coming to Canada aid the cause of the caliphate? The obvious answer is that they’re coming as emigrants in the way of Allah, to whom Allah promises a reward for Islamizing a new land (see, for example, Qur’an 4:100). Abdul-Adhim, speaking in Hamilton, Ontario, says: “We’ve been sitting and not really doing very much for the application of Islam in society … We’re required to call for something — the full implementation of Islam — we’re not allowed to call for anything else or compromise in any other way.” The refugee increases Muslims’ political and societal clout and strengthens these calls for “the full implementation of Islam.”

Continue reading at Jihad Watch and watch the video!

Go here to see our archive on Syrian refugees going to Canada thanks to the boy (Trudeau) and his silly campaign pledge. He is playing right into their hands and you can bet that behind closed doors Abdul-Adhim is having a good laugh!

The Clinton sleaze never ends

The Clinton sleaze never ends | New York Post:
"In most cases, news that a major presidential candidate’s family charity doled out millions to a for-profit company controlled by the candidate’s longtime friends would be raising lots of eyebrows.
But this is Bill and Hillary we’re talking about.
So it’s just the latest in a long list of disclosures about the slush fund that operates publicly as the Clinton Foundation.
The foundation is deeply intertwined with the massive wealth they’ve accumulated in the past 15 years — even as its donors have themselves reaped enormous benefits.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the foundation in 2010 committed $2 billion to Energy Pioneer Solutions, despite IRS rules that say a charity is not “supposed to act in anyone’s private interests.”
The ex-president even personally arranged a US Energy Department grant to the company.
Among the firm’s owners are several longtime Clinton friends — including a wealthy blond divorcée from Chappaqua whose relationship with Bill has long been the subject of speculation.
The Journal reports that the foundation even removed the fiscal link from its Web site to avoid calling attention to Bill’s “friendship.”
So we’re back to that again.
Smirking aside, though, the Clinton Foundation has been embroiled in one financial scandal after another.
Last fall, it had to amend four years of tax filings to come clean about $20 million in foreign donations it received while Hillary served as secretary of state.
Of course, the Clintons and dubious dealings go shamelessly hand in hand.
Always have, always will.
Which is just one more reason to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House."