Wednesday, December 12, 2018

George Orwell: What is Fascism? | Intellectual Takeout

George Orwell: What is Fascism? | Intellectual Takeout
"Accusations of fascism are tossed around like candy at a Fourth of July parade.
See the source imageIt’s been this way for a long time.
Anything that hints of some person or some group not getting to do whatever they want or with which there is violent disagreement is often labeled fascist.
Today is no different.
George Orwell saw the same problem in 1944 when he wrote, “It will be seen that, as used, the word ‘Fascism’ is almost entirely meaningless.”
In fact, he wrote a lot more on the subject that year in a piece titled, “What is Fascism?”.
Here it is:
“Of all the unanswered questions of our time, perhaps the most important is: ‘What is Fascism?’
...if you examine the press you will find that there is almost no set of people — certainly no political party or organized body of any kind — which has not been denounced as Fascist during the past ten years.
Here I am not speaking of the verbal use of the term ‘Fascist’.
I am speaking of what I have seen in print.
I have seen the words ‘Fascist in sympathy’, or ‘of Fascist tendency’, or just plain ‘Fascist’, applied in all seriousness to the following bodies of people..."
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Winthrop Taps Reserves, Cuts Cops and Pothole Repairs to Subsidize Internet Network Debt - American Experiment

See the source imageWinthrop Taps Reserves, Cuts Cops and Pothole Repairs to Subsidize Internet Network Debt - American Experiment
"Recently American Experiment shared the predicament of ten southern Minnesota cities facing an unexpected property tax hike to subsidize their new high speed internet system.
The RS Fiber network was was supposed to pay for itself, but that’s not how it’s working out..."
Read on.

Macron Gas-Tax Retreat Is No Surprise | The Heritage Foundation

Macron Gas-Tax Retreat Is No Surprise | The Heritage Foundation:
Image result for flickr commons images Macron
The immediate cause of the riots was Macron’s decision to increase gas taxes. Bear in mind that the French government spent 56.5 percent of France’s GDP in 2016 — a higher share than any other developed nation. And yet Macron’s idea of a reform was to tax carbon.
But gas taxes hit the public unequally. Rural voters who have to drive, and the middle class, pay the costs.

Michigan Has a 'Continental Divide'

Michigan Has a 'Continental Divide'
"America's continental divide is a special place, the line that runs the spine of the continent that marks water that flows to either the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. 
Michigan has an area some call the peninsula's "continental divide" where the waters part to flow toward either Lake Michigan or Lake Huron.
The Peninsula Divide, if you will, is the small area of land between the headwaters of the Manistee River, which flows into Lake Michigan and the Au Sable River which journeys east to Lake Huron. 
On the map above, it looks almost like the two rivers run clear across the state.
The state's water divide was described by users after the map was shared to reddit,

The Au Sable River and the Manistee River start just NW of Grayling. The two basins are only separated by a small ridge line. It’s sort of like the “Continental Divide” of the LP.
The Manistee and Au Sable run parallel at their headwaters near Frederic, and then diverge and run horizontally along the state near Grayling..."
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6 doctors charged in alleged $464 million scheme to prey on addicts

6 doctors charged in alleged $464 million scheme to prey on addicts:
See the source image"Five metro Detroit doctors and one from the Grand Rapids area have been indicted for allegedly running a $464 million health care fraud scheme that involved millions of opioid drugs and unnecessary medical procedures in Southeastern Michigan, federal officials announced Thursday.
An indictment unsealed Thursday says the doctors prescribed opioids to induce people to visit and patients were forced to undergo other treatments.
Nearly $500 million was billed to insurers, mostly Medicare and Medicaid, the officials said.
...The alleged ringleader was Rajendra Bothra, M.D., who operated pain clinics in Warren and Eastpointe.
...The doctors are accused of issuing more than 13,217,987 doses of opioids, including oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, from January 2013 through November 2018..."
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Lunch video-----The Fall of California

Noon-toon

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Immigrants must prove they aren't public burden under proposed Trump administration rule - Washington Times

Immigrants must prove they aren't public burden under proposed Trump administration rule - Washington Times:
Image result for flickr commons images  Illegal border crossimg
The Trump administration is now on the clock to finalize one of the biggest changes to legal immigration policy in a generation, after the official comment period ended Monday on a plan to require immigrants to show they aren’t a public burden if they want to extend their visas or get on the path to citizenship.

Get us OUT of the UN!-----Despite Majority, Effort to Condemn Hamas Fails at United Nations

Despite Majority, Effort to Condemn Hamas Fails at United Nations
"The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted Thursday on a resolution to condemn Hamas and support peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and a majority voted in favor despite it failing to pass.
The vote was the first at the United Nations to obtain a simple majority condemning Hamas, although a two-thirds majority was required to pass it.
The UNGA gathered Thursday afternoon for the 47th plenary meetings. 
The sole item for the agenda was "The situation in the Middle East." 
The United States introduced Resolution A/73/L.42, "Activities of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza." 
Though non-binding, the draft resolution was the first in the UNGA to condemn Hamas. 
The United States has designated Hamas a terror organization....
...The General Assembly then voted on the resolution. 
A majority of member nations, 87, voted in favor. 
Fifty-seven voted against, and 33 abstained. 
The resolution failed to obtain the required two-thirds majority...
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Must read!-----Gaj Wilcox - THIS IS SO WELL WRITTEN THAT I HAVE TO SHARE IT.

(4) Gaj Wilcox - THIS IS SO WELL WRITTEN THAT I HAVE TO SHARE IT.
"THIS IS SO WELL WRITTEN THAT I HAVE TO SHARE IT. 
NO HOLDS BARRED. 
PLAIN AND SIMPLE TRUTH.
This was a response from Don Luttrell to a statement from someone that said Donald Trump knows he will never be the fraction of the man that GHWB was. "
Love this response:

See the source image"I wanted to respond to the comment about Trump knowing that he will never be a fraction of the man that Bush 41 was. 
To be sure, Bush 41 and Trump are very different men. 
Bush was a product of "the greatest generation" and practiced 1980s politics as a gentleman in an era where that was still possible. 
Following Reagan who had been a "Superman" of Presidents, GHWB used much of his 4 years in office finishing up a lot of great things that Reagan had started including the demise of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain. Bush didn't do that, Reagan did, but Bush was there to finish it up for Regan and did a good job not letting it come unwound. 
Unfortunately, GHWB let the economy that Regan had built begin to slip away and because of that and the popularity of "Slick Willy" GHWB didn't get a second bite at the apple. 
On the other hand Trump (of whom I without any shame admit that I am one of his greatest and most steadfast supporters) came into office dealing with an $18 trillion deficit, in the basement GDP, the worst race relations in 40 years, years of Presidential cop-bashing, a gutted military, decimated relations with Israel, and open border "welcome" signs extending from Brownsville to San Diego.
Trump recognized the very dire state of our country and he rolled up his sleeves in the "Trump fashion" and he started putting things in order. 
Is he brash and sometimes a blowhard, you bet! 
Does he kick ass and take names and hope the swamp creatures don't like what he says, no doubt about it! 
Does he sometimes confront various politicians and tell them they are "liars and the truth is not in them", he certainly does! 
And get ready everyone, he is going to continue to do that as long as he is in office, be it 4 years or 8 years. 
It is who he is and I sincerely believe he is who we have needed for a long time. 
Does he say some things sometimes that he shouldn't, yes he sure does. 
Does he tweet sometimes when he should be silent, I can't deny it. 
But no one who is really being honest with themselves or with others can deny that in just two years he has strengthened this country both economically and militarily the likes we have not seen in most of our lifetimes. 
He has let the world know that we once again have the backs of God's chosen Jewish people and before Trump, when was the last time you heard a President praise Christians and kneel and pray with Christian leaders in the oval office and ask them to pray for him and the Presidency. 
He's packing the Supreme Court and hundreds of federal district and appeals courts with conservatives that will help keep this country from totally falling off a cliff for another generation. 
Is he perfect, far from it. 
But neither were David, or Solomon, or Paul, all hideous sinners who God chose to help save his world. 
God doesn't always pick perfect people to do His will, he picks imperfect people to do His perfect will. 
Trump is no David and he's no Solomon and he's certainly no Paul. 
But he is who we needed at the time we needed him most, even though at least half the country doesn't see it that way. 
So in response to David's comments that Trump is no George Bush, he's right... 
But we don't need a GHWB right now, we need a Trump. 
And for all of our sakes and the sake of those who will come behind us, I hope he is around a long time. 
Then when Trump is gone we probably won't see the likes of him again and all of those who hate him can elect themselves another smiling, soft spoken, smooth talking, more Presidential, say what you want to hear swamp creature.
-- undisclosed author.

#1 This day 1973-----Charlie Rich - The Most Beautiful Girl (Audio)

Climatologist Dr.Judith Curry Hits BS Button On Sea Level Rise Fear Mongering - The Lid

Climatologist Dr.Judith Curry Hits BS Button On Sea Level Rise Fear Mongering - The Lid
"Good News! We’re not going to drown. 
At least not from the sea level rising. 
Sea Level RiseThat’s what the scare tactics of those pushing the climate change hypothesis keep telling us
Writing on her website, Dr. Judith Curry hit the BS button on the sea level rise claims pushed by the scaremongers.
The available evidence shows the following:
  • Sea level was apparently higher than present at the time of the Holocene Climate Optimum (~ 5000 years ago), at least in some regions.
  • Tide gauges show that sea levels began to rise during the 19th century, after several centuries associated with cooling and sea level decline. Tide gauges also show that rates of global mean sea level rise between 1920 and 1950 were comparable to recent rates.
  • Recent research has concluded that there is no consistent or compelling evidence that recent rates of sea level rise are abnormal in the context of the historical records back to the 19th century that are available across Europe.
She adds that any sea level rises we’ve seen have had nothing to do with mankind...
She reminds us to remember that the real reason for predicting the sea level rises is “providing support for the hypothesis of human-caused climate change.”...
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You ought to know!


Clinton Foundation whistleblowers have come forward with hundreds of pages of evidence, Meadows says | Fox News

Image result for clinton foundation memeClinton Foundation whistleblowers have come forward with hundreds of pages of evidence, Meadows says | Fox News:
"Three people have come forward with hundreds of pages of evidence of potential wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation, including misappropriation of funds and allegations of quid-pro-quo promises made to donors during Hillary Clinton's tenure as secretary of state, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told Fox News on Thursday..."
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More Than 2600 in Chicago BUSTED Committing Voter Fraud

See the source imageMore Than 2600 in Chicago BUSTED Committing Voter Fraud
"A conservative college student who wanted to run for Alderman got a rough lesson in Democratic party politics and the Chicago way as Ashe Showe at the Daily Wire reports:
A conservative college student attempted to take on the Chicago political machine and lost — but the way he lost may result in more than 2,600 residents charged with a felony.
...The extent of the fraud has shocked even those accustomed to the “Chicago way” as the Chicago Tribune reports:
To get on the ballot, Krupa was required to file 473 valid signatures of ward residents with the Chicago Board of Elections. Krupa filed 1,703 signatures.
But before he filed his signatures with the elections board, an amazing thing happened along the Chicago Way..."
Read on!

AM Fruitcake

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History for December 12

See the source image
History for December 12 - On-This-Day.com
Gustave Flaubert 1821, Edvard Munch 1863 - Norwegian artist, Edward G. Robinson 1893
Image result for Gustave Flaubert QuotesThe Scream, 1893 by Edvard MunchImage result for Edward G. Robinson

Frank Sinatra 1915, Bob Barker 1923, Ed Koch 1924
Image result for Frank SinatraImage result for Bob BarkerSee the source image

1925 - The "Motel Inn," the first motel in the world, opened in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Image result for The "Motel Inn,"

1982 - 20,000 women encircled Greenham Common air base in Britain in protest against proposed cite of U.S. Cruise missiles there.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

DNC CHAIR SAYS CHRISTIANS ARE STUPID – Catholic League

Image result for flickr commons images Countryside ChurchDNC CHAIR SAYS CHRISTIANS ARE STUPID – Catholic League:

The DNC is in trouble, and so is the Democratic Party. This demeaning comment by Perez that Christians are stupid is not going to sit well with millions of Americans. One thing is for sure—we will repeat what he said over and over and over again.

James Comey testifies that he knew little about anti-Trump dossier, Christopher Steele - Washington Times

James Comey testifies that he knew little about anti-Trump dossier, Christopher Steele - Washington Times:

Image result for flickr commons images james comeyMr. Gowdy: While you were the director, you never knew that the DNC hired a law firm that hired an oppo research firm that hired Christopher Steele?
Mr. Comey: No, I don’t think.
Mr. Comey depicted the investigate in 2016 as not into the Trump campaign but into “four Americans.”
“Who paid and the particulars of who paid would be important to people working the case, but the level of specificity that the director needed to know is, to my mind, a different question,” the former FBI director testified.
Mr. Gowdy noted that Mr. Comey signed warrants to spy on Mr. Page that included dossier allegations. (Though not mentioned Friday, the FBI also paid an informant that summer to spy on Mr. Page and another Trump campaign worker, George Papadopoulos.)

The way we were-----Abba - Knowing Me, Knowing You