text:
Funny: Dinesh D'Souza "interviews" Obama
As part of the promotion for his new movie, America, D'Souza did a little cut-and-paste on the interview that Barack Obama did with Zach Galifinakis. It's fairly amusing. What interested me more was the very last part of the video, which has a preview of America. I have to say that the cuts of America's contributions to the world gave me chills, so I was primed for the import of the movie's premise: What if America never existed? It's a shame that these movies don't make it to Marin.
A nation founded by geniuses, but run by Democrats
A friend sent me this great Facebook post:
A Country Founded by Geniuses, but Run by Democrats
If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for entering and remaining in the country illegally — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If you have to get your parents' permission to go on a field trip or to take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If you MUST show your identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor, or check out a library book and rent a video, but not to vote for who runs the government — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If the government wants to prevent stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds, but gives twenty F-16 fighter jets to the crazy new leaders in Egypt — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If, in the nation's largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, but not one 24-ounce soda, because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If an 80-year-old woman or a three-year-old girl who is confined to a wheelchair can be strip-searched by the TSA at the airport, but a woman in a burka or a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If a seven-year-old boy can be thrown out of school for saying his teacher is "cute," but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government regulation and intrusion, while not working is rewarded with Food Stamps, WIC checks, Medicaid benefits, subsidized housing, and free cell phones — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses, but is run by Democrats.
And this is what Orwell's "doublethink" is all about: "Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them."
American Conservatory Theater's "1776 — The Musical": a review (and a history lesson)
Last night, we went to see the American
Conservative Conservatory Theater's production of 1776 — The Musical. It was a lovely production, with almost uniformly strong performances. 1776 hit Broadway in 1969, at the height of the Vietnam war and one year into Nixon's first term. Although ostensibly meant to record (musically) those Continental Congress deliberations that led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence (it starts on May 7, 1776, and concludes on July 4, 1776), the book's writers couldn't resist throwing in some pro-Democrat, anti-War politics along the way — but more on that later.
The play's energy comes from John Adams, the explosive, deeply committed patriot who was, as the characters keep reminding him, "obnoxious and disliked," but was nevertheless respected for his driving will. The character is drawn as cantankerous, loyal, brilliant, and devoted to his wife, Abigail. Credit goes to John Hickok for his solid performance. He acted well, sang well, and danced well, which is always a good thing in musical theater.
Likewise, Andrew Boyer was a charming Benjamin Franklin, a genius, wit, patriot, and semi-faux dilettante who was, nevertheless, just as committed to the cause of liberty as was Adams. Unlike Howard da Silva, the actor in the original stage version, who also starred in the 1972 movie of the same name, Boyer did not use a booming, deep voice for the part. Instead, he opted for the slightly tremulous voice of an older man. On rare occasions, his words seemed to slither down his neck and into his collar, but overall making it clear that Franklin had been around a while made for a smart performance.
Brandon Dahlquisit played Thomas Jefferson, and while he was occasionally too languid and passive for my taste, he had a lovely voice.
Although the three leads anchored the play, the star turns came from Jeff Parker, as John Dickinson, the landed Pennsylvanian who would not separate from England, and Jared Zimmerman, as Edward Rutledge, the slave-owning
North South Carolina planter who would not tolerate Jefferson's stand against slavery in the proposed Declaration of Independence and who, in a magnificently delivered performance of Molasses to Rum, about the "triangle trade", reminded the assembled New Englanders that they too profited from slavery. Both men fully inhabited their roles and their singing was better than the lead actors. Parker also demonstrated true professionalism when he refused to let a bloody nose impair one of his key scenes defending the status quo.
The rest of the cast turned in equally fine performances. There are only two female roles in the play, but both actresses carried them off well. Abby Mueller, as Abigail Adams, couldn't sing as well as she could act, but her acting was warm and immediate enough to overcome her occasional lapses into sour notes. Andrea Prestinario, who had the one other female role, as Martha Jefferson, Thomas's new bride, was pretty as a picture and could sing quite well. She was a little too enthusiastic as Jefferson's well-loved bride the morning after, but it was a charming performance.
As for the rest of the men portraying the delegates to the Continental Congress, military messengers, and pages, each fully carried his own weight. Their performances were fluent and their singing was tuneful (always a good thing in a musical).
The production quality was as good as the acting. The set was a simple one, never shifting from the interior of Constitution Hall (as it's now known) in Philadelphia. The men sat at and moved around tables set in tiers, with the highest point occupied by John Hancock, the Congress's president, and the Congress's secretary. On the stage's left, were those opposed to independence (southern slavers and northern landowners) and on the right were those who supported it (small northern farmers, laborers, and professionals). The costumes were just right — neither too fancy, nor too plain — and the nine-pierce orchestra, which was hidden under a stage extension built over the pit, did a delightful and professional job.
All in all, it was as good a performance as one could ask for. And yet, I still have quibbles.
Quibble number one: The second act drags. The first act has several cheerful, rousing, clever songs. The second act is dominated by dirges about war and slavery. The entire audience was getting very restless in the last half hour. A man seated near me fell asleep, snoring loudly; another person kept burping; while a third man went on a knuckle-cracking binge. I understand that the authors wanted us to have a sense of how fragile the alliance was between north and south, and landed and professional, but the second act should have been trimmed, either when written or when produced.
Quibble number two: The waltz did not exist in 1776, although it crops up in two musical numbers. Just sayin'….
Quibble number three (and this is the big one): When John Dickinson makes the case for staying loyal to England, the Mother Country that has served many well, and that offers tremendous opportunities in the new world for wealth and advancement, the scene ends with slave-0wners and the gentry singing "Cool, Cool Considerate Men." By the time the song begins, the audience fully understands that these are the "bad" guys because they support slavery and big money at the expense of "the people." Having established this premise, the song then goes on the attack against Republicans, circa 1969. The men identify themselves as "conservative" and, in a repeated chorus, say that the country must move "to the right" and never "to the left."
The audience in San Francisco loved this song, chortling every time the dandified 1 percenters moved "to the right." I, on the other hand, wanted to stand up and holler out, don't you guys know any history? The notion of conservative is as 19th century construct, while the ideas of Left and Right originated with French Revolution, in 1789, long after the events portrayed.
Speaking of the French Parliament, Baron de Gauville explained, "We began to recognize each other: those who were loyal to religion and the king took up positions to the right of the chair so as to avoid the shouts, oaths, and indecencies that enjoyed free rein in the opposing camp." It's worth keeping in mind that the ones on the Left eventually relied on the guillotine to make their point.
No one in the Continental Congress was moving either Left or Right. Nor was the Revolution one of the "workers of the world," since this was a pre-industralized era, versus "capitalists." The American revolution was a middle class revolution. Middle class people in the north (farmers, tradesman, professionals) and middle class people in the south (plantation owners, tradesman, professionals) were yearning for economic freedom. They actually had few problems with the British model for law and society. They simply resented being bossed around from the other side of the Atlantic, often to their economic detriment.
For a song to imply that Republicans — the party that freed the slaves — are a bunch of Neanderthal racists is invariably irritating, and tends to blunt my enjoyment of 1776. It also foments stupidity in the audience, blunting their ability to realize that Republicans, who value individual liberty, are the heirs of the Founders, as opposed to Democrats, the party of big government, who would have chosen, in 1776, to remain wedded to England, with everyone subordinate to the King.
If you're in the Bay Area, and want to see a good performance of a Broadway classic, I can recommend this production. Just keep in mind that, despite the strong often impressive reliance on historic events, it's entertainment, not fact.
Happy July 4th!
So far, despite the efforts of some people who will go nameless in this post, we continue to be blessed to live in the United States of America. Despite the constant nibbling away at the edges, we are still a land of free, brave, and prosperous people, and we can only hope that we stay that way.
The men who signed this great document did so knowing that, the moment their name appeared on that paper, they had the hangman's rope around their neck. It was win or die.
At many times over the next seven years, death seemed like a very real possibility to these patriots, and there were certainly man ordinary men — not statesmen, but farmers and shopkeepers, fathers, brothers, and sons — who freely gave their lives on the field of battle to the greater cause of individual liberty.
In the American of 2013, we too often look back and see America's independence as a foregone conclusion. There were no such comforting conclusions then. Instead, there were many dark days when it looked as if freedom was illusory and impossible. Those patriots never gave up their struggling for individual liberty and neither should we.
Happy July 4th!!
And thanks to the men and women who have put themselves at the front line to preserve this liberty over the years.
Happy birthday, America!
Madison Rising's "Star Spangled Banner" *UPDATED*
I'm quite the traditionalist when it comes to renditions of the Star Spangled Banner, but I really, really like the passion behind Madison Rising's version. They're looking to reach 5,000,000 hits this July 4th, so please watch it and, if you like it, spread the love:
By the way, you can contrast this heartfelt version, with its deep and abiding respect for America, with Lady Gaga's gay-themed version.
UPDATE: One more thing to add here is that Madison Rising is a conservative band, dedicated to using the gospel of rock to sell conservative beliefs and American patriotism. I like that in a rock band.
Is nice Marin County an outlier or American ordinary? (In the nicest possible way.)
For reasons I'll explain shortly, I was kvelling to a friend about how wonderful Marin County is. I then wrapped up by saying the Marin is an outlier, unlike the rest of America. The moment the words were out of my mouth, it occurred to me that I'm probably wrong. While Marin is an outlier economically, being one of the richest counties in America, the values I'm about to describe are American and it's the large urban areas, the ones that fill the headlines, that are American outliers.
To begin at the beginning….
My son had a school project that required him to ask people to fill out a little survey. Having exhausted the neighborhood without receiving a sufficient number of responses (most people are out of town for ski week, which is a wealthy community's luxury vacation), he got permission at the local mall to set up a table.
I can only say that people were lovely. Those that couldn't, or didn't want to, participate, were polite. And those who did participate were delightful. One parent, having taken the survey, returned home and immediately came back with seven children (her own and friends' children) to help out. I knew several of the people who came by, as well as some of the children whom I'd watched grow up over the years. My overall sense was of a happy, healthy, highly functional little community.
Based upon my perception that I live in a very good community, I later remarked to my friend that we are lucky to live in Marin. I added that it would have been impossible to complete this project in "other communities." My examples of "other communities" were Oakland and San Francisco — both highly urbanized areas. My friend, however, who lives in one of Oregon's bigger cities, remarked that, as long as you didn't wander into one of the yuckier neighborhoods in her city, you could have done the same project in there too.
It was her remark that got me thinking about a little-mentioned American ethos — friendliness. Or perhaps you could call it generosity of spirit.
As you all have gathered, I've traveled fairly extensively throughout Western Europe, parts of Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and some parts of Latin America. I've sampled the Far East (my Japan trip) and spent meaningful amounts of time in Israel. In every place in which I've traveled, I've had the pleasure of meeting nice people. (Okay, not in Tunisia, but that was a few months into the Arab Spring, and the Tunisians were clearly a people on edge.)
Despite invariably having met pleasant individuals, I've never been a county, other than my own, that offers friendliness as a national hallmark. In my travels abroad, I'm pleasantly surprised when I meet nice, friendly people. At home, I'm equally surprised when I'm met with unfriendliness.
Part of this, of course, is the urban versus suburban or rural divide. As a tourist, one tends to go to the capital cities (London, Rome, New York, Prague, etc.) and the nature of cities is that they are less friendly than smaller communities. That is, unless you go to cities such as Dallas, Houston, or other Southern cities that still take pride in their manners.
Even cities that suck up a lot of headline space with violence horror stories tend to confine that icky behavior to specific neighborhoods. I know that Chicago is right up there amongst America's murder capitals, but when I was in downtown Chicago on a business trip a few years ago, people couldn't have been nicer. The same holds true for other major American cities, provided that one is able to overlook regional eccentricities. For example, people in Boston were rigid, but friendly; people in New York, rude but friendly; and people in L.A. peculiar, but friendly.
We Americans are fully aware of how nice we are. Or, rather, we're aware that, barring certain urban environments (which are usually subsets of a larger, nicer urban area), we are nice, helpful, friendly people. That's why mass murders in suburbs upset us so much. It's not, as the race-mongers would have us believe, that we only care when white kids die. It's that we're terribly aware that urban toxins are polluting our communities. These toxins may not be factory smoke or ground-water pollution, but they are every bit as vile and dangerous.
So is Marin County an outlier because it's nice? No. It's an outlier because it's affluent, but it's niceness is quintessentially American. That's something worth remembering when we see headlines about shootings in Vegas or Chicago or Detroit. Although those cities are strongly identified with America, they are behavioral outliers. We're nice more often than not. (And no, I haven't found a study to prove this. I'm just basing it on having traveled extensively at home and abroad.)
Oh, one more thing. You know those recently listed, incredibly miserable American cities? Here's a little chart identify something they all have in common:
You don't need to be a statistical genius to realize that there's a strong correlation between Democrat politics (and many of these cities have been Democrat strongholds for decades) and unhappiness. I'm not going to make the effort now, but I'm willing to bet that one could find an equally strong correlation between crime-ridden, or unfriendly, cities and Democrat politics.
Honestly, you'd think that Republicans would figure out a campaign along the lines of "You've been miserable Democrats for decades. Try being a happy Republican."
Victor Davis Hanson on America: Decline or Renaissance? *UPDATED*
I did something very nice yesterday: I attended a luncheon at which Victor Davis Hanson spoke. I've read his work for years, and knew that I would be in the presence of an intellectual giant. Hanson is an expert in both Classic and military history (not to mention Classic military history). He is also an acute observer of the American political and social scene.
There's always a risk going in that a Classics scholar's delivery will dry and dusty, and heavily larded with Latinisms and allusions to long-forgotten historic figures known only to those who have studied them closely. Hanson is not that scholar. Instead, he is the professor you always wished you could have had in college.
Hanson is a focused speaker who uses his unusually wide body of knowledge to support a carefully constructed, well-thought out narrative. He doesn't waste words. He also doesn't use sesquipedalian words to impress — nor does he need to. He's impressive enough speaking in straightforward English. (And yes, it was my little joke to use a ridiculously long word to highlight the fact that Hanson eschews ponderous obfuscation. Yup. Another little — very little — joke.)
So what did Hanson speak about? He spoke about the cusp on which America now finds herself. On the one hand, we see a world in disarray, both at home and abroad. On the other hand, America still towers over other nations when it comes to her people, her resources, and her accomplishments. If America is unable to succeed it will be because we will have followed in the path of other successful nations that disintegrated from within.
Hanson opened by detailing all the facts that should have responsible people worried. The situation abroad his grim. In 2008, Barack Obama promised direct dialog with the North Koreans, Syria, and Iran. Since that time, North Korea has produced a video imagining a joyful future in which North Korea destroys us with a nuclear attack; Syria is in the midst of a bloody civil war, with both sides hating America only slightly less than they hate each other; and Iran gleefully thumbs its nose at the world as it continues work on its nuclear arsenal.
Even as the world's bad actors — Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, etc. — work to buff their nuclear credentials, Obama is showing his post-election flexibility by promising Russia that America will unilaterally downsize her nuclear arsenal. Those countries within the geographic radius of predatory nuclear nations are (rightly) becoming extremely worried.
In the Middle East, Obama has embraced a bifurcated policy. On the one hand, he leads from behind so that countries such as Egypt, Mali, and Libya can fall into the hands of radical Islamists. On the other hand, his visceral dislike for Netanyahu and Israel gives him an aggressive stance towards that small, democratic nation.
Not only has the Nobel-prize winning President failed to bring about world peace, he's presided over some of the worst killing in America's recent wars. Obama has overseen the deaths of as many American troops in four years as George Bush did in eight (not that we hear anything about that from the media). Moreover, the same president who said that it was inhumane and immoral to waterboard three known terrorists has recently announced that he has the unilateral power to use drones to kill American citizens.
I was gratified to hear Hanson make the same point I made during George Bush's presidency — that his "wild man" persona, no matter how ill-deserved, was an effective deterrent to thugs, because they did not know how he would act under provocation. Obama, though, brings absolutely reliability to the process: When the chips are down . . . he does nothing. This means, Hanson says, that "we're in a very dangerous period abroad." Oh, joy.
Things at home aren't any more cheerful. Hanson, who has an impressive mastery of facts, ran through those gloomy numbers and statistics about the debt, the deficit, the unemployment rate, and the usually flat, but occasionally shrinking, economy.
The only bright spot in Obama's America is the Left's/media's relentless cheerfulness. Having embraced Obama, Hanson notes, the media also embraces a European style economy (not from the hip 60s, but from the decayed 2010s), and calls it good.
California, Hanson's home state and mine, looks equally grim. Although California has 1/6 of the total American population, it manages to support 1/3 of the nation's welfare recipients. Despite the highest teacher pay in the US, we're number 48 in public school education. (California was number 1 in the 1960s and very early 1970s.) And although Californians are forced to fork over the highest taxes in America, we have the worst infrastructure.
These facts are deeply depressing, but there is a bright side, and it's not that we're going European. It's that, if we can find the will, America still has the resources for greatness. To make this point, Hanson pivoted from focusing on the grim news we see in the news every day, and started identifying America's staggering resources.
Although the U.S. has 6% of the world's population, we produce 26% of the world's goods. One American worker is as productive as three Chinese workers.
Our military continues to be the wonder of the world. Even downsized (and Hanson emphasized during the question and answer period that sequestration would slow, rather than reverse, military growth), it will take a long time for other nations to catch up. Even one of our aircraft carriers (and we have eleven) is greater than the carrier strength of the other nations put together. Our problem when it comes to wars, isn't resources or our troop's abilities. It's the leadership's will to win, or lack thereof.
Despite the shabby state of our primary education system, and despite the political correctness that has destroyed liberal arts programs all over America, when it comes to the hard sciences, the US still leads in higher education. Of the top ten ranked universities in the world, eight are American. And of the top ranked fifteen, five of those are in California.
Either because of, or despite, our education system, America continues to lead the world in technological innovation. In that regard, California's own Silicon Valley, despite California's hostile business environment, is still one of the most important intellectual and electronic/technological hubs in the world.
We also lead the world when it comes to exporting our culture. Americans may be fascinated by a variety of indigenous cultures around the world, but everyone else wants to be American. They watch our movies, buy our clothes, listen to our music, mimic our military, copy our educational institutions, and love our food.
Our fundamental strength has long been and, for now, continues to be the fact that we are not a class-based society. Unlike all other countries (whether modern European ones, Latin American banana republics, or Eastern autocracies), people in America do not need the right social or familial connections, the right accent, the right university degree, or the right anything else to succeed. If they've got discipline and drive, they'll rise up, and if they add to that a touch of marketplace genius, the sky's the limit.
America's "room at the top" philosophy may explain why America is the only major nation left in the world with a positive demographic growth trend. Not only do immigrants want to come here, but people who live here still believe in having children. With our fertility rate at 2.1, we're still growing ever so slightly.
The same is not true for the rest of the world. In Japan, said Hanson, the stores sold more diapers last year for old people than they did for babies. All over Europe, countries have negative population growth. China still has 1 billion or so people, but the Chinese one-child policy has ensured that the future will see a dramatically shrunken population. Russia has more abortions than babies.
The Arab world and Iran are in even worse shape. Aside from a catastrophic demographic decline, if one takes away their oil (which is beginning to be tapped out) it turns out that they do not have functioning economies. They have no education, their misogyny means that 50% of their population cannot contribute to their economic well-being, and their controlling doctrine, even more than Islam, is nihilism. When they insist on a world-wide caliphate, they don't offer any positive vision about this new world. Instead, they threaten only destruction.
At the end of his talk, Hanson half-jokingly said that the Islamist line of argument is "Give us what we want, or we'll make you as miserable as we are." Part of America's diffidence in dealing with Islamists is that we're unwilling to suffer for short intervals, even if that limited suffering is what it takes to protect entirely us from Islamic nihilism.
The European Union is also a disaster. Not only is it going broke very quickly, it's completely undemocratic. Once accepted into the EU, countries must abide by its Kafka-esque bureaucratic rulings. Worse, once in, there is no mechanism for dissatisfied countries to leave. (When Hanson said that, it occurred to me that the EU is the governmental equivalent of a Roach Motel: countries check in, but they don't check out.)
Our wonderful Constitution, despite the current fights over the Second Amendment and the religious component of the First, is mostly intact. Because we have a simple, functioning Constitution, we are the most stable major nation in the world.
America is also fortunate that we have massive amounts of the two things that every society needs to survive: food and fuel. Even the Democrat's relentless attack on California's central valley (which sees vast swathes of land reduced to dust in order to protect the Delta Smelt), has not changed our status as the world's major food producer. Not only do we grow the most food, people like and want American food — it's clean, safe, and tasty.
We also lead the world in fossil fuel reserves. While the Arab lands are being pumped dry, American ingenuity means that, on private lands all over America, we are starting to produce meaningful amounts of oil and natural gas that can support us at home and leave enough to send abroad. If Obama would allow drilling on federal land, and if democrat-run states would allow drilling on their soil, we would have almost unimaginable amounts of cheap fuel. (Obama, amusingly, used the SOTU to boast about America's oil production, even as he conveniently forgot to tell the American people that this production is all on private land, since he and many Democrat governors have forbidden it on public land.)
America also continues to be the world's largest coal producer. [UPDATE: I erred when i said this. Please see a comprehensive correction here.] Surprisingly, given the Left's war on coal, it's still a money-maker. Even though the government is preventing its use at home, the rest of the world, especially Europe, is begging for more.
Given America's vast human and natural resources, why aren't we doing better? I can stop looking at my notes now, and quote directly from Hanson's latest article at National Review:
The gradual decline of a society is often a self-induced process of trying to meet ever-expanding appetites rather than a physical inability to produce past levels of food and fuel or to maintain adequate defense. Americans have never had safer workplaces or more sophisticated medical care — and never have so many been on disability.
By any historical marker, the future of Americans has never been brighter. The United States has it all: undreamed-of new finds of natural gas and oil, the world's preeminent food production, continual technological wizardry, strong demographic growth, a superb military, and constitutional stability.
Yet we don't talk confidently about capitalizing and expanding on our natural and inherited wealth. Instead, Americans bicker over entitlement spoils as the nation continues to pile up trillion-dollar-plus deficits. Enforced equality, rather than liberty, is the new national creed. The medicine of cutting back on government goodies seems far worse than the disease of borrowing trillions from the unborn to pay for them.
History has shown that a government's redistribution of shrinking wealth, in preference to a private sector's creation of new sources of it, can prove more destructive than even the most deadly enemy.
(You really should read the whole article, which is a pleasing amalgam of ancient history, mid-20th century trends, and our modern condition. It takes a truly great writer and thinker to blend those disparate elements so seamlessly and to arrive at a compelling conclusion.)
If the opportunity to hear Victor Davis Hanson comes your way, seize it. It's a great pleasure to be in the same room as a speaker who uses his education, knowledge, and intelligence to support fundamental American principles.
Let not your heart be troubled — nations can be saved
I thought about Margaret Thatcher today. Lord knows, she was something. Brilliant, indomitable, focused, feisty, witty, and absolutely convinced of her right-ness and righteousness. She was the un-RINO. Her unswerving commitment to her principles enabled her to turn England around. We forget that sometimes, because the Labor party managed to take her legacy and destroy it by turning England into an Orwellian state.
For a few brief shining years, though, she fought back against a socialist norm that had turned England into a decayed, drab society. She privatized businesses, fought victorious wars, and generally reminded the English of their greatness. I was there during that transition period. The unions fought back ferociously but Maggie, unlike today's loosey-goosey Republicans, would not back down. She wasn't driven by polls or scared by a Leftist media. She understood economics and human nature. The last half of the 1980s and much of the 1990s saw an English economic renaissance. Had the British people been smart, they could have kept it going; instead, they opted for a renewal of socialism, the EU, unlimited immigration, and the strong velvet chains of a nanny state.
I mention this because I refuse to accept that Obama can "destroy" America. He can — and will — damage it. If we can get a handful of Maggie Thatchers, though, or even one Maggie Thatcher, someone who is both a visionary and a fighter, America can be turned around. And if we're smart, once that turnaround happens, we'll stick with it.
Incidentally, although this sounds awful, I think we need to go over the fiscal cliff in January. Three reasons: First, this is what Americans voted for and, in a republican democracy, they should get it; Second, the longer we delay, the worse the inevitable fall will be; and Third, this disaster needs to happy during the long haul of a Democrat presidency (and Senate) so that Americans can grasp cause-and-effect. Only when the socialist economic infection erupts in its full fury will Americans begin to accept that their nation is sick. When that happens, God willing, we'll have a Thatcher-esque politician cogently explaining to Americans that the cure lies in reaffirming constitutional and free market principles.
A Frenchman rallies our troops
For a bleak look at America's future as the "New France" and a ray of sunshine called hope, a Frenchman comes a-blowing the clarion call to resistance against the Progressive barbarian Left. The key take-away:
"Once again, you don't need a lecture from this Frenchman, but it seems to me that some of you, in the emotion of that unexpected electoral defeat, forgot this simple fact: America is always outnumbered.
This unique nation, founded not on feudal or religious fault lines but on a radical philosophy of individual freedom isn't the norm in this world: it is an anomaly. If you needed a quick and simple reminder on the basis for American exceptionalism, there you go.
America is always outnumbered and, until the rest of the world sees the guiding light and builds shining cities on America's model—if that day ever comes—America will always be outnumbered.
Yet it doesn't matter: America's strength isn't in numbers, it's in her soul.
Hear this final prophecy America: only one man can kill the Republic, and it isn't Barack Obama. The one man who will kill your Republic is the one man who will last give up and renounce it.
Don't you dare be that man."
Vive la Resistance!
American embassy in Cairo appears to embrace sharia speech codes *UPDATED*
Yes, I understand that the embassy in Cairo is besieged but it does strike me as cowardly to abandon core principles as this juncture (emphasis mine):
U.S. Embassy Condemns Religious Incitement
September 11, 2012
The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.
You'd think that you wouldn't have to provide basic constitutional lessons for U.S. Embassy employees but I guess they need a little review:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
If we Americans want to say Islam is an incitement to violence, we can. If we want to put Jesus in a vat full of urine, we can. If we want to say Jews are greedy, we can. If we want to say Hindus worship cows, we can. If we want to say Mormons wear funny underwear, we can. We are allowed to hurt the religious feelings of religious people. It's our right as Americans to be rude. Neither tact, nor forbearance, nor non-mutual respect, nor polite lies are required under our Constitution.
Last thought: It is possible that the language from embassy — that it's bad "to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims" — is as foolish as it is because the embassy people meant them ironically. Perhaps the White House said "say something that won't hurt Muslim feelings," and some P.O.'d embassy official came back with this nonsensical, unconstitutional PC fecal matter. I mean, the statement is too close to parody to be real. Isn't it? Come on, someone. Please agree with me right about now.
Of course, if that statement is a heartfelt expression from America's representative on Egypt's soil, God help us all, because our government is in the hands of dhimmis.
UPDATE: For more on embassy awfulness (proving that this is no joke, but is their real thinking) just check their twitter feed:
Is it possible that these government representatives do not understand that the essence of free speech is the ability to criticize religion? No, it may not be very nice, but in a normal, non-sharia, world, this type of criticism leads to a debate that enriches the marketplace of ideas — and may the best idea win. We do America a profound and lasting disservice if we abandon this core principle to pander to a 7th century mentality, the practitioners of which are deathly afraid to subject their beliefs to an intellectual airing and analysis.
Lemmings and herded cats — musings on Japan and America
Spending two weeks in a country does not make one an expert on that country. Indeed, I'm sure the opposite is true, which is that one learns just enough to be dangerous. One sees the country without understanding it. Nevertheless, both from looking at the Japanese in action and from speaking to myriad people, both Japanese and Western, I'm prepared to make the dangerous leap to conclusions.
I can't speak for other people, but what struck me most strongly about Japan was the homogeneity — not just racially, although it is bizarre in today's world to be in a country where everyone, with the exception of tourists and the American military, is racially Japanese — but also behaviorally. No matter where we traveled in Honshu, the behaviors were identical. Everyone said "Arigatou gozaimasu" (0r "thank you very much") constantly. And I do mean constantly. Whether listening to shop keepers, desk clerks, train announcements, bus drivers, subway passengers, or anyone else in any other walk of life, that phrase must have popped up every third or fourth sentence. So much so that one began to doubt that it had any real meaning. It began to feel like a verbal twitch, akin to an American "um" or "like." Nevertheless, the Japanese fully understand its polite import, and someone who deletes that phrase from his or her vocabulary is definitely rude.
The bowing is akin to the thank yous — all the Japanese do that, to the point at which it feels leached of meaning. However, had anyone failed to do it, it would have been quite obviously rude. I found myself bowing reflexively and then, being American, felt guilty for doing so. Americans shouldn't be bowing. I consoled myself, though, by telling myself it's a meaningless, mannered act, rather than a showing of fealty to a sovereign power. Given the reflexive bowing, I was almost inclined to forgive Obama for bowing to the Emperor — but not quite. He's the American president and it was just wrong to bow to the Emperor, no matter how nice a man the Emperor is and no matter the ritual nature of the bow.
Wherever we traveled, the bus drivers spoke in sibilant whispers. As best as we could tell, they were constantly muttering under their breath such things as "Everyone sit down, thank you very much," "we're all on the bus, thank you very much," "move to the back, thank you very much," "the next stop is _______________, thank you very much," or various other mindless nothings, many of which had already been announced on the overhead recording (complete with multiple pre-recorded "thank you very muches"). Please note that it wasn't just the repetitive phrases that were homogenous — it was that identical whisper that the drivers all over Honshu murmured into the microphones. The first time it was funny, the second intriguing, the third, fourth and etc., it was kind of weird.
My overall sense was that the Japanese are obsessively attached to behaviors. I liked their obsessive cleanliness, since it meant that travel was less onerous to me. Since I was raised by a (Japanese) concentration camp survivor with a fetish for cleanliness (cleanliness in a tropical camp could mean the difference between life and death), I have a few obsessive behaviors myself. Traveling always squeezes me emotionally, as I deal with musty beds and less-than-clean bathrooms. In Japan, especially because we stayed in tour-group vetted hotels, I didn't see anything that was less-than-clean.
Nevertheless, even with my appreciation for all things clean, it was strange that, everywhere we went, barring public venues such as train stations or stadiums, the bathrooms were equipped with virtually identical bathroom slippers. They might be a plain tan color or, more commonly, a snazzy his-and-her toilet design (see below), but they were all styled the same.
The deal with these slippers is that, when you enter a bathroom barefoot or in socks (as is the case in all homes, hotels or nice restaurants), you immediately put on the toilet slippers. If you forget to take them off when you leave the bathroom, it's akin to walking out with toilet paper attached to your derriere. Being a fastidious type, I liked the fact that I didn't have to walk barefoot onto a potentially urine-spattered floor. Nevertheless, the ubiquity of identical slippers no matter where we traveled was peculiar.
The most fascinating example of the Japanese ability to function in unison was the baseball game we attended. Although I'm no baseball fan, it was a very enjoyable experience. The stadium was, of course, immaculate (including the bathrooms). The fans were happy and friendly, making it a vastly different experience from attending, say, an Oakland Raiders game, which can be rather frightening. The fans never booed the opposing team or a bad player on their own team. Instead, they cheered for their own team. We Americans cheer too, but in a chaotic, unstructured fashion. The Japanese have cheerleaders in every section and the fans follow along with chants and rhythmic beats on their noisemakers (which look a bit like small bowling pins). I'm not unique in observing this. Others, too, have drawn the same conclusions about Japanese group think as played out in the baseball stadium:
The difference is in the atmosphere of the stadium as the game is being played. Both teams had huge bleacher-seating fan sections all of whom cheered for every batter during every inning. This is not just random cheering, it's highly organized. Think college football games, except pull people from all ages and demographics. Everyone had noise makers and shirts. Businessmen in suits pulled a jersey over their shirt and tie. Old women screamed their hearts out.
The collective nature of the cheering reflects Japanese culture of groupthink, not standing out, etc. I've never seen such a highly organized cheering machine in any other sports venue or game I've attended. Such a collective fan spirit means many people show up by themselves but instantly join in. The fans cheer while their players are batting. Then they sit down and are quiet the other half of the inning, again reflecting the Japanese value of respect and dignity for opponents.
The whole baseball game experience was charming, but the groupthink bothered me. You see, as far as I'm concerned, groupthink goes a long way to explaining how a polite, thoughtful, kind, decent group of people can suddenly morph into a monomaniacal killing machine. The Japanese did it. The Germans did it. The Chinese did it. If the lemming group moves in a nice direction, all is good. However, if the lemmings get steered towards the cliff, nothing will stop them. Since morality is defined by manners, when the manners dictate death, off they all go, engaging in mass suicide or homicide.
Americans, traditionally, have appeared more like surly herded cats than enthusiastic lemmings. For every stain on American history (slavery, the treatment of the Indians, the imprisonment of Japanese-Americans, Jim Crow), there have been countervailing forces, vigorously protesting these injustices. Yes, the injustices happened, but they were never the product of a unanimous society mindlessly going along. Instead, they were the result of societal tension and were destroyed by that same societal tension.
Many years ago, I read Pierre Berton's Klondike : The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896-1899. I enjoyed reading the book, but with time's passage, only two things remain in my memory. The first is Berton's description of the Klondike mosquitoes, which were so big and aggressive that they could quickly kill a horse. The second is his description of a town that was split evenly down the middle between Canada and the United States. On the Canadian side, the townspeople instantly formed a provisional government, and quickly had an orderly, top-down society. The American side, however, was a Wild West town, with a pure democracy, in which every townsman had a voice. The streets were muddy, crime was rife, and little got done.
At the time I read the book, I was actually embarrassed by the American Klondike town — "What violent, disorganized losers Americans are!" Since then, though, I've come to appreciate the American unwillingness to bow down to leaders. We don't — and shouldn't — look to a strong leader for help. We look to ourselves. It may slow us down, but it also allows us to innovate and, most importantly, helps us put the brakes on bad ideas. We herd as badly as cats do, and we should be grateful for that fact.


text:
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Finger weights
available in 10 finger
and 5 finger standard
and universal models.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Un.Ravel 26 26
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Bulky but Durable They feel a little bulky, but I know these shoes will last me for a while. They are a bit hard to drive a manual transmission with, but I'm sure I will get used to them. My dad has a pair of these that he's worn for years. July 1, 2014
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Excellent quality -- issues with fit. Had trouble with the fit on the right foot. Felt too tight at ball of foot and caused some problem when walking. May have to get a shoe stretcher to make it fit properly. This is the first time I have had this problem with a new pair of shoes. May 20, 2014
Nice looking shoe with a high qualtiy appearance. The overall quality of the shoe appears to be excellent. The shoe fits the foot very nice and feels flexible to the foot. May 6, 2014
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Very comfortable shoes. This is the second pair of these shoes that I've purchased for my husband. He has a very, very difficult foot to fit. These are comfortable and not too casual. January 23, 2014
Worth a second pair This is the second pair of this style purchased for my son. He told me they are the most comfortable shoes he's ever worn in his 26 years so there was no hesitation to order a pair in a different color. Hope they will always be available in very W I D E widths. January 9, 2014
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most comfortable shoe I've ever owned A year and a half ago I went to my local shoe store and bought my first pair of unravel by Clark. The minute I put them on they were the most comfortable shoe I had ever worn. I recently purchased a new pair of black and a pair of brown. I hope they never discontinue this style because I love the way they look and I love the way they feel. November 22, 2013


text: Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class XML_Parser in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1188 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Parser::raiseError() should be compatible with PEAR::raiseError($message = NULL, $code = NULL, $mode = NULL, $options = NULL, $userinfo = NULL, $error_class = NULL, $skipmsg = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1604 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Unserializer::startHandler() should be compatible with XML_Parser::startHandler($xp, $elem, &$attribs) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 3503 Strict Standards: Declaration of Cache_Lite_File::get() should be compatible with Cache_Lite::get($id, $group = 'default', $doNotTestCacheValidity = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/cache.php on line 1020 American Poems: Books: Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica Home Apparel Appliances Books DVD Electronics Home & Garden Kindle eBooks Magazines Music Outdoor Living Software Tools & Hardware PC & Video Games Search All Products Apparel Appliances Arts & Crafts Automotive Baby Beauty Books Computers DVD Electronics Gourmet Food Grocery Health Home & Garden Industrial & Science Jewelry Kindle eBooks Kitchen Magazines Miscellaneous Mobile Apps MP3 Downloads Music Musical Instruments Office Products Outdoor Living Pet Supplies Photo & Camera Shoes Software Sporting Goods Tools & Hardware Toys VHS Video On Demand PC & Video Games Watches Wireless Wireless Accessories Advanced Search Sitemap View Cart Checkout Location: Home » Books » Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica enlarge Creator:Tristan Taormino Publisher:Cleis Press Category:Book List Price: $16.95 Buy New: $2.71 as of 12/28/2014 00:23 EST details You Save: $14.24 (84%) In Stock New (3) Used (6) from $2.62 Seller:academic_book_guy Sales Rank:3,225,652 Format:Bargain Price Languages:English (Unknown), English (Published) Media:Paperback Number Of Items:1 Edition:1st Pages:345 Shipping Weight (lbs):1.2 Dimensions (in):6 x 1 x 9 Publication Date:May 25, 2000 ASIN:B00AK3SEAA Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Also Available In: Audible Audio Edition - Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica Kindle Edition - Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica Paperback - Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica Similar Items: The Whole Lesbian Sex Book: A Passionate Guide for All of Us Hot Lesbian Erotica Lavender Love Diaries Vol. 1: Lesbian Sex Fantasies: Lesbian Sex Stories - Lesbian Erotica (Volume 1... Best Lesbian Erotica 2009 After Midnight: True Lesbian Erotic Confessions Editorial Reviews: SynopsisThe Best of Best Lesbian Erotica offers the steamiest collection in the series to date, collecting the hottest, and most thought-provoking lesbian sex writing available. Contributors include Dorothy Allison, Heather Lewis, Pat Califia, and Cecilia Tan. CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. Brought to you by American Poems Categories •Apparel •Appliances •Arts & Crafts •Automotive •Baby •Beauty •Books •Computers •DVD •Electronics •Gourmet Food •Grocery •Health •Home & Garden •Industrial & Science •Jewelry •Kindle eBooks •Kitchen •Magazines •Miscellaneous •Mobile Apps •MP3 Downloads •Music •Musical Instruments •Office Products •Outdoor Living •Pet Supplies •Photo & Camera •Shoes •Software •Sporting Goods •Tools & Hardware •Toys •VHS •Video On Demand •PC & Video Games •Watches •Wireless •Wireless Accessories Subcategories United States •African American •Asian American •Classics •Anthologies •Drama •Hispanic •Humor •Native American •Poetry Erotica •Action & Adventure •African American •BDSM •Fantasy •Historical •Horror •Humorous •Interracial •LGBT •Mystery •Paranormal •Poetry •Romantic •Science Fiction •Suspense •Thrillers •Urban •Victorian •Westerns Related Categories •Lesbian Erotica Literature & Fiction Gay & Lesbian Subjects •Anthologies Short Stories & Anthologies Literature & Fiction Subjects Books •United States Literature & Fiction Subjects Books •Erotica Literature & Fiction Subjects Books •Anthologies Romance Subjects Books •Lesbian Romance Romance Subjects Books


text:
Exercise Videos
A series of videos demonstrating a number of workouts.
My Mobile Minute
Teaches how to get fit in 60 seconds. Endorsed by Dr Phil, this program encourages a short burst of exercise right before meals to boost metabolism.
Jillian Michaels Fitness
Former Biggest Loser trainer is still very very popular.
Denise Austin - Fit Forever
A newer program from veteran fitness instructor Denise Austin. Aimed at weight loss and includes diet plans.
An intense 13-week program that is designed to assist dieters to lose weight and build muscle. It is used in conjunction with the P90X Workout Program that includes intensive resistance training routines. VERY popular.
Slim in 6
A well-advertised video-based program. Provides an eating plan, as well as extensive workout videos. Aims to improve your body in 6 weeks.
Winsor Pilates
Pilates is more about toning and stretching muscles - but a good fitness program to include in your weight loss program.
Curves For Women
Franchised all-women fitness centers - based on circuit training. Appropriate for those looking for a slower pace, and a good way to meet others and make friends.
Calories Burned Calculator - Determine the number of calories burned for most physical activities.
Target Heart Rate - Calculates optimum heart rate for fat loss.
Last Updated 18 Sept. 2013


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What does LRF mean in British Medicine?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand LRF in the Medical field in general and in the British Medicine terminology in particular.
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text:
This 2014 wall calendar features icons depicting the parables and miracles of Christ by iconographer Dmitry Shkolnik.
11" X 12" full-color calendar. Features large calendar boxes (1-3/8" X 1-3/4") for recording your important date reminders. Major saint and feast days traditionally celebrated in Orthodox countries around the world are listed (dates are according to the new calendar).


text:
The United States Senate is getting ready to endorse a resolution
in favor of freedom of expression and private TV channel Radio
Caracas Televisión (RCTV), on the initiative of Senator
Richard Lugar, a Republican for Indiana, and Democrat pre-candidate
Christopher Dodd. The proposal is to be submitted next Thursday
to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Senate is expected
to approve it "unanimously." Additional co-sponsors are expected
to join the initiative. This resolution is similar to an instrument
backed by the Chilean Senate about one month ago.
The draft resolution 211 follows:
110th Congress
Expressing the profound concern of the Senate regarding the transgression against freedom of thought and expression that is being carried out in Venezuela, and for other purposes.
Whereas, for several months, the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, has been announcing over various media that he will not renew the current concession of the television station ''Radio Caracas Television'', also known as RCTV, which is set to expire on May 27, 2007, because of its adherence to an editorial stance different from his way of thinking;
Whereas President Chavez justifies this measure based on the alleged role RCTV played in the unsuccessful unconstitutional attempts in April 2002 to unseat President Chavez, under circumstances where there exists no filed complaint or judicial sentence that would sustain such a charge, nor any legal sanction against RCTV that would prevent the renewal of its concession, as provided for under Venezuelan law;
Whereas the refusal to renew the concession of any television or radio broadcasting station that complies with legal regulations in the matter of telecommunications constitutes a transgression against the freedom of thought and expression, which is prohibited by Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights, signed at San Jose, Costa Rica, July 18, 1978, which has been signed by the United States;
Whereas that convention establishes that ''the right of expression may not be restricted by indirect methods or means, such as the abuse of government or private controls over newsprint, radio broadcasting frequencies, or equipment used in the dissemination of information, or by any other means tending to impede the communication and circulation of ideas and opinions'';
Whereas the Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, approved by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, states in Principle 13, "The exercise of power and the use of public funds by the state, the granting of customs duty privileges, the arbitrary and discriminatory placement of official advertising and government loans; the concession of radio and television broadcast frequencies, among others, with the intent to put pressure on and punish or reward and provide privileges to social communicators and communications media because of the opinions they express threaten freedom of expression, and must be explicitly prohibited by law. The means of communication have the right to carry out their role in an independent manner. Direct or indirect pressures exerted upon journalists or other social communicators to stifle the dissemination of information are incompatible with freedom of expression.'';
Whereas, according to the principles of the American Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, to both of which Venezuela is a party, the decision not to renew the concession of the television station RCTV is an assault against freedom of thought and expression and cannot be accepted by democratic countries, especially by those in North America who are signatories to the American Convention on Human Rights;
Whereas the most paradoxical aspect of the decision by President Chavez is that it trongly conflicts with two principles from the Liberator Simon Bolívar's thinking, principles President Chavez says inspire him, which state that ''[p]ublic opinion is the most sacred of objects, it needs the protection of an enlightened government which knows that opinion is the fountain of the most important of events,'' and that ''[t]he right to express one's houghts and opinions, by word, by writing or by any other means, is the first and most worthy asset mankind has in society. The law itself will never be able to prohibit it.''; and
Whereas the United States should raise its concerns about these and other serious restrictions on freedoms of thought and expression being imposed by the Government of Venezuela before the Organization of American States:
Now, therefore, be it
1 Resolved, That the Senate
(1) expresses its profound concern about the transgression
against freedom of thought and ex pression that is being
attempted and committed in Venezuela by the refusal of
the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, to renew the concession
of the television station ''Radio Caracas Televisión'' (RCTV)
merely because of its adherence to an editorial and informational
stance distinct from the thinking of the Government of
Venezuela; and
(2) strongly encourages the Organization of American States to respond appropriately, with full consideration of the necessary institutional instruments, to such transgression.
US Sanctions
US SANCTIONS Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro rebutted on his Twitter account US President Barack Obama's decision to sign into law a bill imposing sanctions on Venezuelan officials for human right abuses. Maduro remarked that Obama has made "a false move" against Venezuela.
US SANCTIONS US President Barack Obama enacted on Thursday a law aimed at imposing sanctions on Venezuelan government officers accused of violating human rights, the White House reported.
GOVERNMENT In an article published in the New York Times, entitled "Hectoring Venezuela on Human Rights," Venezuelan Congress Speaker Diosdado Cabello stated that the Venezuelan government was willing to improve its relation with the United States.
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text:
Huckabee Makes Board, Commission Appointments
Posted 1/26/2006 12:06 pm
Updated 2 years ago
• Jill Cox of Little Rock to the Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Advisory Committee. Cox, the state incentive grant project coordinator for the Department of Health & Human Services, will serve until Oct. 1, 2009. She's reappointed.
• Bethany Stephens of Rogers to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Stephens, the executive director of the Rogers Convention & Visitors Bureau and vice president of marketing for the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, will serve until Sept. 1, 2007. She replaces Minnie Hayes.
• Mary Ann Moudy of Danville to the Arkansas Board of Health Education. Moudy, the youth director for Danville Methodist Church, will serve until July 31, 2006. She replaces Adetona Lipede.
• Richard Taft of Malvern to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council. Taft, the police chief of Malvern, will serve until July 1, 2007. He replaces Dan Johnson.
• Rush Harding of Little Rock to the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees. Harding, the CEO of Crews & Associates, Inc., will serve until Jan. 14, 2013. He's reappointed.
• Jerry Davis of Monticello to the State Forestry Commission. Davis, who's retired, will serve until Jan. 14, 2015. He's reappointed.
• Freddie Mobley of Warren to the Arkansas Development Finance Authority board of directors. Mobley, the president of First State Bank of Warren, will serve until Jan. 14, 2010. He's reappointed.
• Jeb Joyce of Fayetteville to the Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council. Joyce, an attorney for Quattlebaum Grooms Tull & Burrow, will serve until June 30, 2006. He replaces William Green.
• Dr. Daniel Fulmer of Fayetteville to the Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine. Fulmer, the owner of Millennium Foot & Ankle Associates, will serve until Sept. 1, 2008. He replaces Martha Jackson.
• Betty Sanders of Marianna to the Minority Teachers Recruitment Advisory Council. Sanders, a teacher for the KIPP Delta Center Preparatory School, will serve until Oct. 1, 2009. She replaces Maxine Allen.
• Steve Cole of Lockesburg to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. Cole, an employee of Bunyard Broadcasting and Cossatot Community College, will serve until Dec. 31, 2010. He replaces Cindy Kauffman.
• Robert Bevis of Scott to the Arkansas State Board of Registration for Professional Soil Classifiers. Bevis, a farmer, will serve until Nov. 1, 2010. He replaces Charles Oates.
• Patrick Hutton of Cabot to the Arkansas Science &Technology Authority. Hutton, the quality manager for Hazen Powder Products, will serve until Jan. 14, 2007. He replaces David Eberdt.
• Tim Smith of Clarendon to the Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board. Smith, the manager of Ferrill Martin Farms Inc., will serve until June 30, 2006. He replaces Davey Farabough.
• David Haak of Texarkana to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Haak, who's self-employed, will serve until Jan. 14, 2010. He's reappointed.
• Melinda Pyle of Little Rock to the Arkansas State Claims Commission. Pyle, a commissioner on the Arkansas State Claims Commission, will serve until Jan. 15, 2011. She's reappointed.
• Bishop Robert Smith of Little Rock to the Task Force on Racial Profiling. Smith, the bishop of Word of Outreach Christian Center & Academy, will serve until Dec. 31, 2006. He's reappointed.
• Lauren Wright of Little Rock to the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. Wright, a student at Little Rock Central High School, will serve until Aug. 13, 2006. She replaces Mikel Holloway.
• Cynthia Gregory of Little Rock to the Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Advisory Committee. Gregory, a management project analyst for the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, will serve until Oct. 1, 2009. She replaces Eric Flowers.
• Tom Ed Simmons of Hot Springs to the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy. Simmons, a managing member of Simmons & Associates, will serve until Aug. 17, 2010. He replaces Robin Clatworthy.
• John Wells of Paris to the Medical Ionizing Radiation Licensure Committee. Wells, an attorney for the Wells Law Firm and the Public Defender Commission of Logan County, will serve until July 14, 2008. He replaces Delois Johnson.
• Barbara Reed of Van Buren to the Governor's Commission on People with Disabilities. Reed, a housewife, will serve until June 1, 2008. She replaces Michelle Grisham.


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Sunday, December 21, 2014
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Austin police say a vehicle was traveling eastbound around 7:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Sara Drive near Springdale Road. The driver lost control and crashed into what officers called a "concrete flood water drainage channel" and caught fire.
First responders with the Austin Fire Department extinguished the blaze and discovered one person inside the vehicle, deceased.
Officers say the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, but the morning's slick roads could be a factor.
"Separate from this fatality, if you have to be out on the roads, please leave a little early, drive with caution," APD Senior Officer Veneza Bremner said. "It's slippery--don't have any distractions in your vehicle. It's dangerous enough when it's not raining, it's definitely a lot more dangerous when the roads are slick and the vehicles are harder to stop and control."
Anyone who may have information on the accident is asked to call APD's Vehicular Homicide Unit at (512) 974-5594.
This is Austin's fifth traffic fatality of 2013.
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Monday, December 22, 2014
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Many people have enjoyed the warm temperatures these past few days, but the change in weather could also mean dangerous conditions for people who enjoy activities such as ice fishing. Our Melissa Kakareka joined us from Whitney Point with some safety tips.
WHITNEY POINT, N.Y. -- Recent warm temperatures have melted much of the ice on the lakes and ponds in the area. Ice fishers are reminded to take the proper safety precautions.
The DEC says there needs to be at least three to four inches of ice in order for conditions to be safe. They say people should also have an ice pick and should check conditions every few steps. It's also a good idea to wear a life vest when ice fishing.
"Just because you see somebody out on the ice, that doesn't mean it's safe. We want everyone to check for themselves that it is safe," said DEC Forest Ranger Jeremy Oldroyd.
Also, it takes at least four to five days of freezing temperatures in order for new ice to form.
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Originally published Friday, April 5, 2013 at 9:58 AM
Casino mogul argumentative on 2nd day on stand
Casino mogul and GOP super donor Sheldon Adelson presented a more cantankerous face during his second day of testimony in a breach of contract case in Las Vegas.
Associated Press
Casino mogul and GOP super donor Sheldon Adelson presented a more cantankerous face during his second day of testimony in a breach of contract case in Las Vegas.
He bickered with the judge and disparaged the skills of Hong Kong businessman Richard Suen, who is suing Las Vegas Sands for $328 million he says the company promised him for working behind the scenes to help it win a gambling license in the Chinese enclave of Macau.
Sands says it won the license without Suen's help, so he is not entitled to a cut of the profits.
Adelson, the company's CEO, sparred with lead Suen attorney John O'Malley during questioning Friday, prompting several reprimands from the judge. By the end of the morning, he and Judge Rob Bare had developed a running joke about their similarity to a bickering couple.
"I think you have something in common with my wife," Adelson said when Bare told him to ask permission before taking notes.
Bare broke in 10 minutes later to chastise Adelson for his digressive answers.
"This may sound like your wife again," he said.
"I get it nighttime and daytime!" Adelson responded.
Later, the 79-year-old self-made multibillionaire drew chuckles from all sides when he urged his attorneys to object to the repetition of a question.
On Thursday, when Adelson first took the witness stand, he appeared to enjoy himself, joking and flashing a sly smile as he answered questions about how Sands won entry into Macau in the early 2000s.
On Friday, he rode in the courtroom on a motorized scooter with a phalanx of lawyers, assistants and security speed walking behind.
He portrayed himself as a hands-off manager who allowed underlings to edit his correspondence, sign his name, and make executive decisions in his stead. Among other things, he cited the effects of a painful nerve illness called peripheral neuropathy, which first struck him in 2000.
The day's questioning focused on documents sent by Sands executives in 2001, including a letter by former Sands president and chief operating officer William Weidner offering Suen a $5 million success fee and 2 percent of net casino profits.
Adelson - the ninth-richest American, according to Forbes- glowered and claimed ignorance of letters and meetings that appeared to show the makings of a deal with Suen.
"Bill knew more about Macau than I did. Once I got sick, I couldn't pay attention to anything. It was an extremely difficult period of my life," he said.
Adelson said Weidner, who left Sands in 2009 amid a dispute, could have made unauthorized offers.
He argued that even if Sands had agreed to pay Suen, the Hong Kong fixer would have had to circumvent a competitive bidding process and hand deliver a gambling license to hold up his end of the bargain.
He repeatedly dismissed Suen's worth as an advocate.
"That assumes I didn't know anything - that I was so stupid I couldn't explain what I did in my life, and what advantages we offer," he said.
Sands ultimately partnered with Hong Kong-based Galaxy Entertainment in 2002 to apply for one of three available licenses.
Galaxy won the license, but Sands dissolved the partnership because of Galaxy's ties to Chinese gangs, Adelson said.
Macau then awarded Sands a sublicense, a decision that Suen's lawyers said was a result of their client's earlier lobbying.
Sands now derives 60 percent of its profits from Macau, where it owns four casinos. The company also operates the Venetian and Palazzo casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
As the afternoon wore on, Adelson, who became a national figure last year when he and his wife donated an unprecedented $100 million to Republican causes, interrupted O'Malley's questioning to complain that Suen was smirking at him. He went on to accuse former Sands executive Steven Jacobs, who is also suing him, of smirking from the audience.
"They are disruptive and his honor has suggested there be no disruptions," Adelson said.
For much of the day, Adelson faced a second interlocutor: himself, on tape.
That's because this trial played out in Clark County court once before. A jury awarded Suen $58.6 million in 2008, but the Nevada Supreme Court overturned the verdict because the district judge allowed the jury to consider testimony that was found to be hearsay.
O'Malley played the most damning parts of Adelson's previous testimony.
Under cross examination by his own lawyers, Adelson rounded out the afternoon by recounting how he'd climbed out of poverty in Boston by working jobs as a paperboy and court reporter.
As the second of his three days on the stand drew to a close, he addressed the jury directly for the first time and told them he had dreamed of being a singer, or a lawyer.
Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier
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(A French language film with English subtitles)
The day is May 6th, 2007, France's run-up to the presidential elections. As the French people are getting ready to go to the polls to elect their new president, candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has shut himself away in his home. Though Sarkozy soon learns he has won the election, he is alone, gloomy and despondent. For hours he has been trying to reach his wife, Cécilia, to no avail. The last five years start to unfurl before our eyes, recounting Sarkozy's unstoppable ascent to power, riddled with in-party backstabbing, media manipulation, riots, sarcastic confrontations and extra-marital affairs. 'The Conquest' chronicles the volatile right-leaning Sarkozy's startling rise to become President of France and the emotional and psychological stakes involved in the conquest of power.
Drama, World Cinema
Contains strong language
1 hour 45 minutes
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Funding and Reported Costs of Enforcement and Administration Activities
GAO-08-841R: Published: Jul 18, 2008. Publicly Released: Aug 18, 2008.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in four Americans lives within 3 miles of a hazardous waste site. To clean up these highly contaminated sites, the Congress established the Superfund program under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) in 1980. EPA, the principal agency responsible for administering the Superfund program, has since identified more than 47,000 hazardous waste sites potentially requiring cleanup actions and has placed some of the most seriously contaminated sites on its National Priorities List (NPL). Through the end of fiscal year 2007, EPA had classified 1,569 sites as NPL sites. Cleanup efforts at NPL sites are typically expensive and can take many years. There are two basic types of cleanup actions: (1) removal actions--generally short-term or emergency cleanups to mitigate threats--and (2) remedial actions--generally long-term cleanup activities. Among other efforts, EPA may respond to and provide technical support for emergency actions, collect and analyze site data, and design and construct remedies, or oversee the work of others. However, the parties responsible for contributing to the contamination of a hazardous waste site are also primarily responsible for conducting or paying for the cleanup of the site. Responsible parties include current or former owners or operators of a site or the generators and transporters of the hazardous substances. CERCLA authorizes EPA to compel the responsible parties to clean up contaminated sites and also allows EPA to conduct cleanups and then seek reimbursement from the responsible parties. One of EPA's goals is ensuring that, to the extent possible, parties who are responsible for the contamination perform or pay for cleanup actions. In some cases, however, parties cannot be identified or may be unwilling or financially unable to perform the cleanup; we previously found that the number of NPL sites without viable responsible parties may be increasing. In these cases, EPA can assume responsibility for site cleanup and seek reimbursement from any responsible parties that can be identified. The states may also play a significant role in cleaning up hazardous waste sites. Most states have established programs to help address hazardous waste sites, although many states have limited capacity to address costly and complex sites. To fund program activities, CERCLA established a trust fund that was financed primarily by taxes on crude oil and certain chemicals, as well as an environmental tax assessed on corporations based upon their taxable income. Although the authority for these taxes expired in 1995, some tax revenues have continued to accrue to the fund as audits of past years' tax returns have led to the recovery of Superfund taxes previously owed by companies. In addition, the trust fund continued to receive revenue--also referred to as receipts--from various other sources, including appropriations from the general fund. EPA receives annual appropriations from the trust fund for program activities; since 1981, Superfund appropriations have totaled over $32 billion in nominal dollars, or about $1.2 billion annually. CERCLA authorizes EPA to use its Superfund appropriation to conduct cleanup actions, and the agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is accountable for achieving Superfund's cleanup goals. In this context, Congress asked us to examine the (1) sources of funding for the Superfund trust fund and (2) allocation of these resources to Superfund program activities, particularly enforcement and administration.
The Superfund trust fund has received revenue from four major sources: taxes on crude oil and certain chemicals, as well as an environmental tax assessed on corporations based upon their taxable income; appropriations from the general fund; fines, penalties, and recoveries from responsible parties; and interest accrued on the balance of the fund. The contribution of each of these sources changes from year to year, although trends are evident when comparing the composition of trust fund revenue during the periods before and after the expiration of Superfund's taxes. For fiscal years 1981 through 1995, after which Superfund-related taxing authority expired, taxes accounted for about 68 percent of trust fund revenues; appropriations from the general fund for 17 percent; interest for 9 percent; and fines, penalties, and recoveries for 6 percent. In contrast, from fiscal years 1996 through 2007, taxes accounted for about 6 percent of trust fund revenues; appropriations from the general fund for about 59 percent; interest for about 16 percent; and fines, penalties, and recoveries for about 19 percent. Each year, appropriations laws stipulate the level of the annual EPA Superfund program appropriation from the trust fund, and, regardless of the balance of the fund, EPA can only expend what is appropriated. For fiscal years 1981 through 2007, the Congress appropriated an annual average of $1.2 billion in nominal terms to EPA's Superfund program, although the annual level of appropriated funds has declined in recent years when adjusted for inflation. The balance of the trust fund also declined from $4.7 billion at the start of fiscal year 1997 to $173 million at the start of fiscal year 2007. In addition to setting an overall level of funds available for EPA's Superfund program, the Congress has transferred portions of EPA's Superfund appropriation to other agencies or programs that support site cleanup. For fiscal years 1999 through 2007, EPA spent 77 percent of its Superfund monies on remedial and removal activities and almost all of the rest on enforcement and administration activities. During this period, overall program expenditures declined nearly 30 percent in constant dollars, from $1.8 billion in fiscal year 1999 to $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2007, mostly due to a decline in expenditures for remedial activities. Enforcement expenditures made up the largest portion of expenditures after site cleanup activities for fiscal years 1999 through 2007. EPA's annual enforcement expenditures fell from $243 million to $187 million over this period, but they consistently accounted for between 13 percent and 15 percent of total Superfund expenditures. Superfund program administration costs also declined from fiscal year 1999 through fiscal year 2007, from $143 million to $132 million. Although declining in constant dollars, these costs increased from 8 percent to 10 percent of total Superfund expenditures during this period.
Nov 20, 2014
Climate Change:Better Management of Exposure to Potential Future Losses Is Needed for Federal Flood and Crop InsuranceGAO-15-28: Published: Oct 29, 2014. Publicly Released: Nov 20, 2014.
Nov 17, 2014
NOAA's Observing Systems:Additional Steps Needed to Achieve an Integrated, Cost-Effective PortfolioGAO-15-96: Published: Nov 17, 2014. Publicly Released: Nov 17, 2014.
Oct 16, 2014
Climate Change:USDA's Ongoing Efforts Can Be Enhanced with Better Metrics and More Relevant Information for FarmersGAO-14-755: Published: Sep 16, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 16, 2014.
Oct 14, 2014
Ocean Acidification:Federal Response Under Way, but Actions Needed to Understand and Address Potential ImpactsGAO-14-736: Published: Sep 12, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 14, 2014.
Sep 23, 2014
Drinking Water:Characterization of Injected Fluids Associated with Oil and Gas ProductionGAO-14-857R: Published: Sep 23, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 23, 2014.
Sep 22, 2014
Army Corps of Engineers:The Corps Needs to Take Steps to Identify All Projects and Studies Eligible for DeauthorizationGAO-14-699: Published: Aug 21, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 22, 2014.
Sep 19, 2014
Fish Stock Assessments:Prioritization and FundingGAO-14-794R: Published: Sep 19, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 19, 2014.
Sep 15, 2014
EPA Regulations and Electricity:Update on Agencies' Monitoring Efforts and Coal-Fueled Generating Unit RetirementsGAO-14-672: Published: Aug 15, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 15, 2014.
Sep 12, 2014
Missouri River Flood and Drought:Experts Agree the Corps Took Appropriate Action, Given the Circumstances, but Should Examine New Forecasting TechniquesGAO-14-741: Published: Sep 12, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2014.
Sep 9, 2014
Bureau of Reclamation:Availability of Information on Repayment of Water Project Construction Costs Could Be Better PromotedGAO-14-764: Published: Sep 8, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 9, 2014.
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He was retired from L and D Vault Co. in Chattanooga, with more than 32 years of service.
He attended Maple Street Baptist Church.
He was the son of the late Earl and Ina Mae Goins. He was also preceded in death by an infant son, Wendell Joe Goins; and brother, Harrison Goins.
He was a well-loved and respected member of his neighborhood and community. He was a giving man always ready to help anyone and everyone when they needed it. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.
He is survived by his "proud wife of 40 years," Carolyn Goins; his sisters: Mary Garrett Smith and her husband, Danny, Barbara Bigham, and Ruby Rymer; his brother, Randall Goins and his wife, Gwen, all of Cleveland; a very special friend, Dale Moore; his dogs: Baby, Henry, Sheeba, and Bobo; and his cat, Bootsy. Other survivors include his sisters-in-law: Sherry Ash and her husband, Stanley, of Cleveland, Mildred White and her husband, Don, of Old Fort, a brother-in-law, Tommy Todd of Cleveland; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews.
A Remembrance of Life service will be held 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at the Wildwood Chapel of Jim Rush Funeral Homes with the Rev. Quinn Green and the Rev. Cliff Donachy officiating.
Interment will follow in Fort Hill Cemetery with Martin Bartee, Gary Duncan, Dewayne Bigham, Ray Bigham, Jeremy Bigham and Jason Bigham serving as casket bearers.
The family will receive friends from 3 to 8 this evening at the funeral home.
Please share your memories and condolences with Ronnies family by going to our website at www.jimrushfuneralhomes.com.


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You are here: Home / News & Publications / Abigroup News
03 March 2010
Abigroup will be celebrating International Women's Day on Monday 8 March with a free BBQ for all Head Office staff on the roof of the company's Gordon headquarters.
The BBQ is just one of a series of events Abigroup is supporting to encourage women's involvement in the construction industry.
These include sponsoring five events being run by the Sydney Division of Women in Engineering (WIE) - an Engineers Australia initiative - and organising a two day visit to the Enlarged Cotter Dam and Googong Dam Spillway projects in ACT.
As well as sponsoring events Abigroup has also set up a Women's Leadership Forum and introduced family friendly policies like paid maternity leave and flexible working practices to encourage more women to enter and remain in the construction industry.
Abigroup's Managing Director David Jurd said, "Fundamentally, accessing the skills of the whole population for our workforce is good business.
"Women need to be better represented, and supported, in the construction industry if we are to assemble the best teams into the future."
Abigroup's sponsorship of WIE covers all of its major events for 2010, including:
Abigroup's Platinum sponsorship deal with WIE follows on from the company's Gold Sponsorship last year in which Abigroup sponsored a highly successful business breakfast which attracted 180 guests.
Find out more about International Women's Day 2010.
Copyright Abigroup Limited (ABN 63 000 358 467)