Hmmmmm:
Criminals have been able to hack into computer systems via the Internet and cut power to several cities, a CIA analyst said this week.
Speaking at a conference of security professionals on Wednesday, CIA analyst Tom Donahue disclosed the recently declassified attacks while offering few specifics on what actually went wrong.
Criminals have launched online attacks that disrupted power equipment in several regions outside of the U.S., he said, without identifying the countries affected. The goal of the attacks was extortion, he said.
Here's the part that's even worse news:
One conference attendee said the disclosure came as news to many of the government and industry security professionals in attendance. "It appeared that there were a lot of people who didn't know this already," said the attendee, who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak with the press.
While SCADA software is known to be very vulnerable, that stuff is only used on pipelines, not for electrical utility controls.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
St Paul, Lombardi, and Today
Those of you who know a bit about Vince Lombardi know that he often quoted St. Paul to his players--the section about "fighting the good fight" (etc.)
Heh.
Many Catholics around the world heard that very same Epistle today--if they attended an Extraordinary Form Mass (Old Rite).
Co-incidence? Lombardi's favorite player-motivating passage on the day of the NFC Championship game on St. Vincent's home field?
I don't think so.
Heh.
Many Catholics around the world heard that very same Epistle today--if they attended an Extraordinary Form Mass (Old Rite).
Co-incidence? Lombardi's favorite player-motivating passage on the day of the NFC Championship game on St. Vincent's home field?
I don't think so.
"Best and Brightest"? Nope.
When corporate shills run their yaps about importing H1-B workers because they are "the best and brightest" the tendency is nod one's head. "Yup. We are America, and our industry should have the best."
And, of course, the Radio Yappers parrot the corporate shills' line, because they really don't know any better. But there has been research on that question, folks.
And the corporate shills are lying.
Norm Matloff, a Prof at the University of California-Davis, ran the numbers on H1-B people.
...I extended John Miano's LCA analysis in his 2007 CIS paper. He had shown that among the LCAs, the applications submitted by employers seeking permission to hire an H-1B, the vast majority were for the lower two of the four wage/experience levels defined by DOL
(Which is to say, the cheaper-wage group.)
My analysis was on the PERM data...[in PERM, the data for the labor certification process involved in employer-sponsored green cards, each record is definitely for a particular worker.] In addition, the PERM data show the nationality of the worker, whichturns out to be of significance.
What did Matloff find?
1) The vast majority of workers, 70% or so (somewhat more for some occupations, somewhat less for others) are in either Level I (defined by DOL as "routine tasks... limited if any exercise of judgment") or Level II ("modestly complex tasks requiring limited judgment"). Clearly, MOST ARE NOT HIRED AS INNOVATORS.
2) Contrary to the industry's claim that they import workers from Asia because "Johnny can't do math," the only countries with large percentages of Level IV workers--the real experts--are Canada and the UK.
Not surprisingly, age discrimination plays a part:
...the fact that most of the workers are at the two lowest levels also means that they are cheap. A couple of the people in the audience (one was the immigration lawyer who spoke later, and the other was a researcher who generally takes a pro-industry point of view) didn't understand this. They said, "Well, many of the H-1Bs are hired from U.S. university campuses, so naturally they're young. That's normal." Of course, they had it exactly backwards--it's not that the industry wants students, who happen to be young, but rather that the industry wants the young (thus cheap), who happen to be students.
Well, the H1-B's are young, and college grads, so they must be smart, no? After all, "job classifications" (above) don't necessarily mean much, do they?
...if industry's claims are true--that the H-1Bs are mostly outstanding talents and they are paid market wages--then their wages should be way above prevailing wage, right?
Matloff looked at the ratio of actual wage vs. prevailing wage to get an answer.
1) The median over the entire PERM set was 1.02. In other words, most employers are paying either prevailing wage or only a tiny bit above it. These workers ain't geniuses, folks.
2) Broken down by occupation, the corresponding values for software engineers and programmers were 1.02 and 1.01. Again, this demolishes the industry's "best and brightest" claim. The value for electrical engineers, 1.10, is a bit higher, but still not indicating that most of these people are Einsteins
3) I broke things down by country here too, and again it turned out that Canada and the UK--not India and China--are the ones sending us the people of above-average talent (though not Einsteins there either).
So: Industry generally hires H1-B folks for mundane tasks; they hire college grads because they are young (thus cheap), and the pay-scales certainly don't indicate that these hires are "the best and the brightest."
Bear that in mind the next time you hear all about the critical need for H1-B.
)Much, much more of Matloff's work is archived here:
http://heather.cs.ucdavis.edu/Archive)
And, of course, the Radio Yappers parrot the corporate shills' line, because they really don't know any better. But there has been research on that question, folks.
And the corporate shills are lying.
Norm Matloff, a Prof at the University of California-Davis, ran the numbers on H1-B people.
...I extended John Miano's LCA analysis in his 2007 CIS paper. He had shown that among the LCAs, the applications submitted by employers seeking permission to hire an H-1B, the vast majority were for the lower two of the four wage/experience levels defined by DOL
(Which is to say, the cheaper-wage group.)
My analysis was on the PERM data...[in PERM, the data for the labor certification process involved in employer-sponsored green cards, each record is definitely for a particular worker.] In addition, the PERM data show the nationality of the worker, whichturns out to be of significance.
What did Matloff find?
1) The vast majority of workers, 70% or so (somewhat more for some occupations, somewhat less for others) are in either Level I (defined by DOL as "routine tasks... limited if any exercise of judgment") or Level II ("modestly complex tasks requiring limited judgment"). Clearly, MOST ARE NOT HIRED AS INNOVATORS.
2) Contrary to the industry's claim that they import workers from Asia because "Johnny can't do math," the only countries with large percentages of Level IV workers--the real experts--are Canada and the UK.
Not surprisingly, age discrimination plays a part:
...the fact that most of the workers are at the two lowest levels also means that they are cheap. A couple of the people in the audience (one was the immigration lawyer who spoke later, and the other was a researcher who generally takes a pro-industry point of view) didn't understand this. They said, "Well, many of the H-1Bs are hired from U.S. university campuses, so naturally they're young. That's normal." Of course, they had it exactly backwards--it's not that the industry wants students, who happen to be young, but rather that the industry wants the young (thus cheap), who happen to be students.
Well, the H1-B's are young, and college grads, so they must be smart, no? After all, "job classifications" (above) don't necessarily mean much, do they?
...if industry's claims are true--that the H-1Bs are mostly outstanding talents and they are paid market wages--then their wages should be way above prevailing wage, right?
Matloff looked at the ratio of actual wage vs. prevailing wage to get an answer.
1) The median over the entire PERM set was 1.02. In other words, most employers are paying either prevailing wage or only a tiny bit above it. These workers ain't geniuses, folks.
2) Broken down by occupation, the corresponding values for software engineers and programmers were 1.02 and 1.01. Again, this demolishes the industry's "best and brightest" claim. The value for electrical engineers, 1.10, is a bit higher, but still not indicating that most of these people are Einsteins
3) I broke things down by country here too, and again it turned out that Canada and the UK--not India and China--are the ones sending us the people of above-average talent (though not Einsteins there either).
So: Industry generally hires H1-B folks for mundane tasks; they hire college grads because they are young (thus cheap), and the pay-scales certainly don't indicate that these hires are "the best and the brightest."
Bear that in mind the next time you hear all about the critical need for H1-B.
)Much, much more of Matloff's work is archived here:
http://heather.cs.ucdavis.edu/Archive)
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Shark's Discussion Piece
Hooboy...
The Shark kicked off a topic which required thinking, ironically demanding same on a weekend when most braincells are frozen (or nearly so.)
Must be the 'professor' in him...
The Shark kicked off a topic which required thinking, ironically demanding same on a weekend when most braincells are frozen (or nearly so.)
Must be the 'professor' in him...
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Rest of the Story on Galileo
A fairly pleasant Left-o-Blogger thinks that the Church "persecuted" Galileo.
Well, not exactly.
...Galileo was wrong on two accounts: 1) he gave the wrong “proofs” of heliocentrism and the Earth’s motion (with which the Pope, like all his 13 most recent predecessors, agreed, that’s why they had been and kept funding Copernicanism that was at risk of being destroyed by mass executions of scientists in Calvinist and Lutheran countries). One of such proofs was ebb tides, which his Jesuit adversaries of the Specola Vaticana rightly attributed to the Moon’s magnetic influence. 2) he wanted to make theology starting from his observation which is obviously non-sense.
Galileo was “condemned” to say the 7 penitential Psalms (the horror!), for having satirized the Pope in a very vulgar way in one of his books. The place of the “execution” was his villa in Tuscany, called “the Jewel” and paid for by Papal funds. Galileo continued to work on (and teach, like the Jesuits of his time) heliocentrism, mathematics, physics and related technologies with the Pope’s financial aid.
Not a bad "persecution." Live at home, teach, get paid by the Pope....just recite some Psalms and don't try to tell the Church "where theology begins."
Well, not exactly.
...Galileo was wrong on two accounts: 1) he gave the wrong “proofs” of heliocentrism and the Earth’s motion (with which the Pope, like all his 13 most recent predecessors, agreed, that’s why they had been and kept funding Copernicanism that was at risk of being destroyed by mass executions of scientists in Calvinist and Lutheran countries). One of such proofs was ebb tides, which his Jesuit adversaries of the Specola Vaticana rightly attributed to the Moon’s magnetic influence. 2) he wanted to make theology starting from his observation which is obviously non-sense.
Galileo was “condemned” to say the 7 penitential Psalms (the horror!), for having satirized the Pope in a very vulgar way in one of his books. The place of the “execution” was his villa in Tuscany, called “the Jewel” and paid for by Papal funds. Galileo continued to work on (and teach, like the Jesuits of his time) heliocentrism, mathematics, physics and related technologies with the Pope’s financial aid.
Not a bad "persecution." Live at home, teach, get paid by the Pope....just recite some Psalms and don't try to tell the Church "where theology begins."
Ratzinger on the Liturgy
Just a brief few comments (1998) from the pen of (at-that-time Cardinal) Jos. Ratzinger.
I confine myself to coming straight to this conclusion: we ought to get back the dimension of the sacred in the liturgy. The liturgy is not a festivity; it is not a meeting for the purpose of having a good time. It is of no importance that the parish priest has cudgeled his brains to come up with suggestive ideas or imaginative novelties.
The liturgy is what makes the Thrice-holy God present amongst us; it is the burning bush; it is the alliance of God with man in Jesus Christ, who has died and risen again. The grandeur of the liturgy does not rest upon the fact that it offers an interesting entertainment, but in rendering tangible the totally Other, whom we are not capable of summoning. He comes because He wills. In other words, the essential in the liturgy is the mystery, which is realized in the common ritual of the Church; all the rest diminishes it. Men experiment with it in lively fashion, and find themselves deceived, when the mystery is transformed into distraction, when the chief actor in the liturgy is not the living God but the priest or the liturgical director.
...or anyone else, for that matter, we humbly suggest.
I confine myself to coming straight to this conclusion: we ought to get back the dimension of the sacred in the liturgy. The liturgy is not a festivity; it is not a meeting for the purpose of having a good time. It is of no importance that the parish priest has cudgeled his brains to come up with suggestive ideas or imaginative novelties.
The liturgy is what makes the Thrice-holy God present amongst us; it is the burning bush; it is the alliance of God with man in Jesus Christ, who has died and risen again. The grandeur of the liturgy does not rest upon the fact that it offers an interesting entertainment, but in rendering tangible the totally Other, whom we are not capable of summoning. He comes because He wills. In other words, the essential in the liturgy is the mystery, which is realized in the common ritual of the Church; all the rest diminishes it. Men experiment with it in lively fashion, and find themselves deceived, when the mystery is transformed into distraction, when the chief actor in the liturgy is not the living God but the priest or the liturgical director.
...or anyone else, for that matter, we humbly suggest.
"Your Trip Is Cancelled."
Hmmmmm.
Seems that the Bugnini-ite snark-specialist (and liturgical affliction) will not be here too soon, if ever:
Archbishop Piero Marini's scheduled book-tour of the States has been indefinitely postponed.
Marini served two decades as chief liturgist to John Paul II and Benedict XVI before being named in October to the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Eucharistic Congresses.
Although a rescheduling of the US tour is being discussed for a later date (most likely November), with the official line running that the archbishop had become "concerned" about coming in the run-up to the Pope's mid-April visit, another source informed of the change reported that the cancellation was sought by Benedict's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone SDB.
Oh, well. Perhaps his book-sales will do well, regardless.
Then again, perhaps not. The book is ....so....'60's.
HT: Holy Smoke
Seems that the Bugnini-ite snark-specialist (and liturgical affliction) will not be here too soon, if ever:
Archbishop Piero Marini's scheduled book-tour of the States has been indefinitely postponed.
Marini served two decades as chief liturgist to John Paul II and Benedict XVI before being named in October to the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Eucharistic Congresses.
Although a rescheduling of the US tour is being discussed for a later date (most likely November), with the official line running that the archbishop had become "concerned" about coming in the run-up to the Pope's mid-April visit, another source informed of the change reported that the cancellation was sought by Benedict's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone SDB.
Oh, well. Perhaps his book-sales will do well, regardless.
Then again, perhaps not. The book is ....so....'60's.
HT: Holy Smoke
This Guy Understands "The Party of Government"
Seems that there's more than one way to make extra money, and Bulk Petroleum used it...
But that's not the story.
The story is what Jessica tells us:
But the public investigator team doesn't bother to mention that Dhaliwal's donations aren't only to Republicans.
They didn't mention [these] donations:
$17,000 to Jim Doyle (Doyle's received another $9,500 from other Dhaliwals affiliated with Bulk Petroleum too).
Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee
Brian Burke, Chuck Chvala, Dave Hansen, David Cullen, Gwen Moore, Kathleen Falk, Kathleen Vinehout, Gary George, Louis Butler....
It's not (R) or (D). It's the Party In Gummint (PIGs) to which he donated.
He's not the first, nor will he be the last. The problem is us--the stupid suckers who actually believe that there are TWO parties...
But that's not the story.
The story is what Jessica tells us:
But the public investigator team doesn't bother to mention that Dhaliwal's donations aren't only to Republicans.
They didn't mention [these] donations:
$17,000 to Jim Doyle (Doyle's received another $9,500 from other Dhaliwals affiliated with Bulk Petroleum too).
Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee
Brian Burke, Chuck Chvala, Dave Hansen, David Cullen, Gwen Moore, Kathleen Falk, Kathleen Vinehout, Gary George, Louis Butler....
It's not (R) or (D). It's the Party In Gummint (PIGs) to which he donated.
He's not the first, nor will he be the last. The problem is us--the stupid suckers who actually believe that there are TWO parties...
The Moonbat NYSlimes and How They Lie
You recall the "Killer Vets" story spread around by the NYSlimes. There's one local LeftoBlogger who swallowed it whole and excerpted it on his site; another yips forth in the combox following my quick post on the article.
Here's another actually RATIONAL look at the Slimes' "work."
A total of nine Times reporters were involved in the one-page story, co-authored by Deborah Sontag and Lizette Alvarez, which is the first in a series of articles encapsulated under the title “War Torn: A series of articles and multimedia about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have committed killings, or been charged with them, after coming home.”
The Times found, “121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war.”
The author then cites the VFW stats which make "121" a very low number, indeed, measured against DoJ stats on crimes by a similarly-aged cohort.
But there's more:
Of those 121 summaries, 40 do not show direct ties between the stresses of deploying to combat zones and the homicides for which these veterans were charged, and of those, 14 were of highly dubious nature.
Veterans, especially wartime veterans, face significant stresses that should not be minimized and are only just being widely recognized, much less treated.
That understood, it is irresponsible of the New York Times to write an extensive post in effect indicting all veterans, while refusing to even attempt to provide context for their story, and while unfairly including every possible connection of veterans to homicides in such a cavalier manner — even those deaths that were justified, unrelated, unsupported, or had more proximate causes than being a war veteran.
HT: Confederate Yankee
Here's another actually RATIONAL look at the Slimes' "work."
A total of nine Times reporters were involved in the one-page story, co-authored by Deborah Sontag and Lizette Alvarez, which is the first in a series of articles encapsulated under the title “War Torn: A series of articles and multimedia about veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who have committed killings, or been charged with them, after coming home.”
The Times found, “121 cases in which veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan committed a killing in this country, or were charged with one, after their return from war.”
The author then cites the VFW stats which make "121" a very low number, indeed, measured against DoJ stats on crimes by a similarly-aged cohort.
But there's more:
Of those 121 summaries, 40 do not show direct ties between the stresses of deploying to combat zones and the homicides for which these veterans were charged, and of those, 14 were of highly dubious nature.
Veterans, especially wartime veterans, face significant stresses that should not be minimized and are only just being widely recognized, much less treated.
That understood, it is irresponsible of the New York Times to write an extensive post in effect indicting all veterans, while refusing to even attempt to provide context for their story, and while unfairly including every possible connection of veterans to homicides in such a cavalier manner — even those deaths that were justified, unrelated, unsupported, or had more proximate causes than being a war veteran.
HT: Confederate Yankee
In-Laws Have Tickets....but....
The in-laws have season Packer tix (Green Bay season...) and plan on being there.
Good for them!
Their kid even came in from sunny California to see the game with them.
Good for him!!
(Note that 'sunny California' carefully...)
Suddenly the kid realizes that he disposed of all that silly Wisconsin claptrap, like mittens, lined boots, parkas, wooly undies, (etc., etc.).
Oooops!
So, yah, they need supplies.
Heh.
Good for them!
Their kid even came in from sunny California to see the game with them.
Good for him!!
(Note that 'sunny California' carefully...)
Suddenly the kid realizes that he disposed of all that silly Wisconsin claptrap, like mittens, lined boots, parkas, wooly undies, (etc., etc.).
Oooops!
So, yah, they need supplies.
Heh.
Subprimes: Just the Beginning
Examine the pretty picture below:
Now think. What happens IF the swap-seller (left, above) runs out of cash?
Well, it's happened already. So the buyer (right, above) is not only holding rotting "Widgets 'R' Us paper, he's spent a bunch of money to buy MORE rotting paper--from the guy on the left.
Think that won't have an impact? Read the blogpost linked. I'll give you a taste:
I've said it before, and I'll repeat it again: To err is human, but it requires an MBA to create total clusterf*&^ . . .
HT: The Big Picture
IowaHawk Finds Another Violence-Breeding Ground
Inimitable.
A Denver newspaper columnist is arrested for stalking a story subject. In Cincinnati, a television reporter is arrested on charges of child molestation. A North Carolina newspaper reporter is arrested for harassing a local woman. A drunken Chicago Sun-Times columnist and editorial board member is arrested for wife beating. A Baltimore newspaper editor is arrested for threatening neighbors with a shotgun. In Florida, one TV reporter is arrested for DUI, while another is charged with carrying a gun into a high school. A Philadelphia news anchorwoman goes on a violent drunken rampage, assaulting a police officer. In England, a newspaper columnist is arrested for killing her elderly aunt.
Unrelated incidents, or mounting evidence of that America's newsrooms have become a breeding ground for murderous, drunk, gun-wielding child molesters?
It's "Post-Typing-Stress-Disorder" and it's lethal.
HT: Grim
A Denver newspaper columnist is arrested for stalking a story subject. In Cincinnati, a television reporter is arrested on charges of child molestation. A North Carolina newspaper reporter is arrested for harassing a local woman. A drunken Chicago Sun-Times columnist and editorial board member is arrested for wife beating. A Baltimore newspaper editor is arrested for threatening neighbors with a shotgun. In Florida, one TV reporter is arrested for DUI, while another is charged with carrying a gun into a high school. A Philadelphia news anchorwoman goes on a violent drunken rampage, assaulting a police officer. In England, a newspaper columnist is arrested for killing her elderly aunt.
Unrelated incidents, or mounting evidence of that America's newsrooms have become a breeding ground for murderous, drunk, gun-wielding child molesters?
It's "Post-Typing-Stress-Disorder" and it's lethal.
HT: Grim
Paul Purcell Should Clarify
From a recent 'gripe session' featuring several local CEO's, we take this line:
[Paul] Purcell, [CEO of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.] drew applause from the crowd of more than 200 business and civic leaders when he said southeastern Wisconsin needs high-speed rail to be more competitive.
What, exactly, does that mean?
If Purcell wants more 'high-speed rail' on existing tracks, (running, e.g. from the Illinois border through Milwaukee, or those running from the west into Milwaukee), that shouldn't be hard to do, and it may be worthwhile.
But if Purcell is suggesting that a new HSR system be created from whole cloth, he's in for a fight. Automobile commute time to downtown Milwaukee runs around 30 minutes from western Brookfield, or northern Mequon, or Oak Creek. That commute time is about HALF of Chicago's from any comparable suburban location.
What, precisely, is the "need" of which he speaks?
Maybe Paul Purcell could examine the spending of the State, Counties, and cities, find several hundred million of waste, and cut that out to make room for the spending he says is "needed" for a train. Maybe Purcell thinks that a 9-figure investment in 'high speed rail' will create a 9-figure tax-income return for those entities over 20 years.
But he hasn't shown us that. Instead, he simply declares that Milwaukee 'needs' high-speed rail, without stating precisely what he means by that remark.
That's not the way he runs Baird, I hope...
[Paul] Purcell, [CEO of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.] drew applause from the crowd of more than 200 business and civic leaders when he said southeastern Wisconsin needs high-speed rail to be more competitive.
What, exactly, does that mean?
If Purcell wants more 'high-speed rail' on existing tracks, (running, e.g. from the Illinois border through Milwaukee, or those running from the west into Milwaukee), that shouldn't be hard to do, and it may be worthwhile.
But if Purcell is suggesting that a new HSR system be created from whole cloth, he's in for a fight. Automobile commute time to downtown Milwaukee runs around 30 minutes from western Brookfield, or northern Mequon, or Oak Creek. That commute time is about HALF of Chicago's from any comparable suburban location.
What, precisely, is the "need" of which he speaks?
Maybe Paul Purcell could examine the spending of the State, Counties, and cities, find several hundred million of waste, and cut that out to make room for the spending he says is "needed" for a train. Maybe Purcell thinks that a 9-figure investment in 'high speed rail' will create a 9-figure tax-income return for those entities over 20 years.
But he hasn't shown us that. Instead, he simply declares that Milwaukee 'needs' high-speed rail, without stating precisely what he means by that remark.
That's not the way he runs Baird, I hope...
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Yoo Hoo!! Abp. Dolan!! (Part 4)
Kevin Fischer notes that SOME Wisconsin Bishops (2 of 9) have deciphered the foofoodust surrounding the "rape protection" bill and object, strenuously, to its Stalinesque provisions.
Sadly, Bp. Morlino and Bp. Listecki are not (yet) joined by Abp. Timothy Dolan, nor his Auxiliaries, Bp. Callahan and Bp. Sklba.
The Auxiliaries of Green Bay and Madison are also MIA, as is Bp. Fliss.
YOO-HOO!! Abp. Dolan!!!!
Kevin also advises that two fanatic pro-abort Leggies (Senator Mark Miller and Representative Terese Berceau) are trying, desperately, to revise WI. Statute 940 to allow abortion-on-demand in Wisconsin (they expect SCOTUS to reverse Roe).
Wisconsin Right To Life opposes their action, of course.
Nothing (yet) from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.
YOO-HOO!!! Abp. Dolan!!!
Sadly, Bp. Morlino and Bp. Listecki are not (yet) joined by Abp. Timothy Dolan, nor his Auxiliaries, Bp. Callahan and Bp. Sklba.
The Auxiliaries of Green Bay and Madison are also MIA, as is Bp. Fliss.
YOO-HOO!! Abp. Dolan!!!!
Kevin also advises that two fanatic pro-abort Leggies (Senator Mark Miller and Representative Terese Berceau) are trying, desperately, to revise WI. Statute 940 to allow abortion-on-demand in Wisconsin (they expect SCOTUS to reverse Roe).
Wisconsin Right To Life opposes their action, of course.
Nothing (yet) from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference.
YOO-HOO!!! Abp. Dolan!!!
Fred on Guns and Groveling
Fred Thompson, whose plain-spoken common sense positions get better every day, on the Bush Administration's silly filing on District of Columbia v. Heller, the big Second Amendent case:
As reported on RedState, Thompson accused the administration of "overlawyering" the case. After all, if an individual rights view of the Second Amendment does not proscribe an outright ban on handgun possession, there is not much left of the rights it purportedly protects.
That from a lawyer!!
As to kissing the flea-infested rear end of the King of Saudi Arabia, while asking 'pretty please' pump more oil:
Appealing to Saudi Arabia to encourage higher oil production to help lower prices is not in the long-term interest of the United States, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said on Wednesday.
“It’s not in the United States’ long-term interest to go hat in hand begging people to do things that in the end we know they’re not going to do,” Thompson said
May the farts of 10,000 camels fill your tent, Fahd!
HTs: Arms and the Law, Malkin
As reported on RedState, Thompson accused the administration of "overlawyering" the case. After all, if an individual rights view of the Second Amendment does not proscribe an outright ban on handgun possession, there is not much left of the rights it purportedly protects.
That from a lawyer!!
As to kissing the flea-infested rear end of the King of Saudi Arabia, while asking 'pretty please' pump more oil:
Appealing to Saudi Arabia to encourage higher oil production to help lower prices is not in the long-term interest of the United States, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said on Wednesday.
“It’s not in the United States’ long-term interest to go hat in hand begging people to do things that in the end we know they’re not going to do,” Thompson said
May the farts of 10,000 camels fill your tent, Fahd!
HTs: Arms and the Law, Malkin
Leggies to Corn-a-Hole Taxpayers in Wisconsin
It's becoming clear that
Senators KREITLOW, OLSEN, JAUCH, SCHULTZ,
HARSDORF and VINEHOUT, [and] Representatives SUDER, JORGENSEN,
ALBERS, HRAYCHUCK, MUSSER, SHERIDAN, SMITH, HILGENBERG, GRONEMUS,
ZEPNICK, GARTHWAITE, DAVIS and SINICKI
have an interest in food-price escalation, which they will merrily impose on residents of Wisconsin by forcing them to use food as fuel.
The above-named whores will force corn into gas tanks with their latest proposal, and force most of the current auto fleet into junkyards by 2015 with their latest/greatest idea (linked above, HT: Belling via Eggster.
Sometimes one wonders what it might take to "help" these jackasses understand economic realities.
Pitchforks? Tar and feathers? Or more, ah, interesting confrontations...such as that faced by King George and his boyzzz.
It is particularly galling that Olsen is a co-sponsor of this piece of crap--which will serve to enhance the wallet of his brother.
It's no wonder that Olsen voted against concealed-carry...
Senators KREITLOW, OLSEN, JAUCH, SCHULTZ,
HARSDORF and VINEHOUT, [and] Representatives SUDER, JORGENSEN,
ALBERS, HRAYCHUCK, MUSSER, SHERIDAN, SMITH, HILGENBERG, GRONEMUS,
ZEPNICK, GARTHWAITE, DAVIS and SINICKI
have an interest in food-price escalation, which they will merrily impose on residents of Wisconsin by forcing them to use food as fuel.
The above-named whores will force corn into gas tanks with their latest proposal, and force most of the current auto fleet into junkyards by 2015 with their latest/greatest idea (linked above, HT: Belling via Eggster.
Sometimes one wonders what it might take to "help" these jackasses understand economic realities.
Pitchforks? Tar and feathers? Or more, ah, interesting confrontations...such as that faced by King George and his boyzzz.
It is particularly galling that Olsen is a co-sponsor of this piece of crap--which will serve to enhance the wallet of his brother.
It's no wonder that Olsen voted against concealed-carry...
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Obama's Pastor
Over the top? You be the judge.
...And there is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a sprawling, profane bear of a preacher, a kind of black ministerial institution, with his own radio shows and guest preaching gigs across the country. Wright takes the pulpit here one Sunday and solemnly, sonorously declares that he will recite ten essential facts about the United States. "Fact number one: We've got more black men in prison than there are in college," he intones. "Fact number two: Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run!" There is thumping applause; Wright has a cadence and power that make Obama sound like John Kerry. Now the reverend begins to preach. "We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns and the training of professional KILLERS. . . . We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. . . . We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. . . . We care nothing about human life if the ends justify the means!" The crowd whoops and amens as Wright builds to his climax: "And. And. And! GAWD! Has GOT! To be SICK! OF THIS SHIT!"
Of course, "Fact number one" is wrong. And while there's some traction to "fact number 2," based on the existence of slavery and the 'vote calculation' stuff for slaves, I don't think that "racism" was "how the country was founded." IIRC, it had more to do with King George's Big Gummint schemes and taxes.
(Hear that, DarthDoyle??)
HT: Dreher
...And there is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a sprawling, profane bear of a preacher, a kind of black ministerial institution, with his own radio shows and guest preaching gigs across the country. Wright takes the pulpit here one Sunday and solemnly, sonorously declares that he will recite ten essential facts about the United States. "Fact number one: We've got more black men in prison than there are in college," he intones. "Fact number two: Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run!" There is thumping applause; Wright has a cadence and power that make Obama sound like John Kerry. Now the reverend begins to preach. "We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns and the training of professional KILLERS. . . . We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God. . . . We conducted radiation experiments on our own people. . . . We care nothing about human life if the ends justify the means!" The crowd whoops and amens as Wright builds to his climax: "And. And. And! GAWD! Has GOT! To be SICK! OF THIS SHIT!"
Of course, "Fact number one" is wrong. And while there's some traction to "fact number 2," based on the existence of slavery and the 'vote calculation' stuff for slaves, I don't think that "racism" was "how the country was founded." IIRC, it had more to do with King George's Big Gummint schemes and taxes.
(Hear that, DarthDoyle??)
HT: Dreher
Rush: Fix Your Template
After a few hundred hours (or so it seems) of hearing the "tax cuts are good" mantra from El Rushbo, I am impelled to ask him to PLEASE adjust the template.
Tax cuts are nice.
Here in Wisconsin we know about drunken sailor-spenders. We elect them.
Our children will hate us for it.
Tax cuts are nice.
But it's the SPENDING that needs control.
Here in Wisconsin we know about drunken sailor-spenders. We elect them.
Our children will hate us for it.
HRC vs. "Uncommitted"
There's a lot of talk about "unity" midst the Dem candidates.
Was "uncommitted" the unifier?
With none of the other major Democratic candidates on the ballot, Hillary Clinton was only able to garner 58 percent of the Michigan vote as of this writing, while "uncommitted" won 37 percent. More troubling for Clinton heading into South Carolina are exit polls showing that a staggering 70 percent of black voters took the time to go to the polls to vote for "uncommitted" over Hillary. "Uncommitted" also won among voters in the 18-29 and 30-44 age ranges, and among independents.
HT: Am Spec blog
Was "uncommitted" the unifier?
With none of the other major Democratic candidates on the ballot, Hillary Clinton was only able to garner 58 percent of the Michigan vote as of this writing, while "uncommitted" won 37 percent. More troubling for Clinton heading into South Carolina are exit polls showing that a staggering 70 percent of black voters took the time to go to the polls to vote for "uncommitted" over Hillary. "Uncommitted" also won among voters in the 18-29 and 30-44 age ranges, and among independents.
HT: Am Spec blog
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Inflation Still Here
News release:
Producer prices for finished goods fell by a slight 0.1% in December, as prices for finished energy products gave up some of their November gains. As a result, topline PPI rose by 6.3% over 2007 as a whole. Excluding food and energy products, core PPI rose by 0.2% in December, and 2.0% for the year. Inflation remains much stronger at earlier stages of processing where prices for core intermediate goods rose by 4.6% on the year while prices for core crude goods rose by 3.6%.
Doesn't look too pretty for '08, unless you buy products made in the USA exclusively--except, of course, food.
Don't eat, and buy only US petroleum products (from well-to-pump.) You'll be fine!
(Source: The Dismal Scientist)
Producer prices for finished goods fell by a slight 0.1% in December, as prices for finished energy products gave up some of their November gains. As a result, topline PPI rose by 6.3% over 2007 as a whole. Excluding food and energy products, core PPI rose by 0.2% in December, and 2.0% for the year. Inflation remains much stronger at earlier stages of processing where prices for core intermediate goods rose by 4.6% on the year while prices for core crude goods rose by 3.6%.
Doesn't look too pretty for '08, unless you buy products made in the USA exclusively--except, of course, food.
Don't eat, and buy only US petroleum products (from well-to-pump.) You'll be fine!
(Source: The Dismal Scientist)
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