barry: “I continue to support a public option”

December 19, 2009

Some more nuggets from barry’s August 20th, 2009 speech “Organization for America National Health Care Forum” when he was pushing the public option saying it was important and yet when it comes time to act – the actions do not correlate with his words. Which is the only constant with barry’s behavior.

He talks about truth and says he is “honest to a fault”. Thoroughly shameless. But what’s worse is people still believe him when he says it. Still.

What promise has he followed through on?

Mostly it’s working Americans who don’t have health insurance on the job, or it’s self-employed Americans, or it’s small business owners, or people who work for small businesses who don’t have health insurance. And what we want to do is to give them a menu of options that they can choose from, and then a little bit of help in terms of making their premiums more affordable. So that is absolutely critical.

Here he’s gung ho on the public option.

Now, one of the options we want to provide them is a public option, and there’s been — this has been a confusion around this — there’s been a lot of confusion about this, so let me just clarify.

I think a public option is important.

We’re going to have a marketplace where people can select the options that work best for them, the insurance plan that works best for them. A lot of those choices, the overwhelming majority of those choices, will be private insurance options…

Why a public option was important in August:

But what we do think is if we have a public option in there, that can help keep insurers honest; it can provide a benchmark for what an affordable basic plan should look like. And so even though we’ve got a whole bunch of insurance regulations that ensure that any private insurer that’s participating in the exchange is giving you a fair deal, this is sort of like the belt-and-suspenders concept -- it means that not only do they have to abide by these regulations, but they also have to compete with somebody whose interest is not just profit but instead is interested in making sure that the American people get decent care.

And here is the famous barry obamanation.

Now, having said that — having said that, I want everybody to be clear that the public option is just one option. It will be voluntary. Nobody is talking about you having to be in the public option. Only — the only thing that we’re talking about is this being available to you as a choice, expanding consumer choice.

And we think that’s a good idea.

So what happened to that good idea?

Again, his words are just words. When it’s time for action his truth become politically expedient and public opinion driven. But this time the polls are not behind him and he wants to jam it through – contrary to his usual MO – but for sure in line with his legacy and need to have another “first”.

And here he is beyond shameless. He’s talking about truth – his truth – the truth d’jour. Talking about it and never quite matching up. And y’all buy it each and every time.

I said during the campaign that the best offense against lies is the truth. And so all we can do is just keep on pushing the truth.

I mean, there’s never any — I just — you know, it’s fine to have a debate back and forth — he said, she said – except when somebody else is just not even telling remotely the truth. Then you should say in your reports, oh, and by the way, that’s just not true.

Was what he said here ever remotely the truth?

But that doesn’t happen often enough. And that’s why it’s so important that all of you deliver that message, and you’ve got to be able to back it up. And all of you are receiving materials where it’s not just us saying this. I mean, these are third-party validators who are out there and can set the facts straight. And when people get the facts and you show them, then most people will end up being persuaded.

And when all else fails have politifact and factcheck cover you. Exhibit A that digital image passed off as his birth certificate.

…And I think if the majority of the people have the facts, then in fact they will be on our side.

Which set of facts for which plan according to what poll?

Nothing in this speech is remotely truthful. It’s built around one big lie. A lie people wanted to hear in order to go out and do his bidding. Just like Iraq…just like FISA…just like healthcare…just like FISA…just like the Patriot Act…

How much more evidence do y’all need?

Here he estimates the cost of healthcare at $108 billion dollars.

How is that not going to affect the deficit or raise taxes?

First of all, it’s important to remind people that when they say “trillion dollars,” they’re talking about over 10 years. So this — we’re talking about $100 billion a year -- which is still a significant amount of money — but just to give you a sense of perspective, I mean, the amount of money that we’re spending in Iraq and Afghanistan is — what’s the latest figure, Debbie? You figure nine — $8 billion to $9 billion a month, right? So for about the same cost per year as we’ve been spending over the last five to six years, we could have funded this health care reform proposal — just to give you a sense of perspective.

Here he says he’ll only have to pay for a third of it. And to cover that the folks making over #250K are going to pay…In other words – it’s free.

So a third of it we’re going to have to pay for. And what I’ve proposed was that we would pay for it by having people over $250,000 a year have their itemized deductions go to the same rate as everybody else’s -- 28 percent. Right now they get more because their marginal tax rates are a little bit higher. And if we just went back to their deductions that existed under Ronald Reagan, that radical  — then we could pay for all of the health care reform that we’re talking about.

Here’s a promise not yet broken. He talks about himself in the third person.

Now, there are other ideas that are being floated out there both in the House and the Senate. But the bottom line is what we’re really talking about is about $30 billion to $40 billion a year that we’ve got to come up with. And I am absolutely committed — and you can say this to people — the President is absolutely committed to making sure that that is not funded on the backs of middle-class families.

Q …I believe, that the only way to do this is to guarantee a public option available to anybody who wants one. And my question is, if that’s the solution that you believe in, why aren’t we pushing it harder? And if that’s not the solution, what other solutions out there would accomplish all three goals that you have?

So let me just be clear: I continue to support a public option, I think it is important, and I think it will help drive down costs and give consumers choices.

Here he says he’s honest to a fault. A look at Politifact’s proving of barry’s lies says otherwise. And then goes right into his lie about public option and making it part of broader plan, giving himself anout. Continues to be the truth is a rather odd phrase.

The only thing that we have said — and this continues to be the truth — and I mean, sometimes you can fault me maybe for being honest to a fault — is that the public option is just one component of a broader plan.

Honest to a fault. Were these words really honest? Why didn’t the truth continue?

Now, alongside that, if there’s a public option that is also offering a good deal to consumers, then the insurance companies have to look over their shoulder and they say, gosh, you know, if the public option is providing that good deal to consumers, then maybe we can’t just charge exorbitant rates and then mistreat our consumers.

And if it isn’t? He’s missing the boat.

Now, my point is, this is sort of like the belt-and-suspenders concept, to keep up your pants. You know, the insurance reforms are the belt. The public option can be the suspenders. And what we’re trying to just suggest to people is, is that all these things are important, and that if the debate ends up being focused on just one aspect of it, then we’re missing the boat.

If all we’re talking about is the public option, then the 80 percent of the American people who already have health insurance in the private insurance market, they say to themselves, well, what’s in it for me? Their attitude will be, this is not relevant to me, and in fact they start getting scared thinking, maybe what the public option means is that you’re going to force me to give up my current private insurer and go into a public option.

And what happens when you’re not longer talking about a public option?

Here’s a paragraph from Greg Sargent on Sept 30th:

Should Obama jettison the public option, progressives will come under tremendous pressure to back the plan anyway. White House advisers will likely insist that liberals mustn’t deny the president a historic victory and enable a defeat that could cripple the first African-American presidency.

Who was the one who jettisoned it?

The House is already on the record as saying they will not pass a bill that doesn’t have a public option – so what is the point other than to say they got something signed – whatever it is.

A letter from the House to barry:

A health reform bill without a robust public option will not achieve the health reform this country so desperately needs.

We cannot vote for anything less.

Merry Christmas Cubfans – Bradley’s gone forever!

December 18, 2009

Finally. Milton Bradley is gone. Good riddance to a guy who wouldn’t have been a starter on a high school team with his numbers last year. And with his antics and mental breakdown he would have been thrown off the team.

Bradley has $22 million left on his contract (original 3yr-$30M). He went to the Seattle Mariners for another lemon with a huge contract, RH pitcher, Carlos Silva, who has $25M left on his contract (original 4yr-$48M).

Seattle also threw in $9M, so the Cubs netted $6M and a whole lot of happiness. Though it would have been interesting to see what would have happened to Hendry at the Convention had he not unloaded Bradley. I didn’t know that when Hendry told the team he was suspending Bradley, several players applauded when he left the room.

Bradley, 31, BA .257, 12 HR, 40 RBI, OBP .378.

Silva, 30, 5-18, 6.81 ERA in two years and was injured both seasons.

A bad arm can be rehabbed – a bad mind and attitude – no chance. It wasn’t the Cubs and it certainly wasn’t the Cubfans. Bradley is going to his 8th team in 10 years.

JIM HENDRY:

In hindsight, obviously, it was an acquisition that I am responsible for that obviously didn’t work out. I think if Milton had hit at the beginning of the season like he did in Spring Training and like he did in Texas, possibly things would have been different. And when things started go the wrong way it was hard to stop.

There wasn’t an easy solution to it by any means. Many of the names that were bantered around were obviously deals that never would have been considered ideal. But we also knew we had to move the player.

I take responsibility of it seriously and I felt like – I think I owed it to the organization and our fan base to eventually come to this conclusion.

MILTON BRADLEY to Seattle sports writers:

I’m ready to move forward. I really don’t have a statement about Chicago. I’m a Seattle Mariner. Chicago is a thing of the past. I’m not interested in rehashing news.

There’s no way that I’m going to be fairly portrayed or represented. It’s like everything in sports, and being a celebrity and whatnot, it’s his reputation and what dirt you can dish and what you can get on someone …That’s just the way it is, and so I’m portrayed as however I am. It just adds to the mystique, I guess.

Ever the classless victim. He learned nothing and never apologized to his once teammates. Nothing is going to change in Seattle, except the market – one paper and a town not filled with fans who expect outfielders to run after the ball and not throw one into the stands with only 2 outs.

Thank you Seattle. Enjoy!

Sources: Chicago Tribune & NBC 5

Gibson – barry Afghanistan

December 18, 2009

Part 1 of barry’s interview with Charlie Gibson. Talks about Afghanistan.

barry said he anticipated the difficulties involved in managing two wars and that Iraq has actually “gone better that we anticipated”.

Talks about Dover. It’s clear he went there so he could reference it – same as Arlington.

When you meet with families and you talk to soldiers who’ve come home disabled as a consequence of their service, the sheer emotional force of that I think is something that you can’t anticipate. It’s something that hits you like a ton of bricks.

The most powerful moment of my years was traveling to Dover.

Walking up the ramp of the transport plane by myself and seeing those caskets, it’s indescribable, and it reminds you of the extraordinary courage and sacrifice that these young men and women are willing to make. But it also reminds you that you have the solemn obligation to make the best possible decision that you can make and that there is an element of tragedy involved in war that is inevitable.

If you think that this is all chest-beating and glory, then you’re probably not making the best decision as possible.

Recall his reptilian comments and shout out before he got to the terrorist attack at Ft Hood.

Calculus in your mind – what in this worth in terms of human life:

I don’t think you make a decision trying the weight the value of one or ten or 100 lives because every life is precious. I think you make decisions based on an assessment of America’s national security, the potential for addition lives – thousands of lives potentially being lost if we were not making the right decisions to preserve that national security. In these decisions you are not basing them on abstractions…without understanding there are young men and women with their lives ahead of them.

Afghanistan was his first hard decision:

I think that there is a sobriety that overcomes you during the course of a decision like this that that’s hard to describe. We’ve had to make a lot of hard decisions this year….With this one, you feel it viscerally. You lose sleep. You think about families. You think about history. You walk through Arlington. You’re reminded of the image of a mother in the rain sitting in front of a tombstone. The gravity of the decision is just of a different quality.

—————-

And a few moments ago he said he “anticipated the difficulties involved in managing two wars”.

barry channels FDR, JFK, LBJ

December 19, 2009

Talking with Charlie Gibson he brought up his legacy and how the healthcare bill:

will be the single most important piece of domestic legislation that’s passed since Social Security.

And back in August, during his “Organization for America National Health Care Forum,” he compared himself to FDR straight out. And for good measure he threw in JFK and LBJ. This little speech is most well-known for barry’s signature eloquence: “everybody in Washington gets all wee-weed up“.

I am absolutely confident that we can get this done, but I want everybody to remember, this has never been easy — never been easy. When FDR proposed Social Security, all across what was I guess the equivalent of today’s Internet, right — all the newspapers and the radio shows and all that — he was accused of being a socialist. He was going to bring socialism to America. How dare he.

When JFK and then Lyndon Johnson proposed Medicare, everybody suggested, this is going to be a government takeover of health care; it’s going to destroy your relationship with your doctor. The same arguments that are being made now have been made every time we’ve tried to propose a significant change that ultimately made people more secure, improved our health care, improved our quality of life.

barry: “government will go bankrupt if the healthcare bill is not passed!”

December 18, 2009

barry can get tough in a closed interview with Charlie but not anywhere else – like where he would be questioned.

Flashback to April 19, 2009

“unsustainable course”

jbranstetter04

August 21, 2009

“It won’t be totally broke“

And if you’re a deficit hawk, then you should be especially concerned about passing health care reform, because at the pace we’re on right now, Medicare is going to run out of money in eight years. It won’t be totally broke, but it will be in the red, because the costs are going up a lot faster than the money that’s coming in.

Fast forward to December 16th.

The federal government will go bankrupt! if the healthcare bill is not passed.

Recall that 85% of people have health insurance and are happy with it.

speakmymind

barry:

If we don’t pass it, here’s the guarantee: Your premiums will go up, your employers are going to load up more costs on you. Potentially, they’re going to drop your coverage, because they just can’t afford an increase of 25 percent, 30 percent in terms of the costs of providing health care to employees each and every year.

And the federal government will go bankrupt.

It has nothing to do with the gazillion dollars of debt he has already rung up.

Because Medicare and Medicaid are on a trajectory that are unsustainable and this actually provides us the best chance of starting to bend the cost curve on the government expenditures in Medicare and Medicaid.

So anybody who says they are concerned about the deficit, concerned about the debt, concerned about loading up taxes on you have to be supportive of this healthcare bill because if we don’t do this nobody argues with the fact that health care costs are going to consume the entire federal budget.

He makes it sound like passing the healthcare bill is the only way any of this can be solved.

And I’m not so good at math – but if we can’t pay for people 65 and older now – how is it going to be cheaper by adding tens of millions more people indefinitely?

Do you know barry is going to be a 2-term president?

If I can say at the end of my first term that, you know what, we are poised to deliver on the promise of health care after the legislation has passed, I think that’ll be important.

Is he interested in legacy or actually insuring folks? Here he actually compares himself to FDR, LBJ and JFK.

This will be the single most important piece of domestic legislation that’s passed since Social Security.

Translated: I will be the most important president since FDR.

Chicagoans: Free H1N1 shots at 7 locations, Sat 19th

December 18, 2009

Updated H1N1 posts/symptoms/vaccine

Fellow Chicagoans, free H1N1 shots at seven city college locations tomorrow (Sat 19th) on a first come first serve basis 9am – 2pm.

–Kennedy King College, 740 W. 63rd St.
–Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.
–Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski Rd.
–Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave.
–Arturo Velasquez Institute, 2800 S. Western Ave.
–Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave.
–Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Van Buren St.

If unable to get to the sites tomorrow, there is plenty of available vaccine throughout the city.

H1N1: 95M doses of vaccine available

Friday, December 18, 2009

H1N1 posts

Come and get. Folks not in high risk groups are being urged to get vaccinated.

95 M  doses available now and an expected 10M/week.

CDC:  H1N1 not causing more deaths than ordinary seasonal flu.

And there’s a possibility that the normal seasonal flu may not appear in the US for the first time in 40 years.

If that happens and there’s no third wave of H1N1, there could be less morbidity and mortality than seen in a normal year of seasonal flu.

Doctors operating to remove needles from Brazilian boy

December 18, 2009

BBC web debate: “Should homosexuals be executed?”

December 17, 2009

Not exactly sure what the true intent was but the BBC asked on their website: “Should homosexuals be executed?” Followed by “Yes, we accept this is a stark and disturbing question.”

Their questioned stemmed from Uganda’s proposed law aimed at eradicating homosexuality by jailing and executing homosexuals.

The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009” proposed by DAVID BAHATI:

It would jail anyone who fails to report gay activity to police within 24 hours.

Jail consenting adults who engage in gay sex.

Life sentences to people in same-sex marriages.

Impose the death penalty on adults who have gay sex with minors, people who are HIV positive and those with previous convictions.

This bill seems to be aimed just at male homosexuals.

And just like everywhere else – it’s the West’s fault – with a twist. Some folks believe US Evangelical Christians are behind the bill, including “The Family” which in part is comprised of US politicians, such as the pious I have sinned! adulterers, SC Gov Mark Sanford and Nev Sen John Ensign. Ensign having used the Fellowship’s “C Street” house for his adulterous liaisons with his fellow worshipper..

According to NPR:

In March, three American evangelicals attended a conference in Kampala on how to turn gay people straight. California minister Scott Lively was a key speaker.

How to turn gay people straight?

It’s hard to believe such ignorance exists. There seems no shortage of heterosexual adulterers so why don’t they try turning adulterous husbands into faithful ones?

Why the fixation?

What is so threatening about gay men? How are Evangelicals being personally harmed by what men are doing in the privacy of their home? And how many Evangelicals are married closeted homosexuals?

barry’s bud Rick Warren, whose ministry extends to Uganda, has come forward to condemn the bill.

Dec 9 video of him denying involvement. His words may be sincere but they don’t sound sincere as he says them.

Screenshot from the BBC via the DAILY MAIL

Did they set it up for for open discussion? Because they thought it is justified? To see how many people agreed with it?

Hard to tell without reading the whole post, which was evidently published by the World Service Africa Have Your Say forum, which is part of the BBC’s main news website.

Their editor DAVID STEAD said he had thought long and hard about posing the question.

We agree it is a stark and challenging question, but think that it accurately focuses on and illustrates the real issue at stake. If Uganda’s MPs vote to proceed with the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, they will bring legislation that could condemn people to death for some homosexual activities.

There are ways of focusing on the issue without debating whether gays should be executed straight out. Like a discussion of what it is going to mean for folks with HIV/AIDS and.their unsuspecting partners when they can be executed for being HIV positive.

New Zealand billboard: “Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow.”

December 17, 2009

Meant to inform – not offend.

Billboard vicar: proud he dislodged Santa from #1. (audio)

Billboard in New Zealand shows Mary and Joseph presumably naked after an unsuccessful attempt at marital relations.

Does this inspire thoughts about the mystery of Jesus’ conception or Joseph’s ED?

?

St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland created the billboard allegedly to provoke debate and “lampoon the literal interpretation of the Christmas conception story.”

Church’s vicar, ARCHDEACON GLYNN CARDY:

What we’re trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about.

Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?

How about the power of a clean mind?

And just how many folks are sitting around at Christmas reflecting on a male God sending down sperm?

Immaculate Conception = no sperm.

Hello.

Billboard defaced with brown paint.

Mission accomplished: Vicar gets his 15 seconds.

Source: BBC

Brazil: Stepfather inserted 40 sewing needles into 2 y/o boy’s body

December 16, 2009

Glenn Beck: Did WH threaten Sen Nelson with base closing? (video)

December 17, 2009

Update: Sen Nelson caves – gets payment for vote

I don’t know who Sen Nelson (D-NE) is or why he was opposing the healthcare bill, but it appears it has to do with the Hyde Amendment, which bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortion. According to CNN, his amendment pushing stronger abortion restrictions was passed by the House but rejected in the Senate and he has been sparring with Harry Reid over it. Yesterday, Sen Nelson received a “compromise proposal on abortion restrictions that look ‘better than what’s in the bill’” that was put together by fellow anti-abortion Democrat Sen Casey (PA).

Glenn Beck is reporting that the WH threatened to close Offutt Air Force Base located in Nelson’s home state – Nebraska – if he didn’t fall in line. Report came via Michael Goldfarb at the Weekly Standard, whose source was a “Senate staffer”.

According to a Senate aide, the White House is now threatening to put Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base on the BRAC list if Nelson doesn’t fall into line….As our source put it, this is a “naked effort by Rahm Emanuel and the White House to extort Nelson’s vote.” They are “threatening to close a base vital to national security for what?” asked the Senate staffer.

Offutt, if you recall, is where Pres Bush went on 9-11. It is the headquarters of the US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and has a fully fortified bunker that can withstand a nuclear attack and a fully functional “war room”. It’s absolute insanity that the WH could think they could get away with this. So on the face of it, I find it hard to believe. But barry has shown he doesn’t care about the military or national security and Rahm Emanuel is his #1 enforcer, so it’s at least in the realm of the possible.

BRAC = base realignment and closure and in 2005 recommendations for closures were made that must be carried out by September 15, 2011 by the Secretary of Defense. Any additions would have to be at the very least discussed with him and what kind of argument could barry make?

Never happen.

Media Matters has predictably run to barry’s defense – going so far as to call Goldfarb a liar. Media Matters showed how clueless and vengeful they are with the whole Lou Dobbs issue. So the two cancel each other out.

The only way to know for sure is if a memo or recording shows up or Sen Nelson comes forward or if Nelson doesn’t go for the bill and barry tries to make good on the alleged threat.

Beck is at his melodramatic best and actually brings up the word “treason”.

PoliticsCentralIX

Japan: Man marries virtual female

December 17, 2009

BBC

“Sal9000″ not only married a virtual character – a female character from the dating simulation game ‘Love Plus’ – he had a ceremony with 40 people present, which he broadcast on the internet. He figured why not since he was calling her his wife: “We decided we had to have a wedding”. He vowed to forsake humans and “updates” of his wife’s character.

If more people would find ways of expressing themselves like this, I think it would make society more interesting.

Video of the day: Dancing mascot

December 17, 2009

Have no idea whose mascot this is but s/he has a pretty good halftime bit…the ref might think otherwise.

ThatHappened!

WH Veterans’ Day breakfast crashers

December 16, 2009

This is really unbelievable. Another set of crashers made it into the WH, including meeting barry and getting their pix taken, 2 weeks BEFORE the State Dinner crashers.

Why the delay in reporting?

It wasn’t commented in the report on the security breaches or in Mike Sullivan, Director of the Secret Service’s Congressional testimony.

On Veterans’ Day, a married couple from Georgia, Harvey and Paula Darden (in their 60′s) happened upon the WH, thinking they were there for a tour. Instead, dressed as tourists – Harvery without suit and tie, they were ushered into an invitation-only (sound familiar?) breakfast for veterans and their families. Mr Darden is ex-Navy but that was discovered only after they had breached security.

They were taken to the East Room and told they would have breakfast and meet with the president and that’s what happened. They also met Michelle Obama, VP Joe Biden and Dr Jill Biden and had their pix taken with them.

The story reads the SS eventually discovered the Dardens were not on the breakfast list and after doing a background check allowed them to stay as a “nice gesture” or because he was a veteran.

Mr Darden denies they did a security check but how else would they know he was a veteran? And anyone entering the WH for a tour has to be cleared don’t they? They didn’t climb over the fence to get in.

And where was the social secretary and her staff?

From Politico:

UPDATE: The Secret Service tells AP that the Dardens went through the appropriate screening before their visit to the White House, including a criminal background check. W.H. spokesman Nick Shapiro said that because of that, the Dardens were invited to the breakfast as a “nice gesture” and added that it is not unusual for visitors who are cleared by security to be included in other W.H. events while they are there, including Marine One arrivals, East Room events and Rose Garden ceremonies, provided there is enough space.

The question is why is this only coming out now? And will the Dardens be at the hearing on Jan 20th?

2009 Most YouTube views: #1 Susan Boyle

December 17, 2009

Susan Boyle posts/videos/interviews

Google has put together the top YouTube videos for 2009 and it is no surprise who leads the pack – Susan Boyle. They have her down as only 120M views when it’s way beyond that.

Back in May, Ms Boyle’s audition video was ranked #5 all-time most viewed YouTube video with 186M views.

On June 29, Lisa Pully from Susan Boyle Fan Club USA did a hand count and got Audition- 326,766,495 and including semifinal, final and others for a total = 424,878,174.

Most Watched YouTube videos (Global):
1. Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent (120+ million views) [here]
2. David After Dentist (37+ million views) [below]
3. JK Wedding Entrance Dance (33+ million views) [below]
4. New Moon Movie Trailer (31+ million views)
5. Evian Roller Babies (27+ million views) [here]

David after dentist

“Is this real life?”

The wedding dance – spoofed on The Office for Jim & Pam’s wedding

TheKeintz

Blago talks Elvis – his lawyers talk FBI transcripts

December 17, 2009

The essence of Blagojevich: His lawyers spend the day in court arguing for access to transcripts of the FBI interviews conducted with POTUS, FLOTUS, Valerie Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel — and Milorad spends the night debating Elvis at a Columbia College forum on “Viva Las Vegas”.

ABC 7 (Ravi Baichwal)

Debate attendee, Erica Feldmann was excited about blago’s excitement about Elvis:

I’m a big fan of Rod being a fan of Elvis...how are you not entertained by our ex-governor?

That’s what the national media doesn’t get. They refer to Blago as a crazy media hound when he is pure entertainment. Every politician in city, county and state politics has done something nefarious – including barry – that’s how they got the job. Blago had access to do a little more nefariousness than most. At least he’s out of office and can’t do any more damage. And barry?

RAVI BAICHWAL:

What do you have in common with Lucky Jackson (Elvis’ character in Viva Las Vegas)?

BLAGOJEVICH:

He won the Las Vegas Grand Prix and I’m going to prove my innocence and win my trial.

If he says it enough times people might start believing it…

Blago channeling Elvis sings “Treat Me Nice”

NBC/WSJ POLL: POTUS approval/favorability, healthcare, economy

December 17, 2009

Rasmussen Poll (12/15)
Quinnipiac Poll (12/1-6)

Scroll down for video discussion.

Strangest finding: more people have positive feelings toward Tea Party movement (41) vs Dems (35) vs Reps (28)

NBC/WSJ Poll (pdf)
Dec 11-14
1,008 adults
Voted for barry (40) McCain (37)
MoE +/- 3.1

Country headed right direction?
Yes 33 – No 55

Life for our children’s generation better than ours?
Yes 27 – No 66

POTUS job rating
Approve 47 – disapprove 46

POTUS favorability
Positive 22 – neutral 13 – negative 37
Very positive 0
Somewhat positive 22
Neutral 13
Somewhat negative 15
Very negative 22

[TIGER WOODS]
SP 10 – N 38 – SN 14 – VN 24

Confident POTUS has right goals/policies
Extremely 19
Quite 20
Only somewhat 28
Not at all 33

Two people you have the least respect for
Bush, Cheney, Gore, barry, Palin

Healthcare plan
Good idea 32 – Bad idea 47

Pass healthcare plan 41
No – keep current 44

Handling economy
Approve 42 – Disapprove 51

Handling foreign policy
Approve 49 – disapprove 42

Afghanistan
Approve 46 – disapprove 42

WSJ’s Peter Wallsten

Ft Hood: Muslim murderer out of ICU

December 17, 2009

Updated list of Fort Hood posts

Source: CNN

He is still in Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, but after 6 weeks, he is no longer in need of intensive care. This according to his attorney, Col John Galligan (retired), who wants his client moved closer to Ft Hood (SA is 125 miles away) so it is easier to communicate and work on the defense. Galligan filed a motion requesting transfer but it has not been ruled on. He has also requested more defense attorneys – a previous Army defense lawyer has already refused to be involved.

What possible defense is there?

He clearly premeditated it down to getting rid of his frozen broccoli. At this point it’s a matter of making sure everything is done by the book so there’s no questions he was given a fair trial and adequate defense care of the American taxpayers.

Mr Galligan said he expects mm to be in the hospital for another 3 months – why? Does the BAMC have a rehab section? Is that where he was moved? What else is wrong with him above and beyond the paralysis that requires hospitalized medical treatment for 3 more months? CBN reported that he was “concerned over the results of an HIV test he had taken”. Why?

As yet, the government has not released any information. Allegedly the FBI (former FBI & CIA Director William Webster) and Pentagon are working on separate investigations.

What is the WH doing?

Telling the WH Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees to “slow down” because he doesn’t want the criminal investigation by the FBI and the Army to be “compromised”.

And the WH press corps?

Chelsea Lately: Adam Lambert (video)

December 16, 2009

Lambert posts/videos/interviews
(12-16) SYTYCD: “Whataya Want From  Me” (video)

Introduced as the “gayest thing to come out of American Idol since Clay Aiken”.

Mentioned: his natural red hair, 250lbs in high school, LSD enlightenment, Lady Gaga, Madonna’s house, “staff homosexual Guy,” AMA performance, he’s welcome to do whatever to whomever on her show.

SYTYCD finale: Adam Lambert: “Whataya Want From Me”

December 16, 2009

Lambert posts/videos/interviews
(12-16) Lambert on Chelsea Lately (video)

Adam Lambert rocked the house. Not sure what that whatever is on his shoulder. Might just be his way of making sure he was talked about.

This week he sold 46K copies (down 9%). 2nd week: 51K  (down 74%) 1st week: 198k was #3.

In case you don’t know: Russell won but he injured his leg somehow and couldn’t dance the later numbers so they showed them on videotape. Bummer for those who missed their chance to dance live. But he had to deal with injured partners Noelle and Ashleigh.

2-Jakob
3-Kathryn
4-Ellenore
5-Ashleigh
6-Ryan

Thanks to zaziania

“Law and Order” spreading propaganda about conservative talk radio hosts

December 15, 2009

Law and Order has entered the propaganda machine: talk radio is inciting civil unrest. They did an episode (“Anchor” aired 12-9) about a man (Mr X) killing “anchor” children of immigrants. Mr X was a devoted talk radio listener and got off with the ‘he was brainwashed by the radio host’ defense – that Mr Radio Host had so incited Mr X, he was driven to kill, which ended up a lie. After Mr X was found not guilty, he told his defense lawyer, thanks, he could go out and kill more children. He was a murderer and the murders had nothing to do with Mr Radio Host.

DEFENSE LAWYER to detective before the verdict:

Mr X is a symptom – not the disease.

DETECTIVE: That symptom killed three kids.

DEFENSE LAWYER:

Mr Radio Host (I would imagine represents Lou Dobbs), Limbaugh, Beck, O’Reilly all of them – they’re like a cancer spreading ignorance and hate. And they’ve convinced folks that immigrants are the problem – not corporations that fail to pay a living wage or a broken healthcare system.

Why did he mention a “broken healthcare system”? Because of the townhalls? Because barry wants to ram it through?

DEFENSE LAWYER:

…The problem is bigger than Mr X. Those kids would still be alive if Mr Radio Host hadn’t driven him to kill.

There were other references made throughout. Mr Radio Host says on the stand to the defense lawyer:

How about you with your bleeding crypto-Marxist buddies who speechify at rallies – you march on Washington – are you responsible if some anarchist smashes a window?

The propaganda has spread from the MSM to non-cable TV shows.

Don’t need to mention that it aired on NBC – MSNBC being barry’s biggest and most faithful propaganda outlet.

Ms Boyle’s third week = 582,000 sold

December 16, 2009

Susan Boyle posts/videos/interviews/CD

Susan Boyle’s third week sales are 10% higher than last week.

1st week = 701K
2nd week = 527K
3rd week = 582K
—————-
Total = 1,810,000

2009 top selling album: Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” 2.7M with 7 weeks as #1.

Ms Boyle’s is the only other album to stay at #1 for three consecutive weeks and just the 8th to sell at least 500K copies in each of the first 3 weeks (last album 50 Cent 2003) since tracking started in 1991.

This week’s Billboard top 4 albums:

1. Susan Boyle, “I Dreamed A Dream” (582K)
2. Andrea Bocelli, “My Christmas” (420K – down 7% – 5th week at #2 – 5 week total = 1.52M)
3. “Glee: The Music, Volume 2″ (173K – debuted Nov 4 – 113K)
4. Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” (168K with 168K – up 32%)

Susan Boyle playlist (with video links)

H1N1: Recall of children’s vaccine (not potent enough)

December 16, 2009

Updated H1N1 posts/symptoms/vaccine

Note: There is NO PROBLEM WITH THE SAFETY OF THE VACCINE – just the potency.

Children who received a vaccine from the manufacturer DO NOT NEED TO BE IMMUNIZED AGAIN.

Source: CNN

Maybe French manufacturer SANOFI PASTEUR should slow down production. They are the manufacturers that bragged they can make 10M vaccines per week and a total of 170M vaccines year. And they promise 90% efficacy (children and adults) with one dose.

Doesn’t seem to be the case here.

The vaccines for children were not potent enough (tested 12% too low) so they are recalling 800K doses of vaccine meant for children ages 6 months to 35 months, who receive only 1/2 the dose. Children over 3 receive the full dose.

How often they test the potency of the vaccine?

In order for vaccine to move to next phase of production it [the vaccine] has to pass all tests and at the end, it has to pass another battery of tests before it can be shipped out. [The company also keeps samples of each batch of vaccine] to periodically test them to see if they stay within specification until expiration date.

Allegedly there was no problem with the initial testing – of 4 lots sent in early November. However on Dec 7th, they discovered that the samples failed – how was not specified. They then notified the CDC (all the H1N1 vaccines are going through the CDC unlike the seasonal vaccine that goes from manufacturer to dispenser) to have them retested and it was determined they were 12% not potent enough.

All along they have said that the vaccine did not produce as robust a reaction in children as in adults and recommended two doses two weeks apart for children under 9.

For a man made vaccine they sure screwed it all up.

They don’t know how much of the vaccine still exists so here is the pertinent recall info.

• Sanofi Pasteur if they come from the following lots:

• The vaccine was manufactured in Sanofi Pasteur’s Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, factory.

• • 0.25 mL pre-filled syringes, 10-packs (NDC . 49281-650-25, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-25): UT023DA, UT028DA, UT028CB.
• • 0.25 mL pre-filled syringes, 25-packs (NDC . 49281-650-70, sometimes coded as 49281-0650-70): UT030CA.

Rasmussen: barry approval index minus 15

December 16, 2009

Quinnipiac (12/1-6)
NBC/WSJ (12/11-14)

Another first for barry. He has the lowest approval rating of any president at this time in their presidency.

Does a good solid B+ equate to a minus 15 approval index?

46% at least somewhat approve
53% disapprove

26% strongly approve
41% strongly disapprove

Audra Mae: writer of Ms Boyle’s “Who I Was Born to Be”

December 14, 2009

Susan Boyle posts/videos/interviews/CD

Susan Boyle is helping put Audra Mae’s name on the map. And who is Ms Mae? An up and coming 25 y/o singer/songwriter from Oklahoma (and grand niece of Judy Garland), who wrote the only original song on Ms Boyle’s album. “Who I Was Born to Be” was written specifically for Ms Boyle – though Ms Mae has never met her.

Listen to Ms Mae’s music.

(Photo: Piper Ferguson)

From MTV News.

AUDRA MAE:

Honestly, I haven’t wrapped my brain around the whole thing yet. I knew the song would be on there, but I had no idea what would happen [with the album] and that it would be like this. It’s just a crazy twist of fate. I was just stoked that she liked it.

I knew it needed to be a song that made sense for her to sing, so I went online and researched her and her life and found out how she got to be where she is, and it came from that.

I knew it needed to be something that she could be proud to sing. Almost like a mantra — and I’m thrilled that she liked it enough to put it on the album. The cool thing is that she symbolizes real talent above anything else, above a show with pyrotechnics, a hot body … she’s f—ing talented and it’s really awesome to be a part of that.

And Ms Boyle sang the hell out of it on her TV Guide special. It’s clear it has meaning for her. Lyrics/video here.

Ms Mae is working on her debut album (due out in March), which hopefully will get a lot of looks from Ms Boyle fans.

I think it’s not going to hurt it. I have no way of knowing what will transpire, so the fun for me is watching it unfold. Logically, it will attract more attention to my album and I hope it keeps people interested.

For a bio of Ms Mae check out the rest of GIL KAUFMAN‘s article at MTV News.

TV Guide’s “The Susan Boyle Story” (video)

December 15, 2009

For Haiti: “Everybody Hurts”

Susan Boyle posts/videos/interviews

I’m surprised this is available. Video of TV Guide’s “The Susan Boyle Story” which originally aired on Sunday Dec 13th. It is TV Guide Network’s highest rated show ever. Special thanks to docrobbie314 and tukmolkaman for the videos.

See here for complete rundown of show with quotes.

Piers Morgan is the host. They begin with the audition of course January 21, 2009. Some footage of hometown and childhood friend Lorraine Campbell. Footage from 1984. Her mother.

Parts 1 & 2 of the ones I could find are not embeddable.

This preview covers a lot of Part 1.

docrobbie314

PART 3

tukmolkaman

PART 4

tukmolkaman

Part 5

tukmolkaman

Don’t know how long these videos will be available. If there’s one that’s missing please let us know in the comments. Thanks.

Maybelle: Rundown of TV Guide’s “The Susan Boyle Story”

December 14, 2009

UPDATE: Maybelle – found videos of the show (here)

Susan Boyle posts/videos/interviews/CD

Hi again Maybelle.

Nice to hear from you again. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see it. I don’t know if the TV Guide channel is cable or not – but they are re-running it this week and probably for a while. It’s their #1 rated show ever.

Did your great-grandson ever set your computer up for You Tube? I’ll see if I can track down some video if it’s available. I think these were her best performances since her audition. She was really singing for herself and her audience and appeared completely comfortable doing so. Singing with Elaine Paige and the cast of Les Miserables and then Donny Osmond stopping by must have been amazing.

Here’s a quick rundown of the show with pertinent quotes.

In her Q & A with PEOPLE:

Q: What’s it like having your own television special?

A: It’s a very humbling experience. I loved every second of it. I finally feel like the dream is a reality. When the show was made, I can honestly say that it was the best two days of my life. The producer, Nigel Hall, made me a beautiful show.

Transcript follows

DC Council passes same-sex marriage bill

December 15, 2009

States allowing civil unions/same-sex-marriage/domestic partnerships

DC Council, by a vote of 11-2, passed the “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009″ allowing same-sex couples to marry. Mayor Adrian Fenty has promised to sign into law.

However, the fight is not over. Congress has the final say over DC laws and they can overrule the DC Council’s vote. They have 30 days to take a vote. Also, gay marriage opponents are presently suing in the DC courts trying to get it put on the ballot so the residents can decide.

31 states have already voted to deny same-sex marriage.

CBN

Gov Quinn/Sen Durbin praise decision re: Thomson

December 15, 2009

Presidential memo re: Thomson
Letter from defense team to Gov Quinn

Note that the alleged 3000 jobs created are not all going to be local hires and a large percentage will be going to the military for security purposes.

Couldn’t find a comment from Rep Kirk as yet. Also noteworthy, Sen Roland Burris has not been included with Sen Durbin and Gov Quinn in any of their comments. Don’t know if Mr Burris is against the idea.

Statement follows