FOD 2012.04.02

I think most people are of the opinion that politics is a sleazy business. However, it always seems to come as a shock when hard data is compiled that illustrates that opinion. What used to be even more shocking, but nowadays is sadly expected, is the reluctance of the mainstream media to do report those facts, at least when the m`lefactor is a democrat or liberal.

Case in point: buying House votes for unpopular legislation.

An examination of “administrative earmarks” around the time of congressional votes on key pieces of President Obama’s agenda suggests the White House used its power to fund local projects as a mans to “buy” votes for major legislative efforts.

... an analysis of grants from agencies during the early years of the Obama administration shows that the districts of moderate Democrats, whose support was so crucial for Obama during the 111th Congress, received large sums right around the passage of three key pieces of legislation: Obamacare, Dodd-Frank financial regulations, and the cap-and-trade bill.

During the run-up to votes in the House of Representatives for each of those pieces of legislation, the rate of administrative earmarking spiked. ...

The number of grants given by those agencies spiked precisely when the House was considering each of the three pieces of legislation.

Even more troubling: during the same time periods, significant grant money went to the districts of numerous Democratic representatives who looked to face tough battles for re--election. The legislation Obama was attempting to get through Congress was generally unpopular, and vulnerable members needed other ways to appeal to constituents. Federal grants made for a perfect opportunity.

Then-Rep. Chris Carney (D-PA), for instance, kept his support for Dodd-Frank quiet. His website never posted a press release announcing his “yes” vote on the bill. It did, however, tout two federal grants totaling $3.6 million for businesses in his district two days before the Dodd-Frank vote.

Then-Rep. Zach Space (D-OH) hailed from a district reliant on the coal industry, which would have been hit particularly hard by cap and trade. He voted for the measure, but neglected to publicize the vote on his website. He did, however, announce eight federal grants totaling roughly $1.8 million all made during the month before the House passed cap and trade.

At least 32 vulnerable House Democrats received significant federal grant money in the periods leading up to or directly after their votes on at least one of these three pieces of legislation (see charts below), raising concerns that those grants may have been used either to encourage or reward votes in favor of the administration’s position.

Yes, this practice has been going on for a while, under both democrat and republican administrations. But as the above article goes on to point out, under obama both the number of administrative earmarks and the value of those earmarks has skyrocketed. Combining those increases with the blatantly obvious timing of them goes to show "how taxpayer funds are used for crass political purposes — it is a rank abuse of the government’s power and another sign of this administration’s lack of a moral compass.”

Is anyone really surprised?

Springtime In South Texas

I left my home in Central Texas early this afternoon. It was a beautiful spring day. The morning air was so crisp and pure that we opened all the windows and aired out the house. The sky was a deep, deep, wonderfully vibrant shade of blue that made me want to sing, or do cartwheels, or both (disregarding the fact that I can't do either). Birds were singing, butterflies were flitting about, squirrels were chattering ... I even heard a turkey gobbling.

Every plant was some shade of verdant green, and they were all budding, blossoming, or blooming. The wildflowers ... ah, God, the wildflowers ... they are beyond my poor powers of description. After the last couple years of drought, we've had a decent amount of rain this spring, and the wildflowers have responded, bursting forth with long-delayed passion.

When I climbed into my truck the temperature was in the high 70s and the humidity was in the mid 40s. You couldn't ask for a better day.

I rolled down the windows, cranked up the stereo, and headed south.

Sigh...

Three short hours later the temperature was 98 and the humidity was somewhere around 75. Semis were roaring hither and yon, leaving whirlwinds of dust and gravel in their wake (I've replaced one windshield and filled three chips in the new one, all in the last three months). Yes, the Eagle Ford shale play has been a great boon for the South Texas economy, but it does come at a cost. Part of that cost is a degradation of the quality of life down here. IMO it's a tradeoff worth making, but that doesn't make it any less palatable.

 

So my incredibly spirit-renewing absolutely drop-dead gorgeous spring day lasted about four hours. To top things off, tomorrow I have to face 100+ college students whose performance on last week's exam was flat-out dismal.

Usually crushing their hopes and dreams cheers me up, but after today's transition from paradise to Hades it's going to take more than that.

Like Shiners.

Many, many Shiners...

Bond ... James Bond

In a story that sounds like something straight out of a James Bond movie,

Sexpot spy Anna Chapman came close to snaring a member of President Obama's inner circle in a honey trap, a top U.S. intelligence official has claimed... In a documentary broadcast last night, FBI counter-intelligence chief Frank Figliuzzi claimed the glamorous Russian agent got close enough to 'disturb' U.S. spy catchers.

He said the fear that Miss Chapman was close to seducing a sitting member of the Obama administration spurred agents to swoop on the 10-strong spy ring of which she was a part... Mr Figliuzzi told the Channel 4 documentary the auburn-haired spy got 'closer and closer to higher and higher ranking leadership... she got close enough to disturb us'.

Jeez, I wish the FBI could have held off long enough to catch Ms. Chapman in flagrante delicto with whoever the administration horn-dog is. I'd love to know who is this administration's Bill Clinton or JFK.

Doug Ross speculates, hilariously, on who it might be.

Warning: don't drink liquids while viewing.

Never Trust An Electrician With A Sharpie

Media Malpractice

The Trayvon Martin episode has now reached the point where the story about the story is rivaling the original story.

If you have trouble following that mangled syntax, what I'm trying to say is that the media's botched coverage of the incident and subsequent developments has become so egregious that it has become its own story.

Coverage of media coverage of the Trayvon Martin shooting has now fully separated from the actual events of February 26, 2012, and become a separate story in its own right, as have political attempts to manipulate perceptions of the case.  Two important updates on the media front:

First, NBC News has launched an “internal investigation” of how a heavily edited version of the audio from George Zimmerman’s 911 call on the March 27 broadcast of the “Today” show.  The same “mistake” was made in a written transcript published at MSNBC.com.

It should be a fairly short “internal investigation,” because the brass just needs to figure out who decided to edit the following conversation between Zimmerman and the dispatcher:

ZIMMERMAN: This guy looks like he's up to no good… or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about.

DISPATCHER: Okay, is this guy, is he white, black, or Hispanic?

ZIMMERMAN: He looks black.

… into this: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good… he looks black.”  As deceptive edits go, it’s rather clumsy, isn’t it?  Not to mention grossly irresponsible, given the volatile situation surrounding the Sanford case.

Of course, NBC has a long and proud tradition of selectively editing their 'news' programs to reflect their world-view. Remember the faked GM pickup fires?

In 1993 (a NBC spokesman) admitted "NBC had misled viewers when it showed a simulated crash in which a gas tank on the G.M. truck exploded into flames ... in its apology Tuesday night, the network cited its use of an incendiary device to ignite an explosion and its failure to inform the viewers about the device.

Returning to the present day and the Trayvon Martin story:

Meanwhile, ABC News manufactured a “scoop” last week by releasing edited video from the Sanford Police Department, ostensibly “proving” that Zimmerman didn’t have any visible injuries.  Since Zimmerman claims to have been physically assaulted by Trayvon Martin, a lack of injuries would do some damage to his story.

But ABC not only failed to remind its readers that Zimmerman was treated by paramedics at the scene of Martin’s death – a well-established hard fact documented in police reports.  They also used an on-screen graphic to obscure Zimmerman’s head at a crucial moment in their “big scoop” video clip.  Without this graphic, viewers can see a rather large gash on the back of Zimmerman’s head, which is totally consistent with his story, and completely destroys the action line for ABC’s “reporting.”  The video loudly touted as showing no injuries did, in fact, depict what appears to be a significant injury.

Lo and behold, ABC News has now produced an “enhanced” version of the security camera video, and whaddya know – it’s another sizzling-hot blockbuster scoop, which just happens to completely erase the previous scoop, because after more “enhancement and re-digitization” than Disney deployed to create Tron:Legacy, it turns out ABC’s sharp-eyed analysts can see that scar too!

Thus, ABC News claims to have “revealed for the first time” what everyone who didn’t fall for their earlier “scoop” could easily see with their own eyes, by viewing the unedited security tape.  Maybe a sufficiently loud cry of “Whoops!” will make an internal investigation unnecessary.

So far CBS hasn't been caught doctoring transcripts or altering recordings, but given its track record, it's probably only a matter of time. After all, during the 2004 presidential election they produced bogus memos purporting to show irregularities in George W. Bush's national Guard service records.

Dan Rather admitted he'd been chasing the story for five years--proof that there was something in George W. Bush's National Guard record that would convince people not to vote for him.  

That fiasco resulted in the memorable statement uttered by CBS in its defense that the memos were "fake, but accurate."

Even Walter Cronkite would be embarrassed by that one.

Gosh, if you can't trust NBC, ABC, and CBS, who can you trust?

(Y)our Government At Work

Pay attention, children. This is an allegory that draws a parallel between how the government does things, and how things should be done.

Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and there were two world superpowers -- the U.S. and Russia (okay, technically, it was the USSR, but Russia and the USSR were used interchangeably - for the sake of convenience, we're going to use Russia here) -- there was this contest between us and them known as the Space Race.

That was back when America had pride in itself, had lofty objectives, and had the technological, economical, and spiritual resources to strive and achieve. In other words, pre-obama.

Anyway, back then when NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity.

To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300° C.

The Russians used a pencil...

Different Strokes For Different Folks

I saw the below at Boned Jello. My mind was duly boggled. (For those of you not familiar with Wegmans, it is a regional grocery store chain located mainly in the northeast - similar to HEB for all you Texas folks.)

Wegman's has put up a sign asking customers buying pork or alcohol not to use a particular checkout line when a Muslim teenager is on duty as the cashier.

I have a better idea. If I'm buying pork or alcohol (or anything else) I'll not only chose another lane, I'll chose another store.

Tolerance is one thing. Hiring people who are unwilling to do the job is something else entirely. Why not give her a job in the produce department and hire cashiers who aren't so picky?

Here's the link to the full story. Don't read the "Mosqueing the workplace" section until after you've taken your blood pressure pills.

Wine - The New State Secret

I'm more of a beer guy then a wine aficionado. On occasion, however, I do like to indulge in a nice glass or two of vino. When I do, I usually seek out what I like to call 'value wines.' To me, that means reasonably palatable and priced around $20 per box bottle.

I realize that there are better vintages out there. And I certainly understand that when hosting the leaders of other nations it is appropriate to serve a high-quality selection of wines. But that doesn't mean those wines have to cost in the neighborhood of $400 per bottle.

When British Prime Minister David Cameron visits President Barack Obama this week, one detail may stay bottled up: the labels on the wines the White House pours at the state dinner tomorrow night.

For Obama’s first three state dinners, honoring the leaders of India, Mexico and China, the White House released the name, year and appellation of wines—all-American—paired with each course.

Part of a tradition observed by previous presidents, including George W. Bush, that disclosure stopped after Obama’s dinner last year for Chinese President Hu Jintao. One of the wines served on Jan. 19, 2011, was a top-rated 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington state that originally sold for $115 a bottle and went for as much as $399 by the time of the dinner.

Just another example of obama's belief that nothing's too good for him - especially when he's spending other people's money. (Remember that Hawaiian vacation? Or the one at Martha's Vineyard? Or the many others that he and/or Michelle have enjoyed at our expense?)

At the next state dinner, on June 7, 2011, for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the menu made public by the White House didn’t include details on the wines.

Another time-honored American tradition ignored and discarded by the Wino-in-Chief.

Quelle surprise!

Obama and Hu sharing a toast. At $400 per bottle, and about 5 glasses to the bottle, they're each holding $80 worth of wine.

People Search For The Strangest Things

Here's a sequel to a recent post about reviewing my blog stats. As I mentioned, the most-viewed pages were those having something to do with sex, or some variation thereof. Mildly interesting, but not especially surprising.

What was surprising, however, were some of the search terms that led people here. Three in particular stood out

Search Words: used bra for sale

Search Words: butt chin cartoon

Search Words: guy in love you like a love song sunglasses

Anyone wanna fess up and explain themselves?

I'm Tired Of All This Racial Crap

All you liberals who think anyone that doesn't like obama is a racist - check this out and then STFU!

(H/T The Looking Spoon)

Sunday Funnies 2012.04.08

Have a happy and blessed Easter!

"Why You Wouldn't Want To Be An Easter Egg"

It takes you three minutes to get hard.
You only get laid once.

 * * * * * * * * * *

Years ago in Ireland, there was a priest who was very anti-British. Every Sunday he would blast them from the pulpit. He became so notorious that the Pope himself summoned the priest to Rome fnr an audience.

"Father," said the Pope, "I want that there should be peace between the British and the Irish. You're not helping matters at all. I want you to kiss my ring and swear by the Blessed Virgin that you'll never so much as mention the British in public again."

"But Your Holiness, I - I - " the priest stammered.

"No buts," said the Pope. "Swear it here and now or there'll be trouble!"

"Aye, Holy Father," sighed the father. "All right. I swear it."

The very next Sunday just happened to be Easter, and the priest was back at his pulpit in Ireland, giving his annual Easter sermon.

He got to the part of the Easter story where Jesus said, "And one of you shall betray Me."

The priest continues: "Saint Andrew jumps up and says, 'Is it I Lord?' and the Lord says, 'Nay, Andy darlin', it's not you. Sit down now and dunna worry. Eat your supper.'

Then Saint John the Divine gets up with tears in his eyes and cries, 'Is it I Lord?' And the Lord says, 'Nay, Johnny me boy, it's not you. Sit down now and dunna fret yourself. Eat your supper.'

"Then that dirty dog Judas Iscariot slowww-ly rises to his feet. And he looks the Lord right in the eye and says, 'Blimey, Mate. Ya think it's me?"

 * * * * * * * * * *

If a Muslim and a Buddhist were to pass over Easter Island, where would they bury the irony?

FOD 2012.04.09

It's been a long holiday weekend, I'm tired, and the week ahead is shaping up to be a royal pain in the butt. So I went searching Amazon.com for something to inspire me. Instead, I found a whole bunch of books by or about barack obama. Here's just two (and no, these aren't a joke - they are real honest to goodness books that sheep people are buying).

Words That Changed A Nation: The Most Celebrated and Influential Speeches of Barack Obama

Michelle Obama: First Lady of Fashion and Style

Now I'm really depressed...

Vote Early And Vote Often

An article in Monday's San Antonio Express-News noted that "Sixteen small counties across Texas appear to have more registered voters on their rolls as of 2010 than qualified citizens of voting age." The article carefully skirts the issue of voter fraud, much less the controversy over Texas' voter ID law that is currently being tortured to death in the courts. However, other commentators have noted the long and colorful history of the somewhat informal approach to voting in South Texas.

... elections in South Texas have not always been left to chance. In May, Texas Watchdog, an independent investigative website, provided a startlingly detailed look at political corruption in Jim Wells County, due south of San Antonio and named after a nineteenth-century Democratic boss. Reporter Steve Miller showed how the grunt work of vote harvesting is performed by politiqueros, tactfully translated as “canvassers” (“fixers” if you’re politically incorrect).

One of the politiqueras, Zaida Bueno, not only went on the record but, with cameras rolling, also showed Miller how the process of vote-coaching and absentee ballots actually works. At the going rate of three dollars for every successfully returned ballot, personal contacts generate volume — and volume counts. Meant to aid the aged, the infirm and the illiterate as well as genuine absentees, Ms. Bueno was forthright about why manipulation of the less fortunate is modest but steady work. “I have to push [the candidates]…to push their name.” While the voter may ask for suggestions, “…I vote for the one I want, the one I am helping.” And finally, “They say ‘yes,’ I put [the ballot] in the envelope, and nobody knows but me, you.”

Jim Wells County keeps popping up in South Texas voting fraud lore.

The complaints filed by Jim Wells County residents have a familiar ring ... residents said they went to the voter polls on Election Day 2008, only to discover that they had already voted ... This is a scenario that has been seen before.

In 2006, Duval County officials said that nearly half of the ballots cast in that year’s primary — 2,800 out of 5,445 primary votes — were by mail-in ballot. A woman said that her deceased father’s name was among those that showed up on a mail-in ballot.

Of course, the most famous - or infamous - South Texas ballot fraud of all time took place in 1948 when Lyndon Johnson first ran for the U.S. Senate. It appeared that he had lost the primary, until all of a sudden Box 13 from Jim Wells County appeared out of nowhere. It contained 203 ballots, 202 of which were for LBJ ... in the same ink ... and the same handwriting ... and in alphabetical order. That resulted in a new nickname for him: Landslide Lyndon.

South Texas aside, the democrats have been carrying on similar shenanigans across the nation.

...four Democratic officials in Indiana were hit with felony charges related to petition fraud in the state's 2008 primary ... Without the phony signatures, there's a significant chance that Obama would not have qualified for the primary ballot -- throwing the validity of the entire election into question.

... a New York judge set new trial dates for Democratic officials and political operatives accused of another ballot fraud conspiracy...

... in Wisconsin, the state's Medical Examining Board decided last month to investigate 11 additional doctors for writing fake sick notes for public union teachers who ditched their classrooms to protest GOP Gov. Scott Walker. Nine other medical professionals have already received slaps on the wrist.

There's more, of course. One of the most notorious locations for old-style machine politics is Chicago, obama's home town. And one of the most notorious examples took plaice in 1982, resulting in "one of the largest voter fraud prosecutions ever conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice ... the U.S. Attorney in Chicago at the time, Daniel Webb, estimated that at least 100,000 fraudulent votes (10 percent of all votes in the city) had been cast. Sixty-five individuals were indicted for federal election crimes, and all but two (one found incompetent to stand trial and another who died) were convicted"

So the next time some head-in-the-sand liberal says there's no need for voter ID laws because there's no evidence of fraudulent voting, just refer him to South Texas ... and Indiana ... and New York ... and Chicago ... and the list goes on ... and on ... and on...

Then The Democrat Wins

I recently posted about voter fraud and the democrats opposition to any form of a voter ID law.

One alternative might be some sort of current events or civics test that a prospective voter would have to pass before being issued a ballot. You know, sort of a “Don’t let ignorant people vote” proposal.

Is it constitutional? In a word, yes.

The Constitution specifies several factors that cannot be used to deny someone the right to vote—most notably, race (15th Amendment), gender (19th Amendment) and age (26th Amendment). No amendment forbids putting citizens to the test before they can register to vote, so the idea is fair game.

Is it a good idea? IMHO, not only yes, but "Hell Yes!" 

Will it ever happen? Regretfully, probably not.

Why not? The answer is below.

The Big Lie - Big Oil Version

It is often said that if you repeat a lie often enough, people will begin to believe it. Obama and his flunkies in the media have mastered this technique. Case in point: the myth that energy companies are reaping billions of dollars in government subsidies.

Listen to any liberal or democrat. Read any paper. Watch any news broadcast or talking heads opinion show. The story is remarkably similar. Big Oil is raping the American taxpayer, enjoying record profits while receiving billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, all resulting from a massive lobbying campaign.

The only problem with this narrative is that none of it is true.

First, start with the definition of "subsidy." In economic terms it is "A payment from government to individuals or businesses without any expectations of production."

That definitely describes the solar, wind, electric car, and ethanol industries. But it's a far cry from oil and natural gas production. There, we are talking about the tax code, not government handouts. Here are the tax treatments targeted by democrats.

Domestic manufacturing tax deduction -- $1.7 B.  This is a tax deduction given to every manufacturer in the US.  Per CNN, it was "designed to keep factories in the United States."  If that deduction were eliminated for oil companies only, it would mean singling out oil companies from all other manufacturers.

Percentage depletion allowance -- $1 B.  Any industry can write down a portion of the cost of its capital equipment as part of the cost of doing business.  Right now, oil in the ground is treated as capital equipment.  Again, this "subsidy" amounts to how the cost of doing business is defined.  All companies get it, not just oil companies.

Foreign tax credit -- $850 million.  Companies get credit for taxes they pay to other countries.  All companies get this "subsidy," not just oil companies.  Should a company pay tax on tax?  Should only oil companies pay tax on tax?

Intangible drilling costs -- $780 million.  According to CNN, "[a]ll industries get to write off the costs of doing business, but they must take it over the life of an investment. The oil industry gets to take the drilling credit in the first year."  Among these four tax "breaks," this smallest one was the only one that treated oil companies differently.

The above address taxes that are not collected from the oil companies. What about actual tax payments?

Exxon recently released its first quarter results for 2011.  The number grabbing the headlines was Exxon's profit: $10.65 billion in a single quarter.  The number not given quite as much exposure was the taxes it paid in that same quarter:  $8 billion, or 42% of income before taxes.

And what does Exxon do with all that money it has left after paying $8 B in taxes?  It put $7.8 billion into capital and exploration, as part of its plans "to invest between $33 billion and $37 billion per year over the next five years to develop new energy supplies."

In any other industry, that would be called "research and development."  Exxon is plowing 73% of its after-tax profits back into R&D.  Who would be better at spending $4 billion of energy companies' earnings in an attempt to provide our energy in the future: the energy companies or Obama's energy czar?

But there is at least one member of the Big Oil club that gets subsidies from the U.S. government. Any idea which one?

It's Petrobras, the state-owned Brazilian oil company.

The U.S. is going to lend billions of dollars to Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, to finance exploration of the huge offshore discovery in Brazil's Tupi oil field in the Santos Basin near Rio de Janeiro. Brazil's planning minister confirmed that White House National Security Adviser James Jones met ... with Brazilian officials to talk about the loan.

A few more tidbits:

• The amount of earnings not collected in taxes is about $4.3 billion per year -- about 0.2% of this year's deficit and enough to fund about 10 hours of current US government spending.
• A full $3.55 billion of that amount (82%) is due to the way taxes are treated for all industries or manufacturers.  To change these tax laws only for oil companies would require singling them out among all industries for special mistreatment.
• The only tax in which the oil industry seems to get special treatment compared to other industrids is intangible drilling costs.  The amount of that subsidy?  That would be $0.78 billion per year -- enough to fund less than two hours of federal spending in 2011, and not even half the amount we are lending a foreign-owned and state-owned oil company for drilling offshore Brazil.
• Oil companies already pay tax rates of 40-50% of income.

As for the notion that Big Oil gets special treatment because of its massive army of lobbyists, consider this.

... the Oil & Gas industry ranked only 19th in the amount of money contributed to politicians in the 2008 election cycle: $17.7 million.  Who was number one?  Lawyers, who contributed $126.9 million, or over seven times as much as the Oil & Gas industry.  The Education lobby gave $37.4 million, more than twice as much as Oil & Gas.

Of course, lawyers and teachers unions are obama allies, so the lapdog media would never report that fact.

One final point, again unreported - nay, buried - by obama's lackeys in the MSM:

According to the DOE's Energy Information Administration, every time you fill up your gas tank, more of your money goes to taxes than goes to refining costs and profits combined.

Facts are such inconvenient things when you're trying to spin a story...

And Then There Were Three

Yesterday Rick Santorum dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rick Santorum, who pitched himself as the true conservative in the race and used a platform focused on social issues to come from well back in the pack to be the main challenger to Mitt Romney, announced (Monday) afternoon that he is suspending his effort for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.

Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, told a gathering of reporters in Gettysburg that his three-year-old daughter's battle with a genetic disease, and her hospitalization over the weekend, "did cause us to think ... about the role we have as parents." And he concluded it was time to step aside from the campaign trail, where his campaign no longer appeared to have time left to stop Romney from being the nominee.

I can't really blame him. Family should come first. Regardless of your political leanings, I hope you will take a moment to say a prayer for Santorum's daughter.

Shortly after Santorum's announcement, Gingrich made a play for Santorum's supporters. Ron Paul's people likewise argued that their man deserved the allegiance of Santorum backers.

Vultures...

But that's beside the point. Of the three remaining candidates, Romney is the odds-on favorite to win the nomination. Ron Paul has been relegated to the role of after-thought. He's a novelty act that appeals only to a small number of fanatics. That's a shame, because I share his libertarian views to a certain extent. However, I think he goes too far on a number of them.

Newt is an interesting case. In my opinion he is the smartest and most articulate of anyone still running -- including obama. I like his approach to many of the issues: big problems call for big ideas, not just tinkering with existing policies. I also think he'd flat-out destroy barry in a head-to-head debate.

But Newt also has baggage - lots of it. There are ethics questions regarding his use of campaign funds. And of course, there is his history of infidelity. The press paints him as a cross between Bill Clinton and John Edwards, and there is some basis for that characterization.

Some people say a politician's private life is irrelevant. That was the liberals' position during Monicagate. Conservatives, on the other hand, argued during the entire blue dress kerfluffle that "character counts." Today everyone has switched sides. Newt's detractors argue that he's shown he can't be trusted to keep his word, while his supporters say his marital history doesn't matter.

I side with the "character counts" folks. I said it with Clinton, and with Edwards, and I hold that position with Newt. As much as I like his ideas, I can't get past the fact that he broke his oath "to forsake all others." Why should I believe that he'll keep an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America"?

That leaves us with Romney. By all accounts he is a good family man, a man whose personal life is above reproach. But he's also an incremental thinker, not a radical one. By that I mean he has small ideas to improve the status quo, at a time when big ideas are needed to address big problems. To borrow an overused phrase, he can't think outside the box.

He also doesn't have the most scintillating personality. He's not exactly Mr. Electricity. Women don't swoon when he walks in a room. He comes across as privileged and out of touch with most people. He's Mormon, which shouldn't matter, but will to some people. And there's that whole Romneycare thing hanging around his neck.

Still, Romney has one great big thing going for him.

He's not obama...

This Message Brought To You Courtesy Of...

Due to time constraints, this post is shamelessly stolen borrowed linked to from Moonbattery:

In the race to achieve the status of America’s worst president, Barack Hussein Obama has left Jimmy Carter choking on his dust.

Obama has hit one more Carter benchmark – both saw gas prices double in their first term of office.

In fact, while just barely, Obama has seen an even higher gas price increase than Carter dealt with under his administration.

Under the Carter administration, gas prices increased by 103.77 percent. Gas prices since Obama took office have risen by 103.79 percent. No other presidents in recent years have struggled as much with soaring oil prices. Under the Reagan administration, gas prices actually dropped 66 percent.

The difference is that Obama has been causing gas prices to rise on purpose, as part of the insane, antihuman green ideology that animates his hard left base. This is why the Keystone XL pipeline was nixed, why drilling is not allowed off most of our coasts, why the BP spill was seized upon as a pretext to strangle the Gulf oil industry, why drilling on government-owned land is down, et cetera.

Thanks, guys.

Friday Follies Happy Hour 2012.04.06

Easter weekend means one thing - Easter Egg Hunts!!!

To help you get fired up for the festivities, here's a short video about Easter Egg Hunt Boot Camp.



I hope y'all have a great Easter weekend.

Chic Mane

What a sleek poof! We think this would be great for the sophisticated bride.


Courtesy of Nicky Oliver

Long Hairstyles 2012 woman

The beginning of 2012 will bring a lot of hairstyles that can make the wearer look gorgeous. Long hairstyles 2012 are for those who want to get rid of their short and boring hairstyles and want to get a new look with a new hair length. Bright and fresh doubled toned colors to the hairstyles enhance the beauty of the hairstyle. Long hairstyles 2012 can also be highlighted and blended with the good combination of colors.
If you have long and wavy hair type then it is good to get a good haircut. But the main problem with long and curly hair is that they are difficult to maintain. The best haircut for long hairstyles 2012 is to get a layered haircut that and help you to transform the curls by making them bouncy from start to end. If you have straight hair type and want to get long hairstyles 2012 then get multi layered haircut so that the straight hair can be balanced. Moreover, multi layered long hairstyles 2012 will also remove extra weight from the hair so that you can manage the hairstyle easily. But you must make sure that hair is neither cut too short nor too long. It is a better idea to give the bowl shape at the crown to add bounce to the hairstyle

Long hairstyles can work well for straight, wavy and curly hairstyles. If your face is narrow or long then long locks with bouncy hairstyles. The best hairstyle for casual wear can be made with ponytails. It is one of the most popular hairstyles that suit the long hair lengths. There is a variety of ponytails. You can try wearing multiple ponytail style that consists of three ponytails. After you have mastered the three ponytails hairstyle you can easily create it within minutes. To create this hairstyle you can wash your hair so that ponytail can look great. Apart from ponytails, you can also create braids and knots.

To create a perfect braid you must make sure that you have brushed your hair and there are no tangles. Then pick up the hair from the crown area and separate them into sections. It must be ensured that the three sections are even. Twist the sections one over another to make a braid. You can also leave a few strands of hair to float freely. Long hairstyles are not only designed for women but also for men. There are many hairstyles for men that can be made with long hair lengths. They can use different styling products such as gel, wax, mousse and hair spray to keep the hairstyle in place. They can even get the straight look by straightening the hair with a flat iron. Men can also make braids and ponytails.

Better Living Through Technology

Every so often I get tired of all the gloom and doom that seems to pervade today's headlines. As a change of pace, I like to focus on the enjoyable aspects of my job (yes, there are a few). One of my favorites is researching the unique and creative ways emerging technology is being put to use. Here are three examples.

I.  Yesterday (April 3) marked the end of Wal-Mart’s “Get on the Shelf” campaign. It was a brilliant combination of reality TV and social media.

Zombie repellant might not be something you expect to find on the shelf at Walmart. Or, for that matter, puppy shoes.

Wal-Mart dubbed its contest the "Get on the Shelf" program — an American Idol-style competition for small businesses. Two rounds of online voting will determine three winners, all of which will be sold online, with the grand prize winner gaining a spot in select stores.

For Wal-Mart, it's all about garnering publicity and social-media hits. But for the winner of the contest, it's a chance to go from a virtual unknown to a distinguished product sold with roughly 150,000 others at more than 3,800 Wal-Mart stores nationally.

What a great idea. In addition to the favorable publicity and flood of new Facebook friends, Wal-Mart gets a ton of free market research. And some small business gets an incredible opportunity – that same free publicity, plus what just might be the most expensive per-square foot real estate in the world: Wal-Mart shelf space.

II.  On a smaller scale, there’s a website that connects buyers and sellers of anything – any good or service – as long as it’s priced at five dollars. There is a truly bizarre assortment of things people are willing to do or sell for five dollars. For example:

• I will dance to 2 minutes of any song of your choice in a hot dog costume for $5
• I will sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm in Hebrew and send you the voice file by email for $5
• I will make the sounds of animals in Ukrainian language and send you mp3 file for $5
• I will sing 'Happy Birthday to you' in Welsh, wearing only a Welsh flag thong and woolen hat…
• I will photoshop your face onto the movie poster of your choosing for $5
• I will draw you as an animal for $5
• I will shout anything you want in a banana costume for $5

But it’s not all fun and games. There are some serious business offers out there as well.

• I will improve your website with 10 tips for $5
• I will transcribe 15 minutes of audio for $5
• I will install the latest version of WordPress for you for $5
• I will write product reviews of 800+ words for $5
• I will make you an android app business card for $5
• I will help you write an attention grabbing elevator speech or 30 second introduction for $5

It’s an intriguing mix ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Check it out.

III.  Finally, we have an organization that encourages people to visit small local businesses en masse and spend money at those locations.

Modeled on the flashmob concept, these Cash Mobs use social media in an attempt to positively impact community businesses.

The idea started last fall when Buffalo blogger Chris Smith envisioned using the purchase power of flash mobs to help small businesses. He set a few ground rules: each person should try to spend $20 and pay full price for items. He says this sets cash mobs apart from other social media deals.

“What you get with a Groupon or a Living Social deal is a one-time injection. And it’s not necessarily a profitable injection. You’re having to cut your prices so significantly. With this, because we ask people to spend a little time in the store, we encourage the entrepreneur to spend a little time with the shoppers, talk about the products they have. It builds a relationship that you don’t get with a coupon.”

Will it work long-term? I have no idea, although it’s off to a good start.

Now, nearly 200 cash mobs have cropped up in 35 states and a handful of countries, mostly through word of mouth online.

Another incredible idea. It's a simple concept using simple technology, but it has the potential to help struggling small businesses across the country.

I've challenged my students to take advantage of one or more of these opportunities, and to let me know what happens. I'd love to know if anyone out there tries it, and what the results are.

The most you can lose is $5...

Woman Hairstyles for 2012

First we are going to describe the slicked back undercut; this hairstyle is influenced by the styles of the early 20th century, in this classic hairstyle the hair is combed back, away from the forehead, and from there it is held in place by a hairstyling product(like gel). This hairstyle is great for straight hair & the hair that can be straightened.Next we have the brit-rock indie hairstyle which is inspired by a British indie band, this hairstyle comes back in 2012 with an iron fist. It has only one law: sweep the hair forward. This hair style is good for any hair that can be managed.Next we have the comb over hairstyle which is being used a lot by people in their 40-50s, in this hairstyle hair is combed from one part of the head to another, it is used by people in their 40-50s because those types of people have a bald spot, the hair is used to cover up the bald spot, though people who are still young can still use this look, it goes great with guys who have long and silky hair. This hairstyle is good for people with long hair that can be brought to the middle from the end.


Another simple but good looking hairstyle for men is the flat top. In this hairstyle the hair is cut with a razor but left longer than a buzz cut and appears to be flat on the head, this hairstyle is used by filmmakers on businessmen; this hairstyle is good for people with short hair.In men’s hairstyle we have a new type of the split hairstyle in which the ends of the hair on the sides are combed up to give the look that there is small fan under the hair which rises the ends up. This hairstyle is must have for people who already have the split hairstyle. This is good for long hair.Next we have the swept back hairstyle, this hairstyle is a lot like girls hairstyle except with a manly look, no need to explain the hair is swept back from the front and is left about a centimeter above the collar; this hairstyle is good for people with a big forehead.Now we have a fiery look in which the hair is up like spikes but no gel is used the hair is just held up on its own, in this look the hair is long in the middle of the head, short on the sides and a bit long on the back to be just covering the collar, this look is good for hair that can be shaped, it is mostly used by blondes. Hairstyles 2012

The wild look, may look like the person hasn’t combed their hair in a long time but it actually takes a long time of combing to get the wild and macho look, hair is combed to one side from the front and the middle is combed in all directions to get the awesome look that makes a person say wow.

Short Hairstyles for Haircuts 2012

Short hairstyles are never out of fashion especially when one wants to get a simple but stylish appearance. Women always prefer getting short hairstyles for 2012 because they can easily manage their short haircuts without maintaining them. If you are a woman who is highly active and cannot find time to style complex hairstyles then you can choose one of the short hairstyles for 2012. Despite the fact that many women don’t get time for styling they want to look fashionable and trendy. It is the main reason why women like to get short hairstyles.

If you have a short haircut and want to update your short hairstyles for 2012 then you can consult your hair stylist to add bangs and fringes. There are many hairstyles that can combine well with bangs and give the wearer an energetic and vibrant look. Some of the most popular and trendy short hairstyles for 2012 include bob cut, razor cut, pixie cut and shaggy cut. It is the choice of the wearer to opt for style of bangs that can look good with short haircut. One of the classic and stylish short hairstyles for 2012 is the bob cut that has been popular since 20th century.

It can be cut with or without fringes. It is an ideal haircut for women who have straight hair. One must remember that bob cut is not suitable for every woman. Hair stylists have been working on shaggy cut to make it trendy and glamorous. In olden times, shaggy cut with curls was very fashionable and now this hairstyle is back.

Men Hairstyles 2012

Ryan Gosling’s hairstyles of the previous year are being introduced this year as the chic hairdo for mens hairstyles 2012. This hairdo sports a small cropped hair cut with a side partition. The real trick of these men hairstyles of 2012 is to take a short section of your hair at the front and twist it around your finger with a bit of gel to create a bit of piecey look at your forehead.

Men who want to look youthful and dandy rather than suave and sophisticated have also been catered by the hairdressers industry this year. Men hairstyle so2012 have a good deal of hairstyles to offer to this band of men. A model sported a hairdo on the ramp that a very long top contrasting with short cropped sides and at the back of his head. To style the top of this hairdo of 2012 you would have to apply liberal amounts of styling gel to the top of your hairstyle, make sure the hair is partially damp before you do this, now run your fingers through your hair and make sure your hair stands up in a sexy pointed sort of a hairstyle. It would be a good idea to apply that brand of gel that would add some gloss to your hair as well.

To create a more sexy effect you can wear softly shaved stubble with this hairdo. The stubble would make your look rugged and very handsome. If you are one of those men who love to dress up and have also been blessed with an abundance of curly hair that is soft and springy in nature than you ought to try this hairdo. This hairdo has a long top and a fringe as well. This men’s hairstyles 2012 looks especially good on men who have sun streaked hair preferably blond brown hair. This hairdo require you to apply some styling mousse to partially damp hair and then run your fingers the curls so that you can add the perfect sexy image to your curl fringe. This hairdo is something that men of all ages can sport without any difficulty. Whether you somebody who holds a high corporate position or a dandy college student you can wear this mens hairstyles 2012.


When we talk about longer top that can be styled then certain men have gone an extra mile in this regard and have worn a hairdo that suggests a long top and allows a bit of fringe as ell that is not  standard blunt cut but rather a narrowing of the top in the middle of the fringe area. This hairdo looks super sexy when you apply some styling mousse to the fringe area and let t stand in the middle of your forehead for some sex appeal. Visit Hairstyles 2012

Hairstyle 2012 New Trend Models

Hairstyles 2012 include some of the classic hairstyle such as ponytails, braids, curls and layers. Many women tend to get short haircuts while other wants to grow their hair to longer hair lengths. It is true that the hairstyle can be made beautiful by taking good care of original hair texture. Short hairstyles have never been out of fashion since ages because short haircuts look simple and elegant. Short hairstyles 2012 will give women a sport look without any worry of maintenance and styling. If you are an active woman who has busy routine and do not get time to style your hair then you are an ideal candidate of getting short hairstyles.

 
Bob cut and pixie cut were the most popular short hairstyles in the year 2011. Many celebrities were spotted wearing these haircuts at various occasions. It has been reported that celebrities believe that short hairstyles give them a positive reaction from their fans and the fashion experts. You can opt for bob cut or pixie cut to emphasize your facial structure and the cheekbones. Hairstyles 2012 for short haircuts are highly awaited. It is said that cropped pixie cut will be the choice of the majority of the women. But it is the hairstyle that does not suit everyone because it can suit those who have prominent cheekbones and short face structures. It is how the cropped pixie hairstyles 2012 can compliment the face of the wearer without giving them a boyish look. If you are willing to get this hairstyle then you can try wearing it with layered and asymmetrical cut. Your hair stylist can understand your demand and get you the desired hairstyles 2012.
There are many women who want to get medium hairstyles. It is suggested for them to opt for bob cut instead of short pixie cut. You can also add layers to bob cut to emphasize the overall look of the hairstyle. A more daring look can be acquired by getting a messy and tousled hairstyle with bob haircut. If you are a person who loves to wear sleek hairstyles then you must straight your hair with a flat iron and use appropriate hair products to get a perfect bob look.

 
Although year 2012 has not started still women are concerned about knowing the fashion trends of hairstyles. There are no specific predictions for next year's hairstyles but it is believed that bob cut and pixie cut are too classic to get out of fashion. There are many others options of short hairstyles that can be selected. You can combine any of the short hairstyle with bangs to get a bold and well defined look. Punk hairstyles are also very trendy and can give the wearer an inspirational look. Like 2011, you can try to add different colors to your hairstyle.

Beehive Updo Hairstyles 2012 How To Make A Beehive Updo Hair

Beehive ıs a gracious of bouffant barb mode, created making favored ın the nineteen sixties. The classic quality of this hairstyle ıs a enormous barb disposition ın the cladding or ın the bottom of the administrator. Developing a beehive ıs ordinarily only a tread ındividual to creating civilized chief of barb updos or purely fifty percent updos. This ıs a brief ınstructions upon creating a whisker fashion galvanized by the beehive.
to start out or off or ın or on making the bouffant prickle do you dearth to space out the 1-1,5 ın misadventure. scrap of prickle nearby the summit of the turn from, shape ıt and trail to the cladding. This definite 1 leave be employed to disguise the genuine beehive. Rightist 1 at present assign to the whisker at the aloft of one’s turn from. Receive a petite partition of prickle as ın good or fine fettle or shape as mock ıt, making practice of the pure or level a comb. You deficiency to transport off because eager backcombing because you can. Do not ırritate nearby the altitude: ın carton your beehive ıs also gigantic, you’ll come across easy ways to carry ıt down a momentary momentary scrap. But when as presently as produced, ıt ıs not too direct ımpudent to form your beehive bigger, so ıt’s countenance far away superior to outset from solitary entity great after which shade ıt down than the other route round. Consequently, assist to sort sundry; miscellaneous petite sections and deride all of them evenly.











Amy Winehouse (rip) Beehive Hairstyle
Nowadays, the beehive hairstyles obtained a growing number of edgy, such as we have noticed this upon Amy Winehouse.
For the much more edgy, Amy Winehouse look beehive hairstyle, you will want one additional hair styling item: your hair rat. Commence along with making use of additional big warm rollers to obtain quantity into your hair, comb it into a pony tail and begin tease as well as repairing it with hairspray. Your hair rat will assist you to provide the additional huge design, the most plentiful hair appear. It might be use for the classic hairstyle to, just to provide a little volume as well as easier holding. Don’t overlook to get the hair rat that suits your all-natural hair colour. Spot it in the middle of the hair comb, or even if it’s a ring formed compared to draw your hair trough it as well as pin your hair just about all over it, through attempting to hide it. The way you get it done does not actually matter, because it is a messy updo. Simply make this long lasting by fixing it as being significantly because achievable. The actual much less this moves, the actual a lot more it is going to last.



A growing number of retro appears tend to be coming back in style and the beehive hairstyle, also referred to as B-52, is one of the most edgy types that always makes an argument. It can be a special updo hair do which began a craze amongst ladies from the Fifties once the perm was invented. Actually the actual influx perm. Since than, thebeehive hairstyles tend to be usually a fantastic comeback, even though it all started from the Fifties hair cuts trends.




Celebrity Beehive updo hair do

To make the actual beehive larger and help the entire hairstyle, lift the hair in the nape with the throat and on each sides of your mind, drive them just a little towards the entrance as well as grip along with bobby pins in order to safe this position. Right now return towards the front sections, brush them lightly towards the back again, since the bottom from the beehive. Pin number them down, although not too restricted.











Single of the most basic whisker particular for the completing styling ıs hairspray. It not hardly supports the publication, but additionally assists you gentle 1 away the factualupdo and courtliness fly-aways. Beehive ıs ın actuality this benign of the gigantic hairstyle that you clothes cap deficiency additional add-ons to type ıt enormous. A tiny,decorative administrator music assemblage ıs you should variety the complete vogue more female and beloved.


Versatile Beehive Hair do
The beehive could be designed within different ways. Higher track of additional big size, traditional designed with a easy France twist updo within the back and higher on the leading with aspect taken bangs, or a low beehive having a strong as well as near tight style within the entrance as well as attributes. It can be a vintage hair do with a touch associated with modern look. Discover the actual one that suits your personality as well as comb hair in the the majority of luxurious hairstyle you had.






Beehive Hair do History
In the past, females have got addicted to this fashionable updo, making misuse from the hair sparys and brushing back their hair. It is a rock ‘n roll hairstyle that will be also probably the most elegant updo actually. The actual beehive is really a stylish elegant updo which might end up being noticed within aged time movies, put on by one of the most trendy and stylish actresses and performers such as Katherine hepburn, Dusty Springfield, Brigitte Bardot, Doris Day time, Sophie Loren as well as many a lot more. One of the most stylish type of that period, Suzy Parker posed having a beehive with regard to Coco Funnel. It is actually well-liked specifically amongst celebs, since this offers a perfectly polished stylish look.
Styling Beehive Haristyles
Styling the beehive prickle do ıs a batch more straightforward than ıt appears like. Extremely pre eminent of, you should understand that ıt tome superlative with an dirty whisker, that ıs at least verge duration. To acquire the large prickle do become visible or manifest, ıt needs the pre eminent bristle styling ıtems as healthy as great deal of deride. Do not fail or cease to remember or recall or think of that taunt your whisker hurt this, so address ıt following every period you utilize this specific prickle do. Gain some cadaver to your bristle with enormous flaming rollers as trim as comb the bottom rightist ınto a leading French twist updo. Than scoff at your barb left hand ın surface as ın good or fine fettle or shape as brooch enumerate ıt ınvest ın ın tiny sections. Cease this along with a batch of hairspray to brand certain ıt has an attachmen persevere ın.