If this isnÂ’t evidence that McCain-Feingold is unconstitutional, nothing is. The following is part of the oral argument of the

But if the federal government can treat a movie like a political advertisement, then why not books, the justices asked.

It can, answered [Deputy Solicitor General Malcolm] Stewart, "if the book contained the functional equivalent of express advocacy," the test used in regulating broadcast, cable or satellite communication released 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a presidential primary or convention.

That answer seemed to concern the justices. What about electronic books, like those used on Amazon's Kindle reader, justices asked. Yes, Stewart said.

Got that, folks. The Obama Regime is now claiming the power under McCain-Feingold to ban political speech and writing of all types – even speech and writing of the very sort that the Founders sought to protect. That, my friends, is evidence that there is no possible way to reconcile the law with the Constitution.

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I took a hardline stand against mandatory vaccination for young girls when Texas Gov. Rick Perry decided he wanted to play doctor with every sixth grade girl in the state of Texas, because I did not and do not see a sufficient nexus between school and an STD to justify the requirement. At the same time, I indicated that I would probably have my own daughter vaccinated if I had one. Others, though, raised issues of long-term (or even short-term) health consequences. It now appears there may be a rare one.

Phil Tetlock and Barbara Mellers were in a race against time to save their 15-year-old daughter, Jenny. As I reported last summer, Jenny developed a degenerative muscle disease nearly two years ago, soon after being vaccinated against the cervical-cancer-causing HPV. She became nearly completely paralyzed, though her mind was perfectly intact and she could still enjoy her pet parakeet, Hannah Montana, and Twilight.

I've been E-mailing Phil regularly over the past year, and up until our last E-mail, one week ago, he had been holding out hope that they would be able to find a cure for his daughter—or to at least determine if the human papillomavirus vaccine called Gardasil had caused his daughter's illness, most likely a juvenile form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (aka Lou Gehrig's disease). Sadly, the clock ran out last Sunday, and Jenny passed away.

Through their efforts to publicize Jenny's case on their blog, Jenny's parents have connected with two other sets of parents whose daughters developed what appears to be ALS after being injected with Gardasil. One was 22-year-old Whitney Baird, who died last August, just 13 months after receiving Gardasil. Another is Alicia Olund, a 12-year-old who began having trouble walking after getting her third shot last September. She now uses leg braces and a walker at home as her muscles continue to deteriorate. After ruling out other conditions, her specialists at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center—who also treated Jenny—suspect that Alicia may have the same condition. "They don't know what she has," her mother, Barbara, tells me through tears, "but it's destroying her nerves and muscles, and none of the treatments they've given her are working. Before the vaccine, she was a perfectly healthy child, going for her brown belt in karate." (They're awaiting the results of the ALS test.)

Juvenile ALS is rare, with there being about 1 case for every 2 million teens. What’s more, there is no definitive link between the disease and Gardasil – but it appears suspicious that these three girls (among others) had the disease develop so soon after taking the HPV vaccine. The CDC is investigating to see if there is a link – and I now wonder if the risk of ALS outweighs the risk of cervical cancer. Frankly, I don’t know – but I do know the cancer can be treated and cured while the degenerative disease can’t be. What I do know is that I’m glad the Texas Legislature stepped in and ended Rick Perry’s foray into the unlicensed practice of medicine before even one girl could be endangered.

H/T Debbie Schlussel

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I hadnÂ’t heard the rumor before now, but must say IÂ’m sorry it isnÂ’t true.

Michelle Obama is putting supposed baby rumors to rest: She's not pregnant.

The First Lady told that in a interview this month with Oprah Winfrey in "O: The Oprah Magazine."

Michelle Obama apparently has been the speculation of baby rumors ever since Barack Obama got elected.

Not happening, she says.

Too bad, from my point of view. While I don’t particularly like Michelle Obama and don’t support her husband, I’ll freely acknowledge that they appear to be a loving couple who have done their best to provide a stable home to their two beautiful daughters. It would be nice to have such a couple – especially an African-American couple, given the high rate of illegitimacy in the black community – providing an example of the right way to go about having a family for our nation’s young people. Call it a healthy dose of family values in the face of what is often provided as an example by pop culture.

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Take, for example, the liberal concern over Rep. Michelle Bachmann’s call for her constituents to be “armed and dangerous” in fighting a “revolution” against cap and trade.

Instead of merely opposing the legislation, however, Bachmann compared Washington, D.C. to “enemy lines” and urged her supporters to become “armed and dangerous” and fight a “revolution” against cap and trade legislation…

And

Bachmann also spoke out against the cap-and-trade proposals currently making their way through Washington, and how she'll be distributing information against it at an upcoming event in the district. "I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax, because we need to fight back," said Bachmann. "Thomas Jefferson told us, having a revolution every now and then is a good thing. And the people - we the people - are going to have to fight back hard if we're not going to lose our country."

And

Asked about the White House-backed cap-and-trade proposal to reduce carbon emissions, Bachmann told WWTC 1280 AM, "I want people in Minnesota armed and dangerous on this issue of the energy tax because we need to fight back. Thomas Jefferson told us 'having a revolution every now and then is a good thing,' and the people -- we the people -- are going to have to fight back hard if we're not going to lose our country. And I think this has the potential of changing the dynamic of freedom forever in the United States."

All of the above sources then go on to complain about the tenor of the comments, even as at least one of them notes that the statement is clearly figurative and not literal.

As well they should. The showÂ’s host, Power LineÂ’s John Hinderacker, notes that BachmannÂ’s comment was said in a light-hearted manner in the context of announcing her efforts to educate the public about the dangers of the Obama proposal, and that it was clearly not a call for armed revolution by physical force, but instead an expression of hope for citizen activism. In that sense, she was less radical than Thomas Jefferson, who argued that the tree of liberty survives only when the blood of patriots and tyrants is spilled to give it new life. And given the chronic liberal inability to condemn calls for actual armed revolution and political violence from the Left, isnÂ’t this reaction to the figurative language of a conservative congresswoman a bit over the top?

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It is hard to decide which is the case with JapanÂ’s Tsutomu Yamaguchi. After all, there canÂ’t be many folks who can claim to have survived not just one of the worldÂ’s two uses of an atomic bomb on a populated area, but both of them.

A 93-year-old Japanese man has become the first person certified as a survivor of both U.S. atomic bombings at the end of World War II, officials said Tuesday.

Tsutomu Yamaguchi had already been a certified "hibakusha," or radiation survivor, of the Aug. 9, 1945, atomic bombing in Nagasaki, but has now been confirmed as surviving the attack on Hiroshima three days earlier as well, city officials said.

Yamaguchi was in Hiroshima on a business trip on Aug. 6, 1945, when a U.S. B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on the city. He suffered serious burns to his upper body and spent the night in the city. He then returned to his hometown of Nagasaki just in time for the second attack, city officials said.

Like I ask above, is Yamaguchi a guy who can claim to have been doubly lucky in having survived both bombs? Or is he doubly unlucky for having been at the site of both? It is one of those questions to ponder. WouldnÂ’t it be fascinating, though, to be able to meet him and talk to him about those experiences?

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One can argue the exact contours of the rights of students at school, but this case before the Supreme Court really shouldnÂ’t take much time to decide.

Savana Redding still remembers the clothes she had on — black stretch pants with butterfly patches and a pink T-shirt — the day school officials here forced her to strip six years ago. She was 13 and in eighth grade.

An assistant principal, enforcing the schoolÂ’s antidrug policies, suspected her of having brought prescription-strength ibuprofen pills to school. One of the pills is as strong as two Advils.

The search by two female school employees was methodical and humiliating, Ms. Redding said. After she had stripped to her underwear, “they asked me to pull out my bra and move it from side to side,” she said. “They made me open my legs and pull out my underwear.”

Ms. Redding, an honors student, had no pills. But she had a furious mother and a lawyer, and now her case has reached the Supreme Court, which will hear arguments on April 21.

The case will require the justices to consider the thorny question of just how much leeway school officials should have in policing zero-tolerance policies for drugs and violence, and the court is likely to provide important guidance to schools around the nation.

Oh.

Come.

On.

No person with even a lick of common sense, much less an understanding of the Constitutional prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures by government officials, can believe that such conduct is permissible. There was no basis for believing that there were drugs hidden in her underwear, nor was the medication she was suspected of having anything that could be seen as posing a serious threat to the health or safety of any student. In short, there was no pressing emergency that required this extreme measure – and any properly trained administrator ought to have known that.

Now I realize that courts have ruled that the parameters of student rights at school are different than those available to adults – and I think that sometimes the courts have erred in where they have drawn the boundaries. Indeed, the very concept of in loco parentis gives schools some pretty expansive leeway in dealing with students. But this isn’t a search of a school-owned locker or a car with a parking permit – or even of a purse or backpack. This is a particularly invasive search that shocks the conscience. For the Supreme Court to rule in any other manner than that this search violated the Constitution – and that the school personnel involved should be personally liable for their actions – would be a grave miscarriage of justice.

H/T Hot Air, Just One Minute

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And whatÂ’s more, makes it clear that he and his Weather Underground colleagues (including Obama patrons Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn) were intent upon killing as many people as they could with their traitorous acts of terrorism.

Unlike his comrade Bill Ayers, who is both unrepentant and who distorts and lies about the Weathermen's goals and activities, Rudd is reflective and truthful. He does not depict himself, as does Ayers, as someone who was part of the broad peace movement.

Back then, Rudd, Ayers and his wife Bernardine Dohrn favored "the necessity for violence in order to end the war and also to make revolution." They were fighting "a revolutionary war from within the United States," Rudd explains. When successful, the Weathermen would then build a new revolutionary army staffed by young defectors from the US armed forces.

* * *

Their goal was to build "the American arm of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam."

* * *

Their attempts at guerrilla warfare ended with the 1970 New York City town house bombing, which Rudd and Ayers and Dohrn all approved. Rudd is honest about its intent, emphasizing how the bomb they built was meant to kill hundreds of GIs and their dates at a Fort Dix dance.

Lest you forget, the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam was better known to Americans as the Viet Cong – one of the foes our armed forces were fighting on the battlefield. What’s more, their goal was not to fight on the battlefield, but to wreak havoc within the United States by engaging in a campaign of murder designed to kill innocents in order to advance their political and military goals.

I think this book is quite important. How? Because it not only documents from the inside the efforts of this gang of traitors to side with our nationÂ’s enemies, but it also provides us with the sort of evidence necessary to bring charges of treason against those involved in those activities. Will the Obama Justice Department investigate and bring charges, or will it provide protection to the political patrons of President Barack Obama?

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Well, the Obama Regime and its lackeys in Congress have passed legislation increasing “opportunities for national service” for young and not-so-young Americans. However, I’m left concerned about two things about this bill.

The nation is close to a major civic breakthrough. By a 321-to-105 vote last week, the House approved an ambitious bipartisan measure to enlarge the opportunities for Americans of all ages and income levels to participate in productive national and community service.

A similar plan is now before the Senate. A favorable vote this week would help speed a worthy initiative to President ObamaÂ’s desk.

Essentially, the measure is an expansion of AmeriCorps, the existing domestic service program. It would increase the number of full-time and part-time service volunteers to 250,000 from 75,000 and create new programs focused on special areas like strengthening schools, improving health care for low-income communities, boosting energy efficiency and cleaning up parks.

Volunteers receive minimal living expenses and a modest educational stipend after their year of service. The bill raises the stipend to $5,350, the same as a Pell Grant. Special fellowships would be available for people 55 and older, as well as summer positions for middle- and high-school students.

Now please understand – I think service to the community and/or the nation is a great thing. I’m the son of a career military officer. My brother is a cop. I’m a teacher in a public school with a high percentage of minority and socio-economically disadvantaged students. My family is all about giving back to our community and our country. I don’t object to any of that.

But let’s get down to brass tacks here. I see two problems in this – one related to the potential for job destruction, and the other related to the evisceration of individual liberty.

First, let’s consider that increase in volunteer positions with a small stipend attached. That seems to me to be a potential destroyer of good jobs for unemployed Americans. After all, I’d have to presume that these jobs are already being done by people. Are we going to fire these workers? Or are we creating entirely new jobs – work that is needed and could be done by full-time employees who would then not be payments from unemployment or other entitlement programs.

Second, there is this aspect of the plan.

Under section 6104 of the bill, entitled “Duties,” in subsection B6, the legislation states that a commission will be set up to investigate, “Whether a workable, fair, and reasonable mandatory service requirement for all able young people could be developed, and how such a requirement could be implemented in a manner that would strengthen the social fabric of the Nation and overcome civic challenges by bringing together people from diverse economic, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.”

Section 120 of the bill also discusses the “Youth Engagement Zone Program” and states that “service learning” will be “a mandatory part of the curriculum in all of the secondary schools served by the local educational agency.”

“The legislation, slated to cost $6 billion over five years, would create 175,000 “new service opportunities” under AmeriCorps, bringing the number of participants in the national volunteer program to 250,000. It would also create additional “corps” to expand the reach of volunteerism into new sectors, including a Clean Energy Corps, Education Corps, Healthy Futures Corps and Veterans Service Corps, and it expands the National Civilian Community Corps to focus on additional areas like disaster relief and energy conservation,” reports Fox News.

This isn’t volunteerism. And it is far outside the mainstream of American tradition, and I’d argue it runs afoul of the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution. After all, it would be imposing involuntary servitude upon every young person as a condition of their being enrolled in school – something that is mandatory under the laws of every state. This is not military conscription in time of war – it is social experimentation and indoctrination mandated at the national level. Indeed, it is reminiscent of the use of students as unpaid farm labor in Castro’s Cuba, or of the Hitler Youth. And I say that as the former coordinator of the mandatory senior service project at the Catholic school where I taught early in my teaching career (a program which I find unobjectionable because student was obliged to attend our school under penalty of law).

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IÂ’d make a comment about the Obama RegimeÂ’s continued efforts to turn the US into a banana republic, but some on the Left might accuse me of calling Barry Hussein a chimp.

However, I suppose I am still on safe ground if I note that this is strikingly similar to the sort of legislation that Venezuelan thug-ocrat Hugo Chavez has gotten through his rubber-stamp legislature.

The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.

* * *

The administration plans to send legislation to Capitol Hill this week.

For crying out loud – is this still America? Where are the patriots ready to rise up and put a stop to government acting well outside its proper role as established by the Constitution? Have we as a people slipped so far from the principles that once made America the greatest, freest, most prosperous nation on earth that we are now willing to accept even this sort of insanity without a comment or word of protest?

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Congratulations to all vote-getters in this week's rigorous competition!

Winning Council Submissions

• First place with 3 points! - Joshuapundit - What Netanyahu Should Say About Peace To The Arab World
• Second place with 2 points - Soccer Dad - If an appointee falls and thereÂ’s no msm, is it still a scandal?


• Third place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Bookworm Room - The New York Times takes off the mask
• Third place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Rhymes With Right - In Re. Bristol Palin


• Third place with 2/3 points - (T*) - The Colossus of Rhodey - Chicago ranks “high” in the 25 worst schools in nation
• Third place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Mere Rhetoric - Government-Linked Thugs Systematically Compiling Full List Of Venezuelan Jews, Launching Attacks On Jewish Centers Gangs


• Fourth place with 1/3 points - (T*) - The Provocateur - Rethinking the Federal Reserve
• Fourth place with 1/3 points - (T*) - The Glittering Eye - Portrait of a Financial Crisis

Winning Non-Council Submissions

• First place with 2 2/3 points! - Pajamas Media - Welcome to Francis Ford CoppolaÂ’s White House
• Second place with 2 points - Michael Totten - The Worst Airline In The World


• Third place with 1 2/3 points - Clay Shirky - Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable
• Fourth place with 1 1/3 points - Common Sense Political Thought - Does anti-Zionism equal anti-Semitism?


• Fifth place with 1 points - Pajamas Media - Roger CohenÂ’s Inexplicable Views on Iranian Jews
• Sixth place with 2/3 points - Big Hollywood - Sunday Matineé: 1776


• Seventh place with 1/3 points - NewsMax - ObamaÂ’s Attack on Medical Civil Liberties

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There are few things that can beat a hot looking swimsuit on an attractive woman. I learned that at a young age, as a kid living on Guam, where it is always swimsuit weather. So let's just say that I have an appreciation of the art and science of designing an swimwear, and of what it means to see it worn correctly by the right woman.

That is why I have a real appreciation of the Sauvage Serpent Bikini and so much of the other swimwear sold at Molly Brown Swimwear. She has some really hot stuff, like this one blue bikini with a glittering serpent making its way from the neck on down the top of the suit. Absolutely stunning!

Now what sort of swimwear should a woman choose? Well, that is really a matter of personal choice in my book. Some women find a one piece to be more practical and flattering, while others are able to flaunt their charms in a two piece suit. And ther eis also the question of whether the swimwear is really intended for swimming, or merely to be seen. So make your decision what you want and drop by Molly Brown's site to check out what they have in stock for you.

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I work.

I pay taxes.

I have a chronically ill spouse.

It might be nice to have the government pay for my wife's health care, but it does not. I pay for insurance through my employer, and I pay the expenses not covered by that insurance. So it really angers me to read stories like this one.

Jose Cedillo, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, says he has nowhere to turn.

A day laborer since 1986, Mr. Cedillo has received notice from a Los Angeles County hospital that he must start paying out of pocket for the treatment he will need. "I have no choice because I have no insurance and can't work while I'm taking these treatments," he says, sitting in the tiny apartment he shares with his wife, a janitor.

The recession – and a big state deficit ­– is leading some California counties to cut back on nonemergency health services to illegal immigrants. In others, cutbacks in services for the uninsured are hitting illegal immigrants especially hard.

I'm offended. No, not that Jose is being cut off by LA County. No, I'm offended that he was receiving government-paid medical care at all, especially the non-emergency care. He is here illegally, taking a job that could be held by an American, and yet he and millions like him feel they are entitled to a free ride at the expense of the American taxpayer.

When times were good, some might have been able to craft a cogent argument for providing taxpayer-subsidized medical care to immigration criminals. But with the economy as it is, there can be no justification for such generosity. Now if private individuals or groups wish to engage in a charitable activity by picking up the tab, I think that is great. Personally, all I'm willing to do is pay for Jose's bus ride back south of the border.

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Bravo to one reader of NROÂ’s Media Blog, who notes something very interesting about the new contract signed by Chris Matthews and its coverage by the New York Times!

One thing struck me reading the NYT story you linked…."One executive involved in the negotiations said, “Whether he took a slight cut or got a slight raise, it’s nobody’s business.”

Actually it is my business. NBC is owned by GE and GE took bailout money. Ergo, I'm paying Chris Matthews. And I deserve to know that he's not being paid more than the Democrat-approved $250k a year. Otherwise, it's an outrageous abuse of taxpayer money and should be taxed at 90%.

I'm waiting for all the Congressional outrage at NBC salaries.

If it is good enough for AIG, it is good enough form NBC. Now how much of my tax money are both Christ Matthews and Keith Olbermann unjustly enriching themselves with – and what is Congress doing to get that cash back?

Also, IÂ’d love to know how that anonymous quote in the article is in compliance with the standards set by the New York Times for the use of anonymous sources, given the flouting of the policy noted by the paperÂ’s own public editor.

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Bravo to one reader of NROÂ’s Media Blog, who notes something very interesting about the new contract signed by Chris Matthews and its coverage by the New York Times!

One thing struck me reading the NYT story you linked…."One executive involved in the negotiations said, “Whether he took a slight cut or got a slight raise, it’s nobody’s business.”

Actually it is my business. NBC is owned by GE and GE took bailout money. Ergo, I'm paying Chris Matthews. And I deserve to know that he's not being paid more than the Democrat-approved $250k a year. Otherwise, it's an outrageous abuse of taxpayer money and should be taxed at 90%.

I'm waiting for all the Congressional outrage at NBC salaries.

If it is good enough for AIG, it is good enough form NBC. Now how much of my tax money are both Christ Matthews and Keith Olbermann unjustly enriching themselves with – and what is Congress doing to get that cash back?

Also, IÂ’d love to know how that anonymous quote in the article is in compliance with the standards set by the New York Times for the use of anonymous sources, given the flouting of the policy noted by the paperÂ’s own public editor.

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Well, not exactly -- but still rather funny.

NASAÂ’s online contest to name a new room at the international space station went awry. Comedian Stephen Colbert won.

The name “Colbert” beat out NASA’s four suggested options in the space agency’s effort to have the public help name the addition. The new room will be launched later this year.

NASA’s mistake was allowing write-ins. Colbert urged viewers of his Comedy Central show, “The Colbert Report” to write in his name. And they complied, with 230,539 votes. That clobbered Serenity, one of the NASA choices, by more than 40,000 votes. Nearly 1.2 million votes were cast by the time the contest ended Friday.

I'll have to talk to my friends with the ISS program to find out what they think about this rather strange development. I suspect the conversations will be rather amusing.

Posted by: Greg at 01:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Such a waste of the life of a talented man.

Nicholas Hughes, the son of Sylvia Plath and the British Poet Laureate Ted Hughes, killed himself at his home in Alaska, nearly a half-century after his mother and stepmother took their own lives, according to a statement from his sister.

Mr. Hughes, 47, was an evolutionary biologist who studied stream fish and spent much of his time trekking across Alaska on field studies. Shielded from stories about his motherÂ’s suicide until he was a teenager, Mr. Hughes had lived an academic life largely outside the public eye. But friends and family said he had long struggled with depression.

Last Monday, he hanged himself at his home in Alaska, his sister, Frieda Hughes, said over the weekend.

“It is with profound sorrow that I must announce the death of my brother, Nicholas Hughes, who died by his own hand on Monday 16th March 2009 at his home in Alaska,” she said in a statement to the Times of London. “He had been battling depression for some time.”

Depression is a serious illness. If you or someone you know is battling depression or thoughts of suicide, please seek help.

Posted by: Greg at 01:35 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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IÂ’ve long watched bi-racial/multi-racial kids struggle over how to define themselves when they have been asked to pick one box to check on the annual student survey. How, for example, should my former student whose mother is black and father is Mexican classify herself? What about the son of a Japanese mother and a white father? It is quite a conundrum for some of them, especially since they may not identify with one more than the other.

IÂ’m therefore heartened by this move.

For many families in the District, Montgomery and other local counties that have felt forced to deny a part of their children's heritage, the new way of counting, mandated by the federal government, represents a long-awaited acknowledgment of their identity: Enrollment forms will allow students to identify as both white and American Indian, for example, or black and Asian. But changing labels will make it harder to monitor progress of groups that have trailed in school, including black and Hispanic students.

* * *

Starting in 2010, under Education Department rules approved two years ago to comply with a government-wide policy shift, parents will be able to check all boxes that apply in a two-step questionnaire with reshaped categories. First, they will indicate whether a student is of Hispanic or Latino origin, or not. (The two terms will encompass one group.) Then they will identify a student as one or more of the following: American Indian or Alaska native; Asian; black or African American; native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; or white.

Believe it or not, this is an improvement for my students. I worked in one school, for example, in which the policy was to count the students on the basis of their father’s race or ethnicity. So to take the first example I gave above, the girl would be Hispanic – but if her father was black and her mother Hispanic, she would be black. I’m familiar of at least one school district, though, that required that any child of a white and a non-white parent be classified as the race of the non-white parent in order to get additional state and federal funding – sort of the “one-drop” rule risen from the dead.

Personally, I favor dropping the entire system of counting students by race. The examples above show the arbitrary nature of such classifications. It would be better to classify by socio-economic status instead, and instead list the race of every student as “human”.

H/T Discriminations

Posted by: Greg at 01:32 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I'll admit it -- I'm nearsighted. Not just a little near-sighted. Really near-sighted. I've often joked with students that if I ever lost my glasses I'd not only be unable to tell one from the other, but probably be unable to differentiate girls from boys at a distance of more than ten feet. Increase the distance and it would probably be unable to distinguish so much as the ethnicity of the person in question. Yeah, that near-sighted.

And now I have bifocals, because my eyes need different strength lenses for different tasks. And since I choose eyeglasses over contact lenses (and have since my brief flirtation with them during high school and college), I need a pretty thick lens unless I seek out something special like a polycarbonate or high-index lens. But such things cost more down at your local optical shop or mass-market eyeglass retailer, so it is important to look for bargains. That includes shopping online, because it is now possible to find High-indexed Prescription Eyeglasses On Sale. That can mean spectacular savings on that new pair of glasses. And since there are a great many stylish frames available online, it is possible to be in the latest eyewear fashions at a reasonable price.

Posted by: Greg at 01:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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How else do you explain this decision to buy cheap Chinese and Korean condoms instead of continuing to purchase those made right here in the USA?

At a time when the federal government is spending billions of stimulus dollars to stem the tide of U.S. layoffs, should that same government put even more Americans out of work by buying cheaper foreign products?
In this case, Chinese condoms.

That's the dilemma for the folks at the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has distributed an estimated 10 billion U.S.-made AIDS-preventing condoms in poor countries around the world.
But not anymore.

In a move expected to cost 300 American jobs, the government is switching to cheaper off-shore condoms, including some made in China.

This does, of course, beg the question of whether the US government ought to be in the condom business at all. But if we are, doesn’t it seem reasonable for us to “buy American”?

Posted by: Greg at 01:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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How else do you explain this decision to buy cheap Chinese and Korean condoms instead of continuing to purchase those made right here in the USA?

At a time when the federal government is spending billions of stimulus dollars to stem the tide of U.S. layoffs, should that same government put even more Americans out of work by buying cheaper foreign products?
In this case, Chinese condoms.

That's the dilemma for the folks at the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has distributed an estimated 10 billion U.S.-made AIDS-preventing condoms in poor countries around the world.
But not anymore.

In a move expected to cost 300 American jobs, the government is switching to cheaper off-shore condoms, including some made in China.

This does, of course, beg the question of whether the US government ought to be in the condom business at all. But if we are, doesn’t it seem reasonable for us to “buy American”?

Posted by: Greg at 01:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I teach part time in a program that awards degrees in a technical field. One of the neat developments over the last couple of years has been the move to a mixed-delivery program, where much of the work is completed online rather than in a classroom setting. And it won't be long before we offer a degree option that is totally completed online. Over at DegreeSearch.org, you can find online accredited degree programs. That means your degree will really mean something, as it will be recognized as coming from an educational program that has demonstrated that it measures up to the standards set by the accrediting body. DegreeSearch.org bring prospective students together with colleges available and universities that offer online degrees. The site also provides information about the colleges offering such programs. These colleges offer you a quality education that will provide you with a valuable online education. All you have to do is decide what you want to study and the sort of program you would like and you can be matched with one of the many programs that are affiliated with DegreeSearch.com. Are such programs for everyone? No -- but if you are a self-motivated, disciplined individual then you can be successful in such a program.

Posted by: Greg at 01:13 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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IÂ’m no friend of child abusers, including those in the clergy. Indeed, I had pretty harsh words about the lenient treatment of one of the guys I went to seminary with after he entered a plea of guilty. But I have a real problem with the notion of lifting statutes of limitations on old cases, whether for civil or criminal actions. I therefore have to disagree with the New York Times on this one.

For decades, priests who preyed sexually on children did so with shocking ease and impunity. Their superiors acted as functional accomplices, shuttling abusive priests among parishes and buying or bullying victims into silence. Shame and guilt did the rest, burying abuses under a shroud of secrecy that often far outlasted the statute of limitations for prosecutions or lawsuits.
Those victims deserve a day in court. The New York Legislature should grant it to them, by passing a bill that would temporarily lift the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving the sexual abuse of children.

The bill would open a one-year window during which accusers would be allowed to sue in civil court, no matter how old the case. After a year, the statute of limitations would be restored, but an accuser would have up to 10 years after turning 18 to make a claim, instead of five. The statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions would not be changed.

Now I have two problems with this legislation. One deals with the issue of practicality. The other deals with the issue of equal protection of the law.

Let’s look at the first one. Many of the cases that might be brought deal with situations that happened decades ago, and will make it quite difficult for an accuse individual to defend himself. I’m thinking of a case that I’m familiar with from the diocese with which I was affiliated before I left the seminary. One older priest was accused of an incident a quarter-century before by a woman who had been permitted to live in the rectory after being thrown out of the house by her parents. The story was one of sexual abuse by both the priest and a deceased nun – and involved some really warped stuff. The evidence? A report from a psychologist engaged by an advocacy group and an affidavit by the alleged victim. Unfortunately for Father X, both the accused nun and the rectory housekeeper were dead, and all he could do was offer denials of the accusations and a psychological report that indicated it was not in his psychological make-up to do such things. He was pulled from parish ministry, and denied the right to publicly act as a priest thereafter. With the lifting of the statute of limitations, that decision by an overly-cautious church hierarchy would be taken as evidence that they viewed Father X as guilty, and probably result in a jury verdict against him. More importantly, the passage of time would make effective defense in such a case impossible.

But beyond that, there is the equity/equal protection question. In New York State, where this suspension of the statute would be implemented, there is a 90-day window to file claims and suits when the alleged molester is a public school teacher or other public employee. The bill does not lift the statute of limitations there, despite the fact that the rate of sexual offenses among teachers is, lamentably, as high as or higher than among clergy. The disparate treatment here – which allows long-delayed suits against pastors and churches but not against teachers, principals, and school districts – is shocking to the conscience. The reason for that difference is the unwillingness of the New York legislature to expose state and local governments to the sort of liability they are imposing upon the private sector.

In other words, I object because of the injustice that is done to the accused by this change – and because of the favoritism shown to public institutions and employees in the bill. It should either be amended to end the disparity or, as much as I hate to deny an alleged victim the right to file suit, vote down this legislation as well-intentioned but ill-advised.

Posted by: Greg at 01:11 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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My little brother is a cop, and participates in many of the SWAT activities that his department is involved in. When I've been out West for visits, I've been fascinated by the tactical gear that he has as a part of his job. The reality is that civilians can purchase much of that sort of gear, like tactical pants, tactical polo, 5 in 1 field jackets and many other sorts of tactical gear. Where, you might ask? Well, through outlets like LA Police gear, found at lapolicegear.com. You'll be amazed at what is available, everything from clothing to Malice Clips for heavy duty work, You'll also find they have some great deals at close-out prices.

Posted by: Greg at 12:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You know, the program of domestic spying on peaceful political activists implemented under the Clinton Justice Department – which the FBI was forced to continue even after it was found that groups like Concerned Women for America (CWA), the Christian Coalition and the National Right to Life Committee were not domestic terrorists.

Given the appointment of a prominent abortion advocate from the Clinton Justice Department to a high position in the Obama Justice Department, I think that it is important that Congress ask the above question.

What is VAAPCOM, you ask? Well, it was the “Violence Against Abortion Providers Conspiracy” investigation that was discovered by Judicial Watch, a watchdog organization, after a Freedom of Information Act request. The documents revealed that the Justice Department under Janet Reno started an investigation in 1994 — while Johnsen was a deputy assistant attorney general — where they pressured the FBI to investigate pro-life organizations and its supporters.

Apparently they sought to prove there was a national conspiracy of pro-life “extremists” who were attacking abortion clinics. After months of monitoring several organizations, including Concerned Women for America (CWA), the Christian Coalition and the National Right to Life Committee, among others, the FBI failed to come up with anything. And though the FBI wanted to end the investigation, the DOJ pressured them to continue.

Given that Obama-appointee Dawn Johnson has worked closely with the ACLU and Planned Parenthood to protect the so-called right to an abortion and limit the rights of pro-life protesters and speakers to communicate their message peacefully in public places historically considered to be public forums for the exercise of First Amendment rights, do pro-lifers have legitimate cause for concern? Will Congress confront her during her confirmation hearings, and seek assurances from her that there will be no repeat of this massive violation of the rights of pro-life citizens during her time at Justice?

Posted by: Greg at 12:33 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Shopping online has become an absolutely magnificent way of finding the products that you want. And especially today, with the economy slowing down, there are lots of companies out there with excess inventory, whether due to the end of a lease, overstock and the discontinuation of a product. These companies need to liquidate their inventory quickly. That's where Geeks.com enters the picture. They offer you these excess products at an affordable price. Geeks.com deals with technology items such as computer hardware, peripherals and electronics, offering them for sale to businesses, resellers and consumers. If you are looking to stretch your shopping dollar to the limit, Geeks.com offers you a great opportunity to do so. This is true even, perhaps even especially, if you are in the market for specialized electronic equipment that is often sought by the tech-savvy. Geeks.com has a top-notch customer support center to ensure that you are happy with your purchases. They have developed a reputation as a quality Internet discount retailerwith an extensive inventory in stock and, ready to ship -- most of it under warranty. If you are looking to buy excess inventory, end-of-lease, overstock, or manufacture close-out products, then Geeks.com is the best place to check out.

Posted by: Greg at 10:29 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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After all, failure to go along with obsequiously sycophantic language in a resolution honoring Barack Obama can only be based upon race, not mere disagreement with the sentiments expressed.

Frustrated black lawmakers staged a walkout Friday after the Georgia House decided to delay another vote on a resolution that would have honored Obama as a politician with an "uimpeachable reputation for integrity, vision and passion" and made him an honorary member of the black caucus.

* * *

State Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican who led the charge, said he took exception to language that read "no one could be more worthy of a special honor and recognition by the members of this body and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus than this extraordinary leader."

Now look at the language of the resolution:

House Resolution 673

By: Representatives Heard of the 114th, Murphy of the 120th, Smyre of the 132nd, Heckstall of the 62nd, Randall of the 138th, and others

A RESOLUTION

Honoring President Barack Obama on becoming the 44th President of the United States and recognizing President Barack Obama as an honorary lifetime member of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, on January 20, 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States and the first African American to hold this most important and powerful of world positions; and

WHEREAS, prior to becoming president, Barack Obama faithfully and diligently served as a member of the Illinois State Senate from 1997-2004 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, serving from January 3, 2005, until November 16, 2008; and

WHEREAS, President Barack Obama was a highly distinguished member of both the Illinois and United States Senates and has a long and distinguished career as a public servant and representative of the people; and

WHEREAS, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is a nonprofit charitable and educational organization established in 1973 with a vision to set the standards for black legislators and other political leaders in the years to come and to boldly assert the power of the black vote and the power of the black voice: and

WHEREAS, the primary purposes of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus are to promote the general welfare of minorities and other citizens of Georgia in matters of health, welfare, education, criminal justice, employment, and economic development; to stimulate professional and intellectual growth; and to advance the study and implementation of solutions to the problems of all citizens of the great State of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, throughout his political career, President Barack Obama has enjoyed an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, vision, and passion for public service, and no one could be more worthy of special honor and recognition by the members of this body and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus than this extraordinary leader.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize President Barack Obama as an honorary lifetime member of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus; join in commending him for his exceptional service to his community, this state, and our nation; and congratulate him on becoming the 44th President of the United States.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and other state black legislative caucuses are urged to adopt similar measures recognizing the extraordinary achievements of President Barack Obama.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Emanuel D. Jones; the president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, Representative Calvin Smyre; and to the President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Here are a couple of things I'd object to.

"Barack Obama faithfully and diligently served as a member of the Illinois State Senate from 1997-2004"? What about those 130 votes of present so as to avoid taking a stand on controversial issues. Hardly faithful and diligent in my book.

"President Barack Obama was a highly distinguished member of both the Illinois and United States Senates and has a long and distinguished career as a public servant and representative of the people". Distinguished? How? He had no significant accomplishments in the US Senate other than running for president, and was really pretty insignificant as a member of the Illinois legislature. What did the man do, other than promote himself effectively and get himself elected president?

"President Barack Obama has enjoyed an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, vision, and passion for public service..." Really? I'm personally ready to impeach him right now. Besides, given his backtracking on commitments he made to the American people during the campaign, I'd argue he has pretty well impeached his own reputation for integrity.

[N]o one could be more worthy of special honor and recognition by the members of this body... No one? Really? The Dalai Lama? The United States Armed Forces? The teachers who day-in and day-out toil in the classrooms of the state of Georgia with little or no recognition?

And moreover, why does the legislature as a whole need to adopt a resolution giving Obama honorary membership in a segregationist caucus from which many members of that legislature are excluded because of the color of their skin rather than the content of their character? Wouldn't it be more honest for the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus to pass a resolution of their own giving him that membership, rather than insisting that individuals who are denied membership in that segregationist caucus due to their skin color concur in an unprecedented honor that would not be conferred upon a white president?

Do I think it would be appropriate to honor Barack Obama with some sort of resolution marking his election? Perhaps -- but this is one that I would never vote for were I a member of that legislative body because of its laughable rhetoric and racially exclusive nature. Besides, I thought that Barack Obama was all about ending racial divisions in this country -- so how does granting him honorary membership in this segregationist organization really honor what he claims to be all about, especially given that the group is one that would exclude his own mother solely because of the color of her skin?

Posted by: Greg at 02:21 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Forget the faux outrage of the Democrats over bonuses they knew about in advance and even wrote into the bailout legislation. I want to know about AIG making political donations to Democrats at the same time they were about to get bailout money.

New York's Republican Party says the Democrat-controlled state government is ignoring calls for an investigation into a $100,000 donation to the state Democratic Party from American International Group days before officials initiated the bailout of the insurance giant.

State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello accuses Democrats of a duck-and-cover response to disclosure of the donation, first reported Thursday by the Associated Press.

This wasn't a run-of-the-mill donation. It was the largest AIG donation to the Democrats in a decade. I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to know what other state Democrat parties received such unusual donations from a company in such terrible financial shape that they needed a massive infusion of cash at the same time. Did any AIG funds go to the national Democrat apparatus?

And let's be clear what the problem is here -- New York state gave AIG a huge infusion of taxpayer cash right after the donation was made. Both the executive and legislative branches of that state are in the hands of the Democrats. It sure looks like a quid pro quo -- and now the Democrats in that state are unwilling to examine the circumstances of the donation and its propriety.

Posted by: Greg at 01:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Forget the faux outrage of the Democrats over bonuses they knew about in advance and even wrote into the bailout legislation. I want to know about AIG making political donations to Democrats at the same time they were about to get bailout money.

New York's Republican Party says the Democrat-controlled state government is ignoring calls for an investigation into a $100,000 donation to the state Democratic Party from American International Group days before officials initiated the bailout of the insurance giant.

State Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello accuses Democrats of a duck-and-cover response to disclosure of the donation, first reported Thursday by the Associated Press.

This wasn't a run-of-the-mill donation. It was the largest AIG donation to the Democrats in a decade. I don't know about you, but I'd sure like to know what other state Democrat parties received such unusual donations from a company in such terrible financial shape that they needed a massive infusion of cash at the same time. Did any AIG funds go to the national Democrat apparatus?

And let's be clear what the problem is here -- New York state gave AIG a huge infusion of taxpayer cash right after the donation was made. Both the executive and legislative branches of that state are in the hands of the Democrats. It sure looks like a quid pro quo -- and now the Democrats in that state are unwilling to examine the circumstances of the donation and its propriety.

Posted by: Greg at 01:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Hey, if it worked for Hugo Chavez, why not the Unicorn King?

The Obama administration will call for increased oversight of executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies as part of a sweeping plan to overhaul financial regulation, government officials said.

And friends, that doesn't just include the firms receiving bailout funds -- the proposal is to control the pay of the executives of ALL firms, whether or not they receive those funds.

And forget that whole legislative process, where his opponents might be able to block this unprecedented grab for power over the private sector -- he'll just have his appointees and their subordinates make rules that don't require the vote of the people's elected representatives.

The administration has been considering increased oversight of executive pay for some time, but the issue was heightened in recent days as public fury over bonuses spilled into the regulatory effort.

The officials said that the administration was still debating the details of its plan, including how broadly it should be applied and how far it could go beyond simple reporting requirements. Depending on the outcome of the discussions, the administration could seek to put the changes into effect through regulations rather than through legislation.

After all, the legislative process is so cumbersome and awkward, and might not necessarily produce the Hope'n'Change that he wants -- so he'll do it himself, without legislative branch input. After all, is Article I of the Constitution really all that important? I mean, Barry Hussein's authority comes from Article II, and II is higher than I and so the powers there must be much more substantive -- and he was a constitutional law professor (well, an instructor without tenure, anyway) for a little while. Besides, isn't it time for the "living constitution" to evolve in such a way as to give him unprecedented power?

Be afraid -- be very afraid.

After all, if Obama can regulate how much these folks are allowed to make, he can also impose a maximum wage upon the rest of us if he decides it is in the national interest.

H/T Q&O, Big Lizards

Posted by: Greg at 01:15 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Prior to the Hurricane, I lived not far from the water -- and hopefully will again quite soon. Even now, in my temporary location, I can still be to a body of water used for recreational boating within 5 minutes -- even if I miss a couple of lights. Unfortunately, this makes me aware of a certain type of inconciderate, unsafe boating "enthusiast" -- the drunk/drugged boater.

Now if you are considering going out on some body of water over your next vacation, are you prepared to deal with this dangerous creature? More importantly, are you prepared to make sure that you are not that dangerous creature? Fankly, you need to spend some time learning about boating safety if you plan on being out on the water. And one of the important aspects of boater safety is that you don't operate your boat while under the influence. Boating OUI is a big deal -- and is treated every bit as seriously as operating a car while intoxicated. Also, be sure you have enough life vests for everyone on the boat, and be sure they are used by everybody on your boat as a means of guaranteeing the safety of everybody. Check out this video as well.

Posted by: Greg at 01:10 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Just call it one more Obama-sized failure -- and this one indicative of how little regard foreign leaders have for him.

IranÂ’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rebuffed President ObamaÂ’s latest outreach, saying Tehran was still waiting to see concrete changes in American foreign policy.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who holds the ultimate responsibility for Iranian policy decisions, was responding Saturday to a video message Mr. Obama released Friday in which he reached out to Iran on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and expressed hopes for an improvement in nearly 30 years of strained relations.

In his most direct public assessment of Mr. Obama and prospects for better ties, Ayatollah Khamenei said there could be no change between the countries unless the Obama administration put an end to hostility toward Iran and brings “real changes” in foreign policy.

“They chant the slogan of change but no change is seen in practice,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a speech before a crowd of tens of thousands in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.

No good was ever likely to come from this effort -- yet the Obamateur decided to engage in YouTube diplomacy. What he forgets is that the Iranian regime hates America (something not true of the Iranian people as a whole), and nothing is going to change that. What he has done here is made himself look silly, and the United States look impotent. Good going, Barry!

Posted by: Greg at 01:02 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Just call it one more Obama-sized failure -- and this one indicative of how little regard foreign leaders have for him.

IranÂ’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rebuffed President ObamaÂ’s latest outreach, saying Tehran was still waiting to see concrete changes in American foreign policy.

Ayatollah Khamenei, who holds the ultimate responsibility for Iranian policy decisions, was responding Saturday to a video message Mr. Obama released Friday in which he reached out to Iran on Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and expressed hopes for an improvement in nearly 30 years of strained relations.

In his most direct public assessment of Mr. Obama and prospects for better ties, Ayatollah Khamenei said there could be no change between the countries unless the Obama administration put an end to hostility toward Iran and brings “real changes” in foreign policy.

“They chant the slogan of change but no change is seen in practice,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a speech before a crowd of tens of thousands in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.

No good was ever likely to come from this effort -- yet the Obamateur decided to engage in YouTube diplomacy. What he forgets is that the Iranian regime hates America (something not true of the Iranian people as a whole), and nothing is going to change that. What he has done here is made himself look silly, and the United States look impotent. Good going, Barry!

Posted by: Greg at 01:02 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Well, the rodeo is done today here in Houston. My wife and I have been a lot this year, and I have been struck by the number of pregnant young women (and not-so-young women) we've seen this year. Maybe it has something to do with being around six months past the up-to-two-week power outage that followed Hurricane Ike. Folks had to entertain themselves somehow.

That brings us to the question of maternity clothes. It is amazing how these clothes mimic the latest styles and fashions.

Kikisfashions.com, is a online retailer of fashionable maternity clothing. The site is now offering a 20% discount to to those who use the coupon code “bloggerfriends”. So if you or someone you love is ina afamily way, check them out.

Posted by: Greg at 12:59 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When he determines the existence of a cyber threat justifies cutting the people off from electronic access to their government.

CNET News has obtained a summary of a proposal from Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) that would create an Office of the National Cybersecurity Advisor, part of the Executive Office of the President. That office would receive the power to disconnect, if it believes they're at risk of a cyberattack, "critical" computer networks from the Internet.

Obama's popularity is plummeting, and he and his minions are seeking to aggregate more and more power into the hands of the government. He even wants to bypass the legislative process to implement further government control of the economy through executive orders and bureaucratic regulations. What better way to stifle dissent than to prevent convenient access to government records and limit the ability of citizens to quickly and conveniently communicate with government officials?

Anyone thinking "Reichstag fire"?

H/T Pink Flamingo

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