Climate change gets a facelift

Rational voices are coming out against human-induced climate change. Is it cold at your place, too?

A More Recent Thanksgiving Story.

Over at Blackfive.

Javier grabbed the grenade with his right hand. He told me “I knew I only had three to five seconds before it would go off.” With his body shielding his men from the grenade, he made a valiant effort to heave the grenade away. As the grenade left his hand it exploded.

Read the rest. .

Happy Thanksgiving

And now, the true story of Thanksgiving. Thank you Mr. Limbaugh.

Thankgsiving thoughts on oil and taxes

The numbers don’t add up. President-Elect Obama’s new tax plan calls for a tax rebate of $500 per adult, or $1,000 per working family. That money would come from the “wind fall profits” taxes on oil companies.
If I estimate 50 million working American families for the 300 million Americans, that’s $1,000 times 50 million. That’s $50 billion dollars.
Exxon netted $37.4 billion in nine months. Chevron earned $18.7 billion for 2007 (operating cost were $214.1 billion). Shell earned $131,567 million in their third quarter ’08. If we add these up, we can estimate almost $70 billion dollars for the year.
Put the Obama rebate and the oil company profits together, you quickly realize that $20 billion is leftover, assuming these are the only companies, oil hadn’t dropped in price, and that a president would be crazy enough to do this.
So what happens when the wind fall profits dry up and the oil giants are stuck with the taxes that supply the rebates? Or when stockholders lose astronomically because of the taxes on their money?
If you read between the lines of a Reuters article, Obama gave credit to Exxon for helping to pay the national debt and that they already pay a $1.2 billion in taxes annually.
So let’s tax them more and send them into bankruptcy to stave off the national debt? We raise taxes on already heavy-taxed oil companies, redistribute that money in the form of tax rebates to Americans making less than a certain amount, and call it job creation? Isn’t that the C-word? Where’s the incentive to invest? To make profit?
Wouldn’t this just destroy oil companies?
The last time I checked, the goal of a business of any kind, is to make money above all else. You can donate to charity, have a masseuse in your break room and offer one month vacation time, but first you have to make money. That’s the point. Nothing happens until profit happens. It’s a cold hard reality.
Exxon’s $14 billion-plus profits in the 3rd quarter were unpopular. We hated $4 a gallon gas, so we drove less. Gas is now below $2 a gallon as a barrel of oil is at $53. That’s quaint compared to those 3rd quarter prices when a barrel of oil hit more than $140. All futures markets arguments aside, I don’t want to be around when those 4th quarter losses are released.
If President Obama succeeds, buy a great pair of walking shoes, because you won’t be driving anywhere.
You’ll be walking everywhere.

It's About Time.

Finally someone is talking about how the Republican Party can win again after their humiliating losing streak. And he's not a liberal saying that the Republicans are not moderate enough, they need to get extreme in their moderation. This is the man who needs to be the next RNC Chairman.

Ronald Reagan spoke to our deepest longing as a people. He gave a voice to principles that are true for all people in all times. Retool our message, but base it on those proven conservative principles for which our party has always stood: Our freedom is from God, not government. Our prosperity comes from a free people in a free market, not overtaxing, free-spending bureaucrats. We celebrate and protect life, born and unborn. And our best hope for a brighter future is in the empowerment of individuals and families, not in the constraints imposed by a bloated bureaucracy.

Joe Biden Moves On.

Nepotism at it's finest.

The selection of Ted Kaufman, a senior adviser to Biden's 2008 presidential and vice presidential campaigns, was viewed by some as protecting Attorney General Beau Biden's chances in any race to succeed his father in the Senate seat that Joe Biden has held since 1972.

With Joe Biden as the President of the Senate, there will nonstop YouTube clips of "three letter word, J O B S.", "Stand up, Chuck." (to a guy in a wheelchair) and him telling everyone how high his I.Q. is. Especially now that Kaufman won't be keeping him in check.

Never Had A Chance.

He went twenty for twenty. Only twenty shots fired for twenty insurgents bodies falling to the ground.

During the battle, the designated marksman single handedly thwarted a company-sized enemy RPG and machinegun ambush by reportedly killing 20 enemy fighters with his devastatingly accurate precision fire.

It Begins.

People wanting a job with Obama's administration have a new question on their application.

Tucked in at the end of the questionnaire and listed under “Miscellaneous,” it reads: “Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so, provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries or property damage.”

It will be his administration and it's his choice to add that question on the application. I think it is a sign of his intent to want to legislate guns away from the public in the name of crime or public safety. Regardless of the fact that gun control of any kind has worked in the past.

Thanks to Ed of Hot Air.

Too Good To Pass Up.

From over at Ace of Spades
.

The Big Three Bail-out.

Hat in hand and fresh off private planes, the CEOs of GM, Ford and Chrysler asked for part of their bail-out pie on Wednesday.

The 'Bail-out' will not even go to the company but to help keep paying of the UAW. Why not when they pay their employees more than Toyota, Honda and Nissan. As well as paying workers to sit in a room to do crosswords while getting paid to do so (yes, it's from 2005 but nothing has changed since then). It's throwing more leaves on the fire to give it the impression that it's still burning when the fire needs to be put out.

Ace and Drew at Ace of Spades has more about the UAW sucking down GM, Ford and Chrysler and how SUV's helped them out. For a while.

Just a thought

Here's something scary when you think about it. Too many people view Obama as a modern day Messiah. It's a little unnerving. This is just a link to Youtube of "Obama music" and a lot of stuff comes up. Videos that take a great deal of effort. It's something akin to worship.

These people are so full of adulation for Obama, they're completely undignified. A little stupid, I might add. I'm mean, I know.

Update by Dave. 11/20/08

It's not just the mainstream hip hop artists in their adulation of Barack Obama. This choir of little kids has been making the rounds on the internet for some time now. Not to mention this video of the Obama Cadence . It's good to have role models and to have someone to look up to. To a point.
At the risk of violating Godwin's Law, one hopes this cult of personality worship doesn't boil over to this.

Regarding the Bailouts..

. . of anything by the government.

Still, historically accurate today as it was then.

There are in that House many very wealthy men - men who think nothing of spending a week's pay, or a dozen of them, for a dinner or a wine party when they have something to accomplish by it.

thanks to jjmurphy in the comments at Michelle Malkin's blog.

Why The GOP Lost.*

With a mentality like this, it's easy to see.

*I'm sure this won't be the last posting with this title.

Jaw Dropping Wow.

Talk about failure of education. Now you know how Obama got elected.

How Rove Helped Destroy the GOP.

From the McCain I do like.

To Hell With Karl Rove.

If you've met Karl Rove -- as I did earlier this year at George Washington University -- you know what an impressive person he is. The guy has an authoritative manner, and can talk politics very fluently, citing all sorts of historical and demographic facts to bolster his case.

Yet that does not, and certainly ought not, empower Rove to dictate policy to conservatives. In fact, this blurring of politics and policy in the Bush administration (for which Rove was significantly responsible) is one of the major causes of Republican "brand damage."

There's more.

Will It Happen?

A little Q and A about Barack's statement on the campaign trail regarding the 'civilian national security force' that's "Just as strong" and "Just as well funded" as the military.

New Star Trek Teaser

I'm torn on it. One hand, it's a new Star Trek. The other, well, watch and see.



Thanks to someone in the comments at Ace of Spades. He had a bootleg version of the real teaser.

Palin the Fiscal Conservative.

A nice write up about Sarah Palin and why she had a 70 % approval rating. The narrative of the media has hyped her up as a member of the 'religious right' and completely ignored her other accomplishments as Governor of Alaska.

From TownHall.com.

I've been a little annoyed at the recent media characterization of Sarah Palin as a purely "Social Conservative" or "Traditionalist" pitted against the "Reform" or "Fiscal Conservative" wing of the GOP.

It's not that Palin isn't a social conservative (she is), but as governor, her social positions did not define her. It is very obvious that the media has sought to define her as a social conservative, in an effort to pigeon-hole her -- and to diminish her reputation. What is more, aside from all-but calling her a religious fanatic, the media has sought to portray her as a Mike Huckabee-esqu populist.

Cation.

I always wanted something like this when I was a kid.




Thanks to Explorations.

What I Can Hope For In The Next Few Years.

Or, Why I'm not going to live in a bunker for the next term.

I do think Obama will follow the first point in this essay. It will be an easy win for him early in the administration. And he will finally use the word, 'Victory' when talking about ending the war in Iraq. Regardless of the fact that Bush did all the groundwork and received all of the criticism of the War in Iraq.

From the Hot Air headlines.

Duh.

Who would have thunk it.

Seven Days of Sex.

A Little Life Lesson.

Tolerance in action.



Thanks to Michelle Malkin

Give It A Rest.

And I thought that the campaign was over with. Then why am I being asked to donate money to Barack's cause? This came for me in my email, along with everyone else on Barack's mailing list:

Our friends at the Democratic National Committee laid it all on the line to bring change this year.

We've been reviewing the books, and the DNC went into considerable debt to secure victory for Barack and Joe. It took unprecedented resources to staff up all 50 states, train field organizers, and build the technology to reach as many swing voters as possible.

It worked.

But it also left the DNC in debt. So before we do anything else, we need to help pay for this winning strategy.

Make a donation of $30 or more now and you'll get a limited edition 2008 Victory T-shirt.

Help the DNC and get a 2008 Victory T-shirt

The DNC's 50-state field strategy was crucial to our campaign's success, as well as victories for Democrats up and down the ballot. Their organizing infrastructure allowed us to compete -- and win -- in states that seemed insurmountable just four years ago.

They took out substantial loans to make it happen. The DNC didn't hold back, and now, neither can we.

Barack has raised over 600 Million Dollars. He can't lift a finger to help out his party to pay of the debt of 15 Million? Change you can believe in.

Things To Make You Go Ahhh.*

Comment of the day at Hot Air.com

Click here.

By Baldilocks

*not something that will happen every day.

Little Google Titles..

The Pool Bar: Change we can Google

For the first time, Google is finally proud of our country.

(hat tip: Eric at the Pool Bar.)

Happy Veterans Day

Over at Michelle Malkin's, she has several different links regarding Veterans Day.

Don't forget to thank the person you know or even don't know for their service to our country.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse.

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe filed papers Monday setting up a campaign committee to explore a possible 2009 run to succeed term-limited Democrat Tim Kaine as governor of Virginia.

Sure, we are sorry.. Now

After 8 years of 'Bush=Hitler', 'Not my President', and 'Selected, not elected' many of the same people want to play nice. And forget all that vitriol and nastiness. Please?




Who else will produce the goods we need to loot?




We can agree that hat is pretty aweful.




If you quote Bob Geldof, that should void any argument then and there.




... and tell me what you are wearing.




You know those will only go up his nose.




Just don't ask him to share the cake.

Yes, I'm blatantly stealing this idea from Jim Treacher.

What now?

Everyone knows someone like this.



Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

Happy Birthday Marines!

When it absolutely, positively needs to be destroyed overnight. To my father-in-law who was/is a Marine. He is one of the toughest guys I have ever met.

New Bumber Sticker

Work to be done.

Victor Davis Hanson.

It seems to me that conservatives have a golden opportunity to offer criticism and advice in a manner that many liberals did not during the last eight years.

Deep down, everyone feels this way.

Some aren't brave enough to admit it yet.

. . . when you saw this inspiring young African-American rise to our nation's highest office I hope you felt the same sense of patriotic pride that I experienced, no matter how hard you were hyperventilating with deep existential dread.

Post Election Wrap Up.

John McCain gave a gracious speech conceding to Barack Obama, the new President Elect. No sooner had his microphone been turned off, news reports hit the wires about Sarah Palin and her attitude on the campaign road. The FOX reporter, Carl Cameron, cites 'unnamed sources'.

What makes this annoying is that the people claiming this happened won't sack up and say, "Yes, it was me." The Campaign is now over. There is nothing left to lose.

Indication of things to come?

So, after Barack's victory speech and his victorious bid for the White House, I received this in my email the next day. The last line is the kicker.

Davie --

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don't want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack


Please donate

Obama, in his own words.

In the case against Obama.

Think about it.

How much is this worth on Antique Roadshow?

There is lots of verbiage about change, organize, audacity, and community. Sounds like it influenced a certain democratic presidential candidate in the past.