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Buck Up Ladies
2012-01-30 23:47:00
Nita Chaudhary and Shaunna Thomas wrote in the Puffiogton Post: Birth control matters to women. This is not an opinion. It is a fact. But you wouldn’t know it reading political coverage of the administration’s decision to do the right thing and approve the rule mandating coverage of it. And frankly, that’s shameful. When Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius first announced the final rule making clear that contraception would be covered under health reform, not a single network saw fit to cover it in its nightly news. Every single network did, however, find time to cover the President’s rendition of Al Green at the Apollo. ... Between 2000 and 2008, 36 MILLION women were sexually active, of child bearing age, and did not wish to become pregnant. 17.4 million of them have incomes below 250% of the federal poverty line or are under the age of 20. Look ladies, I’ll try and keep this simple.   The Supreme Court has held that sexual relat...

Home on the Canal
2012-01-30 18:37:00
Is it news? Not really, but it is local to both me and Eric, by Leo Roth, Roc Now: Hat tip: RocNow More than 100,000 walkers, bikers and joggers visited a stretch of the Erie Canalway Trail at Henpeck Park in Greece in 2011, according to a report released Thursday by New York State Canal Corp. and Parks & Trails New York. The 365-mile multi-use trail, which runs from Buffalo to Albany adjacent to the historic waterway, drew an estimated 1.7 million users. The trail is about 75 percent connected. In August and September, a team of volunteers counted trail visitors at Henpeck Park, located on Elmgrove Road near Ridgeway Avenue. A total of 107,143 trail users were tabulated — 53 percent walkers, 37 percent cyclists Only a hundred thousand visitors. They must not have counted the ducks. When the Erie Canal is drained, it is a duck heaven. The geese seem to like the canal better when it is full.  Personally, I am only claiming credit for twenty-nine visits to Henpeck.   Eri...
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Let Go of My Half Dome
2012-01-30 17:36:00
Now if you don’t like the crowds hiking Half Dome, don’t hike there. It is certainly not my idea of hiking. Yet, like Bush (Forty-One) who had an irrational dislike of broccoli, I see no reason to convert my personal preference into public policy. Yet for some reason, unknown to rational men, public officials are scheming to limit the public’s access to public property: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) – There was a time not long ago when a climb to the top of Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome was a solitary trek attempted by only the most daring adventurers. [..] Now officials want to permanently limit access to the granite monolith, frustrating both hikers who journey there for a transcendent experience and advocates who say the plan doesn’t go far enough to protect a place in a federally designated wilderness area If the Sierra Club does not like the crowds hiking Half Dome, then don’t  hike there.   Otherwise leave the hikers alone. ...

Snark of the Day: Allen West (video)
2012-01-30 02:16:00
The Snark of the Day, video: Hat tip: Karen, the Lonely Conservative Link to this post!
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Testing Syndication Links
2012-01-29 22:05:00
Testing syndication links Link to this post!
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Been a Long Week
2012-01-29 21:21:00
Rochester, NY— Been a long week, and lots going on. I can’t speak to it all, but will comment on a few things I’ve seen. Florida- Romney is outspending Newt Gingrich at the order of seven to one in Florida. And that’s going to give is predictable results there, I fear.  Particularly, since the media seems to be playing along with Romney’s game.  At least, for the time being.  My fear, here, is that Romney, not being a conservative, will fail on the order of other moderates before him.  Once that happens, the left, and the press, (but I repeat myself ) will cast that failure as a conservative failure, despite the fact that Romney is no conservative.  Ultimately that will do conservatism and the country more damage than any other factor.  Understand; I don’t accept the idea that anybody but Obama is what is needed.  Certainly, anyone could do a better job than he can.  But unless there’s a real conservative in play, and Romney isn&rsq...
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Sixty-Five Year Old Gentlemen Makes Thug’s Day
2012-01-29 02:06:00
from Casey Glynn: (CBS) – Police say a 65-year-old man attacked by three teenagers in Pennsylvania shot two of them, killing one, after they knocked him off his bike and assaulted him in an alleged robbery attempt. Police say on Wednesday the man was riding on a trail in Reading, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, when the teens pushed him off the bicycle and two assaulted him, reports the Reading Eagle. The man reportedly took out a handgun and shot the attackers. An armed society, is a safe society.   Sure would like to know what kind of holster the gentlemen was using.    Had this mugging  happened in the People’s Republic of New York City, the gentlemen might well be dead, or in the Da Mayor’s jails, and out one handgun. Link to this post!

Romney is No John Paul Jones
2012-01-28 01:21:00
John Paul Jones , “I have not yet begun to fight.”   Mitt Romney, “I have not yet begun to fight, and I don’t intend to start.” Romney will not repudiate Romney Care and he can not make a convincing case that it is any different than the popularly despised Obama Care.   Rick Santorum drives the point home, video: Hat tip video and reax: Nice Deb: .I found Mitt’s peevish admonition, “First of all, it’s not worth getting angry about…” to be a vain and  transparent attempt to exploit the (fair or unfair) perception that Santorum comes off as whiny  in debates.  He should save the snide put-downs for Obama, who really is a whiny, thin skinned SCOAMF Obama economics and Obama Care are Barack Obama’s too biggest problem.   If the People want to retake the presidency, we simply can not afford to give Obama two free passes. More reax, via William A Jacobson, Legal Insurrection, from Milton Wolf: Campaigns always have give and take but le...
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Daniels Does Good, Dumbo Does Do Over
2012-01-25 23:53:00
Indiana governor Mitch Daniels smacks it out of the park, video: Meanwhile Obama stuck in time warp, video: Barack Obama has been talking about the same problems for two, or even three years.  So either Obama does not realized that he already addressed those problems, or is too stupid to realize that his solutions have not worked. Link to this post!
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George Orwell Lives, But Babies Die
2012-01-25 02:52:00
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others, and abortions are safe.   George Orwell lives, from a deluded Genevra Pittman: (Reuters Health) – Getting a legal abortion is much safer than giving birth, suggests a new U.S. study published Monday. Researchers found that women were about 14 times more likely to die during or after giving birth to a live baby than to die from complications of an abortion. Reax,Steven Ertelt Life News: But Paul Wilson of the Culture and Media Institute says “Reuters failed to include vital information about the study and the people it quoted – namely, that the authors of the study and both of the experts it cited were either abortion doctors or had strong ties to the abortion industry.” Abortion may or may not be safer for the mother. It is definitely not safe for the baby. Link to this post!
More About: Babies , Lives , George Orwell

More Thoughts on Gingrich
2012-01-24 02:39:00
I don’t really have the connections to be doing a full Ramble tonight.  I’m writing this on my phone. I did however want to capture a couple more thoughts about the win in South Carolina for Newt Gingrich over the weekend. The word is he’s going to be winning in Florida too. The New York Times is reporting at the moment Gingrich has something on the order of an 85 percent chance of winning. The question is surely being asked now in the halls of the GOP establishment.. Why? The question is understandable. Certainly, Gingrich is something less than the ideal candidate. He most certainly has not always been the most conservative of people. His personal life until at least recently has been something less than admirable.  On that basis I must assume that there is no hue and cry for Newt Gingrich the person to be president. I would suggest you that the reason is rather simple. At the moment, he is the only one in the Republican field it is actually sending the messa...
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Roe V. Wade And Obama V. the Nuclear Family
2012-01-23 23:32:00
Dumbo, a/k/a Dim Won, a/k/a President Fifty Seven States, b/k/a Barack Obama is neither principled, intelligent or consistent. To make the thirty-ninth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s war on unborn children, Dumbo said, in part, from CNS News: “As we mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade , we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters,” Obama said. “I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right. Yes the right to abortion is so fundamental that it was regulated by the several states and can be found nowhere in the actual  Constitution. The fact is that Marry Blackmun invented the right to abortion, out of whole cloth. The fact is that every unborn child has a mother, a father, grandparents and a life. It impossible to advance the cause of equal ri...
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A Tale of Two Massachusetts Millionaires
2012-01-23 12:45:00
From Howie Carr, Boston Herald: Mitt’s still got an 18-point lead in Florida, or did before last night’s Newt landslide. But he’s got to learn to lie better in these debates. That lame story of his about why he didn’t run for re-election in Massachusetts in 2006 was bad enough, but on the question of releasing his income tax returns, he squirmed like a gaffed fish. He was drowning in flop sweat. Why is Mitt ashamed of having a lot of money? If Newt, the born-again Catholic, can brush off his cheating past, how come Mitt can’t explain coherently why it’s OK to pay a 15 percent capital gains rate on money you’ve already paid the top 35 percent income tax rate on when you first earned it? Yes Mitt Romney is rich.   Then so is Massachusetts’ other playboy politician and one time presidential wanna be John “French” Kerry.   Frenchy never had to defend being filthy rich,  never apologized for making millions by marrying his first wife, then having  the...

Dim Won Sells Out American Security, Jobs And Economy
2012-01-23 00:50:00
What kind of moron would rather buy oil from our enemies than our friends? The moron who is our president, video: Hat tip:   Smitty,  Other McCain. Link to this post!
More About: Security , Economy , Jobs , American

Gingrich Blowout in SC.. with Data…
2012-01-22 03:55:00
Newt Gingrich walked away with South Carolina’s GOP presidential primary today. The early reports have Gingrich taking all but two counties there. Newt Gingrich 229,680 40.7% Mitt Romney 152,797 27% Rick Santorum 97,291 17.2% Ron Paul 75,283 13.3% Rick Perry 2,336 0.4% Other 7,566 1.3% The interesting part of this, is the Exit polling.Those polls report that the largest number of independents in that state went for Gingrich. Did you see that? Go up and read that last paragraph again. Now look at the numbers: No matter how you voted today, do you usually think of yourself as a: Total Paul Gingrich Romney Santorum Democrat 4% - - - - Republican 71% 10% 44% 27% 18% Independent or something else 25% 24% 31% 25% 18% Conclusions: The conventional wisdom, that I have always fought against, is that to attract independence we need to be timid. We need to avoid confrontation. We need to be embarrassed about being conservative. That has been th...
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Mr. Inevitable Loses, Yet Again.
2012-01-22 02:04:00
Mitt Romney, who has attempted to paint himself as the inevitable nominee has lost his second race in three outings, from WLTX, Columbia, SC: Columbia, SC (WLTX) – Newt Gingrich has won the 2012 South Carolina Presidential primary, upending the race that will now turn Florida into a battleground. Polls closed at 7:00 p.m. At 7:01 p.m. NBC, Fox News, and ABC projected Gingrich as defeating Romney. CBS and the Associated Press followed suit about 20 minutes later, once the first official results arrived. The voters have spoken, and they want a conservative.  Time for Mitt Romney and Ron Paul to suspend  their campaigns. Link to this post!

Conservatism And the Press
2012-01-21 21:21:00
OK, John King got his butt handed to him in a basket by Newt Gingrich. David’s got the video up already, so I won’t bother with it. We all know of the exchange. Frankly, it’s no great feat of foresight that Gingrich saw the question coming.  The supposed mainstream media is nothing if not predictably leftist.  Which is not to say Gingrich doesn’t deserve accolades for knocking it out of the park.  Indeed, I would think an ill prepared for the Presidency indeed had he not seen it coming. But, please, let’s not fall into the trap of thinking that the liberal media has learned its lesson by this.  I will guarantee you that John King is being inundated by leftist admirers in his emails and phone calls.  He is being greeted and hailed as a liberal hero.  And of course, his objectivity is never in question in these comments. The same goes for Brian Ross. Essentially what happend there with John King happens all the time. Brian Ross, the guy who went aft...
More About: Press , Conservatism , The Press

Newt-Mentum
2012-01-20 17:22:00
Will Newt Gingrich ride into the White House on crest of belittled and mocked Lame Stream Media reporters.   Saturday night, Juan Williams tried carrying water for the Obama campaign,  and go humiliated for his efforts.   Last night, ignoring Williams’ carcass, and got more of the Newt Treatment, from Don Surber, Daily Mail (WV)video: Reax: “The audience gave Newt Gingrich a standing ovation for his response at to a question about whether he asked his second wife for an open marriage, which was the opening question at Thursday night’s CNN Republican presidential debate. Gingrich turned John King’s question around, saying, “I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office. And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that.” The former House speaker categorically denied the allegation that his second wife, Mar...

The Ramble: 1-19-12
2012-01-20 11:28:00
Ulster, NY- Been a hell of a long week. Tomorrow’s the last day I’ll leave here and run to Newburgh, then to Northern NJ to grab some pasta… and head to Rochester with it Huntsman: Huntsman joins the list of those who dropped out….( alongwith Perry, who is a seriously classy act, but shoulda dropped out some time ago.) Already I’m hearing about how Huntsman couldn’t cut it in the GOP race because he wasn’t being hateful enough. Wouldn’t call Obama what he is… a grade one socialist. Two things strike me about this; First, that Romney wouldn’t either… and he was until recently running away with the thing. Funny how they don’t even attempt to explain that one.  The other thing that strike me here is that the timing is suggestive that Romney’s people got to him and are dangling the prospect of Vice President in his face.  If I’m correct about that, it’s the ultimate slap in the face to the G...
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The Answer
2012-01-19 00:06:00
This may be the greatest debate answer in the history of presidential primary debates and the loudest standing ovation ever in any debate,  video via Jill, Pundit & Pundette: Juan Williams, for whom I have some regard and respect, persisted in the most ill-fated attack since what July 3, 1863. Williams suggests that saying that blacks should look for jobs before Food Stamps is racist.    Yet no one ever become successful looking first for welfare. Link to this post!
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A Ship of Asses
2012-01-16 23:55:00
The grounding of the Costa Concordia shows that like  Captain Francesco Schettino our culture is headed in the wrong dirction, from Daily Mail (UK) via Jill, Pundit & Pundette: Men refused to prioritise women, expectant mothers and children as they pushed themselves forward to escape. Crew ignored their passengers – leaving ‘chefs and waiters’ to help out Shocked? More: Frenchwoman Isabelle Mougin, 38, who is five months pregnant, wept as she described her battle to get off the sinking ship with her husband. Interviewed in hospital, she said the captain refused to let them leave the vessel, even though she pleaded that she was a priority case because of her pregnancy. Alas, it not a baby, only a choice, non-viable tissue mass. Reax, Jill: That woman had some very old-school expectations of “grown men,” it seems. And special treatment for pregnant women? Based on what? Sadly predictable. Mere chronological advancement does not equal to progress.   We becoming...

Short Arm Salute Hysteria
2012-01-13 23:05:00
Who knew piss was offensive?  The hyperbolic over reaction to the Marine0s’ short arm salute has me well pissed, from, Wikipedia: Piss Christ is a 1987 photograph by artist and photographerAndres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist’s urine. The piece was a winner of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art‘s “Awards in the Visual Arts” competition,[1] which is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a United States Government agency that offers support and funding for artistic projects. A print of the photograph was damaged using a screwdriver or icepick on April 17, 2011 while on exhibit in Avignon, France. Maybe the four Marine gentlemen should apply to National Endowment for the  Arts for a grant to  cover the cost o their legal defense.   I mean it is not like the tax payers have never paid for stuff like this before.    I mean if offending millions of Christians should qualif...
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Stuff the News Won’t Tell You
2012-01-13 18:59:00
According to the latest Gallup poll,This conservatives are the largest ideological group in the country. Of course you’ll never hear this from the main street press. Trouble is you won’t hear it from the GOP much either. Whereas the GOP seems intent on chasing the supposed center, it turns out that the center isn’t even the lion’s share of the votes. In the end it comes down to the question of what kind of wake up call me to be issued to get the GOP back to its conservative roots? Do we need to see another defeat along the lines of Bob Dolr and  John McCain?  And after getting their heads handed them on two separate occasions, if they haven’t gotten the message yet what makes anyone think they ever will? Link to this post!
More About: News , The News , Stuff

Why is Moochelle Angry?
2012-01-12 21:56:00
Don Surber reports on Moochelle Obamaj, link: She just gave it weight by going on CBS News this morning and saying: “…I guess it’s more interesting to imagine this conflicted situation here and a strong woman and– you know? But that’s been an image that people have tried to paint of me since the day Barack announced, that I’m some angry black woman.” And reaxs: Michelle Obama has the right to remain silent. She should have exercised that right. More from American Thinker: Why would anyone think Michelle is an angry woman (of any color)? Maybe it has something to do with her demeanor…. (Hat tip to iOwnTheWorld.com) Evidence at the link. Been there and blogged that,  Eric on Jun 8, last.    I commented at the time, that Moochelle sees herself as victim.  There is simply not enough room in Moochelle’s head for for her to be both a victim and happy.: If Moochelle does not want to b e perceived as angry, she needs to quit acting as if she were angry. Mooche...
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Did Marines Render Departed Taliban Short Arm Salute?
2012-01-12 19:53:00
A video shows four purported Marine rendering due respect to purported dead Taliban fighters, from Useless Toady: WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday condemned as “utterly deplorable” a video that purports to depict four U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters. He said such behavior is “entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military” and those responsible will be held accountable. I have my opinion of what the Marines are doing and my attitude has to how appropriate the short arm salute,  may or my not be.    However,  the linked video does not shows any short arms on display.   So Secretary Panetta does not know  just what the four standing gentlemen are in fact Marines or just what they are doing.   Given Panetta’s lack of information it is time for him to pull his proverbial Johnson out of his mouth and shut the flock up.   Is Panetta attempting to exert command influence for ...
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Another Iranian Nuke Scientist Goes Poof
2012-01-11 22:01:00
Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post: TEHRAN — An Iranian scientist involved in purchasing equipment for the Islamic Republic’s main uranium-enrichment facility was assassinated Wednesday when a magnetic bomb attached to his car exploded in morning rush-hour traffic, Iranian media reported. Iranian officials accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating the attack, which also killed the scientist’s driver. ... “The United States strongly condemns this act of violence and categorically denies any involvement in the killing,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. The only correct response for the State Department would have been, “The State Department can neither conform nor deny involvement.”   Iran is not our friend and it should not be the role of the State Department to make our enemies feel better.    Call it what you will, this is not smart diplomacy.    Then it is Mrs. Clinton’s State Department. Link to this post!
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Iran Kidnaps Another American Tourist.
2012-01-11 00:27:00
From Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor: Though tensions have continued to rise, with Iran sentencing Iranian-American Amir Mirzaei Hekmati to death yesterday for allegedly spying (his family says he returned to Iran to visit his grandmother) and new US sanctions on Iran’s central bank, two peaceful opportunities to underscore the US naval reach in the region literally fell into America’s lap. Last week, the Navy destroyer USS Kidd swept in and rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who’d been held hostage on their small boat by Somali pirates for over a month. The fishermen, who’d been through a “horrific” ordeal according to one of their American rescuers, were given food, medical treatment, and enough fuel to steam homeIf Iran has kidnapped yet another American tourist and dutifully awaits it next ransom payment.   Meanwhile back at the ranch, the US Navy has rescued more Iranian sailors from pirates. Note Iran is rattling anchor chains in an attempt...

Chris Christie Makes Sport of Occutard
2012-01-10 01:03:00
Old Chinese proverb, never get into political urination contest with a politician with a tighter OODA Loop.    Chris tie may be fat,  but he knows how to turn inside an Occutard political ambush, video: Hat tip video:  Nice Deb Link to this post!
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The Ramble for 1/9/12… The Debates Vs Reality; America has been Defe
2012-01-09 10:30:00
Carlisle, PA– A quick run down from Rochester last night, and I’ll be headed for the Albany tomorrow. From there, likely back to Rochester, but I don’t know yet.   It’s snowed around Rochester Saturday night/Sunday morning,m and we’re looking at somewhat colder temps. Was nearly 60 on Saturday around home. It’s as I tld my wife… we have a January thaw going with no real winter in front of it, this year. Actually, I don’t mind, because I would have had to drive through all that snow that we didn’t get.  But I can’t get over the feeling that nature usually balances are books, and doesn’t give us a whole bunch of warning about the matter.  I’d take note due in predicting this, but we’re going to end up with a wing-dinger a storm … and soon. The Debates vs Reality :After the first couple of debates went by, I began to sense a feeling of total loss on the part of many America ns.Allow me to explai...
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Bam in Wonderland
2012-01-09 02:37:00
Two losers attempt to paint Mitt Romney as out of touch, Russell Goldman and Michael Falcone, ABC News: ROCHESTER, N.H. — Mitt Romney attempted his own version of an “I-feel-your-pain” moment at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Sunday, telling a crowd that like so many Americans he too has worried about getting fired. “I know what its’ like to worry about whether or not you are going to get fired,” Romney said. “There are times when I wondered whether I was going to get a pink slip.” Worrying about keeping your job is what happens in the real world. I doubt that ABC’s two economically illiterate reporters understand this, but the higher your salary, the more your company would save by firing you.   Higher rewards entail higher risks. Being out of touch is throwing a lavish Alice in Wonderland party, on the public’s dime, while the nation’s unemployment hovered at ten percent, from Karen, the Lonely Conservative: The Obama’s, who no doubt bel...