Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, will throw down the gauntlet today by staging a joint press conference in London demanding the G20 summit usher in a new era of global regulation of banks, executive bonuses, hedge funds and
offshore tax havens.
In what will be seen as a challenge to Obama, they will also insist nobody at the summit should discuss a fresh stimulus package, despite a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that "world trade is now in freefall".
A Blog Smith is analogous to Hephaestus (as a blacksmith) in that they create from writing by "forging" the basic materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: ideas, IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Merkel/Sarkozy Challenge Obama
Baitullah Mehsud takes credit for Pakistan attacks, threatens US
Baitullah Mehsud responds to Obama.
Monday, March 30, 2009
PA 10th Amendment
State Representative Samuel E. Rohrer, R-128th, of Berks County, and state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-48th, of Lebanon County, unveiled a resolution that was designed to defend the rights of Pennsylvania as a sovereign state under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. It was formally submitted to the state legislature on Friday.
Sarkozy Anti-Obama
President Sarkozy threatened a possible walk-out of the G20 conference. The French threat dramatically raised the stakes hours before Obama arrives. If carried through, it would ruin a summit for which Brown or Britain Obama have high ambitions.
No Response to North Korean Launch
In light of North Korea's imminent missile launch while appearing on "FOX News Sunday," Defense Secretary Robert Gates was prompted by host Chris Wallace to ask: "And there's nothing we can do about it?"
"No," Gates answered, adding, "I would say we're not prepared to do anything about it."
"I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it," Gates said. "But I don't think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point."
He doesn't know; or, he is not telling but if I were in Hawaii or Alaska I would not find his words reassuring.
"No," Gates answered, adding, "I would say we're not prepared to do anything about it."
"I think if we had an aberrant missile, one that was headed for Hawaii, that looked like it was headed for Hawaii or something like that, we might consider it," Gates said. "But I don't think we have any plans to do anything like that at this point."
He doesn't know; or, he is not telling but if I were in Hawaii or Alaska I would not find his words reassuring.
Iranian Journalist: No Objection from Americans
Iranian officials say Roxana Saberi was arrested for working in the country after her press credentials expired. Her parents found out about her arrest in a Feb. 10 phone call from her.
Saberi grew up in Fargo and is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran and has reported for several news organizations.
North Korea Will Try Two American Reporters
Current TV's Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained March 17 near North Korea's northeastern border with China. The two work for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based online media venture Current TV.
The American reporters detained earlier this month will be tried for illegal entry and hostile acts.
I am not aware of any official American demand for their release.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
N.Y. Two Year Old Learns Islam in America
Note the questions about hating Jews and Christians and the little girl answers correctly.
Thomas Paine Summoned to White House by Obama
The man who created two phenomenally successful "We The People" YouTube videos urging Americans to stand up against Congress and reclaim their republic now – or perhaps lose it forever – reportedly has been summoned to the White House by Obama to discuss the subject matter of the short films.
Bob Basso, who posts videos under the name funbobbasso on YouTube, has created videos in which he portrays Thomas Paine, author of the "Common Sense" pamphlet that made the case for independence during the American Revolution.
A former award winning news director for NBC TV and visiting professor at UCLA, Basso has a PhD in communications.
Doyle's distinctive repertoire includes former Wall Street insider, TV star and jet pilot. He has starred in many made-for-TV movies, but is best known as the character Michael Garibaldi on the Emmy winning Sci-fi television series "Babylon 5," which ran for five years.
Dr. Edwin Vieira, the Militia and the Constitution
Dr. Edwin Vieira, in the Militia and the Constitution, describes our American dilemma from a legal perspective.
Fascism, Corporatism, and Imperialism
Mussolini's fascism attempted to remove class antagonisms through nationalism and corporatism. The economy was organized and it sounded goon on paper. Nonetheless, the Italian economy experienced no appreciable growth. The corporate state was never fully implemented and the expansionist and militaristic nature of fascism contributed to imperialist adventures in Ethiopia and the Balkans, and ultimately, World War Two.
History does not repeat itself but there are echoes; Obama asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed.
In the meantime, Obama has ordered 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan and Friday he ordered 4,000 more trainers. History has numerous echoes.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Merkel, EU Shut Obama Down
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, last night opposed the “global new deal” for a $2 trillion-plus fiscal stimulus to end the recession.
“I will not let anyone tell me that we must spend more money,” she said.
The Spanish finance minister, Pedro Solbes, also dismissed new cash being pledged at Thursday’s London summit.
The assault by European Union leaders also represents a defeat for Obama, who is desperate for other big economies to copy his $800 billion stimulus mistake; they had the common sense to turn him down cold.
“I will not let anyone tell me that we must spend more money,” she said.
The Spanish finance minister, Pedro Solbes, also dismissed new cash being pledged at Thursday’s London summit.
The assault by European Union leaders also represents a defeat for Obama, who is desperate for other big economies to copy his $800 billion stimulus mistake; they had the common sense to turn him down cold.
Most Likely "Chinese" Hacking Infiltrates 103 Countries
The New York Times has reported that the "GhostNet" operation, in less than two years, has infiltrated at least 1,295 computers in 103 countries, including many belonging to embassies, foreign ministries and other government offices, as well as the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan exile centers in India, Brussels, London and New York. The intrusions do not seem to be severely impacted the U.S. but NATO computers have been breached.
EU Praises Obama on Afghanistan: Kill More Americans, Waste More Taxpayers Money
The Kenyan Obama has the perfect plan for his European constituents and one that they will assuredly embrace. The solution is to shed more American blood and waste more American treasure in violation of the long-standing tradition as encapsulated in the Monroe Doctrine. The Europeans are not committing any more troops and will not expend any effort on behalf of the U.S. so they are sure to embrace enthusiastically their ideal President. Why not? Everyone likes a good deal when they get something for nothing. Deutsche Welle even ran an article describing the Plan in such terms: "(Obama's) new strategy comes very close to the European ideas about the mission in Afghanistan," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
When will the U.S. leave Afghanistan?
No word on an exit strategy at all.
Pakistan Scrubs Reference to Kenyan Born Obama
Now scrubbed, a Pakistani forum formerly listed as "President of USA (44th) Barrack Hussain Obama of Democratic Party* (Kenyan born) (Since 20th Jan 2009)." The reference to his foreign birth has now been removed once bloggers noted the reference.
Graphic source: Google's cached page
On the Pakistani source an Assistant Director of the Emigration & Overseas Employment for Pakistan's Test & Scrutiny Wing of the Federal Public Service Commission posted information to help students that want to apply to work for the Pakistani Federal goverment study and pass their tests.
A Safdar Mehmood contributed to the forum a list of world leaders.
Obama's mother lived and worked in Pakistan. She was a consultant to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) working on a project in Gujranwalla; and, Obama visited there for three weeks in 1981 after General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq had overthrown the previous leader (Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) in a military coup d'état on July 5, 1977 and then advanced the Islamization and radicalization of Pakistan. (We're way past 'Spring Break' here.)Obama was able to enter and spend three weeks there during a period of martial law.
The Future Government
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams, speech at the Philadelphia State House on August 1, 1776.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Rethink Afghanistan
In the clamor praising Obama there is a lack of public debate and discussion on what to do about Afghanistan. We need to seriously rethink Afghanistan and yet the American public is largely silent.
Analysis: US outlines new Afghanistan strategy
Obama's War in Afghanistan is marred by their Afghan counterparts who are ill-disciplined, badly led, and with a crippling taste for hashish.
Af-pak White Paper Released
The Afghanistan-Pakistan White Paper is hailed as a new strategy but I see little innovation in it. Its a retread of ideas that have been tried and failed before, with more troops, and a larger commitment than the U.S. plans. If I were shipped to Afghanistan there would have to be more in it before I felt confident about the ideas contained in the plan.
Active-duty Military Personnel Sent to Fargo
What I find interesting about these reports is that troops are routinely being sent and no one is batting an eye. There are more active-duty troops sent from the Northern Command, these are not police, National Guard, or security, these are active-duty combat troops on the streets of America.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
North Korea Launch
Graphic source: JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW/DIGITALGLOBE
Commercially available satellite imagery appears to confirm that North Korea is preparing to launch a space-launch.
Terror War Over: Let's Send in More Troops
Now that the war on terror is over the Obama is ordering 4,000 trainers in addition to the 17,000 soldiers Obama has already ordered to Afghanistan, where attacks by Taliban militia have pushed violence to its highest level since U.S.-led forces invaded in 2001. Yes, this can work; I see no problems here.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Obama Bankruptcy Plan
“Investment” is “the outlay of money usually for income or profit,” and the meaning of the word “invest” is “to commit (money) in order to earn a financial return.” I wish someone would explain the word to the Obama. He misused the word, or just used an innocuous or innocent sounding word to dull the senses. The term or its equivalent was employed 18 times during his last address.
Here are the 18 times Obama used the words “invest” or “investment” to refer to government spending during his March 24 press conference. (The quotes are from the transcript of the press conference that CNN posted on Tuesday night.)
1. We invest in the renewable sources of energy that will lead to new jobs, new businesses and less dependence on foreign oil.
2. We invest in our schools and our teachers, so that our children have the skills they need to compete with any workers in the world.
3. We invest in reform that will bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses and our government.
4. It's with a budget that leads to broad economic growth by moving from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest.
5. We’ve got to make some tough budgetary choices. What we can't do, though, is sacrifice long-term growth, investments that are critical to the future, and that's why my budget focuses on health care, energy, education, the kinds of things that can build a foundation for long-term economic growth, as opposed to the fleeting prosperity that we've seen over the last several years.
6. And what we have to do is invest in those things that will allow the American's capacity for ingenuity and innovation, their ability to take risks, but make sure that those risks are grounded in good products and good services that they believe they can market to the rest of the country, that those models of economic growth are what we're promoting, and that's what I think our budget does.
7. We've got to invest in education, K through 12 and beyond, to upgrade the skills of the American worker so we can compete in--in the international economy.
8. Here's what I do know: If we don't tackle energy, if we don't improve our education system, if we don't drive down the costs of health care, if we're not making serious investments in science and technology and our infrastructure, then we won't grow 2.6 percent, we won't grow 2.2 percent. We won't grow.
9 & 10. And so what we've said is, let's make the investments that ensure that we meet our growth targets that put us on a pathway to growth as opposed to a situation in which we're not making those investments and we still have trillion-dollar deficits.
11. And so what we're trying to emphasize is, let's make sure that we're making the investments that we need to grow to meet those growth targets, at the same time we're still reducing the deficit by a couple of trillion dollars, we are cutting out wasteful spending in areas like Medicare, we're changing procurement practices when it comes to the Pentagon budget, we are looking at social service programs and education programs that don't work and eliminate them.
12. But it is going to be an impossible task for us to balance our budget if we're not taking on rising health care costs, and it's going to be an impossible task to balance our budget or even approximate it if we are not boosting our growth rates. And that's why our budget focuses on the investments we need to make that happen.
13. Look, I'm not going to lie to you. It is tough. As I said, that's why the critics tend to criticize, but they don't offer an alternative budget. Because even if we were not doing health care, we were not doing energy, we were not doing education, they'd still have a whole bunch of problems in those out-years, according to CBO projections. The only difference is that we will not have invested in what's necessary to make this economy grow.
14. And so what we've said is, look, let's invest in health information technologies.
15. Let's invest in preventive care.
16. Let's invest in mechanisms that look at who's doing a better job controlling costs while producing good quality outcomes in various states and let's reimburse on the basis of improved quality, as opposed to simply how many procedures you're doing. Let's do a whole host of things, some of which cost money on the front end, but offer the prospect of reducing costs on the back end.
17. Now, the alternative is to stand pat and to simply say, "We are just going to not invest in health care."
18. And that's why the recovery package said, as a first priority, how are we going to save or create 3.5 million jobs? How can we prevent layoffs for teachers and police officers? How can we make sure that we are investing in the infrastructure for the future that can put people back to work right away?
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an analysis of Obama’s budget proposal, concluding that it would result in an increase in the national debt that is unprecedented in the post-World War II era.
China's Military on the Rise
The China Military Power Report 2009 has been released and it documents how China's power is increasing. Not surprisingly then, China has flexed its muscles in the international economy.
Obama: Martial law, N.Y.'s 20th Congressional District
"Sign up and pitch in to elect Scott Murphy to Congress," the Obama begged in an early morning e-mail to at least 50,000 people in New York's 20th Congressional District. Recently, I reported that closely adjacent Schenectady, New York, is considering declaring martial law. I suppose that it is just a coincidence that the nearby congressional district, which may be a reflection of dissatisfaction about the Obama, is of personal concern. I would suspect that all bets are off and in order not to lose a vote which may be a bell whether referendum on his policies the Obama is engaged.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tele Traded for New Security
Teleprompter One has a rival in that the Obama swapped his security blanket for a new feature: a giant TV monitor for the news conference. No word yet if Tele was miffed by his rival. News at 11. The Staff was just as bored as ever so they just
traded their Blackberries.
Chicago to Introduce Goon Squad as Police
In some frightening parallels to the past goon squads, Chicago may soon have its own private security firm, acting as police, and yet in no way accountable to citizens. A Toronto-based firm was the lowest bidder for contracts so the question is how accountable would a foreign goon squad be to Americans?
Senator Benjamin Cardin Proposes an End to the 1st Amendment
Cardin's Newspaper Revitalization Act, ironically named of course as the end of newspapers in this country, would allow newspapers to operate as nonprofits for educational purposes under the U.S. tax code, giving them a similar status to public broadcasting companies. With this unprecedented supervision by the U.S. government, newspapers would cease as free organs of discussion and debate. Free speech would be outlawed. Under this arrangement, newspapers would still be free to report on all issues, including political campaigns. But they would be prohibited from making political endorsements. How is it possible that newspapers in the United States would be published without political content?
Freedom of the Press & Jefferson
A press that is free to investigate and criticize the government is absolutely essential in a nation that practices self-government and is therefore dependent on an educated and enlightened citizenry. On the other hand, newspapers too often take advantage of their freedom and publish lies and scurrilous gossip that could only deceive and mislead the people. Jefferson himself suffered greatly under the latter kind of press during his presidency. But he was a great believer in the ultimate triumph of truth in the free marketplace of ideas, and looked to that for his final vindication.
"The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them." --Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787. ME 6:57
"The press [is] the only tocsin of a nation. [When it] is completely silenced... all means of a general effort [are] taken away." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, Nov 29, 1802. (*) ME 10:341
"The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed. The agitation it produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure." --Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 1823. ME 15:491
"The functionaries of every government have propensities to command at will the liberty and property of their constituents. There is no safe deposit for these but with the people themselves, nor can they be safe with them without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe." --Thomas Jefferson to Charles Yancey, 1816. ME 14:384
"The most effectual engines for [pacifying a nation] are the public papers... [A despotic] government always [keeps] a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, [invent] and put into the papers whatever might serve the ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper." --Thomas Jefferson to G. K. van Hogendorp, Oct. 13, 1785. (*) ME 5:181, Papers 8:632
"Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it." --Thomas Jefferson to John Jay, 1786.
"I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents." --Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:78
"The art of printing secures us against the retrogradation of reason and information." --Thomas Jefferson to Pierre Paganel, 1811. ME 13:37
"The light which has been shed on mankind by the art of printing has eminently changed the condition of the world... And while printing is preserved, it can no more recede than the sun return on his course." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1823. ME 15:465
"The art of printing alone and the vast dissemination of books will maintain the mind where it is and raise the conquering ruffians to the level of the conquered instead of degrading these to that of their conquerors." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1821. ME 15:334
"[The] literati [of Europe are] half a dozen years before us. Books, really good, acquire just reputation in that time, and so become known to us and communicate to us all their advances in knowledge. Is not this delay compensated by our being placed out of the reach of that swarm of nonsensical publications which issues daily from a thousand presses and perishes almost in issuing?" --Thomas Jefferson to Charles Bellini, 1785. ME 5:153, Papers 8:569
"I cannot live without books." --Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1815. ME 14:301
"To preserve the freedom of the human mind... and freedom of the press, every spirit should be ready to devote itself to martyrdom; for as long as we may think as we will and speak as we think, the condition of man will proceed in improvement." Thomas Jefferson to William Green Munford, 1799.
"No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions." --Thomas Jefferson to John Tyler, 1804. ME 11:33
"Weighing all probabilities of expense as well as of income, there is reasonable ground of confidence that we may now safely dispense with... the postage on newspapers... to facilitate the progress of information." --Thomas Jefferson: 1st Annual Message, 1801. ME 3:331
Department of Justice & SCOTUS Update
Dr. Orly Taitz, Esq., received a response from Karen Thornton at the Department of Justice. Taitz' documents and filings have been forwarded to the Office of Solicitor General, Elena Kagan: the Quo Warranto, Easterling v. Obama aka Soetoro.
The number to call is: 202-514-2203.
Elena Kagan, Office of Solicitor General
Officer Giaccino at the Supreme Court also updated Taitz. Both pleadings have been received and being analyzed. All the documents that were given to Chief Justice Roberts at Idaho University are now at the Supreme Court and are also being analyzed. We will be notified tomorrow after 1:00pm EST as to whether they will be on the docket at the Supreme Court.
Monday, March 23, 2009
China calls for new reserve currency
Reforming the international currency means to replace the American dollar as the international standard.
Chinese Aggression Against U.S.N.S. Surveillance Ship
The videos of the USNS IMPECCABLE's close encounter with China has been released.
"If you get a fire hose, put it out on the [expletive] stinger. You can get a [expletive] better shot at the [expletive]," said another man, watching as the trawler crosses behind the Impeccable's stern. A stinger is a structure that projects from the ship's stern to guide the cable connected to the array of sonar equipment that the Impeccable tows.
The Chinese issued a clear statement denouncing the U.S. patrol.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Who Needs Nero When We Have Obama?
Watch CBS Videos Online
“60 Minutes” interviewer Steve Kroft had to ask the laughing and chuckling man “Are you punch-drunk?”
If only it were that simple. He just does not appear to have a clue.
It seems as if Obama is our Nero, burning down America in order to re-build it into some sort of 60s reject "Great Society."
Barry Legislates Against First Amendment
The GIVE Act has 12 amendments. The one I noticed in particular is House Amendment 49. It reads: “H.Amdt49 Pass Amendment to prohibit organizations from attempting to influence legislation; organize or engage in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; and assist, promote, or deter union organizing.”
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Obama Apologizes to Iran and Sends Happy Iranian New Year Greeting
Obama never mentions the deaths and dismemberment of U.S. military troops at the hands of Iran in a weak-kneed attempt to curry favor. The anti-Iranian regime and pro-democracy movements are surely to be disappointed in the message.
Nowrūz (Persian: نوروز /noʊruz/ ↔ [noʊɾuːz]; with various local pronunciations and spellings, meaning 'New Day') is the traditional Iranian new year holiday celebrated by Iranian peoples, having its roots in Ancient Iran. Since the Achaemenid era the official year has begun with the New Day when the Sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox. Apart from the Iranian cultural continent (Greater Iran), the celebration has spread in many other parts of the world, including parts of Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, the Crimea, and some ethnic groups in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Republic of Macedonia.
Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in Iranian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians. The moment the Sun crosses the equator and equalizes night and day is calculated exactly every year and Persian families gather together to observe the rituals.
Barry Sinking
The latest 20 March 2009 Rasmussen Report demonstrates that Barry's popularity is sinking while the disapproval rate is growing.
Is Only a Half Million to Dems Enough, Only $194,00 to Barry
American International Group: Recipients
Money to Congress: 2008 Cycle
Dems: Dems: $452,526
Top Recipients
Senate Obama, Barack $104,332
Money to Congress: 2008 Cycle
Dems: Dems: $452,526
Top Recipients
Senate Obama, Barack $104,332
In the AIG fall-out I am not sure if Barry and the Democrats only received the money that they did is enough to question their loyalty. If Barry only got around a hundred thousand dollars that is really not all that much. AIG was not even the biggest briber during the campaign and other groups donated more to him.
Taitz Dissed by Roberts
Dr. Orly Taitz, Esq. submitted a question to Chief Justice Roberts at the University of Idaho while Roberts dismisses her concern and the audience titters.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Obama: Bringing Down the House
Obama, at first, wants to take credit for helping low-income people; then, as the meltdown occurred, he wanted to solve the problem he helped create.