The dead included more than 20 Navy SEALs from SEAL Team Six, the unit that carried out the raid in Pakistan in May that killed bin Laden.
Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Revenge: deadliest single incident for American forces in the decade-long war
31 Americans, 7 Afghans killed in helicopter crash
Friday, August 5, 2011
Best Practices for Creating Secure Passwords
Best Practices for Creating Secure Passwords
Make your password much longer! Hint: aim for at 15+ characters in length. Pad it!
Include each of the four character types in the password: symbols, uppercase letters, numbers, and lowercase letters; in that order of preference. In other words, most people use only lowercase letters and do not use symbols – go against the herd.
Turn easy-to-remember phrases into passwords, then add in and flip around the four characters... then, pad it and make it longer.
Do NOT use easy to guess passwords or passwords that can be found in any dictionary (including foreign language dictionaries). It's worth mentioning, don't use any personal information as a password either – birth date, child's name, address, etc.
Do NOT use the same password, or similar passwords, for all your accounts (bank, broker, online credit card portal, Facebook, Amazon, or hotmail)! If one account gets compromised you don't want to create a domino effect.
Do NOT use your top-secret, extra-secure passwords (banking or insurance, for instance), with less secure accounts like webmail or free membership sites.
Two Convenient, Fast, and Secure Password Management Tips
1. Truecrypt.org and Wuala.com:Truecrypt is a free, open-source solution you can download and use to encrypt any and all local files on your computer. Here's what you do:
First, you create a password file. It could be a simple document with a list that contains the account name, user name, and password. For instance, Facebook: username, password; Gmail: username, password; and so on.
When you need to login to an account, open your encrypted password list and retrieve the appropriate login and password credentials.
You can keep a back up of your password list on your jump drive or upload the encrypted list to a cloud storage account such as Wuala.com.
Wuala adds a bit more convenience because it allows you to automatically sync your stored data onto different devices. And it lets you access your password file from virtually any Internet connection in the world.
In addition, Wuala enables you to encrypt, back up, and store any file (not just your password list) to the cloud and access it via the Internet.
2. LastPass.com was founded specifically to address secure password management concerns. Their free option is extremely robust. All the steps mentioned above – using Truecrypt to encrypt your password list and storing it on local hardware (such as a USB jump drive) or in the cloud – are rolled into one seamless package with LastPass, with a few extras included. Here are some highlights:
Frustrate Obama's Army of Snoops
One Click Login – Once you load your accounts, usernames, and passwords into LastPass, all you need to do in the future is click one button and LastPass automatically logs you into the account you want (banking, webmail, Twitter, etc.). No need to type!
Generate Secure Passwords – You can ask the program to generate secure passwords for you. You don't have to spend any time "inventing" new passwords. Just choose the parameters you want the program to use to generate new password ideas such as: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, and special characters. Then accept or decline the passwords the program generates.
Screen Keyboard – Protect yourself from malicious keylogging software. Keylogging software records the keys you type onto your keyboard. This is especially a concern if you access LastPass from a computer that doesn't belong to you (perhaps at an Internet cafe). Instead of typing your password on the keyboard, click on the "screen keyboard" link and a "graphical" keyboard image appears on the computer screen. Then, use the mouse to select each key you need to input your login and password information into LastPass. Any existing keylogging software is rendered useless.
One-Time Passwords – These are auto-generated, throw-away passwords that give you temporary access to your LastPass account. LastPass makes this feature available to help secure your master password while you're on the road or if you want to share your account information with a trusted person, but only once. Once a One-Time Password is used, it expires and can't be used again.
Password Sharing – This enables you to securely share certain passwords with others and maintain the ability to cancel the privilege at any time. This is a feature you'd use when collaborating on a project and you want other members to have access to the same account. Perhaps to the back end of a website or online film and photo-editing service.
Multi-factor Authentication – This is a paid feature that greatly enhances security. It allows you to set up LastPass to grant access after "two-steps" are satisfied. For example, enter the correct LastPass credentials AND an additional set of credentials. Perhaps input a second graphical-based password or connecting a "physical key," such as a USB jump drive or Yubikey, into the computer to allow access to your LastPass account. If one step is missing, access is denied.
Other features worth noting: Phishing Protection – Helps protect you from phishing attacks. These attacks work like scams. The crooks send a fake email, perhaps one appearing as though it's from the victim's bank. The email asks the victim to enter their login information onto a fake web page designed to look like the bank's website. If the victim is duped and complies, the crooks have all the needed banking account information.
Identify Weak Passwords – LastPass can analyze your passwords for weaknesses and offers suggestions to strengthen them.
Computer Privacy
Identities – This enables you to organize your passwords by segregating your personal accounts and passwords from your work-related passwords and accounts.
There are other password management services on the market. However, one more important security feature not available with many other services is the decryption keys stay with you. This means even LastPass employees cannot and do not have the ability to access your encrypted data through their corporate servers.
Please note: you still have to create strong and secure passwords for each of your accounts to maintain enhanced security. But the good news is with a secure password management system, you no longer need to memorize all of them. Just simply memorize the one master password for the password management program and better protect your privacy and security the easy way!
Make your password much longer! Hint: aim for at 15+ characters in length. Pad it!
Include each of the four character types in the password: symbols, uppercase letters, numbers, and lowercase letters; in that order of preference. In other words, most people use only lowercase letters and do not use symbols – go against the herd.
Turn easy-to-remember phrases into passwords, then add in and flip around the four characters... then, pad it and make it longer.
Do NOT use easy to guess passwords or passwords that can be found in any dictionary (including foreign language dictionaries). It's worth mentioning, don't use any personal information as a password either – birth date, child's name, address, etc.
Do NOT use the same password, or similar passwords, for all your accounts (bank, broker, online credit card portal, Facebook, Amazon, or hotmail)! If one account gets compromised you don't want to create a domino effect.
Do NOT use your top-secret, extra-secure passwords (banking or insurance, for instance), with less secure accounts like webmail or free membership sites.
Two Convenient, Fast, and Secure Password Management Tips
1. Truecrypt.org and Wuala.com:Truecrypt is a free, open-source solution you can download and use to encrypt any and all local files on your computer. Here's what you do:
First, you create a password file. It could be a simple document with a list that contains the account name, user name, and password. For instance, Facebook: username, password; Gmail: username, password; and so on.
When you need to login to an account, open your encrypted password list and retrieve the appropriate login and password credentials.
You can keep a back up of your password list on your jump drive or upload the encrypted list to a cloud storage account such as Wuala.com.
Wuala adds a bit more convenience because it allows you to automatically sync your stored data onto different devices. And it lets you access your password file from virtually any Internet connection in the world.
In addition, Wuala enables you to encrypt, back up, and store any file (not just your password list) to the cloud and access it via the Internet.
2. LastPass.com was founded specifically to address secure password management concerns. Their free option is extremely robust. All the steps mentioned above – using Truecrypt to encrypt your password list and storing it on local hardware (such as a USB jump drive) or in the cloud – are rolled into one seamless package with LastPass, with a few extras included. Here are some highlights:
Frustrate Obama's Army of Snoops
One Click Login – Once you load your accounts, usernames, and passwords into LastPass, all you need to do in the future is click one button and LastPass automatically logs you into the account you want (banking, webmail, Twitter, etc.). No need to type!
Generate Secure Passwords – You can ask the program to generate secure passwords for you. You don't have to spend any time "inventing" new passwords. Just choose the parameters you want the program to use to generate new password ideas such as: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, and special characters. Then accept or decline the passwords the program generates.
Screen Keyboard – Protect yourself from malicious keylogging software. Keylogging software records the keys you type onto your keyboard. This is especially a concern if you access LastPass from a computer that doesn't belong to you (perhaps at an Internet cafe). Instead of typing your password on the keyboard, click on the "screen keyboard" link and a "graphical" keyboard image appears on the computer screen. Then, use the mouse to select each key you need to input your login and password information into LastPass. Any existing keylogging software is rendered useless.
One-Time Passwords – These are auto-generated, throw-away passwords that give you temporary access to your LastPass account. LastPass makes this feature available to help secure your master password while you're on the road or if you want to share your account information with a trusted person, but only once. Once a One-Time Password is used, it expires and can't be used again.
Password Sharing – This enables you to securely share certain passwords with others and maintain the ability to cancel the privilege at any time. This is a feature you'd use when collaborating on a project and you want other members to have access to the same account. Perhaps to the back end of a website or online film and photo-editing service.
Multi-factor Authentication – This is a paid feature that greatly enhances security. It allows you to set up LastPass to grant access after "two-steps" are satisfied. For example, enter the correct LastPass credentials AND an additional set of credentials. Perhaps input a second graphical-based password or connecting a "physical key," such as a USB jump drive or Yubikey, into the computer to allow access to your LastPass account. If one step is missing, access is denied.
Other features worth noting: Phishing Protection – Helps protect you from phishing attacks. These attacks work like scams. The crooks send a fake email, perhaps one appearing as though it's from the victim's bank. The email asks the victim to enter their login information onto a fake web page designed to look like the bank's website. If the victim is duped and complies, the crooks have all the needed banking account information.
Identify Weak Passwords – LastPass can analyze your passwords for weaknesses and offers suggestions to strengthen them.
Computer Privacy
Identities – This enables you to organize your passwords by segregating your personal accounts and passwords from your work-related passwords and accounts.
There are other password management services on the market. However, one more important security feature not available with many other services is the decryption keys stay with you. This means even LastPass employees cannot and do not have the ability to access your encrypted data through their corporate servers.
Please note: you still have to create strong and secure passwords for each of your accounts to maintain enhanced security. But the good news is with a secure password management system, you no longer need to memorize all of them. Just simply memorize the one master password for the password management program and better protect your privacy and security the easy way!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Tariq Ramadan Openly Calls for a Muslim colonization of the U.S.
"It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing the United States of America."
Tariq Ramadan, the grandson of Hasan al-Banna, who founded the Muslim Brotherhood, loved by leftists, academics and the ummah spoke in Texas. Ramadan is a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University. An online poll provided by the American Foreign Policy magazine in 2009 placed Ramadan on the 49th spot in a list of the world’s top 100 contemporary intellectuals.
Ramadan was banned from the U.S. by George W. Bush; his U.S. visa was revoked due to his numerous connections to Islamic terrorism. And he favors the legal extinction of Israel (in keeping with Islamic teachings). More at Discover the Networks.
In February 2002 Salon.com called him "one of the most important intellectuals in the world," characterizing him as “the Muslim Martin Luther.” In 2004 Time magazine named him one of the world’s top 100 scientists and thinkers.
When speaking to Western audiences, Ramadan preaches an amicable message of unity and mutual respect. But to Arabic-speaking audiences, he vents his deep-seated hatred of the West and his endorsement of Wahhabism, the most extreme form of Islam. Moreover, Ramadan has numerous connections to fundamentalist Islamic militants and is suspected by U.S. intelligence agencies of maintaining ties with the terrorist group al Qaeda.
Ramadan’s maternal grandfather was Hasan al-Banna, who in 1928 founded the Muslim Brotherhood. Ramadan’s father, Said Ramadan, led the Brotherhood throughout the 1950s and then was exiled from Egypt to Switzerland, where Tariq was born in September 1962.
In the early 1990s, Ramadan established the Movement of Swiss Muslims -- an outreach organization that exhorted Muslim youth to Islamize modernity rather than modernize Islam. He taught at the University of Fribourg a
But he was welcomed into this country by Barack Hussein Obama.
Tariq Ramadan was in Dallas at the end of July, invited by Muslim Brotherhood-tied ICNA. During a speech, he openly asked for a Muslim colonization of the U.S.
His speech is in 3 parts on Youtube. Point de Bascule has done the transcript of the most important excerpts.
Video 1 – 03:37
It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing positively the United States of America.
06:28
We don’t want the West to be destructed. What we want is the West to be reformed.
On July 27, 2011, Tariq Ramadan gave a speech at a fundraiser organised by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in Dallas (TX).
GMBDR describes ICNA as “a less well-known part of the Muslim Brotherhood network in the U.S., generally thought to be closely tied to the Jamaat-e-Islami organization of Southeast Asia, itself known to be allied with the Muslim Brotherhood. ICNA is particularly close to the Muslim American Society and the two organizations have been holding joint annual conventions for many years.”
The website voicesempower.com and other American websites have reported on the fact that several ticket holders, who had paid their way to listen to Ramadan in Dallas, were expelled from the conference room. In spite of that, some spectators managed to record Tariq Ramadan’s conference and made it available on YouTube.
Tariq Ramadan’s conference is available in three parts:
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDEfVdsr3M
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ElwUjPuHE
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2h5ZDiMQno
The highlight of the conference occurred at the beginning of the first part. Tariq Ramadan enjoins his listeners “not to be colonized” by the consumerist society then added that the Muslims should be the ones “positively” colonizing the United States of America “with our understanding of Islam, with our principles”.
Later, in his conference, Ramadan blamed his critics who refuse to be colonized by him and by those who share his “understanding of Islam”. “What does it mean colonizing?”, Ramadan asked the crowd.
Point de Bascule presents the transcript of the most important excerpts:
Video 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDEfVdsr3M
03:21
We should all be careful not to be colonized by something which is coming from this consumerist society…
03:37
It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing positively the United States of America.
04:37
But let me tell you something. On the long run, I’m quite optimistic. I think that Inshallah (inaudible word) our future in the West is going to be a bright future, to be positive.
04:52
By the way, we are not here by accident. We are not here by accident.
05:54
We are learning how to be a Muslim. It’s difficult, it’s a challenge, it’s a jihad...
06:18
On the long run, we also have to think about our contribution. We should be a gift to the United States of America. We should be a gift to the West.
06:28
We don’t want the West to be destructed. What we want is the West to be reformed.
Video 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ElwUjPuHE
00:16
You are living in the United States of America. All last year, we heard messages coming that are attacking Islam as an alien religion, a non-American religion. And, in Europe for the last fifteen years, everywhere, we can see this, it’s not only in France, because many people are talking about France because they heard about the headscarf...
00:41
In many countries, Switzerland for four minarets... Now they are banning the construction of minarets saying the Muslims are colonizing. What does it mean colonizing?
00:51
That even myself in a prime time TV program with (inaudible name), who is the leader, the spokesperson for Swiss People’s Party, he told me: “We made a mistake with you, we gave you the nationality”, meaning you are too much a Muslim to be a good Swiss citizen.
01:08
This is the narrative behind. This is the narrative behind. The rationale behind is to make it clear: Islam is not a Western religion. You are the other. And this is what we have been facing. And in fact, for years we had the populists and we had the far-right parties saying this. The problem and be careful is not only the rise of the populist parties. The problem that we are facing in Europe is the normalization of this discourse among all the other parties.
01:40
What yesterday was said by the far-right parties and the populists now is said by all the parties. That Islam is an alien religion. That, as Muslims, what you want is to colonize the country. You want to change the very essence of our culture as Westerners and Western countries. This is the rationale of all the discourses.
02:03
And it spreads around fears. People are full of mistrust with Muslims. 75% of the French when they hear Islam, they think about violence. Now, this is what we are facing.
Then Tariq Ramadan referred to the Norway massacre and implied that those who criticize Islam are paving the way for more killings.
03:31
If you carry on this discourse about Islam being an alien religion, that we are threatening the very essence of Europe, you are nurturing such an attitude. You should also get it right. Your responsibility is to be very cautious. The atmosphere is negative. So, anyone who is following the trend could do something which is extreme, extremist and he can kill.
04:18
In eighteen (U.S.) states, and now up to twenty-two, we have people who want bills against the sharia implementation. You might think that they are not going to win and in many states they are not going to win. But in fact, they don’t want to win. This is not the purpose. The purpose is to spread around the fact that Islam is a danger. There is a threat so the atmosphere is there.
04:58
The conservatives, the tea parties, what they want in this country (in the United States) is to make Islam a problem. You want the statistics? Just after September the 11th, ten years ago, 66% of the Americans told that this was done by a tiny minority that were not representing Islam. This was the first reaction and this is why we got such positive reactions by the Americans saying: “No, we are with you. We are even willing to protect your mosques.” And they did it. And they were there.
There is much more here.
"It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing the United States of America."
Tariq Ramadan, the grandson of Hasan al-Banna, who founded the Muslim Brotherhood, loved by leftists, academics and the ummah spoke in Texas. Ramadan is a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University. An online poll provided by the American Foreign Policy magazine in 2009 placed Ramadan on the 49th spot in a list of the world’s top 100 contemporary intellectuals.
Ramadan was banned from the U.S. by George W. Bush; his U.S. visa was revoked due to his numerous connections to Islamic terrorism. And he favors the legal extinction of Israel (in keeping with Islamic teachings). More at Discover the Networks.
In February 2002 Salon.com called him "one of the most important intellectuals in the world," characterizing him as “the Muslim Martin Luther.” In 2004 Time magazine named him one of the world’s top 100 scientists and thinkers.
When speaking to Western audiences, Ramadan preaches an amicable message of unity and mutual respect. But to Arabic-speaking audiences, he vents his deep-seated hatred of the West and his endorsement of Wahhabism, the most extreme form of Islam. Moreover, Ramadan has numerous connections to fundamentalist Islamic militants and is suspected by U.S. intelligence agencies of maintaining ties with the terrorist group al Qaeda.
Ramadan’s maternal grandfather was Hasan al-Banna, who in 1928 founded the Muslim Brotherhood. Ramadan’s father, Said Ramadan, led the Brotherhood throughout the 1950s and then was exiled from Egypt to Switzerland, where Tariq was born in September 1962.
In the early 1990s, Ramadan established the Movement of Swiss Muslims -- an outreach organization that exhorted Muslim youth to Islamize modernity rather than modernize Islam. He taught at the University of Fribourg a
But he was welcomed into this country by Barack Hussein Obama.
Tariq Ramadan was in Dallas at the end of July, invited by Muslim Brotherhood-tied ICNA. During a speech, he openly asked for a Muslim colonization of the U.S.
His speech is in 3 parts on Youtube. Point de Bascule has done the transcript of the most important excerpts.
Video 1 – 03:37
It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing positively the United States of America.
06:28
We don’t want the West to be destructed. What we want is the West to be reformed.
On July 27, 2011, Tariq Ramadan gave a speech at a fundraiser organised by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in Dallas (TX).
GMBDR describes ICNA as “a less well-known part of the Muslim Brotherhood network in the U.S., generally thought to be closely tied to the Jamaat-e-Islami organization of Southeast Asia, itself known to be allied with the Muslim Brotherhood. ICNA is particularly close to the Muslim American Society and the two organizations have been holding joint annual conventions for many years.”
The website voicesempower.com and other American websites have reported on the fact that several ticket holders, who had paid their way to listen to Ramadan in Dallas, were expelled from the conference room. In spite of that, some spectators managed to record Tariq Ramadan’s conference and made it available on YouTube.
Tariq Ramadan’s conference is available in three parts:
Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDEfVdsr3M
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ElwUjPuHE
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2h5ZDiMQno
The highlight of the conference occurred at the beginning of the first part. Tariq Ramadan enjoins his listeners “not to be colonized” by the consumerist society then added that the Muslims should be the ones “positively” colonizing the United States of America “with our understanding of Islam, with our principles”.
Later, in his conference, Ramadan blamed his critics who refuse to be colonized by him and by those who share his “understanding of Islam”. “What does it mean colonizing?”, Ramadan asked the crowd.
Point de Bascule presents the transcript of the most important excerpts:
Video 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WDEfVdsr3M
03:21
We should all be careful not to be colonized by something which is coming from this consumerist society…
03:37
It should be us, with our understanding of Islam, our principles, colonizing positively the United States of America.04:37
But let me tell you something. On the long run, I’m quite optimistic. I think that Inshallah (inaudible word) our future in the West is going to be a bright future, to be positive.
04:52
By the way, we are not here by accident. We are not here by accident.05:54
We are learning how to be a Muslim. It’s difficult, it’s a challenge, it’s a jihad...06:18
On the long run, we also have to think about our contribution. We should be a gift to the United States of America. We should be a gift to the West.06:28
We don’t want the West to be destructed. What we want is the West to be reformed.Video 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ElwUjPuHE
00:16
You are living in the United States of America. All last year, we heard messages coming that are attacking Islam as an alien religion, a non-American religion. And, in Europe for the last fifteen years, everywhere, we can see this, it’s not only in France, because many people are talking about France because they heard about the headscarf...
00:41
In many countries, Switzerland for four minarets... Now they are banning the construction of minarets saying the Muslims are colonizing. What does it mean colonizing?00:51
That even myself in a prime time TV program with (inaudible name), who is the leader, the spokesperson for Swiss People’s Party, he told me: “We made a mistake with you, we gave you the nationality”, meaning you are too much a Muslim to be a good Swiss citizen.01:08
This is the narrative behind. This is the narrative behind. The rationale behind is to make it clear: Islam is not a Western religion. You are the other. And this is what we have been facing. And in fact, for years we had the populists and we had the far-right parties saying this. The problem and be careful is not only the rise of the populist parties. The problem that we are facing in Europe is the normalization of this discourse among all the other parties.01:40
What yesterday was said by the far-right parties and the populists now is said by all the parties. That Islam is an alien religion. That, as Muslims, what you want is to colonize the country. You want to change the very essence of our culture as Westerners and Western countries. This is the rationale of all the discourses.02:03
And it spreads around fears. People are full of mistrust with Muslims. 75% of the French when they hear Islam, they think about violence. Now, this is what we are facing.Then Tariq Ramadan referred to the Norway massacre and implied that those who criticize Islam are paving the way for more killings.
03:31
04:18
If you carry on this discourse about Islam being an alien religion, that we are threatening the very essence of Europe, you are nurturing such an attitude. You should also get it right. Your responsibility is to be very cautious. The atmosphere is negative. So, anyone who is following the trend could do something which is extreme, extremist and he can kill.
In eighteen (U.S.) states, and now up to twenty-two, we have people who want bills against the sharia implementation. You might think that they are not going to win and in many states they are not going to win. But in fact, they don’t want to win. This is not the purpose. The purpose is to spread around the fact that Islam is a danger. There is a threat so the atmosphere is there.
04:58
The conservatives, the tea parties, what they want in this country (in the United States) is to make Islam a problem. You want the statistics? Just after September the 11th, ten years ago, 66% of the Americans told that this was done by a tiny minority that were not representing Islam. This was the first reaction and this is why we got such positive reactions by the Americans saying: “No, we are with you. We are even willing to protect your mosques.” And they did it. And they were there.
There is much more here.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Economic Videos
# 01: The Cash for Clunkers program was like...
Administration launches "World of Washington" role playing game
When the government starts to pick winners and losers, as Ayn Rand wrote, people quickly learn that the currency of the land is relationships with those in power. Not content to do this only in real life, the administration is bringing this new play mechanic to the world's largest online role playing game, World of Warcraft. Here's a preview of the new "World of Washington" upgrade.
At http://youtube.com/bulletpeople join us Thursday, July 14th at 8 p.m. for our Mock the Spending 24 hour marathon: 100 videos in 24 hours.
Our two goals:
#1: Make 100 videos in 24 hours that mock the things in Washington that require mocking.
#2: Submit it to the PowerLine Prize contest.
Got an idea for a video? Go to http://PowerLinePrize.com to try to win the prize yourself. Or if you don't want to make a video, but have an idea worth mocking, send it us and we'll do the work (And we will add it to our submission.)
Keynesian Economics Is Wrong: Economic Growth Causes Consumer Spending, Not the Other Way Around
Politicians and journalists who fixate on consumer spending are putting the cart before the horse. Consumer spending generally is a consequence of growth, not the cause of growth. This Center for Freedom and Prosperity video helps explain how to achieve more prosperity by looking at the differences between gross domestic product and gross domestic income. www.freedomandprosperity.org
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Future of the Light Bulb Ban
Visit http://www.freeourlight.org to help save the light bulb.
Read more here: http://cei.org/op-eds-articles/how-many-congressmen-does-it-take-screw-light-...
A Freedom Action Video on the future of incandescent light bulb sales.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The 22 who have common sense in the House, Cap, Cut, and Balance
July 29, 2011
Categories:
House Republicans
The no votes: 22 GOPers who balked Boehner
Speaker John Boehner pushed his debt-ceiling bill through the House Friday night with the support of 218 Republicans. Here are the 22 no votes:
Justin Amash (Mich.)
Michele Bachmann (Minn.)
Chip Cravaack (Minn.)
Jason Chaffetz (Utah)
Scott Desjarlais (Tenn.)
Tom Graves (Ga.)
Tim Huelskamp (Kans.)
Steve King (Iowa)
Tim Johnson (Ill.)
Tom McClintock (Calif.)
Mick Mulvaney (S.C.)
Ron Paul (Texas)
Connie Mack (Fla.)
Jim Jordan (Ohio)
Tim Scott (S.C.)
Paul Broun (Ga.)
Tom Latham (Iowa)
Jeff Duncan (S.C.)
Trey Gowdy (S.C.)
Steve Southerland (Fla.)
Joe Walsh (Ill.)
Joe Wilson (S.C.)
CORRECTED: Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) voted YES on the Boehner bill. That was incorrect in the initial list. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has been added to the list.
Categories:
House Republicans
The no votes: 22 GOPers who balked Boehner
Speaker John Boehner pushed his debt-ceiling bill through the House Friday night with the support of 218 Republicans. Here are the 22 no votes:
Justin Amash (Mich.)
Michele Bachmann (Minn.)
Chip Cravaack (Minn.)
Jason Chaffetz (Utah)
Scott Desjarlais (Tenn.)
Tom Graves (Ga.)
Tim Huelskamp (Kans.)
Steve King (Iowa)
Tim Johnson (Ill.)
Tom McClintock (Calif.)
Mick Mulvaney (S.C.)
Ron Paul (Texas)
Connie Mack (Fla.)
Jim Jordan (Ohio)
Tim Scott (S.C.)
Paul Broun (Ga.)
Tom Latham (Iowa)
Jeff Duncan (S.C.)
Trey Gowdy (S.C.)
Steve Southerland (Fla.)
Joe Walsh (Ill.)
Joe Wilson (S.C.)
CORRECTED: Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) voted YES on the Boehner bill. That was incorrect in the initial list. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has been added to the list.
Scheuer Reveals Success of Interrogation
Dr. Scheuer reveals that the interrogation programs worked and revealed active plots to attack the U.S. Scheuer's three books have criticized security lapses under Bush as well. In short, he states that now the country is defended significantly less than we were two years ago. Seven former CIA chiefs on Friday urged Obama to halt its investigation of the agency's interrogation methods, predicting the latest inquiry would only foster "an atmosphere of continuous jeopardy."
The retired agency heads — John Deutch, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden, James R. Schlesinger, George Tenet, William Webster and R. James Woolsey — also warned the investigation could hamper the government's intelligence-gathering abilities and deter other nations from working with the United States. The retired agency heads date back to the Carter administration, it is a bi-partisan effort, including both Democratic and Republican administrations.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Obama: Quit Lying
Obama, quit lying. You know darn well that if August 2nd comes and goes there is plenty of money to pay off our debt and cover all social security obligations.
TEA Party Says Hold the Line, Cap, Cut, and Balance
Tea Party Patriots: Primary Challengers in 2012 Will Be More Frequent -- and More Successful
Speaker of the House John Boehner needs “to go” and be replaced by a “Tea Party Speaker of the House,” Tea Party Nation head Judson Phillips said in a blog post Wednesday.
Criticizing Boehner’s new debt plan that the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday came up short in spending cuts, Phillips said Boehner (R-Ohio) “has no real interest in solving the problems this country faces. … He worships at the altar of massive spending.”
Facing an Aug. 2 deadline of a possible default unless a deal can be reached, he added: “John Boehner simply wishes to be the manager in chief of the welfare state. His vision of the GOP and the Speakership involves golfing, drinking and not rocking the boat.”
“We need a Tea Party Speaker of the House. We need a Speaker with a vision for the future,” Phillips said, urging members to call the representatives and get Boehner out.
Also on Wednesday, Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin cited a new internal poll of their members that found more than 80 percent were not satisfied with Boehner and the rest of the House Republican leadership, and nearly three-quarters would like a new Speaker of the House.
According to the Hill, Martin said, “Maybe we should see about getting a different Speaker right away.”
In an interview with the Daily Beast, Martin’s co-founder Mark Meckler called Boehner’s plan “an embarrassment” and gave his performance so far as Speaker a “D.”
“He proposes $1.4 trillion in cuts over the next 10 years. Legally, no Congress can bind a future Congress. Anything he promises about what future Congresses will do, they simply can’t make that promise. In the real world, we call that a lie.”
Meckler said lawmakers, including Boehner, should steel themselves for another Tea Party uprising at the polls based on what happens this week:
I can tell you that there are certainly a lot of thoughts out in the Tea Party network across the country about primary-ing people, including freshmen who seem to be going off the rails so early. This week in Ohio, 51 local Tea Party groups wrote a letter to Boehner telling him not to cave on the debt limit. In his own state, he faces significant opposition from a vast majority of the Tea Partiers who are against what he is doing in regard to the debt limit.
“If you want to raise the debt ceiling, prove to us you can make some cuts,” Meckler said to U.S. News and World Report. “Get real. They need to act like adults.”
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Jay Carney Draws Press Corps’ Ire During Testy Exchange With Fox Reporter
Press Secretary Jay Carney entered into a testy exchange with new Fox White House reporter Ed Henry on Tuesday afternoon, after Henry pressed Carney on why the president hasn’t submitted his own debt plan, and why he went on primetime TV on Monday to blast some of the proposals out there without submitting one of his own.
Carney clearly wasn’t happy with being challenged, accusing Henry of spewing Republican talking points (a serious charge from a sitting press secretary to a journalist of a major network). But Henry wouldn’t back down, and when he didn’t, Carney got personal, accusing several journalists in the room of skipping out “early” on Friday, and blaming them not being informed.
As soon as the words darted out of Carney’s mouth, a loud chorus of “OOOOOOs” and “OHHHHHs” could be heard throughout the briefing room, and Henry can be seen cracking a smile. But even after that, the back-and-forth continued.
Holder Incompetent or Liable: Rep. Issa on claim he had no prior knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious
http://www.washingtontimes.com Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) discusses Attorney General Eric Holder's claim that he had no prior knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious, part of an anti-gun initiative known as "Project Gunrunner." The initiative allowed thousands of weapons to be purchased by "straw buyers" in Arizona and Texas and later "walked" unchecked to drug smugglers in Mexico. At least three of those weapons, including two AK-47 assault rifles, later were found at the site of separate shootings that claimed the lives of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata, who was killed by Rejon Aguilar's Zetas, and U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian A. Terry.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Obama to Re-write the 14th Amendment?
With the August 2 deadline just days away from the U.S. running out of money, some wonder if Obama will try to use the 14th Amendment to get the debt ceiling raised without congressional approval.
The 14th Amendment states that "the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law...shall not be questioned."
Can a president undertake borrowings to undertake expenditures not approved by the Congress? That would, in principle, involve a significant constitutional crisis.
I'd say call his bluff and if he does it, impeach him.
The context of the 14th Amendment is the Civil War and its subsequent debts. The American tradition has never been to have such reckless and self-serving politicians in office. However, this is what we are stuck with, two parties advancing their own political agenda without regard for the Constitution or the American people, much less our posterity. Washington would like to twist the plain and simple meanings of the Constitutional words for their own ends. Its despicable.
The 14th Amendment states that "the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law...shall not be questioned."
Can a president undertake borrowings to undertake expenditures not approved by the Congress? That would, in principle, involve a significant constitutional crisis.
I'd say call his bluff and if he does it, impeach him.
The context of the 14th Amendment is the Civil War and its subsequent debts. The American tradition has never been to have such reckless and self-serving politicians in office. However, this is what we are stuck with, two parties advancing their own political agenda without regard for the Constitution or the American people, much less our posterity. Washington would like to twist the plain and simple meanings of the Constitutional words for their own ends. Its despicable.
The real costs of public sector unions
Government-workers unions have been political juggernauts in the U.S. since the collective bargaining rights revolution of the 1960s and 70s. In this video, Daniel DiSalvo exposes how these unions have created cartels with their political allies, mostly in the Democratic Party, to the detriment of the taxpaying public.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Islamists Distance Themselves from Oslo: Why?
Jihadist websites have urged Islamists to refrain from associating themselves with the attacks in Norway, according to statements posted online.
"We appeal to jihadists not to claim the Norway attacks so as not to tighten the noose for comrades who are in that country or other countries," said the site Shumukh al-Islam (the Grandeur of Islam).
The website has in the past carried claims of responsibility from Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups for attacks in the West, Afghanistan and Somalia.
"We appeal to jihadists not to claim the Norway attacks so as not to tighten the noose for comrades who are in that country or other countries," said the site Shumukh al-Islam (the Grandeur of Islam).
The website has in the past carried claims of responsibility from Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups for attacks in the West, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Obama Lies About Mother to Get Elected
Book Challenges Obama on Mother’s Deathbed Fight
In “A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mother,” author Janny Scott quotes from correspondence from the president’s mother to assert that the 1995 dispute concerned a Cigna disability insurance policy and that her actual health insurer had apparently reimbursed most of her medical expenses without argument.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Who is Altering Oslo Shooter's Facebook Page? Who is Behind It?
Doesn't it appear just a bit strange that, according to the BBC, the shooter set up a Facebook and Twitter account only a few days ago on July 17?
Anders Behring Breivik Facebook Profile A Fake?Oslo Shooter Facebook page is a fake.
Why did a jihad group take credit for the atrocities, and then retract? And who altered the murderer's Facebook page? Yesterday, at the time that his name was released, his Facebook page looked like this:
But shortly thereafter, this screenshot started circulating, of an altered Facebook page on which Breivik identified himself as a Christian and a conservative.
Although the lamestream rarely reports these things, Islamists have long been active in the country.
Muslims and Leftists Rioting in Oslo, Norway - Welcome to Eurabia
Jan 08, 2009 17:08 EST
OSLO, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Oslo police detained at least 27 people on Thursday after pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed in one of the worst such outbursts in the Norwegian capital since the 1980s.
Shop windows in the city centre were shattered and police repeatedly used teargas to break up groups of activists demonstrating over Israel's crackdown in the Gaza Strip.
The violence started when about 1,000 pro-Palestinian supporters showed up at a rally sponsored by Norway's largest opposition party in support of Israel. Television pictures showed they burned Israeli flags and threw projectiles at police clad in body armour who separated the two groups.
"This has nothing to do with the situation in Gaza," Johan Fredriksen, chief of staff of the Oslo police, told the website of the daily Aftenposten.
"These people came to the protest with knives, bats and Molotov cocktails," he said, speaking about the pro-Palestinian side.
"You have to go back to the early 1980s to find a similar situation in Norway," Fredriksen said, adding that police were still concerned about security across the city.
Clashes also took place near the Israeli embassy.
Tabloid VG on its website said that Oslo was the site of a "street fight" with groups of men throwing rocks and bottles at police. One police car was trashed and one officer injured.
Before the flare up, some 15,000 people walked through the city centre for a peaceful, torch-lit protest, police said.
A Muslim demonstrator in Oslo talks about the violence
Oslo Muslim Pro-Hamas Riots:Anti-Israel Brutality
100 Gaza protesters arrested in Oslo in front of the Israeli embassy.
100 arrested after protest march in front of the israeli embassy in Norway.
A peace demonstration gone wrong ended up with protesters using fireworks and rocks against the embassy at the end of a peaceful demonstration in Oslo, 10. january 2009.
Police retaliate with teargas and pinned down the most violent protesters in a corner, leading to the arrest of 100 people.
Some as young as 13 years old.
The rest of the protesters spread out in the capital and thrashed 4 Mcdonald stores, set fire to Christiania cafe and made alot of damage around the city saturday night.
Raw footage follows.
Please credit any use of this video and contact the owner if you intend to use this material.
Owner:
Vegard Paulsen
vegard@soniq.no
Copyright Soniq Entertainment 2009
www.soniq.no
January 2009: NORWAY: Jewish children are not allowed to play outdoors -
April 2011: Norway: Muslim Taxidrivers Refuse to Drive Jews to Synagogue
May 2009: More Jewish Graves Desecrated in Norway
2009: OSLO: ANTI-ISRAEL RALLY TURNS VIOLENT
2011: Norway: ALL Rapes In Past 5 Years Committed By Muslims
2008: Jewish Genocide watch: Jew Hatred in Norway Part II
2009: JIHAD ON THE JEWS: Something rotten in the state of Norway
2008: ISLAM ATTACKS - Death for Writer! Norway Hides
2007: Massive Islamic Terror Plots: Germany, Norway, Denmark
2007: Email from Norway
Friday, July 22, 2011
Breakfast at Tiffany's Bowing to Political Correctness?
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” is also scheduled to be shown on August 11th at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy as part of SyFy’s Movies With A View. We say scheduled to be shown because an online petition is calling for the screening to be cancelled due to a character played by Mickey Rooney that Asian American groups find offensive. Rooney was hired to play an over-the-top Asian man and he did.
Watch this commercial for Jello from the 1960s:
Is that offensive and racist?
Or, how about this scene from an episode of “The Flinstones?”
The debate over “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” or any work made in a time when racism or stereotyping was acceptable entertainment is an interesting one. Earlier this year, scholars went back and forth over the newest editions of Mark Twain’s 1884 “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” removing the “N” word and “Injun.”
New York Post writer Lou Lumenick offered some clarity on the topic:
I personally think the screening should go forward, but the film’s outdated racial attitudes need to be acknowledged and discussed in an introduction.
Lumenick’s idea is one that works to preserve the historical integrity of the film, while recognizing the offensive stereotyping.
Let's all take a deep breath and sing along with the Broadway show “Avenue Q” song “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist.”
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Ron Paul vs Bernanke: Is Gold Money? - July 13, 2011
July 13, 2011 - Congressman Ron Paul questions Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in a U.S. House Financial Services Committee Meeting shortly after reports surfaced that the Federal Reserve was preparing for a third round of quantitative easing.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Obama Ordered Gun Runner
Just a day after U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., called for Attorney General Eric Holder's removal, alleging a White House connection to the "Project Gunrunner" that allowed weapons to be delivered to Mexican drug lords, confirmation has come that the program originated at the highest levels of the Obama administration.
The link is the $10 million in taxpayer dollars designated to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for Project Gunrunner in Obama's 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, otherwise known as the Stimulus Bill.
Section 5, Division A, Title II, under the heading of "Office of Justice Programs," says the money is set aside for border regions.
For an additional amount for 'State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance,' $40,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2014, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to 'Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses' for the ATF Project Gunrunner.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Paul Ryan: Choice & Competition Work Better Than Gov't Price Controls
Rep. Paul Ryan on why Medicare reforms that bring choice and competition to seniors would lower costs better than IPAB - a board of 15 unelected people with the power to deny seniors care. "What our concern is, is if we invest all of the power and the funding decisions with a board of 15 people - who's decisions go into law and don't even go through Congress - is that the best way to save this entitlement and restrain spending? We believe there's a better way."
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
No Debt Increase.com - "Our Kids Pay the Bills"
The burden of our skyrocketing national debt will fall squarely on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
'State of emergency' in 'Nazi'-cop town, Quartzite, AZ
'They've got their tactical gear on ... I am very concerned for my safety'
Arrest Jennifer Jade Jones June 28 Quartzsite Arizona Council Meeting
Jennifer "Jade" Jones -- had her elbow injured and was hospitalized during her arrest for disorderly conduct during peaceful statements at a public podium during a town council meeting. Jones had the floor. Police chief Jeff Gilbert (positioned at wall) was directly involved. Many in Quartzsite do not understand why this police chief is not under suspension because Arizona State Dept of Public Safety is already investigating him for criminal accusations by officers in his department. Presiding officer of the meeting (Mayor) could not dissuade police from their mission. Many suspect conspiracy between police chief and council members, other than the mayor.
Jones, who claims she's been previously harassed by police, says recently some officers – including Chief Jeff Gilbert – have been acting more erratically and dangerously, and says he even gave a speech comparing outspoken citizens like herself to Jared Loughner, the gunman who shot Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson on Jan. 8.
Quartzsite Chief Jeff Gilbert's Warning to Town Council 01-11-2011
Quartzsite Chief Jeff Gilbert's Warning to Town Council on the signs that preceded the AZ shooting. At the 6:45 mark Gilbert gets really scary; he compares the arrested free speech advocate as violent and like a convicted Arizona shooter.
Lining Up to Ban Books at Literature Festival in Chicago
9 people explicitly state banning books was wrong, the post at www.rebelpundit.com has been updated to reflect this...
Music Credit: Books! by the Jellydots
Andrew Klavan's Economic Smackdown: Paul Ryan vs. Barack Obama
As the debt crisis threatens America, Klavan on the Culture takes a look at two competing plans.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
What Would Jesus Do? Fracking?
BISHOPS, NUNS AND RABBIS DEBATE GAS FRACKING
More than 3,300 wells have been drilled across Pennsylvania in just the last few years. The boom has raised concerns about the use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which injects chemical-laced water to break up the shale and allow natural gas to escape into the shale to push out the minerals. Environmental groups and the Environmental Protection Agency have expressed concerns about how the process impacts water, soil and air quality. But the industry insists it is safe.
An article titled “The Morality of Fracking” appeared in The National Catholic Reporter last month, and the Reform Jewish Voice of New York State endorsed the drilling moratorium there.
Norman Wirzba, a professor of Theology, Ecology, and Rural Life at Duke Divinity School in North Carolina, said he thinks it’s noteworthy that Bickerton, the leader of a large congregation, is speaking out.
The National Religious Partnership for the Environment includes perspectives from Evangelical, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Interfaith groups.
In some cases, religious groups see gas drilling as a way to support charitable work.
Kathryn Klaber, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a drilling industry group, said she was surprised last year to find that dozens of religious groups had entered into gas drilling leases.
Some religious groups think another way to address the fracking issue is to start at the top, by engaging and pressuring large corporations.
Sister Nora Nash is director of the corporate social responsibility program at the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, which was founded more than 150 years ago.
The North Carolina Council of Churches is working on a statement, and Rabbi Arthur Waskow of Philadelphia’s Shalom Center has written articles critical of fracking.
Sybil Sanchez, director of the New York-based Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life, said her group supports increasing energy independence in ways that also protect the environment, which they see as God’s Creation.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Obama's Youth
The video was filmed during a Feb. 19, 2009, PTO presentation at Sand Hill – Venable Elementary School in Asheville, N.C. The third-graders chanted:
The 44th president of the United States of America.
Change has come. Change has come.
Hope.
Uniting blacks and whites.
Hope.
Being both, Obama cannot take sides.
Hope.
Don't worry, said hope. I will be your bridge.
In time, hope will be the bridge for all of us.
Hope will last enough for you to make a difference.
Change has come. Change has come.
Go now, fly free.
Study, watch, learn, keep your eyes open.
Education is the key. Education is the secret.
Education is the way. Education is the path.
Can I make America better?
Can I make America better?
Can we make America better?
Yes! Yes we can!
Yes! Yes we can!
Messages left with Sand Hill – Venable Elementary School Principal Diane McEntire and PTO co-Presidents Senna Dill and Melanie Hudson were not returned.
Top of the Pops - 15th May 1975 (Part 1/2)
A Top of the Pops episode wiped by the BBC, but existing in audio !!! This episode is presented by Noel Edmonds !!! The first two songs are missing: Fox - Imagine Me Imagine You and The Wombles - Wombling White Tie and Tails !!!
The music on Part 1 consists of:
SUSAN CADOGAN -- Hurt So Good
WINDSOR DAVIES & DON ESTELLE -- Whispering Grass
TAMMY JONES -- Let Me Try Again
IAN HUNTER -- Once Bitten Twice Shy
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
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