Obama: First 100 Minutes

Years ago like most kids I enjoyed the offbeat political humor of Mad magazine. I am pleased to see recently that they are still up to their usual antics.

Obama Stimulus Boondoggle

The stimulus boondoggle is about to be voted on. Helpfully, Freedom Works has a list of facts that narrow down the unwieldy bill. Their focus narrows down the boondoggle in simpler terms that can be grasped more easily. For example, the

"bill will cost each and every household $6,700 in additional debt, paid for by our children and grandchildren.

The bill provides enough spending – $825 billion – to give every man, woman, and child in America $2,700. $825 billion is enough to give every person in Ohio $72,000.

$825 billion is enough to give every person living in poverty in the United States $22,000."

The summary points make it clear that if Congress really wanted to help the American people, it would be better to simply hand out money on a street corner.

Most of the bill is pork for pet projects thus it is more likely that Obamacrats are looking for Republican intervention. If that scenario transpires, they can take credit for a cleaner bill and add how bi-partisan they are acting.

Obama Friends Knew Him as Barry Soetoro at Occidental

Eric Moore, a college associate of Obama at Occidental College, is interviewed where he relates that, at the time, he was known as Barry. His name change from Barry Soetoro to Obama occurred somewhere during this time.

The significance of this is that Barry was using his Indonesian name, and of course, his Indonesian passport.

The Occidental website, in reporting the news of Soetoro being elected president, stated: "It was at Occidental where he stopped being called `Barry' and became Barack Obama, Newsweek pointed out in its account of Obama’s formative years that featured his black-and-white freshman photo on the cover."

Two other friends from Occidental, Tom Moyes and Ken Sulzer, remember him as Barry. Sulzer, when he first realized it was Obama, called Moyes to state: "That’s Barry, man,’” says Sulzer, mistakenly thinking Barry was simply a nickname Obama went by during his youth. It was no mistake apparently because he was Barry Soetoro at the time named after his step-father.

His mother and adopted dad got divorced in August of 1980. As he entered Occidental in 1979 he used his Indonesian name, and most likely his Indonesian citizenship and passport, then immediately after his mom's divorce he desired to revert back to his birth name of Barack Obama.

Bill: The $6 Million Speaker

Financial documents filed by newly confirmed Secretary of State Clinton show that Bill earned nearly $6 million in speaking fees last year, nearly all of it from foreign companies.

The Associated Press indicate that $5 million of the former president's reported $5.7 million in 2008 honoraria came from foreign sources. They included Kuwait's National Bank, a Hong Kong-based company, and other firms and groups in Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, and Portugal.

Read The Stimulus (If You Dare): It Is Scary

Yes, it is massive and bulky but with the Obama administration as tight-lipped and secretive as it is, you have to get the information yourself from wherever you can. Fortunately, other sources and organizations have stepped into the breach and accurate information about the stimulus package is available. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released their analysis of the House version of the stimulus bill (H.R. 1). The taxpayer's groups that sponsor more information on the Bill note:

"Most striking is that in total, the CBO estimates that less than 21% of the funds would be spent in 2009. Apparently, it is a huge crisis which requires swift action to pass a massive spending bill--but there seems to be no hurry at all to actually get the money into the American economy anytime soon."

Obama Placates the Muslim World

The transcript of Obama placating the Muslim world is revealing.

And my job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives. My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect. But if you look at the track record, as you say, America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that. And that I think is going to be an important task.

Muslims are extraordinary and simply want to live better. Americans make mistakes.

He stated: "extremist organizations - whether Muslim or any other faith in the past - that will use faith as a justification for violence." He points out the importance of language, which is true, but labeling terrorism as an extreme position is misleading. This is an old trap of language that incorrectly labels your enemy and thus misunderstands what you are faced with. The common mistake that Obama is falling for is in mistaking that these Muslims are simply misunderstood and when all is said and done they would really rather live like Americans. In describing AQ, Obama stated that the group offers nothing to suggest that: "a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education because of them, or has better health care because of them."

When has AQ sought better education or health care for Muslims? These are American domestic issues and concerns. AQ has no desire to be American.

He is wrong. The AQ types are living the Islamic life that they prefer and are energized by their religion to act, and kill, as they see fit.

This is an odd interview to provide in any case. During the election campaign, any mention of Obama's Muslim heritage, culturally, was taboo. Now, on the other hand, he is explicitly recognizing its importance in his life.

Now, my job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well-being of the Muslim world, that the language we use has to be a language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries.

America has a mission to Islam according to Obama.

If an investigative reporter had an opportunity to pursue his premise, and followed up with pointed questions about when, for how long, and in what Muslim countries (note the plural) he has lived, it would prove revealing. I hope that he continues to be interviewed by Arab TV.

Obama First Formal TV: Arabic Cable

Obama sat for his first formal TV interview with Arabic cable TV network Al-Arabiya.

What Islam Is Not

A video from France describes "What Islam Is Not."

Obama: Plan?

Obama has released the details of his proposed $825 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. To at least one aspect of the recovery plan--expanding broadband access--Obama offered no concrete goals and a supporting document (download PDF) issued by the White House doesn't mention the word "broadband" once. So we still do not know what he has planned.

Lightfoot Stay Denied: Update on Other Cases

Broe v. Reed: Case Dismissed in Washington, “Without Comment;” this case is going to SCOTUS.

Lightfoot v. Bowen: Application for Stay Denied; Dr. Taitz is planning on filing a petition for a writ of Certiorari:

There are also currently two cases actively seeking a sponsoring attorney at the federal level, one requiring a formal petition for court (Ms. Cris Ericson’s Ericson v. Obama) and another having been dismissed in Florida but willing to go further (Mr. Spencer Connerat’s Connerat v. Browning).

Further, in Indiana, a currently pending lawsuit should see some activity by the end of the month: Ankeny v. Daniels. And Dr. Taitz is in the process of getting a military-Plaintiff-based lawsuit together (currently said to have 50 petitioners, one of whom is said to be a blood relative of the President) and filed.

Obama: Ass or Jesus? You Decide

An artist in Iowa created an inaugural parade featuring Obama, riding on a donkey, complete with waving palm fronds and "Secret Service" escort, in an obvious parallel to Jesus.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan declared in October that when Obama talks, "the Messiah is absolutely speaking." Artist Matthew J. Clark's parade evokes the messianic imagery even farther.

Clark called the marching artwork "A Simulacrum of Hope: Simulation of the Triumphal Entry of the Christ."

Obama First To Snub Vets in 56 Years

Since 1953 every new president has attended The Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball: until Obama.

The ball was created for President Dwight Eisenhower's inauguration to honor recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. The event is sponsored by the American Legion and co-sponsored by 13 other veteran's service organizations, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Obama's Bad Bank Options

All of Obama's choices for the financial crisis are bad. Any one that he chooses will have to be spun to death to make it appear solvent. It depends on how gullible the American public is to see if he will be able to pull the wool over people's eyes.

Iceland's Social Democracy Falls: Americans Import Same

Protesters carry a placard of Iceland's Justice Minister Bjorn Bjarnason and a sign reading 'death power' during demonstrations

Certainly not pictures of compliant Americans as Icelanders take to the streets to protest their government's policies.

Riot police huddle together as projectiles are thrown at the Parliament building behind them in downtown Reykjavik.

Iceland's Minister of Commerce Bjorgvin Sigurdsson has resigned, two days after the prime minister announced his own departure due to pressures from the island nation's economic collapse.

Mr Sigurdsson, a member of Iceland's junior Social Democrat coalition party, made the announcment at a news conference this morning.

'I have decided to do this to take responsibility,' he said.

Prime Minister Geir Haarde shocked the country on Friday when he said he would not seek re-election and called for a general election on May 9.

At least the Europeans have politicians who take responsibility for their actions and their constituents believe in their political efficacy enough to provoke change from the grass-roots level. The Social Democratic coalition broke down, interestingly enough, even as America moves to imitate the social Liberal agenda of European social democracies; yet, Americans are not realizing how these plans do not work. The evidence is clear enough from Iceland. The U.S. is learning how to control crowds better from those countries where liberty does not exist. We will be soon enough be socially democrat like the failed policies in Iceland although Americans will be controlled and regulated.

Protesters clash with police in Reykjavik during a demonstration against the Icelandic government's handling of the country's financial crisis

Former Gitmo Prisoners Back To Kill

Two men released from the US "war on terror" prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have appeared in a video posted on a jihadist website, the SITE monitoring service reported.

One of the two former inmates, a Saudi man identified as Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri, or prisoner number 372, has been elevated to the senior ranks of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, a US counter-terrorism official told AFP.

Three other men appear in the video, including Abu al-Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi, identified as an Al-Qaeda field commander. SITE later said he was prisoner No. 333.

Al-Shiri was transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia in 2007, the US counter-terrorism official said.

The other men in the video are identified as Commander Abu Baseer al-Wahayshi and Abu Hureira Qasm al-Rimi (also known as Abu Hureira al-Sana'ani).

The Defense Department has said as many as 61 former Guantanamo detainees -- about 11 percent of 520 detainees transferred from the detention center and released -- are believed to have returned to the fight.

Obama vs. Vatican

Vatican officials said Saturday they were disappointed by President Barack Obama's decision to end a ban on federal funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide information on them.

Monsignor Rino Fisichella, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, urged Obama to listen to all voices in America without "the arrogance of those who, being in power, believe they can decide of life and death."

Fisichella said in an interview published Saturday in Corriere della Sera that "if this is one of President Obama's first acts, I have to say, in all due respect, that we're heading quickly toward disappointment."

Bailout Lobbyists

A Washington Times review of lobbying disclosure reports found that 18 of the top 20 recipients of federal bailout money spent a combined $12.2 million lobbying the White House, the Treasury Department, Congress and federal agencies during the last quarter of 2008.

Obama Hajj

A special CNN report has likened attendance at Obama's inauguration to participation in the hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holy city Mecca that Muslims are required to make at least once.

Michael Wolfe, the author of "1001 roads to Mecca," pointed out how much the Saudis can teach Americans about controlling crowds, especially in an urban environment.

Obama, declaring that the U.S. is "no longer a Christian nation," as America is a nation of many faiths that includes Muslims and "nonbelievers," the implication seems clear. We should grow accustomed to the control instituted by the messianic president.

Update: Lightfoot Decision on Monday

Decision of the Supreme Court on Lightfoot v Bowen will be provided on Monday, 10 am Pacific
No. 08A524
Title: Gail Lightfoot, et al., Applicants
v.
Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State

Docketed:
Lower Ct: Supreme Court of California
Case Nos.: (S168690)

~~~Date~~~ ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dec 12 2008 Application (08A524) for a stay pending the filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, submitted to Justice Kennedy.
Dec 17 2008 Application (08A524) denied by Justice Kennedy.
Dec 29 2008 Application (08A524) refiled and submitted to The Chief Justice.
Jan 7 2009 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 23, 2009.
Jan 7 2009 Application (08A524) referred to the Court.
Jan 13 2009 Suggestion for recusal received from applicant.
Jan 22 2009 Supplemental brief of applicant Gail Lightfoot, et al. filed. (Distributed)

"Obama" Heroin

Graphic source: The Smoking Gun

Obama heroin is on sale in upstate New York where police broke up a drug ring that allegedly sold heroin under several brand names, including "Obama."