Ian Hunter, City Winery, 15 September 2011

"Sweet Jane"

McCain Supports His Fellow Progressive Obama, Mocks The TEA Party

FBI SCRAPS CURRICULUM THAT CLAIMS ‘MAINSTREAM’ MUSLIMS ARE VIOLENT

No evidence, just cowardice at work. Nothing to see here folks, just move along.

Ian Hunter, City Winery, 16 September 2011

"Standin' In My Light"/"It Ain't Easy When You Fall"

"Standin' In My Light"

"Central Park & West"

"Once Bitten, Twice Shy,"

version 1

"Once Bitten, Twice Shy,"

version 2

"All The Way From Memphis"

Chairman King at 3rd radicalization hearing on al Shabaab

King Opens Third Committee on Homeland Security Hearing on Radicalization, Focusing on al Shabaab

Washington, D.C. (Wednesday, July 27, 2011) – This morning, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, convenes the hearing entitled “Al Shabaab: Recruitment and Radicalization within the Muslim American Community and the Threat to the Homeland.” The prepared opening statement of Chairman King follows:


“Good morning. Today, we hold the third in a series of hearings on radicalization in the Muslim-American community.

Our focus is the result of a lengthy investigation the Committee has conducted into the threat the U.S. homeland faces from al-Shabaab, the Somalia affiliate of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda and Anwar al-Aulaqi’s al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The Committee has been briefed by intelligence agencies and we have interviewed dozens of experts on al-Shabaab.

I welcome our distinguished panel of witnesses. They have some of the most extensive insights into the problems uncovered by our Committee’s investigation and we are grateful they are sharing their knowledge.

You will hear how al-Shabaab, who bin Laden called “One of the most important armies” of Islam, is engaged in an ongoing, successful effort to recruit and radicalize dozens of Muslim-American jihadis, who pose a direct threat to the U.S.

Some argue that al-Shabaab is only a Somali problem, and that the group will never strike outside of the Horn of Africa region.

That kind of thinking is a glaring example of what the 9/11 Commission called a failure of imagination.

With al-Shabaab’s large cadre of American jihadis and unquestionable ties to al-Qaeda, particularly its alliance with AQAP, we must face the reality that al-Shabaab is a growing threat to our homeland.

Our investigation into this threat has led to alarming findings: Notably, that al-Shabaab has successfully recruited and radicalized more than 40 Muslim-Americans and 20 Canadians, who have joined the terror group inside Somalia.

Of those, at least 15 Americans and 3 Canadians are believed to have been killed fighting with al-Shabaab, the Committee has learned.

Not al-Qaeda, nor any of its other affiliates, have come close to drawing so many Muslim-Americans and Westerners to jihad.

Three Muslim-Americans became suicide bombers, such as Shirwa Ahmed from Minneapolis -- the first confirmed American suicide bomber in our history.

There also are radicalized converts like al-Shabaab commander Omar Hammami who was raised a Baptist in Alabama, and who has repeatedly threatened the U.S. homeland.

Three American al-Shabaab fighters have been arrested after returning home and one was collared in the Netherlands.

Other radicalized Muslims have been arrested in the U.S. and Canada before they reached Somalia, which is now much easier to get to for jihad than Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan or Yemen.

But as many as two-dozen Muslim-Americans with al-Shabaab -- who in many cases were trained by top al-Qaeda leaders -- remain unaccounted for.

The Committee found that al-Shabaab-related federal prosecutions for funding, recruiting and attempting to join al-Shabaab are the largest number and most significant upward trend in homegrown terror cases filed by the Justice Department over the past two years.

At least 38 cases have been unsealed since 2009 in Minnesota, Ohio, California, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, Virginia and Texas.

Al-Shabaab is recruiting inside American mosques in Somali communities like Minneapolis and San Diego, according to the Justice Department.

This month, an al-Shabaab recruiter pleaded guilty to recruiting a large group of Muslims in Minneapolis, “At mosques,” and without any known protest by mosque leaders. A top al-Shabaab leader in Somalia supervised this recruiting.

One Minnesotan recruited was suicide bomber Shirwa Ahmed whose 2008 attack in northern Somalia sent a shockwave of alarm through U.S. homeland security agencies, because of its implications.

Another would-be bomber from Minneapolis was shot and killed in Mogadishu by peacekeeping troops on May 30, moments before detonating his suicide vest.

When one cleric spoke out against al-Shabaab inside the Minneapolis mosque where many of the missing young Somali-American men had once worshipped, he was physically assaulted, according to police.

For those still skeptical that there are still jihadi sympathizers inside that community, it’s worth mentioning that the Committee learned of the mosque assault when an audiotape of the incident was posted on overseas jihadi Internet forums before authorities in Minneapolis even knew about the incident.

There is an enormous amount of travel by Somali-Americans between U.S. cities and East Africa. While most of this travel is legitimate senior U.S. counterterror officials have told the Committee they are very concerned about individuals they have not identified who have fallen in with al-Shabaab during trips to Somalia, who could return to the U.S. undetected.

They fear an al-Shabaab fighter operating under law enforcement’s radar – someone like a Zazi, a Shahzad, an Abdulmutallab – may attempt an attack here.

It is deeply troubling that from the very beginning, the Muslim-Americans in Somalia were trained by top al-Qaeda operatives, including several who were tied to Yemen’s al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which is now generally considered our biggest homeland threat.

Al-Shabaab operative Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame was charged this month for doing weapons deals and explosives training with AQAP in Yemen, and to, “Provide AQAP with material support including... personnel.”

Al-Shabaab has long harbored top al-Qaeda leaders, such as the mastermind of the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in East Africa, who was gunned down this month in Somalia after a 13-year manhunt.

Al-Shabaab has paraded in Somalia in support of AQAP and sent fighters to battle the weakened Yemeni government this year -- as well as flying the battle flag of al-Qaeda-in-IRAQ.

Finally, an al-Shabaab bombing in neighboring Uganda one year ago that targeted Westerners killed 74 people including one American.

President Obama’s Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, has said the Administration remains, quote, “Vigilant that al-Shabaab may expand its focus from fighting to control Somalia to plotting to attack the U.S. homeland.”

That convinced me of the necessity to launch a careful examination of that threat.

Dozens of experts the Committee interviewed agreed this threat is real, and that al-Shabaab leaders’ public calls for attacks against America -- including in retaliation for killing bin Laden -- must be taken seriously.

With a large group of Muslim-Americans willing to die as “martyrs,” and a strong operational partnership with al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan and in Yemen, al-Shabaab now has more capability than ever to strike the U.S. homeland.

We look forwarding to hearing more about the rising al-Shabaab threat from our exceptional witnesses, as well as the Minority’s distinguished witness.

Finally, I note that certain elements of the politically correct media—most egregiously the vacuous ideologues at the New York Times—are shamelessly attempting to exploit the horrific tragedy in Norway to cause me to refocus these hearings away from Muslim-American radicalization.

If they had even a semblance of intellectual honesty the Times and the others would know and admit that there is no equivalency in the threat to our homeland from a deranged gunman and the international terror apparatus of al-Qaeda and its affiliates who are recruiting people in this country and have murdered thousands of Americans in their jihad attacks.

Let me make this clear to the New York Times and their acolytes in the politically correct, moral equivalency media--I will not back down from holding these hearings. I will continue to hold these hearings so long as I am the Chairman of this Committee.

Apart from all the strategic and moral reasons why these hearings are vital to our security, they are liberating and empowering to the many Muslim-Americans who have been intimidated by leaders in their own communities and are now able to come forward.

I also owe it to all the friends, neighbors, and constituents I lost on September 11th. I will not back down.”

Chairman King questions witnesses at 3rd radicalization hearing on al Shabaab

Ian Hunter, The City Winery, 15 September 2011

"Standin' in My Light

Senator Breaks With Obummer Over Jobs Bill

"You’ve got too many people here that spend their whole day trying to score political points instead of working together,” stated U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA).

Mosque Makeovers With Your Tax Dollars

SIOA IN ACTION: PARENTS SPEAK OUT AGAINST CAIR SCHOOL LESSON ON ISLAM, DEMAND EQUAL TIME

At the town hall parents did not want religion being taught to their children.

The Council of America Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it presented
the Puyallup School District with a request to teach young students about Islam and the Muslim religion as a way to ease fears and educate students. However, the district says they have not received such a request.

At a town hall meeting on Tuesday night, the parents' message was clear: they don't want religion being taught in public schools.

"Muslims are welcome here, but if you're going to be here, you get in line and become American first," said parent Lisa Hedger.

Hedger said as a parent, she doesn't want any part of the Muslim religion taught in her daughter's public school.

"And I actually told her teacher she was not going to write this," she said.

The mother said religion has a time and place, and school is not it.

"How did you feel Sunday, on 9/11? I spent the whole day in tears, and its been 10 years. And I didn't think I'd feel that way," she said.

CAIR made a request to the Puyallup School District for special accommodations for Muslim children during Ramadan and other holidays. The group also wants to come into schools and speak to children and teach them about Islam.

"We've seen a rise in bullying against Muslim students, and so our goal (is) with some education, with the right accommodation, students will be safer in their schools," said Gennifer Gist of CAIR.

More victimhood propaganda nonsense. This is absolute hooey.

But that safety is being questioned by many, including members of Pierce County ACT! For America, an organization dedicated to concerned citizens and parents who feel CAIR has ulterior motives.

"For America's sake, we don't think that it's fair that Islam gets a pass and the other religions don't, but also because CAIR is a front for the Muslim brotherhood," said group member Kerry Hooks. "We have a real problem with organizations with ties to terrorism that come into the public schools."

Most of the parents who attended the town hall meeting agreed on keeping religion out of school and want classrooms focused on education.

Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist Resigns Over Global Warming

Giaever was cooled to the statement on warming theory by a line claiming that "the evidence is incontrovertible."

Energy

U.S. Has Earth’s Largest Energy Resources

US: Most energy resources in the world and most incoherent energy policy

Oil Industry Could Generate Over 1 Million Jobs by 2030, Report Says

Robert Spencer on NBC Nightly News July 25, 2011

Robert Spencer responds to smear attacks charging him with responsibility for the Norway murders, NBC Nightly News, July 25, 2011

Court tells Hawaii officials to explain Obama's birth records

'Show cause' hearing will determine why subpoena rejected

Referendum on Obama, Here Comes 2012, Republican Defeats Wiener's Democratic Seat

The Republican repeatedly criticized Obama on Israel and defeated the Democrat in a district that is 40% Jewish. Democrat David Weprin supported the Victory mosque on the World Trade Center site. The heavily Democratic district, which spans parts of Queens and Brooklyn and is 40% Jewish, had never sent a Republican to the House. The race was supposed to be an easy win for Democrats, who have a 3-1 ratio registration advantage in the district. Bob Turner, a 70-year-old Catholic, vowed to push back on Obama's policies if elected. Weprin is an observant Jew and Orthodox Jews, who tend to be conservative on social issues, expressed anger over Weprin's vote in the state Assembly to legalize gay marriage. In July, New York became one of six states to recognize same-sex nuptials.

E-Verify 'flags' Obama's Social Security Number

System crunches prez's data, determines 'likely fraudulent'

NSA Lawyer Questioned Over Cellphone Location Tracking of Americans

NSA Lawyer Questioned Over Cellphone Location Tracking of Americans

American Muslims Against Sharia

A push in the US to prohibit Oklahoma judges from taking Islamic law into account will go before court the day after the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The weepy-eyed widow whose husband was killed by Islamists will be taken seriously.

But, is the widow accurate? If a person is still wondering what Sharia is there are people who know first-hand. Herein lies a FORA.tv discussion about the many elements in the contemporary debate surrounding Islamic law. Wafa Sultan, A God Who Hates author, Daniel Pipes, Middle East Forum relate:

Islamic Madrasas in America as the Real WMDs

Here is a short version.

Obama's Depression

U.S. Poverty Climbed to 17-Year High in 2010

Number of U.S. poor hit record 46 million in 2010

22 percent of American children lived in poverty last year

Poverty rate rises as incomes decline - Census

Remy: Raise The Debt Ceiling Rap

We may not be able to address our current debt ceiling woes, but we can at least put them to a good beat.

Visit the links below for more Reason coverage on the debt, deficit and government spending:

Five Facts About the Debt
http://reason.com/archives/2011/07/25/five-facts-about-the-debt

The Facts About the Debt Ceiling
http://reason.com/archives/2011/07/18/the-facts-about-the-debt-ceili

Reason.com Topics: Government Spending
http://reason.com/topics/goverment-spending

"Raise the Debt Ceiling" is the third of a series of collaborations between Remy and Reason.tv. To watch Remy's other videos, go to http:youtube.com/goremy

Music by Remy. Video shot and produced by Meredith Bragg.

Download the mp3 and HD versions at http://reason.tv, the video channel for Reason magazine and http://reason.com

LYRICS:




Raise da debt ceiling!
Raise da debt ceiling!
Raise da debt ceiling!
Raise da debt ceiling!

14 trillion in debt
but yo we ain't got no qualms
droppin $100 bills
and million dollar bombs

spending money we don't have
that's the name of the game
they call me cumulo nimbus
because you KNOW I make it rain

bail out all kind of cars
got all kind of whips
ladies ask me how I get em
I tell em STIMULUS

Social Security surplus?
Oh, guess what? it's gone
I got my hands on everything
like Dominique Strauss Kahn

ain't got no Medicare trust fund
son, that's just absurd
spending every single penny that
we see, son, have you heard?

ain't got no moral objections
ain't got kind of complaints
ain't got no quantitative
statutory budget restraints

so...
[CHORUS]

Yo, we up in the Fed
and we living in style
Spending lots of money
while we sipping crystal

still making it rain
and yeah it be so pleasing
wait, not making it rain--
we be "Quantitative Easing!"

QE1, QE2
QE4, QE3
Dropping IOU's
in every fund that I see

printing the cash
inflating the monies
callin up China
"a-yo we straight out of 20's!"

in the club
we be louding out
while to the market, yeah
we be crowding out

on the beach getting tan
and sipping Corona
we got a monetary plan--
and it involves a lot of toner...

[CHORUS]

So if you look at the chart
and examine the trend
we borrow 40 cents of every
single dollar we spend

and non-discretionary spending
increases every day
do you have a comment for Committee?
I MAKE IT RAIN

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker
would you beam me up?
A Congressperson cutting spending?
Couldn't dream me up

We're gonna default
if we follow this road!
I should have thought of this
14 trillion dollars ago!

I'm the king of the links
I'm a menace at tennis
I'm sticking spinnaz on my rims
picking winnaz in business

if you're looking for some cash
it's about to get heavy
I got some big ol' piles of money
and guess what--they shovel ready

[CHORUS]

U.S. Boots on the Ground in Libya, Pentagon Confirms

Obama lied.