Obama's FDA After Your Nuts

From The New American: Seen any walnuts in your medicine cabinet lately? According to the Food and Drug Administration, that is precisely where you should find them. Because Diamond Foods made truthful claims about the health benefits of consuming walnuts that the FDA didn’t approve, it sent the company a letter declaring, “Your walnut products are drugs” — and “new drugs” at that — and, therefore, “they may not legally be marketed … in the United States without an approved new drug application.” The agency even threatened Diamond with “seizure” if it failed to comply.
Diamond’s transgression was to make “financial investments to educate the public and supply them with walnuts,” as William Faloon of Life Extension magazine put it. On its website and packaging, the company stated that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts have been shown to have certain health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. These claims, Faloon notes, are well supported by scientific research: “Life Extension has published 57 articles that describe the health benefits of walnuts”; and “The US National Library of Medicine database contains no fewer than 35 peer-reviewed published papers supporting a claim that ingesting walnuts improves vascular health and may reduce heart attack risk.”
This evidence was apparently not good enough for the FDA, which told Diamond that its walnuts were “misbranded” because the “product bears health claims that are not authorized by the FDA.”
The FDA’s letter continues: “We have determined that your walnut products are promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.” Furthermore, the products are also “misbranded” because they “are offered for conditions that are not amenable to self-diagnosis and treatment by individuals who are not medical practitioners; therefore, adequate directions for use cannot be written so that a layperson can use these drugs safely for their intended purposes.” Who knew you had to have directions to eat walnuts?
“The FDA’s language,” Faloon writes, “resembles that of an out-of-control police state where tyranny [reigns] over rationality.”
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/health-care/8294-walnuts-are-drugs-says-fda
I think I found some more money that can be cut out of the Federal budget. If the EPA has time to determine that Walnuts are a drug and go after the manufacturer, then they have way too much time on their hands.
Welcome to Obama's world of excess regulation on businesses. Now you know why Steve Wynn went after Obama about increasing regulations on business and why Obama's policies are killing the United States.

h/t Dad 29

You Know You Are Having A Bad Day When You Wake Up Dead In The Morgue

From News 24, Johannesburg, South Africa: A 50-year-old asthmatic man presumed dead by his family woke up inside the morgue of a private undertaker at Libode in the Transkei region (Eastern Cape) on Sunday afternoon
The man, whose name has been withheld, lost consciousness while asleep at his home in a nearby village on Saturday evening, said Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo.
"His family thought he had died," Kupelo told Sapa.
The family called a private undertaker who took what they thought was a dead body to the morgue, but the man woke up inside the morgue on Sunday at 17:00 and screamed, demanding to be taken out of the cold place."
He had been there for nearly 24 hours.
Kupelo said the two mortuary attendants who were on duty at the time ran out of the building thinking the screaming man was a ghost.
They called for help, put on brave faces and went back to find that the man was indeed alive.

This advice goes without saying: He warned the public not to assume that a sick person had died and call a mortuary.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Dead-man-wakes-up-in-mortuary-20110724

I am sure the man will have a few words for his family.
And can you even imagine the shock the workers at the mortuary must have felt when they heard the yelling. I'd probably crap in my pants if I worked at the mortuary and heard yelling from a supposed dead man.

Burning Man Sold Out

Burning Man, a counter culture event held in the Black Rock Desert, has sold out it's 50,000 tickets it was allotted.
So, what is Burning Man? From their Web Site: Here you will find links that will take you on a trip through the past - through the history of Burning Man - from its early days on a small beach in San Francisco through its evolution into the bustling city of some 48,000+ people that the Burning Man event has become today. These people make the journey to the Black Rock Desert for one week out of the year to be part of an experimental community, which challenges its members to express themselves and rely on themselves to a degree that is not normally encountered in one's day-to-day life. The result of this experiment is Black Rock City, home to the Burning Man event.
There are no rules about how one must behave or express oneself at this event (save the rules that serve to protect the health, safety, and experience of the community at large); rather, it is up to each participant to decide how they will contribute and what they will give to this community. The event takes place on an ancient lakebed, known as the playa. By the time the event is completed and the volunteers leave, sometimes nearly a month after the event has ended, there will be no trace of the city that was, for a short time, the most populous town in the entire county. Art is an unavoidable part of this experience, and in fact, is such a part of the experience that Larry Harvey, founder of the Burning Man project, gives a theme to each year, to encourage a common bond to help tie each individual's contribution together in a meaningful way. Participants are encouraged to find a way to help make the theme come alive, whether it is through a large-scale art installation, a theme camp, gifts brought to be given to other individuals, costumes, or any other medium that one comes up with.
http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/

Burning Man is located literally in the middle of nowhere. The closest city is Gerlach, NV. http://gerlach.travelnevada.com/ It's located 2 hours north of Reno.
Apparently, there are different prices for tickets, based on your income. Interesting.
But in late August, 50,000 people will descend on the Black Rock Desert and make it into a wild San Francisco like city. to participate in an art/social/activism 1 week event.
They don't sell food there but sell ice and coffee.
For more information on the sell out: http://www.rgj.com/article/20110725/EVENTS04/307250002/Burning-Man-participants-express-frustration-over-sold-out-tickets?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFRONTPAGE

And the event has sold out a month before it starts. I guess the economy isn't doing so bad in the counter culture.

Happy Anniversary To Us

Two years ago, on July 26, 2009, I got married to my sweetie.

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart.

This Explains A Few Things

From The Wall Street Journal: Human brains shrink as people grow old, unlike even our closest animal relative, says a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that highlights what researchers call the unique character of human aging.
The human brain normally can shrink up to 15% as it ages, a change linked to dementia, poor memory and depression. Until now, researchers had assumed this gradual brain loss in later years was universal among primates.
But in the first direct comparison of humans to chimpanzees, a brain-scanning team led by George Washington University anthropologist Chet Sherwood found that chimpanzees don't experience such brain loss. From that, researchers concluded that only people are afflicted by this oddity of longevity.
We are very weird animals," said Emory University anthropologist Todd Preuss at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta, who wasn't involved in the study. "Among neuroscientists, the assumption has been that species are all the same, but this shows there is something really unusual about the late-life biology of the human species."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576468224286877908.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop
I just wonder if it is the drugs (legal or otherwise) and booze we use and drink and all the unhealthy food we eat?

Now where the #$&%*% are my @$$#%^& keys and why I looking in the dish washer?

h/t Ann Althouse

$4,500,000 For A New Fire Station?

From the Las Vegas Sun: Mayor Carolyn Goodman attended her first ceremonial groundbreaking today at the future home of a Sun City Summerlin fire station...
The $4.5 million fire station is being built with money designated for a station in Kyle Canyon. When development in that area stopped, the money was moved to the Summerlin project.
Equipment and staffing for the new station will come from existing facilities, without requiring any additional funds, Myers said. The land for the station was donated to the city by the community, which had to shift one of the tees at the golf course to make room.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/25/carolyn-goodman-attends-her-first-ceremonial-groun/
So, the City of Las Vegas is building a $4,500,000 fire station on land that was donated along with the equipment that came from other stations.
A fire station needs a garage area with two bays, a sleeping room, regular sized kitchen, TV room, 2 bathrooms and shower facilities, small classroom, maybe a workout room if they have stopped working out at the local gyms, and a equipment and utility room. Everything else is a luxury.
I am sure they can build the station for much, much less, but hey, after all, it's just taxpayer money. They don't have to build it fancy on the outside. In Henderson, they have fire stations in ritzy areas and they are certainly not the best looking building in the area and I don't think spent anywhere near $4,500,000.
But again, it's just taxpayer money.

Pawn Stars Review: July 25, 2011

Another 2 new episodes of Pawn Stars tonight. I hope most of you survived the heat wave in the Central and Eastern U.S. In Vegas, were are having a average to a little below average summer with a little rain thrown in. They are filming a movie at the Golden Nugget downtown this week.
This week may have been the shows that jumped the shark, I retrospect.
The first guy brought in a John W. Hardin business card. Hardin is an outlaw in the Old West who killed 5 people and not surprising, he was also an a attorney who got his law degree while in prison. http://www.famoustexans.com/johnwesleyhardin.htm Time for the expert. Mark from the Clark County Museum was the expert. They had the card in a glass picture frame and they had to break the glass to get a closer look at the card. Rick offered $350 if they damaged the card when the broke the glass. Mark thought that there was a 80% that it is real and so there it was a deal for $350. Somehow, I found that hard to believe that they would have bought it for $350 but then, they did wreck the guy's glass encasement, so it may have a sympathy buy.
The next guy had a 5 piece Shopsmith tools. It had a saw, drill and a few other pieces. The Old Man offered $50 for the large shop tool and that was the deal.
The next guy brought in a Gibson Mandolin. Chumlee was the worker behind the shelves. Of course, if this was real, they would have had the other employees in the shop. the guy wanted $3000 and Chumlee offered $1000 and $1300. The final price was $1500. Chumlee took to it to a music expert to see if it was real or not and it was determined to be a fake. Ooops. Rick and family were not happy but Chumlee offered to buy it, but the offer was refused, kind of. They did want Chumlee to pay for it but the guy owns a Maserati, so he's not hurting for money. That's show business.
The next guy brought in a jacket that was in the TV show Cheyenne and worn by Clint Walker, whoever that was. http://www.clintwalker.com/ Walker turns out was also in many movies, including The Dirty Dozen. The guy wanted $1800 and Rick offered $600 and then $700 and $750 was the final sale price.
In the second episode, the first guy brought in a Civil War Rifle made in 1854, which was in the guy's family for 5 generations. Could you sell something that was in your family for 5 generations? The rifle was loaded with a bullet and gun powder in it. Time for the expert, Sean. Sean thought it was worth $2-3000 with the paperwork that came with it. The guy wanted $3000 and Rick offered $1500. The guy had sentimental value for it and so there was no sale.
The next guy brought in a suit that was Replica Halo Armor. It was used to make a video game. The guy wanted $2000. Corey offered $100 and then $200. No sale.
The next guy brought in a pawn store movie posters. Movies about pawn stores. None were very popular. The guy wanted $2000. Rick offered $1000. the guy then asked $1600 and Rick went to $1500 and that was the sale price. They had the pictures framed at a frame shop in town. The cost for the framing of 4 pictures was $1200. Corey sold one picture for $1500 and the framing was free. Rick was pissed and wanted it back and they got it back.
The next guy brought in a 1950's Murray Atomic Missile pedal car for kids small kids. i actually have seen one way back in the day. It was chain driven. The guy wanted $1500 and Rick offered $500 and then $800. It was really rusty and did not work. The final price for the sale was $1000.
The next guy brought in a Liberty Pass for leave from the USS Arizona (sank in Pearl Harbor) and the USS Mississippi. Rick offered $100 and the guy wanted $200. Rick offered $150 and that was the sale price.
And that wraps up another 2 episodes. Next week has two more new episodes. Have a nice and safe week

NFL Lockout Is Over, Time For Football

You knw, with billions of dollars on the table that there would no owner lockout for the upcoming football season.
Today, the players rep.s for the union ratified the contract and all that's left is the rank and file players to vote, which is a sure thing.
So, are you ready for some football.

Norway Update: 21 Years In Prison For Killing 76 Innocent People

The Norwegian government now says 76 people were killed by the Norway terrorist and that the terrorist will only get 21 years plus, perhaps another 5 year extensions if he still proves he a danger to society.
From Fox News: Friday's twin attacks in Norway that killed 76 people have sparked growing outcry at the country's penal code, under which even the man now accused in the mass killings would face a maximum penalty of only 21 years in prison if convicted.
If found guilty in the massacre and given that maximum sentence, Anders Behrin Breivik, 32, would serve roughly 100 days in prison per killing.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/07/25/calls-reportedly-grow-in-norway-to-extend-maximum-penalty-after-twin-attacks/#ixzz1TAPXoAuX
Many Norwegians are very upset about this as they have come to realize that maybe being idealistic is not always reality.
but then you have morons like this:
“I think it is very important to keep it that way, despite the gruesome events that have occurred now,” professor Thomas Mathiesen of the University of Oslo told the website. “Norwegian society will gain nothing from a higher punishment level. People of this kind will not become less prone to engage as this man did ... and the punishment level we have now will contribute to Norway staying the relatively humane society that we are proud of and want to live in.”

Umm, no professor who lives in the Ivory Tower, it's called deterrence. You don't think the terrorist thought about the consequences of spending only 21 years in a real cushy prison, compared to most prisons? Of course he did.
http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2011/07/could-norway-terrorist-get-out-of.html

Norway has probably have never seen evil like this, but they knew it existed and they should have been prepared for this. But they it would never happen to them. and then it did.
Lesson learned the hard way.

Reid's Debt Plan A Start But Not Very Good

Crybaby Harry Reid has proposed to raise the debt ceiling by $2,000,000,000,000 and offsets that with $2,400,000,000,000 in cuts with no tax increases.
From the LVRJ: With the clock ticking just a week away from government default, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took a new stab today at a solution to the looming debt crisis.
The Nevada Democrat unveiled a bill that would raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by another $2.4 trillion, enough to enable the government to continue borrowing through 2012. It would offset the new borrowing through $2.7 trillion in spending cuts and other savings.
It is the latest effort by Reid to break the impasse that has ratcheted up pressure on the Capitol and the White House ahead of an Aug. 2 deadline by which Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the government will run out of money to pay its bills.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/reid-unveils-new-debt-bill-126137683.html
The biggest thing I have is that I don't trust Crybaby Reid, President Obama, other Democrats and many members of the GOP as well. There is no guarantee that there will be cuts in the future.
Further, raising the debt ceiling $2,000,000,000,000 is way too much money to continue spending and borrowing.
I don't think they need to raise the debt ceiling, especially since they don't even know when the drop dead date is. Now, it seems like it could go into September.
Every month, we pay $29,000,000,000 just in interest to places like China. Wouldn't it be nice to put some of that money into the U.S. economy?

Time For Obama's Drinking Game

In less than an hour, President Obama is going to address the nation about the debt ceiling problem. I am sure Obama will use the words "I", "Me" "Mine" "Me" and other words that uses to describe himself.
It's like the Bob Newhart game where people took a drink everytime someone said says "Hi Bob".
If you are interested, take a drink of your favorite beverage every time the narcissist uses these words.
Drink up!

Whats Wrong With This Picture?

From the LVRJ: Hello Kitty beckons to passing tourists by waving her paws and blowing cat kisses into the air.
In her pink pajamas, pink mittens and brassiere made of seashells, she seems oddly out of place in front of Paris Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Until you watch her work and see how people respond.
Nearly everyone points. Parents hand their toddlers to her and snap photos. Others cajole their older, less trusting children to greet the anthropomorphized feline.
"Go on, hug her. It's Hello Kitty," the parents say.
But then:
Hello Kitty, played by Manuel from Los Angeles, has been working the Strip for the past three months. He declined to give his last name because his student visa expired years ago and he's afraid of being deported.
http://www.lvrj.com/living/costumed-characters-play-for-tips-on-strip-126077998.html

A male Hispanic illegal alien playing Hello Kitty. Only in Las vegas.

How Sad

From Fox News: A 4-year-old boy who was fatally shot while fishing with his father in northeastern Indiana was struck in the head by an errant bullet, a sheriff and a family friend said.
Wells County Sheriff Monte Fisher told The Associated Press on Sunday that Jacob Michuda was shot in the head late Friday night while he and his father were fishing from a pier at a pond outside Ossian, a rural community about 15 miles south of Fort Wayne.
Trisha Ulmer told The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne for a Sunday story that the boy's mother told her the boy was shot in the temple.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/24/sheriff-4-year-old-shot-in-head-while-fishing-with-dad/#ixzz1T4zSwpNO
A father spending quality time with his son and the son is shot by a drunk. His father must be heart broken for losing his son like this and at such a young age.
I hope this drunk is sent away forever but probably won't.

Why You Can't Trust Democrat's Math

From The Hill: The second most powerful Democrat in the Senate warned Republicans Sunday that they are toying with a fragile economy and would take the blame for any fallout from a debt default.
On Sunday, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he had six words of warning for House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio): “If you break it, you own it.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/173149-durbin-warns-boehner-you-break-it-you-own-it?utm_campaign=briefingroom&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterfeed
If you own break it, you own it=7 words.
In Durbin's world 7=6
Democrat math.
Don't trust them.

Norway Terrorist Facebook Page Altered To Add Christian And Conservative?

From Atlas Shrugs: While the leftist and Islamic supremacist ghouls rush to portray Norway mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik as a Christian and even as an anti-jihadist, the unanswered questions multiply. 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 (hat tip Vivien for the screenshots):
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/07/who-added-christian-and-conservative-to-norway-shooters-facebook-page-yesterday.html
On the link, there is a screen shot of the before and after the possible alteration.
Strange?

h/t Dad29

Sadly, The Norway Terrorist May Have Won

Sadly, it seems like the Norway terrorist may have won and has gotten his way.
The terrorist has written about how the Muslims basically invaded Europe and it was destroying the culture of Europe. In the United States, this really wasn't much of an issue or even known. and very few people talked or wrote about it. The one exception is radio talk show host, Michael Savage, who has talked about it quite a bit.
Now, by the terrorist's actions of murder and mayhem and by killing innocent adults and children, the world is talking about his motives. This is what the terrorist wanted. He wanted to get the issue out in the open and his sick and with his sick and evil mind, he accomplished this.
The news media is reporting everything this guy believes and writing about his manifesto he wrote. I realize this is the media's job, so this terrorist kind of new what he was doing.
Once he is prison, it is quite possible this terrorist will be giving interviews. And since Norway doesn't have a life sentence without parole and possibly spend 20 years in prison, it is possible, he will get of prison and talk.
So, because of the evil in this terrorist's actions, people are talking about his views and probably will debate, in the future if, the terrorist was right or wrong in his beliefs.
How sad.

Video: Harry Chapin And Circle

There was no better singer than Harry Chapin. Sounds like this was from his live album.
Belated birthday, if had lived, he would have been 69 last week.

So, This Is A News Story?

The Las Vegas Sun is a fish wrap of newspaper in Las Vegas, under the guidance of Brian "The Coward" Greenspun. today, they have run a news story from a liberal blogger. Yep, a blogger is now news.
From the Sun: It’s not often that a negative list comes out that Nevadans would advocate being a part of, but an online news site has come up with something that might make political junkies feel left out.
AlterNet.org has published a list of the 10 craziest state legislatures in America and we’re not on it. The piece was written by Kenneth Quinnell, a writer for the Florida Progressive Coalition.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/23/nations-craziest-legislatures-ranked-and-nevada-ge/
The funniest part of this supposed blogger/writer is his description of the Wisconsin legislatures: 3. Wisconsin: By now, everyone is familiar with Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican legislature's stripping state workers of their collective bargaining rights, but that's far from the only bad law to pass this year. The legislature also took away local governments' right to provide workers with stronger sick leave benefits, effectively privatized the state's Commerce Department, loosened child labor laws, cut public transportation and health care, shifted federal welfare reform dollars toward paying for tax cuts and cut access to broadband. All of this was done in a climate where the governor and Republicans went out of their way to deny Democrats the right to participate in the legislative process.
Umm, no mention of the Democrats that ran away to Illinois to get away from the capitol instead of doing what they were paid to do?
Apparently, the Las Vegas Sun has hired a new writer, Craig Peterson. Already, he has shown he is a liberal hack that will do anything to please his boss, Brian "The Coward" Greenspun. what a frickin suck up. Oh well, he will fit in with the other crap writers at the Las Vegas Sun, like Anjeanette Damon, Jon Ralston and Patrick Coolican.
I guess, if this stupid ass blogger can write an article for the Sun, then I can qualify to write a story for the LVRJ? Nah. I won't demean myself.

Another Member Of The 27 Club

Up until today, I have never heard of the 27 Club- musicians who have died at the age of 27. But the list is amazing that so many musicians have died at the age of 27. The list includes Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin. Sadly, today, the list grew by 1 as Amy Winehouse died of a presumed drug overdose in London.
From Fox News:
Amy Winehouse, the beehived soul-jazz diva whose self-destructive habits overshadowed a distinctive musical talent, was found dead Saturday in her London home, police said. It is suspected that the 27-year-old died from a drug overdose, Sky News reports.
Winehouse shot to fame with the album "Back to Black," whose blend of jazz, soul, rock and classic pop was a global hit. It won five Grammys and made Winehouse -- with her black beehive hairdo and old-fashioned sailor tattoos -- one of music's most recognizable stars.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/07/23/singer-amy-winehouse-found-dead/#ixzz1Szuucv6Q
In Wikipedia, they list 45 musicians who have died at the age of 27. That is truly is sad. So young and talented but such demons in their minds for most.

Could Norway Terrorist Get Out Of Prison?

At first glance, you think that the Norway terrorist who killed 98 innocents yesterday would never get out of prison. That would be common sense, at least here in the U.S..
But is it possible that this horrible person can get out jail? It seems like it is a possiblity.
From a study by Hanns von Hofer of Stockholm University, Norway has done away with the death penalty (very long time ago) and life in prison.
From the study: The average length of stay in prison can be estimated to be shortest in Norway and Denmark (ca. 3 months respectively in 2000) and longest in Finland (ca. 7 months; but note Finland's low overall prison population). As regards the number of individuals serving life sentences, on a certain day in the year 2002 there were 16 such 'lifers' in Denmark, 74 in Finland and 106 in Sweden (KOS, 2003:110). There has been a substantial increase in the number of prison
inmates serving life terms in Finland and Sweden over recent years; Norway, on the other hand, abolished life imprisonment in 1981.
http://www.istat.it/istat/eventi/2003/perunasocieta/relazioni/Hofer_rel.pdf

Punishment for murder in Norway: is a murder committed with the intention of taking the life of another, by a person fully sane and aware of what he or she is doing, and having planned the act of murder ahead. Planned murder is punished with up to 21 years of imprisonment. Under special circumstances, like a murder of severe cruelty, or if there is reason to believe the offender may commit murder again, additional years of imprisonment can be given.[1] This usually takes place at a court hearing near the end of the sentence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_(Norway)
So, he will not get life in prison for any of the counts he will be charged with.
Each murder count, a defendant can get a maximum of 21 years, but mandatory parole after serving 2/3 of their sentence.
So, hopefully, in Norway, they can sentence a defendant consecutively instead of concurrently so this terrorist will never see freedom again.
But in case he is not set free, his life in prison will be a walk in the park compared to most prisons in the world.
From Time: Ten years and 1.5 billion Norwegian kroner ($252 million) in the making, Halden is spread over 75 acres (30 hectares) of gently sloping forest in southeastern Norway. The facility boasts amenities like a sound studio, jogging trails and a freestanding two-bedroom house where inmates can host their families during overnight visits. Unlike many American prisons, the air isn't tinged with the smell of sweat and urine. Instead, the scent of orange sorbet emanates from the "kitchen laboratory" where inmates take cooking courses. "In the Norwegian prison system, there's a focus on human rights and respect," says Are Hoidal, the prison's governor. "We don't see any of this as unusual."
Halden, Norway's second largest prison, with a capacity of 252 inmates, opened on April 8. It embodies the guiding principles of the country's penal system: that repressive prisons do not work and that treating prisoners humanely boosts their chances of reintegrating into society. "When they arrive, many of them are in bad shape," Hoidal says, noting that Halden houses drug dealers, murderers and rapists, among others. "We want to build them up, give them confidence through education and work and have them leave as better people." Countries track recidivism rates differently, but even an imperfect comparison suggests the Norwegian model works. Within two years of their release, 20% of Norway's prisoners end up back in jail. In the U.K. and the U.S., the figure hovers between 50% and 60%. Of course, a low level of criminality gives Norway a massive advantage. Its prison roll lists a mere 3,300, or 69 per 100,000 people, compared with 2.3 million in the U.S., or 753 per 100,000 —the highest rate in the world.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1986002,00.html#ixzz1SzQhq1y6
So, a terrorist murders almost 100 people and he will be given a free ride in the prison system. What's wrong with this picture, but that is Norway's culture, I guess.

First Responders At Work In Norway

As a former first responder, I am sure these folks are asking many questions about happened and their response. They will asking a lot of "what if" questions and they will not be able to get the images out of their minds for a long, long time.
I know when I was a firefighter up in North Dakota and we lost a mother and child in a fire, the images and smells of the fire and the "what if" questions stayed with me for many months constantly and then slowly they begin to recede. Hopefully. they will have some counseling

Latest On Norway's Massacre

Today, the death toll ran went up to 98 and probably will go a little higher as they have some missing people from the island and I am willing to bet that they will find more in the bombed out building.
From VG.net, a Norwegian newspaper and the articles are translated into English. Please keep in mind that translations are not perfect and some words are inappropriate for the word they want to use. For instance, in some translations, the victims are called vermin through the translation. So take it for what it is worth. It is also difficult to copy and paste parts of the article.
From VG: Defender Geir Lippe City confirms that Anders Behring Breivik (32) has acknowledged that he is behind the attack on ministries and AUF-camp on Utøya.
According to defense attorney client has also explained what is the motive, but Lippe City says it's difficult to talk about this.
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=no&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no%2F&act=url

Other information, it took the cops over an hour to get to the Utoya Islander. And the terrorist is a right winger but didn't seem to be a fanatic about it. He was an anti-multiculturist, was against Muslims taking over Norway and had a problem with the national soccer coach who was from Somalia but he and his wife were considered a Norwegians.
He used to belong to the Free Masons but doesn't sound like be belonged to any other groups.
He lived with his mother in Western Oslo but ran a small farm in another town. That was probably where he got the materials for the bomb.
He wrote about a 1500 page manifesto and then e-mailed them to some Finnish politicians.
For more information, go to: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=no&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no%2F&act=url
What made this mad man do what he did, who knows. The left can't blame talk radio, like they would have done here. It just blows my mind that a seemingly sane person would do this horrific crime in this supposed tranquil country. To kill innocent children because of political beliefs? Just beyond belief. But some people are so sick in the head, they think they can justify what they did.
But this is a young guy, and since Norway has no death penalty, we will be able hear his views for years to come because of his sick celebrity status that will sure to come.

This Sums It Up About Tiger Woods

I am an underdog type of guy so I really cared for Tiger Woods playing golf and if bet, I would bet the field against him.
When he crashed his SUV 18 months ago, I didn't cheer but felt sorry for him-just a little but felt more sorry for his wife and especially his kids.
Now, Tiger Woods is just acting like a total jackass. The final straw for me was when he fired his caddy of 12 years Steve Williams who stuck by Woods no matter what.
Rick Reilly has the perfect article about Tiger Woods and how he can through this mess that Tiger created:
The waning champion, Tiger Woods, seems to see the world as his personal doormat.
From the way he treated his marriage -- stomp -- to the way he treats golf etiquette -- stomp -- to the way he stiffs car valets and bellhops -- who? -- Woods seems bent on winding up with so few friends they'll be able to hold his funeral in a fitting room. And now comes the way he's treated his friend, groomsman and caddie, Stevie Williams.
Nobody has been more loyal to Woods than Williams.
When throngs of fans and media blocked the way, he was a one-man flying wedge for Woods.
When clicking happened on backswings, he tossed cameras into ponds for Woods.
When the parade of porn stars and pancake princesses came pouring out of Tiger's past, he went stone mute for Woods.
And how does Woods pay him back?
By reportedly not paying him a dime during this two-year knee-rebuilding, swing-rebuilding, Buddha-embracing hiatus.
By not telling him that he wasn't going to play in this year's U.S. Open -- Williams didn't find out about it until he landed in Portland from New Zealand.
And now, by firing him, apparently for taking Adam Scott's bag a couple of times to tide himself over.
Irony there. Williams took a bullet for Woods for nearly two years and then winds up being shot by Woods himself.
"I've basically wasted the last two years of my life," a pissed-off Williams told Mediaworks.
But Williams you don't have to worry about. The one who needs an extreme makeover now is Tiger Woods.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/6790119/rick-reilly-tiger-woods-new-world
I don't think Wood will beat Jack Nicklaus's record of Major victories even though he only needs to win 4 more Majors to tie Jack.
Woods is old by athletic standards and that is how Tiger Woods his tournaments. He was stronger and faster than rest of the field but not anymore. Now, he has to win with by having the perfect touch with his woods, putters and irons and Tiger doesn't have that. He had brawn but now he really needs the touch of a Palmer.
So, read Reilly's column, it's a good read and hopefully Woods will read it as well.

So, How Hot Was It Really?

So, the media has been saying that it has been relay hot outside. They are doing body counts and running stories on how miserable it is.
So how hot was it. Well, it was so that a whole 36 Cities out of 5,868 broke record high maximum temperatures on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. On the 20th, 75 records were broken, 133 on the 21st and 145 on the 22nd.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/extremes/records/daily/maxt/2011/07/19?sts[]=US
Only 4% or less of the reporting stations broke records during the supposed hottest time in the last few decades according to the media.
And only a few, if any records were in the western third of the United States.
Nope, just media exaggeration.

Hopefullly Kyle Busch Won't Repeat 2009 Performance In Nashville

In 2009, in one of NASCAR most embarrassing Kyle Busch won the Nashville Nationwide race and then, when presented with a guitar trophy, he proceeds to break into pieces.



He was an idiot then and I think he has finally matured just a bit. Hopefully, tonight will not be a repeat, if he wins.

update: Busch is not running this race even though his web site said he would. I wonder why?

A Hero In Norway

From CNN: On Friday afternoon, Kasper Ilaug was inside his summer house, a cabin on Norway's Storoya Island, watching the Tour de France when the television broadcast was interrupted by a news flash -- a bomb had exploded in nearby Oslo...
Within 15 minutes, he was at Utoya Island. He saw people in a handful of other private boats that had lined up along the shore.
"We saw some youngsters laying there and waving to us," he said. "They were terrified."
Along the shore were children crouched behind rocks and buildings and shrubs. "They waved to me," he said.
"Then I got this text message from one of my friends that said there's a lunatic out there shooting people." Then he saw helicopters flying overhead.
By now, he had realized it was no joke.
Ilaug brought the boat along the shore and children clambered in, as many as the boat could handle without sinking. The children -- most of them in bathing suits or half-dressed -- were shivering.
"Of course, they were in shock," he said.
He observed one group of children behind rocks. "I tried to wave to them and to get their attention, but I didn't get a response," he said.
"I thought, maybe they are still in shock or laying behind that rock for shelter."
He understands now that they were dead.
"They asked if I was police. I said, 'No, I'm just a private person. Our objective is to go to shore, and you will get blankets and you will find police and medical attention.'"
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/07/22/norway.rescue.worker/index.html
I know there are any heroes, from the firefighters who responded to the bomb blast to the police officers who responded to the blast and who went to the Island where the youth were killed and arresting the thug shooter and bomber.
If other political or religious agencies were involved with this thug, the cops they need to go after them with full force.

It is too bad that Norway doesn't have the death penalty. If the prisons in Norway are the a close to what the U.S. prisons are like, I hope they put this thug in general population and see how long he lives. Otherwise, Norwegians will be paying for this thug and if there are any followers or supporters of this thug, for the rest of this thug's life. Shameful.
This should be a death penalty case, if there ever was one, But Norway doesn't have the death penalty. I wonder if the thug realized since there was no death penalty, he felt more empowered to do his slaughter?
It also makes me wonder about the Norway' right to carry arms. The Norwegians can carry arms and hold as n=much as 10,000 bullets, according to Wikipedia. One wonders if this kind of terrorism happen can over in the U.S.. I am pretty sure it could happen but pray it doesn't happen. I just hope there are no copy cat crimes.

Crybaby Reid Holding Up FAA Bill

From The Washinton Examiner: A bill to extend program authorization and funding for the Federal Aviation Administration passed the House earlier this week and is now headed to the Senate where it is expected to run into a serious obstacle because of an obscure provision concerning a little airport in Nevada. The airport is at Ely in the home state of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. It's likely nobody other than those directly involved in this issue would give it much thought but for the fact the nation's air traffic control system's daily operations could be threatened.
The Ely issue centers on the fact federal law currently allows the government to pay up to $3,720 for every passenger ticket used at the facility. There are two other similarly tiny airports -- Alamogordo/Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico ($1,563) and Glendive, Mont. ($1,358) -- that receive federal subsidies for every ticket. The subsidies are intended to insure air service is available on sparsely traveled routes the commercial airlines don't want to serve for fear of not making a profit.
The House wants to cap such subsidies at $1,000 per ticket. Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, observes that "it is now up to the Senate to pass this bill and not shut down FAA programs over a little provision that eliminates huge government subsidies to just three small airports." Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis., who chairs a House aviation subcommittee, adds that "if we can't put an end to these extravagant subsidies, then we will never be able to rein in spending where really hard decisions are necessary."
Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2011/07/congress-should-tell-faa-heed-glider-warnings#ixzz1SucZ3ZJE
But the Ely airport doesn't need much support. From the Las Vegas Sun: That’s considering slightly old numbers, though. On May 15, Great Lakes rejiggered its flight map, pitching its Ely-to-Denver route for Ely-to-Las Vegas, which has proven to be much more popular, especially with the business set that come for the mines and energy projects.
In the airline’s first full month offering the new route, airline official James Adams said, ridership doubled, which means the per-passenger cost has actually already been halved.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/22/house-senate-members-spar-aviation-subsidies/

So, Crybaby Harry Reid is totally responsible for the FAA for partially down for shutting for no real reason at all. Thanks Crybaby Reid.

Friday Night Oldies: Bob Seger

Face Of A Killer

Anders Behring has been identified as the killer of at least 87 children and adults in one of most horrific killings in recent memory.

Norway doesn't have the death penalty. What a shame and I'd be willing to bet that many people are thinking their position.

Update for capper: From the Jerurslum Post: Witnesses said the gunman, identified by police as a 32-year-old Norwegian, moved across the small, wooded Utoeya holiday island firing at random as young people scattered in fear. Norwegian television TV2 said the gunman detained by police was described as tall and blond and had links to right-wing extremism.
He has given some information that is interesting for the investigation, some details that can take us further," said Sponheim, adding the suspect's motives were not clear at the moment. http://www.jpost.com/VideoArticles/Video/Article.aspx?id=230587

Of course, the liberals said the same thing about the shooting down in Tuscon.

Update: 80 Now Killed At Camp In Norway

Fox News are reporting that there are now 80, mostly young children and youth, have been killed in Norway.
What a horrible tragedy.
From Fox News: A homegrown terrorist set off an explosion that ripped open buildings in the heart of Norway's government Friday, then went to a summer camp dressed as a police officer and gunned down youths as they ran and even swam for their lives, police said Friday.
And it looks I may have been wrong to blame Muslim terrorists:
A police official said the 32-year-old ethnic Norwegian suspect arrested at the camp on Utoya island appears to have acted alone in both attacks, and that "it seems like that this is not linked to any international terrorist organizations at all." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because that information had not been officially released by Norway's police.
"It seems it's not Islamic-terror related," the official said. "This seems like a madman's work."
The official said the attack "is probably more Norway's Oklahoma City than it is Norway's World Trade Center." Domestic terrorists carried out the 1995 attack on a federal building in Oklahoma City, while foreign terrorists were responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
The official added, however, "it's still just hours since the incident happened. And the investigation is going on with all available resources."
The motive was unknown, but both attacks were in areas connected to the ruling Labor Party government. The youth camp, about 20 miles northwest of Oslo, is organized by the party's youth wing, and the prime minister had been scheduled to speak there Saturday.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/07/22/explosion-damages-buildings-in-norwegian-capital/#ixzz1StPI9IzD
AP Reports this: A suspect in the shootings and the Oslo explosion was arrested. Though police did not release his name, Norwegian national broadcaster NRK identified him as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik and said police searched his Oslo apartment overnight. NRK and other Norwegian media posted pictures of the blond, blue-eyed Norwegian.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_NORWAY_EXPLOSION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-22-22-06-19

If indeed it was not done by a Muslim group, I apologize for reporting that. However, earlier in the day, a Muslim terrorist group took responsibility for the bombing.
And if this tragedy was done by a Christian, then you know, then you do have to look at this guy's associations and go after them. But I am sure that most, if not all Christian groups will condemn this bombing, unlike many, many Muslims who actually celebrated and did not condemn the 9/11 terrorist attacks and other Muslim terrorist attacks around the world.
So, I do apologize for getting it wrong before but I do not apologize for my view on the Muslim religion which, to me, is not a religion of peace, but a religion of violence.

Cool: 10 Year Old Headliner At Vegas Hilton

This 10 year old boy, Ethan Bortnick is playing 2 shows this weekend at the Las Vegas Hilton at 8:00. Tickets are $39-49 plus fees.
Hilton: write up information: http://www.lvhilton.com/Play/Entertainment/Hilton-Theater-Calendar/Ethan-Bortnick

This sure in hell beats watching "Dance Mom" and those freaky mothers and their kids.

Pesident Changing The Way He Speaks?

I've had to endure listening to President Obama in the past couple of weeks and Obama has changed they way he talks.
In the past, it was all about him, Obama. His speech were full of 'I" "My" "Mine" "Me" and other nouns that Obama said that identified himself.

Now, Obama is using more "we" when describing himself and his administration.
Listening to Obama talk about the GOP breaking off debt ceiling talks, in the beginning, he used "we" in almost every sentence. But at the end, he was back using "I" or "Mine' or "My". Old habits are hard to die.

But next time Obama gives a televised speech, we should have a drinking game and take a drink every time Obama says I, My, Mine or Me. We will pretty be drunk after the first 10 minutes.

Update: Muslim Bombing In Norway- 16 Or More Killed

I hope President Obama is paying attention to this and continues to take Muslim terrorism seriously.
From Fox News: A bomb ripped open buildings in the heart of Norway's government Friday, and a man dressed as a police officer opened fire at an island youth camp connected to the ruling party. At least seven people were killed in the blast and nine more in the camp shootings, the peaceful nation's worst violence since World War II.
Oslo police said 9 or 10 people were killed at the camp on Utoya island, where the youth wing of the Labor Party was holding a summer camp for hundreds of youths. Acting Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim says a man was arrested in the shooting, and the suspect had been observed in Oslo before the explosion there.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/07/22/explosion-damages-buildings-in-norwegian-capital/#ixzz1SsAePgj8
The Telegraph is reporting that up to 30 people may have been killed at the camp and there is a suspect in custody.
Why Norway? One reason is probably because it is an easy target. Norway is a pacifist country and they think, for the most part are an innocent country and Muslm terrorists took advantage. Norway probably is like the U.S. on September 10, 2001.
Second, there is a growing Muslim population in Norway as in most of Europe and someone probably wanted to be noticed.

Looks like the world will have to be more careful of Mulims, of all stripes. Religion of hate, not peace.

BTW, CAIR, Council on American-Islamic Relations has said nothing on their web site. The usual head in the sand attitude. Pathetic.

Maybe That Price Hike Wasn't A Good Idea

Heard on the radio this weekend: "Garth Brook in Concert At the Wynn Hotel and casino. Tickets available."
Garth Brooks, when the ticket prices were lower, was sold out every time he performed when tickets were $125.
But in November, with pressure from Steve Wynn, tickets are now $253: http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2010/11/now-thats-inflation-garth-brooks-breaks.html
Guess that didn't work out so well when Brooks had to advertise to get people to attend his concerts. I guess Garth is not that popular when tickets are that high priced.
At $253 a ticket, or over $500 for a night for a couple, that is way too much to spend in Las Vegas. I would love to take my wife to the concert on Tuesday (if he has a concert on Tuesday) but at over $500 a pop, it ain't happening.
Some times greed is not a good thing.

Man Found Working At Las Vegas Casino After Being Declared Dead 32 Years Ago

From The Las Vegas Sun: A former Chicago commodities broker who was missing for 32 years and declared legally dead has been arrested after he was found working as a sports book writer at the Rampart Casino in Summerlin for the past decade.
Arthur Jones, 72, was arrested and charged July 19 with felony false identity,
identity theft and fraud, authorities said today.
Jones was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and bail was set at $20,000 pending his court appearance Thursday, according to investigators from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Administration. Jones has since posted bail and was released.
Jones will be arraigned on felony charges at 8 a.m. Aug. 23 before Justice of the Peace Joseph Sciscento in Las Vegas Justice Court.
Jones was living in Las Vegas under the alias of Joseph Sandelli and is believed to have used that name since his disappearance from Highland Park, Il., in 1979. His arrest came after a complaint regarding the fraudulent use of a Social Security number.
The reason for his disappearance was unclear but authorities in Chicago said he might have met some trouble because of gambling debts and possible organized crime affiliations.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/jul/22/authorities-arrest-chicago-broker-found-hiding-out/
It doesn't sound like he wanted to enrich himself when he left, but he wanted to leave in a hurry. Just another story of someone starting their life over in Las Vegas.

UFO Spotted Terrorist Site?

From The Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/unexplained-phenomena-in-national/ufo-spotted-footage-aftermath-of-bomb-explosion-oslo-norway-video

You decide

Muslims Attack Norway

From Fox News: Norwegian police -- reportedly including anti-terror units -- were responding Friday to a shooting at a youth camp run by the ruling Labor Party, where authorities confirmed that several people were wounded. The shooting came just hours after a powerful car-bomb tore through government buildings in Oslo, including the prime minister's office, leaving at least two people dead and 15 injured.
Sky News reports that a man dressed as a policeman and armed with a handgun attacked the summer camp for children. Norway Police are saying that shots also may have been fired near the camp located on an island near Oslo.
A powerful bomb tore into the heart of Norway on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring 15 as it ripped open buildings including the prime minister's office. It was the deadliest bombing ever in Oslo, normally associated with the Nobel Peace Prize that is awarded there.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was working at home Friday and was unharmed, according to senior adviser Oivind Ostang.
The square where the bomb exploded was covered in twisted metal and shattered glass, and carpeted in documents expelled from the surrounding buildings, which house government offices and the headquarters of some of Norway's leading newspapers. Most of the windows were shattered in the 20-floor high rise where the prime minister and his administration works.
Oslo police said the explosion was caused by "one or more" bombs, but declined to speculate on who was behind the attack. They later sealed off the nearby offices of broadcaster TV 2 after discovering a suspicious package.
"So far, police cannot say anything about the scope of the damage, aside from that there's been one or several explosions," a police statement read.
An AP reporter who was in the office of Norwegian news agency NTB said the building shook from the blast and all employees evacuated as the alarm went off. Down in the street, he saw one person with a bleeding leg being led away from the area.
Public broadcaster NRK showed video of a blackened car lying on its side amid the debris.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/07/22/explosion-damages-buildings-in-norwegian-capital/#ixzz1SrLnqlTc

From the BBC News:



Islam: The religion of peace. Umm, no. It is a barbaric religion.

Cry Baby Reid Lies Again

Cry Baby Harry Reid lied again today. Is anybody surprised in the least bit? A little? Bueller? Bueller?
From the LVRJ: After killing a Republican debt plan and as negotiations readjourned to the back rooms, Senate leader Harry Reid this morning sent senators home for the weekend.
Earlier this week, Reid said the Senate would remain in session every day, and he chided House leaders who declined to do the same.
But after the Senate voted 51-46 to kill a GOP plan for spending cuts and a balanced budget amendment, the Nevada Democrat said there was nothing more the Senate could do until the House takes further action.
A path forward on legislation to increase the government's borrowing powers and avert a default crisis was further complicated by a possible new debt-and-spending deal being discussed by President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Reid said he would no longer hold the Senate in session "based on these changed circumstances, and they change rapidly."
"Over the weekend there, of course, will be all kinds of meetings going on," Reid said, moments before he was to duck into one involving a bipartisan "Gang of Six" senators who have promoted their own solution to the looming debt crisis.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/with-backroom-debt-talks-resuming-reid-sends-senators-home-for-weekend-126016363.html
Meeting with the Gang of 6? They plan is completely dead and not even serious.
In football, the last pick of the NFL draft is named Mr. Irrelevant. In Washington D.C. Mr. Irrelevant is Harry Reid. He is like Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer- he is never invited to play in the reindeer games. Just pathetic, Crybaby Reid is.

What? Public Supports GOP? Of Course

The media and Crybaby Harry Reid would want you to believe that U.S. public is against the Republicans regarding the debt ceiling problem. Well, they would be wrong.
From Hot Air, quoting CNN, hardly a conservative friend: One has to go thirteen paragraphs into the story to find CNN addressing this at all:
Republicans like the “cut, cap, and balance” approach to the debt ceiling, as do Democrats and independents. Most Americans support a balanced budget amendment, and most, but not as many, think an amendment is necessary to get federal spending under control. A balanced budget amendment passed the House earlier this week, but a vote in the Senate is expected to fail.
Er, yeah. In other words, a consensus exists across all political lines that the CCB/BBA approach would be a good idea. When one scrolls down to the crosstab sections of the raw data, the consensus becomes very, very clear. The CCB/BBA approach wins majorities in every single demographic — including self-described liberals. Sixty-three percent of Democrats back the House bill. The least supportive age demographic is 50-64YOs at 62/37; the least supportive regional demographic is the Midwest at 61/39. Even those who express opposition to the Tea Party supports it 53/47.
In other words, it’s a clean sweep. Simply put, there is no political demographic at all where the CCB/BBA doesn’t get majority support. The BBA on its own does even better. It gets 3-1 support (74/24), and except for those Tea Party opponents (56%) and self-professed liberals (61/37), doesn’t get below 70% support in any demographic.
Guess what doesn’t get much support? The McConnell plan. Respondents rejected the idea of letting Obama raise the debt ceiling on his own, 34/65. Not one single demographic supports the idea, not even Democrats (40/60) or liberals (34/65).
To quote Barack Obama, the American people are sold — on the Republican plan passed in the House to deal with the debt-ceiling and spending crises. Too bad CNN buried the lede.
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/07/21/oh-my-ccb-bill-gets-2-1-approval-among-adults-in-cnn-poll/

So, Crybaby Harry Reid, go for the vote, the American people are not on your side when it comes to the current budget crisis.
Maybe, Crybaby Harry Reid, if you did your job by passing a budget within the past 2 years, maybe you could have avoided this problem. But you, Crybaby Harry Reid, decided to concentrate on politics instead of doing your job and now you are put in this position.
So, Crybaby Harry Reid, guess what: you and President Obama are leading the Democrat lemmings over a cliff and when the GOP takes over the senate and the presidency next year, you will be just a broken down crybaby.

Cheap Trick's Scary Moment In Canada

The other day, Cheap Trick performed in Ottowa, Canada when a possible tornado or severe thunderstrom hi their stage as they were playing a song.
This video is by Cheap Trick's Robin Zander and it hows the aftermath right after the storm hit.


Scary stuff and they are lucky no one was killed.

But Obama Promised We Would Make A Profit

Remember when the Obama administration said that by bailing out GM and Chrysler, not only will we get our money back, we also will make some money off the deal.
Well, as usual, the Obama administration lied.
From Fox News: The U.S government has sold its shares in Chrysler LLC at a likely loss of $1.3 billion in taxpayer money, the Treasury Department said Thursday, announcing the end of a controversial investment that resurrected the troubled auto company.
Italian automaker Fiat SpA, which has run the company since it emerged from bankruptcy protection in June 2009, purchased the U.S. government's remaining 98,000 shares in the auto company for $560 million.
The financial loss irritated Republican lawmakers.
"I am deeply disturbed to learn that the Obama administration left $1.3 billion taxpayer dollars on the table in resolving its bailout of Chrysler," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
"The administration has sold out an American icon to a foreign company using TARP funds underwritten by taxpayers. Now they are essentially give that same company $1.3 billion of taxpayer money," he said.
"At a time when American taxpayers must make tough choices to repay their mortgages -- even on houses worth less than they paid -- it is unfathomable that Italian automaker Fiat and its subsidiary Chrysler got away with repaying less than the full amount borrowed from the U.S. government," he added.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/21/us-government-ends-chrysler-investment/#ixzz1SoYZAdLr

$1,300,000,000 right down the drain. Way to go, Obama for looking out for the United States taxpayers.
Worst President ever.

Teacher, Firefighter Go Down In Flames But Collect Pension

Today, a Clark County firefighter was fired after abusing sick leave while working as a Battalion Chief and a former lark County teacher was sentenced to 60 days in jail for abusing autistic elementary school students. And, oh yes, both still qualify for a pension from the state of Nevada PERS system.
From Channel 13 news: She was convicted of taking out her anger on kids who couldn't speak for themsleves. Four years after former special needs teacher Mamie Hubbard-Washington was convicted of the disturbing crimes, and a sentence has come down.
Hubbard-Washington will now spend 60 days in jail. She will also be on probation for up to three years on five counts of felony child abuse and neglect.
One mother, whose then 9-year-old autistic son was abused, says she is outraged over what she calls a "legal letdown".
"What a let down. The justice system let me down, let my son down," said Marshell Mitchell. "It's a joke. To me, it's a big joke. All of this for 60 days."
Investigators allege Hubbard-Washington grabbed her son Matthew by the back of the neck and rammed his face into a table-top, chipping his tooth.
Witnesses also said Hubbard-Washington used a wooden yardstick and a hairbrush to terrorize students.
Matthew was one of five autisitic students the former teacher was convicted of hurting between 2006 and 2007, inside Doris Reed Elementary.
http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/125996128.html
Yep 60 days in jail and then get a pension for life. Not a bad trade off for abusing some very young kids.
And from the LVRJ: A Clark County fire battalion chief was terminated Thursday because, according to county officials, she misused sick leave and aided others in abusing the system.
Renee Dillingham is the second county firefighter to be terminated for sick leave abuse in an internal probe that began six months ago when evidence of potential misuse came to light.
The public uproar also prompted a police and FBI inquiry, which could turn into a criminal investigation.
Dillingham, a 24-year veteran, was the first woman hired as a county battalion chief. She couldn't be reached for comment.
She has five business days to challenge her firing and request an arbitrator.
Dillingham will be allowed to collect her pension and cash in unused sick leave and vacation. No estimates were available Thursday on the dollar amount.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/clark-county-fire-battalion-chief-fired-for-abusing-sick-leave-system-125978108.html
So, the battalion chief will probably get a payout of about $50,000 to 100,000 for all of her sick time and vacation and then start collecting her pension at an inflated rate because she was able to collect overtime money for working shifts that she should not have.
And we wonder why there is a loss of faith for public servants.

Alan Stock Gone At KXNT

From Norm at the LVRJ: Veteran KXNT radio host Alan Stock was let go Wednesday after 12 years with the CBS affiliate.
Stock, who confirmed the dismissal, had been moved to the afternoon drive-time slot a year ago after more than a decade as a morning drive host. Reached at his home, Stock said he was informed of the move after his show ended at 6 p.m.
"They made a huge mistake," he said. "These people are brand new in this market. They want to change the direction of the station. They wanted somebody who was part of the 'CBS culture.' "
Asked what he thought that meant, Stock said, "I think they wanted their own people."
He added, "I am looking to land something better in this market and I will come back and kick their ass."
Stock said his colleagues "were absolutely great. I plan to stay here. I love this town. I've got my family and I've got my faith."
The California native has been selected to Talkers Magazine's Top 100 talk show hosts every year since 2000.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/radio-host-stock-loses-job-at-kxnt-125939828.html
Today, J.D. Hayworth took over Stock's show, but I doubt that is permanent.
KXNT has been on suicide watch ever since they dropped Stock to the 3-6 PM slot and moved Mark Levin to the 9-12 midnight slot as your blogger here has pointed out since they brought in a new program director
http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2010/05/kxnt-committing-radio-sucide.html
So, where will Alan Stock end up? My bet would be KDWN in the 9-12 noon slot as KDWN currently has Dennis Miller. Another possibility would be 670 AM, KMZQ where they have national programming but if they want to attract a local crowd, this would be it.
This now leaves only 1 local talk show host in Las Vegas, Heidi Harris for is on KDWN on the 6-9 morning slot. Nationally, we have Jerry Doyle, who is also on KDWN, who is on from noon to 3.

UMM, Media, It's July, It's Summer, It's Going To Be Hot

I am really getting a headache listening to all these sob stories about how hot it is in the Eastern half of the United States.

It's July, we are in the middle of Summer and it's going to be hot outside.

And they are complaining that 22 people have died because of the heat. Well, that's about 1 person per state and most of these people probably have a pre-existing condition that will make more sucuciptle to the heat.

And of course, the poor, women, children, elderly are going to be hurt the most.

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, we are enjoying a beautiful summer. Temps are at or below normal with low humidity. Great swimming and BBQ weather.

Now, I will go out on a limb that come January, we will be seeing the same kind of stories except it wil deal with the cold and snow.

CCSD To Drop Teacher's Trust Health Insurance?

CCSD is about to switch health insurance carriers by dropping Teacher's Trust Health insurance and going with another private health insurance company.
Talks are ongoing with Teacher's Trust and another insurance company and see who will provide the best deal for the school District.
If CCSD drops Teacher's Trust, Teacher's Trust will cease to be a company, but if the district can find comparable health insurance for a lower price, the district should go with the cheaper company.
Interesting to see that they are planning on doing this for the new 2011-12 school year already.

Cry Baby Reid At It Again

Harry Reid Today

Harry Reid is Nevada's crybaby and unfortunately, the Country's as well.
From the LVRJ: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is keeping senators working through this weekend on debt legislation, is irked the U.S. House is not doing the same.
"Let me get this off my chest," Reid, D-Nev., said Thursday morning after he learned that House Republican leaders had ruled out Saturday and Sunday sessions.
"I think this is a very bad picture for our country to have the House of Representatives out this weekend," Reid said. "I think it is just untoward and that is the kindest word I can say."
With Congress hurtling toward an Aug. 2 deadline by which the Treasury Department says it will run out of money to pay bills, "I want everyone who can hear my voice to understand that time is of the essence," Reid said.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/reid-irked-house-taking-weekend-off-while-senate-toils-on-debt-125953528.html

Umm, Harry, the House already passed a bill regarding the debt and the budget.

The Senate has not passed a budget in over two years.

I think the House has their affairs in order and you have no clue what you are doing.

Grow up Harry Reid and stop acting like a cry baby.

And Harry, why are sooo afraid to return my e-mail? Are you so chicken you cannot even answer a simple question?

America's Crybaby, Harry Reid.

update: Reid is generously going to allow a vote onthe House Cut, Cap and Pass bill, but of course Reid is still being a Weasel by not allowing a debate on the bill. Way to go, Crybaby Reid.

Atlantis Lands, Ends US Manned Space Travel: F__K You Obama

The Atlantis space shuttle just landed at Cape Canaveral in Florida, not only ended the Space Shuttle program and manned space travel for the United States.
Thank you for all the astronauts who flew on the Shuttle and for those who gave their lives.
Thank you for the all the employees who helped the Shuttle take off, fly, dock at the space station and then land, and now out of work. 3200 people are out o work tomorrow and a total of 9000 out of work total.
And to President Obama, a huge Fuck You Asshole for discontinuing the manned space program in the United States. While George Bush may have ended the shuttle program, he still wanted a manned space program to continue in the United States.
Obama would rather have NASA reach out to the Muslim world and throw out 9000 scientists out of work What an fricking asshole.
So, welcome back Atlantis and thank you for your service. Obama, got to hell.

9th Circuit: Ok To Threatem To Kill President

I disagree with this ruling. From The LA Times: A La Mesa man who posted racial epithets and a call to "shoot" Barack Obama on an Internet chat site was engaging in constitutionally protected free speech, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday in overturning his criminal conviction.
Walter Bagdasarian was found guilty two years ago of making threats against a major presidential candidate in comments he posted on a Yahoo.com financial website after 1 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2008, as Obama's impending victory in the race for the White House was becoming apparent. Bagdasarian told investigators he was drunk at the time.
A divided panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that conviction Tuesday, saying Bagdasarian's comments were "particularly repugnant" because they endorsed violence but that a reasonable person wouldn't have taken them as a genuine threat.
The observation that Obama "will have a 50 cal in the head soon" and a call to "shoot the [racist slur]" weren't violations of the law under which Bagdasarian was convicted because the statute doesn't criminalize "predictions or exhortations to others to injure or kill the president," said the majority opinion written by Judge Stephen Reinhardt.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/online-call-to-shoot-obama-was-free-speech-not-a-crime-appeals-court-rules.html
There is a difference between free speech and threatening a president or politician. I don't care if the president is Obama or the next GOP president. Further, take it down to the state level and look at all the death threats GOP: governors have had to deal with from liberals.
To say a threat against a politician is free speech, if this holds true, means it will be open season on politicians of either party with no repercussions..

Cheap Trick Barely Survives Severe Thunderstorm

Courtesy of frequent commentator, Jill Sixpack (http://jillsixpack.blogspot.com/ ) and the Guardian: Cheap Trick are "so thankful" to be alive after the sudden collapse of their stage at a festival in Canada. A violent thunderstorm tore through the Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday night, demolishing the main stage and destroying all of Cheap Trick's equipment. As the final notes of I Want You To Want Me rang out, "it just started coming down," recalled manager Dave Frey. "It was like the Titanic or something."
"It was complete pandemonium," Frey told Rolling Stone yesterday. From his vantage point behind the drummer, Frey felt the "still and humid" air change "out of nowhere" at around 8.00pm. "This wind hit that was just huge. The local news sources are saying 96 miles per hour, another one said like a hundred and something. It just blew everything back, cymbals are flying and everything. And we're just like 'get off the stage!' And then I heard the rivets in the truss just starting to pop. BAP! BAP! BAP! BAP! BAP! ... The roof fell, it hit our truck, which was parked behind the stage and that kept it about five feet off of the deck, and that gave us room to run. We were running as fast as we could."
Luckily for the Bluesfest audience – including Ottawa mayor Jim Watson – the stage fell backwards, toward the backstage, not out into the crowd. "There were thousands of people running," reported the Globe and Mail's Jeremy Torobin. "The rain was pounding, pouring down sideways. It was insane." Most of the Cheap Trick's gear was either crushed or soaked-through, with other bits and pieces seized by the police and fire departments for their investigation into the collapse. "Everything is gone," complained Frey. "We're trying to get gear set up for our show [Tuesday] in Buffalo. Do you know where we can rent a five-neck guitar?"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jul/19/cheap-trick-stage-collapse

Cheap Trick just finished a run at the Paris hotel and casino here in Las Vegas late last year and the family went to a bunch of their concerts while they were at the Paris in Las Vegas. Their show was fantastic and the family was lucky enough to sit in seats within 20 feet of the stage. When in Vegas, they played the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band album along with Cheap Trick's hits. They played with a full orchestra, which made their music sound great.
So, I am glad their are alive and I hope they make it back to the much safer Las Vegas.

If It's True Why Apologize?

From Fox News: House Democrats lined up to excoriate GOP Rep. Allen West on Wednesday after he sent an incendiary email to the Democratic party chairwoman calling her "vile" and "not a lady." ....
In her remarks on the House floor, Wasserman Schultz had said: "The gentleman from Florida, who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Unbelievable from a member from south Florida."
She was alluding to a GOP-backed bill to reduce the debt and amend the Constitution to require a balanced federal budget. The House later approved the bill 234-190, but it is unlikely to pass the Democratic Senate.
West sent his email to numerous lawmakers, as well as Wasserman Schultz and other congressional leaders. The subject line of the email: "Unprofessional and Inappropriate Sophomoric Behavior from Wasserman Schultz."
The e-mail said: "Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up."
West also wrote that Wasserman Schultz has proven "that you are not a Lady" and "shall not be afforded due respect from me!" He said he was alerting House leaders to her "heinous characterless behavior."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/20/house-democrats-rip-gop-rep-west-over-email-to-party-chairwoman/#ixzz1SiZOatLP
Clearly, Wasserman-Schultz is pretty much of a wimp if she has to run to fellow Democrats to fight her battles.
Wasserman-Schultz rips a Congressman personally on the House floor and then expects nothing to happen? Further, she gets the members of the Congressional Black Caucus to go after West. That seems a bit racist to me.
This is the same lady that went around and said that all the GOP wants to do is round up all of the illegals and send them back home. So, clearly, Wasserman-Schultz is not very intelligent- she makes Michelle Bachman look like an Ivy School honor graduate, besides being a vile woman.
http://lasvegasbadger.blogspot.com/2011/05/stupid-democrat-quotes.html
My suggestion to Wasserman-Schultz is if you cannot handle being called names, don't get into a pissing match with another person. And if you want to be credible, don't have other people fight your battles. Your a big woman. Grow up and fight your own battles.