TSA v. Super Bowl Ring Holders

Did you see this commercial?  I caught it last night while watching TV.



Just one in a string of clever ads for the Super Bowl: "It's good to have a ring."

Social Security, Ponzi Schemes, and Demogogues

For a while now I've heard people slam our nation's ailing Social Security system as being nothing more than a "Ponzi scheme."  I had heard this term used to refer to the Madow scandal and to pyramid schemes, but wondered what people were talking about when applying the term to S.S.

Today I found a great op-ed piece at Townhall by the conservative economist Thomas Sowell (emphasis added):

Promises and Riots

Economists are the real "party of No." They keep saying that there is no such thing as a free lunch-- and politicians keep on getting elected by promising free lunches.

Such promises may seem to be kept, for a while. There are ways the government can juggle money around to make everything look OK, but it is only a matter of time before that money runs out and the ultimate reality hits, that there is no free lunch.

We are currently seeing what happens, in fierce riots raging in various countries in Europe, when the money runs out and the brutal truth is finally revealed, that there is no free lunch. 

You cannot have generous welfare state laws that allow people to retire on government pensions while they are in their 50s, in an era when most people live decades longer. 

In the United States, that kind of generosity exists mostly for members of state government employees' unions-- which is why some states are running out of money, and why the Obama administration is bailing them out, in the name of "stimulus."

Once you buy the idea that the government should be a sort of year-around Santa Claus, you have bought the kinds of consequences that follow. 

The results are not pretty, as we can see on TV, in pictures of rioters in the streets, smashing and burning the property of innocent people, who had nothing to do with giving them unrealistic hopes of living off somebody else, or with the inevitable disappointing of those hopes with cutbacks on the giveaways.

Nothing is easier for politicians than to play Santa Claus by promising benefits, without mentioning the costs-- or lying about the costs and leaving it to future governments to figure out what to do when the money runs out. 

In the United States, the biggest and longest-running scam of this sort is Social Security. Fulfilling all the promises that were made, as commitments in the law, would cost more money than Social Security has ever had.

This particular scam has kept going for generations by the fact that the first generation-- a small generation-- that paid into Social Security had its pensions paid by the money that the second and much bigger "baby boom" generation paid in.

What the first generation got back in benefits was far greater than what they themselves had paid in. It was something for nothing-- apparently.

This is the way a Ponzi scheme works, with the first wave of "investors" getting paid with the money paid in by the second wave. But, like Social Security, a Ponzi scheme creates no wealth but only an illusion that cannot last. That is why Mr. Ponzi was sent to prison. But politicians get re-elected for doing the same thing.

As the baby boomers begin to retire, and there are now fewer working people per retired person to pay for Social Security pensions, this scam is likewise headed for a rude revelation of reality-- and perhaps riots like those in Europe.

All the incentives are for politicians to do what they have done, namely to promise benefits without raising enough taxes to pay for them. That way, it looks like you are getting something for nothing. 

When crunch time comes and politicians are either going to have to tell people the truth or raise taxes, the almost inevitable choice is to raise taxes. If the people think they are already taxed too much, then the taxes can be raised only for people designated as "the rich."

If "the rich" object, then demagogues can denounce them for their selfishness and "greed" for objecting to turning over ever-growing amounts of what they have earned to politicians.

Economists often make stronger objections than the high-income people themselves. That is because history has shown repeatedly that very high rates of taxation lead to all sorts of ways by which those very high rates of taxation do not have to be paid. 

No matter how high the tax rates are, they do not bring in more revenue when many of the people subject to those tax rates do not in fact pay them. The scams inherent in welfare states are not only economically counterproductive, they turn group against group, straining the ties that hold a society together.

"Demagogues denouncing the rich for being greedy..."  an interesting term. Merriam-Webster defines it as "a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power."  This is a very fitting description of the Obama Administration, his cabinet, and some other wannabe leaders (e.g. Al Sharpton ... maybe even Sarah Palin, dare I suggest?). 

Demagoguery of the rich sounds exactly like what we've been hearing for months now with politicians and Obama discussing raising taxes on the wealthy.  The politicians seemed to think that cutting taxes for all -- including the rich (gasp!) -- was akin to paying them a bonus.  Cutting taxes actually means confiscating less of their money that they earned.

But, if politicians cut taxes, that means less "lunch money" for their "free lunches." 

Actor Ermey Blasts Obama: Videoclip

What a great video clip posted over at GatewayPundit ... actor R. Lee Ermey blasts the Obama Administration ...

Toughguy Actor R. Lee Ermey Unloads on Obama the Socialist During Holiday Broadcast

You Manby-Pamby Jackwagon…
Toughguy actor R. Lee Ermey unloaded on Barack Obama during a live Christmas extravaganza recently.
The crowd went nuts.
Via HotAir:

From the video: During a December 10, 2010 appearance on Roe & Roeper’s Miracle on Indianapolis Blvd. Holiday Extravaganza broadcast, live from The Venue inside the Horseshoe Casino, which benefitted the USO, GEICO’s R. Lee Ermey appearing on behalf of Toys 4 Tots took an opportunity to unload on President Obama, claiming his administration was destroying the country so that it could impose socialism.

Now, I do have to wonder ... could Ermey possibly be fired by Geico for voicing his opinions?  Remember how Geico last April fired voice over actor D.C. Douglas for blasting FreedomWorks and the Tea Party?

UPDATE: The EPA, Global Warming, and the GOP: U.S. Jobs & Economy Hang in the Balance

SEE UPDATE BELOW regarding yesterday's decision by the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to Rep. Upton's attempts to block the EPA's imposition of imminent climate change regulation.

________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, I found an interesting conflict of information regarding the White House's plans to continue to ram through its global warming policy and whether or not the GOP will fight to put a stop to it.  The question is whether or not the GOP will truly stand up to a jobs-killing, economically disastrous plan to cut greenhouse emissions.  I found the following article and an op-ed piece, both published on the same day.

First, this report by Kimberly Schwandt of FoxNews (emphasis added):

White House Plans to Push Global Warming Policy, GOP Vows Fight

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- After failing to get climate-change legislation through Congress, the Obama administration plans on pushing through its environmental policies through other means, and Republicans are ready to put up a fight.

On Jan. 2, new carbon emissions limits will be put forward as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares regulations that would force companies to get permits to release greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

Critics say the new rules are a backdoor effort to enact the president's agenda on global warming without the support of Congress, and would hurt the economy and put jobs in jeopardy by forcing companies to pay for expensive new equipment.

"They are job killers. Regulations, period -- any kind of regulation is a weight on economy. It requires people to comply with the law, which takes work hours and time, which reduces the profitability of firms. Therefore, they grow more slowly and you create less jobs," said environmental scientist Ken Green of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

Dan Howells of Greenpeace disagrees.

"I was looking at some advertisements from the 1970s where they were making the very same arguments about stopping acid rain. And that didn't turn out to be a job-killer. In fact, it created jobs in some places," said Howells, the environmental group's deputy campaign director. "The more we keep making these decades-old arguments, the more we won't be creating the jobs of the future and working towards the new energy economy."

The administration says it has the power to issue the regulation under a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that directed the agency to make a determination on whether carbon dioxide, blamed for global warming, was a hazard to human health.

The agency is set to have a preliminary version of the rules in place by July and then issue final standards in 2012 after a public comment period.

Rep Fred Upton, R-Mich., the incoming House Energy Committee Chairman, penned an op-ed in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal along with Americans for Prosperity president Tim Phillips, and charged that Congress should act.

"The best solution is for Congress to overturn the EPA's proposed greenhouse gas regulations outright. If Democrats refuse to join Republicans in doing so, then they should at least join a sensible bipartisan compromise to mandate that the EPA delay its regulations until the courts complete their examination of the agency's endangerment finding and proposed rules," the op-ed read in part.

With Republicans taking control in the House, the GOP will be in a better position to take on some of these policies, and members are promising a fight if the Obama White House moves forward with any carbon crackdown. There was bipartisan support for a bill proposed this year that would have stripped the EPA of the power to set carbon emissions limits. GOP lawmakers could bring the measure back.

The White House seems prepared for a fight.

The administration recently circulated a memo from the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren to the heads of all federal departments and agencies calling for "a clear prohibition on political interference in scientific processes and expanded assurances of transparency."

OK, so that article makes it sound like the GOP is ready for a fight.  However, Steve Milloy, of Green Hell Blog and Junk Science fame, warns that the GOP is prepared to "wimp out" (emphasis added):

GOP all set to wimp out on EPA?

December 28, 2010 A key Republican is already laying the groundwork for the 112th Congress’ surrender on the EPA’s climate rules. More surprising is the complicity of a tea party group.

Rep. Fred Upton, the chairman-designate of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, co-authored an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal with the promising title, “How Congress Can Stop the EPA’s Power Grab.”

Now that we face the prospect of flagrantly illegal, arbitrary, expensive and pointless regulation of greenhouse gases by the EPA, I was eager to read how the new Congress was going to, say, slash the EPA’s budget to prevent it from implementing the climate rules or perhaps shutdown the federal government if the Obama administration proceeded with its plan to dictate energy policy in order to control the economy.

Instead, Upton offered a mere two sentences of action that are better described pusillanimity rather than pugnacity:

The best solution is for Congress to overturn the EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas regulations outright. If Democrats refuse to join Republicans in doing so, then they should at least join a sensible bipartisan compromise to mandate that the EPA delay its regulations until the courts complete their examination of the agency’s endangerment finding and proposed rules.

Earth to Upton, it will be impossible to overturn or delay the EPA rules because:

• There will likely be more than 40 Democrat senators to filibuster any effort to overturn or delay the rules. Likely filibuster-ers include Begich (AK), Feinstein (CA), Boxer (CA), Bennet (CO), Lieberman (CT), Blumenthal (CT), Carper (DE), Coons (DE), Nelson (FL), Akaka (HI), Inouye (HI), Durbin (IL), Harkin (IA), Cardin (MD), Mikulski (MD), Kerry (MA), Levin (MI), Stabenow (MI), Franken (MN), Klobuchar (MN), Tester (MT), Reid (NV), Shaheen (NH), Lautenberg (NJ), Menedenz (NJ), Bingman (NM), Udall (NM) ,Schumer (NY), Gillibrand (NY), Hagan (NC), Brown (OH), Merkley (OR), Wyden (OR), Casey (PA), Reed (RI), Whitehouse (RI), Johnson (SD), Leahy (VT), Warner (VA), Webb (VA), Cantwell (WA), Murray (WA), and Kohl (WI). Most of these senators already voted last June against the Murkowski amendment to rollback the EPA rules under the Congressional Review Act.
• Even if a bill to overturn/delay the rules managed to get out of Congress, President Obama would veto it — and it’s unlikely that Republicans could muster the two-thirds majorities needed to overturn the veto.

The wimpiness, here is breathtaking. Aside from the total ineffectiveness of the plan, Upton fails to support his preferred solution (overturning the rules) with a more aggressive, less-palatable-to-Democrats alternative (defunding the EPA or shutting down the government). Instead, Upton’s alternative course is weaker (delaying the rules) and is offered from the position of a supplicant (“at least” do the “sensible, bipartisan compromise” — pretty please?).

I hope EPA administrator Lisa Jackson doesn’t hurt herself rolling on the floor.

Upton expresses high hopes, if not expectations, that ongoing litigation will curb the EPA. But an appellate court recently held that the EPA can wreak its havoc on our economy while the litigation is ongoing. And who knows how long it will take to get a final ruling from the Supreme Court? Keep in mind that the current Court is philosophically unchanged from the one ruling in 2007 that EPA could regulate greenhouse gases.

Moreover, while the portion of the EPA’s climate rules that is flagrantly illegal is likely to be overturned (i.e., the so-called “tailoring rule” under which EPA unilaterally amended the Clean Air Act to  limit regulation of greenhouse gases from 100-ton emitters to 75,000-ton emitters), it is unlikely that the Court will overturn the EPA’s so-called “endangerment funding” (which declares that greenhouse gases are a threat to the public welfare). Under the 1984 Supreme Court case Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, it is extremely difficult to show that an agency has acted arbitrarily and capriciousily in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.

No profile in courage, Upton is wishing for a litigation miracle so that he doesn’t have to get down in the mud and wrestle with the Obama administration.

Also of note is Upton’s co-author, Tim Phillips of Americans for Prosperity (AFP) — a nationwide conservative grassroots group that has tried to blend in with the tea party movement. But AFP may be risking its tea party credentials by signing on to Upton’s exercise in bipartisan futility  —  where liberal/socialist Democrats get what they want and the rest of us get the shaft. That may be standard Washington, DC fare, but it is not what tea partiers voted for in November.

I’m not surprised by Upton’s wimpiness — that’s why conservatives wanted Joe Barton (R-TX) to be chairman of Energy and Commerce, not the light-bulb-banning Upton — but I am surprised by AFP’s. 

Shame on them.

Here’s the bottom line. Since the new Congress will not rubber stamp Obama’s socialist legislative agenda, the President will seek to socialize us via regulation — regardless of legality. The EPA’s climate regulation plan is unconstitutional on its face (only Congress, not federal agencies, can change laws). Another example of the coming socialization-by-regulation is the Federal Communications Commission’s recent party-line vote to implement net neutrality rules despite the a federal appellate court ruling that it lacks the statutory authority to do so.

“Every battle is won before it is fought,” said Sun Tzu. Upton, according to his op-ed, has already surrendered to Obama. Oh well, at least election night was fun.

So, what will it be?  Will the GOP fight against strict EPA regulations or wimp out?  (By the way, I think Milloy's information about the Americans For Properity with loose ties to the Tea Party should be monitored.)
________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE: I just read this today from Steve Milloy:

Court deals Blow to Upton’s EPA strategy

December 30, 2010 The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dealt a blow yesterday to Rep. Fred Upton’s hope-the-litigation-works strategy for fending off EPA’s imminent climate regulation. The court denied the state of Texas’ bid to block the EPA’s rules from taking effect next week.

So barring some holiday season miracle, the EPA will soon further oppress an already-strained economy and euthanize more of our freedoms for absolutely no purpose (other than the advancement of Comrade Obama’s agenda).

It’s looking like Upton and the rest of the often jello-y GOP leadership may actually have to develop a spine. Shall we hold our collective (but not collectivized!) breath?

Teachers' Unions and "Shared Sacrifice" ... Except for Union Leaders

I wonder how Weingarten feels about cutting taxes for the rich ...

This November piece is from J.P. Freire of The Washington Examiner (emphasis added): 

Teachers union boss takes in $428K, demands shared sacrifice

American Federation of Teachers president Rhonda “Randi” Weingarten has issued a statement slamming proposed cuts from the congressional deficit commission for not pushing shared sacrifice among the wealthy, but an AFT spokesman has told The Examiner that Weingarten will not be taking a paycut from the total $428,284 she received in salary and benefits during fiscal year 2010.

Weingarten wrote of the proposed budget cuts from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform:

While we’re grateful the commission’s chairmen understood the need to hold education investment sacrosanct, count on a vigorous fight from us over proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare that would hurt an already-ailing middle class. Shared sacrifice means holding millionaires responsible for their fair share of taxes and ending truly wasteful spending, not sawing off essential lifelines for the middle class, who desperately are trying to keep their heads above water in these precarious economic times. We can help solve the financial future of Social Security and Medicare by investing in putting our people back to work, so they can pay into these programs. Nothing is more important to the future solvency of the country.

Filings from the Department of Labor reveal that the American Federation of Teachers has disbursed $428,284 to Weingarten. Her gross salary is $342,552, but benefits and other disbursements raise that number to almost half a million dollars. She also earned a six-figure salary when she was president of Local 2 in 2009, during which she received $202,319. Neither of these sums, by the way, include her expenses.

When The Examiner called the AFT to ask whether Weingarten was planning on taking a paycut to demonstrate her belief in shared sacrifice, the spokesman said no. “No, absolutely not. She works 24/7 on behalf of union members and the people we serve. Making sure that people get a great education in public schools in America. She works to the bottom of her soul. You can’t put a price tag on that.”

I joked that, well, there is a price tag on that, and it’s apparently $428,284, but got no response. (Quick update: The average high school teacher salary is $43,293, h/t  Amanda Carpenter.)

The spokesman also asked whether The Examiner was equally critical of Goldman Sachs “who has received taxpayer dollars” (we have been), though it’s a bit odd that a spokesman for a teachers union that lobbies to funnel more taxpayer dollars toward its members would be so critical of Goldman Sachs for taking taxpayer dollars.

The lesson from the teachers union is clear: Shared sacrifice for thee and not for me.

I guess Weingarten is safe in calling for shared sacrifice among millionaires ...

Her spokesman said that one cannot put a price tag on all that Weingarten does for teachers and the union; but, I also wonder if Weingarten truly works ten times harder than the average classroom teacher.

"Atheists Don't Have No Songs" -- Steve Martin

Must be rough for atheists every Christmas season ... everyone else is diggin' on the holiday tunes!



Steve Martin is a hoot!

Latinos Moving to Boost Clout: "Tequila Party" or "Café Con Leche Party"?

Taking their lead from the success of the Tea Party, Latinos around the U.S. are considering launching a similar political movement.  This from FoxNews Latino:

Call It The Grand Old Tequila Party

Fed up with both the Democrats and Republicans over an impasse on immigration reform, a growing number of Hispanic activists are discussing the possibility of a breakout party of their own. The idea is still in its early stages, but they hope to emulate the success of the grass-roots Tea Party movement – which shook up last month’s mid-term elections.

And with Hispanic becoming a major force in politics – Latinos are credited with influencing several key races across the country – activists say the time is ripe for Latinos to branch out on their own.

“The empowerment that we have discovered – we don’t want it to just go away. We want to do something with it,” said Fernando Romero, president of the Las Vegas-based Hispanics in Politics, a non-partisan group. “We were impressed, like I think everyone else was, by the strength the Tea Party showed. And we thought, ‘Why not do, basically, the same thing?’”

...

Hispanics have traditionally tended to vote Democratic in the past. But many longtime liberal Latinos are starting to question the responsiveness of the Democratic Party to the Hispanic community.
...

And because, Hispanics say, they are credited with influencing key political races during the presidential and midterm elections, they expected more attention than they have received.

In several key races where the Latino vote was critical – like Harry Reid's  U.S. Senate bid in Nevada and Jerry Brown’s gubernatorial contest in California – Hispanics were heavily courted during the midterm election battle, and they were credited with helping tip the balance.

“In many parts of the country, the Democratic Party hasn’t taken Latinos seriously. They haven’t cultivated leadership in the Latino community,” said Angelo Falcon, president of co-founder of the New York City-based National Institute for Latino Policy. “The community keeps voting for the party but the payoff doesn’t seem to be very great.”

Disenchanted, Latino leaders began discussions this past summer to start a mobilized, national social movement – or a third party. And while still in its infancy, the movement is already gaining the attention of Latinos on both sides of the political aisle who are thinking about joining in.

“To me, it makes a lot sense,” said Robert Deposada, a Republican consultant in Washington, D.C., who recently made headlines after launching a campaign urging Hispanics not to vote. “You need an infrastructure that is basically going to tell both parties, ‘We are tired. We are tired of the status quo. We are tired of you guys playing politics with us.’ And I think that is going to be a very effective in preparations for the 2012 elections to make sure both parties stop just talking and actually get to work and do something.”

Names for the movement, or party, have already been tossed around. But the one that has received the most attention is the Tequila Party, a tongue-in-cheek reference that gained traction after it was written about this weekend in a Las Vegas newspaper. Leaders, however, have kicked around other names as well, including the Café-con-Leche Party, a reference to the potent Latin drink, and to the color of their skin, Romero said.
...

Could it be that, despite the brutal open-season by the press, the Tea party has gained such respect and clout that it warrants other groups studying its strategy?

Stupid Criminals: 2010's Top Idiots

For a little humor, check out AOL News rundown of 2010's  "STOOP-idest" criminals: 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO STORY AND SLIDESHOW

Russian Immigrants Flock to GOP

Since I've been MIA for quite a while, you probably already pounced on this story that hit the Webbernets about three days ago, but just in case you did miss it, I find it very interesting ... from silive.com in New York City (emphasis added):

Many Russians here aligning with Republicans

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Many Russian immigrants to the "red borough" of Staten Island are flocking to the Republican Party, saying that the national Democrats' "socialistic" policies remind them too much of the top-down oligarchy they fled in their native land.

With many of the borough's Russian arrivees already owning businesses and active in civic organizations, their muscle could help the Island GOP solidify electoral gains made this year, when the party took back congressional and Assembly seats.

Businessman Arkadiy Fridman said that the newly formed Citizens Magazine Business Club, a confederation of more than 50 Russian-owned businesses here and in Brooklyn, has aligned itself with the Molinari Republican Club (MRC) in an effort to increase the Russian community's political and economic clout.

CLOSE TO OWN VISION

"We decided we had to support this club," said Fridman, a former Soviet Army officer who came to the United States in 1992. "They are very close to our political and business vision."

In the wake of the national GOP's big wins this year, when the party took back control of the House, Republicans everywhere are more confident that their bedrock message of smaller government and lower taxes will resonate with American voters.

Fridman said that the Democrats "are going in an absolutely different direction," focusing on "income redistribution" and rich-versus-poor "class war."

"It's too socialistic," said Fridman, head of the non-profit Staten Island Community Center and president of Citizens Magazine, a public affairs publication. "It's very painful for us to see."

The Democrats' national losses were seen as a rejection of President Barack Obama's health care reform law and other initiatives that opponents say went too far in pushing government control on Americans.

BAD REMINDERS

The Big Brother approach reminds Fridman too much of what he left behind in the former Soviet Union.

"It's the same rule like it was there," said Fridman, who estimates there are around 55,000 Russian immigrants here.

Michael Petrov of the Digital Edge data management firm in Bloomfield, said that he objects to the "micro-managing of the economy" he's seen from city as well as federal officials.

"Government is affecting small business more and more," said Petrov, who came to the United States in 1994. "It's the same as what's happening in Russia."

The Citizens Club, formed earlier this month, looks to support and grow local businesses here; introduce Russian firms to the borough's existing business and political communities, and promote Russian community representatives to serve in elected office.

MRC president Robert Scamardella has actively been courting members of the Russian community this year.

"One of the main initiatives I have pursued has been to expand the base of the party by reaching out to diverse potential constituencies and securing their support and involvement," said Scamardella, an attorney.

"This decision by leaders of the local Russian community illustrates the effectiveness of this approach. We will continue to reach out to other communities and seek their association with the Republican Party."

Former Borough President Guy Molinari, the MRC's namesake, said he'd noticed over the years that Russian immigrants here tended to register Republican.

Molinari called the affiliation with MRC "a natural marriage."

"They want to be involved, be part of the community," Molinari said. "They come from a country where they weren't able to express themselves, didn't have the right to organize or vote. They appreciate it more than some of us who were born here."

Brooklyn attorney David Storovin said that the fact that the MRC is made up of business professionals "who are successful in their own right," also made the match an attractive one.

He said that he and other Russian immigrants are also drawn to the GOP's traditional veneration of flag and country.

GRATEFUL FOR FREEDOMS

Reflecting the American Dream ideal that has drawn immigrants here since the county's founding, Storovin said that many Russians are "grateful" for the religious, business and travel freedoms the United States provide, and want to show it.

"We do feel patriotic," Storovin said.

Yevgeniy Lvovskiy, of the ZHL Group development firm, said that many Russians here also are looking to break ethnic stereotypes that paint Russia as being all about "Siberia, beer and vodka."

"We are looking for an opportunity to prove ourselves," said Lvovskiy, who came to the United States in 1999. "If you work hard, and do the right thing, you get rewarded. We want to show people we are normal."

It's that self-starting stance, he said, that makes Russians here more in line with GOP orthodoxy.

State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) said she understands the Russian aversion to anything that looks like big government, but thinks the criticism of the Democratic Party is off-base.

"You can't ignore the fact that the Russian population here came of age during the Soviet era," said Ms. Savino, who counts many Russians among her Brooklyn constituents.

"They have different thoughts on what communism and socialism mean. They are a little more sensitive to it.

"But, that being said," she added, "you can't compare the policies of the Democratic Party with communism. It's absurd."

So, Senator Savino (D) does not exactly draw parallels between Communism and the DNC, but there must be enough Soviet-era socialist / marxist similarities to drive the Russian immigrants into the arms of the GOP.   Interesting, eh?

Apple: Helping Save The Cherokee Language

I love Apple!  I love my MacBook ... my iPod(s) ... my iPhone ... and my recent Apple purchase of the iPad.  I was so pleased to read this article the other day about Apple partnering with the Cherokee Nation in its efforts to preserver its language.  From the AP via FoxNews (emphasis added):

Apple Helps Preserve Native American Language

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. –  Nine-year-old Lauren Hummingbird wants a cell phone for Christmas -- and not just any old phone, but an iPhone. Such a request normally would be met with skepticism by her father, Cherokee Nation employee Jamie Hummingbird.

He could dismiss the obvious reasons a kid might want an iPhone, except for this -- he's a proud Cherokee and buying his daughter the phone just might help keep the tribe's language alive.

Nearly two centuries after a blacksmith named Sequoyah converted Cherokee into its own unique written form, the tribe has worked with Apple to develop Cherokee language software for the iPhone, iPod and -- soon -- the iPad. Computers used by students -- including Lauren -- at the tribe's language immersion school already allow them to type using Cherokee characters.

The goal, Cherokee Chief Chad Smith said, is to spread the use of the language among tech-savvy children in the digital age. Smith has been known to text students at the school using Cherokee, and teachers do the same, allowing students to continue using the language after school hours.

Lauren isn't the only Cherokee child pleading for an iPhone, "and that doesn't help my cause," Jamie Hummingbird joked, knowing he'll probably give in.

Tribal officials first contacted Apple about getting Cherokee on the iPhone three years ago. It seemed like a long shot, as the devices support only 50 of the thousands of languages worldwide, and none were American Indian tongues. But Apple's reputation for innovation gave the tribe hope.

After many discussions and a visit from Smith, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company surprised the tribe by coming through this fall.

"There are countries vying to get on these devices for languages, so we are pretty excited we were included," said Joseph Erb, who works in the Cherokee Nation's language technology division.

The Cherokee take particular pride in their past, including the alphabet, or syllabary, Sequoyah developed in 1821. In 1828, the tribe obtained a printing press and began publishing the Cherokee Phoenix, which the Cherokee claim was the nation's first bilingual newspaper. Copies circulated as far away as Europe, tribal officials say.

The Cherokee language thrived back then, but like other tribal tongues, it has become far less prevalent over the decades. Today only about 8,000 Cherokee speakers remain -- a fraction of the tribe's 290,000 members -- and most of those are 50 or older, Smith said.

Tribal leaders realized something must done to encourage younger generations to learn the language.

"What makes you a Cherokee if you don't have Cherokee thoughts?" asked Rita Bunch, superintendent of the tribe's Sequoyah Schools.

Tribal officials thus decided to develop the language immersion school, in which students would be taught multiple subjects in a Cherokee-only environment.

The Oklahoma school began in 2001 and now has 105 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. They work on Apple laptops already loaded with the Cherokee language -- the Macintosh operating system has supported Cherokee since 2003 -- and featuring a unique keypad overlay with Cherokee's 85 characters, each of which represent a different syllable.

But Erb and co-workers Jeff Edwards and Roy Boney knew there had to be more ways to tap into the younger generation's love of cell phones, iPods and the like.

"If you don't figure out a way to keep technology exciting and innovative for the language, kids have a choice when they get on a cell phone," Erb said.

"If it doesn't have Cherokee on it, they all speak English," he said. "They'll just give up their Cherokee ... because the cool technology is in English. So we had to figure out a way to make the cool technology in Cherokee."
...

Apple has a history of secrecy when it comes to its product releases, so tribal leaders didn't know for sure the company was going forward with the idea until just before the September release of Mac iOS 4.1.
...

Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller declined to answer questions about the company's work with the Cherokee, the costs involved, or whether Apple plans to collaborate with other tribes.

Tribal officials say Cherokee is so far the only American Indian language supported by Apple devices.

However, they're not the only indigenous people using technology to save their language.  One of the languages supported in the Mac operating system is Hawaiian. And in 2003, the Hawaiian Language Digital Library project went online, making available more than 100,000 pages of searchable newspaper archives, books and other material in the language native to Hawaii.

Back in Tahlequah, Lauren Hummingbird just knows she wants an iPhone. Using the device to practice Cherokee at home would be easier "than getting this out of the bag," she said, pointing to her laptop. "You can just text."

That enthusiasm for using Cherokee-themed technology is what will help keep the tribe's language, and thus its culture, alive in generations to come, Smith said.

He compared the use of Cherokee on Apple devices to Sequoyah's creation of the syllabary and the tribe's purchase of the printing press.

He sees a day when tribal members routinely will read books and perform plays and operas in their native language.

"You always hear the cliche, 'History repeats itself.' This is one of those historic moments that people just don't comprehend what is happening," the chief said. "What this does is give us some hope that the language will be revitalized."

Elephants: The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

I know I'm still pretty much MIA ... keeping up with school continues to kick my butt!!!

But, I ran across a great story from NBC Nightly News ... ELEPHANTS!  These are one of my favorite animals ... and this report makes them even more so.

The first clip must have been the "official report" about an elephant orphanage in Kenya.  It appears the other two clips are extra video.

Set aside your stress and enjoy these adorable creatures!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What an amazing lady Angela Sheldrick is!  I found hers and her late husband's website, if you're interested in helping their endeavors.  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

ObamaCare: Federal Judge Strikes Down Key Provision

The news is just now breaking via the AP and other news outlets ...  (emphasis added) ...

Virginia Health-Care Ruling Strikes Down Key Provision of Obama's Plan

RICHMOND - A federal judge in Virginia ruled Monday that a key provision of the nation's sweeping health-care overhaul is unconstitutional, the most significant legal setback so far for President Obama's signature domestic initiative.

U.S.District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson found that Congress could not order individuals to buy health insurance.

In a 42-page opinion, Hudson said the provision of the law that requires most individuals to get insurance or pay a fine by 2014 is an unprecedented expansion of federal power that cannot be supported by Congress's power to regulate interstate trade.

"Neither the Supreme Court nor any federal circuit court of appeals has extended Commerce Clause powers to compel an individual to involuntarily enter the stream of commerce by purchasing a commodity in the private market," he wrote. "In doing so, enactment of the [individual mandate] exceeds the Commerce Clause powers vested in Congress under Article I [of the Constitution.]

Hudson is the first judge to rule that the individual mandate is unconstitutional. He said, however, that portions of the law that do not rest on the requirement that individuals obtain insurance are legal and can proceed. Hudson indicated there was no need for him to enjoin the law and halt its implementation, since the mandate does not go into effect until 2014.

The ruling comes in a case filed by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), who said he was defending a new state statute that made it illegal to require people to carry health insurance in Virginia.

"I am gratified we prevailed," Cuccinelli said in a statement. "This won't be the final round, as this will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court, but today is a critical milestone in the protection of the Constitution."

Federal officials responded that they are confident the statute will ultimately be upheld. A victory for Cuccinelli at this early legal stage means no more for the law's fate than previous rulings that have found the opposite, they have argued.

"We are disappointed in today's ruling but continue to believe - as other federal courts in Virginia and Michigan have found - that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional," Tracy Schmaler, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice, said in a statement. "There is clear and well-established legal precedent that Congress acted within its constitutional authority in passing this law, and we are confident that we will ultimately prevail."

At the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs pointed to the other rulings in favor of the individual mandate. "We are confident that [the individual mandate] is constitutional, he said. "We disagree with the ruling."

According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a slim majority of all Americans - including almost all Republicans - oppose the health-care reform law. But the legislation's detractors are split on whether and how much of it should be rolled back.

Overall, 52 percent of those polled oppose the overhaul to the health-care system; 43 percent are supportive of it. Fully 86 percent of Republicans are against the legislation; 67 percent of Democrats support it. Independents divide down the middle, with 47 percent in favor and the same number opposed.
...

The Virginia suit is one of 25 legal challenges to the federal law wending their way through the federal courts across the country. In two other lawsuits, judges sitting in Michigan and Lynchburg, Va., have found that the same provision of the law passed legal muster. A third judge in Florida is also weighing constitutionality of the individual mandate in a suit jointly filed by 20 states.

The statute's constitutionality will ultimately be determined by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Click here for more details.

Santa's "Naughty or Nice" List: Liberty Counsel Publishes List of Retailers

Yesterday, I watched a representative on FoxNews present The Liberty Counsel's latest list of retailers who are "naughty and nice."  In its ongoing defense of Christmas, the list helps retailers who love Christmas find the businesses who aren't afraid to say "Merry Christmas" to their customers.  (Remember previous seasons when retailers advertised "holiday trees" instead of  what they actually are -- Christmas trees?)

As you finish up your last-minute shopping, maybe you might want to consider the following info:

Naughty:

American Eagles Outfitters

Banana Republic

CVS Pharmacy

EB Games

The Gap

Garmin

J. Crew

Old Navy

Piperlime

Plow & Hearth

Polo Ralph Lauren

Sprint

Tractor Supply Company

Nice:

Best  Buy (first time on the list!)

Cabela's

Chic-Fil-A

Cracker Barrel

Dick's Sporting Goods

Dillard's 

Disney.com

Dollar General

Eddie Bauer

Hallmark

Hobby Lobby

Honey Baked Ham

J.C. Penney

K-Mart

Kohl's 

Land's End

LL Bean

Macy's

Mrs. Field's

Neiman-Marcus

Sears

Target (yeah!  my favorite store!)

ToysRUs

Walmart

Go to this link for more info.

YMCA: New York Finds Santa Too Christian? Frosty Has A Broader Appeal

This was very sad to read today ... (emphasis added)

New York City YMCA Gives Santa The Boot

He's a lost Claus.

A politically correct West Village YMCA has fired Ol' St. Nick in favor of Frosty.

Kids who once thrilled at sitting on Santa's lap at the 14th Street McBurney YMCA's wildly popular annual holiday luncheon will now suffer the icy embrace of a talking snowman and his sidekick, an anonymous penguin, at today's event.

Forget about bringing a list or checking it twice -- Frosty doesn't take gift requests, and doesn't care if you're naughty or nice. YMCA officials, who say they are in the midst of "rebranding" the Young Men's Christian Association to "The Y," defended their decision.

"It wasn't replacing; it was transitioning," said John Rappaport, executive director of the McBurney YMCA. "We realized that change is sometimes good, and that Frosty is a great winter character who would appeal to a broader number of kids."

The decision to ditch Father Christmas came down from McBurney branch administration, not the Y's Chicago headquarters.

A chilly reception greeted the news that the YMCA -- an organization founded to spread Christian values in 1844 -- was replacing the Christmas icon with a secular cartoon character.

"Christmas is not about Jack Frost; it's not about snowmen," fumed Bill Donohue of the Catholic League."We're not talking about some secular organization that has no religious roots. If they can't celebrate Christmas, then they should check out. What a bunch of cowards."

Amen, Brother Bill!  Maybe someone needs to remind the YMCA what their initials stand for: Young Men's CHRISTIAN Association.

I don't know about your local Y, but mine has wonderful banners everywhere with the Y's mission statement, which includes teaching and living out Christian principles.  And the New York City Y then turns around and bans Santa Claus?!?  (I wonder if they've also banned the banners my Y posts boldly and proudly about the place.)  This is a family organization, and Santa is a major family event ... and GUEST in every home!  What brainwashed, politically-correctness-fettered idiots.

Maybe I should complain about "men" being in the name ... I feel alienated as a woman ... waaaaaaaahhhh!!!  (Of course, there is a YWCA ... which I would never bother joining, because I do NOT feel alienated ... only if I choose to so feel ... I love my Y .... let's hope my local branch keeps its wits about them.)

This PC crap has gone too far!!!!!!