Charlotte Front and Center

Pope Benedict Doing Fine with Facebook

Have you made the trek yet to the Pope's web site Pope2you?  For some reason I thought he just had a Facebook presence but soon realized I was wrong as I viewed all the networking links from his home page.

The Pope's home page has his links to other networking sites such as "wikicath" and You Tube. On his homepage,a picture of the Pope is centered with links to his message with a choice of applications. The Pope gives you a link to his wiki, links to download his podcasts to your iPhone,view him on You Tube, or you can simply open files in pdf.format to read his latest news. In case you are interested, the Pope has even added new postcards.

At least the Pope is trying to learn from his mistakes and was the first to acknowledge that his own staff did a poor job of researching Bishop Richard Williamson. If the Pope had earlier had this information from a Facebook newsfeed or had simply googled Williamson's name, it would have prevented the Pope from having a big headache in not knowing he was lifting the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying Bishop (Richard Williamson).

It hasn't all been smooth sailing on the Pope's media cloud of links. Just recently,Monsignor Tighe saw to it that a firewall was setup on in-house employee computers at the Vatican.  This has caused an outcry from several employees who say this action shows the Vatican hasn't yet learned its lesson. Monsignor Tighe believes employees should be working and not playing around on Facebook,etc. But one employee pointed out that it was a Facebook newsfeed that made alerted him and others to the fact that the Pope was in hot water over the Williamson debacle.

Either way you see it, the Pope has made big headway in his communications and has a cool looking site.  Go see Pope2you.

John Edwards: Really Worried About the Poor?

Does John Edwards really think he can convince us he is worried about "who is taking care of the poor" since he became the nation's tabloid king? Is John Edwards ego that big?...afraid so.  Apparently, Edwards believes in audacity after reading Alec MacGillis' article at the Washington Post.  Edwards talks of his humbling experiences since his sex scandal was leaked ever so slowly last year by the media. Edwards told the Post:Sometimes you just keep your head down and work hard and see what happens.

The really sad thing about John Edwards is the damage he left in the nasty wake of his failings to help those who really did believe in him, and were literally depending on his help with mortgage foreclosures,college tuition,etc. In the WAPO article, it is revealed how John Edwards dashed the hopes of one couple who referred to John Edwards campaign being all "just for show".

Edwards says his plans are to return to El Salvador to humbly use a hammer and nail where he has been working on a project called "Homes from the Heart". It all sounds noble to hear John Edwards say these things. Hopefully, he can find a way to fulfill his life goals of helping the poor without using them as tools for his national platform.

Google Killed Newspapers says Wall Street Journal Publisher

Les Hinson,a Dow Jones executive and a publisher for the Wall Street Journal, referred to Google as a "digital vampire" ,and blamed newspapers for hurting themselves by providing free content to the web.

Yet, it is actually Yahoo who has remained the king in providing news content to the internet. This statement from Vinson shows he really isn't studying the problem and why newspapers keep missing the mark!

Yahoo! beat Google with viewers on news of Michael Jackson

Google uses automated software to pick and choose what headlines and topics it presents. Yahoo! uses real,live people. A difference one can see easily note if they read the news.  In fact, there is a political slant to Yahoo! articles just as their is in the newspapers. The simple fact remains that good content still wins out.

Any blogger will tell you how Google search and other news aggregators give priority to newsers. It is automatic. Yet Hinson and other news publishers continue to 'pull their hair out' trying to grab back their long-gone audience. Still, one can give the WSJ credit for being fairly successful for charging fees on-line.

The internet gives choice. People can narrow the news to specific interests. Newspapers are locked into categories. "News" will always be viable because society demands it, but where people go for their news is the challenge. 

Newspapers have come "kicking and screaming" to the internet. Whether or not they find a way to charge for their content will depend on just how good it is. You can't blame that on a powerful search engine.

State to Punish North Carolina On-Line Businesses

North Carolina bloggers,website based businesses,and anyone with an e-marketing business that participates in Amazon's affiliate marketing received this e-mail today:

We are writing from the Amazon Associates Program to notify you that your Associates account has been closed as of June 26, 2009. This is a direct result of the unconstitutional tax collection scheme expected to be passed any day now by the North Carolina state legislature (the General Assembly) and signed by the governor. As a result, we will no longer pay any referral fees for customers referred to Amazon.com or Endless.com after June 26. We were forced to take this unfortunate action in anticipation of actual enactment because of uncertainties surrounding the legislation’s effective date. Please be assured that all qualifying referral fees earned prior to June 26, 2009 will be processed and paid in full in accordance with our regular referral fee schedule. Based on your account closure date of June 26, 2009, any final payments will be paid by September 1, 2009. In the event that North Carolina repeals this tax collection scheme, we would certainly be happy to re-open our Associates program to North Carolina residents. ... 

We have enjoyed working with you and other North Carolina-based participants in the Amazon Associates Program, and wish you all the best in your future. Best Regards, The Amazon Associates Team...

The Charlotte Observer explained further: House Democrats included the so-called "click-through" provision in a $780 million tax package that was meant to mitigate cuts to state spending. The state is facing an unprecedented drop in revenue and lawmakers have proposed various combinations of cuts and taxes to balance the budget. The click-through provision is intended to give the state justification to levy sales tax on sites such as Amazon.com, which has no physical presence in the state. The company says the plan violates the Commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.

These lawmakers (including Gov.Beverly Perdue) plan to punish e-retailers and those who purchase on-line with additional taxes.

Apparently lawmakers do not realize how the internet is expected to have a profound affect on the economic recovery with individual entrepreneurs starting on-line businesses in the e-commerce field.

North Carolina teachers,state workers,small business,and the consumer will carry the brunt of taxes and spending cuts in all the wrong places.

Naughty Narcissists: Sanford,Ensign,Clinton,Spitzer,and Etcetera

Most of our politicians suffer from the serious disorder of narcissism. Gov.Mark Sanford is only the latest victim of this personality disease known also as meglomania, or my big fat ego got me into a terrible, disgusting mess.

Does that mean we have to "put up" with this character defect in people who take roles of leadership? Of course they are "only human", but so are the people these political fools affect with their selfish actions everyday of their lives...of which Mark Sanford is only the latest.

Carl Vogel at Psychology Today did an interesting piece on the Narcissistic personality back in 2006. Vogel describes the degrees of narcissism that a personality might reveal and the ways in which we have to deal with them socially,at work, and in the political arena. Think of those we know recently or in the past who having revealed their public failures and see if what Vogel says rings true: Some of the country's most successful companies are run by narcissists. It's been said about the founder of Oracle: "The difference between Larry Ellison and God is that God doesn't think he's Larry Ellison." Running on a full tank of confidence and charisma, narcissists often thrive as salesmen, entrepreneurs, surgeons or in other ego-intensive, cut-throat professions.

Does this personality disorder in our politicians reveal itself just in sexual infidelity? It manifests itself in every risky action they take. Some just get caught and more publicly than others. This is where their ongoing selfish, self-absorbed behavior comes in. Think of John Murtha and his reckless earmarks at the expense of all American taxpayers. These guys (and some gals) think they are invincible until they realize they have really, really stepped over our bounds of tolerance. What comes next? Their ghastly,tearful apologies.

Hold these "leaders" to the standards they "pretended" to have when we elected them.

Yes, we are all human, but there are many decent potential politicians out there...somewhere. We just a need a new litmus test to discover them. Let's at least quit re-electing them when we know who are the selfish jerks.

As Ted Turner put it: "If I only had a little humility, I'd be perfect".

Sanford Needs to Resign as Governor

Governor Mark Sanford (R) S.C. needs to resign.  The citizens of South Carolina don't need the added stress of dealing with the drama of Sanford's newly confessed extra-marital affair with his "dear, dear friend" from Argentina.

CNN reports: Confusion only intensified Wednesday morning after The State newspaper reported that Sanford had just returned from Argentina, even though his staff claimed the disappearing governor was hiking on the Appalachian Trail a few hours away from the state capital.end quote

Suspicions were aroused when Sanford's wife seemed so nonchalant about her husband's disappearance. Sanford remarked during his news conference that the affair was discovered 5 months ago.

With Sanford's lies to staff members,the inability to contact him for state emergencies, and his fractured thinking, simply reveals a man too distracted to lead.

Charlotte Tea Party Promises Huge Turn Out July 4th

Like other cities and communities, Charlotte's Tea Party will see unprecedented numbers of its citizens turning out at for the Tea Party tax protest on July 4th at Marshall Park in Charlotte,N.C. 

Lenny McAllister,Fox News,will be speaking at the rally. If you need more information go to Charlotte Tea Party Headquarters.  There you will find their forum,blogs, and Tea Party gear.

from Charlotte Tea Party Web (logo)

Americans will be celebrating their country's birthday,and this day should always brings to mind the Virginia statesman,Thomas Jefferson, who drafted and perfected The Declaration of Independence, and who had this to say about government:

To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association-the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.

The above quote is typical of Jefferson's governmental philosophy. It is what sparks this country's patriotism today, and motivates the mindful, patriotic American to make a stand for what is right: Limited government and sensible fiscal policy. These basic principals should apply to all political parties. When these principals are violated, it takes the voice of America's citizens to bring them back to a sensible balance. 

Make plans to attend a Tea Party in your community.

Will Obama Finally Answer Tough Questions on Korea and Iran?

When Obama has his press conference in the Rose Garden on Tuesday, situations abroad with Korea and Iran have some tough questions coming, if the press does its job, and questions him on the worsening situation in Iran. 

Obama is so determined to negotiate with Armadinejad, one wonders if Obama will give sharp criticism to the brutality the Iranian government is using towards its citizens. 

Since we do so little trading with Iran, it would seem that Europe is in a better position to exert pressure on Iran. Obama could at least support a great act of democracy and the effort of a people towards freedom by abandoning his timid approach with these rogues. In fact, it is very reminiscent of Jimmy Carter.

Defiance was also noted in Obama's tone as he spoke today to the naysayers concerning his health program. Obama referred to critics of his health-care plan as "Chicken Little".

Yet hearing how unemployment numbers hit over 14% in California, the disturbing Twitter reports from Iran,and knowing that a rogue nation threatens to launch a test missile towards Hawaii as Obama pounds away at his health-care goals, could account for some worried Americans.  Will the media ever ask a meaningful,pointed question of Obama?

The problem is we have too many gutless "journalists" that only serve as echoes of Obama's political agenda.  Is it even possible America could get objective news?

Gallup Poll Daily Widget

Gallup Poll Daily Widget

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Baby Boomers Need Not Apologize for ANYTHING

Have you noticed the manure-laden apologies coming left and right from certain Baby Boomers at graduation ceremonies?  Wonder who paid for the university degrees? 

Baby Boomers had no control over the population explosion that resulted from returning war veterans. Would these "apologists" have us curse our fathers for surviving World War II and Korea?  

We were raised by parents who survived the Great Depression. We knew the stories, and believed them. Older Boomers remember attending class with polio victims.  Our parents were frantic from the polio death threat, and made sure we took naps. We remember our parents glee when the Salk Vaccine was introduced. Should we apologize for surviving polio and measles in large numbers?

Boomers were the first generation of children to get bombarded by greedy television advertising. Should we write hate letters to Fess Parker for planting the seeds of early greed in our demand for coon-skin hats and Mattel for mass production of Chatty Cathy?

Perhaps our parents understood the horror that economic depressions and war brought and "over-reacted" by insisting that we get an education.  If nothing else, Boomers left home around 18 and we made our way in the world.  Not many of us returned to take up permanent residence with aging parents. We left the immaturity of young ways when we went into a working world to make a living with 14% inflation. Due to this high cost of living, both Boomer parents had to hold jobs.

Not everyone in the Boomer generation did drugs or did we all attend Woodstock. Many were really trying to get an education, and a large number were dying in a war themselves. The Boomer generation disagreed with their parents,and much of it in an immature way. Yet we did bring about "real change".

Let's think of a few things this selfish generation accomplished:

1) We produced Bill Gates...Yay for our technical advances!

2) We cut cancer deaths in half! Yay! Hurrah for Baby Boomers!

3) Our generation insisted on Civil Rights!

4) Most Baby Boomers continue to be concerned about the environment.

Steven Moore at WSJ explains why he won't apologize for Boomers and global warming:

"Whenever kids ask me why we didn't do more to combat global warming, I explain that when I was young the "scientific consensus" warned of global cooling. Today's teenagers drive around in cars more than any previous generation. My kids have never once handed back the car keys because of some moral problem with their carbon footprint -- and I think they are fairly typical."

Obviously, it is foolish to blame one demographic, and a wide-spread demographic classified from 1944 to 1964. In fact, it is ignorant to blame any generation for all the woes of the world.

Unfortunately, for those who resent the "Age Wave", we are going to outlive every other generation! We are predicted (due to this terrible economy) to take over the internet with a gigantic wave of entrepreneurship. Darn! Baby Boomers are not all going to retire.

So as we watch Obama (technically voted in by the X,Y, and Echo generation) fix the issues with "spending", let's see what this generation can do. Boomers may even live to see Generation X and etc. get blasted by their ungrateful offspring.

ACORN: The Cause of Many Americans Distrust of 2010 Census

Several factors are causing many Americans to distrust the upcoming census.  Confidence was lost with A.C.O.R.N. for the numerous accusations of voter fraud registration, and the resulting charges in Nevada. Report from Pocono: Acorn thuggery in Albany, New York had one republican state senator being knocked to the floor,and ACORN protesters spitting on this senator's chief of staff.

In Pennsylvania, we hear reports of ACORN doing pre-census work with a GPS tool. A case reported by The Pocono News has the story of a woman who became upset when her door was knocked on by a census-taker. The census-taker made a comment that the woman's residence 'no longer had brown shutters'.  Is the remark innocent? Perhaps, but with ACORN"S reputation for info-gathering; it is disconcerting to say the least.

from Pocono News

When Obama announced just 3 weeks into his presidency that the White House would be drawing power away from the Commerce Department by having census work overseen by the White House, alarm was expressed by many democrats and republicans. The potential for the manipulation of information for re-formatting new electoral districts is a huge concern. How does ACORN involvement give Americans confidence in the collection of objective data?

Obama has nominated Robert Groves to head the Census Bureau. Groves is experienced in statistical sampling. This would be helpful,if integrity is maintained, in gathering information the supposed 4 million who were not counted in the the last census. Sampling is not allowed by law in the actual count of the population, but statistics can be used to redistrict.

Today we have news of Elizabeth Bachman (R) of Minnesota saying she will not answer Census questions other than the number of people in her home. Debate is now going back and forth between different pundits of what questions are demanded by the Constitution.

Speculation abounds about new questions from the government wanting to know new personal information such as "when do you leave for work?".

Many folks are speculating a difficult, and controversial count this time around.

A.C.O.R.N. simply doesn't bring visuals of accuracy,and governmental integrity.

Christian Murdered for Drinking from Muslim Tea Cup

Radical Islam Alive and Well in Pakistan

Barbarity is thriving in the "Muslim World". It may be characterized as radical,but let's face how prevalent it is with the latest senseless murder of a Christian in Punjab,Pakistan.

A young man traveling on a bus with other passengers stopped at a  "tea stall" to let the passengers relieve themselves. The young man, Istiag, ordered tea along with a group of passengers. When Ishtiag went to pay the owner, the owner noticed he was wearing a necklace with a cross. The owner proceeded to call his employees over and told them to beat the young man with any weapon available.

Passers-by finally came to Istiag's defense,and took him to a rural clinic near-by, but he died of head injuries,internal bleeding,etc.

The ICC,International Christian Concern, questioned the Saddar Police about the case, they said it was being investigated. Yet, Istiag's father claimed the police are Muslim and does not expect any justice.

A neighboring business said the Muslim owner and his employees are all students of radical muslim madrassas (seminaries). The tea stall apparently kept separate cup ware,and had a warning sign posted. Passengers say Istiag couldn't see the sign since he was ordering along with a fairly large group of people.

Discrimination such as this is not allowed in Pakistan's constitution. The sign read: All non-Muslims should introduce their faith prior to ordering tea. This tea stall serves Muslims only." The warning also threatened anyone who violated the rule with "dire consequences.

Right Side News says you can protest this heinous crime by contacting the following embassies:

Pakistan Embassies: 

USA: (202) 243-6500, info@embassyofpakistanusa.org 
Canada: (613) 238-7881, parepottawa@rogers.com 
UK: 0870-005-6967, hoc@phclondon.org

 

Obama Suppporters: Hard Time Selling Healthcare in the Neighborhood

It was much easier for Obama's supporters to spread his "Change" campaign. What could be a clearer message than Hope and Change? Yet it's not so easy for these devoted foot soldiers who have been knocking on doors since June 6th to drum up support for government health care. Why? Obama's supporters on the ground don't know what they are talking about.  

There is no single clear message to get the Obama base excited and enthused.

David Plouffe,who managed Obama's campaign is trying to use the same strategy using social media marketing to drive policy. It certainly isn't having the same effect.  Bloomberg reports on Patricia McArdle who worked on Obama's election campaign. McArdle says she is confused and frustrated. So the "experiment" as Plouffe likes to refer to this campaign may prove to be to elusive. In short, the Obama supporters can't answer the questions coming from the regular folks. 

Obama sent an e-mail out to his supporters yesterday trying to drum up enthusiasm. The crux of the message was vague: 

The campaign to pass real health care reform in 2009 is the biggest test of our movement since the election. Once again, victory is far from certain. Our opposition will be fierce, and they have been down this road before. To prevail, we must once more build a coast-to-coast operation ready to knock on doors, deploy volunteers, get out the facts, and show the world how real change happens in America.

Unfortunately,Obama's supporters have not advanced their message from the one that was being kicked around back in January on blogs with this message: Calling for guaranteed, quality, affordable health care for all. - Endorsing the Obama / Health Care For America Now principles of health care reform that call for every American to be able to choose affordable health insurance either from their current insurer, another private insurance plan or a plan open to all...

That about sums it. Go beyond this statement with an Obama on the ground supporter,and they will tell you: I will get back to you.

Turtles Receive 3.4 Million from Obama's Stimulus Plan

Like Biden said,there are bound to be some mistakes with spending and projected figures coming from the White House with such a large project as the Stimulus bill. In any case, Florida has allotted some of their Stimulus money,3.4 million, to go for a 13 ft. "Turtle Tunnel" near Tallahassee,Fla.

Now,in all fairness,Florida has more turtle traffic crossing Highway 27 than any other place in the world according to Josh Boan, Florida's DOT resource manager. Boan was quoted by the L.A. times in his defense of the 3.4 million turtle tunnel: A lot of these turtles are quite large. They get hit by a car, and they turn into flying objects.

What has brought about this transparency on spending? Senator Tom Coburn(R) Oklahoma is about to present a report called "A second Opinion of the Stimulus". This report was previewed by Obama staff this past Monday, and aides have already replied that many of these projects have been stopped...but not the Turtle Tunnel.

No one in his right mind wants to drive over a turtle,not even a republican. The sensation that reverberates through your tires is chilling. Turtles are beloved creatures,and certainly some have become dangerous flying objects. Yet, there are even graver objects sometimes sitting in the middle of highways such as washing machines that never made it to the junk yard etc.,

The Coburn report focuses on many more things such as the 8,000 social security checks mailed to dead American citizens.

There have always been lists that publicize Congress' wasteful spending as Americans would shake their heads in disbelief. Yet this time around,more Americans will be paying close attention to harmful and wasteful government spending as the country tries to crawl its way out of this nasty recession.

Fox News ,Conservatives: Responsible for Obama Haters?

It appears that Frank Rich at the New York Times holds the political "Right" (typified by Rich as Fox News and all Conservatives) solely responsible for the "Obama Haters". 

Frank Rich,NYT: "fearful of the fast-moving generational, cultural, and racial turnover Obama embodies," only grows angrier as the president's popularity rises. This rage is spilling over, and it's not just the TV and radio entertainers that are feeding this hysteria: The conservative establishment is dipping into fringe rhetoric.

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Last Wednesday,Shepard Smith,expressed outrage over the Holocaust Museum shooting while notinng all the hate mail he was receiving from the Right. It appears that Rich took hold of that statement,and now holds Fox and all Obama criticisms by the Right as "flaming" the fire of Obama hatred with anti-Obama rhetoric.

Rich believes that as Obama rises in the popularity charts, so does the intensity of hatred among Conservatives which has and will lead to more violent acts from the fringe,and that Conservative comments by Fox News has 'dipped' to the level of fringe rhetoric. Rich goes on to mention other cases of hate acts and finishes his column by noting he has warned Fox about the power of their rhetoric.

Those who oppose Obama's policies have every right to voice their alarm over the direction they think Obama is taking this country.  During the campaign, Americans in large number wanted reasonable answers about Obama's questionable associations,but did not have a media that would vet this presidential candidate.

The NYT's article fails to bring up the recent murder by a Jihadist convert who had a plan to continue killing after murdering a young soldier at the navy recruitment center in Little Rock. Where is the outrage from Rich? Was this murder inspired by Obama's apology speech in Cairo?

Any criticism of Obama brings accusations of racism. The Left-winged media refers to the "Right" as toxic. Paul Krugman carried the same sentiment in his opinion articles earlier in the week by ranting that Janet Napolitiano was accurate in her assessment of the "right-wing".

Not once does Rich or Krugman consider how this dire economy affects radical acts. It seems that the media,which reports from the palm of Obama's hand, would suppress free speech from those who oppose Obama's policies.

N.O.W. No Longer Useful to Ordinary Women

Why is N.O.W. and other feminists missing the mark in their relevance to women? They quit fighting for the ordinary woman a long time ago. Yes, they have their Hall of Shame and begrudgingly entered David Letterman's name for his offending and tasteless remarks against Palin's daughter. Yet today,N.O.W. only speaks to narrowed and limited views of some women in the Democratic party.

Years ago, feminists were fighting needed battles to allow women the opportunities to enter professions other than teaching,social work, and nursing;that is,the jobs that society allowed women to have if they were absolutely forced to work outside the home.

 

MomCorp

When  strides were made for women with these new opportunities, organizations such as N.O.W. jumped the ship of useful feminism,left the ordinary woman behind, as they focused strictly and solely on women in the field of democratic party politics.

Not until the 2008 elections, did women wake up and see how women had betrayed themselves. Feminists had managed to narrow their focus to pro-choice issues, and forgot the other issues dealt with on a daily basis by the average woman...the average woman who might just happen to be a Republican not receiving equal pay in her profession and the other hosts of issues she still faces.

The "every-day woman" doesn't look to "feminists organizations" to solve any of their issues. Women know these groups are going to address the sole issue of abortion and the "pro-life" choice. National feminists will not support republican candidates, or give support to ordinary women to freely express their own values and views. Feminists groups marginalized the everyday American woman years ago, and became irrelevant to the working woman,the stay-at-home Mom, the older woman,the republican woman,and etc.

"Feminists" before the title became negative had a positive goal and asked for one thing that could be summed up with this one valued goal: The evening of the "playing field" for women in work,sports,politics,etc. After that goal was achieved,women would be judged by their talents and skills. The other important issues such as "respect" would be one of the wonderful by-products.

In 2008,women had it verified that N.O.W. had become irrelevant when successful women such as Palin were subjected to the sexist media,and that no strong support would be forthcoming from N.O.W. We knew the rights of women such as Carrie Prejean were never going to be protected if we looked to N.O.W. 

Women in politics and a host of other professions are still marginalized,and that is due to groups such as N.O.W. that seem to work instead against the "everyday American woman" who doesn't fit their narrowed vision of a successful American woman. 

Perhaps it is better put to say instead that the intelligent, modern American woman left N.O.W. behind many years ago. We might also reason that Sarah Palin benefited from the old feminists, and today battles the misguided women of N.O.W.

 

Anne Frank: Still a Loving Light Among Those Who Hate

If you were lucky enough to be a girl of 13 when you read the Diary of Anne Frank,you learned of life's dark experiences from a peer. Many of us,no matter our age, were fortunate enough to learn the harsh realities of war,hatred, and what suffering men could and did inflict on an entire race. These events were national acts of hatred that were left unchecked by other men until it was too late for so many. 

Lucky we are, when we only learn and feel the experience from another person's heart such as Anne Frank.

Anne Frank,who kept a gentle spirit as she was innocently cast into a world of evil,would have celebrated her 80th birthday,June 12.  Anne died in the Auschwitz camp one month before this notorious concentration camp was liberated by Allied troops in April of 1945. Yet,we will still celebrate the brief life whose story was left to us to in the form of a diary. It is a diary with insight into what lengths racial hatred did go,but told from the perspective of a young soul that tells a story of the Holocaust.  The diary left the world a gift that eternally sheds a triumphal light over this period of darkness.

It is unfathomable the audacity of ignorance revealed by the fools who discount these horrors.  We can't let this foolish propaganda go unchecked.

 The Diary of Anne Frank had its first entry by this wise little 13 year old,77 years ago today.

Obama Shows a Lot of Sole to Israel

Obama does claim to be a citizen of the world. Wouldn't Obama's exposure to the Arab world and their customs be preparation enough to follow thoughtful protocol? We all learned from George Bush's experience how shoes and their soles are considered "unclean" in the Arab world. Either way, the bottoms of Obama's shoes being front and center as he talked to the Israeli Prime Minister was probably too casual if not downright insulting to the Israeli people.

Time Magazine gave a lesson about Arabs and "shoe insults" :Shoes, and feet in general, get a bad rap in Arab culture. The language is peppered with insults referring to feet. To say that someone or something is "like my foot" or "like my shoe" means that the person or object is of no importance and beneath you. Sitting cross-legged in a manner in which the sole of a foot is pointing toward an Arab is also a grave insult.

The reason so many people are skeptical of Obama's behavior in showing his shoe soles is because of other bodily mannerisms used to insult his foes in the past as with Hillary Clinton during the 2008 primaries: brushing the flaky dirt off his shoulders for the crowds after Clinton had smeared Obama in a debate on ABC;and the accidental bird given to Hillary, as he pauses to scratch his cheek while the the crowd buzzes with laughter.

Obama seems to appreciate symbolism. It is just that there is beginning to be a record amount of evidence to wonder if this is all "accidental." Consider that never does Obama say a word when delivering these symbolic messages,but he is certain to be in front of the cameras. The behavior is immature for sure, but some in the crowd,including Obama, really play to signs and symbolism.

Bad Manners: Government Wants to Tax Cow Gas

So far we have understood how Al Gore wants us to curb greenhouse emissions. Now, the EPA is upset with the methane gas that is propelled from every cow, and wants to tax each cow for chewing its cud and then having the audacity to belch methane gas.  It is an inconvenient truth that cows and pigs are to blame in 18% of earth's greenhouse emissions.

What is the farmer or rancher to do when it comes to controlling cow gas farts? Nothing except pay tax on every head of cattle.  Who knew? Gore never told anyone.

The U.S.Cattleman's Association has complained to congress:Since methane emissions - a type of greenhouse gas - are a natural byproduct of cattle and other livestock, the U.S. cattle industry could be subject to an onslaught of unfair lawsuits, as a new wave of litigation could be created by the EPA's findings that blame livestock producers for a litany of health problems," the group wrote. "The resulting costs of this legal liability, or even the costs of simply preparing for potential litigation, could run many farmers and ranchers out of business at a time when they are coping with one of the worst economic recessions this nation has ever seen.

Even with the new tax, farmers will be forced to pass the increased cost of beef and dairy production onto the consumer...of course!

There is a solution if our government will hold its horses. There is a biogas company in Oregon that wants to produce green energy,such as electricity, by using old tires as a growing medium for cow manure. This company claims it could clean the methane from cow poop. Here is how the Oregon Environmental News explains the process:Northwest Biogas has proposed using the waste tires inside the lined and covered digester. The company has agreed to clean, remove and recycle the tires if the facility ceases operation. The dairy cows each produce 120 pounds of waste daily, including water used to flush away the manure. The waste is routed into manure lagoons, where it releases methane. The digester would use only a fraction of the manure -- from about 1,000 to 1,400 cows.

Now, wouldn't the idea above be more reasonable than the EPA penalizing Americans because cows pass gas? It would also save the cow's dignity knowing that its manure was being used to provide a natural,alternative,pure, and clean green energy.

Tea Parties Scheduled from Sea to Shining Sea

Winston-Salem Tea Party Protesters gathered June 6th at downtown Winston Park, gaining a head-start on protest events that are scheduled in large and small communities across the nation.

Winston-Salem citizens focused this past Saturday on the anticipated government spending from hasty health-care reform.

(image from Zazzle)

As Washington continues on a road of incomprehensible spending and demoralization that subjugates the American taxpayer,July 4th promises to be the day of American communities voicing their objections to a government that forgets "We the People" are in charge. 

A government that chooses to ignore the voice of American citizens with contempt and ridicule will only hear a cry louder if ignored.

The Web is saturated with sites that have scheduled events. To check on a schedule in your town or community, check out the Official Tax Day TEA Party site.

For those in Charlotte,N.C. go to this site: Charlotte Tea party.  Events were published earlier on this site that mention some events for the 4th across the nation at this post.   More than 1,100 events have been officially scheduled for Independence Day.

Danger: Obama's Czars

One way to get out of a campaign promise of "transparency" is to create one new czar after the other. No transparency needed from these Obama appointees. They can operate freely without any accountability to the American people. In short, it is a power grab each time Obama appoints one.  Make no mistake: a power grab equals danger.

Did anyone even listen to Sen.Robert Byrd (D) when he complained of these czars back in January? CBS reported on Byrd's complaint. Byrd,who is famous for going after any president who tries to covet more executive power than he believes the constitution allows,actually wrote to Obama to complain...but no one paid attention. CBS reported: Byrd’s comments have less force as he is no longer the chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. This news passed under the MSM radar even though Fox and CBS (surprise)reported it. Back in January,Obama had 18 czars,but it's more like 20 to 21 at this writing. Actually, there could be many more czars. Fox reported that Washington quibbles about who is and isn't a czar, and it is rumored that Barney Frank appointed himself the Car Czar last week.

Neil Cavuto at Fox says he warned all of us about czars .  Cavuto said Obama wouldn't stop with just one czar.  Cavuto also says the czars are like "Oz"; we never see the man or men behind the curtain. In other words, our governmental action is 'communistic' enough to take over a corporation, and salt is added to the wound with the proclamations of "Car Czar","Pay Czar","Financial Regulatory Czar","Energy Czar"...etc.

There's a beginning to a new czar song at The Citizen:,Old Obama had a Czar, ee I ee I oh.  Perhaps,Sher Zieve says best what many of us are worried about: A shadow government has been defined as a ’government-in-waiting’ that remains in waiting with the intention of taking control of a government in response to some event.” With the Obama Shadow Government (which he has staffed and continues to staff with old Soviet-styled “Czars” who are accountable ONLY to him) the “some event” appears to be a series of events that Dictator in Chief Barack Hussein Obama and his followers have created themselves and brought to bear upon the current—traditional—US government. Have any of you heard dissent from anyone in the Democrat-controlled US Congress? We certainly won’t hear any from the now almost completely State-run Obama media.

Surely the leftist media will mark the concern over czars as more of the "whisper" campaign against Obama. But Obama is not supernatural. Power corrupts,and it should concern any American when a branch of government steps over the boundaries. At least, we should take time to question it!

Defiant Israelis Build Obama Huts

Some  Israelis responded to Obama's speech at Cairo University with the construction of Obama Huts in Oz Yehonatan in answer to Obama's demand for Israeli's to discontinue any expansion of settlements. According to the Jerusalem Post:On Thursday, settlers and right-wing activists once again rebuilt the illegal Maoz Esther outpost that was dismantled on Wednesday by security forces.

A caller into Rush Limbaugh's program the other day had this to say: "Having made several trips to Israel, I can tell you this: that there is not enough land for Israel to cede to the Palestinians to ever pacify their objective. They will not be happy until every Jew is gone from Israel. That is their objective".

What many people fail to realize is that Israel has every reason to feel skeptical about ceding anymore land to the Palestinians. What did ceding Gaza due for Israel's security? Have the Palestinians built anything? All the money America has poured into this region has gone for war against Israel. What assurance does Obama offer Israel?

According to the Earth Times: Netanyahu - who took office two months ago following elections on February 10 in which the right-wing bloc of parties headed by his Likud won a majority - has vowed he will not freeze construction within existing settlements, and instead focus on uprooting the unauthorized outposts.

Barney Frank: Plays Dirty Politics with Government-owned Business

Barney Frank is a good example of the issue of having "czars" to deal with government regulated or owned businesses. 

Corruption has begun with the advent of Rep.Barney Frank who gave a call to the GM CEO,Fritz Simmons. It seems that a dealership in Barney's own yard back home was slated to be closed as part of GM's bankruptcy re-organization.

Now, wouldn't we think that GM had a solid business reason for closing this dealership? Are efforts to get GM on solid business footing going to be thwarted by crooked politicians interfering with business?

Frank's greedy action has now opened the door for all 535 congressman to bend the arm of any government czar who has control of once-owned private business.

What do we hear from Barney Frank? Well, the response sounds a lot like John Boy Murtha of Pennsylvania. See if this response from Frank's spokesman,Gural, sounds frighteningly familiar:

...just doing what any other Congressman would do...

Stories and revelations of a new type of Washington graft and corruption will soon be prominent in headlines as political crooks stick their hands into government-owned business.

Israeli Protesters tell Obama: " No, You Can't "

Not all is rosy with Israel as some 250 protesters appeared at the U.S. Consulate to let Obama know they are not happy with his new Mid-East policy. Their rallying cry to Obama: "No,you can't."

A report comes from Newsmax: According to the Jerusalem Post, speakers at the rally included Knesset member Michael Ben-Ari, the wife of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, and activist-rabbi Shalom Gold. 

Mr. Obama… be a friend of Israel… but even if you won't be, we have the greatest ally in the world," Rabbi Gold said pointing skyward to heaven, the newspaper reported.

The Jewish National Front,who backed the protests, had this statement: "From the moment that he entered the White House, we have been feeling anti-Semitism and hatred toward Israel," the statement continued. "We have a number of plans, among which are demonstrations in the US and protests in front of the consulate and homes of the ambassadors.

In answer to these protests, leftwing protesters plan a peace march in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

Iran's Ahmadinejad Again Calls Holocaust a Deception

The world watches as Obama makes his Muslim tour, and Iranian President Ahmadinejad calls the Holocaust event of WWII a deception to justify the existence of Israel. Couple that with Obama saying (ever so mildly)that it is understandable that Iran would want to develop its nuclear power as long as peace is the driving factor.

What sign do we have that Iran is interested in anything that is peaceful?  Isn't this the country that trains and supplies terrorists groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas? Aren't they responsible for killing our soldiers?  Has the Death to America chants gone away with the advent of Obama?  How do we respond?

 Nile Gardiner at the Telegraph says:What do you get for threatening to wipe an entire country off the face of the earth? Hot dogs from the Obama administration, according to The New York Times. The State Department has asked US embassies across the world to invite Iranian diplomats to 4th of July celebrations, for the first time in nearly 30 years.

The media fails to explain Israel's reasoning for its position on a Palestinian state. Israel has conditions as well before it condones steps toward Obama's goal of a two-state solution. Israel knows as long as the radical Islamic Hamas continues its control of the Gaza strip, Israeli citizens live with threats, and the realization of those threats.

At this moment,Obama's administration is only pushing for a two state situation,but assurance of peace is what Israel needs.

Yet what do we hear from the Arab world? Nuclear power,denials of the Holocaust,and hot dogs for America's July 4th.

Obama's Slow Abandonment of Israel

Obama can not fix the problems in the 'Muslim World".  "Fixing" the problems mean endangerment to Israel's security, and by this we see Obama moving the United States away from the support of Israel...ever so slowly abandoning Israel's security. As Maylik Kalin says at Forbes in regards to the Arab world finding peace: The Muslims themselves cannot, have not been able to since the advent of the Prophet, except by force, and then only temporarily. Hence the endless roll call of rampant ids in Islamic history: Abbasids, Fatimids, Timurids, Safavids, Aghlabids, Almoravids, Ayyubids and Ghaznavids, to name a few--and that's without the dynasties that end id-lessly such as Moguls, Ottomans, Seljuks and the like.

Dennis Prager gives ideas for what he thinks Obama should say in his upcoming,long-expected speech to the "Muslim World": While I recognize that gratitude is the rarest positive human quality, I need to say — because candor is the highest form respect — that America has not only not received little gratitude from the Muslim world, it has been the object of hatred, mass murder, and economic attack from Muslim individuals, groups, and countries.

Again, today Obama says it acceptable for Iran to develop its nuclear capacity for peaceful means, and if not,what would Obama Propose? In no uncertain words he has told Israel to put a freeze on building in its settlements.  Yet, Obama has no idea how Israel is to successfully achieve this aim anymore than he has known what to do with Gitmo Detainees! 

We know how secure Israel feels with Obama's talk of peace and Iran's nuclear development... Israel reacted yesterday with nationwide bomb drills.

Americans Need Bob Woodward's Book on Obama White House

American's understand the need for accurate,unbiased news on their government.  The problem is they can't get it.  Gaging from the comments read on news reports of Woodward's latest project to write on the Obama administration, it is refreshing news. In fact, it may be the only way to get the skeptical news reporting the public needs at anytime on their government.

 

Bob Woodward,best known for his reporting with Carl Bernstein on The Washington Post,literally brought down the Nixon Administration.  Since that time, every administration has dreaded the thought of a Woodward investigation. The Obama White House is now going into "protection mode" against those who might leak information to Woodward.

Woodward is well aware that the Obama White House likes to micro-manage news reports concerning the White House. Woodward is quoted as telling Michael Calderone at Politico that individual sources will report to him at some point in time.

Fox News reports:White House Counsel Greg Craig circulated a memo inside the West Wing earlier this month instructing officials hit up for information by authors or journalists writing on the administration to clear interview requests with the press office.

Whatever Woodward's book reveals,it could probably prove to be what Americans want: real transparency from honest,questioning,investigative reporting.