WASHINGTON – A December 1998 Iranian military journal published an article titled “Electronics to Determine Fate of Future Wars,” and it detailed how an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, attack on the electronic infrastructure of the United States caused by the detonation of a nuclear bomb over the U.S. would be crippling.
“Once you confuse the enemy communication network you can also disrupt the work of the enemy command- and decision-making center,” the journal said. “Even worse today when you disable a country’s military high command through disruption of communications, you will, in effect, disrupt all the affairs of that country.
“If the world’s industrial countries fail to devise effective ways to defend themselves against dangerous electronic assaults then they will disintegrate within a few years,” the Iranian journal added. “American soldiers would not be able to find food to eat nor would they be able to fire a single shot.”
More
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Popular Posts
▼
Monday, December 31, 2012
Same Sex Weddings Planned After Midnight
Maryland's same sex marriage law takes effect at midnight tonight, and same sex wedding ceremonies are planned across the state in the first minutes of 2013.
Havre de Grace City Councilman Joe Smith told WBAL News he will marry his partner of 25 years in a private ceremony.
Smith says he always believed that same sex marriage would become law in Maryland, but he says he was amazed at how fast lawmakers and then voters approved the issue this year.
More
Havre de Grace City Councilman Joe Smith told WBAL News he will marry his partner of 25 years in a private ceremony.
Smith says he always believed that same sex marriage would become law in Maryland, but he says he was amazed at how fast lawmakers and then voters approved the issue this year.
More
One Step Closer To An Election
Today I spent the day preparing for the months to come. My new suits are hung and all of my dress shoes are polished and ready to go walking.
I will spend an average of 3 to 4 hours on most days going door to door in the hopes of meeting many of you and answering any questions you might have as well as concerns that need to be addressed.
Please, if your not a registered voter in Salisbury, there's never been a more important election and we need you to register. I have spent the last 8 years bringing news and information the rest of the local Media refused to bring. There's been no cost to you and all we ask is that you please register to vote so together we can move our City forward once and for all. It can't be done without your support.
I'm ready, are you?
"This isn't Joe Albero's election to lose, it's the citizens' election to lose".
"This isn't Joe Albero's election to lose, it's the citizens' election to lose".
Montgomery Co. To Charge For Ambulance Rides
Starting Tuesday, Montgomery County will join other local jurisdictions in charging ambulance fees.
County residents will not have to pay out of pocket for the rides, as the county will charge insurance companies for those who are insured. Residents with no insurance will not be charged.
Non-Montgomery County residents who use a county ambulance will have to pay either through their insurance or out of pocket. There is an exception for people with low incomes.
More
County residents will not have to pay out of pocket for the rides, as the county will charge insurance companies for those who are insured. Residents with no insurance will not be charged.
Non-Montgomery County residents who use a county ambulance will have to pay either through their insurance or out of pocket. There is an exception for people with low incomes.
More
Breaking News
WHITE HOUSE, SENATE GOP REACH TENTATIVE DEAL ON FISCAL CRISIS, SOURCES SAY
From Fox News
From Fox News
Md. Woman Sees Long-Term Effects Of Radiation In Fukushima
From champagne to fireworks, welcoming the new year in the U.S. is mostly about partying with friends. In Japan, though, New Year's Day is something similar to Thanksgiving where many families gather for a special meal.
During the second such holiday in Fukushima after a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, triggered a nuclear power plant meltdown, people who live near the plant are still facing the consequences of the disaster.
Akemi Maeshima, a retiree from Rockville, could not bear watching the devastation in her home country. She packed her bags and left Montgomery County, the place she has called home for the past 10 years.
"I really wanted to help," she says. "I was looking for volunteering opportunities, but I could not find many requests for volunteers from the U.S., so I decided to go in as an individual."
More
During the second such holiday in Fukushima after a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, triggered a nuclear power plant meltdown, people who live near the plant are still facing the consequences of the disaster.
Akemi Maeshima, a retiree from Rockville, could not bear watching the devastation in her home country. She packed her bags and left Montgomery County, the place she has called home for the past 10 years.
"I really wanted to help," she says. "I was looking for volunteering opportunities, but I could not find many requests for volunteers from the U.S., so I decided to go in as an individual."
More
Cashin Commemorates Rasputin
Today's anecdote from Art Cashin has nothing to do with the fiscal cliff, the stock market, the economy, geopolitics or even the fermentation committee. Instead it is a deep tangent from all things financial: an amusing anecdote focusing on the life and more notably, death anniversary of one Rasputin, narrated in the way only Art can do. So while we await the inevitable 3:35 pm rumor that a Fiscal Cliff resolution is imminent, just like all those other 99 rumors in the past few weeks, which sent the market soaring before they popped, what better way to kill the time until the next algo driven buying frenzy than with stories of possessed, mad monks in tsarist, WWI Russia.
On this day (+2) in 1916, one of history's most celebrated but most inept assassinations began. In the retelling of most assassinations we hear how the victims might have been spared if....! You know the drill - if the guy guarding Lincoln's box had not gone for a drink or if the Archduke Ferdinand had not had his car forced up a side street, etc. etc.
But this assassination was more like Larry, Moe and Curly plan the Normandy Invasion.
The proposed victim was a semi-literate preacher who passed himself off as a Russian monk. Pre-dating some TV preachers, in an age with no TV, he preached that you needed God's forgiveness. And, to give God a wide enough target, it is necessary that you sin a lot. So, many of his convocations turned into what we might secularly call today - drunkfests or orgies. (But, he said God does need a large target.) Critics of the preacher called him "The Mad Monk". He called himself "Rasputin".
Anyway, Rasputin hit pay-dirt when he appeared to cure the hemophiliac son of Czar Nicholas II. Viewing the cure as a miracle, the Czarina demanded that all decisions be cleared with the miracle-maker, Rasputin. That made him the most powerful man in Russia, which did not sit well with the nobles. Thus, the assassination attempt. On this night Prince Yussupov, the Czar's nephew-in-law, invited Rasputin over for some late-night cakes and wine. Yussupov and his pals loaded the cakes and wine with enough cyanide to kill a regiment of Cossacks. And just for insurance they put extra cyanide on the knives, forks, plates and glasses. Then Yussupov sat down and made small talk with Rasputin. Over several hours Rasputin ate most of the cakes and drank all of the wine. Then he asked the prince if he had any more wine.
More
On this day (+2) in 1916, one of history's most celebrated but most inept assassinations began. In the retelling of most assassinations we hear how the victims might have been spared if....! You know the drill - if the guy guarding Lincoln's box had not gone for a drink or if the Archduke Ferdinand had not had his car forced up a side street, etc. etc.
But this assassination was more like Larry, Moe and Curly plan the Normandy Invasion.
The proposed victim was a semi-literate preacher who passed himself off as a Russian monk. Pre-dating some TV preachers, in an age with no TV, he preached that you needed God's forgiveness. And, to give God a wide enough target, it is necessary that you sin a lot. So, many of his convocations turned into what we might secularly call today - drunkfests or orgies. (But, he said God does need a large target.) Critics of the preacher called him "The Mad Monk". He called himself "Rasputin".
Anyway, Rasputin hit pay-dirt when he appeared to cure the hemophiliac son of Czar Nicholas II. Viewing the cure as a miracle, the Czarina demanded that all decisions be cleared with the miracle-maker, Rasputin. That made him the most powerful man in Russia, which did not sit well with the nobles. Thus, the assassination attempt. On this night Prince Yussupov, the Czar's nephew-in-law, invited Rasputin over for some late-night cakes and wine. Yussupov and his pals loaded the cakes and wine with enough cyanide to kill a regiment of Cossacks. And just for insurance they put extra cyanide on the knives, forks, plates and glasses. Then Yussupov sat down and made small talk with Rasputin. Over several hours Rasputin ate most of the cakes and drank all of the wine. Then he asked the prince if he had any more wine.
More
What If Electricity Was Only for Rich People?
What if electrical power in the home was only for rich people? What about heat? What about running water? What if that divide between the rich and the poor could be delineated by who had the ability to turn on light at the flick of a switch and who did not?
Many people worry about an event like a solar flare that would wipe out electrical power, casting us back about 200 years. We’d have no refrigeration, no transportation, no climate control and no lights. But in that situation, we’d all be in the same boat. No matter how wealthy you are, any unprotected electrical items would still be useless.
What if the real threat was simply that no one could afford to pay the electric bill? What if prices escalated to the point that it was a choice between food and electricity? What if, home by home, the lights went out across America?
More
Many people worry about an event like a solar flare that would wipe out electrical power, casting us back about 200 years. We’d have no refrigeration, no transportation, no climate control and no lights. But in that situation, we’d all be in the same boat. No matter how wealthy you are, any unprotected electrical items would still be useless.
What if the real threat was simply that no one could afford to pay the electric bill? What if prices escalated to the point that it was a choice between food and electricity? What if, home by home, the lights went out across America?
More
My Highlights For The Yearend and Predictions For The Coming Years
“The czar was always sending us commands – you shall not do this and you shall not do that – till there was very little left that we might do, except pay tribute and die.” ~ Mark Antin
WarWith only a few days left to the start of a new year, the majority of the mainstream media and blog-o-sites are busy preparing and displaying either a roundup of major highlights of the past year or predictions on the highlights of the coming year. The Boiling Frogs Post will be doing neither. This is not due to being a contrarian. Okay, to make it more accurate: this is not solely due to me being a contrarian. I may include a few macro highlights, but those highlights cover a much larger time span. I am looking at least a few decades in the past with an emphasis on the last decade. Similarly, I may make a prediction or two, but then again, those won’t be limited to the coming year but rather the coming few years.
Now, if you are getting in a holly jolly mood and don’t want to ruin it, just skip this post. Either don’t read it, or, save it for after the jolly holiday break. However, if you are like me and are able to reflect on grim realities yet enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, then please be my guest and read this yearend post.
The Expanding Wars at Home & Abroad
Let’s start by saying: “So what’s new? Same-O-Same-O” and be right, shall we? I am not talking about this almost-over year. I am talking about the year before, and the year before that, the decade before, and the decades before that. When was the last time we ended a warless year? Thinking? That’s right, just keep thinking. Let me put it this way: If you were to ask the 15 year olds they’d tell you: I’ve never had such a year. If you ask a 100 year old (assuming their brain functions are still intact) they’d squint, and squint a little more, and then say: a couple of years here and a couple of years there. Now, if you ask a knowledgeable realist who knows his history he’d say: Not in the last hundred years. That’s right: not in the last century.
More
WarWith only a few days left to the start of a new year, the majority of the mainstream media and blog-o-sites are busy preparing and displaying either a roundup of major highlights of the past year or predictions on the highlights of the coming year. The Boiling Frogs Post will be doing neither. This is not due to being a contrarian. Okay, to make it more accurate: this is not solely due to me being a contrarian. I may include a few macro highlights, but those highlights cover a much larger time span. I am looking at least a few decades in the past with an emphasis on the last decade. Similarly, I may make a prediction or two, but then again, those won’t be limited to the coming year but rather the coming few years.
Now, if you are getting in a holly jolly mood and don’t want to ruin it, just skip this post. Either don’t read it, or, save it for after the jolly holiday break. However, if you are like me and are able to reflect on grim realities yet enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones, then please be my guest and read this yearend post.
The Expanding Wars at Home & Abroad
Let’s start by saying: “So what’s new? Same-O-Same-O” and be right, shall we? I am not talking about this almost-over year. I am talking about the year before, and the year before that, the decade before, and the decades before that. When was the last time we ended a warless year? Thinking? That’s right, just keep thinking. Let me put it this way: If you were to ask the 15 year olds they’d tell you: I’ve never had such a year. If you ask a 100 year old (assuming their brain functions are still intact) they’d squint, and squint a little more, and then say: a couple of years here and a couple of years there. Now, if you ask a knowledgeable realist who knows his history he’d say: Not in the last hundred years. That’s right: not in the last century.
More
The 10 Most Read Books In The World
Given all the hype surrounding E.L. James's "Fifty Shades Of Grey," you might think that's the most popular book in the world. But you'd be wrong.
The most read book in the world is the Bible.
Writer James Chapman created a list of the most read books in the world based on the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years.
He found that the Bible far outsold any other book, with a whopping 3.9 billion copies sold over the last 50 years. "Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung" came in second with 820 million copies sold, and "Harry Potter" came in third with 400 million copies sold.
Designer Jared Fanning created an infographic (below) on the most read books in the world, based on Chapman's research.
Source
The most read book in the world is the Bible.
Writer James Chapman created a list of the most read books in the world based on the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years.
He found that the Bible far outsold any other book, with a whopping 3.9 billion copies sold over the last 50 years. "Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung" came in second with 820 million copies sold, and "Harry Potter" came in third with 400 million copies sold.
Designer Jared Fanning created an infographic (below) on the most read books in the world, based on Chapman's research.
Unsold Condo Inventory Shrinks In Ocean City
OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — Real estate in Ocean City is moving off the market at a brisk pace.
Data from the Coastal Association of Realtors shows a 25 percent reduction in the inventory of unsold condominiums in Ocean City, including multi-million-dollar properties.
The data from CAR also shows that contracts are up 14 percent year to date, with settlements up 5.6 percent.
More
Data from the Coastal Association of Realtors shows a 25 percent reduction in the inventory of unsold condominiums in Ocean City, including multi-million-dollar properties.
The data from CAR also shows that contracts are up 14 percent year to date, with settlements up 5.6 percent.
More
Lost Dog 12-31-12
Hi Joe, Got another holiday escapee for you to post to find her owner. She is with a neighbor she was following on Nina Lane in Fruitland Sunday. She is a sweet small, but grown dog - potty trained and friendly. She has a docked tail and the tip of her right ear is has a small tear from an old mishap. You may 443-523-2712 to reunite.
The Erosion Of Our Freedom
Often when I argue that governments must not violate our rights – they are supposed to be unalienable, after all – statists have a ready retort: Government is already violating them, good and hard, all over the place.
Recently I pointed out that imposing fines and constraints on gun owners who haven't been shown to have committed a crime, not even close, is a case of prior restraint, of unjustifiably depriving a citizen of liberty since only convicted and guilty people may be so deprived. In a free country citizens may not be intruded upon by their governments without having been convicted by methods of due process. Governments, in other words, are supposed to defend the rights of their citizens; that is their proper purpose!
My statist adversaries eagerly point out to me that government is intruding upon us all over the place: We are forced to obtain a driver's license and innumerable permits as we go about living in our communities (building our homes, engaging in businesses, practicing professions, etc.). Nearly everything we do requires a license even though we are legally innocent! Ergo: prior restraint big time!
Now some of this is accurate enough – citizens in America are indeed subjected to prior restraint left and right, up and down. Most of the time the justification given is that government must protect us against possible malpractice and government regulations and licensing are the best way to do this, never mind that our rights are clearly being violated in the process. Unalienable is a nice idea in a document like the Declaration of Independence, but let's get real, please! It is completely impractical in actual life, right?
Wrong. It is not some kind of romantic, impossible idealism to insist that when anyone intrudes upon another person, this must be properly warranted – as it would be in self-defense, for example. Just notice how easily this is grasped when it comes to sexual freedom – no amount of "necessity" or "practicality" overturns the prohibition against rape or even plain sexual harassment. Why is that so simple to grasp? Because it is a form of intrusion that is very close to home, quite direct, not encumbered by fancy-shmancy public policy rhetoric!
More
Recently I pointed out that imposing fines and constraints on gun owners who haven't been shown to have committed a crime, not even close, is a case of prior restraint, of unjustifiably depriving a citizen of liberty since only convicted and guilty people may be so deprived. In a free country citizens may not be intruded upon by their governments without having been convicted by methods of due process. Governments, in other words, are supposed to defend the rights of their citizens; that is their proper purpose!
My statist adversaries eagerly point out to me that government is intruding upon us all over the place: We are forced to obtain a driver's license and innumerable permits as we go about living in our communities (building our homes, engaging in businesses, practicing professions, etc.). Nearly everything we do requires a license even though we are legally innocent! Ergo: prior restraint big time!
Now some of this is accurate enough – citizens in America are indeed subjected to prior restraint left and right, up and down. Most of the time the justification given is that government must protect us against possible malpractice and government regulations and licensing are the best way to do this, never mind that our rights are clearly being violated in the process. Unalienable is a nice idea in a document like the Declaration of Independence, but let's get real, please! It is completely impractical in actual life, right?
Wrong. It is not some kind of romantic, impossible idealism to insist that when anyone intrudes upon another person, this must be properly warranted – as it would be in self-defense, for example. Just notice how easily this is grasped when it comes to sexual freedom – no amount of "necessity" or "practicality" overturns the prohibition against rape or even plain sexual harassment. Why is that so simple to grasp? Because it is a form of intrusion that is very close to home, quite direct, not encumbered by fancy-shmancy public policy rhetoric!
More
34 Things From 2012 That Made You Feel Old
1. The woman on the Blink-182 album was arrested this year, and this is what her mugshot looked like:
2. The cast of "Full House" reunited for their 25TH ANNIVERSARY.
See the rest HERE
A Politician's Promise
The sure sign of a halfwit is someone who believes a politician’s promise. They can be observed at candidate rallies with their faces beaming and their hands grasping tightly to a cardboard sign. In bars and restaurants they speak endlessly on how their preferred dictator is smarter, kinder, and cuter than the rest. In doing so, they make up for a lack of drunkenness with exuberance over the prospect of being ruled over. This mix turns the political enthusiast into a package more bothersome than either the chastising puritan or the destitute drunk.
This heap of idiocy finds its source in the promises made by public officeholders. Instead of relying on intelligence and reason to make their case, all an aspiring politico has to do is declare before a mob what he can give it in exchange for their votes. Every election hinges upon the degree that he can manipulate the public into believing his sincerity. Electoral contests are won and lost by the biggest coalition of fools who chant slogans devoid of actual meaning and purpose.
With the recent reelection of Barack Obama, there is speculation abound on how far the soon-to-be anointed king will deliver on his promised agenda. His leftist base of support is expecting an aggressive launch of statist initiatives aimed at righting some undefined injustice. Many of Obama’s detractors seriously believe he will use the Oval Office to institute a kind of socialist hell. Both are wrong. Obama’s second term will be a continuation of the centralization and consolidation of the state that has been occurring since the ratification of the Constitution. The path has already been laid out by the ruling cadre of politicians, high level bureaucrats, military generals, CEOs of banks, and the heads of politically-favored corporations. Obama’s promise of a robust American economy will not come to fruition because that was never the goal. Like all presidencies before it, the Obama presidency is there to ensure the “right” people keep having their pocket’s filled.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of young adults are becoming disillusioned with their own future and income earning potential. Many have witnessed the success of their parents and are now questioning why they aren’t experiencing the same level of achievement. In other words, they make perfect targets for political sloganeering. Through pledges for good jobs, these unemployed will easily be whipped into a frenzy of support for whichever candidate promises them a decent, salaried job. Their role as dupes has already been enshrined by the political class.
The record of unkempt campaign promises may be staggering but it has so far failed to deter a significant portion of people from participating in the electoral process. Time and time again, voters are promised an end to war, poverty, sickness, unemployment, addiction, obesity, starvation, homelessness, mental illness, crime, and violence. And with every election, each problem is exacerbated through state policies. Left to its own devices, a free, market economy has a tendency to improve living standards for all. That’s precisely why economic freedom is never granted by the state. It would make every politician, government worker, and state contractor’s perceived worth vanish overnight.
There are two types of promises that originate from a politician’s breath. The first is a starry-eyed pledge that is practically unworkable. The second is an assurance that would constitute a threat if given by a private individual. When announced, these promises are sold as a cure-all for all of society’s ills. They hardly ever come into fruition but are referred back to only if they aid in another reelection campaign.
The science of politicking is quite simple: appeal to the lowest common denominator of human life. This, most often, is the dim yearning of folks who aspire to do no more than feed themselves day by day. As long as this primitive instinct can be appeased by promise, a career in the nation’s capital is virtually guaranteed. Finding an honest politician is like searching for a virgin in a whorehouse. If you happen to stumble across one, they are always eager to give away what little integrity they have left in return for power.
The goal of the ruling class is a full blown return to feudalism. This social decaying is emboldened by the circus known as democracy where the mob votes away its own humanity for a naïve feeling of comfort. The masses have been fooled by years of unrelenting propaganda that government is, as Leo Tolstoy called it, “the representation of the citizens in the collective capacity” rather than its true designation of “one set of men banded together to oppress another set of men.” They are assured by campaigners for public office of a life that requires minimal effort, little intellectual stimulation, and no prudence whatsoever. A pol who speaks of freedom and responsibility is quickly gutted and cast aside. The mass-mind prefers to grovel at the feet of those who promise them a first class ticket to the land of plenty. In return, they receive a pittance while the more industrious of political brownnosers retain enriching privileges.
That is the true purpose of a political promise. It is a tool to maintain dominance over the herd. As long as the masses are lead to believe that success is only enabled by the state, they will cast a ballot for anyone that will grow state power to they believe is their benefit. Individual achievement in the context of laboring and serving others is belittled as being a waste of time in comparison to the sacrifice of the public sector. Politicians will pay lip service to individualism but only to point out that success is impossible without central government dictation. That way, campaign promises hold more weight and legitimacy in the eyes of voters eager to stick it to their fellow man. They are means to keep the state machine running smoothly as humanity slowly digests itself through continued warfare and destroying any incentive to save and invest for the future.
Mark Twain once wrote,
To make a pledge of any kind is to declare war against nature; for a pledge is a chain that is always clanking and reminding the wearer of it that he is not a free man.
Under normal circumstances, breaking a promise is regarded as unbecoming for any man. That is why pledges are hardly made except in instances in which they can be followed through with quickly and earnestly. Only the truly dishonest will often make promises since their frequent use has made them into a cheap currency used to solicit favors. The political class is the greatest practitioner of this tradition. It’s become a running joke in Western culture how conniving politicians can be. The fact that so many make light of the pathetic reputation shows a disdain for honest character. Even worse is that such a criminal gang is still respected by the greater public. This terrible truth ends up reflecting worse upon the latter than the former.
This heap of idiocy finds its source in the promises made by public officeholders. Instead of relying on intelligence and reason to make their case, all an aspiring politico has to do is declare before a mob what he can give it in exchange for their votes. Every election hinges upon the degree that he can manipulate the public into believing his sincerity. Electoral contests are won and lost by the biggest coalition of fools who chant slogans devoid of actual meaning and purpose.
With the recent reelection of Barack Obama, there is speculation abound on how far the soon-to-be anointed king will deliver on his promised agenda. His leftist base of support is expecting an aggressive launch of statist initiatives aimed at righting some undefined injustice. Many of Obama’s detractors seriously believe he will use the Oval Office to institute a kind of socialist hell. Both are wrong. Obama’s second term will be a continuation of the centralization and consolidation of the state that has been occurring since the ratification of the Constitution. The path has already been laid out by the ruling cadre of politicians, high level bureaucrats, military generals, CEOs of banks, and the heads of politically-favored corporations. Obama’s promise of a robust American economy will not come to fruition because that was never the goal. Like all presidencies before it, the Obama presidency is there to ensure the “right” people keep having their pocket’s filled.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of young adults are becoming disillusioned with their own future and income earning potential. Many have witnessed the success of their parents and are now questioning why they aren’t experiencing the same level of achievement. In other words, they make perfect targets for political sloganeering. Through pledges for good jobs, these unemployed will easily be whipped into a frenzy of support for whichever candidate promises them a decent, salaried job. Their role as dupes has already been enshrined by the political class.
The record of unkempt campaign promises may be staggering but it has so far failed to deter a significant portion of people from participating in the electoral process. Time and time again, voters are promised an end to war, poverty, sickness, unemployment, addiction, obesity, starvation, homelessness, mental illness, crime, and violence. And with every election, each problem is exacerbated through state policies. Left to its own devices, a free, market economy has a tendency to improve living standards for all. That’s precisely why economic freedom is never granted by the state. It would make every politician, government worker, and state contractor’s perceived worth vanish overnight.
There are two types of promises that originate from a politician’s breath. The first is a starry-eyed pledge that is practically unworkable. The second is an assurance that would constitute a threat if given by a private individual. When announced, these promises are sold as a cure-all for all of society’s ills. They hardly ever come into fruition but are referred back to only if they aid in another reelection campaign.
The science of politicking is quite simple: appeal to the lowest common denominator of human life. This, most often, is the dim yearning of folks who aspire to do no more than feed themselves day by day. As long as this primitive instinct can be appeased by promise, a career in the nation’s capital is virtually guaranteed. Finding an honest politician is like searching for a virgin in a whorehouse. If you happen to stumble across one, they are always eager to give away what little integrity they have left in return for power.
The goal of the ruling class is a full blown return to feudalism. This social decaying is emboldened by the circus known as democracy where the mob votes away its own humanity for a naïve feeling of comfort. The masses have been fooled by years of unrelenting propaganda that government is, as Leo Tolstoy called it, “the representation of the citizens in the collective capacity” rather than its true designation of “one set of men banded together to oppress another set of men.” They are assured by campaigners for public office of a life that requires minimal effort, little intellectual stimulation, and no prudence whatsoever. A pol who speaks of freedom and responsibility is quickly gutted and cast aside. The mass-mind prefers to grovel at the feet of those who promise them a first class ticket to the land of plenty. In return, they receive a pittance while the more industrious of political brownnosers retain enriching privileges.
That is the true purpose of a political promise. It is a tool to maintain dominance over the herd. As long as the masses are lead to believe that success is only enabled by the state, they will cast a ballot for anyone that will grow state power to they believe is their benefit. Individual achievement in the context of laboring and serving others is belittled as being a waste of time in comparison to the sacrifice of the public sector. Politicians will pay lip service to individualism but only to point out that success is impossible without central government dictation. That way, campaign promises hold more weight and legitimacy in the eyes of voters eager to stick it to their fellow man. They are means to keep the state machine running smoothly as humanity slowly digests itself through continued warfare and destroying any incentive to save and invest for the future.
Mark Twain once wrote,
To make a pledge of any kind is to declare war against nature; for a pledge is a chain that is always clanking and reminding the wearer of it that he is not a free man.
Under normal circumstances, breaking a promise is regarded as unbecoming for any man. That is why pledges are hardly made except in instances in which they can be followed through with quickly and earnestly. Only the truly dishonest will often make promises since their frequent use has made them into a cheap currency used to solicit favors. The political class is the greatest practitioner of this tradition. It’s become a running joke in Western culture how conniving politicians can be. The fact that so many make light of the pathetic reputation shows a disdain for honest character. Even worse is that such a criminal gang is still respected by the greater public. This terrible truth ends up reflecting worse upon the latter than the former.
It’s Official: The FBI Classifies Peaceful American Protestors As “Terrorists”
Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF), we have details for the first time of how government intelligence organizations and the corporate state worked together in secret to battle the Occupy Wall Street movement. The best report I have read on this story comes from the PCJF themselves. Here are some of their key findings:
“This production, which we believe is just the tip of the iceberg, is a window into the nationwide scope of the FBI’s surveillance, monitoring, and reporting on peaceful protestors organizing with the Occupy movement,
FBI documents just obtained by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) pursuant to the PCJF’s Freedom of Information Act demands reveal that from its inception, the FBI treated the Occupy movement as a potential criminal and terrorist threat even though the agency acknowledges in documents that organizers explicitly called for peaceful protest and did “not condone the use of violence” at occupy protests.
“These documents show that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are treating protests against the corporate and banking structure of America as potential criminal and terrorist activity. These documents also show these federal agencies functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and Corporate America.”
More
“This production, which we believe is just the tip of the iceberg, is a window into the nationwide scope of the FBI’s surveillance, monitoring, and reporting on peaceful protestors organizing with the Occupy movement,
FBI documents just obtained by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) pursuant to the PCJF’s Freedom of Information Act demands reveal that from its inception, the FBI treated the Occupy movement as a potential criminal and terrorist threat even though the agency acknowledges in documents that organizers explicitly called for peaceful protest and did “not condone the use of violence” at occupy protests.
“These documents show that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are treating protests against the corporate and banking structure of America as potential criminal and terrorist activity. These documents also show these federal agencies functioning as a de facto intelligence arm of Wall Street and Corporate America.”
More
Troopers Probe Shots Fired Complaint West Of Laurel
Location: 9000 block of Sharptown Road, Laurel, DE
Date of Occurrence: Between Saturday December 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday December 30, 2012 at 7:00 a.m.
Suspects: Unknown at this time.
Victims:
26 year old female resident
34 year old male resident
3 year old male
2 year old female
Resume:
Laurel, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating an incident in which shots were fired into a home located west of Laurel.
Troopers responded to a residence located in the 9000 block of Sharptown Road west of Laurel Sunday morning after the homeowners reported having bullet holes in multiple doors throughout the house. The victims stated the incident may have happened between 7:00 p.m. Saturday night and 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning while they were sleeping and could not provide any suspect or vehicle information. No one was injured in the incident.
State Police Detectives continue to investigate a complaint that occurred on Thursday December 27th, when several shots were fired into a residence of a Delaware law enforcement officer who lives in western Sussex County.
Both incidents remain under investigation at this time.
The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact Det. Kelly at 302-856-5850 ext. 219. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.
Date of Occurrence: Between Saturday December 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday December 30, 2012 at 7:00 a.m.
Suspects: Unknown at this time.
Victims:
26 year old female resident
34 year old male resident
3 year old male
2 year old female
Resume:
Laurel, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating an incident in which shots were fired into a home located west of Laurel.
Troopers responded to a residence located in the 9000 block of Sharptown Road west of Laurel Sunday morning after the homeowners reported having bullet holes in multiple doors throughout the house. The victims stated the incident may have happened between 7:00 p.m. Saturday night and 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning while they were sleeping and could not provide any suspect or vehicle information. No one was injured in the incident.
State Police Detectives continue to investigate a complaint that occurred on Thursday December 27th, when several shots were fired into a residence of a Delaware law enforcement officer who lives in western Sussex County.
Both incidents remain under investigation at this time.
The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact Det. Kelly at 302-856-5850 ext. 219. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.
Democrats Have No Counteroffer On ‘Fiscal Cliff’
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Sunday he hasn’t been able to work up a plan to avert the fiscal cliff, leading his Republican counterpart, Sen. Mitch McConnell, to turn to Vice President Joseph R. Biden instead to try to cut a deal.
“I’m willing to get this done, but I need a dance partner,” Mr. McConnell said in a dramatic plea on the Senate floor at 2 p.m., saying he’d sent an offer over to Mr. Reid at 7:10 p.m. Saturday night and was promised an answer early Sunday, but one never materialized.
A subdued Mr. Reid responded that he has been unable to work up a response among his own troops.
More
“I’m willing to get this done, but I need a dance partner,” Mr. McConnell said in a dramatic plea on the Senate floor at 2 p.m., saying he’d sent an offer over to Mr. Reid at 7:10 p.m. Saturday night and was promised an answer early Sunday, but one never materialized.
A subdued Mr. Reid responded that he has been unable to work up a response among his own troops.
More
QUOTE OF THE DAY 12-31-12
“The Light Shines in the darkness, but the darkness does not perceive it.”
John 1:5
Md. Teen Honored In Tournament of Roses Parade
The Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on New Year's Day will feature a float that will carry a floragraph _ a tribute made with flowers and leaves about 14 inches in diameter resembling a photograph _ dedicated to the memory of a Hagerstown teenager whose family donated his organs after he was killed in a car crash earlier this year.
Quinn Hoover, 17, died on March 18 after an early-morning accident near Clear Spring. A student at Washington County Technical High School, he was known for his outgoing personality and his prowess on the soccer field, his parents said.
The float, Journeys of the Heart, honors Quinn and 71 other organ, eye and tissue donors, whose organ donations helped other people live, according to the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, a nonprofit that facilitates organ donation.
More
Quinn Hoover, 17, died on March 18 after an early-morning accident near Clear Spring. A student at Washington County Technical High School, he was known for his outgoing personality and his prowess on the soccer field, his parents said.
The float, Journeys of the Heart, honors Quinn and 71 other organ, eye and tissue donors, whose organ donations helped other people live, according to the Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland, a nonprofit that facilitates organ donation.
More
Why French Parents Are Better Than American Parents
The most popular article of the year in the Wall Street Journal was an excerpt of a book by Pamela Druckerman called "Bringing Up Bebe."
The excerpt describes the moment in which Druckerman realized that French kids are much better behaved than American kids and then set out to discover why that is the case.
Not surprisingly, American parents went nuts about the story.
Some, presumably, read it as a "how to" manual. Others, presumably, read it as criticism.
Either way, the story struck a nerve.
And what were Druckerman's conclusions?
Why are French parents better than American parents at raising well-behaved children?
Here are two key points:
First, French parents aren't as obsessed with making sure their kids are in training to become CEOs, world-famous composers, professional athletes, and Senators from the moment they emerge from the womb. French parents do make sure their kids do some "activities," but they don't schedule every moment as training for some specific future achievement. Rather they give the kids some time to learn how to amuse themselves.
Second, and more importantly, French parents teach their kids to wait. Specifically, they teach them to defer gratification--to wait until later to eat candy, to sleep through the night, to wait a few moments until their parents have stopped speaking before interrupting them, and so on. American, parents, meanwhile, want to encourage every blurt or impulse as an example of self-expression and are too wimpy to teach their kids how to be patient.
The excerpt describes the moment in which Druckerman realized that French kids are much better behaved than American kids and then set out to discover why that is the case.
Not surprisingly, American parents went nuts about the story.
Some, presumably, read it as a "how to" manual. Others, presumably, read it as criticism.
Either way, the story struck a nerve.
And what were Druckerman's conclusions?
Why are French parents better than American parents at raising well-behaved children?
Here are two key points:
First, French parents aren't as obsessed with making sure their kids are in training to become CEOs, world-famous composers, professional athletes, and Senators from the moment they emerge from the womb. French parents do make sure their kids do some "activities," but they don't schedule every moment as training for some specific future achievement. Rather they give the kids some time to learn how to amuse themselves.
Second, and more importantly, French parents teach their kids to wait. Specifically, they teach them to defer gratification--to wait until later to eat candy, to sleep through the night, to wait a few moments until their parents have stopped speaking before interrupting them, and so on. American, parents, meanwhile, want to encourage every blurt or impulse as an example of self-expression and are too wimpy to teach their kids how to be patient.
Attendance Doubles At Local Gun Show
The nation's state of economic uncertainty and the recent school shooting that struck the town of Sandy Hook just two weeks ago are having no affect on area gun sales. In fact, gun sales are booming and tickets to gun shows are a hot item.
"This is the Nation's Gun Show," says Annette Elliott, president of Showmasters Gun Shows. She and her husband are the organizers of the gun show currently taking place in Chantilly at the Dulles Expo Center - one of the biggest gun shows held in the D.C. area since the Connecticut school shooting.
Elliott says the gun show's attendance has doubled since the shootings and since recent conversations of gun control.
"Literally, the exhibitors are running out of merchandise. They are running out of ammunition. They are running out of assault weapons, and the handguns are moving rapidly also," she says.
More
"This is the Nation's Gun Show," says Annette Elliott, president of Showmasters Gun Shows. She and her husband are the organizers of the gun show currently taking place in Chantilly at the Dulles Expo Center - one of the biggest gun shows held in the D.C. area since the Connecticut school shooting.
Elliott says the gun show's attendance has doubled since the shootings and since recent conversations of gun control.
"Literally, the exhibitors are running out of merchandise. They are running out of ammunition. They are running out of assault weapons, and the handguns are moving rapidly also," she says.
More
BREAKING NEWS
WATER MAIN BREAK NEAR PEP BOYS ON RT. 13.
ALL BUSINESSES ARE BEING TOLD THEY CANNOT USE ANY WATER IN THAT AREA. EXPECT MANY BUSINESS CLOSINGS.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS ALL ALONG. THE CITY IS IGNORING ITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'LL SEE MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AS TIME GOES ON.
ALL BUSINESSES ARE BEING TOLD THEY CANNOT USE ANY WATER IN THAT AREA. EXPECT MANY BUSINESS CLOSINGS.
I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS ALL ALONG. THE CITY IS IGNORING ITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'LL SEE MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AS TIME GOES ON.
A Canadian Summarizes America's Collapse: "Everyone Takes, Nobody Makes, Money Is Free, And Money Is Worthless"
On this lackluster Boxing Day dominated by illiquid moves in every asset class, we thought a few succinct minutes spent comprehending the US and European government policies of social welfare and their outcomes was time well spent. Canadian MP Pierre Poilievre delivers a rather epic speech destroying the myths of US and European 'wealth' noting that "Once the US citizen is in debt, the US government encourages them to stay in debt," noting that "the US government encouraged millions of Americans to spend money they did not have on homes they could not afford using loans they could never repay and then gave them a tax incentive never to repay it." His message, delivered seamlessly, notes the inordinate rise in the cost of all this borrowing, adding that "through debt interest alone, soon the US taxpayer will be funding 100% of the Chinese Military complex." From Dependence to Debt to the Welfare State and back to Dependence, this presentation puts incredible context on the false hope so many believe in the US and Europe. Must watch.
"By 2020, the US Government will be spending more annually on debt interest than the total combined military budgets of China, Britain, France, Russia, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, Italy, South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, Turkey, and Israel."
"Through government spending the indulgence of one is the burden of another; through government borrowing, the excess of one generation becomes the yoke of the next; through international bailouts, one nation's extravagance becomes another nation's debt"
"Everyone takes, nobody makes, work doesn't pay, indulgence doesn't cost, money is free, and money is worthless."
"By 2020, the US Government will be spending more annually on debt interest than the total combined military budgets of China, Britain, France, Russia, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, Italy, South Korea, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, Turkey, and Israel."
"Through government spending the indulgence of one is the burden of another; through government borrowing, the excess of one generation becomes the yoke of the next; through international bailouts, one nation's extravagance becomes another nation's debt"
"Everyone takes, nobody makes, work doesn't pay, indulgence doesn't cost, money is free, and money is worthless."
Obama Skeptical Of NRA Proposal To Put More Guns In Schools
President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast on Sunday he hopes to get new U.S. gun control measures passed during the first year of his second term and is skeptical of a proposal by the National Rifle Association to put armed guards in schools.
Obama assigned Vice President Joe Biden to lead a task force to come up with proposals on guns at the beginning of 2013 after the massacre of 20 children and six adults by a gunman at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut this month.
"I'd like to get it done in the first year. I will put forward a very specific proposal based on the recommendations that Joe Biden's task force is putting together as we speak. And so this is not something that I will be putting off," Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview taped on Saturday.
More
Obama assigned Vice President Joe Biden to lead a task force to come up with proposals on guns at the beginning of 2013 after the massacre of 20 children and six adults by a gunman at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut this month.
"I'd like to get it done in the first year. I will put forward a very specific proposal based on the recommendations that Joe Biden's task force is putting together as we speak. And so this is not something that I will be putting off," Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview taped on Saturday.
More
Another Bait and Switch: Congress Defeats E-Mail Privacy Legislation…Again
This is how the corporate state rolls. They remove all the important stuff at the last minute, you know, like provisions that might actually protect constitutional rights. This is exactly what they just did with the NDAA, which I outlined in my post The Section Preventing Indefinite Detention of Americans without Trial Removed from Final NDAA Bill. Now we find out from Wired that:
The Senate late Thursday forwarded legislation to President Barack Obama granting the public the right to automatically display on their Facebook feeds what they’re watching on Netflix. While lawmakers were caving to special interests, however, they cut from the legislative package language requiring the authorities to get a warrant to read your e-mail or other data stored in the cloud.
But another part of the same Senate package — sweeping digital privacy protections requiring the government, for the first time, to get a probable-cause warrant to obtain e-mail and other content stored in the cloud — was removed at the last minute.
More
The Senate late Thursday forwarded legislation to President Barack Obama granting the public the right to automatically display on their Facebook feeds what they’re watching on Netflix. While lawmakers were caving to special interests, however, they cut from the legislative package language requiring the authorities to get a warrant to read your e-mail or other data stored in the cloud.
But another part of the same Senate package — sweeping digital privacy protections requiring the government, for the first time, to get a probable-cause warrant to obtain e-mail and other content stored in the cloud — was removed at the last minute.
More
Media Quiet About San Antonio Theater Shooting
On Sunday December 17, 2012, 2 days after the CT shooting, a man went to a restaurant in San Antonio to kill his X-girlfriend. After he shot her, most of the people in the restaurant fled next door to a theater. The gunman followed them and entered the theater so he could shoot more people. He started shooting and people in the theater started running and screaming. It’s like the Aurora, CO theater story plus a restaurant!
Now aren’t you wondering why this isn’t a lead story in the national media along with the school shooting?
There was an off duty county deputy at the theater. SHE pulled out her gun and shot the man 4 times before he had a chance to kill anyone. So since this story makes the point that the best thing to stop a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun, the media is treating it like it never happened.
More
Now aren’t you wondering why this isn’t a lead story in the national media along with the school shooting?
There was an off duty county deputy at the theater. SHE pulled out her gun and shot the man 4 times before he had a chance to kill anyone. So since this story makes the point that the best thing to stop a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun, the media is treating it like it never happened.
More
The Structural Endgame Of The Fiscal Cliff
To understand this endgame, we need to start with the financial and political basics of wealth and power in the U.S.
1. Wealth and thus political power are highly concentrated. The dynamics of rising wealth disparity and the increasing concentration of wealth are debatable; the disparity is not. Roughly 70% of all financial wealth is held by the top 5%; within this top layer of ownership, the top ½ of 1% hold an outsized share.
FREE SPEECH GOES BOTH WAYS – LET GANNETT EXECUTIVES KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
Gannett was exercising their right to free speech by publishing the names and addresses of all legal gun owners in 3 NY counties. I’m sure they are fully supportive of having their names and addresses published across the internet. Isn’t free speech a biotch?
http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/sauce-for-the-goose/
Sauce for the goose or, home address and phone number of Journal-News publisherWhite Plains newspaper The Journal- News, a Gannett publication, has published the full name and address of every licensed pistol permit holder in three New York counties. I don’t know whether the Journal’s publisher Janet Hasson is a permit holder herself, but here’s how to find her to ask:
(UPDATE: Uh oh – InstaPundit’s linked here. Hundreds of thousands of readers; Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve)
Janet Hasson, publisher, Journal News
Janet Hasson, 3 Gate House Lane, Mamaroneck, NY 10534.
Phone number:
(914) 694-5204
More
http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/sauce-for-the-goose/
Sauce for the goose or, home address and phone number of Journal-News publisherWhite Plains newspaper The Journal- News, a Gannett publication, has published the full name and address of every licensed pistol permit holder in three New York counties. I don’t know whether the Journal’s publisher Janet Hasson is a permit holder herself, but here’s how to find her to ask:
(UPDATE: Uh oh – InstaPundit’s linked here. Hundreds of thousands of readers; Janet, you have a great Christmas Eve)
Janet Hasson, 3 Gate House Lane, Mamaroneck, NY 10534.
Phone number:
(914) 694-5204
More