Radio Loses Icon Paul Harvey

And so goes, the rest of the story.

Rest in peace Paul Harvey.

Obama Sides with Bush Administration, No Really

I can imagine droves of people who donated money to the Obama campaign are asking themselves, "just what the hell is going on around here?". The ACLU certainly is.

"They've now embraced the Bush policy that you can create prisons outside the law," said Jonathan Hafetz, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who has represented several detainees.

See the entire AP story here.

Senator Byrd: Obama in Power Grab

From the 'I never thought I'd agree with _______' files...

If Democrats like Byrd think this way, what about Joe six pack?

In related news, it seems President Obama has polling issues. When you look at his approval ratings (62.5) one month after being sworn into office, the media's favorite president is on par with George W. Bush (62) at the same point in his first term. That's George. W. Bush.

Remember how Democrats and political pundits said Bush didn't have a mandate following the disastrous post-election fallout from Florida in 2000? The "experts" said Bush would have a hard time pushing his agenda based on his lack of support.

Now that their chosen one is on equal footing publicly, will the MSM say the same about Obama? Don't count on it.

ESPN's Mount Rushmore of Sports

Alabama, California, Illinois, New York, or Pennsylvania. Who's got the best Mount Rushmore of sports?

If Arnold Palmer, or one NFL legend like Montana, Marino, or Namath had been named to Pennsylvania's monument, they would have made this a no-brainer choice. So who won?

Obama's Tax Cut

From the President's speech tonight...

Because of this plan, 95% of the working households in America will receive a tax cut - a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks beginning on April 1st.

Obvious joke free of charge. Thanks for the warning Mr. President.

Abington's Hero Cop

Abington Police Officer Scott Dinsmore performs above and beyond, saving a couple and their pets from their burning house. I'll bet he'd say he was just doing his job.

Media Malpractice

He's devoted his life to this. He acted as an interviewer, cameraman, producer, and editor.

When John Ziegler created the video HowObamaGotElected he provided one of the best examples of how deep the Main Stream Media has influenced the general population.

He promised a follow-up to the original and now is releasing a DVD, Media Malpractice - How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted.

...it's not just another conspiracy theory, it's been proven.

Happy Fauschnaut Day

It's also known as Shrove Day or more popularly Fat Tuesday, the day before the Catholic holiday of Ash Wednesday.

Fauschnaut is a doughnut creation of the Pennsylvania Dutch. If you've never enjoyed this treat, perhaps today would be apropos.

Obama's Team Prefers Foreign Cars?

This story from Detroit says 16 of 18 Obama team members prefer foreign cars over automobiles made in America.

Just wait until the UAW catches wind of this.

Made In the U.S.A.

Think this phrase is obsolete? Think again.

The United States remains by far the world's leading manufacturer by value of goods produced. It hit a record $1.6 trillion in 2007 - nearly double the $811 billion of 1987. For every $1 of value produced in China factories, the United States generates $2.50.

Here I thought Bush ruined everything.

H/T Jack P

Best Conservative Movies

In honor of Oscar night, National Review has compiled a list of the top 25 conservative movies over the last 25 years.

Missing from the list: Apollo 13, Expelled, and The Passion.

Twelve Year Old Wisdom

If you are pro-choice DO NOT watch this video. It includes facts you don't wish to hear.

Her teacher threatened to disqualify her from the essay contest, but this little lady stood her ground.



...bracing for the hate-filled comments to come.

More on this story here.

H/T Pro-Life by Sue Cirbia

Club Gitmo Meets Geneva Standards?

This kinda kills the whole leftist argument huh?

Notice how this story is buried in the Friday version of the NY Times. And they wonder why they are nearing bankruptcy.

H/T Jonah Goldberg

Road Trip

You say you want a revolution, well you know we all wanna change the world...

There's a party brewing, a Chicago Tea party. CNBC reporter Rick Santelli unintentionally, at first, started a movement. I'll let the video speak for itself.

Road trip anyone?

H/T Landofdafree

Pennsylvania's Mt. Rushmore of Sports

ESPN has been assembling a list of the top athletes in each of the fifty states. The top four names, as voted on by ESPN.com readers, make up what they call the Mount Rushmore of sports for each state.

Pennsylvania's list of Rushmore-worthy athletes is much larger than the four legends who made the final cut for the virtual monument. Here's the video.



Pennsylvania also made the cut as one of the final five states. These five contenders and twenty athletes will comprise the ultimate Mount Rushmore of sports.

Vote for Pennsylvania's dream team at ESPN.com

Hurry Up, and Wait

Thomas Sowell with another brilliant assessment.

Nothing in the amateurish way the current administration has begun suggests that they have mastered even the mechanics of governing, much less the complexities of the huge national problems looming ahead, at home and abroad.

...as Sowell reminds us, Congress couldn't take two days to review the bill before they voted but the President allowed it to sit on his desk for three. An administration with a clue would have had the timing better coordinated.

There is far more to fear from this administration than its amateurism in governing. The urgency with which it has rushed through a monumental spending bill, whose actual spending will not be completed even after 2010, ought to set off alarm bells among those who are not in thrall to the euphoria of Obama’s presidency.

The urgency was real, even if the reason given was phony. President Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, let slip a valuable clue when he said that a crisis should not go to waste, that a crisis is an opportunity to do things that you could not do otherwise.

The longer the stimulepork bill sat under the bright sunshine, the more it wreaked. Since the "opportunity" window was closing, debate was stifled; they had no time to listen to dissent.

Sharpton Goes Bananas Over Chimp Cartoon

Racist? Or just another convenient excuse to claim as such?

Al Sharpton, surprise, thinks it is. But is he so obsessed with victim-hood, he can't see the big picture? The NY Post chief editor thinks so.

H/T Huff Po

Obama - No to 'Fairness Doctrine'

I have to say, the President is right on this one.

H/T Drudge

Boehner, Showing Leadership

This is what every single Republican should have been saying. Are you listening Mr. Specter?

"What a Joke."

Jack Cafferty of CNN sums up the stimulepork package and calls Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) the "poster children for everything that is wrong in Washington".

Cafferty calls out every member of Congress who for voted something they haven't read, let alone understand. He also rips Democrats for failing to allow 48 hours for the public to review the bill, as they promised.

I certainly hope this doesn't come as a surprise to Jack. After all, it is Congress.

H/T JB

Eminent Domain and Pork Spending

Four years ago, Abington Township Commissioner Lori Schreiber (D) ran on the promise to end blithe in her neighborhood of Roslyn. She blamed her opponent for, among other things, failing to get the owner of a commercial property at 1180 Easton Road (pictured) to either rent or sell the location after it sat vacant for several years.

Now, after failing to do the same during her first term, Commissioner Schreiber has a brilliant idea; hostile government takeover.

Eminent domain – when a governmental body decides to forcefully take property from a private citizen for the “best interests of the community”.

Both Democrats and Republicans in Abington voted for the hostile takeover of the property so it can be used to relocate, expand, and improve the current Roslyn library. Individuals from both parties voted against it as well. One Democrat was wise (dare I say brave) enough to see the danger in this move.

The measure passed by one vote but doesn’t guarantee a quick resolution since the owners can appeal. Can you envision the price tag elevating already? Grant money won’t cover legal bills.

Those in favor of this action justify the move because it won’t increase taxes. Grant money will be used to fund the project. But this creates problem number two.

When the country’s economy (actually a global problem) is tanking, these pork projects should be shelved. Especially when its sole purpose is not to beautify the neighborhood as Commissioner Schreiber would like you to believe, but rather to guarantee this politician gets re-elected.

Republicans on the Abington Board who voted in favor of this move, failed to follow the example shown in Washington. The pork spending Washington added to the “stimulus” bill on one end, leads to Democrats being re-elected here, on the other end.

My family enjoys the Roslyn library and would visit the beautiful new facility if it ever becomes a reality, but only if private investment made it happen.

This library however, is simply being used as an excuse for the government to justify a takeover and for one specific politician to benefit.

Cantor, the Next Gingrich

A nice piece courtesy of the New York Times - on the front page no less.

That Would Be Perjury

Blago's brother hit up newly-appointed Senator Roland Burris (Democrat-IL) for $10K in cash before the Governor selected him as Obama's replacement.

Problem is, Burris didn't tell that to the Illinois House impeachment panel.

It's only been a month and the Democrat corruption machine keeps churning out hit after hit.

H/T Moe Lane at RedState

The Great American Race

Sunday is the official start of the NASCAR season with the 51st running of the Daytona 500. It's the sport's Super Bowl, despite being the first contest of the season.

Before the two and a half mile track which hosts the event today was built, races were run on the sands between Daytona and Ormand Beach on Florida's east coast.

When Bill France built the Mecca of car racing, few could have predicted his sport would become as popular as it is today.

The first race took 3 days to determine a winner because it was a 3-car photo finish. Problem was, they didn't have a camera at the finish line and until this photo surfaced, the race's result was in doubt. Lee Petty, father of King Richard, was declared the inaugural 500's first champion.

If you think stock car racing is nothing more than rednecks turning left (left turns during racing was invented by the greeks by the way), you are missing out on one of the country's biggest one-day events.

Caterpillar Head Contradicts Obama

MSM news assumption: President Obama's plan means Caterpillar will re-hire. Why? Because he said so. He's beyond questioning or reproach; he's too big to fail.

Funny little detail is missing. Caterpillar CEO, James Owens, says something quite different.

Enough is Enough

Joe Pitts (R-Pennsylvania) speaks out against the stimulepork bill.



H/T Ethan Demme at Keystone Conservative

National Electronic Medical Records?

Private medical records will be going digital and a new position, National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will be created if the stimulepork package passes.

How comfy do you feel about that one?

However, that's not the worst of it...

from Betsy McCaughey at Bloomberg

Elderly Hardest Hit

Daschle says health-care reform “will not be pain free.” Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them. That means the elderly will bear the brunt.

Medicare now pays for treatments deemed safe and effective. The stimulus bill would change that and apply a cost- effectiveness standard set by the Federal Council (464).

The government will determine what's safe and cost-effective? What part of their track record indicates they have the talent to do such a thing?

The elderly should "be more accepting"?? Of what exactly? The fact that the government which promised to fund their retirements, medications, and health care under the current system, will now strip those benefits away because it isn't cost effective to treat them anymore?

Remember, Daschle was gong to head up the cabinet agency responsible for this aspect of the "stimulus" package, until he was caught not paying to fund the bureaucracy.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the ...strange.

ABSCAM II?

Murtha. Quickly becoming the poster boy for what's wrong in Washington.

The Five-Dollar-Stud

Would you pay five bucks for one stud at the lumber yard?

Now what if that hunk of lumber were being used to help a family obtain their dream home; would you be willing to pay the price?

It's rare to stumble across a heart-warming tale in my line of work. As a code official (building inspector for those of you in Rio Linda, CA), I spend most of my day critiquing construction projects. It's not a pretty job, but someone has to do it.

So when I come across a great story, I have to share.

Most of you have heard of Habitat for Humanity. Made famous by former President Jimmy Carter when he started volunteering for the organization, they have built a reputation on fulfilling family dreams.

It's not a gift courtesy of a Fannie-Freddie type ponzie scheme. Rather it's a 100% volunteer effort. No unions, no illegal alien workers, no bailout funding, just sweat equity and generous giving by those darn religious groups everyone loves to hate.

Several church organizations participate in Habitat's efforts. A good number are non-denominational or multi-denominational groups, not specifically tied to any one official religious organization. But a story about one house the Episcopal Church in Eastern Montgomery County is helping to build really grabbed my attention.

While conducting a framing inspection of this house the other day, I noticed a lot of studs had been written on. "God Bless this house", one said. Others had drawings by young children; the one pictured above looked like a work of art. Most were simple well-wishes to the family whose house is being built.

The studs are individual donations. For five bucks, each donor is allowed to write a personal note on their stud. Just five measly dollars, times several hundred or so caring church-going folk, and voilà - a dream home.

It's not as dramatic as Ty Willingham's Extreme Home Makeover series, yet it's a more compelling story. The main artisan on this project is someone who has benefited from the generosity of others in the past. Orphaned as a child, he gives back by hammering nails on cold winter days so someone else's dream can come true.

The house passed its framing inspection with a few items needing to be corrected. More importantly, it passed the generosity test as well. Many kudos to the folks across the country who volunteer and donate, whether cash or Five-Dollar-Studs, so Habitat for Humanity can continue to do God's work.

Contrasting Transitions

from an emailer

January 20, 2009: Outgoing President George W. Bush quietly boards his helicopter and leaves for Texas, commenting only: “Today is not about me. Today is a historical day for our nation and people.”

January 20, 2001: Outgoing President Bill Clinton schedules two separate radio addresses to the nation, and organizes a public farewell speech/ rally in downtown Washington D.C. scheduled to directly conflict with incoming President Bush’s inauguration ceremony.

*****
January 20, 2009: President Bush leaves office without issuing a single Presidential pardon, only granting a commutation of sentence to two former border patrol agents convicted of shooting a convicted drug smuggler. He does not grant any type of clemency to Scooter Libby or any other former political aide, ally, or business partner.

January 20, 2001: President Clinton issues 140 pardons and several commutations of sentence on his final day in office. Included in these are: billionaire financier, convicted tax evader, and leading Democratic campaign contributor Marc Rich; Whitwater scandal figure Susan McDougal; Congressional Post Office Scandal figure and former Democratic Congressman Dan Rostenkowski; convicted of bank fraud, sexual assault and a child porn perpetrator and former Democratic Congressman Melvin Reynolds; and convicted drug felon Roger Clinton, the President’s half-brother.

*****
January 20, 2009: The Bush daughters leave gift baskets in the White House bedrooms for the Obama daughters, containing flowers, candy, stuffed animals, DVD’s and CD’s, and heartfelt notes of encouragement and advice for the young girls on how to prepare for their new lives in the White House.

January 20, 2001: Clinton and Gore staffers rip computer wires and electrical outlets from the White House walls, stuff piles of notebook papers into the White House toilets, systematically remove the letter “W” from every computer key-pad in the entire White House, and damage several thousand dollars worth of furniture in the White House master bedroom.

*****
Headlines 4 Years Ago:
“Republicans spending $42 million on inauguration while troops Die in unarmored Humvees”
“Bush extravagance exceeds any reason during tough economic times”
“Fat cats get their $42 million inauguration party, Ordinary Americans get the shaft”

Headlines Today:
“Historic Obama Inauguration will cost only $170 million”
“Obama Spends $170 million on inauguration; America Needs A Big Party”
“Everyman Obama shows America how to celebrate”
“Citibank executives contribute $8 million to Obama Inauguration”



H/T PM. The original submittal (as far as I can tell) can be found here, with evidence to back it up (see comments). Newsbusters took an in-depth look at the differences as well. CNN photo

You Are Not Alone

Glenn Beck has had enough. And he's pretty sure a lot of other people have as well.

He's tired of both political parties. He's tired of Washington and the elitists who run the place. He's tired of the complete lack of common sense in our government, from top to bottom. He's tired of tax-cheats who instead of getting penalized, the way the rest of us would be, are awarded cabinet positions to oversee the very programs they are cheating.

Beck has a list of nine principles he believes this country was founded upon. You can find the list, with a video explanation, here. Do you believe in these ideals?

If so, Glenn has a project he needs your help with. He wants each of us to take a picture of ourselves and email it to him if you believe in at least 7 of the 9 principles he's described.

Glenn believes there are a lot of people who, like him, have simply had enough. He believes there are so many more people who think like him, rather than the bozos in DC. Later this month, the reason why he's collecting these emails and pictures will be explained in detail.

The email address is wesurroundthem@gmail.com

***Update***
The email address has changed to wesurroundthem@foxnews.com
******
WE SURROUND THEM, it's time Washington got a wake-up call.

La France Rejette le Stimulus

Even the French get it right sometimes.

H/T Drudge

With All Due Respect to Pittsburgh...

If either Tampa Bay or Jacksonville were in the Super Bowl, this Dolphins fan wouldn't be rooting for either simply because they come from my original home state.

But I've lived here long enough to understand the state-wide affection and draw the Steelers have. Problem is, I still can't root for them today.

First is the whole "we are the greatest football franchise ever" mentality. While this may be a true statement - the Rooney's can be proud of their team - as a Philly guy and Dolphin fan, it's downright annoying. Childish jealously, I know. But seriously, folks in the western half of the state can't stand anything to do with Philly or their teams and they'd be first to admit it.

Another reason, Edgerrine James. Remember, it wasn't until after James was released from Indy that the Colts won the Super Bowl. Edge deserves a ring.

He was essentially benched one third of the way into the season because it seemed Tim Hightower was ready to take over the starting role. He took the demotion in stride. But as the season wore on, the pass-happy Cards lacked any real rushing threat.

Then came the playoffs, and the resurgence of a fresh-legged James. The one-two punch the pair now provide, mean the receivers get more room to work. Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner have taken full advantage.

The Cardinals will face the league's best defense in the Steelers who come off a brawl with their hated rivals, the Ravens. This version of the Steel Curtain lives up to the franchise's reputation. They are tough, hard-hitting, and force you into mistakes.

Roethlisberger is a gritty competitor and more seasoned than he was when he won this game the first time. Hines Ward and Willie Parker, stars of Pittsburgh's last Super Bowl, need to equal their feat in order for the Steelers to keep pace with the Arizona offense.

Kurt Warner has been here before as well. One of the NFL's best men off the field is becoming one of its greatest on, resurrecting the Cardinal franchise 9 years after doing the same thing for the St. Louis Rams, former home of his current squad.

Seven years after Tom Brady beat him for the Lombardi Trophy, Warner is looking to cap off his own resurrection and strengthen his resume for the Hall of Fame.

I like the Steelers, don't get me wrong. They represent the best of what Steeler football means and are favored to bring home a sixth championship.

But the Cardinals, and Bidwell family who owns them have always been nomads. They perhaps have the smallest fan base based on the constant relocation and lack of championships. The have long been the perennial doormats of the league. They have had as many homes as the Steelers have had head coaches.

Today we find out if a high scoring, big threat offense can finally beat a great defense. Can the Arizona Cardinals, the Arizona Cardinals (!), actual be Super Bowl Champs? I think so.

Cardinals 33 - Steelers 24

I've always been partial to 13 anyway...
(photo courtesy of SportsIllustrated.cnn.com)