Obamacare? What Obamacare?

It seems like the White House doesn't want to talk about their healthcare scheme.  This article in Powerline explains why.

Irene's Aftermath

According to The Seattle Times, Hurricane Irene has now claimed 38 lives, not to mention leaving cutting off power to millions of people.  To some, the damage was less than expected, however, as mentioned in the Seattle Times the biggest surprise was the damage caused to inland communites in Upstate New York and and New England.

Some people, especially journalists and politicians took this event too seriously as mentioned in the UK Telegraph.

Then again, some people didn't take the hurricane seriously enough...

...who'd a thought a hurricane was an occassion to hold a wet T-shirt contest?

Hurricane Irene Chews Up the Eastern Seaboard

(Image:  Grey Skies over Manhattan.  AP Photo by Mary Altaffer)

The big news, even for those of us on the west coast, is Hurricane Irene.  The cable news networks are running continuous coverage of the event. Even though Irene is "only" a Category 1 hurricane it's still "ferocious" according to Yahoo News.

The Seattle Times reports on the drenching the east coast is getting. 

The photo galleries in both articles are worth looking at.  As an Upstate New Yorker, it's incredible to see "the city that never sleeps" so deserted.

The number of people without electicity is said to be in the millions, 9 people have been killed so far, while thousands of airline flights and commuter train runs have been cancelled.  However, the full extent of the damage won't be known until the storm passes.

NYT: Showing It's Bias (Again)

Clay Waters of News Busters rolls-in on Bill Keller's upcoming editorial in the New York Times (NYT), for comparing the Republican candidates belief in God with a belief in space aliens. 

As Mr. Waters points out, the NYT wasn't too keen about investigating Obama's relationship with Reverend Jeremiah "Goddam America" Wright during the 08 Election.  And the GOP candidates come from various Christian denominations. 

I wonder if Mr. Keller would make a similar comparison of God/aliens in front of a Jewish or Muslim politician?

Somehow, I doubt it.

9/11 Commemoration Ceremony: A No-Clergy Zone

In addition to Hurricane Irene, another storm is brewing:  New York City Mayor Bloomberg, decided not to invite any clergy to the tenth commemoration ceremony of the 9/11 attack.  FOX Nation has the tip of this story.  Meanwhile, Hizzoner still thinks blocking the construction of Ground Zero Mosque would "...violate the essence of America."

In Hizzoner's own words:  "I think it's fair to say if somebody was going to try, on that piece of property, to build a church or a synagogue, nobody would be yelling and screaming..."

Of course not, because the terrorist who conducted the 9/11 attack weren't followers of Christian or Jewish religious-political ideology.

Afghanistan: A No-Fart Zone

A new ROE (Rule of Engagement) leveled on US Marines serving in Afghanistan:  According to this Military Times article, Marines aren't allowed to fart in the presence of Afghans. 

Now here in America, farting is often a source of great amusement or annoyance, depending on your point of view, as pictured below, from an aticle by Dean Somerset.

The comments following the Military Times aricle are worth reading.  And as Comrade Karla points out:

This is just so much worse than say, having sex with [a] minor or treating women as property...

Well said comrade.

Gadhafi's Neverland Ranch

Libyan rebels were "...shocked! Shocked!" to discover the opulance of their former dictator's palace.  Those of us who're lucky enough to live outside the rule of Third World dictators are not surprised by any of this, including the porn collection.

Gadhafi apparently had the hots for Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's former Secretary of State.

A Whole Lot a Shakin' Goin' on in the East Coast

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake, epicentered northwest of Richmond, VAjolted the east coast today and was felt along most of the eastern seaboard.  Today's article in Yahoo News explained why such a "small" earthquake was felt over such a great distance.  Scientific American provided a slide show in its website.  While here on WA State, the Seattle Times provided some local insight to the event.

Where in the World is Moammar Gadhafi?

Remember that "kinetic military operation," formerly called "war," going on in Libya? 

Yeah, I forgot about it too.

Apparently, after several months of dithering in the desert, the Libyan rebels have made stunning gains, while Gadhafi's goons have deserted en-mass.

Three of Gadhafi's surviving sons have been captured.  However, problem is:  No one knows where Libya's, possibly former, tyrant is now.

Meanwhile, Obama, who's "led from behind" all these months, offers cautious optimism. 

Note:

I'm still in the process of settling into my new home and haven't posted anything for several days.  It will take me several more to get caught up on all that's going on in the US and the rest of the world.

Social Democracy: How's it Working for Europe?

The answer to this posts title, especially in the aftermath of the riots in the UK (and previously in Greece) is:  Not very well.

Bret Stephens reveals some ugly facts about Europe's "quaint" social engineering experiment in the WSJ.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Scalia, wrote a timely review of Mark Steyn's timely book After America in hte blog, First Things.

Looks like the police van in the image above, could use some mechanical stimulus to get running again...

Religion of (non)Peace

The Strategy Page lays bare some facts about the "religion of peace." 

Comrade Karla made a few good points about this:

Not 100 percent sure about this conclusion that most radicals are lacking in skills and money. The 9/11 hijackers certainly did not, nor were they poor, radicalized morons such as you’ll find in the West Bank, Iraq or A-stan. We ignore the strata of seemingly integrated, westernized radicals at our peril (the Euros are discovering this, slowly). I hope we are, too.

Working hard at being terrorists...

(Cartoon by Bob Lang)