Mobsters made profit off taxpayers

From the Daily News:
The Bloomberg administration agreed in July to pay a real estate firm almost $46 million for 10 acres of vacant land in the East Bronx - where the city wants to build its long-delayed backup center for 911 operators.
The firm, Hutch Realty Partners LLC, is partly owned by two men, Michael Contillo and Joseph Deglomini, who were indicted in the 1990s for racketeering in a scheme with a reputed mobster, the Daily News has learned.
Hutch Realty quietly boughtSource: Queens Crap RSS Feed

Documents: Read the full contents of the proposed health care bill

Editor's Note: While health care reform proposals are still being reconciled on the Senate floor, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled the House plan Thursday at a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. Read the full contents of the proposed bill.

AC360°

The battle over health care reform reached another milestone Thursday as top House Democrats unveiled sweeping legislation that includes a highly controversial public health insuranceSource: AC360 RSS Feed

Keep Your SUV, Kill Your Dog

"They're faithful, friendly and furry — but under their harmless, fluffy exteriors, dogs and cats, the world's most popular house pets, use up more energy resources in a year than driving a car, a new book says.
In their book "Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living", New Zealand-based architects Robert and Brenda Vale say keeping a medium-sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000 km (6,213 miles) a year in a 4.6 liter Land Cruiser.Source: Blonde sagacity RSS Feed

Barack Obama is like Brazil

Charles Krauthammer discusses Barack Obama with the German news magazine Spiegel.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Krauthammer, did the Nobel Commitee in Oslo honor or doom the Obama presidency by awarding him the Peace Prize?

Charles Krauthammer: It is so comical. Absurd. Any prize that goes to Kellogg and Briand, Le Duc Tho and Arafat, and Rigoberta Mench and ends up with Obama, tells you all you need to know. For Obama it’s not very good because it reaffirms the stereotypes about himSource: Never Yet Melted RSS Feed

We Gotta Take the Power Back!

Imagine Michael Stipe (the lead singer of REM) buys a car and after the money has exchanged hands the dealer gives him a list of places he can't go with said car. I doubt that would go over to well. In essence that's what the music community is trying to do right now. Once again they are facing themselves activists (and forgetting they're musicians with a collective IQ of 80) and demanding their songs not be used in interrogations (at GITMO). Well, stop recording crap and we'll stopSource: Blonde sagacity RSS Feed

The Iowa Republican: Rod Roberts wins Allamakee County Straw Poll

Number of comments: 1

Below is the press release from the Roberts Campaign. Terry Branstad and Bob Vander Plaats were not in attendance.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rod Roberts won a straw poll among Allamakee County Republicans on Sunday, providing further evidence of his increasing support in all corners of the state.

Source: BlogNetNews.com/Iowa RSS Feed

John Deeth: Johnson County Dems BBQ

Number of comments: 0
Loebsack, Senate Contenders at JC Dems BBQ
"Because we've been pusing hard in on the public option, we're beginning to see some movement in the Senate," Congressman Dave Loebsack told the 150 or so Democrats gathered in Hills Saturdayfor the Johnson County Democrats fall barbecue. "We"

Source: BlogNetNews.com/Iowa RSS Feed

Blog Visitor of the Day

A few minutes ago I posted this on Twitter:No more nudity at San Onofre Beach: http://bit.ly/kbmgS Volunteers were tired of rolling what they thought were beached whales into the sea.Within seconds this visitor hit the blog post mentioned in the Tweet:
Boy, you mention "nudity" and the congressmen just come running.

Source: HolyCoast.com RSS Feed

Be Careful Which Palin Book You're Buying

Grumpy lefties thought they'd piggyback onto Sarah Palin's popularity and her new book by releasing a copycat book that's an endless hit job on the conservative star. Here are the book covers side-by-side (h/t Gateway Pundit):
Of course, the legitimate Palin book is on the right, "Going Rogue", and if you want to make sure you get the right one, here's the Amazon link:
There's a pretty good price war going on between the major booksellers with this book. It's a real bargain at $9. Source: HolyCoast.com RSS Feed

ThinkFast: October 23, 2009

In a meeting with President Obama yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) reportedly pushed for a public option that would allow states to opt-out of the program. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reportedly doesn’t have the votes for a robust public option. Meanwhile, one Democratic source said Obama appeared to prefer a “trigger” option.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) rejected the public option. “A public option at the forefront really doesSource: Think Progress RSS Feed

Evolution of the Obama Message II

Earlier this year I outlined the phases of the evolution of the Obama “message.” Here they are again, with another update.

Throughout the campaign and on into January of this year:
February’s phase II:
March and April “World Apology Tour” theme:

.

So now we come to the latest stage in the evolution …
October’s “Fox isn’t news” love us or else media assault:

.

Consider this an OPEN THREAD.

Source: Red State RSS Feed

Time to Deliver in Michigan: Antrim County and Detroit

Volunteers across the state of Michigan are taking part part in a national day of action to support President Obama’s plan for health reform, calling on their neighbors to ask them to tell their representatives that it's time to deliver on health reform.

The Antrim Women’s Democratic Club is reaching out to other women in their community in support for reform. Volunteers like Lynne want to make sure other women know that reform will end discrimination for gender and pre-existingSource: Obama HQ RSS Feed

Paterson says Kosciuszko replacement too expensive

From the Daily News:
The state has put a new price tag on the first phase of the long-awaited project to replace the Kosciuszko Bridge, but it may face a budget speed bump.
The state Department of Transportation released its $25.8 billion, five-year capital program last week, allocating $403.9 million to replace the aging span.
Gov. Paterson said the state can't afford it, with lawmakers struggling to close a $3 billion budget gap, but project supporters urged him not to pleadSource: Queens Crap RSS Feed

US Sen. Gillibrand calls for NYS Senator to resign

The good news to come out of Hiram Monserrate is the front page highlighting of the problem of domestic violence in America.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has sent us the following statement in support of our demand for the resignation or removal of Hiram Monserrate from the New York State Senate:

Senator Gillibrand's official statement:

"Domestic violence has no place in our society, and certainly has no place in the State Legislature. A court of law has found Sen.Source: The Albany Project RSS Feed

Stan McChrystal-- Leading America Into Its First Great Post-Bush Catastrophe

Lewis Sorley was born in West Point, NY, born into a military family. He went to high school at the Texas Military Institute, and then on to West Point itself. He spent almost his entire life as a desk officer, although he later worked as the chief of Policy and Plans Division at the C.I.A. His revisionist history of the War against Vietnam, A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam was published in 1999. Obama, Emanuel and Biden allSource: DownWithTyranny! RSS Feed

u.s. military's battle to wean itself off oil

Grist | In the summer of 2006, Marine Corps Major General Richard Zilmer sent the Pentagon an unusual “Priority 1” request for emergency battlefield supplies. Stationed at a temporary base in Fallujah, Zilmer was commanding a force of 30,000 troops responsible for protecting Al Anbar, the vast territory in western Iraq bordering Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. Heavily armed insurgents were hammering the region, and Al Qaeda was quickly gathering recruits. Zilmer’s beleaguered soldiersSource: subrealism RSS Feed

Hell's Kitchen buildings still a problem

From NY1:
Residents from one area in Hell’s Kitchen first contacted NY1 For You back in June, complaining about the unsanitary and unsafe environment created by several gutted buildings on 51st and 52nd Streets between Ninth and Tenth Avenues.
“Dirty, filthy, and very disgusting,” says resident Enoz Alenkav. “This has been like a place for the homeless, alcoholics, narcotics - you know, the aggressive ones. Sometimes we have to go across the street because we’reSource: Queens Crap RSS Feed

"Drill"...... by Sarah Palin

Drill Petroleum is a major part of America’s energy picture. Shall we get it here or abroad?

NRO

By Sarah Palin

Given that we’re spending billions of stimulus dollars to rebuild our highways, it makes sense to think about what we’ll be driving on them. For years to come, most of what we drive will be powered, at least in part, by diesel fuel or gasoline. To fuel that driving, we need access to oil. The less use we make of our ownSource: Theodore's World RSS Feed

U.S. troop funds diverted to DEMOCRATIC pet projects

We always claimed on the conservative side of the country that the democrats play politics all the time with the soldiers we have around the world in harms way fighting two wars and protecting the rest of the free world for practically nothing, this article if true proves it beyond a reasonable doubt.
All Americans should be infuriated at this report but I'm sure the liberal loons masquerading as the free press won't be talking about this, that's for damn sure....
For the troopsSource: Chicagoray RSS Feed

The unstimulating stimulus

The economic stimulus boondoggle was never about job creation. It was always about expanding government's role in our life. For more proof, that is, outside of what I've written before, I hand things over to the New York Post:
It's enough to make Bernie Madoff blush.
But not the federal government.
The Obama administration boasted yesterday that with $16 billion taken from you and given to others, 30,383 working Americans owe a hearty thanks of gratitude for their jobs.Source: Marathon Pundit RSS Feed

Nolan wants LPC to stop LIC strip club

From the Daily News:
Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan said she would contact the city Landmarks Preservation Commission and ask that the proposed strip club building at 42-50 21st St. be considered for its historical value so that Drakopoulos could not alter it into a nightclub.
Now here's someone who truly doesn't understand the Landmarks Law. Not surprisingly, she is a Queens Machine politician.

Source: Queens Crap RSS Feed

Rush’s Widdel Feewings are Aww Hurted

[Limbaugh composed (although will not acknowledge it) the parody "Barack the Magic Negro" to the stolen music of "Puff the Magic Dragon." Smoking gun follows.]

Awww. It seems that somebody’s suggesting that he’s a racist a**hole. Who?

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww …

And his widdle feewings are all hurted. I mean, who would LIE about somebody and then suggest he’s a racist? Why LIBERALS, of course! Listen:

State-Run Media Scum Smear Rush Using Fabricated Quotes OctoberSource: The Democratic Daily RSS Feed

The GOP just can't help lying

A couple days ago, we showed you some signs detailing the grasp the Republicans have on spelling. Some of you might have thought this was just a few of them, but it seems the problems with the English language are inherent when one is a Republican. It's that commitment to education and all that...Think I'm joking? Below is the front page of the new GOP web site - I helped by pointing out the error:

And if that were the only error, it would just be funny. But no, the IIE had to go all Source: 2008 Democratic Convention Watch RSS Feed

Why is the NRCC Tweeting About Hitler?

Really?

The site linked to by the National Republican Congressional Committee -- the official campaign arm of the House Republicans -- says that Barack Obama shares the same goals as Adolph Hitler. Seriously. What is wrong with these people?

Update [2009-10-13 12:55:36 by Jonathan Singer]: It looks like the NRCC has pulled the tweet. Still. It's hard to fathom how anyone at the committee could believe it to be in good taste or even remotely acceptable to link approvingly to aSource: MyDD RSS Feed

Glennbeckians protest outside school full of kindergartners because they didn't like Obama song

DOWNLOADS: (882)
PLAYS: (4358)

When a group of conservatives -- angered by a video showing kindergartners singing a song praising President Obama -- announced last week that they'd be protesting outside a Burlington Township, N.J., school today, school officials asked them to reconsider, since the school -- which houses kindergartners to second-graders -- would be in session:

The planned rally has school district officials planning to beef up security at the B.Source: Crooks and Liars RSS Feed

NYT Blog Says PWC's Study Is 'Industry Report,' While It Omits Dem Pedigree of Economist Disputing It

Let's see. A Big 4 independent public accounting firm vs. the Democratic Party's go-to health care economics guy. Who has more presumptive credibility?

It's more than a little offensive to see the people whose party gave us entitlement programs with multitrillion-dollar unfunded liabilities (Social Security and Medicare), pension plans that are completely unsustainable (the federal government and many states), and year-over-year budget increases that almost always dwarf inflation -- Source: NewsBusters RSS Feed

The Congressman's Quandary -- By: Peter Robinson

Today on Uncommon Knowledge, political scientist David Brady and economist Daniel Kessler, both of the Hoover Institution, discuss why ClintonCare failed—and why ObamaCare looks touch-and-go-now. One of the principal reasons: the “incomplete information” with which legislators must contend.

DANIEL KESSLER: How much will [health legislation] cost? Nobody really knows.  The CBO has scores as to what they predict it will cost the government, but how much it will actually costSource: The Corner RSS Feed

New Labor Secretary Worked for Anti-Union Law Firm

Alexander Manuel Sanchez, Governor Martin O’Malley’s new Secretary of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, once worked for a law firm that defends employers from employee discrimination claims, worker class actions, OSHA citations, union organizing campaigns and other litigation by employees.
When the Governor announced Sanchez’s hire, he was a Senior Vice-President at United Way of America. According to Sanchez’s United Way biography, two of the jobs he held prior to his tenureSource: Maryland Politics Watch RSS Feed

Sunday Classics preview: Can you identify the composer(s)?

by Ken
We have here two versions of the same little waltz, one for solo piano, the other for string quartet. Obviously one is an arrangement of the other, though not necessarily by the original composer. Your challenge is to guess the composer of the original version -- who, in case you hadn't guessed, is the subject of this week's Sunday Classics. Of course, you should also identify which version is the original.
For extra credit, identify the composer of the arranged version.
Source: DownWithTyranny! RSS Feed

What Did He Do?

SNL answers the obvious question of what exactly Barack Obama has done in less than a year in office to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.

4:12 video

Ann Althouse explains why he didn’t get the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Bruce Kesler has 10 reasons we should all be glad Obama won, starting with: Everyone should start their day with a good laugh. My wife laughed loudly when I shouted the news to her down the stairs.

Micky Kaus thinks he ought to turn it down. Lots ofSource: Never Yet Melted RSS Feed

150 Mil not Enough to Keep Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera From Becoming A Drunken Ass

This is what this guy pulled over the weekend while his team was home sleeping off a loss, a team which now faces a one game, winner take all meeting tonight thanks mostly to his 0-4 performance after a night getting slammed 3 times the legal drinking limit, then topping the night off by coming home to scare the crap out of his wife, who calls 911.
audio from Detroit Free Press

He achieved this great state of mind while partying with the opposing team that kicked his fat ass Source: Chicagoray RSS Feed

Jindal: Republicans Have to Join Battle of Ideas

The Washington Post published an op-ed yesterday written by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Read it; it’s a good one.

Jindal believes that Republicans have to join the “battle of ideas” about health care reform. Reform, he says, is necessary.

He first gets a dig in at Democrats:

The debate on health care has moved on. Democratic plans for a government takeover are passé. The people don’t want it. Believe the polls, the town halls, the voters. Only Democrats in Source: PoliGazette RSS Feed

Today is first day on job for new MTA chief

   Jay Walder started his job today as chairman and CEO of the Metropolitian Transportation Authority, first meeting with employees at the Corona Subway Maintenance Shop and the Casey Stengel Bus Depot in Queens, then greeting riders at the Main Street Station on the No. 7 line in that borough.

   Last month, the Senate confirmed Gov. David Paterson’s appointment of Walder to the $350,000-per-year post, and his term expires June 30, 2015. The MTA service region comprises NewSource: Politics on the Hudson RSS Feed

Good News for Terrorists: Democratic Revisions to the PATRIOT Act

The wives of the terrorists arrested in Canada who were planning to detonate bombs against the Toronto stock exchange, storm Parliament and, if they were lucky, behead the prime minister. ( Note CELL Phones)

Good News for Terrorists: Democratic Revisions to the PATRIOT Act

By Dick Morris And Eileen McGann

If only terrorists would be so accommodating as not to change cell phones, the new curbs on the Patriot Act being pushed bySource: Theodore's World RSS Feed

Michael Moore and Plutonomy

Last night, I went to Moore’s latest cinematic op-ed, “Capitalism: A Love Story.” I haven’t seen a Michael Moore film since “Roger & Me.” I did watch his brilliant, short-lived network series “TV Nation” (IMHO the immediacy of television makes it a better medium for Moore).

The film introduces us to the term “plutonomy,” coined five years ago by Ajay Kapur of Citigroup Global Markets. Actually, I think “Plutonomy” would have made a better title (Moore originallySource: One Utah RSS Feed

A Doctor's Note

On Friday, Dr. Alice Chen sent out a special message to fellow OFA supporters:

My name is Alice Chen. I'm an OFA supporter, and a physician practicing internal medicine in Los Angeles.
I'm following the health reform debate pretty closely -- you probably are too. And as I see opponents of reform trying to water down or derail the President's plan, I know it's our urgent responsibility to speak out.
That's why millions of my fellow doctors and nurses, the American MedicalSource: Obama HQ RSS Feed

Obama Nation Billboard Draws Attention

Obama Nation Billboard Draws Attention

New Sign Along I-70 Has Motorists Talking

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.

Drivers on Interstate 70 can barely see the billboard but once they do the message has been gaining attention.

The billboard is located along I-70 between the Adams Dairy Parkway and the Grain Valley exits. The billboard reads, "How do you like your change now? Obama Nation. They are coming for you! The Taxpayer. First and SecondSource: Theodore's World RSS Feed

Protesting Joe Biden

The Vice President was in town tonight, to attend a fundraiser for Arlen Specter. Word on Twitter spread there was going to be some protesting across the street at our local supermarket, so we hopped in the car and drove on down.

Bitter was carrying a sign, and I was documenting the whole thing on Twitter. I am not much of a protester, and don’t particularly enjoy attracting attention to myself, so I mostly lurked in the background taking pictures, and tweeted the event. MidwaySource: Snowflakes in Hell RSS Feed