Another Task Force Ranger poser busted

Invalid valor: Vet lied about his service

Boasting a military record that included two Purple Hearts, decorations for valor and combat service in Somalia with the Army Rangers, Brian Culp seemed the perfect war hero to be honored last year as grand marshal in LaVernia's patriotic parade.

..................


“I have a copy of the joint meritorious unit award that was awarded to all the Rangers in Somalia in support of Operation Gothic Serpent, aka ‘Black Hawk Down,' and his name is not on it. I can state with 100 percent certainty, he was not there,” said former Ranger Raleigh Cash of Illinois, who participated in the Somali operation.

Cash said that when he confronted Culp by phone last year, the story changed. Culp said he had been deployed with a different Army unit that was sent in to help the Rangers. But this story didn't check out either.

..................

For Culp, the long trail of fiction and perhaps delusion may have ended Dec. 4 when he pleaded guilty to three federal misdemeanor charges: falsely claiming to have earned a Purple Heart, falsely claiming to have earned a Bronze Star with valor, and creating a counterfeit military identification.

He will be sentenced Dec. 29 in San Antonio and faces up to three years in prison.

Sometime soon, Culp also finally will gain formal recognition from the brotherhood of Rangers he so desired to claim. A place of dubious honor awaits him on a Web site belonging to an association of former Army Rangers.

Ranger Cash helps nail another assclown. I look forward to seeing his sentence and his name on the wall of shame.

You can visit Ranger Cash's memorial website at http://www.bravo57.com/

The right to arm bears

Dispute stalls bear hunt season

Wildlife officials want to bar hunters who use old-fashioned muzzleloading rifles or bows and arrows from taking more powerful firearms along as backup. Some state lawmakers think that violates a constitutional right to bear arms.

First off I have to say I fully support the right to arm bears. Second I think any found guilty of poaching a bear to sell the gall bladder to the Chinese should have his removed with a rusty spoon dipped in bear scat.

Kentucky also bars carrying a pistol while bow hunting for deer even if you have your CDWL (Concealed Deadly Weapons License). I have always disagreed with that because you never know what sort of drunken idiot you are likely to encounter on your own property. Having recently encountered several brazen coyotes this year deer hunting with my crossbow Fish and Wildlife will just have to deal it.

Kentucky does not seem to support suitable numbers of bears for a 2 day hunt. I would imagine that those in KY F&W undoubtedly know that but some office dwelling puke is pushing this hunt. I myself have no interest in hunting black bears in Kentucky or anywhere else unless the numbers get substantially better than current levels.

I have a friend who paid for a Canada bear hunt and came back with a pitiful story of the hunt. The guide set him up on a small hill and told him to watch a stump in the clearing below around daybreak. Sure enough a black bear came out at daybreak and he shot and killed it. When he got brave enough to venture down the hill he found a hollow stump filled with Twinkies. I'm surprised the bear wasn't wearing a name collar.

A Christmas message from Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist

Kansas church seeks to join Washington state holiday display fray

Those that know me know I am against religious displays in government buildings. Religion has a place and time but the State Capital building is not it. Putting religious displays in such places will do nothing but open a Pandora's box. Well now its too late the box is open and inside is a steaming pile of shit named Fred Phelps.

According to Spokesman-Review reporter Rich Roesler, the first part of Westboro's proposed message:

"You'd better watch out, get ready to cry, You'd better go hide, I'm telling you why 'cuz Santa Claus will take you to hell. He is your favorite idol, you worship at his feet, but when you stand before your God He won't help you take the heat. So get this fact straight: you're feeling God's hate, Santa's to blame for the economy's fate, Santa Claus will take you to hell."

Congratulations dumb asses that is going to look great next to the nativity scene that you just had to put there. When it comes down to it the Capital Building belongs to the taxpayers so they have just as much right as anyone else once you set the precedence.

Looks like the hallway is getting crowded:

The Westboro Baptist Church's message would be near a Nativity set, three signs mocking atheism, and an atheist sign that celebrates the winter solstice, while also taking a shot at religion as "myth and superstition" that enslaves minds, all in the state Capitol's third-floor hallway.

The Westboro request is under consideration by the state Department of General Administration, which also has a request for a display depicting "The Spaghetti Monster" and "a Christian woman in Bellevue who wants to erect a sign offering blessings on all people."

"Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster" is a parody of the Kansas education-board decision to teach "intelligent design" as an alternative to Darwinist evolutionary concepts in biology classes.

Also under consideration is a request for a "Festivus" pole, a reference to the mock holiday "Festivus for the Rest of Us" popularized by the "Seinfeld" sitcom in the late 1990s.

/sigh

Kentucky Cigarette tax go for launch?

Cigarette tax gets plenty of support at town meeting

Gov. Steve Beshear's town meeting here on the state budget crisis got a little smoky Thursday, as the proposed cigarette tax hike drew the most public comments.

However, only one of the approximately 100 people at North Middle School questioned the wisdom of raising the tax, saying it might put Kentucky merchants in border cities at a competitive disadvantage.

Beshear said that's not necessarily so. "We're the third lowest state in the country at 30 cents," and his proposal is to raise it 70 cents, which would still be 19 cents lower than the national average. All the states to the north have higher taxes, he said, saying only merchants that border Missouri and West Virginia might find themselves at a disadvantage.

Essentially, Beshear said, a tax on tobacco "is an easier sell than any other tax out there right now" and Kentucky may be forced to raise its sales tax if the economy gets too much worse.

Five other people spoke on the issue Thursday and were all in favor of the idea, especially state Rep. David Watkins, D-Henderson, who pre-filed a bill last week to raise the tax 70 cents. He sponsored an identical bill last year that failed in the Senate.
"

Keep up the good fight Dr Watkins. I do hope when this passes it can be worded so that the extra money can go to offset the cost of the Medicaid program and not into the black hole of the general fund.

Previous post on the subject here.

Reuters headline: U.S. says lacks intelligence to fight pirates in Somalia

U.S. says lacks intelligence to fight pirates in Somalia

MANAMA (Reuters) – The United States lacks the intelligence needed to pursue the fight against pirates on Somali soil, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Saturday.

His comments came days after the U.S. delegation at the United Nations circulated a draft resolution that would give countries the right to pursue pirates on land as well as at sea.

Analysts say that pursuing pirates on land is crucial to any military response to attacks that have targeted dozens of ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean in recent months.

As usual the UN is moving at lightning speed on this.

Just because your paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you

Maybe the Iranians are not as paranoid as we thought?

UAW 1 White House 0

Administration unwilling to see automakers fail

Its official now after 8 years of supporting you between the Wall Street bailout that we will never see again and the now Big 3/UAW bailout you make me fucking sick. You couldn't let it ride until Obama came in office? Its 40 days they would have to wait WTF?

Meanwhile:

UAW lashes out at senators in Southern states with foreign car plants after auto aid bill dies

Their top targets were Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who led negotiations on a compromise; and Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., who has been a vocal critic of the loans.

Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama all house auto assembly plants from foreign automakers, and union officials contend the senators want to drive UAW wages down so there would be no reason for workers at the foreign plants to join the union.

"They thought perhaps they could have a twofer here maybe: Pierce the heart of organized labor while representing the foreign brands," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said at a Friday morning news conference in Detroit.

That is the most pathetic thing I have ever heard. I have friends and family that work at Toyota of Georgetown KY and Toyota of Princeton IN and none of them want any part of your crooked UAW. They make more than their Big 3 counterparts without dumping money into the UAW coffers.

Toyota could crush the Big 3 and I wish they would just go on and do it. They also seem forget that KY has a GM plant in Bowling Green and a Ford plant in Louisville. Just tour the Corvette factory and you will quickly see why GM cannot compete with Toyota.

Welcome Home Air Force Maj. John Lee McElroy

RIP Sir.

Kentucky airman killed in Vietnam to be buried

Forty years after his death in a daring rescue mission in Vietnam, a Kentucky airman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery in what his son calls a "Christmas family miracle."

Air Force Maj. John Lee McElroy, of Eminence in north-central Kentucky, will be interred next Thursday with his crewmates, who died when their C-130 aircraft was shot down on Mother's Day in 1968 while evacuating soldiers from a military base being overrun by enemy forces.

In May 1968, McElroy's crew volunteered to fly into a Special Forces base being overrun by enemy forces, his son said. Other aircraft had already been shot down trying to evacuate troops, he said.

The C-130 left the base with about 150 South Vietnamese soldiers and their families aboard, he said.

Thanks for nothing W

White House readies new rescue for auto industry

At a news conference on Friday, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger accused GOP senators who blocked emergency loans of trying to "pierce the heart" of organized labor.

As much as the UAW function like a vampire sucking the life out of the Big 3 my preferred method of destruction would be to ...

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who played a leading role for Republicans, told reporters at the Capitol that the talks came close to success but failed when the UAW refused to commit to lowering its pay-and-benefits package in 2009 so it would be "at parity" with the Japanese companies.

He also laid blame at the feet of the administration. "I think it being known that the White House at the end of the day would probably blink probably helped keep us from a deal," he said.

You think?

Of course the UAW didn't budge since they knew the Bush administration was going to cave. They only have to make until Jan 21st when Obama is sure to give the UAW/Big 3 whatever they ask for get some stones W.

Maybe we need someone else to deal with the UAW and Big 3 management.

American Spectator author Bill Croke links poaching with video games?

As someone who games and hunts undoubtedly more than Mr Croke I think he is talking out of his ass.

My own experience observing kids playing video games (in the Salmon, Idaho Public Library, no less) are that they always seem to involve human characters hunting down and shooting other human characters with automatic weapons, while being shot at themselves.

Is that a fact Mr Croke?

Interestingly, a call to the Salmon, Idaho Public Library revealed that they do not, in fact, carry video games which obviously casts some doubt over how thorough Croke has really been in his "research" for this piece. "We do not carry games, just books, DVDs, CDs, and books on tape," said the nice lady who answered the phone.

Hmm another media clown busted for making things up.

That's no moon. It's a space station

Oh wait it is the moon.

No, you can not see Neil Armstrong's footprint. But go ahead and look: The full Moon of Dec. 12th is the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year.

It's no illusion. Some full Moons are genuinely larger than others and this Friday's is a whopper. Why? The Moon's orbit is an ellipse with one side 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other: diagram. In the language of astronomy, the two extremes are called "apogee" (far away) and "perigee" (nearby). On Dec. 12th, the Moon becomes full a scant 4 hours after reaching perigee, making it 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser full Moons we've seen earlier in 2008.

Middle East car dealerships order 15,000 Toyota Sequoia SUVs

Toyota plant lands $675 million contract

A Christmas angel has shined on Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI) big time, to the tune of an overseas order for 15,000 Sequoia SUVs.

The order, for car dealerships in the Middle East, totals between $650 million to $750 million.

Kelly Dillon, Toyota's manager of public affairs and purchasing, confirmed the order.

She said officials of Gulf Coast Cooperative, which represents six of the nine different independent auto companies in the countries wanting the vehicles, recently visited the Toyota operation in Gibson County to assess the quality of the Sequoia.

I can't imagine why they would choose the Toyota over something from the Big 3.

New UAW PR Campaign

h/t Boing Boing

Anti Theft Measures

Say what you want about Joe Biden

Biden — not Obama — gets new pooch

At least he got a real dog. Plus he did not give into any political correctness bullshit and adopt from a shelter. I think if people want to adopt from shelters that is fine but pressuring people to do it is bullshit. The article I linked to didn't make it past the 2nd comment before someone brought that up.

For some kids there really is a Santa

10 Members of ODA 3336 3rd SF Group Receive Silver Star for Afghan Battle

10 Green Berets to Receive Silver Star for Afghan Battle

A harrowing, nearly seven-hour battle unfolded on that mountainside in Afghanistan's Nuristan province on April 6, as Walton, his team and a few dozen Afghan commandos they had trained took fire from all directions. Outnumbered, the Green Berets fought on even after half of them were wounded -- four critically -- and managed to subdue an estimated 150 to 200 insurgents, according to interviews with several team members and official citations.

Today, Walton and nine of his teammates from Operational Detachment Alpha 3336 of the 3rd Special Forces Group will receive the Silver Star for their heroism in that battle -- the highest number of such awards given to the elite troops for a single engagement since the Vietnam War

Very intense article.

As Ford and Staff Sgt. John Wayne Walding returned fire, Walding was hit below his right knee. Ford turned and saw that the bullet "basically amputated his right leg right there on the battlefield."

Walding, of Groesbeck, Tex., recalled: "I literally grabbed my boot and put it in my crotch, then got the boot laces and tied it to my thigh, so it would not flop around. There was about two inches of meat holding my leg on." He put on a tourniquet, watching the blood flow out the stump to see when it was tight enough.

Then Walding tried to inject himself with morphine but accidentally used the wrong tip of the syringe and put the needle in this thumb, he later recalled. "My thumb felt great," he said wryly, noting that throughout the incident he never lost consciousness. "My name is John Wayne," he said.

Congratulations gentlemen and thank you for your service.

Teen girls fired from KFC for bathing on the job

Well okay so they were in the dish washing sink together and taking pictures they posted on their myspace pages. I hope their 15 minutes is over and they do not end up getting to reenact this scene in Maxim when they turn 18 or we will be seeing this sort of thing all over.

But I can't help but wonder if business went up or down at that location?

Pics at the link

Kentucky automobile dealers were surprised, confused and saddened

Ky. auto dealers disappointed by McConnell's opposition to bailout

The majority of Americans oppose the bailout and he knows most of us are still angry over the Wall Street bailout. What is so difficult to understand here?

I love reading comments on that website my state is so full of union assclowns.

The union would not budge as usual because they are only in the business of taking. Lets see how well they do when GM files chapter 11.

By the way Toyota has a plant in KY and IN and I consider those cars more American than the garbage that the Little 3 now peddle.

RIP Bettie Page

Bettie Page dies at 85

I really wanted to get an autographed print of this by Bettie and Olivia de Berardinis. I doubt I can afford one now.

"Suprise Cock Fags!"

Ejection port door for 5.56mm upper receivers.

Great stocking stuffer!

Its over for the Big 3 "Car Czar" to be named

If there ever was a sure fire way to ensure the problem will never be solved its to appoint a "czar".

Pelosi: "car czar" could be named this week, Volcker eyed

If you think GM management does a piss poor job just wait til Washington starts calling the shots. Glad I own a Toyota.

Juveniles convicted home invasion and beating an elderly woman get treated to taxpayer funded trip to Obama inauguration

Only in the Cali justice system

Last reported to being measured for tuxedos. I'm sure the elderly woman and her family are thrilled with the use of their tax dollars in a state currently begging for a federal bailout.

More Somali wierdness in Minnesota

I have been following the story about the missing Somali men over at the Gateway Pundit. Maybe Minnesota should be thankful that after training for Jihad in Somalia that the bomber returned in chunks and not to wage Jihad here. If they can be recruited so easily in Minnesota to fight in Somalia they could very easily come home to wage Jihad here. Time to find out who is funding them but lets not look at any of the local Muslim groups we may offend someone.

I would think returning to Somalia to join the pirates would be a slightly better career move than suicide bomber but hey cleansing the gene pool one assclown at a time.

The Palm Pistol hangun for the disabled

Medicare to Cover Prescription Handguns?

We recently reported about a new 9mm handgun that was designed for folks suffering from arthritis and other disabilities affecting the hands. Constitution Arms, the manufacturer of the firearm, is reporting that the FDA has formally designated the gun as a medical gadget.

The Palm Pistol

Prescription only?

h/t instapundit

Rights group berates West over Somalia failure

Via CNN

The United States and other Western powers have "exacerbated Somalia's downward spiral" and must revise their policies in the east African country, a Human Rights Watch report has warned.

The report, released Monday, blames the policies under President George W. Bush for "breeding the very extremism that it is supposed to defeat."

"The new administration of U.S. President Barack Obama should urgently review U.S. policy in Somalia and the broader Horn of Africa and break with the failed approach of his predecessor," the report said.

It also cites key European governments for failing "to address the human rights dimensions of the crisis, with many officials hoping that somehow unfettered support to abusive TFG (Somali transitional government) forces will improve stability."

Somalia has been a war zone since the time of President George H W Bush. The best thing for Somalia and the Somali people would be to erase Mogadishu from the map along with the Somali pirate port of Eyl. Somalia will in all likely hood never be a complete country again with the hundred of clans ruling their own turf. Maybe Human Rights Watch should take its ass down there and try to teach some love and understanding. The Somali pastime is chewing khat and shooting each other.

I have friends that were in Somalia in 1992 when Bush the elder was pressured to send troops to end the famine. Funny that most of what I hear is that nobody in Mogadishu seemed to be starving but it was those outside the city. I also have friends that were there in 1993 when Clinton pressured by the UN and ill advised by Les Aspin thought that it was possible to nation build there. The same Les Aspin who denied the equipment commanders on the ground requested such as armor and AC-130 gunship support. No many believe that AC-130's were not provided in Somalia but that is only partly true. AC-130's were providing air cover until the day Task Force Ranger arrived when they were promptly removed and only returned after the Battle of the Black Sea on Oct 3-4 1993.

It is my worry of the Obama administration that his cabinet will be filled like Clintons. People who never served and do not understand or trust the military with a few token members with prior service who will tell the administration what it wants to hear.

If Somalia is to be the new training ground for terrorism it must be dealt with and certainly the pirates are now a much larger threat to international shipping. I understand the locals nearly shit their pants whenever the AC-130 would fly over screaming "AC" and taking cover. Maybe a few nighttime flybys of the port of Eyl would get their attention

Fred Thompson on the Economy

Extreme Farming

Obama New Deal breakdown

Obama unveils 21st Century New Deal

—ENERGY: “[W]e will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work.”

I hope before they go installing a new heating system they figure out if it would be cheaper to replace the building. But no this is our government they will no doubt upgrade the entire building just to tear it down next year and name it after dear leader.

—ROADS AND BRIDGES: “[W]e will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule – use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money.”

How about a nice Interstate 69 and a bridge?

—SCHOOLS: “[M]y economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools.”

Oh yeah that's what our failing schools need is a splash of paint, some fancy new bulbs and more laptops so the kids can check their myspace pages. Would be very helpful if some of the computer teachers actually knew more about them than the students.

—BROADBAND: “As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m president – because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world.”

How about pushing the technology that transmits broadband via power lines to rural America?

—ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS: “In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the Internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the Internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system – and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year.”

Ok here is the problem with this. Many hospitals have already gone to electronic documentation and there are multiple software systems. If we are talking about developing software for these systems to communicate and subsidizing the implementation that would be great. Government should not be footing the bill for hospitals to go electronic because it is in the hospitals best interest to do so. Hospitals can trim costs with electronic systems with faster billing and making sure everything is done to get full reimbursement.

Sen Dodd calls for GM CEO Rick Wagoner to resign

Key senator calls for GM head to step down

An influential senator drafting a multibillion-dollar bailout for Detroit's Big Three automakers said Sunday that the head of General Motors should step down, while President-elect Barack Obama accused car industry executives of a persistent "head-in-the sand approach" to long-festering problems.

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Banking Committee, said GM CEO Rick Wagoner "has to move on" as part of a government-run restructuring that should be a condition of financial life support for the auto industry.

"I think you have got to consider new leadership," Dodd said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Head in that sand like you guys watching Fannie and Freddie crash and burn? How about you resign first Senator Dodd.

Twitter to save the GOP?

Last night I got a chance to look over the article at Hot Air; Has the remaking of conservative infrastructure begun?

Down in the comments I found one that stated almost perfectly what I thought of the idea.

Posted by ErikTheRed

I didn't have a Twitter account but I signed up and downloaded the app for my iPhone. maybe later after I get some sleep I will check it out further. Technology could be a friend to the GOP but message has got to be there first. Going to be hard to get back on message of small government after the last 8 years.

Odd response to Greek riots

Rioters rampage through Greek cities

The story itself wasn't really that interesting until down towards the end.

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos promised there would be a thorough investigation into the teenager's death and pledged to punish anyone found responsible.

"It is inconceivable for there not to be punishment when a person loses their life, particularly when it is a child," Pavlopoulos said. "The taking of life is something that is not excusable in a democracy."

Not excusable in a democracy? Seriously what the fuck? A gang attacks cops so it would be ok for "children" to possible kill one of the police but god forbid one of the "children" be injured or killed.

Pop told me of a lesson he learned the hard way in Vietnam. Whats the difference between a 30 year old with a gun and a 13 year old with a gun? Not a damn thing. When you think they may kill you in an assault what does age, race, gender or anything else have to do with it?

Congrats to Congressmen Anh "Joseph" Cao and John Fleming

In the 2nd Congressional District, which includes most of New Orleans, Republican attorney Anh "Joseph" Cao won 50 percent of the vote to Jefferson's 47 percent and will become the first Vietnamese-American in Congress. His only previous political experience was an unsuccessful 2007 bid for a seat in the state legislature.

In the 4th Congressional District in western Louisiana, Republican John Fleming squeaked past Democrat Paul Carmouche in the race to replace retiring 10-term Rep. Jim McCrery, R-La. Only a few hundred votes separated the two.

Meanwhile Jefferson doesn't seem to think its in any way his own fault.

In a speech that was gracious but stopped short of concession, Jefferson blamed low voter turnout for his showing and said supporters may have thought he was a shoo-in after he won a Nov. 4 primary in the predominantly black and heavily Democratic district.

"I think people just ran out of gas a bit," he said. "People today flat didn't come out in large numbers."

Greg Rigamer, a New Orleans political consultant, said his analysis showed turnout in predominantly white sections of the district was double that in black areas. He said that helped push Cao to victory over Jefferson, who became Louisiana's first black congressman since Reconstruction when he took office in 1991.

"This is quite a feat," Rigamer said of Cao's victory.

Shinseki named VA secretary

Blah Blah Blah from the AP and all the other old dying media.

No old media article I have seen yet mentions he is the one that took the black beret from the Rangers who earned it and gave it to the entire Army as Army chief of staff.

Pakistan Gunmen burn $10 million worth of NATO vehicles

Pakistan Gunmen blasted their way into two transport terminals in Pakistan on Sunday and torched more than 160 vehicles destined for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan, in the biggest assault yet on a vital military supply line, officials said.

Maybe Pakistan is not the best place to stage supplies if they cannot/will not protect them?

The attackers fled after a brief exchange of fire with police, who arrived about 40 minutes later, he said.

The nine other guards who were on duty but stood helplessly aside put the number of assailants at 300, Khan said, though police official Kashif Alam said there were only 30.

30 or 300? That is a pretty wide range there.

Self Reliance

Patients as popsicle

I once packed a patient who had suffered an acute MI (heart attack) and was on the vent into a body bag with ice leaving only the head sticking out. The cardio thoracic surgeon at another facility wanted him packaged and shipped that way via EMS. You should have seen the look on the medics face when he saw the "package".

Now from the AP:

It took five shocks to get Cynthia Crawford's heart to start beating again after she collapsed at Ochsner Clinic a few weeks ago. A dramatic rescue, to be sure, yet it was routine care that she could have had at any hospital.

What came next, though, was not.

As she lay unconscious, doctors placed her in an inflatable cocoon-like pool that sprayed her naked body with hundreds of icy-cold jets of water, plunging her into hypothermia.

"Like jumping in the North Sea," said the cardiologist leading her care, Dr. Paul McMullan.

Days later, Crawford was recovering without the long-term harm she might have suffered.

The rest Study will examine whether frigid water can slow tissue death from heart attack

Product website: Life Recovery Systems

Ghosts of Christmas past part 2

I think this was Christmas 1978?

AP news story as usual based on nothing

AP Enterprise: Deaths loom over self-defense laws

An Associated Press review found a growing number of cases but no clear trend yet in how the law is applied or how cases will be resolved in court.

Well maybe they should wait for a trend before doing a non story stringing together unrelated shootings.

Self defense should not be that complicated. If you are in fear of your life or protecting the life of another its pretty straight forward. Laws requiring you to retreat are asinine.

The guy shooting someone coming out of his neighbors house was wrong and that's very dangerous. I'm glad it wasn't the neighbors kids practicing a fire evacuation plan.

Someone snatching a case of beer and running out of the store is a no brainer as well. The only reason the clerks life was in danger at the time of the shooting was because he chased the guy.

Castle doctrine laws are need to prevent home owners from being prosecuted for protecting themselves. Like this post I made back back when the law was passed in Kentucky about a paraplegic indicted for shooting an intruder.

PETA pushing the EPA for farm tax on livestock flatulence?

Proposed fee on smelly cows, hogs angers farmers

For farmers, this stinks: Belching and gaseous cows and hogs could start costing them money if a federal proposal to charge fees for air-polluting animals becomes law.

Farmers so far are turning their noses up at the notion, which is one of several put forward by the Environmental Protection Agency after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that greenhouse gases emitted by belching and flatulence amounts to air pollution.

It would require farms or ranches with more than 25 dairy cows, 50 beef cattle or 200 hogs to pay an annual fee of about $175 for each dairy cow, $87.50 per head of beef cattle and $20 for each hog.

Care to guess who payed for the cow fart study?

Really who could support this kind of nonsense?

The fee would cover the cost of a permit for the livestock operations. While farmers say it would drive them out of business, an organization supporting the proposal hopes it forces the farms and ranches to switch to healthier crops.

"It makes perfect sense if you are looking for ways to cut down on meat consumption and recoup environmental losses," said Bruce Friedrich, a spokesman in Washington for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

"We certainly support making factory farms pay their fair share," he said.

Well there you go then. So what about all the wild animals that roam my 300 acres I have to pay the state for permission to shoot? There are whitetail deer living off farms all over the country that the state seems to think belongs to them. They eat my crops and pass gas just like cows. I may have to go outside and shoot something to save the ozone layer. Good job PETA in reminding me to thin the herd.

Barney speaks and you missed nothing

Frank: 'To do nothing would be a disaster'

Allowing the U.S. automakers to declare bankruptcy would worsen the credit crisis, Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said Friday during an auto bailout hearing.

If the the Big Three Detroit automakers are permitted to "stop paying their debts" through bankruptcy, "it would greatly exacerbate the credit crisis," Frank said in his opening remarks at the House Financial Services Committee hearing.

"For us to do nothing ... in the midst of the worst credit crisis and unemployment situation in the last 70 years would be a disaster, said Frank, who is chairman of the committee.

But if the govt bails them out guess who just payed their debts?

Ranking minority member Rep. Spencer Bachus of Alabama said the financial crisis has overwhelmed "the reality ... that Detroit is making good cars."

U.S. automakers must not be allowed to fail because it would have a detrimental effect on the economy, Bachus said.

"Having said that," he said. "the No. 1 obligation is to the taxpayers. Government has no money of its own. In order to give ... it has to take."

Well at least Bachus remembers that much. Maybe they just write over every urinal in the capital building.

Ghosts of Christmas past part 1

Yes that's me unknown year with my Marx Guns of Navarone play set.

Christmas

Indictments in boys Uzi death

Three men, including a small-town police chief, were indicted Thursday on involuntary manslaughter counts in the gun-fair death of an 8-year-old who accidentally shot himself in the head with an Uzi that a prosecutor said he never should have been allowed to handle.

The club where the fair was held also was charged. The fair had promised shooters would have certified instructors in an advertisement, but District Attorney William Bennett said the child, Christopher Bizilj, was supervised by an uncertified 15-year-old boy.

Christopher, of Ashford, Conn., lost control of the 9mm micro submachine gun as it recoiled while he was firing at a pumpkin Oct. 26 at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman's Club in western Massachusetts.

Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury was charged because he owns the sponsor of the gun fair, COP Firearms & Training. Two men who brought the automatic weapon to the show, Carl Guiffre of Hartford, Conn., and Domenico Spano, of New Milford, Conn., also were indicted.

Fleury and the club also were indicted on four counts each of furnishing a machine gun to a minor. A conviction on each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, up to $10,000 in fines and the loss of a firearms license for at least 10 years.

Bennett said prosecutors know of at least four children, including Christopher, who fired automatic weapons at the fair. He added that Fleury had wrongly assured Guiffre and Spano that it was legal for children to use the Uzi under Massachusetts law.

The father was not charged because he was a layman and based his decision on information from others who should have known it was too dangerous, Bennett said. The 15-year-old boy who was supervising Christopher with the Uzi also will not be charged, he added.

So blame everyone but the parent?

Pills with Bluetooth?

Edible Electronics Monitor Drugs in Your Body

A biomedical company has created a system to embed tiny computers and sensors into drugs and link them to a cellphone or the internet in a bid to make the monitoring of drug efficacy foolproof.

Proteus' product consists of two parts: an ingestible sensor chip and an external band-aid-like patch. The chips are just 1mm square and 200 microns thick and are attached to pills with a bio-compatible glue. When swallowed the chips send a signal to the patch. The patch has accelerometers and amplifiers to track heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and body angle to determine if the patient is lying down or standing up.

That information is transmitted via Bluetooth to an online repository and can show how the body is responding to the drug, says Savage.

Well so long as its a 1 time use pill that is fine but I'm not gonna dig for it.

Watch out honey I'm about to go off

Man Says Wife Was Accidentally Shot During Sex

A Tri-State woman is in critical condition Wednesday after police say her husband shot her while they were having sex.

Timothy Havens, 38, told Springfield police he was reaching for something on the nightstand when the pistol went off, hitting his estranged wife Carolyn in the upper chest.

Audio of part of the 911 call at the link above. The man seems very calm?

h/t drudge

Gulf of Aden gets crowded as China seeks to join the fray

Call made for China navy to battle Somali pirates

A Chinese general has called for the country's navy to join the fight against Somali pirates, saying the mission would boost China's international stature and give its sailors valuable experience in fighting open ocean combat operations far from their home ports.

Chinese ships have been among those seized in a wave of pirate attacks this year, including the fishing vessel Tianyu No. 8, seized in mid-November.

International warships from NATO and countries including Russia patrol the Gulf of Aden and have created a security corridor in the area under a U.S.-led initiative, but attacks have not abated.

"Piracy doesn't just interfere in our country's navigational safety, it also impedes our development and interests," Major General Jin Yinan told state radio.

Hopefully with all these ships looking for a piece of the action there will not be anymore not so friendly friendly fire.

Sexism

From BLACKFIVE: Ask an Infantryman: MAN LANDS IN HOT WATER AFTER SON SPILLS THE BEANS

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are still at odds over something that happened months ago. He, his best friend and my 13-year-old son, "Mark," went to spring training in Florida. On one of the days, they went to lunch at a restaurant that features scantily clad waitresses. My husband told Mark not to tell me about it and to leave the telling to him. When they returned home on Sunday after their three-day weekend, Mark let it slip where they had gone for lunch one day. I hit the roof! Mark is a very young 13. I was furious that my husband took him to a place that Mark described as making him feel "uncomfortable" because of all the skin that was being shown. After I jumped on my husband for doing it, I heard him outside yelling at Mark for telling me before he had a chance to. I'm being accused of overreacting, Abby. Am I? -- PROTECTIVE LIONESS IN ATLANTA

Heh.

Nancy must be crying in her Corn Flakes: GM and Chrysler Considering Bankruptcy to Get Bailout

General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC are considering accepting a pre-arranged bankruptcy as the last-resort price of getting a multi-billion dollar government bailout, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a person familiar with internal discussions.

In response to automakers' bailout plea, staff for three members of Congress have asked restructuring experts if a pre-arranged bankruptcy -- negotiated with workers, creditors and lenders -- could be used to reorganize the sector without liquidation, Bloomberg said.

Publicly GM CEO Rick Wagoner has said bankruptcy would mean liquidation because consumers would refuse to buy cars from a company that might not be able to back warranties or supply parts. Bankruptcy is "way down the list of options," GM board member George Fisher told Bloomberg yesterday in an interview.

Bullshit. There are plenty of parts for your crappy cars. What about the extended warranties that stealerships love to sell? Could not it be worked out where new cars were covered from day 1 under those?

IDF prepares to go it alone against Iran

IDF preparing options for Iran strike

The IDF is drawing up options for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that do not include coordination with the United States, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel is preparing a wide range of options for such an operation.

“It is always better to coordinate,” one top Defense Ministry official explained last week. “But we are also preparing options that do not include coordination.”

The probability of the attack completely destroying the facilities is not good as Iran has learned from the mistakes of Osirak. The Iranian program is supposedly very deep and spread around multiple sites but a strike may delay completion.

Israel has asked for the green light from the US before.

I can understand Israel being impatient as they undoubtedly do not expect much help from the Obama administration who will likely insist on the UN to handle the problem. Just like they handle all other world problems by debating while Iran continues development. If Israel does go it alone Bush might was well offer the air space as the US will certainly be blamed anyway.

AR-15 mounted anti-zombie device

From AR15.com

He has action videos at the link. A real live functional chainsaw bayonet. Hopefully a mount from Mark LaRue will be forthcoming.

Exercise may cause fat asses to shrink

Exercise may speed weight loss after gastric bypass

Researchers found that of 199 patients who underwent gastric bypass, those who became more active after surgery lost more weight over one year than those who remained relatively inactive.

Well no shit.

German soldiers are 'too fat to fight' Taliban because they drink so much

German soldiers are 'too fat to fight' Taliban because they drink so much (while our boys go dry)

They drink too much and they're too fat to fight, that's the damning conclusion of German parliamentary reports into the country's 3,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan.

While British and U.S. troops in the country face a strict ban on alcohol, their German comrades are allowed two pints a day.

The stunning statistics reveal that in 2007 German forces in northern Afghanistan drank 1.7million pints of beer and 90,000 bottles of wine.

The troops also downed 896,000 pints of beer in the first six months of this year, the Times reported.

The statistics only add to the embarrassment of the country's federal army, Bundeswehr, after a report earlier this year found troops to be too fat, smoked too much and didn't exercise enough.

It showed they lived on beer and sausages while shunning fruit and vegetables.

The parliamentary report claimed that some 40 per cent of all German army personnel are overweight - a higher percentage than in the civilian population.

At the time Reinhold Robbe, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, stated: 'Plainly put, the soldiers are too fat, exercise too little, and take little care of their diet.'

The Times also reported the damning allegation from a senior officer that Germany is failing in its main mission to train the Afghan police. He descibed the efforts as 'a miserable failure'.

Since 2001, 28 German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.

Maybe they should rename them the Budweiser? Interesting facts but how many pounds of sausage went with all that beer?

Situational Awareness

Rule #1 of robbery don't put down your weapon

Cops: Robber Caught After Putting Gun Down

TAMPA, Fla. -- A Tampa man suspected of armed robbery apparently forgot that the key to a successful armed robbery is hanging on to the gun.

Police said 42-year-old Jerome Haggins, armed with a pistol, entered a Tampa home Saturday night, ordered six men to the ground and demanded they give up their wallets and jewelry.

He then forced them to take off their clothes and noticed that one of the men had not given up his bracelet.

Police said Haggins put his pistol on a table, walked over to the man and snatched the bracelet. But while Haggins was taking the bracelet, police said another victim grabbed the gun and pointed it at Haggins.

The would-be victims held Haggins until police arrived.

Haggins faces multiple charges, including armed robbery. He was being held without bail set.

Held my ass. Should have assumed the douche bag had a second weapon and splattered his tiny brain all over the wall.

For that special airplane nut

Take a seat back in time with this nostalgic Pan Am airplane window. Interesting and unique, the window is a part of the last existing Pan American Boeing 707, the N880PA, making it a rare and extraordinary collectors piece for pilots, airplane aficionados, world travelers and anyone who keeps their eyes on the skies. Made entirely of aluminum and includes necessary mounting hardware and instructions.

Woman's skeleton, 26 cats, 3 opossums and a raccoon found in L.A. home

Woman's skeleton found in foreclosed L.A. home

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Police investigating a foreclosed Los Angeles house found the skeleton of an elderly woman, apparently dead for two years, who had lived there with her 48-year-old son.

Coroner's officials said they were trying to identify the woman they believe was Barbara Hunt, who would have been 86.

Media reports said the woman's son, Robert Hunt, was at the home in North Hollywood when police arrived but had not been taken into custody.

Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said on Wednesday the woman's remains were found in the bed in a back room and that the deterioration of the body made it difficult to determine cause of death.

He said the woman was believed to have died in 2006.

Authorities went to the home on Monday evening after a mortgage broker notified them that it would revert to a bank at midnight after going through foreclosure.

The L.A. Daily News reported on its website that police found Robert Hunt living at the trash-filled home with 26 cats, three opossums and a raccoon.

California has been hit hard by the national wave of foreclosures -- when mortgage lenders repossess homes because buyers cannot meet their payments -- following a slump in the U.S. housing market and the credit market crunch.

Yeah good luck unloading that one.

GOP's problem is that it's not Centrist enough

More "Republicans should move to the Center" talk, this time from the Charlie Cook Report

From the Libertarian Republican Blog

I have to agree. Obama is not stupid he is a leftist and played the middle to win. He has cover for every fuck up for the next 4 years as the media will continue to blame Bush for everything. His next task will be to win reelection in 2012 by convincing everyone he will continue to govern from the middle. Look at this cabinet he has assembled that stabbed the left in the back. He screwed them and they know it but what are they going to do vote for the Republican candidate in 2012? I don't think so. He has them no matter what and he knows it. 2013 is when you need to worry about a hard slide left for Obama. Think Brady Bill 2.0 for Jan of 2013.

I predict the Republican circular firing squad will continue well into 2010. Barring Obama getting caught sodomizing a sheep on the White House front lawn with a Koran in his hand I predict he will crush the 2012 Republican candidate. The GOP will do something asinine again like Dole vs Clinton I am sure. You can already hear the calls from the social conservatives that the McCain wasn't far right enough to win. This will continue to alienate the white women, hispanic and black voters. There are just not enough left to rally the GOP with the call to the Pro-life and 2nd amendment scare tactics anymore.

Hopefully after another severe beat down in 2012 the libertarian wing of the GOP can can take charge from the out of touch Matlock/Murder She Wrote watching crowd that seems to be in charge now.

Atheists want God out of Ky. homeland security

Atheists want God out of Ky. homeland security

group of atheists filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to remove part of a state anti-terrorism law that requires Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security to acknowledge it can't keep the state safe without God's help.

American Atheists Inc. sued in state court over a 2002 law that stresses God's role in Kentucky's homeland security alongside the military, police agencies and health departments.

Of particular concern is a 2006 clause requiring the Office of Homeland Security to post a plaque that says the safety and security of the state "cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon almighty God" and to stress that fact through training and educational materials.

The plaque, posted at the Kentucky Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort, includes the Bible verse: "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."

It is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin F. Kagin, national legal director of Parsippany, N.J.-based American Atheists Inc. The group claims the law violates both the state and U.S. constitutions.

But Democratic state Rep. Tom Riner, a Baptist minister from Louisville, said he considers it vitally important to acknowledge God's role in protecting Kentucky and the nation.

Well thank you assholes for slipping that in there to open up the state to yet another law suit that you will loose. I bet if the Muslims ever do outnumber the Christians it will be you guys and Bill O'Reilly squealing like little bitches when they try to put their crap all over the state house. Maybe we should just leave God out of Govt before we have to have some sort of display for every crack pot religion?

St. Louis alderman says pack some heat

St. Louis Alderman Quincy Troupe calls on residents to carry handguns for safety

ST. LOUIS — Alderman Charles Quincy Troupe's neighborhood has seen nine homicides in 10 months this year, more than all but one other section of the city.

With gunplay wreaking havoc on his ward, Troupe thinks he has found an answer: citizens arming themselves.

The alderman is pleading with constituents to get guns of their own — and learn how to use them. Troupe, who represents a swatch of north St. Louis, is encouraging residents to apply for concealed weapons permits so they can start carrying a firearm.

Criminals have shown they would rather flee than engage and are more likely to target a house or person they consider a soft target.

Of course not everyone agrees:

Police Chief Dan Isom, who took office in October. Though Isom says he "can understand Alderman Troupe's frustration," citizens arming themselves is "not something I necessarily support."

"I don't really want a society where everyone in the city of St. Louis is carrying a gun," Isom said. "That, I don't think, is a recipe for a less violent community."

Fellow Alderman Lyda Krewson is more direct in her criticism. She calls Troupe's concealed weapons push "wacky" and "counterproductive."

Krewson, whose then-husband was shot and killed in front of their Central West End home 13 years ago, was one of the state's leading critics of the 2003 concealed weapons law.

"The more guns that we have on the streets in the city of St. Louis — or anywhere for that matter — the more guns are going to be stolen, and are going to fall into the wrong hands," Krewson said.

Big surprise the chief doesn't want the sheep armed meanwhile Krewson is just a loon. Krewson thinks because citizens get their conceal carry criminals will have more gun to steal? For fucks sake...

Mean while the mayor has the answer:

Mayor Francis Slay wrote in his blog Tuesday that some of the most violent crimes in Troupe's ward are committed with guns stolen from law-abiding citizens.

He said Troupe could do more good urging residents to cooperate with investigating police officers, lending support for activities for children, and lobbying legislators to increase funding for jobs training and economic development.

Yeah if only criminals/crackheads had a job they wouldn't be a lazy sack of shit who would rather steal than work. Like a politician or mayor?

Gun safety and you

Police Chief Who Shot Himself Talks Gun Safety

"I was a firearms instructor, SWAT team....it was that familiarity that got me in trouble."

Chief Greg Schwarber says Friday morning he took his daughter to the shooting range to teach her how to safely fire a weapon. A few hours later the veteran policeman was living that lesson when he went home to clean his weapon - a Glock 45.

"I had a pile of bullets and the magazine which I put on the side table...and as I did, I saw the TV controller and grabbed that...first mistake."

Chief Schwarber says he was distracted and forgot a crucial step to disassembling the Glock.

You think? Like maybe making sure there was not a round chambered? Not a fan of Glock but at least he didn't blame the gun and owned up to his fuck up. I hope the Chief spends some time in the local schools talking gun safety now after he is surely the talk of the town.

In a civilized society only the police would have guns because they are properly trained and responsible.

Like this guy who I hear is somehow still employed by the DEA?

Outgunned Mumbai police hampered by First World War weapons

Outgunned Mumbai police hampered by First World War weapons

Indian police who bore the brunt of last week’s attacks on Mumbai had defective bulletproof vests, First World War-era firearms and insufficient weapons training, police sources have told The Times.

Many wore plastic helmets and body protectors designed for sticks and stones, rather than bullets, as they fought highly trained militants armed with AK47 rifles, pistols, grenades and explosives.

The contrast between them was vividly illustrated yesterday by CCTV footage of two militants attacking Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus, Mumbai’s main railway station, last Wednesday.

It shows the gunmen spraying automatic fire while two constables cower behind pillars, one armed with a .303 rifle similar to the Lee-Enfield weapons used by British troops in the First World War.

I think I already pointed this out in my observations here. A well placed shot with a Lee-Enfield trumps wild spray from an AK-47 but alas the lack of training. From the live video of the event there seemed to be either a lack of will to engage the shooters or maybe they were following orders to hold until the "commando's" showed up.

Pelosi still trying to stave off bankruptcy for Big 3

Pelosi Says Bankruptcy by Automakers ‘Not an Option’

Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she believes either Congress or the Bush administration will step in to aid domestic automakers because bankruptcy is “not an option.”

“I believe that an intervention will happen,” Pelosi said at a briefing in Washington. “Everybody is disadvantaged by bankruptcy, including our economy, so that’s not an option.”

Especially you right Nancy? The UAW probably would not have much extra cash to throw your way next go round if they had to renegotiate the contracts.

Someone needs to spend more time on the rifle range

Wounded deer attacks hunter who shot him

SEDALIA, Mo. — A Sedalia hunter bagged a big buck on the second day of firearms season, but the kill caused him a lot of pain.

Forty-nine-year-old Randy Goodman said he thought two well-placed shots with his .270-caliber rifle had killed the buck on Nov. 19. Goodman said the deer looked dead to him, but seconds later the nine-point, 240-pound animal came to life.

The buck rose up, knocked Goodman down and attacked him with his antlers in what the veteran hunter called "15 seconds of hell." The deer ran a short distance and went down, and died after Goodman fired two more shots.

2 well placed with a .270 my ass. 1 well placed shot from a .270 should have killed it instantly. Idiot probably gut shot it since you cannot see the 4 holes in the buck from the picture.

Teens Charged in Nursing Home Abuse

6 Teens Charged in Nursing Home Abuse

roitzman and Larson are charged with assault, abuse of a vulnerable adult by a caregiver, abuse of a vulnerable adult with sexual contact, disorderly conduct and failing to report suspected maltreatment. All are gross misdemeanors.

If found guilty, Broitzman and Larson "most likely will face suspended jail sentences and probation, so they'd have the threat of jail hanging over them if they get in more trouble," Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

Read the complaint at The Smoking Gun and you tell me if you think that probation is appropriate.

Somali pirates attempt hijacking of cruise ship

Pirates fire on US cruise ship in hijack attempt

Maybe instead of trying to chase zodiacs in the open ocean its time to hit them where they live?

Congrats to Sen. Saxby Chambliss

Finally a glimmer of hope.

Pvt. Ronald A. Gray granted a stay in his execution

Judge stays soldier’s execution

A U.S. district court judge has granted a stay in the execution of Pvt. Ronald A. Gray, a move that likely will delay the first military execution since 1961.

The execution was scheduled for Dec. 10 at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Ind. However, the order from Judge Richard Rogers, dated Nov. 26, stays the execution to allow Gray and his attorneys to file a habeas corpus petition.

The stay of execution will remain in place until further order from the court, according to a copy of the judge’s order.

Gray was convicted of multiple murders and rapes in the late 1980s in the Fayetteville, N.C., area. At the time, Gray was a specialist with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The court-martial panel that convicted Gray sentenced him to death in 1988. On July 28, 2008, President Bush approved the order to execute Gray, the longest-serving inmate on the military’s death row at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

It was the first time a president had approved a military death sentence since 1957, and the decision came after the nation’s highest courts upheld Gray’s conviction and death sentence, and two petitions to the Supreme Court during the appellate process had been denied.

I had high hopes when we finally elected a President with the balls to sign the order but remarked at the time the date was set if it wasn't done by Jan 20th, 2009 it wouldn't happen. We can only hope this is resolved by then but I am not hopeful. For 20 years these families have waited for justice.

Cpt Robert Yllescas passes

For those of you who have been following his wife's blog you already know that the Cpt has succumbed to his injuries suffered over month ago. His family was staying at the Fisher house which runs an outstanding charity. He leaves behind a wife and 2 little girls.

Thank you for your service Sir.

Preparedness

Angry Mumbai Wants Answers, Changes

Angry Mumbai Wants Answers, Changes

The candlelight procession that drew hundreds of Mumbai residents out onto Marine Drive Sunday was more than just a symbolic gesture of solidarity with those who had died or lost loved ones in the three-day terror attack. The marchers were expressing their defiance in the face of those who had come to kill, but also their anger at the authorities for failing to protect their city, and at leaders seeking political advantage from the tragedy.

You failed to protect yourselves. Maybe you should demand that right?

Volvo for sale

Ford Motor eyeing sale of Volvo Car

The C70 is the bomb FYI.

More Obama campaign promises flushed

Daschle lobby ties bump Obama vow

Barack Obama’s expected pick of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to be secretary of health and human services bumps up against the president-elect’s pledge to rid the White House of special interests.

The former Democratic senator from South Dakota is a special policy adviser for the lobbying law firm Alston & Bird. And in his three years there, the firm has earned more than $16 million representing some of the health care industry’s most powerful interests before the department he’s in line to lead.

Daschle is not himself a lobbyist. But he has advised the firm’s clients on health care issues, according to the firm’s website.

His work as a paid adviser appears to run counter to Obama’s pledge to “free the executive branch from special interest influence.” No political appointee, Obama’s transition team has declared, “will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.”

As health and human services secretary, Daschle would oversee myriad regulations, ranging from the drugs that can come to market to Medicare and Medicare reimbursements.

Having a hard time seeing any serious health care reform with Douchle in the pocket of such companies as:

Other than the few details available online, Daschle’s role at the law firm is sketchy. Neither he nor Obama’s transition team has publicly disclosed the extent to which Daschle’s work put him in the middle of health care policy debates. And because Daschle did not work as a lobbyist, his clients are not publicly disclosed.

But it’s clear that his firm did a significant amount of health care work. Lobbying disclosures show that from 2005, when Daschle was hired, to this September, Alston & Bird represented pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, nursing homes, health care providers and a pharmacy benefit manager.

During that period, the company made at least $16 million lobbying HHS and its entities — the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to records filed with the Senate.

In fact, the law firm did the majority of its HHS lobbying working to influence the administrators of Medicare and Medicaid, records show.

For instance, the Kidney Care Council, an association of a dozen kidney dialysis providers, paid the firm $520,000 in 2006 to lobby Medicare and Medicaid, among others, on “issues pertaining to the Medicare Modernization Act.” From 2005 to 2008, the council paid the firm a total of almost $1.3 million, according to public records.

Another big spender was Health South. One of the nation’s largest health care providers, the company paid Alston & Bird nearly $1.5 million to lobby HHS and Medicare and Medicaid on its behalf.

The firm also represented the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association, pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association, and the pharmaceutical companies Roche, Bayer Healthcare and Abbott, among others.

Maybe that is a good thing?

Geri Haliwell wardrobe malfunction or ?

Geri Halliwell goes from Spice Girl to cheeky girl as she does a twirl in a transparent red dress

Heh.

CNN: Which hero do we want Obama to be?

Commentary: Which hero do we want Obama to be?

America loves its heroes and Barack Obama has already become one. In fact, he's become several.

Remember, Obama hasn't taken office as president, only glimpsed the Oval Office as a visitor and won't take over until January 20.

But already, he's being compared to the most remarkable leaders the United States has ever had.

The way some Americans talk, they're getting five presidents in one.

Then is goes on to list JFK, FDR, Lincoln, Clinton and Obama. How about none of the above. We can already see he is reading that damn FDR book lets hope anything he reads about JFK and Lincoln doesn't gloss over their more obvious fuck ups like the FDR book does. Clinton....well I think he knows most of Bills fuck ups since we got to watch them live.

I love this last line:

The Americans who are comparing him to those remarkable predecessors are putting a lot of faith in a man they barely know

No shit.

A tax increase I can agree with

State Rep. David Watkins, a Henderson physician, said he's planning to reintroduce his proposal to raise the state's cigarette tax by 70 cents. Watkins, a Democrat, pushed the cigarette tax hike earlier this year, but it stalled.

Watkins said raising the tax to $1 per pack likely would generate more than $200 million in revenue. It would also benefit the state long-term by improving citizens' health and reducing state-funded medical costs, Watkins said.

"This is when we need leadership," Watkins said. "We need to have leaders stand up and lead and show that they have some backbone, and that they have some fortitude to stand up and make our state a prosperous and healthy state."

I hope Dr Watkins can get this passed this time. Smokers are a huge drain on our health care resources. Kentucky has one of the lowest taxes on cigarettes and is has one of the highest rates of smokers.

Last week a new cancer study was released and congratulations to Kentucky for having the highest cancer death rate (218.7 per 100,000 people) in the nation. Since cigarette smokers account for nearly a third of U.S. cancer deaths it should be no surprise.

I would propose however that all taxes from cigarettes do not go in the general fund but go directly towards offsetting the states Medicaid overrun. The bill may well garner more support if the taxpayer thinks it won't get pissed away as easily as the rest of our tax dollars that disappear into the that black abyss of the general fund.

I-69 road to nowhere

So if Obama and the Democrats are insistent on trying to spend our way out of this mess with building roads and bridges perhaps they could get Indiana off its ass. We need a bridge between Evansville and Henderson KY built and a road connecting it to Indianapolis. Indiana looks to be tied up with bureaucratic bullshit to infinity.

Kentucky seems well on its way to finishing up the upgrades of its existing interstate to I-69 status.

Beware the flamethrower

It could happen here?

I have seen several articles written about the terrorist attacks in India where the writer has said "It could happen here." Seems to be a trend I see that these papers tend to be in Kalifornia or a yankee state with unarmed citizenry. You are right it could happen here and probably will in state with tight gun controls, no concealed weapon licenses, and most likely a gun free zone.

Can you really see a soft target in the south where those nimrods would not have faced a hail of bullets from the locals? I was amazed by the pictures of the terrorists walking around in the open. I really doubt American cops would show the restraint of their Indian counterparts.

Lastly one thing that would happen here is CNN would gladly relay what the cops were doing to the terrorists on the inside watching tv. I remember watching CNNI the other night when they were showing the Indian military and police moving in and wondering why they had not cut the power to the building.

Still standing by Rangel there Nancy?

SHADY ISLAND 'HOUSE' PARTY
POLS' TRIP TO CARIBBEAN SKIRTED RULES

High-ranking members of Congress were flown to a lush Caribbean resort this month for a three-day conference planned and paid for by several of the country's most powerful corporations - a violation of federal ethics rules, critics say.

Six members of the Congressional Black Caucus attended the 13th annual Caribbean Multi-National Business Conference in sun-drenched St. Maarten, including embattled Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel and New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne.

Three New York City officials attended, including Comptroller William Thompson and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr., as well as Gov. Paterson, who was the keynote speaker at a luncheon on the second day of the gathering.

The politicians were seen by The Post during the Nov. 6-9 conference, walking among the palm trees on the breezy grounds of the sprawling, terra cotta Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino.

Paterson's office said he'd paid for his own travel and lodging during his visit. But other legislators enjoyed free airfare, meals and hotel rooms covered by the trip's organizer - and paid for by donations from corporations such as IBM, AT&T, Verizon, Citigroup, Pfizer, Macy's and American Airlines, a Post investigation discovered.

Officials with those companies were observed at the conference - sometimes acting as featured speakers at daily seminars and freely mingling among the pols at social events. Citigroup - which just last week received a massive bailout from the federal government - was one of the conference's biggest sponsors, ponying up $100,000 to help finance the event, according to one of the lobbyists at the gathering.

Citigroup just can't stay out the news either it would see. Ah my tax dollars at work.

18 weeks from GP referral to treatment is acceptable ?

In the article about the nurse pulling down that huge salary I found this little gem.

Ministers have promised patients they will not have to wait more than 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment by the end of this month (December).

I have to say I new the health care system in the UK and Canada that patients often seek out services in the US to avoid waiting but I had no idea it was that bad. So after a little Google Fu I found more information.

What appeared to be the official website promoting this program:

End waiting, change lives

When you see End waiting, change lives stamped on leaflets, brochures and websites you will be reading about 18 weeks, the programme to redesign services and clinical pathways so that none of us have to wait more than 18 weeks between referral and treatment for non-urgent conditions. (Patients with urgent conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, will be seen and receive treatment more quickly).

A world-class health service

By December 2008, for those who want it and for whom it is clinically appropriate, the longest patients will wait from referral to treatment for non-urgent treatment and care will be 18 weeks – less in many cases. This means a real improvement to the patient’s experience of the NHS and it means all patients will have faster access to the best possible NHS care.

The public said that 18 weeks was the acceptable maximum wait from referral to treatment

Access to services at the time and place that people want remains a key concern for the public. When asked, the public said that 18 weeks was the acceptable maximum wait from referral to treatment.

That is world class health care? Sorry that wounds more like 3rd world health care. Seriously the public said 18 weeks was acceptable? How bad was it before.

More Google Fu.

James Gubb, of Civitas, said this was completely unrealistic. Labour had tried to deal with massive waiting lists by imposing targets on all levels of the service - including a 48-hour maximum wait for a GP appointment by 2004, and a four-hour maximum wait in A&E.

By April 2006, 203,114 people were waiting longer than 13 weeks for a proper diagnosis, of whom 96,416 were waiting longer than 26 weeks.

The figure included 12,648 waiting for longer than 13 weeks for MRI scans and 2,488 for CT scans.

Since then improvements have been made, and virtually no one is waiting longer than 13 weeks for a CT scan and just 169 were waiting longer than this for an MRI scan. But in October 2007, there were still 30,832 patients waiting longer than 26 weeks for diagnostics, of which 16,551 were waiting over a year.

The Government committed itself to reducing the time between seeing the GP and going into hospital to 18 weeks by the end of 2008. There is an interim target of 85 per cent to be achieved by the end of March 2008, but Civitas claims it is "sure to be missed".

Source

The Democrats use this as a prime example of how to IMPROVE American health care? There is no way the patients I see daily now would stand for that kind of wait times.

NHS nurse takes home £100,000 salary thanks to overtime

An NHS nurse has become the first in her profession to take home a six-figure salary, thanks to generous payments designed to bring down waiting lists.

She was employed by the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, who declined to disclose how many extra hours the nurse was working for her additional £50,000.

The figures also show a nurse at Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust earned £71,000, while a nurse at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust took home £61,000.

Official figures for September 2008 show NHS nurses had an average annual income, including overtime, of £31,600, while the average consultant salary was £119,200.

I will be honest I had to convert that to have an idea how much it was. Not surprising she was a consultant not a staff nurse so the headline is misleading. The headline should have said Consultant who happens to be a nurse.

The average nurse income was £31,600 which would be $48,499.60 Not a bad average wage I suppose until you take into account the amount of taxes the UK takes out to pay for their massive welfare system. Nurses would almost seem to be self employed in such a system.