If mind it be. From Tom Ricks’ Best Defense blog:
So maybe it was the Un-Civil War?
From Shit My Students Write: “The rebel and onion armies showed grose negligence by having many of their battles right inside national parks, like Gettysburg.”
(HT to AS)
Morgan Kelly on the impending bankruptcy of Ireland;
… the sole purpose of the Irish bailout was to frighten the Spanish into line with a vivid demonstration that EU rescues are not for the faint-hearted. And the ECB plan, so far anyway, has worked. Given a choice between being strung up like Ireland – an object of international ridicule, paying exorbitant rates on bailout funds, its government ministers answerable to a Hungarian university lecturer – or mending their ways, the Spanish have understandably chosen the latter […]
Cutting Government borrowing to zero immediately is not painless but it is the only way of disentangling ourselves from the loan sharks who are intent on making an example of us. In contrast, the new Government’s current policy of lying on the ground with a begging bowl and hoping that someone takes pity on us does not make for a particularly strong negotiating position. By bringing our budget immediately into balance, we focus attention on the fact that Ireland’s problems stem almost entirely from the activities of six privately owned banks, while freeing ourselves to walk away from these poisonous institutions. Just as importantly, it sends a signal to the rest of the world that Ireland – which 20 years ago showed how a small country could drag itself out of poverty through the energy and hard work of its inhabitants, but has since fallen among thieves and their political fixers – is back and means business.
And that’s why I spend Sunday afternoons at target practice. (h/t)
Faster, please: Greenpeace has lost charity status in New Zealand.
The decision means Greenpeace will not be exempt from income tax, a status granted to registered charities.
h/t Adrian
The Incandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act, which unanimously passed South Carolina’s Senate panel, would allow South Carolina manufacturers to continue to sell incandescent bulbs so long as they have “Made in South Carolina” on them and are sold only within the state.
I’d prefer an Act announcing secession from the Union, but it’s a start.
If anyone out there is looking for a wedding singer, you might want to consider booking New Jersey’s own Harry Sands.
The comments are open for your Reader Tips.
Egypt has more Christians than Israel’s entire population. There have been numerous attacks, with the latest in Cairo leaving 12 dead, 220 wounded, and two churches burned. The Western media generally attributes this to inter-religious battles. Yet Egypt’s Christians, so totally outnumbered and not having any access to the power of the state, have generally kept a low profile.
It is hard to believe that gangs of Christians go out and attack Muslims, especially when the fighting revolves around mobs attacking churches. “How can they say we started it when we are defending our church?” asked one Christian.
From the comments – And Moslems just killed two Buddhists in Thailand. Oops. I mean “Two killed in Buddhist-Muslim Violence in Thailand.”
What could possibly go wrong?
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Thursday announced a group of environmental, industry and state regulatory experts who will make recommendations to improve the safety and environmental performance of natural gas hydraulic fracturing from shale formations. President Obama directed Secretary Chu to convene this group as part of the President’s “Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future” plan to reduce America’s oil dependence, save consumers money, and make the U.S. the leader in clean energy industries.
h/t Adrian
“Democrats need to embrace Hollywood because this is where they need to come to learn how to tell a story.” – Michael Moore
“Right to Work Province.”
From the comments;
It’s going to get even better. My mom’s position is represented by SGEU. She’s a nice person who doesn’t want to go on strike, but they’ve been working without a contract for 2 years.
But here’s the kicker: she told me flat out today that their union leadership has been holding on so that they can go on strike at the same time as all the other public-sector unions…eg at SaskPower, SaskEnergy, etc…that have their contracts coming up. Plus, with the STF job action on Friday, it’s shaping up to be a nasty year of deliberate, planned extortion of the public purse.
It’s easy to see why many Europeans casually jump to the conclusion that Mr. Wilders is a hatemonger. He wants to halt non-Western immigration to the Netherlands until existing immigrants can be integrated, and he wants to deport any foreigner who commits a crime — the same sort of policies as those advocated by genuine xenophobes.
But even so, his insistence on the proper distinction between faith and ideology is an idea that deserves to be taken seriously. For it invites the question: If we permit, and even encourage, the excoriation of totalitarian cults created by modern dictators, why do we stigmatize, and even criminalize, such excoriation in the case of arguably similar notions attributed to a 7th-century Bedouin taking what is claimed to be divine dictation?
Take a look at the biggest, most imperialistic terrorist extant.
It’s so confusing.
In what is surely the theme song – and the happy-foot dance – of the week, a young Sammy Davis Jr. sings I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You.
The comments are open for your Reader Tips.
But he made that decision to go without telling Pakistan and that took some real courage, as much courage as our Navy SEALs did in pulling off a near flawless operation.
~ Wendy Chamberlain (Former Ambassador to Pakistan)
Despite nearly a decade of war, al Qaeda is stronger today than when it carried out the 9/11 attacks. Before 2001, its history was checkered with mostly failed attempts to fulfill its most enduring goal: the unification of other militant Islamist groups under its strategic leadership. However, since fleeing Afghanistan to Pakistan’s tribal areas in late 2001, al Qaeda has founded a regional branch in the Arabian Peninsula and acquired franchises in Iraq and the Maghreb. Today, it has more members, greater geographic reach, and a level of ideological sophistication and influence it lacked ten years ago.
h/t FM
SDA reader, David, provided a link to a very interesting article. Even though the Vancouver School Board has an $8.4-million funding shortfall, they have to buy $405,725 worth of carbon offsets as per provincial government legislation instituted by BC’s last premier, Gordon Campbell.
Lest anyone forget, the Greens among us have frequently said that “going green” won’t cost us anything. Well, in this case 5 teachers are going to lose their jobs in order to pay for these absolutely ridiculous carbon offsets.
The arrangement with the provincial government will see the money going to Encana, a billion dollar drilling company.
No Green evangelist can condemn this because it’s exactly what they’ve been pushing for all of these years! And Campbell bought into it hook, line, & sinker. He’s now gone but the powers at be will be scared to ever change things for fear of getting demonized by the Green Lobby. What would be beyond sweet would be to see both parents of school children and the BC Teacher’s Federation publicly condemning the Greenies!
Related: The founder of Encana is closely affiliated with BC’s current premier, Christy Clark. And make no mistake, if when the NDP ever gets back in power in this province, it’ll be the same or worse.
Update: BC Hospitals are not immune either. (h/t pkuster)
If dogs could talk, it would probably sound a lot like this.
The comments are open for your Reader Tips.
One of his advisers described the President’s actions in Libya as “leading from behind.” That’s not a slogan designed for signs at the 2012 Democratic Convention, but it does accurately describe the balance that Obama now seems to be finding. It’s a different definition of leadership than America is known for, and it comes from two unspoken beliefs: that the relative power of the US is declining, as rivals like China rise, and that the US is reviled in many parts of the world. Pursuing our interests and spreading our ideals thus requires stealth and modesty as well as military strength. “It’s so at odds with the John Wayne expectation for what America is in the world,” the adviser said. “But it’s necessary for shepherding us through this phase.”
What the hell is “this phase”? Where are we “reviled” and by whom? Syria? Russia? Yemen? Somalia? Cuba?
