Tree champs live in Brooklyn

From the NY Times:
Big trees grow in Brooklyn. In fact, two of the state’s biggest.
Two trees in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden — a 97-year-old Kansas hawthorn and a Carolina holly — have become official members of the state’s Big Tree Register, which keeps track of the largest (as opposed to the oldest) trees of their species on record, as defined by a formula that includes the height, circumference and foliage of the tree.
These are the first such big trees in New York Source: Queens Crap RSS Feed

Obama Reveals (Only) 100 WH Visitors

From MSNBC:

Obama names 110 White House visitors

The White House on Friday released a small list of visitors to the White House since President Barack Obama took office in January, including lobbyists, business executives, activists and celebrities.

No previous administration has released such a list, though the information out so far is incomplete. Only about 110 names —and 481 visits —out of the tens of thousands who have visited the Obama White House were madeSource: Sweetness Light RSS Feed

Is Brown backing the wrong horse in the EU race?

Two polls show UK voters are lukewarm

Only hours after Gordon Brown told a Brussels press conference that “there is a general view that Tony Blair is a good candidate and would be an excellent president” two new polls suggest that there is little support for the plan from British voters.

For although it’s suggested that some progress might be being made with EU leaders the Labour effort isn’t resonating with voters at home.

YouGov for the Daily Telegraph found Source: Political Betting RSS Feed

Rep. King to NFL's Goodell: You Should Kiss Rush Limbaugh's Ass

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The male equivalent of Michele Bachmann rose up in righteous defense of the leader of Republican party, Rush Limbaugh, at his unfair treatment by the NFL in not allowing him join a group that is intent on buying the St. Louis Rams of the NFL.

And no, Steve King did not use the exact words in the title above but he might just as well have.

REP. STEVE KING (R-IOWA): However, as I listened to the members of this committee discussSource: Crooks and Liars RSS Feed

50on50: My mother-in-law's secret arm signal

_________________________________________________________________________________

Michael Schulder
CNN Senior Executive Producer

As I continue my countdown to age 50 (49 days away) and dig into the apparent myth that ages 18 through 49 is the sweet spot audience, my gut, which tells me the 18-49 premise is absurd, is reinforced by today’s Exhibit A. It’s my mother-in-law’s secret arm signal.

My mother-in-law, let’s call her “Marie” (becauseSource: AC360 RSS Feed

Alan 'GOP Wants You To Die Quickly' Grayson 'Apologizes' a Month Later for Vicious Sept. Sexist Insult

In late September, Florida Congressional Democrat Alan Grayson earned attention and apparently fawning support from the far left by describing the Republican Party's health care plan, as "1. Don't get sick; 2. And if you do get sick, 3. die quickly."

Grayson's supposed apology for these over-the-top remarks on the House Floor -- remarks that would surely have earned him censure and relentless media coverage had he been a Republican criticizing a Democrat -- consisted of saying, asSource: NewsBusters RSS Feed

Why the Mullahs Have Not Fallen -- By: Peter Robinson

Yesterday on Uncommon Knowledge, Victor Davis Hanson and Robert Baer agreed that Iran would very soon possess nuclear weapons. Today they consider the nature of the Iranian regime. Soon enough, the mullahs and Ahmadinejad will have their finger on the nuclear button, but can they control their own country?

No . . . and yes.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Iran is an imploding society. It has minority problems, it has rivalries, it now has a constitutional system emerging in Iraq, it has aSource: The Corner RSS Feed

Upper Peninsula Upventure: Gogebic Range

The Gogebic Range has two meanings. One refers to the Gobebic Mountains, which are really hills. The second regards an iron range--the area was once dotted with iron mines.
I took this photograph from the top of a ski slope in Ironwood. It's not named for the tree, but for an early resident who worked in an iron mine.
Tourism dollars is what is mined in Ironwood now. Besides skiing, snowmobiling and ATV adventures are among the attractions in the Upper Peninsula's westernmostSource: Marathon Pundit RSS Feed

Patrick Kennedy is Irresponsible, Ignorant and a Disappointment to the Catholic Church

In an interview with CNS, Congressman Patrick Kennedy said that the bishops are not pro-life and are "fanning the flames of dissent and discord" because they are opposed to healthcare reform on the basis that it covers abortion. CNS has video.
Kennedy's own shepherd, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, RI, responded in a press release in which he called Kennedy's comments "irresponsible and ignorant of the facts". He said that Kennedy is a "disappointment to the Catholic Church".Source: Why Mommy is a Republican RSS Feed

Shocker: Iran Rejects UN Nuclear Plan

From a shocked and amazed Associated Press:

Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh makes a statement in Vienna on October 21. Iran fails to accept UN uranium enrichment plan

By Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran on Friday failed to accept a U.N.-drafted plan that would ship most of the country’s uranium abroad for enrichment, saying instead it would prefer to buy the nuclear fuel it needsSource: Sweetness Light RSS Feed

Broadband for Hispanic Americans

Somehow I passed over this when it was released a month ago, but Mobile Future and the Hispanic Institute collaborated on a new report about broadband access and usage among Hispanics in the US. The essay makes the macro point that Hispanics have higher rates of mobile broadband usage than most other demographic groups, ergo policymakers should account for and include mobile when making broadband policy-- and not focus exclusively on fiber networks.

The point is well taken, but theSource: NDN RSS Feed

WTW - Going After the Hunters

We all know that all of our collard-green-eating brethren love to kill stuff and they have to be able to get to the killing fields. Dang, I wish I had some better photos of this thang sent in by one of my Swampbilly friends deep in the bogues of Lusana.
It looks very efficient.
However, these vehicles, born of necessity, ingenuity, and Dark-Thirty parts thefts, are soon to be a thing of the past.
WOW! One hundred whole deaths since 2003. That is almost the number of folks thatSource: Mean Ol' Meany RSS Feed

Sacred Sweat Lodge, Old School: A Difference Between Prayer and Pomp

Two men, 38 and 40 years old, died,
a third person, a 49 year old woman,
passed away this past week…
All three died after participating
in a sweat lodge …
which is meant to be deep prayer
over all gathered in nakedness there;
no clothing to mark status,
everyone as they were when they
came hot and steaming
from their mothers
long ago.

The three died,
and two dozen are ill,
after, it seems, inhaling toxic Source: The Moderate Voice RSS Feed

What's Friedman getting out of this?

From the Daily News:
Pouncing proactively, the Queens Chamber of Commerce is planning a news conference this week to publicly court the Islanders - coveting jobs and tourists the team could bring to the borough.
Preaching patience, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall wants the Islanders to make the first move. She admits she still feels burned from wooing the Jets to no avail in 2005.
At stake is the future of a once-proud franchise that won four consecutive Stanley CupsSource: Queens Crap RSS Feed

The problem is we expect things to make sense

From the NY Post:
The city plans to spend up to $14.5 million a year to have school custodians simply lock and unlock schoolyard gates.
As part of a PlaNYC initiative to give the public access to 290 schoolyards and give kids more open space by 2030, custodians get an extra $50,000 per school to cover annual expenses of opening the gates at 8 a.m. and closing them at dusk seven days a week.
While park advocates are happy the city is opening the playgrounds -- the City Council Source: Queens Crap RSS Feed

Monday, 19th October 2009

Howzit
Foreign currency mid-rates updated...
-o00o-
As one might expect, there are plenty articles about Zimbabwe and the disengagement from ZANU PF by the MDC. And I have read article after article as pundits attempt to work out just what this means to the normal Zimbabwean (is there such a thing?).
But the one story that caught my eye, was the one that states that Mugabe is 'too busy' to deal with the current crisis.
"President Robert Mugabe is too busy withSource: The Bearded Man RSS Feed

The overall spending per student in higher education

From Project America.

The overall spending per student in higher education.

Now hear again the words that UI President Nellis said yesterday:

"It's been called a short-term problem by some, but in fact, our nation and our state's disinvestment in public higher education has been occurring for several decades," he said. "This is a reality to which some are only now beginning to awaken as we face global competition for American innovation and knowledge."

Would oneSource: Right Mind RSS Feed

$1,400,000,000,000

The final federal budget deficit for FY 2009 is $1.4 trillion, a new record:

The Obama administration said Friday that the federal budget deficit for the fiscal year that just ended was $1.4 trillion, nearly a trillion dollars greater than the year before and the largest shortfall relative to the size of the economy since 1945.

The shortfall for the fiscal year 2009, which ended Sept. 30, translates to 10 percent of the economy, according to a joint statement from theSource: JasonPye RSS Feed

Western Digital WD TV Live HD Media Player

Western Digital has announced a new network media player, that can deliver Full HD video in 1080P to your HDTV the WD TV Live HD . The WD TV Live HD can be connected to your home network via the built in Ethernet port or via WiFi, it can then stream video and music files direct from your PC or Mac to your HDTV. It also comes with two USB ports so you can play movies or music direct from any USB drive or external USB hard drive, and you can even transfer video direct to the USB drives fromSource: British Blogs RSS Feed

Dyson Bladeless Fan

Dyson the creator of the well know vacuum cleaner has just launched the worlds first bladeless fan. The Dyson fan has no blades which means no need for a grille and it’s safe and simple to use and clean. Air is drawn into the base of the machine. The air is forced up into the loop amplifier and accelerated through the 1.3mm annular aperture, creating a jet of air that hugs the airfoil- shaped ramp. Dyson’s  engineers spent four years building and perfecting Dyson’s Air MultiplierSource: British Blogs RSS Feed

NETROOTS SUPERSTAR TARRYL CLARK MISIDENTIFIED

Liberal Netroots Super Star Tarryl Clark was misidentified today on Ed Schultz’s website. Schultz is a talk show host on MSNBC and also has a national radio show. Clark was mistakenly referred to as “him.”  While, this isn’t news per say, I found it funny.

The news of the day is that Clark told Schultz she “absolutely” supported the idea the private insurance companies should have to compete with a government entity.  Hopefully I will have the audio to post later.  UntilSource: Minnesota Democrats Exposed RSS Feed

Dow Jones Closes Above 10,000

True, it might go right back down tomorrow, but I have to say that this is a nice little psychological boost.

But it’s not just psychological.

Look at the 52 week spread in that picture…at this time last year we were down to 6,469. That’s a pretty significant jump in just one year’s time. Not only that, we were hovering around 8,000 in July and gained 1,600+ points since then (a 20% increase).

I don’t know about you but my 401(k) is looking a lot fatter theseSource: Donklephant RSS Feed

Add One More Thing to the Signs...

Pretty much had most of the larger signs up and ready for the last 3-week stretch into election day and then the campaign man was nice enough to give me a box of "additions" to go with the Sportsman signs....Bob McDonnell picked up the NRA endorsement and with that came the decal to make it obvious to which Candidate supports the 2nd amendment and will protect the citizens right to bear arms and self protection...

Source: RightsideVA RSS Feed

The Verdict On The New GOP.com: FAIL

It's no secret that effective and intelligent use of the internet has escaped the Republican Party. That said, it should come as no surprise that the reviews are in on the new and improved GOP.com, and it's not good. Of course, progressive blogs give it the thumbs down, but let's see what right wing blogs have to say -- starting with Townhall:

As Jillian subtly points out, GOP chairman Michael Steele is not 13-years-old and, therefore, should not have a blog entitled "What Up?"

Source: Crooks and Liars RSS Feed

Schwarzenegger for #HCR?

The White House has rolled out Republican support for health care reform over the past week. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Frist, Tommy Thompson, Mike Bloomberg (ex-Republican). I found it odd at the time that Bill Frist was on the list. Dr. Frist is a great thoracic surgeon. A great doctor. No joke. The people I know who know him have convinced me that he is brilliant, compassionate and incredibly competent, and if any of them have a heart attack, they want the call to go to Dr. Frist.

Source: 2008 Democratic Convention Watch RSS Feed

Studies Confirm Americans Are Self-Rationing Health Care

Among the most pernicious and blatantly false Republican talking points designed to obstruct health care reform is the fear-mongering claim that Democratic proposals will lead to "rationing." Of course, with almost 50 million uninsured and another 25 million underinsured, Mitch McConnell's dystopian future of a system which "denies, delays, or rations health care" is already today's nightmare for millions of Americans. But as it turns out, recent studies show that the market failureSource: Crooks and Liars RSS Feed

Will Winning the Nobel Peace Prize Help Or Hurt Obama and Political Conditions in the United States?

The natural reaction to finding that our president was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize would seem to be an expression of gratitude, and perhaps even pride. Instead the far right used this to attack Obama, ironically making statements sounding little different from those of the Taliban and Hamas. Steve Benen notes that CBS White House correspondent Chip Reid questioned if “that this is going to widen the partisan divide and make things even more difficult to accomplish on every front.”

Source: Liberal Values RSS Feed

Saturday Night in Death Valley

The Game kicks off tonight at 7 CST in Tiger Stadium.  LSU-Florida:  the last three national champions, the only schools with two crystal footballs.  Sorry, Bama-Ole Miss, but you’ve got the undercard.

October 6, 2007:  The game came down to one huge LSU drive for the go-ahead touchdown.  Fourth down after fourth down.  One relentless back, Jacob Hester, and five big uglies that outmanned a great Florida front.  Spread offenses be damned; this was pure SEC goodness.

Source: Southern Appeal RSS Feed

Delaware GOP Congressman Mike Castle to Run for United States Senate in 2010

Delaware’s Congressman Mike Castle and the Congressional Delegation join the Air National Guard for the Groundbreaking of their Network Warfare Squadron Building in New Castle

Republican Congressman Mike Castle will be running for the United States Senate in Delaware.
Rep. Mike Castle (R), a fixture of Delaware politics and a prominent centrist in the House, will announce Tuesday that he is running for an open Senate seat in 2010 — a victory for Republican strategists in aSource: FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog RSS Feed

Obama To Stop Locking Up Illegal Aliens

From the overjoyed open borders lobbyists at the Wall Street Journal:

U.S. to Revise Detention Standards for Immigration Detainees

By CAM SIMPSON

OCTOBER 6, 2009

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is expected on Tuesday to unveil an outline of sweeping changes for the nation’s immigration-detention system, saying it will decide whom to lock up and for how long based on the danger and flight risk posed by detainees.

Officials familiar with theSource: Sweetness Light RSS Feed

“Our Republic is Being Stolen By Our Politicians,” Glenn Beck Says of Washington D.C.

Reasonable Questions for Unreasonable Times has given way to an answer to the name of the puzzle of what’s going on in Washington D.C. The answer is to ‘FOLLOW-THE-MONEY,’ as usual.

Corruption and Special Favors for Political Agendas that in turn enrich politicians and their allies is the name of the game in Washington D.C. The Obama News Media (ONM), special interests, engrained corruption practices (legalized quid pro quo in the form of middle-of-the-nightSource: New Republican Party Blog RSS Feed

Bad systems, not tired people get election counts wrong

Cross-posted from The Wardman Wire:

Both the recent controversies over whether or not general election counts should take place on the Thursday night and whether or not the 2012 London Mayor and Assembly elections should use e-counting touch, in part, on the question of the accuracy of manual counts.

This is an area where systematic evidence is very thin on the ground. For example, when recounts take place, there is no formal recording of the different recount results nor, whenSource: Liberal Democrat Voice RSS Feed

Could Florida Lose an Electoral Vote? Could California?

Remember this graphic? The daily considerations a year ago of who would win which state, and who would reach/surpass the magic 270? We know the Census is coming next year, and from there, Congressional Districts will be re-allocated based on state populations. The conventional wisdom says that places like California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas and Florida will pick up seats at the expense of the rust belt: a trend which we've seen over the past several decades.

The conventionalSource: 2008 Democratic Convention Watch RSS Feed

~ Happy Birthday RAC ~

Happy Birthday RAC,
Thank you for being a part of Team Theodore.

We all wish you a fantastic Birthday and many more!!

((hug))
Chrissie and all of us.

RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam

Source: Theodore's World RSS Feed

Where Are Those STAR Rebates? (Updated)

The state Republican Committee, perhaps in a sign of a new approach under new Chairman Ed Cox, is out with a mailer hitting key state Senate districts knocking Democrats for cutting the state’s STAR property-tax rebate checks this year and adding dozens of new taxes and fees.

Here’s one a reader from Westchester County forwarded that targets Gov. David Paterson and Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers.

With the state’s fiscal problems, the Democratic-controlledSource: Politics on the Hudson RSS Feed

Conservatives make fools of themselves as they cheer against America over the Olympics

Conservatives are so against President Obama that they actually hoped America would lose the 2016 bid for the Olympics. That would have been a huge stimulus package, but Republicans show their true colors about job creation for their own country.

Americans For Prosperity show their hatred for America.

During the Americans For Prosperity's "Defending the American Dream Summit," blogger Emily Marie Zanotti of American Princess interrupted a discussion about engaging the rightSource: Crooks and Liars RSS Feed