INDIANAPOLIS - A janitor whom a university official had accused of racial harassment for reading a historical book about the Ku Klux Klan on his break has gotten an apology — months later — from the school.
The guy could have saved himself a lot of trouble and would have promoted if he read Das Kapital or the Motorcycle Diaries instead.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Guatanamo Interrogation Video
The NYT has breathlessly posted a video of a sixteen year old being interrogated after being captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan where he "allegedly" killed a US soldier. No word on when the Times will post the videos of Islamo-Nazis really torturing and beheading Americans and others.
It's also important to remember that a bullet fired by a sixteen year old is just as deadly as any other.
It's also important to remember that a bullet fired by a sixteen year old is just as deadly as any other.
Government Toady Proposes Limits to Mortgage Broker Pay
I really find it offensive when rank opportunists call themselves capitalists as they feed from the government trough. It's even more offensive when they espouse disastrous ideas that haven't worked, wont work and can't work. The latest is from is from the Curious Capitalist quoting Louis Pizante, CEO of Mavent, who makes his money reviewing loans for regulatory compliance. In other words, his livelyhood depends on government intrusion
"What Pizante would like to see instead are government rules on how mortgage
brokers are paid. "To me it would seem that it would be much easier to regulate
broker compensation," he said. For example: "You’re not going to get a lump-sum
fee, you’re going to get a percentage of the cash flows from that
loan."
There's been an awful
lot of talk over the past year about changing compensation both on Wall
Street and in the mortgage business to better reflect the risks inherent in
transactions that deliver a big up-front payday. But the standard retort is that
any firm that tries to enforce such pay arrangements would quickly
lose its best producers to competitors. Which, in Pizante's view, is exactly
why government needs to step in."
Beyond the fact that the government has no constitutional or moral authority to dictate the compensation of anyone or the terms of a private, voluntary contract, Pizante reveals an astonishing ignorance of market economics and a bit of a fascistic streak. He tells us that regulation is needed because firms willlose employees to competitors if they try to compensate brokers the way he wants, which is an admission that his idea can't work when individuals are free to choose.
So what he's saying is that he wants to cut off all avenues of escape for those brokers who will undoubtedly find his scheme unacceptable. The talented and competent will flee to other industries where they are still free (for now) to negotiate the terms for their services, leaving behind the hacks that will further blur the lines between government and business. It is axiomatic that when you regulate the price of anything you will have less of it with lower quality.
Mr. Pizante and the dishonestly named "Curious Capitalist" don't understand that and it's frightening that either of these ignoramus' are in any position of influence. Perhaps we should regulate Mr. Pizante's compensation and that of his company, since the fees he makes ultimately come from the American consumer through government force.
Dumb Reporter Gets a Lesson on Liberty
President Bush shot down the entire premise of a media moron question from someone who was either not around or drunk during the 70's:
Q Mr. President, understanding what you say about energy supplies being tight and the debate over energy, which has gone on for years and will continue long through the campaign and into the next administration -- one thing nobody debates is that if Americans use less energy the current supply/demand equation would improve. Why have you not sort of called on Americans to drive less and to turn down the thermostat?
(He could also put on a stupid cardigan sweater and berate us for our malaise a la Jimmy Carter. Or maybe impose price controls and a windfall profits tax. That worked out well, right? )
THE PRESIDENT: They're smart enough to figure out whether they're going to drive less or not. I mean, you know, it's interesting what the price of gasoline has done, is it caused people to drive less. That's why they want smaller cars, they want to conserve. But the consumer is plenty bright, Mark. The marketplace works.
Secondly, we have worked with Congress to change CAFE standards, and had a mandatory alternative fuel requirement.
So no question about what you just said is right. One way to correct the imbalance is to save, is to conserve. And as you notice my statement yesterday, I talked about good conservation. And people can figure out whether they need to drive more or less; they can balance their own checkbooks.
Q But you don't see the need to ask -- you don't see the value of your calling for a campaign --
(Translation: Mr. President, don't you see that the people are a bunch of ravenous stupid children? Obviously I and the rest of the anointed can be trusted to think for ourselves and do the right thing, but surely you're not -snort- suggesting that the masses should be allowed to do whatever they want regardless of what we no know to better for them and the country, are you?)
THE PRESIDENT: I think people ought to conserve and be wise about how they use gasoline and energy. Absolutely. And there's some easy steps people can take. You know, if they're not in their home, they don't keep their air-conditioning running. There's a lot of things people can do.
But my point to you, Mark, is that, you know, it's a little presumptuous on my part to dictate to consumers how they live their lives. The American people are plenty capable and plenty smart people and they'll make adjustments to their own pocketbooks. That's why I was so much in favor of letting them keep more of their own money. It's a philosophical difference: Should the government spend their money, or should they spend their own money? And I've got faith in the American people.
And as much as I regret that the gasoline prices are high -- and they are -- I also understand that people are going to make adjustments to meet their own needs. And I suspect you'll see, in the whole, Americans using less gasoline. I bet that's going to happen. And in the meantime, technologies will be coming on the market that will enable them to drive and save money, compared to the automobiles they're using before. And as you notice, the automobile industry is beginning to adjust here at home as consumer demand changes. And the great thing about our system, it is the consumer that drives our system; it's the individual American and their collection that end up driving the economy.
Q Mr. President, understanding what you say about energy supplies being tight and the debate over energy, which has gone on for years and will continue long through the campaign and into the next administration -- one thing nobody debates is that if Americans use less energy the current supply/demand equation would improve. Why have you not sort of called on Americans to drive less and to turn down the thermostat?
(He could also put on a stupid cardigan sweater and berate us for our malaise a la Jimmy Carter. Or maybe impose price controls and a windfall profits tax. That worked out well, right? )
THE PRESIDENT: They're smart enough to figure out whether they're going to drive less or not. I mean, you know, it's interesting what the price of gasoline has done, is it caused people to drive less. That's why they want smaller cars, they want to conserve. But the consumer is plenty bright, Mark. The marketplace works.
Secondly, we have worked with Congress to change CAFE standards, and had a mandatory alternative fuel requirement.
So no question about what you just said is right. One way to correct the imbalance is to save, is to conserve. And as you notice my statement yesterday, I talked about good conservation. And people can figure out whether they need to drive more or less; they can balance their own checkbooks.
Q But you don't see the need to ask -- you don't see the value of your calling for a campaign --
(Translation: Mr. President, don't you see that the people are a bunch of ravenous stupid children? Obviously I and the rest of the anointed can be trusted to think for ourselves and do the right thing, but surely you're not -snort- suggesting that the masses should be allowed to do whatever they want regardless of what we no know to better for them and the country, are you?)
THE PRESIDENT: I think people ought to conserve and be wise about how they use gasoline and energy. Absolutely. And there's some easy steps people can take. You know, if they're not in their home, they don't keep their air-conditioning running. There's a lot of things people can do.
But my point to you, Mark, is that, you know, it's a little presumptuous on my part to dictate to consumers how they live their lives. The American people are plenty capable and plenty smart people and they'll make adjustments to their own pocketbooks. That's why I was so much in favor of letting them keep more of their own money. It's a philosophical difference: Should the government spend their money, or should they spend their own money? And I've got faith in the American people.
And as much as I regret that the gasoline prices are high -- and they are -- I also understand that people are going to make adjustments to meet their own needs. And I suspect you'll see, in the whole, Americans using less gasoline. I bet that's going to happen. And in the meantime, technologies will be coming on the market that will enable them to drive and save money, compared to the automobiles they're using before. And as you notice, the automobile industry is beginning to adjust here at home as consumer demand changes. And the great thing about our system, it is the consumer that drives our system; it's the individual American and their collection that end up driving the economy.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Will La Raza (the race) hold a new name contest
Change our name! That's the ticket! Reuben Navarette of the SD Tribune has reduced the image problems of the far left La Raza (NCLR) to that and those of us who "swallow the nonsense from cable news demagogues and conservative radio talkers that NCLR is a racist and anti-American hate group, it is Murguia's organization that is trying to divide Americans."
Well! Perhaps Mr. Navarette could explain to a sponge like me what I should make of the actual positions of these poor misunderstood activists:
It supports access to driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
It opposes the REAL ID Act, which requires that all driver's license and photo ID applicants be able to verify they are legal residents of the United States, and that the documents they present to prove their identity are genuine. According to La Raza, this law "opens the door to widespread discrimination and civil rights violations."
It opposes the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act (CLEAR), which would empower state and local law-enforcement authorities to enforce federal immigration laws. La Raza argues this would "result in higher levels of racial profiling, police misconduct, and other civil rights violations."
It lobbies for racial and ethnic preferences (affirmative action) and set-asides in hiring, promotions, and college admissions.
It supports bilingual education and bilingual ballots.
It supports voting rights for illegal aliens.
It supports stricter hate-crime laws.
It opposes the Aviation Transportation and Security Act requiring that all airport baggage screeners be U.S. citizens.
It opposed President Bush's signing of the "Secure Fence Act of 2006" which authorized 700 miles of new border fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
He could also tell me why I'm a racist for wondering about the federally funded racist and far left
charter schools it has opened that are nothing more than indoctrination centers. Let's hear from one of the principals of a LaRaza supported school:
Well! Perhaps Mr. Navarette could explain to a sponge like me what I should make of the actual positions of these poor misunderstood activists:
It supports access to driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
It opposes the REAL ID Act, which requires that all driver's license and photo ID applicants be able to verify they are legal residents of the United States, and that the documents they present to prove their identity are genuine. According to La Raza, this law "opens the door to widespread discrimination and civil rights violations."
It opposes the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act (CLEAR), which would empower state and local law-enforcement authorities to enforce federal immigration laws. La Raza argues this would "result in higher levels of racial profiling, police misconduct, and other civil rights violations."
It lobbies for racial and ethnic preferences (affirmative action) and set-asides in hiring, promotions, and college admissions.
It supports bilingual education and bilingual ballots.
It supports voting rights for illegal aliens.
It supports stricter hate-crime laws.
It opposes the Aviation Transportation and Security Act requiring that all airport baggage screeners be U.S. citizens.
It opposed President Bush's signing of the "Secure Fence Act of 2006" which authorized 700 miles of new border fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
He could also tell me why I'm a racist for wondering about the federally funded racist and far left
charter schools it has opened that are nothing more than indoctrination centers. Let's hear from one of the principals of a LaRaza supported school:
"La Academia Semillas del Pueblo is a Los Angeles public school that teaches
children "Aztec math" and the Mexican indigenous language of "Nahuatl." The
principal, Marcos Aguilar, is an ethnic separatist who told a UCLA interviewer:
"We don't want to drink from a White water fountain, we have our own wells and
our natural reservoirs and our way of collecting rain in our aqueducts. We don't
need a White water fountain. … We are not interested in what they have because
we have so much more and because the world is so much larger. And ultimately the
White way, the American way, the neo liberal, capitalist way of life will
eventually lead to our own destruction."
Hiding behind new names is nothing new for left wing eg. Handgun Control Inc., American Trial Lawyers Association. And I guess it works to some extent. For me these prevarications serve as confirmation of the Lefts inherent dishonesty and moral bankruptcy.
Picksenplan: Just Passing Wind
In the shamelessness department, T. Boone Pickens is trying save his massive investment in a Texas wind farm with a nationwide sales pitch designed to get his subsidies reinstated. Steven Milloy over at Junk Science blows down Pickens and the wind power fairy tale. No telling if anyone is listening to Pickens, but this rank opportunist disguised as a capitalist must stand to lose big bucks with such an obvious and very public act of self-service.
"The federal government currently subsidizes wind farm operators with a tax
credit worth 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour -- potentially making for a tidy annual
taxpayer gift to Pickens based on his anticipated capacity.
But all is not well in Wind Subsidy-land.
Since Congress didn't renew the wind subsidy as part of the 2007 energy
bill, it will expire at the end of this year unless reauthorized.
Subsidies are perhaps more important to the wind industry that wind
itself. Without them, wind can't compete against fossil fuel-generated power. As
pointed out by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (July 9), "In 1999, 2001 and
2003, when Congress temporarily killed the credits, the number of new turbines
dropped dramatically."
It's little wonder that Pickens is waging a $58 million PR campaign to
promote his plan. If it works, his short-term gain will be saving the tax credit
and his wind farm investment. In the long-term, he stands to line his already
overflowing pockets with hard-earned taxpayer dollars. "
A Foreigner Visits Liberal America
The left likes to harangue us over our "lost standing" in the (left wing) world. Here's a take on how Portland Oregon is being Europeanized in the Obama and Democrat mold.
"I am on the MAX Red Line light rail car going from downtown Portland to the
Airport. Some things socialists do better. Among them are public transportation,
recycling, French poetry readings, yoga, coffee, artisan food and arthouse
cinema. Would it that the counterscale were not so much more loaded..."
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