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OBAMA PLAYS THE RACE CARD AFTER DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES FAIL...

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• OBAMA PLAYS THE RACE CARD AFTER DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES FAIL
• Progressive Socialist Democrat California Governor Jerry Brown Pays Off the Unions -- Hires more government employees and reduce reliance on private contractors
• WILL YOUR ATM BE SAFE FROM HACKERS AND MALWARE AFTER MICROSOFT PULLS THE PLUG ON XP AFTER APRIL, 2014?
• END THE CORRUPTION OF POLITICAL PATRONAGE -- IMMEDIATE BUDGET SAVINGS AND BETTER GOVERNANCE

OBAMA PLAYS THE RACE CARD AFTER DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES FAIL Posted: 20 Jan 2014 11:20 PM PST Obama to a conservative America When you are an arrogant elitist and refuse to interact with Congress in a bipartisan manner When you fail to govern and prefer perpetual campaigning, fundraising, vacationing, and goofing around on basketball courts and golf courses When your domestic policies fail in spite of spending billions on non-existent shovel-ready jobs and the money was used to insulate government employees from the downturn When your foreign policy disparages our allies and provides aid and comfort to our enemies When your healthcare plan nationalizes one-sixth of the American economy and screws millions of Americans out of existing and decent healthcare When your presidency polarized more of the population and produced I guess your only answer is to play the race card … Obama’s election was one of the great markers in the black freedom struggle. In the electoral realm, ironically, the country may be more racially divided than it has been in a generation. Obama lost among white voters in 2012 by a margin greater than any victor in American history. The popular opposition to the Administration comes largely from older whites who feel threatened, underemployed, overlooked, and disdained in a globalized economy and in an increasingly diverse country. Obama’s drop in the polls in 2013 was especially grave among white voters. “There’s no doubt that there’s some folks who just really dislike me because they don’t like the idea of a black President,” Obama said. “Now, the flip side of it is there are some black folks and maybe some white folks who really like me and give me the benefit of the doubt precisely because I’m a black President.” The latter group has been less in evidence of late. Read more at: David Remnick: On and Off the Road with Barack Obama : The New Yorker Bottom line … President Obama  and his cadre of progressive socialist democrats are a clear and present to America and Americans. It's not his color, it is his attitude toward America and his policies, both foreign and domestic. -- steve

Progressive Socialist Democrat California Governor Jerry Brown Pays Off the Unions -- Hires more government employees and reduce reliance on private contractors Posted: 20 Jan 2014 11:40 AM PST It appears that Governor Brown has decided to screw the private sector in favor of unionized state workers … Gov. Jerry Brown's budget calls for more state workers, less job outsourcing The governor's new budget proposal barely increases the number of government workers in the coming fiscal year, but about halfway through the voluminous 271-page summary, Brown makes clear that he wants to expand the civil service corps. The trade-off: less work for outside contractors. "(T)here is value and utility in training and developing state employees to perform ongoing tasks," the 2014-15 budget summary says, and the Brown administration "continues to identify ways that the state can reduce its reliance on contractors." Anti-tax advocates and Brown's Republican opponents in the Legislature say those words, along with Brown's plan to add another 1,600 state jobs next year, signal that the Democratic governor is cozying up to his union allies. "It's pretty obvious he's doing the bidding of labor unions,"said Jon Coupal of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. "They want to grow their turf and crowd out the private sector. These decisions aren't based on the public good." More at: Gov. Jerry Brown's budget calls for more state workers, less job outsourcing | State News | FresnoBee.com It’s not so much the original cost of the unionized employees, it is the pension and benefit package that is the killer. In most cases, contracts allowing employees to accrue vacation and overtime year-to-year – all to be paid at the highest employee pay rate on retirement or separation, rather than at the rate under which it originally accrued. Millions of unnecessary payouts to employees. Not that I blame the employees for wisely playing the game, but I do blame the unionized government for not saving the taxpayer’s money. The double-edged sword of union politics … It appears that, at least in Los Angeles, there is a push for a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour for hotel workers … but wait, it gets more interesting , if your employer agrees to union representation, the loophole drops the minimum wage to $9 per hour. Not only is this a form of extorting employers to sign union contracts, but it is fundamentally screwing their rank-and-file membership. And, how many people know that the teachers’ unions oppose merit-pay for school teachers because it would destroy the old system of rewarding seniority rather than merit. An example of union corruption in California, it costs $30,000 to house an inmate in a Texas prison, but it costs Californians $70,000 to house inmates with the same standards and level of security. What is the difference? Unionized guards that are able to game the system. Where a substitute is paid a premium – even if they do not work. Totally corrupt. Bottom line … Enough of the progressive socialist democrats in local, state, and federal government. Since they are spending taxpayer’s money, they have little or no incentive to save money or stop rewarding the special interests in return for campaign contributions and voter support. And, end the unions who promote seniority over merit, the status quo over innovation, and work rules that divide one-person jobs into multiple-person jobs based on union job classifications. Where moving a portable heater on a movie set requires two unions, one for the physical move and one to supply the electricity by plugging the heater in. Violate union work rules and you are looking at an expensive grievance. For those of you who do not live in California, where the progressive socialist democrats have welcomed illegal aliens to grow the social services bureaucracy and many productive individuals and companies have left the state, this is what your future may look like under progressive socialist democrats. -- steve  Related articles Public Employee Pension Plan: a Raid on California Taxpayers? Gov. Jerry Brown's budget calls for more state workers, less job outsourcing Jerry Brown's budget calls for more state workers, less job outsourcing A first look at Governor Jerry Brown's proposed state budget

WILL YOUR ATM BE SAFE FROM HACKERS AND MALWARE AFTER MICROSOFT PULLS THE PLUG ON XP AFTER APRIL, 2014? Posted: 20 Jan 2014 10:27 AM PST From the “who knew?” department … The death of Windows XP will impact 95 percent of the world’s ATMs Microsoft’s 12-year-old Windows XP operating system powers 95 percent of the world’s automated teller machines, according to NCR, the largest ATM supplier in the US. While the idea of Windows powering ATMs may surprise consumers, XP runs in the background powering the software that bank customers interact with to withdraw money. An upcoming Windows XP support change from Microsoft means ATMs will need to be upgraded and modified throughout 2014. Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports that the US has 420,000 ATMs, and the majority of them run XP and face a support cutoff from Microsoft soon. On April 8th, Microsoft plans to end support for Windows XP, leaving businesses still using XP, and 95 percent of ATMs, open to security and compliance risks.  Read more at: The death of Windows XP will impact 95 percent of the world’s ATMs | The Verge What a dilemma … Should the ATM vendors stay with Microsoft and choose between a stable Windows 7 or the hated Windows 8.x? Or, should they byte the bullet and change to a stable version of Linux? It is unknown, at least at this time, if Microsoft is willing to give XP a stay of execution, at least until they get a replacement for Windows 8.x! While I have upgraded one of my older systems to Windows 7 with a clean install of the new operating system on a reformatted hard drive and reinstalling all application programs, I plan to replace one of the other XP machines with an Apple Mac. My future computing needs are pretty much the same, word and image processing, minor (after retirement) programming – but the hardware and the applications programs continue to evolve. Although one cannot imagine how many more features and settings can be tucked away in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Acrobat, Photoshop, and other productivity programs. Personally, I remain happy with two fast custom-built desktop machines (Gold and Silver), a Sony Vaio Laptop, and a miscellaneous E-machine that will soon give way to an Apple Mac. In the coming year, I might downsize to a single desktop – rebuilt with a newer motherboard, sound and video cards, and improved bus throughput and connectivity. And, use the other desktop as a network storage device. Ah! The fun of do-it-yourself computing. As for the ATM problem, it is not even problematical for individuals and personal accounts. However, since financial institutions do not offer the same level of reimbursement protection for debit cards and/or commercial accounts, there could be issues if the system is hacked. An impetus to stop using debit cards and attack an un-linked sweep savings account to your main checking account to hold any funds over the minimum necessary for daily activities. By using overdraft protection, you can have the best of both worlds, just consider the o/d fee as a form of insurance. -- steve p.s. For the technically adept – you might want to consider virtualizing your XP installation with VM and running a sandbox image that could be quickly replaced by another image if compromised. Related articles Microsoft Backs Down: Will Supply Anti-Malware Support for Windows XP After Operating System Support Ends on April 8, 2014 Windows XP Still Installed In 95% Of ATMs Around The World Windows XP Still Runs On 95% Of ATM Machines Frightening: Most ATM Machines Still Running Windows XP 95% Of ATMs Are Still Using Windows XP. No, Really Windows XP will Be End-of-Life April 8th Making 95% of All ATMs Vulnerable to Hacking Most ATMs Are Still Running Windows XP--Which Is About to Die Off 95% of ATM machines still use Windows XP, and will be exposed to vulnerabilities after April 8

END THE CORRUPTION OF POLITICAL PATRONAGE -- IMMEDIATE BUDGET SAVINGS AND BETTER GOVERNANCE Posted: 20 Jan 2014 10:28 AM PST Why are people shocked when the scorpion kills the frog midstream because it is the nature of a scorpion to sting … So why should anyone be surprised that one of the most corrupt of the progressive socialist democrats engages in cronyism to further his personal agenda? McAuliffe IMMEDIATELY faces patronage controversy after assuming office Less than a week after taking office, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is already facing criticism for using his appointment powers as a political tool. On Wednesday, McAuliffe appointed consultant Boyd Marcus to one of the most lucrative patronage positions in the state government, the Alcoholic Beverages Control (ABC) board. The position is expected to pay at least $124,000 a year, according to local media sources. Marcus had been a campaign consultant for Republicans for decades, but unexpectedly switched sides last election. He was allegedly offered more money by the McAuliffe campaign. According to former Cuccinelli adviser Chris LaCivita, Boyd also knew the forthcoming ABC appointment was compensation for working on McAuliffe’s campaign. “Boyd let several people know that part of his arrangement would also get him an appointment to the ABC Board, should McAuliffe win,” LaCivita told Politico. More at The Daily Caller » McAuliffe IMMEDIATELY faces patronage controversy after assuming office  What did you expect from a politician other than corruption and cronyism … especially a progressive socialist democrat who says one thing and does another? Let all of the boards, commissions, and panels be staffed with concerned citizens, not people with political payoffs. Back to participative government. There can be no justification for political hacks – termed out politicians, political friends, and paybacks – to suck down six-figure salaries for essentially a part-time job. Especially when those commissions, panels, and boards lead to additional cronyism and campaign funding. It is as unethical and unproductive as letting the union negotiate with a union-supported politician and freezing out the public. -- steve

Obama Words Are Frightening and Revealing! BOHICA!

These Words from Obama Are Frightening -- and Revealing 01/21/2014 It’s less than comforting to hear the President make light of terrorist threats. In a recent interview with The New Yorker, President Obama referred to today’s al-Qaeda fighters as the “jayvee” team. “The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a jayvee team puts on Lakers uniforms that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant,” he said. This shows that the Administration's wishful thinking about al-Qaeda isn’t over. Obama and his fellow officials seem to think if you say something enough times, it will become true. Before Benghazi, they claimed al-Qaeda was defeated and on the run. Four dead Americans later, this was proven false. Then the President said we "cannot stay at war forever." Again, a nice sentiment, but in the real world, war doesn't end until both sides stop fighting. Al-Qaeda is different today than it was on 9/11; that is true. But the new, decentralized version is not to be taken as lightly as Obama seems to. We are still at war—only now with an enemy that is harder to pin down. And the enemy has determination, numbers, resources, and capabilities that we have to worry about. In fact, CNN reported earlier this month that “al Qaeda appears to control more territory in the Arab world than it has done at any time in its history.” President Obama needs to drop the cute (and misplaced) metaphors and recognize these serious threats for what they are. There have been at least 60 Islamist-inspired terrorist plots against the U.S. homeland since 9/11. Fifty-three of these were thwarted long before the public was ever in danger, due in large part to the concerted efforts of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence. We must stay serious about fighting terrorism and equip our dedicated military, intelligence, and law enforcement organizations to do their jobs. The safety of American lives and American interests depends on it. >>> Read the Morning Bell on The Foundry Read the Morning Bell and more en español every day at Heritage Libertad. Quick Hits: Breaking news on The Foundry: The Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore is returning to Heritageas chief economist. Here is the full New Yorker interview with President Obama where he talked about al-Qaeda. Did you hear what the governor of New York said about pro-life Americans? He’s now facing a backlash. You definitely don’t want to break the law without knowing it. See how long it took a hacker to access Americans’ personal data through HealthCare.gov. Print  |  Comments  |  Forward  |  Donate

The Geopolitics of the Syrian Civil War

The Geopolitics of the Syrian Civil War

Ducks and Iranians... Libtardian Logic!

Ducks and Iranians

 

 

 

 

Speaker of the House Weekly Report: “The American People Haven’t Backed Down and Neither Can We”

Weekly Report: “The American People Haven’t Backed Down and Neither Can We” January 19, 2014 | VIEW ONLINE A Call to Action on Jobs: In Saturday’s weekly Republican address, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) challenged President Obama to match the American people’s commitment to building a better economy and urge Senate Democrats to take up House-passed jobs bills.   “Mr. President, the American people haven’t backed down and neither can we,” Stutzman says. “Call on your party to give these jobs bills a vote.”  Read and watch the Weekly Republican Address here. In a similar vein, Speaker Boehner took to the House floor on Wednesday to highlight specific steps the president can take right now to help create private-sector jobs.  “He can start by approving the Keystone pipeline and the tens of thousands of jobs it will create.  He can start by leading on Trade Promotion Authority…”  See the rest of the list & watch the Speaker’s Minute on YouTube. The Constitution Is Mightier Than…: On Thursday, Speaker Boehner – who has often said we work for the American people, not the other way around – addressed the president’s recent comments that he has ‘a pen and a phone’ to assert his executive authority.  “I would remind the president he also has a Constitution,” Boehner said, “and an oath of office that he took where he swore to faithfully execute the laws of our country.”  Like and share our Constitution graphic on Facebook and Google+. Earmark-Free Zone: Also on Wednesday, the House passed a government funding measure that contained no earmarks – a far cry from a March 2009 measure that contained roughly 9,000 of them.  Banning earmarks is another step Republicans have taken to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely or not at all.  Like and share our “no earmarks” graphic on Facebook and Google+. Demanding Answers on ObamaCare: On Thursday, the House passed a measure requiring the administration to provide the public with information about ObamaCare's website and enrollment figures.  “We know the president’s health care law is driving up costs for middle-class families, making it harder for small businesses to hire, and hurting the economy – but there’s still a lot we don’t know,” Speaker Boehner said.  Read his full statement here. Benghazi Investigation Update: On Monday, the House Armed Services Committee released newly declassified transcripts showing that the Obama administration’s unpreparedness left the military ill-postured to respond to an attack on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11.  Speaker Boehner has made clear that the House’s investigation will continue even if the administration continues to stonewall.  Read our latest Benghazi update here. National Security Programs: On Friday, Speaker Boehner responded to the president’s remarks on national security programs by saying that “the House will review any legislative reforms proposed by the administration, but we will not erode the operational integrity of critical programs that have helped keep America safe."  Read the Speaker’s full statement here.

Canadian foreign minister demands Keystone decision!

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Canadian foreign minister demands Keystone decision by Staff Writers Washington (AFP) Jan 16, 2014 No US decision yet on Canada pipeline: Kerry Washington (AFP) Jan 17, 2014 - US Secretary of State John Kerry Friday refused to answer Canadian calls on whether or not Washington will approve the construction of a controversial oil pipeline, saying it was still under review. "I can promise our friends in Canada that ... all the appropriate effort has been put into trying to get this done effectively and rapidly," Kerry said, ahead of talks with his Canadian counterpart John Baird. But he said the State Department was still reviewing the environmental impact of the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline which is intended to carry heavy crude from Alberta's oil sands to Texas refineries. "An analysis will be made with respect to the national interest ultimately. And we're just not at that point yet, haven't received it, they haven't finished it," Kerry told reporters, ahead of his bilateral talks with Baird. A months-long review process solicited over a million responses, and Kerry said the queries had to be given "appropriate answers." "The public has a role in this. We're all accountable to our publics. The democratic process demands that we do that," the top US diplomat said. Baird said he hoped Washington would release its report "in short order and that the administration will be in a position to make a positive decision." "Obviously, this is a tremendously important project for the future prosperity of the Canadian economy," Baird said. "It's a great project. It'll create a lot of jobs here in the United States. It's a great project which will increase the energy security of our closest friend and ally." At a speech on Thursday at the US Chamber of Commerce, Baird had called on the United States to end its foot-dragging over the issue. "The time for Keystone is now," he said. "I'll go further -- the time for a decision on Keystone is now, even if it's not the right one. We can't continue in this state of limbo." US President Barack Obama is expected to decide this year whether to greenlight the $5.3 billion, 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) pipeline, first proposed back in 2008. The project was put forth by TransCanada, which operates oil and gas pipelines in North America. Environmentalists have opposed the pipeline because the oil it will carry requires huge amounts of energy and water to extract, and producing and refining it generates a large amount of damaging emissions in the process. They also warn the pipeline will carry risks of environmentally damaging spills. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird called Thursday for the United States to finally decide, one way or another, whether it will permit the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. After years of delay to the pipeline, intended to carry heavy crude from Alberta's oil sands south to Texas refineries, Baird suggested Canada's patience was running thin with its southern neighbor, already the biggest buyer of Canadian oil. "The time for Keystone is now," he said in a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington. "I'll go further -- the time for a decision on Keystone is now, even if it's not the right one. We can't continue in this state of limbo." US President Barack Obama is expected to decide this year whether to greenlight the $5.3 billion, 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) pipeline, first proposed back in 2008. It was presented by TransCanada, which operates oil and gas pipelines in North America. Environmentalists have opposed the pipeline because the oil it will carry requires huge amounts of energy and water to extract, and producing and refining it generates a large amount of damaging emissions in the process. They also warn the pipeline will carry risks of environmentally damaging spills. But Baird insisted that it "will have no significant environmental impact," citing a study by the US State Department, which is in charge of reviewing the huge project. In addition, he said, it will replace heavy oil from other suppliers. Without the pipeline, the oil would end up being shipped to the United States by freight train. "Compared to sending by pipelines, sending by rail results in elevated greenhouse gas emissions and a considerably higher per-mile incident rate," Baird added. In recent months, there have been at least three major accidents by trains carrying heavy oil produced in North Dakota, including a deadly crash in eastern Canada. Baird was visiting Washington for a meeting of foreign ministers, and will have a chance Friday to raise the pipeline issue in a meeting with top US diplomat John Kerry. State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said the agency was still awaiting the finalization of a key environmental impact review, after giving the public the opportunity to comment on a draft. "When that's released, obviously, there'll be a time period before a decision is made," Psaki said. "But this is not a backroom decision made between the United States and the Canadians. There is a process that's in place that takes into account many different factors, and we'll let that process see itself through." At the White House, spokesman Jay Carney fended off questions on the timeline for a decision, which has placed Obama in a tug of war between environmentalists and business. "I think that once the process is moving forward, we'll apprise you of that," Carney told journalists. "And, you know, when a decision is made, we'll announce it."