Don't count on luck

The Libya debacle (and cover-up)

Wall Street Journal:

... Imagine the uproar if, barely a month before Election Day, the Bush Administration had responded to a terrorist strike—on Sept. 11 no less—in this fashion. Obfuscating about what happened. Refusing to acknowledge that clear security warnings were apparently ignored. Then trying to shoot the messengers who bring these inconvenient truths to light in order to talk about anything but a stunning and deadly attack on U.S. sovereign territory.

Four Americans lost their lives in Benghazi in a terrorist attack that evidence suggests should have been anticipated and might have been stopped. Rather than accept responsibility, the Administration has tried to stonewall and blame others. Congress should call hearings to hold someone accountable for this debacle.

But the obfuscation continues.  Heads should roll, starting with Hillary Clinton's, and then, in November, Obama's.

Here's the Libya debacle timeline from Fox News.

Science versus activism

Donna Laframboise will be speaking in Calgary Oct 17th on this topic:

... Science isn’t about achieving the answer you expect, want, or believe will support a cause to which you are sympathetic. It’s about recognizing that, in the words of the late great physicist Richard Feynman, you yourself are the “easiest person to fool” and that every precaution must therefore be taken.

A while back I pointed out that a 1976 book authored by the Club of Rome spoke approvingly of political machinations within the scientific community. Page 133 of the Signet paperback edition of RIO: Reshaping the International Order (Chapter 7, Section 5) includes the following quote:

In many branches of science there are radical movements. Increasingly, both in the rich and poor worlds, scientists are involved in active advocacy which they see as an intellectual and ethical duty. [bold added]

... for the past four decades... The public has had no way of knowing whether the expert currently being interviewed is a dispassionate investigator – or whether we’re being fed active advocacy by someone who considers themselves a member of a radical movement.

Kay on debating abortion

Once in a while I actually like what Jonathan Kay writes.  Today's National Post editorial "It's no crime to debate abortion" is excellent:

Abortion ... Among great swathes of the political left, and even the centre, the very concept of possible legal reform is seen as tantamount to vicious misogyny.

Consider the reaction to this week’s free vote on Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth’s private members’ motion to create a parliamentary committee that would study the question of when life begins. ... Many suggest that the mere fact of the motion ..., and the yea vote by some Conservatives, constitutes a gesture of hatred. Or, in the case of female MPs, self-hatred.

Following several examples of rabid rhetoric from pro-choicedeath columnists and activists Kay concludes with:

It is to the great credit of Stephen Harper that he allowed members of his caucus to vote their conscience on Stephen Woodworth’s private members’ motion — even though he knew that it would be controversial. His gesture proves that some Canadians — even those such as our Prime Minister, who nominally supports the current laissez-faire status quo — understand that humane and reasonable people — including, gasp, women — hold different views on the subject. If only this spirit of tolerance and sanity might blow through the ranks of hard-left culture warriors, we might one day have the intelligent abortion debate that already has occurred in every nation on earth save ours.

More reasons to dump the U.N.

Lorne Gunter:

If ever there was an institution that deserved to be called feckless and useless, it is the United Nations.

... Mauritania, the last nation on earth to ban slavery (1981) — where an estimated 800,000 souls are still treated as chattel — has a place on the UN’s human rights council.

... This week and throughout the year, Western nations and culture will be denounced over and over again at the UN while real crimes against humanity elsewhere will be tiptoed around. ...

Coulter on why media ignoring Obama’s gaffes

[Via]

Canadian delegation to walk out on Ahmadinejad

CJNews:

... In the run-up to his Sept. 26 speech – which takes place on Yom Kippur – numerous groups and individuals objected to Ahmadinejad’s visit, with some urging the UN to ban the controversial leader

... As it has in previous sessions, the Canadian delegation to the UN plans to walk out as soon as Ahmadinejad took the dais.

“We absolutely will not be listening to his speech,” Rick Roth, press secretary for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, told The CJN.

... Asked whether the Canadian government would join Cotler’s call, Roth responded: “No government in the world has spoken more clearly and forcefully against the racist and antisemetic regime in Tehran than Canada. And we have followed these words with tough action.”

Ahmadinejad, Islamo-nutbar and sterling representative of Muslim mobs everywhere.

More.


Update:  Apparently he spoke today also [final speech Wednesday?]  Was Canada present today? Apparently the US was.

Honour killings on the rise in Egypt

FrontPageMag.com:

... Honor killings are becoming more and more common in Egypt since the toppling of Mubarak. ... These killings will increase as the days go by ...

Thanks to B. Hussein Obama's Muslim outreach and the "Arab Spring".

[via BlazingCatFur]

Another half-baked column on "attack-dog" politics

This one by Andrew Coyne in which he opines about what a scourge it is saying it isn't just the Tories.  Although his column cites "Tories" or "Conservatives" a half-dozen times while mentioning Libs and Dips just once.

This comment by "second class" captured fairly well my thoughts on it:

... the Media have a tremendous amount to answer for, in regards to the general level of discourse that envelopes the political sphere. In fact, the media are largely responsible for the way politics has evolved into its current state, and for the way it's played out for public consumption. Not only has the media perfected dumb, dishonest, attack dog style, overtly partisan journalism, they also invented it.

What about it, Andrew?

Greg Gutfeld on Obama's interview with Letterman

In praise of blasphemy

Robert Fulford:

The dark, blood-drenched word “blasphemy” has lately re-appeared across the world, like some grotesque monster from the depths of humanity’s unconscious. It is always bad news ...

... Laws against blasphemy have been favourite tools of all those who lust for power over their fellow humans — popes, kings, bishops, imams, theologians and professional inciters of the mobs.

...On Saturday “Canadians Against Blasphemy” will hold a protest meeting in front of the U.S. consulate in Toronto.

... Instead we should be praising blasphemy, in fact proclaiming its many virtues, rather than sheepishly apologizing for it as a necessary evil we must reluctantly tolerate because of our belief in the freedom of speech.

... In the Criminal Code of Code of Canada, blasphemy remains a crime ... Expunging it would be an appropriate symbolic act by the federal government. The best possible time to accomplish that reform would be before the end of this blasphemy-crazed year.

Fulford's idea is excellent.  A move, now, to expunge blasphemy from the Criminal Code would be an excellent response to the Toronto Muslim anti-blasphemy nitwits.  I think I'll write to the Prime Minister.

Update - My letter to the Prime Minister:

Dear Prime Minister,

In Toronto yesterday (Saturday) there was a protest rally organized by “Canadians Against Blasphemy”. Judging from the extreme slogans displayed on some of their protest signs, these people want blasphemy severely punished. This brazen effort to muzzle the free speech of Canadians is profoundly anti-democratic and should be strongly resisted.

In his column in Saturday’s National Post, Robert Fulford wrote an excellent piece titled “In praise of blasphemy” in which he points out that blasphemy is already (still) criminalized by Section 296 of the Criminal Code. This archaic provision should be expunged as soon as possible and, as Mr. Fulford suggests, this “blasphemy-crazed year” would be the best time to do it.

I urge you and your government to begin action towards removing the anti-blasphemy provisions from the Criminal Code of Canada. I would urge also that an announcement of your government’s intent to do so be made forthwith. It would be a fitting response to the organizers and participants of Saturday’s “protest” in Toronto.

Sincerely,

Upperdate: From Natasha (of Moose and Squirrel) in the comments, a link to an excellent article by Popehat.

Dinesh D'Souza's "2016: Obama's America"

"The second highest grossing political documentary of all time ... "

The Fallacy of Redistribution

Thomas Sowell:

... The history of the 20th century is full of examples of countries that set out to redistribute wealth and ended up redistributing poverty. The communist nations were a classic example, but by no means the only example.

...You can only confiscate the wealth that exists at a given moment. You cannot confiscate future wealth — and that future wealth is less likely to be produced when people see that it is going to be confiscated. ...

... Barack Obama can endlessly proclaim his slogan of "Forward," but what he is proposing is going backwards to policies that have failed repeatedly in countries around the world. ...

Best healthcare system in the world

According to an unidentified whistle-blower:

Patients spent the first two weeks of September waiting as long as four days in Peace Arch Hospital [White Rock, BC] without treatment for serious conditions ...

... patients have been imperilled and nurses have felt “abandoned” – some reduced to tears – because of the situation.

... some had been waiting for days for doctors to administer treatment for such conditions as heart attacks, strokes, bleeding disorders, pneumonia and serious infections.

... [The whistle-blower also charges that special doctor subsidies at a Surrey hospital are drawing doctors away from Peace Arch Hospital]. ...

And the regional Health Authority's response:

"Racist!"

The United States of Obama

The Obama campaign modifies the American flag:

Mitt Romney's taxes

From the New York Times:

Mitt Romney paid $1.95 million in taxes on his 2011 investment income of $13.7 million

... Mr. Romney has said that he has paid at least 13 percent in federal income taxes in each of the last 10 years.

... Mr. Romney and his wife, Ann, donated about $4 million to charity in 2011, but claimed only $2.25 million as a deduction ...

So, Mitt's combined 2011 contributions to taxes and charity amount to 43.4%.  Not too shabby. Nevertheless, as might be expected, 99.9% of the comments to the NYT article express derision.

Why Barack Obama should resign

He violated his oath of office:

... [From the LA Times]: “Just after midnight Saturday morning, authorities descended on the Cerritos home of the man believed to be the filmmaker behind the anti-Muslim movie that has sparked protests and rioting in the Muslim world.”

When taking office, the President does not swear to create jobs. He does not swear to “grow the economy.” He does not swear to institute “fairness.” The only oath the President takes is this one: 

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

By sending — literally — brownshirted enforcers to engage in — literally — a midnight knock at the door of a man for the non-crime of embarrassing the President of the United States and his administration, President Obama violated that oath.  ... It is a betrayal of his duties as President, and a disgrace. ...

See also, and how the US government and MSM are lying to us.

[via]

Update:

More.

Happy Ozone Day!

Today is "Ozone Day":

The Apologize to Mohammed Contest

Enter at BlazingCatFur. The rules:

1) All Apologies must be to Mohammed

2) All apologies must be heart felt & sincere

Give it your filthiest shot.

Attacks "an act of war"

Mark Steyn: "An act of war, not a movie protest".

Obama’s Great Islamist Delusion has come home to roost

William Jacobson:

... This all is a result of Barack Obama’s delusional approach to the Middle East, one in which we are the perpetual villain, and in which we had to supplicate ourselves and our allies by heaping praise on people who do not ever return the favor.

Outreach to Muslims in the Middle East who return the respect is one thing, and should be encouraged; prostrating ourselves either physically or intellectually to Islamists is quite another thing. ...

[via]

Stephen Harper's interview with Brian Lilley - highlights

Bill Whittle - seeing double in Canada

Wrong as usual - Jon Kay on the attacks in Libya and Egypt

When I read this as an editorial in this morning's National Post I thought it must have been written by Jonathan Kay. How right I was! It's typical leftist apologetics for Islam.

His column is a long, round-about 'argument' that reaches false conclusions, namely:

["Sam Bacile" does not represent Western civilization, Libya’s murderers do not represent Islam.]

Kay is wrong on both counts:

"Sam Bacile" actually does represent Western civilization in the sense that his movie, odious though it may be to Muslims, is free speech protected by the liberties afforded by Western civilization, something 3rd world Muslims have no clue about.  And in any case the "Sam Bacile" movie had little to nothing to do with the attack. It was, at best, a pretext for a 9/11 anniversary attack.

Islam is defined by its practioners and its leaders. The Libyan murders are part of a long history of violent Islamic jihad sanctioned by representatives of Islam including the likes of Iran and the Saudi Arabian Wahabists (both "Islamic states" and active promoters of violent anti-Western jihad). Then there's Egypt (now led by Islamists) whose mobs were permitted to freely attack the US embassy.

Obama's Muslim outreach chickens coming home to roost

State Department officer killed in attack on US Consulate in Libya, following Egyptian protest at US embassy.

Michelle Obama - First Bullshitter

Fact Check: First Lady's False Fairy Tale of Struggle:

First Lady Michelle Obama’s pitch to voters last night relied on the premise that she and her husband understand what it is to struggle to make ends meet. She spoke movingly about their early years--about how a young Barack Obama drove a car that was “rusted out" and found his furniture “in a dumpster,” how they both came from families that had to “scrape by.” Her fairy tale--however well-delivered--was one great, big, colorful lie.

They attended elite schools: Michelle went to Whitney Young, the public magnet school for Chicago’s upper class, while Barack attended Punahou, the private prep school for the top stratum of Hawaiian society. They were accepted to Ivy League schools despite undistinguished credentials, and both attended Harvard Law School. ...

[Via]

And via 'Uncle Angus' in the comments:

Highest paid celebrities

Forbes list of the top 21:

1   Oprah            $165 million
..
..
11 Glenn Beck   $80 million
12  Elton John      $80 million
..
..

[Via]

Clint rocks!

Michael Higgins has a good take on Clint Eastwood's performance Thursday night:

... Critics, not for the first time, panned him. Social media excoriated him, and liberals labelled him “weird” and “strange” because — shock! — he talked to an empty chair.

Which just goes to show how these people have lost their sense of humour and the ability to link actors to props. ...

It was a hilarious send-up of Obama.  Liberals hated it - so much the better. 

Mark Steyn - Play Clinty For Me :

... Clint is a brilliant actor, and a superb director of other actors (...In the last five years, he’s directed eight films) ... . He’s also ... a terrific jazz improviser at the piano — and, in film and music documentaries, an extremely articulate interviewee. So I wouldn’t assume that the general tenor of his performance wasn’t exactly as he intended. The hair was a clue: No Hollywood icon goes out on stage like that unless he means to.

Oh, and next time ’round, he should sing.

Update [via sda] "Monday - Empty Chair Day":

The sign next to the chair says:
“We own this country . . . Politicians are employees of ours . . .
 And when somebody does not do the job, we’ve got to let them go.”
– Clint Eastwood