This and That...

[Warph]

April 10, 2013

President Obama's long-awaited budget proposal, to be released today, does not come right out and say that it  intends to reduce  contributions to charity—but that is almost certainly what would happen were it to become law.  Here's why.  The White House has effectively doubled down on a tax change it has been pushing for four years that would limit the value of the charitable tax deduction.  The Administration has, since 2009, pushed unsuccessfully to allow only 28 cents on a dollar donated to charity to be deducted—even though the top tax rate for the wealthy donors who make most use of the deduction has been 35 percent.  In the budget released today, the President again proposes to cap the charitable deduction at 28 percent—despite the fact that the top rate on the highest earners has increased to 39.6 percent.  Think of it this way:  the White House proposal would raise the cost of giving to charity from 60 cents per dollar to 72 cents per dollar.  That's a 20 percent increase in what can be called the "charity tax."

Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/howardhusock/2013/04/10/the-obama-budget-proposal-new-tax-on-charity/#channel=fc135be7fbd99e&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forbes.com&channel_path=%2Fsites%2Fhowardhusock%2F2013%2F04%2F10%2Fthe-obama-budget-proposal-new-tax-on-charity%2F%3Ffb_xd_fragment%23xd_sig%3Df2e0aee34911976%26


Just like the Soviet Union, do away with private charities, so all that remains is the State.  Thank you, Comrade O'Butt Face... you POS!

[Warph]

Dad Furious After Finding This Crayon-Written Paper in Florida 4th-Grader's Backpack: 'I Am Willing to Give Up Some of My Constitutional Rights...to Be Safer'

By Madeleine Morgenstern | The Blaze – Fri, Apr 12, 2013

The words are written in crayon, in the haphazard bumpiness of a child's scrawl.

"I am willing to give up some of my constitutional rights in order to be safer or more secure."

They're the words that Florida father Aaron Harvey was stunned to find his fourth-grade son had written, after a lesson in school about the Constitution.

Aaron Harvey's son wrote as part of a school lesson, "I am willing to give up some of my constitutional rights in order to be safer or more secure."  The Blaze has redacted the child's name.

Harvey's son attends Cedar Hills Elementary in Jacksonville, Fla. Back in January, a local attorney came in to teach the students about the Bill of Rights. But after the attorney left, fourth-grade teacher Cheryl Sabb dictated the sentence to part of the class and had them copy it down, he said.

The paper sat unnoticed in Harvey's son's backpack for several months until last week, when his son's mother almost threw it away. The words caught her eye in the trash, and she showed it to Harvey, who said he was at a loss for words. He asked his son, who said Sabb had spoken the sentence out loud and told them to write it down. Harvey said he asked some of his son's classmates and got a similar answer.

"Everybody has their opinions," Harvey told TheBlaze. "I am strongly for proper education, for the freedom of thought so you can form your own opinion and have your own free speech in the future... [but] the education is, 'when was the Constitution drafted, when was it ratified, why did this happen, why did we choose to do this...all these things, why did they particular choose those specific rights to be in our Bill of Rights.'"

Kandra Albury, a spokeswoman for Duvall County Public Schools, which includes Cedar Hills, told TheBlaze she didn't know what prompted Sabb to have students write the sentence.

She said the principal had fielded one parent's concern about the lesson in January, but it wasn't Harvey. She said Thursday the district and principal were "checking into" what had happened.

Harvey, rather than asking the school for answers when he found the paper, wrote his concerns in an email, which was then forwarded to TheBlaze. He said he did it that way because he wasn't sure he would have gotten a straightforward answer if he asked the school directly.

He said he just wants to see a "proper, unbiased education" system and doesn't want any kind of religion or politics brought into the classroom.

"I believe in our Constitution. I am a veteran, I served for six-and-a-half years proudly and I served to protect our rights," he said. "Now whenever I have someone coming in and trying to pollute my child's mind with biased opinions...there's no education in that."

[Warph]

Sunday, 14 April 2013 14:00
"The Neo-Conservative Era Is Dead": Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity

Written by  Joe Wolverton, II, J.D.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/15099-the-neo-conservative-era-is-dead-ron-paul-institute-for-peace-and-prosperity

Former Congressman Ron Paul, the libertarian icon, is launching a new institute "for peace and prosperity." A "media advisory" posted on his Facebook page Friday explains:


The neo-conservative era is dead.
Former Congressman Ron Paul will hold a press conference this Wednesday to launch his next big project: the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. After decades in and out of the US House of Representatives leading the call for a non-interventionist foreign policy and the protection of civil liberties, Dr. Paul is launching a revolutionary new vehicle to expand his efforts. The Institute will serve as the focal point of a new coalition that crosses political, ideological, and party lines.

The Ron Paul Institute will focus on the two issues most important to Dr. Paul, education and coming generations. It will fill the growing demand for information on foreign affairs from a non-interventionist perspective through a lively and diverse website, and will provide unique educational opportunities to university students and others.

The neo-conservative era is dead. The ill-advised policies pushed by the neo-cons have everywhere led to chaos and destruction, and to a hatred of the United States and its people. Multi-trillion dollar wars have not made the world a safer place; they have only bankrupted our economic future. The Ron Paul Institute will provide the tools and the education to chart a new course with the understanding that only through a peaceful foreign policy can we hope for a prosperous tomorrow.[/i]


Paul will formally announce the Institute's beginning at a press conference at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, April 17. Dr. Paul — the founder and chairman of the organization — will be joined on the dais by conservative Congressmen Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.) and John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.), constitutionally minded Judge Andrew Napolitano, Ambassador Faith Whittlesey, and Lew Rockwell, Jr., CEO of the libertarian economic think tank, the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

[Warph]

Unwanted Electronic Gear Rising in Toxic Piles

The amount of hazardous electronic waste generated each year, specifically old computer monitors and television sets, is staggering. Recycling and/or safely discarding these outdated machines has proven challenging, as newer technology and flat-screen monitors have taken over demand. Electronic waste — also called e-waste — is a major concern.

This was reported by New York Times a few weeks ago — Unwanted Electronic Gear Rising in Toxic Piles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/19/us/disposal-of-older-monitors-leaves-a-hazardous-trail.html?_r=1&

[Warph]

Ewwww....Yuck.  What the hell is that SMELL, Seattle?

Seattle joins Portland with less-frequent trash pickup.  While officials say this will cut down on the amount of home garbage filling landfills, the twice-monthly solid waste garbage collection pilot program appears to be more an effort to cut city costs.  It's anticipated that Seattle could save about $6 million a year with bi-monthly garbage pickup service.

Not sure how much of that speculated savings will be offset by increased foul odors, bugs, and vermin.

"Damn, Harry... this pilot program really sucks."

Good luck, Seattle.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018192784_garbage12m.html

[Warph]

VENEZUELA VOTES: Capriles Camp Appears Nervous But Victorious ...

Daniel at Venezuela News and Views reported this on the Capriles press conference less than an hour ago:
http://daniel-venezuela.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-last-i-hope-election-day-post.html


I just finished the live tweet of Aveledo press conference. Quick summary for those without tweeter:
- it seems that we have won
- gauntlet thrown at the CNE and chavismo in case they want to do us kikiriwiki.
- but I observe merriment and nervousness which I assume means a narrow victory for Capriles.

Capriles' tweets are unequivocal: he all but claims directly he has won.

The Devil's Excrement also is reporting that Capriles has won against the Chavistas.

8: 43 Advantage Capriles but very close. Foreign votes may decide.

Here's some bad news for the opposition – The Carter Center has returned to Venezuela.

UPDATE: Daniel updated his post with this good news:

The long wait continues. Since I got a serious rumor from two serious source I am allowing myself to pass it on: it would be Capriles by 1%, barely, which explain why Aveledo an hour ago wanted the CNE to already count the votes overseas that would add 50,000 at least to Capriles. For the record: 1% in Venezuela is 180.000 votes so the overseas vote do matter to pad the margin.

Aljazeera reported: Chavez's fourth presidential election win in October last year saw record turnout of 80 percent, but this time the participation has so far been comparatively lower.

UPDATE: From unpoetaloco – 97% of vote counted and #Capriles supposedly won but the CNE (National Electoral Committee) is refusing to make an announcement.

UPDATE: The National Electoral Committee (CNE) has not released its results causing rumors to flood the internet.

UPDATE: The Devil's Excrement posted this good news: 10:28 PM 65% of all actas counted Capriles ahead by 20,000 votes plus foreign votes.

UPDATE: Via Votacion:
April 14, 2013 @ 22:07 – A reliable source informs us that Henrique Capriles is in meeting with high command
April 14, 2013 @ 22:02 – Rumor: They're using voting machines in PDVSA facilities to inflate vote because Capriles narrow advantage
April 14, 2013 @ 21:25 – We report a situation of total anarchy in Guatire by government sympathizers motorized
April 14, 2013 @ 21:08 – Cochez: General FANB met in Fort Tiuna to agree Capriles recognize triumph
April 14, 2013 @ 20:50 – Attention! Shots are reported in several parts of the country by the ruling affections! Take care please!

UPDATE: Henrique Capriles stopped tweeting two hours ago. The opposition leader was very optimistic in his last tweet.

UPDATE: Capriles just tweeted this at 11:47 EST: "After speaking the CNE will talk to our people"

UPDATE: CNE announced official results. Henrique Capriles 49.07% and 50.66% Nicolás Maduro.

Update: Maduro Wins 50.66% to 49.07%

And, tonight's results remind us once again of that old saying, "It's easy to vote Marxists into power. It's much harder to vote them out."

[Warph]

POS Obuma to offer up Asian defense systems in exchange for North Korean promises

Oh yeah... like they're going to keep those promises.  The big winner in all of this, is China.  The losers... Japan, Taiwan, Guam, Hawaii, etc.  John "God I'm Stupid" Kerry then went to Japan to assure them of the administration's commitment to their security... without missile defense systems!

http://bostonglobe.com/news/world/2013/04/13/kerry-tells-china-that-will-reduce-missile-defenses-area-korea-drops-nuclear-plans/HvOUstCOksmlSJ2dV7aRhP/story.html

[Warph]

Where's Kim Jong-Un?

"Hmmm.... what could this mean?"

So the Supreme Leader formerly known as Kim Jong-woon has not been seen in public for two weeks.  So if there has been no coup by saner (relatively speaking) heads afraid that Kim is about to spark a nuclear holocaust, could Dennis Rodman's BFF be hiding out in his "underground lair" in order to prevent spoilage due to nuclear fallout?

Maybe those two idiots (Obuma & Kerry) jumped the gun... (no pun intended) when they decided to promise the moon to China and N.Korea and put Japan in the toilet.

Given that communists have proved to be on the right side of history ever since Marx first bummed money from Friedrich Engels to buy a new mustache cup, I can only imagine that whatever is going on can only lead to the liberation of marginalized and oppressed peoples everywhere.

That, in case you didn't know, was sarcasm.  In fact, I think this whole mess calls for Jack Burton.  And yes, I know it's not called Big Trouble in North Korea, but I've been looking for an excuse to link to this video for weeks:

[Warph]

Anthony "Huma" Weiner Preparing to Run for Mayor of New York

If Weiner pushes ahead, he will be going into a primary against the front-running lesbian, Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio, who is slightly to the left of Joseph Stalin, and John Liu, who may be an agent of Communist China and may be headed to jail over campaign finance fraud.... the investigation is still running.

This entire mess gives you some idea of why Weiner may have a shot.  Sure he messed around on Twitterand lied to the country,  but the alternative is a woman who claims to be a 100 percent lesbian... and is accepted by most people because she seems reasonably competent.  Hey, if Napolitono is accepted, why not Quinn.  

Most of the bloggers writing angry pieces about Bloomberg don't understand that he won 3 terms because the alternatives were so much worse.  The Bloomberg effect is why Weiner may have a shot.  Sure he's bad, but it keeps Bill be Blasio from declaring the People's Republic of Manhattazlan and prevents John Liu from putting the entire treasury into a briefcase and flying off to Dubai.

So Weiner is reinventing himself as a family man who is married to Huma Abedin. Huma worked for Hillery Clinton as her body-man. As another Bill Clinton who screwed up but now his marriage is fixed.  So you cannot count Weiner out.

So what do we learn from the Times profile.  Huma Abedin doesn't drink and initially had no interest whatsoever in Weiner.  Some people choose not to drink.  Others don't do it for religious reasons.  Maybe Huma just didn't find Weiner interesting, or maybe there were obvious reasons why she wasn't going to date him... until Hillary Clinton kept pushing them together.

Weiner says of Abedin "She is the most competent, graceful person I've met in all my years in politics. . . . And she's the hatchet woman!  The person at the side of the principal is usually the bad guy."

Funny that.


And if that story isn't a strange kettle of Armageddon Worms, try this one on for size.  Sure to give you GERD.


Chelsea Clinton Threatens To Go Into Politics



Chelsea Clinton has a bunch of degrees from prestigious academic institutions that she didn't do anything with.  Most of her degrees are useless outside the political world.  In real life, having degrees in history, international relations and public health makes you mostly unemployable outside the political sector.

Since then she's worked at a consulting firm, sat on a board and was given a job at NBC reporting positive life affirming stories.  Her performance was terrible, but she was kept on for obvious reasons.  After marrying the spawn of another Democratic politician, there's only one thing ahead for her and that's running for public office.... somewhere.

WEINER/CLINTON IN 2024

[Warph]

But don't worry, folks: Melissa Harris-Perry will succeed where Stalin, Hitler and Pol Pot failed    

Not only is the nutty professor -- Melissa Harris-Perry of MSNBC -- agitating for collectivization of child-rearing, now she's articulated her own "Bill of Rights":
http://lonelyconservative.com/2013/04/another-melissa-harris-perry-msnbc-promo-you-have-a-right-to-health-care-housing-food/

Americans will always want some level of inequality, because it's a representation of meritocracy.  People who work hard and sacrifice and save their money and make major contributions... we think that they should earn a little more.  They should have more resources, and that's fine.  But we also, however, have to have a floor under which nobody falls.

And if you're below that... especially if you're a child and you're below that.... we are not going to accept that.  You do have the the right to health care, and to education, and to decent housing and to quality food at all times

Alleged Professor Harris-Perry is either a Communist or unspeakably ignorant, because her bill of particulars bears an uncanny resemblance to the Soviet Union's Constitution of 1936, which guarantees the rights of the people,
including:
...Citizens of the U.S.S.R. have the right to work, that is, are guaranteed the right to employment and payment for their work in accordance With its quantity and quality...

ARTICLE 119. Citizens of the U.S.S.R. have the right to rest and leisure...

ARTICLE 120. Citizens of the U.S.S.R. have the right to maintenance in old age and also in case of sickness or loss of capacity to work...

ARTICLE 121. Citizens of the U.S.S.R. have the right to education...

ARTICLE 122. Women in the U.S.S.R. are accorded equal rights with men in all spheres [including] prematernity and maternity leave with full pay, and the provision of a wide network of maternity homes, nurseries and kindergartens...


Not to worry, folks: Ol' Missy's certain she can get the whole central planning thing down this time.  And if it costs 10 or 20 or 50 or 60 million lives to do so, as it did in the 20th century, that's okay.  She's doing it for the children.

Good God... Where does MSNBC find these clowns.  Sounds like she showed up in the same clown car as Comrade Obuma did.