This and That...

[Warph]

The Declaration of Independence
"Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor!"

Today, as we take time to pause and celebrate July 4th, let's remember how we got here, and, even with all the challenges we face, how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America.

What a great document is our Declaration of Independence, the rallying cry to shake off the tyranny of an oppressive government.

We see, as Paul Harvey notes, the great strength of our Founding Fathers, those signatories, the sacrifices they made, to insure our freedom.

It is something we should never take lightly, never take for granted and always work to preserve.

Things will be difficult as we walk into the coming future.

May the strength of our forefathers hold us and guide us forward, to ever remain free.

[Warph]

JOKE OF THE DAY:

Obuma Awkwardly Stumbles Through
Scripted "Patriotic" July 4th Speech

(Then again, the Fourth of July isn't exactly one of the left's favorite holidays)

Via Independent Journal Review:
President Obama stumbled through a "patriotic" speech on the Fourth of July, reading verbatim a text on America's improbable experiment in "democracy" in a staccato and droll tone.

Surrounding him was a dour cast of stoic figures — save for First Lady Michelle Obama, who broke into "slow applause" mode when her husband called America "the greatest nation on earth" while a smattering of hand-clapping accompanied her.

The president should be given credit for going through the motions and for shoring up his patriotic bonafides. If only he believed those words about our destinies not being determined for us and that people should live as they please.

[Warph]

Oopsie... Seems Like The Senator From MA May
Have Avoided A Bundle In MA "Docking Taxes"

"Lurch on wife's Boat

"

(You didn't know Nantucket was in Rhode Island, did you?)

Flashback July 2010 article from the Huffington Post:
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry is docking his family's new $7 million yacht in neighboring Rhode Island, allowing him to avoid paying roughly $500,000 in taxes to the cash-strapped Bay State.

If the "Isabel" were kept at the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee's summer vacation home on Nantucket, or in Boston Harbor near his city residence, he would be liable for $437,500 in one-time sales tax. He would also have to pay $70,000 in annual excise taxes.

Rhode Island repealed those taxes in 1993. That has made the state something of a nautical tax haven.

Kerry spokesman David Wade said Friday the boat is being kept at Newport Shipyard not to evade taxes, but "for long-term maintenance, upkeep and charter purposes." (Horsesh!t)

Wade noted the vessel was designed by Rhode Island boat designer Ted Fontaine and purchased in the state. It was built in New Zealand by Friendship Yachts.

[Warph]

Unemployment/Underemployment Rate Jumps To 14.3%,
Hits Six Month High

(Obamanomics in action)

Via Weekly Standard:
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report released this morning showed unemployment unchanged at 7.6 percent, the broadest measure of unemployment, the U-6 rate (seasonally adjusted), jumped to its highest level since February 2013, from 13.8 percent to 14.3 percent.

The U-6 rate includes "all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons," including discouraged and underemployed workers, as well as the unemployed. The rate is only a half-point lower than the 14.8 percent rate a year ago in June 2012.

[Warph]

Video Of Shooting At Republican Guard Headquarters

Update: Different View Of Shooting, Shows What Appears to Be Army Firing Into The Air

Video Of Shooting At Republican Guard Headquarters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKoRKaqA70E#at=46

Via NY Times:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/05/videos-show-shooting-of-protester-in-egypt/

As my colleagues Ben Hubbard, David Kirkpatrick and Mayy El-Sheikh report from Cairo, large protests in support of the ousted president Mohamed Morsi were marred by violence on Friday, when witnesses said that at least five demonstrators were killed by security forces outside the Republican Guards barracks where it is believed Mr. Morsi is being held.

Reuters reported that one of its journalists saw Egyptian security forces fire into the air, then "heard shotgun fire" and saw "at least eight demonstrators hit," as a military helicopter flew over the crowd.

Simon Hanna, a British-Egyptian journalist in Cairo, drew attention to a video posted on YouTube on Friday that appeared to show at least one pro-Morsi protester shot in the head from close range by Egyptian troops standing behind barbed wire outside the barracks where Mr. Morsi is believed to be held. The video contains graphic content.

Update: Different View Of Shooting, Shows What Appears to Be Army Firing Into The Air

The Army is denying they had live fire rounds, and Alistair Beach notes that multiple witnesses say it was NOT the army that did the shooting.

However, multiple people ended up with birdshot wounds, including a BBC reporter.


(Not to go down the rabbit hole a bit, but this video seems to show what appears to be military firing into the air.  They don't appear to be firing at anyone.  Indeed there sounds to be other shots not coming from them, although it is hard to tell.  The news team who shows it also seems to be focusing attention on a man in civilian clothes with what may be a long rifle in vicinity of the man shot)

[Warph]

Video Of The Day:

So, John... Where Were You During The Military Coup In Egypt?

(You heard it, straight from the horse's mouth)

[Warph]

Top Liberal Blog Daily Kos: Republican Governors
"Salivating" Over Rapes In Cairo

(This is what passes as progressive and
enlightened thinking on the left)

Via Newsbusters' Jack Coleman:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jack-coleman/2013/07/05/gop-governors-salivating-over-rapes-egypt-daily-kos-diarist

Hard to believe, but there's actually a left-wing media outlet that makes MSNBC appear sane by comparison.

[...]

Here is a sampling from "agnostic" in a Kos group that calls itself "Church of Ineffable Stupidity," in a post titled "Shame on MSNBC. CNN, too"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/03/1220894/-Shame-on-MSNBC-CNN-too

"There are thousands in the street in Cairo, as well as other major cities. Muslim Brotherhood goons have been attacked in the streets, their headquarters was attacked by civilians who had too much of the Brotherhood's ridiculous ideas.

In response, 81 women have been raped in Cairo's major square, apparently by Brotherhood goons who wish to reeducate Egyptian women as to their expected roles. One can imagine John Kasich and Rick Perry salivating over their example."

[Warph]

Venezuela Offers Snowden Asylum,
Nicaragua Considering It

(oh hummmmm... yawn... snooooooze...)

Via USA Today:

CARACAS, Venezuela — Presidents Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela said Friday they were willing to grant asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

Snowden has asked for asylum in several countries, including Nicaragua and Venezuela.

"We have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to the American Edward Snowden to protect him from the persecution being unleashed by the world's most powerful empire," Maduro said at the start of a military parade in the Venezuelan capital celebrating the 202nd anniversary of the South American country's declaration of independence.

[Warph]

TWEET OF The Day:

Barack Obama Wishes You A Great Weekend...
(Egypt, IRS, Benghai, NSA??)

  Barack Obama        ✔ @BarackObama 
Have a great weekend. pic.twitter.com/mKWiVpdxOc9:33 AM - 5 Jul 2013


            (Barack Obama, doing a low-rent "Lurch" Kerry)

[Warph]

Islamist Gunmen Attack Protestant Church In Pakistan, One Killed

(Merciless persecution that goes almost completely unreported
in the American press)

Islamabad (AsiaNews) –
One person killed in Islamic fundamentalist attack against a Peshawar Protestant church
by Jibran Khan
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/One-person-killed-in-Islamic-fundamentalist-attack-against-a-Peshawar-Protestant-church-28392.html

This morning two Islamic fundamentalists attacked a Protestant church, the Assembly of God Church, in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, shooting at a policeman on guard several times. Before they fled the scene, they took the dead officer's weapon and fired at the church. Two clergymen were inside the building at the time of the incident. Civil society groups and the Catholic Church condemned the action. Meanwhile, police have registered the incident and are in pursuit of the gunmen.

Tensions had been running high in the area after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Kharrak said that Muslims could not be street cleaners or janitors, who are in short supplies, "only minorities could do those jobs." Minority groups reacted with outrage calling for his resignation.

Kharrak is a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, Pakistan Movement for justice), led by former cricket star Imran Khan.

Following this statement, the church that was attacked received threats from Islamic extremists and asked for protection from local authorities, who responded by deployed two police officers to guard the church.

This morning two fundamentalists tried to enter the church, which had two clergymen inside. They opened fire when one of police guards on duty tried to intercept them, hitting him in the neck, chest and near the heart. He died immediately.