The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

One More Jump …

Posted on | May 16, 2013 | 43 Comments

Well, I had hoped the nerve-wracking worry would be over last night. My Army son’s training battalion did their first jump Monday, then two more jumps Tuesday — the second in combat gear — and were scheduled for two jumps Thursday, the last one a night jump. But that one got cancelled, so the fifth jump is today. Or, actually, tonight.

Private McCain called Tuesday night and, after talking to Mom a while, talked to me and told me stuff he didn’t want to tell Mom, who worries enough for the whole family. Attrition due to injuries is not uncommon in Jump Week. By the time they finished the third jump, Private McCain said, they’d subtracted about 20 troops, mostly because of sprained ankles, but also two or three broken legs and at least one concussion. Additionally, there were a couple “refused jumps,” which boggled my son’s mind: “You make it this far and then, you won’t jump?”

Fearless, he is. Or maybe just crazy — hereditary.

Anyway, on Tuesday’s second jump, there was one scary moment. My son was originally Number 15 in his “chalk” of 30, which meant he would be first man out the door, but attrition changed the jump order, so on this jump, he was last man in line. The plane ride was unusually rough and my son says as he was moving toward the door in combat gear (which weighs about 60 pounds), he nearly fell over.

Fortunately, he maintained his balance, made it to the door and jumped, but then there was some more drama on the way down, as another trooper drifted down on top of my son’s chute, which can be potentially disastrous. Yet this is evidently a common enough problem that they study it in training and know what to do, so the other trooper basically ran across my son’s chute, and they both then veered in different directions. Anyway, between that and other hassles (untangling his lines, another common problem), my son’s descent was such that he couldn’t quite undo the latch to drop his (dummy) rifle in time before landing.

So he landed with the rifle, which can sometimes result in injury but this time did not. Thank God.

Five times they’ve got to succeed at this during Jump Week.

Each jump, somebody gets injured — for the most part, as I say, just sprained ankles, but that’s not a successful jump, and more serious injuries are more common than a dad wants to think about.

And he’s 18X, so failing Airborne School is not an option.

One more jump tonight, and then Graduation Day, we pray.




 

 

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Category: Family, Military

LIVE AT FIVE: 05.16.13

Posted on | May 16, 2013 | No Comments

– compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Obama Forces Out Acting IRS Commissioner

"Why do you keep asking me who's next to go under the bus?"

“I am angry about it.”

Miller planning to leave in June anyway, according to a letter sent today to IRS staff

Petraeus E-Mail Objected To Benghazi Talking Points
Wanted to reveal more details to the public, including the truth

UN Calls For Political Transition In Syria
Non-binding resolution has about as much effect as you’d expect



POLITICS
Lawmakers From Both Parties Accuse Obama Administration Of Abusing Free Speech Rights

"Hey, we saved a bunch of money prosecuting Medicare fraud!"

“Hey, we saved a bunch of money prosecuting Medicare fraud!”

Representatives Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Lofgen (D-CA) criticize DOJ for AP phone records, IRS scandals
Liveblog: Holder Faces House Committee’s Questions

Congressman Mark Sanford Sworn In

Fort Hood Sergeant Accused Of Pimping Out Female Soldier

North Dakota’s Sole Abortion Clinic Sues To Block State Law

Scandals Prompt Comparisons Between Obama, Nixon

Democratic Senator Carl Levin Pushed IRS To Investigate Conservative Non-Profits

City Councilman Defeats Scandal-Plagued Incumbent In Jersey City Mayoral Election



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Oil Prices Stagnant On Continuing Economic Weakness: NYMEX $94.10, Brent $103.22
Japan’s 1Q Growth Beats Forecasts As First Stimulus Effects Felt
Berkshire Bets On Infrastructure With CB&I Stake
Tesla Plans Stock Offering For Early Repayment Of Government Loan
Cisco Profit Up 14.5%
Gold Falls Below $1400 Again
Bristol-Myers Drug Cocktail Stymies Melanoma Tumors
Treasuries Snap Losing Streak On Weak Data
Fast-Food Workers Stage Protests For Higher Wages
Google I/O: The End Of Search As We Know It?
Galaxy S4 Shot Of Pure Android Boosts Relationships, Not Sales
Google’s Larry Page Fed Up With Heated “Zero Sum” Competition Between Tech Firms
Death By A Thousand Cuts? Google Wallet’s Plan To Take On PayPal Leverages Chrome, Android, Gmail, Google+ And More
Apple Is Target Of Senate Probe Into Offshore Tax Practices
Google Pries Another Nail From PHP’s Coffin
VMWare Launches Dual Persona Feature For Verizon Smart Phones
Valve Confirms Steam Trading Cards



SPORTS
Heat Blow Early Lead, Rally To Finish Off Bulls 94-91

Waiting in vain

Waiting in vain

Miami claws back from 11-point second-half deficit to take Game 5


Blackhawks Swarm Red Wings, Win 4-1

NBA Owners Vote To Keep Kings In Sacramento


Red Sox Bats Wake Up For 9-2 Romp Over Rays

Raul Ibanez Leads M’s In 12-2 Rout Of Yankees

Rutgers Hires First Female Athletic Director

Indians Rough Up Hamels, Pound Phils 10-4

Astros Avoid Season Sweep , Skin Tigers 7-5

Padres Stage Hit Parade, Sweep O’s With 8-4 Win



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
PornTeen Mom Farrah Abraham Disses Catelynn Lowell: “I Know What Jealousy Looks Like”

Farrah Abraham

Farrah Abraham

That word, I do not think it means what she thinks it means
Model Chrissy Teigen’s opinion of Ms. Abraham? “You’re a whore and everybody hates you.”


Chris Pine, Jake Gyllenhaal Clearing Throats For “Into The Woods” Movie

$10 Million Hitch For Ashton & Demi


Unspeakable Armenian Under Attack: Haters Now Saying Kanye West Is Gay
NTTAWWT, of course.

Obsessed Taylor Swift Fan Arrested For Swimming To Her Beach Pad

Nicki Minaj Leaving “American Idol” After Current Season

Bea Arthur Nude Painting: Would You Buy It?

Johnny Depp And Amber Heard Engaged?

Britney Spears Wants A Daughter

Christina Hendricks Won’t Wear Sweatpants At Home: “I Can’t Do That To My Husband”

Charlie Sheen: Brooke Wants Cash For Kids…That’s It

Jon Voight Learned About Daughter Angelina Jolie’s Double Mastectomy Online: “I Was As Surprised As Anyone”



FOREIGNERS
Palestinians Mark Nakba With Protests, Rallies; 75 Injured
Arctic Council Adds Six Observer States, Including PRC
Israel Hints At New Strikes Against Jihadis, Warns Assad Regime Not To Interfere
Japan’s PM Abe Willing To Meet With Nork Leader Kim Over Abductions
Syrian Rebels, Loyalists Battle In Aleppo Prison
Bombings In Iraq Kill At Least 33 Shia Amid Growing Shia-Sunni Tension
Lawyer Claims Accused Rapist In Delhi Gang Rape Poisoned In Prison
Roof Collapse At Cambodian Shoe Factory Kills 2
Nigeria’s President Declares State Of Emergency, Declares Jihadis In Rebellion



BLOGS & STUFF
Leather Penguin: The Answer To Obamagate Is Hiding In Plain Sight
Chicks On The Right: Democrats Can’t Keep Track Of All The Obama Scandals
Michelle Malkin: Law School Still Plans To Honor Scandal-Plagued IRS Official Lois Lerner
Lonely Conservative: Senate Democrats Refuse To Condemn IRS Actions
Volokh Conspiracy: President Calls IRS Conduct “Inexcusable”
Andrew Stiles: IRS Employees Disproportionately Donate To Obama
Wall Street Journal: The “Independent” Revenue Service
Viking Pundit: “Who Will Rid Me Of This Troublesome Tea Party?”
Gateway Pundit: Eric Holder Whines About Issa’s “Unacceptable, Shameful” Behavior At Hearing
Sister Toldjah: IRS Scandal – Granting Tax-Exempt Status To Pro-Life Groups *IF* They Agreed Not To Protest Planned Parenthood
Hit & run: trying T Deflect The IRS Scandal – Railing Against 501(c)(4) “Social Welfare” Organizations, Like Organizing For Action
Patterico: LA Times’ Hiltzik – Hooray For IRS Targeting Of Tea Party Groups!
NewsBusters: Want IRS Approval For Your 501(c)(3)? A Liberal-Sounding Name Helps, Conservative Watchdogs Find
Ed Driscoll: Congressman Ackbar To The White Courtesy Phone, Please
Riehl World View: HuffPo Calls Out Media Matters On DOJ Talking Points – “You Are Wack!”
College Fix: Catholic Professor Says IRS Audited Her After She Criticized Obama
Power Line: The Benghazi E-Mails – What Do They Show?


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Category: Live at Five

President Cosmic Lightworker Expresses Disappointment in Mere Mortals at IRS

Posted on | May 15, 2013 | 15 Comments

“Obama: Anatomy of a World Leader,” by Alex Gray (detail)

“Difficult as it may now be to recall, there were once ‘spiritually advanced people’ who looked at this Chicago machine politician and saw ‘a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being . . . who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet.’”
– Robert Stacy McCain, Oct. 25, 2012


Do not question His Divine Wrath at the career IRS guy who has only been “acting commissioner” since November and drew the short straw:

President Obama said the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service resigned Wednesday and promised that he “will not tolerate” the types of abuses reported by the agency’s inspector general. Speaking from the East Room of the White House, the president promised to “hold the responsible parties accountable” and said the administration “will work with Congress” on their investigations.
The agency’s acting commissioner, Steven Miller blamed two “rogue” employees in the Cincinnati IRS office for targeting conservative groups, but Obama said that Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had requested and received Miller’s resignation Wednesday. The political abuses were “inexcusable,” the president said. …

Inexcusable, “rogue employees,” to get caught targeting the Enemies List: Tea Party, Christians, assorted People Not Down for the Agenda.

Inexcusable, and it would have been even worse, if we had known about this at some point prior to November 6, but . . . hey, Lightworker.

One of the things about covering this stuff as a journalist is that it’s so predictable, it’s not exactly what you’d call “news,” eh?

Cynical? No, just not a complete sucker. Who ever really believed a word they said in the first place? They’re Democrats: People of the Lie.

“What’s that wonderful smell? Ah, unicorn farts!“

 

 


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Category: Barack Obama, Scandal, Taxes

LIVE AT FIVE: 05.15.13

Posted on | May 15, 2013 | 3 Comments

– compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
FBI Opens Criminal Probe Of IRS; Audit Cites Disarray

Under the bus!

Under the bus!


Treasury IG rips agency for selective screening of conservative orgs
Wisconsin Tea Party members wants heads to roll


Russia Arrests US Diplomat Accused Of Spying
Junior diplomat accused of being CIA spy


CBO Estimates Deficit Narrows To $642 Billion
Smallest shortfall in five years



POLITICS
Heller: IRS Can’t Be Trusted To Oversee Obamacare

Moves to strip funding from troubled agency

Moves to strip funding from troubled agency

Heller bill would deny funding for additional agents intended to enforce Obamacare regulations

Senate Panel Rejects Fingerprint System For Departing Passengers

Scandals Drowning Out Obama’s Message On Economy

Dave Bing Won’t Seek Re-Election As Detroit’s Mayor

Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine Donate $70 Million For New Music Institute At USC

Ft. Hood Sexual Assault Prevention Chief Under Investigation

Heads Of Benghazi Review Board Agree To Testify Before Congress

Northrop Grumman X-47B Drone Performs First Carrier Launch; Carrier Landings Tests Scheduled For Later



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Oil Rebounds In Asia After Domestic Markets Slump: NYMEX $94.35, Brent $102.66
Airlines Collect $6 Million In Fees
US Import, Export Prices Fall
Stocks Still Better Value Than Bonds
German Economy Grew In 1Q While France Slipped Into Recession
Japan: Is Abenomics Working?
BP, Shell Raided In EU Commission Price-Rigging Inquiry
Burger King Rolls Out McRib-Buster
Health Insurance Tax “Scares The Daylights” Out Of Small Business Owners
BlackBerry Confirms BBM App For iOS, Android
Windows 8.1 To Be Available For Free
BlackBerry’s Developer Guru On Its Android Apps: Users Hate Them
Google Said To Plan introducing Rival To Spotify
New Nokia Devices Make It Clear Microsoft Is Holding Back Nokia Innovation
US Paints Apple As Ringmaster In Scheme To Fix Prices On E-Books
HP Goes Android With X2 Hybrid
Twitch TV App Debuts On XBox 360
Replacing Traditional Telephone Service
Samsung Breaking Free Of Google’s Android, Adding Tizen OS To Future Devices



SPORTS
Pacers Rout Knicks 93-82 To Take 3-1 Lead

Knicks' Shumpert - feeling fine but time limited?

Knicks’ Shumpert – feeling fine but time limited?

Carmelo Anthony can’t carry Knicks alone

Quick Leads Kings Past Sharks 2-0

Young Stars Bolster Spurs In Gave 5 Win Against Warriors

Pens Easily Handle Senators In Series Opener

The Replacement Yankees Defy Predictions Of Doom

Hockey Night In Canada Sets Audience Record With Leafs-Bruins Game 7

AFL’s Philadelphia Soul Wooing Tebow


McCutchen’s Leadoff Homer In 12th Lifts Pirates Over Brewers

Fister Shuts Down Astros As Tigers Romp 6-2

Jays’ Dickey Breaks Losing Streak In 10-6 Slugfest Against Giants

Pettibone Strengthens Case To Stay With Phils In 6-2 Win

Angels Hand Royals’ Guthrie First Loss

Kershaw Outduels Haren, Dodgers Beat Nats 2-0; Harper Day-To-Day As X-Rays Of Head Come Back Negative



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Carrie Underwood: Full Disclosure

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood

The Marie Claire interview

Morena Baccarin Expecting First Child

Zoe Saldana Poses Topless For Allure, Says She “May End Up With A Woman”

“Days Of Our Lives” Actor Busted For Cocaine Sale

NBA Star Sued For Rape

Amid Pregnancy Rumors, Beyonce Cancels Belgium Show Due to Exhaustion

Univision Announces Partnership With Robert Rodriguez’ El Rey Network; “Dusk Til Dawn” Series Planned

Wow, She Did It Again

Rihanna’s “Elephant” Skin

From Wedding Bells To Jail Cell

Puddle Of Mudd Singer Arrested For Domestic Violence

Angelina To Marry Brad “Sooner Rather Than Later” After Grueling Double Mastectomy



FOREIGNERS
Syrian Rebels Vow To Punish Heart Eater
Japan’s PM Abe Silent On Envoy’s Visit To Norks
Taiwan Recalls Envoy In Manila Over Fisherman’s Death
Chinese Workers Claim Damages From Japanese Firm For Wartime Labor
Critics Assail Israeli Silence On Arab Peace Proposal
American Sent To Special Nork Prison
Distrustful Rohingya Resist Cyclone Evacuation
Protests Erupt In Nairobi Over “Greedy” Politicians’ Pay
Chicoms Question japanese Rule Over Okinawa



BLOGS & STUFF
Leather Penguin: Hey Stupid Party, Will You Please Stand Up?
Michelle Malkin: A Brief History Of Slimy Dem Snoops And Dumpster Divers
Wes Pruden: Obama Finds His Legacy
Riehl World News: IRS Gave Liberals A Pass While Tea Party Groups Put On Hold
Jawa Report: IRS Asked For Reading List Of TEA Party Group
Bryan Preston: IG Report Says IRS Discrimination Against Conservatives Due To “Ineffective Management”
Andrew Stiles: The IRS’ Liberal Dragnet
Sister Toldjah: Obama’s IRS Went After Billy Graham, Too
Gateway Pundit: Former NAACP Head Julian Bond Says IRS Legitimately Targeted “Overtly Racist” Tea Party
Weekly Standard Blog: Release All The Benghazi E-Mails
Legal Insurrection: Was Jake Tapper Played By The White House Through Selective Leak Of Just One E-Mail?
Atlas Shrugs: Obama’s Benghazi Lies Reflect Fear Of “Messaging Ramifications”
Just One Minute: Apparently Erroneous Reporting About Allegedly Erroneous Reporting
Breitbart: News Leak Put Americans At Risk, Holder Claims
Conservatives4Palin: Carl Bernstein Says AP Phone Scandal A “Nuclear Event”
Protein Wisdom: President Schultz
Kevin Williamson: Was The Question That Launched The IRS Scandal Planted?
Vodkapundit: Here’s What Else Needs To be Said


Links. I want them.


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Category: Live at Five

ObamaGate Scandal Mania!

Posted on | May 14, 2013 | 19 Comments

“Obama: Anatomy of a World Leader,” by Alex Gray (detail)

Ed Morrissey’s headline at The Week summarizes the situation:

A flood of scandals engulfs Obama

It’s not only engulfing Obama, it’s engulfing me and everybody else who’s trying to keep up with all this stuff. Easy to become confused:

Recent headlines from Viral Read:

IRS Admits Wrongly Targeting Tea Party Groups

Marriage Group Accuses IRS
of Leaking Information to ‘Political Enemies,’
Demands Explanation from Agency

South Carolina Tea Party Mom
Describes IRS ‘Harassment’

Jon Stewart Flips Out Over
IRS and AP Scandals

Reporter Who Interviewed President
Obama: IRS ‘Hammering Me’

Jay Carney ‘Unfettered’
White House Press Conference

IRS Inspector General’s Report Released:
‘Inappropriate Criteria’ Used Against
Conservative Groups; Nearly 300 Were Targeted

President Obama Reacts to IRS
Inspector General’s Report:
‘Intolerable and Inexcusable’

What’s truly intolerable and inexcusable is that all of this is happening at once, with new developments all day, every day, until Scandal Fatigue sets in and it’s impossible to keep up with even a fraction of it. So, yeah, it’s engulfing Obama and engulfing us, too.

UPDATE: Dear Lord, there’s still more:

Last week, the Benghazi talking points took center stage in the ongoing investigation of the 9/11 anniversary attacks in Libya. Jay Carney came under intense questioning at Friday’s White House press briefing as he struggled to justify a dozen iterations of talking points before Susan Rice used the final version for her now-infamous five Sunday talk show appearances on September 16, 2012. However, a background briefing by the State Department four days before Rice’s appearances provides the earliest extended look at the information used to prepare those talking points.

You really need to read the whole thing. Me, I’ve barely got time to skim half this stuff. My bedtime reading tonight will be 54 pages entitled, “Inappropriate Criteria Were Used to Identify Tax-Exempt Applications for Review,” by Michael E. McKenny. Sweet dreams.

 

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Category: Barack Obama, Scandal

The Obama Presidency, in One Tweet

Posted on | May 14, 2013 | 20 Comments

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Category: Barack Obama

‘People Need to Be Sent to Jail’

Posted on | May 14, 2013 | 16 Comments

“Our goal is for ‘We the People’ to be an educated and informed electorate, involved in our government, and working with and holding our elected representatives accountable to their oath of office to uphold the Constitution.”
– Laurens County (S.C.) Tea Party mission statement

In 2009, Diane Belsom was one of millions of Americans who answered the rallying cry of the Tea Party movement:

“After Obama was elected, I was devastated. And they were calling for Tea Party rallies, and I said, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing but I’ll figure it out and I’ll do one,’ so I did.”

A homeschooling mom in Laurens, South Carolina, Belsom started a local Tea Party group that held its first rally in April 2009. She became involved in networking with other activists who told her she should incorporate the group and apply for non-profit status. Nearly three years after she filed her application — and after she complied with burdensome, intrusive and, in some cases, redundant requests for additional information — Belsom still has not received word on whether the group’s 501(c)4 status will be approved.

The experience of the Laurens County Tea Party was replicated for dozens of other groups across the country. We now know why.

Lauren Belsom and her fellow patriots were victimized by an Internal Revenue Service that deliberately and systematically targeted President Obama’s political opponents for harassment:

“I think people need to be held accountable,” said Belsom, who has contacted her congressman, Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan, to complain about her group’s problems with the IRS.
“We’re supposed to be living in a republic, not some kind of totalitarian system,” she said. “People need to be sent to jail if they’ve broken laws or, at a minimum, fired.”

Read the whole thing at Viral Read.

 

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Category: Barack Obama, Taxes, Tea Party

LIVE AT FIVE: 05.14.13

Posted on | May 14, 2013 | 4 Comments

– compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
IRS Officials In Washington Involved In Targeting Conservative Groups

"I've got no patience with it. I will not tolerate it." Yeah, suuuuuure.

“I’ve got no patience with it. I will not tolerate it.” Yeah, suuuuuure.

WaPo has documents showing it wasn’t just a problem in the Cincinnati office

Pro-Abortion Activists Quick To Condemn Gosnell After Conviction
Abortionist convicted of three counts first-degree murder, one manslaughter

Syria Wants Details Before Attending Peace Conference
Information minister says Assad’s role is for Syrian people to decide at the ballot box



POLITICS
Obama Dismisses Criticism Of Benghazi Talking Points As “Sideshow”

"There's no there, there"

“There’s no there, there”

Claims Republican focus on Benghazi has “obvious partisan motives”.

Lawmakers Rip Justice Department Over AP Phone Record Grab

Orrin Hatch Has A Problem With Sebelius’ Fundraising

Minnesota 12th State To Approve Gay Marriage

Federal Fire Agencies Face Budget Cuts

President Hits NYC For Three Starry Fundraisers

Military Units On Alert As Security Situation Deteriorates In Tripoli

Supreme Court Sides With Monsanto In Patent Infringement Case



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Brimming Oil Stockpiles To Keep Prices In Check: NYMEX $95.17, Brent $102.82
McDonald’s Cuts Angus Burgers From Menu
GM To Invest $258 Million In Michigan Data Center
EU Ministers Seek To Cut Tax Evasion
Indian Drugmaker Ranbaxy To Pay Record Fine In U.S.
Boeing Dreamliner Returning To Service This Month
Amazon Introduces Amazon Coins, Virtual Currency For Buying Apps And Games
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO’s Big, Fat Marketing Mistake
Retail Sales Rise Slightly, Lifting Hope For Rebound
Google Merges Free Drive, E-Mail Storage To 15GB
Google I/O: Android, Chrome Not Merging
AT&T Likely To Drop Facebook Phone
Google’s Eric Schmidt And Jared Cohen On The New Digital Age
Google Commemorates 37th Anniversary Of Atari’s “Breakout” With Image Search Easter Egg
Amazon Acquires Display Maker Liquivista



SPORTS
Bruins Stage Historic Rally, Stun Leafs In OT

Bruins defenseman Chara reacts to a goal during Boston's third-period rally

Bruins defenseman Chara reacts to a goal during Boston’s third-period rally

Down 4-1 in third period, Bruins force OT for the win

Grizzlies Shake Off Ugly First Half To Beat Thunder In OT, Take 3-1 Lead In Series

Lundquist Leads Rangers Past Caps In Anticlimactic Game 7

Yankees, Indians Split Doubleheader, Exchange Shutouts

Heat Shut Down Bulls, Take 3-1 Lead

Ankiel Signs With Mets After Release By Astros

Griffin Pitches A’s Past Rangers

Rookie Hicks Shines In Debut As Twins Rout White Sox 10-3

Butler Breaks Out Of Offensive Drought, Royals Crush Angels 11-4

Braves Snap Losing Streak Against Snakes With 10-1 Win

Zimmermann Leads Nationals Over Dodgers, Harper Needs 11 Stitches After “Gruesome” Collision With Scoreboard



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Beyonce Pregnant With Baby #2?

See if you can find the baby bump.

See if you can find the baby bump.

Multiple sources say second baby on the way

Angelina Jolie Chooses Double Mastectomy To Fight Cancer

Christina Aguilera Returning To “The Voice” As Shakira Exits

Jaden Smith, 14, Wants To Be Emancipated From Parents


Jessica Simpson Furious About Ex-Husband’s Gay Joke About Her Dad

Joyce Brothers Dead At 85

Kobe Bryant’s Parents Call Him A Liar

Art Of Flirtation

Anna Wintour Banned Kris Jennings, “Real Housewives” From Met Gala

Josh Duhamel Shares Fergie’s Baby Bump In Sweet Mother’s Day Pic

Medieval Times Headed For Movie Screen

Kiefer Sutherland Signs On For More “24″



FOREIGNERS
Major Retailers Join Bangladesh Safety Plan
Hollande Mulls Tax On Smartphones, Laptops
Boat Carrying 100 Rohingya Muslims Capsizes Off Burma
Outrage At Syrian Rebel Shown Eating Soldier’s Heart
Fatah Accepts Arab League Land Swap Proposal
Mexican Officials Arrest Two In Death Of Malcolm X’s Grandson
David Cameron Offers Olive Branch On EU Referendum As UKIP Soars
First Kurdish Rebels Arrive In Iraq Under Terms Of Turkish Peace Plan
Japanese Government Refuses Comment On Osaka Mayor’s “Comfort Women” Statement



BLOGS & STUFF
Michelle Malkin: Dead And Circuses – Clown-In-Chief Calls Benghazi Talking Points A “Sideshow”
Volokh Conspiracy: The Non-Story Of The AP Phone Records
NRO Corner: DOJ Seized Reporter Phone Records
Legal Insurrection: How Do You Ask A Journalist To Be The Last Journalist To Lose Credibility Defending Obama?
Sense Of Events: Barack Milhous Obamanixon
Ed Morrissey: IRS Admits Current Commissioner Knew Of Targeting A Year Ago
Patterico: Incredible – IRS Leaked Files On Conservative Groups To Liberal Media Outlet
Power Line: IRS Scandal About To Blow Wide Open?
Conservatives4Palin: IRS Scandal Extends Well Beyond Cincinnati
Breitbart: McConnell Says IRS Revelations Just The Beginning
Weasel Zippers: Americans Think Liberal Hipsters Are Tools
This Ain’t Hell: Apparently Partial Birth Abortion IS Murder
Sister Toldjah: #Gosnell. Guily. Should He Get The Death Penalty?
American Thinker: Murdered Thousands, Convicted For Three


Y U NO SEND LINKS? Afraid you’ll get too much traffic?


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Category: Live at Five

#Gosnell Convicted: Quick Reactions

Posted on | May 13, 2013 | 30 Comments

You probably have to remember the “Doonesbury” cartoon during the Watergate investigation to appreciate the headline here:

CNN headline:

Doctor found guilty of first-degree murder
in Philadelphia abortion case

Memeorandum thread, and everybody should read Steven Ertelt’s description of the three murder victims:

Baby Boy A was the biggest baby that Kareema Cross had ever seen delivered at Gosnell’s abortion “House of Horrors” clinic in the four years she worked there. He was delivered to 17-year old Shaquana Abrams at 29.4 weeks gestation, according to an ultrasound record. Baby Boy A was so large, he did not fit into the plastic shoe box that Gosnell tossed him in. Cross said she saw the baby pull in his arms and legs while Gosnell explained the movements as “reflexes” telling her the baby really didn’t move prior to cutting the baby’s neck. Baby Boy A was so large, Gosnell joked that “this baby is big enough to walk around with me or walk me to the bus stop.” Cross and fellow employees Adrienne Moton and 15-year old Ashley Baldwin were all so “startled” by the size of the baby that they all took photos of the baby with their cell phones.
Baby C was an intact baby of over 25-weeks gestation. Kareema Cross testified that she saw Baby C breathing and described the up and down chest movements she observed for 20 minutes. She told the court she saw Lynda Williams lift the baby’s arm and watched as the newborn drew it back on its own power. Afterwards, Williams inserted surgical scissors into the baby’s neck and “snipped” the spinal cord. Gosnell was said to be in the room at the time. This baby’s murder charges were unintentionally dismissed in the place of Baby F, but were reinstated after Judge Minehart discovered his error.
Baby D was described by witnesses as 12-15 inches long with the head the size of a “big pancake” when he was delivered into a toilet. Kareema Cross testified that she saw the baby struggling, using swimming motions in an attempt to get out of the toilet bowl. Adrienne Moton pulled the baby out and “snipped” the neck, as Gosnell had taught her to do, while the mother watched. Gosnell has also been charged with Criminal Solicitation of Moton to commit murder of Baby D.

Babies “A,” “C” and “D” — they never had names and we don’t know who the mothers or fathers were. All we know is that Kermit Gosnell murdered them. It was premeditated, “with malice aforethought.” And somewhere covered by those “penumbras and emanations,” liberals think there is a right to kill babies.

You know how liberals like to pretend that all women are in favor of abortion? Those liberals obviously have never met my wife.

 


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Category: Abortion, Crime

The Fate of Basseley Nakoula

Posted on | May 13, 2013 | 31 Comments

“Hillary’s promise of vengeance to the father of a fallen SEAL wasn’t that we’d get the jihadis who killed him but that we’d punish the filmmaker. That’s perverse, but in keeping with the fact that she decided to run ads on Pakistani TV apologizing for the film while Islamist cretins menaced American diplomats across the region.”
– Allahpundit, Oct. 25, 2012

The wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time: Nakoula was out on “supervised release” for a federal bank fraud conviction. He was $700,000 behind on restitution payments and operating under an alias when he made “The Innocence of Muslims,” a crappy movie that got turned into a YouTube video clip that in turn became the pretext of riots in Egypt and then — it is now generally acknowledged — was utilized as a flimsy excuse by the State Department in an attempt to distract from its embarrassing failures in the September attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Having become unintentionally famous, the con man Nakoula was arrested and hustled into federal court amid unusually high security two weeks after the Benghazi attacks. We need not wonder why Eric Holder’s Justice Department made this a top priority:

“We will make sure that the person who made that film is arrested and prosecuted.”
– Hillary Clinton, Sept. 14, 2012

There was a sort of argument last week between Ken White at Popehat and some conservatives who insist on calling Nakoula a “political prisoner.” Alternately, Rich Lowry calls Nakoula a “patsy,” but this really isn’t the argument we need to be having.

The Nakoula case isn’t about anyone’s free speech rights. The First Amendment doesn’t protect the right of convicted criminals to operate under aliases in potentially lucrative business while owing restitution to the victims of their earlier crimes. While I wholly endorse the right to speak truth about Islam — and to hell with any mob of violent savages who object — Ken White is correct that Nakoula is neither a “political prisoner” nor a heroic martyr for free speech.

But this isn’t really about Nakoula at all, is it?

What the case of Nakoula actually demonstrates is the strangely misplaced priorities of the Obama administration: Eight months later, they still haven’t caught any of the terrorists who killed a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi, but they needed only two weeks to apprehend Nakoula.

Genuinely dangerous people seem to have no problem eluding federal investigators. Ariel Castro kidnapped women and kept them in his Cleveland basement for more than a decade, while the FBI never even considered the wife-beating school-bus driver a suspect. Nor was Castro the only menace to evade the FBI.

The good news? The feds are finally cracking down on those dangerous high-capacity pressure cookers. About damned time, too . . .

 

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Category: Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton, Libya, Scandal

LIVE AT FIVE: 05.13.13

Posted on | May 13, 2013 | 7 Comments

– compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
As Many As 19 Injured In New Orleans Mother’s Day Parade

New Orleans police searching for suspects

New Orleans police searching for suspects

No fatalities; two children hit

Nawaz Sharif Hopes Third Time’s Lucky As Pakistan’s PM
What will he do about endemic economic woes and corruption?


Treasury Department, Federal Reserve To Investigate Bloomberg News Over Privacy Breach
How much were journos able to snoop using company’s terminals?



POLITICS
Democrats Claim 2016 Politics Driving Benghazi Controversy

Wishful thinking

Wishful thinking

Senators Durbin, Feinstein claim it’s all about getting Hillary

Environmentalists Vow To Elect Markey

Ohio Senate Plans Small Business Tax Cut

GOP Gets Tough With Obama: Obstructions And Delays Disrupt President’s Agenda


Senator Alexander Says HHS Secretary Sebelius’ Actions May Be Illegal

Elon Musk Quits Zuckerberg’s FWD.us

GOP Slams IRS’ Tea Party Targeting As “Chilling”, A Form Of Intimidation

Detroit’s Emergency Manager Offers Dire Report



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Oil Falls As Dollar Strengthens: NYMEX $95.21, Brent $103.24
Nikkei Hits 5 1/2 Year High On Weak Yen; Financials, Exporters Lead
PRC Investment Slows As Production Trails Estimates
Old Tech Fuels New Energy Boom
ECB’s Visco Says Economy Could Withstand Deposit Rate Cut
Lloyds Banking Chairman Bischoff To Retire Next May
JP Morgan Board Unanimously Backs Dimon As CEO
Sony Xperia ZR Lets You Shoot Full HD Video Underwater
Samsung 5G Hits 1Gbps In Tests
With Windows Blue, Microsoft May (Finally) Do The Right Thing
Google Quietly Kills SMS Search
Facebook’s iPhone Culture Builds An Overzealous Home On Android
Apple Deluged By Police Demands To Decrypt iPhones
Google Fights Glass Backlash Before It Even Hits The Street
Google Wallet Chief’s Resignation Another Bad Sign For NFC



SPORTS
Red Wings Finish Off Ducks 3-2 In Game Seven

Red Wings celebrate their win

Red Wings celebrate their win

Detroit does it without having to play in OT, for once


Warriors Beat Spurs 97-87 In OT, Tie Series At Two Apiece

Leafs Edge Bruins To Force Game 7


Rizzo, Cubs Agree To Seven-Year Extension

Lundquist Shuts Out Caps As Rangers Force Game 7

Mets, Valdespin Get Crushed By Pirates 11-2

Reynolds’ Pinch Hit In Tenth Gives Tribe Sweep Of Tigers

Giants Wrap Up Homestand With 5-1 Drubbing Of Braves

Astros Rally Late, Can’t Overcome 12-1 Rangers Lead

Frustration Abounds As Nats Fall To Cubs Late



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Barbara Walters Announces 2014 Retirement

Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters

Punching out after 53-year career; started with NBC’s “Today Show” in 1961

Seth Meyers To Replace Jimmy Fallon On “Late Night”

Lindsay Lohan Told She’ll be Jailed If She Changes Rehab Clinics

Halle Berry Loves Mother’s Day Because She Doesn’t Have To Plan It

NBC Cancels “The New Normal”

ABC Renews “Nashville”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Scandal”, More

Kanye West Flips Out On Photographer After Banging Head On Sign

Britney Spears And Her Brood Cruise For Coffee



FOREIGNERS
Chicom Anti-Corruption Agency Probes Top Planning Official
The EU Shadow Over David Cameron’s US Agenda
Predictably, Norks Wig Out Over USS Nimitz’ Arrival For War Games
Pope Francis Bestows Sainthood On Italians Massacred By Ottomans
Netanyahu Takes Flak Over Bed On Plane
British Tories In Fresh Turmoil Over EU
After Car Bombings, Turkey Calls For World To Act Against Syria
Boko Haram: Nigerian Opposition Rejects Emergency Rule
Australian Government Again Delays Foreign Aid Increases
Filipino Clans, Celebrities Dominate Midterm Polls



BLOGS & STUFF
Valley of The Shadow: Two Hacks Who Hate Nixon And Watergate, But Excuse Obama
Weasel Zippers: IRS Probes Extended To Groups Criticizing Government, Teaching About Constitution
Scared Monkeys: Senator Collins Disappointed That Obama Hasn’t Personally Condemned IRS Excesses
PJ Tatler: WaPo Calls For IRS To Be Investigated
Nice Deb: Pickering And Mullen Accept House Committee’s Invitation To Submit Depositions On Banghazi
Legal Insurrection: David Gregory Calls Carney’s Explanations Of Revised Talking Points “Not Accurate”
Gateway Pundit: Sorry, Libs – Whistleblower Hicks Not A Partisan Hack, He’s A Democrat
Ed Morrissey: Petraeus Called Final Benghazi Talking Points “Useless” The Day Before Rice’s Full Ginsburg
Atlas Shrugs: A Savage Culture – Jihottie
Riehl World News: Smitten Teen Girls Stir Up #FreeJahar Mania For Boston Marathon Bomber
Lonely Conservative: Happy Mothers Day
Gateway Pundit: Former Rep. Dennis Kucinich – Of Course Benghazi Talking Points Were Politically Scrubbed
Boris Johnson: We Must Be Ready To Leave The EU If We Don’t Get What We Want


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Category: Live at Five

My Wife Is a Soldier’s Mom

Posted on | May 12, 2013 | 25 Comments

Today was Mother’s Day, and I realized I never got around to posting the photos of my Army son’s graduation from Infantry School. My wife cried, she was so proud of him. Here he is, wearing the infantry “blue cord,” with his favorite drill sergeant:

It was nice to see the boy all grown up and, despite all that training, still cocky as ever. Here he is during his 72-hour pass in Columbus:

Not much question where he gets the good looks, is there?

So now our son’s in Airborne school, and Monday will be his first jump. Paratroopers are divided up into “chalks” of 30 men, and the Number 15 man in the chalk is the first to jump. Hooah!

Mother’s Day is, by custom, also the final day of National Offend a Feminist Week, which Mr. G. celebrates with an entirely appropriate declaration: “Now go get me a beer.”

 

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Category: Military, Mrs. Other McCain, National Offend a Feminist Week
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