There are times -- actually, many times lately in this era of Dr. No Republicanism -- when I strongly suspect that conservatives are living on a different planet from the rest of us. Sony has just released a new animated family movie called "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" that, to most sane observers, is a harmless comedy about a tiny island and the food that falls on it from the sky. The Miami Herald's Rene Rodriguez, who I read regularly because he has a reliably mainstream, non-insider perspective on movies, describes the film as "an uncommonly fleet and whimsical cartoon" that is the "rare kind of kiddie flick guaranteed to disarm anyone."
The only messages Rodriguez managed to discern in the movie were an aversion to gluttony and an invitation to be true to yourself, hardly the kind of secret lefty propaganda that would scare a parent. But the New York Post's Kyle Smith apparently saw an entirely different movie, a preachy, practically socialistic take on environmental issues that moved him to describe the latter part of the film as " 'The Day After Tomorrow' plus marinara sauce." (more at link)There are times -- actually, many times lately in this era of Dr. No Republicanism --... more
I’m not a “right-wing nut job.” It just goes against my core beliefs to sit quietly while the art community is used by the NEA and the administration to push an agenda other than the one for which it was created. It is not within the National Endowment for the Arts’ original charter to initiate, organize, and tap into the art community to help bring awareness to health care, or energy & environmental issues for that matter; and especially not at a time when it is being vehemently debated. Artists shouldn’t be used as tools of the state to help create a climate amenable to their positions, which is what appears to be happening in this instance. If the art community wants to tackle those issues on its own then fine. But tackling them shouldn’t come as an encouragement from the NEA to those they potentially fund at this coincidental time.
And if you think that my fear regarding the arts becoming a tool of the state is still unfounded, I leave you with a few statements made by the NEA to the art community participants on the conference call. “This is just the beginning. This is the first telephone call of a brand new conversation. We are just now learning how to really bring this community together to speak with the government. What that looks like legally?…[bear] with us as we learn the language so that we can speak to each other safely… “
you won't be happy at all when the pendulum swings back the other way some day.
just wanted to warn you. y'all complained when everyone from Reagan to the Bushes misused their power over the NEA to further THEIR beliefs. this is their payback.
remember, pendula can swing back the other way, and "paybacks are hell."
just MAYBE it would be best to NOT manipulate the NEA one way or the other?
ah, but where would be the fun and WIN in that????excerpt....
I’m not a “right-wing nut job.” It just goes against my core... more
(AP) The Chinese and U.S. militaries will work together to avoid confrontations at sea that have sparked worries of a crisis in overall relations, a top Chinese military officer said Wednesday.
The issue was at the center of their first high-level military talks in 18 months after a series of recent naval encounters _ including a collision of a Chinese submarine and a U.S. sonar device _ that have raised concerns about poor communication between the two sides.
The military officials also discussed North Korea, which has threatened war with the U.S. and its allies in response to new U.N. sanctions imposed over its recent nuclear test blast.
"Our two sides agreed to work together to avoid such incidents from happening again since such incidents will surely have a negative impact on our bilateral relations in general," Ma told a news conference at the end of the U.S.-China Defense Consultative Talks in Beijing.
Pentagon officials have said there were four incidents earlier this year where Chinese-flagged fishing vessels maneuvered close to unarmed U.S. ships crewed by civilians and used by the Pentagon to do underwater surveillance and submarine hunting missions.
The defense discussions were last held in December 2007. They had been suspended by Beijing in anger over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governing island China claims as its own territory.
Ma said that China had pressed the U.S. delegation on the issue of the arms sales, calling them a "central topic of the discussions."
"We told the American side that the issue of Taiwan arms sales is a major reason for the constant stop-start course of China-U.S. military relations," he said.
Ma said they also discussed North Korea, which counts China as its closest ally. He did not give specifics of what was said. China had hosted now-stalled six-nation talks aimed at pressing Pyongyang to halt its nuclear programs in return for financial aid and diplomatic inducements.(AP) The Chinese and U.S. militaries will work together to avoid confrontations at... more
BEIJING — Chinese and American officials on Wednesday gave a positive assessment of their military talks aimed at addressing the growing nuclear threat from North Korea and a series of naval skirmishes that have marred relations between the countries.
The two days of dialogue were the first military talks since December, when China broke off annual military exchanges to protest a $6.5 billion arms deal between the United States and Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.
Although there were no measurable achievements, both sides agreed to another round of high-level military talks next month intended to ease tensions that have been heightened by China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
In the latest episode, a Chinese submarine damaged a piece of sonar equipment being towed by an American naval ship three weeks ago. China later described the collision as an accident.
During other, more aggressive confrontations this year, Chinese fishing vessels have menaced American surveillance ships during routine patrols. The United States insists that the intelligence-gathering missions are allowed under international law, an assertion that China has repeatedly challenged.
China on Wednesday played down the skirmishes, saying that both countries should increase communication to minimize potential conflict.
“Our two sides agreed to work together to avoid such incidents from happening again, since such incidents will surely have a negative impact on our bilateral relations in general,” Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Michele Flournoy, the under secretary of defense for policy and General Ma’s American counterpart in the discussions, echoed that sentiment, saying there was no reason such “accidents” should harm relations, even if the two countries remained at odds over the definition of international waters. “We have to put the safety of mariners first and foremost,” she said in a separate news conference.
During talks about North Korea’s nuclear weapons ambitions, Ms. Flournoy said Chinese military officials reiterated their support for United Nations Security Council sanctions that seek to punish North Korea for the detonation of a nuclear device last month. “There is very much a shared objective to getting North Korea to change course and return to a verifiable path to denuclearization,” she said.
This month, the Security Council unanimously passed a package of sanctions that, among other things, calls upon member states to inspect suspect ships at sea, or direct them to a nearby port if they refuse. Although General Ma described North Korea’s nuclear pursuits as a “serious concern,” he did not indicate whether China would countenance the search of the Kang Nam, a North Korean vessel en route to the Strait of Malacca that is suspected of carrying conventional weapons.
The United States Navy is monitoring the ship, which may be headed toward Myanmar, but North Korea has warned that interception would be seen as a declaration of war.BEIJING — Chinese and American officials on Wednesday gave a positive assessment of... more
Senior U.S. officials are pressuring the Chinese government to shelve a proposed rule that would require all computers shipped in China to be equipped with Web-filtering software, citing concerns that the order may violate China's commitments under the World Trade Organization.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke raised the objections, the most serious so far, in joint letters to two Chinese ministries yesterday.
"China is putting companies at an untenable position by requiring them, with virtually no public notice, to pre-install software that appears to have broad-based censorship implications and network security issues," Locke said in a separate statement.
The filtering software requirement, which is scheduled to go into effect July 1, was designed to block pornographic content, according to Chinese officials. But Internet researchers have found that the software can also filter political content, expanding China's already robust efforts to restrict access to the Internet.
Officials at the Chinese embassy could not be reached for comment.
Online surveillance researchers say the filtering software has the capabilities to block political and religious content often associated with China's sophisticated national filtering system, referred to as the Great Firewall of China.Senior U.S. officials are pressuring the Chinese government to shelve a proposed rule... more
ABC REFUSES OPPOSITION ADS DURING WHITE HOUSE SPECIAL
ABC is refusing to air paid ads during its White House health care presentation, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, including a paid-for alternative viewpoint!
The development comes a day after the network denied a request by the Republican National Committee to feature a representative of the party's views during the Obama special.
Conservatives for Patients Rights requested the rates to buy a 60-second spot immediately preceding 'Prescription for America'.
Statement from Rick Scott, chairman of Conservatives for Patients Rights:
"It is unfortunate - and unusual - that ABC is refusing to accept paid advertising that would present an alternative viewpoint for the White House health care event. Health care is an issue that touches every American and all potential pieces of legislation have carried a pricetag in excess of $1 trillion of taxpayers' money.
The American people deserve a healthy, robust debate on this issue and ABC's decision - as of now - to exclude even paid advertisements that present an alternative view does a disservice to the public.
Our organization is more than willing to purchase ad time on ABC to present an alternative viewpoint and our hope is that ABC will reconsider having such viewpoints be part of this crucial debate for the American people. We were surprised to hear that paid advertisements would not be accepted when we inquired and we would certainly be open to purchasing time if ABC would reconsider."
ABC is sounding like OBAMA's PRAVDA....ABC REFUSES OPPOSITION ADS DURING WHITE HOUSE SPECIAL
ABC is refusing to air paid... more
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - On a recent Saturday afternoon, hate was on the march in St. Louis. About 85 members of the National Socialist Movement (NSM), the nation’s largest neo-Nazi group, gathered in the shadow of the famed Gateway Arch for a march and rally celebrating its 35th anniversary.
Clad in all black, with their pants tucked into tightly laced combat boots, the group carried swastika flags and signs urging immigrants to leave the country. They chanted “Sieg Heil,” a popular rallying cry in World War II Germany, accompanied by a Nazi salute: one arm outstretched, fingers tightly joined, palms facing down.
Their critics say that groups like NSM are the faces of homegrown hate, something the NSM denies. They instead call themselves a “white civil rights organization.” Its ultimate goal is to whitewash America. If they had their way, U.S. citizenship would be limited to “those of pure white blood”; minorities would live in the country as guests. All Jewish people and gays would be forced to leave and immigration would be prohibited.
As shocking as those views are, groups like this are more popular than ever.
“Right across the board, extremist groups are thriving right now,” says Mark Potok, Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project.
The SPLC has been tracking hate groups for almost 30 years. In its spring 2009 Intelligence Report, they found that 926 hate groups are currently operating in the U.S., an all-time high. These groups include the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, racist skinheads and Black separatists.
Potok attributes this rise in hate groups to the recession, the election of the nation’s first black president, and the immigration debate.
“We’re looking at a kind of perfect storm of factors that really favor the continued growth of these groups,” he says.
end of excerpt
Source: MSNBC
How should these homegrown hate groups be dealt with?ST. LOUIS, Mo. - On a recent Saturday afternoon, hate was on the march in St. Louis.... more
I put this video together to highlight the comedic surge in the republican party. Here we take a look at Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Rush limbaugh.
Beck calls himself a libertarian but its obvious what team he plays for.I put this video together to highlight the comedic surge in the republican party.... more
The Sun Times today gave a major clue that Barack Obama will indeed go down with Tony Rezko, sooner rather than later. It looks as though Rezko is about to turn on Alexi Giannoulias, the 30-year old State Treasurer of Illinois (who was elected only because Obama backed him).Breaking News!!!
The Sun Times today gave a major clue that Barack Obama will... more
Of course al-Maqtari would have done a better job of depicting torture if he had used the Al-Qa'ida torture manual that was found last year in Iraq. The victims included five men and a boy of twelve. The pictures in the manual are very graphic because the influx of foreign fighters meant that everyone might not be able to read Arabic.
Here is real torture, they also found a 12 year old kid in the AQ torture house!Of course al-Maqtari would have done a better job of depicting torture if he had used... more
Its not over yet, as we speak the Bush administration is looting our treasury and our future.Its not over yet, as we speak the Bush administration is looting our treasury and our... more
Shameful unjust ruling of Minya Criminal Court favoring Khamis Eid Abdel-Hamid, a murderer Muslim who recognized and admitted killing young Coptic Milad Ibrahim Farag, "25” One year with stay (Suspended sentence)Shameful unjust ruling of Minya Criminal Court favoring Khamis Eid Abdel-Hamid, a... more
A high-ranking spy known as 'The Spaniard' operating at the heart of Nato is feared to have betrayed British and US secrets to Russian intelligence for more than a decade, it has emerged.
In an echo of the Cold War, Herman Simm is believed to have operated with his wife and is suspected of passing highly sensitive information to Moscow, including details of the controversial US missile shield, its cyber defence programme and Nato operations from Kosovo to Afghanistan.
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Click on the link for the full article
I think spies play a vital part in the balance, and even peace, between countries - no country or group of countries should have the upper hand over others, both technologically and militarily. We tend to be scandalized when a foreign spy is unmasked and has been passing our country's secrets to other countries, forgetting that we too have our army of spies obtaining other countries' secrets for the benefit of our own country.
Outraged outcries in cases like this are nothing but the pot calling the kettle black.A high-ranking spy known as 'The Spaniard' operating at the heart of Nato is feared to... more
An insider to the Clintons says that Obama would make a big mistake appointing Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State.
He thinks that Hillary would use the position to make her own foriegn policies, undermining the Presidents.
An interesting theory coming from someone who knows the Clintons better than anyone on this website!An insider to the Clintons says that Obama would make a big mistake appointing Hillary... more
David Horowitz's and Ben Johnson's Party of Defeat documents the five-year sabotage of the war policy by Democrats and radicals. It has been praised by seventeen members of Congress and the Senate. We are offering $500 to any critic of the war -- who has written for a reputable publication -- to write a critique of the book and its main thesis. Contact Frontpage Managing Editor Jamie Glazov at jglazov@rogers.com to sign up.
I wonder who on this website has their facts together enough to win the prize, please let me know!David Horowitz's and Ben Johnson's Party of Defeat documents the five-year sabotage of... more
The David Horowitz Freedom Center recently submitted a Declaration Against Genocide to over 200 U.S. campus papers calling on campus groups, including the Muslim Students Association, to repudiate, among other things, Hamas’ Charter, which calls for the annihilation of Israel, Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for his similar sentiments, and the call to genocide that has been attributed to the prophet Mohammed. (“The Prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said: The time [of judgment] will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews and kill them; until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!”)
Many campus groups have refused to sign the declaration. The Muslim Students Association is one of those groups -- and its chapter in Milwaukee produced a Nazi-like cartoon slandering and defaming Horowitz. The cartoon included several blatant anti-Semitic themes, including an armband on Horowitz – the type the Nazis wore with a swastika on it and also the type they used to identify Jews as a preparatory stage between sending them to the gas chambers.The David Horowitz Freedom Center recently submitted a Declaration Against Genocide to... more
