The Next Palin Non-Scandal

To prepare the voters, Investor's Business Daily had an editorial yesterday with all the facts about this next non scandal. And surprise--no scandal regarding Governor Palin.

The state police investigated these charges and substantiated all of them. Col. Julia Grimes, then head of the Alaska State Troopers, suspended Wooten for 10 days and wrote, "The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession." She warned him he would be fired if he didn't shape up. The troopers' union got the suspension cut to five days.

Now ask yourself this: If you were Sarah Palin and had such a revealing look at Mike Wooten, would you have wanted him on the force? Palin was acting as any concerned citizen should after a close encounter with an unfit cop. If there's abuse of power in this story, it lies on the side of bureaucrats and unions protecting officers whose behavior makes them a danger to the public.

And for the next-next non Sarah Palin scandal--she wants to drill, drill, drill and return the profits directly to the taxpayers instead of expanding government.

Don't say you weren't warned.

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Palin's pastor urges flock to pray for the media

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.[that about covers it]
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By the Numbers: Cable Nets Boost Biden, Trash Palin

Looking at the transcripts of CNN, FNC, and MSNBC during the two "primetime" hours of the day John McCain and Barack Obama announced their running mates, a trend becomes quite clear: The media were much more likely to report negative information about the Alaskan Palin than the Delawarean Biden.

MSNBC was the most unfair of the cable news channels. After Democrats learned Biden would be their vice presidential nominee August 23rd, MSNBC aired 47 positive statements about Obama's running mate. The network aired just 4 about Sara Palin when she was announced August 29th, making it 12 times more likely to praise Biden than Palin.

Compared to CNN and MSNBC, Fox News was the fairest network. Biden was the recipient of more positive statements than Palin (25 versus 15) but he was also the recipient of more negative statements (31 versus 10).

As for CNN, while the first cable news channel was not as effusive in its praise of Biden as MSNBC (the network aired 29 positive statements about the Democrat versus 15 about Palin), it actually outstripped MSNBC in attacking Sarah Palin.

Palin News 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 8/29/08

CNN Fox MSNBC
Positive 15 15 4
Negative 27 10 20
Neutral 26 37 13
Total 68 62 37


BIDEN News 7:00pm to 9:00pm 8/23/08

CNN Fox MSNBC
Positive 29 25 47
Negative 14 31 14
Neutral 65 51 61
Total 108 107 122

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Survey Says . . . Media Are Cheering for Obama

Sorry sight last night, post-Palin speech, seeing the Fourth Estaters pooh-pooh Republican charges that the media are pro-Obama. But perception is reality in politics, and according to a new SurveyUSA poll, this limited to Washington State registered voters, folks believe the press is pressing for the Democrat candidate.

When asked "Is the media rooting for Barack Obama? Rooting for John McCain? Or trying its best to be fair to both?" 52% said "for Obama," 8% said "for McCain," 35% said "being fair to both." Interesting: 28% of Democrats, 28% of liberals, and 42% of moderates chose "for Obama."

It would seem that any Republican campaign strategy to hit on media bias for Obama could / would resonate with the electorate because the majority of voters indeed believe such, at least according to this poll.

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Petraeus to hand U.S. Iraq command on Sept 16

Baghdad - U.S. General David Petraeus, credited with helping staunch violence in Iraq, will hand over command of U.S. forces there to Lieutenant-General Raymond Odierno on September 16, a military spokesman said on Sunday.

Petraeus will relinquish command of the approximately 146,000 U.S. troops in Iraq after 19 months on the job to become head of Central Command, the U.S. military headquarters responsible for a vast region from Kenya to Kazakhstan.

['credited with helping'. Petraeus' success, given the horrific state when he started and its resounding {if unfinished} success, his achievement will quickly be added to the annals of history as one of the most incredible turnarounds of all time.

Reuters]

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Jordan bars Jews with religious items

Jordanian border officials refused to allow a group of Israeli tourists carrying religious objects such as talitot and tefillin to enter their country on Tuesday, saying it was "a safety measure" to avoid potential terror threats. Thirty-six Israeli tourists on their way to Amman for a three-day tour were detained at the Sheikh Ali Hussein Crossing near Beit She'an at 6:30 a.m.

(Snip) Novetsky said the group's suitcases were thoroughly searched for religious items.

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Euro-Trashing Free Speech: How Some Europeans and the UN Are Helping Islamists Undermine Freedom

In Europe, free speech may end with neither a bang nor a whimper – but with a lawyerly assist.

It was three years ago this month that the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, published twelve editorial cartoons satirizing Islamist terrorism. Some Muslim organizations objected. Protests were organized. Danish embassies in Syria, Lebanon and Iran were set ablaze. Dozens of people were killed. [snip]

"The lawyers are studying the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the cartoonist in accordance with French and international law such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” Bitar enthused:

"The idea of European lawyers joining us in the campaign and supporting our efforts is tremendous. We are defending Islam in a civilized way and are trying to hold those responsible for the caricatures accountable according to the law."

Additional legal assistance may be on the way. The United Nations General Assembly is considering a resolution sponsored by the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The ostensible purpose of “Combating Defamation of Religion” – yet another inspiring name! – is to stamp out “incitement to religious hatred, against Islam and Muslims in particular."

As for other religions, rest assured this resolution will guarantee them as much protection and respect as Christianity, Judaism, Baha'i, and Hinduism now receive in Saudi Arabia, Iran or any of the other sponsoring nations...

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Confrontation in the Black Sea

Yesterday, Vladimir Putin issued his latest threat to the West, declaring “there will be an answer” to the increase in NATO ships in the Black Sea. “We don’t understand what American ships are doing on the Georgian shores, but this is a decision by our American colleagues,” he said. “The second question is why the humanitarian aid is being delivered on naval vessels armed with the newest rocket systems.” [snip]

Now that Putin has raised the issue, however, we need to begin thinking about whether Russia will try to interdict American aid deliveries in the coming days. That would seem inconceivable, but we did not anticipate an invasion either.

At first glance, committing America’s largest vessels to the Georgian conflict sounds drastic. Yet at this point we have to assume that former Soviets will try almost anything in the Black Sea...

[maybe Russia's military invasion of Georgia is why we're using armed ships to deliver relief? ]

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Russia ships to join Venezuela naval exercises in Caribbean

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- The Venezuelan government announced today that four Russian naval vessels will participate in joint exercises in the Caribbean this year, a move that could heighten already strained relations between Washington and Moscow.

Venezuela's naval intelligence chief, Adm. Salbatore Cammarata Bastidas, said in a statement that a task force including four Russian naval vessels and 1,000 Russian military personnel would take part in mid-November exercises with Venezuelan frigates, patrol boats, submarines and aircraft.

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Thaw of polar regions may need new U.N. laws

Oslo - A new set of United Nations laws may be needed to regulate new Arctic industries such as shipping and oil exploration as climate change melts the ice around the North Pole, legal experts said on Sunday.

They said existing laws governing everything from fish stocks to bio-prospecting by pharmaceutical companies were inadequate for the polar regions, especially the Arctic...

[One World Government; be afraid.

Meanwhile they ignore that fact that the Antarctic is gaining ice faster than the Arctic is losing it (which itself is debatable, given its year to year loss gain seesaw} - no much for 'global'.

We'll see what Russia, already 'claiming' the north pole for oil retrieval, thinks of this...]

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Vladimir Putin threatens Europe over energy supply

Tbilisi/Brussels - Vladimir Putin has warned Europe that Russia's energy reserves will flow to the Far East if the continent's leaders seek to punish his country for invading Georgia. The Russian prime minister traveled to Siberia to demand that work on a new pipeline to supply oil to Asia is speeded up.

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State land use subject to global warming review

California

A bill in Sacramento would require local governments to plan their growth so homes, businesses and public transit systems are clustered together. The goal is to help California meet the emission mandates spelled out in a wide-ranging greenhouse gas reduction law passed two years ago.

At the same time, it will encourage housing to be built closer to where people work and shop while discouraging the type of suburban development that has characterized California's housing pattern for decades.

It requires local governments to submit regional development plans to state air regulators for approval, and

"allows California to grow, but in a way that is consistent with our environmental goals."

California would be the first state to impose such statewide requirements on local land-use decisions and connect them to concerns about global warming. It is one of many steps the state is taking to meet the mandates of the 2006 law, which requires all greenhouse gas emissions statewide to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020.

Republicans opposed the bill, equating it to government telling people where and how they should live. Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, said the legislation would force people to live in "a condo by the train tracks" by discouraging developers from building traditional suburban neighborhoods that provide more space.

[the insanity begins - how much damage to our economy and standard of living will need to occur before voters demand a repeal of these social(ist) engineering schemes? - and no, the AP 'reporter' never gave the bill's docket number of official title.]

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"Amazingly, although the risks of action are arguably at least as real as the risks of inaction, Canada and other countries are rushing into Earth-altering carbon schemes with nary a doubt.

Environmentalists, who ordinarily would demand a full-fledged environmental assessment before a highway or a power plant can be built, are silent on the need to question proponents or examine alternatives."

Lawrence Solomon
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France reaffirms its faith in future of nuclear power

Flamanville, France - It looks like an ordinary building site, but for the two massive, rounded concrete shells looming above the ocean, like dusty mushrooms. Here on the Normandy coast, France is building its newest nuclear reactor, the first in 10 years, costing $5.1 billion. But already, President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France will build another like it.

[everyone but us]

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Let's Have Some Love for Nuclear Power

All over the world, nuclear power is making a comeback. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has just commissioned eight new reactors, and says there's "no upper limit" to the number Britain will build in the future.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has challenged her country's program to phase out 17 nuclear reactors by 2020, saying it will be impossible to deal with climate change without them. China and India are building nuclear power plants; France and Russia, both of whom have embraced the technology, are fiercely competing to sell them the hardware.

In the U.S. at present, 104 nuclear plants generate about 21% of our electric power. Last November, NRG Energy, of Princeton, N.J., became the first company to file for a license to build a new nuclear plant since the 1970s...

[the hurtle will be the courts...]

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Feminists roll out guns against Palin

You would think the prospect of a woman in the White House as US vice-president - and a working mother to boot - would be welcomed by feminists. Not one bit. The excoriation of the Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, since John McCain unveiled her as his surprise running mate last week just goes to show that establishment feminists are only champions of women who subscribe to a narrow set of left-wing positions...

[the left always gets incensed when the right shows it's inclusive - that's what made them so up over a black supreme court nominee by the name of Thomas...]

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Want Real Change? Quit Nominating Lawyers!

This year the media seem to think change means race and sex -- and it's certainly true that either the next president or next vice president will not be a white male. But does that mean de facto that the country will be run any differently?

There is, however, one area where we might have seen real change. The Democrats could have not nominated another lawyer. This may partly explain why former military officer John McCain and working-mom Sarah Palin are polling near even with Obama and his running mate, Joe Biden, in a year that otherwise favors the Democrats. [snip]

In fact, every Democratic presidential nominee for president and vice president in the last seven elections [13 of 14 nominees over 28 years]-- except Gore who dropped out of law school to run for Congress -- has been a lawyer. [snip]

The problem is that lawyers usually do not run companies, defend the country, lead people, build things, grow food or create capital...

[they sue people (and companies), or defend them criminally regardless of their guilt. I.e., all adversarial, all the time, take no prisoners. Great collaborative leadership, that.

BTW: the republican lawyer count for that same period is 3; Nixon, Ford & Dole]

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Hi Mom! I'm on Al Jazeera

... Two Caucasian women, NBC staff, sat at my left. Two Arabic women, Al Jazeera, sat to my right. I was deep in enemy territory. I was thinking again of Lifson.

The Al Jazeera employees listened intently to Palin's magnificent speech. They asked me questions about her and about Idaho. (I told them I lived in the state where Sarah was born.) Though they clearly disagreed with her, they were just as clearly impressed.

Meanwhile, on my left, the two NBC gals were snarling at Palin like rabid dogs. They were vulgar and demeaning; they were, as we say in Idaho, downright disgusting.

I was suddenly, and sincerely, grateful that I was debating someone on Al Jazeera ... instead of NBC...

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* EXTRA! - (credit) - EXTRA! *

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Can "we the people" really save our economy?

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Can we really force our government to face the inconvenient truth of the $53 trillion hole we're in? That's the sum of all the US government's current financial obligations including unfunded promises for Social Security and Medicare - a $455,000 bill for every household in this country.

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The answer is "YES" - there IS something each of us can do.
Click here to add your signature to a letter we're publishing in the New York Times (more on the letter below).

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"I.O.U.S.A.," our feature documentary about the impending fiscal crisis, has made an incredible splash. Not only did the film get three and a half stars from Roger Ebert, and rave reviews from the New York Times and other critics, but it set an opening-day record for a documentary, thanks to a bonus post-screening town hall, and is about to break into the ranks of the top 100 highest-grossing documentaries of all time (source: BoxOffice Mojo).

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That's right - a documentary about fiscal responsibility is about the break into the top 100! And the film is still in theaters in selected cities; check here for listings.

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This Sunday, we'll be publishing a letter across two full pages in the New York Times calling upon the presidential nominees to move beyond the "denial" stage, recognize that America has a $53 trillion problem, and start taking steps to solve it. This letter will be signed by a bipartisan group of some of the country's most prominent leaders in finance and fiscal policy-making, and by representatives of young people's organizations around the country. You can add YOUR name by visiting www.PGPF.org today. Please help us make this letter one our next President can't ignore.

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You can add YOUR name by visiting www.PGPF.org today. Please help us make this letter one our next President can't ignore.

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And finally, spread the word! Forward this e-mail to your 10,000 closest friends.

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PS, For more about "I.O.U.S.A," click here to see the trailer, bonus clips, and my polite disagreement with Warren Buffett!

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