Month: July 2008

Global Warming Slaughters Baby Penguins

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Global Warming Slaughters Baby Penguins!

In another Associated Press story (no link – on purpose), it is reported that “Hundreds of baby penguins swept from the icy shores of Antarctica and Patagonia are washing up dead on Rio de Janeiro’s tropical beaches.”

The horror!!

What’s causing this eco-disaster?!?!

Why, we are, of course!

Several possible causes are listed by various “experts”: overfishing, causing the penguins to have to range further out to find food; oil pollution from offshore drilling platforms. But no, according to one biologist:

I don’t think the levels of pollution are high enough to affect the birds so quickly. I think instead we’re seeing more young and sick penguins because of global warming, which affects ocean currents and creates more cyclones, making the seas rougher.

This man obviously stays on top of the latest scientific research in the field of Global Warming! Here’s a hint: The oceans are not warmer, there aren’t more cyclones.

Interesting Excerpt…

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Interesting Excerpt…

…from the WSJ piece on Alan Gura linked below:

The court’s close division meant that Mr. Gura needed the vote of Anthony Kennedy. Most court-watchers consider him the least predictable justice, but not Mr. Gura: “I received a lot of grief from people about Justice Kennedy going into the argument. We were told that we were not responsible, gambling on the views of this one justice who might be completely inscrutable and unpredictable. . . .

“Justice Kennedy did not trouble me all that much. The fact is that if you look at Justice Kennedy’s voting pattern, the cases where he tends to disappoint the so-called conservative bloc — in almost all those cases, Justice Kennedy sides with a claim of an individual right being held by a person against the government, whether that is in the abortion context, or whether that’s in the context of intimate sexual relations, whether it’s the habeas case in Guantanamo Bay.”

However, Kennedy voted against Suzette Kelo in Kelo v New London. He even wrote a concurring opinion in that case.

Almost always isn’t always.

Quote of the Day

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Quote of the Day

For decades the Second Amendment might as well have been called the Second-Class Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court spent the late 20th century expansively interpreting the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth amendments, not to mention unenumerated rights ranging from travel to sexual privacy. But not until last month did the court hold that the Second Amendment means what it says: that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” – James Taranto, How a Young Lawyer Saved the Second Amendment

(h/t – Dave Hardy)

Just Like Us Only Better

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The AP reports (no link – on purpose) that former “Only One” and current actor Dennis Farina was given a sentence of up to two years probation and a fine of $1,991 for accidentally attempting to take a loaded .22 caliber pistol in his briefcase onto a commercial flight on May 11 of this year. According to the story, “while on probation” Farina cannot own or carry a gun.

I’m curious; did the law under which he was sentenced allow for imprisonment for more than one year? Because under 18 USC section 922(g)(1) “any person who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year” loses his or her right to arms. As the law expresses it:

It shall be unlawful for any (such) person … to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or to receive any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

That would pretty much mean you can’t touch a gun or ammunition.

Ever again.

He pled guilty to “a misdemeanor charge of bringing a weapon into a secure area at Los Angeles International Airport.” According to the AP, in exchange for his guilty plea the charges of carrying concealed and carrying a loaded weapon were dropped. I’m pretty sure those were felonies.

Anybody taking bets on how Joe or Jane Average would have been treated?

Quote of the Day

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Obama is a three-year senator without a single important legislative achievement to his name, a former Illinois state senator who voted “present” nearly 130 times. As president of the Harvard Law Review, as law professor and as legislator, has he ever produced a single notable piece of scholarship? Written a single memorable article? His most memorable work is a biography of his favorite subject: himself. – Charles Krauthammer, Who Does He Think He Is?

Quote of the Day

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Quote of the Day

As long as our government controls the volume of our currency and awards itself the power to make or “guarantee” loans, this sort of evil will always hang over our heads. But no government has ever surrendered totalitarian authority over money and credit without the “incentive” of a violent revolution.

Torches and pitchforks, friends. Think torches and pitchforks. – Fran Porretto, One Degree Higher

RTWT.

I mean it.

Public Housing, Public Transit, Public Bathrooms…

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Public Housing, Public Transit, Public Bathrooms…

Seattle sells 5 of its troubled toilets on eBay (The AP can sue me.)

Seattle’s five problem-plagued public toilets could be yours if you’re flush.

City officials decided to pull the plug on the multimillion-dollar self-cleaning toilet stalls and instead put them on the auction site eBay.

Starting bids are $89,000 apiece.

Neighbors and city-commissioned analysts said the unisex facilities attracted drug users and prostitutes, and were less cost-effective than regular public restrooms.

On May 19, the City Council voted to remove the problem toilets. Council President Richard Conlin said although people were using the high-tech, self-cleaning silver stalls, they also fostered illegal behavior, such as prostitution and drug use.

The German-made automatic, high-tech toilets were installed in 2004 and have cost the city about $5 million. Each has handsfree washing and drying ability and an emergency button that automatically dials 911.

The automated doors on the impact- and graffiti-resistant toilets will close Aug. 1, said Andy Ryan, a spokesman for Seattle Public Utilities. The auction will last for 10 days.

As of Thursday morning, none of the toilets had received any bids.

As of Thursday evening, still no bids.

Hey, I know! Let’s let the government run health care!

Why Michael Ramirez Wins Pulitzer Prizes

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Why Michael Ramirez Wins Pulitzer Prizes

Or wildlife. Or beachfront property.

This is Ramirez’s cartoon for today from Investor’s Business Daily. Click on the link. Thursday’s cartoon is even better. Hell, I’ll post that one too:

As Jon Stewart said on last night’s Daily Show

Barack Obama should in no way be upset about the cartoon that depicts him as a Muslim extremist, because you know who gets upset about cartoons? Muslim extremists.

No wonder the LA Times fired him. He made everyone else there stare into a mirror.

(h/t Power Line)