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JANUARY 24,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

MAJOR EDUCATIONAL NEWS – From Hot Air:  "You know what’s wrong with you white people? It’s not just that you’re so darned white, but that you never even understand what a problem that is. But it’s probably not your fault.. you just never had anyone to make sure you knew better. It’s likely too late for you, but at least there’s hope for your kids. If you send them to Arizona State University, they can sign up for a course on The Problem with Whiteness."  I'm excited.  I'm checking to see if the course is available online.  I want to enhance my sense of guilt.

NO LOVE LOST – From The Hill:  "New tensions are emerging in the relationship between allies of President Obama and Hillary Clinton.  At issue is the fate of the political equivalent of gold dust — the enormous email list, comprised of many millions of supporters and donors, that the Obama team has compiled over the course of his two presidential campaigns.  The Clinton camp would dearly love to get its hands on the list, but there is no promise as yet that the president’s aides will comply.  There are 'large concerns' about the lists among Clinton supporters, one Hillary ally told The Hill.  To the Clintons and their friends, it’s near unthinkable that a Democratic president — who has plenty of reasons to want a member of his party to succeed him — would withhold such a valuable commodity."  Oh come on.  They despise each other.  Barack certainly doesn't want Hillary sitting at his desk.  And he doesn't want the Clintons taking back the Democratic Party. 

COMMON SENSE – We rarely find common sense in colleges and universities, so this is the exception.  From Fox:  "Nearly all campus police officers at public universities now carry guns, pepper spray and other weapons, according to a new Justice Department report, and experts say more private schools are looking to arm police.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics surveyed more than 900 four-year colleges with at least 2,500 students. Findings released Tuesday show that overall, about two-thirds of public and private campuses used armed officers during the 2011-12 school year. Officers at public universities were more than twice as likely as those at private schools to carry guns."  Clearly, if you fear an active-shooter event on campus, you need trained, armed police to stop it.  The same should be true at all schools. 

January 24, 2015       Permalink

ANOTHER ONE? – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:  One of the two Japanese hostages held by ISIS has been executed, according to an ISIS video.  The claim cannot yet be independently verified, but ISIS has never faked an execution report.  From CNN: 

(CNN) A picture and audio posted online Saturday purport to show that one of ISIS's two Japanese hostages has been killed after a deadline for ransom passed, and appears to relay ISIS's new demand for the other's freedom -- a prisoner exchange

The static image, posted by a known ISIS supporter, shows what appears to be surviving Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, alone, in handcuffs and dressed in orange, holding a photo of what appears to be beheaded compatriot Haruna Yukawa.

Saturday's posting came four days after an ISIS video demanded that the Japanese government pay $200 million within 72 hours for the hostages' release.

CNN cannot independently verify the post. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Saturday that the government is checking the authenticity of the claim.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe acknowledged the post Saturday.

"It was outrageous, unforgivable violence," Abe said, adding that he demands Goto be released immediately.

Over Saturday's post, a man's voice claiming to be Goto's says in English that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to blame for Yukawa's death.

COMMENT:  ISIS is upset with Japan's gift of $200-million to help refugees from ISIS-caused military clashes. 

CNN reported this morning that ISIS is also demanding the release of a terrorist held in Jordan. 

This new crisis occurs after the United States and a small number of allies launched air strikes against ISIS after the terror group came dangerously close to taking over Iraq and Syria.  The progress of ISIS has been slowed in Iraq, but not stopped, but ISIS continues to advance in Syria.

Oh, President Obama says the war on terror is over.  Pass it on.

January 24, 2015       Permalink

DETOUR – AT 11:16 A.M. ET:  President Obama, on his way to India, will cut short his visit to that critical country on Tuesday, to go to Saudi Arabia to pay respects to the new monarch.  It was immediately noticed that this is the same president who, two weeks ago, couldn't find the time to go to the huge anti-terror rally in Paris, which featured many world leaders.  He has now found the time to visit a country that has, historically, been one of the major financiers of terrorism.  Are you surprised?

Well, actually, it's important that he go.  Saudi Arabia, which shares none of our values, is one of our "allies" in the Mideast.  It also is a major supplier of oil.  It is also scared to death of what is happening around it, the dramatically increasing power of Iran, and the virtual collapse of the United States in the region. 

I suspect Obama will have one of those "reassurance" talks, which will never result in any serious American action. 

The need for a reassurance talk comes at a time of dramatic tension between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.  It also comes at a time of estrangement between the Obama administration and the new government of Egypt, led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has given some of the most remarkable, and praiseworthy, speeches recently on the need for reform in Islam.  These speeches have been ignored by President Obama, who clearly prefers the Muslim Brotherhood version of Islam. 

That Obama – he sure has a way with allies.  If only he treated America's enemies that badly.  But, of course, as a leftist, he doesn't see them as enemies.

Happy landings, Barack.  Maybe you can get something right this time.

January 24, 2015       Permalink 

THE PAIN IN SPAIN – AT 10:52 A.M. ET:  There are terror arrests in Spain.  Spain suffered one of the worst terror attacks of the new century in 2004, when terrorists attacked commuter trains, killing 191 people and wounding 1800. 

Despite those attacks, the Spanish people, only weeks later, went to the polls and elected an anti-American, left-wing government that was decidedly pro-Muslim.  It hasn't done them any good.  Terrorists can't be appeased.  From Fox: 

MADRID – Spanish National Police arrested four suspected jihadis Saturday in the country's North African enclave of Ceuta who allegedly had formed a terror cell and were ready to carry out an attack, the Interior Ministry said.

Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said investigators, working with their Moroccan counterparts, were struck by the similarities between the suspected cell members and the two French brothers who killed 12 people in an attack upon the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris.

"These are two pairs of very radicalized brothers who are highly trained militarily, physically and mentally and are prepared to carry out an attack, and ready, according to the police, to blow themselves up in the act," Fernandez Diaz said.

Two houses in Ceuta were searched in Saturday morning police raids and four men, all Spanish citizens of Moroccan origin, were arrested, the agency said. Officers found an automatic pistol, ammunition, military fatigues, face-concealing hoods, Spanish vehicle license plates, large machetes, knives and documents.

The ministry said the four were following instructions given by the al-Qaida in Iraq leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, via what it called "a powerful and aggressive communication campaign" including jihadi Internet forums and websites.

COMMENT:  Maybe it's time to lose the term "lone wolf."  There's no such thing as a lone wolf.  As the interior minister said, these terrorists were radicalized and were "highly trained militarily, physically and mentally..." 

There were, just days ago, major arrests in Belgium, stopping what Belgian authorities called an attack about to be launched.

But, gee, I have to wonder why, right after the terror attacks in France, there is all this arrest activity throughout Europe.  Did all this information float down to authorities after Paris?  Or were they holding back on arrests, perhaps under political orders.  Just askin'.

January 24,  2015     Permalink

JANUARY 23,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:34 P.M. ET: 

GOOD KIDS – From the New York Post:  "A Florida mom was reported for drunk driving by her own son and three of his friends — and now she faces child neglect and drug charges, authorities said.  Angela R. Woodworth, 45, was so wasted behind the wheel that the four 11-year-old children she was riding with jumped out of the car and ran to call police because they feared for their lives, News 4 Jacksonville reports.  The Gainesville resident was arrested Tuesday and charged with four felony counts of marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, child neglect and resisting an officer without violence after cops discovered 2 grams of marijuana in the vehicle and a pipe under the driver’s seat, police said."  Well, she did something right in raising that boy.

THE BEGINNING – From Fox:  "WASHINGTON – Call it the unofficial kick-off of the 2016 Republican presidential race.  Two-dozen Republican politicians -- nearly half of them at least considering a run for the White House -- are descending on downtown Des Moines this weekend for the Iowa Freedom Summit, where they'll test their conservative chops before a sold-out crowd.   The summit, which was held in New Hampshire last time around, is only in its second year but is drawing an impressive amount of GOP star power. The heavy-hitting lineup, in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, effectively makes it the first major candidate forum of the cycle.  'Odds are, the next president of the United States will be there,' said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who is sponsoring the event along with Citizens United."  For 2016 the Republican Party has an embarrassment of riches.  The Democrats also have an embarrassment.

CUBA NO – An American delegation arrived in Cuba a few days ago to start talks on "normalization," but the talks have not gone well.  Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson made no bones about the gaps between American and Cuban positions on a number of issues, including democratic reform.  Some observers were skeptical that normalization will actually occur at all.  Of course, waiting in the wings is Barack Obama, who will probably be inclined to make any concession needed to get an American ambassador back to Havana.  Another Obama foreign-policy mess. 

January 23, 2015       Permalink

VULGAR – AT 10:26 A.M. ET:  President Obama, who has lowered the status of his office for six years running, but he brought his presidency to a new low yesterday.  It was embarrassing to watch.  From Mediaite: 

President Obama did an interview earlier today with three very popular YouTube celebrities. The press corps was somewhat flabbergasted by this, given the president’s reticence to engage with them more. Now, considering the three interviewers were all YouTube celebrities, they did actually throw some good questions the president’s way.

But to Fox’s Howard Kurtz, an interview with YouTubers felt “beneath the dignity of the office” of the presidency.

Both he and Megyn Kelly zoned in on GloZell, a YouTube comedian who they found to be funny, but couldn’t fathom why she got to interview the President of the United States.

And not just for any interview, Kurtz noted, but for the president’s first post-State of the Union interview. He likened this to a “D-list Hollywood after party,” while Kelly wondered if she should be more like GloZell if she ever hopes to get to interview President Obama.

COMMENT:  Make sure to watch the video in the story.  This president is making it clear what the next two years will be like.  He is showing us who he really is. 

Let us recall all the questions raised about Obama in 2008, and how they were ignored by the press.  Chickens are coming home to roost, but we're the ones shoved in the oven.

January 23, 2015        Permalink

HUH?  CAN THIS BE TRUE? – AT 9:51 A.M. ET:  Why, there's a reset, isn't there?  The Russians are really our friends, aren't they?   Yes, obviously.  The intellectual classes say so. 

And so we move on in friendship and comradeship.  Yuch.  From Andrew Malcolm at IBD: 

Here's a disturbing idea whose time is about to come:

Emergency first responders across the United States may soon be relying on Russian satellites to plot the location of the mobile American distress call.

This is not an Onion story.

The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to deliberate next week on a plan to use Russian satellites over other competing satellite systems for tracking the exact location of U.S. emergency 911 calls from mobile phones, the source of most emergency calls.

The plan is backed by major U.S. telecommunications giants like Verizon, Sprint, AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile USA, along with the Association of Public Safety Communications.

In an alarming story, the Washington Times reports the communications companies believe having the calls routed through Russian satellites would enhance the accuracy of their call locators and save emergency crews precious response time, especially when the caller is inside a building that can muffle tech locators.

Of course, such a system would also give Russians access to the American emergency response network, including the precise locations of every U.S. first responder.

And...

Some members of the new and enlarged Republican majorities in Congress are concerned about relying even in part upon Russia for domestic emergency communications, much as the administration must now rely totally on Russian rockets to get American astronauts into space.

“In view of the threat posed to the world by Russia’s Vladimir Putin," Rep. Mike Rogers recently wrote Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and James Clapper, director of national Intelligence, "it cannot be seriously considered that the U.S. would rely on a system in that dictator’s control for its wireless 911 location capability.” The Alabama Republican chairs a House subcommittee on strategic forces.

COMMENT:  Indeed.  No technological gain can possibly balance the loss of control.  I don't want Moscow controlling anything of importance to us.  And Obama clearly doesn't care.

January 23, 2015        Permalink

KEYSTONE CONFRONTATION COMING – AT 9:14 A.M. ET:  Mitch McConnell is starting to show some real backbone as Senate Majority Leader.  And he is not backing down before Obama.  From Fox: 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell followed through on a threat to keep members of the upper house of Congress working late Thursday, as he teed up a final vote on a bill approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline for next week.

Facing a slate of 12 amendments to the legislation, McConnell took the unusual step of pushing the Senate into two so-called live quorum calls requiring Senators to come to the floor. The Senate also voted to have Sergeant at Arms Frank Larkin request absent lawmakers to go to the floor.

The unorthodox maneuver by McConnell stemmed from unsuccessful attempts to come to an agreement with Democrats to allow up-or-down votes on the various amendments. That was followed by a series of votes to "table", or kill the amendments.

Among the Democratic amendments killed by the Senate was a proposal to put an 8 cent fee on every barrel of oil which would move through the pipeline and also require financial disclosure of those who benefit from the tar sands project in Canada.

Democrats objected to the maneuvers, claiming that McConnell was attempting to stifle further debate on the bill.

"Forcing the Senate to vote on amendments they haven't had a chance to read and denying senators the chance to speak on their own amendments for a single minute is a severe breach of Senate norms and protocol, and is certainly not in keeping with the Senate's traditions of open debate," Adam Jentleson, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, said in a statement.

COMMENT:  Now the Dems are starting to feel real heat.  Keystone is really a no-brainer for this country.  But the environmental radicals, and anti-business radicals, who increasingly control the Democratic Party, are opposed to it.  They'd ban cars if they could.  And airplanes, except private jets for their donors. 

Keystone will probably be vetoed by Obama.  But at least the American people, through Congress, will finally get their say.

January 23, 2015       Permalink

REMARKABLE – AT 8:38 A.M. ET:  Vice President Biden will apparently represent the U.S. at the funeral of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.  Glowing words will be spoken about the importance of the U.S.-Saudi alliance. 

Forgotten will be the true nature of Saudi Arabia and its sordid history, including the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9-11 were Saudi.  King Abdullah did make some modest efforts at reform, but there is still mostly darkness in Saudi Arabia.  Now, as funeral services begin for the king, a remarkable offer is being made by an American professor and great conservative, and others.  From Fox: 

A Princeton University professor and a prominent Muslim American figure, as well as five other religious freedom advocates, are offering to take 100 lashes each for imprisoned blogger Raif Badawi who was sentenced by Saudi Arabia to 1,000 lashes for insulting his country's clerics.

In a letter to the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Robert P. George, a Princeton professor and vice chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, urged the immediate release of Badawi.

The Saudi blogger was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes after criticizing the country's powerful clerics on his blog. Badawi received the first of 20 weekly floggings almost two weeks ago. The second flogging, which was scheduled for last Friday, was postponed on medical grounds.

George and Jasser wrote in the letter that if Badawi is not released, they will volunteer to receive 100 lashes each. The letter included five other signatories: Mary Ann Glendon, of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Daniel Mark, assistant professor of Department of Political Science at Villanova University, Hannah Rosenthal, CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Eric Schwartz dean of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and, Katrina Lantos Swett, president of Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice.

The group of seven religious freedom advocates described Badawi's sentence as a "grave injustice" in their letter and called on the government to show mercy.

"Compassion, a virtue honored in Islam as well as in Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths, is defined as 'suffering with another.'  We are persons of different faiths, yet we are united in a sense of obligation to condemn and resist injustice and to suffer with its victims, if need be," the letter reads. "We therefore make the following request. If your government will not remit the punishment of Raif Badawi, we respectfully ask that you permit each of us to take 100 of the lashes that would be given to him."

"We would rather share in his victimization than stand by and watch him being cruelly tortured. If your government does not see fit to stop this from happening, we are prepared to present ourselves to receive our share of Mr. Badawi’s unjust punishment," the group said.

COMMENT:  This is an extraordinary offer.  Robert George is a distinguished conservative scholar, and probably one of the last conservatives left at Princeton.  Mary Ann Glendon is a conservative, Catholic scholar at the Harvard Law School. 

We hope this offer isn't lost in the coverage of the Abdullah funeral.  It should be turned into a major story. 

January 23,  2015     Permalink