o'Ticking Tax Time Bomb: Facts "worst recovery since the great depression" (video 6m1s)

video source: http://youtu.be/pxaXZ4-9xx0

Published on Youtube Apr 16, 2012 by ngingrich: http://www.newt.org

---

o'prevaricator - Obama’s legacy will be his continuing lies…

Obama’s legacy will be his continuing lies…

article source: http://conservativecritic.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/obamas-legacy-will-be-his-lies/

author: conservativecritic.  reposted from: Conservative Critic's Blog, July 20, 2011

     Since he began campaigning for president, Barack Obama has claimed that because his mother had a pre-existing condition, she died of cancer without health insurance coverage.  As it turns out, that was a pure invention to win support for passage of his healthcare legislation.  So too was Obama’s claim that he watched at his mother’s side as she suffered the disease without being insured.

     “I remember just being heartbroken,” he said in a 2007 campaign appearance, “seeing her struggle.”
     According to correspondence unearthed by Janny Scott, a New York Times writer and author of the book “A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mother,” Ann Dunham’s cancer treatments were fully covered by her employer’s insurance policy.  She was turned down for disability insurance because of a pre-existing condition.
     Moreover, Obama had not seen his mother for months when she died in a Honolulu hospital in 1995, according to Scott’s book and to friends interviewed by The Washington Post.  Her son was in Chicago, planning a run for an Illinois state Senate seat.  He did not go to see his mother until a day after she died on Nov. 7, 1995.
     A White House spokesman did not dispute Scott’s account.  He said that Obama’s mother still had several hundred dollars a month in medical expenses that were not covered, as if any health insurance policy would pay 100 percent of medical bills.
     He added that Obama “has told this story based on his recollection of

The future president with his mother, Ann Dunham (AP photo)

events that took place more than 15 years ago.”
     That excuse is as credible as Obama’s claim that he had no idea his minister and self-described mentor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., was an anti-white anti-America, anti-Israel hatemonger.
     As noted in  ”Obama Distorted Rev. Wright’s Background,” Obama went on to make up stories about how deprived and discriminated against Wright was while growing up in Philadelphia.
     In fact, Wright grew up in a comfortable middle class family in a racially mixed neighborhood.  He attended Central High, an elite school that admits only the most qualified students from all over the city.  But the press bought every word of Obama’s Wright mythology.
     What kind of a person would make up stories about his mother in order to score political points?  The same person who would tell the American people that he wants to cut spending when he has presided over an increase in the federal debt from 53 percent of GDP in 2009 to 72 percent this year.
     In February, that same person presented Congress with a budget that increases federal debt by $10 trillion over the next decade.  In April, that person rejected Republican efforts to raise the debt ceiling in return for spending cuts.  Now Obama is claiming he wants spending cuts, but he will not specify which ones beyond a pathetic $2 billion.
     The disparity between Obama’s words and his actions goes back to the healthcare bill.  He claimed no one would lose their existing coverage.  It turns out that was more hocus-pocus.  A McKinsey & Co. survey found that nearly a third of private-sector employers say they will discontinue covering their employees with health insurance because of the rising cost imposed by Obama’s healthcare legislation.
     One reason for the increased cost is the requirement that health insurers cover everyone regardless of whether they have a pre-existing condition.  That is like allowing drivers to go without car insurance and then letting them sign up for it to pay for an accident that has already occurred.  The rest of the country foots the bill.
     In addressing the nation’s scary increased debt, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has accused Obama of engaging in smoke and mirrors.  Dealing with Obama is like negotiating with Jell-O, House Speaker John Boehner has said.
     Looking at Obama’s fabrications about his mother’s illness, we can see why.

     Finally, whether you want to categorize it as an outright lie or simply scare tactics, in early July, CBC News Anchor Scott Pelley asked Obama whether he can “…tell the folks at home that, no matter what happens, the Social Security checks are gonna go out on August 3?”.
     Obama replied that whether it was Social Security checks, veterans’ checks, or disability checks, “…I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3 if we haven’t resolved this (debt) issue, because there(may) simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.”
     Either Obama is an accomplished liar or he simply does not understand cash flow in the US Government – the federal government takes in roughly $180 billion every month.  (It also borrows $135 billion a month.)  Social Security payments are about $60 billion per month, payments to all military personnel (vets and otherwise) are about $12 billion and payments to disabled veterans are about $6 billion.  That totals about $78 billion.
     For Obama to say that “…there may simply not be the money in the coffers” to pay for these items is patently false.  One might even call it “…engaging in scare tactics”..
     Clearly Obama does not know the first thing about the most important part of the economics of the Government he is responsible for running, or he is simply lying again to the American people – hoping that no one does the math…Pathetic indeed.

The caption speaks for itself...

     P.S. They are not reserving any space at Mt. Rushmore for  Obama’s likeness…however, they have thought about a one trillion dollar bill with his picture on it…

One Trillion Dollar bill - o'bamanopoly money

related:
Obama continues to mock people and ideologies – is this any way to treat his countrymen? »

http://conservativecritic.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/obama-continues-to-mock-people-and-ideologies-is-this-any-way-to-treat-his-countrymen/

What a TRILLION dollars looks like… »

http://conservativecritic.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/what-a-trillion-dollars-looks-like/

Obama posts at Conservative Critic » 

http://conservativecritic.wordpress.com/?s=obama&x=7&y=13

phony money: http://harrolds.blogspot.com/2010/06/ophony-money-1-trillion-dollar-bill.html

---

2012 - o'masterdebater afraid of Newt's challenge: 7 three hour debates

"..unlike the president, I've studied 'American History.'", Newt Gingrich.
Epic Debates Challenge:  7 three hour debates in the Lincoln-Douglas tradition

Speaker Newt Gingrich throws down the debate gauntlet to the President.

video source: http://youtu.be/q7c-E_t0BAE

Uploaded by aimaccuracy on Dec 8, 2011 from the Republican Jewish Coalition Convention, 7Dec11

Tags: Newt Gingrich, debate, debates, President Obama, Lincoln-Douglas

     Quote from 8Dec11 article by Dr. Tim Stanley, U.K.: "Best of all was his ribbing of Barack Obama as an intellectual lightweight ("I'm a student of history.  Unlike the President, I've studied American history.")  "Newt repeated his offer to hold several [seven] three hour debates with Obama.  ("And I will let him use a teleprompter.")  If the President doesn't accede, Gingrich threatens to spend the fall campaign stalking him across the country, giving instant rebuttals to his scripted speeches: "Wherever the President goes, I will show up four hours later."  It's classic Gingrich: blunt, clever, grand, Cavalier."

     Quotes from 21Dec11 article by Eric Golub, Washington Times:  "He has proposed seven debates with President Obama.  Each one would be three hours long with a timekeeper and no moderator.  Mr. Gingrich made once concession to give Mr. Obama a fair chance. "He can use a teleprompter.  If you had to defend Obamacare, wouldn't you want to use a teleprompter?" [..] Speaker Gingrich kept hammering.  "Unlike the president, I've studied American history."  [..] If Barack Obama tried to run and hide, Mr. Gingrich would use the White House as his scheduler.   Anywhere President Obama goes, Mr. Gingrich promised to be there four hours later.  (also see: The Lincoln-Douglas debates)

---

o'one & done - W.H. Panic! (James Carville, Young Turks, Chris Matthews) 3 videos & Where's Hillary?

What should the White House do? Panic!
By James Carville, CNN - Contributor, Thu September 15, 2011

article source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/14/opinion/carville-white-house-advice/?hpt=po_r1
(CNN) -- "People often ask me what advice I would give the White House about various things.  Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question.  What should the White House do now?  One word came to mind: Panic." -- James Carville

video source: http://youtu.be/C56utxT1IPI

---

video source: http://youtu.be/jOKGaJKI7co

Uploaded to Youtube by TheYoungTurks on Sep 15, 2011

"Democratic Strategist James Carville had incredibly harsh, justified
 criticism for President Obama.  The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it  down."

---

Trouble in River City

Is Chris Matthews getting religion? -- rfh

video source: http://youtu.be/uLcWAeGRJKM

Where's Hillary?

Hillary for president
August 05, 2011| By Christopher Sprigman  [excerpts - rfh] 
Read the full article at: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-08-05/news/ct-oped-0805-hillary-20110805_1_spending-cuts-gop-controls-hillary-clinton
    "I didn't have a high-profile role in the campaign; I worked behind the scenes drafting policy documents.  But I traveled to Denver to speak at a policy debate held during the Democratic National Convention, and spoke at a Richmond, Va., campaign event alongside Google CEO Eric Schmidt."
     "The Obama campaign ran on the hard work of many thousands of people like me.  But President Obama won't be able to depend on the same kind of help in 2012.  Because, it turns out, Hillary Clinton was right."
     "Hillary, I'm sorry for not listening to you back in 2008.  But perhaps you'll give me another chance.  Resign as secretary of state, and run against Obama in 2012.  I will work my heart out for you.  And I bet that millions of other angry Democrats will be with me."
Christopher Sprigman is a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law. 

---

o'amnesty - o'pander's Illegal Immigrants' healthcare

Left-wingnuts often make the claim that o'scamcare doesn't "mandate" that illegal aliens are to receive medical care ... typical '1984 Orwellian' "Newspeak." -- rfh

From: Minuteman PAC  Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 Subject: Stop ObamaCare for Illegal Immigrants

Joe Wilson was right... ObamaCare DOES cover illegal immigrants!      Earlier this week, we let you know about the $8.5 million in ObamaCare funding directed by the Department of Health and Human Services solely to provide free or reduced healthcare to migrant workers and their families - in other words, illegal immigrants!      Remember all the flak Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina took from the Obama-loving leftwing media back in September 2009 when he yelled "You lie!" when Obama promised the nation that ObamaCare would not cover illegal immigrants?      Now, we have our answer.  Wilson was right and Obama continues to be a liar...

     Sadly, providing illegal immigrants with free healthcare subsidized using YOUR tax dollars is nothing new.
     In 2007, we learned about Mexico's Ventanillas de Salud (Health Windows) program that directs MEXICAN citizens who illegally live in the U.S. to use taxpayer funded clinics in a dozen cities which have Mexican consulates.
     In Los Angeles County alone, illegal immigrants cost taxpayers nearly $440 million in health services annually and whopping $1.1 billion statewide.
     The Mexican consul in Los Angeles proudly announced that nearly 300,000 illegal immigrants hailing from Mexico and living in the area benefited from the referral program.

     To really rub salt in the wound, the whole referral operation promises to assess "consulate clients" (illegal immigrants) for eligibility to government-funded (that's U.S.-funded) health insurance and other primary care services and offers free legal assistance to those who are denied coverage.
     That must be nice.
     One of the most memorable quotes during the process of passing ObamaCare was Nancy Pelosi's "We need to pass Obamacare so that the public can find out what's in it."  One of the more memorable results of ObamaCare thus far was all of the friends and loyal lobbyists in the Obama Club who have received ObamaCare waivers.
     Now, with healthcare funding and services for illegal immigrants and cuts for the care of U.S. Citizens, we have one more reason to add to our laundry list for defeating Barack Obama in 2012.
     Thanks to Americans like you, who care about the safety and future of our country, there is mounting pressure to stop Obama from transforming America into a socialist state jam-packed with illegal immigrants benefiting from our tax dollars.  But it will take the lead of an emboldened House and Senate to turn up the pressure.  THEY MUST HEAR LOUDLY FROM PATRIOTS LIKE YOU!      Our mission is clear: Help elect candidates who carry out their constitutional duty to defend our borders and oust those who do not.
      Everyday Washington tells us we can no longer afford to care for our own citizens in need, so why are we caring for Mexico's?
For America, Minuteman PAC

          P.S.  As you well know, Minuteman PAC is an independent Political Action Committee of the Minuteman civilian border security movement, supported by many volunteers of the nation's oldest, largest and most-effective citizen's border vigilance group, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.  ... If you can afford it, please generously give a contribution of $20, $30, $50, $100 or more to Minuteman PAC to get this word out to your fellow Americans!  We will need funds above and beyond $250,000 to help make our case on radio, TV, in newspapers and on the Internet to in order to secure our border with Mexico, crush Obama's plans to grant mass-Amnesty, and nix ObamaCare for illegal immigrants.

---

bcc'd "red diaper babies" & RINOs

email Congress & W.H.: http://capwiz.com/congressorgfb/issues/alert/?alertid=41045506

government contacts: http://harrold.org/rfhextra/contact_the_us_government.html

Prepare - "The Natives Are Restless" (under-reported news)

"It is precisely this clinging to victimhood as a means of demonstrating one’s virtue and advancing one’s well-being that has led us into a society in which welfare and quotas are "civil rights," government handouts are "entitlements," and payment to girls having babies out of wedlock are "compassionate," while hard-working, ambitious people are "greedy," punishment of crime is "oppression," and an independent thinker who stands for courage and self-reliance is dismissed as an "Uncle Tom."

     -- J. Tucker Alford Source: Heroics, Letter to The American Spectator, P. 72, February, 1996.
        http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/J..Tucker.Alford.Quote.D203

---

From: Lee Bellinger Sent: Friday, August 12, 2011 Subject: I'm ratcheting up to help you get ready for anything...

Recent Events Have Sharply Refocused My Attention
Urgent Dispatch from Lee Bellinger

     This time it's personal. Let me explain what recently transpired just steps from my own front door... why this incident has raised my level of concern about your personal security as well as my own... and how this and similar events have led me to today's SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
     I am blessed to live in the beautiful southern city of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Life is good here.  The weather is temperate, and the city has just the right balance of cosmopolitan flair and true southern charm.
     But what happened here in the Queen City just weeks ago, on an early summer weekend, came at me like a cold slap in the face.
     Charlotte police in riot gear had to quell a disturbance of hundreds of violent party crashers – leaving some 70 arrested and one dead.  Our fair city awoke the next morning to entire blocks roped off by yellow police-line tape as detectives worked to determine who spoiled our downtown family-friendly event and turned it into a crime scene of mayhem and death.
     "Chronic unemployment is spilling over into civil unrest..."
     But I don't need to see the police blotter to understand the forces at work here.  Chronic unemployment is spilling over into civil unrest, as idled workers team with those who are simply too lazy to work and act out in rage and anger against those they perceive as privileged.
     As this latest incident of social unraveling played out right here at my own doorstep, I found my attention very sharply refocused.  When it happens in your own town, you realize that yes, the you-know-what has officially hit the fan!  The need for preparedness – for having a personal "Plan B" is now a matter of urgency.
     Eerily similar scenes of rioting and violence occurred throughout the Eastern Seaboard that same weekend, from Long Beach, NY to Nashville, TN.  It's a warning sign of pent-up rage as a disturbing sense of entitlement and permanently high unemployment sinks in. Consider:

• In South Beach, Miami, permanent residents who dared to object to widespread vandalism and violence from the annual "Urban Weekend" crowd are being vilified as racists, not victims.
• In Myrtle Beach, another absolutely charming town here in the Carolinas, the annual Black Bike Week gathering led to 8 hours of violence, including multiple robberies and stabbings.  Objections by locals who had the courage to complain about bloodshed in their streets have not only fallen on deaf ears, but have been dismissed as bigotry.
• In Nashville, special police units had to break up violent, unruly crowds who had taken over a local water park, Wave Country.

How many times have we all tuned into a news report covering the latest disaster or brutal crime spree only to hear victims, neighbors, and bystanders say:

• "I never imagined it could happen here."
• "I thought these things only happened to someone else."
• "Who dreamed this could happen in my own back yard?"

     You know, I've been observing and writing about news and current events in this country for a quarter of a century now.  And, as deadly serious as things have become in our beloved nation in just the last two or three years, I like to think that I've just about seen and heard it all – that nothing is going to actually rattle me.  Then BOOM – it happened virtually in front of my very own doorstop.

"Greater self-reliance and being ready for anything is a new skill set that smart Americans must tackle and master."

Such disturbances by themselves mean little – until you actually do the work to connect the dots. Which is probably why the stodgy national media largely ignored these "local" news stories.  Yet for those of us with our eyes open, there are ample warnings out there that America's social fabric is coming undone.  Greater self-reliance and being ready for anything is a new skill set that smart Americans must tackle and master.

The Age of Preparedness is at Hand

     In the wake of the recent street riot here in Charlotte, I've already redoubled my own personal preparedness efforts.  I'll tell you more about my own personal preparations in an upcoming issue.  And because I don't want to keep you waiting for your first "official" issue of my Ready-for-Anything Report, let me spell out some simple steps you can and must begin to take now to protect your interests and those of your family:

Stash some cash: Keep at least $1,000 in small denominations around the house or other secure location.  Small bills are preferable.

Stash some silver: I strongly recommend you obtain a stash of one-ounce silver rounds or pre-1965 dimes, quarters, or half dollars from a reputable bullion dealer.  Our sister company, Independent Living Bullion (1-800-800-1865), has great products and very competitive prices.  If you don't want to obtain them from my in-house service, that's okay by me!  Any reputable bullion dealer who does not try to upsell you on overpriced "collectibles" is fine.  What matters is that you take action, not from whom you buy them.

Stash some food: I recently produced a FREE report on how Independent Living subscribers can SAVE UP TO 40% on their food bills!  If you are not following these simple steps, you are not only leaving big money on the table, you are leaving yourself at the mercy of the vulnerable food supply chain which stocks your local grocery store.  You can access this great free report right here.

Install an alarm system in your home: Home break-ins and home invasions are on the rise.  An alarm system will encourage thieves to look elsewhere for their next score.

"What you don't want to have to do is fight crowds to get to your pharmacy, or get groceries, or get water."

Get a gun for home defense: I realize that not everyone is comfortable with a gun in the house.  My suggestion is to get this essential component of home defense anyway.  The National Rifle Association offers great safety courses for beginners.  And if your state has a concealed carry law, get a permit.  Pepper spray isn't a bad idea to have in a home, car, and purse.

Load up on ammunition: The Obama Administration has taken steps to limit the public's access to ammunition.  There have been shortages as more and more people are stocking up.  I suggest you even consider obtaining an ammo reload kit.

Establish an emergency escape plan: Don't wait for an actual emergency before you work out the details of leaving your home in a hurry.  Make a checklist of travel essentials, place them in a duffel bag, and place it in a closet for immediate departure.  This can also save your life if you decide to stay home and ride it all out.  What you don't want to have to do is fight crowds to get to your pharmacy, or get groceries, or get water.  Establish an emergency meeting place for your family to regroup, and put the written plan as well as the routes in the glove box of every family car.

The Bottom Line: I Will Help You Get Ready for Anything

Personal preparedness is the wave of the future.  Being ready for anything liberates you from the herd.  You will not only sleep better at night, you will in fact be safer.

"Being ready for anything liberates you from the herd."

Yours in Savvy Preparedness, Lee Bellinger, Publisher: Independent Living and Money, Metals, and Mining 

---

It's against this backdrop that I've decided to launch a brand new service – Lee Bellinger's Ready-for-Anything Report. As a subscriber to Lee Bellinger's Executive Bulletin, you're automatically being granted Charter Subscriber status, so you don't have to do a thing to sign up for it. Initially, I plan to send you a new issue once a week. As I mentioned, this new email letter is totally free, from me to you.  The Charter Issue of Lee Bellinger's Ready-for-Anything Report will land in your email in-box this week. Please watch for it. You'll find news, views, and, from time to time, product reviews – all around the topic of understanding the threats that are out there.  These include weird weather (which itself is more than enough reason for any clear thinking individual to make themselves ready for anything), man-made disasters, social chaos – any of which could require you to "bug out" of your home in five minutes flat or to "shelter in place" until the threat blows over.  The Charter Issue of Lee Bellinger's Ready-for-Anything Report will be deployed any day now... likely in the next 48 hours. We'll cover everything from civil unrest to public infrastructure failures, from natural disasters to weird weather events.  Please watch for your Premiere Issue, and accept your Charter Subscription as my free gift to you for being a loyal reader and for being with me in the cause of taking care of ourselves and our loved ones and truly being ready for anything.

© 2009-2011 Lee Bellinger's Executive Bulletin, a free supplemental email newsletter to Independent Living.
377 Rubin Center Drive • Suite 203 • Fort Mill, SC • 29708 • (877) 371-1807

---

bcc'd  red diaper babies, fellow travelers, & RINOs

o'redistribute - Poverty in America

From: baja Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2011 Subject: Poverty in America

Study: Americans "in Poverty" Are Seldom Poor

     Most of the Americans the federal government defines as "in poverty" are "not poor in any ordinary sense of the term," according to a new study - especially when compared to the poor in less developed countries.

     "To the average American, the word "poverty" implies significant material deprivation, an inability to provide a family with adequate nutritious food, reasonable shelter, and clothing," the study from The Heritage Foundation states.

     "The actual living conditions of America's poor are far different from these images."

     The Census Bureau reports that there are 43 million Americans living in poverty.  To help them, taxpayers spend some $900 billion a year in federal and state dollars - over $20,000 for each person deemed poor - through more than 70 means-tested programs providing cash, food, housing, medical care and more.

     But according to the government's own survey data, in the past decade the average household defined as poor by the government lived in a house or apartment with air conditioning and cable TV, The Heritage Foundation study found.

     The household had a car - one-third had two or more cars -  two color televisions, a DVD player, and a microwave.

     "The home of the average poor family was in good repair and not overcrowded," the study observes.

     "In fact, the typical poor American had more living space than the average European - average, not poor.

     "When asked, most poor families stated they had sufficient funds during the past year to meet all essential needs."

      Study authors Robert Rector and Rachel Sheffield cite U.S. Department of Energy data showing that in 2005, the most recent year on record:

• 62 percent of poor American households had a clothes washer in the home, and 53.2 percent had a clothes dryer.

• 65.1 percent had more than one TV.

• 54.5 percent had a cellular phone.

• 38.2 percent had a personal computer.

• 36.6 percent had an answering machine.

• 29.3 percent had a video game system.

• 25 percent had a dishwasher.

• 5.2 percent had a photocopier - and .6 percent even had a Jacuzzi.

     The study also found that 5.9 percent of households "sometimes" did not have enough food, and just 1.5 percent "often" did not have enough.

"Some poor Americans do experience significant hardships, including temporary food shortages or inadequate housing, but these individuals are a minority within the overall poverty population," the study authors concluded.

     "Poverty remains an issue of serious social concern, but accurate information about that problem is essential in crafting wise public policy. Exaggeration and misinformation about poverty obscure the nature, extent, and causes of real material deprivation, thereby hampering the development of well-targeted, effective programs to reduce the problem."

     Former Congressman Ernest Istook, now a distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation, echoed that sentiment in a recent Newsmax blog: "By defining poverty so broadly, we drain resources that instead could be focused on those who truly are in dire straits.   And we spend billions that could be cut from the budget instead."

---

o'cap'n tax - You Can Take Away My Incandescent Light Bulbs When You Pry Them From My Cold Dead Hands

 Communiqué by Lou Frenzel

"You can have my incandescent light bulbs when you pry them from my cold dead hands."

Posted @ 7/26/2011 4:53 PM By Lou on http://electronicdesign.com/Blogs/Communique/tabid/731/entryid/182/Default.aspx

     My apologies to Charlton Heston, the National Rifle Association and others who claim the similar expression for guns.  They haven't taken away our guns yet, but they are planning to take away our light bulbs.  They being the Federal government will begin enforcing a new law that goes into effect January 1, 2012, if Congress does not repeal it.  (Fat chance, although some House members did try.)  Incidentally, most of Europe is doing the same thing.

     The light bulb "ban" is part of the Energy Independence and Security Act passed in 2007.  It isn't really a ban as such but it effectively limits the sales of several types of incandescent bulbs (starting with the popular 100 watt bulb) simply because they are too inefficient.  More specifically, there is a planned phase out starting in 2012 and extending through 2014.  Some special bulbs are exempt such as appliance bulbs, 3-way bulbs and those less than 40 watts or more than 150 watts.  The overall push is for light bulbs in general to get more efficient, not only with the CFLs and LEDs but with better incandescent like those with halogen or xenon.  The government believes we can save energy and reduce global warming if we get rid of the offending light bulb.  It appears that most of us have not been replacing our incandescent fast enough with CFLs to satisfy the EPA.  Get ready for a visit from the light bulb police if your house is lighted too brightly.  And hide your hoarded stash of incandescent bulbs well.

     I doubt that there are too many of us who are not implementing some kind of "green" program to cut energy costs and reduce pollution by replacing these retro lights that have been around since Edison and Swan invented them during the 1870s.  Despite being dated technology, these bulbs work great and we are all familiar with them.  They are cheap, reliable and readily available.  But let's face it, lighting eats up about 8 to 12% of our home energy bills depending upon house size, lighting types, and how frugal we are.  Roughly 50% of that home energy is taken by things with motors like refrigerators, HVAC and other appliances.  But going with a more efficient lighting solution will save some energy and money especially if everyone does it.
     I am already on the way to replacing my incandescents with CFLs.  I don't necessarily like it but I am doing it.  I now use them in porch lights, ceiling/fan lights, and a few lamps.  I still use incandescents in my reading lamps as I prefer the coloring and the fact they are just brighter.  That whitish/blue light is irritating, but I guess that's just me.  I did recently find a CFL with a more incandescent glow which I am trying out.  Not too bad but still not bright enough even in the highest wattage size.  There are also no good CFL replacements that I have found for recessed floods and spots which are common in kitchens and some light fixtures.
     While the CFLs do save energy, they are much more expensive, at least 5 to 10 times what an incandescent costs.  I am sure that those who are less affluent certainly balk at the price when food is more important, even if the CFL is cheaper if amortized over a longer period.  Do most consumers amortize their purchases?  Of course not.
     Other CFL downsides besides less overall light and color are the time it takes to come up to full brightness as well as the declining illumination over time.  CFLs also do not work with most dimmers.  There are some CFL dimmers but they are not as good as the old fashion incandescent kind.  I have also heard that CFLs do not work well in cold environments, like outdoors in winter or in refrigerators.
     One big issue is that some CFLs really interfere with shortwave and ham radio communications with a horrible noise spectrum that makes listening impossible.  It took me a while to figure that out until my wife turned off a lamp while I was trying to listen one day and suddenly all the radio noise went away.  And let's not forget the disposal hazard.  CFL disposal recommendations are a real pain and inconvenience.  I doubt that most consumers are going to discard a bad CFL with the local disposal facility as recommended.  I did break a CFL not too long ago and some of that mercury vapor got free.  I didn't die and I have no ill effects from the clean up but maybe it's going to get me later somehow.  I am not going to worry about it.
     The bottom line is that we are replacing an accepted cheaper product with one that is more complex and expensive and has many downsides.  Doesn't seem like common sense to me but I keep reminding myself that it is for the collective good.  We all need help with our energy and pollution problems.  CFLs are an easy solution, still it seems like a high price to pay.  Most consumers are short term vs. long term thinkers as they go for the immediate gratification.  They are trading off low price for brighter lights now for the savings over five to ten years.
     As for LEDs, they certainly seem to be the best choice as almost any desired intensity and color can be had.  But at a price.  I have only tried one LED bulb ($20) and it is certainly bright enough although I still could not find the color spectrum I wanted.  Even though this bulb will last probably longer than I will, it is still way too expensive for the average person.  We can all assume that the LED will be our future as prices abate.  In the meantime, enjoy your CFLs.  And don't spend all those savings in one place.

---

bcc'd "red diaper babies" & RINOs

o'malaise - Economy failing...Nero fiddles.

     With millions of Americans worried about 9.1% unemployment and a sputtering economy, it is shameful that the Democrat leadership in Washington is more concerned about saving the jobs of disgraced Democrat members of Congress.
      The latest example of the Democrats' "jobs we saved" charade is Representative Anthony Weiner.  Just like with Congressmen William Jefferson ($80k in the freezer) and Charlie Rangel (failure to pay taxes) -- Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leaders' only jobs plan is to save their own jobs.
     Congressman Weiner's actions and deception are unacceptable and he should resign.  We do not need an investigation to know he lied and acted inappropriately, we need a resignation.  Either Leader Pelosi and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz believe members of Congress are held to a different set of standards or they believe these actions demand his resignation.

source: www.gop.com

---

Déjà Vu - ELC gas prices (Fr.1Apr11, GasBuddy.com) "An April Fools' Joke? No!"

Since o'tax'n spend / o'cap'n trade has been in office, gasoline prices have, on average, doubled from $1.79/gal. to $3.85/gal. nationally.

In the last month alone gasoline prices averaged a 6.8% per gallon increase.

---

Gas Prices Double Under Obama
March 31, 2011, By James S. Robbins, Washington Times

     "Feeling pain at the pump?  Gas prices have doubled since Mr. Obama took office.  According to the GasBuddy gasoline price tracking web site, the price of a gallon of regular gas was around $1.79 when Mr. Obama took office. Today the national average is $3.58. The lowest average price in the continental United States is $3.31 in Tulsa Oklahoma, the highest is $4.14 in Santa Barbara, CA.
     Consumer price index (CPI) figures from February show an unadjusted 12 month gasoline inflation rate of 19.2%, but in the last month alone prices consumer price index (CPI) figures from February show an unadjusted 12 month gasoline inflation rate of 19.2%, but in the last month alone prices jumped 6.8%, probably because of oil price increases due to instabilities in the Middle East.  If the trend continues, gas prices would double again within a year.  100% gasoline price inflation is nothing to brag about, but imagine Mr. Obama going into the 2012 election having to explain why gas costs $7.00 a gallon.  I'm sure the White House would spin it as one of their "Green" initiatives.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/mar/30/gas-prices-double-under-obama/

---

Who stops U.S. oil drilling but, using taxpayers' monies, pays foreign countries to drill (and drill deep!)?

Who has redesignated lands over coal reserves to prevent extraction?

Who has created corn shortage (prices double to $7.00+/bushel?) raising food & fuel prices?

Who has sold 50% of uranium ore rights to the Soviets?

Who is holding back development of oil reserves in AK, the Dakotas, CO, the Gulf, east/west coasts?

Why? -- o'dangerous, I opine. "Why?" ( http://harrolds.blogspot.com/2011/02/odangerous-i-opine-why.html )

---

The "Obammer'' Administration with their strangling regulation of government and business across America are who is stifling job growth, employment, as well as America's energy independence. (source: http://warrantonegirl.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/obama-stifling-job-growth-and-choking-off-energy-independence-in-america/ ) 

UPDATE…OF COURSE:  Brazilian Oil Drilling

Even though President Obama is against offshore drilling for our country, he signed an executive order to loan $2 Billion of our taxpayer dollars (which we can't afford to loan since we're broke) to a Brazilian Oil Exploration Company (the 8th largest company in the entire world) to drill for oil off the coast of Brazil! (Petrobras).  The oil that comes from this operation is for the sole purpose and use of China and NOT THE USA !

Now here's the real clincher…the Chinese government is under contract to purchase all the oil this field will produce, which is hundreds of millions of barrels" … We have absolutely no gain from this transaction whatsoever!

Wait, it gets more interesting.

Guess who is the largest individual stockholder of this Brazilian Oil Company andwho would benefit most from this?  It is American BILLIONAIRE, George Soros, who was President Obama's most generous financial supporter during his campaign.  If you are able to connect the dots and follow the money, you are probably as upset as I am.  Not a word of this transaction was broadcast on any of the other news networks!  Are they doing their job?  Think about it.

The  Wall street Journal article confirming this information: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574346610120524166.htm

---

bcc'd "red-diaper babies" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_diaper_baby )

o'nero - "..while Rome burns." (2 articles)

Dithering Obama Fiddles While Rome Burns

By Kali Gula at http://www.dailysquib.co.uk/world/2684-dithering-obama-fiddles-while-rome-burns.html

 
Ab asino lanam quaeris
[ τίς εἰς τοῦ λήθης πεδίον, τίς εἰς ὄνου πόκας ]

WASHINGTON DC - USA - When Americans voted for 'Change' even they did not think that they would be duped to the level that is now apparent with Barack Obama.

     "People are dying in Libya and Japan while Obama is sitting on his ass dithering like a ninny.  This guy couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag, this guy is so yella that I bet he leaves streaks on the floor when he walks.   This guy makes Jimmy Carter look like Attila the .. ' Hun!" a disgruntled White House official revealed on Wednesday.
Too little Too late
     Let us face it, the Daily Squib knew from the beginning that Obama was a wet fart and was not going to amount to anything, but amongst the brainwashing sessions from the White House during the election campaign, people thought that the sun shone out of his arse at the beginning of his presidency.
     "I just wish Americans would wake the .. up.   I mean, we've been duped with this lame duck guy who needs his autocue and hundreds of spin doctors, and even then he can't make a single .. decision.  He's about as decisive as a two headed donkey tethered to a pole.  Not only that, he's lazy as well.  He just doesn't want to know.  He doesn't know how the world works, or Washington or the country.  Hillary has got way more balls than Obama, she should have been president," a former democrat supporter told CBS news.
     A discontented Washington resident said on Tuesday: "One has to wonder what Obama has done since winning the election?  It seems that his socialist agenda has been successful in one thing, and that's pouring trillions of American taxpayer dollars into a black hole to be chewed up and never seen again.  Someone give this guy some .. balls."

---

article source: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/print-friendly/34547

By Ron Ewart  Thursday, March 17, 2011 “When the earth shudders, puny man can only get out of its way if he hopes to survive.  If he builds where the earth moves, or spits lava from its fiery orifices, or he plants his footprint where the ocean rises and falls, he can only expect to be swallowed up, burned alive, or drowned en masse.  We have much more to fear from an unstable earth than we do from man-caused global warming.” — Ron Ewart
    The mark of a true leader is one who makes rapid decisions when events are unfolding for which there was no plan.  It is more than evident that Obama is out of his element and is incapable of making the necessary decisions to protect American interests, much less foster an agenda that is in keeping with American sovereignty and values of individual freedom and liberty.  While Rome burns, Obama is giving speeches, predicting basketball scores and golfing.  The words that come to mind are “apathetic”, “detached” and “pathetic”.  If anyone was truly looking, his poll numbers should be falling like a rock if it wasn’t for a news media that no longer prints the truth.
     But enough of the town clown, there are dynamic, unfolding global issues of major impact to the entire human population of the planet.  The Middle East and North Africa or unraveling into chaos, anarchy and maybe even genocide.  The implications of this Islamic meltdown maybe even more catastrophic than what is happening in Japan with the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactors that are rapidly approaching the meltdown phase.
     And then there is the rise of radical Islam that would do in the western world if they ever find us weak and discover a chink in our armor.  Radical Islam will be with us for decades, if not centuries and may ultimately prevail, if we let down our guard for one moment.  In response to this threat, Obama apologizes for America and tells the Islamic world that we are a Muslim nation.  The fact is, a “bully” will only back down when confronted with a force greater than his.  We ignore that fact at our own peril.
     The economy of most countries depend on the life-giving energy that pours out of the Middle East in the form of black gold.  Any major disruptions to the supply could send the world-wide economy into a financial black hole and America won’t be spared.  Because of the insane, if not treasonous policies by environmentalists and the government of no drilling for our own oil over the last 30 years, we are now left vulnerable to a major supply interruption.  In response, Obama talks about opening up the strategic oil reserves, as if that will do anything.
     Libya is turning into a blood bath while Obama and the rest of the world’s leaders are arguing at that irrational rabble of dictators called the United Nations, over a resolution to “do something”.  While the world dithers, people are dying at an increasing rate, while calling out for the world’s help and not getting it.  Meanwhile, 2% of the world’s oil supply isn’t getting into the markets.  Obama gives a speech about women.
     Europe has spent itself into oblivion and is essentially broke, based on the always-failing socialist model.  Austerity measures by the individual EU governments and their broken promises they couldn’t keep because they ran out of other people’s money, have entered Europe into a new phase of violent unrest.  Obama golf’s.
America’s economy lies lethargic with several broken bones and casts all over its body.  Because of government’s attempts to manage everything including money, markets and people’s lives, when they can’t even manage themselves, has left a once vibrant capitalistic economy hovering on the brink of extinction and threatens to make America a third-world country, while China and Russia are scrambling to gobble up the Earth’s resources.  Obama holds state dinners in the Whitehouse for our enemies.
     Japan, the third largest economy in the world, is in grave danger of collapsing all together.  The triple whammy of a massive earthquake and continuing aftershocks, a monster tsunami destroying entire cities and now several nuclear reactors on the path to the China Syndrome, could send Japan reeling into the dark ages, without massive international assistance.  The nuclear story is still unfolding and may have world-wide impact from deadly radiation releases.  Obama delivers another of his rousing campaign speeches.
     America is without direction and a buffoon has his hands on the wheel and the nuclear and internet trigger.  He teeters on the edge of delivering a major decision any moment to ......... ?  Who was that he voted for in March madness?
     So ladies and gentlemen, it is up to the people to grab the wheel and rest control from the leaders who would send us into the mouth of a belching volcano and incinerate the only country that rose out of the bowels of revolution to form a country of people steeped in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights of life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness.  If we follow these leaders into the abyss, we are enablers of our own destruction.
     Many have whispered under their breaths about the 3% solution and what they mean is, revolution.  We submit that there is a peaceful 3% solution and the power of that solution lies in the hands of millions of freedom-loving Americans who decide that playing follow-the-leader is suicidal and instead are now determined to direct the leaders, using the unstoppable power of the many.  They but only need to focus that power on one problem at a time, rather than taking on all of America’s problems as a whole.  We have briefly described the 3% peaceful solution in a short YouTube video entitled “The 3% Solution”.
     Obama is idling in reverse gear while the congress is deadlocked over budgets and opposing ideologies.  Decisions on important matters lie in the hands of the fickle gods of the Democrats and Republicans.  If the logical, objective and intelligent people of America don’t take back the reins of power from the inmates of the asylum and pretty damn quick, the last vestige of individual liberty will decay into the dust of history.  The 3% peaceful solution is one way in which we can stop this decay.  We’ve tried everything else and it hasn’t worked so far, but if just 10,000,000 like-minded Americans (3%) would focus all of their energy on one problem and resolve it, the other problems would begin to fall like dominos.  What have we got to lose by trying?

  Ron Ewart Bio & Ron Ewart's Most recent columns.  Ron Ewart, President, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RURAL LANDOWNERS.  An organization dedicated to re-establish, preserve, protect and defend property rights.  Ron can be reached at: r.ewart@comcast.net

---

related, "Obama 'While Rome Burns" at http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1AVSA_enUS423US423&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=obama+%22while+rome+burns%22

---

Nov 2 '10/'12 - Party of 'O' accomplishments! List'em, Read'em!

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S RECORD FROM THE OUTRAGEOUS TO THE ABSURD:

$26.2 Trillion:   Projected Federal Debt In 2020 Due To Obama's Binge Spending. (OMB, 7/23/10)

$13.6 Trillion:   Current National Debt. (U.S. Treasury Department, Accessed 10/19/10)

$8.5 Trillion:     Cumulative Deficits Caused By President Obama's Proposed Budget, FY2011-2020. (OMB, 7/23/10)

$3.9 Trillion:     Total Cost Of The Democrats' Tax Hike To Taxpayers. (Joint Committee On Taxation, 8/6/10)

$3.0 Trillion:     Amount Added To The National Debt Since Obama Took Office. (U.S. Treasury Department, Accessed 10/19/10)

$2.5 Trillion:     True Cost Of ObamaCare Once Fully Implemented. (Sen. Max Baucus, Floor Remarks, 12/2/09)

$1.42 Trillion:   Federal Budget Deficit For FY2009 – Highest In U.S. History. (Congressional Budget Office, 10/7/10)

$1.29 Trillion:   Federal Budget Deficit For FY2010 – Second Highest In U.S. History. (Congressional Budget Office, 10/7/10)

$868.4 Billion:  American Debt Held By China. (U.S. Treasury Department, Accessed 10/19/10)

$831 Billion:     Net Interest Payment On Our National Debt In 2020 Due To Obama's Budget. (OMB, 7/23/10)

$814 Billion:     Price Tag Of Obama's Failed Stimulus. (Bloomberg, 8/20/10)

$575 Billion:     Amount Of Medicare Cuts In ObamaCare. (CMS Chief Actuary Richard S. Foster, Memo, 4/22/10)

$569.2 Billion:  Amount Of Taxes In ObamaCare. (Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 3/18/10)

$10 Billion:      The Cost Of The Teacher Union Bailout. (The Washington Post, 10/8/10)

$54 Million:      Amount Of Stimulus Funds Spent On A Napa Valley Wine Train. (ABC News' "Good Morning America," 2/2/10)

41.8 Million:     Number Of Americans Receiving Food Stamps. (Bloomberg, 10/5/10)

40 Million:        Number Of Businesses That Will Be Burdened By The Onerous IRS 1099 Requirement. (The Washington Post, 8/29/10)

$18 Million:      Cost Of The Stimulus Website Recovery.org. (ABC News' "The Note" Blog, 7/8/09)

14.8 Million:     Unemployed Americans. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

9.5 Million:       Americans Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

6.1 Million:       Americans Unemployed For Longer Than 27 Weeks. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

5.4 Million:       Number Of Properties Receiving Foreclosure Filings Since Obama Took Office. (RealtyTrac, Accessed 10/19/10)

3.8 Million:       Increase In the Number Of People Who Were In Poverty In 2009 Over 2008. (NPR, 9/16/10)

2.6 Million:       Jobs Lost Since Stimulus Was Passed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

2.3 Million:       Private Sector Jobs Lost Since Stimulus Was Passed. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

1.2 Million:       Americans That Have Given Up Looking For Work. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

964,900:            Number Of Jobs That Could Be Lost Per Year Under Cap And Trade. (Tax Foundation, 3/09)

89,000:             The Number Of Stimulus Checks Sent to Dead Or Incarcerated People. (The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire" Blog, 10/7/10)

$43,000:            Your Share Of The National Debt. ("The Daily History Of The Debt Results," TreasuryDirect, Accessed 10/19/10; U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov, Accessed 10/19/10)

23,000:             The Number Of Jobs Obama Knew His Drilling Moratorium Could Kill. (The Wall Street Journal, 8/21/10)

22,000:             Number Of Seniors In MA, NH And ME That Will Lose Their Medicare Advantage Plans As A Result Of ObamaCare. (The Boston Globe, 9/28/10)

$1,761:             Cost To American Families Per Year As A Result Of Cap And Trade. (CBS News' "Taking Liberties" Blog, 9/16/09)

$1,540:             The Amount Of The Tax Hike The Average Middle Class Family Will See As A Result Of The Dems' Tax Hike. (Tax Foundation, 8/1/10)

1099:                The IRS Form Every Business Will Have To File After Doing $600 Worth Of Business With A Vendor. (CNNMoney.com, 5/5/10)

100:                  Percent Of GDP That Our National Debt Will Rise To In 2012. (Office Of Management And Budget, 7/23/10)

83:                    Number Of Fundraisers Obama Has Attended As Of 10/12/10. (CBS News' Mark Knoller's Twitter Feed, Accessed 10/19/10; CBS News, 8/16/10)

80:                    Percent Of Small Businesses That Could Be Forced To Change Health Care Plans As A Result Of ObamaCare. (The Washington Post, 6/15/10)

79:                    Percent Of Stimulus Funds For Wind, Solar And Geothermal Energy Projects That Went To Foreign Firms. (Investigating Reporting Workshop/ABC's World News Tonight/Watchdog Institute, 2/8/10)

68:                    Percent Of Americans Who Think The Stimulus Was A Waste. (The Hill's "Briefing Room" Blog, 10/5/10)

60:                    The Percent Of Young Voters Who Are "More Cynical About Politics" Now Than When Obama Was Elected. (The Huffington Post, 9/15/10)

58:                    Percent Of Ohioans Who Say Obama's Frequent Visits To The State Make No Difference In How They'll Vote. (The Hill, 10/19/10)

53:                    Rounds Of Golf Played By President Obama Since Taking Office. (CBS News' Mark Knoller's Twitter Feed, Accessed 10/19/10; CBS News' Mark Knoller's Twitter Feed, Accessed 10/19/10 )

49:                    Visits To The White House By Andy Stern, Former President Of SEIU. (WhiteHouse.gov, Accessed 10/19/10)

37:                    Number Of Town Halls Obama Has Done Since Taking Office. (CBS News' Mark Knoller's Twitter Feed, Accessed 10/19/10)

33.3:                 Average Number Of Weeks It Takes An Unemployed Worker To Find A Job. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

30:                    Number Of Waivers Granted To Businesses So That The White House Could Avoid Admitting ObamaCare Was Making People Lose Their Health Care Plans. (USA Today, 10/7/10)

27:                    Percent Increase In Premiums By Some Insurers In Colorado As A Result Of ObamaCare. (The Denver Post, 9/20/10)

25:                    DVDs Given To The UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown On His First Visit. (The Daily Mail (UK), 3/9/10)

20:                    Straight Months That Food Stamp Participation Has Hit A Record. (Bloomberg, 10/5/10)

17.1:                 Percent Of Americans Either Unemployed Or Working Part-Time For Economic Reasons. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

14:                    Straight Months With Unemployment Above 9.5%. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 10/8/10)

9:                     Number Of Vacations Taken By President Obama. (CBS News, 8/19/10)

4:                     Out Of 10 Likely Voters Who Once Backed Obama But Are Less Supportive Or No Longer Support Obama.  (Bloomberg, 10/12/10)

2:                     Place In The Line Of Succession That Joe Biden Believes He Is In (Hint: He's #1). (CBS News' Mark Knoller's Twitter Feed, Accessed 10/19/10)

2:                     Visits To The White House By Actor George Clooney. (E! Online, 10/12/10)

1:                     Number Of White House Investigations. (CBS News, 10/6/10)

1:                     Teacher Union Bailout To Motivate Teacher Unions For Midterm Elections. (The Washington Post, 10/8/10)

0:                     Other People Obama Will Have Left To Blame For His Failures In 2012. (The American People, 11/6/12)
Read more: http://www.gop.com/index.php/briefing/comments/obama_by_the_numbers#ixzz13X7APFyP

---