His Goreness Outdoes Himself

Oh, I just love this. Al has unveiled a '7 Point Pledge' to Fight Global Warming. Here are some of the juicier 'points'

2. To take personal action to help solve the climate crises by reducing my own C02 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral’’;

4. To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;

Isn't that nice. All us little people get to ride a bike to work, carpool, turn down our thermostats, and buy "carbon offsets" from Big Al's BS company while he jets around the world and emits a grandiose amount of carbon to power and heats his two mansions.

As the Anchoress has said previously, if Big Al isn't taking the problem seriously, then why should we?

Mexican President Calderon Calls Vote Against Senate Amnesty Bill a 'Grave Error'

The president of Mexico says that the US Senate made a big mistake by not granting amnesty to some 12 million Mexicans who are living illegally in the USA:

MEXICO CITY — President Felipe Calderon of Mexico today blasted the U.S. Senate's rejection of the immigration bill, calling the senators' action "a grave error" that avoided a "sensible, rational and legal solution."
"It's a mistake," Calderon said. "First, because it's a problem that's not being confronted. And with this evasive action the U.S. Senate is making it worse.

Er, Felipe, what about the problem that you're not confronting? Why is it that somewhere between 10 to 20% of the entire population of your country finds it necessary to illegally enter another country in order to find work?

It gets even better:

"Secondly, by closing the door on legal immigration, the only thing the Senate does is open the door to illegal immigration."

First of all, we do have legal immigration. No one has suggested stopping that. Secondly, granting amnesty to some 12 million Mexicans who have illegally entered the USA is not going to decrease illegal immigration. It will increase it.

His logic is impeccable. Just apply it to another problem and see how it sounds. What do you do about the problem of all the people who are in prison for committing murder? Just legalize murder and let them go. Problem solved!

Chavez Calls for Revival of Leninism in Russia

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, visiting in Moscow, has called on Russians to revive the ideals of the founder of the Soviet Union:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday told Russians they should revere and revive the ideas of the Soviet Union's founder Vladimir Lenin. "We should remember Vladimir Lenin and come back to his ideas, especially when it comes to anti-imperialism," Chavez told the audience at the opening of a Moscow cultural center named for the South American revolutionary hero Simon Bolivar

Well, Thugo, you are well on your way to achieving your ideal of a Marxist-Leninist society in Venezuela. You are making sure that all media outlets are owned by the government or that they will kowtow to your official line. You are suspending the democratic processes, nationalizing industry, and trampling on civil liberties.

So what is next, the Venezuelan equivalent of Vorkuta?

But don't be surprised if the people in Russia and other former marxist states find your ideas less than appealing. They have lived that nightmare.

IRA Terrorist Sympathizers Rear Their Ugly Heads in the USA

The Smithsonian Institute invited two historians from the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal group in Northern Ireland, to the 41st annual Folklife Feztival, which begins today. The Orange Order has stood for protecting the life and liberty of Irish protestants in Ulster against the violence of Sinn Fein/IRA, the marxist terrorist group that has killed thousands of innocent people.

The Washington Post reports that two IRA sympathizers here in the USA have criticized the invitation:

"They delight in their anti-Irish, anti-Catholic, loyalist, Unionist viewpoint and they delight in their sectarian triumphal marches," says Jack Meehan, the national president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a Catholic fraternal group based in Boston.
This "is not unlike inviting the KKK to appear at a Martin Luther King Day celebration," writes John Shanahan, a local Hibernian organizer, in a letter to The Washington Post.

The Orange Order has as much in common with the KKK as Hillary Clinton does with Ronald Reagan. They are every bit as Irish as anyone else in Ireland. There are at least 30 million Americans who are kinsmen of Irish protestants, also known as Ulster-Scots.

The problems in Northern Ireland come from Sinn Fein/IRA. Sinn Fein hates everything that the USA stands for, and at the same time they are happy to use the donations of ignorant Irish Americans to finance their terrorist activities. As a reminder of where Sinn Fein's allegiances lie, here is a photo I took back in April in the catholic section of Belfast.

The Wall Street Journal Blows it Again

A handful of losers in New York and Washington believe they know better what is good for the Republican party and the USA than most of the people who live in the heartland of America, who have to deal with the consequences of illegal immigration. The editorial board of the WSJ are among the worst:

Immigration and the GOP How to make Republicans a minority party once again
Immigration reform stayed alive in the Senate yesterday, albeit not without continuing rancor among Republicans. Restrictionists seem to believe the issue will harm the GOP if it succeeds, but we think the political reality is closer to the opposite: The greater danger for Republicans is if it fails.
We've written often about the merits of immigration reform, and we have our own problems with parts of the Senate bill. But it's worth spending some time on the larger politics of the issue, especially for Republicans. They're caught between a passionate minority of their party--who oppose any reform that allows illegals a path to citizenship--and the larger electorate, which is more moderate and wants to solve the problem. Like Democrats on national security, this is a classic case in which pandering to the base will harm the GOP overall.

First of all, its not a minority who oppose the ridiculous amnesty for lawbreakers. A majority of Republicans (and Democrats and Independents) are against it.

Second, it is not clear that the Republicans will pick up very many Hispanic votes by passing this legislation. I hear many Hispanic US citizens speaking out against this. And even if they do, it will be at the expense of losing almost every Anglo vote that they once had. Perhaps they can rename it La Raza Republicana, or something like that.

Secure Borders Petition

Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) has a petition that asks the senate to secure the borders by enforcing existing laws and states that amnesty is not the answer.

Is the USA Still a Democracy?

As I watch what is going on in the senate, I have my doubts. Opposition to the amnesty bill is wide and deep. A majority of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents are against it. Yet Bush continues to support it and the jackasses in the senate are about to pass it.

If our government refuses to carry out the will of the people, then it is no longer our legitimate government. Time for some recall elections NOW!

No Guns founder pleads not guilty to gun charges

Hmmmmmmm......this is an interesting read from the LA Times:

The founder of an antiviolence group called No Guns pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal weapons charges. Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin is accused of selling an assault rifle, a machine gun, two pistols and two silencers to undercover federal agents last fall. He could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted. Marroquin, 51, of Downey, is a onetime member of the 18th Street gang who founded No Guns in 1996. No Guns received $1.5 million from the city as a subcontractor on anti-gang efforts, but its contract was canceled last year. Marroquin is charged with three counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon, along with one count each of machine gun conversion and possession of a silencer. He remains free on $260,000 bail.

"Guns for me but not for thee?" How many times have we heard this. Carl Rowan, Spike Lee, Rosie O'Lardass, and now the Big Weasel think its ok for them to have guns, but not the rest of us.

Should Government Be Involved in Business?

Our governments certainly have some important roles to play in commerce, such as enforcing contracts. But should they play a more direct role, as they did recently in Miami-Dade county?

There, in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country, developer Dennis Stackhouse promised to build a massive biopharmaceutical park, where multinational drug companies and prestigious universities would develop cutting-edge medical advances and Miami's public hospital would provide free healthcare to 150,000 poor people a year.
More than 1,500 high-paying jobs would follow, along with hundreds of millions in investments and tax revenue -- enough to make it the most dramatic economic development project ever seen in Miami-Dade. This ''is exactly the kind of job-producing investment that we have needed in Liberty City for decades,'' said U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, a champion of Liberty City and one of the park's most vocal supporters.
Since then, county leaders have invested millions in Stackhouse's biotech project, using public money set aside to help the poor.

I'm surprised they didn't also promise a cure for AIDS, permanent world peace, and a chicken in every pot. So was this Utopia realized in Liberty City, location of the 1980 race riots where blacks killed innocent whites?

Here is what taxpayers received in return: empty lots, dormant earthmovers and piles of dirt and gravel with no sign of the buildings, the biotech companies or the high-tech jobs promised to Liberty City.
Instead, Stackhouse diverted more than $500,000 from the park through double billings and dubious expenses while paying a bevy of political insiders to rally support for the troubled project, a seven-month Miami Herald investigation found.
Among those insiders: former congresswoman Carrie Meek, who received at least $40,000 and a free luxury car from Stackhouse to consult on the project while her son -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek -- moved to secure federal dollars for the developer; and County Commissioner Dorrin Rolle, who landed thousands in campaign cash and a $10,000 donation to a nonprofit he runs.

What about all the biotech firms that were supposed to move there?

Stackhouse pitched the project to local leaders by claiming multinational companies and world-class universities would lease thousands of square feet and employ hundreds of people.
But most of the tenants touted by Stackhouse told The Miami Herald they have no plans to lease space at the park. Two of the companies said they had no knowledge of the project at all.
• In fact, the only biotech firm committed to moving into the park is a Massachusetts company called MediVector, which Stackhouse said will serve as the anchor tenant, creating 150 biotech jobs while leasing thousands of square feet to test and manufacture drugs.
But MediVector is little more than a small consulting firm run by one of Stackhouse's longtime business partners from a 300-square-foot office in Cambridge.

I always remember this when ever someone is trying to pitch an idea for a government-backed business deal. It is far better to keep taxes low and let businesses make their own decisions without government influence.

Stupid Blog of the Week

There has been a lot of crap forthcoming from the looney left about the Duke rape hoax, but this post from Marcella Chester on her blog abyss2hope takes the cake:

Those who talk about "innocent until proven guilty" acknowledge that concern for the defendant shouldn't end because the evidence against the defendant is overwhelming or because the defendant is repugnant. So why do most of these people expect that concern for alleged rape victims should end because the evidence for the defendant's innocence is overwhelming or the alleged victim is repugnant?
Why aren't those who scream, "Throw her to the wolves!" viewed as endangering our legal system and due process rights? And why are those who refuse to abandon the rights of alleged victims called man haters when those who refuse to abandon the rights of convicted rapists say they don't deserve the label of women haters or rape lovers?

Because Crystal Mangum is not a victim, nor even an alleged victim. She has been exposed as a liar and the perpetrator of a hoax. Because of her lies, three innocent men had their lives disrupted, they were threatened with murder by the "New Black Panthers" and they were nearly sent to prison for thirty years.

And furthermore, Crystal Mangum has not done the victims of genuine rape cases any favors. Her actions contradict the feminist mythology that women don't lie about rape.

Many of those who kept saying, "innocent until proven guilty" hated the fact that this woman's claim was being investigated at all. They decided this based simply on who she was and because of who the alleged rapists were. Look at the number of people who said they knew the truth about this lying **** the day the story broke. They don't have ESP. They decided that women like her can't be raped, especially not by upstanding white college men. Case closed.

Name one person who claimed to know this on the day the story broke. It wasn't until the facts started coming out and Nifong's bizarre behavior alerted thinking people to the probability that this was a frame-up.

The defendants weren't demonstrably innocent when the allegations were made and they weren't demonstrably innocent even when the DNA test results came back. They weren't demonstrably innocent when the case was turned over to the state attorney general's office which had to go through all the evidence in this case before the AG could state his belief that the defendants were demonstrably innocent.

Oh really, Marcella? When the other stripper at the party said the rape allegation was a lie, when the DNA lab found the DNA of four men but none of the accused on Crystal's private parts, or when Reade Seligmann established an air-tight alibi that proved that he was NOT at the party when the non-rape was supposed to have happened, that didn't make them demonstrably innocent?

I've started seeing people using Bible passages in relation to this case such as Proverbs 21:28 "A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever." The way these passages are being used makes me shudder at the implied violence. I doubt these people trotting out this passage are thinking about men who lie and say, "she consented" and all those who believe those men.

It's clear that you're not thinking about women who lie and say "he raped me" and all those who believe those women.

If people can't imagine why Nifong would want this case fully investigated for any reason other than political gain, that tells us more about their ethics than it does about Nifong's. But then squashing a rape investigation before it is complete is considered by many to be perfectly ethical and never driven by ambition or bigotry.
When people say the outcome of this case should stop all similar allegations from being investigated that's not a system that has anything to do with justice. That's a system which holds a "don't ask, don't tell" position about most rapes.

It is clear that Nifong did not want this case fully investigated. Had he been willing to do so, then he would have listened to Reade Seligmann's attorneys when they tried to show him the evidence that their client was not at the house at the time the non-rape happened. Nifong would have immediately turned over the exculpatory DNA evidence to the defense attorneys and then tried to learn who the four men were whose DNA was found on Crystal's private parts. But he didn't do those things.

I have never heard anyone claim that this case should stop all investigations of alleged rape. You are putting words into other peoples' mouths.

Update: I tried to post a comment on Marcella's post at her blog and included a link to this post on my blog. She has her comments moderated and did not approve my comment! What's the matter, Marcella? Are you afraid that you ideas might not stand some fresh air and sunlight? Feel free to comment here if you like. I do not moderate comments.

Encouraging News

A UPI Poll discovers that most Americans are against the proposed amnesty for illegal aliens:

UPI Poll: Most against immigration bill
WASHINGTON, June 21 (UPI) -- A clear majority of those asked in a UPI-Zogby International poll don't like the bipartisan immigration reform bill being considered by the U.S. Senate.
The measure, which has the support of the White House, would provide a path for the estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the United States to citizenship and would create a guest worker program.
Some 56.4 percent of U.S. participants in a June 15-18 Zogby interactive poll view the bill either very unfavorably (39.9 percent) or somewhat unfavorably (16.5 percent). Another 29.6 percent said they were somewhat favorable about it and 8 percent gave very favorable as an answer.

I hope that the clowns in Washington are paying attention. I could have told them this without needing a poll. It is amazing what a divide exists between most of the people in the country and the gnomes of Washington and New York. They don't understand what is going on in the heartland of America at all.

But I am reading that at least one senator understands:

It's not often a politician admits to making a mistake, but that's exactly what Sen. Charles E. Grassley says he did when he voted for the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens.
Twenty-one years later he has become one of the most steadfast opponents of amnesty and the strongest critic of the federal government's ability to handle a new legalization program.
"I was fooled once, and history has taught me a valuable lesson. Amnesties just don't work," the Iowa Republican wrote in a letter to his colleagues yesterday, telling them he is fulfilling a "duty to warn you of the mistakes" of passing yet another bill that would put illegal aliens on the path to citizenship — this time for an estimated 12 million to 20 million, far more than the 3 million from 1986.

You would think that this would be just basic common sense. If you make a mistake, you don't do it again. But thats too much to expect from most of the jackasses in Washington. They just don't get it. They don't understand that most Americans are fed up with illegal immigration.

I'm Shocked, I Tell You, Shocked!

MSNBC reporter Bill Dedman compiled a list of 144 journalists who made campaign contributions from 2004 to 2007, according to the Federal Elections Commission.

Out of these 144, 125 were to Democrats or other leftwing causes. Only 19 were to Republicans or conservative causes.

How can this be? I thought that all journalists were merely unbiased observers who passively and objectively reported the news?

What are we going to hear next? That most liberal arts professors are left wing? Don't even try because I won't fall for that.

I Still Don't Get It

This is what the yields on 30 day US Treasury Bills have done over the past three months. In the mean time, other short-term rates have held steady. The Federal Reserve's target Fed Funds rate has been 5.25% over this period. 30 - 45 day commercial paper is at 5.24%. The one month LIBOR rte is 5.32%. One month negotiable CDs are at 5.31%. And one month eurodollar rates are at 5.39%.

Over the same period, the interest rate on the 10 year Treasury Note has done this. Resulting in a yield curve that is no longer inverted.

I understand why the long-term rates are going up. But why are the one-month TBill rates going down? I will buy a six pack of Heineken for the first person who explains this to me.

Stamp of the Week: Three Cent Issue of 1851

This includes Scott #10 and #11. Some people have spent their lifetimes collecting just these stamps, identifying and collecting them by plate and position.

What's Next for Knife-Honk?

Now that Mikey is out of a job, we shall have to think of some new line of work for him. I have a few ideas:

(1) Attorney General in the Hillary Clinton Administration in 2009. He would be in good company there.

(2) Professor of Law at Duke (or almost anywhere). From my experiences in academia, he will have many kindred souls there.

(3) Nigerian email scammer. You got a bright future in Lagos, Mikey.

(4) Corporate Counsel for the next Enron.

Anybody else got any ideas? Mikey need your help.

Bloomberg to Leave GOP

Aw Shucks! New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he's leaving the Republican party:

(CBS) NEW YORK CBS 2 HD has learned New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leaving the Republican party and has announced he is currently unaffiliated with a political party.In a statement, Bloomberg said:"I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party. Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our City.

This makes sense, seeing as how Michael is about as committed to Republican ideals as is Hillary Clinton. For example, he has meddled in the 2nd Amendment rights of people in other states.

Hey Michael, if you want the people of New York city to be a bunch of unarmed peasants, that's fine. But please leave people in other states who cherish their constitutional rights alone. And thank you for leaving the Republican party. You are a disgrace to Ronald Reagan and every other decent man or woman who made the party what it is today.

Now We're Talking

In contrast to the stupidity of the Senate and the Whitehouse, we have a decent proposal for immigration reform from House Republicans:

WASHINGTON -- In a sharp rebuke to President Bush, House Republicans today introduced their own immigration reform and border security bill, a tough measure that would bar illegal immigrants from gaining legal status, require employers to check the legal status of all workers and make English the nation's official language.The Secure Borders First Act stresses operational control over the border as one of its core principles. The bill would reject "amnesty" and insist that the administration do more to enforce existing laws.The lawmakers behind the bill also introduced a seven-page resolution detailing the myriad ways in which they believe the Bush administration and its predecessors have not only failed to implement immigration laws, but made it easier for illegal immigrants to live and work in the U.S.

Let's hope that this idea succeeds.

Thomas Sowell Gets to the Root of the Problem

What caused this "fiasco" in North Carolina? Dr. Sowell has an idea:

The sad and tragic fact is that the civil rights movement, despite its honorable and courageous past, has over the years degenerated into a demagogic hustle, promoting the mindless racism they once fought against.

And the really sad thing is that charlatans like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Mike Nifong have hijacked the civil rights movement and turned it into their own bizarre scheme for self-aggrandizement.

We see the civil rights movement come to its ultimate lunacy by promoting the so-called "affirmative action" programs, whereby some people are given preferences over others due to their skin color or gender. And they even take their insanity to a higher level by branding the opponents of "affirmative action" to be racists.

If the USA is such an awful place for our Hispanic and African minorities, then why do so many of their brethren from other countries want to come here?

Mountain of the Week: Aoraki/Mt. Cook

Tallest mountain in New Zealand

Economics Prof at Chicago Claims to Speak for 'Pretty Much All Economists'

In my very first post to the blog, I wrote about Greg Mankiw's ludicrous idea to raise the gas tax. Now I hear that Steven Levitt, Professor of Economics at U. Chicago, and the author of Freakonomics, also wants gas prices higher:

Hurray For High Gas Prices!

For a long time I have felt the price of gasoline in the United States was way too low. Pretty much all economists believe this. Greg Mankiw blogged back in October about the many reasons why we should raise gas taxes.

Oh really, Steven? I know of at least one economist who doesn't feel that gas prices are too low. Can you back up your assertion with some facts? Has there been a recent poll of economists?

Trying speaking for yourself. It will make your words so much more credible.

Duke University Settles Out of Court with Seligman, Finnerty, and Evans

Duke University and the three victims of the rape-hoax case have agreed to a settlement. The terms of the settlement will not be disclosed.

Ok Duke. Now what are you going to do about those 88 racists on your faculty? Do you think that this exonerates them?

Adios Knife-Honk

Poor Mikey Nifong got his today. And its not over. Still to come are criminal penalties for contempt of court and civil lawsuits from the victims: Evans, Finnerty, and Selingmann.

And we can only hope that the Dukkke 88: the faculty who condemned the young men without remembering the simple fact of innocence until proven guilty, the administration of Duke, the pot-bangers, Crystal Mangum, and the new black panthers get their turn too.

Reade Seligman Testifies about Racist Death Threat

At the Nifong trial, Reade Seligman, one of the Duke lacrosse players who were falsely accused and indicted for rape last year, has testified that he received death threats from the "black panthers" who attended his hearing. The "black panthers" were wearing fatigues and one of them said to him "You're a dead man walking".

This is clearly a racist hate crime and the person who made this threat should be prosecuted, along with liar Crystal Mangum and Mike Nifong, the perpetrator of the hoax.

Seligman then detailed his attempt to clear his name. He had an airtight alibi that showed he was not at the house at the time of the alleged rape. Nifong completely ignored the alibi and refused to meet with Seligman's attorney.

Nifong's attorneys declined to cross-examine Reade Seligman.

Simply Amazing

KC Johnson has been live-blogging the Nifong rape-hoax trial. I watched a good part of the trial today too and I am blown away by the barrage of evidence presented by the bar association's prosecution.

How was this despot Nifong allowed to get away with this for so long? Why didn't the judge in the case or the state attorney general's office intervene?

Occasionally during the hearings the camera pans over to Nifong. You would think that he would be taking notes or something and actively participating in his defense, since he himself is an attorney. Nope. He just sits there. Perhaps he is resigned to the fate of disbarment.

I hope that this case makes some of the race-baiters stop and think before the next time they try crap like this. But that's probably too much to expect.

Portland Mayor Criticizes Feds for Arresting Lawbreakers

165 illegal aliens were arrested in Portland on Tuesday:

PORTLAND - Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials arrested 165 people Tuesday after raiding three locations looking for undocumented workers.

ICE officials raided the ASR office on North Lombard, their satellite office inside Fresh Del Monte and Fresh Del Monte itself. It was at these locations where officials arrested three managers for knowingly hiring undocumented workers and supplying them with false documentation.
The investigation began six months ago after officials received tips. Investigators then sent in an undercover informant posing as someone looking for employment at Fresh Del Monte.
He was told by an ASR representative that a fake social security card would be O.K., as long as it looked like an official government document.
Officials say up to 90 employees had fraudulent or forged social security cards, some of which displayed the real social security of juveniles, the elderly or people who have died. Fake green cards were issued as well.

Get a load of what the mayor of Portland had to say about it:

Portland Mayor Tom Potter says he's unhappy with how the raids were carried out.
He released this statement: "I am angered by this morning's arrest by federal officers of approximately 150 Portland residents who were working at a local produce company. I certainly understand why federal officials executed criminal warrants against three individuals who stole and sold Social Security numbers. But to go after local workers who are here to support their families while filling the demands of local businesses for their labor is bad policy."

Bad policy to enforce the law? It's ok to enter this country illegally, obtain a forged social security card or green card? It's ok to commit identity theft of someone else's social security number?

It's no wonder we have a problem with illegal immigration. We have irresponsible public officials like Tom Potter who support law-breaking and criticize those who wish to uphold our laws and our national sovereignty.

Update: From Judicial Watch, we learn that at least three of those arrested are convicted felons who were previously deported. Those are your kind of voters, aren't they Mayor Tom?

It is Encouraging

To see the race-baiter Nifong get his comeuppance. There are many prominent people who have tried to stir up racial animosity for their own political gain, including Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Bill Clinton, Johnny Cochran, Ray Nagin and many others. Our society should not tolerate such behavior.

It would also be nice to see the liar Crystal Mangum prosecuted.

From mentalities like these, we get the ludicous "affirmative action" programs, based upon the belief that two wrongs make a right.

Nifong Makes a Joke of the Justice System

I have been watching some of the hearings of the ethics trial of Durham County prosecutor Mike Nifong, regarding his actions in the false accusations and indictment of the three Duke lacrosse players. His actions in the case are simply amazing. One of the accused players came up with an alibi defense, an affidavit from a taxicab driver who said that he drove one of the players at the time that the rape was alleged to have happened. Nifong did a background check on the driver and found that he had a three year-old outstanding warrant on some misdomeanor charge. He saw to it that the warrant was immediately served. The man was tried and found innocent of the charge.

This makes me wonder how often this type of crap happens. We have 12 million illegal aliens who have violated our immigration laws (and often many of the other laws) and they are allowed to go scot free. In the mean time, the limited resources of our judicial system are being used to prosecute innocent people.

Update: More info on the prosecution of the cab driver:

Wilson [Nifong's investigator] also played a key role in the May arrest of a taxi driver who provided an alibi for one player. Defense attorneys criticized the arrest as an effort to intimidate a witness.
Moezeldin Elmostafa had signed an affidavit that he took Reade Seligmann and another player to a cash machine, a burger joint and a dorm on the night of the party. Records from Seligmann's cellphone, the ATM's security camera and the dorm corroborate Elmostafa's account.
Wilson found an unserved three-year-old warrant charging Elmostafa with shoplifting after a woman was filmed getting into his cab after she stole five pocketbooks from Northgate Mall. Elmostafa said he knew nothing about the theft and once he learned about it, he helped investigators catch the woman. But the warrant remained outstanding.
After Wilson told Nifong about the warrant, Elmostafa was arrested. Elmostafa was acquitted at an August trial, with Wilson and other lacrosse investigators looking on from the gallery.

Why are Short-Term Rates Dropping?

We are constantly hearing in the news about how long-term rates are rising. But no one will hazard a guess at why short-term rates are dropping. This is a graph of yields on 1 month Treasury Bills for the last three months.

Any ideas?

As if We Needed Another Reason Not to Vote for Hillary

She gives us yet another one by naming impeached former federal judge Alcee Hastings as co-chair for her national campaign

Hastings said a second Clinton in the White House would make the country "a much better place for the African-American community, Floridians and all Americans."

Yeah and it's gonna make the country a better place for crooked politicians like you to line their pockets with more bribe money, isn't it Alcee?

I remember Alcee from my days in South Florida. He made it clear that anyone who said anything bad about a black politician (unless he or she were a Republican like Condi Rice or JC Watts) must be wearing a white hood.

Hat tip to Sister Toldjah.

Raul Alfonsin

Daniel Henninger Brainfarts on the Wall Street Journal's Editorial Page

I have read the Wall Street Journal's editorial page for about three decades now. I almost always find myself in agreement with them, except when it comes to the issue of fixed vs. floating exchange rates, or the current hot topic: illegal immigration. Today, editorial writer Daniel Henninger whines about the criticism he has received from his advocacy of open borders, and then proceeds to say something really false and stupid:

The American "community" taking matters into its own hands, the vigilantism of the Minuteman Project, went out of fashion in the U.S. about 50 years ago.

First of all, Dan, the Minuteman Project is not vigilantism. All that the Minutemen are doing is sitting at observation posts on the border with binoculars, and calling the Border Patrol when they see someone trying to enter illegally. Do you believe there is something wrong with notifying the authorities when you witness a crime? As for taking matters into our own hands, there are no plans to do that at the moment. But if the idiots in Washington refuse to listen to the majority of the American people, who feel that the proposed amnesty for illegals is a bad idea, then there may come a day when we must do just that. We could start by recalling every senator or congressman who votes in favor of amnesty.

Bush 'Surprised' by Conservative Anger

Our esteemed commander-in-chief is reported to be surprised by conservatives' unhappiness with his proposed amnesty for illegal aliens and his callous dismissal of our concerns:

President Bush did not intend to single out his conservative supporters for criticism in a speech on immigration reform last week and was "surprised" that his remarks angered Republicans, White House spokesman Tony Snow said today. "He was surprised by the reaction," Mr. Snow said of Mr. Bush's speech in Glynco, Ga., last week. "The speech in Georgia was, 'We've got a serious problem and we need to fix it.' It was not in any way designed to be pointed at Republicans." But conservative opponents of a Senate immigration bill supported by Mr. Bush reacted furiously to the president's suggestion that they are resorting to scare tactics by using the word "amnesty" in referring to the measure that would allow millions of illegal aliens to remain in the United States.

Hey stupid, you are the one who is scaring us by offering amnesty to 20 million illegals. Here is how he belittles our concerns:

"Those determined to find fault with this bill will always be able to look at a narrow slice of it and find something they don't like," Mr. Bush said in the May 29 speech about the legislation now being debated in the Senate. "If you want to kill the bill, if you don't want to do what's right for America, you can pick one little aspect out of it, you can use it to frighten people. Or you can show leadership and solve this problem once and for all."

The amnesty provision with the Z-visas is not a 'narrow slice'. It is not one 'little aspect'. It is a critical and integral component of a bill, and it would foolishly repeat the mistake made back in 1986.

Mr. president, I voted for you in 2000 and 2004. I voted rfor your father when he ran for president in 1988 and 1992. I voted for him when he ran for VP in 1980 and 1984. I voted for your brother when I lived in Florida and he ran for governor in 1998 and 2002. Why are you so deaf to the concerns of the people who have supported you through thick and thin?

Edwards Campaigns With Danny Glover

After recently learning that actor Danny Glover will make movies for Venezuelan dictator (T)Hugo Chavez, we now hear that he is campaigning with Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards:

Glover said Edwards understands the needs of the working poor and that the campaign is telling their story. "This is a campaign about real democracy," Glover said.

Hmmmmmmmmm.......I suppose you also believe that Hugo Chavez is also about real democracy, eh Danny?

And how does Edwards understand the needs of the poor? John isn't poor, nor anywhere near it. If anything, he has made many people worse off by raising the price of their medical bills through his lawsuits.

The above pic is of Danny giving Harry Belafonte a big wet one. Did you slip him the tongue, Danny?

Is the Yield Curve Un-Inverting?

The yield curve for US Treasury securities, which has been somewhat inverted for a few months, has now flattened out and even has a slight upward slope. This is the result of declines in the short-term rates and increases in the long-term rates:

Maturity Yield
1 month 4.754%
3 month 4.775
6 month 4.961
2 year 4.967
3 year 4.926
5 year 4.911
10 year 4.929
30 year 5.021

Source: WSJ.com (subscription required)

Will we avoid the bear market and recession that usually accompany a yield curve inversion? Good question. For more info, see my work on the role of stock prices in business cycles.

Update: The wsj this morning says that the increase in long-term US interest rates is caused by increases in long-term rates in Europe, which are caused by increased loan demand due to the recovery in Europe. That makes sense. But why have US short-term rates been decreasing? European short-term rates are expected to increase, as are Japanese rates.

Chavez Locks Horns with Brazilians

(T)Hugo Chavez, the tinhorn dictator of Venezuela, has engaged in a war of words with his neighbors in Brazil:

In a special session Friday, Brazilian Congressional leaders from the ruling coalition and opposition referred to Chavez as a “cheap Hitler and Mussolini” a “dictator in disguise” and a threat “to peace in the continent”. Senate president Renan Calheiros said that if “a head of state can’t tolerate or live with democratic protests, probably he’s against democracy”.

So how did the man in the tinfoil hat respond?

Chavez reacted to the Brazilian Senate statement in support of RCTV saying that they “are a parrot that repeats whatever Washington says”, and warned that “it’s easier for the Portuguese empire to retake Brazil than for Venezuela to return the television licence which finished with Venezuela’s oligarchy”.

And this got Brazilian president Lula da Silva going:

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon Venezuela`s ambassador Julio Garcia Montoya “for the indispensable clarification” of President Hugo Chavez’ reference to the Brazilian Senate as “a parrot that repeats whatever Washington says” adding that the Brazilian Congress was “controlled by the right wing”.

Perhaps this time, president thuggo has bitten off more than he can chew. Protests continue against chavez. This won't die down easily, because every time someone turns on the TV they will note the absence of RCTV.

Hat tips to Jungle Hut and Gateway Pundit.

Sinn Fein Hypocrites

A recent murder in Londonderry in Northern Ireland:

Brian McGlynn, 28, was in bed in his home in the Fountain Hill area of the Waterside when two men entered his room at about 0330 BST.
The gunmen fired a number of shots at Mr McGlynn, who was originally from Strabane.

Here is what the local Sinn Fein representative had to say:

Sinn Fein councillor Lynn Fleming said the community, after 35 years of conflict, "did not want a gun culture" with people settling their differences "by going and shooting someone".
"We want to move forward and get away from those days," she said.

Her hypocrisy is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Sinn Fein/IRA are responsible for the deaths of at least 2,000 innocent people in Ulster. Like all marxist groups, they have no respect for human life whatsoever. Consider the actions of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot.

Will Chavez be the next marxist to wreak mass murder on his subjects? Many of the idiots on the left feel he is justified in taking over RCTV. He wants everything in Venezuela under his control, including the government, industry, and media. If and when he achieves his goal, it would be no surprise if he were to then begin to eliminate his opponents or put them into 're-education camps' for 'counter-revolutionary' or 'antisocial' behavior.

That is the defining characteristic of marxism/socialism, regardless of what their psychobabble claims. They treat people like cattle, with no respect for life or liberty.

Fred for Prez?

Fred Thompson recently criticized the proposed immigration bill:

RICHMOND -- Former Sen. Fred Thompson yesterday said there is a giant disconnect between voters and politicians in Washington and that the immigration bill is the chief reason. Speaking to Virginia Republicans, Mr. Thompson, who is considering a run for president, drew a standing ovation when he said voters don't believe Washington politicians when they claim they are trying to secure the border as part of the bill. "You've got to secure the border first, before you do anything," he said. "The members say it's right here in this bill: the border. The response is, 'We don't care what's on a piece of paper -- secure the border.' This piece of paper doesn't secure the border." Mr. Thompson said the new bill is "the same deal" offered in the 1986 amnesty -- legalization of illegal aliens in exchange for border security -- but said Americans won't be fooled again. He also said the program is unworkable because it relies on an already overworked immigration service to process millions of new applications.

I like what Fred is saying. The only question is, will he really do that if elected? Both Romney and Guiliani are saying the same thing, and I have serious doubts about their sincerity. If Fred can convince me that he means what he says, then he has my vote.

There are no doubts about where McCain stands on the issue. As for Bush, I feel like he has stabbed me in the back.

Students, Venezuelan Police Stand Off at UCAB

From Spanish Pundit we learn:

This is an alert. Please, if you value freedom, repost this alert: Venezuelan Government has kidnapped the students inside the University. No one can enter or exit -from the above link-:A police barrier of the Military Police is forbidding the students of Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB) as they wanted to demonstrate in front of the National Parliament. The Military Police has said that the students should wait till a MPs Commission who will receive a document. In this moments there are more gruops of students who are getting to the area in support of the rest.The students have announced they will demonstrate today at 11 in the La India Sq. to march till the Parliament. Major Bernal has announced them they do not have any permission to do that, but they have answered they will concentrate themselves just the same in the pavements without having the traffic interrupted. Globovisión has informed just now that Chávez’s supporters have just now began to get to the place and they have even set up some tents, from where they want to call on others to defend the revolution. But the students have begun to march whatever the menaces and protests and the advices from the Major about being forbidden.

And now get a load of what Chavez is saying:

Speaking during an event Thursday with the visiting leader of Vietnam's communist party, Mr. Chavez said “international rightist, extreme-rightist and fascist movements are attacking Venezuela from everywhere — from Europe, the United States, Brasilia.”
He targeted Brazil's Senate for approving a motion earlier in the day including a call for Mr. Chavez to reopen the channel.
“Nobody should interfere,” Mr. Chavez said, accusing lawmakers in Brazil of “repeating like a parrot what is said in Washington.”
“To those representatives of the Brazilian right, I say that it is much, much, much more probable that the Portuguese empire will again install itself in Brasilia than that the Venezuelan government will return the expired [broadcast] concession to the Venezuelan oligarchy,” Mr. Chavez said.

Ah, yes, the old anyone-who-doesn't-support-socialism-is-a-fascist. I have been called a fascist for not supporting national health insurance in the USA.

Hat tip to Gateway Pundit.

For the Latest News from Venezuela

See Jungle Hut and Fausta. Be sure to read about Jimmah Carter's complicity in the rigged recall elections in Venezuela in 2004.