Personal Responsibility: Up In Smoke

Now I've seen everything. Read this article and note the wording: "Published in time for World No Tobacco Day on May 31 in the open access journal BMC Public Health, the research shows that because smoking is so costly, low-income families are likely to spend less on basic necessities like food and housing because of smoking.
'Smoking reduces the income available for families to feed, clothe and otherwise care for their children living in low-income households', said lead author Dr. Tessa Langley of the University of Nottingham, England."

So quit!  People aren't forced to smoke; they choose to smoke. If they prefer to spend money on cigarettes than on food or diapers, then they have to deal with the consequences. This is a totally preventable situation. If they don't want to change their behavior, then maybe the government will come out with low-cost Obamarettes next!

Supporting Our Police

I am sick and tired of the attacks on our police by the media and politicians, so it was nice to see this story on the news today: Brunswick High School students stand with police to show support. It's a small show of support, but it's a start.

There are also Facebook groups such as We Support Our Police and
Stand Up America and Support Our Police.

Shutting Off Responsibility

Here we go again, with the UN getting involved again: "The City of Detroit began shutting off water access to residents behind on payments Tuesday, with thousands at risk of losing access. According to the Detroit Free Press, 64,769 delinquent residential customers owe the city’s water department a combined $48.9 million."

I'm surprised there's no ObamaWater program the way there's an Obamaphone program (now with broadband internet service!)  How about just bringing back personal responsibility and expecting people to pay their bills instead of turning them into victims??

Watcher's Council

The Council has spoken! Here are this week's Watcher's Council results.

Old Nazis Never Die...

German court says ex-SS officer unfit for trial. Prosecutors in the northern German city of Hamburg have dropped their probe into a 93-year-old former Nazi SS officer. Gerhard Sommer, who suffers from dementia, allegedly took part in a World War II massacre in Italy. 

Doesn't it figure? Yet another Nazi who has lived into his 90s, many decades longer than the innocent people he slaughtered, and we're somehow supposed to feel sorry for him?

Lots 'o Links

Get ready for some of the best posts on the web, thanks to Betsy's Page, Maggie's Farm, and Larwyn's Linx!

Bonus: what it's like to be a patient, as seen at KevinMD.com.

Obama and the Middle East

By Bob Gorrell

By Michael Ramirez 

What is a Jew?

From YiddishWit.com.

Our Increasingly Unrecognizable Culture

Quin Hillyer certainly has it right in his column titled At Sea in an Alien Culture, Where ‘Normal’ Is Defined as ‘Deviant’.  And of course, where deviant is seen as normal. He describes it perfectly here, "In short, we’re told that so much of what we know is good and normal is actually bad, while so much that’s objectively awful is actually no big deal or even something worth admiring. Nothing looks the same. The values, the culture, the standards, the frames of reference: All are skewed, tumped over, deconstructed, disorienting."  

Argus Hamilton Quips

Check out the latest column by Argus Hamilton, who puts his own amusing spin on the news, such as this item: "President Obama was asked by the Atlantic Thursday after the fall of Ramadi if the U.S. is losing to ISIS. He insisted that we're defeating the enemy. Ever since Obama withdrew all the tanks, artillery and attack helicopters, the level of greenhouse gases over Iraq is lower than it's been in twenty-five years."

The Wonderful Greg Crosby

Greg Crosby wonders about many things in his latest column, including this: "I wonder why so many of our young men take no interest in looking well groomed and well dressed. How did appearing in public looking dirty and ugly get to be the 'in thing?' When did dirty become better than clean? Why is it great to ink up one's body with graffiti and hieroglyphics? And who thought it was a great idea for grown men to walk around in sandals and flip-flops? Here's a flash for you, men's feet are not wonderful to look at."

Read and enjoy.

They Died So Others Might Live

With sincere appreciation to our American war dead for protecting their country at the cost of their own lives.

Memorial Day Across The Globe

Here's how Memorial Day is commemorated around the world.  I prefer the solemnity of it and don't care at all for, or understand, the mattress sales here.

A Russian Perspective

Here's an interesting article from Mental_Floss: 17 Russian Travel Tips for Visiting America.

Watcher's Council News

The Council has spoken! Here are the latest Watcher's Council results!

The Weasel of the Week is a perfect choice: "The Clintons’ Own Media Meat Puppet George ‘What Donations?’ Stephanopoulos!!"

What Chutzpah!

Obama: I Have Been Called ‘The First Jewish President’.  He obviously needs his hearing checked -- he's been called the first anti-Jewish President.  

(Bill Clinton was referred to as the first black president, so it seems these Democrats suffer from the same delusion.)

Lots o' Links

You know what today is: it's time to cruise the web at Betsy's Page; visit the Thursday morning links at Maggie's Farm; and check out Larwyn's Linx, at the end of another tumultuous week.

Bonus: read about Al Sharpton's daughter and her frivolous lawsuit.  Suing seems to be the new unemployment and disability. I have never seen so many lawyer commercials in my life; between these and the continual mesothelioma, disease, and drug ads, it can turn you into a suing hypochondriac in no time.

Dereliction of Duty

"President Obama took his sharpest jab yet on Wednesday against politicians who deny human influence on climate change, sending them this message: You’re a threat to national security.  Speaking at the United States Coast Guard Academy commencement in New London, Connecticut, Obama made climate change the focus of his remarks, calling the country’s failure to act to combat global warming a 'dereliction of duty.'"   It's really amazing that he can actually utter these statements with a straight face!

Letting men die in Benghazi is dereliction of duty.  Permitting illegal aliens to be dumped in our cities is dereliction of duty.  Allowing millions of Americans to not participate in the labor force is dereliction of duty. Continuing to blame "racism" and encouraging anti-police sentiment is dereliction of duty. We can go on and on.

Vocalise

You can't go wrong with Rachmaninoff, especially something as exquisitely romantic as this.

Driven to Madness

What selfish, stupid idiots!  "17 percent take selfies or other photos while driving, AT&T study says. Technically Incorrect: A study shows that 70 percent of people admit to engaging in some phone activity at the wheel: 28 percent surf the Web, 30 percent send tweets 'all the time,' and it doesn't stop there."  Well, all I know is, I hope they end up killing themselves instead of killing me. What's it going to take to get them to stop? Maybe plowing into a school bus full of kids? 

The author wonders, "However much we might all think this is a terrible thing, how many of us have never partaken of this terrible practice? Even, dare I suggest, on a daily basis."  Well, believe it or not, there are some people like me who only drive when they're driving! How about that?

What We Know Now

I loved this retort from Liz Cheney: "When will the media ask @BarackObama & @HillaryClinton key question for 2016- Knowing what we know now, would you still have abandoned Iraq?"

And knowing what we know now (and what many of us knew then), would you have still voted for Obama?

Instead, it's easier for some to continue to blame Bush for everything rather than blame Obama for anything.

Ire In Iraq

This editorial is from the Washington Post: The fall of Ramadi exposes Obama’s weak Islamic State strategy.  I agree with the title except that Obama has no strategy. Remember, ISIS is the group he casually dismissed as the "junior varsity."  According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of JV is "a team composed of members lacking the experience or qualification required for the varsity."  If ISIS lacks experience & qualification in the subjects of brutality and evil, I'd hate to see what the varsity team is like.

Justice Served

Here's an excellent column by Joe Fitzgerald about today's death sentence: Lives of the victims trump that of a terrorist.

"The worth of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s evil life is not what matters today.
The question is, what was Martin Richard’s life worth?
What was Lingzi Lu’s life worth?
What was Krystle Campbell’s life worth?
What was MIT Officer Sean Collier’s life worth?
How do you place a value on all that will not happen in the futures that were taken from them by this Muslim madman who thought he’d endear himself to Allah by indiscriminately slaughtering innocent bystanders?
How do you determine the worth of marriages and careers and personal accomplishments that will never take place in those beautiful lives ruthlessly sacrificed to someone else’s toxic interpretation of his faith?"

Innocent people were killed and maimed. Tsarnaev will just get a needle. You tell me which is more cruel and unusual!

Watcher's Council News

The Council has spoken! Here are the latest Watcher's Council results.

The Weasel of the Week?  The Internal Revenue Service, AKA ‘Them ##@#!! Revenooers!’

Lots 'o Links

Pore over the latest news and culture stories thanks to the good people at Betsy's Page, Maggie's Farm, and Larwyn's Linx.

There's something wrong when you have to fight this hard to display the American flag -- here in America! What is this, Nazi Germany?

A Radical Statement

ISIS Leader Pronounces "Islam Religion of War, Islam is not Religion of Peace." (He pronounced it N-A-Z-I). Well, it's about time someone admitted it, but it should have come from us, not from them.

Fall of Saigon

Last Days in Vietnam was one of the best and most moving documentaries I have ever seen. It covered the fall of Saigon 40 years ago. The above evacuation scene is something I've never forgotten from that time.

The Voters and The Clintons

Here's another good Michael Ramirez cartoon. 

I still remember back in 1992 when Bill Clinton famously said that if you voted for him, you'd get two for the price of one, the other being Hillary.  Well, one is too expensive, and two of them is unaffordable, especially a second time around, and especially after Obama. Heaven help us.

Throwing His Hat In The Ring...Literally!

This is not a joke, and you're not seeing things -- Mitt Romney is going to fight Evander Holyfield in a charity bout.  Yes, THAT Mitt Romney! I'd like this idea better if Romney were fighting Obama!

I like this description from Instapundit and Hot Air: "FINALLY! The Romney-Holyfield Fight Promo Video. 'Romney’s more likable here in two minutes than he was in 15 months of stage-managed stumping during Campaign 2012. . . . This fight can’t possibly be duller than Mayweather/Pacquiao, can it?' Nope."

Offended

This column is perfect and represents what we, the silent majority, feel. It's by Anna Berg in The Times of Israel, it refers to the Muslims, and it's titled "I’m offended that you want to kill me."  Here's an excerpt, but you have to read the whole thing:

"I’m offended when you call me an ape and a pig.

I’m offended when you spit on and burn my flag.

I’m offended that you think “Mein Kampf” is worth reading – so much so that it’s on your bestseller list.

I’m offended that you create TV-shows (for kids!) that portray us as monsters that kill Muslim children, and use their blood to make matzah bread for Pesach.

I’m offended that I have to fear for my life if I wear any religious symbol that reveals that I’m a Jew.

I’m offended that I have to come extra early to shul because of all the security checks that I have to go through.

I’m offended that my friends kids have to have heavily armed police officers as guards outside their schools.

I’m offended that I constantly have to defend my country and our right to exist.

I’m offended that you want to annihilate us and wipe Israel off the map."

Here Comes The Sun

Look at these gorgeous scenes, the astronomy picture of the day, as seen at American Digest.  No matter how grim things may be in the news,  Gerard Van der Leun always seems to have a beautiful photo or a poem that makes you feel better.

An Art Lesson From Sherwin Williams

I just saw this wonderful Sherwin Williams commercial, proving once again that clever ads like this are much better than TV shows.

Woe Is Him

In case you've forgotten, former MD governor Robert Ehrlich reminds you of How Obama’s Made Sure to Leave Every Part of the World More Dangerous than He Found It.

Poor Obama. The only thing going for him was the fact that he singlehandedly killed Osama Bin Laden, and now that claim has been destroyed.  

The Arab Spring Has Turned Chilly

Read Don Surber to see what he and Bill Kristol think of the fact that Arab states won't be attending Obama's meeting with Arab leaders -- in protest over the U.S. deal with Iran.  My, how the world has changed for the worse, and changed for the bewildering, in the past 6 years!

Maybe You're Just Stupid

As seen at Miss Cellania.

Where's the Outrage and Rioting Now?

"Four people have been arrested and two of them have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shootings of two Mississippi police officers during a weekend traffic stop in Hattiesburg. Marvin Banks, 29, and 22-year-old Joanie Calloway have each been charged with two counts of capital murder, and Banks' 26-year-old brother, Curtis Banks, has been charged with two counts of accessory after the fact of capital murder. A fourth suspect who was allegedly in the car during the fatal traffic stop was arrested Sunday afternoon, reports WDAM. Cornelius Clark, 28, was charged with obstruction of justice. Dead at their hands following a routine traffic stop, police say, were 25-year-old rookie cop Liquori Tate and decorated K9 officer Benjamin Deen, 34."

Israel To The Rescue

"An Israeli-led rescue team that pulled a Nepalese woman out of the rubble in the capital Kathmandu five days after a massive earthquake leveled much of the city late last month, was reunited with the woman on Friday, some 10 days after her rescue."

Israel is always quick to help in times of disaster. "According to figures reported by CNN, Israel’s total official aid delegation, not counting several private aid groups, numbers 260 people, more than all the other aid efforts examined by CNN combined."

Politically Correct News to Make You Cross

This is not a joke, unfortunately:  Complaint says crosses at Catholic school offensive, prevent Muslim prayers.   "Crosses in every room at Washingon D.C.’s Catholic University of America are a human rights violation that prevent Muslim students from praying. That’s the complaint to the Washington, D.C. Office of Human Rights filed by a professor from rival George Washington University across town."

 

You want human rights violations? How about Muslim terrorists killing us in our own country?

Yes, by all means, let's decatholicize every church and every Catholic school because it offends Muslims! A better solution is to say, "You don't like it? Then get out!"

 

And please, let's keep the borders open so that ISIS can pour in along with the thousands of illegal aliens.  When they're not killing us, they'll be turning every Catholic institution into a Muslim one, thanks to the help from liberals, the media, and politically correct crackpots.

What on earth has happened to our country?!

VE Day

Today is the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe -- victory over the Nazis and victory over evil brutality. Today you watch with amazement as TV commentators fight over who is worse -- Jihadist killers, or Pamela Geller.  Luckily, Americans had more common sense and decency during WW2 and didn't need much convincing to know that the Japanese and the Nazis were barbarians.

Watcher's Council News

The Council has spoken! Here are the latest Watcher's Council results.

The Weasel of the Week is someone we have known and hated for years,  Jew Hater, Plagiarist, Terrorist Groupie And Utterly Failed Former President Jimmy Carter!

And speaking of Jew-haters, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing that George Galloway lost his job: "A horrible quisling apologist for virtually all of the world’s bad actors, George Galloway has made a career of serving as an insufferable mouthpiece to any tyrant who submits the highest bid. The former MP will now have to offer his services without having the moral authority associated with holding elected office. It’s a small karmic justice but a welcome one to learn that Bradford West constituents finally came to their senses."

Haveil Havalim Time

Haveil Havalim, the Emor Extravaganza, is up at Adventures in AliyahLand!

Last week's edition was the Post Independence Day, Omer #22, Combined HH and KCC (Kosher Cooking Carnival) at Shiloh Musings.

Lots 'o Links

With all that's going on lately, these roundups are more valuable than ever, so check out Maggie's Farm, Betsy's Page, and Larwyn's Linx today!

Bonus: look at this Day by Day cartoon, which I saw at 4 Right Wing Wackos.

Take a tranquilizer before watching this, per Heeb:  Stop What You’re Doing And Watch (Or Run In Horror From) This Osmond Family Fiddler Medley.  Listen to the screaming from the audience, which is obviously made up of teen girls and not horrified Jews!

A Promise From Obama

Obama: ‘I Intend to Get as Much Done in Next 22 Months as Possible’.  Yes, as much done as possible to destroy what's left of this country, he means!  

Meanwhile, ISIS says what's coming with be worse than what happened in Garland, TX.  I believe it.  While Obama and company are preoccupied with a destructive deal with Iran, rioting and looting in Baltimore and other U.S. cities, and attacking the messenger instead of the terrorists all over the news, what better opportunity for Islamic terrorist cells to take advantage of the situation and attack?  They are undoubtedly comforted by headlines such as this one in the New York Times:  Muslims in Texas Walk a Fine Line After Garland Shooting.

Islamists = Nazis

 

Israeli Ambassador Prosor Compares Radical Islamists to Nazis on Anniversary of WWII Ending. Good! Say it more often! This is what I've been saying for years, but it seems like the Muslims get special treatment compared to the Nazis. They are endlessly kowtowed to, excused, and apologized to. Thankfully, the United States was strong and there was no political correct insanity during WW2, so I doubt Americans would have ever feared offending Nazis. Can you just imagine if there were a cartoon called "Mohammed's Face" rather than "Der Fuehrer's Face"? Oh...wait...

Charterhouse Suite

I heard this on the radio today and knew it had to be Ralph Vaughan Williams after only a few minutes. His music is so beautifully evocative and ear-catching!

Jihad in America

For more coverage of the terrorist attack in Garland, TX, as well as Islamic terrorism in general, read Pamela Geller and Jihad Watch.  Pam, whose blog was formerly called Atlas Shrugs, has been warning us about this for many years, so, like her, I was not surprised that this happened, and not surprised to see her grilled on the air this morning as if she is the terrorist! Since you can't blame a video this time, let's skip the apologies and kowtowing to Muslims this time, too.

Charlie Hebdo in Texas

Two shot dead after they open fire at Mohammad cartoon event in Texas.  Anyone remember Charlie Hebdo?

Remember, let's all talk about how Islam is the religion of peace and how there will be a backlash against Muslims, blah blah blah.

Feel-Good News

101-year-old man pulled alive from Nepal quake rubble.  "Funchu Tamang was rescued on Saturday with only minor injuries and airlifted to a district hospital, local police officer Arun Kumar Singh told AFP."  

TV or Not TV - That is The Question

Headline of the night: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is breaking Pay-Per-View and everyone's freaking out. Terrorists must be laughing at us. If a national cable TV outage can cause people to get hysterical, what would a national emergency do?

Watcher's Council News

The Council has spoken! Here are the latest Watcher's Council results.

The Weasel of the Week is Baltimore Mayor Stephanie ‘Let ‘Em Riot’ Rawlings-Blake!

Lots 'o Links

Stop what you're doing and read the latest news roundups from Maggie's Farm, Betsy's Page, and Larwyn's Linx.

Bonus: Haveil Havalim is up at Judean Rose. It's the Parshat Tazria Metzora, the Passover has Passed Over Edition.