Today's Nuze: January 03, 2006 

GOVERNMENT

Ahhhh.  Another wonderful story from government.  This time it's the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.  Officials in the LA water department have been working for two years to assure LA residents that their tap water is top quality and safe to drink.  In fact, the department spent $1 million dollars in this PR effort.  Well ... now it seems that we have learned that during those very same two years the LA water department spent nearly $89,000 on bottled water for their offices. 

Now -- what does this remind you of?  Why, government schools, of course!  Year after year government schools spend taxpayer's money trying to convince taxpayers that they're actually doing a good job.  Now we even have government schools bragging when they do an "adequate" job.  But what about government school teachers?  Well, like the employees of the LA water department, they seem to prefer brand "X".  Government school teachers send their children to private schools in huge numbers.  In fact, several years ago government school teachers led the nation in the percentage of children of members of a professional group sending their children to private school.  The employees of the LA water department know the truth.  So do the government school teachers ... and they're not buying their own propaganda. 

SPEAKING OF GOVERNMENT SCHOOL TEACHERS

You just have to read this article from today's Wall Street Journal.  It's about our nation's largest teacher's union, the National Education Association (NEA).  For years the NEA fought hard to prevent the implementation of a rule that would require them to make the records of their political contributions public.  They lost, and now you can go to this web site to get all of the details.  But wait!  The editorial board of the Wall Street Journal has saved you the trouble.  Here are some of the details:

The NEA gave away more than $65 million dollars last year, virtually all of it to leftist, liberal groups.  We're talking groups like Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition.  The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.  Amnesty International.  There was a donation of $15,000 (chump change to the NEA) to the Human Rights Campaign,  This group, you may remember, lobbies for "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights". How special.  The Fund to Protect Social Security got $400,000.  There was also money spent to fight charter schools in Florida and to help "redirect Florida politics in a more progressive, Democratic direction." 

Oh ... and then there's this.  The WSJ article also reminds us of just what these union officials earn. The NEA has about 600 employees.  Their payroll is $58 million.  That makes the average NEA salary about $96,670 a year.  How many teachers make this much?  Not many.  The average teacher salary is $48,000.  Reg Weaver, the president of the NEA, makes $439,000 a year.  Over one-half of the NEA employees make over $100,000 a year. 

Disgusted?  Sure you are.  And you can rest assured that there are thousands of government school teachers out there who will be just as outraged as you when they learn how their dues money is being spent.  Remember --- the most effective first step we could possibly take to improve the quality of government education in this country would be to eliminate the teacher's unions.  Tomorrow wouldn't be too early.

CROTCHFRUIT?

Know what that means?  I read the word in a story about the American Dialect Society.  This group chooses a word of the year every year.  In 1999 the word was "Y2K."  In 2000 it was "chad."  This week members of the society will gather to chose their word for 2005.  That's where "crotchfruit" comes in.  It's a word for children that has surfaced among proponents of child-free public spaces.  Here it is in a sentence.  "Madam, could you please find it in yourself to take some measures to keep your crotchfruit out of my yard?"  Love it.  We'll let you know what the word for 2005 as soon as these point-heads figure it out.

DEMOCRATS STILL SOLD ON DEFEAT

To those who thought the left was going to change its tune on the war in Iraq because it was 2006, prepare to be disappointed.  The Democratic spokesman for defeat, surrender and Islamic victory is making the rounds again.  Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha was on 'Nightline' last night, and as always, said some interesting things.

He was asked if he would join the military today...he said no, and went on to say that anyone who didn't want to sign up was justified in doing so.  For somebody who served 37 years in the Marine Corps (most of those years in the reserves), he sure seems to sound anti-military these days. When asked to comment on Murtha's remarks, the Pentagon hit the nail on the head: "We have an all-volunteer military. People are free to choose whether they serve or not."  Right.  Just don't tell that to Cindy Sheehan.

If this is the Democrats' strategy for victory in 2006, it is going to get them nowhere.  Right now, Zarqawi has to be smiling....he's got one of the dominant political parties in the United States making his speeches for him.  What a deal!   You can fail to understand this at your peril, but: the policy of the Democratic party under Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi and John Al-Murtha is one of unconditional surrender in the war on terror.

BET'S PERSON OF THE YEAR

Black Entertainment Television has announced their 'Person of the Year.'  And just who has this TV network chosen to bestow this honor upon?  None other than the racist, anti-Semitic liar himself....Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan.  What's more ridiculous are some of the statements the channel made in support of their choice. 

"An overwhelming percentage of our users agreed that Minister Farrakhan made the most positive impact on the Black community over the past year and chose him as the person most worthy to receive the honor of BET.com's 2005 Person of the Year," said the network.  Question:  What does this say about those who watch BET and voted? And just what did Calypso Louie do to deserve all of this praise?  He worked to "mobilize hundreds of thousands of Blacks around the issues of atonement and empowerment, and to convince the masses of our people that we must be the primary catalysts and engines for positive change in our communities."  Sounds important, let's look at what Farrakhan was really up to in 2006.  We need look no further than New Orleans and the aftermath of  Hurricane Katrina.  There was this fraud, Louis Farrakhan...actually saying that the government blew the levees in order to wipe out the black sections of the city.  This is what Black Entertainment Television considers to be "person of the year" material? 

And just who else was passed up for this honor?  Oprah Winfrey, Senator Barack Obama and BET founder Robert L. Johnson.  You know...people who have actually achieved something in their lives.

Thus far I haven't heard Farrakhan's response to this "honor."  Perhaps he has taken another shuttle up to the mother ship in orbit around the Earth for tea with Elijah!

SADDAM PREFERS DEATH BY SHOOTING

Saddam Hussein has told his lawyers that if he is going to be executed, he would prefer to face a firing squad.  He says he does not fear death and that it is proper for a military leader to be executed with guns.  But what he said in his other remarks to his lawyers is more important.

Speaking of the war in Iraq and the insurgency that he helped direct, Saddam said:  "I'm fighting against U.S. tyranny on behalf of Iraqis, Arabs, all the people of the world. ... The U.S. will not be able to formulate a new world."  Hussein went on to say the the U.S. will cut and run soon: "The Americans with their allies will fly out of Iraq very soon, and their puppets will leave even before the Americans."  Where have we heard all of this before?

That's right...you could have heard the same thing from Nancy Pelosi on the floor of the House of Representatives or Harry Reid on the floor of the Senate.  It's interesting that the left has taken a position on the war in Iraq that is consistent with the dictator whom we have deposed.

As for his request to be shot by firing squad....maybe we should take him up on it. Put it on Al-Jazeera, and be sure it's shown in North Korea and Iran.

LOOKING RIDICULOUS

CNN was on the scene this morning providing coverage of the attempts to rescue miners trapped by an explosion in Tallmansville, West Virginia.  This morning CNN featured a report from a reporter at WDNE Radio in Elkins, W. Va.  Her name was Zoe, and she had a ring in her nose.  Many aspiring reporters get their big breaks this way.  A major news event happens in their locale, and they get the chance from a network or cable news channel for a little face time.  Someone somewhere sees them, is impressed, and a career is boosted.  But poor Zoe.  There she stands with a ring in her nose.  What a career moment that was!

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Uh oh.  Muslims are getting their turbans in a bunch over some Danish newspaper that is publishing some cartoons depicting the "prophet" Mohammed.  Muslims think this is blasphemous.  Oh my!  One of the cartoons shows Mohammed addressing some suicide bombers yelling "Stop!  Stop!  We've run out of virgins!"  Funny stuff.  Does anyone know any good Muslim jokes?

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation was quite critical of Bush and his response to Hurricane Katrina. Well ... the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation raised about $400,000 for Katrina victims.  How much of that money has it distributed?  Not a penny.  Talk about a slow response.  (Since this posting contains negative comments about a group associated with black Americans it is, of course, racist.)

Bill Clinton says America is ready for the first female president.  Just as long as it isn't his lovely wife, The Hildabeast.  I don't think anybody is quite ready for that.

Ted Kennedy has yet to apologize for accusing the Department of Homeland Security of visiting the home of a college student and interrogating him for trying to get a book.  It never happened, but that hasn't stopped Uncle Teddy from pushing the lie.

Democrat Lee Hamilton, Chairman of the 9/11 Commission, has a list of worries for 2006.  Two of the big ones: radical Islam and the problem of illegal immigration in this country.

Could we really be this lucky?  The AP is reporting that The Poodle is repositioning himself for another run at the White House in 2008.  Can it really be this easy?  Of course, he doesn't have much of a chance...as Shrillary will surely steamroll all of the Democratic primaries.

Everybody seems to have some sort of New Year's resolutions.  Here are just a few from columnist Paul Greenberg.  An interesting list.

There is no such thing as a free lunch...but Americans are still increasingly trying to find a way to get it. Rebecca Hagelin profiles a new book that looks at the entitlement mindset in this country, which is alive and well.

We are just 10 months away from the midterm elections in 2006....and Larry Kudlow says don't bet against George Bush. By the way, did you know the president's favorable rating is almost 50%?

The economy continues to boom....but don't expect to hear much about it from the liberal media in this country.  Michael Barone points to two reasons: the Bush tax cuts and Alan Greenspan.

Dennis Byrne points out that Democrats were all up in arms about the supposed leak of Valerie Plame's name....yet they are nowhere to be found on whoever leaked the existence of the NSA wiretapping program.

The BBC reports dubious insurance claims are on the rise....how about this one: a man is suing the government in Britain because he soiled his pants.  You heard it here first!

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