Today's Nuze: July 12, 2006

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

GOVERNMENT AT WORK

Two stories here on government at work.

First, Boston. You've heard of the "Big Dig" haven't you? This was the effort to bury I-95 beneath the streets of Boston. It ended up costing the taxpayers about $14 billion. It was supposed to cost one-tenth of that. A huge Kennedy - Tip O'Neill boondoggle that raped the taxpayers of this country big time. Now, Boston, we have a problem. It seems that portions of the tunnel are collapsing. On Monday we had a three-ton section of the roof of a portion of the tunnel collapse onto a car. One woman was killed. This portion of the infamous Big Dig will be closed 'indefinitely."

OK .. now here's another falling-ceiling report. This one from Honolulu.

About four years ago the Hawaiian state government built some restrooms near a park in Honolulu. Two years later, in 2004, some plaster from the ceiling fell onto the floor. The restrooms were closed ... and have remained closed to this day. When the Honolulu newspaper inquired as to when the two outhouses would be taken away and the restrooms reopened they were told that the government was preparing to survey the situation to see what it would take to open the restrooms again. Two years .. and they hadn't done a damn thing. Any worth-his-salt husband in this country could have taken control of this problem and fixed it with one visit to the Home Depot and two hours work ... but it's two years later and they're still trying to figure this thing out.

Two stories ... and there are thousands more .. that illustrate the incredible incompetence of government. Everywhere you look, in every city and state and at the national level you are besieged day after day with stories illustrating rampant government incompetence. And, sadly, every single day, everywhere you look, you see more and more Americans clamoring for the opportunity to abandon any semblance of responsibility for themselves and their families, and rely on the government for everything in their lives.

Think about this next fall when you send your child off to the government to be educated

NAME CHANGE FOR ATLANTA IN THE WORKS

You probably don't spend a lot of time reading the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, especially if you don't live in Atlanta. So ... here's something you may be missing. It would appear that a name change for the City of Atlanta may be in the works. Atlanta, you see, loves changing the names of things. When former mayor Maynard Jackson died a few years back there was a rush to change the name of Hartsfield International Airport to Jackson International Airport. After much gnashing of teeth, it was simply decided to add Jackson's name to rename the airport Hartsfield-Jackson International. By the way, the name-change proponents seem undeterred by the fact that several of Jackson's aides went to jail on bribery charges over the corruption surrounding Jackson's stewardship of the airport expansion.

Well ... get ready for Dallas Austin Atlanta! Yes .. the drug-using hip hop "star" who wrote the hideous "ATL" theme song has been in the newspaper constantly over the past year or so. How many days have gone by in the last two months without a Dallas Austin story in the paper?. Yesterday's story was "Dallas Austin Celebrates in Local Restaurant." Wow! Now that's news! He's a rap star, folks. Not the governor. Get ready to change your business cards and stationary!

OBIT:

Here's an obituary for one Frederic Arthur (Fred) Clark that was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Sunday. Sounds like ole Fred would have been quite a fun guy to hang around.

Frederic Arthur (Fred) Clark, who had tired of reading obituaries noting other's courageous battles with this or that disease, wanted it known that he lost his battle as a result of an automobile accident on June 18, 2006. True to Fred's personal style, his final hours were spent joking with medical personnel while he whimpered, cussed, begged for narcotics and bargained with God to look over his wife and kids. He loved his family. His heart beat faster when his wife of 37 years Alice Rennie Clark entered the room and saddened a little when she left. His legacy was the good works performed by his sons, Frederic Arthur Clark III and Andrew Douglas Clark MD, PhD., along with Andy's wife, Sara Morgan Clark. Fred's back straightened and chest puffed out when he heard the Star Spangled Banner and his eyes teared when he heard Amazing Grace. He wouldn't abide self important tight *censored*. Always an interested observer of politics, particularly what the process does to its participants, he was amused by politician's outrage when we lie to them and amazed at what the voters would tolerate. His final wishes were "throw the bums out and don't elect lawyers" (though it seems to make little difference). During his life he excelled at mediocrity. He loved to hear and tell jokes, especially short ones due to his limited attention span. He had a life long love affair with bacon, butter, cigars and bourbon. You always knew what Fred was thinking much to the dismay of his friend and family. His sons said of Fred, "he was often wrong, but never in doubt". When his family was asked what they remembered about Fred, they fondly recalled how Fred never peed in the shower - on purpose. He died at MCV Hospital and sadly was deprived of his final wish which was to be run over by a beer truck on the way to the liquor store to buy booze for a double date to include his wife, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter to crash an ACLU cocktail party. In lieu of flowers, Fred asks that you make a sizable purchase at your local ABC store or Virginia winery (please, nothing French - the *censored*) and get rip roaring drunk at home with someone you love or hope to make love to. Word of caution though, don't go out in public to drink because of the alcohol related laws our elected officials have passed due to their inexplicable terror at the sight of a MADD lobbyist and overwhelming compulsion to meddle in our lives. No funeral or service is planned. However, a party will be held to celebrate Fred's life. It will be held in Midlothian, Va. Email fredsmemory@yahoo.com for more information. Fred's ashes will be fired from his favorite cannon at a private party on the Great Wicomico River where he had a home for 25 years. Additionally, all of Fred's friend (sic) will be asked to gather in a phone booth, to be designated in the future, to have a drink and wonder, "Fred who?"

Published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 7/9/2006.

Whoever wrote this obituary ... I want them place on retainer right now to handle things when I'm 95 and shot by that jealous husband.

Now, let's see what the staff has dug up for you....

ROBERT NOVAK'S BIG SECRET

With Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation of the Valerie Plame (non) affair winding down, columnist Bob Novak decided it was time to disclose who his source was for the famous July 2003 column he wrote "outing" Valerie Plame. From Novak, we have now learned:

Karl Rove confirmed for Novak that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA.
CIA spokesman Bill Harlow also gave information about Plame to Novak.
A third person, described as a "senior administration official" will remain a mystery. Novak is not revealing his or her name, because the person in question has not revealed themselves.

So what does this all mean? Not much. The fact that no one was indicted for "leaking" Valerie Plame's name shows that non crime was committed in that regard. Evidently her status as a CIA employee was not that big of a secret. The fact that she was Joe Wilson's wife was no secret at all....Novak says he got her name from Joe Wilson's entry in "Who's Who in America." Some secret.

All of this just confirms one thing: that the whole Valerie Plame uproar was much ado about nothing.

BILL CLINTON GETS SOMETHING RIGHT

Speaking late last week in Aspen, Colorado, former philanderer-in-chief Bill Clinton actually said something that was mostly right. He called the Republican Party's strategy for the mid-term elections "weak." Specifically, he criticized their focus on gay marriage and flag burning. He also said they should be focusing on global warming...but really, nobody cares about that either.

Issues like gay marriage and flag burning will bring out Republican primary voters, but the average, mainstream voter couldn't care less. With outrage over illegal immigration running at an all-time high, the GOP would do well to pay attention and actually propose doing something about it. Our country is being invaded from the South...and already there are 12 million illegal aliens in this country. What are we going to do about it? How are we going to handle the situation? That is what people want to know.

Constitutional amendments banning gay marriage and barring flag burning? Who cares...neither have any chance of being ratified in my lifetime. In addition, in a statement that is being ignored by the anti-war media, Clinton spoke out against cutting and running in Iraq. Said the former president: "Once you break the eggs, you have the responsibility to make an omelet. It'd be an error to say we'll leave by X date."

Who would've thought Bill Clinton would be giving good advice to the Republican Party? Well, except the global warming part.

ISLAMIC TERRORISTS GET GENEVA PROTECTIONS

The Democrats and the media have gotten their way. Thanks to a recent Supreme Court ruling, the Bush Administration now has to officially declare the poor, innocent terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba prisoners of war and treat them in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Unbelievably, even this is not proving enough to satisfy the pro-appeasement forces in the Congress.

First up in anti-American whine-fest is Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy. He said the Bush Administration is trying to "measure itself against the brutality of terrorists." Well, yes, actually we are, Senator. We're measuring ourselves against these thugs because we're better than these lowlifes. Of course, to the left...who is obsessed with the rights of terrorists...we're no better than they are. We should give them all the rights that are afforded by our own soldiers.

Then, here comes Republican In Name Only, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. He's upset that the Pentagon wants to come up with new tribunals that meet the standard of the Supreme Court ruling, but aren't full military courts. Specter ranted that "We're not going to give the Department of Defense a blank check."

The Supreme Court got it wrong. The detainees at Guantanamo Bay are not prisoners of war. They are unlawful combatants. If you read the Geneva Convention, these terrorists do not meet the standard of being anything close to a real prisoner of war. We can do whatever we want with them. It's too bad members of our own Congress are more concerned with the welfare of the killers than of the American people.

WARD CHURCHILL ISN'T THE ONLY MOONBAT PROFESSOR, FOLKS

Your tax dollars are going to fund the salary of moon-bats like Kevin Barrett. Well, at least if you are a citizen of Wisconsin. Kevin Barrett will be allowed to continue teaching classes on Islam at the University of Wisconsin, even after publicly announcing his belief that the US government orchestrated the events of September 11th.

Patrick Farrell, the Provost of UW-Madison, admits that Barrett's beliefs are "unconventional." Unconventional? Is that all you have Mr. Farrell? It would be one thing if you were representing a private University where crazy and diluted alumni could foot the bill for "unconventional" professors. But Mr. Barrett is working for the very establishment that he claims conspired to create a war with the Middle East. Is he upset only to the point where he can pay for his luxury sedan and supply Kool-aid?

The scary part is that Mr. Barrett is one of a hand-full of professors that have publicly revealed their conspiracy ridden, leftist agendas. The truth is that liberal professors outnumber conservative professors by as much as 10-1. That is not to say that there isn't a fair share of Kool-aid drinking conservatives as well. But when it comes to higher education, you are more likely to find Alex Jones at the chalk-board than any conservative. So go ahead Mr. Barrett-teach our fresh-faced freshmen about the peace-loving religion of Islam and how our US government conspired to create the "problems" of today. Let's just hope that his students do their homework and have half a brain.

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

Hmmm....I wonder if you can get this on a commercial airline flight? More in the Redneck Scrap Book.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

The Orlando FairTax Rally is fast approaching....come out and show your support!

Karl Rove recently went to Los Angeles to honor a pro-illegal immigration group. Michelle Malkin is outraged, and also points out that the federal government has sent yours and my tax dollars to this very group.

The forecast for the U.S. budget deficit has been cut...by one third. How is this possible? It's the tax revenues flooding the treasury, thanks to tax cuts in recent years spurring economic growth. The media will no doubt keep such good economic news under wraps.

This just goes to show you whose side China is on. China says Japan is overreacting to North Korea's recent missile launches into the Sea of Japan and is condemning their UN resolution calling for sanctions on The Gargoyle. Imagine how China would be reacting if those missiles were launched toward Beijing.

190 people were killed in the recent train bombings in India. So far they're saying it was a terrorist bombing...and you know what that probably means: Islamic terrorists. But don't tell the media. They'll be referring to the killers as "militants" under further notice. Time reporter Alex Perry takes a look at just who might be behind the India bombings.

You can say one thing about former New York Mayor Ed Koch: despite being a Democrat, it's impossible to pin him down on any one issue. In today's column, he comes in favor of missile defense...and gay marriage.

If Joe Lieberman loses his Senate seat, then that would actually be a big loss to Hillary Clinton as well. So says Rich Lowry, who says a Lieberman loss would be a sign that The Hildabeast is vulnerable to a challenge from the left as well.

Because Congress isn't taking any action, the anti-illegal immigration fight has moved over to the state legislatures. That could spell a big problem for the GOP this fall, says Brendan Miniter.

The fact that the U.S. government thinks it can manage a free-market economy shows just how arrogant it is. Dr. Walter E. Williams cites as one example the Social Security system.

Should people be allowed to sell their own organs? John Stossel thinks they should....and correctly points out that government has no business telling you what you can or cannot do with your own body.

The media always seems to communicate the message that people are innocent until proven guilty. But Thomas Sowell tells us that presumption of innocence is not extended to U.S. troops, who the media enjoys bashing on a regular basis.

If detainees at Guantanamo Bay think they have it bad, they'd better be glad they aren't being held by China.

Here's a fabulous gift for a sick and twisted friend.

"Hooters For Neuters" criticized for being degrading to women.

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