FEMA FRAUD TOPS $1 BILLION

It's been almost a year since Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans, breaking levies and displacing thousands of residents.  The belief of the public has been since then that FEMA did not do enough in the aftermath of the hurricane.  They didn't respond fast enough and when they did respond, it wasn't with enough resources. Well, there is news today that perhaps the latter isn't true anymore.

We've heard these stories before involving these debit cards FEMA handed out to Katrina "evacuees."  Essentially cash, the debit cards could be spent on anything anywhere credit cards were accepted.  And "anything" about describes what these poor refugees did with the taxpayer's money.  Among the findings of the Government Accountability Office in a new report on the subject:

• Over $1 billion in fraud and waste was found in the distribution of federal assistance after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  That's billion with a "B."
   
• The debit cards handed out were used to buy everything from diamond jewelry to a vacation in the Dominican Republic.
   
• The displaced evacuees also bought a $200 bottle of champagne at a Hooters in San Antonio and $300 worth of Girls Gone Wild videos.
   
• $1000 was spent on a divorce lawyer, $600 at a strip club and $400 on other adult products.

ACTRESS COMES DOWN FROM TREE

Out in California, there is an "urban garden" in South Central Los Angeles...one that has been used by some 350 people for several years.  The only problem: the owner of the 14 acre parcel, Ralph Horowitz, doesn't want them there...he wants to develop the land and build a warehouse.  He tried to clear the land to begin construction and that's when all hell broke loose.

Because, you see, it doesn't matter to the farmers that are trespassing nor certain politicians or members of the media who owns the land.  To them, they should be allowed to run their gardens as long as they want.  Like a lot of liberals, the silly notion of private property rights doesn't matter.   So all of this came to a head yesterday in a confrontation on the land, when authorities went to remove all of the protesters.

Enter Hollywood actress Daryl Hannah.  Apparently seeing an opportunity for a little publicity, Hannah decided to climb up in a tree and protest.  It wasn't until officials started cutting away the branches and sent up a fire truck lift that she decided to end her protest.  Now, keep in mind that this guy owned the land fair and square...and it was zoned for warehouses and factories. Look at some of these quotes, first from Daryl Hannah:  "I'm very confident this is the morally right thing to do, to take a principled stand in solidarity with the farmers."  Morally right?  How?  Can we just come over to her house and plant our garden?

But even more ridiculous is the response from L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who said the evictions of the farmers was "unfortunate and disheartening."  How?  Why?  Again, can we all come to Mayor Villaraigosa's house and plant our garden?  How would he like it if people didn't respect his land?

Once again, when it comes to government, the mainstream media and the Hollywood left, private property rights don't mean anything.  It's all about the "right thing to do," whatever that means.

AMERICA'S IMAGE SUFFERING IN THE WORLD

According to a new poll, America's popularity in the world has taken a hit.  The poll was done by something called the "Pew Global Attitudes Project," and the polling took place in April and May, just so you know.  Among the findings of the poll: only 23% in Spain have a favorable view of the U.S.  This is terrible.  How can we sleep at night knowing that only 23% of the people in Spain like us?  Perhaps they're too busy with their Al Qaeda-supported socialist government to know how little we care.

The poll goes on to document drops in popularity in places like India, Russia and Indonesia.  India?  What...we're good enough for you to answer our customer service calls but you don't like us?  That's terrible.  As for Indonesia...remember all the people who said the billions in tsunami aid we doled out would improve our standing there?  Fat lot of good that did.

So what does all of this mean?  Past the initial headlines, not much.  First of all, there's a difference between what people say and what people do.  They might say they don't like the United States...but they like our popular culture, our Hollywood movies, our software and our tourism dollars.  If we're so bad, and America is such a terrible place, then why do so many work so hard to be like Americans?

But the real judge of a country's popularity is something British Prime Minister Tony Blair once said.  The best way to gauge how well a country is doing is by how many people are trying to get into it vs. how many are trying to get out of it.  With millions in illegal immigrants on our hands, I think we know the answer to that one.

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

Dude, would you please just go out and get a truck! No one wants to be driving behind you on the road. More in the Redneck Scrap Book.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Right now, as you're reading this, there are 7 Marines and a Navy corpsman sitting in the brig, despite the fact that they've never been charged with any crime.  Michelle Malkin highlights their case.

Pennsylvania Democrat and terrorist appeaser John Murtha now says he won't openly campaign for the job of House majority leader until after the election.  That would be a good idea, since the job isn't even open yet.

A House panel voted yesterday in support of raising the minimum wage to $7.25. What's particularly sad is that the Republicans control the committee, but the raise still passed.  What they don't tell you is that the minimum wage kills a ton of jobs every time it's increased.  And why just $7.25? Why not $10?

Remember Ward Churchill?  He is the University of Colorado professor that was under fire some time back for basically saying the victims of 9/11 deserved it.  Well, a committee has recommended that he be canned, based on "research misconduct."

John Kerry is still going around telling the lie that he was misled into voting for the war in Iraq.  Just like O.J., The Poodle has told himself the same lie over and over again until he probably believes it. 

Iran is about to possess a nuclear bomb, yet all countries in the west seem to be able to come up with in response is to push the failed policy of appeasement.  Tony Blankley has more.

The Marine Corps has taken a beating in the press these days with this Haditha business all over the front page. Tom Bevan says that no matter what happened there, the Marine Corps are still honorable and noble.

Today Dr. Walter E. Williams takes on anti-smoking advocates in his column.  He's not so much upset about the concessions that have been made as he is by the fact that nothing ever seems to satisfy the anti-tobacco lobby.

La Shawn Barber says she called the Duke rape case months ago.  From the very beginning, it seemed like the whole thing was a fabrication...and wouldn't you know it, that's what seems to be happening.

John Stossel tells us not to believe media reports that make environmental regulators look like scientists, interested only in hard facts.  In fact, Stossel says these environmental nuts are among some of the most religious of fanatics.

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