2013 Draws To A Close

Once again, we have come to the last day of a year.  Like any year, this one has had its share of significant events.  Islamic terrorists attacked the Boston Marathon with bombs made from pressure cookers, and attacked a railroad station and a bus in Volgograd, Russia with suicide bombs.  The United States military pulled out of Iraq, leaving behind a country still under attack from terrorists, but continues its presence in Afghanistan.  The rollout of Obamacare included numerous technical difficulties with its website and numerous cancellations of existing health insurance policies, making the president's promise "If you like the policy you have now, you can keep it" look like a lie, or at best a farce.  The Catholic Church got a new pope, not because the old one died, but because he resigned.  The British royal family got a new heir to the throne when Princess Kate gave birth to Prince George.

During 2013, two new words entered the popular vocabulary.  First, it was "twerk", the result of Miley Cyrus's performance at the Video Music Awards.  Later, it was "selfie", which is short for "self portrait", resulting from the proliferation such pictures on online social media.  One episode of selfie-taking occurred at the funeral of former South African President Nelson Mandela, with President Obama being aided and abetted by Prime Ministers Helle Thorning-Schmidt of Denmark and David Cameron of Great Britain, and then being made to switch seats with (and by) the First Lady.  I must admit, I never thought I'd find myself agreeing with Michele Obama, but in this case, she was right to restrain her husband's behavior.

Unlike 2012, 2013 didn't bring any memorable end-of-the-world predictions, but one member of our solar system did indeed come to an end.  Comet Ison, predicted to possibly become a spectacular sight during the past month, did not survive its encounter with the sun, leaving behind only a cloud of dust.  Meanwhile back on earth, a group of scientists on their way to Antarctica to study the alleged loss of ice around that continent got stuck in the evidence to the contrary.

The last few months of 2013 brought some sadness as my father and three of my friends passed away.  One friend was a man with whom I worked.  Another I had played with in a band back during the 1980's.  The most recent was Internet radio host and Constitutional scholar Tim Kerlin, known as "Loki".

In a few hours, 2014 will be upon us.  With the midterm elections coming up in November and fallout still coming from Obamacare, to name two examples, there will plenty of things for us in the vast rightwing conspiracy to deal with.  Happy New Year, everyone.

Drone Tests Sites Include Virginia Tech Locations

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected six organizations that will develop and test unmanned drone aircraft, one of which is Virginia Tech.  The university has locations in Virginia and New Jersey that may be used to test the drones.  (During my time at VT, there were many students who came from NJ, so my Virginia-based alma mater having a facility up there isn't too much of a surprise.)  So if you're cruising through Blacksburg, VA or somewhere in New Jersey, you might see one of those unmanned craft flying around.

Read the story at USA Today or The Roanoke Times.

Auschwitz Barracks Returns To Poland

Half of a barracks from the Birkenau concentration camp, on loan to the United States Holocaust Museum, has been returned to Poland, arriving at the seaport of Gdynia.  It will eventually undergo conservation and be rejoined to its other half in Birkenau, a process that may take up to three years.  Birkenau started out as a sub-camp of the nearby Auschwitz camp.

Read the story at Fox News.

The 72 Visitors

The following is based on a joke that Loki (Tim Kerlin) once told during one of his Internet radio broadcasts.
---------------------------------
After being killed by the American forces who stormed his compound, Osama bin Laden wakes up to find himself in a place that's even hotter than the deserts of Saudi Arabia.  He finds it hard to either breathe or move, but is still able to cry out, "Allah, where am I, and where are my 72 virgins?"

After some time, bin Laden is approached by an American Indian, who proceeds to shoot an arrow into bin Laden's midsection.  He feels the pain of the arrow penetrating his flesh, but suffers no other effects, because he is already dead.  The Indian draws closer, which causes bin Laden to wonder if he's going to get scalped.

"Who are you?", asks the dead terrorist, wanting to know who has tormented him.

"My name is Powhatan", the Indian replies, "I am the leader of the Powhatan Confederation."

An Update On Tim "Loki" Kerlin

Via a2iggymom's blog:

The Toledo Blade has published an obituary of Tim Kerlin, which contains some information that is more detailed than in my previous post.  There will be two services to celebrate his life, one today in his birthplace of Toledo, OH, and the other on January 11, 2014 in Watervliet, MI, where he lived.  From the obituary:

Timothy's life began April 24, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio.  Timothy died Saturday, December 21, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph.  He spent his childhood growing up in Ohio, graduating high school in Sylvania, OH.  After high school, Timothy proudly served his country in the United States Navy for eight years.  After the service, a job opportunity at Cook Nuclear Plant brought him to Southwest Michigan.

Friday Links

Here are a few stories in the news during the last day or so:

From Hollywood Reporter, after a backlash from the fans of Duck Dynasty, and perhaps some piping up by a few of my fellow right wingnuts, the head honchos at A&E have decided to bring Phil Robertson back onto the show.

From Reuters, Hyundai Motor Co. has announced that their U.S. chief John Krafcik is stepping down and being replaced by Zuchowski.

From the Chicago Sun-Times, a pregnant teenager was tragically shot and killed, but doctors were able to save her baby.  (via Life News)

From Faith Freedom, how to confront "hired" Muslim missionaries.

From The Guardian, a federal judge in New York has ruled that the NSA's collection of phone data does not violate the Constitution, which contradicts the ruling in a similar case heard in a court in Washington.

From AZ Central, deportations of illegal aliens decreased by 10% in 2013.  (via Weasel Zippers)

From The Washington Times, the U.S. Border Patrol has arrested a 12-year-old illegal alien for smuggling marijuana into the U.S.

From The Blaze, a Piers Morgan video that conservatives such as myself might be able to enjoy.

From Fox News, a California man of Vietnamese descent has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge.  He had been in Syria providing weapons training to Al Qaeda personnel.

From the Los Angeles Times, a car bomb explosion in Beirut killed five people, including a former Lebanese ambassador to the United States.

From ANI News, Turkish muslims have blamed Santa Claus for booze, drugs and immorality.  (via Jihadwatch, who show pictures from Turkey and Bulgaria of someone punching Santa Claus.)

From ABC News, the international president of the Machinists union has called Boeing's latest offer an improvement of $1 billion.

From The Baltimore Sun, former baseball player Paul Blair died suddenly yesterday while practicing for a celebrity bowling tournament.  During his career, Blair won 8 Gold Gloves playing center field and played in four World Series with the Baltimore Orioles, winning two (1966, 1970).  After the 1976 season, he was traded to the New York Yankees.  Blair spent the 1977 and 1978 with the Yankees as a part-time outfielder, often used as a late-inning defensive replacement for right fielder Reggie Jackson.  The Yankees won the World Series both of those years.  Blair played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1979 and briefly rejoined the Yankees in 1980, before retiring.

And from Motor Authority, the Dubai police force just added a McLaren MP4-12C to their already formidable fleet of vehicles.

Merry Christmas

To all who read this blog and celebrate Christmas, may you have a happy and safe Christmas season.  And to the Person who made it all possible, happy birthday, Jesus.   (While driving down to my mother's house here in Virginia yesterday evening, I actually saw a large display of lights spelling that out.)

Snow Art

Who needs crop circles when you can have snow art?  Simon Beck has created some amazing figures in the snow with just his feet.  While wearing boots, I would hope.

See the snow art at The Blaze and Viralnova.

Tim Kerlin, a.k.a. Loki 1958-2013

I have been informed by friends on Twitter and Blog Talk Radio that the BTR host known as "Loki" has suddenly passed away.  Only within the past few days did I even learn of any concerns about his health.  When I first started listening to BTR in 2008, Loki was one of four co-hosts of the show American Truth Warriors and a contributor to its related blog, A Newt One.  He also created shows entitled Halls Of Valhalla (with a co-host who similarly called himself "Tyr") and Spin This.  Tim Kerlin was dedicated to understanding the United States Constitution and helping others do the same.  To that end, he and two co-hosts created a show (mostly on Talkshoe, but with some episodes on BTR) called Patriot's Pub, on which they studied the creation of the Constitution during the convention in Philadelphia in 1787, but started with some historical background as far back as the French and Indian War.

From listening to Tim's broadcasts, I've learned enough about him to give a brief biographical sketch.  Tim was originally from northwestern Ohio, where his father was a school teacher.  He was a member of his high school's wrestling team.  After graduating, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he learned about nuclear reactors.  After his discharge, he took his skills into the private sector and worked at a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan.  He and his wife ran a rescue operation for a breed of dog called the Japanese chin.  He was also, if I remember correctly, the father of 5 children.

Although Tim traveled to Washington, D.C. a few times along with other BTR users, I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person.  But even so, I will be among those in our little section of the conservative side of the blogosphere who will miss him and his constitutional patriotism.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

For more about Tim, go to Holger Awakens and a12iggymom's Blog.

U.S. Sailors Attribute Illnesses To Fukushima

In March 2011, the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Essex sailed over to Japan so help with rescue efforts after the island nation's east coast had been struck by a tsunami.  Over 50 sailors who had worked aboard those two ships who are now suffering from various forms of cancer have claimed that their illnesses were caused by contamination from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was damaged in the aftermath of the tsunami.  According to this claim, when Fukushima went into meltdown, water contaminated by radioactive materials was sent from the plant into the ocean, from which water was subsequently taken into the ships' desalinization systems, which provide water for drinking, cooking and bathing.

Read the story at Fox News.

Reality TV Star Gets Ducked

Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the family portrayed on the reality show Duck Dynasty, has been suspended indefinitely from the show after saying some things in an interview with GQ that did not sit well with the head honchos of A&E, the network that broadcasts his show.  Among his comments were:

“My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together.  However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

and

“Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong...Sin becomes fine.  Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there.  Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men.”

Most of this sounds like basic Christianity.  Love God and each other is.  Homosexual behavior, bestiality and "sleeping around" (adultery or fornication) are all sinful.  I guess that truth has indeed become the new hate speech.  Robertson also got rather graphic.

 “It seems like, to me, a vagina - as a man - would be more desirable than a man’s anus.  That’s just me.  I’m just thinking: There’s more there!  She’s got more to offer.  I mean, come on, dudes!  You know what I’m saying?  But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man.  It’s just not logical.”

It looks like Robertson gave us an accurate description of homosexual behavior, and his bosses couldn't take it.

Read the story at Fox News, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and Variety.

Music Break - Middle Of The Road

Not the musical style, nor the song by the Pretenders, but the pop-rock group from Scotland, who had some success in the early 1970s in Britain and Germany, but were largely overlooked in America.  In 1967, Sally Carr (vocals), Ken Andrew (drums), and the McCredie brothers Ian (guitar) and Eric (bass) formed a group called Part Four.  They later changed their name to Los Caracas and finally to Middle Of The Road.  Many of their early songs were a bit "poppy" for my tastes, such as their #1 hit in 1971 Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep, but their 1972 hit Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum, I find downright catchy.  The lyrics are not about a nursery rhyme, but two warring Scottish clans.  Although I don't miss the clothing styles shown in this video, it's pretty clear that Sally's good looks were part of the band's appeal.

Chinese Probe Lands On The Moon

For the first time since 1976, a probe launched from Earth has soft-landed on the moon.  For the first time ever, the probe is not from the United States or the Soviet Union, but from China.  The Chang'e, named for a mythical moon goddess, landed earlier today in a relatively flat earth-facing area of the moon.  The probe carried a six-wheeled rover named "Yutu", which means "Jade Rabbit", a pet of the same goddess.

Read the story at the Associated Press.

Snow Hits Israel And Egypt

Earlier today, nearly three feet of snow fell in Jerusalem, the most since 1953.  Meanwhile in Cairo, various parts of the city were hit by snow, rain and hail (or as American weathermen call it, a "wintry mix").  The snow was the first in Cairo in over 100 years.  Snow also fell on St. Catherine's monastery near Mount Sinai, and in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.

Read the story at the Los Angeles Times.

Thursday Links

Thursday is not my usual day for putting up link posts, but today there seem to be some interesting things out there worth passing along.

From National Geographic, the Jovian moon Europa has been spouting out geysers from its southern polar area, coming from its subsurface ocean.

From WUSA, Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy, who recently verified the authenticity of President Obama's birth certificate, has died in a small plane crash near the island of Moloka'i.

From Newsmax, the wife of Pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been imprisoned in Iran since the summer of 2012, is "devastated " that congressional Democrats have abandoned a resolution calling for his released.

From The Sacramento Bee, a former official of the Los Angeles suburb of Bell has been convicted of corruption.

From Yellowhammer, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) opposes the budget deal worked out by Senate budget chairman Patty Murray (D-Wash) and House budget chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis).  If the deal is passed, it would become the first budget passed by Congress since 2009.

The DC Clothesline calls the Murray-Ryan deal a "Democratic budget dressed in RINO red".

From CNS News, taxpayers have already spent over $14,000 for each Obamacare enrollee.

From Christian News, a school board has voted unanimously to restore "In God we trust" to a sign at an elementary school.

From Reuters, a commercial space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has lost a challenge to NASA's decision to lease one of its space shuttle launch pads to a rival company.

From Fox News, North Korea has executed an uncle of leader Kim Jong Un.

From Bloomberg, the Mexican Congress has passed reforms that would allow foreign companies to help develop their oil production.

From The Blaze, something I'm naturally disappointed to find out.  Contrary to common belief, exposing your children to music does not make them smarter.

From Yahoo News, the Supreme Court of India has re-instated a colonial-era ban on gay sex.

From Charisma News, the grandson of Billy Graham says that the 95-year old evangelist is "is close to going home to be with the Lord".

And from AZ Central, a woman has been arrested for burning her boyfriend's clothes.

What A Trip!...Or....What? A Trip?

It seems that some people can't keep their feet where they belong, outside of the football field.  A few weekends ago, coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers put his foot onto the field of play, which interfered with Baltimore Ravens kick returner Jacoby Jones during a 73-yard return.  Last weekend in the college game, Oklahoma Sooner linebacker Eric Striker scored a touchdown on a fumble return, and then was almost tripped by - believe it or not - a cheerleader.

Read the story at CBS Sports.

The Early History Of Islam

Jay Smith gives a lecture on the early Arab conquests and history of Islam.  (H/T luchadora)

Pearl Harbor

On December 7th, 1941, Japanese naval forces attacked the American bases at Pearl Harbor and Hickam Field, leading to the United States declaring war on Japan and entering World War II.  The U.S. Navy sustained heavy losses, but fortunately much of the Pacific fleet, including several carriers, was not in port that day.  Today, the U.S.S. Arizona sits where she was sunk, a solemn reminder of the "date which will live in infamy".  Of course, much has been written about that day, and many have noted the anniversary.  Here's something I just ran across, 20 photos of the attack on Pearl Harbor from Poor Richard's News.

The Twelve Days Of Obama

This parody of The Twelve Days Of Christmas was uploaded onto YouTube in December of 2008, after Senator Obama had won the presidential election, but before he was inaugurated.  Even so, it seems describe Obama's policies during his presidency pretty well.  It was written by Edward Daley, who calls himself "DarcPrynce", and performed by Daley and an internet radio host known as David Cholesterol.

Virginia Tech Gets New President

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors has appointed Timothy D. Sands as its new president, to succeed current president Charles Steger.  Dr. Sands is an alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.  He is currently the executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at Purdue University.  After his academic career, he worked for Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Bellcore), before returning to his alma mater as a professor, and later joining the faculty at Purdue.

Read more at WLJA, Roanoke(dot)com, The Washington Post, jconline, WDBJ7(dot)com and the Virginia Tech website.

Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

Nelson Mandela, who led South Africa's transition out of the apartheid era and became the country's first black president, died earlier today at the age of 95 in his home in Johannesburg.  Jacob Zuma, the current South African president, announced Mandela's death in a nationally televised address.  Mandela had been suffering from a lung infection, which caused him to spend three months in a Pretoria hospital.

Rolihlahla Mandela, whose first name means "pulling the branch of a tree", was born in the Transkei region of South Africa, on July 18, 1918.  A primary school teacher gave him the name Nelson.  He was also known by his clan name Madiba.  His campaigns against the white minority South African government included periods of both nonviolence and armed struggle.  In 1964, he was convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government by violence.  He spent 27 years in prison, including 18 on Robben Island, a maximum security facility just off Cape Town.  After being released in 1990, he was elected president of the African National Congress, which he had first joined in 1942.  He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with President Frederik Willem De Klerk in 1993.  Mandela was elected president of South Africa in 1994, serving until his retirement in 1999.

Mandela will be given a full state funeral.  Flags in the United States will be flown at half-staff in his honor.

Read more at Fox News, CNN, the Chicago Tribune, BBC News, NBC News and CBC News.

Researchers Find Huge Japanese Submarine

A Japanese submarine, captured by the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II and later scuttled to keep its technology away from the Soviet Union, has been re-discovered off the southwest coast of Oahu by the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory at the University of Hawaii.  The sub, named I-400, was about 400 feet long and carried three folding-wing seaplanes.

Read the story at CNN.

A Great Version Of "Little Drummer Boy"

These vocalists are the Pentatonix, and this is awesome.  Be sure to use your headphones.

Muslims Mistakenly Attack Muslims

Via Jihadwatch:

About two weeks ago, three Arab youths attacked the family of Rashuan Salman, themselves Arabs, who were driving to Jerusalem near Sur Baher, apparently thinking that they were Jews.  According to Salman, the attackers tried to pull the family out of the car.  Only when Salman's wife asked the attackers - in Arabic - to leave them alone, did they break off the attack.

Read the story at ynetnews.

The Amazing Last Play Of The 2013 Iron Bowl

The annual football game between Alabama and Auburn is known as the Iron Bowl.  In this year's contest, with the score tied at 28-28 and one second left on the clock, Alabama decided to try a long field goal.  A successful kick would win the game without having to go into overtime.  As it turned out, they avoided overtime, but not in the way they intended.  Go here for the recap and box score and here for the radio call of the play, by Rod Bramblett, the Voice of the Auburn Tigers.

UPDATE:  Here's a different view of the play, combined with Bramblett's audio:

Happy Thanksgiving

It has come around a bit later than usual, so it seems, but tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  Thus, for the next few days, I'll be taking a break from blogging as I visit the family, eat lots of turkey and other good stuff, and watch NCAA football, which this weekend features some longstanding rivalry games.  I might also have to battle the remnants of winter storm Boreas.  To all who read Bigfoot's Place, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Monday Links

It's Monday.  Back to the old grind.  Back to the old routine:

From the New York Post, the Sandy Hook shooter was "obsessed with Columbine" and other mass murders.

From Fox News, the wife of American pastor Saeed Abedini, who is imprisoned in Iran, says that she and her family are "devastated" that the Obama administration did not try to secure his release as part of the newly-signed deal with Iran concerning its nuclear program.  (via Jihadwatch)

From Fox Business, the deal with Iran appears to have caused crude oil prices to go down a bit.

From Life News, a report on the pain and regret felt by the fathers of aborted babies.

From CNS News, the TSA spent $900 million on behavior detection officers, whose grand total of detected terrorists is a big fat zero.

From the Mail Online, an Australian family claims, for the second time, the Guinness World Record for the number of bulbs in a Christmas Light display.

From TimesWatch, and maybe the "well, duh" department, Time magazine's Mark Halperin recounts that the media did not "scrutinize" Obamacare.

From Russia Today, a man in New York City has been arrested and charged with a hate crime for allegedly assaulting someone in a "knockout" game.

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 2013 hurricane season had the fewest hurricanes since 1982, and no major hurricanes for the first time since 1994.

From SFist, the five-year-old cancer patient known as the "Batkid" could not meet with President Obama, due to a scheduling conflict.  (via Independent Journal Review)

From Poynter, the director of USA Today has announced "except in very extraordinary circumstances" that they will no longer use photos coming from the White House Press Office.  (via Bizpac Review)

From the sleuthjournal, seven volcanoes around the world have erupted within a five-day span.  (Since the site uses all small-case letters in its title, I'll do the same when citing it.)

From The Washington Free Beacon, the effects of Obamacare on Middletown, New Jersey.

From Reuters, the dating site Match.com has been sued for allegedly using unauthorized photos to create fake profiles.

And from the Washington Post, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash) has become the first person to give birth three times while serving in Congress.

Former Duke Accuser Convicted Of Murder

Crystal Mangum, who in 2006 wrongly accused several members of the Duke University lacrosse team of raping her, has been convicted of murdering her boyfriend, Reginald Daye.  The jury apparently was not persuaded by her claim of self-defense.  She has been sentenced to at least 14 years in prison.

Read more at the New York Daily News, The Herald Sun, The Christian Science Monitor, News Observer and WRAL(dot)com.  The Herald Sun is based in Durham, NC, which is also the location of Duke University.

Beaver Steals Hunter's Gun

A teenage hunter in Maine realized that he needed a bathroom break, so he went back to his family's house, but left behind a chair he had been sitting in, as well as his rifle.  When he returned, the chair was still where he had left it, but the rifle wasn't.  Instead, it was about 100 feet away, being hauled into a stream by a beaver.  The boy did not see anything he could do, but eventually hopes to get the gun back so that he can display it for his friends.

Read the story at Out There, which is a section of the Bangor Daily News.

November 22, 1963 - The Assassination Of President Kennedy

Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas, as it moved through an area called Dealey Plaza.  The president was riding with his wife Jackie, Texas governor John Connally, and his wife.  Governor Connally was wounded in the attack.  Lee Harvey Oswald, who worked at the Texas School Book Depository, a building along the plaza, was later arrested for shooting a policeman named J. D. Tippitt, and soon afterwards was also accused of assassinating President Kennedy.  Two days later, Oswald was shot and killed by a nightclub owner named Jack Ruby.

After Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson succeeded Kennedy as president, he set up a commission to investigate the assassination, which was headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, and which included a congressman from Michigan named Gerald Ford.  The Warren Commission would conclude that Oswald had acted alone.  Even so, the assassination of President Kennedy has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, with their various ideas about Oswald's role, and about who else may have been involved.  There have also been people who came forth at various times to defend the Warren Commission's conclusions.

Bigfoot - More Believable Than Obamacare

This picture was brought to my attention by Smokie of Somewhere In Texas.

If "Bigfoot" is intended to refer to yours truly, I would have to say that the text might be accurate.  I'm sure that I have seen and have been seen by quite a few people over my lifetime.  On the other hand, if a literal Bigfoot, a.k.a. Sasquatch, is intended, then no one really knows.

Dog Gets Obamacare Account

Looks like one good canine post deserves another.  This one comes via Weasel Zippers.

A man in Colorado tried to sign up for health insurance with Connect for Health Colorado after his old policy had been cancelled due to Obamacare.  He eventually received a notice that an account had been opened - in the name of his dog.  As far as I know, no comments have come from either our former dog-eating president or his former opponent who once transported his dog on the roof of his car.

Read the story at Fox 31 Denver.

Bad Dog!

This past February, a scaled-up dog sculpture was installed next to a side wall of the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, California.  The dog was lifting his leg in an act of what may be politely called "marking his territory".  The sculpture was taken down during May.  Of course, I have no idea where it is now, but I can think of another appropriate location, just outside the residence of a certain NFL quarterback.

Read more at the Orange County Register and the Mail Online, and watch the following video.

Music Break

For this month, another set of songs I enjoyed years ago, and still do.

In 1971, Edgar Winter recorded an album called Edgar Winter's White Trash, which included his brother Johnny and former McCoys singer Rick Derringer on guitar, and several horn players.  On Keep Playin' That Rock And Roll, Edgar is joined on vocals by sax player Jerry LaCroix.  Although the song mentions Johnny Winter by his first name, the guitar solo is by Derringer.

"You Can Keep It" Was Not Only From Obama

Via Ricochet:

By now, most of the right side of the blogosphere has noted how the president's "If you like your insurance, you can keep you insurance" promise has failed to come true for many Americans.  As it turns out, research done by the office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shows that the same promise also came from a number of Senators who supported the bill, mostly Democrat but also including a Socialist who generally aligns himself with them.  For example:

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.): “We should begin with a basic principle: if you have coverage and you like it, you can keep it. If you have your doctor, and you like him or her, you should be able to keep them as well. We will not take that choice away from you.” (Sen. Bennet, Press Release, 6/11/09)

Sorry, Senator, but for many of us, it looks like you did take that choice away.  Read the fully story at the Washington Examiner.

Sunday News And Links

Some things going on, as I drag myself out of bed and onto the computer:

From ABC News, Philippine president Benigno Aquino III isn't just visiting the typhoon-battered city of Tacloban.  He's camping there.

From CBN News, the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan are having difficulty obtaining drinking water.

From Black Christian News, Egyptian Christians hoping for equality in the post-Morsi era face disappointment.

From CBS News, airlines based in countries around the Persian Gulf have ordered $130 billion worth of planes from Boeing.

From Fox Business, the United Arab Emirates have not yet decided on whether to buy British or French fighter jets.

Fox News asks, "Can ObamaCare be saved?"  My answer would be, "Never underestimate the stupidity of Republicans."

From The Blaze, in their latest parody commercial, Saturday Night Live peddles Second-Term Strength anti-depressants.

From American Thinker, Obama is "fading faster than the 'Disco Duck'."  (This was one of the few disco songs that I actually liked.)

From Reuters, some winners and losers from China's economic reforms.

From CNS News, how humanitarian missions are improving the image and readiness of the American military.

From CNN, according to Admiral William McRaven, the United States will train several thousand Libyan conventional troops and counter-terrorism forces.

From Newsbusters, another "Obama lied" euphemism from the AP.

And from Daily Brain Freeze, Bart Sibrel, who apparently believes that the moon landings were a hoax, pushes Buzz Aldrin a bit too far.

Flooding Hits....Riyadh?

Via End Time Headlines:

Heavy rains and severe flooding have been reported in, believe it or not, Saudi Arabia, especially in the secular capitol of Riyadh and the northwestern city of Ha'il.  No word yet on whether the rains have been blamed on man-made global warming, er, um, climate change.

Read the story and see the picture at Russia Today.

The Top 75 "Pictures Of The Day" For 2013

These photos appeared in Twisted Sifter, who then compiled their favorites.  After viewing them, my personal favorite would have to be #64, taken in a state park that I visited at least once during my New York childhood.  Click on the link to see all of them.

China's Aid To Philippines Exceeded By Two Private Companies

In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, international aid has been flowing into the Philippines.  The highest contributions come from Japan, at $30 million and Australia, with $28 million.  The United States is sending $20 million, along with a military-driven rescue operation.  China's contribution is about $2 million, which is exceeded by two private corporations - Akea and Coca-Cola.  The relatively low amount of Chinese aid could to some extent be attributed to the dispute China and the Philippines have had over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Read the story at CNS News.

Virginia Tech Athletic Director To Step Down

Jim Weaver, who has been Virginia Tech's Athletic Director since 1979, has announced that he will leave his position due to health reasons.  Mr. Weaver has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and has had operations to his back and one of his hips.  He has indicated that both of his hips currently need to be replaced, which has altered his previous plan to stay at his position until 2015, when he turns 70.  Instead, he will step down on December 31st.

During Jim Weaver's tenure, the athletic facilities at Virginia Tech have been greatly upgraded, including expansions to Lane Stadium and the creation of the Merryman Center sports medicine and conditioning complex and the Hahn Hurst Practice Facility for basketball.  There have also been improvements to many of the school's on-campus athletic venues.  In 2003, Weaver oversaw the transition of VT's varsity sports from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference, where they would start play in 2004.

Read more at The Roanoke Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Virginia Tech's official site.

Here's a recent athletic highlight that I really enjoyed.  In last week's game against Miami (who likewise migrated from the BE to the ACC) freshman wide receiver Joshua Stanford (#5) catches a short pass from senior quarterback Logan Thomas (#3).  After the catch, those 'Canes just couldn't seem to bring him down.

Veterans Day 2013

According to a certain noted poem, it is the soldier who preserves our liberties.  More broadly, our liberties are preserved by the entire military and its personnel, from the grunts on the front to the cooks in the galley.  There is no such person as a non-essential member of the military.  The people who have served all deserve our gratitude, no matter what their particular job was.  We can all think of different ways to pay tribute to our veterans, but one thing we can all do is to exercise the freedoms that they fought to preserve for us.

Here are a few related stories:

Breitbart's Big Government reports on several organizations who purpose is helping veterans .

From WLTX(dot)com, Richard Overton, a 107-year-old veteran of World War II, has arrived in Washington to meet the president.  (via The Black Sphere)

From ABC News, a report on Veterans Day events around the United States.

From the Mail Online, in Great Britain, where November 11 is called Remembrance Day, hundreds of strangers have attended the funeral of 99-year-old veteran Harold Jellicoe Percival, who participated in the Dambuster raids during World War II.  He was laid to rest at 11:00 a.m., when the British traditionally hold a moment of silence to honor their veterans.

And from the Los Angeles Times, some of America's future veterans head to the Philippines, to assist that country in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

To our veterans, thanks for all you've done.  To those serving today, thanks for all you do.

A Little Bit Of Maryland

The back roads of Maryland sure have their share of interesting sights.  Tucked into the northwest corner of Frederick County, at the intersection of two country roads, is the Eyler's Valley Chapel.  Here's the view from the front.  Too bad an electric wire had to be in the way.

Here's a view from a slightly different angle.

Behind the chapel are a picnic area and some restrooms.  You know that such facilities belong to a church when they aren't labeled "men" and "women", but instead use two familiar names.

If you want to learn more about the Eyler's Valley Chapel, you can go to their website.

Along another stretch of country road, I came across a caboose, sitting on its own little section of railroad track.

The "Genealogy" Of The Constitution

From New Zeal via Gulagbound:

In July of 2012, KrisAnne Hall gave this presentation about five British documents and the circumstances that gave rise to their creation.  Some of their concepts later found their way into the U.S. Constitution.  Some of the things that went on during those times might just sound a bit familiar.  Before you click, make sure you have some time.  The video is one hour and 16 minutes long.

Typhoon Haiyan Strikes The Philippines

The Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines early yesterday, and has caused widespread damage and an estimated 1,200 fatalities, although only 138 deaths have been confirmed by the government.  Because the country consists of thousands of islands, gathering such information can take several days.  The city of Tacloban on the island of Leyte was hit hard, with mudslides and 30-foot waves from the storm surge.  With sustained winds of 147 miles per hour at landfall, Haiyan was the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane, after weakening from a category 5 "super typhoon".  The storm is now heading toward Vietnam.

Read more at NBC News, USA Today, The Guardian, CNN, BBC News, Sky News and Weather(dot)com.

Friday Links

A few stories to start off the weekend:

From Judicial Watch, and the "you've got to be kidding" department, the Obama administration is attempting to negotiate the release of prisoners from GITMO who get counseling, job training and learn about a "peaceful form of Islam".

From Media Research Center, how NBC "hypes" President Obama's apology for the failures of ObamaCare.

From Life Site News, November is Adoption Awareness Month.

From Mail Online, an asylum seeker in Britain who received £10,000 for flying lessons has been exposed as a liar, about his age and his family.

From Fox News, speaking of flying, a 500-lb man, seeking to return to France after spending a year and a half in the United States for hormone treatment, was not allowed to board his plane in Chicago.

From The Hill, with other parts of his agenda crumbling, Obama moves ahead on climate change - through EPA regulations, that is.

From Breitbart's Big Government, Obama meets with his one-time river Senator McCain to discuss amnesty immigration reform.

From Talking Points Memo, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Cal) states that there won't be any vote on immigration reform this year.

From CNS News, new regulations released earlier today require health insurance companies to cover mental illness and drug abuse just as they cover physical diseases.  But if you think that this arises from ObamaCare, you'd be wrong.  The regulations go back to a law signed by President George W. Bush.  So if they cause something to go wrong, go ahead and blame Bush.

From Israel Hayom, Palestinians attack Israelis in Judea and Samaria.

From The Daily Caller, Iran demands acceptance of its nuclear program, and the removal of sanctions.

From Yahoo News Canada, Secretary of State John Kerry meets with the Iranian Foreign Minister, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the agreement so far proposed.  (via Barracuda Brigade)

From CBS News, a satellite launched in 2009 by the European Space Agency will soon come crashing down.

And from USA Today, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical storms ever recorded, blasts into the Philippines.

Marvel Introduces Teen Female Muslim Superhero

New Marvel Comics character Kamala Khan is a 16-year-old Muslim immigrant from Pakistan living in New Jersey, and is known as a "geek", but is also the latest alter-ego of superhero Ms. Marvel, who has shape-shifting abilities.  No word yet as to whether she will be forced to wear a hijab or burqa, or if there will be an attempted honor killing she will have to defend herself from.  But since she is depicted without any covering for her hair, she is sure to raise some eyebrows.

Read the story at the New York Times, The Telegraph, ABC News, The Verge and the Christian Science Monitor.

This Year's Elections

Although 2013 is an odd year, there are still some elections going on.

In New Jersey, Chris Christie (R) has been re-elected governor, defeating challenger Barbara Buono (D), who currently is a state senator.

In Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli (R) is leading narrowly over Terry McAuliffe (D) in the governor's race.  Ralph Northam (D) has defeated E. W. Jackson for lieutenant governor.  Mark Obenshain (R) is leading Mark Herring in the race for attorney general, the office which Cuccinelli currently holds.

In New York City, Bill de Blasio (D) is expected to defeat Joe Lhota (R) in the mayoral race.  De Blasio would become the first Democrat mayor of New York since 1993, after the successive terms of Republican Rudy Giuliani and Republican-turned-Independent Michael Bloomberg.

UPDATE:  The mayoral race in New York has been called for Blasio.  The Virginia governor's race has been called by one media outlet for McAuliffe, who late during the vote-counting, moved ahead of Cuccinelli (same link as above), but is considered too close to call by another outlet.

UPDATE 2:  The above-mentioned "another outlet" has now called the VA governor's race for McAuliffe.

Drunk Frenchmen Go Joyriding With Llama

A bunch of guys in Bordeaux, France decided to break into the Franco-Italian Circus, with the intention of stealing a zebra.  When they couldn't find one, they settled on abducting a llama, and proceeded to take the "surprisingly agreeable" animal for a ride on the city's tram system.  They were later arrested and charged with misdemeanor theft.  The llama was returned to the circus unharmed.

Read the story at the New York Post and Mirror News.  Here's a pic of the Bordeaux joyriders:

Obama "Misspoke"?

With all the health insurance cancellations that seem to be occurring due to the implementation of Obamacare, the president's promise "If you like your plan, you can keep it" does not appear to be holding true.  Some might think that he lied and others may think he came to believe his own male bovine waste, but the New York Times says that he "clearly misspoke".  This assertion begs the question about whether making the same statement over and over again, as compiled in this video put out by New York Magazine, can be legitimately called "misspeaking".  Watch and judge for yourself.

Come to think of it, that word "misspoke" sounds vaguely familiar.

Bigfoot Hunters Arrested After Accidental Shooting

Three men in Oklahoma decided to go on a "Bigfoot hunt".  One of them was "spooked" by what he thought was a bigfoot, and then fired at its general direction, only to find out that he had shot one of his fellow hunters in the back.  After seeking medical attention for the wounded man, who is expected to survive, the three were arrested.  However, while police have the hunters, they cannot find the gun.  Authorities have not indicated whether any of the hunters was named "Dick Cheney".

Read the story at The Raw Story.

Statue Of Jesus Raised In.....Syria?

Via Now The End Begins:

A statue of Jesus has reportedly been taken into Syria and then put up on Cherubim Mountain, where it overlooks an ancient pilgrimage route.  Somehow, the combatants in the area, including Syrian government forces, rebels and local militia, all held their fire while the statue was brought in and set up over a three-day period.  The statue itself is about 40 feet tall, and with its support forms a structure with a total height of 105 feet.  Considering the hostility that some Al Qaeda-linked rebels have toward Christians, how long the statue will remain undamaged is a good question.

Read the story at Before It's News.

Gunman Kills TSA Employee And Wounds Six At LAX

Earlier today, a man armed with a rifle fatally shot a TSA employee and wounded at least 6 others at Los Angeles International Airport, known as LAX.  The shooter started on the ground floor of LAX's Terminal 3, and continued after running up an escalator to a TSA screening area.  Airport police tracked the suspect and eventually subdued him.  The suspect has been identified as Paul Ciancia, 23, a resident of either Los Angeles or Pennsville, NJ, depending on which report you trust.  Ciancia dropped a bag at a security checkpoint, from which a note was recovered, containing "threatening language directed at the TSA and anti-government rants".

Read more at Fox News, CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, KABC, and NBC Southern California.

The Healthcare Mash

From ReasonTV via HotAir, here's a bit of Halloween humor, The Healthcare Mash:

Tuesday Links

Some stories from today's news:

From Newsbusters, Ronan Farrow of MSNBC says that the public "craves" the "style of honesty" represented by the Clintons.  I guess that lying to a Grand Jury under oath is OK with Mr. Farrow.  Oh well, what difference does it make?  (via Breitbart's Big Hollywood)

From CBS News, Bob Schieffer, the host of Face the Nation, has won the Walter Cronkite Award.

From Life News, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down a law limiting the use of a "dangerous" abortion drug.

From the Catholic News Agency, Mother Antonia Brenner, known as the "prison angel" for her decades-long prison ministry in Tijuana, Mexico, died earlier this month at age 86.

From Techspot, William C. Lowe, who led the project to create the first IBM PC, died earlier this month at age 72.

From the Mail Online, the man accused of killing the son of NFL player Adrian Petersen is free on bond.

From Politico, Senator Dick Durban (D-IL) calls for "stand your ground" laws to be "carefully reconsidered", in his opening remarks before a hearing about such laws.  Testifying at the hearing was Trayvon Martin's mother, even though Martin's death and George Zimmerman's trial defense did not involve any "stand your ground" laws.  (via Breitbart's Big Government)

From Gallup World, the Portuguese have become more disapproving of their leaders.

From Israel National News, a joint project between Hebrew University's center for Computational Geography, and the Center for Educational Technology has resulted in the first ever Hebrew language digital atlas.

Also from Israel National News, Muslim Brotherhood protesters have attempted to use "puppy bombs" at a demonstration in Tahrir Square.  (via Atlas Shrugs)

From The Telegraph, Great Britain will become the first non-Muslim country to have a sharia bond.

From Yahoo News, millions are losing their health plans because of Obamacare.  They actually ask, "Did president mislead?"

For that matter, The Daily Caller calls Obamacare "a lie from day one."

And from the past debates on Obamacare, a 2009 Republican Weekly Address by Congressman Tom Price (R-GA), which appears to include a few prescient remarks.  Brought to the attention of the Twitterverse by Leslie Carbone.  Go here if the video doesn't play.

A Bit Of History On "Citizens Of The World"

Every once in a while, we hear someone talk about being a "citizen of the world", including a certain recent presidential candidate.  I had thought that this term was a relatively recent creation, perhaps a by-product of the establishment of various international organizations, such as NATO or the UN.  However, while studying James Madison's notes on the Convention of 1787, a.k.a. the Constitutional Convention, I read this particular note, recorded by Madison on August 9th, referring to some statements made by delegate Gouverneur Morris from Pennsylvania about "citizens of the world", where he felt uncomfortable about letting them into the federal government.  If nothing else, this would show that the term has been around for a while. In this note, the pronoun "he" refers to Mr. Morris.

As to those philosophical gentlemen, those Citizens of the World as they call themselves, He owned he did not wish to see any of them in our public Councils. He would not trust them. The men who can shake off their attachments to their own Country can never love any other. These attachments are the wholesome prejudices which uphold all Governments, Admit a Frenchman into your Senate, and he will study to increase the commerce of France: an Englishman, [FN26] he will feel an equal biass in favor of that of England. It has been said that The Legislatures will not chuse foreigners, at least improper ones. There was no knowing what Legislatures would do. Some appointments made by them, proved that every thing ought to be apprehended from the cabals practised on such occasions. He mentioned the case of a foreigner who left this State in disgrace, and worked himself into an appointment from another to Congress.

According to FN26 (footnote 26), the word "and" was inserted into the transcript.

Somali Pirates Repelled By....Britney Spears?

Well, not literally Britney in person, but recordings of her music.  According to merchant navy Second Officer Rachel Owens, who regularly guides tankers through the waters off eastern Africa, "As soon as the pirates get a blast of Britney, they move on as quickly as they can."  Because music is illegal in some parts of the world, and because the pirates hate Western culture, the effectiveness of this tactic is not surprising.  But as Steven Jones, of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry surmises,  "I’d imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention."  Perhaps Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus might also be useful.

Read the story at Metro News.

PC Hits Halloween

Two items, the first of which comes via Reading The Score:

At various American universities, college students have been told to avoid certain types of costumes for this coming Halloween, such as "cowboys", "Indians", "anything involving a sombrero", "white trash", "geisha", "squaw", "ghetto" or "hillbilly", for the reason that these and others might (gasp!) offend somebody.  When I was a college student, some of my male friends dressed up in female garb, and vice versa.  The whole cross-dressed bunch of them then ate dinner together at campus dining hall.  I guess that such a stunt today would be banned for fear of offending transvestites.  Meanwhile, I dressed up as a punk rocker, with the help of a gal who gave me paper clip for my ear.  This, of course, was much less painful than using a safety pin, as real punk rockers used to do back then.  In any event, read the story at The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, dancer and singer Julianne Hough caused an internet "uproar" and later apologized for her choice of Halloween costume.  She and a bunch of friends attended a party dressed as characters from the TV show Orange Is The New Black, with herself as Crazy Eyes, who is played by a black actress.  (Oops, did I just offend someone by using the suffix "-ess"?)  In doing so, Hough darkened her face and tied her hair in knots, just like the character.  In my opinion, she didn't look like a black woman, but like a white woman who has spent too much time in the tanning booth.  The one time I darkened my skin for Halloween was part of a coal miner costume.  The dark makeup was intended to imitate coal dust, not melanin.  But now, perhaps even a coal-faced miner might offend somebody.  Read the story at the New York Daily News and judge for yourself.

How Badly Will Obamacare [Bleep] You?

What are we in for with Obamacare?  The Market Ticker decided to find out the facts and figures, and they're not pretty.  For example:

First, if you're "27", the average premium is $266.20/month or $3,194.40 per year.  How many 27 year olds have an extra $3,200 to spend on this?  Remember, this is the price that virtually every uninsured 27 year old must be willing -- and able -- to cough up in order to prevent the model this system is predicated on from collapsing.

If those 27 year olds don't show up, and they won't, then the system collapses instantly.  If they do show up because the government threatens them with fines the economy collapses as $3,200 a year exceeds the average 27 year old's disposable personal income after mandatory expenses (e.g. food, shelter, etc.) Remember, there are always exceptions but these premiums are averages and over large pools of people the statistical averages are what matters -- not the ends of the barbell.

All emphases in the above quote are in the original.  Read the entire story.

Gov't Beneficiaries Outnumber Full-Time Workers

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people receiving at least one means-tested government benefit has exceeded the number of people working full-time.  In the fourth quarter of 2011, there were 108,592,000 government beneficiaries and 101,716,000 year-round full-time workers.  The latter number would exclude seasonal jobholders, regardless of their work schedules, as well as part-time workers.  Considering that this was in 2011, the numbers today are bound to be even worse - unless you think that more recipients than full-timers is a good thing.

Read the story at CNS News.

Wojtek The Soldier Bear

This is a bit of World War II history that I ran across earlier today.  At the onset of the war, the Soviet Union was allied to Nazi Germany, and in concert therewith, invaded Poland.  In doing so, the Soviets captured Polish soldiers and shipped them off to POW camps in areas such as Siberia.  After the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, the latter's leadership had a change of heart and allowed the Poles to fight against the former.  The Polish soldiers were sent to Iran, where they organized themselves into the Polish Second Army Corps, with the intention of meeting the British in Mandatory Palestine, and then assisting them in the invasion of Italy.

While travelling through Iran, one unit of the Polish troops encountered a young boy who was carrying a small malnourished bear cub, bought the cub from the boy, nursed it back to health, and named it Wojtek.  Eventually, Wojtek (pronounced "VOY-tek") became the unit's unofficial mascot, learned how to smoke and drink beer, and stayed with the Polish army throughout the rest of the war, first in Palestine and then in Italy.  Afterwards, with Poland under Soviet occupation and on its way to becoming a satellite of the USSR, Wojtek and some of his human comrades were reassigned to Scotland, where he lived out his years in the Edinburgh Zoo.

The above is the abridged version.  Read the full story at Badass Of The Week.  The life of Wojtek is also recounted in this YouTube video:

Capitol Dome To Get Repairs

If you've been to Washington, D.C. during the past two years, you might have noticed that the Washington Monument was covered by scaffolding, needed to support workers repairing the damage that resulted from the 2011 earthquake.  Starting next month, on the other end of the Mall, another prominent structure will start undergoing repairs and will eventually receive a scaffold covering.  The dome of the U.S. Capitol, which is made mostly of cast iron, and has been experiencing a significant amount of deterioration, will undergo a "multi-year project" of repair work, initially estimated to cost about $59 million.

Read the story at the Washington Post.

Monday News & Links

Once again, back to the old routine.  Here's a bit of what's been going on for the last day or so:

From the Los Angeles Times, a student at Sparks (Nevada) Middle School fatally shot a teacher and wounded two other students, before apparently killing himself.

From The Sleuth Journal, a mugger in DC chooses the wrong victim, one of a select group of people who are allowed to be armed within the city.

From The Daily Caller, two armed crooks try to rob a pizza place, unaware of the policeman who just happens to be nearby.   (Warning: Graphic video footage)

From Forbes, Nokia's stock price tops $7.

From the Mail Online, something that even a critic of President Obama such as myself can applaud him for.

From Life News, a man fights to save his baby from an abortion after seeing pro-lifers at a clinic.

From the New York Times, contractors trying to fix the Obamacare website see "weeks of work" ahead of them.  (via Breitbart's The Conversation)  The Onion, however, reports that a new version is available on floppy disks.

The Blaze points out a bunch of things more popular than Obamacare (which isn't saying much).

From CNET, the number of laser pointer attacks on airplanes has increased 11-fold since 2005.

In World Net Daily, Phyllis Schlafly writes about how Common Core is affecting school curricula.

From Page Six, singer and model Rihanna tried to have an impromptu photo shoot in a mosque, and was kicked out.

From the New York Post, the FBI investigated PETA during the 1990s for a suspected plot to carry out an anthrax attack.

From Newsmax, the Tea Party movement gets some good vibes from a prominent Republican - one that you don't want to go hunting with.

And from Weird Asia News, engineers in Japan have replicated a human vocal cord.