SodaHead - peter's Blog

Obama's bow riles critics back home

2009-11-16T19:57:23Z

+1 raves

WASHINGTON (AFP) – News photos of President Barack Obama bowing to Japan's emperor have incensed critics here, who said the US leader should stand tall when representing America overseas.

Obama on Monday was in China, having wrapped up the Japan leg of his Asia trip two days earlier. But Washington's punditocracy was still weighing whether or not the US president had disgraced his country two days earlier by having taken a deep bow at the waist while meeting Japan's Emperor Akihito.

Political talk shows have played and replayed the moment from the second day of Obama's week-long Asia tour, which set the blogosphere on fire and chat show tongues wagging.

"I don't know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it's not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one," said conservative pundit William Kristol speaking on the Fox News Sunday program, adding that the gesture bespoke a United States that has become weak and overly-deferential under Obama.

Another conservative voice, Bill Bennett, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program: "It's ugly. I don't want to see it."

Sarah Palin Get Head Start on 2012

2009-11-15T14:25:26Z

peter

0 raves

Sarah Palin is embarking on a book tour. Tim Pawlenty is building a national political operation. Mitt Romney is weighing in on the recession. They're all jockeying for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination — even if they won't say so. Make no mistake: At least a half-dozen Republicans are in the early stages of campaigning for the chance to challenge President Barack Obama in his expected re-election race. Ultimately, some may decide against running. But, at this point, they're taking steps to position themselves for the GOP nomination fight — and that means courting conservatives critical in primaries, proving they can take on a popular incumbent president and painting a vision for a wayward GOP. And, of course, gauging their relative strength, visiting early primary states and refusing to rule out official bids.

America has lost it's way?

2009-11-13T04:18:11Z

peter

+1 raves

AT THE end of the Cold War the United States was supreme and unchallenged, Russia was in decay, poor, disorganised, with ill-equipped military forces. At that time, many people believed the 21st century might have been the time for the human race to advance issues of decency, to establish a more permanent, international peace and really to see that relations between states would be governed by law and not by power. Instead, we have a period of tragic and serious mistakes, a period of prejudice and of refusal to learn from history.

America's leadership was critical to the establishment of the United Nations and to the establishment of a rules-based international system that would outlaw war unless necessary for self defence or sanctioned by the Security Council.

After the end of the Cold War, America could have done so much to continue the advance to an even more effective, rules-based system where law governed relations between states. Instead, today's America has pushed these high aspirations and noble principles aside and led us, step by step, to a point of crisis.

What went wrong?

After the Cold War, the neo-conservatives sought to cement American supremacy. Their underlying philosophy was to enshrine American power throughout this century and beyond, to recast the rest of the world in America's image, if necessary by force of arms. The neo-conservatives did not want the restraint of international agreements, of law or of organisation. To them, September 11, 2001, was an opportunity to free America from those restraints.

As a consequence, the United States has made mistake after mistake and made the world a more dangerous place.

Lou Dobbs Quit CNN

2009-11-12T00:20:51Z

peter

+6 raves

Long-time CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced Wednesday on his 7:00 p.m. EDT program that he is leaving the network, The New York Times reported.

Dobbs, who joined CNN at its inception, informed staff members of his intentions Wednesday afternoon, the newspaper said.

His controversial views on immigration and President Barack Obama's lineage have attracted attention in recent months.

The Times reported last month that Dobbs had dinner with Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes in September. People with knowledge of the meeting said Dobbs could be a potential hire for the Fox Business Network.

Fox News is a unit of News Corp. (NWS), which also owns this wire. CNN is a unit of Time Warner Inc. (TWX).

Hairdresser won’t hire muslim with headscarf, muslim sues.

2009-11-02T00:35:50Z

peter

+8 raves

It’s fair to say that I understand very little about this story. I don’t understand how someone whose beliefs require wearing a headscarf anytime she’s out in public could possibly gravitate toward hairdressing as an occupation. If it’s sinful to show your hair, isn’t it sinful to help others show theirs? I also don’t understand how any lawyer could ethically take up her case when she sues a salon for failing to hire her. The owner of an “alternative” London hair salon is being sued for religious discrimination after refusing to give a job to a Muslim woman who wanted to wear a headscarf at work. Sarah Desrosiers, whose Wedge salon specialises in “urban funky” cuts, says she turned down applicant Bushra Noah because she was “selling image” and needed her staff to display their hairstyles to the public. That, I understand. Hairdressing is the product, so you need to show it to sell it. Duh. Ms Noah, 19, is claiming religious discrimination and suing Ms Desrosiers for more than £15,000 for injury to her feelings, as well as an unspecified sum for lost earnings. Ms Desrosiers, 32, who set up her business in King’s Cross 18 months ago, has already spent more than £1,000 fighting the case and says that if she loses she will be forced to close. The salon owner makes the point that showing off new hairstyles is part of the job. Makes sense to me. The case gets interesting in the details. Ms Noah said today she had attended a total of 25 interviews for hairdressing jobs without success and had decided to take legal action because she had been upset by Ms Desrosiers’ comments. She said: “I decided to sue this hairdresser because she upset me the most. I felt so down and got so depressed, I thought if I am not going to defend myself, who is? “When I spoke to her on the phone she offered me a trial day. But when I turned up she looked at me in shock. She asked if I wore the headscarf all the time. She kept repeating, ‘I wish you told me over the phone’. “Ever since I was in high school hairdressing is what I wanted to do. It is sad for them to not give me the opportunity. This has ruined my ambitions. Wearing a headscarf is essential to my beliefs.” So…she got turned down 25 times. A reasonable person might have found a clue in that. But our intrepid Ms Noah decides to sue one of the 25, sort of just because. What lawyer thinks Noah has a good case here? I don’t see it. Am I paranoid to see this as another attempt to use western courts to impose Islamic practices on non-Muslims?

Fire Emanuel, Hire Me

2009-10-25T15:19:44Z

peter

+4 raves

by Bill O'Reilly 10/24/2009 President Obama should fire White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and hire me as his top adviser. Don't laugh. I can almost guarantee higher poll numbers for the president if he brings me on board. The first thing I would do is declare a truce with Fox News. Right now, the president is spending more time launching offensives against FNC than against the Taliban. The American people want Osama bin Laden's head on a stick, not Glenn Beck's. What exactly does attacking FNC get the president? Plus, it's hypocritical. Didn't Barack Obama win the Nobel Peace Prize? Next, I would suggest that the commander-in-chief actually listen to his top general in Afghanistan and his secretary of defense. After listening, the president would immediately send 40,000 more troops to provide additional security in that God-forsaken place. As a trusted adviser, I would remind the president that the United States military is a vital enterprise and deserves a chance to win in Afghanistan. After accomplishing those two things, Obama and I would get lunch. Then, back to work. Bringing down health care costs is huge for the president, and I would advise him to drop the so-called "public option" and concentrate on increased insurance competition across state lines. If insurance companies could compete nationwide, health premiums would fall. And if you add tort reform to blunt the out-of-control medical lawsuit industry, doctors and medical personnel could charge less because their enormous medical malpractice bills would shrink. By the way, the vast majority of Americans would support both of those things because they are free. They don't cost the taxpayers anything. The public option would cost trillions. A good adviser should be frugal with taxpayer dollars. Having dealt with all of that, the president and I would sit down for a heart to heart. I would tell him that he has to tamp down his fascination with far-left radicals. Hanging around with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was OK when Obama was a Chicago community guy shooting hoops in the schoolyard. Now that he's the most powerful man in the world, the left-wing loon factor must become a red flag. I would gently suggest to the president that he tell his top aides not to publicly say Chairman Mao was a great philosopher, as White House Communications Director Anita Dunn recently did. In fact, while Mao was weaving his philosophy, more than 30 million Chinese died grisly deaths. So, as the president's top adviser, I would urge the following: NO MORE REFERENCES TO MAO! Finally, I would advise Obama to stay off TV for a while. There is no question that he is overexposed. However, I would counsel him to appear on "The O'Reilly Factor." Because O'Reilly is no longer in the anchor seat, having taken the White House position, the president might even be able to complete a sentence. So, OK to Fox News. Detente at last. http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=34118

'Tax' Used 124 Times in Senate Healthcare Bill

2009-10-23T16:31:34Z

peter

0 raves

Friday, October 23, 2009 8:33 AM By: Grover Norquist A word search of the 1,502-page Senate healthcare bill (S. 1796) reveals that the term “tax” is used 124 times; “taxable” is used 158 times; and “excise tax” is used 12 times. Other terms of interest are as follows: Senate Health Care Bill (S. 1796) Term Number of uses “Tax” 124 times “Taxes” 16 times “Excise tax” 12 times “Taxpayer(s)” 79 times “Taxable” 158 times “Tax-exempt” 15 times “Penalty” 79 times “Require” 88 times “Must” 40 times “Shall” 2,585 times The “excise tax” mentioned on page 194 is just one of several taxes in the bill that violate President Obama’s tax pledge. During his campaign, Obama made a “firm pledge” not to raise “any form” of taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year. © 2009 Newsmax. All rights reserved. http://www.newsmax.com/grover_norquist/senate_healthcare_bill...

Shocking New ACORN Video!

2009-10-22T17:24:22Z

peter

+5 raves

Corruption at every turn..This time in Philadelphia..

Sarkozy Thinks Obama is Incredibly Naive and Grossly Egotistical

2009-09-30T19:32:53Z

peter

+1 raves

(Fox News) Sarkozy's "very worried about what that means for the West, because the president of the U.S. is the leader of the free world, and if [he] isn't going to lead the free world, it isn't going to be led ...

SICK: School Children Taught to Sing Praises to Obama

2009-09-24T15:35:45Z

peter

+4 raves

The radical left is now teaching American youth to sing praises to Obama: Barack Hussein Obama He said that all must lend a hand [?] To make this country strong again Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama He said we must be clear today Equal work means equal pay Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama He said that we must take a stand To make sure everyone gets a chance Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama He said Red, Yellow, Black or White All are equal in his sight Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama Yes Mmm, mmm, mm! Barack Hussein Obama segue to Hello, Mr. President we honor you today! For all your great accomplishments, we all [do? doth??] say "hooray!" Hooray Mr. President! You're number one! The first Black American to lead this great na-TION! Hooray, Mr. President something-something-some A-something-something-something-some economy is number one again! Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you! And the same for all Americans [in?] the great Red White and Blue! So something Mr. President we all just something-some, So here's a hearty hip-hooray a-something-something-some! Hip, hip hooray! (3x) Of course, we've seen this sort of thing before. Gateway Pundit Wednesday, September 23, 2009 http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/09/sick-school-childre...