Monday, April 30, 2018

High housing costs and homeless people driving man out of Seattle

Blogger in Seattle
After 14 years a Seattle man, fed up with homeless, out-of-control housing costs, and tin-eared politicians has had enough.

He's leaving.

From his op-ed in the Seattle Times:
As a professional science writer, I've certainly grown accustomed to the crass insults that have become routine in our toxic political environment. I just didn’t expect it from a person for whom I voted. But perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Slowly but surely, Seattle has become an angry place. Councilmember Kshama Sawant called a police shooting a “brutal murder.” She also tweeted that it was “terrible” for a feminist organization to wish that Barbara Bush, on her death, rest in peace. As a congressional candidate, Pramila Jayapal supporters implied that her respectable opponent, Brady Walkinshaw, was a misogynist and racist. And former Mayor Ed Murray, whose pattern of alleged sexual behavior finally caught up with him, remained defiant until the bitter end.

For a city that prides itself on being “anti-Trump,” it is difficult to see how exactly we’re supposed to possess the moral high ground over “The Other Washington.”

The toxic politics are bad enough, but the city also has become unaffordable for the middle class. Partly, that is due to high demand (which is a good problem for a city to have), but it’s also due to self-inflicted wounds, such as a restrictive housing policy that artificially caps supply. Seattle is well on its way to becoming the next Vancouver, British Columbia, with the median housing price having spiked to an eye-watering $820,000, far outside the reach of the middle class. Unless they are able to save for about 14 years to afford a down payment, millennials can forget about homeownership entirely.

Mark Dice: Shampoo is Racist Now

Because many hotels, specifically the luxury ones that singer Halsey, who identifies as black, they qualify, as does the shampoo, as racist.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

XTC – "Respectable Street"

Over at Aa Tech Guy I wrote a review of XTC--This Is Pop, a fabulously well done documentary of XTC, the best band you've never heard of.

So I'm still in the XTC mood, as you can see.

Today I have a live performance of Swindon, England's greatest band as the push out a frenetic version of "Respectable Street," which always reminded me of some phoniness I encountered growing up in suburbia.

Bloody Chicago Video: Opening Salvo, Spring 2018

My good friend Victor Maggio has stepped in front of the camera at he covers what he calls the Opening Salvo, Spring 2018, as he begins another Bloody Chicago series.

After a long Chicago winter--we had a measurable accumulation of snow just last Wednesday--spring appears to be finally here.

But the bad news is that violent crime goes up when the temperatures climb.

Great stuff, as always, from Victor. But some of it is graphic--so make sure the little ones are in the other room as you watch.

Friday, April 27, 2018

(PragerU) What's a Greater Leap of Faith: God or the Multiverse?

Brian Keating, an astrophysicist, asks in this latest PragerU video, "What's a greater leap of faith, God or the multiverse?"

Mark Dice: Diamond and Silk Crush Congressman

US Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) is one of the dumbest members of Congress. Once in a congressional hearing he expressed fears that Guam would tip over into the sea if our military presence there increased.

Mark Dice reports on his questioning of Diamond and Silk, the black Trump-supporting sisters. First he complains that they are even there, then he claims, wrongly I am sure, that the duo, who have faced censorship from YouTube and Facebook, that they "make a ton of money" off of their pro-Trump efforts.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Make Korea Great Again: Kim first North Korean leader to visit South in peace summit

Without President Trump in office I don't believe Kim crossing the demilitarized zone into South Korea would have happened.

This is huge.

From the Daily Mail:
Kim Jong-un has become the first North Korean leader to step into the South for 65 years as he met with President Moon Jae-in for a historic peace summit on Friday.

The dictator crossed the 38th parallel and warmly shook hands with his sworn enemy before both men walked side-by-side to a welcome ceremony attended by flamboyantly-dressed South Korean soldiers.

Moving on to the truce village of Panmunjom, Kim signed the guest book at the Peace House, which will be the venue for talks focusing on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs.

Kim, donning his trademark Mao suit, arrived by car before entering South Korea to meet President Moon 9.30am local time (8.30pm EST/12.30am GMT). Talks are expected to start an hour later.

Cosby guilty on all counts

Justice has been served this afternoon.

From USA Today:
Comedian and TV icon Bill Cosby has been convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault at his sexual-assault retrial here Thursday, on the second day of deliberations.

It was not the outcome Cosby or his high-powered defense team wanted but it was an answer to the question that has haunted America since October 2014: Is "America's Dad" really a serial sexual predator who drugged and molested Andrea Constand at his nearby home in January 2004?

Last June, another jury at Cosby's first trial deadlocked on that question after days of deliberations, forcing Judge Steven O'Neill to declare a mistrial.

For the retrial, the jury of seven men and five women voted unanimously that the answer was yes. Cosby, charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault, could get 10 years in prison on each count. He denied the charges, asserting that his sexual encounter with Constand was consensual and that he only gave her an over-the-counter allergy medication.
More from rape victim Juanita Broaddrick:


Joyless Reid utilizes the Weiner hacking defense in explaining her anti-gay blog posts

When she was a nobody, MSNBC leftist Joy "Joyless" Reid wrote several anti-gay blog posts. When they were discovered, she used that same fake excuse that that disgraced former Democratic congressman--and now federal inmate---used. She was hacked.

That didn't happen.

Tucker Carlson has more as we learn that NBC is fostering Reid's lie.

Yes, a news organization is lying.



She also fat-shamed a lesbian, Rosie O'Donnell, labeling her a "chubbed out shrew" a while back.

And then there is the former governor or Florida.

From Mediaite:

The MSNBC weekend host ran a blog called The Reid Report — which is the same name as her now-defunct cable news show — a decade ago while she wrote for the Miami Herald. As first resurfaced by Twitter user Jamie_Maz, Reid wrote numerous bigoted blog posts smearing, mocking, and attacking former Florida governor Charlie Crist. These rants included calling Crist “Miss Charlie” and sarcastically using the tags “gay politicians” and “not gay politicians” — despite the fact that the twice-married, heterosexual man has never come-out as gay.

Reid went on to spread the crackpot conspiracy theory that Crist was actually a closeted gay man who refused to come out for fear that his sexual orientation would hurt his political career. Additionally, the AM Joy host claims Crist’s marriages to women are part of this elaborate cover up.

Mark Dice: Kanye West Joins Trump Train

Kanye West, Chicagoan, rapper, and husband of Kim Kardashian, has declared his support for President Donald J. Trump.

Welcome to the winning side, Kanye.

Mark Dice reports and another Chicago musician, Chance the Rapper, chimes in by way of Twitter.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Migrant caravan arrives at US border

They're here.

Now what?

Pelosi criticizes those who shout down speakers with opposing views

As they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

In San Francisco, which comprises most of her district, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi condemned the standard response of the far left--which is increasingly the center of the Democratic Party--to shout down and heckle speakers, conservative ones, of course, who espouse views that are separate from the leftist dogma.

From Victor Davis Hanson: Revolution and Worse to Come

The unhinged left is running out of options in its quest to oust President Trump from office. That's the bad news, Victor Davis Hanson tells us: Revolution and Worse to Come.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

On same day Sun-Times puts blank page on its front page for "survival," Neil Steinberg issues more anti-Trump bile

Chicago Trump supporters
I believe a blank page is better than most of the product that comes from the Chicago Sun-Times.

From The Hill:
The Chicago Sun-Times left its front page blank in a plea for subscribers on Monday in an effort to "protect the long-term survival" of its newsroom.

The unorthodox appeal comes one month after the 174-year-old newspaper completed a round of layoffs as it struggles with falling advertising revenue from its print edition.

The Sun-Times has been working to build digital subscriptions for content that readers in the past have gotten for free.

"We’re asking you to please support our daily work by subscribing to our website for $7.49 a month. That's less than 25 cents a day," writes the paper in a story titled "Imagine Chicago without the Sun-Times: An urgent appeal."
But what free-thinking person will want to pay for trash like yesterday's column by Trump Derangement Syndrome sufferer Neil Steinberg. The wife-beating drunk oozed another anti-Donald Trump column that no respectable dog would want to use to deposit "his business" upon.

In Monday's column about this year's US Senate race in Texas, Steinberg writes, "Our nightmare president builds his cult of personality every day while the party supporting him sheds its values and beliefs, rolling at his feet like puppies."

I voted for Steinberg's "nightmare."

And I am happy about that.

As for Steinberg, he needs help.

Trump welcomes Macron in White House arrival ceremony

Donald J. Trump's presidency has been surprising on many levels. One of those surprises is the warm relations--despite difference on climate change theory--between France and the United States.

Watch as Trump greets President Macron of France to the White House.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Facebook suspends conservative comedian's account

Terrence K. Williams, a conservative comedian, saw his Facebook page suspended after he posted some death threats against him.

The thugs did not have their FB accounts cut off.



Mark Dice: Kanye West to the rescue!

Sure, he has a child named Chicago, but there is some common sense within Kanye West.

"I love the way Candace Owens thinks," the former Chicagoan Tweeted about Candace Owens, a black Donald Trump supporter.

Mark Dice also reports on Shania Twain and Trump.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

From Da Tech Guy, (Review) XTC: This Is Pop

Are you looking for something spectacular to watch? Then I have a "rockumentary" for you. From my weekly post at Da Tech Guy, (Review) XTC: This Is Pop.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

4/20 buzz: Democrats sue Trump campaign, Wikileaks, and Russia over "collusion"

Clearly the Democrat Party leadership smoked too much marijuana on 4/20 day yesterday.

From CNBC:

The Democratic Party on Friday sued President Donald Trump's presidential campaign, the Russian government and the Wikileaks group, claiming a broad illegal conspiracy to help Trump win the 2016 election.

The multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court says that "In the Trump campaign, Russia found a willing and active partner in this effort" to mount "a brazen attack on American Democracy," which included Russian infiltration of the Democratic Party computer network.

The Trump campaign, according to the lawsuit, "gleefully welcomed Russia's help."

The suit says that "preexisting relationships with Russia and Russian oligarchs" with Trump and Trump associates "provided fertile ground for [the] Russia-Trump conspiracy."

XTC: Wonderland

A couple of nights ago I watched the Showtime documentary XTC: This is Pop. It's remarkable documentary about a remarkable but under-appreciated group.

Here's a Colin Moulding-penned song from their pastoral period, "Wonderland" from XTC's 1983 album Mummer.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Diamond & Silk: Facebook censorship is not a hoax

Diamond and Silk, the Donald Trump-supporting social media stars, not only excoriates New York's leftist governor, Andrew Cuoumo, but the state the case that Facebook censorship of conservatives is not a hoax.

Mark Dice: The truth about the James Comey memos

In James Comey's memos, which were released by Congress last night. In one of them Comey tells President Trump that he's not a leaker.

But Mark Dice reminds us that in congressional testimony, Comey admitted that yes, he did leak information, the same memos that were just made public

Comey is a weasel.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Rosenstein says Trump not a target Muller witch hunt

To be fair, Rosenstein did not call this Russia "collusion" probe a witch hunt.

From The Hill:
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told President Donald Trump last week that he isn’t a target of any part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Rosenstein, who brought up the Mueller probe himself, offered the assurance during a meeting with Trump at the White House last Thursday, a development that helped tamp down the president’s desire to remove Rosenstein or Mueller, the people said.

After the meeting, Trump told some of his closest advisers that it’s not the right time to remove either man since he's not a target of the probe. One person said Trump doesn’t want to take any action that would drag out the investigation.

Even though her office is under federal investigation, Dorothy Brown is running for mayor of Chicago

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." - H. L. Mencken.

In a city filled with political low-lifes, Dorothy Brown is a sub-pond scum critter.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Embattled Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown is jumping into the already crowded race for mayor of Chicago, despite a federal investigation that’s been swirling around her and her office for years.

A campaign flier circulated by Brown’s allies and a follow-up emailed announcement invites supporters to a campaign kick-off at 2:45 p.m. Sunday at the Chicago Hilton and Towers, 720 S. Michigan.

The flier uses the hashtag #Hope4AllChicago, underscored by the words, “Respect, Pride and Change.” Patricia Keenan, a spokesperson for the Brown campaign, confirmed that the clerk would, in fact, join the crowded field attempting to unseat two-term incumbent Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"Respect, pride, and change." You can't make this stuff up.

Meghan McCain to Comey: "You sound like a political commentator to me"

Meghan McCain of The View, who is hardly my favorite Republican, excoriates James Comey to his face, telling him ""You sound like a political commentator to me."

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

CNN panel praises Pompeo’s talks with North Korea: This could lead to a Trump peace prize

If a peace treaty is signed by North and South Korea, could there be a peace prize in the future for President Donald Trump?

Even CNN is wondering.

Barbara Bush to be laid to rest at the Bush library

A wonderful woman, former First Lady Barbara Bush, passed away at her home in Houston yesterday.

Rest in piece.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Mark Dice on James Comey: His 15 minutes are up

We didn't learn much from the interview of James Comey by longtime Clintonista George Stephanopoulous. Except that the fired FBI director's wife and daughters are huge Hillary Clinton supporters.

Blagojevich's wife makes plea to Trump

Some friends of mine, yes conservative ones, believe that the 14-year corruption sentence for former Democratic governor Rod Blagojevich is too long. Even Fox News' Tucker Carlson allude to that on his show last night.

More on Tucker later.

Blago's judge got it right, in my opinion. Even in graft-infested ILL-inois, public officials should be held to a hire standard. Besides, Blagojevich should know the law, after all, he's a former assistant Cook County state's attorney.

Yesterday the US Supreme Court denied what appears to be Blago's final appeal, which means he'll remain in prison for another six years, assuming he continues his good behavior behind bars. He's already served that much time in federal custody.

Last night Carlson interviewed Blago's wife, Patti. That's an interesting choice of interviewers, my guess is that she knows that President Trump watches Carlson's show.

Blago is a onetime contestant on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. Patti is placing her hope in a pardon from the president.

Here's the Patti clip.

Trump supporters react to Comey interview In CNN focus group: Weak, thin-skinned, and lily-livered

Wow, I wonder if the producer behind this CNN segment about South Carolina Republicans viewing James Comey's interview by George Stephanopoulos still has a job.

Comey is called "weak" and "thin-skinned,' and "lily-livered."

Monday, April 16, 2018

James Comey: Democrats used to hate him

Yes, Democrats used to detest James Comey. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the fired FBI director the "leading Republican political operative in the country."

How times change.



Mark Dice: Liberals Are Scared of Chicken Sandwiches

Chick-fil-A expanded into New York City, which is freaking out a writer for the liberal New Yorker. He's complaining about the "creepy infiltration" of the privately-held company founded by a devout Christian.

But imagine if the New Yorker wrote about the "creepy infiltration" of a restaurant chain owned by Muslims? The writer of such an article would be immediately fired.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

The Rainmakers: Let My People Go Go

The walls of Jericho, Moses, and Jesus come together on this Rainmakers song, "Let My People Go."

Dan Rather's Fake News Legacy

Dan Rather was a vendor of fake news--he peddled the false story that future President George W. Bush was AWOL from the National Guard in the 1970s.

Not Rather is a critic of fake news.

Friday, April 13, 2018

President Trump announces US strikes on Syria

It's time to make the world safer again.

Tucker Carlson: Left's War on Guns

Corporate America is lining up against gun rights. Bank of America will no longer money to firms that manufacture what it deems assault weapons for the consumer market. Citigroup says it won't work with retailer that sell guns to people under 21.

What if corporate America singles out other causes to gang up on?

And what if you support that clause?

Tucker Carlson explores.

Mark Dice: James Comey Strikes Back

Wow. In James Comey's new tell-all book we learn that the fired-FBI chief noticed President Trump's small hands, "but not unusually so," at their first meeting.

And small hands mean...

Liberals are eager to read this book, I keep hearing.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Deerfield IL bans assault weapons, NRA sues

I'm a bit late with this story but it needs to be told, no matter the time line. Deerfield, Illinois, which lies about ten miles north of Marathon Pundit world headquarters, is violating the constitutional rights of gun owners. Luckily someone has the back of patriots.

More from NBC Chicago:
After a suburban village passed an ordinance banning assault weapons, a lawsuit was filed to get the new law overturned.

According to the organization Guns for Life, they are filing a lawsuit against Deerfield, calling the new ordinance “gun confiscation.”

"We are pleased to announce a lawsuit challenging the Village of Deerfield’s gun confiscation ordinance," the organization’s website said. "Banning one of the most effective guns widely in use by America’s nearly 100 million gun owners will only serve to protect criminals, lunatics, and terrorists."

According to the language of the ordinance, it will be against the law for a person to "carry, keep, bear, transport, or possess an assault weapon in the village," unless the gun is broken down, not immediately accessible, or unloaded and locked in a case.

Sears closing last Chicago store

Closed Chicago Sears store
Gee, didn't failed Illinois Democratic governor Pat Quinn give Sears a lavish tax break so they wouldn't move its headquarters out of the state?

He did. Democrats and sound economics do not mix well together.

Meanwhile Sears is withering away.

From WGN-TV:
Sears is closing its last store in the City of Chicago.

Employees at the Six Corners store in Old Irving Park were told of the closure Thursday morning, the Chicago Tribune reports.

A liquidation sale is set to begin April 27 and the store will close mid-July. The Sears Auto Center will close in mid-May.

The company declined to tell the Tribune how many employees work at the Six Corners store, which opened in 1938.

Mark Dice on nobody reporter calling for Trump to quit: This is ridiculous

April Ryan, who no one of importance ever heard of until yesterday, is the White House bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks.

Ooh. I can tell that you are impressed.

Yesterday she asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if President Trump, who has already announced is reelection campaign, is considering resigning.

Sanders called it, rightly, a ridiculous question.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Harvey pension debacle could be first of many in Illinois

159th Street in Harvey
Later this week Harvey, Illinois will lay off half of its police officers and firefighters because the corrupt south suburb of Chicago has been shorting its pension funds for years.

More may be coming.

From WTTW Chicago:
This could just be the first shoe to drop.

The city of North Chicago is being penalized as well. And according to an analysis by Amanda Kass, a researcher at the University of Chicago, there are 74 police or fire pension funds in towns across the state that are as similarly underfunded as Harvey (you can download that list of funds here). In the Chicago area, they include Burbank, Evergreen Park, Maywood, Melrose Park and Niles – to name a few. The Civic Federation’s Laurence Msall says these towns could go the same route.

“If they ignore the law and don’t make the contribution as Harvey has, then yes, those municipalities all around the state have ability to seek an intercept of state revenues that would otherwise come to the municipality,” Msall said.

The complicating factor for Harvey is that it has had years of decline and corruption in government. Also, property taxes are very high and there is almost nowhere to go for revenue.
That's why the state is called ILL-inois.

America, do we really want a blue wave in 2018? Isn't one Illinois enough?



ILL-inois pension bubble: Half of Harvey's firefighters laid off

Blogger in Harvey
laid off half the fire department after the city was ordered to pay its police and fire pension fund.

The union posted about it on their Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, saying, "The city has laid off 18 firefighters, half the fire department is gone! Prayers for the citizens and families of those laid off."

City officials would not confirm those numbers, or any other details about possible layoffs, but did say layoffs to fire, police and other departments would be necessary.

"We crunched numbers all night, and it's unfortunate that we are forced to do layoffs as a result of this issue," said Harvey Police Chief Gregory Thomas.
Harvey is one of Illinois' most corrupt cities, and ILL-inois of course has a high bar for public graft.

On the other hand, somehow Harvey, south suburb of Chicago, can afford a glitzy electronic welcome sign.

Priorities...

Related posts:


Mark Dice: Zuckerberg Short Circuits

Mark Dice analyzes Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Senate testimony--and he points out a rare shining moment for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Every decade or so Dickie will get one right.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The deliberate undermining of President Trump: Steve Hilton

Fox News' Stave Hilton discussed the attack by The Swamp against President Trump.

Trump calls raid on his lawyer's office a "witch hunt"

The investigation into so-called collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia has been a witch hunt for a while.

Laugh now liberals. A future leftist president might face an election nullification effort too.

Monday, April 09, 2018

(PragerU) As the Rich Get Richer, the Poor Get Richer

In today's PragerU video, we learn, contrary to the prevailing opinion, that as the rich get richer, the poor get...

Richer.

Daniel Hannan, a member of the European Parliament, lays down the truth.

Mark Dice: MSNBC Loses Their Minds

The lunatics at MSNBC delve into fantasy roleplaying as they envision a scenario where President Donald Trump barricades himself inside the White House to avoid federal marshals.

Sunday, April 08, 2018

Trump-hater Jeffrey Guterman has a YouTube page--and he sings too

Jeffrey Guterman, a mental health counselor, who is since cleansed and locked his Twitter page, posted this on the microblogging site yesterday about the deadly fire at Trump Tower, "Hoping there are no injuries. With that said, I hope the fire rages #TrumpTower.

Three New York City firefighters were injured battling the blaze.



Ah, but Guterman has a YouTube page, for now at least, you can view it here.

Oh, did you know that the mental health-hater sings? He does!

Click here before it's too late!

Let the listener beware.

Once song is titled "Take Me Away." Oh, does Jeff ever wish for that now, I am sure.

From Da Tech Guy: IL Dem governor nominee mum on details for his proposed pension bailout tax hike

A bailout plan is coming to the Prairie State, courtesy of the Democratic nominee for governor, JB Pritzker. From my post at Da Tech Guy: Illinois Democratic governor nominee mum on details for his proposed pension bailout tax hike.

Saturday, April 07, 2018

The Baseball Project - "To The Veterans Committee"

Major League Baseball is completing its first full week of games for the 2018 season. So for my Saturday musical selection, I present you baseball song from The Baseball Project, "To The Veterans Committee." It's a plea to have two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This is where punk rock meets the MLB.

Mitt Romney was right about Russia

Let's not forget that six years ago our leftist president, Barack Obama, dismissed Mitt Romney's statement that Russia was America's biggest geopolitical foe.

"The 1980s are now calling to ask fort their foreign policy back," Dear Leader sneered at Romney.

But as with so many other things, Obama was wrong.

Meanwhile, all you hear now from the liberals now is "Russia, Russia, Russia."

Friday, April 06, 2018

Tucker: Facts threaten immigration advocate's fantasies

Watch as Tucker Carlson schools a leftist, Ali Noorani, on how illegal immigration is destroying California.

Chicago Sun-Times whines that "good journalism" is threatened by newprint tariffs

The left-wing Chicago Sun-Times is acting childish. It's complaining that "good journalism," yes, "good journalism is in the headline, is at stake because of preliminary tariffs that might increase the cost of imported newsprint.

From an editorial there:
Allow us to explain, from firsthand experience, how a tariff can go wrong, threatening American jobs and leaving a city — our city — the poorer for it.

If you are reading this editorial in the paper version of the Sun-Times, as opposed to online, the newsprint you are holding likely was produced in Canada. Much of the newsprint used in the United States is imported from north of the border. There isn’t enough produced domestically to meet the demand.

But beginning this year, the Department of Commerce has imposed two preliminary tariffs — taxes on imported goods — that could eventually increase the price of Canadian newsprint by as much as 32 percent. This summer, the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission will decide whether to make the tariffs permanent.

As you can imagine, the tariffs already have created a heavy new financial burden on American newspapers, which are struggling in the age of the Internet. Newsprint is among a newspaper’s biggest expenses. If the tariffs are made permanent, the quality of American newspapers will be diminished. Inevitably, some will fold.
And newspapers have been going belly-up for decades.

Oh, why is American newsprint so scarce? Could it be because of burdensome EPA regulations? Follow up on that, Sun-Times, please.

Thursday, April 05, 2018

Feds raided home of UAW boss in corruption probe

And to think that the UAW had a reputation as one of the cleaner unions

From the Detroit News:
Federal prosecutors revealed Thursday that investigators raided the home of United Auto Workers Vice President Norwood Jewell while investigating a widespread conspiracy involving Fiat Chrysler and the union.

The raid happened Nov. 3 at a home on the 2200 block of Macscott Court in Swartz Creek, according to a sealed federal court filing. It is unclear exactly what was seized during the search but is another indication linking Jewell to the ongoing corruption investigation that has netted charges against seven people.

Jewell, 60, the former head of the union’s Fiat Chrysler department, has not been charged with a crime but his name has repeatedly surfaced during an investigation focused on a conspiracy involving Fiat Chrysler executives funneling illegal payments and benefits to UAW leaders. The money is funneled through the UAW-Chrysler National Training Center under a policy created by the auto company’s officials to keep UAW leaders “fat, dumb and happy” and wring concessions favoring the automaker, according to the government.

In August 2014, Fiat Chrysler executive Alphons Iacobelli approved spending more than $30,000 in worker training funds on a party for Jewell, a bash that included "ultra-premium" liquor and strolling models who lit labor leaders' cigars. The expenses were paid for by the national training center with Fiat Chrysler funds, which covered the $7,000 cigar purchase and a $3,000 tab for wine bottles with custom labels that featured Jewell’s name, sources told The News.
Jewell also received a $2,180 shotgun paid for from a fund that was to benefit UAW members. He later reimbursed the union.

National Guard will help secure the border: Ken Paxton

Ken Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, is talking about how the National Guard will make America safe again.

Mark Dice: CNN's Latest Conspiracy Theory

CNN needs an intervention. Mark Dice discusses that when CNN's Jim Acosta's feed was lost during a White House press conference--it could have been deemed a mercy killing--there were hints on conspiracy from the First Name in Fake News.

Of course CNN has been quick to pull the plug during live broadcasts when content it didn't approve of escaped the lips guests and even one of its reporters.

Opening press remarks by President Trump, Baltic States heads of government

Yesterday I meant to get to President Trump's Tuesday joint press conference with the leaders of our allies in the Baltic States, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Freed from Soviet tyranny, all three freedom-loving nations are now loyal allies and members of NATO.

"Through the decades of brutal Soviet occupation, the United States never ceased to recognize the sovereignty of the Baltic republics," Trump said in his opening remarks. "In our discussions today, I was proud to reaffirm America’s commitment to the Welles Declaration of 1940 and the U.S.-Baltic Charter of 1998.



Later in the press conference, responding to a question from a Latvian reporter, Trump spoke glowingly about the invest possibilities in the Baltics.

"I think all three would be great places to invest," Trump replied. "Stable governments, incredible people — hardworking, industrious people. I think they would be great places to invest. I would have no problem with it. Although, I think as president of the United States, they would call it a slight conflict of interest, perhaps. (Laughter.) You might be hearing from these people."

The leader for the Free World also praised the three small nations for their MATO commitment of spending two-percent of their GDP on defense.

Make Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Great Again.

Wednesday, April 04, 2018

(PragerU) Eye for an Eye: One of the Greatest Ideas in History

The "eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" passage from the Bible is not as barbaric as you think, Dennis Prager tells us in the latest PragerU video.

"Even atheists acknowledge" Prager begins," that the book that's most responsible for creating western civilization is the Bible."

Just default now: Judge rules against Chicago Park District pension reform

Indian Boundary Park,
Chicago's North Side
Get it over with, Chicago. Just default on your pensions. Whether you like it or not, these generous rewards to public-sector unions for their campaign contributions to Democratic politicians, are unaffordable.

From the Chicago Tribune:
Chicago taxpayers, prepare for another kick in the teeth. In fact, it might be a good time to grow fond of the toothless grin. Another recent court decision will put taxpayers on the hook for additional city pension debts. Yes, even more than before.

A circuit court judge in March struck down a 2014 state law that eased pressure on the pension fund of Chicago Park District retirees. The law had increased Park District employees' own contributions to the fund, increased their retirement-eligible age, reduced their annual cost-of-living increases and reduced duty disability benefits. But those changes will be rolled back, due to the ruling.

That means the Park District - you, taxpayers - will have to come up with reimbursements for workers' higher contributions, plus interest. Going forward the district will have to figure out how to stabilize the retirement fund without those cost-saving changes. Chicago's pension funds - for municipal workers and laborers, teachers, police and firefighters, and now Park District employees - face serious unfunded liabilities. The Civic Federation estimates the Park District fund has about 39 percent of what it needs to make future benefits payments.

The judge's ruling came on top of a recent analysis of the Chicago Public Schools teacher pension fund that showed taxpayers will owe another $1 billion to shore up that retirement account, bringing that unfunded liability to $11 billion.
Meanwhile, people continue to flee the Chicago area. No one wants to be the last man standing in the Chicago pension pyramid scheme.

Mark Dice: The Truth About YouTube HQ Shooter

It was another embarrassing day for the mainstream media, Mark Dice tells us, as they botched its initial reports about yesterday's YouTube headquarters shooter, it was not a domestic dispute turned violent but the attacker was an Iranian immigrant Vegan woman who was angry that her YouTube channel had been demonetized.

Meanwhile on Twitter, loons, including a Salon writer, tried to link the violence to Alex Jones, a right-wing provocateur.

But once it was learned that the psychopath wasn't a great white male, it was time for the media to move on to something else.

Tuesday, April 03, 2018

PragerU: Blacks in Power Don't Empower Blacks

While the number of blacks in elected office the economic benefits for African Americans continues to lag.

Jason Riley of the Manhattan Institute explains in this PragerU video.

Trump supporter attacked in DC restaurant

Ah, yes, the left is so intolerant.

A woman who said she was a supporter of President Donald Trump was assaulted by two other women in Washington DC.

Fortunately there is a clear video of the thugs. They are wanted on felony assault.

Had it been a backer of President Obama who was attacked, there would be wall-to-wall coverage on MSNBC and CNN.



Statues offensive to Native Americans in crosshairs

When Tucker Carlson asked Paul Pitino, a member of the Arcata, California city council, why he favors tearing down the statue of William McKinley in his town, he seemingly said little but in fact he said a lot.

"It's the only one we got."

Translated, McKinley is a dead white guy. Oh, Pitino can't even speak English correctly, he should have said, "It's the only one we have." Arcata, you can do better.

Why McKinley?

Because of McKinley pursued a policy unfavorable to Native Americans. As did, nearly all American presidents. Is Lincoln next, Carlson wonders?

Unlike most of far-northern California, Arcata is dominated by leftists.

Monday, April 02, 2018

Mark Dice on Easter and the Klan: They Actually Went There

Yes, on Easter Sunday, the holiest day in Christendom, NBC tied the faith to the Ku Klux Klan.

Yes, NBC really did that, Mark Dice bemoans

Woman stabbed while riding bus on Chicago's Magnificent Mile

North Michigan Avenue north of the Chicago River is dominated by upscale department stores such as Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. It's not where Chicagoans typically are assaulted, particularly on busses.

From NBC Chicago:
A woman was stabbed while riding a CTA bus on Chicago's Magnificent Mile Sunday, according to police.

Authorities said the incident took place around 10:15 p.m. in the 600 block of North Michigan Avenue.

A 30-year-old woman was sitting on a northbound bus when a woman seated behind her stabbed her in the back of the head with an unknown object inside of a glove, according to Chicago police. The stabbing resulted in a minor cut, officials said, and the victim was in good condition, refusing medical treatment on the scene.

Sunday, April 01, 2018

From De Tech Guy: Cultivating the Roseanne vote

The Republican Party needs more voters like Rosanne Conner of Lanford, Illinois. From my weekly post at Da Tech Guy: Cultivating the Roseanne vote.

He is risen

Yes, He has risen.

Happy Easter.

From Matthew 28:

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.