Can Obama conduct diplomacy and chew gum at the same time? Head scarf update.

Legal Insurrection

. . . "The Times of India notes that the country’s social media was aghast at the site of our President chewing gum during this important event:. . . "

Obama’s chewing gum habit: A diplomatic faux pas in India?  "During his visit to India, President Obama was once again spotted chewing gum at a public event. Diplomatic faux pas or a public struggle with nicotine addiction? "

 The Huffington Post pontificates on this as well here: Why Open-Mouth Chewing Makes Us Crazy. (But I digress)


UPDATE:  Michelle Obama's uncovered head draws Saudi Twitter critique
... "Saudi Arabia has a strict dress code for women, who are instructed to wear black robes and head coverings at all times in public, though visitors to the country are not required to abide by the dress code. In 2011, when then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Abdullah in New York, she did not cover her face or hair. Nor did then-first lady Laura Bush during a 2006 visit with Abdullah in Saudi Arabia." ...

Besides,  other women including Nancy Pelosi were uncovered as well.

REPORT: Bergdahl to be charged with desertion

iOTW Report

Breitbart (Video)   . . . “Bill, the Army has come to its conclusion and Bowe Bergdahl,” Shaffer said, “Sgt. Bergdahl will be charged with desertion. I have been told and confirmed by two other sources that his attorney was given what we call a charge sheet. A charge sheet is results of the investigation listing out the articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that have been violated. The key violation is desertion. And this is has been done. The decision has been made. Let me be very clear. As a corporate entity, the Army has decided that they want to pursue Bergdahl for this violation.” . . .

Was Bergdahl’s Charge List Leaked to Avoid Obama’s Interference? . . . "Considering how much trouble Obama went to make Bowe Bergdahl’s Taliban trade into a high profile event, it seems likely that the White House would have shut down the charges if it had gotten a chance.

"So instead the leak may have been a way of pre-empting the White House."

The Blizzard That Wasn't

Alan Caruba

. . . "When, earlier in January, NOAA and NASA reported that 2014 had been "the warmest year" it should have raised far more questions and media coverage given the sheer absurdity of such a report. Remember, though, these are two federal government agencies we expect to get it right. They didn’t just get it wrong, skeptical scientists were quick to note how they had deliberately distorted the data on which they based the claim.

"That is the heart of the issue surrounding the endless claims of “global warming” or “climate change.”  The planet has not been warming for 19 years at this point because the sun has been in a perfectly natural cycle of low radiation.

. . .

"That’s the good news. The bad news was the over-reaction of meteorologists and politicians. No doubt they wanted to be “safe than sorry” but they inadvertently taught us all a lesson about the way environmental organizations and a government led by a President telling us that “climate change” is the most dangerous challenge facing us have been deliberately lying about the true meteorological record in order to drag us all back to a time in which we burned wood for heat and rode horses for transportation." . . .

Full article here.

Election Influence: Obama Campaign’s Field Director Reportedly in Israel to Help Unseat Netanyahu

Victory Girls  " I’m betting Barack Obama, the guy who claims he doesn’t want to influence Israel’s upcoming election by meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu during his scheduled address to Congress in March—which, of course, is just the feeble excuse of a hypocrite— would like to bury this little golden nugget: Jeremy Bird (pictured right), a field director for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns—he also worked on John Kerry’s presidential campaign, founded Battleground Texas, and consults for Ready for Hillary—is reportedly in Israel with a group of four other Americans attempting to, yep, influence Israel’s elections by bankrolling opposition.From Independent Media Review Analysis:"

Haaretz reporter Roi Arad revealed in an article in the Hebrew edition today that the foreign funded organization, “One Voice”, is bankrolling the V-2015 campaign to defeat Binyamin Netanyahu’s national camp in the March 2015 Knesset Elections.One indication of the generous financing is that it has now flown in a team of five American campaign experts (including Jeremy Bird, the Obama campaign’s national field director) who will run the campaign out of offices taking up the ground floor of a Tel Aviv office building.

 Full article here.

Rerun: "Law & Order": another TV show that sucker-punches half the American population

Rerun from Monday, February 28, 2011
Why, you ask? Because this same episode of Law & Order ran on TNT again this week

"We began watching a 2009 episode of "Law and Order" entitled "Fed" last night and I had to shut it off at the start. We saw people like ourselves - TEA par-tiers, portrayed as rifle-toting, hateful bigots. Only Hollywood is capable of inspiring dislike and outrage by the simple means of the skillful acting of those who portray people like you and me as despicable and violent. They give us the same treatment they give to pharmaceutical  and insurance companies.


"May God bless all courageous conservatives in our country trying to stem the socialist tide sweeping America because the left has such massive force to bring against them. And the propaganda is being spoon-fed to the American public. How do we stand a chance?"

That would be a pro-Bush TEA partier on the right.

"On Law and Order" Tea Party Protesters are Like Terrorists Murdering Capitalists

CBS Uses Justin Bieber to Smear Tea Party

"Law & Order" & conservatives

I just surfed past "Law and Order, SVU" last evening and heard only the words "conservative bigot" spoken by Richard Belzer in the role of Munch. So I searched the words "conservative bigot law and order". Links included here are some of what came up.

Law [and] Order: Conservative Victims Unit  "This isn't the first time Law [and] Order writers have fantasized about murdering outspoken conservatives.  Last October, The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck was left shaken when an episode of Law [and] Order: SVU featured a character that was raped twice and then murdered by a serial killer.  The victim's name was Elizabeth Hassenbeck."

However, these good Americans must not - repeat NOT - be touched by the media.

American Sniper - Some Thoughts

"If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly." - David Hackworth

Blackfive "Before anything else, I want to note that I went to the first showing of the movie yesterday, and that the theatre was almost full.  It was clear that a number of people there were prior service, and that many of those attending had brought the family with them.  It was the most respectful, quiet, and polite audience I have ever experienced in a theatre, and once the movie started not a single cell phone rang, pinged, or made any noise.  It was also clear that the dust in the theatre got to most there, and even as the silent credits rolled, the politeness and respectful tones continued.  I noted more than one parent talking to their children afterwards, and that such conversations were exploring some very complex topics and helping children (and others) explore some difficult concepts and emotions.  

"The movie is powerful, extremely well done, and respectful to the subject and the subject matter.  It was fairly accurate to the book, and while some liberties were taken for dramatic purposes, it was done with respect and with consideration of the whole.  Frankly, they were small change in comparison to the faith given the true tale.  

"The acting is superb, and it was almost scary how much Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller look like Chris and Taya.  That, in many ways, was just the start of the level or realism to the film.  The directing and production were amazing, as was the cinematography.  The silence of the credits was a truly masterful touch, one of many in the movie.  

"As for those seeking to tear down the movie and Kyle, most of whom have not seen it (including one major reviewer), well, most here have sworn to (and fought for) their freedom of speech.  However, while their right to it is one paid for by those here, there is no obligation to respect ignorant and bigoted opinions, nor the miserable and degraded creatures that hold them.  The one review that matters to me comes from Taya, who says they got it right.  

"The movie is powerful, well done, and respectful.  It conveys almost frightningly(sp) well the cost and pain of war, and of coming home.  Bradley more than deserves his Oscar nod, and I have not seen an actor convey so much with just his eyes since Edward Woodward in his prime.  Both he and Sienna did so much with just eyes and expression, and in so doing made for truly powerful portrayals.

"Go. See. It. Now. "   Posted by Laughing Wolf

Chris Kyle

Gary Sinise Goes After Howard Dean For Insulting American Sniper Moviegoers…

. . . "I will admit that perhaps somewhere among the masses of people who are going to see the film there may be a few that might have some anger or have been angry at some point in their lives, but, with all due respect, what the hell are you talking about?”

Michael Moore Says He’s An Iraq War Hero Like Chris Kyle

‘American Sniper’ On Pace for Biggest Hit of 2014, All-Time Top-Grossing War Film

’BBC Describes Terrorists Killed In War By Chris Kyle as ‘Victims’

Inflate THIS!

U.S. Closes Embassy In Yemen Permanently After Shia Rebels Overrun Obama’s One-Time Anti-Terror Success Story…

U.S. citizens in Yemen remain vulnerable to kidnappings and terrorist attacks, especially when in transit to and from residences or workplaces. U.S. citizens should exercise caution and take prudent security measures in all areas, especially those areas frequented by Westerners. All U.S. citizens are reminded to vary their routes and times for all travel, maintain a high level of vigilance, keep a low profile, lock car windows and doors, carry a cell phone at all times, and report suspicious incidents to the Embassy.

http://comicallyincorrect.com/2015/01/22/deflate-gate/

Islamic Terrorism: The Taboo Topic

UPDATE:

President Obama in his State of the Union address Tuesday mentioned lesbians, he mentioned gays and he mentioned transgenders, but Obama didn't once mention al-Qaeda. That's easily explainable. Until al-Qaeda registers in California as a sexual preference, Democrats are going to pretend they don't exist. 

Comedian Argus Hamilton                                

Gatestone Institute  

"The political violence of the Koran is eternal and universal. The political violence of the Bible was for that particular historical time and place. This is the vast difference between Islam and other ideologies." — Bill Warner, Director, Center for the Study of Political Islam."The word has turned into a place where free speech is confused with hate speech, and people in positions of responsibility, who take that responsibility seriously, such as the Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders, are bullied, marginalized and brought to trial." . . .
"Every time Islamic terrorism is discussed, those who bring up the "Christian terrorism" of the Ku Klux Klan or anti-abortion violence simply block free speech, as if deliberately trying to scramble the main topic. They seem to be saying, "Whether the Islamic State is Islamic or not is irrelevant; there are Christian terrorists as well, so do not talk about Islamic terrorists." . . .That is why Islamic theology, ideology and goals desperately need to be discussed. They deeply affect the life choices most Muslims make.

"Shhhh! We can talk today of all religions but one. We can question all religions but one today. We know that any question of Islam can be taken as a criticism, and put our lives at risk, as seen most recently in Paris with the murders of the staff of Charlie Hebdo magazine. It is the only religion that people -- including the apologists for "Islamophobia" -- have to think ten times before discussing. At the same time, it is the same religion that is perpetually associated with "peace."

"Why should anyone be afraid of a "religion of peace"? Because some of its supporters threaten to kill you, and often do." . . .Full article

Bibi’s Congressional Trip... A Necessary Risk Or A Major Blunder?

The Lid  "The dynamics of the Netanyahu visit is much more complicated than the U.S. and Israeli media try and make it out to be. It is more than one more breach in the Obama/Netanyahu relationship; it’s a reaction to the President’s attempt to go around the constitutionally mandated rules for Senate approval of treaties, Obama’s use of British Prime Minister David Cameron to lobby for Congress to submit to the President, and a fear that the President will agree to a deal that will naively give Iran a treaty that will put the United States and Israel in grave danger."
. . .
"But from the perspective of the Israeli Prime Minister there is no wiggle room, the Iranian nuclear program must be stopped at all costs. Netanyahu is not a worry-about-Iran-come lately. Whether you agree with him or not, Bibi has made the Iranian nuclear program a priority issue became Likud party leader the first time, in 1992."

Politics Club

Boehner: We gave White House heads up on Netanyahu  . . . "Boehner and Netanyahu were said to have agreed that the Israeli prime minister would speak in Washington on March 3 without consulting the administration — the customary policy on such things. "This gave rise to anger in Washington and to criticism in the media.

Asked about the White House’s statements that it had been blindsided by the plan, Boehner told CBS’s “60 Minutes,” “We gave them a heads up that morning.. ” 
Can  you say "fait accompli"?

"In a speech at an Israeli Bonds Dinner in Florida Sunday, Israeli Ambassador To the US Ron Dermer laid out the reasons Netanyahu was going to congress:"

Amb. Dermer

. . . "Now there may be some people who believe that the Prime Minister of Israel should have declined an invitation to speak before the most powerful parliament in the world on an issue that concerns the future and survival of Israel.

"But we have learned from our history that the world becomes a more dangerous place for the Jewish people when the Jewish people are silent.

"That is why the Prime Minister feels the deepest moral obligation to appear before the Congress to speak about an existential issue facing the one and only Jewish state.

"This is not just the right of the Prime Minister of Israel. It is his most sacred duty -- to do whatever he can to prevent Iran from ever developing nuclear weapons that can be aimed at Israel."

The Times of India catches Obama in "an ungainly sight" — chewing gum during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

Once again, Obama offends foreign hosts with inappropriate gum-chewing at a serious public event   "Embarrassing himself, his office, and the American people, President Obama has allowed the nicotine monkey on his back to get the better of his duty.  At least that’s the charitable interpretation of his public gum-chewing.  Why, other than a craving for nicotine causing him to chomp down on Nicorette Gum, would he reinforce an invidious stereotype of Americans as gum-chewers?"

Althouse  "He was also seen taking the gum out of his mouth while Prim Minister Modi was "trying to explain something." Was Modi trying to explain why you shouldn't chew gum during the Republic Day parade?

"The Times of India includes some Twitter commentary:

[A]uthor Shobhaa De...  said, "Barack bhai working his jaws overtime and chewing gum! At least it isn't gutka. But seriously - gum during a formal parade?".

           Barack Obama chews gum as parade marches on

"Glad to see @BarackObama is so human. Like most Americans, he chews gum. Anyone know what brand?," was how noted film-maker Shekhar Kapur reacted.

"Barack bhai" — what does that mean? Yahoo Answers says it means "brother," but:

"'Bhai' exactly means brother. But in Mumbai this term is used for gangster....

Strategic Culture Foundation writes:
"American media in past has commented about Obama's habit of chewing gum while referring to his medical report, according to which the US president was in excellent health except for a minor problem of "history of smoking". 

"But Obama was now "tobacco free" buoyed by the "occasional use" of "nicotine gum", said a report in Washington Post.

Perhaps the Times of India mentioned this because:
India welcomes Obama but really preferred Bush

A Christian Blogger Stopped Wearing Yoga Pants For Her Husband So She Wouldn’t “Entice” Men

Buzzfeed

Video from her blog


"Veronica Partridge’s blog post about her decision to stop wearing leggings or yoga pants in public is making a lot of people angry."

"Although many people online argued that her decision was “slut-shaming”, Partridge said her “conscience is clear”.

"The blog entry received both support and strong criticism. Some supporters quoted Bible passages and commended her for “honouring God and her husband”. One commenter said: 
“When a woman wears leggings and its all on show, they may as well not wearing anything from the waist down, in fact, it’s probably more sexually enticing than not wearing anything from the waist down in many cases.”

"Meanwhile, others criticised the entry for feeding into the idea that what a women chooses to wear dictates how men behave. “How about you learn to control your thoughts?” said one commenter. “Why do women constantly need to make it easier for men?' ”. . .

THE FREEDOM TO BE A CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

Biola Magazine  By Brett McCracken

As religious convictions are met with new legal challenges, what's at stake for schools like Biola?

 "What happens when the Christian conscience conflicts with the laws of the land? The U.S. Constitution protects the free exercise of religion, but what does “exercise” include? Does it encompass the expression of faith in a for-profit business? This was a question raised by Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, this summer’s landmark Supreme Court case that examined the scope of religion freedom for closely held for-profit corporations.

"What about religious nonprofits? Will relief organizations and Christian colleges maintain the freedom to define their Christian identity broadly – as a communal movement that calls us to live and serve the world for Christ, beyond a private home or a church’s walls? Religious freedom is increasingly a contested issue in our society, and it’s hitting close to home for communities like Biola University.

"Yet it’s less about politics than it is about principles. What’s at stake is the freedom to be who we are – to do life together in the manner we believe God has called us."     Read the full article