Tunnel Wall

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Obamacare or Not Obamacare?

NRO ... "A reporter at a sparsely attended press conference learned Thursday what happens when you refer to the president’s signature health-care law by its popular nickname in front of Pelosi.

“ 'It’s called the Affordable Care Act. It’s called the Affordable Care Act. I know you didn’t intend any compliment or derogatory — it’s called the Affordable Care Act,” the California Democrat adamantly corrected. “Affordable, affordable — there’s a reason — affordable, affordable, affordable, affordable, affordable.' ”...

.... "Additionally, Pelosi’s communications director Drew Hammill, the person in charge of the congresswoman’s messaging, has not been shy in promoting the term on his account."

Laura Ingraham On Crimea: Why Are We Only Concerned About The Borders Of Other Countries?

Downtrend

"But, we have a country right now where the people look around and say, ‘Wait a second, why do we only seem to care about borders and sovereignty when they’re other countries’ borders and sovereignty?’” Ingraham said.

“Why is that we’re obsessed about that but, in our country, we have a middle class completely flatlining, we have economic opportunity dwindling, and I think it’s a hard sell to the people on spending money that we don’t really know where it’s coming from in an economy that needs desperate help here,” she said."

Three More Palestinian “No’s” to Peace

Jonathan S. Tobin ... ""Yet while the Israelis have been prepared to accept Kerry’s framework for continued talks, albeit with misgivings about the direction of the process, it is the Palestinians who are digging in their heels and won’t commit to the framework or to keep talking after April. Demonstrating just how strong he thinks his hand is with the Americans, Abbas delivered three significant “no’s” to Obama last week that call into question both the Palestinians’ intentions as well as the future of the current process:"...

And can you imagine the brainpower it took to come up with this cartoon?

This was drawn by Carlos Latuff, some of whose leftist, pro-terrorist work is pictured at the link. Bombman is one he did.

TelAvivbuststop.jpg

Friday News Dump

Friday Morning News Dump: when the Government wants to have you and the press not know what they are doing. Also referred to as the Friday Document Dump.

Ace of Spades HQ

Russia Offers Different Threat than Cold War Era

Military.com

Infinite Unknown

"Russia's military maneuvers in Crimea have left U.S. analysts questioning what sort of threat the former Cold War military giant's forces, platforms and weaponry currently present.

"Russian leaders have pushed to expand the military's conventional land, air and sea forces and quickly transition into the higher-tech information age while steadily pursuing next generation platforms.

"Overall, Russia's conventional and nuclear arsenal is a fraction of what it was during the Cold War, but the country is pursuing a new class of submarines, a T-50 stealth fighter jet, next-generation missiles and high-tech gear for individual ground soldiers."

Hat tip to John Paul Curnutt; Madras, Oregon

Oh, by the way: Putin to put Russian bases in Latin America

Western Hemisphere left wide open by Obama's weakening policies
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2014/03/putin-to-put-russian-bases-in-latin-america/#DVj37zkPi5la0YwW.99

Before Al Gore there was Noah;(UPDATED) little mention of God, and "unbelievers" are those who do not believe in man-caused global, er, climate change

Hollywood Reporter

"To be sure, this is not the genial, grandfatherly Noah charmingly evoked by John Huston when he led an orderly assemblage of animals into the ark two-by-two in his 1965 epic The Bible. Crowe's Noah is a fighter, a survivalist and yet a tortured man dismayed by the ruin brought upon the land by the others of his species. In a visit with his ancient grandfather Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins), the men agree that, “It's men who broke the world,” and that, as a result, the Creator will destroy it. Foraging with one of his sons, Noah instructs, “We only collect what we need, what we can use.” For many today, this sort of environmental, back-to-the-earth religion has replaced the old-fashioned kind, with nonbelievers as shunned and disdained by the faithful as heathens once were by the righteous."

UPDATE: Noah epic awash in flood of controversy for green agenda and taking liberties with Bible ... "Noah's director Darren Aronofsky, a self-described atheist who made the Oscar-nominated hit The Black Swan, has described the movie as is "the least biblical biblical film ever made" and called Noah "the first environmentalist". According to one early review, the name "God" is not actually spoken at any stage.

"Now, amid a wave of criticism from some Christian groups about its loose interpretation of a sacred script, the Paramount studio has taken the unusual step of issuing an "explanatory message" to accompany marketing material."
....
In a effort to stymie the criticism, Paramount has just released a new eight-minute promotional video called Noah Featurette running praise from Christian leaders for the film.

" 'Movies aren't meant to preach. Movie's aren't sermons [WHAT?], and so if they can bring up the topic and start conversations, that's a good movie" ...
Emphasis added. Who hasn't grown sick of the progressive agenda promoted so often by the entertainment we watch?

Obama May Issue 'Very Controversial Executive Orders' on Immigration

CNS News

"Díaz-Balart suggested that Obama could scrap a Homeland Security program called Secure Communities, which allows state and local police to check the immigration status of people they detain for other reasons.

" 'That has caused more thn 150,000 people to be deported," Díaz-Balart said. "And maybe the president could tackle that specifically. That would mitigate immediately in local communities people who have minor traffic infractions and find themselves deported.' "

Saturday, March 22, 2014

News in Brief

Beijing hotel workers already 'fed up' with Obama entourage in 3400-square-foot, $8,350-per-night suite inconveniencing 'pretty much everyone' – and the first lady's mother is 'barking at the staff'

The issue seems to be the security and with Michelle's mother.

"Ordinary Chinese describe Mrs. Obama and her family as kind and gracious, but hotel staff are 'fed up'" (Also here)

"But the Obamas' stay has already affected staff and guests at the hotel, with the Westin front-desk veteran alleging that Mrs. Obama's mother Marian Robinson has been 'barking at the staff since she arrived.' "

....

"Ordinary Chinese who have met the American first lady have described her in media reports as approachable and friendly, and the hotel staffer agreed. " 'The first lady is gracious, and the girls are lovely,' he said." UK Daily Mail

Open Letter: To the Fraternal Order of the Perpetually Offended ... "I do realize that you could have taken the easy way out by protesting the imprisonment, torture, and execution of homosexuals in such places as Russia, Iran and China, but all of you have recognized the true threat that faces these oppressed people: the threat of losing the “right” to shamelessly seek attention at every social, religious, political and private function. It takes a pair to stand up to Christianity, a mob that prides itself on forgiveness – although their definition of “forgiveness” does not sync with yours; your “forgiveness” is more like “submission from the other side." ”... Daily Clash

I do realize that you could have taken the easy way out by protesting the imprisonment, torture, and execution of homosexuals in such places as Russia, Iran and China, but all of you have recognized the true threat that faces these oppressed people: the threat of losing the “right” to shamelessly seek attention at every social, religious, political and private function. It takes a pair to stand up to Christianity, a mob that prides itself on forgiveness – although their definition of “forgiveness” does not sync with yours; your “forgiveness” is more like “submission from the other side.”

Dangerous Times: Obama Surrenders ... "Well, two of the biggest bullies in the world just took Obama at his word, Russia and Iran. Bow down to thugs and you will get what you ask for.

"To top it all, both Obama and John Kerry just went into a public rage when Israel’s defense minister dared to tell the truth about Obama’s surrender to Iran -- which happens to threaten Israel with nuclear genocide." ...

....

"Bullies bow down to the biggest thugs on the block, and abuse the weakest. This is now our foreign policy. "

The Left’s Laughable Effort to Label Paul Ryan ‘Racist’ Crumbles “ 'The attacks on Mr. Ryan are one more example of the politics of personal vilification that typifies the left these days. Its policies were supposed to reduce inequality, but instead the income gap is widening,” an editorial in the Journal on Friday read. “Liberals have to smear conservatives personally because they know they’re losing on the merits.' ”

Another Hate Crime Hoax: Black Student Admits To Writing Racial Slurs On Her Dorm Room Door…

Frozen Mid-Cut: Log Sculpture Shows How Trees Get Sliced

Vincent Kohler "Ever wonder how boards turn from trees into building materials? While not a secret, the process is also not entirely obvious - and rarely this clear or quite so visceral."

"Vincent Kohler (photos by Geoffrey Cottenceau) shows the art and geometry of the dissection process in much the same way an insect specialist might cut and splice a living specimen (or a butcher's chart shows where slabs of meat can be found).

"The result is a kind of three-dimensional version of a logging diagram drawing, showing in frozen time and physical reality how each cut is made and what the resulting sizes are, from which our minds can also reverse-engineer the order of cuts."

Hat tip to Jeff Hayden; Plano. TX

Vlad vs. Barry in pictures

Krauthammer: Obama’s pathetic response to Putin’s invasion of Crimea

Charles Krauthammer ... "During the Ukrainian prime minister’s visit to Washington last week, his government urgently requested military assistance. The Pentagon refused. It offered instead military ration kits."

"Putin mobilizes thousands of troops, artillery and attack helicopters on Ukraine’s borders and Washington counters with baguettes, American-style. One thing we can say for sure in these uncertain times: The invasion of Ukraine will be catered by the United States.

"Why did we deny Ukraine weapons? Because in the Barack Obama-John Kerry worldview, arming the victim might be taken as a provocation. This kind of mind-bending illogic has marked the administration’s response to the whole Crimea affair."