Finally - the ACLU exposed

It's about time!! A major media personality has finally exposed the ACLU for what it really is. Bill O'Reilly of Fox News told the truth about the ACLU in his Talking Points Memo on Wednesday, October 12. What got him started was the Oregon Supreme Court's ruling that live sex shows are permitted under the guise of free speech. O'Reilly is right. The ACLU has moved so far left and has become so rampantly liberal that they've completely lost touch with the American people. Three specific examples of the ACLU's disdain for the mainstream which O'Reilly pointed out include:

• The ACLU is defending the North American Man Boy Love Association, saying that although the organization champions the criminal rape of children, it has a right to do that under free expression.
• The ACLU endorses virtual child pornography and has defended the right of people to obtain real child porn.
• the ACLU opposed the Minutemen protests at the border, obviously, a legitimate form of expression.

The ACLU is acting counter to the mainstream in the US. It has decided to wage an all out war on the American people in its attempt to force its liberal agenda down our throats.

Thanks O'Reilly for cutting through the spin and speaking the truth.

Does this really make sense?

Charles Krauthammer has a very interesting article about the recent success in creating a living version of the infamous 1918 Spanish flu which killed millions. Now, I understand the importance of scientists having access to the full genome for research and planning purposes. However, the full genome has been made available to the general public with basic instructions on how to recreate the virus. Does this make sense?

I don't think so. I agree with Mr. Krauthammer, why should terrorists now worry about nuclear material that will only sicken or perhaps kill thousands, when you can unleash worldwide terror and devastation with a virus? Sometimes, it is better for this information NOT to be made generally available and to reserve it to a "need to know" group.

Anyway, I still believe terrorists are more interested in a biological terror weapon than a nuclear weapon. Interestingly, Tom Clancy explored this scenario quite a number of years ago in his book Executive Orders. In that book, he details how Iranian (ironic isn't it) terrorists attack the United States by releasing a virulent strain of Ebola around the country. When you check out the book, check the publication date.

That's why we should take the fight to the terrorists on their soil instead of waiting on them to come here.

Durham Gas Station Update

Following up on a previous blog To Gouge or Not to Gouge it gets even more interesting. In an AP story filed on 10/10, it seems that the state of North Carolina is getting involved and has actually sued the supplier for potential gouging.

According to the story, Steven Grover the owner and his wife, were being pressured to raise their prices "in the ballpark" of what other gas stations served by the same supplier were charging. In fact, as you read the story, the wife was told "to get with the program and raise your prices". Now as I stated in my first blog on this issue, I am all for market forces controlling pricing. It ALWAYS works. However, as more and more information comes out, it seems that the suppliers have been having too much influence over what the final price at the pump will be.

I can't wait to see how this one falls out here and elsewhere.

Anybody But Hillary...yes, even this early

If you want to have a little fun, check out the following BLOG:

anybody but hillary

Here we're just stating the obvious, that ANYBODY but Hillary Clinton is the right choice for both the Senate race in 2006 and definitely the Presidential race in 2008.

Have fun watching the facts pile up.

Global Warming....eh?

The media has been fawning all over any politician or celebrity that will blame Katrina and Rita on Global Warming. They've even gone so far as to point out what every politician around the globe has to say about The United States' responsibility for being the root of all evil and causing Global Warming. Sadly, the media has failed in its job to report on what actually happened and to use, GASP, true experts to make scientific statements. Last I checked, none of the following had degrees in meteorology:

• Al Gore
• Hillary Clinton
  
• Barbara Streisand
  
• Salma Hayek

But these guys are considered experts:

• Max Mayfield - Director, National Hurricane Center
  
• Dr. William Gray - Colorado State University
• Philip Klotzbach - Colorado State University

As reported by AFP on September 20:

"Another three to six tropical storms, which could turn into hurricanes, are expected to strike before the end of 2005, making a total of 18 to 21 for the year, Mayfield said.

He dismissed the possibility that global warming could be playing a major role in the growing number of tropical storms.

"The increased activity since 1995 is due to natural cycles of hurricane activity driven by the Atlantic Ocean itself along with the atmosphere above it and not enhanced substantially by global warming," Mayfield said."

As reported in USA today on October 4:

"Gray and Klotzbach said factors behind this year's active season include warmer-than-average Atlantic Ocean surface temperatures and lower-than-normal sea level pressures, lower-than-average vertical wind shears and moister conditions in the lower and middle atmosphere.

They said they do not attribute the active season to human-induced global warming. Instead, they cited "long-period natural climate alterations that historical and paleo-climate records show to have occurred many times in the past."

Unfortunately, the media are more interested with presenting the opinions of unqualified celebrities and politicians because that drives ratings and market share. Of course, no one wants to here boring facts that may detract from sensationalist hype.

One other thing. I doubt the media will spend much time on this story reported by the AP:

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Portions of Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming were hit by a slow-moving snowstorm that knocked out power, closed roads and dumped up to 2 feet by Wednesday night."

To gouge or not to gouge

Ok, first let me state that I am a very big proponent of a market economy and allowing market forces to do their work. When there is constrained supply, prices should increase and when supply is plentiful, prices will fall.

That said, it has been curious watching gas prices, rather the entire "oil" industry in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I know production in the Gulf has been significantly impacted. I also know that pipelines have been down for varying lengths of time in different areas. Normal sags in supply SHOULD affect pricing in a market economy, but there is evidence that seems to indicate otherwise in this case. If you look at the Income Statements of some of the biggest oil companies Exxon-Mobil, BP-Amoco and Chevron, it's interesting to note the dramatic increases in Net Income for each of the last three Annual Reports. If increases at the pump matched or even slightly paced ahead of increased costs for production and supply, then these jumps in Net Income should not be so dramatic. I know the shareholders are pleased, but is there the making of a collusive oligopoly?

Surely, the independent stations bear part of the blame here right? But as many news stations have reported, gas stations don't make much on gas. They depend on other purchases for most of their income. One would think that normal business would dictate that a business owner in a competitive market like gasoline would sell his product based on the wholesale price. But, that doesn't seem to be the case. In fact, one gas station owner in Durham, NC refused to increase prices on the gas he already had in the ground and he is now paying the price for his decision.

Now, I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but I do wonder if perhaps suppliers are exerting too much pressure on end retailers in an attempt to drive the price up beyond what normal market forces would do.