Now we have Professors starting websites for the RICH to give back tax-cuts ?.....

So now we have three professors from the elite universities of Yale & Cornell out there who have come up with a website so the "RICH" can now donate the "Tax-cuts" (?) that they just got with Congress extending the "Bush Tax-cuts" last month....

"three professors at Yale and Cornell universities have created a website that encourages wealthy Americans to give their tax savings to charities and send a political message in the process."

One professor is a political scientist while the other two are law professors and with hope they may find a economics professor to help explain tax cuts and their effects but don't count on it. What tax-cuts? Congress extended the "Bush Tax-cuts" keeping the tax rates the same for all federal taxpayers so actually nobody or any one bracket actually got a Tax-cut. It is amazing that people exposed to the "Spin" coming from the Left actually believe that by NOT RAISING a tax rate it is actually a tax-cut !!!...

"The professors started giveitbackforjobs.org to allow Americans "who have the means" to calculate what their tax cut would be and donate that amount to a charity."

Who is it up to when it comes to determine who is of "means" and what amount they should pay? Who determines what is the "fair share" that many claim the rich need to pay? With tax brackets that go from 5% all the way up to 35% for federal income tax payers who determines the "fair share"? When will it ever be enough and what about the 50%+ of the income earners that pay NO federal income tax at all?

Many people will work all of their lives building up their assets, develop businesses and investments, defer monetary and personal gains and put it right back into the business and investments while paying taxes on these assets all along the way. Only to be TAXED AGAIN at the time of their death before the assets are passed onto their families. What right does the government have to assets that have been taxed already?...

"Extending the tax cuts for the very wealthiest Americans is frankly unconscionable," Yale Law School professor Daniel Markovits said Wednesday. With the website's help, "donors can pledge their money to support the kinds of programs that will help families, create jobs, and set the country moving toward a just prosperity,"

Another perfect example of class warfare. Not sure what a professor from Yale or Cornell makes but are they in the "wealthiest of Americans" as described and who determines that? If they are in fact in this group who is stopping them from donating their "fair share" to the website? If these "Professors" were to go out and find a real economics professor other than one from their elite universities, they might understand how to really "help families, create jobs, and set the country moving toward a just prosperity," They might learn that if you really want to help families, the economy, and lower the un-employment rate, the best way is to actually lower the tax rates again to inspire investment and faith in the economy. This is a proven fact with the data after the Kennedy tax-cuts, the Reagan tax-cuts, and the Bush 43 tax-cuts. Many stated that when Reagan lowered the top tax rate from 70% that the treasury would go broke. In fact the tax revenue coming into the federal treasury doubled within two years. This week Canada lowered their corporate tax rate to half of what the United States corporate tax rate is at 35%. We have the second highest tax rate in the world. Where do you think business is going to go? The economy is "Dynamic", not "Static" as many of the Left and at Universities believe.....

"The professors say other features of the tax package, including a payroll tax cut and an extension of unemployment benefits, are acceptable but the overall package does not go far enough to help the middle class and doesn't expect enough of those who can afford to give the most."

Who determines "Who" and "How" much?.....

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Marine shows us all...

HOT fishing in the Florida Keys.... Field & Stream Hook Shots.....

Film crew from Field & Stream magazine on my good friend Capt Mike Weinhofer's boat Compass Rose in the Florida Keys. Turns out the Star was also from New Jersey so that makes for good video and commentary...

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Much crying from those in the Keys about a "cold front" of 40 degrees while it was about 15 degrees up here but 40 is cold for "Paradise"... Told Mikeee to go stick his head in his freezer and it would still be warmer than up here!!...

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Great video, Great action, and Great boat....

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Obama: Soldiers and family can sit in the back....

Let's focus on the goverment waste.....

"BandWagon"...

"Global Warming" = BIG Business....

What we teach our children in school....

Poor Dave, can't get Mom to buy into the Global Warming thing....

Condi for President !!!...

Katie, Those darn facts just keep getting in the way...

Dr. Paul Kovalski...

Marlboro resident Dr. Paul Kovalski, a former member of the Township Council, found the bone of a Hadrosaurus in the area several years ago. Kovalski has treasured the Big Brook region for years. He has brought the area to the attention of the public and he has highlighted the need to preserve this local resource.

Kovalski created Dinosaur Day 11 years ago to celebrate Earth Day and to bring recognition to Marlboro’s important fossil site.




Another great Fossil site in New Jersey.....

Cancun Carbon Footprint....

Carbon Worrywarts Burn Carbon Posted December 10, 2010 12:00 AM EST
Daily NewsRecord Harrisonburg, VA

I found it both ironic and interesting to see that the DN-R published an Open Forum by one of the two residents who attended the climate conference in Cancun (“Reduce Your Carbon Footprint;” “Couple To Attend Climate Conference In Cancun,” Dec. 2;). The Stricklers will attend part of the two-week conference as nongovernmental observers for the Sierra Club.

In his Open Forum, Charles Strickler also expressed his concerns regarding the use and damaging effects of fossil fuels as well as the reasons for the dire status of our economy.

The carbon calculator I found online estimates the roundtrip flights for Mr. and Mrs. Strickler to Cancun from, say, Charlottesville produced 3,802 lbs. of global warming CO2 gas. And how much better would it have been to spend the money generated by this conference right here in the economy of the United States?


Here is an interesting comment and link in response to the above Letter to the Editor in today's Daily NewsRecord....

Well, the Stricklers did mention R & R, and drinking margaritas, so I hope they had a good time. That really is all that matters. There was an opening prayer to a Mayan goddess. Some say that the 15,000 attendees produced as much carbon as an African nation does in one year. But the price of a ton of carbon on the Chicago Climate Exchange is still zero.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/climatechange/8166871/Cancun-Climate-Conference-What-is-my-carbon-footprint.html

What about the conference itself? Organisers the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) were unable to supply me with a carbon footprint when I asked. But the last conference in Copenhagen, that had just as many people travelling from all around the world, generated the same amount of carbon produced by an African country in one year, and we can hardly suppose it will much less with all the air-conditioning etc.

Just think about the carbon and energy savings if they held this conference by way of tele-conferencing? Everybody wants to sit home in their pajamas "working" on their computers instead of actually traveling into the workplace to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint. Imagine the savings of both if they quit transporting 15,000+ people to tropical islands for two week bash?

The local activist that were mentioned in the above Letter to the Editor traveled to Cancun as "nongovernmental observers" and supported by the Sierra Club... It is good to be active in causes and I am sure the DNR will have a lovely story about their activism\vaction in Cancun and there will sure to be numerous LTE & Open Forums written by the Stricklers. I wonder if they will mention the debate on the overall "footprint" made by this conference?...

The Sierra Club reported Income of $91,843,757 for the year of 2004 with a end of year net worth of $53,339,819...

Imagine how many of those funny looking CFL lightbulbs the Sierra Club could have purchased and the Stricklers could have handed out and the amount of energy saved\Carbon reduction instead of a trip to Cancun?.....

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"Climate Change" (Global Warming) BIG Business....

Climate Depot

More than 1000 dissenting scientists (updates previous 700 scientist report) from around the globe have now challenged man-made global warming claims made by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore. This new 2010 320-page Climate Depot Special Report—updated from 2007’s groundbreaking U.S. Senate Report of over 400 scientists who voiced skepticism about the so-called global warming “consensus”—features the skeptical voices of over 1000 international scientists, including many current and former UN IPCC scientists, who have now turned against the UN IPCC.

The chorus of skeptical scientific voices grew louder in 2010 as the Climategate scandal—which involved the upper echelon of UN IPCC scientists—detonated upon on the international climate movement. “I view Climategate as science fraud, pure and simple,” said noted Princeton Physicist Dr. Robert Austin shortly after the scandal broke. Climategate prompted UN IPCC scientists to turn on each other. UN IPCC scientist Eduardo Zorita publicly declared that his Climategate colleagues Michael Mann and Phil Jones “should be barred from the IPCC process...They are not credible anymore.” Zorita also noted how insular the IPCC science had become. “By writing these lines I will just probably achieve that a few of my future studies will, again, not see the light of publication,” Zorita wrote.

Other UN scientists were more blunt. South African UN scientist declared the UN IPCC a “worthless carcass” and noted IPCC chair Pachauri is in “disgrace”. He also explained that the “fraudulent science continues to be exposed.” Alexander, a former member of the UN Scientific and Technical Committee on Natural Disasters harshly critiqued the UN. “‘I was subjected to vilification tactics at the time. I persisted. Now, at long last, my persistence has been rewarded...There is no believable evidence to support [the IPCC] claims. I rest my case!” See: S. African UN Scientist Calls it! ‘Climate change - RIP: Cause of Death: No scientifically believable evidence...Deliberate manipulation to suit political objectives’ [Also see: New Report: UN Scientists Speak Out On Global Warming—As Skeptics!]

American Flag on Mars?.... Two Vietnams?...

"1/1,000 of 1%"...

"Global Warming" did not work so now it's "Global Climate Change", or is it?...

Turns out it's getting hard to sell the "Global Warming" stick so it has been changed to "Global Climate Change" which is more broad based and will always be true as long as the weather does not go static and never change at all...

The temperature this morning in Cancun dropped to 51F, breaking the record low for the date of 64 set in 2000. It was also the coldest December morning in Cancun history (old record 52F). Gore must have been there at least in spirit. Recall last year, the IPCC Copenhagen meeting was hit with a blizzard and frigid temperatures. The IPCC moved the meeting to Cancun to avoid another embarrassment and feel the global warmth.

More than 1000 dissenting scientists (updates previous 700 scientist report) from around the globe have now challenged man-made global warming claims made by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore. This new 2010 320-page Climate Depot Special Report—updated from 2007’s groundbreaking U.S. Senate Report of over 400 scientists who voiced skepticism about the so-called global warming “consensus”—features the skeptical voices of over 1000 international scientists, including many current and former UN IPCC scientists, who have now turned against the UN IPCC.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Liberty Flames....

Virginia Tech Hokies vs Liberty Flames at the LaHaye Ice Center in Lynchburg, VA.

Good game with alot of action from the second period on. Liberty had better passing game and if you look at the roster many of the players were from Ontario and the likes as compared to the Hokies where most players from this area and the east coast...

The LaHaye arena is somewhat smaller and was filled with student attendance. Good turnout for the Liberty team with a 11 to 6 win at the end...

The Liberty college team also won the penalty box occupation contest with many of the fine player\students spending the majority of the game penalty time there....

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What Tax-Cuts!!!...

Listen up people....

Obama is NOT fighting to get a tax-cut for the middle class !!!...

Obama is claiming that he is working to get a tax-cut for the middle class when in effect there is NO tax-cut for the middle class just attempting to keep the tax-rate for the middle class from increasing from the expiration of the Bush era taxcuts!!!

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Many of those who fell for the claim of "Change" and "Hope" and did not listen or thought past the talking points now believe that Obama will be providing them with a tax-cut and expect their taxes to go down. Just like the claims of overflowing "Obama-money" coming to them if they elect him, these same people WILL BE disappointed when there is in fact NO TAX REDUCTION.... Only a taxrate increase if Congress fails to extend the Bush era tax-cuts.....

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And the BS about tax-cuts costing millions\billions if they are extended to the top people making over $250K per year? Just another example of Obama and his administration and Democrat Congress not understanding how the economy works and the history\effects of tax-cuts...

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Look at the Kennedy (D) era tax-cuts... "A rising tide lifts ALL boats" and that these tax-cuts did...

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Before the Reagan tax-cuts many claimed that reducing the top rate from 70% to 28% would result in the U.S. Treasury being left without enough revenue coming in. Fact is within 1-1\2 years after the tax-cuts the amount of revenue coming in DOUBLED !!!...

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Obama and Congress have had numerous opportunities to extend, or better off make permanent, the Bush era tax-cuts but FAILED to do so. By allowing only the top marginal tax-rates to increase as Obama hopes will only damage the economy more and set us all back. Also allowing Capitol gains tax rate increasing will destroy the stock market and our 401k's..The United States already has the 2nd highest corporate taxrate so why manufacture here in the States?

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Don't buy the BS that Obama and his branch of the Congress is selling!!!...

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Virginia Tech Ice Hockey vs. Kentucky Wildcats....

Virginia Tech Hokies played the Kentucky Wildcats in Roanoke last night at the Civic Center and lost 3 - 2 after a very active game. Games can be watched on the internet by using the Livestream site which may not have the best audio\visual technology, but like the Hockey team, is raw talent that is playing the game for the love of the game. No millionaires skating around just guys who want to play the game for what it is...

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Hokies also maintain a website which is pretty good but not updated as often as it could be... They are also part of the ACHA hockey league which also includes several teams from this area including James Madison, Radford, Liberty College, and VMI...

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So where is the criminal case against Congressman Charle Rangel (D) ???

So when do they start the criminal tax evasion case on Congressman Charlie Rangel (D) ???...

Local Harrisonburg VA Activist go to Cancun, Mexico to "Celebrate"(?) Global Warming?....

The local Harrisonburg newspaper reports that a local "Environmentalist\Political activist" couple from the Harriosnburg area is now attending the Climate Action Alliance gathering being held in Cancun, Mexico.... (See above video of the event)

Both Charles and Cathy Strickler have been active in the area and I have seen their Letters to the Editors in the paper numerous times and they are indeed very "active" in the local happenings of the Valley....

During this same week the same newspaper highlighted some wisdom from Mr. Strickler in a Open Forum letter to the people of the valley. Impressive opportunity for Strickler to broadcast his views and beliefs but the original article printed in The News Leader should have asked the activists the obvious questions regrding the reason for this trip to Cancun and the event itself....

In his Open Forum letter Strickler stated:

The big financial institutions went happily on their way, selling homes to people who could not afford them, and passing the loans on to others who did not care about those involved. Just give me mine! Some even made money by betting that the market would crash (AIG). Some tried to get people to change their ways, to get better regulations on borrowing, etc., but of course, things got out of hand and now we are all paying the price. There were a few people who predicted the financial problem. What would have happened if 90 percent of all financial advisers had been saying that the economy was not sustainable?

But yet was it not the Democratic Party majority controlled Congress that allowed the above actions to continue and infact encouraged it? Remember Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and how many of the Congresspeople from the Democrat party supported its actions in loaning money to those who obviously could not afford it?.... Remember the videos of Congressman Charlie Rangle on the floor stating Fannie and Freddie are just fine?..And as much as I am sure that the Stricklers love and appreciate the predictions made by Glen Beck, he has been reporting and predicting the current financial mess for years.....

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On the climate side, there are some who get it and are doing all they can to change their lives by reducing their carbon use. Besides, it also makes good economic sense to insulate your house and drive a fuel efficient vehicle. And if you truly understand the science, you have great concern for your children and grandchildren.

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Now about those 1,500 activists that are attending the get-together in Cancun, Mexico...

What is the "Carbon footprint" of that travel and how was that trip to and from Harrisonburg, Virginia? Maybe the Stricklers bought the appropriate "Carbon Credits" from the Al Gore boondoggle of a program....

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Models of our environmental future do not paint a very pretty picture. No one knows with certainty exactly how it will turn out, but the scientists whom we have relied on in the past tell us that we are headed for a very different and difficult environmental future. Can we as individuals and collective citizens make a difference in the outcome? I am trying to do my part and hoping that you will do your part too.
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Obviously... Are the numerous airpanes from Harrisonburg area airport to and from Cancun, Mexico of the Hybrid electric\gas type?.....

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TSA Bumper Stickers.....

Click on photo to enlarge.....

Thanks Chet....

Are you kidding me?!.....

Above photo today of a missile trail off the California coast that nobody knows anything about?

Are you KIDDING me!!??...

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Distinct contrail rising from the water up into the sky and nobody knows nothing???

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Anybody remember TWA 800 where numerous eyewitnesses saw contrail go up from the water towards the plane and then a explosion?

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They spun that incident and said those people, one of the a Viet Nam vet aviator who knew what missile launches looked like, and convinced everybody they did NOT see what they saw?...

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Missile from a Sub?

Was it our sub?...

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Nobody knows nothing???....

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Is "Hockey Stick" Prof. Michael Mann hiding something?....

Recently, the JMU faculty came out in support of "academic freedom" and Professor Michael Mann in his refusal to release his data supporting his manmade global warming claims and conclusions, as requested by Virginia Attorney General Cuccinelli. The AG is seeking the data to determine if any fraud was committed against the taxpayers who funded Mann's research while at U.Va.

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This was contradicted in several "leaked" e-mails that eluded to data manipulation to get his desired results and his "Hockey Stick" theory.

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Is it a matter of "academic freedom" or simple accountability of the data compiled with the use of taxpayer money that funded Professor Mann's research and conclusion? Research grants acquired by professors bring much to universities, and this, too, has become a big business in itself.
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Over at the American Spectator, there is information disclosing the amount of grant money Mann has been associated with, and it totals more than $6 million. This shows research grants are "big business" to say the least.

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It is obvious research is both a valuable and a needed aspect along with being a "big business" in itself, but when it is the result of taxpayer funded grants, should not we have access to the data supporting the conclusions?

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This Letter to the Editor appeared recently in the Staunton NewsLeader and it is interesting to see the comments that came in regarding this issue....

Remember when Speaker Pelosi accused "Failed Policy"?...

Remember the many times over the years that you heard Speaker of the House Pelosi, Senate leader Reid, and their back pocket media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, and the alphabet networks repeat the claims of "Bush's failed policies"?...

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Seems ironic know after all these years of Democrat Party control of Congress we can take a look back at the "failed policies" of these Democrats & their party...

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General George Washington and the Constitution ~J.R. Manship~

Came along this video of J.R. Manship who portrays General George Washington and I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with him several times while at conservative events. Here he is interviewed by Dean Welty and Suzanne Curran who are also strong conservatives here in the Shenandoah Valley... Good stuff...

J.R. Manship this past Labor Day Parade in Buena Vista walking with Delegate Ben Cline. More photos and info from the parade available here....

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After this parade I had the opportunity to speak with Manship regarding the "Appeal to Heaven" flag that he carried in the parade and further information available here....

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Election Day 2010...

Frost on the signs this morning at 28f degrees but coffee was hot at the 7-eleven when I got there... Need to take a ride past Starbucks to see if the local Democrats are held up there with their overpriced free trade, free roaming, organic, feel good java and afraid to come out.....

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Boucher and the Dem's have a problem with "foreign" money in politics?....

Last week there was much noise in the news, most of it from our President and his back pocket media, about "foreign" money in politics especially regarding the Chamber of Commerce contributions to Republican candidates....

Seemingly referring to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, President Obama said earlier this month that that “one of the largest groups paying for these ads regularly takes in money from foreign sources.” According to a Democratic National Committee TV commercial, “It appears they’ve even taken secret foreign money to influence our elections.”

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Congressman Boucher in the 9th is now crying about "outside influence" effecting his campaign in the 9th district of Virginia...

“What we’re seeing is unprecedented,” Boucher said moments before speaking at a campaign stop in Abingdon on Saturday. “It’s an avalanche of attack ads against me, funded maybe by outside sources across the nation, maybe even outside the country.”

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So let's take a look at that "foreign" money that our Democratic Party friends are complaining about and where most of it actually goes....

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The Chamber’s website explains how AmChams work: “AmChams are independent organizations, created to represent American companies in overseas markets, and they do not fund U.S. Chamber political programs. Collectively, AmChams pay nominal dues to the Chamber — approximately $100,000 total across all 115 AmChams. Under our budgeting system, the nominal funds received from AmChams and business councils are used to support our international programs.”

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Look at what the top 23 unions out there contribute to the candidates and where that "foreign" money actually comes from...

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The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation provided me with data taken from the U.S. Labor Department’s LM-2 disclosure forms filed by 23 unions that make substantial campaign donations. These figures are from each union’s 2008 reporting period (either calendar or fiscal year 2008). Rather than union dues, the money disclosed on the LM-2 forms is income from international affiliates, overseas royalties, legal-settlement payments, and other miscellany.

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This foreign money presumably was segregated from union campaign coffers. Still, it is interesting to see how these 23 unions distributed their political cash. While the Chamber was giving $258,907 in 2008, these unions jointly contributed $35,025,103 to candidates, PACs, and parties. Democrats scored $32,859,130, or 93.8 percent, of this cash. Republicans got the remaining $2,165,973, or 6.2 percent.
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The SEIU union has also been in the news recently for its bullying tactics used in the past...

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The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in particular has been unfriendly to Republicans and friendly to foreign donations. It directly gave Democrats $2,771,213, or 95.3 percent, of its donations to candidates, parties, and PACs. Republicans got the rest: $137,000 (4.7 percent). Its members’ mandatory dues supply SEIU’s political treasure chest.
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Maybe Congressman Boucher should worry about this "foreign" money in the campaigns....
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“SEIU is the largest union of immigrant workers in the country, and a number of them are undocumented,” Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina has said. “But let me hasten to add, these are not just Latinos. In our membership are Eastern Europeans, Irish, Polish, Indians, Chinese — the whole world is represented among the undocumented and also in our membership.”

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Boucher claims its the "Outside" influence attacking him....

Congressman Rick Boucher claims its the $2.4 million worth of TV ads bought by mysterious conservative backers that is the reason he is in danger of losing his Congressional seat in the Virginia 9th. But maybe its a fact that the people of the ninth have seen him for what he is and it's time to make a much needed "CHANGE" ......

"Racism" as a weapon in the 5th district?....

Now I need to warn you of the language that you will experience in the above video of a Democrat Candidate Perriello supporter the other day when he cam along a legal, peaceful, rally that was setting up in the 5ht district....

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I had thought there would probably be some form of intimidation, civil disturbance, and\or noise coming from the "Left" since it looks like the Democrat Congressman Tom Perriello is facing a good chance at losing his office, but did not expect this....

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The irate and perfect example individuals in the video are attacking people from the group "Americans for Prosperity" who I have in the past and continue to support their efforts. I have attended several of their functions and seminars and the claims of racism towards this group and it's members are far from true or reality. This is nothing more than a last ditch desperate attack from the "Left" in the last innings of the game...

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More info and further thoughts available over at Bearing Drift...

I am sure that this YouTube video will be seen by many and I am sure Congressman Perriello will also see it. "What say you" Congressman?

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Virginia Tech Hokie Ice Hockey...

Virginia Tech Ice Hockey vs. Monmouth College with Delegate Ben Cline, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Justin & Pete Larkin, and Chris Green at the Roanoke Civic Center...

VA Tech defense was right on with the offense dominating the other end of the ice most of the game. Good game with lots of action even with the score of 9 to 2...

NPR now has their "Puppet Master"....

Augusta has had their "Puppet Master" for years and the people saw him for what he was and stood up for what they believe and took the party back...

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Now NPR has theirs in the form of "SuggarDaddy Soros"... Actually they have never needed one for they have always been slanted to the LEFT and anybody who did not see that is so far gone its not worth the time to explain it...

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Where was the "Blame~Game" by the President of Chile?...

Unlike President Obama during the Gulf crisis this Summer, did you see the President of Chile playing the "blame~game" at every opportunity?

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Sebastian Pinera blaming the mining company for the accident at every opportunity?

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Pinera stating that he would "Keep the boot on the throat" of the mining company\industry until the end?

"Estimates for the rescue operation alone have soared beyond $22 million, though the government has repeatedly insisted that money is not a concern."

Unlike President Obama: Did you see see Chile President Pinera continually state that the mining company\industry would pay for all costs of the rescue, the repairs, damage to the local economy, refund every tourist that had to cancel a vacation, and pay off anybody who could come up with a claim form bogus or not?...

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Pinera playing golf numerous times during the rescue operation or did you see the President at the rescue site welcoming each miner as they reached the surface?....

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Pinera shut down all mining operations and place a moratorium on discovery drilling looking for more natural resources in response to this one accident thus putting thousands of other workers out of work?

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Pinera and his family take numerous vacations during this incident or did you see President Pinera at the rescue site many times rallying the troops?....

Unlike President Obama: Did you see Chile President Pinera ask for and accept help from other countries to help with the rescue in technology and resources?

Numerous Americans and their companies responded to this call for aid and did an outstanding job in this rescue. ..

The crews included many Americans, including a driller operator from Denver and a team from Center Rock Inc. of Berlin, Pa., that built and managed the piston-driven hammers that pounded the hole through rock laced with quartzite, some of the hardest and most abrasive rock.

Jeff Hart was drilling water wells for the U.S. Army's forward operating bases in Afghanistan when he got the call to fly to Chile.

He spent the next 33 days on his feet, operating the drill that finally provided a way out Saturday for 33 trapped miners.

"You have to feel through your feet what the drill is doing; it's a vibration you get so that you know what's happening," explained Hart, a contractor from Denver, Colorado.

A muscular, taciturn man with callused hands and a sunburned face, Hart normally pounds rock for oil or water. He's used to extreme conditions while he works the hydraulic levers that guide the drills' hammers.

But this was something different - 33 lives were depending on him.

"I was nervous today," said Hart, 40. He joked that he thought it was his heart stopping when he felt an unexplained "pop" just before the drill broke through into a chamber far underground. "I didn't want anything to go wrong."

Pennsylvania companies - Schramm Inc., which makes the T130 drill, and Center Rock Inc., which makes the drill bits. Hart was called in from Afghanistan, "simply because he's the best" at drilling larger holes with the T130's wide-diameter drill bits, Stefanic said.

Standing before the levers, pressure meters and gauges on the T130's control panel, Hart and the rest of the team faced many challenges in drilling the shaft. At one point, the drill struck a metal support beam in the poorly mapped mine, shattering its hammers. Fresh equipment had to be flown in from the United States and progress was delayed for days as powerful magnets were lowered to pull out the pieces.

The mine's veins of gold and copper ran through quartzite with a high level of abrasive silica, rock so tough that it took all their expertise to keep the drill's hammers from curving off in unwanted directions.

"It was horrible," said Center Rock President Brandon Fisher, exhausted after hardly sleeping during the effort.

Fisher, Stefanic and Hart called it the most difficult hole they had ever drilled, because of the lives at stake.

Compare this to President Obama refusing offers of aid from other countries during the Gulf incident and delays that followed. What exactly did Obama's administration do to plug the oil leak in the gulf? What government agency actually perform a task that resulted in stopping the leaking oil into the Gulf?... NOT a thing.....

Two different Presidents and their reactions to disaster incidents.....

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November....

President Kennedy on taxcuts to spur the economy...

Tax Man... Obama vs. The Beatles....

In 1965 George Harrison and the Beatles wrote the song "Tax~man"
and at that time the English government imposed a 95% tax rate on the "Rich"...

"Let me tell you how it will be, here's one for you nineteen for me"...

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Tax-cuts?... No worry, it's VACATION time!...

Congressman Bob Goodlatte released his weekly column and made some interesting points with data to back it up...

"Last week by a vote of 209-210, with Speaker Pelosi casting the deciding vote, House Democrats voted to adjourn Congress, sending Members home, without stopping a massive $3.9 trillion tax increase that will affect every American. By putting politics before the American people, the Majority in Congress has voted to keep the threat of looming tax increases and the cloud of uncertainty they have created hanging over our economy."

Now how many times recently have you heard President Obama and his "Congress Majority" claim that they are going to give the "middle class" a break by extending the Bush tax-cuts and only stick it to the "Rich" and anybody making over $250K ?...

So why did they go on "Vacation" without fulfilling this pledge?

They have the majority in both the House and the Senate so why did they not vote on the extension of taxcut for the middle class that they promised?

Many from the "Left" will claim that is was no use for they did not have the "Super Majority" to prevent a filibuster but why did they not take the vote and then go home to campaign on how the Republicans kept them from extending the taxcuts to the middle class?

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The truth is they know the "Majority" of the people they are going home to face before the election next month do NOT want any of the taxcuts to expire and know of the damage to the economy if the Democrats get their wish...

"In just three months, the largest tax increase in history is set to take effect, imposing unprecedented tax increases on small businesses and their employees who are already struggling to make ends meet. With 94 percent of small businesses expecting to see their tax bills increase this spells more bad news for our struggling economy."

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Many small businesses are those guys making over $250K and many of us work for those guys. They make over $250K and thus considered "Rich" by Obama & gang but that is gross amount before paying many bills, insurances, payrolls, equipment replacement, and the likes.

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"More than 90 percent of all American employers are small businesses and they generate approximately 70 percent of the new jobs created in the United States each year. Small businesses are crucial to the American economy and account for a significant majority of new product ideas and innovation. Small business owners across the country want to invest in their firms and hire new workers, but instead they are bracing for costly new tax increases."

I have heard President Obama several times state that he has provided small business eight different taxcuts and relief since taking office but obviously these 8 taxcuts have NOT worked to encourage or give faith to the small businesses who fear a large tax increase in the near future....

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"The difference between certainty and uncertainty for businesses is the difference between a thriving and stagnant economy. The first thing we must do is remove barriers to employment including the threat of higher taxes. It is common-sense that you should not raise costs and taxes on employers at a time when unemployment is so high."

Simple...

Something that many of us can understand but seems to elude our Congress and President. Or maybe they did not want to commit to a vote until after the election and they see what numbers they (Democrats) or if they even have a majority in either House and\or Senate....

Once again our "Politicians" will come home, promise us the world or whatever they have to get our vote, and point the fingers at the other guys which the President has become accustomed to calling "The Party of No"....

But the surprise will be that it is actually the "Party of Know" and it's not just the Republicans who are the party of "Know". Many of those who voted Obama into office have also become the party of "Know" and they see what he has done and desires to do to our country and economy...

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A military salute ~Gene Simmons~

1976...

I was a freshman in high school...

mod 9 Study hall with Ms. Janerick...

Good friend Jeff Mcgee who was a smart kid and studied hard...

Then Jeff found Kiss and was never the same...

Was not sure what to think of Gene Simmons after that...

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Gene Simmons today and his support of our military....

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Can "Wind Energy" pay for itself?....

JMU ~James Madison University~ mounted on a tall tower along route 81 in Harrisonburg Virginia...

Near Fairfield Virginia in the backyard of a private residence....

Augusta County Virginia near Fishersville...

Several wind towers in the local area of Augusta County. I drive past several of these each day on the way to and back from work and good to see the effort being made to harness the wind in the Valley. Unfortunately it seems most of these wind machines do not produce enough electricity to pay for themselves over the years and without the grants and tax breaks provided by the FedGov many of these would not exist...

The Oil Drum has an interesting article on these smaller wind units and why they do not produce enough to cover their expense....

"Two real-world tests performed in the Netherlands and in the UK confirm our earlier analysis that small wind turbines are a fundamentally flawed technology. Their financial payback time is much longer than their life expectancy, and in urban areas, some poorly placed wind turbines will not even deliver as much energy as needed to operate them (let alone energy needed to produce them). Given their long payback period relative to their life expectancy, most small wind turbines are net energy consumers rather than net energy producers."

While the rest of the world develops offshore wind farms we continue to delay this use of technology and resource because somebody might see a turbine way off in the distance from the beach or Ted Kennedy's backyard....

"The Thanet farm, will be able to produce 300MW of electricity from 100 turbines - enough to power over 20,000 homes. It will be the biggest offshore facility of its kind until the even larger London Array, which has an eventual goal of 340 turbines, is completed. Thanet will dwarf the nearby Kentish Flats facility off Whitstable, also run by Vattenfall and using similar Vestas turbines."

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Made in China, owned by Italy, Operated by Spain, and will be drilling 40 miles off Key West...

The Key West paper reports that Cuba will be drilling offshore of the Florida Keys sometime next Summer as we sit idle due to the Obama moratorium on offshore drilling...

By next summer, a huge semi-submersible oil rig is expected to be stationed about 40 to 50 miles from Key West for deepwater drilling to explore for oil in the Straits of Florida.

The rig is part of a vast international business operation. The vessel was made in China, it’s owned by the Italian oil company Eni SpA, and it will be operated by Repsol, Spain’s oil and natural gas firm, which is also leasing the area known as the Jaguey from Cuba to look for oil.

And now the Obama administration is striving to raise taxes on Oil & Natural Gas operations who already pay an enormous tax rates when you look at it...

This week, the American Energy Alliance issued a new report quantifying the dire impacts of proposals aimed at hiking taxes on oil and natural gas companies.

As reported over at the energy tomorrow site...

Americans overwhelmingly oppose raising taxes on America's oil and natural gas industry, and most believe higher taxes could kill jobs. According to a survey commissioned by API and conducted by Harris Interactive, 62 percent opposed an increase in taxes on the industry, and 60 percent said it could destroy jobs.

AFP ~Americans for Prosperity~ calls Senator Webb on his "Flip" or is it a "Flop"?...

AFP-Virginia Statement on Senator Webb's Empty EPA Promise

Ben Marchi, State Director of Americans for Prosperity, today released the following statement regarding Senator Jim Webb's duplicity on the issue of over-reaching EPA global warming regulations:

"Outside the capitol on Wednesday, Senator Jim Webb promised a rally of coal miners from Virginia and beyond that Congress is "not going to let the EPA regulate coal out of business".

However, inside the halls of the Senate as recently as June 10, Webb was singing a different song. He voted against S.J. Res 26, which would have stopped the EPA's global warming regulatory onslaught. The resolution got 47 votes, 4 short of the 51 needed for passage. Webb not only voted no, but he also gave cover to other coal state Democrats to let the EPA power grab continue.

I find it outrageous that Senator Webb would promise hardworking Virginians that he would vote to prevent a power grab by the EPA when he voted just months ago, and in lock-step with the Obama/Pelosi/Reid machine, to allow them near-absolute regulatory power."

Webb is also being called out by the otherside and the enviromaniacs at Common Dreams.org

And why is Sen. Jim Webb appearing with such an extremist crowd? He wrote in his bestselling book, Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America:

"The ever hungry industrialists had discovered that West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia sat atop one huge vein of coal. And so the rape began. The people from the outside showed up with complicated contracts that the small-scale cattle raisers and tobacco farmers could not fully understand, asking for "rights" to mineral deposits they could not see, and soon they were treated to a sundering of their own earth as the mining companies ripped apart their way of life, so that after a time the only option was to go down into the hole and bring the Man his coal, or starve. The Man got his coal, and the profits it brought when he shipped it out. They got their wages, black lung, and the desecration of their land".

Both Senator Webb and Senator Warner are even getting flack over at Blue Virginia for their appearance at the rally by the coal miners...

Look, I know you've gotta do stuff in politics, and I know that the country's gone teabagger crazy and all, but Warner's (and Webb's) appearance and speech at this rally today were extremely difficult to swallow. I mean, just because a portion of the country's going stark raving mad, does that mean we can't have Democrats who stand up for what's right, who speak the truth, who don't use right-wingnut framing and talking points, who don't sell out to corporate polluters, and who fight back against the insanity? Ugh, so frustrating. And they wonder why there's an "enthusiasm gap?!?"

But let us not forget the stated "game plan" by the leader of the Warner~Webb Democratic Party, our President, Barack Obama...

It seems Senator Webb has gotten himself in the middle of many battlefronts and it is good to see AFP ~Americans for Prosperity~ call him on his conflicts such as his past voting history against the coal miners he claims to support...

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