BOYCOTT LEFTIST BIGOTS!

A fun idea over at National Center for Public Policy Research . Apparently Massachusetts-based office supply retailer Staples, Inc. has decided to withdraw advertising buys from news broadcasts on Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. television stations in response to an e-mail campaign by left-wing activists. The activists complained that Sinclair was "placing partisan interest ahead of the public interest" by broadcasting conservative and pro-President Bush commentaries. But scurrilously Leftist TV networks like CBS are apparently OK. It would seem a good time to nip such nonsense in the bud. If you want to help, email Owen Davis at Staples and tell him that you will be boycotting all Staples products until they abandon their Leftist bias. And how about a picket-line outside any Staples stores in "Red" States?

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TSUNAMI AID

An interesting email from Gene Berman (vze3rdxd@verizon.net):

"I have something I think may be of great use in the various efforts underway to aid tsunami-hit areas. It's not, unfortunately, something I am able to donate but even so, to the extent useful, would represent substantial saving over alternatives.

The basic item is an inflatable Pontoon Float. The unit consists of three inflatable tubes of heavily rubberized canvas duck (about 50 oz/yd). Each tube is 3 ft diameter X 22 ft. long. The unit package, in addition to the 3 tubes, contains nylon cord for lashing the tubes (the tubes are well grommetted), metal parts to form "edges" and to form bow and stern, and a suitable foot-pump (although any will do @ 2 psi). The entirety is export-crated and weighs right about 1000 lbs, about 800 lbs net of the crate.

When assembled and inflated, the resultant unit is a 9' X 22" X 3' high, barge-like unit, capable of supporting 12 tons. And, of course, units may be combined for larger surface area and carrying capacities as required and may be readily towed by powered craft. I've got 40 of the units ready to go @ US $4500 each. As a price comparison, nearly identical tube units are made by a US company named Demaree Inflatables. They make various configurations but one roughly similar to mine runs about $15-16G and the individual tubes themselves are priced at $5500.

These were formerly used by the US military for a variety of purposes, including the erection of temporary bridges, use as barges singly or in tandem, floating docks, piers, diving platforms, etc. They've since switched over to a different configuration and I bought them directly from the government. They're not used and all have been inspected to make sure they're in first-class condition.

I am making inquiries through USAID currently and naturally, it's tough slogging and slow--probably aggravated by demand for their attention on account of the disaster. I thought that you might have some suggestion or references as to people or agencies over there--a lot closer to the activity. (Technically, the units require clearance of the International Trade Administration before export--they're on the list covering munitions and strategic material--but I think that won't be much of a hurdle under present circumstances.)"

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HOW TSUNAMI AID SHOULD BE DONE (BUT WON'T)

An interesting email from Michael D. Greaney, Director of Research, Center for Economic and Social Justice (http://www.cesj.org)

I am concerned that aid to tsunami victims will be handled by "the usual suspects" and in the same old way. I (naturally) see a "two-prong" strategy to giving aid to the victims, to which I invite comments (mgreaney@cesj.org):

1. Immediate direct aid in the form of food, clothing and medical assistance should be given to affected individuals, regardless of borders, race, religious affiliation, or party membership. This aid should not be given to any government, state or local, except under closely supervised conditions to ensure that it reaches the intended recipients instead of brothers, cousins and uncles of the bureaucrats, who will sell it to pay gambling debts and purchase liquor, women, and pornography.

2. The rebuilding of infrastructure and businesses should be financed through local "Capital Homesteading" programs, so that ownership of even the largest enterprises becomes widespread and people own their own government and control their own incomes legally and directly, making the government accountable to them, not to international financing agencies, terrorist organizations, or foreign countries. The blueprint for Capital Homesteading can be found as a free download on the website of the Center for Economic and Social Justice ("CESJ") (http://www.cesj.org), under the title CAPITAL HOMESTEADING FOR EVERY CITIZEN. While designed for the moribund U.S. Social Security and Medicare systems, with very little tinkering it can be adapted to any country on earth.

The only problem with using Capital Homesteading in this fashion is that it builds economic (and thus political) power into ordinary people, not bureaucrats. If you want to discuss Capital Homesteading, CESJ's president, Dr. Norman G. Kurland, can be contacted as thirdway@cesj.org

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THE WAL-MART HATERS

It is basic to the Left to envy other people's success. So they have always hated successful businesses -- as Microsoft and McDonald's well know. So their hatred of Wal-Mart is no surprise. The N.Y. Review of Books has a big review of a number of anti-Wal-Mart books and, surprise, surprise, finds not one thing to criticise about any of the books concerned -- despite the inclusion of books that have been heavily criticized elswhere, such as the Ehrenreich tome. Let us just look at just one of the misleading statements in the "Review" concerned.

"One of the most telling of all the criticisms of Wal-Mart is to be found in a February 2004 report by the Democratic Staff of the House Education and Workforce Committee. In analyzing Wal-Mart's success in holding employee compensation at low levels, the report assesses the costs to US taxpayers of employees who are so badly paid that they qualify for government assistance even under the less than generous rules of the federal welfare system. For a two-hundred-employee Wal-Mart store, the government is spending $108,000 a year for children's health care; $125,000 a year in tax credits and deductions for low-income families; and $42,000 a year in housing assistance. The report estimates that a two-hundred-employee Wal-Mart store costs federal taxpayers $420,000 a year, or about $2,103 per Wal-Mart employee. That translates into a total annual welfare bill of $2.5 billion for Wal-Mart's 1.2 million US employees".

Wayne Lusvardi has sent me the following comment on the excerpt above:

"The excerpt highlights how Leftists often use statistical fallacies to deceive the public about Wal-Mart. The paragraph claims that Federal welfare subsidies to Wal-Mart employees -- because of their low wages -- amounts to $2.5 billion ($420,00 per Wal-Mart store). The statistical fallacy is one of extrapolation from individual income data while leaving household or family data out of the analysis. Many Wal-Mart employees are retired and have other sources of income that keep them from depending on welfare programs. Many other Wal-Mart employees come from two-wage earner families and also don't require welfare assistance. Many others have two jobs or additonal part time employment to supplement their Wal-Mart salaries. And, of course, many have spouses that have health insurance which covers them as well. The flaw in the Democratic Staff House Committee report cited is the fallacy of extrapolating from one hypothetical Wal-Mart employee living on an hourly wage of $8 per hour with no other income, family, or other non-government support to all Wal-Mart employees, which of course is nonsense. But an unquestioning media will morph this data into a "fact." What did social psychologist W.I. Thomas say? "A situation that is perceived as real, is real in its consequences." So expect this Leftist "factoid" to start showing up in your local newspapers as unions and NIMBY's fight Wal-Mart stores in their local communities."

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MORE FUN WITH LEFTISTS:

I guess these guys don't really matter. They can't even spell "specter", even though they use the word in their headline. And who reads Revolutionary Worker anyway? But it is instructive how they have to depend on lies to support their cause. Excerpts:

"The agenda of Bush and the Christian right is not limited to criminalizing abortion, outlawing gay marriage, forcing children to recite prayers in school, and mandating the teaching of Biblical creationist ignorance. Their ultimate goal is Christian fascist theocracy. Now, following the election, they feel emboldened-and compelled-to take their theocratic project to a whole new level... The Bible reflects and supports all that goes along with these class and social relations: wars of conquest and pillage; traditional relations of patriarchy and male domination; the division of society into rich and poor, exploited and exploiter; and the absolute power of rulers over ruled.... The Christian fascists don't believe religion should be an individual choice. They believe all of society, and indeed the whole world, must be ruled according to biblical law-in short, they believe in a theocracy with no separation between church and state".

Recognize anyone you know there? I don't. It is all just a fantasy. No Christian Church that I know of seeks such things. So what sources do they quote to back up their claims? The good old New York Times mostly. How surprising!

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ELSEWHERE

There is a "must read" story at Varifrank about European arrogance and stupidity over the tsunami. Knocking America is far more important to them than helping people. I feel acutely sorry for the Indian guy in the story. Follow Varifrank's link to Gail Halvorsen too. (Link via E-Nough)

Congratulations to A.E. Brain. He has found some loon who thinks THE JEWS were responsible for the tsunami. It was really caused by an underwater Jewish atom bomb, you see! Given that Germany is once again a largely antisemitic country, I am sure that the theory will be widely accepted there. Sie glauben doch dass Michael Moore recht hat!

It must be all that "outsourcing": "Manufacturing activity in the United States expanded for the 19th consecutive month in December, a research group reported Monday, suggesting that the industrial sector entered the new year with solid strength behind it. The Institute for Supply Management said that its main index measuring industrial activity rose to 58.6 in December from 57.8 in November. The December performance was slightly more robust than analysts had anticipated. A reading of 50 or above in the index means the manufacturing sector is expanding, while a figure below 50 represents a contraction. The index has been 50 or above since May of 2003, according to revised figures".

This Pakistani should end his days in prison: "A "British" businessman offered to sell at least 200 ground-to-air missiles for use in a deadly plot to terrorise airline passengers across America, a court was told yesterday. Hemant Lakhani, 69, from Hendon, North London, told an undercover FBI agent that the shoulder-held missiles could be used to shoot down ten to fifteen aircraft simultaneously on the second anniversary of the World Trade Centre attacks, it is alleged.... Mr Lakhani was arrested in August 2003 at a hotel overlooking Newark airport moments after delivering a sample missile to an FBI informant. He has since been held in the Passaic County Jail, New Jersey".

A lawyer's feeding trough to go: "Republicans will try for quick action on a measure that would end asbestos lawsuits in exchange for a trust fund to compensate victims, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Tuesday, despite a two-year deadlock".

The latest posting on MarxWords shows that Engels eagerly looked forward to new heights of mass slaughter. Hate-filled? You judge.

For more postings, see EDUCATION WATCH, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, GUN WATCH and SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. Mirror sites here, here, here, here and here

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That power only, not principles, is what matters to Leftists is perfectly shown by the Kerry campaign. They put up a man whose policies seemed to be 99% the same as George Bush's even though the Left have previously disagreed violently with those policies. "Whatever it takes" is their rule.

Leftists are phonies. For most of them all that they want is to sound good. They don't care about doing good. That's why they do so much harm. They don't really care what the results of their policies are as long as they are seen as having good intentions.

Comments? Email me here. If there are no recent posts here blame Blogger.com and visit my mirror site here or here. My Home Page is here or here.

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