Esperons que sa façon de gérer sa campagne n’est pas un avant-gout de sa façon de gérer le pays…

The Blog ( Weekly Standard):

Just because the Obama campaign doesn’t pay for cabs from O’Hare and staffers are expected to double-up at hotels doesn’t make it frugal. Indeed, Obama oversees a team of 700 people–more than twice as many as Bush in 2004–the biggest, most bloated campaign in the history of presidential elections:

So far in 2008, combined campaign-spending data for the three most recent months available–February, March and April–show that Sen. Obama outspent Sen. McCain 4.5-to-1 on staff salaries, more than 2-to-1 on office rents, and 25-to-1 on broadcast advertising, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Sen. Obama has about 700 employees on the payroll, scattered across 19 states. The McCain cadre is around 100, divided among a handful of local offices.

These hired guns aren’t going to deliver Obama the presidency. Having that many cooks in the kitchen is going to dilute his message and bleed him dry. With a burn rate of 114 percent, the Obama campaign won’t be able to maintain spending at primary levels even if fundraising were to remain constant–which is unlikely because so many Democratic donors have already given the maximum contribution.

Makes you wonder what kind of tax-and-spend operation Obama will run once he doesn’t have to depend on voluntary contributors to foot the bill. Also makes you wonder how biased the media must be that it would characterize the Obama campaign as lean and efficient when in reality it is desperate, spendthrift, and broke. Finally, makes you wonder how a guy who has raised all this money, won his party’s nomination, and received all this fawning attention for his historic achievement remains very nearly tied in the polls.

Jonah Goldberg sur NRO  s’interesse au coût des mesures proposées par Kyoto pour réduire le rechauffement de la planète . Durant le 20 ème siècle la température moyenne s’est accrue de 0.7 degrés Celsius alors que le GDP  du monde a augmenté de 1800%, ce qui a permis à l’homme d’obtenir des progrès considérables à tous points de vue : aux USA l’esperance de vie est passée de 47 ans à 77 ans ce qui résume assez bien ces progrès.

Global Cooling Costs Too Much
There are no solutions in the realm of the politically possible.

By Jonah Goldberg

Public policy is all about trade-offs. Economists understand this better than politicians because voters want to have their cake and eat it too, and politicians think whatever is popular must also be true.

Economists understand that if we put a chicken in every pot, it might cost us an aircraft carrier or a hospital. We can build a hospital, but it might come at the expense of a little patch of forest. We can protect a wetland, but that will make a new school more expensive.

You get it already. But in the history of trade-offs, never has there been a better one than trading a tiny amount of global warming for a massive amount of global prosperity.

Earth got about 0.7 degrees Celsius warmer in the 20th century while it increased its GDP by 1,800 percent, by one estimate. How much of that 0.7 degrees can be laid at the feet of that 1,800 percent is unknowable, but let’s stipulate that all of the warming was the result of our prosperity and that this warming is in fact indisputably bad (which is hardly obvious).

That’s still an amazing bargain. Life expectancies in the United States increased from about 47 years to about 77 years. Literacy, medicine, leisure and even, in many respects, the environment have improved mightily over the course of the 20th century, at least in the prosperous West.

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Sarah Pallin : C’est le gouverneur de l’Alaska depuis l’année dernière. Mère de 5 enfants ( elle vient de donner naissance au petit dernier), 43 ans, elle vient d’attaquer le gouvernement federal en justice au nom de l’Alaska pour avoir mis les ours polaires sur la liste des animaux en dangers d’extinction. Apparement elle est sur la “short list” des potentiels VP de McCain

Le nouveau Motto de l’Alaska : Coldest state, hottest gov…

 Trouvé sur MondesFrancophones

Par Luc Rosenzweig

La phase judiciaire de l’affaire “Charles Enderlin - France 2 - Al Dura” vient de connaître son aboutissement, le 21 Mai, avec l’arrêt de la Cour d’appel de Paris. Infirmant le jugement en première instance de la 17ème chambre du tribunal de Grande Instance, la Cour a débouté Charles Enderlin, chef du bureau de France 2 en Israël, et la direction de la chaîne dans les poursuites en diffamation engagées contre Philippe Karsenty. Ce dernier, sur son site internet “Média Rating” avait accusé Charles Enderlin et son cameraman Talal Abou Rahma d’avoir réalisé et diffusé les images de la prétendue mort, le 30 septembre à Gaza sous les balles israéliennes, d’un enfant, Mohammed Al Dura dans les bras de son père Jamal, ce dernier ayant été grièvement blessé par les tirs. Pour Karsenty, ce reportage relevait de la supercherie médiatique, du bidonnage en argot de métier.

Ces images, reprises par les télévisions du monde entier avaient soulevé une émotion planétaire, et porté gravement atteinte au crédit moral de l’Etat d’Israël et de son armée. Cet enfant, devenu icône, symbolisait la brutalité de la “soldatesque sioniste” contre les civils palestiniens désarmés.

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Si c’est pour ne pas payer d’impots, je suis d’accord !

The Lakota Sioux Indians, whose ancestors include Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and Crazy Horse, have withdrawn from all treaties their forefathers signed with the U.S. government and have declared their independence. A delegation delivered the news to the State Department earlier this week.

1855 portrait of Sitting Bull by David Frances Barry, Library of Congress

Portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming comprise Lakota country, and the tribe says that if the federal government doesn’t begin diplomatic discussions promptly, liens will be filed on property in the five-state region. Here’s the news release.

“We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us,” said Russell Means, a longtime Indian rights activist. “This is according to the laws of the United States, specifically Article 6 of the Constitution,” which states that treaties are the supreme law of the land. (Lire la suite…)

…corps momifié que  je ne saurais voir !

Un des musées les plus reputés du monde pour sa collection d’Ancienne Egypte, vient de prendre la décision de recouvrir les mommies  exposées au public après les plaintes de visiteurs qui étaient offensés par ces “corps” nus.

Avant

  Apres

 10. YOU REFINE HEROIN FOR A LIVING, BUT YOU HAVE A MORAL
OBJECTION TO BEER.

1. YOU WIPE YOUR ASS WITH YOUR BARE HAND, BUT CONSIDER
BACON UNCLEAN.

if it were not so true !

Le  Office of Government Commerce du Tresor britanique a dépensé  14 000 livres pour un nouveau  logo, a fait imprimer ses paillassons, ses stylos, etc… avant de le dévoiler à ses employés qui n’ont mis que quelques secondes à voir que si on le met dans l’autre sens, il est beaucoup plus drôle.

Commentaire du porte-parler de l’OGC : “It is true that it caused a few titters among some staff when viewed on its side, but on consideration we concluded that the effect was generic to the particular combination of the letters OGC - and it is not inappropriate to an organisation that’s looking to have a firm grip on Government spend.”

Dans les grandes villes de la Côte Est les yuppies inscrivent leur gamin à la maternelle la mieux cotée dès sa conception pour lui donner toutes les chances d’ entrer à Harvard à 18 ans… Dans les quartiers moins favorisés, les parents d’un gamin de 4 ans se disputent pour savoir à quel gang leur gamin doit appartenir : Les deux extrêmes de l’Amérique…

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A couple fighting about which gang their 4-year-old toddler should join caused a public disturbance that resulted in the father’s arrest, Commerce City police said Thursday.On Saturday, Joseph Manzanares stormed into the Hollywood Video store where his girlfriend worked, threatened to kill her and knocked over several video displays and even a computer, Commerce City police Sgt. Joe Sandoval said.After he ran out of the store, police were called and the 19-year-old was arrested at his home.

His girlfriend told police that they had been arguing about the upbringing of their son and which gang he should belong to. The teen mother, who is black, is a member of the Crips. Manzanares is Hispanic and belongs to the Westside Ballers gang, the woman said.”They have different ideas on how the baby should be raised. Basically, she said they cannot agree on which gang the baby would ‘claim,’” Sandoval said.Manzanares was charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, and domestic violence. He was transported to the Adams County Detention Facility.On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to a year of probation. The misdemeanor harassment charge was dropped.

Il semblerait que Poutine veuille rivaliser avec Sarko… Il jette la vieille et en prend une neuve.

Rumours are circulating in Moscow that Vladimir Putin has left his wife and is set to marry a former rhythmic gymnast less than half his age. The 56-year-old Russian president is said to have formed a relationship with the beautiful Alina Kabaeva, 24, and the couple have decided to tie the knot.

Je prends des risque à publier cet extrait de sermon d’un imam saoudien, Omar Al-Sweilem, décrivant l’ultime récompense réservée aux “heros” qui meurent pour le Jihad quand ils arrivent au paradis. C’est peut-être l’argument qui va enfin convaincre les hommes d’eXc  de la beauté de l’Islam et les pousser à la conversion :

When we meet the black-eyed virgin with her black hair and white face – praised be He who created night and day. What hair! What a chest! What a mouth! What cheeks! What a figure! What breasts! What thighs! What legs! What whiteness! What softness! Without any creams – no Nivea, no vaseline. No nothing! … how soft will a black-eyed virgin be, when she comes to you so tall and with her beautiful face, her black hair and white face - praised be He who created night and day. …

There is no god but Allah. He told us that if you entered one of the palaces, you would find ten black-eyed virgins sprawled on musk cushions. … When they see you, they will get up and run to you. Lucky is the one who gets to put her thumb in your hand. When they get hold of you, they will push you onto your back, on the musk cushions. They will push you onto your back, Jamal! Allah Akbar! I wish this on all people present here. He said that one of them would place her mouth on yours. Do whatever you want. Another one would press her cheek against yours, yet another would press her chest against yours, and the others would await their turn. There is no god but Allah. He told us that one black-eyed virgin would give you a glass of wine. Wine in Paradise is a reward for your good deeds. The wine of this world is destructive, but not the wine of the world to come.

What Is the Cost of Freedom?   [Larry Kudlow]

Surprise, surprise. Having failed to penetrate General Petraeus’s story about the great improvements on the ground in Iraq, liberals are now trying to make the case that the cost of the Iraq war may have somehow undermined the economy, and even caused the current slowdown. What complete and utter nonsense.

First point: The U.S. has spent roughly $750 billion for the five-year war. Sure, that’s a lot of money. But run the numbers and the total cost works out to a miniscule 1 percent of the $63 trillion GDP over that time period. It’s miniscule.

More important, the real question we ought to be asking ourselves is what is the cost of freedom? While the Left refuses to acknowledge it, the undeniable fact is that the United States homeland has not been attacked since September 11. Meanwhile, over in Iraq, al Qaeda and other extremist terrorist groups have been utterly routed by U.S. forces. It’s another fact the Left hates to acknowledge.

Perhaps the anti-war forces should recall the portion of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, where he called on Americans to pay any price, and bear any burden, in order to preserve freedom, liberty, and democracy. Do these folks actually think 1 percent of GDP is too large a price, too heavy a burden? I sure hope not.

And by the way, despite the current slowdown, during the five years of the Iraq war the U.S. economy has performed remarkably well. Real GDP has increased by 16 percent, or 3 percent annually. The unemployment rate has hovered below a historically low 5 percent for quite some time. Nearly 10 million jobs have been created. Household net worth has increased by $20 trillion. Industrial production has expanded by 13.5 percent.  Even home prices, despite the current correction, have increased by 20 percent.

Lest we soon forget, anti-freedom, anti-capitalism jihadists were attempting to drive a dagger through our economy. Not only did they fail miserably on that front, they also failed to stem the rising tide of free-market capitalism throughout the world. Global GDP has averaged nearly 5 percent annually. The capitalization of the world’s stock market increased 159 percent — or $35 trillion. Meanwhile, new emerging-market economies saw their stock market index collectively rise by 223 percent.

So with all respect, I say to Nobelist Joe Stiglitz and others of his ilk: You are wrong.

Il est tout a fait merite.

 Un sondage rapporté par le journal Gulf Times, nous dit que 70% des musulmans des Pays Arabes, de l’Afrique du nord et du Levant pensent que l’importantce accordée à l’extrêmisme religieux est exagerée… pourtant parmi les  personnes interrogées, 50% d’entre elles connaissent quelqu’un ayant des idées extrêmistes en ce qui concerne la religion, 60% d’entre elles disent que la violence est justifiée en cas d’ interférences occidentales en pays musulman, et 55%  en cas de paroles ou de conduites offensantes.

A YOUGOV poll commissioned by the Doha Debates has concluded that nearly one-third of all Arabs believe that Saudi Arabia is at greater risk from religious extremism than any other country in the world.
The poll adds weight to the vote at a session of the Doha Debates held on March 3 in Doha, where the motion “This house believes that Muslims are failing to combat extremism”, was carried by more than 70% of the audience.
In the YouGov survey, nearly half of all Arabs in the Gulf, Levant and North Africa said they have met someone who holds extreme religious views.
Asked under what conditions violence is permissible, more than 60% cited Western interference in a Muslim country, while 55% said offensive words or behaviour was a trigger.
More than half the respondents also believed that poor religious leadership is to blame for today’s extremism – although seven out of 10 said the size of the problem had been exaggerated.
Eight out of 10 believed it provides an excuse for the West to interfere in Muslim countries.
In the poll, conducted between March 18 and 23, views of 940 people across the Arab world were surveyed.

Voilà une pub, diffusée au Mexique, qui ne va pas beaucoup plaire aux Gringos….  Go Smirnof !

Ted Turner a visiblement subi un ramollissement cérébral du à la chaleur ambiante. Dans une interview avec Charlie Rose sur NPR ( un peu comme notre France Culture), le fondateur de CNN et l’ex-mari de Jane Fonda a déclaré que si rien n’était fait pour combattre le réchauffement du climat, dans 30 ou 40 ans, ceux d’entre nous qui auront survécu aux famines et autres désastres dus à la chaleur seront obligés d’êre canibales pour survivre.

“Not doing it will be catastrophic. We’ll be eight degrees hotter in ten, not ten but 30 or 40 years and basically none of the crops will grow. Most of the people will have died and the rest of us will be cannibals. Civilization will have broken down. The few people left will be living in a failed state like Somalia or Sudan, and living conditions will be intolerable. The droughts will be so bad there’ll be no more corn growning.”

Il faut lire les commentaires des auditeurs de NPR pour voir à quel point cette épidémie de cerveaux rammolis fait des ravages. On se croirait sur les forums du Monde .

J’espère que ça restera un cauchemar et ne deviendra pas une réalité…

Il semblerait que les grands pontes du parti démocrate sont en train d’examiner la possibilité de la nomination d’Al Gore comme candidat démocrate pour l’élection présidentielle, pour sauver le parti d’une guerre fratrticide entre les partisans d’Obama et ceux de Clinton. Gore serait le candidat du compromis, accepté par les deux candidats actuels.

Senior Democrats mull Al Gore’s nomination
By Tim Shipman in Washington

Last Updated: 2:23am BST 30/03/2008

Plans for Al Gore to take the Democratic presidential nomination as the saviour of a bitterly divided party are being actively discussed by senior figures and aides to the former vice-president.

The bloody civil war between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has left many Democrats convinced that neither can deliver a knockout blow to the other and that both have been so damaged that they risk losing November’s election to the Republican nominee, John McCain.

	Former aides to Al Gore now believe he could emerge as a compromise candidate

Former Gore aides now believe he could emerge as a compromise candidate acceptable to both camps at the party’s convention in Denver during the last week of August.

Two former Gore campaign officials have told The Sunday Telegraph that a scenario first mapped out by members of Mr Gore’s inner circle last May now has a sporting chance of coming true.

Mr Gore, who was Bill Clinton’s vice-president and has since won a Nobel Peace Prize and an Oscar for his work on green issues, remains an influential figure eight years after he beat George W Bush in the popular vote but lost the White House after the Florida recount fiasco.

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Merci Bivouac-id