http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/porky/ en-us Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:30:53 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2361800/posts Common sense, down-to-earth economist, Thomas Sowell, is a master of taking complicated economic principles and making them clear and understandable. Sowell has authored dozens of books, including his most recent, "The Housing Boom and Bust". Many praise Thomas Sowell's ability to deliver economics to main street America. What Sowell hasn't received enough credit for is his prophetic warning about the housing bust. On May 26, 2005, when virtually no economist, including the wizards at the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department, were warning of a housing bubble, Sowell wrote predictive op-ed in the Wall Street Journal: THE FREEDOM POST http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2361800/posts#comment Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:30:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2309110/posts Obamacare from the perspective of a consumer reporter is a classic rip-off. Red Flag No. 1 — Tight Deadlines Are Imposed With ‘Now Or Never’ Claims One of the first red flags flying over a rip-off is the time hustle, the deadline. The con man tells you that you have to sign the contract right now if you want this good deal. You can’t wait until tomorrow -- now or never. Obamacare involves a variation of the time hustle. We have to get this done before the August recess. Or we have to get this done this year. They say... The Bulletin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2309110/posts#comment Wed, 5 Aug 2009 22:30:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299579/posts A new congressional report accuses the radical activist group ACORN of organized criminal activities. I will have a full article here on the American Spectator website in the morning about it. The report, called "Is ACORN Intentionally Structured As a Criminal Enterprise?" comes from minority staff on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The ranking member on the committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California), is appearing on the "Glenn Beck Program" on Fox News today to discuss the report. The report, available here, contains information about the ACORN network's interlocking directorates, various unethical and possibly unlawful activities, and the shocking... American Spectator http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299579/posts#comment Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:27:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2304677/posts There is some confusion over the story about ACORN “changing its name” that needs to be cleared up and given context. Getting it right is important. I provided a link to the piece by Kevin Mooney at the Examiner on Monday in my post focusing on Project Vote/ACORN’s lawsuit against whistleblower Anita Moncrief. The link was a sidebar to my main story, but I should have spelled out the facts on the name change more clearly, and so should everyone who has mischaracterized the story and glossed over the real reason for the name change: ACORN hasn’t changed its name.... Michelle Malkin http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2304677/posts#comment Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:45:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303458/posts On the Tuesday “Glenn Beck Program,” the host threw a spotlight on bestselling author Michelle Malkin’s new book, Culture of Corruption, which is subtitled “Obama and his team of tax cheats, crooks, and cronies.” Beck asked Malkin to tell him “a little bit about the idea and the philosophy of being a community organizer and remaking America. What does that mean to Barack Obama?” NewsReal Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303458/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:39:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2300613/posts Most people know not to give out personal information to unsolicited phone callers or visitors. However, the Census process is an exception to the rule, because representatives do collect information by visiting households. Unfortunately, people may also be contacted by scammers who are using this as an opportunity to impersonate Census workers in order to gain access to sensitive financial information such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers. Although law enforcement in several states have issued warnings that scammers are posing as Census Bureau representatives, your BBB encourages caution. The big question is - how do you... The Better Business Bureau http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2300613/posts#comment Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:32:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303733/posts I have no idea whether Barack Obama is a natural born American. American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2303733/posts#comment Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:46:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2304440/posts The following video from a Santa Cruz, California city council meeting shows why some people really should avoid talking about economics. If you need a laugh this Friday morning, listening to the sage advice on display ought to do the trick: The Washington Examiner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2304440/posts#comment Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:03:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244348/posts Without such a well-timed swine flu epidemic, herding Americans toward the sty of the public trough would be much more difficult. Under different circumstances, initiating an endeavor of such a grand magnitude might take years to implement. Nevertheless, an opportune Mexican contribution of swine flu has provided a crisis driven opportunity, which very well may become the fulfillment of the Obama socialized health care dream. As crisis after crisis arises, Americans need to be aware that the strategy behind Obama's misuse of hardship is an effort to further an ideological socialist schema. The Cloward-Piven star pupil, Barack Obama, is aware... americanthinker.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244348/posts#comment Tue, 5 May 2009 08:13:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2244175/posts We hear it over and over from the President and from the Democratic party, the well off do not pay their fair share of taxes and during the eight years of the Bush administration, their burden was eased even further. Like most things coming out of the Obama White House that claim is bogus. The Non-Partisan Congressional Budget office issued a report that showed that the top 20% of income earners pay over 86% of all taxes, which is 6% more than what they paid at the beginning of the Bush administration. At the same time much of the bottom... Heritage Center/The Lid http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2244175/posts#comment Mon, 4 May 2009 23:57:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244178/posts I've been saying for weeks that Nevada has a spending not a tax collecting problem. And now here's the picture to prove it. What's the legislature's current plan? Raise taxes and spend more. Write on Nevada http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244178/posts#comment Tue, 5 May 2009 00:00:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228755/posts “We will restore science to its rightful place…” —Barack Obama Unpacked, this sentence means: “Under my administration, Americans will have fewer choices about how they live, and fewer choices as voters because, rightfully, those choices should be made by officials who rule by the authority of science.” Thus our new president intends to accelerate a trend a half-century old in America but older and further advanced in the rest of the world. There is nothing new or scientific about rulers pretending to execute the will of a god or of an oracle. It’s a tool to preempt opposition. The ruler... American Spectator http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228755/posts#comment Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:09:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227921/posts Within the first quarter of 2009, the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress have advanced a number of policies that will undermine family and religious freedom in America. Together they show a serious disregard for parental rights, human dignity, freedom of conscience, and civil society in American life. In these difficult economic times, policymakers should recognize and empower the vast resources of family, religious institutions, and civil society. Instead, Congress and the Administration have systematically promoted policies that debilitate the protective and problem-solving capacity of these fundamental institutions. Undermining Family, Faith, and Freedom 1. Discouraging Charitable Giving. Even as charities... heritage foundation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227921/posts#comment Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:05:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227835/posts It's bad for our democracy to exempt half the country.If you thought Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme was bad, wait until you hear about the inverted pyramid scheme the federal government is working on. While Mr. Madoff preyed on people who trusted him with their money, the federal government has everyone's money, and the implications of its actions are worse. Picture an upside-down pyramid with its narrow tip at the bottom and its base on top. The only way the pyramid can stand is by spinning fast enough or by having a wide enough tip so it won't fall down. The... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227835/posts#comment Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:22:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227504/posts <p>WASHINGTON -- Rampant redistribution of wealth by government is now the norm. So is this: It inflames government's natural rapaciousness and subverts the rule of law. This degeneration of governance is illustrated by the Illinois Legislature's transfer of income from some disfavored riverboat casinos to racetracks.</p> townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227504/posts#comment Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:29:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2226927/posts Al Gore is about to feature in a new movie, but he's not going to like it very much. Titled Not Evil Just Wrong: The True Cost of Global Warming Hysteria, the film presents a devastating account of the shaky foundations and hefty price of Mr. Gore's brand of self-interested and hypocritical alarmism. Created by the Irish film making duo of Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney -- who made another excellent documentary about the "dark side of environmentalism" called Mine Your Own Business-- Not Evil provides the perfect rebuttal to Mr. Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. Despite being chock a block... FinancialPost.com (Canada) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2226927/posts#comment Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:04:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2226092/posts I'm surveying climate stations of record around California and documenting their condition as part of a larger project I'm doing. You'll see more about it here in the near future. Today I visited Marysville's Fire Station, just off Hwy 70 at 9th and B Street, where they have the station of record for the city using the MMTS electronic sensor installed by the National Weather Service. The data from this station is part of the USHCN (US Historical Climatological Network) and is used in the computer modeling used to predict climate change. The Marysville station is located behind the fire... Chico Enterprise Record, Whats Up With That? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2226092/posts#comment Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:17:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2224719/posts In a procedural vote on April 1, 2009, fifteen Democratic Senators joined all of the Republicans in defeating, for now, a climate change bill that would have allowed fast-tracking of President Obama's cap-and-tax proposal so that it could be passed as part of the current Federal budget. (Click here to see how your Senator voted.) Senator Lamar Alexander called this "the biggest vote of the year." The bill that would have passed would probably have resembled the Waxman-Markey discussion draft of The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a bill proposal designed to combat global warming by encouraging... The American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2224719/posts#comment Wed, 8 Apr 2009 11:05:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227393/posts "You cannot pour billions of dollars into make-work while destroying the economy that supports them and call that opportunity. And you cannot build up years of dependence on government are dare call that hope." RR - March 2, 1984 "It has been said that anyone who seeks success or greatness should first forget about both and seek only truth, the rest will follow." RR - March 20, 1981 "You and I are told we much choose between left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as left or right. There is only an up or down." RR... McCook Gazette http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227393/posts#comment Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:46:35 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2227390/posts Here's a timely story. Polihale State Park on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii, has been closed since December when flooding damaged a small bridge at the entrance to the park (for Wikipedia link on Polihale State Park see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polihale_State_Park). It would have taken $4 million and 2 years for the State to repair the bridge. But the State of Hawaii, like other states, is out of money. So when the bridge could be repaired and the park re-opened was anybody's guess. A bunch of the vendors and residents whose livelihoods depend on the tourist trade from the park got... Pasadena Sub Rosa http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2227390/posts#comment Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:41:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2227392/posts Beck has, in fact, dropped the "F bomb", but not the Mussolini version; it's Neo-Fascism. And he is dead on balls accurate. Obama parallels and exemplifies what the Italians saw in Mussolini and what the Germans saw in Hitler; the attractive quality of a Megalomaniac narcissist. It's real, folks. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2227392/posts#comment Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:44:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2216432/posts History 101 For those that don't know about history ... Here is a condensed version: Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter. The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2216432/posts#comment Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:19:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2216476/posts There has doubtlessly been great anxiety about the economy, but I think even greater anxiety exists over what President Barack Obama is doing and planning to do to this country. We've always had economic downturns, and we've always recovered, but we've never deliberately planned to spend ourselves into bankruptcy, from which we may not be able to recover. True, our smorgasbord of entitlements has threatened our long-term solvency for some time, and reckless politicians have been negligent in refusing to reform them and, instead, have just created more. But Obama takes profligate spending to entirely new levels while pretending to... davidlimbaugh.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2216476/posts#comment Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:38:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2195469/posts Last week, I had the opportunity to hear Burton Folsom speak to a group of more than 300 college students at San Jose State University. In addition to presenting a strong case that the programs of Franklin Roosevelt provided a "raw deal," he proved to be an enthusiastic and inspiring speaker. Based on the many questions asked after his presentation, it was apparent that by the end of the event that most students were convinced that FDR's economic legacy left a damaged America. He started his economic journey in 1920 when the country elected Warren Harding as president as we... The New Media Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2195469/posts#comment Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:52:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2195466/posts Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Berlin. In order to increase sales, she decides to allow her loyal customers - most of whom are unemployed alcoholics - to drink now but pay later. She keeps track of the drinks consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers loans). Word gets around and as a result increasing numbers of customers flood into Heidi's bar. Taking advantage of her customers' freedom from immediate payment constraints, Heidi increases her prices for wine and beer, the most-consumed beverages. Her sales volume increases massively. A young and dynamic customer service consultant at the... My Inbox http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2195466/posts#comment Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:49:05 GMT