Thursday open thread

I am swimming in a sea of paperwork. Will be back later this evening when I can come up for air …

16 Responses to "Thursday open thread"

Baklava says:

August 23, 2007 at 3:41 pm

Iraqi citizen saves the lives of four U.S. soldiers
Excerpt 1:

“I was about 12 feet away when the bomber came around the corner,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Kane, of Los Altos, Calif., acting platoon sergeant of Troop B, 3-1 Cav. “I was about to engage when he jumped in front of us and intercepted the bomber as he ran toward us. As he pushed him away, the bomb went off.”

The citizen’s actions saved the lives of four U.S. Soldiers and eight civilians.

Kane felt the loss personally because he had met and interacted with his rescuer many times before the incident.

Excerpt 2:

Capt. Brian Gilbert, of Boise, Idaho, the commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, currently attached to 3-1 Cavalry, echoed Kane’s sentiment.

“I spoke with the father,” Gilbert said. “He said he has no remorse in his son’s death because he died saving American Soldiers.
Baklava says:

August 23, 2007 at 3:46 pm

Overdose: Richard Epstein on the Pharmaceutical Industry

Excerpt:

University of Chicago Professor of Law Richard Epstein, author of Overdose: How Excessive Government Regulation Stifles Pharmaceutical Innovation talks with us about the impact of universal health care on drug research, why pharmaceutical companies are treated almost as badly as the tobacco industry and why there is no outcry for the thousands of people who are denied drugs by the FDA and die. It’s easy for politicians and pundits to make simplistic statements about “compassion,” universal healthcare and the evils of drug companies but much more difficult to understand and discuss in depth what impact government regulation would have on drug innovation, research and distribution. If you want to hear more than phony platitudes about the evils of drug companies put out by the media and other agenda-driven groups, take a listen.
NC Cop says:

August 23, 2007 at 3:50 pm

Wow, what a story! It’s sad because that brave Iraqi had to die, even sadder because none of the MSM will even acknowledge the story.

People in this country have no idea how brave some of them can be, but live in fear for their families. Supporting the U.S. can be a death sentence over there.

And people wonder why they don’t come out publicly and support the U.S.

Whoever that Iraqi man was, I thank him for saving our soldiers lives, God Bless him and his family.
Baklava says:

August 23, 2007 at 4:24 pm

The deficit for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 will be about $158 billion, or $90 billion less than the deficit recorded for 2006, the nonpartisan agency reported. The revised figure is about $19 billion below the deficit the CBO projected for fiscal 2007 on March 1.

Higher-than-expected tax revenues are the main reason for the improved numbers, CBO said.
NC Cop says:

August 23, 2007 at 6:00 pm

So let’ see if the dems take THIS NIE report to heart like they have taken the other ones. Somehow I doubt it.

Now is not time to change mission in Iraq
Great White Rat says:

August 23, 2007 at 7:38 pm

Re: #1, by Baklava….if this man had been in the US military, he would be worthy of nomination for the Medal of Honor. I hope someone in Congress picks up on the story and submits a bill to provide some honor for him and provision for his family. That’s one earmark I could get behind.

And everyone, tuck this story into the back of your mind and bring it out the next time some moonbat starts braying about how the Iraqis all hate us and want us out.
Great White Rat says:

August 23, 2007 at 8:13 pm

More global warming follies: Belching moose add to global warming

It’s all Bullwinkle’s fault then. For example:

A grown moose belches out methane gas equivalent to 2,100 kilograms (4,630 pounds) of carbon dioxide a year, contributing to global warming, Norwegian researchers said Wednesday.

That is more than twice the amount of CO2 emitted on a round-trip flight across the Atlantic Ocean from Oslo to the Chilean capital Santiago, according to Scandinavian Airlines.

Or the equivalent amount of fuel used by the Goracle on his Gulfstream forays.

With an estimated 140,000 moose roaming Norway’s forests, that is a total of of 294,000,000 kilograms of CO2 per year.

And that’s just in Norway!! Moose-thropoegnic global warming is also taking place right here, in the US! Not to mention Canada!

Lest PETA fears an extreme solution to the problem:

But Harstad said that was no reason to begin killing off the entire moose population.

“Moose have very important functions in nature.”

(OK, so they’re more useful than your average AGW zealot, then… GWR)

Maybe the Goracle can set up screening of his movie for the moose. And sell them methane credits.
forest hunter says:

August 23, 2007 at 8:20 pm

Bak: Nice to know that reality is no longer locked behind closed doors thanks to the net. I wonder just how long these lying freaks holding the puppet strings at the major media outlets plan to withhold the true news events, especially those that don’t fit the narrative. My ire with those cowards like the bomber, continues to build every time something like this act goes unreported and unquestioned.

My heart goes out to the man’s family whom, as GWR put it, is a Medal of Honor candidate.
Baklava says:

August 23, 2007 at 8:33 pm

I agree Forest and GWR.
forest hunter says:

August 23, 2007 at 9:22 pm

When’s water boarding season for the latest winkle in Bull open, GWR? The Swimmer can teach’em how to belch while submerged. Yeah that’ll do it!
forest hunter says:

August 23, 2007 at 9:31 pm

From the column on the left:

WHY does it take nearly twenty years to rid the world from this breed of garbage?
Great White Rat says:

August 24, 2007 at 2:46 am

Two UPDATES to the story ST posted here about the Seattle Post-Intelligencer refusing to run pictures of two men wanted by the FBI for suspicious actions on the Seattle ferry system, about which jihadis have shown an uncomfortable interest.

First, as ST mentioned, the P-I didn’t think the terrorism threat was important, but they did run a haiku contest about it. That act of idiocy didn’t sit well with the public, as you can see by reading the haiku entries here. Two of my favorites:

Why post the pictures?
You could protect our lives but
CAIR might sue your ass.

How irrelevant
The Post Intelligencer
Goodbye dinosaur

Second, the P-I’s managing editor felt the heat and decided to whimper out an “explanation”, if you can call it that. Basically, he says that if they cooperate with the FBI, it’s like the brown shirts are taking over. He even invents a ferry captain who apparently doesn’t care if he gets blown up to support his case. At one point, he gives us a glimpse of the elitist bong he’s been puffing on. Anointing himself the sole judge of truth, he sniffs:

I understand that people have a hard time with the concept that we get to decide what is news and what isn’t, and what is fair and what isn’t.

In other words, it ain’t news if it doesn’t fit his anti-Bush, politically correct view of the universe. And if that means a ferry full of people are incinerated, oh well…they’re just collateral damage, and we can always blame it on Bush anyway. It’s not like the P-I should be thinking about the public interest or anything, right?

Once again, take a look at the comments below his lame explanation. The vast majority are ripping him a new one. And deservedly so.
Great White Rat says:

August 24, 2007 at 6:14 pm

WOO HOO!!! Vacation time….I’m off to the Caribbean till Labor Day. See y’all then!!

ST – I’m changing planes in Charlotte tomorrow morning. I’ve wave when I leave…I’ll be the one waving on the right side of the plane, of course!
Sister Toldjah says:

August 24, 2007 at 6:17 pm

Have a great time, GWR! Interestingly enough, I’ll be at the airport myself tomorrow for about an hour around lunchtime, meeting a friend who has a two hour layover I’ll make sure to wave back at ya! Have a safe trip and remember to bring the sunblock
Lorica says:

August 24, 2007 at 6:37 pm

That is an awesome story Bak. I hope and pray this man’s sacrifice inspires others to stand up to these people.

GWR you have a great time. While you are there, think about bringing good ‘ole Lorica back a box of Cuban Montecristos please. I would forever be in your debt. – Lorica
Baklava says:

August 24, 2007 at 9:40 pm

More economic Good News….. in case the drive-by legacy media hasn’t told ya.

Company Layoffs

324,000 – 4-week avg. of initial claims for jobless benefits – August 16, 1997
318,000 – 4-week avg. of initial claims for jobless benefits – August 18, 2007

Yep, that’s true — fewer people today are being laid off from their jobs when compared to the same period 10 years ago. That’s despite the fact the employed workforce today is much greater than it was back then — to the tune of over 16 million additional net jobs at present.

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