Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

How about an appropriate tune from the romance vault, eh? Follow the bouncing heart and sing along!

How’s That Redial Button Working?

I guess about as good as the “Reset Button”

Secretary of State John Kerry called all the foreign ministers of countries that deal with North Korea following Monday’s nuclear test and all but one of them picked up the phone — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

… At Wednesday’s State Department press briefing, outgoing Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland denied that Kerry was frantically trying to reach Lavrov. (The Cable has confirmed that Nuland will soon be replaced at the podium by White House Deputy Press Secretary Jen Psaki.)

“There’s been nothing frantic about it. He reached out to Foreign Minister Lavrov yesterday, made it clear again today that he’s ready to talk whenever Foreign Minister Lavrov can find the time,” Nuland said.

We are, and continue to be, so boned.

Willlllburrrrrrrrrrr!

Europe is having a cow horse…and it was for dinner last night

David Cameron’s previous claims that the scandal was merely a “food labelling” issue will be challenged by a report which says that more revelations are to come.

Having earlier told MPs in the Commons that beef was safe, the Prime Minister went further yesterday by eating a beef pie and a pork pie in front of photographers at a reception in Westminster Hall.

But in their report today, the MPs on the environment select committee say it is “improbable” that criminals who are prepared to pass off horse meat as beef are following good hygiene standards.

It’s rather interesting scandal of the unintended consequences of laws, international smuggling and EuroZone follies.

Evidently it started when Rumania started enforcing a law forbidding the use of horses and donkeys on highways, which led to lots of ex-transit beasts ending up at slaughterhouses.

When You’re SO Hipster Trendy

…you’re just so stupido.

Gus Exposito couldn’t believe what he saw in the marble walls of South Beach’s W Hotel: a larger-than-life framed photograph of what looked like Cuban communist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

“He was a mass murderer, killed thousands of Cubans execution-style,” Exposito, 51, wrote in an email, comparing the long-dead Fidel Castro pal to Adolf Hitler or the KKK. “I spoke to the manager and he referred to it as art!”

Turns out, it’s probably not Che. It’s another artist’s rendering of the revolutionary. But Exposito says it’s offensive nonetheless, raising the question: Is an image of an offensive image offensive? Is it art? Both?

Community answer: offensive.

Next time, remember to check with the neighbors.

Ben Shapiro’s Response to Obama’s SOTU

Classic

I’m Not Surprised

…Jennifer Rubin loved Marco’s SOTU response:

Rubio responds and shines

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) did not disappoint tonight, showing a fresher face and more dynamic brand of conservatism –- presented by a fresher and more dynamic face. He appeared relaxed and jovial throughout, hardly the stereotype of the angry Republican. Standing in front of the window was a helpful framing — making him “fill up” the screen, if you will. As a TV communicator he did the best job of any State of the Union respondent I can recall. His delivery was briefly marred by grabbing for a swig of water, which depending on your view was either a “real moment” or a rookie error.

His story was, as we expected, told from an immigrant’s perspective. (“My parents immigrated here in pursuit of the opportunity to improve their life and give their children the chance at an even better one. They made it to the middle class, my dad working as a bartender and my mother as a cashier and a maid. I didn’t inherit any money from them. But I inherited something far better -– the real opportunity to accomplish my dreams.”) He is unquestionably an appealing person with a great story.

…Most impressive was his ability to explain why conservatives oppose liberal policies:

More government isn’t going to help you get ahead. It’s going to hold you back. More government isn’t going to create more opportunities. It’s going to limit them. And more government isn’t going to inspire new ideas, new businesses and new private-sector jobs. It’s going to create uncertainty. Because more government breeds complicated rules and laws that a small business can’t afford to follow. Because more government raises taxes on employers, who then pass the costs on to their employees through fewer hours, lower pay and even layoffs. And because many government programs that claim to help the middle class, often end up hurting them instead.

What’s GREAT is when someone like Van Jones does too…

Take a look at the other panel member to his left (literally and figuratively, I guess) just about going apoplectic trying to correct his obviously erroneous impression of my senator.

**giggle**

Thought For The Day

(via one of those emails going about)

I was eating breakfast with my 10-year-old Granddaughter and I asked her, “What day is tomorrow?”

Without skipping a beat she said, “It’s President’s Day!”

She’s smart, so I asked her “What does President’s Day mean?”

I was waiting for something about Washington or Lincoln, etc.

She replied, “President’s Day is when President Obama steps out of the White House, and if he sees his shadow, we have 4 more years of Bull Shit.”

Joke Of The Past Four Years

…and as always it on us

And remember that when this was said both the House and Senate were controlled by the Democrats.

Funny how the MSM has funneled this down the Memory Hole.

NorKo Nukes Got You Down? Can’t Feed Your Kids ‘Cause ObamaCare’s Getting Your Hours Cut?

Cheer UP! Listen to some Cajun music…

..and HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!

OBAMA CAN’T KILL THAT.

How’re Those Votes For Obama…

…working out now?

RICHMOND, VA—More than 600 part-time employees at the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control will soon have their hours cut as the state prepares to enact the Affordable Care Act.

Under the Affordable Care Act, employers would be required to offer health care insurance to employees who work more than 30 hour a week.

As a result, legislation to limit the number of hours worked by the Commonwealth’s part-time work force was introduced in January and will be enacted in late April, a memo from the Virginia ABC said.

A Virginia ABC employee contacted 8News about the change, saying he’ll soon lose nine to 11 hours of pay each week, when the new policy goes into effect.

Turning us into a dependent State, one voter at a time.

Seriously, it’s a brilliant and basically unstoppable plan by the Progressives: get elected by promising massive give-aways, enact them, forcing businesses (and state governments!) to lay-off/cut people’s hours to try to handle the cost of implementing these programs, and this forces more people onto the dole.

Kim Jong Nuke

But DON’T WORRY! Secretary of State Waffles is even now writing them a strong letter telling them how angry we are.

Happy Birthday Abe

You were one of the greatest.

Drones Can Murder You If Obama Wants To

But it’s ok because we trust him and he’s not Bush.

An excellent column by Glenn Greenwald.

I Do Not Think That Means What They Think it Does

Let’s try the first part of the Sacramento Bee‘s slap at Rick Perry on for size again, shall we?

“Actually, we think it’s more than a fart. It’s a cry for help.

Perry can’t create jobs, he can only steal them from other states.…”

¿Que?

So they want to play Vizzini, do they? Well, a word to the wise wordsmiths of the Bee ~ never go in against a Texan when JOBS are on the line, capiche?

The only thing more futile would be a land war in Asia.

They Are Dead To Me

Never again shall their product pass these lips

Maker’s Mark is reducing its alcohol by volume by three percent in an effort to meet increased demand, says an e-mail from executives to Maker’s Mark Ambassadors.

Bourbon’s answer to New Coke.

I’m Getting My Resume Together

There’s a job opening coming up in Rome

Pope Benedict XVI is to stand down as leader of the Catholic church, he announced today.

In a decision that has shocked even his closest aides, the 85-year-old Pontiff said his health was ‘no longer adequate to continue in office due to his advanced age’.

He announced his resignation in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals this morning, emphasising that leading more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide requires ‘both strength of mind and body.’

“Pope Bingley” has a nice ring to it.

Sure, I’m a Presbyterian but I think that that little detail will make my application stand out from the crowd. My Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Catholic Church are quite serious about their reaching out to other faith traditions; what better way to put their words into action than a Prot Pope…moi.

Drip Drip Drip

Pravda keeps painting a picture of menendez and it’s getting…murky

WASHINGTON — Senator Robert Menendez sought to discourage any plan by the United States government to donate port security equipment to the Dominican Republic, citing concern that the advanced screening gear might undermine efforts by a private company — run by a major campaign contributor and friend of his — to do the work.

The intervention with the Department of Homeland Security last month came even though Mr. Menendez has publicly chastised the Obama administration for not doing more to combat the surging drug traffic moving through Dominican ports.

… In a January e-mail exchange with Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Menendez’s staff did not mention Dr. Melgen or his company, Boarder Support Services, by name.

But the aide asked if the United States government was planning to donate additional port security equipment to the Dominican Republic. The aide explained that if such a donation occurred, the Dominican government, perhaps under pressure from criminal elements there, might intentionally limit the use of the equipment so that drugs or other contraband could still flow through the country’s ports on the way to the United States.

Only by hiring the unnamed private contractor, the e-mail said, could the United States be assured that port security in the Dominican Republic would be enhanced.

As they say, read the whole thing.

There are an awful lot of “coincidences” piling up.

Someone Pounding on the Door, Yelling “U.S. Marines!”

…is a sight to see in New York.

“Monk Inspired”

GASTONIA, N .C. – When I heard about it, I jumped in the car and drove out to Gastonia.
I was not alone.
By noon Thursday, an admittedly early time to be drinking beer, the Brixx on Cox Road in Gastonia had already sold about a dozen glasses of Belmont Abbey Dubbel. They could only get a small torpedo keg of it, which holds roughly 50 glasses of beer.
They ran out by 5 p.m.

“We’ve never run out of beer that fast,”

Noon “early” to be drinking?

He’s never met Bingley.

Okay…Winter Storm “ORKO”?!?

And who is the “DORKO” coming up with these dumbass names?

Taking A Snooze In The Post-Snow Sun

Yep, life’s allllllllright.

Well As Of 10:20 PM It’s Not “The Storm Of The Century”

But it is rather pleasant to see

I do lurves me some snow.

Update: we really haven’t had that much snow here at the Shore

but it is purdy

Morning Update:

We ended up with a very pleasing 9″

and thankfully not the faintest zephyr of a breeze all night so no downed trees or power issues (so far at least).

And as an aside I would willingly bear the love child of Arthur Sicard.

At Least Mayoro Bloombito and Bingley Agree on One Thing

Nemo esta un estupido name para un stormo. Yo soy renamingo el stormo to Snowbracabra! #Snowbracabra

— Miguel Bloombito (@ElBloombito) February 8, 2013

Thanks to Obama, America Might Well NOT Be a “Global 911” as the Despicable General Dempsey Cravenly Put It

…but they DAMN WELL SHOULD STILL BE AMERICANS’ 911, no matter WHERE they are, especially if your little sovereign AMERICAN diplomatic operation is getting overrun by terrorists NOT TWO HOURS FLIGHT TIME from a MAJOR AMERICAN MILITARY BASE.

(The flight time major dad and I figured from NAS Sigonella, Italy to Benghazi at screaming speed of heat, intent on laying death and destruction.) (That’s assuming there wasn’t a Marine Corps MEU floating on boats somewhere even CLOSER, armed to the TEETH and ready for a rumble they could have called.)

The FACT that an officer of the AMERICAN military would do EVERYTHING in his power to WEASEL DICK his way out of responsibility for launching a rescue mission for the lowliest citizen, less mind OUR AMBASSADOR and his staff, in a time of HORRIFIC NEED, is a sorry indictment of both the majority of top echelon of Army culture and the politics they answer to.

DESPICABLE.

And do you know who we HAVEN’T heard from?

The ONE Army general who said “we’re going in”, General Carter Ham:

heard a story today from someone inside the military that I trust entirely. The story was in reference to General Ham that Panetta referenced in the quote below.
quote:

“(The) basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on; without having some real-time information about what’s taking place,” Panetta told Pentagon reporters. “And as a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, Gen. Ham, Gen. Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation.”

The information I heard today was that General Ham as head of Africom received the same e-mails the White House received requesting help/support as the attack was taking place. General Ham immediately had a rapid response unit ready and communicated to the Pentagon that he had a unit ready.

General Ham then received the order to stand down. His response was to screw it, he was going to help anyhow. Within 30 seconds to a minute after making the move to respond, his second in command apprehended General Ham and told him that he was now relieved of his command.

The story continues that now General Rodiguez would take General Ham’s place as the head of Africom.

I suggest we start a movement ~ maybe a White House petition:

FREE GENERAL HAM!!!!

They STILL have not answered the “WHO GAVE THE STAND DOWN ORDER?” (Was it even asked?)…and now all of the players are gone.

Convenient, n’est pas?

George Bush didn’t hesitate to send the Marines into Lebanon to pick folks up (including Anthony Bourdain, who sure changed HIS tune concerning the military).

But Obama and his brilliant Secretary of State, had they bothered to rouse themselves from their slumber and CareBear dreams, mind you, couldn’t scramble a couple of late night navy F-18s to buzz the field and scare the bad guys? Make themselves heros for the day?

To paraphrase our defensive, fiery fisted Secretary of State ~ WHAT a DIFFERENCE that day would have made.

Presented Without Comment

Two stories that caught my eye today:

CNN:

Whodunnit? Sport’s greatest unsolved kidnapping 30 years on

(CNN) — It was a foggy winter’s night on the remote Ballymany Stud Farm in Ireland when its head groom Jim Fitzgerald heard a knock at the door.

What lurked outside was to spark one of the most extraordinary unsolved kidnappings of the 20th Century.

Thirty years ago this week — on February 8, 1983 — Fitzgerald was confronted by three masked gunmen. They had come for Shergar — then the most valuable race horse in the world and the pride of a nation.

…”We were staggered. A horse kidnapped? Nothing like this had ever happened before.”

Sky News:

Tests on Findus beef lasagne have revealed that some of the ready meals were made entirely from horsemeat.

Findus analysed 18 of its beef lasagne products and found 11 meals contained between 60% and 100% horsemeat, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.