Our Imperial Overlord in His House of White

…is just the sneakiest pen-wielding bitch EH-VAH!

‘Most transparent’ White House ever rewrote the FOIA to suppress politically sensitive docs

It’s Sunshine Week, so perhaps some enterprising White House reporter will ask press secretary Jay Carney why President Obama rewrote the Freedom of Information Act without telling the rest of America.

The rewrite came in an April 15, 2009, memo from then-White House Counsel Greg Craig instructing the executive branch to let White House officials review any documents sought by FOIA requestors that involved “White House equities.”

That phrase is nowhere to be found in the FOIA, yet the Obama White House effectively amended the law to create a new exception to justify keeping public documents locked away from the public.

When Tim Blair Steals A Snow PLow

Upset at getting stuck in the snow gorebal warmening, Tim has decided to take manners into his own hands…

Note to Bingley: The Auld Gods Try to Clock Your Noggin

…when you DON’T get the…

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!! Slàinte!!

…post up FIRST thing in the mornin’.

Well This Day Has Started Well

So I’m sitting at my desk at 6:30 and the light fixture above me collapses

Somehow it managed to miss my noggin but it dented the hell out of my full cup of coffee but didn’t knock it over (splashed quite a lot, though). It also knocked one of my monitors all askew.

And now as there’s no filter on the light overhead I feel either like a slice of pizza or I’m on the stand in Judgement At Nuremburg.

Can I go home now?

Virginia A #1 Seed?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Oh nononononononononononononono!

Not what I wanted at all.

I DO NOT want us to be the first #1 to lose to a #16…

Yeah, I’m a fatalist.

Truth In Advertising

4realz RT @JonRichard: Malaysia airlines really did live up to their slogan. pic.twitter.com/5wfpRNa6q9

— Barbara McMahon (@southsalem) March 16, 2014

“We’ll Give You SUCH A Pinch”

John Kerry, Super Stud Muffin

Secretary of State John Kerry warned of serious repercussions for Russia on Monday if last-ditch talks over the weekend to resolve the crisis in Ukraine failed to persuade Moscow to soften its stance.

…U.S. and European officials argue that Moscow is orchestrating the referendum and waging an intimidation campaign with thousands of Russian troops controlling the region. If Russian-backed lawmakers in Crimea go through with the Sunday referendum, Kerry said the U.S. and its European allies will not recognize it as legitimate under international law.

The U.S. and Europe on Monday would then unite to impose sanctions on Russia, Kerry told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee Thursday during a hearing on the State Department’s budget.

“There will be a response of some kind to the referendum itself,” Kerry said. “If there is no sign [from Russia] of any capacity to respond to this issue … there will be a very serious series of steps on Monday.”

You just know that Putin is quite likely shivering in fear.

Smart Power has him right where we want him, yessirree, caught up in that web of Reset.

Update: Per ZeroHedge, here’s a handy graphic so you can see those Russkies quaking in their boots at the Wrath O’Kerry

Marines Re-enact “Pickett’s Charge” at Gettysburg With Eerie Authenticity, According to Veterans at the Scene

(CIVIL War veterans.)

President Warren G. Harding, presiding. Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler, commanding.

All after a brisk hike out to the Pennsylvania battlefield…from Quantico, Virginia.

While Smedley Butler would drive to Gettysburg, his men hadn’t yet reached the point of becoming “mechanized infantry.” While some of his men would arrive in Gettysburg in tanks or airplanes, most of them traveled by foot. Here they are marching through Frederick, Maryland, on their way to Gettysburg. The marines arrived in Frederick around noon on June 24, and camped on the fairgrounds there overnight. They even had their band(s) playing as they marched through the town. This view was taken on June 24 or 25, 1922.

Now THAT’S “Old Corps”.

TONS of great pictures and, towards the end, a CLASSIC Marine Corps anecdote, from, of all people… 🙂

…The New York Times continued, “The only criticism that was heard of the exhibition came from F. B. Cope [sic], sergeant of Typographical Engineers with Meade’s headquarters, and now superintendent of the Gettysburg battlefield. When the units representing Armistead’s Kemper’s, Garnett’s, Archer’s, Scales’ and Pettigrew’s brigades reached the stone wall, the height of the charge, and turned slowly back, Mr. Cope, standing on the steps of the observation tower (which Cope designed) on Cemetery Ridge with President Harding, declared the Marines did not retreat fast enough. This may have been criticism, but the Marines accepted it as a compliment.”

“I Will NEVER Stand for ANY President…”

Trey Gowdy, ladies and germs.

)

Flight 370

It just is so very strange that they’ve found…nothing.

Shoot First, Ask Questions Later

This is SO HORRIFIC ~ and strikes so close to home, literally and figuratively ~ that I am SHAKING.

Shoot first, ask questions later method puts former Beckville resident in Alabama hospital

A Beckville graduate was shot in Alabama by an Opelika Police officer Thursday after the man stopped on the side of the interstate because of a minor traffic accident.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Michael Davidson, a 2012 graduate of Beckville High School, is in now in East Alabama Medical Center after undergoing extensive life saving surgery, his father, Billy Davidson said.

The shooting happened Thursday night, March 6 on the side of I-85 between the Torbert Road and West Point Parkway exits.

…according to his dad. “Apparently, Michael’s vehicle and a ‘diesel rig’ were involved in a minor accident,” Billy said, “and they pulled to the side of the interstate to exchange information. He got his billfold out and was going to talk to the driver.”

Michael never got to speak to the driver of the truck.

“He remembers hearing a yell coming from someone behind him. He saw the reflection of flashing lights on the truck he was beside, and realizing it was the police, raised his arms and turned around.”

That’s when Officer Phillip Hancock, a seven-year veteran with OPD, shot Michael in the stomach.

…Other officers responded to the scene. “Michael remembers seeing the officers searching his vehicle while he was laying on the ground. He tried to sit up and asking why he was shot, but he was pushed back to the ground and told to stay down,” his dad said.

Billy said details were sketchy after that because his son, who had lost a lot of blood, passed out.

The bullet hit an artery in his stomach and damaged organs. Billy said he was told they almost lost Michael several times during the surgery. “He lost so much blood they ran out of blood and had to use blood expanders,” Billy said.

Michael’s parents were not notified of the shooting until around noon the following day.

Speechless. Ebola just came across country, like this Airman was doing, checking in with his dad the whole way, like this Airman was doing.

His folks KNEW something was wrong when he didn’t get back with them by that evening at the latest. So THEY got to lose their minds worrying.

Then to find out your son had been practically shot in cold blood and left BLEEDING TO DEATH by the side of the road, while these GOMERS “LAW ENFORCEMENT” types ignored him?

As a mother, I’m just sick at heart for his suffering and his folks’.

As a CITIZEN?

I hope they OWN these assholes.

From The Annals Of “You’ll Find Out What’s In It Once You Vote For It”

Everything is proceeding exactly as I have foreseen

New information-reporting rules for many businesses and their insurers are on their way under the federal Affordable Care Act. But with less than 10 months to go before data tracking is to get under way, the impact on affected businesses could be overwhelming, the National Restaurant Association reported last week.

Last week the IRS issued rules requiring many employers to turn over significant data to the IRS and to employees starting in early 2016. Data tracking must begin Jan. 1, 2015.

The rules are aimed at helping the IRS enforce the health care law’s employer and individual mandates, including allowing the agency to calculate and assess monthly penalties against large employers who fail to offer qualifying health care coverage to full-time employees. Federal and state agencies will also use the data to determine which individuals are eligible for federal tax help to buy health care plans on exchanges.

…Dawn Sweeney, NRA president and chief executive officer, said that the NRA is disappointed in the overall regulations. “We asked the IRS to offer options for a truly streamlined reporting process, taking into consideration the employer reporting requirements holistically. Instead, employers will face an overwhelming and extensive set of requirements. The data-collection process will be massive, likely requiring new administrative resources and technology upgrades. Our industry has never needed to track such a massive outflow of employee data. The prospect of putting systems in place by the end of the year to collect, maintain and protect new data continues to be a great concern for restaurateurs,” said Ms. Sweeney.

Yes, more liars for Harry Reid to dismiss.

Dear Sen. Gillibrand

This is precisely WHY you don’t take “JUSTICE” out of the military’s hands. It’s a SHAME when suddenly exposed POLITICAL MACHINATIONS screw up a perfectly good lynch mob, isn’t it?

Judge weighs evidence of possible Pentagon meddling in Army sex case; jury dismissed for day

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The judge in the case against an Army general believed to be the highest-ranking U.S. military officer to be tried on sex assault charges is considering new evidence that a top lawyer at the Pentagon may have unlawfully interfered in a decision on whether to accept a plea agreement that was ultimately rejected.

Attorneys for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair presented the evidence, and Judge Col. James Pohl dismissed the jury for the day Monday morning. Pohl then retired to his chambers, where he will weigh the email chain between the prosecution team at Fort Bragg and a top Pentagon lawyer.

It is unlawful in the military justice system for senior commanders to interfere in prosecutorial decisions.

The UCMJ is designed to protect both defendant AND victim, as well as keep the proceedings free from WHATEVER PC command influence may be brought to bear in the shadows. There ARE mechanisms to completely exonerate a defendant who’s been ridden out on a rail due to senior meddling/predetermined outcomes. Granted, it helps to have that attorney who knows the ropes and can see the forest for the trees.

Right, General Amos?

There’s no question this general is a piece of work who deserves to be cashiered for a variety of sins, but there is DEFINATELY a question about what sort of “abuser” he is, considering the “victim’s” emails, diaries and that her “complaint” was never filed until she found out she wasn’t Numero Uno in his lovelife.

And if he had a plea deal worked out that got scotched because the Administration and this milquetoast DoD wanted a SHOW TRIAL?

Well…good for the judge in putting the brakes on the second he found out about it.

I Knead This

Ways empty-nesters pass the time:

Got the whole wheat bread all a-kneaded

and now she’s rising for a couple of hours before in to Mr. Dutch Oven she goes

and I’m off to Costco for some flank steak to stuff for dinner.

Update:

Okay, so the bread is out and cooling

and the flank steak is pounded out and somewhat flatterer (to roughly 1/4″)

onto which is spread a mix of parsley, mint, garlic, lemon juice, pecorino romano, toasted pine nuts and pepper

and all of which is rather sloppily rolled, tied,

and tossed into a 350º oven for 70 minutes or so.

Much to the dismay of a Certain Person

there were no scraps to be had

after the a fore-mentioned 70 minutes went by out the somewhat sloppy roll came

well, very sloppy really. I just have not figured out how to properly tie up something. Oh well.

On to the plate!

The lemon/mint/parsley/garlic/cheese/pine nut mixture was quite tasty, and the flank steak was done pretty much on point.

Yum all around.

Unexpectedly (Only To The Super Geniuses In The White House) Putin Turns Things Up A Notch

Hey Europe! Nice heat you’ve got there…be a pity if something were to happen to it

Putin mocks the West and threatens to turn off gas supplies
Russian leader says does not want ‘new cold war’ but threatens to disrupt European gas supplies

Vladimir Putin has mocked diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine crisis as Russia threatened to disrupt European gas supplies by cutting off sales to Kiev over its unpaid debts.

The Russian president said through his official spokesman that, despite deep disagreements with the West, he did not want a confrontation over Ukraine to spiral into a “new cold war”.

Nevertheless Dmitry Peskov ridiculed Western demands for direct talks between the Kremlin and the new Kiev government, claiming that the loss of credibility involved “puts a smile on our face”.

… Earlier, Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant, said it would start to reduce deliveries to Kiev, a move that would disrupt supplies to Europe. Gazprom said Ukraine had failed to make payments on its £1.2 billion debts.

Ukraine is one of the main transit routes for the continent’s gas and the suspension of Gazprom exports in freezing temperatures in 2006 and in 2009 endangered national grids and caused sharp rises in prices. “We can’t supply gas for free,” Alexey Miller, the head of Gazprom, said. “Either Ukraine settles its debt and pays for current deliveries or the risk arises of a return to the situation we saw at the start of 2009.”

Energy experts said Russia had the power to cause problems in markets across Europe, even though peak winter demand was past. “Europe still relies heavily – in some cases 100 per cent – on Russian gas. And if that was interrupted very suddenly, there would be difficulties all round,” said Lord Howell, the former energy secretary.

Just In The Mood For This

Now Crimea Has “Voted” To Join Russia

So I guess we’re all good then, right?

(Reuters) – Crimea’s parliament voted to join Russia on Thursday and its Moscow-backed government set a referendum within 10 days on the decision in a dramatic escalation of the crisis over the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula.

The sudden acceleration of moves to bring Crimea, which has an ethnic Russian majority and has effectively been seized by Russian forces, formally under Moscow’s rule came as European Union leaders gathered for an emergency summit to seek ways to pressure Russia to back down and accept mediation.

The Crimean parliament voted unanimously “to enter into the Russian Federation with the rights of a subject of the Russian Federation”. The vice premier of Crimea, home to Russia’s Black Sea military base in Sevastopol, said a referendum on the status would take place on March 16.

Democracy flowing from the barrel of a gun.

Happy Birthday THS!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the bestest Sister evuh has turned 29 yet again!

It’s really amazing how she does it!

Massachussetts Neck and Neck With California for Whack Job State Award: And I Hope MY RIGHT to THOROUGHLY

…THRASH HIM to within an inch of his LIFE if I ever CAUGHT HIM is also as “protected” in a public space.

Mass. High Court: Subway Upskirt Photos Not Illegal

Massachusetts’ highest court has ruled that a man accused of secretly snapping photos up a woman’s skirt on an MBTA train did not break the law.

The State Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday dismissed charges against Michael Robertson of Andover, who was arrested in August 2010 by transit police.

…“Because the MBTA is a public transit system operating in a public place and uses cameras, the two alleged victims here were not in a place and circumstance where they reasonably would or could have had an expectation of privacy,” a draft of the ruling stated.

So Massachussetts will TAKE YOUR CHILD AWAY, even if you live in a different state, but, God forbid you wear a SKIRT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.

You’re on your own, bitches.

ODDLY Enough, I Turned Out to Be Most Like…

…River. “A little crazy”. Well, ‘magine that.

The Which Firefly Character Are You? quiz.

Well This Is Reassuring

“Top Men” are working on the Ukraine crisis

Top diplomats seek Ukraine solution in Paris talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is holding talks with counterparts from the US and key EU states to try to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

The US wants independent observers in the flashpoint region of Crimea and direct talks between Kiev and Moscow.

Russia was expected to call for greater representation for Ukraine’s Russian-speaking areas in the Kiev government.

The EU earlier offered 11bn euros ($15bn; £9bn) of aid to Ukraine and froze the assets of 18 Ukrainians.

BREAKING NEWS: Oh, Hot DAMN!

Senate total showing 51 votes against Adegbile.

— Byron York (@ByronYork) March 5, 2014

ths update: More:

Senate vote against Adegbile 51-48. Biden's presence didn't matter. Neither did nuclear option.

— Byron York (@ByronYork) March 5, 2014

And apparently Pederast Harry Reid has CHANGED his vote vote to “no” as well, supposedly giving him the option to reintroduce the nomination at a later date.

I don’t see that happening. Justice won this round.

And, no doubt, “RACIST” in three…two..one…

I Ask a Legitimate Question

…based on the available information at the time.

@indystar How much of a credit if they adopt the whole kid? #NotJustABodyPart @barbberg @GovPenceIN

— tree hugging sister (@treehuggingsis) March 5, 2014

Vlad The Protector

So Putin now claims that because ethnic-speaking Russians were in supposed peril he can send in the troops.

Think about the implications of that if it is allowed to stand.

Update: and I see that Mr. Smart Power and his Golden Tongue have got Russia threatening to seize US and EU assets.

Cool.

Did you see what they charge for arugula in Moscow?

I Guess Warren Buffet’s Not Getting a White House Christmas Card Next Year

Talk about your old man wandering off the proverbial porch…

Warren Buffett: Supposed Increase in Extreme Weather ‘Hasn’t Been True So Far’

Any climate alarmist will tell you that climate change is increasing extreme weather events, but liberal billionaire Warren Buffett easily destroyed that argument.

…Buffett said the supposed increase in extreme weather “hasn’t been true so far, Joe. We always think it’s cold. We always think it’s cold in Omaha. But, it was cold in Omaha 50 years ago.”

…Specifically, Buffett rejected claims that hurricanes have increased due to climate change, citing his experience in hurricane insurance. He said “we’ve been remarkably free of hurricanes in the United States in the last five years.”

He added “If you are writing hurricane insurance, it has been all profit.“

…In that same interview, Buffett rejected two other liberal talking points. He expressed concern over an increased minimum wage, agreeing with the Congressional Budget Office that wage hikes would kill jobs. He also expressed support for the Keystone XL pipeline, calling it “useful.”