People paying attention to copyright law may remember some noise in The Hill in mid-late 2007 about imposing performance fees on terrestrial radio stations. At the time, it didn’t really go anywhere, so the idea managed to stay out of the public eye. But it wasn’t gone. In February of this year, with next to no fanfair or coverage, this so-called “Performance Rights Act” was | Read More »
Two students have filed suit against Peralta College after being suspended for praying. Now, I’m not one who likes to go off half-cocked. Normally, I like to go beyond the headlines, and often find that there’s just more to it than that. Like, maybe they were praying loudly in the middle of class, being disruptive, and ignoring the professor’s instructions to sit down. Then, I’ll | Read More »
Any day you can drive through Northern New York with the windows down is a good day. And, considering I was about to stand on a line holding a sign for two and a half hours, this bode very well indeed. The light breeze and clear, blue sky was all the encouragement I needed that this was a darn fine day for dissent. As I | Read More »
Against all odds, in spite of trillions of dollars being funneled to auto manufacturers, insurers and financial institutions, billions of dollars spent on state and federal makework projects and millions in proposed new taxes, people just aren’t buying stuff. According to Fox News, sales dropped 1.1 per cent — further than the .03 per cent originally projected. Listen, people. Your children aren’t going to bankrupt | Read More »
Yesterday, Captain Richard Phillips was rescued by Navy SEALs from the hands of the four pirates who held him for five days. And now, he’s getting a hero’s welcome at home. But what makes him a hero? Our society, longing perhaps, for heroes lately, tends to throw the word around pretty loosely. Society, in our seemingly endless quest to venerate the mediocre, bestows the title, | Read More »
A quick rant to start this off: Know your enemy. My inbox sickens me every day with psychotic rantings from moveon.org and the angry, babykilling chants of NARAL. Not to mention various other liberal organizations. I do this for one reason only: to know what they’re up to and look for opportunities for countermeasures. Every now and then, I think to myself, why do I | Read More »
(from a post at St. Lawrence Co. Republitarian) New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Cortland, New York Tuesday, speaking with local business leaders about how to best stimulate local economy. Basically, the idea was to seek grant proposals for money that is already earmarked for the State. The gist: we have x amount of dollars, now let’s decide how to spend it. Now, let’s forget, for the | Read More »
During Obama’s remarks to France yesterday, the President claimed that, when it comes to Europe, America has been both “arrogant” and “dismissive.” “[The United States has] failed to appreciate Europe‘s leading role in the world”, President Barack Obama said yesterday. … Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown | Read More »
(cross-posted at SLC Republitarian) The President may be a lot of things, few of them flattering, but one thing he is not is politically stupid. Becoming known for calling out Republican rivals, Obama is now, carefully, working to spread the word that His Excellency will brook no deviation from within the ranks. And, though he has the political acumen to hide his threats in laughter, | Read More »
I know, it’s a long title… but it had to be done. This is not a post about what’s happening in Florida re: the cancelled tea party. There are plenty of diaries here at RedState that discuss exactly that. Rather, this is a post about what to do about it. It’s very easy for RedStaters to point to the would-be protestors in Florida and tell | Read More »
The following is a letter submitted to the office of my Congressman, John McHugh, Dist. 23, NY. And, frankly, to all our Congressmen. This will be cross-posted at SLC Republitarian and sent to local papers today. Dear Sir, When you took office, you swore to uphold the Constitution. This is the document which defines our nation, and as such, which must be the standard to | Read More »
Man, I hate pop culture. I hate even more that the news has become little more than a celebrity-maker. Take, for example, the case of Media-manufactured celeb, Nadya “Octomom” Suleman. I have wanted, with everything in me, to avoid the whole “octomom” controversy. I have felt — and still largely do — that this woman’s life and children are just none of our damned business. | Read More »
(cross-posted at SLC Republitarian) New York’s illustrious “governor” Paterson has issued a statement saying he no longer needs to levy the entire tax and fee package against New York’s citizens, because of money coming to the state from Obama’s “Stimulus” package. The $11 billion from Washington will help Paterson back away from his more politically detrimental tax and fee suggestions, such as the softdrink tax, | Read More »
Yup. That’s right. It’s not a happy message. Not particularly uplifting. Barack Obama is the President, and the liberals carry the majority in both houses of the Legislature. Add in the RINOs on our own side, and Barry pretty much has the votes to do whatever the hell he wants. And not you, me, or the voice of the voters, evidently, is going to have | Read More »
Have to hand it to him. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich may be an amoral heel… but he is one hell of a politician. It is pretty clear now that he doesn’t expect to keep his Governor’s seat, but I’m beginning to wonder if he doesn’t already have a grander future in mind. I started to think that Blago may have a trick or two up | Read More »
I’m starting to get a little worried. And annoyed. Actually, mostly annoyed. Gubenatorial candidates in states like New Jersey and Virginia are coming out of the woodwork. Republicans are lining up to take on leadership roles throughout the country, and preparing for long, hard battles. Meanwhile, in New York, where we face an enormous budget crisis and an unelected governor who seems to feel that | Read More »
Like many others, I’ve been contemplating in disgust the celebrity “pledge” video for Barack Obama (warning, viewing may induce vomiting). And thinkers and writers from our own aglanon to Andrew Brietbart have written wonderful and appropriate responses to the celebs in question. So I’m not going to do that here. Not really. Instead, I’m simply going to share what I learned from the video. Or, | Read More »
Upstate New York is home to a lot of Amish. A lot. And, for some reason, it appears that some local politicians dislike having them here. I have no way of knowing whether it’s because of the horses and buggies they drive, the organic veggies they sell at roadside stands or the high-quality woodworking, but Powers That Be in some parts of Franklin, St. Lawrence | Read More »
(Cross-posted at SLC Republitarian) New York’s “Governor” Paterson has made it clear, with his proposed $121-billion budget that he’s focused not on New York’s declining economy, but on the fiscal health of the State government. And, as usually happens when you put the cart before the horse, it could spell disaster for both. Paterson has proposed some budget cuts — not as dramatic as some | Read More »
I’m starting to think we should change the name of the New York State troopers to “Nanny 911.” Recent headlines say New York’s dear Governor Paterson would now like to tax soda pop — as long as it isn’t diet. This so-called “Obesity tax” is, in essence, a scheme to put more money in the State coffers. And, as Paterson learned back in June of | Read More »
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