Walmart Trucks While Al Gore Shucks, Jives

If the world is really burning to the ground due to man-made CO2 emissions, then it appears free markets in the form of Walmart is about to save it and not government dictates from polka-dot-onesie-clad bureaucrats.

The video below concerns a long-haul truck with an electric motor being developed by the merchandizing giant. It looks like it could have come from Star Trek. Even if the tractor never takes off, the carbon-fiber trailer that is 4,000 pounds less than steel seems a done deal.

This is huge. Walmart, as trucker/sometimes political activist Russ Diamond notes, has the world’s largest truck fleet.

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Fear Takes Over

By Chris Freind

If running scared was an Olympic sport, America would get the gold. Hands down.

In stark contrast to the pioneering spirit that built this country — taking risk and enduring danger — living in fear has now become our nation’s favorite pastime.

Nowhere was that on bigger display than leading up to the Olympics in Sochi. From the government to the media, the fear-mongers were out in force, many of whom urged Americans to stay home from Games — with some all but guaranteeing catastrophic terrorist attacks.

Congressman Peter King, R-N.Y., relying on the ever-so-convenient “I can’t tell you what I know” line thrown out whenever a claim can’t be substantiated, stated, “I would not go myself. If I were an athlete, that’s one thing, but just as a spectator, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.” Incomprehensibly, though, he then said, “Odds are nothing is going to happen.”

Well, if odds are nothing will happen, why shoot your mouth off at all? It instills fear needlessly — and angers a powerful nation.

Likewise, U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, stated, “I would not go, and I don’t think I would send my family.”

Really? When did we become such wimps? It’s bad enough that some leaders are afraid to live, but to broadcast their fears is inexcusable. Without question, doing so handed every terrorist in the world a huge moral victory. The message? Make threats and watch America flee with its tail between its legs.

There would be nothing better than to see the ultimate cold warrior Vladimir Putin pull off an attack-free Olympics to show the world that the way to defeat terrorism is to take the fight right to them. Never back down, and never live in fear.

And so long as we’re keeping score in the other “metal” count — Olympic bombings — Russia still has zero, one fewer than America. And in that game, low score wins.

Kind of ironic that, despite the immense doom-and-gloom heaped upon the supposedly unsafe confines of Sochi, the only bombing deliberately targeting the Olympics occurred at the Atlanta Games in 1996, killing one and injuring more than 100.

So much for being “risk-free” in America, a point sorely lost on our leaders. Despite their attempt to sanitize everything, pretending that we can be 100 percent safe, there is, and always will be, risk. From walking out the front door to attending Olympic Games, risk goes with the territory as an everyday part of life. We can mitigate it to the best of our ability, but risk, in its infinite forms, is our lifelong companion.

It’s how we deal with risk that defines our courage and character.

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Let’s look at several points regarding the Sochi fear factor:

1. Has the region around Sochi seen its share of terrorism? Yes, but there have been plenty of Olympic venues where terrorism was a potential threat. The separatist group ETA had a history of bombings in Spain, yet Barcelona hosted in 1992. China clearly had issues with terrorism, yet the 2008 Games were played. And who could forget the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer during the 1972 Olympics in Munich?

America endured bombings in Oklahoma City (1995) and Atlanta, got walloped on 9/11, and has seen countless other attacks, from the Times Square bomber to mall and school shootings — despite the best intelligence in the world. Does that mean we should never host again? Of course not. But the constant fear-hyping — especially by those who live in glass houses — takes the magic out of the Games.

2. Let’s be honest: Much of the government’s fear-mongering was politically motivated. It was payback to make Russia look bad due to major policy differences, such as its alliance with Syria, its stance on gay rights, and, most significantly, its harboring of Edward Snowden, who leaked the NSA’s spying secrets — an extreme embarrassment to the United States.

The U.S. also overstepped its bounds in criticizing Russia over its preparedness, even questioning whether it would be ready to host the Games. Well guess what? It’s been flawless. Too bad we didn’t learn from former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s major gaffe four years ago when he criticized the Brits in exactly the same way and was roundly chastised on both sides of the Atlantic. No wonder he had trouble getting foreign policy photo-ops for his campaign.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, followed by the Soviets’ embargo of L.A. four years later (encompassing 15 nations), were horrendous decisions. They accomplished nothing except to showcase the stupidity of shortsighted leaders while victimizing their own athletes (many of whom missed their only Olympic opportunity) and millions of fans. You want to be at odds with your adversaries? Fine. That’s life. But leave the purity of sport out of it. Stop politicizing Sochi.

3. The best security plan is the one you don’t broadcast. So, was it really necessary to tell the world (and the terrorists themselves) that our Navy moved ships into the Black Sea to help evacuate athletes and spectators in case of an attack? It has a counter-productive effect, as people start believing that an attack must be imminent given the immense preparations. The security freaks love showing off their toys, but our leaders should know better. They’d be a whole lot better off adopting former Republican President Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach rather than scaring the bejesus out of people.

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Americans’ history of courage has been exceptional. Our Founding Fathers risked (and many lost) everything, when they could have done nothing. Americans engaged in wars to save the world from tyranny, yet never flinched. Civil rights leaders, at risk to life and limb, overcame unimaginable hurdles to achieve freedom and justice.

How have we lost such a legacy?

The real world doesn’t change. It’s always been, and always will be, filled with risk and danger. Coping with this without being a prisoner of fear is the only way for a nation, and a people, to prosper.

With the only vision that matters, Helen Keller said, “Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.”

In that spirit, let’s leave our fears behind and return to what made America great — always going for the gold.

 

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Honor Flight June 21 Trip Needs Vets

Honor Flight Philadelphia’s next Tour of Honor of Washington D.C.  is  June 21 departing from St. Kevin’s Church in Springfield, PA.

The organization is seeking World War II veterans to participate. There is no cost to them.

Please call Christine at 215-630-4399 or email info@honorflightphiladelphia.org for information.

Those wishing to be a guardian for the trip should visit HonorflightPhiladelphia.org for an application  Guardians are awarded slots on a first come, first serve basis.

 

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Delco Patriots Hear Chris Stigall

 A crowd of more than 80 braved the ice and a snowbank-filled parking lot, tonight, Feb. 18, to meet candidates Bob Guzzardi and Roger Howard and hear  WPHT radio host Chris Stigall critique our present class of politicians.
Especially the Republican class.

Stigall was the guest of the Delaware County Patriots at the Newtown Square, Pa. Knights of Columbus Hall.

“I struggle to understand what Republican means anymore,” he said. Stigall, who is bald, said if he “had hair he’d pull it out” after hosting two prominent Republicans on his show.

Stigall noted that “big tent” once meant agreement on the major principles while overlooking minor disputes.

“We may not agree on every issue but we agree that the country is in trouble,” he said. “The ‘big tent’ has been highjacked.”

He said some in the party establishment are trying to spin Ronald Reagan as having been a “great compromiser” rather than the great communicator as he was known in his lifetime.

He read a long excerpt from a 1977 speech by Ronald Reagan that could have been made regarding today’s political circumstance. He noted there were no compromises on principles.

Stigall, who was once a congressional assistant to Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO6), whom he still greatly admires, said the general public has a tendency to put politicians on a pedestal, a fault he once considers himself as having.

“This deifying is another something I won’t do anymore,” he said. He said the final cure came after he was invited to a one-on-one dinner by a prominent politician and lectured about “getting his mind right” after he had been criticizing the policies the pol had been backing.

He said he has taken to emphasizing that our political class are merely public servants.

Stigall noted that our Republican-controlled state has been unable to end socialism regarding the sale of liquor, nor do much of anything else regarding the advancement of economic freedom such as ending automatic deduction of union dues from the workers paychecks.

Stigall thanked Guzzardi who is taking on Gov. Tom Corbett in the May 20 Republican primary and, Howard who is running for the 158th District seat being vacated by long-time state Rep. Chris Ross. He said, however, his policy is to not make primary election endorsements.He said, though, he will never support a Democrat and give full support to the Republican winner.Guzzardi, it should be noted, got strong applause when he was introduced by moderator Lisa Esler.

Stigall did say regarding the governor’s race “I want that nut job  (Allyson) Schwartz to get the (Democrat) nomination” as he feels that  would be surest path to a Republican victory.Stigall had an interesting comment regarding ultra-liberal Philadelphia Daily News columnist Will Bunch, who he says has lost his temper in discussions with him to the point where Bunch has called him a racist. Stigall said he read Bunch’s column regarding abolishing the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Delaware River Port Authority, which are graft magnets. Stigall welcomed Bunch to the conservative club, at least temporarily.Stigall can be heard from 5:30 to 9 a.m. on WPHT 1210 AM

 

 

Omnibit Trivia 2-18-14

Omnibit Trivia 2-18-14 by William W. Lawrence Sr.

Sinclair Lewis, the first American to win the Nobel Prize for literature, was once fired by an editor who called him an incompetent writer.

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Shad Season Starts And That Means Good Eating

Shad Season Starts  — Despite the miserable climate change — the Ice Age was climate change after all– in southeastern Pennsylvania, an absolutely wondrous season has started.

It is shad time.

The fish, also known as the river herring as it is part of the herring family, is now being sold at fish mongers and supermarkets throughout the region as their harvest has begun down south.  The spawning starts when the temperature hits 51 degrees F.

Pennsylvania has an historic connection to the fish, which is sometimes credited for saving the American Revolution. It is said that they fed the Continental Army at its most desperate time as the spawning on the Schuylkill in the spring of 1778 occurred just about the time the  army had run out of food at Valley Forge.

The illustration above is Shad Fishing at Gloucester on the Delaware River by the great Thomas Eakins painted in 1881.

Yes, it is delicious. Keep an eye on these pages. Maybe Chef Bill Sr. will explain how to cook it.

 

Shad Season Starts

Venezuela Progressive Tragedy

Today’s (Feb. 17) Philadelphia Inquirer carried on its front page a story about someone making a U.S. skier cry, Jimmy Fallon and John Kerry warning about “climate change.”

Not a peep about the oppression and tragedy going on in Venezuela.

The video below explains what is going on.

Hat tip John Sexton at Breitbart.com

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Presidents Day Omnibit Trivia 2-17-14

Presidents Day Omnibit Trivia 2-17-14 by William W. Lawrence Sr.

The federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February is not officially called Presidents’ Day, but rather Washington’s Birthday.

There was an attempt in 1968 to officially name it Presidents’ Day, which died in committee.

Many states, however, choose to call their own celebration on this day “Presidents’ Day.”

Of course, his real birthday is Feb. 22.

Unless, you consider that the calendar which was in effect in the British Empire at the time of the his birth in 1731 was the Julian which would make in Feb. 11.

Britain switched to the Georgian Calendar in 1752 hence his birthday is considered to be Feb. 22.

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Presidents Day Omnibit Trivia 2-17-14
 

 

 

Candy Crush Saga Swipe Saga

For those who have gotten hooked on the Candy Crush Saga game on Facebook, here something to ruin your day. The below letter to King.com, the maker of CCS, was released earlier this month by Albert Ransom, the president and founder of Runsome Apps Inc., which made the CandySwipe game released in 2010

Dear King,

Congratulations! You win! I created my game CandySwipe in memory of my late mother who passed away at an early age of 62 of leukemia. I released CandySwipe in 2010 five months after she passed and I made it because she always liked these sorts of games. In fact, if you beat the full version of the android game, you will still get the message saying “…the game was made in memory of my mother, Layla…” I created this game for warmhearted people like her and to help support my family, wife and two boys 10 and 4. Two years after I released CandySwipe, you released Candy Crush Saga on mobile; the app icon, candy pieces, and even the rewarding, “Sweet!” are nearly identical.

Candy Crush Saga Swipe Saga

So much so, that I have hundreds of instances of actual confusion
from users who think CandySwipe is Candy Crush Saga, or that CandySwipe is a Candy Crush Saga knockoff. So when you attempted to register your trademark in 2012, I opposed it for “likelihood of confusion” (which is within my legal right) given I filed for my registered trademark back in 2010 (two years before Candy Crush Saga existed). Now, after quietly battling this trademark opposition for a year, I have learned that you now want to cancel my CandySwipe trademark so that I don’t have the right to use my own game’s name. You are able to do this because only within the last month you purchased the rights to a game named Candy Crusher (which is nothing like CandySwipe or even Candy Crush Saga).
Good for you, you win. I hope you’re happy taking the food out of my
family’s mouth when CandySwipe clearly existed well before Candy Crush
Saga.

I have spent over three years working on this game as an independent app developer. I learned how to code on my own after my mother passed and CandySwipe was my first and most successful game; it’s my livelihood, and you are now attempting to take that away from me. You have taken away the possibility of CandySwipe blossoming into what it has the potential of becoming. I have been quiet, not to exploit the situation, hoping that both sides could agree on a peaceful resolution. However, your move to buy a trademark for the sole purpose of getting away with infringing on the CandySwipe trademark and goodwill just sickens me.

This also contradicts your recent quote by Riccardo in “An open letter on intellectual property” posted on your website which states, “We believe in a thriving game development community, and believe that good game developers – both small and large – have every right to protect the hard work they do and the games they create.”

I myself was only trying to protect my hard work.

I wanted to take this moment to write you this letter so that you know who I am. Because I now know exactly what you are. Congratulations on your success!

Sincerely,
Albert Ransom
President (Founder), Runsome Apps Inc.

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