Category: Guest Authors

Lazy Media Gets “F” For Heat Wave Coverage

Lazy Media Gets “F” For Heat Wave Coverage

By Chris Freind


Gary Kirkpatrick runs Ned’s Bar in
Tahlequah, Ok. If you stopped in for a cold one recently, Gary
would have gladly given you the rundown of all things happening in that
part of the Sooner State. As home to the Cherokee nation, and sitting on
the boundary of the wild and scenic Ozark Mountains, Tahlequah is never
dull. With so much going on around him, Gary had lots to say.

But
there was one thing he didn’t mention: the weather. Which, come to
think of it, was amazing. Not just because he was one of the few who
didn’t get sucked into the nauseating, 24/7 news coverage of the
“nation’s heat wave,” but because, if anyone is entitled to blabber on
about the summer temperatures, it’s folks like Gary Kirkpatrick.

You
see, in Gary’s neck of the woods, it wasn’t 95 degrees for just a few
days like on the East Coast, spiking past 100 for several hours (with
the media hyping a “heat index” of 105, whatever the hell a heat index
is). It was a tad hotter.

As in, over 100 (real) degrees – for
over 30 straight days. That’s a solid month of topping the century mark.
And was there complaining? Few and far between.

Maybe that’s
because many mid-westerners still exhibit the salt-of-the-earth,
tough-as-nails pioneering spirit that built the nation. And maybe it’s
because East Coasters are getting increasingly soft.

But one
thing is certain: the media vastly over-sensationalized the story, to
the point where the heatwave was the only topic of conversation for
millions of Americans. Their scare tactics petrified seniors, made
parents of young children frantic, and otherwise consumed a nation,
forsaking many other far more important stories.

The media’s
abdication of all things related to doing its job has it fast
approaching the esteem level held for lawyers, politicians and the
cockroach –  with the cockroach being held in higher regard, of course.

You
could take any TV segment from a decade ago about summer heat and air
it today – and no one would know the difference. It is, quite literally,
the exact same storyline with the exact same verbage. The only thing
different is that the hype factor has increased exponentially.

And
it’s not just that the stories are mundane, but they’re produced in a
way that would offend a third-grader’s intelligence. That’s not to
suggest that they should appeal only to Ph.D’s, but come on… the
American people are not that stupid. They don’t require the media’s
condescending, dumbed-down approach, but in fact deserve solid and
relevant reporting.

“Place the metal fittings of the seatbelt
into the other, and tighten by pulling on the loose end of the strap.”
“Pour shampoo into wet hair. Lather. Rinse.” “When it’s hot, drink
plenty of liquids, don’t exert yourself outside, and seek air
conditioning.”

Really?

The airlines and shampoo companies
have those ridiculous instructions for liability reasons, since trial
lawyers (see “cockroach” category above) sue for every reason, even
inconceivable ones.

So what’s the media’s excuse? Let’s be
honest. If folks don’t know that they should avoid excessive heat, drink
water, and not resurrect a jogging regimen after 20 years (and 80
pounds ago) when the mercury hits 95, then nothing the media tells them
will make a bit of difference. Idiots will be idiots. But the vast
majority of people have common sense, so the ridiculous stories airing
nonstop serve no purpose.

And really, what do we expect? It’s
July in America. It gets hot. Philadelphia, Washington, and New York
routinely see temps in the mid to upper 90’s during this time. How is
that news? The fact it breaks a one-day record from a whopping five
years ago is newsworthy? And when it breaks 100, you’d think it was the
end of the world. Is there any real discernable difference between 96
and 100 anyway? Or 93 with high humidity versus 100 without it?

So
extensive was the media’s coverage that it took significant channel
surfing to find any details on the horrific massacre in Norway. In fact,
just a day after the shooting which left scores of children dead and a
government building in shambles, a national network dedicated less than
one minute to the story. And that was only after at least 12 minutes of
coverage dedicated solely to the heat.

Is it any wonder why so
many around the world view America disdainfully? Here we have a major
terror attack against a close ally (Norway has a military contingent in
Afghanistan, and has been threatened by al-Queda in the past), and the
identity of the perpetrator(s) and possible connections to other
terrorists had not been fully determined.

Yet we give those
tragic events nary any coverage, instead incessantly rolling the same
tape on something that happens every year — a hot spell during a
typical American summer.

Compare that to the outpouring of
support from overseas and their in-depth coverage of hurricanes hitting
America, the Alabama tornadoes, our flooding rivers— and terror
attacks, including the Oklahoma City bombing, to which many experts
likened the Norway attack.

The media has reinforced what so many
overseas already think: Americans are arrogant and self-absorbed, caring
not about the troubles of others. And that’s the biggest tragedy,
because the reality is so very different.

The American people, as
individuals, and their government (to a fault) comprise the most
generous nation the world has ever known. Money, logistics, care
packages, and yes, their prayers, are immediately sent around the globe
whenever a crisis erupts, with no expectation of payback. We do this not
for calculated future gain, but, trite as it sounds, because it’s
simply the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, the media
overshadows the true American spirit by ignoring the gripping stories of
the day in favor of recycled garbage that focuses on 1) things we
already know, and 2) things we cannot change.

In the same way
that we were treated to the Year of the Shark several summers ago (when
shark attacks were actually down), this has become the Summer of Record
Heat. Both are codespeak for media laziness.

The biggest irony is
that the media hasn’t changed its ways, content to sensationalize the
mundane while ignoring the real stories (READ: the ones which require an
honest day’s work), yet its ratings continue to plummet. Call me crazy,
but there might be a correlation there.

Sounds like a great story. Just don’t expect to see it on TV — or this column in many papers.


End Of Space Shuttle

End Of Space Shuttle — Chris Freind has an interesting but sad column on the demise of our space program under President Obama.

He notes that  we are in “the peculiar situation of having to rely on the very same folks who less than two decades ago were our archenemy — the Russians.”

He wonders how a parent could explain such a thing to his child.

“Dad, how do we get astronauts to the space station?”

“Well, uhhh… since we put all of our space ships into museums and don’t have any new ones, we now have to hitch a ride with the Russians.  But there’s good news.  They used to be our enemy, but now they’re run by the Mob.”

Check out his column here.

 

End Of The Shuttle

Texas Don’t Mess With; Pa. Is A Mess To Begin With

Texas Don’t Mess With; Pa. Is A Mess To Begin With — Columnist Chris Freind has just got back from Texas and tells me that there is a world of difference between that state and ours — and not in our favor.

Chris notes that Pennsylvania ranks 43rd in economic performance while Texas is number one. He notes that Pennsylvania is dead last, in fact, with regard to labor competitiveness due to the influence of unions and trial lawyers.

Texas, on the other hand, is a Right To Work state, has no state income tax and has aggressively passed legal reform measures reducing litigation costs to historic lows.

This means that 40 percent of all new jobs created in the current “recovery” have been in Texas and that Texas is only one of three states to have gained jobs since the recession began in December 2007, which not coincidentally, is not long after the Democrats took over control of Congress.

Check out Chris’ column at PhillyMag.Com

Palestinian Accountability Act

Palestinian Accountability Act
By Bob Guzzardi

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-Ill8) will be introducing the Palestinian Accountability Act. Although it is likely to fail because of Democratic opposition, a vote will expose those who stand with Israel in its front line war with America’s enemies and the appeasers. There is no reason, as far as I can see, to finance terrorists. The Islamists are at war with Israel and with America. What is the point of financing those who are trying to destroy us and our values?

As RedState’s Daniel “Red Meat Conservative”  Horowitz point out: “For years, Democrats have played the game of voting for inconsequential resolutions, while tabling anti-PA bills with teeth, so people like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz can profess that they are just as pro-Israel as Republicans.”
In my view, every Democratic partisan is an Obama Enabler. Supporter an Enabler serves little purpose.

FYI Personnel is policy and Rep. Joe Walsh attended the ZOA’s Washington Mission lunch in May 2011.

RedState’s Daniel “Red Meat Conservative”  Horowitz

“Congressman Joe Walsh (R-IL) is introducing legislation today that will finally halt the open-ended commitment to the Palestinians.  No, a few hundred million dollars in cuts will not balance the budget; however, we should not be sending one red cent to terrorists anywhere in the world.

Additionally, the bill withholds all funds from the PA beginning in 2012 unless there is an independent audit of the PA budget.

Also, our $250 million in aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the organization that harbors Palestinian terrorists under the guise of humanitarian aid, would be terminated unless the shady organization undergoes a similar audit.  Hopefully, those audits would be performed by the CBO instead of the State Department.  Furthermore, Walsh’s bill would withhold funds from the UN if any of its agencies recognize a Palestinian state later this year.

The bill won’t pass under suspension (2/3 majority threshold) because most Democrats won’t support it.  Nevertheless, they should schedule a conventional vote on this bill to see who truly stands with Israel.  For years, Democrats have played the game of voting for inconsequential resolutions, while tabling anti-PA bills with teeth, so people like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz can profess that they are just as pro-Israel as Republicans.
It’s time to see who stands on principle and is willing to end the ‘don’t ask don’t tell policy’ regarding Palestinian terror.”

 

Palestinian Accountability Act

Cut, Cap And Balance Pledge

Cut, Cap And Balance Pledge
By Bob Guzzardi


Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA3) and US Senator Pat Toomey have signed the Cut, Cap and Balance Pledge for Fiscal Common Sense and for or the productive Forgotten Taxpayer.

FYI The Democrats have signed the “Spend, Borrow and Tax Pledge”

THE PLEDGE

I pledge to urge my Senators and Member of the House of Representatives to oppose any debt limit increase unless all three of the following conditions have been met:

  • Cut – Substantial cuts in spending that will reduce the deficit next year and thereafter.
  • Cap – Enforceable spending caps that will put federal spending on a path to a balanced budget.
  • Balance – Congressional passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution — but only if it includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes, in addition to balancing revenues and expenses.


HOW YOU CAN HELP

1. Sign the Pledge   2. Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter

 

Cut, Cap And Balance Pledge

Corbett Gives Unions Sweetheart Deal

Corbett Gives Unions Sweetheart Deal —  This article by Chris Freind is being republished with his kind permission.


By Chris Freind


State workers in Pennsylvania just got an 11 percent raise.

In case you have been living under a rock, here’s a newsflash: We are experiencing one of the most severe recessions in our history, and there are no greener pastures in the immediate future. Common sense dictates that with high unemployment, decreased tax revenues, large deficits and, most significantly, massive pension obligations, governors would take whatever steps were necessary to ensure that their states, and citizens, remain solvent, especially when it comes to negotiating public-sector union contracts.

That happened in places like Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio, where true Republicans are in charge. Governors Scott Walker, Mitch Daniels and John Kasich took the heat and did what they had to do, reeling in the out-of-control taxpayer largess afforded to these unions.

But most amazing of all is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s remarkable success. Just last week, he pushed through a monumental union pension and benefit-reform package that will save taxpayers over $120 billion—and did so with heavily Democratic, pro-union legislative majorities. So effective was Christie that alongside him at the bill-signing was the Senate President—a longtime union member.

Contrast that to the deal just reached by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett with the largest state unions. Instead of acting in the best interests of the taxpayers footing the bill, he simply continued the Rendell legacy of keeping the cash register door wide open.

It’s bad enough the Governor rolled over on all the sweeping concessions he was seeking, but he ended up giving the unions a sweetheart deal.

Over the next four years, unionized state employees will receive an almost 11 percent raise and a guarantee of no furloughs. And remember, this significant bump is in addition to their three percent raise two years ago, four percent raise last year—and three annual step increases which averaged 2.25 percent during that time.

Cha-ching!

How do these pay raises compare to those in the private sector? With such high unemployment and underemployment rates, do you really have to ask? Most people are receiving no raises at all, not even cost-of-living adjustments. And those fortunate enough to still have a job have no choice but to hang on for dear life, praying they survive the next round of layoffs. Making matters worse, many have to also shoulder ever increasing healthcare costs, if they have coverage at all.

In addition to substantial retirement benefits, state workers have guaranteed healthcare, too. And while they will pay a bit more with this new contract, it’s still at a level way below many in the private sector.
It used to be that working in the public sector was a trade-off. You wouldn’t make as much money as in the business world, but the benefits were good and contracts were guaranteed. But all that changed as union contracts exploded upward—at the expense of taxpayers.

Now, in many cases, unionized public employees make more than their peers in the private sector, and retire on pensions and benefit packages that would make Wall Street financiers blush with envy. Of course, that has come with a price, especially in Pennsylvania, and now it’s time to pay the piper. State pension obligations go through the roof over the next several years, as annual taxpayer-funded contributions to the two state pension funds increase exponentially, ballooning from $800 million now … to billions per year.

The last Governor and legislature kicked the can down the road last year, but that only gets you so far and, in the process, devastates the future of our children and grandchildren.

By caving in to the unions, giving them a contract that would be way too generous even in a strong economy, this Governor has chosen not to address the reforms necessary to keep Pennsylvania on solid ground, which will eventually lead to higher state borrowing costs and push the state closer to the abyss.

While we’re on the subject of the state’s finances, let’s set the facts straight about the current budget. Reducing the budget by four percent is a good thing, but was inevitable after the loss of federal stimulus dollars. Had he won the governorship, Dan Onorato would have signed a budget almost exactly the same as the one Corbett did. For that matter, even Governor Spendell, who never saw a spending increase he didn’t like, would have been forced to reduce the budget to close the $4.2 billion budget deficit—which, in reality, is closer to $7 billion because no one in Harrisburg wants to address the real fiscal situation.

The budget, which is constitutionally required to be balanced, was passed last year on ghost revenue: $400 million from the tolling of Interstate 80 (which never got tolled); $800 million raided from the MCARE fund (used to offset high medical malpractice rates) which, in all likelihood, will be ordered repaid by the State Supreme Court; federal Medicaid dollars that were budgeted to be $800 million but actually amounted to $595 million; and a $1.1 billion revenue shortfall after 10 months of last year’s fiscal year.

This shortfall seems to have simply vanished off the books. Of course, do that with your own business and you go to jail. So with the looming pension bomb and the real state deficit, it’s not a pretty picture for Pennsylvania’s future.

There was a way to address these issues and begin to reverse the state’s decline. Governor Corbett could have mandated a situation whereby union members would negotiate with their prospective employer individually, and free market-type incentives would allow for a fair offer—fair for the employee, and fair for the “employer” (the taxpayer).

So an offer would be made—salary, healthcare, benefits—and the individual could choose to accept or decline it. Which is exactly how it’s done in the free market. And for those who would claim it wouldn’t be “fair” to the state worker, you know what? There would be a line a mile long of qualified individuals ready and willing to accept such an offer. Accountability and efficiencies would increase, and unmotivated, bureaucratic sloths would be eliminated in favor of those willing to be good stewards of taxpayer money.

Sound simple and fair enough? It is, and it’s called the elimination of collective bargaining. It’s something successfully implemented in other states, but was incomprehensibly taken off the table by Corbett three months ago—while getting absolutely nothing in return.

The result: No pension reform and a lucrative union contract that the Governor says will be a net cost to the taxpayers of $164 million (which means that figure can be safely doubled).

The Wall Street Journal just labeled Corbett as leader of Keystone Cops. After this latest debacle, it’s hard to disagree.

 

Corbett Gives Unions Sweetheart Deal

They Wanted To Serve and Protect

Two more people in Orlando were
arrested for feeding the poor. Police came and quickly whisked them
away ignoring the jeers of the crowd as a small 5 foot tall woman was
handcuffed and put into the back of a patrol car. It was very
uncomfortable not only for those arrested, but for the poor police
officers who had to uphold an idiotic law that demanded they arrest
people for feeding the hungry.

 

I imagine that most police officers want to
help protect their communities and uphold the laws of the land.
Instead they are being called today to support hateful laws created
by ignorant politicians that not only separate the police from their
communities, but make them enemies to the people they have pledged to
serve and protect.

 

New government policies forcing local
police to enforce immigration policies, arrest people feeding the
homeless, break up lawful protests, and enforce racial and economic
discrimination policies have most likely destroyed the dreams of many
of those who have become law officers. It would probably better to
allow these officers to go after real criminals instead of political
activists, thus making them political prisoners.

 

Yet again, the new breed of politician
doesn’t seem to worry about breaking up communities and creating
walls where they didn’t exist. That type of behavior has kept people
like them increasing in power since the birth of this nation and will
continue to do so. 

 

The order of the day is the same as it always has
been: divide; create prejudice by misinforming about a certain group;
enforce the false prejudices through the media selectively choosing
what to publicize and not; create red-lining and discriminatory
policies that keep people apart so they can’t discover the truth; and
then take more and more as those who should be working together fight
over created differences, and misperceptions. Welcome to 1984. It
came a bit late, but it is finally here.

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?  
By Bob Guzzardi

The Pennsylvania Senate, June 28, stripped from the $62.823 million appropriations bill  for the state Gaming Control Board an amendment that would have allocated $1.5 million for a computer system for investigation and enforcement purposes.

The Vereb Amendment would effectively transfer investigation and enforcement of gaming to the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General.

So, what’s up with that? They computers would have separated the investigation and enforcement branch of gaming from the executive and policy branches. This would have alleviated the conflicts of interest found by Pennsylvania Grand Jury.

The bill, SB1062,  now returns to the House Rules Committee.

The amendment has been called the Vereb Amendment in honor of Montco Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150) albeit Curt Schroder (R-155) deserves a lot of credit as well.

Giving this money to the Gaming Control Board without this amendment would be like giving Chivas Regal to an alcoholic or mailing heroin to an addict.

The not-so-good-guys in this story are Senate leaders Jake Corman,  Dominic Pileggi,  Joe Scarnati, Jane Earll,  and Tommy Tomlinson of Bensalem.

So, again, what’s up with cutting funds for a computer system aimed at keeping tabs on an agency with known issues?

 

Why Did Pa. Senate Strip Computers From Gaming Money?

Just one more thing . . .

The death last week of actor Peter Falk brought to mind the impact of his 1970s TV detective “Columbo” on the national consciousness. At one point, I even modeled my personal style after him: beaten-up car, rumpled raincoat, “uh, just one more thing, sir.” Alas, the only thing I “caught” were strange stares.

In today’s crop of male and female television sleuths, my pick as Columbo’s rightful heir is Vincent D’Onofrio’s tortured, twitchy Bobby Goren on the show “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” which has concluded its 10-year run. Goren’s in-your-face technique was as off-putting to some viewers as it was to the suspects he interrogated, but eventually disarmed both.

Who’s your nominee?

— Jim Waltzer

Pa Republicans Are The Stupid Party

By Bob Guzzardi


As I have said a zillion times, it makes no sense to force The Forgotten Taxpayer to fund billion dollar tax exempt private educational corporations.

And, there is another reason: Money is Fungible. The geniuses Mike Turzai and Bill Adolph seem to have overlooked this.

Money to the University of Pennsylvania is money to the Obama Fundraising Network. How many dollars does any Republican raise from Penn’s faculty, administrators or alumni?

Collectivists and Statists are not the Republican base. Does Amy Gutmann or Anne Weaver Hart or Graham Spanier or Mark Nordenberg listen to  Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or to NPR? Are they Anthropogenic Global Warmists? I think so.

Mike Turzai and the House Republicans are planning to give them thirty two million and two thousand dollars.

These people despise ALL Republicans, except Jon Huntsman, as racist, homophobic, misogynistic, stupid bigots. They might be right about “stupid”.

How stupid are they? Are any of the Republican House leadership concerned that they are giving Obama Democrats $30, 002,000 a financial stick to beat us with.

NewsWorks reports: “President Obama will come to the home of Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen next Thursday for an intimate but deadly-serious fundraiser, Tom Fitzgerald reports. It will cost you 10 grand a plate, but if you can come up with or raise $100,000, you can attend a “VIP clutch” with the president.”

 

Pa Republicans Are The Stupid Party