Muslim woman sues Abercrombie & Fitch over hijab

“Such a look policy cannot be squared with our shared values. No worker should have to choose between their religion and their job.”

Now that has to be one of the most foolish statements I’ve heard in a long time. ”No worker should have to choose between their religion and their job.” Are you serious??? Is there a more ignorant statement??? WOW!!!!

Being a Conservative Christian, if I wanted to work at a ‘Gentleman’s Club’ I would have to choose between my religion and the job. I don’t think what goes on in a ‘Gentleman’s Club’ is in accordance with God’s Word. And I DON’T have the RIGHT or FREEDOM to file a law suit trying to force the said club to change it’s business just so I can work their. There is a choice to be made but it’s not in whether I want to file a law suit or not. The choice is, do I give up my Christian beliefs/practices/principles to work there or do I find another job? And this is the same choice this Muslim lady has to make. Does she follow her religious beliefs or does she find another job? The choice seems fairly easy, to me. But then I’m just an old Hillbilly/Redneck/Cajun that relies on ‘common sense‘ and that ain’t something that seems to be in great use, in these days and times.

Now I ain’t no fan of Abercrombie & Fitch, matter of fact I can’t stand the company because of it’s advertising programs. They, for the most part, are nothing but filth, trash, garbage, demeaning, exploitative, and any other adjective you can add that goes along this line of thought.

One example of exploitation they use:

• http://abcnews.go.com/US/abercrombie-fitch-padded-bikini-top-for-7-year-olds.

What they are promoting with this type of advertising should not be tolerated by the public but we don’t need any ‘laws’ or ‘regulations’ to prohibit it. What should happen is a boycott of their stores and the loss of sales will convert into loss of profit, which in the long run will result in them dropping such programs or close the business.

But even with all of that, this woman, nor anyone else for that matter, has the right to tell the business how it will make it’s rules or write it’s employees handbook.

So if I’m on the jury, A&F are NOT GUILTY and this lady can pay legal expense and court cost. It’s just plain ridiculous and a waste of court time and she should serve some community service for wasting the court’s time. I mean she’s not employed so she doesn’t have anything else to do.

Eight (8) Causes Of Memory Loss That Aren't Alzheimer's

Every wonder if maybe you or a loved one is starting to develop Alzheimer's?? This article can give you some things to consider before jumping to the wrong diagnoses.

Causes of Memory Loss That Aren't Alzheimer's | Caring.com

Video: “Why The Left’s Global Warming Agenda Is Flat Out Wrong”

This 10 minute video is a great watch.  Dr. Roy Spencer tells us why the Global Warming hoax is totally wrong.

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Don't Worry About Safety On Your Flight...

The TSA has now figured out that 6 year old kids, Catholic Nuns, 95 year old adults in wheelchairs are the one to watch out for. Never mind the person who is using invalid boarding passes and fake IDs.......

Amplify’d from michellemalkin.com

Meanwhile, as the TSA Was Busy Keeping the Skies Safe from Little Girls and the Elderly…

By Doug Powers  •  June 30, 2011 12:43 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

Six year old girls? Check. 95-year-old wheelchair-bound women in adult diapers? Check.

Nigerian men with no ID carrying multiple expired boarding passes not in their own names? Ch… wait, where’d he go?

CBS New York:

CBS News has confirmed that authorities are looking into a shocking security breach that took place at John F. Kennedy International Airport last week. Investigators say Olajide Oluwaseun Noibi, a Nigerian, boarded Virgin America Flight 415 to Los Angeles without a valid passport or identification, using an expired boarding pass for a flight the day before that belonged to someone else. Officials say Noibi got through security and was able to board the plane. No one noticed until the flight was airborne when a flight attendant realized Noibi was sitting in a seat that was supposed to be vacant.

The story from ABC:

TSA Joke of the Week:

Q: Which does the TSA consider to be the greatest threat to air security — Al Qaeda or Hamas?

A: Depends Read more at michellemalkin.com

 

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Just Some More Of The Two Faces Of Obama

As another example of what Obama says today and what he says tomorrow never being the same... Just read this....

Amplify’d from michellemalkin.com

Did Obama Forget Those Private Jet Tax Breaks He Just Denounced Were Created By His Own Stimulus Plan?

By Doug Powers  •  June 29, 2011 04:37 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

Before signing the stimulus bill (aka “Porkulus”) in February of 2009, White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said that, even though the president probably hadn’t read the entire 1,079 bill cover-to-cover, he knew it was okay to sign because he had “a team of the best legislative and economic experts in the country who advised him.”

Apparently Obama didn’t check with them before letting loose on private jet tax breaks at today’s press conference.

From the Heritage Foundation:

The chief economic culprit of President Obama’s Wednesday press conference was undoubtedly “corporate jets.” He mentioned them on at least six occasions, each time offering their owners as an example of a group that should be paying more in taxes. “I think it’s only fair to ask an oil company or a corporate jet owner that has done so well,” the president stated at one point, “to give up that tax break that no other business enjoys.” But the corporate jet tax break to which Obama was referring – called “accelerated depreciation,” and a popular Democratic foil of late – was created by his own stimulus package.

More background on that here.

“The stimulus is working as intended! Well, except for that part… and that part… and…” Read more at michellemalkin.com

 

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The 10 (Ten) Dirtiest Cities In The USA

According to Yahoo's Travel and Leisure the top 10 dirtiest cities are:

No. 1 New Orleans

No. 2 Philadelphia

No. 3 Los Angeles

No. 4 Memphis

No. 5 New York City

No. 6 Baltimore

No. 7 Las Vegas

No. 8 Miami

No. 9 Atlanta

No. 10 Houston

I never had any doubts in my mind that New Orleans wouldn't be in the to 5 BUT to be #1.... WOW!!!!

Gotta tell ya, the trash that you find in the French Quarters comes mainly from the tourist and I want to invite ALL the tourist out there to come on down and help make it even dirtier.  Y'all know how it is.... ya party hard and then the next day ya jest don't feel up too cleaning up all dat mess.  Course by the time ya do feel like it.... it's time to party again!!!  Man, who's got da time to do any of dat cleaning anyways?? The city will send da sweepers true and dey will get up most of it.  Dat's cool.  Sides dat, we always got good weather.  I mean, we don't say

'Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler'

for nutttin.

So y'all keep youselfs comin' on down here, cher and we'll all pass a good time together, in the 'dirt' even.

kaj

PS.  I can't speak for doze other places... I don't take my self dare and don't really want to.

kaj

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Two Obama Tricks That Are Going To Clean Boehner's Clock

This article says exactly what most Conservatives believe.  Until the Republican Party decides to actually put up their fist and start throwing punches (figuratively of course), the Liberal Dems will clean their clocks with their lies and propaganda.

Read it here:

The Drunk On The Beltway: Two Obama Tricks That Are Going To Clean Boehner’s Clock | RedState

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Woman Dies After Waking Up at Her Own Funeral

I'm at a loss for words..... I know.... Hard to believe.... but I am

===================================

Woman Dies After Waking Up at Her Own Funeral Published June 24, 2011 A woman has died of heart failure caused by the shock of waking up at her own funeral. Fagilyu Mukhametzyanov came to as grieving relatives prayed around her open coffin. The horrified 49-year-old began screaming when she realized they were getting ready to bury her. She was rushed back to the hospital, where doctors had declared her dead from a suspected heart attack. "Her eyes fluttered and we immediately rushed her back to the hospital," her husband Fagili, 51, said. "But she only lived another 12 minutes before she died again, this time for good." Now Fagili plans to sue the hospital. "I am very angry and want some answers. She wasn't dead when they said she was and they could have saved her," he said. A spokesman at the hospital in Kazan, Russia said they are carrying out an investigation.

Story here:

Woman Dies After Waking Up at Her Own Funeral - FoxNews.com.

Blagojevich Found Guilty on 18 of 20 Counts

{All them GOP/Repubs should be ran out of the Country for doing this to Gov. Blagojevich. It's Bush's fault. Them Bible thumping/gun carrying idiots need to go.}

I mean this has to be a dream..... right???? Surely the jury DIDN'T find Rob guilty on 18 of 20 charges.... did they??? Maybe he erred on 1 or 2 but not 18. This was a set-up.... the Koch Brothers were the ones who did this.

ROFL!!! Typical excuses the liberal left will be using. Never mind the guy was guilty and I hope he gets the max penalty on all 18 charges.

Rahm couldn't help him. Jesse Jr. couldn't help him. Obama couldn't help him. Wow! He was a man on his lonely island.

Full story here:

Jury Convicts Blagojevich on Nearly All Corruption Counts at Retrial - FoxNews.com.

Google Loves Obama

All the talk about the 'Fat Cat Corporate Bosses' and 'Big Business' from Obama is nothing but rhetoric. This man is so supported by these major corporations that when they reach in their pockets to get a few dollars, they find Barry's hand all ready in there and full of 'dough'.

And if you think the big computer companies are not involved with Barry... then check out this story. You might want to remember those other individuals such as Mr. 'Apple Computer', Steve Jobs, Mr. 'Microsoft', Bill Gates, Mr. 'Face Book', Mark Zuckerberg, and a whole list of others.

Remember when you use Google to search for something, your info has all ready been searched and stored. It will be sold to anyone who wants it and has the dollars to get it.

Check it out:

Amplify’d from floppingaces.net

Google Loves Obama [Reader Post]

By: Lysander Spooner

Despite his populist anti-free market rhetoric and record, the President has a love affair and relationship with a corporate giant. The company is Google and the incestuous relationship pays dividends to both parties but leaves taxpayers out as the third wheel.

Money magazine in an article entitled “Obama & Google (A Love Story)” described the love affair as “[F]rom his denunciations of Wall Street greed to his critiques of the auto manufacturers, Obama and his team have done little to disguise their mistrust of big business — except when it comes to one very large, very influential technology company.”

The relationship between the corporate giant and the president started before Obama’s ascension to the presidency.

Google has long supported President Obama. In his book, “The Audacity of Hope” President Obama embraces the relationship pointing out that Google managers and employees were among his largest supporters, donating nearly one million dollars to his campaign.

And the Obama administration has been good for Google as well. A 2008 Politico story detailed the relationship between the newly elected president and the company. “‘ From the staff attorney all the way up the line, everybody now knows that Google is close to Obama,’” Politico reported. “And that could subtly affect the policy playing field in Google’s favor.” Subtly was an understatement. Google executive Andrew McLaughlin was appointed to a White House position with a hand in Internet policy issues. In addition, Google has been awarded massive government contracts and the President has pushed Google-sought polices like Net Neutrality.

Seeing their investment paying massive dividends, Google appears to have stepped up once again giving the President’s re-election team a competitive advantage in raising money and online support.

Google has crafted a new ad program that will be a boon to political campaigns. And even while the program is in Beta testing, the Obama re-elect campaign has been given special access to the program by Google.

From Politico:

The new ad program would charge clients for every email address (or other piece of user data) they collect. The program is attractive to campaigns eager for that information, so when a staffer at the National Republican Senatorial Committee saw what appeared to be an Obama ad built on this technology on the RealClearPolitics website last month, she emailed a Google sales rep to ask about creating a similar ad campaign for Republicans.

The saleswoman, Sirene Abou-Chakra, replied by suggesting that Obama had a special deal.

“This is a pre-alpha product that is being released to a select few clients,” she wrote in an email, referring to the first stage of a product’s roll-out. “I’d be happy to get you into the beta if you’re interested.” A similar email went out to at least one other Republican digital media firm, a Republican source said.

“It certainly raises some red flags that the Obama campaign appears to have been given special access to a new online advertising product,” said NRSC communications director Brian Walsh in response to an inquiry from POLITICO.

Congress needs to delve into the “special relationship” between the corporate giant and the president. Failure to act will only cost taxpayers more money in the long run. Read more at floppingaces.net

 

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More Lies From Your Government Nanny

Once again we see numbers thrown out for the public's consumption. Problem is, the majority of people will suck these numbers up and bet their own lives on them. Never mind the source. Never mind people like Kathleen Sebelius throw out numbers with nothing to back them up, except their own opinion.

Remember some years back when the big culprit was SALT?? Oh yeah, Americans are eating entirely to much salt. It's killing people by the millions. One of the top killers in America. I guess people stopped using salt cause that's no longer a problem.

Remember when hamburgers that were grilled (McDonald's) were one of the major causes of cancer?? Oh yeah, that grilled meat had all sorts of carcinogenics and was causing cancer in the human body. From the looks of all the closed McDonald's it looks like people aren't eating them dangerous burgers anymore.

Remember the SACCHARIN that was in your 'Diet Rite'?? Yep, it was a cancer causing agent and again just killing people up a storm. The FDA banned it and put a stop to all those deaths being causes by that terrible sugar substitute in the little pink pack called 'Sweet N Low'.
And the list goes on and on and on.....

But guess what??????? The little pink packs are still around and going strong. If people wasn't using it they would stop making it and the FDA hasn't said a thing about it.

The McDonald's hamburger joints are to be found in even greater numbers and still frying them burgers on that same grill. Still.... nothing from the FDA about all the cases of cancer being caused from these burgers.

And the salt, why that killer is still found on the table of restaurants everywhere. And if you look at the labels on the foods you buy it's still listed as an ingredient, just like before.

But now we have the newest members of the hit list. Tobacco and Obesity.

I'm not going to try and argue the pluses and negatives for these latest targets of the DDHS and the FDA. But it infuriates me when I see/hear numbers being given as fact on all the various health problems they cause and all the millions/billions of dollars they cost in health care dollars, when if FACT they can't prove the numbers.

How about the young men who died on the court/playing field and didn't have any of these bad habits??
Wes Lenoard - http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/article_7b3aa7fc-4da9-524d-a27c-7d8bb74e6198.html

Jeron Lewis - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/326595-jeron-lewis-video-college-basketball-player-dies-on-court

Matthew Hammerdorfer - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1362920/High-school-rugby-player-Matthew-Hammerdorfer-dies-heart-attack-game.html

Want to bet these three deaths are included in the total deaths from which the statistics are derived for all the other categories? There are deaths everyday that have nothing to do with salt, saccharin, grilled hamburgers, tobacco, obesity and whatever else but are included with the final tab of certain groups.

=======================

Amplify’d from dailycaller.com

Feds look to regulate food similar to tobacco, with hopes of saving money on health care

12:32 AM 06/22/2011

The federal government has a growing interest in the eating habits of Americans for the same reason it has an interest in tobacco consumption, said Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The reason is money, because three-quarters of medical-spending is driven by chronic diseases, such as obesity and tobacco-related diseases, she said.

Sebelius’ comments came at the tail-end of Tuesday’s White House press conference where officials showcased nine new photos that must be carried on cigarette packs. Officials used a survey of 18,000 people to find the images that would have the most distressing impact on groups of smokers, including young smokers and mothers of young kids.

“We want teenagers to understand smoking is gross, not cool,” said the HHS chief. If the public becomes desensitized to the distressing pictures, they’ll be replaced by new pictures, she said.

The regulations are justified, she said, because tobacco causes 443,000 premature deaths, and creates “$200 billion a year in health costs that we clearly could spend better elsewhere,” she said.

But the press questions shifted to food labels when a reporter pressed officials about new food-labeling standards being promoted by the government.

The standards are part of a much larger push by medical professionals to regulate the food sector. The medical professionals, led by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have allied with professional advocacy groups, such as Center for Science in the Public Interest, and with leading Democratic politicians, to blame the food-sector for increasing obesity rates in the American population, and especially among African-Americans.

People like to eat the increasing amount of cheap food produced by the food industry, and the rate of obesity has climbed steadily. In turn, obesity has spiked government and private health-care costs, because fat people are more prone to expensive diseases such as heart-failure and diabetes.

Federal health-care bills have risen in step, partly because of obesity’s costs, but also because many medical-professionals and Democrats want the federal government to fund a growing portion of the nation’s health-care spending.

These political interests reinforce each other. Health-care professionals say their expertise can reduce the federal government’s health-care costs, and politicians say they need professional expertise to curb the growing cost of expanding federal health-care programs.

First Lady Michelle Obama, for example, has accelerated the process by simultaneously supporting the Obamacare expansion of government spending, while also establishing her ‘Let’s Move’ anti-obesity campaign. The professional campaign is aimed chiefly at African-Americans, and urges parents and children to exercise more and to eat carefully.

In April, the FDA published a new set of rules requiring restaurants to show the calories in each menu item, and the Federal Trade Commission released a set of guidelines for food that is marketed to children. These steps were mandated by the 2009 Obamacare health-sector law.

In turn, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and industry-backed Food Marketing Institute developed their own ‘Nutrition Keys’ labeling system. The labeling system will be publicized with a $50 million campaign, and will be used by companies that sell 70 percent of the packaged-goods in the United States. Participating companies are required to list the calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar per serving of a product on the front of food packages.

The industry’s labeling system was established “not to avoid the specter of regulation, but out of a desire to do the right thing for consumers, and to provide them with the tools and products they need for a healthy diet, which in turn will help us combat obesity,” said Sean McBride, vice-president for communications at the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

When asked if the government would extend tobacco-style regulations to food deemed fattening, Sebelius told the reporters that the federal guidelines are only voluntary.

In the same press conference, Margaret Hamburg, the FDA’s chief, added that “we need to work with industry to provide consumers … with the best possible information about nutrition and health so that we can all make good choices in terms of promoting and protecting health.”

“The food industry recognizes there are ways they can improve,” said Hamburg. “We certainly have a vested interest in that as a public health agency, and we want to work with them on that.”

“When the combined voice of the four most important regulatory agencies for [your industry] speak, it is hard for companies to ignore those guidelines, even if you feel they are unwarranted or unfounded,” said McBride. “Industry shares Ms. Obama’s goal of solving childhood obesity within a generation, and we will continue to work with government stakeholders towards that goal,” he said.

Sebelius deflected questions about whether food officials would mandate distressing pictures on food they consider unhealthy. Tobacco is unique, she said, because it is “the number one cause of preventable death.” But Sebelius did not rule out tobacco-style treatment for food. “It has a lot to do with underlying health costs and overall health of our nation … the work around obesity and healthier, more nutritious eating, more exercise, will continue to be I think an ongoing focus,” she said.

But as she stepped off the podium, Sebelius finally threw an answer back to the reporter who had asked if distressing images would be mandated for fattening foods. “Just lots of celery stalks and broccoli,” she said.

URL to article: http://dailycaller.com/2011/06/22/feds-look-to-regulate-food-similar-to-tobacco-with-hopes-of-saving-money-on-health-care/ Read more at dailycaller.com

 

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No It's Not A Government Agency BUT...

... it's being ran as one.
If private business were to operate the way the USPS does, it would be in the same situation as the USPS. Going BROKE! One problem with the USPS is although it's a private business, it's business model is one of a government agency.
I've searched for a link I saw back sometime between 1998 and 2003 which gave a break down of the USPS Financials. There was one item that showed the USPS had bought hundreds of trailers, for their 18 wheeler transports, and these trailers had never been used, painted/decal-ed, or made ready for use. Hundreds of trailer just sitting on a parking lot and going to ruin. A waste of several million dollars.
That's only the tip of the Postal-berg.

"reduce costs in order to bring the institution back to fiscal solvency when the Postal Service goes into default to the Federal government"
I loved this little quote. 'BACK to fiscal solvency'????? This 'company lost $8.5 Billion last year (2010), it's going to lose at lest $8.3 Billion this year (2011) and projected to lose $8.5 Billion next year (2012). This 'company (USPS) hasn't been solvent for so long that they have no idea what the word means.

Amplify’d from dailycaller.com

Issa introduces bill to ‘prevent bailout’ of Postal Service

Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the congressional oversight committee, introduced legislation on Thursday to significantly reform the United States Postal Service in order to prevent the need for a “taxpayer bailout.”

The legislation follows USPS’ announcement on Wednesday that it will no longer pay money into its Federal Employee Retirement System in order to cut costs.

Issa said that such a solution was not acceptable.

“The Postal Service lost $8.5 billion last year,” he said in a statement. “It is going to lose, at least, $8.3 billion this year. And it is projected to lose $8.5 billion the year after that. Congress can’t keep kicking the can down the road on out of control labor costs and excess infrastructure of USPS and needs to implement reforms that aren’t a multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded bailout.”

reduce costs in order to bring the institution back to fiscal solvency when the Postal Service goes into default to the Federal government

It would also create the Commission on Postal Reorganization, whose purpose would be to make recommendations to Congress on closures or consolidations with the goal of reducing USPS costs by $2 billion a year.

Benefits and salaries for Postal Service employees would be cut, putting them more on the level of what private sector employees receive for similar jobs. Oversight estimates that such measures will save $700 million dollars in the 2010 fiscal year, which ends in September.

Oversight estimates that the reforms will save the Postal Service $6 billion dollars a year when all of them have been enacted.

Among other things, the legislation will also permit USPS to move to five-day delivery of mail, and would alter the bargaining process between the Postal Service and the employee unions.

The Postal Service issued a statement that it was predominantly disappointed in the bill.

“We strongly oppose a provision in the bill that provides for an additional $10 billion in borrowing authority from the U.S. Treasury. The Postal Service does not need to incur additional debt — we need the money back that is already owed to us,” the statement said, referring to the surplus money paid into the FERS account. “We also strongly oppose sections of the bill that would create more government bureaucracy and slow our progress on streamlining our operations.”

USPS also reiterated suggestions it had made before, namely, that Congress allow it access to the surplus funds it has paid into FERS, an amount USPS estimates to be $6.9 billion, and that the Postal Service be exempted from pre-paying retiree health benefits.

“The Postal Service,” the statement warns, “is in danger of running out of cash as early as this October.”

NALC also took exceptional issue with the idea of reducing delivery to five days, something it has adamantly spoken out against.

NALC President Frederic Rolando called the bill “a draconian downsizing plan and a misguided and unjustifiable attack on hard-working postal employees who provide the most affordable and highest-quality mail service in the world.” Read more at dailycaller.com

 

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What can one say about the disrespectful attitude this President has for the American Citizen?
Disrespect, you say? Yes, DISrespect.
A young man VOLUNTEERS to join the military to serve his country. He knew the various situations he may be put into. He may stay Stateside for his full enlistment. He may be sent to serve is some 'peaceful' Country. He may be sent to some Country where there is a war going on. He may serve an "8 to 5" job or he may be required to carry his full pack and fight in some fire fight. He may get to come home unscratched or he just might give his very life, as young as it might be, for the purpose of preserving the freedoms the folks back home have. Oh yes, a lot of situations but he still chooses to VOLUNTEER.
I'll be the first to admit that I have a hard time remembering names. Many times I'm introduced to someone and by the time the, 'glad to meet yous' are done, I've forgotten the person's name. But by the same token, if I'm involved with a ceremony that is to bestow an honor upon someone, such as this ceremony, I think I would be more aware of the Name, Rank, Serial number and any other important facts about the person being honored.
I haven't looked to see if Mr. Teleprompter was there to help out the President or not but still, the President should have had his 'thoughts/facts' together.

Obama flubs on Medal of Honor recipient

By C.J. Ciaramella   6:39 PM 06/23/2011

President Obama got his Medal of Honor recipients mixed up today, accidentally referring to a posthumous recipient as alive.

Speaking in upstate New York to troops at Fort Drum Thursday, the president was remembering the times he spent with the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division.

“Throughout my service, first as a senator and then as a presidential candidate and then as a president, I’ve always run into you guys,” Obama said. “And for some reason it’s always in some rough spots.”

“First time I saw the 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq. When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there. I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously.”

Jared Monti was killed in Afghanistan on June 21, 2006. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously, September 17, 2009.

When contacted about the gaffe by CBN reporter Dana Ritter, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, “At Fort Drum, the President misspoke when discussing the first Medal of Honor he presented posthumously to Jared Monti, who was a member of the 10th Mountain Division. The President paid tribute to Monti in his remarks to troops in Afghanistan in March 2010. Last year, the President presented the Medal of Honor to Salvatore Giunta, who was the first living recipient of the Medal who served in Afghanistan.”

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is awarded to military service members only in cases of “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.” Read more at dailycaller.com

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Mr Perfect Shows His Imperfections

I guess George Bush made President Obama get confused. But then I wonder if he was confused or just doesn't know what 'posthumous' means. He was probably thinking that was some sort of fertilizer Michele uses in her 'garden'.

Amplify’d from dailycaller.com

Obama flubs on Medal of Honor recipient Published: 6:39 PM 06/23/2011 | Updated: 9:43 AM 06/24/2011

By C.J. Ciaramella Archive | Email C.J. Ciaramella Get C.J. Ciaramella Feed

President Obama got his Medal of Honor recipients mixed up today, accidentally referring to a posthumous recipient as alive.

Speaking in upstate New York to troops at Fort Drum Thursday, the president was remembering the times he spent with the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division.

“Throughout my service, first as a senator and then as a presidential candidate and then as a president, I’ve always run into you guys,” Obama said. “And for some reason it’s always in some rough spots.”

“First time I saw the 10th Mountain Division, you guys were in southern Iraq. When I went back to visit Afghanistan, you guys were the first ones there. I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously.”

Jared Monti was killed in Afghanistan on June 21, 2006. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously, September 17, 2009.

When contacted about the gaffe by CBN reporter Dana Ritter, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, “At Fort Drum, the President misspoke when discussing the first Medal of Honor he presented posthumously to Jared Monti, who was a member of the 10th Mountain Division. The President paid tribute to Monti in his remarks to troops in Afghanistan in March 2010. Last year, the President presented the Medal of Honor to Salvatore Giunta, who was the first living recipient of the Medal who served in Afghanistan.”

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is awarded to military service members only in cases of “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.” Read more at dailycaller.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a15tkr

Big, Ugly and Stupid – the Buildings Cities Build

Finally, some one tells the truth about these building monstrosities that are called 'Art'. Just tax payer rip offs and money pits.

Amplify’d from www.lloydmarcus.com

ESSAY BY GARY PADUCH: 407-415-2718

Big, Ugly and Stupid – the Buildings Cities Build

I’ve seen it for 40 years: Big, ugly, stupid buildings. A prime example is the Ocean Center at Daytona Beach, Florida. I see it over and over. Huge, ugly conference centers, convention centers, performing arenas, art centers, every kind of center imaginable and they are all built “to save” a downtown or commercial area.

They cost the taxpayers millions and they “never” work. If we knew the truth regarding their costs and operations, we would all be sick to our stomachs. And we taxpayers sit there like idiots and let them do it. Once built they require a constant supply of cash, just to keep these projects maintained. They produce not one penny in net revenue, not one penny after expenses. They then make up figures about how the economic impact to the area economy is what they really are there to do.

It is a “bald faced lie”, a total rationalization at the very best. I have never seen an operating statement on one of these facilities. Not one! A true statement of gross sales, other revenue from sales and an honest statement of expenses: Light bills, marketing expenses (all marketing expenses) including salaries and advertising, an honest to God reporting of the cold hard facts. All we ever hear about is the “roll over” effects of the visitors or user spending in restaurants, hotels, gift shops, etc.

The truth is the visitors would have come anyway. The hotel and others would have built to fulfill a need “if” there was one. The idea that if you build it, they will come, only works in the movies. Any developer can tell you that the rules of successfully developing any property is to (1) identify a need (2) determine whether you have the demographic numbers (3) design your project accordingly (4) location, location, location.

Politicians with absolutely no understanding of this simple process, project numbers from their imaginations, then they ask an architect what he thinks. Of course, the architect agrees that it should be built and he will pull up examples of other similar projects that have been a great success, yet none of these projects has ever put out a set of hard numbers, operating statements, revenues, management, marketing, maintenance, replacement reserves, utilities, etc.

Every failed project is supported by feasibility studies that are based on “dream world economics.” These white elephant projects are spread all over the nation and cost taxpayers billions each year. Of course, they pay no property taxes, which places an additional burden on the poor “sucker” taxpayers. It’s no wonder so many cities, counties and states are broke.

Little towns such as Johnson City, Tennessee, do it. They have a conference center. It doesn’t bring in enough money to pay the light bill and maintenance, but if you read the newspaper account of its operations, there will be glowing accounts of its future and what great progress has been made, the reality is that it never had the “numbers”, it is functionally obsolete, just like the ridiculous Johnson City downtown parking garage. If we knew the “cold, hard” numbers, we would be absolutely enraged; yet on they go.

Daytona Beach’s Ocean Center has cost the taxpayers 223,000,000.00 dollars, in addition, they built a performing arts center on the mainland side of the Halifax River, with no parking. It was bankrupt before they opened the doors (cost 33 million dollars). If a forensic CPA ever took these places apart and the newspapers would actually print what they found, a vigilante posse would be formed to punish the “well intended” commission who perpetrated these frauds on the taxpayers.

The location of these buildings rarely, if ever, is selected to take into account traffic patterns. The Ocean Center is built right beside the ocean; no one lives in the ocean. It’s green, demographically speaking, it’s located ten miles east of I-95 through a maze of traffic. I-95 is the primary arterial mover of traffic in a “bacon-strip” demo. 100,000 cars a day cannot see the Ocean Center. It’s absolutely ridiculous and the facility has totally inadequate parking in an automobile culture that will not change in the next 50 years. The supporters of this project have said they are trying to attract conventions and conferences. Good luck, Disney World, Universal, Sea World and 50,000 hotel rooms with everything imaginable are located 50 miles away. It’s just not a smart move to fight an 800-pound gorilla. There is no way you can compete — you lose.

Other criteria such as visibility, ease of access/egress, free parking at grade, demographic make up (both income and location of potential users and patrons), user friendly interior spaces and seating. Costs analysis prior to design aesthetics and so on are not even considered. Many of these recently built (last 15 years) look like munition factories or automobile factories; totally lacking in any classical architectural order or fundamentals. Many look like giant manufactured components which they then try to spruce up with banners, fancy street lighting and exotic plants. It’s difficult to tell where the front of the building is. I get a migraine headache when I look at them, they are absolutely dreadful.

It’s design by committee, many of whom, are totally artless and lacking in any practical thinking. It’s pure politics. Often the “political” architects that are hired share the same qualities. The results are municipal projects that are consistently miserable. Cities become developers of these type buildings because of the ease of financing, politics and their taxing authority. It has been a recipe that promotes poorly conceived projects.

I once had a practical construction man tell me that these people only listen to each other; the reality is “they wouldn’t listen to Jesus.” As soon as they build these big, ugly, stupid projects they start complaining that someone “goofed”. There are hundreds of these senseless projects. One example, maybe the most graphic, is the Miami, Florida Performing Arts Center; their first month’s electric bill was $640,000.00, the thing costs over $500,000,000.00, My guess it was even more; “outrageous”!

Orange County (Orlando) Florida built a convention center (2 million square feet), at an estimated cost of two billion dollars. It doesn’t take in enough money to pay their basic expenses (lights, management and marketing). It is a colossal joke. The list is endless.

Savannah, Georgia, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, St. Louis, Daytona Beach and on and on. The only one, I know of, that’s a success is the Newberry, South Carolina, project and its leadership was in private hands for the most part. It’s “development 101″. It’s so simple. These cities are like “lotto winners”. They go crazy, but the taxpayer is left with the “tab” when these “geniuses” leave office with their plaques and awards for a job well done.

Now, they are building a performing arts center in Orlando. Costs around $365,000,000.00. It’s in the worst possible location. It can’t be seen until you are on top of it. I predict the costs will be over $420,000,000.00 but we’ll never really know. The location is in a traffic blind, I can’t imagine how local art groups can afford to use it. They just built a new basketball arena; there are already rumblings that it is a financial disaster. We’ll hear more, but we’ll never really know the truth, but we will pay for it directly or indirectly. Smaller centers for local use with a high visibility profile and multiple uses would make more sense.

We’ve all heard the expression “if you dig yourself into a hole, stop digging.” We’ll be forced to stop, soon enough. We’ll be broke. Check out Detroit and Flint, Michigan. They managed to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. If someone ever did it right, it would be an international sensation. But it’s human nature: What are you going to do?

If you want to argue my perspective, show me the numbers, the honest hard numbers. That is your only real argument. Recently I heard the Mayor of Orlando defend the Amway Arena with a compliment from the Commission of the NBA “that we have the finest facility in the NBA”. What else would he say? He’s not a jerk, but the thing is losing money and will continue to do so. No parking. Look at the United Center in Chicago completely surrounded by parking (360) all around the arena (Building, Development 101). The Amway is a big, ugly, stupid building. It will cost the taxpayers of Orange County millions and we’ll never really know the truth – “never”. I just hope and pray these people don’t start building pyramids.

Gary Paduch,

Arts Supporter, Retired Developer, Writer

E-mail info@gfpaduch.com Website: www.gfpaduch.com Read more at www.lloydmarcus.com

 

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