News of the Week
Occupy Wall Street *************** Occupy gets classy Two NYU courses Ows is staking out classroom space at NYU. New York University plans to offer two classes next spring on the Occupy Wall Street protest movement, which dominated the school’s Greenwich Village campus this fall. *************** Obama’s campaign for class resentment In the first month of his presidency, Barack Obama averred that if in three years he hadn’t alleviated the nation’s economic pain, he’d be a “one-term proposition.” *************** “The Occupy Boston Movement as a Whole Became Fascist” *************** Occupy protests move to foreclosed homes Finding it increasingly difficult to camp in public spaces, Occupy protesters across the country are reclaiming foreclosed homes and boarded-up properties, signaling a tactical shift for the movement against wealth inequality. *************** Mostly Peaceful Stabbing at Occupy Baltimore Baltimore Police say a 24-year-old woman was stabbed during a dispute around midnight Saturday at the Occupy Baltimore encampment at the Inner Harbor. *************** Wall Street On Trial *************** Santa Cruz Police Chief is Fed Up with “Childish” Occupiers Four days ago, members of Occupy Santa Cruz took over an empty bank building owned by Wells Fargo. When police arrived to force them out, there were clashes. Outnumbered, the police force retreated rather than escalate the conflict. Today, the Santa Cruz police chief released an update on the situation which includes some choice words for the occupiers "Hide the Decline" *************** The Brits Tune Out The Greens The long retreat of the global green movement continues, with new news about the collapse in public concern about climate in Britain. *************** Dud In Durban: Climate Conference Ends Without A Deal Climate: Nearly 200 countries sent representatives to the climate change talks in Durban, South Africa. But it was merely posturing. Few were willing to sign on to an agreement that will wreck their economies. *************** The Two Funniest Quotes From Climategate 2.0 *************** Is Rain Water An Industrial Pollutant? We have written repeatedly about the EPA’s war on energy and, more generally, on economic growth. But a case that may soon make its way to the Supreme Court is, critics argue, even more extreme than anything mandated by the Agency *************** Durban: what the media are not telling you DURBAN, South Africa — “No high hopes for Durban.” “Binding treaty unlikely.” “No deal this year.” Thus ran the headlines. The profiteering UN bureaucrats here think otherwise. Their plans to establish a world government paid for by the West on the pretext of dealing with the non-problem of “global warming” are now well in hand. *************** Judicial Watch Sues Obama Administration for Solyndra Records Solyndra was once known as the poster child for the Obama administration’s “green energy” initiative. However, it has become the poster child for the corruption that ensues when the government treats tax money as a play thing and meddles in the private sector. *************** Antarctic ice formed at CO2 levels much higher than today's New research has shown that the mighty ice sheet covering the Antarctic froze into being when the world had a much higher level of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere than it does today. *************** Report: Obama, UN to tax US for Green Climate Fund President Obama's team of negotiators at the United Nations Climate Change Conference may agree to a tax on foreign currency transactions, designed to pay for a "Green Climate Fund," that would fall disproportionately on American travellers and businesses, according to a group attending the conference that is skeptical of the UN position on global warming. War & Terror *************** Lawmakers Blast Administration For Calling Fort Hood Massacre 'Workplace Violence' Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence and suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home. *************** Attempt Made On Deutsche Bank Head's Life: Explosive Package Addressed To CEO Intercepted, ECB Return Address Given *************** China's Hu urges navy to prepare for combat Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday urged the navy to prepare for military combat, amid growing regional tensions over maritime disputes and a US campaign to assert itself as a Pacific power. *************** North Korea making missile able to hit U.S. Republicans press Pentagon for long-range interceptors New intelligence indicates that North Korea is moving ahead with building its first road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, an easily hidden weapon capable of hitting the United States, according to Obama administration officials. National *************** Man Tells 12 News He Has Signed 80 Petitions To Recall Gov. Walker *************** Obama Administration Reverses Bush Policy on Affirmative Action – Communists Approve The Obama Administration has initiated a major “Affirmative Action” policy reversal, that could create major new social divisions in the run up to the 2012 election. *************** Obama’s Osawatomie Speech Echoes Symbols of Occupy Wall Street, Abolitionism–and the Weather Underground *************** Why Gun Sales Are at Record High Social acceptance of guns explains new Black Friday record: Analysts *************** Sesame Street Muppet Pitches Government Dependence: Free Food at School A “food insecure” Muppet is helping to promote a national “Food for Thought” campaign that teaches poor families to seek out nutritious food and to eat on the taxpayers’ tab. *************** Six hundred million gamers could be war criminals, Red Cross says Are 600m gamers violating Hague convention? Red Cross to see if violent games break laws *************** Taking the unions to court in Arizona *************** Darrell Issa Hammers Holder and Obama Rep. Darrell Issa at today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing: “I have no confidence in a president who has confidence in this Attorney General.” *************** Carolers interrupt lighting of ‘holiday’ tree PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Carolers singing "O Christmas Tree" crashed Rhode Island's Statehouse tree lighting on Tuesday after Gov. Lincoln Chafee unwrapped a holiday hubbub by calling the 17-foot spruce a "holiday" tree. *************** Poll casts cloud over high-speed rail project Four weeks after the news that the cost of California's high-speed rail project has tripled since voters approved it, the struggling project is taking another hit: waning public support. A new Field Poll shows that 64 percent of California voters would like a ballot measure giving them a chance to reconsider their 2008 decision to approve $9 billion in state bonds for the project. *************** Pearl Harbor Day menu at Sasha and Malia’s school: Teriyaki chicken and edamame This is either tone-deafness taken to extremes, or a hideous coincidence, but the pricey private school attended by President Obama’s daughters served Japanese food to its middle school students today, December 7 – a day that apparently no longer lives in infamy amongst the progressive elite. *************** ‘A total lack of common sense’ at health district? Legal defense fund president weighs in on Quail Hollow Farm fiasco The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) descended upon a banquetfor fresh-food enthusiasts in Overton, Nev., and forced the hosts to pour bleach on the meals, making them inedible. *************** Union Radicals Harass Teacher Who Dared to Support Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker KENOSHA – Apparently there’s no room for free thought or disagreement within the Wisconsin Education Association Council. *************** Prosecutors No Longer Seek Death Penalty for Former Black Panther Member for Killing White Cop PHILADELPHIA – Prosecutors announced Wednesday that they will no longer pursue the death penalty against former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in prison for gunning down a white police officer nearly 30 years ago. *************** Judge shuts down child-care unionization by executive fiat in MN Yesterday, a Minnesota court struck a blow for separation of powers and defied Governor Mark Dayton in his attempt to featherbed for his union backers *************** Library of Congress to receive entire Twitter archive Tweets, emails and other electronic communications can be considered "government documents" and must be preserved. The National Archives handles official government materials, while the Library of Congress' mandate is to deal with anything that may have long-term historical interest. *************** Wife of Wisconsin State Employee Suggests Gov’s Wife, Sons be Raped On Sunday, the Green Bay Press-Gazette posted a link on its Facebook page to an Associated Press story detailing state aid cuts to organizations that help victims of sexual abuse. After that story was posted, a reader left a comment expressing outrage that the state would cut such aid, and asserted that perhaps Governor Scott Walker’s wife or children should become victims of sexual assault so the governor could see the how devastating the state aid cuts really are. ************** America’s Vast Energy Resources For a long time, the Left has gotten away with underselling America’s energy resources. The old chestnut that the U.S. uses 25% of the world’s oil but only has 2% to 3% of the world’s oil reserves has been repeated endlessly by Barack Obama and many others. This claim fooled millions of people who didn’t understand that in the U.S., “reserves” means petroleum that is 1) legally available for development, and 2) profitably extracted at current prices. So if Democrats would stop preventing drilling, we could vastly increase our “reserves,” as legally defined, overnight. *************** Cancer cells poisoned with sugar IT'S a heavy price to pay for a sweet tooth. Researchers have tricked glucose-eating cancer cells into consuming a sugar that essentially poisons them - it leaves a "suicide" switch within the cells open to attack. *************** Fast & furious lies It was all a lie. The angry denials, the high dudgeon, the how-dare-you accuse-us bleating emanating from Eric Holder’s Justice Department these last nine months. *************** Some Democratic strategists worry about Gingrich’s potential appeal Newt Gingrich would be such a weak challenger to President Obama, according to Rep. Barney Frank, that his nomination would be “the best thing to happen to Democrats since Barry Goldwater.” *************** Tea Party Groups Vow to Verify Recall Signatures We the People of the Republic and The Wisconsin Grandsons of Liberty, two of Wisconsin’s most prominent ‘Tea Party’ groups, are organizing an effort to check the validity of all signatures submitted in the ongoing gubernatorial recall. Economy
& Taxes *************** The euro-fail: Britain’s close call. Looks better from the boats. OH, NO. NO EURO? It’s hard to lament the decision by the Prime Minister to stand aside while Europe once again goes through a cycle of implosion, chaos and despair. *************** Cameron jets home a Tory hero after using veto for the first time to block new euro treaty (but will Coalition survive fury of the Lib Dems?) London Mayor Boris Johnson says PM had 'played a blinder' Lib Dem MEP: 'These two top Tories [Cameron and Johnson] are what my father - himself an Old Etonian - would have called unprincipled spivs' Lord Owen accuses PM of leaving the UK 'in a mess' that called into question the credibility of Coalition PM facing isolation as ALL 26 of other EU member states look set to go ahead with a separate accord on a 'fiscal compact' for the euro Cameron insists Britain will maintain influence in the EU despite his decision to veto the treaty designed to stabilise the single currency French President Sarkozy: 'Very simply, in order to accept the reform of the treaty at 27, David Cameron asked for what we thought was unacceptable: a protocol to exonerate the UK from financial services regulation' *************** Chart of the Day: Food Stamp Recession Curve The latest Food Stamp data (now called SNAP) is out. Here is a chart by reader Tim Wallace showing program usage. *************** Municipal 'millionaires' Tax hikes to fund gov’t 1%-ers Gov. Cuomo, under enormous pressure from public-employee unions and Democrats in the Legislature to extend New York’s “millionaires’ tax,” is considering at least some higher taxes on higher incomes. The big irony here is that much of the money raised from any “millionaire” tax hikes would go to fund the growing phenomenon of public-sector millionaires. *************** This is what a real market crash looks like Investor Jeremy Grantham thinks stocks are overpriced, and he shows how long it could take the market to recover after another crash. *************** This Week’s Applied Hayek: Why Sound Economics, Like Political Philosophy, Begins with Socratic Ignorance *************** When Silver Is Better than Gold: Tax Practitioner Flees California for Nevada (2nd Link) *************** Jobs Report Shows Structural Unemployment Is the Real Problem Friday's labor report was seized upon by both Democrats and Republicans. But Zachary Karabell says it shows that structural unemployment—not monthly ups and downs—is the real problem. *************** International *************** Canadian Jewish Girl Lit on Fire by Anti-Semitic Thug in School *************** A Leadership Vacuum in Latin America The Obama administration should stop treating the region as an afterthought. Read this article in Spanish here. On December 2, leaders from across the Western Hemisphere gathered in Caracas to establish a new regional forum known as the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Their two-day summit produced a great deal of populist, anti-U.S. bluster, but very little diplomatic substance. *************** The Egyptian Elections: Analyzing the Runoff Results By Samuel Tadros Winners have been declared in the Egyptian first-phase runoff elections that took place last Monday and Tuesday. *************** Chavez Jailing of Bond Brokers Fails to Cut Runaway Inflation in Venezuela Herman Sifontes used to manage more than $200 million in client assets as the head of Venezuela’s largest brokerage. Then, in the spring of 2010, he was arrested and his firm was shut down as part of a purge of brokers by President Hugo Chavez. *************** Tunisia: ‘Moderate’ Islamists Wave Al-Qaeda Flag *************** Why France could be on the wrong side of the Eurozone crisis *************** Egyptian Elections: What to Watch in the Runoff The Election Commission has finally released the results of the first round voting that took place last week. *************** Girl gang who kicked woman in the head while yelling 'kill the white slag' freed after judge hears 'they weren't used to drinking because they're Muslims' Yobs ripped lump of hair from Rhea Page's head during High Street attack Three sisters and cousin escape with six-month suspended sentences Maximum term for assault occasioning actual bodily harm is five years' jail Judge: 'Those who knock someone to the floor and kick them in the head can expect to go inside, but I'm going to suspend the sentence' *************** Over 10,000 In Moscow Protest Election Fraud As the videos I’m posting below show, the mood in Moscow has definitely soured since I last reported on the anti-Kremlin demonstrations there in 2007-8. Back then, anti-Kremlin democracy protests were still confined to a smaller sliver of the population, although even at that time, as I wrote, there were early signs that discontent was starting to take root among Moscow’s student intelligentsia. That’s always a sign of danger to come for Russian regimes. *************** Video: Election Fraud in Russia (2nd Link) *************** China to Prepare for Social Unrest Beijing has underlined its concern that an economic slowdown could lead to social unrest in China, with the country’s security chief urging local officials to do more to prepare for the “negative effects of the market economy”. *************** Activists invade nuclear plant site in France PARIS (AP) -- Greenpeace activists invaded a French nuclear power plant site before dawn Monday - a media stunt that deeply embarrassed the government as it was carrying out a safety review of France's crucial atomic energy sites. *************** Fury as Argentina operates 'blockade' of Falklands by boarding Spanish fishing vessels operating with British licences Ambassador in Madrid admits operating patrols in 'maritime spaces which are integral to its territory' Meanwhile, Argentina has increased trade with Iran by 70% *************** Opinion *************** Capitalism is delayed gratification (and it’s in short supply) *************** The Euro & The Tragedy of the Commons Is it any wonder that the currency zone encouraged profligate debt? *************** 'Exceptional' America Is the United States simply one nation among many—or is it the leader of the world? Accepting inevitable national decline is the new pastime of both the media and government elite. Some of the pessimism revolves around current federal financial insolvency. In response to the Bush administration’s borrowing of $4 trillion in eight years, Barack Obama, as a presidential candidate, called such profligacy “irresponsible” and even “unpatriotic”—only as president to trump Bush’s debt in three years. *************** The Welfare State Neutralizes Opponents by Making Them Dependent on Government From time immemorial—from Etienne de la Boitie to David Hume to Ludwig von Mises—political analysts have noted that because the number of those in the ruling elite amounts to only a small fraction of the number in the ruled masses, every regime lives or dies in accordance with “public opinion.” *************** The REINS Act ends unchecked bureaucratic power The upcoming vote on the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, H.R. 10, on the House floor will show clearly which members of Congress take seriously the legislative power vested in them by citizens under Article I of the United States Constitution. *************** Obama On Technology: Prometheus Had It Coming Dorothy, I Have a Feeling We Aren’t In America Anymore! *************** How Obama Stole Christmas *************** What price Ayers? *************** The Financially Driven Erosion of Scientific Integrity All else being equal, if you pay for something bad, you will get more of it. If you punish something good, you will get less of it. These basic rules of economics apply as much to junk science and scientific integrity as they do to junk food and political candor. *************** Word Bandits and other Conservative Bad Guys *************** |
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