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Heh. Kathleen Sebelius was handed a copy of Websites for Dummies by a Republican state senator at an Obamacare outreach event Friday.
Broken record: In his weekly radio address today, President Obama called for new taxes and increased spending.
It is always the same. No matter what happens, Obama calls for more spending and higher taxes. It seems quite unimaginative on his part to never propose some other ideas for solving the federal deficit and the government’s other problems.
Now available in hardback and paperback as well as ebook!
From the press release: In this ground-breaking new history of early America, historian Robert Zimmerman not only exposes the lie behind The New York Times 1619 Project that falsely claims slavery is central to the history of the United States, he also provides profound lessons about the nature of human societies, lessons important for Americans today as well as for all future settlers on Mars and elsewhere in space.
“Zimmerman’s ground-breaking history provides every future generation the basic framework for establishing new societies on other worlds. We would be wise to heed what he says.” —Robert Zubrin, founder of founder of the Mars Society.
All editions are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all book vendors, with the ebook priced at $5.99 before discount. All editions can also be purchased direct from the ebook publisher, ebookit, in which case you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
Autographed printed copies are also available at discount directly from the author (hardback $29.95; paperback $14.95; Shipping cost for either: $6.00). Just send an email to zimmerman @ nasw dot org.
Sunrise tomorrow on the East Coast will be interesting, as the sun will rise in the middle of a partial solar eclipse.
Technically speaking, the partial eclipse could be visible as far inland as, say, Tennessee. Sky & Telescope projects that 57 percent of the sun’s diameter could be covered over at sunrise in Boston, 48 percent in New York, 44 percent in Philadelphia, 35 percent in Washington, and 36 percent in Miami. But you’d have to have a clear view of a flat horizon — and no matter where you are on the East Coast, the partial eclipse will be over within an hour after sunrise.
In preparation for the arrival of a new crew, the astronauts on ISS took a short ride yesterday, moving their Soyuz capsule to a different docking port.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Leftwing civility: The only juror in the George Zimmerman trial to go public has lost her job, been shunned by friends, and received death threats to herself and her family.
And then there’s this: Actress who tweeted that she was going to vote for Romney was inundated with hateful mail and even death threats.
“This is a program that’s doing the opposite of what it was intended.”
Krauthammer hits the nail on the head. Obamacare was pushed hard by Obama and the Democrats as a way to provide everyone healthcare insurance. (How many times did they scream about the 40 some odd million uninsured?) Instead, the law is now forcing the cancellation of literally millions of insurance policies while at the same time it is impossible to sign up for insurance on the Obamacare website. And even if the website gets fixed, the available policies under the law are too expensive and provide the wrong benefits. Large numbers of people are going to refuse to buy (which might explain why the numbers enrolling have been so pitifully low).
The result: Fewer people will have heath insurance under Obamacare than before the law. And you can bet every one of those people who lost their health insurance — against their will — will be very pissed off come election day.
There are now only 3 copies left of the now out-of-print hardback of Leaving Earth. The price for an autographed copy of this rare collector's item is now $150 (plus $5 shipping).
To get your copy while the getting is good, please send a $155 check (which includes $5 shipping) payable to Robert Zimmerman to
Behind The Black, c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
Leaving Earth is also available as an inexpensive ebook!
Leaving Earth: Space Stations, Rival Superpowers, and the Quest for Interplanetary Travel, can be purchased as an ebook everywhere for only $3.99 (before discount) at amazon, Barnes & Noble, all ebook vendors, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big oppressive tech companies and I get a bigger cut much sooner.
"Leaving Earth is one of the best and certainly the most comprehensive summary of our drive into space that I have ever read. It will be invaluable to future scholars because it will tell them how the next chapter of human history opened." -- Arthur C. Clarke
The Obama administration has issued an order forbidding Navy Seals from wearing on their uniforms the Navy Jack, which includes the words “Don’t Tread On Me”.
They’ve been wearing the Navy Jack for the last two centuries.
After reading the email, I first wondered, ‘why?’ (Actually, first I headed to the gym to take out my frustration and anger on some unsuspecting weights with the fury and intensity only a former Navy SEAL can exert.) Why would our leaders sell out our heritage? Why would they rob present and future sailors of our battle cry?
When a friend of mine asked his leadership the same question, he was told, “The Jack is too closely associated with radical groups.” We must assume that this thought policeman embedded in the SEAL community is speaking of the Tea Party, whose flag (which also dates from the American Revolution) depicts a snake with the same defiant slogan as The Navy Jack.
The Obama administration’s objection isn’t because the slogan is associated with “radical groups.” It’s because that slogan is now associated with their political opponents, who just happen to have more in common with this nation’s heritage that Obama and his ilk.
The FAA has lifted its ban on the use of cell phones during take-off and landings in airplanes.
The ban on mobile devices has been in effect since the early 1990s, when cellphones began to crop up, and the FAA and airlines summarily freaked the hell out for no good reason. Despite no direct evidence that the use of mobile phones or other electronic devices would interfere with the plane’s systems, the ban continued — even after the FAA hired an outside safety agency to find if anything could go wrong. They didn’t. But the FAA and airlines decided to continue the policy. Until today.
The requirement to stow laptops during takeoffs and landings remains, however, as the FAA fears these larger objects could too easily become dangerous projectiles should something go wrong.
Pushback: Another court has ruled against the Obama administration’s forced contraceptive mandate under Obamacare.
Pushback: The man whom the Justice Department and Homeland Security threatened with prosecution because he was selling mugs and T-shirts ridiculing those agencies has now sued them over those threats.
A new poll, taken by a liberal poll company, finds that Democratic incumbents took a much bigger hit than Republican incumbents after the government shutdown.
As I’ve said repeatedly, the shutdown was a team effort of both parties, that occurred because of their disagreement over Obamacare. The spin has said the Republicans lost big. The evidences says otherwise.
Also, this poll was taken before the most recent disasters relating to Obamacare became public knowledge. I suspect the numbers will worsen for Democrats in subsequent polls.
Owning it: In 2010 the Democrats unanimously voted in support of the regulations that are now forcing the cancellation of millions of health insurance plans.
The Democrats voted for Obamacare. They then voted for the regulations that are wiping out health plans nationwide. And they voted to shut the government down to support Obamacare only one month ago.
I would say this indicates pretty strongly that they are responsible for this law.
Free speech in modern America: Protesters shout down New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly at Brown University.
I don’t particularly agree with Kelly’s policies, but I am even more strongly offended by these protesting thugs. Kelly came to give a speech. They should be respectful and let him speak.
In preparation for November 5 launch of India’s first mission to Mars, ISRO successfully performed a full dress rehearsal countdown yesterday.
We all cross our fingers and wish India well on this mission.
The article also had this additional tidbit that reveals a great deal about world culture:
» Read more
It’s a little late to get or expect any Republican buy-in [to Obamacare], though. That would have required serious compromise back in 2009, when Democrats, at the high tide of their power in the Obama era, saw no reason to make any. They ignored the polls, they ignored Scott Brown’s shocking win in Massachusetts, and they ignored normal parliamentary practices to pass the single most partisan piece of major social legislation in a century.
They insisted on this particular law, at this particular time. They own it. They own every canceled policy, every rate increase, every unintended consequence and every unpopular intended consequence. It is theirs, lock, stock and two smoking barrels.
And they and Obama own every lie they told to get this law passed.
Let me also add that the Democrats and Obama reaffirmed that ownership in the budget battle in October. They forced a government shutdown rather than accept even the slightest revisions to Obamacare.
The best (and worst) concealed carry states for 2013.
I am happy to report that my state, Arizona, is number one. And not surprisingly, the states from which I fled, New York and Maryland, are 46 and 43 respectively.
I strongly believe that where a government respects the right of its citizens to possess and bear arms, freedom will be strongly defended. Take a long look at these rankings. That the most heavily regulated blue states tend to be near the bottom and the less regulated red states tend to be near the top lends weight to my belief.
Modern free speech: The Justice Department and Homeland Security are threatening to prosecute a novelty store owner for selling mugs and t-shirts that make fun of the two agencies.
Here’s some evidence that, in trying to spin his earlier lies, Obama has only lied again.
Yesterday, the President said in Boston that the millions of people who are getting cancellation letters ending their coverage in the individual health insurance market are being saved from “substandard plans” that were sold to them by “bad apple insurers.” …
Are health insurance plans in the individual market substandard? Not the overwhelming bulk of them. How do I know that? Because individual health insurance policies have been regulated for decades by the states. Every policy sold in a state has to be approved by that state’s insurance commissioner. Have you heard about the longstanding debate over whether or not states over regulate this market with too many state health insurance coverage mandates and policy requirements?
In other words, Obama lied about Obamacare allowing you to keep your plan. Now that millions are having those plans cancelled because of Obamacare, he has made up a new lie: Your plan stinks, and only he knows the right plan for you.
Not you. Not your state government. Not the insurance company. Only he knows what’s best.
How nice of him.
Another young Obamacare supporter finds out what’s in it.
My old plan was as bare-bones as they came, so I assumed that even though the new plan would cost more, my coverage would improve under Obamacare, at least marginally. It did not.
Under my old plan, my maximum out-of-pocket expense was $4,900. Under the new plan, I’m on the hook for up to $6,350. Copays for my doctor visits will double. For urgent-care visits, they will quadruple. Though slightly cheaper plans exist if I decide to shop around on the exchange, I will lose my dental coverage should I switch.
Needless to say, I am not pleased.
He is also shocked that the burden for paying for this hellish law will fall on him and other young citizens. What I am amazed at is how surprised he is. And I think this statement by one commenters sums things up very well:
» Read more
Bras in space: How a bra company made the spacesuits the astronauts wore on the Moon.
Fascinating interview, though I find it humorous how it is considered absurd and unlikely for a private company that makes bras to make these spacesuits. In truth, when the Apollo missions happened, Americans had no doubt that ordinary private businesses were the best places to go to get something novel and creative done.
Finding out what’s in it: One expert estimates that 129 million people, 68% of those who buy health insurance, will lose their plan by the end of 2014 because of Obamacare.
I am sure all those people will be grateful to Obama and the Democrats for standing strong and shutting down the government rather than allow any changes to this law.
Note: I keep repeating this point about the government shutdown because it is important to remember the real cause of that shutdown: The Republicans objected to Obamacare and the Democrats endorsed it. We mustn’t forget this very fundamental fact as we watch Obamacare roll over the country like a bulldozer.
Obama and the Democrats solve the terrible terrible problem of the terrible name of the Washington Redskins.
In a move certain to delight most of official Washington, D.C., it has been decided to change the name of the Washington Redskins football franchise to the Washington Reds. President Obama, himself, voiced his approval of the decision, as did Harry Reid, who was practically giddy upon hearing the news. The stadium will be painted red, in keeping with the new name, and its own name will be changed to Red Stadium. All players who play for the Reds, as well as all Red staff, Red cheerleaders, and Red coaches, will be asked to pay a 60% surtax on their exorbitant salaries and to divest of their pension plans entirely in order to share their wealth more equitably with all of the people of the District of Columbia. Any profit-sharing from games played by the Reds will be placed into the general coffers at Treasury Department and administered by Jack Lew.
Click on the link. It is worth it.
Working for the Democratic Party: IRS official Lois Lerner illegally provided private tax information to other government agencies.
A conservative government watchdog says it has obtained emails revealing that the Internal Revenue Service sent conservative groups’ private tax exemption application and tax return information to the Federal Elections Commission, in violation of federal law.
According to Judicial Watch, the emails from Jan. 2009 to the present, provided by the FEC in response to an August 2013 Freedom of Information Act request, yielded a “revealing email chain” between former Internal Revenue Services (IRS) Director of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner and enforcement attorneys at the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Not finding out what’s in it: Obamacare does not provide patients or doctors or hospitals any way of finding out who is in or out of network.
“In many cases, consumers are shopping blind when it comes to what doctors and hospitals are included in their Obamacare exchange plans,” said Josh Archambault, senior fellow with the think tank Foundation for Government Accountability. “These patients will be in for a rude awakening once they need care, and get stuck with a big bill for going out-of-network without realizing it.”
All of this represents a larger problem with the Affordable Care Act, said Archambault, who has extensively studied the law. “It reflects deeper issues in implementation,” he said. “Some hospitals and doctors don’t even know if they are in the network.”
In addition, this story indicates that many major hospitals are opting out of Obamacare, with no way for patients to find out beforehand.
Aren’t you glad the Democrats and President Obama shut down the federal government earlier this month to make sure Obamacare went into effect?
The complete failure of the fuel tank appears to be the cause of the massive leak that caused the launch postponement of India’s first home-made geosynchronous powered rocket in August.
Mr. Radhakrishnan [head of India’s space agency] said while the expert committee had attributed the fuel leak to stress corrosion cracking of the tank filled with propellants, exactly why this happened was “a research problem” that remains to be investigated. The next GSLV mission will switch to a better aluminium alloy material for its propellant tanks.
Up to now the reports have been somewhat vague about the cause of what was clearly an extensive leak. This story tells us that the tank essentially failed. As they filled it with propellants, cracks apparently showed up everywhere, with fuel spewing out in all directions. As far as I can remember, I don’t think there has ever been a rocket tank failure quite this spectacular.
This suggests there were fundamental design flaws in the tank or very serious quality control problems in its manufacture. With the next launch attempt scheduled for December 15, I hope India has identified the source of this incredibly basic problem and taken action to prevent it from happening again.
Update: Reader Patrick Ritchie found this older article which suggests the failed tank was an old tank of a design that was “prone for delayed cracks”. The error here then was in using this substandard old equipment rather than a newer tank.
The first Earth-sized exoplanet, just discovered, makes no sense to scientists.
Kepler-78b is a planet that shouldn’t exist. This scorching lava world circles its star every eight and a half hours at a distance of less than one million miles – one of the tightest known orbits. According to current theories of planet formation, it couldn’t have formed so close to its star, nor could it have moved there. “This planet is a complete mystery,” says astronomer David Latham of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). “We don’t know how it formed or how it got to where it is today. What we do know is that it’s not going to last forever.”
The planet itself is only 20 percent larger than the Earth, with a comparable density that suggests its composition is similar as well.
The uncertainty of science: A new dark matter detector has failed to detect any dark matter after its first three months of operation.
Buried about a mile underground in a repurposed South Dakota gold mine, the LUX experiment searches for signs of dark matter particles colliding with the atoms in a vat of liquid xenon. During its first three months of operation, the detector found no such signals whatsoever. “We looked hard for these dark matter particles and we didn’t see anything,” says physicist Rick Gaitskell of Brown University, co-spokesperson for the LUX experiment. The results, presented at a seminar today and submitted to Physical Review Letters for publication, rule out a number of possible masses and characteristics for the particles that make up dark matter. The null result also conflicts with earlier experiments that had reported possible signals of dark matter.
This experiment has not proven that dark matter does not exist. It merely has narrowed significantly the kinds of particles that dark matter could be made of. That the results also contradict evidence from other detectors, however, leaves this specific area of science particularly uncertain.
A physicians organization has filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration’s decision to delay Obamacare employer mandate by one year.
The AAPS lawsuit, which was filed today in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, asks the Court to enjoin the Obama Administration from imposing its “individual mandate” while delaying the “employer mandate.” The law that was passed by Congress in 2010 requires that the employer mandate go into effect at the same time as the individual mandate: Jan 1, 2014.
“The U.S. Constitution requires a strict separation of powers between the three branches of government, such that the executive branch cannot change laws passed by Congress,” AAPS’s lawsuit explains. By imposing the individual mandate in 2014 without the protection of the employer mandate, the Obama Administration has changed the legislation passed by Congress.
Poll: 70% of Americans want to delay the Obamacare individual mandate.
One, I suspect that many of those polled really think they are asking for a delay of Obamacare entirely, and do not understand that delaying the mandate will do nothing to save their present insurance plan. If Obamacare requires that plan to die, it will die, regardless of when the mandate goes into effect.
Two, this is strong evidence that, when the next budget deadline arrives in a few months, the Republicans should once again demand to either delay, defund, or repeal Obamacare. They should force the Democrats to once again vote for this law. If the Republicans do this, they might actually be in a position to force Democrats to agree to a repeal.
I am posting the video below mostly as a marker, so that I can find it again easily when I am confronted by Democrats who can’t seem to understand what a lie is and what a liar looks like.
But watch it anyway. I knew it was a lie when he said this repeatedly in 2009 and 2010, but it is even more infuriating to see it now, especially considering the wreckage that lie is causing across the country as people find they no longer can afford any health insurance, no matter how minimal.
