Another Passing Icon Hits the Road,...

Donald Frey, designer of the original Ford Mustang, dead at age 86

On the day we've reviewed two descendants of his original creation, we find out that the man who designed the Mustang, Donald Frey, passed away at 86. As with the car's decades of success, the inspiration for it was unlikely: the Chevrolet Corvair.

Frey, who was assistant general manager and and chief engineer of a Ford Motor Company still suffering dry heaves over the Edsel, said he watched GM put bucket seats in the Corvair and rename it Monza, and it began to pick up with customers. There was also the dinner table motivation of his kids telling him his cars stunk.

Frey's first take on the Mustang was a mid-engined convertible in 1962 which, while working with Ford General Manager Lee Iacocca, he would develop into the car introduced to the World's Fair in 1964. When the coupe predicted to sell 80,000 units a year actually sold a million-plus units in its first two years – and then sold and sold and sold – Frey became an American legend. The rest is not just history, it's the present and the future, with the Mustang certain to be a staple in the Ford portfolio for years to come.

From Autoblog and Mustang fans around the world, our condolences and best wishes go to the Frey family.

Palm Sunday,...

As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples.
30
He said, "Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
31
And if anyone should ask you, 'Why are you untying it?' you will answer, 'The Master has need of it.'"
32
So those who had been sent went off and found everything just as he had told them.
33
And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying this colt?"
34
They answered, "The Master has need of it."
35
So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount.
36
As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
37
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
38
They proclaimed: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest."
39
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
40
He said in reply, "I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!"
41
As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it,
42
saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes.

DoubleStandardsradnatSelbuoD

Or, what happens when feces-flinging monkeys get the s**t thrown back in their faces!

HT to Lisa Mossie for this Victor Davis Hanson piece:

More Bottled Piety

This week’s talking point is the sudden danger of new right-wing violence, and the inflammatory push-back against health care. I’m sorry, but all this concern is a day late and a dollar short. The subtext is really one of class — right-wing radio talk-show hosts, Glenn Beck idiots, and crass tea-party yokels are foaming at the mouth and dangerous to progressives. In contrast, write a book in which you muse about killing George Bush, and its Knopf imprint proves it is merely sophisticated literary speculation; do a docudrama about killing George Bush, and it will win a Toronto film prize for its artistic value rather than shock from the liberal community about over-the-top discourse.

Socialism and totalitarianism are tough charges from the hard right, but they seem to me about as (or as not) over-the-top as Al Gore screaming “digital brown-shirts” or John Glenn comparing the opposition to Nazis. When 3,000 were murdered in Manhattan, and Michael Moore suggested Bin Laden had wrongly targeted a blue state, I don’t think that repulsive remark prevented liberal politicians from attending his anti-Bush film premiere. Yes, let us have a tough debate over the role of government and the individual, but spare us the melodrama, the bottled piety, and the wounded-fawn hurt.

Remember the rules, gentle readers:

Yell "You Lie," like Rep Joe Wilson and you've violated Congressional decorum...

Criticize the Supreme Court for going against you (something NEVER done before in a SOTU speech - see HuffBlow link below) and,....well, the MSM silence was deafening,...

Breaking from tradition, Obama used the speech to criticize the court's decision that allows corporations and unions to freely spend money to run political ads for or against specific candidates.

From Beyond the Grave,...

Herb Denenberg passed away this week, but even he saw the Emperor had no clothes:



BTW-note the poster, our own Skye Blue!!

How Many Times Do You Need To Be Told?

STOP SHOOTING AT POLICE OFFICERS!!!

Shooting adds to police resolve
Department to keep focus on east part of the city
by Susan Reimer
Baltimore Sun

An early Sunday morning shooting that left two police officers injured and a suspect dead is the latest stain on a part of the city trying to improve its image after a dozen people were shot at a barbecue last summer.

The latest incident occurred after three officers, making a traffic stop, thought they smelled drugs. They were in the process of arresting the car's three occupants when the driver grabbed a gun from his car and fired at them - wounding one in the finger and another in a cheek.

An exasperated Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III didn't mince words when he referred to the shooting suspect as an "idiot."

"These guys are walking and riding around the streets of Baltimore armed," the commissioner said. "They pose an incredible danger to all of us."


If you didn't believe in Darwinism before now, this should be proof enough!

I Guess Yelling "A**hole" Wouldn't Be Civilized Enough?

Stupak Called 'Baby Killer' on House Floor
FOXNews.com

A voice apparently on the Republican side of the House shouted the remark while the Democrat spoke.

Even after the main vote on the Democrats' health bill Sunday night, tempers continued to flare in the House.

Following the vote on the massive health bill, Republicans challenged the Democratic bill's language barring federal funding of abortions, saying it was weak and would effectively allow public funding for abortions.

Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, who had fought for tough language barring federal subsidies for abortion coverage, denounced the Republican move, saying it was nothing more than an attempt to deny 32 million Americans health care. From the Republican side a voice shouted, "Baby killer!"

It was not immediately clear who had called out the epithet.

Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.), said it wasn't him.

"I don't think it’s appropriate at all," he told Politico. "The people who know won't give it up," Campbell said. "I'm not casting dispersions on that state" in a reference to lawmakers from Texas.

Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas said he heard the scream but wouldn't say who was responsible.

"I can make a guess," Barton told reporters.

Fox News is searching for the source of the remark.

Oh, Mi-i-iste-r-r Wi-i-ilson-n-n??

Tonight, Snake Oil Has Been Poured on the Slippery Slope Towards Marxism,...

House Votes to Pass Senate Health Care Bill
FOXNews.com

After a harrowing day that saw a bloc of pro-life Democrats agree to compromise on abortion language, House Democrats cemented a victory for President Obama with a 219-212 vote for the Senate's massive health insurance overhaul.

Another Piece of Our Television Iconography Gone,...

'Daniel Boone' star Fess Parker dies
By Alan Duke, CNN
March 18, 2010 4:07 p.m. EDT

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Fess Parker, best known for playing Daniel Boone in a 1960s television series, died Thursday at his home near Santa Barbara, California, his publicist said. He was 85.

Parker followed his acting career with successful hotel and winery ventures around Santa Barbara.

A statement issued by his family did not reveal the cause of death.

Parker is survived by his wife of 50 years, Marcella, their son and daughter, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild who "spent a great deal of time with Fess in his final months and weeks," the statement said.

A native of Texas, Parker served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before graduating from the University of Texas-Austin in 1950.

A "Silent Mouth" Indeed,...

And the Obama "Insult Our Allies" Tour comes home,...

Biden Slips, Honors Memory of Irish PM's Mother -- While She's Alive

FOXNews.com

Vice President Biden added to his lengthy list of gaffes Wednesday when he took a moment to honor the memory of the Irish prime minister's mother -- a woman who's very much alive.

"God rest her soul," Biden said as he introduced Brian Cowen and President Obama at a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the White House Wednesday.

The vice president was quick to correct the mistake, noting that it's Cowen's father who is no longer living.

"Wait ... your mom’s still, your mom is still alive. It was your Dad (who) passed. God bless her soul. I gotta get this straight," Biden said.

After citing the Irish proverb that "a silent mouth is sweet to hear," he then yielded the podium to Obama.

And a few more reasons to remain silent, Slow Joe (courtesy of last night's laugh riot in front of the TV and Radio Correspondents Dinner):


Biden on his trip to Israel:
• It's great to be back at a place where a boom in housing construction is actually a good thing.

• Trying to negotiate a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis is tough, but it's a hell of a nice break from health care.

Biden on Liz Cheney & the "Al-Qaida 7":
• I understand Liz Cheney is in the house... Liz has been on a tear lately. Now, she's questioning if Tom Brady is a real Patriot.

Biden on Fox News:
• You all know Saint Patrick was credited with banishing snakes from Ireland. But you guys all know the truth -- sometimes -- there were never any snakes in Ireland. Saint Patrick just made that up. Which for the first time explains, I realized, why he's the patron saint of Fox News.

Biden on GOP complaints that the health care bill is too long:
• Put yourself in their spot. Just ask Sarah, that's a hell of a lot to write on the palm of your hand.

Biden on the Recovery Act:
• Republicans say it hasn't created one job. Well, tell that to Scott Brown.

Stuck on Stupid,...

New Jersey Walmart Probes 'All Black People' Announcement

AP

Company officials are reviewing security tapes after an announcement was made for "all black people" to leave a southern New Jersey Walmart store.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Company officials are reviewing security tapes after an announcement was made for "all black people" to leave a southern New Jersey Walmart store.

Shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday, a male voice came over the public-address system at the Route 42 store in Washington Township and calmly announced: "Attention Walmart customers: All black people leave the store now."

Management later apologized.

Washington Township police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the incident as a possible bias crime.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie says the incident was "unacceptable." The retailer is looking to prevent it from happening in the future.

Click here for more on this story from CourierPostOnline.com.

Stupid? Yes!

Bias crime? C'mon,...really?

More of the Obama Cult Dissapointed?

Obama bin Lyin'??

Holder: Bin Laden Never To Be Caught Alive

Usama bin Laden will never be captured alive, Attorney General Eric Holder told lawmakers on Tuesday.

"The possibility of capturing him alive is infinitesimal," Holder said. "He will be killed by us, or he will be killed by his own people so that he is not captured by us. We know that. ... The possibility simply does not exist."

That assessment, which Holder said was based on "all the intelligence I have had to review," came during an often-heated hearing of a House Appropriations subcommittee.

Republicans pressed Holder over recent decisions to prosecute terrorism suspects in civilian courts, and they suggested he intends to treat terrorism suspects as "common criminals."

Holder said such suggestions tend to "get my blood boiling," calling them "anything but the truth."

He said the "apt" comparison is to mass murderers like Charles Manson, who is currently serving a life sentence for orchestrating a killing spree in the 1960s.

Trying to explain the analogy, Holder said mass murderers like Manson still reserve the right to go before a jury and have the charges against them proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Holder was asked whether that means Usama bin Laden, if captured, would be tried in a civilian court and afforded the same rights as Charles Manson.

"In some ways I think they're comparable people, in some ways," Holder said.

Rep. John Culberson, R-Tex., called that response "incredible."

Good-bye and Godspeed, Phelps!

This message will not self-destruct!

'Mission: Impossible' Star Peter Graves Dead at 83 AP LOS ANGELES

Publicist Sandy Brokaw says Peter Graves died at his Los Angeles home just after returning home from brunch with his family.

Peter Graves, whose calm and intelligent demeanor was a good fit for the intrigue of "Mission Impossible" as well as the satire of the "Airplane" films, has died.

Graves passed away Sunday just a few days before his 84th birthday outside his home in Los Angeles, publicist Sandy Brokaw said. Graves was returning from brunch with his wife of nearly 60 years and his family when he had what Graves' doctor believed was a heart attack, Brokaw said.

Graves first gained the attention of many baby boomers with the 1950s TV series "Fury," but remained best known for the role of Jim Phelps, leader of a gang of special agents who battled evil conspirators in TV's "Mission: Impossible."

Normally cast as a hero, he turned in an unforgettable performance early in his career as the treacherous Nazi spy in Billy Wilder's 1953 prisoner-of-war drama "Stalag 17."

He also masterfully lampooned his straight-arrow image when he portrayed bumbling airline pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 disaster movie spoof "Airplane!"

He'll be missed, but at least he didn't pass away watching gladiator movies with Timmy!

Takes One to Know One,...

Or,..even a Communist knows a big, central government is wrong!

Gorbachev: Russia Is Reverting to Bad Old Days
He writes critical op-ed on 25th anniversary of perestroika

Mikhail Gorbachev warns that Russia is in danger of backsliding into the dark days of the Soviet Union in a critical op-ed piece that seems aimed directly at Vladimir Putin. The country's parliament is no better than a rubber stamp, its courts lack independence, and there's still no real party system. "There is a growing feeling that the government is afraid of civil society and would like to control everything," Gorbachev writes on the 25th anniversary of his perestroika reforms.

"I sense alarm in the words of President Dmitri Medvedev," who warned of a "primitive economy" and a society grown complacent because the government runs everything. "I agree with the president," Gorbachev writes in the New York Times. "I agree with his goal of modernization. But it will not happen if people are sidelined, if they are just pawns. If the people are to feel and act like citizens, there is only one prescription: democracy, including the rule of law and an open and honest dialogue between the government and the people."

E*Trade Not Caving to Hollyweird Stupidity

E*Trade: Lindsay Lohan Lawsuit Is 'Without Merit'

You may not be taking Lindsay Lohan's lawsuit over a talking baby ad very seriously, but E*Trade surely is. The online investment company issued a statement to PopEater Thursday slamming the star's claims that the commercial exploits her image as "without merit" and promising a vigorous challenge to the litigation.

"While E*Trade doesn't typically comment on pending litigation, we felt it appropriate given the high level of interest in the E*Trade Baby," the statement reads. "We believe the claims are without merit and we intend to defend ourselves vigorously in this case."

Lohan is suing for $100 million, insisting that the company's commercial about a boyfriend-stealing, "milkaholic" baby -- who happens to be named Lindsay -- was modeled after her. The star's lawyer went further, claiming Lohan has single-name recognition among the general public, and that by naming the baby "Lindsay," E*Trade was "using that knowledge to profit."

The Bitter American Expands His Reach!

Today, I've accepted the invitation to begin posting on the PennPatriot blog!

Bye-Bye 'Bamacare??

Democrats Cancel All Hearings in Anticipation of Health Care Negotiations

FOXNews.com

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ordered committee chairmen to postpone their hearings Thursday so lawmakers can meet to chart a course for one last sales job on President Obama's signature health care overhaul.

'Sweetheart' Deals Still on the Table as House Deadline for Health Care Vote Slides

FOXNews.com

The White House is pushing to strip out a number of "sweetheart" deals in the Senate bill as Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats are unlikely to make the March 18 deadline set by President Obama for passage, an indication the House speaker doesn't have the votes to pass it.
Pelosi said "March 18 is an interesting date" as she announced lawmakers are still waiting for a Congressional Budget Office report on the cost of the legislation.

"Our clock starts ticking when we get the final CBO report," Pelosi said. "We don't have the final report yet but we have a pretty good idea of where we are going on it." (Hell, perhaps?)

The current plan is for the House to approve the Senate-passed bill from late last year, despite serious objections to numerous provisions. Both chambers then would pass a second bill immediately, making changes in the first measure before both could take effect. The second bill would be debated under rules that bar a filibuster, meaning it could clear by majority vote in the Senate without Democrats needing the 60-vote supermajority now beyond their reach. (Um,..that's called "CHEATING!")

Obama Administration Steps on Israel's Neck Again!

Joe Biden steps up pressure on Israel over E Jerusalem

US Vice-President Joe Biden has again condemned Israel over a controversial building project, saying approval had undermined trust in the peace process.

Mr Biden was speaking after meeting the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah.

Mr Abbas also said the approval of 1,600 more Jewish homes in East Jerusalem threatened the peace process and called for it to be cancelled.

(snip)

In November, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in the West Bank, under heavy US pressure. But it considers areas within the Jerusalem municipality as its territory and the restrictions do not apply.

Israel, deliberately or not, inflicted something close to a humiliation on the Obama administration and the words they chose in reaction reflected that, our correspondent says.

Iraqis Voting AGAIN? I Blame Bush!

Iraqis Brave Bombs and Mortars to Vote in National Election

Polls closed across Iraq on Sunday as the war-weary population awaits results from the national election that will decide the future of the country's still-fragile democracy.

The election tested the mettle of the country's shaky security as insurgents killed 31 people across Iraq, unleashing a barrage of mortars intent on disrupting the historic day.

About 19 million Iraqis were eligible to vote on a government that will oversee the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The election is critical in determining whether Iraq can overcome the jagged sectarian divisions that have defined it since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Once the day's results are calculated, it could be months before Iraq's new parliament chooses a prime minister and forms a government.

Feigning! **

** Its Norwegian for "coward!"


HT to Conservatives for Change:

Al Gore Appears : Note to Warmers; No More Do-Overs!

Al Gore made an appearance on a Norwegian television program last night. A more impressive move would have been to have accepted the invitation to appear before the US Senate, which could conceivably lead to criminal charges.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The great and powerful wizard Gore says he isn't finished yet. Despite appearances apparently – which one might think would be important to a man who has nothing else in his arsenal. His appearance in a protected studio in Oslo, confronted by a small mild-mannered green-conscious Scandinavian audience, is a far cry from facing the angry mods back home. It seems to be the story of his life. Recalling that his own home state of Tennessee voted against him in the presidential race, it seems that the more people get to know him, the less they like him.

Who Dat Makin' Friends Wit' Iggles Fans?

Sean Payton gives the Cowboys some extra motivation

The story comes from Peter King of SI.com.

The Saints' staff had dinner on Friday night at St. Elmo Steakhouse. Coach Sean Payton wanted a magnum of Caymus Special Selection cabernet sauvignon. (We assume that opening the bottle entailed no unscrewing.)

The only problem? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was hosting his staff in the same room the next night, and Jones had phoned ahead and reserved a bottle of the same wine. But there was only one left.

Payton insisted, and in continuation of a recent trend he won.

It wasn't enough for Payton to secure the wine. The next night, when the Cowboys arrived, the empty bottle was on the table with a handwritten note on the label: "WHO DAT! World Champions XLIV, Sean Payton."

Did we mention that the Saints play in Dallas this year?

Will Hearing Aids Be Covered by Obamacare?

Because these three need them!!

"Hey, Steny: when I look into Harry's ear, I can see you!"

Dems Race to Pass Health Care Bill as Tea Partiers Plan Town Hall Wave

By Judson Berger
- FOXNews.com

Democrats are racing the clock to pass health care reform ahead of a wave of Tea Party-driven town hall meetings planned for the spring recess -- the kind of gatherings that nearly derailed the package last August.

But there's a big difference this time around. Last summer, Democrats were encouraged to hold the town hall meetings, and they were blindsided by the backlash, which was recorded and promoted in countless YouTube clips. This time around, they have a good idea of what's coming -- and they're lying low, in case work on health care carries over into the recess.

"There's not been the same push as there was in August to encourage members to do town halls," said Stephanie Lundberg, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

But that isn't stopping Tea Party groups, as well as former House Republican Leader Dick Armey's outfit, FreedomWorks, from holding their own meetings and trying to coax lawmakers into attending.

"We're about to ratchet it up," said Debbie Dooley, a Tea Party Patriots organizer and FreedomWorks volunteer outside Atlanta. "You're about to see the passion that we saw during the August recess."

No Longer the "Butt" of a Frat Joke?

Cancer Society Urges Docs to Stop Most Common Prostate Cancer Test

ATLANTA – New advice from the American Cancer Society puts a sharper focus on the risks of prostate cancer screening, emphasizing that annual testing can lead to unnecessary biopsies and treatments that do more harm than good.

The cancer society has not recommended routine screening for most men since the mid-1990s, and that is not changing. But its new advice goes farther to warn of the limitations of the PSA blood test that millions of American men get now. It also says digital rectal exams should be an option rather than part of a standard screening.

The new advice is the latest pushback from routine screening to hunt for early cancers. Last year, a government task force said most women don't need mammograms in their 40s and a doctors group said most women in their 20s don't need annual Pap tests.

American men have long been urged to have prostate cancer screenings, but over time studies have suggested that most cancers found are so slow-growing that most men could have avoided treatment.

And the Horse You Rode In On, Charlie,....

Rangel to Step Down From Ways and Means Post Amid Ethics Probe

FOXNews.com

Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel announced Wednesday that he plans to step down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee amid a wide-ranging ethics probe.

The announcement came as Republicans readied a formal resolution to strip the Harlem Democrat of his chairmanship, and as several Democrats began to peel away and call for Rangel to step down from his leadership post.

The New York Democrat made clear that he initiated the move. He said he sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Wednesday morning asking her to grant him a "leave of absence" until the ethics committee investigation into his activities is completed. Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., is expected to succeed him.

Rangel, whose autobiography is titled "I Haven't Had a Bad Day Yet," stood by that declaration Wednesday, albeit not as firm.

"I haven't had a bad day yet," he said. "But it's been close."

Really? Then what do you call THIS?

Whittled Down by "Unyielding Opposition?"

Obama to Consider Adding Some GOP Ideas to Health Care Plan

FOXNews.com

President Obama wrote congressional leaders Tuesday to say he will incorporate four new Republican ideas and strip out legislative dealmaking from his health care proposal in an effort aimed at winning the smallest margin needed for passing a pared-down bill.

The proposals are unlikely to win over liberal Democrats who want the president to expand his plan to include a public option or Republicans whose unyielding opposition has forced Democratic leaders to consider passing the legislation through an unusual budget move that bypasses a filibuster.

The GOP proposals Obama has embraced reform the way states handle medical malpractice suits, reduce waste and abuse in the health care system, increase Medicaid reimbursements to doctors and expands health savings accounts.

STAY THE COURSE! MAINTAIN THE HIGH GROUND! THE PARTY OF "NO!" SHOULD MEAN "NO PUBLIC OPTION - PERIOD!"