Sucker, Punched,....

Santorum Slams Obama for Foreign Policy "Failure"

On the same day President Obama is announcing changes to his national security team, potential presidential hopeful and former Senator Rick Santorum slammed the White House for appeasing its enemies and failing to advance U.S. national security interests.

"When a president...apologizes for our country and her immediate policies, we do not advance our security - we diminish our credibility," Santorum said at Washington's National Press Club Thursday afternoon, adding that President Obama "doesn't believe in American foreign policy" and is "trying to hide" from "political heat."


Best known for his outspoken conservative views on social issues, the Pennsylvania Republican served on the Senate Armed Services Committee and has been amplifying his criticism of the president's foreign policy in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Santorum announced that he was "testing the waters" for a presidential run.

"Nothing has illustrated the failure of President Obama's foreign policy more than how we have dealt with Iran," he said of Iranian dissidents. "We sided with evil because our president believes our enemies are legitimately aggrieved and thus we have no standing to intervene." (read more)

A No-Good, Absolute, God-Forsaken Disgrace!

Superman Renounces His U.S. Citizenship in 900th Issue of Action Comics

Superman is no longer an American.

In Action Comics’ new record-breaking 900th issue, the iconic super hero renounces his U.S citizenship following a clash with the federal government.

The Man of Steel, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938, has always been recognized as a devoted American warrior who constantly fought evil, but as of Thursday, he is no longer the country's own to claim.

"I intend to speak before the United Nations tomorrow and inform them that I am renouncing my U.S. citizenship," he says in a cell in the issue. "I'm tired of having my actions construed as instruments of U.S. policy."

Superman even questions his longtime motto: "Truth, justice and the American way."

"Truth, justice, and the American way -- it's not enough anymore," he states.

Superman's creators defended the decision.

"Superman is a visitor from a distant planet who has long embraced American values. As a character and an icon, he embodies the best of the American Way," DC's co-publishers, Jim Lee and Dan DiDio said in a statement to FOX411.com. "In a short story in ACTION COMICS 900, Superman announces his intention to put a global focus on his never ending battle, but he remains, as always, committed to his adopted home and his roots as a Kansas farm boy from Smallville."

The landmark issue is certainly sparking controversy.

"Besides being riddled with a blatant lack of patriotism, and respect for our country, Superman's current creators are belittling the United States as a whole. By denouncing his citizenship, Superman becomes an eerie metaphor for the current economic and power status the country holds worldwide," Hollywood publicist and GOP activist Angie Meyer told FOX411's Pop Tarts column.

What next?  Captain America becomes "Captain Euro-man?"  Or "Captain Untied Nations???"  WTF, people??

Don't Let the Door Hit You in the $15M Ass,...

Katie Couric Announces Departure from CBS News

After months of speculation that she would leave CBS News at the end of her contract, Katie Couric confirmed Tuesday she would indeed be stepping away from the anchor's chair.

"I have decided to step down from the 'CBS Evening News'," Couric told People.com. "I'm really proud of the talented team on the 'CBS Evening News' and the award-winning work we've been able to do in the past five years."

Though the 54-year-old is staying mum on her future plans, she has hinted she would like to develop her own syndicated talk show because of "the creative freedom to pick subjects, to really dig deep, to have a smart, intelligent conversation (and ambush a real woman and threat like Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachmann)... it might be nice to have a little more wiggle room to show my personality," she said during a "Today" show interview earlier in April.

ABC News is also said to be wooing Couric with an offer of specials, conventions and "everything but the 'Evening News,'" according to The Daily.

"They are offering her the keys to the castle. It won't leave much for Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters and Christiane Amanpour," the source said.

The salary offer from ABC was said to be far less than the $15 million Couric currently takes home for her duties at CBS. (Imagine how many quality shows CeeBS could have funded on that dime??)

Couric gained national attention when she became co-host of NBC's "Today" show in 1991.

She left the popular morning show in 2006 for CBS, becoming the first woman to serve as anchor for a nightly network news

Though her ascent to the anchor's chair gained considerable press, the CBS news show failed to jump in the ratings during her tenure.

Happy Easter

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' " 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. 9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. 12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Last Chance for the Polls

     

Because Big Brother "O" Sez So,...

If The Obamessiah and his Obamacare say its good for you, it must be, right?

HT TO Captain America for a portion of this post:

Chicago school bans some lunches brought from home

To encourage healthful eating, Chicago school doesn't allow kids to bring lunches or certain snacks from home — and some parents, and many students, aren't fans of the policy

At his public school, Little Village Academy on Chicago's West Side, students are not allowed to pack lunches from home. Unless they have a medical excuse, they must eat the food served in the cafeteria.

Principal Elsa Carmona said her intention is to protect students from their own unhealthful food choices.

"Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school," Carmona said. "It's about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke. But with allergies and any medical issue, of course, we would make an exception."

Carmona said she created the policy six years ago after watching students bring "bottles of soda and flaming hot chips" on field trips for their lunch. Although she would not name any other schools that employ such practices, she said it was fairly common.

And then there's this tidbit I came across today from Thomas Dalhborg:

Reimbursement is being tied to individual linear metrics via Pay for Performance and other programs. In 2015, CMS, through its Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), intends to begin penalizing physicians for not reporting data on these types of metrics. Awards and recognition are being handed out for achieving them. Physicians and physician practices are being rated on them. Consumers (you and I) are being "educated" to select our preferred provider based on these metrics.

Gentle readers, there you have it: We Americans are too fat, too lazy and too stupid to make our own healthcare choices and we can't properly take care of our own children, so let's rely on the government to make those choices for us!  THIS was the "Change" we "Hoped" for??  I call "BULLS**T!!"

Some Truth from Hollywood for a Change

Actress Ashley Judd Bashes Hip Hop As “Rape Culture”

Actress, Ashley Judd who starred in “A Time To Kill,” “Kiss The Girls” and “Double Jeopardy” is very critical of Hip Hop in her memoir, “All That Is Bitter And Sweet.” Radar Online reports:

Along with other performers, YouthAIDS was supported by rap and hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and P. Diddy to spread the message…um, who? Those names were a red flag.


“As far as I’m concerned, most rap and hip-hop music — with it’s rape culture and insanely abusive lyrics and depictions of girls and women as ‘ho’s’ — is the contemporary soundtrack of misogyny.

Gentle readers, if you think this is BS, then why is the same newsfeed, called NewsOne "for Black America," running nonsense like this:
Dr. Boyce: Nicki Minaj And Lil Kim Should Be Allies, Not Enemies

Sounds like "bitches and hos" setting yet another sterling example of proper society!

Men are From Mars, the UN is from,...?

U.N. Investigators Depict Equality for Women Efforts Within U.N. System are a Costly Failure

A month after the United Nations last summer announced the creation of a new, $500 million-a-year organization to promote equality for women in global affairs, the U.N.’s own investigators revealed that 15 years of “gender mainstreaming” efforts within the UN Secretariat have been a sweeping and costly failure.  (Isn't that the Untied Nations by definition?)

The report, issued in August 2010, evaluates how gender mainstreaming -- the term that the U.N. uses to describe achieving equality between the sexes in all walks of life -- is being incorporated in all U.N. work to “ensure that the different needs and circumstances of women and men are identified and taken into account when policies and projects are developed and implemented.”

The evaluation carried out by the U.N. watchdog, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), looked at 20 of the U.N.’s most important departments and offices. It found glaring deficiencies almost everywhere.

Among them:

- A fundamental lack of knowledge among U.N. staffers about the gender policy, with less than half of program managers polled saying they “always” or “mostly” believed their staff understood what gender mainstreaming is or why it should be implemented.

In other words, there was little evidence that anyone was even trying systematically to make the programs work. In the 20 departments and programs surveyed, only 12 had policies or strategies or had distributed specific guidelines on how gender mainstreaming was supposed to operate.

Click here for the full report.

Those conclusions were not for lack of U.N. efforts -- and hundreds of millions of dollars in spending -- on behalf of women’s rights, as the report documents a welter of U.N. officials, many specifically appointed to the task, running off in various directions to promote improved attitudes toward sexual equality, without necessarily indicating what they were trying to promote.

Passings,...

Director Sidney Lumet Dead at 86

NEW YORK -- Sidney Lumet, the award-winning director of acclaimed films such as "Network," "Serpico," "Dog Day Afternoon" and "12 Angry Men," has died. He was 86.

Lumet's death was confirmed Saturday by Marc Kusnetz, who is the husband of Lumet's stepdaughter, Leslie Gimbel.

Lumet was nominated for Academy Awards four times as a director. He never won, but he did receive an honorary lifetime achievement Oscar in 2005.

"Network," a scathing view of the television business, proved to be his most memorable film and created the enduring catch phrase, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

Many of his films, including "Serpico" and "Dog Day Afternoon," showed the grittier side of New York City.

His movie directing debut was 1957's "12 Angry Men," starring Henry Fonda.

"12 Angry Men" is STILL on of my favorite movies,too!

Manny Ramirez at Peace With Retirement Despite Failing Drug Test

NEW YORK -- Manny Ramirez walked away from baseball on Friday, abruptly ending the mercurial career of one of the most talented -- and tainted -- hitters to ever play the game.

The slumping Tampa Bay Rays slugger tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training, sources told ESPN.com, and informed Major League Baseball that he would retire rather than face a 100-game suspension.

"I'm at ease," Ramirez told ESPNdeportes.com via phone from his home in Miami. "God knows what's best [for me]. I'm now an officially retired baseball player. I'll be going away on a trip to Spain with my old man."

Ramirez served a 50-game suspension for violating the drug policy in 2009 while he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and second-time offenders get double that penalty.

This is why I support my beloved Phillies - they don't bring attention to themselves off the field, they play by the rules and they steer clear of the law.  Is it any wonder why they win every year??

The Arab World Poll

Look! Another poll for my visitors to ignore,....

Harry the K Starts the Year Smiling!

Mayberry caps big rally as Phils win opener

By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com | Friday Apr 1, 2011 4:09 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies entered their season of World Series championship expectations Friday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park with their Cy Young Award winner on the mound, a packed house and a chill in the air.

The bats showed up late, but they showed up big in a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory over the Astros, capped by John Mayberry Jr.'s walk-off single.

Astros closer Brandon Lyon allowed singles to Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard to start the bottom of the ninth inning. Raul Ibanez popped up for the first out. Rollins stole third to put runners at the corners, and Ben Francisco singled to left-center field to score Rollins and cut Houston's lead to 4-3.

Carlos Ruiz crushed an 0-1 pitch foul before he singled to left field to load the bases.

Wilson Valdez, who replaced Chase Utley in the lineup, followed with another single to center to score Howard and tie the game.

The Phillies were on their way.

Mayberry, who made his first Opening Day roster, followed with a long single over drawn-in center fielder Michael Bourn's head to bring in the winning run.

The late rally made up for not taking advantage of a good start from Halladay. Halladay leads one of the greatest starting rotations ever assembled (on paper, anyway). And he pitched well. He allowed just five hits and one run and struck out six in six innings. But the Astros forced him to throw 101 pitches, which forced him from the game.

The Phillies didn't make Astros right-hander Brett Myers work nearly as hard. He threw just 85 pitches through seven innings, keeping hitters off balance the entire way. In fact, Myers did not get one Phillies hitter to swing and miss at a pitch until Francisco swung and missed at a ball in the seventh inning.

Halladay left the game trailing 1-0, and the Astros tacked on three runs in the seventh. J.C. Romero allowed a leadoff single to Brett Wallace to get things started. David Herndon then allowed a single to Humberto Quintero and a triple to Bourn to make it 3-0. Bourn scored on Angel Sanchez's sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.

The Phillies cut the lead to 4-2 in the seventh. Placido Polanco walked and Rollins singled with nobody out. They moved up a base on a passed ball. Polanco scored on Howard's sacrifice fly, and Rollins scored on a fielder's choice.