A man who planned to walk from Bristol to India without any money has quit, after getting as far as Calais, France.
Mark Boyle, 28, who set out four weeks ago with only T-shirts, a bandage and sandals, hoped to rely on the kindness of strangers for food and lodging.
But, because he could not speak French, people thought he was free-loading [sic] or an asylum seeker.
Oh no! But wait a minute . . .
Mr Boyle, a former organic food company boss, belongs to the Freeconomy movement which wants to get rid of money altogether.
So he is a freeloader — that’s a euphemism for worthless piece of shit bum — and being able to speak French wouldn’t have made any difference. However, this brings to mind, yes, of course, a South Park episode, the one about the underwear gnomes, except instead of
Collect underwear
?
Profit
it’s
Walk and leech off everybody you can along the way
I’ve got a craving, specifically, Cuban arroz con pollo. Thing is, I don’t have everything I need here, and there is no way in hell I’m going back out. Normally, I’d make something else, but like I said, it’s a craving.
So I’m going to throw something together with what I can find. I’ll tell you whether it was fit to eat or not.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 29, 2008 at 1:50 pm under Food. Comments Off.
I could excerpt it, but it’s short, and well worth reading. It also brings to mind this Derbyshire phrase from 2000:
Wherever there is a jackboot stomping on a human face there will be a well-heeled Western liberal to explain that the face does, after all, enjoy free health care and 100 percent literacy. Won’t they ever learn? No, their stupidity is impenetrable. They will never learn.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 29, 2008 at 1:37 pm under Idjits, Wackjobs. Comments Off.
Would they have opened a whites-only engineering school in the old South Africa?
I was seeing dhimmitude at universities twenty years ago. Saudi students who were taking a field trip, but would only accept male drivers. Picnics with small numbers of Arabs that left pork out of baked beans — as opposed to offering a pork-free alternative. Male teachers switched for female teachers when one Arab objected that he could not learn from a woman. And many, many more examples.
Twenty years ago.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 29, 2008 at 1:24 pm under Education. Comments Off.
and neither is the fact that it’s not getting any MSM coverage:
Good news from the presidential campaign trail this afternoon, via Rob Bluey at RedState — Sen. John McCain has wholeheartedly endorsed an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jim DeMint that would impose a one-year moratorium on all pork-barrel earmarks:
“I absolutely would support such an amendment — and abolish [earmarks] altogether,†McCain told conservative bloggers on a conference call this afternoon. “As I’ve said, I will veto any earmark project that comes across my desk.â€
This, on the other hand, is a bit beyond merely surprising:
My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.
Today’s humanitarian crisis in Iraq — and the potential consequences for our national security — are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won’t explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?
What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance…
As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.
Oh. The beyond merely surprising part. That was Angelina Jolie.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 29, 2008 at 1:18 pm under McCain, '08, Conservatism, GWOT. Comments Off.
Having the middle name Hussein doesn’t make Obama any more a Muslim than having the middle name Jefferson made Clinton a strict constructionist.
Welcome, Instapudit readers! Interested in gun control and the Second Amendment? It’s 1993 all over again. Speaking of guns, if anybody owns one of these, I’d like to hear what you have to say about it.
Both Democratic presidential candidates, who promise to curb the influence of corporate lobbyists in Washington, helped enact narrowly tailored tax breaks sought by major campaign contributors.
Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has accepted $54,350 from members of a law firm that in 2006 lobbied him to introduce a tax provision for a Japanese drug company with operations in Illinois, according to public records and interviews. The government estimates the provision, which became law in December 2006, will cost the treasury $800,000.
Cynical? Me? Nonsense!
Posted by rightwingprof on February 27, 2008 at 1:31 pm under Idjits, '08, Wackjobs. Comments Off.
Under criticism that its ads are misleading, Pfizer said Monday that it would cancel a long-running advertising campaign using the artificial heart pioneer Robert Jarvik as a spokesman for its cholesterol drug Lipitor.
Pfizer has spent more than $258 million advertising Lipitor since January 2006, most of it on the Jarvik campaign, as the company sought to protect Lipitor, the world’s best-selling drug, from competition by cheaper generics.
But the campaign had come under scrutiny from a Congressional committee that is examining consumer drug advertising and has asked whether the ads misrepresented Dr. Jarvik and his credentials. Although he has a medical degree, Dr. Jarvik is not a cardiologist and is not licensed to practice medicine.
One television ad depicted Dr. Jarvik as an accomplished rower gliding across a mountain lake, but the ad used a body double for the doctor, who apparently does not row.
Apparently, there is some question whether Jarvik actually invented the artificial heart but that seems to have no bearing on this particular issue. The Congresscritters seem to be concerned that a doctor (with a medical degree) who has worked on artificial hearts for decades but doesn’t actually practice medicine is thereby disqualified from being in a commercial.
Unlike, say, an actor who played a doctor on TV.
Believe it or not, there really are idiots who think this is what Congress is supposed to be doing. Scary, ain’t it?
Posted by rightwingprof on February 27, 2008 at 11:50 am under Idjits. Comments Off.
Liberals need to wrap duct tape around their heads:
February 25, 2008
Wal-Mart Announces Grants to Help First-Generation College Students
Wal-Mart’s philanthropic arm announced today that it made $67-million in grants to educational programs during 2007, with much of it going to higher education.
The Wal-Mart Foundation, one of the nation’s leading corporate givers, announced a $2.27-million grant to the Council of Independent Colleges to help educate first-generation students.
The gift will provide $100,000 awards to 20 small- and mid-sized independent colleges and universities to increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of first-generation students.
Wal-Mart’s foundation also announced a two-year, $2.5-million grant to the American Association of Community Colleges, and a separate $500,000 commitment to help needy community-college students stay in school.
According to the foundation, it provided some $7.2 million last year to help thousands of students continue their post-secondary education.
You’ll recall I did a year of interferon/ribavarin therapy. Six months after you finish, you get your blood tested again, to find out if you have cleared the virus (~80%) or relapsed (~20%), fairly important information.
Six months after I finished was sometime last November. When November rolled around, I couldn’t remember exactly what day or time I had my appointment, so I went online to find out.
No appointment listed. At all.
So I called, and found out that the doc had left. Nobody had bothered to tell me this, or reschedule my appointment. And the first appointment I could get with a gastroenterologist was yesterday, three months later. That’s nine months after finishing the treatments.
Now, you have to go in a week ahead of time to let the vampires stick you. So I did, and guess what? No order for blood work. When I tried explaining to the receptionist why this was important, she sent me to somebody else, and to be fair, she did try to get the order.
But the only doctor who could order was the doctor I was to see, and he wasn’t there that day. So she talked to his nurse, and she said as soon as he came in, she’d get the order.
Uh-huh. So she did, and I got stuck, but not in time to find out yesterday that crucial piece of information: Have I cleared the virus, or not?
He’s going to call and tell me as soon as the tests come back. So I will find out sometime this week, three months after I was supposed to have found out.
They’re polls, and I don’t take polls that seriously, but they’re interesting. First, McCain is neck and neck with either the Obamamessiah or the Borg Queen (no offense to Ms. Obama, who is trying to make herself the Borg Queen), hat tip to Donald Douglas:
Democratic front-runner Barack Obama and likely Republican nominee John McCain are essentially tied in likely voters’ preferences for president if the general election were held today.
Forty-eight percent of likely voters say they prefer McCain for president, and 47% Obama, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted Feb. 21-24. The two have been closely matched each of the three times the question has been asked of likely voters this year.
The contest would be about as tight if Hillary Clinton were the Democratic nominee. In that test ballot, 50% of likely voters choose McCain and 46% Clinton.
The Democratic candidates do slightly better among all registered voters, but the two hypothetical races are still a statistical tie among this larger group of voters.
Perhaps more interesting is this latest Rasmussen poll (hat tip: Ace):
Thirty-four percent (34%) of all voters say they will definitely vote for John McCain if he is on the ballot this November. Thirty-three percent (33%) will definitely vote against him while 29% say their support hinges on who his opponent is.
Barack Obama has the same number who will definitely vote for him–34%. But, more people are committed to voting against him than McCain. Forty-three percent (43%) say they will definitely reject him at the ballot box. For 18%, their support depends on his opponent.
For Hillary Clinton, 32% will definitely vote for her if she is on the ballot and 46% will definitely vote against. Core opposition to Clinton, the best-known of the candidates as the long campaign season began, hovered in the high 40s through most of the past year.
Throughout 2007, support for McCain was somewhat softer than now. As late as December, Rasmussen Reports showed only 22% definitely supporting him, 33% against, and 39% waiting to see the opposition. Between June and November, firm support for him had slipped below 20%.
There was less uncertainty about Obama during 2007. In December, only 28% had a wait-and-see attitude. Obama’s support was then 29%, with 36% definitely opposed.
Thus, while the base of strong support has risen for both men in recent weeks, it’s risen only slightly for Obama. On the other hand, core opposition to McCain, the least of any candidate’s, is the same as in December; whereas strong opposition to Obama has jumped seven percentage points.
The moral of the story: Not everybody is worshiping the BarackGoldenCalf.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 26, 2008 at 6:57 am under McCain, '08. Comments Off.
Why didn’t I think of that? The obvious solution to global warming: ET!
The truth is that the way the ET spaceships are powered with almost unlimited cheap power can be used to drive our civilization with little environmental effects. The oil industry relies on scarcity to control the price of oil and make trillions of dollars at public expense but all that would have been wiped out with cheap abundant energy. Also we would not have global warming and other environmental degradation that so threaten us and our planet if cheap non polluting energy had come into widespread use by the 1960s as it should have.
The other environmental factor is the way UFOs or flying saucers move both through the atmosphere and through space using electromagnetic and anti-gravity propulsion. Environmental activists if they think this through will realize that all the environmental degradation from car pollution, highways, bridges, power lines etc. would not have happened if our personal vehicles used electromagnetic and anti-gravity systems. We would be traveling through the air using non-polluting ZPE energy.
Environmentalists should team up with exopolitical activists and peace activists and other activists even in the health industry because an end to the UFO/ET cover up would drastically and fundamentally change our world for the better.
So does that mean we squat in trees with tinfoil hats on our heads?
Hat tip: Stable hand (I don’t want to know how he found it).
Led by Jay Schools Superintendent, Dr. Timothy Long, the Portland schools joined with the community in honoring the heroic accomplishments of the late Sgt. Major Jeffery A. McLochlin. McLochlin was killed July 5, 2006, while serving in the war in Afghanistan.
A Portland native, McLochlin’s widow, Nicole, traveled to the ceremony from her home in Rochester, Ind., to receive the school corporation’s inaugural “Character in Motion” award on behalf of her late husband. She received the award from Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger. Umbarger is the Adjutant General of Indiana, whose primary focus is to lead the Indiana National Guard.
In addition to honoring McLochlin, Umbarger was in town to hand over the keys to the local National Guard Armory to the school corporation. Long says the plan is for the school corporation to move its administrative offices to the facility, which was built in 1976. The move will save the Corporation approximately $200,000.
Plenty of pics at the link. No moonbats perching in trees, riding naked on bicycles, waving giant puppet heads, worshiping Obama’s snot, singing kumbayah, or holding “teach-ins.”
There is no program I despise as much as I do Photoshop, not even Acrobat, but I figured I’d grit my teeth and put up with the most bloated, over-featured, over-rated piece of shit program in the world to help out the Barackskyites. Here’s the original poster:
Here’s my improvement (it’s subtle — look closely):
I suppose it’s a generational thing, but those of us from the duck-and-cover era had certain things drilled so deeply into us that despite the fall of the USSR, still elicit violently negative gut reactions. National ID cards. The government encouraging children to turn their parents in to the authorities. You know, things that were presented as diffferences between them and us. So when I saw this poster at StandUpForMcCain, I also found it creepy.
Anybody else from the same generation will immediately recognize the style of these posters. It’s known as Soviet Realism. Here’s Karpov’s portrait of Lenin:
That’s a portrait. Here’s a poster:
Now, I’m not suggesting that these kool-aid drinkers are in any way, at least consciously, invoking the USSR. They’re too young, and too stupid. Or perhaps not stupid enough. I am saying, however, that posters and buttons like these will spark the same gut reaction in others as they do me, and that’s probably not productive for the Obamamessiah’s campaign.
Conscious Stalinism or not, these idiots can’t even see the contradictions in their own propoganda. Here is, apparently, the site the poster came from (I’ve included a screen capture below, if you don’t want to get Marxist cooties), entitled,
OBAMA — Obey Giant
Obey? What do they think we’re electing, a parent?
But the header demonstrates that somebody’s not thinking, or that they are, and are redefining words to fit what they really mean:
So we have a site named OBEY, which has been “manufacturing quality dissent since 1989.”
Obey. Dissent. Which of these two opposites do you suppose really fits their agenda?
You know, all of this Sex, Drugs, and Barack ‘n Roll idiocy is scary enough, with the fainting and snot worship, and over nothing at all but silly, insubstantial, feel-good fluff. I don’t think the hammer and sickle is going to attract people to the campaign. But knock yourselves out, if that’s what you’re into. You’ll only get McCain more votes.
Posted by rightwingprof on February 23, 2008 at 6:18 am under '08. 10 Comments.
I’m an Obama girl and my man throttled Hillary Clinton, again, Tuesday night.
Suddenly, the impossible is real.
Suddenly, I’m nervous. Very nervous, actually.
I’m nervous because an otherwise normal grownup told me yesterday she’s watched the will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas) “Yes We Can†Obama video about 100 times and gets “weepy†every time.
[ . . . ]
I’m nervous because too many Obama-philes sound like Moonies, or Hare Krishnas, or the Hale-Bopp-Is-Coming-To-Get-Me nuts.
These true believers “Obama-ize†everything. They speak Obama-ese. Knit for Obama. Run for Obama. Gamble - Hold ’Em Barack! - for Obama. They make Obama cakes, underwear, jewelry. They send Valentine cards reading, “I want to Barack your world!â€
At campaign rallies people scream, cry, even faint as Obama calmly calls for the EMTs. When supporters pant en masse, “I love you!†(like The Beatles, circa 1964), Barack says, “I love you back†with that deliciously charming, almost cocky smile.
Oh - I’m nervous because it’s all gone to his head and he hasn’t even won yet.
South Park had the Tunnel of Prejudice (”Death Camp of Tolerance”). Bowling Green University has the Tunnel of Oppression, starting with the Room of Ableism, and ending with the Reflection Room where visitors can talk about the feewings! Van Helsing is having fun with this (check out the picture).
I guess that South Park episode went right over their heads. Here’s the Museum of Tolerance clip:
I almost feel sorry for the NYT. A non-scandalous non-story that alleges nothing, based on “anonymous” sources? Jim Geraghty is right: Can’t they come up with anything substantial? Even TalkLeft thinks it’s sleazy — and they’re not the only liberals who aren’t impressed.
This “rumor” has been around for eight years, and if nobody has been able to substantiate it in eight years, there’s nothing to it. But my question for the NYT is this: You’ve been sitting on this since at least December. If this is such a problem, why did you endorse McCain in January?
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Move along, folks, there’s nothing to see here.
This is good news for us because it’s so transparently sleazy, and it’s already backfiring. KLo is certainly no McCain supporter, and here was her reaction to the “story”:
the Hit Piece by the NY Times prompted me to scurry over to McCain’s website, buy a few window stickers and donate $200.00.
I nearly choked on my cheeseburger when I read that. KLo with McCain stickers? So thanks, Grey Lady, for doing what is sure to get voters to rally round Johnny Mac.
It’s also good news because, well, if that’s the best they can do, McCain might not have as much trouble getting elected as some fear. Look at the scary stuff they’re digging up about McCain. It’s rather like they’re taking their strategy from Obama: No substance, just fluff. And while they’re doing that, of course, McCain will be hammering away at the Democrats on issues.
That’s not a recipe for a Democrat landslide in November, folks.
Jon Henke weighs in here. Bob Krumm is all over it, here and here (and follow the links).
The state Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a unanimous ruling saying the former Black Panther and radio reporter waited too long to file a post-conviction appeal in the matter.
Abu-Jamal was convicted of shooting to death Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in 1981. A federal judge in 2001 overturned Abu-Jamal’s death sentence but upheld his conviction.
Okay, well, the party’s not quite on:
His case has attracted international notoriety. A separate appeal in the case, regarding claims of racial bias and faulty jury instructions, is pending before the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
But it’s one step closer. See, Rockview — AKA death row, PA — is just a couple of miles down the road:
So on the big day, we can throw a party, then go neener-neener the bed-wetters protesting the death penalty! It’ll be wild! It’ll be crazy! It’ll be fun!
Posted by rightwingprof on February 20, 2008 at 3:19 pm under Odds 'n Ends. Comments Off.
Right Wing Nation » Reporting With Caution: and the results haven’t yet been published. Recall that the Susquehanna poll yesterday had Lt. Col. Bill Russell only four points behind Murtha, after him calling his own constituents racists and all? Imagine them being offended by
Right Wing Nation » Wowza: thunk? I mean, really. This is right up there in the same Twilight Zone episode category as the NRA ad beginning with “Hillary was
