Music Chart Toppers

According to the Billboard Charts:  #1  on this day, February 13th

1929  Carolina Moon, by Gene Austin

1949  A Little Bird Told Me, by Evelyn Knight

1969  Everyday People, by Sly & the Family Stone

1989  Straight Up, by Paula Abdul

Today

My Life Would Suck Without You, by Kelly Clarkson

B.S. Report–P.S.  Don’t blame me…I’m just the messenger.

Does Anybody Really Not Know That Smoking Is Bad For Your Health?

We hooked another one fellas! He'll never quit now!

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The jury that decided a 40-year chain-smoker was helplessly addicted to nicotine must now decide whether tobacco giant Phillip Morris owes his family potentially millions of dollars for his death from lung cancer.

The next phase of the closely-watched lawsuit filed by the man’s widow, Elaine Hess, starts Friday in Broward County Circuit Court.  Hess’ lawyers plan to argue that Stuart Hess became hooked on cigarettes because of deceptive practices by Philip Morris that hid the dangers of smoking.

“The jury’s going to hear a lot more about what the tobacco industry has been doing for the last several decades,” said Adam Trop, one of Hess’ attorneys.

The lawsuit is the first of about 8,000 such cases to go to trial since the Florida Supreme Court in 2006 threw out a $145 billion jury award in a class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of smokers and their families.

The state’s high court upheld the conclusion that tobacco companies knowingly sold dangerous products and concealed smoking’s health risks, but ruled each case must be proven individually. The jury’s decision Thursday that Hess did not continue smoking by his own choice was crucial. (Read more.)

B.S.–This is insane!  The jury decided that the poor guy did not continue smoking by his own choice.  Just who forced this guy to smoke?  Unless they can somehow prove that executives from Phillip Morris forced him to first buy, then light-up, then smoke, I wouldn’t award his widow one bloody cent!

Furthermore, I would make the widow responsible for all legal fees–and I would suspend the lawyers involved from practicing law for a year for bringing such a frivolous law suit to trial.

I’m not a smoker–but anyone can see this is just a ploy to suck money from a deep-pocketed, unpopular defendant.  This is why many people just can’t stand blood-sucking attorneys.

If you can sue a company for your becoming addicted to their legal product then can’t you sue any company for anything by simply saying that you’re addicted to their product?  If I become “addicted” to cheesecake and eat nothing else, can I sue for the resulting health problems that ensue?

Generally, I’m against the concept of having professional jurors, but if we’re only going to have morons serving on juries then we may have to consider the idea. Has the notion of personal choice, free will and personal responsibility totally vanished from America?

Look into my eyes, You will smoke, forever and ever!

GWBush to hit lecture circuit in Canada…Proof that any Ex-Prez can get “speaking” gigs…

DALLAS (AP) — Former President George W. Bush is getting ready to hit the lecture circuit.

A co-owner of a Canadian company that organizes high-profile speaking events confirmed Thursday that Bush is scheduled to speak March 17 at a luncheon in Calgary, Alberta.

The invitation says Bush will discuss “his eight momentous years in the Oval Office” and “the challenges facing the world in the 21st century.”

The event is Bush’s first confirmed speaking engagement. Booking agency partner Andy McCreath declined to discuss Bush’s speaking fee. A spokesman with the Office of George W. Bush in Dallas also declined comment.

McCreath says he expects about 1,500 people to attend the speech. Event sponsors include the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, an accounting firm, a law firm and an organization for financial analysts.

B.S. Report–Don’t get me wrong… “W” is infinitely better than the present occupant of the White House but “speechifying” ain’t exactly his strong suit.

Rrrrrr! U.S. Captures 2nd Batch of Somali Pirates

WASHINGTON – For the second day in a row, the U.S. Navy has captured suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden after a merchant ship sent a distress call.

The Navy says its guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf intercepted and caught nine suspected pirates Thursday after the crew of an Indian-flagged ship said it had been fired on and people were attempting to board their vessel.

In a similar incident Wednesday, the Navy seized seven suspected pirates. It’s taking them to Kenya under an agreement that the African nation will prosecute pirates from lawless Somalia.

The Pentagon says it is investigating to determine where the second batch of suspects should be taken.

Not These Guys:

THESE GUYS!

Thousands of our weapons now in Taliban hands…oops.

The outside of the Pentagon has been repaired since 9-11, but inside it's still a government-run outfit.

WASHINGTON – Thousands of US weapons, including assault rifles and grenade launchers, may be in Taliban or Al-Qaeda hands in Afghanistan because of lax controls, congressional auditors warned on Thursday.

The Pentagon has failed to track an estimated 87,000 weapons given to Afghan security forces, one-third of the 242,000 shipped by the US government between December 2004 and June 2008, the Government Accountability Office said.

A 46-page report by the GAO, the non-partisan investigative arm of Congress, said there had been no monitoring of a further 135,000 weapons donated by NATO allies to the poorly paid and corruption-rife Afghan army and police.

Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Pentagon had already taken action on the report’s recommendations for tracking of serial numbers and physical inventories of weapons given by both the United States and allies.

“We take our responsibility with regard to accountability of weapons seriously,” he told reporters. “I think the record will show that our performance on this has improved over time for any number of reasons.”

Under-staffed US military officials neglected to record serial numbers or conduct on-site inventories once the weapons were delivered, the report said.

“Given the unstable security conditions in Afghanistan, the risk of loss and theft of these weapons is significant,” said the evaluation, which was submitted to a House of Representatives hearing Thursday. (Read more.)

Freedom Quote Of The Day

Well, it’s getaway day as Congress adjourns–this time they leave far more than their usual wreckage in their wake.  Nonetheless, a closed Congress is always a day to celebrate as it leaves us somewhat more free than when they are in session.

… “the true theory of our Constitution is surely wisest and best (for) when all government…shall be drawn to Washington as the centre of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as…oppressive as the government from which we separated.”

–Thomas Jefferson

Big Business The Loser In Final “Stimulus” Draft–Tax Cuts Reduced From 42% to 35%…Blame Specter!

Marble-mouthed faux Replubican brokered deal.

The “gang of three” — liberal Republican Sens. Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins — who handed President Obama the stimulus bill he so desperately needed, apparently sacrificed billions in tax cuts during final negotiations over the measure in order to reduce its cost.

The compromise bill — which may be ready for President Obama’s signature as early as Monday — also stripped America’s ailing businesses of tax benefits and other incentives.

“From auto dealers to the home-building industry, big business appears to be the biggest loser in the final economic stimulus plan . . .” The Wall Street Journal online reported, noting that Democrats removed key tax cuts and benefits for business as political payback for Republicans who failed to support the plan.

Though Republicans who crossed party lines apparently got rewarded. The New York Times reported Thursday that Sen. Specter got $6.5 billion for medical research. The Senator is ailing from cancer.

The bill worked out in negotiations between the House and the Senate reduced the tax cuts from 42 percent of the cost of the $838 billion bill passed by the Senate, to just 35 percent of the $789.5 billion compromise bill.

Correspondingly, the spending portion of the bill rose from 58 percent in the original Senate measure to 65 percent.

Although the bill is still being tweaked, Congress is on the verge of sending it to President Obama for his approval. Despite the drop in total outlays, the legislation’s total cost is more than the entire cost of the Iraq war since U.S. troops invaded in 2003.

Democratic leaders conferenced repeatedly Tuesday evening and Wednesday with the three GOP senators, whose votes were critical to the bill’s passage. Other Republicans complained bitterly that they were shut out of negotiations.

Although Democrats continued to fine tune the details of the massive spending bill on Thursday, key provisions of the legislation now include: (Read more.)

Ultimate Betrayal! Our President and this Congress have betrayed the Framers of our Constitution...and they've betrayed us. If this was 1776 we'd have hanged them!

B.S. Report–This is really such a sad time in American history as we watch this shameless unconstitutional power grab by supposed “patriots” who are nothing of the sort.  Even our enemies on the battlefield couldn’t do this much to undermine the foundation of American society.

When Socialism finally does take hold here in America, where will the new “Last Best Hope For Mankind Be?”  I can’t think of a place.  Where will freedom-loving people go where they, and not government, can make the most important decisions of their life.

I know many of you think that I’m over-reacting and that things aren’t nearly as bad as I make them out to be.  Obviously, I hope I’m wrong, too.  But when government becomes this entrenched in our lives, it is nearly impossible to reverse course and undue the damage.  We are still dealing with much of the damage of the FDR years, like, for instance, the Social Security boondoggle.

When health care is “formally” nationalized, and some form of it certainly will be, government bureaucrats will be calling the shots on who lives and who dies, according to what treatments they allow and to whom.  And where will all the new drugs come from–70% of all new drugs are developed here, that will now not be the case.   These are disastrous developments not just for our health but for our freedom.

Our Founders formed a country where the people were in charge.  People dictated to the States, who in turn dictated to the Federal or “National” Government, as it was then called.  Now who’s calling the shots.  The Federal Government has become our “Politburo,” an all-powerful elite with President Obama acting as Czar.

Well, say what you will, but the President wasn’t lying–he vowed to “fundamentally” change the country and he will.  He ran on Hope and Change-only he’s going to leave those of us who cherish freedom with very little hope.  It’s heartbreaking to see our once great country, which was founded on rugged individualism and free enterprise, reduced to a nanny-state.

Dems: We promise to allow the American people 48 hours to see the text of the “stimulus” bill…NOT!

Dems Lie…Will Bring The Stimulus Bill To The Floor Today

In a press conference Thursday, the House Republican leadership spoke candidly about being kept out of the House-Senate conference on the Obama-Pelosi-Reid so-called “economic stimulus” bill.  They confirmed they had not yet seen the text of the bill as of 4 p.m.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he was unsure how many Democrats would vote with Republicans again on this bill but that he thought Republicans “may get a few” Democrats to side with them.  The fact that the Demos have now broken their promise to have the public able to see the bill for 48 hours may drive more Dems into the Republican camp.

“[I] don’t know, ‘cause they haven’t seen the bill either,” Boehner said.

In a press conference Thursday, the House Republican leadership spoke candidly about being kept out of the House-Senate conference on the Obama-Pelosi-Reid so-called “economic stimulus” bill.  They confirmed they had not yet seen the text of the bill as of 4 p.m.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he was unsure how many Democrats would vote with Republicans again on this bill but that he thought Republicans “may get a few” Democrats to side with them.  The fact that the Demos have now broken their promise to have the public able to see the bill for 48 hours may drive more Dems into the Republican camp.

“[I] don’t know, ‘cause they haven’t seen the bill either,” Boehner said. (Read more.)

Nancy Pelocchio

Africanized Killer Bees Found in Utah, The “Beehive” State

BEE  WARE!

SALT LAKE CITY – Africanized honey bees have been found for the first time in the Beehive State. The bees, long the subject of lore as “killer bees,” were recently discovered in Utah’s Washington and Kane counties, the state Department of Agriculture said Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that seven hives — three in the wild and four managed by private beekeepers — contained Africanized bees. The hives have since been destroyed.

The bees in Utah do not appear to be widespread and no injuries to people or animals have been reported.

State and local officials have been anticipating the bees’ arrival since they showed up in Mesquite, Nev., in 1999, just a few miles from the Utah line.

“We’ve been saying not if but when for a long time,” said Larry Lewis, a spokesman for the state agriculture department.

The bees are the result of interbreeding between European honey bees and bees from Africa. They were inadvertently released in Brazil in the 1950s. They were first spotted in Texas in 1990 and have since been found in several other states, including California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada.  (Read more.)

B.S. Report–I carry a can of “Raid” with me wherever I go now.

Yep, That Looks Like An 8-Pack To Me…

They Say Pregnant Women Have A Glow...She Must Be Fluorescent!

Here She Is…Starring in the new horror film: “OCTO-MOM!”

B.S. Report–Let me first apologize to any of you who were eating when you signed on to my site…sorry to ruin the meal.  “Octomom” is so delusional that she probably thinks this is just “baby weight” and she’ll lose it in a few months and be back on the fertility drugs before the year is out…after all, we’re the suckers who are helping to pay for her 14 kids!