Another Personal Update

I must apologize for being away for so long. And thank you for your patience and for the many kind messages that I've received.

After a drawn out and painful struggle, my father recently passed away. I'd been very distracted and sort-of dead to the world during much of his illness and was unable/unwilling to post. Now, I really just don't have the heart to wade back into the blogging world, nor do I currently have the patience required for the job. I'm also dreadfully behind in my writing projects, and need to focus much more time and effort there to be able to get myself back to form.

I don't think I'm calling it quits on this blog yet-- though I have considered it-- but I am going to wait for a time (a month or maybe a little longer [yes, I know I've said this before]) before I get back here. It is possible that some dramatic world or national event could compel me to come back sooner.

Recent land grabs by Chavez in Venezuela have grabbed my attention, but Tom Blumer at his BizzyBlog did a great job of covering the AP's (mis)handling of the story, so there's little point in me retreading it.

And a portion of me does want to write about the Occupy Salem movement-- a collection of twenty or so tents (there seriously may be more city provided port-a-potties than tents on the grounds) occupied by handful of people whose grievances seem mysterious at best-- but I can't muster up more than this passing mention right now.

Despite this, the odds are very good that I won't start posting here until December.

Again, thank you for your kind messages and words. And I hope to be posting back here again relatively soon.

Yukio Ngaby

Personal Update

I must apologize for not updating this blog for some time now.

I try not to get too personal on this blog, but my father was taken to the hospital early in June and was listed as being in grave condition. He was in ICU for over three weeks and not expected to live. Thankfully, he is improving although he is still in the hospital (no longer the ICU) and a full recovery is impossible. On the up side he is mentally fully there, and the permanent physical problems that he will face are both manageable and controllable-- if his health continues to improve.

During this time, I really just don't have the heart nor patience to write about politics. I probably will come back to this blog, but I can't really give a time. Maybe in another two or three weeks or so I'll be back. But I don't know...

On the bright side, I've been able to get a good deal of writing done on my newest novel. And it should be shopped around to the publishing houses in a few more months or so.

Anyway, thanks for still visiting. And I'll be posting again relatively soon.

Yukio Ngaby

Hezbollah Takes Control of Lebanese Government

From the AP article "'Terrorist' group takes over Lebanon's government" (yes, the word "terrorist" was in quotes in the headline) via CBS News.com:

"Hezbollah and its allies rose to a position of unprecedented dominance in Lebanon's government Monday, giving its patrons Syria and Iran greater sway in the Middle East.

"Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a new Cabinet dominated by the militant group and its allies after the country has operated for five months without a functioning government. The move caps Hezbollah's steady rise over decades from resistance group against Israel to Lebanon's most powerful military and political force.

"Opponents of Hezbollah - which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization - say having it in control of Lebanon's government could lead to international isolation. The group's most ardent supporters are Iran and Syria, which dominated Lebanon for 29 years.

"The new government opens the door for renewed Syrian influence in Lebanon at a time the Syrian leadership is struggling at home. It's a remarkable turnaround from 2005, when fallout from the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri led to massive anti-Syrian protests in Lebanon. The protests, dubbed the 'Cedar Revolution,' drove tens of thousands of Syrian troops out of Lebanon and ended decades of Syrian domination over its smaller neighbor.

"The ascendancy of Hezbollah is a setback for the United States, which has provided Lebanon with $720 million in military aid since 2006 and has tried in vain to move the country firmly into a Western sphere and end Iranian and Syrian influence. It also underscores Iran's growing influence in the region at a time when Washington's is falling.

"U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called for an immediate cutoff of U.S. funds to the new government 'as long as any violent extremist group designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations participates in it.'

"'For years, members of Congress warned that it was unwise to fund a Lebanese government in which Hezbollah participated. It was clear that Hezbollah's influence was growing, and that the executive branch had no long-term strategy to deal with that reality, and no contingency plan to stop U.S. aid from falling into the wrong hands,' the Florida Republican said in a statement."

But how much do you want to bet that the US doesn't cutoff foreign aid to Lebanon? After all, we wouldn't want to provoke Hezbollah to further violence in the Middle East-- having such a sterling record in the past and all...

"The Islamic militant group's power has been steadily growing over the years and its newfound clout could add volatility to a region already rocked by anti-government uprisings in a half-dozen countries.

"A Hezbollah-led government would obviously raise tensions with Israel, which fought a devastating 34-day war against the Shiite militants in 2006 that left 1,200 Lebanese and 160 Israelis dead. Lebanon, torn apart by decades of civil war and deep sectarian divides, has had several major military conflicts with neighboring Israel.

"Hezbollah forced the collapse of Lebanon's previous, pro-Western government in January over fears it would be indicted by a U.N.-backed tribunal investigating the killing of Hariri, a billionaire businessman and political leader who had been trying to limit Syria's domination of Lebanon in the months before his death.

"Syria denied any involvement in his killing and called the tribunal a conspiracy by the U.S. and Israel.

"Hariri's son, Saad, who was prime minister in January, refused to denounce the tribunal or cut off Lebanon's 49 percent share of the funding for it.

"Hezbollah and its allies then walked out of the government, forcing its collapse, and secured enough support in parliament to name Mikati as the new prime minister. But Mikati has struggled to form a Cabinet, insisting he won't do the bidding of any one side.

[...]

"The makeup of the new government is seen as almost entirely pro-Syrian. President Bashar Assad of Syria, facing a growing uprising against his rule at home, called twice to congratulate Lebanese leaders on the new government's formation.

"Lebanon's politics are always fractious, in part because of the sectarian makeup of the country's government. According to Lebanon's power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.

"Each faith makes up about a third of Lebanon's population of 4 million."

This is not a surprise at all. Frankly, I am surprised that Hezbollah's "remarkable" takeover took this long following Hezbollah's assassination of Rafik Hariri (he was the former Prime Minister killed by about 2000 lbs. of dynamite in February of 2005). Yet, the development is still troubling and will likely lead to another military action by Israel once Hezbollah starts instigating "border incidents" and lobbing more rockets into Israeli neighborhoods.

Oops: British Study Reveals Electric Cars Produce Higher Emissions Over their Lifetimes than Gas Equivalents

From the The Australian article (h/t Dave Powers at MichelleMalkin.com):

"Electric cars could produce higher emissions over their lifetimes than petrol equivalents because of the energy consumed in making their batteries, a study has found.

"An electric car owner would have to drive at least 129,000km before producing a net saving in CO2. Many electric cars will not travel that far in their lifetime because they typically have a range of less than 145km on a single charge and are unsuitable for long trips. Even those driven 160,000km would save only about a tonne of CO2 over their lifetimes.

"The British study, which is the first analysis of the full lifetime emissions of electric cars covering manufacturing, driving and disposal, undermines the case for tackling climate change by the rapid introduction of electric cars.

[...]

"The study was commissioned by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, which is jointly funded by the British government and the car industry. It found that a mid-size electric car would produce 23.1 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime, compared with 24 tonnes for a similar petrol car. Emissions from manufacturing electric cars are at least 50 per cent higher because batteries are made from materials such as lithium, copper and refined silicon, which require much energy to be processed.

"Many electric cars are expected to need a replacement battery after a few years. Once the emissions from producing the second battery are added in, the total CO2 from producing an electric car rises to 12.6 tonnes, compared with 5.6 tonnes for a petrol car. Disposal also produces double the emissions because of the energy consumed in recovering and recycling metals in the battery. The study also took into account carbon emitted to generate the grid electricity consumed."

Hmm. So let's see... electric cars are really expensive to produce-- even hybrids have a tough time turning profits-- have a really short range, and ultimately produce more CO2 than gas-powered cars. Ah, the short-sided need to do something. Perfect.

Speaking of battery disposal, what doesn't seem to be taken into account is the battery acid. Isn't battery acid like one of the most destructive things to put into the ground? But hey put hundreds of millions of car batteries out there. We'll just shoot the used up batteries into the sun or something.

Irish Government Plans to Raid Private Pensions for Govt. Spending

Not an uncommon tactic in South and Central America... And it's something to watch for here in the US.

From the Business Insider article by Joe Weisenthal and Gregory White:

"The Irish government plans to institute a tax on private pensions to drive jobs growth, according to its jobs program strategy, delivered today.

"Without the ability sell debt due to soaring interest rates, and with severe spending rules in place due to its EU-IMF bailout, Ireland has few ways of spending to stimulate the economy. Today's jobs program includes specific tax increases, including the tax on pensions, aimed at keeping government jobs spending from adding to the national debt.

"The tax on private pensions will be 0.6%, and last for four years, according to the report."

These temporary taxes have a way of not being so temporary as government spending increases-- which is what usually happens when money is raided-- er, taxed-- from private accounts.

"Ireland's ability to levy further taxes on other parts of the economy is restricted because its economic growth has been inhibited in the wake of a financial crisis that crippled its banking sector and decimated its public finances.

"Unwilling to budge on the country's low corporate tax rate, Enda Kenny's Irish government has chosen to target pensioners for funds to grow the economy. Whether it turns out to be an example to other countries seeking alternative ways to raise revenues with aging populations is yet unknown."

Ah, the wonders of overspending government...

Still Kicking and Still Writing

Just dropping in to say that I'm still alive and still writing. The book is going slower than I expected for a variety of reasons, but I'm still plugging away at it.

I'll try to post more in May than I did in April, but life is being a little frantic and disorienting for me right now, so it may not happen. Anyway, I'll be back posting regularly eventually (maybe June). And of course, check out the blogs on the Blog List.

Thanks,
Yukio Ngaby

Obama's Toxic Speech

Obama's speech was a farce of course. In the true manner of a "community organizer," Obama rallied a disbelieving America toward class warfare. None of this should be a surprise coming from a man who was a good friend to Bill Ayers, attended Reverend Wright's church for so many years, and is credited with writing the book Dreams of my Father. When the going gets tough, the community organizers point the fingers and lay out the blame.

Does anybody even remember the "Great Uniter" rhetoric, the "light-bringer" promises?

From The Wall Street Journal:

"The immediate political goal was to inoculate the White House from criticism that it is not serious about the fiscal crisis, after ignoring its own deficit commission last year and tossing off a $3.73 trillion budget in February that increased spending amid a record deficit of $1.65 trillion. Mr. Obama was chased to George Washington University yesterday because Mr. Ryan and the Republicans outflanked him on fiscal discipline and are now setting the national political agenda.

"Mr. Obama did not deign to propose an alternative to rival Mr. Ryan's plan, even as he categorically rejected all its reform ideas, repeatedly vilifying them as essentially un-American. 'Their vision is less about reducing the deficit than it is about changing the basic social compact in America,' he said, supposedly pitting 'children with autism or Down's syndrome' against 'every millionaire and billionaire in our society.' The President was not attempting to join the debate Mr. Ryan has started, but to close it off just as it begins and banish House GOP ideas to political Siberia.

"Mr. Obama then packaged his poison in the rhetoric of bipartisanship—which 'starts,' he said, 'by being honest about what's causing our deficit.' The speech he chose to deliver was dishonest even by modern political standards."

Yup. When the chips are down for a Leftist, then it's time to try to play class against class, driving people apart for political gain. Classic. Absolutely classic.

Jacobson at Legal Insurrection had this to say:

"Barack Obama promised us hand-to-hand combat, and his speech yesterday was the start.

"The nation is facing a debt crisis of historic proportions, but nothing will be done because Obama already has launched his presidential campaign. A compromise must included serious changes to unsustainable entitlements which are swamping the Treasury. Yet Obama took any significant changes off the table yesterday, by channeling Alan Grayson's charge that Republicans want people to die quickly.

[...]

"The truth is that Obama doesn't care about the deficit. Obama proposed a budget not long ago which would have increased spending and the deficit. It was only after the recent showdown over last year's budget that Obama decided that politically he needed to appear to be attentive.

"Yesterday's speech was a calculated move by someone who doesn't care about the deficit to pretend to care so that he could use the issue in political hand-to-hand combat.

"If you don't think 2012 is the make-or-break political year for this country, then you haven't been paying attention."

Indeed. Can we imagine the results of four more years of this kind of divisiveness?

I think that Pat Austin at And So it Goes in Shreveport had the best summation of Obama's speech:

"The bottom line of Obama's plan is that we're going to forge ahead with green energy even though it doesn't exist. We're going to buy oil from foreign sources even though we have plenty of resources here and gas is climbing to $5 a gallon. We're going to cut defense while we're engaged in three wars, raise taxes on those who provide jobs and growth, and implement a health care albatross that will saddle the country with inferior care, raise the deficit and expand entitlements, further deepening our economic woes."

It seems that Obama is absolutely determined to impose upon us a centrally controlled economic system. Is this a surprise to anyone based on Obama's background, his rhetoric and speeches, his past associates, his books?

And of course this centralized system that has never worked-- no matter how draconian the implementation. Centralizing a large economy has always resulted in massive inefficiencies, terrible shortages of goods and services, an expansion of poverty, an increased gap between rich and poor, and massive corruption. How many times do these systems have to fail before people stop trying?

From Paul Ryan's response as published in The Washington Post:

"Two months ago, President Obama submitted a budget for fiscal 2012 that did not deal with the major sources of government spending while calling for much higher taxes on American businesses and families. This budget was widely panned as lacking seriousness.

"Now comes a deficit speech that doesn’t even rise to the level of a plan. Missing was a credible way to curb out-of-control spending. Instead, the president called for greater reliance on government price controls, which would strictly limit the health-care options of current seniors while failing to control costs. The president would couple this approach with $1 trillion in tax increases, which would destroy jobs and hurt the economy.

"We cannot accept an approach that starts from the premise that ever-higher levels of spending and taxes represent America’s new normal. We have an obligation to fulfill the mission of health and retirement security for current retirees and future generations. We have a historic commitment to limited government and free enterprise. And we have a duty to leave the next generation with a more prosperous nation than the one we inherited.

"The House Republican budget keeps America’s promises to seniors and those near retirement by making no changes to their current arrangements. It keeps America’s promises of health and retirement security for future generations by saving and strengthening our most important programs. And it keeps a promise that is implicit in our form of government: that a government instituted to secure our rights must be a limited government.

[...]

"The president’s proposals are aimed more at empowering government than strengthening the free market. He continues to prove he’s not up to the challenging work of reforming government to meet 21st-century needs. If he gets his way, the nation will endure huge tax hikes, seniors’ access to health care will be reduced — and we will experience an epic collapse of our health and retirement programs that would devastate our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

"House Republicans are fighting to prevent this. Our budget offers a compassionate and optimistic contrast to a future of health-care rationing and unbearably high taxes. We lift the crushing burden of debt, repair the safety net, make America’s tax system fair and competitive, and ensure that our health and retirement programs have a strong and lasting future. These issues are too important to leave to the politics of the past. If President Obama won’t lead, we will."

The stakes are very high now. Fiscal sanity must be implemented. Failure to do so will be disastrous.

CNN Considering Hiring Chris Rock

As CNN continues to circle the drain, it's come to this. From The N.Y. Post:

"CNN brass are scrambling to find a new host for their troubled 7 p.m. timeslot, and trying to win back the African-American and Hispanic viewers sources say they've lost since the 2008 presidential campaign.

"Hoping to accomplish both things at once, insiders said the network is interested in wooing African-American entertainers for the slot, currently held by 'John King USA,' and has mentioned comedian Chris Rock and former 'Talk Soup' host Aisha Tyler as possibilities."

Well that D.L. Hughley show worked out so well for CNN...

Pelosi: "To My Republican Friends: Take Back Your Party. So That it Doesn’t Matter So Much Who Wins the Election"

Ah yes, if only we all thought the way Nancy Pelosi and the Left does, then there would be no problems in our world. I suppose those pesky other points of view and beliefs just get in the way of running our ungovernable country.

From Mediaite is this little but of the former Speaker's wisdom (video at the link):

"Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi gave a speech at Tufts University in Massachusetts where she shared some 'friendly' advice with the opposing side in Washington. Clearly frustrated with the lengthy and acrimonious budget fight, Pelosi said 'elections shouldn’t matter as much as they do' and warned that it would be problematic for the country if both parties do not have shared values.

"Pelosi challenged Republicans:

"'To my Republican friends: take back your party. So that it doesn’t matter so much who wins the election, because we have shared values about the education of our children, the growth of our economy, how we defend our country, our security and civil liberties, how we respect our seniors.'

"Might the old saying 'elections have consequences' be replaced by Pelosi’s new version of 'it doesn’t matter so much who wins the election?'"

She then goes on to say that "Elections shouldn’t matter as much as they do." Does anyone have a problem with that last line? Anyone?

Of course this is coming from a prominent member of the same political party that declared the Democrats had been given a mandate from the people following the '08 elections. And this is coming from the same party whose presidential candidate declared that his own election marked the moment when healing would start and the ocean levels would begin to recede. Hmm.

I am also curious as to what exactly were the the shared values that caused Pelosi to push ObamaCare through with a parliamentary trick past massive protests. Some mysterious value not shared by the majority of the American people it would seem. It's little wonder that Pelosi should believe that elections shouldn't matter so much in America.

Bahrain's Shiite Leader Demands Withdrawl of Saudi Forces

From the AP article:

"Bahrain's Shiite Muslim opposition on Wednesday demanded that the Saudi-led military force helping to put down protests leave the country immediately.

"The demand underscored the sectarian element of the anti-government movement in the tiny, strategic island kingdom, where majority Shiites are demonstrating for more rights and freedom against a Sunni dynasty that has ruled Bahrain for two centuries.

"About 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Sunni-led Gulf states entered Bahrain two weeks ago at the invitation of Bahrain's monarch. The king also declared emergency rule and cracked down on protesters, killing at least 20.

"A senior Shiite opposition leader, Ali Salman, said the foreign troops must leave because the opposition rejects 'any military intervening for any party' in Bahrain. Salman also said Iran shouldn't interfere.

"'We don't want Bahrain to turn into a conflict zone between Saudi Arabia and Iran,' which has condemned the deployment, Salman said at a news conference in the capital, Manama. 'That's why we object to the Saudi intervention. We call for immediate withdrawal of the troops, and we reject Iranian interference.'

"The Gulf Cooperation Council force entered Bahrain earlier this month over the causeway that connects it to Saudi Arabia, with the stated mission of helping keep order.

"Shiites around the Middle East protested GCC intervention. Iranian authorities charged the troops were in Bahrain to enforce Sunni monarchy's oppression of Bahrain's Shiite majority."

Hmm. I wouldn't count on a withdrawal from the GCC anytime soon.

Sen. Schumer Rehearses the Blame the Extreme Tea Party Rhetoric

From the The Washington Examiner article by Susan Ferrechio (via Drudge):

"Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a member of the Democratic Senate leadership, got on a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning without realizing the reporters were already listening in. Schumer thought he was on a private line with four Democratic senators who were to talk with reporters about the current budget stalemate.

"Schumer instructed the group, made up of Sens. Barbara Boxer of California, Tom Carper of Delaware, Ben Cardin of Maryland and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, to tell reporters that the GOP is refusing to negotiate.

"He told the group to make sure they label the GOP spending cuts as 'extreme.'
"'I always use extreme,' Schumer said. 'That is what the caucus instructed me to use.'

"Someone must have finally told Schumer that the media were listening and he stopped talking midsentence.

"Here's a bit more of what he said about House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, according to my notes.

"'The main thrust is basically that we want to negotiate and we want to come up with a compromise but the Tea Party is pulling Boehner too far over to the right and so far over that there is no more fruitful negotiations,' Schumer said on the call. 'The only way we can avoid a shutdown is for Boehner to come up with a reasonable compromise and not just listen to what the Tea Party wants.'"

"Schumer described Boehner as 'in a box,' over the budget negotiations.

"The four senators came on the call after Schumer abruptly went silent and followed Schumer's script closely."

The Democrats have pretty much become the party of identity politics and the party of smearing the opposition. How proud they must be...

Bahrain's King Declares "External Plot" has been Ended

From Reuters:

"Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said a foreign plot against his kingdom had been foiled and thanked troops brought in from neighbouring countries to help end increasing unrest after weeks of protests.

"'An external plot has been fomented for 20 to 30 years until the ground was ripe for subversive designs ...I here announce the failure of the fomented plot,' the state news agency BNA quoted him overnight as telling troops.

"King Hamad told the forces that such if such a plot succeeded in one Gulf Arab country, it could spill into neighbouring states, BNA said.

"The ferocity of a crackdown last week by Bahrain forces, aided by the entrance of troops from Sunni-ruled Gulf countries, stunned Bahrain's majority Shi'ites, the main force of the protests, and angered the region's non-Arab Shi'ite power Iran.

"Iran, which supports Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Lebanon, has complained to the United Nations and asked neighbours to join it in urging Saudi Arabia to withdraw forces from Bahrain.

[...]

"Bahrain has also said previously that it arrested opposition leaders for dealing with foreign countries."

It's pretty hard to say exactly how foreign influenced the Bahraini protests actually were. Certainly there was support from Iran as well as from other Shi'ite dominated countries and organizations. The actual extent of that support is difficult to ascertain.

Brazillian Protesters Attack US Consulate with Firebomb

Obviously a Brazilian man who hates George W. Bush

Huh. But I thought that merely electing Obama was going to improve America's image around the world-- as well as lower the sea levels.

From the AFP (via Gateway Pundit):

"Police fired rubber bullets and used tear gas to break up a demonstration outside the US consulate in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, as US President Barack Obama prepares to visit the country, AFP reports.

Some 300 people had gathered at the site when Brazilian Military Police showed up and tried to break up the demonstration.

"Police cracked down on the crowd after protesters hurled a molotov cocktail at the consulate door, the O Globo newspaper reported on its website. [emphasis mine]

"'I was in the center of the protest when people began to run and I heard shots,' said AFP photographer Vanderlei Almeida. 'I had to get out of there because it was hard to breathe.'

"Almeida was struck by two rubber bullets -- one hit him in the leg, and the other in his stomach.

"Several protesters were detained, Almeida said.

"Obama arrives in Brazil on an official Saturday and will meet President Dilma Rousseff in the capital Brasilia.

"On Sunday, he is scheduled to deliver a speech in Rio's Municipal Theater after cancelling a public speech in the city's town square.

"Brazilian authorities have laid out a heavy security presence for Obama's two-day visit to South America's largest nation, and police in Rio had closed numerous streets from midnight Thursday in preparation."

It's Bush's fault... or something.

Threats Against Wisconsin Republicans Continue-- 20 Days and Counting

More civility. The New Tone, I suppose.

John Nolte at BigGovernment.com is keeping track of the threats and vandalism that continues in Wisconsin. Still no word from DC Dems calling for restraint, civility, or anything like that. I guess Obama can't figure a way to turn it into a pep rally yet.

From Nolte:

"Below, you’ll find a compilation of 20 days worth of the death threats, vandalism, and intimidation practiced by pro-union thugs opposed to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill. Wisconsin is my home state. I lived there until I was 27 years-old in 1993 and most of my family, including my parents still live there. For that reason and because the issue of education and teachers unions has been a passion of mine for going on two decades, I’ve been following this story very, very closely. My original intent was to compile all of this earlier in the week, but after reading Lee Stranahan’s superb editorial I decided to wait and see if that might have some effect on the national and local Wisconsin media in moving them towards giving the ongoing violence, intimidation, vandalism, and overall thuggery occurring at the hands of union activists and their supporters, the coverage it needs and deserves.

"Not only should the local and national media be amplifying their coverage of this ongoing scandal because of the bar they themselves set with the Tea Party for what rises to the level of of racism, “predominantly white” protesters and troubling behavior — but in the wake of the tragic shootings in Tuscon you would think direct threats on elected officials would rate a little outrage. Well, obviously not when those threats come from the Left.

"Politics aside, what’s happening in Wisconsin is downright frightening because, as you’ll see below, these incidents are growing in number and intensity. Furthermore, other than the Right, no one is calling for calm or civility. The local media is, at best, wrist-flicking these incidents, Democratic legislators have not called for calm, President Obama is AWOL, and worst of all, Public Union employees not involved in the thuggish behavior taking place in their name, have been complicit with their silence.

"This is more than a disgrace, it’s dangerous. Conservative radio talk show hosts and Governor Walker can talk all they want, but I fear that until the media starts a campaign of shame by focusing on these incidents, and responsible pro-union types begin to police their own side, someone is eventually going to get hurt.

"What you’re going to read below is a startling compilation of what can only be described as thuggery. These examples are occurrences that have taken place only since the beginning of the month and do not include the equally disturbing incidents we’re hearing about outside of Wisconsin. Keep in mind, it’s more likely than not that I missed a few things."

Read the rest. It's tough to take, but it's important.

Bahrain Arrests Opposition Leaders

From Reuters:

"The Gulf Arab state of Bahrain has arrested opposition figures for communicating with foreign countries and inciting murder and destruction of property, state television said on Thursday.

"A statement said the unnamed men were 'leaders of the civil strife' who had 'communicated with foreign countries, and they incited killing of citizens and destruction of public and private property'. It did not say how many had been arrested.

"Members of the opposition bloc Wefaq said earlier that six opposition leaders had been arrested on Thursday morning."

Not a surprising turn of events.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's hoping everyone has a great St. Patrick's Day.

Japanese Earthquake News Links

For those interested in news about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, below are some links to some major online Japanese newspapers published in English:

The Japan Times

Japan Today

Kyodo News

The Asahi Shimbun

The Daily Yomiuri Online

Local police are saying that the death toll will likely exceed 10,000.

Gas Prices have Risen 67% Under Obama

Well, I know I've been more than a little annoyed at the gasoline prices at the pump since Obama took over. Heck I remember when I was annoyed that gas was consistently at $2.00 a gallon.

Since Obama's been president gasoline prices are 67%. Under Bush (the friend to big oil according to the Left) they rose 7% in the same time frame.

From The Weekly Standard article by Mark Hemingway:

"Ah, January of 2009. Hope was in the air, but more importantly, gas was under two dollars a gallon. Since then gas prices, have gone up 67 percent and it's an ominously upward trend. Interestingly enough, the Heritage Foundation also took a look at the first 26 months of Bush's presidency -- gas only rose 7 percent during that time frame.

"Now obviously turmoil in the Middle East has something to do with our current astronomical gas prices, but keep in mind that by this point in the Bush presidency 9/11 had happened and we were on the verge of invading Iraq. So while the president can't be entirely responsible for global commodity prices, it's still worth asking what Obama's doing to make things worse.

"After all, this is the President who told us 'We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.'

"This is the President that appointed a Secretary of the Interior that famously said he didn't mind if gas hit $10 a gallon.

"This is the President whose administration secretly urged him to bypass needed Congressional approval to create as many at 17 national monuments throughout the west, effectively closing off all that land to energy exploration forever.

"This is the President who has illegally tried to illegally enforce an offshore drilling ban.

"How much higher is gas going to go before the Administration takes a long hard look at what its doing to send gas prices through the roof?"

I think the Obama Administration has very little about low gas prices. I mean most of it's used by bigoted, gun-clinging, religious zealots anyway... Obama's contempt is pretty clear.

Bahrain Protests Continue; Protesters Encircle Capitol

From the AP:

"Thousands of Shiite protesters in Bahrain have formed a huge human chain around the capital, Manama, as their campaign to loosen the Sunni monarchy's grip on power in the strategic Gulf nation enters its third week.

"No police were in sight Saturday as protesters — men and women — held hands to encircle Manama, where Bahrain's Shiite majority has been leading daily demonstrations to end what they say are discriminatory policies and political persecution.

"Tensions have been high in the Gulf kingdom, the host of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, since a street battle between Sunnis and Shiites on Thursday left at least a dozen people injured."

Announcement: Break from Blogging

I've started the first draft of a book recently, so I'll probably be out of it for 3 months or so-- maybe longer. When I write first drafts, I tend to get caught up in the process and pretty much dead to the world around me.

I'm still going to try to post 10 to 15 posts per month while I'm writing, but that's likely wishful thinking and I'll probably post less. It's sort of an inopportune time right now with the budget battles, fleeing Democrats, Middle Eastern revolutions etc. going on right now, but I can't just wait for things to slow down.

Anyway, check out the blogs on my Blog List. And I will continue to be post here, just more infrequently for a while.

Thanks,
Yukio Ngaby