Texas aglow with effort to save the incandescent bulb

Irritated with federal regulation, Republicans hope a state law will get around a national mandate to replace old-fashioned bulbs with more efficient lamps.

By Richard Simon, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Washington— It doesn't have the ring of "Remember the Alamo," but a new battle cry has gone up in Texas: "Remember the incandescent bulb."

Texas has become the first state seeking to skirt a federal law that phases out old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs in favor of more efficient lamps — a move that has emerged as a shining example of Republicans' resolve to strike down what many view as excessive federal regulation.

Texas hopes to get around the law with a measure recently signed by Republican Gov. Rick Perry declaring that incandescent bulbs — if made and sold only in Texas — do not involve interstate commerce and therefore are not subject to federal regulation.

"I think that Texans as a whole are tired of the federal government trying to micromanage our lives," said George Lavender, a Republican state representative who sponsored the legislation.

Critics of the federal mandate hope the Texas action will spur Congress to repeal the light bulb rules or prompt other states to adopt similar laws. The Republican-controlled U.S. House on Monday is expected to take up a repeal measure sponsored by a Texas congressman. Efforts also are underway in Pennsylvania and South Carolina to follow Texas' lead.

The 2007 federal energy legislation phases out the old-style incandescent bulbs over three years, starting with 100-watt bulbs next Jan. 1. Supporters said that consumers will be able to buy a new kind of incandescent bulb that is more efficient and cost about $1 more. The latest model — shown off to lawmakers recently — surrounds the filament with a halogen capsule that uses fewer watts.

(More...)

It Breaks My Heart

The above dirtbag is crying because he didn't get a chance to speak to his Mexican diplomatic counsel after he raped and murdered 16-year-old Adra Sauceda in San Antonio, Texas on May 21, 1994. He is scheduled for execution this week. It's a real shame that Ms. Suaceda never got a chance to speak to her parents before he murdered her but that's life.

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government has called on Texas to delay the execution this week of a Mexican national because he was not told at the appropriate time of his rights to diplomatic counsel, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the federal government had filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on July 1 supporting Humberto Leal Garcia's bid for a stay of execution until the end of this year.

Right now there are fifty other Mexican nationals sitting on Death Row in prisons throughout the US. Tick tock tick tock...

It's All About Liberty

As I write these few lines I am struck by the thought that there is no one telling me that I can't say what I want to say. There is no fear of uniformed men breaking down my door because I happen to disagree with my government. Yet.

Christ died on the cross in order that we can be free from the penalties of our sin. Patriots died at Lexington and Concord and Valley Forge so that we can be free from the ravages of capricious government. No, I am not equating the actions of our Revolutionary heroes with those of our Lord though the enabling concept is the same. We believe in Christ for our soul liberty and in the Constitution for all others. The latter exists only because of our position in the former.

So let us enjoy all our freedoms, they are ever so precious and bought at such great sacrifice.

Curbing Unions Grows Services

When the Governor of Wisconsin signed legislation that eliminated collective bargaining for certain classes of public employees, you'd think that the State had just ground their children into hamburger and consigned the rest of them to concentration camps. Now, there is a different story finally coming to light.
From the Wisconsin Examiner:

The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of $400,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. And it's all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.

In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they'll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated $1.2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.

There are also other benefits to this action...

Then there are work rules. "In the collective bargaining agreement, high school teachers only had to teach five periods a day, out of seven," says Arnoldussen. "Now, they're going to teach six." In addition, the collective bargaining agreement specified that teachers had to be in the school 37 1/2 hours a week. Now, it will be 40 hours.

The changes mean Kaukauna can reduce the size of its classes -- from 31 students to 26 students in high school and from 26 students to 23 students in elementary school. In addition, there will be more teacher time for one-on-one sessions with troubled students. Those changes would not have been possible without the much-maligned changes in collective bargaining.

Teachers' salaries will stay "relatively the same," Arnoldussen says, except for higher pension and health care payments. (The top salary is around $80,000 per year, with about $35,000 in additional benefits, for 184 days of work per year -- summers off.) Finally, the money saved will be used to hire a few more teachers and institute merit pay.

John Lennon: I'll Take The Money

x
Some new revelations are coming out about John Lennon's personal views on life. They are not what we would expect. From BigHollywood:

When it was pointed out that a Beatles reunion could possibly raise $200 million for a poverty-stricken country in South America, Lennon had no time for it. “You know, America has poured billions into places like that. It doesn’t mean a damn thing. After they’ve eaten that meal, then what? It lasts for only a day. After the $200,000,000 is gone, then what? It goes round and round in circles.”

[..]“You can pour money in forever. After Peru, then Harlem, then Britain. There is no one concert. We would have to dedicate the rest of our lives to one world concert tour, and I’m not ready for it.”

Even back in the sixties Lennon knew about Black Holes, at least the economic kind. But what is really telling were his views on wealth shortly before his death. He sounds more like Trump than Gandhi.

I worked for money and I wanted to be rich. So what the hell—if that’s a paradox, then I’m a socialist. But I am not anything. What I used to be is guilty about money. … Because I thought money was equated with sin. I don’t know. I think I got over it, because I either have to put up or shut up, you know. If I’m going to be a monk with nothing, do it. Otherwise, if I am going to try and make money, make it.

Money itself isn’t the root of all evil.

Look for millions of aging hippies to be standing in lines outside the door to their shrinks offices with their heads exploding.

Imagine no possessions? mheh

A Double-Ought Blizzard

I can't wait for this to show up in the hands of narco-terrorists.
If you think AK-47's are bad, watch.



Camp town ladies sing this song
Deer Slug, Deer Slug...


h/t to Charlie

A Little Graduation Present

Jessica's parents told her that her USMC brother would not return from Afghanistan in time to make it to her graduation at Cal Poly.

They lied.
Better have a hanky ready.



H/T IOTW

Polly Want A Liver Transplant?

Socialized medicine is inferior to what we enjoy in the US, but where it has been imposed (usually against the will of the people) it does occasionally come in handy for getting rid of ... socialists.

Hugo Chávez extended stay in a Cuban hospital is because he is in critical condition, according to a report in El Nuevo Herald.

The Venezuelan president, who was last seen in public June 9 and last heard from on June 12, on a phone call with Venezuelan state television, was said to have been treated for a pelvic abscess in Cuba.

During the call Chávez said that medical tests showed no sign of any "malignant" illness. But according to the report in El Nuevo Herald, Chávez finds himself in "critical condition, not grave, but critical, in a complicated situation."

The Miami newspaper cited U.S. intelligence officials who wished to remain anonymous.

For Cuban healthcare translate "complicated situation" as "incompetent medical staff and facilities."

Good for you Hugo, livin' the dream and livin' it large.

Peter Falk - RIP

I basically never watch regular TV anymore. But way back before cable Mr. Falk was one of my favorite actors and Colombo was one of my all time favorite TV programs. He was such a talented man and he starred in one of the funniest movies around, "The In Laws" with Alan Arkin. He was an interesting man in his own right and unfortunately the last years of his life were not pleasant. He developed Alzheimers and died two days ago on 23 JUN 11. I truly miss his style of acting.

Here's a short bio section from his own website:

Peter Michael Falk was born in New York City on September 16, 1927 and raised in Ossining, New York. When he was twelve years old he made his first stage appearance in a production of The Pirates of Penzance at Camp High Point in upstate New York.

After graduating from Ossining High School, where he was a star athlete and president of his class, Falk served as a cook in the Merchant Marine, then studied at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he completed his work for a B.A. degree in political science at the New School for Social Research in 1951. He earned a Masters degree in public administration at Syracuse University in 1953.

After applying unsuccessfully for a job with the Central Intelligence Agency, he became a management analyst with the Connecticut State Budget Bureau, in Hartford. In his spare time he acted with the Mark Twain Maskers in Hartford and studied at the White Barn Theatre in Westport, and for the first time began to consider the possibility of becoming a professional actor. In 1956 at the age of 29 he left his job with the Budget Bureau, moved to Greenwich Village in New York, and declared himself an actor.

This is a classic:



I pray indeed, that you rest in peace, Peter.

What Can 18,000 GI's Do?

They can stand at attention in the Statute of Liberty Formation.

This photo was taken at Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa in 1918.

Base to Shoulder: 150 feet
Right Arm: 340 feet
Widest part of arm
holding torch: 12 1/2 feet
Right thumb: 35 feet
Thickest part of body:
29 feet
Left hand length: 30 feet
Face: 60 feet
Nose: 21 feet
Longest spike of head piece: 70 feet
Torch and flame combined: 980 feet
Number of men in flame of torch: 12,000
Number of men in torch: 2,800
Number of men in right arm: 1,200
Number of men in body, head and balance of figure only: 2,000
Total men: 18,000

Just think of the calculations needed to figure out how many men to use to keep the figure in proper perspective at such a distance/angle. There are 12,000 men in the flame and only 2,000 in the base, body and head. The arm holding the torch is 340 feet long while the torch and flame is nearly 1,000 feet.

H/t to Charlie

Glen Campbell Diagnosis: Alzheimers

The 1968 hit, "Wichita Lineman," has been one of my favorite songs for decades. Glen campbell has had his ups and downs over the years and now unfortunately he won't be singing this much longer. From USA Today:

The country singer/actor, 75, and his wife, Kim, tell People magazine that Campbell has Alzheimer's disease.

They have decided to go public with Campbell's health news diagnosis because he's hoping to say farewell with a final slate of live performances this fall – and they want his fans to be aware of the musician's condition, reports People.


"Glen is still an awesome guitar player and singer," says Kim. "But if he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage, I wouldn't want people to think, 'What's the matter with him? Is he drunk?' "

No matter what you think of him, this is a terrible thing to happen to anyone. I will always remember the plantive song of the lineman.

Better Than War Tubas

Can You Hear Me Now?

Oh, the joys of socialized medicine! From the Daily Mail:

Hospital gives elderly patients a TAMBOURINE to call nurses

Elderly hospital patients who were terrified that they could not summon help from nurses hoped that an electronic alarm would be installed in their day room. Instead they were given a tambourine to shake.

And in case that broke, a pair of maracas was also supplied as back-up.
One man visiting his mother put the system to the test by rattling the tambourine for 16 minutes – but failed to attract the staff's attention.

Yesterday the hospital was forced to apologise after an NHS watchdog described the policy as ‘unacceptable’ and criticised it for failing to install a proper alarm system.

The farcical arrangement was put in place at Cardiff Royal Infirmary after more than 30 elderly patients in the west wing complained that they were ‘too scared’ to use the day room in case staff did not hear their calls for help.

The room is almost 40 yards from the nurses’ base at the Victorian hospital, which is notorious for its long corridors and has even been used to film episodes of Doctor Who. One relative said: ‘It is ridiculous. These people are pensioners – not members of the Monkees or Mick Jagger.

Osama Ben Ladin Is Still Dead

And I'm fine with that. Thank you, thank you Seal Team 6.

No hangman like Saddam, but a bullet works fine too.
Sort of Utahish, doncha think?

Scapegoat Planned For Brian Terry's Death

Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry

From the NY Post:

There's a war along the Mexican border all right, but it's not necessarily the one you're thinking of. In fact, this one has spread all the way to the halls of Congress.

This week, the Obama administration is expected to fire Kenneth Melson, the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- tossing him under the bus as a symbolic gesture to a congressional committee headed by Rep. Daryl Issa (R-Calif.).

Issa's Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating an insane ATF operation -- a supposed sting that involved the deliberate funneling of thousands of weapons to ultra-violent Mexican drug cartels in 2009-10.

This is the fubar operation that supplied the weapons to Mexican narcotics traffickers who killed Agent Brian Terry. You may be getting sick of hearing about this, but the idiots that ran this fool headed operation need to be singled out and fired or prosecuted... preferably both.

Of course that will never happen under this administration, but keep this in mind. The lying bastards in the government that are screaming about American gun dealers selling guns to Mexican narco-terrorists are the ones who where some of the biggest perpetrators!

Can you imagine ginning up a massive media campaign showing how the Evil Guns of America are responsible for the unbelievable violence across the border and then selling them the weapons to make sure that the violence continues??

The op's name, "Fast and Furious," came from the series of movies about an undercover drag racer working for the FBI -- which gives you some idea of the lack of seriousness behind this cockamamie scam.

The Justice Department, which oversees the ATF, says the idea was to allow the sale of handguns, AK-47s and .50 caliber rifles to so-called "straw purchasers," who'd then pass them along to the cartels. In theory, ATF agents would then trace the extent of the smuggling networks in an effort to stop the illegal cross-border gun trade.

Oops No 1: The agency had no real way to trace the guns once they left the country -- and no real power to operate in Mexico.

Oops No. 2: The gangs used the weapons for what you'd expect. At least two American agents have been killed with Fast and Furious guns. God knows how many Mexicans have died; since 2006, more than 40,000 have died in the drug wars.

The cold-blooded hypocrisy takes my breath away. This is right from the Pit O'Hell: make a case to disarm the American public by making sure that enough guns reach murderous Mexican maniacs who then slaughter thousands - then blame it on those evil guns and America's psychotic fascination with them. The only thing missing is another Krystal Nacht from Holder and his Justice Department Brownshirts.

Every genocide of the twentieth century was initiated by confiscating the firearms fo the general public. Russia, Germany, China and Cambodia - almost a hundred million dead.

The operation was vehemently opposed within the Phoenix Field Division of the ATF, where the scheme originated. Agent Pete Forcelli testified: "What we have here is a colossal failure of leadership. We weren't giving guns to people for killing bear, we were giving guns to people to kill other humans."

Issa and his Senate counterpart, Charles Grassley, accuse Melson of being intimately involved in the details of the operation, and claim Attorney General Eric Holder is stonewalling their investigation. "Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, DOJ continues to deny that Operation Fast and Furious was ill-conceived and had deadly consequences," they wrote in their June 14 report. Holder says he never knew about Fast and Furious.

Even if Melson winds up the only scapegoat, it's clear the operation fit with the thinking of this administration. With the Mexican president standing beside him in 2009, President Obama claimed that "more than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that line our shared border."

The claim nicely makes the porous border a two-way issue -- drugs coming here, guns going there. Mexico's been pushing the complaint for years, and gun-hating American liberals eat it up.

Problem is, there's no evidence. As the independent FactCheck.org noted, Obama's assertion isn't supported by government statistics: "The figure represents only the percentage of crime guns that have been submitted by Mexican officials and traced by US officials." That is, most of the guns the Mexicans asked us to ID were American.

Happy Father's Day!

To all you Dads out there, have a great day in your honor and enjoy your families.

I sit in my comfy chair this morning and tap away on my laptop thinking how blessed I am to be a father. I have four daughters - a great gift from God. I don't really need a special day to remind me of this. But it's nice to get a card and a little something from the kids anyway. After church we'll go to my oldest girl's house for dinner and mess with the grandkids. My two grandsons were both born in June so we're also celebrating their birthdays. My youngest grandson - he's having his very first birthday party today.

For the past twenty years Father's Day has always been a bittersweet memory for me. My Dad passed away on Father's Day, 1990. Tell your Dad you love him.

To those of you who have suffered the loss of one of your children, my heart goes out to you. One of my daughters is attached to a MI unit in Afghanistan and is preparing to cycle home next month. God has kept His hedge about her and she is safe. She sent me steaks (filet mignon) for Father's Day. It is a good day.

All my best,
Sig

PS - She loves Ma Duece