Are you ready for that inventory?

The Green Inquisition

Nancy Pelosi, speaking to the ChiComs, who are already sold on totalitarianism, said that "Every aspect of our lives must be subject to inventory" to fight global warming. Every aspect? Inventory? Ed Morrissey notes on the Hot Air Blog:

Make no mistake about it. The climate-change activists want state control of energy production and use, which will allow the government control over every aspect of our lives. It’s the lifelong dream of utopian elitists.

Ed also has a video to help answer your questions about just who might conduct such an inventory.
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As ptg says, "Why don't they just pass a Regulation of Everyday Life Bill and be done with it?"

Peteneras

Pastora Pavon

A-List blogger Fausta takes a break from her serious coverage of all things political once in a while to post a good Tango video. A recent post recalled in video the 100th birthday of "the most wonderful tanguera", the late Carmencita Calderón. The post (and a recent visit to blues fan DadBones) brought back some of the old feeder's childhood memories.

When I was a boy living in Generalissimo Franco's Madrid, I made a crystal radio set. It was unamplified, used a crystal of galena, a wire whisker and a coil of lacquered copper wire wrapped around a toilet paper tube. It didn't require any electricity. I used to sneak it into bed after 'lights out' and listen to Spanish radio broadcasts. That was where I first heard Flamenco music. I liked it.

Later, my Dad took me to Andalusia where we visited various Flamenco dives. I recall the smell of red wine and rough tobacco in the night clubs and cuevas (caves) where gypsy artists played the guitar, clapped complex rhythms and sang to the most doleful music I had ever heard. There were also sweaty, dark eyed female dancers to intrigue the little feeder.

Flamenco makes the blues sound like something joyful. The blues is about being broke and alone. Flamenco is about suffering and death. At least the Flamenco I like is.

So, if you are inclined to take a break from pissing and moaning about the wretched state of government, I invite you to watch and listen to a selection of my favorites on YouTube. All three links are in the same palo or style of Flamenco called Peteneras. Enjoy:

• The first video is a classic. It is La Niña de los Peines (Pastora Pavón) singing the Peteneras "Quisiera yo renegar". It wouldn't do much good to try to explain the lyrics; suffice it to say it is about renouncing this world.
• The next selection features Carlos Saura singing a very authentic Peteneras. The producer of the video has thoughtfully added subtitles. Precise elocution has never been the long suit of spoken Andalusian Spanish; it goes right out the window in Flamenco singing.
• The final Peteneras is by Antonio Fernàdez Diaz, called Fosforito. His style is impeccable and the guitarist accompanying him is a master. The cat has got soul.

These aren't turista Flamenco performers. Peteneras isn't the most popular palo. You might think it is an acquired taste. You might be right. Not everybody likes John Lee Hooker, either.

Supreme Court Quota System

Updated: From Stop the ACLU Sotomayor ‘La Raza member’. La Raza is an anti-white extremist group that advocates the 'reclaiming' of much of the US to form a Latino nation called Aztlan. If you didn't think Sotomayor was a racist and a raving radical before, this ought to convince you. It would be the equivalent of a white Supreme Court appointee having a current membership in the KKK.

Sonia Sotomayor

Barack Obama has selected Ms. Sonia Sotomayor to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the US Supreme Court. Choosing a female and the first Hispanic-American to the lifetime position on our highest court looks to me more like an act of Political Correctness than a choice based upon judicial rationale. PC mixed with some payback to the US Latinos who supported Obama's bid for the White House. Payback is an important part of the Chicago style.

I was hoping he would pick a Mohammedan Mullah of uncertain gender, preferably somewhat disabled. Now that would be PC!

The Late, Great U.S.A.?

Riverside Cemetery

I went to the cemetery this morning to decorate my father's grave. It looks like a nice day for the annual Memorial Day parade in Spencer, Iowa. A question: Will the day (soon) come when we'll want for a Memorial Day observance, if for no other reason than to remember a time when we used to remember those who gave everything they had for this great country?

They weren't suicide soldiers. They wanted to live, to come back to their homes and families. They didn't want to lose their limbs or their health and spend the rest of their days in veterans' homes. And they didn't want to lose their minds and live under bridges and in homeless shelters.

Oh Freedom, you're a merciless bitch. I'd be tempted to say you're not worth it were it not for the horrifying governments that won't rest until there's nobody left to remember who you are.

Daily Bread

Old Feeder's Breakfast

Breakfast at home usually consists of oatmeal, a cup of strong coffee, a tomato and a serrano pepper. I like it. It uses a minimum of tableware, and satisfies my appetite. I don't like to wash dishes.

Due to dietary constraints, breakfast is one of the few meals that I can eat at restaurants. I usually order two eggs over easy and hash brown potatoes. I ask that nothing be seasoned, and don't order toast or pancakes. The best breakfasts of this type in the Omaha area can be found at the 11-Worth Cafe at 24th and Leavenworth in downtown Omaha and Shirley's Diner in the Millard Plaza.

The 11-Worth has the disadvantage of being a long drive from my far West Sarpy County digs. On the plus side, the place has big windows so you can watch the dope pushers work the corner. It is often crowded, as befits a place that serves good food.

Shirley's Diner only serves breakfast until 11:00 AM, so you can't wait until lunchtime to get your eggs and hash browns. It has the big advantage of being quite close to home. Heaven help you, however, should a fire break out in the kitchen when the place is packed. One exit requires patrons to pass the kitchen, the other has a cattle chute like approach. I feel safe; the cats that patronize Shirley's don't look like the panicky type.

A close third are the Vidlak's Cafes. There are several locations, all offering excellent service and great food. The only conceivable negative is the atmosphere; all of them that I visit are in strip malls and are sparsely decorated. The 11-Worth and Shirley's have atmosphere to spare, although the two places couldn't be more different if they tried.

One thing all these excellent eateries have in common is the presence of the owners or one of the owners' relatives. Restaurants that rely only on hired managers to keep things running right risk becoming unpleasant in one way or another.

Try a serrano pepper for breakfast! Just keep that tomato and a bowl of soothing oatmeal close at hand.

Long Weekend

Car of the (near) Future - Click to Tour the Showroom

The feedlot looks like Rome during Ferragosto. Angela is trying to wring a little joy out of her busy life, Arnie is in a snit because he hasn't been well received by the feedlot regulars, DadBones is scouring the woods for magic sticks, Abe is organizing and twittering. The place is empty.

I've been out of town for almost a week, fixing computers. 64 bit Vista is a nasty piece of work, especially if you have important 'legacy' software to run on it. I guess I'll try to make a summary of stuff that caught my eye lately.
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The Right to Keep and Bear Arms - the old feeder has always argued that any form of gun registration, license or permit system (including CCW schemes) is wrong. They all put firearm owners' names on a government list. You might trust the government, but I don't. Government changes its tune every day. Who can say when the authorities will yield to the seemingly irresistible temptation to disarm the populace? Or at least to disarm some segment of the populace that they, in their democracy-blessed wisdom, deem dangerous or unfit to go armed? Take note of this post by David Codrea the War on Guns.

Sissified Vegans giving Meat a Bad Rap - this is merely another example of dietary nazis enlisting sold out junk scientists to bolster their fruity theories. I've got no grudge against vegans or others that eat oddball stuff or abstain from perfectly good food, no matter what their rationale. It ought to be a free country, no? Sadly, many of these diet geeks aren't satisfied with eating as they please. They want to make everyone else follow their example. I don't like being told what I can and cannot eat. Example: the banning of trans-fats in New York City and California restaurants. I really don't care for using so-called scientific experts to back up their goofy ideas. The global warmists did this to vilify our friend, CO2. Now the same junk science is used to justify such idiocy as 'cap and trade'. I see an attack on meat eating looming on the horizon. This example found at Stop the ACLU is likely just the tip of the iceberg.

Cars Cars Cars - Now that the liberal fruitcakes have wrested control of much of America's automobile industry, they will use their junk science to justify their we know what is best for you totalitarian arrogance to force us all to drive dangerous, sissy little clown cars. Read 'em and weep:

• Bugalow Bill: Government Finishes its Hostile Takeover of General Motors and this one that mentions death by gas mileage standards: If You Think This Car Review is Bad, Just Wait Until Obama and the Government Starts Building Cars: Honda Insight Hybrid.
• The New Editor: Car Crazy?
• Babalu Blog: MaObama’s Putt Putt Cars.
• Fausta's Blog: Smart car? Take a look
  

Preventive Detention and Other Niceties - Constitutional rights? WTF are Constitutional rights in the New America?

• Babalu Blog:Esta es tu casa, Obama, (it is in English) discussing the 'new' concept of preventive detention being considered by President Obama. Do you own a Gadsden flag? Belong to the NRA? You might need to be detained to prevent you from resisting the government.
• Irons in the fire: It's just so wonderful out there, Did you know that having a wireless router in your house might justify a warrantless search of the premises?
  

Good News - Paid vacations for everyone! Bungalow Bill brings us the glad tidings in Government Mandated Vacation Time: Could Tax Credits for Disney Left-Wing Vacation Be Far Away. I might add, "could a pink slip be far behind?"

Laugh: Small Dead Animals posted this video clip of some radio jocks singing The Obamaman Song at Who Can Take Tomorrow? Spend It All Today? Cop a laugh.

Too mean to cry about it

Left Behind

I tried to think of a story that would make it look like I was attacked by a large badger while taking a nap down by the river. Not one to suffer rude awakenings lightly I grabbed a big rock and conked him. Having stunned him I got out my lock-back and hacked off his right hand, leaving him to figure out how to get around on three wheels. But who's going to believe that? I must have thought I was Nancy Pelosi.

Here in Iowa, some people find old Indian arrowheads. Others find good things to eat like Morel mushrooms. Not me. I tend to find things that even coyotes and maggots aren't interested in. I didn't have to look hard for this foot. It was laying in my path like a $20 bill. Whoa! What's this? Sure is a damn big foot. What the hell did it come off of and how did it wind up here?

After getting it home I snapped a picture of it and e-mailed it to the feedlot naturalist who we all know as PTG. From the way it's mangled up he thought it must have gotten caught in a trap. There were no other badger parts anywhere to be seen, nor did I see blood or fur.

My other naturalist, a mysterious woman out in the Southwest Indian country, said the badger probably chewed its foot off. The picture suggests he might have started on his little finger before resigning himself to the grim task.
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Do not click here.

The most important constant in the universe

Do you know what the most important numerical constant in the universe is? It has been called the closest man has ever come to perfection. The answer is in the comments.

Another Democrat Lawbreaker

Tamir Sapir's yacht - seized stuffed cats

Here is yet another example of a billionaire supporter of the Democrat party who thinks the laws don't apply to him. It seems Tamir Sapir, all around rich cat and New York real estate investor got caught by US Customs with a yachtload of illegal animal pelts, skins and ivory. Some of the seized material came from endangered species. From the Florida Sun-Sentinel:

A New York billionaire's company has pleaded guilty to illegally importing wildlife parts, after inspectors found a big-game hunter's haul of elephant tusks, a mounted tiger head and bar stools covered with reticulated python hides on the company's 150-foot yacht at Port Everglades.

The yacht M/Y Mystere C.I., arriving from Italy on a transport ship in late 2007 was outfitted with a decorating scheme of dead animals: rugs made of zebra, jaguar, lion, leopard and tiger. Cigarette cases covered with reticulated python skin. An entire stuffed lion.

The story has gained wide coverage, from Yachting Monthly to the Miami Herald. What you don't see reported is Mr Sapir and his big family's large contributions to the Democrat party. If this cat had been a Republican supporter, not only would the fact be in the news, but the animal rights crowd would be all over Sapir like white on rice.

The double standard lives.

Sugary Soda Pop Tax

Mexican Coca-Cola still contains real sugar

Everyone knows sugar is bad. At least that is what we are told by liberal know it alls that want to control what you and I eat and drink. Whats wrong with sugar? I've found that most of the bad press sugar gets is based on myths about the all-natural sweetener. Here are a few I heard about on the radio today:

• Sugar is fattening. Do you know how many calories there are in a teaspoon of sugar? Take your best guess, then click here for the answer.
• Sugar causes diabetes. Look it up. It just isn't true.
• Sugar rots teeth. Not so. It is the acid produced by bacteria (which can feed on sugar. among other things) that causes tooth decay. Don't want cavities? Brush your teeth.

These myths form the rationale behind the national tax on "sugary drinks" now being considered in Congress. Not only does this proposed tax break Barack Obama's pledge not to raise taxes on the poor and middle class Americans, but it is a thinly disguised ploy to help finance the liberal's unworkable national health care schemes. Not to mention that it is just another step in the liberal plan to regulate every detail of our everyday lives under color of law.

Dick Armey, Chairman of FreedomWorks.org wants us to resist this ill-conceived legislation. He says:

Some liberals in Congress have proposed paying for government-run health care by hiking taxes on soft drinks and other beverages. Because the socialized health care schemes being considered will cost at least a trillion dollars, liberal politicians are looking for ways to pay for their schemes without upsetting too many folks. So they think that a tax on soft drinks is better than any other type of tax.

To me, its just more liberal nonsense, cooked up to justify taking away our freedoms. Please follow this link to let Congress know you aren't happy with this attack on our freedom to choose, this tax on everyman and his kids, this dishonest attempt to fund yet more government meddling with our way of life.
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PS: The US sugar industry is subsidized by the government. Our government also subsidizes the production of the "high fructose corn syrup" now used to sweeten most of our non-diet pop. Now the same folks want to tax us to consume it. It appears they trying to encourage production of natural sweeteners and at the same time trying to do discourage their use. Tell me things aren't screwed up. Tell me it isn't the government that is responsible.
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Note: The old feeder never drinks diet soda, now does he use any artificial sweeteners. I think they are ineffective for weight loss. Most folks I know as drink diet pop are still overweight after years of abstaining from 'sugary' soda. I also suspect the chemicals used might be dangerous. I drink Mexican Coke whenever I can get it. It really is better tasting.

Babies: Less Valuable People

Whats a two year sentence compared to an 18 year commitment?

A bill has been introduced in the Texas state legislature creating the crime of "infanticide". The bill defines infanticide this way:

willfully by an act or omission caus[ing] the death of a child to whom the person gave birth within the 12-month period preceding the child’s death and if the person’s judgment was impaired as a result of the effects of giving birth or the effects of lactation following the birth

What it means is that upset mothers who kill their own children (up to one year of age) will be guilty of infanticide. The offense is punishable by a maximum of two years in the state jail. Thats right, two years.

The Catholic News Agency reports that a Texas pro-life advocate says the bill, "conveys the message that newborns and infants are "less valuable people". Folks that murder kids under six years of age in Texas can face the death penalty. Go figure.

Good luck, little Texans.
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HT - freepers

Wishing all Moms a Happy Mother's Day

My own Mother is gone. I miss her. If you still have one, tell her you love her today. For all you Moms out there, enjoy your special day.

Congress passes huge $3.4 Trillion Budget

Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson - DINO?

The one party system strikes again. More grotesque, reckless spending to come.

Gag me with an indenture! At least Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson voted against it. I suspect he did so knowing that the irresponsible bill would pass in spite of his "Nay", just to mollify his 'Republican' supporters, without whom he could never have been elected in the first place.

Send Senator Ben an email. Click here to tell him that he should quit the disgraceful Democrat party and sign on with the GOP. The dirt is bound to rub off and 2012 is coming soon.

Cop a Laugh

Then why am I laughing?

Here is a good one. Trying to sell their mercury light bulbs and windmills in the face of an increasing body of facts putting the lie to their basic premise, the Global Warming wackos are turning to linguistic sophistry. Fisking from Stop the ACLU: Gee, If Only We Could Rename Global Warming, People Would Care. Snicker.
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Link: New York Times, Seeking to Save the Planet, With a Thesaurus.

Do we really have food to burn, Senator Johanns?

Food to Burn?

Is Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns becoming an alcoholic? Perhaps he has been hitting the ethanol corn liquor a bit too much, along with his daffy colleague Senator Ben Nelson. Now he has come out in favor in watering down our gasoline with even more ethanol.

Alcohol is a lousy fuel. It is inefficient to produce and a comparatively weak energy source. No one would even consider running an internal combustion engine with alcohol unless it was subsidized and mandated by the government. Worse yet, using corn and other crops to make a trendy diluent for good old powerful gasoline results in higher feed costs to animal agriculturists. We see this as increased meat prices.

Bottom line: we don't have food to burn. Take off those fashionable Washington DC style blinders, Mike. Let us drill for oil and build more refineries here in the USA. Let the livestock eat the grain. Let the consumers decide what they want to put in their gas tanks. Let us eat reasonably priced meat.

What have you got against freedom of choice and cheap gasoline, Mike?
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Let the Senator know what you think. Click to email Senator Johanns.