24k

I remember spending lots of money on a date,
but not 24K of taxpayer $$$
Two martinis, a swank restaurant, a Broadway show -- President Obama really knows how to treat a First Lady.
The NY Post states,Taxpayers footed the bill for the big night on the town, which included a total of at least $24,000 for the three aircraft used to ferry the Obamas, aides and reporters to New York and back. Dinner costs and orchestra seat tickets -- at $96.50 apiece -- were paid by the Obamas.
They underestimated the bill just a tad.
NYPD has a thing called "Ordered Overtime"
Word has it that over 1000 cops were called in for OT.
They are guaranteed 8 hours and 35 minutes cash overtime.
That is over 8500 man hours.
With Detectives,Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, Inspectors, and Chiefs, the bill for NYC for just the police, was over 250K. Add in the traffic control agents, sanitation, emt's, and all the support agencies, Obama's date cost NYC taxpayers a half a mil, easy.

It happens EVERYTIME a President comes to NYC. Obama is not alone in causing the expense. I made many hours overtime for Presidents Bush 41, Clinton, and Bush 43. I got to meet Bush 41 and Clinton on two of those details. When the UN General Assembly meets, thousands of cops flood Manhattan.What is unique about this visit was that it was just a date.

A little Mallard Fillmore on Letterman

See more here

Game One goes to Detroit

Detroit Red Wings win the first game in Hockeytown.
Lousy faceoffs and flukie goals destroyed the Penguins.
As a team, the Pens only won around 30% of the faceoffs.
The goals were wierd. The fast boards caused the first goal.
It bounced off the backboard and scooted under Fleury.
Another bounced way up, and in it went out of the air off of the Wings fourth line.
And Detroit was terrific in shutting down Crosby. Zetterberg was Crosby's shadow.

Call Warner and Webb about Racism on the Bench

"a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male"
If that strikes you as racist, you better call Webb and Warner.
Let them know you don't wan't a racist on the Supreme Court.

Senator Webb
248 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4024
Fax: 202-228-6363

Senator Warner
459A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2023
Fax: 202-224-6295

Other Notables

Views from around the Coliseum

George Allen

Bloggers on "Blogger's Row"

Chris Green-Spank That Donkey
Liz Smith-Cavalcade of Conflictedness
Carl Kilo-Spark It up
CargoSquid-United Conservatives
Alton Foley-I'm Not Emeril

McDonnell,Bolling,Cuch,Mullins

Our New Team ! ! !

2 down...........

Well We Got Bolling and Cuchinelli So Far

Where was this Jim Gilmore during the last campaign?

Gilmore got fired up. He actually seemed enthused, excited.
Where was he last year???

Hanging with the Waynesboro GOP

Chris Darden and Yankee Phil

Bolling speech at RPV convention

Bill Bolling kicking it off.
We need to be working together.
We have a great candidate in Bob McDonnell.
Bob is a leader. integrity, strong principles, convictions. Real solutions.
New ideas for a better VA.
Va is great place to live.
Work together.
GO BOB GO chanted the crowd

Stauntonian recites Pledge at RPV convention

Carl Tate Led the GOP in the pledge.
He followed a great rendition of the national anthem by UVA group.

What right winger said this???

"It must be said, that like the breaFirst, the population was dumbed down through a politicized anThen their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circusesd substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. king of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed" is the first line of a story. Is it National Review? American Spectator? Reason Magazine? Wall St. Journal? Investors Business Daily?

Nope, None of the above.

It is from PRAVDA.

It goes on to say....

"First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics."

" Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses."

"The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe."See the full story here

"Angry" Sonia?? Does she have the temperment???

Lawyers who have argued cases before Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor call her "nasty," "angry" and a "terror on the bench," according to the current Almanac of the Federal Judiciary -- a kind of Zagat's guide to federal judges.
The withering evaluation of Judge Sotomayor's temperament stands in stark contrast to reviews of her peers on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Of the 21 judges evaluated, the same lawyers gave 18 positive to glowing reviews and two judges received mixed reviews. Judge Sotomayor was the only one to receive decidedly negative comments.
Judge Sotomayor's demeanor on the bench will be one of the issues the Senate Judiciary Committee tackles when she appears for her confirmation hearing. A lack of a good temperament has been used as a line of attack against nominees in the past - most notably conservative Judge Robert H. Bork, whose nomination to the Supreme Court was defeated.
See the full Wash Times story here

Hospitality

Made the rounds. Had a few beers. Good times. The Jeffersoniads were great. Beer for everyone ! ! !

Republican Gala w/Mitt Romney

Great Meal.
Good times.
Mitt had a few good stories.
Never underestimate anyone.
Guy goes into a barber. Barber says,"wan't to see the dumbest kid in the world?"
Guy says,"Sure."
Barber says, Come her young man."
The boy comes over. The barber holds out his 2 hands. In one, there is a dollar bill. In the other, 2 quarters. Barber says, "Take one."
The boy takes the 2 quarters and runs away.
The barber says, "Ain't that the dumbest kid you ever saw?"
Next day, the guy sees the kid and asks him, "Why don't you take the dollar?"
He said, "The day I take that dollar, is the day this game ends."

Having a MARINES bumper sticker is illegal

Frank Larison ,a 58-year-old former Marine now finds himself under attack by his Dallas homeowners association for displaying seven decals on his vehicle supporting the Marine Corps.
"To me, it's being patriotic, and it shows that I served," the veteran told FOX 4.
The board says the decals are advertisements that violate HOA rules, and must be covered or removed.
Otherwise, the homeowners association for The Woodlands II on The Creek --- where Larimore has lived for eight years --- says in a letter it will tow the car at Larimore's expense. The board also threatens to fine him $50 for any future incident.
Larimore says the decals, ranging from the Marine emblem to Semper Fi slogans, aren't advertisements for anything. "You can't buy freedom," he reasoned.
See the full story here

OBAMA Justice Dept.Appointed Lawyers Let Black Panthers WALK

Described as perpetarting "the most blatant form of voter intimidation", three Black Panther members walked away after intimidating voters in Philadelphia.
Obama Justice Department political appointees overruled career lawyers and ended a civil complaint accusing three members of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense of wielding a nightstick and intimidating voters at a Philadelphia polling place last Election Day, according to documents and interviews.
The incident - which gained national attention when it was captured on videotape and distributed on YouTube - had prompted the government to sue the men, saying they violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act by scaring would-be voters with the weapon, racial slurs and military-style uniforms.
See the full story here

Convention Highlights so far.....

The fire alarm keeps ringing. That's it.
Romney Gala later at 6
Cuchinelli and Virgil Goode will Have some BBQ later too.
Jeffersoniad has courtesy Suite 9-midnight

Some First Day Notables at RPV Convention

Ben Marchi
David Rexrode

Sen.Cuchinelli

Paul Galanti

John Hagar

First Day Bloggers at RPV Convention

Chris "Spank the Donkey"Green
Keith Drake

Lynn "SWACgirl" Mitchell

Jim"Bearing Drift"Hoeft

Crystal"Clear Conservative" Meeks (I hope I spelled it right)

I have seen pink elephants................

No, not Really.
How about a Pink Dolphin??

What's pink, has red eyes and leaps around a Louisiana shipping channel long enough for you to believe your eyes? A rare albino bottlenose dolphin. Bottlenose dolphins are common in the lower Calcasieu Ship Channel, feeding in the deep water and riding on top of boats' waves. And when the pink one jumps amid four dark gray dolphins, it's easy to spot.

The albino is just the 14th reported worldwide, and the third in the Gulf of Mexico, according to biologist Dagmar Fertl of Plano, Texas.See full story here

I AM BACK ! ! !

Got an email today saying that I am back on BNN as YankeePhil.
I am heading out to the Republican Party of Virginia(RPV) State Convention shortly.
I will be blogging for the 2 days.

Brownlee asks for investigation

Republican attorney general candidate John Brownlee's campaign says it will seek an investigation of automated phone calls attacking Brownlee.

Brownlee's campaign says the calls were made to delegates attending the Republican state convention this weekend in Richmond. Delegates will choose the GOP's nominee for attorney general and other offices.

Brownlee's campaign says the calls violate state law because there's no disclaimer indicating who paid for or authorized them. The campaign says it will ask law enforcement agencies to investigate the calls. See More at NBC-29

If you take credit for a project that is only 1/4 of 1% complete, what would you call it???

The Administration calls it an "inaccuracy".
Most would call it a lie.
They were only off by 99 3/4%
Jake Tapper catches them again.
TAPPER: All right. Just to follow up, I looked at your "100 Days, 100 Projects" booklet yesterday, and the very first one says, quote, "Using $27 million of Recovery Act funding a public housing development in D.C., the Regency House, has undergone a green retrofit. As part of this upgrade, the building installed solar panels, green roof, rainwater collection system, energy-efficient lighting, as well as water-conserving toilets, showerheads and faucets." But when I called the D.C. Housing Authority, they said only $59,000 was spent of stimulus money, not $27 million, and of these seven things mentioned, only two of the seven were actually done --

GIBBS: I think the mistake -- mistake in that one, as you blogged about earlier, took a series of different projects in a cut- and-paste into one.

TAPPER: OK. So it wasn't as clear and -- it wasn't as accurate as it could have been?

GIBBS: I -- I think that's accurate to say, yes.

Hey Let's do the Math, $59000 is about 1/4 of 1% of $27,000,000.
SOOOO Mr.Gibbs is DARN RIGHT when he says when he agrees that "it wasn't as accurate as it could have been". IT WAS A BOLD FACE LIE.

Schwarzenegger Throws stones in a glass house

Even Biden goofs on the telepropter in chief

H/T Hotair

Looks Like Schumer is going to vote against Sotomayor. Right????

She believes the courts make policy,
so how could Schumer vote for her???

WERE CHRYSLER CLOSINGS POLITICAL????

The Washington Examiner takes a look.........

Evidence appears to be mounting that the Obama administration has systematically targeted for closing Chrysler dealers who contributed to Repubicans. What started earlier this week as mainly a rumbling on the Right side of the Blogosphere has gathered some steam today with revelations that among the dealers being shut down are a GOP congressman and closing of competitors to a dealership chain partly owned by former Clinton White House chief of staff Mack McLarty.

The basic issue raised here is this: How do we account for the fact millions of dollars were contributed to GOP candidates by Chrysler who are being closed by the government, but only one has been found so far that is being closed that contributed to the Obama campaign in 2008?

The US Constitution is 2000 years old according to the President

Or Did the teleprompter misbehave again?

Queen of Orwellian Speech, Janet Napolitano, want Canadian Press to SHUT UP

Breitbart reports that........
U.S. Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano got a lot of people in Canada upset last month for saying in an interview that the Sept. 11 terrorists crossed from Canada. The Sept. 11 commission found that none came through Canada.
Napolitano said she regrets that the Canadian media only seem to hear her earlier misstatement—and she wants to move on.

Millionaires Go Missing, A lesson in economics for the Dems

Maryland's fleeced taxpayers fight back.

Here's a two-minute drill in soak-the-rich economics:

Maryland couldn't balance its budget last year, so the state tried to close the shortfall by fleecing the wealthy. Politicians in Annapolis created a millionaire tax bracket, raising the top marginal income-tax rate to 6.25%. And because cities such as Baltimore and Bethesda also impose income taxes, the state-local tax rate can go as high as 9.45%. Governor Martin O'Malley, a dedicated class warrior, declared that these richest 0.3% of filers were "willing and able to pay their fair share." The Baltimore Sun predicted the rich would "grin and bear it."

One year later, nobody's grinning. One-third of the millionaires have disappeared from Maryland tax rolls. In 2008 roughly 3,000 million-dollar income tax returns were filed by the end of April. This year there were 2,000, which the state comptroller's office concedes is a "substantial decline." On those missing returns, the government collects 6.25% of nothing. Instead of the state coffers gaining the extra $106 million the politicians predicted, millionaires paid $100 million less in taxes than they did last year -- even at higher rates.

No doubt the majority of that loss in millionaire filings results from the recession. However, this is one reason that depending on the rich to finance government is so ill-advised: Progressive tax rates create mountains of cash during good times that vanish during recessions. For evidence, consult California, New York and New Jersey (see here).

The Maryland state revenue office says it's "way too early" to tell how many millionaires moved out of the state when the tax rates rose. But no one disputes that some rich filers did leave. It's easier than the redistributionists think. Christopher Summers, president of the Maryland Public Policy Institute, notes: "Marylanders with high incomes typically own second homes in tax friendlier states like Florida, Delaware, South Carolina and Virginia. So it's easy for them to change their residency."

All of this means that the burden of paying for bloated government in Annapolis will fall on the middle class. Thanks to the futility of soaking the rich, these working families will now pay Mr. O'Malley's "fair share."

"GOP using fear tactics" says the NewsLeader....

50 DEMS vote for a bill, but it is the REPUBS fault.

The Democrat NewsLeader is DEEP in the Dems pocket
The paranoia extends to the chambers of Capitol Hill where the Senate voted 90-6(How do you blame Republicans when there are only 40 Republicans?That means atleast 50 DEMS voted for it) recently to block the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. and denied President Obama the millions he sought to close the prison.
FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress that bringing the detainees to the U.S. could pose risks "from concerns about providing financing, (and) radicalizing others to the potential for individuals undertaking attacks in the United States."Again, blatant fear-mongering.(What sort of a moron would say that is not a reality?They have done it in the past in other countries) How can it be that our prisons are able to hold the worst of the worst, such as Charles Manson, the Unabomber, Jeffrey Dahmer and our own home-grown terrorist, Timothy McVeigh, until he was executed, but we can't handle Gitmo detainees? (Hey Newsleader, was any terrorist group trying to get Charles Manson out of prison?) Perhaps the Republicans should have more faith in the prison facilities they have so staunchly advocated being built.
Maybe David Frist and Co, should read todays UK Times

IRAQ to Arrest nearly 1000 corrupt officials.

Iraq's anti-corruption watchdog says arrest warrants have been issued for some 1,000 allegedly corrupt officials.

Few details were disclosed, but the Commission on Public Integrity said at least 50 were senior figures.
I don't mind spending money. I hate wasting money. I REALLY DESPISE Stealing money.
Corruption is one of the most horrendous of crimes. Not only is there a theft, but it destroys the foundation that a government is built on. It weakens society across the board. It ripples down thru other aspects of life. Government corruption, fosters corruption in private deals. Corruption in private deals leads to street level crimes. The "I have to get mine too " attitude will flourish.
See the full BBC story here.

Morticians support Obama---enjoy

North Korea Goes Missle Mad

North Korea launched an additional short-range missile from its east coast Tuesday night, an official at the South Korean presidential office said Wednesday.

"The North appears to have launched a ground-to-ship missile into the East Sea shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday," the official said, asking not to be identified. Pyongyang had launched two short-range missiles from its east coast earlier Tuesday, following its supposed nuclear test the day before.

Officials here believe the missile launches are partly aimed at preventing South Korean and U.S. reconnaissance planes from nearing the communist state to verify its claimed nuclear test.

Earlier reports said there were also signs of imminent missile launches on the North's west coast. The official at the presidential office said the North has yet to launch any missile from the west.
And the Obama Administration response is nada

Sotomeyer, Racist?

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,”said Judge Sotomayor.
If the inverse was ever said by a white male judge, do you think we would be considering him for the Supreme Court? Do you think he should even be on the bench?

“Whether born from experience or inherent physiological or cultural differences,” she said, for jurists who are women and nonwhite, “our gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging.” Shouldn't she be judging on the merits of the case, not on her gender?
That is clearly a racist view. See the full NY Times story here

"For there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the executive and legislative powers."

A few weeks ago I posted about Sonia Sotomeyer on Yankeephilip.
Enjoy the video. At 15 seconds in, she says"Court of Appeals is where policy is made.


Maybe she should be introduced to Federalist paper #78?

The judiciary . . . may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments.....

It proves incontestably, that the judiciary is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power; that it can never attack with success either of the other two . . . that . . . the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from that quarter; I mean, so long as the judiciary remains truly distinct from both the legislative and the Executive.......

"For there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the executive and legislative powers."

Del. R. Steven Landes

DELEGATE LANDES TO ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR ELECTION

VERONA – Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Weyers Cave, made three stops to announce his plans for the 2009 General Election for the House of Delegates on Saturday, May 23, 2009. Landes will be traveling to three different locations to highlight initiatives important to the 25th House District.

The first announcement was at 9:30 a.m. at the King Family Vineyards, 6550 Roseland Farm, in Crozet. The wine industry is of growing importance to tourism and our economy in Virginia, and the 25th District is an ideal location for the growing number of wineries within its boundaries.

The second announcement was at 11:15 a.m. at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum, 420 West Main Street, in Waynesboro. Museums, as well as performing and fine arts centers, continue to attract tourists to the Valley which help stimulate the economy.

The final announcement was at 1:30 p.m. at Cub Run Dairy, owned and operated by Gerald Heatwole, 3943 Lawyer Road, in McGaheysville. Cub Run Dairy has put into place agricultural best management practices (BMPs) which aid in keeping our water supply clean for all of us and future generations. The 25th District is a heavy agricultural community and agriculture is still Virginia’s #1 largest industry.

Landes represents the 25th House District, which includes the City of Waynesboro, and parts of Albemarle, Augusta and Rockingham Counties. Landes was first elected in 1995 and is now serving his seventh term.

Gotta light up the grill

Got the ribs ready to go.
See ya later.

More than 10,000 a year get skin cancer in quest for perfect tan

"Diagnosing a skin cancer early makes a real difference to the success of treatment. Making an extra effort to check changes in moles and going to the GP could save your life.”

If melanoma is diagnosed early, when thin and on the surface of the skin, it can be removed easily. If left, melanoma can spread through the lymph system or the blood stream, which can be serious and in some cases fatal. Surgery becomes more complex, with longer scars and skin grafts or skin flaps often needed.

“A high number of adults still do not understand the risks, particularly the younger age groups. Many think that only older people die from skin cancer but I have seen heartbreaking cases of patients in their twenties die because they have left it too late.” See The UK Times story here

UN holds emergency session over North Korea nuclear test

The UN Security Council was in emergency session tonight after North Korea carried out a powerful underground nuclear test condemned by President Obama as a threat to world peace.

Mr Obama said that the test was a great threat to the peace and security of the world and a blatant violation of international law. Gordon Brown called it erroneous, misguided and a danger to the world. Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General and a South Korean, said that he was deeply disturbed by the detonation, which was detected by US scientists as a magnitude 4.7 earthquake.

Yet no one specified what punitive action they wanted taken. A military strike is not an option, given the North’s huge conventional army and close proximity to Japan and South Korea. Only France called for a new set of sanctions against Pyongyang.

The 15-member Security Council was expected to issue a joint statement strongly condemning the test, but analysts believe that China is unlikely to back fresh sanctions. Even Russia spoke only of “concern” over the detonation rather than outrage.

The US has been grappling with the threat of North Korea’s nuclear programme since the early 1990s, and each approach has failed. Pyongyang is the world’s most isolated regime and previous measures have done nothing to stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

See the full UK times story here

Salute to the Vegans

Newt's Daughter learned well.

"On a personal level, I have always found hard work to be good for the soul.

It is good to be helpful, to provide service, to make products for others.

It is my belief that this is also true at the national level --

that we are best as a nation of makers, not takers."

-Jackie Gingrich Cushman

Strong economic growth is good, it makes people better off both today and tomorrow. An increase in prosperity today boosts optimism about future prospects. The current administration’s prescription for economic growth is putting more government money into the economy, and reaching into industry (insurance, banking, car manufacturers, credit card companies, and healthcare), in an attempt to boost economic activity and control the economy.

See her full article at Townhall here

Some Ramirez Cartoons

See at NY Post

Starbucks Bombed In NYC

The NY Post reports...........

A small bomb set off outside an apartment building early this morning rattled residents on the Upper East Side.

Placed under a bench outside a Starbucks on E. 92nd Street near Third Avenue, the bomb went off at 3:25 a.m., blowing a hole in the bench and shattering two windows, police said.

The circumstances of the explosion resembled that of similar bombings at the Times Square Army recruiting center and the Mexican consulate in recent years, but Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that other than the early morning hour, there was no apparent connection.

UN says Somalian Pirates are notacting alone

The BBC reports...........

A new economy has developed both within Somalia and further afield, as security companies, lawyers and negotiators reap huge profits from their involvement.

But finding out what happens to the money delivered as ransom payments is doubly difficult, first because piracy is a transnational crime, and second because Somalia is a country without rules, regulations or a functioning government.

There have been various reports that piracy in Somalia is attracting big-time criminals from all over the world; that it is being orchestrated from London; that the ship owners themselves are involved.....................

Although there is no universal set of rules, a UN report based on information gathered from pirates based in the north-eastern village of Eyl, reveals some interesting information about how the ransom spoils are divided:

• Maritime militia, pirates involved in actual hijacking - 30%

• Ground militia (armed groups who control the territory where the pirates are based) - 10%

• Local community (elders and local officials) - 10%

• Financier - 20%

• Sponsor - 30%

The UN report found the payments are shared virtually equally between the maritime militia, although the first pirate to board the ship gets a double share or a vehicle.

Singer-songwriter Vern Gosdin, who achieved mainstream country success in the '80s with hits such as "Set 'Em Up Joe" and "Chiseled in Stone," died late Tuesday (April 28) at a Nashville hospital at age 74. Gosdin, who was often referred to as "the Voice," reportedly suffered a stroke several weeks ago.
During the late '70s and early '80s, Gosdin charted other Top 10 singles for the Elektra, Ovation and AMI labels before scoring his first No. 1 hit in 1984 with "I Can Tell by the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)," written by Sandy Pinkard and Rob Strandlund. After moving to Columbia Records in the late '80s, he quickly scored a series of Top 10 singles with songs he co-wrote, including "Do You Believe Me Now," "Chiseled in Stone," "Who You Gonna Blame It On This Time" and "That Just About Does It." His recordings of two other original songs from that era -- "Set' Em Up Joe" and "I'm Still Crazy" reached No. 1. Gosdin's last Top 10 singles were released in 1990 -- "Right in the Wrong Direction" and "Is It Raining at Your House."
H/T to Charlie

"WELCOME TO THE MINISTRY OF PROPAGANDA"

White House Propaganda Ministry Logo

Jack Tapper has a story here. He wondered why the president barred the press but it later became clear that Team Obama was creating its own little media report "complete with cuts, interviews, and chyrons identifying who's speaking."

Tapper subtly warned that the president's penchant for controlling the message smacks of an Obama Ministry of Propaganda styled effort that excludes "actual reporters" from covering the White House and leaves the country with faux news that is free of any "uncomfortable questions" asked by probing journalists.

I have no problem with the President reaching out with his own spin. The First Amendment was written so we can have ALL sidesof the story, including the President's. But to get all sides, we cannot have President Obama barring the press, just so he can limit any negative coverage.

FAITH UNDER FIRE----- Home: No place for Bible study--

According to World Net Daily.............
A San Diego pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a county official and warned they will face escalating fines if they continue to hold Bible studies in their home.

The couple, whose names are being withheld until a demand letter can be filed on their behalf, told their attorney a county government employee
knocked on their door on Good Friday, asking a litany of questions about their Tuesday night Bible studies, which are attended by approximately 15 people.

"Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say 'amen'?" the official reportedly asked. "Do you say, 'Praise the Lord'?"

The pastor's wife answered yes.

She says she was then told, however, that she must stop holding "religious assemblies" until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit from the county, a permit that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.

And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned, the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, "and then it will get ugly."


Dean Broyles of the Western Center for Law & Policy, which has been retained to represent the couple, told WND the county's action not only violates religious land-use laws but also assaults both the First Amendment's freedom of assembly and freedom of religion.

"The First Amendment, in part, reads, 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,'" Broyles said. "And that's the key part: 'prohibiting the free exercise.' We believe this is a substantial government burden on the free exercise of religion."

He continued, "If one's home is one's castle, certainly you would the think the free exercise of religion, of all places, could occur in the home."
H/T the Other McCain

God I luv ya Joe, Stand Up Joe, Take a bow.....

Joe Biden is delightfully honest.
He tells it straight. We should call him Vice-President Joseph ,"You don't have to waterboard me" Biden. Gotta love him ..........if you are a Republican.
The UK Telegraph reports that Biden says that he is "Out of the loop".
I wonder why Joe?
It seems that all a reporter has to do to find out about the the truth about Guantanamo Bay prison is to ask Joe,
"my God, these guys are so dangerous. Go to some maximum security cells if you want to know some dangerous people. Matter of fact, it might be an awakening to them."
"But, look, what the president said is that this is going to be hard. It's like opening Pandora's Box. We don't know what's inside the box."
He also said that "to the best of my knowledge" the number of prisoners "who are a real danger who are not able to returned or tried" has "not been established" by the Obama administration.

He confirmed his predecessor Dick Cheney's analysis that the decision was taken "with little deliberation, and no plan".
H/T to Redstate

Pens Go Up 3-0 for series, Beat Carolina 6-2

Evgeni Malkin does it again.
Sets Team record for multiple point playoff games.
He scored 2 goals tonight.
With two goals in the first period, Evgeni Malkin now has six consecutive multi-point games in the playoffs, a feat that has not been accomplished in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since Buffalo's Dale Hawerchuk in 1993. The record is eight, by Wayne Gretzky in 1983.
I think the finals are looking like Pens vs. Wings
See the Recap here at NHL.com

Back in the Saddle

Let's Get the Government into the Newspaper Biz.

You might not agree with him. Libertarians some times irk some people.

Frank Buckles: America's last World War I veteran

THANK YOU Mr.Buckles
At 108 years old, Frank Woodruff Buckles is the last living American World War I veteran. He enlisted in the Army when he was 16 years old and says he feels responsible for keeping the story of World War I alive.Frank Woodruff Buckles currently lives in Charles Town, West Virginia and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation.See his Wikipedia page here

My first post as YankeePhil

I am going to be working on this for a day or two

I intend to have it back operational for the RPV convention.
See you on Blogger's Row, I think.............

I am starting over.

I must have messed up the code.