CIA in Libya - Vietnam II?

Even before the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the CIA was involved in Vietnam. Their actions there predated  the onset of the actual war. With military air strikes being layered in before the ground war really got started.  The CIA was their for training as well as intel.  There was a path of escalation.  

Now it turns that the CIA was apparently there in Libya before the the no fly zone was put in place.  The point is that there was a path of escalation in Vietnam that has an eerie resemblance to the situation early on in Libya.  Is this a repeat of Vietnam?  It's way too early for any serious consideration of that, but if you see some Libyan forces attack on U.S. personnel, planes or even ships, I'd be prepared for a response just like the Gulf of Tonkin response.  Likely?  No, but certainly possible.  

The Vietnam war was started by a Democrat, so I'm just throwing the idea out there as a not fully formed notion, much the way the Libyan response from Obama didn't seem to be fully formed.  Except with the news about the CIA, I'm not so sure there wasn't some sort of escalation path the White House may have had in mind all along.

Chemtrails: There's a sucker born every minute.

In fact, it has to be at least twenty suckers per minute based on how many people fall for stupid stuff.  In the past these people were sold snake oil, nowadays, it's things like global warming and government conspiracies that they're being sold.  The latest one I've just become aware exists is the chemtrails conspiracy.  Forget the reasons for the different snake oils we receive on a constant basis - it's either for money or for misdirection - the real fight is to get people educated to the point where they are questioned what they are told. 

Pelosi's pointless business

I put this on my other blog dedicated to uncoolness in politics, primarily as personified by the former Uncool Whip herself, Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi just can't keep quite.  Why should she, she has an opinion on everything and she'll tell you, twice.  

Tea Party March Madness

Dallas 2009 Tax Day Tea Party.

In an interesting post on Hot Air, Allahpundit echoes Michael Barone who asks if the Tea Party has given up on Wisconsin. While Allapundit rightly and deftly answers with a collective call to arms, Barone asks a valid question and the answer is very worrisome indeed.

Canadian conservative government to fall?

Canada's minority conservative government is going to be forced into yet another early election because of liberal opportunism from political parties that apparently aren't all that clear on what an opportunity looks like.  While the government may be unseated, the odds are looking pretty slim.

Next: Arming the Libyan rebels?

Send more guns!

I was just listening to Fox News this morning and apparently the unmentioned part of President Obama's non-military goal of regime change in Libya was that arming the rebels is an option that is seriously being considered. The details from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations courtesy of Ambassador Rice can be found here. It's big news and it's a bad idea. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, President Reagan chose to arm the Mujahidin with stinger missiles and other arms to combat the invasion. The differences between then and now are numerous.

Right Wing News

I haven't had time to post much today, and I haven't linked to John Hawkins at Right Wing News in a long time, so here's killing two birds with one stone.  John Hawkins and his catchy intro bit, on why Republicans must allow no compromise on Obamacare.  Makes sense to me.

Liberals' Selective Broken Window Fallacy

Never good.

I've written about the broken window fallacy recently.  The idea that a broken window is good for the economy because it has to be fixed, and therefore generates business, is indeed fallacy.  But a recent post on Mises about it being applied yet again to Japan, got me thinking about how liberals are selective when it comes to applying that 'disasters are good for business' logic.  Right now it's a good thing for Japan, but what about in the past?

Specifically, where were they after Hurricane Katrina?  Oh wait, who was President?  

Just a thought.

Germans panic, think they're on a fault line

Germany the green?  Apparently Germany is getting ready to divest itself of it's productive manufacturing sector in favor an Obama-esque green agenda. While this story isn't all of Germany, clearly Merkel felt the need to halt production at a number of nuclear reactors in the run up to the election as a result of events in Japan, where earthquakes are a little more common than along the Rhine.

Nobody in the administration has a grasp on the Middle East

This ain't it.

Wasn't Obama's administration supposed to be some sort of dream team?  With Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and Joe Biden safely out of the way as Vice President, and President Obama's own apologetic tone towards other nations, America was set for a peace and love foreign relations future with Hillary ready to help out with that 3 a.m. phone call that she felt Barack Obama could not handle. And then there was Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security.  What could possibly go wrong?

Broken window fallacy destroyed in seconds

Broken windows make bad economies

The broken window fallacy is simply the mistaken belief that damage to some asset is ultimately good for the economy because the effort to replace that asset will generate business.  The example of a broken window needing to be replaced means a factory somewhere has to make a window and the damage will therefore generate more business activity. The fallacy is that the $100 spent to fix the window doesn't get spent elsewhere - it just shifts the economic activity from one area to another.  For a more detailed description and example, check out here or here.

But today, along comes this piece of awesomeness from Peter Foster of Canada's National Post.  He blasts Keynesianism, which falls into the broken window fallacy trap, back to the Middle Ages where it belongs.  He attacks the broken window fallacy with the reconstruction of Japan after the recent disasters there as the backdrop.  I'd encourage you to read the whole piece here, but to whet your appetite, here's two excellent excerpts:

The American Roadmap (Part 3 of 3)

(Continued from Part 2)

Previously I wrote about what the underpinnings of what the American vision should be.

But that is not the vision. That is merely the foundation or underpinning necessary to support a real vision. Without those guiding principles, the vision will ultimately fail because it cannot be supported. Nations that have tried to articulate alternate visions such as Marxism have ultimately failed or turned away from the ruinous policies and ideologies that have destroyed not only economies but people’s lives and liberties in the process. Conversely, too often conservatives, frustrated by the drift away from these ideals, substitute this for the final vision for America. It is not a vision. It is merely a state of being that enables the country to remain wealthy, prosperous and secure. It enables the nation to have a grander vision beyond sustainability. Understandably sustainability is an important goal, especially now. But it is not the end goal. What then is the vision that the country requires? It is simple actually because it has been articulated for generations based on the notions held by the founding fathers.

Fiscal Irresponsibility Has Led To This Mess

You need to watch this video.  The United States' finances are ranked near the lowest in the world.  Fiscal irresponsibility and disinterest for decades has led to this mess.

The American Roadmap (Part 2 of 3)

(Continued from Part 1)

Every great nation in history has existed from a position of strength. It’s often been said that the only price liberty will accept is blood. But what underlies great nations has always been a sound economy. America’s rise to power, like Britain’s before it, and Rome’s and future powers like China and Brazil and India, relied or will rely on a sound, robust economy. An ability to defend the nation, an ability to care for the downtrodden, an ability to go to the moon ALL depend on the wealth of nations. That wording is chosen deliberately because the wealth of nations, a work by Adam Smith postulates that market economies are the most productive and socially beneficial economies for their societies.

War By Committee

President Obama voted present so often, abdicated health care reform to Pelosi and Reid, and has always tried to come down on the side of everyone on any issue.  He even campaigned as all things to all people.  In that light it's not surprising that he wants to contain Qaddafi by committee.

The American Roadmap (Part 1 of 3)

The job of President of the United States is not for the faint of heart. The job entails the responsibility of constructing, articulating and driving a vision for the future. It involves dealing with issues on a daily basis, which have nothing to do with that vision but must still be addressed. They must be handled with the same vigor that is applied to the President's vision, which by the way is typically shared by the electorate that empowered him. That is, if that vision was indeed articulated.

Dictator Watch - March 22, 2011



Me, me ME!!!



Poor Hugo Chavez, he can't catch a break. But being the worker bee he is, he's willing to create his own.

Krauthammer Wrong on Nuclear

Charles Krauthammer has an interesting way about him.  He's either bang on or completely off base.  These comments from Krauthammer fall into the latter category.  Nuclear power is not going away.  Just like oil.  In fact, it will probably outlive oil by decades or even centuries. This reaction from Krauthammer is hysteria, and it's just plain wrong.

Obama's Libya plan in a nutshell

Okay, really I was just looking for an excuse to post this classic youtube video. 

SPOILER ALERT: Leeroy Jenkins rocks, unlike Obama. Plus it's funny in this context - unlike foreign policy.

WARNING - some language.

But really, not paying attention and then ignoring all planning and charging in isn't that far off.  Remember the need for the beer summit?  Remember the abandoning of Mubarak because things seemed to be headed the other way?  Remember the abandoning of the Iranian people because he had no clue of what else to do?  Libya just seems like a last minute charge without any forethought.

Newsweek's The Mindless Middle

Doug Schoen is a Democratic pollster who often appears on Fox News. In his recent article in Newsweek, The Mindless Middle, he points out that conservative and liberal 'fringe' elements seem to know their history, politics and government, it's the middle swath of voters who remain clueless and don't seem to care.

More damaging than Abu Ghraib?

According to The Guardian there are some photos that will be more damaging than the Abu Ghraib controversy;

Winning Latino Voters: Another Poll Buries The Lead

Latina conservatives do exist.

There's a way to deliver bad news.  There's also a way to deliver good news. The way Moore Information delivered it's news about it's polling in Latino voters and the GOP in California is not a good example of either.  It is however an example of burying the lead.

Chavez, Obama's War and Code Pink

In case you missed it the U.S. has launched over 100 tomahawk missiles into Libya today.  It begs the question why this is different from what happen in Iran in 2009?  Why wasn't the Green Revolution supported like this?  Nevertheless, this is an overdue response.  Yet some responses are dependably ridiculous.

Visual Reminder: Leftist protests are not peace and love

You can be forgiven if you tuned out for a bit and when you came back you thought this was a preview for Walking Dead Season 2.

PPP poll - WTF.

Public Policy Polling has a post that borders on deliberate character assassination: Charlie Sheen beats Sarah Palin among independents.  Really?  This is serious polling?  And is that serious voter intention?

Meltdown, Libya, Debt: Obama's Solution - NCAA picks

Obama 2012 run a jog?

Talk of how Hillary Clinton is feeling disenchanted by the Obama administration should come as no surprise. Put her at number 59,000,000 on the list of unhappy Americans of voting age. With problems in Japan, Libya and unfathomable debt on top of anemic responses to situations in Egypt and Iran before that, the President is looking exceptionally ineffectual and he's dragging the country into that realm along with him.  These are trying times and those 3 a.m. phone calls are coming at all hours of the day and night.

Stealing elections

I'm not sure how you can proactively prevent this type of criminal subterfuge designed to distort an election. It is probably not even possible. But it serves as a reminder to be vigilant. Tea Parties need to keep an eye on activities in their areas to prevent this sort of thing.

Hillary NOT running?

According to Hillary, she isn't going to serve a second term or be running for President again.

BUT...given Bill's week last week, I think the not running for President again, while welcome, is disingenuous. Or maybe it's just Bill that wants her to run. Either way, count me as unconvinced.

Palpable Inflation

It isn't a Malthusian crisis, but food prices are apparently on the rise.  That's not surprising to me personally; I've noticed a palpable inflation at the grocery store in the last several weeks that rivals the increase at the gas pumps.  True, I'm in Canada. But as the saying goes, when the United States sneezes, Canada catches a cold.  This inflation could be a pretty big sneeze.

National Debt Reduction: How can I help?

I've got a question for my readers. Since most of us are proponents of fiscal restraint for government, and most of us voted for what we believed were/are fiscally conservative candidates, isn't it about time we did more than just turn out to vote?

That's not the question by the way. When the GOP put up what basically amounted to an Internet suggestion box on ways to cut government spending, they received a number of ideas. One idea I'm not sure was posted or not is one I'd like to drill down on a little. So here's my question.

Perino: Right on Energy, Wrong On Obama

Dana Perino, former Bush Press Secretary is quoted in Politico giving her take on President Obama's seemingly snake-bittern energy policy. The context and position of the article in which her comments are quoted is that President Obama had bad timing on agreeing to expand offshore drilling just before the BP disaster and on compromise with Republicans on nuclear power not long before the nuclear reactor problems in Japan as a result of the earthquake and tsunami. Okay, that's a bit unlucky. But luck often follows the decisions or non-decisions of those it affects.

A Nuclear Freeze Too?

In light of recent events in Japan, quasi-Democrat Joe Lieberman, who caucuses with the Democrats, is calling for a freeze in nuclear facilities production in the United States.  Really?  Do we need to do this right now?  On the heels of a de facto moratorium of offshore drilling permits by the administration there are calls to limit nuclear power as well.  I for one am not all that excited about the prospects of a sudden conversion to solar powered tanks and windmill powered submarines defending the United States, or donkey powered assembly lines at General Motors.

Not cool.

It seems the left will not be satisfied until the United States is quite literally, powerless.


UPDATE:  It appears Lieberman is not alone.

Bill Clinton working for Hillary 2012?

Two stories late last week caught my attention that has me wondering if something is up in the Clinton camp regarding a 2012 presidential run by Hillary Clinton.  Both items came not from Hillary herself but her consort, Bill. The timing is a little odd.

Hot Air had the report on Bill's interventionist nature and indicating it was the reason that Hillary was not on Obama's 2008 ticket - he's a loud-mouth and potential problem; Obama doesn't want anyone outshining him.

Clinton differs from Obama in that he is more of a Wilsonian interventionist, as evidenced in the botched Somalia operation against the warlords in 1993 and the more successful interventions in the Balkans. Obama still hasn’t quite decided what he is — and it shows. This also shows why Obama was so reluctant to tie himself to the Clintons, as this puts Obama squarely in the shadow of Clinton, whose foreign policy at least had the virtue of coherence.

That's a valid point in isolation. But Clinton was also in the news last week for criticizing the delays in granting permits for offshore drilling. Politico touched on it;

But according to multiple people in the room, Clinton, surprisingly, agreed with Bush on many oil and gas issues, including criticism of delays in permitting offshore since last year’s Gulf of Mexico spill.

“Bush said all the things you’d expect him to say” on oil and gas issues, said Jim Noe, senior vice president at Hercules Offshore and executive director of the pro-drilling Shallow Water Energy Security Coalition. But Clinton added, “You’d be surprised to know that I agree with all that,” according to Noe and others in the room.

Clinton said there are “ridiculous delays in permitting when our economy doesn’t need it,” according to Noe and others.

“That was the most surprising thing they said,” Noe said.

The two former presidents both generally agreed on the need to get offshore drilling workers back on the job.

Clinton and Bush also agreed on the need for more domestic shale gas production, with Clinton noting that it has been done safely for years in his home state of Arkansas.

Again in isolation, Bill Clinton looks like he's simply making a political argument about what he would do. What I find curious is that both comments came in the same week, at the early stage of what would be primary season. Perhaps Bill is planting the seeds of a moderate Democrat alternative to Obama (Hillary) in case the prospects of an Obama win wane. Waiting for 2016 would seemingly be just too late for a Hillary run. Let's face it, the Clintons get politics. This could be a co-ordinated effort to with Bill being the loose cannon and Hillary being the diligent Democrat - a triangulation of shorts.

Another possibility is even scarier - what if the Obama administration is behind a third party bid by Hillary in order to siphon all of those independent voters back from Republicans? The idea being, split the disaffected Obama voters from the middle by having Hillary offer a faux third party alternative and then run up the middle and allow Obama to win with less than 50% of the vote. Clinton himself won less than 50% of the vote in 1992 and even in the substantial victory in 1996.  He knows the value of a third party siphon.

The double whammy criticisms, while not necessarily mentioning Obama directly, clearly undercut the President in terms of leadership on two very important issues.  What happens next will be very interesting.

U.S. Military and the Tea Party: Volunteer Armies

In his early life Cecil Day Lewis, the father of actor Daniel Day Lewis, was a communist. In the late 1930's (1930-1938) he was even a member of the communist party. However, as the years passed he became disillusioned with communism.  In 1938 as his disillusionment was growing, along with a sense of British patriotism and an understanding of an inevitable war to come, he released a selection of poems which included The Volunteer a portion of which is included below (emphasis added).

Japan disaster has a human cost

I'd like to add my thoughts and prayers to those going out for the people in Japan affected by the terrible earthquake and tsunami.

Frightening scenes.

Devastation

But more importantly there's a human toll, which is very sad:

IWAKI, Japan (AP) — The confirmed death toll from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan yesterday stands at 686, but the government says it could be far higher. 

The destruction stretches hundreds of miles along the coast, where thousands of hungry survivors have been huddling in darkened emergency centers cut off from rescuers and aid.  

While the full scale of disaster is not yet known, a top government official says reported cases alone suggest that more than 1,000 were killed.  

One report says four trains disappeared yesterday and still have not been located. Another says 9,500 people in one coastal town are unaccounted for and that at least 200 bodies had washed ashore elsewhere.

The damage to nuclear reactors could still add yet another layer to the tragedy.  Let's pray it doesn't compund the trouble. 

Obama's speech today is not a coincidence

President Obama is expected address the nation today to address the Middle East, oil and probably try to allay fears about the impacts on gas prices and the anemic economic recovery.  It's not a coincidence that it is timed to the Saudi Arabia 'Day of Rage' protests expected today.  I have to admit that the President is trying to get out in front of something for a change instead of voting Not Present on the Middle East for quite some time (since Iran's attempt at a Green Revolution).  What concerns me now is not the fact that he's finally paying serious attention to important events, but rather what his responses might be. This might be for national security an out-of-the-frying-pan-and-into-the-fire moment.

Logical Question For Liberals

Here's a question for liberals. If conservatives are greedy, then why is it that...

President Obama, War Criminal

That's right, I said it.  Perhaps you missed it because you don't read certain leftward-tilting websites. The left is absolutely up in arms over President Obama's recent decision on detention and military trials for terrorist prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Daily Kos and MoveOn.Org were all over this story, and by all over it I mean nowhere in sight. But by the standards to which they held President Bush, President Obama is an even bigger war criminal than his predecessor, especially in light of some under-reported details of President Obama's recent directives.

Emerging Markets Overheating, Inflationary

Yet another quick hit.  The IMF is looking at emerging market economies that have powered the global recovery and considers inflation to be a significant danger. The emerging markets they're talking about aren't just the small players - they include the likes of China and Brazil.

"For the emerging economies, growing at 6.5 to 7 percent, their margins of excess capacity have been largely used up, and as a result we're starting to see incipient signs of overheating," Lipsky told Reuters Insider in an interview.

After the global economic slump of 2008 and 2009, the recovery took divergent paths, with emerging markets powering ahead while advanced economies merely trudged along.

With growth and interest rates remaining unusually low across the developed world, investors have flocked to emerging markets, bringing much-needed capital but also a risk of inflation

What that means is that if the emerging markets are carrying the burden and inflation gets out of control, you can bet they'll start fighting inflation hard and there goes the recovery.  Brazil is already looking to slow things down and so is China.  In fact, China's efforts have considerable impact on the Obama Terabudgets (Megabudgets is so 1983, Gigabudgets, so 1998).  The borrowing will dry up fast if China's inflation worries start driving their actions.

Separately, Zhu Min, special adviser to the IMF's managing director, said China's loan growth was too strong and addressing that was key to safely slowing down the economy.

That's the U.S. they are talking about with respect to loans. That might be good news for deficit hawks but that means the potential for QE3, money printing and spiralling inflation in the U.S. Those deficits have to be funded somehow.  Not to mention, it could curtail the recovery at the same time. Remember stagflation? While it's too soon to consider all that as the only outcome, the possibility should not be overlooked.

Subway Beating MacDonald's A Big Deal?

Another quick hit:  Apparently there are now more Subway restaurants worldwide than MacDonald's. Wow. That is a big deal that proves there are business models out there that speed the business growth cycle to a 21st century pace.  That said, it's a bit like comparing apples and oranges. MacDonald's is a big expensive enterprise to start up, requiring significantly higher start-up cost and effort. Subways are smaller, less expensive stores, and the payback period is likely much shorter.  So is smaller better?  Maybe.  It depends on the circumstances.  The most intriguing take away for me is that it looks like fast food might be one area where U.S. exports has a huge growth potential.

Given the inexpensive nature of the business, and given that in so many economies food is such a significant portion of the household budget, I'd expect Subway (and others) to outperform the likes of GM or Apple in many countries.

Military trials resuming at Guantanmo. Obama be praised.

Another quick hit: President Obama has resumed military trials at Guantanamo, pleasing absolutely no one. The left will be livid at this, while the right realizes they never should have stopped in the first place. Seriously, do we give the man credit for finally realizing what he should have understood from Day 1?  If you really want to scratch your head consider this one: when he called for closing the detention facility he called it a rallying point for Muslim extremists around the world, yet he's resuming the trials while the Middle East is undergoing a sea change of revolution and chaos. Dumb, dumb, dumb, in the sense of consistency with one's own argument. Then again, that's never stopped them before.

Actually, what irks me most is a scan of the news on the subject. Everyone calls it a resumption or an end to the freeze, as if all along the President had planned to resume the trials at some point.  When the President ordered a temporary halt to the trials, I'm pretty sure everyone thought it was the first step on the way to a complete dismantling of Guantanamo detention and trials. I wonder how the far left human rights activists like Code Pink will take this news. I take that back, we already know, don't we.

Palin's parents - bitter clingers?

Just a quick hit, no pun intended, on some news of the day. Sarah Palin's parents apparently are sleeping with guns because of death threats they've received from various nut jobs, most likely of a liberal bent. One in particular had them spooked, but the FBI   Does that mean that the President would consider them 'bitter clingers'?

Presumably Chuck and Sally Heath's crime was producing Sarah Palin.  Once again, the left, as anxious as they are to paint every possible idiot with a gun as a fascist right wing nut job (see the Giffords shooting scenario), are going to ignore the vitriolic hatred pointed at the right.  Luckily this was caught in time to prevent another Giffords type tragedy.

EXIT question: Does this sort of thing carry enough weight that Sarah Palin would not run for President?  She's always said the impact on her family is one of her biggest considerations.

Monthly Federal Deficit Hits Record

According to an article in the Washington Times, the latest monthly deficit number is stunningly atrocious:

The federal government posted its largest monthly deficit in history in February at $223 billion, according to preliminary numbers the Congressional Budget Office released Monday morning.

That figure tops last February’s record of $220.9 billion, and marks the 29th straight month the government has run in the red — a modern record. The last time the federal government posted even a monthly surplus was September 2008, just before the financial collapse.

Obama Double Counting on Health Care Funding

I said this needed to brought up every day. Just doing my part to make sure this doesn't go away:

I don't think I can post this every day for two years, but an occasional reminder and perhaps a remix will go a long way.

Permit Baby, Permit!

Late Friday, too late for any major inclusion in the news cycle and likely to be overlooked over the weekend, President Obama's Department of the Interior appealed the court ruling that gave it 30 days to make a decision to approve or deny several deep water drilling permits.  The latest stalling tactic, while not unexpected, is instructive as to the thinking behind the White House decisions.

Sebelius: Okay yeah, we're double counting

This slam dunk needs to be replayed ad nauseum between now and November 2012. Health and Human Sacrifices secretary Kathleen Sebelius is being questioned regarding the money for Obamacare. She initially tries to answer the very direct question by explaining what money they are talking about.  That is a non-answer by obfuscation. When Rep. Shimkus tries to get a simple answer, eventually he does.

That is slam dunk material.

Global Warming Obama Irony

I'm sure all eyes today will be on the fact that unemployment fell below 9% for the first time in seemingly forever.  While 8.9% is nothing to crow about, I'm sure the Democrats will.  In any case it will likely overshadow a story that speaks to the general irony of the Obama Presidency.  That irony being that the President's stated intentions do not match his actions, and the outcome of his actions are often diametrically opposed to his 'intentions'.

American Middle East Policy: F.

While U.S. Middle East policy has ranged from a B to D under previous administrations, the current state of affairs represents no better than an F.  While the blame can not be laid entirely at the feet of President Obama, the lion's share certainly rests with his inaction.  Libya likely represents another lost opportunity for the United States in what is rapidly becoming a embarrassment of lost opportunities. The problem is bigger than the gaffes of just one President; it is a result of endemic short-sighted American Middle East policy that pre-dates President Obama, though his contributions to the problem have been major.

Canadian Health Care Goes To The...Donuts.

Flu shot with that?

Donuts for Doctors?  Vancouver Canada's Royal Columbian Hospital had an unexpected overflow of patients.  Tim Horton's is Canada's version of Dunkin Donuts, with great coffee.  So where did the overflow of patients at Royal Columbian Hospital get sent?  To Tim Horton's, which was doubling as a waiting room. UPDATE: The actual story refers to them using the Coffee and Donut store as the Emergency Room overflow, not the waiting room.

When more than 100 patients overflowed the 48 beds in the Royal Columbian Hospital’s emergency room late Monday and early Tuesday, officials looked across the hall at a Tim Hortons outlet and started moving stretchers in.

ER doctor spokesman Dr. Sheldon Glazer said it was better than the alternative of treating more people in hallways, as it allowed for better care and privacy.

Overflowing emergency rooms have been a long-standing problem in Lower Mainland hospitals. The problem is in part due to delays in transferring people out of emergency to beds in other wards.

The provincial health ministry measures the length of time it takes patients who are admitted through emergency rooms to get a bed. The provincial target calls for 80 per cent to be transferred within 10 hours.

Where to start with this story?  How about with the logical conclusion - Canadian style health care is not necessarily the way to go.  Take a hint single payer enthusiasts.

Well, Huck's Out.

If this story is accurate, I think Huckabee just blew his chance to win - the mainstream media will rip him up over it.  Given that possibility, I don't think he's going to run.  It was suspect anyway, now I'm convinced he's not running.  What does the story say about Huck?  This;

A possible Republican presidential candidate suggested in a radio interview that President Barack Obama's childhood in Kenya shaped his world-view – even though Mr Obama did not visit Kenya until he was in his 20s.

Minus some revealing new truth, Huckabee will be subjected to the kind of ridicule someone would should get if they said they had campaigned in 57 states or something equally ridiculous.

CBS said that? Government Wasting Your Money.

The only thing surprising about this CBS News piece about government waste, is that CBS News actually ran it.  This is the network of Dan Rather and Mary Mapes. So why did they do it?  They did it because they actually believe it can help President Obama.