Updates- Armageddon

The economy is still in the tanks and so the Great Recession is still underway.  Domestic and global outlook is not promising. Job loss is still around 7.8% but the actual out-of-work figures are skyrocketing as people simply give up on trying to find jobs.

In terms of domestic tranquility, we are now testing spy drones, domestically (HERE IN THE U.S.) for the purported goals of achieving "public safety."  Specific details have not been outlined but the continued march towards domestic focused foreign policy seems to continue.  Each week it seems we are learning more and more about federal efforts to closely monitor private citizens.  Chipper.

The POTUS is using Sesame Street and Big Bird to make salient, intelligent political commentary about  presidential competitor, Mitt Romney.  As funny as that sentence is, its actually not because it's true. We're using cartoons now.  Might as well roll out the pop-up books next. 

On the actual Wall Street, there is something referred to as "high frequency trading" going on.  That's not abnormal but a new -- or newly discovered -- algorithm gummed up the stock exchange and dominated roughly 10% of the bandwidth for placing orders (and accounted for 4% of all trades).  Essentially, a technological stress test was conducted by some unknown party for some unknown reason.  The algorithm used was designed to allow high frequency traders primary access to move stocks around will barring or limiting competition from other traders.  TCD is unsure who's behind this algorithm so I put this news topic in the domestic-abroad category. 

In abroad, proper, POTUS congratulated Hugo Chavez on his win in the Venezuelan presidential race.  Yes, the same Chavez that likes to kid around about shooting a nuke at us and plays host to Iranian, Chinese and Russian interests every chance he gets.

And in abroad, I TOLD YOU SO news, Iran is sneaking ever closer to a nuclear warhead.  I believe TCD's last guesstimate on a testable warhead was mid-year 2013.  Seems like they're on schedule for that deadline.  The newer Fordo site in Iran is capable of enriching uranium up to 20% (which can be rapidly converted into bomb levels).  Fordo is running at roughly 1/3 capacity; meaning if they fire up all of the centrifuges Iran can pump out enough fissile material to make a bomb each month.  We're also told that Iran has likely been testing a trigger for a warhead.  We know for a fact that they have several ICBMs now, so really, it's only a matter of time.

Obviously, Iran is not seeking peaceful nuclear energy.  I think the fact that they sit on top of a ton of oil should have been a good indicator that they didn't really need the nuclear physicist for addressing domestic energy needs.  Maybe they just need to build really good medical equipment.  That probably explains why they're enriching Uranium up to 20% now.   We know it's not for Iran's "nuclear energy infrastructure."  Iran has only one nuclear reactor.  They don't need 20% uranium to run it.  It can run on 3% and they have plenty of 3%...

Death and Flames of Peace

Several U.S. embassies were recently stormed by "peaceful" extremist, muslim Jihadists.  During the peaceful protests several Americans were killed including an Ambassador in Libya.  After the initial wave of attacks on the embassy, it seems the peaceful muslims then proceeded to a nearby safe house to kill families and other Americans who retreated to the undisclosed location for security.  

Following the attack on the consulate in Libya, additional attacks took place in Cairo, Egypt and Tunisia.  

The black flag of Al Qaeda was raised and American interests were set on fire. Small incidents have also developed in Yemen, Lebanon, Afghanistan and elsewhere.  At home, there have been bomb threats in Texas and several other states.  There are additional "protests" taking place throughout the Middle East.  What is POTUS's response?  The Administration has taken the official position that the reason for the violence is an absurd film by a proclaimed American Coptic Christian.  The film patronizes Muhammad and generally criticizes Islam as being violent.  As a result, Obama has asked Youtube to suppress the first amendment rights of a U.S. citizen in hopes that, somehow, this will placate Al Qaeda.  Judging by the trailers, this movie looks horrible and trivializes the actual violence taking place against actual Coptic Christians in Egypt.  So how can this be the flashpoint for the current violence?  Either the followers of Al Qaeda Islam are really insane (such that they would kill over something so dumb) or our President is completely in the dark about what is really happening over there.  Perhaps, both answers are correct.

We now know that POTUS Obama's first round of Mid-East apologies wasn't successful.  Perhaps it will work on the second try?  After all, these people seem mentally grounded. 

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Domestically, Solyndra's failure (and your tax dollars) have been converted into a multi-million dollar loss that is on display as "art."  Yes, the green economy of the future is based on converting billions in cash into trinkets that do nothing but look interesting.

Agenda's Aplenty

A Mormon owned t.v. station has recently decided that it will not run a show about a gay couple who is utilizing surrogacy to create a biological child (and which airs during prime-time when the "family" is traditionally huddled around the t.v.).  The Mormon church, as you may know, is a bit conservative and teaches highly offensive things like heterosexual marriage between adults and a belief in God (and the book of Mormon... but whatever the point is, they're conservative).  Naturally, the t.v. station's decision to not run the show has been met with calls of prejudice, hate-mongering and the ever-ubiquitous allegation of "homophobia."
   

Distilled, this real-life social drama boils down to a group (Mormon types) choosing not to advance views they disagree with.  And so, they deserve punishment and vitriol.  In the end, we walk away learning that the "New Normal" has more to do with forcing opinions on others and less to do with allowing people to live their lives -- or run their businesses-- as they see fit.  In fact, GLAAD has made it a point to call the church "dangerous." GLAAD's president stated the church was sending a "dangerous" message by not running the show with their message (GLAAD's) embedded in it.  HA!  How very democratic of them.  One "star" of the show, Ellen Barkin, called the church "shameful." (Ms. Barkin plays the intolerant, conservative bigot).

The real issue for me is the fact that the show looks absolutely horrible.  Why didn't KSL-TV just say, "This show is horrendously bad.  It's stereotypical portrayal of conservatives is tired.  The "jokes" are obvious, boring, un-creative and, frankly, not funny.  Plus, the characters seem like snotty annoying jerks. So, we've decided to run infomercials for an hour instead."  No one would have batted an eye. The truth is, if the show had been half as good as Modern Family, KSL-TV might have actually put it on the air.  Crappy product combined with excessive liberal politics is a recipe for disaster in any market; let alone a conservative one.
  

In other interesting news, a liberal media group is running an article about homosexuality being the result of environmental influences; more so, than biological predeterminations.  Hmmm, it seems environment can shape who we are.  I think I now understand why GLAAD is so offended by the Mormon attempts to defend their culture.  We can't simply allow other people to teach something we disagree with.  That would be... freedom.  Ewww, gross.

Here's another interesting note on screaming liberal tolerance. (Study finds liberals are least tolerant of all online users). 

Hate Speech

During a recent political ruckus, a GLBT advocate / lesbian decided to advance "change."  The method for effecting such change was to stage an attack by proclaimed male Christians who allegedly cut the woman in various places, carved derogatory terms into her skin and then cut a large cross in her chest.  The police have now demonstrated (and she has plead guilty to the charge) of fabricating the attack.  Basically, she carved a cross in her own chest and said "Look what these Christians did to me!"  I guess her point was that Christians are horrible people who openly attack homosexuals with knives...  Since, after all, this is the middle ages. If that isn't her point, I'm not exactly sure what "change" she was trying to bring about.  That gays shouldn't trust themselves or their own views about Christians?  Her statement was certainly provocative but I think it points the intolerant finger more in her direction than at the Bible readers.

Never underestimate desperate, imbalanced people. Their form of political debate is the trickiest kind to combat.

Holder Still Holding Out

Nearly two (2) years have passed since Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed by guns provided to drug lords through our federal government.  You will note that, to date, there has been absolutely no punishment of any individual within the Department of Justice for this atrocity.  Eric Holder, the guy who is supposed to make us safe by establishing the rule of law, has openly refused to supply requested documents which would indicate the individuals responsible for permitting this atrocity.  Supreme Legal Eagle Holder has repeatedly refused to apply and defend countless laws in the United States and now openly thumbs his nose at a Congressional Subpoena.  As a result, he was held in contempt, yet, still serves at the President's pleasure.  Surely, he'll turn over the documents now right?  Wrong.  The House has been forced to file suit to enforce its subpoena through the courts.  The irony is that morons like Nancy Pelosi have the audacity to claim that the House, by enforcing it's powers and the flipping LAW, is somehow wasting tax dollars... because Holder refuses to follow the law.  I know.  It makes no sense.  Honestly, even as a liberal, why would you allow someone to run your party who is so incompetent and boldy dishonest?!  So what if she votes the way you'd like her to, she makes the entire group seem utterly insane.

More from the story:

Terry was killed in December 2010 in a gun fight with bandits who had crossed the U.S.- Mexico border. Two of the weapons recovered at the scene were part of Fast and Furious, an Obama administration operation that was supposed to try to track guns being sold to Mexican cartels, but which lost track of the weapons, allowing thousands to stream across the border.

 Two things to note...  This is "THOUSANDS" of weapons we are talking about.  It took two (really only one) to result in the death of officer Terry.  How many more are going to die from the other "unaccounted for" guns?  Secondly, we need to expand on the idea that the guns were "lost track of."  That's not really accurate.  In reality, we are told that the federal powers running this operation specifically ordered that we ignore the gun's movement.  The D.O.J. / BATFE put guns into the hands of murdering scum and specifically told agents to shut up when they protested the idiocy of the act.  Moreover, they told them not to follow or track the weapons.  And when they blew the whistle?  They threatened, demoted and punished them.

Fast and Furious is so "special" because it utilized “uncontrolled delivery,” whereby the criminals were essentially allowed to drop off the map. Moreover, the operation wasn't conducted with the cooperation or knowledge of the Mexican government.  Splendid.

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Also, as we all know, the TSA is utterly and absolutely worthless.  Yesterday (or somewhere there abouts) an individual swam up to a fence, climbed over it and sauntered past a $100 Million "super-duper high tech" monitoring system.... all the way past the candy cane forest and right into the airport...  No, this isn't fiction.  It's TSA at its finest.  Good job TSA!  You deserve more of our tax dollars!!!  I'm so glad you fondle our junk.  That way, at least we know we are getting some return on our money.

Lazarus

Like the Biblical figure, TCD has returned from the dead.  We had a forced hiatus for a while due to a combination of work and other trivialties which I won't bore you with but the good news is there are TONS of things going on out there in the world that deserve the scorn and sarcasm of The Duck.

So, first and foremost, let us recall POTUS's brilliant words that if you are a small business owner, you "didn't build that [business]" because the federal government or some public teacher did.   What?! How utterly absurd.  Highways didn't develop until Henry Ford began mass producing cars.  The internet may have been born, technically (kind of), from U.S. military application but civilians showed the government how to use it and the potential for its use.  Moreover, the computers that lead to the development of said internet started off with private citizens more so than any government action.  So, using POTUS's logic, the private individual is responsible for all that the federal government has done since 1941 give or take a few years..  A computer created/exploited the internet, so the computer gets all the credit right?  Of course the foolishness of this intellectual gibberish is beyond the mental faculties of a union minded, big government person... Meahhh... so be it.  Here is POTUS's reasoning summed up by one very clever individual (and which I find utterly hilarious):

 "How about that Michael Phelps? [TCD Edit- THE Greatest Olympian Ever] But let's remember he didn't win all those medals, someone else did. After all, he and I swam in public pools, built by state employees using tax dollars. He got training from the U.S.O.C. and ate food grown by the Department of Agriculture. He should ... share his medals with people like me, who can barely keep [their] head[s] above water, let alone swim."

In other news, Amtrak managed to lose over $800 million selling cheeseburgers and sodas.  Despite the fact that a burger will cost you over $9 as a rider, they still managed to lose another $7 on top of that. Amtrak riders also pay roughly $2.00 for a Pepsi but each of these sodas cost the U.S. Treasury $3.40.... [You will note that ] Amazon.com is currently selling 24-packs of 12 ounce Pepsi cans for $8.94 -- which averages to about 75 cents per can."   "How in the heck is it possible for Amtrak to screw up so bad," you ask?  Because the federal government is REALLY good at running businesses and in doing all things basically.  Way better in fact than say, Chick-Fil-A...

Which leads us to this story: Mayors and city councilman/alderman have recently vowed to exclude Chick-Fil-A from their communities after the privately-owned company's president expressed his belief that marriage should be defined as it is in the Bible (and which also happens to be the federal law, for the record). Chick-Fil-A, as an organization, also donates to several non-profit groups that discourage homosexual lifestyles and/or gay marriage.  As a result, Dan Cathy's views have been dubbed "hate speech" and "bigotry."  Simply holding a different opinion about something is not "hate speech" but in this day and age anything with a Christian perspective IS considered hate speech so, maybe, under modern terminology it technically is... (of course, in which case, the belief that one should "love thy neighbor" is also hate speech... technically)  To come to this "hate filled" conclusion we obviously must ignore the fact that Chick-Fil-A gladly serves homosexuals in their restaurants, hires them as employees and allows them to advance within the company.  

(More After The Jump)

Happy Fourth of July Fellow Patriots!

Work and study have been difficult but how pathetic are my complaints in the face of the oppressed who's labors are ever fruitless. I struggle to advance while others toil to eat! How blessed we truly are as a nation. I thank my forefathers and fellow brethren for their sacrifices and wisdom in understanding the limitless value of freedom. God bless our country! 

Here is a quote that I find particularly relevant to our times; especially given recent court decisions which have sought to exact a price upon our freedom under the false construction of "general welfare" and federal preemption: 

Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.

  -Benjamin Franklin