White House mulling more 'stimulus'
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Politico.com has invented a new word to go along with the raft of other alleged phobias that have permeated political rhetoric this year. The write this morning about “Obama-phobics.” Interestingly, they don’t use the word to describe supporters of the tea party movement, or conservatives in general – but rather hill Democrats, who the political news website say “increasingly blame the president – and his ambitious, expensive legislative agenda – for their dismal prospects this November.” The new word is included to describe the tough time they expect President Obama to have selling what they say is a “raft of emergency fixes (he’s reportedly working on) to stimulate the economy before the midterms.” The White House is trying to make it clear that it won’t be a “second stimulus,” since that first stimulus has proven to be one of more unpopular things any political party has done. Nevertheless, administration officials have been huddling almost continuously during the past week, brainstorming for ideas that would boost employment without hiking the massive federal deficit. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner rushed to the West Wing for further consultations late Thursday. Stay tuned.
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| politico.com: White House considering emergency economic stimuli
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U.S. self reports alleged human rights abuses
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The world is being told that the United States has a human rights problem – that we violate the human rights of some of our citizens. It’s not some nosy organization in Sweden making this claim. It’s our own state department. For the first time ever, our State Department is self-reporting human rights abuses in the United States. But, the real kicker is what – in the opinion of the Obama government – constitutes human rights abuses. We’ll discuss this new development this morning with Roger Pilon, who served in the Reagan administration as director of policy for the State Department's Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. He’s now vice president for legal affairs at the Cato Institute.
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| cato.org: Wrong about Human Rights
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Feds sue Sheriff Joe
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The federal government has Arizona in its sights again. Well, not all of Arizona – just Sheriff Joe. The Justice Department sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Thursday, saying the Arizona lawman has refused to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics. The lawsuit calls Arpaio and his office's defiance "unprecedented," and said the federal government has been trying since March 2009 to get officials to comply with its probe of alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and having English-only policies in his jails that discriminate against people with limited English skills. Arpaio's office had said it has fully cooperated in the jail inquiry but won't hand over additional documents into the examination of the alleged unconstitutional searches because federal authorities haven't said exactly what they were investigating.
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| Yahoo News: Feds sue Arizona sheriff in civil rights probe
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Wyoming man donates $1.5 million to AZ legal fund
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A Wyoming man has given more than $1.5 million to help defend Arizona's controversial immigration enforcement measure in court. The donation from Timothy Mellon of Saratoga brings to $3.6 million the total in donations to Gov. Jan Brewer's legal defense fund. The latest legal bills released Thursday show Brewer's office has spent more than $440,000 for the first two months of defending the law. The bills are for work performed through June. They do not cover July hearings in federal court before a judge temporarily blocked enforcement of the law.
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| Fox News: Wyoming Man Donates $1.5M to Defend Arizona Immigration Law in Court
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Investigators call for 'fundamental reform' of climate panel
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An independent investigation called for "fundamental reform" at the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, saying the organization's 2007 report played down uncertainty about some aspects of global warming. The probe of the IPCC, the climate-science body that won the Nobel Peace Price three years ago, was conducted by the InterAcademy Council, a consortium of national scientific academies. The InterAcademy Council investigation didn't question whether human activity is causing global warming. Instead, it focused on the IPCC's process for forming conclusions, including one that projected Himalayan glaciers would melt by 2035. A particular problem in the 2007 report was that it didn't consistently reflect uncertainty in some aspects of climate change, the investigation found. For instance, the investigation noted, the 2007 IPCC report said it had "high confidence" that climate change could halve the output of rain-fed agriculture in Africa by 2020. But a fuller explanation about how the IPCC came up with that "high confidence," the investigation said, "would have made clear the weak evidentiary basis" for that statement. The investigation also said the IPCC sometimes failed to adequately reflect "properly documented" views of scientists who disagreed with the consensus conclusions.
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| Wall Street Journal: Climate Panel Faces Heat
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Metro claims hotel will make debt payments easier
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The city of Nashville is producing still more questionable projections – this time to sell its planned subsidy of the proposed new Omni hotel. Citing an analysis by HVS, the same company whose rosy projections supported the convention center financing package earlier this year, Metro Finance Director Rich Riebeling said the hotel would bring millions of additional dollars into city coffers each year. Reibeling and HVS said the hotel's presence would bring in nearly $3 million more in 2013, the year it and the convention center would open. By the year 2029, he claims the difference would be more than $15 million. Reibeling doesn’t say (or at least the newspaper doesn’t report) how he came up with those figures (which part of his anatomy he pulled them from). The report also doesn’t say whether the projected excess revenue is over and above that which they have promised to give back to the hotel as part of Metro’s planned $128 million subsidy of the project.
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| The Tennessean: Nashville says hotel will soften blow of convention center debt
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Professor claims firing based on PC
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A longtime professor at UCLA says he''s being fired after 36 years at the prestigious school because his scientific beliefs are "politically incorrect." UCLA says Dr. James Enstrom''s politics have nothing to do with its decision. Enstrom, an epidemiologist at UCLA''s School of Public Health, has a history of running against the grain. In 2003 he wrote a study, published in the British Medical Journal, in which he found no causal relationship between secondhand smoke and tobacco-related death. Now Enstrom says his studies show no causal link between diesel soot and death in California – findings that once again set him far apart from the pack and put him in direct conflict with the California Air Resources Board. The expected benefits of the new standards have been used to justify their estimated $5.5 billion price tag, which opponents say will cripple the California trucking industry at a time when the state can least afford it. The new standards, the critics warn, also could set the stage for national regulations. Enstrom questions the science behind the new emissions standards, and he has raised concerns about the two key reports on which they were based. He also exposed the author of one study as having faked his credentials. Enstrom says his views are what have gotten him fired, raising serious concerns not only about the diesel regulations but about academic freedom and scientific research as a whole.
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| Fox News: Scientist's Firing After 36 Years Fuels 'PC' Debate at UCLA
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Europe hoards traditional light bulbs
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As of now, it is a crime to manufacture or ship for sale a traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulb in the European Union (EU). In 2012, the traditional bulb will be fully phased out in the EU. It’s a preview of things to come in the U.S., which its scheduled to begin a phase out of the traditional light bulb in 2012, the year the phase out is complete in the EU. How are EU consumers reacting? 75-watt packages have been flying off the shelves as customers fill their closets, garages and attics with lighting supplies for the long term. Der Spiegel reported that German customers left hardware stores with carts jammed with enough incandescent bulbs to last 20 years.
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| National Center for Policy Analysis: Europe's Light Bulb Socialism
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Sen. Alexander undecided on Kagan
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June 29, 2010 - Sen. Lamar Alexander says he's undecided on how he will vote on the confirmation of Elana Kagan to the Supreme Court.
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Blackburn explains Puerto Rico vote
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May 4, 2010 - Congressman Marsha Blackburn's vote on Puerto Rico statehood has come under considerable scrutiny. Here's her explanation and understanding of the issue.
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Corker defends work on finance bill
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April 22, 2010 - Sen. Bob Corker responds to a Tea Party protest of his work of the financial regulation bill, saying he opposes the bill and will vote to filubuster it, but hopes to improve it since it's likely to pass.
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Ralph Rant - U.S. doesn't belong to middle
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April 20, 2010 - A listener invites me to "get out" of America because the U.S. doesn't belong to people like me. It belongs to people like him - people in the middle. I graciously reject his invitation in this premeditated Ralph Rant.
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Corker condemns spending
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April 15, 2010 - After first swearing off "earmarks," at least for a year, Sen. Bob Corker joins Ralph in condemning all runaway spending by Congress and pledges to make it a top priority going forward.
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Taxation Townhall highlight
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April 12, 2010 - Author, historian William Federer was a big hit at our Taxation Townhall Meeting on April 9th. Here's his 3-minute lesson on the history of concentrated power.
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Taxation townhall highlight 2
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April 12, 2010 - Here's another William Federer highlight from the WTN Taxation Townhall Meeting on taxes. It's a primer on Machiavelliism.
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Blackburn supports radio 'performance tax'
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April 5, 2010 - From time to time, we argue with our friends too. Congressman Marsha Blackburn and I have very different views on a proposed new performance tax on radio.
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Click here to see view the albums in Ralph's photo gallery.
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Music City Honor Flight
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Learn more about Honor Flight, which provides free trips to Washington D.C. to WWII Vets to see the WWII Memorial. The site includes a link to make a donation online, or address to send a check to help with the cause.
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Accurate Mortgage
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Accurate Mortgage sponsors Nashville's Morning News and helped me refinance my mortgage. Ph: (615) 833-0456 or click on the link. Mike, Joe and the gang will take good care of you.
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Cool Springs Ear, Nose, Throat and Allergy
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For a hearing problem, allergies, sleep disorders or any problems with you ears, nose or throat, call my friends at Cool Spring ENT. (615) 739-6646
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Cornerstone Brokerage
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For all of your health insurance needs, contact Kelly Albert at Cornerstone Brokerage. Ph: 860-8922. Cornerstone is an independent insurance agency that provides other useful insurance products as well. Click the link for more information.
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Huffines Dental Excellence
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Need a dentist? Call mine. Dr. Ricky Huffines and his wonderful staff can take care of all of your dental needs. Ph (615)815-1559 or click on the link.
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Inception Network Stragegies
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If you are a small to medium sized business needing IT support, contact my sponsor, Inception Network Strategies at (615) 236-5402 or click on the link. Brian and his team are top-knotch IT professionals.
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Liquidation Outlet
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For bargain basement prices on general merchandise, visit Liquidation outlet in Murfreesboro at 1020 West College Street.
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Mr. B's Air Duct Cleaning
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If you need your air ducts cleaned, call Mr. B's Air Duct Cleaning. Warren and his crew will do a great job - or you pay nothing! Call (615) 244-1785.
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Myers Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
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This Nashville family owned business since 1977 is now servicing some of the grandchildren of their original customers. Myers has been a BBB accredited business since 1989 and receives an A+ rating from the BBB. You can depend on Myers for fair pricing and excellent service, whether you need plumbing, heating or AC service.
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Paul Winkler, The Investor Coach
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It's hard to break bad habits, but Paul and his team can help you break bad investment habits and adopt much better ones. Start investing with confidence by calling Paul for a free initial consultation. (615) 851-1950
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Pilotjourney.com
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Click here to view a video of my Discovery Flight experience from Pilotjourney.com
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 Ralph Bristol is a 30-year veteran of radio and TV broadcasting. He is a US Air Force veteran and holds a BS degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Ralph was a radio and TV reporter, anchor and news director in Missouri and Illinois before joining WORD Radio in Greenville/Spartanburg, SC in 1995.
In the spring of 2007, Supertalk 99.7 WWTN beckoned Ralph to Nashville. Ralph defies political labels, and has no partisan loyalties, but can best be described as a libertarian/conservative. Ralph writes and speaks extensively on education, tax and economic issues. In his spare time, Ralph terrorizes golf courses, invents useful things with sharp tools and dead wood, and entertains audiences with irreverent humor and contrarian insight. Invite him to speak to your group at your own risk. |
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