Busting out the economy -since 1934

 

1934 Cartoon from Chicago Tribune

"What's past is prologue." -William Shakespeare

Mother and baby dead: abortion clinic says everything went "well"

Queens clinic A1 Medicine probed after Alexandra Nunez is fatally injured while undergoing abortion

Detectives are investigating a Queens clinic where a 37-year-old woman was fatally injured while undergoing an abortion, officials said Tuesday.

Alexandra Nuñez began bleeding heavily during the procedure at A1 Medicine in Jackson Heights on Monday, officials said.

One of Nuñez's arteries was inadvertently severed and she went into cardiac arrest, according to police sources.

She was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where she died a short time later.
...
An employee at the clinic - a one-stop gynecology and plastic surgery clinic that was still seeing patients yesterday - insisted that everything had gone well at the second-floor medical facility.

"The patient was transferred to the hospital, she didn't die at the clinic," said the woman, who refused to give her name. "Nothing happened here."

And what is the clinic's concern after evidently causing the death of a patient? ...that they're not to blame. "Nothing happened here."

ABC happy to insult Jesus and His followers

All Hail? Apple Expected to Unveil 'Jesus' Tablet Today - ABC News

All Hail? Apple Expected to Unveil 'Jesus' Tablet Today
...Though Apple has been characteristically quiet on details, industry watchers say all signs seem to point to the announcement of a device so hyped it has been dubbed the "Jesus" tablet...

The casual use of the name of Jesus is scandalous to many Christians, who love Jesus and worship Him as God.

It's one thing to acknowledge within the article that some have referred to the new Apple device as the "Jesus tablet". But to make that the focus of the article's title is unnecessary and truly in bad taste.

ABC is displaying a crass insensitivity toward the religious sensibilities of many individuals. Would ABC insult Islam in this way?

Wael Farouk -the art of doing one thing well

Egyptian Piano Phenomenon Studies at Converse College -Connections Online Magazine (October 2007 issue)

Converse graduate student and pianist Wael Farouk was turned away from the Cairo Conservatory of Music when he was seven years old.

It wasn't because of his grades; they were exceptional. It wasn't because of his age; young students are not unusual. The reason? His small hands. But Wael and his father managed to convince the administration to just give him a chance. They did, and Wael began what would become a 15-year tenure of studying at the conservatory with consistent high marks.
"Ever since I was a boy, I have had to prove that I can play piano no matter what people say," said the 23-year-old. "People do different things well, and piano is the only thing I do well -even with my small hands. I do it through faith, will, and my trust in God."

Wael became the first Egyptian to ever play the Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto, and debuted the piece with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra in 2002. "That moment was the highest and happiest in my life," said Wael. This piece is extremely demanding for any pianist, and it has the longest stretch at the keyboard ever recorded. Wael debuted the piece in Russia in 2003, and he was invited back to play it again this March...

I had never seen Wael Farouk before his recital at Steinway Pianos in Downers Grove, Illinois, on April 18, 2009. When he took the stage, I couldn't help but notice his very small stature and similarly small hands. I confess I felt a little disappointed, my expectations diminished, for the Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff on his program -as well as the Steinway Model D- promised to demand more power than Mr. Farouk could possibly be expected to deliver.

Never will I forget my astonishment, which remains vivid today, ten months later. Mr. Farouk's performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition was bold, exciting, full of color and power.

The Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36, was unfamiliar and new to me. But Mr. Farouk did not simply play the piece so much as conjure a hurricane, an impassioned and unstoppable force that burst from the piano and unleashed its fury on all present.

I couldn't have been more wrong when I expected a pint-size performance from this physically small man. I thought I knew better than to judge a book by its cover, yet I misjudged this artist before hearing him. Wael Farouk helped me to see more clearly that making the piano speak to the heart depends much more on the heart than on the hands.

Wael Farouk delivers Chopin

Chopin Preludes, Opus 28


Op 28, No. 3,4


Op 28, No. 13


Op 28, No. 14


Op 28, No. 15, "Raindrop"


Op 28, No. 24

Wael Farouk brings Pictures at an Exhibition to life

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition

Wael Farouk in Las Palmas, Spain (date?)

Mr. Farouk delivers a blazing and colorful performance!

Wael Farouk -a Category 5 storm at the Steinway

Wael Farouk's Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2 begins with a caress, then erupts with breathtaking ferocity and passion. Mr. Farouk clearly is much larger on the inside than his appearance suggests. 

How does he do it? And why isn't he better known?

Solomon Mikowsky, student Wael Farouk, and conductor Philippe Entremont following a performance of the Rachmaninoff Concerto #3 at Manhattan School of Music, 2008. (*)

Got Hope? The change will cost us another $1.9 trillion

Democrats propose $1.9T increase in debt limit -Yahoo! News

"WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats on Wednesday proposed allowing the federal government to borrow an additional $1.9 trillion to pay its bills, a record increase that would permit the national debt to reach $14.3 trillion.

The unpopular legislation is needed to allow the federal government to issue bonds to fund programs and prevent a first-time default on obligations. It promises to be a challenging debate for Democrats, who, as the party in power, hold the responsibility for passing the legislation."

The Democrats' insatiable appetite for spending exceeds even the Republicans of the previous administration, who became intoxicated with the vision of a federal government as a limitless source of cash and solution to every problem.

But the Republicans apparently were Small Potatoes compared with the current Democrat administration, whose desire to control and consume All Things reminds me of a python preparing to swallow a goat.

Republican gives "Kennedy's seat" back to the people... White House yawns

White House: Mass. Vote Won't Change Anything -Newsmax

"One reporter suggested the political blowback in Massachusetts might indicate the administration was out of step with the American people.

[White House Press Secretary Robert] Gibbs replied: 'I think, according to any reasonable measure, the answer to that is, of course not.'"

While many democrats begin to abandon the burning ship of the Obama agenda in order to save their own skin, a few will remain defiant to the end, determined to carry on their course against a rising sea of popular opposition. Public opinion, outcry, and outrage will not deter the diehard radicals. No matter the cost, they will blindly pursue the most radical -and increasingly hated- elements of the Obama agenda, even if it brings about catastrophic losses for the Democratic Party.

For the radicals, it's not about the public good, and it's not even about their own party. It's about power, personal political power, the power to tear down and rebuild according to their own statist vision. To hell with democracy: they're in charge.

Democrats pull all stops to pass Senate health care bill

Senior Dem: Kill the Senate health reform bill and start over - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

Democracy? Representative government? Apparently things of the past. The ruling Democrat party will take power of the medical industry in any way it can, despite strong public opposition.

How many U.S. citizens think their senators and congressmen are representing their wishes in this matter?

Abortion rights group endorses Quinn, Schillerstrom

Abortion rights group endorses Quinn, Schillerstrom -Chicago Tribune

...On the Republican side, Schillerstrom, the DuPage County Board chairman, is the lone abortion-rights supporter in the Feb. 2 primary contest for governor. Cosgrove said the group sent questionnaires to all of the governor candidates, but Schillerstrom was the lone Republican to return his and seek the endorsement.

"We’re comfortable with his positions on the issues," Cosgrove said of Schillerstrom.

In a statement today, Schillerstrom’s campaign said Personal PAC’s support "distinguishes him as the only moderate Republican running for governor and positions him as a centrist with the best chance of winning the general election."

Anyone who supports the "right" to legally kill unborn children is not "moderate", and is not fit for public office.

Caritas Internationalis clamors for climate control?

Caritas charges Japan, Russia attempting to subvert climate talks -Catholic Culture

Caritas Internationalis-- the consortium of Catholic relief agencies-- has charged that Japan, Russia, and other wealthy nations are attempting to subvert climate negotiations in Copenhagen by sidelining the controversial Kyoto Protocol. Referring to poorer nations' "fear that rich countries are trying to kill the strongest legal climate agreement we have," an Irish Caritas representative said, "As heads of state come to Copenhagen in this second week, it's up to rich countries to get the talks back on track by re-committing to the Kyoto Protocol."

"Abandoning the Kyoto Protocol would be a step back for all countries, but especially for the world’s poorest. For them the negotiations are a matter of survival," added a Caritas representative from Scotland. "Vulnerable communities across the world need a fair, ambitious and binding climate agreement, of which the Kyoto Protocol is an essential element."

Caritas is pushing for the Kyoto Protocol? How will the world's poor be better off if the world's largest wealth-producing economies are strangled to death? Who, then, will provide the goods, services, and consumer markets that developing nations need in order to develop and prosper?

The worst scientific scandal of our generation?

Climate change: this is the worst scientific scandal of our generation - Telegraph

...Perhaps the most obvious [revelation]... is the highly disturbing series of emails which show how Dr Jones and his colleagues have for years been discussing the devious tactics whereby they could avoid releasing their data to outsiders under freedom of information laws...

The second and most shocking revelation of the leaked documents is how they show the scientists trying to manipulate data through their tortuous computer programmes, always to point in only the one desired direction - to lower past temperatures and to "adjust" recent temperatures upwards...

The third shocking revelation of these documents is the ruthless way in which these academics have been determined to silence any expert questioning of the findings they have arrived at by such dubious methods...

...Our hopelessly compromised scientific establishment cannot be allowed to get away with a whitewash of what has become the greatest scientific scandal of our age.

Whoops! It looks like the Warmers have been caught with their temperatures down. See who's feeling warm now.

But the Warmers are still after the greenbacks, so they won't easily be dissuaded from yoking the world to their Gospel of Warmth. To save the world, we and our children's children will have to give, give, give until it hurts.

Illinois bureaucrats above the law

Abortion foes upset over delay in parental notice law - Chicago Breaking News

What authority does the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation have to "delay the enforcement" of a law that has been upheld in federal court?

This law has been on the books for 14 years. Hasn't it been delayed enough?

Americans Are Like ‘Teenage Kids’

Steven Chu: Americans Are Like ‘Teenage Kids’ When It Comes to Energy - Environmental Capital - WSJ

When it comes to greenhouse-gas emissions, Energy Secretary Steven Chu sees Americans as unruly teenagers and the Administration as the parent that will have to teach them a few lessons. Speaking on the sidelines of a smart grid conference in Washington, Dr. Chu said he didn’t think average folks had the know-how or will to to change their behavior enough to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

"The American public... just like your teenage kids, aren’t acting in a way that they should act," Dr. Chu said. "The American public has to really understand in their core how important this issue is."

The administration aims to teach them -literally. The Environmental Protection Agency is focusing on real children. Partnering with the Parent Teacher Organization, the agency earlier this month launched a cross-country tour of 6,000 schools to teach students about climate change and energy efficiency.

An update: Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow added: "Secretary Chu was not comparing the public to teenagers. He was saying that we need to educate teenagers about ways to save energy. He also recognized the need to educate the broader public about how important clean energy industries are to our competitive position in the global economy. He believes public officials do have an obligation to make their case to the American people on major legislation, and that’s what he’s doing."

-Wall Street Journal, 2009.09.21

Dr. Chu's words are plain enough, despite the subsequent clarification, which unconvincingly attempts to explain away Dr. Chu's condescension.

President Obama's opponents are violent racists?

Carter again cites racism as factor in Obama's treatment - CNN.com

"'I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American,' Carter told 'NBC Nightly News.'"

Does this mean that everyone who has expressed any strong disapproval of the President Obama's policies and actions is motivated by racism?

The CNN article states that Bill Cosby agrees with Jimmy Carter, so it must be true. And Nancy Pelosi warned us yesterday that the president's opponents are inciting violence.

Is there a coordinated effort to silence and discredit the president's political opponents by smearing them as violent racists?

Offended by Life, Death strikes a blow

Michigan Gunman Was Offended by Victim’s Pro-life Message -EWTN.com

A clash of world views:

1) A man peacefully holds a pro-life sign, advocating the right of each person to be permitted to live.

2) Another man, "offended" by the sign, shoots him dead, advocating a "right" to kill someone who offends or inconveniences him.

Fallen Czar: Van Jones blames "vicious smear campaign"

Controversy over fiery remarks fells Obama adviser -Lake County Record-Bee

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's environmental adviser Van Jones, who became embroiled in a controversy over past inflammatory statements, has resigned his White House job after what he calls a "vicious smear campaign against me."

Last week word got around that "Green Jobs Czar" Van Jones publicly described Republicans as "a**holes". Many people thought that this was a bit over the top for an official appointed by the president -even for the Obama administration. This, on top of increased awareness of Van Jones' past statements and activities, created enough heat to raise the temperature in the White House.

Many citizens, now awakening from their political passivity because of the threat of a federal deconstruction of the world's greatest health care system, voiced loud disapproval of Van Jones' unseemly outburst, and the White House responded by quietly announcing Van Jones' "resignation" this morning, on the Sunday of a three-day weekend.

Jones, of course, has his own view. It wasn't his own derogatory name-calling that cost him his job. His speedy de-czarification is a result of "vicious smear campaign against me." Obviously those who objected to his performance must be "a**holes".

Charles Rangel, D-NY, pays members investigating his ethics

Rangel-ing: Charlie Pays 'Angels' In Ethics Probe - wcbstv.com: "Harlem Congressman Gave Campaign Contributions To 3 Dems On Ethics Committee Charged With Investigating Him"

CBS 2 HD has discovered that since ethics probes began last year the 79-year-old congressman has given campaign donations to 119 members of Congress, including three of the five Democrats on the House Ethics Committee who are charged with investigating him.

Charlie's "angels" on the committee include Congressmen Ben Chandler of Kentucky, G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Peter Welch of Vermont. All have received donations from Rangel.

Only Welch sees something wrong with being financial beholden to Charlie.

"In an abundance of caution, he has returned all campaign contributions from Mr. Rangel," said spokesman Bob Rogan, Welch's Chief of Staff.

It amounted to nearly 20 grand...

Your government speaks: Republicans are "a**holes"

RealClearPolitics - Video - Obama's Green Jobs Czar Van Jones: Republicans Are "A**holes"



Question from audience: "How are the Republicans able to push things through, when they had less than sixty senators, but somehow we can't?"

Answer from Green Jobs Czar Van Jones: "Well, the answer to that is, they're a$$holes."

-From a lecture Van Jones gave at the 2nd Annual Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative (BERC) event, February 11, 2009, Berkeley, CA.