Michael Jackson - RIP

The man was strange, no doubt but so many talents are.

Saturday Afternoon Murder in Tehran

WARNING: EXTREMELY DISTURBING, VIOLENT AND GRAPHIC VIDEO BELOW

Pray for the people of Iran, their own government is murdering them on their own streets.

Normally I would not even want to view such a video however in the context of this woman's death posting it makes sense. She was after all murdered protesting for the freedoms of Iranians and this cell phone video again shows the world what is going on behind the veil imposed by the Iranian government.

UPDATE: The woman's name is Neda, Farsi for voice. R.I.P.

Congressman Mark Kirk - Speaking Truth To Anyone Who Will Listen

US Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) from Chicago's North Shore had this to say upon his recent return from China: "We heard across the board -- in private -- substantial, continuing and rising concern."

If it matters I attended grammar school and high school with Mark.

President Reagan - Pointe du Hoc, 1984

To the Boys of Pointe du Hoc and all those who have stood for our freedoms, "thank you very much and God bless you all."

The Great Koko Taylor Has Passed Away

See the NY Times article here.

Tiananmen Square Massacre 20 Years Ago Tomorrow

Lady Liberty in Beijing's Tiananmen Square

Photo Copyright: Matt Groening
The Simpsons comment on Tiananmen

End Result

Students and Soldiers before the real violence broke out

Iconic image of man standing up to the tanks

Students and soldiers

A couple hide from tanks in the square above them early on the morning of June 4, 1989

During the month of May 1989 the world was treated to the televised spectacle of a freedom protest/sit-in/festival in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The Chinese government brutally cleared the square during the night of June 3 - June 4 1989. I wrote about meeting two student leaders from the Tiananmen protests at the end of this post.

70 Missions Over Europe

This post from a previous Memorial Day is very appropriate again this year; as it may be every year.

As we give thanks to America’s veterans and soldiers this Memorial Day our prayers and thoughts turn to those who did not make it home; my thoughts today have also turned to those I have known who did make it home. Last weekend I attended a memorial service (on Armed Forces Day) for Arthur H. Barton, a man I wrote about here and alluded to here. At the time I was writing from some old memories but today, thanks to Art’s daughter Lesley, I have Art’s war record in front of me and it is impressive. During Art’s ceremony, one that included the very moving military Flag Ceremony, Art’s brother-in-law quietly alluded to the fact that Art had flown 70 missions over Europe and how he had known Art for years before he learned of that fact. As he slowly repeated “Seventy missions over Europe” it was clear that those of his generation know how incredible and important Art’s achievement was. Quite simply, Art could have been buried in a farmer’s field in France.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Art was a 20 year old Chicagoan selling furniture during the day and attending Northwestern University at night. Like so many of his contemporaries Art soon joined the military, in his case the Army Air Force. Art trained in Santa Anita, California and received his Navigator Wings in October of 1942, about the time that he turned 21. Second Lieutenant Barton was assigned to the 453rd Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bomb Group, which was part of the 8th Air Force. In April 1943 Art was stationed in Earls Colne, England as a navigator/bombardier. Art flew in the Martin Marauder B-26 medium bomber named “Goatee Hell”.

Among Art’s military awards were two Purple Hearts, the first for being wounded on a mission over Martinvast, France and the other for being injured on D-Day. One of Art’s proudest moments was serving as lead navigator on two low-level bombing raids (since the original writing I've been informed that there Art flew on 5 other missions on D-Day)in support of the D-Day landings, June 6, 1944. During his second (actually his seventh) mission on D-Day a Nazi anti-aircraft shell-burst shattered the Plexiglas nose that Art was seated in; he died earlier this month with some of that shrapnel still in his body.

Art served with and remained friends with a number of his old crew members including: pilot Col. Robert (Bob) H. Adams, co-pilot F/O Robert “Brownie” K. Brown, engine gunner S/Sgt. Clarence “Blackie” M. Blackmore and radio operator-gunner Sgt. Archie “Russ” Russell Martin. Of course Art also had a war-time nickname, it was “Buzz”. The group flew most of their missions over France, Holland, Belgium and the submarine pins in Norway.One of Art’s amusing war time memories was of the time that the B-26 “Marty Marauder” crashed into their base and right into the “Goatee Hell”, wrecking both planes. Their Master Sergeant George Feehan was not about to lose 2 planes in one crash so the crews spent the next 3 weeks welding the good halves of each plane to each other. The new plane featured the nose of the “Goatee Hell” (veteran of 51 missions) and the tail of the “Marty Marauder” (veteran 57 missions); unfortunately I do not know the name of that B-26 mashup.

After leaving Europe Art trained French officers at Selfridge Field in Michigan and Barksdale Field in Louisiana. After that Art participated in the Seventh War Bond Drive. The 23 year old First Lieutenant Arthur H. Barton was honorably discharged from the Army Air Force on June 14, 1945 after being awarded the following decorations:

The Distinguished Flying Cross
2 Purple Hearts
The Air Medal with 2 silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
The European Theater Medal with 2 battle stars
American Theater and Liberty Medals

Thank You Art and Thank You to all who served honorably.

My initial post on the life of Art Barton can be found here, it contains a few great tidbits that are not contained in this post like:

As Art went from plane to plane during the war he amassed so many missions that the Air Corps wanted him out of the theater and back in America selling War Bonds as a bona fide war hero. They were also worried that after so many missions he was starting to enjoy them. When Art was getting the necessary paper work done in order to return to the States, he was pulled out of line. The officers who pulled him out of line asked him if he would like to train for a secret bombing mission in the Pacific theater. Art replied that he had already cabled his mother to tell her of his imminent return and that he couldn’t disappoint her. Art likely would've trained for a mission to carry a nuclear weapon but he wouldn't disappoint his mother.

Obama to Subsidise GM $26,470 Per Car

Are you Happy Yet?

Obama and his people are spending Billions of your tax dollars and they are giving it to their union buddies in the UAW. Remember the UAW is only one of the unions that Obama will be shovelling your hard-earned money to.

The Truth About Cars has the latest on this disgraceful scam of the Democrat Party.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. Allegedly Funnelled Campaign Cash to His Wife

A shocker I know.

Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s wife Sandra is a Chicago Alderman, Bloomberg has the exclusive.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit ethics watchdog group said, "Mr. Jackson is availing himself of the full range of loopholes by which he can transfer money to his family.”

This from Jesse Junior G-Man, the Undercover Brother.

I really love this one: "The Jacksons have a 'unique synergy which enhances the value and quality of life for the constituents they serve,' Sandi Jackson’s spokeswoman, Crystal Adkisson, said by e-mail. 'Both the congressman and alderman take pride in being in compliance with federal, state and local laws, and rules and ethics codes.'”

The Jackson family of Chicago have gotten what they have through blackmail and intimidation.

TARP Sham Exposed By Beneficiary (UPDATE)

Zero Hedge posted this story last night and has just noticed that the Daily Telegraph has mysteriously taken the entire story down. (UPDATE: Attorneys for Mr. Paterson have stated that the article was taken down due to factual inaccuracies). (UPDATE II: Zero Hedge, having been threatened with legal action has now reported that the article may be gooing bck up in the Telegraph). Luckily for the rest of us Zero Hedge copied the comments, in case ZH is "forced" to take the comments down, Flying Debris will also present the (now alleged) comments:

The US Treasury’s effort to stabilise the banking system through the TARP programme is a hopelessly ill-conceived policy that enriches speculators at public expense, according to the buy-out firm supposed to be pioneering the joint public-private bank rescues.

“The taxpayers ought to know that we are in effect receiving a subsidy. They put in 40pc of the money but get little of the equity upside,” said Mark Patterson, chairman of MatlinPatterson Advisers.

The comments are likely to infuriate Tim Geithner, the US Treasury Secretary, because MatlinPatterson took advantage of the TARP’s matching funds to buy Flagstar Bancorp in Michigan. His confession appears to validate concerns that the bail-out strategy is geared towards Wall Street. Under the convoluted deal agreed earlier this year, MatlinPatterson has come to own 80pc of the shares while the US government has ended up with under 10pc.

Mr Patterson said the US Treasury is out of its depth and seems to be trying to put off drastic action by pretending that the banking system is still viable.
“It’s a sham. The banks are insolvent. The US government is trying to sedate the public because they are down to the last $100bn (£66bn) of the $700bn TARP funds. They think they’re doing this for the greater good of society,” he said, speaking at the Qatar Global Investment Forum.

Mr Patterson said it would be better for the US to bite the bullet as Britain has done, accepting that crippled lenders must be nationalised. “At least the British are not hiding the bail-out,” he said.

MatlinPatterson said private equity and hedge funds were deluding themselves in hoping to go back to business as usual after the trauma of the last 18 months.
“This is not a normal recession and there will be no V-shaped recovery. The crisis has destroyed leveraged companies. We’re going to see a catastrophic increase in the number of LBO’s (leveraged buyouts) going into default because they’re knee-deep in debt and no solution exists since they can’t refinance,” he said.
“Alfa hedge funds have been making their money by gambling with excessive leverage, so the knife that cuts off leverage is going to cut off their heads as well,” he said.

Like many bears, Mr Patterson expects the great crunch to end in deliberate inflation, deemed a lesser evil than outright depression.
“The US government has thrown 29pc of GDP at this crisis compared to 8pc in the early 1930s. The Fed’s balance sheet has risen from $900bn to $2.7 trillion to bail out the system. America has to do it because the only way out is to debase the currency, but that is going to lead to some very high inflation three years down the road,” he said.

Government Screws Chrysler Debt Holders?

Maria Bartiromo of CNBC has just reported that the Feds have not even contacted the Chrysler senior debt holders, debt holders whose holdings are legally superior to the debt held by the UAW, yet the Obama administrations plan would give a larger stake to the UAW. The GM plan holds the same situation, senior debt holders of GM hold 2 1/2 times the debt held by the UAW Retirement Plan yet the senior debt holders receive only 1/4 the ownership stake that the UAW would receive. Is this what out tax dollars are funding, an ownership stake that unions could not have ever received under our nation's laws?

As I write this the Dow Jones 30 is attempting another upside break-out this morning.

Code Pink Bimbos At It Again

I just saw the attention starved bimbos from Code Pink on CNBC in a congressional hearing room preparing to throw another one of their childish fits, this one will be directed at Treasury Secretary Geithner. The Code Pink tactics are a far cry from the Tea Parties - these wealthy woman have been flown around the world to throw hissy fits and get attention for their pitiful selves.

Like many Tea Party participants I took the subway to the Chicago Tea Party, I do not have to prostitute myself to see the world.

More Chicago Tea Party Photos - Including Roesgen Setting Up Amid Families

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

CNN "reporter" Susan Roesgen setting up amid families before choosing to interview some guy with a photo of President Obama as Hitler. Pure propaganda from CNN.


Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

The above is a photo of Anti-Scientology protesters, Chicago Says No. Here is their web site. Considering that Scientology, an alleged "religion" is allowed to set up shop in that very Federal Plaza to troll for suckers I think that it was great that these folks were there.

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

ACORN Didn't Need to Attend Chicago Tea Party - CNN Had It Covered - VIDEO UPDATES!

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris
The Obama as Hitler Guy - the Perfect CNN Interview

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris
CNN "reporter" Susan Roesgen objects to a man's opinions

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris
More of the Same from CNN's propagandist Roesgen

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

When I edited my shots I noticed this one of CNN setting up amid a group of families, just a few of the families CNN chose not to interview. This shot deserves to be with the others.

ACORN didn't even have to attend the Chicago version of the Chicago Tea Party, CNN had it safely covered. Who knows what if anything they will show from the Chicago event (turns out they broadcast this very disgrace) but they found their guy, the perfect CNN interview. CNN had set up a camera and had a reporter (Susan Roesgen) underneath Calder's Flamingo in the downtown Federal Plaza. Well, standing conspicuously near the CNN folks was the guy in the first picture, the Obama as Hitler Guy. The perfect interview for CNN did not go over that well with the crowd, I even called Godwin's Law on the entire interview, to no avail. So the crowd around the CNN set up started to get antsy, what with being portrayed in a very negative light and all. That's when the CNN reporter came over near where I was standing to interview a man holding a baby and a Don't Tread on Me flag,* she asked him why he was there. His response in some way sounded prepared, however it could have been that he got wound up in front of the crowd. So he got on a roll for ten or fifteen seconds and the reporter interrupted him to object or correct him, that's when the crowd let her have it, yelling "let him speak" and "you are not a reporter, you are an advocate!" The crowd soon started to chant anti-CNN chants and the nice open circle that CNN had worked in was soon filled with protesters protesting CNN.

So that is reporting in the early 21st Century, out of 5000 people find the one with the most outrageous and objectionable message and interview him, then argue with those whose message you object to.

ACORN can return to serial vote fraud, CNN has the propaganda covered.

UPDATE:

Thanks to commenter Lauren S. for pointing out the YouTube version of this CNN Moment. Seeing the gentleman with the baby speak while not concentrating on photos I have to say that he appears to be a genuinely concerned man who is passionate on the subject. I also must repeat this and make it clear, that woman is not a reporter, that woman is a propagandist, the crowd was correct. CNN should be ashamed of putting such an incompetent and condescending reporter on cable television.

And how about the guy with the flag who got in front of the gentleman with the baby? Did Chicago Streets and Sanitation have the day off?

This is America in 2009, a media incapable of reporting working hand-in-hand with political dirty tricksters.

UPDATE II:

Jim Hoft of the Gateway Pundit has unearthed video of CNN employee Susan Roesgen who was alright with Bush being portrayed as the devil with a wad of cash in the wake of Katrina but this propagandist Roesgen is very offended over some guy who was likely a plant calling Obama a fascist.

UPDATE III:
Founding Bloggers was also in the crowd and got some follow-up video of a citizen attempting to reason with CNN's Roesgen.

UPDATE III 1/2:

The disgraceful CNN has demanded that You Tube pull the Founding Bloggers video for copyright reasons, no word yet on any Fair Usage of a minute of CNN's atrocious coverage. It is sad that CNN is so afraid of what their own reorters say. Below is a copy of the video that works as of 4/19 10:30 am central.

UPDATE IV:

Here is a video of Jon Stewart mocking Roesgen for her CNN coverage of the recent Fargo flooding:

UPDATE V:

Neil Cavuto Interviews Roesgen Victim -

Norman, who stood in front of me as I shot photographs and who was interviewed and lectured by CNN's Susan Roesgen is given his say by Neil Cavuto.

UPDATE VI:

A partial transcript Rick Santelli's reaction to the Wednesday protest can be found here.

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Here is Calder's Flamingo during less stressful times - during a raging blizzard the morning of February 1, 2008.

* the flag was held by a guy next to the second interviewee who moved away before showing up later in the video shot to hassle him - a recurring lesson on the limits of the viewfinder, the field of view gets very small

---Thanks to the assistance of current Londoner, the former "North Side Serf" who once left a great comment concerning former Senator Obama and his unseemly relationship with an Illinois politician sometimes known as the Granny Grifter.---

Obama Sends Solar iPod Chargers to Itallian Quake Victims

Okay, the Obama administration really sent $50,000 to the Itallian quake victims, though I doubt that the paltry sum is the sort of change those Itallians were hoping for.

How GM and Chrysler Will Be Run - Explained By Lily Tomlin 40 Years Ago

Talk about about being ahead of her time, just change "phone company" to "General Motors" or "Chrysler" or "AIG"...

"Now Mr. Beetle, I want you to understand something, we are not subject to city, state or federal regulations, we are omnipotent... omnipotent... that's potent with an omni in front of it."

Thank you Ms. Tomlin.

April Fools Day For Smart People

Harvard Economics Professor Greg Mankiw has even linked to Wikipedia. I'm glad that it is April Fools Day as I do not want to help fund any portion of Harvard Yard and I would like to continue reading Mankiw's blog.

Democrat Whose Firm Scammed Haitians and Bribed Their Dictator Wants to Control Employee Compensation in US

First term cingressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) has introduced a bill that would give the Federal Government control of all wages at any company that has taken Federal funds, Mr. Grayson also wants to abrigate all standing contracts. And this guy went to Harvard Law?

After leaving the law Mr. Grayson become the President of IDT Corp. After Grayson left IDT Corp. was involved in a scam that involved Haitian strongman Jean Bertand Aristide. IDT had a cut-rate deal to terminate telephone calls to Haiti, they also had an agreement to deposit much of the saved money into a bank account allegedly controlled by the Haitian dictator Aristide. The telephone firm Fusion, closely aligned with the Clinton Administration had a similar deal.

The Haiti Democracy Project has this to say about the telecom that Rep. Grayson (D-FL) once led:

Teleco Haiti granted IDT the right to terminate calls in Haiti at less than half the official settlement rate, and that IDT agreed to deposit all payments not at Teleco Haiti, but in an offshore account in the Turks and Caicos managed by a company called Mont Salem.

Long-distance revenues were one of Haiti's few sources of hard currency. Yet after President Aristide left office in 2004, Teleco Haiti's coffers were found to be empty.

Now this guy Grayson, a man who was President of a company that was later found to be in bed with the Haitian dictator wants to control the compensation of US businesses. Thank you to the members of the Democrat Party of the United States.

Who Will Obama's Crazy Carbon Credit Plan Starve?

Likely the citizens of poorer nations that rely on American financial support to purchase American grain, that's who.

Bloomberg has the story of a Nebraska farmer who is currently getting $3000 per year to leave his 800 acres fallow thus not releasing 470 tons of carbon into the atmosphere. The $3000 is not sufficient income for this practice to become widespread, however the farmer believes that Obama's cap-and-trade carbon program will allow for a much larger payout. Haven't we been through this issue already?

ACORN Shakedown Racket Sees Light of Day Today

The Washington Times has the story, Heather Heidelbough the lawyer for whistleblower Anita Moncrief will testify in front of the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights and civil liberties concerning her client's sworn court testimoney that ACORN had participated in "unlawfully coordinating campaign activity with Mr. Obama's presidential campaign to deliberately engaging in voter-registration fraud and misusing federal grant money", among other things.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Democrats to do anything about the liberal vote fraud racket that is ACORN.

New Government Tea Party Logo

Image Copyright: "Send $5 to A. Franken c/o SNL 30 Rockefeller Plaza NY, NY"

Typical of a Democratic administration, the federal government has set up a new agency just for the recovery. In 100 years it will be the agency equivalent of the Telephone Excise Tax that was originally levied in 1898 to pay for the Spanish American War. This spoof label uses three poison ivy* leaves to remind the government of the original Boston Tea Party and the ongoing Chicago Tea Party.

Thanks Publia, as you can see I shouldn't blog in the morning and knock wood, despite being around the stuff I'm not heavily affected.

Another Chicago Democrat is Rod Blagojevich

Alderman Ricardo Munoz tells a constituent "Get the F*** out of my office!"

Who pays for that office Alderman S*** For Brains?

Hat Tip: Uptown Update