April 11, 2012

SandBoxBlogs: The Foundry "Morning Bell: Buffett Rule 101"

(See related story reminder off Hot Air Blog:  Buffet Rule aimed at only aprx 400 taxpayers)

Mike Brownfield:
"President Obama traveled to Florida yesterday to distract the nation from its real problems by laying out his case for the Buffett Rule, a plan to drastically raise taxes on successful Americans and small businesses. The core of his argument is that the rich aren’t paying their fair share. It makes for great populist rhetoric, especially when families are hurting and angry under today’s high unemployment, but the result is terrible policy. Worse, it’s a distraction from the big issues facing the nation, like the deficit, the economy, jobs, gas prices, health care, and on and on, none of which are addressed by the President’s proposals, and none of which he wants to talk about.

Will the President’s tax hike at least tackle the country’s fiscal problems? No, it won’t.

According to a recent analysis by the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, the Buffett Rule would raise a mere $47 billion over ten years. Meanwhile, President Obama’s budget calls for adding $6.7 trillion to the national debt. That means that the Buffett Rule will only cover one half of one percent of the President’s new spending. Soaking the rich cannot get deficits down, only spending reductions can do that.

When it comes to the biggest problem America is facing — a weak economy and high unemployment — the Buffett Rule would weaken the economy and make matters worse. Heritage’s J.D. Foster and Curtis Dubay write that the tax would fall most heavily on job creators (who pay taxes at the individual rate) and confiscate their resources that would otherwise be used to start new businesses, grow existing businesses, and hire more workers. As a result, economic growth will slow down right along with job creation..."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Red State "It Was Inevitable. Now Bring on President Both Ways "

Erick Erickson:
"Mitt Romney’s campaign has used a money advantage to shut out the competition. As I said when he won Ohio, Romney will be the nominee.

The way forward for Romney depends on the economy. For the longest time I did not think he had much of a shot against the President, but as I’ve said several times recently, the economy seems to be struggling, which gives Romney an opening.

Between a struggling economy and a President who wants to have it both ways in rhetoric and in practice wants to side with those hostile to the idea of American exceptionalism, Romney has an opening if he’ll aggressively take it.

If I may be so bold, I think the greatest thing Karl Rove or Reince Priebus or Mitt Romney or any outside group could do right now is introduce the American Public to what I’ve started doing on my radio show: recounting the amazing adventures of President Both Ways..."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Contentions " A Powerful Argument for Voter ID Laws "

Alana Goodman:




"New York Magazine says there’s nothing to see here:
The question is whether anyone should really care. Yes, if you wanted to, you could risk five years in prison and a $10,000 fine to vote for someone else, but we’re not sure why you would, since a single vote, or even a few votes, will never make a difference. (Okay, almost never.) Could a group of hundreds or thousands of fraudsters be mobilized to go around to different polling stations on election day and vote for one particular candidate or issue, possibly altering the outcome of an election? It would be difficult to organize surreptitiously, but sure, it’s probably doable. But it has never happened.
That’s like the government saying it’s pointless for bars to check IDs, because underage drinkers will face a hefty fine if they’re caught. The punishment becomes less of a deterrent if there’s a very high probability of getting away with the crime.


Voter fraud, by the way, is notoriously difficult to prosecute. Unless the fraudster sparks the suspicion of a polling official, the incident is unlikely to be reported or investigated. Often a fake name and/or address are used, which means there’s little chance of tracking this person down once he’s left the premises. And even if the suspect is reported and somehow located, it’s difficult to prove intentional fraud – can anyone demonstrate that this was the same individual at the polling location? Was the fraud intentional, or could it have been done in error?...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: The Foundry "Morning Bell: Hispanics and the 2012 Election"

Mike Brownfield:
"After last week’s Republican primary elections in Wisconsin, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., the 2012 presidential primary season is reaching an inflection point, and eyes are turning toward America’s final decision on Election Day in November. While pundits and pollsters speculate on the horse race and who will capture the hearts and minds of the American people, one segment of the electorate is garnering increased attention — Hispanic Americans.

It is, to be sure, a population that continues to grow in size, voice, and importance. In the 2008 election, Hispanics turned out in force — 9.7 million Hispanics voted, and those numbers are projected to grow to 11.8 million to 12.2 million in 2012, with particular importance in presidential battlegrounds such as Colorado and Nevada, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Last May, President Barack Obama spoke to Hispanic voters in El Paso, Texas, and delivered a highly partisan speech on immigration reform where he chastised his political opponents and their views of border security. In July, the President reached out to the Hispanic community at a gathering organized by The National Council of La Raza, where he again attempted to use the issue of immigration as a wedge issue, casting conservatives as being anti-immigration for their opposition to illegal immigration...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: The Atlantic "Chart of the Day: Obama's Epic Failure on Judicial Nominees"

David A. Graham: 
"The general liberal gloom following Supreme Court oral arguments on Obamacare holds up the prospect of a serious vicious cycle. The court's decision could deal a death blow to Obama's reelection prospects, as well as to the liberal project of the last half-century. And if they do, the president's failure to get more nominees confirmed to the judiciary means that liberals will face an even more challenging judicial environment for decades to come....."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Town Hall "The Benign and Benevolant President Obama? "

Chuck Norris:
"In my column two weeks ago, "Not All Presidential Orders Are Created Equal," I discussed some specifics in President Barack Obama's March 16 executive order, "National Defense Resources Preparedness," and how it is a completely audacious overreach of presidential power, especially enacting peacetime martial law.

Here I will discuss why analysts are wrong for simply overlooking it as a benign order similar to other presidents' orders.

I finished two weeks ago by saying that whether in preparation for war (for example, with Iran) or any other national emergency, the federal government does not have the authority to take over our food and water supply, energy supplies (including oil and natural gas), technology, industry, manufacturing, transportation, health care facilities, etc.

And taking the additional preliminary steps for enacting martial law even during a time of peace is an unprecedented and reckless abuse of executive power. As Alex Jones' Prison Planet explained, "a key addition to the language made by Obama is that all these industries and means of production can be seized 'under both emergency and non-emergency conditions.'"

This presidential order is another sweeping power grab in a long and dangerous legacy of presidential overreaches. Our Founding Fathers never would have allowed it, and we shouldn't, either.

As James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution," explained, "the operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the State governments, in times of peace and security."...."  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Springs Post Independent/Your Letters "Doran takes his own bait to praise military"

lol.

One of the most fun things to watch when one is a blogger, are the older generations when they grasp how much power they have in their written words hitting the worldwide web.

Such is the case of Richard Doran this morning, who sent a letter in to the editor of the viral-based Glenwood Springs Post Independent awhile back.   Apparently, he has been waiting for one of his regular opponents in philosophy and politics...to take the baited hook he dangled in that letter.

Tired of waiting, he takes his own bait today.

We couldn't agree with you more, Richard.

Richard Doran:
"....The Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy under the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard under the Department of Homeland Security are to be commended for the outstanding successes that they have recorded throughout the history of our country.

These organizations have protected our freedoms and represented our nation courageously, in spite of the many instances when support by Congress is lacking and leadership by the Commander in Chief is feeble or nonexistent. (For the record, “corps” is pronounced “core,” not “corpse” despite being mispronounced twice by a prominent, yet uniformed, public figure.)........

.....So, I say to all our airmen and airwomen, soldiers, marines, sailors, coast guardsmen and coast guardswomen, thank you for your service to our country...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Amid arid stretch, firefighters quash another blaze"

A special thank you goes out to all agencies who participated, but especially our firefighters who all too often slip to the sidelines with little praise.  You are in that category of first responders that immediately step right into life and death situations.  Thank you for your service.

Chad Abraham:
"The only casualty was a small dog that leapt off the residence’s porch into the arms of the neighbor who alerted authorities, said Alex Burchetta, a deputy with the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.

“I think it caught on fire,” he said.

The animal also was hit by a burning piece of plastic and was taken to a pet clinic in Basalt. Other than singed fur, the dog is doing OK, Burchetta said. Neighbors took in the residents’ other dog, which escaped uninjured.

Goodwin said the neighbors should be applauded for grabbing hoses to battle the blazes and then directing fire crews to the scene.

“They really stepped up for their neighbor and fellow man,” he said.

Firefighters were able to salvage the home, but it was still badly damaged.

Burchetta said while possible criminal activity had been ruled out, an exact cause of the fire had yet to be established.

“Everyone did ... really well under some tough conditions,” Goodwin said. “I’m really proud of them.” ..."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: SkyHi Daily News "Fight Like A Girl Scout"

"A local self defense program is helping girls and women learn preventative measures to stay out of bad situations, to think smart, and have skills to stay out of danger.

Kym Rock, of Eagle, developed the Fight Like A Girl program 13 years ago to help girls and women learn these necessary skills. A class was conducted in February just for Girl Scouts at the Grand Park Community Recreation Center.

“Kym gets the girls all pumped up, teaching them all the moves, and playing out different situations and scenarios,” said Gretchen Reynolds, Girl Scout leader and program organizer.

“We had 20 girls from Fraser, Granby, and Hot Sulphur Springs at the first event in February. The Girl Scouts enjoyed it so much, we decided this time it will be a mother-daughter event.”

The next self defense program will be in Kremmling on April 15. It is a central location to include interest from other counties such as Steamboat and Summit County, said Reynolds.

Grand County Advocates is a sponsor that helped bring the training to Grand County and defray some of the costs, she said."
 
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
 

SandBoxBlogs: Summit Daily News "Scott Turner: Talking about sexual assault"

Scott Turner:
"April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. First observed in 2001, the purpose is to promote awareness of sexual assault and campaign for its prevention. This year's theme is “It's time ... to talk about it.” And while it's something we don't want to think about actually occurring in our community, it is something we do need to face — and talk about. There are many myths which exist regarding sexual assault. I would like to talk about a few of those myths and the actual facts...." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Customs and Border Protection "CBP Busts Net $1.3 Billion in Cocaine in One Week"

$1.3 billion.  Cocaine seized.  One week.  Read on for the rest of some very telling statistics.

"Washington — In three separate incidents in a one-week period, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) P-3s operating out of National Air Security Operations Centers in Jacksonville, Fla. (NASOC-JAX) and Corpus Christi, Texas (NASOC-CC), assisted in the interdiction of a Self Propelled Semi-Submersible (SPSS) carrying close to 14,000 pounds of cocaine, and two go-fast vessels carrying more than 4,400 pounds of cocaine with a combined value of more than $1.3 billion.
 
On March 29, two P-3s operating in the Western Caribbean assisted the Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S) in locating and tracking a SPSS off the coast of Nicaragua. The crew scuttled the SPSS but authorities recovered 13,889 pounds of cocaine worth more than $1 billion.
 
On March 30, a P-3 operating in the Western Caribbean spotted a go-fast vessel carrying suspicious bales. The 40-foot twin-engine vessel was spotted speeding north off the coast of Panama and appeared to be carrying numerous packages when the Florida-based CBP P-3 began tracking the vessel. A local law enforcement patrol boat was vectored in to board the vessel and after inspection, 2,200 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $164 million were recovered.
 
On April 4, a P-3 conducting routine patrols in the Western Caribbean detected an open-hull go-fast vessel containing rectangular bales off the coast of Panama. Local law enforcement officials were called in to pursue, and after boarding the vessel, 2,200 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $164 million were seized and four crewmembers were arrested.
 
These three seizures are in addition to $1.3 billion detected by the CBP P-3s operating out of Jacksonville, Fla. and Corpus Christi, Texas in fiscal year 2012 to date.
 
During fiscal year 2011, the CBP P-3 fleet continued its anti-smuggling success by seizing or disrupting more than 148,000 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $11.1 billion, totaling 20.6 pounds seized for every flight hour, valued at $1.5 million for every hour flown.
 
CBP OAM P-3s have been an integral part of the successful counter-narcotic missions operating in coordination with the Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATFS). The P-3s patrol in a 42 million-square mile area of the Western Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, known as the Source and Transit Zone, in search of drugs that are in transit towards U.S. shores. The P-3s’ distinctive detection capabilities allow highly-trained crews to identify emerging threats well beyond the land borders of the U.S. By providing surveillance of known air, land, and maritime smuggling routes in an area that is twice the size of the continental U.S., the P-3s detect, monitor and disrupt smuggling activities before they reach shore.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws."

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "We can’t hide from the national security agency"

Once DEA Special Agent Jim Schrant and crew, slipped into Pitkin County in the dead of night, and then slipped right back out again with an entire cocaine trafficking ring in tow while Pitkin County officials and law enforcement slept peacefully in their beds...................the entire Roaring Fork Valley has been a little on edge.

Thinking (after a few months had passed by) that it was all just one of those very rare times when reality hit Aspen; the folks started to settle back down and return to life as they have known it for roughly '40 years' now.

With the occasional startled reflex jumping at sounds in the night for those that prowl the wee hours in places they should not be.

Until...the trusty 'ZG' crew broke the story of certain investigations in the area that included...SAC Schrant and his new partners, the FBI.

There is a new sense of reality in the Roaring Fork Valley now.    Lots of predictions (see related story here) and a heightened view of what might be lurking in our own backyards reported in the news:

Nat Hentoff: 
"How many Americans know that as of September 2013, all of us engaged in any form of communication will be subject — with the approval of President Barack Obama and the silence of Congress — to continuous tracking and databasing by the National Security Agency?

As I reported here last week, the NSA’s massive new center in Bluffdale, Utah — more than five times larger than the U.S. Capitol — will be storing and analyzing:

“All forms of communication, including the complete contents of private emails, cell phone calls and Google searches, as well as all sorts of personal data trails — parking receipts, travel itineraries, bookstore purchases ...” (“The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say),” James Bamford, wired.com, March 15)....."  (Read more?  Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Downtown stories"

(See Michael Galvis related story of 'Paradise doomed and cursed' here)

Michael Galvis:
"Editor:

Re: “Aspen, boom or bust.”

You (Aspen City Council) are the seeds of your own destruction!"

(Read the original letter?  Click title)

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "County calls for withdrawal of bill to divert lottery funds to veterans"

Then again.

It may be entirely possible that 'SandBox Nanny' spoke too soon in the previous post.  Here we have another standard modus operandi of PitCo BOCC using the office and power for personal political statements rather than polling the folks they serve prior to acting.

Of course they went to....who else? No further than Snowmass Village for the inside track.

Andrew Travers:
"The letter, to Sen. Gail Schwartz of Snowmass Village and the Colorado legislature, requests the bill be withdrawn from consideration and that current lottery fund distribution be preserved in the future."
(Read more?  Review the fact that this is a separate lottery game that would not affect GOCO funds?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "PitCo to stay out of U.S. Chamber flap"

(See public insight through commentary here on a related story)

I know it will be hard to do. Possibly you won't even be able to pull it off.  But 'SandBox Nanny' is going to ask you to try anyway.

Try to set aside the blatantly obvious fact that this is the first time in recent years, that PitCo has swayed from their modus operandi and acted out of character by staying out of a crony's business.  And the likelihood of that is probably because they are under a federal microscope right now.

Try to set aside the angst you're likely feeling on how wrong it is that there is a sitting, governing body in Pitkin County that has to wait to exercise obvious measures of ethics, accountability and transparency until 'muscle'  puts them under a microscope.

Try to set aside your concern that just as soon as that microscope is pulled off them they will resort right back to their preferred modus operandi.

Once you get all those things set aside...find relief and a sense of well being in the knowledge that they are capable of seeing the difference between right and wrong and the boundaries of what they should be sticking their fingers into as the pie is passed around.  And what they should not be touching in any way because they have one job and one job only to do.  That job is to be the governing body of Pitkin County and attend to only the county and folks business with no political statements, no cronyism, no favortism or social dividing and certainly no personal gains, on any level,  from inside knowledge while in office.

Your sense of relief may be brief.  But from the point forward  of 'muscle' coming to town, it can never be said again that Pitkin County commissioners don't know the difference between right from wrong.  Which could translate out to that sense of relief coming back to you in the future through the course of the way of rightful things.

A special thank you goes out to PitCo BOCC today.  Simply for doing their job.

(Read the article?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
  

SandBoxBlogs: Summit Daily News "Summit County families struggling to get by"

Sort of makes you wonder how our lawmakers here in Colorado can justify spending any taxpayer dollars funding illegal foreign nationals post-secondary education while the number of our working family households living in poverty grow higher.  

Kathryn Corazzelli:
"While much of this year's data concerning children's health and well-being in Summit County is similar to last, there was an increase in the number of children living in poverty, and those belonging to families relying on assistance such as free-and-reduced lunch at school.

The Kids Count in Colorado! is an annual report measuring children's health, education, family and community across the 25 counties in the study (the counties represent about 95 percent of Colorado residents under 18). It is a publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization focused on improving the quality of and expanding access to child health, K-12 education and early childhood experiences. Information is taken from numerous data centers like the United States Census Bureau, so the 2012 report contains information from 2010, while last year's chronicled 2009.

The most stand-out changes for Summit County in the 2012 report is the number of children qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and those living in poverty, according to Lucinda Burns, director of Early Childhood Options, a Summit nonprofit agency that works to improve the quality and availability of local early childhood programs. This year's report listed 34.9 percent of Summit children as qualifying for one of the lunch programs, compared to 30.7 in last year's. Children under the age of 18 living in poverty rose from 11.6 percent in 2009 to 12.9 in 2010.

“That's a little concerning because it's not going in the direction we'd like it to go. It really has impacts across the board,” Burns said. “When you think of the cost of living in Summit County and what it takes to live at an average or low-paying job, it's pretty significant, and it has a significant impact.”...."
(Read more?  Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KJCT News 8 "International Tourism Boosting Local Economy "

Shannon Ballard:
"Right now most of the Western Slope's international visitors are coming from Canada, Germany, France and the UK.


"Iceland Air is coming into Denver in May. Now we have a great opportunity from the Scandinavian countries to bring them into Colorado," Bowman said.


State lawmakers are proposing an increase to next year’s tourism budget to keep visitors flocking to the Centennial State.


"Our budget for next year will be around $13 million. That’s up $1.3 million from last year,” White said..."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Post Independent "Weatherred leaves PI to lead Children's Health Foundation"

NOTE:  Comment ability on this post is blocked.

Heather McGregor:
"GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colorado — Jenna Weatherred, publisher of the Post Independent and The Citizen Telegram, will be leaving the post May 4 to lead the Children's Health Foundation in Aspen...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Summit Daily News "Summit Up 4-11-12: Looking for old prom photos"

"Good morning and welcome to Summit Up, the world's only daily column that's all fired up for Earth Day this year. We're harvesting earthworms, operating earth-moving equipment, moving heaven and earth for (insert highly desirable thing) and eating exclusively out of earthenware bowls.

(sound of whispered consultation)

Oh, OK, we're being told Earth Day is really about conservation and recycling and such. And we can deal with that, too. In fact, we have information in front of us here suggesting that, if you mosey over to Chipotle (over in Silverthorne by the outlets) you can buy a cool, reusable lunch bag like you see pictured here. It's only 18 bucks and ...

(sound of record needle scratching)

Eighteen bucks!? Oh, wait a sec: For that, you get the bag as well as a card good for a free meal on Earth Day (April 22) at Chipotle plus the proceeds go to benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, providing funding to support sustainable agriculture, family farming, and culinary education.

OK, we're down with that. Get thee to Chipotle!...."  (Read more?  Are you sure?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: SkyHi Daily "Laura Pritchett shares her bear stories in Grand County"

We 'met' Kristen Lodge, investigative reporter over and up on the SkyHi Daily through her story last year on the "radio controlled" horse.  A tale told by Rocky Mountain Park seasonal rangers Jim Caretti and Jeff Hodge....

Lodge has a knack for ferretting out those odd stories that catch human interest and then drawing the reader in as though you were sitting right there in the interview with her.  Nothing gilded, no journalistic ego showing and just good old plain speak folks can relate to.

Today she brings the bear stories of Laura Pritchett. (Read the story?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Steamboat Today "Jimmy Westlake: Bootes, the Bear Watcher"

All credits:  Jimmy Westlake

Click title to read what our fav astronomy and physics professsor at CMC's Alpine Campus and to say on the visible constellations this week.  Click his credit link to go to his amazing website for more.