Artful Dodger: Her story is full of inconsistancies.I read the report with an open mind, but it just doesn't pass the smell test

Jim Dandy: That you don't buy her story doesn't mean she's not telling the truth. In this country, we consider people innocent until proven guilty. But it doesn't matter. She's not really a contender for the crown so the media is wasting it's time trying to discredit her. They'll move on to others eventually. But that she is a powerful force is evident. That's why the left wing clown try so hard to discredit her. So much so that one idiot moved in right next door to her.

That's creepy.

Artful Dodger: Our MP's over expenses said they were acting in goof faith and in compliance with the rules.... Lot's found voters did not think it was so good, nor their parties or constituents.

Artful Dodger: For someone who tries to come across as both niave and street smart, she sure took alot of abuse and came back for more.I don't buy her story for a second

No Palin Setback Too Small for Couric Who Skips How Palin 'Acted in Good Faith'
by Brent Baker
Demonstrating that no setback for Sarah Palin which can be portrayed as a rebuke is too insignificant or relevant for Katie Couric, she made time on Thursday's CBS Evening News to inform her viewers about a disputable technical violation of arcane law:
One little word will cost Sarah Palin a small fortune. Today, state investigators in Alaska said a legal defense fund she set up while she was Governor was illegal. They said the use of the word “official” on the fund's Web site implied it was endorsed by the office of the Governor. Palin's lawyer says she will return the fund's nearly $400,000.

Unmentioned by Couric? How Timothy Petumenos, the investigator/counsel for the Alaska Personnel Board which issued the ruling, absolved Palin of blame. “Petumenos found the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee acted in good faith and relied on the advice of lawyers when setting up the fund,” the Anchorage Daily News reported in an afternoon posting.

PDF of the board's report, which noted: “Governor Palin complied fully with AS 39.52.210(a) by declining to take any proceeds from the Trust once the Complaint was filed pending resolution of this matter.”

June 24, 2010
Al Gore’s masseuse
Richard Baehr
After you read through this 70 plus page report of the Portland, Oregon police interview with the licensed massage therapist who claims she was sexually attacked by Al Gore in his hotel room, I think any doubts about whether this story is true or not, will disappear.

The wonderful part of this politically (other than that it will greatly slow any momentum for climate change legislation, and further cheapens all the Nobel Prize winners) is that with Obama not useful as a salesman for Democrats running this year, Clinton was going to be the substitute campaigner. With the Gore story, the Lewinsky/Paula Jones stories will immediately be back in view.

Was Clinton a mentor to al gore on sexual assault and adultery?

Jim Dandy: You're probably right. I don't think we get the straight story from anywhere. I don't think the main stream media reports accurately, nor the left wing blogs, and it would be crazy to believe that right wing blogs are any more credible. I have to admit I do think Fox is the best. The shows I watch ALL have both sides of any issue represented. Still, it's hard to sort out conflicting stories. So many different slants on the news.

But I think it's clear that Obama has botched many things in his reaction to this spill. And I'm very confused with his latest action. Explain this:

"Feds halt work on LA sand berms
Jeannie DeAngelis
Sand berms are an insurance policy meant to protect the Louisiana coastline from oil spill damage. The Louisiana sand berm venture involves moving "sand from a mile out in the Gulf of Mexico and pumping it closer in to shore to build manmade barrier islands."

Nevertheless, lacking a more formidable idea and one week into the project the federal government decided to shut "down the dredging that was being done to create protective sand berms in the Gulf of Mexico."

Louisiana's Republican Governor Bobby Jindal staunchly supports protecting the coastline with a sandy barricade, which may explain why the "berm issue has created its own toxic friction between Louisiana and the Obama Administration."

It seems that ever since Obama took over the reins of reason the government's first-and-foremost effort is directed at implementing the illogical, obstructing progress and public wellbeing and placing the vulnerable at risk."

It's an emergency crisis. Why halt anything that will help? That's a part I don't get.

Tuesday: I think it would be foolish to think many Republicans aren't putting a little more mustard on the fastball when opportunity presents itself towards Obama.They got hammered from the left regarding GW,it's payback time in many of their minds.

Artful Dodger: I think in hindsight he could have done better, but at the time there was little uproar.Most were duped into thinking BP had things under some degree of control.

June 24, 2010
Obama's ally ousted as Aussie PM
Thomas Lifson
President Obama's endorsement is proving to be a political kiss of death overseas as well as at home (ask Arlen Specter about the value of an Obama endorsement).

Barack Obama publicly acknowledged two months ago that Kevin Rudd, just ignominiously ousted by his own party as Prime Minister of Australia, was politically a great match for him.

How many Democrats will lose in the next election due to the Obama factor.

The more the merrier.

Tuesday: I'am a man & i don't like war

How many committees does it take to work out how to screw in a light bulb.


.... unknown... section 42.8.1b hasn't been agreed on.

Artful Dodger: ... But there are already ships there.... If some politician wants to play a points game over a little bit of red tape then so be it....

Do the foreign nationality ships working in the area have to leave until some politician gets his 15 minutes??

.. Sounds like that MEP getting paid to dis the NHS for the Murdoch unbiased news services. *cough*

Foreign Ships Help in Gulf Clean-up
R.G. Edmonson | Jun 15, 2010 2:33PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story
Washington | Regulation | Maritime | United States
Lawmakers to hold hearing on Jones Act waivers to allow operations
The House Transportation subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation will hold a hearing Thursday on the influx of foreign-flag vessels in the Gulf of Mexico oil clean-up operation.

The Coast Guard Friday "redoubled" efforts to keep the Deepwater Horizon oil spill from impacting Gulf states by calling in more skimming boats and equipment from the Netherlands, Norway, France, and Spain after previously telling one Dutch official "Thanks, but no thanks," to an offer of help.

That revelation comes as Florida lawmakers beg for more skimmers to ward off Gulf spill oil approaching the state's white sand beaches and as the Unified Command – led by Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen – struggles with chain-of-command issues as BP changes its on-scene leadership.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0619/Jones-Act-Maritime-politics-strain-Gulf-oil-spill-cleanup


I can find tons to these kinds of reports but NOTHING to support your scenario.

(V): Hawaii Republican Rep. Charles Djou became the latest member of Congress to publicly criticize President Obama for not allowing foreign ships into the Gulf of Mexico to help with the clean-up effort of the BP oil spill.

Djou called on the administration to temporarily suspend the Jones Act, which bars foreign ships from engaging in transporting goods to and from American ports. According to a clause in the statute, the president can waive the law on an emergency and temporary basis.

Tuesday: I just wish those in India killed and hurt through that USA firm flouting safety regs would get their compensation.. They are still fighting in USA courts I believe, and that is not the only case in the courts still.

OldFartNamesArt: I checked the details on the Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center website... No list of nationality is there, but that 15 vessels from NON USA countries are helping.


..AND THAT THE JONES ACT DOES NOT APPLY.

It's clear your sites are scaremongering like those ads during the election suggestion a vote for Obama was a vote for the USA being nuked.

.. I'm doubly concerned that some people in the USA would belief that!!

(V): Get with it Jules. It's clear that in the beginning (and for a long time) Obama did very little to help curb the spill. And it's also a fact that Obama refused help. As for your claim, I can find NOTHING to support your claim. Not that I don't think it's likely at this point. How long as it been now?

I don't know the nature of the ships helping, the countries they are from, no details. So I'll not take your word or that of Media matters either.

Even if it's true, Obama STILL refused help from countries that were willing to help. They had the proper equipment.

Meanwhile, Obama was stonewalling requests from Louisiana's Governor for needed help/equipment/permits etc.

Jim Dandy: Obama deserves the flack. Do you think he acted in a proper and timely way?

Jim Dandy: GW.. I feel deserved the flack for GWII... Katrina. I don't think anyone expected that kinda devastation, you cannot blame the guy for the weather.

OldFartNamesArt: Not really can you do a break down of the 15 vessels of foreign (to the USA) nationality... something like 25% of the ships there..

And you'll still quoting the Jones act when it does not apply.

Quite honestly.. all I see is misquotes from people loving to jump on Obama because of something he did not do... He didn't decide to break safety laws and advice.

Geez ... they'd get killed on Question time!!

(V): Alot of the flack Obama is getting is payback for the rough ride GW got during Katrina.

That should put that issue to rest. It's clear that Obama refused help, and sat on an effective response. He's an inept, incompetent rookie and clearly over his head.

Democrats Make the Case for Jones Act Waiver
by Robert Bluey
A congressional hearing on foreign ships in the Gulf of Mexico turned into a full-scale attack on the Obama administration’s response to the crisis — led by the committee’s Democrats.

Thursday’s hearing came as a growing chorus of critics has accused the Obama administration of unwisely turning away international help for the oil spill cleanup and failing to issue a temporary waiver of the protectionist Jones Act. The hearing came as Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) criticized the administration for bureaucratic hurdles.

http://biggovernment.com/rbluey/2010/06/18/democrats-make-the-case-for-jones-act-waiver/

"Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) said it was unacceptable that her state couldn’t utilize foreign vessels for skimming. She held up pictures of skimmers available in Mexico and Norway that could help. 'We are in emergency mode and we need skimmers,' Brown said. “We need the big ones. I understand they’re available in other countries, including Mexico and Norway. What is the process for the state to utilize these vessels from other countries? … We’re talking about protecting Florida’s coast.' . . .Deputy Maritime Administrator David Matsuda confirmed there has been one Jones Act waiver request for a foreign deck barge to operate within three miles of the U.S. coast. That request was denied . . . .Of course, the Obama administration could eliminate the bureaucratic delay entirely by simply following the precedent set by the Bush administration, which waived the Jones Act in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 to transport oil and gasoline throughout the Gulf region. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has the legal authority to suspend the law."

Not from Fox:

U.S. Refused Help on Oil Spill

According to Foreign Policy, thirteen entities had offered the U.S. oil spill assistance within about two weeks of the Horizon rig explosion. They were the governments of Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations.

The U.S. response - Thank you, but no thank you, we've got it.

"..While there is no need right now that the U.S. cannot meet, the U.S. Coast Guard is assessing these offers of assistance to see if there will be something which we will need in the near future."

New PrimeMinishter for Aus. today?

a woman looks to take over after infighting amongst the factions......

OldFartNamesArt: Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center

June 15
"Currently, 15 foreign-flagged vessels are involved in the largest response to an oil spill in U.S. history." The center further explained, "No Jones Act waivers have been granted because none of these vessels have required such a waiver to conduct their operations in the Gulf of Mexico."

Are you sure Fox is reliable??

.....While discussing the BP oil leak on Glenn Beck, Flynn said: "The Dutch have offered assistance, the British have offered assistance. There's been a lot of international assistance offered. The federal government has not accepted that assistance because of some antiquated law passed in the '20s and '30s from labor unions, the Jones Act. We have denied the use of international ships.".....

"No Jones Act waivers have been granted because none of these vessels have required such a waiver to conduct their operations in the Gulf of Mexico."

Tuesday: Anyone who thinks any President can just wave a magic wand and remove the human factor ought to remember JKF, Nixon, Clinton, Raygun, Bush....

I think most moderate-ish Republicans are more reasoned. If not and the corporations have taken over the GOP then in no way do they deserve to be in power. A party that has sold it's soul for the dollar no longer represents the people.

Report: Gen. Petraeus will replace Gen. McChrystal
Ed Lasky
AP writes that "sources" tell it that General David Petraeus will replace Gen. McChrystal as commender of US forces in Afghanistan, in the wake of his nbeing relieved from duty by the President. How ironic that "General Betray Us." as Obama's pals in Moveon.Org called him, is coming to Obama's rescue.

Übergeek 바둑이: Obama is the President, not Bush or Palin. This spill happened under his watch. He's responsible to do all he can to get this spill cleaned.

Explain why he does nothing for the first 60 days.

Why does he wait to act on Louisiana's requests and why doesn't he give them exactly what they need to protect the shores?

Why does Obama refuse the help of other nations who, by the way, have proven techniques and the proper equipment for such spills.

This is all on Obama. Not Bush. Not Palin (why you bring her into it is laughable).

OldFartNamesArt:

Is it Obama's job to stop the oil spill or to pass regulations to ensure companies work safely? How quicly everyone forgets that it was the Republicans under Bush who lowered the environmental standards that oil companies have to meet, all under the guise of decreasing dependency on foreign oil sources.

How quickly everyone forgets Sarah Palin saying "Drill baby, drill" during the presidential campaign. Since she is so much in favour of drilling, shouldn't she do something other than criticize Obama and point to oiil companies supporting his campaign? According to Hufftington Post, she blamed environmentalists for the oil disaster because they force tougher regulations?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/03/sarah-palin-blames-enviro_n_598977.html

Her logic is that deep sea drilling is being fuelled by oil companies being unable to drill in Alaska's National Wildlife Refuge. I suppose the fact that her husband is an oil company employee does not color her desire to drill in the wildlife refuge. She goes on to say that America shouldn't trust BP because it is a foreign oil company, even though her husband worked for BP for years.

In an interview in Fox News she talks of the media not doing enough to be on top of Obama's case for receiving campaign donations from BP. That is real grand from her considering her husband is a company employee!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh4ESaeUE2A

Here is some footage of Sarah Palin calling offshore drilling "environmentally friendly" during the presidential campaign:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn2Tyh6b5dE&feature=fvw

The funny thing is that when the next presidential race comes around, Sarah Palin will score votes against Obama saying that he did nothing, even though she was the one who championed offshore drilling during the previous campaign.

It just goes to show that a good politician is a good hypocrite.

Salazar was the one who told Congress that experts backed his plan for a blanket moratorium on further deep-water drilling, when experts had said nearly the opposite. (Salazar later apologized.) Many engineers, in fact, warn that shutting down wells and then restarting drilling -- with the migration of drill rigs, technology and human capital -- would only increase risk in the long run.

OldFartNamesArt: Have been until now. No immediate tech is available to contain the leak AT IT'S SOURCE.. How is Obama supposed to contain that? Nuke it???

So.. what about the fishermen, the wildlife, tourist industry, etc ?? A few thousand men is more important then them... please explain how?

(V): You need to learn to read. Never said more than 33 rigs were affected. The CONTEXT was historical: "There have been over 50,000 wells drilled in the Gulf of Mexico, over 4,000 of them deepwater wells and 700 ultra-deepwater wells; all this with no major incidents until now."

Note: "have been"

Obama did NOTHING (that's zero actions) for two months. Actions that do nothing to contain the spill are worthless.

Oh yeah he attends sports games, played some hoops and golfed a lot. and he gave impressive speeches. But as for anything meaningful to contain the spill

NOTHING

OldFartNamesArt: No-one has said shut down.. just no more. Regardless of it being 99.998 or 99.999999999% ok the cost to the other industries is what?? How many people cannot work?

.... ONLY 33 RIGS ARE AFFECTED, not 50,000.

And how much is the cost to another or the same oil company if they mess up? The cost to the UK private pensions is considerable.

Obama sat on his hands.. was that when he was face to face with the BP lot to restrain himself from expressing the feelings of those affected?