Cat puts on his own Rabbit Mask Hat

Ronald Reagan Christmas address (12/23/81)

Sioux City pastor who openly violated tax law confident he’ll beat the IRS | Iowa Independent

Sioux City pastor who openly violated tax law confident he’ll beat the IRS | Iowa Independent: "Boston went on to point out to a poll conducted this month by Rasmussen showing only 12 percent of Americans “feel it’s appropriate for their local religious leader, such as a parish priest, minister, rabbi or imam, to suggest who they should vote for.”"

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I hope this 1954 law is challenged and thrown out as unconstitutional. It is a clear violation of the 1st amendment. Since when do surveys trump the constitution?

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

From Redstate

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words: "

"

BBC News - Barack Obama signs gay military law

BBC News - Barack Obama signs gay military law: "Guidelines need to be finalised on practical questions ranging from how to educate troops to how sexual preference should be handled when army staff are organising sleeping arrangements in military barracks."

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Exactly why it wasn't allowed. Do we really want the defenders of our very lives to be bogged down in social issues?

How Did an Inmate Escape From the Hospital? | KCRG-TV9 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather | Local News

How Did an Inmate Escape From the Hospital? | KCRG-TV9 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa News, Sports, and Weather | Local News: "CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - One day after an inmate escaped from the University of Iowa Hospitals, questions are raising about who was ultimately responsible for the inmates taken to the UIHC."

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Nobody believes the hospital is at fault with this. Clearly, the deputy should have stayed, or made more common sense arrangements. With all of the paper work a hospital has to go through, and it's only getting worse under Obamacare, I'm sure the doctor signed without giving it a second thought. But I do bet the hospital and the sheriff get sued just the same.

UN lifts key sanctions against Iraq - Yahoo! News

UN lifts key sanctions against Iraq - Yahoo! News: "A U.S.-led force drove Saddam's army out of Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War, and the U.N. then imposed the sanctions. The second war — when a U.S.-led force invaded Iraq and toppled the regime in 2003 — was ostensibly to stop Saddam from developing weapons of mass destruction. Such weapons were never found."

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Uh, yes such weapons were found (and he also used such weapons on his own people). Look AP and the rest of you Liberal media, just because you say it over and over again, doesn't make it any less of a lie. If you can get the UN to admit they screwed up saying Saddam had not only WMD but high aspirations of creating more, then you might have a leg to stand on.

UN lifts key sanctions against Iraq - Yahoo! News

UN lifts key sanctions against Iraq - Yahoo! News: "Vice President Joe Biden, who presided over the meeting, told the council the move marked 'an important milestone for the government of Iraq and people of Iraq in their ongoing effort to leave behind their troubled past and embrace a much brighter future.'"

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Would it kill him to acknowledge Bush and the US military in having a part in it?

BBC News - Gulf of Mexico oil leak: US sues BP over oil disaster

BBC News - Gulf of Mexico oil leak: US sues BP over oil disaster

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Is this what they are calling "taxes" now?

Judge in Va. strikes down federal health care law - Yahoo! News

Judge in Va. strikes down federal health care law - Yahoo! News: "'At its core, this dispute is not simply about regulating the business of insurance — or crafting a scheme of universal health insurance coverage — it's about an individual's right to choose to participate,' Hudson wrote."

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We have to get this repealed soon. Otherwise, private insurance companies will go out of business and there will be no other choice for medical "insurance" except Obama. If I read this right, the private insurance companies will still have to deal with unattainable government mandates. Of course, this is Obama's plan, to remove any choice and force his will on us.

But this certainly is a step in the right direction. So hooray for that.

Unhappy Democrats say tax bill likely to pass - Yahoo! News

Unhappy Democrats say tax bill likely to pass - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON – Slowly, painfully and reluctantly, congressional Democrats are slogging their way toward acceptance of President Barack Obama's tax cut compromise, which would let rich and poor Americans keep Bush-era tax cuts that were scheduled to expire this month."

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Have you seen so much fuss over keeping the status quo? The republicans really got played here. Here we are in the Great Stagnation with unemployment at the highest for over 50 years and the best our side can come with is the status quo.

We should be pushing for the most massive tax cuts ever to pull us out of this thing. Timing is incredibly important here as we will soon be going into a natural down cycle for the economy. We need massive tax relief and we need it now, otherwise it will be too late. I hope the new congress has got more guts than this one.

Harkin questions if GOP has ‘lost all sense of fairness, decency and justice’ | Iowa Independent

Harkin questions if GOP has ‘lost all sense of fairness, decency and justice’ | Iowa Independent: "They are not going to agree on anything until we have enacted these tax cuts for the wealthiest of Americans."

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Have you, senator Harkin, lost all senses? (That is a rhetorical question)

You are not enacting anything you weasel. It's preventing a tax increase. And it's not about the wealthiest. It's about job creators, and the government has shown itself to be a the lousiest job creator. The most recent evidence is the trillion plus "stimulus." You have been in charge of the most massive spending in history, and yet unemployment is still well above 9% and constantly hovering near 10%. And if you include underemployed and those that have given up, it's closer to 20% nationally.

How about you let us keep our money for once? Just give us a year of real conservative policies and see what happens.

Five myths about Sarah Palin

Actually enjoyed this opinion piece from Matthew Continetti.

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Five myths about Sarah Palin: "Think you know Sarah Palin? The former Alaska governor has been in the spotlight ever since John McCain named her as his running mate on Aug. 29, 2008. Yet, while practically everybody has an opinion about Palin, not all of those opinions are grounded in reality. Many of them are based more on a 'Saturday Night Live' caricature than on the living, breathing, 46-year-old mother of five. The real Sarah Palin is a complex woman who has risen in no time from obscurity to the stratosphere of American politics, fusing celebrity and populism in novel ways. Now that she's laying the foundation for a possible presidential run in 2012, it's worth taking a moment to separate the facts about Palin from the fables."

EV Batteries Will Have Lives Beyond the Road | Autopia | Wired.com

EV Batteries Will Have Lives Beyond the Road | Autopia | Wired.com

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I don't understand this article. When a battery is spent, what use is it except as a really toxic paper weight? This article makes it sound like when an EV (Electric Vehicle) battery is used up, it's not used up at all and it can be re-purposed. Well, then why would I stop using it in my crappy EV?

This story is clearly a puff piece for the EV industry, AKA the New GM, AKA Government Motors, AKA the Obama regime.

Survive a TSA Screening - Wired How-To Wiki

Survive a TSA Screening - Wired How-To Wiki: "It's not clear how far legally such a search can go. For example, could the TSA require a cavity search and if you refused one, could you be fined? That's an unknown legal question."

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With this kind of question out there, who'd want to fly ever again under this administration? Makes me long for the time when the Patriot Act was considered invasive.

Groups that helped oust Iowa judges earn ‘hate group’ designation | Iowa Independent

Groups that helped oust Iowa judges earn ‘hate group’ designation | Iowa Independent: "Several of the out-of-state organizations that played a key role in advocating for the November ouster of three Iowa Supreme Court justices have been labeled as “hate groups” by a national civil rights watchdog."

Michelle Singletary - Woman who told Obama her financial fears has lost her job

Michelle Singletary - Woman who told Obama her financial fears has lost her job

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This will be Obama's legacy.

Another TSA Outrage | RedState

Another TSA Outrage | RedState: "It’s probably important to mention that we were ALL carrying weapons."

Arizona reeling from lost revenue in wake of controversial immigration law | Iowa Independent

Arizona reeling from lost revenue in wake of controversial immigration law | Iowa Independent: "“It is our hope that citizens from those states (considering legislation) will be on high alert” if politicians begin talking about Arizona-style legislation. “This is a time when states need to be focused on economic growth, and not permitting their fragile economies to get whacked off course by Arizona-type legislation,” Kelley said."

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Sounds like extortion, doesn't it? "Don't you dare think about passing laws that discourage an already illegal activity!"

Corps endorses flood-protection for east side

Corps endorses flood-protection for east side: "In a crucial meeting and vote this afternoon, the Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Review Board in Washington, D.C., endorsed on a 5-0 vote a flood-protection plan for Cedar Rapids that will move..."

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Every time I read Corps I think of our president. Instead of saying "core" for corps he reads the teleprompter and says "corpse." He's done it several times now. I can't believe nobody has told him. Maybe they're just too scared to.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/02/04/obama_mispronounces_corpsman_at_prayer_breakfast.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKIfzoC8D0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1DO388jsf8

Doctors Save Girl's Hand By Grafting It To Her Leg For 3 Months [Surgery]

Doctors Save Girl's Hand By Grafting It To Her Leg For 3 Months [Surgery]: "

In July, nine-year-old Ming Li lost her hand in a tractor accident. Her arm was too damaged to reattach it, so they grafted it to her leg instead. Three months later, her hand's back on her arm and regaining function. More »

"

Congrats Amazon, Your Pedophile Book Hits The Top 100 List And Over 2,500 People Join Boycott.

Congrats Amazon, Your Pedophile Book Hits The Top 100 List And Over 2,500 People Join Boycott.

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This needs to be taken down now.

Inspector: Drilling Moratorium Report Altered by White House - FoxNews.com

Inspector: Drilling Moratorium Report Altered by White House - FoxNews.com: "WASHINGTON -- The Interior Department's inspector general says the White House edited a drilling safety report in a way that made it falsely appear that scientists and experts supported the idea of the administration's six-month ban on new drilling."

BBC News - Gulf oil spill: President's panel says firms complacent

BBC News - Gulf oil spill: President's panel says firms complacent: "Three major companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill lacked a safety culture and made serious mistakes ahead of the catastrophe, the key inquiry into the disaster has said."

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Of course there is no failure on the part of the government, at least not under the Obama administration. Never mind the approvals given before, and never mind the response, or lack of, from the government. It was at least a week before they would even admit there was a problem, and then they sent s.w.a.t. teams, because why? Were they going to shoot the oil out of the water?

Residents of Missouri Town Block Protesters From Picketing Soldier's Funeral - FoxNews.com

Residents of Missouri Town Block Protesters From Picketing Soldier's Funeral - FoxNews.com: "The residents sought to block Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., and his followers from picketing Sadell’s funeral, according to the station."

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I am very glad to see this happening. We need to go further than blocking these idiots. I think their funders need to be attacked in all legal ways. I wouldn't be opposed to going after the individual protesters themselves by calling attention to them and causing as much pain and suffering on them as they cause on these families, in only legal ways of course.

Fed to Buy $600 Billion of Treasurys - WSJ.com

Fed to Buy $600 Billion of Treasurys - WSJ.com: "The Federal Reserve, in a dramatic effort to rev up a 'disappointingly slow' economic recovery, said it will buy $600 billion of U.S. government bonds over the next eight months to drive down interest rates and encourage more borrowing and growth."

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Just more shifting of debt. We haven't even begun eliminating it. We'll need a real recovery for that.

Official: 1 Yemen bomb 17 mins. from exploding - Yahoo! News

Official: 1 Yemen bomb 17 mins. from exploding - Yahoo! News: "PARIS – One of two mail bombs sent from Yemen last week was disarmed just 17 minutes before it was set to go off, the French interior minister said Thursday."

Virus breakthrough raises hope over ending common cold

BBC News - Virus breakthrough raises hope over ending common cold

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Vote for conservative Republicans and Yes We Can! eliminate the viruses in Washington.

What we're up against

Warning: contains lots of foul language and hatred.

Convicted Davenport chiropractor dies after fall | TheGazette

Convicted Davenport chiropractor dies after fall | TheGazette: "James Klindt lived with and cared for his aging parents in his former childhood home ever since his release from prison in 2004 for a case that made national headlines. He was convicted of killing his wife, dismembering her body with a chainsaw and dumping the pieces into the river."

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One of the most disturbed articles I have ever read.

Call Me Senator - From David Zucker

Fed Gears Up for Stimulus - WSJ.com

Fed Gears Up for Stimulus - WSJ.com: "The Federal Reserve is close to embarking on another round of monetary stimulus next week, against the backdrop of a weak economy and low inflation—and despite doubts about the wisdom and efficacy of the policy among economists and some of the Fed's own decision makers."

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This reminds me of the super inflation a lot of people (including myself) were expecting to see this year. Well, it didn't happen even despite the massive amount money being poured into the economy. Why? My guess is because the economy is that bad. Also, because debt is being transferred and not eliminated, it really shows that the formula the Fed has been using to "stimulate" the economy is faulty, at least at the scale we are at.

Obama Tells Republicans to 'Sit in Back' - FoxNews.com

Obama Tells Republicans to 'Sit in Back' - FoxNews.com: "We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back."

Karzai says his office gets cash from Iran, US - Yahoo! News

Karzai says his office gets cash from Iran, US - Yahoo! News: "KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Monday that once or twice a year, Iran gives his office $700,000 to $975,000 for official presidential expenses and that Washington also provides 'bags of money' because his office lacks funds."

...

"It is official and by my order," Karzai said.

Kirkwood wind turbine would offset energy cost, aid training | TheGazette

Kirkwood wind turbine would offset energy cost, aid training | TheGazette: "“We’re looking at a huge cut in our utility bills and that will offset the payments we have to make in the first few years on the interest-free loans,” Kaldenberg said. “After about 10 years when everything is paid off , we should see a nice tidy payback on our investment.”"

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If you read this article you'll see a whole lot if's in there. Look at how much effort is required for one of these massive windmills. $5-6 million for one. They have to get all kinds of free money. There best case is they'll have a pay back in 10 years! I have a feeling that's if it's still working. These things are money hogs, and incredible dangerous to maintain. The real energy solution is to drill for more oil. We know how to do it and we know where it is. It won't be as intrusive as these things are. And it will be whole lot more effective and less risky.

Culver to Iowa labor: I want more for you | TheGazette

Culver to Iowa labor: I want more from you! That's what the headline should read if he was being honest

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Culver to Iowa labor: I want more for you | TheGazette: "“Chet will be ahead on Election Day and that’s the way God intended it to be,” Harkin said."

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Harkin is off the deep end.

- "A sign of his strength, Culver said, is a 9 percentage point lead over Branstad in the 2nd District where, he predicted, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack would be re-elected. A short time later, 2nd District Republican challenger Mariannette Miller-Meeks released a poll showing a 45 percent to 44 percent lead over Loebsack."

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This just cracks me up. Meeks is not the conservative I'd like, but at this point, we'll take the best we can get.

BBC News - US inquiry into China rare earth shipments

BBC News - US inquiry into China rare earth shipments: "They are used in everything from catalytic converters in cars to computer monitors, TVs and in pharmaceuticals."

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I guess "rare earths" is a Brit phrase. I think we would call these rare deposits or something like that. Anyway, it sounds like one more thing to pressure prices through-out the world. I wonder what the Fed and its counterparts around the world will do behind the scenes to keep countering inflation. Buying up massive amounts of debt (which is really just transferring it out of public view, not getting rid of it) can only work for so long.

BBC News - Obama administration seeks gay military ruling stay

BBC News - Obama administration seeks gay military ruling stay: "The military began accepting gay recruits this week after a judge struck down the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy barring openly gay people from serving."

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Obama did not do enough to prevent this. As a result, the security of our nation is being compromised.

TV Ad: Send Them a Message

Military recruiters told to accept gay applicants - Yahoo! News

Military recruiters told to accept gay applicants - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON – A Pentagon spokeswoman says recruiters have been told that they must accept gay applicants, following a federal court decision striking down the ban on gays serving openly in the military."

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This is bad. Lots of chaos will ensue, because it's going to be reversed. Then what will be done with openly gay recruits accepted?

Bank of America, GMAC Relaunch Foreclosures - WSJ.com

Bank of America, GMAC Relaunch Foreclosures - WSJ.com: "Bank of America Corp. reopened more than 100,000 foreclosure actions, declaring that it had found no significant problems in its procedures for seizing homes. GMAC Mortgage, a lender and loan servicer, said that it also is pushing ahead with an unspecified number of foreclosures that came under intense pressure."

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Saw this coming a mile away. The fundamental problem is the economy stinks under Obama. If the Tea Party candidates win in enough numbers to force a new direction in policy, then the economy will be roaring back within 2 years. Actually, you'll see a huge difference within one year. Of coarse, Obama will try to take credit, but we won't let him.

NRSC Nevada IE Ad: Ritz

Say what?! story of the day

Iowa City man arrested for impregnating 13-year-old: "An Iowa City man has been charged with impregnating a 13-year-old girl in 2007. Joshua A. Hesseltine, now 19, has been charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony. According to a..."

Democrats try to buy seniors for $250

Democrats make pre-election pitch to help seniors - Yahoo! News: "WASHINGTON – Democrats are making a pre-election pitch to give Social Security recipients a one-time payment of $250, part of a larger effort to convince senior voters that their party, and not Republicans, will best look out for the 58 million people who get the government retirement and disability benefits."

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Things are really bad when the Democrats think they have to outright buy seniors' votes. But I really don't think a one time buy-out of $250 is going to do it.

Banks seize 288K homes in Q3, but challenges await - Yahoo! News

I've read about the foreclosure freeze and the stories from the victims. I noticed a common thread with all of them: the victim was having trouble making the mortgage payments because they lost their job. It is an absolute joke this "jobless recovery." I can't imagine how huge the recovery would have been if taxes were cut $1 trillion. Or even 1/2 of that would have been more than enough to have a real recovery.

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Banks seize 288K homes in Q3, but challenges await - Yahoo! News: "Banks have seized more than 816,000 homes through the first nine months of the year and had been on pace to seize 1.2 million by the end of 2010. But fewer are expected now that several major lenders have suspended foreclosures and sales of repossessed homes until they can sort out the foreclosure-documents mess."

Obama gives kiss of death to Culver

Obama endorses Culver: "President Barack Obama is asking Iowa voters to give Gov. Chet Culver the same winning effort at the polls that they gave him two years ago. “I’ve seen first hand what Iowans can do when an election..."

Scott's Harangue: Fighting Fires - Several Stories Up

Scott's Harangue: Fighting Fires - Several Stories Up: "We're happy that Mrs. O-Leary's cow didn't start the Great Chicago Fire. We're happy that Chicago was able to rebuild using modern technolog..."

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Nice read about fire fighting.

Administration lifts 6-month oil drilling freeze - Yahoo! News

Administration lifts 6-month oil drilling freeze - Yahoo! News: "Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said that new rules imposed after the BP spill — the worst environmental disaster in the country's history — have strengthened safety measures and reduced the risk of another catastrophic blowout."

But yet what are the new rules? It took just 6 months for the Obama administration to fix this problem, allegedly. I don't know how they did it. Why did it take so long to even address the spill in the first place? And why the cover up? I guess it's not this peasant's place to question.

Illegal contributions to a Democrat? Say it isn't so

Four charged after trying to use campaign contributions to land gaming license: "A special prosecutor Monday (Oct. 11) filed charges against four people and two gambling entities for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions to Gov. Chet Culver’s re-election campaign in..."

It doesn't escape me that the headline doesn't have the Democrat that the illegal contributions were given to.

Amazing train set

Wunderland in 4 minutes - model building - model railway Hamburg

Obama's Great Stagnation Worse Than Carter's Malaise

U.S. Economy Lost 95,000 Jobs in September - WSJ.com: "WASHINGTON --The U.S. economy continued to lose jobs last month as small gains in the private sector failed to offset big cuts in government workers, pointing to a still sluggish recovery."

They keep wanting to call this thing a recovery and preface it as sluggish. This is not a recovery. A stagnation is a more accurate description. Obama's Great Stagnation Worse Than Carter's Malaise -that should be the headline we see.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer slams 'foreign interference' in immigration lawsuit - Scott Wong - POLITICO.com

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer slams 'foreign interference' in immigration lawsuit - Scott Wong - POLITICO.com: "In a new twist in the fight over Arizona’s immigration law, Republican Gov. Jan Brewer on Tuesday asked a federal court to disallow foreign governments from joining the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit to overturn the law."

This is what we're up against. At all levels of government, there is a fight with the citizens of this country for who is really in control. It's the making of a real revolution and it's no joking matter.

Fox News: Westboro Baptist Church to Defend Military Funeral Protests Before High Court

Fox News
http://fxn.ws/9kWsWL
 For many, the idea of protesting at any funeral -- let alone one for a member of the military -- is abhorrent, yet members of the Westboro Church proudly boast of having held more than 44,000 pickets at funerals and other events. They also strongly defend their First Amendment right to protest.

 

This so-called "church" is an abomination. They are disgusting and full of nuts.

Adult Liberals become irrational children (when the don't get their way)

’21 Makes Sense’ yard signs stolen: "Supporters of the 21-only ordinance said they were targeted by a “massive yard sign theft operation” this past weekend."

Typical. I remember having my political sign stolen and vandalized (McCain/Palin of course). I put the sign in my window and had to run off a horde of little kids, two of which were banging on my window trying to knock the sign down. All were minority. All were black. But this is what conservatives (or even a moderate or liberal with a single conservative pov) can expect in the Liberal Mecca.

Rich get richer, poor get poorer in the Liberal Mecca of Midwest

Press Citizen, www.press-citizen.com

Assessment reveals Johnson County's income gap

According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey from 2006-08, 20 percent of people in the lowest income bracket in Johnson County earned $10,462. Conversely, those in the highest 20 percent earned more than 16 times that amount: $171,695.

Nobody can live independently on $10,462/year.

Republican voter numbers surge

Republican voter numbers surge: "Republican voter registration has surged in Iowa with about two-thirds of the GOP’s gain appearing to come at the expense of Democrats. Overall, the number of registered voters in Iowa a month before..."

Income down, poverty up in the Liberal Mecca

Income down, poverty up in 2009 in Johnson County, Press Citizen

The median household income in Johnson County fell by nearly 10 percent last year compared to 2008, according to estimates compiled in the annual American Community Survey.

How's that change working out for you?

Illegal immigration is no joke

Iowa court says Coralville car search was unlawful

Iowa court says Coralville car search was unlawful: "The Iowa Court of Appeals says police unlawfully searched a car involved in a traffic accident that led to a woman’s conviction on marijuana charges."

I always thought it was funny how these things turn out. Never mind that she had pot, her privacy was invaded. I thought the cops had the obligation to search a car for inebriating substances after a car accident?

Obama transformation of America: "Not there yet"

Obama says voters may blame him for economy - Yahoo! News "For all the progress we've made, we're not there yet." Yea, and hopefully after November we will never get to your version of America.

Regarding Christine O'Donell...

Mark Levin puts it nicely:

Mark Levin Fan: "We need people in the United States Senate who are going to repeal government-run health care. Mike Castle in Delaware says he is not going to vote for that. We need people in the United States Senate who are going to do everything possible to kill this phony Cap & Trade. Mike Castle voted for it in the House. We need pro-life senators. Mike Castle is pro-choice. We need senators who are not going to vote for activist Supreme Court Justices. Castle would. And I could go on and on down the list."

christine2010.com

Obama to troops: Because of your crappy job, my numbers are in the toilet

Obama: End of Iraq combat mission not victory lap - Yahoo! News: "FORT BLISS, Texas – Hours before addressing the nation, President Barack Obama told U.S. troops just back from Iraq that his speech outlining the withdrawal of combat forces 'is not going to be a victory lap' nor a cause for celebration."

Today's bizarre story

Armed man threatened to kill Cedar Rapids woman if she didn’t give up dog | GazetteOnline.com: "A man with a knife told a Cedar Rapids woman he would kill her if she didn’t give him the dog she was walking, according to a police report."

Foursquare, MTV to reward STD checkups with badge - Yahoo! News

Foursquare, MTV to reward STD checkups with badge - Yahoo! News: "he badge is part of MTV's 'GYT: Get Yourself Tested' campaign. MTV says the idea is to remove the stigma attached to getting checked out for STDs."

Ok. This is my laugh for the day. 1, I don't think you can remove the stigma for getting checked out for STDs, and 2, I don't think it should be removed. But hey, I guess MTV is starving for any kind of attention.

Nearly 50 percent leave Obama mortgage-aid program - Yahoo! News

Nearly 50 percent leave Obama mortgage-aid program - Yahoo! News: "The program is intended to help those at risk of foreclosure by lowering their monthly mortgage payments. Friday's report from the Treasury Department suggests the $75 billion government effort is failing to slow the tide of foreclosures in the United States, economists say."

Headlines that don't match picture

SnagIt Capture
Originally uploaded by thpope.

Look at how they are "bursting" in. And of course, they don't arrest anyone, but they do charge them with a "disorderly" house. That seems like the catch all for the police. "Well, we couldn't find any illegal things here, but your house is a mess. We can charge you for that."

U.S. Employers Shed 131,000 Jobs in July; Unemployment Rate Steady at 9.5% - WSJ.com

U.S. Employers Shed 131,000 Jobs in July; Unemployment Rate Steady at 9.5% - WSJ.com

I think I blinked and missed the Obama recovery.

Rangel, ethics panel lawyers talking settlement - Yahoo! News

Rangel, ethics panel lawyers talking settlement - Yahoo! News: "Some Democrats have called for Rangel to resign. Others have returned money he raised for them. Many Democrats are worried that they'll be responding to negative campaign ads about Rangel if a trial gets under way in September."

Nothing short of his resignation should be accepted. But I would love to see him on trial. They should let him be tried and that can be their built-in excuse for losing in November.

France declares war against al-Qaida - Yahoo! News

France declares war against al-Qaida - Yahoo! News: "The declaration and attack marked a shift in strategy for France, usually discrete about its behind-the-scenes battle against terrorism."

Some insurers stop writing new coverage for kids - Yahoo! Finance

Some insurers stop writing new coverage for kids - Yahoo! Finance: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some major health insurance companies will no longer issue certain types of policies for children, an unintended consequence of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, state officials said Friday."

Jobless Claims Increase - WSJ.com

Jobless Claims Increase - WSJ.com: "Sales of existing homes slid in June for a second consecutive month as the effects of a government tax credit program continued to wane."

File this under: What Recovery?

More Democrats Call for Keeping Tax Cuts - WSJ.com

More Democrats Call for Keeping Tax Cuts - WSJ.com: "Two more Senate Democrats called for extending tax cuts for all earners—including those with the highest incomes—in what appears to be a breakdown of the party's consensus on the how to handle the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts."

It's all part of Bush's master plan. Isn't it fun to watch?

Could this be our future?

Inflation and Recession Deal Venezuela a Double Blow - WSJ.com: "he Venezuelan economy is taking a double hit from a deep recession and high inflation, causing incomes to decline for rich and poor alike." Obama is following the same path as Chavez, so yes, this is our future. Sooner than you think.

File this under Stupid People

Police: Woman filed false sexual assault report | press-citizen.com | Iowa City Press Citizen

Explosive Video

Long Hot Summer Begins: Congressman Attacks Student - Big Government

Check out this video of some students simply asking a Democrat Congressman if he support the Obama agenda.

FOXNews.com - Afghan Taliban Hang 7-Year-Old Boy to Punish Family

FOXNews.com - Afghan Taliban Hang 7-Year-Old Boy to Punish Family: "A 7-year-old boy was murdered by the Taliban in an apparent act of retribution this week. Afghan officials said that the child was accused of spying for U.S. and NATO forces and hanged from a tree in southern Afghanistan."

Notes protest new Iowa City donation meters | GazetteOnline.com

Notes protest new Iowa City donation meters | GazetteOnline.com: "The new purple parking meters located in downtown Iowa City are not just identified as “donation stations,” but new protesting spots as well."

I can't imagine what goes through these guy's heads. Iowa City decides that the "pan handlers" (I just call them bums) are too annoying and unsightly. So they pass an ordinance to get rid of them. But their Liberal conscience forces them to replace the unsightly bums with much more appealing "donation stations," purple parking meters. Now the activists bums are taping protest signs to the pretty purple meters. I'm laughing my head off reading this. Maybe allowing urban chickens will appease the bums. I wonder if they will pass an ordinance making it unlawful to illegally assault someone.

PSA: Don’t eat lithium batteries - Yahoo! News

PSA: Don’t eat lithium batteries - Yahoo! News: "It would appear they are not meant for human consumption."

White House says it contacted candidate about jobs - Yahoo! News

White House says it contacted candidate about jobs - Yahoo! News: "Romanoff on Wednesday night released a copy of an e-mail in which White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina described three federal international development jobs that might be available to him if he were not challenging Bennet for the Democratic Senate nomination. 'He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions,' Romanoff said in a statement. 'At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one.'"

Obama did say he was making Jobs his biggest priority.

Day 40 Of The Obama Oil Spill

WRAPUP 2-No end in sight as Gulf oil spill hits Day 40 | Reuters: "Polls show that Americans are losing faith in the Obama administration's response to the spill as oil seeps farther into fragile marshlands and shuts down a good chunk of the lucrative fishing industry."

While on the road, Obama chooses to chow down

While on the road, Obama chooses to chow down: "

First lady Michelle Obama has just a new initiative to reduce childhood obesity, but when President Obama goes on the road, he seems to always end up eating the kind of foods his wife wants kids to avoid.

"

Real Money Tree Found

Dow Surges 400 as EU Rescue Impresses - FOXBusiness.com: "Europe's 'shock and awe' rescue fueled a return to risk on Wall Street as the Dow surged 400 points on Monday amid hopes the $1 trillion bailout will contain Greek's debt crisis."

Europe must figure if Obama can do it, then they can grow their own money tree too. I can't be the only one that knows this can't be sustained. Most investors must think it can. When they realize the money is worthless because it has no backing, then it will be too late.

Furor grows over Arizona's illegal immigration law - Yahoo! News

Furor grows over Arizona's illegal immigration law - Yahoo! News: "The measure — set to take effect in late July or early August — would make it a crime under state law to be in the U.S. illegally. It directs state and local police to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal."

Go figure. Who would have thought a law would have to be passed to make an illegal act illegal. So if this gets overturned, the all illegals are legal?!

Investigation prompted by Grassley reveals SEC porn surfing | GazetteOnline.com

Investigation prompted by Grassley reveals SEC porn surfing | GazetteOnline.com: "Republicans are stepping up their criticism of the Securities and Exchange Commission following reports, based on a request from Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, that senior agency staffers spent hours surfing pornographic websites on government-issued computers while they were supposed to be policing the nation’s financial system."

FOXNews.com - Obama to Sign Promised Executive Order on Abortion

FOXNews.com - Obama to Sign Promised Executive Order on Abortion: "Stupak says the order merely upholds the status quo that taxpayer money shouldn't be used for abortion services."

That's a lie. One of the first things the baby killer president did was to allow US funds to be used for abortions in foreign countries. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/23/obama.abortion/index.html


Also, this executive order will be overturned if the Supreme Court upholds the phony healthcare bill. Executive orders CANNOT overrule established law.

Tea partiers vow revenge over health overhaul

Tea partiers vow revenge over health overhaul: "TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - If you thought Tea Party activists were mad before, you ain't seen nothing yet."

YouTube - Biden to Obama at Health Care Signing: 'This is a Big F*#cking Deal'

YouTube - Biden to Obama at Health Care Signing: 'This is a Big F*#cking Deal': ""

BBC News - GM recalls 1.3m cars over power steering fault

BBC News - GM recalls 1.3m cars over power steering fault: "GM blamed the fault on a supplier partially owned by Toyota."

Wow, they've learned fast from their leader, Obama. "It's not my fault, it's the other guys fault."

Italy convicts 3 Google execs in abuse video case - Yahoo! News

So lets go after 3 guys from Google and forget about the kids bullying an autistic teenager. I guess that is the Italian way of solving problems.

Italy convicts 3 Google execs in abuse video case - Yahoo! News: "An Italian judge on Wednesday held three Google executives criminally responsible for an online video of an autistic teenager being bullied — a verdict that raises concerns that the Internet giant, and others like it, may be forced to police their content in Italy, and even beyond."

Ex-NYC police boss gets 4 years in prison - Yahoo! News

Ex-NYC police boss gets 4 years in prison - Yahoo! News: "Federal guidelines indicated Kerik's sentence should be between 27 and 33 months in prison. Robinson said he went beyond the guidelines because they could not account for certain factors."

I think this will be reduced on appeal. Shame on Kerik for lying. He should had said he was a Democrat. When will these crooks ever learn? You have to be a Democrat to have a chance of getting away with this stuff like this.

Check out this presentation

What does ONE TRILLION dollars look like? Click here to find out.

Got this presentation through email. I'm posting here to share with anyone who wants to see how truly devastating the current economic policies are to America.

U.N.'s Global Warming Report Under Fresh Attack for Rainforest Claims

From Fox News:

A United Nations report on climate change that has been lambasted for its faulty research is under new attack for yet another instance of what its critics say is sloppy science -- adding to a growing scandal that has undermined the credibility of scientists and policymakers who back the U.N.'s  findings about global warming.

In the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), issued in 2007 by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), scientists wrote that 40 percent of the Amazon rainforest in South America was endangered by global warming.

But that assertion was discredited this week when it emerged that the findings were based on numbers from a study by the World Wildlife Federation that had nothing to do with the issue of global warming -- and that was written by a freelance journalist and green activist.

Full article....

GM's Whitacre to stay on as CEO; search dropped - Yahoo! News

GM's Whitacre to stay on as CEO; search dropped - Yahoo! News This guy has to be setting a record for the biggest welfare check. But seriously, who would even want that job? "Hello, I'm the CEO of the biggest failed company in history."

Ohio Man Arrested on Charges of Urinating on $600-Worth of Steaks - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Ohio Man Arrested on Charges of Urinating on $600-Worth of Steaks - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com I don't get meat at Walmart. I wonder if the steaks were worth more before or after the alleged urination and if Walmart still sold them and if the customers even noticed.

FOXNews.com - Conan O'Brien Fights Tears On Final 'Tonight Show'

FOXNews.com - Conan O'Brien Fights Tears On Final 'Tonight Show': "And although O’Brien is yet to sign with another network, he was overheard assuring pals that while his future is unknown he will certainly be “doing something.' Stay tuned." I think he'll go to Fox.

Haiti Quake Survivor Rescued After 11 Days Trapped in Rubble - The Americas - FOXNews.com

Haiti Quake Survivor Rescued After 11 Days Trapped in Rubble - The Americas - FOXNews.com: "he survived by diving under a desk during the quake and later consuming some cola, beer and cookies in the cramped space." I know some guys where this would be consider normal for them.

Feticide?

Burlington woman charged with attempting to kill fetus | GazetteOnline.com: "A Burlington woman is accused of trying to end her pregnancy by allegedly falling down stairs because police say she was mad at her husband." I cannot believe we have legalized abortion on demand, yet we still can charge for the murder of a fetus (baby in the womb). I've seen double murder charges when someone killed the mother and therefore the baby dies. But this is the first I've seen the mother charged for attempting to kill her baby while the baby is still in her womb. Of course the irony is she could have had the same thing done if she just told a "doctor" to do it for her.

FOXNews.com - New Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected

FOXNews.com - New Jobless Claims Rise More Than Expected: "The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 36,000 to a seasonally adjusted 482,000. Wall Street economists had expected a small drop."

Uh-huh, uh-huh. I've noticed the press has stopped saying we are in a recovery.

Has market plateaued?

Dow Jones Industrial Average - Google Finance: "10,403.86 -199.29 (-1.88%)"

Market is moving down again for the second straight day. I believe we have plateaued and on the verge of a correction at best or beginning of the so-called "second dip" at worst. The reason I think this is because the market has not reflected true economic condidtions for the past few months. I think it is over-valued by about 2-3 thousand points (that is the Dow Jones). I also believe that investors tend to think this at some level, but have been riding out the gains for as much as possible. But the moment they believe the ride is over, I expect a precipitous drop. But I'm no stock investor and I positioned my 401K to be very safe, for now.

I guess I should mention it doesn't help that China is tightening credit and Obama is talking about punishing the Banking industry.

Heck-uv-a job Brownie!

I'm surprised. Never thought this would happen.

All of those Haiti relief workers being held up, because Obama's ineptness, can now be diverted to Washington DC. I know there are plenty of heart attacks happening this morning.

Dems launch defense to save Reid - Yahoo! News

This is great, because they will keep Reid's racist comments alive. Now I'm wondering if maybe they actually want Reid to quit. Trust me, this won't help Reid a bit by attacking Republicans as racist (that's a yawner) and I don't think Democrat political powers are so dumb not to know that. I'm not sure he really had a chance to get re-elected anyway. Maybe this is just cover for his probably "retirement." I hear it's hard to get a cushy million dollar a year lobbyist job if you lose re-election. Just ask Dodd.

Dems launch defense to save Reid - Yahoo! News: "Democrats are preparing to throw the race card back in the laps of Republicans as part of a counterattack designed to help save Harry Reid’s political career."

GM may reopen some factories to meet higher demand - Yahoo! News

Notice that these are not the sub-compact cars that are supposed to save GM. They are SUV's and big cars and GM can't keep up with demand. So, naturally, Government Motors is pouring whatever they have left into making teeny weeny cars that no sensible American that cares about safety will want.

GM may reopen some factories to meet higher demand - Yahoo! News: "Mark Reuss told reporters at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit that plants building the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX crossover vehicles and the Buick LaCrosse sedan are at capacity and can't satisfy demand."

The gov't nanny

NY AG Cuomo asks 8 banks for bonus information - Yahoo! News: "'The banks made a lot of money, in some case only because taxpayers gave them a lot of money,' Cuomo said."

That's right Nanny Cuomo, this taxpayer wants his bonus also! Every taxpayer ought to get $100,000 bonus, because that's what will probably end up paying each for the Obama stimulate government stimulus.

BBC - Mark Mardell's America: Was the Senate leader being racist?

BBC - Mark Mardell's America: Was the Senate leader being racist?

After reading this article, my question is: Is this guy as racist as Reid? I know it's an opinion piece, but I can hardly believe what he's trying to defend here.

FOXNews.com - Groundbreaking Gay Marriage Trial Starts in Calif.

FOXNews.com - Groundbreaking Gay Marriage Trial Starts in Calif.: "Regardless of the outcome, the case is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it ultimately could become a landmark that determines if gay Americans have the right to marry."

Here is an example of the real issue being twisted into something it's not. It's not "gay marriage," it's who gets to define terminology, in this case for the word marriage. The constitution clearly does not speak of marriage as a right. It's up to the individual states to determine how to handle this. Do you really want a handful of appointed people deciding what our words mean? I know I don't. The implications here are far greater than same-sex marriage.

No one here is restricting the ability of any particular group from being married. It's just some don't like the way marriage is defined.

Headlines that go together, in some strange way

Obama: No Plans for Troops to Yemen

Massachusetts Police Search for Pantless Man Who Approached Young Girls

Health bill raises cost, say gov't economic experts

Slight Cost Increase in Senate Health Bill: "Senate plan to expand health coverage to 34 million more Americans would raise costs, gov't economic experts say"

Senate Democrat majority leader makes racist comment, and let off hook

Obama Accepts Reid Apology: "President says 'book is closed' after Harry Reid apologizes for having called him 'light skinned,' 'with no Negro dialect'"

same-sex marriage and straights

Same-sex marriage ‘off table’ | GazetteOnline.com:

“We think leaders have their priorities straight, focusing on common concerns like jobs and health-care instead of issues that divide us,” Uebelhor said. “Our hope is that this doesn’t get any traction.”

"We think leaders have their priorities straight" regarding same-sex marriage. My guess is he really didn't think about this statement in regards to homosexuals. Made me chuckle.

I am glad to see the Gazette getting the terminology correct, it's same-sex marriage, not homosexual marriage, as I've seen many times before. I don't think anyone, in legal regards, has attempted to stop the marriage of a gay man to a lesbian woman. The issue here is the re-definition of marriage, which has always been the formal joining of a man and a woman. Now the courts are trying to say, no it's the formal joining between two people regardless of their gender. I don't like courts re-defining long time traditional terms at will. I think I'm in the majority on that also. And I think the Democrat leaders here in Iowa also know I'm in the majority.

And to the whining Democrats who think this is not the time to debate this because of other issues (thanks to their poor, poor economic and tax policies): We did not bring this issue to the front, that would be the Iowa Supreme Court Justices that voted to defy the will of the legislature by overturning the 1998 Defense in Marriage Act.

News Survey

85,000 people out of work because of Obama "stimulus"

BBC News - Surprise rise in US job losses: "Unemployment levels in the US are at their highest for more than 20 years."

Iowa ethanol producer seeks bankruptcy protection | Dollars & Sense

Iowa ethanol producer seeks bankruptcy protection | Dollars & Sense: "Hawkeye Renewables, a unit of Hawkeye Energy Holdings LLC, listed $761 million in secured debt in the filing Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del."

U.S. to End Gitmo Transfers to Yemen

U.S. to End Gitmo Transfers to Yemen: "White House says transferring prisoners to Yemen 'not a good idea' amid a resurgent Al Qaeda there"

My only comment to this is "duh."

Welcome to Obama's Economy!

Here's a list of economic news stories for starting out the new Obama year! Don't be surprised when you hear him say something like "It took Bush 8 years to drag us into this mess, it's going to take me at least that long to get us out!"

Chrysler, Ford report double-digit drops for 2009 Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:55 am PST AP - Automakers are glad to see the end of 2009, the worst year for U.S. sales in nearly 30 years. Full Story

Pending home sales fall 16 percent in Nov. Tue, 5 Jan 2010 08:44 am PST AP - The number of buyers who agreed to purchase previously occupied homes fell sharply in November, a sign sales will fall this winter, undermining last summer's recovery. Full Story

Stocks trade mixed on uneven economic reports Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:06 am PST AP - The stock market zigzagged after a strong report on factory orders and a disappointing showing in home sales gave mixed signals about the economy. Full Story

Pump prices on pace to top 2009 high by weekend Tue, 5 Jan 2010 08:46 am PST AP - The cost of filling up the car is rising in the wake of soaring crude and by this weekend, pump prices may race past the highs for all of 2009. Full Story

Calavo Growers 4Q profit falls, sales drop Mon, 4 Jan 2010 08:08 am PST AP - Calavo Growers Inc. said Monday that its fiscal fourth-quarter profit fell, hurt by a significantly smaller cyclical crop of avocados from California. Full Story

Top

AIG sells Canadian mortgage insurance unit Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:30 am PST AP - The Canadian mortgage insurance business of American International Group Inc. will be sold to a private investor group headed by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, the groups said Tuesday. Full Story

Top

Hopes for economy drive risk appetite Tue, 5 Jan 2010 01:13 am PST Reuters - Optimism about the world economy buoyed global equities on Tuesday, particularly in emerging markets, but the dollar continued its weak start to 2010. Full Story

Top

Dollar mixed on mixed economic data Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:00 am PST AP - The dollar edged up against the euro and British pound but fell against the Japanese yen on Tuesday as a report on U.S. home sales suggested winter problems, while data on manufacturing showed gains. Full Story

Oil price holds above 81 dollars Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:50 am PST AFP - Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday, with New York crude holding above 81 dollars on increased heating fuel demand spurred by freezing weather in the northern hemisphere, analysts said. Full Story

2009 Auto Sales: Chrysler Group falls 36 percent Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:55 am PST AP - Chrysler Group LLC said Tuesday its 2009 sales fell 36 percent and December sales fell 4 percent. Full Story

C-Span challenges openness of Congress

Health Care Insurance Reform Legislation Town Halls - C-SPAN: "C‑SPAN has sent a letter to House and Senate leaders asking that negotiations on the health care bill be open to cameras. News reports indicate that the leadership is considering bypassing a formal conference committee in resolving differences between House and Senate versions of the legislation. Identical bills must pass each chamber before a final bill can be sent to the President."

Hume appeals for Tiger's soul

RealClearPolitics - John Brennan & Senator Bond on "Fox News Sunday": "HUME: Tiger Woods will recover as a golfer. Whether he can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it's a tragic situation with him. I think he's lost his family. It's not clear to me that -- whether he'll be able to have a relationship with his children. But the Tiger Woods that emerges once the news value dies out of this scandal -- the extent to which he can recover seems to me depends on his faith. He's said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith. So my message to Tiger would be, 'Tiger, turn your faith -- turn to the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.'"

Train Crashes Into Hotel in Helsinki - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

One of those headlines that just make you say "huh?" Train Crashes Into Hotel in Helsinki - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

Christianity May Put U.S. Missionary in Danger in N. Korea - North Korea | Map | Government - FOXNews.com

Christianity May Put U.S. Missionary in Danger in N. Korea - North Korea | Map | Government - FOXNews.com: "SEOUL, South Korea�—� A Korean-American missionary believed detained in North Korea walked into the country carrying a Bible, intent on preaching Christianity in a country that bans illegal worship — a bold move that may put him at greater risk of harsh punishment."

May God bless Mr. Park.