Town Hall at Islamic Center of Orange County

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com



Imam Muzammil Siddiqi of the Islamic Center of Orange County



On February 19, 2012, The Islamic Center of Orange County and the Council of Pakistan American Affairs hosted a town hall at the above Islamic Center in Garden Grove. The theme was the US Constitution, US Law and Sharia. I attended and took notes. Afterward, I had a chance to talk with a couple of the panelists/speakers.

The official host of the affair was Imam Muzammil Siddiqi, who is the head of the center. Panelists  included LASD Sheriff Lee Baca, LAPD Chief of counter-terrorism, Michael Downing, US Attorney for the Central District of California Andre Birotte, Jr,  Congresswomen, Loretta Sanchez, Maxine Waters and Judy Chu (all Democrats), the Pakistani Consul General of Los Angeles, Riffat Masood, and, of course, Siddiqi. Aside from Downing, there were three uniformed LAPD officers from his unit present, one of whom appeared to be recording images of the crowd with his cell phone. First, I would like to summarize the theme of the hour-long session then mention some specific statements by the speakers.

If it may be summarized, each speaker talked about equal rights for all. They stated that it was wrong to single out all Muslims as a result of the actions of some. They spoke of widespread hatred directed at the Muslim community. Most made reference to their belief that Sharia was not in contradiction with US laws, the Bill of Rights, or the US Constitution. Sanchez, Chu and Waters took the opportunity to make partisan political attacks against Republican members of Congress.

Here are some of the statements made by the speakers, each of whom spoke for 5-10 minutes.

Imam Siddiqi

Siddiqi stated that Muslims were the target of increasing hateful propaganda, also coming from public officials. He stated that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. He also complained of misinformation about Sharia. Siddiqi then read a prepared statement by the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA). The statement ( I am paraphrasing from my notes) stated that they saw no contradiction between the normative values of Islam  and the US Constitution. The statement stressed securing of life, equality of all humans, and religious freedom. It went on to state that Muslims in America should obey US laws, the Constitution and Bill of Rights as long as it doesn't conflict with their duty to obey God. It also stated that the core values of Sharia are respect for human life and property. There is no contradiction between Sharia and the US Constitution.

Siddiqi is the chairman of the FCNA. The entire statement is below from their website:

http://fiqhcouncil.org/node/67



US Attorney Andre Birotte Jr


There was really little noteworthy about Birotte's remarks. He spoke of civil rights, diversity, working with all creeds, colors etc. He did tell the audience that upon taking over the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, he re-instituted the public corruption unit.

Chief Michael Downing


Downing spoke of a campaign of hate against Muslims across the country. He repeated the same themes about protecting rights of all. He stated that Sharia is not a threat to America, but that the threat is violent ideological extremists

Maxine Waters


Waters (reading most of her remarks) began by praising Sheriff Baca for his courage in taking on this issue. She then went on to attack House Republicans for their hearings on Islamic radicalization. She said they were "attacking Muslim people" and using "scare tactics". She mentioned that 13 states had attempted to pass legislation banning Sharia. She criticized Peter King (R-NY) for stating that he would continue his hearings. She also referred to Newt Gingrich's calling for a federal law that Sharia would not be recognized in US law. She also referred to HR 3618, the End Racial Profiling Act, that would prohibit law enforcement agencies from profiling.  She went on to list violent acts by hate groups, and said that many of the recent terrorist arrests in the US were a result of tips from the Muslim community. She added according to a report by the Muslim Public Affairs Council that since 9-11, there have been 77 terrorist acts committed by non-Muslims domestically. She quoted a rabbi named Jerry Serotta of Clergy Beyond Borders, who took a shot at Newt Gingrich for speaking about American exceptualism. She concluded by quoting  ACLU director of religious affairs Daniel Mach, who said that "anti-Sharia laws are motivated by anti-Muslim bigotry, plain and simple."

Loretta Sanchez


Sanchez began her presentation by rudely challenging an older man in the audience who was filming with a hand held camera. She asked who he was and if he was an official videographer. She then asked him to turn off his camera unless he was an official videographer for the event. A few moments later, a woman in the audience pointed out another woman who was filming. Sanchez asked her to turn off her camera unless she was an official videographer.

Sanchez then launched into an attack against Peter King for his hearings, which she called, "Muslim hearings". She stated that "the one purpose of the hearings was to humiliate and offend the cultural integrity of the American Muslim community." She also used the term, "witch hunt".

She also accused Republican members of Congress of having "accused CAIR of trying to insert Muslims into Congress to spy." Sanchez told the audience that she had seen racial profiling directed to people "who look like me".

She mentioned that President Obama has instituted the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board to oversee all laws relating to fighting terrorism.

Sanchez also told the audience that she is "the only member of Congress in Orange County to stand up for the American Muslim community."

Riffat Masood


Masood was introduced as someone who represents the Muslim community of Southern California in general, not just the Pakistani community. The Pakistani Consul General told the audience that the Muslim-American community needs to integrate themselves more into the political process. She also made a reference to watching the Republican debates and made a vague comment that if they can discuss these issues there is hope. There was snickering in the audience.

Masood also made a vague reference to Congress proposing legislation regarding Pakistan, but she did not go into detail. She spoke of her first trip to Washington DC and visiting the memorials-especially the Jefferson Memorial. She compared the words and slogans on the memorials as being the same as Islam.

"Today", she said, we are far from what Jefferson and the Constitution talk about". ("So much hatred.") She urged her listeners as Americans to "marry" the Constitution with Islamic values.

Lee Baca


Baca began by lavishing praise on the "great Congressman Waters". He described Los Angeles as the epicenter of diversity. He commended Janet Napolitano for creating an inter-faith council within the Department of Homeland Security.

Judy Chu


Chu arrived late, during the Q and A, thus bringing that portion to a quick halt (after two questions). She talked about hate crimes against Muslims post-9-11, which, according to her, shot up. She spoke of her opposition to the King hearings, the New York PD spying on the Muslim community, a protest against Lowe's, the "terrible" FBI counter-terrorism training materials. She quoted Attorney General Eric Holder as stating that "the people who put together those materials are no longer with the department". Below is the actual exchange at a congressional hearing.



Chu also spoke of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act that "prevented Chinese-Americans from immigrating and  becoming naturalized", and spoke of a bill in Congress that would issue an expression of regret for that action. She also mentioned the relocation of the Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor. She attributed that to Japanese-Americans not standing up and speaking out, which she urged Muslims Americans to do.

During the presentations, a small notebook and pencils were passed among the audience for questions. It appeared there would be no opportunity for people in the audience to voice their questions. I managed to scribble my own question, which was directed to Imam Siddiqi. It went something like this:

"Dr Siddiqi,


"If you are a true moderate, why did you host the Blind Sheikh, Omar Abdel Rahman, at your mosque in 1992 and interpret his speech about violent jihad? Why did you participate in a demonstration in Washington in October 2000 along with Abdul Alim Musa and Abdurahman Alamoudi?"


Needless to say, that question never made it to the light of day, but one Arab woman was able to stand up and ask a question of the two law enforcement officers on the panel. She asked them as those who had taken an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States, what they would do in the case of a wife-beating by a Muslim man. That caused a lot of grumbling in the audience and some people told her to sit down and be quiet. Before Baca or Downing could answer, an agitated  Siddiqi stood up and stated that wife-beating was forbidden by the Koran. The questioner referred to Koran chapter 4 verse 34 (which refers to this issue). The woman also referred to the principle of abrogation. (This means that if there is a contradiction between two passages in the Koran, that which was written later in time abrogates that which was written earlier.) Siddiqi replied that he didn't want to go into abrogation. At some point, Downing stated that in the case of wife-beating in his jurisdiction, the offender would be arrested. One other written question was taken from the audience, which concerned a National Security measure regarding arrests. Sanchez responded and told the questioner that if contacted, her office would send him or her a copy of the law. There were no other questions taken.

Once Chu concluded her remarks, the meeting adjourned because it was time for prayers.

Subsequently, I was able to chat with Mr. Birotte, Downing, and the aforementioned three LAPD officers. First, I introduced myself to Birotte as a retired DEA agent who had worled in the Central District of California (Los Angeles) for several years. I told him that I strongly agreed with his statements that all Muslim-Americans should not be painted with the same wide brush because of the terrorist and extremist acts of some. I then told him that I did have concerns about this place (the Islamic Center of Orange County) and Imam Siddiqi. I informed him that in 1992, Siddiqi had hosted the Blind Sheikh, Omar Abdel Rahman and had interpreted in real time Abdel Rahman's speech on violent Jihad. I also told him of Siddiqi's appearance in Washington DC in October 2000 at an anti-Israel protest, in which other speakers were Abdul Alim Musa and Abdurahman Alamoudi. I offered, if he would give me his card, to send him all the documents regarding Siddiqi. He agreed and gave me his card. Our conversation was very cordial.

Outside, I went over and introduced myself to the three LAPD officers who had accompanied Downing. Actually, I had met one previously at UC Irvine, a young officer who was born to a Muslim family in Pakistan. I repeated the same facts to them. I was met with some degree of skepticism. One officer stated that I should not blame Siddiqi for the statements of others, referring to the Washington appearance, but agreed that the information about the Blind Sheikh was troubling. Another officer asked me what evidence I had for my statements about the Washington appearance. I replied that it was on videotape and I had witnessed and reviewed the statements of Siddiqi, Musa, and Alamoudi. When asked what specifically Siddiqi had said, I replied that he had warned America not to risk the "wrath of God" by continuing to support Israel.

Here are his exact words. (The below videos come from the Investigative Project on Terrorism.)


"Siddiqui: We want our government to stop feeding the Israeli war machinery. We want to awaken the conscience of America. America has to learn that. Because if you remain on the side of injustice, the wrath of God will come. Please! Please all Americans, do you remember that, that Allah is watching everyone. God is watching everyone. If you continue doing injustice, and tolerating injustice, the wrath of God will come." (Video by Investigative Project on Terrorism- Al Quds Day rally Washington DC, October 28, 2000)


http://www.investigativeproject.org/249/muzzamil-siddiqui-at-jerusalem-rally

The man in black standing over Siddiqi's left shoulder is radical imam Abdul Alim Musa formerly Clarence Reams, who served prison time for drug trafficking. He is virulently anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, and pro-Iran. He tells his audiences that Islam will "take over" America, something he said at UC Irvine in my presence a few years ago. Here is what he said in Washington on October 28, 2000:

http://www.investigativeproject.org/503/musa-celebrates-martyrs

Below is a link to a video of Alamoudi's words that day in Washington:

http://www.investigativeproject.org/218/rally-at-lafayette-park-alamoudi

Alamoudi is serving 23 years in prison based on his conspiring with Libya to murder a Saudi prince.

At some point, Chief Downing came over, and I repeated the same concerns I had to him. As to Siddiqi, he stated that over time some people change. He asked me if I was a member of any organization, and I replied that I was not. I also asked him if he knew about people like Zuhdi Jasser and Stephen Schwartz. He seemed not be aware of them, but asked if they were connected to people like Steve Emerson and David Horowitz. I replied that as far as I knew, they were not. I did elicit one telling comment from Downing. When I told him that I had concerns about leading Islamic organizations in the US like CAIR, MPAC, ISNA, ICNA etc, he stated that "CAIR is problematic."

It should also be mentioned that after the meeting, one man handed an LAPD officer a flyer, which the officer proceeded to tear up in front of him.

My impressions


For what was advertised as a town hall meeting, there was no room for anything other than the narrative provided by the speakers. The theme was that hate-filled right-wingers (and Republicans) are targeting Muslim-Americans, and that Sharia law is perfectly compatible with US law. The program was timed to preclude any meaningful discussion or debate. The one person who raised the issue of wife-beating, herself, an Arab, was not treated with respect.

Maxine Waters and Loretta Sanchez shamelessly made this a partisan political issue trying to paint congressional Republicans as Islamophobes. Anyone who had fears about Sharia was just anti-Muslim.

I personally found Masood's comments about America being far from  the ideals of Jefferson and the Constitution offensive. How does a diplomat come here and make such a statement about the host country? She should pay more attention to the hate, religious intolerance, and radicalism that goes on in her own country.

Of course, there was no mention of the hatred against non-Muslims and the persecution that goes on in virtually all  Muslim countries against non-Muslims. Not a word was mentioned, for example, of the plight of Coptic Christians in Egypt. Similarly, there was no mention of Muslim on Muslim violence in the name of Sharia.

As for our law enforcement representatives, I got the distinct impression that were not interested in hearing the other side of the issue or the disturbing history of Muzammil Siddiqi and his associations with Islamic jihadists in the US. In the case of the LAPD, these four officers are part of the counter-terrorist unit. Yes, they have a responsibility to maintain contact with as many elements of the Muslim community as possible, develop sources and contacts while protecting their civil liberties. I just wonder whether their eyes are really open, or they are simply bowing to political correctness. It is worrisome. One thing I learned during my nearly 30 years in law enforcement; when someone offers you information, you consider it and evaluate it. You don't just tear it up before reading it.

I also believe that it was inappropriate for two high-ranking police officials to sit on a panel with three partisan politicians who turned their presentations into attacks on a rival political party while attacking other law enforcement agencies (NYPD-FBI).

Finally this: After the meeting, while people went into the mosque to pray, I was standing outside alone. A young American Muslim girl (about 20) in hijab came up to me and asked if I needed any help. She was very sweet and gracious as she invited me to enter the mosque and observe the prayers. I politely declined (I felt it would be inappropriate to enter.) We had a brief but pleasant chat as she attempted to be of assistance. Here is my point: God forbid that I would want this young lady or others like her to be subjected to any hate and discrimination in America. She is not the problem. But I also worry about the influence that some of her leaders are having upon her and other young American Muslims.

The Water Turns To Blood

For those people looking to signs from Heaven pointing to an upcoming Apocalypse, this might point the way.

Beirut River Mysteriously Runs Blood Red

BEIRUT: The Beirut River mysteriously turned blood red Wednesday after a stream of unidentified red liquid began pouring from the southern bank of the river in Furn al-Shubbak. The source of the liquid had yet to be determined Wednesday evening, as the river continued to empty the red-colored water into the Mediterranean Sea.

Government and local officials rushed to the scene at the Chevrolet crossing of Furn al-Shubbak Wednesday morning in an attempt to locate the sewage canal that was dumping the red-colored water but they were unable to locate the source. Accusations were traded among officials from the municipalities of Hadath, Hazmieh, Sin al-Fil, Furn al-Shubbak and Shiyah.

Eyewitnesses working in the area told The Daily Star this was not the first time the river had turned a different color. Several business owners around the Chevrolet crossing said that colored water pours into the river roughly every two months but no one pays attention to it.It was the quantity and brightness of the red liquid that grabbed the attention of many passersby and commuters on different bridges in the city Wednesday.

Environment Minister Nazem Khoury said the source of the water was likely from Hazmieh or Baabda.

“I call on the municipalities of Hazmieh and Baabda to cooperate swiftly to find the source of the pollution and its type,” Khoury said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Khoury sent an environmental team to the area to examine the water. The team, headed by ministry official Bassam Sabbagh, took a sample of the water to determine its composition and whether it contained dangerous pollutants.

The samples will be examined Thursday because state laboratories were already closed by the time the sample was taken. “The sample we took will be examined tomorrow [Thursday] morning ... and we will know whether it is blood being mixed with water or if it is some sort of a color dumped in it,” said Sabbagh.

A similar incident took place in the Chinese Jian River last December after a factory illegally dumped red dye into the river, which is located in the northern Chinese province of Henan.

Some cities use non-toxic dyes to color rivers on special occasions. In Chicago, the river is dyed green every year in the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

According to Sabbagh, test results will help the ministry determine whether the substance is a chemical pollutant or blood from a nearby slaughterhouse.

“First we thought it was blood, but it seems like it is a kind of coloring dumped by a factory,” said Sabbagh, who also said that the test to determine the type of the chemical would take a week.

Sabbagh said the municipality and other ministries should help the Environment Ministry in its investigation. “We need the help of the local officials to have a clear idea of the sewage network in the region,” he said.

According to Sabbagh, who heads the ministry’s Environmental Pollution Control Office, maps of the sewage network would help officials locate the source of the red-colored water.

“After finding the source, it would be a matter of hours to get to the factory and the area where the [colored] water is originating,” said Sabbagh adding that swift action would be taken against those responsible for it.

Saad Elias, an adviser to the environment minister, did not rule out the possibility that a slaughterhouse could be behind the red color.

“After going through several phases of butchering at the slaughterhouses, they store huge amounts of blood and animal parts in containers ... they might have dumped them into a sewage canal,” said Elias.

“The ministry will definitely investigate this matter because our role is to prevent pollution,” he added.

Meanwhile, local officials in the area suggested that a paint factory could be responsible for the incident. “There are several paint factories in Hadath,” said an official from the Shiyah municipality.

As officials tried to determine the source and the nature of the substance in the river, the Beirut prosecutor assigned the Internal Security Forces to launch an investigation into the matter.

Source

The Lebanese should prepare for the next 2 plagues:  Frogs and Lice.  And they should discover fast what the Jews want from them.  And then give it to them.

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Why I Don't Support the Palestinians

Gary Fouse

fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/



Amid all the propaganda against Israel going on within American and European academia, you might think that the Palestinians were the ultimate victims of brutality, occupation, and apartheid. I don't buy it. However, rather than defend Israel's security measures, which I have already done many times, I want to express here why I have so little sympathy for the Palestinians.

All during my adult life, I have been reading and hearing about Palestinian terror since the 1960s. First it was the airplane hijackings. Then it was the Munich massacre during the 1972 Olympics. There have been too many to count. When I was living in Italy in the 1980s, there was the Achille Lauro takeover in which Leon Klinghoffer, an elderly American Jew, was killed in front of his wife and thrown overboard in his wheelchair. There were the simultaneous attacks on Rome and Vienna airports, in which random victims were killed. Yes, the Palestinians have been not only content to kill Israelis, but Americans and Westerners in general.

When 9-11 happened, what did Palestinians do? They danced in the streets and passed out candy, just as they have done when terrorists blew up Israeli buses and pizza parlors killing civilians, women and children. They passed out candy when an entire Jewish family was slaughtered in their home in the West Bank including a 3- month-old infant sleeping in a crib.

The problem is that the Palestinians have hitched their wagon to blood-thirsty leaders like Yasser Arafat, Hamas and Hezbollah. They don't really want a two-state solution and peace with Israel. They want it all-"from the river to the sea". To this day, they continue to lob rockets into southern Israel, hitting schoolyards.

In Gaza, Hamas rejects peace talks. They want every last Jew driven from the Holy Land and the establishment of a Muslim state. Their very charter quotes the hadith that talks of the "last Jew hiding behind a tree and calling to the Muslim to come and kill him." To this day, they continue to lob rockets into southern. Israel hitting schoolyards where children play. Meanwhile, the so-called moderate Palestinian Authority features a news media that demonizes Jews as apes and monkeys. How is Israel supposed to sit down and negotiate with that?

In the face of all this, liberal Westerners, radical academics and gullible students have been brainwashed into thinking that Israel is the aggressor. As for the terrorism, they ignore it or call it "legitimate resistance". Our problem in the West is that we have lost our moral compass.

Yes, I want to see an eventual settlement that will lead to peace, but I am skeptical. The Palestinians have not demonstrated that they can even run a country-let alone one that would live in peace with Israel. It is easy to speak of a Palestinian nation, but once nationhood is granted, it has the sovereign power to make its own alliances with radical nations like Iran and receive shipments of God knows what. Who needs the establishment of another outlaw state?

Finally, I am convinced that this conflict is not about land, rather it is about religion. The Arab world will not accept a Jewish state in the region. That is why they tried to defeat Israel by war in 1948, 1967 and 1973. They failed, but the Palestinian "cause" is just an excuse to continue that war by other means.

Until the Palestinians decide to forget conquest and renounce terror, I cannot feel sympathy for them.

The Evil Against Israel

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com

Hat tip to Vos iz Neias


So now Iran has unleashed its terrorists against Israel. Bombs have gone off targeted against Israeli missions in New Delhi and Tbilisi. In addition, four Iranians have been arrested in Bangkok after one of them blew his legs off trying to throw a grenade at cops. This is what the Islamic Republic of Iran does. We are dealing with terrorist nation run by religious fanatics.

http://www.vosizneias.com/101006/2012/02/14/bangkok-thailand-israeli-tv-thai-authorities-say-captured-iranians-confessed-to-targeting-israeli-interests/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+vin+%28Vos+Iz+Neias%29

And yet, the world seems to have this obsession with the tiny Jewish state that is simply trying to survive in a sea of sharks called the Middle East.

The events in India, Georgia and Thailand should educate the world about the evil that is lined up against Israel. But they won't learn. They will still go on with this brain-dead Boycott, Sanctions and Divest movement against Israel. They should have learned when Mumbai was attacked by a group of Pakistani Muslims who killed so many people and tortured, killed and mutilated a Jewish rabbi and his wife at the local Chabad House. It didn't matter. The Israel apartheid protests continued on college campuses, oblivious to what had happened in Mumbai-or not caring. They should have learned after the Fogel massacre in which an entire Jewish family had their throats cut by Palestinian intruders who also killed a three-month old infant in its crib. In the Palestinian world, they were celebrated as heroes and soldiers. But the protests against Israel continued anyway.

Meanwhile in Syria, a nation that will not make peace with Israel, the massacres continue as the world wrings its hands and talks about sanctions.

UC Irvine School of Fine Arts Rejects Statue of Raoul Wallenberg

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com

Reference is made to my previous posts about an effort to have a statue of Raoul Wallenberg placed on the UC Irvine campus.

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2011/07/raoul-wallenberg-monument-at-uc-irvine.html 

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/01/wallenberg.html

Below is a copy of a letter sent to Peter Lancz, the organizer of the drive, by Joseph S Lewis, Dean of the Clair Trevor School of the Arts dated January 30, 2012. 

This is the same department that just this past Saturday hosted some kind of symposium by a group of anti-Israel activists and film makers.

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/02/this-it-aint.html

Do you suspect that had someone wanted to erect a statue of Nobel Peace Prize winner Yasser Arafat on the campus, the school would have given it more favorable consideration?

"Uhhhh, yeaaaah."

So do I.

The Occupy Movement: It's a Federal Case

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com



With this weekend's violence in Oakland, it is time to look into the national aspect of this phenomena from a law enforcement point of view. Can anyone seriously say that there is no national coordination going on here with these disruptions? From New York to Oakland to Los Angeles and beyond, it is one case of violence, public disorder, destruction and disruption after another. The question is will our Justice Department under Eric Holder seriously investigate it?

First of all, there is every reason to suspect that there is a link between the activists and the Democratic Party. Nancy Pelosi has publicly stated that she supports the protesters "when they speak truth to power". She also made her infamous, "God bless them" statement. President Obama, no less, said that he "can empathize with the protests". Nowhere do you see posters or chants attacking Obama or the Democratic Party.

In addition, I can name right off the top of my head three national organizations that have jumped into the Occupy Movement; SEIU, CAIR and the National Lawyers Guild, the latter of which was created in the 1930s as a legal arm of the Communist Party USA. Its Los Angeles director, James Lafferty, has not only taken a leading role in the LA protests, but was arrested in New York.

The point of the matter is this; if Occupy leaders are coordinating across state lines to cause disruption and violence, that is where federal law enforcement should step in. Let me note that I do not see a dangerous parallel with the civil rights protests of the 1960s when the FBI was wiretapping Martin Luther King under orders from J. Edgar Hoover. King's protests resulted in local arrests because he was engaging in civil disobedience of unconstitutional laws, but nowhere did King and his followers engage in violence. They did not throw rocks at police. They did not forcibly take over buildings. They never tried to shut down a sea port by forcibly occupying it. They did not assault people or cause property damage.

As for what is happening today, local law enforcement does not have the tools to go beyond making arrests at the local level. When it comes to any form of national coordination of violence , it requires a federal agency to effectively coordinate across state lines to investigate it.

That is why we have federal agencies to begin with. For example, if a local drug dealer is standing on an Oakland street corner selling drugs to addicts, that is a case for the Oakland police. But when that seller is connected to a larger dealer who is obtaining his heroin supplies from another dealer in New York, now you need a federal agency like DEA, which can coordinate together effectively to take down what is a national trafficking organization,.

Can anyone seriously argue that the Occupy movement, which has long ago crossed from peaceful protest to violence and disruption, is a spontaneous, local phenomena with no national coordination?  Hardly.

It is past time that the Department of Justice started to investigate this movement on a national level. The RICO statute may be the appropriate tool. It is possible that the FBI is already looking into it, but if so, are they on a tight leash with this politically-oriented Justice Department under Eric Holder?

Final comment on Oakland: It is time for some serious charges that carry some serious prison time for those who were arrested.

Convictions in Canadian Honor-Killing

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com


A Canadian court has convicted three members of an Afghan immigrant family for first-degree murder, a case in which four female members of the family were murdered. The below report from CNN tells the story.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/29/world/americas/canada-honor-murder/index.html?section=cnn_latest

This case has aroused wide publicity in Canada. It is a classic case of honor-killing. The husband was infuriated at his three daughters, who were rebellious and embracing a freer Western life style. Mr Shafia's first wife was also killed because it was believed she was facilitating the daughters' rebellious behavior.

The verdict sends an important message to the rest of the country. That is that certain traditions, customs and beliefs are not acceptable in a free country that demands equality for all.

It is also a reason why shariah law must not be allowed to gain any kind of foothold in Western countries. The US and Europe have also experienced "honor-killings". It is one aspect of shariah that has no place in Western society. The point is this: Murder is murder and will be treated as such. There can be no allowances made for any religious beliefs that immigrants may bring with them from their countries of origin. In many of their previous countries, great consideration is given to the idea of honor-killing. This results in lenient sentences for the offenders. That cannot happen here.

If we allow shariah law to gain a foothold in our country, it will only grow. It is unacceptable for us to leave Muslim immigrants to the mercy of shariah within their own families or communities when it is in direct violation of our own laws and constitution. In Great Britain, local shariah courts have been allowed to operate in civil property matters. At the same time, there are loud demands from people like Anjem Choudary and his radical groups that shariah become the law of the land. In Choudary's own words, that means honor-killings, stonings, death to homosexuals, and apostates from Islam. Great Britain has allowed the camel to get his nose under the proverbial tent.

I absolutely do not mean to imply that all or even most Muslim immigrants want to practice these things in America. Many came here to escape that type of oppresion. I am of the opinion that most Muslims realize that these things are not part of American culture, are contrary to American law, and are conducting their lives accordingly. Yet, honor-killings have, indeed, occurred in the US- in Buffalo, St Louis, Phoenix, and other places. They are isolated incidents,and the victims themselves are Muslims, but the justice must be sure. Everyone in this country is guaranteed certain rights to life. That includes rebellious wives and daughters, gays, and people deciding to change religions or just abandon a religion. We cannot turn a blind eye to these practices and allow people to be victimized in the name of multi-culturalism.

Malmo: 1945 and 2012

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk

Hat tip to Jihad i Sverige (Jihad in Sweden)

From the Swedish-language site Jihad i  Sverige, I am cross-posting (and translating) an announcement of a feature film that is showing this weekend in Sweden about the arrival in Malmo, Sweden of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. A 2-minute trailer is also available in English at the below link (Hoppets Hamn) The film is appearing as part of Europe's observation of Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27).

Malmö

Idag antisemitismens huvudstad

i Sverige. Då: Hoppets hamn för tusentals

överlevande...Malmo

Today the capital of anti-Semitism in Sweden

Then: harbor of Hope for thousands of survivors

**

Våren och sommaren 1945 anländer

nästan 30 000 överlevare från de

tyska koncentrationslägren till Sverige.

På kajen i Malmö hamn upplever de

sina första ögonblick av frihet.

Det är där livet börjar igen.

In the spring and summer of 1945, almost 30,000 survivors of German concentration camps arrived in Sweden. On the quais of Malmo's harbor, they experienced their first view of freedom. It was there that life began again.

**

Filmfotograferna är på plats och i en

journalfilm ser vi den leende, tioåriga

flickan Irene, som precis stigit av

färjan. I samma film möter vi nyfödda Ewa

när hon bärs iland av sin utmattade

mamma, stöttad av en Röda Kors-syster.

Film photographers were at the scene, and in a news film we see the smiling, ten-year-old girl, Irene, just when she gets off the ferry. In the same film, we meet the new-born Ewa as she is carried by her exhausted mother, supported by a Red Cross nurse.  

**

I Hoppets hamn lär vi också känna ton-

åringen Joe, som anländer till Sverige

efter att ha förlorat sin familj.

Han blir god vän med den 15-årige Röda

Kors-volontären Stig från Malmö och

deras möte kommer att förändra Joes liv.

In Hope's Harbor, we also meet the teenager, Joe, who arrives in Sweden after losing his family. He becomes good friends with 15-year-old Red Cross volunteer Stig from Malmo, and their meeting will change Joe's life.

**

I Magnus Gerttens nya långfilms-

dokumentär berättar dessa överlevare

om frihetens ögonblick och om frågorna

de burit med sig ända sedan kriget.

Samtidigt är det en film om den hjälpande

hand som Malmö och Sverige räckte fram

till dom som kom levande ur koncen-

trationslägren

Magnus Gertten's new feature film documentary tells us about the survivors at freedom's moment and about questions they carry since the war. At the same time, this is a film about the helping hand that Malmo and Sweden extended to those who came as survivors from concentration camps.

**

Hoppets Hamn visas denna helgen i SvT2

SVT2 fre 27 jan kl 15.50
SVT2 lör 28 jan kl 14.30
SVT2 sön 29 jan kl 00.55

Hope's Harbor will be shown this holiday on SvT2

SVT2 Friday, 27 January. 15:50 

SVT2@ Saturday, 28 January 14:30

SVT2, Sunday, 29 January 00:55

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Jihad i Sverige points out at the top, Malmo today is no longer hope's harbor, rather it is the capital of Swedish anti-Semitism. The Jewish community is leaving Malmo as fast as it can get out, unable to deal with the harassment, assaults and vandalism it suffers from Malmo's Muslim immigrant population, which makes up some 25% of the city's population, and has turned the Rosengard section into a "no-go zone."

And what support do the Jews get from Malmo's mayor, Ilmar Reepalu? None. His attitude is that the Jews are welcome to leave since he identifies them with Israel, a nation he despises. He is a disgrace.

Ohio State University Newspaper Ad

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com



Hat tip to Frontpage Magazine


David Horowitz's Freedom Center has placed an ad in THE Ohio State University newspaper (The Lantern) that has the little rascals all riled up. It lists former Muslim Student Association leaders of various college campuses who have gone on to join the ("lesser") jihad.  Frontpage Magazine also has a report about the controversy.

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/01/25/ohio-state-students-mobilize-against-freedom-center-ad/

Again, I invite my Muslim readers, especially those who are involved with the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine, to weigh in. I think we can have a respectful discussion on this topic. Does the ad stigmatize all Muslims on college campuses or even all MSU/MSA members?

What about the statement that there is a fine line between freedom of  speech and hate speech? How does this compare with statements made at UCI over the years by Amir Abdel Malik Ali, Mohammed al Asi, and others?

C'mon! It's all about dialogue.

The Leopard Will Change His Spots

Book of Obama Chapter 13

And the Holy One, anointed by Holy Chief of Justice, John of Roberts, returned to the Dome of the Capital, dressed in the Holy suit and tie and addressed the assembled chapter of the Congress, the Holy Justices of the land, the members of the anointed Cabinet and guests from near and far, the Anointed One, Wearer of the Mantle of Power, spoke:

I ended the war in Iraq, I killed the evil bin Laden, and personally I welcomed all the soldiers home from Iraq. I am the Holy One, the President and I can do everything.  I have brought peace to the world, the world respects us better now than at any time, I will end the war in Afghanistan too.  For I am the Messiah of the World.

I want all of you, My slaves oops My people to remember what I did for you after World War 2.  My Grandfather who fought with Patton (and liberated Auschwitz) and My Grandmother who built the entire US Navy by herself, got to go to college for nothing.  They built the US to its greatness all by themselves.

But now I see that you have done everything to destroy Me.  You have overspent, you have destroyed My credit (and yours), you have bought homes that you could not afford.  But I am here.  I will pay your mortgages.  I will refinance your mortgages.  I will make it all better.  I am your Savior.

I will prevent jobs from going overseas.  I will investigate businesses who outsource their jobs to China.  (That is until Warren Buffet tells Me to stop.)  There will be no more bailouts for banks, for Wall Street, for anyone, except for Unions.  I saved the auto industry.  No one helped Me.  And they are stronger now than before.  (Sorry about the Volt thing.)  I will make other nations have an equal playing field with Me.  I am the equalizer.

I will tax the rich higher.  And I will tax everyone else higher too.  I will change the tax code.  I am Omnipotent.  I can and will do all.

I salute America's teachers.  I stand by your unions.  I will throw more money to you so you can indoctrinate the children.  I want a law saying that a child must stay in school until either he or she graduates or turns 18.  That way I can have them indoctrinated to be our slaves.  I will find a way to destroy the home schools, the private schools (But not the ones My daughters attend.), and the religious schools.  Everyone will learn the same, think the same, live the same.  Everyone will get free college under Me.  (Except to the "good" schools.)

I will give citizenship to every immigrant to the United States.  It matters not to Me if they are legally here or not.  And I demand that this be done before the November elections (I need the votes.).

I will create jobs in energy.  I will have the oil fields opened up.  (Until the environmentalists either go to court or demand that I stop.)  I demand that we develop alternate energy (The people who created Solyndra have given Me more money.  I need to give them more government funds.)  Under Me the United States has imported less oil than in the last 16 years.  (Not really but if you tell a lie long and loud enough the sheeple will believe it.)

I will clear away all the Red Tape, all the government regulations that hold business down.  But only until I am re-elected.  Then not only will it all return but I will impose stricter restrictions upon the land.

Under My leadership the Muslim world has undergone transformations.  I was the cause of the Arab Spring, the Arab renewal, the Muslim revival.  This is all good in My eye.  I will remove Assad from Syria, nukes from Iran and Jews from Palestine.  I will defeat the evil Netanyahu and replace him with the moderate Abbas.  There will be peace through out the land, for under Me all will drink the Kool-Aid and sing the Kumbaya.  Under Me all men, all women will live in peace.  There will be peace, the peace of Islam and the joy of the jizya.  This I will demand of the world.

Upon listening to this the people turned to each other and wondered why the Anointed One didn't do any of these things when He first came into office.  They saw what He had done and shook their heads.  In a loud voice they shouted:

NOT THIS TIME!

It's 2012!

We are experiencing Solar Activity on a scale we haven't seen in decades.  The Sun has come to life and is throwing a fit.

RADIATION STORM IN PROGRESS: Solar protons accelerated by this morning's M9-class solar flare are streaming past Earth. On the NOAA scale of radiation storms, this one ranks S3, which means it could, e.g., cause isolated reboots of computers onboard Earth-orbiting satellites and interfere with polar radio communications. An example of satellite effects: The "snow" in this SOHO coronagraph movie is caused by protons hitting the observatory's onboard camera.

ALMOST-X FLARE AND CME (UPDATED): This morning, Jan. 23rd around 0359 UT, big sunspot 1402 erupted, producing a long-duration M9-class solar flare. The explosion's M9-ranking puts it on the threshold of being an X-flare, the most powerful kind. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare's extreme ultraviolet flash:

"This was amazing," he says. "It was a wonderful experience to see these stunning auroras."

NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% - 25% chance of continued geomagnetic storms tonight as effects from the CME impact subside. The odds will increase again on Jan. 24-25 as a new CME (from today's M9-clare) approaches Earth. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras.

We could experience blackouts, loss of satellite signals, even loss of television (cable) systems.

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow (Jan. 24), as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun.

Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST), NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun, according to the skywatching website Spaceweather.com.

According to NOAA, this is the strongest solar radiation storm since May 2005, and as a precaution, polar flights on Earth are expected to be re-routed within the next few hours, Kathy Sullivan, deputy administrator of NOAA, said today at the 92nd annual American Meteorological Society meeting in New Orleans, La.

The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately. Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the Stereo spacecraft observed the massive sun storm.

A barrage of charged particles triggered by this morning's solar flare is expected to hit Earth tomorrow at around 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), according to experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Scientists call these electromagnetic bursts "coronal mass ejections" (CMEs), and they are closely studied because they can produce potentially harmful geomagnetic storms when the charged particles rain down Earth's magnetic field lines.

In addition to generating stronger than normal displays of Earth's auroras (also known as the northern and southern lights), geomagnetic storms aimed directly at our planet can also disrupt satellites in orbit, cause widespread communications interference and damage other electronic infrastructures.

"There is little doubt that the cloud is heading in the general direction of Earth," Spaceweather.com announced in an alert. "A preliminary inspection of SOHO/STEREO imagery suggests that the CME will deliver a strong glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 24-25 as it sails mostly north of our planet."

Sunday's solar flare was rated an M9-class eruption, which placed it just on the verge of being an X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar storm. M-class sun storms are powerful but mid-range, while C-class flares are weaker.

NASA routinely monitors space weather conditions to determine any potential hazards to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Based on the agency's assessment, the six spaceflyers currently living and working on the orbiting outpost are not in any danger, said NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries.

"The flight surgeons have reviewed the space weather forecasts for the flare and determined that there are no expected adverse effects or actions required to protect the on-orbit crew," Humphries told SPACE.com in an email.

Finish reading here

The year is 2012 and perhaps the Disaster Gods don't wish to wait until December 21st.

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Hate Groups on Campus

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk

"One person's hate speech is another person's education."



Hat tip to Frontpage

Daniel Greenfield has just published a pamphlet entitled "Muslim Hate Groups on Campus". It describes how various Muslim Student Associations, in concert with chapters for Students for Justice in Palestine, have teamed up to bring tension, hate, anti-Semitism, and violent hate speech to many university campuses.

Sadly, most of the information in Greenfield's pamphlet describes the disgraceful situation within the University of California system, particularly Berkeley and Irvine (where I teach part-time and have personally witnessed many of the incidents and hateful rhetoric over the past several years).

Frontpage Magazine has posted the text of this pamphlet, which I am cross-posting here. It is a must read

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/01/20/muslim-hate-groups-on-campus-2/

Hatem Bazian, who is mentioned prominently in the pamphlet, has also cast his odious shadow over the Irvine campus, where he has come to speak at the MSU annual hate-Israel events in May. He is an embarrassment to the University of California at Berkeley and the entire UC system. A couple of years ago, I confronted him about some of his alleged quotes, and he tap-danced around them.

How is it that the UC system and so many other universities in the US and Canada can allow this kind of intimidation and hate to flourish on their campuses? UC President Mark Yudof, who is also Jewish, has refused time and time again to confront this atmosphere of hate on his campuses. He only says he deplores it, but it is free speech. Similarly, his administrators at the UC campuses decry the voices of off-campus groups whose complaints are "exacerbating the situation".

Several of the incidents at Irvine mentioned in the text I have seen and heard first hand. Not only did the UCI Cross Cultural Center give an award to the MSU in spite of their numerous hateful speakers and disruption of the Oren event, but they have neglected to address anti-Semitism even when reportedly asked by Jewish students. It was after the UC San Diego event involving the Compton Cookout and a noose discovered in the UCSD  library that the head of the CCC at Irvine put out a letter expressing concern about any kind of hate crime or expression. Fair enough, but when I sent him a letter (faxed from my UCI office to his) asking him to address anti-Semitism at UC Irvine, I never received a response.

Greenfield also touches on another aspect of the problem. That is the unwillingness of most of the Jewish organizations to admit there is a problem on campus. That is certainly true of the UCI campus and the Orange County Jewish Federation. Not only are they much too embedded with the administration,which they are covering for, they are also funding the insidious Olive Tree Initiative through their shadowy financial arm, the Rose Project.  The ADL? Never see them around. And our illustrious law school dean, Erwin Chemerinsky? He is in total denial.

It is easy for me to wish that the whole lot of the UC administrators be canned, but they will only be replaced with like-minded empty suits who are too timid to confront certain forms of hate. What is needed is an institutional change within academia. It took several decades to create this sewer. It will take decades more to clean it up.

Obama To The American People:

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

F**k You!

Once again the Obama regime fails to provide sound energy and job programs.  Instead of looking to our neighbor to the north, Canada and their oil sands for some energy independence (From Muslim oil), he will be cancelling the Keystone Pipeline.  A project that will bring 100,000 jobs (20,000 Shovel-ready.).

The State Department will announce the decision on Keystone XL pipeline is "no," as early as Wednesday, an industry source told Fox News, suggesting that the department will say 60 days is inadequate time to do the required environmental impact assessment on the path of the coveted pipeline.

For three years, the State Department has been reviewing the initial proposal to run a pipeline from Canada down to Texas through a sensitive Nebraska aquifer -- authority it has because of the transnational path the route takes. The pipeline had been through several other federal, state and local approvals, but the department backed away from signing off on the plan last year after environmentalists complained.

Industry workers and Republicans contend the project would create thousands of jobs, and Canada's prime minister has warned if the U.S. can't get on board, the North American nation will look to team with China.

"Unfortunately Prime Minister Harper of Canada just this week said because of the volatile indecisiveness on the part of this president, that they feel they are being held hostage and they will take their energy elsewhere specifically to Asia and China," Jack Gerard, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, told Fox News Radio.

In December, Congress attached to the payroll tax cut a deadline of 60 days for the State Department to determine approval for an alternative route. A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner pointed out that the legislation doesn't permit the State Department to reject the plan, only President Obama. The language says if he rejects the pipeline, Obama must then issue a report to Congress "that provides a justification for determination, including consideration of economic, employment, energy security, foreign policy, trade and environmental factors."

On Tuesday, Obama's own jobs council suggested that it agrees with the pipeline concept. While not specifically mentioning Keystone in a report out Tuesday about improving competitiveness, the council said that when it comes to energy projects in general, the government needs to "expeditiously, though cautiously, move forward on projects that can support hundreds of thousands of jobs."

"We think this all-in energy strategy can create significant economic growths and significant job creation," said Lewis Hay, NextEra Energy CEO and a member of the president's job council.

Obama has noted his environmental concerns when it comes to energy exploration but insisted Tuesday that a balance could be found.

"I think the recommendations are sound. We see enormous potential in production of traditional fossil fuels," he said without mentioning Keystone.

As oil prices rose Wednesday on fresh signs the U.S. economy was improving, which could lead to stronger demand for gasoline and other energy products, the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, argued that the pipeline doesn't make the U.S. anymore energy secure just because it would get oil from a close neighbor and friend.

Instead of carrying common crude oil, the Keystone XL pipeline would carry thick, toxic bitumen for refining in the Gulf states, effectively transporting pollution from Canada to the United States," reads the NRDC report..

"It is not in the national interest to lock the United States into supporting an expensive and dirty form of oil for many years to come. Also, additional capacity for tar sands oil perpetuates America's addiction to oil, and undermines the clean energy alternatives that would bring genuine energy security," the NRDC report continues.

But Gerard said the president's refusal to approve the pipeline is a "clear abdication of leadership." House Speaker John Boehner also accused the president of trying to put off a politically difficult decision until after the election.

"This is not good for our country," Boehner said. "The president wants to put this off until it's convenient for him to make a decision. ... The president's got an opportunity to create 100,000 new jobs almost immediately. The president should say yes."

Source

Barack Hussein Obama has given into the extreme Environmental Moonbats.  These are the kooks that want the world to go back to the time we lived without electricity, modern medicine, cars, etc...  And Sheik Obama agrees with them.  But instead of Sheik Obama assuming the blame on this disastrous decision, he will now be able to blame the State Department (Hillary Clinton) for the decision.  Just like he tries to do every time.

CAIR Attacks Tampa Case

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk



The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has predictably attacked the FBI for its latest undercover operation that resulted in the arrest of a Kosovar Muslim who was planning to set off bombs in Florida. They are calling it a case of entrapment. Below is the latest report on CAIR's accusations from Steven Emerson at the Investigative Project on Terrorism. Below the link, I will explain (according to what has been reported) why this does not appear to me to be a case of entrapment.

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3371/terror-in-tampa-cair-denial

(A check of CAIR's national and Florida websites reveal no mention of the case as of this morning.)

Now to the entrapment issue. I think I am entitled to comment of this since I did engage in undercover roles on several occasions in my DEA career.

When an undercover government agent is involved in direct negotiations with a suspect, and an arrest occurs, entrapment is generally the only legal defense available to the defendant and his or her attorney. The principle argument then becomes one of predisposition. In other words, did the defendant already have the predisposition to commit the crime prior to being in contact with the undercover agent (UC) or government informant. What the defense attempts to show a jury is that the defendant would have had no intention of committing the crime absent the role of the informant or UC.

Therefore, when preparing to launch an undercover contact, it is important for the government to be able to demonstrate that the defendant already was predisposed to commit the crime. In the case of drug cases, it is useful to show that the suspect was already involved in drug trafficking prior to meeting the UC or informant. That can be done in a variety of ways. A previous conviction for drug offenses is a start, but taped conversations as to prior activity, surveillance, testimony of other witnesses all go to show that the suspect was involved in drug dealing and that he or she was not being pressured into anything.

The fact that the government may or may not have provided requested materials to the suspect (such as bomb-making materials) does not in itself constitute entrapmant. Government or police may "afford the opportunity" for the suspect to carry out a crime as long as predisposition exists. For example, if an undercover cop poses as a passed out drunk in a New York subway, it is not entrapment if a mugger attempts to rob him and then is arrested. A person such as you or I, who is not predisposed to steal, would not try to rob an unconscious drunk.  Accordingly, if someone plotting a terrorist attack is attempting to procure explosives, it is not entrapment for an informant or UC to fill that role.

Again, predisposition is the key, and it must be documented in such a way as to convince a jury.

The Imperial Obamas

For years we have experienced the antics of the Obama Family and their over-the-top spending sprees.  From multimillion dollar vacations (The last one to Hawaii cost the taxpayer over $4 million.), to the menus of Kobe beef and lobster, to the clothing bill for Michelle Obama (Her sundress cost $2000.), but that is nothing compared to what has emerged in a recent book about Michelle Obama.  Their over-the-top Halloween Party.

Right as the economy was going down the rabbit hole, the Obamas decided to host an Alice in Wonderland themed Halloween party, complete with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Tim Burton-arranged decorations.

They even talked to Star Wars director George Lucas and convinced him to lend them the original Chewbacca costume for the entertainment of their guests.

The extravagant fantasy world that they created, however, was kept very much under wraps because at the time of Halloween 2009, the economy was in the slumps and the national unemployment rate was still at a dismal 10 per cent.

The details about the lavish affair come from the pages of a new book about the relationship of the first couple during Mr Obama's presidency.

'White House officials were so nervous about how a splashy, Hollywood-esque party would look to jobless Americans — or their representatives in Congress, who would soon vote on health care — that the event was not discussed publicly and Burton’s and Depp’s contributions went unacknowledged,' recounts Jodi Kantor in her book, 'The Obamas'.

As is tradition, the Obamas handed out treats to Washington, D.C. school children earlier in the day, and while that event was covered heavily by the press, their later festivities were very actively kept secret.

Instead of chowing down on the presidential M&Ms, sugar cookies, and dried fruit that Mrs Obama traditionally hands out in her trick-or-treat bags, the guests at the invitation-only party had bone-shaped meringue cookies and fruit punch served in blood vials.

In keeping with her dedication to military families, the invitees were the children of military service men and women along with the children of White House employees.

Mrs Obama has invited the children of military families to many of the events she has hosted while first lady, including more recent Halloween trick-or-treating sessions and the unveiling of the White House Christmas decorations- which even had a Gold Star Families tree dedicated to the group.

The Halloween party took place five months before Mr Burton's Alice in Wonderland film was released, so the kids served as informal taste-testers and gave an indication of how his spooky take on the Disney classic would be received.

As the children walked into the State Dining Room, they were greeted by a fully-costumed Johnny Depp standing on a table decorated with vintage-inspired table cloths and surrounded by giant stuffed animals.

First daughters Malia and Sasha, who were respectively 11 and 8 at the time, were able to invite their close friends to share in the activities, which also included a magic show in the East Room.

It is beyond comprehension that the Main Lame Stream Media was ignorant of a party this size in the White House.  The fact that this was NOT reported by the media only demonstrates the close relationship the media has with the Obamas.  A relationship that has put the media into the Obama's re-election campaign working as their propaganda mill.  Is it no wonder that this was not reported on.  Could you imagine the Bush family (Either George H W or George W) having a party of this magnitude without the media crying about it.  In fact they would have complained about the party (which looked like a promo for Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland) for years.  And they scream that they are impartial.  Right!

By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Kodak Bankrupt!

For generations of Americans Kodak was the only brand of film that they used.  Kodak was the only brand of Camera that was allowed in the house.  It was Iconic Americana.  A part of American culture, history, society.  And now it is about to go forever.

Eastman Kodak Co. is preparing to seek bankruptcy protection in the coming weeks, people familiar with the matter said, a move that would cap a stunning comedown for a company that once ranked among America's corporate titans.

The 131-year-old company is still making last-ditch efforts to sell off some of its patent portfolio and could avoid Chapter 11 if it succeeds, one of the people said. But the company has started making preparations for a filing in case those efforts fail, including talking to banks about some $1 billion in financing to keep it afloat during bankruptcy proceedings, the people said.

A Kodak spokesman said the company "does not comment on market rumor or speculation."

A filing could come as soon as this month or early February, one of the people familiar with the matter said. Kodak would continue to pay its bills and operate normally while under bankruptcy protection, the people said. But the company's focus would then be the sale of some 1,100 patents through a court-supervised auction, the people said.

That Kodak is even contemplating a bankruptcy filing represents a final reversal of fortune for a company that once dominated its industry, drawing engineering talent from around the country to its Rochester, N.Y., headquarters and plowing money into research that produced thousands of breakthroughs in imaging and other technologies.

The company, for instance, invented the digital camera—in 1975—but never managed to capitalize on the new technology.

Casting about for alternatives to its lucrative but shrinking film business, Kodak toyed with chemicals, bathroom cleaners and medical-testing devices in the 1980s and 1990s, before deciding to focus on consumer and commercial printers in the past half-decade under Chief Executive Antonio Perez.

None of the new pursuits generated the cash needed to fund the change in course and cover the company's big obligations to its retirees. A Chapter 11 filing could help Kodak shed some of those obligations, but the viability of the company's printer strategy has yet to be demonstrated, raising questions about the fate of the company's 19,000 employees.

Such uncertainty was once unthinkable at Kodak, whose near-monopoly on film produced high margins that the company shared with its workers. On "wage dividend days," a tradition started by Kodak founder George Eastman, the company would pay out bonuses to all workers based on its results, and employees would use the checks to buy cars and celebrate at fancy restaurants.

Former employees say the company was the Apple Inc. or Google Inc. of its time. Robert Shanebrook, 64 years old, who started at the company in 1967 and was most recently world-wide product manager for professional photographic film, recalls young talent traipsing through Kodak's sprawling corporate campus. At lunch, they would crowd the auditorium to watch a daily movie at an on-site theater. Other employees would play basketball on the company courts.

"We had this self-imposed opinion of ourselves that we could do anything, that we were undefeatable," Mr. Shanebrook said.

Kodak's troubles date back to the 1980s, when the company struggled with foreign competitors that stole its market share in film. The company later had to cope with the rise of digital photography and smartphones.

It wasn't until 10 years ago that the mood began to sour, said Mr. Shanebrook. By 2003, Kodak announced it would stop making investments in film. "I didn't want to stick around for the demise," he said.

Kodak shares closed Wednesday at 47 cents, down 28% after The Wall Street Journal reported the company was preparing a Chapter 11 filing.

Kodak has lost money each year but one since Mr. Perez, who previously headed the printer business at Hewlett-Packard Co., took over in 2005. The company's problems came to a head in 2011, as Mr. Perez's strategy of using patent lawsuits and licensing deals to raise cash ran dry.

Hoping to plug the hole, Kodak put some of its digital patents up for sale in August. Efforts to sell the portfolio have been slowed by bidders' concerns that Kodak might seek bankruptcy protection. The company has talked to hedge funds about borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars to bridge its finances until the patents sell, but the talks have faltered, people familiar with the matter said.

The first sign of acute cash pressure came in late September, when Kodak drew $160 million from its credit line at a time when it had told investors it would be building cash. The move sent Kodak's stock tumbling and raised fresh concerns about the company's viability.

Soon after, Kodak hired restructuring lawyers and advisers to help shore up its finances.

The company and its board have weighed a potential bankruptcy filing for months. Advisers told Kodak a filing would make its patent sale easier and likely allow the company to command a higher price, people familiar with the matter have said. The obligation to cover pension and health-care costs for retirees could also be purged through bankruptcy proceedings, the people said.

Those obligations—which run to hundreds of millions of dollars a year—as well as the unprofitable state of Kodak's new businesses, have made the company undesirable as a takeover target, people familiar with the matter said.

During a two-day meeting of the company's board, management and advisers in mid-December, executives were briefed on how Kodak would fund itself during bankruptcy proceedings should efforts to sell its patents fall short, a person familiar with the matter said.

Kodak is in discussions with large banks including J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. for so-called debtor-in-possession financing to keep the company operating in bankruptcy court, people familiar with the matter said.

Kodak has also held discussions with bondholders and a group led by investment firm Cerberus Capital Management LP about a bankruptcy financing package, the people said.

Should it seek bankruptcy protection, Kodak would follow other well-known companies that have failed to adapt to rapidly changing business models. They included Polaroid Corp., which filed for bankruptcy protection a second time in December 2008; Borders Group Inc., which liquidated itself last year; and Blockbuster Inc., which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2010 and was later bought by Dish Network Corp. A bankruptcy filing would kick off what is expected to be a busier year in restructuring circles, as economic growth continues to drag and fears about European sovereign debt woes threaten to make credit markets less inviting for companies that need to refinance their debts.

Mr. Perez decided to base the company's future on consumer and commercial inkjet printing. But the saturated market has proved tough to penetrate, and Kodak is paying heavily to subsidize sales as it builds a base of users for its ink.

The company remains a bit player in a printer market dominated by giants like H-P. Kodak ranks fifth world-wide, according to technology data firm IDC, with a market share of 2.6% in the first nine months of 2011.

As the company works on a restructuring plan, a key issue for creditors is whether the printer operations are worth supporting, or whether the bulk of the company's value is in its patents.

Nortel Networks Corp., a company that also had fallen behind the technology curve, opted to liquidate itself in bankruptcy court rather than reorganize, raising a greater than expected $4.5 billion for its patent trove.

Kodak's founder, Mr. Eastman, took his life at the age of 77 in what is now a museum celebrating the founder and Kodak's impact on photography. His suicide note read: "To my friends, my work is done. Why wait?"

Source

I have so many memories of Kodak.  The first Instamatic Camera I received one Chanukah.  It came with a flash cube.  No more touching of hot bulbs.  And how fascinating it was to watch the cube rotate each time the film was wound.  The film cartridge that meant you never had to worry if your loaded your camera correctly.  I remember my father loading the camera (His Brownie) with film.  Black and White film, color was too expensive.  Or going down to the camera store to have your film developed.

There are companies that still make and develop film.  But the industry will never be the same now.  For the inventor of mass photography will be gone, but not forgotten.

Kodachrome - Paul Simon




By Findalis of Monkey in the Middle

Will Santorum be the New Flavor of the Day?

Gary Fouse
fousesquawk


All of a sudden, Rick Santorum, former senator from Pennsylvania, is surging in the Iowa polls. In fact, he may even win the Iowa caucus. I suppose that would mean that the mad-hatters at MSNBC will be looking for dirt on him as they did with previous front-runners. Unfortunately for them, Santorum has no obvious skeletons in his closet. My question is whether Santorum can take a strong showing in Iowa and become a serious candidate as a real conservative.


This morning, Santorum was interviewed by Fox's Shepherd Smith, who grilled him on his opposition to gay marriage. Santorum's answer was based on his religious opposition. That would not have been my answer, but I am not Santorum. Could that hurt him with independent voters in a general election? I don't have the answer for that, but, on the other hand, I don't view it as one of the major issues.

As a conservative, I think Santorum is in many ways, the most attractive candidate. Come the California primary, I won't be able to vote for anyone since I am not a registered Republican. I guess at this stage, I would have to weigh my preference on the one I like the most and who can beat Obama. I guess that means I am leaning toward Romney and Santorum. Whoever it is, I hope the VP pick will be Marco Rubio.

At any rate, I expect the little rascals at MSNBC will be talking a lot about Rick Santorum and what a bad guy he is by the end of the week.