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(06/01/11 9:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana ranks among the states with the highest potential wind power capacity, and any future development of wind energy could boost the state economy, according to an article from the Indiana Business Research Center (IBRC). U.S. wind energy capacity has grown at an average rate of 22 percent per year during the past five years, according to the article. Much of that growth has come from the Midwest. Until 2008, Indiana had made few developments in wind energy; but after 2008, Indiana jumped to fourth in the Midwest in the amount of energy generated by wind power. However, Indiana still has a long way to go to catch up with other states..Indiana has an installed wind capacity of approximately 1 gigawatt, while Texas, the state with the highest installed capacity, is at about 9.5 gigawatts. Indiana has a potential capacity of more than 400 gigawatts — more than enough to provide all of the electricity in the state — according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which compiles data about renewable energy. One of the biggest benefits of developing wind power in Indiana is its potential economic impact on the state. While most wind turbines are currently owned and manufactured in Europe (all of the four windmill farms in Indiana are owned by European firms), Indiana’s manufacturing sector will likely benefit from any increase in wind energy production. There are several small firms located in Indiana that manufacture parts used in wind turbines, including Vela Gear Systems located in Carmel, Ind. Because of Indiana’s huge untapped wind energy potential and rising concerns about the environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions, many small firms like Vela Gear Systems could also see rapid growth in the near future. According to the article from the IBRC, Vela is projecting to expand within the next three years. A new project for a wind farm in northwestern-central Indiana will create about 100 to 150 construction jobs and a smaller number of permanent positions after the project is completed. E.ON Climate and Renewables, a North American subsidiary of a European based company, is financing the project, which will have an overall investment of $175 to $200 million, said Matt Tulis, Communications Manager for the company. The project will have approximately 100 turbines that will create enough energy to power 60,000 homes, Tulis said. He also said the company does not yet know where most of the manufacturing for the farm will take place; but if any Indiana firms get even part of the job, it will have a positive impact on Indiana’s economy. Indiana could see an uptick in new long-term jobs linked to the wind industry, said Ryan Krause, an economic research assistant for the Indiana Business Research Center. Most of these long-term jobs would involve manufacturing the various parts that go into turbines, like gears, which many companies in Indiana “are already very adept at,” Krause said. But the bigger turbine parts, like the blades and the tower, are unlikely to come from Indiana in the near future, Krause said. Most of these parts are imported by companies overseas that specialize in manufacturing them. Because the cost is so high to import such massive components, there is a possibility that if Indiana continues its trend of constructing new wind farms these parts might eventually be manufactured in Indiana, Krause suggested.
(05/26/11 12:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Several state officials have asked the Indiana Supreme Court to reconsider a recent opinion. In Barnes v. State, the Supreme Court ruled that the common law right to resist unlawful police entry into a home, which dates back to the Magna Carta of 1215, is no longer a right in the state of Indiana.In the case, an individual named Richard L. Barnes was asked to leave his home by his wife after a domestic disturbance. The police arrived and upon seeing Barnes angry, they attempted to enter the house. Barnes slammed the door in their face in an attempt to prevent the police from entering. State Senate President Pro Tempore David Long, Speaker of the Ind. House of Representatives Brian Bosma, Gov. Mitch Daniels and Attorney General Greg Zoeller have asked the state Supreme Court to reconsider its opinion. Sen. Long said he thought the decision was a major overreach.“You can go almost back to the Magna Carta and find the concept of ‘a person’s home is their castle,’” Long said. He said he sees the decision as an infringement upon citizens’ basic civil liberties and right to privacy.But Craig Bradley, an IU Maurer School of Law professor and expert on the Fourth Amendment, said the decision was “sound” and that “people have legal remedies if the police enter their house illegally.” It gets rid of some common law precedent, Bradley said, “but back in the time that this precedent was set, people did not have these remedies.” Bradley said today, evidence may be suppressed by a court if it was obtained illegally. But state officials are upset that the Supreme Court chose to throw out what it views as a key civil liberty when the decision could have been more narrow. “Clearly, the Supreme Court could have narrowly-tailored this decision to deal with the circumstances in this case,” Sen. Long said. Sen. Long and Rep. Bosma have also asked that the Supreme Court reconsider the ruling and make an exception to the right for domestic disturbance situations like the one decided in the case. “That would have at least made some sense,” Sen. Long said. Attorney General Greg Zoeller also said in a statement that a rehearing would “allow for a more narrow ruling” to apply to the specific circumstances of this case. Speaker Bosma also asked in a press release that the decision be reconsidered to more narrowly tailor the decision to domestic disturbances. He also said that the language used in the decision “unintentionally erased hundreds of years of common law precedent.”As it stands now, the decision is “stunning in its breadth. I don’t know why they chose to go there,” Sen. Long said. State officials have also expressed concern that the ruling seemed to ignore a relevant Indiana law. The "No Retreat" law, which was signed in 2006, says that a “person is justified in using reasonable force, including deadly force, against another person" to stop someone’s unlawful entry into their residence (IN Code 35-41-3-2).“No where does there say there’s an exception for the police, for a warrant-less break in by the police,” Sen. Long said. Gov. Daniels also said in a statement he was “puzzled by the ruling” because it seemed to ignore the “No Retreat” law.If this decision stands, it would catch Indiana up with many other states, such as Wisconsin, which have also ruled that residents do not have a right to resist unlawful police entry.
(05/16/11 12:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An eco-friendly plan for a cooperative in a residential area on the northwest side of Bloomington has encountered some opposition from residents in the neighborhood who are concerned about the impact it may have on their block.The cooperative, known as the Bloomington Cooperative Plots Eco-Village, would include ten cabins, a community center with apartments and a communal kitchen, areas for gardening and space for raising goats and chickens. It sits on a 2.2 acre property on Spring Street, owned by one of the potential members of the Eco-Village. The plotters (as the members of the Eco-Village call themselves) have an underlying philosophy of promoting connectedness and communal living. They plan on having communal gardens, orchards and strongly encourage their members to eat together every day to encourage community inter-connectedness. They plan on being as sustainable as possible, growing most — if not all — of their food organically on the property in a way that they call “hyper-local,” according to their website and an interview with plotter Carolyn Blank. The plotters plan to focus a lot of their energy on educating the community about sustainability and plan to hold concerts and events at the Eco-Village to encourage this. The Eco-Village will be a bike-only community, but they will share a truck and car for longer trips. The Bloomington Plan Commission voted May 9 to delay voting to approve the project until its next meeting in June, allowing the Eco-Village more time to meet the concerns of their potential neighbors. The Eco-Village already had a preliminary informational meeting with the Plan Commission in March, and the planners of the Eco-Village met the majority of the concerns of neighbors that were raised at that meeting. The plotters agreed to reduce the number of cabins from 25 to 10 and to reduce the maximum occupancy of the property from 75 to 40. At the previous meeting, neighbors and the Bloomington Fire Department said they were worried about the density of the original plan. They also notably included a plan to reduce the watershed off the property by 30 percent. The neighborhood where the Eco-Village would be located has perpetual flooding issues, which many of the neighbors expressed concerns about. Commissioners focused their questions to Daniel Weddle, one of the co-founders of the Eco-Village, on the issues of water quality and drainage. Neighbors expressed concern that the presence of chickens and goats on the property would lead to animal waste polluting their yards during flooding. They also asked that the flooding problem be fixed before the Eco-Village be approved. Plan Commissioner Susan Fernandes said during the May 9 meeting that the Plan Commission usually takes a “we scratch your back, you scratch ours” attitude toward the type of proposal the Eco-Village was suggesting. They proposed a “Planned Unit Development,” the purpose of which is to allow innovative developments that do not fit into the typical zoning requirements.In order to win the neighbors’ and commissioners’ approval of the project, Fernandes and other commissioners encouraged the Eco-Village plotters to approach Bloomington Transit in an attempt to implement a new bus route to run through the area. Additionally, the plotters were encouraged to reach out to Bloomington Utilities for the installation of street lights on Spring Street and the placement of culverts to eliminate the neighborhood’s flooding issues.Isabel Piedmont Smith, a City Council member who also sits on the Plan Commission, addressed the other commissioners’ concerns by saying that “it’s not a petitioner’s job to fix a neighborhood’s old problems... I don’t think that’s very fair.” She also said she supported approving the plans for the Eco-Village, calling them a potential “beacon” for Bloomington. The Bloomington Plan Commission will reconvene in June to decide whether or not to approve the Eco-Village. If approved, the issue would be forwarded to the City Council for their final approval. For more information, visit — www.btowncooperativeplots.dwiel.net
(05/08/11 9:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington Transit will be operating reduced schedules for several routes oriented toward campus starting May 8 due to summer break. Regular services will resume Aug. 28. Here are the routes that will be reduced: ROUTE 6 CAMPUS SHUTTLEMonday through Friday service will be reduced to every 30 minutes starting at 7:30 a.m. at Knightridge Apartments and ending at 7:30 p.m. at Knightridge.Buses will run hourly starting at 4:30 p.m. on Fridays . Buses will run hourly on weekends between 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. There will be no Route 6 Limited during the summer. ROUTE 7 HENDERSON/WALNUT EXPRESSThis route will not be in service during the summer. 9 ROUTEMonday through Friday service will run three times per hour in the morning and approximately twice an hour after 11 a.m. Buses will start at Campus Corner Apartments at 7:10 a.m. and end at Campus Corner at 10:30 p.m. Saturdays, the 9 Route will run hourly starting at 8:30 a.m. at Campus Corner and ending there at 6:15 p.m.There will be no Sunday service on the 9 Route during the summer. BTACCESSMost services will remain unchanged, except for areas within a three-fourths mile radius of Route 9 on weekends. For more information, visit Bloomington Transit’s website at www.bloomingtontransit.com or call 812-336-RIDE (7433).
(05/08/11 9:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington drivers are paying the most at the pump in the state of Indiana. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel May 8 was $4.21 — higher than anywhere else in the state — according to data compiled daily by AAA. Only one month ago the average price for regular unleaded fuel was about $3.70, and one year ago it was approximately $2.90. Indiana currently ranks eighth in the nation for the highest gas prices with average statewide prices for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel standing at $4.15. Bloomington would place sixth place if it were included on the national list by itself. These prices could fall for a number of reasons, including a decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ to lower their prices or the United States government’s decision to release some of its 727-million-barrel Strategic Oil Reserve. For now, the impact of the prices on citizens’ everyday lives is negatively affecting their pocketbooks. Sophomore Lilly Walker, who works as a waitress, said filling up her gas tank is like wiping out an entire day’s worth of tips. As a result, she said she has been doing a lot more walking and biking and not leaving town to see her family as much. Junior Becca Jones said she does as little driving as possible and tries to limit her driving exclusively to seeing her family out of town. — Zach Ammerman
(05/08/11 9:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A new bill passed unanimously by the Indiana General Assembly would allow cell phone users to place their phone numbers on the state’s do-not-call registry to avoid telemarketing calls. A similar registry is already in place for landline phones. Telemarketing companies that violate the law would receive the same penalties for violating it with cell phone users as they do when they violate the law with landline users. The bill was strongly advocated for by state Attorney General Greg Zoeller. According to Zoeller in a statement, “Because many Hoosiers now use cell phones only and do not have landlines at home, we wanted to statutorily extend the protections of the Do-Not-Call list for cell phone users so they also can be shielded from intrusive solicitors.”The bill, HEA 1273, is currently awaiting Gov. Daniels’ signature. — Zach Ammerman
(05/08/11 9:14pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Major road construction on the intersection of East Atwater Avenue and South Henderson Street is scheduled to begin May 9 and will last until fall 2011. The road construction will eventually involve lane closures at one of the busiest intersections in Bloomington. Atwater Avenue has about 13,200 vehicles pass through it every day and is classified as a principal arterial, according to the City of Bloomington’s plans for the intersection. One lane at a time on East Atwater Avenue and South Henderson Street may be closed as well as part of South Dunn Street. The purpose of the project is primarily to increase the safety for pedestrians crossing Atwater Avenue by adding a stoplight and crosswalks at the corner of East Atwater Avenue and South Henderson Street. A crosswalk will also be added on a new connector between South Dunn Street and East Atwater Avenue. The construction will also lengthen the line of sight vehicles have upon entering the intersection, move and replace the existing connector to South Dunn Street and eliminate the connector from East Atwater Avenue to South Indiana Avenue by creating a turn lane at the stoplight. The plan also envisages narrower pavement for vehicles, wider sidewalks that are farther way from the road, a narrower connector to South Dunn Street and crosswalks that meet at the shortest possible width of the road. The construction bid for the intersection was awarded to Crider & Crider, Inc. in the amount of $580,489.80. — Zach Ammerman
(05/05/11 4:54pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>US Rep. Mike Pence announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Indiana Thursday morning in a conference call when he said, “I’m in this race.” Pence said that Indiana was doing well after two terms under Gov. Mitch Daniels — who is considering his own run for President — but that he would like to continue Gov. Daniels’ work. “We must have principled leadership at every level to make the right choices. We need to live within our means, and embrace policies that will create good jobs, great schools, safe streets and strong families,” Pence said in a video posted on his website.Rep. Pence has represented Indiana’s 6th Congressional District — and previously in the 2nd District — since 2001. When he announced that he would not seek the Republican nomination for President, some assumed that he would be making a run for governor instead. Pence’s aides filed the necessary paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, and will have a formal campaign kickoff Saturday June 11 in Columbus. The Chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, strongly welcomed Pence’s entrance into the race. In a released statement Perry called Pence a “top-tier candidate.” Perry also said this announcement was a blow to the Democrats’ hopes of gaining the governor position again.One minute before Rep. Pence had even sent out an e-mail announcing his intention to run, the Indiana Democratic Party released their own statement.“It’s fair to say there aren’t many Republicans in Washington who are prouder partisans than Congressman Mike Pence,...that’s the kind of attitude that makes it impossible to get things done,” the statement read. — Zach Ammerman
(05/02/11 5:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>About 70 Planned Parenthood supporters showed up wielding colorfully written bright signs to protest House Bill 1210 in front of Bloomington’s Planned Parenthood clinic Monday. H.B. 1210 would, in part, eliminate federal funds allocated through the state to Planned Parenthood. These funds account for approximately 13 percent of Planned Parenthood of Indiana’s funding and would put eight clinics across the state at risk for closure, said Kate Shepherd, Planned Parenthood of Indiana's director of communications and marketing. Jessi Ensenberger, a peer educator working for Planned Parenthood, said she thinks the bill is based on peoples’ misconception that the money being eliminated would go to funding abortion when, in fact, the money goes primarily to preventative care. The bill, if signed – as Gov. Daniels has indicated he will do – would “only increase welfare spending … and raise the overall cost [to the state],” Lara Kish said, another Planned Parenthood peer educator. Another protestor, Jessica Newlin, said she disagrees with the bill primarily because abortion is such a small part of what Planned Parenthood does in the state and that the bill would backfire by creating more unwanted pregnancies in Indiana. The protest received a fairly enthusiastic response from passers-by in vehicles at the busy intersection, with about one in every four or five cars honking in approval, soliciting cheers from the protesters. One woman, however, did stop an older van for several minutes and repeatedly shouted, “You’re killing babies!” A few protesters attempted to engage with the woman, but another protester in the back of the crowd shouted, “Take the high road, be classy!” at which point the crowd of Planned Parenthood supporters began chanting “Don’t engage, don’t engage!” and “Pro-woman, pro-choice!”The counter-protester soon drove away.
(04/29/11 3:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gov. Daniels signed 15 bills into law Thursday and is currently struggling with whether or not to sign the controversial abortion bill approved Wednesday regarding funding for Planned Parenthood. ABORTION BILLThe Indianapolis Star quotes Daniels as saying, “I haven’t decided yet ... It was attached to a bill I strongly supported, but we’ve got a little research to do.” The bill in question, House Bill 1210, would strip Planned Parenthoodof Indiana of federal funds allocated through the state and would increase restrictions on women seeking abortions in Indiana. Daniels is weighing whether or not to announce his candidacy for the White House and has been criticized by social conservatives for seeking a “truce” on social issues like abortion and gay marriage. Daniels said Thursday that he would not be making any announcements about his decision to run or not until at least next week, but his decision whether or not to sign the abortion bill could affect whether he runs for president or not because of the role social conservatives play in presidential primaries. EDUCATION REFORMA bill the governor did sign created a system to evaluate public school teachers that categorizes teachers as highly effective, effective, improvement necessary or ineffective. It also specifies that “a teacher rated ineffective or improvement necessary may not receive a raise or increment for the following year,” as well as stating “that a student may not be instructed two years in a row by two different teachers who have been rated as ineffective in the year preceding the student’s placement in that class, if avoidable.” This bill was among several bills that have been passed as part of the governor’s package of proposed reforms to the state’s education system. Earlier in the month, Daniels signed a bill restricting the collective bargaining rights of public teachers, and two other bills are awaiting his signature. One of these bills allows a broader pool of officials to create charter schools, and another allows middle- and low-income families to send their students to private or parochial schools using public money. This would give Indiana one of the broadest school voucher programs in the country. Most states that have similar programs only allow parents with low-incomes or parents of students in failing schools to send their children to private schools using tax money. Indiana’s bill, if signed, will not include these restrictions. Among the other bills signed by the governor: a bill making it a Class A misdemeanor for a person to “peep at the private area” of an individual and record with a camera, a bill increasing requirements for bail agents to have their license renewed and a bill defining credit agreements for local governments.
(03/09/11 11:13pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Tuesday, the IU Student Association Congress voted unanimously (this seems to be how they vote on everything) to not impeach an executive, Chief of Staff Neil Kelty, who openly admits to having funneled IUSA funds through his private company to repay a personal debt owed to him by another executive. If this weren’t so serious, it would be utterly laughable. The entire process clearly showed how the IUSA Congress is a mockery of a real democratic institution. First of all, 17 members of Congress didn’t even bother to show up to what was arguably the most important meeting of Congress this year. Because the motion to impeach required a two-thirds majority vote of the entire Congress, this meant that every single one of the 32 members of Congress who bothered to show up would have had to vote to impeach Kelty. Not a single member of Congress did (see the paper version for a list of Congress members who voted not to impeach Kelty — you can find their contact information here). The entire Congress seemed to be in defense mode, with members practically berating Justin Kingsolver, who asked that the petition be brought before Congress. One member of the Congressional Central Committee who spoke on behalf of Kelty screeched hysterically before Congress that it was “more than a little insulting” that Kingsolver dared to bring up the fact that a member of the IUSA executive branch admits to having committed what was possibly a felony and wanting Congress to at least think about doing something about it. How dare he! When I was watching the impeachment debate take place, I was struck by how many, if not all, of the members of Congress were taking the motion to impeach personally, as if they were being attacked alongside Kelty. They seem to have forgotten that the IUSA Congress is not a part of the executive branch but is there to provide oversight of IUSA executives, which is exactly what this impeachment would have done. Although I can understand why they might be confused about that, since a member of the executive branch regularly — and perhaps unconstitutionally — presides over Congress. Article II, Section V of the IUSA Constitution clearly states that “Congress will elect ... a Speaker to preside over all legislative meetings, schedule legislative meetings, oversee congressional committees...” and basically do everything that Jennie Peterson, the executive Vice President for Congress, did Tuesday.This is a clear violation of the well-founded principal of separation of powers. In many modern democracies, the executive may not even address the legislative body without approval or upon request of said body. Apparently, members of IUSA don’t pay much attention to things such as separation of power, constitutions or ethics in general. I went to the impeachment hearing Tuesday fully expecting to see Kelty impeached. I didn’t see a single member of Congress at the Supreme Court hearing against Kelty. If a single member of Congress had bothered to attend the Supreme Court hearing where Kelty was prohibited from using his company for reimbursement purposes in the future like I did, they might have felt the same way. Although, judging from the abysmal attendance rate at their own Congressional meeting impeaching an executive, I’m guessing that most members of Congress struggle to even make it to their classes at all, let alone attend an event outside of what was required of them. To me, and many members of the public, it seems like the very definition of a no-brainer that an executive officer who openly admits to funneling public funds through his own private company in order to pay a private debt — and who doesn’t seem to see that there’s anything wrong with that — should be immediately impeached. Apparently Congress disagrees. Thank God we already elected a new one. E-mail: zammerma@indiana.edu
(01/09/11 10:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>An attempt on the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., has left her in critical condition. Twelve others were injured and six people, including a nine-year-old girl, were shot to death. Witnessing the violent murder of a nine-year-old student council member as she met a member of the U.S. government is hardly a forgettable image. It is an image that has sadly become reality as the political climate in the U.S. continues to boil. Some commentators have connected the horrific violence in Tucson, Ariz., to the violent rhetoric that pervades the political discourse in our country. The Opinion staff has compiled a few snippets of recent political vitriol as well as a few notes on its consequences.“When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous, and unfortunately, Arizona I think has become the capital. We have become the mecca for prejudice and bigotry.”—Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik“This may be free speech, but it’s not without consequences.”—Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik“When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action,”
—Gabrielle Giffords, talking about Sarah Palin’s crosshairs map last year-------------------“I tell people, ‘Don’t kill all the liberals.’ Leave enough so we can have two on every campus — living fossils — so we we’ll never forget what these people stood for.”—Rush Limbaugh“I say round liberals up and hang ’em high. When I hear someone’s in the civil rights business, I oil up my AR-25.”—Michael Savage“I’m thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I’m wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it ... No, I think I could.” —Glenn Beck“Don’t retreat! Instead — RELOAD!” —Sarah Palin on her Facebook page where she depicted Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in rifle crosshairs“Minnesotans should be ‘armed and dangerous.’” —Michele Bachmnan, talking about opposition to cap and trade legislation“Having a revolution every now and then is a good thing.” —Michele Bachmann“To the day I die I’m going to be a progressive hunter.” — Glenn Beck. Weeks later, a man claiming to be inspired by Glenn Beck was arrested after shooting officers on the way to kill members of the TIDES Foundation and the ACLU. “Violence is coming ... and the Left will blame it on me.” —Glenn Beck on his radio program
(01/06/11 11:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Glenn Beck clowned around with revolution in the New Year on his radio show by calling for America’s fundamental transformation. We rang in the New Year with our own thoughts on his inspirational speech.[The bracketed comments are ours] The rest is Mr. Beck's.America is at a crossroads [Cliche]. We have known this for 10 years now [No more, no less] but after each tragic event or “bubble” America has gone back to sleep because we wanted to believe that we could have it all and “it just isn’t as bad as they say.” Our gut, [Who all is being referenced in this collective?] however, has told us that it was time to wake up and use what used to be known as “common sense.” It is what Americans from all points of the political compass meant when focus groups gave every politician the presidential campaign slogan: change [We have a feeling that Obama’s “change you can believe in” has nothing to do with any of Glenn’s ideas].After spending years, and thousands of man-hours, in research, reflection and prayer, my team and I have come to realize that a “Fundamental Transformation” is required [Of course, this transformation should be applauded]. While it is just as powerful, it’s also the polar opposite of what President Obama touted last election. President Obama and the progressive ruling class of both parties [Progressive Republicans? Where?] believe in the collective planned society. I believe America’s answers are to be found with, by, and in the individual American honestly pursuing happiness, [But only in ways which Glenn’s religious guidelines allow] not in 2,000-page bills [What page number would be appropriate?].If one is looking for a “collective”- [Commie buzzword!] based solution it can be found in the phrase: America is great because America is good. When we look for our answers in Washington we ask our politicians or parties to “make us good.” They cannot [Probably because we are born evil]. But we can, must and will. The secret our Founders understood [Have you channelled them?] was that America is good because individual Americans are honest, just, thrifty, responsible, educated, charitable and God fearing [Which one of these does not fit into the Deist mindset?].“America is great because America is good” is not just some trite slogan. It is a deep and well-thought-out philosophy that has over 200 years of evidence of its truth. Yet we are being told on every level from our classrooms to our newsrooms that America is not good and never was great [Think: slavery, whiteness, patriarchy, xenophobia, sexual discrimination, racial segregation, etc.].[DOOM!] We cannot as a nation survive much longer [Why?]. We must take a page from our own history at the Alamo and “draw a line in the sand.” We must decide who we are, what we are capable of and look to the heavens to chart our course. Do we return to the ideas of the past or do we continue West [Think: Manifest destiny] to the yet unrealized and unfulfilled promises laid out in our Founding ideals? We must choose as individuals and then put those choices into action. We must demonstrate to our children, neighbors and to ourselves that it is not policies or politicians but people [Perhaps because politicians are not people] that make this nation what it is for better or for worse.This year, I, as an individual and private citizen, stand at those crossroads and boldly declare my choice. I will not accept that America’s best days are behind her, that there is no such thing as American exceptionalism [Think: slavery, whiteness, patriarchy, xenophobia, sexual discrimination, racial segregation, etc.]. Nor will I stand by silently as the most charitable nation in the history of mankind now needs the IRS to act as our charitable collection basket. I refuse to believe that Eric Holder is right when he states that we “are a nation of cowards” when it comes to issues of race [What if the Tea Party were black?].I will admit our wrongdoing, but I will not be a constant apologist for our nation’s mistakes. However, I will also look for historical context [Perhaps we should restore the Constitution]. I choose to believe that while many Americans may be ignorant of even the basics of our own history, Americans are waking up in record numbers educating themselves [Or being force fed historical misinformation. Think Texas school’s reformed history books]. One of the first things they will find is that history tells us when this happens Americans change the world.I will no longer look to others for leadership or answers. I will lead my family [As every man should] and teach them to be independent, honorable, educated and charitable. With firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, I choose to refound this amazing nation by rediscovering within myself, and my own circle of influence, the principles and ethics that defined American exceptionalism [Think heteronormativity].In 2011, my wife and I will dedicate significantly more of our personal resources to what some call charity but as you and I will show is nothing less than “investing in people.” [Modesty is a virtue] I have also charted a new and exciting course for my company, Mercury Radio Arts. I currently have plans on hiring more than 40 people [Job creation!] as I expand many of our operations as well as creating new divisions such as one that will be known as “E4 Experiences”.Over the next 12 months, all Mercury divisions, radio, television, books, digital and stage will focus on what I call “The E4 Solution.” The four “Es” consist of: Enlightenment, Education, Empowerment and Entrepreneurship. We will challenge ourselves, and those who choose to chart this course with us, to find what we as individuals really believe, challenge what we think we know and dig deep to find out what we are each capable of.Today, I call out to those who are tired of feeling powerless [Think of the people whose unemployment benefits were barely extended]. Commit to become the person you were meant to be, not who you have allowed yourself to become; the father, mother, sibling, friend, businessperson and American. As the old story goes:A man decided that he would change the world.But, he wasn’t successful.So he decided to change the country.But, he wasn’t successful.So he decided to change his community.But, he wasn’t successful.So he decided to change his street.But, be wasn’t successful.So he decided to change his family.But, he wasn’t successful.So he decided to change himself.AND HE WAS SUCCESSFUL.AND HIS FAMILY CHANGED AND THEY AFFECTED THEIR STREET.AND THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET AFFECTED THEIR COMMUNITY.AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AFFECTED THEIR COUNTRY.AND THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY AFFECTED THE WORLD.Today, I ask you to take the first step in your success. This is part Enlightenment and part Empowerment (E1 and E3 of the E4 Solution). One of America’s premier psychiatric minds, concerned American and good friend Dr. Keith Ablow has been working with me on a project called “The 7.” Together we have developed seven steps that can help you change your life — I know because they are the seven steps that I used to change my life [Now he’s appropriating the AA handbook]. This book is meant for those who are tired being less than happy, fulfilled and want to be a part of a life that is bigger than they can currently imagine.In the next 12 months, I challenge each American to come to the place where they can say without equivocation “YES, I CAN.” [How original?] I believe strong, educated, charitable individuals who can stand on their own two feet, because they know who they are, will be remembered by future historians as those Americans who once again answered the call and changed the world again [Think invasion of Iraq].Transcript found on theblaze.com
(11/30/10 12:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IRAN A TOP CONCERN FOR ARAB STATESThe leaders of several Arab states have pointedly asked that the United States attack Iran. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have all asked U.S. officials to strike Iran (Saudi Arabia on multiple occasions). A leader of the UAE, when being briefed on the probable lack of impact that air strikes on Iran would have, was quoted as exclaiming, “Then it will take ground forces!”CHINA HACKED GOOGLEThe Chinese government was directly responsible for hacking into Google’s servers last year, leading to Google pulling out of China. STATE DEPT. SPYING ON UN, ALLIES, AND OTHERSSecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton ordered State Department employees to gather private information from high-ranking officials, including the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Security Council members’ ambassadors (including our allies, France and Britain, as well as China and Russia), prominent African military and political leaders and top UN directors.The information to be gathered included DNA samples, retina scans, credit card numbers, private passwords, frequent flier numbers, PINs, website information and work schedules. BRAZIL LIES ABOUT COUNTER-TERRORISM The Brazilian government has used United States help in extensive counter-terrorism actions in its country, including asking prominent moderate Brazilian Arabs to keep tabs on their Arab neighbors. The Brazilian government has repeatedly denied that there are any counter-terrorism activities going on in Brazil. THE UNITED STATES IS SECRETLY BOMBING YEMENThe U.S. has been secretly bombing Yemen. Yemen has repeatedly taken full responsibility for the bombings, which have resulted in numerous civilian deaths. The president of Yemen was quoted as saying, “We’ll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours,” which prompted the deputy prime minister to boast that he had “just lied” to Parliament by saying that the bombs were from Yemen.A STRANGE SAUDI SUGGESTIONThe King of Saudi Arabia suggested implanting Bluetooth chips into released Guantanamo Bay prisoners to track them across the globe, saying, “we do it with horses and falcons.” State Department officials replied, “Horses don’t have lawyers.”SEC. CLINTON REQUESTS DETAILED INFORMATION ON IRANIAN MURALSSecretary of State Clinton curiously requested all detailed information that could be found. on the removal of Iranian murals in Tehran.U.S. WARNED GERMANY AGAINST TAKING LEGAL ACTIONThe U.S. warned Germany not to take legal action against CIA agents who illegally kidnapped an innocent German citizen who happened to have the same name as a suspected terrorist. BULLYING SMALL COUNTRIESThe State Department has attempted to strong arm small nations into taking Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Slovenia was told if it wanted to meet with President Obama, it should take prisoners. The small Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati was offered millions of dollars to take in Chinese Muslim prisoners, and Belgium was told “accepting more prisoners would be ‘a low-cost way for Belgium to attain prominence in Europe.’”
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____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>French President Nicolas Sarkozy is described as "susceptible and authoritarian" and as an "emperor with no clothes."Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is described as an "alpha dog" that "controls everything in Russia's chaos."German Chancellor Angela Merkel is called Angela "Teflon" Merkel and is said to often lack imagination. Libyan de-facto leader Muammar al-Gaddafi has numerous phobias, including a fear of flying (especially over water) and climbing up more than 35 steps. He also must always have his attractive Ukrainian nurse with him. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is described as loving "wild parties," as being "incompetent," "inefficient," and heavily influenced by Vladimir Putin. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is described as having "little understanding of politics beyond Ankara" and as surrounding himself with an "iron ring of sycophantic advisors."
(11/17/10 12:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was pushed back by the Taliban, but now, some experts say it’s making a comeback. It’s something so controversial that most Afghans refuse to talk about it or to even acknowledge its existence. It’s 1 a.m. in northern Afghanistan, and a group of armed, powerful older men are gathered around a very young boy dressed in women’s clothing with fake breasts and bells around his ankles. He dances provocatively for them. This scene is what opens a recent, deeply disturbing piece by the BBC World Service’s series, “The Changing World.” In this deeply conservative part of the world, women are not allowed to dance in public. Young boys often fill the vacuum in their absence. But the dancing is not the most unsettling part of this practice. It’s only after the dancing is done and everyone goes home that the children are sexually abused.The ancient practice of bacha bazi (Persian for “playing with children”) has been going on in Afghanistan for centuries, but after the fall of the Taliban, some experts are seeing a revival of the practice of sexual slavery and child prostitution. The young boys, called bachas, are kept by rich and influential men as status symbols. Many of the men are powerful warlords in the conflict-ravaged country and are effectively immune to legal punishment.The bachas are often sexually abused by these men or sold to others for the same barbaric purpose. The bachas frequently come from poor families and are often orphans who are sold or sell themselves to help support their families. In the BBC program, contributor Rustam Qobil travels through Afghanistan investigating this practice. What he finds is shocking. Qobil finds dozens of bacha bazi dance parties similar to the one described above, where hundreds of older men gather around one or two provocatively dancing young boys. Afterward, the bacha is taken back to a hotel or residence holding hands with one or more older men. Qobil spends months in a search to find a bacha who is willing to talk to the reporter about what happens after this. He finally finds one, whom he calls Omid (not his real name). Qobil asks the bacha what happens when people take him to hotels. He bows his head and pauses for a long time before answering.“Omid says he is paid about $2 for the night. Sometimes he is gang raped,” Qobil said.Qobil interviews several such bachas who have tragically similar stories. The local Afghani police authorities are not only unwilling to prosecute or investigate this practice — they refuse to admit that it even exists. Qobil interviews a local police chief about the practice, who responds, “We haven’t had any cases of bacha bazi in the last four to five years. It doesn’t exist here anymore.” But a member of Parliament for Northern Afghanistan insists that the practice is having a revival “in almost every region of Afghanistan,” and that “our officials are ashamed to admit that it even exists.”Qobil said every Afghan that he interviewed knew what bacha bazi was, but many insisted that it was something that happened only in remote areas of Afghanistan. But Qobil attended a bacha bazi party late one night in the old quarter of Kabul, less than a mile from the seat of the national government. There, he found a man he called Zabi (not his real name), a 40-year-old man with three bachas. “My youngest bacha is 15, and the oldest is 18. It wasn’t easy to find them. But if you want it badly, you will find them,” he said.“Some people like dog fighting, some practice cockfighting. Everyone has their hobby. For me, it’s bacha bazi.”E-mail: zammerma@indiana.edu
(10/19/10 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IUSA’s constitution includes a provision that allows the student body to propose constitutional amendments via a petition with 10 percent of the student body’s signatures. It would take less than 4,300 signatures to accomplish this goal, according to IU’s enrollment report for fall. Here are some amendments I suggest would be the most beneficial. LIMITING OVERHEAD COSTS TO LESS THAN 50 PERCENT Currently, overhead costs are 73 percent of IUSA’s approximately $98,000 Operating Budget. Think about that: nearly two-thirds of the money that all students are required to pay to IUSA goes directly back into IUSA itself. There is no reason why IUSA can’t operate with overhead costs at 50 percent or less. This would free up thousands of dollars of students’ money to go to programs that benefit the student body instead of spending our money on executives’ smart phones, A parking passes and travelling fees. LIMITING EXECUTIVE SALARIES TO LESS THAN 15 PERCENTRight now, IUSA spends 22 percent of our money in the Operating Budget on their own executives’ salaries. It’s understandable that executives should receive some compensation for their work, but when executives are only required to spend less than 10 hours in their offices each week, it seems entirely reasonable to limit the amount of compensation they receive. ONLY ELECTED CANDIDATES MAY BE COMPENSATED On the other hand, it does not make sense to compensate administration officials who are not elected and thus not accountable to the student body that they serve — such as the current chief of staff, who is receiving a salary for the first time in IUSA’s history. Un-elected officials should under no circumstances receive a salary for work for which the student body has no control. INCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF RECALLING CANDIDATESIf an IUSA administration isn’t doing a good job, the student body should have the ability to fire them. We do not think the current administration merits being fired, but we do think that having some way for the public to directly recall their IUSA executives and congressional representatives makes more than good sense. It’s simply good policy. If 10 percent of the student body signs a petition recalling one (or more) of the members of the executive branch, then a recall election should automatically be called, which would present the student body with two options: fire them or keep them in office.
(10/19/10 12:46am)
Two IDS columnists debate a proposal for a loyalty oath for all non-Jewish applicants for Israeli citizenship.
(10/11/10 9:16pm)
Key updates on a startling world-wide trend.
(10/05/10 12:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The story I’m about to tell you is a personal one, but it is, tragically, not even close to being uncommon.Five gay teenagers have killed themselves in the past three weeks alone, including a 15-year-old student in Greensburg, Ind., and a 19-year-old just last Friday. This is a national problem of epidemic proportions. My parents found out I was gay in a suicide note. Needless to say, this was devastating to them and to me. After years of serious bullying in high school for being gay — despite the fact that I wasn’t even sure if I was gay yet and wasn’t even close to coming out of the closet — I had developed pretty serious self-esteem and depression issues that I still struggle with to this day as a result of harsh bullying.These recent suicides point to a larger problem I experienced firsthand: We have a very serious gay bullying problem in this country. I was bullied in high school for being gay. Other students would play a game where they would shove their friends into me in the hallway as a joke, as if even brushing by me in the hallway was repugnant and disgusting. On another occasion, a student walked out of the classroom we were in rather than work with me during a group project. The teacher saw it and did nothing. The same student also mentioned me being dead on numerous occasions in the same class to his friends while the teacher was in the room. I’m not sure that the teacher heard him, but I do know that he knew something was going on. Again, he did nothing. I anonymously e-mailed the administration on at least two occasions to tell them that the school was not safe for gay people and that I felt threatened there. They responded by saying that my high school didn’t have a gay problem and that they treat all students the same, whether they are “Polish, white, or Asian.”Years later, the same high school that I was bullied at was embroiled in a law suit filed by the ACLU on behalf of a lesbian teenager who was denied approval to attend the prom in a tux with her girlfriend. Clearly, they do not treat their students equally. These are not unfortunate, but limited occurrences that happened a few times to a single gay student. They are facts of life for gay students in high schools across our country. I went through this harassment every day I was in that high school, and it drove me to attend a boarding school for gifted and talented students to get away from the constant bullying. At that boarding school, I found dozens of other gay students that escaped from similar circumstances at their home high schools. This is not a limited problem. This is affecting schools throughout our state and across our country. Our schools have summarily failed to protect gay students from severe harassment and bullying. Schools have a legal and moral obligation to take action to protect their students from harassment, and schools that have failed to do this need to face consequences.Young people are dying because of this failure. Five have died in the past month alone. Let’s make their deaths at least serve as a catalyst for making the lives of gay students in schools across our country safer. E-mail: zammerma@indiana.edu