Pork In Stimulus/Porkulus Bill

Pork In Stimulus/Porkulus Bill

Source: Carl Glass, GHP News Services

President Barack Obama said yesterday at his press conference that there's no earmarks in the stimulus bill.

Well, here's what the bill contains:

HR 1 is the largest pork barrel bill in the history of our great country. President Obama claims that we can spend our way out of debt! It's never worked before, and it won't work this time!

Here's what your taxes will be paying for if this bill passes:

There's billions for the radical environmentalists' agenda:

$20 million "for the removal of small- to medium-sized fish passage barriers"
$70 million to "Support Supercomputing Activities" for climate research
$10 million for biking and walking trails
$200 million for plug-in car stations
$400 million for NASA to conduct research on climate change
$600 million for diesel emission reduction
$650 million for "alternative energy technologies, energy efficiency enhancements and deferred maintenance at Federal facilities"
$1.5 billion to build "green schools"
$2.4 billion for "carbon capture demonstration projects"— WHATEVER THAT MEANS!

There's billions for federal bureaucrats:

$600 million to buy new cars for government workers— THIS IS ON TOP OF THE $3 BILLION PER YEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT ALREADY SPENDS ON ITS FLEET OF VEHICLES.
$150 billion to more than double the budget of the U. S. Department of Education— THIS MEANS MORE FEDERAL CONTROL OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
$34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce HQ
$50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts— REMEMBER HOW WE THE TAXPAYERS HAVE PAID FOR A PAINTING OF CHRIST IN A VAT OF URINE, AND FOR SEXUAL ORGANS PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE HUMAN FACES?
$54 million for federal programs that our government has criticized as "ineffective" or that cannot pass basic financial audits—PAYING TO CONTINUE PROGRAMS THAT DON'T WORK!
$462 million for equipment, construction, and renovation of facilities at the Center for Disease Control
$1 billion for follow-up to the 2010 Census
$1 billion for AMTRAK

There's billions in political payoffs:

$246 million for Hollywood -- MOVIE MOGULS RAISED MILLIONS FOR THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
$83 billion for tax credits for people who don't pay taxes
$4.19 billion to ACORN, THE OBAMA SUPPORT GROUP THAT IS ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR VOTER FRAUD

The Stimulus Will Ruin Your Health!

The Democrats snuck in a little item involving health care into the stimulus bill.

They've added provisions to electronically track every patient's health care, supposedly to eliminate errors, duplication, etc. While that all sounds good, the bill goes too far.

Over at Bloomberg.com, Betsy McCaughey, writes:

But the bill goes further. One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and “guide” your doctor’s decisions (442, 446). These provisions in the stimulus bill are virtually identical to what Daschle prescribed in his 2008 book, “Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis.” According to Daschle, doctors have to give up autonomy and “learn to operate less like solo practitioners.”

Keeping doctors informed of the newest medical findings is important, but enforcing uniformity goes too far.

Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)

What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment? The vagueness is intentional. In his book, Daschle proposed an appointed body with vast powers to make the “tough” decisions elected politicians won’t make.

If you are in your 60s or 70s, and if it is statistically shown that saving your life is not "cost-effective," they'll deny your doctor-recommended treatment and expect you to just suck it up and die.

If people have a problem with insurance companies dictating their treatment already, just think how much they'll like some Washington bureaucrat dictating their treatment on top of that!

Rush Limbaugh discussed this yesterday on his show.

Useful idiots like Arlen Specter, Olympia Snow and Susan Collins are willing to vote for this legislation, which is the first step into socialized medicine.

To see the full article, go here.

Specter's An Idiot; Obama's A Liar

Above, three GOP defectors.

Two things ticked me off today concerning the stimulus/porkulus bill now before the U.S. Senate.

First, I was listening to Sean Hannity's show on the way to work and he had Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PA call in. Despite many excellent arguments given by Hannity against the bill, Specter said he is "independent" and believes that the government "has to act". Otherwise, he said, the economy would be headed for disaster. He refused to even reconsider his support for the bill. He seems to think that it's either this bill or nothing at all.

At the end of the interview, Hannity was incredulous and I was angry. Specter is up for election next year, and he's got to go!

Second, I caught President Barack Obama's first prime time press conference. I noticed that he only picked reporters who'd give him softball questions. What really got to me was that he attributes the current economic mess to the policies of "the last eight years." He blamed it on the Bush tax cuts. No mention was made of the fact that the mess was caused by lenders, led by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who provided mortgages to people who were unqualified for them under pressure by Democrats led by Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd.

Hugh Hewitt saw the press conference like this:

But when he distorted the GOP opposition as wanting to do nothing he lost the game. The American people are tuned into this debate and know very well that the GOP is committed to a large but balanced stimulus plan that puts tax relief and immediate infrastructure spending to work to immediately surge the economy. They have listened closely to the arguments made on the Senate floor and know that the president's bald mischaracterization of those positions is just false.

Obama told another whopper when he said the stimulus bill contains "no earmarks." Practically the whole thing is an earmark, with goodies to satisfy forty years of liberal desires!

Obama also said that he hopes to gain the trust of Republicans, even if there's disagreements. If he wants the trust of Republicans, he should stop lying about the cause of the mortgage meltdown and blaming it on the previous administration.

Obama Stimulus Not Necessary

Source: U.S. News & World Report.com

The Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress are acting as if this recession is another "Great Depression." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Two triggers started the Great Depression:

congressional passage of the protectionist Smoot-Hawley tariff bill (producing overseas retaliation and a contraction of international trade) and the Federal Reserve's squeezing of the money supply.

Clark S. Judge, managing director of the White House Writers Group Inc. in Washington and chairman of Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco writes:

Milton Friedman had a rule: Increases or decreases in the money supply take six to nine months to alter economic output and as much as two years to move prices. As the Senate takes up the president's stimulus package, the administration argues that, to avert another Great Depression, it is better to do too much than too little. But a Friedmanesque look at today and the 1930s tells a different story: The analogy with the Depression is wrong; the current downturn may be all but over; and doing too much, not too little, is the real danger.

Unlike U.S. policy in the '30s, the 2008 Treasury and the Federal Reserve attacked the problem at its source. The Fed added more than $1.1 trillion in new facilities to its balance sheet. Each facility was designed to restart the markets for one or another of the troubled classes of assets, strengthening the balance sheets of institutions holding those assets. To supplement these efforts and to augment bank reserves directly through preferred stock purchases, the Treasury received authority to commit up to $1.5 trillion—about a quarter of which had been deployed when the new administration took office. Nonbanks acting as banks were brought under the banking laws where legal authority existed to shore them up too. Currency, bank reserves, assets underpinning bank reserves: Every component of base money was addressed. The question now is, how much is enough—or too much?

Read the article and find out!

Happy Birthday Jack Larson!

Happy Birthday Jack Larson!

by Armand Vaquer

Today is the birthday of the most popular live-action Jimmy Olsen: Jack Larson.

From Richard Potter:

Jack Larson was born in the Los Angeles Hospital in Los Angeles, California. In his teen years, Jack became interested in acting and remembers that even before he finished classes at Pasadena Junior College, he and Debbie Reynolds signed with Warner Brothers the same week in May 1948. Jack left Warners two years later and appeared in a play called "The Great Man" with Albert Dekker. In September 1950, Jack appeared with Edgar Buchanan in a live television show called Country Editor. Note: Jack gives 1933 as the year birth, but public records indicate he was actually born in 1928.

Jack Larson and George Reeves.

When Jack's agent told him about the Adventures of Superman show in 1951, Jack initially didn't want to do it. But he changed his mind when told, "Take this! Nobody's gonna see it!" But after Adventures of Superman was became a hit when it finally aired in late-1952/early-1953, Jack found himself mobbed at restaurants and in the subway by young fans of the show.

Above, Jack Larson speaks at Noel Neill's 85th birthday luncheon in Studio City in 2005.

When the show ended in 1957, Jack found himself hopelessly typecast and so he decided to change careers. Jack became a successful playwright and movie producer (Urban Cowboy was one of his movies).



In his later years, Jack came to terms with his Jimmy Olsen fame and embraced it. He often says with a laugh, "I could win the Nobel Prize but my obituary would say, "Best known as Jimmy Olsen."" He often appears with his co-star Noel Neill and appeared as a bartender in Superman Returns. In 2001, he attended the "Superman Week" ceremony at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors celebrating the show's 50th anniversary (above). He is currently working on his autobiography.

Happy Birthday, Jack!

"Them!" Star James Whitmore Dies

Photo: James Whitmore, right, with James Arness in "Them!"

"Them!" Star James Whitmore Dies

by Armand Vaquer

Actor James Whitmore died at age 87 of cancer.

The star of one-man shows, including "Give 'Em Hell, Harry!" (as in President Harry S Truman) and the science-fiction classic Them!, died at his home in Malibu of lung cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease a week before Thanksgiving.

Whitmore played one of the police officers who found a young girl in deep shock wandering around in the New Mexico desert. They discover that she and her family were camping in the desert when a mutated giant ant attacked their camping trailer.

Whitmore also played President Theodore Roosevelt in the play, "Bully" and was a spokesman for Miracle-Gro plant food products for many years.

James Arness, who appeared with Mr. Whitmore in the movies Battleground and Them!, said Mr. Whitmore was "an actor's actor," adding that "it was always a treat to work with him."

The Asphalt Jungle, Them!, Kiss Me Kate, Battle Cry, Oklahoma!, Planet of the Apes, Tora! Tora! Tora! , The Shawshank Redemption and The Majestic were just some of the many movies Whitmore appeared in.

Three R.I.N.O.s To Support Porkulous

A "deal" has been reached in the U.S. Senate on the economic stimulous, er, porkulous bill.

Senators have reached a tentative deal on a version of President Obama's economic stimulus plan, including about $811 billion in spending and tax cuts, that will win enough Republican votes to move forward.

Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Susan Collins of Maine appeared to be the critical Republicans to sign onto the bill, giving Democrats the 60 votes needed to advance to a final vote. Democrats also voiced confidence that Republican Sen. Olympia Snow of Maine also would vote for the plan.

As many of us expected, three squishy Republican senators (R.I.N.O.s or Republicans In Name Only) are joining the Democrats in supporting the bill.

They are: Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

Everyone should contact these senators' offices and voice your displeasure over this bill. These three need to be defeated during their next election cycles.

CONTACT YOUR U.S. SENATOR

UPDATE: The "fit has hit the shan" over the three R.I.N.O.s who are supporting the porkulus spending bill. The sentiments have been pretty much like this:

Not a penny to the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee or the RNC if the defectors are not expelled from the caucus.

I’m guessing Mr. Steele is aware of how negatively fund raising will be impacted by any “Republicans” who vote for this thing.

Weird Japanese Stuff: Tanuki

Weird Japanese Stuff: Tanuki (or Tanooki)

From Wikipedia:

Tanuki (狸 or タヌキ?) is the Japanese word for the Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonides viverrinus). They have been part of Japanese folklore since ancient times. The legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absent-minded.

Tanuki is often mistakenly translated as raccoon or badger.

"Whiskey and Car Keys In Washington"

The Sacramento Union has a column by William E. Saracino called, "Whiskey and Car Keys In Washington."

Part of what Saracino writes includes:

It was conservative author P.J. O’Rourke who said that giving money and power to politicians is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. History has certainly proved O’Rourke prescient.

Exhibit A: the economic “stimulus” bill that passed the House of Representatives last week.

More than 650 pages long, the bill spends $850 billion of your tax money. This is not to be confused with the $750 billion “bailout” bill Congress passed in December. This is an entirely new $850 billion, bringing the grand total of dollars tossed on the congressional bonfire to 1 trillion, 550 billion.

President Obama and his congressional amen corner tell us that the country is going to Hades in a hand basket. Apparently, salvation is possible only if this $850 billion gets into the economic pipeline immediately, stimulates all of us and creates a cornucopia of new jobs.

But neither teenagers with whiskey and car keys nor liberal politicians in a mad dash to spend billions presents a pretty picture.

Further on, Saracino gives a full portrait on what the "porkulous" bill includes.

To read the full column, go here.

Charles Krauthammer: The Fierce Urgency of Pork

Charles Krauthammer nails it again in his latest column in the Washington Post. His latest article is called, "The Fierce Urgency of Pork."

In it, Krauthammer writes:

It's the essential fraud of rushing through a bill in which the normal rules (committee hearings, finding revenue to pay for the programs) are suspended on the grounds that a national emergency requires an immediate job-creating stimulus -- and then throwing into it hundreds of billions that have nothing to do with stimulus, that Congress's own budget office says won't be spent until 2011 and beyond, and that are little more than the back-scratching, special-interest, lobby-driven parochialism that Obama came to Washington to abolish. He said.

After Obama's miraculous 2008 presidential campaign, it was clear that at some point the magical mystery tour would have to end. The nation would rub its eyes and begin to emerge from its reverie. The hallucinatory Obama would give way to the mere mortal. The great ethical transformations promised would be seen as a fairy tale that all presidents tell -- and that this president told better than anyone.

I thought the awakening would take six months. It took two and a half weeks.

Some of us already had Obama figured out months ago. It's the people who drank the Kool-Aid and voted for him who need to wake up.

To read Krauthammer's full column, go here.

Democrats Plot To Silence Talk Radio

Democrats Plot To Silence Talk Radio

by Armand Vaquer

Democrats in Congress have made it no secret that they'd like to silence the voices of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and others by reimposing the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" in which opposing views and programming is equally presented.

From Radio Ink.com:

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) told nationally syndicated talk host Bill Press this morning that the recent flips of liberal Talk stations in several markets were a "disservice to the public."

Stabenow said that, in the day of the Fairness Doctrine, "you had to have balance," and continued, "I think something that requires that in a market with owners that have multiple stations that they have got to have balance -- there has to be some community interest -- balance, you know, standard that says both sides have to be heard."

Stabenow told Press that the airwaves are "dominated by one view" that "overwhelms people's opinions -- and, unfortunately, incorrectly," and said that "right-wing conservative talk hosts" are "trying to make people angry and saying all kinds of things that aren't true and so on."

When Press asked if it is time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, Stabenow responded, "I think it's absolutely time to pass a standard." To Press' inquiry as to whether she will push for hearings in the Seante "to bring these owners in and hold them accountable," Stabenow replied, "I have already had some discussions with colleagues, and, you know, I feel like that's going to happen. Yep."

The old "Fairness Doctrine" was ended in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. Now the left-wingers are plotting to silence conservative talk radio.

It was conservative talk radio that saved AM radio as FM radio became the dominant radio band in the 1970s and 1980s.

Liberal/left-wing talk shows have had a dismal history. None ever got the ratings that conservative talk radio receives and they failed. Nobody on the right ever bothered to try to silence them. They failed on their own.

Democrats deny trying to censor conservative talk radio and "have no plans" to re-impose the "Fairness Doctrine." But they may try to do it through the back door with "local programming" rules.

Contact your senator or congress member and demand that they leave talk radio alone.

There is a move by Republicans to prevent the censoring of talk radio. From WorldNetDaily.com:

"Freedom of speech is under attack in this country" said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., sponsor of the Senate version of the Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2009. "And there's no place that it's more visible and easier to see than this idea of the Fairness Doctrine, which several Democratic leaders have already mentioned that they think should be brought back."

To see more on this subject, go to: WorldNetDaily.com

Nancy Pelosi: 500 Million Americans Losing Jobs!

Nancy Pelosi: 500 Million Americans Losing Jobs!

I think she's lost it. Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that 500 million Americans are losing their jobs...per day! Wow! That's horrible!

One problem, we don't have 500 million Americans in the country's population.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

Today's Birthdays

Along with myself, some famous people also have today as their birthday. They include:

Tadeusz Kosciusko
general (1746)

Fernand Léger
painter (1881)

Clyde William Tombaugh
astronomer (1906)

Rosa Parks
civil rights activist (1913)

Betty Friedan
feminist (1921)

George Romero
filmmaker (1939)

Dan Quayle
vice president (1947)

Oscar De La Hoya
boxer (1973)

And, also, Charles A. Lindbergh, who was the first man to fly an airplane solo across the Atlantic Ocean. But I am most impressed that actress/model (and one of my MySpace friends) Christine Nguyen is celebrating her birthday today. Christine has appeared in some of my friend Don Glut's movies. A few years ago, some of us went to Don's and took photos of his collection and in his backyard for G-FAN. Below, Christine posing in Don's backyard.

Hitting 55...(Not The Speed Limit)

Hitting 55...(Not The Speed Limit)

Many thoughts cross one's mind as they get older. Did I accomplish anything during the previous 54? What am I going to do now? And so on.

For the most part, after hitting 40, I pretty much ignored my age.

For me, hitting 55 tomorrow only opens up some opportunities. For instance, some businesses have senior menus starting at age 55. Denny's Restaurants is one of them. Fuddrucker's is another. At Fantastic Sam's, it is said that seniors can get a haircut on a senior discount at 55. Others require that one is 60 before they get a discount. (About a week ago, I was surprised when Richard Pusateri told me he turned 60 last October. Luckily for him, he looks younger than that.) So there are some benefits that do come with encroaching geezerhood.

Other thoughts cross one's mind. One is, "I'm too young for Medicare, but too old for women to care." Another is, "Growing old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative!" Another favorite, "I can still do the things I did at age 21. Which only goes to show how decrepit I was at 21!" You just gotta laugh, as there's no use in crying about it. It makes me laugh when people in their 20s and 30s moan and groan about getting old. I'd gladly swap ages with them!

Fortunately, I am in good health with no (known) ailments. Many in my age bracket have bad backs, hips, legs, knees, etc. Some have lost their hair completely (mine was too thick in my younger days, so I was a little glad it thinned out a bit). Some have gone completely gray (or white) hair. But I suppose gray hair is better than no hair. Mine is about 50/50 dark brown and gray. I am still able to hoof it around without any difficulty, which comes in handy when I do roam around Japan.

About a week ago, I decided to see if I could get into a movie theater on a senior discount (their senior discount starts at 60). So I walked up to the boxoffice window (I made my voice sound more gravelly) and asked for and got a senior ticket with no questions asked. (I don't know if I should be insulted about that or not.)

Still, as I've known so many people who never reached 55, I should consider myself blessed. Actually, I do.

I guess this year's birthday wish is to go to Denny's and get something from their senior menu. But the Denny's I'd like to go to now is in the picture at top. It is in Asakusa, Tokyo. You can see their sign in the background (click on the photo for a better look).

Hopefully, by year's end, I'll get there. It's all downhill from here.

Mt. Asama Erupts; Ash Falls In Tokyo

A volcanic eruption occurred near Tokyo today by Mt. Asama and sent ash into the city.

According to the Associated Press:

TOKYO (AP) - A volcano erupted near Tokyo early Monday, spewing a plume of smoke more than a mile (1.6 kilometers) high and raining ash down on parts of the city. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Mount Asama, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Tokyo, erupted at 1:51 am (0451 GMT) Monday, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency. Chunks of rock from the explosion were found about 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) away from the volcano.

The agency said volcanic ash fell on nearby areas as well as parts of Tokyo. TV reports showed neighborhoods sprinkled with white flakes.

Kaiju in long-gone theaters in the San Fernando Valley

Above, the San Val Drive-In Theater in Burbank, California.

Kaiju in long-gone theaters in the San Fernando Valley:
A 50th Anniversary Remembrance

by Armand Vaquer

(Originally Published in G-FAN #64, Summer 2004)

Recently, I came across a website (http://www.geocities.com/bijoumanager/burbank-theaters.html) concerning long-lost movie houses and drive-in theaters in the San Fernando Valley of California by Ron Strong of Delphian Productions.

My interest was further aroused then Mr. Strong mentioned that he saw Destroy All Monsters at the San Val Drive-in Theater in Burbank. I then contacted him and asked him what he remembered about this screening and whether or not he saw other kaiju films at this theater.

Stong replied, "I saw Destroy All Monsters at the San Val Drive-in during the month of March, 1969. The co-feature at the drive in was the disinteresting (to me at the time), The Terrornauts. The film played for one week at the drive-in, opening the same week at Disney's The Love Bug (which was playing at the opposing drive-in in Burbank, The Picwick)."

When asked about any other Japanese giant films he may have seen at the Sun Val, Stong said, "That, unfortunately was the only rubber suited film I saw at the San Val as the drive in closed a few years later." However, although he didn't see other kaiju films at the Sun Val, he did manage to see some at other local theaters. "But as for other Burbank theaters, the double feature of War of the Gargantuas and Monster Zero played at the Cornell Theater during the summer of 1970, and Destroy All Monsters screened there as well as a co-feature with The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant. Later, the Cornell screened Godzilla's Revenge with Island of the Burning Doomed in the summer of '71. That was pretty much it for the rubber suit films that I can recall in Burbank."

According to Strong's website, "On June 16, 1938. Burbank became the home of the largest outdoor theater in North America. In an area that once was home to Burbank's winery and grape fields, the San Val Drive-In opened (below) with a flourish usually given a palace like Grauman's Chinese. The San Val Drive-In had a long and glorious run until the early 1970's when the land surrounding the Burbank Airport became much more valuable. Now resting on the site are production houses, manufacturers and offices."



The Sun Val had an unusual speaker system (photo below) during its first ten years of operation (the theater was closed and demolished in the 1970s). Each parking space in the theater had a speaker positioned stationary on a pole in front of each car. Obviously, this system proved to be bothersome to the theater's neighbors and the speaker system was replaced by individually wired speakers that drive-in theater enthusiasts are more familiar with (the speaker box that hung on the patron's door window).



The Cornell Theater (below) in Burbank, built in 1949, was demolished in 1980 after closing in 1978. The Cornell had an "art moderne" architectural style with a huge neon "Cornell" sign and marquee.



Strong adds, "And say hello to J.D. for me. It's been quite a few years." Will do! (Small world, eh?)

While it is sad to see favorite and historical theaters get razed "in the name of progress" (and skyrocketing real estate values), it is nice to know that the films that played in them still exist for our continued enjoyment.

Photos herein are courtesy of Bijou Memories and its URL, Delphian Productions and The Burbank Historical Society. Our thanks to Ron Strong for sharing his memories with G-FAN.

Daschle Is Latest Democrat Tax Cheat

First it was Obama's pick for Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner. Now it is former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle who has tax problems.

From FoxNews.com:

Daschle reportedly waited nearly a month after being nominated to be secretary of health and human services before informing President Obama that he had not paid years of back taxes.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that Daschle paid $140,000 in back taxes and interest to the U.S. Treasury on Jan. 2, and about two days later informed the White House and the Senate Finance Committee, the White House confirmed to the Post.

From the L.A. Times Blog by Andrew Malcolm:

Uh, it seems that Democrat Barack Obama's secretary of the Treasury-designate owed something like $34,000 in back taxes when he was picked to head the nation's financial system.

Uh, it seems Timothy Geithner owed the back taxes because the would-be member of the president's new Cabinet employed a housekeeper who became an illegal immigrant while working for him. And Geithner did not pay self-employment taxes for several years until the IRS audited him.

It seems the Obama transition team discovered the back taxes while researching the nominee, unlike the federal grand jury investigation of now former would-be secretary of Commerce-designate Bill Richardson.

It seems that such legal problems have derailed would-be Cabinet members in the past -- think Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood for Bill Clinton and Linda Chavez for George W. Bush.

Of course, since the American people elected The Messiah, it is okay to appoint tax cheats to government positions. These are all honest mistakes. Right.

No wonder the Democrats have no problem in raising taxes, they don't pay any!

UPDATE (2/3/09):

WASHINGTON (AP) - Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination on Tuesday to be President Barack Obama's Health and Human Services secretary, dealing potential blows to both speedy health care reform and Obama's hopes for a smoother start as president.
"Now we must move forward," Obama said in a written statement accepting "with sadness and regret" Daschle's surprise request to be removed from consideration. A day earlier, Obama had said he "absolutely" stood by Daschle in the face of problems over back taxes and potential conflicts of interest.

Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader and a strong backer of Obama's presidential bid, said he would have been unable to operate "with the full faith of Congress and the American people."

"I am not that leader, and will not be a distraction" to Obama's agenda, he said.

Michael Steele GOP Chairman

Michael Steele became the first black Republican National Chairman today.

From Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON – The Republican Party chose the first black national chairman in its history Friday, just shy of three months after the nation elected a Democrat as the first African-American president. The choice marked no less than "the dawn of a new party," declared the new GOP chairman, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. Republicans chose Steele over four other candidates, including former President George W. Bush's hand-picked GOP chief, who bowed out declaring, "Obviously the winds of change are blowing."

From FoxNews.com:

Steele delivered a rousing speech after winning the race, pledging to re-establish the Republican presence in the northeast and win elections in regions across the country.

"It's time for something completely different, and we're gonna bring it to them," he said. "Get ready, baby. It's time to turn it on."

Steele said he would work to build the party to an unprecedented level and warned: "For those of you who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked down."

Steele was my preferred candidate as he can provide the GOP with a strong voice in the media and he has great ideas in modernizing the Republican Party, including the party's Internet presence (which badly lags behind the Democrats).

40th Anniversary of Boris Karloff's Death

Above, Boris Karloff and Marilyn Harris in Frankenstein.

This coming Monday, February 2 will mark the 40th anniversary of the death of famed horror star Boris Karloff.

From Wikipedia:

Boris Karloff lived out his final years at his cottage, 'Roundabout,' in the Hampshire village of Bramshott. After a long battle with arthritis and emphysema, he contracted pneumonia, succumbing to it in the King Edward VII Hospital, Midhurst, Sussex, England, on February 2, 1969, at the age of 81. He was cremated, following a requested low-key service, at Guildford Crematorium, Godalming, Surrey, where he is commemorated by a plaque in the Garden of Remembrance. A memorial service was held at St Paul's, Covent Garden (The Actors' Church), London, where there is also a plaque.

Karloff was born William Henry Pratt November 23, 1887 in East Dulwich, London, England. His birthplace is now marked by a plaque.

He is best remembered as Frankenstein's monster in the groundbreaking film Frankenstein (1931) for Universal Pictures, directed by James Whale. He repeated the role two more times in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and in Son of Frankenstein (1939). He also was Imhotep in The Mummy (1932).


Above, Karloff throttles make-up artist Jack Pierce on the set of Son of Frankenstein.

Karloff always claimed he chose the first name "Boris" because it sounded foreign and exotic, and that "Karloff" was a family name. But his only child, Sara denies knowledge of any part of the family with the name "Karloff."

He never resented being typecast as a horror star, instead, he felt that it was a blessing. Before his big break in Frankenstein, Karloff was featured in minor supporting roles and often had to work as a truck driver to put food on the table.


Above, Bela Lugosi (left) and Karloff in The Black Cat.

His popularity continued three decades later and was active up to his death in 1969.

In 1998, Karloff was featured in a series of "Monster Stamps" issued by the U.S. Postal Service.

Gov. Sarah Palin Forms PAC

Source: Newsmax.com

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has formed a new political action committee, SarahPAC.

According to Newsmax.com:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says her new political action committee, SarahPAC, is not intended to enhance her profile as a major Republican player on the national stage or to signal that she is running for president in 2012, but rather so she can help raise money for other GOP candidates.

"No, not at all,” Palin told the Anchorage Daily News when asked about her presidential aspirations. “It's helpful to have a PAC so that, when I'm invited to things, like to speak at the Lincoln Day dinner in Fairbanks — to have a PAC pay for that instead of have the state pay for that because that could be considered quasi-political."

Palin, who was Sen. John McCain’s running mate when he ran for president in November, models her PAC after HillPAC, the committee Hillary Clinton formed during her presidential run in 2008, as did President Barack Obama and other candidates from both parties.

Following the 2008 election, I suggested on this blog that if Gov. Palin has any future political ambitions, or to be an influence in the GOP, she should follow the model of Ronald Reagan. Reagan, with leftover campaign funds from his losing bid for the White House in 1976, formed Citizens for the Republic (CFTR).

Brad Sherman Voted For Socialist Pork Bill

California Congressman Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills voted for the "porkpalooza" stimulous bill yesterday.

The vote yesterday showed that the only bi-partisanship was the opposition vote. Eleven (11) Democrats joined the unanimous Republicans in opposing the stimulous bill. The 'yes' vote was totally partisan. Only Democrats voted for it.

The Wall Street Journal editorialized:

"Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before."

So said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in November, and Democrats in Congress are certainly taking his advice to heart. The 647-page, $825 billion House legislation is being sold as an economic "stimulus," but now that Democrats have finally released the details we understand Rahm's point much better. This is a political wonder that manages to spend money on just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years.

We've looked it over, and even we can't quite believe it. There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care subsidies; $50 million for that great engine of job creation, the National Endowment for the Arts; $400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. There's even $650 million on top of the billions already doled out to pay for digital TV conversion coupons.

Another "stimulus" secret is that some $252 billion is for income-transfer payments -- that is, not investments that arguably help everyone, but cash or benefits to individuals for doing nothing at all. There's $81 billion for Medicaid, $36 billion for expanded unemployment benefits, $20 billion for food stamps, and $83 billion for the earned income credit for people who don't pay income tax. While some of that may be justified to help poorer Americans ride out the recession, they aren't job creators.

To see the full WSJ editorial, go here.

As Jack Ryan wrote in the Post Chronicle:

Reports of what's in the new stimulus is causing tons of questions in the media and the people in America. According to reports, $335,000,000 is going towards sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs. I thought this was a economy stimulus bill?

Besides that, it is reported that the radical community organizer group ACORN is to receive billions from this bill. Economic stimulous?! This is nothing but a redistribution of wealth to Democrat/Leftist special interest groups.

FoxNews.com reported:

Republican lawmakers are raising concerns that ACORN, the low-income advocacy group under investigation for voter registration fraud, could be eligible for billions in aid from the economic stimulus proposal working its way through the House.

House Republican Leader John Boehner issued a statement over the weekend noting that the stimulus bill wending its way through Congress provides $4.19 billion for "neighborhood stabilization activities."

He said the money was previously limited to state and local governments, but that Democrats now want part of it to be available to non-profit entities. That means groups like ACORN would be eligible for a portion of the funds.

And, the Associated Press noted:

Undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for a Social Security number can file tax returns with an alternative number. A House-passed version of the economic recovery bill and one making its way through the Senate would allow anyone with such a number, called an individual taxpayer identification number, to qualify for the tax credits.

Most of the (arguably) stimulous spending won't even kick in until 2010, an election year. What are people supposed to do in the meantime?

And Brad Sherman, the congressman in my district, voted for it! His idiocy knows no bounds.

Coward Antonio Villaraigosa Won't Debate Walter Moore

Coward Antonio Villaraigosa Won't Debate Walter Moore

by Armand Vaquer

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa refuses to debate attorney Walter Moore on the issues during this year's mayoral campaign.

Moore is the only candidate who has qualified for matching campaign funds. Villaraigosa declined to participate in the matching funds program so he can't be forced to debate Moore.

Villaraigosa's horrid record as mayor should be debated and he should be forced to defend that record. By refusing to debate, Mayor Villaraigosa, besides being a lousy mayor, is also showing that he's a coward.

El Pollo Antonio!

Walter Moore For Mayor

Porkpalooza Passes, But House GOP Voted 'No'

"Porkpalooza" passed the U.S. House of Representatives, but the GOP caucus held firm with a near unanimous 'no' vote (one member didn't vote) and were joined by nearly a dozen Democrats.

FoxNews.com reports:

The House of Representatives approved an $819 billion economic stimulus package Wednesday, dealing the new Obama administration a legislative victory but also giving Republicans a chance to show their resolve as the opposition party.

The final vote was 244-188, mostly along party lines. All Republicans who were present voted against the bill. They were joined in their opposition by 11 Democrats.

Now the measure goes to the U.S. Senate. Now is time for everyone to contact their senators and tell them to vote against this fraud.

Thank you, Republican Congress members!

A Japan Mini-Vacation

Above, the Asahi Beer Headquarters across the Sumida River from Asakusa.

A Japan Mini-Vacation

(Originally published in G-FAN #75, Spring 2006)

Text and photos Copyright and by Armand Vaquer

After getting my daughter a car and off to college this past summer, it was time to unwind and treat myself to a vacation. My obvious first choice was to head back to Japan. So, on October 15 [2005] I headed off for a vacation to Japan.

Since my last trip to Japan was with last year's G-TOUR, which was pre-planned and structured as an organized tour should be, I decided that I would just go to Tokyo and explore places that I haven't seen or just re-visit some familiar haunts. Since I only had a week's worth of vacation time, I tried to get as much in as possible. It was basically whatever I was in the mood to do. The weather was cool, but rainy on some days. Still it was worth it.

Asakusa's Nakamise Ave.


Above, Japanese schoolgirls are among the throngs of shoppers at Nakamise Ave. in Asakusa, Tokyo.

First, after checking into the Tsukuba Hotel in the Ueno section of Tokyo Sunday night, I went to Asakusa's Nakamise Avenue to do some shopping on Monday morning. We briefly stopped there during G-TOUR and I wanted to see more of it. While there, I bought a foot-tall Godzilla 2004 figure that roars, makes stomping noises and has dorsal spikes that light up with sound effects of Godzilla's oral ray, explosions and artillery shells. I also found some gifts for family members. Despite being rainy out, it was an enjoyable day. The stores were decorated in autumn colors. I found a statue of Ultraman guarding the front of the ROX department store in Asakusa. The store also has an Ultraman department where fans can buy Ultraman-related products.

Wandering around Tokyo.

Next on the agenda was a Tuesday morning visit to the offices of Kadokawa Herald Pictures, Inc. in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo to discuss the new Gamera movie now in production and to pick up the film's official press kit. Chiyoda-ku was an area of Tokyo that I never visited before, so it was an extra treat to enjoy the sights of this section of the city. I also paid a visit to the New Otani Hotel for a coffee break and to get out of the rain. The staff at the New Otani provided a map to the building that Kadokawa is located. They were a big help. As Richard Pusateri once said, "Describing [or in this case, finding] a location in Tokyo is like trying to swim the ocean." This is definitely a first-class hotel!

Kadokawa's offices were nicely decorated with posters of their films and had a friendly and cooperative staff. I gave them a copy of G-FAN for their records during my visit.

After my business with Kadokawa Herald Pictures was completed, I decided to make a trek to the Bandai Museum. The museum was next door to the Matsudo train station on the Joban Line.

Unfortunately, I found the museum closed that day and the next. So, I would have to return two days later to see the museum. It wasn't a wasted trip as I enjoyed seeing this section of Tokyo for the first time. After lunch near the Matsudo station, I headed to Shibuya and then Nakano to see what G-products the toy stores at the Broadway Mall had to offer. Unfortunately, they didn't have much. It seemed that the toy stores in Asakusa had a lot more G-toys to offer than did Nakano.

Following Nakano, I headed a few train stations down to meet up with fellow G-FAN contributor Daisuke Ishizuka for dinner in Kichijoji at a very nice Japanese restaurant there. As Yoshikazu Ishii was busy making a movie, he could not join us for dinner.

Down the Sumida River.



On Wednesday, I decided to make it a more leisurely day and took a boat cruise down the Sumida River. The weather was clear that day, which made the cruise very pleasant. The water taxi station was located at Asakusa and across the river from the Asahi Beer Headquarters. The cruise down the river took me to the Hama Rikyu Garden. Sights included Tokyo Tower and the bridge (above) that Godzilla knocked over in 1954 along with views of Odaiba. After exploring the Garden for a while, I made the return cruise up the Sumida back to Asakusa. The cruise was a pleasant one, although the company running it tried their hardest to sell snacks and toy models of their boats to the passengers.

I also had another, but unexpected, "ride" that night. A 6.2 earthquake hit around 9:00 PM and shook up Tokyo pretty good. I was relaxing in my hotel room when it hit. Since the epicenter was about 60 miles away, there were no injuries or damage. It was interesting watching the news reports on the quake and seeing it recorded by cameras positioned thoughout the city. Nothing like making a Californian feel right at home!

Visiting Toho International and Bandai Museum.

I paid a Thursday morning visit to Toho International in Hibiya Park to see our old friend and former Toho Los Angeles General Manager Masaharu Ina. As I got into Ginza/Hibiya Park about forty-five minutes early, I wandered over to the square where the Godzilla statue stands and where metal relief casts of movie stars (Japan's version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame) are set in the pavement around the statue. Several news crews surrounded a newly placed hand cast (of a Korean movie star) a few yards from the Godzilla statue and right next to Tom Cruise's (placed in 2004 following his film, The Last Samurai). I took out my camcorder and was recording the proceedings when I noticed that several cameras were aimed at me. I was then interviewed by a camera crew. I was asked if I am a Tom Cruise fan ("Not particularly," was my reply). I did manage to pull out a copy of the current issue of G-FAN and gave it a "shameless plug." Somewhere in Japan or Korea, G-FAN was proudly displayed on television!

When I got to Toho International's offices, Mr. Ina and I discussed the Godzilla franchise and enjoyed the view from the conference room of the Imperial Palace. Mr. Ina decorated the conference room with many Godzilla items as he did with the Toho Los Angeles office conference room. I gave Mr. Ina a copy of my video of Godzilla's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony from November 2004. Before leaving, I was able to briefly visit former L.A. sales manager Tetsushi Sudo, who is now also working at Toho International. They were in the midst of getting ready for the Tokyo International Film Festival that was scheduled to open the following week. I was invited to attend their screenings, but I was due to depart from Japan before the festival began.



Since I learned how to get to the Bandai Museum (above) a couple of days before, it was a simple matter to go back there again to finally see the inside. I have to confess, it was impressive. The museum sits right next to the Matsuda Station (there's plenty of signs in the station pointing the way to the museum, so a visitor can't possibly get lost) and occupies several floors. Each floor has its own theme. One floor would have Ultraman displays. Another floor would have Gundam displays. And so on. Of course, I was most interested in the Godzilla displays and I was not disappointed. The museum is the Character's Hall of Fame and their History With Bandai Since 1950.


Above, Ultraman goes to battle at the Bandai Museum.

In the Ultraman section, there is a glass display case with all of the varieties of Ultraman helmets. All of Bandai's Ultraman toys are lined up along walls thoughout. In the Godzilla section, all of the Bandai Godzilla toys Bandai produced are lined up in display cases. There is also an actual Godzilla prop (below) used during a water scene in Godzilla x Megaguirus. One other Godzilla prop was the giant foot used in the scene in GMK where Godzilla crushes an occupied restroom.



On the Gundam floor (7th Floor), visitors can pose for pictures (for a few yen, photo below) in uniform provided by the museum (that is, if you can fit in one. Luckily, I did.) on the Gundam Lift. (I was able to remain in email contact with friends back in North America as my hotel had free Internet access. While doing so, Stan Hyde challenged me to get on the Gundam Lift in uniform, so that's how that came about.) If one should get hungry, food is served at the Gundam Cafe (8th Floor). Gundam toys can be bought at the G-Base gift shop, also on the 8th Floor. There is also a section where capsule toys can be purchased called Gashapon World. Godzilla toys can be purchased at another gift shop on the 5th Floor. I purchased the Bandai Museum King Goji figure while there. If you should ever take a trip to Japan, I would highly recommend a visit to the Bandai Museum. Before you go, be sure to call first to find out whether it is open that day or not. Their phone number is 047-331-7501. [Note: The Bandai Museum was closed down the following year.]



Roppongi.

Friday was set aside as a more leisurely day. I spent most of the day wandering around the Roppongi section of Tokyo and had lunch at T.G.I. Friday's, the location of our G-TOUR dinner in 2004. I visited the Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi and picked up a few items in their gift shop.

Later that evening, I decided to wander around Asakusa to see what it was like at night. The temple and Nakamise Ave. were beautifully lit. Since the rains ended the day before, it was nice to explore the area without having to worry about getting drenched. The "flame" sculpture atop the Asahi Beer Headquarters was lit up and could be clearly seen for miles.

Yokohama and the Landmark Tower.

Saturday was my last full day in Japan, so I decided to take the Tokaido Line down to Yokohama for the day. My visit to Yokohama included the waterfront section along with the shopping districts. As it was a Saturday, many of the shopping districts had street fairs going on. The topper was a visit to the Landmark Tower's observation deck. The elevator in the Landmark Tower is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the fastest in Japan. It was very comfortable riding it and the only noticable thing was the ear-popping when higher levels were reached. The elevator cars are egg-shaped to be more aerodynamic.



Although it was overcast out, the views from the Tower's observation deck (above) were spectacular. On clear days, Mt. Fuji can be clearly seen. 360-degree views can be seen from the deck. In case you were wondering, there were no photos of Mothra sitting atop the Tower from GMK to be seen. In total, I must have done six miles' worth of walking in Yokohama. Great exercise!

After returning to Tokyo that afternoon, I rested up for a while before I headed back to Roppongi that evening for a little nightclubbing to finish off the week before heading back to Los Angeles the next day.

All in all, despite some rainy days, my week's vacation in Japan was an enjoyable one. I was able to see some old friends and meet some new ones. I was also able to visit places in and around Tokyo that I hadn't seen before. You really can't beat Japan for their hospitality. If you've never been to Japan, you should do yourself a favor and take a vacation there. Perhaps this article will give you some ideas!

House Leadership Says "No" On Stimulous

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner.

House Leadership Says "No" On Stimulous

The House GOP leadership is finally showing some guts by urging their members to vote against the proposed Democrat stimulous package when it comes up for a vote tomorrow.

From Politico.com:

President Barack Obama is coming to the Capitol this afternoon to curry favor with congressional Republicans. But it appears GOP leaders have already made up their minds to oppose his $825 billion stimulus plan.

House Republican Leader John A. Boehner and his No. 2, Whip Eric Cantor, told their rank-and-file members Tuesday morning during a closed-door meeting to oppose the bill when it comes to the floor Wednesday, according to an aide familiar with the discussion. Boehner told members that he's voting against the stimulus, and Cantor told the assembled Republicans that there wasn't any reason for them to support the measure, according to another person in the room. Cantor and his whip team are going to urge GOP members to oppose it.

If the House Republican Caucus holds firm with a no vote, they should be commended. The stimulous package is a complete waste of taxpayers' money and would only benefit the Democrats.

Obama Gets The Mad Magazine Treatment

Obama: First 100 Minutes

President Barack Obama received the Mad Magazine treatment with a cover depicting his first 100 minutes, rather than his first 100 days, as very stressed-out over the probems he has to deal with (well, he asked for it).

For the full story, go to Swamp Politics.com

What, Barack worry?

Steven Kirk IS Gov. Rod Blagojevich!

Find more photos like this on Artists In Exile



My friend, actor Steven Kirk, has made some comedy videos with him starring as Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Kirk is almost a dead ringer for Blagojevich.

For the videos, go here:

Artists In Exile Ring

Check 'em out!

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Above, Rhona Mitra as Sonia.

by Armand Vaquer

I saw Underworld: Rise of the Lycans last night and enjoyed it, despite not having seen the previous two entries. Rhona Mitra as Sonia was definitely easy on the eyes.

The story, I am told, is more of a prequel (the previous movies were set in modern day) in which an aristocratic vampire coven (led by Viktor, Sonia's father played by Bill Nighy) enslaves the Lycans (some sort of hybrid of humans and werewolves) to work for them and to provide protection against the full-blooded werewolves who live in the nearby forest.

Viktor is a ruthless leader (I won't give away any plot points) who will stop at nothing to protect his coven and his power.

A Lycan (Lucien, played by Michael Sheen) is born to a captured werewolf and the vampires raise him to adulthood. He and Sonia fall in love, which is apparently a "no-no", that leads to an uprising of the Lycan slaves against the vampires.

There's a lot of action and the movie's slower points don't cause any boredom.

Directed by Patrick Tatopoulos (Godzilla (1998)).