Fat Kid with a New Toy

The launch of the three-stage rocket - similar in design to a model capable of carrying a nuclear-tipped warhead as far as California - raises the stakes in the international standoff over North Korea's expanding atomic arsenal. As Pyongyang refines its technology, its next step may be conducting its third nuclear test, experts warn.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said the satellite launched by the rocket is orbiting normally at a speed of 7.6 kilometers (4.7 miles) per second, though it's not known what mission it is performing. North Korean space officials say the satellite would be used to study crops and weather patterns.
 

I'm a stickler for detail.  So, just out of curiosity, doesn't one have to have crops if they are going to send up a satellite to monitor them?  Whose crops are being watched by North Korea?  With the exception of the military, most North Koreans end up eating tree bark soup.

12

What a lucky baby!

She doesn’t even have a name yet, but she does have a great birth date.

She was born on 12/12/12 at exactly 12:12 p.m. by Caesarean section at New York-Cornell Hospital.

Although the auspicious date was chosen for the delivery, the time of birth yesterday was accidental.

“When the doctor looked at the clock he said, ‘Oh, my God, it’s 12:12!” said happy dad Michael Patterson, 37.
 

That's cool.  I feel sorry for the kid though.  All through her life, everyone will rub her head for luck.

Big Picture/ Little Picture (Right to Work)

HARRISBURG - Every legislative session for the last 14 years, State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe has worked the Capitol hallways to make Pennsylvania a "right-to-work" state.

Every time, the conservative Republican has seen his bills languish, not even mustering enough momentum for a committee vote.

"It's an uphill battle," Metcalfe, of Butler County, told The Inquirer on Wednesday. "Like pretty much any issue that threatens the power of the union bosses, it is quickly attacked and stifled."

Others might not use such lively terms for labor leaders and their clout. But the scenario Metcalfe described is unlikely to change anytime soon in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, even after another longtime bastion of organized labor, Michigan, became this week the highest-profile industrial state to let workers opt out of joining unions or paying dues as a condition of employment.

Like Michigan, Pennsylvania has a Republican-controlled legislature and governor's office. And like Michigan, Pennsylvania has a storied labor history that has produced financially strong and politically influential unions.
 

Here's what's going to happen...because it is happening already.  More and more states are going to become "Right to Work" states.  Pennsylvania and New Jersey will refuse to budge.  Fine, because large businesses in both states will set up domicile in those other states.  New Jersey and Pennsylvania will follow the financial exploits of states like California because corporate revenues will decrease at an alarming rate.  The revenue of the state will take a dip, and the next thing you know there is a deficit that no one can climb out of.

Pennsylvania already got a taste of this back about three decades ago when Mack Trucks moved most of their manufacturing from Allentown, Pa to South Carolina.   So these politicians who depend on Union cash for their coffers (both above and below the table) can posture all they want.  Soon, manufacturing is going to leave both NJ and PA at an alarming rate.

Oh...Those are Nice ...Skiing Accident?

 

Nope...just Hollywood fashion showing their usual lack solid judgement.

Occupy Dilettante

Malcolm Harris fought the law — and the law won.

The Occupy Wall Street protester arrested on the roadway of the Brooklyn Bridge in October 2011, who made prosecutors’ rights to gain access to published but deleted Twitter postings the center of his minor criminal charge, pleaded guilty this morning to disorderly conduct.

Under a plea deal, Harris was sentenced to six days community service at a private nonprofit if his choice. He faced a maximum of 15 days in jail.

He likely could still appeal the ruling and continue to argue against social media searches, a key argument throughout his case.

At the brief hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court, the tweet that brought the OWS protester to his knees was first revealed: “We took the bridge.”
 

OK...just so I'm clear...Malcolm Harris and his Occupy pals tried to disrupt traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.  They were successful.  Malcolm bragged about that on his twitter, and was arrested.  Fine...

But, in trying to appear innocent, Malcolm and his council tried to keep the Twitter out of Court because it was deleted from his account...even through Twitter is basically a public form of communication. 

The only thing that strikes me from this story is that Malcolm and the rest of his Occupy dilettantes must not possess much conviction in their own beliefs, of they would gladly take credit for their actions...unless they knew they were in the wrong...which they did.  Now if we could only get the local governments and law enforcement agencies and courts to actually teach that lesson.  Six days of community service  teaches nothing.

Lawsuits of the Stupid

The filmmakers behind “Indiana Jones” are real-life tomb raiders, a lawsuit says.

An archaeologist from Belize is suing Lucasfilm for featuring a replica of a stolen Mayan “crystal skull” in its most recent sequel, starring Harrison Ford.

Scientist Jaime Awe claims Hollywood hot shots used a model of the swiped Belizean relic in the 2008 flick, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” to rake in “illegal profits.”

Awe, who is suing on behalf of the Central American country, demands the company fork over a portion of the movie’s $768 million profit to his homeland.
 

In other news, Jim Carey is suing Jamie Awe for re-establishing his Dumb & Dumber character, Lloyd Christmas, without permission.   And, the inhabitants of the Ukraine in 10,000 BC are suing the Germans for use of the Swastika.

Hence the Word "Private"

For the second straight year, the chief executives of 36 private U.S. colleges or universities earned more than $1 million in 2010, according to an annual study by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Topping the list in Pennsylvania was Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, who earned a base salary of $915,000 and total compensation of $1,463,000. New Jersey's top earner was Princeton's Shirley Tilghman, who earned $711,000 in salary and a total of $902,000.
 

I'm a Conservative with a BIG C.  So, it should not surprise you that I think the field of education is inundated, dominated and owned by Liberals with a BIG L.  But, I still support the independence and freedom of private business. 

That means that I don't care if a private school pays their chief executive a bazillion dollars every other Wednesday.  It's a private business...which means, none of your business. 

Shocking...(Ground Zero Mosque)

It’s all pray and no play.

The Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero that opened with great fanfare a year ago is now an empty space with no community programs.

And while the developers behind Park51 insisted for two years that the project was more than a mosque, it now appears to be just that. Dozens of worshipers gather at the site on Park Place Friday for prayer services — but that’s the only activity in the building.

Gone are the Arabic classes, workshops in calligraphy, talks on the genealogy of Muslims in America, film screenings and art exhibits. The sole community event is a class in capoeira — an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines dance and music. The teacher of the twice-weekly class said she has five students.
 

Gosh...who would have thought that it was the equivalent to a victory dance in the end zone?  After all, there was loads of evidence that Muslims in that area just had no place to go.  Well, apparently they had somewhere else to go, or they never existed in the first place. 

Personally, I think the Burlington Coat Factory provided better benefit to society.

Oh...OK then...

 

Good news for Mitt Romney! Contrary to early vote counts, based solely on computerized returns from Philadelphia's voting machines, he did not get blanked in 59 of the city's 1,687 voting divisions.

A groundswell of support among people voting by absentee and provisional ballots reduced the number of divisions where Romney received zero votes to 50.

In addition, the certified results show 99 divisions where Romney was supported by exactly one voter.
 

I think this adds to the controversy.  Computerized voting machines showed a clean sweep in 59 districts.  However, you can't control absentee ballots so easily.