Nickelodeon cartoon reveals lesbian characters

The Nickelodeon cartoon The Legend of Korra aired their series finale last week, with a final scene that showed the two lead female characters, named Korra and Asami, entering a spirit portal together. Now, the series' co-creator, Michael Dante DiMartino, has revealed to fans of the show that - surprise - the characters were lesbians all along.

"Our intention with the last scene was to make it as clear as possible that yes, Korra and Asami have romantic feelings for each other. The moment where they enter the spirit portal symbolises [sic] their evolution from being friends to being a couple," DiMartino posted on his Tumblr account, while also acknowledging his surprise that they were able to broach certain adult subjects on "a children's TV network."

Now we know who really rules Hollywood

Hollywood likes to think of itself as a leader in human rights and courageously progressive. However, as the recent "Sony Hacking" scandal has proven, Hollywood will bow to anyone. When the rich and famous pull a movie (even a terrible one like "The Interview") because they fear a personal backlash, the have no business preaching to us about the "right thing to do." 


'Naughty List' of anti-Christmas retailers released

The American Family Association (AFA) has released their annual “Naughty or Nice” list of American retailers, recognizing those retailers who censor or refuse to use the word “Christmas” in their stores, as well as those retailers who embrace the word in defiance of political correctness.

The term “War on Christmas” is nothing new, as every year, many try to sterilize the holiday season of any traditional religious reference, including the use of the word “Christmas.” To fight this tide of political correctness gone amok, AFA is singling out those businesses who won’t acknowledge “Christmas” in favor of phrases like “Happy Holidays,” even while using the Christmas season to make money.

"Naughty List"
It takes some effort to make the “Naughty” list, which is well-publicized. Companies on the list have been fully reviewed and researched, and those companies who do not use the word “Christmas” in their advertising, website, and store displays make the list. Most of the companies have been featured before and are aware that AFA is monitoring their approach to Christmas. Among the companies who made this year's “naughty” list are:

Is Android the official smartphone of gay marriage?

Google's line of Android devices, including smartphones and tablets, are the most popular mobile devices in the world, eclipsing both Windows mobile devices and iOS devices like iPhone. The success of Android is due to providing a product that consumers like and trust, but many of those same consumers might be irked by new Android commercials that decide to weigh in on a controversial social issue.


A series of new Android commercials feature quick shots of different slices of American life, but in-between the shots of traditional America are scenes showing and supporting gay marriage. In one commercial, titled "And You," which has been widely shown on television, one man is shown proposing to another man. In another commercial, titled "Be Together.  Not The Same," two men are shown kissing in a gay wedding ceremony. The commercial the gay marriage segment is used in explains that the world moves forward when people make brave decisions, and the gay marriage scene is coupled with a shot of Martin Luther King speaking and leading a protest march.


While Android obviously has the right to use whatever content they want in their commercials, to take a stand on such a contentious issue while promoting electronic devices makes little sense. It should be noted that this is not merely a company featuring gay Americans in their advertising. This is a company promoting gay marriage, an issue that divides most Americans, mostly on religious grounds, and is still not legal in many states. With recent reports of business owners being fined or threatened with jail time for refusing to participate in gay marriages, many feel such heavy-handed advocacy on an issue most consumers disagree on has no place in a commercial for smartphones and electronic devices.

Do you think Android devices should be used to promote gay marriage, or should consumer advertising stay out of controversial issues? Feel free to comment below.
  

Kim Kardashian marks Veteran's Day by tweeting her bare butt

It would seem the narcissism of Kim Kardashian knows no bounds. The woman famous for being famous (and a few X-rated activities) marked Veteran’s Day a little different than most Americans. While many of us took to social media to thank friends, family, and complete strangers for their military service and sacrifice, the completely oblivious Mrs. Kanye West shared a photo of her bare butt and asked fans to “break the internet” with it.

Kardashian didn’t acknowledge Veteran’s Day on Tuesday at all, but did find the time to promote a new pictorial and article about her in Paper Magazine. As part of that promotion, she tweeted a link to a picture from the pictorial showing her heavily-oiled bare butt with the hashtag #breaktheinternet. She also tweeted about one of the other pictures in the pictorial (in which she balanced a champagne glass on her butt) by saying “and they say I didn’t have a talent...LOL.” The pictorial in Paper Magazine also features Kardashian, who has a one-year-old daughter, posing fully nude.

Ten facts showing immigrant children aren't spreading the Enterovirus

You've probably heard political pundits contending that the recent outbreak of Enterovirus 68 in the midwest was spread by unaccompanied immigrant children who settled there after being released by U.S. Border Patrol. We decided to look into that and verify the claim, but found that there is no proof of a correlation between the two. Here are ten facts about Enterovirus that will change your perception about the outbreak, along with sources for each fact.

1. Enterovirus 68 is not new in America. It was first reported in 1962 in California, and it could be related to earlier enterovirus outbreaks in Asia. Enterovirus 68 has been reported in the United States every year since 1987. What is unusual this year is the higher number of cases. Source: CDC.

2. It is common for outbreaks of Enterovirus this time of year. The virus usually begins infecting people in late summer and into the fall, but the number of cases decreases as fall moves on. Children with asthma or similar respiratory diseases are more susceptible to the virus. Source: CDC.

3. The first cases of Enterovirus 68 were reported in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. The location of the outbreak is important, as it does not correlate with large numbers of immigrant children in those areas. Source: CDC.

4. Missouri and Illinois are not significant destinations for unaccompanied immigrant children. Contrary to some reports in online media (none from reputable news sources), the areas affected by the outbreak did not receive large numbers of immigrant children from the border surge. The entire state of Missouri only received 173 immigrant children, ranking them at #34 out of 50 states in terms of number of immigrant children received. Illinois received 437 children, ranking them #18 out of 50. Source: US Office of Refugee Resettlement.

5. The top ten states receiving immigrant children have seen no major Enterovirus 68 outbreaks. Texas, New York, California, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia, and Louisiana, the top ten states receiving immigrant children, have not seen significant Enterovirus 68 outbreaks. Source: U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.

6. No cases of Enterovirus 68 have been reported in Arizona. Despite its location along the border with Mexico and the fact that 217 immigrant children were released there, no cases have been found in Arizona. Source: CDC.

7. Enterovirus 68 is not a common virus in Central or South America. Since 2008, outbreaks of Enterovirus 68 have been reported in the United States, Asia and northern Europe, but not Central or South America. Since the 1960s, only a handful of cases have ever been reported in the region. Source: CDC.

8. Texas has seen only scattered cases of Enterovirus 68. Despite receiving the most immigrant children, over 6,000 in fact, very few cases have been reported here. Most are in the Dallas area (10), and none have been reported in areas along the coast and border, including the Valley, San Antonio, and Houston, were large numbers of immigrant children were released to the public. Source: KENS 5, San Antonio.

9. California has only seen 32 cases of Enterovirus 68. Despite receiving over 4,000 immigrant children, only 32 cases of Enterovirus 68 have been reported in the state, out of 691 nationwide. The cases are spread throughout the state in major urban centers, not along the Mexican border. Only five cases in San Diego have been reported. Source: ABC News.

10. Unaccompanied border children have higher rates of vaccination than children in Texas. Earlier this year, as the border surge began, many claimed we would see outbreaks of diseases like Tuberculosis, brought over by border children released to their families across America. The outbreaks never materialized, because the countries the children came from (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras) have all vaccines paid for by the government. For example, 93% of children from those countries are vaccinated against the measles, higher than the rate of American children vaccinated against the disease (92%). Source: Texas Observer.

Absolute idiot Gwyneth Paltrow: Give Obama absolute power

Gwyneth Paltrow held a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee at her home in Los Angeles this week, with President Barack Obama in attendance. As she was introducing the President, Paltrow couldn’t contain herself. Her statements to the crowd suggested nothing short of making Obama King of America, according to a report by TheWrap.com.

“It would be wonderful if we were able to give this man all of the power that he needs to pass the things that he needs to pass,” Paltrow said of the President. The Oscar winning actress then acted like a love-struck schoolgirl, openly flirting with the President. ”I'll shut up now and just say welcome; and you're so handsome that I can't speak properly,” she said.

In her comments, discussed the importance of equal pay for women, saying the issue is “very important to me as a working mother.” Paltrow’s idea of “equal pay” may be a bit skewed, as she personally earned $19 million this year alone, and has a personal net worth of over $60 million.

Attendees at the event were hardly typical “working mothers,” as tickets just for the cocktail reception and President Obama’s remarks started at $1,000. 200 people attended the reception, while 50 individuals paid an additional $15,000 to have dinner with the President afterward. Among the attendees at the event were Julia Roberts and actor Bradley Whitford.

President Obama had recently held other fundraisers in Hollywood, including one at the home of Fox Entertainment CEO Jim Gianopulos. In July, President Obama held a fundraiser at the home of Scandal creator Shonda Rimes, just a few months after the President appointed her to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Board of Trustees.

Wendy Davis seeks campaign boost from actress Kathleen Turner

Wendy Davis and Kathleen Turner
Wendy Davis' campaign for Texas governor is struggling, trailing her Republican opponent Greg Abbott by as much as 18 points, according to one poll. That might explain why the Davis campaign has made the move of bringing in a Hollywood celebrity to boost her bid.

Actress Kathleen Turner rose to fame in the 1980s with films like Romancing the Stone and as the voice of Jessica Rabbit, and in recent years, has been a vocal supporter of abortion rights. In an email sent out to supporters Sunday night, Turner made her case for supporting Davis, while asking her supporters to donate to the Davis campaign war chest. The text of her email follows:

Is PETA covering up De Blasio role in groundhog death?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a dubious reputation for drumming up publicity and manufacturing scandal in the name of protecting animals. Though they claim to love animals, they appear to love sucking up to high-profile liberal Democrats even more. That may explain why PETA is denying the fact that liberal New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is responsible for killing the beloved New York City groundhog who predicts the weather every year.

According to a story on TheWrap.com, GroundhogGate started when Mayor de Blasio participated in a Groundhog Day event February 2. In front of hundreds of spectators and dozens of press cameras, de Blasio held up a groundhog who had just predicted six more weeks of winter, when the rodent suddenly wiggled free and was dropped by the Mayor. The groundhog, who was actually a female named Charlotte on loan from the Staten Island Zoo, was found dead a week later. An autopsy revealed Charlotte died from internal injuries consistent with a fall, but zoo officials insist it was from a fall after the de Blasio drop. Officials did not provide details as to how a groundhog in a cage could suffer a fall greater and more lethal than being dropped by the 6'2" de Blasio.

Of course, PETA is up in arms over the situation, but refuses to blame De Blasio. "We are sure that Mayor Bill de Blasio, who cares about animals, will be devastated," PETA said in a statement. "The blame lies with the organizers, and PETA has been after them for years - and still is - to stop disturbing and tossing around a groundhog for this gimmick.”

PETA did not explain their logic in insisting that organizers of the event are responsible for Charlotte's death, while de Blasio escapes criticism, even though he promoted and participated in the event, and likely provided the fatal drop.

PETA has reason to cover for de Blasio. He recently backed a ban on horse drawn carriages in the city, something the group has been fighting for years, even though the carriages enjoy wide support from New York City residents.

In the case of Charlotte the groundhog, PETA didn't need to throw the animal under the bus. They just let the liberal Democrat drop it.


Note: An earlier version of this story mistakenly noted that horse-drawn carriages were banned in New York City. There is no ban in place, and a ban is currently not under consideration by the city council. We regret the error.

Gwyneth Paltrow to host Obama fundraiser in her Hollywood home

Gwyneth Paltrow, or at the very least, the withered husk that was once the Oscar-winning actress, remains one of President Barack Obama's strongest supporters, even while the rest of Hollywood and America has soured on his multiple failures. To show that support, the actress is opening her home to the President and the Democratic party on October 9 for a fundraiser, with the Democratic National Committee raking in the dough.

According to an invitation by the DNC obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, President Obama will attend a reception at the actress' home, followed by an intimate dinner during which he will answer questions from guests.

In case you're hoping to attend to rub shoulders with Hollywood's elite or ask the President a questions about Benghazi, know that it will cost you. Tickets to the event run between $1,000 and $32,400 (apparently that extra $400 is really necessary). The message is clear: no riff-raff from the middle class allowed.

It is not unusual for Obama to go to Hollywood looking for money to fund Democratic candidates and the general wussification of our once great country. However, President Obama has already held what was billed as his final Hollywood fundraiser of the year in July, when he held events at the home of Shonda Rhimes (creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal), as well as the home of Michael Rapino, owner of Live Nation and Ticketmaster.

DC teacher tells kids to compare George W. Bush to Hitler, won't lose job

The Hitler/Bush worksheet
A teacher in Washington D.C.'s public school system made national news recently after giving an assignment in which sixth grade students were asked to compare former President George W. Bush with Adolf Hitler. The teacher at McKinley Tech Middle School (who has not been identified) has admitted to using poor judgment and has apologized, but apparently will not lose his/her job.

The assignment, which was not part of any established curriculum, asked students to use a Venn Diagram worksheet (which uses overlapping circles to note similarities between two subjects) and compare the political overreach of both Adolf Hitler and George W. Bush. The assignment was called "Men Who Abused Their Powers."

The instructions for the assignment stated "Now that we have read about two men of power who abused their power in various ways, we will compare and contrast them and their actions. Please refer to your texts, 'Fighting Hitler – A Holocaust Story' and 'Bush: Iraq War Justified Despite No WMD' to compare and contrast former President George W. Bush and Hitler. We will use this in class tomorrow for an activity!"

Obama Phone provider advertises on "Black Jesus"

"Black Jesus," the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim show that has been criticized as being both blasphemous and racist, has had trouble finding advertisers, but that did not stop SafeLink, the leading provider of Obama Phones, from supporting the show by purchasing advertising time during a recent episode. However, pressure on advertisers by family groups and Christian advocates have had a dramatic effect.

Safelink is owned by TracFone, and its CEO is F.J. Pollak, who is a strong supporter of President Obama, having donated and "bundled" hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaign. Safelink provides millions of Obama Phones to individuals on public assistance, although they refuse to release specific numbers on how many phones and how much profit they earn on them.

Safelink first advertised during the August 14 episode of "Black Jesus," but even they have felt the pressure from the American Family Association and One Million Moms, who have organized a nationwide protest against the show's advertisers. Very few advertisers continue week to week, with most bowing to pressure and announcing their intent not to continue buying ad time. Safelink did not buy advertising during the most recent episode (September 4, in an episode in which Jesus and his followers grow and sell weed out of a community garden).

The protest against the show's advertisers has had a dramatic effect. For the September 4 episode, the show only featured one commercial break, while most 30-minute shows feature two. Instead, Adult Swim featured just as many promotional spots for other Adult Swim shows as they did actual commercials. Among the advertisers for the September 4 episode were the following (contact information for each advertiser, where available, is included):

*20th Century Fox Movies (advertising the film "The Maze Runner"). Click here to contact Fox Movies through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter.

*Playstation/Bungie (advertising the video game "Destiny"). Click here to contact Playstation through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter. To contact Bungie (the developer/publisher of "Destiny") click here to contact them through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter.

*Hydroxycut (who has advertised over multiple episodes). Click here to contact them through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter.

*Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Pictures (advertising the film "The Equalizer"). Click here to contact them through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter.

*Southern New Hampshire University. Click here to send them feedback through their website, click here to contact them through Facebook, and click here to contact them through Twitter.

Even with the dwindling advertiser support, the show continues to pull in viewers. The premiere episode had 2 million viewers, and while the audience has shrunk, "Black Jesus" still ranks in the top ten cable shows for the night, with just under 1.5 million viewers.

Stay distracted from real scandals, my friends...


OH NO HE DIDN'T: Harry Reid caught telling racist Asian jokes (VIDEO)

The self-proclaimed party of political correctness and inclusion proves once again that they do not live by their own standards. According to a story on TheBlaze.com, Reid spoke to the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce August 21 and proceeded to rattle off some jokes at his hosts' expense.  

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Friday for jokes he made about Asians during a luncheon of business leaders in Las Vegas earlier this week. "I don't think you're smarter than anybody else, but you've convinced a lot of us you are," he deadpanned, and responded to the mention of an Asian man's name with "One problem I've had today is keeping my Wongs straight." His comments were videotaped and released on YouTube, as seen below.

While attendees at the event laughed at his comments, Reid later apologized for his remarks in a statement. "My comments were in extremely poor taste and I apologize. Sometimes I say the wrong thing," he said. 

Reid's comments almost didn't see the light of day, as event organizers attempted to censor video recording of Reid's remarks. According to Asian Chamber of Commerce Director James Yu, an unidentified individual showed up to the event with a camera and was warned not to take video. Yu said the individual claimed he would only shoot stills, but that was not the case. "Someone is making an issue out of a nonissue," Yu told The Associated Press. You can watch the video and decide for yourself.

Obama denies he ended Iraq War: here's 16 times when he said he did


The Washington Free Beacon has crafted an epic response to President Obama's claim that he was not responsible for ending the Iraq War. With ISIS currently running rampant, his decision has plunged Iraq into turmoil, and the Free Beacon reminds us all of that.

Cartoon Network's blasphemous 'Black Jesus' triggers backlash

The premiere of the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim comedy "Black Jesus" Thursday night delivered exactly what it promised: a profane show that ridiculed Christ and the Christian faith and perpetuated every negative stereotype the black community has had to endure over the years. In response, the American Family Association (AFA) has asked supporters to complain about the show's content to advertisers, a move that has already caused one company to pull their ads.

"Black Jesus" is the latest series from Aaron McGruder, the creator of the comic strip and animated series "The Boondocks," which itself was a lightning rod of controversy for its frank approach to race. McGruder's new show, set in Compton, California, depicts Jesus returning as a black man to spread the gospel in the "hood." What has angered many Christians, however, is the portrayal of Christ drinking and smoking weed, all while dropping F-bombs and using the Lord's name in vain. The mostly-African American cast has been singled out for reflecting the very worst stereotypes about life in the "hood."


In an interview for Vice.com, executive producer Robert Eric Wise justified McGruder's depiction of Jesus by saying “What Aaron has done, and I feel this in my heart—he's made Jesus cool. I don't feel judged by this Jesus. I actually want to hang with this Jesus. And I don't have to rush to church and throw on a suit and pray for forgiveness."

TMZ calls Sarah Palin a B***H and gets away with it


America may claim to be hyper-sensitive and politically correct when it comes to criticizing women, but make no mistake: it's still open season on conservative women.  

Case in point: TMZ, the guys masking paparazzi stalkers as journalists, recently reported on Sarah Palin getting a speeding ticket. That opened up a wave of attacks from TMZ staffers (who comment on the stories), including some of their female staffers, calling Palin a "bitch" and a "horrible mom." A male staffer then chimed in that she was "too stupid to be evil." You can see the full TMZ segment above.

Let's see...Jenny McCarthy jokes that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian and has to apologize in an op-ed, and yet TMZ is allowed to call someone a "bitch" and get away with it because they are conservative? It seems some women are more equal than others.

Reports of diseased immigrant children mirror Nazi propaganda

This Nazi propaganda poster from 1941
tells Polish residents that Jews are
carriers of Typhus
This column was originally posted on CafeConLecheRepublicans.com. Bob Quasius also contributed to the piece.

The surge of refugee immigrant children to America’s southern border has ignited a vehement anti-immigrant tone in reporting by many independent news organizations and bloggers. In an effort to create justification for the deportation of these children without granting refugee status, many of these reporters are echoing propaganda tactics eerily reminiscent of the Nazi campaign against European Jews during World War II. 

The techniques used by today’s reporters and bloggers include not-so-subtle characterizations of the children, including the repeated use of the term “illegal alien” over “refugee” or “undocumented immigrant,” which is the far more correct legal designation. The loaded term “illegal alien,” and the often-unfounded implications it carries, is the reason why respected news organizations like Associated Press no longer use the term in general.

A far more insidious technique employed by writers in anti-immigrant press, however, takes a page out of the Nazi propaganda handbook. It involves using legitimate examples of sick immigrant children with various ailments, some serious, and depicting it as far more widespread and dangerous than it actually is.

Would Michelle Obama eat Abortion Ice Cream or Gay Whoppers?


First Lady Michelle Obama stresses the importance of eating healthy, even though she rarely practices what she preaches and likes to indulge in high calorie foods. It would not surprise us, then, if Mrs. Obama downs a "Gay Whooper" to show her support for gay marriage and polishes that off with a scoop of "Planned Parenthood Ice Cream" to show her solidarity for baby killing.

The mainstream media once bemoaned the idea that Chick-fil-A would politicize fast food when the company's founder endorsed Christian beliefs and traditional marriage. Now that the politicization has shifted to a liberal cause, the media is embracing, if not celebrating, the move.

You likely heard about the "Gay Whopper," which was offered by a San Francisco Burger King during the city's Gay Pride Parade in June. Actually called the "Proud Whopper," the burger is no different from a standard Whopper, except that it comes in a rainbow-colored wrapper with the words "We Are All The Same Inside."

Burger King recently posted a YouTube video promoting the "Gay Whopper," which included a shot of a Burger King manager asking a customer if they wanted meat, because "we can go both ways."


Meanwhile, up the West Coast in Portland, Oregon, supporters of abortions rights wanted to show some solidarity with Planned Parenthood, so an ice cream shop called What's The Scoop? offered a special flavor ("Rose City Revolution") to honor the organization, with 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the ice cream donated to the abortion provider. The flavor was sold during a special event at the business on July 17.

A Facebook event post advertising
"Ice Cream for Planned Parenthood"
The abortion ice cream event was first reported by LifeNews.com, who posted an image from the event listing called "Ice Cream for Planned Parenthood," from the Facebook page of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon. Although Planned Parenthood said the event was a "big success," how much money was raised was not disclosed. In addition, the owner of the ice cream shop claims they have received threatening messages via phone and social media, although the only insult they could actually produce is a Facebook post from someone asking if they would produce a flavor called "Fetus Fudge."


Howard Stern fan dupes MSNBC, mocks Malaysia Airlines tragedy


We aren't sure what's worse: that a Howard Stern fan would make light of a tragedy that killed nearly 300 people, or the ineptitude of MSNBC and host Krystal Ball gave this idiot a platform and didn't catch on right away.

In case you missed it, MSNBC's Ball was hosting 'The Cycle' and providing coverage of the shoot-down of Malaysian Flight MH17 in the Ukraine on Thursday. A man claiming to be a U.S. Army staff sergeant managed to convince MSNBC producers that he had witnessed the event, and they put him on the air to be interviewed by Ball.

Things went south pretty quick, as the man said at the beginning of the interview that it appeared the plane was “shot down by a blast of wind from Howard Stern’s ass.” Neither Ball nor MSNBC producers reacted to the line, and Ball continued to try to question him. The man then told Ball “Well, you’re a dumbass aren’t you,” at which time, producers informed Ball she was being pranked and went to a commercial.

That MSNBC was duped into putting this guy on the air speaks to the lazy journalistic standards the network has, if any. The man claimed to be at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine at the time, which is in Kiev, nowhere near the crash site, so it would have been impossible to have seen the plane go down.

Terrorists and liberal college professors still hate Jack Bauer

Nothing gets liberals stirred up like giving terrorists and other enemies of liberty a harsh taste of justice. The return of Jack Bauer to TV screens this summer just set them off again.

Bauer, portrayed by actor Kiefer Sutherland, is back in action in the Fox miniseries "24: Live Another Day," in which he uses his special brand of "enhanced interrogation techniques" to save Britain from terrorists and the United States from going to war with China. His mere presence was enough to rile up Rebecca Gordon, a University of San Francisco philosophy teacher, peace activist, and author of a book called Mainstreaming Torture. Gordon penned an op-ed, which The Huffington Post gladly published, titled "Still Living with Jack Bauer in a Terrified New American World."

If you think Gordon's column is a direct indictment of "24" and Bauer's treatment of bad guys, you would be wrong. Jack Bauer is merely a red herring to entice readers to ingest the column. It isn't really about Bauer or Hollywood's depiction of violence at all. Rather, Gordon issues a tired diatribe against the Bush administration's use of "enhanced interrogation techniques," echoing the same attacks on the former President and Dick Cheney that most liberals got out of their system when they left office.

Gordon only mentions Jack Bauer once, and immediately begin attacking George W. Bush in the second paragraph. In an attempt to rewrite history, Gordon contends Bush was racially motivated, floating the idea that our government convinced us that "Dark-skinned foreigners promoting disturbing religions were driven to destroy because, as President George W. Bush said more than once, 'they hate our freedoms.' It was 'them or us.'" That is an incredibly twisted and over-simplified view of the justification for the War on Terror, and Gordon fails to realize that radical Islam is blindly driven to destroy western civilization, a point that the last 14 years have proven time and again.

At the core of Gordon's obsession is her belief that not enough people went to prison over the torture scandal during the second Gulf War, namely the President and Vice-President. "We have never had a full accounting of all the torture programs used in the War on Terror," she argues, while bringing up Abu Ghraib and even CIA missions dating back to the Vietnam War. She does, mildly, take President Obama to task for not doing more to stop continued torture, but her true focus is on the Bush legacy and the military tasked to keep us safe.

Gordon insists we live in a "cowardly new world," because we continue to justify the torture of terrorists. She seems oblivious to the realities of our world, one in which radical Islamic terrorist groups like ISIS continue to march across the Middle East, leaving death in their wake. Perhaps it is because she makes these proclamations from the detached serenity of the University of San Francisco, as she seems annoyed that "in these years, 'safety' and 'security' have become primary national concerns." Perhaps she should ask the hundreds of Christian girls kidnapped and victimized by Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group in Nigeria, whose actions have gone unchallenged for years.

While no one suggests torture be mainstreamed, those of us who enjoy the blessings of liberty and safety should trust the judgement of those who provide it. While mechanisms should be in place to prevent excesses and abuses, we should also understand that in a world of pure evil, torture has become a necessary evil.

Gordon tries to paint the use of torture as a selfish act, used for one's own benefit. "There is a word for people whose first concern is always for their own safety and who will therefore permit anything to be done in their name as long as it keeps them secure. Such people are sometimes called cowards." Gordon fails to recognize that those who resort to torture do so not for their own amusement, but as a final resort to protect those under their charge. Osama bin Laden and those responsible for 9/11 were found only after waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" loosened the lips of their associates.

Those harsh realities, however, seem too far removed from San Francisco for Gordon to acknowledge them.

Reagan sets Ann Coulter straight

Ann Coulter says soccer will destroy America because it encourages communism and other cultures. I may not like soccer much, but I'll take it over a race-baiting self promoter like Ann Coulter.




Bacon makes understanding the Hobby Lobby decision easy


Starbucks' free college education will cost you

Last week, Starbucks made headlines when it announced it would pay for the online college tuition at Arizona State University for its full-time employees. Unfortunately, now we know how Starbucks will pay for it: by raising prices on its customers.

The coffee chain announced Saturday that it will raise prices on its drinks across the board on Tuesday, between 10 and 15 cents each. In some markets, the price hike will be even higher. It also announced it was raising the price of bags of coffee sold in stores $1 per bag.

Prices on Starbucks drinks were raised just last year, and this new price hike is not connected to the price of coffee beans, as prices with suppliers are locked in for a year in advance. This leads many to believe the hike may be, in part, due to the new college plan they announced.

The Starbucks college plan sounded like a great idea when it was announced, and it will be a great investment in retaining quality employees for the chain and improving quality of life for a number of employees. However, many wondered how the chain could afford the cost, which could be as much as $30,000 per employee per year.

While Starbucks has made some impressive moves to support its employees, many are upset with the company's executive leadership, which often supports liberal causes. That includes a well publicized statement by CEO Howard Schultz last year that their efforts to support organizations working to legalize gay marriage meant there was no room for supporters of traditional marriage in the company.

Malia Obama steals a Hollywood job from an unemployed American

There are more than 20 million unemployed and underemployed workers in America, including many working on Hollywood productions. First Daughter Malia Obama, on the other hand, seems to have no problem finding a job in Tinseltown.

The 15-year-old just finished her school year at the exclusive Sidwell Friends private school in Washington, D.C., and immediately flew out with the First Lady to California ahead of her father's visit to Palm Springs this weekend. While the President played golf and attended a fundraiser in the area, Malia and her mother Michelle Obama went to the Los Angeles set of the CBS sci-fi series Extant, starring Halle Berry. According to The Wrap, Malia worked as a production assistant on the show while there, including assisting the computer shop alignments and "slating" a take. It is unclear how she got the job, as spokespeople for both CBS and the First Lady did not respond to The Wrap's request for a comment. Michelle Obama reportedly accompanied Malia to the set.

Halle Berry is a longtime supporter of President Obama. She made numerous donations to his campaigns, and during his initial Presidential run in 2008, Berry said "I'll do whatever he says to do. I'll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear."

Playing golf while Iraq falls and the world burns....


Considering the state of the world right now (especially Iraq), it seems like the President should be doing something other than fund raising and golfing in Palm Springs, and yet, that's just what's he's doing this weekend. So this cartoon from 2010 seemed fitting. Things never change.

Bigots pose a threat to the conservative cause

The recent influx of refugee children from Central American countries has not only exposed the flaws in our broken immigration system, it seems to have emboldened racial bigots who try to align themselves with the conservative cause. Despite their harsh and hateful rhetoric, they rarely go unchallenged by many on the right, creating the perception that this sort of racism is inherent within conservatism.

A Twitter user who calls himself "Lord Wabbit" and boasts over 1,800 followers recently tweeted a cartoon he created, criticizing the move to help the child refugees. The cartoon (shown here) includes dolls dressed in traditional Mexican attire (including serapes and sombreros), as well as a couple of chihuahuas, all demanding citizenship for their family, including "my uncle the drug dealer" and "my 37 cousins." The picture was retweeted by a number of people times, including "Marble," a popular conservative with 18,500 followers.

Jack Bauer & Ninjas beat Hillary Clinton in TV ratings

Have faith, folks: there's hope for America yet. It seems voters aren't exactly crazy for Hillary Clinton.

Monday night saw the much-heralded ABC interview between Hillary Clinton and her mainstream media BFF Diane Sawyer. The interview dominated news broadcasts in the days leading up to broadcast, as Clinton's new book, Hard Choices, is due to be released.

Some might think the first major interview with the front-runner to be the next President would attract a lot of attention. Those who do, however, don't know Jack.

According to overnight Nielsen ratings, more people tuned in to watch Kiefer Sutherland play Jack Bauer in the latest episode of the miniseries "24: Live Another Day" than the Hillary Clinton interview.

6.33 million viewers watched Sutherland's "24," while "Hillary Clinton: Public and Private with Diane Sawyer" attracted 6.08 million viewers to finish second. For Clinton, that's barely more viewers than what came in third: two repeats of Mike and Molly on CBS, which brought in 5.27 million viewers. NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" attracted 4.93 million viewers.

The news gets worse for Clinton in the key demographic rating of viewers 18 to 49 years of age. The interview scored a 1.0 key demo rating, meaning 1% of all TVs owned by viewers that age watched the interview. That was only good for fourth place among shows at that time, and it means more people 18 to 49 preferred to watch "24" (1.6 in the key demo), "American Ninja Warrior" (1.8 in the key demo), and reruns of "Mike and Molly" (1.2 in the key demo) instead of hearing Clinton. On the plus side, she did beat out the CW's "Beauty and Beast" in the ratings, a show that appeals to 13-year-old girls.

Rockwall Conservative to GOP: Alienate Hispanic voters at your own peril

The Rockwall Conservative is at it again! With so many blogs out there, it's hard to find the diamonds in the rough, those conservatives who are saying some truly profound things we should hear, not just regurgitating talking points and preaching to the choir. That's why I'm pretty picky with the folks I link to; I only want to list sites that I feel are worth your valuable time. The Rockwall Conservative is certainly one of them.

This past weekend, the Texas State GOP Convention was held in Ft. Worth, and an uprising of some Republican activists had the party's immigration platform removed. The platform, dubbed the "Texas Solution," not only acknowledged our system was broken, but set out common-sense reforms for the system, including a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for undocumented and illegal immigrants. Instead, the immigration platform now in place offers no reform or solution of any kind, and supports a stance that will keep our broken system in place for years to come. This is because the new immigration platform (and those who support it) insist that the border be secured first before reforms are made, a goal that could take decades to achieve, if ever. Meanwhile, millions of decent future Americans are subjected to mass poverty, high crime, drug-fueled violence, and socialistic governments. Our misguided hubris on this issue is costing lives south of the border.

I've posted on this site before that I feel comprehensive immigration reform is a concept supported by conservative principles, free-market capitalism, and Christian ethics. This concept is undermined by those who use vague buzzwords like "amnesty" to derail the process. The anti-reform forces in our party are amassing a political toll as well, one that we will pay in elections to come.

The Rockwall Conservative points out in a new column just what this sort of political grandstanding (and the shrill rhetoric that accompanied it) will cost us in terms of support by Hispanic voters. "I don’t know everything, but I do know some things well," he says in the column. "For example, I know the defeat of the Texas Solution is taken as an assault on legitimate Hispanic citizens and legal residents. Ah! Just what the Democrats wanted!"

To read the entire column, please click here to visit RockwallConservative.me.

You should really get to know the artist Sabo

If you haven't heard of the artist named Sabo, you should have. The underground artist has been responsible for some controversial (at least for liberals) artwork in the Los Angeles area. That includes the "Abortion Barbie" poster (left) and the "Tattoo Ted Cruz" posters that popped up around the city when he made an appearance.

On his/her website, UnsavoryAgents.com, Sabo promises to use the same tactics left-wing artists use, only this time, to fight for conservatism. " My aim as an artist is to be as dirty, ground level, and mean as any Liberal artist out there," Sabo said.

If you want to help Sabo out, visit the UnsavoryAgents website and buy some merchandise. Capitalism in support of a conservative artist only infuriates the left more.

Mad Magazine trolls President Obama

When even the left-leaning Mad Magazine is mocking you, you've pretty much lost all credibility with America. Wow.

CBO: Oh yeah, we were wrong about Obamacare, sorry about that...

Before Obamacare became the law of the land, supporters pointed to projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that said the new regulations would cut the federal deficit by $120 billion over ten years. Republicans said that was ridiculous, but the CBO stood by their numbers.

Now, the Republicans have been proven right.

The CBO recently, and rather quietly, admitted they were wrong about Obamacare, in a footnote buried in a recent report on new insurance regulations. Roll Call first caught the admission, which included this statement:

"CBO and JCT can no longer determine exactly how the provisions of the ACA that are not related to the expansion of health insurance coverage have affected their projections of direct spending and revenues,” the CBO wrote. “The provisions that expanded coverage established entirely new programs or components of programs that can be isolated and reassessed. Isolating the incremental effects of those provisions on previously existing programs and revenues four years after enactment of the ACP is not possible.”

This admission is probably of little solace to those Republicans who insisted Obamacare was bad policy, but at the very least, the CBO can now be counted as one sounding the alarm over the impending trainwreck the new law will bring. Estimates by the CBO now say the new regulations could cost over $1 trillion over ten years.

Sadly, Nacy Pelosi was right: we did have to pass Obamacare to find out what was in it. There just wasn't anything good to be found.


Wendy Davis calls unborn child a 'baby,' plays victim over 'Abortion Barbie' poster

Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis' latest fundraising tactic involves an open letter she reportedly penned in response to the "Abortion Barbie" poster controversy. While she attempts to play the helpless victim in the open letter, including referring to her critics as "attackers," Davis may have made her biggest political blunder to date. In the open letter, she refers to an unborn child as a "baby," a statement that is fully at odds with her support of late-term abortion. 

During her recent fundraising trip to Hollywood, Davis was greeted with some less-than-flattering posters plastered across the city. The posters, created by an artist named Sabo, feature Davis' face on a pregnant doll, while a cutaway stomach reveals an unborn baby inside. The doll is also holding the hand of an African-American baby while a large pair of scissors dangle overhead. The words "Hollywood Welcomes Abortion Barbie Wendy Davis" complete the image.

Remember the six heroes who died looking for Bowe Bergdahl

 
We don't know for certain if Bowe Bergdahl is a deserter and a traitor, although many who served with him seem to think so. It's pretty telling that his own sergeant started a Facebook page against him. The pro-Taliban tweets Bergdahl's father is sending out aren't winning him any fans.

Instead of focusing on Bergdahl, let's focus on the six brave Americans who lost their lives in the search for him. They are the true heroes.

Equal pay advocate Wendy Davis won't pay summer workers

Wendy Davis, who would
rather not talk about late-
term abortions, thank you.
Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis has been pushing hard to find an issue that will resonate with the state's voters, and believes she has found one on the issue of equal pay. Last year, she introduced an "equal pay" bill that would have given women the chance to sue in state court for wage discrimination, but Gov. Rick Perry vetoed it. Despite Davis' call for equal pay for women, however, many women working for her campaign this summer won't be paid at all.

The Davis campaign is currently seeking individuals to work as "Summer Fellows," but fails to mention that it is basically an unpaid internship. While such unpaid positions are common in political campaigns, it seems disingenuous for a candidate with a political war chest of over $15 million not to pay their workers, especially while Davis herself campaigns for equal pay and a raise in the minimum wage.

Just last week, Davis added to her campaign bottom line with a large Hollywood fundraiser hosted by Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams. The total amount raised was not announced, but donation levels started at $1,000 and ranged as high as $25,000 to be recognized as a "host."

The application to "volunteer" as
a Wendy Davis Summer Fellow
(click to see a larger version)
An application for their Summer Fellowship program has since been removed from their website (the link now points to a generic volunteer page), but it outlined the duties of the job, without actually mentioning the lack of pay. "This Fellowship involves long hours and a strong commitment to the goals and tasks at hand," the application stated. "We need Fellows who can delegate and prioritize multiple tasks so that the work can get completed." The application also asked what sort of time commitment a worker could offer, and if the worker had reliable transportation.

An email to the Davis campaign about the program and the question of pay received a response from Field Assistant Brynna Quillin. "Thank you for your email about the Wendy Davis Summer Fellowship," the email stated. "The Fellowship is unpaid, but high-performing Fellows may have the chance to be hired full-time as Organizers."


Government website posts positive bio of racist Planned Parenthood founder

For years, a government webpage has featured a positive biography of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, while failing to mention her racist beliefs, which included the use of birth control to “exterminate the Negro population.”

The webpage in question is featured on the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) website, and was originally published during the Clinton administration in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. It was published online on December 12, 1999.

The biography opens with the premise “sometimes social factors slow progress toward improving health more than lack of awareness or the absence of technology. No 20th century public health achievement demonstrates this more clearly than the struggle to provide women in the United States with safe and effective birth control. Margaret Sanger risked scandal, danger, and imprisonment to challenge the legal and cultural obstacles that made controlling fertility difficult and illegal.”

Did your child's school mark the communist holiday May Day?

While most parents are concerned with the effects on Common Core on their child’s education, a communist-inspired political lesson may have slipped into the classroom undetected. May Day, or International Workers Day, found its way into classrooms thanks to the late liberal historian Howard Zinn and his Zinn Education Project, a group which claims that over 30,000 junior high and high school teachers use its education materials.

Zinn is the author of A People’s History of the United States, which takes a condensed (and liberal) view of our nation’s history. A People’s History is used by a number of high school and college teachers, while students and parents are mostly unaware of the book’s lack of objectivity. This bias is obvious in Zinn’s push to make May Day an integral part of American history.

Awkward! Racist LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling is a Democrat!

You won't hear this from the mainstream media, but Donald Sterling, the owner of the L.A. Clippers who was caught on tape making racist comments, has a history of donating to Democrats and being lauded by liberal groups.

According to National Review, Sterling has donated to a number of Democrats in the past, including former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley and former California Gov. Gray Davis.

It also appears Sterling, who built a successful real estate empire before buying the Clippers, used his millions to buy favor from liberal civic groups, including the NAACP, The group had previously recognized Sterling, and was scheduled to do so again, even though he had previously faced racism accusations. In 2009, the Huffington Post even called on the NAACP not to give him an award because of it. Because of his left-leaning politics and checkbook, however, the NAACP looked the other way. At least, until now. The group has announced he will not get their 2014 lifetime achievement award at an upcoming event after all.

Mainstream media celebrates Chelsea Clinton pregnancy, but ignored Jenna Bush's announcement

This week, Chelsea Clinton announced she was having a baby, and the media took it about the way you would expect: like a sign from God that Hillary Clinton should be coronated President.

According to the Media Research Center (the web's best watchdog for media bias), every major network devoted coverage on the announcement on their nightly news: ABC and NBC each gave it a two minute story, while CBS gave it about 32 seconds of air time. ABC's Cecilia Vega was giddy nearly to the point of embarrassment, stating "The next generation of the Clinton dynasty is on the way...One Clinton child grew up before our eyes in the White House, could there soon be another?"

Even the print media were practically Lewinskying each other in glee. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post spoke of the pregnancy in terms of Hillary's future political hopes. "Nobody assumes this was done for political reasons, of course, but if it had been done for political reasons, it could not have been a better time," she wrote. "Hillary Clinton will have this bouncing toddler in her arms to campaign with in 2016.”

The Media Research Center pointed out that when Jenna Bush Hager announced her pregnancy in December 2012, little more than a year ago, the evening news media responded with a collective yawn. ABC and CBS didn't mention it at all. NBC gave it about 30 seconds, and that is only because Hager announced it on NBC's Today Show.

Click here to read the full report at The Media Research Center.

Happy Resurrection Day!


Shocker! Liberal commentator defends Fox News

Political commentator Sally Kohn will never be mistaken for a conservative shill, but she is a liberal who isn't afraid to speak the truth. In a recent column for The Christian Science Monitor, Kohn made an admission that will likely cause the hemp underwear of her liberal colleagues to ride up into uncomfortable places.

Kohn writes that, counter to the criticism and stereotypes the left tries to attribute to Fox News, the folks that work there are actually smart, decent people. "It's strange to suggest that a seemingly simple realization such as that is in fact a profound revelation," she wrote. "But in our hyperpartisan era, when we often vilify the other side as being less-than-human, it is."

Perhaps even more shocking to her liberal counterparts is Kohn's statement that certain conservatives the left despises, including Karl Rove and Sarah Palin, aren't the monsters they build them up to be. "Sean Hannity is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet – and even now that I've parted ways with Fox, he remains a good friend and mentor," she said. "For a radical progressive who once harbored negative stereotypes about folks on the right, it was a turning point for me to meet people such as Mr. Hannity, Karl Rove, Monica Crowley, Sarah Palin, and so many others, and see that – though we certainly disagree profoundly on political issues – they're personable and kind and human. Just like me."

Kohn is a long time civic volunteer and community organizer, and founded the Movement Vision Lab, a grassroots think tank. You can read her column for The Monitor here.

 

Liberal Sarah Silverman is the new Orbit Gum spokeswoman

Brendan Eich, the Mozilla CEO, recently lost his job because he supported traditional marriage and offended the gay community. Controversial shock comic Sarah Silverman routinely offends Christians and conservatives, and she was recently named a spokesperson for Orbit Gum.

Welcome to the new normal in America.

Silverman has a well-earned reputation for being controversial and offensive, and not just by the Christian and political right. Her insult brand of humor includes using slurs against Asians on Conan O'Brien's show, joking about mentally challenged children while using the word "retarded," and routinely joking about rape. Even though her humor raises eyebrows even among her fans, she remains popular, celebrated by popular media, and gainfully employed.

That's not to say Silverman's shtick hasn't worn thin on many. In fact, many consider her highly overrated: The Daily Beast ran a column called "Why Sarah Silverman Sucks," and The Nation points out that her humor is more smug condescension than inspired comedy.

Silverman, a vocal abortion rights supporter, recently posted a YouTube video in which she is visited by Jesus (played by NCIS actor Michael Weatherly), who tells her an unborn child isn't a person and even drops an F-bomb. In the same video, Silverman also rants against "In God We Trust" as our national motto and the words "under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance. She evens goes off on Texas Gov. Rick Perry, blaming him for tough new state regulations on abortion clinics meant to protect women from malpractice.

And yet, because most of Silverman's barbs are directed at conservatives, religion, and Jesus, her reputation retains a certain sheen that makes her a darling among her Hollywood counterparts. It is one of the reasons why someone whose comedy is borderline obscene was still hired to be the voice of Vanellope in the Disney animated hit Wreck-It Ralph.

Orbit Gum doesn't seem to have a problem with Silverman either, which is why she is now starring in a commercial for them. Orbit has never shied away from using daring (but not offensive) humor in their commercials, but with Silverman on board, the commercial features a line that alludes to a sexual act. (The line includes lipstick left on a "rim," and if you do not get the reference, you might not want to Google it.)


Consumers who want to voice their displeasure to Orbit about their choice of Silverman as their spokeswoman can direct their complaints to The Wrigley Company, owners of Orbit Gum, at their consumer feedback page located here. You can also contact Wrigley by phone at 1(800) WRIGLEY, or 1(800) 974-4539.

Gay conservative puts intolerant Mozilla in its place

You've likely heard the news about Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich stepping down as head of the company because in 2008, he gave $1,000 to a group supporting Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California. Eich had helped found the company and had only recently been appointed CEO. He refused to discuss the topic in public, saying it was a private matter. It is still unclear how knowledge of the donation was made public from the tax return of a private citizen.

Gay rights advocates mounted a protest and boycott of the company until Eich departed, and Mozilla apologized after he left the company, stating that "we haven't stayed true to ourselves" in hiring Eich and insisting that it supports "equality and freedom of speech." Well, one out of two, apparently.

While many on the left (and the media) celebrated the move as a victory against anti-gay bigotry, one person ignited a firestorm by calling out Mozilla and gay rights advocates on their hypocrisy. And he did it in less than 140 characters.

The Dark Side of Cesar Chavez

It is obvious Cesar Chavez did plenty of good to end the exploitation of poor and migrant farm workers. However, the man was far from perfect, despite the new movie that seeks to deify him.

In a column for Fox News Latino, Raoul Contreras relays a story from his past - when he saw the bullying effects of Chavez's union thugs first hand. His column can be read right here.

Bossy celebs demand ban on word "bossy"

Once again, Hollywood celebrities are campaigning for a crisis no one knew existed.

A new initiative, based largely on social media, is looking to change gender perceptions about assertive girls being labeled as bossy. The campaign, called “Ban Bossy,” has employed First Lady Michelle Obama and a number of celebrities to promote the cause, including Beyonce, the self-proclaimed “fierce” singer who herself has a reputation for outrageous demands while on tour.

In a series of videos and graphics meant for social media use, celebrities insist we stop using the word “bossy” to describe assertive girls. In one video (featured below), “Glee” actress Jane Lynch, “Alias” actress Jennifer Garner, and Beyonce tell us that “words matter” and blame the use of the word for a lack of interest in leadership among young girls. Among the other notables participating in the campaign video are fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Girl Scouts CEO Anna Maria Chavez, and Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg. Even a few men joined the video: NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

White House secretly collected data from Americans responding to 'online privacy' survey

 
In an episode of political irony, the Obama White House recently asked for the public’s input on internet privacy and the collection of private data online, while at the same time secretly collecting data from those participating in the survey.