Flying Debris

The man was strange, no doubt but so many talents are.

Labels: Michael Jackson

WARNING: EXTREMELY DISTURBING, VIOLENT AND GRAPHIC VIDEO BELOW

Pray for the people of Iran, their own government is murdering them on their own streets.

Labels: Iran, Iranian Election, Mullahs, Murder, Tehran, Tehran Street Violence

US Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) from Chicago's North Shore had this to say upon his recent return from China: "We heard across the board -- in private -- substantial, continuing and rising concern."

Labels: China, Mark Kirk, US Economy

To the Boys of Pointe du Hoc and all those who have stood for our freedoms, "thank you very much and God bless you all."

Labels: D-Day, Pointe du Hoc, Ronald Reagan

See the NY Times article here.

Labels: Chicago Blues, Koko Taylor

Lady Liberty in Beijing's Tiananmen Square

Labels: China, Student Protest, Tiananmen Square

This post from a previous Memorial Day is very appropriate again this year; as it may be every year.

As we give thanks to America’s veterans and soldiers this Memorial Day our prayers and thoughts turn to those who did not make it home; my thoughts today have also turned to those I have known who did make it home. Last weekend I attended a memorial service (on Armed Forces Day) for Arthur H. Barton, a man I wrote about here and alluded to here. At the time I was writing from some old memories but today, thanks to Art’s daughter Lesley, I have Art’s war record in front of me and it is impressive. During Art’s ceremony, one that included the very moving military Flag Ceremony, Art’s brother-in-law quietly alluded to the fact that Art had flown 70 missions over Europe and how he had known Art for years before he learned of that fact. As he slowly repeated “Seventy missions over Europe” it was clear that those of his generation know how incredible and important Art’s achievement was. Quite simply, Art could have been buried in a farmer’s field in France.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor Art was a 20 year old Chicagoan selling furniture during the day and attending Northwestern University at night. Like so many of his contemporaries Art soon joined the military, in his case the Army Air Force. Art trained in Santa Anita, California and received his Navigator Wings in October of 1942, about the time that he turned 21. Second Lieutenant Barton was assigned to the 453rd Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bomb Group, which was part of the 8th Air Force. In April 1943 Art was stationed in Earls Colne, England as a navigator/bombardier. Art flew in the Martin Marauder B-26 medium bomber named “Goatee Hell”.

Among Art’s military awards were two Purple Hearts, the first for being wounded on a mission over Martinvast, France and the other for being injured on D-Day. One of Art’s proudest moments was serving as lead navigator on two low-level bombing raids (since the original writing I've been informed that there Art flew on 5 other missions on D-Day)in support of the D-Day landings, June 6, 1944. During his second (actually his seventh) mission on D-Day a Nazi anti-aircraft shell-burst shattered the Plexiglas nose that Art was seated in; he died earlier this month with some of that shrapnel still in his body.

Art served with and remained friends with a number of his old crew members including: pilot Col. Robert (Bob) H. Adams, co-pilot F/O Robert “Brownie” K. Brown, engine gunner S/Sgt. Clarence “Blackie” M. Blackmore and radio operator-gunner Sgt. Archie “Russ” Russell Martin. Of course Art also had a war-time nickname, it was “Buzz”. The group flew most of their missions over France, Holland, Belgium and the submarine pins in Norway.One of Art’s amusing war time memories was of the time that the B-26 “Marty Marauder” crashed into their base and right into the “Goatee Hell”, wrecking both planes. Their Master Sergeant George Feehan was not about to lose 2 planes in one crash so the crews spent the next 3 weeks welding the good halves of each plane to each other. The new plane featured the nose of the “Goatee Hell” (veteran of 51 missions) and the tail of the “Marty Marauder” (veteran 57 missions); unfortunately I do not know the name of that B-26 mashup.

After leaving Europe Art trained French officers at Selfridge Field in Michigan and Barksdale Field in Louisiana. After that Art participated in the Seventh War Bond Drive. The 23 year old First Lieutenant Arthur H. Barton was honorably discharged from the Army Air Force on June 14, 1945 after being awarded the following decorations:

The Distinguished Flying Cross
2 Purple Hearts
The Air Medal with 2 silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
The European Theater Medal with 2 battle stars
American Theater and Liberty Medals

Thank You Art and Thank You to all who served honorably.

My initial post on the life of Art Barton can be found here, it contains a few great tidbits that are not contained in this post like:

As Art went from plane to plane during the war he amassed so many missions that the Air Corps wanted him out of the theater and back in America selling War Bonds as a bona fide war hero. They were also worried that after so many missions he was starting to enjoy them. When Art was getting the necessary paper work done in order to return to the States, he was pulled out of line. The officers who pulled him out of line asked him if he would like to train for a secret bombing mission in the Pacific theater. Art replied that he had already cabled his mother to tell her of his imminent return and that he couldn’t disappoint her. Art likely would've trained for a mission to carry a nuclear weapon but he wouldn't disappoint his mother.

Labels: Art Barton, D-Day, Memorial Day, WWII

Are you Happy Yet?

Obama and his people are spending Billions of your tax dollars and they are giving it to their union buddies in the UAW. Remember the UAW is only one of the unions that Obama will be shovelling your hard-earned money to.

The Truth About Cars has the latest on this disgraceful scam of the Democrat Party.

A shocker I know.

Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s wife Sandra is a Chicago Alderman, Bloomberg has the exclusive.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit ethics watchdog group said, "Mr. Jackson is availing himself of the full range of loopholes by which he can transfer money to his family.”

This from Jesse Junior G-Man, the Undercover Brother.

I really love this one: "The Jacksons have a 'unique synergy which enhances the value and quality of life for the constituents they serve,' Sandi Jackson’s spokeswoman, Crystal Adkisson, said by e-mail. 'Both the congressman and alderman take pride in being in compliance with federal, state and local laws, and rules and ethics codes.'”

The Jackson family of Chicago have gotten what they have through blackmail and intimidation.

Labels: Chicago Democrats, Chicago Politics, Democratic Corruption, Jesse Jackson Jr., Sandra Jackson

Zero Hedge posted this story last night and has just noticed that the Daily Telegraph has mysteriously taken the entire story down. (UPDATE: Attorneys for Mr. Paterson have stated that the article was taken down due to factual inaccuracies). (UPDATE II: Zero Hedge, having been threatened with legal action has now reported that the article may be gooing bck up in the Telegraph). Luckily for the rest of us Zero Hedge copied the comments, in case ZH is "forced" to take the comments down, Flying Debris will also present the (now alleged) comments:

The US Treasury’s effort to stabilise the banking system through the TARP programme is a hopelessly ill-conceived policy that enriches speculators at public expense, according to the buy-out firm supposed to be pioneering the joint public-private bank rescues.

“The taxpayers ought to know that we are in effect receiving a subsidy. They put in 40pc of the money but get little of the equity upside,” said Mark Patterson, chairman of MatlinPatterson Advisers.

The comments are likely to infuriate Tim Geithner, the US Treasury Secretary, because MatlinPatterson took advantage of the TARP’s matching funds to buy Flagstar Bancorp in Michigan. His confession appears to validate concerns that the bail-out strategy is geared towards Wall Street. Under the convoluted deal agreed earlier this year, MatlinPatterson has come to own 80pc of the shares while the US government has ended up with under 10pc.

Mr Patterson said the US Treasury is out of its depth and seems to be trying to put off drastic action by pretending that the banking system is still viable.
“It’s a sham. The banks are insolvent. The US government is trying to sedate the public because they are down to the last $100bn (£66bn) of the $700bn TARP funds. They think they’re doing this for the greater good of society,” he said, speaking at the Qatar Global Investment Forum.

Mr Patterson said it would be better for the US to bite the bullet as Britain has done, accepting that crippled lenders must be nationalised. “At least the British are not hiding the bail-out,” he said.

MatlinPatterson said private equity and hedge funds were deluding themselves in hoping to go back to business as usual after the trauma of the last 18 months.
“This is not a normal recession and there will be no V-shaped recovery. The crisis has destroyed leveraged companies. We’re going to see a catastrophic increase in the number of LBO’s (leveraged buyouts) going into default because they’re knee-deep in debt and no solution exists since they can’t refinance,” he said.
“Alfa hedge funds have been making their money by gambling with excessive leverage, so the knife that cuts off leverage is going to cut off their heads as well,” he said.

Like many bears, Mr Patterson expects the great crunch to end in deliberate inflation, deemed a lesser evil than outright depression.
“The US government has thrown 29pc of GDP at this crisis compared to 8pc in the early 1930s. The Fed’s balance sheet has risen from $900bn to $2.7 trillion to bail out the system. America has to do it because the only way out is to debase the currency, but that is going to lead to some very high inflation three years down the road,” he said.

Labels: Geithner, TARP

Maria Bartiromo of CNBC has just reported that the Feds have not even contacted the Chrysler senior debt holders, debt holders whose holdings are legally superior to the debt held by the UAW, yet the Obama administrations plan would give a larger stake to the UAW. The GM plan holds the same situation, senior debt holders of GM hold 2 1/2 times the debt held by the UAW Retirement Plan yet the senior debt holders receive only 1/4 the ownership stake that the UAW would receive. Is this what out tax dollars are funding, an ownership stake that unions could not have ever received under our nation's laws?

As I write this the Dow Jones 30 is attempting another upside break-out this morning.

Labels: Barack Obama, Chrysler, General Motors, Maria Bartiromo

I just saw the attention starved bimbos from Code Pink on CNBC in a congressional hearing room preparing to throw another one of their childish fits, this one will be directed at Treasury Secretary Geithner. The Code Pink tactics are a far cry from the Tea Parties - these wealthy woman have been flown around the world to throw hissy fits and get attention for their pitiful selves.

Labels: Bimbos, Code Pink, Code Pink Whores, Geithner, Prostitution

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

CNN "reporter" Susan Roesgen setting up amid families before choosing to interview some guy with a photo of President Obama as Hitler. Pure propaganda from CNN.


Photo Copyright: Flying Debris

Labels: Chicago's Chicago Tea Party, CNN, Susan Roesgen

Photo Copyright: Flying Debris
The Obama as Hitler Guy - the Perfect CNN Interview


UPDATE:





UPDATE III:
Founding Bloggers was also in the crowd and got some follow-up video of a citizen attempting to reason with CNN's Roesgen.

Labels: Alexander Calder, Chicago Tea Party, CNN, Federal Plaza, Susan Roesgen

Okay, the Obama administration really sent $50,000 to the Itallian quake victims, though I doubt that the paltry sum is the sort of change those Itallians were hoping for.

Labels: Barck Obama, Itallian Earthquake

Talk about about being ahead of her time, just change "phone company" to "General Motors" or "Chrysler" or "AIG"...

Labels: Bailouts, Chrysler, GM, Lily Tomlin, One Ringy-Dingy, TARP

Harvard Economics Professor Greg Mankiw has even linked to Wikipedia. I'm glad that it is April Fools Day as I do not want to help fund any portion of Harvard Yard and I would like to continue reading Mankiw's blog.

Labels: April Fools, Greg Mankiw

First term cingressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) has introduced a bill that would give the Federal Government control of all wages at any company that has taken Federal funds, Mr. Grayson also wants to abrigate all standing contracts. And this guy went to Harvard Law?

After leaving the law Mr. Grayson become the President of IDT Corp. After Grayson left IDT Corp. was involved in a scam that involved Haitian strongman Jean Bertand Aristide. IDT had a cut-rate deal to terminate telephone calls to Haiti, they also had an agreement to deposit much of the saved money into a bank account allegedly controlled by the Haitian dictator Aristide. The telephone firm Fusion, closely aligned with the Clinton Administration had a similar deal.

The Haiti Democracy Project has this to say about the telecom that Rep. Grayson (D-FL) once led:

Teleco Haiti granted IDT the right to terminate calls in Haiti at less than half the official settlement rate, and that IDT agreed to deposit all payments not at Teleco Haiti, but in an offshore account in the Turks and Caicos managed by a company called Mont Salem.

Long-distance revenues were one of Haiti's few sources of hard currency. Yet after President Aristide left office in 2004, Teleco Haiti's coffers were found to be empty.

Now this guy Grayson, a man who was President of a company that was later found to be in bed with the Haitian dictator wants to control the compensation of US businesses. Thank you to the members of the Democrat Party of the United States.

Labels: Alan Grayson, Democratic Party, Haiti, Jean Bertand Aristide

Likely the citizens of poorer nations that rely on American financial support to purchase American grain, that's who.

Bloomberg has the story of a Nebraska farmer who is currently getting $3000 per year to leave his 800 acres fallow thus not releasing 470 tons of carbon into the atmosphere. The $3000 is not sufficient income for this practice to become widespread, however the farmer believes that Obama's cap-and-trade carbon program will allow for a much larger payout. Haven't we been through this issue already?

Labels: Barack Obama, Cap-And-Trade, Carbon Credits, Food Shortages

The Washington Times has the story, Heather Heidelbough the lawyer for whistleblower Anita Moncrief will testify in front of the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, civil rights and civil liberties concerning her client's sworn court testimoney that ACORN had participated in "unlawfully coordinating campaign activity with Mr. Obama's presidential campaign to deliberately engaging in voter-registration fraud and misusing federal grant money", among other things.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Democrats to do anything about the liberal vote fraud racket that is ACORN.

Labels: ACORN, Fraud, Vote Fraud

Image Copyright: "Send $5 to A. Franken c/o SNL 30 Rockefeller Plaza NY, NY"

Typical of a Democratic administration, the federal government has set up a new agency just for the recovery. In 100 years it will be the agency equivalent of the Telephone Excise Tax that was originally levied in 1898 to pay for the Spanish American War. This spoof label uses three poison ivy* leaves to remind the government of the original Boston Tea Party and the ongoing Chicago Tea Party.

Thanks Publia, as you can see I shouldn't blog in the morning and knock wood, despite being around the stuff I'm not heavily affected.

Labels: Chicago Tea Party, Recovery.org

Alderman Ricardo Munoz tells a constituent "Get the F*** out of my office!"

Who pays for that office Alderman S*** For Brains?

Hat Tip: Uptown Update

Labels: Chicago Democrats, Democratic Corruption, Rod Blagojevich