The Plain Truth

The Wilding of Sarah Palin

When I was in college, I read a book that changed my life. It was Susan Brownmiller's tome, Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, which explained rape as an act of power instead of just lust. What I found particularly chilling was the chapter on war -- how rape is used to terrorize a population and destroy the enemy's spirit.

While edifying, the book magnified the vulnerability I already felt as a female. Fear of rape became a constant dread, and I sought a solution that would help shield me from danger.

The answer: seek safe harbor within the Democratic Party. I even became an activist for feminist causes, including violence against women. Liberalism would protect me from the big, bad conservatives who wished me harm.

Like for most feminists, it was a no-brainer for me to become a Democrat. Liberal men, not conservatives, were the ones devoted to women's issues. They marched at my side in support of abortion rights. They were enthusiastic about women succeeding in the workplace.

As time went on, I had many experiences that should have made me rethink my certainty. But I remained nestled in cognitive dissonance -- therapy jargon for not wanting to see what I didn't want to see.

One clue: the miscreants who were brutalizing me didn't exactly look Reagan-esque. In middle and high schools, they were minority kids enraged about forced busing. On the streets of New York City and Berkeley, they were derelicts and hoodlums. 

Another red flag: while liberal men did indeed hold up those picket signs, they didn't do anything else to protect me. In fact, their social programs enabled bad behavior and bred chaos in urban America. And when I was accosted by thugs, those leftist men were missing in action.

What else should have tipped me off? Perhaps the fact that so many men in ultra-left Berkeley are sleazebags. Rarely a week goes by that I don't hear stories from my young female clients about middle-aged men preying on them. With the rationale of moral relativism, these creeps feel they can do anything they please. 

What finally woke me up were the utterances of "bitch," "witch," and "monster" toward Hillary Clinton and her supporters early last year. I was shocked into reality: the trash-talk wasn't coming from conservatives, but from male and female liberals.   

I finally beheld what my eyes had refused to see: that leftists are Mr. and Ms. Misogyny. Neither the males nor the females care a whit about women.

Women are continually sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. If under radical Islam women are enshrouded and stoned and beheaded, so be it. 

My other epiphanies: those ponytailed guys were marching for abortion rights not because they cherished women's reproductive freedom, but to keep women available for free and easy sex.  

And the eagerness for women to make good money? If women work hard, leftist men don't have to.  

Then along came Sarah, and the attacks became particularly heinous. And I realized something even more chilling about the Left. Leftists not only sacrifice and disrespect women, but it's far worse: many are perpetuators.

The Left's behavior towards Palin is not politics as usual. By their laser-focus on her body and her sexuality, leftists are defiling her. 

They are wilding her. And they do this with the full knowledge and complicity of the White House.   MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Europe Needs to Cast USA Aside Before It Is Too Late

The European Union needs the joint all-European army. The subject surfaced in the beginning of the 1990s, when European countries realized the scale of global changes after the fall of the iron curtain.

The US administration is very negative about the idea. The question about the all-European army was pushed into the background after the Balkan war, when European armies were acting within the framework of KFOR and NATO. The USA believed that one needed to strengthen NATO, and everyone agreed. France was trying to show resistance to it, but after the nation became a full-fledged member of NATO on Sarkozy’s initiative, the French administration forgot about the creation of the all-European army too.

Things changed in 2009. The European Parliament established the Rapid Deployment Force of the European Union in 2009. Last week, officials of the Italian administration put forward a suggestion to look into the matter of the European Army again. Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini stated that Europe needed the army to deepen the European integration, optimize the spending on military operation in NATO and repulse possible threats.

It is worthy of note that every European country, which participates in the military operation in Afghanistan, has to maintain its contingent with arms and military hardware, although there can be bilateral agreements reached at this point. Europe could have a more rational approach to the issue once the continent has the joint army. For example, one country would supply tanks, another one – fighter jets, another one – communication systems, etc.

The European Union has a more important reason for creating the army. Europe wants to increase its weight in the world and turn into a real center of influence. Europe has not been happy with its role of America’s minor partner, not to mention its position of a subordinate member in NATO.

European leaders are also concerned about the global political revival of Asia and Africa. However, the biggest risk factor appeared with the creation of the union between the United States and China. Europe decided to create its Rapid Deployment Force soon after the presentation of the G2 project. Furthermore, the idea to create the joint EU Army was voiced against the background of the discussion of Obama’s visit to China.

If the USA and China unite into the G2, they will create the Pacific axis, and the Atlantic Alliance will be forgotten. The interests of America’s foreign policy has taken a different turn – to the East, which means that Europe must take care of its security.

"If we do not find a common foreign policy, there is the risk that Europe will become irrelevant. We will be bypassed by the G2 of America and China,” Mr. Frattini said.

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Casting down imaginations

The Plain Truth behind Christmas, Easter and Sunday worship....

Obama book ghostwritten by terrorist Bill Ayers

The founder of Times Books -- publisher of President Barack Obama's autobiography Dreams From My Father -- Thomas Lipscomb recently dropped a huge bomb on the Obama White House. Now a senior fellow at the well-regarded Annenberg Center, Lipscomb contends that Obama's story was actually ghostwritten by former terrorist and cop-killer William Ayers.

During the presidential campaign if asked how close he was with the former bomb-maker for Weathermen, Obama would claim that Bill Ayers was merely "a guy who lives in my neighborhood," and "not somebody who I exchange ideas with on a regular basis."

But according to Lipscomb's Accuracy in Media report: "Obama had to give up on a $150,000 Simon & Schuster contract because he couldn't complete the manuscript, his sources were telling him Obama finally had to bring in a ghostwriter to put together his highly praised Dreams From My Father for Times Books. He had a million pieces of tape, pictures, memos, notes, and no manuscript."

Unfortunately for Obama, he was caught at a July 10, 2008, meeting in Fairfax, Virginia proudly saying the following: "I've written two books. I actually wrote them myself."   MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>

Why You Should Be Hot and Bothered About 'Climate-gate'

Science depends on good quality of data. It also relies on replication and sharing data. But the last couple of days have uncovered some shocking revelations. Computer hackers have obtained 160 megabytes of e-mails from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England. These e-mails, which have now been confirmed as real, involved many researchers across the globe with ideologically similar advocates around the world. They were brazenly discussing the destruction and hiding of data that did not support global warming claims. The academics here also worked closely with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Professor Phil Jones, the head of the Climate Research Unit, and Professor Michael Mann at Pennsylvania State University, who has been an important scientist in the climate debate, have come under particular scrutiny. Among his e-mails, Professor Jones talks to Professor Mann about the "trick of adding in the real temps to each series...to hide the decline [in temperature]." Professor Mann admitted that this was the exchange that he had and explained to the New York Times that "scientists often used the word 'trick' to refer to a good way to solve a problem, 'and not something secret.'" While the New York Times apparently buys this explanation, it is hard to see the explanation for "to hide the decline."

And there is a lot more. In another exchange, Professor Jones tells Professor Mann: "If they ever hear there is a Freedom of Information Act now in the UK, I think I’ll delete the file rather than send to anyone" and "We also have a data protection act, which I will hide behind." Professor Jones further urges Professor Mann to join him in deleting e-mail exchanges about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s controversial assessment report: "Can you delete any e-mails you may have had with Keith re: [the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report]?" In another e-mail, Professor Jones told Professor Mann and Professor Malcolm Hughes at the University of Arizona and Raymond S. "Ray" Bradley at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst: "I'm getting hassled by a couple of people to release the CRU station temperature data. Don’t any of you three tell anybody that the UK has a Freedom of Information Act!"

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Jesus may have visited Britain, film suggests

Note from Bob Barney: Jesus DID visit Britain, as his uncle, Joseph of Arimathea (whose grave Jesus was buried in) was a tin miner, who owned mines it Britain. The first Christian Church outside of Palestine was actually located in Glastonbury England! Mary, Jesus' mother moved there after the death of Christ and probably died in Britain. This is all a part of the history of lost Israel, YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD!

The documentary, And Did Those Feet, explores the story behind the legend which survives in the hymn, for which William Blake wrote the words.

The legend claims Jesus visited several places in the West Country, such as the Roseland peninsula and Glastonbury, with his uncle, Joseph of Arimathaea.

In the film, the Scottish researcher Dr Strachan said it is plausible Jesus may have visited Britain to further his learning.

Ted Harrison, the film's director and producer, said: ''There is a very much closer connection between early Christianity and the classical Greek and Roman world than previously thought.

''If somebody was wanting to learn about the spirituality and thinking not just of the Jews but also the classical and Greek world he would have to come to Britain, which was the centre of learning at the time.

''But there is nothing specific by way of archaeological finds; Jesus's shoe has not turned up.''

Dr Strachan, a Church of Scotland minister who lives in Edinburgh, lectures on the history of architecture at Edinburgh University.

The film also explores how St Augustine heard the legend of Jesus's visit when he came to England around 597AD.

He heard that Jesus built a chapel in Glastonbury and wrote to the Pope to tell him about it.

Mr Harrison said: ''The concrete evidence is this reference by St Augustine that at Glastonbury there was a small building or church that was put up by Jesus, built by the hand of the Lord himself.

''But the medieval Glastonbury Abbey has been built on top of it.''

The documentary also claims that Britain was at the forefront of learning and scholarship in the first century AD, particularly in mathematics.

It looks at the maths involved in structures such as Stonehenge and the standing stones in Calanish on the Isle of Lewis, and relates it to mathematics in the Bible, medieval cathedrals and the modern-day credit card.

The 45-minute film will be launched at the British Film Institute in London on Friday.

SOURCE

Also Read:

VATICAN CONFIRMATION that JOSEPH of ARIMATHAEA (the VIRGIN's uncle) went to ENGLAND and continued the Conversion of the BRITISH.

The Plain Truth: DID JESUS VISIT BRITAIN?

The Traditions of Glastonbury: The Biblical Missing Years of Christ - Answered,

What, Jesus has family alive today?????????

America in Biblical Prophecy

Angelina Jolie Not a Fan of Obama

Barack Obama does not have Angelina Jolie's seal of approval.

"She hates him," a source close to the U.N. goodwill ambassador, 34, tells the new issue of Us Weekly (on newsstands now).

"She's into education and rehabilitation and thinks Obama is all about welfare and handouts. She thinks Obama is really a socialist in disguise," adds the source.

But don't expect to see the Salt actress rally against Democrats on Fox News like her staunch Republican father, Jon Voight.

"Angie isn't Republican, but she thinks Obama is all smoke and mirrors," the source says.

And those political views are putting her at odds with Brad Pitt, 45, who is a big fan of the president and even went solo to the 2008 election party in Chicago.

"They get in nasty arguments all the time about it," says the source. "She doesn't respect Brad when it comes to politics, but, in the end, this won't tear them apart."

Today's Headlines For Nov 26, 2009 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

WorldNetDaily Exclusive
Obama grandmama makes Muslim pilgrimage 
President extends 'best wishes' to participants of Islamic celebration

Dubai default threat rattles world stock 

Just remember, this is the nation that Bush wanted to own ALL of our seaports!!!!!

Did Political Correctness allow a breach of security near the President?????

WorldNetDaily Exclusive
Senator to demand probe of global-warming 'fraud'
'They cooked the science to make this thing look as if it was settled'
--WND

Poll: 63% say PC madness led to Fort Hood
Majority believe prevented military from responding to warning signs from Hasan
--Rasmussen Reports

Obama's support among whites down to 39%
Gallup: Fewer than 4 in 10 approve of performance as president
--Gallup.com

CLIMATEGATE:

Obama to attend beginning of UN climate meeting...

Climategate: 'Greatest scandal in modern science'...

Call for Congressional investigation...

Paper: Junk science exposed among climate-change believers...

Democrats push $150 Billion stock tax on Wall Street

Navy SEALs Face Assault Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist

Obama Shatters Spending Record for First-Year Presidents...

IMUS: "OBAMA IS JIMMY CARTER STUPID"

Chinese credit tightening chills Asian markets-11/25 Telegraph (UK), By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard-- China has stepped up efforts to halt the explosive growth in credit, ordering the country's five top banks to raise capital over coming weeks or face lending sanctions.--

Why You Should Be Hot and Bothered About 'Climate-gate'-11/25 Fox, By John Lott-- A coordinated campaign to hide scientific information about climate change appears unprecedented. Could it wind up costing us trillions?--

Networks That Jumped at Complaints About a ‘Deniers’ ‘Conspiracy’ Now Silent About Left’s Global Warming Distortions

By Rich Noyes | November 24, 2009 - 12:20

The broadcast networks still haven’t uttered a single word about the revelations late last week of e-mails showing scientists on the left-wing side of the global warming debate plotting to hide data and silence those on the other side in an effort prop up the notion of a “consensus” on the issue. But when the liberal side of the debate charged that their opponents were involved in a “conspiracy” to tilt the debate in their favor, those same networks eagerly jumped on the story and castigated the evil “deniers.”

In 2007, as Brent Baker chronicled at the time in the MRC's CyberAlert, the broadcast network evening newscasts jumped to hype a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing meant to publicize a report from two far-left groups about how the Bush administration supposedly suppressed science about the dire threat of global warming — as if that view wasn’t getting plenty of play in the mainstream media.

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Are You Getting Tired (and Sick) of this????

Obama Bows Before Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao...

Why Isn't Anybody Investigating ACORN????

by Chris Berg

As we rapidly approach December 18^th, the day when ACORN is again eligible to receive federal funds, we still have yet to see a meaningful investigation of ACORN.

Last week,  the Inspector General of the Department of Justice released a “Review of Department of Justice Grants to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Inc. (ACORN) and its Affiliated Organizations.”  Unsurprisingly this report “did not find any DOJ direct grants to ACORN.”  The report did however reveal approximately $200,000 in sub-grants to ACORN affiliates.  This number pales in comparison to the amount of federal money ACORN and its affiliates have received from other agencies.

ACORN and its affiliates have received over $54 million in federal grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  These are the grants that the government should be investigating.  How did ACORN spend these federal tax dollars?  Were they used for their designated purposes?  Does ACORN owe the federal government a refund?

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Science or fiction?

EVEN for a religion started by a science fiction writer, the allegations levelled against the Church of Scientology in federal parliament this week sound stranger than fiction.

Blackmail, cover-ups of child abuse, labour camps, embezzlement and coerced abortions are spelled out among the 53 pages of allegations by seven former Scientologists - some of whom had climbed high in the church hierarchy - tabled in the Senate.

In what the church has decried as "an outrageous abuse of parliamentary privilege", independent senator Nick Xenophon is demanding a Senate inquiry into what he described in parliament as a "criminal organisation that hides behind its religious beliefs".

"In my view, this is a two-faced organisation," he told the Senate on Tuesday night.

"There is the public face of the organisation founded in 1953 by the late science fiction writer L.Ron Hubbard, which claims to offer guidance and support to its followers, and there is the private face of the organisation, which abuses its followers, viciously targets its critics and seems largely driven by paranoia."  MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SEIU Leader Resigns over Boy Scout Flap!

A union leader in Pennsylvania has resigned after being criticized for threatening legal action over an aspiring Eagle Scout’s volunteer project.

Nick Balzano, president of the Service Employees International Union’s Allentown chapter, submitted an unexpected resignation letter Thursday, along with a few other employees, SEIU spokesman Matt Nerzig told Foxnews.com.

The resignations came one day after FoxNews.com reported that Balzano had come under fire for saying earlier in the month that the SEIU might file a grievance against the city of Allentown for allowing 17-year-old Kevin Anderson to voluntarily clear a walking trail in a local park, instead of paying union members to do the work.

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Iceberg Dead Ahead, Captain Orders “All Engines Ahead Full”

John Steele Gordon - 11.21.2009 - 5:22 PM

Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office, has an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, in which he predicts — correctly in my opinion — that we are headed for a fiscal iceberg.

Our fiscal situation has deteriorated rapidly in just the past few years. The federal government ran a 2009 deficit of $1.4 trillion — the highest since World War II — as spending reached nearly 25% of GDP and total revenues fell below 15% of GDP. Shortfalls like these have not been seen in more than 50 years.

Going forward, there is no relief in sight, as spending far outpaces revenues and the federal budget is projected to be in enormous deficit every year. Our national debt is projected to stand at $17.1 trillion 10 years from now, or over $50,000 for every American. By 2019, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) analysis of the president’s budget, the deficit will still be roughly $1 trillion, even though the economic situation will have improved and revenues will be above historical norms.

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The War on Soy: Why the 'Miracle Food' May Be a Health Risk and Environmental Nightmare

Vegetarians aren't the only ones who should be concerned; there's soy in just about everything you eat these days -- including hamburgers, mac 'n cheese and salad dressing.

These days, you can get soy versions of just about any meat -- from hot dogs to buffalo wings. If you're lactose-intolerant you can still enjoy soy ice-cream and soy milk on your cereal. If you're out for a hike and need a quick boost of energy, you can nibble on soy candy bars.

Soy is a lucrative industry. According to Soyfoods Association of North America, from 1992 to 2008, sales of soy foods have increased from $300 million to $4 billion. From sales numbers to medical endorsements, it would seem that soy has reached a kind of miracle food status.

In 2000 the American Heart Association gave soy the thumbs up and the FDA proclaimed: "Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease." Over the course of the last decade medical professionals have touted its benefits in fighting not just cardiovascular disease, but cancers, osteoporosis and diabetes.

But soy's glory days may be coming to an end. New research is questioning its health benefits and even pointing out some potential risks. Although definitive evidence may be many years down the road, the American Heart Association has quietly withdrawn its support. And some groups are waging an all-out war, warning that soy can lead to certain kinds of cancers, lowered testosterone levels, and early-onset puberty in girls.

Most of the soy eaten today is also genetically modified, which may pose another set of health risks. The environmental implications of soy production, including massive deforestation, increased use of pesticides and threats to water and soil, are providing more fodder for soy's detractors.

All of this has many people wondering if they should even be eating it at all. And you are most likely eating it. Even if you're not a vegetarian or an avid tofu fan, there is a good chance you're still eating soy. Raj Patel, author of Stuffed and Starved, explains that soy is now an ingredient in three-quarters of processed food on the market and just about everything you'd find in a fast food restaurant. It's used as filler in hamburgers, as vegetable oil and an emulsifier. It's in salad dressing, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets.

"Even if you read every label and avoid cardboard boxes, you are likely to find soy in your supplements and vitamins (look out for vitamin E derived from soy oil), in foods such as canned tuna, soups, sauces, breads, meats (injected under poultry skin), and chocolate, and in pet food and body-care products," wrote Mary Vance for Terrain Magazine. "It hides in tofu dogs under aliases such as textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and lecithin--which is troubling, since the processing required to hydrolyze soy protein into vegetable protein produces excitotoxins such as glutamate (think MSG) and aspartate (a component of aspartame), which cause brain-cell death."    MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Lessons from Saturday's vote

Saturday's night Senate vote is only the beginning of a long, complicated road Harry Reid's legislation has to travel.

The vote on cloture passed 60-39, with Republican George Voinovich not present for the vote. There's a couple points I want to make in light of today's events:

#1- It demonstrates the need to turn up the pressure on those senators who publicly state they're on the fence. The argument that you're "going to vote to start debate on a bill but you still may not vote for it in the end because you're not happy with it" is a cop-out - plain and simple.

You hold a much more considerable position of power when you prevent the bill from even being brought to the floor than you do when you allow it to be considered. If you claim to be unhappy with provisions in the bill, then you should work with leadership behind the scenes to change the bill so you can support it in good conscience.

Some senators have made headlines stating how they're going to take a bold stand by bucking the party if the party delivers something they can't agree with. Tonight demonstrates how easily those type of people cave in. Make no mistake, when you're contacting your senator, if they voted for cloture, their vote should be treated as a vote in support of this plan. Don't let them give you a bunch of bull in response about how they will block the final vote if they don't agree with it; I'm pretty sure their excuse next time will be, "Well, I'll just try to make sure these problems are fixed in committee, but this bill is too important to be stopped here." Call them on it.

To reiterate, if they want to truly take a bold stand, then they will follow through on all their threats and oppose this bill until what they disagree with is fixed. The public debate has already started. We've been debating this bill for the last week. No matter what's in the bill, you should have the courage to vote to bring it to the floor only if you actually believe in the legislation's contents.

But that requires taking a truly principled stand. That requires courage.

Help C4L turn up the attention on these swing votes by donating to our television ad campaign. We're already running ads in Nebraska urging Senator Ben Nelson's constituents to call him, and we want to expand to Arkansas and beyond.

#2 - Don't let this bother you too much while enjoying time with your family this week. As previously mentioned, this is the beginning of a long, long process in the Senate. There's still a lot of time to fight, and I have a feeling that this vote tonight will only build frustrations.

Another vote will have to be taken to even end debate and move for a final vote. Senators are coming home for the holidays soon. I think we should be there to deliver some Season's Greetings.

SOURCE:

How 16 ships create as much pollution as all the cars in the world

Last week it was revealed that 54 oil tankers are anchored off the coast of Britain, refusing to unload their fuel until prices have risen.

But that is not the only scandal in the shipping world. Today award-winning science writer Fred Pearce – environmental consultant to New Scientist and author of Confessions Of An Eco Sinner – reveals that the super-ships that keep the West in everything from Christmas gifts to computers pump out killer chemicals linked to thousands of deaths because of the filthy fuel they use.

We've all noticed it. The filthy black smoke kicked out by funnels on cross-Channel ferries, cruise liners, container ships, oil tankers and even tugboats.

It looks foul, and leaves a brown haze across ports and shipping lanes. But what hasn’t been clear until now is that it is also a major killer, probably causing thousands of deaths in Britain alone.

As ships get bigger, the pollution is getting worse. The most staggering statistic of all is that just 16 of the world’s largest ships can produce as much lung-clogging sulphur pollution as all the world’s cars.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1229857/How-16-ships-create-pollution-cars-world.html#ixzz0XeNvwxPT

Can Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La. Keep some of that $300 Million Bribe?

In short the answer is yes! She just needs to play "politics" with the money. The $300 million will be "earmarked" most likely to liberal causes that are usually non-profits, or companies that support Democratic candidates. They will funnel a large part back into her campaign chest, as she needs all the money she can raise for her next election WHICH SHE MAY LOSE! If she loses, she is still taken care of! Here's How:

Ex-lawmakers working as lobbyists or advisers to those seeking to influence federal policy are pumping leftover campaign funds into the accounts of their former congressional colleagues — including colleagues who oversee the industries the ex-lawmakers now represent, a USA TODAY review of campaign-finance records shows.

The donations are legal. Federal law allows former members of Congress to keep campaign accounts active and dole out the money to candidates, political parties and charities.

However, critics of the practice, such as Meredith McGehee of the non-profit Campaign Legal Center, call the accounts "political slush funds," that are tapped to curry favor with lawmakers.

"Being able to give money is a huge advantage in establishing yourself as a lobbyist," McGehee said. "Money buys you face time. But this isn't money that's coming from their pockets. This is money other people have given them that they are using to set up their next careers."

Former representative Jim McCrery, who left Congress earlier this year and advises clients on tax, trade and health-care issues as a partner in the Washington lobbying firm Capitol Counsel, contributed $70,500 to lawmakers, political action committees and party committees during the first six months of 2009, Federal Election Commission records show. McCrery is not a lobbyist, but said he intends to register in January.

People in lobbying firms "are expected to give campaign contributions," said McCrery, a Louisiana Republican.

Having leftover campaign funds to donate, he said, "gives you a leg up to the extent that you don't have to take it out of your own income."

Recipients of McCrery's campaign money include Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Michigan Rep. Dave Camp, the top Republicans on the panels that oversee tax policy and health care. McCrery said his chief goal was to help other Republicans.

Former Democratic representative Bud Cramer, chairman of the lobbying firm Wexler & Walker, donated $75,000 in leftover funds to federal candidates this year, including $2,000 to a Republican — Sen. Richard Shelby of his home state Alabama. Shelby is the ranking member of the Senate banking committee, and the firm's clients include American Express and the Consumer Credit Industry Association, according to its website. Cramer, who left office this year, did not return calls. He is not a registered lobbyist.

Others who left office years ago continue to use campaign funds to spread the wealth. Former Colorado congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, who retired after the 1996 election, gave nearly $225,000 to candidates during a decade of lobbying — including $4,000 to fellow Democrats this year before retiring as CEO of the Association of American Publishers.

The donations were not about buying influence but a chance to "go to fundraisers and say hello to friends," she said. "We kicked it out at $500 and $1,000 at a time," Schroeder said of her contributions over the years. "That won't get you very far in the lobbying world."

Funds donated

How much some ex-lawmakers have contributed from their campaign or political action committees:

Name Employer Year Retired Total Former Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. Breaux-Lott Leadership Group 2007  $232,500 Former Rep. John LaFalce, D-N.Y. Self,HoganWillig 2003 $134,294 Former Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas The Normandy Group 2007 $73,850 Former Rep. Robert Bud Cramer, D-Ala. Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates 2009 $75,000

SOURCE:

Today's Headlines for Nov 23, 2009

Iran holds its largest-ever war drills 'Biggest war game' begins day after Tehran cleric threatened Tel Aviv

'Peace partner' – not Hamas – targeted Jews
Rocket attacks prompted Israeli air raid in Gaza

Comparison of Democrat bills
Dramatic change in U.S. health care to increase coverage for 11% of Americans

Also:

Twenty-pound, 2,074-page bill steals show

Health care bill clears Senate hurdle, 60-39 along party lines

The Road Ahead in the Health Care Battle

Republican governors: 'Opt out' unworkable

AARP Received $18 Million In Stimulus Money

Glenn Beck reveals the Plan

The Coming Deficit Disaster

China goes public on fifth-generation fighter, contradicts Gates

Barack Obama: the politics of hypocrisy and cynicism  It was supposed to be all about the end of politics as usual. But while President Barack Obama has been happy to bring about change while abroad by doing all he can to diminish the superpower status of the United States

3 Mile Island Has radiation Leak

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - November 22, 2009 -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the small amount of radiation detected at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is not significant. 

Specialist John White has told ABC News that there is no indication that radiation at the plant exceeded or even approached regulatory limits.

The commission sent investigators to the central Pennsylvania plant after a small amount of radiation was detected.

About 150 employees were sent home Saturday afternoon, but officials say there is no public health risk.

Exelon Nuclear spokeswoman Beth Archer says the radiation was quickly contained.

The unit has been shut for refueling and maintenance since Oct. 26. Workers are being tested for radiation exposure.

A partial meltdown occurred in Three Mile Island's Unit 2 reactor in 1979.

Watch scientists 'prove Darwin wrong'

Team: Galopagos 'birthplace of evolution' is actually 'testimony of God's greatness'

---

Posted: November 22, 2009
7:36 pm Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

Just in time for the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," a team of Christian scientists has traveled back in time to the birthplace of evolution to "prove Darwin wrong."

The scientists have embarked on a journey to the Galapagos Islands, the same island chain Darwin visited during the voyage of the HMS Beagle in 1835. Many scholars today agree that the animals and plants Darwin saw on those islands contributed greatly to his becoming an evolutionist.

Convinced that different species had evolved from common ancestors, Darwin began forming his theory of evolution within two years of the ship's return to England in 1836. His 1859 book "On the Origin of Species" became the impetus for persuading many members of the scientific community

to accept evolution in the 1860s.

But upon returning to the very spot Charles Darwin arrived 174 years ago, the Christian scientists have examined the same unusual creatures Darwin saw – and they've documented their findings in a 90-minute Vision Forum Ministries film titled, "The Mysterious Islands: A Surprising Journey to Darwin's Eden." The documentary was shot and directed by award-winning Jon and Andy Erwin of Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures.

Their mission: Determine whether the Galapagos Islands, resting above vast tectonic plates, are a laboratory for evolution as Darwin believed – or a truly magnificent showcase of God's creation.

Charles Darwin goes to the Galapagos Islands

Doug Phillips, executive producer of the film, explained that prior to leaving on the HMS Beagle with Capt. Robert FitzRoy, Darwin had served as a student at seminary where he was studying to be a clergyman. Though he had no formal training in naturalism, Darwin took on the position of a naturalist on the five-year journey that would take him around the world and culminate in a visit to the Galapagos Archipelago.    MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

SNL Imagines Consequences of Palin Victory in ‘2012′

Philip Morris ordered to pay $300 million to smoker

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Florida jury on Thursday ordered cigarette maker Philip Morris USA to pay $300 million in damages to a 61-year-old ex-smoker named Cindy Naugle who is wheelchair-bound by emphysema.

The Broward Circuit Court jury assessed $56.6 million in past and future medical expenses against the company, part of Altria Group Inc, as well as $244 million in punitive damages.

The verdict is the largest of the so-called Engle progeny cases that have been tried so far, both sides said.

Philip Morris will seek further review of the verdict because of "numerous erroneous rulings by the trial judge," Philip Morris spokesman Murray Garnick said in a statement.

"We believe that the punitive damages award is grossly excessive and a clear violation of constitutional and state law," Garnick said.

Naugle's lawsuit was among about 8,000 cases filed in the wake of a 2006 Florida Supreme Court decision that tossed out a massive class action against the tobacco companies. The case, known as Engle v. RJ Reynolds, resulted in the largest verdict in U.S. history at trial -- $145 billion.

The Florida high court ruling, which decertified the class of about 700,000 smokers, allowed some to file individual complaints.

The case is Naugle v. Philip Morris USA.

(Reporting by Gina Keating; editing by Carol Bishopric)

Obama now pleading for money to fight Sarah Palin

Never shy about $eeking money, Democratic President Obama's Organizing for America is now using the threat of Republican Sarah Palin as an opportunity to acquire more.

It has just sent an e-mail out to its millions of supporters today pleading for urgent donations to fight the mother of five, now on her heavily-publicized, cross-country book promotion bus tour. She holds no political office currently; in fact, she's among America's unemployed, though doing quite well financially.

Perhaps you've heard a little something about Palin in recent days.

The former governor of Alaska has written a book called "Going Rogue" that details her experiences in last year's presidential campaign, her values and thoughts on various issues.

Some San Francisco bookstores are declining to sell the book. And no one really cares about her or the book, obviously (see photo above), because she only sold 300,000 copies the first day.

Some people (bipartisan) think (fear) she may become a candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

Since the Republican Party that chose her as its first female presidential ticket member last year has such a glaring national leadership vacuum these days, she's getting tons of publicity in her symbiotic hate-hate relationship with the media, which doesn't mind attracting crowds with her name either (see headline above).

Although the Democratic National Committee dismisses Palin as an ignorant non-factor, it's invested way more time and effort this week attacking Palin than selling Obama, who was on another overseas publicity trip of his own.

Attempting to use Palin as a lucrative opportunity, too, today's e-mail plaintively asks: "Please chip in $5 to help."

The committee says its goal is a half-mill in one week, chump change for the one-time senator's $750-million presidential campaign.

Today's electronic missive calls Palin "dangerous," blames (credits) her for the term "death panels," and says it needs the money to combat her lies (claims), which will be magnified in coming weeks by well-known complicit conservatives in the media.

The donation plea also warns ominously that "the rest of our opponents will likely parrot those attacks."

It says the money will be used for event organizing, advertising and funding calls to Congress in support of Obama's beleaguered healthcare legislation to counter "right-wing attack groups."

Naturally, Palin is also playing off of Palin's publicity. If you give $100 to her SARAHPac here by midday next Wednesday, she'll give you a free signed copy of "Going Rogue."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Won't you please help a beleaguered blog by donating one cursor click here to get free Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item? Or follow us @latimestot.   And we're also over here on Facebook.

Photo: Indianapolis Star via Associated Press (Long lines of Palin book-buyers stretch around the entire mall parking lot in Noblesville, Ind.); Getty Images.

More in: 2012, Alaska, Books, Campaigning, Celebrities, Democratic Politics, Fundraising, Health Care Policy, Money, Personal Habits, Political History, President Obama, Sarah Palin, Television

Never shy about $eeking money, Democratic President Obama's Organizing for America is now using the threat of Republican Sarah Palin as an opportunity to acquire more.

It has just sent an e-mail out to its millions of supporters today pleading for urgent donations to fight the mother of five, now on her heavily-publicized, cross-country book promotion bus tour. She holds no political office currently; in fact, she's among America's unemployed, though doing quite well financially.

Perhaps you've heard a little something about Palin in recent days.

The former governor of Alaska has written a book called "Going Rogue" that details her experiences in last year's presidential campaign, her values and thoughts on various issues.

Some San Francisco bookstores are declining to sell the book. And no one really cares about her or the book, obviously (see photo above), because she only sold 300,000 copies the first day.

Some people (bipartisan) think (fear) she may become a candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

Since the Republican Party that chose her as its first female presidential ticket member last year has such a glaring national leadership vacuum these days, she's getting tons of publicity in her symbiotic hate-hate relationship with the media, which doesn't mind attracting crowds with her name either (see headline above).

Although the Democratic National Committee dismisses Palin as an ignorant non-factor, it's invested way more time and effort this week attacking Palin than selling Obama, who was on another overseas publicity trip of his own.

Attempting to use Palin as a lucrative opportunity, too, today's e-mail plaintively asks: "Please chip in $5 to help."

The committee says its goal is a half-mill in one week, chump change for the one-time senator's $750-million presidential campaign.

Today's electronic missive calls Palin "dangerous," blames (credits) her for the term "death panels," and says it needs the money to combat her lies (claims), which will be magnified in coming weeks by well-known complicit conservatives in the media.

The donation plea also warns ominously that "the rest of our opponents will likely parrot those attacks."

It says the money will be used for event organizing, advertising and funding calls to Congress in support of Obama's beleaguered healthcare legislation to counter "right-wing attack groups."

Naturally, Palin is also playing off of Palin's publicity. If you give $100 to her SARAHPac here by midday next Wednesday, she'll give you a free signed copy of "Going Rogue."

-- Andrew Malcolm

Won't you please help a beleaguered blog by donating one cursor click here to get free Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item? Or follow us @latimestot.   And we're also over here on Facebook.

Photo: Indianapolis Star via Associated Press (Long lines of Palin book-buyers stretch around the entire mall parking lot in Noblesville, Ind.); Getty Images.

Ultimatum: Investigate ACORN or more videos coming

By Drew Zahn
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

Andrew Breitbart, appearing on "Hannity"

Andrew Breitbart, whose BigGovernment.com rocked Washington with undercover videos exposing ACORN corruption, has issued U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder an ultimatum: Conduct an investigation into ACORN, or more videos will be released just in time to drop a bombshell on the 2010 elections.

"This message is to Attorney General Holder," Breitbart said on the Fox News network's "Hannity" last night. "I want you to know that we have more tapes, it's not just ACORN, and we're going to hold out until the next election cycle. … If you get into an investigation, we will give you the tapes; if you don't give us the tapes, we will revisit these tapes come election time."

The show's host, Sean Hannity, responded, "This is a blockbuster

, what you're saying here. You guys have more tapes, you'll release them before the election – that could have a big impact on the election."

Breitbart's ultimatum joins the already growing number of U.S. representatives who earlier this week introduced a House resolution requesting Holder appoint a special counsel to investigate allegations regarding ACORN.

H. Res. 911, introduced by Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., and cosponsored by 28 representatives, states concern that ACORN may have been spending federal money illegally and charges, "There has not been a cohesive approach to investigating these allegations."

It's time for us to start "Taking America Back" from groups like ACORN. Read Joseph Farah's manifesto for sovereignty, self-reliance and moral renewal, from WND Books!

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which describes itself as a team of families "working together for social justice and stronger communities," had already been accused multiple times of voter fraud before BigGovernment.com's exposés showed ACORN workers advising on how to fake tax forms, set up a child prostitution business and other dubious issues.

Outcry over the undercover tapes prompted Congress to defund ACORN and sever the organization's link with the upcoming census, but Breitbart insists federal authorities cannot simply wait out the firestorm to avoid a formal investigation:

"While all that damage occurred, Congress didn't come in to investigate them, obviously not the Attorney General's office, and they've now realized, let's get back into business, because they realized that the dust settled and they were not being investigated," he said.   MORE>>>>>>>>>>>>