Monday, June 7, 2010

Oil touches down on Florida beaches.

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Charlie Crist came to Pensacola Beach on Saturday and brought tropical troubadour Jimmy Buffett with him to drive home the message that Florida's beaches are open. What he didn't say is that the famed white-sand beaches are the defense of last resort against tar balls, contamination and oily sheen. Oil showed up from here to Grayton Beach halfway across the Panhandle to the east. Forecasts for the rest of the weekend predict more oil on Florida beaches as far east as Apalachicola.Link

Another Arsonist Sets Himself On Fire - Watch more Funny Videos

Helen deserves better.

Helen Thomas announced Monday that "she is retiring, effective immediately," according to a statement from Hearst newspapers. Her decision comes after her controversial remarks about Israel hit the blogosphere. She later apologized for her comments, saying she "deeply regretted" making them. White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) President Ed Chen criticized her in a statement Monday. "Helen Thomas' comments were indefensible and the White House Correspondents Association board firmly dissociates itself from them. Many in our profession who have known Helen for years were saddened by the comments, which were especially unfortunate in light of her role as a trail blazer on the White House beat," he said.Link

The Longest War.

Today, the war in Afghanistan becomes America's longest war. Longer than the war in Vietnam. Longer than the Korean War. It took America two years to end World War I, and bring peace to the world. World War II was a little harder; that took us 3½ years to finish off. The war in Afghanistan is over eight years old. And we're sending in more troops. We're not getting out. We getting deeper in. Would you like to know why? It's not hard to find the answers. Just read the transcript of Osama Bin Laden's 2004 speech - right here. Bin Laden's strategy was -- and is -- painfully simple: to repeat his victory in Afghanistan against Russia, by driving us into bankruptcy. As he put it, he wanted to use his "experience in using guerrilla warfare and the war of attrition to fight tyrannical superpowers, as we, alongside the mujahidin, bled Russia for 10 years, until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat." In other words, he just wants to go two-for-two.Link

Libertarian Ethos Began at Home.

WASHINGTON — In keeping with their position as the First Family of Libertarianism, the Pauls of Lake Jackson, Tex., did not have many rules around their home. “Behave yourself and be polite” is how Representative Ron Paul describes his regulatory philosophy about rearing five children. Mr. Paul, a Republican, and his wife of 53 years, Carol, never believed in assigned chores or mandates. They did not give out allowances, which they viewed as a parental version of a government handout. They did not believe in strict curfews; Mr. Paul says that unintended consequences — like speeding home to beat the clock — can result from excessive meddling from a central authority.Link