The End of Free Speech?

From Fox News:

A St. Louis man landed in jail for joking about shoe bombs after he boarded
a plane.
Michael Shafermeyer, 30, spent more than three days behind bars
after making what he says was a joke at Lambert Airport.

When a flight attendant asked him to close his laptop after boarding on
Saturday, Shafermeyer told KMOV-TV in St. Louis that he jokingly asked her, "Are
you the one who checks for shoe bombs?"

...Within minutes, federal agents removed him from the plane. He was
booked at the St. Louis County jail and placed in solitary confinement, where he
spent two-and-a-half days before being placed with other inmates on his final
day.

Shafermeyer was released on Tuesday. He has been charged with making a
false bomb report, he told KMOV-TV.

Now, I understand the need for security in this day and age, but this has got to stop. He was obviously asking a question of her duties and qualifications (can't I make a joke?). It's not like he asked, "What would you do if I had a shoe bomb?"

He asked if she was the one who checked for them. He made a joke. If we are going to be throwing people in jail for what they say in a joking manner, then we need to throw a whole lot of comedians in jail for charges ranging from defamation, inflammatory diress, racism, inciting to violence, humiliation and insensitivities toward the physically and mentally disabled.

Is this the hope and change you were hoping for?

The very first US Senate bill coming up for the 2009 session is a doozy. No, it is not about cutting wasteful spending or reducing our tax burden as we were promised.

Oklahoma's Sen Tom Coburn has the lowdown:

Oklahoma U.S. Senator Tom Coburn is criticizing a decision by Senate
leaders to make a $10 billion omnibus lands package the first order of business
in the 111th Congress. More than 100 organizations ranging from the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce to the National Wildlife Refuge Association have expressed
opposition to this package, according to Coburn, due to its wasteful earmarks,
anti-conservation provisions and anti-domestic energy production provisions.

"The decision by Senate leaders to kick off the new Congress with an
earmark-laden omnibus lands bill makes a mockery of voters' hopes for
change. This package represents some of the worst aspects of congressional
incompetence and parochialism. Congress should spend the next few weeks holding
hearings on an economic stimulus package and identifying areas of the budget to
cut to pay for that proposal. Instead, the Senate is set to resume business as
usual," Dr. Coburn said.

So much for hope and change and hoping for change. Seems like spend as usual up there. And note, I also blame so called Republicans too. At a time of national, if not world-wide, recession, our government is spending and spending on pet projects to the tune of nearly 8 Trillion now.

Terrorists Screw Up Al Gore's Schedule

....and he is pissed. So, what's a pissed off blame-humanity-first green-nazi to do?

Give up.

From The Jammie Wearing Fool comes this find...

LIVE Earth India, a concert scheduled for December 7 in Mumbai to raise money for solar energy projects, has been cancelled due to the terrorist attacks in the city.

"Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are saddened to announce that Live Earth India has been called off,'' said a joint statement from the organisers, including former US vice-president Al Gore.

Of course, the weather is also out of our control, but for some reason this buffoon thinks we have an effect on it.

"Together, we will continue to work for solutions to the climate crisis for the good of the people of India and around the world,'' the organisers said.

If the concert is for the good of mankind, then why not go ahead with concert. I think the people of India could use some "good" right now. But then, what the greens do has never been about the "good of the people".

He calls these attacks "beyond our control" and is thus saddened that the concert to raise his money is called off. He continues then spewing his rhetoric about a "climate crisis" in the aftermath of the massacre of Indians and westerners.

And once again, no condemnation for the act and against the terrorists from either the liberals or the UN which is cosponsoring this lovely event.

Quote of the week

Obama:

"This economy grows from the bottom-up."

Obama's Tax Plan Told By Obama

A vote for Obama is a vote for Socialism and Marxist policies. If Obama is voted in, taxes will be raised on those whom he feels do not DESERVE to have money. He will create a taxation policy to VASTLY increase welfare rolls and amounts. That is what Stalin was all about. And we all know how well people lived under Stalin's socialist policies.

Look here for a breakdown of what it will mean to vote for Obama. You vote for Obama and you believe in what he and his supporters believe!! Do you believe in Infanticide? Do you believe blacks born today deserve reparations and a job because they are a minority? Then vote for Obama and watch this nation turn in to Stalinist Russia.

Obama's New Anthem! Learn It.

Starting Nov 5th, comes Obama's new National Anthem. You will be expected to sing it on your doorstep each morning at 9:11 am EST.

Obama and Achmed on nukes!