PAXALLES

Krav Maga: Deadliest Force In Self Defense?

Trading Karate Kicks For Real Force from the New York Times reports on the surging popularity of Krav Maga, a self-defense method favored by growing numbers of law enforcement, military and private citizens - even for children.

Krav Maga is enjoying an unusual burst of popularity among American children who might otherwise be practicing karate chops. Born in the Jewish quarter of Nazi-infested Bratislava, then part of Czechoslovakia, in the 1930s and embraced by the Israel Defense Forces after the founding of Israel in 1948, Krav Maga (“contact combat” in Hebrew) spent decades in America as a cult activity inside a handful of gyms in Los Angeles and New York.

But in recent years, the no-holds-barred technique has been introduced as a martial arts class in cities and towns across the country. Among the students are children whose parents worry about “stranger danger,” women who want to protect themselves, security guards at psychiatric hospitals and teenagers scared of high school bullies.

Will the Permanent Loss of Women's Rights Be The Ultimate Collateral Damage of the War in Afghanistan?

Afghan women fear the loss of modest gains from the New York Times reports that as the timeline for troop withdrawals come closer, Afghan women, who have suffered under the barbarity of the Taliban, have much to lose and could be the permanent collateral damage of the decades long war.

Women’s precarious rights inAfghanistan

have begun seeping away. Girls’ schools are closing; working women are threatened; advocates are attacked; and terrified families are increasingly confining their daughters to home.

Adrian Lamo: Hero of WikiLeaks Case?

WikiLeaks critic Adrian Lamo defends Bradley Manning's decision from Gizmodo reports on an interview with Adrian Lamo who has been lambasted by the WikiLeaks community for being a snitch - and could be regarded as a hero of the Wikileaks data dump by Pfc. Bradley Manning of thousands of secret government cables to WikiLeaks.  Lamo essentially was the go-between who blew Manning's cover after Manning contacted him online.  Lamo defended himself to a Gizmodo audience with his rationale for his actions.

MIT Graduate admist link in leaks case

Wikileaks suspect’s YouTube videos raised ‘red flag’ in 2008

Official Rejects Claim WikiLeaks Offered Document Review  from the Department of Defense

Wikileaks soldier now in the US military jail

In May, 22-year-old US Army Private First Class Bradley Manningcontacted Lamo over IM, apparently out of the blue. Manning was looking for someone to confide in. According to Lamo, Manning went on to tell him that he leaked the Apache video, and that he'd also leaked 260,000 diplomatic cables. Lamo decided to turn him in, and then told the story to Kevin Poulsen of Wired. Wired reported on Manning's arrest and Lamo's involvement.

He told the audience that he, like Manning and WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, had acted out of conscience. Lamo believed the cables were dangerous. "Holy fracken crap, there's 260,000 documents," he said, "Do you think you could look through those and make sure they wouldn't cause anybody's life to be lost?"

Walton McCarthy, president of Radius Engineering Int'l with Laura Ingraham

Laura Ingraham hosted 

Walton McCarthy, president of Radius Engineering Int'l McCarthy said his business in creating fallout chelters has boomed as people have been concerned over multiple world threats, especially EMP - electromagnetic pulse - from some place such as Iran - which would result in chaos.  He said his shelters can be designed for ten to a thousand people.  Some are elaborate and is a defense item that is undetectable.  He said items such as generators are protected underground so they don't get affected by the EMP.  He said most of his business is corporations, and most in Washington, DC.  He has filters for air and water purification.  He said his cheapest shelter is $200,000.

Byron York, chief political correspondent for the DC Examiner with Laura Ingraham (7/30/10)

Laura Ingraham hosted Byron York, chief political correspondent for the DC Examiner.

York said the internal immigration services about putting amnesty in place backdoor without going through Congress.  He said that the Obama administration's lawsuit against Arizona dovetails with them not wanting to enforce federal law.  Ingraham said that the government is basically looking the other way - including President Obama's aunt living in Massachusetts.  

York said the majority of the country thinks the Arizona law should have been given a chance and that it isn't overly burdensome.  He noted that they are prosecuting Arizona but not other states that condone sanctuary cities.  

York said this should be debated in the Congress.  

York and Ingraham commented on Michelle Obama being slated to attend the Harry Potter wrap party along with all her vacations and other events.  York noted her self-referential narrative on the campaign trail comparing her situation to mothers in real need - being totally clueless.  

York said that Obama's attempts to talk up the auto industry today is fallacious as the one company that didn't get bailed out is doing the best - Ford Motors.  

Obama Administration Set To Impose Amnesty

Memo outlines backdoor 'amnesty' plan reports that given the fact that Congress is unlikely to pass a comprehensive immigration plan in the near future, an end around is being planned.

The memo, addressed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesDirector Alejandro Mayorkas and written by four agency staffers, lists tools it says the administration has to "reduce the threat of removal" for many illegal immigrants who have run afoul of immigration authorities.

"In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place, deferred action and the issuance of Notices to Appear," the staffers wrote in the memo, which was obtained by Sen. Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican.

Taliban Says It Will Behead WikiLeaks Informers

Taliban furious, says we'll punish WikiLeaks informers reports that the Taliban has responded for the first time to the big WikiLeaks doc dump by saying they would punish the informers.  This would seem to mean PFC Bradley Manning, accused leaker,  may be getting it from both sides - as well as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Bradley Manning, suspected source of Wikileaks documents, raged on his Facebook page

WikiLeaks Suspect’s YouTube Videos Raised ‘Red Flag’ in 2008   

The Taliban in Afghanistan has threatened to behead informers who have been revealed following the explosive disclosure by WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks has put out over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents, causing a security scare. Countries which have their forces fighting in Afghanistan are pouring The Taliban in Afghanistan has threatened to behead informers who have been revealed following the explosive disclosure by WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks has put out over 90,000 uncensored intelligence documents, causing a security scare. Countries which have their forces fighting in Afghanistan are pouring 

GAO: Mexican Drug Traffickers Bring Aliens From Terrorist Countries

GAO: Some Mexican Drug Traffickers ‘Specialize’ in Smuggling Aliens From Countries With Ties to Terrorism Into the U.S. reports that a portion of those coming across our borders aren't hardworking, well-meaning people - but traffickers who specialize in terrorism.

“Aliens from countries of special interest to the United States such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan (known as special-interest aliens) also illegally enter the United States through the [southwest border] region,” Richard Stana, the GAO homeland security and justice issues director, said in a report  on alien smuggling issued July 22. 
 
“These [drug trafficking] organizations collect fees from alien smuggling organizations for the use of specific smuggling routes, and available reporting indicates that some Mexican drug trafficking organizations specialize in smuggling special-interest aliens into the United States,” he added. 

  

"Atlas Shrugged" Part One Behind the Scenes

Many actors and producers have talked about adapting Ayn Rand's classic Atlas Shrugged for the big screen, but 53 years after its publication no one has dared tackle the ambitious project—until now.

Reason.tv heads to the set of Atlas Shrugged Part One to offer viewers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of this most anticipated film.

Director Paul Johansson (One Tree Hill) and Grant Bowler (Lost, True Blood, Ugly Betty), who plays Henry Rearden, discuss the perils, pressures, and pleasure involved in telling the epic tale of a society where the "men of the mind" go on strike and refuse to contribute to a collectivist world.

Produced by Ted Balaker and Hawk Jensen. Camera by Austin Bragg and Hawk Jensen. Production support by Sam Corcos.

Music: "Eu Nao Sabia" by Anamar available from Magnatune Records.

Elite Washington Post Co. Upset Newsweek Could Be Acquired by National Enquirer's Owners

qWashington Post Co. Uneasy Over Bidder for Newsweek reports that the venerable Post - favorite of elite Washington, is shocked that Newsweek - that it has to dump because it can't help it become profitable - and it's a drag on the Post's bottom line, may be sold to the purveyors of the National Enquirer, specifically American Media, Inc. - which is involved with intended purchases Avenue Capitol Group. 

The Post Co. should get off its high horse - the National Enquirer broke one of the biggest political stories of the year involving presidential candidate John Edwards and has been on the mark on a number of others.  It deserved the Pulitzer for covering the story the mainstream media was too biased to cover.   

 

AMI, based in Boca Raton, Fla., publishes the Enquirer and several fitness and celebrity-gossip publications including Shape, Men's Fitness and Star. Some of its publications, like the Enquirer, are dogged by reputations for sensationalism. Avenue holds a 20% equity stake in AMI and occupies one seat on the company's board.

Obama Administration Obsesses Over Polls - Just As It Says It Doesn't

Obama Mocks Polls But Spends More On Them ($4.4M) Than Bush from the Huffington Post reports that despite protestations to the contrary - the money talks as far as the amount of cash - and therefore attention - being paid by the Obama administration to polling - rather like their charges of anyone opposed to their ideas being partisan while they rip into them.

That total represents only 18 months into the administration. During the first 24 months of the Bush administration, the Republican National Committee spent $3.1 million on polling according to a 2003 study done by Brookings. During the 2005-2006 years of the Bush administration, the RNC spent just north of $1.23 million on "surveys," "focus groups," and "polling," according to an analysis of Center for Responsive Politics data (they spent millions, instead, on telemarketing services). So far this cycle, the RNC has spent slightly more than $1 million on those same activities. (The Huffington Post did not examine data from the 2008 cycle because spending totals were affected by the presidential election.)

 

Obama Administration Willing To Cede Super Power Dominance To Not Just China - But The Rest of the World

Matt Drudge posted a link from China's People's Daily posing the question: Is US ready to recognize China as world power?    It is obvious for two reasons: the amount of debt that the US owes to its Chinese bankers and the very open signals that the Obama administration has sent to the world that not only China, but the rest of the world is on an equal footing with the United States.  Any ambivalence the Obama administration has shown is to cover up their discomfort in knowing that all of this doesn't sit well with the majority of the American people who aren't ready to sell out their country so quickly.

It is easier said than done for the United States to adapt itself to China's development. Lip service is far from enough to boost the development of Sino-U.S. relations. If Washington cannot find a way to recognize and accept China's peaceful rise onto the world stage, bilateral ties will be like a roller coaster full of ups and downs. However, no one would like to see the negative effects rocky relations would bring to China, the United States and possibly to the world as a whole. 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged China to play a greater role in solving the world's economic, environmental and political problems. She said global issues could not be solved by the United States or China alone, but without participation of the two countries, no problems would likely be solved. Washington has realized that the United States’ global interest can be maintained only through changing the way it deals with China. 

The Obama administration released positive signals in its relations with China, which have been interpreted as the United States showing its intention to change the traditional strategy of engagement and containment. As a matter of fact, the general direction of Sino-U.S. relations provides a foundation on which the United States can base its foreign policies and is more complicated than an adjustment in real conditions. Issues such as arms sales to Taiwan, Google censorship, RMB exchange rates as well as finger-pointing about economic responsibility show Washington still seems confused and inpatient about relations with China. 

Get Your Limited Edition "Team Pelosi" Tote Bag!

Diane von Furstenberg designs a tote bay for Pelosi from The Hill reports that the famous designer, at Speaker Pelosi's request, designed a limited edition tote bag to help with fundraising for the Democrats.

Von Furstenberg sent an email to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) supporters on Friday to offer them a chance to be one of the first to purchase the cream-colored totes. 

The bags say "Team Pelosi" on them, with a heart instead of the "o" in Pelosi. 

Ingraham Factors Immigration Ruling

Laura Ingraham hosted "The O'Reilly Factor" on July 28th.  The focus of the show was the immigration ruling by Judge Bolton on the Arizona immigration law.

Ingraham talked to John Eastman, law professor of Chapman University,  He said that the ruling was basically muddled and wrong headed and wouldn't stand up under the Supreme Court.

Ingraham spoke to activists Ali Noorani and Cathy Areu who were supportive of Judge Bolton's ruling.

Ingraham then spoke to Dick Morris about the political impact of this ruling and President Obama's push for immigration reform.  He said that given that most polls indicate Americans favor Arizona's immigration law, it is problematic for Democrats who don't want a focus on this issue before the midterm elections.

Ingraham discussed the immigration ruling with talk radio host Nancy Skinner as well as the recent WikiLeaks revelations.  Skinner said she supported the ruling and that the WikiLeaks revelations provided grist for war critics and proof of problems with the strategy, although she agreed with Ingraham that the persons who got the documents and gave them to WikiLeaks should be prosecuted.

Ingraham talked to Democrat Doug Schoen about his piece in the Wall Street Journal, Our Divisive President,  about President Obama being a divisive divider rather than uniter on a whole host of issues - governing in opposition to the promises he made while campaigning.

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Raymond Arroyo of EWTN's "The World Over" with Laura Ingraham (7/29/10)

Laura Ingraham hosted Raymond Arroyo of EWTN's "The World Over". 

Arroyo said in "The Obama Diaries" Ingraham sniffs out the little asides and slips that are very revealing.  Ingraham said the liberals seem obsessed with race and abortion.  She said that Obama has issues with his family background as his parents didn't seem to love America.  Arroyo said his life is a search of what his life is.  

Arroyo said Obama's difficulty in answering why he doesn't refer to himself as biracial seems to back up his perception as a shape shifter or being whatever people want him to be.  Both Ingraham and Arroyo commented on his long winded answers.  Both Ingraham and Arroyo commented that without the teleprompter, Obama is lost.

Arroyo said that the Obama administration is looking to control all aspects of education with schools open round the clock all year.  Arroyo said that people are having to work all year because of government burdens and Education Secretary Duncan suggested even more burdens that taxpayers would pick up. 

Arroyo and Ingraham noted how the Obamas use their daughters as props for their agenda.