Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Barker's Newsbites: Wednesday, April 20, 2011


Everybody...

3 comments:

William R. Barker said...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senators-chinese-junket-is-shrouded-in-secrecy/2011/04/19/AFhndp7D_story.html

* SUBTITLE: "I'D LIKE TO SEE THESE BASTARDS DEAD"

f it’s Passover, it must be Hong Kong. If it’s Easter, it must be Beijing. If it’s spring break, it must be a week-long jaunt by a large Senate delegation to China, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Ten senators...plus spouses, staffers and military escorts, landed in the Middle Kingdom on Monday to begin a fine tour to Hong Kong, Chengdu, Xian and Beijing.

* PLUS SPOUSES...

The trip is called a “senior” Senate delegation because, in addition to Reid, second-ranking Democrat Dick Durbin (Ill.) and other major players are on board: Democrats Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Michael Bennet (Colo.)...

(*PAUSE*)

...and Republicans Richard Shelby (Ala.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and Johnny Isakson (Ga.).

* SCUMBAGS. THESE BASTARDS ARE ADDING $188 BILLION A DAY TO THE NATIONAL DEBT AND THEY'RE TAKING THEIR WIVES SHOPPING IN CHINA ON OUR DIME.

At least 17 (that’s seventeen) senators are in Asia this week. (Surely others must be headed to St. Peter’s Square, no?)

In addition to the Reid delegation, there’s a five-member group led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on a week-long trip stopping in South Korea...and then going on to some other to-be-disclosed destinations.

McConnell is joined by GOP Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio), Mike Johanns (Neb.), John Hoeven (N.D.) and Jerry Moran (Kan.). Spouses will be on the fine military jet but may not be going with the lawmakers to all locations.

* AGAIN WITH THE SPOUSES....

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), after a private trip in the region with his wife on his own dime, meets Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) in Hong Kong. Webb, on a two-week tour starting in South Korea and Vietnam, joins Levin for a trip to Guam, Okinawa and Tokyo. ... Unclear whether Webb’s wife is traveling on the earlier parts of the trip.

William R. Barker said...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704658704576274583185302312.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_markets

A weaker dollar boosted gold's record-breaking rally, lifting prices firmly above the $1,500 level, while silver futures were at a record.

Meanwhile, the euro hit a 13-month high against the dollar...

* THEN THERE'S THIS COMPANION PIECE: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704658704576274602368946110.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_markets

Oil futures advanced above $111 Wednesday...

William R. Barker said...

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/27608434/detail.html

ATLANTA -- Two Delta Airlines employees were attacked on a MARTA train.

MARTA police said they were investigating the incident. A witness said he watched the violent attack unfold Sunday.

"We were intimidated. Everyone was terrified. People were trying to run, but there was nowhere to run," the man, who requested anonymity, told Channel 2's Erica Byfield.

Around midnight, a MARTA train pulled up to the Garnett Station in Downtown Atlanta, authorities said. The witness said up to 30 people boarded the southbound train.

"Once the doors opened, it was like a bum rush of people," he told Byfield. "The next thing you know, they started just beating him. There was blood everywhere. People were hollering and screaming," he said.

A MARTA police report identified two victims as Delta Airlines employees. The report said one victim had a soda can smashed in his face and his wallet stolen, while the other was punched repeatedly in his face.

The witness said the attackers were teens chanting "B. F. P. L."

"I don't know if that's a gang," the witness said.

By the time the train made it to West End stop, some riders were desperate to get off, but the car doors would not open, the witness said.

"So basically we were just trapped," he said.

The witness told Byfield he saw the teens exit the train at the Oakland City stop.

* NOTE: "TEENS." NOT "BLACK TEENS."

* AM I THE ONLY ONE TO...er... "SUSPECT"... THAT THE TEENS WERE BLACK?

* FOLKS... REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOUND OF THE TREE FALLING IN THE FOREST DOESN'T MEAN THE TREE IS STILL STANDING.