Another teleprompter glitch or BO ego-centrism?

While addressing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) today — on the organization’s 100th year celebration, President Barack Obama had another one of his increasingly frequent “Oops!” moments.

No doubt thinking of his own 100 days in the White House rather than the Bureau’s century of service to the United States of America, he told the assembled agents, “There is much to celebrate about these first 100 days.”

And the Democrats berated George W. Bush for what they called Bushisms. Obamisms are falling out of Obama’s mouth at a rapid pace.  Wonder if the left is keeping track?

Is his exit news? Specter left the Republican Party long ago

“I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans”

Although he had disavowed a party switch as recently as March 17, Sen. Arlen Specter, 79, a registered Republican with impeccable liberal credentials, has finally legitimately jumped ship.

His quote at the time was: “I’m staying a Republican because I think I have a more important role to play there,” he said. “I think the United States very desperately needs a two-party system. … And I’m afraid that we’re becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party.”

But today, Specter, a fifth termer, announced, “I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.”

President Obama, obviously delighted with the gift of a nearly 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority in the U.S. Senate, greeted the news with a rousing welcome. “The Democratic Party is thrilled to have you, ” an ecstatic Obama declared.

Breitbart News reports Specter faced an extraordinarily difficult re-election challenge in his home state in 2010, having first to confront a challenge from his right in the Republican primary before pivoting to a general election campaign against a Democrat in a state that has trended increasingly Democratic in recent elections.

He has publicly acknowledged in recent months that in order to win a sixth term, he would need the support of thousands of Pennsylvania Republicans who sided with Obama in last fall’s presidential election.

“I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate,” he said in the statement. Asked by a reporter what he had to say to his constituents, Specter replied with a smile, “I don’t have to say anything to them. They said it to me.”

Seeing Red AZ has reported on the betrayals of liberal Republicans Arlen Specter (PA), Susan Collins (ME) and Olympia Snowe (ME) who joined with Democrats voting in support of passage of the bloated and pork-laden “stimulus” spending package.

Specter was the subject of this report in February.

Legislature releases Joint Draft Budget Proposal

Republican leadership, balking at a proposed tax increase to deal with the multibillion-dollar state deficit, released a budget proposal last evening that has the look of success.

The House and Senate have put together a “Joint Draft Budget Proposal” for Fiscal Year 2010. The complete proposal is available here.

Hat tip to the Arizona House Republicans for the update.

The daily covers the plan here.

Bloomberg confirms students infected with swine flu had been in Mexico

This is a couple of days old.  Although the subject matter is serious, there is an element of entertainment that astute readers are sure to find acceptable.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking in both English and Spanish, reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that the pupils at New York’s St. Francis Preparatory School now ill with swine flu were infected after some had returned from Spring break in Cancun, Mexico, two weeks ago.

St. Francis Preparatory School, the nation’s largest Catholic high school, has been closed until further notice.

As a means of assuaging public fear, he assured his audience he has spoken with Homeland Security Chieftain, Janet Napolitano.  Smart move, Mayor. That’s a sure way to calm public distress.

The newscaster described the mayor’s use of Spanish language as tied to the fact that he’s running for reelection.

Buenos dias.

Edible poison guide thoughtfully provided by AZ agency

Ladies,

Have you been wondering about the proper amount of toxic mercury and pesticides you can consume and feed your family before suffering irreversible kidney, lung and central nervous system damage?

If so, you’re in luck. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has issued a two-page mercury-contamination advisory for fish in Roosevelt Lake and Lake Pleasant. The advisory covers largemouth bass in both lakes, along with channel catfish in Roosevelt Lake.

Mercury is toxic in high doses and can damage vital organs and the central nervous system. Children and pregnant or nursing women are at higher risk and are advised not to eat any fish from the lakes. Fortunately, you can still serve your older children and non-childbearing age female adults about one 8-ounce meal per month.  Those treasured men in your life can eat two such meals per month.

Yum.

Other fish in the lakes are not affected, according to the ADEQ report. Arizona Game and Fish Department has its own guide.

“Truth” sure to offend everyone

To mark the 100th day of Barack Obama’s presidency, a disgraceful and calculatingly offensive new painting, titled “The Truth” will be on display on the South Plaza of NYC’s Union Square.

The 30″ x 54″ acrylic painting on canvas by artist Michael D’Antuono depicts Barack Obama appearing much like Jesus Christ on the Cross — wearing a crown of thorns atop his head and pulling back a dark curtain from the Presidential Seal. But rather than being crucified he appears to be basking in glorification.

WorldNetDaily provides cogent and thoughtful coverage of this outrageous depiction. We recommend you read the piece by Drew Zahn.

NewsBusters’ P.J. Gladnick considers the implications of this shocking NYC exhibition, and poses this important question: If elected officials are present, wouldn’t that have the effect of mixing religion and politics?

This is the spin from the PR Newswire on one of the most offensive depictions ever given prominence by a government entity.

The worshipful offense doesn’t stop there.

The Obamessiah deals with another teleprompter snafu

President Obama’s speech at the National Academy of Sciences during the Academy’s 146th annual meeting this morning hit another teleprompter snag when Obama got ahead of his script.

Delivering his speech, Obama intended to name the members listed on the teleprompter screen, in his prepared remarks – before realizing he’d already introduced them earlier in his speech…he’d already introduced them earlier in his speech. He’d already….well, you get the drift.

“In addition to John….sorry, the…. I just noticed I jumped the gun here,” Obama said, staring blankly at the prompter screen and then personally berating it: “Go ahead. Move it up. I had already introduced all you guys.”

The audience, responded with an embarrassed laugh.  Steve Gill entertainingly provides the video.

This headline seemed to good to be true

Then we realized we missed the first word.  Dang!

Napolitano issues incoherent declaration of national emergency

A number of things going on, and the purpose of today, this briefing is to give you the most current information about what is happening. And as has been mentioned before this is a changing picture and so we intend to conduct these types of briefings daily for awhile so that you know and can help us communicate to the public….so that knowledge people know what kind of issue we’re dealing with.

The first thing I want to announce today is that the department of Health and Human Services will declare today a public health emergency in the United States. That sounds more severe than really it is. This is standard operating procedure. When I say standard operating procedure, that’s exactly what I mean.. We issued similar declarations for the recent floods in Minnesota and North Dakota and for the inauguration.

I want to underscore that you can not the swine flu from eating pork, so that’s very important.

Next in the Department of Homeland of Securities…..Security….

We have implemented passive surveillance protocols to screen individuals who may arrive at our borders. All persons who may enter the United States from a location of human infection of swine flu, will be processed through all appropriate CDC protocols.

We will continue to emphasize universal health measures like hand washing and gloves. And if and when the situation develops, all CDC sites can implement and we can deploy additional personnel to the borders.

To date the State Department has not issued official travel advisories, for particularly Mexico, but again, as I said earlier these situations are very fluid.

State and local governments are now in the loop. As the doctor said, this will be a marathon, and not a sprint.

How about a tall, cool glass of water?

After a five-month investigation, the Associated Press reveals that drinking water provided to at least 41 million people living in 24 major metropolitan areas has tested positive for trace amounts of pharmaceuticals. This report was previously on MSNBC.

“Fearing public overreaction” those with oversight have declined to name the 20 different drinking water treatment plants around the U.S. where pharmaceuticals have been detected in water heading to more than 10 million people. The U.S. Geological Survey detected heart medications, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, chemotherapy drugs and the active ingredient in an anti-anxiety medication.

The American Water Works Association Research Foundation conducts studies with the understanding that secrecy would be assured. On their web pages, there is information about their upcoming San Diego conference and Drinking Water Week 2009, with coloring pages and games for children, but no hard facts about harmful chemicals in the water supply.

The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has printed a manual: Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water Guide, intended to allay fears.

Sounding like a sales pitch, it reads in part: Certified home water treatment systems can help provide additional protection against many common contaminants found in drinking water, including arsenic, cysts and pesticides, as well as reduce chemicals such as chlorine. While not specifically certified to reduce pharmaceuticals at this time, these products may be helpful in reducing many impurities.

They thoughtfully include a list of water treatment systems that have been certified by NSF.

Wondering who this group is? So were we. After some digging we found they refer to themselves as the leading global provider of public health and safety risk management solutions, providing product certification and safety audits for the food and water industries, NSF International is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food Safety and for Drinking Water Safety and Treatment, according to their website.

Swell. But where is the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on this issue? Americans need answers.