Corker #Amnesty Amendment Gives Secretary of Homeland Security Power to Waive Deportation of Illegal Aliens

William Jacboson has been doing some homework on the Senate's immigration bill. This is interesting, to say the least, "Loophole in Gang of 8 bill gives Napolitano wide discretion to allow almost anyone to stay in U.S."

And see Twitchy, "‘Child abusers get amnesty’: Sen. Vitter reads 1,170-page amendment to find out what’s in it."

Americans Worked Less, Watched More TV in 2012

Shoot, I blogged a lot in 2012. But I'm watching more TV this year.

But check WSJ:

With the economy struggling to find its footing, Americans spent less time at work last year and found more time for leisure activities such as watching television, a new government survey finds.

The average American aged 15 or older spent three hours, 32 minutes a day doing work-related activities last year, according to the American Time Use Survey released by the Labor Department on Thursday. That is down from 2011, when time spent on work jumped from three hours and 30 minutes to three hours and 34 minutes. While such changes may not seem big, average yearly changes in time spent on different activities tend to be small, and even minor changes are significant.

The survey, which has been conducted annually since 2003 and includes both employed and unemployed persons, suggests America's sluggish recovery continues to hamper workers. While the U.S. unemployment rate fell last year from 8.3% to 7.8%—it is now at 7.6%—other trends are likely holding down average hours spent at work. The number of part-time workers was higher in 2012 than the year before, for example.

"The recovery has basically been a recovery for a tiny fraction of the population," said Geoffrey Godbey, professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University and co-author of "Time For Life: The Surprising Ways Americans Use Their Time." "What you're seeing is people who might want more work but aren't getting it," he said.

Meanwhile, the share of the population working or looking for a job dropped to 63.6% at the end of last year, compared with 64% in December 2011. That number, known as the labor force participation rate, has been falling as a result of a combination of discouraged workers dropping out of the workforce and baby boomers retiring.

The aging of America's population means fewer people are working and more retirees are at home watching TV, Mr. Godbey said. At the same time, women have become a larger share of America's labor force, but tend to work fewer hours than men do. And there's a growing informal economy, he said, that might not be captured by government surveys.

I'd work more if I could.

Watching television's nice though, and blogging, so what the heck?

More at the link.

Death of Christine Calderon Recalls Hollywood's Crime-Ridden Past

I'm not up there often, but I noticed that things were much cleaner and more upscale when I was covering some of the protests up there about three years ago or so.

But this piece at LAT puts the recent murder of Christine Calderon by homeless scum in perspective.

See, "Fatal stabbing a reminder of gussied-up Tinseltown's darker past":

The death of Christine Calderon left the Hollywood tourist district stunned and on Friday prompted Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti to call for increased patrols, including by horse-mounted units.

We "don't want to lose any of the ground that's been gained in Hollywood," Beck said. "What we don't want is for this tragedy to go unrecognized."

Hollywood's transformation over the last decade or so has been dramatic. The once-glamorous district had been in steep decline for decades, bottoming out in the 1990s when crime reached new highs and many of the old theaters that once dominated the boulevard closed down.

The Hollywood & Highland complex where Calderon was found stabbed — an imposing shopping center that includes the theater where the Oscars take place each year — was the first of several mega-developments that transformed the area. The most recent is the luxury W Hotel development at the iconic corner of Hollywood and Vine.

These days, tourists dominate during the day. After the sun sets, Hollywood's nightclub scene kicks into high gear.

Few argue with how much Hollywood has changed. But those who live and work in the area said there are gritty remnants, with a sizable homeless population and plenty of opportunities for petty crime.


Despite its makeover, crime remains a daily occurrence in Hollywood, according to a Times analysis. Recent weeks show no unusual increases, but thefts are common in high-traffic areas and more than 300 major violent crimes were reported in the neighborhood over the last six months.

Adjusted for population, its violent crime rate ranked 30th and its property crime rate 33rd among more than 200 neighborhoods policed by the LAPD or the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

"You get some of everything here," said Dylan Watson, assistant manager of the American Eagle store at Hollywood & Highland. "Nothing is really surprising."

It's not uncommon, he said, for someone to approach him during a smoke break outside of the store and ask for cigarettes. If he refuses, he said, the response is often aggression.

"They always seem like they want to fight," he said. "Some of them are clearly crazy."

The First Music Video Shot Atop the Empire State Building

Well, the lines were down the block when I tried to go up there with my kid in 2007, so no surprise no bands have been able to get up there.

Just kidding.

Anyway, at the New York Times, "Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Perform Atop Empire State Building":

In its 82-year history, the top of the Empire State Building has been the site of countless family outings, marriage proposals and, of course, one very memorable date gone awry. But as near as we can tell, it had never been the site of an indie rock performance, not a preapproved one anyway.

Then one windy night in April, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the New York trio led by the glittering dervish singer Karen O, positioned themselves on the observation deck 86 floors up. Brian Chase had his drum kit, Nick Zinner his guitar. From 2 a.m. until just past sunrise, they performed one of their latest songs, as a crew of just two dozen watched.

The group was recording the video for “Despair,” the second single off their new album, “Mosquito.” For logistical and creative reasons, the shoot was a well-kept secret. It began with a sort of cinematic preparty in a nearby Irish pub and ended with a helicopter buzzing the skyline. A clip is above; the full video will premiere on Monday on Noisey, Vice.com’s online music channel.

It’s the first music video shot atop the Empire State Building. And to hear Anthony E. Malkin, the president of Malkin Holdings, operator of the Empire State Building, tell it, it’s about time. “The way I look at it is, why hadn’t this been done before?” he said. “Credit to them for having the gumption to ask.”

More at the link.

L.A. Times Pooh-Poohs Border Security

See, "Border Surge Proposal Has Many Skeptics":

BISBEE, Ariz. — When George Joyal saw a group of people who appeared to have crossed the border illegally sneak by his land recently, his first call was to the Border Patrol.

Joyal, 67, a retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, gave the agent his location, then hurried outside with the cellphone to his backyard and made himself visible to a border surveillance camera perched atop a tower half a mile away.

"I see you," the agent said.

Moments later, Border Patrol agents zoomed up in a cloud of dust to detain the group. Joyal said there's no need for Congress to spend billions beefing up border patrol.

"I don't see that as giving us more security," Joyal says. "It's impossible to be 100% secure. Just how safe are you going to get and at what price?"

The Senate appears ready to approve immigration legislation next week providing a $30-billion boost in security along the U.S.-Mexico border, doubling the number of Border Patrol agents, but some experts and border residents like Joyal are skeptical that the buildup would pay off — even those who supported similar surges in the past.

The Border Patrol already has more than 20,000 agents. Last fiscal year, border-related agencies received about $18 billion in funding — more than the FBI, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives combined.

In Arizona, the federal government has spent billions fortifying the border with fencing, drones and more than 5,100 Border Patrol staff. It has paid off, with border apprehensions all along the border down to an all-time low of 356,873 last year, compared with 1.6 million in 2000.

Joyal said federal authorities needed to better manage staff they already had by moving agents from northern checkpoints closer to the border and relying less on fencing.

"We don't need more people," he said. "We need the proper employment of resources."

Bisbee Mayor Adriana Zavala Badal says most people in town think there are already too many border agents.

"You feel like you're always being looked at and watched. It's a nuisance," she said.

She still can't get used to the Border Patrol helicopters that hover overhead.

"You feel like you're in a war zone. It's noisy," she said, and "that's just with one helicopter."

Well, hey, they keep coming.

At the video, a secret camera shows drug smugglers coming over the border, although that $4.8 million figure sounds a little astronomical.

The border's not secure.

This is all pro-amnesty baloney. Even the Wall Street Journal's got the fever. See, "The Border Security Ruse."

Kim Kardashian Gives Birth in Designer Heels?

Crazy.

At Gossip Cop, "CLAIM: Kim Kardashian Gave Birth in Heels and Full Makeup, Now Getting Tummy Tuck":

Kim Kardashian appears on the cover of Star this week, with the tabloid lazily portraying her as a “Delivery Room DIVA!” because it doesn’t have any actual details about the reality TV queen giving birth last weekend.

The magazine, most recently seen embarrassing itself with a 100 percent FALSE story about Kanye West cheating on Kardashian with a model, now pretends to have insight into her “outrageous antics” during and after the arrival of her baby daughter.

Motorcycle Couriers Catch Falling 2-Year-Old in China

At London's Daily Mail, "Heart-stopping moment 2-year-old Chinese girl falls from a fifth-floor window and is caught by passers-by."

Bruce Springsteen Dedicates 'Born to Run' to James Gandolfini

At LAT:

Actor James Gandolfini had long been a big fan of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and the feeling was mutual, in particular for guitarist Steve Van Zandt, who worked closely with Gandolfini on “The Sopranos” in his role as mob lieutenant Silvio Dante.

So it was no surprise when Springsteen, Van Zandt and company played “Born to Run” Thursday night at their concert in Coventry, England, and dedicated it to Gandolfini, who died Wednesday of a heart attack at age 51 while vacationing in Rome.

Not just the song, but the entire album, which the E Streeters played in its entirety in the middle of their three-hour show.

More at the link.

The clip's apparently from last month.

Gandolfini Fat-Shaming

Hey, he was a big man who died young.

I can see where people are coming from, but see Althouse, "Gandolfini’s death prompts rampant fat-shaming'."

Chicago's 'Gaystapo' Bullies Attack the Catholic Church

At HillBuzz, "How the Left Uses Gays to Dismantle, Undermine, and Toxify the Catholic Church…the Gaystapo in Action in Chicago!"

PREVIOUSLY: "Government Redefinition of Marriage is Not Inevitable."

Prosecutors Charge Edward Snowden With Violations of Espionage Act and Theft of Government Property

At the Guardian UK, "US files criminal charges against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden."

And see Mandy Nagy, at Legal Insurrection, "NSA Leaker Edward Snowden Charged with Espionage and Other Offenses — Updated: Complaint Added."

The United States of America No Longer Exists

From Diana West, "No Constitution, No Borders, No USA":

At what point does it become clear that we no longer inhabit America?

When we “Press 2,” not “1,” for English?

When a national Social Security Number syncs an electronic identity that the government hospital provided us at birth to track us till death?

When borders are no more, but the Surveillance State always knows where we are?

Ours is the age of dislocation before realization: The United States of America no longer exists. Why? How? The answer is simple, tragic and outrageous: Government officials, elected and unelected, with precious exceptions, no longer preserve, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Instead, they do whatever it takes to beat it, flout it and ignore it. Worse, We, the People, let them.

This can’t go on. Otherwise our-country-’tis-of-thee becomes a melody to be forgotten, a mirage of a tradition more storybook than real every day. Nowhere is this more the case, of course, than in Washington, D.C., where absolute unaccountability corrupts absolutely, where echoing down the cool, white marble halls of power, hollow men and women trample sovereignty and citizenship in a pathway to American betrayal. And I haven’t even gotten to Congress, busy “reforming” the illegal-alien crisis they antiseptically refer to as “immigration,” while considering passage of a $940 billion “farm bill,” 80 percent of which will fund food stamps. These two laws alone can institutionalize the lawlessness of the land and make countless more Americans wards of the state.

Meanwhile, there is in Washington a faceless power-mongery that lives and works in the shadows. City by city, rural state by rural state, its mechanisms of “immigration,” “refugee resettlement” and socialist government programs overwhelm a near-impotent citizenry with alien cultures, religions, languages and traditions.

There is no “melting pot” out there, nor is there even residual belief in one – particularly not on the part of the State. Most of our new peoples will never embrace American constitutional virtues en masse to perpetuate them because their own sponsor, their own lifeline, is the mega-state that brought them here and supports them.

Wow.

Continue reading.

HAT TIP: Blazing Cat Fur.

'Know Your Place and Shut Your Mouth...' — Radio Show Host Bill Cunningham Erupts at Democrat Analyst Tamara Holder

Here's this morning's panel with Martha McCallum discussing last night's Sean Hannity segment with a finger-pointing Bill Cunningham attacking Tamara Holder:

And see the Blaze, "‘KNOW YOUR ROLE AND SHUT YOUR MOUTH’: HANNITY SEGMENT DEVOLVES INTO FINGER-POINTING, NAME-CALLING SCHOOLYARD FIGHT."

Paula Deen's Abject, Groveling YouTube Apology

I posted on this yesterday: "Face of Southern Cooking is a Southern Cracker? Paula Deen Admits to Using Racial Slur."

And she's apologizing for comments she admitted she'd made in a deposition, over 10 years ago. Oh boy, paying the progressives' price now.

And at CNN, "Paula Deen asks for forgiveness; Food Network won't renew her contract at the end of the month."

And at Twitchy, "Report: Food Network will not renew Paula Deen’s contract," and "How original: Twerps suggest Fox News hire Paula Deen because racism."

Added: At the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "Paula Deen's YouTube apology: 'I beg for your forgiveness'," and at BuzzFeed, "Here’s the first apology Paula Deen posted on Friday..."

Earlier in the day, the butter-lovin’ star cancelled an appearance on Today, then tweeted that a “video statement” was coming.

More than three hours later, the above video was posted to an unofficial Deen YouTube account. It toggled between public and private for an hour before it was completely removed, replaced by a longer version.

More on Twitter:

Paula Deen SACKED from Food Network hours after she makes groveling apology & begs the public for forgiveness http://t.co/tJqm6zk4vj #tcot

— slone (@slone) June 21, 2013

Sexy Lucy Pinder Slideshow at Nuts

She the "best-loved lady" at the magazine.

On Twitter, "PHWOAR! The Queen of Nuts herself Lucy Pinder."

PREVIOUSLY: "Lucy Pinder for Loaded Magazine April 2013."

Plus, "Some Overdue Lucy Pinder Rule 5."

And, "Lucy Pinder's Floating Breasts."

BONUS: "Bodacious Brunette Goodness."

Bodaciously bodacious!

Homosexual Rights Activist Calls for Final Solution to the Christian Problem

Boy, this person is an excellent poster ghoul for the regressive-left's homosexual agenda. Here's the Twitter feed for QueerSpring2013.

From Jeanette Victoria on Twitter.

The Democrat homosexual rights agenda in a nutshell.

UPDATE: At the Other McCain, "The Eliminationist Rhetoric of @QueerSpring2013, Twitter Psychopath."

You gotta love it!

Schumer-Rubio Immigration Reform Would 'Surrender to Illegality...'

Here's Senator Jeff Sessions slamming the Schumer-Rubio shamnesty legislation:

Check my amnesty tag for all the latest on this.

Marco Rubio: 'Legalization First...'

And he campaigned as a staunch border security conservative.

Ouch.

PREVIOUSLY: "Legalization Will Come Before Border Security."

CAIR-Washington's Omar Abdelbadie Arrested for Raping Twelve-Year-Old Girl

Hmm, a radical Muslim child rapist pervert.

But hey, NO SWEEPING GENERALIZATIONS!

R.S. McCain reports, "Stereotype: Neurobiology Majors Just Can’t Resist Those Sexy Seventh-Graders."

Also at Atlas Shrugs, "CAIR-WASHINGTON'S OMAR ABDELBADIE ARRESTED FOR CHILD RAPE, CLAIMS THE 12-YEAR-OLD WAS DRESSED 'PROVOCATIVELY'":

There are many, many cases all the time of sexual predators taking advantage of underage girls. This one, however, has two elements that show traces of the effects that Islamic supremacism can have on a human mind. Abdelbadie claims that this 12-year-old girl "seduced" him -- an idea that might occur easily to someone who, following Muhammad's example, sees girls as young as nine as sex objects. Also, he claims she was dressed "provocatively." Many Muslim clerics have justified sexual abuse of women by saying that they brought it on themselves with their immodest dress. If they had covered up, nothing would have happened. Muslim men in Islamic cultures have no obligation to control themselves. Women have to make sure they don't get attacked by not "provoking" the men. This little girl was a victim of that mentality.

Islamic freaks.

Marriage Solidarity Statement

It's from the Liberty Counsel political action committee, seen at this press release, "Christian Clergy, Pastors, Leaders, Sign Statement in Solidarity to Defend Marriage." (Via Memeorandum.)

See, "We Stand in Solidarity to Defend Marriage and the Family and Society Founded Upon Them."