WH denies petition to deport Piers Morgan

MoonHowler

The President responds to the public petition to deport British citizen Piers Morgan for his outspokenness on gun control. The petition was sponsored by conservative talk radio host Alex Jones in favor of the 2nd Amendment.

From Jay Carney

Thank you for participating in We the People to speak out on an issue that matters to you.

Let’s not let arguments over the Constitution’s Second Amendment violate the spirit of its First. President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. However, the Constitution not only guarantees an individual right to bear arms, but also enshrines the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press — fundamental principles that are essential to our democracy. Americans may disagree on matters of public policy and express those disagreements vigorously, but no one should be punished by the government simply because he or she expressed a view on the Second Amendment — or any other matter of public concern.

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Ewwwwwwwwwwwww! Coming to a neighbor near you soon

MoonHowler

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Oh gross me out!  200 vultures have taken up residence in a Leesburg neighborhood.  Nothing could be uglier or nastier than a vulture.  I am assuming these are what we call “buzzrds.”

Washingtonpost.com:  (Tom Jackman)

Monday was Day One of the effort by Leesburg, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to remove the committee of vultures who have made the Mayfair neighborhood near Edwards Ferry Road their winter home. As always on this job, it was fun and educational — a group of vultures is known as a committee, you know — and from the outset, it seemed to work. Except that the promised, much anticipated “pyrotechnics and lasers” weren’t really needed much.

To recap, the 200 or so vultures need to go because their excrement is extremely acidic and they can destroy both trees and important stuff on houses and cars. They are a protected species, so you can’t shoot them.

What amazes me is that buzzards are a protected species.  Why?  How stupid is that?  Who do we write  to about this?  The vulture is no more endangered than kittens.

The first trick to remove the vultures was to hang an effigy–not a toy vulture but a real dead vulture, upside down from a rope in “their” tree.  Apparently vultures do not like effigies, considering their personal eating habits.

Be sure to read the rest of Tom Jackman’ article to see the outcome.  Meanwhile, why are we protecting vultures?  They are nasty and ugly.  They serve on purpose.  They clean up road kill.  They are too lazy to kill their own food.  Ewwwwwwww!

Keep your fingers crossed that the “committee” doesn’t decide to reside in the fun place to live, work and play.

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Open Thread………………………………………………Wednesday, January 9

MoonHowler

capitalThe Virginia General Assembly convenes today.  This year is a short session so the lawmakers will meet for 46 days.  That seems like enough time for them to get us in to trouble.

I am holding my breath to see what they have in store for us this year.

I wish they would address texting while driving.  That looks like a good place to start.  What do you all thinK should be addressed this year in the General Assembly.  Maybe they should listen to OUR ideas.

McDonnell proposes radical transportation plan, increase in sales tax

MoonHowler

Roanoke Times:

RICHMOND — Virginia’s gasoline tax would be eliminated and its retail sales tax would increase from 5 percent to 5.8 percent under a transportation funding plan Gov. Bob McDonnell unveiled Tuesday.

The governor’s proposal also would increase vehicle registration fees, impose a $100 annual fee on alternative fuel vehicles and shift revenue from the state’s general fund to provide more dollars for roads, rail and transit. McDonnell said the complete funding package could generate more than $3.1 billion in additional transportation funding over the next five years.

Administration officials said part of the revenue from a proposed $15 increase in vehicle registration fees would pay for the extension of passenger rail service to Roanoke, though it’s unclear how soon that would be available.

This doesn’t make the least bit of sense.  Let’s make those who use the roads pay for the roads and keep the sales tax out of it.

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Sudden Loss of Moonhowlings Member

Elena

Moonhowler recieved very sad news yesterday.  One of our regular posters, “Bear”, passed away from a sudden health complication.  She had a wonderful relationship via internet with Mr. Bear outside of the blog, sharing music weekly and general communications of life and family.

We send our prayers out to his family and we acknowlege the value of his comments and willingess to share his thoughts on the blog.

RIP Bear.

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 Obituary

 

Giffords and Kelly launch initiative against gun violence

MoonHowler

Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly

Op-ed in Tuesday’s USA Today:

Our new campaign will launch a national dialogue and raise funds to counter influence of the gun lobby.

In response to a horrific series of shootings that has sown terror in our communities, victimized tens of thousands of Americans, and left one of its own bleeding and near death in a Tucson parking lot, Congress has done something quite extraordinary — nothing at all.

I was shot in the head while meeting with constituents two years ago today. Since then, my extensive rehabilitation has brought excitement and gratitude to our family. But time and time again, our joy has been diminished by new, all too familiar images of death on television: the breaking news alert, stunned witnesses blinking away tears over unspeakable carnage, another community in mourning. America has seen an astounding 11 mass shootings since a madman used a semiautomatic pistol with an extended ammunition clip to shoot me and kill six others. Gun violence kills more than 30,000 Americans annually.

This country is known for using its determination and ingenuity to solve problems, big and small. Wise policy has conquered disease, protected us from dangerous products and substances, and made transportation safer. But when it comes to protecting our communities from gun violence, we’re not even trying — and for the worst of reasons.

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