Recovery Act Satire

Originally seen at Sipsey Street Irregulars



I think that just about sums it up.

Jesus on a Pig's Back.

Over at The Gate of Vienna Baron Bopddisey post the above image explaining that,

Nothing was said or done by Christians on the European continent about this provocative tasteless piece of art. If the artist had instead painted the prophet Mohammed on the back of a pig, at a minimum riots would have erupted all over Europe.

I get the point about the Muslims and if Christianity was still stuck in the Twelfth Century, Christians might be outraged at the tattoo, launch an Inquisition and have the artist burned for witchcraft or some other superstitious nonsense. Last time I checked, though, most Christians have left that behind them.

Maybe I'm just too provincial but I don't get why the image above is offensive to modern Christians.

I googled the artist's name (Wim Delvoye) and I see he has done a lot of tattoos on the backs of pigs. I don't see much point in tattooing a pig but I just don't get why the image of the Sacred Heart on a pig's back is an offense to Christianity. Delvoye also tattooed Ariel and the lobster from the Disney cartoon onto a pig and I thought the tattoo of a crucified Micky Mouse with Minnie praying at the foot of the cross was kind of touching.

For a tattoo that that might upset the Disney lawyers, that is...

Sign of the Times?

Recently received in E mail:

Common Sense from a Retired LEO.

In this excerpt from the documentary Guns and Weed: The Road to Freedom, Richard Mack, former Sheriff of Graham County in Arizona, comments on the War on Drugs and the War on Guns.

(Video is too wide for the blogger template so go here to view it)

The Power to Tax

The Philadephia City Paper reports on a new scam by the government of the City of Philadelphia to raise revenue.

For the past three years, Marilyn Bess has operated MS Philly Organic, a small, low-traffic blog that features occasional posts about green living, out of her Manayunk home. Between her blog and infrequent contributions to ehow.com, over the last few years she says she's made about $50. To Bess, her website is a hobby. To the city of Philadelphia, it's a potential moneymaker, and the city wants its cut.

In May, the city sent Bess a letter demanding that she pay $300, the price of a business privilege license.

Of course, the first mistake was reporting whatever pittance she was earnng from the blog.

She's not alone. After dutifully reporting even the smallest profits on their tax filings this year, a number — though no one knows exactly what that number is — of Philadelphia bloggers were dispatched letters informing them that they owe $300 for a privilege license, plus taxes on any profits they made.

Read the rest here.

This new interpretation of an existing law also gives the city the power to shut down blogs they deem threatening or embarassing. The Washington Examiner has this to say:

To say that these kinds of draconian measures are detrimental to the public discourse would be an understatement.

That may, in fact, be the real purpose.

H/T to David Codrea.

Morgan Freeman on Racism

Whatever its original usage, the word "race" has become a collectvist term that only serves to perpetuate class warfare. Martin Luther King once said he dreamt of of the day "...that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Morgan Freeman just told you how to get there.

If there were only a way to get the race hustlers to listen...

H/T to The Advice Goddess

Don't cut the budget; write more tickets!

From Crimes, Guns and Videotape

Chicago’s Government Rules by Extortion
Chicago, IL—Chicago’s politicians and their appointed bureaucrats are dismayed by the decrease in traffic fine revenue. The outgunned, undermanned, demoralized and endangered Chicago cops can’t protect Chicago’s citizens but city officials want cops to bring them bags of cash.

The Chicago Sun Times released internal city documents that detail the decrease in traffic fines and stepped up efforts to threaten the jobs of cops that seem reluctant to become full time revenue agents.

Read the rest here

Traffic enforcement has always been a source of revenue for cities. I can remember when I was still young that whenever contract negotiations were going badly, the city cops would slow down ticket writing. Now that cities are bleeding revenue but generally unwilling to cut budgets the cities are looking to traffic tickets as a panacea. So, while I generally agree with the position Mr. Huebl is taking, traffic law is, and always has been, a cash cows for city governments.

Chicago isn't the only city trying to milk the citizenry for even more money than they already do. For example, some cities in California have been citing drivers under a Municipal Code rather than State Vehicle Code because, in the former case, all the money goes straight to the city while in the latter the city only gets a percentage.

"The City of Roseville gets a small slice of fines from state courts," Doane said. "We’re enforcing these laws, but a very small sliver comes back to the city. The city gets 15 percent of a Vehicle Code fine, which for a typical $207 fine comes to $32.50. This way, 100 percent of the [$100 local fine] comes back to the general fund."

A few more examples from around the country:

Virginia Hands Out 6996 Traffic Tickets In One Weekend In An Effort To Raise Revenue For The State Government

Speed Trap: More Traffic Tickets in Cash-Strapped Cities

Speeders on strapped cities' radar

Even more here

Attention Mall Ninjas!

Administration blocks import of surplus rifles

The venerable M1 Garand -- sometimes called the rifle that won World War II -- is a favorite of collectors and rifle shooters in the United States. While it's reputation may be exaggerated the design has proved reliable over three wars and billions of rounds fired in matches and recreation. Though quite heavy compared to modern sporting rifles, it has a reputation for accuracy not usually associated with military surplus rifles and it is a piece of history.

Now The Korea Times reports that the Obama Administation is blocking the import of about 86,000 surplus Garands that have been setting in a warehouse for the past 50 years.

The U.S. administration put the brakes on the plan, citing “problems” that could be caused by the importation of the rifles.

The problems the U.S. government cited were somewhat ambiguous, said an official at the Ministry of National Defense on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. insisted that imports of the aging rifles could cause problems such as firearm accidents. It was also worried the weapons could be smuggled to terrorists, gangs or other people with bad intentions,” the official told The Korea Times.

Terrorists and gang bangers do not use the Garand. It is absurd on its face as an excuse for blocking these imports. Terrorists prefer the AK-47 which is a hardy, reliable, user friendly rifle designed to be used by those who have had little or no military training. American gang bangers seem to prefer 9mm pistols and shotguns. I doubt that many would even recognize a Garand if they saw it.

Supporters of the President try to use the fact that Obama signed a credit card reform bill with an amendment allowing conceal carry in national parks -- subject to local law -- as evidence that the Lightworker is not anti-gun. However, actions like this and last year's aborted attempt to eliminate once-fired military brass from the civilian market give lie to that assertion. Make no mistake, Obama wants to restrict the rights of gun owners as much as he possibly can. I have no doubt he would disarm all non " only ones" Americans if he could.

Anyone who wants to disarm you has a reason. That reason is usually that he wants to do something you would stop him from doing if you still had the power to do so.

H/T to David Codrea

Maybe there is Hope for England

I am not an advocate of vandalism. I've sometimes said, tongue barely touching cheek, that it should be a rebutable defense against a charge of homicide that the victim was shot while spray painting private property. Nevertheless, vandalism can be a symbol of something good.

In Merrie olde England

Snipers target road signs

Never mind speeders or road hogs, now there is a new peril facing British motorists – signpost snipers.

The RAC Foundation has warned of the growing phenomenon of gunmen firing at road signs at locations across Britain.

Officials there say that many of the shootings are "drive by", with the guns fired from a moving vehicle. Analysis of the damaged signs reveals that a high proportion of shots are fired from the near, or passenger, side of the car.

A dossier compiled for the motoring organisation has found evidence that illegally-held handguns, high velocity rifles and shotguns are all being used in the shootings.

Read the rest here

This may turn out be just some meaningless vandalism by members of one or another of the gangs that are infesting England. In fact, I suspect it is. OTOH, it may be a sign that the some of the English are finally getting sick and tired of what their country is becoming.

I can only hope. After all their ancestors committed regicide at least twice, stood up to the Germans and endured the Blitz.

H/T to the Sipsey Street Irregulars