What’s interesting out there today?
Here’s a few and then you folks can have at it.
That North Korea things is getting a bit outta hand. From Google
“North Korea dramatically escalated its warlike rhetoric on Thursday, warning that it had authorised plans for nuclear strikes on targets in the United States.
“The moment of explosion is approaching fast,” the North Korean military said, warning that war could break out “today or tomorrow”.
Pyongyang’s latest pronouncement came as Washington scrambled to reinforce its Pacific missile defences, preparing to send ground-based interceptors to Guam and dispatching two Aegis class destroyers to the region.”
____________________________________________________
More on North Korea, from TheHill
“Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said Tuesday that the United States had the right to take preemptive military action against North Korea if there was “solid evidence” that Kim Jon Un planned to attack the U.S. or South Korea.
“If we have good reason to believe there’s going to be an attack, I believe we have the right to take preemptive action,” King said on CNN’s “Erin Burnett Outfront.”
“I don’t think we have to wait until Americans are killed or wounded or injured in any way,” he continued. “I’m not saying we should be rushing into war, don’t get me wrong, but if we have solid evidence that North Korea’s going to take action, then I think we have a moral obligation and an absolute right to defend ourselves.””
____________________________________________________
White House tours cut. Money to improve Armenia’s pension system not cut. Priorities people.
From NationalReview
“Today the “Spared by the Sequester” spotlight falls once again on the Agency for International Development. On March 29, USAID awarded $3,881,188 to Chemonics International, Inc. to help implement reforms to Armenia’s pension system.”
____________________________________________________
Now this one is being blamed on Sequester cuts, but that doesn’t really make sense. How exactly does a 2% reduction in INCREASED spending cause this, yet 70 billion of 700 billion in ObamaCare cuts hasn’t impacted it? Really? I’m not buyin’ it. And I’d also note that this is small clinics affected, not hospitals.
From TheWashingtonPost
“Cancer clinics across the country have begun turning away thousands of Medicare patients, blaming the sequester budget cuts.
Oncologists say the reduced funding, which took effect for Medicare on April 1, makes it impossible to administer expensive chemotherapy drugs while staying afloat financially.
Patients at these clinics would need to seek treatment elsewhere, such as at hospitals that might not have the capacity to accommodate them.”
____________________________________________________
First the Unions get exemptions, and now they’ll be paid to help the commoners navigate a system they’re not forced to participate in, at least to start. Nice racket they got goin’ there. And of course the ACORN type community activist folks get a cut too. It’s the Chicago way after all. 🙄
“Tens of thousands of health care professionals, union workers and community activists hired as “navigators” to help Americans choose Obamacare options starting Oct. 1 could earn $20 an hour or more, according to new regulations issued Wednesday.
The 63-page rule covering navigators, drawn up by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also said the government will provide free translators for those not fluent in English — no matter what their native language is.”
“That could be an expensive proposition. The proposed rules, now open for public comment, suggest an estimated pay of $20-$48 an hour.”
As well as benefits too I’m sure.
____________________________________________________
And this one doesn’t surprise me. There are many military jobs where this will be the case. That’s not sexist, it’s the physical realities and differences in the sexes. Unless the standards are lowered.
From TheFreeBeacon
“The only two women to participate in the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course (IOC) failed ongoing tests to determine which infantry positions should be available to women, according to the Marine Corps Times:
The women failed the introductory Combat Endurance Test, a punishing test of physical strength and endurance, officials at Marine Corps headquarters said Tuesday. The latest class began March 28 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with 110 lieutenants participating. Ninety-six men passed the initial endurance test. Twelve men and two women — the only female Marines taking part — failed.
The two women both volunteered to participate in the IOC. Two other women had previously volunteered in September but also failed.”
____________________________________________________
Wandering Views 
Wati a minute. Didn’t Obama say that he would be able to sit down with aggressors and work things out peacefully??
LikeLike
NRO has an article today Beware Schumer’s Latest Pose that nails Schumer’s plan to lead Rubio and the Republicans down the primrose path on the subject of immigration. A key paragraph follows:
A number of GOP aides cite Schumer’s involvement as a primary reason that they remain skeptical about the prospects for immigration reform. Some have expressed concern that Rubio, a rising star in the Republican party, walked into a trap the moment he agreed to join Schumer’s gang. Schumer may be less interested in compromise, they suggest, than in deliberately designing legislation that conservatives would be unable to support; this tactic would force Rubio to back out and thereby create a divisive campaign issue for Democrats to run on in 2014 and 2016. “He’ll do whatever he can to characterize us as extreme, or racist, the usual,” says a Republican Senate aide. “It’s just another thing they could use to beat our guys over the head with.”
Schumer is a clever snake in the grass when dealing with Republicans.
LikeLike
This is the brain of Chuck Schumer:
LikeLike
A snake is the grass is no problem as long as you know it’s there.
That is, if you’re smart enough to know what to do.
LikeLike
Re: N. Korea
You don’t usually bellow and bluff before launching a surprise attack.
There’s nothing to this.
Unless they are completely insane.
Which they may be.
LikeLike
They should Google “Shock and awe” before making a move.
LikeLike
Drives Guy, many thanks for that diagram of a secular liberal brain. I forwarded it to several friends.
LikeLike
Thanks, Chas, I came on to ask a simple question: Why does North Korea want to kill me?
LikeLike
And BTW, can we have back the nuclear power plant President Bill Clinton gave them so they would behave themselves? 😦 Grrrrrrrr.
LikeLike
Not to mention missle technology. And if they do try something, they’ll use this same technology to fire missles at us. Way to go Bill and Dems. You’re the ones who thought it a good idea to give this stuff to crazy people, like Jong-Il and Un. Chickens are coming home to roost I guess.
LikeLike
The best thing that could happen in terms of realpolitik would be for Kim Jong Un to make a stupid move that would allow the U.S. and South Korea to take the military measures needed to rid the world of this thuggish regime that starves it people and seriously harms the stability of East Asia. Let the pacifists and isolationists wring their shaky hands.
LikeLike
Sails,
But what of China? I can see them making a move as well. While the US and SK are busy in skimishes with the North, what’s to stop China from invading NK under the guise of “saving” everyone and preventing a further humanitarian crisis. They look good, and now have the opportunity to establish bases of their own in the newly freed NK. Win/win for them, not so much for us.
LikeLike
AJ, unfortunately, the most we can expect is that China does not support North Korea militarily.
LikeLike
I might add that should Kim Jong Un make a stupid move, we won’t have time to forge an alliance with other nations.The real question is whether Obama has the brass to fight a short, merciless war against North Korea.
LikeLike
One advantage of our having sold them the technology (or did we give it to them?) is we know how it works and can plan against it.
I guess.
LikeLike
Sails has a point there.
Obama thinks a speech can fix everything.
LikeLike
I actually agree with Sails?? @11:17.
I often wonder if the present escalation is Kim throwing a temper tantrum because the world world has stopped taking them seriously.
LikeLike
They will take him less seriously when this is over.
He will have to retreat, or be defeated.
His choice. He may not get out of this alive. He may not know that.
LikeLike
Yes, Charles, this fellow is in way over his head with options of retreat or defeat. I As you suggest, it is doubtful whether he knows this.
LikeLike
He has no clue — the most probable explanation for his behaviour is to help maintain the military’s grip on power. In which case, actual war won’t occur just enough rhetoric to keep the masses in line and the military happy.
LikeLike