What’s interesting in the news today?

Open thread, so feel free to contribute. I’ve had a rough go of it the last day and a half, so I’m a little behind. I’ve been unable to sit for long so it’s been a bit hard to keep up, but I do have a few that caught my eye…..

First up, the propaganda machine kicks into high gear.

From NationalReview

“The American Library Association announced on Sunday that public libraries across the country will be partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to help millions of uninsured Americans sign up for Obamacare.

With the emphasis on web-based enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, Americans without computers are at a disadvantage to register for the “reasonable health insurance” that will soon be available to them. And “that is where public libraries come in,” explained American Libraries magazine. In addition to providing computer and Internet access to patrons, librarians will receive training to help people navigate through the various healthcare plans and choose the plan that suits their needs. It has also been suggested that libraries host healthcare-awareness events and hand out information to foster “health care literacy” in the coming months.

The Washington Times reports that up to 17,000 U.S. libraries will be a part of the effort, and that “libraries will be particularly important in conservative states that are not making much effort to promote the health law’s opportunities.” (That’s quite an understatement.)”

Gee, maybe when they’re done with this job, they can help with this one, since the Obama admin also seems incapable of handling this on their own too.

Also from NationalReview

“The backlog of disability claims at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has catapulted the agency into an unwanted spotlight. Unlike other scandals besetting the Obama administration, there is nothing to indicate that the VA is targeting conservative vets with systematic delays or passing their telephone records along to the Justice Department. Simply put, the VA backlog has grown because of the technical burdens veterans face in navigating a complex process in a vast bureaucracy.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki promises to do his best to reduce the backlog. So far, his most visible step is a dictate that VA employees who review claims work mandatory overtime to tackle the problem, which is staggering. As of June 22, VA reported that 833,130 vets had pending compensation and pension (C&P) claims. That’s more people than reside in San Francisco. If these claimants represented a single city, it would be the 14th largest in America. Backlogged claims, defined as those pending more than 125 days, represent nearly two-thirds of that total.”

Most of the discussion of the claims backlog misses the mark. Secretary Shinseki and others at VA repeatedly tell us that the key to reducing the backlog is computerization. VA’s goal is to move from paper records to digital ones. It’s a good talking point, but it won’t get the job done any time soon.”

“navigating a complex process in a vast bureaucracy” Just like ObamaCare will be. That’s guaranteed, since the govt does nothing well, except grow ever larger and more controlling.

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Ruh-roh…..  Quick, somebody get John “Did you know he was in Vietnam?” Kerry on the phone. It’s time for some of that Obama/leftist “smart diplomacy”.

From WeaselZippers

“Breaking: Military In Egypt Announces Will Stage Coup D’Etat In 48 Hours If People’s Demands Not Met…

Update: Statement From Military”

““The Armed Forces repeat its call for the people’s demands to be met and give everyone 48 hours as a last chance to shoulder the burden of a historic moment for a nation that will not forgive or tolerate any party that is lax in shouldering its responsibility,” it said.”

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This next one demonstrates nicely what happens when affirmative action is carried to it’s logical conclusion in a college environment. Is this the exception, or the rule? I fear it’s the latter.

From CampusReform

“School administrators at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) are systematically raising the final grades of African-American students, three ex-faculty members told Campus Reform last month.

Former Director of Academic Technology Shira Hedgepeth, along with two former professors who spoke to Campus Reform on the condition of anonymity, alleged administrators at the historically black college routinely increase the final grades of African-American students in order to raise the school’s standing.

“Some students had their final grades changed based on their race,” Hedgepeth told Campus Reform on June 6. “That was a common complaint of many of the faculty that I worked with.””

“According to Hedgepeth, and the two former professors who were granted anonymity because they feared speaking out may jeopardize their retirement, instructors would submit final grades to the school only to have them later revised upwards by administrators as a way to “take care of their African American students.””

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Next up, a not surprising, but still pathetic, new tactic for women to get men to support abortion. Sexual blackmail. With a CONTENT WARNING!!! for adult subject matter.

From HuffPo

“We’ve all been there, attracted to that man who does not mean well for us.  We sure would not want our daughters dating or married to these kinds of guys who think they should decide what is best for women.  How perfectly patriarchal, these Texas men trying to not hear what women want have shown themselves to be, but how incredibly out of touch with today’s reality.  Women of Texas, it’s going to be a long hot summer — make sure the men who do not deeply respect and support women feel it.

As a native Texan, and someone who has survived 100-plus-degree temperatures for many summers, I can tell you, this summer in Texas is surely going to be hotter than usual.  Sultry, sweaty summers can be made much nicer when good old-fashioned sex is part of the picture.  But women, take heed: Don’t give in if your man, boyfriend, husband, toyboy is not voting for your best interests, your reproductive health — do not sleep with that man!  I don’t care how cute or charming he is!  I don’t care if he is your husband of many years.  Resist! Go swimming!  Meditate!

Do not make him dinner, do not go fetch him a cold beer from the fridge, do not iron that shirt, hell, do not change that diaper… do not make his life a little nicer this summer if he does not “get it” and learn to respect women!  Instead, volunteer some time for senators like Wendy Davis, go with a group of women to Austin and make your voices heard.  Get on the computer and the social networks and organize.”

Sad.

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And so is this one. I know they think this is a great new ad campaign to push their product, but is ticking off half of your potential customers the way to increase sales? I’d think not. But I do know one thing, this pandering has cost them at least one customer already….. Me.

Also from HuffPo

“From all of the marriage equality celebrations to Facebook’s new Pride emoticon, everyone’s seeing the colors of the rainbow these past few days and now, to continue celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pride, you don’t have to look any further than your cereal bowl.

General Mills has come out in support of the gay community for Pride, and what better way to show their love than with the Lucky Charms marshmallow rainbow?

The “magically delicious” cereal is serving as the face of the new #LuckyToBe campaign which encourages people with Pride to tweet and post online their reasons for why they’re prideful using the hashtag #LuckyToBe.

“We’re celebrating Pride month with whimsical delight, magical charms, and two new rainbow marshmallows… If you’re lucky enough to be different, we’re celebrating you,” the #LuckyToBe campaign stated in a press release sent to GLAAD.

🙄 And someone remind me again, what comes before a fall?

Yeah, exactly.

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