Trump’s Trumped Up Birth Certificate? Where Was He Born? Is He One Of Us?

Donald Trump Star Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Donald Trump has produced a birth certificate, but it turns out it was not official. Questions abound as his mother was born in Scotland, his wife in Slovenia and his plane seems to be registered in the Bahamas, can this guy even run for President?

An article titled “Trump Failed To Produce Birth Certificate” by Ben Smith March 28, 2011 and published in Politico exposes the issue. Did Trump manage to throw himself under the bus? After going into full birther mode, Trump fell short of producing the long form birth certificate that he is clamoring for President Barack Obama to produce.

Trump’s birth certificate that he released to NewsMax came form the hospital that he claims to have been born in and not from the Department of Health, where official birth certificates come from with the city registrar’s signature on the document. Doesn’t the Donald have people to research these things? Did he say I’m fired to someone after this gaff?

How do we know that this guy is not some plant from the beginning to one day assault us with distracting television shows and muddle up the election process while the real puppet masters run the show. Come on Donald, show the American people your real birth certificate so we know that you are a natural born citizen.

UAE - United Arab Emirates Contribute 12 Jets To No Fly Zone In Libya

 UAE F-16

UAE Mirage

The United Arab Emirates is the first Arab nation to contribute fighter jets to the no-fly zone coalition patrolling Libya. The mix of aircraft has not been confirmed, but speculation is that 6 F-16s and 6 Mirage fighter jets will join the air fleet.

The participation of an Arab country in active combat engagement sends a strong signal that this not simply a group of western countries imposing their will on another Arab nation. An article titled

“UAE contributes 12 planes to Libya no-fly zone: US official” by the AFP March 24, 2011 and published on Yahoo News has details on the announcement.

Below are specifications on the F-16 and Mirage fighter jets.

Mirage 2000 by Dassault

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 14.36 m (47 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 9.13 m (29 ft)
• Height: 5.20 m (17 ft)
• Wing area: 41 m² (441.3 ft²)
• Empty weight: 7,500 kg (16,350 lb)
• Loaded weight: 13,800 kg (30,420 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 17,000 kg (37,500 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× SNECMA M53-P2 afterburning turbofan
• Dry thrust: 64.3 kN (14,500 lbf)
• Thrust with afterburner: 95.1 kN (21,400 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (2,530+ km/h, 1,500+ mph) at high altitude/ 1,110 km/h (690 mph) at low altitude
• Range: 1,550 km (837 nmi, 963 mi) with drop tanks
• Ferry range: 3,335 km (1,800 nmi, 2,073 mi) with auxiliary fuel
• Service ceiling: 17,060 m (59,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 285 m/s (56,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 337 kg/m² (69 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.91

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 554 revolver cannon, 125 rounds per gun
• Hardpoints: 9 total (4× under-wing, 5× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) external fuel and ordnance
• Rockets: Matra 68 mm unguided rocket pods, 18 rockets per pod
• Missiles:
• Air-to-air missiles:
• 6× MBDA MICA IR/RF
• 2× Matra R550 Magic-II and 2× Matra Super 530D
• Air-to-surface missiles:
• 2× AM.39 Exocet
• 2× AS-30L laser guided missile
• 1× ASMP tactical nuclear cruise missile
• Bombs: 9× Mk.82

Avionics

• Thomson-CSF RDY (Radar Doppler Multi-target) radar

F-16 by Lockheed Martin

General characteristics

    * Crew: 1

    * Length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)

    * Wingspan: 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m)

    * Height: 16 ft (4.88 m)

    * Wing area: 300 ft² (27.87 m²)

    * Airfoil: NACA 64A204 root and tip

    * Empty weight: 18,900 lb (8,570 kg)

    * Loaded weight: 26,500 lb (12,000 kg)

    * Max takeoff weight: 42,300 lb (19,200 kg)

    * Powerplant: 1× F110-GE-100 afterburning turbofan

          o Dry thrust: 17,155 lbf (76.3 kN)

          o Thrust with afterburner: 28,600 lbf (127 kN)

Performance

    * Maximum speed:

          o At sea level: Mach 1.2 (915 mph, 1,470 km/h)[39][92]

          o At altitude: Mach 2+[92] (1,500 mph, 2,410 km/h[1]) clean configuration

    * Combat radius: 340 mi (295 nm, 550 km) on a hi-lo-hi mission with six 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs

    * Ferry range: 2,280 NM (2,620 mi, 4,220 km) with drop tanks

    * Service ceiling: 60,000+ ft (18,000+ m)

    * Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)

    * Wing loading: 88.3 lb/ft² (431 kg/m²)

    * Thrust/weight: 1.095

F-16C block 52 with conformal fuel tanks.

M61A1 on display.

Armament

    * Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon, 511 rounds

    * Hardpoints: 2× wing-tip Air-to-air missile launch rails, 6× under-wing & 3× under-fuselage pylon stations holding up to 17,000 lb (7,700 kg) of payload

    * Rockets:

          o 4× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19× /7× Hydra 70 mm rockets, respectively) or

          o 4× LAU-5003 rocket pods (each with 19× CRV7 70 mm rockets) or

          o 4× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× Zuni 127 mm rockets)

    * Missiles:

          o Air-to-air missiles:

                + 2× AIM-7 Sparrow or

                + 6× AIM-9 Sidewinder or

                + 6× IRIS-T or

                + 6× AIM-120 AMRAAM or

                + 6× Python-4

          o Air-to-ground missiles:

                + 6× AGM-45 Shrike or

                + 6× AGM-65 Maverick or

                + 4× AGM-88 HARM

          o Anti-ship missiles:

                + 2× AGM-84 Harpoon or

                + 4× AGM-119 Penguin

    * Bombs:

          o 8× CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition

          o 8× CBU-89 Gator mine

          o 8× CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon

          o Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser capable

          o 4× GBU-10 Paveway II

          o 6× GBU-12 Paveway II

          o 4× JDAM

          o 4× Mark 84 general-purpose bombs

          o 8× Mark 83 GP bombs

          o 12× Mark 82 GP bombs

          o 8× Small Diameter Bomb

          o 3× B61 nuclear bomb

    * Others:

          o SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod or

          o AN/ALQ-131 & AN/ALQ-184 ECM pods or

          o LANTIRN, Lockheed Martin Sniper XR & LITENING targeting pods or

          o up to 3× 300/330/370 US gallon Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for ferry flight/extended range/loitering time.

Avionics

    * AN/APG-68 radar

Michele Bachmann To Form Presidential Exploratory Committee

 Michele Bachmann

It seems that Michele Bachmann is throwing her hat into the ring to run for President. She stated that she will form a Presidential exploratory committee by June or sooner.

An article titled “Michele Bachmann to form exploratory committee in June, possibly earlier ” by Shannon Travis goes into her announcement. There may end up being two sides to the Republican Presidential race. One side could contain Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin and Donald Trump. The other side could feature Mitt Romney, Haley Barbour and Tim Pawlenty.

It may be good to have this mix, because the sideshow crowd could keep the public awake as they listen to real points being debated by the serious side of the group. Think of the spectacle, birtherism, fiscal policy and you're fired all on the same stage.

Japan Earthquake Triggered Tsunami Damage In The United States Of America

Tsunami Damage In The United States of America

The United States is a long way from the power and destruction of the 8.9 earthquake and resulting tsunami that devastated Japan. We all send the Japanese people good wishes and prayers for a full recovery. Even with thousands of miles of ocean to cross the power of the tsunami still made an impact on the United States.

Initial reports said that the tsunami wave went around the Hawaii Islands, but video evidence show that a glancing blow was struck on the big island of Hawaii in the town of Kona over 3,850 miles from Japan. Unbelievably, cities in California were affected over 5,478 miles away.

Although the scale of damage in the United States can’t begin to compare with that in Japan, the tsunami managed to claim a life over 5,000 miles away from where it started. An article titled “NorCal man drowns trying to photograph tsunami” by the Fox 5 San Diego Staff and CNN Wire March 11, 2011 and published on the Fox 5 San Diego  website tells of a California man that was swept out to sea and drowned while trying to photograph the incoming tsunami waves.

Although the magnitude of suffering was vastly different from Japan to the United States, they were both touched by death and destruction from the same event that demonstrated the awesome power of nature. Man still lives with forces greater than himself.

Michele Bachmann Says She Will Show Birth Certificate If She Seeks Presidency

U S Representative Michele Bachmann

Michele Bachmann, Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota, said the first thing she would do if she ran for President is offer her birth certificate. This could be considered a very transparent appeal to the birther crowd that she is on their side.

There are not a shortage of serious issues to be dealt with in the world today, but talk of presenting a birth certificate seems to be to of mind for Representative Bachmann in importance. Will the constant attempts to undermine the legitimacy of President Barack Obama never end? If an elected politician really does not believe that the President was born in the United States, then come out and say it in no uncertain terms and stop the wink and nods to the fringe elements. An article titled “'First thing I would do is offer birth certificate'” by Bob Unruh March 11, 2011 and published on the WorldNetDaily website goes into Bachmann’s statements to a talk radio show host.

As the time for candidates that will run for President of the United States to declare their intentions fast approaches, the field could range from veterans like Newt Gingrich,  mainstream types such as Mitt Romney and fringe candidates like Michele Bachmann. What is interesting is the prospects of televised debates with such a wide variety of personalities sharing the same stage. Will Bachmann present her birth certificate on live television and challenge the other candidates to do so as well?

In any event, veiled references that continue to challenge the validity of President Barack Obama should be replaced with direct statement or end altogether. Elected officials that feed into the paranoia for political gain without stating if they believe the President was born elsewhere are being dishonest and lowering the importance of their office.

United States Tsunami Readiness Weakened By Proposed Republican Budget Cuts

 Tsunami

When the budget ax swings on anything that can be made to sound frivolous there are times when reality snaps everyone back to reality. The earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan managed to shine a spotlight on proposed Republican budget cuts that could reduce the effectiveness of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.

An article titled “Proposed GOP budget cuts target tsunami warning centers” by Lucy Madison March 11, 2011 and posted on the CBS News website goes into the particulars of the budget cuts that are proposed. This follows a pattern as budget cuts proposed thus far nibble around the edges of the real problem. If the usual pattern was followed this cut for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency and the National Weather Service would be characterized as cutting nonessential and frivolous spending, until the disaster in Japan occurs.

Imagine the finger pointing is a similar sized tsunami that devastated Japan  were to hit an area in the United States without adequate warning and it was traced back to a budget cut that could have been avoided. There is no way to know where a tsunami is headed without the proper technology such as monitoring buoys etc.

There are always items that can be cut from a budget that sound frivolous to someone in Kansas, but are critical to the coasts and the reverse is true as well. One thing that should not be on the frivolous chopping block is protection from severe, although rare, events like hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. We have New Orleans, Indonesia and Japan as proof of the need for as much warning as possible.

Did Scott Walker And Wisconsin Republicans Just Reelect President Obama In 2012

President Barack Obama

Did the hard line and some would say union busting actions by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the Republicans in Madison, Wisconsin just reelect President Barack Obama in 2012?

What President Obama and the Democrats failed to do may have happened in slow motion in front of everyone. The old saying of give a dog enough rope and he will hang himself just occurred in real time. Walker made a miscalculation on how fast he could ram through his union stripping measure. He thought the majority he had in the Wisconsin state senate would allow him to hammer the stripping of public union collective bargaining rights though under the cover of needed budget cuts. What walker did not count on was the walkout of 14 Democrats in the state Senate that would not allow the vote on the budget bill to take place due to rules that required a quorum.

The 14 Democrats went to Illinois and did a 4 corner slowdown that allowed the facts to emerge to the public that the budget reduction had been agreed to and that Walker still kept saying that ending collective bargaining rights of public union was a budget matter. It became clear that Walker’s desire to strip the bargaining rights of public unions was a separate desire unrelated to state budget issues. Then came the fake Koch brother phone call where Wisconsin Governor Rick Scott appeared to be in league with other Republicans in a plan to bust public unions across the country for reasons unrelated to fiscal issues. Scott Walker continued to forcefully repeat the same line even after it was clear that the union had already agreed to financial concessions.

Then the Republicans maneuvered to vote on a separate bill to strip union bargaining rights that had nothing to do with the Wisconsin state budget because it could be passed without the 14 Democrats present. The measure stripping public union bargaining rights passed and then the emperor had no clothes, but he will be informed that he is naked later. The appearance of a Governor and Republicans pitting themselves against teachers and other middle class workers to side with corporate interests left a bad taste in the mouths of many and served to wake up a battered, but groggy middle class. Now the reality of what is important to the wave of Republicans that were swept in was made clear and many in the public feel it must be stopped.