The article reported that, “He (Springsteen) claims the bar hosted a band on Aug. 9, 2008, that performed three of Springsteen’s hits – and charged customers a cover fee,” thus violating copyright law.

After reading the article, I too, like many others felt truly disappointed. After all, how many dive bars and seedy seaside joints had Springsteen himself played back in the beginning of his career that probably never even thought of paying a licensing fee? How could this self righteous rock and roller who preaches Rock and Roll Salvation from his stage, cast the first stone when he himself is not without sin?

And then a miracle……Well not really……Just a retraction.

The New York Daily News today reports that Springsteen demanded his name be removed from the lawsuit. It appears that Springsteen had no knowledge of the grievance which was actually filed on his behalf by ASCAP.

Both stories were written by New York Daily News staff writer Stephanie Gaskell. Gaskell starts off today’s story with, “Someone pulled a fast one on the Boss.” Really? It would appear that Stephanie Gaskell and the Daily News pulled a fast one on its readers.

How does a reporter write a story without checking its validity? How do the editors allow a story to go to print that is completely erroneous? Where is the accountability? Where is the integrity?

Gaskell wrote in her first article that Springsteen had “no comment,” which would imply and lead the reader to believe as I did, that Springsteen was asked, and had no comment. Had Springsteen actually been asked, he would have killed the story right then and there because as was later reported, he had no knowledge of, and wanted no part of the lawsuit.

So the question is this; just when did Ms. Gaskell know that her story was complete fiction? Did she actually try to get Springsteen’s opinion; either from him or his publicist? Did ASCAP make it known from the beginning that they had merely filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Boss?

The story has become the story and the moral is this; we should never believe that which is written in the press and reported in the news without first looking further.

If the New York Daily News was truly concerned with the integrity of its paper, Stephanie Gaskell would’ve been fired immediately.

Unfortunately we live in an age where integrity is seldom valued and fiction sells more than fact.

Evelyn Matroianni, principal at PS 52 in Staten Island, New York, wanted to suspend a nine year old student yesterday for bringing a toy gun to school.

The New York City Department of Education has a “no toy gun” policy and Ms. Matroianni was not about to look the other way and allow the student to violate the zero tolerance rule.

There was only one problem. The toy gun, which was less than two inches in size, actually belonged to the LEGO policeman that the boy had brought to school to play with.

It was only after Ms. Matroianni contacted the Department of Education’s security administrator that the boy was pardoned and the LEGO policeman and gun were released into the custody of his mother.

Ms. Matroianni is an idiot and has no business being principal of a school. She displayed a total lack of common sense and has demonstrated that she is obviously incapable of making any important decisions on her own.

While the New York City Department of Education’s policy on “no toy guns” should be commended, I am sure that a two inch toy gun, that is part of a Lego play set, was not what they had in mind when the policy was written.

Ms. Matroianni should be suspended; in fact she should be fired. Her actions were more disruptive and harmful to the students than the LEGO toy.

There really is no shortage of idiots in this world.

This is the beginning of the end for any politician that believes they have the right to disregard the will of the people they represent.

Massachusetts has become a beacon of hope in this sea of political despair.

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed,….”

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

Fox Network is threatening to pull its programming from Time Warner Cable unless they are paid a “retransmittal” fee of one dollar for every subscriber, per month. And while a dollar doesn’t really seem like a lot, realize this: There are over fourteen million Time Warner Cable subscribers.

Should Time Warner, or any Cable Company for that matter, have to pay any network for the right to air its programs? It seems to me that in this day and age, when the majority of households in this country get their television programming either through cable or by satellite, it should be the other way around.

Cable television companies are nothing more than a vehicle used to transport someone else’s product to a consumer. A trucking company does not pay a manufacturer a fee for the right to transport their goods. UPS, Fed Ex and the US Postal Service do not pay for the ability to ship packages and letters to waiting customers. Fox Network does not pay Budweiser, Ford and Chevy for the right to air their commercials. They all charge for their services.

And while Fox can cite whatever reason they may for wanting to be paid by the Cable Companies. The bottom line is this: Without them, Fox Network has no vehicle to transport its product. Payment by Time Warner will only result in higher prices and fees for its subscribers. And, if every Cable Company began charging even a small amount to the networks, for the right to transmit over their “lines,” perhaps some savings could be passed onto its subscribers.

I have never been a big fan of Time Warner Cable, there prices are ridiculous and the service leaves a lot to be desired, however, I do have to side with them on this issue. Hopefully they hold out and set a precedent for all the other cable companies.

If you have Time Warner Cable, let them know you support their decision.

No Credible Information
According to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, there had been no specific, credible, or derogatory information about Mutallab, which would have moved him to a “Selectee” or “No Fly” list.

Really.

No specific, credible or derogatory information about Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab?

In May 2009, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was denied a student Visa and placed on a United Kingdom watch list. Derogatory?

In November 2009, Mutallab’s own father, Alhaji Umar Mutallab reported to the United States Embassy in Nigeria that he feared his son’s religious views were becoming “extremist.” Specific? Credible?

Yet despite the failures of our own security measures to recognize and identify Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab as a possible threat, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has the audacity to try and dupe the American people and the world into believing that the “system worked.”

The system did not work!

The United Kingdom’s system worked. They identified Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab as a threat. They denied Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab entry into their country.

Ours did not work!

It is broke. It is flawed. It is governed by political correctness.

It is being run by idiots with little and no experience. The same idiots who only a few months ago warned of “local” rightwing extremists. The same idiots who added those with anti abortion and immigration views and returning war veterans to “local watch lists.”

Current Rules
When acknowledging that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was not on a terrorist watch list, Security Secretary Janet Napolitano commented that, “…we did not have the kind of information that under the current rules would elevate him.”

Current rules?

Just what are the current rules when US citizens and certain groups get placed on “watch lists” but foreign individuals, already identified by other governments as possible terrorists, do not?

Stepping Back
When asked by David Gregory on Meet the Press this past Sunday, about whether terrorists and al-Qaeda still pose a threat to the United States, Janet Napolitano responded, “Well, I think, stepping back from this case what we see is that al-Qaeda remains a source of threat ….”

Stepping back from this case? How do you step back from this case? The Homeland Security Secretary does not have the luxury of “stepping back” from this or any case.

We are at War
Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab should not have been issued a US Visa; at the very least it should have been revoked. Mutallab should never have been allowed to enter the United States.

We are at war and yet we still fail to recognize who our enemy is. We continue to bow down to pressure and accusations of profiling from the Muslim world. We need not apologize to any foreign government or religious group. We need to protect our citizens and our country from attack. We need tighter immigration laws and to better screen those entering our borders. Our illegal immigration problem is bad enough, but when we start issuing Visa’s to terrorists, I think it’s time to reassess our policies.

Attack Thwarted by the People
This attack was thwarted by the “people.” Not by the government. Not by the authorities. And not by those we look to and expect to protect us.

This administration continues to fail the American people. It continues to govern by political correctness rather than common sense. It continues to focus on all the wrong issues. This president is more concerned with Oprah and Leno and pushing his own agenda than he is with bin Laden, al-Qaeda, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-il and our own security.

Once again the American people show that even though they expect so much, they will accept so little.

God Bless the United States of America!
God Help Us.

What does it say about a man’s character when he doesn’t know the right answer to a simple question like that? Are you so used to saying only what people want to hear? How spineless are you?

These are the people that represent us in Congress.

The problem with politics is that there are too many politicians involved.

Democracy?

With the passing of this bill, Barack Hussein Obama will go down in the annals of history as the greatest confidence man of all time. Congress and the Senate, nothing more than two bit shills. Like fast talking street hawkers trying to convince their mark, the American people, that they will be the real winners and come out ahead.

Surely any educated person should, and must ask themselves; Why is something that we are being told is so important being rushed?

You wouldn’t buy a car from a used car salesman who told you that the deal must be done right NOW. Don’t think about it. Don’t discuss it with anyone. Sign the deal NOW.

Yet, this bill, which has the potential to change the course of United States history; has the potential to impact every single man, woman and child in this country, born and unborn, MUST BE PASSED NOW, BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Why?

Once again, the president, Congress, and the Senate forget that:

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,…”

God Bless the United States of America.
God Help Us.

Some of the facts:

Sean Bell was shot and killed by New York City Police Officers on November 25, 2006. At the time of the incident, Bell was behind the wheel of his vehicle, was legally intoxicated, refused a lawful order by the police and attempted to run the officers down while trying to get away.

Bell had been arrested three times in the past for dealing drugs and possessing an illegal firearm.

The two men with Bell that night had been arrested a total of nine times in the past for crimes including armed robbery and possessing an illegal firearm.

All the police officers involved were brought to trial and acquitted on all charges.

In recognition of his life and what his life meant? What he could have become?

Obviously, it may not have amounted to much as demonstrated by his actions that night.

Gallup reports an approval rating of 47%. A Quinnipiac Poll puts his rating at 46%. Rasmussen is reporting that 53% now disapprove of the presidents performance.

It’s also rather amusing that when the numbers are not in their favor, these idiots are quick to dismiss them.

God Bless the United States of America.
God Help Us.

Let us pray for Officer Faulkner and his family and let us not forget those ignorant individuals who stand up and support wesley cook (aka mumia abu jamal,) a cold blooded cop killer.

They include:
Ed Asner, The Black Eyed Peas, Jackson Browne, Tim Robbins, David Dinkins, Rage Against the Machine, The Beastie Boys, Michael Moore, Oliver Stone, Woody Harrelson, Samuel Jackson, Casey Kasem, Spike Lee, Salman Rushdie, Susan Sarandon, Michael Stipe, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Bad Religion and Harry Belafonte.

(For a complete list visit http://www.danielfaulkner.com/docs/SupportersofMumiaAbu-Jamal.pdf)

It is disgusting that these individuals choose to support jamal, despite the overwhelming evidence against him.

And while everyone is entitled to an opinion, to simply dismiss the facts of the case and stand on the other side of reason, is not acceptable. Remember this next time you support these idiots.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”