More Pirate Attacks, Tax Breaks that are Not, Tea Parties, 'Spirituality' for Kids

"I get so tired of hearing people say, ‘The government gave me blah, blah, blah.’ Give me a break! Where do you think the government got the money? They got it from you. The government giving you something is like you giving yourself a transfusion from your right arm to your left arm, with 90 percent of your blood dripping out on the floor." John Hagee 1) French nab 11 pirates as threats mount on US ships MOMBASA, Kenya – A pirate gang that staged an abortive attack on a second U.S. ship loaded with food aid said Wednesday they were singling out American vessels and would kill their crews. French forces detained 11 other hijackers in a high-seas raid. Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the cargo ship Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday's attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard. A pirate whose gang attacked the ship said Wednesday that his group was targeting American ships and sailors. "We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090415/ap_on_re_af/piracy 2) Anti-tax protesters turn out for dreaded April 15 FRANKFORT, Ky. – Protesters began gathering at state Capitols and in neighborhoods and town squares across the country Wednesday to kick off a series of tax-day protests designed to echo the rebellion of the Boston Tea Party. Demonstrators said they're steamed about government spending since President Barack Obama took office. The rallies were being held everywhere from Kentucky, which just passed tax increases on cigarettes and alcohol, to South Carolina, where the governor has repeatedly criticized the $787 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed earlier this year. Large protests also were expected in California and New York. See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090415/ap_on_bi_ge/tax_day_protests 3) At tax time, cases like Geithner's raise pointed questions Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -- The Treasury secretary, who oversees the IRS, initially didn't pay all his taxes. Neither did five other top nominees for the Obama administration or their spouses. Now, as tonight's tax deadline looms, some Americans are rhetorically asking: What would have happened to me if I had done the same thing? See: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-geithner-tax15-2009apr15,0,6763028.story 4) Pass the stimulus, and unemployment will never go above 8% …Yesterday he asked Robert Gibbs about a report that the Obama administration released in January—which showed what could happen to the unemployment rate if their world saving stimulus package was not passed (graph on page 5). Here are the highlights:  1) By their own estimation, the stimulus isn’t working as planned: The administration’s own estimates said that if the stimulus would pass, the unemployment rate would never rise above 8%. Its peak would be around 7.9% around the end of the year. Well…It’s at 8.5% already, and most economists seem to it’s getting worse before it gets better. See: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/stu/ 5) Obama extends tax relief to 'working families' President Obama announced a five-fold, tax-cut plan Wednesday and vowed to simplify the "monstrous" tax code that baffles most Americans.  "We start from the simple premise that we should reduce the tax burden on working people," said Mr. Obama, on the deadline day for filing 2008 tax returns.  Yeah, enjoy your $13, which will decrease to $8 in January… The president also likened himself to a typical U.S. worker, saying he will end tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans "so that folks like me are paying the same rates that the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans paid when Bill Clinton was president." Mr. Obama's salary as president is $400,000 a year. Yeah, people who make more than $400,000 don’t work for their money, do they?  See: http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/15/obama-offer-relief-taxpayers/ 6) 'Spirituality for Kids' class draws fire "What does greater satisfaction bring?" she asks. Matthew replies: "Spiritual power!" Zucker asks him where the power comes from? "Your inner light," the boy answers. And where is that light found? "In your heart," he says. The exchange is part of "Spirituality for Kids," a class offered in several Los Angeles public elementary schools during the day or after school. Created by a leader of the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Centre International, a spiritual and educational organization, the program is promoted as a nondenominational effort to teach children to make wise choices. See: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schools-kabbalah14-2009apr14,0,3061945.story