The Blue Pelican

A conservative view of Carolina and the world

The Church Goes To Court

http://www.nysun.com/editorials/the-church-goes-to-court/87830/

Congratulations are in order for the Catholic Church, whose archdioceses in America went to federal court today to challenge the Obama administration on the contraception mandates. Something like a dozen federal lawsuits were filed against the administration by something on the order of 43 plaintiffs, including the Archdiocese of New York, among others, and the crown jewel in Catholic education in America, Notre Dame.

Ratcheting Up The Crisis In Europe | Via Meadia

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/05/19/ratcheting-up-the-crisis-in-europe/

The success of this little merry-go-round is why Europe calmed down last December. The ECB in effect prints money which it gives to busted banks. The busted banks lend the money to insolvent governments at artificially low rates (but at rates that still allow the banks to make a profit). It was a neat little trick that kept the crisis quiet without forcing the Germans to admit openly that the ECB was in effect using German resources to bail out the rest of the zone.

Bank runs, even virtual bank runs, would blow this fragile arrangements to bits. As the prospect of Greece leaving the euro becomes more likely, savers in Portugal, Spain and Italy have to start wondering if their countries, too, will have to jump ship. Sophisticated investors have been moving their money out of those countries for some time; things may soon reach a pass in which ordinary, unsophisticated investors start to do the same thing. 

The Death of the Hockey Stick?

http://pjmedia.com/blog/the-death-of-the-hockey-stick/?singlepage=true

But at a minimum it should be the final blow to the hockey stick, and perhaps to the very notion that bristlecone pines and larches are accurate thermometers. It should also be a final blow to the credibility of many of the leading lights of climate “science,” but based on history, it probably won’t be, at least among the political class.

Al-Qaeda Infiltrator was Working for Brits not CIA, Cover Blown for Election Year Politics

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/05/14/bombshell-al-qaeda-infiltrator-was-working-for-brits-not-cia-cover-blown-for-election-year-politics/

The double-agent hadn’t been recruited and placed by the CIA, but by British intelligence, who also managed the operation. In fact, the Americans had only recently been made aware of the joint British-Saudi effort.

The leaks about the operation from the American side have infuriated British intelligence officials, who had hoped to continue the operation. The leaks not only scuttled the mission but put the life of the asset in jeopardy. Even CIA officials, joining their MI5 and MI6 counterparts, were describing the leaks as “despicable,” attributing them to the Obama administration.

NC Democratic Party chairman resigns, then unresigns

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/12/2060883/democratic-party-chair-resigns...

David Parker, the besieged state Democratic Party chairman, said Saturday that he would remain in his post after the party’s ruling committee voted not to accept his resignation.

In doing so, Parker defied pressure from party leaders from Washington to Raleigh to step aside because of the concern that his handling of sexual harassment accusations by a staffer would damage the party’s efforts in the fall.

The move came despite an effort by party leaders including Gov. Bev Perdue, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Walter Dalton, key state elected leaders, the national party, and the White House to ease Parker out.

The pressure came as Republicans have repeatedly hammered the Democrats on the scandal, and national political stories cite it as a reason why it will be difficult for President Barack Obama to carry North Carolina again in November.

At issue was Parker’s handling of a sexual harassment accusation brought by a staffer against Jay Parmley, the party’s executive director. There were criticisms of the confidential settlement in the matter, whether Parker should have taken it to the Executive Committee, and Parker’s off-key news conference last month.

For a little background on Jay Parmley, see this article:

http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/23/leading-nc-democrat-already-accused-of-sexu...

Rebecca Burgin, a long-time former girlfriend of former North Carolina Democratic Party executive director Jay Parmley, told The Daily Caller that she believes Parmley infected her with HIV.

Parmley resigned on April 15 amid sexual harassment allegations from a former young male staffer.