Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:ParrWest

2008-09-01T17:29:32Z

ParrWest: responded to Bugler

==Gossip==
I draw your attention to Conservapedia Commandment 3. Gossip is prohibited. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 13:00, 1 September 2008 (EDT)
:Sorry if my addition appeared to be gossip, but it is not. In fact, I included 3 citations because I wanted to make sure it was taken seriously. The McCain campaign actually confirmed this story this morning. I think it is a testament to the Palin family's conservative values that Bristol sees this pregnancy as a gift from God and plans to marry the father. For that reason, I suggest reverting the article, thanks! --[[User:ParrWest|ParrWest]] 13:29, 1 September 2008 (EDT)

Sarah Palin

2008-09-01T16:42:42Z

ParrWest: Added latest news about Bristol's pregnancy.

[[Image:Sarah Palin.jpg|right|thumb|Sarah Palin]] '''Sarah Louise Palin''' (pronounced pay'-lynn) (born February 11, 1964) is the [[conservative]] first-term Republican [[governor]] of [[Alaska]]. She is the youngest person to hold this honor as well as the first woman to do so in the state's history. Palin is Senator [[John McCain]]'s Vice Presidential running mate in the [[2008 Presidential Election]].<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/08/palins_vp_selection_speech.html Acceptance Speech by Palin]</ref>

She brings a populist image and a record of cutting wasteful spending and reforming government to McCain's ticket. In the summer of 2007 she was the most popular governor in America, after cutting 13% of [[Alaska]]'s budget.<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp</ref> She is strongly [[pro-life]].

Married for 20 years, Sarah Palin's husband is a member of the United Steelworkers union and her eldest son (of five children) is in the [[United States Army]], scheduled to go to Iraq. In an appearance on August 30, 2008 in Washington, Pennsylvania, she was greeted by a surprisingly large crowd as she promoted the new McCain-Palin ticket.

She earned her Journalism degree from the University of [[Idaho]] and worked in media and the utility industry before beginning her public service 14 years ago.

==Personal Background==
[[Image:Sarah Palin Todd Trig.jpg|thumb|right|In this April 23, 2008 file photo, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, and her husband, Todd Palin, hold their baby boy Trig in Anchorage, Alaska. <br>
''Photo courtesy of Newsmax.com'']]
Palin arrived in Alaska with her family in 1964, when her parents came to teach school in Skagway. She received a bachelor of science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987. Palin, who graduated from Wasilla High School in 1982, has lived in Skagway, Eagle River and Wasilla. She reports she entered beauty pageants to earn college money.

She is married to [[Todd Palin]], part Yupik [[Eskimo]], who is a lifelong Alaskan, works at a non-management union job in the oil industry and also as a commercial salmon fisherman. He is a four-time champion of the Iron Dog, the world's longest snowmobile race.

Sarah Palin is a Union member, a moose hunter and holds a membership in the [[NRA]].<ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/29/mccain-to-name-running-mate-on-friday/ McCain Names Alaska Gov. Palin as Running Mate] Fox News, August 29, 2008</ref> They have five children together: Track, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and Trig.

Palin has been highly regarded among conservatives for acting on her [[pro-life]] beliefs in the case of her youngest son, Trig, who was diagnosed with [[Down syndrome]] in the fourth month of her pregnancy. After researching the condition, she and her husband agreed to continue to pregnancy:
: "[My husband Todd said,] we shouldn't be asking 'Why us?' We should be saying 'Well, why not us?' We've both been very vocal about being pro life. We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential. I'm looking at him right now, and I see perfection. Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?" [http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/05/gov-sarah-palin.html]

Trig was born on April 18, 2008, four months before his mother was announced as the vice-presidential candidate. Palin wrote:
:"This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind us together, and get everyone focused on what really matters ... Those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world tells [us] is 'normal' or 'perfect.'"<ref name="people">[[People Magazine]]</ref>

:"It's a sign of the times to be able to do this," she said. "I can think of so many male candidates who watched a families grow while they were in office. There is no reason to believe a woman can't do it with a growing family. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected."<ref>Alaska governor balances newborn's needs, official duties [http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-10-4082128881_x.htm]</ref>

Palin's older son Track, serves in the U.S. Army, and may be deployed to [[Iraq War|Iraq]] this autumn. Palin says, "I'm proud of him but I worry."<ref name="people">[[People Magazine]]</ref>

It was recently confirmed by a senior McCain official that Palin's 17-year-old daughter Bristol is five-months pregnant and plans to keep the baby and marry the father<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/palin-confirms-daughters-pregnancy-915378.html]</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/us/international-usa-politics-palin.html?_r=1&oref=slogin]</ref><ref>http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/01/palins-17-year-old-daughter-is-pregnant/</ref>. Sarah Palin has asked the media to give her daughter and unborn child's father (who are both minors) privacy.

==Political Career==
Palin was elected to two terms on the Wasilla City Council, and then two terms as the Mayor / Manager of Alaska's fastest growing community (Population: 5400 in 2000)<ref>[http://wasilla.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm Wasilla Population and Demographics]</ref>. During her time as mayor, Palin hired a Washington lobbying firm to help secure $8 million in congressionally directed spending projects, otherwise known as earmarks.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-31-palin-bridge_N.htm Palin backed 'bridge to nowhere' in 2006]</ref> Ms. Palin's leadership qualities were recognized when she was elected as President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. In 2002, she ran for Lieutenant Governor, but came in second in a four-way race. Later that year, when [[Frank Murkowski]] resigned his [[Senate]] seat to become [[governor]], she interviewed for the opening. Instead, Murkowski appointed his daughter to the seat. From there, she went on to run for governor and won, becoming the first female governor of Alaska and its youngest.

In 2003, then-Governor Mukowski appointed Palin to serve as Panel Ethics Commisioner of Alaska's Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates Alaska's [[non-renewable energy|non-renewable]] resources: [[oil]] and [[gasoline|gas]]. She resigned in 2004 as a protest over the "lack of ethics" of fellow panelists who had ignored her complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest.

She ran for Governor in 2006 on a clean government platform, and accomplished a political rarity in defeating the incumbent Governor [[Frank Murkowski]] in his own Republican primary. Palin went on to defeat former Governor [[Tony Knowles]] in the general election.

She has also served on the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. She was named one of Alaska's "Top 40 Under 40", Alaska's Public Works "Person of the Year", and was recently inducted into the Sigma Beta Delta Honor Society at Alaska Pacific University.

Palin has served on numerous boards and commissions throughout the State, and stays active as a marathon runner, sports team mom, hockey manager and school volunteer. A lifetime member of the [[NRA]], she enjoys hunting, fishing, and Alaska history. <ref>http://gov.state.ak.us/bio.php Alaska Governor Sarah Palin</ref>

In 2007, Palin's 18-year old son, Track, enlisted in the [[Army]]. <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6920410,00.html</ref>

<blockquote>
''I am pro-life and I believe that marriage should only be between and man and a woman. I am opposed to any expansion of gambling in Alaska.'' <ref> Source: Campaign website, www.palinforgovernor.com, "Issues" Nov 7, 2006 </ref>
</blockquote>

==Record as Governor==
===Energy and Oil===

A strong supporter of [[oil]] and natural [[gas]] resources, Palin presented the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) in March 2007, which would be the the new legal vehicle for building a natural gas pipeline from the state's North Slope.<ref>http://www.newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/29/palin-alaska-gasline-inducement-act-nears-completi/</ref> It received bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Palin in June. In August of 2008 she signed legislation giving state authority to award TransCanada Corp a license to build and operate a multibillion-dollar pipeline to ship natural gas from the North Slope.<ref>http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=2e84b1e8-9a4a-4558-ad05-21b517c50fae</ref> As Governor, Palin created a new subcabinet that will develop policies to reduce greenhouse gases and help the state adapt to [[climate change]]. She supports oil production in ANWR, connecting it with national security.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GE11URmmnc</ref>

===State Economy===
At first, Palin seemed to support the Gravina Island Bridge Project, otherwise known as the "Bridge to Nowhere". In September 2006, during a stop in Ketchikan as part of her gubernatorial campaign, Palin stated, "OK, you've got Valley trash standing here in the middle of nowhere," Palin said, according to an account in the Ketchikan Daily News. "I think we're going to make a good team as we progress that bridge project."<ref>[http://www.adn.com/sarahpalin/story/511471.html Palin touts stance on 'Bridge to Nowhere']</ref> The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan, on one island in southeastern Alaska, to its airport on another nearby island. The Anchorage Daily News also quoted her in a October, 2006 article as saying yes, she would continue state funding for the bridge because she wanted swift action on infrastructure projects. "The window is now while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist," she said.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_bridge_to_nowhere;_ylt=Am.NkRx1mLWk9A34FLhn8IADW7oF Critics: Palin used 'Bridge to Nowhere' for gain]</ref> Palin announced her opposition to the project in a 2007 press release. She has stated her opposition arose because of the excessive amount of pork-barrel spending in the project, and that she would not fund the the $329 million that was short for the budget.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/22/alaska.bridge.ap/</ref> She instead said that the best option would be to upgrade the ferry system.

===Foreign Policy===
Palin is Commander in Chief of the Alaska Army [[National Guard]]. In 2007 she visited troops in [[Germany]] and [[Kuwait]].

===Legislature Investigation===
In August of 2008, the [[Alaska]] state legislature began an investigation of Palin and her staff for potential abuse of power in regards to a firing of Commissioner of Public Safety Walter Monegan. Monegan was dismissed from his position in July of 2008. He alleged that Palin fired him because he refused to fire Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin's sister. Palin denies the charges.

===Polar Bears===
The state of Alaska will sue to challenge the recent listing of [[polar bears]] as a threatened species, Gov. Sarah Palin announced May 21, 2008. She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state's northern and northwestern coasts. Palin argued that there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.

==Vice Presidential Candidate==
On August 29, 2008, Palin was announced to be the Vice Presidential nominee for Republican Senator John McCain <ref>http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/sarah_palin_vp/2008/08/29/126138.html</ref>. The selection was a surprise, as those in the media were expecting [[Minnesota]] Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]] or former [[Massachusetts]]'s Governor [[Mitt Romney]]. Palin adds youth and executive experience to the ticket. She is the second female Vice Presidential candidate of a major party in U.S. history and the first one on a Republican ticket. The first was [[Geraldine Ferraro]], who the Democratic Party put on the ticket under [[Walter Mondale]] in 1984.

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
[[Image:Sarah Palin 2.jpg|right]]
*[http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ State of Alaska - Governor Sarah Palin Official Website]
*[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=864bb9006da3f010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD National Governor's Association - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin]
*[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=27200 Project Vote Smart - Governor Sarah H. Palin]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm Sarah Palin On the issues]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palin, Sarah}}

[[Category:Alaska Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:United States Mayors]]
[[Category:Women]]

Minimum wage

2008-08-06T23:25:13Z

ParrWest: wikify

The '''minimum wage''' is the lowest wage that an employer may legally pay their workers. More than 90% of countries in the world have minimum wage laws.

Most countries have a minimum wage. The minimum wage in the United states was most recently raised to $5.85/hr, on July 24, 2007, in a bill created by California Representative George Miller and signed into law by [[George W. Bush]]. At this rate, a person working a 40-hour week for 52 weeks a year at minimum wage earns $12,168.00 for the year. The minimum wage is higher in many states, such as [[New Jersey]], due to state minimum wage laws.

==Political views==

The left wing in American politics tends to present a minimum wage as benefiting the lower class by helping to lift poor people out of poverty. Conservatives and libertarians generally counter this argument with statistics showing that every increase in the minimum wage has increased unemployment, especially among black inner city youth; see [[entry-level job]]s. It also obliges companies to outsource many jobs to China and the Third World.

Fiscal conservatives tend to oppose increases in the minimum wage because in a [[free market]], the price of labor, like any other commodity, should be set by negotiations between the buyer and seller without undue interference from the state.

[[Socialism|Socialists]], and many economic liberals, disagree with this view of labor as a commodity because they believe it dehumanizes laborers by permitting companies to pay employees less than necessary to live a decent life, support a family, etc; see [[living wage]]. Even without legislation, the minimum wage as of 2007 is far below the lowest wage paid by most large companies.<ref>Alan Renolds, [[Cato Institute]]. ''[http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=5409 Below the Minimum Wage]''</ref>

See also:
* [[maximum wage]]

==References==
<references />
[[category:economics]][[category:politics]][[category:law]]

Eiffel Tower

2008-08-01T17:55:46Z

ParrWest: finished previous version which was incomplete (ended mid-sentence)

[[Image:Eiffel Tower.jpg|right|200px]]
The '''Eiffel Tower''', known in [[French]] as "La Tour Eiffel", is an iron tower located in [[Paris]], [[France]] that was built for the Paris Exposition of 1889. It is 986 feet tall, and including its distinctive antenna at the top, is 1,063 feet tall. It was the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building in [[New York City]] was built in 1930. The tower has become an icon of Paris.

[[Gustave Eiffel|Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel]], a French civil engineer is renowned for the construction of the tower that bears his name. Maurice Koechlin was the structural designer.

In 2007, 6,893,000 people visited the tower, a figure which set a new world record for annual visitors to a monument<ref>http://goparis.about.com/b/2008/02/15/new-record-for-the-eiffel-tower-in-2007.htm</ref>
== See also ==

*[[Architecture]]
*[[Pantheon, Paris]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.paris-live.com/paris_webcam/eiffel_tower_cam3.htm Live image of the Eiffel Tower]
*[http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ Official site]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Tourist Attractions]]

The Daily Show

2008-08-01T13:47:20Z

ParrWest: fixed grammar

[[The Daily Show]] is a [[satire|satirical]] program that airs on Comedy Central. It has won several awards, including a [[Peabody Awards|Peabody Award]] and nine [[Emmy|Emmys]]<ref>IMDb - Awards for The Daily Show [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115147/awards]</ref>, and is known for its comedic satire of the news.

== Early Years ==
The show was originally hosted by [[Craig Kilborn]], but in 1998 [[Jon Stewart]] replaced Kilborn.

== Jon Stewart on The Daily Show ==
Jon Stewart is currently the host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show. He often satirizes the [[George W. Bush|President]], the war in [[Iraq War|Iraq]], [[United States Congress|Congress]], and [[United States]] foreign policy.<ref>http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/20060711_jon_stewart_bush_diplomacy/</ref> Like other network news channels, Stewart often shows video clips, sound bites, and news stories in which [[politicians]] look silly, often contradicting themselves, or showing Senate speeches that seem ridiculous.
== Correspondents ==

The comedians can be seen as showing a [[liberal bias]] while performing their "news stories". The segments are usually aimed at poking fun at and satirizing the political parties in power. Thus, Stewart began by mocking of [[Republicans]], but now makes fun of [[Democrats]], as well as other topics in the news. Some argue that he demeans [[conservative]] positions, such as gun rights and the [[pro-life]] movement, or [[Christianity]].<ref>http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/browseresults.jhtml?showId=934</ref> One segment in particular, "This Week In God" satires [[religious]] values, and [[God]].<ref>http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/play.jhtml?itemId=72342</ref> <ref>http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/media_player/play.jhtml?itemId=72182</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

==External Links==

[http://www.thedailyshow.com The official ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' website]

{{DEFAULTSORT: Daily Show, The}}

[[category:Television Shows]]

User:ParrWest

2008-08-01T13:40:10Z

ParrWest: added 3 userboxes to my user page

"My brothers, what use is it for a man to say he has faith when he does nothing to show it? Can that faith save him? Suppose a brother or a sister is in rags with not enough food for the day, and one of you says, 'Good luck to you, keep yourselves warm, and have plenty to eat', but does nothing to supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So with faith; if it does not lead to action, it is in itself a lifeless thing."

:{{Bible ref|book=James|chap=2|verses=14-17|version=NIV}}

{{User cosmonaut}}
{{User patriot questions authority}}
{{User research}}

Peabody Awards

2008-08-01T13:30:10Z

ParrWest: noticed this page didn't exist yet

The '''Peabody Awards''' are an annual honor named after George Foster Peabody. The awards are administered for excellence in [[radio]] and [[television]] broadcasting and were first given out in 1941. Initially, the award was only merited in the field of radio but in 1948, television awards were introduced and in the 1990's a World Wide Web category was added.

The Peabody Award is regarded as the highest achievement in broadcast journalism and is significant as the first major honor to be given out for work in electronic media.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765429,00.html</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.peabody.uga.edu/ The Official Peabody Award site]

{{stub}}

QubeTV

2008-08-01T03:16:31Z

ParrWest: oops, forgot the references the first time :)

[http://www.qubetv.tv '''QubeTV'''] is a video-hosting website launched in 2007 by two former White House aids under [[Ronald Reagan]], Charlie Gerow and Jeff Lord. The site works to provide a "conservative take on politics and culture to the Internet" <ref>http://www.qubetv.tv/home/about</ref> and contains videos created by prominent conservative Americas like [[Rush Limbaugh]] and [[Tom Tancredo]]. QubeTV was launched partly in response to [[YouTube|YouTube's]] deletion of a video uploaded by conservative pundit [[Michelle Malkin]] which warned of the threat of radical Islamic extremists and boldly depicted many of their previous threats and attacks <ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3137127&page=1</ref>. The full video can be viewed on QubeTV [http://www.qubetv.tv/videos/detail/3 here]

Concern over YouTube's liberal bias stems from the company's acquisition by the liberal-leaning<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2007/12/28/google-claims-american-spectator-site-may-harm-your-computer</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4647398.stm</ref> [[Google|Google Corporation]] in 2006. On the merger, Gerow described his site's importance by saying, "We saw a need for a social-networking site for the center-right [...] something that isn't controlled by our good friends at Google."<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/may/01/20070501-105437-7478r/</ref>

== References ==

<references/>

QubeTV

2008-08-01T03:14:48Z

ParrWest: New page: [http://www.qubetv.tv '''QubeTV'''] is a video-hosting website launched in 2007 by two former White House aids under Ronald Reagan, Charlie Gerow and Jeff Lord. The site works to provi...

User:ParrWest

2008-08-01T01:31:59Z

ParrWest: adding one of my favorites