THE WINDFALL....

All last year Grandpa and Grandma Edwin Johnson were receiving $500.00 checks in the mail every month and cashing them. It turns out the insurance company made a mistake with the address. The checks were intended for another Edwin P. Johnson, and now Grandpa receives notice he has to pay back $6,000.00. Visibly upset, he complains to his grandson, an accountant. His grandson asks, "Grandpa, didn't you wonder why you were receiving checks for doing absolutely nothing?" Grandpa answers, "I just figured the Democrats were back in power." (Thanks Sue, made the day a little better!)

More UN Nonsense

A few hours ago, I saw a snippet on the news that the UN had approved $500 million to help Lebanon rebuild. World donors have increased that amount to more than $900 million.I've been waiting to see how much they are going to raise to help Israel rebuild. I'm still waiting.

Be Afraid!

Ireland Gives Public Two Months to Hand in Illegal Guns Without Penalty

DUBLIN, Ireland — Owners of illegally owned firearms will be given two months to hand over the weapons without penalty before a new, tougher law comes into force, the government announced Thursday. Justice Minister Michael McDowell included the amnesty for illegally owned guns in its new criminal justice bill, which makes some firearms-ownership offenses punishable by five to 10 years in prison. The amnesty will permit people to hand over unlicensed firearms, as well as a wide range of other lethal weapons including hunting knives and crossbows, throughout September and October. The bill creating new offenses with tougher sentences would become law in November. The government declined to say whether any surrendered guns would be subject to forensic tests to determine whether they had been used in specific crimes. More than 20 people have been fatally shot in the Republic of Ireland this year, most of them in Dublin criminal feuds.

Be VERY afraid!

Disgusting!

They have the gall and audacity to put this in the "entertainment" category? President Bush 'assassinated' in new TV docudrama

Set around October 2007, President Bush is assassinated as he leaves the Sheraton Hotel in Chicago.

H/T: Stop The ACLU

Laundry Musings

Have you ever noticed that when you decided to actually DO laundry, a whole lot of things happen? Laundry seems simple enough, until you actually have the time and inclination to "do it". 1. Ever notice that panyhose end up in the load, and ALWAYS gets wrapped around other items? It's a great training tool for unraveling Christmas lights. 2. More expensive towels end up "shedding", just like the less expensive ones. Of course, the sheddings always end up on other items, stuck like the dryer used Super Glue, and have to picked off one by one. 3. A cat will always decide to curl up on the load you are planning to throw in the washing machine next, and is always the same feline who wants to help type. 4. There's always something your husband "forgot" to put in the basket. 5. No matter how much technology has "improved" our lives, there still isn't a washer and dryer combination that: a) gathers up all the dirty clothes b) puts them in the washing machine, adds detergent, turns itself on c) transfer clothes to the dryer d) folds and puts away clean clothes We can only hope that some day..... I'm all for wearing something once or twice, and buying new! :)

What Were They Drinking?

Who's bright idea was it to grant a visa to a terrorist? Former Iranian President Khatami Granted Visa

There will be no restrictions on his travel.

I sure hope the people who live in the area will make it quite difficult for him to wander around.

Khatami plans to attend a U.N. conference Sept. 5-6, and speak at the Washington National Cathedral on Sept. 7.

What moron agreed to him speaking at OUR National Cathedral? This is a representative of a religion that has NO tolerance for other religions. How dare any American grant him permission to speak in the same Cathedral that honored the murdered victims of terrorists, on the eve of the 5th anniversary of those murders.

A growing number of former U.S. diplomats and members of Congress have urged the administration to talk to Iran about their disagreements.

They mean the Neville Chamberlain types... appease the evil at the cost of lives, like Jimmy Carter.

He proclaimed human rights while lauding the Shah of Iran'’s repressive regime. When the Shah'’s revolutionary successors held 52 American diplomats hostage for 14 months, Ayatollah Khomeini accurately sneered: "“Neither does Carter have the guts for military action, nor would anyone listen to him."”

Angel at Woman Honor Thyself looks at this issue, with other links.

Land Grab

While reading this article, I started thinking, this sounds a lot like what's been happening in this country with the abuse of 'eminent domain'. The only difference I see, it's the city councils who are behaving like dictators, not the head of the country and his cronies.

Backed by a land law passed in 2003, the Chavez government has targeted 4 million acres of farmland for seizure and redistribution this year to poor farm cooperatives. The moves are part of a broader social agenda to move the poor out of the cities and onto small farms.

This type of "Robin Hood" action doesn't really work in the long run. Being poor sucks, I know, been there, done that. However, the opportunity to improve your own life, through education and hard work is a whole lot more important than being given a new apartment. Yes, having a decent roof over your heads is a high priority, however, earning that roof with your own hard work is a benefit the socialist types just don't understand. If it doesn't actually belong to you, are you going to care as much about the upkeep? Odds are, no, as we've seen in the many "projects" throughout our own country. Sometimes, circumstances beyond our control have a profound effect on our lives, but it's what we learn from those experiences helps create the person we become, good or bad.

Backed by a land law passed in 2003, the Chavez government has targeted 4 million acres of farmland for seizure and redistribution this year to poor farm cooperatives. The moves are part of a broader social agenda to move the poor out of the cities and onto small farms.

When a government takes control of private industry, even a country club, the results are pretty much the same as when it was in private hands, only it's the government officials who are getting rich, and the poor are still poor. The inequities grow even more. Communism does not work! There will be no utopia created by stealing private property "for the greater good".

Fear of squatter seizures has brought new apartment construction to a virtual halt in the capital and other Venezuelan cities, creating an acute shortage of units and inflating rents.

So, the more land and property the dictatorship of Venezuela seizes, the less construction actually occurs. Who is this helping? Not the workers, who are trying to provide the aforementioned roof for their families, or the renters, who will have to fork over even more money to their landlords. The simple principle of "supply and demand" seems to be completely lost on the socialist mindset. I will repeat it, COMMUNISM DOES NOT WORK! Perhaps this is a good time for Cindy Sheehan to go make nice with her favorite dictator, especially since she'd rather live in a country run by Chavez, than by George W. Bush.

Fireman Demoted

How long will it be before something like this happens in this country? Or has it started already? Fireman demoted for refusing to attend gay festival

A fireman who refused to hand out safety leaflets at a homosexual pride march has been demoted. Eight of his colleagues who also refused to attend the Pride Scotia parade in June have been told they must undergo intensive "diversity training", following a series of disciplinary hearings. After several days of deliberation, senior officers at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue (SFR) today announced the nine would receive written warnings for disobeying orders. The demoted fireman faces a salary cut of up to £5,000. The men's refusal to hand out the leaflets represented a "fundamental breach of their core responsibilities", it was judged.

Since when is passing out pamphlets for a homosexual event a "core responsibility" for a fireman? And here I grew up thinking that firemen fight fires, rescue people, and generally make life a little safer for us all. I guess I got it all wrong.

Kofi Luvs Mahmoud

Stolen: Disgruntled Truck Driver!

Mother Moonbat Not Above the Law

Cindy Sheehan evidently has too much on her mind these days. Unfortunately for her, the Woodway, Texas police didn't forget that Sheehan hadn't paid the fine for a traffic violation. Sheehan had two outstanding warrants -— one for the original ticket for following too closely, another for failure to appear, the spokeswoman said. Well, at least they didn't have any trouble finding her.

Training to be Illegal

Illegal aliens are a major problem in this country. Those making the illegal border crossing now have the opportunity to take a training course in how to avoid the "migra", or border patrol if you actually speak English. For $15, you can match wits with immigration Park attraction in Mexico offers reality, but doesn't amuse lawmen

EL ALBERTO, MEXICO — "Run! They're on our tails!" shouted a man in a ski mask as he led 15 people down a steep ravine and into a thorn-infested thicket. Gunshots pierced the night air. Sirens wailed. Then came a voice, sounding like the Border Patrol. "Don't cross the river!" someone yelled in a heavy accent. "Go back to Mexico where you belong!" Welcome to one of Mexico's strangest tourist attractions: A park where visitors pay $15 to hike across fields and through treacherous ravines, a grueling experience aimed at simulating an illegal journey across the U.S.-Mexico border. "We want this to be an exercise in awareness," said Alfonso Martinez, who acts as the chief smuggler at EcoAlberto Park in central Mexico. "It's in honor of all the people who have gone in search of the American Dream." The park, funded in part by the Mexican government, compares crossing the border to an "extreme sport" and tells participants that they, too, can "trick the Migra," slang for the Border Patrol. Real-life agents are not amused.

Neither am I. Read the rest here.

File this under... HUH?

Scientists seek to save baby-eating sharks from themselves

Sharks whose babies eat each other in the womb may not be everybody's idea of a species worth worrying about, but Australian scientists are desperately trying to save them from themselves.

That's about the silliest thing I've ever heard. Isn't there a reason for everything? I'm sure the baby sharks have a darn good reason for wiping out their "siblings". Like maybe mama shark can't afford to support the other 39? :) Don't these scientists have something better to do with their time than artificially "save" baby sharks? H/T: Shining City Atop a Hill

Cancer Sucks - Pt 3

I'm finding it more and more difficult to reconcile the vibrant, lovely lady of one month ago to the fragile creature now laying in a hospital bed barely 8 feet from where I am now sitting. If it wasn't for St. Agnes Hospice Care, I honestly don't think the family would have been able to deal with the current situation. They have been a God send. I'm sure the one or two regular visitor's have probably noticed I seem a bit distracted lately, now you know why.

Useless Annan

Annan unable to confirm troops alive There's no doubt in my mind this clown is the most useless human being on the planet. A big strong, but my aggravation with anything to do with the UN has doubled in the last couple of months, and it was pretty huge before this most recent mess.

"There will be no unconditional release. This is not possible," Minister of Energy and Hydraulic Resources Mohammed Fneish, one of two Hizbullah members in Lebanon's Cabinet, told reporters in Beirut.

Pardon my ignorance, but wouldn't the "Minister of Energy and Hydraulic Resources" be more inclined to deal with, oh, let's say energy and hydraulic resources, and NOT war? This statement from a member of Hezbollah tells me who, in the Lebanese government actually running the show. The Lebanese people voted these two terrorists into power, and have effectively given over their lives to the results of their actions, aka....war with Israel.

"There should be an exchange through indirect negotiations. This is the principle to which Hizbullah and the resistance are adhering," he said.

The difference between arresting criminals and kidnapping soldiers is obvious to me. I guess, however, the terrorist mind works a lot differently.

Annan told reporters that he was under the impression that the kidnapped troops were alive, but stopped short of confirming it. He was referring to a statement by US civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, who met Syrian and Hamas leaders in Damascus and said that the soldiers were "alive and well."

Someone explain to me what Jesse Jackson has to do with anything? Another anti-Semite getting involved with the situation. That sure makes sense. (read sarcasm) Israel has not lifted the blockade, and says it won't unless both international forces, and Lebanese troops are deployed on the Lebanon-Syria border to prevent more weapons from coming into the country to re-arm Hezbollah. I can understand their position completely. You'd think the "international" world would try to enforce this request.

Asked by a reporter why he was going to Iran, a country whose leader has called for the destruction of Israel, Annan replied, "As the secretary-general of the UN, it is my responsibility to speak with anybody who can help us improve the situation. If I can't have a discussion with Ahmandinejad, how else could I relay the message that what he is saying is wrong."

Another slap on the wrist? (snicker) Ahmebooboo doesn't give a happy crap what Annan and the UN says, why on earth would he start now?

Just Because...

....it happens to be true! :) Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein

How Strange is This?

If you won $209 million, would you pussy foot around, and not bother claiming it, and get your ticket validated? $209 million jackpot still unclaimed

The group of 100 Sargento Foods factory work-ers who claim to have the winning ticket from the Aug. 5 Powerball drawing worth $208.6 million have yet to claim their prize, Wisconsin Lottery spokes-woman Jessica Iverson said Tuesday. "(The ticket) has not yet been validated," Iverson said. Iverson said she did not know why the group has not claimed the prize, but said the process can be more difficult for a large group because there is more legal work involved.

Odd!

Another Must Read from Owen

Pork by any other name still wasteful

Have you ever heard of "earmarks?" You probably have, but by another name: "pork." Earmarking has been a problem for some time, but in the past decade or so, it has become an epidemic. So what are earmarks anyway? Earmarks are spending items that are inserted into bills that are designated for a specific project. In the normal budgeting process, the legislature will debate how much money should be spent on a particular department or program and then grant that money. But the bureaucracy actually prioritizes and dispenses the funds. For example, in the latest transportation bill, Congress voted to spend about $286 billion on transportation items. Exactly what projects that money would be spent on would be determined by the federal and state bureaucracies. Earmarks are specific spending items that are slipped in at the last minute - usually behind closed doors. Legislators don’t put their names on the earmarks and no debate is ever held on them. In that same transportation bill, congressmen slipped in 6,371 earmarks, representing $24 billion - or about $80 for every man, woman, and child in America - of additional spending. Among the items included were $6 million for graffiti elimination in New York, $2.4 million for the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Louisiana, and $1.2 million for the Blue Ridge Music Center in Virginia.

Read the rest here. Brilliant!

This is Good Stuff

Go Here! Don't ask questions....just trust me on this one, ok? :)

Court Hand Tying

Snuck away from Redstate

Mother Moonbat's Fading Fame

The folks in Crawford, Texas aren't all that impressed that Cindy Sheehan "lives" in their community. Since Sheehan has been recovering from surgery, and she hasn't been the focus of a media frenzy, no one is much concerned where she is. I'm sorry she had to have the surgery...been there, done that, and let me tell ya, it's no fun. But since there's have been some serious medical advancements, I doubt she'll have a long recovery time. Cindy Sheehan not the media draw she once was

The Cindy Sheehan staying near here this weekend does not command the same attention or sympathy as the one who arrived near President Bush’s ranch as a furious, grieving stranger more than a year ago. But even as fading fame, partisan criticism and growing nationwide concern about the Iraq war have contributed to make the Vacaville, Calif., “peace mom” a far less relevant figure, the importance of her first Crawford visit still lingers. Her call for quick withdrawal represented a radical view that no prominent politician was endorsing. Thirteen months later, it is a serious Senate campaign platform in Connecticut and Virginia. Calls for withdrawal are now raised often by editorial page writers, politicians and even former military leaders. All of which has left Sheehan herself more marginalized. “She is a little bit less of a player now,” said Bruce Buchanan, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Read the rest here.

Gotta Love the Local Weather Service

Another theft from Disgruntled Truck Driver!

Howard Dean

Republicans Are Obstructing King's Dream, Dean Says

On the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean accused President Bush and other Republicans of abandoning the civil rights movement and the call of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to fight poverty. "As we mark this anniversary, we should remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King and others who spoke on the Mall in Washington some 43 years ago calling on each one of us as individuals and our nation to honor our obligation to one another as part of the American community," Dean said in a statement. "We have a long way to go in ensuring the dream that Dr. King spoke of some 43 years ago, and Republicans' misplaced priorities are not getting us closer to making that dream a reality," Dean said. The Democrats' message to residents of the Gulf Coast still rebuilding after the devastating storm is that "we have not and we will not forget you. We will work hard to ensure the Gulf Coast has the resources needed to rebuild its communities," he said.

This from the head honcho of the party of "keep them down, make excuses for bad behavior, don't expect the best, and DEATH".

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."

Isn't it time to implement that dream and stop treating any American as more, or less, than any other American? This is what Republicans want, and are working hard to achieve. The Democrats seem to think that they know what's best for everyone, and anyone who isn't Caucasian isn't smart enough to get ahead on their own. That's just flat out wrong! Where is the outrage from the black community?

A Few Highlights of the Day

Annan: Israel guilty of truce violations

UN secretary-general meets with Defense Minister Peretz, slams Israel for violating southern Lebanon ceasefire. Annan also calls on Israel to lift aerial, naval blockade imposed on Lebanon since beginning of war.

I don't think so! Ahmadinejad challenges U.N., Bush

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today challenged the authority of the U.N. Security Council as Iran faces a deadline to halt its uranium enrichment, and he called for a televised debate with President Bush on world issues.

Wouldn't that be amusing. Amibooboo doesn't speak English, and Bush doesn't speak Persian. U.S. Incomes Up, 1st Rise Since '99

Americans' incomes rose last year for the first time since 1999, the Census Bureau reported today. But the poverty rate stayed stubbornly high - and more people were without health insurance than ever before.

This should annoy the libs. Unfortunately, "there will always be poor among us". Fugitive Polygamist Sect Leader Arrested in Las Vegas

A fugitive polygamist leader who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List was found with cell phones, laptop computers, wigs and more than $50,000 in cash when he was arrested, authorities said Tuesday.

One seriously disgusting pervert! I wonder if his idea of having so many wives is not religion based, but rather that he can't....um...perform up to snuff, and is embarrassed? Just a thought. No matter, he's still a sick puppy! Tropical storm drenches southern Florida

Tropical Storm Ernesto's leading edge drenched Miami and the rest of southern Florida on Tuesday as it steamed toward the Sunshine State with a potential for more than a foot of rain. But forecasters said there was only an outside chance it would strengthen into a hurricane.

It's Bush's fault! :) Rumsfeld: Bush Foes Lack Courage on Terror

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday accused critics of the Bush administration's Iraq and counterterrorism policies of lacking the courage to fight terror.

I think Rumsfeld has a point there. A sorry exhibition

The third exhibition game, the one moment of semi-truth for any team in the National Football League, couldn't have turned out more abysmally for the Green Bay Packers.

Cincinnati, 48 - Packers, 17. Ok, they did more than lose, they got squashed. Know what? I don't care! :) It's a game fer petes sake!

Oh NOOOOOO!

It's official! The American guards are torturing Saddam Hussein!

Saddam's cartoon capers

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is being made to watch his appearance in cult cartoon South Park while he is behind bars. The deposed leader on trial in Iraq was featured in the movie spin-off as the lover of the devil. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut featured Hussein and Satan attempting to take over the world together. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said US Marines guarding the former dictator during his trial for genocide were making him watch the movie "repeatedly". "I have it on pretty good information from the Marines on detail in Iraq that they showed him the movie last year. That's really adding insult to injury. I bet that made him really happy," Stone said.

I've Noticed Something

There seem to be a race to get advertisers in the comments sections. I guess someone goes through all the blogs, and pick out one to leave their calling card. No comments are left about the subject, just what they're selling. I made the mistake of accepting one of these a while back, and I'll be darned if it wasn't within 2 days, I was getting spam from that very same company. Does this happen to anyone else? I've since learned to reject those types of comments, but I'm wondering, does someone get paid to do that? Maybe a buck a comment? :) Hmmm... not a bad way to annoy people and make money at the same time! :)

Stolen from Disgruntled Truck Driver

Pigs Are Flying!

Go here to find out more.

Partial List

AirTran pilot among Comair victims

But one of the victims was a pilot for AirTran Airways who was traveling to the carrier's hub at the Atlanta airport. AirTran said Clarence W. Fortney II, 34, was scheduled to fly as co-pilot on one of the discount airline's Boeing 717s later that morning. Fortney, of Stanton, Ky., was hitching a free ride on Comair to get to work, but was riding in the passenger cabin rather than a so-called "jump seat" in the cockpit, according to AirTran. "It's a sad situation," said Klaus Goersch, AirTran's vice president of flight operations. "He had a son a little over a year old." Goersch said Fortney was hired a little over a year ago. "My understanding is he's been a great employee," he said.

This young man was Steve's (Hog on Ice) cousin in law.

Pinnochio was a Muslim

Not only do some Mulsims try to change reality, they're also changing fiction. Read about it at Dhimmi Watch.

Swiped from Sparks from the Anvil

Maywood, Calilfornia?

Last time I checked, California was still part of the United States of America!

The Mexican flag flying over a UNITED STATES post office.

This one speaks for itself.

There are a lot more pictures, and commentary, on Save Our State. I haven't seen one single thing on the news, any news, anywhere, on this. And you bet your boots I'm pissed! H/T: The Asian Blogger & Michelle Malkin

Response from Ole

Recently, I have been having a "dialog" about a post I made on 8/1, Letter about Teaching. Ole sent me her response to this "dialog":

Hi, Kate: Jim printed your blog in which you aired my recent editorial on education. The comments were amusing, but I would like to inform those who say my union gave me my retirement and benefits: when I retired in 1985, my salary was probably less than half of what the salaries are now, and that's what my retirement is based on. Since then salaries have gone up and up and up, and that wouldn't be so bad, except that the quality of education has gone down and down and down. I remember that the union rep. used to come around at contract time, and urge us to demand a higher settlement each time. Once I said, "But couldn't we just take a breather for three years and be satisfied with what we have and give the taxpayers a break?" " Oh, heavens, no! Then we would never be able to get more! " was the answer.. The mindset was in, and so it went. Love, Ole

I think she addressed the issue rather well, don't you? :)

Isn't He Dead Yet?

I do believe Jimmy Carter has been brain dead for years, evidenced by his continuous crap spouting against, not only President Bush, but against America. Now he's criticizing Prime Minister of Great Britain, Tony Blair.

Death Penalty Debate

After 153 years, the citizens of Wisconsin will be given the chance to express their opinion on the death penalty with their vote. Much coverage has been given to the "Marriage Amendment" issue that will be on the ballot on November 7, but little has been said about the other issue being brought before the voters. That issue, the question of whether or not Wisconsin should reinstate the death penalty. State voters to sound off on death penalty

"Should the death penalty be enacted in the state of Wisconsin for cases involving a person who is convicted of first-degree intentional homicides, if the conviction is supported by DNA evidence?"

Personally, I'd add a few other offenses to the wording, like serial child molesters for example, only after some extreme torture.

And U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., issued a statement to The Reporter voicing his concern. "I am disappointed that this referendum will be included on the November ballot and as a Wisconsin voter, I oppose it. Although the outcome of the referendum is not binding, it certainly seems timed to be used as another election-year wedge issue," Feingold said.

Perhaps Feingold is opposed to the death penalty because after he's found guilty of treason, he's afraid it might be applied to him? Ok, cheap shot. I'm not a fan of Feingold, if you couldn't tell, but I don't wish him ill, I just wish he'd go away. Kohl couldn't be reached (big surprise).

"Ninety percent of inmates on death row cannot afford an attorney and are people of low social status," stated Sister Joann Sambs, general superior of the congregation.

That's why attorneys are "appointed" Sister, paid for by the taxpayers. There are some really good public defenders. Naturally, there are also some really bad ones as well, but then, that's the case even if you have to pay for your defense.

The state of Wisconsin abolished the death penalty in 1853. It has been over 155 years since an execution, making it the longest any state has gone without doing so.

I think it's a shame the author of this article, Sharon Roznik, failed math. Ms. Roznik should request a calculator from the Reporter's office supply closet. 2006, take away 1853... 153. sigh....

First Assistant State Public Defender in Fond du Lac Bill Retert agrees with a statement of opposition issued by the Wisconsin State Public Defender Board. "I personally think the death penalty is wrong. It's very expensive and it doesn't deter homicide, and no matter how thorough the investigation, every once in awhile a mistake is made," he said.

Oh, I don't know. Let's see, a lifetime of food, clothing, housing, dental and medical care, at the expense of the taxpayer as oppose to... NONE? Hmmmm... I'd say it would be a lot cheaper, IF appeals were limited, with a time limit. Not to mention you'd definitely reduce the prison population. "Doesn't deter homicide"? Well, I'd say it's a major deterrent. On the off chance the murderer is let out of prison, which does happen ya know, they are able to kill again. If they're dead, odds are, they won't do it again. Just how many mistakes have been made? Not all that many, and I'd rather have one mistake, and get rid of the many who deserve execution, and worse. I'm all for "public hanging" in some instances.

Feingold said public safety goals can be achieved by sentencing offenders to life without parole. "I have long opposed capital punishment and have proposed legislation at the federal level to put a moratorium on the federal death penalty. I'm very proud to be from a state that abolished the death penalty more than 150 years ago, and I hope the voters of Wisconsin defeat this referendum," he said.

Remember, this is the same guy that supports the barbaric practice of "partial birth abortion", as do his "followers".

Swiped from The Absurd Report

No Surprise

Can anything good ever be said about any part of the U.N.? Probably not! What did you do in the war, UNIFIL?

UNIFIL--the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, a nearly 2,000-man blue-helmet contingent that has been present on the Lebanon-Israel border since 1978--is officially neutral. Yet, throughout the recent war, it posted on its website for all to see precise information about the movements of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and the nature of their weaponry and materiel, even specifying the placement of IDF safety structures within hours of their construction. New information was sometimes only 30 minutes old when it was posted, and never more than 24 hours old.

I can't even begin to express my disgust with the U.N. H/T: Badger Blogger

Grief in the Blogosphere

If you are a regular around here, you'll know that I've occasionally linked to Hog on Ice (I just noticed that site is one of those I lost when I changed my template.) He had friends and family on the Comair flight that crashed this morning. See here, here and here. My thoughts and prayers are with Steve and his family.

Admitting Mistakes....

....what a novel concept! PA gov't spokesman: People are to blame for situation Palestinian government spokesperson and Hamas official criticizes chaos, violence in Gaza, says Israeli occupation couldn't be blamed for all; calls on Palestinians to admit to mistakes.

Soul searching in Hamas. Dr Ghazi Hamad, the spokesperson of the Palestinian government, waged scathing criticism against the Palestinian public on Sunday, blaming the Palestinians for turning the Gaza Strip into a lawless and violent place. "Have mercy on Gaza," he wrote in an op-ed published on Sunday. "After the withdrawal from Gaza, we hoped for a bright future, we thought that this year we will reap the fruits of our sacrifices. But I ask myself today – why did the occupation return to Gaza. The occupation – wise men and commentators will say – is responsible. I am not defending the occupation, but I want to stop at our mistakes, which we are accustomed to blame on others." "Anarchy, wanton killing, land steeling, thuggery … is the occupation responsible for all?," he asked, saying that the Palestinians should stop espousing conspiracy theories which "limit our thinking." Hopes of economic prosperity and peace in the Gaza Strip after Israel withdrew settlers and troops from there have been systematically shattered as the Palestinian Authority failed to enforce law and order and provide basic services to 1.3 million Palestinians living in the tiny coastal strip. Hundreds of dunams of agricultural land evacuated by Jewish settlers were expected to create as many as 4,000 jobs and generate millions of dollars in revenue. But corruption in the ranks of the company assigned the task of managing the land crippled the once rosy agriculture of Gush Katif and many of the land is now used as training bases by Palestinian groups. 'Let's admit we erred' "We didn't succeed in preserving the victory of liberating Gaza. 500 people died in the Strip since the withdrawal, as opposed to 3-4 Israelis killed by rockets. The reality in Gaza today is one of neglect, sadness, and failure. When someone errs we are scared to criticize him to avoid being accused of being against the resistance," Hamad wrote. "When efforts are made to open the Rafah border crossing to ease the humanitarian crisis, there is always someone who fires a rocket on the crossing. When we speak about a truce, there is always someone who fires another rocket." Hamad appeals to leaders of Palestinian factions saying that resistance against Israel is worthless when "the land is full with anarchy, corruption, thuggery, and gang killings. Isn't building the homeland part of the resistance?" He also criticized the phenomenon of kidnapping foreigners in Gaza. Two Fox News journalists kidnapped almost two weeks ago by Palestinian gunmen were released on Sunday. Hamad said the phenomenon has become a "profitable business," charging that kidnappers of innocent foreigners apathetic to the harm their deeds cause to the Palestinian cause. "Let's admit to our mistakes, let's do some logical soul searching and place the interest of our people before us and say honestly – We were right here and we erred there. Only then will we see that the faces of Gaza and the homeland changes," he concluded.

Wouldn't it be nice if this idea were more widespread, rather than the blame everyone else mindset?

"Boobs on Wheels"

For the guys. You don't normally see this on a high street without a pair of handcuffs involved - and not in a good way! US porn actress Jessica Drake wasn't just excited to be in Auckland, New Zealand - she could barely contain herself... Ya think they might be "plastic"?

U.N.'s Terrorists

IDF uncovers Hizbullah bunker

IDF forces from the Golani Brigade blasted open a Hizbullah bunker overnight Saturday some 400 meters from the security fence near Rosh Hanikra, it was reported on Sunday. The bunker was discovered a mere stone's throw from a UN post. According to Lt.-Col. Jassem Elian, a senior officer in the Golani Brigade, "Hizbullah dug a 40-meter by two-kilometer pit, in which they built dozens of outposts." Elian added that the bunker had "shooting positions of poured concrete," and that the combat posts inside were equipped with phone lines, showers, toilets, air ducts, and emergency exits, as well as logistical paraphernalia for Hizbullah. A Golani officer told the Jerusalem Post that among the force's findings was a Katyusha rocket launcher, most likely used in rocket attacks against northern Israel during the war. He also mentioned that Golani forces had initiated the move to uncover the bunker after the same battalion, in an earlier operation, had discovered maps specifying certain areas where Hizbullah had planned such tunnels in south Lebanon. The IDF blasts caused concern among nearby residents, who thought the loud explosions were rocket fire. The IDF has continued to operate in southern Lebanon since a cease-fire was called two weeks ago, stopping weapons shipments to Hizbullah and killing several armed Hizbullah operatives who posed an immediate threat to IDF forces.

The U.N. does it's usual fine job of "peace keeping".

A Darn Good Reason

Swiped from Cox & Forkum. (Thanks Steph)

Mt. Soledad

I came across another blog with a great post on the ACLU vs Mt. Soledad issue. It's called Say no to P.C.B.S., based in California. "BITCH SLAPPING LIBERALS SINCE 2005!!!" I love that! :) Go check it out!

Downright Rude!

The bastard terrorists have sunk to a new low. Roadside bombs, suicide bombers, bombs strapped to babies, but this………………it’s just wrong.

From my bud, Ken.

Holding Breath - Turning Blue

Nasrallah: Contacts underway for possible prisoner swap

Hizbullah's leader Hassan Nasrallah claimed in the first post-war interview on Sunday that contacts were being held to bring about a prisoner swap between Israel and Hizbullah.

It doesn't surprise me that the leader of the terrorist group considers the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers as prisoners. Israel has prisoners that have broken the law, Hezbollah kidnaps two men, and they expect to get tit for tat?

Nasrallah claimed that Hizbullah would not have kidnapped the two IDF soldiers had he known that Israel's response would be so intense.

I suppose Israel was suppose to roll over and play dead. I'm quite glad they didn't.

Nasrallah estimated that there would not be a second round of hostilities with Israel.

At least not for the next 15 minutes. These sorts aren't going to stop until Israel is destroyed.

The first stage of the agreement would be the release of the two soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah last month, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, the report said. The next stage, the sources said, would be Israel's release of Palestinian prisoners a day or two after the soldiers are returned. According to the newspaper, the same high-ranking Egyptian sources also said that a similar exchange would soon be agreed upon for Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped in Gaza during a cross-border raid.

Yet, Israel is still being blamed for the whole Lebanon mess, even though Nasrallah admits to the kidnapping of the two soldiers.

You Might Be a Redneck If......

....you live in a small town? I don't normally watch Belling & Co. Typically, I don't even listen to his radio show after his monologues (which are usually terrific) unless there's a baseball game on KFIZ and Sean Hannity is pre-empted. I find his manner towards the majority of his callers beyond rude and obnoxious. This morning, I happened to catch his show and was a bit appalled when I heard him refer to the mayor of Arcadia, John Kimmel, as showing a bit of "redneckism" because he wants to actually enforce the law. I take issue with this, in a big way. I live in a small town, as do many other people in Wisconsin, and we are not all "rednecks", or even show a tendency of "redneckisms". Being from Texas, I'm sure a lot of people up here think I'm a redneck, by default. That may be true, if you consider American and Proud of it's definition:

You might be a redneck if: It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, "One nation, under God." You might be a redneck if: You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places. You might be a redneck if: You still say "Christmas" instead of "Winter Festival." You might be a redneck if: You bow your head when someone prays. You might be a redneck if: You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem. You might be a redneck if: You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect, and always have. You might be a redneck if: You've never burned an American flag. You might be a redneck if: You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening. You might be a redneck if: You respect your elders and expect your kids to do the same. You might be a redneck if: You'd give your last dollar to a friend. I'd add - You might be a redneck if: You believe in enforcing the laws of the land.

Anymore Questions?

Islamist Al-Hesbah Website Plan of Action for the Jihad Fighter: How to Kill a Westerner in the Arabian Peninsula

On August 4, 2006, the Al-Hesbah website published instructions on "How to Kill a Crusader in the Arabian Peninsula." The document was signed by Amer Al-Najdi, and dated June 15, 2006. Al-Najdi instructs his readers in some possible ways to kill a Westerner, from choosing the victim through following him through the stage of the actual killing. The following are excerpts from the document: "Before Carrying Out the Operation, Pray for Guidance" "Below I will explain the jihadist way of action and the security measures to be employed by the jihad fighter [when he wants to kill a Westerner]: "First of all, before carrying out the operation, pray [to Allah] to guide you on the good path. "[Regarding your] external appearance - Try as much as possible to look like someone who is not religious. For example, wear [a kuffiyeh] with an 'aqal instead of a turban, and wear cheap dark glasses during the day and regular glasses at night. Your clothes must be long, and try if at all possible for them to be heel-length, or longer; don't be afraid of this. Wear a sport suit or a regular suit. Similarly, it is greatly preferable to be shaven. "[Regarding] the items or the clothing in [your] car - Immediately get rid of everything in your car that indicates that you are religious, such as jihad cassettes, small papers such as post-its... The most important thing there must not be anything in the car indicating that the owner is a religious man... so that if the dogs of the security [apparatuses], the emergency [apparatuses], or the other [apparatuses] stop you in a suspicious place and search your car they will find nothing proving that you are religious, and will release you right away. "While you are carrying out the operation, be careful not to take your cell phone with you - especially if it has a camera - so that it won't cause you, or your friends whose numbers are in the phone, problems with unknown consequences. "Some Ways to Find a Crusader [i.e. a Westerner] or a Dog From the Security Apparatus" "In order to carry out the operation when the time comes, you must have a weapon (a pistol or a submachine gun) or a good knife, if you are interested in slaughtering this infidel or this [Saudi] dog... "[How to find a target] in the Crusader settlements [i.e. compounds] that are found everywhere: "The first method: At about seven AM, pass by the settlement and check only how these Crusaders leave it, and what road they take. Beware, my jihad-fighting brother, to pass by only once, because the military dogs at the gates [of the settlement] might suspect you and detain you. "Two or three days later, pass by the [same] settlement, but don't go near it as you did the first time. That is, go straight to the road where [the settlement residents] go, and wait for them by the side of the road, and when you see one of these Crusaders, follow him. "It is best to change vehicles each time, if you can. While following the Crusader, be very careful not to be exposed. For the most part, especially these days, they are feeling safer, because there are not many operations against them. But the jihad wave is approaching, and Allah will conceal this matter from them.... "When [the Westerner you have selected] stops at a traffic light, try to be behind him, in the same lane, with at least two cars between you and him, or alongside him, but not exactly alongside him. While waiting at the traffic light, refrain from casual glances, and try to occupy yourself with something (such as arranging your 'akal...). When you two turn onto the highway, try to pass the infidel on the right or left, and then slow down so that he will pass you, so as to remove suspicion for the next time. "When you and the infidel move to the secondary road, and you are following him and there is no one on the road but the two of you, first slow down and pretend you're looking for a shop or a place or a person, by turning your head right and left as if searching for something, [thus showing] that this infidel does not interest you at all. "A second way to find [a Westerner]: Sometimes there is no need to follow the infidel first thing in the morning; often we see them next to traffic lights or at the big marketplaces... (such as Karfour, Extra, and so on); often, they shop there, particularly in the morning, between 9:30 and 12:00. When you see [an infidel in one of these places], follow him carefully, and you will [quickly] notice that for the most part he will be going to a settlement or to a house in one of the neighborhoods... "A third way to find [a Westerner]: Sometimes when you, the jihad fighter, are sitting with your colleague or with family, someone comes and says: 'We have an American working for the company, who receives [a salary of] 150,000...' When you hear this, you must find out the following things: "1) If you know where your colleague works - fine. But if you don't know where he works and where his company is, immediately address your colleague, saying: 'That's not true, this [salary] is exaggerated.' He will immediately say, 'You're wrong, and I can prove it.' Tell him, 'I know someone who works for such-and-such a company (give a name) and they have an American who gets [paid] 40,000, and their company is in (give a place). Then tell him, 'Your company is probably in the such-and-such area (north, for example).' And he will reply: 'No, our company is in such-and-such a place.' If the description so far is [still] unclear to you, say to him: 'Oh... next to (give the name of a place)?' He will reply, 'No, our company is in such-and-such a place' exactly. Then say to him, 'This American you have must be a director if he gets [paid] such a sum,' and then he will tell you what this infidel does [in the company]. Then say, 'Surely he has a fancy car if he gets such a salary,' and then he will tell you the kind of car. Thus you have gotten the information that will help you in the future, without your colleague or anyone around him noticing. Then pretend that the matter doesn't interest you, and try to change the subject immediately. "2) If you know where your colleague works but you are interested in information about this infidel, question him in the manner I described above, and take care that they don't notice that you are looking for this infidel. "How to Kill the Infidel and What Security Measures to Take" "The best way to carry this out is to forge an ID card and a work ID, in order to rent a car. If you can't do this, act as follows: "1) Take the license plate from any car that is the same model as your car. Be sure that the region from which you take the license plate is far away from the region in which you live. For example, if your car is a white Camry, look for a white Camry that is far from the region [in which you live], and take its license plate. "2) Take the car of one of the ordinary people, in some easy way, and carry out the operation that day using [this car]. Then leave the [car] in a public place, so that the infidels will find it and return it to its owners... "3) After obtaining a suitable car, kill the Crusader, in accordance with the circumstances - if the Crusader works at a company where you work, or at a company where someone you know works, strike him on his day off, or somewhere far from [where the company is located]...; if the Crusader lives next door to you or near you, and you want to kill him, it is best to kill him when he is outside work, so as to distance you from suspicion... "4) Take care that the windows of the car you use to carry out the [killing] operation are somewhat dark; this will help you when you stop at traffic lights. "5) When you carry out the [killing] operation and make your escape, travel a route that you have planned in advance. It is best [to go] by the highway for five minutes, and then to move to secondary roads and then to neighborhoods, so as to distance yourself from the place of the operation... [In order to avoid being followed,] look behind you (and check) if anyone is tailing you. "6) After... [you have evaded being followed] park the car somewhere, [where] you have at your disposal another vehicle, extremely clean, that you will use to return home safely. "7) Take care not to say a word. The tongue is what will lead you to the infidels' prison. Many brothers have been arrested because they spoke near people. "It is desirable to film the operation so it can be presented by the media, so that it has a broader impact. "After the operation succeeds, you will realize that this is very simple, and that there is no need for an entire squad [to carry it out] but that one, two, or three people are enough... "You can look through the Mu'askar Al-Battar and Sawt Al-Jihad publications, [to learn from them] important things that I may not have clarified here... "Your brother Amer Al-Najdi "Arabian Peninsula "Thursday "The 19th day of the fifth month, 1427 [June 15, 2006]."

These people want us dead. For anyone to thinks that "talking" is going to solved anything, get over it. H/T: Shining City Atop a Hill

Fox Journalists Released

Journalist, Steve Centanni and cameraman, Oleg Wiig, of the Fox News Channel, have been released by their Palestinian kidnappers. This, of course, is fantastic news. What is NOT so terrific was their forced conversion to Islam. Will they get a death sentence if they reconvert? Is that even a word? I don't know, lack of sleep prevents me from even caring if it is or not.

One More Reason to Love Texas

Luckily, not too many of these type rest areas in Wisconsin. :) Swiped from The Daily Nooz

Moonbattery in the MSM

The Boston Globe is about as far left of reality as you can get without being the New York Times as evidenced by this op-ed: The Cheney presidency By Robert Kuttner

GEORGE W. BUSH has been faulted in some quarters for taking an extended vacation while the Middle East festers. It doesn't much matter; the man running the country is Vice President Dick Cheney. When historians look back on the multiple assaults on our constitutional system of government in this era, Cheney's unprecedented role will come in for overdue notice. Cheney's shotgun mishap, when he accidentally sprayed his host with birdshot, has gotten more media attention than has his control of the government.

I think the left is obsessed with the idea that the President isn't in charge. The Middle East isn't festering due to anything Bush has, or has not done. It's been doing that for a long, LONG, time. Obviously, this guy doesn't have a clue! It wasn't his "host" he "accidentally sprayed" with birdshot. It was a guest, Harry Thittington. The "host" was actually a "hostess", Katharine Armstrong, owner of the ranch where they were hunting quail.

When George W. Bush narrowly defeated John Kerry in 2004, many commentators observed that Bush was the fellow with whom you would rather have a beer. It's an accurate and unflattering comment on the American electorate -- but then who wants to have a beer with Cheney? The public may not know the details of his operation, but voters intuitively recoil from him.

Oh, I don't know about that. I don't drink, but if I did, I wouldn't mind having a beer with Cheney. I'd love to pick his brain on a number of subjects.

If Cheney were the actual president, not just the de facto one, he simply could not govern with the same set of policies and approval ratings of 20 percent. The media focuses relentless attention on the president, on the premise that he is actually the chief executive. But for all intents and purposes, Cheney is chief, and Bush is more in the ceremonial role of the queen of England.

What a crock! Again, this obsession. It must be the northeast Yankee mindset that anyone from Texas can't possibly run the show, we're all just too stupid.

CFIF.ORG

The Cost of Illegal Immigration

Whether or not support or oppose ILLEGAL immigration, it's affecting every single taxpayer, and not in a positive way. The price tag for these illegals is astronomical, and that money is coming out or your pocket and mine. The Cost of Scamnesty: $126 Billion

When the Center for Individual Freedom began calling the U.S. Senate immigration bill scamnesty, some thought we were just engaging in over-the-top rhetoric. Now, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not called the bill scamnesty; it has proved it. CBO is often referred to as bipartisan. It doesn't take sides. It just crunches the numbers to calculate the financial crunch imposed on taxpayers by Congress, which seems more and more oblivious to such petty details. In the case of the Senate immigration bill -– also referred to as bipartisan because so many there just fell in love with Senator Kennedy's desire to have a statue of himself erected in Mexico City -– CBO estimates the crunch at $126 billion over a ten-year period. Yes, that's $126 billion with a b, which rhymes with see, we told you so.

Read the rest here.

Learning New Things

We've all heard the term "moonbat", we've all used it to describe people like Cindy Sheehan and Kevin Barrett, but until now, I wasn't aware of where it all began. From Wikipedia:

Moonbat is a political epithet popular in the conservative and libertarian regions of the blogosphere (but not limited to it) used as a label for certain individuals on the far left (such as Noam Chomsky). The term is not a general epithet for those who disagree with the Bush administration's approach to the War on Terror, nor is it a purely American oriented term, but rather a term used against people who construct elaborate conspiracy theories ("9/11 was an inside job of the Bush administration") to explain the world. "Moonbat" is similar to the epithet Idiotarian and like that term can also be applied to people anywhere on the political spectrum (for example both terms have been used to describe US conservative Pat Buchanan). The phrase was popularized in 2002 by Perry de Havilland of Samizdata, a libertarian blog. The term was originally rendered as 'Barking Moonbat', suggesting that certain issues seem to trigger a reflexive response from some people much like wolves howl at the moon (i.e. the term evokes the traditional association between the moon and insanity). According to de Havilland, a moonbat is "someone on the extreme edge of whatever their -ism happens to be". Adriana Cronin-Lukas defines the term as "someone who sacrifices sanity for the sake of consistency". This term has long been used to describe protesters on the political Left, but was originally coined to also describe commentators on the political Right as well as certain libertarians. Contrary to some speculation, de Havilland has stated it was not originally a play on the last name of George Monbiot, a columnist for The Guardian, regardless of the fact he and Mr. Monbiot have appeared on the BBC together expressing politically opposed views. Lately the term has come into wider use appearing in political cartoons, political forums, and blogs, oftentimes as "moonbat crazy". Howie Carr uses the term regularly, both on the air, and in his Boston Herald columns.

It's fun to learn something new.

NBA

Dennis York has a clip linked. And I agree with him, "If this doesn't inspire you, then you are a heartless bastard." (His link takes you to the clip.)

Nabbed from Sues Views

I'm S.O.L.

I've always claimed to be "dumb as a box of rocks". Now I know why:

It has long been recognized that taller adults hold jobs of higher status and, on average, earn more than other workers. A large number of hypotheses have been put forward to explain the association between height and earnings. In developed countries, researchers have emphasized factors such as self esteem, social dominance, and discrimination. In this paper, we offer a simpler explanation: On average, taller people earn more because they are smarter. As early as age 3 — before schooling has had a chance to play a role — and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests. The correlation between height in childhood and adulthood is approximately 0.7 for both men and women, so that tall children are much more likely to become tall adults. As adults, taller individuals are more likely to select into higher paying occupations that require more advanced verbal and numerical skills and greater intelligence, for which they earn handsome returns. Using four data sets from the US and the UK, we find that the height premium in adult earnings can be explained by childhood scores on cognitive tests. Furthermore, we show that taller adults select into occupations that have higher cognitive skill requirements and lower physical skill demands.

At just a scad over 5'2 1/2", this explains everything. I use to be 5'4". Does this mean I'm getting even dumber? Ok, there will be some who won't dispute that at all, to them I say.... thplbbbbbbbbbbbb! :) I saw the story on Fox News this morning, then ran across the link through another link on Granpa John's.

"Secret Hold"

It seems someone in the Senate doesn't want "government transparency". So far, no one has stepped forward to claim responsibility. Porkbusters.org has pictures and details. The Atlanta Journal Constitution article here. I would really like to know who, and why, we, THE PEOPLE, shouldn't be allowed into "the secretive world of government contracting". It's still OUR money! They're are suppose to represent US. Instead, there is a mindset in Washington that we are too stupid to understand. Personally, I'm getting pretty sick of the whole bunch, Democrats AND Republican. H/T: Grouchy Old Cripple who has given the unknown person, or persons his AOTW award.

Pro-Life (sorta) Moonbat Candidate

Jessica McBride has introduced us to Ron Kind's (D-3rd District) opponent, Chip DeNure:

Health care: DeNure said he favors the federal government stepping in for a "“single- payer health program,"” similar to what is available in Canada. "“Let'’s do something and do something quickly, because people are hurting on the health care issue,"” he said. Kind said he would prefer the federal government allow states to figure out a universal health plan. "“I think it'’s time the federal government ... get out of the way,"” Kind said.

Where to start! The gub'mint has already screwed our health care system, why give them the chance to do more damage? It's time to overhaul the whole thing, and bureaucracyuracracy out of the picture. Let doctors do their job!

9/11: DeNure quickly turned discussion of Sept. 11, 2001, to a government conspiracy theory. He cited omissions and discrepancies from the 9/11 Commission report, and claimed "at least six"” hijackers survived. "“I am all for reopening the investigation of this great tragedy,"” he said. Kind said he doesn'’t believe President Bush "“had any hand in the attacks."”

If those six "survived", why didn't anyone else? Those people on the planes were pretty much vaporized, how stupid can this guy be?

Abortion: Kind said he has long supported choice, while DeNure said he opposes abortion unless the woman was raped or her life is in danger.

Obviously, I'm against Kind on this one, but I'm also hesitant to agree with DeNure since he doesn't mention adoption, which is a viable alternative to killing the innocent result of a violent act. Jessica has a lot more on the guy, with links. Check it out.

Astrologers Sticking with Pluto

I guess it's a good thing that astrologers aren't giving up on Pluto, since it's my ruling planet (Scorpio). No, I don't buy into all that nonsense, my strength comes from something a whole lot bigger than stars and planets. :)

``I'm going to continue using it,'' said Wall Street's best- known astrologer, Arch Crawford, who has studied the effect of the planets on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. ``They can stick it where the sun don't shine,'' Crawford, 65, said.

A Muslim Speaking Out

It's rare, but there are a very few brave Muslims speaking out against the violence. Sparks from the Anvil has posted a terrific op-ed (New York Times-free subscription required) by one of these brave people, a lady by the name of Irshad Manji. Here is a highlight:

But violent jihadists have rarely needed foreign policy grievances to justify their hot heads. There was no equivalent to the Iraq debacle in 1993, when Islamists first tried to blow up the World Trade Center, or in 2000, when they attacked the American destroyer Cole. Indeed, that assault took place after United States-led military intervention saved thousands of Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo.

If only more Muslims would speak out against the violence being perpetrated against Muslims, perhaps there would be a radical change, perhaps for the better? We can only hope! But I honestly don't see that happening. The leftists here, and abroad, are going to blame Bush and Blair for every ill, real or perceived. (The Wordsmith has the entire column)

Stolen Funnies

Swiped (with many thanks) from Disgruntled Truck Driver!

Scary Stuff

Democracy Versus Terrorism

Post 9/11 and particularly post-Madrid 2004, events have led to a hardening of positions in Europe among the majority population and, at the same time, there are more second and third generation Muslim youth finding their way to jihad. The stereotype of the jihadi coming from the Arab world is changing. Post-September 11, recruits are just as easily to be found in poly-techniques, high schools and university campuses in Europe. (...) Post-World War II European liberalism, that had tolerated other religions and political beliefs, is today threatened with an immigrant Muslim population that constitutes four to five per cent of the population (European census usually does not ask for religion). This is expected to go up to ten per cent by 2025, and the indigenous population is expected to decline. So long as multi-culturalism did not affect Europe's way of life, immigration was acceptable, but once it became clear that this being taken advantage of by the immigrant and seen as encouraging terrorism, restrictions have begun to be applied. This push of immigrants from Asia brings its own social problems. This aspect is going to be a major cause for concern in Europe in the years ahead. (...) The problem is not in the Pakistani madrassas alone. Jihad continues to be taught in mainstream schools even today. Hatred towards other religions and towards India is a common diet. The worry is that while most of the madrassa alumni end up in the caves of Tora Bora or the heights of Parachinar, those from mainstream schools go to mainstream colleges and end up with main line jobs at home or abroad. Assuming that three million school children are added to Pakistan's schools every year, an unknown number of the 70 million young persons have already imbibed jihadi leanings in the last 25 years. (...) The Taliban, resurgent in Afghanistan from sanctuaries in the turbulent Waziristan of Pakistan, have been sending their volunteers to Iraq for training in suicide terrorism and arms. Waziristan is also a sanctuary for Chechens and Uzbek Islamic insurgents. The recent spectacular comeback of the Taliban in southern and eastern Afghanistan, operating from their sanctuaries in Pakistan where they have declared an Islamic Republic of Waziristan, has been achieved with help from al Qaeda operatives, Gulbuddin Hikmetyar's Hizb-e-Islami and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. (...) Groups like al Qaeda and LeT cannot be controlled by a purely non-military response because they seek the establishment of Caliphates, through violence if necessary, and this is not acceptable in the modern world. It is necessary to militarily weaken these forces, starve them of funds and bases and then to tackle long-term issues by providing them better education, employment and so on. While discussing the roots of terrorism in his book No End to this War, Walter Laqueur says Muslims have had a problem adjusting as minorities, be it in India, the Philippines or Western Europe. Similarly, they find it difficult to give their own minorities, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, a fair deal in their own countries the Berbers in Algeria, the Copts in Egypt or the Christians or Shias in Pakistan or Sudan being examples. (...) There is a naive assumption that if local grievances or problems are solved, global terrorism will disappear. The belief or the hope that, if tomorrow, in Palestine, or Kashmir or Chechnya or wherever else, the issues were settled, terrorism will disappear, is a mistaken belief. There is now enough free-floating violence and vested interests that would need this violence to continue. There has been a multifaceted nexus between narcotics, illicit arms smuggling and human trafficking, that seeks the continuance of violence and disorder. Modern terrorism thrives not on just ideology or politics. The main driver is money, and the new economy of terror and international crime has been calculated to be worth US $1.5 trillion (and growing), which is big enough to challenge Western hegemony. This is higher than the GDP of Britain, and ten times the size of General Motors. (...) In today's world of deregulated finance, terrorists have taken full advantage of systems to penetrate legitimate international financial institutions and establish regular business houses. Islamic banks and other charities have helped fund movements, sometimes without the knowledge of the managers of these institutions that the source and destination of the funds is not what has been declared. Both Hamas and the PLO have been flush with funds, with Arafat's secret treasury estimated to be worth US $ 700 million to US 2 billion. It is not easy, but the civilized world must counter the scourge of terrorism. In a networked world, where communication and action can be in real time, where boundaries need not be crossed and where terrorist action can take place on the Net and through the Net, the task of countering this is increasingly difficult and intricate. (...) The rest of the world cannot afford to see the US lose the war in Iraq, however ill-conceived it might have been. If the US cuts and runs, then the jihadis will proclaim victory over the sole superpower. If the US stays or extends its theatre of activity, this will only produce more jihadis. That is the dilemma for all of us. Unfortunately, given the manner in which the US seeks to pursue its objectives, one is fairly certain that the US cannot win. What one is still not certain is whether or not there is a realization of this in Washington, or whether there is still a mood of self-denial and self-delusion. It has to be accepted that there can be no final victory in any battle against terrorism. Resentments real or imagined, and exploding expectations, will remain. Since the state no longer has monopoly on instruments of violence, recourse to violence is increasingly a weapon of first resort. Terrorism can be contained and its effects minimized, but it cannot be eradicated, anymore than the world can eradicate crime. An over-militaristic response or repeated use of the armed forces is fraught with long-term risks for a nation and for its forces. Military action to deter or overcome an immediate threat is often necessary, but it cannot ultimately eradicate terrorism. This is as much a political and economic battle, and also a battle to be fought long-term by the intelligence and security agencies, increasingly in cooperation with agencies of other countries. Ultimately, the battle is between democracy and terrorism. The fear is that in order to defeat the latter, we may be losing some of our democratic values. By Vikram Sood

How Stupid Can a Person Be?

Under today's circumstances, don't you think someone should have told this moron NOT to carry dynamite on a plane, including in his luggage? Dynamite Found in Luggage Aboard Flight

A stick of dynamite was found in a college student's checked luggage on a Continental Airlines flight from Argentina, one of seven security incidents Friday that caused U.S. flights to be diverted, evacuated, searched or delayed. Howard McFarland Fish, 21, was charged with carrying an explosive aboard an aircraft and was in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal authorities have determined that his actions were not acts of terrorism, ICE spokeswoman Luisa Deason said in a statement. Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Omero Longoria said Fish told authorities he works in mining and often handles explosives. Longoria said federal officials were investigating whether the explanation was true. Bill Waldock, aviation safety professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, said the incident could have been disastrous and raises questions about security in overseas airports. Dynamite can be unstable if it's old, he added. "You're in a pressurized airplane, you get a detonation in the cargo hold, it could blow a hole in the airplane big enough to bring it down," he said. The dynamite was found during a luggage search in a federal inspection station at Bush Intercontinental Airport shortly after Flight 52 landed at about 6 a.m. Marlene McClinton, spokeswoman for the Houston Airport System, said ICE officials and the FBI shut down the customs area and began questioning Fish, one of 173 passengers on the flight. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston said Fish, of Connecticut, would appear before a federal magistrate Monday. Carrying an explosive aboard an aircraft carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Fish is a psychology student at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., said Roger Clow, the college's director of communications. He declined to answer other questions about Fish, citing privacy concerns.

One word...IDJIT!

Minimum Wage

Swiped from Grouchy Old Cripple.

Algore

There are still some people who think that former vice President Al Gore has a clue. I'm not one of them. Come to think of it, I never thought he had one. A column on the American Conservative Union Foundation's website, Gore Sea Level?, by Dennis T. Avery addresses just how absurd Gore's claims of global warming is in his "movie", An Inconvenient Truth.

Time Waster

File this under tacky, but a good time waster. Whack a Mullah The instructions are, I think, in Hebrew, but you can figure it out. H/T: BLACKFIVE

Double Dipper Drops Out

I know other blogs will cover this story with much more eloquently than I ever could. So, the only thing I'll say.... What took him so long? :)

Outrageous!

Girl injured: Dad charged with driving while drunk

A North Fond du Lac man faces a drunken driving charge after his 7-year-old daughter was ser-iously injured in the car he was driving. Michael J. Roen, 35, of 19 Clover Lane, was charged Thursday morning before Judge Steven Weinke in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court with one count of injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle and a fourth offense of driving while intoxicated. Roen was involved in a two-vehicle accident at West Scott and North Hickory streets after failing to yield the right of way at 3:32 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Fond du Lac Police Department report. His 7-year-old daughter was in the vehicle at the time of the accident. An open half-full can of beer was found between the driver and passenger side of Roen's vehicle, according to the report. Roen told law enforcement officials he had been drinking since 9 a.m. that day, the report said. Following the accident, his daughter was transported to St. Agnes Hospital and then transferred to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for treatment of a skull fracture, according to the report. She remained at Children's Hospital on Thursday afternoon, but her condition could not be released, a hospital spokeswoman said. Michael Roen remained in custody Thursday afternoon on a $500 cash bail. He was ordered by the judge to maintain absolute sobriety and not to operate a motor vehicle while the case is pending. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 21 before Judge Robert Wirtz in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. Roen was convicted of his third offense of operating while intoxicated in April 1996 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail and a 34-month license suspension.

Fourth arrest? $500 cash bail? Nearly killing his own daughter? I can't even begin to comprehend the stupidity of this man, or the judges involved!

Germany No Longer Considered Safe

Germans, Spared Until Now, Awaken to Reality of Terror Threat Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Germans are beginning to awaken to a new reality: Their country is no longer one of the apparently safe havens in the post-Sept. 11 world. ``It's never really bothered me what people next to me in the train are doing,'' said Juergen Darsch, 36, a graphic artist, at Berlin's Friedrichstrasse rail station. But ever since a Lebanese student was arrested Aug. 19 on suspicion of helping plant bombs on German trains, ``you look around more carefully. That's something I really don't want to live with.'' Police arrested the student, identified only as 21-year-old Youssef Mohamad E. H., after the discovery of bombs placed inside suitcases on two trains in western Germany that they say would have killed a ``large number'' of people. A second suspect, Jihad H., also Lebanese, turned himself in to police in Tripoli, Lebanon, yesterday. Germany, under then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, refused to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and had been spared the sort of fear engendered by attacks carried out by Islamic terrorists in London, Madrid, Istanbul and Mumbai. Now the public is confronted with stepped-up security checks at train stations and travel delays as suspicious suitcases are cleared away, with the promise of more measures to come. While the bombers failed to blow up the trains, they managed to ``blow away any lingering illusions that Germany is an island not on terrorists' maps,'' Margret Johannsen, a senior research fellow at Hamburg University's Institute for Peace and Security Policy, said in a telephone interview. No Shield ``Non-participation in the Iraq war was never a shield against terror,'' she said. ``Germany is as vulnerable as the next country. We need to wake up and make a political contribution in the war on terror.'' Read the rest here. H/T: LGF

U.S. Condemned by Kuwaitis

Ok, why is it every time we saves some country's ass, we get slammed by them? France is well known for it criticism, and nearly every other country of the "old" Europe as well. Now it's Kuwait? Hey, didn't we lead the way to drive out that lunatic Hussein who had invaded them in '90, back in '91? Yeah, I thought so. So some schmuck takes out an ad in an AMERICAN newspapers condemning the U.S. for siding with Israel against Hezbollah during the most recent round of fighting, complete with pictures of suffering Lebanese children. I can pretty much guarantee there were no pictures of suffering ISRAELI children. Why wasn't the rest of the Arab world publicly condemning Hezbollah for starting the whole mess by kidnapping two Israeli soldiers? Well, because they evidently agree with the terrorist group, that's the only reason I can think of. I'd like to know which paper agreed to print that garbage. They are free to refuse any ad they deem unacceptable. Evidently, they also agree. Pathetic! H/T: Shining City Atop a Hill

* Katrina "Victims"

I'd like to direct you to Texas Fred's. His take on how different townsfolk have dealt with the disaster, one year later, seems quite accurate. Addition: Houston Tires of Katrina Evacuees as Crime Rises, Few Find Jobs

It's FICTION fer petes sake!

Evidently, there are some people out there who take a work of fiction, The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown as fact. Two "treasure hunters" decided to damage a church in their misguided quest to find the Holy Grail. Da Vinci code fans wreck church window in Holy Grail hunt

Until recently, the 14th century church was a place to enjoy some peace and contemplation. But now things have radically changed for St Luke's Church in the village of Hodnet, Shropshire, with visitors lured by claims that it is linked to the Holy Grail mystery. And some, it seems, will go to any lengths to discover the beautiful church's secrets - even if it means taking a hammer and chisel to the walls. The Reverend Charmian Beech blamed a pair of 'Da Vinci Code-style' treasure hunters for causing thousands of pounds worth of damage as they searched for clues to help them find the Grail. Stonework was chipped off in four areas inside her church as the offenders tried to remove blocks from the walls to see what is behind them, she said. Read the rest here.

Marriage Amendment Link

I've been neglectful at keeping up with the question and answers of Owen and Ingrid. Sorry 'bout that. Luckily, WisOpinion.com is doing a much better job of paying attention than I am. :)

Sure Hope This Guy Never Voted!

Let's see, should you tell airport security the truth, or lie to them to keep from being embarrassed in front of your mother? Authorities: 'Bomb' Was Sex Gadget

Cook County prosecutors say a 29-year-old man traveling with his mother desperately didn't want her to know he'd packed a sexual aid for their trip to Turkey. So he told security it was a bomb, officials said.

Now, there's a really bright bulb for ya! It's better to be charged with a felony than let your mommy know what's up...or down, as the case may be!

Another Slippery Slope

So, instead of having a tattoo, it's going to be a computer chip? I don't think so! Implanted Chips in Our Troops? A Florida company wants to get under the skin of 1.4 million U.S. servicemen and women. As far as I'm concerned, they can wish in one hand, and ..... in the other - let's see which fills up faster.

The device is usually implanted above the triceps area of an individual’s right arm, but can also by implanted in the hand if scanned at the proper frequency. The VeriChip responds with a unique 16-digit number, which can correlate the user to information stored on a database for identity verification, medical records access, and other uses. The insertion procedure is performed under local anesthetic, and once inserted it is invisible to the naked eye.

Soldiers are suppose to follow orders, but would this be one they can refuse?

On Monday the Department of State started to issue electronic passports (e-passports) equipped with RFID chips. According to reports the U.S. government has placed an order with a California company, Infineon Technologies North America, for smart chip-embedded passports. The Associated Press said the new U.S. passports include an electronic chip that contains all the data contained in the paper version name, birth date, gender, for example and can be read by digital scanners at equipped airports. They cost 14 percent more than their predecessors but the State Department said they will speed up going through Customs and help enhance border security.

I don't remember anyone asking me if it was ok to put chips in U.S. issued passports. My answer would definitely be an emphatic NO!

The company's hefty political clout is typified by having former secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, on its board of directors. Thompson assured the Examiner that the chip is safe and that no one -— not even military personnel, who are required by law to follow orders -— will be forced to accept an implant against his or her will. He has also promised to have a chip implanted in himself but could not tell the Examiner when. "I'’m extremely busy and I'’m waiting until my hospitals and doctors are able to run some screens," he told the newspaper.

This doesn't suprise me. I've honestly never understood why people in Wisconsin think the former governor is so great. He's way too liberal in my opinion.

"It'’s the size of a grain of rice,"” she (Phsaid) saidd. "It'’s like getting a shot of penicillin."”

Isn't the how Kerry got his Purple Heart? By getting shot with rice? NOT gonna happen on this ol' broad's bod! They better have special forces ready, cuz it's gonna be a cold day in hell!