Poor little Lionel Tate

Really couldn't hold him accountable for killing that 6 year old girl, you know. Here's how Amnesty International UK covered the little darling's release from a life sentence for killing a girl he outweighed by 130 pounds:

While remaining fully mindful of the tragedy that befell Tiffany Eunick and her family, Amnesty International has campaigned on Lionel Tate's behalf since before his sentencing.

Lionel Tate's lawyer has asked for his thanks to be passed to all who took action on the teenager's behalf. In a message just received, the lawyer writes:

"Thanks again. Your entire organisation is to be commended for the help and assistance. Your organisation 'kept the spotlight' on this case and assisted us in favorably resolving this matter. Lionel shall be out of jail before his 17th birthday. Your support helped make the difference. Please let everyone know of our thanks. In light of the good work you all do, I trust we shall soon again join together to fight for children's lives."

The lawyer has also expressed his deep thanks for the 3,000 cards and letters for Lionel Tate from children and others that have been received at the lawyer's office, and which in themselves generated media attention in Florida.

Little Lionel's in trouble again.

Screw Newsweek

The Madison Avenue Maverick has a good thing going. They are keeping track of Newsreek's advertisers so you don't have to. Now you can voice your displeasure where it will not be ignored, and exercise your freedom of choice in how you spend your hard-earned money in a more informed way. (Dang! Both Microsoft and Apple are listed. Guess it's time to give Linux a try.) As the Maverick herself puts it, "Newsweek’s real customers are its advertisers. So as I see it, when our mainstream media starts to take after the late Lord Haw Haw, it’s time to take serious action. For now, that means encouraging Newsweek’s advertisers not to associate their brands with such an irresponsible, seditious media outlet."

Death of a Marine

On the day he died, Rafael Peralta was 25 years old, a Mexican immigrant from San Diego who had enlisted in the Marines as soon as he became a legal resident. He earned his citizenship while on active duty and re-upped in 2004. He was a Marine to the core, so meticulous that when Alpha Company was training in Kuwait, he would send his camouflage uniform out to be pressed.

He was no less passionate about his adopted country: His bedroom wall was adorned with a picture of his boot camp graduation and replicas of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. ''Be proud of being an American," he wrote to his kid brother Ricardo, 14. ''Our father came to this country and became a citizen because it was the right place for our family to be." It was the first letter he ever wrote to Ricardo -- and the last. It arrived in San Diego the day after he died.

Go'head. Read more.

Jeff Jacoby: Death of a Marine

The Arlington Ladies

Amazing story.

ONE AFTERNOON towards the end of March, 200 mourners slowly trekked under a bright blue sky to the plot where 20-year-old Army Pfc. Michael Anthony Arciola was about to become the 123rd soldier killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Arciola, a recipient of both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, was shot and killed on patrol in Al Ramadi on February 15. The larger than usual crowd was no surprise. The young man had been so well loved in his hometown of Elmsford, New York, that more than a thousand people came to his memorial service there. Dying young carries with it an implicit sense of tragedy that draws people -- emotionally and physically -- to it.

Nevertheless, Pfc. Arciola was not the only one laid to rest that Friday at Arlington. Sixteen other servicemen, most of them veterans many years older than Arciola, were likewise buried. An average week at Arlington will see between 80 and 100 burials on its 612 acres, and the final week of March was within that margin. Arciola's funeral was the largest the cemetery had held in a few weeks. Others attracted dozens or fewer mourners. A smattering had no friends or loved ones in attendance at all.

As in most matters, however, the military prefers to focus on cohesion rather than dissension; on the ties that bind rather than the walls that separate. This is as true of funerals as it is of boot camp. Most people are aware of one aspect of this, the Honor Guard. But there is another unifying element, much less publicized than the 21-gun salute, but just as important in both a practical and symbolic sense. It comes in the form of a conservatively dressed woman who -- whether amongst a throng of mourners, seated alongside the family, or standing as the sole attendee -- is there to help shepherd the fallen soldier during his final mile.

These volunteer women are known as "The Arlington Ladies." They attend every funeral at Arlington to ensure, first and foremost, that no soldier is ever buried with no one in attendance, and second, to serve the needs of family members, whether they are present at the funeral or not.

Normally it isn't difficult to get someone to go on record about a noble pursuit. The first reaction to the prospect of a laudatory article is rarely reticence. But this group of no-nonsense women did not jump at the chance to talk about themselves. In fact, they were surprisingly difficult to track down at all. This is probably at least partially because the vast majority of Arlington Ladies are either retired servicewomen themselves or from military families, a culture not given to bragging.

"They don't seek publicity," Army Major Kevin Stroop, a regimental chaplain who performs funerals at Arlington, said. "What they do here is absolutely vital to our mission, but those moments they share with the families and our servicemen and women are intensely personal. The Arlington Ladies, as a group, really are committed to keeping those moments and their work sacred."

Amazing people.

The American Spectator

Have some Links

It seems to me that controlling our borders would be a priority in winning the WOT, therefore, I'm with these guys: Minuteman Project,
and these guys, too: Veterans for Secure Borders.

Here you will find an English translation of the al Qaeda training manual, wherein they are instructed to claim "abuse" upon release.

Here is a breakdown of the countries who armed Saddam's regime.

It wasn't very long ago that many prominent demonrats were making alarming claims about Saddam's WMD.

Let's not forget how the NY Times ran the story of the century, "Abu Ghraib," on their front page (almost all above the fold) for 32 consecutive days, yet they couldn't care less about the beheadings and other atrocities done by those on the other side.

Here is the text of the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly do NOT protect terrorists. To understand why the Geneva Conventions do not protect illegal combatants, please read this.

Here is the best 9-11 website ever created.

And finally, your required reading for today: Orson Scott Card. Enjoy.

Viva l'Evolution

Finally, a theory of evolution I can fully endorse. Via QuickRob's Weblog: "The wall between the reporter and the consumer is eroding. And, most fundamentally, the readers and the consumers are climbing that very wall and they are taking control of the flow of information. The filter is being removed from the system, and now the flow will be pure. What we do with it is up to us, but the new system…the blogging system, by it’s very nature should be able to sustain the purity of the information simply by the theory of evolution. What is false, and what is adulterated, will be discounted. A million minds at once will edit."

Kind of gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, doesn't it?

Busy as hell

I apologise for not posting more, but I still don't even have a phone hooked up at my house yet.

As I've been told by many other soldiers down here, there's US Army time, meaning when you say 0900 hrs., you mean 0900 hrs., and then there's Puerto Rican time, which means if you say 0900 hrs., you mean "Maybe sometime today, but most likely a few days from now."

Yeah, my little type "A" personality ass is having a grand old time.

Other than that, things are going well. I'm enjoing all the fresh fruit down here, and I've lost an inch off my waist from all the excersize I've been doing. Once I have my own damn internet connection, I'll be back to posting on a regular basis. I just don't want you guys to think I've forgotten you.

I have some good news and some bad news

First the bad news: Despite earlier reports to the contrary, the New York Times now says that Zarqawi is feelin' fine. Now the good news: There is still a good chance of his capture and agonizing death by Bubba.

Update: According to this report, Zarqawi has limped across the border to Iran. Hmmm....What to do....

Iraq 'Human Shield' Challenges Fines

As well he should.

A peace activist who went to Iraq to serve as a "human shield" against the U.S. invasion is challenging $8,000 in federal fines. Ryan Clancy, 28, filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department in federal court Thursday.

The department alleges Clancy went to Iraq in violation of sanctions and offered his services to the Iraqi government to shield its facilities from possible military action.

The charges seem like bullshit to me. To the United States Attornies I say "Drop the charges!"



I'm sure Ryan is positively itching to get back there and shield the markets and police stations.

Go get 'em, Tiger!

Yahoo! News

Onward, Christian Soldiers!

Or, at the very least: Prepare to Riot !!! *** So, if you think your Liturgy is bad

*** Incitement is figurative, not literal.

NBC clashes with Tom DeLay on Law & Order

Heh.

U.S. House of Representative Majority Leader Tom DeLay accused NBC on Thursday of slurring his name by including an unflattering reference to him on the NBC police drama "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

DeLay's name surfaced on Wednesday night on the show's season finale, which centered on the fictional slayings of two judges by suspected right-wing extremists.

In the episode, police are frustrated by a lack of clues, leading one officer to quip, "Maybe we should put out an APB (all-points-bulletin) for somebody in a Tom DeLay T-shirt."

As I said: Heh.

But that's not the really funny part.

In a letter to NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker, DeLay wrote: "This manipulation of my name and trivialization of the sensitive issue of judicial security represents a reckless disregard for the suffering initiated by recent tragedies and a great disservice to public discourse."

The Texas Republican went on to suggest the "slur" against him was intended as a jab at comments he had made about "the need for Congress to closely monitor the federal judiciary."

NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly responded in a statement that the dialogue in question "was neither a political comment nor an accusation."

You got that?



Yahoo! News

It looks like The Onion...

...but it's not.

I remember when banning steak knives was a sneering and pointed joke trotted out by gun nuts to make a corollary point during gun control debate. Not no more.

Al Sharpton...

...exposed (safe for work).

Why there cannot be an old fashioned filibuster

I'm sure you've heard it suggested that we should "force Democrats to read from the phone book". That isn't going to happen.

It is important to understand that the old-fashioned filibuster of the '50s and '60s went by the boards when the rule to invoke cloture – the process of ending debate – was changed in 1975, from requiring a vote of two-thirds of those present, to a vote of three-fifths of all senators.

In the old days, if the Senate was held in session around the clock, the party wishing to block a vote had to be present because 51 senators are necessary to constitute a quorum. However, now that three-fifths of all 100 senators (60) must give their approval to end debate, it is no longer necessary for those wishing to hold up a vote to even be present.

Nobody said that breaking this filibuster would be easy. The way Senate rules are written, it is next to impossible to break one without some backroom deals – and Democrat leaders are not willing to deal.

So when you see someone suggest that Republicans could force Democrats to do this, show them that they cannot. This has always been about Democrat Obstruction. Any debates that have transpired since they began their unprecedented use of the filibuster is soo much smoke and mirrors. The filibuster is THE obstructionist's tool and the Democrats have been employing it with impunity.

[UPDATE - Tim:] Speaking of 1975, here are two quotes from the Congressional Record:

"It seems to me that a not-so-subtle difference, a profound different [sic], between 66 2/3 percent and a simple majority could be the different between an active, responsible U.S. Senate and one which is dominated by a small minority."

"May a majority of the Members of the Senate of the 94th Congress change the rules of the Senate, uninhibited by the past rules of the Senate? I firmly believe that the majority has such a right — as the U.S. Constitution, the precedents of this body, the inherent nature of our constitutional system, and the rulings of two previous Vice Presidents make clear."

Who uttered those two nuggets?

Walter Mondale

And the funny thing is that where the filibuster is concerned, they were against it before they were for it.

Pathological Liar Harry Reid

Democrat Minority Leader Harry Reid (moments ago) after a failed cloture vote to end debate on John Bolton (President Bush's nominee to be Ambassador to the U.N.):

Democrats are "not here to filibuster Bolton..."

Followed by Bill Frist calling the failed cloture motion a filibuster (because it is).

"This is the first filibuster that's been conducted in this Congress"

The FIRST?

What is a filibuster?

The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

When a bunch of Democrats vote against a motion to end debate of Mr. Bolton it's a filibuster. Reid later admits as much. How many filibusters do you think there have been in the 109th congress? Take bets. I'm hitting the congressional records.

Contstructive Critisism

Do I feel Republicans are above critisism? Nope. In the case of the recent compromise on the unprecedented filibuster of judicial nominees, there are seven of them deserving of wrath not just critisism. Then there are the other 48 Republican Senators that have done their best, stood on principle, and fought for a strong conservative agenda during their time as our elected representatives. Our elected representatives have limits set forth by the rules of the institutions in their charge. The good ones work within the rules to reach goals, the bad ones make up the rules as it suits them (like filibustering judicial nominees as a way to prevent them from attaining a vote on the Senate floor). If we spend all of our time tearing ourselves down because a small number of our elected representatives blew it for the whole all the while Democrats continue to tear our society apart at the seams, then we will not only get the electoral failure some (on our side) are predicting/hoping for, they will be responsible the damage that is done to our nation as a result. Advocates of the former as a means of punishing Republicans as a whole for the transgressions of a few should keep that in mind.

Dems Won't Take Part in Medicaid Panel

Jeez.

Democratic lawmakers said Thursday that they would not participate on a commission that will recommend how to trim Medicaid by $10 billion over the next five years.

What a cadre of babies. They sure do make it easy on the cartoonists.



Yahoo! News

Pentagon says detainee retracts Koran allegation

Rove must've gotten to him. Guantanamo Detainees Full Coverage on Yahoo! News

Linkdump

There Howard Dean Goes Again

Newspaper union leader: U.S. military targets journalists

Flag in a Trashcan



Have a nice day.

Strange Coincidences in Madrid

Readers remember, no doubt. 11 March 2004: a series of ten explosions aboard four commuter trains at the height of the Madrid rush hour, 101 dead, over 1,800 wounded. Find a compendium of information here, if you wish.

<

Moving images here.

Al Qaeda, right? That's what they say.

Yet a new theory is emerging.



Excerpt:

The cellphones used in the bombing came from a cellphone shop owned by Mausilli Kalaji, a Spanish police officer of Syrian descent, and a former member of Al Fatah, with strong ties to Palestine, [who was] trained in Russia as an intelligence agent, [and] whose sister is a police translator [who] was responsible for translating wiretaps on the terrorists before the attack. Kalaji's ex-wife is also a police officer, [who] was one of the first on the scene of the bombing, and [who] found the 13th backpack -- which had the disconnected wires and the easily traceable phone.

Hmmm. Who had more to gain by bombing train stations in Madrid in 2004? Al Qaeda? Or Spanish Leftists?

Black helicopter stuff? Maybe.

Read on: The Adventures of Chester: Strange Coincidences in Madrid

Pearls of Wisdom from the German Ambassador, and a Response from a Right Wing Wacko

Wolfgang Ischinger, German Ambassador to the United States, says: "As older societies, we tend to think of ourselves as more experienced in the way societies evolve, and we tend to be skeptical of Americans who seem to think that if you believe hard enough, and you muster enough resources, you can change the world...In the last year or so, as we've engaged in discussions about the transformation of the Middle East and democracy, I have told my American friends that the region in this world that has seen the most transformation and change is Central and Eastern Europe--without shedding a drop of blood. So don't preach to us. And don't think transformative change will work according to mechanistic rules. This is very complicated. Changing the way people think often has to do with religious and cultural issues--we tend to think of them as long-term, and Americans think, Let's solve the problem in the next four years!"

I would like to respond:
You, Mr. Ischinger, must be the most hypocritical man on the planet. “Four years?” “Without shedding a drop of blood?” What the hell are you talking about? Was it not Germany that invaded Poland and launched the world into war, requiring the Americans to destroy the vile and cancerous national socialist (i.e., Nazi) movement in Europe? Come to think of it, wasn’t it Germany that started both World Wars? If Germany hadn’t, in its great experience and wisdom, invaded every country in its vicinity, those poor eastern and central European countries wouldn’t have had to exist in a Soviet slave state for the ensuing 50 years, but because of Germany, they did, and more than a few drops of blood were shed. Millions of human beings in these central and eastern European states were butchered (and not just Jews) thanks in large part to the “experienced” Germans. And do you actually believe that it was the Germans that caused the U.S.S.R. to splinter, allowing the eastern bloc states to regain their identities and become free nations again? Hilarious! It was the U.S. that provided the sustained military and political pressure that caused the end of the Soviet Union, and it was the U.S. that provided economic assistance both to Russia and the eastern bloc countries in their transition towards democracy. The Cold War may not have had many spectacular battles (though the Korean and Vietnam Wars do ring a bell), but it was expensive and the United States bore its financial burden almost exclusively. The Europeans as a whole couldn’t even handle that bloody little spat in their backyard, in Bosnia and Kosovo. You had to call on the Americans to fix things. Why should we Americans shed our blood in Bosnia and Kosovo, we asked? Because Europe is a tinderbox and the conflict in this tiny part of Europe could spread. At great cost, both financially and in blood, Americans spent their treasure and continue to do so to protect European interests. Now, not after four years but after 60 years, the US has plans to finally pull its military out of Germany itself and guess who is kicking and screaming about it… the Germans! Talk about changing people’s minds! Guess what, ass-wipe, we Americans have been changing the world through blood, sweat and tears for a very long time now, not that you would give a damn. Don’t lecture us, Wolfgang.

[UPDATE FROM TIM]: I reckon one of the measures by which we can gauge "evolving societies" is how well they receive those who come from other societies. Insofar as Arabs are concerned (I suspect Ambassador Ischinger's remarks are based in part in what is happening in the Arab World) let's see:

In general, Muslims living in Europe—of which Arabs constitute a significant proportion—are poorer, less educated, and in worse health than the rest of the population. In the Netherlands, the unemployment rate for ethnic Moroccans is 22 percent, roughly four times the rate for the country as a whole. In Britain, the Muslim population has the highest unemployment rate of all religious groups. The failure of Arabs in Europe is particularly worrisome given that 10 of the states or entities along Europe’s eastern and southern borders are home to nearly 250 million Muslims—most of them Arabs—with a birthrate more than double that of Europeans.

So the Enlightened Evolving Societies of Europe really aren't handling Arab immigration well at all, are they. Golly.

And racist violent jingoistic hegemonic imperialistic capitalistic America?

How do we receive Arabs into our filthy and degrading culture?

Click to find out.

Define Extraordinary Circumstances!

Of these 14 Senators that signed on to the "compromise" we should be asking one question: How do you define "Extraordinary Circumstances". For if it is vague what the hell were they fighting for? It wasn't the nominees because the Democrats agreed to let some of the "radical" ones pass. It wasn't the principle because they have no principle to support their unprecedented filibuster of judicial nominees. So if it isn't these mysterious "extraordinary circumstances", then what the FUCK were the Democrats fighting for? Make them answer in specifics! Oh! And somebody inform Senator Warner that the only thing that happens when you end the unprecedented use of the filibuster to deny votes on judicial nominees, is that we return to the usual business of the Senate. Imagine that! As this great unknown was Mr. Warner's guiding principle (as stated) in this affair, his way should then be clear to vote in favor of ending the unprecedented obstruction by the Democrats.

Revenge of the RINOs

Could someone please explain to me what the repubs get out of the judicial filibuster compromise agreement? (See Roger L. Simon for the text. The comments are interesting, too.) What we seem to have here is seven RINOs selling out their party for a little media praise. "Good doggie." Fifty-five republicans in the senate and they have to get the 45 demonrats' permission to vote on a judicial nominee? Bah! So much for democracy. When it's 60 repubs in '06 will it make a difference you think? I wonder. How badly do the demonrats want to die as a serious political party? Do they honestly believe they can continue as the Party of No? Their media support isn't working anymore (more on that later). I'll tell you one thing, I am officially joining Patterico in his pledge: The next time John McCain runs for any elective office, I pledge to support his opponent. I know how scary that sounds, but I have had enough. If it's him against Darth Rodham in '08, I'm voting libertarian. I've had it. Any other republican, fine, but not McCain or any of these other seven RINOs (John Warner, Mike DeWine, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Lindsey Graham, and Lincoln Chafee) who gave the demonrats what they wanted and got nothing of substance in return. Who are they to decide that these three judicial nominees get a vote and the rest do not? And Frist, he sure demonstrated what a leader he is, didn't he? What a hero. NOT. I wish I had written this letter. At any rate, tons of info and commentary on today's bit of political suicide out there in the blogosphere. I'll post a dozen or so links in the comments. Even Steven Den Beste is talking.

Update: Thomas Sowell nails it, again: "The most fundamental decision is: Who is to decide? Democratic self-rule is what Americans have fought and died for, for more than 200 years." It is depressing, but we need to face up to what just happened, and stop it from happening again.

In case you missed it

450 Economists on Reforming Social Security:

"More than four hundred-and-fifty of America's top economists, including Nobel laureates Milton Friedman, Robert Lucas, Robert Mundell, Edward Prescott and Vernon Smith, are calling for the nation's troubled Social Security system to be reformed by giving workers the option of shifting all or part of their payroll taxes into privately invested accounts."

Hey! Private accounts are one of the key ingredients in The Ryan-Sununu Bill. Ryan-Sununu also satisfies the recommendation of President George W. Bush. It's the Republican answer to the issue of Social Security solvency.

"Democrats should have a plan and they should talk to the president and Congressional Republicans about it." - Bill Clinton on ABC's Good morning America

Back to work...

Our media is selling hopelessness

Hi. This is my first post here, and I’ve been traveling a lot lately so this first post will just be some thoughts that have been rattling around in my brain for a few days. I am currently posting from the beautiful Pacific Ocean (I am literally on the beach right now), but one week ago I was in Potter County Pennsylvania for a funeral – no cell phone connectivity, no internet (Wi-Fi or otherwise), almost no TV. After an incredibly long day (two days with almost no sleep thanks to greeting and grieving with nearly every single resident of small-town, USA, and thanks also to the incredible wideness of this country of ours), I finally relaxed in my motel room (one of the two motels in Potter County, PA) and turned on the idiot box, and flipped through the channels (all 5 of them) and the only thing even mildly interesting on the boob tube is this See-BS evening “News” story on, I kid you not, “BS” (I was pretty tired at the time, but I think they used the actual word “bull-sh*t” and bleeped out the profanity about a thousand times). I’m not really surprised that no one in the blogosphere picked up on this event since the only people who still watch CBS News are those who have no other alternative, like the residents of Potter County. At any rate, this was Sunday evening, 5/15/05. Was this a self-parody, I wondered? Apparently not. This story seemed the absolute pinnacle of hypocrisy, but maybe I should not be so quick to judge. The upshot of the story seemed to be that we are, all of us, swimming in a sea of BS and those in power tend to be the best BSers (using as examples Clinton & Bush – Bush being the worse of the two because, get this, he actually is stupid enough to believe his own bull-sh*t). The implication was that there is nothing but bullsh*t in our modern world at least as portrayed by politicians and the media, nothing of substance, no truth, no reality, no hope of any kind, so we should just sit back, relax, and enjoy the bull-sh*t. Personally, if I want BS I’ll watch Comedy Central, but hey, maybe CBS producers have a plan. Perhaps See-BS is attempting to cement its position as America’s ultimate King of bull-sh*t, and defending itself from stiff competition from the likes of Newsweek magazine. Maybe there is still time for the New York Times or CNN to catch up. Who will win this race for the bottom of the port-a-potty? Has CBS become the official church of bull-sh*t? Is it any wonder that nobody is watching anymore?

Update: Oh, and speaking of Newsweek, just in case there was any misunderstanding or doubt whatsoever about Newsweek's duplicity, check out this Japanese edition of Newsweak. On its front cover, the American flag is proudly displayed in a trash-can and the headline, roughly translated from Japanese, states that America is dead. Get it? Koran in the toilet - BAD, American flag in the garbage - GOOD. Nice of them to clear up any lingering confusion for us. No?

Power Line: Pepsi's moving finger...

When a corporation like PepsiCo offends a racial minority (or at least offends Jesse Jackson), it customarily pays a monetary tribute by funding one of Jackson's organizations. Maybe PepsiCo can make good on its apology by finding a way to assist the brave Americans who have sacrificed during America's efforts to extend a hand (not a finger) to those who have suffered from oppression in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe PepsiCo can extend its own hand to the liberated but still suffering people of those countries.

Power Line: Pepsi's moving finger...

Interesting. It says here that PepsiCo gave "a multimillion dollar donation" to the Ludacris Foundation after dropping the rapper as a spokesperson.

Here, PepsiCo bows to Al Sharpton.

PepsiCo also has a "Minority and Women Business Program" (whatever the heck that means).

Maybe they could set up a program for Veteran Owned Businesses. There's a long list of supported groups on their site; no Veterans' groups. Maybe it's time.

The Board can be reached here: BoardofDirectors@Pepsi.com.

Rather accepts media award with nod to allies

Heh

With thanks to two former colleagues who left CBS in the wake of a scandal, CBS News' Dan Rather accepted broadcast journalism's most prestigious honor on Monday for the "60 Minutes Wednesday" story that exposed the shocking conditions inside Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison.

"Most prestigious"

Wow.

Rather took pains to acknowledge Mapes and former CBS News senior vp Betsy West (who also attended the ceremony), among others. Mapes was fired by CBS News, and West was forced to resign in the wake of another "60 Minutes Wednesday" report, which aired in September and used questionable documents as part of the sourcing for a highly critical report on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard.

"Questionable documents", eh?

Naw.

FORGERIES

"They did most of the work, bore the heaviest burdens and took most of the criticism," Rather said of Mapes and the other producers who did the front-line reporting on the Abu Ghraib story. "It took guts, and they had them."

It tooks guts to use forgeries to attack a President during a Presidential campaign.

Got that?

Rather received extended applause after telling the crowd, "Never give up, never back up, never give in while pursuing the dream of integrity filled journalism that matters."

"Integrity"

As if the snide old coot knows the meaning of the word.

Hollywood Reporter

Kilpatrick's expenses exposed

Detroit has had solely Democrat mayors since 1952. You'd think it'd by now be the best place to raise a balck family in the Contiguous 48.

The two-day hotel stay, which was charged to the city MasterCard, totaled $7,696.45.

That's a lot of books for poor black kids.

Detroit Mayor's expenses exposed

NEWSWEEK LIED*. PEOPLE DIED.

Not much to add to this.

Hugging Ban Sparks Dispute at Oregon School

I love the final line about right to hug.

Mudville Gazette

Must read from Greyhawk.

Orange Barrels, Orange Barrels...

...looking back at me. Orange Barrels, Orange Barrels, why can't I be free?



For some reason that picture makes me chuckle. How many numbskull drivers does it take to molest, oh I don't know, four out of every ten orange barrels on a road like the one depicted above???

And it's not even New Jersey!

Annan Failed to Disclose Key Contacts - Yahoo! News

Golly gee.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan did not initially tell investigators in the oil-for-food probe that he met twice with representatives of his son's employer as the Swiss company began soliciting United Nations business.

Annan's omissions last November raised credibility concerns with the chief investigator, Robert Parton, that persisted even after Annan later provided his recollections about the meetings. Investigators had uncovered the contacts in calendars recovered from computers, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Dirty as a skunk.

Annan Failed to Disclose Key Contacts - Yahoo! News

From the 'What Liberal Media?' Files

When Lee Enterprises Inc. agreed to purchase Pulitzer Inc. for $1.46 billion, it also agreed that the flagship St. Louis Post-Dispatch will keep its longstanding liberal editorial slant for at least the next five years, according to the purchase agreement mailed to Pulitzer shareholders Friday.

'For a period of at least five years following the Effective Time, Parent (Lee Enterprises) will cause the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to maintain its current name and editorial page platform statement and to maintain its news and editorial headquarters in the City of St. Louis, Missouri,' the agreement states.

The Post-Dispatch platform statement, adopted in 1911, includes the pledge that the newspaper 'will always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, never belong to any party, always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers, never lack sympathy with the poor, always remain devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news, always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty.'

Unreal!

In Unusual Agreement, 'Post-Dispatch' Will Remain Liberal Under Lee

HE LIVES!!!!

Yep, believe it or not, I'm still alive. I'm on Ft. Buchanan, Puerto Rico, where I'll be living for the next three years.

And it's frigging hot down here, people. And humid. It's like a swamp, unless it rains, in which case it's like a really REALLY wet swamp, which isn't much of an improvement. By the end of my three years here, I'll be wanting to see some snow. But it's an experience I would have kicked myself for missing if I had let it go.

I'm in a computer lab, so I have to keep this short. I'll do a nice big long posting when I have internet access at my house.

"Venido Adentro"

This is just sick.

I disagree with Lee though regarding the efficacy of voting to change this. The Federal Bureaucracy is entrenched and unionized and it seems as though they do as they please irrespective of the demands of elected politicos.

MOVE

Today is the 20th anniversary of the assault by the Philadelphia Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police on the "home" of a radical group called "MOVE".

A state police helicopter this evening dropped a bomb on a house occupied by an armed group after a 24-hour siege involving gun battles. A 90 -minute shootout this morning came after a week of growing tension between the city and the group, known as Move. Residents in the western Philadelphia neighborhood had complained about the group for years. The only known survivors from within the house were a woman and a child. The fire spread to 50 to 60 other houses in the neighborhood, said the Fire Commissioner, William Richmond. He declared the fire under control about 11:40 P.M.

Police Drop Bomb on Radicals' Home in Philadelphia WILLIAM K. STEVENS Special to The New York Times 14may85


More:

Twenty years ago this Friday, Philadelphia became "The City That Bombed Itself."

On the evening of May 13, 1985, in the Cobbs Creek section of West Philadelphia, police dropped explosives onto the headquarters of the radical group MOVE. The explosion started a fire that city officials allowed to burn.

When the blaze was out, 61 homes were gone and 11 people, five of them children, were dead inside MOVE headquarters.



The days that followed were a period of sadness and shame unlike any in the city's history, the start of a civic funk that lasted for nearly a decade.

Day that forever changed the city

I could see the smoke from my neighborhood.

What followed the event itself was an exercise in Old School Philly Graft, where the City paid a premium price to rebuild homes, and the rebuilt domiciles turned out to be of, shall we say, questionable quality. Some people got killed, some people got jailed, a few got fired, and a few lined their pockets.

After the Bomb

Life, as they say, "in the Big City".

 

 

 

 

Matador

Great stuff regarding Matador from The Fourth Rail and, natch, Belmont Club.

Note to self: change the blogroll.

Religion in Politics

Whilst surfing last week, I found an interesting point about how political speech in church is portrayed differently depending on who's doing the speaking. When Republicans do it, it "theocratic. When Democrats do it, it's "outreach". Hmmm. That got me doing more surfing, and I found the following, and the accompanying pictures. "Let's take a look at our Constitution — it says ‘freedom of speech,'" said William Murray, president of the Washington D.C.-based Religious Freedom Coalition. "It doesn't say ‘freedom of speech unless you are in church on Sunday.' [Opponents] want to pass laws that say when we have freedom of speech and what we can say and society doesn't have a problem with that?" "Despite the push for a change, a September Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life poll found Americans sharply divided over whether they wanted their religious leaders to get directly involved in politics. Critics of the bill, who have been largely successful in foiling Jones' previous efforts, said giving tax breaks to churches who endorse or denounce specific candidates violates the doctrine of separation of church and state and is unfair to other nonprofits that are bound by the same restrictions. In fairness, some anti-church-poltitical-speech do try to play it down the middle: Complaints and investigations are more commonplace and often target churches on both sides of the ideological spectrum. In, February the IRS announced it is investigating the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (search) in Florida, based on a complaint by Americans for the Separation of Church and State. The group said the church was in violation of IRS law when it allowed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and Rev. Al Sharpton to make their pitch for Kerry to the predominantly black congregants during an August service. The pastor had introduced Kerry as "the next president of the United States." Odd, isn't it? I don't recall that coverage. I've never been particularly vested in the participation of churches in politics, but it does ring true to me that the kind of political speech the Left seeks to restrict most ardently is political speech wherein advocacies are steeped in religion. Or is it all a fan dance? -- as the accompanying pictures (of the last four Democrat presidents, seeking support in church) might seem to indicate. It's all very strange to me, this Liberal Media thing. FOXNews.com - Politics - Lawmaker Hopes to Open Churches to Political Speech

Coalition of the Bribed Update

Quel suprise.

Citing contracts, letters and interviews with former Iraqi leaders, the probe set out evidence Wednesday to back the claim that British lawmaker George Galloway and former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua accepted oil allocations under the scheme.

Doy!

FOXNews.com - Politics - Senate Panel: European Pols Took Saddam Bribes

Was World War II worth it?

Pat Buchanan steps in it:

If the West went to war to stop Hitler from dominating Eastern and Central Europe, and Eastern and Central Europe ended up under a tyranny even more odious, as Bush implies, did Western Civilization win the war?

In 1938, Churchill wanted Britain to fight for Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain refused. In 1939, Churchill wanted Britain to fight for Poland. Chamberlain agreed. At the end of the war Churchill wanted and got, Czechoslovakia and Poland were in Stalin's empire.

How, then, can men proclaim Churchill 'Man of the Century'?

Intriguing, and why we'll not know if Iraq was the right move for a decade or two.

(I say Buchanan "steps in it" because the camps are not mentioned).

BTW, do you know that we have our very own camps??? Where the Democrats go, once we install our HalliPuppets on the Supreme Court, I suppose...

Where's Dave?

The last thing Raging Dave posted is here.

He'll return, all in due time, and I've a feeling that, if he can get 'net access, he'll be putting forth some interesting stuff.

WTF???

Heidi Klum, Seal Tie Knot in Mexico

T.H.O.N.G.

In a place where you can view human buttocks without fear of repercussion?

Topless Humans Organized for Natural Genetics

Go'head. Click it!

Stevie Wonder releases video for blind

No, really.

CNN Lexicon Update

Is there bias at CNN?



Monday 9 May: Judicial Watch goes after Hillary Clinton



LINK: CNN.com - "conservative watchdog group with a history of dogging the Clintons"

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---

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Tuesday 10 May: Judicial Watch goes after Dick Cheney



LINK: CNN.com - "two private groups"



CNN - They Report, We Deride, but hey -- standout work by Judicial Watch -- they progressed from Clinton Doggers to a Private Group in just one day.

Nice pickup, Lee.

UPDATE: Reader Fred Simmons notes that the stories are bylined "AP", not some CNN Staff Writer. True that. Reckon I'd still like to see some of that "Review Process" that CCN has and bloggers don't.

Police question 'person of interest' in child slayings

I am guessing it'll be another kid.

I am not usually into capital punishment, but this person when convited should die, and painfully if possible.

Great Stuff from Lee

"What liberal media?" he asks.

Couldn't get him at the polls

Where there's a will, there's a way, or so they say.

Mr Blair's position has been called into question by several MPs since last Thursday's General Election, when Labour won an historic third successive term in power but saw its majority cut from 161 to a projected 66.

Mr Blair - who was finalising the post-election reshuffle of the ministerial ranks - will seek to shore up his position on Wednesday when, in an appearance before the Parliamentary Labour Party at Westminster, he is expected to underline his commitment to serving a full third term and call for tighter party discipline.

But the chorus calling for him to step down continued to swell.

The Invincible Poodle, in a manner of speaking.

Blair faces growing chorus to quit

Reminiscent of Tim Blair reminiscing.

Is it just me, or....

...has Right Thinking from the Left Coast morphed into a Love Shack for a tiny number of self-flagellating "libertarians"?

You'd think...

...that a link dumper like me wouldn't require much time to keep his blog fresh.

You'd be right. But I don't even have that much time these days.

All I've got at this here moment are:

This site is almost a tribute to the Main Battle Tank - M1, M1A1, and M1A2 Abrams. Fascinating, if you've a mind to be fascinated by such stuff.

And then: some quotes from the past about the Horrible Three.

Buh-bye.

Number Three Captured?

Looks like the Pakistanis ghraibed him up a bit.

USATODAY.com - Senior al-Qaeda suspect arrested, Pakistan says

The site is not safe for work...

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

RE: Google

True or False: "Google policy does not permit ad text that advocates against an individual, group or organization" ?

lgf: Google Says No to Conservative Ads

Heh

Did anyone catch...

...Amy Goodman being savaged by a Marine sergeant who has served two tours in Iraq during a Los Angeles Times Festival of Books forum televised on C-SPAN?

During Q&A he asked her what qualified her to talk about Iraq. She wouldn't answer. She decided instead to ask him two questions, one about the legitimacy of the war and one about morale issues.

He stated, drawing some catcalls from the crowd, that WMDs didn't matter. Earlier, Goodman had made the point that if Americans could see the pictures of dead and maimed Iraqis we'd call for an immediate withdrawal. This Marine countered that of Americans had seen picutres of life under Saddam Hussein that the invasion would have been more widely supported here. He also stated that low morale tends to be the province of those who are stuck in rear bases without contact with Iraqis and without the first hand experience of building a school or repairing a water main.

She just let it all slide by.

Strange Bedfellows?

Of all the places C-SPAN could direct people to to learn about the Online Freedom of Speech Act, they choose KOS.



Perplexing.

They all do it Redux

A congressman who is not an ex-exterminator right wing wacko, took a trip paid for by lobbyists.

The one and only Bruce

Creep!

Springsteen chose to be fairly economical with his comments between songs, although he did...lambaste the "dinosaur" mentality of the Bush administration... He ad-libbed a "That's right" after one audience member yelled "(Expletive) the president" at one point.

Bruce Springsteen, born 23 September 1949, still strumming for a living, calls someone else a "dinosaur".

Oy!
Springsteen captivates Glendale crowd with acoustic show

Leftists March in Berlin

They march on May Day, naturally; you simply must read what they were chanting. Poor dumb bastards.

Comment of the Decade

"Does this flag make me look fat?"

Actually laughing my ass off.

lgf: British Academic Insanity Watch

One wouldn't think...

...that a trustee election at Dartmouth College would be an interesting thing.

Ahhh, but it is. More here: Powerline. Sincerely, it's interesting.

L L Cool M

Ladies love Cool Mfume.

NEVER stop firing

Machinegun You preferred a weapon with 32% power over speed and 85% range over melee.

You use a Machinegun. Phenomenal range and rate of fire more than make up for the lack of mobility that a full machinegun warrant. Though a machinegun lacks the punch of heavier artillery, it is still an exceedingly potent infantry weapon and can fire continuously for a long time. Your enemies will run for cover as you pepper the landscape with bullets.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 18% on power You scored higher than 99% on range

Link: The What's Your Signature Weapon Test written by inurashii on Ok Cupid

Mr. President, Please Secure Our Borders Immediately

"Sign Our Petition on Illegal Immigration," it says.

Infrequent posting alert

For those who are just catching up, it's called a PCS - Permanent Change of Station. It's when the military tells you to move your ass from one post to another.

And I'm in the middle of it. Yeesh. I think I've had more fun laminating my testicles.

(The above is just a figure of speech. My testicles are not now, nor have ever been, laminated.)

So anyways, this is just a post to let you all know not to expect too much from me in the coming days. Any internet access will be infrequent at best, and I'm going to be so damn busy that my head might just come unscrewed.

Oh, and to top it all off, just the cherry on the top of my sundae, the unit I'm going to exists on paper only.

Yep, that's right, it's a new unit! They're still getting people in! So where as I may have been able to call up the unit and talk with an actual human if I were going to an existing unit, I'm stuck in limbo with this one. I've been able to talk to the battalion, but the company has been incommunicado. Boy oh boy, I don't know who's getting fucked worse, the unit or me. Yeah, they're not exactly being all that helpful right now, and just getting simple answers out of people requires an effort not unlike pulling out teeth, but I'm getting put into a slot in which I have no actual experience. I've got the school, but no hands on time. And now I have to build a unit's motorpool from scratch.

Talk about a steep learning curve.....

So, if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because I'm screaming while ripping out what little hair I have left and banging my head against a brick wall in a futile effort to make the bad men stop.

See ya in a couple of weeks.

Go Figure....

Shotgun You preferred a weapon with 58% power over speed and 74% range over melee.

You use a Shotgun. While not the fastest gun in the west, a shotgun's raw power and ease of use make it an extremely potent weapon. Some shotguns can also be loaded with many different types of ammunition, providing a versatility many guns don't have. Choosing your shots, you fell your opponents immediately and without pause.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 80% on power You scored higher than 88% on range

Link: The What's Your Signature Weapon Test written by inurashii on Ok Cupid

It kinda makes sense. To be honest, sometimes my mouth catches friendlies in the blast radius. Although Analog Kid is a frigging Greatsword. I don't think anyone who's met him face to face could disagree with that.

Classic New York Times

I can think of nothing to add to this: Instapundit.com

UPDATE: from The Mudville Gazette. Woot!

Despair for America

Sick society.

County Executive Joel A. Giambra said he didn’t know how a parent could be charged with cruelty to animals and not child neglect, but the police didn’t seem to think neglect charges were warranted at the time.

Sheesh.

Right Thinking from the Left Coast

Chuckling About Mao

Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library think it's titillating.

Also, from their web site:

Although private funding can enhance the public library, the majority of library funding should come from public sources.

Putzes.

Friends Advocacy Efforts

They were never anti-war...

They were just rooting for the other side.

Via Danegerus

It started out as a typical Wednesday for Preckshot, a 49-year-old who stands about 5-foot-2 and has hearing aids in both ears. She was standing on her normal spot on Providence Road, holding her signs in support of American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. For nearly four years now, this has been Preckshot?s life from about 4:15 to about 5:45 in the afternoon once a week. She started her solo troop-support effort to counteract the peace protesters who stand a couple of blocks away at the intersection of Providence and Broadway. The peaceniks hold signs that say things such as ?honk for peace? and ?end the occupation.?

They outnumber Preckshot every Wednesday, but she stands out there just the same, sometimes drawing another supporter or two to help her effort.

On this particular Wednesday - it was March 16 - her effort seemed to annoy a couple of the protesters. Not satisfied with their own peace protest, a pair of peaceniks grabbed their signs and made their way to Preckshot, who normally stands outside the Bloomers flower shop near Locust Street.

C'mon, you all KNOW what's going to happen, don't you?

?He started taunting me and reached out and pushed on my shoulder,? Preckshot says. ?Each time he pushed, it got a little harder. When I saw his hand come at me again, I grabbed it. I felt fearful.?

As Preckshot pushed the man?s hand away, ?he slugged me right in the face,? she says.

I don't know what's worse. The fact that it happened, or the fact that I'm not surprised.

I think I'm going to cry

Months ago when Analog Kid decided to go to Boomershoot, he graciously invited me along. Since I wasn't sure of what my future held, I told him that I would see what my calender was like, but until then consider me out.

So, Boomershoot is this coming weekend, and guess what? I'm headed to Ft. McCoy for inprocessing. Talk about shitty timing!

And to make it even worse, Kim du Toit, one of the few people online I'd give my eyeteeth to meet in person is going to be there!

CRAP!

But..... no Ft. McCoy means no Ft. Buchanan, and I can't give up three years of the Army in Puerto Rico just to meet someone, no matter how much I might want to.

Man, talk about mixed luck.

BBC sent hecklers to bait Tories

D'oh!

The BBC has been plunged into an election row after it admitted equipping three hecklers with microphones and sending them into a campaign meeting addressed by Michael Howard, the Conservative Party leader.

The Tories lodged an official protest after the hecklers, who were given the microphones by producers, were caught at a Conservative event in north-west England last week.

Q'uel suprise.

BBC sent hecklers to bait Tories - World - www.smh.com.au

Anti-Israel Play a Hit in London

My Name is Rachel Corrie has become one the fastest sell-outs in its 50-year history.

Katie Couric...

...on the bubble.

Caption these Photos!

The ACLU (Anti-American Civil Liberties Union) has sent "legal observers" down to Arizona in an attempt to interrupt the Minuteman Project. Their tacticts include physically shoving members of the Minutemen, shining spotlights in their facts from six inches away, and attempting to verbally provoke the Minutemen.

And inbetween harassing the Minutemen, intentionally trying to start fights, and assisting illegal immigrants in coming into this country, they like to kick back and smoke some ganja with each other.

Check out the photos at the bottom. Doesn't that just scream "Fine American Citizen"?

So let's caption a few photos! Leave your best captions in the comments, and I'll send really good authors a few stickers, or something.

One Big Incestuous Web

DANEgerus has links to the scandals exploding in Canada right now. The more people dig, the more filth comes pouring out.

Canada has become insignificant because they've let themselves be led by a group of power-hungry socialists who care about nothing but their own enrichment, even if it comes at the expense of those who elected them.

It's rather sad if you ask me. I can remember when Canada wasn't a joke disguised as a sovereign nation. I hope they can regain the status that they've lost in the past decade and a half.

Can you FEEL the LOVE?

So, Tim and I are cleaning the junk out of the guestboook, and some of the comments left by the Leftists are just outright hilarious.

Although there's one that I just can't quite understand....

Jason Walker is a pencil-dick faggot. He will get sodomized in hell.

Who's Jason Walker, and why does this nameless goon think he's a pencil-dicked faggot? And if you're going to call someone names, can't you at least leave a real name? Or an email address?

Anyways, I'm taking the spam out and leaving everything else. I think that comments like this:

You guys are all selfish fools! Right-wing politics are terrible! And war is is also a terrible thing! War is bad because people die, and I believe that death is bad. Don't you see how disgustingly selfish you have become?!!!!!!!!! And George Bush licks balls! Left-wingers rule!

....are the perfect example of why the Left should never be in power again.

But WHY is it illegal?!

I mean, c'mon, would stringing spammers up by their toes and whipping them to death with a cat'o nine tails really be such a BAD thing?

Good News, Bad News

The good news is: "they all do it".

House Republicans yesterday called on Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to provide documentation to prove that a Washington lobbyist firm did not pay for a trip she and other Democrats took to Puerto Rico in 2001.

Pelosi pressed for trip records

The bad news is: "they all do it".

Did you hear the one about the woman...

...who found a finger in her Wendy's chili?



Turns out, maybe it was a whopper.

As it turns out, Ayala has a litigious history. She has filed claims against several corporations, including a former employer and General Motors, though it is unclear from court records whether she received any money. She said she got $30,000 from El Pollo Loco after her 13-year-old daughter got sick at one of the chain's Las Vegas-area restaurants. El Pollo Loco officials say she did not get a dime.

Earlier Thursday, Wendy's International Inc. announced it had ended its internal investigation, saying it could find no credible link between the finger and the restaurant chain.

Sales have dropped at franchises in Northern California, forcing layoffs and reduced hours, the company said. Wendy's also has hired private investigators, set up a hot line for tips and offered a $100,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to the finger's original owner.

So she makes a false claim, it appears, looking for money, and people lost their jobs as a result.

Jail would be good.

UPDATE: Felony theft.

Frothing of the Left

Interesting article here about kneejerk disdain for Pope Benedict XVI in America and in American media.

Good piece that stretches credulity just once, with this:

Was it ethical, then, for NYTimes.com to publish a text accusing pope Benedict XVI of being a Nazi?

The New York Times? Ethical?

You want Britain-Style Government Health Care?

Shoot.

Rejecting a bid by the parents, a British judge on Thursday upheld a court order allowing doctors to let a critically ill baby die if she stops breathing — a move doctors say is the only humane way to end the child's suffering.

Careful, now.

Yahoo! News

The New Pope

Reaction, from Democratic Underpants.

Vietnam Vet Sullies Jane Fonda

channelcincinnati.com

The shrieks continue

The Left is still in hysterics about Pope Benedict the Sixteenth. Let's take a look at what they're saying, shall we?

Andrew Sullivan: Well, I won't even bother linking to him. Suffice to say that unless the new pope came out and stated that God was now a transexual and we'd all be praying to "Gladys" from now on, Sully will still be full of crap about religion.

One person from Kos's little cesspool actually has some common sense.

There are many reasons to criticize the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, like his stances on women and gays in the church, social issues, his work in crushing liberation theology, his comments in regards to the priest sexual abuse scandals, and his generally conservative views. Calling him a Nazi, however, is unfounded and unfair, and only serves to demean us...Unfounded accusations are unfair, and will only serve to give the wingers more ammunition. Call him conservative, call him reactionary, call him old, call him surly, call him the wrong choice. Just don't call him a Nazi.

Of course, what really bothers the left is included in the first sentance. "his generally conservative views". Which in reality is his Catholic views. If the damn pope would just stop being so CATHOLIC, why, the Left would love him to death!

Uh, yeah. Right.

However, as Analog Kid notes, the one sane member of the Klueless Kos Kamp was instantly shouted down by the rest of the oh so "tolerant" left:

Lefty Malone: “I’ll call him a nazi. Never once in his career has he denounced them.”

Heteraetcaetera: Let me see…. 1. Hitler Youth = not a Nazi.
2. Wehrmacht = Not a Nazi.
3. Deserted when illusions failed.
4. Fished out and rescued by US diligence = Not a Nazi.
Hitler himself was a minor landscape artist. Why can’t you people remember that?

SqueakyRat: “They couldn’t find a Nazi. So they chose Ratzinger.”

Sausalito: Hes not my pope! Its one thing to jack-off or throw back a few too many. Its another to be a part of the Hitler Youth!!! Are you guys serious? I remember when the left was trying to say that Bush was shady because his family yada yada yada something to do with Hitlers family. This dude was a part of the movement He was a nazi though. What the fuck else do you call someone who WAS a member of Hitlers youth militia? I am not saying he believed that shit but he did have a choice! You always have a choice even if death is the result.

Of course, leaving aside the fact that Pope Benedict came from an anti-Nazi family, leaving aside the fact that participation in the Hitler Youth was mandatory for any kid in Germany at that time, leaving aside the fact that Benedict DEFECTED FROM THE NAZI ARMY, gee, what better arguments than to call the new pope a nazi!

And they wonder why they keep loosing election. Hmmmmmmmm........

And it gets better!

--Lean Left:"They elected another Pope. It’s Ratzinger - the Goebbels of the Vatican. Un...believable, even for an organization as self-destructively oblivious as this one. Well, for Catholics and the dwindling number of Westerners who still take Catholicism seriously, it’s time to kiss the Dark Ages hello again...The medieval wing of an organization that just barely got over Galileo has now claimed the right to declare itself “infallible” (the irony of which they never seem to get). If you thought John Paul II was bad, wait till you get a load of Pope Torquemada Jr."

Oooo, a Nazi comment and a reference to the Spanish Inquisition! It's a two'fer! Too bad for Lean Left that the numbers show a growing amount of Catholics in America. But then, for a Leftist, make-believe is all that remains.

Let's just cut to the chase, shall we? The Left objects to the Pope because he's a religious figure. It wouldn't matter who the conclave elected, or what the new pope said or did. It could be Pope Buffy I, a nun who used to be a brothel worker in Nevada, and the Left would still be up in arms and throwing their temper tantrums. Because it's not the person the Left objects to -

It's the religion.

What title did Dane use?

Fake Right, turn Hard Left was the phrase, I believe. And it was used to describe Hillary Clinton's actions as of late.

Well, the Hildabeast proves that she's still a sleazy socialist.

But today, Hillary is returning to her liberal roots by joining the high priestesses of feminism in marking “Equal Pay Day.” According to feminist calculations, the first four months of 2005 were spent making up for last year’s wage gap; today, women supposedly will have finally earned as much as men in 2004. She will introduce legislation to “fix” this gap and thereby end a grave injustice.

Again with the whine of "Women are paid unfairly!" No, they're not. Here are a few questions for you to use on the liberal maggots who raise the hue and cry of wage discrimination.

How many female plumbers do you know? Electricians? Concrete workers? Bricklayers? How about framers or other construction jobs? Fisherman? Crab fishers? Stockbrokers? Engineers? Pilots?

What do many of those jobs have in common? They're damn hard work. Dirty work. You work long hours in unpleasant conditions busting your ass day in and day out. They all happen to pay mucho dinero. And they all happen to be male dominated due to the reasons laid out.

Ask the woman who's whining about not getting paid equally if she wants to spend 12-18 hours a day cleaning shit out of pipes for 20 years. Most likely, she'll look at you and go "HELL NO!". But that's what plumbers do, and they get paid well for it. Ever had to pay for a plumber? Hot damn, that's expensive. The cheapest I've ever paid a plumber was $40 an hour. And yet every plumber who's come to my house was a man.

In Why Men Earn More, Warren Farrell — a former board member of the National Organization for Women’s New York chapter — identifies 25 decisions that individuals make when choosing jobs and reveals how, on average, men are more likely than women to make decisions that increase pay. Not only do women take more time out of the labor force and work fewer hours than do men, women also avoid jobs that require a great deal of travel or relocation. Men assume more high-risk jobs — 92 percent of occupational deaths occur among men — and endeavors that require braving the elements outdoors.

What you get paid is a matter of the choices you make. I once spoke to a woman who did woodwork, finish and detail work. She was a carpenter, and a damn good one. I asked her why she got into woodworking, and she told me that she wanted to make good money. So she became very good at turning out furniture, cabinets, ect. And she did get paid. She got paid very well.

But she worked for it, just like every man.

The Captain understands...

....just how conservatives are feeling.

The GOP campaigned on judicial nominations as the second-highest priority for the Senate, and the electorate rewarded them with a healthy gain of four seats, remarkable for an election in which the incumbent president won by a tight margin. After spending a record amount of money on supporting Republican candidates, the electorate has sat back and watched as the Democrats, led by Harry Reid, have uncorked one lunatic manuever after another: challenging Ohio's slate of electors, holding up Condoleezza Rice's nomination while people like Mark Dayton outright call her a liar, and attempting to extort the White House into giving up its Constitutional assignment of nominating the judges the President sees fit for Senate approval.

What has this bunch of Republican milquetoasts done? Nothing.

We didn't vote for conservatives who would sit on their thumbs and whine. We wanted action. And we're not getting it. What we're getting is a group of whiney cowards who refuse to do anything.

Conservatives don't vote for whiney cowards more than once, as a rule. That's the Democrat's M.O. The Republicans should learn that lesson.

Today in History

The British Army, commanded by General Thomas Gage, attempted to confiscate the weapons of colonists in the towns of Lexington and Concord.

So began the American Revolution.

DANEgerus has more.

A New Pope

So, after the third-longest reign of any pope, the Catholic Church has a new leader.

UPDATE: Well, if you feel like getting some slime on your boots, you can see the reaction of the Left over at Kos's little cesspool.

It's a great day to be a Nazi! (none / 1)

The best thing we can hope for is that this will be the "worse" in "it's gotta get worse before it gets better."
If we're lucky, Pope Ratfucker will be even more reactionary, orthodox, and fascist than he has been in the past. We'll call him the "Pope of NO"

Hmmmm.... it seems to me that just last week people were shrieking and howling because someone dared say that the Left opposed people of faith! People on the Left and the Right were both saying how horrible it was that people stated how the Left opposed anyone who might be Christian.

And yet.... if you read what they write, and you listen to what they say...

They ARE opposed to Christianity. Unless you somehow think that calling the new Pope a ratfucker and a Nazi is somehow supportive of that whole "religion" thing.

Now excuse me, I need to go soak myself in bleach after visiting that website.

About Damn Time!

So long, TSA. We knew ye too well.

The Transportation Security Administration, once the flagship agency in the nation's $20 billion effort to protect air travelers, is now slated for dismantling.

The TSA has been plagued by operational missteps, public relations blunders and criticism of its performance from both the public and legislators. Its "No Fly" list has mistakenly snared senators. Its security screeners have been arrested for stealing from luggage, and its passenger pat-downs have set off an outcry from women.

Under provisions of President Bush's 2006 budget proposal favored by Congress, the TSA will lose its signature programs in the reorganization of Homeland Security. The agency will likely become just manager of airport security screeners -- a responsibility that itself could diminish as private screening companies increasingly seek a comeback at U.S. airports.

One of my big gripes about Bush is that he's a big government Republican. Hell, these days EVERY politician is a big government fan, since that's how they accumulate power. As bad as Bush is, the Democrats are even worse. The TSA is one example of that. Created by Bush, run by a Democrat, and a waste of time and energy in every way possible. Run by politically correct idiots, afraid of it's own shadow, and failing to keep our airplanes safe, it's been alive way too damn long. It should have never seen the light of day.

Let's make sure it stays dead.

Found at RNS.

And since I missed it entirely...

I know, I know, I've been busy, the dog ate my homework, I left it in the car, my wife is using it for a lamp stand...

Maybe you can still get in to Buy a Gun Day over at Aaron's place.

And for those who haven't updated their blogrolls yet, Aaron the Rantblogger's new digs can be found at http://aarons.cc/

And if you can't find the cash to buy a gun, mebby you can head on over to Kim du Toit's site and assist him with travel and long-range shooting.

Pro-female? Pro-gun.

The statistical reality is that "shall issue" states, those that issue a concealed carry permit to any law-abiding citizen who asks for one, show a lower rape incidence than states where concealed carry permits are difficult or impossible to obtain. The victim disarmers claim that it's just because those states would have had a lower rate anyway. This claim has been proven false: those states which convert to "shall issue" status show a concomitant decrease in the rape rate. Places which take a proactive stance to promote gun ownership among women show a much greater decrease in the rape rate. A dramatic decrease occurred when the Orlando, Florida police, very concerned about the city's skyrocketing rape rates, instituted a program to train tens of thousands of women in the safe use of handguns. The rape rate decreased 88%.

lizmicheal.com - Gun Controllers Hate Women

Found at this weeks Carnival of Cordite.

Gandhi, Democracy,...

...WMDs, and Iraq.

Score...

... a direct hit.

Happy Income Redistribution Day!

My wife and I are on the... (ahem) lower end of the pay scale right now. And we're paying a total of ... well.... a hell of a lot more than we want to be, or should be.

And that doesn't include taxes we pay on a day-to-day basis. Gas tax. Sales tax. Go look at your phone bill, if you have a cellular phone. Taxes put over $17 worth of charges on top of the actual bill!

This country is overtaxed, ain't no doubt about it. Unless you're a communist, in which case you need to get your ass out of my country and into one of your "perfect" communist governments. May I suggest Cuba or North Korea?

Oh HELL yeah!

New ships? New designs for our fine Navy? Yes, I suppose it's all well and good, but DANEgerus favors reactivating two battleships.

By the way, everytime you say "recommission battleships" some Navy guy suddenly needs to clean out the front of his pants. And not in a bad way. You want to know why?

The battleships are 10 percent faster than the still-conceptual DD(X). They each bring to bear 12 5-inch and nine 16-inch guns -- capable, with new munitions, of firing accurately to nearly 100 miles. The two battleships can also carry nearly twice as many cruise missiles as all the DD(X) hulls combined. All that firepower is available for $2 billion -- the cost of one DD(X).

During the first Gulf War, the Navy brought the USS Missouri out of mothballs and put her back in service, albiet with modern upgrades. At that time, Navy recruiting offices were swarmed with retired and inactive Navy personnel stating that they would be more than willing to re-enter the service IF and ONLY IF they were put on board a battleship.

The whole reason battleships were decommissioned to begin with is because they're expensive. Ain't no lie about that. It's a floating fortress, the meanest, toughest, nastiest thing on all the Seven Seas. A carrier group obviously has more firepower, but that's made up of dozens of ships. One battleship will beat any other thing that floats every damn time, and the USA had the cream of the crop. If we put nuke engines in them and refloated them, they'd STILL be the cream of the crop. Replace the old targeting systems, upgrade their powerplant, and we would have a ship that no country on this planet would want to tangle with.

I say bring 'em back.

A good cause

And a good blog.

The Revolutionary War Veteran's Association

Via the Baron.

Adding to Tim's Linkdump

A handy guide to the Media's liberal bias.

20 different ways in which the media exerts their bias on the USA.

I can't help it

This is just too much fun.

Look everybody! It's me!