What? Iraq asks U.N. to renew U.S. troop mandate

KR Washington Bureau 05/31/2005 Iraq asks U.N. to renew U.S. troop mandate

I'm not understanding this story at all. Why would Iraq need to get the permission of the UN for this? Just when was it that the UN is the keeper of US presence in Iraq?

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's prime minister asked the United Nations on Tuesday to extend its authorization for U.S. forces to stay in the country, underscoring the fragile hold of the newly elected government at a time of rising insurgent violence.

Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said his government would decide the role of American and other foreign troops, a particularly sensitive issue as the new government tries to establish its legitimacy among the Iraqi people and secure the country against an entrenched insurgency while depending heavily on the U.S. military.

Al-Jaafari said he'd like the U.N. Security Council to extend Resolution 1546, which authorizes the U.S. presence until June 8. He made his comments while addressing the Iraqi National Assembly.

Can anyone help me understand this story?

Moderate Republicans Don't Win Presidential Races

OpinionJournal - The Western Front: The McCain Myth

Brendan Miniter talks about McCain and the DNC strategy. I personally don't think a moderate Republican can win, there's nothing in a moderate to get the base solid support. I didn't (and still don't) believe that President Bush in 2000 was a "conservative". But I did see he at least had some core beliefs in the power of free markets and appeared to have some core values which he was unwilling to compromise. I didn't see any of that in McCain. What I saw in McCain was a social left winger and a respect for the military. What I also saw was a man with a problem controlling his anger, a man who enjoyed belittling others in his own party and a massive sized ego. Having been a Vietnam POW was compelling but this is not enough to get a person the Republican Presidential nomination. All the reasons the MSM loves John McCain are all the reasons why I don't trust him and would never vote for him.

From Miniter:

Now, however, the answer to the question is obvious: Conservatives can and do win elections for the Republican Party. What the McCain Myth ignores is that for now a majority of voters nationwide embrace conservative principles. Talk of
being a "compassionate conservative" notwithstanding, it wasn't maverick moderatism that handed President Bush victories in 2000 and 2004. Nor has the McCain Myth been responsible for padding Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Indeed, Republicans have been winning by sticking to their principles and not bucking their party's ideas on tax cuts, national defense or reforming the judiciary.

<...>
The most interesting advice the DLC is doling out these days has to do with suburban voters. President Bush beat John Kerry in 97 of the 100 fastest growing communities in the country. The Democrats can win urban areas with record turnout but still lose elections. Joel Kotkin notes that Minnesota, traditionally a progressive state that gave us such liberal icons as Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Sen. Paul Wellstone, may now be turning Republican. It was the only state Ronald Reagan lost in 1984, but Democrats can no longer count on carrying the state. John Kerry had 60% of the vote in the Twin Cities last year, but the suburbs went to President Bush by a similar margin. "Two decades ago, these results might not have been so disturbing. But now the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul are three times as populous as the Twin Cities themselves," he writes. The problem is Democrats have for too long denigrated suburban dwellers and even fought new suburbs from going up with "smart growth" restrictions, so suburbanites return the favor by voting Republican.

As for Mr. McCain, this all leaves him in the unenviable position of offering a political philosophy--no more tax cuts, moderate reforms to entitlement programs and, among other things, moderate judges--that is actually costing Democrats votes. Paradoxically it's a political philosophy that helps him wield tremendous power in the Senate, where there are plenty of mushy moderates. But the idea that it's a political philosophy that will propel Republicans into the White House is a myth that this President Bush has long since dispelled.

The Minnesota reference was very interesting because when you look at the data, the only significant area which Kerry won was in the city of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Most of outstate MN and the suburbs went to President Bush in 2004. The other thing I wish people would remember is current Senators don't win Presidential races. They just don't. Senator Frist reminds me so much of Bob Dole. A really nice man who has integrity and respect. But being nice will not win an election.

OurFinest.org - Help wounded American soldiers

OurFinest.org - Help wounded American soldiers

OurFinest.org Provides: Inspiration Aspiration Motivation Implementation Mentoring Identifies Hope Dreams to Goals to Reality
Personal Coaches: Action Plan
Infrastructure: Money plus Contacts

Founded by education entrepreneur, Michael Clifford, the organization will provide special college scholarships and job placement in leading American corporations for these heroes. The organization will also offer mental health guidance and support to the families.

Says Clifford, “Our goal is to visit the bedsides of these amputees, talk to them about their dreams, and then help them achieve those goals. We want to provide everything that they and their families will need to be successful and live stable, productive lives. We will offer Inspiration, Aspiration, Motivation and Implementation.”

Clifford has already pledged the resources of his school, Grand Canyon University (www.gcu.edu) and is seeking other institutions to participate by providing all-expense paid degree programs to these heroes.

“We are challenging our nation's corporations and business leaders to provide funding for the program, as well as provide career opportunities,” says Clifford. “We are also approaching several Senators to help us obtain a faith-based grant for our program. All American's are urged to give, to donate of their time, money, energy, and personal as well as corporate resources in faith to help other in need in our country since our government can't do it all.”

“We want to provide opportunity and support for every American warrior who dreamed of going to college and having a fulfilling career, yet who saw their dream shattered by an injury suffered while serving their country. We will help create rich lives for these, our finest heroes, working and living with dignity and pride with their families.”

Clifford is partnering with a private company which, he says, “enjoys as its only exclusive members all sitting CEOs of the Fortune 100” to provide jobs. He also expects to have more than 200 schools participating. Clifford will be launching a media campaign later this summer to spread the message of OurFinest.org.

The Dream is not limited to college. You could be looking for a Chef school or a automotive specialty. There is no limit is my understanding.

You can help right now!

Give money! You can donate money. Whether you are able to contribute five or five thousand dollars, we need your help to help our heroes. Every dollar counts. Click here to donate money!

Give scholarships! You can give scholarships. If you work at a college or university, talk to your leadership about providing full scholarships. If you are a graduate of a college or university, contact your alumni association and get them
involved. Click here to donate scholarships!

Give jobs! You can give jobs. Are there positions in your company that you would like to make available to these heroes? Let us know and we will match up qualified candidates. Click here to donate jobs!

Sign our petition to President Bush. We’re asking the President to commit 10% of all Faith Based Imitative Grant funding to all organizations that help our wounded heroes and OurFinest.org will match every dollar. Please take one minute to add your name to the persuasive power of our request by signing the petition. Click here to sign the petition!

Please help.

When they were asked, these worthy warriors stepped forward for all of us. Now it’s our turn to help them get their dream!

Bill Nassif - WWII POW: Someone You Should Get To Know!

I met Bill Nassif one night a couple years ago. I was out for dinner with a group of friends and Bill joined the group. He happened to sit next to me and otherwise I had never met Bill before. One of the group mentioned Bill was a WWII vet and that he had been a POW. So, Bill started to tell stories. He is the best story teller because he's got the best stories to tell from his personal experiences and he's funny. He was telling me a story about one prison camp where he was held. Bill worked with the prison guard dogs so they were very familiar and friendly with him. One day Bill decided he wanted to go to the little village near the camp. So he got the guard dog and off they slipped out of the camp. Bill spent an afternoon in this village wandering around and avoiding any German soldiers. Finally, they recognized him so off he went back to camp. I've often thought about talking again with Bill just to get some more of his wonderful stories but of course this hasn't happened. Maybe I should do that now and get it recorded.

My local community paper has just completed a series of stories on Veterans from the area and one of the stories is about Bill Nassif. The "Laker" isn't online so I took a picture of the article to post online. This is from the Westonka Laker, Volume XXXI. No. 39 dated May 28, 2005. The writer is Nels Hanssen.

If by chance you can't read the one section towards the bottom it says: The pilot of this plane announced that he himself was lost and had been patrolling the wrong ocean. But rescued and rescuer all made it safely to their base.

Here's the second Page:
Here's the third Page:
I found out alot of interesting information from this story about Bill, what an amazing man. BTW - I'm guessing the prison camp Bill slipped away from was the one in Moosburg.

Clinton Endorses Tsunami Aid for Sri Lankan Rebels

Washington Post

Before I write anything about Clinton and his Tsunami Ambassadorship, who exactly is buying the former President's clothes?? Mustang23 currently has a naming contest going where the former President is wearing a suit with a hot pink tie and now this picture with the hot pink shirt. Has anyone bothered to tell the former President that the METROSEXUAL is not a HOT item today. Metrosexuals are considererd to be lame and LOSERS! He needs to get out of the '90's. The '90's are gone, over, finis, done. He's got the hand thing going in this picture as in the one M23 has up. One last point about this picture, this man looks like he has aged about 20 years since his term was up as President. It's like his Dorian Grey mystique has gone up in flames.

Subtext for photo:

Bill Clinton, former U.S. President and U.N. special envoy for post-tsunami reconstruction, speaks during a press conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, May 28, 2005. Clinton is making his second visit to Asia this year to ensure that the world's attention remains focused on tsunami recovery efforts, the United Nations said. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) (Eranga Jayawardena - AP)

Back to the story. I didn't know all or part of the tsunami relief was intended to prop up rebel factions in Sri Lanka. Here we go again. Clinton who is representing the UN is appeasing and promoting the support to a what the WP calls "guerrillas". Surprisingly, this group of guerrillas is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. But hey, no matter, if we give them money maybe they'll play nice in Sri Lanka. Clinton and the UN will never learn will they. You don't appease murdering, fascistic groups. They will take your money and murder you. And people keep yammering about 'oh, wouldn't it be wonderful' if former President Clinton were made the SG for the UN? This is the man who was more interested in a golf tournament than taking Bin Laden into custody back in 1998. I won't even get into his status (in my mind) of being a Sexual Predator, but then, on second thought he would be a perfect fit for the UN job. The UN has a whole group of "Peacekeeping Forces" who created the 'Food for Sex' program in Dafur recently and in other countries of note previously.

This again confirms for me, the UN is a useless, morally bankrupt and dangerous (yes - dangerous) organization. The United States needs to get out of the UN and the UN needs to get out of the United States. I've posted on the UN previously here, here, here, and these are but just a few of my postings on the corruptness and evilness of the UN.

Give a Thank You to Col. Gordon "Swede" Larson

I posted about Col. Larson back in March. If you haven't already done so, go sign his guestbook and Thank him for his service and sacrifices.

If you've never read about Col. Larson, take the time to read about his experiences as a Viet Nam POW. He put his remembrances online so his story would be known to his children and grandchildren. You will be holding your breath at times when reading his story.

Sterling Silver Support the Troops Bracelet

DefenseLINK News: America Supports You: Indiana Jeweler Creates Sterling Tribute

Are you looking for something more long lasting than the plastic bracelets? Then I think this is it! This Indiana jeweler designed the bracelet and donates all proceeds beyond the cost to the Indiana National Guard Relief Fund.

Jan Marten owns J.S. Marten Jewelers in Carmel, Ind., a store that boasts a patriotic spirit. She has put her creative talents to work and designed a sterling silver bracelet made up of small oval pieces that spell out "Support Our Troops." The bracelet was designed to be durable, easy for jewelers to assemble and, most importantly, comfortable to wear. It can also incorporate an individual's name to truly honor that servicemember, she said. Since she began selling them on Dec. 10, she has sold about 50 of the bracelets. A basic bracelet costs $150, and extra links or personalization add to the cost. All proceeds above Marten's cost to produce the bracelets -- 50 to 55 percent of the retail cost -- are being donated to the Indiana National Guard Relief Fund. The amount of the donation varies depending on whether the buyer adds extras to the bracelet.

Go to JS Martin Jewelers for more information.

Compare a 20 Yr Old Marine to a 20 Yr Old College Student

Marine Corps Moms: Sending a son to war

This is a sermon from Rev. Charles Rush where he talks about his 20 year old Marine son serving in Afghanistan. He tells us about his R&R where his son is married (son's wife also serves and is deployed). It's a telling and emotional story but here is one points he makes in the difference between the 20 year old Marine and a 20 year old college student:

My son woke me up before dawn to take him and his wife to the airport. It seems as though I woke my college kids up and it was never before dawn. But he was up, packed, ready to go, and surprisingly alert for the hour because I knew he hadn't had much sleep. He may need money but he never requests it and he has his own insurance too. We were standing around the coffee pot alone. He handed me a file. Inside was a bank account he had opened with their wedding gifts, the name of the teller if I needed to speak to her, deposit slips and withdrawal slips. Just behind that was a power of attorney for me to access his account in the advent of his death.

As we drove to the airport, the car was quiet except for mundane details of daily living. There were no words in any of us. I got out of the car and pulled him and his wife close to me. I wanted to hug him a long, long hug because the fear of death hovered over me for. I was weak and worried that it might be the last hug I would get from him. But I did not do it because I have changed. I know now that what they need from us is to be strong for them and to support them in what they have to do. I kissed them both on the head and said, 'You know who loves you.'

With that they turned and walked away. He still has that shuffle that he had as a kid when he walks. Carrying a backpack with his uniform, I could still see a toddler in footy pajamas dragging his blanky behind him. But he is also strong. He had his arm around his wife in support. And just like that he was gone.

It was raining outside. I felt like it might just be God crying for our beloved country and the complicated war we have with terror. Our tradition teaches us that God wants to heal that which is wounded, that God wants to reconcile enemies and find children which are lost, that God cares about all of the young people involved in this conflict and wants us all to live in peace. If that is true, then God must cry for all of the sons and daughters in this conflict that leave their mothers and their homes on all sides at every level of involvement, regardless of innocence or guilt.

Just reading this over before posting I get the shivers. Thanks Marine Corps Moms for the link.

What You'll Get From JP's Natl Guard Support Site

The National Guard Experience: Help this Blog Carry On

Jean-Paul has REALLY big plans for a support site for The National Guard. And of course in his snarky and humorous way here's what he's planning:

Here's comes a brilliant idea. I'd like to keep writing this blog - AND now include experiences from other National Guardsmen that are willing to occasionally send me a shorty funny story or complaints or kudos about care packages - then I'll post it. One-liners, paragraphs, whatever. You all can compare your adopted National Guard soldier and talk trash to one another about whose is better. This blog will eventually make its way to thenationalguardexperience.com and I'll even have a message board up dedicated to each National Guard soldier profiled on the blog.

I'll post a super hero soldier profile and post all kinds of horseshit from the frontlines. I hope none of you are expecting me to keep writing my material that often, but if I can get some other National Guard volunteers just beginning their deployment (poor schmucks) or those with at least six months left, then you'll still have something to read. Even better, you can adopt a National Guard soldier from MY BLOG, and actually expect to hear something back - otherwise I'll drop 'em. No other Soldier Support site on the internet offers this service! I anticipate lots of soldiers to join, so let's get it on.

I want to spread the word! If you have a National Guard soldier that is looking for supporters and also wants to share some funny experiences about deployment on this blog, please email me and I'll contact them. Or they can contact me. I really don't care, I just want to start adding some National Guard soldiers that are willing to correspond with supporters back home. And supporters, you have to keep up your end of the contract too. Care packages, short letters, DVDs, and so on.

If you're interested in helping, send some National Guard soldiers my way.

Just a forewarning....He's brought back the BOOHBAH!

Herbert E. Meyer on The New Intelligence Bureaucracy

The American Thinker: A talent for intelligence

Here's the example Meyer gives to demonstrate the colossal boondoggle Congress and President Bush have created for our intelligence service:

If your objective were to place a beacon atop a mountain, would you:

A: Get a beacon and place it atop the mountain, or
B: Get a beacon, suspend it in mid-air near the mountain using poles, wires and helicopters, then shove the mountain under the beacon?
If you chose Option A, you should consider a career in the private sector, where common sense often is rewarded. If you chose Option B – your future lies in Washington. For this is precisely the approach the Bush administration and Congress have taken to fix our country’s broken intelligence service and get it back into action. And no, I am not exaggerating.

He nails this. From the start of all of the commissions and investigations you knew that whatever was going to come out of Congress messing with these agencies would only bog them down further and throw more dollars into a black hole producing nothing. Do you feel safer or more confident in our Nation's Intelligence capabilities?

If you've never read Meyer's "Open Letter To Europe" go here.
Bio Info: Herbert E. Meyer served during the Reagan Administration asSpecial Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIA's National Intelligence Council. His DVD on The Siege of Western Civilization is a nationwide best-seller.

Currie for Congress?

Sic Vis Pacem, Para Bellum: GRANDPA WAS RIGHT



This is just a bit more encouragement for LT. C.

Update: 5/25
Looks like I missed an update from Lt. Currie. In case you didn't know, it is my understanding he will be running against Calif. Rep Maxine Waters. If you aren't familiar with her just do a search on her name and you will find a true Socialist and (I think) a blame America first nutjob. She has no problem making what I would deem to be racist remarks but hate speech is only hate speech if it's made by a white middle or upperclass male. Disclaimer - these are MY comments and not Lt. Currie's.

Anyway, here's some new info from Currie:

Currie for Congress
P.O. Box 2265
Venice, CA 90294

This address is where contributions can be sent, and once the website is up there will also be a method for making electronic contributions, I will also be starting another blog off of this one.
http://currierd.typepad.com/currie_for_congress/.

I will no longer be associating my experiences in Iraq and the campaign on the same blog, I have and continue to think it in poor taste on my part to do this, so anything relating to Currie for Congress will be on the official website, (to be initiated this week), and any thoughts or comments relating to it will be on the campaign blog. All of you who wish to contribute, now is the time. There is much work to be done and and time (my wife can attest to this) is not on my side.

Update 6/03/05: NOTR from Rofasix asked in the comments...

As I recall there is an Army Regulation or maybe a Federal Law that precludes campaigning for office while on active duty. Mr. Currie ought to make sure he is perfectly good to go before he finds himself beartrapped.

Lt. Currie's Response to the question:

You are correct, there is a DoD directive preventing me from campaigning while on active duty, I however am not campaigning. I have announced my intent to run, and am receiving updates from my team of volunteers who are paving the way for me to actively run when I re-deploy back to the states.

1000 Mile Pipeline Opening - It's The EVIL OIL Companies

News-Independent,UK,Asia

Link from Mrs. Greyhawk.

It is 42 inches wide, 1,090 miles long and is intended to save the West from relying on Middle Eastern oil. Nothing has been allowed to stand in its way - and it finally opens today

It's that evil company and person everyone loves to hate which was involved with this project more than a decade ago - Dick Cheney and Halliburton! Imagine that, wanting to get out of the grips of Middle Eastern Oil.

Planned Parenthood's Agenda ala Gay Lobby and NAMBLA

Janice Shaw Crouse: Saran Wrap for Safe Teen Sex?

This column reiterates an agenda akin to the pro-abortion NARAL people back in the 70's. Incrementalism, familiarity, if you say it and repeat often enough people will get used to it. This is happening to your children today in school with the above mentioned groups in league to indoctrinate and acclimate your children.

Why in heaven’s name should teachers be providing curious 8th graders with ever more detailed information that is bound to encourage the more adventurous or emotionally needy ones to experiment sexually? Why talk about oral and anal sex to children, period? The unspoken purpose is clear and has the fingerprints of the gay lobby and NAMBLA all over it. The FBI publishes A Parent’s Guide to the Internet. Note well how it describes the modus operandi of pedophiles: “These individuals attempt to gradually lower children's inhibitions by slowly introducing sexual context and content into their conversations.” And millions of parents are letting so-called sex-education experts do exactly this to their children in the classroom without raising any objection. Unbelievable!

Think about the unending attempts and successes of these lobbys to get books into elementary schools which depict two 'Mommy's' as normal or two 'Daddy's' as normal. The University of MN a couple years ago published a book which advocated that 'Man-Boy' sex was perfectly normal and acceptable.

AHS Tells of Coordinated Attack on Patrol Base

The Mother of All Suicide Attacks

This is quite a story. I was nearly shaking just reading about it. In the aftermath he tells of the humorous comments made and what the media missed out on with this story.

Yesterday was nuts. The day began early, with a coordinated attack from two car bombs, a suicide bomber, mortars and small arms fire. We were hit from two sides, simultaneously, as car bombs breached our perimeter, rattled our compound, and a suicide bomber attempted to make it through the breach. Mortars and small arms fire from the opposite side of our Patrol Base complimented the wave of suicide fighters.

Poor Kevin Sites Is Suffering Emotionally!

Kevin Sites: Show the Shooting in the Mosque

So Kevin Sites is now saying that the American people need to see the whole video to decide for themselves about the Marine shooting in the mosque.

Sites, a 43-year-old freelance television correspondent for NBC, captured the entire episode with his camera. The U.S. networks, including NBC, broadcast the story of the mosque but blacked out the actual shooting. But the Arab world saw everything -- and reacted with revulsion.

American conservatives attacked Sites for shooting an incident that they claim unfairly undermined the morale of the Marines, while antiwar activists used it to attack the war itself. Still, in this country, it became the shooting few people saw.

Sites said that must change. "People need to see the full video, so that they can make up their own minds about what happened," he told me during an interview from his California home. "It is important to show the reality of war. It is important to tell the truth, the whole truth. ... You cannot hide the truth. You cannot bury the truth. You cannot destroy the truth."

Does that mean that American media also need to show ALL videos so nothing is sanitized because it's important for everyone to see the reality of war. This of course would mean on the 5pm Network News every Islamic terrorist beheading video has to be shown in full. This means that every mass grave uncovered in Iraq must be shown. This means that the videos from Saddam Hussein which show the cutting off of hands of Iraqi's must be shown. Or how about the videos of the human shredding machine. ALL of the videos of Saddam's atrocities MUST be shown. In addition, I would hope there is some video out there showing an Islamic terrorist feigning dead but really is a human bomb igniting themself murdering innocents and American soldiers to balance why a Marine would think the Islamic terrorist was feigning dead in the split second decision to shoot him?

Sites then says:

"It is shocking what happens in war," he said. "Maybe we are not conditioned to see much. The stuff that is shown is fairly well sanitized. ... War is about killing people."

Well golly gee Kevin, I didn't know that! Does he really think most Americans don't realize war is about killing? Are Kevin and his media coherts the only people intelligent enough to know this without seeing the video?

He goes on to say:

Sites is suffering emotionally in the aftermath of the story. The Marines had viewed him as a friendly face in a sea of media doubters. He even helped carry one wounded soldier to safety on a stretcher. His sympathetic portraits of the young people at war on the network and on his popular blog got him scores of thank-you letters: "They told me I was the only one telling the real story of what happened."

That's my bolding emphasis because well you know, I just 'feel' so sorry for poor widdle Kevin suffering emotionally after his own choices of pooling the video and pretending he was doing this for journalistic integrity vs. a money making venture in the face of the Marines who had come to trust his judgement and integrity.

There's more from Kevin and his pitiful attempt to rationalize what he did with this video to discredit the Marines.

Link from Lucianne.

The McCain Mutiny!

I don't think my anger right now at the Republican Senators has a describable or printable adjective. If these Republican Senators think they've done the right thing, fine, BUT there will be consequences for bowing to the mushy middle. The people who are out there working their tails off and donating at a grass roots level aren't those from the mushy middle they are what Harry Reid last night called:

"Tonight the Senate has worked its will on behalf of reason and behalf of responsibility. We have sent President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the radical arm of the Republican base an undeniable message: Abuse of power will not be tolerated, will not be tolerated by Democrats or Republicans. And your attempt, I say to the vice president and to the president, to trample the Constitution and grab absolute control is over." — Senate Democratic leader

Quote from Fox News.

Thanks to the 7 Senators who circumvented their Republican leadership and ignored what apparantly they believe are the radical base of their party.

Republican Senators who agreed to be railroaded by the minority party:
Mike DeWine of Ohio
Susan Collins of Maine
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina
Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island
John McCain of Arizona
John W. Warner of Virginia
Olympia J. Snowe of Maine.

I sure hope people in the states of these Senators work to replace these appeasers.

You might also want to check out The Jump Blog for his thoughts on this lack of Spine from the Republican Senate. Also I had written a week or so ago about the need for Senator Frist to find his spine.

Powerline has this wonderful quote from former Senator Zell Miller (gawd I love this guy!):
ZM: Absolutely, I'd support the "Nuclear Option." I would have supported it three years ago. In the language of the military, it's a "hill worth dying for," because if you don't stop this filibuster, you're never going to be able to get moderate judges, judges who will interpret the law rather than trying to make it.

I changed the title after seeing this reference from a commenter Glenn at Confirm Them. It was so good I had to use it.

I've Finally Been Trained

So I decided to start taking "The Spreadsheet Expert" (see picture below) with me when I go walking. It's working out really great, she walks for about 2 blocks and then I carry her for about 2 blocks! How's that for training. Considering she has the attention span of a gnat, I think this 8lbs of fluff has done an incredible job of training!

Illegal immigrants get home loans, low interest - Wisc State & Fed Money

Illegal immigrants get home loans, low interest even : The Immigration Blog

GAAA. Great gnashing of teeth on this one. This makes me so nutz I can't even come up with a comment without hurling superlatives against the wall.

Tuesday night [5/17/05], in a vote of 15-4, a majority of the Madison Common Council signed off on a resolution allowing undocumented workers to apply for low-interest housing loans through the city Community Development Block Grant programs... These "undocumented workers" need to have an ITIN ("Individual
Taxpayer Identification Number"), which is similar to a Social Security number. SSNs are, of course, not available to illegal aliens, but ITINs are.

Note that this isn't just an isolated case of a "liberal" city deciding to support illegal immigration. As with other issues related to illegal immigration, it gets worse the more you look into it.

The quasi-governmental Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority already guarantees home loans to illegal immigrants. Here's a quote from their director, Antonio Riley:

"We don't see what can be so controversial about helping people realize the dream of homeownership."

Thankfully, WI Sen. Glenn Grothman has introduced legislation that would put an end to Madison's loan program as well as WHEDA guaranteeing such loans:

[Grothman] says the idea is "almost comical". He says it's absurd to offer assistance to people who are in the country illegally. "What type of message are we sending to people?" He says. "We're telling the border guards we don't appreciate their job. We're telling the people that inspect local business that we don't care what they do. We're telling anybody who is waiting to get into this country legally that they're a bunch of suckers for trying to obey the law. It's absolutely comical." Now, here's where the story gets even worse. Not only are Madison, the WHEDA, and several banks involved, but so is the (U.S.) federal government. And, they're working with the Mexican government to get loans to illegal aliens.

The FDIC is "independent agency of the federal government", and last year they continued a pilot program they started in 2003.

Why don't we just quit fooling ourselves. Government bureaucrats want open borders as do way too many politicians. Why is it? What's in it for them? Is it great government programs? A constituency?

Here's an Iraqi Lockbox

Lance in Iraq

Lance has a couple of pictures of local national art. I found the Lockbox striking especially when compared to the euphamistic Al Gore/Democrat "Social Security Lockbox"!


Notice the cuff around the wrist (it's an American Flag!).

I Find This Very Depressing

FrontPage magazine.com :: What I Learned in Arabic Class by John Williamson

You should read this article as a glimpse into the educated Arab mind and that's what I find disheartening.

So here’s what I learned in Arabic class:

1. Foreigners who are achievement-oriented and optimistic seem to think the U.S. is the best thing going. This is true even of those who are living under repressive regimes; perhaps especially true of them.

2. Some people will always look a gift horse in the mouth, even if the gift is an opportunity for self-determination.

3. A fine arts degree in poetry will not bring to life the deadened sensibilities of someone who is unmoved by the public decapitation of one’s countrymen.

I also learned a little Arabic. But that seems almost beside the point.

Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project

Got this in the mail Friday from the Wounded Warrior Project.



Then Mrs. Greyhawk posted about a cross-country bicycle tour is raising money for military personnel injured in Iraq.
You could sponser one of these riders or donate to the cause.

The new Howard Hughes?

The new Howard Hughes? - PittsburghLIVE.com

Link from Lucianne.

I found this very interesting. Most political junkies are familiar with George Soros. But how many have ever even heard of this man? I hadn't.

Peter B. Lewis - Chairman of Progressive Corp, the 3rd largest automobile insurer. Lewis is worth an estimated $1.6 Billion.

Donations to leftwing 527 Groups by big money for the 2004 Election!
Lewis - $22.9 Million
Joint Victory Committee-$16M ( this group combined the 3 largest 527s to defeat George W. Bush)
America Coming Together(ACT) - $3M (AFL-CIO,Sierra Club & pro-abortion Emily's List)
MoveOn.Org - $2.5M
George Soros - $23.5 Million
Stephen Bing - $13.9 Million

Lewis is an addicted Marijuana Smoker. He's an advocate for the legalization of marijuana, not just for medical marijuana.

In 2000, Lewis made the kind of news uncommon among billionaires: He was arrested after customs agents found 1.7 ounces of marijuana and 2 ounces of hashish in his luggage at a New Zealand airport. He later admitted to three charges of importing drugs. He also freely admitted that he was a regular marijuana smoker. The charges were dropped when the insurance magnate agreed to make a donation to a drug rehabilitation center.

This incident may have helped to raise Lewis' political consciousness, as they say. A year later he became the largest single donor to the American Civil Liberties Union. Significantly, there were minor "strings attached" to his $7 million gift -- namely, that $5 million be earmarked for the ACLU's drug-policy litigation project, which challenges laws on drug testing in schools and on the medicinal use of marijuana.

In 2003, Lewis' foundation, the Place Fund, gave 4,122 shares of Progressive Corp. stock valued at $293,432 to the Marijuana Policy Project and 665 shares of the stock valued at $49,965 to the Drug Policy Foundation of Washington.

In 2002 Progressive shares valued at about $199,000 went to the Marijuana Policy Project and 6,633 shares of Progressive valued at $998,598 went to the Drug Policy Alliance. The Tides Foundation, a major funder of leftist causes, also received 6,633 shares of Progressive stock.

Just in case you carry Progressive Insurance you might want to rethink that policy. You premiums support radical left wing organizations and the communistic ACLU.

For those that think marijuana is a harmless drug habit think again. A recent segment on the local news talked about the percentage levels of THC in marijuana. Back in the 70's and 80's the THC level was at 2%. Today, those percentages are between 6% and 13%. The average was not given. Even at 6% this is triple the strength from the 70's and 80's. Very addictive and harmful levels.

Echo Taps Project

Buglers Scarce for Veterans' Funerals - EarthLink - Top News

Link from Lucianne.

This would have been fun to see and hear yesterday.

BATH, N.Y. - It began with three haunting notes from a teenage girl. A second bugler, about 100 yards down the road, picked up the tune. And then a third. More than 850 buglers, trumpeters and other horn players fanned out Saturday along 41 miles of roads in rural western New York and performed a cascading rendition of taps to highlight the scarcity of buglers at veterans' funerals.

The 24-note melody started up at Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira, overlapped from one instrument to the next as it reverberated through a string of small towns from Painted Post to Campbell to Savona, and closed out nearly three hours later at Bath National Cemetery.

The Armed Forces Day tribute, dubbed Echo Taps, took in at least 866 musicians from 30 states playing all varieties of brass horns, from trombones and tubas to flugelhorns and valveless bugles.

<...>
An average of 1,800 U.S. veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam die per day. There are not nearly enough buglers to perform live renditions at military funerals.

Taps is usually delivered digitally, using either a compact disc player placed near the grave or, increasingly since 2003, a Pentagon-approved, push-button "ceremonial bugle" that anyone can mimic playing by raising it to their lips.

The armed forces have about 500 musicians who perform taps, but many of them have been dispatched to Iraq and Afghanistan. About 3,800 civilian volunteers in the four-year-old Bugles Across America group also fill in wherever they can.

The Echo Taps project aims to honor military service, enlist more volunteer buglers and raise the profile of America's 120 national cemeteries.

See EchoTaps and Bugles Across America for more information.

You Don't Support Us

Dadmanly: You Don't Support Us

Just in case any of you have not seen this Dadmanly posting on Newsweek and the Media, don't miss it!

Hey Newsweek - ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

Firepower Forward - Privileges and Responsibilities

Here's the story from Afghanistan by someone who had to watch the consequences of Newsweeks irresponsible reporting. It's pretty sickening to hear all that is coming from this supposedly 'professional' group of people - reporters and journalists. Between their inherent dislike/hate of the military and propensity to write or say anything to discredit the administration this supposedly 'professional' group of people has gone over the top this week in assisting the radicals of Islam in their fight against liberty for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

There's also: From Powerline - JOHN adds: Linda Foley, head of the Newspaper Guild union, has picked up where Eason Jordan left off:

Journalists are not just being targeted verbally or politically. They are also being targeted for real in places like Iraq. And what outrages me as a representative of journalists is that there's not more outrage about the number and the brutality, and the cavalier nature of the U.S. military toward the killing of journalists in Iraq. I think it's just a scandal. It's not just U.S. journalists either, by the way. They target and kill journalists from other countries, particularly Arab countries, at news services like Al Jazeera, for example. They actually target them and blow up their studios, with impunity. This is all part of the culture that it is OK to blame the individual journalists, and it just takes the heat off of these media conglomerates that are part of the problem.

There's also from Powerline the Pepsico President and CFO Indira Nooyi telling the world that the U.S. is giving the Middle Finger to the world. If you haven't been aware of this I strongly recommend you go to Powerline to read up on it. It's a disgraceful exhibit of an American executive showing their anti-American bias to an international group of students. Pepsico has done "NOTHING" but post an evolving none apology by Ms. Nooyi in public relations speake gibberish. Powerline has several postings on this disgrace.

Hugh Hewitt has a number of links to postings on the the Nooyi Middle Finger story also.

Also, don't miss Hugh Hewitt's interview with Terry Moran (ABC White House Correspondent) about the Newsweek fraud plus general comments on the White House News Corp and their dislike of the military along with how most voted in the last election. It's a good look into the pathos of this group of "professionals"!

My Daddy's Name is Donor!

The Dawn Patrol

Found this link via Michelle Malkin. Whenever the subject comes up about same sex marriage I hear responses of 'no big deal' from many surprising sources. I always go back to the topic of the agenda of the Feminists with abortion. How that agenda wasn't just for choice. This was a decades long agenda which has brought us to the day of late term abortions (infantcide). This is along the same line of thought which is to eliminate the roles of Mother and Father and to demonize males in todays culture. What always amazes me is the number of men who go along with this agenda, basically they are rooting for their own self destruction. How ironic is it that these two feminist lesbians would use a 'male' child to sell their clothing product.

Self-Portrait Friday and Red Friday Combined

Jack Army: Self-Portrait Friday and Red Friday Combined

I'll join Jack on this on since of course it includes a bit of self promotion. If nothing else, remember I'M NEWLY UNATTACHED and LOOKIN'. Looks like I cover the requirements: Self - Promotion (oops I mean Portrait) and wearing Red!

Navy SEALS to Norway for Skjold Speed Boats

Aftenposten Norway, Navy SEALs to Mandal

The American elite Navy SEALs (SEa, Air, Land) are increasingly interested in Umoe Mandal's speed boats that are 'invisible' to radar. Now the shipyard has a study contract with the SEALs.


Thought this looked pretty cool.

Divorce Rate of 50% is a MYTH!

RedStateRant: The Divorce rate myth
I've heard Michael Medved talk about this myth before and was glad I came across this posting which shows how this myth was started and also shows the truer statistics around marriage and divorce percentages.

Excerpt:

It all began when the Census Bureau noted that during one year, there were 2.4 million marriages and 1.2 million divorces. Someone did the math without calculating the 54 million marriages already in existence, and presto, a ridiculous but quotable statistic was born. Harris concludes, "Only one out of eight marriages will end in divorce. In any single year, only about 2 percent of existing marriages will break up."
<....>
The rate of divorces per year per 1000 people in the U.S. has been declining since 1981.

There's more so check it out if you're interested in having this handy little bit of information for refuting those that spout erroneous data.

Advance Copy of Newsweek! NOT AGAIN!

Found this on Freepers posted by Registered. Ahhhhh.....IT'S HUMOR Ok?

Toby Keith Live in Baghdad

My Vacation in Iraq

Sgt Port was able to see Toby Keith. He's got pictures.

Details on McCain/Kennedy Open Border Bill

Terence Jeffrey: Guest-worker plan is un-American

Anyone who thinks John McCain is remotely a Conservative has been drinking the koolaid way too often. Aside from the fact that this bill is sponsored by Teddy Kennedy also is almost beside the fact.

But while his minimum-wage proposal may be bad economics, his guest-worker plan is worse: It is un-American.

It would create a new H-5A visa that would allow an alien to live and work in the United States for three years. This visa would be renewable once. After that, the employer can sponsor the guest worker for permanent residency status, or the guest worker can apply for that status himself. But to get the visa in the first place, the alien must be willing to take a job offered at a pay rate that the American employer could not get an American worker to accept. Once in the country, in this low-paying job, the worker can switch to another job, but he must leave the country if he is unemployed for more than 60 days.

Initially, 400,000 new guest workers would be allowed into the country each year on this basis. But, according to Kennedy's summary, if the demand for these must-be-paid-less-than-American workers is greater than 400,000 per year, the number can be "adjusted up."

[Note: my emphasis on the bolding]

MDG On The Media

Ma Deuce Gunner - Newsweek's Exemplary "Faux Pas"

Great Quotable in this posting:

"The American soldier has 2 enemies: the terrorists who try to kill us, and all who stand for right, with bombs and bullets; and the press, who spew forth metaphorical, yet equally lethal, 'missiles' of word and thought at the American Fighting Man."

I think his statement is worth remembering! Thanks MDG at Ma Deuce Gunner

Many Parents Hope their Child Will Be A Doctor, Althlete but How About A SEAL?

Tony Woodlief on Fatherhood on National Review Online

BlackFive brought this link. You have to read this story, it's absolutely hilarious.

I've actually gone to change the boy after hearing one of the intestinally generated explosions that are his hallmark (explosions: another SEAL specialty!), only to find…an empty diaper. Somehow, he's able to fire a whole payload of poop over the rim of his diaper, and up his own back. The Defense Department pays, what, $2 billion for a Stealth bomber? I say this to our nation’s military leaders, with all due respect: you folks don’t know from Stealth bombing.

Al Jazeera Just Happens to be at Another Attack

Boots on the Ground: Innocent Victims of Insurgents

Kevin asks the question many of us ask but he saw it first hand.

4 innocent bystanders were hurt and another guy was practically vaporized. Somehow Al-Jazeera was in the area before it happened. I wonder how that could have happened?

They Just Can't Stop...It's Pile On Time for The Military

Two Said to Stage Mock Executions in Iraq

If they can't get away with making something up (ala Newsweek) then they go back a couple years. That bastion of money grubbing lawyers - The ACLU - has dug up cases through the Freedom of Information from June of 2003. This is the best they can now come up with while the Military handled this long ago all on their own.

Personally I'm really tired of this bashing on the Military. I'm sick and tired of the Media and their attempts to deface and defame our Troops. I'd like them to do me a favor.....JUST SHUT UP!

"The Donald" questions Cost of New UN Bldg

Trouble At Turtle Bay

Powerline's John Hinderaker writes about Donald Trump's evaluation of the proposed UN Building. This deal with the UN building has been going on for at least 3 years. The first time I heard about it Kofi Annan was looking for an interest free loan from the US Government PLUS land to build a new building to "temporarily" house the UN while the old UN Building was being renovated. All the while this is happening Kofi is undercutting the U.S. in it's efforts on the war on terror. The hubris of Kofi Annan is unending.

Comments from "The Donald":

Mr. Trump told him that building he built for $350 million was the top of the line. It has the highest quality of anything you would need in it. They discussed the matter, and an arrangement was made for Mr. Trump to meet Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, to discuss the concerns. . . . So according to Mr. Trump, who I talked to personally this morning, they go meet with Mr. Annan, who had asked some staff member to be there . . . When the European asked how these numbers could happen, Mr. Trump said the only way would be because of incompetence, or fraud. That is how strongly he felt about this price tag because he pointed out to me that renovation costs much less than building an entirely new building. So he has a meeting with Mr. Annan, and they have some discussion. And Mr. Trump says these figures can't be acceptable. He told me in my conversation this morning, he said: You can quote me.

So, we've got more in the graft and corruption area for the UN from my perspective. Just another in a long line of aggregious examples of a useless and bankrupt body - The United Nations.

Marines provide lesson for every kid

Marine Corps Moms: Civilians start wars. The military ends them.

Here's an editorial by Lou Sessinger (a columnist with The Intelligencer in Philadelphia). He talks about a visit to an elementary school by a CH-53 and what a thrill it must be for the kids to see this. Of course, there's always a BUT! Yes - there's the anti-military Mommie's out there who think it's inappropriate to have any representation of the military at a school's career day.

Check out Sessinger's response.

Islam: The marriage game with American Women

Jihad Watch: Fitzgerald: The marriage game

The naivete of American women when it comes to marrying foreign Islamic men is a prime example of self delusion. Then, when the children of these marriages are dragged across the world to an Islamic country the women keep wondering WHY oh WHY can't the U.S. do MORE to help rescue their children. I'll bet when people told these women to think twice prior to entering into these marriages they were told that was silly or 'not in my case'. This has been going on since the 70's at least. I remember from my University days all of the Iranians staying in a certain apartment building and targeting American women. I also worked with an Iranian woman at the University (she was also a student). To our faces she was sweet and ever so nice to us. Unknown to her though, one time we had with us a person who understood her language. She was talking with another Iranian student in her language while we were all together and low and behold what was she saying? Well, she spoke of 'us' in a derisive and insulting tone and words. It was a long lasting lesson for me. I was pretty naive back then with a tendency to trust all of any shape or form. That pretty much ended then and there for me. Especially when I am around anyone who speaks in a foreign language yet I know they are fluent in English, my radar goes up and suspicians abound. Just to be clear, this is when they are in my country/state.

The Jihad Watch has an excellent posting on this. He lists examples and behaviors to watch.

Well Boo Hoo! Vincente Fox is Maaadddd

My Way News:Mexico's Fox toughens talk on U.S. immigration law

The arrogance of this guy is beyond belief but his racist statements are beyond the pale. If any conservative or Christian leader made a statement like this the howling would be unending.

"There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States," he said in a speech broadcast in part on local radio and reported on newspaper web sites.

Former Feminist Just Finds Out Clinton has History of Being a Sexual Predator

Missing Chapters of Clinton's "My Life" Exposed in New Book - Yahoo! News

I think this woman must have been living in a box all through the '90's. I mean good grief - like this is a revelation? Most people will call Clinton a "Philanderer" but come on, he's a sexual predator. The Media loves he and his wife so much it doesn't matter to them what they do.

Drawn from first-hand interviews and hundreds of sources, the book promises to counter Clinton's recent efforts to rehabilitate his legacy, although it does not focus on the morality of Clinton"s philandering but rather his willingness to wield his political power against his victims.

The book's publication has been hailed by the women whose story it profiles. Clinton sexual harassment accuser Kathleen Willey praises the book as "the most accurate portrayal...of the true nightmare Bill and Hillary put me through." Alleged Clinton rape victim Juanita Broaddrick says "Their Lives" is "a complete chronological account."

I suppose this could be considered a good thing along the lines of better late than never!

Uncle Sam is bound by red tape - The Sarbanes Oxymoron Act

Telegraph Money Uncle Sam is bound by red tape

I found this pretty interesting considering it came from a Brit. I had written about this Here. For anyone who thinks this doesn't matter, they're wrong and should read what this Brit has to say about the affect this has on business. And for all of you corporate hating goobers out there, just remember, they do provide.....JOBS!

Recently I was appointed to the board of a medium-sized US publicly traded company. It has been an eye-opening experience. The burden imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is unbelievable.
<...>
The initial costs of complying are at least £1.5m per company - and offer no useful benefits.

The annual cost of complying with the legislation is probably half as much again - and comes on top of all the usual audit, tax and other rigmarole of disclosures and general -government bureaucracy.

Then there is the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US equivalent of the Financial Services Authority, the Stock Exchange and the Takeover Panel - except twice as aggressive. It demands endless filings and administration that requires the creation of a whole department within a corporation. For directors, the
consequences of mistakes are severe - including criminal prosecution, with mandatory jail sentences in some cases.

And the Internal Revenue Service is so ferocious that it makes our Inland Revenue seem like old pals. The American tax code is at least as complex and inconsistent as ours but God forbid you get something wrong. Moreover, across many industries, campaigning officials such as Eliot Spitzer, the New York state attorney general, have wide powers to launch investigations and civil actions, such as his assault on the insurance sector.

You owe it to yourself to read the rest, I wonder if this couldn't have an effect on the jitteryness of the stock market.

Hurl hurls about the MSM

Hurl's BLOG: Main Stream Media Spin

Ok, that was bad. But what Hurl wrote is interesting.

At one time I gave lefty and MSM types the benefit of the doubt. No longer. I have seen what goes on around here first hand and I know much of the MSM has seen it too. If they haven’t – they aren’t doing their job. I think they want us to lose. I think they want Iraq to lose. I think they are propaganda puppets of nihilist chaos, but too stupid and naïve to realize it. Perhaps they’re blinded by some left-over 1960’s utopian hippie dream crap….

Pot Calling The Kettle Black

Clark Criticizes Planned Base Closings - Yahoo! News

So, Wesley Clark thinks the BRAC plan is a bad idea. He doesn't think it's a good idea to remove troops from Europe. Gee, I wonder if Germany contributed to Weesley Clarks campaign?

Clark:

"We're losing influence abroad when we bring those troops home, and we lose the interaction with America when we create these super bases," Clark said in a speech to the Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors Association.

Of course, then you've got Clark calling Bolton a "Bully". Ohhhhh. That's tough talk from Weesley Clark who almost started another war with Russia back in the 90's.

Clark:

Clark also voiced his concerns about Bush's nomination of John Bolton to United Nations ambassador, calling Bolton "somewhat of a bully."

"He's going to have a very tough time in the United Nations," Clark said. "When you come in with that much overhang, with all this reputation against you, it's that much more difficult. And all that's known in the United Nations.

"Personally, I don't like bullies," he added. "Just because you outrank somebody doesn't mean you don't respect them and their judgment."

I'm sure General Clark NEVER pulled rank on anyone, right?

It's What You Say, Not What You Do That's Important

Bolton's sin is telling truth about system

Mark Steyn hits the bullseye with this column. The Appeasers, Multilateralists, Euro loving Socialists, RINO's Republican weenies and Democrats all care more about what is said vs. action. For example, the UN and Kofi Anan made all of these comments after the tsunami calling the U.S. stingy, not ponying up to the UN and playing N'Ice with the world. What did the UN do? A month after the tsunami they showed up with birth control kits to distribute. Then we have that great country of Canada, sooooo generous aren't they! Umm, well not exactly. Canada pledged $425 million in January. What have they actually given? About $40,000 in USDollars. But President George Bush is 'Stingy'.

It's weak-kneed, appeasers apologists like those above that are against John Bolton because Bolton acts instead of just talking. His talking isn't meant to divert, equivocate or dare I say "LIE" like the appeasers and multilateralists. His focus is to repair and reform the UN. Not my choice personally since I don't think the UN is repairable. Look what the UN did last week - voted Zimbabwe to the Human Rights Committee.

Steyn:

Sen. George Voinovich, one of those "maverick Republicans" the press goes goo-goo over, seems to believe, as Cliff May puts it, "that the problem is more American 'unilateralism' than U.N. corruption, immorality, anti-Americanism and ineptitude."

On the face of it, this shouldn't be a difficult choice, even for as uncurious a squish as Voinovich. Whatever one feels about it, the United States manages to function. The U.N. apparatus doesn't. Indeed, the United States does the U.N.'s job better than the U.N. does.

Sew Much Comfort from Andi's World

Welcome To Andi's World: Helping Our Wounded

Andi has promoted this organization before, I strongly urge you to help out with a few dollars if you are able. What this group is doing is absolutely wonderful. They make clothing for injured and disabled soldiers which adjust for all of the medical devices the soldiers have to use for recovery. It's very unique and ingenious ---- The American Way!

Alpha-1 Awareness Month

The Jump Blog: Alpha-1 Awareness Month

You should read about this disease. It affects your breathing ability during strenuous physical activity. The scary part is the diagnosis rate is very low with a 6 to 9 year time frame (if you're lucky) to be diagnosed correctly.

Here's a bit of Jump Blog's Story:

Within 3 months I had collapsed on several runs and failed an APFT run. Slow run times had kept me from going back to my beloved 2nd Brigade, 82nd ABN DIV, so I was assigned to DISCOM (the DIvision Support COMmand). This was probably the lowest point in my life. The doctors could find nothing wrong with me, my chain of command thought I was goldbricking, and I was starting to believe that this might all be in my head. Maybe I was imagining it all. In August 0f 2001 I was medically discharged from the U.S. Army and rated at 15% disabled. The diagnosis was "chronic costochondritis", which my doctor told me was what they put down when they didn't know what was wrong.

He also suggested I see a mental health professional.

You never know, you might know someone who's had this type of health problem.

Update: Drop murder charges, Pantano prober urges

Drop murder charges, Pantano prober urges - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - May 13, 2005

This hopefully is good news for Pantano.

Col. Winn recommended to Maj. Gen. Richard Huck that all criminal charges be dropped, including murder and destruction of the Iraqis' vehicle. Col. Winn recommended that Lt. Pantano face administration punishment for firing too many rounds at the two men.
Gen. Huck can accept the recommendations or overrule them and order a court-martial of Lt. Pantano.

The interesting part is what was said about the main witness:

"I think now [Sgt. Coburn] is in a position where he has told his story so many times, in so many versions that he cannot keep his facts straight anymore," Col. Winn wrote of the chief witness.

Spine Transplant Needed For Senator Bill Frist

Senate leaders to break bread on Sunday

I can't freakin' believe this. Isn't this just ever so sweet.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) will host Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) at his home Sunday afternoon,.....Frist said Friday that he planned to host a group of several senators for a social event at his home, then volunteered that Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) will be cooking duck for the group. Frist also indicated that he was considering several options to end the judicial filibuster next week, including some that differ from the so-called "nuclear" or "constitutional" option, which involves a parliamentary maneuver executed with a simple majority.

How many times do we have to listen to this rhetoric? I'd just once like to hear Frist tell Harry Reid to quit the B.S. Actually, I think what they really need to do is a transplant of Tom Delay's spine to Bill Frist.

Rebel Girl Child

Who's your Baghdaddy?: Suffer the little children

Baghdaddy talks about something many of us including myself have questioned about Iraq.

Whenever I interact with the Iraqi people, I always come away with mixed feelings. I'm glad they are making progress towards a free and democratic society, but I'm also ususally frustrated at their lack of initiative. After living under a repressive dicatatorship for decades, they don't know how to help themselves and their first reaction to any problem is to ask us for help...usually in the form of a handout.

But then there are the kids.

He calls her a Rebal because all of the other little girls looked away when he was taking the picture.

Check out Baghdaddy, he's got some nice pictures of the kids - The Hope of Iraq.

Ollie North's Good News From Iraq

Oliver North: Making progress in Iraq

Oliver North is in Iraq and files this story on the changes taking place in Fallujah.

Just a few days ago, I filed reports for FOX News from Fallujah without a flack jacket and Kevlar helmet, something unthinkable eight months ago, when terrorists controlled the city. In the eight months between my visits, U.S. forces dislodged the jihadists that had turned that city into a hell on earth comprised of human slaughterhouses, torture chambers and weapons factories, where car bombs and suicide bombing vests were manufactured and stored to be used elsewhere in the country.

McCain-Kennedy Illegal Immigrant Amnesty Bill

Immigration Measure Introduced

McCain and Kennedy together? Run very fast because you know darn well we're all going to get hosed. As Tom Tancredo said about this bill:

"There might be a little more lipstick on this pig than there was before," he said, "but it is most certainly the same old pig. Time and time again, history has shown us that amnesty actually increases illegal immigration."

Billboard Causes Panic: Los Angeles Population Plummets 14% in Three Days by Mac Johnson

HUMAN EVENTS ONLINE :: Billboard Causes Panic: Los Angeles Population Plummets 14% in Three Days by Mac Johnson

This is a very serious issue. Be sure to read the whole article before making a judgement.

Excerpt:

When I asked what had precipitated this mass exodus, one migrant, whom we’ll call Jose “X,” simply turned, pointed to the Billboard looming over his neighborhood and said, “¡Oh Man! I stopped walking too soon!” --then bravely continued on with the others.

I asked a second man why he was fleeing Los Angeles, Mexico. “I did a lotta bad things back in Mexico, I’m afraid of police there,” he said matter-of-factly, then added “In America, police must give me Latte, so I walk to America. Again. !Norte!”

When questioned about the efflux of migrants blackening all roads leading out of Los Angeles, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Hugh Dick responded “What Mexicans? I don’t see any Mexicans.”

The Mexican government has seen the problem though and quickly dispatched officials to the scene to aid the population in re-escaping to America. “This is a tragedy,” said Luis de Silva de Gonzales y Ramon de Dinero debajo de Mesa. He added “These people thought they were safe and prosperous, now they’re just in Mexico. Again. ¡Norte!”

Mr. Johnson is a freelance writer and medical researcher living in Cambridge, MA. His published commentaries can be viewed at www.macjohnson.com.

Introspective from Currie

Sic Vis Pacem, Para Bellum: WHY ARE WE HERE?

I personally don't know how he does this. But Currie has a gift of putting into words his inner thoughts, doubts and concerns.

It took me years to look into that pool, I did it here in Iraq, the waters are not the same, nor do they need to be to answer this burning question, I only need to be willing to do so. So I look into any body of standing water I find, and the reflection that I find is my own. I am Rusten D Currie, I have looked into my own eyes and am assured of the purpose to which I serve not just here, but upon this world. It however is not the answer that propels me forward each and every day, but it is the question. Why?

Check out the rest of "Why Are We Here?".

So Much For Fairness and Objectivity From Those In The Ivory Towers

FrontPage magazine.com :: How to Get an "A" at One Elite School by David Horowitz

This story tangentialy resembles an event which occurred at a local university here in the Twin Cities. Ann Coulter spoke at the University of St. Thomas a couple weeks ago. Much has been written about it at Powerline and other blogs. The president of the school vehemently denounced Coulter for her talk. Ignoring the Fact that this priest (there's a significance in distinguishing him as a priest) was not at the event he took what the rabble rousers screaming profanity at Coulter as those assaulted. So, last weekend I went to visit my parents for Mother's Day. The topic came up because I gave my Dad the cd's of Ann Coulter's book 'Treason'. His response: wasn't she a speaker at St. Thomas? I said yes. He started talking about what the "priest" had said based on articles from the Mpls. Star Tribune. I told him the "priest" was LYING and he was not at the event. I said, it's really too bad that this "priest" couldn't meet with the people who attended other than those shouting obscenities at Coulter. Dad was having a difficult time believing this "priest" would LIE and I told him, well, he's got an agenda too. I also recounted to Dad this was the same "priest" who thought Castro and Cuba was a wonderful place with a great education system and health care system. That this was a "priest" who when the Cuban baseball team came into town, one of the Cuban players defected. The "priest" forbade anyone from St. Thomas in assisting this Cuban player and told the Cuban player if he would just come back all would be okay. This "priest" was SURE there would be no retribution from Castro. So much for fairness and objectivity from a Catholic University. So much for fairness and objectivity from the Mpls. Star Tribune (yeah, I know, no surprise with that one).

David Horowitz talks about another situation where a student writes a paper on the war in Iraq. The student got an F and the professor gave him another chance to rewrite the paper if the student would just use the "correct sources" for the paper. So, the student takes the existing paper and changes positive words about the war to negative words about the war and shazam.....the student gets an A!!

Quote from Horowitz:

Far too many of today's tenured faculty are political activists first and teachers only secondarily, if at all. Their agenda is indoctrinating students in their own political prejudices, while their academic colleagues who are not activists or ideologues studiously refuse to notice the abuses that are going on.

Be Sure to Cough When Using This.

Vikings: Onterrio Smith caught with kit to foil drug tests

Aside from the extremes Smith goes to avoid drug testing, this story about the Whizzinator is just plain weird.

The $150 device includes a prosthetic penis attached to a jockstrap and plastic bag. Using a syringe, the user fills the bag with a precisely measured amount of water blended with the urine powder to create a clean sample. When the user takes a drug test in front of an observer, the water is released through the prosthetic with a valve (the instructions recommend the user cough to hide the sound of the valve unsnapping).

On its website, manufacturers of The Original Whizzinator market the instrument as an "undetectable,"foolproof" and "re-usable" urinating device.

On the subject of professional athletes and drugs - how about booting them out of a job? How many times do these over paid and spoilt athletes have to be caught in criminal behavior before getting fired?

Note: I had originally titled this posting The Original Whizzinator but thought better of it since I don't want to attract bizarro searches based on key words.

One Bag At A Time

Glad Bag Day and More

CJ at Soldiers Perspective tells us about a program from the 2/11 Armored Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Irwin:

2/11 Armored Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Irwin, started a program called Glad Bag Day. On this day, the unit pays children and adults for each full bag of trash they bring in off the streets of their neighborhoods. The soldiers then dispose of the waste properly instead of it festering in the streets, the parks, and the fields.

Go finish reading the rest of this great story.

The Debate on Islam by Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch: Spencer vs. Mohammed, Round II

Rober Spencer has had an ongoing "debate" with Kaleel Mohammed. It's been very interesting but this pretend question and answer written by Spencer was the best:

Me: The Qur’an teaches violence against unbelievers (with citations).

Islamic apologist: You are ignorant. It doesn’t mean that. You have to know hadith.

Me: The Hadith teaches violence against unbelievers (with citations).

Islamic apologist: You are ignorant. It doesn’t mean that. You have to know Islamic law.

Me: Islamic law teaches violence against unbelievers (with citations).

Islamic apologist: You are ignorant. It doesn’t mean that. And Muslims today don’t pay attention to these ancient laws.

Me: Modern-day jihad terrorists cite Qur’an, Hadith, and Islamic law to justify violence against unbelievers (with citations).

Islamic apologist: You are ignorant. Most Muslims see these things differently.

Me: Great. How will they refute the jihadist exegesis and so end jihadist recruitment among Muslims?

Islamic apologist: You are ignorant. I am not going to speak with you about this any more.

Also check out the comments from Ali Sina at FaithFreedom with this posting.

Garrison Keillor - NPR Tax Dollars At Work

FOXNews.com - The Asman Observer - Taking Aim at Conservative Radio - Garrison Keillor

So Public Broadcasting is balanced huh? Course this isn't the first time Keillor has gone off the deep end. Back in 2002 he stated that now Senator Norm Coleman and President Bush were behind the death of Senator Paul Wellstone. He said they engineered the downing the of Wellstone's plane so Coleman would get elected to Senator replacing Wellstone. The diatribe by Keillor was spittle spewing nonsense but that didn't matter because all of the lefties at MN NPR "loved" Paul Wellstone. Many of the Wellstone socialists still have the Wellstone for Senator bumper stickers on their vehicles. Then of course, there's the new bumpers stickers that say: "What would Wellstone Do?". **gag**

Sure, I'm thrilled that I as a Conservative PAY for this insufferable, bloviating, Euro-loving egotist to stay on the radio and say things like this:

National Public Radio host Garrison Keillor (search) has his knickers in a twist about conservative radio hosts, who he describes in an article in The Nation as “…evil, lying, cynical bastards who are out to destroy the country I love and turn it into a banana republic, but hey, nobody's perfect.”

Link from Mrs. Greyhawk's Dawn Patrol.

Tuscon Home Invasions/Burglaries Jump

Tucson Citizen: VIOLENT break-ins soar

From the chart shown in the article the number was at 20 for 1990-91 with a spike up to 160 in 2001. Hmmm, surprisingly 2002 saw a decrease down to about 125 but then spikes again in 2003 up to 200. Gee, ya think maybe it was due to an increased vigilance on the border due to September 11th? Ahh but how quickly we forget thus border vigilence isn't as important. Wasn't that about when the new and improved Department of Homeland Defense was created? Course we all know it's just 'good' Mexicans illegally crossing the border for jobs - right? No, it's drug smugglers moving their operations into high value residential areas. This ties right into what the Minuteman referenced here referred to.

Exerpt:

The use of stash houses in Arizona has residential robberies on the rise. Drug traffickers set up houses around Tucson, making neighborhoods the target of violent crime. This stash of marijuana, totaling 3,335 pounds, was seized by police in a home near Ina and Thornydale roads in February.

Residential robberies in metro Tucson are on a record-setting pace.

Funded by the growing trafficking of Mexican marijuana, smugglers are setting up stash houses throughout the metro area. Rival drug traffickers may target those homes, looking to steal cash or pot or to recover stolen marijuana that can be sold on the street for as much as $500 a pound.

What that means, law officers said, is that more innocent people are at risk of being hurt or killed because traffickers may mistakenly break into their home.

"You have incidents when the bad guys hit the wrong house, or the target moved out a month or so ago ... that's the real danger," said Pima County sheriff's Lt. Michael G. O'Connor, head of the crimes against persons section.

Who's Right? The Blog "War is Real" or "Powerline"?

war is real: media, this blog, and emails

I had just been reading this from War is Real:

NPR is one of the few media outlets I will use this time around, because they tell the truth and don't have a slanted agenda that forces you in line with the rest of the rah rah troops. I did some press last time around, and it ended up getting me in more trouble than anything else so f**k it, i'm sticking solely with NPR and perhaps the guardian.

And then I saw this at Powerline:

Last week, I was invited to appear on MSNBC to discuss a report in the New York Times that the Chairman of the Corportation for Public Broadcasting (a Republican) wants to bring more political balance to PBS. <...> PBS is probably the most reliable remaining leftist enclave with attachments to the federal government. As Bozell shows, its head Pat Mitchell helped produce CNN's biased documentary "Cold War," and her first act upon taking over was to give Bill Moyers his weekly forum for bashing conservatives (Bozell provides a helpful sampling of what that has meant). In this context, it is easy to understand why liberals are so intent on preserving PBS as it is.

I think I'll go with the Powerline assessment of Public Broadcasting. Actually, I've been fed up with PB for a long time and saw a deliberate attempt to affect the 2004 Elections with this 2 hour commercial free advertisement for John Kerry 3 weeks before the election.

Update: I found another good commentary on PBS and federal funding. Did you know that PBS receiveds $390 Million of taxpayer dollars?

From the Denver Post, Michael Booth writes PBS: Change or die

It's time to force an extreme makeover. Colorado public TV officials claim that the 15 percent of their budgets coming from federal aid is their "margin of excellence." I disagree. I think it's their crutch for perpetual inconsequence. To keep that 15 percent, they must strive for the middle, while TV all around them on the dial sprints headlong in an exhilarating pursuit of high and low culture.

The heart of the PBS lineup, what critics call the "prosaic genres" of history, nature, cooking and hobby shows, are all heavily represented on cable these days - only with better production values. "Antiques Roadshow," one of the few PBS success stories in recent years and increasingly crammed into the lineup as filler, has no higher purpose for existing on a publicly financed frequency.

I especially like his description: Perpetual Inconsequence!

American Soldier - Could use your assistance

American Soldier

American Soldier and his wife are having one of those 'pile on' situations. He's having major surgery which requires a long recuperation and now his young daughter is seriously ill. The military doesn't consider this reason enough to give him leave to be there so his wife will have to contend with this alone leaving AS to be alone for his surgery. This is someone who was in the process of deploying to Iraq, so in addition to the burden of not going to Iraq, there's worry about their daughter and added stress for his wife along with I'm sure financial hardships.

Go visit and if you can throw a couple dollars in his paypal. I know they will appreciate your goodwill.

Zimbabwe Elected to the U.N. Human Rights Commission

The American Spectator-Jed Babbin: Overtime at the Iniquity Factory

The primary focus of Babbin's article is on Robert Parton and Volcker's instruction from the U.N. to refuse compliance with the House Inquiry Committee. BUT - what grabbed my attention was the action AGAIN of the U.N. to elect a totalitarian dictatorship to the Human Rights Committee. And yet, that paramour of love for the left - Kofi Anan has the insufferable nerve to 'scold' the U.S. for maintaining a nuclear arsenal. Just when, WHEN is the left in this country going to admit how useless and obscene the U.N. has become. Actually, I think I'm giving the U.N. too much credit in saying "has become". I've come to believe the U.N. has never been useful, we just didn't know how incompetent and useless this body has always been. Maybe that's why someone like Kofi just can't understand what he's done wrong.

Put Families of Congress Down on the Mexican Border and Then Let's See What Happens!

HoustonChronicle.com - Serving as a Minuteman is an eye opener and it's not a pretty picture.

Here's a first hand account from a one of those "Vigilantes" who volunteered as a Minuteman in Arizona. I think that all the politicians who are either against or equivocate about protecting the US borders should have to have their families live ON THE BORDER and then let's just see how their tune changes. Here's a few annecdotes from this man:

I spoke with Belinda, a single mother who allowed us to use her home and yard for observation. Every day about 5:30 p.m., as she came home from work with her young daughter, she was confronted by a group of smugglers making a drop to a car parked in her driveway.

Out of fear for her safety, Belinda began carrying a handgun and routinely cleared her own home before bringing her daughter in for the evening. She thanked us profusely for helping her to reclaim her yard, and every night she fed us a hot meal.

and

Carol says this happens every night — all night long. The difference is that neighbors in the area have lost the energy to be out in the desert every
night reporting smugglers. Sometimes they're even too tired to get out of bed
and make a call to Border Patrol based on their barking dogs.

It's no way to live. This courageous woman, who brought us food and coffee for protecting her neighborhood, packs a revolver because a mother and daughter were recently assaulted by an illegal alien while they waited for a school bus in her neighborhood in Hereford. Another family related to me that illegal aliens regularly try to get on the school bus in Naco.

CROCK OF SH_T ALERT

Clifford D. May: Kofi's break

So, the University of Pennsylvania is awarding Kofi Anan an honorary doctorate of LAW! Clifford May includes all of the required "we don't know that" and no convictions of any wrongdoing. This is just another aggregious example of the intellectual ineptness of todays members of higher education. These people call their ignorance "diversity of opinion", I call it stupidity and lack of a shred of common sense. Here's the response Clifford May received in questioning their choice of Kofi:

“I believe that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is deserving of this honor” in recognition of “his career of devoted service to the goals of development, international peace and security, human rights, and the rule of law.”

she further said:

“Dr. Gutmann's administration has passionately committed itself to protecting intellectual freedom. We believe that a great University must never compromise on its devotion to free speech.”

Another words, I'm a clueless educrat who has no idea of current day news or history, if someone marches to the correct drummer's beat of the educrat's code of Political Correctness, especially if they are from the United Nations and even better if they are from Africa then we will bow at the altar of stupidity, inaneness and use extraneous and meaningless adjectives to respond to questions.

A picture is worth a thousand words - Oliver North Gets The Names Right

Oliver North: A picture is worth a thousand words

So Oliver North is capable of getting the names correct on "The Picture" (Photo taken by Michael Yon of Maj. Mark Bieger carrying the Iraqi child). I wonder if other media types and organizations will give credit where credit is due? He also talks about the recent announcement that SCOTUS will take up the case of universities/schools receiving federal funding but refusing to allow military recruiters on campus. He has this to say:

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up a case in which "elite" universities are suing the Pentagon to keep military recruiters off their campuses so they don't "corrupt" the academic environment. Their beef is a federal statute known as the Solomon Amendment, originally passed in 1994, which provides that federal funding may be withheld from institutions of higher education that refuse military recruiters the same opportunities afforded to recruiters from other companies.

Thirty law schools have joined under the banner of the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, claiming that they are being forced by the Solomon Amendment to "actively support military recruiters" who engage in "discriminatory hiring practices." The target of their protest, they claim, is the Clinton administration's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy toward open homosexual service in the military.

In fact, colleges and universities have been trying to keep military recruiters and ROTC programs off campus for decades. Harvard, the school leading the charge against the Solomon Amendment, banished ROTC in 1969, forcing cadets to walk across town to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the past 36 years. Yale, Stanford, Columbia and Brown are among many other institutions that have shunned ROTC for decades.

Today's military relies on educated individuals joining the ranks as surgeons, JAG lawyers, chaplains and engineers. These vital roles could more easily and efficiently be filled but for the bitter opposition on campuses by elitist professors, students and administrators.

Ironically, their freedom to protest is defended by the very people they are protesting.

There's more from Colonel North on Major Mark Bieger.

Please Help - Tiger Man Needs A Job

Ananova - 'Tiger man' wants fur graft

I heard about this on the radio on the way home from work. Just read about this guy, it's beyond my comprehension.

First the Before and After Photos
25 Years Ago:

Today:

Now the story:

A San Diego computer programmer who has spent £100,000 on tattoos and plastic surgery to turn himself into a 'tiger' wants a fur graft. Dennis Smith is tattooed from head to toe with orange and black stripes and his teeth have been filed to needle point. He has also had latex whiskers implanted and surgery to his lips so he has a permanent snarl. He now wants a surgeon to graft tiger fur on to his skin, like a perma-wig. Mr Smith, who has changed his name by deed poll to Cat Man, said: "I have a collection of old tiger pelts from the days of hunting. I want these grafted on to me. It will cost another $100,000 but will be worth it.
<...>His fingernails have been crafted into sharp talons while his hands have tattooed markings like a tiger's paws. He says he feels like a tiger. The short back-and-sides he sported at the University Of California has been replaced with a long orange mane. He has also swapped his glasses for green contact lenses. He holds down a £80,000-a-year computer programming job which enables him to fund the surgery, the Daily Record reports. <...>

Unfortunately Mr. Smith aka Tiger Man (age 46) has lost his job and cannot understand why no employer will hire him. Go Figure!

Finally he says:

"It's the real me. So many men cross-dress without their partners knowing, or dress up and play cowboys or Civil War soldiers at weekends. Me, I'm a tiger all the time and I love it. I had my first tattoos done 20 years ago around my eyes and now my whole body is one pastiche of stripes and shading. I am really proud of it all."

Apparently, Mr. Smith, lives with many cats and has a net over his bed filled with Tiger stuffed animals. Okayyyyyy.

My Vacation in Iraq: Go Visit Luke and Leave a Heya

My Vacation in Iraq: Luke Looks Like He Needs Some LuuuV!

Luke is a National Guardsman from Illinois in Iraq. I think he needs some attention. He's sleep depraved...oops....meant deprived and he gets kinda goofy with his posts. Or, maybe that's how he always acts, I enjoy his posts though.

Don't Ever Doubt Why We Fight Terror

Dude, Where's The Beach? - My Hitchhikers Guide To The World
From El Capitan:
As a father and a soldier, this photo absolutely tears me apart. To the detractors of this war, don't ever say we're there for oil/money/power, etc. We're there to stop the killing and oppression of the innocents. These are terrorists, not insurgents. We continue to fight because we don't want this to continue. This is a fight for human dignity, human rights, and freedom, and soldiers like this will continue to risk their lives to stop this carnage. They do it not because they want to, but because nobody else will. This is the American Soldier.

Remember, they are not Insurgents killing children... they are Terrorists.

Update:
Fred Schoeneman brought to light the photographer behind this photo in the comments section at Mudville Gazette. Greyhawk now has an a more extensive posting on this amazing photo. It wasn't AP which was credited in many stories. It's Mike Yon, go check out his site because the man has an incredible story behind both the photo and on Mike Yon. I certainly hope AP and apparently The NY Post who have not given proper credit and ownership to the photo rectify the error.

Soldier Support Rally on May 28th, 2005 - Perryville, MD

American Soldier

American Soldier has a notification about this rally. If you're in the Maryland vicinity you might want to take the family for what looks like a good time.

We’re hoping you can help us get the word out about the concert via your blog, word of mouth or any other legal means! J 100% of the proceeds from this even will be donated to Adopt A Platoon and to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds MWR programs. Well, actually Maj (Chaplain) Jeff Waters will disburse the funds to APG as is needed. Adopt A Platoon, for those who do not already know, is a non-profit soldier support group which provides deployment support to all of our uniformed services.

A direct link to the concert web site is http://www.aapavatar.net/concert/index.html I have also put up a link on the main page at http://www.aapavatar.net/.

Thank you for your time and any assistance in getting the word out that you may be able to give us. Any questions can be directed to myself @ amailto:angel@aapavatar.net or Terri Szendrodi @ terri@aapavatar.net we have also set up rallyinfo@aapavatar.net for the general public.

ROTC: a window into the U.S. military

Minnesota Daily : ROTC: a window into the U.S. military

You could have blown me over with a feather to see this story in the University of MN Student Newspaper. After reading it I was even more surprised since it was dare I say almost a favorable story. Actually, it was just an accurate story but still, one doesn't expect to see this kind of story in the MN Daily. Not that I read the paper any longer. The numbers of students in ROTC seem somewhat pathetic considering the size of the student body. Seems to me the population used to be around 50k for both campuses (Mpls and St. Paul) but I haven't checked the numbers in the last few years so I could be totally off there.

But here are the numbers from the article:
Army ROTC - 73
Navy/Marine ROTC - 79
Air Force ROTC - 71

Less spending, year after year

Tom Tiller: Less spending, year after year
My lord, there's actually a CEO in Minnesota that thinks this way? Whowuddathunkit? If you read the Mpls Star Tribune you'd think someone like this doesn't exist in corporate America. See, Minnesota is again going on a spending spree. There has not been a spending cut in Minnesota, well for as long as I can remember, only increases. You wouldn't know this by listening to the Democrat controlled Senate but all that's ever happened is a decrease in the amount of the budget increase! So, what's happening now? Well, lets see: increase in the minimum wage of $1 which should make all those unions in the state estatic. Especially ALL of the Government unions. And what does our esteemed REPUBLICAN Governor say? He says, I'll happily sign it. The next thing? Oh yeah, they're going to build a baseball stadium for a billionaire and his multimillionaire employees! This is going to happen in my county where the county commissioners are going to conveniently find a way to circumvent the referendum law because this would be accomplished through an increase in the county sales tax. Yummmy. And what are the Republicans in this state saying? **silence** Well, not exactly silence, what other cities want to be able to do is raise or create a city sales tax without having to take it to the voters. Then other Republicans will go along. But, as they say, they're better than the Democrats. Here's what I say to them: No you not. With a Democrat I know darn well the only thing Democrats know how to do is raise taxes and spend, spend, spend. Republicans are acting like Democrats in sheeps clothing. So, don't be too surprised is you RHINO's out there in Minnesota land lose your butts again in the next election.

Then, they're funding another rail line. Sure, we've already got the billion dollar light rail system to nowhere which they are trying to tell us will pay for itself. Yummmy.

Oh lets see, what else are they doing? Well, we just have to pour tax dollars down that black hole they call Education. It's for the "children" after all, you know.

Let's increase the gas tax, yeah that will work. We can use the additional funds for anything but road building. Yummy.

How about changing the mandated amount of ethanol added to Minnesota fuel. Yeah, let's go from 10% to 20%, never mind that the current combustion engines don't accomodate that percentage. It'll help the farmers in their welfare program plus supposedly help the environment. But of course, that isn't true and they know it. It takes a gallon and a half of fuel to produce one gallon of ethanol. Yummy.

Oops, I forgot in my little rant to quote Tom Keller from Polaris. He actually made sense which means we MUST ignore anything he said at all costs.

While the Star Tribune and others have suggested looking to the past to decide tax and spending policy, I would respectfully submit that it may be more instructive to look toward the future. Infrastructure needs and demographic pressures, both in terms of population growth and age, will increase demands on government. In addition, government will experience the insatiable demands of consumers -- citizens -- who expect services to be faster, more convenient and less expensive. At the same time, global competition will accelerate. Emerging economies like China and India will challenge our companies' competitiveness. Raising taxes will erode the competitiveness of the private sector, which is the source of our tax revenue.

Thanks to AntiStrib for the linkage. BTW - there's a pretty good rant from AntiStrib on the state's tax and spendsters.

I'm In Shock! 10,000 Visitors

10,000th Visitor occurred at 9:37 pm CDT. Whoever it is from bulldogdsl.com you win the hmmm. Nuttin honey. Except for my extreme gratitude for stopping by. ~~Big Smile~~

To be honest when I started to blog last fall all I knew was that I thought it would be fun and I'd give it a try. Maybe I'd learn something about html, make some friends and have a trickle of traffic. Course, in measuring against some of the biggies out there, I'm still insignificant and puny. BUT, I'm in shock that I've even attained 10,000 visits.

So, thank you to all who visit and hopefully will continue to visit. I surely hope my range of blogger friends grows as time goes on. I know for sure if it wasn't for Mudville Gazette's Open Posting and blogger hints I wouldn't even be close to this number. Course, posting that picture of Kiran Chetry is still a big draw through all of the search engines, get around 10 each day....go figure! Especially thanks to GeeDubya, mdmhvonpa and the guy who kept bugging me to start my own blog.....American Warmonger.

$82 Billion Bill Advances With War Funds, Add-Ons

$82 Billion Bill Advances With War Funds, Add-Ons

Looks to me like this bill boils down to:

**$76 Billion for combat-related expenditures ($921 Million over the President's request) but it includes Service member death benefits and the onetime death gratuity for combat fatalities. PLUS a $100,000 insurance benefit for soldiers who have suffered traumatic injuries which I had referred to here. I wonder if the death benefits and gratuity along with the insurance uses this total increase of $921 Million? I doubt it which makes me wonder what the difference is going towards?

**$240 Million for International Food Aid with $50 Million to Darfur.

**$4.2 Billion for foreign assistance with $592 Million for a Baghdad Embassy and $200 for the Palestinians (at least there's some caveats attached to this of an independent audit. Hmmm. Wonder who will be doing this? Maybe they'll use Volcker again....that's a joke. There's $907 Million for tsunami relief - wonder if that includes reimbursing the military for use of ships etc? Seems a little high to me. Then of course, you knew that we (as in the U.S.) would be paying for this - $25.4 Million for early warning system for deadly storms.

**$635 Million for DHS with an addition of $450 Million to hire border patrol, immigration, customs agents and beef up detention facilities. I'd like to see an audit of that in a year!

So that puts the total at $81.075 Billion. So there's a mere $925 Million unaccounted for by my calculations according the info from the Washington Post. I'm sure the tax spenders in D.C. consider that to be what I used to call 'flyshit' in accounting terms when you're dealing with materiality. But in my current life that wouldn't be insignificant and I'm a little concerned how freely these numbers get thrown around. Ah well, a billion here and a billion there. No big deal.

One good thing so far, little whiny Harry Reid didn't get his funding for Nevada's agricultural and water projects (that was only $95 Million *cough cough*). Course that doesn't mean wittle Harry won't try some shenanigans in the Senate approval. But the Senate doesn't have a very long time to jerk around with this funding before the military machine comes to a stop.

Just think folks, this is JUST for the War Funds Bill. *struggling to breath now*

Google Refuses Conservative Ad, Similar to Liberal Ad

Google Refuses Conservative Ad, Similar to Liberal Ad -- 05/04/2005

I found this interesting considering how much I use Google! Now what does one do? But - read the story and it's pretty clear there's something going on with Google which is not friendly to Conservatives.

He noticed an anti-DeLay ad for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that stated, "The Truth About Tom DeLay - Learn about DeLay's many scandals and help us clean up the House! dccc.org." Greene attempted to purchase a similar ad that stated, "Truth About Nancy Pelosi - Learn about Pelosi's many scandals and help us clean up the House! RightMarch.com"

"That's all we did," Greene told Cybercast News Service. "We took the liberal ad and changed the words to make it a conservative ad."

But Google refused the ad.

Then at the end of the story you'll find this which is even more curious. Pornography is preferable to Guns. Hmm.

This is not the first time that Google has been accused of bias. In October 2003, a federally licensed firearms dealer in Connecticut complained that Google was accepting ads for pornographic websites - which illegally made materials available to underaged children - but would not accept ads from licensed gun dealers selling a legal product to adults. At the time, a spokesman for Google said the policy was "part of our terms and conditions."

If I Could Be ...

Gee Dubya: If I Could Be ...

I did not have a good night last night. Over the weekend I installed new spyware software because for some reason the software I get with my ISP stopped loading and wouldn't open. I'm thought maybe I had something lurking in the background but found nothing when I checked it out at PCPitstop. So, I purchased Spyware Doctor. I don't know what I or "it" did but opening my blog at home is a stretch. Anyone and everyone else's blog opens just fine and dandy but I lose my right sidebar. I screwed around with the privacy and security settings last night and with the settings on the Spyware Dr. but to no avail. Grrrrr. Interestingly enough, the only way to view my blog in full was if I went through blogger, format and preview! Go figure that one.

Gee Dubya has requested (*conned*) me into playing along with this life game. I am to choose five of the occupations from the list below and imagine what it might be like to live them and then ask three people to do the same.

The List:

If I could be a scientist ... If I could be a farmer ... If I could be a musician ... If I could be a doctor ... If I could be a painter ... If I could be a gardener ... If I could be a missionary ... If I could be a chef ... If I could be an architect ... If I could be a linguist ... If I could be a psychologist ... If I could be a librarian ... If I could be an athlete ... If I could be a lawyer ... If I could be an inn-keeper ... If I could be a professor ... If I could be a writer ... If I could be a llama-rider ... If I could be a bonnie pirate ... If I could be an astronaut ... If I could be a world famous blogger ... If I could be a justice on any one court in the world ... If I could be married to any current famous political figure ...

If I could be a scientist - most people would probably want to do all of these altruistic discoveries or creations. Nope, there are three things I would develop or discover: 1)20/20 vision no matter what the age 2) Cream to eliminate wrinkles and 3) a non-invasive method to dissolve all cellulite. Pretty selfish huh? Bwahahahaha

If I could be a gardener - I would create living art through flowers, shrubs and trees. I love putting together the combination of flowers and shrubs and trees. There is a healing and calming effect from flowers and trees. I'd forget about lawns except maybe for very small areas, there is nothing more tedius and boring to me than mowing a lawn. I'd rather turn lawns into gardens.

If I could be a justice on any one court in the world - I'd be a US Supreme Court Judge. Hey, it's a great gig! Nobody dares to diss you, there's a level of reverence given immediately upon joining the SCOTUS whether earned or not. I'd start hammering all of the socialist activism of the last 60 years endorsed by the Supremes. I could needle the snot out of Ruth and Sandra. I'd love to have a chance to wipe that smirk of condescension off of Bryer's face. After watching the debate/discussion between Bryer and Scalia, I thought Bryer had this air of superiority about him when addressing Scalia. I'd work to eliminate the lifetime appointment of these judges. No one past the age of oh say 75 on the court or maybe 80 tops.

If I could be a professor - I would only do this if I was immediately tenured. Then, I'd be the anti-christ to the lefties of the country. I'd call Hillary Clinton "Hildabeast" in public and get away with it. You know, like some of the 'mainstream' profs today call GW a killer and a nazi. Instead of fawning over the likes of the Ward Churchill, I'd condemn them publicly and call them traitors. It would also be fun to call attention to the religion of environmentalism by calling these types domestic terrorists. I'd go around talking about the Islamofascists, not worrying about the CAIR and all the other apologists for Islam. Oh and my favorite thing would be to talk about the degradation of the media whores out there. People always say how leftist the media has become, I don't think they are any different than they were 60 or 70 years ago. I just think it isn't so easy for them to hide today, things are a bit more transparent.

If I could be a bonnie pirate - This was as close as you can find on the list to being an action figure of some type. I'd love to be a protector of some sort but I'd have to be able to carry a weapon (or many weapons....~smile~) because shooting weapons is fun. I don't know about the actual killing of anything cause the most I've ever done is shoot at pheasants and squirrels.

So now I need to select some victims of my own. How about mdmhvonpa, and Teresa and I'll try Jean-Paul.
Update: mdmhvonpa has a posting on If I Could Be......

Hollywood Crusading Again to Revise History

FrontPage magazine.com :: Crusading Against History by Robert Spencer

You knew when you heard that Hollywood was making an "epic" movie on the Crusades that of course Muslims would be the tolerant and peaceful ones. Why would they do this, you say? Well, because Hollywood has an aversion to Christianity.

But then, nothing will satisfy the likes of Islamic apologists:

Yet despite Kingdom of Heaven’s numerous whitewashes of history and strenuous efforts to portray the Muslims of the Crusader era in a favorable light, Islamic apologist Khaled Abou El Fadl, a professor of Islamic law at the University of California, is in a froth about the film: “In my view,” he raged, “it is inevitable – I’m willing to risk my reputation on this – that after this movie is released there will be hate crimes committed directly because of it. People will go see it on a weekend and decide to teach some turbanhead a lesson.” Of course, this is less an indictment of the film than of the American people. I think it very likely that there will be no hate crimes against Muslims committed because of this film — and I hope that in that event Dr. Abou El Fadl’s reputation will be accorded the treatment it deserves.

Yup - I can see it now. The Muslims in the U.S. will be even FURTHER persecuted because of the is "epic" piece of tripe. Just like they have been since Sept. 11th, 2001. I think CAIR should sue the producer, director and all of the actors for this indictment produced against Islam.

As Robert Spencer writes:

In any event, Kingdom of Heaven cost over $150 million to make, features an all-star cast, and is being touted as “a fascinating history lesson.” Fascinating, maybe — but only as evidence of the lengths to which modern Westerners are willing to go to delude themselves.

Think of the religion of peace (pieces??) the next time Al Jazeera releases another beheading from the "militants" of Islam!

Found at Lucianne.

What's Next for Intelligence? Rep. John Kline discusses the promise and perils of reform.

OpinionJournal - The Western Front

Rep. John Kline is from a district which includes the South Metro of the Twin Cities (not my district). He had a very tough battle to get into office in dealing with a what I think was a liar and cheat for a Democrat who would do anything to stay in office. Thank goodness John Kline was finally successful. I was at a fundraiser for him last fall and this man is an example of why we as Americans do need military experience representing us and the military.

From Miniter:

<....>

The intelligence reform bill signed into law last year is only part of what needs to be done. And there are still a lot of pitfalls that could make our intelligence gathering ability worse.

Rep. John Kline, a Minnesota Republican in his second term, isn't a household name. But he's the rare lawmaker who has looked through the intelligence lens from both ends and knows a lot about "unconventional threats." He served 25 years in the Marine Corps, including as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and he commanded Marine aviation in terror hot-spot Somalia in the 1990s. He knows the need for good, actionable intelligence. In the 1980s the Marines assigned him to the White House, where he carried the briefcase full of missile launch codes--the nuclear "football"--for President Reagan.

<....>
The danger of this skewed view of intelligence came to the fore last year, as Congress pushed through its overhaul of the intelligence community. A provision in that bill would have broken the chain of military command in disseminating intelligence and have forbidden the secretary of defense from talking to the president on some intelligence matters. Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, became the public face of opposition to the bill. Mr. Kline was one of a handful of lawmakers who also dug in their heels until that provision was stripped out. Killing provisions like that, he told me, was one of the reasons why he ran for Congress.

It's interesting because further into the story we find out that through bureaucrats this could still be watered down from the writing of the regulations to implement the reforms.

THE HILLARY CLINTON ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT

Michelle Malkin

Wow - this could be interesting. I'll just bet Hillary is 'effing up a storm right about now. I was listening to Buzz Patterson yesterday on 'Right Talk' radio. He was talking about his experience working in the White House with HRC (this wasn't included in his book). He was saying how HRC has a major potty mouth. It was interesting when you think about what the hypocritical Senators were saying about John Bolton when you've got a major abuser in their midst in the name of Hillary Rodham (not Rodman per Senator Dayton of MN) Clinton. I guess Hill's favorite word of abuse is the 'effer.

Anyway...from Michelle which is from an email she got from Peter Paul:

Yes, I was coerced to become her biggest contributor by far, but when I discovered she didnt report my contribution in February, 2001, I immediately approached the FBI and the Justice Dept with all the details of what she did. I am the one even the NY Times credits with causing Rosen's indictment, the first ever indictment of a Senator's fnance director for election fraud. I am the one who had EIGHT proffer meetings with Ashcroft's staff, including Chertoff, from Mar 30 - October 20, 2001, detailing everything about the actions of Ed Rendell as DNC Chair who orchestrated what I did with the Clintons, Terry McAuliffe aided and abetted it, the Clintons masterminded it and neither Ashcroft nor Chertoff would enforce the law from 2001 until after they both left- Rosen's indictment was unsealed...
...I had to bring a civil action against the Clintons for fraud and extortion to provide a roadmap for the government to charge Rosen. I publicized the Clinton's crimes through a press conference when the civil suit was filed June 17, 2001, when my FEC complaint was filed on July 16, 2001, I participated in a press conference Larry Klayman held at the National Press Club via telephone from Brazil. See the demand letter I sent Hillary via messenger that day (attached) and then question why she avoided being indicted for the July 30 FREC report her campaign filed 2 weeks later for which david Rosen is now facing 5 years in jail .

Well once again I have to act because the government refusess to hold Hillary accountable for the same criminal misconduct that her functionary faces 15 years in porison for. -I am launching the Hillary Clinton Accountability Project tomorrow, Tuesday May 3, on the Sean Hannity Radio show (4:30pm) and then the Hannity and Colmes TV show (9:15-30pm EST)...

She's also got some links. I wish, just once, the 'stuff' wouldn't flow off of Hillary and Bill's backs like teflon. Let's see if there are any above the fold front page headlines on this story like they have on Tom Delay! Yeah, I know, don't hold your breath.

ABOUT TIME: SCOTUS to decide military recruiting case

FT.com / US - US Supreme Court to decide military recruiting case

This should be interesting. I'm not confident though in the SCOTUS especially when one considers Justice Bryer and O'Connor advocation towards international law. Hopefully, common sense will prevail. Unfortunately the term for this won't begin until October. Not soon enough for me.

The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to get involved in another potentially explosive social issue, saying it would decide whether the US government can cut off federal funding to colleges and universities that bar military recruiters from campus to protest the military's treatment of gays.
<...>
This case involves the constitutionality of a 1994 law federal law requiring colleges and universities to give military recruiters the same access it gives other employers. If they refuse, they can lose federal funding. A coalition of law schools challenged the law, saying it forced them to violate their own anti-discrimination policies. A federal appeals court blocked the government from enforcing the law, because it violated the constitutional free speech rights of the law schools that sued.
<...>
The law, known as the Solomon Amendment, "reflects Congress' judgment that a crucial component of an effective military recruitment program is equal access to college and university campuses," the brief said. "If institutions do not wish to associate with military recruiters," the government says "they may decline to associate with the federal funding."

I think the last sentence about says it all.

Link from Lucianne.

Visas! Visas! Get Your Red-Hot Visas!

New Sisyphus: Visas! Visas! Get Your Red-Hot Visas!

The Daily Demarche has had a discussion going for awhile on Visa's and New Sisyphus gives us some examples of the type of Visa's there are along with examples. What I was completely unaware of:

That issue aside, the most critical matter that Congress needs to address in the realm of immigration law are the visas for which 214(b) does not apply: Hs, Rs, and most importantly, Ls.

Hs are for foreign workers. <.....> In fact, as any FSO on the Line will tell you, DHS rubber-stamps these and gets them off their backs.
<....>
Rs are for religious workers. <....> The result has been the entrance to the United States of hoards of little-investigated imams and other Muslim “religious persons” who are actually shills for Wahabbi Islamic Fascism working at, among other places, the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles. This visa class reflects the danger of our traditional love for religion; we are unable to recognize enemies in that guise,
it seems.
<.....>
Ls are for inter-company transfers. This was apparently intended by Congress to help giants like Microsoft or Nike to transfer their global executives from post to post. However, this sloppily-written law enables any old person to start a company in their host country, start a company in the United States and “transfer” oneself to the States. <....>

Can you see the real issues with all 3 of these types of visas. I would just bet or guess that the religious visa based on the New Sis example of an Irish priest came from the esteemed Senator from Massachusets who has a problem with driving and water. The nature and origination for these types of visas is an example of a lobby's influence on legislation. It shows what little care is taken by our legislators with the laws of the country.

Journey Without A Map

Firepower Forward - The Cutting Edge of Freedom: I Need A Better Map

Here's a touching and poetic telling of a tragic and sad story.

While I know the path that brought me to this place, it's pitfalls and tortuous hills, I also know that I am the only person who has taken that exact route here. Why then do I insist on measuring his journey to this place by the standard of my path? Why then, if I know this, do I judge his strength and stamina, his skill and endurance, by a simple comparison to my own? I need a better map.