The worst of times...

...made even worse by these degenerates:

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Rescuers raced to reach stranded survivors of Hurricane Katrina late Wednesday as authorities battled to stop looters taking control of the stricken city of New Orleans.

With authorities estimating hundreds of dead from Monday’s storm — and not even bothering to recover bodies from the floods, news that floodwater levels had stabilised offered scant relief as the enormous scale of the crisis became apparent.

President George W. Bush said it would take years to recover from what he described as one of the worst natural disasters in US history.

Bush, who cut short his summer holiday to deal with the crisis, flew over New Orleans and other hurricane-damaged cities in Air Force One on his way back to Washington.

But as night fell, police chased looters across the darkenened streets amid mounting pillaging of stores, carjackings and armed robberies.

The authorities said thousands of extra National Guard troops would be sent to New Orleans and the surrounding region in a bid to restore order as well as help the relief effort.

One nurse told how helicopters evacuating patients from a local hospital had been fired upon. There were also reports of men armed with automatic rifles opening fire in a police station.

People are dying, and I just heard on the top of the hour news that over 1000 police were pulled from rescue duty so as to try to put a lid on all the looters. I guess the "Big Easy" was never known for scrupulous behavior, but I never thought it would sink this low. Amazing.

Music meme..."

Got this meme from Doug. Top 100 songs from the year you graduated (1978), strike the ones you don't like, highlight the good ones...

Here goes:

1. Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb (Gag me with a coke spoon!)
2. Night Fever, Bee Gees (ibid)
3. You Light Up My Life, Debby Boone (I'm embarrassed to say I liked this one--reminds me of a date that I took to that movie)
4. Stayin' Alive, Bee Gees
5. Kiss You All Over, Exile (ultimate makeout song)
6. How Deep Is Your Love, Bee Gees
7. Baby Come Back, Player
8. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Andy Gibb
9. Boogie Oogie Oogie, A Taste Of Honey (are you getting the idea that I'm repulsed by this whole genre?)
10. Three Times A Lady, Commodores
11. Grease, Frankie Valli (pretty much anything from the movie)
12. I Go Crazy, Paul Davis
13. You're The One That I Want, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
14. Emotion, Samantha Sang
15. Lay Down Sally, Eric Clapton
16. Miss You, Rolling Stones
17. Just The Way You Are, Billy Joel
18. With A Little Luck, Wings
19. If I Can't Have You, Yvonne Elliman
20. Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah), Chic (lame, lame, lame)
21. Feels So Good, Chuck Mangione
22. Hot Child In The City, Nick Gilder
23. Love Is Like Oxygen, Sweet
24. It's A Heartache, Bonnie Tyler (downright painful listening to that.. like Melissa Ethridge during a bout of bulemia)
25. We Are The Champions / We Will Rock You, Queen
26. Baker Street, Gerry Rafferty.. (I was blown away by the sax pieces!)
27. Can't Smile Without You, Barry Manilow (not much of a stomach for him, either)
28. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams
29. Dance With Me, Peter Brown
30. Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, Meat Loaf
31. Jack And Jill, Raydio
32. Take A Chance On Me, Abba
33. Sometimes When We Touch, Dan Hill
34. Last Dance, Donna Summer (yeah I know D.S. was a hottie, but the heinousness of her music still outweighed that)
35. Hopelessly Devoted To You, Olivia Newton-John (Just the sound of ONJ's voice was enough to make my heart (and other body parts) palpitate...)
36. Hot Blooded, Foreigner
37. You're In My Heart, Rod Stewart
38. The Closer I Get To You, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway(.. probably one of music's most underrated duet teams...)
39. Dust In The Wind, Kansas (My first foray into existentialism)
40. Magnet And Steel, Walter Egan (again, reminds me of my first steady girlfriend)
41. Short People, Randy Newman (great song to tease others by)
42. Use Ta Be My Girl, O'Jays
43. Our Love, Natalie Cole
44. Love Will Find A Way, Pablo Cruise
45. An Everlasting Love, Andy Gibb
46. Love Is In The Air, John Paul Young
47. Goodbye Girl, David Gates
48. Slip Slidin' Away, Paul Simon (I still do a mean rendition of this song on my guitar)
49. The Groove Line, Heatwave
50. Thunder Island, Jay Ferguson (Every red blooded boy's fantasy song..)
51. Imaginary Lover, Atlanta Rhythm Section (kinky, yet intriguing..)
52. Still The Same, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
53. My Angel Baby, Toby Beau
54. Disco Inferno, Trammps
55. On Broadway, George Benson (the scat was really groovin' on this Drifter's Remake)
56. Come Sail Away, Styx (actually, I like Cartman's version better, but what the heck..this is 1978 we're talking about here)
57. Back In Love Again, L.T.D.
58. This Time I'm In It For Love, Player (one of Player's worst songs)
59. You Belong To Me, Carly Simon
60. Here You Come Again, Dolly Parton (goes without saying.. even with Dolly's "accessories.")
61. Blue Bayou, Linda Ronstadt
62. Peg, Steely Dan (This was a strange departure from the usual Steely Dan fare... but it grew on you.)
63. You Needed Me, Anne Murray
64. Shame, Evelyn "Champagne" King (Shame on this for making the Top 100)
65. Reminiscing, Little River Band (LOVED this tune... very catchy)
66. Count On Me, Jefferson Starship
67. Baby Hold On, Eddie Money (IMO, everything Eddie Money touched turned to gold.)
68. Hey Deanie, Shaun Cassidy(includes any other tune that Shaun Cassidy made)
69. Summer Nights, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-john (The veritable anthem of the summer of 78)
70. What's Your Name, Lynyrd Skynyrd (includes anything by Skynyrd)
71. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Crystal Gayle (for the simple reason I loved Crystal Gayle's eyes and knee-length brunette hair--- sigh)
72. Because The Night, Patti Smith
73. Every Kinda People, Robert Palmer
74. Copacabana, Barry Manilow (I firmly believed that this song actually ruined stereos whenenver played.)
75. Always And Forever, Heatwave
76. You And I, Rick James
77. Serpentine Fire, Earth, Wind and Fire
78. Sentimental Lady, Bob Welch
79. Falling, LeBlanc and Carr
80. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, Santa Esmeralda
81. Bluer Than Blue, Michael Johnson
82. Running On Empty, Jackson Browne (who could be anything other than mellow when listening to JB?)
83. Whenever I Call You "Friend", Kenny Loggins
84. Fool (If You Think It's Over), Chris Rea (I'm surprised this didn't rank higher. Catchy tune.)
85. Get Off, Foxy (Get off--get out of here--whatever!)
86. Sweet Talking Woman, Electric Light Orchestra (For some reason, always liked ELO.)
87. Life's Been Good, Joe Walsh... (another veritable anthem of '78.)
88. I Love The Night Life, Alicia Bridges (Q: How many times can you hear AB scream, "Ak SHAWWWN" without it being in emblazoned in your mind for the remainder of your lifetime? A: I don't know, but it happened.)
89. You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On), High Inergy
90. It's So Easy, Linda Ronstadt.. (another "hottie" factor going here)
91. Native New Yorker, Odyssey(Yawner of the year)
92. Flashlight, Parliament (don't even remember this one! But the band name even turns me off.)
93. Don't Look Back, Boston (One of the most jammin' bands of the 70s...)
94. Turn To Stone, Electric Light Orchestra (ibid)
95. I Can't Stand The Rain, Eruption
96. Ebony Eyes, Bob Welch
97. The Name Of The Game, Abba
98. We're All Alone, Rita Coolidge
99. Hollywood Nights, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band (Liked everything by B.S. until "Old Time Rock N' Roll" was played into oblivion)
100. Deacon Blues, Steely Dan (ibid)

No ulterior motive here... nope

This story should put to rest any notion of pure-as-the-wind-driven-snow-I-just-want-to-know motives that may have been attributed to Cindy SheehanMs. Moonbat.

A woman who led an anti-war protest for nearly a month near President Bush’s ranch said Tuesday that she’s glad Bush never showed up to discuss her son’s death in Iraq, saying the president’s absence “galvanized the peace movement.”

Cindy Sheehan’s comments came as war protesters packed up their campsite near the ranch and prepared to leave Tuesday for a three-week bus tour. “I look back on it, and I am very, very, very grateful he did not meet with me, because we have sparked and galvanized the peace movement,” Sheehan told The Associated Press. “If he’d met with me, then I would have gone home, and it would have ended there.”

Very much the same sentiments that I stated in this fisking. And did you see that one line again?

Cindy Sheehan’s comments came as war protesters packed up their campsite near the ranch and prepared to leave Tuesday for a three-week bus tour.

Don't these people have jobs??. One month protesting, and then it's off on the road again for another three weeks? Could it be that they just don't have any jobs? Could it be that their checks are merely direct-deposited? Could it be that these moonbats are also proficient parasitic organisms? But hey, even a parasite has to eat, drink, and take a crap once in awhile. Just who is funding this travelling freak show? I wonder...

h/t to Little Green Footballs

Regarding the ROCORI shootings...

Jason McLaughlin was sentenced yesterday to life in prison for first degree intentional homicide in the death of Seth Bartell, and to 12 years for manslaughter in the death of Aaron Rollins.

A day that included emotional statements from the family members of Aaron Rollins and Seth Bartell, who were shot Sept. 24, 2003, inside Rocori High School, ended with consecutive prison sentences for John Jason McLaughlin, 17.

McLaughlin must serve at least 36 years in prison before he can be considered for release. His earliest chance for release will come when he is 53.

McLaughlin, 17, said nothing during the hearing in which Judge Michael Kirk sentenced him to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Bartell and 12 years for the second-degree murder of Rollins.

After serving the minimum 30 years on the life sentence, McLaughlin must earn parole before he can begin serving the 12-year, second-degree murder sentence.

McLaughlin would have to serve at least eight years of the second-degree murder sentence before he can be considered for early release. He gets credit for the almost two years he's been in custody since the shootings.

McLaughlin was also sentenced to serve a year and a day in prison for possession of a weapon on school property. That sentence will be served concurrent to the life sentence.

He will be taken to the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud, where he will be processed and evaluated to determine what his programming will be.

It's unclear whether he will serve his sentence in Minnesota or another state.

I think this is telling of the appropriateness of the sentence meted out to McLaughlin:

Although McLaughlin was silent at his sentencing, he told a probation agent during a pre-sentence interview that he'd shoot Bartell again if he had the chance to do it over again. When asked what he would do differently this time, McLaughlin told the agent that he would have gotten closer to Bartell and shot him in the shoulder.

McLaughlin blamed the shootings "on other people," according to a pre-sentence investigation from which prosecutor Bill Klumpp read. McLaughlin acknowledged Rollins' death "shouldn't have happened," Klumpp told Kirk. He told the probation agent the shooting was serious because it happened in a school, but that if it had happened "on the street, nobody would care," Klumpp said, reading from the pre-sentence report.

"The real bully here is Jason McLaughlin," Klumpp told Kirk.

I was at ROCORI High School on the day of the shootings, and, along with students, colleagues, community members, and people from throughout the country we dealt with the pain. I know the pain that the community felt, and that I felt. I couldn't even begin to imagine the anguish that the Rollins and Bartell families suffered. At the same time, the people in the Cold Spring, Rockville and Richmond communities, as well as those with close ties to those communities and to ROCORI High School were forever scarred. I am glad that Jason McLaughlin was tried as an adult. Justice would not have been served, IMO, if he was tried as a juvenile and let go after his 18th or 21st birthday. The families deserved more than that. The communities deserved more than that. Aaron and Seth deserved more than that. Jason's sentence of at least 36 years, though far from erasing the scarring, at least lends those affected the comfort that the community will be safe from him for that time. I wish I could say the same about the alleged conspirator of the shootings at Red Lake. After the snuffing out of the lives of no less than nine people, it was declared that he will be tried as a juvenile. The heinous killings, already leaving a catastrophic scar on the Red Lake community, will only leave that community further injured by the mere prospect of the possibility of Jourdain being left back in society in only a few short years. Even though Jourdain himself did not pull the trigger, conspiracy in commiting such a crime is no small matter. His alleged foreknowledge and complacency in preventing the massacre is an issue that should have been dealt with in a manner commensurate with the seriousness of the crime.

Regarding the ROCORI shootings,

The sentence should show others that people who commit school shootings will face lengthy prison sentences, Klumpp said.

It is unfortunate that the message from Red Lake is quite different.


On another note, there has been a lot of talk regarding the notion that the crime that Jason McLaughlin perpetrated was somehow mitigated by the fact (still unproven) that he (Jason) was bullied.

I AM SO FRIGGEN tired of bullying as an excuse to murder!!!! I was taunted mercilessly in the grade school and high school where I grew up. Not one time did I EVER think of bringing a gun to school and shooting people. By trying to excuse away McLaughlin's behavior by saying, "Well, he was bullied" you give free reign to every school kid who thinks (s)he isn't being given a fair shake to go and blow people away. This is a problem much larger than mere bullying. This is a societal problem where life itself has become disposable, and the taking of it in one form or another has become more and more socially acceptable. Bullying had nothing to do whatsoever with McLaughlin's actions. McLaughlin's reaction to his being bullied (if that was indeed the case) is what is important here and what should be held up to scrutiny.

Blogging for V.O.M.

I'll be blogging for Voice of the Martyrs, a great publication that I've been receiving for a number of years now. VOM has started a new blog that will highlight the persecution of Christians throughout the world. VOM takes a no-holds barred view at treatment of Christians at the hands of despotic regimes, and also makes it possible for you to mail religious prisoners from around the world to give them support, as well as causes to bring to your legislators. It is, to say the least, a worthy and noble organization, and very worthy of the support of the blogosphere. If you're a blogger and would also like to help bring attention to persecuted Christians around the world, click on the banner to the left.

The liberal elite

Another case of "the laws don't apply to me!"

Sharpton Driver Arrested for Speeding
Aug 29 5:46 PM US/Eastern

WAXAHACHIE, Texas

A car carrying the Rev. Al Sharpton led sheriff's deputies on a nine- mile chase at speeds up to 110 mph before state troopers stopped the vehicle and arrested the driver, authorities said.

The civil rights activist called the sheriff's report "ludicrous" and accused the Ellis County officers of "embellishing the story."

"That nine-mile chase is news to me," Sharpton told The Associated Press. "All I know is that the police pulled us over because they wanted to talk to the driver about speeding."

Chief Deputy Charles Sullins said driver Jarrett B. Maupin, 43, was rushing Sharpton to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after Sharpton visited anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan on Sunday at her camp outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford.

Because the 2005 Lincoln was rented to Maupin, of Phoenix, sheriff's deputies impounded the car. Maupin posted a $1,000 bond on charges of evading arrest with a vehicle and reckless driving, authorities said.

The car carrying Sharpton and two other passengers was clocked doing 110 mph in a 65 mph zone on the interstate south of Dallas, Sullins said.

He said the driver ignored deputies' attempts to stop it and weaved in and out of traffic before state troopers were able to get in front of the car.

Sharpton caught a lift from a passing driver and made his scheduled flight to New York.

Being clocked going 110 mph on an interstate "ludicrous"? How much you want a bet that the "Reverend" Al (Geeze, I've always wondered what religion the good "reverend" professes)probably late for his flight after enjoying the company of this moonbat, gave the order to floor it. Look for the race card to drop on this one.

Yet some more vomit from the mouth of the moonbat...

Ms. Moonbat Cindy Sheehan delivered yet another well-thought out, well-intentioned bit of comfort idiotic vitriol to those whose sons and daughters are serving overseas:

By Joe Kovacs
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

After calling the terrorists in Iraq who killed her son "freedom fighters," anti-Bush activist Cindy Sheehan now says other mothers of those slain in the conflict whose views oppose her own are "brainwashed."

"I have been silent on the Gold Star Moms who still support [President Bush] and his war by saying that they deserve the right to their opinions because they are in as much pain as I am. I would challenge them, though, at this point to start thinking for themselves," Sheehan said.

"How can these moms who still support George Bush and his insane war in Iraq want more innocent blood shed just because their sons or daughters have been killed? I don't understand it," Sheehan stated. "I am starting to lose a little compassion for them. I know they have been as brainwashed as the rest of America, but they know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another. However, I still feel their pain so acutely and pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light."

As a parent of an honorable young man who is about to be in harm's way in Iraq, I side with this parent..

What an elitist, arrogant [remark]," Hallie Lord writes in an online messageboard. "The fact that some of us mothers vehemently disagree with you does not mean that we have been brainwashed. We are perfectly capable of thinking for ourselves and forming intelligent opinions about this war. ... The more you belittle others the less likely they are to hear and respond to your message."

IMO, Cindy Sheehan has politicized this to the point where the loss of her son has been bypassed by sheer political partisanship. She has thrown down the gauntlet (albeit a very dull one at that) in the arena of ideas and has opened those ideas up to the scrutiny and the ridicule they deserve. She gets no pass in my book.

The virtues of embibing in Guinness

Score one for the Fraters. Word about their copious consumption must be getting overseas. This from The Irish Examiner

By Angela Brown, Crawford, Texas
SEVERAL thousand people descended on US President George Bush’s adopted hometown over the weekend to attend a rally supporting him, or for the last leg of an anti-war demonstration near his ranch.

The pro-Bush rally by the school football stadium was the culmination of the ‘You don’t speak for me, Cindy!’ tour that started last week in California - referring to the protest that peace activist Cindy Sheehan started on August 6 near the US president’s ranch.

Several times, the crowd of about 1,500 chanted: “Cindy, go home!”

Former California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, a Republican who co-founded Move America Forward, the group that co-ordinated the rally, said: “You are giving hope and encouragement to the enemies of America.”

Meanwhile, busloads of anti-war protesters gathered several miles away at ‘Camp Casey’, named for Ms Sheehan’s 24-year-old son who died in Iraq last year. A Saturday bell-ringing ceremony was held to honour soldiers serving in Iraq. Organisers estimated the crowd at more than 2,000, but it appeared smaller.

“I know that the Camp Casey movement is going to end the war in Iraq,” Ms Sheehan said, adding that no other families should have to suffer the loss of a relative.

She led the crowd in chanting: “Not one more!”

Traffic was at a crawl for hours in the one-stoplight town of 700 people, and law enforcement agencies from nearby cities were called in to help.

At the pro-Bush rally, there were some heated moments when two members of Protest Warrior, a group that frequently holds counter protests to anti-war rallies, walked in with a sign that read “Say No to War - Unless a Democrat is President.”

Many Bush supporters only saw the top of the sign and believed the men were anti-war protesters, so they began shouting and chasing the pair out. One man tore up their signs.

Later Saturday, a few Bush supporters went to the edge of the anti-war camp trying to remove some of the hundreds of white crosses bearing fallen soldiers’ names.

They had a list of families who didn’t want their sons’ or daughters’ names associated with Ms Sheehan’s group. Sheriff’s deputies said they could remove the name tags but not the crosses, so the group removed a few tags and left.

Several families of fallen US soldiers attended the rally, including John Wroblewski and his wife from Jefferson Township, New Jersey.

The couple, whose oldest son, Marine 2nd Lt John Thomas Wroblewski, died in Iraq last year, said they disagreed with Ms Sheehan’s beliefs that Bush misled Americans about the reasons for the war.

“We’re not for war. I don’t think anybody is ... but we’ve got to complete the mission,” said Mr Wroblewski.

Funny thing about this, I have read this only in local MSM newspaper websites (and of course, the stalwarts like this one). Nothing that I could find on AP. Nothing on Reuters. After listening to the radio all day, I've yet to hear one report at the top of the hour news. Granted this story was big news, but even so, on the way home, the top of the hour news still featured another lame quote from Ms. Moonbat. Curiously missing, however, was a mere mention of a nearby counter protest with a turnout larger than the attendance at Camp Casey.

At any rate, I guess we need to go to Ireland to get any decent U.S. news. No doubt supporting a Dublin industry has its perks. Keep up the good work, Fraters!

Say it ain't so! Says Ray, .....rolling in his grave..

Fox News has a story regarding the release of a follow up to the album, Genius Loves Company:

That was a collection of digitized duets, but the combination of Charles' untimely death and the movie "Ray," starring Jamie Foxx, drove the CD to sales of 3 million in the United States. It caused a Ray Charles renaissance of the first order.

So, what to do? Some at the Charles estate wanted a "Genius II," but the tracks didn't exist. Then someone remembered that Charles had recorded a bunch of duets years ago and hadn't released them.

The original tracks were recorded for Quincy Jones' now-defunct Qwest Records and produced by Phil Ramone. Almost none of the tracks were released. But "I'll Be Good to You," with Chaka Khan, was a hit in 1989. (It's unclear whether that song will be included on the new collection.)

But the plot thickens sickens...

Estate insiders thought: Wouldn't it be a great idea to release these duets? Maybe. But apparently they also felt the original collaborators were no longer relevant or commercial enough to market. Charles' collaborators on those tracks included Brandy, Brownstone, Chuckie Booker, B.B. King, En Vogue, Faith Evans and Stevie Wonder. In fact, there's supposedly a duet between Wonder and Charles on "Living for the City" that's supposed to be spectacular.

Critics of the Charles estate, however, tell me there's such a clamor to make more money from the deceased legend that insiders have gone too far this time. Apparently, all those artists who actually recorded with Charles in the studio have been "erased" and their vocals replaced by Patti LaBelle, Diana Ross and other artists considered bigger stars now.

It is not known whether the original singers have been notified that their vocals have been eliminated.

Two of the new vocalists are Alicia Keys and Ruben Studdard, neither of whom Charles even knew, critics charge. Additionally, there's the matter of LaBelle, who — though revered by many — was not particularly liked by Charles.

Question: If they're that interested in exploiting Mr. Charles, why don't they just dig up his corpse and put him on a soundstage with Michael Jackson?

China's Brittney Spears?,,,

A poster on the forum Unto the Breach brought up an interesting line he heard on NPR:

"to the youth of China, their Britany Spears is Bill Gates"

"to the youth of America, their Britany Spears is Britany Spears"

With the manpower that China has, and the exponential growth it has been experiencing in its economy, I'm afraid it will soon be hitting (if not already there) superpower status.

A big question is, how long will China be able to "contain" capatalistic ventures within its communist government structure. The Soviet Union was certainly not able to pull it off indefinitely. I'm no economist by any stretch of the imagination, but my larger fear is that the Chinese are using "controlled" capitalistic policies to fuel a military machine that will soon will equal and probably relatively soon will overpower that of the United States.

China is an ancient civilization and has been around the block a lot more times than we have. They make no bones about stealing our technology, both military and domestic, and toward using that technology against us. With their communist philosophy, there is no moral underpinning to their tactics. The last time I checked, there was no Communist Chinese effort to "save the world", nor to go out of their way to perform any action to help other nations in need. Philanthropy and morals could not be described as ChiCom strong suits. They are indeed poised to be the next evil empire.

IMO, China is on a mission. To again become the world's pre-eminent superpower. They are now biding their time, but they will no doubt eventually attempt what Japan could not pull off: to strike the "sleeping giant" and to slay that giant in the process. Meanwhile, our culture is fiddling while Rome burns.

Be afraid of China. Be very afraid.

...and on the other side of the kook spectrum..

As if these moonbats weren't enough.. now these Baptists are getting into the act. It appears that the Westboro Baptist Church joins the moonbats in celebrating our soldiers deaths, as well as any move toward the demise of the United States, because, in their eyes, the U.S. supports the homosexual agenda. Spouting slogans like, "Thank God for IEDs," "God hates fags," and "God is America's Terrorist," they protest at the funerals of our fallen heroes.

I often wondered what happened to people who ate too many paint chips as children.

Upon Further Review... .. yours truly is a literary critic..

I've decided to and was accepted to be a reviewer for Mind & Media. It's a great deal--you review the book, you get the book for free. All you need is a blog with a modicum of traffic. Not bad. Click on the banner on the left column here if you're interested.

DON'T MAKE ME BARF!! Fisking Miss Sheehan

I just saw a Cindy Sheehan spot, supposedly sponsored by these moonbats. Here is the text

"Mr. President. My name is Cindy Sheehan. On April 4, 2004, my son was killed in Iraq. He was only 24, and he died in his best friend's arms. Casey was so good and so honest, why can't you be honest with us?"

Ms. Sheehan--why can't YOU be honest with us. Why can't you admit that you yourself said that you really didn't want to speak with the President because if you did, the issue would be over. Why can't your party be honest with us in admitting they ignored the dangers posed by Al Qaeda. Why aren't you honest with us with your REAL AGENDA, and that if one followed a money trail they would see the agenda you have and the company you keep.

"You were wrong about the weapons of mass destruction. You were wrong about the link between Iraq and Al Qaeda. You LIED to us."

Well, if Bush lied, so did this guy and this moonbat and this reject from the Addams Family. They all said the same thing. And remember that yellowcake uranium story? British Intelligence still maintains its authenticity.

"and because of your lies my son died"

No, Ms. Moonbat. Your son died because he is a better person than you. Your son died because he believed in the cause of freedom, much unlike you. Your son died trying to protect his compatriots; your rhetoric continues to put them in harm's way.

"You said that he died for a noble cause. What cause?"

I direct you, Ms. Moonbat, to this post.

"Mr. President, I want to tell you face to face how much this hurts."

Ms. Moonbat, I want to tell you face to face how much your Axis Sally -type propaganda is hurting this country, emboldening the enemy, and killing more of our kids.

"I love our country. But how many more of our loved ones need to die in this senseless war?"

Your level of thinking, Ms. Moonbat, leads me to no other conclusion than you lack the intelligence to make sense out of much of anything

"How many more of our soldiers need to die before we say enough?"

How about when democracy is firmly established in a middle eastern country that has known only despotism?

"I know you can't bring Casey back, but it's time to admit mistakes and bring our troops home now."

Ms. Moonbat, it's time to admit your agenda, the fact that you're shamelessly abusing the sacrifices made by your son to advance your agenda, and to get the hell out of Crawford.

This post may seem out of character for me, and it probably is. But as the parent of a service man who will be in theatre by this coming March, I want to say, no, I want to shout that this MOONBAT does not speak for me, and I detest her showboating antics which do nothing but dance on the graves of our fallen, embolden the enemy and put our sons and daughters into further danger. For this I make no apologies. Cindy Sheehan--go piss up a rope.

You don't say?!?... bias alleged in fetal pain report.

This from USA Today

A medical student who has worked for an abortion rights group and the director of a clinic that provides abortions were among authors of a report on the highly charged issue of fetal pain published Wednesday.

and

The lead author, UCSF medical student Susan J. Lee, also is an attorney. Before entering medical school, she worked for eight months as a lawyer for the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, now NARAL Pro-Choice America, UCSF said. Another author, Eleanor Drey, is medical director of the Women's Options Center at San Francisco General Hospital. The center provides abortions. She is an assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCSF.

and, in a CYA move from JAMA:

Catherine DeAngelis, the journal's editor in chief, said neither Lee nor Drey disclosed their abortion-related work or advocacy to the journal. Though she wishes they had, she said, it would not have influenced her decision to print the report.

Again, Yeaaaaahhh, riiiight. I wonder if JAMA would be similarly eager to go to press with an article claiming that unborn babies probably feel pain from early on, if two of the researchers were affiliated with the folks from here or here. Some saying about a snowball and hell comes to mind.

Again, this study is not systematic research, it is a review of research, subject to bias, (I have addressed examples of JAMA's bias in this post) In this study, the "researchers" use of the word "likely" throughout the study continues to suggest that it is really not known at which points that the unborn baby can or cannot feel pain. Yet this unknown appears to be treated as fact by some. Indeed, some posit that:

"Far from being less able to feel pain, such premature newborns may be more sensitive to pain"...that babies under 30 weeks have a "newly established pain system that is raw and unmodified at this tender age." P. Ranalli, Neuro. Dept., Univ. of Toronto"

If you believe that this "research" doesn't have an agenda and is untainted by bias, please email me. I have some bridges I've been meaning to get off of my hands.

Greatest movie line ever? .... I think so...

Follow the links, starting here.

On Moral Absolutes...

Fr. Mike has some timely and poignant questions regarding liberal's assertions that there are no moral absolutes. Or are there? Read about it here

On this date in 1984....nothing happened.

This box in the Roberts Stack o' Stuff contains several memos regarding the appropriateness of recess appointments. Although Roberts was in the employ of the Reagan administration during the time of these memos, Roberts' fingerprints are nowhere to be found. And even if his fingerprints were there, there would be nothing to report. There is a letter from Senator "Sheets" whining about the number of recess appointments (16) made by Reagan during the summer recess of 1984, but alas, nothing directly or indirectly regarding John Roberts.

Nothing here for the moonbats to chew on, that's for sure.

Nothing to see here .... go on about your business...

Well, I just got done going through my first box (all 106 pages) of the Judge Roberts file dump from the Reagan Library. At first, I thought, "What does this have to do with Roberts?" The whole box contains proceedings and findings from The Subcommittee on Federal Charters, Holidays & Celebrations... June 7, 1974

If Roberts had something to do with this, it would have to be before he was even an attorney, seeing as how he didn't even complete his undergraduate degree from Harvard until 1976, and didn't get his law degree from Harvard til 1979. Upon looking at this box and this box, I finally realized that the box I had was most likely comprised of Robert's reference materials that he used to make the recommendations that he did in the following boxes. All was not for naught, though.. While browsing through the materials, I did come across this: US CODE: Title 18,700. Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties I didn't realize that there was already a law on the books that addressed flag desecration including flag burning. If so, why the need for an amendment to the Constitution? And did you know that it's a punishable offense to to give liquor to an Indian if that Indian is on a reservation? But I digress. On to the next box.

The unborn feel no pain ...and other fairy tales.

This AP story, just out, just minutes ago, is beginning to spread like wildfire throughout the MSM. Thought it deserved a good fisking (emphases mine):

Fetuses May Not Feel Pain in Early Months

By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer 16 minutes ago

CHICAGO - A review of medical evidence has found that fetuses likely don't feel pain until the final months of pregnancy,

Likely don't feel pain. That's comforting to the 10-week old.

...a powerful challenge to abortion opponents who hope that discussions about fetal pain will make women think twice about ending pregnancies.

A little value-laden (to borrow the liberal lexicon) language, wouldn't you think?

Critics angrily disputed the findings and claimed the report is biased.

They may have a point here...

"They have literally stuck their hands into a hornet's nest," said Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand, a fetal pain researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who believes fetuses as young as 20 weeks old feel pain. "This is going to inflame a lot of scientists who are very, very concerned and are far more knowledgeable in this area than the authors appear to be. This is not the last word — definitely not."

The review by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco comes as advocates are pushing for fetal pain laws aimed at curtailing abortion.

How conveeeenient. And brought to you by good, non-biased, non-left-leaning San Franciscans.

Proposed federal legislation would require doctors to provide fetal pain information to women seeking abortions when fetuses are at least 20 weeks old, and to offer women fetal anesthesia at that stage of the pregnancy. A handful of states have enacted similar measures.

But the report, appearing in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, says that offering fetal pain relief during abortions in the fifth or sixth months of pregnancy is misguided and might result in unacceptable health risks to women.

Misguided? By whose terms. Remember the key word here is "likely" don't feel pain, not "definitively". Although at least one MSM outlet is jumping the gun by conveniently leaving the word "likely" out of their headline. Oversight, perhaps? I think not.

Dr. Nancy Chescheir, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Vanderbilt University and a board director at the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, said the article "will help to develop some consensus" on when fetuses feel pain. "To date, there hasn't been any."

The researchers reviewed dozens of studies and medical reports and said the data indicate that fetuses likely are incapable of feeling pain until around the seventh month of pregnancy, when they are about 28 weeks old.

The Good ol' CYA "likely" word again. Just where are the dozens of studies, and just how did they come to those conclusions?

While brain structures involved in feeling pain begin forming much earlier, research indicates they likely do not function until the pregnancy's final stages, said the report's senior author, UCSF obstetric anesthesiologist Dr. Mark Rosen.

Again, if those brain structures form much earlier, what leads them to conclude that they are not functional. Show me the proof.

Based on the evidence (?), discussions of fetal pain for abortions performed before the end of the second trimester should not be mandatory, the researchers said.

If there's a life involved, and there's the possibility of that child being tortured by virtue of pain inflicted in the course of ending that life, I want a little bit more than "likely" as a burden of proof.

The authors include the administrator of a UCSF abortion clinic, but the researchers dispute the claim that the report is biased.

(In my best Dr. Evil voice: "Yeeeaaaah... riiiiiight.")

Dr. Catherine DeAngelis, JAMA's editor-in-chief, said the decision to publish the review was not politically motivated.

"Oh, please," DeAngelis said. "If I had a political agenda, I wouldn't pick fetal pain."

JAMA does not publish "politically motivated science. We publish data-based, evidence-based science," DeAngelis said.

There are folks here and here and here that beg to differ. The fact that this study was admittedly undertaken as a direct result to impending legislation reveals a political underpinning. Heck, the second link in this paragraph points to an article by JAMA on the definition of sex conveniently published at the time of this president's impeachment.

The measure pending in Congress would affect about 18,000 U.S. abortions a year performed in the fifth month of pregnancy or later, said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee. He said the review is slanted.

But Rosen said the researchers tried (by gawrsh--we really did try!) to review the literature in an unbiased fashion. This was a multidisciplinary effort by experts on anesthesia, neuroanatomy, obstetrics and neonatal development."

Rosen also said that administering anesthesia or painkillers to the fetus could pose health risks to the mother.

When doctors operate on fetuses to correct defects before birth, general anesthesia is given to the mother primarily to immobilize the fetus and to make the uterus relax, Rosen said. Anesthesia during fetal surgery increases the mother's risks for breathing problems and bleeding from a relaxed uterus, the researchers said.

Rosen said those risks are medically acceptable when the goal is to save the fetus but there's not enough evidence to show any benefit from fetus-directed anesthesia during an abortion.

How about the evidence to show definitively that the baby does not experience pain? Why is anesthetic is warranted if the baby is to remain viable, but not if the baby will be aborted?

If they can't feel pain either way, then what would be the point for fetal anesthetic, even in surgery?

Administering anesthesia directly to the fetus is also sometimes done but generally to reduce the release of potentially harmful fetal stress hormones, Rosen said. There is little research on its effects, the authors said.

Anand, the researcher from Arkansas, said the authors excluded or minimized evidence suggesting fetal pain sensation begins in the second trimester and wrongly assume that fetuses' brains sense pain in the same way as adult brains.

Research also indicates that children prior to the age of three interpret and encode experiences and dreams differently than older children and adults--thus the reason for the fact that hardly anyone can remember experiences prior to age three. The human neurological system is constantly evolving from conception through early adulthood.

While Anand has testified as an expert witness for the government in court cases opposing some late-term abortions, he said he is not anti-abortion and that his views are based on years of fetal pain research.

I challenge anyone to view The Silent Scream, an actual film in which the "fetus" squirms about and tries to avoid the instrument that would lead to its destruction, and tell me that that child feels no pain. As is evident by the researchers' liberal (pun intended) sprinkling of the word "likely" throughout their research, they really do not know whether the child feels pain or not. Wagering what could only be termed as a "best guess" laden with obvious bias and political underpinnings, knowing that they could be wrong, is not sufficient in my book to justify the advocating of what could be the torture of an innocent human being.

___

***Update***

Fr. Mike has some good commentary regarding this issue here.

Wondering what's on?

Peace Lives last post is a veritable potpourri of blogs (probably 50-75 or so) of every stripe, shape and color. Yours truly just happens to be listed there as well. Check it out.

What's it take ...to be a good guardian?

You may want to ask these guys. According to this story, The Florida State Guardianship Association is bestowing the Guardian of the Year award to none other than Michael Schiavo.

The guardianship group acknowledged Michael was a controversial choice, but they honored him for supposedly keeping Terri's wishes.

"We see a lot of situations where family steps away," Michelle Kenney, president-elect of the group, told the Associated Press. "He stuck by. He didn't walk away."

Nope. He didn't walk away. He stuck by her til she was good and dead, even though he had every chance to walk away and let Terri live. Said Schiavo,

"I'm not much of a speechmaker," Michael said as he accepted the award. "I don't talk much. But on behalf of my wife Theresa, I thank you."

According to this story:

Complicating the case further is a million-dollar lawsuit settlement that was awarded to Schindler-Schiavo in 1993. The settlement came from a malpractice suit filed by Michael Schiavo against Terri's doctors, who failed to detect the low potassium levels that caused her heart attack. Only $350,000 of the settlement is left, however, according to the Times.

Could Mr. Schiavo have been saying "thank you" for allowing him to end his wife's life before the 350 grand died out completely?

At any rate, if Mr. Schiavo's "diligence" toward ensuring his wife's death is what makes one "Guardian of the Year", I think that when it comes time I'll choose one who is a little less competent, thank you.

Residents to Troops-- put your wallets away..

This from the The Chicago Sun Times:

August 22, 2005

BY JANET RAUSA FULLER Staff Reporter

Random acts of kindness are happening in Lake County.

Restaurants on the North Shore say their patrons are getting into the habit of picking up the tabs of fellow diners who happen to be military personnel as a gesture of goodwill.

At Egg Harbor Cafe, a cozy breakfast and lunch spot in Lake Forest, sailors from the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago are treated to free meals several times a month. Diners started picking up the tab after Sept. 11, manager Michelle Rasmus said.

Most of the time, it's done anonymously. All of the time, the sailors are "very grateful," she said.

The restaurant has even taken a page from diners and foots the bill of one table of military personnel every month, Rasmus said.

At the Lantern, a family-style restaurant in Lake Forest, servers have come to recognize one male customer in his 30s who always picks up soldiers' tabs when he is there.

"Sometimes their tab is bigger than his tab," said waitress Sheena Shelafoe, who has seen it happen at least five times.

Wouldn't it be great to follow their lead? Thank you, Ms. Fuller. Not too many MSM people who report positive stories regarding our soldiers and the people who appreciate their service. Read the rest here.

(hat tip to Moolah from The Open Door

The only way to retire

This from an email...

There will be no nursing home in my future.........When I
get old and feeble, which is happening really quickly, I am going
to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing
home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess
and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of
$135 per day. That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service(which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and
shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every or 7 or 14 days.

7. TV broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.;

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare. If you fall and break a hip on a Princess Ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

10.Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New
Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready to go.

P.S. If you die they just dump you over the side, at no
charge.

My 4000th Visitor..

Wow... I just noticed that I had my 4000th visitor since February 19, 2005. Now this is a big deal for me. Yeah, I know that these guys and this guy get that many visitors in a couple of hours during the overnight, or maybe even in a half an hour during the daytime, but that only makes me appreciate each and every visit to the Ice Palace that much more. See--I don't take you people for granted. :)

So, to my 4000th visitor, from somewhere in Waite Park Minnesota, a hearty thank you from all of us at the Ice Palace.

Still going through the boxes

I'm still going through the boxes that I adopted last night. As so far is the case with Doug, so far, a yawner. My box containing the American Flag subjects, for one, contains a pamphlet on flag etiquette. I still have not found anything authored by Judge Roberts, though I have much to go through yet.

I'll have a full report upon completion of this project!

Over and out.

Yet another reason... I shan't be visiting S.F....

What a bunch of moronic, ungrateful, self-indulgent, short-sighted imbeciles.

San Francisco Shuns Retired USS Iowa
Aug 20 4:54 PM US/Eastern


By BRIAN SKOLOFF
Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO

The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents.

Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific.

Instead, it appears that the retired battleship is headed about 80 miles inland, to Stockton, a gritty agricultural port town on the San Joaquin River and home of California's annual asparagus festival.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, helped secure $3 million to tow the Iowa from Rhode Island to the Bay Area in 2001 in hopes of making touristy Fisherman's Wharf its new home.

But city supervisors voted 8-3 last month to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things. (Read more here).

The Great Raid--A MUST SEE!

I just got back from seeing the true story of The Great Raid. I would recommend it without hesitation. There have been only a couple of movies in my lifetime at which I have ever cried at the end. This was one of them. I didn't cry because it was sad. I cried because I was so humbled at the bravery and sacrifices that were exacted of our brave men and women during WWII; especially with regard to the atrocities that took place during and after the Bataan Death March. When the U.S. was re-taking the Phillippines, rather than set prisoners free, it was the Japanese practice to herd them into air raid shelters and burn them alive, so none would be alive to be able to relate the atrocities committed by the Japanese. This was the story of the first Ranger platoon who risked life and limb against all odds to rescue over 500 prisoners from the Cabanatuan prison camp.

According to the movie site, it was supposed to be released in 2004. My guess is that it had a difficult time finding distribution because it pulled no punches in graphically recounting the atrocities inflicted by the Japanese.

If you see no other movie this year, see this one. And make sure to bring some friends.

****UPDATE****

Big thanks to Eagle and Elephant for linking this post. W. Suggests that we encourage as many people as possible to set aside time next weekend to see this movie, even twice. I heartily agree.

Can the U.S. be far behind?

I fear that the U.S. is probably not far behind, if it is not already there. It will be interesting to see the perspective on this that my Canadian friend and fellow Ice Palace Contributor Nauti By Nature will have when he returns from his world travels:

Global National with files from Canadian Press

Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler. (Brian Gavriloff, CanWest News Service)

Friday, August 19, 2005

Courtesy stock.xchng
Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler. (Brian Gavriloff, CanWest News Service)

Justice Minister Irwin Cotler says legislation will be introduced this fall to give police and national security agencies new powers to eavesdrop on cellphone calls and monitor the Internet activities of Canadians.

The bill would allow police to demand that Internet service providers hand over a wide range of information on the surfing habits of individuals, including online pseudonyms, and whether someone possesses a mischief-making computer virus, according to a draft outline of the bill provided to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

After a speech to a police association in Ottawa, Cotler confirmed that his government will soon bring "lawful access" legislation to cabinet for final approval before it is introduced in the House of Commons.
» READ COTLER'S SPEECH TO POLICE BOARD

The minister said the law is needed to replace outdated surveillance laws that were written before the arrival of cellphones and e-mail.

"We will put law-enforcement people on the same level playing field as criminals and terrorists in the matter of using technology and accessing technology," Cotler said.

"At the same time we will protect the civil libertarian concerns that are involved such as privacy and information surveillance," he said.

Police groups say they are not asking for any new powers but rather the ability to continue their regular investigative activities in the digital age. Clayton Pecknold of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police said police are working with laws originally written in 1974.

But critics who have been involved in private consultations with the government are expressing concern that the proposed law goes too far and could ultimately be used to nab Canadians as they engage in relatively minor offences such as illegally downloading music, movies and computer software. (...Read the rest here).

An Iraqi man's response ...to Cindy Sheehan

This blog makes for some excellent reading. Put together and written by two Iraqis, this provides a perspective not available in the MSM--the mainstream Iraqi's appreciation for the sacrifices that Americans have made to instill freedom and stability in a region that has known nothing but despotism for decades. This post to Cindy Sheehan is especially telling:

I realize how tragic your loss is and I know how much pain there is crushing your heart and I know the darkness that suddenly came to wrap your life and wipe away your dreams and I do feel the heat of your tears that won't dry until you find the answers to your question; why you lost your loved one?

I have heard your story and I understand that you have the full right to ask people to stand by your side and support your cause. At the beginning I told myself, this is yet another woman who lost a piece of her heart and the questions of war, peace and why are killing her everyday. To be frank to you the first thing I thought of was like "why should I listen or care to answer when there are thousands of other women in America, Iraq and Afghanistan who lost a son or a husband or a brother…”

But today I was looking at your picture and I saw in your eyes a persistence, a great pain and a torturing question; why?

I know how you feel Cindy, I lived among the same pains for 35 years but worse than that was the fear from losing our loved ones at any moment. Even while I'm writing these words to you there are feelings of fear, stress, and sadness that interrupt our lives all the time but in spite of all that I'm sticking hard to hope which if I didn't have I would have died years ago.

Ma'am, we asked for your nation's help and we asked you to stand with us in our war and your nation's act was (and still is) an act of ultimate courage and unmatched sense of humanity.
Our request is justified, death was our daily bread and a million Iraqi mothers were expecting death to knock on their doors at any second to claim someone from their families.
Your face doesn't look strange to me at all; I see it everyday on endless numbers of Iraqi women who were struck by losses like yours.

Our fellow country men and women were buried alive, cut to pieces and thrown in acid pools and some were fed to the wild dogs while those who were lucky enough ran away to live like strangers and the Iraqi mother was left to grieve one son buried in an unfound grave and another one living far away who she might not get to see again.

We did nothing to deserve all that suffering, well except for a dream we had; a dream of living like normal people do.

We cried out of joy the day your son and his comrades freed us from the hands of the devil and we went to the streets not believing that the nightmare is over.
We practiced our freedom first by kicking and burning the statues and portraits of the hateful idol who stole 35 years from the life of a nation.
For the first time air smelled that beautiful, that was the smell of freedom. (...read the rest here)

Adopt a box, anyone?

Hugh Hewitt has called for bloggers to "adopt a box"; that is, adopt one of the boxes from the Reagan Library that the dems demanded to be held up for scrutinization for the nomination of John Roberts. The idea is to comb the contents of the "boxes" as a proactive measure as a means of fact checking the materials before the dems embark on their "spinning" expeditions. The Master List and adopters are located on Radio Blogger here. I've submitted my adoption papers for Box 46-JGR/Reagan-Bush Rallies Guidance, as well as Box 49-JGR/School Prayer (3) I can't wait!

H/T to Doug

**UPDATE**

Unfortunately, my original adoption application fell through, as someone had already spoken for the above-boxes. Fortunately, there were two other bouncing baby boxes to be adopted, and I felt up to the challenge. One, Box 25, Regarding the American Flag (106 pages, Yay!), and the other, Box 47, regarding recess appointments.

Well--I guess I have homework to do!!

The Ice Palace Welcomes...the DNC

I just noticed while looking at the Site Meter counter that I had a visit by someone from no where other than the DNC itself; seems they took an interest in this post.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, I guess

A sense of proportion?

I googled Cindy Sheehan just a minute ago and got back 8200 news stories. Seeing as how Ms. Sheehan's views are vastly outweighed by other parents of fallen soldiers who hold opposite views, why aren't the vast majority of those parents who are pro-Bush, pro-Iraqi policy given at least as much press time?

Cindy Sheehan's situation is nothing more than a feeble attempt by the MSM to relive the "glory days" of Viet Nam, Nixon, you name it. Yeah.. glory days. If the MSM really wants to re-live the glory days of journalism, how about going back to the ilk of Edwin R. Murrow or Walter Winchill; back in the days when the MSM actually had some cred. If the MSM really wants to re-live the glory days, why not go back to the reporting style of WWII, when the positive happenings were sure to get as much press as the negative?

Do we and the MSM actually live in the same nation anymore?

This lack of proportion can only be construed as hard, continuing evidence of something that the MSM continues to deny--the existence of an agenda.

Is this the Neville Chamberlain move of our time?

I know that this analogy has been oft used, and probably overused (I plead guilty to that); but dang it if it doesn't seem fitting in this case. Benjamin Netanyahu was on the Sean Hannity radio show this afternoon. Netanyahu deplored the act of removing settlers from the Gaza Strip, saying, "You must not give terrorism any quarter, nor give it any rewards." Netanyahu reminded the audience that prior to his term as prime minister, there were many suicide bomb terrorist attacks, as well as after his term, but nearly no attacks during his term. Netanyahu lamented that this move toward appeasement will likely exacerbate the terrorists' level of activity, not decrease it. He noted that a sure sign that Palestinians are not looking for peace is that they refuse to coexist. Netanyahu cited examples of many Arabs living amongst Israelis within Israel proper, yet they (the Palestinians) would not tolerate any Jews living amongst them in their lands.

In this "move toward peace", I am afraid that all Prime Minister Sharon did, outside of uprooting and alienating his countrymen, was to open Pandora's box even wider. The terroristic acts and murderous seeds planted by the Palestinians over these decades have finally borne fruit. Look for more of these poisoned seeds to be planted in the grove in the near future.

An interesting study in contrasts ...and class

In an interesting contrast with this character, CNN reports this:

Marine's mother: Support the fight

Dyer among the Marines killed in the August 3 bombing in Iraq

Thursday, August 18, 2005; Posted: 9:10 a.m. EDT (13:10 GMT)

U.S. Marines honor Lance Cpl. Christopher Dyer Wednesday in West Chester, Ohio.

WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) -- The mother of a Marine killed in Iraq urged mourners Wednesday not to let their anger and sadness turn them against the U.S. fight in Iraq.

"Honor me in this way," Kathy Dyer said during a memorial service for Lance Cpl. Christopher J. Dyer, 19, of the Cincinnati suburb of Evendale.

At the funeral at Tri-County Baptist Church, Kathy Dyer delivered what she believed would have been her son's own message: "It has been with the greatest pride I have served ... fighting to preserve freedom."

She said he would want mourners to continue supporting the troops in the war against terrorism.

I would comfortably venture to say that Kathy Dyer is by far more representative of the views of parents of service people (present company included). The fact that Cindy Sheehan continues to discredit her own son's service and sacrifice, and even more so the fact that the whacko left continues to use this woman with obvious issues (much as one would use a person having a tonic-clonic seizure as a carnival ride) is unconscionable, at best.

But then again, given the current leadership on the left, I suppose one could expect no less...


***UPDATE**** Doug has the story of yet another parent's reaction here.

RINOs controlling the U.S.?

One thing I'll never understand is the stranglehold that the RINOs appear to have on the workings of our party, and in the struggle to push through the President's agenda. From It Shines for All:

R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. has a good column in this morning's New York Sun on Jesse Helms's new book. If Helms were still in the Senate and still chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, it would be a lot harder for Kofi Annan to hold onto his job at the United Nations. Instead, the committee, with a few notable exceptions like Senator Coleman, has fallen into the hands of some of the most appeasement-oriented Republicans, including Senators Hagel and Chafee. Whether Helms or Senator Lugar is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is one of those Washington inside things that one might not expect to actually affect world events or register with most Americans, but that can make a big difference in how things turn out.

Seeing as how these RINOs definitely are in the minority of the Republican Senate delegation, and seeing how their views definitely are not reflective of the majority of rank-and-file Republicans, why is it that they hold such high rankings in power? For heaven's sake, even George Bush himself promoted the re-election of this RINO who had been and continues to largely be a burr in the saddle of his judicial nominations. I know that this cadre of RINOs continues to be the darlings of the MSM, but is that any reason to continue to allow them in positions of power whereby they can only serve to thwart the intended agenda of those who put their party in power? I'm still scratching my head over this.

Why I'm glad I don't belong to the Teacher's Union

I think I'll just have to shop at Wal Mart more often.

story here.

***UPDATE***
Doug has some more good info and links here.

St. Cloud City Council ... does the right thing.

This from the St. Cloud Times:

A group home for late-stage alcoholics who have nowhere else to go may not be built in St. Cloud because of concerns from neighbors and Waite Park officials.

City Council members voted 6-3 on Monday to signal their intent to deny a permit allowing Margaret Brott and her family to build a 40-bed home on property they own at 525 and 605-54th Ave. N. Council members Sonja Hayden Berg, Carolyn Garven and Lori Long voted against rejecting the permit.

Council members who opposed the permit said the home was needed but the location was wrong.

"There are alternatives that would still allow us to do the right thing," City Council member Bob Johnson said.

Waite Park Mayor Carla Schaefer sent a letter asking for the permit's denial, based on its proximity to that city's River's Edge Park and baseball facilities.

A two-thirds vote was required to overturn the permit, which the city's Zoning Board of Appeals granted in June. But another vote will be necessary Aug. 24, to give staff time to find a legal reason to justify Monday's decision.

Staff had warned council members they could not legally overturn the permit unless they could demonstrate a negative effect to the neighborhood that will be its home.

Mayor John Ellenbecker, who had strongly supported the group home, was visibly upset by the vote and wondered how staff could find legal justification for it.

Edgar Jackson testified to the need for a safe place for chronic inebriates who can't stop drinking, many of whom are estimated to be veterans.

"They're here, they're our family members," the St. Cloud resident said.

The home would make neighborhoods safer by bringing people indoors and keeping them from getting into trouble, said Julie Brott, Margaret Brott's daughter-in-law and assistant director of the three group homes the Brott family already operates.

"People commit crimes when they have nowhere else to go," Julie Brott said.

Recent studies indicate more than 60 chronic inebriates live in the St. Cloud area.

They are defined as people who have been through treatment for alcoholism and detox several times and are unlikely to stop drinking. Many have serious health problems and will likely die of alcoholism or related illnesses.

I had encountered this issue several years ago as a member of the Stearns County Human Services Advisory Committee, where I vehemently voiced opposition to such a facility. As it was presented, the facility would house chronic inebriates, and would in fact, be a "wet house" where chronic inebriates would be allowed to continue to consume alcohol while in its environs. Janet Reigstad, Community Supports Division Director, envisioned a facility whereby the "...sewer grates would be enlarged" so as to be able to better accommodate the vomitus that would likely result from the alcohol consumed by residents. She also stated that the plans were to allow the chronic inebriate a safe place to go, as well as to give each resident an $80 per week stipend to spend as he or she wishes, including to buy more booze. She went on to paint what could only be termed as a romanticized version of such a facility in the Twin Cities region, where she described same as a "spiritual place," where many chronic inebriates were allowed, in effect, to drink themselves to death. When asked about a treatment component, she replied that there was no treatment component (shades of this post by the Night Writer), since the residents, by definition, would be beyond hope of saving. In effect, it would be "Kervorkian Light", allowing drunks to commit suicide by allowing them to continue to consume their "poison of choice."

When this proposal came before the committee, I could not in good conscience support such a hopeless place, where people are allowed and/or encouraged to continue to engage in the behavior that led to their downfall, and is sure to lead to their death, with absolutely no effort made toward treating their disease. This, IMO, is just another "good-intentioned" stone in the pavement on the road to hell known as the Culture of Death.

***UPDATE***

What I have neglected to say on this post, is that one of the co-sponsors of this movement is none other than Catholic Charities. Proof positive that the Catholic Church is being taken over by the extreme left.

Those crazy SUVs are at it again...

This from the Red Star Diaper:

Last update: August 16, 2005 at 6:59 AM
Stolen SUV runs into car, killing one
Chao Xiong, Star Tribune
August 16, 2005

A stolen sport-utility vehicle being pursued by police officers crashed head-on with a car Monday afternoon in Arden Hills...

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Those SUV's.. can't trust 'em.. Gotta keep a better eye on my Geo Tracker.

Has the wakeup call finally arrived?

Aug 15, 10:28 AM EDT

Oberstar helping Democrats reach out to abortion opponents

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat who opposes legalized abortion, is helping the party's effort to broaden its base by reaching out to other abortion opponents.

"I just feel that the party needs to be neutral on the subject, or at least welcoming of those who have a different view," Oberstar said.

Democrats opposed to abortion are still chafing from a slap at the 1992 Democratic Convention, where Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey, who opposed abortion, was kept from the podium. He died in 2000.

"It was an unnecessary poke in the eye," Oberstar said.

Oberstar and other House Democrats who oppose abortion recently met with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.

"The Democratic Party is a pro-choice party. That has not changed. But we can't afford to write people off," said DNC spokesman Josh Earnest. "We need to reframe the debate."

Dean, a former presidential candidate, supports legalized abortion but has talked about broadening the party's appeal to socially conservative voters.

"What Oberstar is trying to do is a pretty big deal," said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. "Even though it's a subtle shift, it's potentially a real flash point."

Anti-abortion Democrats are drafting a bill in Congress aimed at reducing the number of abortions in the country by 95 percent over 10 years, primarily by stressing adoption. It's known as the "95-10 Initiative."

Oberstar estimated that when he first came to Congress 30 years ago from the state's Iron Range, there were 138 House Democrats opposed to abortion. He said the numbers is now about 38.

"Those other 100 districts haven't stopped sending representatives to Congress," Oberstar said. "They're just not sending Democrats."

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com

© 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

It will be interesting how this plays out. There are many one-issue voters (myself included) who vote for life; knowing all the time that the power brokers on the left would never allow the democrats to be "pro life." Will the wolves be able to successfully garment themselves in sheep's clothing?

Have a great weekend...

I'll be at the lake this weekend. See you Monday evening.

I guess this is good...

the Idiot Savant (38% dark, 57% spontaneous, 63% vulgar)

your humor style: VULGAR | SPONTANEOUS | LIGHT You like things silly, immediate, and, above all, outrageous. Ixne on the subtle word play, more testicles on fire, please. People like you are the most likely to RECEIVE internet forwards--and also the most likely to save them in a special folder entitled 'HOLY SHIT'. Because it's so easily appreciated, and often wacky and physical, your sense of humor never ceases to amuse your friends. Most realize that there's a sly intelligence and a knowing wink to your tastes. Your sense of humor could be called 'anti-pretentious'--but paradoxically enough, that indicates you're smarter than most. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Johnny Knoxville - Jimmy Kimmel AND FINALLY -- after you rate my test with a sweet, sweet '5' -- you must take this test next: The Genghis Khan Genetic Fitness Test. It's not mine, but it rocks.

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 25% on dark You scored higher than 99% on spontaneous You scored higher than 99% on vulgar

Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on Ok Cupid

H/T to Doug

Et tu, Bruti?

You scored as Stabbed. You will die from being stabbed. Yay. Gunshot 80% Stabbed 80% Natural Causes 67% Suicide 60% Posion 53% Bomb 53% Disappear 47% Disease 33% Accident 33% Cut Throat 33% Eaten 27% Drowning 0% Suffocated 0% How Will You Die?? created with QuizFarm.com

Must be the Italian in me.

H/T to Kevin.

Dems Continue "Living in the Past"... Here come the "extraodinary circumstances."

Again, politics as usual on the left. Senator Barbara Boxer is threatening to "slow down" the Supreme Court confirmation process of John Roberts, if he will not pledge to uphold Roe v. Wade. Is anyone actually surprised by this? Says Boxer:

Today I am not announcing my support for, or opposition to the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court.

I am not questioning his credentials, intelligence or affability.

I am questioning his views. And I am also inviting every citizen into this debate because it is just that important.

We have about 30 days left to thoroughly examine how Judge Roberts will impact the lives of Americans for the next 30 years and beyond.

His views are not just of interest to me, but they are of great importance to me because the stakes are so high, particularly for women.

With Justice O’Connor’s retirement, we are losing the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court and the deciding vote to protect the reproductive freedom, and the rights, and the basic dignity of all women.

It was Justice O’Connor, for example, who built the 5 to 4 majority to reaffirm Roe v. Wade in 1992. It was Justice O’Connor who cast the deciding vote to protect a woman’s health in 2000.
And it was Justice O’Connor who wrote two 5 to 4 decisions in the last six years protecting girls and their coaches from discrimination under Title IX.

We need to know whether Judge Roberts will follow in her moderate tradition or side with the extremist views of Justices Scalia and Thomas.

Okay, first of all, why does the left always view the right as "extremists"? Last time I checked, ohh... say back in 2004, Republicans increased their majority in both houses and won the presidency. This was done by a majority of voters voting them in. Are we to surmise by Ms. Boxer's comments that the majority of Americans, who voted for candidates that largely are representative of Justice Scalia & Thomas' philosophy, are "extremists"? Just who is extremist here?(Funny how insane people are usually the last to realize they're insane)

Second, I'm still looking for the law that says we need to replace an outgoing supreme court justice with a like-minded clone. Again, back in 2004, we elected a President who vowed that he would nominate strict constructionists to the Bench. Again, last time I checked, the Constitution allows the President, who by definition has the mandate of the electoral if not the voting majority, to nominate justices, with the Senate giving only "advise & consent" (i.e., an up or down vote). Ms. Boxer, you don't get to pick the candidate. Teddy "hic" "swimmer" Kennedy, you don't get to pick the candidate. Harry Reid, you don't get to pick the candidate. Come back when your guy wins, mmmkay?

Third, where do these people get the audacity to demand knowing beforehand how Judge Roberts will vote after the earlier imposition of the Ginsburg standard, and even with respect to "The Swimmer's" own words:

"We have to respect that any nominee to the Supreme Court would have to defer any comments on any matters, which are either before the court or very likely to be before the court," Kennedy said during the 1967 press conference. "This has been a procedure which has been followed in the past and is one which I think is based upon sound legal precedent."

Are these people truly this delusional? Do they think that the double standards that they are imposing with impunity are truly going to slip under the radar screen undetected and unchallenged?? Ten- to twenty years ago, with their willing MSM accomplices at the ready, that may indeed have been the case. But the dems continue to underestimate the fact checking power of blogs, talk radio, and other alternative forms of media, and continue to operate as if the MSM is still the only game in town. The only way for their strategy to work is to count on the mistaken notions that the vast majority of Americans are dumb enough to continue to believe everything fed to them by the MSM. It is at once sad and laughable. Ian Anderson must have been prescient with regard to today's democrat party when he wrote:

"Oh, we won't give in, we'll keep living in the past."