And yet another AQI scumbag bites the dust...

Read about it here.



And a good riddance to you, kind sir :)

The Three Best...

Top Eleven Lists. Ever.

That is all.

Hey FatBoy--I do hear the Fat Lady Singing...

And it won't be a pretty tune for you...

You see, Jack Murtha will be forced to testify in a defamation suit filed by one of the Marines that he accused (without justification) of murdering civilians in cold blood.

William Teach over at Pirate's Cove has the details.

Payback's a bitch, ain't it Jack?

Leftists in the News....

Laverne and Mustaffah.










(~we're gonna make it after all~)












Diamond Jane Brady.

(generous with other people's money)

And last but not least, John the prognotsic.. err... prestedigit...err.. fortune teller.


Welcome Dr. Sanity readers--

Click here for the main page--grab a cup o jo and make yourself at home.

Bush Administration Drinks Algore's Kool-Aid...

Just when you thought that people were finally getting the message about the myth that is anthroprogenic global warming.

In what has to be one of the most revolting developments and shameless displays of kowtowing I have ever witnessed in this administration,

Washington changes its tune on climate

Published: September 27 2007 21:28 | Last updated: September 27 2007 21:28

The world must cut emissions or sacrifice the planet, Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of state, told a meeting of governments on Thursday, in the most strongly worded statement on global warming yet made by the US administration.

She told representatives of 16 governments gathered for talks on climate change in Washington: “It is our responsibility as global leaders to forge a new international consensus on how to solve climate change . . . If we stay on our present path, we face an unacceptable choice: either we sacrifice global economic growth to secure the health of our planet or we sacrifice the health of our planet to continue with fossil-fuelled growth.”

She asked the governments present, which account for more than 80 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, to agree a long-term goal on emissions reduction, establish mid-term targets for the same and to help develop markets for low-carbon technologies.

Her words reflected how far US rhetoric on climate change has moved in the past six months.

President George W. Bush, who rejected the Kyoto protocol, had previously called into question the state of scientific knowledge on global warming, and the US has been seen by other governments as holding up progress on international talks.

His decision to host a meeting of big emitters took the world by surprise.The two-day meeting, which finishes on Friday, is intended to be the first in a series whose conclusions will next year be included in the United Nations process on finding a successor to the Kyoto protocol when its main provisions expire in 2012.

Can at least one person somewhere in the Bush administration FINALLY get the cajones to tell the enviro-socialists that their global warming emperor has no clothes?!?, and while they're at it, to tell them to go take a flying leap??

And while we're at it, can someone tell our esteemed governor that ethanol isn't all it's cracked up to be?

The net effect of this Kool-Aid consumption by Republicans serves to embolden those who insist on propagating this myth as an excuse for higher taxes, or even for doing away with capitalism altogether.

So a word to whomever must be feeding our elected Republican officials hallucinogens: Knock it off, already!

And a word to those elected Republican officials: Don't be surprised when the growing number of disaffected and disgusted Republican voters who sit home on election day necessitates your one-way bus ticket home on a cold January day in 2009.

Wednesday Hero Blogburst 9-26-2007

Welcome to this week's installment where all the member bloggers of Wednesdays Hero found in my sidebar and theirs collectively honor many of the real hero's found in this country who's names and bio's have been provided to us for these humble tributes by blogroll creators Indian Chris @ Right Wing and Right Minded along with HooahWife.

Many of our soldiers feature here are those that have paid the ultimate price for this country, protecting it both at home and abroad from the many threats we face from our enemies wishing us and them harm, and some are not thank goodness..

In both cases they are the real and deserved American heroes of today that we now simultaneously salute while offering prayers to them and their sacred loved ones. To join us in any way you wish to or see fit please start by reading the memorial post and dedication below.

Provided by Wednesday's Hero's Creator, heart and soul both Indian Chris and Hooah Wife:

Lance Cpl. Cory Jamieson

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

Personal Security Detachment, Headquarters and Support Company, Task Force 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, attached to Regimental Combat Team 2

Hippocrates once said, "Art is long, life is short".

Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh lived a short life. But, he was immortalized recently in acrylics by a Lance Cpl. Jamieson who painted a mural in his honor.

"I feel sad because it is for him, but it makes me happy because I can still do something for him," said Lance Cpl. Jamieson. "I thought about it during the ceremony in the chapel. I looked up at the stained glass windows and I thought 'I should do something like that'".

Along with help from family, a fellow Marine and a Morale, Wefare and Recreation manager, Jamieson had the paint and tools needed.

"I would paint eight or nine hours in the gym and time would fly by," Jamieson said.

Cpl. Jeremy David Allbaugh, 21 years old from Luther, Oklahoma, was killed by a roadside bomb on July 5, 2007 while conducting combat operations in Qaim, Iraq.

"He believed very strongly in what our country's doing," said his mother, Jenifer Allbaugh. "They were doing good things over there, and we don't see that in the news or media. There's a lot of progress being made. I wish more people would talk to our boys who are in it and not our politicians because they see it firsthand".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go
here.

(Graphics and layout courtesy of ChicagoRay!)

Kinda makes you proud to admit you're French, again...

Read about it at The Astute Bloggers.

"Social Singularity"

This concept put forth in a correspondence by my good friend, Warren Bonesteel, is definitely more than worth pondering:

"Social Singularity."

Currently there are more than one billion people on the internet. Some scholars and researchers claim that the next five years will see at least another one billion people join us. That latter number does not take into account internet capable iPods and cell phones, etc., which are projected to become even more available and ubiquitous over the next few years. In America alone, there are currently two hundred and eleven million people on the internet. More than seventy percent of them get some or all of their news and info from the WWW. The People are now beginning to flex their new-found muscles and take over the aggregation and implementation of memes and narratives that have traditionally been handled by other institutions.

Initially, I could find no name - or even peer-reviewed work - for the phenomena which I have witnessed. It is a trend that I have only recently come to fully notice and to fully appreciate in my travels and adventures on the Internet. Although I have recently spoken about the trend with a few of my friends, I was still searching for the words to properly describe what I'd seen and realized. I mean, how do you describe something that none of us has ever seen before? The closest descriptive term I've seen used is 'panarchy,' but even as all-inclusive as that term seems to be, it doesn't quite touch on the phenomenon that I, and others, have witnessed. This phenomenon crosses ideological lines as well as national and cultural boundaries in a very unique and profound fashion.

It is the sort of thing that we've only previously heard or read in the ramblings of daydreamers and fools. More than two hundred million people in America, and tens of millions more around the world, however, are beginning to take their dreams and hopes for the future more seriously than ever before. New technologies aside, the internet alone has so profoundly changed our personal and professional interactions that few of us can begin to articulate those changes. The power that has now been granted to more than one billion individuals around the world is difficult articulate in a coherent fashion.

The patterns of this phenomenon are readily apparent when a synthetic, multi-disciplinary approach is used. An objective look at the data speaks for itself. The trend appears to be building momentum. Except for the occasional "griefer," the trend crosses multiple disciplines, venues, spiritual beliefs and ideologies. I also believe that we're not speaking of several tens of thousands - or even hundreds of thousands – of organizations that are involved. We're speaking of several hundred million individuals from around the world who are working more or less independently of one another and coming to the same conclusions. This is not only about their concern for humanity or for the future of humanity. The common phrase you hear is that they wish to change the world for the better. Quite a number of them are even discussing what that actually means and what version of "better" they should consider, discuss, and hold as a standard.

This is not about their personal ideology or religion, although it is about that, too. It is about the realization of their newfound and individual power to influence and change the outcomes of current and future events and long and short term trends. It is about their ability to exchange facts, information, ideas, plans and concepts with others around the world. It is about their power and ability to coordinate ad hoc political and social movements in real time. It is organic, fluid, leaderless and very, very adaptable to changes in its environment. The People are beginning to work together towards one goal and one goal alone. The betterment of humanity, as they, themselves, have defined that goal.

This is a true mega-trend. We're going to see more signs of credibility and accountability as the primary standard of interactions. We're already witnessing the decline of unquestioned (and almost) religious respect for those who have lengthy CV's, high social status and other traditional credentials. We're also seeing a rise in creativity and in the sharing of ideas. There are even now growing trends in multi-disciplinary approaches to problem solving, no matter the venue or discipline. There also appears to be a growing trend towards Open Source works in nearly every discipline, particularly among those who wish to make the world a better place to live. Most of mankind's traditional institutions are so far behind the curve on these issues that they will never see it coming.

The media, our cultural and social institutions, the powerbrokers and politicians no longer control the memes and narratives of our society. The changes that we are going to see will be deep and profound. I have had a very positive feeling about the future since I - finally - understood what I was seeing. What is happening won't end in Xanadu or Utopia, but, in time, it should result in much better scenarios than we presently face as a world culture and society.

One point one billion People around the world are on the internet, with another one billion people projected to join them in less than five years. For our traditional information and educational Gatekeepers and for traditional bureaucrats, politicians and power mongers, this is fearsome news, indeed. For the rest of us, this is empowerment of a type and kind never before seen or imagined. This is true Democracy.

Two hundred and eleven million Americans are presently online. More than 70% of us get some or all of our news and info from the internet... (And not all of us use Google or Yahoo.) Conservative talk radio, at its very best, reaches ten per cent of that number. Fox News reaches a million or two viewers during the best of times? Maybe fifteen million per twenty-four hours? The newspapers are losing readers and revenues on a daily basis. The traditional TV news gatekeepers are now below a nightly audience of 15 million viewers.

Future currency for everyone will be credibility and transparency. Indeed, that is even now becoming the 'currency' for us all. That credibility is predicated upon accountability. If we do not tell the truth, if we do not strive for accuracy in our spoken and written words, we will be held accountable. If we are not willing to accept correction or admit to our mistakes and immediately correct them, we lose credibility.

The future will not be about ideology, ambition or agenda. It will be credibility.

This is called a "Social Singularity."

S.

Warren "Bones" Bonesteel
Author and Researcher
Sgt USMC 1976-1983

You have to agree with Warren's take on this matter. More and more people are beginning to find their independent voice in this, the ultimate marketplace of ideas. My post here, in which DFL loyalists were unwilling to drink the enviro-whacko kool-aid proves that this quest for societal betterment in defiance of what used to be unquestionable standards is proof positive of its effect across party lines. Internet-based dissension in what was once one of the most bleakest and oppressive societies is further testament to the human spirit's longing for self-determination stretching across international boundaries.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the true, brave new world.

As long as we're handing them out...

The FCC is thinking about imposing a fine for "fake news."

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission is proposing a $4,000 fine against Comcast Corp. for airing a pitch for a sleep aid without telling viewers that the spot was financed by the maker of the product.

The fine was in response to a complaint by the Center for Media and Democracy, a media watchdog group, which said it marks the first time a company has been sanctioned for airing a "video news release," a type of programming it dubs "fake news."

Well, if you're handing out fines for fake news, then by all means, let's go on to here, and here, or here for starters.

But there's much more where that came from, isn't there?

Yet another illegal immigration problem....

This from an email from a friend of mine...

Outrageous isn't it? Surely the Border Patrol must know about this place.

Huh!! The Border Patrol doesn't even know were the border is. Number one fleecer of the USA.

HERE IS A REAL EYE OPENER FOR YOU, WHAT A SHAME FOR ARIZONA AND OUR BEAUTIFUL U.S.A.

Another Monster Layup/Rest Area Discovered by MCDC AZ SEARCH & RESCUE

We all breathed sigh of relief the day the Senate defeated the Amnesty Bill, but the USA is still being invaded! We discovered one of the biggest layups we have ever found. This layup is on an 'illegal super highway' from Mexico to the USA (Tucson) used by human smugglers.

This layup area is located in a wash area approximately-mile long, just south of Tucson .

We estimate there are over 3000 discarded backpacks in this layup area., and countless water containers, food wrappers, clothing. And as you can see in this picture, fresh footprints leading right into it. We weren't too far behind them.

As I kept walking down the wash, I was sure it was going to end just ahead, but I kept walking and walking, and around every corner was more and more trash! And of course the trail leading out of the layup area heading NORTH to Tucson, then on to your town in tomorrow. They've already come through here.

Is this America the Beautiful? Or another landfill?

The trash left behind by the illegals is another of the environmental disasters to hit the USA. Had this been done in one of our great Northwest forests or seashore National Parks areas there would be an uprising of the American people........ but this is remote Arizona-Mexican border. Out of sight, out of mind.

This information needs to be seen by the rest of the country. Please send it along.

On a personal note, I wonder if picking up trash left by illegals at the border constitutes another of those "jobs that Americans won't do."

With regard to Ahmadinejad's Ahmadickhead's speech at Columbia...

This picture paints a thousand words.

Fred Thompson--out and about

There have been a lot of doomsayers out and about saying that Fred Thompson's campaign for President was "dead in the water" before it started, that Fred is a political lightweight, and that Fred was doomed to be a flash in the pan, among others.

But there is one important fact that all the nattering naybobs continue to ignore:

The voters aren't listening to them:

Over the past four months, Rasmussen Reports polling has consistently shown Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani holding the top two slots in the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination. During that time, the weekly poll results have shown Thompson’s support ranging from a low of 20% to a high of 28%. Giuliani’s range has been similar, from 19% to 27%. Although Thompson and Giuliani are the frontrunners, both men still have plenty of detractors who say they can’t possibly win the nomination.

For the week ending September 23, it’s Thompson 26% and Giuliani 22%.

Occupying a precarious niche somewhere between the frontrunners and the also-rans are John McCain and Mitt Romney. Both men were early favorites of Washington pundits but haven’t done as well among Republican primary voters. During the past four months, McCain’s support has ranged from 11% to 14%. Romney’s range has been from 11% to 15%.

Also, despite claims that Thompson won't be well-received by core conservative voters, the NRA gave Thompson no less than three standing ovations during his stump speech at their convention (more on Thompson's success over at National Review).

Despite continued attacks by the conservative establishment on Fred's character and ability to win, Fred and the voters continue to prove them wrong.

So, if the nattering naybobs of the conservative establishment continue to downplay Fred Thompson's effectiveness as a candidate, they continue to do so at the peril of their own credibility.

Get used to it, folks.

Fred has hit the trail running, and he's not looking back.

Full Speed Ahead, Fred! ©

(Cross-posted at Minnesotans for Fred)

Hey Tribune-Democrat-- What Took You So Long?

From the Tribune Democrat:

Mud thrown at Murtha stains all of us

John Murtha represents the people of this region in all that he does.

We can’t accept the congressman’s earmark dollars with one hand and brush off his alleged transgressions with the other.

When he steps in mud, or when others throw mud at Murtha, we all get dirty.

That’s why, when questions are raised about possible improper activities at a Murtha-created organization, we get anxious.

And when a watchdog group rates our local congressman as being among “the most corrupt” lawmakers in Washington, we are embarrassed.

We don’t like being characterized as folks who support questionable activities, or who endorse troubling behavior by our elected officials.

In the past week, Murtha has taken shots from two sides over the way he does business in our nation’s capital.

The nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, released its third annual report on lawmakers. The group said 22 House and Senate members - 18 Republicans and four Democrats - were listed because of “their egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities (as) the most tainted members.”

Specifically, Murtha was chosen – the group said – because of “abuse of his position on the (defense appropriations) subcommittee to benefit the lobbying firm of a former long-term staffer and for threatening to block earmarks of other members for political purposes.”

In 2006, CREW rated Murtha as a “dishonorable member” to be watched. CREW said he jumped into the “most corrupt” group in 2007 for “threatening a House member for criticizing earmarks ... a clear violation of House ethics.”

That incident was Murtha’s run-in with Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who unsuccessfully tried to kill a $23 million earmark for the National Drug Intelligence Center in Johnstown.

Meanwhile, Roll Call, a Capitol Hill news organization, reported that a Murtha-backed nonprofit group received government contracts and works with other companies Murtha has helped to fund.

The Pennsylvania Association for Individuals with Disabilities, or PAID, is run by former Murtha aide Carmen V. Scialabba.

Ex-U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, D-Ga., confirmed to The Tribune-Democrat that he had resigned from the PAID board of directors, saying: “Once I learned more about the organization, I just decided it was not for me.”

Cleland is Murtha’s friend. The triple amputee and Vietnam veteran came to Johnstown last fall to speak on Murtha’s behalf at a political rally in Central Park.

“I’m not associated with PAID,” Cleland said. “I am not interested in pursuing that relationship at all.”

In it’s report on PAID, Roll Call said the organization “can point to few successes that are unrelated to (Murtha).” Roll Call contacted various Pennsylvania disability organizations that said they never worked with the Johnstown-based charity.

In both cases – the PAID debate and the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics report – Murtha would not comment.

That’s his prerogative.

But our prerogative is to say what we think.

We’re weary of hearing about – and writing about – accusations concerning Murtha’s character, and we wish he seemed more concerned about them.

And we’re angry that “corrupt” is how many people view our local congressman.

Why is it that after ABSCAM, after Murtha's reckless slander of the Haditha Marines, after his sweetheart deal with Nancy Pelosi's nephew, after all we've been reporting on Murtha Must Go!! regarding Murtha since May, 2006, that the Johnstown Democrat is finally beginning to admit that they endorsed a slimeball to represent PA-12 in Congress. Don't get me wrong. Better late than never. But it's too bad that the editorial board at the Johnstown Democrat didn't take into account Murtha's shady character when they endorsed him in this last election.

Or in the last 16 elections, for that matter.

Perhaps they will think twice before doing so in 2008.

Am I missing something?

I was just about to retire to bed this evening, when I found that nearly 80 percent of the hits I received was after doing a google search involving my name.

That's google searches from around the world, including Belgium and Sweden, all looking for me.

If anyone finds this blog, can you please clue me in as to why I'm so popular all of a sudden?

Thank you. That is all.

****UPDATE****

It appears that there was some guy on a forum who said that a person with the same last name as I (and him) wanted to buy his domain name.

To all the folks who were aghast that I would call Mr. Swiftboat Jean Francois Kerrie, rest assured that I'm not the guy looking for the domain.

But thanks for visiting, nonetheless.

Blogging will be sparse...

At least through this weekend, as we've had a death in the family.

Best to you, and I'll be at it again next week.

-Leo-

Wednesday Hero Blogburst, 9-19-2007

1st Lt. Forrest P. Ewens
26 years old from Tonasket, Washington
1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
June 16, 2006


The love of Megan Ewens's life arrived at Arlington National Cemetery on July 7, 2006. His ashes inside a small wooden box, the box inside a coffin, the coffin draped with an American flag and carried on a caisson pulled by six black horses.

Lt. Forrest P. Ewens had shipped out for Afghanistan in March of that same year. His wife, being the same rank in the Army, understood the risks, telling a colonel at Fort Drum, N.Y., that if anything happened to her husband, she didn't want to hear about it from a stranger.

On June 6, 2006 Lt. Ewens and Sgt. Ian T. Sanchez were killed when ATV struck an IED while on combat operation in Pech River Valley, Afghanistan.

A few weeks before his death, Lt. Ewens called his wife from an Afghan mountain to inform her that his unit had been subsisting on melted snow and rations and that he had been writing his impressions down in a notebook he carried.

"This was the love of her life," Megan Ewens's mother said. "They were so well-matched and made such a good team. We couldn't ask for a better son-in-law."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Acceptable Collateral Damage?

From here:

CNSNews.com) - If pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq results in "a bloodbath," the guilt will rest with the Iraqi people and not with the U.S. Congress, according to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), a leading proponent of withdrawing troops.

"Many have threatened that there will be chaos, a bloodbath, when the United States redeploys from Iraq, and this in fact may be the case," Murtha said in a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Monday. "If they continue to choose to spill blood, it will not be on the conscience of the United States."

And it certainly won't be Al Qaeda's fault either, will it?

Yeah, what's a few hundred thousand lives if you can win in your campaign for defeat of the U.S. and keeping democrats in power, eh Jack?

Yeah, I know... all in a day's work.

Truth is, their blood will be on YOUR hands Jack. After all, it was you, who got the ball rolling. You gave the rest of the "Fifth Column" faction democrats political cover to undermine our mission, our troops, and our national security; not to mention the security of the Iraqi people. It was your rhetoric that gave the message to the Jihadists that if they can just kill enough troops and innocents, then America would run away.

All as a means to endear yourself to the leftist George Soros bunch and brighten your chances to get Stenny Hoyer's job.

Hear this, Jack. You have failed on so many levels.

Not only did you not get Hoyers job, our soldiers in Iraq are getting the mission accccomplished, despite your best attempts to undemine their efforts, and despite your attempts to label them cold blooded killers.

Face it Jack--you're a loser.


(Cross-posted at Murtha Must Go!!)

Possible Terror Threat for San Diego?

While looking at my histats, something peculiar came up:

(click to enlarge)

My hair stood on end. I thought it somewhat peculiar that anyone would be searching for blueprints for the San Diego Sewer system; so I went and checked out the IP address:

OrgName:    Latin American and Caribbean IP address Regional Registry
OrgID:      LACNIC
Address:    Rambla Republica de Mexico 6125
City:       Montevideo
StateProv:
PostalCode: 11400
Country:    UY

ReferralServer: whois://whois.lacnic.net

NetRange:   201.0.0.0 - 201.255.255.255
CIDR:       201.0.0.0/8
NetName:    LACNIC-201
NetHandle:  NET-201-0-0-0-1
Parent:
NetType:    Allocated to LACNIC
NameServer: NS.LACNIC.NET
NameServer: NS2.DNS.BR
NameServer: TINNIE.ARIN.NET
NameServer: NS-SEC.RIPE.NET
NameServer: SEC3.APNIC.NET
NameServer: NS3.AFRINIC.NET
Comment:    This IP address range is under LACNIC responsibility
Comment:    for further allocations to users in LACNIC region.
Comment:    Please see http://www.lacnic.net/ for further details,
Comment:    or check the WHOIS server located at whois.lacnic.net
RegDate:    2003-04-03
Updated:    2006-10-23

OrgTechHandle: LACNIC-ARIN
OrgTechName:   LACNIC Whois Info
OrgTechPhone:
OrgTechEmail:  whois-contact@lacnic.net

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2007-09-17 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

Now why would someone who's supposedly currently in Uruguay want to obtain blueprints for the sewer system of the city of San Diego?

I contacted the FBI with this information, first by phone. The guy on the other end pretty much hmmm'd and hawwed but finally found a person who is an expert in "cyber crime," gave me his email address, and had me email that person with the information.

I don't know how strong the Gorelick wall continues to be, but my hope is that if I publish this information on this blog, and if it gets picked up, it may prompt some more timely and intensive investigation. My fear is that this information will go nowhere. If this turns out to be a benign coincidence, my apologies in advance; but I could never live with myself if it were otherwise.

People in San Diego--are you listening?

Hillarycare v. -0.1

She's at it again, folks.

MANDATORY, like it or not, national health insurance.

Stephen Parente, an economist who heads the Medical Industry Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota, said Clinton's requirement that everyone be covered is similar to the way states require auto insurance. And, as happens with auto insurance, not everyone will comply. "Having someone (without medical insurance) costs the system more, the same way it does when you have a lot of people running around in uninsured cars," Parente said.

It figures that a pencil-necked wonk from the U. of M. would come up with that lame-brained analogy. Let's take it in list form, shall we?

1. The requirement to have auto insurance is mandated by states, not by a bloated federal bureaucracy.
2. The crux behind the State laws are to protect other drivers, not the insured. In other words, people are required to carry auto insurance to insure losses that their own actions incur on other drivers, not themselves. Policies to cover their own losses in car accidents are optional.
   
3. People have the absolute, unpenalized choice of the type of auto insurance and from which company. There is no government tax imposed on selecting a more expensive plan with superior coverage. Under Shrillary's "womb-to-tomb" plan, any employer-provided private insurance plan that covers above and beyond the national plan would be subject to income taxes (currently on those making $250k or more, but that'll change).

On top of all this,

Insurance companies would face greater regulations on premium costs.

Surprise! (NOT). Anytime government steps in and regulates the cost of anything in the market, look for A: quality of service to deteriorate; and/or B: The actual cost of the services, along with everything else with it, to go up. (Remember the wage and price freeze of the 1970s?)

About the plan,

Several aspects of her plan, or at least the way she talks about it, appear designed to shield her from some of the attacks leveled at the previous plan. She said her proposal isn't government-run and doesn't create new bureaucracies.

And just who is going to keep track of whether one has participated or not in your scheme, Hillary, if not a government-run bureaucracy?

She said the costs would be covered by rolling back portions of President Bush's tax cuts and by making the current system more efficient.

Yeah. That's right. Make things "more efficient" by slowing down the economy and productivity and the ensuing tax revenue that the economy would otherwise create.

Brilliant move, Einstein.

"These are new times and this is a new plan. When it comes to health-care reform, I believe I have the experience needed to get it done in my first term as president," she said.

Yeah. You have the experience needed to fuck with my and my family's healthcare.

And I have the experience needed to be a brain surgeon.

What a retard.

Painful to watch...

There was a heckler at a John Kerry speech who was tasered by U of Florida Police multiple times. I have a lot of mixed emotions about this; and in a way, you have to admire the guy.

Here's Part I


As much as I hate to give Jean Francois Kerrie credit for anything, he did say, "That's alright, let me answer his question."

I don't know if it was one of Kerry's handlers that sicked the cops on him or what...

This next video is even more painful to watch:



I don't know... six cops on one guy, taser...tased multiple times...

In the old days they just cuffed 'em and dragged 'em.

Seems ripe for a lawsuit, IMO.

***UPDATE****

It may be not all that it seemed.

Big Dog has a must-read update.

From the fine folks who brought you...

(click to enlarge)

Comes this heartwarming story.

That is all.

Republican Lies I Didn't Know Were Lies (until Mark Ritchie told me so)

Just for the edification of it all, I attended a MN DFL fundraiser last night in St. Cloud, called the "Minnesota DFL Local & Sustainable Foods Dinner."

Before I begin, let me say that my DFL hosts were more than gracious. The event was largely apolitical in nature. It consisted of a meal prepared from "sustainable area ingredients," consisting of yak meat (no, I'm not kidding--and it was quite tasty, as well), squash, tiny cherry tomatoes, a couple of pasta dishes, and a fantastic apple cobbler. The meal was followed by the local producers of the food, explaining how they grow them organically, as well as the chef (a fantastic chef, to be sure), who told how the meal was put together, and also gave a presentation as to chemicals present in non-organic foods. I sat with a DFL official from Cold Spring and his wife, and we had a great chat about a number of issues, including Iraq and my son's service there. They were very gracious, and wished my son well.

All well and good, and interesting.

Then came the keynote speaker of the evening, Minnesota Secretary of State, Mark Ritchie. Since it was an evening that had to do with "sustainable" foods, Mark Ritchie was invited, ostensibly due to his work with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Basically, what it all appeared to boil down to is that Ritchie applied his experience as a lobbyist for the organic food industry to advancing liberal/neo-socialist political causes. After taking some obligatory, uncalled-for swipes at former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer, and telling the obligatory tales about blacks in the South being murdered on their way to vote, Ritchie went on to talk about large corporate food operations' alleged propaganda war against "sustainable" organic food operations, and applied the same process to supposed republican propaganda (read: lies). Said Ritchie,

"There's a whole propaganda machine out there that says you know better what to do with your money than the government, or that home schooling is better than public schools."

"Gee. Maybe the government does know best!" (/sarc)

Later, Ritchie loudly proclaimed another Republican lie; or rather the neo-socialist version of the "truth," saying:

"Just like Greenspan said, the Iraq war was all about oil!"

I thought to myself, "The minute Greenspan begins commanding our soldiers, I might give him credibility in that department."

Ritchie's comments drew cheers from some, silence from others.

Ritchie also brought up the supposed propaganda machine with regard to the use of oil, implying that ethanol was the end-all and be-all of liquid energy.

Ritchie went on to say with all the disgust he could muster,

"On my way here, I saw a Burlington Northern train, just spewing out black smoke, and carrying rail car after rail car full of coal!" "I hate oil." "I hate oil and coal!"

But, much to my surprise, not all DFLers present were prepared to drink the ethanol kool-aid! There were several who brought up the problems associated with using corn for ethanol, and one in the audience even went so far as to in effect say "the ethanol emperor had no clothes," and called the ethanol movement "a disaster." People also noted that switchgrass would be a viable alternative, citing that the ethanol-driven increase in the price of corn was increasing the price of food. Ritchie downplayed and/or dismissed the notion altogether, saying that,

"Americans don't eat corn; Americans feed the corn to cattle, and then Americans eat cattle."

Hmm. I guess that last piece of corn on the cob I ate must have been a figment of my imagination. But I digress.

Another in the audience went on to cite that in Mexico, where corn is a staple, much of the corn now growing there goes toward ethanol, rather than food; which resulted in a substantial price increase in food with which Mexicans were ill-prepared to deal.

Again, Ritchie dismissed this, saying "They grow a different kind of corn in Mexico, than they do in the U.S." But the audience member retorted, "But they're still growing corn for ethanol now, instead of food." Ritchie went on to say that if everyone pastured their cattle vs. feeding them corn, it wouldn't be a problem.

Finally, another DFL audience member stated, "Will there ever be a time when the DFL can have an open and honest debate about this?

Ritchie replied,

"Well, as you know, the DFL has always had open and honest debates about everything!"

A portion of my cup of Peace Coffee just about came out of my nose when I heard that.

Yet another DFLer asked Mark, "Seeing all the environmental and other problems that have come about as a result of ethanol production, do you still endorse corn-based ethanol as a viable alternative?

Ritchie replied, in a loud, forceful voice, "ABSOLUTELY!" and went on to say, "When you go about things, there's always the possibility that you'll do it wrong," [Tell me about it--ed.]. "But it's just like the Texas Instrument Calculators when they first came out--they were clumsy and didn't work too well--now look at them."

Yes, Ritchie proved himself a regular Mr. Bojangles on this topic.

He sidestepped, two-stepped and tried to tarantella his way out of it, but everyone saw through him like the combined wardrobe of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

As a sidenote, on my way out, I had a chance to compliment the gentleman who brought up the "honest, open debate," comment; he smiled and said that he knew that Ritchie wouldn't be able to answer his question, for he and the DFL were too beholden to the ethanol interests.

Ritchie then went on a spiel about how Republicans are fearmongers, and always try to play the fear card to maintain their power.

Incidentally, Ritchie followed those comments with,

"You gotta be careful, cause this is an armed country! Remember 1968, when our nation was willing to use bullets to stifle dissent! This isn't like Canada, or England. This is an ARMED country!"

If nothing else, it was a perfect example of the psychological defense mechanism known as projection. Not to mention a short memory, given that the 1968 riots occurred in Chicago. During the Democrat Convention. Under a Democrat Mayor who gave the orders to "shoot to kill;" and to utilize mace to detain youngsters.

Mark's comments suggest, in no uncertain terms, that the elitist Mark Ritchie wishes to portray conservatives in America as gun-totin' shootem' up paramilitary folk who are just chompin' at the bit to pick themselves off a few of dem dere hippies.

Puhleeeeze!

At the end of the evening, I approached Secretary of State Ritchie, and confronted him about his gratuitous Iraq war statement. Specifically, I told him about my son's service, and stated in no uncertain terms that Ritchie's comments served to demean his service. Ritchie immediately retorted with, "But Alan Greenspan said," to which I said, "I don't care what he said. The soldiers aren't there for oil! My son has helped the Iraqis build irrigation systems; he helped them get running water; he was protecting those people! Your statement deeply offended me."

Ritchie responded by stating something to the effect, "You're right, I should have been more careful of what I said."

I wonder if he'll remember that next time.

If I see pigs flying in the near future, I'll be sure and let you know.

Imagine Whirled Peas!

I was over at the venerable True-North inspired counter-protest at the State Capitol today. Here is a video of fellow-counter protester Jim, that I took and uploaded to You-Tube...

No, it's not going to win any emmy; but it's better than Yoko Ono.




Look for some more videos here, and here as well.

It was a great time, and I was fired up, to say the least.

Our whole counter protest started, appropriately, at Triangle Park under the First Minnesota Regiment Memorial; a memorial dedicated to the Minnesotans who sacrificed for victory in the Civil War:


Here is a picture of just a few of us after putting in a hard day's work "Takin' the Word to the Streets!"


I'll be downloading a few more vids (including some taken from Jamie Delton) and posting them here as time permits.

Among our ranks was the venerable Swiftee, who although opposed to invading Iraq in the first place, knows the mayhem that will result with a precipitous withdrawal. Here he has a conversation with one of the anti-war crowd. Note especially what he says toward the end of the video.



Dave Thul, a OIF vet who just recently returned from Iraq, was with us; and reiterated how important it was for the guys over there to know that there are those who believe in their mission and who give them their full measure of support!

Below is a short video of one of the inventive and creative signs that the other side carried:



Oh yes, BDS was alive and well.

And what would a protest march be without the regular cadre of truthers on hand?









Oh, as an aside, one of the frothing-at-the-mouth moonbats accused us of being paid operatives of the Republican Party.

I demand my check! :-)

Rest assured, we will be there to counter the moonbat idiocy during the Republican National Convention a year from now!

Imagine Whirled Peas, Part II

The following are the four signs that I photoshopped and turned into posters for the event (click on each image for full size):

This pretty much sums up election 2006:




This one embodied the "absolute cereal-ness" with which I took their anti-Iraq, anti-American message:



I didn't hold this one, but Jamie Delton tells me that it drew a lot of laughs, even from the anti-war crowd. The cops thought it was a riot!



And this one was made from an actual photograph that our son Doug took of a girl he befriended while he was stationed at TQ in Iraq:



Interestingly enough, that one appeared to draw the most disdain from the crowd.

I wonder why? Did I strike a nerve? Or get a little too close to the truth about them?

I'll certainly lose sleep tonight pondering that question---NOT.

A Hillary Smackdown...by Rudy...

That's gonna leave a mark, folks.

Watching the Defectives...

Myself and many other activists will be greeting the fever swamp antiwar crowd at the Capitol tomorrow.

If you're interested and want to come and show your support for our troops and their mission, check here for the details!

Why do Kids Get Violent?

I was asked to give an opinion on this subject by a cousin of mine who writes a column in her local paper...

I thought about it for a couple of days, and came up with my own theory. This is by no means "by the book" psychology; rather it is a mixture of psychology and the school of life and hard knocks by which I have come to view the world.

The following is my response:

Why do some kids get violent? In my opinion, it is a multi-faceted problem, stemming from such factors as societal decay, an accompanying cheapening of the value of life, and a simultaneous usurpation of parental authority. In our day, there were always kids who were "bullied," put down, socially isolated, etc.; but rarely if ever did you hear about school shootings or other heinous acts perpetrated by youngsters.

Of course, there is the notion that in our day, parents spent a lot more time looking out for their kids; but that wasn't always the case, either. If anything the opposite was true. Not that parents didn't love their children or weren't involved; rather, the worry that their children would meet with violence (other than a schoolyard brawl), be abducted, or other such calamity was relatively non-existent compared to today. Many is the time when we would leave on our bicycles at 8:30 in the morning, play baseball til lunchtime, leave again until 5 in the afternoon, eat supper, and be out til the streetlights came on. Outside of the possibility of our being hit by a car, or meeting up with the neighborhood bully, presumption of our safety during those unsupervised times was more or less a given.

But within the space of three and a half decades, our culture has devolved and devalued life, literally from infancy with the advent of Roe v. Wade to the coming of Jack Kervorkian. The "Gangsta rap" culture has glorified the utilization of people as objects, along with the gratuitous glorification of violence. The "sexification" and "Britney Spears-ification" of our society found in such venues as MTV has instilled an egocentric, instant-gratification mentality in the minds of many of our youth; and the concept of factoring others' needs while contemplating one's own appears to be lost on many.

Additionally, the very concept of morality, in many ways, has become subjective, gray, and malleable. Our children are consistently given mixed and conflicting messages, such as one person's right may be another person's wrong; or that there can be no universal moral code. The "if it feels good--do it!" concept born in the 1960s has since festered into a generation of many self-centered, self-indulgent people, with equally, or even more self-indulgent youngsters.

This may sound strange, coming from a psychologist, but another factor may be a lack of disciplinary options available to parents today vs. parents from decades ago. I'm speaking specifically of corporal punishment. While rarely used when we were children, the mere threat that it may be utilized kept us in line. Parents, today, however, have a sometimes very valid fear of retribution by child protection authorities (or even Wal Mart cameras), and are afraid to utilize corporal punishment (no, not beating kids), and their children know this. Oftentimes, parents report that their children will threaten to call the police if the parents spank them! Children deprived of a sense of "absolute authority" of parents, are also deprived of a sense of boundaries and the accompanying sense of security that firm boundaries provide. Paradoxically, although children normally rebel against these boundaries, they at once crave the guidance and security that those boundaries afford.

Unfortunately, this lack of boundaries and accompanying insecurity follows them into the schools. Decades ago, when a teacher disciplined the child, parents would nearly universally side with the teacher. The parents would not only support the disciplinary measures doled out at school, but would follow up with discplinary measures of their own at home. Today, parents of indulged children often side with their children and will be antagonistic toward school authority; even going so far as to claim that teachers and others are "picking on" their child by attempting to address his/her misbehavior. This leaves the door wide open for chilldren to pit parent against teacher, and yet another opportunity for a consistent boundary or guideline is sabotaged.

Children are not-hardwired to create their own boundaries. When firm boundaries and limits are absent, a sense of discomfort and anxiety often results. The child often fills this void through self-indulgent behavior. This lack of limits on self-indulgence over time creates an entitlement mentality, including feeling entitled to trample on the rights of others, or to use others as objects for purposes of amusement or of exerting power. This entails utilizing all means open to them, including violence, to meet their unquenchable desire for gratification.

In summary, I don't believe there to be a single cause for the upswing in homocidal and assaultive behaviors by today's youth. Rather it appears to be a "perfect storm" of a number of factors not present simultaneously in earlier generations.

Until we start saying "no" to the "me" generation's ethic of self-gratification at any cost, until we start valuing the sanctity of life; and until we give children the sense of security found in appropriate boundaries and quit undermining parental and other authority, this downward march of society is bound to continue.

How Democrats Commemorate 9/11

A Mea-Culpa, Mea-Culpa

Yesterday I wrote an article lambasting Senator Norm Coleman for what Kevin Diaz characterized as calling on General Petraeus to provide specific timelines for a draw-down of U.S. Troops in Iraq.

I was wrong.

I fell for it. What Diaz did was effectively a hit-piece on Coleman, and I fell for it hook, line and sinker. Knowing how pro-victory sentiments run high amongst the ranks of Conservatives likely to vote Republican, Diaz chose to put words in Norm Coleman's mouth. Specifically, when he wrote:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, a consistent backer of the war in Iraq, on Tuesday pressed Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander, for a long-term plan that would include timelines for U.S. troop withdrawals.

"Americans want to see a light at the end of the tunnel," said the Minnesota Republican, who is walking a tightrope to the 2008 election. "We need to see some plan out there."

It was the first time he has publicly called on military leaders to attach specific dates to long-anticipated plans for drawing down troops.

I should have fact-checked that statement. But I didn't do so until today.

My anger at Coleman was fueled especially by the following:

A joint effort

Coleman also was joined by anti-war stalwart Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., in asking Petraeus if a chart showing a "timeline" for stepped-down force commitments could be accompanied by specific dates, beyond the scheduled end of the troop surge by next summer.

"I cannot offer you that," said Petraeus, explaining that his chart represented U.S. force reductions goals as the military mission shifts from "leading" to "strategic overwatch" of combat operations in Iraq.

Anytime that I see or even have a thought of Republican senators working in concert wtih the fat, murdering, "Senator for Life" from Massachusetts, my temperature tends to rise a few degrees.

I should have fact-checked that statement. But I didn't do so until today.

The dirty little secret that Kevin Diaz neglects to mention is that Coleman never directly asked Petraeus to provide specific dates for withdrawal.

Kevin Diaz tries to implicate Coleman as "tag-teaming" with Ted Kennedy, but such was not the case.

I did call Senator Coleman's office today, and got the straight story from them.

I apologize to all True North and Ice Palace readers, as well as to Senator Coleman, for misrepresenting his stance; and make a pledge to engage in a more thorough vetting process before putting finger to keyboard in any future piece that I write for True North.

Especially when my source is the Star Tribune.

So Big Dog...

Tell us how you (we) really feel.






That is all.

Tell me another story, Uncle Fidel...

Anytime you see a headline that begins with "Castro Claims," you know that the story will be entertaining, to say the least:

Castro claims Cuba helped save Reagan

By ANITA SNOW
Associated Press Writer

HAVANA (AP) -- Fidel Castro claims Cuba's government saved the life of President Reagan by giving American officials information about an assassination plot in 1984.

The essay published Wednesday in the Communist Party newspaper Granma appeared to be the first time Cuba has made the claim. It seemed aimed at showing Cuba has cooperated with the United States in the past.

Castro, who has not appeared in public for more than a year, wrote that a Cuban security official stationed at the United Nations told the then U.S. mission security chief about an extreme right-wing group that was planning to kill Reagan during a trip to North Carolina.

Of course he had to say, "extreme right wing group." He couldn't very well sell out his left-wing buddies who had been so good to him, could he?

Like all good fairy tales, this one has an aire of mystery:

"The information was complete: the names of those implicated in the plan; day, time and hour where the assassination could occur; the type of weapon the terrorists had and where they kept their arms; and along with all that, the meeting place of those elements planning the action as well as a brief summary of what had occurred in said meeting," Castro wrote.

He did not say how Cuba obtained the information.

Hmmm.... fancy that.

After a career of murder and oppression, it would appear that Uncle Fidel took up another avocation:

Castro has not been seen in public since mid-2006, when he released a statement saying he had undergone intestinal surgery and ceded power to his younger brother Raul. In late March, he began writing occasional essays, mostly on international themes.

But if there's any justice, Fidel is already following the footsteps of his old despotic Spanish pal, Generalissimo Francisco Franco.



***UPDATE***

Welcome Dr. Sanity Readers!

Click here for the main page, and make yourselves at home :)

Norm Coleman's Fork in the Road

On balance, Senator Norm Coleman has been a great asset to the state of Minnesota. He has worked tirelessly for Veterans benefits, has been a staunch pro-life advocate, and has held true on many issues near and dear to the hearts of Minnesota's conservatives.

That is why it is at once vexing and frustrating to see the Senator running all over the road with regard to the great issue of our time, the Iraq Conflict. According to a Kevin Diaz piece in yesterday's Star Tribune (emphases mine),

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, a consistent backer of the war in Iraq, on Tuesday pressed Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander, for a long-term plan that would include timelines for U.S. troop withdrawals.

"Americans want to see a light at the end of the tunnel," said the Minnesota Republican, who is walking a tightrope to the 2008 election. "We need to see some plan out there."

It was the first time he has publicly called on military leaders to attach specific dates to long-anticipated plans for drawing down troops.

If you'll recall, I wrote and sent an Open Letter to Senator Coleman one week ago, in which I excoriated Sens. Coleman and Warner for attempting to micromanage the war effort by calling for a "symbolic" troop withdrawal from Iraq by Christmas of this year. I have since received a response from Senator Coleman, also dated yesterday, September 11th. Embedded in the response was the following:

"What is clear is that we need to provide our troops on the ground with the resources they need to defend themselves. It is unfortunate that some insist on conditioning critical funding for our forces on arbitrary withdrawal timelines that would handcuff our generals and embolden our enemies. While I agree we need to continue to pressure the Iraqi government to move toward reconciliation, we also need to provide our military leaders with the tools they need to implement this strategy."

So which is it, Senator Coleman?

If, as you say, "...arbitrary withdrawal timelines...would handcuff our generals and embolden our enemies," why is it that you are calling for them?

As I stated in my letter,

"You seem to be trying to walk a fine line between pleasing the rabid anti-war folks who will settle for nothing less than unqualified defeat, and those of us who want to stay the course until the mission is complete.

In reality, you are "pleasing" neither side. In reality, you are only complicating things with rhetoric. Our enemy in Iraq (and, incidentally, around the globe) needs to hear the unequivocal message that there is no chance for him to succeed. He does not get that message when he hears heartening news that micromanaging politicians in the United States want to remove the force that is keeping him from achieving domination of Iraq and its oil-rich resources."

With all due respect, Senator Coleman, you are continuing to play both sides of the fence, and it's not very becoming of you. Furthermore, your rhetoric is serving to visit damage not only upon our efforts toward a stable Iraq in the short term, but also toward the long-term prosecution of the larger global war against terror in which we are engaged.

This "fine line" you have been treading as of late is beginning to look more like a superhighway; running headlong toward the views of those who pine for our unconditional surrender, and away from those who will settle for nothing less than unconditional victory and a stable Iraq.

Choose wisely your road, Senator Coleman. For your current path, however politically palatable it may seem, may in fact lead you to a dead end in terms of the support which conservative Minnesotans are willing to extend your way.

Wednesday Hero Blogburst, 9/12/07

Staff Sgt. Richard P. Ramey
27 years old from Canton, Ohio
703rd Ordinance Compan, supporting the 82nd Airborne Division
February 8, 2004


Richard Ramey always knew what he was going to be. Once, while in the third grade, his teacher asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. His response? "I�ll go to war and fight" Concerned by his answer, his teacher called his mother, Julie Ramey. She told her "No, that's my son".

SSgt. Ramey was killed when insurgents attacked his and other convoys in Mahmudiyah, Iraq.

"Richard loved to do his job. No matter where it would take him," said his mother. "He really felt deeply that he wanted to protect people that couldn�t protect themselves"

In a statement released through Fort Knox, the Ramey family said, "He was adventurous and smart, combining both qualities in what he did for the Army. We knew his work was dangerous but also knew he wouldn�t have wanted to do anything else".

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.