I have long been expecting (and hoping) that the relentless attack of the enviromentalists would lead to the resurgence of the nuclear power industry. It has long been farily obvious that solar, lunar, hydroelcetric and all other forms of so-called "natural
energy" cannot make up the massive needs of modern society, nor can they replace oil.
But nuclear power can. And since it is completely clean save for its waste (which is far easier to manage than the exhaust of most other forms of energy production, it is really the only practical solution. Except that the envinromental movement hates it. However, they reap what they sow, and their constant drumbeat of negativity (aided and abetted by their clueless-as-usual useful idiots in the media) has roused rational people to respond.
The United Kingdom's Daily Mail today writes that leading scientists announce that nuclear power will save the save world.
In a nutshell, precisely.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Breaking the Law On Illegals
What part of "illegal" do the Oakland and San Francisco city governments fail to understand? I read in an article in SFGate magazine that Oakland is instructing its employees to refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials' efforts to deport illegal aliens.
This is unbelievable. What part of America do these morons come from where it is OK for elected municipal officials to refuse to cooperate with the federal government? hey, folks, illegal is illegal. And the federal government has every right and in fact is expected by most citizens to do its utmost to enforce the laws of the United States. You as city officials do not have the right to choose which laws to obey or not.
i would like to see the US Justice Department swoop down and arrest these idiots, then expose them to the full force of the law. Federal Law, that is. However, with the sad-sack Gonzales as Attorney General and the pro-illegal alien George Bush in the Presidency, I doubt we will see that. Somewhere the federal government has lost it's courage to prosecute those who openly break federal law. Janet Reno at least had the intestinal fortitude to break down doors in defiance of court orders when she was acting to fuurther President Clinton's "progressive" goals. Why is it that Republicans lack courage to do what is right, whether or not the New York Times or the San Francisco city government agrees or not?
Once again folks. Illegal is illegal. These people are here knowing that they are breaking the law, and making it harder for many legal immigrants with their arrogance, their refusal to respect American culture and their open allegiance to changing our culture to be as failed as their own. The Border Patrol needs to deport these people after a term of (unpaid) hard labor. Doing what Oakland and San Francisco are doing simply encourages more of them to come. And that is something our country does not need. We need more legal immigrants like my friends in the software industry from China, Japan, and other countries where the ethic of hard work, family and law-abiding is ingrained, not useless criminals like most of our southern imports.
This is unbelievable. What part of America do these morons come from where it is OK for elected municipal officials to refuse to cooperate with the federal government? hey, folks, illegal is illegal. And the federal government has every right and in fact is expected by most citizens to do its utmost to enforce the laws of the United States. You as city officials do not have the right to choose which laws to obey or not.
i would like to see the US Justice Department swoop down and arrest these idiots, then expose them to the full force of the law. Federal Law, that is. However, with the sad-sack Gonzales as Attorney General and the pro-illegal alien George Bush in the Presidency, I doubt we will see that. Somewhere the federal government has lost it's courage to prosecute those who openly break federal law. Janet Reno at least had the intestinal fortitude to break down doors in defiance of court orders when she was acting to fuurther President Clinton's "progressive" goals. Why is it that Republicans lack courage to do what is right, whether or not the New York Times or the San Francisco city government agrees or not?
Once again folks. Illegal is illegal. These people are here knowing that they are breaking the law, and making it harder for many legal immigrants with their arrogance, their refusal to respect American culture and their open allegiance to changing our culture to be as failed as their own. The Border Patrol needs to deport these people after a term of (unpaid) hard labor. Doing what Oakland and San Francisco are doing simply encourages more of them to come. And that is something our country does not need. We need more legal immigrants like my friends in the software industry from China, Japan, and other countries where the ethic of hard work, family and law-abiding is ingrained, not useless criminals like most of our southern imports.
More Global Hysteria
From the media, naturally. However, in their rush to declare global warming a natural disaster and to try to tell us what we ought to do (since they of course know better than we peons, who should be grateful to them for their 'guidance'), they appear to have (as usual) overlooked the fact that not all scientists agree with them! Far from the "consensus" that the media loves to portray on the topic of global wartming, there are many reputable scientists who do not believe that global warming is either a major issue nor human-caused.
Due to work issues, posting has been light yesterday and today, but this was too much to pass up. I have highlighted other global warming skeptics in this space before, but today the Cornwall Standard Freeholder out of Ontario, Canada announced that The current debate about global warming is "completely irrational," and people need to start taking a different approach, say two Ottawa scientists.
The scientists in question are Tim Patterson from Carleton University and Tom Harris, from the National Resources Stewardship Project. Supporting Patterson's findings, Harris said,
Meanwhile, the paper reports that "Patterson explained CO2 is not a pollutant, but an essential plant food. Billions of taxpayers' dollars are spent to control the emissions of this benign gas, in the mistaken belief that they can stop climate change, he said."
I recall the media's rush in the 1970s to declare (with similarly thin evidence) that the next Ice Age was upon us. This is very similar, at least in my mind. It wsould be nice if reporters would at least TRY to address issues like this with an open mind once in a while. But their pack mentality, coupled with their almost total inability to think rationally and objectively (especiazlly when their emotions are involved) makes them very susceptible to being manipulated by "progressive" groups like the environmentalists.
Personally, I understand my lack of knowledege on the topic, so will not opine on it further. However, based on my study of history, I agree with Dr. Patterson, who says "The only constant about climate is change".
Due to work issues, posting has been light yesterday and today, but this was too much to pass up. I have highlighted other global warming skeptics in this space before, but today the Cornwall Standard Freeholder out of Ontario, Canada announced that The current debate about global warming is "completely irrational," and people need to start taking a different approach, say two Ottawa scientists.
The scientists in question are Tim Patterson from Carleton University and Tom Harris, from the National Resources Stewardship Project. Supporting Patterson's findings, Harris said,
Global warming assertions are based on inconclusive evidence put forth in science reports that had not been published yet, he said.
"The media takes (inconclusive) information that only suggests there could be a climate problem and turns it into an environmental catastrophe," said Harris.
Meanwhile, the paper reports that "Patterson explained CO2 is not a pollutant, but an essential plant food. Billions of taxpayers' dollars are spent to control the emissions of this benign gas, in the mistaken belief that they can stop climate change, he said."
I recall the media's rush in the 1970s to declare (with similarly thin evidence) that the next Ice Age was upon us. This is very similar, at least in my mind. It wsould be nice if reporters would at least TRY to address issues like this with an open mind once in a while. But their pack mentality, coupled with their almost total inability to think rationally and objectively (especiazlly when their emotions are involved) makes them very susceptible to being manipulated by "progressive" groups like the environmentalists.
Personally, I understand my lack of knowledege on the topic, so will not opine on it further. However, based on my study of history, I agree with Dr. Patterson, who says "The only constant about climate is change".
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Things the Left Fears
With tongue firmly planted in cheek, Greg Gutfield over at the Huffington Post has compiled a list of things the Left is secretly afraid of. Some of the highlights are as follows:
Read the whole thing. I was laughing so hard I could barely type.
Because we all know lefties are too lazy to write their own stuff (see Hillary's ghost-written books) the IMAO crew decided to channel a member of the Left and compiled a companion list of things secretly feared by the Right. I think Greg's is both funnier and more accurate. Hat tip to FrankJ at IMAO.
Fear that even if the democrats win the 08 election, Europeans will still look down on us and Muslims will still want to kill us.
Fear that capitalism actually works better than any other economic system
Fear that America really is the freest country in the world
Fear that going it alone when you think you're right is more moral than trying to build a coalition with dictators, thieves and cowards.
Read the whole thing. I was laughing so hard I could barely type.
Because we all know lefties are too lazy to write their own stuff (see Hillary's ghost-written books) the IMAO crew decided to channel a member of the Left and compiled a companion list of things secretly feared by the Right. I think Greg's is both funnier and more accurate. Hat tip to FrankJ at IMAO.
Flying Machines
Back in the 1960s, I remember seeeing a car-plane that one could assemble and take off/land from any road. I do not recall what it was called (UPDATE: It was the 1956 Aerocar, designed and built by Moulton Taylor), but the idea has always appealed to me. Now, I see that I am not alone in this idea. Author and roboticist Daniel Miller has written an article for Popular Mechanics wherein he takes on the idea of flying cars.
Although he judges that "...it may be another hundred years before you can score that most badass symbol of the space age—the flying car.", he also details some of the possibilities currently under development. I found the article fascinating. Read the whole thing and see what you think. Hat tip to techno-geek law professor Glenn Reynolds.
Although he judges that "...it may be another hundred years before you can score that most badass symbol of the space age—the flying car.", he also details some of the possibilities currently under development. I found the article fascinating. Read the whole thing and see what you think. Hat tip to techno-geek law professor Glenn Reynolds.
The Case Against Gun Control
Read Classically Liberal's well-researched essay on the subject of how gun control only aids murderers and terrorists. Why are ignorant liberals allowed to disarm us in the face of terrorisxm and mass murderers?
Can the FAA guarantee that airplanes are completely safe? Of course not, so why do we allow them to remove our Second Amendment rights? Can adminstrators or campus police guarantee that they will be able to prevent acts such as those of Seung Cho? Of course not. As we saw in the Virginia Tech shootings, not one police officer arrived anywhere near any of the shootings until after the shooter had taken his own life. So why do we allow ignorant and politically-correct administrators to reomove our Second Amendment rights?
When citizens start shooting back, criminals run. That has been proven time and again. So why do we allow well-menaing but ignorant politicians and even more ignorant and agenda-driven media to define the debate. The Second Amendment is clear- "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infirnged."
If only our politicians would take this Constitutional right as seriously as the entirely made-up "right" of abortion (which can be found nowhere in the Constitution), then we would probably live in a safer society. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Can the FAA guarantee that airplanes are completely safe? Of course not, so why do we allow them to remove our Second Amendment rights? Can adminstrators or campus police guarantee that they will be able to prevent acts such as those of Seung Cho? Of course not. As we saw in the Virginia Tech shootings, not one police officer arrived anywhere near any of the shootings until after the shooter had taken his own life. So why do we allow ignorant and politically-correct administrators to reomove our Second Amendment rights?
When citizens start shooting back, criminals run. That has been proven time and again. So why do we allow well-menaing but ignorant politicians and even more ignorant and agenda-driven media to define the debate. The Second Amendment is clear- "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infirnged."
If only our politicians would take this Constitutional right as seriously as the entirely made-up "right" of abortion (which can be found nowhere in the Constitution), then we would probably live in a safer society. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Monday, April 23, 2007
A Spark of Patriotism
A solider returning home to Novato in California's Marin County was welcomed home by a middle school band and a troop of Boy Scouts. the Marin Independent Journal reports,
While I applaud the actions of the Boy Scout troop and the band, it is sad when a demonstration of patriotism like this in Marin County is remarkable for its rarity.
And on a side note, you mean to tell me Ms. Pelosi and her ACLU friends haven't yet managed to drive the Boy Scouts out of Marin with their demands for gay scoutmasters and girls as Scouts? I guess there must be a few judges who still actually respect the Constitution in Marin County. Hat tip to Michelle Malkin.
Former soldiers Jeremiah Pauley, 31, and brother-in-law Greg Scott, 27, both recently returned from Iraq, were pleasantly surprised with a public welcome punctuated by an impromptu front-yard concert by the Sinaloa Middle School band at the home of their grandmother, Liz Scott.
The 30-student-strong marching band was joined by more than a dozen Cub Scouts from Troop 42 for a one-block parade from the nearby school to join an emotional gathering of neighbors, school officials and extended family members to honor the recently released soldiers.
While I applaud the actions of the Boy Scout troop and the band, it is sad when a demonstration of patriotism like this in Marin County is remarkable for its rarity.
And on a side note, you mean to tell me Ms. Pelosi and her ACLU friends haven't yet managed to drive the Boy Scouts out of Marin with their demands for gay scoutmasters and girls as Scouts? I guess there must be a few judges who still actually respect the Constitution in Marin County. Hat tip to Michelle Malkin.
Eco-Socialites
The New York Times provides some unintentional humor as it tries to convince us that the Manhattan socialites are all a-twitter about conservation. Of course, buried toward the end, the article states that regarding the organizer, one Sloan Barnett, who serves as a reporter for a San Jose TV station, but who is a married to a multi-millionaire,
Uh-huh. As Glenn Reynolds says "That's for the little people."
I tell you what, Ms. Barnett and Ms. Rockefeller. When I see you get rid of your housekeepers and actually do your own cleaning, when you and your oh-so-posh friends actually have to understand saving money and do everyday work like the rest of us, or when you sell off a few of your vacation homes, private jets, chauffer-driven limousines or your large yachts, I might take your comments on conservation seriously. Until then, keep your inane comments to yourself.
Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Still, she has no plans to reduce the family’s significant carbon footprint by, say, selling the Manhattan second home. “I’m not a perfect person,” she said. “I’m not the greenest woman in America.” And there was scant indication that other guests, most of whom, presumably, knew their way up the steps of a private jet, were contemplating major lifestyle cutbacks. Glancing about the room, Ms. Barnett said, “We aren’t all going to move to one-bedroom apartments.
Ms. Rockefeller wanted four kits, one as a gift to her housekeeper. “I want to spread the word,” she said.
She plans to practice conservation, to a point. Energy-saving light bulbs are fine — for the utility closet, perhaps. In other rooms, “they don’t give a very pretty light,” she said.
Uh-huh. As Glenn Reynolds says "That's for the little people."
I tell you what, Ms. Barnett and Ms. Rockefeller. When I see you get rid of your housekeepers and actually do your own cleaning, when you and your oh-so-posh friends actually have to understand saving money and do everyday work like the rest of us, or when you sell off a few of your vacation homes, private jets, chauffer-driven limousines or your large yachts, I might take your comments on conservation seriously. Until then, keep your inane comments to yourself.
Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
NGOs - Good or Evil?
The Washington Post has an interesting article today by one Moises Naim on the growing proliferation of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that are actually funded by governments.
The author, who serves on the board of directors for a U.S.-based NGO points out the differences between such groups as the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation (run by the wives of Burma's military junta) and the Bolivarian Circles (funded by Bolivia's repressive Stalinist dictator Hugo Chavez) and groups like his own National Endowment for Democracy, which although funded by the US government works "to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through non-governmental efforts." Though the NED, unlike the previously named organizations merely receives funds from the US government, it has been attacked by China, Russia and many other repressive governments. Of course, these same governments see no problem with planting their own sycophanitc fake NGOs in the US and other democratic countries to advance said repressive countries' agendas...
In any event, the article is an eye-opener as regards the unaccountability of NGOs in general and how some countries are trying to use them as proxies. Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
The author, who serves on the board of directors for a U.S.-based NGO points out the differences between such groups as the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation (run by the wives of Burma's military junta) and the Bolivarian Circles (funded by Bolivia's repressive Stalinist dictator Hugo Chavez) and groups like his own National Endowment for Democracy, which although funded by the US government works "to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through non-governmental efforts." Though the NED, unlike the previously named organizations merely receives funds from the US government, it has been attacked by China, Russia and many other repressive governments. Of course, these same governments see no problem with planting their own sycophanitc fake NGOs in the US and other democratic countries to advance said repressive countries' agendas...
In any event, the article is an eye-opener as regards the unaccountability of NGOs in general and how some countries are trying to use them as proxies. Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Gore, Redux
Well, it seems Al Gore is still hankering to be the President, not just a pretty face at the Oscars. According to the London Telegraph, Gore has secretly begun assembling a campaign team to challlenge for the Democratic nomination for PResident in 2008. The Telegraph writes,
Well. Al Gore, like Hillary Clinton, is not exactly a warm and natural campaigner. Furthermore, his leftist global warming hype may have made him anathema to the centrists whoi are tired of being preached at by limousine liberals like Gore. But he does have the benefit of free press from his "documentary" and his forthcoming book, both of which give him a decided edge over many of his competitors. And unlike Hillary, he does not inspire feelings of hatred.
I agree with Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters, who writes,
I agree. This will probably make the nomination a two-horse race, if Gore carries through and actually enters the race. But it does have the advantage for Republicans that neither Gore nor Hillary can really run as a centrist after their activites the past few years. this leaves an opening in the center for Republicans. IF they can nominate a viable candidate. Hat tip to Ed Morrissey.
Friends of Al Gore have secretly started assembling a campaign team in preparation for the former American vice-president to make a fresh bid for the White House. Al Gore is third favourite for the Democratic nomination
Two members of Mr Gore's staff from his unsuccessful attempt in 2000 say they have been approached to see if they would be available to work with him again.
Well. Al Gore, like Hillary Clinton, is not exactly a warm and natural campaigner. Furthermore, his leftist global warming hype may have made him anathema to the centrists whoi are tired of being preached at by limousine liberals like Gore. But he does have the benefit of free press from his "documentary" and his forthcoming book, both of which give him a decided edge over many of his competitors. And unlike Hillary, he does not inspire feelings of hatred.
I agree with Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters, who writes,
A Gore entry will probably prove fatal to the ambitions of Barack Obama and John Edwards. Both have run on Gore's turf so far, and neither will outshine him with party donors desperate to find a credible alternative to Hillary Clinton. Gore has a great deal more substance than both candidates put together and will almost immediately be the chief challenger on Hillary's left, once he formally enters the race.
Given that Hillary's negatives keep going higher, Gore could easily convince the Democrats that he has more electability than his ex-boss' wife. If so, that gives the Republicans an opening among the center.
I agree. This will probably make the nomination a two-horse race, if Gore carries through and actually enters the race. But it does have the advantage for Republicans that neither Gore nor Hillary can really run as a centrist after their activites the past few years. this leaves an opening in the center for Republicans. IF they can nominate a viable candidate. Hat tip to Ed Morrissey.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Comments On Racism
The following was sent to me via email by a friend. I found it interesting, so I am reproducing it below:
There are some obvious problems with this email, in that there WERE all-white establishments in the past. There WAS a time when the majority treated the minority badly. For proof, ask the Asian immigrants- they faced barriers far greater than those faced by the ex-slaves. This past is why the Civil Rights movement was necessary. However, the basic point, which seems to me to ask why it is the minorities who are now eagerly embracing segregation, is a valid one to me.
On a related note, it is my belief, after living abroad, that if it was not the white Europeans who dominated the world for the past few centuries, we would still live in a medieval atmosphere of hate and ignorance. It wasn't the Africans, Asians, Hispanics or any other culture that came up with the Bill of Rights. It wasn't they who determined that slavery was evil and finally ended it. And it certainly wasn't any of these other cultures who made any efforts to make minorities in their home societies feel more welcome. How does Mexico treat illegal immigrants in their country today? Only the caucasian, Christian Europeans and Americans of European origin did these things.
Anyway, I welcome any other thoughts on this.....
Someone finally said it.
How many are actually paying attention to this?
There are African Americans, Mexican Americans,
Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Native Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans.
You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction.
You Call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,'
'Whitey,' 'Caveman' .. And that's OK.
But when I call you, Nigger, Towel head, Sand-nigger,
Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ... You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you,
So why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King
Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You
Have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP.
You have BET.
If we had WET (White Entertainment Television) .. We'd be racists.
If we had a White Pride Day .. You would call us racists.
If we had White History Month We'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives
We'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of
Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce.
! Wonder who pays for that?
If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships
... You know we'd be racists. There are over 60 openly proclaimed
Black Colleges in the US , yet if there were 'White colleges'
THAT would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching
For your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights,
You would call us racists.
You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're
Not afraid to announce it. But when we ann ounce our white pride
You call us racists.
You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer
Shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug-dealer running
From the law and posing a threat to society .. You call him a racist.
I am proud.
But, you call me a racist.
Why is it that only whites can be racists?
There are some obvious problems with this email, in that there WERE all-white establishments in the past. There WAS a time when the majority treated the minority badly. For proof, ask the Asian immigrants- they faced barriers far greater than those faced by the ex-slaves. This past is why the Civil Rights movement was necessary. However, the basic point, which seems to me to ask why it is the minorities who are now eagerly embracing segregation, is a valid one to me.
On a related note, it is my belief, after living abroad, that if it was not the white Europeans who dominated the world for the past few centuries, we would still live in a medieval atmosphere of hate and ignorance. It wasn't the Africans, Asians, Hispanics or any other culture that came up with the Bill of Rights. It wasn't they who determined that slavery was evil and finally ended it. And it certainly wasn't any of these other cultures who made any efforts to make minorities in their home societies feel more welcome. How does Mexico treat illegal immigrants in their country today? Only the caucasian, Christian Europeans and Americans of European origin did these things.
Anyway, I welcome any other thoughts on this.....
Bomb Iran!
Senator John McCain set a wonderful example of how to respond to knee-jerk political correctness police when he responded to questions on his "Bomb, Bomb Iran" joke yesterday. McCain was asked by a inane reporter (yes, I know that coupling "inane" and "reporter" is redundant) if he was concerned about the joke being insensitive. He responded "Insensitive to what? The Iranians?".
Good for Senator McCain! The media and their friends in the political correctness arena have made it very difficult for people to actually engage in free speech- unless of course they are the favored disciples of said media (like CAIR, Jesse Jackson, etc). It is refreshing to see a public figure stand up to the self-appointed PC police for a change.
On a more serious note, Senator McCain was absolutely correct in his take on the entire Iranian sittuation. he advocates leaving military force as an option on the table in order to prevent Iran from actually gaining nuclear weapons capability. This SHOULD be only common sense- you do not, after all, deliberately weaken yourself when faced with a threat, do you? It is a pity that more of our elected officials do not share McCain's understanding that in the end, the only thing thugs respect is force, and diplomacy, when not backed by a credible threat, will never succeed.
Good for Senator McCain! The media and their friends in the political correctness arena have made it very difficult for people to actually engage in free speech- unless of course they are the favored disciples of said media (like CAIR, Jesse Jackson, etc). It is refreshing to see a public figure stand up to the self-appointed PC police for a change.
On a more serious note, Senator McCain was absolutely correct in his take on the entire Iranian sittuation. he advocates leaving military force as an option on the table in order to prevent Iran from actually gaining nuclear weapons capability. This SHOULD be only common sense- you do not, after all, deliberately weaken yourself when faced with a threat, do you? It is a pity that more of our elected officials do not share McCain's understanding that in the end, the only thing thugs respect is force, and diplomacy, when not backed by a credible threat, will never succeed.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Light Posting Today
Since I have no interest in weiging in on the tragedy at Virginia Tech (The Power Line team has the best commentary- "It's too early to make any conclusions"), and the other issues in the news today are either too ridiculous (John Edwards' $400 dollar haircut). The Supreme Court's rejection of partial-birth abortion is a step, but until Roe vs. Wade is shot down for the completely unConsitutional judicial power grab that it was, we will have a highly charged debate over abortion.
In the meantime, I do have a report on an interesting debate on Islam that took place at UCLA between Daniel Pipes, Wafa Sultan and Yaron Brook. Although the Muslims staged a walkout, those who actually stayed heard a lively discussion on the nature of Islam and its various attempts to terrorize or conquer other cultures into becoming Muslim.
The report by Aaron Hanscomb concludes by saying,
Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Power Line.
In the meantime, I do have a report on an interesting debate on Islam that took place at UCLA between Daniel Pipes, Wafa Sultan and Yaron Brook. Although the Muslims staged a walkout, those who actually stayed heard a lively discussion on the nature of Islam and its various attempts to terrorize or conquer other cultures into becoming Muslim.
The report by Aaron Hanscomb concludes by saying,
The most chilling warning of the night came when Sultan said that the Council on Islamic-American Relations wants to replace the United State Constitution with Sharia law. A member of CAIR once told her that she is “crossing the red line.” Translation: Very soon you will be beheaded.
Not all the messages Sultan receives however are negative. She talked of many Arabs who support her work behind the scenes and look to the United States for help in guaranteeing their human rights. Since Muslims in the West don’t live under the same oppression, they can’t understand such desperation.
UCLA’s Muslim students might have come closer to gaining this knowledge if they hadn’t stormed out of the event in protest.
Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Power Line.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Is Hillary Sinking?
Maybe. According to a new Gallup poll released today, Hillary Clinton is viewed negatively by 52 percent of Americans and her lead over Senator Obama, her closest challenger among the Democratic candidates, has shrunk to a mere 31 percent to 26 percent.
While I tend to take all polls at this early stage witha large grain of salt, it is interesting that Hillary has not been able to take advantage of her huge advantages in name recognition and fund-raising. I have long wondered if Hillary's high negatives, and the fact that she is a hard-left ideologue, not a skilled politician, might eventually doom her. If this poll is true, it appears that even Democrats are tiring of the Clinton circus.
I hope that this poll holds true, as I think a Hillary presidency would be disastrous for the United States. However, we don't know if this was a poll of likely voters or it was the general public, many of whom do not vote. In any event, we shall see what happens as the campaign actually gets serious. After all, it is still early days, and the Drive-By Media has not yet decided which Democrat (they will never support a Republican candidate) they are going to back.
Hat tip to Matt Drudge.
While I tend to take all polls at this early stage witha large grain of salt, it is interesting that Hillary has not been able to take advantage of her huge advantages in name recognition and fund-raising. I have long wondered if Hillary's high negatives, and the fact that she is a hard-left ideologue, not a skilled politician, might eventually doom her. If this poll is true, it appears that even Democrats are tiring of the Clinton circus.
I hope that this poll holds true, as I think a Hillary presidency would be disastrous for the United States. However, we don't know if this was a poll of likely voters or it was the general public, many of whom do not vote. In any event, we shall see what happens as the campaign actually gets serious. After all, it is still early days, and the Drive-By Media has not yet decided which Democrat (they will never support a Republican candidate) they are going to back.
Hat tip to Matt Drudge.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Tax the Rich?
Our tax code is a disgrace. Ever since I began to pay taxes, and especially after living in Japan, which is a country with a much cleaner tax code, I have been an advocate of a fairer, simpler, less burdensome tax system. The flat tax comes to mind rather quickly.
Over on TownHall.com today, David Strom has published an excellent analysis of our current tax system, especially why it is so unfair and why it does exactly the opposite of what the tax-increasers (that would be the Democrats) like to claim it does.
Strom writes,
Read the whole thing and see what you think. I think it makes eminent sense. Now if only Congress would actually reform the tax code....
Over on TownHall.com today, David Strom has published an excellent analysis of our current tax system, especially why it is so unfair and why it does exactly the opposite of what the tax-increasers (that would be the Democrats) like to claim it does.
Strom writes,
How? It's pretty simple really. While liberals say income taxes are aimed at the "rich," that is simply wrong.
Income taxes are levies on income, not wealth. Rich people are already rich. If they are earning an income as well, then more power to them. But if you are really "rich," you don't need to work. So an income tax, far from being a tax on "the rich," is really a tax on people who work for a living.
Read the whole thing and see what you think. I think it makes eminent sense. Now if only Congress would actually reform the tax code....
On Monsters
After the horrific events at Virginia Tech this week, Citizen Phil asks the question on his blog today, what made the Viriginia Tech murderer act as he did?
My answer is simple: No matter what the circumstances, some people are born to be monsters and most people are not. Furthermore, I believe that one's environment has little to do with it. Many of the greatest talents in history rose from humble and/or squalid beginnings, while some of the greatest monsters in history had well-to-do backgrounds. Despite the clamor from the counseling industry about how we can work with these folks, there are some people who are simply born that way, and no amount of counseling or emotional wallowing will change them.
Who can explain a mass-murderer like Josef Stalin? Or Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe, Saddam Hussein, Mao Tse-tung, and Charles Manson? Who can understand the Zodiac Killer or the Son of Sam? One cannot, save to say, "This person is evil." I believe that is all we can say about this monster as well. Maybe he was pushed over the edge by his failed romantic relationship, but being dumped by a woman, or even finding her with another man should not so destroy one that they start shooting at innocent people. If it does, then that person was not a normal, adjusted individual to begin with.
All we can offer our sympathy and pray for his victims. As Citizen Phil so aptly puts it in regard to the victims of this deranged murderer, "There but for the grace of God go I." Hat tip to TownHall.com.
My answer is simple: No matter what the circumstances, some people are born to be monsters and most people are not. Furthermore, I believe that one's environment has little to do with it. Many of the greatest talents in history rose from humble and/or squalid beginnings, while some of the greatest monsters in history had well-to-do backgrounds. Despite the clamor from the counseling industry about how we can work with these folks, there are some people who are simply born that way, and no amount of counseling or emotional wallowing will change them.
Who can explain a mass-murderer like Josef Stalin? Or Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe, Saddam Hussein, Mao Tse-tung, and Charles Manson? Who can understand the Zodiac Killer or the Son of Sam? One cannot, save to say, "This person is evil." I believe that is all we can say about this monster as well. Maybe he was pushed over the edge by his failed romantic relationship, but being dumped by a woman, or even finding her with another man should not so destroy one that they start shooting at innocent people. If it does, then that person was not a normal, adjusted individual to begin with.
All we can offer our sympathy and pray for his victims. As Citizen Phil so aptly puts it in regard to the victims of this deranged murderer, "There but for the grace of God go I." Hat tip to TownHall.com.
Virgina Tech
All our sympathy to the victims of yesterday's Virigina Tech massacre. As unlike the New York Times, I am not in favor of using tragedies to make political statements, I merely wish to say that it does appear that the Virginia Tech adminstration needs to be asked some hard questions about their actions to protect their students.
In the meantime, the anti-American moonbats in the European press have decided to blame Charlton Heston for the massacre. Since Virginia Tech is a no-gun zone, and the Legislature just refused to pass a bill allowing VT students to carry if they held a Virigina permit, the question these useless hot air specialists should be asking, is why VT didn't either make more of an effort to make sure that the students were protected or allow them to carry in their own self-defense, which might have saved a few lives. The surest way to create massacres is to disarm the populace. Have the Europeans forgotten the Communist and Nazi plans for mass murder?
In the meantime, courtsey of wanusmaximus, a grad student at Virginia Tech, here is our fluff for the day. He was initially thought by some in the Drive-By Media to be the shooter, but it turns out he is merely a well-armed grad student who wished to make a comment on the Second Amendment rights the liberals are in such a hurry to eradicate. He looked though a site called Hot or Not and found what he characterizes as,
For the confused, FOB=fresh off boat. They are pretty easy to spot- look for the inappropriate/incomprehensible English on their T-shirts! Enjoy...
In the meantime, the anti-American moonbats in the European press have decided to blame Charlton Heston for the massacre. Since Virginia Tech is a no-gun zone, and the Legislature just refused to pass a bill allowing VT students to carry if they held a Virigina permit, the question these useless hot air specialists should be asking, is why VT didn't either make more of an effort to make sure that the students were protected or allow them to carry in their own self-defense, which might have saved a few lives. The surest way to create massacres is to disarm the populace. Have the Europeans forgotten the Communist and Nazi plans for mass murder?
In the meantime, courtsey of wanusmaximus, a grad student at Virginia Tech, here is our fluff for the day. He was initially thought by some in the Drive-By Media to be the shooter, but it turns out he is merely a well-armed grad student who wished to make a comment on the Second Amendment rights the liberals are in such a hurry to eradicate. He looked though a site called Hot or Not and found what he characterizes as,
roflmfao.
this is kinda wrong but whatever. ok, so i decided to randomly browse through hot or not and i think i nearly died from laughing so hard.... here are the worst of the fob profiles:
For the confused, FOB=fresh off boat. They are pretty easy to spot- look for the inappropriate/incomprehensible English on their T-shirts! Enjoy...
How About The 1950s
I believe that the decade of the 1950s has been unfairly categorized for a long time as repressed and too straight-arrow. Since I am something of a throwback, I have always had a fondness for earlier times. However, I found Roger Kimball's New Criterion piece today on Then and now, or 8 (more) reasons the 1950s are unfairly maligned to be completely hilarious. And unfortunately a bit too true.
One thing to remember- not only did the 1950s bring us Eisenhower and Nixon, it also brought us the Firehouse Five Plus Two and the rebirth of Dixieland jazz. So it couldn't be entirely bad!
Read the whole thing and see what you think. Hat tip to Power Line.
One thing to remember- not only did the 1950s bring us Eisenhower and Nixon, it also brought us the Firehouse Five Plus Two and the rebirth of Dixieland jazz. So it couldn't be entirely bad!
Read the whole thing and see what you think. Hat tip to Power Line.
Defending American Troops
Show trials like the one Giuliani Sgrena is bringing against a US soldier in an Italian court are the reason why the United States should never sign onto the International Criminal Court. This is also a textbook case of courts straying into areas where they have neither expertise nor jurisdiction. The Italians should be ashamed of this judge for his publicity hunting.
As for Sgrena, has she forgotten that it is only due to US troops that she ever saw Italy again? Probably. She is a confirmed anti-American, hard-left Stalinist apologizer and if she isn't ashamed of herself for this naked money grab, then perhaps her government should be.
As for Sgrena, has she forgotten that it is only due to US troops that she ever saw Italy again? Probably. She is a confirmed anti-American, hard-left Stalinist apologizer and if she isn't ashamed of herself for this naked money grab, then perhaps her government should be.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Democrat Priorities
It appears that the new Democratic majority has decided that the government is not bloated enough, it needs an additional Cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence. Based on the bill (H.R. 808) to establish said department, it appears that the new Department of Peace and Nonviolence would be able to interfere in any and all area of other departments domestically and internationally. To quote Tigerhawk's excellent analysis:
Michelle Malkin is slightly more direct. She calls the proposed department the Department of Appeasement and Surrender. Read the whole bill, and decide for yourselves. My immediate reaction- don't we have far more pressing problems (like lots of crazed Muslims trying to kill us or make us into dhimmis)? Hat tip to Tigerhawk via the awesome Michelle Malkin.
For those looking for a distillation, imagine a governmental agency responsible for advising on non-confrontational foreign policy options, establishing and enforcing new gun control measures, designing school curriculum, establishing and enforcing new legislation governing "hate crimes" and violence against animals, and my favorite, establishing a "Peace Academy," a four-year institution of higher learning modeled on our service academies. (Wait, doesn't the Ivy League already have like six of those?)
Michelle Malkin is slightly more direct. She calls the proposed department the Department of Appeasement and Surrender. Read the whole bill, and decide for yourselves. My immediate reaction- don't we have far more pressing problems (like lots of crazed Muslims trying to kill us or make us into dhimmis)? Hat tip to Tigerhawk via the awesome Michelle Malkin.
Democrats and Frugality
Outside of John McCain's planned speech, there is little that I am interested enough to blog on today. I could care less about the romantic affairs of England's Prince William, which most of the big newspapaers are breathless over. However, ther is one other little item that did catch my eye.
It appears that after their successful recapture of Conghress, taxpayer-paid junkets by the new Democratic majority are picking up steam. According to the Washington Examiner,
So, Speaker Pelosi, after you have the gall to possibly break the law and attempt to strip the President of his authority under the Constitution to make policy for the United States, you also are OK with your party junketing all over the world despite your claims that only Republicans are the party of corruption. Let's recall- Democrats had over forty years in the majority, and they certainly did not distinguish themselves. It appears that despite the wilderness years, Democcrats have learned nothing about how taxpayers view the waste of their hard-earned money.
It appears that after their successful recapture of Conghress, taxpayer-paid junkets by the new Democratic majority are picking up steam. According to the Washington Examiner,
All told, the military flew at least 13 congressional delegations to various destinations during the Easter recess -- at an estimated rate of $10,000 or more per flying hour.
The congressional delegation trips, known as CODELs, are paid for by taxpayers. They are supposed to be directly related to members’ official duties, and House guidelines also stipulate that delegations include members of both parties to qualify for military planes -- a requirement that Speaker Nancy Pelosi waived for Engel’s group and two other delegations.
So, Speaker Pelosi, after you have the gall to possibly break the law and attempt to strip the President of his authority under the Constitution to make policy for the United States, you also are OK with your party junketing all over the world despite your claims that only Republicans are the party of corruption. Let's recall- Democrats had over forty years in the majority, and they certainly did not distinguish themselves. It appears that despite the wilderness years, Democcrats have learned nothing about how taxpayers view the waste of their hard-earned money.
Attacking the Tax Code
John McCain has aroused my ire on a number of occasions over the past few years. The infamous McCain-Feingold attack on the First Amendment, the Gang of Fourteen agreement and his off and on flirtation with the Democrats to the detriment of his own party have all contributed to my distrust of him as a reliable conservative. However, McCain does have the intestinal fortitude to also stand up and be counted in the war and he does have some conservative mojo.
This mojo was proved today, as he takes on the antiquated and overblown US tax code. McCain plans to call the tax code "Byzantine" and "incomprehensible", both of which are demonstrably true. In his comments, McCain will say,
If McCain is serious, this could get interesting. He also plans to support, according to the New York Sun, a line item veto for the President, entitlement reform and balancing the budget. All of these are worthy items, but the tax code is probably the biggest issue facing us outside of the social security and Medicare behemoths. If we can actually reform it so that we don't nheed the legions of tax specialists, that would be a huge step in the right direction. Personally, I would like to see a flat tax, but I am not sure if that has enough support to pass. In any event, good for John McCain. I have only one question- why did he wait this long? There was a Republican Congress and a Republican President for most of the past eight years. Why wait until there is a Democratic Congress to push for reforms that Democrats traditionally are not in favor of?
This mojo was proved today, as he takes on the antiquated and overblown US tax code. McCain plans to call the tax code "Byzantine" and "incomprehensible", both of which are demonstrably true. In his comments, McCain will say,
"It won't be easy to fix a Byzantine code that has been decades in the making. But I don't want the office for the sake of the nice house, the big plane, and the car and driver," Mr. McCain plans to say, according to an excerpt of his remarks provided to The New York Sun. "I want to fix the hardest problems, and I'll fight to make the tax code simpler, fairer, flatter, more pro-growth and pro-jobs."
If McCain is serious, this could get interesting. He also plans to support, according to the New York Sun, a line item veto for the President, entitlement reform and balancing the budget. All of these are worthy items, but the tax code is probably the biggest issue facing us outside of the social security and Medicare behemoths. If we can actually reform it so that we don't nheed the legions of tax specialists, that would be a huge step in the right direction. Personally, I would like to see a flat tax, but I am not sure if that has enough support to pass. In any event, good for John McCain. I have only one question- why did he wait this long? There was a Republican Congress and a Republican President for most of the past eight years. Why wait until there is a Democratic Congress to push for reforms that Democrats traditionally are not in favor of?
Friday, April 13, 2007
Iraq-al Quaeda Connections
The current talking points from the Democrats and their shills in the national media is that there was no connection between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and al Quaeda. The Washington Post continued this spin last week with an editorial claiming that the CIA did not think there were any ties between Huseein's Iraq and al-Quaeda.
Unfortunately for the Post, there is significant evidence that Iraq and al-Quaeda were cooperating at a farily high level. Thomas Joscelyn today points out these connections in his article for the Weekly Standard.
Among other things, Joscelyn says,
Now if only the Post and the other Democratic shills in the media would actually direct some attention to the many captured documents from Iraq that prove saddam's interest in cooperating with al-Quaeda, his pursuit and former possession of the weapons that the liberals like to dismiss and his many attempts to harm the United States. But that would require that the Post and its fellow media organs actually do objective reporting- something they long ago abandoned where President George W. Bush is concerned.
Hat tip to Power Line.
Unfortunately for the Post, there is significant evidence that Iraq and al-Quaeda were cooperating at a farily high level. Thomas Joscelyn today points out these connections in his article for the Weekly Standard.
Among other things, Joscelyn says,
The bottom line is that members of the CIA, including the Agency's director, certainly believed in 2002 that there was a relationship between the Iraqi regime and al Qaeda. And no matter what he says now, Senator Levin knows that. In a June 16, 2003 appearance on NewsHour, Senator Levin explained:
"We were told by the intelligence community that there was a very strong link between al-Qaida and Iraq, and there were real questions raised. And there are real questions raised about whether or not that link was such that the description by the intelligence community was accurate or whether or not they [note: "they" here refers to the intelligence community, not the Bush administration] stretched it."
The idea that Feith's analysts cooked up the connection, while the CIA shunned the very notion, is pure fantasy--a fantasy dreamed up by Senator Levin and some former CIA members who have repeatedly made clear their disdain for the Bush administration.
Now if only the Post and the other Democratic shills in the media would actually direct some attention to the many captured documents from Iraq that prove saddam's interest in cooperating with al-Quaeda, his pursuit and former possession of the weapons that the liberals like to dismiss and his many attempts to harm the United States. But that would require that the Post and its fellow media organs actually do objective reporting- something they long ago abandoned where President George W. Bush is concerned.
Hat tip to Power Line.
On Trains
I have been fascinated by trains almost since the beginning. I will go out of my way to ride scale trains, such as those found at the Redwood Valley Railway in Tilden Park near Berkeley, California. However, one of my friends just sent me a link to a supply house for G and other scale trains. This piqued my interest in the smaller-scale trains.
My own ambition is to build a live steam scale train, possibly in G scale, but maybe in a larger scale, depending on whether I can find the right place. Living in the postage-stamp lots that are common in the Bay Area is not conducive to garden railroading, regrettably.
Some links to scale trains and live steam-related sites are as follows:
I am sure I have left out some useful sources, but this is a place to start. Your local hobby shop is also usually a good resource. And if you are lucky enough to live in a town with a non-chain, monster toy store, that is also a good place to begin. Have fun!
My own ambition is to build a live steam scale train, possibly in G scale, but maybe in a larger scale, depending on whether I can find the right place. Living in the postage-stamp lots that are common in the Bay Area is not conducive to garden railroading, regrettably.
Some links to scale trains and live steam-related sites are as follows:
- Only Trains
- Lionel Trains
- Golden Gate Live Steamers
- Rose City Garden Railroad Society
- Grand Scales Quarterly
- 7+ Railroader
- Garden Railways Magazine
I am sure I have left out some useful sources, but this is a place to start. Your local hobby shop is also usually a good resource. And if you are lucky enough to live in a town with a non-chain, monster toy store, that is also a good place to begin. Have fun!
Music & Consumers
As a musician myself, I have no sympathy for the file-sharers and illegal downloaders who dislike paying for anything. I also have little love for the pirate distributers, such as the Pirate Bay and others who exist on the creativity of others, and who contribute nothing of value. I am not in favor of a musician or other artist's hard work resulting in profil only for the thief who illegally disseminates it.
That being said, the music industry itself has a large responsibility to bear as well. And that is the point of an interesting article today by writer Eric Bangeman in ars technica. Bangeman writes that DRM, lock-ins, and piracy: all red herrings for a music industry in trouble. In his aritcle, he covers the analysis by a British compnay of the picture for the music industry, and concludes it is not a pretty one.
It is an interesting analysis and I think Mr. Bangeman has a valid point that the record industry is largely responsible for their troubles. However, there is one point that he missed. The content being released by many record companies is simply abysmal. I have zero interst in listening to glorified disc jockeys rap about "bitches and hos" or how "pimped-out" their ride may be. And the complete lack of musical talent and originality does nothing to engage my interest. Perhaps if the record companies looked harder for talent, they might oncfe agsain engage the many music-lovers who have largely abandoned them.
In any event, read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
That being said, the music industry itself has a large responsibility to bear as well. And that is the point of an interesting article today by writer Eric Bangeman in ars technica. Bangeman writes that DRM, lock-ins, and piracy: all red herrings for a music industry in trouble. In his aritcle, he covers the analysis by a British compnay of the picture for the music industry, and concludes it is not a pretty one.
It is an interesting analysis and I think Mr. Bangeman has a valid point that the record industry is largely responsible for their troubles. However, there is one point that he missed. The content being released by many record companies is simply abysmal. I have zero interst in listening to glorified disc jockeys rap about "bitches and hos" or how "pimped-out" their ride may be. And the complete lack of musical talent and originality does nothing to engage my interest. Perhaps if the record companies looked harder for talent, they might oncfe agsain engage the many music-lovers who have largely abandoned them.
In any event, read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Defending Capitalism
University of Maryland professor Benjamin Barber is a very intelligent man. I read his book Jihad vs. McWorld back in graduate school, and though I disagree with him, I can understand and appreciate his arguments. Professor Barber wrote an essay for the Los Angeles Times on April 4 entitled Overselling Capitalism. In the editorial, Professor Barber essentially blames capitalism for the world's woes.
Today, in the online TCS Daily magazine, John Tamny responds with his column Underselling Capitalism. In rebutting Professor Barber, Mr. Tamny writes,
It is rare in these times to read a strong defense of capitalism, and Mr. Tamny does it well. Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Today, in the online TCS Daily magazine, John Tamny responds with his column Underselling Capitalism. In rebutting Professor Barber, Mr. Tamny writes,
Capitalism is the villain in Barber's piece, yet capitalism has proven time and again to be the singular cure for the poor health threatening the Third World. According to the 2005 Economic Freedom of the World report produced by the Cato Institute, the nations in the top quintile of average per-capita GDP also have the highest average life expectancy; 77.7 years versus 52.5 years for citizens of countries in the bottom quintile.
Barber concludes by saying to "sustain itself, capitalism will once again have to respond to real needs instead of trying to fabricate synthetic ones." He gets it backwards. That capitalism gives people what they want means that it alone will have the wherewithal to provide the jobs, aid and medicine to those not lucky enough to live in cultures blessed by the most compassionate economic concept ever known.
It is rare in these times to read a strong defense of capitalism, and Mr. Tamny does it well. Read the whole thing. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Nifong Apologizes
...about a year too late. According to Breitbart News, disgraced Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong apologized to the innocent former Duke students whose lives he tried so hard to ruin.
This comes, in my opinion, about a year too late. As shown by such knowledgable commentators as Professor KC Johnson, John in Carolina and Friends of Duke University, there were huge problems with Nifong's case from the very start. Reade Seligmann's alibi, the wildly differing stories told by false accuser Crystal Mangum, and above all, the fact that there was no DNA from any Duke player, though there was DNA from several other men, should have told the DA that he had no case. but he pressed on anyway, and managed to nearly ruin three innocent young men's lives for a lie.
In his apology today, Nifong said "It is my sincere desire that the actions of Attorney General Cooper will serve to remedy any remaining injury that has resulted from these cases." This sounds suspiciously like a plea for the students not to sue him. He has to know that his law license is hanging by a thread, that his career is over and that he may even face prison. Yet he wants the young men he so relentlessly pursued to forgive him????
if I were the young men in question, I would want Nifong and Mangum in prison, and the other potbangers and enablers (including the slanderous police spokesman Corporal David Addison, the 88 Duke professors who used the affair to push their own radical agenda, the cowardly Duke Administration, who was more sympathetic to Mangum than to their own students, the race-baiting idiots like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the Black Panthers who took the accuser's side due to her color, and the ignorant, agenda-driven reporters like Selena Roberts and Duff Wilson who fanned the flames long after there was clear evidence that the Duke students were innocent) to pay as much as the law will allow.
Thanks for the apology, Mr. Nifong. But it's too little too late. Are the rest of the pot-bangers listening?
This comes, in my opinion, about a year too late. As shown by such knowledgable commentators as Professor KC Johnson, John in Carolina and Friends of Duke University, there were huge problems with Nifong's case from the very start. Reade Seligmann's alibi, the wildly differing stories told by false accuser Crystal Mangum, and above all, the fact that there was no DNA from any Duke player, though there was DNA from several other men, should have told the DA that he had no case. but he pressed on anyway, and managed to nearly ruin three innocent young men's lives for a lie.
In his apology today, Nifong said "It is my sincere desire that the actions of Attorney General Cooper will serve to remedy any remaining injury that has resulted from these cases." This sounds suspiciously like a plea for the students not to sue him. He has to know that his law license is hanging by a thread, that his career is over and that he may even face prison. Yet he wants the young men he so relentlessly pursued to forgive him????
if I were the young men in question, I would want Nifong and Mangum in prison, and the other potbangers and enablers (including the slanderous police spokesman Corporal David Addison, the 88 Duke professors who used the affair to push their own radical agenda, the cowardly Duke Administration, who was more sympathetic to Mangum than to their own students, the race-baiting idiots like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the Black Panthers who took the accuser's side due to her color, and the ignorant, agenda-driven reporters like Selena Roberts and Duff Wilson who fanned the flames long after there was clear evidence that the Duke students were innocent) to pay as much as the law will allow.
Thanks for the apology, Mr. Nifong. But it's too little too late. Are the rest of the pot-bangers listening?
Duke Thoughts
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has declared the three falsely accused Duke lacrosse players innocent. By inference, he also declared their accuser Crystal Gayle Mangum a liar, though he declined to file criminal charges against her for perjury, which would seem to be warranted. However, he made one very interesting comment in the course of his statement. "I think a lot of people owe a lot of apologies to a lot of people," Cooper said. "I think those people ought to consider doing that." He also said the charges resulted from a "tragic rush to accuse and a failure to verify serious allegations."
I agree. The 88 Duke professsors who published their libelous and false advertisement, the Durham Police Department and Corporal Addison who published the libelous and dangerous "Wanted" poster, the as-yet-unnamed persons responsible for the infamous vigilante poster with 43 of the 46 lacrosse players' pictures, the Duke administration who so badly failed the young men entrusted to them and the national and local media who failed so signally in discharging their duty to be fair and responsible. All of these should be held liable to the full extent the law allows. I am not normally in favor of lawsuits, but this is a classic case where they would seem to be necessary for these young men to reclaim a measure of the justice that until Roy Cooper spoke had seluded them.
And what of the other enablers for the liar who accused them? Don Imus asked a question on his show this morning "When will Alk Sharpton apologize to the Duke players?" Imus is himself a sad excuse for a human being (see his disgusting comments on the Rutgers women's basketball team), but for once he did ask the right question. So what about it, Sharpton? When will we see an apology from you and Jesse Jackson and the other race-baiters who inflamed this case so badly and with such tragic results?
I agree. The 88 Duke professsors who published their libelous and false advertisement, the Durham Police Department and Corporal Addison who published the libelous and dangerous "Wanted" poster, the as-yet-unnamed persons responsible for the infamous vigilante poster with 43 of the 46 lacrosse players' pictures, the Duke administration who so badly failed the young men entrusted to them and the national and local media who failed so signally in discharging their duty to be fair and responsible. All of these should be held liable to the full extent the law allows. I am not normally in favor of lawsuits, but this is a classic case where they would seem to be necessary for these young men to reclaim a measure of the justice that until Roy Cooper spoke had seluded them.
And what of the other enablers for the liar who accused them? Don Imus asked a question on his show this morning "When will Alk Sharpton apologize to the Duke players?" Imus is himself a sad excuse for a human being (see his disgusting comments on the Rutgers women's basketball team), but for once he did ask the right question. So what about it, Sharpton? When will we see an apology from you and Jesse Jackson and the other race-baiters who inflamed this case so badly and with such tragic results?
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
MSM "Layers of Editors"?
What layers of editors? After the Rathergate disgrace that finally ended Dan Rather's newsreading career, now we have his replacement, Katie Couric, being caught plagiarizing from the Wall Street Journal. Read the whole thing.
Ed Morrissey chimed in over on Captain's Quarters, Jonah Goldberg added his thoughts over at the NRO Corner and Ed Driscoll broke down modern "reporters".
Read all the ccommentary. And then take any of the MSM's claims of professionalism with a VERY large grain of salt. Professionalism? What professionalism? Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Ed Morrissey chimed in over on Captain's Quarters, Jonah Goldberg added his thoughts over at the NRO Corner and Ed Driscoll broke down modern "reporters".
Read all the ccommentary. And then take any of the MSM's claims of professionalism with a VERY large grain of salt. Professionalism? What professionalism? Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
For University Administrators
Please see President Mike Nietzel's work at the Missouri State University. When he was presented with a lawsuit filed against one of his academic schools, in this case, the School of Social Work, President Nietzel did not hide behind lawyers or defend the school in question. Nor did he hand over the invesitgation to unhinged radicals in his own faculty- are you listening President Brodhead over at Duke? Instead he called in an independent panel to perform a full review.
And what prompted the review? A student in the master's program accused the school of punishing her for being a Christian. According to her,
Sounds legitimate to me. Anti-Christian professors are legion. In fact, the only religion that can be openly displayed in most universities today would be Islam, which has been elevated to protected status by the far-left socialists and communists who would undoubtedly be Islam's first targets should they even win.
The review's results, according to KY3 News in Missouri, was "damning". In fact, President Nietzel said in his weekly email message,
This is the gold standard of how university administrations should respond. Instead of hiding or trying to discipline the student, they should call in an outside review to determine the validity of the accusations. While understanding that students can be untrustorthy in the matter of grades, it si important to realise that professors, especially the many agenda-driven Leftists in our university system, can be just as untrustworthy.
Hat tip to Michelle Malkin.
And what prompted the review? A student in the master's program accused the school of punishing her for being a Christian. According to her,
Emily Brooker sued the university because she said faculty members punished her for failing to take part in a class assignment that went against her Christian beliefs. Brooker said the project asked students to draft and sign a letter to state legislators in support of gay people being allowed to be foster parents.
Sounds legitimate to me. Anti-Christian professors are legion. In fact, the only religion that can be openly displayed in most universities today would be Islam, which has been elevated to protected status by the far-left socialists and communists who would undoubtedly be Islam's first targets should they even win.
The review's results, according to KY3 News in Missouri, was "damning". In fact, President Nietzel said in his weekly email message,
I regret to report what will be obvious to you as you read the evaluation by the external reviewers: Their evaluation of our Social Work program is extraordinarily negative. In fact, it is as negative a review of an academic program as I have ever seen, and I have been involved in University accreditation activities for more than 20 years as a site visitor for the American Psychological Association, an accreditation consultant, a commissioner of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and a reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.
As much as I am embarrassed by the report, I have decided it must be made public. The perceived problems in Social Work are too numerous and too serious to hide or diminish. I believe we owe it to ourselves and to our students to let the sun shine on what is very tempting to keep under the rug.
This is the gold standard of how university administrations should respond. Instead of hiding or trying to discipline the student, they should call in an outside review to determine the validity of the accusations. While understanding that students can be untrustorthy in the matter of grades, it si important to realise that professors, especially the many agenda-driven Leftists in our university system, can be just as untrustworthy.
Hat tip to Michelle Malkin.
The Thugs Leading the Incompetent
The United Nations is an institution that has long outlived its usefullness, at least in this writer's opinion. More evidence of this is provided by the inestimable Anne Bayefsky, who reports on National Review that Iran and Syria are currently leading the U.N.'s Disarmament Commission!
This seems completely incomprehensible to me. I seem to recall that it is Iran which is so frantically seeking to possess nuclear weaposns, against every treaty they have signed. As Bayefsky so aptly puts it, "Yes Ripley, the very U.N. body charged with promoting nuclear nonproliferation installed in a senior position the state that the Security Council recently declared violated its nonproliferation resolutions. " And despite this violation, the useful idiots at the UN still elected Iran to lead the Disarmament Commission! No wonder all the thugocracies and dictatorships around the world love the UN. It makes them feel that they are legitimate, not the vicious and illegitimate bodies they actually are.
The UN was a wonderful idea. However, their anti-American, totalitarian-loving, corruptuion has reached the point where we can no longer afford to have these dangerous incompetents placed in a position where they can do us harm. It is time to evict the UN and put their former headquarters in Turtle Bay to some constructive use. I think a missile-shield research center sounds about right.
Hat tip to little green footballs.
This seems completely incomprehensible to me. I seem to recall that it is Iran which is so frantically seeking to possess nuclear weaposns, against every treaty they have signed. As Bayefsky so aptly puts it, "Yes Ripley, the very U.N. body charged with promoting nuclear nonproliferation installed in a senior position the state that the Security Council recently declared violated its nonproliferation resolutions. " And despite this violation, the useful idiots at the UN still elected Iran to lead the Disarmament Commission! No wonder all the thugocracies and dictatorships around the world love the UN. It makes them feel that they are legitimate, not the vicious and illegitimate bodies they actually are.
The UN was a wonderful idea. However, their anti-American, totalitarian-loving, corruptuion has reached the point where we can no longer afford to have these dangerous incompetents placed in a position where they can do us harm. It is time to evict the UN and put their former headquarters in Turtle Bay to some constructive use. I think a missile-shield research center sounds about right.
Hat tip to little green footballs.
Sanity In Durham
At last. After far too much time, it appears that the State of North Carolina will drop the remaining charges against former Duke University lacrosse players Reade Seligmann, Colin Finnerty and David Evans.
I have been expecting this for quite some time, as it has long appeared that the State had no case. What astounds me is that this travesty has been allowed to go on as long as it has. What is even more astounding is that many of Duke's professors and several out-of-state jounalists, such as Selena Roberts, have jumped on the players with presumptions of guilt after it was known that the accuser, one Crystal Gail Mangum, had serious credibility issues and that several players, inlcuding Seligmann, had alibis!
This entire charade has made everyone except the Duke women's lacrosse team and the few brave souls who stood by the players, look extremely bad. I would hope that once the charges are actually dropped, that the players will proceed against Duke adminstrators, Mangum, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong, the Durham Police Department, the Durham Herald-Sun newspaper and any others (such as the 88 Duke professors who published an advertisement libelling the players) with the full force of the law, and I hope they wring every last cent out of those who tried to use them to advance their own agendas at the expense of the United States Constitution, which clearly states that any accused is innocent until proven guilty.
For a complete chronology of the case, please see the Durham-in-Wonderland, Friends of Duke University, John in Carolina and Liestoppers blogs. These folks have been on this case from the very start and it is due to their fine reporting (certainly not to the mainstream media) that many of the facts regarding this case have seen the light of day.
I have been expecting this for quite some time, as it has long appeared that the State had no case. What astounds me is that this travesty has been allowed to go on as long as it has. What is even more astounding is that many of Duke's professors and several out-of-state jounalists, such as Selena Roberts, have jumped on the players with presumptions of guilt after it was known that the accuser, one Crystal Gail Mangum, had serious credibility issues and that several players, inlcuding Seligmann, had alibis!
This entire charade has made everyone except the Duke women's lacrosse team and the few brave souls who stood by the players, look extremely bad. I would hope that once the charges are actually dropped, that the players will proceed against Duke adminstrators, Mangum, Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong, the Durham Police Department, the Durham Herald-Sun newspaper and any others (such as the 88 Duke professors who published an advertisement libelling the players) with the full force of the law, and I hope they wring every last cent out of those who tried to use them to advance their own agendas at the expense of the United States Constitution, which clearly states that any accused is innocent until proven guilty.
For a complete chronology of the case, please see the Durham-in-Wonderland, Friends of Duke University, John in Carolina and Liestoppers blogs. These folks have been on this case from the very start and it is due to their fine reporting (certainly not to the mainstream media) that many of the facts regarding this case have seen the light of day.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Kernel Panics
Can be fun! Really, you ask? Why, yes. Click HERE for details. This made my day.
Hat tip to Expat Leo's Wordpress.
Hat tip to Expat Leo's Wordpress.
College Aid and Discomfort
College tuition is big business. And in some cases, it appears that business has corrupted the very institutions it is supposed to aid.
The Washington Times reports that financial aid officials at several colleges, including Johns Hopkins University, are tied to widespread conflicts of interest wherein tuition firms funnel money to them, which firms then receive preferential treatment in gaining new clients. Read the whole thing.
This is why college tuition is a disgrace. The government should cease subsidizing all education, and colleges would then have to lower their tuition or go out of business. Based on my own experience, most universitites put their tuition dollars into nice offices for their administrators, while the actual faculty rots in underfunded and ancient classrooms. And don'ty even start me on how the students are treated by said administrations.
it is time to get the cost out of education. Let subsidies cease, and then universities will survive or die based on quality of education, not on inflated tuition.
The Washington Times reports that financial aid officials at several colleges, including Johns Hopkins University, are tied to widespread conflicts of interest wherein tuition firms funnel money to them, which firms then receive preferential treatment in gaining new clients. Read the whole thing.
This is why college tuition is a disgrace. The government should cease subsidizing all education, and colleges would then have to lower their tuition or go out of business. Based on my own experience, most universitites put their tuition dollars into nice offices for their administrators, while the actual faculty rots in underfunded and ancient classrooms. And don'ty even start me on how the students are treated by said administrations.
it is time to get the cost out of education. Let subsidies cease, and then universities will survive or die based on quality of education, not on inflated tuition.
Tolerance, Islam-style
American and Western leftists like to claim that Islam is a "religion of peace". They also like to claim that Islam is "tolerant". Well, can they define tolerance? Today, the Washington Times newspaper reports that a Taliban-style court in Pakistan issued a fatwa against the Minister of Tourism for posing in what they call an obscene manner.
So what did the minister actually do? She apparently went hang-gliding and allowed herself to be photographed in hang-gliding wear, and then hugged the instructor when she landed. This drove the Islamic fundamentalists off the cliff, provoking the fatwa- essentially a sentence of death.
Islamic fundamentalists believe women are equivalent to slaves. This should be anathema to Westerners - especially the Left. But I haven't heard any condemnations from NOW about the fatwa. In fact, has any Muslim group condemned the fatwa? I haven't heard any. Now imagine that a Western university shut off funds for the Vagina Monologues, or for Muslim Appreciation Week. Or tried to hold a Christian event- any Christian event. Think how loudly they would scream. And the Press would abet them and encourage those screams every inch of the way. Yet no one has from these supposedly progressive organizations has stepped forward yet to condemn the Muslim fundamentalists, and praise the brave woman who challenged the fundamentalists.
Ultimately, the Left has no courage to challenge real threats. It is much safer to criticise George W. bush or Republicans, or the United States. They face no risks in doing so. But it is funny that they are allied with the Islamic fundamentalists, when their most dear beliefs are anathema to the Islamic fundamentalists.
So what did the minister actually do? She apparently went hang-gliding and allowed herself to be photographed in hang-gliding wear, and then hugged the instructor when she landed. This drove the Islamic fundamentalists off the cliff, provoking the fatwa- essentially a sentence of death.
Islamic fundamentalists believe women are equivalent to slaves. This should be anathema to Westerners - especially the Left. But I haven't heard any condemnations from NOW about the fatwa. In fact, has any Muslim group condemned the fatwa? I haven't heard any. Now imagine that a Western university shut off funds for the Vagina Monologues, or for Muslim Appreciation Week. Or tried to hold a Christian event- any Christian event. Think how loudly they would scream. And the Press would abet them and encourage those screams every inch of the way. Yet no one has from these supposedly progressive organizations has stepped forward yet to condemn the Muslim fundamentalists, and praise the brave woman who challenged the fundamentalists.
Ultimately, the Left has no courage to challenge real threats. It is much safer to criticise George W. bush or Republicans, or the United States. They face no risks in doing so. But it is funny that they are allied with the Islamic fundamentalists, when their most dear beliefs are anathema to the Islamic fundamentalists.
Illegals go home
Open borders proponents have claimed that our illegal immigrants are happy to be part of our culture. Well, that appears to be untrue. The demonstrations last yeaar proved that many of them want to make the US a part of Mexico! And in fact, the illegal aliens are so little interested in being a part of the United States that in Santa Ana, a Southern California city, they haven't even bothered to learn English.
This is sadly not a new phernomenon. Mexicans and other illegal immigrants like to use their language to say bad things about Americans while they live and work illegally in our country. But when it comes to actually making a positive contribution, they don't seem to care. Their idea is to use the United States as their giant wastebasket, and bring all of their probelms over to us. For an example, see the KSL 5 website out of Salt Lake City, which is reporting that an illegal alien asttempted to rape an eleven-year old girl.
This has to stop. The sooner our elected representatives get off their hands and start securing the border and deporting these illegal alines, the better off we will all be.
This is sadly not a new phernomenon. Mexicans and other illegal immigrants like to use their language to say bad things about Americans while they live and work illegally in our country. But when it comes to actually making a positive contribution, they don't seem to care. Their idea is to use the United States as their giant wastebasket, and bring all of their probelms over to us. For an example, see the KSL 5 website out of Salt Lake City, which is reporting that an illegal alien asttempted to rape an eleven-year old girl.
This has to stop. The sooner our elected representatives get off their hands and start securing the border and deporting these illegal alines, the better off we will all be.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Political Profile
If you want to take a few minutes and find your poltiical profile, you can do that at the Political Profile Quiz on Blogthings. Be warned- some of the questions are pretty skewed, so that those of us who are more libertarian will not have good options. However, it is interesting. My results are below:
Enjoy!
Your Political Profile: |
 Overall: 80% Conservative, 20% Liberal Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal |
Enjoy!
Viva la difference!
Apparently there IS still a difference between the sexes, despite the best attempts of feminism and Title IX. Men and women really do think differently, according to Dr. Helen. Read the whole thing- including the comments.
Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
democrats? really?
The Democrats claim to be the party of the people. Leaving aside the Communist-sounding implications of that claim, it appears that they are not as friendly to the less-wealthy as they like to claim. According to the Charlotte Observer, Elizabeth Edwards, wife of permanent campaigner John Edwards is afraid of her "rabid, rabid Republican" neighbor- a person she has never actually met!
Later in the article it appears that she is also not pleased with the fact that said neighbor can't make his 42 acres as pristine as the Edwards' recently-purchased 102-acre, 28000-square-foot estate. According to the Observer:
The neighbor, a Mr. Monty Johnson, takes umbrage at that suggestion:
Sounds reasonable. Mr. Johnson isn't a multi-millionaire trial lawyer like Mr. Edwards. He is trying to keep up his large tract of inherited family property out of his own pocket with resources that are decidedly less than those of the Edwards family. If Mrs. Edwards feels that the site needs improvement, maybe she could give Mr. Johnson some of her own money to help out. After all, her husband is trying to get elected President on a platform that the re are "two Americas"- rich (like himself?) and poor (like Mr. Johnson?). Since Mr. Edwards claims the government should redistribute income to from rich to poor, shouldn't Mrs. Edwards do the same, saving the rest of the taxpayers from having to do so? But that would require doing what Democrats don't want to do- actually giving THEIR money and/or privileges to those dastardly normal people (or even worse- to Republicans!). In the end, this is just one more example of rich, elitist Democrats not taking kindly to living near ordinary people. Remind us again- which party is the real party of the people?
Later in the article it appears that she is also not pleased with the fact that said neighbor can't make his 42 acres as pristine as the Edwards' recently-purchased 102-acre, 28000-square-foot estate. According to the Observer:
Edwards views Johnson as a "rabid, rabid Republican" who refuses to clean up his "slummy" property just to spite her family, whose lavish 28,000-square-foot estate is nearby on 102 wooded acres.
The neighbor, a Mr. Monty Johnson, takes umbrage at that suggestion:
Johnson said he has lived his entire life on the property, which he said his family purchased before the Great Depression. He said he's spent a lot of money to try and fix up the 42-acre tract.
"I have to budget. I have to live within my means," Johnson said. "I don't have millions of dollars to fix the place."
Sounds reasonable. Mr. Johnson isn't a multi-millionaire trial lawyer like Mr. Edwards. He is trying to keep up his large tract of inherited family property out of his own pocket with resources that are decidedly less than those of the Edwards family. If Mrs. Edwards feels that the site needs improvement, maybe she could give Mr. Johnson some of her own money to help out. After all, her husband is trying to get elected President on a platform that the re are "two Americas"- rich (like himself?) and poor (like Mr. Johnson?). Since Mr. Edwards claims the government should redistribute income to from rich to poor, shouldn't Mrs. Edwards do the same, saving the rest of the taxpayers from having to do so? But that would require doing what Democrats don't want to do- actually giving THEIR money and/or privileges to those dastardly normal people (or even worse- to Republicans!). In the end, this is just one more example of rich, elitist Democrats not taking kindly to living near ordinary people. Remind us again- which party is the real party of the people?
How Americans Behave in Captivity
Much attention has been paid to the 15 British servicemen and women who were recently held prisoner by Iran. They were granted permission by the British military to sell their stories to the Press. However, it appears that there is a difference between how members of the EU behave under captivity and how Americans behave in captivity.
Over at IMAO, there is a post by a former American hostage of the 1979 embassy seizure. He recounts their captivity, contrasting it with how the Britons behaved under similar circumstances. He writes, "For our troubles we were isolated, thumped, went through two mock executions, starved, threatened, and had to put up with useful idiots from Amnesty International showing up just to let the world know how humane we were being treated."
He goes on to say that "We resisted at each opportunity, except for Army Sgt Joe Subic who collaborated from day 1 and was later snubbed by the rest of us (and was the only one not to receive a citation). We refused to cooperate, stole keys, plugged toilets, pissed in their rations, blew circuit breakers, laughed in their face when they threatened us and cursed them when they beat us. Steve Kirtley even told one of them to pull his finger! The monkey did and Steve was beaten for the inevitable result."
Contrast this behavior with that of the British prisoners. While not belittling their ordeal, I must say that it would appear they have less stamina than our boys for resisting. Whatever happened to the old British spirit that carried them through the Blitzkrieg?
I especially enjoyed the comments about Amnesty International. They were certainly up in arms about Guantanomo Bay, and so worried about those pooor Muslim prisoners. Anyone heard a peep out of them regarding the Britons? Read the whole thing.
Hat tip to Power Line.
Over at IMAO, there is a post by a former American hostage of the 1979 embassy seizure. He recounts their captivity, contrasting it with how the Britons behaved under similar circumstances. He writes, "For our troubles we were isolated, thumped, went through two mock executions, starved, threatened, and had to put up with useful idiots from Amnesty International showing up just to let the world know how humane we were being treated."
He goes on to say that "We resisted at each opportunity, except for Army Sgt Joe Subic who collaborated from day 1 and was later snubbed by the rest of us (and was the only one not to receive a citation). We refused to cooperate, stole keys, plugged toilets, pissed in their rations, blew circuit breakers, laughed in their face when they threatened us and cursed them when they beat us. Steve Kirtley even told one of them to pull his finger! The monkey did and Steve was beaten for the inevitable result."
Contrast this behavior with that of the British prisoners. While not belittling their ordeal, I must say that it would appear they have less stamina than our boys for resisting. Whatever happened to the old British spirit that carried them through the Blitzkrieg?
I especially enjoyed the comments about Amnesty International. They were certainly up in arms about Guantanomo Bay, and so worried about those pooor Muslim prisoners. Anyone heard a peep out of them regarding the Britons? Read the whole thing.
Hat tip to Power Line.
A Word from our Soldiers
The guys at Power Line have posted in its entirety a letter from Marine Sergeant Baker Brooks who is about to be redeployed to Iraq. This letter provides one of the clearest views of why our soldiers (and yes, they are soldiers, not mercenaries, not warriors, they are soldiers), go willingly back into the fray, despite our media's endless carping and negativism.
Sergeant Brooks writes,
Read the whole thing. It is men and women like this sergeant who make our country worth defending, and I thank God that there are men and women like Sergeant Brooks. It is men and women like the sergeant who are the real core of this country, not the lawyers, not the journalists and certainly not the shallow entertainers in Hollywood. While they chatter and try to undermine our great nation, soldiers like Sergeant Brooks are out there making things safer.
And the sergeant is quite correct- Iraq is not a separate war, anymore than the North African campaign of World War II was separate from the Pacific campaign. It is the same war, just in a different location. Too bad the media and many Democrats cannot or will not understand that.
Thank you Sergeant Brooks.
Hat tip to Power Line.
Sergeant Brooks writes,
Well, “The War in Iraq” is not a catchphrase and it isn’t the war itself, it's a battlefield, like Afghanistan, where we get a chance to spill the blood of our enemy. And unlike any war in the past there are no boundaries and there will be no end. No end until Jesus returns in fulfillment of his prophecy. My son and his children will be dealing with this fight as the enemy will never change their ideological stance much like we will never change ours. This war will wage as the Fringe Elements of Islam continue to exist.
Read the whole thing. It is men and women like this sergeant who make our country worth defending, and I thank God that there are men and women like Sergeant Brooks. It is men and women like the sergeant who are the real core of this country, not the lawyers, not the journalists and certainly not the shallow entertainers in Hollywood. While they chatter and try to undermine our great nation, soldiers like Sergeant Brooks are out there making things safer.
And the sergeant is quite correct- Iraq is not a separate war, anymore than the North African campaign of World War II was separate from the Pacific campaign. It is the same war, just in a different location. Too bad the media and many Democrats cannot or will not understand that.
Thank you Sergeant Brooks.
Hat tip to Power Line.
Farewell, Mr. Hart
Johnny Hart, creator of the comic strip B.C., passed away yesterday at the age of 76. According to his wife, he died from a massive stroke, as he was working at his storyboard. Hart was not only the creator of B.C., but also he co-wrote the strip The Wizard of Id with Brant Parker.
I grew up reading B.C., along with other great strips like Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Hi and Lois, Haggar the Horrible, Blondie, Dennis the Menace, and some others that I can barely recall at this distance. While some modern strips (Calvin & Hobbes, Dilbert and Mutts come to mind) have captured my affection, most of the strips today are lacking humour. I find such strips as Cathy and Garfield more annoying than funny.
And Mr. Hart was rare in that he dared to flout the P.C., anti-Christian denizens of today's media by allowing his belief in Christianity to not only appear, but to appear as a positive force in his strips, despite pressure from editors and fringe groups of professional victims. For example, his strip for today must be read, as it accurately sums up the Easter experience.
Michelle Malkin has a wonderful tribute to Mr. Hart up on her site, as does Captain Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters.
God bless you, Johnny Hart. Go in peace.
Hat tip to Captain Ed Morrissey.
I grew up reading B.C., along with other great strips like Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Hi and Lois, Haggar the Horrible, Blondie, Dennis the Menace, and some others that I can barely recall at this distance. While some modern strips (Calvin & Hobbes, Dilbert and Mutts come to mind) have captured my affection, most of the strips today are lacking humour. I find such strips as Cathy and Garfield more annoying than funny.
And Mr. Hart was rare in that he dared to flout the P.C., anti-Christian denizens of today's media by allowing his belief in Christianity to not only appear, but to appear as a positive force in his strips, despite pressure from editors and fringe groups of professional victims. For example, his strip for today must be read, as it accurately sums up the Easter experience.
Michelle Malkin has a wonderful tribute to Mr. Hart up on her site, as does Captain Ed Morrissey over at Captain's Quarters.
God bless you, Johnny Hart. Go in peace.
Hat tip to Captain Ed Morrissey.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Global Warming?
Not according to this story in the Charlotte Observer reporting that temperatures at the Chrlotte airport on April 8 broke the record for coldest day in Charlotte history at 21 degrees. The Observer also reported that the cold weather was not confined to North Carolina- it seems most of the East Coast is dealing with record lows.
This assessment is echoed by Professor Richard Lindzen of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who wrote an article for Newsweek magazing online wherein he stated that "Much of the alarm over climate change is based on ignorance of what is normal for weather and climate". Lindzen thoroughly debunks the global warming hysteria, concluding by saying that "The conclusion of the late climate scientist Roger Revelle—Al Gore's supposed mentor—is worth pondering: the evidence for global warming thus far doesn't warrant any action unless it is justifiable on grounds that have nothing to do with climate."
I am a confirmed skeptic at this point as far as global warming being a threat to us. Iran is a threat. North Korea is a threat. Militant Islam around the world is a threat. Global warming? The EU is probably a greater threat to the world than global warming. If it is even human-caused (a point about which I hold grave reservations), then I doubt it will pose a greater danger than the afore-mentioned countries- despite the hysterical claims of the Press.
Media folks are not experts, nor are they very knowledgable about-well anything other than how to write and talk well. Journalism is one of the least challenging fields you can possibly enter. It requires no hard study, no logic, no talent other than good writing skills. Would you trust an journalism major to tell you how to program your software? Or to assist you in designing a new mathematical problem? Or to tell you how to compose your new symphony? Of course not. They have no expertise or training whatsoever in any of those fields. Then why do we listen to these folks pontificate about global warming, the war, politics, or anything else? They are not trained, nor have they completed degrees in the fields they cover. Their function is to report, and let their listeners make up their minds. Unfortunately, they long ago decided that ignorant, emotionally-charged rants on topics about which they possess little if any real knowledge was preferable to actually doing their jobs.
This assessment is echoed by Professor Richard Lindzen of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who wrote an article for Newsweek magazing online wherein he stated that "Much of the alarm over climate change is based on ignorance of what is normal for weather and climate". Lindzen thoroughly debunks the global warming hysteria, concluding by saying that "The conclusion of the late climate scientist Roger Revelle—Al Gore's supposed mentor—is worth pondering: the evidence for global warming thus far doesn't warrant any action unless it is justifiable on grounds that have nothing to do with climate."
I am a confirmed skeptic at this point as far as global warming being a threat to us. Iran is a threat. North Korea is a threat. Militant Islam around the world is a threat. Global warming? The EU is probably a greater threat to the world than global warming. If it is even human-caused (a point about which I hold grave reservations), then I doubt it will pose a greater danger than the afore-mentioned countries- despite the hysterical claims of the Press.
Media folks are not experts, nor are they very knowledgable about-well anything other than how to write and talk well. Journalism is one of the least challenging fields you can possibly enter. It requires no hard study, no logic, no talent other than good writing skills. Would you trust an journalism major to tell you how to program your software? Or to assist you in designing a new mathematical problem? Or to tell you how to compose your new symphony? Of course not. They have no expertise or training whatsoever in any of those fields. Then why do we listen to these folks pontificate about global warming, the war, politics, or anything else? They are not trained, nor have they completed degrees in the fields they cover. Their function is to report, and let their listeners make up their minds. Unfortunately, they long ago decided that ignorant, emotionally-charged rants on topics about which they possess little if any real knowledge was preferable to actually doing their jobs.
On Economy
The eyars between 1992 and 2000 are generally considered a time of great economic prosperity. Former President Clinton likes to point to this as due to his Administration's efforts. However, the Bush Administration claimed today that the economy has done better under their governance than under Clinton- a claim strongly denied by the Clintons.
But is Bush right? Both sides agree that unemployment, at a mere 4.4 percent, is much better now than it ever was during Clinton's Administration. This is a definite point for Bush. However, they diverge on other points. The Clintonites claim that the number of Americans below the poverty line rose under Bush wherte it fell under Clionton. Since the poverty line is not specified, and can be counted in a number of different ways, I am going to discard that claim, along with the Bush claim that productivity rose much faster under their watch than under Clinton's. Both numbers are too hard to accurately verify.
However, there is other data to compare. Apparently wages have gone up under Bush more than they did under Clinton. However, at the same time, the economy may have created more jobs under Clinton than under Bush. However, Clinton inherited a fairly robuist economy that was coming out from George H.W. Bush's foolish tax increases, and he had a peaceful decade, with no military or other setbacks. Bush, on the other hand, came in as a recession was beginning, and then had to deal with a vicious terrorist attack and subsequent military action. Basedd on the two different eras, I woulod tend to agree that Bush's economy seems to be more robust and deeper than Clinton's. If you were not in high-tech, Clinton's economy was not that good, as I can testify. However, Bush's economy seems to be better to non-Silicon Valley folks.
In the end, I will agree with Larry Kudlow, who says that neither Administration has been as good for the US economy as was Ronald Reagan, who laid the basis for both booms with his tax relief, deregulation and disinflation. Just more evidence why in my opinion Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest Presidents of the 20th century.
But is Bush right? Both sides agree that unemployment, at a mere 4.4 percent, is much better now than it ever was during Clinton's Administration. This is a definite point for Bush. However, they diverge on other points. The Clintonites claim that the number of Americans below the poverty line rose under Bush wherte it fell under Clionton. Since the poverty line is not specified, and can be counted in a number of different ways, I am going to discard that claim, along with the Bush claim that productivity rose much faster under their watch than under Clinton's. Both numbers are too hard to accurately verify.
However, there is other data to compare. Apparently wages have gone up under Bush more than they did under Clinton. However, at the same time, the economy may have created more jobs under Clinton than under Bush. However, Clinton inherited a fairly robuist economy that was coming out from George H.W. Bush's foolish tax increases, and he had a peaceful decade, with no military or other setbacks. Bush, on the other hand, came in as a recession was beginning, and then had to deal with a vicious terrorist attack and subsequent military action. Basedd on the two different eras, I woulod tend to agree that Bush's economy seems to be more robust and deeper than Clinton's. If you were not in high-tech, Clinton's economy was not that good, as I can testify. However, Bush's economy seems to be better to non-Silicon Valley folks.
In the end, I will agree with Larry Kudlow, who says that neither Administration has been as good for the US economy as was Ronald Reagan, who laid the basis for both booms with his tax relief, deregulation and disinflation. Just more evidence why in my opinion Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest Presidents of the 20th century.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
But Russia Complains...
As the U.S completed 2007's second successful test of the new missile defense system, Russia complained that the US should invite them to join. In what sounds remarkably like whining, Konstantin Kosachev, a member of Russia's Parliament said Russia should be included in the missile defense shield. He went on to say that if Russsia was not included, that the shield would be viewed as a threat.
Well, yes, Mr. Kosachev, that would be a good way to look at it. Russia has proven over the past few years that they will do whatever it takes to injure the United States, and have been very prominent in propping up dictatorships such as the one in Iraq and currently the one in IRan despite the clear danger to the rest of the world. Under those circumstances, it would be foolish for the US to invite Russia to join in what is intended to defend us against those regimes.
Russsia has flouted UN and treaty law in giving technological and military aid to Iran, Iraq and North Korea that will enable them to produce nucleear weapons. Why should we give them the defense we are building against that technology? If Russsia wants to take it as a threat, then so be it. They have only themselves to blame.
Well, yes, Mr. Kosachev, that would be a good way to look at it. Russia has proven over the past few years that they will do whatever it takes to injure the United States, and have been very prominent in propping up dictatorships such as the one in Iraq and currently the one in IRan despite the clear danger to the rest of the world. Under those circumstances, it would be foolish for the US to invite Russia to join in what is intended to defend us against those regimes.
Russsia has flouted UN and treaty law in giving technological and military aid to Iran, Iraq and North Korea that will enable them to produce nucleear weapons. Why should we give them the defense we are building against that technology? If Russsia wants to take it as a threat, then so be it. They have only themselves to blame.
Missile Defense Works!
As so-called "allies" (France, Germany and most of 'old Europe', etc) posture and carp, the US is proving it is still serious about defending itself. According to the Assocciated Press, the United States successfully tested the anti-missile defense shield for the second time in 2007. Since even the AP (better known as al-Quaeda Propaganda Network) is reporting this, we may take it as establsihed fact.
This could not have come at a better moment. My only comment would be, "Faster, please."
This could not have come at a better moment. My only comment would be, "Faster, please."
Monday, April 02, 2007
What's your age?
Or, as Dilbert creator Scott Adams asks, what is your permanent age?. Good question. I can't decide if I'm permanently 29 (high school and early college years were a blight) or permanently 2029 (I am more conversant with the Peloponnesian War of the fifth century BC than I am with the slightly more recent Vietnam conflict).
Anyway, read the whole thing and decide. What is your permanent age? Great post. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
Anyway, read the whole thing and decide. What is your permanent age? Great post. Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds.
More Judicial Activism
as the Supreme Court, once again sticking its nose into affairs reagarding which it has neither knowledge nor expertise, decides that the EPA can regulate greenhouse gasses as a pollutant.
How did the justices decide that said gasses are a pollutant? Probably the same way they granted rights to terrorists and found a right to privacy in a Constitution that never intended one. They certainly didn't look at the science, which is anything buut settled.
This is the latest in a long line of bad decisions from the Supreme Court, which seems to have forgotten that the Constitution does not set the Supreme Court up as a God. So I guess that we can all get ready for massive tax hikes and cost increases as auto makers are iincreasingly being squeezed into the same corner as tobacco companies were before them.I said at the tinme that the slippery slope had been embarked upon. Beware do-gooders - especially when they combine fanaticiscm with media power.
*sigh* If only the Republicans had had the courage to use their majority to remove the Court's jurisdiction from such things before the Democrats, who njever met a tax they didn't like, will undoubtedly try to tax as much as possible. Better buy a new car now, befroe we are stuck with cars that are the equivalent of low-flow toilets and shower heads. Do the former conserve water? OF course not- people are simply forced to take longer showers.
This will be the same. And who will profit? The government, of course. Funny how that works....
How did the justices decide that said gasses are a pollutant? Probably the same way they granted rights to terrorists and found a right to privacy in a Constitution that never intended one. They certainly didn't look at the science, which is anything buut settled.
This is the latest in a long line of bad decisions from the Supreme Court, which seems to have forgotten that the Constitution does not set the Supreme Court up as a God. So I guess that we can all get ready for massive tax hikes and cost increases as auto makers are iincreasingly being squeezed into the same corner as tobacco companies were before them.I said at the tinme that the slippery slope had been embarked upon. Beware do-gooders - especially when they combine fanaticiscm with media power.
*sigh* If only the Republicans had had the courage to use their majority to remove the Court's jurisdiction from such things before the Democrats, who njever met a tax they didn't like, will undoubtedly try to tax as much as possible. Better buy a new car now, befroe we are stuck with cars that are the equivalent of low-flow toilets and shower heads. Do the former conserve water? OF course not- people are simply forced to take longer showers.
This will be the same. And who will profit? The government, of course. Funny how that works....
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