The importance of the blog

In Nashville, TN, a story is playing out that underscores the importance of the blogosphere and computer literacy. A job applicant didn't appreciate the way the employment agency handled her interview. So she blogged about it. How the agency found out about the blog is not known. However, they asked their lawyers to sue.

The mistakes made by the employment agency and their attorneys include having no presence in the blogosphere and not understanding the importance of the Internet in the daily lives of millions of people. Instead of taking the criticism in a professional manner, they attacked, but without the aid of their own blogs or websites. The job applicant blogged about the letter threatening to sue. And the world of the blogosphere expanded so that instead of a handful of people reading the job applicant's blog, hundreds, if not thousands, picked up on the situation and spread the incident throughout the blogosphere.

The blogger is being represented by the General Counsel for the Media Bloggers’ Association, for free.

Freedom of Speech is a beautiful and serious right of USofA Citizens. Beautiful in that it is a freedom we can use to express ourselves. Freedom of Speech is freedom of words. Freedom to blog. Freedom to express ourselves, who we are, what we think, how we see events. Serious in that we have a responsibility to be sure that our words are not scandalous or terroristic. Serious in that if we are writing or speaking the truth, we must be sure what we are saying is in fact true. And both beautiful AND serious in that what we say really does matter.

Fred Dalton Thompson

Okay, so you know the voice from Paul Harvey's radio program. Okay, so you know the presence from Law and Order in all its incarnations. Okay, so you remember the face from movies. But do you know who Fred Dalton Thompson is?

The Weekley Standard has a two page article. Grassroots Voter is promoting Fred Thompson and garnering supportive emails. Draft Fred Thompson President 2008 answers the question "Why Fred Thompson in 2008?" And Draft Fred Thompson forums for those who wish to communicate with other Fred Thompson supporters and coordinate political activities of his supporters.

Fred Dalton Thompson's presence exemplifies the Southern Statesman. The last Statesman who ran for the Presidency was Ronald Reagan. The United States needs another Statesman and who better than a Southern Statesman? Who better than Fred Dalton Thompson to become a candidate for the Presidency of the United States of America.

FRED DALTON THOMPSON FOR POTUS IN 2008!

An interesting and timely blog

Since 1994 Dr. Laura Schlessinger has been giving her "not so humble" opinions about life, love, marriage and anything else her callers ask her. If you've not heard her or read one of her books, you're missing a very interesting point of view, even if you don't want to agree with her. Dr. Laura's blog is worth reading for its timely perspective on a variety of issues, including the current conflagration in the Middle East, where her only son is currently deployed.

Using common sense peppered with her background in marriage and family counseling, Dr. Laura provides entertainment and imparts wisdom. If you can't locate her on your local radio stations, you can pay for a subscription to her podcasts.

Now, go take on the day! -- AuntieCoosa, my children's Mama, my in-law's Mom, and my grandchildren's Nana.

Income Tax

Today, I'm journaling. Why? I just paid my State Income Tax and I have a few questions about taxes in general. Maybe someone can point me to a website or clarify why I have to pay Federal and State Income Taxes.

Most of my adult life I worked for State Agencies who received their funds and my salary through Federal and State taxes. So why was I taxed on money that had already been taxed?

Even now, Congress slid in an amendment (don't recall when, just reading about it) that raised the percentage of RSDI (Social Security payments received) which is taxed. Again, part of my income comes from Federal Income Taxes, so why do I pay Federal Tax on money already Federally Taxed?

Now, the amendment referenced is from a group of people (Congress) who just voted themselves a raise in pay. They do not pay into the Social Security system and they won't draw from it whenever they retire. What is wrong with this picture?

Better than what is wrong - what do YOU and I do to change the picture? I know Congress isn't willingly going to give up their cushy retirement or their ability to raise their own pay -- which uses MY tax money (and yours).

So, what can I do and what can you do? I'm honestly looking for answers, this is not just a 'post' of my ideas or of items from the news which has grabbed my coat-tail. Help me here.

10 Outrageous Facts About the Income Tax by Chris Edwards won't make you any happier than it makes me. Here's item number ten:

Income taxes: A bad idea that got worse.
The income tax is not an example of a good idea gone bad. It was bad from the beginning, and it just keeps getting worse. The income tax distorts financial planning and business investment, and it encourages tax avoidance and evasion. Because the income tax is built on an unworkable base of "income," the law is continually changing. Let's simplify Americans' finances and disband the tax army by pursuing fundamental tax reform.

So, could someone tell me what I can do, short of not paying taxes or filing a lawsuit contesting the legality of income taxes? And please don't suggest I move to Alaska, Washington State, Nevada, Colorado, South Dakota, Texas or Florida where they have no State Income Tax. I'd still be liable for Federal Income Tax.

Forget the Ides of March, Beware the Taxes Due of April 15. (This year, since April 15 falls on a Sunday, the cut off date is April 17. Big Whup.)

Not THAT Dagger.
Besides I prefer this:

Hey, Nancy Pelosi! Ever hear of the LOGAN ACT?

Photo from FoxNews

Some quotes from an article in the Wall Street Journal. Robert F Turner in the Opinion Journal of the WSJ.com writes:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may well have committed a felony in traveling to Damascus this week, against the wishes of the president, to communicate on foreign-policy issues with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Logan Act makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."

In proposing the law, (in 1799) Rep. Roger Griswold of Connecticut explained that the object was, as recorded in the Annals of Congress, "to punish a crime which goes to the destruction of the executive power of the government. He meant that description of crime which arises from an interference of individual citizens in the negotiations of our executive with foreign governments."

. . . the offense is greater when the usurpation of the president's constitutional authority is done by a member of the legislature--all the more so by a Speaker of the House--because it violates not just statutory law but constitutes a usurpation of the powers of a separate branch and a breach of the oath of office Ms. Pelosi took to support the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has spoken clearly on this aspect of the separation of powers.

The U.S. is in the midst of two wars authorized by Congress. For Ms. Pelosi to flout the Constitution in these circumstances is not only shortsighted; it may well be a felony, as the Logan Act has been part of our criminal law for more than two centuries. Perhaps it is time to enforce the law.

And take time to Google and read the articles written about this mistake which may well cost Mrs. Pelosi her credibility if not her Congressional status.

The Jerusalem Post reports:

The Prime Minister's Office issued a rare "clarification" Wednesday that, in gentle diplomatic terms, contradicted US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's statement in Damascus that she had brought a message from Israel about a willingness to engage in peace talks.

And her gaff when "passing along" a message . . . makes her credibility even more questionable. So, what else has Mrs. Pelosi misstated in her years in Congress?

Illegal Immigrant Amnesty?

As you may know, Bill O'Reilly and Geraldo Rivera nearly came to blows over the illegal immigration issue which was predicated by the vehicular murder of two young ladies last week in Virginia Beach, Virginia.


Here's the story:

Alison Kunhardt, 17, and Tessa Tranchant, 16, were sitting at a traffic light, police say, when a car driven by Ramos smashed into them. According to a story in The Pilot, Ramos' brother said Ramos had been drinking and didn't even remember the wreck.

According to WVEC.com (Channel 13) Video available.

The man charged with killing two best friends in a Friday night crash admitted in a Va. Beach court Monday he's in the country illegally.

WAVY.com reports:

David Kunhardt, Allison's father, declares the families will fight for changes to DUI laws. He wants to prevent those convicted of DUI - like Alfredo Ramos, the man driving the car that slammed into the girls - from having the opportunity to commit the same crime again.

The Virginia Pilot states:

City leaders tried to shift the debate about the recent deaths of Alison Kunhardt, 17, and Tessa Tranchant, 16, away from illegal immigration and onto drunk driving. Alfredo Ramos, 22, the man charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter in their deaths, had a record of three alcohol-related convictions and was in the country illegally.

An update on WTKR Channel 3 in Hampton Beach includes this information:

According to court records, Alfredo has a criminal history, all misdemeanors. In October 2006, Ramos was charged with drunk in public. In November 2007, he was charged with driving without a license, identity theft, no seat belt, and no insurance. In January 2007, he was charged with pubic swearing and intoxication.

If this upsets you, there is recourse at Numbers USA Action Buffet where you can send free faxes regarding immigration/illegal immigration and amnesty to the leaders of Our Country. Americans for Legal Immigration has a forum for debating illegal immigration.

Last year, Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-9) introduced the Scott Gardner Act to Congress.

"The Scott Gardner Act will make it mandatory to detain and deport any illegal alien convicted of DWI. DWI’s threaten the lives of everyone on the road, and it should be a deportable offense- not just a slap on the wrist. It’s just common sense. The Scott Gardner Act will also require State and local law enforcement officers to collect immigration information during the course of their normal duties and enter this information into Federal immigration databases. This is important because if law enforcement officials had a database they checked for each DWI pullover, the man who killed Scott Gardner would have never been on the road."

Congress failed to act on this bill. If they had, two young ladies would still be alive and one illegal immigrant would be back where he belongs, in Mexico.

The President is busy right now trying to get support for his amnesty bill. Can the USofA really afford to pander to people from other countries who act as if they are above the law? Do you think for one minute that this illegal immigrant would not have behaved exactly the same way if he was given President Bush's amnesty? Illegal immigrants have already broken the law by entering the USofA unlawfully. It obviously doesn't matter to him what other laws he breaks. And the Judge who gave him the suspended sentence for the DUI/DWI should also be held accountable. There are laws on the books in every State which are constantly being flagrantly ignored by Judges all across the USofA.

Numbers USA Action Buffet is a good place to voice your opinions on this issue.

The Public School System and Your Child(ren)

If you have a child in Public School, you may want to read what the late Cathy Seipp (1957 - 2007) wrote in 2000 about her experience with the California public school system where her daughter attended. Very eye opening and revealing of what is wrong with education in the USofA and not just in California.

I often hear people from the more moneyed sections of town, whose children have always been in private school, argue against Prop. 38. They say it would cause the middle class to abandon public schools. And I wonder: Do they mean that only the rich should be allowed to abandon public schools?

Do you know the Preamble for your State?

Do you know the Preamble for your State? . . . interesting important commentary at the end.

Alabama 1901 , Preamble . We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution.
Alaska 1956, Preamble . We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land . . .
Arizona 1911, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...
Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government. . .
California 1879, Preamble . We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . . .
Colorado 1876, Preamble . We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe . . .
Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy . . .
Delaware 1897, Preamble . Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.
Florida 1885, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution.
Georgia 1777, Preamble . We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Hawaii 1959, Preamble . We , the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance .. Establish this Constitution.
Idaho 1889, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings . . .
Illinois 1870, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors . . .
Indiana 1851, Preamble . We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.
Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.
Kansas 1859, Preamble . We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.
Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties . . .
Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy . . .
Maine 1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity ... And imploring His aid and direction . . .
Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty. . .
Massachusetts 1780, Preamble . We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe . In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction . . .
Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings . . .
Mississippi 1890, Preamble . We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.
Missouri 1845, Preamble . We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness ... Establish this Constitution.
Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution.
Nebraska 1875, Preamble . We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . Establish this Constitution.
Nevada 1864, Preamble . We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution.
New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V . Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.
New Jersey 1844, Preamble . We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors . . .
New Mexico 1911, Preamble . We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty . . .
New York 1846, Preamble . We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings.
North Carolina 1868, Preamble . We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those . . .
North Dakota 1889, Preamble . We , the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain. . .
Ohio 1852, Preamble . We the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common . . .
Oklahoma 1907, Preamble . Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty ... establish this . . .
Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences. . .
Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance . . .
Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing . . .
South Carolina 1778, Preamble . We, the people of the State of South Carolina, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
South Dakota 1889, Preamble . We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties . . .
Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience. . .
Texas 1845, Preamble . We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.
Utah 1896, Preamble . Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.
Vermont 1777, Preamble . Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man . . .
Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other . . .
Washington 1889, Preamble . We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution.
West Virginia 1872, Preamble . Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia, reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God . . .
Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility . . .
Wyoming 1890, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish this Constitution.

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 State constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control Federal Courts are wrong! If you found this to be "food for thought" copy and send to as many as you think will be enlightened as I hope you were.

"One Nation Under GOD"
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American G.I.

EXCELLENT ANALOGY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE USA!!!!

Lowell E. Hedges is a retired associate professor of teacher education and a former superintendent of Elgin Local Schools.

I’m greatly concerned about the agenda of Nancy Pelosi and liberals/socialists in the new Congress. The agenda contains items that will put the security of our country at risk; proposals that will take away the freedom of speech for conservative groups; bills that would give the UN more control over the sovereignty of our country; and promises of more financial handouts from the government. In other words, the government can do a better job of leading our lives, than we can do ourselves.

I am reminded of the words of Ronald Reagan: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

I can best explain my concern about the new congress’s agenda, by using this analogy given to me by a former student of mine.

Several years ago I was supervising a beginning teacher in a city school system. One day during our end-of-the-day feedback conference, the young man gave a facial grimace and began to rub his back. I asked him if he had strained his back in the school lab. After a long period of silence, he sat down at his desk and explained that he had immigrated to the United States because of political problems in his native country. The discomfort in his back was caused by a bullet wound he had received while fighting the Communists who were trying to take over his country’s government. He was then a member of the underground nationalist force.

Then he asked me a surprising question: “Dr. Hedges, do you know how to catch a wild hog?” The question was completely out of context regarding the day’s classroom and lab teaching. I replied, “I”m not sure what you are talking about. Tell me.”

“First,” he said, “you find out where the wild hogs are roaming and feeding, and then you put some corn out in the field. Soon they will come to eat the corn. You keep putting out the free corn. More wild hogs keep coming to eat the corn.”

“So what?” I said. “That’s normal for any animal.”

“Be patient. I will tell you what comes next,” he said. “After the hogs get used to your free corn, you put up a length of fence along one side of the feeding area. The hogs get used to it. You keep giving them the corn. Then you put up another section of fence at right angles to the first. You keep giving them the corn. The hogs get used to the second fence. Then you put up another length of fence at right angles to the second section. You now have a U-shaped fenced area. The hogs get used to that section of the fence. You keep giving them free corn. Then you put another section of fence with a gate in it, making a closed area except for the gate. You keep giving them corn. Now, the hogs no longer are out in the fields, working to find their own food. They keep coming into the area to eat the free corn. They get used to the fenced area with the open gate. Then, one day you slam shut the gate when the hogs are inside the fenced area. The wild hogs are caught - they are your prisoners.”

I understood then that the wild hogs were really the people of his native country, and that the free corn was the enticements that the Communists were giving to the people. “That’s correct,” the young man said. “Now, the hogs will not get anything to eat unless you give them food. You are in control. They depend on you to feed them, or they will starve. They can’t get out into the fields and forests anymore to find their own food. They have probably forgotten how, as it is. They are your servants, your prisoners. They must obey you. Or else they starve.

“The hogs,” he said, “were so accustomed to having the free corn, that they ignored the building of the fences that would eventually trap them. When the gate slammed shut, it was too late for them to realize what they had been blind to. The free corn was enticing, so effortless to obtain, but eventually the cause of their loss of freedom. The fence had been built; the gate had been shut.”

At this point in our conversation, the young teacher, in a voice shaking with emotion and with fists hitting the desktop, loudly exclaimed, “This is what I see happening in America today! People are being offered free corn by the government. People are being blind to the fences being built around them by the liberals - the socialists - and that is what frightens me! Just like it was happening in my homeland. The American people do not learn from history. And history shows that socialism/communism does not work. Take note of Russia. Has socialism been the best thing that ever happened to that country? Absolutely not! But socialism is what the American people are being fed, and they don’t realize it. All they can focus on is the ‘free corn.’ They want more and more of the ‘free’ corn. And this free corn is being fed to us little by little, and soon the gate will slam shut. I am very frightened, and also amazed, that the American people don’t see what is being fed us, and for what purpose.”

With that said, the young man sat down at his desk and continued to rub his painful back. And I was silent in my chair. And afraid. For I could visualize the supposedly “free corn” being fed to our nation’s people, and our growing addiction to the “free corn.” And I could see the gate being slammed shut. We, the people of the United States of America , because of our ignorance of history, because of our addiction to the supposedly “free corn,” could soon be prisoners of liberal socialism.

Along with this fighter for freedom from socialism/communism, I, too, wanted to slam my fists on the desktop and cry out in a loud voice for all to hear, “Wake up, America! The fences are being built! Don’t you see what is happening to us?”

In the agenda of the new Congress governed by the liberal Democrats, there is much “free corn” being promised the American people. In our greed for this “free corn,” will we ignore the incremental building of the fences, and the inevitable shutting of the gate?

As I ponder the building of the fences now underway by the new Congress, I remember the old adage, ‘There is always free cheese in a mousetrap.”

It seems the only thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history.

The Cost of Liberalism

One of the issues which liberals are partially responsible for, besides all the others which come to mind, is the broad association of the word "sex" with activities which actually are issues of control of another person by a stronger person or a person in authority.

Usually when we think "sex" the first definition we intend is "gender." The second definition when we think "sex" is is not sex in the grossest or basest forms: sodomy, rape, pedophilia. In the USofA, we use the term "sex" to mean "sexual intercourse" either inside marriage or not. And we usually still mean that to be "one man with one woman." Or at least we did before the liberals decided to broaden the implied meaning of the term.

Now, how are liberals responsible for sodomy, rape and pedophilia? First they have insisted that it is better for people to "come out of the closet" than to hide their activities? They've pushed the envelope of Freedom of Speech to include every type of sexual encounter, from bestiality to necromancy. No longer are such subjects taboo for 'polite society' because there is no 'polite society' and there is no embarrassment or shame for lewd and lascivious acts. Teens recently taped the rape of a 13 year old by their classmates and put the video on YouTube. MySpace is often full of explicit sexual conversations.

Liberals are in part responsible because they have so watered-down the importance of character and social standing that some men and women see sexual conquests as badges and try to collect as many as possible. Not that this didn't occur in the past or with most high school and college sport* teams. *fill in football, basketball, baseball, etc. But now? Even "I've never done this kind of thing before" people are engaging in sexual activities they would not have if it weren't glorified in the media.

I lay at former President Bill Clinton's feet the increase in reports of sodomy since he "didn't have sex with that woman." I know personally of one high school stadium where the boys line up against the wall (under the bleachers), pull down their zippers, and stick out their "organs" and the high school girls line up, get on their knees, and "don't have sex" with the boys, moving on down the line before the teacher or school patrolman catches them and makes them cease this activity. The authorities take no action against the perpetrators. The administration makes pamphlets available for the students to read and take home. Do you know that there are still school children (of all age groups) who do not believe that sodomy is "sex?" They think that "sex" just means "sexual intercourse between a man and a woman" and doesn't include any form of sodomy. Any form of sodomy.

Using this excuse: "You're know you're old enough to date boys now," he told her. "I'm about to break you in." a father raped his own daughter. Due to some prior convictions for drug and weapon charges, the man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 20 years, for rape and incest. Where in the world did he get the idea that he had to "break his daughter in?" What movie? What book? What website?

A State of Washington pedophile set up a website "how-to" manual, complete with the best places in western Washington state to see little girls, and tips on how to avoid getting caught by the police. And it's legal. The Internet Service Provider has taken the site down while they investigate if any material on the website is illegal. The man was photographing children and putting the photos on his website. One family saw their daughter's photo from her dancing class and took action to get the photo removed. And what does this pedophile have to say? "I really think a lot of this pedophilia hysteria is overblown." So do liberals, so do liberals.

In an email discussion about a different topic, I mentioned that Duty, Honor, Country were no longer important to US Citizens. Liberals have been like termites or carpenter bees eating away at the importance of each. Character used to be important and something that a person treasured. Character is now scoffed at and spoken of as if it was an aberration rather than a desired quality. Honor? Marriages aren't honored. Business commitments are not honored. A person's word is no longer as good as his bond. In fact, people will forfeit bond to break their contracts. Children do not honor their parents in the way and tone they speak to them. Where are the honorable people? And lastly, Country. Liberals seem hell-bent to destroy the USofA and what the USofA has stood for during the past two hundred years.

I think liberals need a history lesson and a class in morals, conduct, and patriotism. What do you think?

The "Duh, You Think?" Awards

After reading the following "news" I decided that each month I will "honor" at least one news story with my own "Duh" award. March's award goes to this story:

The World Health Organization and UNAIDS said circumcision should be added to current interventions to reduce the spread of HIV.
Three African trials have shown that circumcision halved the rate of HIV infection in heterosexual men.
Circumcision will not replace HIV testing, treatment for sexually infected infections and condoms, however. No mention of abstinence?
This is not a typo - the director of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization is Kevin De Cock.

Catherine Hankins, UNAIDS, said: "Being able to recommend an additional HIV prevention method is a significant step towards getting ahead of this epidemic."
"However, we must be clear: male circumcision does not provide complete protection against HIV."Men and women who consider male circumcision as an HIV preventive method must continue to use other forms of protection such as male and female condoms, delaying sexual debut and reducing the number of sexual partners."

The WHO euphemism for short-term abstinance is delaying sexual debut. The United Nations will not promote complete abstinence. They will not inform the HIV/AIDS epidemic Countries in Africa that the ONLY sure way to avoid HIV/AIDS is complete abstinence. But they will give information in an off-handed way to delaying sexual debut.

The First Monthly "Duh, You Think?" Award goes to Kevin De Cock of WHO and Catherine Hankins of UNAIDS for the suggestion to "delay sexual debut" as an HIV/AIDS preventative. Does it not occur to them that COMPLETE ABSTINENCE is the sole and exclusive method for preventing HIV/AIDS?

"Duh, You Think?"

Infanticide in Germany

The article elicits emotions of horror and sadness.

In Germany, so far this year at least 23 cases of infanticide have come to light, well above the average. Many of the babies were beaten to death or strangled by their mothers before being dumped on wasteland and in dustbins.

Experts believe that the true figure is even higher. Professor Helmut Kury, a criminologist, says: “Some women have a greater fear of losing their partners than of losing their child. They take desperate measures to save a relationship.” Professor Mechthild Neises, head of the Psychosomatic Unit at the Medical University in Hanover, agreed: “Such women have usually lied about their pregnancy for so long that they have stopped believing that they are actually pregnant. When the baby suddenly arrives, they panic and just want to get rid of it.”

Unconscionable. Read the entire article.

News and Comments for March 26, 2007

Three young Muslim men from the Beeston neighborhood of Leeds, England, attacked the London transit system in July 2005, killing 52 people and themselves.

Bashir Ahmed, an uncle of Shehzad Tanweer, one of the 2005 suicide bombers, said in an interview published Saturday in The Yorkshire Post that he was convinced that his nephew was inspired by British participation in the Iraq war. “If Tony Blair had not got involved with America this would never have happened,” he was quoted as saying.

So, what you're saying, Bashir Ahmed, is that young Muslim men have no self-control and blame others rather than being "men enough" to accept responsibility for their own actions? You are saying that young Muslim men would not have attacked the London Transit system had Tony Blair not joined the War on Terror? Okay, but how do you explain the Muslim men who flew airplanes into the Twin Towers in New York City? Who are they blaming for that? There was no Iraqi war prior to the terroristic acts carried out by Muslim men on September 11, 2001.

Now, don't anyone say that the Media are biased in any way! Never let it be said that the Media use inflamatory words to incite emotions to sway the reader to the Media's bias. Just to prove it, here's Mike Allen's March 26, 2007 article in The Politico entitled "Rookie Mistakes Plague Obama" which states:

For the first time, Obama is on a stage where small mistakes can have disproportionately large consequences. The Republican National Committee, working in league with Bush operatives, exploited similar blunders -- sometimes misleadingly -- to portray the last two Democratic presidential nominees, Al Gore and John F. Kerry, as inconsistent or hypocritical in ways that savaged both men's reputations.

Extra credit for finding the biased terminology.

Did you know that handguns are illegal in Washington, D.C? Well, if you're an honest citizen, that is. The criminals carry without a permit everywhere. Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) considers himself a "strong Second Amendment person" who has a Virginia permit to carry a concealed handgun. He told the Richmond Times Dispatch, "I shoot regularly. I like to have the option to carry, which is why I keep the permit. I value the opportunity to be able to protect myself, depending on situations. But no, I don't walk around with a weapon on me all of the time." An aide reportedly took a loaded handgun into the Capitol building by accident and it showed up inside a bag which was passed through an X-ray machine. What's interesting is that most Media outlets did not give the incident any coverage. Interesting, but we do know why, don't we?

We're all aware about how U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton prosecuted two Border Agents, Ramos and Compean. Here's another story about a Border Agent who was paid by smugglers to wave their vehicles through his inspection lane at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Considering how fervent both Sutton and President Bush are about the conviction of the two Border Agents, this story creates additional questions concerning both Sutton's and Bush's actions which I believe should be investigated by Independent Counsel.

At least three respected teams of British scientists hope to eliminate the need for women to donate eggs for the cloning of human embryos, a research goal they say will enable them to better understand the genetic causes of many diseases and design personalized medicines. The idea is to use the cow's egg without cow DNA but with human DNA inserted. The hope is to form "human stem cells" for research. Something on the order of this, I suppose?


Well, that does it from here for another day.

A Plan to Destroy America

Richard D. Lamm was a Democrat who served as governor of Colorado for twelve years from 1975 to 1987. The following is the "revised version" of Richard Lamm's speech to an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington, D.C. in early 2004.

I HAVE A PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA
RICHARD D. LAMM

I HAVE A SECRET PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA. IF YOU BELIEVE, AS MANY DO, THAT AMERICA IS TOO SMUG, TOO WHITE BREAD, TOO SELF-SATISFIED, TOO RICH, LETS DESTROY AMERICA. IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO DO. HISTORY SHOWS THAT NATIONS ARE MORE FRAGILE THAN THEIR CITIZENS THINK. NO NATION IN HISTORY HAS SURVIVED THE RAVAGES OF TIME. ARNOLD TOYNBEE OBSERVED THAT ALL GREAT CIVILIZATIONS RISE AND THEY ALL FALL, AND THAT "AN AUTOPSY OF HISTORY WOULD SHOW THAT ALL GREAT NATIONS COMMIT SUICIDE." HERE IS MY PLAN:

I. WE MUST FIRST MAKE AMERICA A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL COUNTRY. HISTORY SHOWS, IN MY OPINION, THAT NO NATION CAN SURVIVE THE TENSION, CONFLICT, AND ANTAGONISM OF TWO COMPETING LANGUAGES AND CULTURES. IT IS A BLESSING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE BILINGUAL; IT IS A CURSE FOR A SOCIETY TO BE BILINGUAL. ONE SCHOLAR, SEYMOUR MARTIN LIPSET, PUT IT THIS WAY:

THE HISTORIES OF BILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL SOCIETIES THAT DO NOT ASSIMILATE ARE HISTORIES OF TURMOIL, TENSION, AND TRAGEDY. CANADA, BELGIUM, MALAYSIA, LEBANON-ALL FACE CRISES OF NATIONAL EXISTENCE IN WHICH MINORITIES PRESS FOR AUTONOMY, IF NOT INDEPENDENCE. PAKISTAN AND CYPRUS HAVE DIVIDED. NIGERIA SUPPRESSED AN ETHNIC REBELLION. FRANCE FACES DIFFICULTIES WITH ITS BASQUES, BRETONS, AND CORSICANS.

II. I WOULD THEN INVENT "MULTICULTURALISM" AND ENCOURAGE IMMIGRANTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN CULTURE. I WOULD MAKE IT AN ARTICLE OF BELIEF THAT ALL CULTURES ARE EQUAL: THAT THERE ARE NO CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THAT ARE IMPORTANT. I WOULD DECLARE IT AN ARTICLE OF FAITH THAT THE BLACK AND HISPANIC DROPOUT RATE IS ONLY DUE TO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION BY THE MAJORITY. EVERY OTHER EXPLANATION IS OUT-OF-BOUNDS.

III. WE CAN MAKE THE UNITED STATES A "HISPANIC QUEBEC" WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT. THE KEY IS TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY RATHER THAN UNITY. AS BENJAMIN SCHWARZ SAID IN THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY RECENTLY:
...THE APPARENT SUCCESS OF OUR OWN MULTIETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL EXPERIMENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED NOT BY TOLERANCE BUT BY HEGEMONY. WITHOUT THE DOMINANCE THAT ONCE DICTATED ETHNOCENTRICALLY, AND WHAT IT MEANT TO BE AN AMERICAN, WE ARE LEFT WITH ONLY TOLERANCE AND PLURALISM TO HOLD US TOGETHER.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL IMMIGRANTS TO KEEP THEIR OWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. I WOULD REPLACE THE MELTING POT METAPHOR WITH A SALAD BOWL METAPHOR. IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSURE THAT WE HAVE VARIOUS CULTURAL SUB-GROUPS LIVING IN AMERICA REINFORCING THEIR DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN AMERICANS, EMPHASIZING THEIR SIMILARITIES.

IV. HAVING DONE ALL THIS, I WOULD MAKE OUR FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP THE LEAST EDUCATED - I WOULD ADD A SECOND UNDERCLASS, UNASSIMILATED, UNDEREDUCATED, AND ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR POPULATION. I WOULD HAVE THIS SECOND UNDERCLASS HAVE A 50% DROP OUT RATE FROM SCHOOL.

V. I WOULD THEN GET THE BIG FOUNDATIONS AND BIG BUSINESS TO GIVE THESE EFFORTS LOTS OF MONEY. I WOULD INVEST IN ETHNIC IDENTITY, AND I WOULD ESTABLISH THE CULT OF VICTIMOLOGY. I WOULD GET ALL MINORITIES TO THINK THEIR LACK OF SUCCESS WAS ALL THE FAULT OF THE MAJORITY - I WOULD START A GRIEVANCE INDUSTRY BLAMING ALL MINORITY FAILURE ON THE MAJORITY POPULATION.

VI. I WOULD ESTABLISH DUAL CITIZENSHIP AND PROMOTE DIVIDED LOYALTIES. I WOULD "CELEBRATE DIVERSITY." "DIVERSITY" IS A WONDERFULLY SEDUCTIVE WORD. IT STRESSES DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN COMMONALITIES. DIVERSE PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ARE MOSTLY ENGAGED IN HATING EACH OTHER-THAT IS, WHEN THEY ARE NOT KILLING EACH OTHER. A DIVERSE," PEACEFUL, OR STABLE SOCIETY IS AGAINST MOST HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. PEOPLE UNDERVALUE THE UNITY IT TAKES TO KEEP A NATION TOGETHER, AND WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MYOPIA. LOOK AT THE ANCIENT GREEKS. DORF'S WORLD HISTORY TELLS US:
THE GREEKS BELIEVED THAT THEY BELONGED TO THE SAME RACE; THEY POSSESSED A COMMON LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE; AND THEY WORSHIPED THE SAME GODS. ALL GREECE TOOK PART IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN HONOR OF ZEUS AND ALL GREEKS VENERATED THE SHRINE OF APOLLO AT DELPHI. A COMMON ENEMY PERSIA THREATENED THEIR LIBERTY. YET, ALL OF THESE BONDS TOGETHER WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME TWO FACTORS . . . (LOCAL PATRIOTISM AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS THAT NURTURED POLITICAL DIVISIONS . . .)
IF WE CAN PUT THE EMPHASIS ON THE "PLURIBUS," INSTEAD OF THE "UNUM," WE CAN BALKANIZE AMERICA AS SURELY AS KOSOVO.

VII. THEN I WOULD PLACE ALL THESE SUBJECTS OFF LIMITS - MAKE IT TABOO TO TALK ABOUT. I WOULD FIND A WORD SIMILAR TO "HERETIC" IN THE 16TH CENTURY - THAT STOPPED DISCUSSION AND PARALYZED THINKING. WORDS LIKE "RACIST", "XENOPHOBE" THAT HALTS ARGUMENT AND CONVERSATION.

HAVING MADE AMERICA A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL COUNTRY, HAVING ESTABLISHED MULTICULTURALISM, HAVING THE LARGE FOUNDATIONS FUND THE DOCTRINE OF "VICTIMOLOGY", I WOULD NEXT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS. I WOULD DEVELOP A MANTRA - "THAT BECAUSE IMMIGRATION HAS BEEN GOOD FOR AMERICA, IT MUST ALWAYS BE GOOD."I WOULD MAKE EVERY INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRANT SYMPATRIC AND IGNORE THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT.

VIII. LASTLY, I WOULD CENSOR VICTOR HANSON DAVIS'S BOOK MEXIFORNIA — THIS BOOK IS DANGEROUS — IT EXPOSES MY PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA. SO PLEASE, PLEASE — IF YOU FEEL THAT AMERICA DESERVES TO BE DESTROYED — PLEASE, PLEASE — DON'T BUY THIS BOOK! THIS GUY IS ON TO MY PLAN.

"THE SMART WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE PASSIVE AND OBEDIENT IS TO STRICTLY LIMIT THE SPECTRUM OF ACCEPTABLE OPINION, BUT ALLOW VERY LIVELY DEBATE WITHIN THAT SPECTRUM." — NOAM CHOMSKY, AMERICAN LINGUIST AND US MEDIA AND FOREIGN POLICY CRITIC.

Readership

I am amazed at the traffic on my blog. Maybe I shouldn't be. I get approximately 500 hits in a month. Either one person is checking my blog 500 times, OR, I have an active readership.

The other thing that amazes me is that I get so few comments. I don't know if that means people agree with me or that they don't agree with me and don't want to let me know.

I'm glad for the readership and I hope I have entertained and educated and sparked an interest in one of my topics.

News of note: the Catholic Church in Georgia has successfully sued a State approved facility which was denying its patients (children under the age of 18) freedom of religion. The facility is in the process of closing. Employees tried to convert the children to the religion which ran the facility. One lone 73 year old grandmother took on the entire facility on behalf of a grandson who was denied Catholic instruction for the Rite of Confirmation. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that no one messes with a grandmother on a mission!

Kareem and Global Voices

On Saturday, February 24, 2007, this blog reported on the incarceration of Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman, known through his blog as "Kareem Amer" who was imprisoned for four years for exercising free speech on his personal blog. His family has disowned him and his father wants Islamic Sharia Law applied: three days to repent or be executed.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Kareem's supporters are campaigning for his release, including organizing protests at Egyptian embassies around the world. Coordinator Constantino Diaz-Duran in New York says that Kareem's family has disowned him, so the coalition plans to provide some of the necessities that prisoners in Egypt generally depend on families to provide: medicine, clothing and food.

A translation from Kareem’s final blog post in October reads, “The mere existence of legal provisions that criminalize freedom of thought, and threaten with imprisonment anyone who criticizes religion in any way, is a grave defect in the law.”

Kareem is not the only blogger who writes about the political situation in his country. There are many such bloggers in many countries and nations.

Here's the entire list:
Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire Bosnia Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic D.R. of Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France French Guiana Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong (China) Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macau (China) Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar (Burma) Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico (U.S.) Qatar Republic of Congo Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Lucia Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Serbia & Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Somalia Somaliland South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka St. Barthélémy St. Eustatius St. Maarten St. Vincent & the Grenadines St.Kitts & Nevis Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Tahiti Taiwan (ROC) Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks & Caicos Isl. U.S.A. US Virgin Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wallis & Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

You can highlight any country name at Global Voices and be directed to the blog for that country.

Gore REFUSES to Sign Global Warming Pledge

Former Vice President Al Gore has once again proved that he is not as sure about Global Warming as the movie he made and for which he received an OSCAR. But then, with four houses, one of them a 20-room Mansion in Belle Meade (Nashville, TN) with a heated swimming pool, "taking the pledge" might cause some "hardship" as The Tennessean has already gone on record showing that Mr Gore consumes as much energy in a month as the average American consumes in a year.

WASHINGTON, DC – Former Vice President Al Gore refused to take a “Personal Energy Ethics Pledge” today (March 21. 2007) to consume no more energy than the average American household. The pledge was presented to Gore by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, during today’s global warming hearing.

The Pledge States:

As a believer:
· that human-caused global warming is a moral, ethical, and spiritual issue affecting our survival;

· that home energy use is a key component of overall energy use;

· that reducing my fossil fuel-based home energy usage will lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions; and

· that leaders on moral issues should lead by example;

I pledge to consume no more energy for use in my residence than the average American household by March 21, 2008.”

Gore refused to take the pledge.


Washington D.C. - On December 8, 2006, Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the outgoing Chairman of Environment & Public Works Committee, is pleased to announce the public release of the Senate Committee published booklet entitled “A Skeptic’s Guide to Debunking Global Warming Alarmism. Hot & Cold Media Spin Cycle: A Challenge To Journalists who Cover Global Warming.” The book features web links to all supporting documentation.

"The American people are fed up with the media for promoting the idea that former Vice President Al Gore represents the scientific “consensus” that SUV’s and the modern American way of life have somehow created a 'climate emergency' that only United Nations bureaucrats and wealthy Hollywood liberals can solve,” Senator Inhofe said in October.

Skepticism that human C02 emissions are creating a “climate catastrophe” has grown in recent times. In September, renowned French geophysicists and Socialist Party member Claude Allegre, converted from a believer in manmade catastrophic global warming to a climate skeptic. This latest defector from the global warming camp caps a year in which numerous scientific studies have bolstered the claims of climate skeptics.

Scientific studies that debunk the dire predictions of human-caused global warming have continued to accumulate and many believe the new science is shattering the media-promoted scientific “consensus” on climate alarmism.

INHOFE OPENING STATEMENT: Hearing on Vice President Al Gore’s Perspective on Global Warming
March 21, 2007

Lastly, the cost: Global warming is now big business. Thousands of individuals and even some Fortune 100 companies stand to make tens of billions of dollars.

I was on the floor opposing the ’93 Clinton-Gore tax increase of $32 billion, but the cost of Kyoto and other CO2 reduction schemes are estimated to be over $300 billion, ten times the cost of your ’93 tax increase. And who’s paying for it? Those on fixed incomes and the poor, who as a percent of their monthly budget spend five times more on energy than the average household.

Largest tax increase in history – 10 times Clinton-Gore of ’93 and the poor pay for it… and the science isn’t there. We just can’t do that to America, Mr. Vice President… and we’re not gonna.

I said all along that this Global Warming issue was a smoke screen for Al Gore to be the "savior-of-the-planet Presidential Candidate" who is encouraged by green-grassroots environmental liberals and leftists to run for the Presidency in 2008.

Baraka Hussein Obama, Jr. set himself up to run for President in 2008 by writing two books so that he would not have to answer the "hard" questions about his religious upbringing. After all, he explained himself in his books, never mind that the information in those books is inaccurate according to his classmates and school records.

But Al Gore, Jr. has done an even better job of setting himself up to be the "savior" candidate in 2008. He narrates a "documentary" movie about global warming and wins himself an OSCAR. Never mind that more and more scientists are debunking his movie as mere propaganda.

Could a documentary be false and misleading?

Addendum:
Tourism Among Worst Polluters according to Discovery News.

March 21, 2007 — Holiday-makers may be ruining their favorite destinations through pollution and greenhouse gases, making the tourism industry one of the world's worst polluters, experts say.
A flight to that pristine beach and a few nights in an air-conditioned hotel room, when repeated on the mass scale of modern tourism, is all it takes to put the holiday business on a polluting par with heavy industries.

The True Cost of War

The Children in Iraq are paying the price of their parents' religious hatred. Why don't the anti-war activists take their protests to the various Iraqi factions instead of marching in Washington, D.C? If they are truly against this war, don't they realize it will be "over" the day that the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds quit fighting among themselves and kick the Iranians, Saudis, Syrians, Jordanians, and other al Qaida and Taliban insurgents out of their Country?

Anti-war talk and marching in Washington, D.C, is "cheap." If a person is truly against this war, take the argument to the warring factions in Iraq. Otherwise, sit down and shut up because you're not truly committed to the anti-war movement, you're just enjoying the camaraderie of the moment.

Fresh Blood Can Kill & other news

Heart wrenching story about the AIDS epidemic among children in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, near the Uzbekistan border. Seems doctors there, with beginning salary of $175 a month, are making money by ordering blood transfusions on children for non-blood related diseases. The doctors charge $20 and keep half. One child had 25 unnecessary blood transfusions.

The British have issued 10,000 fraudulent passports. Two convicted terrorists were issued with two false British passports each.

One was a Moroccan found guilty of a bombing in Casablanca, and the other was Dhiren Barot, from London, who was sentenced to life last November for plotting to kill thousands of people in the UK and US. During Barot's trial, the court heard he considered using a radioactive "dirty bomb".

Visitors to the HUALAPAI INDIAN RESERVATION, in Arizona will have to drive 2 hours on a curvy dirt road to arrive at an architectural wonder: a glass-bottom observation deck allowing them to gaze 4000 feet into the Grand Canyon beneath their feet. The "Skywalk" is a glass-and-steel horseshoe which extends 70 feet beyond the canyon's edge and has no visible supports above or below. Cost for the opportunity will be $75. Hualapai leaders say they weighed environmental concerns for years before agreeing to build the Skywalk. With a third of the tribe's 2,200 members living in poverty, the tribal government decided it needs the tourism dollars.

Free land has already been claimed, but perhaps other interior towns with dwindling populations will be inspired to give away land to increase their populations. Anderson, Alaska, population 300 prior to the giveaway, has winter temperatures of 60 below zero, but that didn't stop hundreds (perhaps thousands) from applying for the homesteads.

One more round about with global warming

The Climate Change Hypocrites

Al Gore, David Cameron, the Independent - they all talk about Climate Change but do they practice what they preach? Watch this short film on the Climate Change Hypocrites and find out that Mr. Gore has a heated pool that costs $500 in natural gas a month!

Article from Wall Street Journal OpinionJournal entitled "Whose Ox Is Gored? The media discover the former vice president's environmental exaggerations and hypocrisy" includes this closing paragraph:

Mr. Gore has called the campaign to combat global warming a "moral imperative." But Mr. Gore faces another imperative: to square his sales pitches with the facts and his personal lifestyle to more align with what he advocates that others practice. "Are you ready to change the way you live?" asks Mr. Gore's film. It's time people ask Mr. Gore "Are you ready to change the way you live, as well as the way you lecture the rest of us?"

Two quotes from the National Association of Manufacturers blogsite:

"As a falsifying, exaggerating, sanctimonious propagandist of global-warming doom, DOOM!, former Vice President Al Gore deserves all the jibes and condemnation that come his way."

"Al Gore ranks as world's chief global-warming alarmist and advocate of silencing debate; as such, he warrants constant, critical attention and, for his many excesses, condemnation."

“The uncontested absurdities of today are the accepted slogans of tomorrow. They come to be accepted by degrees, by precedent, by implication, by erosion, by default, by dint of constant pressure on one side and constant retreat on the other - until the day when they are suddenly declared to be the country’s official ideology.” — Ayn Rand

A Call to Convert

The Triangle Online, the student newspaper at Drexel University, published a call to convert written by Sheikh Usama bin Akhmed, on their Op Ed page on April 2, 2004.

Fortunately for the reader "all the respected newspapers we contacted, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Triangle, have refused to run our opinion pieces and have even reported us to the FBI."

The giveaway was perhaps in the title of the Op Ed piece: "Convert to Wahabbism now lest you die infidel pigs"

Or maybe the first paragraph of the article:

"America is corrupt! America is immoral! America is ruled by Satan, who employs the Jews to carry out his bidding! If you are still reading this, that means that there is still some hope for your soul. I, Sheikh Usama ibn Akhmed, am the president of Wahabbism Now for America. Our organization recognizes the massive moral shortcomings of this immoral culture and attempts to fix it by enforcing the purest form of Islam; this form of Islam, Wahabbism, is the law of the Holy Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and we will impose it on America and all its inhabitants."

He ends by saying: "Of course it goes without saying that soon all shall be forced to convert to our religion and follow our beliefs."

Now, what part of The Constitution of the United States of America and The Bill of Rights do you think this Saudi doesn't understand?

Maybe it's the gun-toting red-neck in me, but I doubt that Saudi Wahabbism is going to go over very well in the South.

Egypt confronts freedom and freedom loses

Egypt Moves to Eliminate Freedom to Protest, Freedom to Assemble, Freedom to Speak per Sandmonkey who writes:

"A crackdown on the Egyptian opposition continues its second day with the warrant for the arrest of 19 activists including every single Kefayah leader (the Egyptian secular opposition group), and three of Egypt’s most prominent bloggers: Wael Abbas, Mohamed Sharqawi, and Alaa seif el-Islam.

These arrests are not the only blows to freedom of speech in Egypt: Just last week the appeal for the detained Egyptian blogger Abdel Karim Soliman got rejected, and a lawsuit demanding the shut down of 21 more websites and blogs has been filed. Freedom of speech, for the lack of a better expression, is dying in Egypt."

Kefaya anti-Mubarak demonstration



First person report regarding police crack down on Kefaya demonstration; at least 35 detained. Lots of photographs in this report.

On February 18, 2007, Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Turki al- Faisal, resigned. He stressed that the Saudi-US relations were strong.

A little history about the branch of Muhammadanism taught in Saudi Arabia:

Wahhabism accepts the Qur'an and hadith as fundamental texts, interpreted upon the understanding of the first three generations of Islam. It also accepts various commentaries including Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's book called Kitab al-Tawhid ("Book of Monotheism"), and the works of the earlier scholar Ibn Taymiyya (1263–1328).

Wahhabis do not follow any specific madhhab (method or school of jurisprudence), but claim to interpret the words of the prophet Muhammad directly, using the four maddhab for reference. However, they are often associated with the Hanbali maddhab. Wahhabi theology advocates a puritanical and legalistic stance in matters of faith and religious practice.

In 1924 the Wahhabi al-Saud dynasty conquered Mecca and Medina, the Muslim holy cities. This gave them control of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, and the opportunity to preach their version of Islam to the assembled pilgrims. However, Wahhabism was a minor current within Islam until the discovery of oil in Arabia, in 1938. Vast oil revenues gave an immense impetus to the spread of Wahhabism. Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of US dollars to create religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.

"In Saudi Arabia, codes of public modesty are strictly enforced by the Islamic religious police, or Mutaween (“Authority for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice”). These police, who's values stem from the Wahhabi movement, have the power to arrest men and women for socializing in public, or for violating perceived modesty standards in the country. Many public beatings, amputations of the hands and feet, and executions have taken place in Saudia Arabia after people were arrested for violating modesty codes or accepted sexual practices (i.e. practicing homosexuality).?

President Bush and many Congresspeople consider the Saudis as allies of the USofA?

Invasion or Migration? Just add Kennedy Amnesty Bill & Stir Until Well Blended

"The United States respects rule of law. But in the debate on migration, I remind my fellow citizens that family alues do not stop at the Rio Grande River, that there are decent, hardworking honorable citizens of Mexico who want to make a living for their families. And so, Mr. President, my pledge to you and your government -- but, more importantly, the people of Mexico -- is I will work as hard as I possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform."

It's already started

What's already started? The "debate" about Baraka Hussein Obama, Jr's faith-walk. Only the problem is that a Muhammadan doesn't have a "faith-walk" because being a Muhammadan is not a choice a person makes. Just as being born in the USofA makes an illegal alien's child a US Citizen, so being born with a Muhammadan father makes a boy a Muhammadan. There's no getting around this truth. A Muhammadan cannot just "say" that he's converted to Christianity without having a fatwah placed against him and without signing his own death warrant. The fact (F A C T) that Baraka Hussein Obama, Jr does not have a fatwah against him proves that the Muhammadan community knows that his "conversion" to Christianity was made to deceive the American public.

Why is this so hard for liberals to comprehend.

The only thing that Baraka Hussein Obama, Jr wants is to be President of the USofA. He is willing to deceive the American public to accomplish this goal. He started his deception with his "autobiographical" books well in advance of his pursuit of the highest elected office in the USofA. And he didn't tell the truth in those books.

Barry Sotero's (Obama) schoolmate, Rony Amiris, at Besuki Primary School remember's young Barry as enjoying playing football and marbles and of being a very devout Muslim. Amir said, "Barry was previously quite religious in Islam. His birth father, Barack Hussein Obama was a Muslim economist from Kenya ... all of the relatives of Barry's father were very devout Muslims"

"We previously often asked him to the prayer room close to the house. If he was wearing a sarong he looked funny," said Rony.

Amiris now the manager of the Bank Mandiri, Jakarta, recently said, "Barry was previously quite religious in Islam. His birth father, Barack Hussein Obama was a Muslim economist from Kenya. Before marrying Ann Dunham, Hussein Obama was married to a woman from Kenya who had seven children. All the relatives of Barry's father were very devout Muslims"

Rony extrapolates further, that Obama at one point had to change his religion if he ever intended later to run for the office of President of the United States because America would never elect a Muslim to the be President of the United States.

All I know to do is to present the truth. It is up to you to decide if you'll accept the truth or be deceived. And I'll be the first to say "I told you so" when "Barry" reverts to Muhammadanism.

The High Road Leads to Deception

The problem with the truth is that someone is going to be offended. The problem with 'the high road' is that someone is going to be deceived.

The truth is that there is no such thing as a "moderate" Muhammadan. The term "moderate Muslim{sic}" has been coined in order to deceive non-Muslims{sic}. The Koran clearly states:

"They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing : But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and take no friends or helpers from their ranks;" Quran 004.089

What this means is that neither you nor I are racist nor intolerant when we spread the truth about Muhammadanism (aka Islam{sic}).

Islam{sic} does not acknowledge the equality of all humans. There are three types of people: men, women and infidels. Non-Muslims{sic} are worth nothing. A Muslim{sic} man may commit any crime against a non-Muslim{sic} with impunity, even murder.

"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him;" Quran 003.085

"O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong." Quran 009.023

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Quran 009.029 (Jizya : tribute)

"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter;" Quran 005.033

If anyone tries to tell you that Muhammadanism or Islam is a "religion of peace" you may want to memorize the above quote giving instructions to execute or crucify those who wage war against "allah" so that you can tell that person the truth.

Tweaking completed

My CD-RW died and has been replaced with a DVD-CD-RW. And I got some extra memory. All for the reasonable price of $175. It's good to live in a small town where the local computer guy only charges $45 an hour.

Now I have the computer back and I am going to catch up on the news.

Have a great weekend!

What's the WOT like in Iraq?

Learn what it's like for our Military in Iraq; not from the mainstream media where the recurrent song is "woe is us" or is that "woe to the U.S.," but from Independent Reporters who pay their own way to Iraq, who are embedded with various fighting units and who report what is REALLY happening there.

Michael Yon

Michael Totten

Bill Roggio

Bill Ardolino

Pat Dollard

J.D. Johannes

Down for tweaking

Blog is going down for a couple days for some much needed tweaking. Real Player won't and Windows shuts down when I attempt to read PDF files.

So, if you haven't skimmed the blog to read what suits your fancy, now is your chance to start from the beginning.

If you get bored, there's always my old standby for good reading and links: Instapundit.

Later!
AuntieCoosa

Told ya so, told ya so!

The British TV station Channel Four is coming out with a scientific rebuttal to Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth."

"The Great Global Warming Swindle" features experts in climatology, meteorology and other disciplines — from such places as MIT and NASA. The film disputes the link between carbon dioxide levels and global temperatures.

One scientist calls the recent U.N. summary report on climate change "a sham" that included the names of scientists who actually disagreed with its findings.

So, did I tell you so or did I tell you so. Global Warming is a HOAX. It's a smoke-screen. And when a person like Al "I buy pollution indulgences" Gore promotes the thesis of "Global Warming," you can be pretty sure that it's all about politics and not about science.

I'll even go a step or two farther into "green" and "environment" politics. Ever since the earth was inhabited by humans, we have had an effect on the environment. There is no way to go "back" to the 'pristine' because the 'pristine' existed before the first humanoid, in fact, before the first animal, fish, fowl, bug, insect, molecule of living-being ever existed.

The first time a molecule separated into two and then four and then sixteen, such activity began the destruction of the 'pristine' earth. The 'pristine' was a void. A blank. Without any life. A dead-zone.

And then, the first "life" occurred. Whether you believe as I do that God created the earth and then populated it with living beings, or if you believe that some molecule got zapped and suddenly morphed into something living, as soon as there was something living in the void, that void lost its 'pristine' existence.

Oh my goodness. A salient thought. A sudden awareness. There is no way to return to 'pristine.' Even blowing up earth would not return it to 'pristine.' Killing all the humans and animals and fish and birds and bugs and bacteria and germs wouldn't bring the earth back to 'pristine.' It simply cannot be done.

Well, sputter, sputter, what about . . . ? We can't return to 'pristine' but we can reduce, reuse, recycle and try to do as little additional damage to the environment as possible. Each of us has to accept responsibility for our individual part of the current state of the environment. If you own a car, you're polluting the environment. Buying "pollution indulgences" (carbon off-sets) as Al Gore does, from his own company, yet, so that he can heat and cool three houses, including a 20-room mansion in Nashville, is cheating. Al Gore is not 'down-sizing' at all. He's using up the environment at least three times faster than the average family in a six, seven, or eight room house.

Which is why I said and I say, Global Warming is a HOAX. Al Gore brought it up so that he can appear to be the 'earth's savior' when he's 'talked' into running for President (again) in 2008. Global warming is all about politics and has nothing to do with saving the environment. How can it be about saving the environment when the 'herald of hope' is Al "I buy pollution indulgences from my own company" Gore?

Recycled, Inconvenient, & Pre-mature

Does anyone recall a Paul Ehrlich who wrote "Population Bomb" in 1989? In May of 1989, Ehrlich claimed, global warming was going to melt the polar ice caps, causing a flood in which "we could expect to lose all of Florida, Washington D.C., and the Los Angeles basin...we'll be in rising waters with no ark in sight." Ehrlich commanded that to forestall doom, the world needed to cut its energy use in half over 20 years. Industrialization needed to be dragged to a screeching halt, not only in America, but especially in the Third World. It’s been almost twenty years, we never cut our energy use in half, and Florida is still above water, not to mention D.C. and Los Angeles.

So, why is Al Gore recycling Paul Ehrlich? In 2027, will Al Gore be around to explain why his doomsday predictions never occurred or will he, like Paul Ehrlich, fade into oblivion?

In mid February, tiny Amillia Taylor made her public debut. Amillia was delivered at 21 weeks and 6 days, the shortest period of time a child has been carried in utero and lived to survive. ABC World News Tonight was the only broadcast news outlet to make the connection between Amillia’s gestational age and laws governing abortion. Kudos to ABC anchor Charlie Gibson. ABC made a point of presenting both sides of the story.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper, 360 also tackled the abortion-related issues surrounding Amillia’s birth, but couched the discussion in terms of “fetus viability.” Bioethicist Arthur Caplan showed his true colors when he said, “… it isn’t just a question of biological life, it’s also a question of at what price to the child.” What price to the child? Living with disabilities is a small price to pay, considering the alternative – not living at all. What does that say about the countless children born with problems similar to those of a pre-mature infant? Are their lives worth less because of their disabilities?

God bless little Amillia Taylor.

Politics at the center

As usual, if you're curious about all the hoopla over the hypocrisy of Al Gore, I direct you to Instapundit. I've read a number of the posts there (plenty of links there, so if you're curious, link on and look) and I am amazed at how easy it is for the liberals to give Al Gore a pass on his hypocrisy and how adamant they are to point out the hypocrisy of a conservative. What puzzles me is that liberals do not see the inequity of their actions. Now, why is this? What's the motivation behind ignoring the plank in your own eye while screaming about the toothpick in someone else's eye?

One writer tries to convince the audience that Al Gore "isn't like the rest of us" and so doesn't have to live under the same set of rules. Hello? Is he breathing the same air as I am? Then he does have to live under the same rules as I do. For a Democrat, a "Party of the People," to claim that one of its leaders is a member of an "elite class" who doesn't have to share in the proletariat's sacrifices for the common good is outrageous hypocrisy.

How anyone can justify that kind of illogical duplicity is beyond me. There is no excuse for it. Period. And if you are a Democrat, then you are part of the deceit or you can speak out to your Congresspeople and to your Party and hold them accountable.

Al Gore owns three houses. One is a 20-room mansion in Nashville, TN. For anyone to say he represents the "common man" is the height of pomposity, pretentiousness, and dishonesty. And anyone who defends this type of deceit is as guilty as Al Gore is.

If the Democrats want any rational person to listen to them, they might want to try being honest.

Inconvenient Truth for Al Gore

Recuperating from bronchitis. Took my own advice and checked out Instapundit and located some additional discussion on Global Warming since Al Gore's "Oscar" for his movie.

Al Gore’s Personal Energy Use Is His Own “Inconvenient Truth”
Gore’s home uses more than 20 times the national average

Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.

Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.

The Captain states:

Gore doesn't want to make the same kind of sacrifices that he's asking other families to make. He's using a modern form of indulgences in order to avoid doing the penance that global-warming activism demands of others. It means that the very rich can continue to suck up energy and raise the price and the demand for electricity and natural gas, while families struggle with their energy costs and face increasing government regulation and taxation.

The Anchoress has this to say in an article documenting that President Bush is much "greener" than former Vice President Al Gore:

if the big boys of Global Warming aren’t really taking the issue seriously…if they find it so unserious as to allow the issue to be used as a political wedge or a rabble-rousing sound-bite, and that’s all…well, then I don’t have to take it seriously, either.

She also states:

(the) most emphatic reason for disbelieving all the Global Warming hoo-hah is a simple one that lots of true believers probably won’t understand. If the people promoting the hysteria on warming were serious - if the issue were a real one and not simply a political tool, then the hyper-concerned folks would be welcoming and heralding thoughtful environmental programs and helpful policies from any-and-all quarters, even - gasp - from the right. Even - gaspgasp - from George W. Bush. (You know, the guy who frees oppressed women and is cursed at by the feminists, the guy who keeps an eco-friendly ranch and is restoring the destroyed wetlands of Iraq and is hated by the enviros.)

You probably don’t know what I am talking about. You probably have no idea that President Bush has been working with China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia on a creative - not Kyoto - environmental policy.

Challenge you to read the articles linked. It could be an eye-opener for some. For others, there's no tellin' -- Auntie Coosa

Two Photos: One Freedom

Take a look at this photo. What do you see? This man was tried and convicted in Egypt (our ally?) for Internet-based journalism. He was charged with "inciting hatred of Islam" and insulting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on his blog. His name is Abdel Kareem Nabil Suleiman and he will be in jail for four years.


Take a look at this photo. What do you see? The man passing out small US Flags is Eric Odessit. He is not a natural-born American. He was born and raised in the Soviet Union, and emigrated to the United States in the late 1980s. He has since become a naturalized citizen and staged a one-man counter protest in San Diego recently.

Two men.
Two worlds away.
One is jailed for exercising freedom of speech on the Internet.
One hands out US Flags in counter-protest in San Diego.
Both men have a common bond: Freedom of Speech.