Click on the title for the complete AP article.Fewer people see Democrats as friendly to religion now than felt that way a year ago, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.
That number has dropped from 40 percent in August 2004 who thought the Democrats were friendly to religion to 29 percent now.
Looks like Howard Dean's plan of making the Democrats more attractive to people of faith, is not working too well. But it should really come as no surprise when you have their new poster child, Cindy Sheehan accusing Christians of causing the war and labeling them as terrorists and killers.Way to go Dems. Keep letting the leftists hijack your party and you'll be lucky to win anything, for the next several elections.
Click on the title for the complete USA Today Op-Ed piece, if you can stomach it all. Here are a couple of exerpts:
The United States had hoped the document would knit together Iraq's three main communities - Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds -pointing a way toward an end to the bloody Sunni-led insurgency and U.S. withdrawal.
Instead, the constitution presented to the Iraqi parliament does more to split them, and the country, apart.
The U.S. Constitution doesn't even unite this country. As long as the left continues to be hellbent committing treason and sedition, no piece of paper in the world would be able to unite it.
Sunnis denounced the document in apocalyptic terms. Only three of the fifteen Sunni members of the drafting committee even showed up for the final meeting. Not our constitution, was their message. Not our Iraq.
Like the left in this country, the Sunnis are a distinct minority hellbent on running the show. The Sunnis can't run things anymore so, they stall and obstruct. Sound familiar?
Click on the title for the complete AFP article. It's good for a laugh or two.
Click on the title for the complete AP article.WAXAHACHIE, Texas - A car carrying the Rev. Al Sharpton led sheriff's deputies on a nine-mile chase at speeds up to 110 mph before state troopers stopped the vehicle and arrested the driver, authorities said.
What comment could I possibly make to make you laugh any harder, than you already did, when you first heard this story? The civil rights activist called the sheriff's report "ludicrous" and accused the Ellis County officers of "embellishing the story."
Of course. And have I mentioned that I have some mountain property just outside of Miami, I will let go cheap?
Click on the title for the complete NYT Op-Ed piece, via the IHT. In a stark ultimatum, President Jacques Chirac of France warned Iran on Monday that it would face censure by the United Nations Security Council if it did not reinstate a freeze on sensitive nuclear activities under an agreement reached last November.
I don't know about you, but I would be terrified. I hope Iran realizes just how serious he is. A censure by the UN would be just absolutely devastating. If that doesn't work, I bet he would be willing to pull out the heavy artillery, a strongly worded condemnation.If they don't realize how serious the French President is, they will soon find out that Mr. Chirac means business. Oil for food business, that is.
Have you ever noticed that every cable news network has a reporter on the scene while the hurricane is hitting full force? Steve Harrigan of FOX News Channel did it today and just about got creamed by debris. One of these days, on live TV, we may get to see not just live coverage of a hurricane, but the live death of an idiot.
Click on the title for the complete Reuters article.NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricane Katrina paralyzed the oil industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Monday, raising fears that damage to offshore platforms and pipelines could trigger a supply crunch in the world's largest energy consumer.
The hurricane, which slammed into New Orleans after plowing through the Gulf, shut at least half of the region's oil production, a quarter of gas operations, and forcedshut eight refineries along the coast -- sending crude oil prices to record highs above $70 per barrel.
$70 per barrel. What does this tell us?It tells us that we need some solutions. We need a plan. We need an energy policy.Anytime a major vital industry market is so volatile that an unexpected storm causes this kind of halt in production and threatens to cripple the supply this much, we have problems. Now, I am not one to harp for government intervention, unless the need is great and threatens the overall peace and prosperity of the nation. And I am not really saying we are at that point just yet. What I am saying is, some kind of plan for the immediate and distant future is needed in this area, because if we let it get any more out of control, our economy and other free nations' economies are going to tank. Call me a naysayer if you want. But it's the truth.I support the President in many areas and I am a strong proponent of a free market economy, free from as much government intervention as is realistic. I know and fully understand that Presidents do not set prices, nor would we want them to. But I think the President has been particularly weak in the energy department, not by anything he has done, but by what he hasn't done. It's no secret that the President's oil connections are extensive. The oil industry looks after its own interests, just like any other. And, I can respect that. But the President, needs to buck the trend here and use his influence to promote and sell the idea of alternative fuel sources. He can use his bully pulpit to persuade and convince those in the energy industry to develop alternative sources that will reduce our dependency on foreign oil. He can do it, he owes no one anything. He does not face re-election. (Please note that I am not asking the President to commit tax dollars, I am asking for him to do the right thing and just plug the idea.)Look, there are several ways to do this and no one thing can solve this mess, in one shot. But it's going to take people to put aside politics for awhile and give a little, both ways. Leftists are going to have to allow us drill in ANWR and other areas. The oil companies are going to have to relent and stop trying to discredit and/or discourage research in this area. Sure the price may go down on oil, but if they are in on the cutting edge in this new technology, they also stand to make trillions and trillions, by paving the way (keeping the big energy conglomerates happy). Besides that, we can conserve more oil and end up drilling less in the future (keeping the environmentalists happy). Both sides sacrifice at first, both sides win something in the end. If it happens, America will be the big winner.UPDATE- Here are others that have posted on this or similar subjects: Q and O Online magazinePolitical CalculationsIn the Middle of America
Click on the title for the complete News Max story. Hat Tip to McQ at Q and O.
Sen. John McCain rebuked his Senate colleague and good friend Chuck Hagel on Sunday, saying that the Nebraska Republican was wrong to claim last week that Iraq was becoming another Vietnam.
Friends can have disagreements and if Chuck Hagel was mine, I would disagree with him too.
McCain said that in contrast to Iraq, South Vietnam "never had a legitimate government in Saigon that the people believed in and trusted."
Not only that, our objective was never clear. We were stuck in a defensive posture. We were in a protective role against a true insurgency, a communist insurgency. Our objective in Iraq was to remove Saddam and plant a democratic republic. I will say that our hands have been tied, more than I would have preferred. But our hands were ridiculously tied in Vietnam.
The Vietnam war also featured "superpower engagement in a huge way," McCain added. "We have a problem [in Iraq] with the Syrians, but nothing like what the Chinese and Russians were doing with the North Vietnamese," he said.
Another difference is the Soviets, Chinese, or any other communist country never attacked the mainland United States. The 9/11 Commission Report established that there was a connection between Iraq and Al-Qaida. (The left has psychologically blocked that portion of the report, from their already extremely selective memories.)
But Al-Qaida did attack us and the jury is still out on how big of a role Saddam played. Just because there has been an investigation and a report, does not mean that we have all of the facts, even yet. There are things we may never know.
Don't get me wrong, the Soviets used a massive threatening propaganda campaign against the U.S. and incidents of espionage were widespread. But they never flew planes into three buildings, in this country.
Another difference, said McCain: "If we fail in Iraq, the results will be cataclysmic. You'll see factionalization and eventual Muslim extremism and terrorist breeding grounds that I believe will pose a direct threat to the security of the United States."
McCain says some things I very much disagree with from time to time, but overall I think he gets it, and Hagel does not. For this statement, is the crux of the whole matter, when comparing (or contrasting) these two conflicts.
I'll throw in a couple of other differences, at no extra cost:
1. We were able to outspend the Soviets into submission. We will not be able to that with Islamic terrorists, they are funded by the $70 per barrel oil money.
2. Vietnam U.S. Military Deaths - 58,169 in 11 years. Iraq Military Deaths (as of 28 Aug 05) - 1877 in 2 1/2 years.That breaks down to an average annual death toll of:Vietnam - 5288/yearIraq - 751/ yearThis means that the Iraq War casualty rate is only 14% of the casualty rate in Vietnam.Don't get me wrong. Any death in the line of duty is too much, but we have to be realistic here. There is no comparison here. In fact, it is more of a contrast. There may be a handful of similarities, here and there. But the amount of differences far outweigh the amount of similarities.
I have been thinking about just how non-sensical, the left has been over the last few years. And although it may sound like an easy topic to write about, the truth is, it isn't. It is difficult because there are so many lies, distortions, and exaggerations the left puts out as fact that you don't know, just where to start.
Anytime one of Hollywood's elitists (the court jesters of our time) opens his/her mouth about something he/she doesn't know one damned thing about, it makes me wonder, just how many brain cells are these people operating on? They speak of things that are way beyond their ability, to comprehend. They are presenting opinions (which they have a right to do), in a way that sounds right to people that have little ability to learn, recognize, and accept, the whole concept of truth. The trouble is, the opinions they present as fact, can be torn apart, by people that think for themselves and do not get their talking points from Move On and other leftist organizations.
With that said, I have decided to start writing about them in a semi-regular series. As I said, there are many to choose from but I have to start somewhere, so this is where I will begin:
If we pull our troops out now, we can save some face, and everything will be okay.
Take Cindy Sheehan, for instance. She is calling for the President to meet with her, just so she can tell him to bring the troops home. She and many of her leftist friends have been calling for this since the before the war began. By contrast, the administration and many that understand the situation are saying that we must stay the course and finish the job. So? Just what will happen if we packed up and left tomorrow?A civil war, that's what. The Sunnis and the Shiites will be in civil war for control of Iraq and any weapons (conventional or otherwise) that remain hidden, within six months. The Baathists are not fond of the Shiites and the Shiites definitely have little use for the Sunnis (Baathists or not). The one thing that unites them, is their hatred for the USA and Israel. Beyond that, there is little love lost.This is precisely why the Sunnis are not being cooperative. They are being influenced by the Wahabbi sect and anything they can do to railroad the Iraqi constitution, they will continue to do even if the US pulls out tomorrow. Their goal is world domination and that includes the Shiites, if it becomes necessary.If civil war were to break out between these groups, the whole region could be lit up and the flow of oil would be severely disrupted, for the whole world. And as a result, people like Robert Kennedy Jr. would be paying dearly to fly around in their jets; and the Hollywood elitists that are into themselves and their sport cars would be paying dearly to drive them around, showing them off. All the while, the poor average working person will be taking out home equity loans to pay for gas to get to work.The best way to to help the poor, the oppressed, and the homeless is to destroy the evil, greedy, rich man that owns capital. and then share it with everyone. Let's see if we can get this straight, want to? They want us to destroy the person that is willing to take his/her own money (or money he/she is borrowing in his/her name); and instead of putting it in a bank to draw interest for himself/herself, takes a risk by starting a business with it, and creates jobs? How many jobs are created by poor, oppressed, and homeless people, anyway? And they want us to destroy the rich person (that creates jobs), make him/her poor, and then expect to raise the poor's standard of living in the process? Sounds to me like, the poor that the left is supposedly fighting for, will still be poor. Add to that, the rich man will then be poor and the workers he employed, will then be poor also. Do that enough times and the American economy will become like Cuba's. So, the first thing that people will give up is useless and expensive entertainment, like movies and concerts. Then, there goes the billions of dollars rich liberal elitist film-makers throw at rich liberal, think-they-know-it-all, actors and musicians. Any of them that spent their money like it was going out of style, will then be poor, too. And the spiral will just keep spinning and spinning in all areas until we reduce ourselves back to the stone-age, in that we become a nation of simple food-gatherers. That is if, there is enough food to gather.Well that's all we have time for today, readers. There are many more fallacies of the left, I will share and expose, at a later time. Thanks for reading and tune in next time for:FALLACIES OF THE LEFT (Part II)
Click on the title for the complete AP story.
KAZAN, Russia - The clothing store across from the mosque features torn bluejeans, feather boas and brightly colored button-down shirts. But for customers who want the latest look, it also offers headscarves, veils and ankle-length tunics.
In Russia's Tatarstan region more and more young people are switching from Western-style dress to Muslim attire. More than just a fashion, the trend reflects a surging interest in Islam among the youth of this largely Muslim region on the Volga River, some 450 miles east of Moscow.
Islam appears to be creeping more and more into Central Asia. It affects Russia on several fronts. The former Soviet republics like Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, et al, are overhwelmingly Muslim and they can export their influence into other areas of Russia to the north, and China to the east. Right now they are doing it subtlely, but surely; a little here, a little there.
If this was how Islam was spread (by that I mean, by each individual making an educated choice, according to the convictions of their heart, spirits, and souls), I would have no problem with it. If there was no jihad, no bombings, no kidnappings/beheadings, or any other heinous acts dreamed up and implemented for the purpose of converting the area to Islamic law (by force), I could not criticize Islam. And, I would not.
Think about it.
True freedom of religion comes with two components, the freedom to accept and to reject. Evangelizing of any religion, to me is okay, under one condition. If I say, "No, thanks", it means just that, "No thanks". There can be no retribution, of any kind.
Tatars practice a particularly liberal form of Islam — "Euro Islam" he calls it — which views the religion as a personal, individual belief where men and women are considered equal. Islam here also draws on its own specific Tatar traditions that sets it apart from stricter versions, such as Saudi Arabia's dominant austere Wahabbism, Khakimov said.
So, I guess the same Euro Islam that wasn't able to do a damned thing to prevent the attacks in Spain, Britain, and Russia; is somehow supposed to be a source of comfort and reassurance?
It's true that Wahabbism is the most domineering group within the Muslim world, look at how far of an area this sect has exported its violence. From Indonesia to Europe and the North of Africa (and any other point deemed necessary, in between). And, now they have infiltrated this country. But if peace is to ever exist in any form on this earth, the Wahabbis must be stopped from exporting their violence. Every country must recognize its own individual risk level and deal with it appropriately. The moderates (that claim they want peace for all) need to chip in a bit, too . They need to reject the call to violent jihad in all forms, loudly and firmly. There must be no, "We reject violence, BUT.........". It must be a resounding statement/message and not full of double talk, justifications, and excuses. Its not going to be easy. It has been let go, unchecked, way too long. But if we don't get started on it now, the way it needs to be done, our city will soon be gone.
Click on the title for the complete Reuters article.GAZA (Reuters) - A Hamas leader who tops Israel's most wanted list said on Saturday the Jewish state had been humiliated by its Gaza pullout and warned Palestinian officials against stopping what he called armed resistance by militants.
Fact: The Israeli government is VOLUNTARILY forcing Jewish settlers to leave Gaza and the West Bank. This is a decision by the current Israeli government, in spite of the fact that not all Israelis are for this.In spite of what they may say to the contrary, the one thing this is NOT, is Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, or the Palestinain Authority FORCING the Israeli government to do anything. Therefore, the only humiliation being suffered by Israel is at the hands of its own government. This is just another example of a terrorist organization trying to validate their own existence. It should come as no big surprise that Hamas will play this up and present this event to the Palestinian people as something THEY forced, through THEIR illegitimate terror campaign. They need an excuse to refuse to disarm and this is there best shot at it, despite the fact that their argument doesn't hold a drop of water.
Click on the title for a link to a political cartoon by Gary Varvel at the Indianapolis Star. If you have been following the Cindy Sheehan spectacle, sideshow, and circus, this will amuse you.
Click on the title for the complete USA Today Op-Ed piece.The mosque stood empty beside the road in a Christian town in Kenya. Funded by Saudis, it wasn't meant for worshippers. It was meant to stake a claim.
This is a very informative piece by Ralph Peters about another kind jihad that does not necessarily destroy anyone or anything, to achieve its primary objective of world domination by the radical jihadists. But, it still could result in an unfavorable outcome, for all involved. It certainly is something Americans should be aware of.Americans on the left and even many of those on the fence, do not realize just how much planning has gone into this campaign. They have been doing it for decades and prior to 9/11, we just didn't recognize how well organized and how much effort has gone into making this concept of global jihad, a true reality.Now that those of us that (can put two and two together) have come to an understanding of how serious these people are, it stands to reason we also understand just how far we need to go, to catch up with their thinking. We have done well in many areas, but we are still dropping the ball in so many others.Anyway, give this article some serious thought. Think about the implications of this kind of strategy, for this country.And after you are done with that, check out what Jason at Liberty And Culture has written.
Click on the title for the complete AP wire story.
Here is the sum of the matter. She is being used.
This was a carefully devised and calculated plan to disrupt the President's vacation, so they found a desperate grieving mother (in need of some serious grief counseling) to sit out at the ranch, throughout the month or so he is there. I mean let's be real here, the man is on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. and 52 weeks a year. Does he not deserve some rest?
So they plot, hatch, and scheme to send this emotionally unstable grieving mom to give the White House press corps something to do, other than sit outside the ranch and wait for something to happen. Congress is out of session, the Supreme Court is out, and the only thing they can come up with to cover, is a woman that has been duped and fooled into believing that her actions will change anything, that matters.
Her son isn't coming back. We cannot leave Iraq just yet. We cannot go back and change anything that has previously happened. Just what does this woman think she is doing and what does she really believe she is going to accomplish? She hasn't got either the sense or the presence of mind to understand that all of the mean and stupid things she says, is not going to ease her pain, one iota.
What we are really seeing here is a woman that has regressed to earlier developmental tasks, as described by Erikson. (Identity versus identity confusion.) She has regressed to her college days, back to Casey's age group. This is nothing more than a maladaptive coping mechanism, nothing more than a move back to a safe period of time in her life. She cannot bear the thought of growing old without a son that willingly gave his life, for a cause that she cannot understand. Therefore, there is safety in returning to the old college protest days. There was no responsibility, no real demands. No expectations.We also have every mean and foul-spirited leftist in the country behind it. We have vulturous opportunists waiting to use every opportunity to score political points. We have rocket scientists like Michael Moore, George Soros, Howard Dean, et al, standing back and cheering this on, just as one would do in a childish game. How sad it all is, when you really think about it.
Click on the title for a link to an article at the Eurabian Times, I linked to on Monday.Here is Bradley speaking of the future of the Saudi regime:You have to remember that the Saudi regime is in the arthritic grip of some very old people and the older they get the fewer signs they show of ever letting go.
andIn other words, the system is ossifying rapidly, and once it has ossified it will crumble. So the question is less whether the Saud will fall – they will – but when, and if there is any hope of the country surviving their fall and making something like an orderly transition to a modern society.
It's only a matter of time. And when it does fall, it will not fall into the right hands. It will fall into the hands of the Wahhabis and they will trade one form of tyranny for another, a la Iran.Then, the extremists will have direct access to oil profits to finance their terror attacks against peace-loving people. No more middle men, a Wahhabi controlled socialist government will most likely nationalize the industry as a whole, and those that depend on Saudi oil, will have to bow to the will of evil thugs, to get it.It may be closer than we think.
.:. WitNit .:.: Yellow Cake in IraqClick on the title or the link for some interesting info. Whether he had them or he didn't, really doesn't matter now. What matters now is how to effectively finish the mission. Going back to the old election debate, does not get the troops home any quicker. In fact, truth be known, it only delays reaching the objectives, as well as their return.But for the benefit of those that keep harping about old arguments, we are still answering the ludicrous accusations being put forth by the left. We are still splitting hairs about the definitions, long after the decision was made. And it's all at the expense of the troops that remain.We still have articles being written about the 2000 Election, I guess it stands to reason we should have more war debate. They believe we should do anything to embarrass the Administration, even if it means encouraging the enemy to fight that much harder, and kill just that many more Americans. They will use any means available to them, to bog this war down as far as they can, just so they can say, "See, we told you so!". Just so they can win the next election and the right to screw it up worse than it already is, they keep pouring gas on the fire in hopes that they can ignite something.The radical anti-war left refuses to believe the 9-11 Reports. They don't believe anything, except what they want to believe. You can't have a reasonable conversation with them. They have been so deeply indoctrinated by fools, I seriously doubt they will believe much of the data and references, posted by Mark either. But you can read them and see for yourself.There are many theories about how things happen, there is only one truth. We may not know all of that truth or we may not believe it, but it is still the truth, just the same.
PYY would like to welcome two new blogs to the blogroll.Politakid is a 17 year old living in a family of liberals, similar to the Michael J. Fox character, Alex Keaton in the TV show Family Ties. But don't let that stop you from visiting his site. He seems very intelligent and writes very well about a variety of issues and topics. Give him a look.EU Rota is a European site I found from reading The Road To EU Serfdom. It has some very good articles concerning the EU, other issues that affect Europe, and it is well-referenced. Check it out.
Click on the link or the title for a brief commentary on the unionization of Wal-Mart, in Europe.
EU Rota: EU Unions: 10% Unemployment is Too Low!
The U.S. is not the only place Wal-Mart is under the gun from labor unions and other organizations. And GEA3 at EU Rota has recognized the damage unionizing will cause the European economy.
Unions were originally necessary in a time when 10 year-olds were working 15 hour days, everyday. In the early days of the industrial age, capitalists were in many cases exploiting workers by subjecting them to unsafe and hazardous working conditions for long hours, for very low pay.
Since then, laws have been passed, policies have been written, and rules have been enforced against violators. The need for every job in this world to be union, no longer exists. It never did. Some industries were bigger exploiters than others. And those that weren't among the worst, had no need to unionize then; and they sure don't have any need to unionize, today.
Might I remind the left of some history that they may not know, may have forgotten, or have revised out of their memory. Prior to Mussolini taking power, socialist workers took over some vital factories. Those factories failed miserably after the workers, took over. Workers do not know how to run businesses, those that represent workers do not know, either. But as the socialist movement grew and became more radical, a new movement arose as a political response. Fascism.
Modern day fascism was a response to socialism. And if the left isn't careful in their bellicose lies, accusations, and whinings, there will come a generation that will not put up with it. If you think this generation is fascist, just because we disagree with the things you do, wait until that generation comes in 10-20 years after you have rammed lies, distortions, and false accusations down their throats, for those years.But back to the union issue. There are far more jobs created when business people can run their businesses as they see fit, free from union influence. Where there are unions, productivity is lower, than where there is not. Unions do not create jobs, businesses do. And before any job can be created, there must be a risk taker somewhere, willing to take whatever risks necessary to open a business and hire people to work in it. Nowhere, in any business model do you find a union, in the equation. Only after the business has become very successful will you see the vulturous union leaders moving in, to boost their own revenue, via union dues. Only then, will you see the seeds of discord sown among the once contented workers that worked hard to help make that business so successful.
Click on the title for the complete AP article.
Immigrants are picking tomatoes, selling cheap goods, and even building buildings. But the immigrants I speak of and this article speaks of, are not Mexicans coming into the USA, not Muslims coming into Europe, but are Chinese going into the eastern coastal areas of Russia. And they do for their own set of reasons.
Read the whole article and see that we are not the only ones that need to be concerned about immigration.
Intro:Although 2006 is still almost a half a year away, it's really not too soon to start thinking about the midterm elections. The whole House, one-third of the Senate, and many state offices will be up for grabs, once again. Now I don't mean to start talking about candidates, because we pretty much know that most office-holders that face re-election then, are going to want to be re-elected. And it's way too early to know just exactly how those individual races will develop, this early in the game.
But the issues that will be debated are issues that are being debated now. And just where these candidates stand on them, will determine who gets to raise their right hands at the swearing-in ceremonies. These issues are serious. They cut to the very core of our rights, freedom, and security. They must be dealt with swiftly and sufficiently. They cannot be swept under the table for another election cycle, for each election cycle that passes, is another two years of no solutions, no implementations, and therefore, no successes.
As we get into the process more heavily, we will all have chance to see, hear, and maybe even meet a candidate. Certainly, we will all have access to the candidates' e-mail addresses. Whatever means of communication we use with these people, one thing is for certain. We need to let these people know what is important and force them to deal with these issues, before it's too late.
Issue #1 - The Border:
It makes little or no sense at all to continue to allow the number of illegals to flow into this country, at this present day. They are flooding our healthcare system to the point of crisis. And if that in itself isn't enough, not policing the border is a major (and I do mean major) national security threat. Be that as it may, it just isn't getting addressed by most politicians, of either party.
The Dems want them to pour in for future voting purposes and the GOP are beholden to most businesses, including those that have become dependent on illegals for cheap labor. Neither party has come to grips with this, all we have heard is the rhetoric of both sides. The proposals that were tossed around earlier were just talk, there was no real desire to do anything, but win a public relations war for political leverage purposes, only.
It can't continue like this and every poll on this issue has shown that the people overwhelmingly think so.
Issue #2 - Profiling:
What sense does it make to continue to do random searches on people like little old ladies, and others that clearly do not match the profile of a terrorist? What sense does it make to not search those that actually do fit the profile?
The left has gotten this country so worried about offending someone that the policy-makers are scared of what it will do to them politically. The left has made it nearly impossible to do the job necessary, to protect our citizenry. But that's not the saddest part. The saddest part is, the administration and many in Congress are allowing them to do it.
It's time to end the stupidity in public policy and I can't think of a better place to start.
Issue#3 - Eminent Domain:
This was instituted for the strict purpose of being able to acquire property for public use, for the public good. By public use and good, it meant roads, public buildings, parks, and so on. But as of late, you have developers and major corporate chains (like WalMart) that scope out land they want, try to buy it for a ridiculously low price, and when they are turned down, they turn to corrupt local governments to condemn it and sieze it, by force.
Any law has the potential for abuse, but this one when abused, is one that undermines the very core principles and values set forth by our founding fathers. It effectively strips the citizenry of the property rights guaranteed them, in the U.S. Constitution. It wouldn't be so bad if it were something that would benefit the community as a whole. But the only people that benefit from this in its present state, are the money hungry developers, corporations, and the politicians that benefit from expanding the local tax-base.Conclusion:These issues are not the only issues that will be looming on the horizon, if not already. A China policy would be nice, as well as one on Venezuela, Cuba (for after Castro dies), North Korea, Iran,and many others that are just being put on the back burner, until only God knows when.The thing we all have to do is keep the candidates focused on the important issues that affect us all. We have to dictate the pace and set the agenda. We have to tell those in power, that if you want to keep your job, you must address these things. We have to tell those that want the job, that they must listen to the majority of the people and deal with these things, in clear and concise terms.I know. Some of you are cynical. I must admit, I too am very cynical. It gets real discouraging, when guys like Teddy Kennedy can keep getting re-elected, most of the time, unopposed.But, to hurt a rich man everyone knows you have to make him poor. And to hurt a politician, you must turn him out of office. These people will listen, if they can be convinced that their gravy train will soon be ending. They will listen if enough decent people will make their voices heard and their views known. They will also listen, if the people they represent will let them know (in no uncertain terms) that they can and will be replaced. This isn't a Democratic thing and this isn't a Republican thing. This is an American thing.UPDATE:G at The Road to Middle America is thinking even further ahead with a more in depth look at some issues his post, the Monolith Issues of '08 Hinted at Today .
VARepublicman at Flaming Duck has written an excellent piece on the planning, organizing, and the outcome of a protest. You won't want to miss reading this. Click on the link or the title for the entire post.
Click on the title for the complete AP article.VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."
"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast Network's "The 700 Club."
"We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."
This is why Pat Robertson and anyone that follows him, should not be anywhere near the government buildings, much less President.While he is right about the money that would be saved from utilizing this alternative, he is very close to violating the law. It is a reckless statement and it may come back to haunt him. Even if it was determined that this was absolutely 100 % necessary and absolutely the last resort to protect this nation in some way, you don't broadcast it. Both the left and Chavez, himself, will exploit it. If it ever were to happen at the hands of one of his own countrymen, the U.S. would be blamed. It could endanger operations already in progress that do not even involve assassination as objectives. There are a whole host of reasons that this was a bad decision, and these are just a few.Even though they make up the major portion, leftists aren't the only ones guilty of irresponsible journalism.
Click on the title for the complete AP article.SHANGHAI, China - Nearly 9,000 Russian and Chinese troops began a mock assault on the beaches of northern China Tuesday in the final stage of unprecedented joint war games between the two former Cold War rivals.
While this bears watching, I do not believe this is something to get overly worried about at this time. You can bet they are studying each other's weaknesses, very carefully.The live-fire exercise, dubbed "Peace Mission 2005," involves about 7,000 Chinese troops and 1,800 Russians, along with warships, warplanes and amphibious tanks.
The contrast in numbers shows who has the military money to spend, and who doesn't.
If you want to read an outstanding interview containing an excellent examination of the Saudis, you need to click on the title.
It is an interview with John R. Bradley, author of Saudi Arabia Exposed. It is lengthy, but well worth the read. It is very informative and gives us a lot to process, in one sitting. As a result, I blew through it quicker than I wanted to earlier. But I plan to re-read it more thoroughly tomorrow (when I am fresher) and will save my comments for tomorrow.
Click on the title for the complete article by Paul Krugman of the NYT, via the IHT.
Here is how it opens: The 2000 presidential election is still an open sore on the U.S. body politic. That was clear from the outraged reaction to my mention last week of what would have happened with a full statewide manual recount of Florida.
Besides the fact it is almost been five years later and the President has since won re-election, there are those that just cannot get out of their time warp and move on to face other challenges. Instead, they keep picking at a scab that will never heal, because they do not want it to heal. They want to keep re-living the 2000 election over and over again, when most people are content to fight the problems we face in 2005.
These are the same people that can never lose a game of checkers or cards without being sore losers and most will be living in some nursing home, some day in the distant (and for some, not so distant) future, bitching and moaning about an election that took place 40 years prior. Wouldn't you hate to be an activities director in that facility, in that time?
No doubt, Paul Krugman wasted valuable time and energy on this sorry piece. In addition, he wasted his employer's time and money by writing it and someone with an office, desk, and pen, signed off and approved this article for print, in spite of the fact that this issue is dead and moot.
Today we face countless obstacles he could have used as topic material. It certainly would have made much better use of the time, money, and space. But instead he (and those with the desks, offices, and pens) chose to waste it by publishing a dumbass article on something that happened almost a half decade ago. Social Security, the War On Terror, Homeland Security, Eminent Domain, the porous borders, the eroding freedoms with every new liberal court decision, and many other issues and sub-issues would have made much more sense to write about. You see, this is the primary source of all of the bitterness and animosity being so prominently exhibited by the left, today. The blame Bush crowd will keep the flames burning as long as people that claim to be journalists, keep writing about it. They will keep sounding like a broken record for as long as there are people willing to read this garbage. And as long as that happens, there will be never be an opportunity to move forward and solve the problems we all face as a nation. As a result of this assinine mentality and attitude, I highly recommend that MoveOn.Org change their name to something more fitting and appropriate. How about, "StayPutAndStagnate.Com"?(On a similar note read this article at Social Sense.)UPDATE: Also read this, from Toni at MyView
So says WND. Click on the title for the complete article.WASHINGTON – Michael Graham, the Washington, D.C., talk-show host suspended for linking Islam and terrorism, has been fired by ABC Radio following weeks of pressure applied by the Council on American Islamic Relations, a group with its own well-documented connections to terrorism.
Always On Watch has been covering it, so I am sure we will get her reaction in the morning. She's not going to be very happy. And quite frankly, anyone that loves and cherishes freedom, liberty, and the U.S. Constitution, should be real concerned right about now.
Click on the title for the complete Christian Science Monitor article. It is a good one.ROCKVILLE, MD. - What if, like the new Iraq we in America had a matter of months to draft a new Constitution? Could we do it? No way - we can barely meet our annual October budget deadline.
That pretty much says it all, right there. But it wouldn't be a very good read if that's all the article contained. So go read it all.
Click on the title for the complete AFP article. TRIPOLI (AFP) - Libya has opened a new phase in its journey from pariah state back to the international fold by calling for US President President George W. Bush to visit and pledging action on human rights.
I don't know about you. But if I am Bush, I thank him and invite him to visit here, first. Just call it a hunch.And by the way, is this the fourth or fifth new spelling of Moammar's name? I forget.
Click on the title for the complete AP article.LONDON - Britain's most powerful Islamic body criticized a television documentary broadcast Sunday that accused the country's Muslim leaders of ignoring the spread of extremism within their communities.
1. Isn't this a switch? The BBC is usually a beacon of antisemitism taking the pro-Palestinian position, almost everytime.2. So what? It's accurate. Muslim leaders everywhere have ignored the spread of extremism. Now it is out of control. Anyone that has the ability to analyze and interpret the simplest of data, can see it.3. If they want to change the way most intelligent people view their religion, they need to stop being offended and do something about it. I can't change it, most of you that read this blog can't change it. The only people that can are the people that cry "foul", the loudest.
From the "kick em when their up, kick em when their down" department, comes this story from the Fairfield County Weekly. Click on the title for the complete article, but know this: The town of New London must be run by a bunch of bonafide jerks.
Those who believe in the adage "when it rains, it pours" might take the tale of the plaintiffs in Kelo v. New London as a cue to buy two of every animal and a load of wood from Home Depot. The U.S. Supreme Court recently found that the city's original seizure of private property was constitutional under the principal of eminent domain, and now New London is claiming that the affected homeowners were living on city land for the duration of the lawsuit and owe back rent. It's a new definition of chutzpah: Confiscate land and charge back rent for the years the owners fought confiscation.
In some cases, their debt could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Moreover, the homeowners are being offered buyouts based on the market rate as it was in 2000 .
Message:
"Vengeance is ours!", thus saith the word of the city of New London.
What this means is, if you have the audacity to challenge government and you lose, you will pay dearly for it. You will be made an example for all to see, for they are the almighty leaders of your community. They are to be submitted to, upon command, and you shall submit yourself to their authority at all times, no matter what.
It's not enough that the city is going to forcibly take homes. But now, they are not going to pay full market value and they are going to assess back rent, to recoup legal fees and/or other costs.I have taken the liberty to look up some names that you may want to send your best regards to and thank them for using the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper. City Of New London (Website)Jane L. GloverMayor City Council 860-442-6296Email: kente219@aol.com Richard BrownCity Manager 860-447-5201Email: rbrown@ci.new-london.ct.us New London Development Corporation(Website)Here is the list of the individual board of directors, here.After you do this (that is, if you choose to do so), then, be sure to keep this issue alive by calling any elected representative (from any level of government) you have. Tell them you are going to work very hard (in whatever way you can) to replace them the very next election, if they do not put laws into place protecting people from this kind of governmental abuse. This country is as good as gone, when you strip the people of their property rights.Hat Tip: The Neil Boortz Radio ShowOther blogs reporting on this include, but are not limited to:
Tami, the One True C-POL Political Calculations Flaming Duck
Click on the title for a link to MEMRI. It is a link to a video clip of Iraqi Politician Iyad Jamal Al-Din, a realistic hope for any moderate elements in the Muslim world. This man has a message and sure as hell has some guts.
The more people in the blogosphere that can get this man's name out there, the better chance the MSM will be forced to cover him more. His message needs to be heard worldwide. So, I will do my part by linking to it.
(HT: Jason at Liberty And Culture . Jason is good, are you reading him?)
Remember my post, entitled, The Downside To Multi-Culturalism ?I said:It's time for a new prophet to emerge in Islam, one that teaches the principles of love, respect, and understanding of those that don't share the same beliefs. It's time for a new voice, a voice of reason to put a stop this madness, and teach Muslims how much mightier the pen is, than the sword. Someone who will evangelize with a sermon, not a bomb.
Then and only then, will there be true peace.
I am not a prophet, nor would I want get anyone's hopes up. But maybe, just maybe, this guy can flush any moderates that do exist out of the closets in the Islamic world and encourage them to pursue other means of winning converts, than are being used at present. Maybe this guy can win those sitting on the fence, as well as, those that just want peace in their homelands and not war. He may also persuade his countrymen to use their voices to persuade others to believe their beliefs, and not force it on them by committing horrendous acts of evil violence, designed to intimidate and oppress others that do not share their views.But then again, maybe not.Like always, we will have to wait and see.
Euro serf poses a valid question in his post, We Need Euroleaders. Read the whole piece, then the consider the crux of the matter:There is no Trans European issues that anyone cares about, there is no trans-European electorate, there is no reason in fact for a Trans-European party to exist, other than to support or oppose the EU.
Which brings us to the crunch issue. If there is no demand for trans-European parties, does that not undermine the existence of the EU itself. After all if the electorate see no European issues for them to worry about, then how come the EU manages to find so much to do?
Sounds more and more like the UN, everyday. Doesn't it?
Click on the title for the complete AP story. LONG BEACH, Ind. - Like many towns across America, the exclusive lakefront community where Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. grew up during the racially turbulent 1960s and '70s once banned the sale of homes to nonwhites and Jews.
Know this, the left is seeking any and everything they can to discredit this nominee. In fact, they are frantically grasping at air to get anything possible to use as a weak and feeble excuse to stall and eventually block the vote. Dig, dig. Pry, pry.But so far, nothing is what they have found.Yet, anytime something that could possibly be mildly construed as negative, it gets written about as if this guy has been out knocking off gas stations, taking bribes, or some other such thing. One word sums it all up. Desperation. And that, it is.Criticizing someone because he was fortunate to live in an upscale community is bad enough. Criticizing him because of something the grown-ups that lived in that community may have done, is worse yet. Assigning responsibility to a 15 year old teen for living there, is absolutely ridiculous. How many of you were allowed to decide where you lived, when you were fifteen? Just three miles from the nearly all-white community of Long Beach, two days of looting and vandalism erupted when Roberts was 15, barely intruding on the Mayberry-like community that was largely insulated from the racial strife of that era.
Maybe we can do a case study of the community Ted Kennedy lived in when he was fifteen. I wonder, just how many African-Americans and how many Jews lived there, then?
.:. WitNit .:.: How To Tell If You Are An Ideological LeftistIf you are not sure where you sit on the political spectrum and want to know if you are a leftist, click on the title or the link for a simple test.
VARepublicman at the Flaming Duck weighs in on the Cindy Sheehan sideshow. Others have commented on it:
Always On Watch
In the Middle of America
Gindy.blogspot.comare just a few, and all have caused me to think about this whole situation.First, let me preface my comments with this. Ms. Sheehan has a constitutional right to protest whatever she wants, whenever she wants. Make no mistake about where I stand on free speech, it must always be protected no matter how ludicrous the message or the ideology.That said, I think it is deplorable how the left has taken a probably decent lady in a weak moment of grief, and exploited it for political purposes. I also believe it to be equally sad that she has allowed herself to be manipulated into this political, media circus. It has been reported that her husband has filed for divorce and other family members have not supported her endeavor to exploit the death of her son. But if I were a family member, my question to her would be, "how would her son feel about it?". Would he be proud that his mother joined forces with those that give aid and comfort, to the very enemy that killed him and still try to kill his buddies? Would he want her to keep picking the scab of her wound, over and over again, so that it may never effectively heal? Or, would he want her to move on with her life, living it fully and completely with his father as she had planned, before his death?Grieving is a dynamic process that must proceed in phases. Many people handle it differently, but some do not allow the stages to pass naturally. Cindy seems to be one of those individuals.But there is one thing that both she and the leftists she has associated herself with fail to consider in their arguments. Her son was not drafted and forced to serve, he voluntarily enlisted. I am not sure when he enlisted, but my guess is, it was well after 9-11. And anyone that enlisted after that date of infamy, had to have a reasonable understanding that they could be sent to a hostile zone; and they assumed that risk the moment they raised their right hand.I am not personally connected to her, but I would like to give a little advice to Cindy, as one parent to another. Go home, save your marriage, and keep the memory of your son alive in your heart and soul, not in the media. Grieve in a healthy way. Allow yourself to complete the healing process and do not allow those with a political agenda, to destroy your life for a moment of media exposure. Fifteen minutes pass quickly. Life is for a lifetime.
I am home from the mountains, forests, and rugged coastal cliffs, of the wild wilderness. You may recall reading these words:I am really hoping that some time in the mountains, sometime on the rocky coast, and some time breathing fresh air will help facilitate some form of therapeutic and cathartic release.
Well, it didn't happen quite that way. In some ways it did. But things don't always work out according to plan. Nevertheless, I had some exceptionally good times with some very good people. And, it was those times that got me through the periods that weren't so hot.I will share more later. But right now I want to visit my favorite blogs and catch up on what I missed, while I was communing with nature in the rugged, Rogue River Valley.
Tomorrow I leave for Oregon for about six days. I haven't had a true vacation for several years. I have gone on some short trips for long weekends, and certainly enjoy those. But to take a long stretch off like this will be different, to say the least.
I am a type A, I can never truly relax for extended periods of time. I am really hoping that some time in the mountains, sometime on the rocky coast, and some time breathing fresh air will help facilitate some form of therapeutic and cathartic release. All of those things will be well and good, but the most important part will be visiting with my dad (biological). I haven't seen him for several years. And even though he is in his 80s, he is healthy, drives, and is on the go a lot. But at his age, I never know when I may get the call. So, it is imperative I see him, while I can.
I may not always be near a computer, so blogging may be light, short, or nonexistent, I just don't know. But rest assured, if I get near one I will rip off a few posts, short, sweet, and to the point. If I get a chance, I will photoblog some neat scenery. Oregon is bound to be very nice this time of year.Until then, feel free to visit my blogrolled sites, as well as any of my archived posts. And as always, thank you for reading.
Click on the title for the complete letter via Information Clearing House. This is full of the insanity that is known as jihadism. It is full of threats, hate, and lies; and if there is any doubt in your mind as to what we are up against, this will refresh your memory.Hat tip: Wintermute
From the the weird news department, a South Korean man died after playing video games for 50 hours. Parents, this story can be a valuable teaching tool for your kids that just cannot be pried away from his/her Play Station, X-Box, and/or Game Cube. If you always knew that too much was bad for them and you just could not prove it to them, this story is for them. Click on the title for the link to the complete Reuters story.
Click on the title for another IHT article about the societal acceptance of bribery, as a legitimate business practice. Grigory Satarov, the president of Indem, said in an interview that the new growth of bribery fed off the inefficiencies of Russia's still-sclerotic state structures, inherited from the communist past.
Under communism, there was far more demand for products that would enrich people's lives, than suppliers could provide. Long lines to get basic products that we just go to the supermarket for, were not uncommon. Not everyone was able to get what they needed from authorized government sources, so enter the black marketeers, aka the Russian mafia. They paid their bribe money to all necessary officials and presto, they were in business. They filled the void.When the Soviet Union broke apart and Russia moved boldly toward a free market economy, the mafia became legitimate commercial entrepeneurs. Unfortunately, with their established market shares, they kept their strong arm tactics.
But he also blamed Putin policies that have weakened the rule of law. Fighting corruption, he argued, required three conditions: free news media, a vibrant political opposition and a truly independent judiciary. Under Putin, he said, the Kremlin has undercut all three.
The main thing," Satarov said, "is that all this time Putin has not done anything to change the situation." For businesses especially, bribery is ballooning, along with the amounts solicited, which Indem estimated to average $135,000 - a 13-fold jump from 2001.
Old practices and habits die hard. 70+ years of socialism engrained into a large population's minds has left them with a sluggish, lazy work force at a critical point in their newly found, free market economy. But, they aren't producing. Therefore the government isn't getting the revenue, it needs. The bribes of the old Soviet oligarchy were a key source of revenue during that era. And now, we are seeing Putin creating some of the same political conditions conducive to a return of bribery, as viable government revenue producer.To get the full understanding of what business conditions are like in Russia, I highly recommend reading the whole article.
Jason at Liberty And Culture poses some very poignant questions, worthy of a read. There is a lot of information packed into this post. Take your time, read it through, and digest it. He makes a compelling argument, worthy of some serious thought.
Here is the part of the story as told by the IHT. (Click on the title for the complete article.)
An Egyptian biochemist released Tuesday after being questioned over the July 7 bombings in London said that he knew two of the bombers and allowed one to stay at his apartment in Leeds, England, but said that he was wrongly suspected of involvement.
An Egyptian security official earlier Tuesday said Magdy Mahmoud Mustafa el-Nashar had been released after investigations proved he was not linked to the July 7 bombings.
I would be interested to see tapes of the interrogations, but conveniently, there probably are none.
Forgive for being skeptical, but I have a hard time believing that he knew these people and had no inkling (whatsoever), they were planning to blow stuff up. But I guess I should be more trusting, right?
I shouldn't let my perceived predjudices get in the way of my basic human desire to believe in my fellow man, free from suspicion. I should not worry because I am sure that the Egyptian authorities looked at every possible angle, asked every possible question, and scrutinized his story with robust vigor.
If nothing else, that's a good fish story for the tavern.
Click on the title for the complete AP article about the President's suspicion of Iran's nuclear activities. Speaking to reporters at his Texas ranch, Bush said the newly elected president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, had indicated a willingness to continue discussions with European nations.
Bush and his advisors are dropping the ball on this. A common tactic for advantage in political diplomacy and warfare is the old stall, regroup, rearm, and reinforce method. And, that is exactly what we have here with the new Iranian president.By prolonging discussions, they can continue to work on specific objectives in the development process without fear of consequences. The longer this discussion process lasts, the more valuable work towards their ultimate goal can be completed. (The President would be wise to consider this, in his Presidential ponderings.)Who among us really believes that Iran is bargaining in good faith? It makes no difference whether they take ten years or five (as they first believed). The point is, they are working overtime while stalling talks. And, they will reach their goal at somepoint, sooner or later, if we (and the rest of the free world) do not respond. This is similar to the Palestinians' periodic, cease-fire strategy of call a cease fire, rearm, replan, then refight. Iran calls for a halt in research, to allow for negotiations, long enough for some purpose that is yet unclear; and then announces their intention of restarting the process. Neither Iran nor the Palestinians have demonstrated any sincere intention of acting in good faith. The President would also be wise to consider the speediness (or lack thereof) of anything that gets introduced into the UN. By delaying and allowing Iran to continue without formal protest, not only reinforces their behavior. It will just make it that much harder for when they finally decide that the EU 3, is not going to get the job done, and must act. I actually doubt the UN will do much better, but it won't hurt to start the paperwork, now. We can always withdraw it later, should I be wrong.
