Talk About Splitting Hairs

First we hear that Benazir Bhutto was assasinated by a guy who shot her, then blew himself up. Then we start hearing that, no, she wasn't shot, she was killed during the explosion when she hit her head on a piece of the sunroof while trying to duck back in the car. Now they are saying that the government is covering something up by saying she wasn't shot when the video shows the guy shooting her.

New video indicates Bhutto shot

Does it really make any difference. She was killed by the guy they have on video, whether the bullets did it or the explosion, or she just fell as a result and hit her head - what difference does it make? Maybe the guy emptied his clip and missed every shot - it happens. What advantage would there be in claiming she wasn't shot when she was? If there was a cover up, wouldn't it be more beneficial to hide who he was and especially any connections he may have? Just sayin'.

Saw These On YouTube Today

Very funny. David Blaine Street Magic spoof in 3 parts - language alert, not kid safe.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3

Thy Kingdom

Never be persuaded for one single moment either by the man who attacks Christianity, or by the man who defends it, into believing that science and religion are out of harmony with each other. Of course we need to be very careful to draw a distinction between scientific facts and scientific hypotheses; and to draw a distinction between Biblical declaration and human interpretation of its meaning. I stand for no man's interpretation of the Bible, not even my own, but I stand for the Bible. I am interested in every hypotheses of science, but I hold in reserve my judgment, and ask for ascertained fact; and when I find the ascertained fact, and the simple statement of Scripture, I find that they are one.

-- G. Campbell Morgan in Sermon - The Kingdom: "Thy Kingdom"

Does It Have Visible Inclusions?

Largest diamond in galaxy

Astronomers discovered the largest diamond of all times in space. The weight of the precious stone reportedly makes up ten billion trillion trillion carats or five million trillion trillion pounds.

The space diamond is virtually an enormous chunk of crystallized carbon, 4,000 kilometers in diameter. The stone is located at a distance of 50 light years from Earth, in the Constellation Centaurus.

They must recycle the news because this was reported back in 2004 and I mentioned it then. It's the same diamond.

Happy Holidays!

Jingle Bombs



Priceless.

Holiday Message From Fred Thompson

Forget the rest, Fred is the best!

Don't Forget the Christians in North Korea

Martyrdom awaits North Koreans on Christmas

In a nation where being a Christian can bring the death penalty for the "offender" and his entire family, where tens of thousands of Christians are held in terminal prison camps, and the populace is taught to revere its dictator as a god, there will be martyrdom for Christians on Christmas Day, according to an international ministry.

Keep them in your prayers.

Global Flim Flam

Hundreds of scientists reject global warming

A new U.S. Senate report documents hundreds of prominent scientists – experts in dozens of fields of study worldwide – who say global warming and cooling is a cycle of nature and cannot legitimately be connected to man's activities.

Here's 10 good questions about global warming. I'll post the first four below:

1. What is the perfect temperature?

If we are to embark on a lifestyle-altering quest to lower the temperature (or at least minimize its rise), what is our goal? I don’t ask this flippantly. Can we demonstrate that one setting on the global thermostat is preferable over another? If so, what is it, and how do we get there? And, once there, how do we maintain it? Will we ever have to “heat things up” again if it drops below that point?


2. Just what is the average temperature of the earth?

At any one time there are temperature extremes all over the planet. How do we come up with an average, and how do those variations fit in with our desire to slow global warming?


3. What factors have led to global warming in the past, and how do we know they aren’t the causes of the current warming trend?

Again, I don’t ask this in a judgmental way. There is no argument that warming cycles (or cooling, for that matter) have been a part of earth’s history. Why are we so sure this one is different?


4. Why is there such a strong effort to stifle discussion and dissent?

I’m always troubled by arguments that begin, “Everybody agrees...” or “Everyone knows...” In fact, there is a good deal of dissent in the scientific world about the theory of man-made global warming. A large (and growing) segment of those who study such things are questioning some of the basic premises of the theory. Why should there be anything wrong with that? Again, this is a big deal, and we should have the best information and opinion from the best minds.

Fair questions one and all.

Kill Whitey

The $750,000 note that won't buy a loaf of bread

Zimbabwe's economy has been in free-fall since 2000, when war veterans began to invade white-owned farms. Up to four million Zimbabweans have left for greener pastures.

Maybe not such a good idea in hindsight.

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam

I received my first real spam on Gmail today. It was from a fake eBay seller offering a second chance on an auction I never heard of. Gmail did not catch it. I forwarded it to eBay and they said it was not from them.

I only say this because I have serious doubts about the spam on Gmail. I talk about that here.

For Your Amusement

I can't really post anything else after that.

When Violence Is Glorified ...

Colorado Teens Accused of Killing 7-Year-Old Girl With 'Mortal Kombat' Game Moves

At least they weren't smoking.

Silence ... I Kill You

Top Iranian cleric: Wear a headscarf or die

“Women who do not respect the hijab and their husbands deserve to die,” said Hassani, who leads Friday prayers in the city of Urumieh, in Iranian Azerbaijan.

“I do not understand how these women who do not respect the hijab, 28 years after the birth of the Islamic Republic, are still alive,” he said.

“These women and their husbands and their fathers must die,” said Hassani, who is the representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in eastern Azerbaijan.

The women, their husbands and their fathers must die - their mothers, not so much.

Alternative Fuel?

I think this takes the term a bit too far.

The fastest eco boat on the planet will attempt to break the round the world speed record using fuel made from human fat.

I wonder who thought of using human fat as fuel for a boat anything. Only seven liters of the bio-diesel is from human fat, but still. I think someone may be non-compliant with their drug treatment plan. What's next? A brilliant plan to use the millions of aborted babies as a fuel source? And instead of burial or cremation you'll be forced to donate your body to make bio-diesel?

Little House, No Prairie

Not much of a yard, actually.

Toronto's Smallest House Is Back On Sale

One Tiny Bible

Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through. Make the Bible smaller than a pinhead and then blow it up to a seven-by-seven meter poster?

He said he now wanted to take pictures of the nano-Bible and blow it up to a seven-by-seven metre poster, which will make it "possible to read the entire bible with the naked eye".

I can read my Bible with the naked eye and it fits in my hand. He must need glasses, making that tiny Bible strained his eyes.

Healthcare Hell Care

Great Moments in Nationalized Hell Care

You gotta read that. Warning: F-bomb in last paragraph.

It's Worth It Just For The Yodeling Pickle

Dave Barry has a holiday proposal: Stop with the Gifts

Intimidation Watch

Aggression works

One of the comments:

Wait just one gosh darn minute. Religious activity on a public college campus, sanctioned and endorsed by the college? Why the ACLU must be at the courthouse right about…Muslim students, you say? Oh, nevermind.

Fred 08

Unauthorized Fred Thompson campaign ad




Rep. Steve King Endorses Fred Thompson. Good points.

It's All About Power

The earth is your fuhrer

"When the chips are down I think democracy is a less important goal than is the protection of the planet from the death of life, the end of life on it," he says. "This has got to be imposed on people whether they like it or not."

Who Needs the Death Penalty?

Certainly not this guy.

It runs counter to what you would expect but when you treat evil with respect and try to play fair with it, it grows far worse. You're both playing a different game and evil knows no rules. That's why no gun zones don't work and our revolving door justice system is doing nothing to prevent crime. We must have a firm and strong hand against crime.

I find it strange that they are banning smoking in movies because -

"the primary reason is that cigarette smoking is a hazard and we should avoid depicting it in movies and on television,"

but violence is glorified to such a degree it boggles the mind - in movies, video games and music - and of course, the excuse is that watching violence in movies or video games doesn't influence anyone to commit violent acts.

For all the knowledge we have in this country, in the world, there is one thing we lack - wisdom.

But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living (Job 28:12-13)

Start Walkin', Kid

Barbara Wellensiek knew her son's insurance premium would be steep because of his driving record, but she never expected it would be $104,566.63 when the renewal notice came in.

Chinese Safety Equipment

Ever Wonder How China makes Stuff Cheaper than us?

I like the dust & particle free breathing apparatus, although I don't think breathing enters into it.

Life Imitates Monty Python

Thieves cut off man's 'holy leg'

Oh come on, I mean do we look like the sort of chaps
who'd creep into a camp at night, steal into someone's
tent, anaesthetise them, tissue-type them, amputate a leg and
run away with it?

Splash!

Care for a swim?

Why We NEED The Death Penalty

This guy needs a quick, fair trial and should be dead by the end of the month. Forgive, yes, but also take him out of society for good, because it's the right thing to do.

Al Gore Is An Ass

Gore hits at US over climate change

Al Gore savaged the US government’s “obstructing” attitude and urged delegates at the UN conference on climate change to ignore Washington if necessary to pursue the “moral imperative” of a new global regime.

That's what this whole thing is all about - a new global regime. They want you to wet your pants over global warming so they can take over the world. Doctor Evil lives!

Global warming is a scam and all the Democrat and most of the Republican nominees buy into it.

Did you see Hillary volunteering to raise her hand at the debate?



Fred shows'em what's up:



And this is too funny:

Why?

Scientists in Japan have succeeded in breeding a mouse that is not afraid of cats. Yes, there's a video.

Fred, Please

Huck, Mitt, Rudy, McCain blame you for global warming

I saw most of this debate Wednesday and when I heard this question asked, and answered, I couldn't believe my ears.

I thought about posting my thoughts on this election earlier but kept putting it off. I'm not excited about any of the front runners at all. I'm not sure why conservatives are jumping on the bandwagon of any of them.

Huckabee - I don't like how he has previously handled (read 'raised') taxes at all, I'm very uncomfortable with that. I'm also uncomfortable with the way he seems to be using Christianity. I could be wrong but he seems more of a huckster than the real deal. I pass.

Romney - Like his business sense. He was Governor of Massachusetts though. That's not a plus. He also seems like a huckster to me. He knows how to put the mask on and say what you want to hear. Sidenote: Don't care a wit about his religion - a complete non-issue. I pass here, too.

Giuliani - I really like what he did for New York, especially after 9/11. He handled that so well. Like the previous two candidates, he's not really a true conservative though. I like him better than the others but mostly that's because of his leadership during 9/11, beyond that he doesn't excite me.

McCain - Doesn't do anything for me.

Fred Thomson - I like Fred. I'm comfortable with Fred. There are no areas I find questionable in him as far as being President. He should be the top guy as far as I am concerned. I like his style, he's not out there giving the song and dance, he does things in his own way, he'll say the unpopular thing when it needs to be said, and he doesn't go along with the crowd. He's the conservative candidate. He's not flashy. That's a major plus for me, but apparently not for most people. Too bad, because there is so rarely substance behind the flash. Vote for Fred.

And then there's this:

Asked about the biggest obstacle to improving education in America, Thompson says, "The National Education Association. The NEA."

Thanks Jim Geraghty for the quote.

Fred Thompson unofficial campaign t-shirt.

Which Way Did They Go?

Here's a picture of trout jumping 3 feet to a pipe to escape a pond. Or is it a picture of trout being dumped into the pond from the pipe? Something fishy about that picture, I say.

Only in Germany

Michael Schumacher may well be the fastest taxi driver in Germany after the seven-times world champion shocked a cab driver by taking over the wheel in order to be on time for a flight.

"He drove at full throttle around the corners and over-took in some unbelievable places."

Best Way to Lose Respect

If you want to be taken seriously as an actress, don't do this

The blonde beauty wants to be taken seriously as an actress and believes baring all is the best way to earn the respect of Tinseltown, even if it goes against her family's wishes.

The best way to be taken seriously as an actor/actress is to be damn good at it. Blow them away with your ability. Yes, they want to see you naked but as soon as you do that, they lose interest.

Brain Damage

Al-Qaida attacks even their friends

The two bombs exploded around 9:30 a.m., and one had deliberately targeted United Nations offices,

Needs To Be Said

What we can't say about black-on-white crime

Welcome to the realm of hate crimes that aren't hate crimes.

This is Why We Need the Internet

So you can watch this.

And you will watch every 'destination,' have fun.

Ground Chicken

A plethora of chickens are currently covering much of I-24 West near the Shelby Avenue exit, having taken a tumble out of a dump truck hauling the dead, apparently unfrozen birds under a tarp.

Why is a dump truck hauling dead, apparently unfrozen chicken? The reporter forgot to ask.

She Died "Peace" fully

Dad charged in teen's death

Friends at the victim’s school said she feared her father and had argued over her desire to shun the hijab, a traditional shoulder-length head scarf worn by females in devout Muslim families.

Island Paradise

Popular Cuban TV presenter defects

Where are all the defectors to Cuba?

In Memory ...

of Michael Sack - of the SackShack blog - who passed away on Dec 1, 2007. I didn't know him personally but always enjoyed reading his blog, he had a wonderful sense of humor and he will be missed. Unfortunately, his older posts are gone, but he left a letter for his family that will bring tears to your eyes.

Excessive Force?

At Last!

People for whom indignation is a way of life -- and there seem to be an increasing number of such people -- repeatedly have outbursts of outrage whenever the police fire a lot of shots at some criminal.

People who have never fired a gun in their lives, and have never had a split-second in which to make a decision that could mean life or death for themselves or others, are often nevertheless convinced that the police used excessive force.

I Love Bob Newhart

Colorado Church Killings

It's horrible to see these shootings, the Omaha Mall and these church shootings, and my heart goes out to the victims and their families. There is a difference in the the second church shooting that is worth a look.

2 Fatal Shootings at Colorado Religious Sites

Wearing combat boots and carrying an assault rifle and at least one pistol, the gunman, apparently without provocation, opened fire in a parking lot and shot four people, one of them fatally, as bystanders dashed for cover. There were about 7,000 worshipers inside the church when the shooting erupted, a church official said.

The Colorado Springs chief of police, Richard Myers, said that after the parking-lot shootings, the assailant ran into the 10,000-seat church with his high-powered rifle, and was confronted by an armed church security guard, who shot and killed him. Neither the gunman nor the victims in Colorado Springs were immediately identified by the authorities.

Security guards in the church were armed and were able to stop the gunman before he could kill anyone else. If not for that fact, the gunman would have had free reign to shoot until he ran out of bullets.

Again, police were not on scene until it was all over. I'm not blaming them, merely pointing out what is true in most cases and why people need to be able to defend themselves. This gunman thought he would meet no resistance in what he thought was a gun-free zone. He didn't go down to the local gun range or police station to start shooting randomly - even crazy people know better.

No-Gun Zones Kill People

Or, at least make it very easy for criminals to kill people.

Firsthand account of mall shooting

Honestly, and as God as my witness, when I saw him shooting and as watched for a few seconds trying to figure out what he was going to do and what I should do, the thought that when through my mind was, “If I had a gun, I have a perfect shot.”

Yes, a perfect shot. I had a full side profile, I was close, and no one was visible behind him execept a wall. I had a clear shot during the second round of fire.

When I realized that I had no gun, fear instantly struck me, along with anger, and severe panic.

I ran hard.

I am very angry at the city of Omaha and the mall for their stupid laws that nearly cost me my life. The laws protected no one, and in my opinion, caused people to die.

It took FOREVER for the cops to get there, I estimated the time as 10 minutes but the news says 6.

It's not their fault, but cops are never there (except by shear luck) until it's too late. You can't rely on them to save you. They will fill out the paperwork, interview survivors, and notify the next of kin - and if the bad guy got away, hopefully they will find him. No guarantees.

Age of Enlightenment

Why secularists hid Bach's music

Escape From Paradise

Cuban circus juggling act vanishes on Mexican tour

Eight Cuban acrobat jugglers disappeared before a performance at a festival in central Mexico last week, presumably to defect to the United States,

Are they crazy? Leave the land of universal health care to come to the evil United States? Why would anyone want to escape from communism?

Western democracies are voting for more and more socialist programs and the people who live with socialist programs want to get the hell out! People risk life and limb trying to get out from under those regimes. Reality trumps theory - get a clue.

Where Psychiatry Goes Wrong

Why so many Americans today are 'mentally ill'

Thus we have the spectacle of troubled people coming to mental-health experts with serious personal problems – emotional conflicts, fears, obsessions, compulsions and perhaps delusions rooted in early trauma, or in seriously flawed family relationships, or in buried resentments toward cruelty and injustice that were never resolved but just festered and grew. Yet, instead of being helped to understand where they've gone wrong, or where their negative programming, unhealthy relationships and destructive attitudes came from so they can correct them and find genuine healing, they're given clever drugs designed to chemically trick the body and mind into "feeling better."

And then, when they discontinue taking the drugs, they risk serious deterioration of their condition. But isn't that exactly what happens when we just mask symptoms and ignore root causes?

Moreover, why do even the smartest and most educated of our experts today tend reflexively to ignore root causes?

Because root causes have to do with God and our relationship, or lack thereof, with Him.

I guarantee that many people who read that last sentence either glazed over it or were somehow put off by it.

I'll say it again using different words: We need to wake up to the spiritual dimension of life or we will never be able to understand what goes wrong with us, or to genuinely resolve our problems.

Unfortunately, right now many of us are in love with the idea that there is no God. Books currently riding high atop national best-seller lists include "God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything" by Christopher Hitchens, "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins and "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris – all of them unapologetically rabid atheist manifestos.

For an atheist, the problem here is that although you can still be a good engineer or a skillful surgeon, if you're trying to help people who are full of rage and conflict and plagued by dark thoughts and malevolent inner voices urging them to kill people, you're worse than clueless. Worse because your lethal combination of prideful arrogance and utter lack of comprehension of what you're actually dealing with will inevitably lead you to "fix" such problems in ways that not only don't help people, but vastly multiply their woes – and those of their victims.

Field Test

How long before Christians take to the streets and demand his head? Harvey wants to know: Just Checking Something

If I'm wrong, and fanatical Christians behead me, then posting may be light for the next few days.

Global warming will kill him first.

By the way, is there a name for the Christian equivalent of a "fatwa"?

Besides "forgiveness", I mean.

Science Fiction

The Science of Gore's Nobel

What if everyone believes in global warmism only because everyone believes in global warmism?

Hidden Pleasures

Luxury toilet built into aquarium

According to the cafe owner, the 30-million-yen ($270,000) sub-aquatic restroom is designed to recreate the pleasant sensation of relieving yourself while swimming in the ocean

Maybe not.

Breaking: Pork Chop Offensive

I only wish this was the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs minor league baseball team this afternoon announced it is replacing the winning entry in its "Name the Mascot" contest from PorkChop to Ferrous.

IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes said he received a handful of e-mails and phone calls last night from people in the Latino community who called the name derogatory.

Well, better change the name of the meat, too. How does 'the other white meat chop' sound. Anyone offended?

Oye Veh!

Light one less candle this Hanukka to save the planet.

"The campaign calls for Jews around the world to save the last candle and save the planet, so we won't need another miracle,"

Thought I'd Seen Everything Dept.

Something for that special cat in your life.


What's next? Lipstick and high heels?

Did They Get You to Trade your Heroes for Ghosts?

Dennis Prager says Baby Boomers Owe America's Young People an Apology

Our generation came up with two truly foolish slogans that also ended up robbing you of childhood.

One was, "Never trust anyone over 30." Our infantile attitude toward adult authority has inflicted great harm on you. Because of it, many baby boomers decided not to become adults, and this has had disastrous consequences in your lives. It deprived you of one of the greatest needs in your life -- adults. That in turn deprived you of something as important as love -- parental and other adult authority. With little parental authority, you were left with little personal security, few guardrails and a diminished sense of order in life. And we transferred this denial of authority to virtually all authority figures, from teachers to police.

The other slogan whose awful consequences we baby boomers bequeathed to you was, "Make love, not war." Our parents had liberated the world from immeasurably cruel and murderous regimes in Germany and Japan -- solely thanks to waging war. But instead of concluding that war could do great moral good, we sang ourselves silly with such inane lyrics as "Give peace a chance," as if that deals in any way with the world's most monstrous evils. So we taught you to make love and not war. And we succeeded.

We made you anti-war and almost completely sexualized your lives. We told you that having sex was terrific or at least to be expected, even in early teens, and that your only concerns should be avoiding sexually transmitted diseases and getting pregnant. And if you did get pregnant, we made sure that you could extinguish the life you were carrying as effortlessly and guiltlessly as possible.

Rude & Crude

Mark Steyn sheds some light on the underbelly of society: When it's no country for old men

"A society's first line of defence is not the law but customs, traditions and moral values," wrote Walter Williams of George Mason University recently. "They include important thou-shalt-nots such as shalt not murder, shalt not steal, shalt not lie and cheat, but they also include all those courtesies one might call ladylike and gentlemanly conduct. Policemen and laws can never replace these restraints on personal conduct."

"Restraint" is an unfashionable concept these days.

Eats Pit Bulls for Lunch

You can wear a skirt walking one of these and pit bull owners will wet their pants as you walk by.

What's Peace Got To Do With It?

Muhammad teddy haters: Died in the wool

We've heard it before, "convert or die." Or at the very least, do everything the way Islam demands – or die.

If we don't see it that way, then what do we to make of vicious, threatening mobs reacting to an innocuous and innocent action of a British teacher and her 7-year-old students?

If we're to walk the same paths we've been pushed into, particularly since the 9/11 attacks in the United States, we're to consider mobs as just a "small part" of Islam.

Just as we were told after cartoons in Danish newspapers last year sparked violence across several continents, causing damage, injuries and death – those mobs represent just a "small part" of Islam.

Just as when a speech of Pope Benedict was deliberately taken out of context to reflect on Islam, leading to violent demonstrations and mobs demanding his death – we're told to consider it just a "small part" of Islam.

Just as in the premeditated vicious street attack and killing of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh because Islamists didn't like the subject matter of his films – we're told to consider it just a "small part" of Islam.

Just as in the death threats issued against people because Islamists don't like what they say or think – consider author Salman Rushdie, journalist Oriana Fallaci and Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali. There are many others.

Considering the pattern, it's hard not to consider these threats and this violence just the normal, peaceful religion of Islam in action.

There's a similarity in all these events – and so many more it would take pages to list them –and that is when there is a perceived slight to Islam; the reaction is mob violence, destruction and murder – always justified by Islam, the religion of peace.

Bonus cartoon: Killer Teddy Bear

Cool, Sexy, Safe and Convenient

That's what they say. Nice, but not too good in the rain, I'd say. Seems like it complicates an easy job, there is a reason car door opening technology hasn't changed much. It's not because they haven't tried. I don't hate it though. Well, unless Ford puts their stupid combination lock on the outside of it. What's with that?

Disappearing Car door

Someone will get their leg, arm or head stuck in it somehow - it's practically the law.

Hat tip: Wizbang

Save the Children!

Get them out of government schools! Protect your children!

When a Des Moines public school encouraged an event it characterized as a "gender-bender," where boys dressed as girls and girls as boys, dozens of families – and perhaps as many as 200 – pulled their kids out of the high school permanently.

Americans need to start waking up and taking appropriate action. Don't wait for leaders to arise. Be a leader! Take responsibility – especially for your own family, your own children!

That's what the parents in Iowa did – finally. When more parents take this action, we will be on our way toward taking America back. It won't be because we elect people to the local school boards. It won't be because we elect the right president. It won't be because we elect one party or the other to a majority in Congress. It will be because a remnant of American citizens remembers we are supposed to be a self-governing people and do what is necessary to protect our children and, thus, the future of this nation.

We're seeing more of this kind of child abuse on a daily basis in America – and it is no accident. It is not a matter of chance. It is not the exception; it is the rule. This is where we are all headed unless you take control of your life and the lives of your children today.

Leave the Whales Alone

Whale takeaways hit streets of Tokyo

Some animals are just not meant to be eaten. I wish everyone agreed on this one.

Let's Outlaw Canadian Beer Drinkers

Study: Canadian Beer Drinkers Threaten Planet

The government-commissioned study says the old, inefficient "beer fridges" that one in three Canadian households use to store their Molson and Labatt's contribute significantly to global warming by guzzling gas- and coal-fired electricity.

How many beers did the government-commissioned scientists have before doing the study? I think there is a running joke among scientists to see just how ridiculous a study they can get the government to pay them for.

RIP Evel Kneivel

Evel Knievel.com

I grew up in the era of Evel Knievel, he was 'the man.' Never thought he'd grow old.

Go Savage!

Savage lawsuit calls CAIR 'vehicle of international terrorism'

Trend-setting radio talk show host Michael Savage has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the Council on Islamic-American Relations, and has accused the organization of being a "political vehicle of international terrorism" that seeks to do "material harm to those voices who speak against the violent agenda of CAIR's clients."

Come Out of Her My People

Mob bay for teachers death

Fanatics demanding Mrs Gibbons' execution by firing squad streamed out of mosques yesterday after prayers — grabbing machetes, knives and clubs.

The hate-filled protesters — whipped into a frenzy by religious leaders — converged on the presidential palace as it emerged Gillian was an INNOCENT victim of a vindictive school secretary.

Pictures of Gillian, 54, were burned as hardline clerics in pick-up trucks chanted through loudhailers: “No one lives who insults the prophet.”

Hundreds of riot police refused to intervene — even though the demo threatened to spiral out of control. Fearful officials moved their prisoner to a different jail for her own safety.

Hundreds of placard-waving extremists marched on the city’s Unity High School — where Gillian taught.

She was jailed even though the bear, used in a project on animals, was named by her PUPILS after one of their classmates.

Demonstrators then headed towards the nearby British Embassy — before security forces finally stopped them.

Don't EVER talk to me about your so called religion of peace - I am so over it. There is no peace in Islam - body pieces maybe - not peace. No way, no how. The actions of the people do not show it. And it's not just a few extremists either, don't even go there. It's way beyond that. Action speaks louder than words. Words are meaningless without action to back them up. I'm not listening, but I am watching.

The good people who are Muslims need to get a grip, think real hard about the way things are and seriously consider who they are worshiping. Is it a God of love? Really? A God of love wants to kill a woman over a teddy bear? Or cartoons? Hate to rock your world, but no. Never.

Your God is not big enough to take insults? Your God is not big enough to avenge Himself? In His time? Then your god is way, way, way too small. He is not GOD. He is not a God of peace. He is a god you have to carry. Sorry, the truth hurts sometimes.

We've all been deceived, don't feel too bad. We all have to come out of deception, the whole world is deceived. So much so that I doubt anyone can fully get clear of it before their death. It's most important to start where you are and work your way out of the mess, if you are honestly seeking GOD, willing to admit you have had it wrong in the past and willing to obey the truth you learn, then you will make progress. GOD will slowly reveal Himself to you. If not, then you are where you are going to be. It's not easy to let go of all that you thought was true your whole life, but you will be glad you did.

CAIR Plant Asks Question at Debate, Gets pwnd

Thanks Michelle. Bonus points.

If it says video not available reload the page and try again, I've been having that problem lately.

Brainiac of the Week

Man With $1M Bill Busted at Bank

Police say a man tried to open an account with a $1 million bill, which does not exist. The teller refused and called police while the man started to curse at bank workers, said Aiken County Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Michael Frank.

Standing in the Gap

The right to alert against homosexuality: for how long?

Christ’s followers are free, whether the secular State accepts or not, to say that Christ delivers men from adultery, pornography, drugs, alcoholism, cigarette, homosexuality, etc., and to establish religious services, groups and healing centers for each one of those sins. They have every right to say that those choices, although consecrated in law, are wicked and destructive. And the public is entitled to hear that message

Julio Severo does not, in any way, advocate hatred or violence toward homosexuals (as he has been accused) and I would not be writing this if he did. They are as deserving of our love as anybody and sometimes love has to point out destructive behavior - it would not be love otherwise. There is nothing wrong with that, you can choose to ignore it. The help should be there for those who want it. So, if you are so inclined, please pray for Julio because he has had hate charges filed against him trying to shut him up.

Child Abuse

9-year old suspended for 'hate crime'

When Neve objected to the suspension during the conference, Voinovich told her that she didn't have any rights; that parents give up their rights to discipline when they send a child to school, the tape shows.

“If you don't want that, you can take him out of here,” Voinovich said tersely.

If they did this (described in the article) to my kid I don't think I'd be able to control myself. This is child abuse by government officials. Leave the kids alone! Let them have a childhood. Don't be shoving your diversity crap down their throats. You can't say brown people? Some people are brown. You expect a kid to know the whole history of racial problems in the world and all the stupid buzz words he's not allowed to say? Shut up already! If you stop emphasizing it so much it wouldn't be so large a problem. These people shouldn't be allowed anywhere near kids, let alone teaching them.

Kids need love, not your neurosis.

Orlando Has a New Police Chief

Says the new police chief, Valerie Demings:

"But I am really more focused on the perception of crime because I believe that the citizens of Orlando deserve to feel safe and I am committed to doing everything within my law enforcement authority to change the perception and make people feel safer in this city."

Orlando Police: Fighting the perception of crime. I feel safer already.

Listen hear

She changed it in a later media address to:

"The reduction of violent crime is my primary focus, and I will use every tool within my legal law enforcement authority to ensure people living, working or visiting Orlando feel safe," Demings said. "We will be relentless in our effort to fight crime."

They will feel safe when they are safe. Here's to relentlessness against crime.

Must Have Been a Toll Call

150,000 watch North Korean factory boss executed for 'making international calls'

"It is aimed at educating (North Koreans) to control society and prevent crimes," the group's head Venerable Pomnyun said in a press conference.

A Møøse once bit my sister ...

Northern Sweden officials have given the go-ahead for developers to construct a 148-foot-tall restaurant and concert hall shaped like a giant moose.

"This is such unbelievably good news. My whole body is shaking with joy," Holmlund told The Local.

3 Transvestites Walk into a McDonalds ...

McDonald's Workers Attacked by Cross-Dressers

The manager, Albert Bolton, was covered with scratch marks after suspects clawed him with their fingernails.

I Hope It Wasn't On the Same Patient

R.I. Hospital Fined For Third Instance of Doctors Operating on Wrong Side of Patient's Head

New boss turns the tables on Al Qaeda

Earlier this year, Abul Abed, a disgruntled Sunni insurgent leader, began secret talks with the Americans about ending Al Qaeda's reign of terror in this run-down, formerly middle-class Baghdad neighborhood, renowned as one of the city's most dangerous. He had been gathering intelligence on the group for months.

One day in late May, he said, he decided it was time to act.

He hailed the car carrying the feared leader of Al Qaeda in the neighborhood, a man known as the White Lion, on one of Amariyah's main streets. "We want you to stop destroying our neighborhood," he told the man.

"Do you know who you are talking to?" said the White Lion, getting out of his car. "I am Al Qaeda. I will destroy even your own houses!"

He pulled out his pistol and shot at Abul Abed. The gun jammed. He reloaded and fired again. Again, the gun jammed.

By this time, Abul Abed said, he had pulled his own gun. He fired once, killing the White Lion.

"I walked over to him, stepped on his hand and took his gun," Abul Abed, which is a nom de guerre, said at his new, pink-painted headquarters in a renovated school in Amariyah, as an American Army captain seated in the corner nodded his head in affirmation of the account. "And then the fight started."

Torture In Jail?

OK, what's the torture?

'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Alleges Torture While In Jail

His attorneys allege that guards threatened to strap Francis naked to a chair for 48 hours while he was in custody there from May 17 to June 4.

That's torture? Actually being in jail is closer to torture than that. I guess torture is becoming whatever someone says is torture to them, that will be the official definition soon. Much like 'offensive.' We can just merge the definition of both words and it can be torture every time someone offends you.

Life Gone Wild

Some good points are brought up in this commentary by Tristan Emmanuel:

Why Thanksgiving Day makes secularists go mad

If it is possible for people with deep religious convictions to act like savages, what would the culture be like if the secularists succeeded in taking God out of the picture entirely, and allowed us all to return to our natural pagan selves?

For one thing, it won't be turkeys basting in the oven, that's for sure.

The fact is God's blessing on our culture isn't just demonstrated in the abundance of materials. God's blessing is demonstrated in His continuing mercies, in His restraint of the natural corruption and original savagery each of us possesses – a savagery that would only be exacerbated when God and morality are purposefully ignored.

That's why this holiday is important. That's why we need to celebrate it, to teach it and to remember that our peace and welfare ultimately rests on God's common grace.

So enjoy your turkey this Thanksgiving. But remember that your peace and welfare are predicated solely on God's good mercies, not your own.

Wednesday morning I read an article - and I can't remember where - about the increasing number of people using guns for personal protection. The author asked if we really wanted to go back to the days of the wild west, as if the people buying the guns were causing the regression. He missed the point though, society is not getting more dangerous because people (law abiding citizens) are buying guns for protection , people are buying the guns because society is getting more dangerous. The more we push God out of our society, the more children we have growing up with a corrupted sense of right and wrong and the more dangerous society will get. Evil is always with us but when you take away the only weapon that can keep it manageable it soon gets out of hand.

Says Joseph Farah:

This week, America is in crisis again. We are besieged by an army of well-funded and motivated terrorists who seek to destroy us. A non-Judeo-Christian worldview is at war with Americans, Christians, Jews and Western civilization. In times past, those who came before us got down on their knees to pray for divine intervention. Moses did it. Joshua did it. David did it. Jesus Himself did it. Washington did it. Lee did it. Patton did it.

Yes, Thanksgiving is a time of celebration – a time to thank God for the bounty He has provided so generously to us. But it's always a good time to pray – to pray for victory, to pray for safety, to pray for health, to pray for your country.

Remember to invite God to your table today. Ask Him to continue blessing America – to purge it of evil and to shower it with His love.

Move Over Global Warming

ASTRONOMERS may have unwittingly hastened the end of the Universe by simply looking at it, according to a theory reported in the latest edition of New Scientist.

Read the article for an explanation of how this works but it involves:

the quantum effect, a truly weird aspect of physics that says whenever we observe or measure something, we reset its clock.

We can put that to good use, the more people we get looking at global warming the further back we can reset it's clock and save our planet. Problem solved. Damn I'm good.

La Cucaracha

Sorry Josh, someone had to be the girl.

Pigeon Speared In Flight By Juggling Chef

http://view.break.com/401423 - Watch more free videos

The U.N. Has Bad Data?

AIDS Cases Drop, but Bad Data to Blame

Previous estimates were largely inflated, and the new numbers are the result of a new methodology. They show AIDS cases in 2007 were down from almost 39.5 million last year, according to the World Health Organization and the United Nations AIDS agency.

The U.N. has shifted the bad data over to the global warming agency to help boost global temperatures because people were just not willing to give up their national sovereignty over AIDS.

No More Squeezing The Charmin

Actor Who Played Mr. Whipple Dies

No Common Sense At Schools

Cheerleaders Fight Suspension After Risque Routine

They were wearing shorts! Shorts, not underwear. I've never seen a cheerleader wearing so much clothing. Don't they usually wear leotards? Make sure they understand not to do it again if you must, but suspension? Good thing they didn't draw a stick figure holding a gun on their shorts or they'd really be in trouble.

Thanksgiving

Mark Steyn: World should give thanks for America

Three hundred and 14 years ago, the Pilgrims thanked God because there was a place for them in this land, and it was indeed grand. The land is grander today, and that, too, is remarkable: France has lurched from Second Empires to Fifth Republics struggling to devise a lasting constitutional settlement for the same smallish chunk of real estate, but the principles that united a baker's dozen of East Coast colonies were resilient enough to expand across a continent and halfway around the globe to Hawaii.

Americans should, as always, be thankful this Thanksgiving, but they should also understand just how rare in human history their blessings are.

Cool Like Dat

The Brand Promise of Apple

Robert Scoble talks about Apple Computers. Good post.

Apple did, with the introduction of OS X, what Microsoft needs to do very badly - bring the core of their operating system up to date. That means abandoning what came before, getting rid of all the bloat that comes with legacy support, and starting fresh. Apple kinda, sorta cheated a bit by building on the Unix core but it worked in their favor. In fact, if they aren't already, Microsoft should probably consider doing the same. Of course, that move would be a lot harder for Microsoft than it was for Apple. Microsoft has a huge legacy market that will not be able to immediately make the switch to a completely new way of computing. In comparison, Apple had hardly any.

If Microsoft could find a way to ease that switch without cumbering the new operating system with the support system for the old one it could be their shooting star. Apple could very easily release OS X for the PC and shoot Microsoft in the leg, but I know they don't want to do that - release OS X for the PC that is, they would love to shoot Microsoft in the leg or anywhere else for that matter.

Vista is working OK for me on my desktop, it's never crashed or refused to do anything I asked of it. I don't ask much of it though, and I hate being tied to the desk to use it. I won't upgrade my XP laptop to Vista.

Same for my Powerbook Titanium. I'm not interested in upgrading from Tiger. Don't think I can anyway, it's more than 3 years old. Even so, I don't care that much. I've looked at the new features with mild curiosity and that is all.

If there is one thing I don't care about at all, it's being cool, so Apple has no appeal to me in that way. When someone asks me, "Are you cool?" My answer is a resounding, "No."

Shut Up And Prove It Already!

Kerry takes up $1 million offer to disprove swiftboat vets

"While I am prepared to show they lied on allegation after allegation, you have generously offered to pay one million dollars for just one thing that can be proven false. I am prepared to prove the lie beyond any reasonable doubt," Kerry wrote.

"I trust that you are a man of your word, having made a very public challenge at a major Washington dinner, and look forward to taking you up on this challenge," the senator said.

Kerry told Pickens he would travel to Dallas to meet with him in a public forum or invite him to Massachusetts. The senator suggested the visit could include a trip to the Paralyzed Veterans of America office to see how Pickens' money could be put to use.

Are you waiting for the stars to align? You're like a bad magician setting up his next bad act.

"Any minute now I will make these allegations disappear. I will now make these allegations disappear. Abra Cadabra! Wait. Shazaam! Wait, I can do this, aahh! It worked in rehearsals."

Ho, Ho, Ho, Gangsta Christmas!

Christmas insanity: 'Ho, ho, ho' becomes 'Ha, ha, ha'

It all started when the recruitment firm Westaff – which has offices both in the United States and Australia – told its Christmas trainees that the "ho, ho, ho" phrase could frighten children and possibly be derogatory to women.

Surely you jest. Santa can't say, "Ho, Ho, Ho" anymore? Why don't we just ban talking? Get it over with, it's heading in that direction anyway. Next, we'll all have to wear masks so we don't inadvertently offend someone with a smile or a frown when they don't like it.

Actually, that wouldn't work because nobody would agree on what color they should be. Mandatory Botox injections starting in Kindergarten!

We Need Politicians Willing To Take A Stand Like This

Where are they? All we get stepping up to the plate is Spongebob Politicianpants. "What do you wanna do today?" "I don't know, what do you wanna do today?"

Video: A Word to Islamofascists

Alligator Justice

Fleeing Robbery Suspect Eaten By Alligator

Headbangers

Israel determined not to let peace meet fail

"Israel has decided to make Annapolis a success, to bring an end to the conflict, to finally make peace between the Palestinians and ourselves,"

So this problem was the fault of Israel all this time, they just weren't ready? What more could they possibly do but move out? Let me guess the outcome of these meetings right now. There will be no peace with the Palestinians because there is no peace within the Palestinians. If all the Jews left Israel and the Palestinians controlled everything there would still be no peace and the infrastructure would begin it's slow decay back to the barren land it once was. And they would still blame it on the Jews.

Surprise!

The uninvited guest: Chinese sub pops up in middle of U.S. Navy exercise, leaving military chiefs red-faced.

American military chiefs have been left dumbstruck by an undetected Chinese submarine popping up at the heart of a recent Pacific exercise and close to the vast U.S.S. Kitty Hawk - a 1,000ft supercarrier with 4,500 personnel on board.

By the time it surfaced the 160ft Song Class diesel-electric attack submarine is understood to have sailed within viable range for launching torpedoes or missiles at the carrier.

According to senior Nato officials the incident caused consternation in the U.S. Navy.

The Americans had no idea China's fast-growing submarine fleet had reached such a level of sophistication, or that it posed such a threat.

No idea? Not even a clue? No one? Wonderful.

Some People ...

Have too much time on their hands. Stacking Eggs into a city

Something Profoundly Wrong

Sen. Joe Lieberman delivered an address today. If only his was the voice of the Democrat party. "The Politics of National Security"

I understand that President Bush is a divisive figure. I recognize the distrust that many Americans feel toward his administration. I recognize the anger and outrage that exists out there about the war in Iraq.

But there is something profoundly wrong—something that should trouble all of us—when we have elected Democratic officials who seem more worried about how the Bush administration might respond to Iran’s murder of our troops, than about the fact that Iran is murdering our troops.

There is likewise something profoundly wrong when we see candidates who are willing to pander to this politically paranoid, hyper-partisan sentiment in the Democratic base—even if it sends a message of weakness and division to the Iranian regime.

World's Toughest RV

UNICAT

Answer The Question

Do you, the senator from New York, support the decision by the governor of New York to grant driver's license to illegal aliens?

Why is this even a tough question?

It's a tough question for Hillary because for the overwhelming number of Americans it's not. For them, it's a no-brainer. The answer is a resounding "no."

But, if you are Hillary Clinton, and deep down in your gut you would like nothing better than to enlist millions of new constituents as illegal voters, it's hard to say "no" to handing out driver's licenses to them. It's equally hard to say "yes," knowing most legal voters would think you'd lost your mind by proposing such an idea.

So, she waffled and spun. She denied saying what everyone heard her say with our own ears. Then she did what she's best at doing – blamed Bush.

Lying for a living is not easy.

Don't Drink Out Of That Glass

Undercover video: Hotel Room Glasses Go Unwashed, Doused with Toxic Cleaners

I never considered it before but come to think of it, I have never seen any glasses on any maids cart I've ever seen. You would think they would at least carry a clean sponge and dish soap for cleaning them though. I sense a coming change in how hotels clean the glasses. Either that or people will forget and it will all blow over until the next undercover report. I know hotel managers don't want to swap out the glasses everyday and bring them down to a dishwasher. If they don't have a restaurant, they don't even have a dishwasher. If they do have a restaurant it probably couldn't handle the extra work load - how many rooms do some of these hotels have?

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Danger: Beware of Falling Cows

Maybe It Eloped With The Ozone Layer

Big Chunk Of The Universe Is Missing -- Again

"Not only has a large chunk of the universe thought to have been found in 2002 apparently gone missing again but it is taking some friends with it,"

It could happen.

Because He Can?

Texas Man Sets World Record By Sitting in Tub Filled With 87 Rattlesnakes

Oh, sure, but can he sit in a tub filled with 87 Bullet Ants?

A Happy Ending!

Happy with his brother, the boy who refused to die

This is a really sweet story and they are so cute.

I did notice one little thing, though.

Doctors told her his death could cause his twin brother to die too before they were born, and that it would be better to end Gabriel's suffering sooner rather than later.

Babies can suffer before they are born? Doesn't that go against traditional abortionist "wisdom" that it's just an unfeeling clump of cells in which there is no life until it's born? I guess if you actually want the baby they pretend it actually has feelings so as not to offend the parents. Or is it that the reverse is true, they are actually real live human babies that feel pain and terror when someone tries to kill them, and everyone is supposed to pretend it isn't so?

What Is This?

Every time I pull in the driveway I see this on my tree. It faces the entrance like it's looking over it. I know what it looks like to me but I don't want to go there, unless someone wants to buy it. :)

The Fifth Commandment

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Exodus 20:12

That people, among whom the sacredness of the family ideal is maintained, and children render obedience to their parents during the period of immaturity, and always honor, will be the nation of strength, retaining its hold upon its own possessions, and abiding long in the land. --G. Campbell Morgan

As timely today as ever, and the consequences are showing.

Wife Beating Lessons

Saudi Cleric Explains Proper Islamic Wife Beating to Teens

I've been doing it all wrong!

Seriously, though, I thought this was especially troubling:

He should not beat her like he would beat an animal or a child - slapping them right and left.

I wouldn't want to be his child. Or his animal, for that matter.

Lifetime Payments

Part 1 of Sex STILL Has A Price Tag / Pam Stenzel




Part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6

An excellent video and every bit of it true. Pam Stenzel.com

This Is Not New

University to students: 'All whites are racist'

And blacks, by definition, can't be racist. I heard that crap in New Jersey when I worked there. I'm not surprised at all to see it being taught at a University, I thought they all did it. It's 100% wrong and the sooner they stop teaching things like this the better it will be for everyone, no matter who they are. Except maybe the Jesse Jackson's and Al Sharpton's of the world.

"It Was Stupid"

Park Service restores 'God' at Washington Monument

In response to public protest sparked by an exclusive WND report, the National Park Service today told WND it is rebuilding the display of the replica of the cap on the Washington Monument so that the Latin inscription "Laus Deo" – meaning "Praise be to God" – is no longer obscured from public view.

This Is Just Sick

Was Ehrlich right about multiculturalism?

Here is a partial list of workshops at the 17th annual convention of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), which K-12 teachers from every state attend thanks to our tax dollars:

• "The Unbearable Whiteness of Being: Dismantling White Privilege and Supporting Anti-Racist Education in Our Classrooms and Schools." Taught by a professor from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, this session "is designed to help educators identify and deconstruct their own white privilege and in so doing more deeply commit themselves to anti-racist teaching and critical multicultural teaching."

• "Talking About Religious Oppression and Unpacking Christian Privilege." This session, taught by a team of professors, "will examine the dynamics of Christian privilege and oppression of minority religious groups and nonbelievers as constructed and maintained on three distinct levels: individual, institutional and societal. A historical and legal lecturette will be presented and participants will engage in interactive learning modules."

• "Beyond Celebrating Diversity: Teaching Teachers How to be Critical Multicultural Educators." Taught by NAME regional director Paul Gorski, founder of the activist group EdChange, this session will start from the premise that multiculturalism's greatest danger "comes from educators who ostensibly support its goals, but whose work - cultural plunges, food fairs, etc. - reflects a compassionate conservative consciousness rather than social justice. This session focuses on preparing teachers, not for celebrating diversity, but for achieving justice in schools and society."

No way in hell is my kid going to a government school. Thank God there are private schools to take up the slack. Don't think they aren't trying to take that option away.

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to Him. - Acts 10: 34, 35

Divine Selection - Character matters.

Something Fishy Here

Gmail uses Google's innovative technology to keep spam out of your inbox.

I have a Gmail account and have been pretty amazed at how effective the spam blocker is at keeping spam out of the inbox. I wish Thunderbird was that effective. That being said, I have a feeling they may be cooking the books, so to speak.

I get a lot of spam on the Gmail account, and it's different than spam I get on other accounts. All my other accounts get a much wider variety of spam, on Gmail it's always for a Rolex, sexual enhancements or some other such thing. Also, I have an account I use for sweepstakes and I get less spam at that one than at Gmail. I haven't given my Gmail address out to anyone except Buy.com and use it to log into Blogger. I have given the other one out to literally hundreds of companies. How are the spammers getting my Gmail address? It's an unusual address, especially the form it is in.

I don't have an answer but have a feeling Google is selling the addresses to spammers or possibly even spamming themselves to make Gmail look better. I don't know, but it just doesn't feel right.

Raising Sand

New album from Alison Krauss and Robert Plant - listen to it free at their website. Very nice.

Men Behaving Badly

Defending Christ in Spite of Christianity by Lenny Cacchio

If someone were to challenge me with Hitchens' observations, I would have to grant him that the politics of Christianity has a sordid side, but that's why Jesus made the pointed statement that his kingdom is not of this world. He did not intend the Church to become a player in the power politics of the kingdoms of men. Hitchens seems to be saying that there can't be a God because people are so bad, and surely a man of Hitchens acumen can see that it does not necessarily follow. One must not confuse institutions that claim the Christian label with Jesus Christ. They are not the same thing.

Any organization or institution (or individual for that matter) that puts the name of Christ on its shingle needs to be careful about giving occasion for doubt. Jesus once warned his disciples about denying him before men, and that means more than disowning him. It means claiming the name of Christ while doing the works of the devil. Blasphemy is taking the Lord's name in vain, and there is no greater blasphemy than doing evil in the name of good, or as Jesus might have put it, "the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service." (John 16:2 NKJV)

In other words, don't blame God for the sins of man. We do that on our own.

Life in the Movies

War, like life, is not a movie -- Mark Steyn

But the third and bigger point is that, enjoyable as they are, pop-culture metaphors aren't really of much use, especially when you're up against cultures where life is still defined by how you live as opposed to what you experience via media. It seems to me, for example, that when anti-war types bemoan Iraq as this generation's Vietnam "quagmire," older folks are thinking of the real Vietnam – the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and whatnot – but most anybody under 50 is thinking of Vietnam movies: some vague video-store mélange of "The Full Metal Deer Apocalypse."

Take the Scott Thomas Beauchamp debacle at the New Republic, in which the magazine ran an atrocity-a-go-go Baghdad diary piece by a serving soldier about dehumanized troops desecrating graves, abusing disfigured women, etc. It smelled phony from the get-go – except to the professional media class from whose ranks the New Republic's editors are drawn: To them, it smelled great, because it aligned reality with the movie looping endlessly through the windmills of their mind, a nonstop Coppola-Stone retrospective in which ill-educated conscripts are the dupes of a nutso officer class.

It's the same with all those guys driving around with "9/11 Was An Inside Job" bumper stickers. That aligns reality with every conspiracy movie from the past three decades: It's always the government who did it – sometimes it's some supersecret agency working deep within the bureaucracy from behind an unassuming nameplate on a Washington street; and sometimes it's the president himself – but when poor Joe Schmoe on the lam from the Feds eventually unravels it, the cunning conspiracy is always the work of a ruthlessly efficient all-powerful state. So Iraq is Vietnam. And 9/11 is the Kennedy assassination, with ever higher percentages of the American people gathering on the melted steely knoll.

There's a kind of decadence about all this: If 9/11 was really an inside job, you wouldn't be driving around with a bumper sticker bragging that you were on to it. Fantasy is a by-product of security: it's the difference between hanging upside down in your dominatrix's bondage parlor after work on Friday and enduring the real thing for years on end in Saddam's prisons.

Monster Truck Show

We took James to a monster truck show on Sunday. I don't think we'll do that again. After ten minutes I was ready to go and James and Irma weren't far behind, but we stuck it out. The biggest problem was the noise. It was way too loud. The show was in an indoor arena with a cement floor and it was just painful when those trucks got going. It was not just loud, no, no. The music they were playing was loud - we couldn't even hear each other over the music, which was annoyingly obnoxious by itself (think loud rock music over a crappy PA system). The trucks were painful. I know loud, I've worked on a flight line, been to plenty of concerts, and been to auto races. The closest loud were the races but being inside just multiplied the sound. I searched in vain for someone selling earplugs - I'd be selling earplugs if it were my show. I ended up crumpling some paper towel up and sticking it in my ears. You couldn't really see it, it was like putting foam plugs in your ear and it saved the day for me. James just put his hands over his ears, he didn't like the paper towel idea. I don't know how Irma took it.

It was a relief when the motorcycles came out to play, they were whisper quiet (in comparison) and you could just barely hear them with the music playing. They had a car jump a ramp and smash into a line of cars. James thought that sounded cool but after it crashed his first words were, "That was dumb." He was right. I just don't get enjoyment out of seeing things destroyed for fun.

That being said, I do like watching the monster truck shows on TV occasionally. These trucks we saw were not those TV trucks, they were not on that level, and if I ever go to one of those shows I will bring earplugs.

I wanted to get some video of the show and was checking the tape to make sure I wouldn't tape over something important (the kids play with it sometimes) and James wanted to go to the bathroom so I walked with the camera. He went to the end of a long bank of stalls and as I walked behind I pushed play to check the tape, camera pointing to the floor. On the screen I see a bathroom stall with a guys feet at the bottom. I checked the camera, it was in 'play', not 'camera' mode and it was indeed pointing down. The guys feet disappeared, he pulled them up. I was just standing there now, trying to figure out what the hell was going on and hoping nobody saw it. I turned it off. I turned it on again and the feet came back down. This was too weird. I hit rewind and found out one of the kids had taped a scene from a movie off the TV. Scared me 'bout half to death. Never bring a camera in the bathroom.

Revenge of the Nerds

You saw how the cat wakes up it's human, well, we have our ways of getting even. Scroll down for 2nd pic.

Let Me Guess ...

the attractive, intelligent ruling elite are the liberals, and the underclass of dim-witted, ugly goblin-like creatures are the conservatives? That's the way liberals see the world now, so it's no surprise to see someone actually project that out to future branching of the human species. Not gonna happen though.

Hey, maybe I got that backwards after all.

Human race will 'split into two different species

The Faithless

"Things hoped for"; the realization of ideals, the ultimate victory of good, compensation, the even balance and justice; the building of the city of God and the triumph of righteousness. "Things not seen." Oh, if there only were a God, if only there were spiritual forces as well as material forces, if only the dreams of these men of old were true and the mountain flamed with light and angelic hosts; if only these things were real, then we should be quite sure that our dreams would be realized. Fail to believe in things unseen and hope dies, the song is silent, the fight ends, and the work is abandoned. Let the dust of the highway be everything, and the troops will weary upon the march and the territory will never be possessed. Let humanity come to the conclusion that the life of bread and raiment and dust is everything, and thereby is signed the death warrant of all high ideals and aspirations, and of everything noble. There is no assurance of things hoped for unless there be the proving of things unseen. -- G. Campbell Morgan.

America was founded on faith, the impossible dream, but with her success faith diminished as surely as sand slips through the fingers and now "the life of bread and raiment and dust is everything."

Mayan Cichlid

This is my newest fish. He was caught locally, in Lake Tohopekaliga, while catching bait shrimp. Best I can tell he's a Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus). It seems this fish has become established in South Florida but I can't find any reference to them being found this far north. It could be they made their way north through the Kissimmee River. This is a juvenile so I assume they are established and breeding.

Rerun

I posted this before but this is better quality. Besides, it's funny.

35 Inconvenient Truths

Chock full of errors.

As many as 35 serious scientific errors or exaggerations, all pointing towards invention of a threat that does not exist at all, or exaggerations of phenomena that do exist, do not reflect credit on the presenter of the movie or on those who advised him. The movie is unsuitable for showing to children, and provides no basis for taking policy decisions. Schools that have shown the movie to children are urged to ensure that the errors listed in this memorandum are drawn to the children’s attention.

Another Final Warning

Give all power to the U.N. or 'Humanity's very survival' is at risk

The bleak verdict on the environment was issued as an “urgent call for action” by the United Nations Environment Programme, which said that the “point of no return” was fast approaching.

Only the United Nations has the wisdom and ability to save the world. Just check their track record. OK, don't, just trust them. This is your last warning. Until the next one.

Have you hugged an Islamo-fascist today?

Ann Coulter's latest column.

Elected Democrats at least make empty rhetorical gestures about opposing Islamic fascism. Of course, amidst their nonspecific condemnations of Islamic terrorism, they make very specific demands that we genuflect before Islam and perform exotic fetishes on the fascists.

Liberals believe in burning the American flag, urinating on crucifixes and passing out birth control pills to 11-year-olds without telling their parents – but God forbid an infidel touch a Quran at Guantanamo.

Liberals claim to be terrified that the religious right is going to take over the culture in a country where more than a million babies are exterminated every year, kindergarteners can be expelled from school for mentioning God, and Islamic fascists are welcomed on college campuses while speakers opposed to Islamic fascism are met with angry protests.

Learn From Others Mistakes, Please.

God always seems to provide someone with the unique ability to elucidate world events in a time of crisis - who, of course, is ignored or ridiculed by the majority until it's too late. Mark Steyn seems to be stepping into that role for the present day.

No Smoke Without Fire by Mark Steyn

Let us zip across the Dominion, to Etobicoke, a corner of Toronto I know well. Or I thought I did. The other day a reader sent me the list of candidates for the Etobicoke North riding in this month’s provincial election. They are as follows:

Shafiq Qaadri, Liberal
Mohamed Boudjenane, NDP
Mohamed Kassim, Progressive Conservative
Jama Korshel, Green
Teresa Ceolin, Family Coalition

"Teresa"? What kind of cockamamie name is that for an Etobicoke politician? This is the first riding in Ontario in which every major party is running a Muslim candidate. But not the last. To the casual observer, this would seem to be statistically improbable. Etobicoke is not 80 per cent Muslim, nor even 50 per cent Muslim. Yet every major national party already feels obliged to defer, in its candidate selection process, to Islam’s political muscle. I write in my book that, historically, Islam has never needed to be a statistical majority in order to function as one. At the height of its power in the eighth century, the “Islamic world” stretched from Spain to India yet its population was only minority Muslim: Islam conquered and ruled an empire of non-Muslim subjects. But, a millennium and a bit on, it's not even necessary to conquer – not when everyone's so eager to concede pre-emptively, all in the name of "tolerance". As Douglas Farrow told a conference at McGill recently, tolerance is a negative: it implies a kind of passivity. "You can't build a society on that negative principle," he says. But you can rot and enfeeble the one you have, and in its ruins something new will be built.


"The decline of the West," wrote Samuel P Huntington, is still in the slow first phase, but at some point it might speed up dramatically." What is the point at which it becomes irreversible? If you’re on a river heading over the falls, it's not the moment when you plunge over the precipice and are dashed on the rocks below. That’s the great visual dividing line – Joseph Cotton in Niagara: one minute his boat's horizontal, next it's heading straight down. But the critical point happens way back upstream. It's still flat, it’s still the river not the distant falls, but what you thought were the placid shallows has, in fact, a strong silent running current and, before you even know it, you’re being swept along.

Plastered Pachyderms

When elephants get drunk, do they see pink humans?

"Hate Speech"

Mike S. Adams offers an excellent explanation of why conservative thought is rendered hate speech and Islamic threats - dripping with hatred - are not considered hate speech by liberals.

Why Islamic Fascists Get Away With Hate Speech

Hate speech is verbal communication that induces anger due to the listener’s inability to offer an intelligent response.

Because this inability to offer an intelligent response is due to one of two reasons, there are really two different types of hate speech: 1) Speech that is too dumb to merit an intelligent response, and 2) Speech for which the listener is too dumb to offer an intelligent response.

They both induce anger in the listener, regardless of whether the speaker expressed his view with any feeling of hatred or animosity.

And this leads to an understanding (see bold sentence below) of the apparent hypocrisy of gays and feminists who a) cry “hate speech” (while actually crying in some cases) against conservatives who do not wish to kill gays and feminists, and b) tolerate “hate speech” by Islamic fascists who really do wish to kill gays and feminists.

Islamic advocacy of violence is not classified as “hate speech” because it induces fear, not anger.

And, of course, it explains the success of Islamic terrorism. It is indeed a strategy that induces fear in an effort to destroy the proper function of the First Amendment through threats and intimidation too serious to simply ignore.

Feline Wake Up Call

This Is A Joke, Right?

Urban Camouflage.

That's like putting a lampshade on your head, it only works in Three Stooges movies.

Save The Children

Mark Steyn's newest commentary, The Real War On Children, brings some sense to the recent SCHIP veto.

So what is the best thing America could do "for the children"? Well, it could try not to make the same mistake as most of the rest of the Western world and avoid bequeathing the next generation a system of unsustainable entitlements that turns the entire nation into a giant Ponzi scheme. Most of us understand, for example, that Social Security needs to be "fixed" – or we'll have to raise taxes, or the retirement age, or cut benefits, etc. But, just to get the entitlements debate in perspective, projected public pensions liabilities in the United States are expected to rise by 2040 to about 6.8 percent of our gross domestic product. In Greece, the equivalent figure is 25 percent – that's not a matter of raising taxes or tweaking retirement age; that's total societal collapse.

So what? shrug the voters. Not my problem. I paid my taxes, I want my benefits.

In France, President Sarkozy is proposing a very modest step – that those who retire before the age of 65 should not receive free health care – and the French are up in arms about it. He's being angrily denounced by 53-year-old retirees, a demographic hitherto unknown to functioning societies. You spend your first 25 years being educated, you work for two or three decades, and then you spend a third of a century living off a lavish pension, with the state picking up every health care expense. No society can make that math add up.

And so, in a democratic system today's electors vote to keep the government gravy coming and leave it to tomorrow for "the children" to worry about. That's the real "war on children" – and every time you add a new entitlement to the budget you make it less and less likely they'll win it.