Blair sees reality, trys to tell others

Story: "British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a withering attack on Thursday on what he called "mad anti-Americanism" among European politicians.
...
"The danger is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved," Blair said, spelling out his political vision in a pamphlet published by The Foreign Policy Center think-tank.

"The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in," he said.
...
As he did during the Iraq War, he sided squarely with Washington over the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas, angering Arab nations and European allies by refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Responding to those who have criticized the White House, Blair said in his pamphlet: "The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved."

"We want them engaged. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them," he added.
...
Blair, returning from a trip to the Middle East, said the stand-off between Israel and the Palestinians remains "a -- perhaps the -- genuine source of anger in the Arab and Muslim world, going far beyond anti-Western feeling."

"The issue of even-handedness rankles deeply," he acknowledged.

Blair pledged to making Middle East "an absolute priority for the rest of my time in office.""

Like I've said before, Europe is a sad continent. Britian, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, all were once empires that spanned the globe. All were nations with a fighting spirit, nations of warriors. But in todays world, that is forgotten, with the exception of Britian. Britian, or at least Blair, understands the need the fight the terrorists in their backyards, where they will have limited abilities to strike at the innocents we're trying to protect. And since Sept. 11, its been Britian thats had the deadliest attacks.
We had the shoe bomber, the muruer in Seattle who gunned down 9 jewish ameriacans, and the muslim driving the SUV in california. But in London, the subways were bombed, and then they tried again, but were stopped. The UK is just as much at war with the Muslim Nazis as we are, and the rest of the westren civilization needs to join in.

Terrorist attack in Syria

Fox news: "Three Islamic militants suspected to have Al Qaeda ties were killed Tuesday after a failed attempt to attack the U.S. Embassy with automatic rifles, hand grenades and a van rigged with explosives. A Syrian security officer was also killed, but no Americans were hurt.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was too early to know who was behind the attack, while Syria's ambassador to the U.S., Imad Moustapha, told a major news network that an Al Qaeda offshoot group called Jund al-Sham was responsible. The radical fundamentalist group has been blamed for several attacks in Syria in recent years, he said.

One of Syria's anti-terrorism forces was killed and 11 other people were wounded, the official news agency reported. The wounded including a police officer, two Iraqis and seven people employed at nearby technical workshop.

The attackers apparently did not breach the high walls surrounding the embassy's white compound in the city's diplomatic neighborhood."

Apparently, no US personel were hurt, although some syrian officials and a Chinese diplomat were hurt. Thats why we're fighting them, so they don't do that over here.

September 11th, 2006

Its been five years.

For you Liberals, democrats, and pacifists, click here.

For you conservatives, republicans and people who support america, click here.

And for everyone who 'supports the troops' (but maybe not their mission), click here.

US Soldiers worse then Saddam?

Story: ""The absolute cynical manipulation, deliberately cynical manipulation, to shape American public opinion and 69 percent of the people, at that time, it worked, they said 'we want to go to war,'" Rockefeller told CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson. "Including me. The difference is after I began to learn about some of that intelligence I went down to the Senate floor and I said 'my vote was wrong.'"

Rockefeller went a step further. He says the world would be better off today if the United States had never invaded Iraq — even if it means Saddam Hussein would still be running Iraq.

He said he sees that as a better scenario, and a safer scenario, "because it is called the 'war on terror.'"

Does Rockefeller stands by his view, even if it means that Saddam Hussein could still be in power if the United States didn't invade?

"Yes. [Saddam] wasn't going to attack us. He would've been isolated there," Rockefeller said. "He would have been in control of that country but we wouldn't have depleted our resources preventing us from prosecuting a war on terror which is what this is all about.""

So, let me get this straight. The world would be a better place with Saddam still in control of 26 million people?
So, then the world is a safer, better place when these 26 millions people are subject to arbitrary treatment without due process?
So, what happens in Saddams world:

• Suspension by the wrists for hours on end while naked.
  
• Electric shock to the ears, fingers genitals and tounge
• Swung from a rotating fan while being beating with whips, canes, pipes and hoses.
• Extraction of fingernails
• Mutilation by electric drill
• Rape and other sexual tortures
• Raping of family members
  
• Watching friends and family members recieving the above tortures.
• Beheading of a father in front of the family home

Yeah. And thats better then the US troops? I don't think so. What have US troops done?

• Repaired power to the region
• Restored fresh water
• Protected the democratic process in its infancy. (Purple Fingers anyone?)
• Captured the nazis, who are muslims, btw.

Which is better?

Now, look at the world at large. In the past, we had 3 allies in the region. Now we've got 5. Who's new? Iraq and the United Arab Emerates.
In the past, we had a ruthless, totalitarian dictator who supported terrorists, to the tune of 2000 a year, and exersiced torture and mass killings as a control mechanisim in his country.
The US? We've taken the fight to the terrorists in their backyard, and fighting them with those who are trained to kill enemies of the United States.
Rockerfeller is a liar, a traitor to his country, and a man who has allied himself with our enemies. And if the dems think this will give them the election, they had better be prepared for results that will have their heads spinning, as the balence of the house shifts dramatically to the right, and to a lesser degree, the senate.

Iraq to take command of its army

Story: "will take control of its armed forces command on Thursday, a major step on its painful path toward independence and an essential move before international troops can eventually withdraw...

"It's the prime minister's decision how rapidly he wants to move along with assuming control," Caldwell said. In Thursday's ceremony, the prime minister will take control of Iraq's small naval and air forces, and the 8th Iraqi Army Division.

"They can move as rapidly thereafter as they want. I know, conceptually, they've talked about perhaps two divisions a month," Caldwell said."

Best news in a long time. We're moving right along in the War on Terror.
A But this news article by Elena Becatoros, has got to be one of the worst written pieces of news to every come off the Assosiated Press wire. It is seriously worthy of what the New York Times, or Mother Jones, would publish. How anyone can call this a fair and balenced piece of coverage, I don't know.

What does have me confused: "The 8th Division was recently engaged in a fierce, 12-hour battle with Shiite militia in the southern city of Diwaniyah"

Well, thats great. The 8th division is not a US division, it is a US trained, homegrown, 100% Iraqi soldier division, fighting to defend its country against the bloody terrorists that are killing civilians.
But the fighting wasn't that fierce. Compared to previous wars, where 20 people die getting out of a trench in the morning to go to the bathroom, this is so paltry a battle as to be compleatly insignificant. This is not to degrade the Iraqi division, but the last 3 years have been this sort of combat, the sort of which we still have even in America. I'm finnally getting pretty angry about the media coverage of this war, and the constant, insistant denial of the truth, and of Americas good in this conflict.

Oil news, round 2

Story: " The success of the Jack well test is the second recent development that raises the lower tertiary's profile - as well as chances that it could augment U.S. Gulf oil and gas production significantly. Domestic oil output has taken a hit from the partial shutdown of BP PLC-operated (BP) Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Despite the region's vulnerability to devastating hurricanes, the Gulf is becoming home to an increasing number of oil prospects as the U.S. is looking to wean itself off sources plagued by instability.
The flow test, the first in the lower tertiary, indicates that the region's finds "will be most likely productive," said David Heikkinen, an analyst with Houston-based energy research firm Pickering Energy Partners. "That bodes very well for the industry as a whole."
Production from the area could add 300,000 to 500,000 barrels of oil a day to U.S. output, Heikkinen said. The Gulf currently has a production capacity of about 1.5 million.
Tuesday's announcement also bodes well for Chevron, Devon and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (CVX), which are the largest holders of leases with lower tertiary discoveries, Heikkinen said. Last Thursday, Oklahoma City-based Devon and Anadarko, in partnership with BP PLC (BP), disclosed a discovery that Devon described as the "largest to date" in the lower tertiary. "

Woohoo. More US oil! Not much else to say here, except that half a million barrels of oil a day is a LOT.

Gas prices

Don't look now, but I think the gas prices have peaked and fallen for the summer. I filled up on friday for $2.49, and the price of crude has fallen to around $68.

And with just a few dollar drop in the price of a barrel, we have a disproportionate drop in the price of a gallon of gas. So, the oil companies aren't evil? Amazing.

The Path to 9/11

September 10 and 11: ABC will be showing a documentary on September 11, 2001, and the events leading up to it. Apparently, it will have an acurrate representation of the Clinton administration, and its intentional ignorance of Al-Queda prior to 9/11.

I'll be watching.

Global Warming predictions change.

The Austrelian: (Great read in and of itself)
"For the first time, scientists are confident enough to project a 3C rise on the average global daily temperature by the end of this century if no action is taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The Draft Fourth Assessment Report says the temperature increase could be contained to 2C by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are held at current levels."

94 years from now, we can say with supream confedence, that it will be, on average, a whole whopping 3 degrees celcius hotter. Well, hum dinger. I guess we had better start digging our graves now, calamity is upon us!! If we take action, the most we can do is only make it change 2 degrees, or 1 degree of difference in 100 years.

One more thing: With just a few years of documentable reserch behind them, how can these scientists predict what will happen in 100 years? Heck, they couldn't even predict where Ernesto was going, or a weather forcast for 2 weeks out.

And the reaction to this by Treehugger groups?
"Australian Conservation Foundation energy program manager Erwin Jackson said theprojections required an urgent and immediate response from the federal Government to drive accelerated investment in low-emissions technology in Australia.

"Every day we delay taking action, the problem gets worse," Mr Jackson said.

"The Government keeps throwing up the costs of action but totally ignores the costs of inaction.

"No one ever said that saving the planet would cost nothing - that's the bottom line.""

Despite the fact that we as humans can do little or nothing to alter the course of the planets climate cycles, we still must take action now!

And the reality of this situation?
"A recent Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics report on the cost of cutting greenhouse gas emissions estimated Australians would incur a fall in real wages of about 20 per cent if the nation was to unilaterally cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050. "

Yeah. 25% unemployment, and entering a depression, thats exactly what this world needs inorder to survive. Ya know, people might just starve to death before they even reach the point of higher temps.

Lets just stick with what we're doing, and life will be better for all involved.

US Unemployment rate Drops

Story: "The latest snapshot, released by the Labor Department Friday, was a bit brighter than expected and should ease any fears that the expansion that began in late 2001 is in danger of fizzling out.

The tally of new jobs last month was slightly stronger than the 125,000 that economists were forecasting. The nation's unemployment rate dropped down a notch from a five-month high of 4.8 percent in July. Job gains for June and July also turned out to be better than previously estimated. In June, employers boosted payrolls by 134,000 positions and in July they added another 121,000.

4.7%? Thats Astounding. 95.3% of all Americans in the work force are employed.

The muslim nazis with enriched uranium.

Story: "The International Atomic Energy Agency told the U.N. Security Council its inspectors have found new traces of enriched uranium in Iran.

The discovery marked the third instance that highly enriched uranium was found at an Iranian facility, but the IAEA said the nuclear fingerprint on the new discovery does not match that found on earlier samples, which the agency had concluded came from contaminated equipment from Pakistan, The New York Times reported Friday.

The 6-page IAEA report did not identify where the uranium might have originated or whether it was connected to a secret nuclear program in Iran. The country has insisted that its nuclear program is aimed only at producing energy, a task that would use uranium enriched at much lower levels than that found by the IAEA inspectors."

Yeah. And thats how well diplomatic solutions work with evil. You don't negotiated with the muslim nazis, you destroy their evil. Europe needs to stiffen its spine, and redisover that history of warfare. With the exception of the UK, Euope has become a breeding ground of panzies, who refuse to take action against one of the greatest threats in the world.

Iran on Modesty

Story: "Ghaemi said that the penalty for violating a code that requires the complete covering of women's heads and bodies in public depends on the officers involved and the women's political connections.

"The person could end up in jail depending on their relationship with the authorities," he said. "Generally, the imposition of strict Islamic codes has been increasing under Ahmadinejad."

Just as women in recent years had pushed the boundaries by wearing head scarves that revealed more than they hid, many Iranians had flouted the law banning them from owning satellite dishes, the report said. The government has been cracking down on them as well."

So. No showing of eyes!!! They will contaminated men. No showing of a nose, that would cause lustful thoughts. No displaying ears, or may you rot in hell.
And worst of all, no dish network. Stop polluting yourselves with the infedel garbage!!

The real story: Plamegate was a crock.

A Farce. A hoax. And whatever other word, in any language, that can be used to describe any variation of those words.

The Mainstream media harped on a fake story for 2 years, and what was it all about? Slate has a great wrap up here.

Liberals: What goes around comes around?

I was reading The First World War, by John Keegan last night, and came across his recounting of the Russian Revolution of 1917, and more interestingly, the October Revolution, where the Bolsheviks took power, and introduced the rule of the Soviet Union to Russia. In the war, Russia was fighting the Central powers, consisting of Germany, Austria, and Turkey.
After loosing hundreds of thousends of young russian pesents in the war, where several hundred miles of ground were lost, the people of russia began to lose their nerve to fight. The monarchy was overthrown early in 1917, and in October, Vladmir Lennin, with the assistance of the Germans, lead an asscension to the throne of Russia, and instituted Communisim. One of the main tennets of his revolution? Peace. Peace with the invaders, the Germans, the Austrians, and even the Turks. After Three Months of negotiations with the enemy, Germany broke the cease fire, and took another 150 miles of the eastran front. Immediatly, Lennin gave into all german demands.

And how about the liberals of today? Lets have Peace with the terrorists. Why do they hate us? John Kerry, Sen. Biden, Clinton, Shumer, and all the other liberals want us to stop fighting the war on terror, and negotiate a peace. And at the same time, they call Bush Hitler, and call for an impeachment.

Liberals are Liberals, wherever they may be.

WSA- A Christmas tale

"...Some may say their cute. But in the words of Jube D. "Their just rats with blow dried tails." If it wasn't against the law where I live, I would be using them for target practice. Moving targets are always better. I think it would be fun to pop the little vermin. I would even be willing to pick up the bodes and put them in the trash cans..."

More of the interview with Joyzey after the jump.

When squirrels attack: A Christmas Tale

UN helps kill Isralies

Weekly Standard: "DURING THE RECENT month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel, U.N. "peacekeeping" forces made a startling contribution: They openly published daily real-time intelligence, of obvious usefulness to Hezbollah, on the location, equipment, and force structure of Israeli troops in Lebanon.

UNIFIL--the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, a nearly 2,000-man blue-helmet contingent that has been present on the Lebanon-Israel border since 1978--is officially neutral. Yet, throughout the recent war, it posted on its website for all to see precise information about the movements of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and the nature of their weaponry and materiel, even specifying the placement of IDF safety structures within hours of their construction. New information was sometimes only 30 minutes old when it was posted, and never more than 24 hours old.

Meanwhile, UNIFIL posted not a single item of specific intelligence regarding Hezbollah forces. Statements on the order of Hezbollah "fired rockets in large numbers from various locations" and Hezbollah's rockets "were fired in significantly larger numbers from various locations" are as precise as its coverage of the other side ever got."

Nice of the 'peace keepers' to do that, aiding and abeting a group that murduers civilions with impunity, even with intention.
Thats the global peace organization...

When Government Gets to big, again.

Story: "Top chefs in Chicago, known for its meat-heavy fine cooking, whipped out their knives this week to fight a restaurant ban on foie gras, the rich but controversial liver from over-fattened geese and ducks.

As some restaurateurs looked for ways to sneakily flout the prohibition by serving the famed French delicacy as a "free" garnish, even Chicago mayor Richard Daley slammed the ban as the "silliest law" the city council had ever passed. "

Shame. Its just food folks, let'em eat it. But wait, this just is. The kind hearted health nazis are giving us on

" And public health officials indicated they would not make it a priority to enforce it after it took effect Tuesday."

And thew dumbest thing about this whole saga? That the main thrust of this is to stop the torturing of ducks and geese, who are force feed to make a larger liver. However, not a single duck liver from Chicago is used in Chicago, it all comes from Canada and New York.
This is just the health nazis being petty, with detrimental effects to the rest of the world.

Israel may take out Iran

Story: "Israel is carefully watching the world's reaction to Iran's continued refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, with some high-level officials arguing it is now clear that when it comes to stopping Iran, Israel "may have to go it alone," The Jerusalem Post has learned.

One senior source said on Tuesday that Iran "flipped the world the bird" by not responding positively to the Western incentive plan to stop uranium enrichment. He expressed frustration that the Russians and Chinese were already saying that Iran's offer of a "new formula" and willingness to enter "serious negotiations" was an opening to keep on talking.

"The Iranians know the world will do nothing," he said. "This is similar to the world's attempts to appease Hitler in the 1930s - they are trying to feed the beast."

He said there was a need to understand that "when push comes to shove," Israel would have to be prepared to "slow down" the Iranian nuclear threat by itself.

Having said this, he did not rule out the possibility of US military action, but said that if this were to take place, it would probably not occur until the spring or summer of 2008, a few months before President George W. Bush leaves the international stage."

And thats how you deal with evil...

Got Robotics?

The 2nd in the robotics ad series. I couldn't find any news that caught my eye, and I finished this last night, so I'm putting it up.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkaBt8__M8g

USA: A cultural leach?

Story: "Bennett says, "I have travelled around the world to Asia and Europe. They show you what they have contributed to the world. The British show you theatre, the Italians show you music and art, the French show you cooking and painting, and the Germans show you science. "The only thing that the United States, which is still a young country, has contributed culturally to the world is jazz - elongated improvisation. It's tragic.""

I think Bennett is missing a lot that we've contributed. Where else in the world does country music come from?
And Hollywood, for all its faults, has been one of the greatest contributors to the spread of freedom in the world, mainly because it exemplifies the freedoms availible to western culture.
And this doesn't even begin to reckon with the greatest modern musical invention: The Electric Guitar, which is proudly born of the Jazz age, spawned the rock 'n roll genre and is made in America.

Oh, yeah. And most of all, America brought Star Wars to the world. Thanks George.

Did I miss anything?

Iran Rattles Saber, rd. VII, possibly war

Story: "Iran attacked and seized control of a Romanian oil rig working in its Persian Gulf waters this morning one week after the Iranian government accused the European drilling company of ``hijacking'' another rig.

An Iranian naval vessel fired on the rig owned by Romania's Grup Servicii Petroliere (GSP) in the Salman field and took control of its radio room at about 7:00 a.m. local time, Lulu Tabanesku, Grup's representative in the United Arab Emirates said in a phone interview from Dubai today.

``The Iranians fired at the rig's crane with machine guns,'' Tabanesku said. ``They are in control now and we can't contact the rig.'' The Romanian company has 26 workers on the platform, he said.

Iran, which holds the world's second-largest oil and gas reserves, is due to respond today to a European Union-led offer of incentives aimed at persuading it to halt uranium enrichment activities that are crucial to its nuclear program."

Think of Iran what you will, but this is theft. Just plain stealing from a smaller nation, and should be cause for War from the free world. But no, we're going to sit here and use the 'diplomatic circles' to stop the largest Nazi government in the world.
This theft, and the refusual to stop the nuclear weapons program, is why we should have taken Iran out last week.

Iran rattles saber, rd. VI

Story: " Iran rejected suspending its uranium enrichment program, the main objective of a European Union-led offer of incentives to which the country is due to give a formal reply tomorrow.

``Under current circumstances, the suspension of uranium enrichment is not possible,'' Mohammad Saeedi, deputy head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, told state-run Fars News.

The Iranian government's reply will be ``very comprehensive and give a suitable opportunity for the West to solve the nuclear dossier through negotiations,'' Saeedi said.

The United Nations Security Council has given Iran until Aug. 31 to accept the EU-led proposal of incentives, and suspend uranium enrichment, or face the threat of economic sanctions."

And once again, we see that diplomatic negotiations don't work worth a darn. Sanctions, embargos, and strong reprimands are about as effective as throwing rocks at a tank.
The only solution to this problem is the agressive use of force to prevent one of the greatest threats to american lives and other innocents in the world.

Announcement: Defending Humanity

The Staff at Pushing Back the Frontiers of Ignorance would like to alert you to our newest effort:
Alerting and Defending Mankind from the Great Threat of our Time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present
When Squirrels Attack

The seriousness of this threat cannot be overstated, and we would like your help in the defence of Mankind.

Sharpton Gets it right, echo's the Cos

Story: ""We have got to get out of this gangster mentality, acting as if gangsterism and blackness are synonymous," Sharpton said Thursday at the annual conference of the National Association of Black Journalists.
"I think we've allowed a whole generation of young people to feel that if they're focused, they're not black enough. If they speak well and act well, they're acting white, and there's nothing more racist than that."
The key to leadership is taking the initiative to change things, said Sharpton.
...
"Nobody broke in my house in Brooklyn and dragged me out the projects and made me a leader, I wanted to do that. "

Exactly what needs to be heard. I usually don't agree with Sharpton, but this the right thing.

Now, how many of you remember Bill Cosby talking about this a few years ago?
The entire speech is a good read, but here's a sample.
"Kenneth Clark, somewhere in his home in upstate New York -- just looking ahead. Thank God he doesn’t know what’s going on. Thank God. But these people -- the ones up here in the balcony fought so hard. Looking at the incarcerated, these are not political criminals. These are people going around stealing Coca Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged: “The cops shouldn’t have shot him.” What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand? I wanted a piece of pound cake just as bad as anybody else. And I looked at it and I had no money. And something called parenting said if you get caught with it you’re going to embarrass your mother." Not, "You’re going to get your butt kicked." No. "You’re going to embarrass your mother." "You’re going to embarrass your family." If you knock that girl up, you’re going to have to run away because it’s going to be too embarrassing for your family.

In the old days, a girl getting pregnant had to go down South, and then her mother would go down to get her. But the mother had the baby. I said the mother had the baby. The girl didn’t have a baby. The mother had the baby in two weeks. We are not parenting. Ladies and gentlemen, listen to these people. They are showing you what’s wrong. People putting their clothes on backwards. Isn’t that a sign of something going on wrong? Are you not paying attention? People with their hat on backwards, pants down around the crack. Isn’t that a sign of something or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up? Isn’t it a sign of something when she’s got her dress all the way up to the crack -- and got all kinds of needles and things going through her body. What part of Africa did this come from? We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don’t know a damned thing about Africa."

Now, after Cosby's speech, what was the reaction?
"Bill Cosby has more harsh words for black community" San Francisco Chronicle July 1, 2004

"Bill Cosby Remarks Divide Black Community" Black America Web, May 31, 2004 (Associated Press)

CHICAGO — Bill Cosby went off on another tirade against the black community Thursday, telling a room full of activists that black children are running around not knowing how to read or write and "going nowhere." Fox News, Friday, July 02, 2004 (Associated Press)

The media reaction, if any, to Sharptons remarks, which so mirror that of Cosby's, will be interesting to watch. Will a Lion of Liberalism be ignored where a Man, who can deliever a message with humor, was lambasted?

Why Wal-Mart?

The Earth Can Be Moved: "Wal-Mart is the best political issue they can come up with?"

Reuters with the scoop.
John F. Kerry, (who served in Vietnam), offers up his wisdom. ""It's unconscionable and it is unacceptable that five of the 10 richest people in America are Wal-Mart stockholders from the same family -- worth double-digit billions each -- but they can't find the money to secure health coverage for their own workers and their families"

But why is this, along with the assult yesterday by other senators, taking place in a coordnated fashion, with Wal-Mart as the target? After a little digging, I found it. Its an angry Union, taking revenge upon Wal-Mart for spurring its offers.

" The anti-Wal-Mart campaign was launched by the UFCW grocery workers union, which ended efforts to unionize the company last year and shifted to a strategy of building public pressure on it."

Once Again, labor is dictating policy to the Democrat party, much to the detrimient of their own agenda, and the good of the nation.

Democrats lash out at the vile armada

And it is not the republicans.
Courtesy the NY Times: (Sorry...)
"Democratic leaders have found a new rallying cry that many of them say could prove powerful in the midterm elections and into 2008: denouncing Wal-Mart for what they say are substandard wages and health care benefits.

Six Democratic presidential contenders have appeared at rallies like the one Mr. Biden headlined, along with some Democratic candidates for Congress in some of the toughest-fought races in the country.

“My problem with Wal-Mart is that I don’t see any indication that they care about the fate of middle-class people,” Mr. Biden said, standing on the sweltering rooftop of the State Historical Society building here. “They talk about paying them $10 an hour. That’s true. How can you live a middle-class life on that?”

And the pearls of wisdom continue, with stunning brillance from Senator Bayh:
"“It’s not anti-business,” said Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, a former head of the moderate Democratic Leadership Council, appearing at an anti-Wal-Mart rally on Tuesday. “Wal-Mart has become emblematic of the anxiety around the country, and the middle-class squeeze.”"

And the fashion model of the Senate, John Edwards chimes in with:
"“Wal-Mart as an example of the problems that exist in America today is a powerful political issue,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “I think our party pretty much across the board agrees that people who work hard should be able to support their families. When a company like Wal-Mart fails to meet its corporate responsibility, it make it impossible for that to occur.”"

I'm not sure exactly what the democrats are doing here. The 3 biggest issues, in order, of this year:
1. The War on Terror, and with it, the War in Iraq
2. Illegal Immigration
3. The Economy, and closely tied to it, the energy crises.

Where Wal-Mart fits in would be the 3rd most important issue. Except that Wal-Mart is one of the greatest pistons in the economy, the 2nd largest company in the history of the world.
The number of people employed by Wal-Mart? 1,300,000 associates. Most of them are part time and young, looking to move up in the world.
An entry level job at Wal-Mart is not meant to make a livelyhood. If you want to stay in retail, you move up in the company. If you don't you go to work somewhere else. If wal-mart wasn't a good employer, there were be a catestrophic lack of workers. As it is, its hard to get a job there. Why? Because Wal-Mart takes care of its assosiates, with good pay, working conditions, and other beinefits.

If they didn't they wouldn't be in buisness. And thats the bueaty of the free market. Competiton makes everything better.

Bizzare Story, Rd. II

Ok, this is officially the weirdest story I've read in a few weeks. Yes, weirder then the Taco Bell Hot Sauce one.
So, in Saudi Arabia, which is a muslim ruled monarchy, and any deviation from the Koran is punishable, we have this. A Gay Wedding, in the southren town of Jizan.
Not only was the problem that there was a gay wedding, but that 20 men were caught acting like women, with the burkas and who knows what else.
Another in addition to all that, there was a little narcotics ring going on right before the wedding.

This is just really wierd. It would be wierd in America, and its even weirder coming out of one of the most islamic countries in the world.
Link

Isreal legal immigration rises

Story: "According to Jewish Agency estimates, 24,000 people from countries around the world will immigrate to Israel in the course of the year 2006, up from the 22,657 people who made aliyah in 2005.

In parallel, two special ISRAIR flights –from Paris and Marseille - landed in Israel on July 25 bringing 650 new immigrants from France. This is the first time in decades that such a large number of new immigrants from France have landed in one day."

During the summer months, six EL AL flights will land in Israel carrying 1,500 new immigrants from North America. By the end of the year, it is estimated that there will be a total of 3,400 new immigrants from North America (U.S.A. and Canada), up from 2,987 in 2005."

So, despite missles flying in with reckless abandon, muslim women and children walking around with bombs set to go off in a pizza parlor, and the persistant threat from Iran, people are still moving in. And running from the liberal paradise of France, no less.

Homosexual discharges rise

Story (I know its the New York Times, but this seems to be a mostly unbiased article):
"The Army, by far the largest branch of the military, discharged more gay personnel last year than the other branches with 386, the figures show, followed by the Navy with 177, the Air Force with 88 and the Marines, the smallest force, with 75.
...

Under a policy introduced by the Clinton administration known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the military cannot inquire into service members’ sex lives unless there is evidence of homosexual conduct.

Those who volunteer the information have to be discharged. More than 11,000 members have been discharged for that reason, the legal group said."

The Army knows what they're doing, and this is probably whats best best for unit cohesion. I usually don't agree with the Clintons, but this seems to be the best way to deal with the problem. Meaning, unless the individual makes themselves a problem, they stay in.

Howard Dean is afraid

Story: ""I know how hard this is for Joe, and he is a good person, but the truth is I lost one of these races and I got behind my party's nominee and I think that is what you have to do if you want to help this country," Dean, former governor of Vermont, said on NBC's "Meet the Press.""

Translation: We beat you in the primary! You can't do this to us, and run as an incumbent against us when your an independant!! Drop out now, so we can acctually win!!! Its what I did, because I was beat as a wild eyed liberal nut! (EEEEEYYYYYEAAAH!)

Why is this? Because Lieberman is winning some polls.

When government gets to big

THIS is what happens.
"For the last three summers, 13-year-old Joey Cadieux has headed outside with his flashlight on rainy nights to collect nightcrawlers from his yard.

Purchased by passing fishermen for $2.50 a dozen, the wriggling worms brought him $7 to $10 in a good month, just enough for bike trips to his favorite neighborhood pizza joint.

But when a town official recently objected to his stenciled black-and-white "nite crawlers" yard sign, Joey's business got the hook.

"It's so weird," he said. "I only make a few bucks a month if I'm lucky. I don't know why it's a big deal."

The brouhaha started in July when Al Diaz, a town Planning and Zoning Commission member, mentioned during a meeting that the sign did not conform with Cromwell's rules and should come down. A town zoning officer sent a letter last month ordering Joey's stepfather, August Reil, to take down the sign and stop selling nightcrawlers.

"I actually laughed when I opened it. I couldn't believe they were serious," Reil said.

But they are. If Joey's sign, now hidden from passing motorists, goes back up, the family could face penalties for violating town zoning rules.

"In a residential zone, if you want to put up a business and work out of your home you really need a special permit," Diaz told The Hartford Courant in a story published Friday. "You come before the commission and state your case ... and then a decision is made. Chiropractors do that, lawyers do that, doctors do that, and then you're allowed to put up a sign."

Reil could plead his case to the Zoning Board of Appeals, but would have to pay a $130 filing fee — something he refuses to do, both on cost and principle.

"I pay thousands and thousands of dollars in taxes, so why should we have to pay to appeal something we didn't even know we were doing wrong?" he asked Friday.

Cromwell First Selectman Paul Beaulieu, who has fielded dozens of complaints from residents about the issue, is among those who support Joey's right to sell worms.

"I would hope that reason would prevail, and that both lemonade stands and nightcrawler signs are seen as part of summertime traditions here in central Connecticut," Beaulieu said. "I don't consider nightcrawler sales to be a major operation. We're not talking General Motors here."

Simply insane. I don't think I need to add anything, other then be vigilant with what your local government is up to.

60 Terrorist arrested yesterday. In Iraq.

Story: "U.S. soldiers raided a funeral and detained 60 men suspected of ties to al-Qaida car bombings, the U.S. command said Saturday in announcing the first major roundup of suspected insurgents since troop reinforcements began arriving for a new crackdown in Baghdad.
...
The 60 detained men are believed associated with a senior Iraqi al-Qaida leader in a cell that "specializes in bomb making," the statement said.

"The group has been reported to be planning and conducting training for future attacks," it said. "Multiple forms of credible intelligence led the assault force to the location, later determined to be a funeral gathering, where the suspects were detained."

Women and children at the funeral were separated from the men and the arrests were made without incident, the statement said without giving any details."

60 bomb makers were arrested, and all 60 of them were at a funeral. That must have been one mighty interesting funeral. No one was hurt, and there are now 60 fewer islamic terrorist scumbags roaming the face of the earth.
And thats why we're in Iraq.

Patriots still join the Army

Story: "The U.S. Army, which fell short in recruiting last year, made its 14th straight monthly goal in July and is expected to hit its 2006 target despite the Iraq war making recruiting harder, officials said on Thursday.

"It looks very good right now," Spara said of the active-duty Army reaching its goal of 80,000 new soldiers in fiscal 2006, which ends September 30. It fell about 7,000 recruits short of the same numerical goal in fiscal 2005.

The Army provides the bulk of U.S. ground forces in Iraq. Spara said the war continues to complicate recruiting, with parents and other influential adults more likely than in the past to counsel potential recruits against volunteering.

The Army sent 10,890 recruits into boot camp in July, exceeding its biggest goal of the year of 10,450 and pushing it 4 percent above its year-to-date goal. The Army has landed 62,505 recruits through July, and needs 17,495 more in the final two months of fiscal 2006 to meet its goal."

Despite the negative press, the disgruntled generals and war mothers, the barrage of liberal tirrades against the war, we still have well nigh 11,000 young Americans going into the army, and within a few months, going to offer Freedom to the people of Iraq and Afganistan. And thats what Americans do, they support their country.

We're at war

Story: "A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled in hand luggage on to as many as 10 aircraft.

Police are searching premises after 21 people were arrested. Home Secretary John Reid said they believed the "main players" were accounted for. High security is causing delays at all UK airports.The threat level to the UK has been raised by MI5 to critical after the arrests in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham.

Critical threat level - the highest - means "an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK".

Three US airlines are believed to have been targeted. Mr Reid said had the attack gone ahead it would have caused a loss of life of "unprecedented scale".
He said they were "confident" the main players were in custody, but neither the police nor government are "in any way complacent"."

Thats what I woke up to this morning, as did other Americans and British. But the attack was stopped, and many lives were saved.

Who was this? "The scope or the magnitude of this attack is much larger than previous attacks," said Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert at Singapore's Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies.

He added that everything known so far points to involvement by Osama bin Laden's terror group.

"It is a classic al-Qaida tactic. It is a hallmark of al-Qaida to carry out coordinated, simultaneous attacks, and the aviation domain is certainly known to al-Qaida. They have obvious experience in working around that system and extensive knowledge of the aviation domain."

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff echoed those sentiments, saying the attack "was sophisticated, it had a lot of members and it was international in scope." He added that: "It was in some respects suggestive of an al Qaida plot," but cautioned that the investigation was still under way.

There have been dozens of thwarted plots around the world since the Sept. 11 attacks, and several that were murderously successful. Suicide bombers killed 52 people in London on July 7, 2005, 58 in two attacks in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2003, and 202 in Bali in 2002. Islamic radicals killed 191 people in Madrid on Mar. 11, 2004, then blew themselves up days later when police were closing in."

So, it maybe al-queda, or some wannabe group. Also, look at the number of thwarted strikes in recent years.

The result of all this? Britan on highest alert, and the US is on RED alert for the first time.

And here is the best round-up I've seen.

So bizzare...

Story: " A group of 10 to 15 masked individuals entered Taco Bell, 3244 S. Western Ave., around 10:46 p.m. Tuesday to return a three-year stash of fire sauce packets, police say.

The group returned six 40-gallon trash bags filled with approximately, 25,000 sauce packets to the restaurant.

With the stash was a note stating that they had been accumulating the sauces over three years and kept them stored in the trunk of a vehicle, but felt guilty about keeping them and decided to return them to the restaurant."

See, we do live in a moral society! They returned the goods!

Democratic Primary Results

Joe Lieberman is no longer a democrat.
Story: " Sen. Joe Lieberman has conceded the U.S. Senate primary to challenger Ned Lamont but vowed to petition his way onto the November ballot as an independent."

Interestingly enough, Joe's site was down all day long, courtesy a Denial of Service attack, by who know who. Lieberman claims it was Ned Lamont, Lamont of course denies it. I think the MoveOn crowd is at fault, or one of their members.

Cynthia McKinney:
Story: "Attorney Hank Johnson, a former county commissioner, won the nomination with 59 percent of the vote, surpassing McKinney by more than 11,000 votes."

Not suprised. Most people don't approve of cop slappers.

So, one loss for the good guys, one victory, although Lieberman could win the election still.

5 Illegals die

Story: "The driver of a sport utility vehicle packed with suspected illegal immigrants flipped over while trying to elude federal agents, killing nine people and injuring 12, officials said.
Five of the injured, including a pregnant woman, were hospitalized in critical condition in Yuma and Phoenix, most with head trauma.

Five people were pronounced dead along the road Monday while four others died at Yuma Regional Medical Center, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. Three men and six women died.
The Chevy Suburban was carrying 21 people — all Mexican citizens — when the driver tried to circumvent a checkpoint on the highway more than 30 miles north of Yuma, according to authorities."

How in the world do you fit 21 people into a chevy suburban? Man, they must really want to get into the US, really bad. Not only will they become criminals in a forign land to do it, they stuff themselves like sardines to enter America. And I'm glad the border patrol found this, there 21 people that won't be entering the US illegally today. While its a shame the 5 people died, they shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Reuters makes it right

Story: "Reuters withdrew all 920 photographs by a freelance Lebanese photographer from its database on Monday after an urgent review of his work showed he had altered two images from the conflict between Israel and the armed group Hizbollah.

Global Picture Editor Tom Szlukovenyi called the measure precautionary but said the fact that two of the images by photographer Adnan Hajj had been manipulated undermined trust in his entire body of work.

"There is no graver breach of Reuters standards for our photographers than the deliberate manipulation of an image," Szlukovenyi said in a statement.

"Reuters has zero tolerance for any doctoring of pictures and constantly reminds its photographers, both staff and freelance, of this strict and unalterable policy."

Rueters realizes they have a problem, and are doing their best to fix it. Good job, thats the way a news agency should react when they have a problem, unlike the New York Times, or dare I say it, Dan Rather and the ENTIRE CBS News organization.

Syria isn't Stupid

Tanker Brothers

This is a post by a new found blog, 2 guys who are in Iraq as tank operators.
Part of the post, which is well illustrated and very effectivly written.

"...
Syria knows attacking Israel in retaliation for hunting down and eliminating Hizbullah would lead to an immediate counter-attack by Israel. With one of the most lethal Air Forces in the world, it would make short work of the Syrian MiGs.

The Israelis already destroyed the high-speed avenues of aproach coming into Lebanon from Syria.

Syria is already on the Coalition's "Bad Guys" list, and it's no secret that a good number of the foreign fighters fueling the "insurgency" in Iraq come in through Syria. By launching an attack on Israel, Syria weakens it's 360 degree security...."

War on terror, with the Isreali Style.

Story: "The Israeli attacks on the four bridges on the main north-south coastal highway linking Beirut to Syria severed the only remaining major road link between Lebanon and Syria. The 90-minute drive to the Syrian border takes at least double the time on the small coastal road that remains open.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, a staunch pro-Syrian and close ally of Hezbollah, charged that Israel is trying to pressure Lebanon to accept its conditions for a cease-fire , which include Hezbollah's disarmament and ouster from a swath of south Lebanon.

"The Israeli enemy's bombing of bridges and roads is aimed at tightening the blockade on the Lebanese, cutting communications between them and starving them," Lahoud said.

He linked the new raids to Israel's failure to win quick victory in the south, where Israeli soldiers have been mired in ground battles with Hezbollah guerrillas for several days."

Not suprised... Hezbollah fires 120 rockets, kills 2. Isreal destroys four roads, and cuts off the supply of rockets from Syria. Good day for the world.

The State of Global Warming: 1930

Story: "People sweltering from a heat wave in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. might find cold comfort in the fact that the temperatures of the past few days are not the hottest on record. That "honor" belongs to a summer 76 years ago -- decades before the controversy over "man-made global warming" began.

"From June 1 to August 31, 1930, 21 days had high temperatures that were 100 degrees or above" in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area, Patrick Michaels, senior fellow for environmental studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, told Cybercast News Service. "That summer has never been approached, and it's not going to be approached this year."

Between July 19 and Aug. 9 of that year, heat records were set on nine days and they remain unbroken more than three-quarters of a century later. "That's hot," added Michaels, who also serves as professor of natural resources at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va.

The summer of 1930 also marked the beginning of the longest drought of the 20th century. In 1934, dry regions stretched from New York and Pennsylvania across the Great Plains to California. A "dust bowl" covered about 50 million acres in the south-central plains during the winter of 1935-1936."

Not suprised, and niether should you be. The Dust bowl, I believe it was called.

Senate sees iceberg, changes course

Story: "The Senate did an abrupt about-face yesterday, voting overwhelmingly to begin paying for 370 miles of fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border, just three weeks after voting against the same spending.
The amendment's sponsor said senators were so embarrassed by that July 13 vote that most felt they had to reverse course and vote for it this time -- especially after so many were on record in May voting to build the fence in the first place. The amendment, which provides nearly $2 billion for the project, passed 94-3, with 66 senators switching from "no" to "yes" votes since last month. "

After the last time, I can only imagine the number of calls they recieved. I was pretty hopping mad about it, but they apparently changed they're mind. A lot of them.
And now 66 senators can say "I voted for the fence, before I voted against it, and then voted for it again."

Tagged...

I was tagged by Matt at The Cult of Christ. (Yes, that is my new name for it.)

1. One book that changed your life:
One thing You can't do in Heaven, By Mark Cahill

2. One book that you’ve read more than once:
Just one??? Fine... Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. Oh. Star Wars: Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island:
The New International Version of the Bible.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Laugh a lot? The Far Side Gallery, any of them.

5. One book that made you cry [or feel really sad]:
Old Yeller, by I forget who.

6. One book that you wish had been written:
Right now? 'Wittless' by Ann Coulter.

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Little Red Book, by Mao.

8. One book you’re currently reading:
Why the Allies Won(WWII), by Richard Ovary.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read:
Disclosure, by Michael Chriton

10. Now tag five people:
Five? Nuts...

Earthy, Mercy Now, Redwall, Jenifer, and Carey.

Drilling for oil

Story: " The Senate cleared the way Monday for legislation that would open 8.3 million protected acres in the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling.

Senators voted 72-23 to limit debate, assuring a final vote on the bill later this week before senators depart for the summer recess. The bill's supporters said they have the majority needed to push it through.

But a battle loomed with the House, which has approved a bill that would allow drilling far beyond the limited acreage in the central Gulf of Mexico. Negotiations to reconcile the two measures won't begin until September.

The House would lift a quarter-century moratorium that has kept 85 percent of the nation's coastal waters off-limits to energy companies from New England to Alaska."

This is good news. It could be better, i.e., the entire Moritorium is repealed, but we've got to start somewhere, and the Gulf of Mexico is a great place to start.
Oil independance would be a wonderful thing.

Guantanamo Bay a Haven for Abuse

Story: "

The prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay during the war on terror have attacked their military guards hundreds of times, turning broken toilet parts, utensils, radios and even a blo

ody lizard tail into makeshift weapons, Pentagon reports say.

Incident reports reviewed by The Associated Press indicate Military Police guards are routinely head-butted, spat upon and doused by "cocktails" of feces, urine, vomit and sperm collected in meal cups by the prisoners.

They've been repeatedly grabbed, punched or assaulted by prisoners who reach through the small "bean holes" used to deliver food and blankets through cell doors, the reports say. Serious assaults requiring medical attention, however, are rare, the reports indicate.

The detainee "reached under the face mask of an IRF (Initial Reaction Force) team member's helmet and scratched his face, attempting to gouge his eyes," states a May 27, 2005, report on an effort to remove a recalcitrant prisoner from his cell.

"The IRF team member received scratches to his face and eye socket area," the report said."

Good grief.. Why do we put up with these scum? Bread and water, not MREs is what they should be eating. And then take the Quaran, and other religious accompaniements away. There is no reason US soldiers should have to put up with this.

Don't mess with the USMC

Story: "Now, 21-year-old Galen Wilson has 20 confirmed kills in four months in Iraq— and another 40 shots that probably killed insurgents. One afternoon the lance corporal downed a man hauling a grenade launcher five-and-a-half football fields away.

Wilson is the designated marksman in a company of Marines based in downtown Ramadi, watching over what Marines call the most dangerous neighborhood in the most dangerous city in the world.
...
During a large-scale attack on Easter Sunday, Wilson says, he spotted six gunmen on a rooftop about 400 yards away. In about 8 seconds he squeezed off five rounds — hitting five gunmen in the head. The sixth man dived off a 3-story building just as Wilson got him in his sights, and counts as a probable death.

"You could tell he didn't know where it was coming from. He just wanted to get away," Wilson said. Later that day, he said, he killed another insurgent.

Wilson says his skill helps save American troops and Iraqi civilians.

"It doesn't bother me. Obviously, me being a devout Catholic, it's a conflict of interest. Then again, God supported David when he killed Goliath," Wilson said. "I believe God supports what we do and I've never killed anyone who wasn't carrying a weapon."
...
Guns have long been part of Wilson's life. His father was a sniper in the Navy SEALS. He remembers first firing a sniper rifle at age 6. By the time he enlisted he had already fired a .50-caliber machine gun.

"My father owned a weapons dealership, so I've been around exotic firearms all my life," said Wilson, who remembers practicing on pine cones and cans. "My dad would help me hold (an M-16), with the butt on his shoulder, and walk me through the steps of shooting."
...
Though Wilson firmly supports the war, he used to wonder how his actions would be received back home.

"At first you definitely double-guess telling your wife, mom, and your friends that you've killed 20 people," Wilson said. "But over time you realize that if they support you ... maybe it'll make them feel that much safer at home."

He acknowledges that brutal acts of war linger in the mind.

"Some people, before they're about to kill someone, they think that — 'Hey, I'm about to kill someone.' That thought doesn't occur to me. It may sound cold, but they're just a target. Afterward, it's real. You think, 'Hey, I just killed someone,'" says Wilson.

Insurgents "have killed good Marines I've served with. That's how I sleep at night," he says. "Though I've killed over 20 people, how many lives would those 20 people have taken?""

There's not much more to say, but thats why our guys are fighting in Iraq. To kill them there, so they don't kill us over here.

Hezbollah in Neighborhoods

Story: "The images, obtained exclusively by the Sunday Herald Sun, show Hezbollah using high-density residential areas as launch pads for rockets and heavy-calibre weapons.

Dressed in civilian clothing so they can quickly disappear, the militants carrying automatic assault rifles and ride in on trucks mounted with cannon."

You'll have to click the link to get the pictures, but my headline wins the award from Captain Obvious of 'Duh'.
Still, its nice to have pictures.

Iran gets it right

Story: "Iran is to publicly hang five men convicted of carrying out bombings in the southwestern oil city of Ahvaz as well as a militant convicted of involvement in a massacre in the southeast.

Mohammad Ali Surai, Yahya Naseri, Nazem Barihi, Abdolemam Zaeri and Abdolzahra Helichi, were all sentenced to death by a revolutionary court in Ahvaz, the hardline Kayhan newspaper quoted a judiciary official as saying on Sunday.

The paper said the convictions and sentencing were upheld by the Supreme Court.

It did not say when the executions would be carried out, nor which specific bombings the group were linked to. Two Arab separatists have already been hanged over attacks in October 2005, although a further attack took place in January."

With the provision that these men are indeed guilty of the bombing and killing of innocent civilans, this is the best way to administer justice. No panzying around for 20 years, and then putting them to sleep, and then poisening them one at a time. No, instead you demonstrate what capital punishment really is, and hang the 6 guilty men in public.

We should do this in the US.

Hurricanes and Global Warming

Story: "Scientists linking the increased strength of hurricanes over recent years to global warming have not accounted for outdated technology that may have underestimated storms' power decades ago, researchers said in a report published Friday.

The research by Chris Landsea of the National Hurricane Center challenges two studies published last year by other respected climatologists.

``The methodology is fine. There's no problem with the way they analyzed the data,'' said Landsea, who is science and operations officer at the hurricane center. ``The problem is with the data itself.''

The study claims historical storm data has been rendered out-of-date by new technology that better estimates the strength of hurricanes. He pointed to advancements in the quality of satellite imagery that is used to estimate a storm's strength when it can't be directly measured by aircraft or on land.

In short, Landsea said, there were far more Category 4 and 5 storms in decades past than previously thought, because satellite imagery has improved so greatly."

And there it is. Some scientists disagree with the greatest myth of our time, Global warming and its devestating effects.

Mexico Mission

A quick summary of my recent trip to Mexico, for those of you that are interested.

The drive down took like 12 hours, and the border crossing was really easy. We got setup in a house on Sunday night, provided by a wonder family, the Cantus. I was on the work team, with my Dad, another man from the church, two ladies my age, and myself. Monday morning, we bought 20 gallons of paint, and started painting the church. We usually worked from 9 till 11:30, ate lunch, and then worked till 4. The Prince of Peace Church is about 50 feet long, 25 feet wide, and about 20 feet high. The right side has a ledge that sticks out about a foot, so we stood on that to paint the 2nd story. On the left side, there was a cinder block wall that we stood on, which was about 8 feet high. Using 12 foot rollers can get really tiring. On Thursday, we started painting the wrought iron fence and window covers, with a white oil based paint. That stuff was awful, On Thursday, the church served us tamales, and the 7 I ate were the best I've ever tasted. Friday morning, we bought a different brand of paint, and finished up around 12.

The VBS team saved around 35 kids, and the sports team around 10. The trip was very successful, and I'll probably be going back in November to help build a house.

Abortion Bill passes

"A bill that would make it a crime to take a pregnant girl across state lines for an abortion without her parents' knowledge passed the Senate Tuesday, but vast differences with the House version stood between the measure and President Bush's desk.

The 65-34 vote gave the Senate's approval to the bill, which would make taking a pregnant girl to another state for the purposes of evading parental notification laws punishable by fines and up to a year in jail.

The girl and her parents would be exempt from prosecution, and the bill contains an exception for abortions performed in this manner that posed a threat to the mother's life.

...

"No parent wants anyone to take their children across state lines or even across the street without their permission," said Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "This is a fundamental right, and the Congress is right to uphold it in law."

..."Congress ought to have higher priorities than turning grandparents into criminals," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass."

And who said the conservatives were loosing? This bill passed, despite the kicking and screaming of the democrats, in both houses.
This is sort of a no brainer bill as well. In the public schools, a kid can't get a pain pill with out a parents permission, but it should be ok for someone to take the kid to murduer a child? What a double standard.

Isreal vs. Hizbollah, rd. 2,456

Story: "Israeli forces battled to take over a second Hizbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon on Tuesday in intensifying ground clashes with the guerrillas' frontier garrison, sources on both sides said.

Calling Bint Jbeil "one of the major Hizbollah centers", an Israeli military spokesman said tanks and troops had sealed off the town, killed or wounded dozens of guerrillas, and were engaged in sporadic firefights with the hold-outs.

"We are operating in the town. I can't say we are in total control of the town yet," the spokesman said."

I don't care what kind of weapons Hizbollah has from Iran, there is no way they can take on the IDF head on. They may be able to take away the political support back home with civillian strikes, but the IDF is in the process of compleatly wreaking their infrastructure, command chain, and recruitment centers.

The chinese sun

Story: "BEIJING, July 24 (UPI) -- The first plasma discharge from China's experimental advanced superconducting research center -- the so-called "artificial sun" -- is set to occur next month.

The discharge, expected about Aug. 15, will be conducted at Science Island in Hefei, in east China's Anhui Province, the Peoples Daily reported Monday.

Scientists told the newspaper a successful test will mean the world's first nuclear fusion device of its kind will be ready to go into actual operation, the newspaper said."

If this works, it opens up a new realm of possibilities.
1. North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lybia, and all the african countries don't need nuclear power that has weapons grade rubbish. This sun could do it for them!
2. Forget the fight over Yucca mountain in Nevada, lets just use this.
And one more option:
Spiderman 2 anyone? Maybe this doesn't work, and China is no longer a problem in the world.

Ain't technology something!?

Lieberman and strange bedfellows

BREITBART.COM - Bill Clinton Campaigning for Lieberman: "His political career in jeopardy, Sen. Joe Lieberman said Monday, 'I'm in a big fight here,' and looked to Bill Clinton to help him avoid defeat in next month's Democratic primary.

'And it's an important fight,' the three-term Connecticut senator said as he struggled to turn back a surprisingly tough challenge from war critic Ned Lamont.

The former president wasn't the only nationally known Democrat campaigning for Lieberman as the lawmaker sought to rebuild support among Democrats who long supported him.

Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, an ardent critic of the war, praised Lieberman for his stand on other issues. 'If you want to meet a leader on the environment, a leader on all the difficult choice issues, you got one here,' she said at a campaign stop at a candy store.

Even then, Lieberman was looking forward to Clinton's visit.

'You know, I'm in a big fight here, and I understand that ... and as our mutual friend who's coming in later today, President Clinton, always reminds us, every campaign is about the future,' he said.

The most recent public poll rated the race a tossup with the wealthy Lamont, whose Web site boasts that he will give Connecticut, 'finally, a senator who will stand up to George Bush.'"

Bill Clinton campaigning strongly for Lieberman, and Hillary Clinton refusing to say a postive word on his behalf. Seriously, are these two even married?

Lieberman is probably the only democrat senator I would vote for, and it's because he gets the War on Terror. I hope he wins this election, and its a shame that he needs help from Bill Clinton and Barbara Boxer in his race.

Iran takes a stand

"Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, declared Sunday that Israel had "pushed the button of its own destruction" by launching its military campaign against the Iranian-backed Hizbullah militia in Lebanon."


Suprise, Iran wants to destroy Isreal, and 'isolate' it's allies in the west. How? I presume with bombs strapped to kids for Isreal, and Oil embargos on the US and others.

Great war going on people, and I've missed a lot of it. Its about time Isreal defended itself.

I'll be back, rd. 2

I am leaving for a missions trip to Mexico sunday morning, and will return the next sunday.

Yes, I am coming back, and I believe for the final time this summer.

And that picture isn't a sunset, its a sunrise.
Because I'll be coming back.
(MVB, if your reading this, you should come back too.)

God speed to ya'll.

Gun victory

" The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to prohibit the confiscation of legally owned guns during an emergency like last year's Hurricane Katrina, marking another victory for the gun lobby.

By a vote of 84-16, the Senate embraced an amendment by Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican. He attached his measure to a domestic security spending bill for the fiscal year starting October 1 that the Senate is expected to pass soon."

File this vote under 'der'. The Second amendment is not to be violated. And of course, the usual crew of wimpy liberals decry the desicion, with Edward 'I wasn't drunk' Kennedy saying "pay-back time by the National Rifle Association" and Dick Turban relating this to people sniping National Gaurdsmen.

W steps up to the plate

Story:""The best way to stop the violence is for Hezbollah to lay down its arms and to stop attacking. And therefore I call upon Syria to exert influence over Hezbollah," Bush said about the flare-up that could overshadow this weekend's meeting of world powers.

The U.S. pressed for the Group of Eight's approval of a statement identifying Hezbollah as the main culprit and emphasizing the importance of maintaining a democratic Lebanon.

Israel launched its offensive after Hezbollah guerrillas crossed the Israel-Lebanon border and captured two Israeli soldiers on Wednesday. Since then, Israel has bombarded Lebanon's airport and main roads while Hezbollah, backed by both Syria and Iran, has launched hundreds of rockets into Israel.

Bush blamed Hezbollah's rocket attacks at Israel from its base in southern Lebanon, and the militant group's capture of the two Israeli soldiers for triggering the fierce fighting."

And thats calling it the way it is. I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for the region that declared war on Isreal, they are getting what they asked for, open war. And now that open war is upon them, I don't think they like it much.

Why is Iran on the Axis of evil? Because they support Hezbollah, and have declared that Isreal should be wiped off the map, along with well advanced nuclear ambitions.
And why is Syria on the UN security council???????????????? The abundant lack of sense in that organization is earthshattering.

Open War

"Hizbollah's chief pledged open war on Israel on Friday after it bombed his home, saying "look at it burn" when an Israeli warship that had earlier rocketed Lebanon was attacked and set ablaze.

"You wanted open war. We are going to (wage) open war," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a telephone message broadcast live on Hizbollah television after his house was hit as Israel ramped up the assault it launched after Hizbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers and killed eight."

Mr. Hassan has no idea what he's got coming. Isreal by itself has the strength to take on the region. If the US enters the brawl, then we may finally root out the terror in the region.

If Syria and Iran are not careful, the war may carry over to them. Which would be a good thing.

I'll be back!

Howdy,
leaving tommarow morning for a confrence in Corpus Christi, and I'll be back Friday. Most likely will not have internet access, so the war against ignorance will be put on hold in the interm.

Have a good week!

Terrorists arrested

Story: "Authorities have disrupted planning by foreign terrorists for an attack on New York City tunnels, two law enforcement officials said Friday.

FBI agents monitoring Internet chat rooms used by extremists learned in recent months of the plot to strike a blow at the city's economy by destroying vital transportation networks, one official said. Lebanese authorities, acting on a U.S. request, have arrested one of the alleged plotters, identified as Amir Andalousli, the other official said. "

Thats the second time in a month that our intel services have been on top of these guys before they strike. Well done, FBI.
The terrorists were planning on striking the Holland subway between New York City and New Jersy, rather then the financial district.

GA Court: Gay Marriage ruling

Story: " The Georgia Supreme Court, reversing a lower court judge's ruling, decided unanimously that the [Gay marriage] ban did not violate the state's single- subject rule for ballot measures."


Bravo. Finally, another court that defers to the legislature on an issue, rather then taking an active role in creating law.
And an excellent decsion on the gay marriage issue.

NY Court: Gay Marriage ruling

Story: "New York's highest court ruled Thursday that gay marriage is not allowed under state law.

The Court of Appeals in a 4-2 decision rejected arguments from gay and lesbian plaintiffs throughout the state that their inability to get marriage licences in New York violated their constitutional rights.

Judge Robert Smith said New York's marriage law clearly limits marriage to between a man and a woman and any change in the law should come from the state Legislature."

Bravo. Finally, a court that defers to the legislature on an issue, rather then taking an active role in creating law.
And an excellent decsion on the gay marriage issue.

On Polar Bears and the Artic

We covered the start of this epic trek in a post titled 'Greenpeace is Confused', back in the end of may. 2 guys, canoeing to the north pole to look at the polar bears. We had a fascinating discussion with Jim, a guy who worked in the Attourney Generals office in the state of Washington, and claimed to have visited both poles.

The story of the two ends this way:
"Two environmentalists became the first people to reach the North Pole by canoe and on foot in summer, in an expedition aimed at drawing attention to how global warming is threatening polar bears with extinction, the explorers said in a satellite telephone interview.

When they got there on Saturday, the Pole was covered with water.

"What really surprised us was the state of the ocean," said Lonnie Dupre, 45, a carpenter from the Midwestern state of Minnesota.

"We've seen the ocean bursting up under our feet," he said. "We expected flat, condensed ice from about 86 degrees north but when we got here the ice was completely pressured and fractured everywhere."

Ok, so they made it. Bravo. And they discovered liquid water on the pole. As for their measurments, this is how they are regarded.

"Dupre and Larsen have been collecting samples of ice and snow to help scientists measure the degree to which the ice cap is retreating. Scientists are calling these measurements the Holy Grail of global warming data because no one has ever taken accurate measurements of the Arctic ice during the summer."

Am I the only one disturbed here? We call these findings disturbing, with absolutly NO baseline, or long term analysis of the area. How do we know it hasn't always been this way? Even the satilites can't help, because the region is covered in a fog most of the time.

Now, if I am wrong, please correct me. But is not fog just a low lying cloud? And a cloud is evaporated water. So wouldn't this fog come from melting water? Hmm?

Again, the use of junk science to further a political, enviromentally driven agenda is incredible.

US Flag Waving an epidemic

Story (AFP): "It's a true epidemic: the red, white and blue, stars-and-stripes banners are everywhere in the United States - on house facades, front lawns, cars and clothes.

Hitting an high point on the July 4 US Independence Day holiday, it is a genuine phenomenon of American national pride that, inevitably, gets a good but also sometimes unwanted boost from commercial exploitation.

"It's a little strange, this obsession of the flag," French author Bernard-Henri Levy wrote after traveling across the country.

"Everywhere, in every form, flapping in the wind or on stickers, an epidemic of flags that has spread throughout the city," Levy wrote in "American Vertigo" of the riot of banners he saw.

"Old Glory," as the US flag is affectionately called, can be seen in abundance through the year in the American heartland and the South, and to a lesser extent in cities like New York and Los Angeles."

Coming from a Frenchman, this may be a compliment. A man is jealous because his country has no national pride. America does, and we are proud to be Americans. Why? Because we're free.

But what really irks me about this article is the epidemic is not just refered to by the Frenchman, but it continues on in the rest of the article.

I hope ya'll had a great Independance Day, or 4th of July, depending on where you live. I did, and the flags were waving.

The State of Fear: Leadership

Many of the problems in todays world can be traced to a lack of leadership. I believe that a very large majority are caused or eviscerated by the scarcity of leadership in the world.

It starts in the home. Courtesy of the feminist movement in the 60's and 70's, many men have lost the ability to effectively lead. As the genders became muddled, women tried to emulate men, so men began to emulate women. When this happened, the family became a mess, with no solid authoritarian structure. This led to a new generation in the 90's, a generation including myself, who look at the world, and see a vacuum of leaders.

Why do we see this vacuum? Because it exists. Very few people, in America especially, have been taught to lead, and have learned that the risks of leadership do not balance well with the rewards. In the Second of the World Wars, we had great leaders of men, who lead the charge to defeat the Nazi's and the Japs. During the Cold war, we still had remenants of that leadership, and it was personified by Ronald Reagan. But by the end of the 80's, the new generation was devoid of many leaders. In the new millennium, we are still besieged by a lack of leaders, and the assault on the ones we have.

So, what does it take to make a leader? It starts in the home, and in the way one is raised. If a child is raised with responsibility, they naturally take care of themselves and others as they age. People who are raised to take responsibility and lead rise to the situatition. In the old days, people were applauded if they succeeded, and if they failed, rather then buried in the dirt, told to learn for next time. Now days, we have very close scrutiny of every move, so when a leader trips, a pack of hyenias is there to pick up the body and turn it into a corpse of a leader. When a leader succeeds, the next line is 'what have you done for me lately?'.
This, and the assault on men in leadership by the feminist movement, has caused a state of fear for leaders, and the rewards very often times are not seen to justify the risks required by those in leadership.

Gas price high, people still travel

Story: " The roads and airports will likely be pretty crowded this weekend. AAA over 40 million people will travel over the Independence Day weekend. That's a record.

AAA spokesman Mantill Williams says more than 34 million of those holiday travelers will be going by car."

Even with the price of gas real high, people still travel. Let this be a lesson to folks who want to raise taxes on gas to slow consumption and save the enviroment: IT WON'T WORK.