this is one way to discourage smoking. Let me know if it works for you.
via boing boing.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Well, I suppose....
Some Updates:
Regarding the news ticker and Castro story, Castro is now building a large wall (construction shown here) to hide the freedom promoting messages on a news ticker operated by the US Interests Section in Havana.
NRO
has this on Kerry's continued dedication to unlimted abortion:
"On the Senate floor a few minutes ago, John Kerry, back from Davos and gunning for Left-wing money, referred to Stenberg v. Carhart, explaining that the Court did an important thing striking down a Nebraska law that banned partial-birth-abortion, because the Court by doing so protected women's health. Put aside constitutional law and Judge Alito for the moment, because, honestly, that's what the Dems do anyway--none of this filibuster-talk nonsense is about either one--John Kerry certainly sounded proud that a ban on partial-birth-abortion (click here--WARNING--for a visual) was aborted by the Court. Because that's who he aligns himself with--people who think that was, in fact, a good thing. Yeah, he'll never be president. But he could have been."
Supply Side Works.
And if you don't believe me Ace has the reader's digest version:
Capital-Gains Rate Cuts Paid For Themselves
The estimate: a $26 billion shortfall.
The reality: a $27 billion windfall
Or...you can read about the details here.
Excuse me...
But isn't this kinda big news? I mean enough to maybe get a mention here.
Iraqi tribes in Anbar arrest 270 Arab and foreign al-Qaeda members!
From Dar al-Hayat (Arabic):The Anbar tribes’ campaign to rid the province of Zarqawi’s terror organization, al-Qaeda in Iraq is in its 2nd day and so far, 270 Arab and foreign intruders have been arrested. |
Say What???
I saw a commercial today on Comedy Central about condoms that said 50,000 people a day in the U.S. get a STD. Could that be true???
What kind of skanks are we?????????????
John Kerry's plea for Alito filibuster.
privacy=abortion.
Just say what you mean.
Alito is obviously a radical! I mean in addition to not supporting a woman's unlimited access to abortion he will take this country backward by.... by....well, by....TAKING A WOMAN'S UNLIMITED ACCESS TO ABORTION AWAY!. WHAT ELSE REALLY MATTERS?????????
Mitt Romney has a sense of humor....
and if he runs in '08, he's gonna need it.
From a Washington Post piece on a Mitt Romney lunch with reporters in D.C. yesterday:
Toward the end he was asked about 2008, Iraq, and the possibility that he and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) might end up as rivals. "Do you fantasize about that?" he was asked.
"Not about that, no," he replied to laughter. Referring to his wife, he said: "I told Ann that I was coming here to speak to you today, and I said 'Sweetheart, in your wildest dreams, did you ever see me coming here and speaking to this group?' and she said 'Mitt, you weren't in my wildest dreams.' " That sounded like a line GOP audiences are likely to hear repeatedly over the next few years.
via NRO
Iraq's WMD Secreted in Syria, Sada Says
The New York Sun has this:
"The man who served as the no. 2 official in Saddam Hussein's air force says Iraq moved weapons of mass destruction into Syria before the war by loading the weapons into civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed."
This has been widely speculated in the blogosphere forever. But who listens to us?Well, I know one thing. The left aint gonna listen to this guy. I figure if we went into Syria and found the WMD with Saddam's name printed on it with directions on how to safely deliver it to Al Quaeda and we showed the world, the left would say that Bush planted it there.
When "Bush Lied" is your only campaign slogan, you can't let it go.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
I stole this from Jeff at PW. He is the only one I know who can make something funny out of something that is decidedly not. Heh.
Speaking of iIlegal immigration...
Mexico will suspend its plan to distribute maps to migrants wanting to cross the U.S. border illegally, but an official said Thursday the decision was not made because of American pressure. Miguel Angel Paredes, spokesman for the federal Human Rights Commission, said the decision was made because human rights officials in border states expressed concern that the maps would show anti-immigrant groups where migrants likely would gather. On Wednesday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the United States opposed the plan "in the strongest terms."
That's right. Stop giving out the maps in case we use it to catch them ! Because we certainly wouldn't want to do that! Oh no!
via IowaVoice
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
It's like this...
Joel Stein writes a column saying he doesn't support our troops. Then Hugh Hewitt kicks his ass in an interview. Here is part of the kicking:
HH: All right. Now who is your...this is a column about the troops that begins, "I don't support our troops." We'll get to the specifics in a second. But who is your closest family member or friend who is on active duty?
JS: That's an excellent question. I wouldn't say I have a very close friend. I would say only acquaintances. No family at all.
HH: Who are your acquaintances?
JS: There was a guy who works at Time, that's where I worked last, who quit to serve in the military.
HH: What's his name?
JS: (pause) You know, I'm blanking on his name. But your point is well taken that I don't have many people that I even know who are in the military.
That is what we call...BUSTED.
Let's just to go over a few things in his column:
"The real purpose of those ribbons is to ease some of the guilt we feel for voting to send them to war and then making absolutely no sacrifices other than enduring two Wolf Blitzer shows a day. Though there should be a ribbon for that."
Actually part of the proceeds from the ribbons go to the troops and I can't tell you how many cars I see every day here that have the ribbons right above their symbols for the marine corp, or the army ect. Who do you think buys the most ribbons??? Those who have a loved one serving of course. He would know that if he actually knew anyone serving.
"But blaming the president is a little too easy. The truth is that people who pull triggers are ultimately responsible, whether they're following orders or not. An army of people making individual moral choices may be inefficient, but an army of people ignoring their morality is horrifying."
I suppose it never occurs to him that they are serving specifically FOR their morality. That they see fighting a war against terrorists as a VERY MORAL ENDEAVOR. They are not ignoring their morality, THEY ARE FOLLOWING IT.
But Stein disregards any notion that the troops are smart enough to even know what is moral It seems:
"I do sympathize with people who joined up to protect our country, especially after 9/11, and were tricked into fighting in Iraq. I get mad when I'm tricked into clicking on a pop-up ad, so I can only imagine how they feel."
They were "tricked," you see. And even with them knowing all that Joel Stein knows about the war and Saddam and terrorists, why even BEING THERE AND SEEING FOR THEMSELVES the fight we face, they still remain in the dark about why they are fighting. Those poor clueless soldiers. Too bad they can't be as smart as some guy who "did well in school" and writes for the La Times.
via Glenn
You have to read this...
Babalu Blog has a story about Castro that will make you smile. (Except for the part on the update regarding NBC news) Castro calls us "cockroaches." Man, my feelings are hurt, how about you?
Update: In case your wondering who is responsible for the ticker in the above story, Val says it is Michael Parmly, new Chief of the US Interests Section in Havana in the State Department. So freakin awesome. I love it.
I keep wondering if some people will EVER go away. Castro, Madonna, Barbra Streisand, and Ted Kennedy. It seems I have had to listen their crap FOREVER.
Btw, if you care about Cuban dissidents and all things Cuban you need to be reading Babalu Blog.
via Deans World
Did you know....
that the Defense Department is the largest single charitable organization in the world?
Neither did I.
If you want to take a look at the many stories detailing the good our military is doing around the world, check out Camp Katrina. He has them all.
Venezuela pays for Cindy Sheehan to come protest.
And apparently Chavez got his money's worth:
CARACAS (AFP) - Anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan, mother of a US soldier killed in
Iraq joined more than 10,000 anti-globalization activists in Caracas, where she hailed Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez.
"I admire him for his resolve against my government and its meddling," said Sheehan, who gained notoriety when she camped outside US President George W. Bush's ranch last year to protest the Iraq war. She said she hoped to meet Chavez later in the week.
What is there to say? Ugh.
The illegal alien problem.
SIERRA BLANCA, TEXAS) -- Local lawmen in remote west Texas came face to face with ten armed men wearing what appeared to be Mexican army camouflage uniforms who came to the aid of one of three suspected drug dealers' vehicles when it became stuck in the riverbank of the Rio Grande, law enforcement officials said today.
The Mexican govt. is denying that these people were not in the Mexican military and I doubt they were. I haven't written much on the border situation because I really have mixed feelings about it. I do believe that the guest worker program is a good idea. Millions are here illegally and they must be dealt with. Finding and deporting them is just physically impossible. But along with the worker program there must be a stronger presence at the border.
The reason I have mixed feelings is because of my personal experience with illegals. They are the hardest working people that I have ever seen. There is no doubt that they do jobs that no American wants to do. In the summer here I see them sweltering on a roof in 100 degree weather. My son worked at large garden nursery when he was 15. Everyone that worked with him was an illegal. One of their jobs was wading through a swamp and scooping up the scum on top with a net. Anyway, I asked the manager about them. He said they had papers but he doubted they were real. I actually snuck a look at some payroll stuff while I was in the office alone and he was paying them above minimum wage, which was a relief to me. If he had been paying them less I would have had to talk to him. (he was a friend) Please don't tell me that I should have called the police. Who would win there? Everyone would lose. I'm not going to take these men away from their families and the only real money they have ever made. If that was wrong, then I have to live it.
I had a woman who worked for me for 11 years named Pat. During that time I helped her get her citizenship. If I had any job that needed to be done whether it was moving something or digging up a tree or taking down a swingset, all I had to do was ask her and one of her relatives was there the next day to do it. I just always admired their work ethic. So I do have sympathy for those who cross over for a better life. Pat had to work in bean fields when she was a child. They had nothing. She told me she never believed or imagined that one day she would own a car or a house, but she now owned both with her husband and three girls.
Although the above story did happen in Texas, I think it is worse in other places. I have an Aunt that lives in Arizona. It seems the situation there is more out of control. Especially with medical services being free. Hospitals have closed because of it. The lands near the border have become pathways for drug dealers, those who deal in taking people across the border who do not care about their safety. It has become a dangerous situation. So much so the people have taken the law into their own hands to monitor the border themselves.
There is no doubt that we need a stronger border protection. There is no doubt that our government is not doing enough about it for political reasons. I'm just not sure we should direct our anger at the illegals. They don't know or care about our politics, they don't look at what they are doing as illegal. Most of them are only look at having a better life. The worker guest program allows us to know who his here now and get them on the road to citizenship if that is what they desire. It will stop the abuse in wages from employers and illegals will not be afraid of being deported. But along with that, we must STOP those crossing the border NOW. That situation must be brought under control and it's time for our government to seriously do something about it.
Update: Patrick alerted me to this article with some more information on the incident.
Also Interesting video from MSNBC with reporter Sara A. Carter
regarding this kind of thing too.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Unacceptable.
Deborah Howell wrote a column recently praising the Post for breaking the Abramoff scandal. Although she clearly pointed out the main characters in the scandal and they were Republicans she also pointed out that money was given to Democrats as well. She explains:
But there is no doubt about the campaign contributions that were directed to lawmakers of both parties. Records from the Federal Election Commission and the Center for Public Integrity show that Abramoff's Indian clients contributed money to 195 Republicans and 88 Democrats between 1999 and 2004.
Well, she got BLASTED by the Democrats for implying that it was anything but a Republican scandal. They had to shut down the web site because of the flood e-mails. But this is what is unacceptable to me. Howell on her e-mails:
But it is profoundly distressing if political discourse has sunk to a level where abusive name-calling and the crudest of sexual language are the norm, where facts have no place in an argument. This unbounded, unreasoning rage is not going to help this newspaper, this country or democracy.
I couldn't agree more. What is wrong with these people????? I know that many are hanging on to the hope that the Abramhoff scandal will help them win the '06 elections, but is this kind of crude behavior necessary???
For God's sake, let us disagree in a civil manner.
I know Republicans are just as guilty on some sites I have seen. But I don't remember hearing about Republicans e-mailing a journalist in a way that would be so abusive that they shut down a site and she had to write about it.
We sit behind a computer and think we can say anything. Manners just fly out the window. I doubt any of those e-mailers would say the same to her face. At least I hope not. Shame on them. Shame.
If you must...
hear more about NSA, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales participated in a debate at Georgetown University's law school about it and Powerline has it.
Kanye West poses as Jesus....
On the Rolling Stone cover. Whatever.
Oh yeah, he talks about being addicted to porn. Lovely.
In good news, the show The Book of Daniel, about a dysfuntional Christian family, has been cancelled by NBC.
I wasn't worried. Remember the show a few years ago about that young priest who all against the Church he was serving? That didnt' last long either. These kinds of shows never last. They are just hollywood's twisted version of faith.
via NRO
The song I like now.
I love all kinds of music, but country music is my favorite. I never watched American Idol, but this Carrie Underwood can SING. I love this song so much! Take a listen and watch the video!
Jesus Take The Wheel
Bush talks about NSA international surveillance program.
Powerline has this from the President's Kansas State speech yesterday: (emphasis mine)
I made the decision to do the following things because there's an enemy that still wants to harm the American people. What I'm talking about is the intercept of certain communications emanating between somebody inside the United States and outside the United States; and one of the numbers would be reasonably suspected to be an al Qaeda link or affiliate. In other words, we have ways to determine whether or not someone can be an al Qaeda affiliate or al Qaeda. And if they're making a phone call in the United States, it seems like to me we want to know why.
This is a -- I repeat to you, even though you hear words, "domestic spying," these are not phone calls within the United States. It's a phone call of an al Qaeda, known al Qaeda suspect, making a phone call into the United States. I'm mindful of your civil liberties, and so I had all kinds of lawyers review the process. We briefed members of the United States Congress, one of whom was Senator Pat Roberts, about this program. You know, it's amazing, when people say to me, well, he was just breaking the law -- if I wanted to break the law, why was I briefing Congress? (Laughter and applause.)
Hmm, good point. Bush continued:
Federal courts have consistently ruled that a President has authority under the Constitution to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance against our enemies. Predecessors of mine have used that same constitutional authority.
As I keep saying, the President's constitutional power is the key point.
Recently there was a Supreme Court case called the Hamdi case. It ruled the authorization for the use of military force passed by the Congress in 2001 -- in other words, Congress passed this piece of legislation. And the Court ruled, the Supreme Court ruled that it gave the President additional authority to use what it called "the fundamental incidents of waging war" against al Qaeda.
I'm not a lawyer, but I can tell you what it means. It means Congress gave me the authority to use necessary force to protect the American people, but it didn't prescribe the tactics. It's an -- you've got the power to protect us, but we're not going to tell you how. And one of the ways to protect the American people is to understand the intentions of the enemy. I told you it's a different kind of war with a different kind of enemy. If they're making phone calls into the United States, we need to know why -- to protect you. (Applause.)
The left has a different view of course. I keep hearing (and heard even a minute ago on the news) from Democratic Senators that "Americans" are being wiretapped. Never mentioning the Al Quaeda link. Do they think the American people won't get that part? That they won't see the difference? It's absurd.
I think all that could be said about this issue has been said. We shall see how the American public sees it and if hearings can quiet the left.
It's not just about fighting.
Children jump on two new spring toys before their installation at the orphanage in Kirkuk. SGT Doyle constructed these from old HMMWV parts during his spare time and other unit soldiers painted them
Soldiers of 3/7 Cav, 2nd BDE, of the 3rd Infantry Division conduct a MEDCAP mission in Salman Pak. MEDCAPS are conducted to give the local populace mediical care. Pic: SPC David Kobi 
U.S. Army Soldiers from the 528th Medical Detachment, Combat Stress Control, perform occupational therapy with local Iraqi children at Camp Echo. The Soldiers are giving occupational therapy to local children with neurological injuries as a community service in addition to their main mission. Pic: Senior Airman Patrick J. Dixon, U.S. Air Force.
via Iraqi pictures.
Our sons serve.
Sen. Christopher Bond (R) of Missouri greets his son, U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Samuel R. Bond, at Landing Zone East on Camp Fallujah. Bond is assigned to II Marine Expeditionary Force. Pic: Lance Cpl. Michael J. O'Brien, U.S. Marine Corps.
I have many leftwing commenters who have complained how Congressmen don't have their sons serving in the war. Maybe this will make them feel better.
NYC Blogger Chicks..
do a fashion shoot for Fashion Week Daily. In what else? In nighties and heels.
My favorite talk show host...
Glenn Beck will start hosting a CNN show in April. This guy is the funniest guy on radio. I LOVE him. We shall see if he can translate that into T.V. If you haven't heard him, you have got to check him out.
Monday, January 23, 2006
A rising GOP star...
Ken Blackwell.
"Ken Blackwell stands at a pivotal point in American politics. He’s taken an early lead in the race for governor of a state that was key to reelecting George W. Bush and that may well be even more crucial in picking the next American president. Moreover, Blackwell has built his early lead not by tacking toward the center of this swing state but by running on an uncompromisingly conservative platform that’s won him grassroots support from both Christian groups and taxpayer organizations"
Read his whole background. He is just the kind of person we want leading in our party.
Stuff for Monday.
I knew something was up with this 16 yr old that traveled to Baghdad. A commenter even said something at the time. I guess the news is just now getting it together.
Redstate gives us the whole picture on the Chris Matthews stir up:
In case you missed it (and for your sake, I hope that you did, because that means you've been avoiding some unsavory locations on the web), there was quite a controversy last week in the left blogosphere when Chris Matthews said this about Osama bin Laden on Hardball:
Matthews: "I mean he sounds like an over the top Michael Moore here, if not a Michael Moore."
You can see the lefties (who will all tell you, with a straight face, that Michael Moore does not represent them) get outraged (outraged, I say!) here and here and here. The uproar was so great that 2004 Democrat Presidential nominee John Kerry stepped in to defend Michael Moore (please remember that Michael Moore does not represent the modern Democrat party, and no one is saying that he does).
Bad news for Michael Moore's many defenders: Chris Matthews was not the first person to compare Osama's rhetoric to Michael Moore's. It turns out that Michael Moore beat him to the punch. From Michael Moore's website message for 11/1/04 (Election Day Eve):
"I know it’s gotta be rough for you right now. Hey, we’ve all been there. “You’re fired” are two horrible words when put together in that order. Bin Laden surfacing this weekend to remind the American people of your total and complete failure to capture him was a cruel trick or treat. But there he was. 3,000 people were killed and he’s laughing in your face. Why did you stop our Special Forces from going after him? Why did you forget about bin Laden on the DAY AFTER 9/11 and tell your terrorism czar to concentrate on Iraq instead?
There he was, OBL, all tan and rested and on videotape (hey, did you get the feeling that he had a bootleg of my movie? Are there DVD players in those caves in Afghanistan?) "
As Mark Coffey says, I think it's about time Michael Moore apologizes to himself. It makes a lot more sense than demanding that Chris Matthews apologize for saying the exact same thing about Michael Moore that he said about himself (let's be honest, bragged about himself) just over a year ago.
UPDATE: More lefty outrage! Michael Moore's clever and witty response! More here and here - I could go on and on - they are planning one of their ridiculous "flood their email inboxes and voicemail with profanity" campaings as we speak, I'm sure... all over something Michael Moore himself bragged about. Priceless.
And if you think that is a sad commentary on the Democratic Party, Powerline has this:
John Kerry is posting on the Daily Kos. Keep that in mind next time someone tells you that the Kos Kidz are just a bunch of unemployed teenagers, and not the heart and soul of the Democratic Party.
So, to cheer you up after all that depressing news, Here is the Political Teen with the video of SNL making fun of the trio of the camera hogs and pandering fools; Jesse Jackson, Hillary Clinton, and Ray Nagin. It is hilarious! Trust me. via Michelle
Sunday, January 22, 2006
National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
President Bush's Proclamation.
Here is an excerpt:
National Sanctity of Human Life Day is an opportunity to strengthen our resolve in creating a society where every life has meaning and our most vulnerable members are protected and defended including unborn children, the sick and dying, and persons with disabilities and birth defects. This is an ideal that appeals to the noblest and most generous instincts within us, and this is the America we will achieve by working together.
Today marks the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This issue is never going away and it will continue to divide us as long as we as a society do not recognize the fact that Roe was decided on lies and more lies.
And as long as we deny the Heartbreak and grief of women who never really had a "choice" at all. And as long as we dont acknowledge the greatest horror of all.
When the most innocent and vunerable of us are not protected, it diminishes us as a people and convinces us that life has varying degrees of value.
The value of each and every life is not determined by how we feel about it.
You all know how I feel about this and how I came to be so passionate about it.
Say a prayer today if you can, for an end to the 4000 abortions a day in this country.
Charmaine has a post up about Blogs for Life and the Washington annual pro-life march.
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