Mrs. Greyhawk gives her amusing take on the GI Joe doll story.
If you don't know what I am talking about go here.

Beth at My Vast Rightwing Conspiracy is passing this on from Raven's blog.
So, since I am busy. Have fun.

A. First, recommend to me:

A movie:

A book:

A musical artist, song, or album:

B. I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.

C. Then, I want you to go to your blog, copy and paste this allowing your friends to ask you anything they want! (OK, I’m not going to insist on this part because I know this isn’t in most of my readers’ genre–hell, it isn’t even really in mine. But humor me just this once.)
See ya later tonight or tomorrow!

What the hip Jihad will be wearing this season. BA, you are too funny.

I could never quite figure out why anyone would oppose the new Social Security reform proposed by the President. He had promised those near retirement that nothing would change with them. He is giving younger workers the option of opting in or out of the new program, so it is totally voluntary. This young worker can put 4% of his now 6.2% payroll tax in private accounts. Everyone born after around 1955 does not think they will get their SS anyway. And I can tell you that I would be the first in line to get my money in a private account. There is simply no doubt that you can make more money there than in the government's program. So I kept thinking, what is the problem? And I found it in this story.

"That money is used to pay current benefits, so the government would have to make up the difference, presumably through borrowing."

Wait a minute. Why is the money currently going into the system paying benefits now? What happened to that person's build up of money that he put into the system for 50 yrs or so? Isn't that the money he should be getting? Not someone's money who is working now? Wasn't the purpose of SS to build up your own retirement account???? They took 6.2% for your whole working life and when you retired, they start paying you back what you "saved." So someone out there who is all savvy on this SS thing explain that one to me. What the hell happened to the money? Hmmm... I think I know. The government spent it. They are like a teenager. You give them $20, they spend every last dime. Then they borrow from their friends and come back to you and ask for more.

The mere fact that the government is having to use money going into the system now ( the money you and I are putting into it for our supposed retirement account ) to pay for the benefits going out presently is proof positive that the government has no business doing this. It cannot be trusted not to spend every last dime we give it and more.

Lt. Gen. James Mattis, a career infantry officer now in charge of developing ways to better train and equip Marines made these comments Tuesday while speaking at a forum in San Diego. According to an audio recording, Mattis had said, "Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. ... It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling."
He added, "You go into Afghanistan , you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them."

The AP story titles this "Marine General Counseled Over Comments." The rest of the story is all apology and remorse...ect... via Yahoo News

What do you think?

Update: Here is Citizen Smash's take on it.

Today on C-span I watched Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz before a congressional hearing on the Iraqi elections. He had downloaded pictures from the internet and packaged them for the committee members to see of Iraqis voting, crying, and dancing in the streets. He spoke specifically of two Iraqi policemen who gave their lives saving others from suicide bombers. I was amazed and touched that his voice shook a bit as he described their sacrifice.

I was also amazed to hear him speak of the Iraqi bloggers. He quoted specifically from The Mesopotamian on election day. I went to read his site tonight and he was writing about the brave Iraqi policemen who gave their lives. But it went even further than that:

" At one station there was a suicide attack and several people fell; when people of the neighborhood heard of this, the waiting line suddenly swelled to three times in size; people rushed out of their homes and came running to wait in line; it was their way to express their defiance and anger at this crime. The examples of bravery and courage are too numerous to recount. People took courage from each other, as people came out others watched and did not want to be left out. It was something incredible to watch. Yes this was a historic day, a day to remember until our dying day. With one stroke, in a single day, the silent majority spoke and answered all the pundits and doubters, and those who spoke on their behalf. Yet we have been telling you this all along; we have been telling you ever since this blogging movement started. Do you now see that we were not representing minority views, that we were not some CIA agents trying to make propaganda?
I find it difficult right know to write coherently; I just want to convey to you some of the tremendous feelings overwhelming my soul now."

Two things here. One, the fact that the people ran out and made the lines longer in defiance just...well, it just kicks ass. The second thing is that he has obviously been bombarded by the left describing him as a propaganda machine. The sincerity in the next line leaves no doubt. Please, go and read his blog. It may overwhelm your soul as well.

My blogging maybe spotty for the next few weeks. I have 2 kids doing some pretty intense competition things and I am all into that. Honestly I do not see how working moms do it. I give them tons of credit. I am also busy getting scholarship stuff in for my Senior. It is crazy how they all want different things and the school will not allow you to take a certified copy of his transcripts, so everytime I get one or two ready I have to go to the school with all the stuff and pay for the transcript and they have to mail it. So I have to trust that they will do it in time!! And not lose it. His senior class has ONLY 721 students! It is so frustrating! I will tell you more about the other competitions later (if your interested at all) .

But as you all know, I get pretty passionate about some things and if something comes up, then I will be typing away at midnight. I am looking forward to the Presidents State Of The Union Address. He has alot to be proud of, but I'm betting there won't be too much bragging and what there is, his speech makers probably insisted. He is a humble man.

I just finished reading Karen Hughe's "Ten Minutes From Normal." An excellent book and if you really want to understand what kind of man Bush is just read the 9-11 chapter. Karen is very good at not getting too mushy or emotional. But 3 things stood out for me in this chapter other than what you know will be riveting. The first thing was about the morning of 9-11. I knew as soon as the 2nd plane hit that we were being attacked. I had called everyone in my family and my friends and my mom had asked me why I was so upset. "It is going to be ok." she said. "No, Mom..it is not going to be ok." I just knew that. But I called my best friend because she knows me so well and I told her that the thing that was frightening me the most was that the press had no idea where the President's plane was. I knew that information shouldn't be on the news of course, but I told my friend, "I will not be OK until I know where he is." Well it turns out that Karen Hughes was at home that day. After it was known what was going on she had talked to Ari briefly and told to get to the White House. On the way there she asked the operator to get her Air Force One. The operator said, "I'm sorry, We are unable to contact Air Force One." Karen said in all the time she had spent on that plane and seen the President make calls all over the world, and called the plane herself, never had she not been able to get through, unable to contact. She said that was the most afraid she had been that day. I can tell you that I am glad I didn't know that. I figured the press was being kept out of the loop for the obvious reasons, but if they had reported that his most personal adviser could not contact him I would have freaked. I was just so afraid that one or more planes were going to hit Air Force One. Thank God that didn't happen.

Anyway, the 2nd thing that struck me was that a few days after 9-11 there was another warning and security was evacuating the White House. Karen asked the President if they were leaving. He said, "I'm not letting them force me out of the White House." Everyone agreed to let non essential personnel go home and then the President turned to his Secret Service detail and said, "I'm not leaving," he told them tersely, "if a plane hits us, I'll just die. And Ferdi, I'm hungry," turning to his the mess steward. "I'll have a hamburger."

Reading this I thought this is exactly the kind of man I wanted in the White House. Unafraid. Unwillingly to give the terrorists even a little satisfaction in thinking they could scare or intimidate him.

I encourage you on the left to go to a local Barnes and Noble and just pick up the book and read the 9-11 chapter there in one of those comfy seats. You don't have to buy the book. But just so you can see from a personal view how this President handled this MAJOR crisis. I think you will be impressed.

The final thing that struck me is the unabashed faith of Karen. She relys on her faith and does not back away from writing about it. A few days after 9-11 the President called her and told her to be on call for a meeting the next day. The next day was Sunday, so Karen got up early and went to early Church so she wouldn't have to miss Church for the call (here that usually means about 7:00am). And guess who was already sitting there? Condi Rice. Here are the two most influential women in the President's life and knew they needed to be on call that day, so they get up early to make it to Church. Most of us will miss Church for a football game, not to mention a call from the President. But these two women knew where they gained their strength. They had their priorities straight.

One more final note, now that I think of it. Karen also describes her difficult decision to leave the White House and return to Texas. Here is a woman with a job thousands dream of. She loved it. But her son was unhappy and about to start High School. She knew he wanted to be back in Texas with his friends. Although he didn't complain. Her husband too, wanted to go back to Texas but both understood the importance of her job and encouraged her the whole way. But that still small voice that we of faith listen for, told her that her place was home in Texas. That it was important to spend more time with her son in his last few years at home. So, to the surprise of just about everyone, she went home. I admire her for that. I admire her for putting her family above her career. After reading her book, I admire her for everything that she is. A strong woman of faith, smart and determined to do what it is right.

Well, this is scary. Diggers Realm with a hat tip to HyScience says the border patrol found "a jacket with a patch depicting a plane flying towards a skyscraper with the words "Midnight Mission" and an arabic patch was found along the Texas-Mexico border back in December. Just more evidence of OTM's (Other Than Mexicans) crossing our southern border at will."

Read the WND article on it here. (Digger and WND have pics)

Since I live not too far from the Mexican border and in the same city as the Senior Bush, this makes me a tad bit nervous. I am for the guest worker program for reasons I have stated here earlier, but we do really need to get more serious about our border control here in the south.



The Washington Post.com has this: h/t Diggers Realm

"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's interior minister said Monday that insurgents used a handicapped child as one of the suicide bombers who launched attacks on election day.
Falah al-Naqib told reporters in Baghdad that 38 attacks were carried out on polling stations in Iraq on Sunday and that one of the suicide bombings was carried out by a disabled child."

The article went on to say:

"..... police at the scene of one the Baghdad blasts said the bomber appeared to have Down's Syndrome."


Yesterday I was in the car with my 16 yr old daughter and when I told her about that story on the radio, I thought I might have to pull over to calm her down. She has been aware of the beheadings and the bombings, but to her, using a child was just horror beyond what she could imagine. She said "Mom, we have to kill these people, we have too!! They are monsters. They are not human." I told her Bush was doing the best he could to get them. She said, "Thank God he won the election, no one seems to understand the evil we are dealing with here. Mom, this is Hilter like isn't it?" I told her, yes it was, but we have thrown around the term "Hilter" so much in this country that it has come to mean nothing but a biting insult. It is time for us to realize that these guys are worse than Hitler like. They hate and want to destroy, not just certain groups of people, but ALL those who disagree.

Then today I find out that the child they used was a Down Syndrome child. I am afraid to even tell my daughter. It would upset her for days. We have worked with down sydrome children, and sweeter souls on this earth you just cannot find. They are loving and trusting. Using that innocence to talk a child into this kind of horror and destruction is the worst kind of EVIL.

We keep using that word, but what other word can we use to describe this???? If there were a worse description I would use it. Good God! People can moan and groan about this war and about the future of the middle east, but I think it is painfully clear that these terrorists must be sent to their death no matter what it takes. (And what a surprise awaits them there)

You can say Iraq wasn't the way to go, fine. But these guys were there in the middle east, and it is clear they are in Iraq now. I don't care which country we had to go to get these guys, this is the most necessary thing we will do in this generation. And if we have to go into Syria or othere places then we will! Let me be the first to say it! We cannot let these mutants hide! That is IT! I am sick of whining. THEY USED AN INNOCENT MENTALLY DISABLED CHILD. It doesn't get ANY worse than that. I say we do whatever it takes, go wherever we have to.

And whether you were appalled or not about what Ann Coulter said about converting those in the middle east to Christianity, you might want to think about the fact that we don't teach in our faith to kill and mutilate! And it is a freely chosen faith. It cannot be forced on anyone by it's very nature.

There seems to be a great spiritual need in the middle east and we have just let Islam grow like a quick growing vine. I say Ann is right. A little missionary work wouldn't hurt. Any religion would be better than this. It doesn't even have to be Christianity. Spread Buddhism! At least one of peace!

I am so angry about this child I can hardly type.

After surfing the net today, I think our culture is just wierd.


Several hundred fans greet Michael Jackson as he arrives for jury selection for his child molestation trial.

A celebrity makeup artist has filed a $25 million lawsuit against rapper Snoop Dogg, alleging he and several men in his entourage drugged and raped her two years ago.

Paris Hilton has published a memoir, "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose," launched a jewelry collection and opened a nightclub in downtown Orlando.

Salem College, the small liberal arts school for women in Winston-Salem, N.C., recently offered a four-week course titled "Happy Girl/Broken Wing: Martina McBride as Text."

Portia De Rossi has given lover Ellen DeGeneres a Tiffany wedding band.

An auction house in Michigan this weekend had public bidding for Ku Klux Klan paraphernalia in a town once home to the Klan's grand dragon.

Click here for Suicide Bomber Barbie.

Am I right?

Fox News just announced that Hillary Clinton fainted at a speech and was taken to the hospital. We may all differ in what we believe but we are still called to care for one another. Take time to say a prayer for her.

Update: Fox is reporting that she was not taken to the hospital, but treated by medical personnel at the scene. It seems it may have just been dehydration from a stomach bug.

One of the advantages of going to elaborate gala's, other than dressing up real pretty, is being able to hear amazing speakers and getting to meet them. Saturday night we went to The Annual Wildcatter's Ball. The Speaker was James Baker, former Reagan Chief of Staff, Bush Senior's Sec. Of State, and later Bush Senior's Chief of Staff as well. These are just a few things he has accomplished. Here is his full biography. I know he took a lot of heat during the Reagan years, but what I remember most about him is his strength and dignity during the 2000 election mess. After the dinner I got to meet him and tell him how much I appreciated that.

I also asked him if he had heard of the political bloggers. He said he had. I told him that I was one and that there were many very good ones if he wanted to check them out to come to my website and click on the links. He asked what my blogger name was and wrote it down, so if we see a "JamesB" commenting on here, would that be too cool, or what?

The one thing he spoke of during his speech is not mentioned in his biography. He made his money by being an original "wildcatter." Which is someone who takes a chance on his own to find oil. He drilled 2 wells at his ranch and got lucky. And that is basically about all it was back then. Luck.

I have noticed on other sites when liberals argue, they put down the oil industry or accuse Bush of really only being interested in oil in the middle east. First and foremost it is important to know that the free flow of oil from Iraq might be good for the world, but the oil industry in the U.S. does not benefit from it. It brings the price of oil down. We would rather find oil here anyway. If oil is Bush's real agenda, he wouldn't have the Texas oil industry behind him on it, that is for sure.

Everytime you fill up your car, or heat your home on a bitter cold day, you should thank the oil industry. It seems to get a bad rap, but the people in it are the best people. From Engineers to Geologists, they work hard and go through more layoffs and then hiring back than just about any industry I know. It seems every time I got pregnant (4 times) our company would announce a layoff. We got lucky and that never happened to us.

Anyway, one of the great things about living in Texas and getting to go to some of the events is meeting some of the people I admire the most. I once even told Democratic Senator John Breaux from Louisiana why he didn't come over from the dark side. He answered "It's too late now for me, honey."

I asked Ken Starr what was the worst thing about the whole Clinton/Lewinsky mess. He said "The whole thing."

I asked Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey why he was leaving. He said "Those people there (Washington D.C.) are not normal." Heh.

I am not trying to name drop here. I have just been lucky to live in Texas where a lot of great politicians come from. And I am one of those who just go and introduce myself. I am not shy.

So before you get the idea that I actually have some kind of real life, these events only happen about twice a year. There were many times I had the opportunity to get more involved in the political process here, but I had these babies and I just couldn't leave them for any amount of time. I campaigned for Jack Kemp when he was running for the Republican nominee for President in '88 and I had just one little baby boy then and I knew I just couldn't get up every morning and kiss that little guy goodbye. So when I was done with that, I stopped the active campaigning. I just gave money after that. And I of course talked anyone who would listen to me into voting Republican. I did stay involved in pro-life activism, but not surprisingly, they don't care if you drag your babies along with you.

So, I think I will go turn up the heat. It's COLD today....;-)

My 12 yr old wrote this poem for school and I thought it might be appropriate for today:


Through this war's violence

We need guidance

Best to cast away our wrath

We need peace

In our anger, release

We will find a path

Believe the Faith

And you'll be safe

from war

Follow the Lord

V is for Victory! via SondaK (via David B via Iraq the Model) VIA DOESN'T THIS JUST ROCK!?

These two quotes taken from 2 Iraqi blogs and I got them from Beautiful Atrocities. These lines just got to me.

From Free Iraqi-"Tomorrow my heart will race my hand to the box."

Is that beautiful or WHAT?

From Sun of Iraqi- "Do you know what I will do? I will buy new clothes & I will put the flowers around my neck to meet the democracy it is like my missing sweetheart whom I looking for her in my dreams."

Democracy is like the sweetheart in his dreams. That made me cry.

Today it looks like freedom to me.

DEMOCRACY ROCKS IN IRAQ!

And from the looks of the way they dance, that is one thing thing they have a much longer way to go on than to learn democracy.

But, hey, Thank God they dance.