The SmarterCop - New!

BRING ME - THE COMFY CHAIR!

2009-09-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

The folks over at The Corner grab a relevant quote from Speaker Pelosi:

"An Iran with nuclear weapons is simply unacceptable. It is a threat to the region, to the United States, and to our allies across the globe. Iran must take the necessary steps to demonstrate its willingness to live as a peaceful partner in the international community. And we must use the tools at our disposal — from diplomacy to sanctions — to stop Iran's march toward nuclear capability."

Can you imagine what Iran's saying now?

"OMG! Sanctions! Anything but SANCTIONS!"

Um, earth to Nancy? Sanctions haven't stopped anything since the Tehran Hostage Crisis. Why would they work now? Our emasculation is complete.

SECOND NUKE PLANT FOR IRAN?

2009-09-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

Obama knew this!

And what has he done about it?
What now? Are we still going to threaten to shoot down Israeli planes?
I'm seething.

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE DIPLOMACY

2009-09-23T08:02:00.001-07:00

Obama gives his UN speech.

Saying the United States will work with Russia to reduce its strategic warheads through an update of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, Obama pledged to move to ratify the Test Ban Treaty, work with others so that "nuclear testing is permanently prohibited." begin negotiations in January on a treaty to end fissile material production and host a summit in April that reaffirms each nation's responsibility to secure nuclear material on its territory.

"Those nations that refuse to live up to their obligations must face consequences. This is not about singling out individual nations -- it is about standing up for the rights of all nations that do live up to their responsibilities," he said, then adding "the governments of North Korea and Iran threaten to take us down this dangerous slope."

"I am committed to diplomacy that opens a path to greater prosperity and a more secure peace for both nations if they live up to their obligations. ... But if the governments of Iran and North Korea choose to ignore international standards ... then they must be held accountable."

OK let me see if I have this. WE start disarming, and if people decide to disarm, then we threaten them with.... what? Singling them out? Pointing the finger?

PAUL, PAUL, HOW WRONG YOU ARE

2009-06-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

It's just so like the liberal talking heads to try to pin us to some wacked-out neonazi going on a killing rampage at the Holocaust museum. And it's not like they stop there, as explicitly demonstrated by Paul Krugman this morning:

Back in April, there was a huge fuss over an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security warning that current conditions resemble those in the early 1990s — a time marked by an upsurge of right-wing extremism that culminated in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Conservatives were outraged. The chairman of the Republican National Committee denounced the report as an attempt to “segment out conservatives in this country who have a different philosophy or view from this administration” and label them as terrorists.

But with the murder of Dr. George Tiller by an anti-abortion fanatic, closely followed by a shooting by a white supremacist at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the analysis looks prescient.

Paul's beginning to rev the engine of rhetoric, and I'm ready now for him to try to connect these two dots. Are you?

There is, however, one important thing that the D.H.S. report didn’t say: Today, as in the early years of the Clinton administration but to an even greater extent, right-wing extremism is being systematically fed by the conservative media and political establishment.

Now, for the most part, the likes of Fox News and the R.N.C. haven’t directly incited violence, despite Bill O’Reilly’s declarations that “some” called Dr. Tiller “Tiller the Baby Killer,” that he had “blood on his hands,” and that he was a “guy operating a death mill.” But they have gone out of their way to provide a platform for conspiracy theories and apocalyptic rhetoric, just as they did the last time a Democrat held the White House.

Gasp! Shock and awe! Good Lord, are we conservatives raving lunatics or what?!
Really, Paul, get a grip. I don't think it was even a year ago that the buffoons in liberal society were taking the same kind of shots, though I dare say in far worse taste, than the few opinioneers we have.

Sandra Bernhard, for instance, said "The real terrorist threats are George W. Bush and his band of brown-shirted thugs."
Danny Glover called Bush a "racist."
There was even a movie gleefully imagining the assassination of President Bush.

And Paul's dismayed that people actually vent their opinions? I repeat, Paul, GET. A. GRIP. That racist monster who shot the security guard in DC? He was an alleged 911 truther. He was a holocaust denier. I'd like for Paul to name names.. Mr. Krugman, name ONE of those people you blast in the article who denies the holocaust. Name JUST ONE who shows antipathy for Jews and the state of Israel... because you know as well as the rest of us that liberals have been alone (and I find this highly ironic because a lot of liberals are Jewish themselves) in coddling anti-Semitic rhetoric and policies.
See, just calling people Fascist doesn't make them so.... word games won't work with the American people for long, Mr. Krugman. Neither will you and your cohorts' attempts to throttle free speech for the sake of a few nutjobs.. and your use of this tragedy for shameless political gain. It's abhorrent, ghoulish, and despicable.

THE LIST

2009-03-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

I might as well start now, and strike while the iron's hot, so to speak. I've always believed Obama to be a Carteresque liberal, but never so much an incompetent as he's truly turning out to be before our eyes. Both domestically and in the international arena, gaffe after stupendous gaffe is causing people to wonder, "Whatever happened to The Saviour?" Feet of clay, my friends. Rush's expressed hope that Obama would fail is so far not realized with this administration; rather the success of buffoonery is destroying many of our nation's once-sturdy pillars of truth and strength.

Here's the list of what's happened so far:

A $787 billion 'stimulus' package laden with pork and special interest earmarks.
The thorough and obvious dissing of British prime minister, including but not limited to: the ungracious return of the Winston Churchill statue given to President Bush to England; the failure of the White House to arrange suitable regalia for the joint press conference; the ineptness in choosing a thoughtful gift to present the Prime Minister; and the verbal diminishment of the significance of British-US relations ("Nothing special about Britain" - what?!?!?!?).
Reversal of the Bush administration's ban on embryonic stem cell research.
The all-out attack on Rush Limbaugh.
Making excuses for poor judgment calls, saying he's "Overwhelmed" or "tired"... in just the first 7 weeks?!?!
A $410 billion omnibus spending bill, which fortunately so far has not made it out of congress.
Conflicts of interest, ethics lapses, and corruption among Obama's unvetted cabinet nominees.
"Moderate" Taliban.
His consorts' efforts to censor any criticism.
He gave Islamists what they wanted in Iraq - troop drawdowns.
The disarming of commercial pilots.
Three letters: A. I. G. And he CAN'T pin this one on Bush.
More diplomatic sharpness: He misspelled Brazil's president's name (Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva)
Charging veterans for medical care for their injuries (?!?!?!?!)

More to come, I'm sure!

A NATION OF UNBELIEVERS?

2009-01-20T12:28:00.000-08:00

From Metafilter today:

"The government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion." ~ George Washington / "I do not find in Christianity one redeeming feature." ~ Thomas Jefferson / "The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion." ~ Abraham Lincoln / "A just government has no need for the clergy or the church." ~ James Madison / "I believe in an America where religious intolerance will someday end... where every man has the same right to attend or not attend the church of his choice." ~ John F. Kennedy / "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers." ~ Barack Obama

Interesting, but...

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports . . . And let us indulge with caution the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion . . . Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail to the exclusion of religious principle." - George Washington, 1787, addressing the Constitutional Convention. Hey, wasn't that the group who helped form our government, genius?

"I hold the precepts of Jesus as delivered by Himself, to be the most pure, benevolent and sublime which have ever been preached to man..." - Thomas Jefferson

"Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe. And to the same Divine Author of every good and perfect gift [James 1:17] we are indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land." - James Madison

"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior (Jesus) of the world is communicated to us through this book." - Abraham Lincoln.

FLEDGLING THUGOCRACY

2008-11-14T10:47:00.000-08:00

It begins with incidents like this, and escalates.

Derogatory remarks toward President-elect Barack Obama made on a social networking Web site are now the subject of an internal police investigation.

So - of course it would clearly depend on what kind of remarks were made, but isn't it a bit over the top for the city to go snooping into what kinds of political remarks one makes on one's private website?

So what were the remarks? Did they justify such an investigation? Can we expect more of this sort of recrimination in the future?

"WITHOUT YOU, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE"

2008-11-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

Obama returns the media's looooove.

FROM THEIR OWN LIPS

2008-10-29T05:32:00.001-07:00

"...a hypocrite is a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue -- who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings. And that, it seems to me, is what we are doing now." - Bob Kerrey, Obama supporter, on Obama campaign.

GOING BACK TO WHAT I SAID BEFORE...

2008-10-28T10:49:00.001-07:00

I'm reminded of a post I wrote almost exactly 2 years ago when I considered the direction the Obamaphiles and mainstream media have been guiding us toward for the last year or so of the Democrat's campaign. Let's take a trip down memory lane for a few minutes, and recall some observations that I quickly see becoming disturbing realities of every day life.

The article is a thorough fisking of a U of Chicago professor who attempted to define liberalism in a positive way, only to reaffirm to me through his muddled doublespeak the oppressive, nanny-state attitude of liberal culture.

He wrote:

Liberals believe individuals should doubt their own truths and consider fairly and open-mindedly the truths of others.

I wrote:

Liberals, more often than not, prefer to squelch opinion deemed undesirable by them...Liberals frequently litigate and censor anything that opposes them.

Today: Complete control of the media is the name of the game for the Obama campaign. They're squarely in his corner, not even hiding anymore their contempt for opposing views. And now, with the risk of complete Democratic control of government, even alternative media, such as talk radio and the independent blogger are threatened by the monstrosity called the "Fairness" doctrine, which the liberals had tried to pass before to try and squelch conservative thought, but failed. No doubt they will try again, only this time they would have little to nothing in their destructive antiConstitutional path.

He wrote:

Liberals believe individuals should be tolerant and respectful of difference.

I wrote:

Again, liberals will freely tolerate anything they believe in. So what? The problem lies in the hidden meanings of 'equal rights' and 'civil rights'. To someone unfamiliar with the movements, it may sound like liberals uphold rights for all... when in fact they push for more than mere equality, but a special right for certain groups to be selected, recognized, and rewarded.

Today: Barack Obama epitomizes this attitude that somehow we have to repay for wrongs of the past, that somehow people far removed in history from the days of the Civil War have to perpetually feel sorry. It's an attitude where every single critical comment of Obama the man is denounced as racist. And when he says 'equal rights' you know that he's thinking of the word 'equal' as defined in 'Das Kapital'.

He wrote:

Liberals believe individuals have a right and a responsibility to participate in public debate. It is liberals who have championed and continue to champion expansion of the franchise; the elimination of obstacles to voting; "one person, one vote;" limits on partisan gerrymandering; campaign-finance reform; and a more vibrant freedom of speech.

I wrote:

Elimination of obstacles to voting means exactly what it implies - liberals take advantage of those who otherwise have no business and no Constitutional right to vote... On a side note, has anyone seen a more contradictory set of principles than 'campaign finance reform' and 'freedom of speech'?

Today: With the (tempered) exposure of ACORN as nothing more than a cover for rampant voter fraud, and the selective suppression of free speech, the liberals once again have made my words sound like fulfilled prophecy.

He wrote:

Liberals believe "we the people" are the governors and not the subjects of government...

I wrote:

If anything, liberals' strong desire to federally fund abortion has more to do with an overbearing, all-encompassing government than anything they accuse conservatives of coming up with.... not to mention other instances, of course, like FDA and EPA regulation, the Department of Education, et. al.

Today: These days, the Obama- and Democrat- led government intends to fulfill its strongest desire.... to live your life for you, make all your decisions, force so-called 'rights' at taxpayer expense, and become your all-around babysitter. Are you ready for nanny state governance?

He wrote:

Liberals believe government must respect and affirmatively safeguard the liberty, equality and dignity of each individual.

I wrote:

.. indeed, they support the rights of criminals, but what about the victims? They rail against prisons and the death penalty, but what about justice for the truly wronged?

Today: Surely there's going to be some positive payback to those felons who were allowed to vote this year? Additionally, I'm all for the 'positive' things being said by the left during this campaign.. you know, all the besmirching of character, ad homminem, invective, and outright lies... respect? dignity? Have a conversation with a typical left-winger and you'll be hard pressed to find any self-respect, let alone respect for others.

He wrote:

Liberals believe government has a fundamental responsibility to help those who are less fortunate.

I wrote:

For all this 'generosity', I find it ironic that time after time, states generally thought of as leaning liberal are found to be among the least charitable in the country, while those generally thought of as conservative lead the nation in charitable giving.

Today: That's right - liberals believe in giving, as long as it's to the babysitter... er, government. You won't find them in church, or giving much to charity (unless the charity is (cough cough) the Great One's campaign).

He wrote:

Liberals believe government should never act on the basis of sectarian faith.

I wrote:

Never act on the basis of sectarian faith' should never be 'prohibit all manner of sectarian faith in public places'. It's funny how liberals conveniently choose which rights to uphold and which ones to suppress.

Today: ...except, of course, if you take your advice and endorsements from people like Jeremiah Right and Louis Farrakhan.

He wrote:

Liberals believe courts have a special responsibility to protect individual liberties.

I wrote:

Freedom of religion? So I take it abolishing prayer and public religious displays doesn't count?

Today: Obama's stance on the Constitution is now becoming more broadly known. It can be summarized on two words: disregard, contempt.

He wrote:

Liberals believe government must protect the safety and security of the people, for without such protection liberalism is impossible.

I wrote:

"Hello, I'm the new sheriff in town, and I vow to do anything in my power to protect my people. Hold on for a second while I put these handcuffs on... I have to make this a fair fight, you know. Oh, and you can have my gun..."

Today: Safety and security... by disarming the people, and giving the government ultimate control of said security. Brilliant!

He wrote:

Liberals believe government must protect the safety and security of the people, without unnecessarily sacrificing constitutional values.

I wrote:

On the other hand, a taste of the kind of measures a liberal government would take toward our national defense may find us wondering where our liberty went. There are those who don't have those interests at heart; and if you worry too much about the rights of the terrorists and criminals, you may find yourselves under a much less forgiving, Sharia law.

Today: The Constitution won't mean a hill of beans if we decide to use the International Criminal Court and the guidance of the UN.

Are you, reader, willing to accept that the principles of liberalism described above are right for this country? Are you willing to rest your safety, security, and lifestyle in the tenous arms of the nanny-state? Do you really think Obama has your best interests at heart? If so, then I guarantee with him you get exactly what you ask for and more, whether you end up liking it or not... and then, in another four years, we'll see whether the 'change' he's promised was in the right direction. I think it's not, and won't be, but that's for time history to determine.

INSIGHT?

2008-10-28T10:38:00.001-07:00

As you all have surely heard by now, Colin Powell has endorsed Barack Hussein Obama for President.
In other news, Colin Powell testified on behalf of convicted Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska:

"He was someone whose word you could rely on," said Powell, who self-deprecatingly described himself as the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who retired and then "dabbled a bit in diplomacy."

Stevens, on trial for lying about gifts on financial disclosure forms, has the right during the defense portion of the trial to ask character witnesses to speak on behalf of his "truthfulness and veracity." The first such character witness, Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, spoke Thursday. Three others are set to testify on Stevens' behalf but the highest-profile witness, by far, will be Powell.

The former secretary of state said he had known Stevens for 25 years, mostly in the senator's role as the top defense appropriator on the Senate Appropriations Committee. In Stevens, "I had a guy who would tell me when I was off base, he would tell me when I had no clothes on, figuratively, that is, and would tell me when I was right and go for it," Powell said. "He's a guy who, as we said in the infantry, we would take on a long patrol."

Also to be considered is Powell's testimony about Iraq's WMDs in 2003... he was for it, before he was against it:

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said his pre-war testimony to the U.N. Security Council about Iraq's alleged mobile, biological weapons labs was based on information that appears not to be "solid."

Powell's speech before the Security Council on February, 5, 2003 --detailing possible weapons of mass destruction in Iraq -- was a major event in the Bush administration's effort to justify a war and win international support.

Powell said Friday his testimony about Iraq and mobile biological weapons labs was based on the best intelligence available, but "now it appears not to be the case that it was that solid," Powell said.

How much is that endorsement worth now?

IS THIS WHAT THEY MEAN BY 'PROGRESSIVE'?

2008-10-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

The history of the Obama tax increase 'barrier':

1 week ago: 'A quarter million dollars a year'

October 24: 'less than 200,000 a year...'

October 28: 'people making under $150,000 a year...'

And so the bar continues to lower, coming right down on Joe the Plumber's head...

THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE

2008-10-23T05:41:00.001-07:00

This is the kind of civility we're used to expect from Democrats.

The home of a Central Florida Republican headquarters manager was shot at and damaged because of his support for Sen. John McCain, the man told police in a report from FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6.

Don't expect it to secede after the election; it'll only get louder and meaner, fueled by agitprop and cult of personality.

WEATHIRONY

2008-10-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

There couldn't be better timing for this:

Student volunteers from colleges around New York State braved freezing cold temperatures on their bikes Wednesday to send a message to state and federal political candidates: pay attention to climate change.

Can't hear you! Earmuffs!

MORE YOUTH INDOCTRINATION

2008-10-14T12:38:00.001-07:00

I looked up "Kids for Obama Parade" and this is what I got. Creepy, indeed.

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

2008-10-14T08:15:00.001-07:00

... before, during, and after an Obama election victory:

A Lufkin woman received a surprise visit from the Secret Service last week because of a "death threat" comment she reportedly made about Sen. Barack Obama to a campaign volunteer asking for her support of the presidential candidate.

Two federal agents arrived at Jessica Hughes' home Thursday to ask her if she said, "I will never support Obama and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."

Hughes said her words were deliberately twisted by a volunteer who was apparently unhappy Hughes was rude during a phone conversation the two had. The Lufkin mother, a Republican, said she received a call on her cell phone Wednesday from a woman with the Obama Volunteers of Texarkana.

"She asked if I was an Obama supporter, to which I replied, 'No, I don't support him. Your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the state Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time.' (And then) I hung up."

First we have children singing for their dear leader; and police repression of free speech in Missouri.... and now, yet another piece of the thugocrat puzzle - citizen informants making false accusations!

SO OBAMA IS NOT A MUSLIM?

2008-10-10T05:24:00.001-07:00

Yet Farrakhan calls him the 'Messiah'?

RELATED: Obama: "Oops!"

THE FIX IS.....

2008-10-09T05:41:00.001-07:00

.... well, you know the rest. And it's pretty much running rampant

Obama, surely you didn't mean THIS by "Get out the vote!"

33 (AND COUNTING) REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR OBAMA IN 2008

2008-10-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

1. Ties to William Ayers, unrepentant domestic terrorist, former member of the Weather Underground.
2. Ties to ACORN as a 'community organizer'. ACORN has had previous and has current allegations of voter fraud tied to it.
3. Ties to Tony Rezko.
4. Ties to Stalinist Frank Marshall Davis
5. Jeremiah Wright
6. His patriotism is questionable. Far from merely being someone who refuses to wear a flag pin on his lapel, doesn't hold his hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance, and who would sooner talk to enemies of our nation than members of the opposing political party.
7. Cult-like fanatacism among his followers. See very recent posts for examples of this Christ-like, almost religious adoration.
8.

You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, a lot of them — like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And they’ve gone through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, and they cling to guns, or religion, or antipathy toward people who aren’t like them, or anti-immigrant sentiment, or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. - Obama, April 6

Chomping down on sausage and waffles at Glider's Diner in Scranton today, with his Pennsylvania BFF (Sen. Bob Casey) at his side, Obama avoided commenting on former President Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas.

Asked by a reporter if he had heard that Carter reported a positive outcome from the meeting, Obama looked sternly at the reporter in question and said, "Why can't I just eat my waffle?"

10. Pro abortion, even so far as to vote against The Born Alive Infant Protection Act.
11. No, Barack Obama is a Muslim; rather, he is a Muslim apostate, and thus a target for Islamic extremists.
12. Say goodbye to the tax cuts and 40% taxation rates, the highest since (dare I say it) Jimmah Carter.
13. Supports unilateral disarmament - that's right, he wants ONLY us to disarm.
14. The 'Selma' lie.
15. Rude and sexist comments.
16. Paid off by Fannie Mae.
17. Supports healthcare and driver licenses for illegals (anything to do with the 'motor voter law'
?)
18. Rated the most liberal Senator in Congress via the National Journal.
19. Opposed the troop surge in Iraq, which is working.
20. He scares little girls.
21. Has he forgotten/neglected his half-brother in Kenya?
22. Afraid of his own name.
23. A Che flag flies high in one of Obama's regional campaign offices. Are these the type of people he attracts?
24. Obama was at least at one point affiliated with the National Socialists of America/New Party.
25. He has no interest in boosting the economy; rather, he's in full redistribution socialist mode.
26. To the poor plumber who asked a good question about his taxes:

"It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance for success too," Obama responded. "My attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it's gonna be good for everybody ... I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

If you punish those who succeed, then nobody will strive to succeed.
27. Some voters are voting for Obama just because... you know... not because of the issues.
28. Obama has close ties with Raila Odinga, who..... well, you can read about his alleged atrocities here.
29. His first act as President (or so he pledged) will be to sign the 'Freedom of Choice' act.
30. He plans to (indirectly) bankrupt the coal industry through carbon regulation.
31. Rude and profane.
32. Aunt Zetuni in Boston.
33. The 'missing' tape of Obama and PLO spokesperson Rashid Khalidi, which could possibly harbor Obama's true sentiments toward the state of Israel.

FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES

2008-09-30T10:39:00.001-07:00

Over years and years of history, children's innocence and faith have been exploited by those who would use any means necessary to further a cause. The cause, of course, is met with cult-like adulation, and the children are the only victims of such manipulation. This is truly creepy stuff.

From one end of the earth...

From one era...

to another....

... to another.

Oh, and in case you're not convinced of the connection....

He's got his own hand salute, his own seal, Obama's flag (or the other flags he uses), and even his own 'goon squad'... mind you, a CIVILIAN 'security force'.. ring any bells?

And doesn't it strike you as ironic that children of all people are singing his praises?

UPDATE:

They took down the video (surprise, surprise)... but alas, a newer, BETTER, more ACCURATE version has been posted!

UPDATE 2:

More Obama-mantras to creep you out:

MUST-SEE VIDEO

2008-09-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

You need to check this out. You want to know who's responsible for the Fannie and Freddie crisis? Look no further than those who are spouting all the hot air of blame in the wrong direction!

Much obliged to Wizbang for the post.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH SUPPRESSION...

2008-09-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of you know who.

WARNING TO ISRAEL AND JEWISH AMERICANS

2008-09-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

The Obama left is NOT YOUR FRIEND.

Jodi Evans, a founder of the radical anti-war group Code Pink and "bundler" for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Wednesday.

“It’s rare for a head of state to take time during an official U.N. visit to meet with the peace community, especially in a situation where the host government—represented by the Bush administration—is so hostile,” Evans said in a statement. “The fact that the meeting took place and was so positive is, in itself, a major step forward.”
...
At the meeting Evans and fellow Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin offered Ahmadinejad a plan to build a “peace park” in Tehran and invest funds in Iranian businesses “that produce green and sustainable products, such as bicycles.”

A "Peace Park"? Doublethink - excuse me, antithink - is running rampant among the unhinged left!

THE ANSWER IS ABOUT 54,000

2008-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

The question is: what's the difference between Sarah Palin, VP candidate and Barack Obama, Presidential candidate?

Oh, and this little blurb sweetens everything:

Just a week ago, John McCain and his vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin — who can bring out crowds the way Obama can — appeared in this same stadium, Resch Center, to a crowd of 10,000 fans. There were an uncharacteristic amount of empty orange seats for Obama’s rally.

THE DEMOCRATS CAUSED THE BANKING MESS

2008-09-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Read this and be illuminated.

And of course, there's this:

Oh, and there is one little footnote to the story that's worth keeping in mind while Democrats point fingers between now and Nov. 4: Senator John McCain was one of the three cosponsors of S.190, the bill that would have averted this mess.

WHO'S THAT INSIDE THE SOCK PUPPET?

2008-09-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

Blogger Rusty Shackleford of My Pet Jawa uncovers an alleged serious attempt to smear Governor Palin.
But from whence? Could the Obama campaign have directly funded this? David Axelrod? Things get curiouser and curiouser when suspicious accounts get deleted. But read the whole story for yourself. It's amazing the lengths to which people will go to destroy someone.

GUESS HE MISSED THAT - BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO

2008-09-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know this guy is Barack Obama's economic advisor? Am I the only one getting cold chills about this?

SO WHAT HAS OBAMA DONE?

2008-09-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

I see all the muckraking going about Sarah Palin on on sites like Digg and Reddit, and I'm thinking, why does this discussion need to be so one-sided?

Here's a few things I've picked up. They might deserve an investigative look or two, wouldn't you think?

Could Obama have violated the Logan Act by negotiating with Iraq?

How about this curious connection - and not in a casual way - between Obama and Fannie and Freddie Mac?

HEY! Wasn't Obama a 'community leader' for ACORN?!?!?!

Several municipal clerks across the state are reporting fraudulent and duplicate voter registration applications, most of them from a nationwide community activist group working to help low- and moderate-income families.
Advertisement

The majority of the problem applications are coming from the group ACORN, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which has a large voter registration program among its many social service programs. ACORN's Michigan branch, based in Detroit, has enrolled 200,000 voters statewide in recent months, mostly with the use of paid, part-time employees.

Gee, that's something to be proud of *wink*!

OH, PLEASE.

2008-09-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

I've been a little remiss in allowing some of Sen. Barack Hussein Obama's ridiculousnesses to go unopposed. A little? OK, I've been completely negligent. It's time to stand ground and not let the man think he can say what he wants and get away with it.

One such comment came yesterday at Sarah Palin's expense. You might recall she made the following comment about Al Qaeda during her acceptance speech:

Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America -- he's worried that someone won't read them their rights?"

Well, lo and behold, Mr. Obama picked up on this and, after mocking our 'inability' to catch terrorists (which is patently untrue, if you've been reading the news for the last 5 years), he launched into a tirade about, of all things, the Constitution:

"The reason that you have this principle is not to be soft on terrorism, it’s because that’s who we are," Obama said as the crowd rose to its feet, applauding. "That’s what we’re protecting. Don’t mock the Constitution! Don’t make fun of it! Don’t suggest that it’s un-American to abide by what the founding fathers set up! It’s worked pretty well for over 200 years!

"These people!" Obama said.

Seriously, Obama wants to go there?

Let's put aside the idea (for now at least) that Obama's more concerned about the rights of terrorists and child rapists than law-abiding citizens

If he's so defensive about the constitution, why not put his rhetoric to the tests and ask how he feels about strict constructionists being appointed to the judiciary?
What? You mean the Constitution isn't that important any more, Mr. Obama?

Didn't you say something like this:

appreciate the temptation on the part of Justice Scalia and others to assume our democracy should be treated as fixed and
unwavering; the fundamentalist faith that if the original understanding of the Constitution is followed without question or deviation, and if we remain true to the rules that the Founders set forth, as they intended, then we will be rewarded and all good will flow.

You mean people who believe the Constitution is a fixed document is "fundamentalist"?

Well it's worked this well for 200 years... why are you so insistent on finding the activist judges who are more than willing to change it to suit YOUR needs?

THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

2008-06-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Here's encouraging news:

majorities of Democrats and independents, and even about half of Republicans, believe the president of the United States should meet with the leaders of countries that are considered enemies of the United States. Overall, 67% of Americans say this kind of diplomacy is a good idea.

Yes, I was being sarcastic. In fact, I'm a bit fearful. Just one linked pic will show the worth of this opinion.

WHY I MAY VOTE FOR HILLARY/OBAMA

2008-02-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I may end up having to take the plunge at the polling place and vote for a Democrat this year. No, I've not suddenly gone limp, nor have I lost my mind. I just remember that time-worn adage about those who don't remember history, and how they're condemned to repeat it. And really, you don't have to go far back in time to recognize what part of history I'm trying badly to repeat.

Thirty years seems like such a long time, doesn't it? I'm not too young to remember the damage the James Earl Carter administration did to this country, both domestically and abroad. Look at the legacy: two new, bloated cabinet departments; tax increases; failed revivals of Social Security; fuel shortages (and the first big step towards the gas prices we see today); stagflation; sky-high interest rates; high unemployment; amnesty for draft evaders; the Alaskan National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which effectively shut down ANWR for oil exploration; intended to lower troop levels in South Korea, but was prevented; defense of the administrations of the Sandanistas in Nicaragua and Mugabe in Zimbabwe; the process of turning over the Panama Canal to Panama (and apparently China); and finally, the Iran Hostage Crisis.

Those were salad days, weren't they? And unfortunately, if you want a REAL Reagan Republican we may have to go back to a Carterlike administration to bring back the tax-heavy malaise of yesteryear. In case you all had forgotten, Ronald Reagan himself lost the Republican nomination for president in 1976. Then, four years later, when we'd finally had enough, Reagan was swept into office and began some of the greatest changes in America's political, economic, and military landscape in history.

Having said that, I encourage you not to lose hope.... in conservatism. Forget McCain, he's bound to bring us four more years of Democratic venom and blame. Let's go ahead and SHIFT the blame, shall we, to a Democratic candidate... let them take responsibility for their liberal pettiness and phony promises. Only when we are taken once again to the depths of malaise will the Republican Party wake up from its misguided concessionary attitude toward liberalism.

My only hope, of course, is that the consequences of my vote next year will not happen so rapidly, burn too deep that recovery would be impossible. I guess I'll just have to close my eyes and pray.

WHASSAMATTER, DID I HURT YOUR FEELINGS?

2008-01-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

Whining, excuses,, more whining, More EXTREME excuses (How's this one for a laugher: " It is irrelevant that they played loser competition for all but three games this season..." Does the author not recognize that the Pats played, and BEAT, 8 teams who are currently in the playoffs this year?)...

Sounds like there's a lot of sour grapes being thrown at the Patriots, eh?

MOST INTERESTING BASEBALL LINK THIS YEAR

2007-10-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you:

The Oracle of Baseball

Where you can find Babe Ruth's six degrees of separation!

COOL mixer

2007-08-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Click on the mixer to play and remix my song!
Check out www.JamStudio.com :)

THE GREATEST WEAPON IS OUR MIND

2007-04-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

In Der Spiegel today:

With a view to Monday's deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, European newspapers are blaming the lack of gun control measures in the United States and implying that Charlton Heston is indirectly responsible for the scope of the killings.

Charlton Heston?

Look, morons, if what Charlton Heston and million of gun owners believe and support were applied to a campus like Virginia Tech, then maybe.. just maybe... some of those people who died yesterday would have had a fighting chance instead of having to play dead to escape certain slaughter.

Imagine what might have happened at that mall in Utah if it wasn't for an off-duty cop carrying HIS WEAPON. Hmmm... self defense.. now there's a practicality that's often overlooked!

WHY SINJAYA COULD WIN AMERICAN IDOL

2007-03-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's a messed-up world we live in, isn't it? We've just had singer after decent singer go down, and little Mr. Can'tWaitToScareYouSomeMoreNextWeek, Sinjaya Malakar, isn't even in the blasted bottom THREE! How on earth is that possible? Why? The boy has a voice that sounds like a frog that's being stepped on... the only thing going for him is looks that would make 10-year-old girls cry. So are there really enough 10-year-old girls to keep this boy out of danger?

How about 20-30 something white males?

Let me just say: This is the perfect year for a prank. The American Idol contestants this year leave much to be desired in either or both of the qualities of singing talent and looks/fashion sense. For the first time in years I find myself without anyone to vote for, nor a reason to vote for anyone at all. And I have the funny feeling that for the most part, people across America are as unenthusiastic as me... it seems they'd just as soon leave the voting to someone else.

.. And that someone else happens to be those 20-30 something white males, who are not interested in musical talent or charisma in any way, but merely to make a mockery of one of the highest rated television shows of all time. (NOTE TO PRODUCERS: If you're going to insert the obligatory quirky no-talent geek into the program, make sure there's enough talent around him to allow him to exit quietly, and BEFORE the top 10) The prankster is none other than Howard Stern, queen mother of tastelessness and antidisestablishmentarianism. He's not-so-secretly calling on his listeners to cast their votes for Sanjaya, with the hope of propelling him to the top and a contractually guaranteed record deal. Coupled with website Vote for the Worst, Sanjaya's not only managing to avoid elimination but BEATING SEVERAL CLEARLY MORE TALENTED peers. It is indeed the end of the world.

I predict Sanjaya will be one of the top two. But Lord, will that be a disaster! I fully expect American Idol to do one of two things: 1) completely lose its credibility and reputation for selecting star talent; and 2) inspire incredible voter backlash next season. And who knows... if Simon Cowell does manage to remain true to his promise to leave the show if Sanjaya wins, with him goes the last shred of competence and honesty. The man speaks true to the music; let him go, and heaven knows what kind of incompetency and talentlessness you'll introduce. American Idol will be viewed as more of a joke, and record labels are more apt to ignore America and sign anything closest to discernable talent - if they sign anyone at all.

And if Sanjaya gets anywhere near the final 5, I will have had it until, perhaps, next year.

OUR WORST PRESIDENT?

2007-01-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

This thread seems to be gaining steam of late, which is unfortunate if you look at this critique of our President through the reading glasses of history. And you really only need to go back about 30 years, to perhaps the worst, and at very least the unluckiest, President ever.

This article summarizes it succinctly, but in shorter form:

- He slashed defense spending in his first term, to include crippling moves such as killing the B-1 bomber.
- In just the first hours of his Presidency, he took US missiles out of South Korea while obtaining no recompense from the Soviet Union. What's more, he even offered to remove all US troops from the Korean peninsula.
- He ignored Castro's incursion into Angola, while at the same time refusing to help fight Communist guerillas in El Salvador and the Communist government of Nicaragua.
- He refused to recognize Taiwan as a separate entity independent from China
- He mingled and praised dictators and thugs, a laundry list including Communist oppressors Tito, Ceaucescu, and Qaddafi.
- He surrendered the Panama Canal, which is now owned pretty much by China.
- He severely cut our national intelligence agencies.
- He cut off support for Iran's Shah, leading to one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in recent history, setting the stage for fundamentalist Islamic rule and an ominous shadow over the middle east.
- The Embassy siege in Tehran deserves its own bullet. 444 days of terror.
- We have him to thank for our support of Saddam Hussein... if the Shah had remained in power, there would probably not even be an Iraq-Iran conflict.
- Think about it - Hezbollah probably wouldn't have existed (it is after all a state-funded terrorist entity).
- His national deficits were 12 times greater than the Nixon administration.
- During his presidency, gas prices nearly doubled.... if you managed to wait in the long gas lines long enough to get it before it ran out.
- The economy tanked, and who did he blame? US, the American people!
- Interest rates, 21%.
- Inflation rate, 13%.
- Unemployment, 7%.

This is only while he was president. Unfortunately he continues to do serious political damage to our country even when long out of office.

- Carter didn't just oppose the current war. He opposed Desert Storm and the Cold war against the Russians.
- North Korea. Disaster. Carter was practically treasonous in North Korea, defying even the Clinton Administration and offering all kinds of concessions instead of threatening economic sanctions.
- He claimed there was nothing economically wrong in North Korea. HA!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we should not for one second be unsure of who the Worst President in the history of this nation was and still is.

MY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

2006-12-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

Thank you everybody, thank you, all of you at Time Magazine who made this award possible, and who bestowed upon me this incredible recognition and honor. To put it succinctly, you "couldn't have picked a better guy."
Having said that, I'd like to thank everybody out there who put me where I am today: all my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles - Those mind-numbing Italian feasts gave me the metabolic equivalent of a perfect storm; John Kerry, for showing me all of those hip football ref signals (remind me to show everybody what those were again); Howard Dean, for personalizing the concept of the 'primal scream'; Cynthia McKinney, for kindly pushing that horrible racist security guard aside and showing HERSELF the door; John Cole, for showing me how to fool the normally fool-proof lie detector of the American blogosphere (sure, Andrew Sullivan was the first, but he tended to lean that way); Jimmah for going wherever the heck he goes, and keeping us busy with his diplomatic miscues; Al Gore, for inventing the Internet and paving the way for this prestigious award; and finally, my Mom, who always looked out for number one!

By the way, I hope you have the time for the other 6 billion or so acceptance speeches in the wings, Time.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THE MULLAHS?

2006-12-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

They've found a new way to disguise a full-on hatefest!

Iran said that the aim of the conference was to find answers to questions about the Holocaust from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has described it as a "myth" and cast doubt on the scale of the slaughter. ...
"There is no scientific proof to show that this place was an extermination camp. All that exists are the words of some people," said Richard Krege.

Of course, given the recent strong words against Israel by President Manny, the conference would be more aptly titled:

"The Holocaust: Not true, but a heck of a good idea".

Sick.

THE PROBLEM: GIVING UP

2006-12-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

I think I've got a handle on why this country's been on a downward spiral ever since I can remember. It really follows hand-in-hand with our moral deterioration. It has nothing to do with interest rates, or global warming, or fast food. It has everything to do with giving up.

Wouldn't you agree? We'd love to have life handed to us on a nice large tray while we're lounging around in our easy chairs. I don't know where the idea came from, but somehow most of us expect life to be easy and free of any long-term complications, discomfort, or inconvenience.

We were so used to being the best at everything that we forgot what kind of character a little bit of difficulty could bring.

Maybe it started with Vietnam. Things got a little rough over there, and the government was afraid to make any decisive tactical moves, so we just... gave up and came back home. Or maybe it started when we gave up teaching our children right and wrong, because it was just the easier thing to do, and because that book by Dr. Spock said so. Maybe it started because all of a sudden people stopped thinking of marriage as an eternal bond and just gave up when they refused to overcome their pigheaded selfish stubbornness and discreetly termed it "irreconcilable differences".

However it started, it's held fast.

Pregnancy was too tough for some women to bear, so we necessitated abortion. School was too tough, so we stopped teaching the basics and started with this smoke-and-mirrors self esteem hogwash. People complain about Christmas trees in public places, and we immediately cede to their wishes. We flat out give up.

The Iraq war isn't anything close to how bad things can be when we lose our way and our stomach to fight. It's a harsh line to hold, but there are enemies out there who are far more dedicated and believe more strongly in their dogma, no matter how wrong it is, than we do.

It's not getting any better, and don't expect it to until we get back to the values of those before us: responsibility, maturity, dedication, honor, courage, faith, and decency. We have to change, but I don't think America's going to undertake that change until most of us realize the stakes:

If we're afraid to fight, we will soon lose our freedom.
If we're afraid to endure, we will soon lose our strength.
If we're afraid to stand up for the things that are right, ABSOLUTELY right, we will soon lose our country.

What would this world be like today if we gave up fighting World War II because bodies kept coming home in zippered bags? What if we stopped holding the hard line on Communism and allowed missiles to be placed 90 miles from our shores? What if our parents, grandparents, and those before them gave up after their failures (which more often than not occurred over and over and over)? What if Pasteur, Edison, Einstein, Wright... all who had their share of countless failures... simply threw in the towel? What if.... we give in to the evil which besets us today?

Would you care to live in such a world?

ON THE OTHER HAND, TWO YEARS IS A LONG TIME.

2006-11-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

Hopefully it's not too long to keep the country from unraveling completely. But there are dismal signs on the horizon.

- Democrats have confirmed what we've been saying about them all along, saving their honesty until after the election (typical, ain't it?) - they most certainly do plan to cut and run from Iraq, or at best, leave our military severely shorthanded in the region. Yes, folks, this was their sorry excuse for a 'plan' all along.

- Robert Rubin, former Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton, hopes he has the ears of the Dems when he says, "You cannot solve this nation's fiscal problems without increased revenue." Translation: It's time to raise your taxes. Never mind the economic boom, the low unemployment, the stock market records, and the (gasp) shrinking deficit. Time to jack the American people up again for more cash. How much cash? John Kartch at Americans for Tax Reform estimates the average American will have to give up another $2,000 if the tax cuts President Bush passed are rolled back.
For Democrats, the idea of 'tax reform' is just that: Tax re-form.

- Dems seem poised to give the terrorists that foothold they need - the ability to conduct covert communications without being discovered.

- Meanwhile, our enemies Surveil us covertly without any fear of repercussions.

- Expect Dems to pay back the illegal immigrant favors.

- Two of the left's favorite words: expand and regulate. They will be doing so with full force and gusto. Regulate fuel usage. Expand FHA loans. Regulate natural resources exploration. Expand the minimum wage. Regulate free trade. Expand government health care. Translation: Increased spending, higher taxes for you and me.

Am I concerned? Absolutely. I have strong doubts about whether our country can erase the irreparable harm that could very well be caused during the next couple of years by a Democratic legislature.

TWO YEARS WORTH OF STANDUP MATERIAL

2006-11-10T10:41:00.000-08:00

Want to bust a gut? Check Jim Treacher's take on the political situation. And by God, don't forget to read the comments... among the gems:

Personally, I'm fond of the Democrats who even today are saying "We need a new plan for Iraq."

Ok, you've won. What's the new plan?

am pretty surprised myself. I thought we were supposed to be running a highly efficient fascist regime here. And now, we can't even win an election? I mean, I've read all the research. What happened with suspending the electoral process? Why is constitution still in effect? What about our plans to declare martial law? Suspend Congress? We are doing none of it. And I was looking forward to coronation, too. Bumer.

No more homeless! No more AIDS! No more drug problem! No more war! We'll all live in gingerbread homes with chocolate graham cracker roofs, sleeping on cotton candy pillows and dreaming marshmallow fluff dreams, as the orange cream moon shines through our sugar glass windows!

"Bitter much?"

I guess he WANTS this post to be bitter so badly he has to pretend that's what he sees. Sorry, fella. You're confusing this group with the LEFT after a loss.

You know that dimple on Nancy Pelosi's chin? That's not a dimple, it's her navel. The woman is one more face-lift away from looking like Abe Lincoln... Or maybe Vladimir Lenin.

The irony of posting on the internet about how AmeriKKKa was being turned into a fascist police state never seemed to sink in.

Bush. Worst Hitler Ever. I have high hopes for Hillary though; kinda Hitlery, kinda Nixony, very Bitchy.

.... and then there's the Kos-ites, pushing us into utopia:

G.O.P. a 'regional party?' What a beautiful concept. If we could confine the neo-virus into a few corners of the country, we'd be well on our way to a healthy America.

Hate fascism, you say?

that I'm already sick as s**t of this overhyped "progressive vs. centrist" revisionism going on here.

Clearly some progressives won Tuesday, and clearly some progressive issues (pro-choice, gay unions) did surprisingly well in some conservative places.

But I think it's also pretty clear that America votes for Democrats who do not scare them by carrying the perception of being too far left.

Can't we just have the proverbial Democratic big tent and stop this silliness?

We won, and are in an excellent position to consolidate those gains in '08 if we play our cards right.

What, a few days in and you're already quibbling (and this in a discussion on how to divide Republicans. ROFL.)

Not all republicans are bigots, but all bigots are republicans.

And the esteemed senator from West Virginia, Robert Byrd, he is.... what?

--and we've got laboratories to work out new policies around the country.

America... the Democrats' new pet project.

This country belongs to us. The Congress belongs to us, not to either party, not to the president.

They serve AT OUR PLEASURE!!!!!

WE give them direction and CORRECTION when necessary.

WE are in charge and the more WE use OUR POWER, the more they will get the message and learn to behave themselves.

Urm... was that the F word again?

There is the matter of a corporate owned Main Stream Media forever lending support to the corporate owned Republican Party.

Make that a capital F.

THERE'S GOTTA BE A DOUBLE NEGATIVE IN THERE SOMEWHERE

2006-11-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

Hat tip the Corner's acute readers:

"The unemployment rate fell in October to 4.4 percent from 4.6 percent
in September. It was the lowest unemployment rate since 4.3 percent in
May 2001 and was likely to fan concerns that labor markets are growing
tight and could contribute to inflation pressures."

I forget, is it "no news is good news", or "no good news is news"?

WE'RE ALL SINNERS

2006-11-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Simply awesome post....

I've only got one thing to add. I find it interesting that unbelievers consistently look at us Christians as wanting to force our beliefs on them. Yet, I look at their methodology and practices, and realize we're only doing what they've been doing as well: stand up for what we believe. Only, in their eyes, we're wrong for doing so. We're wrong for standing up for the lives of the innocent and helpless, wrong for turning our backs on moral perversion.... it's an upside-down world!

Anyhow, brothers and sisters, that's why it's ever so important to remember that you're carrying with you Christ's message; whenever people see us stumble and fall, it's not just us or our church or even Christians we're hurting. It's those who Christ loves and longs to see in eternity with Him, and that's much more grievous than any perversion I can imagine.

WHAT IS A LIBERAL?

2006-10-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

I was directed to this article by a University of Chicago law professor, who attempts, as sincerely and thoughtfully as he possibly can, to define what a liberal is. He makes 10 points, values statements if you will, that he feels liberals embrace/uphold. Unfortunately, for all that forward-thinking, the good professor is showing a bit of political nearsightedness toward the dogma he defends.

Liberals believe individuals should doubt their own truths and consider fairly and open-mindedly the truths of others. This is at the very heart of liberalism. Liberals understand, as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once observed, that "time has upset many fighting faiths." Liberals are skeptical of censorship and celebrate free and open debate.

Oh, really?
Liberals, more often than not, prefer to squelch opinion deemed undesirable by them. Until recently, they had complete control over network and cable news... and it has only been in the last 20 or so years that conservatives have found a growing niche in talk radio, and the ability to spread the values of conservatism to a large number of people. If you see a conservative interviewed on a 'mainstream' news program, it is usually with implicit vindictiveness and contempt.
Liberals also are the proud parents of rampant political correctness. At schools, there are increasing negative consequences for what is deemed as 'insensitivity', from the inhibition of Constitutionally-protected speech to the banning of conservative speakers from college campuses to the prohibition of prayer on school grounds.
Liberals frequently litigate and censor anything that opposes them.

2. Liberals believe individuals should be tolerant and respectful of difference. It is liberals who have supported and continue to support the civil rights movement, affirmative action, the Equal Rights Amendment and the rights of gays and lesbians. (Note that a conflict between propositions 1 and 2 leads to divisions among liberals on issues like pornography and hate speech.)

Again, liberals will freely tolerate anything they believe in. So what? The problem lies in the hidden meanings of 'equal rights' and 'civil rights'. To someone unfamiliar with the movements, it may sound like liberals uphold rights for all... when in fact they push for more than mere equality, but a special right for certain groups to be selected, recognized, and rewarded. A constant attempt to induce guilt by invoking ghosts of past wrongdoings is characteristic of this movement... a masked attempt to induce us to feel good about making "reparations" - perpetually. In reality, instead of liberty for all, what these groups and movements bring about is increased, concentrated power of a few over the many, typical of what is theorized in Communist dogma.

3. Liberals believe individuals have a right and a responsibility to participate in public debate. It is liberals who have championed and continue to champion expansion of the franchise; the elimination of obstacles to voting; "one person, one vote;" limits on partisan gerrymandering; campaign-finance reform; and a more vibrant freedom of speech. They believe, with Justice Louis Brandeis, that "the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people."

Elimination of obstacles to voting means exactly what it implies - liberals take advantage of those who otherwise have no business and no Constitutional right to vote - felons, illegal immigrants, even... dead people - and champion this imaginary 'right'. This whole 'one person, one vote' is a complete fabrication. Every election cycle, liberals allege stolen votes and repression of voters' rights... yet we've seen reports of attempts to buy votes, conjure voters out of thin air - clear indications of vote fraud. And they howl for fair and accurate voting?
On a side note, has anyone seen a more contradictory set of principles than 'campaign finance reform' and 'freedom of speech'? If you don't know what I'm talking about, do some research on the campaign finance reform legislation that was sent through several years ago, and you'll see what I mean.

4. Liberals believe "we the people" are the governors and not the subjects of government, and that government must treat each person with that in mind. It is liberals who have defended and continue to defend the freedom of the press to investigate and challenge the government, the protection of individual privacy from overbearing government monitoring, and the right of individuals to reproductive freedom. (Note that libertarians, often thought of as "conservatives," share this value with liberals.)

.... unless, of course, 'the government' in question is one of your own. Did the liberal media even once attempt to seriously investigate and challenge the Clinton administration? And what does 'reproductive freedom' have to do with the federal government? Nothing! If anything, liberals' strong desire to federally fund abortion has more to do with an overbearing, all-encompassing government than anything they accuse conservatives of coming up with.... not to mention other instances, of course, like FDA and EPA regulation, the Department of Education, et. al.

5. Liberals believe government must respect and affirmatively safeguard the liberty, equality and dignity of each individual. It is liberals who have championed and continue to champion the rights of racial, religious and ethnic minorities, political dissidents, persons accused of crime and the outcasts of society. It is liberals who have insisted on the right to counsel, a broad application of the right to due process of law and the principle of equal protection for all people.

"Persons accused of crime and the outcasts of society".... indeed, they support the rights of criminals, but what about the victims? They rail against prisons and the death penalty, but what about justice for the truly wronged? And I'm not just talking about suing McDonalds for burning yourself with hot coffee in your car.

6. Liberals believe government has a fundamental responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. It is liberals who have supported and continue to support government programs to improve health care, education, social security, job training and welfare for the neediest members of society. It is liberals who maintain that a national community is like a family and that government exists in part to "promote the general welfare."

Liberals, of course, contradict directly principle #4 when they state that the government should be a charitable organization, making everyone pay for a few. For all this 'generosity', I find it ironic that time after time, states generally thought of as leaning liberal are found to be among the least charitable in the country, while those generally thought of as conservative lead the nation in charitable giving. Ironic, isn't it?

7. Liberals believe government should never act on the basis of sectarian faith. It is liberals who have opposed and continue to oppose school prayer and the teaching of creationism in public schools and who support government funding for stem-cell research, the rights of gays and lesbians and the freedom of choice for women.

'Never act on the basis of sectarian faith' should never be 'prohibit all manner of sectarian faith in public places'. It's funny how liberals conveniently choose which rights to uphold and which ones to suppress. Oddly, it's the folks who lead in the generosity index as mentioned in principle 6 who are put down time and again... you'd think faith would be embraced by people who pointedly say they believe in caring for others. But lip service is one thing.... deeds that reflect words is entirely another matter.

8. Liberals believe courts have a special responsibility to protect individual liberties. It is principally liberal judges and justices who have preserved and continue to preserve freedom of expression, individual privacy, freedom of religion and due process of law. (Conservative judges and justices more often wield judicial authority to protect property rights and the interests of corporations, commercial advertisers and the wealthy.)

Freedom of religion? So I take it abolishing prayer and public religious displays doesn't count?

9. Liberals believe government must protect the safety and security of the people, for without such protection liberalism is impossible. This, of course, is less a tenet of liberalism than a reply to those who attack liberalism. The accusation that liberals are unwilling to protect the nation from internal and external dangers is false. Because liberals respect competing values, such as procedural fairness and individual dignity, they weigh more carefully particular exercises of government power (such as the use of secret evidence, hearsay and torture), but they are no less willing to use government authority in other forms (such as expanded police forces and international diplomacy) to protect the nation and its citizens.

Why is it that liberals love to talk about national security but won't pay anything more than lip service to it? "Hello, I'm the new sheriff in town, and I vow to do anything in my power to protect my people. Hold on for a second while I put these handcuffs on... I have to make this a fair fight, you know. Oh, and you can have my gun..."
I really don't see how disabling our ability to know what bad people are planning to do to us before something horrible actually happens is protecting our security and safety..

10. Liberals believe government must protect the safety and security of the people, without unnecessarily sacrificing constitutional values. It is liberals who have demanded and continue to demand legal protections to avoid the conviction of innocent people in the criminal justice system, reasonable restraints on government surveillance of American citizens, and fair procedures to ensure that alleged enemy combatants are in fact enemy combatants. Liberals adhere to the view expressed by Brandeis some 80 years ago: "Those who won our independence ... did not exalt order at the cost of liberty."

On the other hand, a taste of the kind of measures a liberal government would take toward our national defense may find us wondering where our liberty went. There are those who don't have those interests at heart; and if you worry too much about the rights of the terrorists and criminals, you may find yourselves under a much less forgiving, Sharia law.

So there you have it... the 10 liberal principles with a response for each one. I can summarize the whole list this way: Rights only apply when we agree, lip service is all we need to give, and nobody REALLY hates us, so why should we even bother to find out?

MORE UNUSUAL LOCALES!

2006-09-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the newly updated Windows Live Local:

World's Largest Ten Commandments
Miller Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Refrigerator Stonehenge
Frank Lloyd Wright Spire, Scottsdale AZ

REASON #1,000,003 TO AVOID MYSPACE - IT ALWAYS ENDS TRAGICALLY

2006-08-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

I suppose a good thing about MySpace is that it should (stress should, not does) warn people about bad people who are about to do bad things, as in the case of this young man who hammed it up, finger-guns at the ready, in preparation, apparently, for the real thing. Yes, because this little thug decided to make his MySpace dream a reality and gun another student down in cold blood alongside a busy road.
Gangsters, thugs, creeps, perverts, and generally shady characters - if you're looking for them, they're as close as your lcd monitor is from your face... they all can be found on... MySpace!

OUT OF CURIOSITY...

2006-07-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

.... so it's Save Saddam, but kill Terri Schiavo?

Yeah, that's truth and justice right there for ya.

DID YOU KNOW?

2006-07-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

The folks who invented Sucralose, otherwise known as Splenda(R), actually accidentally came upon this sweetener while they were trying to make an insecticide.

IRONIC, ISN'T IT?

2006-07-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

... that the so-called 'thinking' people who think Christians are ignorant, befuddled sheep who believe everything their pastor tells them without thinking for themselves probably haven't even picked up a Bible and read past Genesis 1.
What, is it the long names that confuse them?

The difference when you experience pain between faith in God and denial of same, can be summed up in one word: HOPE. That's a difference no nihilist, no matter how much he/she claims to 'think', can possibly understand. Oh, yeah, and SACRIFICE. When you're the only being in the universe, why give of yourself?

And we're not a thinking people?

THOUGHTS ON NORTH KOREA, FUTURE WASTELAND

2006-07-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Tell me you aren't concerned about North Korea firing seven missiles in two days. Please.

Ol' Shrunken Head over there in the North has an obvious screw loose and a death wish the size of his continent. I mean, seriously, do you think he's worrying anyone other than Japan and South Korea? We'd be doing them both a favor if we annihilated North Korea right now - and we can.

So Kim Jong Mentally Il is threatening nuclear war... what's that mean? Another lame Tae Po Dong that doesn't last as long as I can hold my breath, 15 minutes after which just a tiny fraction of our arsenal proceeds to cover the entire country in molten glass? Remember 'WarGames' in which it was insinuated that nobody wins a nuclear war? Folks, that was against Russia. This is a tick on Russia's neck.

So what do we do? I say we continue to let them flail away and think they're doing something important. For now, let China do all the worrying. After all, it's their fault North Korea is still in existence in the first place.

SHOULD I GIVE UP, JUST LIKE OUR COUNTRY?

2006-06-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

What is it with our country?
It's like we're just giving up to those who want nothing more than to kill every last one of us.
The people we trust betray us to the enemy.
Our secrets, that which we once held secure and foolproof, are being spilt without impropriety and concern over who it benefits or damages.
We're giving enemy combatants and terrorists without state sponsorship or US citizenship the same rights as those afforded to us who are citizens.
We're teaching Islam in our schools as if it were something to be emulated (see them try that with Christianity!)
Not so much as a blink.
Should I give up and accept the inevitable, that our country is on the brink of the absolute worst catastrophe in its history, both socially and politically?

REASON #1,000,002 TO AVOID MYSPACE - YOUR INFO COULD BE USED AGAINST YOU

2006-06-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm going to start by assuming that 80% of MySpace users are lacking something mentally. That would make it a whole heck of a lot easier to accept that this guy was just a normal MySpace user who had mustered enough foolheadedness to publish a good deal of personal information about himself on his page. And to trump even that, he decided to risk a personal encounter with a 'babe' he didn't know anything more about than 'just lookin' for something fun'. Brilliant. Oh, and he forgot his wallet (which most likely contained his means of protection, so to speak), which is actually a good thing, considering he ended up meeting the OTHER half of MySpace, the shady criminal element/bored teen combination.

“I went to [the apartment] and knocked on the door, and there was no answer. So I called her and said, ‘I'm here’ and there was no answer."

That is when two girls who were 14 and 15-years-old, approached him saying they knew Natalia, the girl he thought he'd be meeting. They also said they knew where he worked at what car he drove.

"This was not the girl that the picture was of on MySpace," the victim said.

Now sensing something was wrong, he was ready to take off, but was stopped by a shocking discovery.

"[One of the girls] took [a] gun out and put it to my head and told me to empty my pockets."

The girls didn't get much because the victim had forgotten his wallet. They let him go, unharmed, and he called police.

Unharmed and unarmed. What a pathetic case. So for those of you casually inclined to post your salary on myspace, or pictures of your car, or your new bling, be forewarned. Those teenie boppers may not know how to spell anything above three letters, but they sure can spot someone even stupider than they are.

And they all, my friends, hang out on MySpace.

REASON #1,000,001 TO AVOID MYSPACE - IT'S COTTON-PICKIN' TIME!!

2006-06-20T04:59:00.000-07:00

Finally, someone takes action against MySpace for the thing that most defines - and implicates - them... virtual freeform anarchy. And the contents of the suit squarely hit the mark. I agree with every one of the allegations:

The lawsuit claims that the Web site does not require users to verify their age and calls the security measures aimed at preventing strangers from contacting users younger than 16 "utterly ineffective."

"MySpace is more concerned about making money than protecting children online," said Adam Loewy, who is representing the girl and her mother in the lawsuit against MySpace, parent company News Corp. and Pete Solis, the 19-year-old accused of sexually assaulting the girl.

Absolutely. If they want any kind of security and assurance, they need to follow some of the more common child restraints like those at Yahoo! which I believe use a parent's credit card as verification of a minor's age (for an email/groups account).

Hemanshu Nigam, the chief security officer for MySpace.com, said in a written statement: "We take aggressive measures to protect our members. We encourage everyone on the Internet to engage in smart web practices and have open family dialogue about how to apply offline lessons in the online world."

Hogwash! Nigam knows that there are literally hundreds of users under the minimum supposed 'required' age for Myspace of 14, using fake identities and logging in, vulnerable to guys like Solis who also faked his identity and age to gain the trust of a minor child.

Attorneys general from five states, including Texas, have asked MySpace.com to provide more security, the lawsuit said. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott sent a letter to the MySpace.com chief executive officer May 22, asking him to require users to verify their age and identity with a credit card or verified e-mail account.

And still, nothing. Maybe they'll listen to a lawsuit, or two, or many?!?!

A DAD'S DESECRATION

2006-06-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

For all I can postulate and reason, I will probably never figure out why Michael Berg is so far removed from reality or common sense. One might think he would harbor anger at the man who sawed his son's head off in front of thousands, perhaps millions of internet viewers. But no, it seems he's far more dismayed at the death of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi than the death (at Zarqawi's hands) of his own flesh and blood, his son.
I will try to give Mr. Berg the benefit of the doubt, that he's suffered great emotional trauma and needs serious psychological help, even though history indicates the tiger hadn't changed its stripes - Mike Berg was like this even before his son's death. But it's hard to imagine such polar opposites to normal human emotion and a conscience of good and evil. It's as if Nick somehow means nothing, in human, emotional terms, to his father.
Berg the father gave a series of interviews - albeit short ones - on national cable TV networks the other night. They were short because frankly, he's decided to take the psychotic plunge in his antipathy and hatred for George Bush and apathy toward the murder of his son.
Some examples:

You can't really believe that that's a democracy there when the people who are running the elections are holding guns. That's not democracy.

See, I think he has this holding guns thing confused with the actual tyranny of the Hussein regime before the present Iraqi government. Mike, get a grip - the election officers are holding guns for their own protection and for the protection of the people who are voting. You know, from people like Zarqawi who would do anything to thwart anything resembling a free election?

“First of all, I’m not even certain that al-Zarqawi even killed my son.”

So who did? Was it the person he hates the most, President Bush, dressed up in that mask using Zarqawi's voice, wielding Zarqawi's knife? In Berg's own warped mind, I suppose.

“I think the news of the loss of any human being is a tragedy. I think al-Zarqawi’s death is a double tragedy."

So Zarqawi's death is twice as tragic as that of the man he murdered? What a sick puppy.... intentional or not, that is a sick thought.

"If I could have prevented the death of Zarqawi, I would..."

Berg even went so far as to suggest Zarqawi could have been made a "decent human being" through "restorative justice" like working in a hospital treating war victims.
Actually, that probably wouldn't have been a bad idea. So I wonder what kept Mike Berg from going to Zarqawi with his idea right after Nick's death? After all, in Mike's heart, Zarqawi really wasn't such a bad person, right?

Alas, the anomaly that is Michael Berg can be made irrelevant, thankfully, with the contrasting opinion of another beheading victim's family member. Paul Johnson III, son of Paul Johnson Jr, who was killed by al Qaeda in 2004:
"The anniversary of my dad's death is right around the corner...Hearing this pretty much shocked me, but it was a nice shock. I'm glad he's dead. I hope he rots in hell, to tell the truth."
Cyndi Armstrong, wife of Zarqawi victim Eugene Armstrong's cousin:
"An evil man is dead, and what more can you say?"

Somehow after this, Michael Berg seems so small and alone, obsessed with an overwhelming hatred of George Bush. And for the rest of us, life goes on, a victory won.

A LETTER TO GEORGE

2006-05-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Dear ~~Mr. Boss~~ ~~Darth Vader~~ Mr. Steinbrenner,

Please accept my warm regards and a hearty congratulations for your 2-game winning streak against my Boston Red Sox this week. Having said that, I'm going to have to wish you good luck as well, for you and your billions of dollars can't save you from the consequences of your actions.
Yes, George, there are consequences to being the biggest spender in baseball. You see, each day one of the old fogies who you pull out of retirement keeps the bench warm because of a nagging injury.... each day that one of your time-tested veterans buckles, physically, under the pressure of your thumb (and who wouldn't, considering all you've invested, sire?).... is a day spent throwing all that green into the perpetually flushing toilet known as the Disabled List.
Sure your folks try to look professional and polished, marching like seasoned troops under a mad dictator. Sure they fear your wrath. But they fear it so much, they're willing to risk life, limb, and career to do it. Money be cursed.
You lost Hideki. For a while there, you lost one of the 'Roid Twins. Jorge's about to taste the tainted water. Carl Pavano's the Pitcher In Name Only. Captain Caveman's broken toe's at least kept him from running into walls.
Meanwhile, Old Man Johnson's a mess, Melkie is lost in the outfield, and all of a sudden the 'winning machine' looks more like a rusty scrap of sheet metal.
George, if there's one thing you can take home from this, it's this: no matter how hard you hammer your fist on your room-length desk, you can't buy a miracle... and this time, instead of your money walking your team to the playoffs, you're in desperate need of one. Again, good luck.

Sincerely,

A Smarter Sox Fan.

MUNCH MUNCH

2006-05-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

If only more environmentalists were as dedicated as this guy to living shoulder to shoulder with nature.

Wink, wink!

THE INEQUALITY OF FAITHS

2006-05-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

Imagine, if you well, a local public school. This particular school decides to conduct a new and highly controversial 'cultural studies' program. This particular program is an experiment in religious role playing.

The students start and end each day with a vocalized word of prayer by the teacher or a designated student.

Students are encouraged to memorize Scripture verses, the Ten Commandments, and the names of Jesus' 12 disciples.

Readings of various well-known Bible stories, with a question and answer session afterwards.

Holding a one-week "fast" of television, a particular food, sports, or something important in the students' lives.

Studying the culture and customs of the Holy Land in Jesus' day, and holding special events to commemorate Christmas and Easter.

What would be the reactions of parents if this were to happen? The school board? The media? The chances would be almost overwhelming that there would be a public outcry about the "separation of church and state" and "keeping God out of the classroom".

So why is there a double standard when it comes to the exact same proselytizing occuring in our classroom - only in this case, for Islam?

What we have is an approved culture of hate - but only, it seems, for the Judeo-Christian community and traditions. This mind control is working its way downward to our schools, where our children are learning to embrace sharia and despise Christ.

Is it really coming to this? Is it going to be this easy for Islamists to infiltrate our nation and conduct a 'bloodless revolution' with our young people? We have kids kneeling prostrate to Mecca yet can one even pray aloud at their graduation? Perish the thought.

Wake up, America. Our ancestors' blood was not shed for us to be infiltrated and conquered from within.

via Michelle Malkin et. al.

STYMIED AGAIN - BUT WHY?

2006-05-19T05:41:00.000-07:00

This is ridiculous. So much for energy independence. The House may as well have waited in line at the local gas station to the screw the consumer directly.
Let's go over the basics very briefly. There's SUPPLY and DEMAND. When demand is up and supply is down, prices go up. When the contrary is true, prices go down. It's that simple. The government, short of regulating us out of our cars, can't do a whole lot about demand.... but it CAN nudge supply along by exploring new areas where there's thought to be a lot of oil! And who are us Floridians to think that we have the right to a NIMBY attitude at the expense of everyone? Heck, even Beverly Hills has its own oil well! Are we forgetting the 'sacrifice' part of the equation?

TAYLOR HICKS, THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL?

2006-05-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

My God, Taylor Hicks may just win this thing.

Not if I can help it.

I'm voting for Katharine tonight, several times. No matter what.

DA VINCI CODE FALSEHOODS

2006-05-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Claim: The Merovingeans founded Paris. FALSE! Um, actually, the city of Paris was established over 7 centuries before the Merovingean dynasty by the Celtic Parisii.
Claim: The Church burned 5,000,000 women as witches. FALSE! The figure was more like 30,000 at the most, and most of them were killed by the government not by the church; as well, many were not women, and many were not burned.
Claim: The 5 rings of the Olympic games and the 8 year cycle are a secret tribute to Aphrodite (Venus). FALSE! The Olympics were held in tribute to Zeus, and the rings were designated to specify another year of games (which stopped at 5).
Claim: The Templars masterminded the Gothic cathedrals. FALSE! The Templars had nothing to do with the cathedrals, which were commissioned by the bishops of that day.
Claim: The New Testament was a manipulation by Constantine that displaced true accounts by gnostic texts. Constantine ordered all older scriptural texts destroyed. FALSE! The earliest Scriptural canon comes about two centuries earlier, and by then the gnostic texts were already dismissed as forgeries. And if earlier texts were rejected, then what of the Old Testament, which at latest, is more than a thousand years old?
Claim: Christ wasn't considered divine until the Council of Nicea voted this in in 325. FALSE! Texts dated before Nicea confirm that Christians have always considered Jesus to be God made flesh and Lord and Savior.
Claim: No complete set of gospels predates the fourth century. FALSE! Historical texts actually date the Gospels to the first century AD, before even the gnostic gospels.
Claim: Roman Catholic Church referred to as 'The Vatican'. FALSE! Brown doesn't realize or at least mention that the Popes once took house at Avignon.
Claim: 'YHWH' comes from Jehovah, a cross between the masculine Jah and an antiquated name for Eve, 'Havah'. FALSE! Jehovah is a 16th century homophonic use of Yahweh using the vowels of Adonai (meaning LORD).
Claim: Tarot cards teach the secret religion of the goddess. FALSE! They were used in a game from their invention in the 15th century up until the 18th to 19th centuries, when they were used for occultic purposes.
Claim: The Templars were suppressed by Pope Clement V, tortured, and burned at the stake. FALSE! King Philip of France issued this order, not Pope Clement, in 1307. Only 120 Templars were burned at the stake; the order was simply disbanded 5 years later. Oh, by the way, Pope Clement lived in Avignon!
Claim: Mona Lisa is actually a feminized self-portrait of Da Vinci FALSE! It's a portrait of a real woman, Madonna Lisa, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo (thus its real name La Gioconda).
Claim: The person seated to the right of Jesus in The Last Supper is a female, Mary Magdalene FALSE! No, it's John. Da Vinci used female features for several of his male subjects, such as John the Baptist (and again).
Claim: The pyramid in the Louvre is made up of 666 panes of glass. FALSE! ERCO, the company which provided the pyramid's lighting, notes that there are 793 total panes of glass.
Claim: The Priory of Sion is an ancient secret society formed in 1118 by the Knights Templar, dedicated to preserving Jesus's bloodline through Mary Magdalene FALSE! Sorry to disappoint Mr. Brown, but the P of S has only been around since 1956, and was the brainchild of a professional forger and prankster named Pierre Plantard. He was also an active anti-Semite.
Claim: The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950s, and were the earliest Christian records. FALSE! They were found in 1947 by a Bedouin shepherd. The Dead Sea Scrolls were Jewish, not Christian. They never mention Christ.
Claim: Francois Mitterand was obsessed with ancient Egyptian culture, as seen through the Louvre, which he commissioned FALSE! The pyramid was designed by I.M. Pei. Mitterand was an art connoisseur, but not necessarily of the Egyption culture.
Claim: Les Dossiers Secrets proves the existence of the Priory of Sion. FALSE! The documents are considered fraudulent.
Claim: Da Vinci has forgetfully left out the Chalice of Christ at the Last Supper FALSE! The scene takes place upon Jesus' announcement of his betrayer, which takes place after the table has been cleared.
Claim: That Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus is historically recorded FALSE! Nowhere is it mentioned, not even in the gnostic texts, that Jesus was married at all.
Claim: The Gospel of Philip says that Mary was Jesus' "companion"... which translates in Aramaic to "spouse". FALSE! Philip wasn't written in Aramaic; it was written in Greek; and the word used 'companion' in Greek is commonly used for friends, not for a spousal relationship.
Claim: "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." FALSE!!! See above.

There you have it.... view the movie at your discretion, do the research, and draw your own conclusions. Remember, of course, that this is a work of fiction.

UPDATE:
Steven Bainbridge puts it well, quoting a master of Biblical apologetics:

Perhaps no one has ever captured the basic problem with the truth claims made on behalf of DVC and its ilk better than C.S. Lewis, who observed in Mere Christianity that:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of thing Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

All Dan Brown, Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, and that whole crew have accomplished is getting richer by saying that "really foolish thing."

STYMIED BY OIL

2006-05-11T06:44:00.001-07:00

I've supported the President both in 2000 and 2004 and still support him fully with regard to national defense, the war on terror, tax cuts, and certain social issues; having said that, he's really got me seething on a scant few issues, like immigration reform and what is being done about our oil supply.

I really, REALLY didn't like what he had to say about drilling off the coast of Cuba:

"You can't wave a magic wand," Bush said of soaring worldwide oil prices. "We've got to diversify away from crude. That's not going to happen overnight."

In the meantime, Bush said, he supports research into alternative fuels such as ethanol and more domestic production of crude oil.

He does not, however, support drilling for oil and gas within 100 miles of Florida's coastline, saying he shares Floridians' "deep concerns" about protecting the state's environment.

Bush also said he did not like the idea of U.S. companies paying for the right to drill in Cuban waters.

"I think the money would go to -- I know the money would go to support a government that is suppressing the rights of its people," he said.

He doesn't like the idea of buying oil from repressive regimes, huh? So why the $#@&! isn't he saying the same thing about Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, or Nigeria?

(But don't think this anger is causing any change of heart in me.. Whatever moronic things our President is saying or doing would pale in comparison to the sheer looniness of the power-hungry left)

SAD, BUT TELLING

2006-05-02T11:55:00.000-07:00

The most telling (and disturbing) item I've gleaned from this National Geographic survey is that - hold on to your seats, fellow Americans - more adults 18-24 from Mexico knew where the United States was than our own citizens!

It's like a magnet. It wouldn't have surprised me a bit if more Mexicans knew where the US was than where Mexico was. Fortunately, ever so slightly more Mexican citizens managed to locate their home country correctly than the United States.

REASON # 1,000,000 TO AVOID MYSPACE

2006-04-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

* Impersonation and defamation run rampant, sometimes to extremes.

Fake Myspace Page Created To Attack Teacher

Students in Coon Rapids, Minn., are believed to be behind a fake MySpace.com Web page that included shots of child porn, apparently created to damage the reputation of a teacher, according to a Local 6 News report.

I would hope that with the hiring of a new security specialist, MySpace will be able to tackle the ease with which users can create fake or fraudulent accounts. Perhaps it should consider more stringent identification rules - credit card verification, anyone?

MORE INCREDIBLE LIVE LOCAL PICS

2006-02-15T07:08:00.001-08:00

Noccalula Falls_
FLETC_Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
_Six Flags Marine World_
Cindy Sheehan's House_
Spirit of American Citizenship Monument_
Dr. Pepper_
Frito Lay_
JCPenney_
Colgate Clock_
Wilson House of Carpet Man_
Helicopter Cool helicopter w/ shadow Corpus Christi

HOW COULD THEY?!?!?

2006-01-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

No! The nerve of Zoe Industries to make a showerhead that produces something more than a GOVERNMENT-REGULATED trickle...

CURSE OF THE STATE QUARTERS

2006-01-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

It's amazing, sometimes, what kind of superstitious people we are. Yet sometimes there exist coincidences that may very well be too distinct, too widespread to be dismissed merely as such. Case in point: dozens of such coincidences, sparked by the release, beginning in 1999, of quarters commemmorating all 50 states. Consider this - within a few years from the release of several state quarters, strange calamities have occurred affecting the object/theme appearing on the quarter.

Alabama: Released in 2003. Only a month after this quarter was released, bearing the likeness of Helen Keller, a revival of "The Miracle Worker", a play about Keller's life, was cancelled before it opened.

California: What can I say? Since its quarter was released in 2005, featuring John Muir and Yosemite, Northern California has been deluged with its absolute worst weather in years, causing catastrophic mudslides, closing highways, and blanketing the Yosemite National Park with over 2 feet of snow in a weekend.

Florida: Florida's state quarter was released in 2004. While the Columbia met disaster in 2003, it relaunched only briefly in 2005 after which a series of mishaps forced it to be grounded again. Also, in 2004, no fewer than 4 hurricanes struck the state.

Georgia: Georgia's state fruit, the peach, was featured on the 1999 quarter. In 2002, Georgia's famed peaches produced much smaller than normal fruit.

Illinois: The Land of Lincoln honored none other than Honest Abe in 2003. Unfortunately, the state had its own version of the Civil War over his presidential library that same year.

Indiana: The 2002 quarter features an Indy racecar ready to burst out of its confined space... well, that year, the Brickyard 400 outshone the Indy 500 with a 6.2 rating compared to 5.8.

Iowa: Iowa prides itself in its school system in its 2004 state quarter. Lo and behold, in 2004, two men sued a former principal at Iowa City Regina High school for sexual abuse.

IF TEDDY CAN DO IT, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE!

2005-12-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

Saddam considering high-level position in US Democratic Party? He's got all the lines down, and one foot up on the other democrats: he doesn't just blindly offer support to totalitarian dictators.. he is one!

THERE GOES JOHNNY!

2005-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Centerfielder Johnny Damon has just accepted a four year contract with The Enemy. This is about as bad a betrayal as I have ever seen, and further solidifies the argument for a salary cap. When the Yankees want someone, they can reach right out over the top of everyone else and grab him with the green stuff.

This is pretty darn damaging - the Sox have just lost a premier hitter and a fielder with pretty good range. Considering the attrition they experienced last season, they need all the help they can get. So now not only are they looking a shortstop... they've got a centerfielder to search for as well. Great job, GM twins. Spectacular move, Larry.

Anyhow, I'm left with one burning question.
Are they going to make him get a haircut and a shave?

ELTON'S WORLD

2005-12-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Did you hear that Bill Clinton is making a minute-long video to be played at Elton John's funeral?

The minute-long recording will be played at a cabaret party at the Too2Much nightclub in Soho. A source said: "We were running through rehearsals when the tape was played. We knew Elton had good connections, but to see the ex-US president was something else."

Mr Clinton congratulates Sir Elton, 58, and David Furnish, 42, and says: "If there were more people like Elton, the world would be a better place."

If there were more people like Mr. (and Mrs.?) John, the world would be a much less populated place (at least fewer liberals), no?

I LOVE MSN LIVE LOCAL!

2005-12-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

I love it for the Birds eye view... where else can you see:

The Hood Milk Bottle

The World's Largest Copyrighted Piece of Art

National Atomic Museum (with Rocket)

The 'muffler man'

Bondurant's Mortar-and-Pestle-themed store

A Mural dedicated to the 3 Stooges' Larry Fine

Giant Bow and Arrow

UPDATE:

American Acropolis

What could be The World's Largest Chair

The Steps from the Exorcist

The Donut Hole Drivethru (or this one

Replica of the Challenger

PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SPECIES!

2005-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not sticking up for Tom Cruise. Like Brooke Shields and countless other responsible thinkers, I think his flamboyant proselytizing of his beliefs in Scientology are more than annoying - for the young and impressionable, they can be dangerous.

Brooke Shields, of course, is referring to Cruise's claim that mental disorders are imaginary (I suppose, then, that would make belief in mental disorders.... a mental disorder?).

Speaking of mental disorders, check out the exchange between Cruise and Shields:

This year he criticised Brooke Shields for her use of anti-depressants to treat post-natal depression.

Shields replied that Cruise "should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women [with] the condition decide what treatment options are best for them".

In Cruise's defense, he wouldn't be very good at saving the world from aliens, especially knowing that his religion believes he is one.

HILLARY CLINTON - PARIAH?

2005-12-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

What? Did you think all the angry liberal invective was aimed squarely at John F*** Kerry?

Now that the Foaming-mad left has their sights on the takeover of the Democratic Party, don't think that they won't attack anything right of Cindy Sheehan! (Some are still stuck in 2000-land). And what's this now? Tim Robbins is telling Hillary she can kiss his rear?

Just thought I'd remind you how much better things are than they seem, folks.

REVENGE OF THE TURKEYS

2005-11-23T11:17:00.000-08:00

Sooner or later we should have realized that the turkeys were biding their time, awaiting their moment to seize control and exact revenge for countless dark days.

Of course, if you've ever been around a wild turkey, you already know that they've got something of a chip on their shoulder.

CARTER'S MASTERY OF THE SUBTLETIES

2005-11-22T07:15:00.000-08:00

Whatever happened to 'every vote must count', Jimmah? Sounds like he's AWOL:

Carter, who since leaving the presidency has worked to further human rights and democracy, was criticized by a crowd of at least 40 Ethiopians protesting outside the store for his involvement with that country's elections this year.

Carter helped monitor the elections, with his Carter Center staff authoring a generally favorable report of the process, though it singled out problems and condemned post-election violence. The protesters, many of them Ethiopian Americans, urged Carter to take a more aggressive stand against the leaders of Ethiopia.

Well, I think that can be explained. You see, every vote must count unless tinpot autocratic dictators (to which Carter is oddly beholden) are involved. This, of course, is just one of the many listed and verified reasons why Jimmah Carter continues to be the worst ex-President this country has ever had.

WE'LL BE MOVING HERE SHORTLY

2005-11-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid we're going to have to move. It's a shame, too, because I felt quite comfortable on our MT service hosted by 1&1 Solutions. As some of you may know, I'm taking somewhat of a half-hiatus and not posting nearly as much as I have months ago. This is both purposeful and unintentional, as I've got a full work load as well as school to deal with, though I feel the need to speak my mind even just once in a while.
Anyhow, I've decided to cut back posts, and of course as a result I've also decreased the readership a bit... that's fine, unless your stupid hosting company up and mails you out of nowhere and insists, without a heck of a lot of proof, that you're a bandwidth hog?
Bandwidth hog, my a**! I get what? 300 views a day, and most of it is that stupid link spam that seems to follow bloggers everywhere. Oh, and they said it was a CPU hog too. Oh, you mean my MT Blacklist is working overtime because the idiots haven't bothered to install filters? Frankly, that's not my problem and it's also not my problem that appear they have less bandwidth than my home internet connection... I mean, goodness gracious - 300 hits a day and they complain at me?
Rather than be intimidated, I've decided to give up the ghost over there (in the next 2 weeks or so) and move to a comfy new, nearly limitless, living space over here. And I would recommend that the casual blogger not move to a site who can't handle the little guy.

The SmarterCop - New!

BRING ME - THE COMFY CHAIR!

SECOND NUKE PLANT FOR IRAN?

PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE DIPLOMACY

PAUL, PAUL, HOW WRONG YOU ARE

THE LIST

A NATION OF UNBELIEVERS?

FLEDGLING THUGOCRACY

"WITHOUT YOU, THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE"

FROM THEIR OWN LIPS

GOING BACK TO WHAT I SAID BEFORE...

INSIGHT?

IS THIS WHAT THEY MEAN BY 'PROGRESSIVE'?

THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE

WEATHIRONY

MORE YOUTH INDOCTRINATION

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

SO OBAMA IS NOT A MUSLIM?

THE FIX IS.....

33 (AND COUNTING) REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR OBAMA IN 2008

FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES

MUST-SEE VIDEO

FREEDOM OF SPEECH SUPPRESSION...

WARNING TO ISRAEL AND JEWISH AMERICANS

THE ANSWER IS ABOUT 54,000

THE DEMOCRATS CAUSED THE BANKING MESS

WHO'S THAT INSIDE THE SOCK PUPPET?

GUESS HE MISSED THAT - BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO

SO WHAT HAS *OBAMA* DONE?

OH, PLEASE.

THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

WHY I MAY VOTE FOR HILLARY/OBAMA

WHASSAMATTER, DID I HURT YOUR FEELINGS?

MOST INTERESTING BASEBALL LINK THIS YEAR

COOL mixer

THE GREATEST WEAPON IS OUR MIND

WHY SINJAYA COULD WIN AMERICAN IDOL

OUR WORST PRESIDENT?

MY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THE MULLAHS?

THE PROBLEM: GIVING UP

ON THE OTHER HAND, TWO YEARS IS A LONG TIME.

TWO YEARS WORTH OF STANDUP MATERIAL

THERE'S GOTTA BE A DOUBLE NEGATIVE IN THERE SOMEWHERE

WE'RE ALL SINNERS

WHAT IS A LIBERAL?

MORE UNUSUAL LOCALES!

REASON #1,000,003 TO AVOID MYSPACE - IT ALWAYS ENDS TRAGICALLY

OUT OF CURIOSITY...

DID YOU KNOW?

IRONIC, ISN'T IT?

THOUGHTS ON NORTH KOREA, FUTURE WASTELAND

SHOULD I GIVE UP, JUST LIKE OUR COUNTRY?

REASON #1,000,002 TO AVOID MYSPACE - YOUR INFO COULD BE USED AGAINST YOU

REASON #1,000,001 TO AVOID MYSPACE - IT'S COTTON-PICKIN' TIME!!

A DAD'S DESECRATION

A LETTER TO GEORGE

MUNCH MUNCH

THE INEQUALITY OF FAITHS

STYMIED AGAIN - BUT WHY?

TAYLOR HICKS, THE NEXT AMERICAN IDOL?

DA VINCI CODE FALSEHOODS

STYMIED BY OIL

SAD, BUT TELLING

REASON # 1,000,000 TO AVOID MYSPACE

MORE INCREDIBLE LIVE LOCAL PICS

HOW COULD THEY?!?!?

CURSE OF THE STATE QUARTERS

IF TEDDY CAN DO IT, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE!

THERE GOES JOHNNY!

ELTON'S WORLD

I LOVE MSN LIVE LOCAL!

PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SPECIES!

HILLARY CLINTON - PARIAH?

REVENGE OF THE TURKEYS

CARTER'S MASTERY OF THE SUBTLETIES

WE'LL BE MOVING HERE SHORTLY

SO WHAT HAS OBAMA DONE?