Muslims VS. the Danish & the Dutch

A little while back I posted about the Danish newspaper that ran the 12 cartoons of Muhammad. The furor over that hasn't died down and now Muslim countries in the Middle East have called for a complete boycott of Danish goods. OVER A CARTOON. This isn't a word-of-mouth in the Mosques boycott, but a call on National TV and newspapers. In Saudi Arabia they have either cancelled all orders or labeled the foods "Danish" on the shelves. OVER A CARTOON. One company in particular, Arla Foods, has come to a stand still and issued this press release.

Should Americans do a reverse-boycott and pick up the slack in support of the Danes...?
Arla Foods:
Rosenborg - Blue cheeses
Denmarks Finest - Havarti (an imported mild and creamy yellow cheese)
Lurpak - Butter
Dofino - Havarti (produced in Wisconsin)
Mediterra - Feta

The Danish newspaper or government seem to be standing strong and not folding to pressure to apologize for A CARTOON.
(H/T: Lost Budgie Blog)

Another small country that's holding its ground (surprisingly) is The Netherlands. New laws in the "socially tolerant" country demand that only Dutch can be spoken on the streets...though Americans, Canadians and Western Europeans are exempt from the law. The Newcomers' Integration Act also requires an exam that tests the applicants knowledge of the Dutch language and culture. The exam is £250 ($425). "...Holland is "a small country with 16 million inhabitants, making it one of the most densely populated in the world. Immigrants play an important role but protests against their numbers are mounting." (source)

Needless to say, Muslim leaders are in an uproar. "This is a discrimination against certain minorities," Boujoufi charged.
He stressed that the law mainly targets Muslim immigrants, especially from Turkey and Morocco.
"This is because immigrants from these countries usually prefer to marry from their countries of origin."

Guest Post: by Liz

TEN ANNOYING CO-WORKER HABITS

1. People who talk on cell phones in the bathroom. What could be that important?!

2. People who utilize the bathroom as a gossip center. Get your business done and get the hell out!

3. People who don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom (we KNOW who you are) Pigs!

4. People that BCC emails. I hate that, it’s sneaky. Grow a set!

5. People that forward your emails on to other people. Friggin’ tattle tails.

6. People who leave their funky ass lunch to stew in the Refrigerator for weeks on end. Slobs.

7. The micromanaging boss. If you have enough time to know everything I am doing then obviously you don’t have enough of your own work to do.

8. Clockwatchers. Same comment as above & also get a life.

9. Coworkers who sit in the cube right next to you and do not utter a syllable for 12 straight hours. My God, are you human?

10. Coworkers that sit in the cube next to you that talk to themselves all day because of #9 and are on the internet constantly. (oops that would be me) Get back to work!

In the Sandbox...

Iraq War Veteran to Resume Football Career
-Associated press via MSNBC

"While other students planned to play college football, Timmy Bailey signed with a different recruiter — Uncle Sam.

Now, after serving a year in Iraq, the 21-year-old private in the U.S. Army National Guard is back home. And remarkably, four years after Bailey graduated from a tiny high school in the rural Mississippi Delta, the soon-to-be sophomore has attracted more attention from college coaches than ever.

“It’s maturity — I’m not your average recruit,” Bailey said. “I can talk better with the coaches on a one-on-one basis, and they love it"....

...Bailey was a star tight end and linebacker from the nearby town of Glen Allan (pop. 1,118) who was preparing for his senior season in 2001 when he came to a startling decision. Two days after turning 17 — and unbeknownst to his coach — Bailey volunteered for the Army National Guard....

Bailey, 6-foot-3, 237 pounds, completed basic training in 2002 and enrolled in Mississippi Delta Community College the next year, leading the team in tackles in 2003 and drawing the attention of several Division I-A schools.

But shortly before the start of his sophomore season in August 2004, he learned his unit — the Hernando, Miss.-based Troop A 98th Cavalry — was being activated for duty in Iraq. Bailey reported with his unit to the Guard’s training site south of Hattiesburg, then spent roughly a year in the war-torn country driving trucks.

“Basically, I was in harm’s way,” Bailey said. “It was more IEDs (improvised explosive devices). There weren’t too many crazy people that would shoot you. They liked to blow up people. That made me even more scared. You can lose a limb, an arm or leg, at any given moment (but) you can’t think about that. If something happens, you’ve got to use your training and react, and hope for the best.”

He returned safely to his home state on Dec. 28 and found out three Southeastern Conference schools — Mississippi, Mississippi State and Alabama — were recruiting him.... Bailey picked Mississippi State because he said coach Sylvester Croom offered him a scholarship before his deployment.

He will have four years to exhaust his three remaining seasons of eligibility, and is looking forward to resuming the playing career that at times seemed lost." (source)

H/T: 91Ghost

...Airborne/Ft. Campbell women...
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Mom Catches American Traitor...

How did I miss this story?

Shannen Rossmiller was an average American mom who was pissed after 9/11...but she did something about it. She created an online Muslim Extremist alter ego and wandered through chat rooms.

She eventually met someone who wanted to met with "her contacts" in Al Qaeda to give them classified information. It soon became clear that she was speaking with an American soldier who was about to deploy to Iraq with his National Guard unit.

Rossmiller contacted the FBI and homeland security and was part of a sting operation that ended with Spc. Ryan G. Anderson (of the 81st Armor Brigade) giving classified information regarding the weak points of the M1A1 Abrams and Bradley tanks.

Anderson, a 27 yr. old Muslim convert, was subsequently sentenced to FIVE consecutive life sentences by a military court. (Though his defense attorneys argued this was all a result of bi-polar induced grandiose ideas...)

The Discovery Times Channel ran the story and you can watch it at TheYNC.com. What a great story...gotta love those pro-active, pre-emptive minded Americans!

Good God, She's Back...

...and she's thinking about running for office. Unfortunately I am speaking of the infamous Cindy Sheehan who is saying that she may run as a challenger to Senator Diane Feinstein.

Putting aside all my political disputes with this woman... she has one of the most annoying speaking voices I have ever heard -not good for politics, she is not real easy to look at -becoming more important in politics, and when all is said and done...she doesn't seem real bright.

Maybe this is just a ploy to stay in the news...?

"She voted for the war. She continues to vote for the funding. She won't call for an immediate withdrawal of the troops," Sheehan told The Associated Press in an interview while attending the World Social Forum in Venezuela along with thousands of other anti-war and anti-globalization activists.

"I think our senator needs to be held accountable for her support of
George Bush and his war policies." (source)

Actually, come to think of it, I 100% support Ms. Sheehan's choice to run. I have no love for Diane Feinstein and Sheehan will split the Democrat votes between the FDR Dems and the Peaceniks and open up a win for a Republican.

Go Cindy!

GWOT: Do We Need Non-Citizen Soldiers?

In June of 1950, Public Law 597 (or the "Lodge Act") was passed. This allowed 2,500 non-U.S. citizens to be enlisted in the Armed Forces. It was a tool in the Cold War to utilize those with language and cultural skills that would be invaluable in the struggle with Russia. The Law promised citizenship to those who gave five years service.

There are those who are now calling for a "New Lodge Act" and are discussing the benefits of being able to recruit from the Middle East as an aid in the Global War on Terror.

I can see how there would be advantages in having more soldiers that are fluid in both the Arab language and culture...but at what cost? Wouldn't this be an easy in for military infiltration? Then again, we already have non-citizen soldiers fighting in Iraq...

Disney: Summary & Thanks...

Lest anyone think that I am as maladjusted as I claim The Man is, let me just say that we did have a great week. I updated you on the more annoying aspects of the adventure because if you want the "sunny" side of it you can send away for the free Disney video. And it just wouldn't be funny.

"If you don't have anything nice to say... Come sit by me!" -Olympia Dukakis, Steel Magnolias

Anyone thinking of braving "the happiest celebration of earth":
I would HIGHLY recommend that you go this time of year. We didn't wait more than five minutes for any ride (even the top attractions) --and make sure to use "Fast Pass".

Reserve two days for EPCOT (skip MGM if you have to).

Embrace all the odd things that are going on --if it weren't for all the Mickey-o-philes, what would there be to talk about?

If you are the type of parents like The Man and I and Disney really isn't your thing (we would have rather been walking around Glasgow, Belfast and Cork) --it really is worth it to see the looks on your kids' faces.

I would discourage anyone with kids under 6 or 7 --even the rides geared towards little kids (Bugs Life, Mickey's PhilharMagic) are scary for kids. And it's SO much walking (made worse by playing Frogger with all the strollers).

Not to ruin my reputation or anything, but we're really glad that we went...

I also wanted to say a very sincere thanks to SpaceMonkey, Free, Nimbus, Nate and CJM for the really great guest posts. A major bow to Free for getting his post linked over at The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler by the Emperor Darth Misha I himself (something I haven't managed to do)!!!! Nice one! You guys are awesome...thanks!

In the Sandbox...

No ‘Noise-Making Campaign’

I just watched a story on American Forces Network news that talked about celebrities such as Ed Asner and Harry Belafonte supporting a group that is calling for a nationwide “noise-making campaign” during President Bush’s State of the Union address.

I have to tell this group, get a clue. The State of the Union address is required by the Constitution. Bush has no choice, he has to give it.

I fully support the group’s right to protest, which is also protected by the Constitution. However, this form of protesting is inane. Use political action committees and contact Congress members or stage a “Million-Person-for-Bush-Deposing” march. Do something that does not fly in the face of what the Constitution says is required of the president.

The State of the Union address is designed to tell the American public how the country is doing right now and give a view of the president’s plan for the country in the next year. Regardless of who the president is, I look forward to the State of the Union address, if for no other reason than to heckle the television as it plays.

I won’t say whether I support Bush, but I think a protest, if you can call it that, in this form is horribly anti-constitutional. If you support the Constitution, I urge you to not take part in this type of protest and urge anyone you know to forgo this protest also.

-Sgt. Daniel Pond, Heidelberg, Germany (Stars & Stripes: Letters to the Editor)

...some more of our US Army girls...
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Disney: Fifth Day Observations

Itinerary: Animal Kingdom & EPCOT (again)

1) There are a lot of mismatched couples down here... Do you know what I mean by that?

2) There is also a VERY disturbing trend of couples wearing matching clothing --and not just "bride & groom" shirts either...

3) I have never been forced to use so many public bathrooms in my life (thankfully Disney has it hooked up with toilet seat covers in EVERY bathroom --playing catcher in yesteryears has made the whole "squatting" thing very hard...was that TMI? LOL)

4) We have been noticing annoyed and dirty looks from the childless couples at other people's kids --I totally get being annoyed by other people's kids, but why the hell would you be in DISNEY WORLD?!

5) My heart goes out to parents of disabled kids -and especially parents of emotionally disturbed (sorry, too tired to remember the new PC term for that) kids. We have seen one boy in our hotel (maybe 6 yrs.) that just screams how much he hates his parents... incessantly and with profanity. I was having an Andrea Yates moment being around him for five minutes...his parents must be saints.

6) Mission: Space was very cool. The Safari was OK.

7) Being away makes you appreciate your own bed...I can't wait to see it again.

Caption It...

I know Irish Diablo must be in withdrawal... ;)

A Little Girl's Wish for Osama...

Daddy's Little Girl

Little Thelma comes home from first grade and tells her father that they learned about the history of Valentine's Day.

And, "Since Valentine's Day is for a Christian saint and we're Jewish," she asks, "will God get mad at me for giving someone a valentine?

Thelma's father thinks a bit, then says "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a valentine to?"

"Osama Bin Laden," she says.

"Why Osama Bin Laden," her father asks in shock?

"Well," she says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish girl could have enough love to give Osama a valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and then they sent valentines to Osama, he'd love everyone a lot. And then he'd start going all over the place tell everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't hate anyone anymore."

Her father's heart swelled and he looked at his daughter with newfound pride. "Thelma, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."

"I know," Thelma says, "and once that gets him out in the open, the Marines could blow the shit out of him..."

(Author unknown -this was an email forward... Thanks AB!)

Guest Post: - by CJM

Get Serious or get Out of Iraq


Being a good friend of ALa and her husband tesco, I was pretty excited about the prospect of "guest posting" on her blog, but found myself wondering what I could possibly say that hasn't been done all over the internet (or here) already.

Then the infamous Osama Bin Laden decided to come out of his hole once again. After hearing the translation of his tape, with his threats of another imminent attack on American soil and his supposed "truce" offering, I had all the same thoughts I'd had after previous debuts. "He's on the run." "He's almost dead." "He's just desperate and his backs against the wall."

That night I caught part of an interview with Michael Scheuer, the author of Imperial Hubris: Why the West is Losing the War on Terror, and some of the things he said surprised me. To be blunt, Scheuer's thoughts on the tape hit me in the face like a brick.

He believes that another attack is definitely on the horizon here and he stressed the fact that OBL and/or al Qaeda was not the 'beaten dog' that most Americans assumed they were. The host implied that al Qaeda must be in trouble since all they seem to be able to pull off is car and suicide bombs that kill mainly civilians. Scheur's reaction was, "War is war". Civilian casualties are indeed a reality of war and al Qaeda seemed to understand that better than we Americans do...they want to win regardless of the cost. Al Qaeda is taking this war to the extreme and fighting to win, whereas we seem to be playing politics and worrying about keeping special interest groups and other countries happy instead of fighting with as much vigor and zeal as the enemy.

It may sound harsh and cold (saying we need to stop worrying about civilian death), but he made the point by using past wars that were definitively won (WWI & WWII) as examples. Since that time we've changed our tactics and style of warfare with less-than-great results. Now, before people think I'm a sadistic bastard, no one wants women, children and non-combatants to be killed, but it's time we take the kid gloves off or the result will be more civilians killed as the "war" drags out over years.

Do you know why we are losing the War on Terror...?

Imagine a televised beheading during WWII and visualize the then-America's response and how hard our wrath would have reigned down on Germany or Japan... Think about the insurgents terrorists that were firing on our Marines from a Mosque –knowing we couldn't retaliate and desecrating the "Holy Place" we were expected to respect. Think of all the lawyers waiting in line to represent the detainees at GITMO. Ponder the effects of politicians making political brownie points by introducing bills that claim making someone stand too long is torture and tying our interrogators hands while lives are at stake.

The list is way too long to chronicle here, but give me a break already.

It really gets to me hearing about one roadside bomb after another picking off our soldiers, maiming or killing them after the spectacular drive into Baghdad. Let the boys on the ground fight to win!

To put it plainly, these Islamic Fascists won't be happy until the world as we know it is thrown back into a total barbaric Taliban-style rule. Period. As for us, the true and only super power, we have to face up to this reality even if it offends our progressive sensibilities. It's time to either say we have been defeated and walk away or "go all the way" and let our troops on the ground fight this war for real-- instead of being sitting targets tied by political restrictions in a hostile country.

To the people that disagree: Just keep your blinders on and worry about who the next American Idol or Survivor will be until the next attack when you can pull your flags out of the attic and let them fly again.

Last to our military: I, along with many others, pray for your safety and thank you immensely for the huge sacrifice you and your families have made.

I Had to Do It...

You scored as Cinderella. Your alter ego is Cinderella! You often find yourself doing a lot of housework, but if you are patient, your hard work usually pays off. You are prone to losing things, so dont rush through everything. Peter Pan 69% Cinderella 69% Goofy 56% The Beast 56% Cruella De Ville 56% Ariel 50% Sleeping Beauty 50% Donald Duck 44% Pinocchio 38% Snow White 25% Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego? created with QuizFarm.com

Disney: Fourth Day Observations

Intinerary: Epcot

1) FINALLY, a good cup of coffee!
2) "Soarin'" is one of the coolest virtual reality rides ever --if they made it a little longer and a bit faster it would be the coolest...
3) My feet are killing me -we walked through Canada, the UK, France, Japan, Morocco, America, Germany, China, Norway and Mexico all in 9 hours.
4) Kelly Rippa is a frustrated mother just like the rest of us --and how do I know that? We sat next to her, her handsome (but short) hubby and their three kids at a Mexican restaurant. (Only one other couple noticed, but like I said...they were probably the only other Americans).
5) Population breakdown (IMO):
French: 70%
Other foreigners: 10%
Orthodox Jews: 7%
Harley People in Leather Mickey Jackets: 5%
Other Americans: 5%
African Americans: 2%

So, here's what I'm thinking... Europeans always say how fat and ugly Americans are, BUT Disney is the only place in America they've ever been. There are no Americans here, so they must be looking at other Europeans and thinking they're American. Now, I'm not denying that most Americans are fat and ugly (a fact that has been driven home this week), but I highly resent any non-American saying that...

Have to go now and figure out how I am going to get us to Universal Studios tomorrow without spending the $17/person that Disney Magical Express is asking...

Guest Post - by Nate

The Rhetoric and Realities of the Bush Administration

"The terrorists started this war and the president made it clear that we will end it at a time and place of our choosing." -Scott McClellan (source)

These comments are imprudent, as it unrealistically raises expectations. Furthermore it damages the credibility of the administration. The "War on Terror" has been recast as a "global struggle against violent extremism", (source) and four years after 9/11 we've still failed to capture or kill Bin Laden. The struggle against terrorists will not end quickly, and there will be no decisive end to the conflict.

President Bush yesterday cautioned Democrats not to engage in "irresponsible debate" over Iraq during midterm elections in November, asserting that partisan attacks will harm the U.S.-led mission and risk the lives of American soldiers. (source)

Silly me, I thought that open unrestricted debate was what RESPONSIBLE citizens engaged in. I catalogue this one in the same closet with my duct tape and plastic wrap.

"By promoting liberty abroad, we will build a safer world. By encouraging liberty at home, we will build a more hopeful America." -- George Bush

I must question the credibility this quote in light of secret warrant less wiretaps, and policies of rendition. With freedom like this who needs tyranny?

"The spirit is going to be one of continued exploration . . . seeking new horizons and investing in a program that . . . meets that objective," President Bush said.

The program was hailed as ambitious, but unrealistic. The funding for it is the savings that would come from retiring of the space shuttle, and the US has an obligation to the ISS that requires continued use of the shuttle until 2010. ( Source)

"These are the basic ideas that guide my tax policy: lower income taxes for all, with the greatest help for those most in need.” – George Bush

The Bush Tax Plan:

Replacing the current tax rates of 15, 28, 31, 36, and 39.6 percent with a simplified rate structure of 10, 15, 25, and 33 percent (see Appendix for rate schedule);

Doubling the child tax credit to $1,000 per child and applying the credit to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT);

Reducing the marriage penalty by reinstating the 10 percent deduction for two-earner couples;

Eliminating the death tax;

Expanding the charitable deduction to non-itemizers; and

Making the Research and Experimentation (R&D) tax credit permanent.

(source)

Again Bush has an admirable sentiment. The devil is in the details. Eliminating the estate tax only benefits those that die with over a million dollars in estate. The poor and middle class have no need for the R&D tax credit.

Over the ten-year period, the richest Americans—the best-off one percent—are slated to receive tax cuts totaling almost half a trillion dollars. The $477 billion in tax breaks the Bush administration has targeted to this elite group will average $342,000 each over the decade. (source)

Yet again, the rhetoric doesn’t fit the reality.

And on a humorous note:

"You took an oath to defend our flag and our freedom, and you kept that oath under seas and under fire."

—George W. Bush, addressing war veterans, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2006

Nate is probably my most liberal commenter, BUT the boy has balls of steel. I respect Nate immensely because he never flames and runs off --he stays and argues his point and takes A LOT of grief for it... He's by far the bravest lib I've encountered. Thanks Nate!

12 Steps

A few days ago, Justrose and I were talking about the plethora of 12 step programs that seem to be ever-multiplying... they have them for everything! Alcoholics, drug addicts, sex addicts, love addicts, food addicts, internet addicts...

Here's the thing though, have you ever actually looked at what the 12 steps are?

1. We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
7. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs (source)

As I read through the various websites, I was shocked at how strongly these programs are centered around God. How is it that the ACLU or Michael Newdow hasn't taken these programs to task?

Oops... I should have Googled before I typed:

"Fortunately, the courts have supported those seeking protection from coercive treatment. In every court challenge to mandated A.A. attendance to date—in Wisconsin, Colorado, Alaska, and Maryland—the courts have ruled that A.A. is equivalent to a religion for First Amendment purposes. The state's power is limited to regulating people's behavior, not controlling their thoughts.

In the words of Ellen Luff, the ACLU attorney who successfully argued the Maryland case before a state appeals court, the state may not "intrude further into the probationer's mind by forcing sustained attendance in programs designed to alter their belief in God or their self identity." Whether or not any established religion is involved, she concludes, "if the state becomes. a party to attempting to precipitate a conversion experience, the First Amendment has been violated." (source)

OH! Speaking of that wonderful organization, the ACLU, I was SO glad to see that they are spending precious time and valuable resources on ACTUALLY protecting American liberties... In this tumultuous time when Osama is touting an imminent attack and our borders resemble a ripped sponge, the ACLU has ensured that a boy in New Jersey will be able to wear a skirt to school! (H/T: Jay @ Stop the ACLU)

Disney: Third Day Observations

Itinerary: MGM Studios

1) Once the realization finally sinks in that you survived your flight, you have to start worrying about your flight home.

2) Skip this park.

3) If you trick your 5 year old into going onto Space Mountain, he won't believe you that the Star Wars ride is just virtual reality and not really taking you to space.

4) We are still the only Americans here.

5) Tower of Terror rules.

6) If you want to go on Rock 'N Roller Coaster (Disney's first that turns you upside down) don't go to the park with three boys that hate roller coasters.

7) O'Hana restaurant in the Polynesian is the place for dinner if you want to spend $200 and immediately enter food-a-coma.

8) If you trick your 5 year old to get him to go on Space Mountain, be prepared for him to lose all trust in you and even throw a fit when you try to use the monorail as transportation.

P.S. Courtney: Considering The Man is a misanthrope of titanic proportions who doesn't really like people at all --he is hanging in pretty good. Though I pity the next fool that tells him to have a "magical day".

Guest Post - By Free0352

Free Spars with Bin-Ladin
(*STRONG Language Advisory*)

Hello free0352, you are very frightening... Peace be upon you...

Thanks Osama, you’re so polite.

You’re welcome free, Allah be praised. Anyway, I have written yet another letter to the American People. I was wondering if you’d let me read it to you?

Aw come-on Osama! You just drone on and on and on with the Peace-be-upon-him-allah-be-praised-shit. You know god damn good and well I hate that shit.

It is how we Moslems address each others, even our enemies.

Well holy shit dude!? Fine, on with the letter. But if it gets boring I'm gonna have Jpck skull fuck you to death. And believe me, that guy will fuck anything...

"I see, well, here it is."

"My message to you is about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the way to end it."

We've got some ideas on how to end it too.

"I had not intended to speak to you about this issue, because, for us, this issue is already decided: diamonds cut diamonds."

Yet here you are Osama. So spit it the fuck out before I shove a goat down your throat.

"Praise be to God, our conditions are always improving, becoming better, while yours are the opposite."

So how's that cave treating you?

"However,"

Yeah, however...

"...what prompted me to speak are the repeated fallacies of your President Bush in his comment on the outcome of US opinion polls, which indicated that the overwhelming majority of you want the withdrawal of the forces from Iraq, but he objected to this desire and said that the withdrawal of troops would send the wrong message to the enemy."

Yeah, running away from you always made you stop killing us in the past, but I'm listening...

"Bush said: It is better to fight them on their ground than they fighting us on our ground."

Oh wait; didn't you say the same thing? Better to kill Americans here, civilians, something like that? Bush is right by the way, but you weren’t. You miscalculated who you were fucking with. I really must complement you however, Osama, every time I’m like, sooo sure you're dead somewhere… you come out with a new tape. You really are a survivor. Liberals in America should be forced to listen to your box set every time they bleat about the war.

"In my response to these fallacies, I say: The war in Iraq is raging and operations in Afghanistan are on the rise in our favour, praise be to God."

Well, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan IS raging, but I'd argue with whose favor this is all in. Ok, enough about the cave... do you miss Ismil the goat, I know you loved fucking him?

"The Pentagon figures indicate the rise in the number of your dead and wounded, let alone the huge material losses."

War does suck like that. Hey! I have an idea, why don't you and your moon god worshiping assholes for Allah followers surrender!?

"To go back to where I started, I say that the results of the poll satisfy sane people and that Bush's objection to them is false."

And I say you are a pig fellating fuck face. But I'd be right and you'd be wrong. And really, even the Donks don't think you're sane. Then again, I've heard a lot of the same arguments made by them coming out of you. Says a lot about your little pointy headed friends at the DNC doesn’t it?

"Reality testifies that the war against America and its allies has not remained confined to Iraq, as he claims."

Yeah, yeah I know. Allah be praised you smacked our own jets into the WTC. We haven't forgotten that by the way. You're like, so dead.

"In fact, Iraq has become a point of attraction and recruitment of qualified resources."

That's great news! I'm glad you told me! So what you’re saying is every Muslim with jihad proclivities is coming to Iraq just so we can kill them. Ah, thanks Osama! Bees be, caugh!, Peace be upon you...

"On the other hand, the mujahideen, praise be to God, have managed to breach all the security measures adopted by the unjust nations of the coalition time and again."

Ummmm... not mine. Not since September 11th. Oh, I see where you're going with this.

"The evidence for this are the bombings you have seen in the capitals of the most important European countries of this aggressive coalition."

We're the aggressive coalition!? You fuckers attacked us in Africa three times, Kuwait twice, Germany once, nearly sank one of our ships and attacked the WTC TWICE and then the Pentagon and all those airplanes and WE’RE aggressive!? There really is no reasoning with you people. May Allah fuck a pig you rag-headed faggot. And whoo-hoo you attacked those pussies in Spain. Big deal. Didn't work out so well for you with Brittan though did it? I think this guy sums it up well-

"As for the delay in carrying out similar operations in America, this was not due to the failure to breach your security measures."

No? It... was because you... HAD... breached them... that you haven't attacked us... Considering how weak they are, if you hadn't breached them by now I've been worried about you. But not to worry Osama, your friends in the Democratic Party have served you all too well. Our boarders are Swiss cheese, and that profiling thing, don't sweat it.

"Operations are in preparation and you will see them on your own ground once the preparations are finished, God willing."

Well, in the words of my humble President... "Bring it on."

"Based on the above, we see that Bush's argument is false."

Kinda like the "Islam is peace," and the "Religion of peace," argument is false? Well again, those are false arguments and Bush is right again! Damn that Bush!

"However, the argument that he avoided, which is the substance of the results of opinion polls on withdrawing the troops, is that it is better not to fight the Muslims on their land and for them not to fight us on our land."

But nooooooo, you had to send your rag-head hajji, fucktards over here and start some shit you won't finish bitch. We're gonna kill you and all your friends. If it were up to me, I'd kill your fucking dirty family and bomb Mecca too. Too bad Bush is such a fucking softy. I would however like you to give me your niece’s phone number, you know, the one on that magazine cover. She's like mad hot.

"We do not object to a long-term truce with you on the basis of fair conditions that we respect."

Wha-ho-hoooo! There it is! Under all your rhetoric, propaganda, and "god be willing," camel shit- there it is. You’re talking tough, you’re claiming you’re kicking our ass... and then waaaay at the bottom you're asking us to quit fucking you- and your dirty little collection of child molesting goat fuckers- directly the fuck up! Well guess what Osama, tuff shit bitch. You're gonna die. You ain't the second coming of Saladin. You are gonna end up a stain on some cave in fucking Pakistan and your homeboy Zarqaui is toast too. So stand the hell by to fucking die sweet-heart cause I got some close personal friends of mine who are gonna send you a fucking daisy cutting love letter. Your boys in the Democratic party tried to give your ilk aid and comfort and fought us real Americans at every turn here on the home front and get us to run away home, but we persevered and here you are on Al'Jazeera begging for fucking mercy. Murtha and Sheehan can't fucking help you now. They aren't gonna stop us NOW anymore than they have in the past... and as far as mercy goes... I'll give you what you gave on September 11, 2001. Fuck you, die slow. The main reason I support The President's authority to torture you hajji fucks is so that if we ever catch you, we can fuck you up "Passion of the Christ" style before some Gitmo Marine puts your bitch ass in a shallow grave with point four-five calibers of love to the back of your fucking skull after strapping a thong to your head, having his dog piss on you and ramming Crisco down your damn throat. I mean, Allah be willing.

"We are a nation to which God has disallowed treachery and lying."

Meheh.

"In this truce, both parties will enjoy security and stability and we will build Iraq and Afghanistan which were destroyed by the war."

I’ve got an offer for you. You can fucking die, and then WE can rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan which was destroyed by the war. Oh wait! We are rebuilding them. I bet that women voting thing really chaps your fucking ass. How IS that cave treating you? Go screw a goat you silly fuck.

"There is no defect in this solution other than preventing the flow of hundreds of billions to the influential people and war merchants in America, who supported Bush's election campaign with billions of dollars."

Do you have any idea who Bush owes to his re-election? You Osama. I'd rather have Kerry and a peaceful Mid East but because of boils on Allah’s pig ass like you... we need a fucking warrior like Bush to send those who defend us over to your neighborhood and fucking kill you. Enjoy that cave, pretty soon you're gonna die there.

Free0352 is a contributor here at Blonde Sagacity and for those of you that don't know him... He is a veteran of the USMC and a Michigan Police Officer. Free has a great sense of humor and is someone I consider a "real life" friend.

Disney: Second Day Observations

Itinerary: Magic Kingdom

1) If you get four to-go cereals and split a banana four ways -you can eat breakfast for under $12.
2) Either Florida smells strangely like Poop...or there's lot of people with gas and/or in Depends here...
3) It probably not a good idea to tell your 5 year old that Space Mountain is just the shuttle to Space Mountain...
4) There is a reason why the Swiss Family Robinson has no line at the end of the day. As Mason so eloquently put it, "We just climbed up all those steps just to see someone's abandoned crap".
5) No one booed in the "Hall of Presidents" when they showcased Dubya. And people look at you weird when you cheer for Reagan.
6) After the 185th gift shop where you tell your kids they can't have a $75 super ball, you can cheer them up by inventing an elaborate story of how Mickey hired a hit man to take out Walt Disney and have them decide who it was and what method they used.
7) As we had both kids, repeating Ghost's Haunted House experience may have been inappropriate... ;)

P.S. Sam, if you're reading this...and recall the giant argument we had in Paris about the COLOR of the castle --I WAS RIGHT and you were WRONG! :) (I will be sending you the photographic proof)

OMG! I almost forgot...
We tried to eat lunch in the castle yesterday --not for any particular reason than we were hungry. The hostess looked at us like we were insane and proclaimed, "These people walking in have made reservations at least 180 days in advance.
LOSERS! :)

Some OpEd Honesty...

An ongoing debate here -and most likely on every other political blog- is can a person be against Bush and the war and still "support the troops". Most people that are for the war say no. Not because we think that all of you hate the troops, just because it doesn't male sense. If you think innocents are being needlessly slaughtered and occupied...who are the ones doing that?

This OpED is from the LA Times, and the pacifist writer seems to agree:

"And I've got no problem with other people — the ones who were for the Iraq war — supporting the troops. If you think invading Iraq was a good idea, then by all means, support away. Load up on those patriotic magnets and bracelets and other trinkets the Chinese are making money off of.

But I'm not for the war. And being against the war and saying you support the troops is one of the wussiest positions the pacifists have ever taken — and they're wussy by definition. It's as if the one lesson they took away from Vietnam wasn't to avoid foreign conflicts with no pressing national interest but to remember to throw a parade afterward.

Blindly lending support to our soldiers, I fear, will keep them overseas longer by giving soft acquiescence to the hawks who sent them there — and who might one day want to send them somewhere else. Trust me, a guy who thought 50.7% was a mandate isn't going to pick up on the subtleties of a parade for just service in an unjust war. He's going to be looking for funnel cake.

Besides, those little yellow ribbons aren't really for the troops. They need body armor, shorter stays and a USO show by the cast of "Laguna Beach."

The real purpose of those ribbons is to ease some of the guilt we feel for voting to send them to war and then making absolutely no sacrifices other than enduring two Wolf Blitzer shows a day. Though there should be a ribbon for that.

I understand the guilt. We know we're sending recruits to do our dirty work, and we want to seem grateful.

After we've decided that we made a mistake, we don't want to blame the soldiers who were ordered to fight. Or even our representatives, who were deceived by false intelligence. And certainly not ourselves, who failed to object to a war we barely understood.

But blaming the president is a little too easy. The truth is that people who pull triggers are ultimately responsible, whether they're following orders or not. An army of people making individual moral choices may be inefficient, but an army of people ignoring their morality is horrifying. An army of people ignoring their morality, by the way, is also Jack Abramoff's pet name for the House of Representatives..."

"...I'm not advocating that we spit on returning veterans like they did after the Vietnam War, but we shouldn't be celebrating people for doing something we don't think was a good idea. All I'm asking is that we give our returning soldiers what they need: hospitals, pensions, mental health and a safe, immediate return. But, please, no parades."(Read the rest of Joel Stein's piece)

(H/T: CBFTW)

Guest Post - by Mr. Nimbus

Is The Left Wrong About Intelligent Design?

Lately, I have been going toe to toe with my progressive friends on the subject of Intelligent Design. In the course of my debates with them, I have discovered two very disturbing facts: Not only are they completely illiterate with the science of Intelligent Design, their knowledge of Darwinism isn't much better.

The sad reality is that they see Intelligent Design as a clever ploy to bring creationism and religious influence back into the mainstream. So they ridicule, they put on false airs of knowledge and simply refuse to look at the scientific realities that back up this concept.

To be fair, I understand the reasoning.

Darwin and macroevolution basically drove a stake into the heart of Judeo-Christian creationism, which, in turn, drove a stake into the heart of religious influence and power. In all reality, it was a huge win for humanity on many levels.

Unfortunately, Darwinian macroevolution is also fatally flawed, and to continue to prop it up as reality goes against everything that true science represents.

First, to clear any misconceptions, let me qualify my beliefs. I fully reject the Judeo-Christian story of creation. I fully reject all religious systems as a divine imperative. In terms of believing in a super power who created us, the jury is out. As far as I am concerned, we could be the product of an acne riddled geek who worships Satan and lives in another dimension. Finally, I am no fan of the religious right or Republican policy, thus, I have nothing to gain by advocating Intelligent Design.

Now that I have that out of the way, why do I seriously entertain Intelligent Design as a viable theory?

Simple, the science behind it has teeth.

The most important concept of Intelligent Design deals specifically with irreducibly complex systems. The blood clotting system is a perfect example of an irreducibly complex system. There are a slew of biochemical reactions that must take place in order to bring about the final result of stopping blood flow. If any part is missing or if any reaction fails to take place, blood will not clot. If blood does not clot, well, you die.

Taking the aforementioned example one step further, what do birth and menstruation have in common ?

Varying degrees of blood loss.

Do you see the chicken or the egg paradox?

Therefore, the blood clotting system had to be in place from the beginning.

Some may say "Well, maybe there was a different system in place, maybe radioactivity zapped a bunch of spare biological parts and it all came together".

Not likely. This would be like taking a watch, breaking it down into component parts, throwing it in a box and giving the box a shake every million years. Even if, by some gigantic fluke, all of the pieces came together correctly, how would it start - what would wind it up?

In addition to the irreducibly complex argument, Darwinian macroevolution has never been proven, despite years of research

In layman's terms, macroevolution is a large scale change that creates new species. While there is plenty of evidence that supports microevolution (speciation - like the finches on the Galapagos), there is not one shred of evidence that suggests that fish evolved into amphibians or that amphibians evolved into mammals. The fossil record itself does not support macroevolution. In fact, the fossil record supports the theory that living things appeared fully equipped to eat, survive and reproduce.

So is the left wrong about Intelligent Design? In my opinion, yes... big time.

I believe that Intelligent Design needs to be taught in conjunction with evolution. Teaching it will raise questions; raising questions will stimulate research; research will eventually find a breakthrough that may provide more clues about our origins. To run away from it for fear of reversing social progress or harming the scientific method is cowardly and violates every scientific precept known to mankind. If you don't believe in it, then at least have the intellectual honesty to read up on it before offering a second hand opinion. Let the evidence, not your fear, be your guide.

Nimbus can normally be found at Marrow. Since the beginning of all "this", Nimbus was and remains a calming force in the blogosphere. He fancies himself a liberal, but I'd call him a rational. I have had the pleasure of hanging out with him in "real life" and I always look forward to reading his opinions. Thanks Nimbus!

Guest Post - by Flying Spacemonkey

CheeZoom
Wouldn't it be cool if there was a service that would bring some cheese just when you needed it most.In a flash? With just a call?

YEAH, you know it would! And You could call it CheeZOOM! Get it? Because they deliver CHEESE in a hurry, like a ZOOM. I'm sure you get it.

Making a pizza, but low on mozzarella? CheeZOOM! fires some into your yard using some sort of shredded cheese mortar. The pizza is saved.

Grilled cheese not cheesy enough? CheeZOOM!, bring on the American by way of a drive by slicing! The yellow ones, not the white ones. No really, they make them , I accidentally bought some once.

Fancy dinner party lacking something in the hors d'orvre department? CheeZOOM, a Gouda tipped warhead should yield chunks for everyone! CheeeeeZOOOM! WOW! Thanks!

Want to a prank on a friend, but have only small quantities of stinky cheese? CheeZOOM deliver two hundred pounds of Limburger to Frank's boss! Card should say "This reminded me of you, Frank" Hah, thanks CheeZOOM, you got Frank fired. Good one, CheeZOOM.

Severely constipated? CheeZOOM, what's with you and what made you think I needed nacho cheese in my cold cereal? Why'd you replace my salt and sugar with grated Parmesan? You're getting me all blocked and stuff, MAN! get over your old CheeZOOM!ie self.

OK, maybe over-the-top fast cheese delivery might get out of hand.

It might, that is unless you also used the services of LaxiTaxi! the taxi with colon irrigation built right into the seats.

I am honored to have Spacemonkey guest post at the House of Sage. He runs his own site (Flying Space Monkey), and he is a regular contributor at the acclaimed IMAO. When you need an escape from the vitriol of the blogosphere, either of these sites is the perfect place to go! Thanks SM!

Disney: First Day Observations

(...This isn't the first time I've been here. My Grandfather brought me when I was 6 and my grandmother when I was 12. The Man was here once when he was 15)

1) I still hate flying.
2) I think we might be the only Americans here.
3) Everything is so...shiny, and plastic.
4) You have to walk...a lot.
5) We spent $74.95 on dinner last night --in a food court.

I guess since we only ever go to the Outer Banks and rent huge houses with a pool, hot tub, pool table, etc for a 1/4 of the price we spent to be here... the realization hit us hard that we had to spend a week in one room with our children. :)

I am sure that we will have a good time, but this will definitely be the only time. I am not slagging those of you who love it here, but this really isn't the kind of vacation that fits our very laid back-hate to make any plans in advance family.

Today... The Magic Kingdom...
Who knows, maybe I'll be a Disney convert by the end of the week...

More Stories That Caught My Attention...

Homosexuality: Gene or Choice?:
Columbia University Professor of Psychiatry Dr. Robert Spitzer was one of the main forces in removing homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association's list of metal disorders in 1973...so, maybe one of the first gay rights activists. His new study may alienate the very people that used to champion him. He claims that his new study shows that homosexuality is not genetic and that sexual orientation can be changed.

"Spitzer interviewed more than 200 people, most of whom claimed that through reparative therapy counseling, their desires for same-sex partners either diminished significantly or they changed over to heterosexual orientation. Although still a proponent of homosexual activism, Spitzer has been attacked unmercifully by former admirers for this breach of the ideology that people are "born gay and can't change." Immutability is a central tenet of demands for "gay rights" and "gay marriage."

In 1993, Columbia University psychiatry professors Drs. William Byne and Bruce Parsons examined the most prominent "gay gene" studies on brain structure and on identical twins, and published the results in the Archives of General Psychiatry. They found numerous methodological flaws in all of the studies, and concluded that:

There is no evidence at present to substantiate a biologic theory. … [T]he appeal of current biologic explanations for sexual orientation may derive more from dissatisfaction with the present status of psychosocial explanations than from a substantiating body of experimental data.(Read Born or Bred)

Personally, I don't know what I think. I know gay men that have never even kissed (or had the desire to kiss) a woman. I also know "reformed" homosexuals. It has always seemed off that a gene hasn't been found in all this time --something to show a predictor...but I have never had these feelings, so who am I to say...?

Face Transplant?!:
There is a story from France that details how a woman that was given a transplant is jeopardizing her chances of success by smoking. That's a shame and all, but what struck me is the woman had a face transplant. Who even knew there was such a thing --and do you then look like the other person? She needed the transplant because she was mauled by her dog last spring. Face Transplant Slideshow. (H/T: Liz)

Stem Cells Gone Wild:
I think this is what people mean when they talk about the proverbial "slippery slope"... British scientists want permission to create half human half rabbit embryos.
"To make a hybrid embryo, a human skin cell would be taken from a person with motor neurone disease and injected into a hollowed-out rabbit egg. The resulting embryo would contain only a tiny amount of rabbit DNA in a microscopic structure that generates energy in the cell. The rest of the DNA would be human. If the experiment is successful, within a week, the egg will have divided to form a tiny ball of a 200 or so cells, from which stem cells could be extracted." (source)

Relocation Worse Than Divorce?:
A new study shows that parents who relocate far from their spouse after a divorce do a real disservice to their children.
"Results show significant negative effects associated with the long distance (more than an hour’s drive) parental moves by the mother or father, with or without the child, as compared with divorced families in which neither parent moved away beyond an hour’s drive. “As compared with divorced families in which neither parent moved, students from families in which one parent moved received less financial support from their parents (even after correcting for differences in the current financial conditions of the groups), worried more about that support, felt more hostility in their interpersonal relations, suffered more distress related to their parents’ divorce, perceived their parents less favorably as sources of emotional support and as role models, believed the quality of their parents’ relations with each other to be worse, and rated themselves less favorably on their general physical health, their general life satisfaction, and their personal and emotional adjustment,” according to the study." (source)

Some Things I Never Knew...

I was watching Amistad yesterday as I was packing. That movie is always very hard to watch -- as it should be.

Anyway, my point... After the movie, I began looking up and reading articles about the origins of slavery in the United States and found some interesting things. This Article in particular.

The estimated total of Africans that were sold into the slave trade is 9,566,000, but what I didn't know is the United States (or then British colonies) received the fewest number of those captured and sold. South America took 1/2 of the entire slave population (4,700,000) and the West Indes 40% (4,040,000). The United States 399,000. That means that South America had 12 slaves to North America's 1, and the W. Indes 10 slaves to our 1. Pretty staggering numbers. I'm wondering why I never heard them before.

I also found this page that contains records of slaves and the slave owners in Pennsylvania --I am happy to say that neither of my family names are on any list.

"Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken." –Amistad

This Week...

By the time you read this I will most likely be in the sky... Listening to in flight XM radio and reading my chicklet novel (a pleasure that I don't normally indulge).

I have asked a few people to guest post while I am gone --from the left and the right. If I ask someone to lend their words to my site, it means that I respect them immensely...so I hope that you are kind (that doesn't mean you have to agree) to these brave souls.

Also, sorry for any emails that I didn't return in the last few days. I have been running around like a lunatic trying to get everything done... I promise I will be more attentive when I return!

All my Guest Posters: Thank You! Make yourselves comfy in the guest room and have fun!

In the Sandbox...

It’s About Demographics

I don’t believe the writer of “He saw the light” understands demographics. The bulk of the military and our country is of a particular preference in religion, and that has obviously been overlooked. Naturally, most people we will encounter are Christian, and most of the chaplains will be Christian to accommodate that need.

Where there is a need for another religious representatives, the military will, and is obligated to, provide that counsel. We do have a choice, and need not be too lazy to follow through. Same with the chapels; they are built to accommodate the majority of attending soldiers. Just like in the States, we will find the same amount of people in a given area: Baptists in the South, Catholics in the Northeast, etc.

If our more immature soldiers continue to whine and complain that most people are Christian, they would be best advised to make a home in a country with a predominately different religion. Those who have failed to understand that Americans are predominately Christian must not have the intellect or willpower to make up their own mind and choose to blame others for their shortcomings. The state and church separation, by law, cannot force any one religion on anybody.

If the whining and sarcasm continues, I expect they will get a long “trip behind the woodshed” with their gunny or first sergeant. Either one ought to straighten them out.

-Sgt. William Clay Rhodes, Ramadi, Iraq (Stars & Stripes: Letters to the Ediitor)

...more girls of the Guard...
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

News Bits You Might Have Missed...

Osama Endorses a Book: Well, he mentioned a book in his latest audio release and sales soared. William Blum’s “Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower” was ranked 209,000 on Amazon.com’s sales list before bin Laden mentioned it in an audiotape released on Thursday. By Friday, the book was No. 30 on the Amazon.com list." (source) Now, do you on the left FINALLY see what we mean when we say you are helping the enemy with your rhetoric?! Osama is recommend people read books with your liberal message... Can this finally be your wake up call to stop aiding and abetting?! Well, it didn't work for author Blum; this is what he had to say:

"'I was glad. I knew it would help the book’s sales and I was not bothered by who it was coming from. “If he shares with me a deep dislike for the certain aspects of US foreign policy, then I’m not going to spurn any endorsement of the book by him. I think it’s good that he shares those views and I’m not turned off by that."

Belafonte at it Again: Now he's comparing the Homeland Security Department to Nazi Gestapo and the same old, same old Bush is a liar mantra. "We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended," Belafonte said in a speech to the annual meeting of the Arts Presenters Members Conference. "You can be arrested and not charged. You can be arrested and have no right to counsel" (source) I wonder if Belafonte (or any of these incessant bitchers) know even one person who has been effected by any of the security changes since 9/11. I doubt it.

Brokeback Mountain: Will not be shown in theaters for troops overseas. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) says that this is not due to the movie's content, but the fact that "first run" movies are usually not picked from the Independent studios. (Stars & Stripes)

Disney Caters to the Troops: "Shades of Green" is a 568 room resort in the middle of Disney World that offers big discounts to active and retired military members. "Since May, almost 1,000 soldiers returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan have stayed at Shades of Green. Troops returning from or preparing for duty there get an extra 30 percent off their room rate. "All the employees here are very aware that some of the guests here could go back and lose their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan," McCrindle said. "So, it's a sensitive time." (source)

Finally Posted More MP3s

I've been slacking a bit with my contributor responsibilities over at 100 RECORDS. I finally got around to posting some MP3s though... a little Hip Hop and some funky Trip Hop:

De La Soul
Sneaker Pimps

Even if you don't think you're into this kind of music...give it a listen, it might surprise you.

When I get back from vacay, I am gonna post some Sepultura, Motorhead and the Fugees...

Another Free Advert... Brought to You by the House of Sage

For two weeks(+) I have woken up with severe neck pain. I was convinced I had meningitis or Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (my doctor has told me on more than one occasion to stop reading medical journals). I told my best friend, JustRose, about the pain and how in the morning I couldn't even tip my chin down...

She was at the mall Friday night and got me a Memory Foam contour pillow (we already have the memory foam bed topper and LOVE it). It was a bit strange falling asleep the first night because the pillow is much stiffer than what I am used to.

When I woke on Saturday morning I had NO PAIN! This pillow claims to give "one of the most restful night’s sleep of your life" and says that it "gives relief to back and neck pain sufferers" along with helping "reduce snoring, stress and insomnia". It's TRUE!

As usual this endorsement is an unsolicited, unpaid recommendation for a product that is SO worth the money... They sell this at those "As Seen on TV" stores.

Common Sense Test:

"The original densa quiz, testing to see just how dumb you are!
Answer the questions as best you can, but remember, the obvious answer is the wrong one!
How dumb are you???? Take this quiz, if you dare, and see! Most answers are numeric, that is 1, 45, 72, etc."

Take the Quiz

"You scored 11 out of 12 - You are Above Normal! (Question 11 gets them every time!!)"

GPS for Kids - Update

Back in September of 2004 I did a post about the possibility of GPS implants in children...a lot of people must be interested in that technology because I still get one or two emails a week from people who found that post searching Google.

Someone just sent me a link to the Wherify GPS Child Locator Watch which is only one step down from an actual GPS implant in your child. This watch has a pager capability, it calls 911 and it has GPS tracking. It looks like a regular kid watch, so a pedophile/abductor probably wouldn't think to remove it (it has a locking feature also).

This is such a great idea --and sadly a necessity in the world we live in. It is a bit pricey (On sale now for $179.99 from $399) -but what price can we put on a child's life?

...Now, if the government can use taxpayer dollars to subsidize INFANT FORMULA through WIC (when all women have free milk in their bodies) they should subsidize this for all kids. End the free formula and the Head Start program that's been a proven bust and give kids something that could actually save their lives...

(Remy: Thanks for the heads up!)

Impending Flight...

As previously mentioned, I haven't been on a plane since 9/11. It figures that now that I am beholden to a flight on Monday morning, every other story I come across is about someone perishing (or almost perishing) on a plane.

I know the jetsetters, that have been airborne since the day the airline grounding was lifted, think this fear is unfounded and I realize that "I have a bigger chance of getting into an accident in my car"... blah, blah, blah...

There are two odd airline things that I find a bit disconcerting:

1) There is NO I.D. required for anyone under eighteen. Maybe it's just me, but that seems a bit foolish.
2) When AB's new hubby got pulled from the line for an extended search (on their way to Jamaica) they made him strip down in front of a window with everyone in the airport looking in.

Among the many I have seen this week:

Pilot In Crash Had Been Drinking

Plane crash kills 44

Maybe I shouldn't have read so many non-fiction books slagging the airlines... Maybe I'll blog through it to take the edge off...

Wanna Make Me?

How to make an ALa

Ingredients: 5 parts anger 3 parts humour 5 parts beauty

Method: Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Top it off with a sprinkle of fitness and enjoy!

Username:

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

Swanny!

"Lynn Swann is leading Ed Rendell in the race for governor! The highly respected Rasmussen poll came out yesterday and showed that Lynn is ahead of Ed Rendell 45% to 43%."

...But this Pittsburgh paper switched the numbers when they reported results. I realize 45 to 43 is a virtual tie with margin of error -and that this could have been a unintentional misprint... it just seems the misprints work in favor of the left, doesn't it?

...imagine that, a Republican in the lead. Fast Eddy (our current Governor and master of Pay-to-play politics) must be sweating more profusely than he normally does.

We have to route for the STEELERS in the Super Bowl -the publicity of a Steeler's Super Bowl win can only help Swan --and Rendell's close association with the clipped-wing Philadelphia Eagles makes the race all that more interesting...

American Troops Rescued a "Human Shield"....

That's a pretty big story, don't ya think?! Have you seen it on the news, because I certainly haven't!? If it weren't for the Freepers I wouldn't know half the things that are going on in the world!

The entire story can be found HERE at a blog called "Sweetness & Light".

Here's the thing -the story is being reported, but they are calling the "human Shield" in question a "freelance journalist":

"Phil Sands, 28, a freelance journalist, was held by gunmen who ambushed his car in Baghdad. He said the worst aspect of his ordeal was imagining the anguish of his family. But his parents were holidaying in Morocco and knew nothing of his sufferings until he called them after he was released during a chance raid by US forces on a farm outside Baghdad."

Fortunately, an astute Blogger connected this "journalist's" name to previous articles published about the "Human Shield" movement.

"In the past week we have had limited contact with the shields in Baghdad, as communications lines are essentially out. We have had reports from exiting shields and others, and no reports of injuries among shields. Uzma said last week that there were no longer any human shields at the Al Mamuun (Mimoun) Communications centre, which was targeted and possibly destroyed 28 March.

Phil Sands was among a number of shields expelled from Iraq on 28 March, as he was deemed a "security risk". His diary of his last week in Iraq was published in the Independent on 30 March." (source)

He tells of his ordeal here.

I can't find what division of the Army rescued Sands...and I can't understand the blackout in the American press.

WHERE IS THIS STORY!?

John Walker Lindh: "A Decent and Honorable Young Man"?!

John Walker Lindh's father is talking to the press...begging for clemency for his now 24 year old son. John Walker Lindh, who should really be called by his Muslim name, Suleyman al-Faris (why does the media use the "American" name instead of the person's preferred -or legally changed- Muslim Name once a crime has been committed? They do that with the DC sniper and Jose Padilla too...)

"After years of silence, the father of American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh said Thursday he has asked President Bush to grant his son clemency, adding that the then teenager never raised arms against the United States.

"In simple terms, this is the story of a decent and honorable young man embarked on a spiritual quest," said Frank Lindh, swallowing back tears at times during a speech at the Commonwealth Club, a nonprofit organization.

John Walker Lindh, now 24, was captured by American forces on Nov. 21, alongside the Taliban. Frank Lindh said his son thought he had been rescued by U.S. soldiers until he was taken into custody and tortured." (source)

Neighbors have described this very wealthy family as a laid-back "Birkenstock" family. Mothers don't let your children grow up to be liberals --see where that ideology leads?

As for Lindh's father...he needs a serious reality check. Conservatives would make the Rodney King riots look like a picnic if this traitor was given clemency (though if Hillary wins in '08 I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was quietly pardoned her last day in office)...

I Hate Nature!!!

Yesterday, as I was discussing the finer points of putting a purse behind your back in a vehicle so your feet can reach the pedals on the phone with Free0352, I noticed big snowflakes falling quickly in the back yard.

"Boys! Come see, it started snowing and the flakes are huge!"

Then I looked out the door on the other side of the kitchen. No snowflakes. I look again over at the back window where something is definitely raining down on my backyard and look up...

"NO! Oh, no no no no NO!"
Free must have thought I was losing my mind...or that one of my kids got run over...

"Oh shit. I HATE nature!"
"WHAT?!"
"It's a crow...no, it's a hawk and it's tearing apart a nest of birds. It's not snowflakes falling...IT'S BLOODY FEATHERS! Ewwwww! Wait, I gotta get my camera!"

Free is laughing so hard I am sure he must have peed his pants.

"I was calling my kids to come see a massacre!"

Low and behold it was a giant hawk tearing into a nest (don’t ask why there was a nest in January – I have no clue) and callously dropping feathers and body parts all over my kid's swing-set.

You have to understand. This is Philly. It's an urban area. We don't have scenes from the Discovery Channel in our backyards here...

Calling all GI Joe Fans...

My boys were playing with the stash of GI Joe figures at my Mom's house last night. These figures all belonged to my brother when he was their age -so they were all purchased circa 1985. In the middle of an intense game, and just as the Cobras were closing in on the Joes, Justice came running over to ask me why one of the "bad guys" had "boobs". I took the figure from him and upon inspection realized that this Cobra did indeed have breasts...and I need someone to explain why...



...any thoughts?

Who Wants To Make A Deal With the Devil?

Apparently, a new Bin Laden tape has been aired on Terrorist News Network Al-Jazeera.

"On the tape Bin Laden claims al-Qaida is making preparations for attacks in the United States but offering a truce to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan. The voice on the tape said heightened security measures in the United States are not the reason there have been no attacks there since the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings.

Instead, the reason is "because there are operations that need preparations, and you will see them," he said.

"Based on what I have said, it is better not to fight the Muslims on their land," he said. "We do not mind offering you a truce that is fair and long-term. … So we can build Iraq and Afghanistan … there is no shame in this solution because it prevents wasting of billions of dollars … to merchants of war."

The speaker did not give conditions for a truce in the excerpts aired by the Arab broadcaster." (source)

Should we take bets on who will be the first to suggest we make a deal with the devil?

What Ideology Would Be Required of a Woman President?

By now I am sure you have all read/heard Hillary's remarks from Martin Luther King day...or Laura Bush's remarks yesterday about nominating Condi Rice to run in the next election. It seems we may indeed be moving ever closer to the reality of a woman president.

One thing we know about the Clintons is that Hillary doesn't make off-the-cuff remarks. I am sure before she made her remarks to a Black Harlem audience the words had been debated and polled in private...

"Because when you look at the way the House of Representatives has been run, it has been run like a plantation. And you know what I'm talking about." -Hillary Clinton (1/2006) (source)

A bunch of rich, mainly white folk who possess much power even if they are the minority party, are hardly comparable to slaves. That didn't stop barrack Obama from defending Hillary's choice of inflammatory words.

Laura Bush didn't hesitate to throw her disdain Hillary's way when she called her remarks "a ridiculous comment". This week Laura also abandoned her normal quiet and gave Condi a plug to be the GOP's next presidential Nominee:

"I'd love to see her run. She's terrific," Mrs. Bush said during an interview in which she predicted that for the first time a woman would soon be elected president of the US.
"I think it will happen, for sure," she told the television network CNN. "I think it will happen probably in the next few terms of the presidency in the United States." She said her choice for that ground-breaking role would be "of course, a Republican woman" and then gave her endorsement to Dr Rice.
Mrs. Bush is normally extremely guarded in her pronouncements, so her expression of support carries weight. It is unlikely that she would have adopted such an overt position if her husband were opposed." (source)

Love or hate Dick Morris, one thing that you can't deny is that he knows the Clintons inside and out. They may have had a falling out, but they owe their eight year reign to him. Morris had an interesting take on all that is Hillary these days. He said (on Laura Ingraham's show yesterday) that Hillary believes that a woman President must be pro-war to be taken seriously. This is a conflict with much of the base of her party. To be pro-war (which she really can't back out of now) she must go far to the left on other issues. This leaves her in an unenviable position as Bill won by touting his "centrist" philosophy.

This is an issue that I tend to agree with Hillary --IMO, a pacifist woman would have a hard time finding her way into the Oval Office...

Quote of the Week...

"If a President breaks the law, he undermines the fabric of our nation." -Al Gore (1/2006)

Al Gore was referring to the Bush Administration's NSA wire tapping. I posted yesterday on Kennedy's hypocrisy, but this is even more blatant. I realize that most politicians are "do what I say and not as I do" people --and that power does corrupt...but could they be a bit more discreet about their deceitfulness?

Not even delving into the fact that Gore's Administration had a President that was impeached for lying under oath (a fact they all seemed to forget when it came to Scooter Libby), there is the little matter of the Echelon Project.

From the NYT in 1999:
"According to the report, Echelon is just one of the many code names for the monitoring system, which consists of satellite interception stations in participating countries. The stations collectively monitor millions of voice and data messages each day. These messages are then scanned and checked against certain key criteria held in a computer system called the "Dictionary." In the case of voice communications, the criteria could include a suspected criminal's telephone number; with respect to data communications, the messages might be scanned for certain keywords, like "bomb" or "drugs." The report also alleges that Echelon is capable of monitoring terrestrial Internet traffic through interception nodes placed on deep-sea communications cables.
...Still, Echelon has been shrouded in such secrecy that its very existence has been difficult to prove". source)

When the NYT ran that story it defended the program and claimed it was a necessity against terrorists and drug traffickers (and that was pre-9/11).

Now Gore is saying that "Bush must be probed" (ewww) and he's "calling for an independent review"?! I give up.

ACLU Roundup...

I just realized that I haven't ragged on the ACLU in a while (I also haven't gotten any hate mail in almost three months --is there a correlation?!)...
Let's take a look around and see what out left-leaning, litigious friends have been up to while my head was turned:

To be sorta fair and kinda balanced I will start with one of the few issues in which I agree the ACLU:

The Supreme Court upheld Oregon's "Right to Die" law. I know some feel like this view in opposition to my conservative label, but I believe that everyone should be able to die with dignity --and if they are going to die anyway (this only applies to terminally ill patients) why not alleviate the pain and suffering...?

Joining the long list of progressives that used MLK's holiday to further their own agendas instead of actually reflecting and honoring the man...the ACLU ran a full page ad in the Washington Post comparing MLK to terror suspects in the hope of twisting Bush's NSA wiretapping. I guess the ACLU forgets that John Kennedy, beloved liberal president of the left, was indeed wire-tapping and surveilling Dr. King.

AND, the ACLU has brought two law suits concerning the NSA wire tapping. I'd love to see what they have to hide! Among the other plaintiffs suing with the ACLU -CAIR and Greenpeace. Enough said. The only thing more revealing than knowing what "insurgents" the ACLU is talking to -is to see who the Council on American-Islamic Relations has on their phone records.

Jay's Stop the ACLU has been added as the first intervening party in this lawsuit. Pretty cool!

"Stop the ACLU et al vs. . ." (source)

In the Sandbox...

Information Used Too Freely

My command is continually informing our members by word, classes and electronic mailings about the importance of operations security. This is, of course, important to the success of the mission.

Another type of security is of equal importance and that is personal security. My concern was with a posting of information in my barracks. It listed everyone in the command who was having a birthday in the next month. On that list was full names, birthdates and Social Security numbers. Too many times, and more so since I have been deployed to the Middle East, I have been requested to give all this information to someone — if you have a change in watch section, have a new physical fitness coordinator, or for some evaluation input sheet, training class or course. Whatever the reason, it seems this information is readily given to anyone who asks.

One servicemember I spoke with explained how his information was compromised and someone had purchased a motorcycle under his name and information. That person then wrecked it and the servicemember had a visit by the local authorities, followed by court appearances to clear himself of charges made against him.

The littlest information about you can cause some major financial hardships and is so freely given for reasons that appear to be nothing more than to ensure your identity. A Social Security number should be used only in the case of pay or tax purposes, and even then, by an official representative or the member himself.

I suggest that if another number for identification purposes is needed, we should go back to the use of Service Serial numbers, which would not be used to affect our financial status, but could be used to identify individual servicemembers for tracking, records and the like.

-Petty Officer 1st Class John Fornbacher, Kuwait (Stars & Stripes: Letters to the Editor)

...girls of the Air Force...
One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six