Rabble Rabble Blog

Reading Assignment

2007-06-13T18:52:00.000-04:00

Steven Metz has written a lengthy piece on the effectiveness of counterinsurgencies and insurgencies themselves. If you have the time, skim it.

Jonah Goldberg makes a bold statement that we shouldn't have public schools at all. Evidence shows that even though less money is spent per student in private schools, they always achieve better results. Watch out for the bottles flying from the teachers' unions, Jonah.

The New York Post displays another military victim of Democrats' politicking: General Peter Pace.

Competition or Monopoly? That's a question Walter Williams is asking when it comes to school choice. "What's wrong with parents having the right, along with the means, to enroll their children in schools of their choice?" Good question.

Around the News

2007-06-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

The Pentagon has confirmed that it sought to build a "Gay Bomb." It would supposedly turn our enemies into fairies and "make them more interested in sex than fighting." This may be a super (pronounced with a lisp) idea to some, but killing our rivals is probably more effective. And there are only 72 female virgins in Paradise, not male.

Rush Limbaugh aired this little diddy of Al Gore criticizing President G.H.W. Bush on his friendly relationship with "ruthless" Saddam Hussein.

Commander of 1/5 Cav says that more al Qaeda were killed or captured in Amiriyah during the past week and had been in the six months prior. Also, near Haifa Street, Colonel Roberts of the 2/1 BCT of the 1st Cav notes that there was a 60 percent drop in attacks in the Karkh district from January and sectarian murders is down 94 percent from the same time. Sounds like we're really losing the battle. How about we start listening to the men on the ground and not the politicians in Washington?

Authorities are investigating Iranian ties to the JFK plot to destroy a fuel pipeline that the attackers were hoping would be more devastating than 9/11. One of the men arrested in the plot was attempting to pick up an Iranian visa so that he could attend an Islamic conference in Iran. Steven Emersen says that this doesn't look like the work of al Qaeda, but of a Shia terror group. It's important to remind ourselves that Osama bin Laden is not the only enemy America has. Though there is a commonality among our foes: the practice of Islamic extremism.

Here's a plot that didn't get much press. On January 4, 2007, federal prosecutors in Chicago indicted Rockford, Illinois resident Derrick Shareef (a.k.a. Talib Abu Salam Ibn Shareef) on one count of attempting to damage or destroy a building by fire or explosion and one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction." His target: CherryVale Shopping Center in Rockford, Illinois, a mall of about 130 stores. He was also living with a man indicted on terrorism and espionage charges in March. Give it a look.

Along with Iran aiding Shia militiamen in Iraq, a senior U.S. diplomat has accused the nation with supplying Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan with weapons and funding insurrections across the Middle East. It seems abundantly true that they are operating under the rule, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." The Undersecretary of State did not directly accuse the Iranian government. I hesitantly agree with Senator Lieberman's comment: “I think we’ve got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq and to me, that would include a strike … over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers.” It's dangerous, but worth considering. Satellite imagery has also linked Iran to an attack in Karbala, Iraq.

An Early Defeat

2007-06-13T17:46:00.000-04:00

I shouldn't be shocked. This coming from a man who already said we have lost the war in Iraq.

Top US congressional Democrats bluntly told President George W. Bush Wednesday that his Iraq troop "surge" policy was a failure.

For those who don't keep track of such important matters, the surge, as laid out by General Keane and Frederick Kagan is "possible only with a surge of at least 30,000 combat troops lasting 18 months or so. Any other option is likely to fail."

As well, General Petraeus, the commander of forces in Iraq, says that the surge will begin once all forces have entered. The fifth brigade has finally arrived and the plan to surge the city with troops and quell the violence by meeting and greeting Iraqi families and working along side the Iraqi Police and Army should start this week.

Our fearless leaders in Congress say that "the last two months of the war were the deadliest to date for US troops." This is to be expected because of the amount of soldiers in the area and the operations being conducted. No longer are soldiers living mainly on bases, but among the Iraqis and with the IP's an IA.

The only thing we've lost in this war is our backbone.

The OTHER Surge

2007-06-08T08:22:00.000-04:00

General Petraeus has some things to say about the U.S. Surge.

The fifth and final brigade and its Marine counterparts should be ready shortly. Don't forget that the plan laid out is 18 months long. It begins when the entire surge force arrives.

There's another surge fewer are hearing about: the Iraqi Army Surge.

In the first half of May, the IA increased in operational personnel 14,000 troops, or 12 percent. The San Francisco Chronical reported that "there will be an all time high of over 200,000 troops at end-year: In the Iraqi Army."

Bookworm

2007-06-08T07:59:00.000-04:00

Was out traveling for a few days.

I finished up Senator Santrorum's It Takes a Family. Good book. It's a mandatory read for social conservatives and those who believe that a nation of morals and a foundation of values is better than value-neutral teaching. Thankfully, it wasn't as religious as I had expected.

I am currently reading Dawn Over Baghdad: How the U.S. Military is Using Bullets and Ballots to Remake Iraq, written in 2004 by an embedded journalist. Like a nerd, I'm also listening to P.J. O'Rourke's Peace Kills and a 12 hour lecture on Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, a book on my must-read list.

Next up, I'll be reading Christopher Hitchens' A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq to counter the next three books I'll be tearing through: Understanding Iraq, Blood Money, and Blind Into Baghdad. I'll be taking an Iraq War class this summer, so I'm researching neoconservative excuses for nationbuilding and oil profiteering. Unfortunately, few books are written about the nitty gritty details of our involvement, so I'll have to settle with books which justify our actions.

Sunday Funnies

2007-06-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

You can't go wrong with Lothar.

Brian Regan's got some good material on going to the doc.

Sunday Quick Hits

2007-06-03T11:45:00.000-04:00

Robert Kagan, co-author of the surge, discusses presidential candidates' rhetoric regarding the Iraqi's at 'fault' for the expected level of progress in the country. He notes that Iraqis didn't invite al Qaeda, nor do suicide bombings ignite at the hands of the nation's citizens. He ends it on a realistic note:

Defeat will be no more tolerable in January 2009 than it is now. And it won't matter whom we try to blame.

Michael Kinsley whines that there is a war against those who want to defund troops and end the war. Why shouldn't there be? Those who are using the power of the purse to end the cashflow to our men and women in the field should be criticized. They voted to begin it. They should vote to win it.

Members of the 'religion of peace' have plotted again to destroy innocent infidels inside the U.S. I'm interested to find out what their legal status was and how the government figured out the plot. As for credit for stopping the plot, none will go to the administration and its efforts to fight our enemies.

Michael Fumento, a military embed, writes on the situation in Afghanistan.

I've only been in small parts of Iraq and a small part of Afghanistan, but I've seen enough to know that while the Iraq effort is awash with money but lacking in men, the war in Afghanistan is being fought on a shoestring in terms of both. There will be about 155,000 U.S. troops in Iraq when the U.S. buildup is complete, but there are only about 27,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a country larger in both geography and population. A massive concrete blast wall in Iraq is a mere mud wall in Afghanistan.

Agreed. More troops for OIF and OEF. And to think that Democrats voted to withold needed bucks from this war too.

Back At The Drawing Board

2007-06-01T19:50:00.000-04:00

After a month hiatus, I'm back with plenty of rants.

Let's begin...

Not only is Mars under attack from our emissions, Neptune, now the furthest planet from Earth, is under assault from Global Warming. Funny, if you look at the rise in the amount of solar radiance and UV flux proxy, it looks similar to that of Neptune's and Earth's.

Kevin Ferris reports on General Barry McCaffrey's (liberals' 3rd favorite military man - 1 being Benedict Arnold and 2 being General Wesley Clark) support for Generals Petraeus and Ordierno and our troops who are "phenomenally courageous and competent." He says that conditions could definitely be worse than they are now and February is a more honest time for surge measurement, not September.

Ralph Peters, a favorite of mine, says our surge is the right idea, but it is something that should have been done a long while ago. Great read on the strategies of the warring sides. I share his frustration of our weakness.

Jobs and Gates have a sit-down at All Things Digital. Nothing Special. Though, his Zune zinger got a chuckle.

As most know, I'm a big Simpsons fan. But I was pretty turned off by Season 18, Episode 4's mockery of our soldiers. I'm all for a gag and punch every once in a while, but Groening and gang took it a little far. They showed the recruiters as deceiving, the soldiers as morons, and in the end offered surrender with Lisa quipping "You should have known you can't win against a local opposition." Bad form.

YouTube Tuesday

2007-04-24T10:08:00.000-04:00

Because it's easier than actually writing something...

And for those who haven't caught on: Everything I know I've learned from a ninja.

Saturday Roundup

2007-04-07T08:34:00.000-04:00

March numbers show jobless rate lowest in six years.

According to Hot Air, Speaker Pelosi could be prosecuted under the Logan Act for meeting with President Assad in Syria. Interesting noodle exercise.

Liberal bloggers get punked with a fun Karl Rove April Fool's joke. Really, it's worth reading the back story.

Michigan State House Democrats are pushing to "invest" in children's future by giving them what they really need: iPods. They save lives, and that may be helpful in Detroit. Just an idea.

Wondering how I feel about the cold and Global Warming? The photo says it all ... So does the movie The Day After Tomorrow. The increase in Earth's temperature has decreased the Earth's temperature!

In D.C., people tie wishes to the cherry blossoms. Here's a list of what people are actually hoping against hopes for. Fun read.

I wish for large amounts of peach pie and ice cream. Oh, and not to be so pale and to get a tan. Also, I'm rather hungry.
I wish I was a superhero like Captain America. Except he's dead. So I guess Thor.
I wish I could get a beautiful wife
I wish www.freelaptop.com is real so that I can get a free laptop.

Screaming Match

2007-04-07T08:30:00.000-04:00

I'm a fan of Billo, but this [the screaming, not the content] is out of control...

Caldwell Interview

2007-04-06T17:14:00.001-04:00

Real Clear Politics has up an interview with General Caldwell.

Here's a quick overview:

Regarding a possible lack of funds: "I can tell you from over here, it's going to have an immediate impact in the sense that the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq element that we have is charged with building, equipping, helping to develop the Iraqi security forces, and that is going to have an impact on them. Now to what degree? You know, we can get into a lot more specifics, but they are already starting to feel the effects of not having this funding." Also, "at the current moment, because of this lack of funding, MNSTC-I is unable to continue at the pace they were in the developmental process of the Iraqi security forces."

Regarding the ISF: "I've been here almost a year now. And I can tell you that from a year ago when I first got here to now, and I'm out, you know, every week someplace, having the ability to get out and go around the country -- that, you know, they continue to get better all the time."

Sounds to me the leadership on the ground is pessimistic and ready to redeploy its forces.

"Stretched Thin"

2007-04-06T17:14:00.000-04:00

Crooks and Liars is complaining that 12,000 National Guard members are planned to deploy to Iraq. They ask, "How far can we stretch the military before it breaks," and answer that they don't know, "but that point is fast approaching."

Here's a fun fact: Two thirds of the Guardsmen to be deployed to aid in General Petraeus' surge have not served in Iraq. Of the remaining one third, only small percentage have served two tours.

If this is stretched thin, with one tour for every two to three years, I just don't know how we pulled off previous wars with deployments lasting two to five years without the technological advances we have today.

Pre-War Intelligence

2007-04-06T09:32:00.000-04:00

Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has released a declassified report of the DOD Inspector General on the review of some pre-war activities. Very interesting.

Pages 5 and 6 lay out the high-level contacts between al Qaeda and Iraq between 1990 and 2002.

"Basis of [enemy] Operation: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend" ... along with motives and a quid pro quo.

Want to remember why we entered the fight without the war-for-oil conspiracy nonsense? Take a trip in the way-back machine. Unfortunately, some of the good stuff is still blacked out.

Pre-war intel findings:

More than a decade of numerous contacts
Multiple areas of cooperation
Shared anti-US goals and common bellicose rhetoric; i.e. Unique in calling for killing of Americans and praising 9/11
Shared interest and pursuit of WMD

Well worth the short read. Be aware: some of the claims made pre-war were later discredited.

OIF SITREP

2007-04-06T08:26:00.000-04:00

General Petraeus and his boys are kicking ass in the fight of our lives.

Despite the New York Times' attempt to discredit the work of soldiers in the field, Representative Mike Pence writes about his visit to Baghdad with Senator McCain:

"From the moment of our arrival, I could sense that things were different. Gen. David Petraeus met us at the airport, and, instead of boarding helicopters to the Green Zone, we drove into town. I hadn't done this since my first trip several years ago.

"We were briefed on the progress of the surge of U.S. and Iraqi forces into Baghdad. For the first time, U.S. and Iraqi forces have set up dozens of joint security stations throughout this city. They live at these stations and patrol together for weeks at a time. While the fight is far from over, violence is down in large parts of Baghdad. We saw the progress for ourselves."

And here's something that blew me away:

"While we were instructed to leave our bulletproof vests on, Gen. Petraeus took off his helmet and urged us to leave our helmets in the vehicles."

That's a line between confident and crazy I may be hesitant to cross.

Kimberly Kagan has posted the third installment of The Iraq Report. She discusses the rise of al Qaeda in the al Anbar Province and how their presence is dwindling due to successful counterinsurgency efforts, even pre-surge. The importance of a joint mission has led to locals ratting out the enemy for the safety of their neighbors, along with that of Iraqi Security Forces and U.S. troops. As well:

Due to the latest Baghdad Security Plan, a "Ramadi sheiks' recruitment drive had ... produced 4,500 new policemen, where previously there had only been 300." And "the major police recruiting drives forced al Qaeda further out of Ramadi."

More on al Anbar; The Wall Street Journal notes the success of the sheiks' recruitment drive and explains how the new civil war in Ramadi is between AQI and Sunni tribes. A tidbit:

"Anbar is like the American West in the 1870s. Security will come to towns in Anbar as it came to Tombstone--by the emergence of tough, local sheriffs with guns, local power and local laws."

Good News Quick Hits:

Deaths in Baghdad are at the lowest rate in more than a year.
"al Sadr's ... absence [from Iraq] has encouraged subordinates and earlier rivals to move in on his turf ... It's clear that he does not control the organization."
EFP attacks (possibly the most dangerous type of IED) are down and a joint effort nabbed an EFP maker.
The Sunni insurgent group Iraqi Islamic Resistance Front is whining because al Qaeda's ISI is "aggressively muscling in on their territory and resources." (The enemy is finally showing a rift in their alliance, much as America has divided over the last few years.)
Troops are winning the hearts and minds with humanitarian aid in an al Salaam neighborhood.
General Caldwell says that Iraqi Security Forces are becoming "more capable literally almost every week as they continue their operations" in Operation Enforcing thee Law. "Caldwell pointed to a decrease in the number of sectarian murders and assassinations, a reduction in the number of car bombs, and a diminished capability for insurgent elements to move within the city."

Read Iraq The Model's story about a nightly check of his house when he had company over. It's quite contrary to the typical "kicking in doors" reports you hear about. Winning the hearts and minds.

iPod, 1. Terrorist, 0.

2007-04-06T08:09:00.000-04:00

Apple isn't great only because it makes products that piss off Greenpeace. It's products are saving lives in the War on Terror.

A soldier from the 3rd Infantry Division was shot in the chest by an Iraqi insurgent's AK-47. Luckily, he had a 20gb iPod in the way of his body armor, possibly preventing the round from shattering his IBA plate. The enemy was eliminated.

Photos here.

Perhaps Congress should include some pork in its next supplemental bill to accompany peanuts and spinach - iPhones for every service member!

300

2007-04-04T08:10:00.000-04:00

I have been looking for a way to spice up my workout routine and was stoked to hear about the training stunt men and actors endured in the run-up to the new movie "300". Here is a simple, yet horribly difficult routine I have incorporated into my workout two to three days a week. It is measured in the time it takes to accomplish it as opposed to how many repetitions of a certain excerise at a certain weight you can do. I finished in under 25 minutes on my first run at it.

25x Pull-up
50x Deadlift @ 135#
50x Push-up
50x Box Jump @ 24” box
50x Floor Wiper @ 135# (one-count)
50x KB Clean and Press @ 36# (weight must touch floor between reps)
25x Pull-up
300 reps total

USA Today said the training was "not recommended for the public."

For meatheads that have more brawn than brain, the invitation-only Gym Jones is a place to check out. I have a feeling they eat steel for breakfast and bricks as a post-workout snack.

No More "Global War On Terror"

2007-04-04T07:59:00.000-04:00

I don't exactly know what to do with my Global War On Terror Expeditionary Medal and Service Medal, but perhaps according to the Democratic Congress, they need to be revoked.

The Military Times is reporting that in the 2008 defense budget, the "catch phrase" "global war on terror" is not to be used. Instead, "the war in Iraq," "the war in Afghanistan," and "ongoing military operations" should be used.

This may have two consequences: In future defense budgets, they may alot specific funds for certain wars, i.e. 250 million for the war in Afghanistan and 1 million for the war in Iraq, as opposed to giving a specific amount to be used generally in the War On Terror. As well, Democrats who commonly say we "need to fight the real War On Terror in Afghanistan" may have to find a new catch phrase of their own if they want to appear hawkish or troop-supportive in any regard.

Science Friday

2007-03-23T08:26:00.000-04:00

Take a break from politics and enjoy some alternative reading...

Collision Detection has used science, physics, and rationality to disprove ghosts' material-lessness, vampires' mass existence, and zombies' actual existence. The piece is called "Ghosts, Vampires and Goblins: Cinema Fiction vs. Physics Reality." A short and enjoyable read. PDF here.

Really into science? To the point that you need merit badges to define who you are to other labrats that can't get a date? Then The Order of the Science Scouts of Exemplary Repute and Above Average Physique is for you! Check out the nifty badges they have. (Fortunately, I don't qualify for one ... and this may be reflected in a future college course.)

Scientists' fear and hatred of the Sun (as mentioned in a previous post) is more intense than I assumed. Because they blame our (America's) star for impacting a change in climate, astronomers are now trying to blow it up. Lucky for us (and unlucky for vampires), these moonlight-lovers (I know, the light from the moon comes as a reflection of the Sun's light.) are testing it out in virtual-world on a star about the size of Earth. It's only a matter of time before space-jockies send the Baldwins into space on a ruse with the purpose of blowing up the Sun. Videos here and here.

What do you do with the largest squid ever caught? Eat it, of course!

On Pins & Needles

2007-03-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

I am anxiously awaiting Apple's upgrade of the Mac mini to an Intel Core 2 Duo and their new line of outdated widescreen monitors. My goal is to create an information hub and mock movie theater. A 23" Apple flatscreen would do perfectly if there wasn't a $700 price tag on it.

Appleinsider says the next line of iMacs are undergoing substantial facelifts and will leave competitors in their tracks. I just hope users can control their Intel-based mac with the new iPhone. I'm sure somebody at Cupertino has come up with some nifty ideas.

Rumors say Mac OS 10.5 should be out soon.

The Sun's Hot Air

2007-03-22T07:52:00.000-04:00

The radical group NASA (National Alliance of Scientific Amateurs) has provided a new explanation for global warming: The Sun. The group famous for its unstable employees who take long road trips in diapers to kidnap and murder women says that "direct measurements of light energy emitted by the sun, taken by satellites and other modern scientific techniques, suggest variations in the sun's activity influence Earth's long-term climate."

Their "science" comes from researching an 850 year-year period around the Nile river, measuring the Earth's temperature and water levels precisely marked by the Pharaohs. Their results suggest: "variations in the sun's ultraviolet energy cause adjustments in a climate pattern called the northern Annular Mode, which affects climate in the atmosphere of the Northern Hemisphere during the winter. At sea level, this mode becomes the North Atlantic Oscillation, a large-scale seesaw in atmospheric mass that affects how air circulates over the Atlantic Ocean. During periods of high solar activity, the North Atlantic Oscillation's influence extends to the Indian Ocean. These adjustments may affect the distribution of air temperatures, which subsequently influence air circulation and rainfall at the Nile River's sources in eastern equatorial Africa. When solar activity is high, conditions are drier, and when it is low, conditions are wetter."

These overpaid Trekkies have some help from other researchers who found, in 1997, that solar radiation reaching the Earth was . 036 percent warmer than 11 years prior. This would increase the planet's temperature by 3.6 degrees over the next century. And who do you suspect was feeding us this hot air? The National Center for Atmospheric Research - a registered member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Even the star-hating media has hopped in bed with these kooks. BBC reports that the Sun is "at its most active for 300 years" and its effect "could be a more significant cause of global warming than the emissions of greenhouse gasses that are most often blamed." The Washington Times looks to Swiss and German scientists to rationalize their use of evil combustible engines. "The sun has been at its strongest over the past 60 years," the sun alarmists shouted between sips of Kool-Aid, which may be the cause of an enormous spike (.36 degrees Fahrenheit) over the past 20 years.

OK. I'm all for theories, but this is getting ridiculous. How could a ball of fire 93 million miles away effect the temperature of our globe? Some even say that the global warming on Mars is not a result of our greenhouse gasses. Tell me this, when did we find out Mars was warming? When we put a invaded the Martian planet and stuck a man-made robot on its surface. Coincidence? I think not. Humans - and most importantly Americans, are responsible for an increase in temperature, no matter how many of these space-junkies come forward with new evidence to the contrary.

I've been doing my damnest to support an increase in the Earth's temperature; I leave lights on in the house, support two wars that use ozone-killing gas-guzzling vehicles, and fuel planes that may get people to meetings on time but add significantly to the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. I even start up my car ten minutes before I go to work ... in the summertime! My reason: I hate the cold. Not only do my fingers not function well when they're frozen, but I hear lots of homeless die in our big cities because they sleep in parks. Also, I care about the world's poor. With an increase in temperature, more farmland would become available in more northern areas, providing more space to grow corn, potatoes, and raise cattle for the world to eat. Most importantly, I hate the cold. Why do you think I go to the Caribbean for vacation instead of Canada?

Thankfully, we had an Internet creator, former president and movie star testify in front of Congress that these Sun theories are nonsense. "The planet has a fever," Al Gore said, "If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says, 'You have to intervene here' you say, 'Well I read a science fiction novel [see material above] that says this isn't important.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame-retardant." The image may be funny, but he is deadly serious. To combat a burning crib, the private-jet frequent flier suggests: an immediate freeze on greenhouse gas emissions, a ban on incandescent light bulbs, and a tax on carbon pollution. (And Democrats said they weren't going to raise taxes.)

With Gore and Co. leading the way, we can finally put to rest these bunk theories such as sun temperature and cyclical climate change and place the blame squarely where it needs to be - us. Because when crops are growing, I'm performing better at my job, and enjoying a beer on the warm Canadian beach, the Sun shouldn't get any of the credit. I am one of the many that are causing global warming and it will be a cold day in Pittsburgh before anyone can steal what I've worked so hard to accomplish.

Reading Assignments

2007-03-21T09:29:00.000-04:00

Gordon Cucullu explains why the surge is working. Word one won't make it into the daily headlines of the ostrich media.

Sergeant Dave Thul, serving in al Asad, says the journey has been tolling, but it is necessary to "come home with honor."

Dick Morris, a man with an annoying voice and poor prediction skills, provides a rundown of the absurdity of "Gonzales-gate." Out of noninterest, I've decided not to follow the intricate details of the story.

Surge Update

2007-03-21T08:49:00.000-04:00

The surge that Democrats guaranteed wouldn't work continues to show more and more improvement.

In Kem, Iraq, Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers "buddy up" to pull security. According to 1st Cav Captain Hequembourg, the villagers are getting friendlier and "the Iraqi Army is getting better every day."

Bill Roggio reports that there are still approximately 2000 al Qaeda members in the Diyala province. General Petraeus sent 700 soldiers and 100 Strykers to combat the enemy, resulting in dozens of al Qaeda deaths.

For being one month into a long surge, we're not doing bad at all. The MNF-I commander has confidence. Sheiks formerly calling on their followers to fight the Americans are now encouraging their young men to join the Iraqi Army and police.

General Petraeus: "Less than half the al Qaeda leaders who were in Baghdad when this [surge] began are still in the city."

Not to be forgotten, quelling violence by Cav and 82nd force presence is one of the many ways leadership has designed to stop an insurgency. Infrastructure projects that benefit the normal Iraqi people are increasing. A hospital that couldn't be built because of al Qaeda control of the area has now resumed. (I wonder who in JCC-I/A cut the contract for that.)

In broader news, 70 percent of Iraqis polled approve of the new constitution, want Iraq to remain a unified country, and describe their life as "good." 69 percent expect the country to improve over the next year. And a hat tip to a free market: average household incomes have jumped by 60 percent in less than two years, 70 percent of of Iraqis say their enonomic situation is positive, and the use of cell phones, satellite dishes, and household appliances has increased by at least 58 percent. More numbers here.

And don't forget about our boys fighting the Talibanians in Afghanistan.

Pamela Hess On Iraq

2007-03-13T05:42:00.000-04:00

Despite the unprofessional waterworks, Hess sets the record straight on Iraq.

Protesters & Strykers

2007-03-08T19:32:00.000-05:00

Protesters demonstrate against the shipment of Stryker infantry troop carriers to Iraq.

"If you hamper the war effort on one side, you automatically help out that of the other." -George Orwell

Daily Iraq Report

2007-03-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

For those who care about what's going on in Operation Iraqi Freedom, check out the Daily Iraq Report, written by embedded reporter and blogger Bill Roggio.

I also suggest starting your morning with the Stars & Stripes Mideast Edition.

Take 17

2007-03-08T19:15:00.000-05:00

Congressional Democrats have finally solidified their opinions and plan for the war in Iraq. After 16 previous resolutions, they now are presenting a plan that may help seal our defeat against a steadfast enemy. Speaker Pelosi & Co. are proposing that all combat troops be withdrawn by 2008, with the process accelerated if the Iraqi government does not meet specific deadlines.

Excellent. I'm glad to see that they can agree on something. However, according to that little piece of paper called the Constitution, (oh, and Joint Resolution 114 passed by Congress in 2002) the handling of this war is decided by the Commander in Chief - not by Congress.

Fortunately, the only step Democrats have any authority to take is to withhold funding from the bills they pass. Other than that, it's all fodder.

Just A Thought

2007-03-08T19:06:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing I've noticed since I returned from Baghdad, it's the lack of discussion and care concerning our troops and mission in Iraq (or Afghanistan for that matter). Maybe this should have been obvious to me, but no civilians stateside openly discuss the progress, problems, or details of the ongoing war. Everyone has their opinions - many of them pessimistic - but it's as if there are not brave men and women in harms way fighting. Perhaps I expected too much. It is very obvious, however, that America (as mentioned in the previous post) is not at war. Our Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors are at war, and the American public knows little about our experiences.

Just a thought.

Must See Videos

2007-03-04T07:25:00.000-05:00

Pat Dollard has posted videos of his experiences with Marines serving in Iraq. Here's the latest from his documentary "Young Americans." This chapter is called "Living With Snipers."

More videos here.

There's a picture of an excellent quote written on the wall of their outpost:

"America is not at war.
Marines are at war.
America is at the mall."

All The Spin That's Fit To Print

2007-03-01T05:43:00.000-05:00

Today's Stars & Stripes has an excellent article regarding the quick-reacting media and thier irresponsible reporting of the war in Iraq.

One widespread report — that 16 children were killed by a car bomb while playing soccer in downtown Ramadi — was offered up by Iraqi police sources and local tribal leaders. According the U.S. military, it is entirely false.

While insurgents have repeatedly used car bombs to kill Ramadi officials and civilians (15 people, mostly adults, died in a car bomb blast Monday), the U.S. military said no car bombings occurred in southeast Ramadi at the time of the reported soccer field bombing.

What did happen, they said, was that 31 men, women and children were injured when U.S. bomb disposal technicians conducted a “controlled detonation” of seized explosives and propane tanks and misjudged the size of the blast. The blast occurred around 5:30 p.m., and all but one of the injured were civilians.

“The blast was much larger than expected, shattering glass in surrounding buildings and injuring the civilians,” a U.S. news release read. The victims were struck by flying glass and debris; none of the injuries appeared to be life threatening.

Despite the fact that no soccer field bombing occurred, media across the globe seized on the story. Both the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times carried quotes from the offices of President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki condemning the bombing. Maliki blamed “criminal gangs” for the “crime against children in their innocent playgrounds.”

How rich. The piece contiues.

There is also the possibility, however, that the false reports of a soccer field bombing were a calculated lie, the result of a breakneck news cycle increasingly used as a weapon in an information battle between militants, tribes and the U.S. military.

...

U.S. officials say they are constantly responding to false claims made by insurgents regarding collateral damage and the deaths of civilians. The enemy, they say, is intent on destroying a recently formed alliance between the U.S. military and more than a dozen local tribes in this provincial capital of 500,000.

Marine Captain Paul Duncan explains that this type of spread disinformation is aiding the enemy and hindering the coalition. How true.

One officer said that “it may be a matter of confusion, and it may be a matter of them making it up on purpose. He's just glad to see that the officials here are getting out in front. They’re dealing with the enemy on their own level.”

The Maverick's Running

2007-03-01T05:31:00.000-05:00

No Surprise. But honestly, who announces their candidacy for the presidency on a late night talkshow?

Video here.

Aurora Borealis

2007-02-28T21:41:00.000-05:00

I saw the northern lights on the drive up to Albany. The pictures didn't turn out, but the experience was beautiful.

Here is a gallery of neat-lookin' pictures.

On an unrelated note: With such high taxes in New York, why the need for toll roads? More than 25 bucks I wasted on that state. I thought taxes were there to maintain roads and pay for police! Kick some bums off welfare and put some money into your highway.

Reading Assignments

2007-02-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

Michael Fumento, a veteran and Iraq embeded journalist, has some great observations regarding the Democrats' "fetish" for Special Forces.

Senator Lieberman tells his colleagues not to undermine the General they confirmed during such an important time in the war.

With Blair's withdrawal of troops from Iraq, it now is really up to us. Max Boot has the numbers.

How About That Surge?

2007-02-28T20:56:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, the surge hasn't been getting as much attention since the Democrat leadership has cast their vote of "non-confidence" in the plan (but still, somehow, supporting the troops that are carrying it out). Here is a round-up of good news you're not hearing from CNN - and Fox News, for that matter.

Blackfive has photos of the honorable men fighting for what's right.

The facts are killer, too. Moqtada al-Sadr has fled to Iran, attacks are down 80%, and murders are down 70%. Patrick Ruffini calls out Time magazine's fear of silence in Baghdad.

Since the beginning of the surge in mid-February, more than 400 insurgents have been put to rest and another 400 captured.

"The number of bodies found [in February] in Baghdad--most shot and showing signs of torture--has dropped by nearly 50 percent to 494 as of Monday, compared with 954 in January." -Associated Press

I originally thought 21,000 was too few troops. However, I listened and took faith in General Patraeus' plan. I only wish 24 switchers and the leadership in Congress had the same confidence in our military.

UPDATE: In the March 1st edition of Stars & Stripes (Mideast Edition), Zeke Minaya reports that due to "shifted tactics and emphasized intelligence operations and humanitarian aid to win over residents," the residents of Hiwajah - a town previously known for it's mistrust of U.S. soldiers - rose up against insurgents that were"trying to take back the city."

Friday Quick Hits

2007-02-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

Who knew a celebrity's death would upset me so much? But Anna Nicole's passing has shifted so much media focus away from important news - Iraq, domestic policy, and hating Bush - I hardly know what's going on anymore! Even O'Reilly has fallen victim to the meaningless story and trial.

The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto is claiming the L.A. Times has outed actual CIA agents. The paper provides detailed descriptions of the pilots, facing kidnapping charges in Germany regarding counterterrorism operation in 2003, such as personal vehicle types, ages, facial hair, and their home lives. Fitzgerald better get on this quick! I'm sure he'll have plenty of time after Libby's perjury acquittal.

Apple and Cisco finally settled their iPhone dispute. Both will continue using the iPhone name, but Jobs has reserved the right to outfit his iPhone in a black turtleneck and jeans.

Sen. Lieberman may join the other side of the aisle, reports claim. Interesting. I can only hope he throws the balance of power back to the fools who lost it.

Is America Still Supporting the Fight?

2007-02-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

According to a new Public Opinion Strategies poll - for what that's worth - a majority of Americans want to win in Iraq. This, contrary to the majority of elected representatives. Here are some excerpts:

By a 53 percent - 46 percent margin, respondents surveyed said that "Democrats are going too far, too fast in pressing the President to withdraw troops from Iraq."

By ... 57 percent - 41 percent margin, voters agreed with these two statements: "I support finishing the job in Iraq, that is, keeping the troops there until the Iraqi government can maintain control and provide security" and "the Iraqi war is a key part of the global war on terrorism."

32 percent said "whether Iraq is stable or not, the U.S. should set and hold to a strict timetable for withdrawing troops."

However, the numbers still look bleak when those surveyed were asked if we should "do whatever it takes" to get Iraqis on their feet:

27 percent said "the Iraq war is the front line in the battle against terrorism and our troops should stay there and do whatever it takes to restore order until the Iraqis can govern and provide security to their country."

The icing on the cake for me is that only 17% feel that "the U.S. should immediately withdraw its troops from Iraq." More demoralizing, however, is the number of people who support "a strict timetable for withdrawing troops"; 32%. That's considerably less than the percentage of the representative majority in Congress who support timetables and a withdraw.

I'd like to say that these positive numbers would see more light had Anna Nicole not choked to death on her own stupidity, but I've seen more important news and tidbits fall through the media's cracks before.

What's more unfortunate, is that even though the numbers are surprisingly low, they will no doubt rise over the next two years.

Humpday Reading Assignments

2007-02-21T08:49:00.000-05:00

It's been a while, but it's time to catch up.

Steve Jobs stands up to teachers' unions.

Walter E. Williams talks exploitation, trade, and stupid laws.

Michelle Malkin has more on the Democrats' myth of our troops not having enough armor.

Iraqi Soldiers Speak Out

2007-02-21T08:35:00.000-05:00

Bill Ardolino, embedded with Iraqi soldiers in Fallujah, conducted an interview regarding the host-nation army's situation, progress, and feelings on the ongoing American presence.

The police and army have been working more cooperatively within the last month and they "need the U.S. Army [in Iraq] ... [to build] the Iraqi Army together."

Good stuff.

No Armor?

2007-02-20T08:24:00.000-05:00

Democrats are once again pulling the "No armor for our troops" card. Fortunately, their words don't exactly match the facts on the ground. Spending the last 11 months in Baghdad, among touring eight other cities, I spotted only a handful of "soft-skinned" HMMWV's (the military version of the Hummer), and those were used on-base and did not have permission to leave the gate into the hostile "red zone."

What the decievers may be whining about is the lack of new body armor that has been promised to our troops. In this case, they are correct. The Army was scheduled to receive new state-of-the-art body armor, called the Future Warrior System, by 2010. Instead, they will receive it by ... 2010. Marines are due to receive it this year.

Michelle Malkin has an excellent round-up with pictures, military expertise, and more fact-checking.

YouTube Tuesday

2007-02-20T08:20:00.000-05:00

Though I enjoyed Fox News' "1/2 Hour News Hour's" teaser from Limbaugh and Coulter, the show failed to meet my low expectation. In fact, I'd rather watch SNL's Weekend Update.

Real Questions To Ask

2007-02-20T08:19:00.000-05:00

Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began, the media has been tracking the public's opinion. However, the questions they ask aren't the "fairest" or "most balanced." Here are some questions on which they should poll the nation at a more regular rate.

Can the troops on the ground accomplish their mission?

How important is it to the nation that we succeed in Iraq?

Do you approve or disapprove of the small unit leaderships' (NCO's) handling of their missions?

Is it possible to support the troops, yet disapprove of what they do?

Is the Democratic Party's latest plan for Iraq a plan for victory?

As a strategic move in the War on Terror, will a retreat from Iraq be positive or negative?

Please Hold

2007-01-22T04:59:00.000-05:00

Please browse the reading material while your complaint is being processed.

Thomas Sowell says to lighten up on the 20/20 war critiques.

Donald Labro points out one of the unintended consequences of Pelosi's 100 hour blitz.

Written in 2004, Romeo St. Martin analyzed the politics of Sprinfieldians.

The New York Times accuses Dinesh D'Souza of treason. "Hello, Pot. This is Kettle."

'08 Forecast

2007-01-19T11:02:00.000-05:00

The 2008 election is a real free-for-all. It reminds me of the Simpsons' episode "Run, Homer, Run" in which dozens of Springfieldians run for Mayor. (It was a parody of Gray Davis' recall election.) With everyone believing they have a shot at filling G.W.'s shoes, I've put together a few thoughts on some of the contestants.

Democrats

Senator Hillary Clinton: It's hard for a front-runner to keep the lead. It doesn't help that it's her against every other candidate. She's disliked by the far left and hated by the far right. She may gain popularity among the moderate voters, but Hil will do more to rally the Conservative base than the anti-war zealots. Ruling: Hil has the best shot at winning the primary, but will hurt her party more than she helps it.

Senator Barack Obama: He's the latest American Idol contestant. Even Simon Cowell would like his "I'm just a normal guy" routine. It seems to be working. However, getting votes is the key to an election and if he's in a race against the attack dog herself, (see above) it's going to be hard to garnish enough of a following to even win the Iowa caucus. Ruling: This guy may be a stud you'd wanna chit-chat with at a bar, but he's no president.

Dennis Kucinich: I was thrilled when I heard the former (almost recalled) mayor was running. There is always a need for at least one clown in a circus (See: Dean, Perot, Dukakis). Unfortunately, the electorate doesn't know who he is. If he gathers five percent of the vote in the primary, I'd be shocked. Kucinich is running solely on ideological grounds. Ruling: Kucinich has as much of a chance at winning as Jack Bauer does at becoming ACLU president.

John Edwards: For him, Round Two has to go better than the first. Edwards may be the only candidate able to rally a firm Democratic base. His "aw shucks, mister" son-of-a-mill-worker schtick may even be attractive to moderates, but his radical-left agenda will hinder his efforts, not help them. Ruling: California may love him, but he won't be able to turn the Midwest blue.

Bill Richardson: Pundits say, "Well, he does have a chance if Obama and Clinton fall early in the game." The people who matter - voters - say, "Bill who?" Ruling: This governor has only a slim chance in New Mexico.

Al Gore, Joe Biden, and John Kerry have yet to throw their hats into the rings. Premature Ruling: None of them stand a chance unless the election is a referendum on Global Warming.

Prediction: Hillary takes the primary, but still struggles in the much-coveted Midwest.

Republicans

John McCain: As a lover of Texas Hold'em, I compare Sen. McCain's complete support of a troop surge to going all-in, pre-flop, with a K-10 off-suit. He has a pretty good chance of getting top pair, or even a straight, but an ace may match the one Hillary's holding. If the surge goes well, he'll be happy to see that K-K-2 on the flop. If it doesn't work out as planned, that 10-A-7 may not be enough to fall back on. Ruling: He'll only have a chance if this surge works by October 2008.

Mitt Romney: Governor Romney has one thing going for him: Health care. The change in approach to publicly funded health care across the next two years will definitely shape the 2008 election. Mitt has an attractive approach, even to some members of the GOP. However, being a Mormon won't rally the religious Right. Ruling: Romney's got an uphill battle that won't last past the primary.

Mike Huckabee: This Arkansas governor is the mirrored reflection of Bill Richardson - a nobody. He has a good agenda for America. Ruling: Huckabee may think he has a chance, but the voters won't give him the time of day.

Rudy Giuliani: Hey, it's everyone's favorite mayor! This guy's been riding his 9/11 heroism and anti-crime stance since 9/12. The right doesn't like him and left writes him off as a nuisance. It seems that the only people who approve of him are the moderates. And we all know moderates don't win elections, your base does. Ruling: Giuliani won't be able to raise money, let alone beat McCain.

Tom Tancredo: Like Mitt, Tom's hoping for an '08 referendum. His: Illegal immigration. Like Richardson, another governor of a Western state, he thinks that if everybody else can play ball, he should too. That doesn't mean he'll win. Ruling: This guy doesn't stand a chance, but he may bring the illegal immigration debate back to the table.

Bill Frist has yet to show as much interest as he did a year ago, Newt's running only as a "last resort," and it's safe to assume Condi's out of the equation.

Prediction: McCain will take the primary by 10 points over Giuliani. However, if Newt decides to play ball, you'll have a conservative base happier than a Republican at a Ronald Reagan highway-renaming ceremony.

Reading Assignments

2007-01-16T01:25:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to do your homework!

Rudy Giuliani & Newt Gingrich - Getting Iraq to Work
Mackubin T. Owens - The Surge Can Work
Jon Wiener - "24": Torture & TV
David Gelernter - What POTUS Should Say at the SOTU

A Caring Minimum Wage

2007-01-16T00:37:00.000-05:00

Robert Pollin, econ professor at UMASS, is an uncaring prick.

Rightfully, he is criticizing the new Congressional leadership for raising the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour. Contrary to most criticisms of the left's attempt to pay teenagers more, Mr. Pollin would like to see the federal minimum wage raised to at least $10 per hour.

How insensitive! For a bleeding heart, you would think he would care more about the poor saps who have to live on minimum wage. How are people supposed to get by on a mere $10 an hour? As a true proponent of a welfare state, I suggest the minimum wage be $15 per hour.

Wait. I know you're thinking, "Rich, $15 is pocket change to the achievers of big, evil business owners and CEOs!" I hear your concerns. That's why I've accompanied my $15 per hour minimum wage with free healthcare for citizens (and non-citizens) who work (or don't work) for less than $25,000 per year. (Because in NYC, who can afford health insurance on $25,000!?)

"Where's this money coming from," you ask? If we tax the achievers - those who worked hard to get where they are - at around the Jimmy Carter 60% level, we can afford not only the economic fallout from raising the minimum wage and providing free government-run healthcare, but it will give a slap in the face to all those who studied hard in school and didn't get stuck in Iraq.

It's a plan worth looking into. Perhaps then we can expand the middle class, shrink the upper class, and decrease incentives to work harder, take more risks, and make more money.

H&C

2007-01-15T10:37:00.000-05:00

I finally have a reason to watch Hannity & Colmes.

Out To Lunch...

2007-01-04T08:38:00.000-05:00

... for the next 100 hours.

Speaker (cringe) Pelosi and Company are throwing their 100 hour bash in a new attempt at American socialism. On the promised-to-be-non-partisan-but-truly-partisan-agenda:
- ban gifts and travel from lobbyists
- reform earmarks on bills
- implement "pay-as-you-go" budgeting
- enact the rest of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations
- increase the federal minimum wage
- fund more research in the area of embryonic stem cells
- cut student loan interests in half
- repeal tax cuts on oil companise
For a party that complains about a (waning) deficit, they sure are asking to spend a lot. If Democrats truly stick to a pay-as-you-go plan, Americans can expect either a cut in military funding or an increase in taxes - or both.

John Podhoretz has and interesting piece up. I've been toying with the thought of a Lincolnian style leadership during war. That is, if your guys with stars aren't making the grade, give'em the boot. Podhoretz suggests President Bush is doing just that by giving General Casey his "You're Welcome to Leave" letter. If the 43rd is attempting to mimic the 16th, there may be other heads on the chopping block.

Macworld San Francisco is this coming Tuesday. Hopes of iTV's, iPhones, and 8-core Duo's keep geeks awake at night.

In a speech yesterday, the president asked Congress - the one who opposes his every move - to give him a Presidential Line Item Veto. Fiscally, I understand the motive. However, the act was appropriately ruled unconstitutional in 1997 and it would be used primarily as a partisan sword by the executive branch if ammended to the Constitution.

Hours after Saddam's execution, a video of the hanging was released. Leave it to the Iraqis to screw up security.

I am currently reading - and flying through - Freakonomics. Quite enjoyable.

Reading Assignments
George Will: A Real Minimum Wage
Kathleen Parker: It Worked For Carter, It Can Work For Edwards
Lawrence Kudlow: Edwards Doesn't Get It
John Keegan: A Real Troop Surge = 50K

Shorter And Shorter...

2006-12-21T02:14:00.000-05:00

This is the end... the end, my friend...

Well, great news for patriots, NeoCons, and lovers of democracy: According to The Weekly Standard, President Bush will be using a modified version of the Keane-Kagan plan for Iraq. (If you haven't readthrough the 52 page report, do so. The Executive Summary doesn't do the full PDF justice.) The plan is drastically different from the Baker-Hamilton proposal. It recommends an agenda for victory, an increase in the number of combat troops, and a course to rally the Americans one last time to support the cause. It was also co-written by a retired general and accompanied by many other former servicemembers - something you can't say for the Baker-Hamilton Commission. Though NeoCons are usually starry-eyed and unrealistically optimistic, Keane and Kagan lay out a three phase plan to first secure the Iraqi capital, offer monetary incentives within small communities, and finally engage in political talks between Sunni and Shiite leaders. This will most likely make or break my faith in a neoconservative foreign policy. When given an option between the two plans, an increase in troops (nearly guaranteeing me a third tour, this time in actual combat) and dedication to victory seems like the better option. We'll see what happens.

I was thinking the other day. For those who are pro-choice for the reason of "a woman's right to choose what to do with her body," shouldn't they support a woman's right to sell herself on the street to strange men? I'd think they'd also support a person's (or at least a woman's) right to sell their working organs to those in need of them. Just a thought.

Remember a few weeks ago when that black guy was shot 50 times by the NYPD at his bachelor party? Well, race-baiters are rallying in NYC, attempting to shut down Wall Street. The reason, the Black Men's Movement claims, is to bring an end to a racist police force. Funny thing is; of the five cops who fired, three were black; the policeman who shot first was black; and of the nine responding cops, six were black. Of course, the flier distributed by the rallying group only pictures the three whites. So much for intellectual honesty.

Reading Assignments:
Walter E. Williams: Racial Profiling and Basic Economics
John Stossel: What Will They Ban Next?

Saturday Quick Hits

2006-12-16T07:06:00.000-05:00

Good News:

Pinochet's dead.

Byah's not running.

Kucinich is.

Bush is listening to adults about Iraq.

Sen. Kerry was only welcomed in Basrah, Iraq - a base controlled by the Brits. Not even the IZ gave him the opportunity to Meet-and-Greet.

Reading Assignments
Mark Hemingway: Blackwater's Warriors For Hire

Thursday Round Up

2006-12-07T06:20:00.000-05:00

Today's my 'Friday' and tomorrow's my half-day off.

HuffPo was abuzz yesterday with breaking news that the richest two percent of the world hold one-half the world's assets. Neil Boortz has some good commentary about it. My question: When are they going to do a study that shows how many jobs the poorest fifty percent have created. Or perhaps the ratio of taxes paid by the top two percent versus the bottom fifty percent? (FYI: The top one percent pay 34.27% of America's taxes.) Assets are earned, not dispersed... except in Communist countries. Shall we try that out for a while?

If you haven't seen Fast Food Nation, check it out. Though I originally expected it to be a documentary on how evil fast food chains and corporations are, it was still worth my time as a based-on-the-book fiction story. The movie hits on all the bleeding-heart talking points from illegal immigration to poor working conditions to the cleanliness of your food. Finally, a movie to top Fahrenheit 9/11! (A buddy tells me An Inconvenient Truth is better, though.)

Did you know that foreign troops were operating secret detention centers in Mississippi? (CAUTION: Only enter site with tin foil on head.)

The Vice President's daughter is pregnant. I hope Mary Cheney's partner, Heather Poe, knows it's not hers. Otherwise, that would be an awkward conversation.

Crikey! Check out a great video of the most dangerous IED Hunter in the world.

Reading Assignments:
John Stossel: Conservatives More Generous Than Liberals
Iraq Study Group: Executive Summary
MG William Caldwell IV: With All Due Respect, The Pundits Are Wrong
MAJ Bill Edmonds: One Soldier's Story
Rich Vos: Retreat Is Not An Option

Another Case Of The 'Mundays'

2006-12-04T08:22:00.000-05:00

I watched the pirated versions of Borat, Jackass: Number Two, and Saw III. Borat and Jackass are worth the money if you enjoy irreverent poop, slapstick, and racist humor. Saw III wasn't as good as it's predecessor, but the end wraps things up very nicely, still leaving room for a brutal sequel.

If you thought prohibiting men and women who engage in sodomy from enlisting the U.S. armed forces was unfair, take a look at what the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) is practicing. YNetNews is reporting that the IDF feels that Dungeons and Dragons players are "simply detached from reality." Therefore, soldiers are unable to be admitted to elite units such as Sayeret and Mossad divisions. Weird.

Some Muslims in Minneapolis are begging for some more special rights - a Muslim only prayer area. Most airports in the U.S. host a nondenominational, politically correct, bland prayer room. MSP (Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport) happens to be one of those. I say if we're going to install a Muslim-only prayer room, we place surveillance cameras inside. Otherwise, these whiners should get over it and use the boring prayer room like the rest of the people who pray for Muslim terrorists not to do anything crazy while on the plane which they are about to board.

The Baker-Hamilton lead Iraq Study Group will be issuing their "expert" opinion next week. From the leaks, they have come to one consensus: Get out of dodge and screw the consequences! Because it's a bi-partisan commissioned committee, their evaluation of the situation is considered holy writ. If the rumors are true, the President should pick and pull parts he and his advisors feel may improve the situation here in Iraq, but dismiss running away from the big, bad insurgency.

A group at NKU, Educators for Reproductive Freedom and Students for Choice have held their first Pro-Choice rally. Appropriately, they have labeled the whole day, "Pro-Choice Day." It's good to see people rallying for a responsible cause. I agree that woman should have the choice to have sex or not. It is also her duty to take responsibility for her choice she made with her partner. (I hope that's what they meant by pro-choice.)

Reading Assignments:
Mark Steyn: America's Test of Will in Iraq
Kagan, Kristol, & Donnelly: More Troops, More Troops, More Troops!
National Review Editors: Iraq Study Group's Worthless, and Send More Troops!

Saturday Quick Hits

2006-12-02T00:28:00.000-05:00

If you haven't checked out nationstates.net, it's well worth the visit. The People's Republic of Collected Individuals rules its people with a platinum fist.

Hurricane season ended last week. The Al Gores and Global Warmists predicted a ferocious season of monster Cat 4 and 5 storms that would destroy the East Coast. Fortunately, they were wrong. More specifically, prior to the 2006 season, they forsaw 17 named storms and several strong ones. I remember a piece on NBC forecasted at least one storm bigger than Katrina. What actually happened was far different from their scientific prognostication. Only nine storms were named and not one escalated to a Category 4 or 5. With winter storms encompassing much of the eastern U.S. so early in the snow season, I'm anxious to see what the scientists have to say the cause is.

Michael Richards' rant has passed as racist nonsense for most of us, but for the four black men he targeted at the Laugh Factory, a worldwide apology on The Late Show with David Letterman wasn't enough. "Kramer" plans on apologizing to the four and a cash settlement has yet to be ruled out.

It seems the flying imams detained a few weeks ago were guilty of more than just "Flying While Muslim." According to eyewitness reports, the six men had spread out around the aircraft after boarding together, asked for a seatbelt extension that could be used as a weapon, and were invoking bin Laden and cursing American action in Iraq. Half of the men had one-way tickets and there was only one bag checked among the six Muslims. The Washington Times is reporting that one of the imams has ties to Hamas. I'm glad someone is staying vigilant. Now if only the government would keep an eye out for Middle Eastern men between the ages of 16 and 40 acting suspicious. Call it what you will, but profiling seems to have won this round.

Despite the videos put out by Al Qaeda in Iraq - one claiming they had 12,000 fighters there - and briefings among general officers in Iraq about the terrorist organization, Speaker-elect Pelosi asserts that Iraq has no presence of al Qaeda.

Months ago, when Easter eggs were thrown out of the St. Paul capital building, I rolled my eyes. With the Christmas season upon us, the secularists are becoming even more nonsensical. A woman, asking not to be named, is offended by her child's elementary school hosting a "Breakfast with Santa." Because Santa only delivers gifts on Christmas, he is not "inclusive" enough to cover all religions. The school's PTA has decided to change the event name from "Breakfast with Santa" to "A Winter Wonderland Breakfast" at which Frosty will join St. Nick's side. I heard a great idea a while ago to begin a religion that worships parking bricks and speed bumps. If we begin to recognize them as dieties, we can officially ban them from public property and funding. It's just as rational as this unnamed wingnut's whine.

Add this to my Christmas list.

Gettin' Short

2006-11-21T05:27:00.000-05:00

Let the countdown begin.

Jeff Jacoby picked up on some nonsense going down in San Francisco. Apparently, the San Francisco Board of Education voted to abolish JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps). The program allows high schoolers of all types to learn responsibility, leadership, and moral decision-making. (It's kind of like a military version of the boy scouts for high schoolers.) The school board's reason: "[They] don't want the military ruining our civilian institutions." According to one board member, JROTC is "basically a branding program ... for the military." This is quite orthodox in Nancy Pelosi's hood. Last year, SanFran voters passed a ballot measure to remove military recruiters from college campuses. (The SCOTUS later ruled that if a school did not allow military recruiters, it could not receive federal funds.) So, if you don't support the programs that build up our troops, do you still support the troops?

Well, it took longer than I expected, but a Democrat is finally claiming an election race was stolen. Christine Jennings of (where else) Florida's 13th District is claiming that "machine error" resulted in a skewed race in favor of Republican Vern Buchanan. The undervote Jennings is claiming hovers around 2.5%. Al Gore was unavailable for comment.

The newest Pentagon suggestions for Iraq include going long, going big, or going home - to simplify the proposals. From what I've seen and heard, a combination of the former two are required if this thing's gonna work. RJ Eskow at HuffPo says that's Jeff Gannon's plan: Go Big AND Long.

I am currently reading SOAR: A Black Ops Mission by John Weisman. Good stuff.

A family member made it in the news. Check it out.

Reading Assignments:
Dennis Prager: Light Up!

Coming To Terms

2006-11-20T01:39:00.000-05:00

Well, I better get used to it - Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Majority Leader Reid, Minority Leader Boehner, and Minority Leader McConnell. It doesn't sound right, but it beats the hell out of Majority Leader Murtha. America has one thing going for it: Foreign policy is not directly controlled by the Congress.

Two hippies have a great plan for achieving worldwide peace: a global orgasm. Instead of rallying in downtown SanFran, The Global Orgasm for Peace is asking for everyone (no ages were mentioned) to have an orgasm on December 22, the first day of winter. The founders' theory is that, because a release of sexual tension is calming, people will "channel their sexual energy into something more positive [than war]." They even have their junk-science to back it up!

One of the plans on the Democrats' agenda is to raise minimum wage to $7.25/hour. On The View, last week (yes, I watched The View) Rosie O'Donnell asserted that $7.25 was not enough to live on - that being the current minimum wage in California. I agree. High school kids and youngsters beginning a career need a boost in pay. Though, a mere $7.25 isn't high enough. Let's make it $10/hour. Nay! $13/hour! Perhaps then can sixteen-year-olds finally be financially stable enough to live in this rough nation. I just hope businesses don't raise the price of a Big Mac to justify the increase in worker pay. (Come to think of it, how is a federal minimum wage even constitutional?)

Charlie Rangel, once again, is calling for a military draft. His plan treads along these lines: If the American people knew that their sons and daughters have a chance at serving in Iraq (God forbid!) they would rally behind the anti-war effort and demand an immediate withdrawal of troops. Good plan, but the last call for approval failed 402-2. "I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft." Check out the video - quite absurd. If the draft is reinstated, I hope they include women... you know, for equality!

A Special Forces captain threw his friends a rockin' "Nice Knowin' Ya" party following his death in Iraq last year. The party cost nearly $100,000, including airfare, hotel rooms, and drinks for the 120 invite-only buddies. Rock on. Nobody parties like the military - not even college kids.

With politics mostly out of the way, more mainstreamers like Sen. McCain are rallying for a bigger footprint in Iraq. Neocons like Kagan and Kristol have been urging this for a while. I'm glad somebody has a rational plan. Let's hope someone heeds this good advice.

Reading Assignments:
Joshua Muravchik: We Must Bomb Iran and Neoconservatism Ain't Dead
Thomas Sowell: Milton Friedman, R.I.P.

Post-Election Funk

2006-11-16T01:15:00.000-05:00

No apologies for my truancy. I was stuck in Irak because I didn't do my homework and apply myself in college. Help, John Kerry! Get me out of here! I'm much to incompetent to accomplish my mission.

Since the election, I've been a little down. Reality hit me hard and it was hard to come to grasp with the Democrats' cunning. It's hard to believe they actually got away with stealing every election they won, but they did - thanks to Diebold electronic voting machines. My attitude will improve when all the troops redeploy from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans so that they can fight the Global War on Global Warming.

So much for personal freedoms in Belmont, California. Unless you live in a single-family detatched residence, don't get caught smoking. Belmont City Council's bold move to ban smoking throughout the city goes one step further than the City of Calabasas'. It is now a finable offense to smoke in your car, on the sidewalk, and in apartment buildings. What a fine use of law enforcement. Won't someone please ban the combustible engine to save us from ourselves!

As with every post-mid-term election environment, the race is on for the next presidential race. As far as the Repbulican ticket is concerned; Giuliani and McCain have thrown their hats in the ring, Allen's out on his ass looking for a job, and Romney is far from a household name to even stand a chance in the primary. None have presented a strategy for Iraq that will win over the moderates and the now-voting-Democrat-we're-throwing-a-fit Republicans. Who knows, we may end up with Billary for another four years.

My new unhealthy addiction has become the iTunes Music Store. I recently purchased In the Wake of Determination by Story of the Year and Don't You Fake It by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. I also realized that there's little difference in pop-punk bands. Very little originality.

TUAW's getting pumped about the iPhone set to debut in 2007. Pictures here. I think it would look nice with a new Mac mini.

Reading Assignments:
Frederick W. Kagan: The Asininity of "Rapid Reaction Forces" in Iraq
John Ridley: The Manifesto of Ascendancy for the Modern American Nigger
Walter E. Williams: Politics isn't the Answer for Black Social Matters

19 Days ... And Counting

2006-10-19T07:31:00.000-04:00

There are 19 days until, as Peter Baker and Michael Fletcher of the WaPo explain, the presidency of George W. Bush is over. Two words for libertarians and conservatives to think about when entering the polling booth: Speaker Pelosi.

Boston school officials have taken the fun out of what used to be recess. Out of fear of greedy lawyers and sue-happy parents, Willett Elementary School Principal Gaylene Heppe approved ban on Tag - not the body spray, the game. After too many "near collisions," I guess it's in the best interests of the school not to allow children to run around and poke each other. First Dodgeball, now Tag. What's next!?
FYI: Tag was also banned in some California, Wyoming, and Washington schools. Hugging is not allowed at Sky View Middle School. Dangerous activities such as hopscotch, four square, and running have been banned in Spokane, Washington.

The Nation is pointing to the happenstance of Saddam's guilty verdict being announced on November 5th and a midterm election two days later. This may be the coming November surprise Karl Rove and Dick Cheney have been counting on. I wouldn't put it past them, but since when was it a sin to put out good news about Iraq? Remember the Defense Department catching hell for paying Iraqi newspapers to print "good news" stories? Can we cut the troops a break and give them a pat on the back!? How about another tribute along the lines of Time's 2003 Person of the Year (The American Soldier)? Or would that be considered too partisan?

I wouldn't consider this unusual for Hollywood; Madonna, already a 48-year-old mother of two, has adopted a child from the southeast African country of Malawi. Her intentions are barely admirable. One would like to think that she's helping "the starvin' childr'n" (a throwback to a Bono reference on Family Guy), but if she really wanted to help, she could start in her own country. The Hollywood types are quick to criticize the lack healthcare in America, but head to Africa instead of the slums of Brooklyn, Atlanta, or Los Angeles. How about lending an American a helping hand first, then help out the Malawians?

The NYT is reporting there will be problems this November due to newly delivered voting machines nationwide. One of the problems seems to be that the audio program used by the blind only works in Vietnamese. Wait. Vietnamese? Why are people voting in Vietnamese? Shouldn't they be voting in English? I hope, for the sake of diversity and equality, they have the African clicking language and Indian available. You wouldn't want to be brought up on segregation charges! On a similar topic, I still don't understand why we're switching to an electronic voting system without a paper backup.

What's a good way to honor a somber time in your yearly religious rituals? Up the attacks (in Ramadan) by 22%!

Great News! Robert Novak predicts the GOP will lose 20 seats in the House and the Dems will take control in January. If his predictions are anything like his earlier ones (Harriet Meirs, Rehnquist retiring, Priscilla Owen), I'm supporting Novak for the first time in ... well, ever!

Don't miss Mary Katherine Ham's new video blog, Ham Nation. Stay tuned for more on Mary Katherine.

Reading Assignments:
Cal Thomas: The Married Minority
Rich Vos: Suggestions For Republicans
Michael Goldfarb: The Nork's Next Trick: Hydrogen

Saturday Quick Hits

2006-10-14T11:33:00.000-04:00

Abandoning the five-year-old out-of-touch "Army of One" slogan, the U.S. Army has adopted a new recruiting slogan to pump some more bodies into the undermanned service. (To me, we will always be undermanned, not as a result of poor foreign policy, but due to a growing movement of cowardace and lack of patriotism among parents and young adults.) The new "Army Strong," vice "Army of One" is part of a 200 million dollar blitz and a "centerpiece of a multimedia ad campaign.". Video here. The Air Force recently switched from "Cross Into the Blue" to "Do Something Amazing."

HotAir's got a clip of South Park's latest mockery of the 9/11 truthers. Don't miss it!

The Iraq Study Group (ISG), a bipartisan commission founded by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) and led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker and Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission Lee Hamilton, has reportedly concluded two feasible options for pulling together what has become an uphill battle in Iraq. The first, put simply, would focus on stabalizing Baghdad, politically accommodate insurgents, and abandon the hopeful democratic endstate. The second, though not mentioning where they would go, would require troops to phase soldiers out of Iraq to minimize American casualties. Both plans imply that the administration's current plan to "stay the course," even with minor alterations logistically and tactically, can not succeed. In fact, that plan was one of two the ISG had ruled out. Michelle Malkin claims that the president, in the end, won't consider the latter of two because "Middle East democracy is the core of [President Bush's] foreign policy; it'd be like FDR repudiating the New Deal."

Mel Gibson, in an interview with Good Morning America, attempted to claim responsibility for his recent drunken remarks concerning Jews. He claimed that he was wrong for what he "roar[ed] about," but the long hours and stress drove him to drink. Yet another example of personal irresponsibility in Hollywood. A fun fact: Gibson, when asked what he would say if a black cop was there instead of a Jew, he responded, "I don't know. You'll have to get me drunk again to find out."

Caught Red Handed: Engadget uncovered the infamous hurricane machine G.W. used to destroy black communities in New Orleans. 9/11 Truthers, meet the newest Hurricane Katrina Truther.

...And There's More

2006-10-04T09:59:00.000-04:00

Because one post just ain't enough...

Laura Mallory, crazy mom and anti-Wiccan advocate, is demanding the Gwinnett County Board of Education remove all books containing references to witches. Her target: Harry Potter and his gang of broom-ridin' hooligans. Collateral damage: Macbeth and Cinderella. I personally find literacy offensive. Me and my gang of do-nothing housewives are heading to the Boone County Board of Education to ban all books promoting literacy. That'll show'em!

I strolled through iTunes' audiobook selection and picked out Newt Gingrich's Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract With America. Nearly half way through, and it has already become required recommended reading for any conservative or traditionalist. Well worth the money. I don't see him winning the primary in 2008, but replacing Ken Mehlmen is a terrific idea.

RCP has the numbers for 2008. In the lead is Giuliani (23%) and Rice (20%) for the Republicans. For the Democrats, Clinton (35%) takes a commanding lead over Gore (16%).

Dow's at an all time high, gas prices drop for an 8th week, oil's below 60 bucks, and unemployment numbers will be lower than 5% for the 9th straight month. But of course, instant messages to young congressional pages will be all the focus.

Have some fun playing Trick-or-Treat at the Foley House!

Mark your calendars and get out your Bush/Blair/Cheney costumes! Tomorrow you can help drive out the Bush Regime. 190 protests are planned for The World Can't Wait marches. Hopefully, zombietime will have the photos.

Humpday Observations

2006-10-04T01:22:00.000-04:00

Don't let bleeding-heart legislation take away the tools of Jack Bauer.

This Rep. Foley guy is s a real piece of work. What a sicko! He shouldn't be in "rehab". He should be locked away, stripped of the decency he stole from young boys. I'm confused, though, as to why Democrats are upset. Isn't this the party of open minds, open hearts, and accepted sodomy? If Foley was representing California's 8th District, I'm sure his popularity would skyrocket. Why the outrage from the folks who support Disney's Gay Day and San Francisco's annual parade of sodomites? Ben Shapiro has more.
Update: Foley claims he was molested by a clergyman when he was a boy. Scene Two, Take 156: Begin media hype of religious perverts. And ... ACTION!
Update: Amy Berg of HuffPo compares Foley to Catholic child-molesting clergymen.
Update: From Medskool Blog claims "Pedophilia [is] no longer just for clergy."

The Religious Right is doing their damnedest to get South Dakota's abortion law passed in November. The law, SD HB 1215, will prohibit abortions within the state except if the mother's life is in jeopardy. I honestly don't know which way to swing on this one. If it gets passed, a national debate could ensue, possibly giving states back their rights. Though, I don't like the idea of any state passing a law which prohibits a woman from killing an unborn person. The U.S. Supreme Court has the topic of a partial-birth abortion ban on the docket for this term as well.

If there's one thing that keeps me from declaring myself a Republican (except on voting ballots), it's their always-imposing moral legislation. The Repbulican's newest assault on business freedom comes in the form of gambling legislation. A new bill, expected to be signed by President Bush, was added onto the Safe Port Act by Majority Leader Bill Frist and will make it illegal for "banks, credit card companies, and online payment systems to process payment to online gambling companies." The 12 billion dollar business of online gambling will surely see a drop, but don't worry about fantasy football, horse racing, and state lottos: They're exempt from the law. It reminds me of Catholic school; where on Friday, they would preach that gambling was wrong, but hold Bingo nights on Monday (because Bingo isn't gambling).

The Woz, Steve Wozniak, has the coolest damn business card I've seen. He claims you can cut steak with it.

I don't understand why someone would oppose mandatory identification checks at voting polls, but The Nation's Editor's Cut makes a good point: If legislation is passed forcing all voters to show identification that must be paid for, it is, indirectly, a poll tax - deemed illegal by the 24th Amendment and a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1966 by violation of the Equal Protection Clause. One solution could be the implementation of a National I.D., provided for free by federal funds. On principal, however, I still don't understand why voters would not want visual quality assurance for their district and country.

Reading Assignments:
Dennis Prager: 5 Non-Religious Reasons To Marry, Not "Shack Up"
Brendan Miniter: Don't Blame Foley For The Right's November Loss
Ross Douthat & Reihan Salam: Bush's Fiscal Liberalism

Underreported

2006-09-29T11:35:00.000-04:00

News to note:

There's more evidence that Iran is aiding the terrorists in Iraq. According to the SITE Institute, "[s]ix photographs of Iran-branded equipment and weapons" were found in Diyala, Iraq today. A man captured following a battle had on his person a communication device and left on the battle field, Katyusha rockets, all carrying the symbol of the Iranian Department of Defense. Reuters has more.

AQI (al Qaeda in Iraq) leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir has issued a new threat to U.S. bases and troops in Iraq. He is calling for "every holy fighter in Iraq to strive during this holy month... to capture some dogs of the Christians so that we can liberate our imprisoned sheikh [Omar Abdul Rahman]." As well, al-Muhajir pleads for experts in "chemistry, physics, media, and all other sciences" to join his fight against the infadels. He continues, "American bases [in Iraq] are good places to test your unconventional weapons, whether biological or dirty."
Great Britain's Telegraph is reporting that "China has secretly fired powerful laser weapons designed to disable American spy satellites by 'blinding' their sensitive surveillance devices..." The laser tests "do not aim to destroy American satellites," however, as the piece goes on, "China is engaged in a large-scale espionage effort against American high-tech firms working on projects such as the multi-billion[dollar] DD(X) destroyer program" and their military expenditure is "increasingly designed to challenge American military pre-eminence."

Since an Islamic militia took control of Mogadishu, Somalia in June due to a power vacuum, Somalis have not been too happy. After organizing a stone-throwing demonstration against the leaders, militiamen opened fire on the citizens, killing one, wounding two. The militia chief, an al-Qaeda collaborator, said their goal was to "worship Allah and fight for the sake of Islam."

Robert Redeker, a Fenchman, received email threats for a newspaper column he wrote criticizing the Islamic response to Pope Benedict XVI's remarks two weeks ago. Islamic Internet websites are carrying his picture and home address which calls for the "pig" to be decapitated (a great way to persuade infadels to convert). Banned transcript here.

The Wednesday Lull

2006-09-27T00:45:00.000-04:00

It's midweek and the taskers are low.

I've decided to invest non-material support in Sen. Clinton's 2006 Senate campaign. As history has shown us, a sitting senator has never been elected POTUS. Go Hil!
Correction: Of our 43 Presidents, only two have elected as incumbent senators - JFK and Warren Harding. Since President Kennedy's assassination (more than 4 decades passed), 41 sitting senators have tried their hand at winning the First Seat. All of which, ended in defeat. Big names include Goldwater, McGovern, Dole, and Kerry. Only 11 former senators have ever won the presidential slot.

Unfortunately for me, rumors from TUAW and Think Secret suggest that the much-anticipated iPhone, to be released First Quarter 2007, will be limited to the Cingular service provider until mid-year. The phone is expected to have a 100-song limit.

FYI: Not only was the increase of gas prices related to the GOP (out of greed and oil love), but critics are now accusing them of decreasing the price due to some big event in November. Nearly 50% of Americans polled thought the elections influenced the price drop. A new Gallup poll puts the number at 42% for people who believe the Bush administration "deliberately manipulated the price of gasoline so that it would decrease before this fall's elections." If the conspiracy theory is true, why would the evil Republicans allow gas to jump that high in the first place? Wouldn't that damage their image to have high gas prices during their term? For a dumb guy, President Bush is quite the powerful thinker when it comes to market manipulation.

Let the mudslinging begin! Drudge and the NYT are reporting that Republicans are pushing an October ad blitz, 90 percent said to be negative. Rep. Reynolds of New York said, (paraphrasing) "You ain't seen nuthin' yet." I love a good catfight.

The slippery slope just got a greasing. New York City's Department of Health is proposing a ban on trans fats in restaraunts. This comes three years after the city told businesses that patrons were not allowed to smoke indoors or even outdoors. The health commissioner claims trans fats are "dangerous and unnecessary. ... No one will miss it when it's gone." That is, everybody that doesn't like McDonald's fries, KFC's chicken, and Dunkin' Donuts. If the government is going to protect people from themselves, I propose we begin place labels on all sugary foods, fatty foods, high-carb foods, and caffeinated drinks. For me, it's another reason to avoid NYC at all costs.

British troops have put to rest a key al Qaeda Operative in Basra, Umar al-Faruq. The radical set up the first AQ training camp in Southeast Asia and had escaped from Bagram, Afghanistan in June 2005. More info on al-Faruq here.

I am currently reading Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel.

Reading Assignments:
David Ignatius: "Democrats ... ducking the hard question of what to do next [in Iraq.]"
Stephen Hayes: The Senate's Intel Report is WAY off.
Rich Newman: Bush's Failure as a Gas Price Manipulater
Jack Kelly: Leaking Times and the Declassified NIE
Rich Vos: Finding a Strategy

Six More Years!

2006-09-27T00:30:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, I signed my reenlistment packet, adding another six years onto my current Army contract. This will bring my total service time to a total of twelve years.

I couldn't see myself outside the Army, so optioning to re-up was purely natural.

I was sworn in by Major General Scott, USAF on Saddam's old parade grounds.

Stay Tuned...

2006-09-22T05:24:00.000-04:00

Big news soon to come...

Hugo Chavez, hater of all things American, has accused Bush of "[walking] like John Wayne." I guess he didn't know that being compared to The Duke was among the highest of compliments you can give an American man.

Something that slipped by me a half-a-month ago: According to The Virginia Pilot, Army Reservists and Guardsmen who jumped ship when their country called them to war stayed on the military's payroll. The total worth of the checks sent out added up to more than $900,000. In fact, 75% of deserting Reservists continued to be paid. Not only should the chickens forfeit their unearned pay, they should be put on trial for desertion, which carries the maximum sentence of 10 years.

The GOP is getting the biggest gift they could wish for: Karl Rove's help. Two conservative websites, Newsmax and The American Spectator, are claiming "Turd Blossom" himself will be blessing the Republican party with an "October surprise." With the party slowly swinging to the positive in polls, this might be the key that seals the deal for a continuation of a Republican-led nation. Even with polls the way they have been perceived within the last month, I haven't been the least bit worried about Democrats taking over the House, much less the Senate.

Saturday's Comments

2006-09-16T00:23:00.000-04:00

It looks like kids finally have a legitimate excuse for not eating their spinach. The bagged vegetable is being held responsible for the infection of E. Coli in dozens and the death of one in Wisconsin. The use of dirty water to wash spinach is being presumed as the probable cause. PETA has yet to comment on the issue, but I'm sure the inhumane treatment of cows is surely to blame.

Microsoft has debuted their "iPod-killer," the new Zune. As much as I am impulsed to despise this toy, it looks pretty freakin cool. They're attempting to reach the younger market with its wireless sync capability, public sharing of photos and playlists, and the incorporation of YouTube and MySpace home-made movies. According to the Seatle-based company, kids would rather "[share] funny homebrew video clips than [catch] up on 'Lost.'" I don't see the gadget as an iPod killer as it is not as asthetically pleasing, but it may put a small dent into the Cupertino-based company's 60% mp3 market domination. If Zune works anything like the Microsoft operating system, expect bug-fixes every few days.

The World Health Organization has finally approved DDT usage, but only indoors. The change in policy comes as a result of millions of people dying from malaria. The insecticide was banned in 1972 because of a presumtion that it would cause cancer in humans. However, the book that inspired the DDT phobia was based on misrepresented science and bias reporting. After months of testimony on the controversy, a judge concluded that the pesticide wasn't a carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic hazard to humans. The government wrote in a scholarly journal that "DDT is still needed for malaria control." I'm glad the EPA was listening. It's a step in the right direction.

The Pope has come under fire by, who else, Muslims that are outraged by his latest comments regarding the radical religion. He quoted 14th century Emperor Manuel II Paleologus who said, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Scathing, yes. The response was more inappropriately violent that the vicious rhetoric. Yesterday, Muslim protesters burned an effigy of the pope while shouting at a rally. Once again, I point to the hypocritical acceptance of poking fun at Catholics and priests, yet it is horribly offensive and worthy of beheading to insult Islam or draw a stick figure of Mohammed. I appreciate neither of the squabbling religions, but recognize that one happens to be responsible for less violence in the last century than the other.

E.J. Dionne of RCP makes the argument that 2006 will be an exception to Tip O'Neil's famous rule that "All politics is local." She cites Chafee, DeWine, Steele, and Mfume as proof that voters will turn out to polls to vote for or against a candidate for reasons broader than local concerns. More appropriately, she suggests, they will turn out to cast a ballot in favor of a Republican or Democratically-run House of Representatives. She gives voters too much credit. As much as I would like to rely on the common voter's knowledge of national politics and Senate or House member votes, John and Jane Doe will put into office the lesser of two evils. This year will be like any other mid-term election: Vote for whom you like most.

On a common topic, as Ann Coulter and others have stated that "it is the Democrats turn to win over the House." It's the President's six-year mark and commonly, the House swings in opposition to the sitting Commander in Chief. Along with many other Conservatives, I agree that the Republicans have gone astray from their fiscally conservative agenda made famous in 1994. I believe Neal Boortz said it best, (paraphrasing) "The Republicans deserve to be beaten, but America doesn't deserve the alternative." James Carville appropriately said, "If the Democrats can't win this November, they need to reconsider their status as a political party."

Reading Assignments:
Bill O'Reily: Red Hot Torture
Ed Koch: Losing the Will*
Joseph McQuaid: McCain's Fighting the Wrong War

*Must Read

Shame on HuffPo

2006-09-13T10:25:00.000-04:00

The Liberal news and blog site The Huffington Post, ran by Arianna Huffington, leads today's front page with "Sr. Commander in Iraq: US Not Strong Enough To Defeat Insurgency...".

That Commander is Marine Major General Richard Zilmer. The misleading headline does not mention the general's thought on force levels. "For what we are trying to achieve out here, I think our force levels are about right." He continued later, "I think we are winning this war."

General Zilmer's took a quick shot at media outlets like The Huffington Post by insisting that "[r]ecent media reports fail to accurately capture the entirety and complexity of the current situation."

The Huffington Post has yet to run a quote from a senior commander in Iraq or Afghanistan that places the missions in a positive light. Only statements from former General Officers calling for Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation or one-liners taken innapropriately from a GO's speech are worthy of HuffPo's website.

Shame on you, Arianna.

Apples, Stingrays, & Homos

2006-09-13T00:43:00.001-04:00

The weather's getting better, but the food stays the same. On with the news and views...

It was a big day for Apple yesterday. Announcements included iTunes 7, a new iPod shuffle (world's smallest digital playback device), a new iPod nano line, a new 30gb and 80gb iPod, and the revelation of iTV, a wireless computer-to-television device debuting in 2007. My favorite unveiling was the update of iTunes. The new version allows iPods to sync up to two computers, convenient for travelers and multiple-computer nerds. It also has a better feel, movies, and NFL Season Pass, and Artist Album updates.

In addition to the War on Terrorism, the War on Poverty, the War on Drugs, the War on Christmas, and the War on Smoking, another frontal assault can be added to the agenda of the war machine: the War on Stingrays. Seeking vengance for the Croc Hunter's death, Aussies are beginning to slaughter the stinging beasts. Ten have already been found "mutilated" on Australian beaches. Also, in rememberance of Irwin, the down-under government designated September 8th as "Khaki Day" where everyone wears stereotypical Aussie multi-pocketed shirts and pants. Steve was probably the best thing to come out of Austrailia, because, as we all know, Foster's tastes like Croc piss.

Apparently, to Sen. Feingold (potential 2008 candidate), the moniker "islamic fascist" is "offensive." Since when was it important to shield people from hurt feelings when defending your nation was on the line?

Unfortunately, the 35-year-old Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade has lost a little of its pizaazz. The city council has commissioned a group to study the fizzle. One council member wonders, "How do we make it appealing to somebody who went to gay pride 20 years ago and doesn't have any compelling reason at this point to come back?" One suggestion was to bring in celebrities, like Paris Hilton in 2005, to bolster attendance. Unfortunately for these weirdos, Hilton (believe it or not) wasn't the best "role model for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people." Pherhaps Buffalo Bob (Silence of the Lambs) would have been more appropriate for their lifestyle.

Reading Assignments:
Claudia Rosett - "[T]he president ... has not beaten those tom-toms enough."

Post-Vaca Wrap-Up

2006-09-08T23:42:00.000-04:00

It's been a while, but I'm back and have a few things on my mind.

On the flight back to the states, I finished reading American Soldier by Gen. Tommy Franks. I don't read too many military books, but it was well worth the change in topics. My current literary endeavors are Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden and The Neo-Con Reader by Irwin Stelzer.

There is growing controversy over ABC's docudrama The Path to 9/11. Al Gore is "deeply concerned" about the network's plan to air, Former President Bill Clinton is calling the movie "indisputably wrong," and other Democrats are calling for an edit of the film or outright pull from showtime. Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11 was not only championed by the Left, but the filmmaker/writer was invited to speak at Sen. John Kerry's 2004 Democratic National Convention. Why the outrage over a silly ABC flick, but an embrace of Moore's proclaimed "documentary"? (The party also claims the Administration is "playing politics" when the White House brags about successes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the War on Terror.)

On Larry King Live, talkshow host and comedian Bill Maher explained that "we [and the world] are not better off" with Saddam gone. Not only that, "Saddam was a bullwork against terrorism" and he's not sure "whether Iraq is better without Saddam." He continues, "We're running out of things that Saddam did that we didn't - like torture...rape. About the only one left is mass graves. So in a lot of ways, we are Saddam Hussein." I used to be a big fan of Maher. In fact, one of my favorite books is When You Ride Alone, You Ride With bin Laden. However, respect for him and his views has been sliding for the last two years.

"Branjolina" have decided not to get married until "everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able." What about Warren Jeffs' "right" to marry minors or multiple partners? A friend of mine made the same vow last year, though I don't think her promise will truly be upheld. On a similar note, what's with combining celebrities' names: Branjolina, Bennifer, Tomkat, Benlo? I think it's safe to assume that the name-combos serve as inspiration by the celebs to come up with their even crazier children's names: Suri, Shilo, Apple, Phinnaeus...

DOH! Apparently, Rove, Scooter, Cheney, and Bush weren't the leakers of the super-top-secret Valerie Wilson/Plame name to Bob Novak to discredit Ambassador of Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe Joe Wilson. It was former State Department diplomat Richard Armitage who opposed the Iraq War from the beginning. I'm sure Joe Wilson will be seeking the frogmarch of Armitage too. Chris Matthews says the story is now too "complicated" to cover it in the news.

I have to say, I honestly enjoy the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. I don't know what it is, but it's not as boring as Bob Sheifer, as biased as Dan Rather, and the "free Speech" segment is enjoyable. It also beats the hell out of listening to Lou Dobbs yammer on and ask pointed questions.

Reading Assignments:
Larry Elder - More On Chickenhawks
Walter E. Williams - Thank You For Discriminating

Soaking It In

2006-08-10T15:02:00.000-04:00

It's just one of those moments when everything seems right in the world, for me at least. I finished up my lazy day at work with a game of Hold'em, at which I won my money back and enjoyed a Cuban Punch cigar. It's 99 degrees with a slight breeze. To my right hangs a gorgeous full moon silouetting a date palm tree. It's just one of those moments you sit back and enjoy what you have. Wi-Fi and soothing music are icing on the cake. My, how I have it good. Even with the mortar or IED that was detonated in the distance to my seven o'clock, everything just seems right. My buddy's right, I am a starry-eyed idealist.

I wish you could bottle experiences like this. They are all too infrequent.

Monday's Thoughts

2006-08-07T12:27:00.000-04:00

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and the best thing that ever came from Al Franken was Stewart Smalley.

(Will fix links later)

The European Union has decided to allow employers to refuse to hire smokers. Good news, if you ask me. If I own a business, I should be able to hire and fire folk for the bettering of my business. For some reason, a few out there feel that businesses are a social construct and are not designed to make money for the employer.

It looks like Markos Moulitsas of the DailyKos is in for his first win! That's right, after years of supporting losing leftwing candidates, he finally picked a winner. Ned Lamont is steaming ahead by 10 points and it looks like George Bush, I mean Joe Lieberman, will be out on his tail come January. In all fairness, congratulations Lamont and Kos. I'm confused, though. After Ned brings home all the troops, what will he do in the Senate?

Floyd Landis, Tour de France winner, failed a second drug test. All of the other tests on the tour turned up clean, but on the day of the most greuling of the lengthy race, Mountain Day, his testosterone came up three times higher than his normal hormonal level. Sounds damning, but some are saying that it was just a fluke. I don't know, and don't really care. In fact, I'm sure I just put this little tidbit up to fill space and waste your time.

The nerds are getting anxious for tomorrow's Apple WWDC. The rumormills are speculating a feature set of the newest Leopard OS, Vista 2.0, a merging to Blue-Ray, and the announcement of the next iPod having WiFi. I don't see anything big for tomorrow, but come January's MacWorld Expo, the biggest announcements in a few years will boost the company's image past the current financial problems.

Bob Novak: Please stop speculating! In fact, stop writing. You're taking up space on Townhall that could be used by more talented writers.

I've got a few things to say about Mel.

Consider Me A "Born-Again Global Warmist"

2006-08-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

Last week, Pat Robertson of the 700 Club finally gave credence to Global Warming. After much research and reading, I myself have converted from a disbeliever to a born-again Global Warmist. Below is an open letter to Global Warming explaining my conversion.

Dear Global Warming,

I would first like to apologize for spending the last few years not believing in you. My, how I was wrong. Please forgive me in my ignorance. It takes so much faith to believe in you, and I have finally found the arrogance to believe that I, as a Republican-voting conservative, have helped create you to destroy the earth.

My conversion came last week in Baghdad when I stepped outside to walk to the chow hall. The thermometer said 115 degrees. The news reports coming from the states said that a heat wave was taking its devastating course across the Midwest. Temperatures there were reaching 105 degrees. I pondered on the subject and thought I might be a little off. So, I began reading a little about you.

It came as a shock when I learned that you had spent some time up north melting ice caps and increasing the sea level around New York City, Louisiana, and Florida. It wasn’t until a few years ago that you snuck into the U.S. on a shipping container through the Dubai-managed ports. Now, you send waves of heat and death across our great nation. Rumors are also going around that you are planning to increase the Earth’s temperature by 5 degrees per year until Americans begin voting for Democrats.

It wasn’t always like this, as I’m sure you know. Your arch nemesis, Global Cooling, was all the rage in the 1970’s. Time Magazine reported that another Ice Age was around the corner because of pollution, smog, and Republican voting. Though, that didn’t last too long because since then, new science has come out that reflects a new liberal agenda – which I support. That crazy Time article laid out some “facts” that the “telltale signs [of Global Cooling were] everywhere.” They obviously weren’t ahead of the times (no pun intended, your Holiness) because just 32 years later, they appropriately blamed you. Come to find out, Global Cooling was just made up. You, however, are real – and now I believe.

Because I know you truly exist, I must now seek to destroy you. You have ravaged our planet, creating hurricanes, tornadoes, high temperatures, and melting icecaps. My plan to end your reign of terror is simple. I will begin by voting for Democrats, because none of their campaign funds come from oil companies – the most evil, profit-grabbing capitalists in the world. With Democrats in office, as opposed to Republicans, taxes will increase to fund new research for progressive fuels that don’t rely on burning oil to plunder our planet. They will also forbid more deities like you to sneak in through Bush-approved ports. My next step will be to forget all of the other science that doubts your existence. It takes a tremendous amount of faith to believe that you exist and that I have helped create you. Ignoring the junk science helps keep my head focused directly on you and your doubtless destruction. Finally, I will tell everyone I know to read Al Gore’s book An Inconvenient Truth. The great work of nonfiction is to Global Warming as the “Bible” is to Christianity.

Please take mercy on the nonbelievers because they have yet to be smitten by your outrageously high temperatures and yellow armpit stains.

Your truest believer,

Rich Vos

"Blowtorch Heat"

2006-08-01T09:22:00.000-04:00

The Associated Press is reporting that the Midwest is getting hit hard by "blowtorch heat." Temperatures across the nation are reaching temperatures of 112 degrees. I'm definitely not seeking sympathy, however, those whining about the heatwave need to put their plight into perspective.

While it is 101 in St. Louis, Americans are free to wear shorts and tshirts. Meanwhile, in Baghdad, Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen wear and carry the following while out on patrol in 115 degree heat:

Boots
Long socks
Pants (tucked into boots)
Tshirt
Longsleeve blouse
Body Armor (weighing 25-40 pounds)
Shooters Gloves
Combat Helmet (with chinstrap)
Goggles/Sunglasses
M9 Pistol/M16 Rifle/M249 SAW (sometimes two weapons)
Camelback with water
Earplugs
Ammunition

So, next time it's just too damn hot to walk down the block to the grocery store, think of those who are braving harsher elements. Relatively, your plight is not that bad. Enjoy your A/C.

Post-Vaca Wrap-Up

2006-08-01T01:50:00.000-04:00

Down in Qatar, I had a heckuvatime, Brownie.

Ned Lamont, opposing candidate of Sen. Joe Lieberman, is gaining some serious margin-of-error running ground. The Connecticut businessman now has official support from The New York Times and a four percent lead over incumbant Lieberman. I liken Lamont to John Kerry. He's running on the opposition to the war and (most importantly) Ned Lamont is not George W. Bush (or the man who supports his foreign policy, Joe Lieberman). Like Kerry, Ned is a very rich man. His house has an estimated worth of 30 million dollars and his inhereted net worth is somewhere between 90 and 300 million dollars. (500 dollar haircuts, anyone?) I recall Democrats in a huff about Mayor Bloomberg using personal funds to "buy his way into office," but for some odd reason, they're silent when it comes to Lamont. I also wonder if Lamont favors campaign finance reform and a death tax the way his fellow Dems do...

Israel is letting me down. Their bite doesn't quite match their bark. It's been close to three weeks and they have yet to follow through on their promise to assassinate the Palestinian Prime Minister in response to kidnapping two Israeli soldiers. They have also neglected to utilize their top-of-the-line Mossad intelligence agency nor their Matsada special operations detatchment inside of Lebanon. (If they have, it has either been ineffective or not publicized.) Perhaps my expectations were too high. Considering the precision of their previous missions, I would have believed a brute show of force and special operations soldiers would have put to rest much of the Hezbollah leadership without the civilian casualties caused from artillery and ariel assaults.

A woman has died following a homemade liposuction gone terribly wrong. Had she the availability of publicly-funded healthcare, she wouldn't have to resort to back-alley liposuctions. Sen. Ted Kennedy plans to fight for women to have the right to free liposuctions because it is within their rights to alter their bodies as they please.

Global Warming refuses to release its grip on the Middle East. Friday's high in Baghdad is 117 degrees cooling to a low of 90 in the evening. Damn you, combustible engine!

I think I feel a little bad for the attacks on Mel Gibson. I neither positively nor negatively favor his acting or personality, but Hollywood seems to be going a bit far over a few remarks said after too many brews. I can recall some of the irresponsible things I've said and done on nights out with the guys. We all have our moments of drunken rages. Why lash out at Mel? It's not like he called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Mitt Romney has apologized for using the term "tar baby" when comparing it to the Big Dig construction project in Massachusettes. Robert Sheer (flamboyant hater of the Bush Administration), on the podcast Left, Right, & Center commented that Bush was eager to hand off the Iraqi "tar baby" to the next president, be it Democrat or Republican. Is it too much to ask that Jack Cafferty be a little more niggardly in his disgust over such petty comments?

"Latent Homosexuality"

2006-07-31T11:04:00.000-04:00

"I think [Bill Clinton's] rampant promiscuity does show some level of latent homosexuality." -Ann Coulter

Saturday QuickHits

2006-07-22T12:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, I mentioned my annoyance with Bill Kristol's newest Weekly Standard piece calling for U.S. involvement in the Israeli/Hezbollah war. On Fox News Sunday, Juan Williams shot back, claiming Bill "just [wanted] war, war, war, and [he wants] us in more war!" Pat Buchanan's latest column calls the Weekly Standard's writers and Kristol "hairy-chested warriors" whose "blood lust" was piqued by all the carnage. His piece ends by claiming it's not a war of the United States, but a war of Bill Kristol's. Harsh, yes; but appropriately so, in response to the Standard's irresponsible foreign policy regarding Israel's newest conflict. I rarely agree with Pat and Juan (although, Williams is one of my most respected liberals), but they've hit on some golden truth here. Despite his anti-semitism, Pat's on the spot about Kristol's "blood lust." It's easy to call for wars here, there, and everywhere, when you're pushing troops from a tip of a pen.
UPDATE: Bill calls those who don't agree with him "weak horses." Giddyup.

I was wondering, What font does the New York Times use? I always assumed it was Times New Roman, but it doesn't look like it.

Remember everyone whining about the slow response to aid Katrina victims living in a soupbowl? Where's the praise for the Bush Administration sending troops to evacuate Americans from Lebanon, taking them to Cyprus, and waiving the bill? Anyone? Cricket, cricket.

Michelle Malkin let me in on a weird ritual known as World Jump Day. Apparently, if 600 million people from the western hemisphere jump simultaneously, the reaction would cause the Earth to moveout of orbit, into a new one, and cease global warming. It was originally intended to be a hoax, but the folks over at treehugger.com (I'm not kidding you, that's the site.) took it as truth and encouraged readers to give it a leap.

President Bush vetoed his first bill in five-and-a-half years in office. If passed, the bill would have allowed federal dollars to pay for scientific testing on embryonic stem cells. Funny, the same party who whined about the defecit wants to spend money on something that has provided not one successful result. The prez was right to veto the bill, but he did so on wrong grounds. He should have axed it on fiscally conservative federal funding grounds, not religious ones. Of course, that doesn't rally a far-right base for November.

That's it for today. I'll be on vacation next week.

Quote of the Day

2006-07-17T02:28:00.000-04:00

I can't make this up:

"If you think what's going on in the Middle East today would be going on if the Democrats were in control, it wouldn't, because we would have worked day after day after day to make sure we didn't get where we are today. We would have had the moral authority that Bill Clinton had when he brought together the Northern Irish and the IRA, when he brought together the Israelis and the Palestinians." -Howard Dean, DNC Chairman

Sunday's Thoughts

2006-07-16T04:59:00.000-04:00

Another day in paradise...

I usually agree with Bill Kristol, but he's way off target on the Isaeli-Arab war. His strategery calls for Bush to leave the G8 for Jerusalem and begin attacking Syria and Iran. This hawk's out of his nest! Kristol claims "It's Our War." You definitely lost some cool points there, Bill.

On the topic of Middle-East violence, outside influence should not play a role. This war of religions needs to come to an end. I've been calling it "The Great War." The teams should fight until the others are destroyed. Winner take all. Grab your popcorn and enjoy the show.

Former super-secret covert operative Valerie Wilson and her Niger-vacationing husband Joe have been parading around town and now they're suing the Vice President and Karl Rove. Their lawsuit says nothing about proof, but I still hope the judge doesn't throw it out. I would love to see C-Span cover the entire circus.

Republicans have been complaining that the DCCC has used flag-draped coffins in a new video to raise money. Democrats are whining that Mike DeWine (R-OH) has used images of the 9/11 towers smoking in his ads. Both claim their parties are morally superior than the other through their own stupid excuses. I honestly don't find anything wrong with using flag-draped anything or smoldering whatevers to raise money. It's politics and ethics be damned. The parties' grumblings are purely political and not rooted in any type of moral code. Be it campaigning while your opponent's father has died or comparing your opponent to bin Laden, all's fair. Get over it.

Charles Darwin's finches have evolved. They're beaks have changed in size to adjust for smaller seeds. This, and this alone, proves that people came from apes (despite the lack of fossil evidence).

She may be a hedonistic slut, but I can't get enough of Paris Hilton's new song The Stars are Blind. Nerina Pallot's new anti-war song Everybody's Gone to War is also addictive. Though, I can't find the latter on iTunes.

Wednesday Roundup

2006-07-12T06:08:00.000-04:00

Just a few things for today.

I finished reading Godless and it was well worth the money. The last three chapters on Darwinism were a little hard to follow, but she brings the complexity of evolution down to the idiot's level. Although I disagreed with her on a lot of the religious issues, it was a tremendous book and worthy of anyone's time or dollar. A-

I have been mulling over a responsible someone to replace Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Last night, it popped into my head. The perfect SecDef: Benjamin Netanyahu.

My next read is a combination of three books in preparation for my nonfiction book. They will be: The Dog Ate My Homework, Sham, and To Punish and Protect. I will also be rereading No Excuse Leadership and The Ten Things You Can't Say in America. The topic of my book will be personal responsibility in American life. The Fair-Tax Book is also on my plate, but only for recreation.

Robert Novak, king of Conservative column dissapointment, has revealed the evil Karl Rove as a source for his identification of CIA officer Valerie Plame. I'm sure people will continue to bang on the dusty bones of this dead horse, but can someone please name one covert mission she went on? Or perhaps who she met with on a covert mission when she was covert?

Cindy Sheehan's fast for the withdrawal of forces from Iraq, Afghanistan, New Orleans, and America is going well. On her blog, she says she's had some help from smoothies, ice cream, and coffee. I'd go on her fasting diet too, but I'm sure it'd all go to my ass.

Let's Play 50 Questions!

2006-07-11T14:10:00.000-04:00

Bob Elisberg over at HuffPo has fifty questions he'd like to ask Republicans. Though I dare not claim to be one, I tend to vote that way and thought I'd give the questions a whirl to pass some time.

1. What are the Top Seven best things that the Bush Administration has done? Here is where I should insert the top seven bad guys nabbed and killed as a result of the Administration's foreign policy, but I'll go with tax cuts, pushing for earmark reform, a rational border policy, pushing for private accounts, letting Congress lapse on the Brady Bill, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Not in that order, and it's unfortunate he only asked for seven.

2. Is the Iraq War is going well? It's all relative, but I'd argue that at least it's going and we haven't given up the fight.

3. After three years thus far, when do you think Iraq might be able to "stand up" so that America can "stand down"? When they do.

4. For his part in the event, how would you rate the job the President did protecting New Orleans from devastation? I'd give him a C. An average job. I'd rate him higher, but he should have vetoed the quick bill giving 60 billion to the victims.

5. How do you think the rebuilding of New Orleans is going? Don't know. Don't really care.

6. When Dick Cheney and the oil company and energy executives met in private to plan America's energy policy, how much of their goal was to benefit consumers? Wow, that's not a slanted question! But for fun, I'd say they didn't want to benefit the consumers. Following the meeting, Cheney turned into a bat and flew away.

7. Do you believe in the President's call for an Era of Personal Responsibility? I haven't heard of it, but I would definitely support people supporting themselves.

8. Since Republicans control the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, how personally responsible are they for conditions in America today? Just as much as the people who voted them into office.

9. Why do you think they haven't been able to find anyone who can verify that George Bush ever showed up for National Guard duty in Alabama? Because they're being held in a hanger in New Mexico with the passengers on flight United 91.

10. Would you want Donald Rumsfeld to plan your daughter's wedding? Nope.

11. Are you aware that no government in the history of civilization, other than the Bush Administration, has lowered taxes during a war? I know! Isn't that awesome! And the defecit is shrinking too!

12. Are you married? Happily.

13. Do you personally feel threatened by gay marriage? Nope.

14. Since getting elected, do you think the President has been more a uniter or a divider? Once again, it's all relative, but I'd say neither.

15. How do you explain the President's approval rating going from a high of 90% to the current mid-30%? People rally around their leader and nation in a crisis. And war.

16. Do you like the government collecting personal data on you without a warrant? I just hope they don't find the nude pictures of Jeff Gannon on my computer.

17. How much money do you have in your bank account, stocks and investments? Around 32,000.

18. What's your partner's favorite sex position? You'd have to ask him.

19. If you have nothing to hide, why aren't you answering? Ah, you got me. My entire argument is crumbling, crumbling, CRUMBLING!

20. Should we build a wall along the Mexican border? No, Communists build walls.

21. Why isn't anyone building a wall along the Canadian border? See above.

22. Does that terrorist gang arrested in Canada count as a threat? Sure does.

23. If you shot someone in the face while drinking, how fast would the police show up to arrest you? I'd hope it would be pretty fast. But, I'm glad I went out with a drink in my hand.

24. If Donald Rumsfeld had planned your daughter's wedding three years ago, would the guests still be there? A Navy Lieutenant advised a buddy of mine never to answer a question with a question, but, if John Kerry halted my daughter's wedding while she was walking to the alter, would the couple have been married?

25. Even if no laws are broken, do you think it's okay to reveal the name of a covert agent? No, if the person is truly covert.

26. During your lifetime, approximately how often have you changed your mind? Once, when I stopped hating America and started voting against Democrats.

27. Why shouldn't people dismiss you as a flip-flopper? Because I'm not trying to win an election that would place me in the most important position in the world (minus Bono).

28. Where do you think the Weapons of Mass Destruction might be? 20 bucks say some went to Syria.

29. Where do you think Osama bin Laden might be? On the Paki-Afghan border.

30. Is it fiscally responsible to cut taxes, increase spending and create a $9 trillion federal debt? Yes. No. Not really.

31. Are you glad liberals passed such programs as Social Security, Medicare, the Civil Rights Act, women's suffrage, federal deposit insurance, unemployment compensation, rural electrification, child labor laws, minimum wages and the 40-hour work week? Woah, woah, woah. Let's take this one at a time: At the time, yes, now no; No; Yes (however, the question misleading); Yes; Don't know; Nope; Yup; Nope; Nope. I hope that clears things up.

32. What are the Top Ten best things that conservatives have given to America? Ten? Ok. Personal responsibility, Bill Bennet, Christopher Hitchens, tax cuts, blogs, cell phones, open talk radio, border control, a defense to liberalism, and the pro-life movement. I wish I could go on.

33. If you were on life support, would you want a doctor you'd never met making a diagnosis about you via remote television? I wouldn't care if he's not making the decision. Would you want a judge making the decision?

34. Do you think man-made greenhouse gases have anything at all to do with depleting the ozone layer? As much as the hot air that emits from Al Gore.

35. If Donald Rumsfeld had planned your daughter's wedding three years ago, and guests were still there, how many factions would they now be split into? I'm ignoring this question on GP.

36. How good is it that the terrorist Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was killed? If you're implying that it wasn't good, I'd love to hear your argument. I would say it's very good. Very very good.

37. Are you aware that in 2002 the Pentagon knew where al-Zarqawi was and presented three separate plans to kill him, but the Administration refused to act each time? Yup. Are you going to ask me about the numerous times the Clinton Administration had Osama in its grasp but failed to act or just bombed an aspirin factory? Thought not.

38. Is George W. Bush the kind of guy you'd want to sit down and have a beer with? No. He's an alcoholic.

39. When he started talking about being a Born Again Christian, would you want to stay or leave? Saying I would have a beer with him, I'd stay and hear his argument.

40. Is Ray Romano the kind of guy you'd want to sit down and have a beer with? Yeah, he's a funny guy.

41. Would you want him to be President? No. But I see where you're going. Once again: Ah! You got me! My argument is CRUMBLING!

42. Does the Administration have an environmental policy that benefits the environment? Nope. But since when is the environment more important than people?

43. Since George Bush campaigned for President strongly against nation building, in what ways are our actions in Iraq not nation building? It's nation building, plain and simple. Bush campaigned on that prior to Islamic radicals ramming planes into our buildings.

44. What's the maximum amount of time you'd want to spend alone with Dick Cheney? I'd probably get tired after about 16 hours. Do I get bathroom breaks?

45. After dismissing Saddam Hussein's old Iraqi army, was it a good idea to let them keep their rifles? It wasn't a good idea to disband the normal Iraqi army. The Baath Party, however was a good call.

46. Would a policy that allows torture be something that makes you proud as an American? Preach anti-torture, but practice otherwise.

47. Has the Mission been Accomplished? I'm sittin' here, ain't I? By the way, how many missions are there in a war?

48. Do you feel comforted that Dick Cheney is a heartbeat away from being President? This question bores me.

49. If Donald Rumsfeld had planned your daughter's wedding, and guests started fighting and were killed, would you expect to be allowed to view the caskets when they were returned home? Good lord, enough of the Rumsfeld questions. They're just not logical analogies.

50. How glad do you think George Bush is that he's no longer active in the National Guard? Seeing that he just hit 60 (forced retirement age) and he's a leader of a nation, I'd say he's pretty glad.

Observations Of A Crumbling Nation

2006-07-05T05:35:00.000-04:00

In my latest piece, I explained how the definition of “patriotism” has been perverted to become synonymous with what used to be “sedition.” Here are a few more observations.

I guess we now what is and what is not considered acceptable in today’s America. The preteen magazine Cobblestone recently published a fun story on what it’s like to survive Basic Combat Training, stories of hometown heroes, and actions children can take to have military recruiters speak at their school. It seems harmless enough – being that the magazine is a children’s American history magazine which teaches children about “famous battles of the Civil war, … the Gold Rush, [and] the Korean War.” To the contrary, teachers and parents are in an uproar over the thought that a magazine may influence a child’s desire to join the armed services. A sixth-grade English teacher whined that the guides that suggested children invite a recruiter to the classroom looked eerily familiar to Army pamphlets distributed to high-schoolers. When it used to be noble to save metal for troops fighting Krauts in Germany, it is now a controversy for a magazine to promote the idea of selfless service to your country.

Congruously, according to dwellers of the far Left camp, enlisting in the military is not one of the fifty ways to love America. Last year, I rolled my eyes through MoveOn.org’s 50 Ways to Love Your Country. Their ways to demonstrate your love included “attend[ing] a rally,” “defy[ing] city hall,” and performing in any action that was anti-Republican. The book included many letters from people who switched to the Democratic party and was against Operation Iraqi Freedom. What was not included in their book was: Enlist in the Military, Donate to Wounded Service-Members, Build a Family Readiness Group for a Local Reserve Unit, or Throw a Parade for Troops Returning from Battle. Of course, what liberals have in mind for loving their country does not include showing appreciation to those who give so much to keep it free and safe.

Finally, on the celebration of America’s 230th birthday, 25 Californians took to the streets to celebrate their freedom. How? Their recipe for patriotism: matches, burn barrel, and Old Glory. To these patriots, “[i]t seemed like a good idea to burn some flags just because we can.” True, burning a symbol of our nation is legal, as it should be, but it doesn’t make it right. It’s also legal to participate in sodomy with gonorrhea-infested men and huff glue till you pass out, but unfortunately, they aren’t celebrating those freedoms.

Consider This A Classified Leak

2006-06-28T09:26:00.000-04:00

Back at Wayne Manor: When we last left Rich, he was soaring over the farmlands of Iraq with brief stopovers in BIAP, Abu Ghraib, and Fallujah. Upon hearing of Rich's arrival at each spot, the insurgents temporarily suppressed their evil actions due to utter fear.

Where can the line between sedition and patriotism be drawn? At what point are leaks of classified information no longer in the public interest? Within a matter of a week, The New York Times let the potential terrorists know another key in the fight to prevent future attacks and informed insurgents in Iraq that if they hold out long enough, General Casey will pull out a signifacant amount of troops. Can we finally admit that the interests of the paper is not parallel to the interests of America? Of course, all Americans need to know everything that goes on in our government. Tell me, when are we planning the next big attack in Iraq to flush out insurgents? To The New York Times, this information would be in the "public interest."

Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has signed into law a bill that revokes the driver's license or learner's permit of any student who misses more than ten percent of the previous 180 school days. Good plan.

A man in Columbus, Ohio lied his way out of jury duty and faced the music. Benjamine Ratliffe, 21, told the court that he was having a "bad jonesin' for heroin" and that he "killed someone with [a gun]." This numbskull was charged with contempt of court and obstruction of justice, for which he spent a night in jail. Serves him right.

The D.C. area is flooded and rain is pounding the East (most likely caused by Global Warming). I suggest we evacuate the flooded areas, put the victims in hotel rooms across the country, and give them two thousand dollar debit cards. We did it with Katrina, why not elsewhere?

In a survey of 34 countries, America is the most patriotic. I'm assuming they didn't include the editorial boards of The New York Times and L.A. Times for the poll.

President Bush is determined to push through his good 'ol Social Security plan. As I've mentioned before, it's not the best, but it's something. (The best would to give me my money and let me plan my own damn retirement.) In a speech this morning, he stated, "If we can't get it done this year, I'm going to try next year. And if we can't get it done next year, I'm going to try the year after that, because it is the right thing to do. It's just so easy to say, let somebody else deal with it. Now is the time to solve the problems of Medicare and Social Security...".

Leander Kahney has a fun little piece on the weird transition of "iPod" into everday slang. The most interesting: podestrian and podaholic. I would definitely be considered a Pod snob (someone who plugs into their iPod to tune out others).

The "Flag Amendment" has failed, and by one vote in the Senate. What a waste of time that debate was. Honestly, there are more important things to discuss right now than setting Old Glory ablaze. Though, I am glad to see some Republicans had a clear head about the issue. OK. The base has been rallied. Can we please move on?

Presidential Quick Hits

2006-06-14T03:30:00.000-04:00

Last night, I stood five feet away from the leader of the free world.

Entertainment Weekly has released it’s pick of the top ten movie car chases. Sadly, the Blues Brothers’ chase only landed #7. The French Connection placed first.

In December, M. Stanton Evans is releasing a new book about Sen. Joe McCarthy. I’ll be on edge until then.

Ohio, Kentucky’s ugly neighbor to the north, plans on setting in place the strictest abortion laws in the country. Their proposal, which would outdo South Dakota’s new claim to fame, would ban all abortions, even in the case of the “mother’s” (I guess if it’s not a child, she’s not a mother) health being at risk. It would also make it a felony to transport a woman to a different state to suck a fetus’ brain out. I’m glad states are finally demanding their rights back, originally raped from them under Roe v. Wade, but jeez…

Markos Moulitsas, a blogger who screeched “Screw them” in response to two American Blackwater contractors hanging lifeless from a bridge in Iraq, is rather feverish over the clearing of Karl Rove in alleged perjury claims. He whines that Rove is attacking “war heroes,” bringing to light the truthiness of Ms. Coulter’s chapter on the liberal doctrine of infallibility. Don’t you dare question someone who was in combat, lost a loved one, or sent a husband on a trip to Niger!

Three Club Gitmo detainees have committed suicide. Knowing that, I think I slept a little better last night.

New Jersey Democrats are calling for “New Jersey retailers to ban the sale of her book throughout the state.” To see my opinion on this matter, click on the link below.

My newest column is up. Enjoy.

Attack on Ann

2006-06-09T03:18:00.000-04:00

Before Zarqawi made headlines, Ann Coulter gained top spot for all the pundits. Many have said that she's "gone too far," but leftists said that about her last two books as well. I don't mean to defend Ann, here. She can do that on her own. I actually intend to criticize her.

In her new book, Godless, she writes of the 9/11 widows, "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much." She also called them "broads" and "harpies."

Criticism has come from everyone on the left, including Sen. Hillary Clinton and Rep. Rahm Emanuel. (Emanuel's statement was made in session, courtesy the taxpayers' buck.)

My grief with Ann comes from a different perspective. I have yet to receive the book, but can't wait to crack it open and enjoy the wit. If these comments about 9/11 widows, who use their loss to gain political capitol, are the most offensive sentences in the book, then sodomists, aborters, and anti-war zealots got off light. I paid $18 for a book filled with the most crass and offensive attacks on the lesser of the two warring political ideologies. If this is the most gruesome statement in the book, I want my money back. Like I said, I haven't received the book, but I expect much more from the rightwing queen.

5 Year Army Anniversary

2006-06-07T02:37:00.000-04:00

It’s all pent up, ready to gush out.

I finished the LTC Grossman’s book, On Combat, and recommend it to any law enforcement officer or warrior. Ann Coulter’s new one, Godless, should be in my hands in about a week. But, for now, I’m reading D’Souza’s What’s So Great About America.

Andy Rooney is known for his odd grievances, but CBS still looks to him for “what’s wrong with society” rants. His problem this week: Shoes! That’s right. The most important thing on this geezer’s mind is that he has “20 pairs of shoes [he doesn’t] wear, but they cost so much, [he] can't stand to throw them out.” Rooney also “never understood why [his] shoe size is 9-1/2 and [his] sock size is 11.” Way to uphold the stereotype.

Simon Avery is churning the rumor mill over Apple’s next big venture, an Apple Blackberry. The partnership between Research In Motion and Apple was speculated by the same man, who last year foresaw the partnership between RIM and Intel. Motorola is the company that make’s the Rokr cell phone which allows users to store iTunes songs on their phone. The relationship between Apple and Motorola, despite Apple’s dumping the company for Intel to make their processors, is still workable. If Apple can keep the product cost less than $500, they can definitely take 10 percent of the high-end cell phone market.

Doctors are now claiming that up to 16 million people have been broadly diagnosed with a disorder that can be used to excuse road rage. It’s called intermittent explosive disorder. Dr. Emil Cocarro stated that “[p]eople think it’s bad behavior and that you just need an attitude adjustment, but what they don’t know … is that there’s a biology and cognitive science to this.” The disorder is even being seen in our children. A 16-year-old boy has been diagnosed because, “in stressful situations at home, he ‘explodes and tears apart his room, [and] throws things at other people.'” Sounds like poor parenting if you ask me. As for the adults, they were the ones getting away with temper tantrums as kids.

I am pleased to announce that I have finally found a political ideology which I can rally behind. For years, I have neither claimed Republican nor Democrat as my party. Even when I labeled myself as a libertarian, I had some qualms. I agree with different sides on multiple issues. To put the ideological civil war inside me to rest, I announce that I am a neolibertarian. The philosophy combines the foreign policies of neoconservatism with the social and domestic policies of libertarianism. Other known neolibertarians are Neal Boortz, Larry Elder, and P.J. O’Rourke. I can now sleep at night.

I haven’t seen Brokeback Mountain, but apparently a kiss between the two cowboys was good enough to get the MTV Movie Award’s Best Kiss award. Ewww.

On the topic of sodomy, I understand this gay marriage issue is being brought up to rally the conservative base for the 2006 midterms. However, I’m honestly confused as to how two men getting married threatens my marriage. If gays are allowed to marry, does that mean more heterosexuals will give the other team a fair look? If they are not allowed to marry, does that make my marriage stronger? I’m just not seeing the connection from two women getting married to a complete deterioration of the heterosexual marriage and family. I still feel homosexuality is unnatural, though.

Tuesday Quick Hits

2006-05-30T13:31:00.000-04:00

No luck tonight in Hold'em. On with the goodies.

I read Stan Goff's book Hideous Dream a few years ago. The guy's a decorated combat vet with a three-time combat veteran son. However, he has some very interesting views on the Marines in Haditha. For some reason, his rant reminds me of something Zarqawi might write. Don't forget what Rep. Murtha said was the real reason behind the slaughter: Bush.

A boy in China was born with a third arm. Though neither of his two left arms work, he's definitely lucky he wasn't the result of a poor Chinese domestic policy regarding an abundance of people.

TUAW has an awesome picture of a G4 Mailbox.

Anti-war protesters found out about a shipment of an Iraq-bound convoy of Stryker Armored Vehicles in the port of Olympia, Washington. They made a human chain and chanted, "Out of Olympia, Out of Iraq" while attempting to stop the shipment. Some were arrested, others pepper-sprayed. Let's clear something up. These fools don't want supplies to reach the troops which help save American lives and destroy enemies of the armed forces. Please, someone call that patriotism. At least Joel Stein can be honest about his convictions: those who oppose the war, but support the troops are just "covering their ass." Well said.

One of my favorite beach-reads is The 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America by Bernard Goldberg. Jack Huberman counters the book with his own The 101 People Who Are Really Screwing Up America. Spoiler: Bush is #2, trumped only by the evil, evil Dick Cheney. I'm definitely adding this to my queue. Oh, and God is on the list.

Finally, RedState has a good piece on comparing Haditha to My Lai.

Memorial Day Off

2006-05-28T13:57:00.000-04:00

Today, in memoriam of those who have given their lives for the cost of freedom throughout the world, I was given my second day off in the last three months. I spent the day relaxing, reading, and playing a few rounds of online poker. It was great. To make it even better, a fellow poker-player (a bloke from Manchester) had a few words about my tour in Iraq. The following is our online conversation (I am "Gorgonzola"):

[16:59:24] Limaz : lol
[16:59:26] Limaz : hi
[16:59:36] Gorgonzola : hey there
[17:00:02] Limaz : you arnt really in iraq are you
[17:01:45] Gorgonzola : yeah
[17:01:47] Gorgonzola : the IZ
[17:02:04] Gorgonzola : quite the life, eh?
[17:02:15] Limaz : indeed
[17:02:31] Limaz : youfrom iraq
[17:02:35] Gorgonzola : nah
[17:02:36] Gorgonzola : ky
[17:02:44] Gorgonzola : on my second deployment
[17:02:45] Limaz : KY?
[17:02:53] Gorgonzola : Kentucky... USA
[17:02:59] Limaz : oh
[17:03:29] Limaz : leave tose poor bast ards alone you oil plundering pirates
[17:03:38] Gorgonzola : heh
[17:04:16] Gorgonzola : I'd love to be in Haditha with the Marines
[17:05:03] Limaz : its disgusting im sorry its not a personal thing againts you is just the bush blair thing im all againt
[17:05:26] Gorgonzola : and I'm all for... how bout that...
[17:05:35] Limaz : lol
[17:06:21] Limaz : i hope you all get nuked you C>>U>>N>>T>>S
[17:06:36] Gorgonzola : I'll make sure I shoot one for you when I'm out on convoy
[17:06:45] Gorgonzola : ;)
[17:07:03] Gorgonzola : hmmm I thought it was nothing personal
[17:07:26] Limaz : you are an a ss hole i can handle that
[17:07:56] Gorgonzola : compliments are always welcome
[17:07:58] Gorgonzola : where you from?
[17:09:22] Limaz : mind you the iraqies dont have to fookin shoot you guys because you dozey barst ards shoot yourselves lol FRIENDLY FIRE lol lo l ol o l o l o l o l o l o
[17:10:17] Gorgonzola : not that much, actually, but I'm enjoying your rant... keep at it.
[17:11:20] Limaz : all this technology and you still cant find him thats priceless
[17:11:51] Gorgonzola : I pay for this luxury.
[17:12:15] Gorgonzola : so do the Iraqis at the new internet cafes down the street
[17:12:31] Limaz : get shot
[17:12:53] Gorgonzola : I'll work on it
[17:13:03] Gorgonzola : you tell my wife if you see her...
[17:13:13] Limaz : you see that you do
[17:13:30] Limaz : i was with her last nite
[17:13:45] Gorgonzola : here we go
[17:17:21] Limaz : whats up soldier lost you balls
[17:17:46] Gorgonzola : well, you enjoy your day. good luck with that anti-war stuff.
[17:18:12] Limaz : dickhead

But don't you dare question his patriotism.

Blogiversary

2006-05-25T04:43:00.000-04:00

It's been a year. Light the candle.

I'm really looking forward to catching Al Gore's first movie, An Inconvenient Truth and book by the same title. Unfortunately, the Competitive Enterprise Institute may be ruining some of his fun.

CNN interviewed a doc who claims he can cure gayness. It's well worth the watch. Hopefully, this gayness disease doesn't spread. It has already infected most of San Francisco. Maybe the doc could go out there and put his talents to good use.

Not to be outdone by the AIDS genocide plot or the CIA plot to kill blacks by crack, President Bush has genetically altered the bird flu to spread from human to human. The first case has possibly been found in Indonesia, killing seven family members.

If you're in for a good chuckle, check out Dr. Mike Adams' Hate Mail Bag. It's filled with excellent rebuttals to the most unhinged comments and questions regarding his columns.

That's all. Not much for today.

Cheers & Jeers

2006-05-17T06:14:00.000-04:00

Cheers:

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue held an after-prom for high school students to send a message to teens that you can have fun without drinking. The $22,000 party was well-received by the students and prevented possible DUIs and injuries.

Apple has finally announced its MacBook to replace the iBook. Black or White.

Roboraptor has got to be one of the coolest toys on the market. At nearly three feet tall, this dinobot comes with three distinct moods and will hunt you down in your own house. Great for small children or easily scared grannies.

Jeers:

George W. is attempting to dig himself out of this ratings ditch and build his base back up by putting Guard troops on the border. “Veterans, welcome back home. Thank you for serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now get on the border!” There are so many things wrong with this solution.

Alligators have killed three people in a matter of a week down in Florida, though there have only been 18 deaths related to these beasts since 1948. Does anyone else smell an uprising?

A new panderer on the scene, Michael Smerconish, is a rightwing pundit and radio host blogging with the leftwing Huffington Post. What a coincidence that he has a new book coming out.

Christians (and especially Catholics) are protesting “The Da Vinci Code” movie with Tom Hanks. I’m amazed that people are so sensitive over a book found in the fiction section of the library. Well, at least they’re aren’t threatening people with beheadings or burning down buildings over cartoons.

Paul Haggis directed the movie Crash. I saw it for the first time last night. It was a well-directed movie, but the plot and message were laughable. Don’t have white guilt? Watch this and your heart will bleed like the rest.

America, the Country Club

2006-05-13T02:59:00.000-04:00

For the last year or so, on the basis of many topics, I’ve begun to regard America as the finest country club in the world. Consider it the “Indian Hill” of the globe.

Truthfully, the America Country Club has all you can ask for. Sure, other clubs have a lot to offer, but not the glorious commodities at the extensive rate club-members enjoy. Our club has the finest pools, attractions, and wooded areas one could imagine. Our staff maintains the roads, lawns, and most amenities. We only have one catch here at the America Country Club, you must pay membership fees. Compared to other clubs, our fees are considerably lower for the freedoms you can enjoy.

Joining the America Country Club is easy. Simply submit an application and our Board of Directors will review it for safety and security purposes. Our rival clubs claim the process is too lengthy, but consider what you receive for the wait and effort:

Lifetime membership
On-demand access to our 24-hour on-site nurse
Access to our free snack-bar
Free financial aid (some restrictions apply)
A say on our Board of Directors and election of our Club Director
Enforced gate security
Your children, grandchildren, and generations to follow are granted full access without entrance fee

Joining the America Country Club grants you all these luxuries and more! All you have to do is submit the form and pay the entry fee. Can’t afford the entry fee? Just let our Board know of your dire situation and we may consider bringing you in to alleviate your poor situation in your current club.

However, lately, there have been some people who want to be part of the club but don’t want to pay the entrance fee. Late at night, they will sneak over the fence behind the pool house and consider themselves permanent guests of the club. We have caught a few eating at our nightly buffet and some even apply for our free financial aid. For some reason, they have blended in with the legitimate club members and some have even come to accept the gate-jumpers as America Country Club members, even though they have not paid the entrance fee nor membership fees.

The America Country Club should take a very firm position on the illegitimate club members. Just because they have snuck by our premise security and consider themselves full members does not mean they are. If you dress up like a bear long enough, that doesn’t make you a bear.

Members who sympathize or hire illegitimate America Country Club members to fetch them martinis should realize that our membership rates will rise if these gate-jumpers continue to claim membership.

Perhaps the best solution to this problem is reliant on club members. We will need more gate security guards to watch for jumpers. Most will need to be positioned by the pool house. The other part of the solution calls for club members to stop paying Paco to rub lotion on their backs while tanning. If you are interested in a rub-down, we have many people on staff willing to help out. If someone breaks this rule, your membership will still be valid, but your monthly fee will rise considerably until you cease such practices.

The America Country Club is the best country club because of all the luxuries it offers for such a nominal cost. Allowing non-members to come in without going through the process is placing a burden on those who will continue to enjoy our members-only freedoms for generations to come.

Flipping and Flopping

2006-04-30T05:50:00.000-04:00

Remember when bashing the Bush Administration for their secrecy was all the rage? I recall Katie Couric mentioning something about it, too. The left was in an uproar!

BuzzFlash
Committee on Government Reform - Minority Office
Public Citizen
Bush Secrecy
Federation of American Scientists
Two books were even written: Secrecy and Privelege and The Secrecy of George W. Bush

Now, the big talk is leaking. And, once again, Dems are foaming at the mouth.

People's Weekly
Radical Left
The Nation
BushWatch
Common Ground Common Sense
The Carpetbagger Report

I'm just curious, which is it?

Friday Quick Hits

2006-04-28T09:34:00.001-04:00

I won 6th place in a Texas Hold'em tournament the other night. Not bad for a first-timer.

I've read a bunch of good columns lately on both sides. Here's the Roundup: Mike Adams has a great one about intolerance, David Model puts forth a decent argument about Bush being responsible for genocide, TIME takes a look at the new Chief of Staff's plan to dig Bush out of a ratings hole, and John Stossel explains why greed is good.

There's great news for Kenton County. Governor Fletcher is giving a fat check to the N. Kentucky County. $100,000 is going to Covington for renovating seven buildings downtown, $39,500 will go towards recreational trails for the Behringer Crawford Museum, and $6,332 will be received by Tailor mill with the purpose of cleaning up their cemeteries.

The greatest video game ever has a movie coming out about what happened after it ended: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. See the trailers here. Yes, I'm drooling.

Gen. Rick Lynch "see[s] us moving away from civil war [in Iraq]." The Baghdad violence, he said, was "on the downside." A 2.7% pay increase is also being urged by a House subcommittee beginning the 2007 fiscal year. No complaints here.

1,102 sex offenders were nabbed in a week-long raid with a cool name - Operation Falcon II. A total of 9,037 fugitives were arrested for crimes from kidnapping to homicide. Sweet pictures here. On second thought, how about we treat these 9,000 like we treat other lawbreakers - give them amnesty.

The ho's a liar! The Duke accuser blamed others for raping her ten years ago. That turned out to be a tall tale. Damn DNA always gets in the way of a quick profit.

The White House Mouthpiece

2006-04-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

It appears Tony Snow of the Fox News Channel has been chosen to succeed Scott McClellan as President Bush's newest Press Secretary. This is a nominal change for a two-term president, but here are some interesting facts relating to the position and some of those who have served.

-The position of Press Secretary was established in 1937 by F.D.R. The first to hold the slot was Stephen Early. He was the only Press Secretary to serve two non-consecutive terms.

-The only female to serve the position was Dee Dee Myers, appointed by Bill Clinton in 1993. She recieved a D.U.I. in 1995 and now lives in L.A.

-The youngest Press Secretary was Ron Ziegler. At the age of 29, he was appointed by Tricky Dick. Ziegler was born in Covington, Kentucky and attended college in Cincinnati.

-The longest serving spoke under Eisenhower. James Hagerty's tenure lasted from 1953 to 1961.

-Our newest Press Secretary, Tony Snow, was born in Borea, Kentucky and has lived in Cincinnati and Sharonville, Ohio. He also plays many instruments and plays in a cover band named, "Beats Workin'".

-James Brady, serving under Ronald Reagan, was the only one to be shot. He was an Eagle Scout and now lobbies for gun control.

I hope you enjoyed the nuggets of useless information.

I Miss Beer

2006-04-24T10:13:00.000-04:00

Right now, I could really go for a thick-headed Guinness. Or maybe a Goose Island Nut Brown Ale. If I dream about drinking (and even liking) Budweiser, does that mean I have a problem? The spin starts here.

Run for the hills! Gas prices are skyrocketting! (Of course, minorities and women are hit hardest.) Will people pay $3.00 a gallon? What about $4.00? Of course they will. Tia Nelson is absolutely right: "[I]f we paid what Europeans paid, we wouldn't be driving vehicles that got 12 miles to a gallon." Now, I'm no environmentalist wacko, but a dependence on a single source for fuel is not healthy - not only for our environment, but for foreign policy and the economy. Watch out for kneejerk legislation and congressional hearings founded on pure emotion and grab for political gain.

I finished reading Fast Food Nation. It really was a decent read. My interest was kept and I learned a lot. You really wouldn't believe what's in your food. The gore and details still won't keep me from eating fast food. Although, at one point when reading and eating lunch, I had to take a second to disassociate myself with the book. The author even had solutions for the problem with globalization and low wages for teens. They all included a bigger government, which was good for a laugh. I'm actually looking forward to Schlosser's upcoming movie of the same title and other book about the drug world, Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market. 3.5/5 stars.

My new read is On Combat by LTC Dave Grossman. It's a follow-up to On Killing and is already and enthralling trip.

Rick Santorum is the least-liked member in the Senate, as rated by his own constituents. Funny enough, he's still beating out Bush with a 39% approval rating (over Bush's 33%) and 53% disapproval (under Bush's 57%). I'm a fan of Santorum, but if you speak your mind and never waiver, you're doomed when it comes to a second term in a swing state. (Though, in Bush's case, the low ratings are not due to holding steady on all policy positions.) Pandering is key.

Ben & Jerry's decided to apologize for a new ice cream flavor that has offended people in Great Britain. The name - "Black & Tan". Yeah, like the beer. (But I'm sure it doesn't taste as good.) The ice cream made available only in the U.S. has a few people whining because "Black and Tan" is a nickname of old violent militia known for it's anti-British sentiments. Truly, I hope no one would be offended if I drank a "lobster-back" smoothie.

I'm drooling over the new 17" MacBook Pro. 5x faster. 36% brighter.

I was with W. Thomas Smith in his new piece about the difference between sedition and dissent until he proclaimed that he couldn't "say for sure if such rhetoric [against the war and president]is spewed to deliberately encourage terrorists...". What a loon. Nearly all "rhetoric [that] is spewed" is not intended to rally the enemy in the War on Terrorism, it is merely a horrible secondary effect. However, these guys are quite blatant about it and provide an exception to the rule.

Prince Harry is a true patriot.

Victory Post

2006-04-18T12:41:00.000-04:00

This one comes to you from Camp Victory, Baghdad. There's a lot of good stuff, today.

Well, it's been 100 years since the big earthquake that ravaged SanFran. MSNBC says there's a 62% chance of another quake of similar size striking in the next thirty years. To them, "it's not if, but when." Hmm... if my high school math serves me right, there's still a 38% chance it won't happen. I guess it is "if." Any bets on how long it takes before somebody blames the next quake or the 1906 quake on global warming ... or Bush?

Speaking of skies falling, Al Gore's new movie "An Inconvenient Truth" is coming out soon. The end-times are near. Party at my house.

The race for the New Orleans mayoral seat is on! I'm throwing my support behind Ray Nagin. I remember when he promised N.O. would be a "chocolate city." I like chocolate, but hopefully he makes it dark chocolate. I hear it's better for your heart. However, if another candidate would make promises of caramel cabs, marshmellow streets, and Jelly Belly pennies, my support may change.

Tom Cruise said, "I'm going to eat the placenta. I thought that would be good. Very nutritious. I'm going to eat the cord and the placenta right there." PugBus offers some advice that goes a long way - Placenta Helper.

I've noticed the media is using the words "dancer" or "exotic dancer" in regard to the woman allegedly raped by Duke students. Why not call her what she is - a stripper? Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition also plans to pay for the girl's tuition at her public college. His previous record at helping women isn't helping him, though. ...Anita Hill, anyone?

Rallying The Hawks

2006-04-12T10:49:00.000-04:00

My new column, Rallying the Hawks, is up. It's rather lengthy, but well worth the read. Enjoy!

Jack Bauer For President

2006-04-09T04:39:00.000-04:00

The title has nothing to do with the post, but it sounds snappy. I like snappy.

My new column is up. Hats off to New York and California for providing me with such great material.

Jill Abramson coulnd't be more right. Katie Couric is heading to CBS to be the first woman to anchor the CBS Evening News. Jill asks, "when will we stop saying 'first woman to ___?'" If equality is what we all strive for, why keep placing a label on people? And it's a TV show, for christ's sake! I wonder who will be the first woman to win the gold in men's diving? Labels will continue to be used as a crutch for those who desire special rights for their race/religion/gender. What ever happened to judging someone on their character, record, and talent?

A long list of Couric's bias can be found here with a bunch of video clips. Remembering Rather and Mapes, I'm sure she'll fit in nicely over at CBS.

Pretend you're the VP and take shots at the administration here.

I think the Bush-haters are substituting this for pornography. Definitely, check it out. A school teacher showed it to her middle-school class. Classy.

I became violently ill the other day when I read of Apple's move to allow users to boot up Windows on its Intel machines. This may be a good business move, but I'm still feeling a bit queasy. But, I guess I can finally play that Microsoft solitaire game on my mac...

Could we please stop with the immigration debate? The idealist inside me takes Frist's proposal, but the realist sides with McCain and George Will. I bashfully wave my white flag of amnesty. Perhaps this is a good time to repeal the minimum wage too. Once again, I'm probably expecting too much.

Oh, and have a great Iraqi Liberation Day.

Monday Quick Hits

2006-04-03T08:16:00.000-04:00

Today really couldn't go any better. It's days like these I'm thankful I didn't bite down on that cyanide capsul when undercover with Valerie Plame.

I shook hands with this woman today. I told her to keep up the good work.

Mike Adams has risen near the top of my "must-read columnists" list. This week's piece is another not worth missing.

Somebody has a new book being released on my fifth anniversary of Army service. I hope it comes with a centerfold.

Homer and the family are set to hit the big screen in 2007. TV-to-theater movies are always a huge gamble. If it's not done just right, it will most likely flop. Possibly a bad move on Groening's part.

A new study is claiming that more than half of all teens have had oral sex. A few months ago, "kari," on my blog, speculated as to why oral sex was so popular among the youth. The real cause?

"Maybe teenagers are going crazy with oral sex because they're increasingly
frustrated with the way our society is going: war, poverty, lack of
education/opportunity, racial division."

Looks like Scott McClellan (Press Secretary) and John Snow (Treasury Secretary) are next in the shakeup at the White House. I am a huge fan of McClellan and know nothing of Snow. If these speculations are true, Bill Maher may not be far off in his "scapegoat" theory. My move? Replace Rummy with Lieberman. Fire Cheney, Promote Rice. Make this guy Secretary of State.

If you're feeling down, check out this video of Rep. McKinney excusing her actions of resisting DC police questioning. If the evidence fails to get you out of trouble, blame racism.

Happy Birthday, Apple! (Continuous Updating)

2006-03-31T23:22:00.000-05:00

Let the festivities begin!

It's been 30 years. From a company begun by two college dropouts, it has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar corporation responsible for the most wonderful of technological feats. I'll spare you the public history of Apple and provide a more personal one.

My first mac was a Performa 6360. My dad got it after having problems with DOS and his pc. It was a good machine, but complaints were definitely to be had. After a few years with it, I received a green iMac G3 250mhz for my birthday. I still have it. It was a excellent machine and great for the Apple image. Remember the 5 color iMacs? Whoever designed Apple's most hated gadget - the "hockey puck" mouse should have been slapped. In 2002, I bought the swivelhead iMac G4 800mhz. I went top of the line with it - superdrive and 60gb hard drive. It still functions as my primary computer and music server. In 2004, before heading off on two week tour of Korea, I purchased an iBook 800mhz as a secondary, and sacrificial computer. It was a hell of a deal for just $650. The iBook may be my secondary (due to speed and HD space), but I use it significantly more than the iMac due to school. My next computer will most likely be an Intel Core Duo Mac mini. I have plans to set up a HiFi media center, blowing tons of money on something that will be technologically outdated in only a few years.

Apple has not only blessed me with computers, but gadgets as well. I own a 3rd generation iPod. Few have seen these 15gb wonders. They are the ones with the four buttons on the top - no clickwheel. I love it though. Over the last two years, I have become an audiophile and spent too much money to mention on just a $300 music player. Because (like the hockey puck mouse) Apple failed in its accessories, I had to buy a new set of headphones. The er6i by Etymotic Research are the earphones of choice for me and other spendthrifty audiophiles.

My obsession has also exited the bedroom/office and entered the public arena. A few years ago, I went with my dad to see the "Woz," Steve Wozniac at NKU. The man is amazing. I have sported a green Apple watch (to match my gumdrop iMac), I have a black Apple tshirt, and last Christmas, I received an Apple ballcap which I don't leave home without. The future doesn't look good for a recession of obsession. An Apple tattoo would look mighty fine on my right forearm.

There are a few turning points in Apple's history that really bring back good memories for me - where I just gazed in awe at their magnificence:

Mac OS 8
Mac OS 8.5
Mac OS X (I hated it at first, but now refuse to use OS 9, even to play my
favorite oldschool games.)
The gumdrop iMac (multi-color)
Swivelhead iMac (What other computer can stick it's tongue out at
you?)
3rd Gen. iPod
iPod nano
iTunes
30" Cinema Display
MacBook Pro

Consider browsing the links below to kill some time. Remember, ten years ago, Apple introduced the Twentieth Anniversary Mac ($7,500). What will today's celebration bring? Stay tuned for updates.

Think you're a Mac Genius? Test your skills here. (I got 7/10.)
Here's a good editorial on Apple riding high on iPod fanaticism.
Who are Apple's Heroes and Villains? Find out here. (Sculley is still a villain in my book.)
Some even made birthday cakes!
If Steve leaves Apple, what would happen? Bob Keefe speculates here.
Comics are a great way to brighten up your day. Especially if they involve geekery.
Is Apple headed for world domination? Looks like it.

UPDATE 0030 EST: It looks like there will be no 30th Anniversary iPod or a giant announcement. Back to your spontaneously scheduled blogposts.

Where Has The Patriotism Gone?

2006-03-27T09:28:00.000-05:00

Do you remember the flags? Do you remember the streets lined with Old Glory? Do you remember sweaters, clocks, stickers, buttons, hats, shirts, and anything else you could carry, wear, or put on display colored red, white, and blue?

It's hard, but think back. After September 11th, America rallied. We put aside our separate political agendas, our rudeness, and petty squabbles to gather behind Lady Liberty. Manufacturers of flags couldn't meet the demand of consumers. Wal-Mart said they sold more of Old Glory in one week than they had in the five previous years. Citizens of New York City did the unthinkable - they held doors, championed police, and some reports even claim eye contact was made in secluded areas. Uncle Sam finally had a fan base.

What happened? Where did the flag-wavers go? All of the flags, were they properly disposed of? When spring cleaning 2002 came around, was the banner that survived the winter frost no longer worthy of flying over green pastures or multi-family subdivisions?

Spring cleaning 2003 may have been the tipping point for the patriotic. The U.S. invasion of Iraq had rolled snake eyes in the search for weapons of mass destruction and our sons and daughters in arms were dying. The evening news ran the names and hometowns of GI's that brought the cost of war home to John and Jane Doe. Is that when the flags came down? Was that the reason? Did perceivingly poor decisions by America's leader symbolize everything that was America?

Sadly, when the flags fell, the America-bashing rose. Today, using scenes of a waving flag in a political commercial is taboo. Celebrities badmouth not only America, but the flag itself. Four-and-a-half years ago, if you flew the banner from a pickup truck, people would sympathize with those who have given so much for the freedoms we enjoy. Now, if you're caught with one, you're a redneck, or worse yet - a conservative. Where has it all gone? Has the nation decided that it's more appropriate to join the masses of war protesters than wear a "Don't Tread On Me!" shirt?

It seems now, the only way the heart of the good 'ole American spirit can be resuscitated is for thousands more to be slaughtered on our sacred soil. Pessimism doesn't drive this speculation, reality seems to. Whichever side you take in the political circles, it only seems appropriate - nay, dutiful - to wave Old Glory high above the hills so that those who wish to do us great harm will know: You can test our will, but you can never break our American spirit.

Quick Hits Saturday

2006-03-25T00:39:00.000-05:00

Saturdays at home are usually one of my three days off. Here in Iraq, it's like any other. Though, I really can't complain. On with the news...

The FBI noticed a bunch of Middle Eastern men were enrolled in a truck-driving school in Missouri where the population of Middle Easterners in the regional area was disproportionate to those enrolled at the school. About 60% attending the school had last name of M.E. origin. C.A.I.R.! A.C.L.U! Where are you?! Hurry up and get on this one! Think of all the civil liberties being infringed upon. It's a goldmine of lawsuits. I wonder if Miss Huffington and Mr. Moore will finally give credit to the enforcement officers that are doing their job to stop another attack. I always expect too much, don't I?

While the U.S. is placing new sanctions on the country of Belarus due to last weekend's "flawed elections," France is getting away with what Apple calls "state-sponsored piracy." I say we hand out sanctions like Jack Bauer hands out ass-whoopings.

Speaking of Jack Bauer, I jumped on the bandwagon of '24' fans last night. I watched three addictive episodes and I'm hooked like Charlie Sheen to hookers 'n blow. I may be one of the last on the Earth to catch the show.

In Hollywood news, Actor Randy Quaid is suing the producers of Brokeback Mountain for giving him the *shaft*. He's claiming he was persuaded to take a pay cut because it was a "low-budget film." Seems like a *low blow,* if you ask me. But, in the end, he may end up with more than his foot in his mouth. (Insert more bad puns here.)

Many people have not heard of the British TV series, Coupling. If you can get your hands on the DVD box set, give it a whirl. It's a funnier English version of Friends.

An Easter bunny display has been banned from the St. Paul City Hall lobby. I really wish I was making this crap up. City Council president, Kathy Lantry said, "As government, we have a different responsibility about advancing the cause of religion, which we are not going to do.'' Public funds (with "In God We Trust" printed on them) were not used to pay for the display featuring a cloth bunny, colored eggs, and a sign reading, "Happy Easter." Perhaps she couldn't recall who her city was named after - Saint Paul of Tarsus. He helped pen the Bible, which some would consider a religious book. I expect Miss Lantry's proposal to change the city's name on my desk by close of business.

Hillary's Hypocrisy

2006-03-24T05:27:00.000-05:00

Is Sen. Clinton turning into Howard Dean? It sure seems like it. With every flap at the gums, it makes her and her party seem even crazier. Every time she utters a sentence, it serves as great political ammo for the opposing Right. Take, for instance, yesterday's comment concerning her proposal to block the upcoming immigration bill:

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures. This
bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus
himself."

Well, let's first look at her stand on immigration I championed her for nearly a year ago:

"I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigrants. People have to stop
employing illegal immigrants. I mean, come up to Westchester, go to Suffolk and
Nassau Counties, stand in the street corners in Brooklyn or the Bronx (and)
you’re going to see loads of people waiting to get picked up to go do yard work
and construction work and domestic work…"

Wow. Quite a difference. Maybe she found God over the last few months. Well, maybe not:

"If they do that, wear it as a badge of honor, because you know what?There are lots of things that we should be angry and outraged about these days."

Last time I checked, anger was one of the seven deadly sins as listed by Pope Gregory the Great.

Perhaps she's just not catholic and doesn't believe in the 7 Deadlies. Would, maybe even for a moment, the Almighty agree with her vote on partial-birth abortion? *Hint: She voted not to ban it.* Would Christ also agree with her vote for war? Matthew 5:39 reads,

"But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also."

She continued with her support of her decision up until last year (when she smelled the White House throne) when she said,

"If Congress had been asked [to authorize the war], based on what we know now,
we never would have agreed."

I'm not sure whether to believe she's a poor Christian or an excellent politician. I am, however, willing to consider both.