Thursday, May 31, 2007

Camping

Off camping this weekend (Friday - Sunday) then I have 2 days of fire brigade refresher training. So I won't be posting or visiting until Wednesday at the earliest (I will try to visit some tonight, but that is questionable).

Thai has a couple of posts in the works, hopefully they'll come while I'm away to keep the 'flow' going :)

Everyone have a great weekend and I'll see you in a few days.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson May Announce July 4 for President

Republican Fred Thompson, a former Tennessee senator and "Law & Order" actor, is methodically moving ahead with a likely presidential bid, several officials with knowledge of the plans said Wednesday.

An all-but-declared candidate for months, Thompson will establish an official organization next week to weigh a White House bid while launching his first major fundraising effort. He also may visit early primary states in late June and could officially enter the race as early as the first week in July, according to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plans were not public.

Despite the movement, they cautioned that Thompson has made no final decision about whether to run or where and when to get in the race should he decide to go forward.

They said he is considering several options for a possible formal announcement, and that one scenario has him officially announcing his candidacy over the July 4 holiday. It's also possible, they said, that Thompson could wait until later in the summer to declare his intentions. (link)

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Watch what you write?

Blogger Sued for Publishing Stories About Muslims linked to Terror

If the Muslims get away with this "test case", it will shut us all down. The intrepid blogger and PI (and valued Atlas source) has been sued for publishing stories about Muslims with ties to Islamic terror. News stories already published in the mainstream media. Warner obviously hit a nerve. This is the next nefarious step in the litigation jihad. Warner must prevail. This wreaks of CAIR. Their tactics are written all over it. How is this different than the CAIR lawsuit against the Jane/John Does on the US Airways flight that reported the belligerent, aggressive behavior of the six imams?) Perhaps we need legislation to protect us (what happened to free speech?)
Bill Warner writes me the following;

Blogger sued and facing an injunction to cease and desist publishing stories about Muslims linked to terrorism

This is a serious threat to First Amendement rights of Freedom of Speach for bloggers and news reporters everywhere, and if I lose the law suit and the injunction is enforced, it will set a precedent for future law suits and injunctions to be imposed on any blogger or news reporter who writes about Muslims linked to terrorism.

Bill Warner

n 5/21/2007 I was served summons of Complaint and an Injunction by the Mcintrye Law Firm of Tampa Fl who represent Abdul Raouf M. Dabus in a Defamation Law Suit against myself and my company for supposedly linking Mr. Dabus and his company VIP Motors in Tampa with shipping vehicles to the Middle East for resale in support of terrorism and that Mr. Dabus had worked at the Islamic Academy of Florida with Sami Al-Arain (The School that Terrorism Built) as an instructor from 1999 to an unknown point and that Mr. Dabus was linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and that such information is posted on my web site www.wbipi.com .


(link) from Atlas Shrugs.

More Terrorists Rockets


Kassam hits house as IAF planes attack in Deir-el-Balah

Two Kassam rockets were fired from Gaza at Sderot Sunday night. No one was injured but one went into shock when the Kassam hit.

One of the rockets hit a Sderot home that had been damaged by a Kassam in the past. The residents of the house were in Jerusalem when the rocket struck.

Earlier, IAF planes bombed Hamas installations in the Gaza Strip town of Deir el-Balah Sunday night.

A 35-year-old man was killed when a Kassam rocket slammed into the road near his car in Sderot Sunday morning, as rockets continued to rain down on the southern town.

The man - identified as Oshri Oz, 35, from Hod Hasharon - was hit in the neck by shrapnel when the missile landed, and the car crashed into a wall. He was evacuated to Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital in critical condition and died of his wounds shortly afterward. (link)


Saturday, May 26, 2007

Ready for the world’s shortest column on illegal immigration? The late Sonny Bono, a Republican congressman from California once said, “What’s to debate? It’s illegal.”

I tip my cap to Stacy McCain of the Washington Times for that quote.

Of course, the boss expects a little longer interpretation of the news than that.

It is not like Bono was a callous millionaire. His parents were poor Sicilian immigrants. He waited tables, worked in construction and drove a truck before leaving Detroit for Hollywood.

Bono understood the issue better than Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who has been pushing immigration “reform” for more than 40 years now.

Kennedy was behind the 1965 immigration reform act, which eliminated the national origins quotas. (link)

RIP

Golf phenom Dakoda Dowd's mother dies

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer Fri May 25, 6:39 PM ET

Kelly Jo Dowd, a cancer-stricken mother whose dream of seeing her teen daughter Dakoda play in an LPGA event was realized last spring, has died. She was 42.

She spent years battling breast cancer, which her family said spread to her bones and liver, and then to her brain in the final months of her life. She died Thursday night at her home in Palm Harbor, Fla., with her daughter and other relatives at her side.

"Kelly Jo didn't know how to quit," her husband, Mike Dowd, said Friday. "It was inspiring. The nurses said her heart was at 160 beats a minute for the last day and a half. She was fighting. That was Kelly Jo." (link)


Thursday, May 24, 2007

For James

15-Year-Old Outsmarts U.N. Climate Panel, Predicts End of Australian Drought

Posted by Noel Sheppard on May 24, 2007 - 09:56.

Last week, NewsBusters readers were introduced to Portland, Maine’s fabulous fifteen-year-old, Kristen Byrnes, whose website “Ponder the Maunder” marvelously takes on anthropogenic global warming myths including those being advanced by soon-to-be-Dr. Al Gore.

As will be revealed post haste, this newest – and likely youngest – member of the growing list of folks skeptical about man’s role in climate change actually walks the walk better than she talks the talk.

Yet, despite her youth and precocious scientific acumen, it seems quite unlikely that she’ll be sitting down with Matt Lauer or Diane Sawyer any time soon to discuss her research concerning one of the most popular subjects on the media’s front-burner. Why?

Because a prediction that she made last month concerning Australia's drought has marvelously borne fruit making the scientists employed by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change look a bit foolish.

To set this up, here’s what the IPCC Summary for Policymakers report released on April 7 predicted regarding Australia (emphasis added): [link]


Saying no to the nanny state?

Seatbelt bill hits bump in the road

By GARRY RAYNO
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff

The mandatory seatbelt bill hit a bump in the road when the Senate Transportation and Interstate Committee voted to recommend the bill be killed.

The committee voted 3-2 on the recommendation and the full Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill May 31.

On Wednesday, committee chairman Sen. Robert Letourneau, R-Derry, voted to recommend killing the bill, joined by Sens. Bob Clegg, R-Hudson, and Betsi DeVries, D-Manchester. Committee vice chairman Sen. Peter Burling, D-Cornish, and Sen. Molly Kelly, D-Keene, opposed the recommendation.

The bill, HB 802, passed the House last month by 13 votes. New Hampshire is the last state in the country without a mandatory seatbelt law, although restraints are required for children and teenagers.(link)


Filed: , , , , ,

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Did you hear?

Four Women Fired for Gossiping


Idle Chatter Cost Four Seasoned Employees Their Jobs


What happened in the town of Hooksett, N.H., is no rumor.

Four town employees with 46 years of service between them were fired, in part for gossiping and discussing rumors of an improper relationship between the town administrator and another employee that Hooksett residents now agree were not true.

The administrator complained, and after an investigation the town council fired the women, finding, "Gossip, whispering, and an unfriendly environment are causing poor morale and interfering with the efficient performance of town business."(link)
Filed: , , , , ,

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Links

We only date ugly men


May 22, 2007



MEET the women who find rippling muscles and chiselled good looks a complete turn-off.

Slicking on another layer of lipgloss, Selena Maria slings her bag over her shoulder and struts into the bar.

A sea of dark, handsome heads turn to ogle her. Jaws drop and good-looking men raise their eyebrows or move in to offer her a drink.

But Selena walks on by. She only has eyes for one man. He’s waiting for her in a dark corner. He’s not one of the handsome guys in sharp suits. He’s not even ‘average’.

He’s bald and podgy, with a pock-marked face, and is easily the ugliest man in the room. She sidles into the chair next to him.

‘Hi, gorgeous,’ she purrs. The man’s gargoyle face breaks into a toothless smile.

The good-looking men know they don’t stand a chance. (link)



Columbia High teacher accused of sex act with student

Rumor concerning relationship led to investigation, charges

By BOB GARDINIER, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
EAST GREENBUSH -- A social studies teacher at Columbia High School was charged Monday with repeatedly having oral sex in his classroom with a 16-year-old male student during the school day.

Late last week a rumor circulated at Columbia High School that social studies teacher Kirk James Hellwig, 37, of Patricia Lane, Saratoga Springs, was allegedly carrying on a sexual relationship during school time with one of his students. (link)


Fred Thompson predicts immigration reform bill will fail



CHICAGO - The immigration reform bill worked out late last week by Senate Republicans and Democrats likely will fail, former senator and possible presidential candidate Fred Thompson said here Sunday.

Thompson, speaking at the National Restaurant Association annual show, said the bill will not win the support of the American people because they don't trust senators' promises to block illegal immigrants from crossing the Mexican border into the U.S.(link)


France says no to mass legalisation of undocumented immigrants

Last updated at 16:53pm on 21st May 2007

Comments Comments (13)

France's minister of immigration and national identity, a new ministry created by President Nicolas Sarkozy, has ruled out legalizing undocumented immigrants en masse.

The new ministry said today that government policy would be dictated by firmness and pragmatism.

"We have to put aside massive legalization. It doesn't work and it penalizes, even immigrants," Brice Hortefeux said on Europe 1 radio (link)



Iran expells 70 000 Afghans


21/05/2007 19:32 - (SA)

Kabul - More than 70 000 Afghans who were in Iran illegally have been returned in the past month, the United Nations said on Monday, as talks were under way between the neighbours over the controversial deportations.

The number of unregistered Afghans being expelled had eased off over the past week, the UN said.

The talks in Iran were to focus on how the deportations were carried out and also the treatment of deportees, it said. (link)



May 21, 2007

Global warming tour: Pelosi does Greenland

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and a group of House members are planning to go to Greenland and Europe next week as part of what her critics have dubbed the “Global Warming Tour.”

Pelosi will be joined by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Hilda Solis (D-Calif.), Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-S.D.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), John Larsen (D-Conn.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), and David Hobson (R-Ohio) on the trip, according to a draft itinerary of the trip circulating among House insiders and obtained by my Crypt-mate, Patrick O'Connor.

Markey is the chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, a post he was appointed to by Pelosi earlier this year, and the other Democrats on the trip also serve on the panel.(link)


Religious leaders urge action on warming

Mon May 21, 5:02 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders are urging

President George W. Bush
" type="hidden"> SEARCH
News | News Photos | Images | Web

" type="hidden">

President George W. Bush and Congress to take action against global warming, declaring that the changing climate is a "moral and spiritual issue."

In an open letter to be published on Tuesday, more than 20 religious groups urged U.S. leaders to limit greenhouse gas emissions and invest in renewable energy sources.

"Global warming is real, it is human-induced and we have the responsibility to act," says the letter, which will run in Roll Call and the Politico, two Capitol Hill newspapers (link)


Filed: , , , , ,

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Break Time

Well I hit 10k visits (yea me) and that was my first goal in October when I started this thing.

I'm going to take a break, no clue just how long it will be :) I've been having fun arguing with Jim and James, but I'll have to take a pass for now.

I may post some, but I won't be commenting (maybe occasionally) for awhile, I'll still try to get to you guys sites and look around though. Hopefully Thai will get busy and keep up the blog while I'm resting :)

James: I have the info for the BlogPower blogrolls, so if anyone needs in, just shoot me an email and I'll get them in asap.

The Great Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming SCAM !!!

Ok - since I promised long ago to post the stuff I had on CAGW (Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming) CAGW is just another way of saying that Man will cause catastrophic changes to the Earth by releasing CO2).

Let me give you a nice image ok??? This;

comes courtesy of Pete Du Pont, former governor of Delaware and Chairman of the National Center for Policy Analysis

I'll give you a nice quote from it;
When Eric the Red led the Norwegian Vikings to Greenland in the late 900s, it was an ice-free farm country--grass for sheep and cattle, open water for fishing, a livable climate--so good a colony that by 1100 there were 3,000 people living there. Then came the Ice Age. By 1400, average temperatures had declined by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, the glaciers had crushed southward across the farmlands and harbors, and the Vikings did not survive.

Such global temperature fluctuations are not surprising, for looking back in history we see a regular pattern of warming and cooling. From 200 B.C. to A.D. 600 saw the Roman Warming period; from 600 to 900, the cold period of the Dark Ages; from 900 to 1300 was the Medieval warming period; and 1300 to 1850, the Little Ice Age.

During the 20th century the earth did indeed warm--by 1 degree Fahrenheit. But a look at the data shows that within the century temperatures varied with time: from 1900 to 1910 the world cooled; from 1910 to 1940 it warmed; from 1940 to the late 1970s it cooled again, and since then it has been warming. Today our climate is 1/20th of a degree Fahrenheit warmer than it was in 2001.
That Little Ice Age (which is a matter of GEOLOGIC RECORD), was conveniently ignored when some "scientists" produced the "Hockey Stick" a few years ago which purported to show an alarming spike in global temperatures. Well the Hockey stick was a result of a flawed study that was done. Go here and read al lthe articles on the site which will show how flawed the "Hockey Stick" is here;

Interestingly enough, the Climate Porn people pounced on it to prove their own statements that the debate was settled.

So, the Climate Porn people state that the science is "settled". They states that Man is warming the Earth through his release of CO2 into the atmosphere. Now, these people obviously ignore(d) that the Earth has been warming and cooling in cycles for millenia now but why bother to actually pay attention to the geologic record when you have a fantastic story to sell...hmmm? I mean after all, no news story leads with "A Plane Landed Safely today at Heathrow airport". Since it isn't sensational, it is therefore not newsworthy.

Same with climate science. I'll explain below...

The Science is "settled" they say... Really ?????!!!!!!!

Thats news to ...

--The IPCC Report - the first chapter of IPCC AR4 deals with the historical overview of climate change science. In that overview, cloud modeling is discussed. On page 114 we are treated to the following statement;
The strong effect of cloud processes on model sensitivities to greenhouse gases was emphasized further through a now-classic set of General Circulation Model (GCM) experiments, carried out by Senior and Mitchell (1993). They produced global surface temperature changes (due to doubled atmospheric CO2 concentration) ranging from 1.9°C to 5.4°C, simply by altering the way that cloud radiative properties were treated in the model. It is somewhat unsettling that the results of a complex climate model can be so drastically altered by substituting one reasonable cloud parameterization for another, thereby approximately replicating the overall inter-model range of sensitivities.
On Page 116 it reveals the next surprise;
The scientific community realized long ago that using adequate data to constrain models was the only way to solve this problem. However, existing data have not yet brought about any reduction in the existing range of simulated cloud feedbacks
Seems like the only thing that is settled here is how little we know about clouds.

--Saying the science is settled and or that Al Gore's movie is fact is also news to;

Marlo Lewis, Jr. (Senior Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute) who states the following about Al Gore's fictional movie:
In Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, the only facts and studies considered are those convenient to Gore's scare-them-green agenda. And in many instances, he distorts the evidence he cites. In fact, nearly every significant statement Gore makes regarding climate science and climate policy is either one sided, misleading, exaggerated, speculative, or wrong.
Al Gore poo-pooed him on Oprah's show so Marlo responded here (YouTube link);

The CEI has put together a series of response videos on Gore's movie here;

Go here to read CEI's the Skeptics Guide to An Inconvenient Truth here;

--Going on...

Here's another voice who doubts that the science is "settled";

In it, you will see this money quote;
To be sure, the IPCC does an impressive job of mobilizing experts to
produce a report it hopes will be of service to the world. No one should
trivialize this achievement. But let's not make the error of allowing a
glossy summary to trivialize the complexities and uncertainties in
climate change. After all, if the issues were so simple, you wouldn't
need 3,700 experts to write the report. It is a paradox that some of the
strongest claims of unanimity in science are made on a subject involving some of the deepest intellectual disagreements and uncertainties
.
--Its not settled for...

Fred Singer (Distinguished Research Professor at George Mason University and Professor Emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia) and Dennis Avery, who write about it in their book titled Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1500 years which can be obtained here;

--Nor is is settled for

David Bromwich, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences in the Department of Geography, and researcher with the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University, who reported the following;
A new report on climate over the world's southernmost continent shows that temperatures during the late 20th century did not climb as had been predicted by many global climate models
...in this press release;

--Nor is it settled science for Doug Hoyt who put together a climate model scorecard to show how accurate those models, that the Climate Porn researches use, really are...

The scorecard can be found here;

Go see it for yourself as it will lead you to more in-depth debunking of some of the models predictions. But for the lazy here is the final tally;

The final score is 1-27-4. One confirmed prediction, 27 disconfirmed, and 4 undetermined.

Hoyt has also published a book titled "The Role of the Sun in Climate Change" :

--Nor is it settled for Roy Spencer who asks questions based upon Richard Lindzen's work at MIT;

Here's a nice quote from this page;
The fact is, science doesn't understand why these natural climate variations occur, and can not reliably distinguish between natural and possible human influences on global temperatures. So, if scientists have no other natural explanation for a warming trend, they tend to assume that it is manmade
Here's his bio (lest you disbelieve based upon credentials)
Roy W. Spencer received his PhD in meteorology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1981. He has been a Principal Research Scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville since 2001, before which we was a Senior Scientist for Climate Studies at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center where he received NASA's Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal. Dr. Spencer is the U.S. Science Team leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer flying on NASA's Aqua satellite. His research has been entirely supported by U.S. government agencies: NASA, NOAA, and DOE
Going on...

--Lawrence Solomon has been publishing a series called "The Deniers" in the Canada's National Post. This series can be found here;

So thats more scientists who think that this debate is "settled"?? Clearly, some people have a peculiar definitions of the word "settled".

Here's the last one that Solomon did. It concerns French scientist Claude Allegre's recantation of his Climate Porn past. Like many of the deniers he is a prominent scientist. Unlike many of the deniers Monsieur Allegre he was on the Climate Porn side of this issue for many years. Here's someone with relevant expertise who changed his mind just when the evidence for human induced global warming became sacrosanct? What gives??? Well read about it here and find out why he's changed his tune;

--Climate Scientist Roger Pielke Sr who discovered a HUGE mistake in the IPCC summary;

Pielke also has this to say;
Recently the SPM of IPCC’s AR4 stated that it’s now very likely that most of the warming of the last 50 years is the result of anthropogenic CO2. Are Global Circulation Models crucial to ‘prove’ that AGW is already taking place the last 50 years? My answer is ‘no’. The primary aspect that GCM’s have claimed to be able to show skillfully is a globally averaged surface temperature trend (link). But the models do this without including all the forcings. The models are incomplete. What they have shown is that CO2 is just one important climate forcing, but the 2005 National Research Council report Radiative Forcing of Climate Change: Expanding the Concept and Addressing Uncertainties shows there are other first order climate forcings. Another problem is that our research suggests that the actual warming, particularly the minimum near surface-air temperatures on land, have been overstated. There is a warm bias in these data. So if the models agree with the temperature trends, they do this, at least in part, for the wrong reasons.
His comments can be found here;

-- Richard Lindzen (from some backwater university called MIT) wrote an article for Newsweek;

In it he concludes;
The alleged solutions have more potential for catastrophe than the putative problem. The conclusion of the late climate scientist Roger Revelle—Al Gore's supposed mentor—is worth pondering: the evidence for global warming thus far doesn't warrant any action unless it is justifiable on grounds that have nothing to do with climate.
You'll note that his bio states this;
Lindzen is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research has always been funded exclusively by the U.S. government. He receives no funding from any energy companies
Now about that CONCENSUS of scientists that supposedly underpins the CAGW theory... here's what Lindzen has to say
It's not 2,500 people offering their consensus, I participated in that. Each person who is an author writes one or two pages in conjunction with someone else. They travel around the world several times a year for several years to write it and the summary for policymakers has the input of about 13 of the scientists, but ultimately, it is written by representatives of governments, of environmental organizations like the Union of Concerned Scientists, and industrial organizations, each seeking their own benefit
The link is here;

In other words - this supposed consensus only includes scientists having agreed on the one page to page-and-a-half that they were tasked with drafting (usually with one or two other scientists). No one is asked if they agree with the report as a whole, let alone the Summary drafted by bureaucrats, politicians and lobbyists.

--The Great Global Warming Swindle (which blows gore and CAGW theorists out of the water) is on Youtube and is in 9 different parts (had to be broken up into 9 parts due to Youtube restrictions)

Part 1
:(youtube links 1-9) Part 2: Part 3: Part 4: Part 5: Part 6: Part 7: Part 8: Part 9:

This documentary exposes the lie behind the Climate Porn side of the debate. among that the lie that the CO2 emissions preceeded the rise in temperature. If that were thew case, then why did the Earth warm and cool before Man ever arrived?? Think also back to your physics class in school. A cold liquid retains more gas than a hotter liquid. Water contains not only H2O but also traps CO2 and O2 and other gases. When water is heated it releases these gases. The Earth's surface is mostly water. When the temperature rises, the CO2 then gets released into ther atmosphere. It is simple physics my friends. The Climate Porn people have the relationship exactly BACKWARDS and there are Artic Ice core studies that have shown this to be the case.

--- Winding this down (because this post is WAY too long) I'll leave you with the ramblings of a radio host that thinks the way I do...

His blog can be found here;

Look for his post on Global Warming which contains this really good synopsis of where we are;
First, let's identify the "Global Warming" fanatics for what they really are: radical Socialists hell bent on controlling everything people do in life, and delivering a mortal blow to capitalist economies worldwide. (Or, if nothing else, America's economy itself, will do.) It's true, the Earth has been on a warming TREND lately. And increased CO2 emissions surely account for SOME of it. Everything else is nothing but an educated guess. Following the U.N. report, "Global Warming" fanatics declared that "the debate is over." Oh, really? Over? Since when does science EVER put away its labcoats and clipboards and say: "Okay. That's that. Stop your experiments. We don't need to know anything else."
In other words, they want us to believe that...

a. They have "figured everything out" regarding Global Warming. All of it. Every piece of data, every method of analysis, every alternate theory. "They" now know exactly how this all works. All the incredibly complex global interactions of sun, earth, clouds, wind, oceans, land, gases, volcanoes, factories, jungles, cow farts, jet streams, snowstorms, hurricanes, landslides, ice caps, currents, landfills, wildfires, lakes, streams, bogs, bays, puddles, snowbanks….. all of it! They've got a huge chalkboard like the one you saw in "Good Will Hunting" that explains it all.

b. It is OUR fault.

c. We MUST act NOW, or else CATASTROPHE is imminent.

d. In addition to having "solved" what the "problem" is, the same geniuses have simultaneously and conveniently ALSO "solved" the problem of what is the "solution." Thank you. That was handy.

e. We can "afford it." Trust them.
Its surprising that a sports radio host can cut through all the B.S. and remind us all that science never puts away the labcoats.

--Finally I'll leave you with the comedic stylings of Lewis Black who has a few things to say about the subject here on Hotair;

Conclusion ??? --> Global Warming --> A Market correction for the Global Cooling of the 1970's

(I warned you guys I didn't want to have to wade back into this debate b/c I was afraid of posting too much and alas although I posted alot, I have only posted about 1/2 of what I have on this subject on just this one harddrive - I have tons of other stuff as well)

{edited some links and formatted for style ~ LN}

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Light Reading

Two things I want you to read:

Do not surrender to hopelessness.

Do not succumb to defeat.

Do not give in to fear.

Rise above the political pressures of the moment to do what is right for America. (link)

You'll never guess who is doing the speaking if you didn't read the first part. Great thanks go out to Senator Lieberman for his speech. This speech is something that should have been said long ago by ANYONE in Washington, luckily it looks like someone at least is still paying attention to the world and our part in it.

Number 2 comes from the (anti) Climate Porn sector:


Climate change will be considered a joke in five years time, meteorologist Augie Auer told the annual meeting of Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers in Ashburton this week.(link)

Read the whole thing. They don't give a location to the data they use, so I can't claim it is 'proven', but the article is just as much proven as Al Gore's movie and book.
__________
Reason(s) to think
Filed: , , , , , ,

Friday, May 18, 2007

Softball

The Tennessee Lady Vols started the NCAA tournament in high fashion tonight, downing an overmatched Furman squad 8-0 in 6 innings (mercy rule) behind the stellar pitching of Ace Monica Abbot.

Abbot (43-2) had 13 strike outs versus ZERO hits in leading the Lady Vols past the 1st round. Tennessee, seeded 5th, will face North Carolina next in Knoxville. (Abbot and Rhodes combined on the perfect game)

Tennessee is ranked 1st in one major poll and 2nd in the other, is now 55-5 on the season. How in the world are they seeded 5th? You would think at least some of those other 4 seeds would be better (according to the seedings) yet only Oklahoma is ahead of them in 1 poll and none have the record that the Lady Vols have.

I would hate to see the NCAA Men's Basketball tourey seeded by the same people that did this.

THERE GOES SOCIAL SECURITY!!! or "Why I Might Be Voting For Myself in 2008" !!

CAUTION: STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS RANT BELOW>>>

I HAVE HAD IT !!!

The Senate reached a "compromise" on illegal immigration yesterday.

Let me re-phrase that for you...

The Senate Republicans got rolled by Teddy Kennedy and agreed to a bill granting AMNESTY to lawbreakers !!!

Read about it here;
The plan, which was still being finalized, allows the estimated 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens in the United States to come forward and receive probationary status
So...people who are waiting in their home countries for YEARS...playing by the rules get shafted so the Senators can be seen as "doing something" on illegal immigration??? Senators, the only thing worse than doing nothing is doing something so mind-numblingly stupid and crafting a bill that effectively rewards law-breaking.

This bill is so eerily similar to the 1986 bill that it is scary...

Take a look at what Ed Meese (Reagan's Attorney General) has to say about the 1986 Amnesty Bill here;
President Reagan set out to correct the loss of control at our borders. Border security and enforcement of immigration laws would be greatly strengthened—in particular, through sanctions against employers who hired illegal immigrants. If jobs were the attraction for illegal immigrants, then cutting off that option was crucial.

He also agreed with the legislation in adjusting the status of immigrants—even if they had entered illegally—who were law-abiding long-term residents, many of whom had children in the United States. Illegal immigrants who could establish that they had resided in America continuously for five years would be granted temporary resident status, which could be upgraded to permanent residency after 18 months and, after another five years, to citizenship. It wasn’t automatic. They had to pay application fees, learn to speak English, understand American civics, pass a medical exam and register for military selective service. Those with convictions for a felony or three misdemeanors were ineligible.
So... how well did THAT turn out... I wonder ??? Anyone see any real ENFORCEMENT going on?? Anyone see the borders locked down and illegal immigrants numbers declining? Nope??!! Me either ...

I turns out that there is a huge long-term cost to this AMNESTY bill. It will strain our social services as the people who come herei llegally will be marginally employable and will not be a net-positive taxpayer. In other words, they will use up more resources than they contirbute. Now this is bad enough when it is home-grown people, but immigration is about controlling the flow of immigrants through our borders so that we are stronger..not weaker.

So with this drain on our local, state and federal coffers what do you think they governments are gonna do?? Either raise taxes or lower benefits on such things as Social Security. Being that I'm 38 years old...I'm SCREWED !! At least in terms of being able to enjoy the same level of Soc. Security benefits that the generations before me enjoyed. And until that time, my taxes are going to go up to pay for the welfare benefits of people that SHOULD NOT BE HERE !!! It is bad enough that the government is robbing Peter to pay Paul. Its even worse when he robs Peter to pay Paul and Jose' and Jesus and Carmen and Abdullah, etc...

Think I'm crazy? Then you outta take a look at the testimony of Robert Rector (Heritage Foundation) before the House Judiciary Committee;

Here is some of what he had to say;
The National Academy of Sciences in a very comprehensive study of the fiscal impact of immigration said that each high school dropout immigrant coming into the United States costs the taxpayers of the United States about $100,000 over the course of his lifetime. That would mean if you took that figure, and that's net of the taxes that he puts in, if you took that figure and applies it to the current illegal population it would indeed result in something like a net cost of a half a trillion dollars over the course of lifetime.

Now, with respect to the costs of the Senate bill, the Senate bill one of its key features is to give amnesty to around 10 million current illegal immigrants. That means that they will probably pay more in taxes, but it also means that they're eligible for a much wider variety of welfare programs. And as a result of that increased welfare eligibility, I calculate that the amnesty alone would have a direct cost of around $16 billion a year.
He goes on to explain other unexpected costs and his main zinger was this one;
We have a very expensive, very large welfare system in the United States. We simply cannot make it unconditionally available to huge numbers of people from less developed nations
You can read the other people's testimony as well and you'll find yourself asking the same question... who is gonna pay for all of this??

Especially when the bill allows so many "set asides" by any Administration so that even the $5000 fine can be waived. And you know it WILL be waived when Reid and Pelosi complain that making someone who makes $3/hour pay a $5000 fine is "heartless" and "cruel" and something only "despicable Republicans do". and then "poof" - there goes the fine.

Check out some blog reactions here;

Hotair hates it...

As does Michelle Malkin;

Redstate also pans it ;

Powerline doesn't like it;

Hugh Hewitt absolutely hates it like I do;

In short - we have another Harriet Myers situation here. It takes everyone calling their Representatives and Senators and letting them know that if they vote for this deal they are going to lose their next primary or general election. I have contacted Sen. Jon Kyl here: Contact

Sen. Kyl is the point man for those who want to keep this Amnesty from proceeding to the President's desk.

I told Sen Kyl that I would not support the Senate's Campaign Committee any longer if any GOP senator voted for that bill. Additionally, my money and support would instead go to the primary challenger of those Senators. I may not be one of their constituents and they may think they don't have to listen to me as I cannot vote for or against them. But I CAN help BANKROLL their opponent. Thats the beautiful thing about campaign contributions and the internet.

My next email is to my Senior Senator of Virginia John Warner-R. He is going to get the same message (along with the counterparts in the House).

I had been warming up to McCain due to his stance on the war and finishing the job, etc... Many others were too. He's finished now... you heard it here first. He will NOT get the Republican nomination for President in 2008.

I'm serious...I feel like Ronald Reagan did when he said that he didn't leave the Democrat Party - it left him (yes Reagan was an FDR Democrat at one time).

If the GOP keeps this charade (of acting like Democrats) up...on what basis do they have a right to come looking for our votes in 2008??

If they keep acting like de facto Democrats and letting Teddy roll them then I have no qualms with letting them lose big in 2008.

I'd rather get stabbed (with the proverbial knife) in my chest by the Dems than in the back by the Repubs.
Filed: , , , , , ,

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Gaza Terrorism Watch

Fighting continues in the 'cease-fire' of Gaza. More terrorists killed and even some rockets fired into Israel from some bored idiots who think the death toll isn't rising quite fast enough.

Hamas and Fatah are daily proving that they have no business running anything, from a government to a bakery. The people that live in the occupied palestinian territories would do much better to start applying for citizenship to the outlying countries. Not only are the two terrorist organizations killing each other during a 'cease-fire' (oxy-moron in palespeak) now they have decided that they need a new team in the fight.
The IDF had no immediate comment.

Everytime that Israel responds to the Kassams fired into Sderot or anywhere else, this needs to be their response. Nothing more needs to be said. Only idiots or terrorists supporters are still clueless to whom is at fault, it won't matter what Israel said, these people will continue to blame them, so why give them any sound bytes?

A Palestinian attempting to fire Kassam rockets from the northern Gaza border was shot and hit by IAF aircrafts late Thursday evening.

The strike was the fifth IAF operation in Gaza since Thursday morning.

Earlier Thursday seven Palestinians were killed as IAF aircrafts fired missiles at Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

In one of the airstrikes, three people were killed by an IAF missile fired at a vehicle in southern Gaza, Palestinian security officials reported. (link)


If you're keeping score at home so far it's civilization 1, terrorists 0 and not likely to change. It is beyond the pale that the West and most of the rest of the world still think these people deserve any concessions to statehood.

Egypt, Jordan and two other key US allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have been trying to convince the United States and Israel to accept an Arab peace initiative as a starting ground for relaunching peace negotiations. The deal offers full peace with all Arab nations if Israel withdraws from territories captured in the 1967 Six Day War and the creation of a Palestinian state.

Israel and the U.S. should tell the Arab world that they'll take 'full peace' at the current borders. Everyone with half a brain knows what happens when Israel withdraws from ANY land, there is no indication that this would be different. Full peace from the Arab world means little if the terrorists are simply going to keep firing on Israel. (link)


If they truly want peace in the Middle East, the world should turn a blind eye to Israeli defensive measures and declare the territory now owned by the palestinian-arabs a country. That way a true war can and would be waged. With any type of leader (not including Olmert) Israel could make peace in short order in that situation.


Until or unless people realize that you can't apologize for terrorists any more than you can rationalize for them, this 'peace' will continue unabated. The next time you hear of a 'cease-fire' or 'truce' in Gaza, laugh with the reporters, as they surely are.
__________
Reason not used

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Posts

I've been abit slow on the posting this week and that will continue. I (think) have a kidney stone [ouch] and my daughter is here for a couple of days. She is doing good, they don't think the E.Coli wasn't actually the problem (it's not uncommon for E.Coli to show up in small children's systems) but another bacteria (as yet unfound). She has taken medication and had more blood tests today, nothing showed up. She is here now and no fever :)

I've been to the other blogs on my list (I think I've hit everyone) and been arguing with a few (or will be when they reply [heh]).

Climate Porn again from James and Pre-'03 arguing with Westminster. But the post of the day for today was penned somewhere else.

Of course a 'Post of the Day' from me isn't that much, its not as good as a link from the big boys, but it is alot for me to actually declare one post better than all the rest (and yes I've read a freaking lot of posts).

Today's PotD is from ... Ruthie

Monday, May 14, 2007

Palestinian Terror Watch

What's the quickest way to get terrorists to commit violence? Issue a cease-fire:
Earlier, sources in President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah said tensions stoked by the renewed violence with Hamas, after the ceasefire was announced late on Sunday, could lead to the collapse of the unity government within days.

Is anyone out there suprised? You can have all the cease-fires and truces you want, but until the people actually adhere to them, they don't mean anything. These are the same people that launch rockets into Israel daily and claim that Israel doesn't want peace or that Israel breaks cease-fires. Along with the media doing the reporting, these people are the sole reason there is not peace in the Holy Land.
Despite an Egyptian-brokered truce, two Palestinian gunmen and two civilians caught in crossfire were killed in Gaza in clashes between the Hamas and Fatah groups. Eight people have been shot dead since a new round of violence erupted on Friday.

Slow weekend in the latest 'truce' in the Palestinian-controlled territories. Eight is usually a good one day total for these barbarians. I guess if you can't get to the evil Jews (TM) then you have to shoot at someone.

"I told all parties I cannot accept being a minister without authority," Interior Minister Hani al-Qawasmi said at a news conference after Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, accepted his resignation.

As Hamas's choice as interior minister, Qawasmi was to have overseen security services, but officials said the former academic was frustrated by competition from powerful Fatah rivals for control of the armed contingents.

Just what authority Mister Qawasmi thought he may have when he signed up we'll never know, it's not like the situation has changed any since the 'new' goverment has been put into place.
Qawasmi's move cast new doubt on whether power-sharing between Islamist Hamas and secular Fatah could continue. Filling the interior ministry post had been one of the main obstacles to forming the current coalition government.

Let me answer that one for you. There is no 'new' doubt on this, there is the same old doubt and certainty that it will not happen. Hamas is incapable of running a government and Fatah is only 'moderate' in comparison. When you have to choose between two poisonous snakes, you pick the one that kills you slower.

Until the people (you know those lovable 'palestinians' that we shed so many tears for) finally get tired of being governed by a group (or 3) of terrorists, these problems will not only not go away, they will intensify. If there ever was a 'country' in the world in need of revolution, this is it.
via : Rueters
__________
Reason not used
Filed:, , , ,
,

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day


This is to my mom, your mom, his mom and her mom.

Happy Mother's Day Moms!





Also, I've dropped sitemeter and picked up statcounter. Due to the spyware incorporated into the sitemeter metering system. It wasn't malicious or anything, but just didn't feel right since they didn't inform me of them adding it to MY website.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Illness

I am working days this weekend (so people have seen me on their sites) but I'm not really into the blogging mood.

My daughter has an E.Coli infection (none of her symptoms match the 0571 strain, so I guess I shouldn't worry to bad). Falen took her for a shot and some meds yesterday and this morning when they returned, the sample had came back for EC. She got some more meds and returned home.

They told her if she gets to running another high fever (another non-symptom of 571) or feeling alot worse to see the ER, but last I spoke with them, she was fine. Said she still hurt from the shot (she hates shots) but that it did 'alot better'.

So, while I'll be reading and commenting, I probably won't be posting until next week.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Bush-made Tornado

I wasn't going to post on this because: 1) it's probably true (and would fit the path of the left) and 2) since it involves a (D) then it will be a big non-story in the media.

Of course that was before the DNC started issuing C&D orders to people who have ran with it:

Good Lord are those Democrats touchy!

Yesterday afternoon, I posted about allegations that Howard Dean had manipulated KS Governor Sebelius into criticizing the White House about federal response to the Greensburg tornado, as did others (a Technorati search should enlighten you as to how viral the story has become in the blogosphere).

The offended souls at the DNC have whittled down the reaction time to a very impressive overnight. Their lawyers sent a letter to both XM Satellite Radio (the ones who originally got the purported information) and to our buddies over at Free Republic. Both letters are not only denials of the facts as I mentioned them yesterday, but they also contain injuctions to cease and desist any further dissemination of allegations relating to this matter.

Did I just witness the 1st Amendment take a pick axe to the head?(link)


This is from Stop the ACLU and he links through to Michelle and others. Of course the story didn't originate from the blogosphere, merely grew wings there.

    UPDATE:

I have received a comment from Coffee260, the Free Republic poster who is the subject of one of the above mentioned letters. I think it is definitive enough in its affirmation of the facts to pull it out of the dark recesses of the comment gallery and give it the exposure it belongs:

Coffee260 Says:
May 11th, 2007 at 12:32 pm e

RagingAnura–I posted the original post over at freerepublic, Howard Dean told Kansas Gov. Sebelius to Lie. I’ve since had correspondence with Jim Quinn of the Quinn & Rose show. He’s standing by the whole thing and had this to say about his source:

“i just got off the phone with my source. solid.”

And this about the C&D order by the KGB…oops…I mean the DNC:

“FUNNY. THEY HAVEN’T CONTACTED US”

So the stories specificity is so detailed that I think intimidation is their only defense.


This is the update over at StA. Seems this story has legs of its own. Still don't expect the MSM to run with it, probably get a b-2 mention or something in the big papers.

Read more at Gateway Pundit.
__________
Reason to doubt a democrat talking
Filed:, , , ,
,

Identity Scam

From email:

Jury Duty ~ Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call.
Most of us take the summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of scam has surfaced. Fall for it and your identity could be stolen, reports CBS.
In this con, someone calls pretending to be a court official who threateningly says a warrant has been issued for your arrest because you didn't show up for jury duty. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes they even ask for credit card numbers.
Give out any of this information and .... Bingo! Your identity has just been stolen.
The scam has been reported so far in 11 states. This scam is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they're with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Pass this on.
I checked Snopes and this is for real. Here is the link if you want to check it out.
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp

This is mainly for the US people that visit here, but everyone should be on the alert for people wanting your private info over the phone.
__________
Reason to question
Filed: , , ,

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Out

On my way out the door as i type. Heading to Decatur for today and tomorrow.

Going to celebrate my 36th birthday tomorrow :)

Keep up the good work guys and gals and I'll try to look in on you before I get back. If not, I'll be back on regularly Thursday sometime.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Climate Porn and Children

You knew it would happen sooner or later, Climate PornTM would finally morph into a staple lefty issue. Seems now that global warming cooling climate change will begin to be linked to abortion?
Children 'bad for planet'
Article from: The Australian

By Sarah-Kate Templeton in London

May 07, 2007 12:00am

HAVING large families should be frowned upon as an environmental misdemeanour in the same way as frequent long-haul flights, driving a big car and failing to reuse plastic bags, says a report to be published today by a green think tank.

The paper by the Optimum Population Trust will say that if couples had two children instead of three they could cut their family's carbon dioxide output by the equivalent of 620 return flights a year between London and New York.

John Guillebaud, co-chairman of OPT and emeritus professor of family planning at University College London, said: "The effect on the planet of having one child less is an order of magnitude greater than all these other things we might do, such as switching off lights.

"The greatest thing anyone in Britain could do to help the future of the planet would be to have one less child."(link)

Of course this idiot isn't calling for abortions (yet) but he wants the 'rich' countries to have less children. No more than 2 per family (never mind that the fertility rate of the EU and England are already less than 2). It's all about the carbon footprint of the children that will contribute to a problem that no one has a clue what it really is.

The first thing the so-called experts need to do is to determine exactly what the problem is and prove it is a problem (yes we all know the climate is changing, been doing that awhile, something to do with that big burning ball we see every morning). The next thing to do for these experts may be to run and hide. I have friends that actually believe this crap and it's real hard for me to understand how they can. They always seemed like sensible people, but they've wrapped this new religion around them so hard they can't see the world any longer.
__________
Reason to doubt

Viv la France

Maybe France won't be the 1st muslim country with nukes:
Sarkozy elected French president
Sun May 6, 2007 2:15 PM ET

By Crispian Balmer

PARIS (Reuters) - Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy won France's presidential election on Sunday, beating his Socialist rival Segolene Royal by a comfortable margin and extending the right's 12-year grip on power.

Within minutes of polls closing, Royal conceded defeat in a speech to party faithful in the heart of Paris.

"I hope that the next president of the republic fulfils his role in the service of all French people," she said.

Forecasts by four pollsters showed Sarkozy, 52, a hard-line former interior minister, won around 53 percent of the vote in the second-round ballot and will succeed fellow conservative Jacques Chirac, who was president for 12 years.

Turnout was predicted at about 85 percent.

Sarkozy's face flashed up on television screens after polling stations closed at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), signaling his victory and setting off jubilant scenes among supporters gathered in central Paris.

Across the city at Socialist headquarters there was gloom and sorrow after the party crashed to its third consecutive presidential election defeat. It now faces the prospect of tough internal reform to make itself more appealing to voters.

Although opinion polls regularly suggested voters preferred Royal, who was seeking to become France's first woman head of state, they saw the uncompromising Sarkozy as a more competent leader with a more convincing economic program.

Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, presented himself as the "candidate of work", promising to loosen the 35-hour work week by offering tax breaks on overtime and to trim fat from the public service, cut taxes and wage war on unemployment.

He is expected to take office on May 16 or 17, and will be the first French president to be born after World War Two.

He will then name a new government and immediately launch into campaigning for June's parliamentary election, where he will seek a clear majority to implement his reform plans.

The president is elected for five years, is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, nominates the prime minister, has the right to dissolve the National Assembly and is responsible for foreign and defense policies. (link)

This is indeed good news. Not only for France, but for the West as well.

__________
Reason to cheer

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Violence ?

I thought Royal (France) was simply a socialists:

Talk Is Of War In French Election Battle

The right-wing French presidential frontrunner Nicolas Sarkozy has attacked Socialist rival Segolene Royal for making "warlike" remarks that his election in a run-off ballot on Sunday could trigger riots.

Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal
Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal

In an interview released by Le Parisien daily on its Website, Sarkozy said such comments were anti-democratic and a sign of desperation by Royal.

She was trailing Sarkozy by 10 points in the last pre-vote polls.

All campaigning has ended before Sunday's vote because French election rules ensure voters a "day of reflection" before the ballot.

Sarkozy dismissed talk of rioting in France's tinderbox suburbs should he win the presidency.

"To explain that if people don't vote for one candidate there will be violence is quite simply to refuse the democratic and republican expression of opinion," he said. (link)

That sounds more like a dictator making a campaign speech to me. It also sounds alot like some people I know (no names, but if you have to ask, you wouldn't like me naming them anyway). It is utterly amazing that she would know exactly what the 'youths' will do if/when she loses. You would think she has a direct connection to them.
__________
Reason to go Sarko

Friday, May 4, 2007

Changes

I've made the change back to 1 sidebar and more room for the important stuff :)

Let me know what you think (ideas, improvements, etc.). I went to the doc today, nothing findable in the tests they ran, gave me some pills (thinks its simply a viral thing) and can work again Monday. Luckily I'm off until Friday anyway.

Hopefully I'll be back to posting tonight. About to go make me and lil bit some dinner. Thanks for stopping in and all the good wishes.

** Update** When you load the page, reload it to see the changes. The old css file will be stored in your cache (if you have visited before) and show up a major open space between the sidebar and the posts **Update**

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Illness

Making some changes around here so don't get confused :)

I've moved the blogrolls to their own separate page and left a link to them. I'm gearing up for a 1-sidebar page again (more room for the actual writing). All the pages I visit regularly are now on a blogroll and displayed where the old links used to be.

The links with (BP) beside them are BlogPower members, all of them are not on my blogroll because a few of them havn't updated in awhile.

Feeling VERY bad today had to stay home from work (on an overtime week too) and so may not get around to visiting too many people or posting much, bear with me.
__________
Reason to sleep

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Can the Left hear?

JPost reports another disturbing bit about the Palestinian 'Government':
Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, declared during a Friday sermon at a Sudan mosque that America and Israel will be annihilated and called upon Allah to kill Jews and Americans "to the very Last One." Following are excerpts from the sermon that took place last month, courtesy of MEMRI.

Let's give these guys a state! How long will it be before they finally achieve their dreams of a Palestinian state and the destruction of Israel? Will it be longer than it takes for most of the left and Europe to take the wax out of their ears?
The Hamas spokesperson concluded with a prayer, saying: "Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet, defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them."


Sounds more like an Old Testament kind of prayer than something that belongs in the modern world doesn't it? It's not like these guys make a secret of what they want, they even tell you how they are going to do it (ie: Iran) and yet most of the left/EU still want to spend (waste) time and money trying to figure out why and how. They try to find a way to have 'peace' in the middle east. It seems increasingly clear that there are only 2 solutions left to have peace there. I'm sure the debates will be long on which is the better choice.
__________
Reason not present
Filed:, , , ,
,

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

News

At work today, so a little light news to keep you going until I (or Thai) can post more:

U.S. (illegal) Immigrants march, but not very enthusiastically.
PHOENIX (Reuters) - Demonstrators toting placards and bullhorns rallied across the United States on Tuesday to demand rights for illegal immigrants, although the turnout was down from mass rallies a year ago, organizers said.

Demonstrations, consumer boycotts and school walkouts got under way by groups calling for an end to a recent crackdown on undocumented immigrants and better treatment for the estimated 11 million people living and working in the shadows of American society.

A year ago, hundreds of thousands of mostly Hispanic immigrants walked off the job and packed streets of major cities from New England to California in a massive show of their economic clout.

Of course they demand rights for illegal immigrants, they have nothing to lose doing it.


Feinstein comes under fire:
April 30, 2007
Anyone who knows much about real power in Congress knows that almost every member of the House and Senate lusts after a seat on the Appropriations Committee and hopes one day to achieve the status of Cardinal. The Cardinals, of course, are the folks who chair the various Appropriations Committee subcommittees and literally control the billions of dollars that pass through their hands.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) chairs the Senate Rules Committee, but she’s also a Cardinal. She is currently chairwoman of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies subcommittee, but until last year was for six years the top Democrat on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (or “Milcon”) sub-committee, where she may have directed more than $1 billion to companies controlled by her husband.
You would think this would make big news, but of course there is that pesky (D) after her name.
__________
Reason not given
Filed:, , , ,
,

Warzone

 Recently played a few games on Caldera (warzone) and then... Lots of luck in this one, but satisfying