Using the State surplus.....

Last week I heard an incredible (maybe not so incredible considering the party of "spend it all, worry about how to pay for everything later") statement on the news by the governor, she didn't want the entire surplus used, just hang on to $500 million of it. Shades of government "budget cuts". (Increase the budget by 6% and then reduce the increase to 4% and call it a cut.) We have had a new tax rammed down our throats to pay for road projects (like the bike lane on some roads in King County) and others for which there are NO plans as yet in place and these clowns want to SPEND the surplus. The economy is in good enough shape to have a surplus in the state treasury and the state house and senate are gleefully making plans to spend the entire amount for their pet projects without even a backward glance at previous deficits in the budget. (I seem to recall that a "large deficit" was one of the many problems that Gary Locke had to try to solve in the last budget. Something that without the work of the (not)elected governor, Senator D. Rossi, the budget would not have been balanced.) (Isn't this a hoot, we have a "selected" governor...?) One of the Republicans was trying to point the way to fiscal responsibilty in his statement, but the impression that I got was he was only on for appearances sake. The more that the generally greedy group wants to spend the more I want to scream.

Income vs Sales Taxes....

My brother and I agree on most things with mostly genuine respect for each other's opinions where there is disagreement. One of those areas is in the arena of taxes. He is more in favor of an income tax than a sales tax and I tend to be more the other direction. Before anyone gets the idea that I like the current tax structure in this state, let me categorically state that most of the people of the state of Washington are taxed way beyond what is necessary. I really don't think that either sales taxes or income taxes really would ever go down, especially with the Dems in charge of the two houses and the governor all seeming to think that raising taxes even when there is a surplus is a good idea, ie; the gas tax. I refuse to believe that the government really needs to know what I earn, and that is my second biggest reason that I don't want an income tax in this state. (What is it with these gov types that as soon as they get elected they decide that the surplus really ought to be used to expand spending and then when there is no surplus they decide that the way to pay for the many new programs is to institute more ways of taxing people?) The primary reason I don't want an income tax in Washington has to do with the incredibly insatiable black-hole(ish) demand for the government to want MORE. The thing that bothers me is that even when the VOTERS try to put restraints on government spending, the ones who have been elected and the ones in the bureauracracy work extra hard on finding ways around the restrictions. The standard seems to be, in order for us to govern you poor simpletons who really don't know how to spend your own money in the way we believe you need to spend your money, we can't possibly consider spending less, reducing the size of the bureaus, finding less intrusive ways accomplish what needs to be done or any of the ideas that have to do with using less. I stand against the income tax in this state simply because those in power would have new ways to make my life a lot poorer and the size of government a lot bigger. Wait a minute, I just had an idea, why don't we all go to work for the State of Washington, then we could pay our taxes with the money we earn from the state? NAH!

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish one and all a very, Merry Christmas today.

As you go about your day, please stay safe, and think upon the Reason why we are celebrating today. As the saying goes, Jesus is the reason for the season.

May God shine His blessings on you this, and every, day.

See you next week!

Sunni's want ties to Americans now

As reported here, major Sunni "insurgent" groups recognize that it is now in their best interests to cooperate with US forces against what they term "outside influences".

Just as the average Iraqi Sunni's figured out that it was better to vote this past Thursday, so that they could have a voice in the new government, so it appears as if the major groups that have fought against the US have figured out that this is a losing proposition, and have decided to join with the US instead.

Note to Dem "leadership": This is NOT the time to cry "Retreat"!

Kerry calls for Bush impeachment

As reported here, the junior Senator from Massachusetts is calling for the impeachment of President Bush, on the grounds that "he misled the country into war.". Later, in kind of a reprise of his "I voted for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.", Kerry said he was "just kidding". I don't think so.

This from the man who lied to Congress in the 1970's about his involvement, and what he supposedly witnessed, in the Vietnam War, remarks which led to even more aggressive torture of American POW's at the hands of the North Vietnamese; this from the man who claimed to have been in Cambodia in Christmas, 1968 at the orders of President Nixon - who didn't take office until 1969 - saying that the memories were "Seared - seared!" in his mind; the man who with RINO Sen. John McCain, closed out any further attempts to find out if there were any more POWs/MIAs still being held in Vietnam; this from the man who still refuses to sign Form 180, to release ALL of his military records to public scrutiny, and yet claims that he has released all of them, which is categorically false.

This from the man who first voted for the war in Iraq, but who now says that it was a mistake, and says that he supports our troops, but that our military forces are "terrorizing innocent women and children" in Iraq. You call that supporting the troops? This from the man demanding, along with all the other defeatist leftists in our government, that our troops be brought home immediately, leaving the recently voted on Iraqi government to it's fate, much as he advocated for the government of South Vietnam 30 years ago.

I call on Sen. Kerry to issue a statement saying that not only does he not advocate the impeachment of President Bush, but that he would oppose any such efforts brought forward.

Although that would be the ethical thing to do, based on Kerry's "ethical" record, I won't be holding my breath waiting for him to do that.

Media Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist

As reported here, the media really is biased, according to a study performed by Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political scientist and the study's lead author.

Now, as many of you know, I have taken the time to document the obviously left leaning tendencies of the MSM, and most notably the Associated Press, who seem to have a serious problem with the fact that George W. Bush is the President of the United States and go out of their way to cast him, and other members of the Administration in the worst possible light. So, the basic premise of the study does not come as a surprise to me at all.

What does come as a surprise, however is the following:
- The study group did not ask for, nor did they receive any funding from outside groups;
- The study group bent over backwards to put aside personal biases, in order to come up with as objective a study as they possibly could (and it appears that they succeeded;
- Some of their results made me go, 'Hmmmm!', as I was surprised at their conclusion. Which results? Go read the article to find out. You may be surprised yourself.

Hat tip: Hollie_is_right

Iran's President at it again

As reported here, the President of Iran once again made outrageous statements denying that the Holocaust ever took place, then contradicts himself and says that if it did take place, then the Europeans should create a new state for Israel in Europe to make up for the Holocaust that didn't happen. This is the second time he has denied the Holocaust happened, and is on top of the "wipe Israel from the map" remarks he made earlier; these remarks have sparked outrage across Europe, the US and Israel, and may pose problems for the Iranians when nuclear talks reconvene later this month.

This man is certifiably insane. He totally disregards established fact, in that the Holocaust did happen, and then calls for Europe to establish a place for the State of Israel in Europe, to make up for something that didn't happen? That is absurd nonsense.

Then, in other remarks, he blames the US for a plane crashing into a building in Tehran because we won't sell Iran any spare parts? Aren't there any factories in Iran? Aren't there any engineers in Iran who can design the tools necessary for those factories to make the spare parts needed? Blaming the crash of an airplane into a building because your country hasn't figured out how to make your own spare parts, is like the Dems blaming President Bush for the hurricanes hitting the Gulf Region of the US. Both are totally absurd nonsense!

Not only is this man certifiably insane, he represents a clear and present danger, not only to the Middle East, but to the entire world. He needs to be dealt with, and soon.

Lawyers for convicted terrorist want part of conviction overturned

As reported here, defense attorneys for Ahmed Ressam, the 'millennium bomber', are appealing part of his 22 year sentence, on the grounds that instructions to the jury regarding one count were flawed. If the appeal is successful, his 22 year sentence could be reduced by 10 years. Which court was the appeal filed in? Why that paragon of non-sensical bunch of legislating from the bench crowd at the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, of course.

But, before you get too excited about that, the government also plans to appeal Ressam's sentence - as being too short. We'll see who wins this legal wrestling match.

Stay tuned.

Withdrawal vs. Redeployment

Amanda B. Carpenter of Human Events asks some prominent Dems about their take on remarks made by Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md), that withdrawal of American forces from Iraq would be a disaster, leading to civil war there, and creating a haven for terrorists. Read as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca), Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex) all dance around the issue of "withdrawal" vs. "redeployment", with dear Nancy sounding rather incoherent on the entire subject (not to mention being rather long winded in her verbal "dance" around the issue).

What is the difference between the two concepts? In this particular context, none. If we "redeploy" our forces from Iraq, we will essentially be withdrawing our forces! As a matter of fact, let me provide you with a definition of the word "withdrawal".

From Dictionary.com, we find that "withdrawal" means

1. The act or process of withdrawing, as:
a. A retreat or retirement.
b. Retreat of a military force in the face of enemy attack or after a defeat. [Emphasis mine]

On the other hand, "redeployment" usually (but not always) infers the transfer of military forces from one combat zone to another combat zone. Surely, they aren't suggesting that we "redeploy" our forces from Iraq to Afghanistan (which is currently the only other active combat zone in the region)? I think not. No, they are merely playing the semantics game, to make themselves sound less like the defeatists they truly are, using the word "redeployment" instead of what they really want to say - "retreat" - so they look "good" to their constituents. Their semantic game playing is dishonest, and their dishonesty is shameful.

Howard Dean: Just Plain Wrong (Again)

Recently, DNC Chairman Howard Dean made the ridiculous assertion that the Iraq war was "unwinnable", and that anyone who thought differently was just plain wrong. No, Howard. What you said is just plain wrong, and I'm not the only one who thinks that, as ND Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D), also thinks that you're just plain wrong, and that you should shut up.

What I find somewhat amusing is that, towards the end of the linked article, Howard says that his just plain wrong remarks "were taken out of context." Taken out of context?

Just plain wrong again, Howard.

Giving tree demonized

As reported here, an elementary school principal has knuckled under to some PC minded parent who objected to a Christmas Giving Tree, because it has "religious overtones". The Giving Tree has now gone away, replaced by a "Giving Counter". Giving Counter? Oh, please.

Okay, first off, show me in the Bible where Christmas trees are mentioned. Anyone able to quote me chapter and verse? I didn't think so. In reality, Christmas trees originated in paganism, not Christianity, but to get the pagans to convert to Christianity, early Church officials "absorbed" the symbol, and merged the celebration of Christs birth, into the pagans winter solstice celebration. Kind of an early form of PCism.

I'm not the only one up in arms about this, either. Although I don't often agree with uber-liberal Ken Schramm, in this particular case, I agree with him 100%. (See, Ken? You can find common ground with a member of the VRWC, after all.)

The strongest economy you've never heard of.

Pejman Yousefzadeh, over at TechCentralStation, writes in this excellent piece about the US economy, saying in effect, that it's the strongest economy you've never heard of.

I'm no economist by anyone's wildest imaginings (I rely on Quicken to keep my checking account balanced), but even so, I knew, deep down, that our economy is strong, and getting stronger.Three areas hit extremely hard by the bursting of the dot.com bubble were San Jose, CA., Portland, OR., and Seattle, WA. I can't speak for conditions in San Jose or Portland, but I will tell you this. Washington State's economy, and quite noticably here in Seattle, is rebounding quite nicely (in spite of the anti-business tax laws here), fueled in part by the housing industry, and renewed sales of Boeing aircraft. Now, I said all that to say this. I didn't need an article to tell me the economy is strong - I could just tell by how people around here are acting - but I certainly do appreciate the article, since it just affirms what I've been sensing for some time now.

Hat tip: Hollie_is_Right, via Banner

Former Greenpeace co-founder praises US for rejecting Kyoto Protocol

As reported here, Patrick Moore, who helped found Greenpeace and then later, Greenpeace International, but left when he felt the group had become too radical, praised the US for rejecting the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that seeks to reduce so-called greenhouse gas emmisions to 5.2% below 1990 levels by the year 2012.

Mr. Moore, who is attending the UN conference on climate change being held in Montreal, noted that Canada now emits more so-called greenhouse gases than the US does (according to the UN, up 24% since 2004), which means they aren't doing very well at meeting the Protocol. Other industrialized nations struggling to meet the Protocol are Japan, and 11 of 15 European Union member states. Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK recently stated that it's highly unlikely that Britain will ever meet the Protocol.

Some in attendance at the conference say the Protocol is dead, while others dispute that notion.

What's obvious here, is this. The Protocols, based on alarmist, junk-science, established criteria that was immediately impossible to meet, if you wanted to sustain economic growth and boost employment. The technology does not yet exist to accomplish the dubious goals set out by the Kyoto Protocol!

Does this mean I'm all for unregulated expansion of industry, regardless of the damage to the environment? Of course not! I like clean air and water just as much as the next person does, and I try to do my part to keep my city clean by disposing of things properly, and trying to keep my water use to the necessities. Heck, I even use mass transit to commute to work!

But what we do not need, is a set of criteria based on pseudo-science, to tell us how to care for the environment! Could we do better at what we're doing? Certainly. Could we do more? Possibly, but we need to find a balance between protecting the environment and protecting economic growth. Being unemployed, while prices of goods and services continue to rise, is not my idea of a good time.

A personal note

I just though I'd let everyone know that I'm a little "under the weather" here right now, hence the lack of posts on what is my usual day for posting (Sundays, usually).

But, I'm feeling a little bit better than I have over the past several days (little being the operative word here), so in between the odd coughing and sneezing fits, I'll see what I can post for you today.

Man I hate getting a cold/the flu ...

Well said, Senator!

Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn) recently wrote a piece for OpionionJournal, in which he stated that an early withdrawal from Iraq would be disastrous for both Iraq and the US, and laid out some suggestions for how we could be doing things better.

Two things about this.

One, I'll be honest and say that I was against Sen. Lieberman and his running mate, in their bid for national office, mainly because that he is a Democrat and I'm not. However, Sen. Lieberman embodies the meaning of the term 'loyal opposition', in that, his focus in national affairs is the health and well being of the Republic, and as Patrick Devenny says in this piece, " ...always putting national security above fleeting partisan advantage."

Two, Sen. Lieberman's hopes for the White House are surely doomed (if indeed he still harbored any), if the invective he is receiving from the fringe elements of his party are any indication. Sen. Lieberman, in my opinion, is to be applauded for what is truly a courageous stand by submitting his piece, as I'm certain he knew in advance how others in his party would view his position. Sen. Lieberman, also in my opinion, is cast from the same molds as the likes of the late Sen. Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, and former Sen. Zell Miller. It really is too bad that there aren't more like him - on both sides of the political aisle!

A moral war

Victor Davis Hanson says that the moral onus in the war in Iraq should be placed where it belongs - in the laps of the critics and naysayers.

Key al-Qaida "Associate" Killed in Pakistan

As reported here, a key al-Qaida "associate" (their word, not mine) was killed by Pakistani forces, with help from the US, in an area of Pakistan that is reportedly used as a hide out by members of the terrorist group, as well as Taliban fugitives. There are somewhat conflicting reports on just what happened, but the key thing here is that, through cooperation, Pakistan and the US struck a major blow to the planning hierarchy of al-Qaida, as the man killed - Hamza Rabia - was the number 5 man in the terrorist organization, primarily responsible for planning international acts of terror.

One more down, and the hunt for the rest continues.

Plot to attack Saddam trial thwarted

As reported here, Iraqi security forces uncovered a plot by the Sunni "1920 Revolution Brigades" to attack the trial of Saddam with rockets, when it resumes on Monday. There is no mention whether anyone was arrested, but the assumption here is that there were.

One question in my mind, however is this - presumably, the rockets that were going to be used are unguided rockets (unguided beyond the initial aiming, that is), so what would have happened if the rockets had taken out Saddam, along with the others that were obvious targets? Presumably, this attack was designed to kill as many of the prosecutorial side as possible, but with the use of unguided munitions, there is always "collateral damage" - in essence, other people die, too - which in this case would have been nearly everyone else in attendance, including Saddam, which makes no sense whatsoever in my mind.

But then again, not much of what the terrorists are doing in Iraq truly makes any real sense, now does it?

Torture vs. Interrogation

As reported here, after tens years of not being allowed to investigate allegations of torture in China, Manfred Nowak, UN Torture Investigator was allowed to meet with 30 detainees held in China, Tibet and the Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang. He also met with families of those held, and will be issuing a report on his findings in 2006. Many of those he interviewed asked him not to reveal their names for fear of reprisals against their families by the Chinese government. China instituted a ban on torture that leaves permanent scars in 1996, and Mr. Nowak says that incidents of torture are declining, but haven't stopped yet.

Now what China still does to it's own people, and what has been alleged that US has done to terrorist detainees in Iraq and Gitmo are two totally different things. China persists in acts of actual torture, perpetrating physical abuse resulting in actual harm to those who have been detained, and has been doing so for centuries. What has been done to the terrorist detainees that even remotely resembles what the Chinese do? Nothing. Yet, our forces are vilified by the loony Left - most notably Sen. Kennedy, who in my opinion is guilty of manslaughter, but has never been brought up on charges (remember Mary Jo?) - for engaging in proper interrogation techniques, which have nevertheless been characterized as torture.

Were there abuses at Abu Ghraib? Yes. Were those responsible held accountable? Most of them. Was what they did out and out torture? No. Humiliating, yes. But torture? Absolutely not. While China has engaged in outright torture of it's own people, you hear little to nothing about it, and yet the MSM and the loony Left goes absolutely ape over what happened at Abu Ghraib, citing the protections of the Geneva Convention - which in the case of the detainees in Iraq and Gitmo do not apply, which they don't seem to understand!

Where is the moral outrage over the outright, verifiable, torture being conducted in China from the MSM and the loony Left? Nowhere to be found. Want to know why? Because President George W. Bush isn't Chinese.

County Executive Order seems to bar hire by Sims

As reported here, an Executive Order, signed by former KC Executive Gary Locke bars hires of former county elected officials for two years after they leave office, something "King" Sims apparently "wasn't aware of". Now that he is, does this mean that the two positions created for outgoing council members Carolyn Edmonds (D) and Steven Hammond (R) will now not be created, or will they be opened to competition? Time will tell as to the answer to that.

You would think that, as one of the first orders of business upon assuming an executive position, that a review would be done to find out what your predecessors had ordered, so as to avoid any "Oops!" situations such as this. "King" Sims has been in office long enough now that you would think that he would have had something like this done, but no.

I thought you were supposed to be a smart guy, Ron. Guess that really isn't the case, though, huh?

Clifford D. May sends a memo to Rep. Murtha

This country was founded on, among many other things, the principal of free speech. It's guaranteed in the Constitution, and as I write this, I am exercising my right to freely express myself. I served in the US Navy during part of the Cold War, helping to maintain that right for all Americans.

The right to express one's views freely is not partisan. It matters not one whit which political ideology you adhere to, or even if you don't adhere to any political ideology - you are guaranteed the right to freely express your views, whatever those views may be!

Recently, Rep. Murtha, a veteran of the Vietnam War, expressed his views on the current Iraq War, stating that it was "unwinnable", and that we need to bring the troops home now. Although I do not agree with his views at all, he still has the right to express those views. Clifford D. Mays also disagrees with those views, and asks some pointed questions of the Honorable Mr. Murtha.

Questions that I, as a fellow veteran, would really like to see addressed by you, Rep. Murtha.

The Internet to remain in US control - for now

As reported here, the recently completed UN summit in Tunisia left control of the Internet in the hands of the US and ICANN, the California based not-for-profit organization. But, the UN isn't finished with it's desire to wrest control of the Internet from the US, as they set up the Internet Governance Forum to explore ways to accomplish that goal.

Amazingly enough, US legislators understand the importance of maintaining US control over the Internet, as the House unanimously passed a resolution regarding this issue, with the Senate also having a resolution before it, sponsored by Sen. Ron Coleman (R-Minn).

I posted about this issue earlier here, and here.

A new tax on hybrid autos coming?

As reported here, a new transportation study commissioned by the US Chamber of Commerce suggests that taxing hybrid and other fuel efficient autos may be on the horizon, to make up for a projected shortfall in the national transportation budget.

Okay, let me get this straight. Everyone wants our dependency on foreign oil dealt with, and the auto makers have created various types of new fuel efficient vehicles, including the hybrids, as a short term answer to that problem, with the government encouraging people to buy these new vehicles to use less fuel, right? Well, people are buying these vehicles, and in high enough volumes that some auto makers are having problems keeping up with the demand. So now, with more of these fuel efficient vehicles on the road using less gas, that means that the feds are getting less money from the federal gas tax, right? What to do, what to do? Oh, I know! Create a new tax on the hybrid, and other fuel efficient cars! That's the ticket! Yeah!

Yes, impose a new tax on those vehicles. Go ahead. See what happens. Remember the luxury tax on new boats, and the result of that tax? Many boat manufacturers went out of business, resulting in many, many lost jobs. Sales volumes of the fuel efficient vehicles will go down as well, as people won't buy them to avoid having to pay the new tax on them, and will instead buy less fuel efficient vehicles that don't have this new tax, thereby maintaining the status quo on our dependency on foreign oil.

Yep. Sounds like a plan to me.

New conservative PAC formed

As reported here (in almost a panic, I might add), a new conservative PAC - the Constitutional Law PAC - has been formed to back conservative judicial candidates for both the State Supreme Court, and the State Appeals Court. This of course, has the activist libs in a near panic, with predictions of doom and gloom, as they fear that "partisanship" will over rule the so-called "independence" of the courts.

I welcome the new PAC. The State Supreme Court has been in the hands of activist judges who have been legislating from the bench for far too long, and changes are warranted there. The new PAC aims to place people on the bench who are dedicated to adjudicating cases according to existing laws and the State Constitution, rather than creating new laws out of whole cloth, as has been the norm.

Jordanian King urges war on militancy

As reported here, King Abdullah II sent a letter to newly appointed Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit, urging war on militants in Jordan in the wake of the recent triple bombings carried out by Zarqawi's Al-Qaida in Iraq.

I'll be watching developments in Jordan closely, to see if indeed the triple bombings there prove to be a tipping point in the war on terrorism in the Middle East.

Lose a KC Council seat, get a job

As reported here, buried in the 2006 King County budget, are not just one, but two newly created jobs for two Council members who lost their seats in the September primary - Carolyn Edmonds (D), who lost to Bob Ferguson (D), and (surprise!), Steve Hammond (R), who lost to Reagan Dunn (R). Both jobs would pay in excess of $80,000.00 per year, and the job descriptions are just a little vague.

Hmmm. I'm not sure what to make of this, exactly, but I guess if you want a high paying job (with little to do) with King County, run for the Council and lose.

Truth AND Consequences

A while ago I talked a little about a TV program called Truth OR Consequences. (The MC of that show just recently died at the age of 92.) I have been thinking along those lines again after being in the presence of some young people who rant about the truthfulness of the President and his administration. I have to admit that trying to show the facts of things and supporting various ideas and concepts with information seem to be ignored with the basic sentiment that "that doesn't feel right so I don't believe it." Actions have consequences. Try dropping a stone into a quiet pond without producing some sort of ripples. (Shucks, try picking up a rotten piece of formerly edible vegetable material without getting the yuck squished out on you.) Words and ideas have consequences as well. One of the most effective ways to lie is to tell only the part of the truth that you want to tell without adding the rest. I was amazed at how effective this type of approach seemed to be for the re-election of Ron I-never-met-a-tax-increase-I-didn't-like Sims. One of his ads spoke of how the Republican candidate was going to take money away from Metro as if that were a horrendous idea. Another thought in that same ad spoke of how more roads would be put in by his opponent with a freeway going into a very scenic area that he was standing in. The consequences of continuing to divert money from roads and highways to Metro are evident in the continually lengthened commute times around the Puget Sound area. One of the ideas that is basically behind less roads is that more people will ride the bus and the light rail. Could it be that Ron and his cronies haven't seen the reality of how few commuters use the bus system by choice? The consequences of trying to force people into certain types of transportation choices had made the commute in Seattle a stopping factor in having the Super Bowl here. Ten years ago the main problem was insufficient hotel rooms and a somewhat less than ideal stadium. We have the hotel space now and a beautiful stadium but the transportation problem has gotten worse without the addition of more roads to carry the commuters. The truth is, we need more roads NOT more busses. I still see the double busses carrying less than half the number of passengers that they could at all hours of the day. How many other consequences will become evident in the years to come with the refusal to put money into roads and instead putting money into mass transit schemes that will require ever increasing subsidies to maintain the minimal transport capabilities?

The shenanigans of the Left continue

No links in this post, folks. You want proof of what I'm saying, go look it up on Google or Yahoo.

As the post title says, the shenanigans of the Left continue. First came the attacks on the intelligence of President Bush, with liberals claiming, in effect, that he was as dumb as a stump. Then they changed tactics saying he was more devious than even Machiavelli, then they switched back to saying he was as dumb as a stump. Can't have it both ways.

Then the 2000 election was "stolen" somehow, because people were disenfranchised somehow, which was somehow Bush's fault. The actual fact of the matter there, was incompetence on the part of the elections departments in the Florida counties on providing adequate instructions on how to properly fill out a ballot (the majority of the problems which happened occured in Democrat controlled precincts, somehow), as well as on the part of the voters themselves for not being able to figure out how to properly punch a hole in a piece of paper! How much intelligence does that take?

Then it was the seven minute delay on 9/11, which was explained in a perfectly logical manner. Did the Left accept the explanation? Of course not! Why not? Because it didn't fit in their peculiar little ideogram of the evil Bush.

It's only been getting worse, lately. Remember RatherGate? "Fake, but accurate" documents? Now it's "LeakGate", the case where the Dems are frothing at the mouth to have someone charged with a crime for the "outing" of Valerie Plame - who outed herself years before all this stuff with Robert Novak started.

Recently we got to see an obviously digitally enhanced photograph of a note that President Bush was writing, which purportedly was to Dr. Rice, asking about a bathroom break. When that attempt at embarrassing the President fell flat, yet another digitally enhanced picture was released, this time of Dr. Rice, where the shape of her eyes were altered to make her look almost demonic.

And now, the big black "X" superimposed over the face of Vice President Cheney by a supposed "technological error" at CNN during a recent speech. What's next? A revealing picture of the First Lady, Laura Bush in a compromising position, perhaps? (Digitally enhanced, of course, to show her good side.)

The left is determined to play shenanigans, and quite frankly it has become beyond tiresome. Some people need to grow up and become functional adults, and quit acting like spoiled children who are having a temper tantrum when they don't get their way.

I pose a challenge to anyone - anyone! - from the Left who can cite shenanigans such as these perpetrated by a Republican against a sitting Democrat President. I highly doubt that there will be even one instance that anyone can provide. You see, I've been around for awhile, and things like these despicable acts have a tendency to stick in my memory, and I certainly can't recall anything as these despicable acts being done by any Republicans since Watergate!

These despicable shenanigans being perpetrated by the Left against a sitting President must stop!

Aren't there any responsible adults left out there?

Islam: A definition

A good friend of mine (who shall remain anonymous at his request), offers up this excellent definition of what Islam really is.

Def: Islam. Grievance developed into hatred enacted as genocidal intolerance.

It all began with grievance over Isaac and Ishmael. The Jews maintain that Abraham's spiritual inheritor was Isaac, the Arabs maintain it was Ishmael. That this is not so, is apparent from what the two sides have developed as an idea of what is spiritual. Who would buy Islam as a religion? Few, except those led by force; whereas the Jews won't give it away.

This slumbering grievance was an accident waiting to happen, and the accident was Mohammed, whose demonic ravings found favour with few, until military force was brought to play by those few. Fertile soil in the Arab consciousness was then found, because it gave them an opportunity to develop a superiority complex in respect of the Isaac/Ishmael issue. However its roots in force, and adoption by force, are the very reason that it neither gains acceptance voluntarily, in the main, and that it is administered by force.

Islam and totalitarianism have become indivisible because over 1500 years they have had no alternative models. Christianity has been taken over by force based models in the past, and remains potentially subject to them in part, but when that happens it is a corruption of religion by the nature of a forceful society. Compare the effect of Christianity on Rome; moderating a violent society into something entirely different. However when we look at the effect of Rome (worldly power) on Christianity, we see that it corrupts and twists it. Christianity does not take secular power without ceasing to be Christianity. Islam does not reject secular power without ceasing to be Islam.

Thus Islam has been continued as hatred of the Jews - and then, because they had a conflict of interest with Christians over Jerusalem, with Christians also - for over a thousand years. Today it is genocidal hatred passed off with a series of 'reasons' which are nothing other than grievances, and those grievances ultimately have no foundation. They are truly jealousy, backed up by lies, formulated into a system of self-justification. There is nothing in Islam of value, rather the glorification of these sins as a modus operandi.

What better example than: two young vandals get killed by entering an electrical sub station. The police have not been around for half an hour. The police are then 'blamed' for chasing them into the sub-station when they were not even there. That they could ever be blamed, is because the Moslem thinks himself above the constraints of other societies, since they deem that the witness of others is of less value in court than their own, and every week in mosques they proclaim the rest of the world to be inferior. Accordingly any attempt to apply the same standard of justice to Moslems as anyone else is met with rage and intolerance; it is 'wrong' because they say it is wrong, and they say it is wrong, because they do not have any value for others. This is the behaviour of those with an unfounded grievance developed into a superiority complex - see above.

They really have no hope of change at all but to utterly believe the nonsense and hatred they are fed on until they try to act it out, and then find themselves crushingly defeated; until their myth of superiority is exposed as so horribly wrong that no one could support it. For this to occur, there must be conflict. That is what is happening today; the inevitable confrontation of delusion with reality, brought on by Moslems themselves, resulting in more and more extreme acts, taking them further and further away from the right to be considered a philosophy or a religion, every day; they are sounding their own death knell. But who confronts reality with delusion, will always do so.

This does not mean that everyone who identifies themselves as a Moslem is utterly evil. Rather, that the influence of Islam on the individual is evil where it diverts from comparable systems of thought and religion. It retains points of contact with Judaism and Christianity. It is where it diverges that the trouble arises. It is a series of self-serving lies grafted onto existing truth. Some buy the lies, some buy the truth; but they are denied its fullness. Others remain inside the appearance of that faith, because they know what will be done to them if they leave; the Koran requires death. But once the illusion is shattered by force, Islam, and not the individual Moslem, will die.

Any questions?

Will Dems filibuster Alito?

As reported here, Sen. Biden is questioning Alito's opinion on the Warren Courts decision on reapportionment, that he (Alito) had over twenty years ago, saying that Alito has some explaining to do regarding that opinion.

That's fine. Question him all you want on that, Sen. Biden. That's your job as a Senator. But, let me ask you some questions, Senator, as I feel that's my job as a tax paying citizen of this country, who also just hapens to be a blogger.

Is there a difference, in your mind, between an opinion and a conviction?
Is it even remotely possible, Sir, that Judge Alito may have changed his opinion on reapportionment during the ensuing two decades?
Have you ever changed an opinion on something that you felt strongly about, as you (hopefully) gained some wisdom with age?

I won't hold my breath waiting for a reply, as I highly doubt Senator Biden will ever read this, but maybe I can provide an answer or two to the questions I've asked.

Is it even remotely possible that someone may have changed his opinion on reapportionment during the ensuing two decades?

The answer to that is, of course it's possible. We won't know whether Judge Alito actually has changed his opinion on this until January, however.

Have you, Senator, ever changed an opinion on something that you felt strongly about, as you (hopefully) gained some wisdom with age?

The answer to that is, yes, you probably have, although I can't say for certain (but I'd be willing to bet on it). If that is the case, that you have changed your opinion on something, wouldn't it be fair to say that Judge Alito may have changed his opinion as well?

Death threat issued against King of Jordan

As reported here, Zarqawi has issued a death threat against King Abdullah II of Jordan, in an attempt to regain support among the people of Jordan.

Although the message has yet to be verified as actually coming from Zarqawi, the rhetoric is typical of the terrorist, including getting facts of the bombings wrong. At the same time that the message was released, hundreds of thousands of Jordanians were marching in Amman, protesting Zarqawi's actions, and calling him a terrorist and a coward.

As I posted here, I really do think that the attacks are a tipping point - at least in Jordan - with the protests by the Jordanians against Zarqawi bolstering that belief. Only time - and subsequent actions by the terrorists - will tell whether this will become a tipping point in other areas in the region as well.

Pass this along

Larry Elder gives us a very good brief history of just which political party has done the most for African Americans in this country. Can you guess which party? I'll give you a hint. It isn't the one you may think it is.

Hat tip: hollie_is_right

Washington Farm Bureau launching new initiative

As reported here, the Washington Farm Bureau is launching a new initiative, with the hope of getting it on the 2006 ballot, that would require governments to compensate landowners impacted by regulation on the use of their property, saying this would balance out the effects of land use regulations such as the KC Critical Areas Ordinance.

Of course, the environmentalists are lining up to try to prevent this, saying this would allow anyone to do anything with their property. But, that's just not so. Zoning regulations are already in place to prevent, say, a chemical refinery being built in a residential neighborhood, so that argument, to me at least, is moot. What this new initiative would do is give control over your own property back to you, rather than government telling you what you can, or cannot, do with what you own.

Most people who own property are fully aware of what impacts their use of their property may have on their neighbors, and are smart enough to know what's a good idea, and what isn't a good idea.

Let me put it another way, using as an example something else a large majority of us own - cars. There are laws in place regulating what is acceptable - and what is not acceptable - use of a car. Most people who own a car have the intelligence to abide by those regulations. That's not to say that there are some who don't abide by those regulations, but those who don't - and get caught - face penalties for their unacceptable use of their car. The same idea applies to those who own land. There are acceptable uses for their land, just as there are unacceptable uses, and I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to land owners as to their intelligence to know the difference. I think that government should acknowledge this as well, and stop treating people as if they don't have a brain.

Energetic advocacy group pushes White House agenda

So read the breathless headline for this hit piece about Progress for America, an advocacy group supporting President Bush and the Republican Party.

My question to Glen Justice and Aron Pilhofer is, why don't you do a hit piece on MoveOn and George Soros?

Oh, wait. They wouldn't do that, since MoveOn and Soros voice their sentiments! Silly me!

And now for something lighter...

Quasimodo was checking on some of his bells in Notre Dame when he noticed one of them was missing its clapper. He removed the bell, took it to his local bell repair shop and was told to come back in a couple of days. When Quasimodo went back to get the bell, the weather was absolutely grand. The sun was shining with only a few clouds in the sky. Many of the citizens were out strolling and enjoying the day. Q was walking carrying the bell and not paying attention to where he was walking. He tripped and fell, rolling down the bank of the river and right into the water. He was able to get up and surprisingly still had hold of the bell. He then burst into song, singing, "I'm Ringin in the Seine, just ringing in the Seine..."

MSM doesn't have to verify source material?

I was listening to the radio and heard something that astonishes me. (Of course, I should not be astonished since I haven't trusted the veracity of the MSM for years.) What I heard was that people in the MSM, New York Times, CBS "News", Washington Post, etc. don't have to verify the "information" they publish as "news" any more, that the stuff needs to be proven false by the critics of the MSM. The primary focus was from a "story" concerning President Bush's final time in the guard and the forged documents from the commander of the guard unit as "reported" by Dan Blather of the CBS "Views". The woman (Mary Mapes) who was being interviewed concerning the forgeries had the absolute gall to state that she would run the story again even knowing the documents were forged since she believed the story to be "essentially true". Whatever happened to journalistic integrity? Whatever happened to rejecting stories that had little if any verification? I guess that those values don't mean much to those whose world view doesn't gibe with what the facts are. Once upon a time the news folks were the rightful watchdogs of the shadier layers of society, sadly no more from many of the MSM. Shades of the yellow journalism "news" papers such as National Enquirer and others.

Bombings in Jordan a tipping point?

As reported here, Jordanians were outraged by the recent bombing attacks in Amman, as protesters took to the streets chanting anti-terrorism slogans, and creating makeshift shrines at the sites of the bombings.

As tragic as these attacks were, perhaps this is the tipping point in the Arab world, waking them up to the fact that al Qaida will stop at nothing - including killing innocent Muslims - in their quest to bring terror to the world.

It is hoped here that this is a wake up call to moderate Arabs, and that they realize the real threat that al Qaida poses, not ony to the West, but to the entire world, and that they will finally, truly, join the fight against global terrorism.

Update: In the aftermath of the terrorist bombings in Amman carried out by Zarqawi's al-Qaida in Iraq, Jordan's King Abdullah II has called for a global fight against terrorism.

Not to try to sound too cynical, Your Highness, but what took you so long to wake up to the threat posed by al-Qaida? America has been calling for a global fight since 9/11/01. Well, I guess the old saying applies here - better late, than never. It's hoped here that you have some influence over your Arab neighbors, and can persuade them to join up in the global war on terrorism, too.

Lessons from France

David Horowitz states in plain language, so that even the dimmest of libs can understand, just what the lessons from the riots in France are - that the Islamofascists want to kill you if you don't subscribe to their cult of death.

Rival groups warring in Iraq

As reported here, according to Knight-Ridder, rival "insurgent" groups are now split, and fighting each other, with Sunni "insurgents" fighting against al-Qaida in Iraq.

al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Zarqawi, is made up mainly of foreign terrorists, and they have recently been targeting Sunni's, due to the Sunni participation in the recent referendum on the Iraqi constitution. This has infuriated the Sunni "insurgents", and apparently they have decided that they are going to fight back.

What does this mean, and should the US somehow try to encourage the Sunni's in this new development?

One thing I think it means is that the "insurgency" against the US and the fledgling Iraqi government is absolutely doomed to failure - regardless of what you read in the MSM - in that, as al-Qaida "exacts revenge" on the Sunni's for their participation in the referendum, the Sunni's may turn to the Iraqi government for assistance against Zarqawi. If this does happen (and I admit this is a big "if"), this would allow the US to concentrate more on al-Qaida in Iraq and Zarqawi, and allow the Iraqi government to turn it's attention to the Sunni "insurgents", to encourage the Sunni "insurgents" to stop fighting against the government, and instead fight against the "foreign fighters".

Whatever does actually happen in the near future, this "fratricide" between the Sunni "insurgents" and al-Qaida in Iraq can only looked upon as a positive development in the on-going fight in Iraq, one that needs to be exploited by the US and the Iraqi government.

Is it time to partition France?

The rioting in France, which has now spread throughout that nation, is beginning to look more and more like an intifada, much as has happened in Israel. So, what is the "solution" to this new intifada? As concerns the French, the only real course of action, as I see it, is appeasement.

And how to accomplish the appeasing of the jihadists? Why, the very same thing that the French, as well as other nations, have demanded of Israel - partition. I say that France has to be partitioned, creating an autonomous region for the jihadists to "live in peace", with Paris as the capitol of the new autonomous state. Why Paris? Why not Paris? After all, many are calling for Jerusalem to be the capitol of the Palestinian state.

What's good for the goose, is good for the gander, eh?

Hat tip: Littlebee55

Birthday Greetings

Happy birthday wishes go out to all who are a part - past and present - of the United States Marine Corps, on this the 230th birthday of our nations elite fighting force. May you have many more!

As most of you who have been reading my posts are aware, I'm a veteran of the US Navy. As such, I will occasionally take a teasing jab or two at the Marines - it's a tradition. But I want you all to know this. I am very proud of the Marines - those who are first to fight our country's wars, who unfailingly and unflinchingly go into harms way, so the rest of us may live free.

To those who are a part of the United States Marine Corps, past and present - Semper Fidelis!

As Veterans Day nears, some thoughts

I just finished reading a book called, "Hill 488", by Ray Hildreth and Charles W. Sasser (co-author of "One Shot-One Kill"), about a platoon of Recon Marines who made a valiant stand against an estimated battalion's worth of VC/NVA in Vietnam, in 1966.

At the end of the epilogue, the author is speaking many years later with another survivor of that terrible night, Bob Martinez, who said, and I quote:

"You don't have to wait until November to have Veterans Day. Every day of freedom we have is Veterans Day."

As we near Veterans Day this year, I am once again reminded of the sacrifices of the few for the many, so that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today. Without the willing sacrifice of the few, we would not have the freedoms that we do have today, that so many take for granted.

We wouldn't have the freedom of the internet (which some would take away), enabling me to post this entry in my blog, and allowing you to read it - or not.

We wouldn't have the freedom of choosing which political party to support, as we would be told which political party to support, which would in all likelihood be the only political party.

We wouldn't have the freedom of assembly with whomever we chose to assemble together with, for whatever reason.

We wouldn't have the freedom of choosing which form of religion under which to worship God, if we were so inclined to do so. We probably wouldn't be able to worship God if we wanted to.

We wouldn't have the freedom of even turning on a light, as Thomas Edison may not have had the freedom to invent it.

We wouldn't have the freedom of having cell phones, as Alexander Graham Bell may not have had the freedom to invent the telephone.

We wouldn't have the freedom of enjoying many things that we take for granted in our day to day lives, as freedom of thought would be stifled, thereby stifling the new ideas necessary for new inventions, new ways of looking at things, new ways of doing things.

But most of all, we wouldn't have the freedom of enjoying freedom.

As you go about your daily lives, take a moment to reflect on the freedoms that you enjoy (and maybe take for granted - we all do), and if by chance you happen to know, or meet up with a veteran, tell him or her "Thank you!". If you know, or meet up with someone currently in the military, tell him or her "Thank you!" - and let them know why you're thanking them!

Don't be surprised if they respond in a very humble manner (because most of us do when people tell us "Thank you!"). Just smile, and if you are so inclined, give 'em a hug, too.

To all my fellow veterans, and to those of you who are on active duty, or in the Reserves or National Guard - THANK YOU!

Your sacrifice - and being in the military is both a sacrifice and a priveledge - has allowed me to enjoy so many wonderful things in my life, which I never would have without your willing sacrifice. So, my most humble thanks to all of you.

The News From Iraq That's Not Fit To Print

Jeff Jacoby lays out what the most important story from Iraq is - the ratification of the first democratic government charter in the Middle East in history - and compares that to what was reported at the same time by the leftist media as being the most important news from Iraq.

For more good news from Iraq and Afghanistan that the leftist media is not reporting, check out Aurthur Chrenkoff.

If the Problem is Muslim Terror

Victor Davis Hanson asks some pertinent questions in this piece, once again proving that he is one of America's pre-eminent thinkers.

Senate shame

Oliver North has some scathing comments directed at the US Senate, that are both warranted, and right on the mark.

For too long now, the Dems have tried every little thing they could to "bring down" a sitting President during a time of war, and each time they have pulled a little stunt such as the closed door meeting, they feed fuel to the terrorists, and dishearten those they say they "support" - the troops in the line of fire. If the Dems really supported the troops, really cared about their safety, they would not engage in stunts such as this.

But of course, they don't care about our troops at all, and they never have, no matter what comes out of their mouths. Their main goal is to bring down President Bush by any means possible. Any other consequence of their actions isn't even of secondary importance to them. It's not even on their radar screens. All they are interested in is regaining power, and the sooner the better, by any means, and it seems as if the Reps are trying to help them achieve their goal. Despicable.

Cindy for Congress?

Yes, that Cindy. They want her to move to NY, so she can run against "pro-war" Shrillary. Someone has been using too many drugs, methinks.

Hat tip: Hardcoreconservative

"Leakgate" 'credibility' trail

Larry Elder answers questions pertaining to "Leakgate".

What the Dems said about Iraq and WMD

Glenn Beck has a whole list of qoutes of what the Dems said about Saddam possessing WMD - when they were in control of the White House. It's rather amazing to me how they can "pontificate from on high" about how "wrong" President Bush was (and still is) about the very same subject, and how that "wrongness" has led the US into the "quagmire" of Iraq.

There are really only two main differences from then to now. The Dems are no longer in control of the White House, and, President Bush decided to protect the US (and the rest of the world too, I might add) by acting decisively on the information that was available.

The Dems sat around wringing their hands over Saddam, not doing a thing about him other than to shoot a few ineffectual tomahawks his way, as opposed to the fact that President Bush, acting decisively, removed the tyrant from the world stage, freeing millions of Iraqi's from under the heel of the tyrant.

Hand wringing, and telling a tyrant "Naughty, naughty!" doesn't accomplish anything. Acting decisively on what information was available, toppled a tyrant and freed millions. Tell me truthfully - which way do you prefer? Hand wringing, or acting decisively?

Hat tip: hollie_is_right

Washington State Supreme Court at it again

As reported here, the Washington State Supreme Court - as liberal a bunch as there ever was - has created a new "class" of parents in a case of two lesbians whose relationship ended, with one suing the other over visitation rights to a child that was conceived artificially, even though she has no biological ties to the child. The Supreme Court has usurped authority from the state legislature again.

Someone needs to remind the State Supreme Court Justices of what they were supposed to have learned in Civics class about the separation of powers in government.

Here we go again

As reported here, there were problems again with correctly tabulating the absentee votes in the September primary, with many of the same mistakes made last November, being made again. KC Elections Director Dean Logan is again making excuses to "explain" it all away.

Here we go again.

This Tuesday is Election Day. Are there going to be the same problems again, Dean?

Never mind. I'll answer that for you - probably.

Justice has been served

In a previous post, I spoke about this couple tying up their kids. Well, justice has been served, as the woman received a 4 1/2 year prison sentence, which I think is fair.

KC Elections Department to get outside review

As reported here, this group supposedly will have broad authority to recommend changes in the way elections are run in KC, and "King" Sims says he will honor those recommendations.

Changes are definitely needed, and it is hoped here that positive recommendations will ensue, and be implemented. We'll see.

"King" Sims - a gushingly breathless profile

P-I reporter Gregory Roberts positively gushes breathlessly over KC Executive "King" Ron Sims, writing at one point that "Sims' command of even arcane subjects, and especially of those germane to county government, inspires something close to awe."

Sims inspires awe? Oh, please.

With all of the problems King County has had over the past several years just in the Elections Department alone - not to mention the land grab Critical Areas Ordinance - I don't believe that Sims inspires "awe".

C'mon, Gregory - you can do better than that!

"Global Warming is a 'Fact'", scientists say so.

I have been mulling over the broadly painted and scarcely veiled terror-engendering articles in the Seattle Times a short time ago that covered the horrible news that "global warming is a fact and that humanity is the cause". The approved solution was the signing and implementing of the Kyoto accords by the United States. Our world is in crisis and the mean old US is ignoring the dangers.... Somehow I don't see that we are to blame for every difficulty that happens around the world or even our responsibility in fixing the problems caused by natural disasters, yet we are the ones who jump in first with the most in spite of the attitudes of many of the recipient nations. The large tropical storms and hurricanes that have happened this year was seen as "proof" of global warming by my young liberal friend. I was really surprised that he did not attribute the natural disasters to President Bush. I chose not to argue. We had a lot of work to get done and I didn't think that anything would be accomplished by the conversation. I also am wondering if global warming has anything to do with the increased amount of early cold wintry weather we are experiencing so far this fall. I mean, a foot or more of snow in the Cascades already? If this is global warming the skiers/snowboarders/winter sports folks will probably take more of it. I wonder if the early snow in the mountains is a precursor to a larger amount down in the lower elevations this winter? If so, how does that equate with "warming"? Yes, I know that one or two seasons that are different don't indicate a trend, but maybe that same thought can be applied to the idea of global warming? I remember reading that during the Roman Empire, some of the best wines were from England, a reason to believe that not all warming is bad? One other thought, there are a large number of scientists in the world, many are involved with environmental things. How many of these people were asked and how many were simply ignored if their statements didn't agree with the ones calling for major changes in environmental policies?

"Pavement is forever?"

I was driving into work the other morning when I saw one of the many ridiculous bumper stickers that stand on emotionalism instead of trying to determine if the facts have something different to say. The part that stood out in my mind said that "pavement is forever"... The irony of this is that we were going by an empty parking lot that had at one time several businesses including a grocery store, gas station and a very mini mini strip mall, and is currently surrounded by a chain link fence. Where the buildings were has become filled with a variety of grasses and weeds that have poked up through the pavement. There are a couple of small trees that weren't there about five years ago when the buildings were torn down. The asphalt is still covering over 75% of the property yet is becoming hidden due to the large amount of plant life that has grown up in that area. The asphalt is cracked and broken in many places and where the cracks are there are plants. Hmmm. Just another thought, if pavement really is forever, then how come roads and parking areas have to be fixed all the time and the plants have to be poisoned out of existence????? I used to live in a city that had many trees planted by the sidewalks and the last time I was there, the sidewalks were being replaced in many areas and the trees were being cut down because the tree roots had broken the concrete. Pavement is forever, sure it is.

Peres calls for Iran to be expelled from UN

In the wake of the outrageous comments made by the president of Iran to wipe Israel from the face of the world, Israel's Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres says that the UN should expel Iran from the UN, although this is not the "official" policy statement of Israel in reaction to those remarks.

That is unlikely to happen, though, and to be honest, I don't think that's a good idea. Why not? Because of the possible adverse effects on the common Iranian people, and especially the dissidents who already face enough adversity as it is. From what I've been reading and hearing, there is a growing majority of Iranians who are decidely unhappy with their government, and with their governments policies, but who can't (or won't - yet) do anything about their government, due to its repressive nature. Expulsion from the UN might trigger an even more pronounced "Us vs. Them" mindset in Iran (right now, it's mainly the sentiment of the government, not necessarily that of the common people), which could possibly undo the work that the dissidents are doing.

Better than expulsion from the UN is regime change, affected by "outside interests", in support of that growing majority of disaffected Iranians, starting say, sometime after December 15th, maybe?

NOPD deserters fired

As reported here, 45 cops, and 6 civilian employees of the NOPD have been fired outright from the police department for desertion during Hurricane Katrina, while 3 others (2 cops, 1 firefighter) were rejected for employment by the Dallas PD because of allegations of desertion. The people who were fired are part of the 240 that are under investigation for going MIA during Hurricane Katrina.

The NOPD has been looked upon as the most corrupt police force in the US for a long time, due to criminal acts perpetrated by officers, both on and off duty, with the most recent allegations being that members of the force stole over 200 luxury cars to be able to leave Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Katrina.

Hopefully for the citizens of New Orleans, this investigation will weed out the worst of the offenders, and send a message to the remaining members of the force to straighten up, fly right, and act like police officers are supposed to act - preventing crime instead of committing crime!

"Groundswell" says change is possible

As reported here, the Christian organization, Groundswell, says that it is possible for gay/lesbian teens to change their lives, while the gay/lesbian folks angrily say it's not possible, while the moonbat leftist Ken Schram pontificates on this in his usual non-sensical way.

Let me clue you in to something folks. Through God, ALL things are possible, even becoming "straight". I personally know this to be a fact. Was I gay at one time? No, but I was a heavy drug user, with no way to stop using drugs on my own. When I turned my life over to Jesus, however, He took my need to use drugs completely away, and I have been clean since 1978, and I consider myself to be a recovered (not recovering) drug user. That was a radical change for me, in that, I lived my life to use drugs. My whole reason for being, as it were, was to get high, but I knew that if I continued down that path that my life was going to be short. As a matter of fact, I predicted - no, boasted - to my friends that I would not live past my 21st birthday. Fortunately for me, I was wrong about that, and have made it 38 years more than I once predicted/boasted.

Contrary to what the gay/lesbian advocates will have you believe, I do not believe that we are "born" gay or straight; rather, I believe that it is a choice. So, if these kids really want to choose to change their lifestyle, it is possible for them to do so.

My question to the gay/lesbian folks is, how do you know it isn't possible to change? Have you even tried? Or are you so close-minded that you won't even try?

Sunni's form political bloc in Iraq

As reported here, three Sunni groups have formed a coalition to field up to 230 candidates in the upcoming elections in Iraq, deciding that they want to play the game, after all. They are also said to be trying to get "insurgents" to lay down their arms, and are pressing the US for a withdrawal. Oh, and to fill space, mention was made of the UN report due out regarding UNSCAM. What that has to do with the Sunni's participating in the upcoming elections escapes me, really, but I digress.

This is actually good news. Participation in the election process by the Sunni's gives all sides a voice in how their government is formed, and will prevent the Shiites and Kurds from having complete domination of the political process in Iraq, a situation that could have had dire consequences to the development of a true democratic form of government.

The other good news, is their attempt to persuade the "insurgents" to lay down their arms. They want the US to withdraw, right? Well, the quickest way to see that happen is if the "insurgents" quit shooting at, and blowing up, people. If they can be successful at this, and if all of the foreign terrorists are rounded up, and if the borders are more effectively sealed against the influx of more terrorists, and if the political process is allowed to fully develop, the need for a US-Coalition presence will disappear, don't you think? After all, that's why we are still there, right?

Those are all big "ifs", but the inclusion of the Sunni's in the political process is a start at dealing with all of those "ifs".

Judge rules against political free speech again

As reported here, the same misguided Thurston County judge has once again over stepped his bounds, ruling against KVI radio hosts Kirby Wilbur and John Carlson, and the organizers for the I-912 campaign, ruling that on air comments by Wilbur and Carlson were "in kind" campaign contributions, and must be reported to the state Public Disclosure Commission as such.

This latest ruling will be appealed to the state supreme court, of course, as this violates both the Federal and State Constitutions free speech clauses. This has chilling implications if allowed to stand, in that, if you publicly endorse an initiative, referendum, or candidate in any form of media, whether it be TV, radio, newspaper, or blog, you could be subject to campaign finance rules requiring the organizers to report what you are saying as an "in kind" political contribution, which could mean that you would be silenced by the government if they don't like what you're saying.

I for one, refuse to be silenced, and will continue to write what I feel is the truth, and will defend my ability to do so on Constitutional grounds, all the way to the Federal Supreme Court if need be.

Don't like what I write? Too bad. Deal with it!

Mike McGavik officially announces run for Senate

As reported here, Safeco Insurance CEO Mike McGavik has officially announced his intention to run for the GOP nomination to run against current Sen. Maria "Can't-do-well".

State Dem chairman Paul Berendt says McGavik has "no chance" to defeat "Can't-do-well". Oh, really? Note to Paul - don't count your chickens before they're hatched, pal.

Going off half cocked

Once again, the P-I Editorial Board goes off half cocked about a subject that they are intellectually clueless about, saying that recently passed legislation protecting gun manufacturers and dealers from product liability lawsuits is unnecessary.

Let me put it this way. A gun is a tool, which when properly used is as safe as any other tool. Suing a gun manufacturer or dealer because a gun is used in the perpetration of a crime, rather than suing the user of the gun, is akin to someone who, while using a hammer hits his finger instead of the nail, suing the manufacturer of the hammer or the hardware store where the hammer was purchased, instead of taking responsibility for his own inept use of the tool.

Any tool, when used properly, is safe, while any tool used improperly can be dangerous, if not deadly. But, is that the fault of the manufacturer or the dealer? No! The responsibility of the safe use of any tool rests entirely with the user, period. End of story.

PETA employees indicted on animal cruelty charges

As reported here, two employees of PETA - the so-called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - have been indicted on 25 felony counts for cruelty to animals, after carcasses of dead dogs and cats were found improperly disposed of after being euthanized.

This is just the tip of the iceberg with these people, folks. For more detailed information regarding PETA's cruelty to animals, go here.

Hat tip - Littlebee55

Two education reform bill proposals

From Human Events on Line, two education reform bill proposals that are interesting, especially since the NEA is already up in arms over them. Even though I don't have kids, by being a tax payer, I still have a stake in education and how it is funded. Over the last several years, we have seen literally billions of dollars wasted in failed programs (can you say Ebonics, anyone?), producing fewer properly educated children (who can read, spell and do math), while at the same time, we have seen real education reform efforts either gutted, or killed, by the NEA and local teacher unions who believe they are the sole arbiters of "quality education" for our children - when in fact, their "programs" amount to nothing more than socialized, leftist, revisionist indoctrination, crammed down our childrens throats by former leftist hippies who can't, or won't, get an honest job anywhere else.

Do you want to see real change in public education? Do you want more choice as to where you send your children, and how that choice is paid for? Then contact your representatives in Congress, and tell them that you want them to support both of these bills. If they hesitate to do so, remind them of their own words about the need for "quality education" for our children, and tell them to put their money where their mouth is.

These are OUR children, and this is OUR money, not the NEA's or the local teachers unions, and WE should have a say in where our children are educated, and how that education is paid for, not non-representative organizations who are really only looking out for themselves, and not our children's, nor our nations, best interests.

What a tangled web

On-going UNSCAM investigations are turning up a very tangled web of deceipt, subterfuge, money laundering, and links - if only financial - between Saddam's regime and Al-Queda. If the information discovered by Fox News' investigation pans out, proving a concrete link between Saddam and terrorists, this will prove to be a signifigant "smoking gun" that probably won't make it to the front pages of the MSM.

SR 99 Viaduct and SR 520 floating bridge ready to fail?

As reported here, and as I have mentioned before, both of these structures are in dire need of, not just repair but, replacement. According to state government sources, I-912 which would repeal the latest gas tax increase imposed by the Dem dominated legislature, would make repair or replacement of these vital roadways virtually impossible. But that isn't necessarily correct, as John Carlson points out in this op-ed piece.

I fully agree that both of these roadways do need to be replaced, as they are both disasters waiting to happen. However, I do not believe that an increase in the already 28 cent per gallon gas tax is the way to go to get these bridges replaced. Rather, I believe that better prioritization of the spending of funds already raised through the current 28 cent per gallon tax is the way to go.

Our legislators, and state agencies, have consistently refused to look at cutting costs first, before asking for more money for pet projects. I cannot tell you how many times I have driven past road construction in progress, and have seen one person working, while two or more others have been standing there "supervising" the one who is doing the work. As with most government agencies, I believe that there is a problem of being "top heavy" with mid-management level employees, "supervising" too few people who are actually doing the work. Labor costs being what they are, I'm sure that if the bloated employee rolls were cut, there could be a signifigant savings realized.

Private businesses are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency, and to cut costs. Why can't the government do the same? Yes, fix the 520 floating bridge and the Viaduct, but do it within the revenue already being generated!

Encouraging news in the fight against breast cancer

As reported here, the cancer fighting drug, Herceptin, which has been used for late stage breast cancer treatment, shows promise in treating early stage breast cancer. Although some have used the word "cure", I believe that it is too early to unequivocally say that, as the studies used were of short duration, but this is a welcome advance in the fight against one of the leading causes of death for women.

Kudos to Genentech!

Iraqi's more confident in themselves

Michael Rubin explains why Iraqi's are more confident in themselves than most American pundits and policy makers are.

Most of the news we hear from Iraq is totally negative. Car bombs, the daily litany of Americans giving their lives for the sake of freedom (although it isn't expressed in that manner by the MSM, of course), so-called "insurgents" (read terrorists, the word that must never be said or printed by the MSM - wouldn't want to upset them now, would we?) attacking Iraqi Army and Police recruiting stations, etc., etc., ad nauseum. These are the things that are being looked at by the so-called "experts", and by the policy makers, and because of the negativity, many of them are on the verge of panic, and demanding that President Bush set a definite withdrawal date.

And yet, the truth of the matter is this. Iraqi's have confidence in themselves, and in their political process succeeding. How so? As Mr. Rubin points out, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi's who had fled the Saddam regime are returning. People who lack confidence flee the situation, not return. The Iraqi real estate market is booming. People lacking confidence in a situation buy gold and jewels, which can be easily hidden for when they flee. They don't buy real estate if they have no confidence that the law will protect their investment. Foreign investment is up, and will continue to grow. The Iraqi's also recently turned out in the millions to vote on their country's new constitution, establishing a democratic form of government. People with no confidence would not have voted.

That is the truth in Iraq, and why the Iraqi people are more confident in themselves than the American pundits, the so-called "experts", and the policy makers.

'Help! Mom!' casts liberals as villains

As reported here, a new children's book describes liberals as villians. Well, aren't they?

Maybe not all "progressive" liberals, but their national agenda is villanous in many ways, certainly anti-American at the least, eh?

Oh, and note how the lib-whiners mention the word 'Nazi' in their crying about this book. If they can't offer up a substantive, logical, argument against something, they resort to invoking the 'Nazi' word. How 'tolerant' of you to do that.

Note to libs - Nazi stands for National Socialism, so that old, evil, doctrine is more closely attuned to your old, tired, and in many ways evil, Socialist doctrines. Quit using that appelation when talking about Conservatives, or our opinions.

Many on KC voter rolls twice?

Many on KC voter rolls twice? According to the state GOP, there are over 2,000 people registered twice, conceivably allowing them to also vote twice, unless the voter rolls are corrected. Embattled KC Elections Director Dean Logan says the GOP is on a "witch hunt", and says that he hasn't seen the information the GOP has to base their claims on.

Hey, Dean! You're in charge of the Elections Department (just in case you forgot), therefore you have access to ALL of the voter rolls in KC. Why don't you use "due diligence" and check them yourself? Or, at least have someone competent in your department do it. Oh, wait - that's presupposing that you have anyone competent in your department that could do that. Never mind. Silly me!

More thoughts on the UN's desire to control the Internet

After posting about this insanity here, and here, I found this rather amusing nugget of an opinion by Silent Running here.

I don't think I could have said it any better.

Hat tip: agtiger

Well, it's a start

As reported here, the King County Council has forwarded their election reform proposal to KC Executive Ron "King" Sims.

Will Sims sign off on it? All I can give you is a "maybe".

Guilty as charged

As reported here, Mayor Nichols has been found guilty of the ethics charge brought against him (which I posted on here), and has been ordered to repay the costs of his little brag-fest to the taxpayers.

Gee, why doesn't that surprise me?

Religion of Peace?

Defenders of Islam constantly carp about how non-Muslims keep bringing up the fact that many (if not most) terrorists are Muslim, and therefore by extrapolation, that Islam is not a peaceful religion, making the arguement that Islam is the "Religion of Peace".

If Islam truly is the "Religion of Peace", then why are so many Muslims terrorists? You doubt me on that? Then you need to go here, to see the list of terrorist acts perpetrated by members of the so-called "Religion of Peace".

The "Religion of Peace"? Hardly.

Hat tip: Littlebee55

Why the Libs don't seem to listen.

I have a young friend who is a liberal. I call him a friend because he is someone who has chosen to be friendly in spite of our political differences. He does try to influence me at various times and is puzzled that I seem to have more questions for him that he can't answer (or won't) without the leftist mantra showing up. He is also puzzled that I haven't started to yell and scream or lose my sense of humor while also trying to influence him. I have not been able to get him to acknowledge some things about conservative values aren't totally outside the realms of making sense. I was somewhat struck by the mantra of the left when he spoke about leaving this country for another because the policies of this country are "insane". I asked what came to mind and he immediately spoke of the "obscenity laws". When I asked him about them he spoke about the "parent's responsibility being to protect children and not society". He said it again even when I brought up the idea that children are preyed upon at the library by pedophiles. I also expressed my opinion that pedophiles out to have certain things done to them. I was unable to point out that society has put restrictions on free speech under several circumstances, most notably the yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, because I couldn't remember it. He made a comment about not having children because of the "over population of the world" that I had to let go due to our seperating and going our own ways at the end of the day's work. I think that he might just end up going to another country and finding out that the freedoms that he has taken for granted here in the US are not as freely given in other parts of the world, nor are they expected by the people. It is really sad to me, to think that there are people who allow others to think for them until their noses are rubbed in the problems. I remember one line about a liberal being someone who hasn't been mugged yet. He even piped up about the 2nd amendment and not liking it and him thinking that I would be in the same group that supposedly likes the 2nd better than the first... One answer to my title seems to me to be that they are content to look at things from the standpoint of their own limited experience and depend on others to think for them. Facts and complete information about things don't seem to influence a liberal since they belive what they "feel" to be the "truth".