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Victor Davis Hanson, one of the most erudite men in America, and a staunch conservative, gives his opinion on the McCain crisis.
"If McCain wins Republican nomination, I will campaign for Hillary"--Ann Coulter
Somebody check and see if hell has finally frozen over.
A German song that is riding high on the country's charts has ruffled diplomatic feathers as a result of its mixing of geographic and scatological issues. But the singer of "Finger in the Butt, Mexico" is unrepentant
The song, which has been on the German charts for 10 weeks, features as its chorus the charming refrain "Finger in the butt, Mexico." (The German version, "Finger im Po, Mexiko," rhymes.)
Germany's mass-circulation daily Bild reported Thursday that Ambassador Jorge Castro-Valle Kuehne has written a letter of complaint to EMI, the record company which publishes the song.
The newspaper quotes the ambassador as writing: "As I'm sure you can understand, the lyric has aroused great outrage among the members of the Mexican community living in Germany, who have a right to be angry that Mexico's name is being used in this kind of disrespectful and disgusting way."
Afghanistan is an ancient land with many traditions that pre-date recorded history. Unfortunately, one of those traditions is treating female Afghans like chattel.
Nazia Hookum Darr, 16, was brutally attacked here by her
40-year-old husband of three months on Christmas day. The man - who is
still on the run from police - broke 16 of his wife's teeth, shaved her
head, cut off her nose and ears and poured scalding water on her hands
and feet. The young woman is set to receive plastic surgery in Kabul
following close coordination between the Afghan government and
Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat, a joint U.S. Air Force and Army
unit stationed here. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Michael Gauron.
Date Taken: January 29th, 2008. Location: Qalat, AF.)
Thanks Blackfive
It's war between Code Pink protesters and the pro-troops organization, Move America Forward, after the Berkeley city council declared the Marine Corps to be "unwelcome intruders".
"I believe in the Code Pink
cause. The Marines don't belong here, they shouldn't have come here,
and they should leave," said Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates.
“It is disgraceful that in the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, anti-military activists would attempt to silence the same military men and women who serve this country and give their lives to protect the free speech rights of all Americans, including these ungrateful and despicable people on the Berkeley City Council,” said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.
In a separate item, the council
voted, also 8-1, to give protest group Code Pink a parking space in
front of the recruiting office once a week for six months and a free
sound permit for protesting once a week.
Still no word as to why the Marine Corps, of all services, has been singled out, but it's nice to know the people of Berkeley would consider Marines a bigger threat.
In the very old days, this type of arrangement would have been called the "diplomatic solution".
Marines patrol the streets of Haditha, in the Anbar province.
The Marines and the tribal sheiks are working at strengthening an alliance in Anbar province to keep the insurgency on the run.
At a sumptuous feast this week in Haditha, a tribal sheik revealed what he said was the perfect plan: The tribes would find additional wives for Marines, and the Marines would encourage American women to marry members of the tribe.
"This way we will truly be brothers," announced the sheik.
On behalf of the Marine Corps, Maj. Kevin Jarrard, commander of Lima Company, 3rd battalion, 23rd regiment, politely turned down the offer.
The sheik, anticipating the turndown, had a backup plan. He said he will name his next three sons after Marine officers.
A senior Al Qaida official was taken out by a drone, unmanned plane.
Unmanned drones are the workhorses in both Iraq and Afghanistan. These soupped up aircraft, that sometimes look like toy models, can do everything from gathering intelligence to putting a laser guided bomb onto a target.
Best of all, they don't require a pilot, so they can literally be up in the air for an entire day.
On September 27th, 2007 Oakland International Airport officials denied 200 Marines from the 1st battalion 3rd Marines returning from Haditha access to food and the bathroom facilities within the airport.
Over three months later, a report on the incident was released:
The Oakland International Airport did not break any laws or regulations when it denied 200 Marines and soldiers access to the passenger terminal during a layover last year from Iraq to the troops' home base in Hawaii, the Transportation Department says.
A Marine reported the incident to Rep. John L. Mica, Florida Republican and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and said it "felt like being spit on."
Senator Barack Obama collected a record $32 million dollars for the month of January (the months not even over yet).
In 2000, there were alarms and complaints of too much money controlling the American political process, particularly the presidency.
Today, the tone of the press on campaign finance has changed, decidedly. No one is questioning who is bankrolling the candidates or whether campaign donations are buying undue influence.
The former president, Jimmy Carter, praised Senator Barack Obama, but he stopped short of an endorsement. Would a Carter endorsement of Senator Obama hurt or help the Senator in his aspiration to become president?
"I think that Obama will be almost automatically a healing factor in the animosity now and the distrust that relates to our country and its government," Jimmy Carter
How much of the Obama candidacy is about what the senator represents rather than who he is?
The French head of state, Nicholas Sarkosy, calls the omission of recognizing the "Christian roots" of Europe in the failed 2005 Referendum, "turning one's back on a historical reality."
If you deny your past, you cannot prepare for the future.--Nicolas Sarkosy
*For you francophiles, and you know who you are: voici le texte original.
37-year old president and founder of GreenMountain Engineering--killed by a tree.
Repeat after me, AIDS and HIV are very important diseases ravaging many poor victims that need our help and support.
It doesn't matter that, in the United States, HIV infects fewer than 1% of the population and that the virus is mostly caused by habits and behavior. You will wear your red ribbon, give generously to all AIDS related charties and swear allegiance to the multi-colored flag.
Good to the Last Drop?
Baghdad, Iraq--Dora District. Iraqi male waits for a ration of cooking oil. Soldiers from the 1-4 Calvary manage to procure some oil from the refinery just down the street. Despite the proximity of the refinery, distribution remains a problem in Iraq, where a strong top down government mandated the oil supply.
By Sharon Behn
January 30, 2008
Increased Iraqi oil revenues stemming from high prices and improved security are piling up in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York rather than being spent on needed reconstruction projects, a Washington Times study of Iraq's spending and revenue figures has shown.
The white man in the Democratic presidential race just dropped out. But this is where Edwards will have to self-identify and check the box that best suits him:
1) Female. 2) African American
Haditha, Iraq--1/3 Marines 1st Sergeant Peter Feral greets young Iraqi children in the Anbar province.
Pajamas Media blogger Arthur Chrenkoff scrutinized the mainstream media's Iraq coverage back in 2005, documenting how disproportionately negative reporting overwhelmed stories of anything positive: 27 bad news stories for each story of progress. He recently revisited the media’s Iraq coverage and found some “stunning” changes.
Soldiers near Saddam's Sword Monument located in the Green Zone. Photo Matt Sanchez
Associated Press piece complaining troop reductions may not happen this summer as they predicted.
This is an unfortunate delusion of a press that issues an opinion and then treats that opinion as if it were a fact. We all want troops to be safe, and many believe the safest place for them is back home, but the truth is that the "surge" has actually saved lives in Iraq. I applaud the Commander-in-Chief for following for following his time-table and not the artificial schedules of those who have all of the criticism in the world and absolutely none of the responsibility.
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is sending strong signals that U.S. troop reductions in Iraq will slow or stop altogether this summer, a move that would jeopardize hopes of relieving strain on the Army and Marine Corps and revive debate over an open-ended U.S. commitment in Iraq.
A Brokeback Mountain Curse?
"People always feel compelled to sum you up, to presume that they have you and describe you," Mr. Ledger told The New York Times in an interview last year. "But there are many stories inside of me and a lot I want to achieve outside of one flat note."
By all account, including those of his fans and peers, Heath Ledger was an actor of enormous talent and versatility. Mr. Ledger began to act at the age of 16, but broke into Hollywood in a teen targeted comedy named "The Ten things I Hate about You."
Mel Gibson personally chose Ledger as his co-star for the historical American war saga, The Patriot, a block-buster success.
Shunning roles that were stereotypical, it is ironic that the 28-year old actor from Perth, Australia will be mostly remembered for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar the gay cowboy of the 2005 Oscar winning and controversial film, "Brokeback Mountain".
Just two years later, the award winning mainstream homosexual film heralded by the media to international acclaim, the film Brokeback Mountain has begun to leave an eerie legacy for those involved.
Immediately after Brokeback Mountain was passed over for best film of 2005, loosing out to the critically acclaimed film Crash, short story writer and author of the original work, Edna Annie Prouxl, sharply criticized the Academy and its members for exhibiting "insufferable self-importance", and implied the Oscars were homophobic.
Tip of the hat to CNN for doing this human interest story on a Marine, Joshua Bleill, who is beginning to adapt to his injuries. With over 30,000 veterans injured, the most important battle many wounded warriors will fight is integration back into a society that can both accommodate their needs and profit from their experience.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill lost both his legs above the knees when a bomb exploded under his Humvee while on patrol in Iraq on October 15, 2006. He has 32 pins in his hip and a 6-inch screw holding his pelvis together.
Joshua Bleill, pictured here with his girlfriend, is walking again with the aid of prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth.
Bleill, 30, is one of two Iraq war veterans, both double leg amputees, to use the Bluetooth prosthetics. Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the artificial joints so the knees and ankles move in a coordinated fashion.
Bleill's legs communicate to each other so that the knees and ankles work in a coordinated fashion.
Now, he's starting to walk again with the help of prosthetic legs outfitted with Bluetooth technology more commonly associated with hands-free cell phones.
"They're the latest and greatest," Bleill said, referring to his groundbreaking artificial legs.
Joshua Bleill, pictured here with his girlfriend, is walking again with the aid of prosthetics outfitted with Bluetooth.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, right, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, second from left, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, center,and Sen Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., left, speak to reporters at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, in Washington, after meeting with President Bush about the global market turmoil. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
No one (to speak of) opposed the the $146 billion take rebate most voters will get sometime near the 2008 election, but doesn't the Democrat acceptance of the premise that tax cuts stimulate the economy justify the measures taken to cut taxes by the current administration?
Mea Culpa. My readers are much, much more intelligent than I originally gave them credit for. I meant to name this article "al Qaida's Waterloo", but then I doubted that enough people would know what Waterloo meant.
So, I changed the Russian cold for the Texas heat. That's when I got the avalanche of emails. Several readers sent me criticism, but Garrettc put it best:
"I thought Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie and those guys at the Alamo were heroes.
My apologies. Let's just call this the result of a steep increase in traffic and really perceptive readers.
Soldiers, Iraq Army and Marines searches for AQI in the vast desert in Anbar near Lake Habbaniya
There's an offensive against al Qaida in Iraq (AQI) currently taking place near Mosul, in Northern Iraq. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has described this as a final stand for AQI.
Reuters reporter Paul Tait reports
BAGHDAD, Jan 29 (Reuters) - It is too soon to describe operations against al Qaeda in northern Iraq's Mosul as a final push because its Sunni Islamist gunmen could regroup elsewhere, the commander of U.S. forces in the area said on Tuesday.
Every single time al Qaida has been hunted, they have either dispersed or faced obliteration. Unfortunately, Paul Tait in Baghdad, over 200 miles away may never know that, since it is very difficult to grasp what is going on in Iraq from behind a computer.
How will we learn if this offensive has been effective? Simple, if the military succeeds, you just won't hear about it in the news at all.
A couple of months ago, a black Columbia University professor, aptly named Madonna Constance, was horrified to find a mini-noose hanging from her office door.
Like any academic, with a book not even her students were willing to buy, Madonna immediately alerted the media. After clearing up some confusion about the lack of a questionable British accent, within 48 hours Ms. Constance was doing the talk show circuit, including Good Morning America--a program that is always willing to put its groggy audience through a racial guilt trip first thing in the morning.
Madonna Constance's defining sound byte was "I would like the perpetrator to know I will not be silenced." Crowds cheered as they rallied behind her, now, like so many campaigns to change this or that, most or bored and have simply moved on.
The real question is why would hanging a noose from some professor's door be considered a crime in the first place, instead of a childish prank or a bad choice in office decoration.
So, they looked for a DNA sample from the rope? Does that mean employees submitted their DNA? Willingly or otherwise? Remember, this is Columbia University, these guys fight for the rights to avoid any type of IDing: illegal immigrants, potential terrorists and voters, but why let civil liberties get in the way of the fight for racial justice?
No, I don't agree with McCain on everything. But if it's a choice between him and Limbaugh, there really is no contest.--Andrew Sullivan January 24th, 2007
Between Rush and Andrew I don't think there's much of a choice.
Most conservatives are scratching their heads and saying "Sullivan who?"
For the past couple of weeks, I've had speaking engagements in Southern and Northern California. It's been tough prepping for the show at the same time. I have two more engagements to go and then I'm back home.
So, after a very successful debut, tons of traffic to this site and a couple of advertisers, I'm going to take a break and come back stronger than ever next week! We've got great shows lined up for you!
Thanks for making it
John Kerry endorses Senator Barak Obama and now Ted Kennedy. Did anyone in Washington like the Clintons? Who's next, Al Gore? The White House pastry chef?
60 Minutes interviews FBI agent, George Piro, Saddam's interrogator. It's a fascinating report that is very much worth listening too.
Let's hear Dr. Juan Hernandez, non-paid volunteer for the McCain for President campaign, in his own words.
Thanks Michelle
WASHINGTON (AP) - The woman who famously labeled Bill Clinton as the
"first black president" is backing Barack Obama to be the second.
Author Toni Morrison said her endorsement of the Democratic
presidential candidate has little to do with Obama's race - he is the
son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas - but
rather his personal gifts. That's quite an endorsement from one of the "30 Most Powerful Women in America," according to Ladies' Home Journal.
Toni Morrison (born Chloe Anthony Wofford) the winner of both Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the Nobel Prize for Literature and the author of a best selling books that made for very bad movie.
Women in Mexico will be able to ride buses that allow only female passengers. The women complained of indecent, uncivilized behavior by their male countrymen and are generally happy for the novelty of same-sex busing.
The only women respected in Mexico are mothers and the Virgin Mary--Mexican saying
Among the report's findings:
• Poverty rates, though still much higher for black and Hispanic families, dropped more dramatically than they did for whites.
• The rate of serious crimes committed by black youths fell 80% and by Hispanics 65%. Hispanic youths are less likely than whites to commit crimes or be victims.
• Obesity rates rose less for black and Hispanic children, although they remain higher than for whites.
In education, results were mixed. The report found substantial progress for minorities in preschool enrollment but little closing of gaps in reading and math test scores. The percentage of blacks and whites who earned bachelor's degrees rose sharply, but that of Hispanics barely budged.
McDonald's will serve up educational diplomas alongside Big Macs and fries.The British government will give credit for working at McDonalds.
Now, if we can only get colleges and universities to give a couple of lousy physical education credits for going through military boot camp.
Women and children by a road in Gaza near the breached border wall at the Rafah crossing into Egypt. Egyptians reported severe shortages of supplies because of the Palestinian influx.
JERUSALEM — Egyptian riot police used armored vehicles to try to restrict Gazans from taking cars into Egypt on Saturday, and the Egyptian foreign minister warned of “provocations” at the border. He said that at least 36 Egyptian security officers had been hospitalized, some in critical condition, after confrontations with Palestinians. cont
More traditional than their anglo counter-parts, Hispanics do not
agree with gay marriage, are more likely to attend church and tend to
see children as a familial blessing rather than a financial burden,
with so few liberal Latinos in the United States, why are so many
Hispanics willing to pull the lever for the bucking donkey?
In Nevada, Clinton defeated Obama 51 percent to 45. Without a doubt, the big divide was racial, with Hillary winning an estimated 64% of the Hispanic vote. In recent elections Hispanics have progressed toward the left.
Although the Democratic party scarcely represents the moral concerns of Hispanics in the United States, the party of FDR is fluent in the lingua franca of most Latin America. Populism breaks down barriers and appeals to a feudal culture that has always honored the spoils system, even to its own detriment.
This past week, January 21st through January 25th, was the No Name Calling Week. The week is sponsored by the GLSEN.
The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
"Sexual orientation or gender identity/expression" Target age group? 5-8 year olds.
Hey Teacher, Leave those kids alone! lyrics from The Wall, 1979
For 129.95, the organization offers a kit that includes a video--wonderful.
Hat tip to Jim Phelan
Marines evacuate Iraqi toddler
The 2-year-old girl from Haditha in need of life-saving open-heart surgery is now at a Nashville hospital.
Just in case people have forgotten, this is the type of threat we face.
Freedoms aren't worth a hill of beans if you're too afraid to exercise them, or too timid to defend them.
There were about 10 pictures, and this one wasn't even the winner.
The Toronto Star, a Canadian publication, bemoaned the Canadian contribution to the fight in Afghanistan. The majority of the Canadian public (59%) does not support Canadian participation in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan. Support is even more dismal in the culturally distinct French-speaking province of Quebec, where 75% are against remaining in Afghanistan.
This Spring, the United States Marines will deploy 3,200 Marines to Afghanistan for a 7 month tour. In contrast, Canada has roughly 2,500 Canadians in country, mostly in Kandahar where they run a provincial reconstruction team (PRT) and have some light infantry.
Since 2001, Canada has lost 63 soldiers in Afghanistan due to hostile actions.
Ok, I know a lot of people like Ron Paul, but he just strikes me as the "strange man" in the debate line up. Every presidential cycle, there's a strange man on either the Democrat side or the Republican side. This year, that man was Dennis Kucinich, who just dropped out of the race. Of course, Paul is much more talented than Kucinich, but they do share a of marginality that will always make them the odd man out.
I do not, however, believe Ron Paul's supporters are "legion" as Chris Matthews said, but they are a pretty dedicated bunch.
Despite being a veteran of some renown, I've always had my reservations about John McCain, but now I really have a problem with the Senator from Arizona.
Dr. Juan Hernanadez is an open-borders kind of guy that the John McCain campaign for the presidency has put on staff as a "Non-Paid Volunteer".
Dr. Hernandez is known for his comments regarding the "Mexico First"
"I want the third generation, the seventh generation, I want them all to think 'Mexico first." --Dr Juan Fernandez
Thanks to fellow WND contributor Jerome Corsi and MM for this one.
You can see Dr. Juan Hernandez in full swing here on one of his many cable news television appearances. If he sounds like a clown, it's the politicians who are laughing--at the expense of the American citizens who voted them into office. My favorite quote on the McCain Presidential bid:
The Republican Party seems thankfully to be coming out of some weird electoral alcoholic blackout, looking at McCain like a wildebeast in bed next to them, and saying “My God, what have I done?”--Pat Dollard
Guess what? The Washington Times reports most Americans feel that you should show an ID in order to vote? According to a poll recently conducted:
Two-thirds of Americans, including a majority of racial and ethnic minorities, say the government should make voters show photo identification before voting, according to a new Fox 5/The Washington Times/ Rasmussen Reports survey.
"Just another part of a broad Republican effort to undermine our fundamental right to vote." Howard Dean--Former presidential candidate.
Sorry Dean, it's just Americans trying to keep the process a fair and accurate one.
ABC News did an expose on a veteran's charity that only gave 25% of the funds collected to veterans. It's unfortunate that these things happen, but if you're really interested in giving to a charity that impacts the troops, try Operation Gratitude. They're the real deal.
There is a black and brown divide in the United States, and that divide is completely ignored by the media. This NPR piece has several Hispanic callers giving some very blunt opinions. In California, nearly 3 million Latino voters are expected to play a crucial role in the heated battle for the Democratic presidential nomination between front-runners Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. It's no secret that race will be a factor in who gets that vote. How exactly it will play out, however, is a complex matter.
After a speaking engagement, I rushed back to do the radio show. Today, we tied up some of the loose ends surrounding the Heath Ledger saga and how the media is covering it, but the big story was the brown and black divide in the United States.
Hillary Clinton is winning the Hispanic vote in record numbers, audio clips reveals how many Hispanic feel about their fellow "people of color".
A Veteran charity is accused of fraud and dragged in front of congress.
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