Sunday, April 30, 2006

The Tamed West

It's truly a shame that people can no longer find things out for themselves, but then again there have always been such. I receive a tad of mail protesting this, that, or the other thing, but struck a nerve in several recent references to whatever happened to Texas. Mostly from Texans or former Texans, or Texan-wannabe's who've been blissfully unaware that oops, honey, I shrunk the Constitution.

It's just the facts, ma'am, just the facts. Slowly but surely, Texas retreated when other states were advancing. Texans, through their elected representatives, sought to doff the mantle of Wild West, and in doing so stumbled against the Brady-like onslaught that has enslaved free men the world over.

While Texans were discovering that long forgotten back-door to the Alamo, here's what other states were up to:

“Castle Doctrine” legislation has been passed in:Florida, Indiana, Mississippi, and South Dakota.

States awaiting a Governor’s signature:Alabama and Georgia.

States where legislation has been introduced:Ohio, Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you, NEW JERSEY. New Jersey is considering Castle Doctrine, TRUE Castle Doctrine, while Texans must run back to the car whenever a place of business tacks a sign on the door saying NO GUNS ALLOWED.

And by true doctrine I refer to the kind that presumes you innocent of a crime when using deadly force even while AWAY from your domicile. If you have a legal right to be there, there becomes your de facto Castle and your FIRST duty under the law need not be to retreat.

Personally, I never liked the idea of getting shot in the back then robbed anyway, but Texans see it differently.

If this is troubling, and let's face it it should be, then get back on your hind legs and CHANGE what has gone terribly wrong. Anything that can be done can be undone, except when you've allowed horrid emasculating laws to come into being and such laws render you a dead victim.

Nearly half of the states in the Union have or are considering Castle Doctrine's so if you Texans wish to rejoin the fold of the free, then we'll welcome you back with open arms.

Just don't say that Texans are gun and 2nd Amendment friendly. Not anymore you ain't.

Gun-shaped teddy bear crackers ready to liven up wedding receptions


IMABARI, Ehime -- A paint firm here is hoping to add color to wedding receptions in Japan with a new device it has jointly developed -- a gun-shaped party cracker that shoots out a teddy bear.

Sunamiya, a paint firm based in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture, announced the development of the device, which blasts a teddy bear equipped with a parachute into the air. The teddy bear parachutes down afterwards.

Developers hit on the idea after noticing that it had become a trend for people to throw teddy bears into the air instead of bouquets at wedding receptions."

Now just imagine the hue and cry from the nanny's here should such a thing be imported. Then again, it probably wouldn't do well in the more populist states except for Florida, and forget Texas as there are so many gun laws banning this that or the other thing that might even resemble a gun, that everyone at a reception would need to be licensed to carry, and even then would stand a chance at being arrested.

Cool though.

An Old Lefty Passes On...

John Kenneth Galbraith taught at Harvard University from 1948 until his retirement in 1975, but continued to publish books on socio-economic issues.

An advocate of government action to solve social problems, he focused on issues such as the distribution of wealth in society.

He was awarded the Medal of Freedom twice, by President Truman in 1946 and President Clinton in 2000.
_____________________
A liberals wet dream, Galbraith was a longtime standard bearer of the Democratic party line which believes that minorities are inferior creatures who need all the special help they can get. It was his proficiency in spreading this new approach to racism that helped liberals in their quest to destroy the black American family, and assure a captive-audience constituency that found itself with nowhere to turn BUT government assistance for virtually every aspect of their modern-day slavelike existence.

Other than that, he was a decent guy.

Ban The Beaners Day

Bob Griggs. "Political analyst and Blogger" on Fox. Wants to boycott spanish stuff on May 5th. The chattering magpies countered with "Wow, Bob, asking people not to have margarita's is really gonna be hard!"

And that, dear reader, is why we're in deep shit. Besides having a face for radio, Mr. Griggs slow paced stutterings were better left at home in his pajamas and not used to format what bloggers or blogging is about, and the response from the magpies proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that we're doomed.

Boycotting such products would be easy for me. I detest spanish foodstuffs, don't imbibe girly drinks, and could go a day without The Cisco Kid, even though that'd be a sacrifice.

May 5th. Just say no to the beaners.

There.


Ridding myself of early morning Fox was more difficult than first imagined, but this helps. Now to order some wicked ammo.

Redneck Hybrid Vehicle


Was sitting here feeling my testosterone level drop to below zero watching Fox & Friends...the gayest programming anywhere...when I happened to click over to Pat's Born Again Redneck, and after a hearty guffaw, all is well.

Sunday Sports

Weight of the World

Mike Lupica's Shooting From the Lip: Here are the most prominent big-ticket Yankees who have not: Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, Alex Rodriguez. Have not meaning they haven't won a World Series. Have not yet, might not ever. If there is one thing we have learned the past five years at Yankee Stadium, it's that the money all these Yankees make doesn't guarantee anything anymore in baseball.
FULL STORY
__________________________
The Hobbit writing under the name Mike Lupica doesn't know a thing about sports, so we'll tell him why the Yankees underachieve year after year.

The manager. Joe Torre is the worst manager in baseball and cannot motivate modern ballplayers. Today's studs NEED motivation because doing it for the game or the fans doesn't mean diddly, and Joe clings to the quaint but erroneous notion that they'll give their all just by seeing their name on a lineup card. Time and again, teams without leadership are soundly drubbed by teams WITH leadership, and the sooner Yankee fans come to this simple understanding the sooner we'll all find peace while awaiting a real manager.

Modern Web Tech...One Giant Leap For Mankind. Backwards.

So I'm reading the morning papers online when the connection to AOL fizzles. This happens on a regular basis, so no big deal. I try to reload, and receive an error message informing me that AOL might be being blocked by some sort of firewall, and since this is impossible I close the window and switch over to Firefox. No dice. It suddenly has gone limp as well, and all this without a single deviation from the norm on my part. Imagine a car or even a toaster being as poorly designed as personal computers and access to the internet. The reason I'm still using AOL is the fact that Cox Cable's email system is a joke, and I wanted to switch my favorite places over before pulling the pin. This means writing down each web address then switching back to Cable access and bookmarking it because email doesn't arrive with any sort of regularity and I cannot just mail myself a ton of fave's. So it's off to find a new email service too, and as bad as Firefox has been I dread the thought and fully understand why so very many people continue to use America Online.

Cars as bad as all this? We'd still be hitching mules to a wagon.

Jose Can You See

"Even without the political message, however, a Spanish-language rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner is problematic. As President Bush said Friday: "I think people who want to be citizens of this country ought to learn English and ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."

For earlier generations of immigrants, assimilation into American society began with learning English. And make no mistake: Assimilation has sustained both the nation and the immigrants who have prospered here.

That doesn't mean totally abandoning one's native heritage, of course. But realizing the American dream is about more than taking advantage of better living standards and higher wages: It's about choosing to become part of a very unique, very special society."
__________________________________
Now, while I am a grownup and understand that politics is nothing if not give and take, I too have disliked George Bush's approach to the illegal immigrant problem, but disliking and not comprehending are quite different. He must pave the way for a new Republican President, and not give the Lying Libs fodder with which to confuse the dullards that comprise most of the voting block. The fence-sitters, the hemmers & hawwers that look to the media to make the decision for them. We simply cannot be staunchly Conservative anymore, those days are long lost to us, at least on the national level. But it still ticks me off when he says that it's impossible to round the criminals up, because that's what civilization does to miscreants.

Nothing in todays NY Post oped is new and improved or gives us ammunition to use against the surrender at all cost foes we fight on a daily basis, but wake up calls are necessary as well.

Assimilate or go home. This is not the United States of Mexico, never was, never will be.

I'd literally give my right arm for a man who'd be satisfied with one term as President. Someone who would step in and rally the country, if only for a short time period because NO country can be rallied forever as it's simply too confusing. I talk to "Conservatives" every day and not a one of them has clue-one about the war, the economy, the Constitution, or why gasoline prices are so high. They're the backbone of the Republican party and need a simple rallying cry to lead them.

The man who can do that CAN change things for the better. Problem is, he doesn't exist, so its back to being a grownup again, celebrating the small victories as they come along and not letting the defeats wear one down. The Republic will survive George Bush turning wishy-washy on us now and again, but it would not survive a succession of RodHams or Kerry's, and that's why he DOES bend at times.

Shrinking Superman...


Bryan Singer is the latest culprit to attempt a quick hit and run on a comic icon, but in his case I do sort of think that it isn't as much of a rape as Ang Lee did with the Hulk, as it is being clueless as to what heroism really is.

We have heroes who are bigger than life because life sucks. In sports, we pay to see people do things beyond our ken, and in escapist fare...ditto.

Enter the new and devolved Superman. Touch, feely, weepy, and it's not just because both star, Brandon Routh, and Director, are homosexuals. From the get-go, everything I've seen or heard about Superman Returns suggests that Singer, ecsconsced in the Hollyweird melodrama of tree-huggery, felt that old Supe should kvetch about in a continuing state of mope because, after all, isn't that what modern men do?

Nope. I'll wait to see it before pronouncing the thing DOA, but it looks to be even worse than I had imagined.

Saturday, April 29, 2006

So anyone tuning in knows I've been learning to drive a bus, and yesterday was the longest I spent behind the wheel yet. 5 hours of driving around and playing, and it was way neat.

So this old man gets on because I'm picking up anyone wanting a ride and of course not charging them squat. The poster boy for what a gentleman should be, he thanks me for the ride and we chat for a time. Seems that it's getting too expensive to run his air conditioning at home so he waits until the heat of day becomes oppressive then hops aboard a cool bus.

Summer hasn't yet begun, but it's Florida so high-80's to low-90's is usual for our Spring, and now I'm feeling terrible that this 80+ war vet has to leave his home to get away from the heat because energy costs are too high.

He is far from the only one. There's a subculture of such travelers, hopping from bus to bus to beat the heat. Young mothers, the elderly, the intellectually challenged. Two dollars buys an all day pass on the city buses but most drivers don't charge these folks anything.

So the old man rode with me for a time and we talked about life in his day, and my day, and this day. He held his dignity on a level beyond reproach but I could sense his sadness of a time lost, a culture long removed from pleasantry for the sake of pleasantry, and decency as it's own reward. I took him close to a small lake, and he got off to walk by the cool shoreline. He offered that it would be nice to see me again, and I agreed, so I'll be looking for him whenever I drive and he'll pass the fare box with a small smile and a wink at my small act of generosity.

Attention All Floridians: From the NRA...

BACKGROUND:

HB-129 Protects your right to have a firearm in your vehicle for lawful purposes and to park your vehicle in parking lots.Carrying firearms in a vehicle for hunting, target shooting or protection of yourself and your family obviously means you can leave that firearm locked in the vehicle in a parking lot when you go grocery shopping, to the doctor's office, to the movie, to visit a sick friend in the hospital, to rent a movie, to the shoe store or anywhere else normal people travel to conduct business.Florida law, the U.S. Constitution, and the Florida Constitution clearly and unequivocally give law abiding citizens to have firearms in their vehicles for lawful purposes.

Since there are CURRENTLY NO PENALTIES for violating to law, numerous businesses are violating the law and are banning firearms in their parking lots.

Some are even searching private vehicles that park in parking lot that are open to the public. Their gun ban policies apply to customers and employees.

How can anyone justify telling a woman who is being stalked that she can't have a firearm for protection? In many cases police tell these women to get a gun for protection because police can't be there to protect her -- and calling 911 is nothing more than government sponsored dial-a-prayer.

A business owner or manager has no more right to say you can't have a firearm in your private vehicle than they have a right to say you can't have a pair of sun glasses, an umbrella, a Bible or a baby seat.

Such an anti-gun political exercise is not good business sense. They want your money but don't respect your rights.Businesses are not allowed to discriminate against employees and customers because of race, religion, political party, color of eyes, hair or weight. And they certainly can't discriminate because of the exercise of lawful self-defense. And, make no mistake, these gun ban policies are blatant discrimination against people who chose to exercise a constitutional right and take responsibility for their own safety.

National Rifle Association
Institute for Legislative Action
_______________________________
Lots of silly businesses will try and act tough about their ban on firearms, but in Florida that's all they can do, is act.

ANY business can, however, ask you to leave the premises but this is a touchy subject because they just can't decide who not to serve, and certainly trying to eject a minority who is breaking no law wouldn't be looked favorably upon by the local police who have enough problems without enforcing store policies.

Once law enforcement arrives, it's a law enforcement problem, and the cop wants to know who broke what law. When a dumbass Wal-Mart Manager says, "Well, that customer is carrying a gun," 99.9% of all officers will check for the proper permit, then ask the store rep once again as to what LAW was being broken.

Cops are NOT paid to enforce business practices, but CAN and WILL arrest you for disturbing the peace if all else fails and you're acting like a retard. The best thing to do is remain calm and polite and tell whomever is accosting you that concealed is concealed and you are breaking no law. A great many company's do not have corporate policies banning guns, but a lot of brain dead store managers do not know this...believe me on this as I was told by a Lowes manager that guns weren't permitted in the store...and will hassle you whenever the need to act like a real man or macho-dyke becomes too overwhelming to overcome.

If you ARE asked to exit, then the best thing is to do so. Plain and simple. In Florida, you've broken no law but arguing and/or threatening some jerkwad can and will get you into trouble with the local yokels.

Take your business elsewhere, case closed.

Second Round Jets

Yeah I know, when did this become a sports blog, but the Jets are near and dear so here's who they selected in the 2nd round:

NFL.com - Prospect Profiles

Kellen Clemens
Height: 6-2Weight: 223
40 Speed: 4.75 E
Position: Quarterback
College: Oregon
Final Grade: G 6.3 INJ

"Clemons is a very smart and fundamentally sound quarterback with a very quick and compact release and when he strides into his throws, he can make all the throws with very good zip. Clemons shows impressive ability to consistently step up and make big plays -- mostly with his arm, but occasionally with feet -- when it matters most; even vs. heavy pressure/blitzes. For Clemons to become the starter he is capable of being, he needs to stride into every throw he makes and do a better job of not forcing throws when he feels he has to make the big play. Overall, Clemons will probably get drafted much lower than anticipated, but he has the ability to become a very good NFL starter. Aside from Matt Leinart, Clemons might be the only other quarterback who is more ready mentally to step into the NFL and contribute early in his career."

I sort of like the pick because this young man appears to be the quintessential backup QB, and maybe even lightning in a bottle.

He has the brains, the ability, and the toughness to fit into a West-Coast style offense, or any offense really, but isn't Grade-A, Sure-Fire stuff.

Then again, few are.

The Animated Glock

Super cool glock in action

If It's Saturday, Then It's Time For:

Science Versus Creationism...

But Which Version Of Creation?

There's a lot of them, so we'll list the top ones and you can decide for yourself which Intelligent Design should be taught along with science:

Norse?

Before the earth (Midgard) was created there was the world of Muspell, a fiery place ruled by Surt, a giant dude with a giant sword. There was this other place called Niflheim and it was just one big glacier. Well, both worlds collided and from the steam there emerged a giant cow who licked things and changed them into other things and from these other things cameth the earth. One day the giant cow and the giant dude noticed that people were walking around, and thought to themselves, how frickin' cool is THIS.

Zoroastrianism?

There was this gigunda god called Ahura Mazda, and no, he didn't make cars, he made earth. The first animal was a beautiful white bull but an evil demon ate the bull and from the bulls seed all sorts of interesting things began to grow. People were one of these things, but the evil demon was still around and ate their children but they went and hid and had more children, and many theologists believe that the first kids were liberals and that's why the demon ate them but this has never really been proven.

Born in Babylonia, Moved To Arizonia?

The god of fresh water ran into the god of salt water, and pow, lotsa gods began springing up. Trouble was, the younger gods make one helluva racket and neither the water god nor the salt god could get any sleep so the salt water god killed alla the younger gods and the fresh water god was SO pissed he created monsters to guard any new gods that happened to stop by. Well, then. Lots of infighting and god wars made the gods and the monsters pretty pooped out, so they created man to do the dirty work like farming, and fishing and running for office as a Democrat.

Chariots Of The Gods Or Just Plain Old Egyptians?

Now the Egyptians had so many creation myths nobody even knows how many there were, but one day this god willed himself into being, and finding he had no place to stand, created the earth. He spat out a sun, chundered up a daughter, and bade them to sort all this stuff out and get back to him. They workedreally really hard and when the father god saw all they had done he started to cry, and from his tears sprang forth mankind. Later on he had to relive himself, and from this stream sprang forth leftists.

The Aztec Two-Step?

The earth mother was this gal so into snakes that she dressed like one, and all was cool until one day she was knocked up by an obsidian knife. From this copulation there sprang the goddess of the moon and 400 sons she sent to the sky to become stars. She stayed far far away from obsidian knives, but one day a feather fell from the sky and, yep, the feather knocked her up too. This time around, a giant sword-wielding dude...in full armor...comes out and he is really really ticked off that he's not an only child so he kills the goddess of the moon, but not to make mommy super-dee-duper pissed, he hurls the decapitated head as high into the sky as he can and it becomes the moon. The rest of her is one big mess and he doesn't want mom to see the carnage, so he buries it and there it stayed underground until Howard Dean sprang forth to run for the Presidency.

China? Gods That Need To Be Worshipped, Then Worshipped AGAIN an Hour Or So Later...

There was this frickin' huge ass cosmic egg that took scazillions of years to hatch, but when it did, the first being emerged, and the leftover yolk became the earth. Now, this wasn't all that steady a place to stand...being an icky old yolk and all... so the dude hadda stand around in one place for a while holding up the sky and making sure the yolk didn't just fall apart, and as he stood there he got a wicked case of the fleas and when he finally died the fleas turned into humans. Some of these flea-people STAYED more like fleas than people and so the Kennedy family name was born.

Made In Japan?

The gods got lonely as all gods get lonely when all they have to play with are other gods, so they created people. They figured that a man and a woman would be so cool because then they wouldn't have to strain themselves making any MORE people because the people could make each other. Well, lotsa problems arose as every time they tried to marry these people to one another the female would speak first and that wouldn't do so they got pissed and made more gods instead of people until the people finallygot the marriage ceremony down pat where the woman would STFU until spoken to. Now remember, this was long,long before Nancy Pelosi so give the dudes a break. How could they EVER expect what was to come...

Hindu? Check It Out Though, Broads With All Them Hands...

One day the gods noticed that holy shit, this one being they had created was growing so large he threatened to engulf the entire earth...but no, this wasn't Michael Moore but you were close...so the gods had to sacrifice the dude. Problem was, the parts took on a life all their own and from his genitals sprang Shiva the Destroyer who wastes the earth to cinders every 4 and a half billion years or so, and we're half the frig way there since the last extinction so vote Republican while you can.

The Greeks! Yay Hercules!

Okay, so there was the earth mother, Gaia. Like all broads she got super cold all the time so she created Uranus, the sky, to protect her frozened little feetsies. And not only was Uranus warm he was damned fertile, and word has it the dude was like huge ya know, and from this union sprang all kinds of gods and monsters, and Titans, until finally Zeus came along and was sick of seeing old mom screwing the neighborhood to beat the band and took the whole gig over for himself. The Titans just wouldn't settle down though, so Zeus dug this frickin' huge ass hole in the ground and tossed them in. Problem is, the hole turned out to be where the New Orleans levees were, so when they melted away the Titans jumped out, free at last to tell the media how the whole thing was the Presidents fault, but to the President credit, he didn't do like Zeus and just sent them off to Congress where there were plenty of people with experience in dealing with horrible bickering monsters.

Judeo-Christian-Islam...The Latest And Most Fought Over...

Within Genesis there are two tales of how god made it all, sort of a - well then, would you believe this? God says let there be light, works his butt off for 6 days then clocks out for a much needed rest. In the second version, god makes Adam but after a time Adam gets lonely so god sneaks up on him while he's sleeping and steals a rib so's he can make Eve. And we ALL know how that worked out. The devil remembers how much trouble the Japanese had with the gals not listening to their masters,and he's pissed that god has these new toys to play with and isn't even calling him anymores, so he entices her into eating god's favorite apples and that's all she wrote. They left the Garden of Eden, had lotsa kids that coupled with one another and they had lotsa other kids. Some were obviously retarded due to all of this inbreeding and they became the line that begat liberals.

What are the odds...

Of dying from the following, over the course of the average lifetime:

Falls: 1 in 229
Auto: 1 in 228
Drowning: 1 in 1,081
Obstruction of the respiratory tract: 1 in 1,267
Accidental poisoning: 1 in 212
Firearms: 1 in 315
Fire: 1 in 1,471
Knifing: 1 in 1,796
Airplane: 1 in 5,704
Dog bite: 1 in 206,944
Lightning strike: 1 in 56,439

And now that the Hillary RodHam's have been notified that falls kill more folks than firearms, be on the lookout for Anti-Fall legislation banning ladders or stepstools over 6" in height.

Betcha.

Saturday's: How Dumb Can You Get

ESPN talking heads on the injuries to Lendell (intentional SP because of the problems all 5 "men" had pronouncing such a hard name) White:

"...it's not like his hamstring problem is a chronic one, he's had it his entire career..."

Cookie Cuts To The Chase

Funny Pictures

D'Jets D'Pick D'Brickshaw D'4th

Sure he has a ludicrous name, it's obligatory given the circumstances, but this young man is projected to be a stalwart left tackle for years to come. He has plenty of time to flesh out his 6'6" frame past the lightweight 310 lbs he carried while rah-rah'ing, and the Jets next move is to tell him "EAT."

Center Nick Mangold is who they took at 29th, and if Mangold can stay roughly the size of his Mom he'll be okay, but here's a 6'3" 300 pounder who is far too undersized to start in the NFL, but has the skills to carry another 40 pounds once they get him on a pro "conditioning" program.

Undersized, but athletic linemen. Always an iffy choice in the NFL given the size and athleticism of modern defenses.

They're up again soon and we'll update their selection at 35.

UPDATE

Being the Jets, they couldn't help themselves and traded the 35th pick for future junk. This of course reflects the owner wanting to save some bucks for now, and bodes ill for the team. Not that anything would bode well for this misfit organization, but a fan can hope that their questionable draft day has SOME impact.

They needed a running back and a quarterback, could use a tight end, had two #1's and got zilch.

The Corner At NRO

OIL PRICE 'GOUGING' [Andrew Stuttaford]
Andrew Sullivan: “…conservative government really is dead, isn't it? A conservative government would simply say: we have no control over global oil prices; consumers reap what they sow; companies should be left alone; and if your wallet is empty because of all that gas in your SUV, you've learned a useful lesson in self-government. If only Margaret Thatcher were around to punctuate that lecture with a swipe of her handbag.”
Indeed.

Well. Saying that "we have no control" sort of dimisses the very reason for a government. One of the reasons for us banding together to form this thing called society has always been to prevent the gouging of necessary goods, and if milk or bread prices went sky high there'd be more investigations than one could shake a stick at. Of course, the wealthy could still afford such gouging, and such is the case with energy costs. But I've never much liked the idea of the very young or elderly suffering because of inflation. Yes, it is a free economy, and yes, Europe pays more but don't embarass yourself with comparing us to Europe. Who in all hells CARES what Europe does or doesn't do. We've the means to extricate ourselves from this predicament, have had so for quite some time, but the wealthy Loons want there to be a specific line drawn in the sand between them and those less fortunate. They've done it time and again throughout history and the only thing preventing them from continuing this establishment of a multi-tiered class system is to vote out the scum who protect them and vote in the patriots who'd protect the country.

'Cause if you think that those edumacated liberals really and truly believed in The China Syndrome, and thats why they defeated nuclear power, then there's this really neat bridge that can be had for a song....
Lost yet another lengthy post to Bloggers fuckclinations, and am mightily pissed. Doesn't do me any good to try saving it elsewhere on this pc as it hasn't the memory to multitask without rebooting the whole shebang, so I, and all of us really, keep plugging away with this piece of trash.

Something You Don't See Everyday Part B

".. two officers approached the young man near a bus stop. Though the man was suspected of being armed, the officers did not see a weapon, so at first they planned to restrain him.
When the man turned to face them, the officers ordered him to get on the ground and show his hands.

The warning, Kimerer said, was heard by several witnesses.

Instead of complying, "the suspect reached behind his back with both hands," he said.
Out came a revolver, police officers said.

The officers ordered the man to drop the gun. Instead, police said, he squared up against them. "The officers returned fire in response to that deadly threat," Kimerer said.

Both officers, armed with Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic handguns, fired. One fired four shots; the second, three shots.

One of those bullets ended up in the gunman's gun -- jammed into the cylinder of his revolver. The department released photos Wednesday showing the cracked brass of a bullet shoved out of the rear of one chamber.

Fire medics arrived but were unable to revive the man."

Don't ya just love happy endings?

Friday, April 28, 2006

Something You Don't See Everyday....

First generation Glock-17. Rusted to all hells. Idjit "left it" in a rain barrel. Yeah, right. Spend $500 for a gun then toss it in a tub of water. "Honey, did you see where I put my new G-17?"

Most likely a Glock-basher willing to go to extremes just to make a dumb point.

And A Quick Glance Down Under...

Australian Fashion Week Brought To You By The Mainichi Daily News...

"Nude models with bodies painted to resemble Chinesdresses marked the opening of 11th Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.Japan's Akira Isogawa opened the fashion week at a kung fu academy in Australia's biggest city.
Organizers claim that Australian Fashion Week is one of the biggest fashion events in the world."We have a place now amongst Paris, Milan, New York and London," AFW founder Simon Lock told the Australian Associated Press."

Indeed. Australia. Big Event. Dozens from around the entire world likely to attend.

And Now A Message From...

The Right Revered Dr. Fits, of the First Church Of The Gooey Death And Discount House Of Worship...

The NFL Draft

Texans Snub Bush, Sign DE Mario Williams

The Houston Texans got the NFL draft off to a stunning start a day early, bypassing Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush and instead signing defensive end Mario Williams with the No. 1 pick Friday night. Houston started negotiating with both Williams and Bush this week.

This is something Badanov made the call on yesterday, and ain't I the lucky one for not having the time to comment that no way the Texans DON'T select Bush:

"Mario Williams, as a second new defensive end could make a difference immediately for the Texans. Bush could well take a whole season or two to develop, but Williams can make plays now."

With Bush back in the picture, this could throw the rest of the selection process into total chaos. Like pro football isn't ALREADY total chaos, right. Bush is a scatback, and behind the right line could turn into something very special, but as Bad said, some teams might very well want their star NOW. Whatever, the first round is going to be a doozy.
Chirac calls for fund to aid Palestinians


Jacques Chirac, the French president, proposed it on Friday before he met Mahmoud Abbas, his Palestinian counterpart in Paris.
Jerome Bonnafont, Chirac's spokesman, said France would raise the issue during talks on May 9 with the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia - the four international players behind the stalled "road map" peace plan.
Ghazi Hamad, the Hamas administration spokesman, said salary payments "should be co-ordinated with the government", to prevent what he called "the creation of a second government".
Omar Abdelrazek, Hamas finance minister, said: "In principle we don't have a problem with that. But we have to talk about the details and preserve the rights of the ministry of finance to control and oversee all the financial procedures."

How absolutely sporting of them. They don't have a problem with taking an undeserved handout, as long as their "finance minister" gets to have a say. That's like asking Tony Soprano to run the US Mint.

This is how the EUrinals get tough with terrorists. And Hamas isn't even threatening to build nuclear facilities, so one can only begin to imagine what France and the rest will offer Iran.
MUSLIMS IN ORBIT

"Next year, we’re told, Malaysia will be sending a Muslim astronaut into space via the Russian space program. This poses several tricky problems for the Malaysian government's efforts to promote what it calls “Islam Hadhari,” or civilized Islam. This variation encourages Muslims to embrace education, science and technology. About equality for women and such other basics, we’re not told…

Consider the busy day of an astronaut, and know that a Muslim on board the space station will be confounded by the fact that he experiences more than a dozen sunrises and sunsets within each 24 hours, each event requiring that an appropriate prayer be offered. He’ll be very busy. And, since Muslims always wash before they pray, and water is a precious substance in space, attempting to wash up is also expensive and impractical, especially in weightlessness, where the water will be distributed all over the place.

Even before facing those difficulties, facing Mecca – essential for prayer – will be pretty tough in zero-gravity, and may lead to catastrophic spinning of the devotee as he tries to keep pointing toward a rapidly-moving target below."

More such untomfoolery can be found at James Randi's site, but caveat; Islam isn't the only religion that gets it's share of debunkery.

Time To Play: How Fast Could YOU Get A Japanese Restauranteur To Make A Beeline To The Dark Continent...

400 Dead Dolphins Found Off African Coast

Testing...

Mexico. Immigrants. Illegal Aliens. Hard Core Pornography. Bush-Haters. Arlen Sphincter, strike that, Spector, Ann Coulter Haters, The NFL Draft, The NY Yankees, Military Recruitment On Campus, Iran and Nukular Weapons, Mail Order Brides From Sweden, Illegal Automatic Weapons, Cocaine Addiction, Japanese Porn...

There.

Let's see Google try and figure out which ads to run after seeing that.
Limbaugh Arrested in Fla. on Drug Charges
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Rush Limbaugh was arrested Friday on prescription drug charges, law enforcement officials said. Limbaugh turned himself in to authorities on a warrant issued by the state attorney's office, said agency spokeswoman Teri Barbera. The conservative radio commentator came into the jail at about 4 p.m. with his attorney Roy Black and was released an hour later on $3,000 bail, Barbera said.

The warrant was for fraud to conceal information to obtain prescription, Barbera said.

For the nonce, nonce and a quarter, that's all the news thats fit to print on the subject, but I'm sure those with many more ears to the ground will be presenting updates ASAP. All I get is hate-mail from commies and letters from crazy Jay wanting to know if I remember where he stashed his spare chrono screens, but I'll be listening as well.

Stop The ACLU Wants You...

To comment upon the threat level that Iran has reached, and...

"Another factor that can not be left out when putting your hopes into the UN is that Russia and China both have their own interests at heart, and to say it nicely…trusting either of these two Nations would be a gamble."

Both Russia and China NEED Iranian energy. Both Russia and China would HATE to see Iran reduced to one area after another of nothing but fields of green glass, so of course neither has allowed "suitrcase nukes" to fall into Iranian hands, blackmarket or otherwise. The nanosecond after such a detonation in the US, or Israel, or on the soil of ANY ally, the brainiacs are determining from whence the fissionable material came, and who to blame.

It is a high stakes game, well of course. TOO high for either commie faction to help kindle a nuclear exchange just because the mullahs want their virgins. That's why the raghats need personalized bombs. Won't help them in doing anything but scaring the ever loving shit out of Europe, but scaring the every loving shit out of Europe is, for centuries on end, what EVERY maniac has done so why should the Iranians be any different. But if a big bomb goes off, the red phones begin ringing off the hook in Peking and Moscow and say farewell to the suddenly all-alone sand fleas.

How To Keep A Moron Occupied....

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL

ATTENTION:

YOUR SPYWARE DOCTOR SUBSCRIPTION HAS EXPIRED. IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE USING OUR SERVICE, PLEASE REPLY BEFORE MAY 1ST, 2006.

Democrats Oppose Voter Registration....

...But only when the registrees happen to be gun owners and therefore prone to hating their commie pinko asses, as is evidenced by this tidbit from the NRA...

A bill supported by the National Rifle Association and Unified Sportsmen of Florida to help more hunters and fishermen get registered to vote passed the Florida Legislature today and is on its way to Governor Jeb Bush (R) for his signature.

HB-125 Sponsored by Representative Greg Evers (R-Milton) in the House and Senator Carey Baker (R-Eustis) in the Senate will offer people who buy resident hunting and fishing licenses three new opportunities to register to vote.

1. People who purchase a hunting or fishing license by phone will have the opportunity to have a voter registration form mailed to them.

2. People purchasing a hunting or fishing license online will have a link that takes them to a voter registration site.

3. People who purchase a hunting or fishing license from an agent authorized to sell hunting and fishing licenses, will be asked if they would like a voter registration application to take home and fill out and mail in later.

The bill passed the House 110-6 and passed the Senate 31-8Similar legislation passed last year in Georgia.Special thanks go to Senate President Tom Lee (R-Brandon) and House Speaker Allan Bense (R-Panama City) for helping move this legislation.Thanks also go to Co-sponsors.SENATE(CO-SPONSORS) Senator Burt Saunders (R)HOUSE (CO-SPONSORS) Representatives Bob Allen (R); Dennis Baxley(R); Donna Clarke (R); Don Davis (R); Nancy Detert (R); Bill Galvano (R); Michael Grant (R); Gayle Harrell (R); Alan Hays (R); Will Kendrick (D); Paige Kreegel (R); John Legg(R); Richard Machek (D); Sheri McInvale (R); Dave Murzin (R); Mitch Needelman(R); Bill Proctor (R); Julio Robaina (R); Ray Sansom (R); Trey Traviesa (R); Baxter Troutman (R)

THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST THE BILL IN THE HOUSE: Representatives Susan Bucher (D), Ken Gottlieb (D), Bob Heinriquez (D), Arthenia Joyner (D), Eleanor Sobel (D), Priscilla Taylor (D)

THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST THE BILL IN THE SENATE: Senators Larcinia Bullard (D), Mandy Dawson (D), Steve Geller (D), Tony Hill (D), Les Miller (D), Nan Rich (D) Gary Siplin (D) Frederica Wilson (D)

Annie Of The Sharp Tongue...

"I would be more interested in what the Democrats had to say about high gas prices if these were not the same people who refused to let us drill for oil in Alaska, imposed massive restrictions on building new refineries, and who shut down the development of nuclear power in this country decades ago.

But it's too much having to watch Democrats wail about the awful calamity to poor working families of having to pay high gas prices. Imposing punitive taxation on gasoline to force people to ride bicycles has been one of the left's main policy goals for years.

For decades Democrats have been trying to raise the price of gasoline so that the working class will stop their infernal car-driving and start riding on buses where they belong, while liberals ride in Gulfstream jets.

The last time the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the presidency was in 1993. Immediately after trying to put gays in the military and socialize all health care, Clinton's next order of business was to propose an energy tax on all fuels, including a 26-cent tax on gas. I think the bill was called "putting people first in line at the bus station."

Al Gore defended the gas tax, vowing that it was "absolutely not coming out" of the energy bill regardless of "how much trouble it causes the entire package."

The important thing was to force Americans to stop their infernal car-driving, no matter how much it cost. And mind you, this was before we knew Gore was clinically insane. Back then we thought he was just a double-talking stuffed shirt who seemed kind of gay.

The Democrats' only objection to current gas prices is that the federal government's cut is a mere 18.4 cents a gallon. States like New York get another 44 cents per gallon in taxes. The Democratic brain processes the fact that "big oil companies" get nearly 9 cents a gallon and thinks: WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THAT MONEY!"

And while we're on the subject of what camel-molestors do in their spare time....

Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler » Blog Archive » And the Gifts Keep Rolling In

Misha's joint was hit with an attack by unfriendly A-rab types. Yeah, yeah, there ain't no such a thing as FRIENDLY A-rab types but you get my drift.

PS: Congrats, Misha. 5 mill is awesome, man.

So What Does One DO With An Over-Abundance Of Camel Porn?

Arab-Centric Internet Portal to Be Launched This Year

Javid Hassan, Arab News
RIYADH, 28 April 2006 — The first Arab-centric Internet search engine will be launched this year to meet the needs of the Internet users in their own language.

Yummy. Think'a all them How-To blogs describing what can be made from sand and camel shit.

If it's Friday, then it's that time again for...

Can't Make This Shit Up

Attempts suicide on Death Row, wants $35M from jailers


Ronnie Joe Neal, who got to Texas's Death Row by committing a particularly heinous sex murder, says Bexar County jailers didn't act speedily enough to save him after he attempted suicide by downing 50 prescription tablets. So he wants $35 million in his civil rights lawsuit, in which he's represented by attorney James Myart. (Ken Rodriguez, "Alamo Heights teacher's killer wants $35 million worth of 'justice'", San Antonio Express-News, Apr. 21). Similar: Apr. 17.
Funding a Dinosaur to Try To Finish the Space Station

"This year, NASA has $4.8 billion for the shuttle and plans to fly twice. It hopes to fly 17 times in all before retiring the orbiter in 2010 and replacing it with a new spaceship. NASA, supposedly the most forward-looking agency in the federal government, is using the biggest single chunk of its budget to fund a dinosaur.
But the agency has no choice:"
________________________________
Of course the agency had a choice.

When asked why we need a shuttle, we're told it's to get things to the space station. When asked why we need a space station, we're told it's to have a place for the shuttle to dock.

The reality is we "need" neither, but the Russians are pissed that we keep asking them to fly missions to the station when they could be fleecing Europe or the Japanese for lots more money.

The Shuttle was the way to go back in the days when everyone knew how dangerous space travel was, and that those aboard were brave astronauts risking their lives at every launch. When we needed test pilots to break the sound barrier, one in four perished, were given hero's funerals and had High Schools named after them, and progress marched along at a steady pace.

But now the nanny-generation is in charge, had the abject stupidity to send a school teacher into space, and when her atoms were blasted across the Pacific they recoiled in shock as if they didn't get the memo on just how tough all of this was going to be. Out of sight-out of mind flight programs are continuing under the weepy radar, and yes, we're still losing brave men to the demon in the sky, but the shuttle is doomed because it isn't 100% safe, and safe is what the loon media has convinced soccer-mom-america is the only way to travel.

Shut the shuttle. Up the ante to the Russkies if we really want that white-elephant station, but spend the money on it's successor rather than flights that cost billions and return zero.
There've been several things I've wished to comment upon but can't seem to find the time, and now I sound like a soccer mom so cut THAT shit out. But seriously, devoting 11 hours a day to learning a new "trade" while still being husband and yadda yadda has been time consuming and it's my fault for not learning how to better allocate my resources, but I'm working on it. Last year I blogged through a broken arm and one handed typing wasn't much fun but at least I got to see what it must be like for those that frequent porn sites. Shit happens. Active people break and sprain and generally fuck things up, and "active" and "internet" don't belong in the same dictionary so when one area has to suffer it's the webside of life.

The high speed connection really helps but there are 2 of us in this house and now it's on to figuring our how to network our pc's. It's that or hogtie Lisa. Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea so see you guys later.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Blogburst Thursday

This is not a subject near and dear to my heart, because I cannot even begin to understand it, and such lack of understanding makes commenting in anything resembling a coherent manner impossible.

We're talking child pornography here, the real McCoy and not some 35 year-old dressed as a teenager to fool the rubes at some slut web site.

Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » ACLU Policy To Legalize Child Porn Distribution

Liberals are human too, some of them, probably, and deserve a watchdog organization of their very own, so I give them that much.

But how anyone could support a group in favor of decriminalizing the possession of child porn is beyond my ken.

Early Runs

Still learning one run after another and will be practicing some mores with different buses today. After the 40' ers everything else is pretty much a piece of cake, but it's a good time to learn stuff since the UF campus shrinks starting today and one may drive in and out of those diminutive streets without fear of squishing the kids.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

At long last: A reason to admire China...

Tempest in a D-cup as bust sizes grow

BEIJING (Reuters) - Bra producers have been forced to offer bigger cup-sizes in China because improved nutrition is busting all previous chest measurement records.
Study shows secret to gas-free beans

Now if they could only get them to apply for citizenship like everyone else...

Who Am I...

I was going to include a sample of the grief heaped upon me by the little people of other blogs; you know, the ones that disagree with me, or the ones that don't think I shit strawberry ice cream; in other words, the clueless dregs of society who've yet to give in to what their higher cognitive functions have been trying to tell them. There's really only one opinion necessary in this world, and that of course is mine, so posting the detritus that tries passing as wisdom would only confuse you, dear sycophant, because YOU know full well how amazing I am and wouldn't understand anything remotely resembling criticism directed my way.

And I rarely publicly thank anyone for anything, at least not in any manner that could be even loosely construed as a heads-up, way-to-go, sort of thing, but I'm going to break ranks with myself for this one time, and this one time only, because certain cretins have cast doubt upon my ability to do anything other than whine and complain. So, taking a deep breath, here goes:

Since it's nearing Mother's Day, thank you, Mom. Sort of. You really could have done better, just take a look at my siblings, but since I turned out so wonderful I do suppose you might have had some small say in the matter, so thanks for giving what scant love and affection as you could summon given your obvious failings.

See? And there are those who would aver I am heartless, insensitive, and so full of myself as to be nearing absolute meltdown.

They ain't seen nothing yet.

The above is not intended to resemble any person, living or dead, and if you are led to believe so then stop reading you-know-who's blog, get a life, and it really wouldn't hurt to take stock in who you are spending your cyber time with.

Pithy Pundits Pelt Parisans

Why do seagulls fly upside down over France?

There's nothing worth shitting on.

It'll be hilarious....

...When organized crime family's finally wise-guy up and get the ACLU working on promoting THEM as worthy of amnesty, for they won't be miscreants any longer but UNDOCUMENTED TAX COLLECTORS. Or UNDOCUMENTED SAVINGS AND LOANS. Or UNDOCUMENTED PROTECTION AGENCY'S.

The list is, after all, an endless one if we give in to the ludicrous assertion that not only does crime pay, but it's free ice cream and pony rides as long as you get Hollywood and the liberal media on your side to scare the ever loving shite out of our spineless representatives.

Who themselves are really nothing more than DOCUMENTED conmen.

Conpersons, you say?

The Worms Are Turning...

Domestic Violence Against Men Increasing: NSHR

Arab News
JEDDAH, 27 April 2006 — The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has sounded an alarm bell about the increasing instances of domestic violence against men being reported in the Kingdom.

An increasing number of men have been complaining about their wives beating them up or pouring boiling oil on them, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday.
______________________________
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Ahem. Why, this is tragic.

Beaner Tidbits For A Slow Thursday...

Did You Know That

* In 2002 Mexico earmarked only 6.1 percent of its GDP for health care. Mexico trailed Argentina (8.9%), Barbados (6.9%), Brazil (7.9%), Colombia (8.1%), Costa Rica (9.3%), Cuba (7.50 %), El Salvador (8.0%), Haiti (7.6%), and Nicaragua (7.9%).

* Mexico devoted just 5.3 percent of GDP to education in 2002, behind Barbados (7.6%), Cuba (9%), Honduras (7.2%), and Uruguay (8.5%).

And stop already with the "oh but they're so good at picking stawberries", argument because lots of nations compete with the US on agricultural products and as of last time anyone checked, Mexicans weren't sneaking into Spain to frig with the olive plantations. Yes, LOCAL businesses do need some sort of assistance to help them after we kick the wetbacks out, but that should be part and parcel of the planning of such a deal, and NOT a valid fight against it.

They come here for the work, yes, but the freebies are one hell of an attraction, too.

How else do you explain why anyone in their right mind would live in New Orleans. The jobs? Or the socialist give-away programs that allow 400 lb mothers to stay on food stamps bacause they're starving poor folk.

Ranting Rotties

If all of this kick-the-illegal-swine-beaners out of the country is beginning to bore you, then okay, and mea cupla. Kick the illegal-swine-asians out as well. Billions for Iraq and rounding up criminals here in the US of A is too much trouble? If I were the Mafia I'd be asking the ACLU to begin legal proceedings on why THEY get tracked down arrested, and prosecuted when the south of the border crowd gets a free lunch. Is it because American crooks are Americans and not some liberals wet dream?

Where was I...

Okay then. Misha sums things up rather swell, as is his modus operandi. That's Latin. REAL Latin, and not the name of some group who thought be calling Spanish wasn't good enough.

Ground Zero

Let the building begin. After weeks of being accused of holding Ground Zero hostage, developer Larry Silverstein gave in yesterday - agreeing to limit his role in the project and allow the rebirth of the hallowed site to get under way. The mammoth complex could be finished by 2012 - some 11 years after the attacks that shook the city.
FULL STORY


Why DOES the NY Daily News despise Larry Solverstein?

Easy. It's parent company, a HUGE development firm, is set to lose millions of square feet of office space in NY over the next few years, and getting Larry out of the WTC picture would be a windfall. Sure the News is also a Liberal rag and anything that Bloomberg desires, it barks for, but this is also about money and lots of it.

Leave it to the Loons to ALWAYS put their cravings over the national interest. Those buildings meant a lot more to ALL of America than just a place to park a word processor.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

And yet another nonsense/farce that I found lurking in the Google ads at the bottom of this page.

New World Order

Someone actually PAID to advertise this shit?

Bush and the Pope in cahoots to rule the world.

Too frickin hilarious.

This was too funny to pass up...

Drizzle drazzle druzzle dromb...time for these frigs to be bombed...

GLOBAL JIHAD
Islamist protest in N.Y. –
'Mushroom cloud on way'

Rally at Israeli consulate features pictures
of Muslim flags flying over White House


Yes, they were chanting unintelligible claptrap beyond the powers of a super-translator to decipher, and it made as much sense as Mr. Peabody signaling the Way-Back machine.

Busy Day Manana

Will be up and out of the house at the crack of dawn, and don't know precisely when I'll be returning, so pre-pardon the paucity of postings for Wednesday.

Snow-Job To Begin Wednesday...

Bush Taps Tony Snow for Press Secretary
Host of FOX News Talk's 'The Tony Snow Show' to be named to White House post, FNC confirms

The rumors were true, and jovial Tony will be announced sometime tomorrow morning.

"Snow told FOX News' Bill O'Reilly last week that he was considering the job, but realized that it would come with a lot of responsibility, time away from his family, a "massive cut" in pay and other demands."

Pretty much a lightweight with regards to what Conservatives consider someone with GRAVITAS (check with PJ Media for the precise definition of the word) to be, Tony will probably handle the job quite well, and hey, he's no spring chicken just starting out, and will find easy work after this administration closes shop, but that's one cool deal for the old resume.

Mail From Michelle...

"I'm excited to introduce you to Hot Air--a conservative Internet broadcast network I launched this week with a team of multi-talented bloggers. (Press release here.)

Internet video is booming. Apple’s iTunes store has sold a gazillion videos since its debut. YouTube gets more traffic than the New York Times web site. And politically-oriented web video is on the rise:

* Google teamed up with Al Gore’s Current TV network to provide Google Current.* Amazon.com teamed up with left-wing comedian Bill Maher for an online talk show.* iTunes offers a discount price for Comedy Central’s liberal Daily Show.* AOL joined with the Huffington Post to provide Contagious Festival, a collection of conservative-bashing short movies.
These efforts have one thing in common: they are all produced by liberals for liberals. I began Hot Air in part to bring more balance to the videoblogging world. But also because it's the next logical step in the information revolution. (See Ed Driscoll. And Power Line. London trends here. Flashback: Jeff Jarvis on vlogs in 2002.)

What text blogging has done to print media, videoblogging promises to do to broadcast media: challenge a once-insurmountable elite and kick down doors to unprecedented participation by citizen/"non-traditional" journalists.

We've posted two episodes of our daily newscast called "Vent with Michelle Malkin." It's delivered in Flash (Version 8) format. Download a Flash video player here if the video doesn't automatically play for you.

There's much more to Hot Air than the daily newscast, though. We have affiliates from Paris to Washington, D.C., to Wisconsin offering original video, photography, audio, photoshop parodies, and investigative reporting, and we're recruiting more. We are spotlighting the best content across the Internet in our "Top Picks" section. Our group blog is run 24/7/365. We'll be featuring original Flash animation, cartoons, mini-movies, and documentary trailers. And we've compiled a hot list of bloggers, podcasters, big talkers, creative entrepreneurs, and do-it-yourself resources for readers/viewers/listeners new to the Internet/broadcast convergence. The site is a fun, eclectic, and always enriching mix of traditional political analysis, humor, breaking news you need to know, and fresh-baked video goodness with no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Come on over to Hot Air, join the studio audience, and get your fill!

Best,
Michelle Malkin

Okay. so I clicked, and my effort was returned with a Error 404 Not Found message. I guess this means I should dl the Flash whatchamacallit but it should SAY THAT and not leave us ungeekers hanging. With my cranky set up I really don't want to tax the system, for just any old stuff, so if anyone has had a look-see, please let me know if it's worth the risk.

Blogger Is "Acting-up" So Forgive The Poor Presentation Of This From Stop The ACLU...

"Mayor Eddie Price started holding weekly Bible study sessions at City Hall on April 13 and continued the practice Thursday. He said the lunchtime program is open to people of all faiths and the location makes it easy for his employees to participate.
But the mayor's decision to hold the sessions calls into question whether the practice violates the political doctrine known as the separation of church and state called for in the Constitution.
About 20 people attended the first Bible study, held in a conference room at City Hall, Price said. Roughly the same number joined the second session, this time in the City Council chambers, though several new faces were present, Councilman Jerry Coogan said. He noted that Marlaine Peachey, the mayor's secretary, donated the food for last week's program.
Price, who considers himself nondenominational, bristled when a reporter asked about the practice, saying he feels it is his right to hold Bible study sessions inside a public building if he chooses. He noted that the sessions are nondenominational and that anyone interested in participating may join the group."
Well there's your first lie, hoss, and since your lying that means everything else is subject to question as well.
Reading from the New Testament damn sure denominates you, Mr. Mayor, and mealy-mouthing your way around the subject isn't helping people of good will, and without agenda, to see your side of the story. You're a Christian, preaching Christianity in a government building. And sure the Constitution forbids placing restrictions on most religious practices, but the framers kinda wanted the government out of the religion-making business, too.
The final say, of course, should come from the law abiding citizens of the town, and not a bunch of lawyers. The Mayor, despite his stupidity, is not harming anyone, calling for the harm of anyone (we hope, because some of those damn-them-all-to-hell speechifyin's can get downright nasty), and as long as no taxpayer money is funding the thing, then why not.
But don't play dumb and say this isn't a borderline call. Oh, and where is this taking place? Dunno. Nowhere is it mentioned in the email from Stop The ACLU, and WHERE doesn't matter as much as the meat and potatoes of the story, but I'm sure if you click into them you'll find out. That's kinda one of the first credo's of responsible journalism, but it isn't my job to go editing other people's slapdashery.
Wait...the ACLU let's us know from whence this comes: "But not everyone would feel welcome at a gathering of this type, which makes holding the sessions at City Hall problematic, said Joe Cook, executive director of the Louisiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Cook was unaware of the Bible study sessions until contacted by The Times-Picayune."
See. They ARE good for something.

Lone Lawmaker Blocks Flight 93 Monument

For emotional wallop, there are few rivals to the windswept, grassy field outside of Shanksville, Pa., where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001.
But for three years, that field has made do with a makeshift monument while one member of Congress, Rep. Charles H. Taylor (R-N.C.), has blocked a $10 million request to buy the land for a permanent memorial to the 40 passengers and crew members who overpowered hijackers bent on crashing their jet into the Capitol or the White House.
For Taylor, a large landowner in the mountains of western Carolina, the issue comes down to principle: The federal government is already the largest landowner in the country, and he believes that no additional tax dollars should go to more land buying for this or any other memorial. Beyond that, the families have committed to raising half the $60 million needed to build the memorial but so far have raised $7.5 million. Taylor is concerned that the federal government will be left holding the bag.

Strange how no mention is made of the ever-so-gay wind chimes that are to surround the main memorial; one for each person on the plane. INCLUDING the terrorists.

Remember when that was a hot topic? When folks were wondering how in the name of all hells those murdering scum should be eulogized along with their victims?

If those ridiculous plans STILL exist, and if the friends and family are STILL pushing for a memorial, then they're doing it for THEMSELVES, and not the passengers and crew of Flight 93.

All everyone talks about today is closore this, and closure that, and closure my ass already with this bullswaddle.

NO monuments to murderers, and stop being so damned self-centered.

Nope..Wasn't Ted Kennedy Uttering These Ludicrous Tidbits...

"I believe immigration has helped reinvigorate the soul of America."

Yeah, right...the "Sisterhood" calls PETA if an aide swats a fly...

Dismissed CIA Officer Denies Leak Role A lawyer representing fired CIA officer Mary O. McCarthy said yesterday that his client did not leak any classified information and did not disclose to Washington Post reporter Dana Priest the existence of secret CIA-run prisons in Eastern Europe for suspected terrorists.

Just Call It: Death Wish 2006

April 25, 2006 -- TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday renewed his criticism of Israel, calling it a "fake regime" that cannot continue to exist.

"Some 60 years have passed since the end of World War II. Why should the people of Germany and Palestine pay now for a war in which the current generation was not involved?" Ahmadinejad said at a news conference.

"We say that this fake regime [Israel] cannot not logically continue to live," he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said the nuclear program being pursued by arch-foe Iran was the most serious threat faced by Jews since the Nazi Holocaust.

Ya know, old Ahmadinnerjacket might be on to something. It's been one helluva long time since his part of the world contributed anything to civilization, so why should WE have to pay for past glory?

Make a hole. Make it deep.

Monday, April 24, 2006


The Box O' Truth is nothing more than a fun way to watch things blow up real good. The fella(s) running it haven't clue-one about what to do with the thing, nor are they conversant with modern munitions and what to expect from them.

Take it for it's worth. Free pics of guys shooting things. But place NO stock in any conclusions drawn.

Why I hate computers, Part 6,789,623

So I tried installing Norton Systemsworks on the pc that has the cable modem. Went through an hour or so of various gyrations to install this and that, only to find out that it just wasn't going to allow me to run Firefox. So okay, I uninstall Norton, reach the part where it requires a reboot, and kablooey.

Windows shut down, and TRIED to restart but froze at the DELL screen and there she sits. Turned off the power, several times, tried to crank it back up, but it returns to the same DELL screen and will not initiate Windows.

Even put the Windows XP disk in but the thing has NEVER recognized ANYTHING from the CD drive until you specifically go in and look.

DELL. My first PC was an IBM and lasted about 4 years before it became too cranky to mess with. Thisnone I'm using now, almost 4 years, and I've an even older one that still is useful for word processing and it's going on 8 years old.

But not this DELL. Balky from the get-go, touchy in all manner of ways, and something to be nursed along. Their customer service always boiled down to, well, erase everything you've ever installed and try running the thing again, and THAT never worked. The service rep was always an Indian, and while polite, it was painfully obvious that English was not a first or even second language, and they never really helped with much of anything.

It was slow as hell too. Try opening a word processor and it clanked along, but one thing it ALWAYS managed to do was hook-up to th web without a glitch. That;s before the modem self destructed, and Lisa finally set us up with a high speed connection to bypass the BS.

And now I've gone and frigged the thing to all hells, just by following onscreen instructions. Lisa is pissed at me, and she has every right to be. Instead of leaving well enough alone I wanted the "bennies" of a Firewall and Virus protection, and forget the crap that AOL provides. I detest every time AOL's virus deal just kicks in and slows things down without even asking if you'd like to DL and install an update.

So to remedy it, I broke it.

UPDATE

It's "fixed", and here's how I did it:

First unplug the power cord. Reinsert while at the same time depressing the computers Power-On button. Continue to hold the Power button until the screen changes from frozen, to professing that something has indeed gone wrong, and you should call DELL in Bombay for assistance.

Balderdash. Disconnect all devices that are attached, save of course for the mouse and keyboard, and disconnect the power supply again, the reconnect and depress again.

It will then reboot to Windows. From that point, I then had to reinstall ALL of the software that came with the cable modem, being careful NOT to connect them to the computer itself. After reinstalling, reboot again using the above instructions. THEN connect the USB cable from the modem to the port. This will cause an error message to appear, but disregard. Turn the modem on, then disconnect it from the power source. Thus causes the error message to go somewheres else. THEN reconnect it to the power source WITH the switches to ON, and presto...

More error messages. But they soon go away too. Where I am unaware. Then click the icon for Firefox and another error message will inform you that there's a problem, but then disconnect the USB cable, then RECONNECT it and it will operate.

There'll be a quiz on Thursday, so bone up.

As The Wheel Turns

Well today was my first day of actual bus driving. So I load this guy on the bus, and his wheelchair is this rickety old thing that looks like absolute shit, and I ask why the VA doesn't spring for something manufactured after the early 30's and he says that he's grown accustomed to it and won't switch to one of them new fangled modern contraptions.

He's a WWII Veteran so I just yes-sir'd his ass as I manuevered 300 lbs of guy onto the ramp that would lift him into the bus. The bus I was driving wasn't exactly brandy new either and we reached a point whereby I had to give one huge ass tug to pull him inside, and I swear to all the gods that Lisa's words..."Easy now, remember, things break," flickered lickspittle through my peabrain as the handle flew from the wheelchair and deposited it, he, the chair, and myself akimbo.

Akimbo isn't all it's cracked up to be so I dusted everything off that looked like it could use one, secured him with enough belts and chains and hooks to dock the Queen frickin Mary, and off we rode into the sunset.

Driving the bloody thing is the easiest part of the deal. Dealing with cantankerous machinery makes ME cantankerous, and try driving places you've never been before with a cranky old man or two or three or a dozen all barking directions at the same time.

Yeah, I loved it.

"The Corner"...

Plugs Frank...

"WE NEED A WAR FOR OIL" [Jonah Goldberg]
If you're offended by this , don't shoot the messenger.
____________________
First of all, Jonah; when the messenger IS the message then of course they should be summarily dispatched with great force and rapidity.

And B, pencil-neck-geeks such as Frank get to talk tough about war because, thank the heavens, it isn't they who'd bear the brunt of getting blown limb from limb so pencil-neck-geeks can fill up their SUV's.

And thirdly, well of frickin' course we should be taking what's rightfully ours. Since when did the baddest bear in the woods start kowtowing to the gerbils?

Since Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and the dyke's RodHam and Pelosi and Boxer...and...

ACLU Loses Another One...

Just in from Stop The ACLU

"Cincinnati, OH - Today, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals handed the ACLU another defeat regarding a Kentucky display of the Ten Commandments, voting 19-5 to uphold the Foundations of American Law and Government display. The case is ACLU of Kentucky v. Mercer County, Kentucky. Liberty Counsel represents Mercer County.

The Foundations of American Law and Government display in the county courthouse includes the Ten Commandments, the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Charta, the Star-Spangled Banner, the National Motto, the Preamble to the Kentucky Constitution, the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution, and a picture of Lady Justice. This display is identical to the one Liberty Counsel defended at the Supreme Court last year in two other Kentucky counties, McCreary and Pulaski. The litigation in those two cases continues and may end up again at the High Court.

The original, three-judge panel in Mercer County adopted the reasoning of the Seventh Circuit in Books v. Elkhart County, a Liberty Counsel case where the Seventh Circuit upheld an identical display. The Sixth Circuit rejected the ACLU's "repeated reference to 'the separation of church and state.' This extra-constitutional construct has grown tiresome. The First Amendment does not demand a wall of separation between church and state."
The ACLU asked the full Court to rehear the case. Today, the Court voted 19-5 to allow the decision to stand.

Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, hailed today's decision as a great victory. "Today's decision begins to turn the tide against the ACLU, which has been on a search-and-destroy mission to remove all vestiges of our religious history from public view." Staver added, "Whether the ACLU likes it or not, history is crystal clear that each one of the Ten Commandments played an important role in the founding of our system of law and government. Federal courts are beginning to rightfully reject extreme notions of 'separation of church and state.' It's about time that courts begin interpreting the Constitution consistent with its original purpose. With the changing of personnel at the U.S. Supreme Court, the trend toward a more historical approach to the First Amendment is well underway."
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The 10 Commandments, or 15 if Mel Brooks is to be believed, are an important historical reference of early society's attempt at civilization. Don't murder, or cheat on your spouse, love your folks, no stealing allowed, etc. Nothing there that SHOULD piss anyone off. Well maybe the moslems, as there's no mention of how raping little boys is swell, but that's another story. Thing that's always ticked me off about them is there wasn't one, not a single epiphany of understanding that one would imagine a deity would clue his deiters in on.

Thou Shalt Boil Water. Imagine how many countless millions of lives that would have saved. No Intercourse With Monkeys; and there you go, no AIDS problem. Thou Shalt Not Vote Democratic.

See what I mean?
Democrats Suggest Double Standard on Leaks: White House Aides' Actions Are Cited

And the only cogent response to this is: Hahahahahahahahahaha, cough, whew. The Loons really know how to spin one whopping yarn. When someone puts national security at risk, the Loose-Lipped-Libs whine "whistleblower". When Libby agreed that Valerie Double-Oh-And A-Shot-Of-Seagrams-7, partay girl extraordinaire was a nobody doing nothing more clandestine than helping her hubby scam free vacations at the taxpayer's expense, it was a LEAK.
If you're eating something, put it down. Now. Before you run to toss your cookies:

Teddy Kennedy is promoting his latest literary work written by someone else:

"The liberal senator did give such a moving speech at the fete for his new book, "America: Back on Track," that actor Eli Wallach reached out and squeezed the hand of his wife, Anne Jackson, throughout. "In the 43 years in which I've had the honor to serve in the United States Senate, I have never seen our democracy in greater disarray, or greater turmoil," Kennedy, 74, told the gathering, which included Sen. John Kerry, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, former Commerce Secretary Bob Rubin, E.L. Doctorow, Gail Buckley, David Halberstam, Phyllis Newman, Joe Armstrong and all three of his sisters, Pat, Eunice and Jean.

Kennedy said his book was about the times — in which he was a key figure — "when the nation took on race, when other countries wouldn't ... we knocked down walls on gender ... the elderly ... 42 million disabled ... education ... When we had leaders. Where are we now? With the war in Iraq, and Katrina, and cronyism. It's a politics of fear." Speaking of fear, he added that he'd just had the "longest eight minutes of his life" — by going on Jon Stewart's "Daily Show."
Luckily, the Massachusetts pol finished before there was a stir at the other end of the room, which the guests flowed to like iron filings to a magnet. It was the 42nd President, being asked to sign Ted's book.


The war that he was all for until he wasn't, a hurricane that exposed the Democratic political sewer at ALL levels of Louisiana politics...typical nothingness with no recipe for improvement, just bitching and moaning that things woiuld only be better if we, say, legalized criminals, gave tons of cash to people who refuse to work for it, promote workers because of their color and not their capabilities...you know, the typical Liberal agenda for wreck and ruin. And then enters the worst President these United States has ever seen...

"I think the elections are a gift," Clinton told the Daily News. "The Democrats have great ideas ... I think we're going to have a great year. I'd be very surprised if we don't." At that, Arthur Schlesinger handed his "Bush Countdown Clock" to Clinton. "Only 1,005 days, four hours, and 36 minutes to go," Clinton said."

Mary Jo Kopechne was unavailable for comment.

Pulitzer Losers

Real investigative reporters get the short and dirty end of the stick, as is the case with Claudia Rosett:

April 24, 2006 -- The Pulitzer Prizes, the Academy Awards of journalism, were announced last week; The Washington Post and The New York Times scored heavily, as always.

In the recent past, Rosett has detailed, in part:

* How U.N. funds intended for victims of Saddam's 1990 invasion of Kuwait instead ended up in Iranian, Syrian and Palestinian Authority hands.
* How the U.N. has indirectly helped advance North Korea's nuclear-weapons program.
* How the U.N. refugee agency sabotages North Korean refugees' efforts at liberation.
She began her Oil-for-Food work in earnest in 2004, wading through the muck of U.N. corruption and reporting back with shocking dispatches that detailed, just as an example, how the U.N. financed the weaponry currently being used against U.S. troops in Iraq.
Back when she worked at The Wall Street Journal, Rosett received Pulitzer nominations for her coverage of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and for her reporting on the 1996 Russian presidential election.

Alas, today - nothing.

Instead, the Pulitzer Prize committee has lately preferred the work of reporters who endeavor effectively to undermine the U.S. government's antiterrorism efforts.

And yes, we all know who those "reporters" are. Expose state-secrets that can harm the security of the United States, and bet your bottom dollar that instead of being sentenced to life in prison, today's hacks are rewarded.

Dana Priest of The Washington Post won the "Beat Reporting" award "for her persistent, painstaking reports on secret 'black site' prisons and other controversial features of the government's counterterrorism campaign." Her report led the E.U. to demand that these European nations cease assisting the United States.

James Risen and Eric Lichtblau of The New York Times won the "National Reporting" award "for their carefully sourced stories on secret domestic eavesdropping that stirred a national debate on the boundary line between fighting terrorism and protecting civil liberty." (Ever since, federal officials have reported a dropoff in the terrorist calls they were monitoring.)

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Ever have one of those days when you just can't decide what to wear ...

And now it's time for...who's fiction is the most true...

The 'Da Vinci' divide
Christians who mostly turned the other cheek as "The Da Vinci Code" climbed the best-seller list are launching a counteroffensive now that Dan Brown's novel is set to hit the big screen. As the movie's May 19 opening draws nearer, Roman Catholic and other Christian leaders are unveiling new Web sites and speaking out in the media and from the pulpit.
FULL STORY


Great Caesars ghost. Sure, a lot of the things Brown includes in his fiction are inaccurate when it wouldn't hurt to be a tad more on the ball, but that's, gasp, why they call it FICTION. I cringed reading his descriptions of various historical sites the world over, and for that I always gave him a C-, but in understanding poetic license it was with a shrug and a what the hell. His stuff sells like hotcakes so who am I.

Tha absolute WORST thing you can do when you don't wish for his type of fiction to continue it's runaway success is to give it so much free publicity. Yes, there were other "saviors" that predated Joshua ben Joseph who were of virgin birth, sent from the heavens to save mankind by an angry Father, and died a horrible death in their early 30's when their followers turned on them. That's one of the reasons Christianity took off as it did when Constantine finally said to blazes with all of these feast days, let's package everything into one belief and be done with it. The people were accustomed to the tale, down to rising again after several days to be with the Father in heaven. The old religions borrowed freely from one another, and a great many attempts at translating the oldest known accounts of these men are so full of inaccuracies and cross-pollinization that no one has EVER been able to sort it out. The only historical record of ANY Joshua from the House of David was that of a retired sailor who lived at that point in time and was forever getting in trouble with the Roman authorities. There has never been an historical Jesus the Rabbi, and this isn't to say that he didn't exist, but to continue to get on Brown's case for postulating HIS version of the unprovable mythos is as hypocritical as it gets.

He isn't creating a religion; the man writes books. His versions of what might have been are just as good a collection of rousing tales as anyone elses. He isn't asking anyone to believe, he's asking everyone to be transported by their own imaginations to a decent enough story about one of history's greatest myths/legends/religions, or whatever you feel comfortable referring to it as.

Lighten up. And stay away from EVER visiting the older areas of any of the larger catecombs, or if you must, then don't bring along a guide who knows his shit.

Misha is serving up a fresh pot of...


"We damn near burst our collective cranial veins when we read the following article in the dead tree edition of the Tampa Trib yesterday. (We’ll post the whole thing, since it’ll be archived within a day or so. All emphasis ours.—B.)

MEXICO CITY - U.S. citizens want to stop illegal migrants from entering their country because they are racist, according to 43 percent of Mexicans interviewed for a poll published Thursday.

An additional 70 percent said they think Mexicans emigrate to the United States because of a lack of jobs in Mexico, and 79 percent said they would be in favor of legalizing millions of undocumented migrants in the United States.

The poll was sponsored by the Mexican newspaper El Universal and The Dallas Morning News . It was conducted through interviews with 1,491 adults April 5-8 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

Also, 76 percent of the poll’s respondents said it should not be a crime to remain in the United States without documents , and 89 percent did not think a wall would help stop migration.