Survey Says

A sign that people are not good judges of what passes as a reliable source for information :

People are now twice as likely to believe Jesus Christ fathered children after reading the Dan Brown blockbuster and four times as likely to think the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei is a murderous sect.

"An alarming number of people take its spurious claims very seriously indeed," said Austin Ivereigh, press secretary to Britain's top Catholic prelate Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.

"Our poll shows that for many, many people the Da Vinci Code is not just entertainment," Ivereigh added.

Fact, fiction, who cares anymore? It is not as if Brown's book was a serious theological work; it was just a silly thriller tale. Yet, the reaction of some readers was as if they'd read a weighty academic piece. Which reflects poorly on what they consider "serious" work. Or, what passes for a "provocative" argument.

Just write a book, and claim that you "thoroughly researched" the subject, and people will believe anything. God help us if Brown's next "highly researched" book is on the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Warning, adjust your recording devices accordingly

24 will be on at 10 pm this evening, due to the presidential address at 8 pm Central.

Tip du Jour

Two words : Summer Phlox.

Love it. Plant it. Every year, I've neglected to put more in (Ionly have two small clumps in my garden.) I seized the moment, and bought another today. Pink. I can hardly wait.

So, what's your favorite flower/plant?

Islam, religion of Peace II

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Who pays taxes?

For anyone who has ever uttered the words "tax cuts for the rich."

h/t Bill from INDC

This is disturbing

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Someone alert my cousin (who lives in Fla)

No jogging near OR (more importantly) dangling feet in alligator-infested canals.

h/t Gail

Islam, religion of Peace

I stepped in it last night at Bob's place. I should know better. And, really when this statement was made, I should have just called it a night;

The Bushies are in league with the genocidal Sudanese government.

True moonbattery (I know Gail hates this phrase) is occurring when absolutely everything is attributed to "the Bushies."

The issue, though, is whether or not it is simply Bushitler fear-mongering (fascism) that we discuss concerns over an Islamic Caliphate. The spread of radical Islam? Nothing to see here, folks, keep moving.

But, then there is Asia. And Africa. Where the spread of radical Islam is exactly what is happening. Christian girls decapitated on their way to school. And Darfur. If it looks like a duck, it's the spread of radical Islam. And whether or not they actually could unite under one "Caliphate" is beside point. Says Bob:

Anyway, this global conquerin' Islam is the same Islam that's made up of  warring factions that make the protestants and catholics in Northern Ireland look like two Lutheran churches joinin' up for a bigger potluck. This is the same Islam that exists almost entirely in third world nations where planning and organizing to take over the world comes right after, oh let's see, maybe feeding and clothing their masses.  This is the same Islam that lives in nations that despise each other (Saudi Arabia and Iran, for example).

So we shouldn't fear them because (I'm trying hard to find his point here) there was a "religious war" between the Protestants and Catholics ''? Or because it is occurring in poorer nations? Hizb ut-Tahrir of the "Party of Liberation" has plans, and they have their eyes on Europe:

[President] Bush says that we want to enslave people and oppress their freedom of speech," says Abu Abdullah, a senior member of Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Party of Liberation. "But we want to free all people from being slaves of men and make them slaves of Allah."
Hizb ut-Tahrir says that Muslims should abolish national boundaries within the Islamic world and return to a single Islamic state, known as "the Caliphate," that would stretch from Indonesia to Morocco and contain more than 1.5 billion people.

Could they unite the Islamic world? Doubtful. Could they undermine democracy in the Middle East? You betcha. If the following doesn't sound like converting at the sword, I don't know what does :

"Islam obliges Muslims to possess power so that they can intimidate - I would not say terrorize - the enemies of Islam," says Abu Mohammed, a Hizb ut-Tahrir activist. "In the beginning, the Caliphate would strengthen itself internally and it wouldn't initiate jihad."
"But after that we would carry Islam as an intellectual call to all the world," says Abu Mohammed, a pseudonym. "And we will make people bordering the Caliphate believe in Islam. Or if they refuse then we'll ask them to be ruled by Islam."
And after that? Abu Mohammed pauses and fiddles with his Pepsi before replying.
"And if after all discussions and negotiations they still refuse, then the last resort will be a jihad to spread the spirit of Islam and the rule of Islam," he says, smiling. "This is done in the interests of all people to get them out of darkness and into light."

Of course, as a woman, once I'm in that light, I"m going to be promptly covered with a sheet. Radical Islam is the enemy. We should fight the spread of it wherever it occurs, even if it is in a third world country.

How AWFUL!

I just got this urgent email:

You may be surprised to receive this letter since you don't know me personally, I am Mrs.MONICA KOFFI, the wife of late Dr.ALFRED KOFFI, who was recently murdered in the land dispute in Zimbabwe. I got your contact through South African Information exchange (S.A.I.E) here in Johannesburg and I decided to write for an assistance.
My late husband was among the few blacks Zimbabwe rich farmers murdered in cold blood by the agents of the ruling government of President Robert Mugabe for his alleged support and sympathy of the Zimbabwean opposition party controlled by the whites. Before his death, he took me and my son MARK to Johannesburg to deposit the sum of US$13.5 Million Pounds)in MARK's name as the beneficiary with a private Security and Finance Company as if he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe.The money was deposited to the security company to avoid seizure ...

Email me if you'd like details on how to help Mrs. Koffi out, she asked that we keep this confidential. But, I'm sure she won't mind me telling you guys!.

I'll be back this afternoon

My basement flooded. Much tossing of (now) trash and cleaning and disinfecting to occur over the next few hours.

I believe the proper music for cleaning raw swage from my floor would be Anthrax, or Metallica, or - perhaps - System of a Down.

Update: this sucks. I've got that bleach smell in my nose.

Update II: if I EVER needed more comments, it's NOW! Without people to play with, I'm going to be forced to go back to the mess. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, don't make me go back there.

That's it

I'm done with Idol.

Et tu, Einstein?

119856
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Make your own here.

Thanks Krista!

Man ....

... I sure could use some sushi tonight.

Announcement

As of today, the lower portion of my scar is a tad less pouffy, and less numb.

That is all.

quick poll

I don't know if I *can* do it, but I'm really sick and tired of cleaning up my children's playroom/schoolroom/my computer area. REALLY SICK. So- what say you - can I make it a week without tidying up, so they can see what a disgusting pile of filth the room becomes EVERY day?

Help a brother out

I'm a little late on this, but word is Jeff is running out of kibble money for that Armadillo.

Update: Ack, it's worse than I thought.

The new "FREE TIBET"

Mark Steyn really nailed why I'm annoyed with Hollywood's newly discovered tragedy that is Darfur:

Free Tibet. Every college in the US has a Free Tibet society: There's the Indiana University Students for a Free Tibet, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Students for a Free Tibet, and the Students for a Free Tibet University of Michigan Chapter. Everyone's for a free Tibet, but no one's for freeing Tibet. Idealism asinertia is the hallmark of the movement.

George Clooney has discovered that there is a genocide occurring in Darfu, and he is urging action:

Is the American government slow to act? Of course we're slow to act, we always are," Clooney said, referring to prior U.S. intervention in Rwanda and the Balkans.
"It's something that has to start today," Clooney said. "If we don't get to work on it today, there's a few thousand people who will be dead by the end of the week."

So, Clooney is urging action? What action is he urging? I guess we really need to get started on those bumper stickers. It's funny, because before the invasion of Iraq, Clooney had this to say:

"Are we going to try and talk to Saddam Hussein...without jumping in and killing people first?" he said.
"I don't believe we're going to wait until the last resort to do it. That's what bothers me."

Clooney was an outspoken critic for the Iraqi war (to say the least), and back then he argued that action should be the last resort. Yet, now he's being critical that we don't take action quickly enough.

But, let's be honest here - what type of action (besides the mass production of bumper stickers) would he support? Financial aid for the suffering, for sure, but anything tangible that would stop the violence? What happened to the liberal line "It's a civil war, it's none of our business"? We won't hear that one until if, and when, America steps-in to put a stop to the violence. The innocents in Darfur are not going to be saved by a bunch of bumper stickers OR financial aid. Nothing short of a well-armed military is going to save them.


H/t; Gail, who posted a link to the Styne article, but I decided I need a bit more room than is prudent in comments.

Baby, you're a rich man

Forbes estimates Fidel is worth $900 million. Not bad for a dictator having to deal with an embargo, huh? At least he shares it with his people. And by "his people" I mean himself, and the Holllywood stars that visit to faun all over him. As for the "little people" who inhabit the island with him, well, he did give them all rice steamers or something a few years ago.

Babalu Blog has an open letter to ENCASA, a group of Castro apologists who are asking Bush to remove the sanctions against Cuba. The letter, by [edit- to correct attribution ]Henry Gomez , outlines 8 stipulations necessary to warrant a lifting of the sanctions. Stipulations that Castro would never agree to because, well, look how rideculous they are:

1. That all Cuban political prisoners and prisoners of conscience be released immediately and granted an unconditional amnesty.
2. That all Cubans be allowed to move freely within the country.
3. That the existing system of apartheid-like segregation be eradicated immediately, specifically that all Cubans be treated as equals to their foreign counterparts, such as “prominent scholars and artists” from abroad.
4. That all Cubans be granted access to all sources of uncensored information, whether in broadcast, print, or Internet immediately.
5. That all Cubans be granted the freedom to express their opinions freely without fear of repercussions.
6. That all Cubans be allowed to travel abroad freely.
7. That all Cubans be allowed to live, work, and seek a better life for themselves as they see fit.
8. That all Cubans be allowed to elect their leaders through verifiable, transparent democratic elections as allowed for in Cuba’s last legitimate constitution, the Constitution of 1940.

The problem is, you give these people an inch, they're going to ask for a mile.

The open letter brings up another issue that gnaws at my craw; the tourist business in Cuba:

Additionally, ordinary Cubans are not permitted to openly mingle with foreigners so as to avoid their being “corrupted” by outsiders. We denounce anyone from any country that visits Cuba as a tourist. We feel that it is cruel and inhumane to enjoy beaches and other recreational facilities that are off limits to Cuba’s own citizens which have essentially become a slave labor force.

That, in addition to the fact that the tourist dollars do nothing but prop up the inhuman elements of Cuba - namely, Castro.

Names in the News

"Kennedy", drunk, car accident.

Who's surprised?

Round and round it goes

We can't move because we don't have enough money. I can't get a job to make money, because I home school. I home school because the public schools (really really) suck where I live. I can't move to a better district because we don't have enough money. I can't get a job to make money because I home school. I home school because the schools suck in my district ...

QOTD

What is Jack going to pull out of his man bag tonight?

Blog-brag

Scott has an image of my mad culinary skillz over on his blog.

Speaking of Scott, I just ordered a six-pack of his Survival Spice from Amazon. Too cool.

RIBS THIS WEEKEND!!! Woot-woot.

Ask, and ye shall recieve

DSC00542
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Here's a better dress shot, in front of the baptismal font. Ethan is doing some sort of Irish jig.

Yesterday

DSC00536
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

First Communion, daughter #1, and alter serving for firstborn. He wouldn't be serious for the photo shoot, so, this is what you get.

Nooooooo

Angelina Jolie as Dagny? Brad Pitt as John Galt? The horror. Of course, even worse is way down in the article where it is mentioned that Oliver Stone wanted to direct "Fountainhead."

A day late, a dollar short

Bye, bye Kelly! I had vowed to my children that if anyone BUT Kelly left, I was done with this season's AI. Kelly had a great voice when she was imitating country singers, but outside of that safety zone she flopped. With Ace and Kelly gone, I no longer have to issue threats.

A tad busy

You know, Stalin was, like, a really bad guy.

In my absence: War- does it suck or blow? Debate.

Is Blogger working today?

I had two posts disappear into the internets yesterday.

Update; They've appeared. Weird.

Eagle Eye Cam

I lack outrage today, so instead I'll share this site, sent to me by my aunt Gail.

Flea on Bush

he is a liar
and his lies have bought misery to millions of people
and bought no good to anyone except for the corporate oil
billionaires who are making huge profits
they are profiting during wartime
that is unscrupulous and terribly sad
w bush has made the world a much less safe place
before the war iraq was not a place for terrorists
saddam hussein, brutal dictator that he was was secular and had
nothing to do with al queda
and was sanctioned to death and had no power outside of his country
now it is a breeding ground for terrorism and anti-americanism is at
an all time high all over the world
and the people of iraq are no better off at all
all those people want is for the americans to leave
decent families and people like you and i who never wanted america
there in the first place
goerge w bush has sent american soldiers over there to be maimed and
killed
only to serve his selfish oil company needs and for his ego
american soldiers who are loyal to each other and who only want to
have a good job get an education and support their country are being
used for an unjust cause
i support the troops
they, like all americans are being betrayed by george w bush
he has betrayed his country he should be impeached

the administration's line that they were over there because they
wanted to spread democracy and freedom
is nothing else besides a lie
if they had any interest at all in the well being of other human beings
they would be doing what they could for people who desperately need
and would love help in africa

And - what exactly do you think Flea thinks we should do in Africa?

i pray to god that george w bush and his administration does not
invade iran
it would be a bloodbath
why dont they just leave the iranians alone
and go through the united nations
and work on making the united nations as strong and as just as possible
an invasion of iran would be the worst possible thing that could happen
i pray to god that it does not happen

Oh, the UN, right, that will solve the problem. Like they solved things in Bosnia. Besides, don't worry, Flea, the UN is taking care of things in Africa.

Kinda funny, don't you think? We should let the UN solved the Iranian issue, but we should get involved in Africa. How much do you want to bet that if we sent troops to Africa, the complaints against the president would be no different?

But, really, I don't really expect much political acumen from a man who puts a sock on his penis.

Food talk

Best dry rub for ribs ever. Of course, it has other uses too.

Visiting moonbat land

dKos can be a rather fun place to go and visit " the other side", and since Jeff wasn't yet awake to begin posting, I followed a LGF link to this discussion regarding 9/11 :

Remember, please, that this was an act of a bunch of punks. Punks that got lucky. Not the larger Islamo-Fascist monolith that some have conjurred; that may exist as a useful concept but all evidence points to punks. And frankly it's a lot easier to credit the well-grounded "punk theory," because punks behave unpredictably and slip through cracks. The US would have swatted anything larger on the worst of days.

The author's overwhelming opinion regarding 9/11 is that they are "over it."No need to worry about Islamofascism. No need for a Global War on Terror. 9/11 was the work of a few lucky punks. I, personally, will never get over it. But, I share little in common with the commenter who offered this reason for "not" getting over it:

The evidence for the Official Story is so poor, and the motives for the proponents of the Official Story  -- that is, the AmeriKills subsidiary of BushCo and the neo-cons, the people who have benefited from 9-11 -- to lie are so great, that I cannot believe it to be true.

I am utterly convinced that the Official Story is a transparent hoax, and that it is virtually certain that, at least, BushCo LIHOP and indeed far more likely that, perhaps with the aid of Pakistani and/or Saudi secret services, an element of the government (including Cheney and Rumsfeld, among others) actually sponsored and planned the attacks.

So, and having been born in Manhattan and having been in the City (albeit not near the WTC) on that morning, I take it personally, and I will not be getting over it.


Oh, and despite my self-deprecating moniker, I am a construction lawyer, which is to say that, although not an engineer, I know enough about buildings to feel certain that the "pancake theory" is bogus.  As a litigation attorney with 20 years' experience, I make a decent living proving and disproving facts.

OF COURSE it has not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Cheney and the boys did 9-11.  But the Official Story is fragrant horseshit (really, if you believe that one please send me your check for the Brooklyn Bridge) and, that being so, it's only natural to see as the prime suspects those who (1) have controlled the crime scene; (2) thwarted any investigation other than the risible Kean-Zelikow "Oil Investor, CIA, CFR and Coverup Maven Whitewash;" (3) stated in writing that the nation's future pretty much required a "catalyzing and catastrophic event -- a New Pearl Harbor;" (4) had the motive, means and the oppportunity to carry out the attacks; and (5) have been the primary beneficiaries, politically but also in cold cash.

If you get over it, well God bless you, you're a huge part of the problem.

This isn't the first time I've come across this special type of tin-foil- hat wearer, but what I found remarkable, frightening, and perhaps predicable was the lack of debate (or ridicule) for such idiocy. Try posing a similar argument on Ace's blog, and such conspiracy mongers are taken to task. But, it is right at home among what is arguably one of the most-read "Lefty" blogs.

Bird Flu Hits South Florida

Be afraid, be very afraid.

h/t File it Under

y?

y du u
rit lik my
8 er old?

y?
y?

words typed
short
curt
disjointed iz
not po-e-try

it's just dum

Oh, the Irony

i went
to read
rosie's site
to see
amid unpunctuated,
uncapitalized
"poetry"-
a tribute
to proof

oh, the
irony
anti-gun zealot
gives tribute
to a man that
shot (and killed)
another as he
lay on the ground

Ace or Picker?

I say, PICK PICKLER!

A nice arse should only take you so far ...

It's been nice knowing ya

A comet is heading right for us, and it's all Bush's fault! We've got until May 25th.

Julien argues that the kinetic energy of even a 'car sized' fragment will impact the Earth with devastating effect. He concludes the May 25 event is tied in to the Bush administration's policy of preemptive use of nuclear weapons against . Iran, and the effect of nuclear weapons on the realms of higher intelligences. Regarding its importance, Julien declares: "we have to save lives when we have such information to share with the public". He further claims it important "to preserve all data, historical artifacts and precious material in the event of such a collision." Julien predicts that the comet collision will occur in the Atlantic Ocean between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, and generates 200 meter waves.

So, the comet is going to preemptively attack us for our plan to preemptively nuke Iran? If this isn't a case of pot/kettle I don't know what is.

My Chemical Romance, Helena

Pop-goth the musical.

Some liberals I can support (at least as a worthy advasary)

It is with a sigh of relief that I read this, for it means that not all Liberals are devoid of rational thought. While the document hints at a Socialist agenda (but still critical of Stalin and Mao), I liked the following :

The founding supporters of this statement took different views on the military intervention in Iraq, both for and against. We recognize that it was possible reasonably to disagree about the justification for the intervention, the manner in which it was carried through, the planning (or lack of it) for the aftermath, and the prospects for the successful implementation of democratic change. We are, however, united in our view about the reactionary, semi-fascist and murderous character of the Baathist regime in Iraq, and we recognize its overthrow as a liberation of the Iraqi people. We are also united in the view that, since the day on which this occurred, the proper concern of genuine liberals and members of the Left should have been the battle to put in place in Iraq a democratic political order and to rebuild the country's infrastructure, to create after decades of the most brutal oppression a life for Iraqis which those living in democratic countries take for granted — rather than picking through the rubble of the arguments over intervention.




This opposes us not only to those on the Left who have actively spoken in support of the gangs of jihadist and Baathist thugs of the Iraqi so-called resistance, but also to others who manage to find a way of situating themselves between such forces and those trying to bring a new democratic life to the country. We have no truck, either, with the tendency to pay lip service to these ends, while devoting most of one's energy to criticism of political opponents at home (supposedly responsible for every difficulty in Iraq), and observing a tactful silence or near silence about the ugly forces of the Iraqi "insurgency". The many left opponents of regime change in Iraq who have been unable to understand the considerations that led others on the Left to support it, dishing out anathema and excommunication, more lately demanding apology or repentance, betray the democratic values they profess.

More here

Tagged by Gail

To name four neat things about my hometown- Detroit.

Thinking ...

1) The "Hummer" was invented here. No, not that Hummer, but an ice cream drink with rum and Kahlua. They are delicious, but I think I made about 500,000 of them in my bartending career, and the mere thought of 'em now gives me nightmares.

2) Detroit is, actually, NORTH of Canada. Or, at least a little bit of Canada.

3) Detroit has HUNDREDS of Coney Island restaurants. Some really suck (mostly the chain-owned ones), but the best and most famous are a pair that sit right next to each other in downtown Detroit. Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island were opened by brothers 70 years ago, and are still both family owned. True Detroiters will claim loyalty to one or the other (Lafayette for me.) Don't go here if you're hungary for images of the side-by-side legends in addition to the gastronomic delight that is the coney dog.

4)


Ok, I'll have to think up another good one. River Rat , help a girl out ...

So- I tag anyone reading this.

UPDATE

Yes, River Rat came up with a #4 for me - Saturday trips to Eastern Market. Practically downtown (across a major street or two) sits Eastern Market, which fills with vendors from Spring through Fall. You can get great deals as the day passes, since no one wants to load stuff back into their trucks.) And, in a few weeks, it will be FLOWER DAY! Last year, my sister and mom went, and brought me back that praying mantis pod (remember, I posted a picture of one of my little babies?) But, mostly it is just one of those unique experiences of Detroit. Surrounding the vendor's hall are other Detroit Gems. Rafal's is a spice store- where you can get everything imaginable in just the quantities you desire. Two teaspoons of paprika? Fine by them. I grew up just a short walk from this market. Thanks for the suggestion, RR.

(Eastern Market link fixed)

Quick, someone find me a public school

"Uncle."

Hating America

Since 9/11, the left has been involved in a debate legitimizing why the rest of the world supposedly hates us. Kerry was to be our Savior, he was going to mend the rifts in international politics. But, cowboy Bush one, so we are still "hated."

But consider this:

In a lengthy explanation of why he hates Americans, Moussaoui said Islam requires Muslims to be the world's superpower as he flipped through a copy of the Quran searching for verses to support his assertion. He said one verse requires Muslims "to fight against all who believe not in Allah."

"We have an obligation to be the superpower. You have to be subdued," Moussaoui said. "America is a superpower and you want to eradicate Islam."

So, radical, fascist, Islamics hate us because we stand in their way of becoming the World's superpower, which would surely bring Sharia to a neighborhood nears yours. Call me crazy, but I see preventing them from becoming a power of any for, super or otherwise, as a good thing. Certainly even the more liberal among us can agree that fundamental Islam would certainly be more repressive than occasionally hearing "Silent Night" in one of the few stories brave enough to still play Christmas tunes. And, if your think your abortion rights are being challenged NOW, just wait until you're wearing a Burka.

The US is singled out, as enemy one of these forces, because we are the only ones "cowboy" enough to stand in their way. That is why "they" hate us. Which leads to the question, why they don't view any one else as such a threat to their future plans?

Encouraged by Bob

I found this little nugget at one of the links River Rat sent me the other day :

In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding homicide warrants and 60 percent of outstanding felony warrants are for illegal aliens. American taxpayers are paying for the crimes of the 8,000 convicted aliens not yet caught and the incarceration costs of those who have been, estimated to add up to more than $1 billion a year — in just the states that border Mexico.

That, alone, is un-fraking believable.

You know, I totally understand why people want to move here, legally or otherwise. I totally get it, the USA is the greatest country (hey, so I'm patriotic, get over it.) If Latin American Countries could run things things a bit better perhaps people wouldn't be flooding our borders. But, for those who want to move here, and become patriotic, hard-working, honest Americans- I welcome them with open arms. As I commented in Partisan Pundits blog, nothing brings tears to my eyes like an immigrant waxing poetic about his new American Citizenship.

But, commit a crime? Live off of the welfare of our taxpayers? Surround yourselves with the basest of American society (the gangs, for example), and I say "Don't let the border hit you in the ass on the way out." We've got enough "legals" who live in lawless, self-defeating, morally-vacuous life. We don't need imports.

Since I'm prone to stereotype ...

Was it a Christian Rock singer who was killed early Tuesday in Detroit? Or a pop idol? A jazz musician? No, of course not, it was another rapper *:

Proof, a member of the rap group D12, was hit by gunfire at the CCC club on Eight Mile, the dividing line between Detroit and its northern suburbs. Police said he and another man were shot in the head. The other man lived but was critically injured.

I know the street well, since it's only a few miles from my house. It's seedy, lined with strip clubs and abortion clinics. And, since I live in Detroit, my local paper has a stretch headline of the story. Iran acquiring enriched uranium? Not so important; that's off to the side, in a much smaller article. No, we have 75% of the front page devoted to the latest Rapper to be shot, plus a page and a quarter inside. The Detroit News goes beyond the story to say that "Proof's" death is merely an example of all the young black lives that are lost every year to gun violence.

Little mention is made that Proof is suspected as being the shooter of the other victim in the story, Army veteran Keith Bender, and certainly not on the front page. While it's early in the investigation, relatives of Bender claim Proof first shoot him, and then someone else shot Proof. Yet, already we hear this:

I really hope (Proof) will be remembered in the hip-hop community as a Pillar," said MC Serch, former morning show host at WJLB-FM.

Yes, nothing says "pillar of the community" like shooting someone in an after-hours bar over some disagreement.

I have an idea, for all of those who are concerned about gun violence: if it's 4:30 in the morning, you shouldn't be drinking with men who have guns. And, if you are the type to get into arguments with men, that END in gun violence, perhaps you should find a ten-step program on conflict resolution.

Radiohead: Street Spirit

I asked for some Radiohead CDs for my birthday or Christmas, and I didn't get a one. To make matters worse, iTunes doesn't carry them.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Dani California

Did I ever tell you the Red Hot Chili Peppers put on a fantastic concert? I saw them in '91, or so.

"Get Whitey"

Certainly if this story had a black victim, and white perpetrators, we would have been deluged with black activist talking heads all weekend, and the columnists in my local paper would have been waxing poetic about the sad state of race relations. Maybe even Kayne West would give us another George Bush hates Black people-like statement. But, since this story involved the death of a (yawn) white man, who was chased into traffic by a gang of black youths, the crickets are chirping louder than any of the media outlets handling the story.

There is no honesty in regards to race stories. White on black crime is repeated and drum-beaten into our heads, and interpreted to be indicative that most white people are still racist. Black on white crime is totally ignored. Black people cannot be racist because they are the minority, so the logic goes. But, can black people hate white people and target them for violence? Since we can't call this "racism", what is it, then?

A few years ago, I used to bartend in downtown Detroit ((where I certainly was a member of the "minority".) One night, heavily pregnant at the time, as I crossed a street on the way to the parking lot, a car of black youth sped-up toward me, yelling that they 'hated white women.' I had to run to get out of their way. I doubt they they actually intended to kill me; this was their little bit of fun. How would this story be interpreted, if the colors were reversed?

White racism is (properly) chastised by society. Black racism is ignored and denied. I worry about our future.

Great idea

Let's let more of these people in.

Here's a bit from their Mexica Movement Philosophy:

They rob us every day
They rape us
with assimilation.
Assimilation is the slow motion kill.
Assimilation means marrying white
to kill the brown in us, to kill the heart of us.
Assimilation means the end of us.
Assimilation sucks us down into the white race.
Assimilation kills our race.
Assimilation is the death of us.
Assimilation is racism.

Assimilation is Genocide.

Good thing they're not racist. Anyway, they plan on kicking all us Criollo (that's you Canadians too - you're not free and clear of this genocide) out and reclaiming their Aztec past.

Good luck with that.

Oh, now he'll be unbearable.

Partisan Pundit makes it into Day-by-Day.

A bit late

But, Mandisa? WHY AMERICA WHY? When you had Bucky and Ace just crying to be released? They're both in over their head, and they know it. They can't quit, but you, America, can release them.

It's amazing what a hat, or a pair of puppy dog eyes, can do for a man. That's why we're going to hell in a hand basket.

And, don't get me started on Pick Kelly Pickler. One trick pony. Actually, I think her range isn't THAT narrow - she can do both Country AND Western.

The Bible explained by Science

Feisty Republican Whore highlights SCIENTIFIC FACTS that explain the supposed "miracles" performed by Jesus. I guess Leo is right ...

H/: Beautiful Atrocities.

Light blogging alert

I have to take my bitch and get her X-rayed.

Top 10 Reasons why I couldn't watch the rest of "Crash"

10. Couldn't trust the help alone in the kitchen with the silver.
9. It was time to check the fields, and see how the cotton picking was going.
8. Had to go and prevent some black grade-school children from achieving academically.
7. I wanted to go through my children's crayons, and throw away all the black ones. Out of principal.
6. I saw some African American kids walking by my house, and I had to keep my eye on them just in case.
5. I I wanted to brush up on my Spanish, in case my mail carrier was not really saying "hello", but "Later, bitch, you die."
4. My black neighbors needed to be taken down a few pegs; they've been getting uppity lately.
3. It was my night to bring the snack to the local KKK cross burning.
2. I saw a black man driving a BMW, and needed to call and report the sighting of a stolen car.
And, the number 1 reason why I couldn't watch "Crash":

I couldn't follow the story-line, because all the black folks looked the same to me.

FTR

I tried to watch Crash last night, but I ended up yelling at the TV and turning it off.

Bush was Right

Rock on!

Leo's Challenge

From comments, in the post where I ridicule Scientology.

You could start with explaining how you think what you believe is true while what Tom, Katie et al is nonsense. Pay particular attention to the bit about an invisible deity creating the universe in 6 days, talking snakes, walking on water, reincarnation, water into wine...

I see no difference between Christianity and Scientology, except Christianity is probably cheaper to be a member of.

I am not the best to argue issues of faith (especially with an atheist), but my starting point would be that the founder of Scientology admitted that he made it up. And, that the rules (such as those regarding birth and breast feeding) are idiotic.

I suppose to an non-believer, one set of religious belief's might seem as silly as the next. But, if you can't see the difference between a religious "faith" and a money-sucking cult than I can't really help you.

Personally, I can attend church EVERY day of the week without dropping a penny into the collection basket. I could go to confession, receive communion and attend all the church socials without Father Tim showing up at my door with his hand out. I could "get some God" for free if I wanted. Could the same be said for a member of Scientology?

* I do give, in reality, what I can afford

Looking for that someone special?

Well, there are plenty of special people here.

The Mayor posted this already, but I thought I needed to insure its distribution.

Race-baiter extrodinaire

Mckinny hits an officer, and how does she respond? By turning it into a race isseu;

"I am absolutely sick and tired of having to have my appearance at the White House validated by white people," she said at the time.

Spring cleaning today

So, no blogging. Unless I get tired of cleaning.

Which, truth be told, is very likely.

Idol thoughts, part 2

So .... who got kicked off? I've got co-op today, and don't have time to look it up.

Joel Stein has ideas

So next time one in eight of you decide to hold a giant afternoon party downtown, ring me up. I have some good ideas. Like that maybe when you're marching for American citizenship, you should leave the Mexican flags at home. Listen, we got it, you're from Mexico.

Perhaps a sombrero or one of those cool wrestling masks would get that across better than waving a flag for a different country when you're asking to be a citizen here. Also, I could bring bagels. It's the only decent food my people ever came up with.

Idol thoughts

So, who's going to get kicked off today? I would offer an opinion, but I only watched the last two performances -who can watch tv at 8 pm at night? Of course, I did catch the 3-second recaps of each, and based on that ... I still have no clue.

For Kel

churchsign-2
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

And Katie, of course.

Scientology

You know, I think I'm going to make up my own crap religion with really, reallystupid rules. So Katie Holmes is going to give birth without uttering a peep, sans drugs? Good luck with that. The only way I could keep quiet during birth is if they knocked me out. With my fifth and final child, I woke up a whole maternity ward (in my defense, it's not that I'm a baby, it's just that I gave birth so quickly, I almost delivered him in the hallway.)

Christopher Reeves on Scientology

Bizarre beliefs of Scientologists


In conclusion, Scientology should be ridiculed by all.

But, please don't sue me.

Marriage is a white thing?

At least that is what a 12-year old told this black woman. Being a good father was important to the boys, but marriage, apparently, isn't part of the deal.

Although slavery was an atrocious social system, men and women back then nonetheless often succeeded in establishing working families. In his account of slave life and culture, "Roll, Jordan, Roll," historian Eugene D. Genovese wrote: "A slave in Georgia prevailed on his master to sell him to Jamaica so that he could find his wife, despite warnings that his chances of finding her on so large an island were remote. . . . Another slave in Virginia chopped his left hand off with a hatchet to prevent being sold away from his son." I was stunned to learn that a black child was more likely to grow up living with both parents during slavery days than he or she is today, according to sociologist Andrew J. Cherlin.

Sad.

h/t; RightwingSparkle

On my iPod right now

And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder: One of the four beasts saying: "Come and see." And I saw. And behold, a white horse. 
There's a man goin' 'round takin' names. An' he decides who to free and who to blame. Everybody won't be treated all the same. There'll be a golden ladder reaching down. When the man comes around. 

The hairs on your arm will stand up. At the terror in each sip and in each sup. For you partake of that last offered cup, Or disappear into the potter's ground. When the man comes around. 

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin'. Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum. Voices callin', voices cryin'. Some are born an' some are dyin'. It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come. 

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 

Till Armageddon, no Shalam, no Shalom. Then the father hen will call his chickens home. The wise men will bow down before the throne. And at his feet they'll cast their golden crown. When the man comes around. 

Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still. Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still. Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still. Listen to the words long written down, When the man comes around. 

Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin'. Multitudes are marchin' to the big kettle drum. Voices callin', voices cryin'. Some are born an' some are dyin'. It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come. 

And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree. The virgins are all trimming their wicks. The whirlwind is in the thorn tree. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 

In measured hundredweight and penny pound. When the man comes around. 

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts, And I looked and behold: a pale horse. And his name, that sat on him, was Death. And Hell followed with him. 

Yes, duh, I saw Walk the Line last week.

Remember, all cultures are equal

You might need to repeat that to yourself a few times before you click on over to Malkin's place to see the picture. But, a lynch mob is ready to kill Christian convert Abdul Rahman in Afghanistan.

As a side not of interest- note that there isn't a female anywhere to be seen in that crowd? What is with these frak-tards?

Because I have nothing to say

churchsign-1
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Church sign generator

Can be found here

That recipe

Last night, I went out to dinner with some friends (a "mom's night out") and my buddy Dana ordered a "to-die for" Tapas. It had shrimp, jalapeno, wrapped in bacon and fried. Yum. Anyway, it reminded me of Scott'ss recipe for "poppers" from a while back, and now I have to try it.

Blogroll

Forever tinkering.

I've added Blue Girl in a Red State because I am a "red girl in blue state." And because she blog rolled me, and I think that's kewel.

My sister noticed that Bob was back on my list. She wanted him back- so there he is.

I've removed some links, but I don't (ever) like to talk about that.

COOL!

ATT00220
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

My sis sent me this.

River Rat's sign

churchsign
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

Hope it's ok, I posted it. I love these things. And, the Red Wings won last night.

Not that there is anything wrong with that

churchsign
Originally uploaded by Carinroz.

In honor of Fred Phelps, and inspired by Ace, I made my own church sign.

NO, I do not have anything better to do.

Momentary thought

Have you ever had an epiphany, where you realized that you just didn't get it?

It might just be me.

Busy

Today is "DIU" blog-day.

Oh, if only I had as many commenters as Atrios; I could simply punch in "Another stupid Open thread" ten times, and call it a day.

Stupidity on Parade

Good for a giggle. If you find anarchists amusing. Which I SO DO!

Religion of Pieces, update 4

Certainly, Abdul Rahman needs our prayers right now. He is facing the death penalty for converting from the Religion of Peace, to Christianity.

We will cut him into little pieces," said Hosnia Wafayosofi, who works at the jail, as she made a cutting motion with her hands. "There's no need to see him...

More at Malkin

Civil War?

David Frum in NRO":

Is Iraq engaged in a civil war? Vice President Cheney has taken some heat for saying "no" on yesterday's "Face on the Nation," but he's right. Not to minimize the problems in Iraq, but we do not face the problem of contending centers warring for power - which is what I think most of us mean when we use the term "civil war." Rather, we are facing an attack on a weak government by an insurgency that can command support from only a very small fraction of the Iraqi population. The insurgency is brutal and effective and difficult to suppress. But it is purely a destructive force, not a contender for power.

Should I be concerned?

One of my port sites has taken on a greenish hue. Not a bruising, but it almost looks like (TMI warming) green pus. Just a small spot, mixed among the scab. My long incision doesn't have any scabbing, so I don't understand why my ports still have it.

You know, this whole post has been gross. At least I didn't include a picture.

This just in

400,000 dead in Darfur. 2,000,000 dead in South Sudanese. The world yawns. Because after all, this is a case where the indigenous people are killing their fellow man. It's not as if a foreign entity invaded and then pretended to torture. One gets the world mad. The other? Not so much.

I just want to make sure I understand the "rules" of outrage. If my neighbor nabs one of my children, molests and then murders them, that is a crime. If a foreign leader does the same, in his own country, either directly or through his military - well, that's just his business. We can ask the UN to sanction them, but if France decides it still wants to get some business through the back door, who are we to question?

I'm just wondering why we felt we could push our noses into that WWII business. Sure, Japan attacked us, but what did Hitler ever do to us?

Revisiting THAT question again, groan

I can't tell you what brings less excitement than revisiting the question "Why did we go to war with Iraq." I fear the debate is so polarized, that the outcome is predetermined (Bush lied, of course.) I hear those two words utttered by the left in nearly every discussion of the Iraqi war. Even people who claim to be moderates, throw off those words as if they represented an indisputable fact. So it is with a bit of trepidation that I bring up the article River Rat mentioned in comments. One compelling piece of evidence outlined by Captain Ed of Captains Quarter's Blog :

Immediately after 9/11, the US suspected that al-Qaeda had masterminded the attacks, confirming it within days. Until the 20th, when Bush made his speech, the government had not clearly and publicly stated its position to the Taliban. However, the IIS reported four days after the fact that the Taliban believed the US had proof of cooperation between Iraq and Osama bin Laden to attack American targets. The Taliban went out of its way to warn Saddam that the US would retaliate against Iraq when we got the proof together. That explicitly shows cooperation between the two governments. Moreover, the same people who sheltered and sponsored Osama bin Laden turned immediately to Saddam after the attacks for coordination on their response. They would have had no reason to do so -- except knowing that Osama and Saddam had a working relationship in fostering terrorist attacks against America.

One needs only to read the comments to see how this new debate is headed.

A comment thread at Jeff's is even more illustrative of the trend. But the facts on the ground is that we are interpreting thousands of pieces of NEW information, and not every response can be BUSH LIED, pointing to stale op-ed pieces from the past few years as a counter argument. One faction of the American public has taken it to the point of religious conviction that there was no ties between Iraq and terror. One wonders if any amount of truth will cause them to even re-examine their "facts."

I worry, because there are many non-facts, fact stories that have simply taken on a life of their own. The Bush "fake Turkey" story. Matthew Shepard's murder. Certain narratives are just too tempting to discard, even though they've been disproved.

Suicide bombers

I just watched this video of a suicide bomber in Iraq, and it reminded me of one of the good points in that Frontpagemag.com article I mentioned yesterday :

What is behind the suicide murders? Money, power and cold-blooded murderous incitement, nothing else. It has nothing to do with true fanatic religious beliefs. No Moslem preacher has ever blown himself up.

No son of an Arab politician or religious leader has ever blown himself.

No relative of anyone influential has done it. Wouldn't you expect some of the religious leaders to do it themselves, or to talk their sons into doing it, if this is truly a supreme act of religious fervor? Aren't they interested in the benefits of going to Heaven? Instead, they send outcast women, naive children, retarded people and young incited hotheads. They promise them the delights, mostly sexual, of the next world, and pay their families handsomely after the supreme act is performed and enough innocent people are dead.

Anyone know the average age of a suicide bomber?

Update: In the same vein, from Watching America, published in a Kuwaiti newspaper:

God has been generous to us and has given us Reason, so that we can differentiate between good and evil, and justice and injustice. Has any of you seen those who incite others to "Jihad," go themselves or send one of his own children to Jihad? On the contrary, while they push idiots into Jihad in Iraq and Chechnya, they increase the number of wives they have, thanks to the money donated by people of goodwill. Through these donations, [terrorist leaders] enjoy material wealth, and even send their children to study in America, start businesses and deposit fortunes in foreign banks.

More at Protein Wisdom.

I'm confused

Yesterday, in Washington D.C., the President of Liberia gave a speech of thanks to Congress. I went and checked my globe, and sure enough Liberia is in - get this- Africa! I have long been under the assumption that we didn't care about brown people - Kayne West told us so - so I'm sure there is more to this. Perhaps there is oil in Liberia? Anyway, here is a bit of the speech. This new lady President must be on Halliburton's payroll or something:

It was the leadership of the 108th Congress, more than two years ago, that paved the way for a United Nations force that secured our peace and guaranteed free and fair elections. It was your 445 million dollar addition to a supplemental appropriation that attracted additional commitments from international donors. With those funds, we have laid the foundation for a durable peace, not only in Liberia, but in the whole West African sub-region. Special appreciation goes to this 109th Congress for the effort, in recent weeks, to meet Liberia's development needs.

Honorable ladies and gentlemen of this Congress, I want to thank you. The Liberian people have sent me here to thank you - thank you for your vision. Our triumph over evil is also your triumph.

Our special relationship with the United States brought us benefits long before the autumn of 2003. Thousands of our people, including myself, have been educated in American missionary schools and gone on to higher training in this country. You have generously welcomed tens of thousands of our people as they fled war and persecution.

Obviously this woman has been brainwashed by American imperialists. It's sad, really. I looked it up, and apparently Liberia does export oil. Granted it's Palm oil (which sound like something dirty), but still I think we can safely continue to say that America only cares about brown people when there is oil involved. FIGHT THE POWER. I think we need to send Autum Ashante to Liberia where she can speak the truth to the sheep of Liberia:

White Nationalism Put U In Bondage


White nationalism is what put you in bondage
Pirate and vampires like Columbus, Morgan, and Darwin
Drank the blood of the sheep, trampled all over them with
Steel, tricks and deceit.
Nothing has changed take a look in our streets
The mis-education of she and Hegro — leaves you on your knee2grow
Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse
They took the gold, the wisdom and all of the storytellers
They took the black women, with the black man weak
Made to watch as they changed the paradigm
Of our village
They killed the blind, they killed the lazy, they went
So far as to kill the unborn baby
Yeah White nationalism is what put you in bondage
Pirates and vampires like Columbus, Morgan, and Darwin
They drank the blood of the sheep, trampled all over them with
Steel laden feet, throw in the tricks alcohol and deceit.
Nothing has changed take a look at our streets.

Listen closely, Liberia, don't let this happen to you. The wise-words of a seven-year-old advise you to shake off your white oppressors in the US Congress. We just want to steal your your (palm) oil and kill your babies.

And, Barbara Boxer does kinda look like a vampire.

Arggg

You'd think every once and a while, something good would happen to ME.

shit shit shit.

Interesting Article

An interesting article in Frontpage Magazine, via Ace via someone else :

If by democracy we mean free elections but also free press, free speech, a functioning judicial system, civil liberties, equality to women, free international travel, exposure to international media and ideas, laws against racial incitement and against defamation, and avoidance of lawless behavior regarding hospitals, places of worship and children, then yes, democracy is the solution.

If democracy is just free elections, it is likely that the most fanatic regime will be elected, the one whose incitement and fabrications are the most inflammatory.

Detroit Royalty must ride in Style

I thought it was Rethuglians who hated the environment. So imagine my surprise when I learned that Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick leased, on the taxpayer's dime, a Cadillac DeVille. For the bargain basement price of $9,792 per year. Sayeth a spokesperson ;

She has a Cadillac because it's an American-made product that is made and manufactured in her district," Walker said.

Huh, really? So, she is OK with the fact that she drives a car with a price-tag that exceeds the mortgages or rentals amounts in her district? She drives that car with pride, when she represents a district with high unemployment, abysmal public education, and horrible city services?

I'm still waiting to hear what she discovered on her "fact finding" mission to Africa.

Mean people suck

And, I think they should just stay home and not infect others with their nastiness. i could tell you the not-so-long, but mostly likely boring story that inspired this, but how about I don't, you just pretend to know the particulars. Or, better yet, insert your own story into the narrative and go from there?

Regardless, i think mean, nasty people should just stay home. Why don't they? I mean, Al Gore invented this wonderful internets- certainly people could find a way to live in their house without ever coming into contact with the unwashed masses of humanity they hate?

Which kinda segues into my next rant; people who especially hate children. Who can't, for even the smallest micro-second, be nice to ward those under the age of 16 (thereabouts.) This type often forgoes children and gets a bunch of cats, or a dog, and then overlays human traits upon them to pretend that they aren't actually a only, mean bastard. Now, I love my dog almost as much as I love my kids, but I know it's not a pseudo-human, with human emotions. My dog does not get placed above any family member - or any member of the human race (unless the person is breaking in my house, and then I hope Greta chews their face off.) To be perfectly honest, I believe a pet should serve a purpose besides just wrecking the furniture, and eat (and pooping.) My cats serve the VERY useful task of killing any and all rodents that might think about invading my home. And, Greta - well, the whole block is afraid of her, so I think you understand her purpose.

Oh, right, back to children-hating-people (with a special emphasis on crazy cat-ladies, since it was just such a lady that inspired this post.) What I don't understand is why people hate children. I can understand not wanting to be around "bad" children, but my children were behaving fine, when this crazy cat-lady started going off. I had to order my children to leave immediately, because I was way too close to going off in a rather ugly way.

When this lady is old and alone, I hope her cats can manage her care. Perhaps cats have a special meals-on-wheels program going. I say, if you hate humanity- leave it and die alone. Become a recluse. And hope that someone finds your body before your pets starts eating it.

Today

Today, I have nothing to say. Enjoy the silence.

To father, or not

Rob has some advice for men everywhere :

If you can't father, don't F@&^.

Of course, he didn't censor. While I believe Rob and I arrive at the same conclusions, I have a different take on the matter. While he, and other commenters, have offered that this is a stupid lawsuit, I honestly think this man has a point. A point I don't agree with, but a point.


From Foxenews:

The gist of the argument: If a pregnant woman can choose among abortion, adoption or raising a child, a man involved in an unintended pregnancy should have the choice of declining the financial responsibilities of fatherhood. The activists involved hope to spark discussion even if they lose.
"There's such a spectrum of choice that women have — it's her body, her pregnancy and she has the ultimate right to make decisions," said Mel Feit, director of the men's center. "I'm trying to find a way for a man also to have some say over decisions that affect his life profoundly."

They are absolutely right. A woman can be just as irresponsible as a man by having unprotected sex, and while that woman has a "choice" (albeit a difficult one), the man is at the mercy of whatever that woman decides. He's a sorta-father. A father if the mom decides he is. While the man in the lawsuit complains that he is now a father against his will, what about the man who sits helpless while is child is sucked into a sink (I can hear the chants now - MY BODY, MY CHOICE.)

Dubay says he has been ordered to pay $500 a month in child support for a girl born last year to his ex-girlfriend. He contends that the woman knew he didn't want to have a child with her and assured him repeatedly that — because of a physical condition — she could not get pregnant.

Ok, now for this reason alone the man is a total (farking) moron. Situation: A 19 year-old woman tells you she cannot get pregnant. You:

A) Do the happy dance because now you don't have to wear a condom.
B) Nod your head, but opt for the rubber as added protection, because, -obviously - what 19 year old would know that with any degree of certainty?
C) Run in the other direction because this woman is obviously lying.

Our little friend chose "A", so he is a moron.

State courts have ruled in the past that any inequity experienced by men like Dubay is outweighed by society's interest in ensuring that children get financial support from two parents. Melanie Jacobs, a Michigan State University law professor, said the federal court might rule similarly in Dubay's case.
"The courts are trying to say it may not be so fair that this gentleman has to support a child he didn't want, but it's less fair to say society has to pay the support," she said.
Feit, however, says a fatherhood opt-out wouldn't necessarily impose higher costs on society or the mother. A woman who balked at abortion but felt she couldn't afford to raise a child could put the baby up for adoption, he said.

See, this is my major gripe with this lawsuit; that it is all about the money. As if financial support of a man is "enough." The state doesn't care if a man doesn't actually "father" the child, as long as he pays for it. And this men's organization is arguing that it isn't enough that he doesn't "father", he wants to get out of "paying" as well. So, you see - I have a problem with BOTH positions of this argument. Which is why I find it interesting, not stupid. The plaintiff doesn't expect to win this lawsuit, he even says that. He want's to get a "debate" started on this issue. Fine, let's debate. I think there is something wrong with BOTH sides.

Now, for the most ironic position, we have NOW's Kim Gandy :

"None of these are easy questions," said Gandy, a former prosecutor. "But most courts say it's not about what he did or didn't do or what she did or didn't do. It's about the rights of the child."

GET THAT? The "rights of the child?" I thought it was all about the woman's right to choose? The child has no rights while it is inside a woman, right? I guess the pecking order goes: woman's right to choose, the child's rights (to financial support only) , and then- way down there - a man's rights.

I have an idea; why don't we teach kids that the "reason" for sex is babies. Somewhere between the discussions of how to put condoms on cucumbers, and how to explore your varied expressions of sexuality, we introduce the idea that maybe you should only have sex with someone you feel strongly enough for that if a pregnancy occurred, you could deal with the consequences without a lawsuit.

Revelations

Along the same lines as Soylent Green is people yesterday I came into the knowledge that Andy Willoughby is Xango juice/.

Now, you may have no idea what I'm talking about, especially if you do not listen to AM radio. But, in my house, this was big news.

Read more at Alpaca Burger Forum.

Compare/contrast

But choosing to not publishing cartoons that might offend muslims, we bow to their ideology. We grant it special status. We abide by their rules.

By publish cartoons offensive to Christians, we elevate Islam above Christianity.

When the reality is, we can offend Christians because we know they will not retaliate violently. We abide by Islamic rules, because we do not wish our head to be separated from our shoulders.

If this continues, we are doomed.

Plead

Someone please come take my children.

The Oscars!

Not to go all predictably conservative on you, but I didn't watch. I honestly don't remember the last time I did watch. The only movies I have seen that were nominated for anything were King Kong and March of the Penguins.

I have no interest in:

1) what the stars wear
2) who they thank
3) what shocking thing they might say in their acceptance speech
4) who wins anything

So, given these fact, why would I watch? Besides, there was this really interesting show about elephant on last night.

We are all kafffaars

There have been discussions here and there regarding "who" exactly our enemies are. ARe they Muslim? Are they Islamics? Are they militants? Are they fascists? The debate is never ending regarding how to "correctly" identify who it is, exactly, that wants to kill us.

One thing that GLARES out at me, especially in this story- and with the entire 9/11, Madrid, London bombings narrative - it doesn't matter who YOU are, because we are all Kufffaars -nonbelivers.

On the boob tube last night ...

This season, I’ve returned to watching ER. It had been a rather stale, very miss-able show, but this year it has reached new heights (dare I say, this season, so far, has been it’s best yet.) Perhaps it is because it doesn’t rely on the star-power of one actor to carry it (as it did with George Clooney, or Noah Wiley.)

But last night’s episode reminded me that Hollywood is here to teach me something. We returned, briefly, to Wiley’s character who is temporarily serving in Sudan, treating the refugees of the genocide. The evildoers, of course, are the Janjaweed. No one disputes this. The Janjaweed rapes one of the characters, and then later kills the husband, who was out for retribution.

What I found interesting, though, was the presentation of the refugees as devote muslims, and innocents (which they certainly are), and the Janjaweed as merely some roving, militaristic thugs. While they are thugs, totally glossed over is the fact that the Janjaweed are muslims as well. From Wikapedia:

The Janjaweed (variously spelled Janjawid ,Jingaweit ,Jinjaweed ,Janjawiid ,Janjiwid , etc.) is an armed militia group in Darfur , western Sudan , comprising fighters of Arab background (mainly from the originally nomadic Baggara people). Since 2003 it has been one of the principal actors in the increasingly bloody Darfur conflict , which has pitted nomadic tribes against the settled arable farmer tribes of the region. The Janjaweed represent the ruling Sunni Muslim government.

The name "Janjaweed" means "armed men on horseback." The Janjaweed is the successor to an earlier Arab tribal militia, the Murahilin (literally "nomads"), which had existed for many years beforehand.

Perhaps this detail wasn’t important? Perhaps Hollywood was afraid this would give us the "wrong" impression of Islam? The truth of the matter, is that this is a battle between black muslims, and arab muslims (who are in power, and are supported by the Janjaweed). It is the blacks that are being eliminated.

The message of ER, I assume, is how can "we" let this happen? The question, though, is how can we stop it? What is Hollywood willing to support to stop this genocide? Based on the criticism from the likes of George Clooney, Sean Penn, and the majority of Hollywood, nothing.

What WMDs?

From FrontPage Magazine, an interview with Ryan Mauro, a researcher and analyst for Tactical Defense Concepts, on the Saddam tapes:

: The tapes are extremely significant in that they prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that as of the year 2000, Saddam Hussein had a secret plasma program to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons, or "special bombs" as he calls them. The Duelfer Report previously concluded that this type of enrichment program ended in the 1980s, but here we have Saddam and his top advisors discussing using a power plant in the area of Basra for the program.  The scientists involved in the program are not known to the UN, leaving Western intelligence clueless.

On the tapes, you hear Saddam discussing the assistance of Russia and Brazil in dealing with the United Nations. He laughs off inspections, as his son-in-law who later defects, Hussein Kamil, reports how as late as 1995 their chemical and biological programs were being hidden from the world. They also discuss keeping the ingredients for these weapons separate, so that should they be found, they will be looked at as innocent dual-use items. They were not destroyed in 1991 as the Duelfer Report concludes. There are even indications on the tapes that Iraq may have had a role in the 2001 anthrax attacks.

Bold is mine, to point out that the tapes reveal Saddam had WMDs (as well as active plans to develop WMDs) as late as 2000. And, where does Mauro say the WMDs went?

It has been confirmed across the board that 18-wheelers were seen going into Syria before the war, crossing the border soon after Iraqi intelligence replaced the border guards and cleared nearby areas for their passage. There are also eyewitness reports of the trucks going into Syria, and eyewitness reports of their burial in Lebanon.

The trucks with the weapons were tracked to three locations in Syria and Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, currently controlled by the Syrians, Iranians and Hezbollah. Sources I've spoken with that have seen satellite photos of the movements confirm that the WMD in Syria are at military bases, while the ones in Lebanon are buried. A fourth site in Syria, the al-Safir WMD and missile site, should also be looked at. From spring to summer 2002, there was a lot of construction here involving the expansion of underground complexes.

Much more information at the link.

No wonder kids today are so, like, stupid

Asshat teacher Jay Bennish on Capitalism:

Capitalism: If you don't understand the economic system of capitalism, you don't understand the world in which we live. Ok. Economic system in which all or most of the means of production, etc., are owned privately and operated in a somewhat competitive environment for the purpose of producing PROFIT! Of course, you can shorten these definitions down. Make sure you get the gist of it. Do you see how when, you know, when you're looking at this definition, where does it say anything about capitalism is an economic system that will provide everyone in the world with the basic needs that they need? Is that a part of this system? Do you see how this economic system is at odds with humanity? At odds with caring and compassion? It's at odds with human rights.

Anytime you have a system that is designed to procure profit, when profit is the bottom motive -- money -- that means money is going to become more important potentially than what? Safety, human lives, etc.

What I don't understand, is why people who hate the economic system under which they live don't move. Really and seriously. Many people move to the US to escape the political and economic systems of their motherland. I say, follow their example.

Bush Lied. Or not

It has been repeated at nauseum that "Bush lied" to convince the American people to support his war in Iraq. Say it often enough, and it becomes accepted as fact. And then there is this, in the form of tapes made by Saddam, and now being translated by American intelligence:

In a tape dating to April 1995, Saddam and several aides discuss the fact that U.N. inspectors had found traces of Iraq's biological weapons program. On the tape, Hussein Kamel, Saddam's son-in-law, is heard gloating about fooling the inspectors.

"We did not reveal all that we have," he says. "Not the type of weapons, not the volume of the materials we imported, not the volume of the production we told them about, not the volume of use. None of this was correct."

There's more. Indeed, as late as 2000, Saddam can be heard in his office talking with Iraqi scientists about his ongoing plans to build a nuclear device. At one point, he discusses Iraq's plasma uranium program — something that was missed entirely by U.N. weapons inspectors combing Iraq for WMD.


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Perhaps most chillingly, the tapes record Iraq Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz talking about how easy it would be to set off a WMD in Washington. The comments come shortly after Saddam muses about using "proxies" in a terror attack.

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These are extraordinary developments. They deserve a full airing in the media, since they essentially validate part of Bush's casus belli for invading Iraq and deposing the murderous Saddam.

But once again, the mainstream media have dropped the ball. They seem more interested in Dick Cheney's marksmanship and American port management than in setting the record straight about one of the most important developments of our time.

Indeed. The media's bias can been seen in what it does, and doesn't report.


h/t : No-Pasaran

The unstoppable Democrats

Howard Dean gave a speech outlining the Democrats' plans for the future :

he Democrats have a better idea. First we will conclude the negotiations with the Chinese and the North Koreans to disarm North Korea. Secondly, under no circumstances will a Democratic Administration ever allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Three, we will kill or capture Osama bin Laden and four, the authority and the control of the ports of the United States must be retained by American companies.

See how easy that is? It's only because Bushitler is such a dunce that these things haven't already been accomplished already. Beware, Republicans, Dean has got a FOUR POINT PLAN.

I have a four point plan too. 1) Win the lotto. 2) Buy and Island. 3) Implement plan for world Peace. 4) Take a nap.

But, Dean has still more plans:

"So our strategy is very simple- we want to make it clear to the American people what the Republicans are about and what their discrepancies are between what they say and what they do. We also want to make sure the American people understand what we are going to do differently.

"One- we will pass ethics legislation within the first 100 days of our re-ascension to power, and eliminate the scandals and the corruption that the Republicans have brought to power. We want honest and open government in America again.

"Two- we want a strong national defense which begins with telling the truth to our citizens and our soldiers and our allies before we send troops abroad.

"Three- we want American jobs that will stay in America by creating a new energy independence industry, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs and construction jobs to retrofit our homes and businesses.

"Four- we want a health care system which works for everyone, just like 36 other countries in the world have.

"And five- we want a strong public education system so we can have opportunity and optimism back in America again. . ."

Yes, Dean, your strategy is simple. Some might called it ... stupid. I might be that someone. As Ace pointed out, Dean's solutions are actually goals. Kinda like my four-point plan to happiness above. The tricky part, Dean, is making your goals something you can actually achieve. For that you actually need a plan.

What worries me is that there might actually be Democrats out there who are impressed by Dean's words.

Of course, Jeff has something to say about this as well.