BUT THEY WON'T CONDEMN JIHADO-TERRORISM.
- REGULAR READERS KNOW WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
- SPREAD THE WORD. BLOGROLL US.
DEDICATED TO EXPOSING DISINFORMATION AND PROPAGANDA AND TO PROMOTING UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS - WITH SHARP ANALYSIS AND BLUNT COMMENTARY. NO ADS. NO TIP-JAR. JUST THE TRUTH.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
ASPARAGUS SCREAMS: THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS SCOOPS INSTAPUNDIT, THE WEEKLY STANDARD AND MAGGIES FARM
THE POSTMODERN LEFT THINKS EATING ASPARAGUS IS MURDEROUS.
BUT THEY WON'T CONDEMN JIHADO-TERRORISM.
BUT THEY WON'T CONDEMN JIHADO-TERRORISM.
CHAVEZ TAKES ANOTHER STEP ON THE CALLE TO SERFDOM: EXPROPRIATES VENEZUELA'S LARGEST STEELMAKER
MERCOPRESS:
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
Chavez nationalizes Argentine foundry, Venezuela’s largestIF THIS KIND OF THING WORKED OUT WELL, THEN THE USSR WOULD STILL BE AROUND, AND ZIMBABWE WOULD BE EXPORTING FOOD.President Hugo Chavez ordered the expropriation of Venezuela's largest steel maker after attempts by the government to acquire a majority stake in the Italian-Argentine conglomerate Techint failed.
Sidor, has been "recuperated by the revolutionary government" said Chavez
Siderurgica del Orinoco, Sidor, has been “recuperated by the revolutionary government” said Chavez during a political rally.
Chavez ordered Sidor nationalized earlier this month, siding with workers who sought improved salaries and benefits. Venezuelan officials had been talking with Ternium representatives (controlled by Techint) to negotiate a price for its 60% share in the company, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.
However, the Venezuelan president refused point blank to accept the price tag of 4 billion US dollars claimed by Ternium, calling the amount excessive adding the government had estimated the steel foundry’s total value at about 800 million.
Sidor, a former state company, was privatized in 1998, but the government has retained a 20%, while current and former employees hold the remainder.
The company produces about 85% of the 5 million metric tons of steel Venezuela turns out annually, according to the Belgium-based International Iron and Steel Institute.
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
JAZZ FEST IS ON - WISH I WUZ DER!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS IN THE UNIVERSE - THE MAPLE LEAF - HERE'S WHY:
THE CITY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST - THE FOOD, THE MUSIC... ENJOY SOME VIDEOS OF SOME OTHER OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK STUFF...
THE CITY IS ONE OF THE GREATEST - THE FOOD, THE MUSIC... ENJOY SOME VIDEOS OF SOME OTHER OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK STUFF...
TOO BAD FOR THE DEMS: MORE PROOF THE WORST OF THE ECONOMIC CRUNCH IS OVER
DRUDGE:
Buffett Says Worst of Crisis Over for Wall Street, Individuals May Suffer...THE DEMS AND THE MSM ARE GONNA HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER ISSUE.
JOBLESS RATE FALLS...
Futures Traders Bet on Dollar's Advance For First Time in Three Years...
Euro shows signs of end to bull run...
Bush says economy going to 'come on'...
OBAMA WINS GUAM - AND AS GUAM GOES SO GOES... GUAM
REUTERS:
HAGATNA, Guam: Democrat Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton in the nominating contest on the Pacific island of Guam by just seven votes, election officials said on Sunday.GUAMAMIANS ARE MOSTLY OBAMAMIANS, I GUESS...
With only four votes at the Democratic convention at stake, the contest on Guam, a tiny U.S. territory more than 20 hours by plane from Washington, will barely register in the protracted duel for the party's presidential ticket.
"Clearly, both of them are quite popular and we should celebrate that," Josh Tenorio, Obama's campaign manager in Guam, told Reuters.
- OBAMA HAS THE MOMENTUM NOW!
- HA.
- WHO CARES WHICH ONE THE COMMIES PICK!? I DON'T. THEY'RE BOTH SOCIALISTS WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH BAGGAGE TO MAKE THEM UNELECTABLE.
- THE ONLY WAY MCCAIN CAN LOSE IS IF HE'S FOUNDS IN BED WITH A LIVE BOY OR A DEAD GIRL.
- OR HAS A STROKE.
- OR MAKES A BAD PICK FOR VEEP.
- LIKE LINDSAY GRAHAM OR HUCKABEE.
THANK GOODNESS: RED KEN LIVINGSTONE IS OUSTED FROM MAYOR'S OFFICE
London's creepy commie mayor, Red Ken Livingstone, has thankfully been voted out of office (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin). His successor is Boris Johnson.
It's fortunate, because this awful, disgusting man has embraced the PLO, Chavez, the Islamofascists of London and just about any other fascist/communist entity possible. I don't know if Johnson is any better, but that Livingstone is out of office is most definitely fortunate, because he was one of the worst politicians to be found in England. Good riddance.
It's fortunate, because this awful, disgusting man has embraced the PLO, Chavez, the Islamofascists of London and just about any other fascist/communist entity possible. I don't know if Johnson is any better, but that Livingstone is out of office is most definitely fortunate, because he was one of the worst politicians to be found in England. Good riddance.
Gore, Schumer and Pelosi: Let them eat dirt
It all started out as a simple, money-making scam. In the late 1990's, members of the UN's International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were tasked with assessing the scientific validity of the Kyoto Protocol. They subsequently produced the Special Report on Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry. The report found that "carbon offsets" and "carbon trading" were viable ways to barter the right to pollute for new forestry initiatives.
But members of the panel, such as Pedro Moura-Costa (above) and Gareth Philips, had major conflicts-of-interest. They owned or worked for businesses -- such as Ecosecurities and SGS Forestry -- that would benefit from the report's conclusions. But the mainstream media did not report these conflicts and instead piled on the "global warming" and "carbon offset" bandwagons.
The carbon offset market quickly exploded. In fact, $92 billion worth of offsets are expected to change hands in 2008. But wanton profiteering alone appears to be at the very heart of "carbon offsets." Put simply, a wide range of respected scientists, environmentalists, researchers, agriculturalists, and activists believe that carbon offsets are a "scam", "fantasy", "fiction", "nonsense", "fraudulent" and worse. And they've been saying so since 2000, though to read the newspaper you wouldn't know it.
To demonstrate the fraudulence of the carbon offset market, one need only request quotes from various carbon offset sellers.
The price for offseting a flight from London to Toronto and back?
In other words, they're all basically making it up as they go along.
The result of these frauds, with which the mainstream media has been stunningly complicit, goes well beyond what most of the scammers would ever have anticipated.
For one, food prices haves skyrocketed as biofuel production has eroded the world's ability to produce basic foodstuffs.
But biofuel production isn't the only culprit.
The rise in food prices is also due, in part, to high oil prices. Earlier this week, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) described his reluctance to pump oil from the United States' Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
Unfortunately, that's exactly what Democrat Bill Clinton said fourteen years ago, when he vetoed legislation that would have permitted drilling in ANWR's coastal plain. Had Clinton signed off then, we'd have started producing oil four years ago. And billions of barrels of oil lie untouched, available to U.S. consumers, in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) areas.
The oil lies, patiently waiting for us, in areas around the US. But Democrats have "repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR... We could produce plenty of oil," said Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). "We could meet our own needs right now if we wanted to."
The red areas in the accompanying maps depict "The No Zone." These are the regions surrounding the United States in which Democrats have forbidden any oil exploration. From the tiny spit of land within the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to the OCS, Democrats have uniformly opposed every form of exploration that would allow us to stop sending our funds overseas and given us the time to transition to clean energy technologies.
In the mean time, Cuba has leased drilling rights to foreign countries, which will permit them to drain the Gulf of Mexico of its oil. For example, Cuba recently granted China drilling rights in the Gulf. And, in fact, China will be drilling within 50 miles of Florida.
Instead of thinking strategically, Democrats have proposed various short-term fixes to address high oil prices.
In other words, jack up prices to consumers even more because the oil companies will be forced to raise costs in order to continue their exploration and R&D functions (and pay shareholders like you and I).
Put simply, Democrats want more expensive energy.
There's that phrase again: carbon trading.
It all comes back to carbon offsets, the "global warming" scam promoted by the UN's IPCC. And now, a group of scientists has formally petitioned the IPCC, asking that they cease and desist marketing the message that CO2 emissions relate to warming temperatures. The scientists go on to renounce the unintended consequences of the UN's position: that the policy of burning food (to produce biofuel) has driven food prices sharply higher and is causing hunger and deforestation in countries around the world (especially the poorer countries).
The net result? In Haiti, for example, citizens have been forced to eat mud patties consisting of dirt, oil and sugar.
Furthermore, scientists are now coming to the conclusion that "green" fuels can't replace oil anytime soon.
* * *
The hunger and high oil prices are certain to continue until we come to grips with reality. That is, fossil fuels are required for the world to survive the next several decades. The transition to green technologies will take significant time.
Unless we wish to see mass starvation and economic ruin, Democrats must allow America to take advantage of its immense storehouse of energy.
Vote accordingly in 2008.
But members of the panel, such as Pedro Moura-Costa (above) and Gareth Philips, had major conflicts-of-interest. They owned or worked for businesses -- such as Ecosecurities and SGS Forestry -- that would benefit from the report's conclusions. But the mainstream media did not report these conflicts and instead piled on the "global warming" and "carbon offset" bandwagons.
The carbon offset market quickly exploded. In fact, $92 billion worth of offsets are expected to change hands in 2008. But wanton profiteering alone appears to be at the very heart of "carbon offsets." Put simply, a wide range of respected scientists, environmentalists, researchers, agriculturalists, and activists believe that carbon offsets are a "scam", "fantasy", "fiction", "nonsense", "fraudulent" and worse. And they've been saying so since 2000, though to read the newspaper you wouldn't know it.
To demonstrate the fraudulence of the carbon offset market, one need only request quotes from various carbon offset sellers.
The price for offseting a flight from London to Toronto and back?
- $85: from Climate Care (UK), which says 6 tons of CO2 must be offset.
- $60: Carbon Neutral (UK), which says 4.3 tons of CO2 must be offset.
- $195: Climate Friendly (Australia) asserts that 11.63 tons of CO2 must be offset.
- $180: Green Seat (Netherlands) says 8.68 tons of CO2 must be offset.
In other words, they're all basically making it up as they go along.
The result of these frauds, with which the mainstream media has been stunningly complicit, goes well beyond what most of the scammers would ever have anticipated.
For one, food prices haves skyrocketed as biofuel production has eroded the world's ability to produce basic foodstuffs.
"Why are we putting food in our gas tanks instead of our stomachs?" asked Richard Reinwald, owner of Reinwald's Bakery in Huntington, N.Y., and an active member of the Retail Bakers Association...
...Joseph Glauber, the chief economist at the Department of Agriculture, said ethanol production has led to higher prices for corn and soybeans... [and]...George Braley, the vice president of America's Second Harvest, said food banks nationwide are having trouble stocking their shelves...
But biofuel production isn't the only culprit.
The rise in food prices is also due, in part, to high oil prices. Earlier this week, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) described his reluctance to pump oil from the United States' Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
What does the president do? He takes out the old saw of ANWR. ANWR wouldn't produce a drop of oil in ten years...
Unfortunately, that's exactly what Democrat Bill Clinton said fourteen years ago, when he vetoed legislation that would have permitted drilling in ANWR's coastal plain. Had Clinton signed off then, we'd have started producing oil four years ago. And billions of barrels of oil lie untouched, available to U.S. consumers, in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) areas.
The oil lies, patiently waiting for us, in areas around the US. But Democrats have "repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR... We could produce plenty of oil," said Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). "We could meet our own needs right now if we wanted to."
The red areas in the accompanying maps depict "The No Zone." These are the regions surrounding the United States in which Democrats have forbidden any oil exploration. From the tiny spit of land within the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to the OCS, Democrats have uniformly opposed every form of exploration that would allow us to stop sending our funds overseas and given us the time to transition to clean energy technologies.
In the mean time, Cuba has leased drilling rights to foreign countries, which will permit them to drain the Gulf of Mexico of its oil. For example, Cuba recently granted China drilling rights in the Gulf. And, in fact, China will be drilling within 50 miles of Florida.
Instead of thinking strategically, Democrats have proposed various short-term fixes to address high oil prices.
"We believe there ought to be a gas-tax holiday, but Big Oil ought to pay for it," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
In other words, jack up prices to consumers even more because the oil companies will be forced to raise costs in order to continue their exploration and R&D functions (and pay shareholders like you and I).
Put simply, Democrats want more expensive energy.
All that said, the real problem — and the reason Pelosi really does deserve blame — is that Democrats’ political goal of reducing carbon emissions continues to trump their populist rhetoric on gasoline prices. The two stances are impossible to reconcile. Try as they might to blame oil companies for the pain Americans feel at the pump, the Democrats want higher prices for gasoline — and for all forms of energy that emit carbon. Economic barriers against CO2 emissions are a requirement for environmental progress in the Democrats’ view, and this is the entire purpose of the carbon cap-and-trade system they will put before the House this summer — to create economic disincentives for emitting CO2.
There's that phrase again: carbon trading.
It all comes back to carbon offsets, the "global warming" scam promoted by the UN's IPCC. And now, a group of scientists has formally petitioned the IPCC, asking that they cease and desist marketing the message that CO2 emissions relate to warming temperatures. The scientists go on to renounce the unintended consequences of the UN's position: that the policy of burning food (to produce biofuel) has driven food prices sharply higher and is causing hunger and deforestation in countries around the world (especially the poorer countries).
The net result? In Haiti, for example, citizens have been forced to eat mud patties consisting of dirt, oil and sugar.
Furthermore, scientists are now coming to the conclusion that "green" fuels can't replace oil anytime soon.The hunger and high oil prices are certain to continue until we come to grips with reality. That is, fossil fuels are required for the world to survive the next several decades. The transition to green technologies will take significant time.
Unless we wish to see mass starvation and economic ruin, Democrats must allow America to take advantage of its immense storehouse of energy.
Vote accordingly in 2008.
MORE CREEPING SHARIA IN THE UK
Right now - in the UK - sharia is making major headway in finance, hotels, and the insurance industry... but what's next???
ACCOUNTANCY MAGAZINE:
ACCOUNTANCY MAGAZINE:
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, caused a furore recently when he said some aspects of Sharia law were ‘unavoidable’ in the UK.TRAVEL MOLE:
Only time will tell whether that is the case, but what is happening quietly in the bowels of the City of London is the rise of Sharia - or Islamic – finance.
It is not that the moneymen have had a religious conversion. Rather, there is the realisation that there is profit to be made from in the Middle East and south-east Asia from massive infrastructure projects fuelled by oil-driven financial liquidity.
...The last few years have seen an explosion in Islamic finance in the UK. In 2004 the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development saw the establishment of the Islamic Bank of Britain, the first wholly Islamic retail bank. This was followed in 2006 by the European Islamic Investment Bank.
Both HSBC and Lloyds TSB have expanded their Islamic finance in the UK.
Even CIMA recently launched a Certificate in Islamic Finance. It offers ‘comprehensive skills’ in areas including Sharia compliance and ‘the complexities of the contracts that underpin this compliance’.
CIMA’s John Willsdon, who runs the course, said: ‘Islamic finance has caught the imagination of a great many people across the world. There is no doubt that the oil wealth amassed in the Middle East and South East Asia has given a tremendous impetus to this relatively new niche in the market.’
Since the launch in December last year, more than 50 students from 13 countries have studied for the certificate.
The Islamic hospitality market, or Sharia-compliant hotels, is pegged to be one of the fastest growing hospitality segments, according to Jonathan Worsley conference co-organiser, Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC).DATAMONITOR: Principle Insurance: a newly FSA authorized Sharia compliant insurer
He said that Dubai-based hospitality group Almulla Hospitality, has recently launched its Sharia-compliant hotel portfolio, comprising three brand tiers.
The group has also cited plans to target development in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt and Malaysia in the first instance, with Thailand and Europe following closely behind.
“Almulla joins other UAE-based players including Shaza Hotels from Kempinski and Tamani Hotels & Suites from KM Group among others,” he said.
Rotana too has tickled the sector recently launching Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts with an offer-specific ‘no-alcohol’ label.
Almulla Hospitality’s chairman, Abdulla Almulla, said that the demand for Sharia-compliant accommodation is on the increase and represents 10 per cent of the world tourism market.
The FSA has authorized the UK's first independent takaful insurer, Principle Insurance.
Principle Insurance has become the UK's first Sharia compliant independent insurance company to be formally authorized by the FSA. The insurer will operate in accordance with Islamic laws, through which it will target the UK's estimated two million Muslims in the home and motor markets. In this way, the company is demonstrating a different approach to segmenting the insurance markets.
The FSA has given formal authorization for Principle Insurance to operate as an insurance company in the UK. The company will trade in compliance with Sharia Islamic laws in regards to financial services, which prevent accruing interest and some forms of investment. As such, Principle Insurance will operate along the lines of typical cooperative mutual insurers already present in the market.
While the insurer is not the first in the UK market with a Sharia compliant offering - HSBC already markets takaful insurance products - it is the first independent company set up to be fully compliant with Islamic law in the UK.
- SHARIA: COMING TO A NATION NEAR YOU!
- FIRST THE UK, THEN... WHO KNOWS WHERE?
- EVERYWHERE, IF YOU LET IT...
TORIES ON THE EUSSR: IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER!
William Hague: Government must put EU Constitution Bill on hold:
Commenting on the news that the Stuart Wheeler has won permission to launch a High Court challenge over the Government's refusal to hold a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty, Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, said:
Rt Hon William Hague MP
"The Government must now put the bill bringing the renamed EU Constitution into force on hold. It was already plain that this deeply unpopular Government had no moral right to impose this Treaty on Britain without any democratic mandate. Now the courts are looking at the legality of denying a referendum. Under these circumstances it would be shockingly arrogant for ministers to carry on as normal.
"After today Gordon Brown may well be scared of what the voters have to say but he cannot wriggle out of his solemn election promise of a referendum. Getting that promise honoured would be a great day for democracy."
- THE EUSSR WOULD NOT ONLY SEVERELY DIMINISH IF NOT CRIPPLE DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE; IT WOULD BE A HUGE SETBACK FOR THE WEST.
- I PRAY THE UK AND/OR IRELAND KILL THE LISBON TREATY, AND SAVE THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE FROM THE TRANSNATIONAL POSTMODERN SOCIALISTS TRYING TO RAM THE EUSSR DOWN THEIR THROATS.
No respect for free speech or intellectual diversity at Smith College
Smith college is an elite Massachusetts liberal arts college for women. We read:
The above quote is from a feminist site. Their silence over the treatment of women in Muslim countries has long ago revealed that feminism is just a mask for far Leftism these days and the above certainly confirms that. Christians who are critical of homosexuality are fair game and must be shouted down. Muslims (as in Iran) who actually kill homosexuals are just "misunderstood".
A commenter here reasonably asks how the feminists would feel if they were denied the right to be heard in a similar way. The shrieks and squeals would resound to high Heaven.
Fuller details of what actually happened here
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
"Last night Ryan Sorba, an "anti-homosexual activist" spoke at Smith College. Sorba, the author of the upcoming book, "The Born Gay Hoax," (yes, seriously) can been seen in action here. The awesome feminists of Smith forced Sorba out after a mere twenty minutes of speaking, when he was drowned out by protesters.
Source
The above quote is from a feminist site. Their silence over the treatment of women in Muslim countries has long ago revealed that feminism is just a mask for far Leftism these days and the above certainly confirms that. Christians who are critical of homosexuality are fair game and must be shouted down. Muslims (as in Iran) who actually kill homosexuals are just "misunderstood".
A commenter here reasonably asks how the feminists would feel if they were denied the right to be heard in a similar way. The shrieks and squeals would resound to high Heaven.
Fuller details of what actually happened here
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Triumph for truth! New York Governor signs law protecting residents against suits in foreign courts
New York state fought back today against terrorism apologists who have used foreign libel laws to silence opponents as Gov. David Paterson signed a law granting protections under the First Amendment. The Libel Terrorism Protection Act was inspired by New York-based author Rachel Ehrenfeld's battle with a British court over her 2003 book, "Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Funded and How to Stop It."
New York officials said the law will make it more difficult for "libel tourists" to threaten authors and publishers with foreign libel suits. It bars enforcement of a libel judgment in foreign courts unless a New York court determines the decision is consistent with the free speech and free press protections guaranteed by the U.S. and New York state constitutions. "New Yorkers must be able to speak out on issues of public concern without living in fear that they will be sued outside the United States, under legal standards inconsistent with our First Amendment rights," said Paterson. "This legislation will help ensure the freedoms enjoyed by New York authors."
Britain's libel law has been used in a number of instances against writers who speak out against international terrorism. As WND reported, Saudi banker Khalid Bin Mahfouz filed suit against Ehrenfeld after she named him in her New York-published book as a funder of Islamic charities that supported terrorism. She asserts there are more than 10 lawsuits outstanding by numerous plaintiffs in the U.S. claiming billions of dollars in damages from Mahfouz's alleged involvement in financing the 9/11 attack of the World Trade Center. Only 23 copies of her book were sold in the United Kingdom, but Mahfouz took advantage of the country's liberal laws and filed the suit there, charging damage to his reputation.
The British court issued a $225,000 judgment against Ehrenfeld after she refused to appear, on advice of her counsel in Britain. The author then sought a judgment in New York declaring the British decision unenforceable in the U.S., because her work is protected under American law. The New York Court of Appeals ruled Ehrenfeld's suit could not be heard under state law unless legislature made changes. Paterson, who succeeded disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer last month, urged the federal government to take similar action.
"Although New York state has now done all it can to protect our authors while they live in New York, they remain vulnerable if they move to other states, or if they have assets in other states," said Paterson. "We really need Congress and the president to work together and enact federal legislation that will protect authors throughout the country against the threat of foreign libel judgments."
State Sen. Dean G. Skelos noted "the truth is a critically-important component of the war on terror." "American authors, like Dr. Ehrenfeld, who expose terrorist networks and their financiers should not be subject to intimidation and lawsuits in foreign courts designed to circumvent our First Amendment rights," he said. "This is important legislation, and I thank Governor Paterson for signing it into law."
Source
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
New York officials said the law will make it more difficult for "libel tourists" to threaten authors and publishers with foreign libel suits. It bars enforcement of a libel judgment in foreign courts unless a New York court determines the decision is consistent with the free speech and free press protections guaranteed by the U.S. and New York state constitutions. "New Yorkers must be able to speak out on issues of public concern without living in fear that they will be sued outside the United States, under legal standards inconsistent with our First Amendment rights," said Paterson. "This legislation will help ensure the freedoms enjoyed by New York authors."
Britain's libel law has been used in a number of instances against writers who speak out against international terrorism. As WND reported, Saudi banker Khalid Bin Mahfouz filed suit against Ehrenfeld after she named him in her New York-published book as a funder of Islamic charities that supported terrorism. She asserts there are more than 10 lawsuits outstanding by numerous plaintiffs in the U.S. claiming billions of dollars in damages from Mahfouz's alleged involvement in financing the 9/11 attack of the World Trade Center. Only 23 copies of her book were sold in the United Kingdom, but Mahfouz took advantage of the country's liberal laws and filed the suit there, charging damage to his reputation.
The British court issued a $225,000 judgment against Ehrenfeld after she refused to appear, on advice of her counsel in Britain. The author then sought a judgment in New York declaring the British decision unenforceable in the U.S., because her work is protected under American law. The New York Court of Appeals ruled Ehrenfeld's suit could not be heard under state law unless legislature made changes. Paterson, who succeeded disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer last month, urged the federal government to take similar action.
"Although New York state has now done all it can to protect our authors while they live in New York, they remain vulnerable if they move to other states, or if they have assets in other states," said Paterson. "We really need Congress and the president to work together and enact federal legislation that will protect authors throughout the country against the threat of foreign libel judgments."
State Sen. Dean G. Skelos noted "the truth is a critically-important component of the war on terror." "American authors, like Dr. Ehrenfeld, who expose terrorist networks and their financiers should not be subject to intimidation and lawsuits in foreign courts designed to circumvent our First Amendment rights," he said. "This is important legislation, and I thank Governor Paterson for signing it into law."
Source
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Friday, May 02, 2008
EUROSKEPTICS WIN ONE IN THE UK
BBC:
Millionaire Stuart Wheeler has won his battle to force a High Court review into whether the government should hold a referendum on the EU's Lisbon treaty.TELEGRAPH:
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ruled out a public vote on the treaty, saying it does not alter the UK constitution.
But Mr Wheeler said a vote was promised on the EU constitution and says the Lisbon treaty is virtually identical.
The hearing will be on 9 and 10 June. The Foreign Office said they were "confident" of their case.
In March MPs voted by 346 votes to 206 to approve the EU (Amendment) Bill, after topic-by-topic debates over six weeks.
The Bill - which is now in the Lords - will ratify the Lisbon Treaty, which was drawn up to replace the EU constitution after that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
General election
Mr Wheeler, 73, a Conservative Party donor, said his legal challenge was "not trying to interfere with Parliament".
He claims voters had a "legitimate expectation" that a referendum would be held after one was promised in Labour's last election manifesto on the EU constitution.
His lawyer, Rabinder Singh QC, said the application for judicial review was based on "the underlying fundamental principles of good administration, fair play and straight dealing with the public".
Today judges ruled that the challenge can go ahead. The likely two-day court hearing could prove to be very embarrassing for ministers if internal Government memos and emails are revealed.THE TRIAL IS SCHEDULED FOR JUST BEFORE THE IRISH REFERENDUM ON JUNE 12 (TENTATIVELY)...
The legal challenge could also delay the ratification of the controversial treaty by months if court time is not granted shortly. Peers in the House of Lords are due to vote on the legislation later this month.
Article continues
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Mr Wheeler , who made his fortune from City spreadbetting firm IG Index, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we won the case.
“It’s clear to me that we have a very, very strong moral case for a referendum.
“And what this hearing was about was whether we had an arguable legal case.
“But, from what I’ve seen of the judgment, not only do we have an arguable but a rather strongly arguable case.”
- IF THIS FAILS, THEN ALL HOPE OF PREVENTING EURABIA FROM BECOMING THE EUSSR HINGE ON THE IRISH REFERENDUM.
- EMBARRASSING FACTS WHICH MAY BE EXPOSED BY THIS TRIAL COULD AID THE CAUSE.
- FINGERS CROSSED.
WHAT IF BUSH HAD MADE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON THE GWOT AS GOOD AS GORE'S ON AGW?
I think this question reveals one of Bush's BIG weaknesses and failures as POTUS: his poor communication skills.
Bush was unable to get a majority to remain committed to the very real GWOT or steadfast against global jihad and creeping sharia, while Gore was able to convince the world that AGW was not mere socialist flim-flam.
Cheney was at best a ZERO on the PR front, too - more often than not, he was actually a PR liability. Powell and Armitage were traitorous sabotageurs. Rice an incompetent. Runny tossed over the side.
Petraeus saved the day.
Perhaps the REAL core failure of the Bush Administration was not Bush's personal lack of any communication skills, but his team's lack of a real cohesive anti-gloabl jihad policy: they kiss Abbas's ass, let Assad off the hook for the Hariri assassination and their NOKO nuke facility, and pretend CAIR is okay, and pretend that Islam is an ROP.
ACTUALLY: With a muddled policy and a CEO who can barely talk it's amazing we've done so well!
We know why:
GOD BLESS THE TROOPS!
Bush was unable to get a majority to remain committed to the very real GWOT or steadfast against global jihad and creeping sharia, while Gore was able to convince the world that AGW was not mere socialist flim-flam.
Cheney was at best a ZERO on the PR front, too - more often than not, he was actually a PR liability. Powell and Armitage were traitorous sabotageurs. Rice an incompetent. Runny tossed over the side.
Petraeus saved the day.
Perhaps the REAL core failure of the Bush Administration was not Bush's personal lack of any communication skills, but his team's lack of a real cohesive anti-gloabl jihad policy: they kiss Abbas's ass, let Assad off the hook for the Hariri assassination and their NOKO nuke facility, and pretend CAIR is okay, and pretend that Islam is an ROP.
ACTUALLY: With a muddled policy and a CEO who can barely talk it's amazing we've done so well!
We know why:
GOD BLESS THE TROOPS!
WITH EUROPE HEADING SOLIDLY TO THE RIGHT, CAN THE USA HEAD LEFT?
- I DOUBT IT. (THOUGH, BECAUSE MCCAIN IS A LIB, WE WILL GO SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE LEFT.)
- GERMANY, FRANCE AND ITALY HAVE ALL RECENTLY ELECTED THE MORE CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES AS PM'S.
THANK GOD.
NEW OLMERT SCANDAL INVESTIGATION - WILL HE RESIGN?
HAARETZ/AP:
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was questioned under caution by police on Friday in connection to a new corruption affair, after which a senior legal source was quoted on Channel 1 as saying, "Olmert is in a grave situation, it is doubtful whether he will be able to continue to hold his position."
The subject of Friday's investigation was different from other corruption affairs in which Olmert has been suspected of involvement - relating to real estate deals and questionable political appointments - but over which he has never been charged.
The questioning, which took place at Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem, prompted a number of Knesset members to call on him to suspend himself pending the investigations.
Police began questioning the prime minister at 10 A.M., and continued for about an hour and a half.
MK Shelly Yachimovich, a member of Olmert's ruling coalition from the Labor Party, on Thursday called the scope of charges against Olmert unprecedented and said he should suspend himself immediately.
"It has been proven beyond any doubt that the prime minister can't be under serial investigations and also suspected of crimes and also lead the country," she told Israel Radio.
Police would not disclose any further information on the case, citing a court-imposed gag order.
- OLMERT IS A LOUSY PM.
- AND A CROOK.
- IT'S LONG PASSED TIME HE RESIGNED.
What a mixed-up galoot
The University of California at Irvine has just got a new law school. Heading it is Prof. Erwin Chemerinsky. Below is an excerpt from a report about him:
So there has to be actual violence before Muslim behaviour is condemned! A pity Christians cannot get that sort of permissiveness when they note what the Bible says about homosexuality!
And nobody must be "made to feel unwelcome based on religion or ethnicity". So I guess that the furious slanders of Jews and Israel emanating from Muslim students don't make Jews feel unwelcome! You could have fooled me!
The galoot is just another Jew who thinks that the antisemites won't ever come for him if he is nice to them. They thought that in 1930s Germany too.
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
"I got to witness UCI Law School Dean Erwin Chemerinsky publicly address for the first time the clash between Muslim and Jewish students. This is significant not only because Chemerinsky has immediately become one of Orange County's highest-profile academics but because the issue affects him so personally: He is a Jew, and he is moving his family to on-campus faculty housing. Over the last few years, UCI has acquired a reputation in some circles as a place where Jews feel unwelcome because of the hate-filled speech of some speakers brought in by Muslim students.
The moment rumors started circulating last summer about Chemerinsky's possible appointment as dean, he started getting e-mails asking if he knew about Jewish complaints against UCI. "In March," he said, "I spoke at a program for Jewish leaders in Los Angeles, and though my talk was on the new UCI law school, most of the questions were about these complaints against UCI. Soon after, I received literally dozens of messages concerning a self-appointed outside group's conclusion that Jews should not attend UCI."
Chemerinsky looked into it. He concluded "there have been speakers on campus who have said offensive, sometimes highly offensive things against Israel and against Jews. But I also learned that there has not been violence, or threats of violence, or incidents of harassment, or arrests, or even the need for disciplinary proceedings for inappropriate conduct by students."
He noted that the U.S. Office of Civil Rights concluded there was not a hostile environment for Jews on campus and that the leaders of five on-campus Jewish-student groups have issued a joint statement saying the same thing.
Acknowledging he's still an outsider (he doesn't move to O.C. until next month to prepare for the first class in 2009), he said UCI has so far done the right thing. "My strong sense is that the university has properly allowed - and must continue to allow - speech that is distasteful, offensive, and even extremist. Unfortunately its critics, including some in the Jewish community, sometimes fail to realize that allowing such speech on the campus of a public university is required by the First Amendment."
However, he said, "UCI must continue to condemn hate speech in all its forms and be sure that no one ever is harassed, or made to feel unwelcome based on religion or ethnicity or race or gender or sexual orientation or any other characteristic."
Source
So there has to be actual violence before Muslim behaviour is condemned! A pity Christians cannot get that sort of permissiveness when they note what the Bible says about homosexuality!
And nobody must be "made to feel unwelcome based on religion or ethnicity". So I guess that the furious slanders of Jews and Israel emanating from Muslim students don't make Jews feel unwelcome! You could have fooled me!
The galoot is just another Jew who thinks that the antisemites won't ever come for him if he is nice to them. They thought that in 1930s Germany too.
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
The vast hypocrisy of "There's no such thing as right and wrong" -- again
When Leftists say, "There's no such thing as right and wrong", they are normally referring to moral judgments. They use that formula when confronted with something as uncomfortable as their unwavering support for murderous Communists and Muslims. And, as such, it is a transparent fraud. They themselves reveal that such talk is at best a tantrum by going on themselves to use the language of right and wrong to condemn "intolerance", "Zionists" or the Iraq war etc. Talk of right and wrong is meaningless when conservatives use it but highly meaningful when Leftists use it, apparently. To call such reasoning "sophomoric" is to praise it too highly.
Under the rubric of "postmoderninsm", they also however extend their condemnation of "right and wrong" to statements of fact. If anyone presents facts that conflict with Leftist beliefs they evade it in various ways. One stratagem is to say that that is just "your reality" etc. Or if some fact upsets some theory that they are wedded to, they simply deny the fact in some way -- often by ad hominem arguments such as saying that the person presenting the pesky fact is "in the pay of big oil" -- or some other totally discreditable stratagem that tells you no more than that the Leftist does not want to believe the fact concerned.
And the latest example of convenience as a criterion for truth is the amazing spectacle of Pastor Wright claiming that blacks and whites have inherently different brains. He has famously said that:
or as Heather Macdonald summarizes:
Most people have reacted very adversely to these utterances -- recognizing how far outside the mainstream they are. But I think that there may be something in what he has said. The behavioural differences between blacks and whites are plain to any honest observer and that the differences might have a genetic basis is entirely in accord with what the scientific literature keeps telling us about the vast influence of genetics.
I myself have also been saying for decades that black and white brains are different -- but I have been rewarded for that by being figuratively cast into outer darkness -- even by other conservatives. Anybody who mentions the plain psychometric fact that blacks are on average of much lower intelligence and that the difference is hereditary is completely outside the pale of civilization. To accept the lie that there are NO important genetic differences between the races is not just the conventional wisdom: It is a necessary passport to being acceptable and respectable in polite society. And rejecting that lie is even worse than rejecting global warming!
As Dr Goebbels knew, a big lie is often more plausible than the plain scientific facts and those of us who draw attention to the facts can easily be marginalized. Perhaps fortunately, most of the lies, deceptions and legends that I campaign against are in the medical field -- where the fate of the skeptic is mostly to be ignored rather than being stigmatized. But all the lies, deceptions and accepted myths concerned are very harmful to people. I would not bother about them otherwise.
So how come Pastor Wright can say the opposite of what is normally regarded as correct about race to thunderous applause at a NAACP convention? Simple: To a Leftist, the truth of a statement depends entirely on the use to which it is put. If a statement about an inborn difference seems to be derogatory to a favoured group (Leftists are so mentally limited that they think almost entirely in terms of groups) then that statement is WRONG. But if it defends the deviant actions of the same group it is RIGHT.
Leftists really do mean it when they say that there is no such thing as right and wrong -- absurd though that it. I guess that they do know deep down that there are real truth differences but truth is very subordinate to their political convenience. It just does not matter. They have no regard for truth at all. Truth is what is expedient. Manipulating people has priority over all else.
Ed Morrissey has also noted the hypocrisy in the response to Pastor Wright's claims.
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Under the rubric of "postmoderninsm", they also however extend their condemnation of "right and wrong" to statements of fact. If anyone presents facts that conflict with Leftist beliefs they evade it in various ways. One stratagem is to say that that is just "your reality" etc. Or if some fact upsets some theory that they are wedded to, they simply deny the fact in some way -- often by ad hominem arguments such as saying that the person presenting the pesky fact is "in the pay of big oil" -- or some other totally discreditable stratagem that tells you no more than that the Leftist does not want to believe the fact concerned.
And the latest example of convenience as a criterion for truth is the amazing spectacle of Pastor Wright claiming that blacks and whites have inherently different brains. He has famously said that:
"Africans have a different meter, and Africans have a different tonality," he said. Europeans have seven tones, Africans have five. White people clap differently than black people. "Africans and African-Americans are right-brained, subject-oriented in their learning style, ....They have a different way of learning."
or as Heather Macdonald summarizes:
At the NAACP meeting, Wright proudly propounded the racist contention that blacks have inherently different "learning styles," correctly citing as authority for this view Janice Hale of Wayne State University. Pursuing a Ph.D. by logging long hours in the dusty stacks of a library, Wright announced, is "white." Blacks, by contrast, cannot sit still in class or learn from quiet study, and they have difficulty learning from "objects"-books, for example-but instead learn from "subjects," such as rap lyrics on the radio. These differences are neurological, according to Hale and Wright: whites use what Wright referred to as the "left-wing, logical, and analytical" side of their brains, whereas blacks use their "right brain," which is "creative and intuitive."
Most people have reacted very adversely to these utterances -- recognizing how far outside the mainstream they are. But I think that there may be something in what he has said. The behavioural differences between blacks and whites are plain to any honest observer and that the differences might have a genetic basis is entirely in accord with what the scientific literature keeps telling us about the vast influence of genetics.
I myself have also been saying for decades that black and white brains are different -- but I have been rewarded for that by being figuratively cast into outer darkness -- even by other conservatives. Anybody who mentions the plain psychometric fact that blacks are on average of much lower intelligence and that the difference is hereditary is completely outside the pale of civilization. To accept the lie that there are NO important genetic differences between the races is not just the conventional wisdom: It is a necessary passport to being acceptable and respectable in polite society. And rejecting that lie is even worse than rejecting global warming!
As Dr Goebbels knew, a big lie is often more plausible than the plain scientific facts and those of us who draw attention to the facts can easily be marginalized. Perhaps fortunately, most of the lies, deceptions and legends that I campaign against are in the medical field -- where the fate of the skeptic is mostly to be ignored rather than being stigmatized. But all the lies, deceptions and accepted myths concerned are very harmful to people. I would not bother about them otherwise.
So how come Pastor Wright can say the opposite of what is normally regarded as correct about race to thunderous applause at a NAACP convention? Simple: To a Leftist, the truth of a statement depends entirely on the use to which it is put. If a statement about an inborn difference seems to be derogatory to a favoured group (Leftists are so mentally limited that they think almost entirely in terms of groups) then that statement is WRONG. But if it defends the deviant actions of the same group it is RIGHT.
Leftists really do mean it when they say that there is no such thing as right and wrong -- absurd though that it. I guess that they do know deep down that there are real truth differences but truth is very subordinate to their political convenience. It just does not matter. They have no regard for truth at all. Truth is what is expedient. Manipulating people has priority over all else.
Ed Morrissey has also noted the hypocrisy in the response to Pastor Wright's claims.
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your roundup of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Thursday, May 01, 2008
THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH - NOT EVEN FOR FAT LYING SOCIALIST SCU**AGS LIKE MICHAEL MOORE
NEWSBUSTERS:
Michael Moore appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" last evening. I caught a good portion of the "interview" (if King's constant agreement and sucking up qualify as an interview) and one little segment in particular got my attention. The subject was taxes:MOORE: You were asking me a serious question. I'm sorry. Actually, you know what I would do is I would get -- I would try to lower Americans' taxes to the rate that the French pay. The French pay less taxes than we do, less.
... MOORE: That's right, most of Europe pays less than we do. That's not the way we're told in this country. We're told, oh, they pay all these horrible taxes; 40 percent of their income goes to income taxes. Actually, the French federal income tax is around 10 percent. That 10 percent covers everything, the road, the cops, the military.
What they do is they have these other taxes. Here's your tax for your health care. Here's your tax for education. Here's your tax -- it's listed on your payroll stub, where it pays for these things.
THIS IS A FREAKIN' LIE - LIIKE MOST OF THE CRAP THAT COMES OUT OF THIS SELF-AVOWED SOCIALIST'S BIG FAT LEFT-WING MOUTH:
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) calculates that the "combined effects of personal income tax, employee and employer social security contributions, payroll taxes and cash benefits" facing the French are quite larger than that facing Americans. For a single French individual the combined total is 50.1%, while for a married couple it's 41.7%. For the same in the U.S. it's 29.1% and 11.9% respectively. (See also this chart.)MOORE IS A LYING SACK OF LEFT-WING CRAP. RTWT.
BOTTOM-LINE: SOCIALISM IS THE ROAD TO SERFDOM.
VOTE ACCORDINGLY.
EVIDENCE THE OIL BUBBLE MAY BE ABOUT TO BURST
BRACE YOURSELF:
A BARREL WILL BE CLOSER TO $70 THAN $90.
IMHO: A CORRECTION WILL OCCUR IN WEEKS, NOT MONTHS...We’ve compared the spike in oil and other commodities like gold with the decline in the dollar since the fall of last year, and, up until recently, there was an outstanding correlation — going long oil, gold or other commodities was pretty clearly an effective way to short the dollar in an almost risk free environment. Something has changed, however, in recent days.
Since early April, gold and oil have moved in opposite directions. Gold’s price, in our view, has retreated as the market has judged, correctly, that the dollar’s decline is nearing an end for multiple sound reasons (a halt to interest rate cuts, global slow growth or recession, etc.). Meanwhile, oil’s price has become completely untethered from reality in an insane speculative frenzy, even versus other commodities (which have had their own bull markets).
It’s over, or at least coming to an end, in our opinion.
A BARREL WILL BE CLOSER TO $70 THAN $90.
CNN: BUSH LEAST POPULAR PRESIDENT OF MODERN TIMES
CNN:
The things which cost Bush popularity were not things which pissed off the Democrats or the left or the Doves.
The things which made Bush LESS popular were things he did which pissed off the Republican base, conservatives and hawks!
Bush and Rove might have believed that SUCKING UP TO THE LEFT by supporting amnesty and Miers and a HUGE INCREASE in DOMESTIC spending (the largest since LBJ!) would have increased Bush's popularity overall... BUT THEY WERE TOTALLY EFFIN' WRONG! All these things did was PISS OFF THE BASE.
The basic flaw in Bush's and Rove's thinking was their belief that Democrats - or parts of the Democrat coalition - were co-optable.
They were not, and this principally was a result of the 2000 election and BDS.
Gore versus Bush and the SCOTUS decision which ultimately gave Bush the victory poisoned the well. Sadly, he would have won without the SCOTUS and a victory without the SCOTUS would have spared the nation BDS. The fact that the 2000 election ended up in court is pf course GORE'S FAULT.
As for why the Iraq War is unpopular, it's simple: Bush's base in the GOP thinks he mishandled it by being to soft on the enemy in Iraq (and on Iran), and too soft on the foes of the war here at home - like the lying traitors Wilson & Plame.
Bush couldn't lose Democrat support for the war because HE NEVER HAD IT.
And he failed to gain any.
Only total undeniable victory will make it popular. (That or a Dem prez who takes the credit!)
Bush's decline at the polls is strictly a result of his failing to lead the nation as a hawk and and his failure to govern as a conservative.
There's a lesson in this for ANY GOP POTUS. (AY YO, MCCAIN: ARE YOU LISTENING!?!?)
The Iraq War is likely to go down in history as a GREAT AND NOBLE CAUSE.
But only if we take down Iran.
Then - in the decades to come - Bush will be more revered than Truman and perhaps as much as FDR, who like Bush was a flawed liberal hawk.
A new poll suggests that George W. Bush is the most unpopular president in modern American history.THE NUMBERS ARE RIGHT BUT THE ANALYSIS IS ALL WRONG WRONG WRONG.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Thursday indicates that 71 percent of the American public disapprove of how Bush his handling his job as president.
"No president has ever had a higher disapproval rating in any CNN or Gallup poll; in fact, this is the first time that any president's disapproval rating has cracked the 70 percent mark," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
"Bush's approval rating, which stands at 28 percent in our new poll, remains better than the all-time lows set by Harry Truman and Richard Nixon (22 percent and 24 percent, respectively) but even those two presidents never got a disapproval rating in the 70s," Holland added. "The previous all-time record in CNN or Gallup polling was set by Truman, 66 percent disapproval in January 1952."
CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider adds, "He is more unpopular than Richard Nixon was just before he resigned from the presidency in August 1974." President Nixon's disapproval rating in August 1974 stood at 67 percent.
The poll also indicates that support for the war in Iraq has never been lower. Thirty percent of those questioned favored the war while 68 percent opposed the conflict.
"Americans are growing more pessimistic about the war," Holland said. "In January, nearly half believed that things were going well for the U.S. in Iraq; now that figure has dropped to 39 percent."
The numbers on the Iraq war come on the five-year anniversary of President Bush's "mission accomplished" moment onboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, when Bush proclaimed that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended."
The things which cost Bush popularity were not things which pissed off the Democrats or the left or the Doves.
The things which made Bush LESS popular were things he did which pissed off the Republican base, conservatives and hawks!
Bush and Rove might have believed that SUCKING UP TO THE LEFT by supporting amnesty and Miers and a HUGE INCREASE in DOMESTIC spending (the largest since LBJ!) would have increased Bush's popularity overall... BUT THEY WERE TOTALLY EFFIN' WRONG! All these things did was PISS OFF THE BASE.
The basic flaw in Bush's and Rove's thinking was their belief that Democrats - or parts of the Democrat coalition - were co-optable.
They were not, and this principally was a result of the 2000 election and BDS.
Gore versus Bush and the SCOTUS decision which ultimately gave Bush the victory poisoned the well. Sadly, he would have won without the SCOTUS and a victory without the SCOTUS would have spared the nation BDS. The fact that the 2000 election ended up in court is pf course GORE'S FAULT.
As for why the Iraq War is unpopular, it's simple: Bush's base in the GOP thinks he mishandled it by being to soft on the enemy in Iraq (and on Iran), and too soft on the foes of the war here at home - like the lying traitors Wilson & Plame.
Bush couldn't lose Democrat support for the war because HE NEVER HAD IT.
And he failed to gain any.
Only total undeniable victory will make it popular. (That or a Dem prez who takes the credit!)
Bush's decline at the polls is strictly a result of his failing to lead the nation as a hawk and and his failure to govern as a conservative.
There's a lesson in this for ANY GOP POTUS. (AY YO, MCCAIN: ARE YOU LISTENING!?!?)
The Iraq War is likely to go down in history as a GREAT AND NOBLE CAUSE.
But only if we take down Iran.
Then - in the decades to come - Bush will be more revered than Truman and perhaps as much as FDR, who like Bush was a flawed liberal hawk.
IDF AIR STRIKE KILLS ONE OF GILAD SHALIT'S KIDNAPPERS
Now that's good to know:
(IsraelNN.com) Israel’s Air Force launched an air strike Thursday morning killing a Hamas terrorist involved in the kidnapping of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit.Now, the filthy terrorist can go to hell and face the highest court.
The air strike, which was based on information from the Shabak (General Security Service) was carried out in Rafiah, along Gaza’s southern border with Sinai, as the terrorist, Nafez Mantzour, was driving with two other Hamas terrorists.
The first missile missed the vehicle, according to Hamas reports, and one of Matzour’s accomplices escaped before the second struck. Mantzour was killed and one of his accomplices was wounded.
Absolute Knowledge Vs. Free Will: The Intelligent Design Argument
A guy over at Little Green Footballs posted the following:
Science searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, but isn’t that just non-science? Not unless its ID.
That's a very interesting assertion. However, I don't think I agree with the guy's point.
I am inclined to believe that ID is not science, as it can never irrefutably find a first cause. For instance, even if Scientists found the actual fingerprints of God, and then found God sitting in a Laboratory up behind Mars, and could match the fingerprints to God, they still wouldn't be able to know He was the real God, the real First Cause, other than by faith.
I think God had some wisdom for us to learn in structuring things in such a way that we must accept things on faith. I think it has to do with Free Will.
Science searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, but isn’t that just non-science? Not unless its ID.
That's a very interesting assertion. However, I don't think I agree with the guy's point.
I am inclined to believe that ID is not science, as it can never irrefutably find a first cause. For instance, even if Scientists found the actual fingerprints of God, and then found God sitting in a Laboratory up behind Mars, and could match the fingerprints to God, they still wouldn't be able to know He was the real God, the real First Cause, other than by faith.
I think God had some wisdom for us to learn in structuring things in such a way that we must accept things on faith. I think it has to do with Free Will.
If we actually knew the Truth, absolutely, then we would have no choice, would we? That's the way Muslims think. They know the truth, and there is no discussion about it. If you violate the truth, you are dead. No free will involved.
Within the Judeo-Christian paradigm, even though we know the words in the Bible, we are never quite sure how to apply them. Murder is a sin, but killing is not. So, when we kill in war, is it murder, or is it justified killing? We think we know, but ultimately, we do not.
So, we have to make a choice based on Faith.
The wisdom of God is foolishness to man, but we would have it no other way.
Colorado College Denies Appeal of Students Responsible for `Violent' Parody
Laughing at feminists is "violence":
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your summary of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
"Colorado College has denied student Chris Robinson's appeal of its finding that he and another student violated the school's "violence" policy for posting a flyer that parodied a flyer of the Feminist and Gender Studies program. The school also has decided not to remove any letters about the case from the students' files until after graduation. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is assisting Robinson in his case against the school.
"First, Colorado College trampled over Chris Robinson's right to engage in an obvious parody, and now the school has further embarrassed itself by denying his appeal," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "The judicial procedure was a joke: the same administrator who found Robinson guilty in the first place was the final judge of his appeal. FIRE calls on Colorado College to remove this guilty finding once and for all from the students' records. As long as they are deemed guilty for engaging in satire, the school's extensive promises of free expression are brazen misrepresentations."
In early 2008, Colorado College's "Feminist and Gender Studies Interns" distributed a flyer called "The Monthly Rag," which included a reference to "male castration," an announcement about a lecture on "feminist porn," and an explanation of "packing" (pretending to have a phallus). As a parody of "The Monthly Rag," Robinson and a second student, who wishes to remain anonymous, distributed a flyer in February called "The Monthly Bag" under the pseudonym "The Coalition of Some Dudes." The flyer included references to "tough guy wisdom," "chainsaw etiquette," the shooting range of a sniper rifle, and a quotation about "female violence and abuse" of men from the website batteredmen.com.
After the "Dudes" faced penalties including expulsion for three weeks, Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students Mike Edmonds finally wrote to the "Coalition of Some Dudes" students on March 25, stating that they had been found guilty of "violating the student code of conduct policy on violence." The punishments included having the finding of guilt placed in their student files and being required to hold a forum to "discuss issues and questions raised" by their parody. Although Edmonds acknowledged that the intent of the publication was to satirize "The Monthly Rag," he wrote that "in the climate in which we find ourselves today, violence-or implied violence-of any kind cannot be tolerated on a college campus." According to Edmonds, "the juxtaposition of weaponry and sexuality" in an anonymous parody made students subjectively feel threatened by chainsaws or rifles.
"Colorado College should declare the students innocent immediately," Kissel said. "FIRE will continue to pursue this case until these students' records are completely cleared of any alleged wrongdoing. President Celeste still has a chance to do justice in this case."
Source
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your summary of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO ATTACKING IRAN...
CBS:
A second American aircraft carrier steamed into the Persian Gulf on Tuesday as the Pentagon ordered military commanders to develop new options for attacking Iran. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports that the planning is being driven by what one officer called the "increasingly hostile role" Iran is playing in Iraq - smuggling weapons into Iraq for use against American troops.
"What the Iranians are doing is killing American servicemen and -women inside Iraq," said Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
U.S. officials are also concerned by Iranian harassment of U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf as well as Iran's still growing nuclear program. New pictures of Iran's uranium enrichment plant show the country's defense minister in the background, as if deliberately mocking a recent finding by U.S. intelligence that Iran had ceased work on a nuclear weapon.
No attacks are imminent and the last thing the Pentagon wants is another war, but Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen has warned Iran not to assume the U.S. military can't strike.
"I have reserve capability, in particular our Navy and our Air Force so it would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability," Mullen said.
Targets would include everything from the plants where weapons are made to the headquarters of the organization known as the Quds Force which directs operations in Iraq.
- THE SOONER THE BETTER.
- IF BUSH FAILS TO ACT; HE WILL GO SOWN IN HISTORY AS THE SECOND WORST PRESIDENT EVER: ONLY JIMMY CARTER WOULD BE LEGITIMATELY CALLED WORSE.
- INNERSTIN' ASIDE: IRAN MIGHT BE THE DOWNFALL OF BOTH MEN...
DENIAL, DENIAL, DENIAL: EUROWEENIES DENY THEY HAVE A MUSLIM PROBLEM
WASHPOST: In France, Prisons Filled With Muslims
[IT AIN'T JUST FRANCE!!!]
HERE:
[IT AIN'T JUST FRANCE!!!]
Samia El Alaoui Talibi walks her beat in a cream-colored head scarf and an ink-black robe with sunset-orange piping, an outfit she picked up at a yard sale.HAH!
After passing a bulletproof window, El Alaoui Talibi trudges through half a dozen heavy, locked doors to reach the Muslim faithful to whom she ministers in the women's cellblock of the
Lille-Sequedin Detention Center in far northern France.
It took her years to earn this access, said El Alaoui Talibi, one of only four Muslim holy women allowed to work in French prisons. "Everyone has the same prejudices and negative image of Muslims and Islam," said Moroccan-born El Alaoui Talibi, 47, the mother of seven children. "When some guards see you, they see an Arab; they see you the same as if you were a prisoner."
This prison is majority Muslim -- as is virtually every house of incarceration in France. About 60 to 70 percent of all inmates in the country's prison system are Muslim, according to Muslim leaders, sociologists and researchers, though Muslims make up only about 12 percent of the country's population.
On a continent where immigrants and the children of immigrants are disproportionately represented in almost every prison system, the French figures are the most marked, according to researchers, criminologists and Muslim leaders.
"The high percentage of Muslims in prisons is a direct consequence of the failure of the integration of minorities in France," said Moussa Khedimellah, a sociologist who has spent several years conducting research on Muslims in the French penal system.
In Britain, 11 percent of prisoners are Muslim in contrast to about 3 percent of all inhabitants, according to the Justice Ministry.
Research by the Open Society Institute, an advocacy organization, shows that in the Netherlands 20 percent of adult prisoners and 26 percent of all juvenile offenders are Muslim; the country is about 5.5 percent Muslim.
In Belgium, Muslims from Morocco and Turkey make up at least 16 percent of the prison population, compared with 2 percent of the general populace, the research found.
Sociologists and Muslim leaders say the French prison system reflects the deep social and ethnic divides roiling France and its European neighbors as immigrants and a new generation of their children alter the demographic and cultural landscape of the continent.
French prison officials blame the high numbers on the poverty of people who have moved here from North African and other Islamic countries in recent decades. "Many immigrants arrive in France in difficult financial situations, which make delinquency more frequent," said Jeanne Sautière, director of integration and religious groups for the French prison system. "The most important thing is to say there is no correlation between Islam and delinquency."
- THERE IS A CORRELATION: MUSLIMS ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE CRIMINALS - IN EUROPE.
- THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF A CULTURAL DIVIDE.
- THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY POVERTY: ALL CRIMINALS ARE NOT POOR AND ALL POOR PEOPLE ARE NOT CRIMINALS.
- ALL CRIMINALS DISOBEY THE LAW.
- AND MANY MUSLIMS DO NOT RESPECT INFIDEL LAWS - OR INFIDELS.
- THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS ABOVE INFIDEL LAW.
- AND THE EUROWEENIES HAD BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT - OR THEY'RE FINISHED.
HERE:
UK: Random Muslim stabs two random Orthodox Jews; no "faith hate" involvedNothing to see here. Go back to sleep.
"Man charged over Golders Green stabbings," by Kevin Bradford for the Hendon Times (thanks to Jerusalem Post):
A man has been charged following a double knife attack on two Orthodox Jews in Golders Green.Mohamed Jama Ahmed, 37, of North Circular Road, Cricklewood, was arrested after two stabbings which happened just meters apart in roads off Golders Green Road on Friday.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said the attacks, which happened at around 6pm, appear to have been random and unprovoked, but were not being treated as faith hate crimes....
Good. Wouldn't want to give the appearance of "Islamophobia."
IF THE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS WON'T ACT, THEN ONE DAY... THE PEOPLE WILL, AND IT AIN'T GONNA BE PRETTY...
No Recession Now - and the earliest one can be honestly declared is September 1st
NYTIMES:
The American economy remained stuck in the slow lane over the first three months of the year, expanding by a modest 0.6 percent annualized rate, the Commerce Department announced Wednesday morning.CONSUMER SPENDING GREW. EXPORTS GREW. THE ECONOMY GREW. UNEMPLOYMENT REMAINS LOW. THERE IS NO RECESSION.
The weak performance reflected the increasingly thrifty inclinations of American consumers in the face of plummeting real estate prices, tightening credit and a deteriorating job market. Economic growth was also hampered by a continued pullback in construction and business investment.
The only factors preventing the economy from sliding backward were the growth of American exports — aided by a weakening dollar — and a buildup of inventories by businesses. Exports and inventories set aside, final sales of American goods and services domestically dipped at a 0.4 percent annualized rate in inflation-adjusted terms, the first decline since the end of 1991.
Consumer spending grew at an anemic 1 percent annualized rate, down from 2.9 percent in 2007 and 3.1 percent the year before.
- TOO BAD FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
- THEY WERE WISHING FOR A RECESSION.
- NEVERTHELESS, THEIR COMRADES ION THE MSM WILL TALK DOWN THE ECONOMY BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION.
US COURT TOSSES OUT BLOOMBERG'S RIDICULOUS ANTI-GUN LAWSUIT
THE ANTI-GUN FREAKS LOSE AGAIN.
YEAH BABY!
REMEMBER, AND UNARMED JEW GETS GASSED.
AN ARMED JEW IS AN ISRAELI.
WHICH STAR WOULD YOU WANT TO WEAR?
YEAH BABY!
REMEMBER, AND UNARMED JEW GETS GASSED.
AN ARMED JEW IS AN ISRAELI.
WHICH STAR WOULD YOU WANT TO WEAR?
NYTIMES: TOUGHER ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT STANCE WORKING
NYTIMES:
... the numbers of immigrants who said they were considering going back to live in their home countries increased notably.THEN THERE'S THIS:
Among immigrants who have been here less than five years, 49 percent said they were thinking of returning home, while only 41 percent said they planned to remain in the United States.
Over all, just under one-third of the immigrants said they were thinking of leaving this country. In 2001, the last time a similar survey asked a comparable question, about 20 percent of all the immigrants interviewed said they were thinking of going home.
More than three million Latin American immigrants in the United States, responding to the economic downturn and new uncertainties about their future, have stopped sending money home to their families in the last two years, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington.
Only 50 percent of some 18.9 million Latino immigrants in this country now send money regularly to relatives in their home countries, compared with 73 percent two years ago, the survey found.
- THEY ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE!
- I WISH THE POLITICANS WOULD!
- LET THE LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO WANT TO STAY REMAIN HERE.
- THE ILLEGAL ONES SHOULD GO HOME.
GLOBAL WARMING TEMPORARILY HALTED, RESEARCHERS SAY
No, I'm not laughing. Cut it out. You're the one who's laughing. This is no laughing matter. After all, we're talking about Global Warming. It's a crisis, damn it.
From Bloomberg:
RELIAPUNDIT ADDS: When a theory is unfalsifiable it is NOT science, but BS. These AGW folks have once again shown that they can and will make up any and every excuse for any fact which disproves their AGW theories. ERGO their theories are unfalsifiable, and BS. TOTAL BS.
BS which is undermining world economic growth and creating food shortages.
From Bloomberg:
Parts of North America and Europe may cool naturally over the next decade, as shifting ocean currents temporarily blunt the global-warming effect caused by mankind, Germany's Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences said.Right.
Average temperatures in areas such as California and France may drop over the next 10 years, influenced by colder flows in the North Atlantic, said a report today by the institution based in Kiel, Germany. Temperatures worldwide may stabilize in the period.
The study was based on sea-surface temperatures of currents that move heat around the world, and vary from decade to decade. This regional cooling effect may temporarily neutralize the long- term warming phenomenon caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases building up around the earth, said Richard Wood, a research scientist at the Met Office Hadley Centre, a U.K. provider of environmental and weather-related services.
The Leibniz study, co-written by Noel Keenlyside, a research scientist at the institute, will be published in the May 1 issue of the journal Nature. ``If we don't experience warming over the next 10 years, it doesn't mean that greenhouse-gas warming is not with us,'' Keenlyside said in an interview.
RELIAPUNDIT ADDS: When a theory is unfalsifiable it is NOT science, but BS. These AGW folks have once again shown that they can and will make up any and every excuse for any fact which disproves their AGW theories. ERGO their theories are unfalsifiable, and BS. TOTAL BS.
BS which is undermining world economic growth and creating food shortages.
THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS SCOOPED THE UNIVERSE ON OBAMA'S LACK OF LOYALTY AND CHARACTER
THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS was the first in any media to prove that Obama lacked the basic character to be president.
IN 2004 - YES!!! - November 2004 we posted this and called it Obamagate:
EXCERPT:
BOTTOM-LINE: In Obama's amoral world, when loyalty confronts ambition, loyalty ALWAYS loses.
A man as consistently disloyal as Obama is unfit for the presidency.
VOTE ACCORDINGLY.
IN 2004 - YES!!! - November 2004 we posted this and called it Obamagate:
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
OBAMAGATE?
Is rising-star Barack Obama ALREADY only a shooting star?Obama may already be involved in a brewing legal scandal that may involve a breech of contract. According to famed gossip columnist CINDY ADAMS of the NY POST, Obama recently and abruptly reneged on a new contract from his longtime literary agent, and then bolted to BJ Clinton's agent - courtesy of Lewinsky job advisor Vernon Jordan.Do you think this scandal is too small a matter to be called OBAMAGATE?
Maybe; maybe NOT. Remember: book scandals helped bring down two Speakers of the House: Wright and Gingrich.
If Obama cannot be trusted to honor a contract with a longtime agent, should we trust him when he takes the oath of office?Perhaps NOT.
In December 2006 we AGAIN pointed out that Obama DUMPED his very first literary agent - a person who picked him out of NOWHERE and talked him into writing his first book - Dreams of My Father - BEFORE ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD EVEN KNEW WHO HE WAS!
EXCERPT:
YUP: the first chance he had - Obama walked away from his friendship, AND HIS SIGNED CONTRACT and DUMPED this agent, virtually TOSSING HER UNDER THE BUS, as soon as Bill Clinton introduced him to a bigger agent (right after his breakout 2004 Kerry Convention speech).EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF MAN IS BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, JR?
Barack Hussein Obama Jr. - the junior, 1st-term Senator from Illinois is a dishonorable and untrustworthy man. Here's why:After graduating from Harvard Law, the then utterly unknown Obama was contacted by a bright aggressive NYC literary agent who thought - because of Obama's mixed heritage and modest background - BHO Jr might have an interesting story to tell. They signed a contract. After much work, the agent sold Obama Jr's book. It was Obama Jr's first.Personal behavior like this reveals lot; it reveals that in Barack Hussein Obama Jr's world, trust and honor mean NOTHING.
After Obama Jr's pretty and pretty well-received convention speech in 2004 - (and before he was elected to the Senate) - he broke this contract with this agent, (the one who picked him up out of nowhere and got him his first book deal), in order to sign with a bigger agent, (to whom he was introduced by perjurer Bill Clinton).
Instead of being loyal to the agent who helped put him on the map, he dumped her the first chance he got, and jumped on to the roster of a bigger bigshot - who didn't have to break a sweat in order to sell Obama Jr's SECOND book! (Barack Hussein Obama Jr. eventually agreed to a settlement for breaking his contract with his first agent.)
- This is the very same way Obama has dealt with his LONGTIME FINANCIAL BACKER REZKO.
- This is the very same way Obama dealt with his "typical white" grandmother.
- This is the very same way Obama dealt with Wright. (Although in Wright's case, Obama only dumped him just weeks after saying he could not and would not disown Wright! He dumps friends only if and when it's expedient.)
BOTTOM-LINE: In Obama's amoral world, when loyalty confronts ambition, loyalty ALWAYS loses.
A man as consistently disloyal as Obama is unfit for the presidency.
VOTE ACCORDINGLY.
IF BUSH BELIEVES THIS, HE IS DELUSIONAL
The willfully clearsighted Andrew C. McCarthy posts three quotes at the Corner. This one is from our President:
But Bush might not be deluded, he might be merely willfully blind.
April 25, 2008: President Bush (addressing the media about Abbas, who is sitting next to him at the White House): "The president is a man of peace.... He's a man of vision. He rejects the idea of using violence to achieve objectives, which distinguishes him from other people in the region."The other quotes reveal Abbas as a lifelong and passionately committed man of violence and terrorism.
But Bush might not be deluded, he might be merely willfully blind.
EXODUS' COMMANDER YOSSI HAREL PASSES AWAY AT 90
Yossi Harel, who was the captain of the Exodus ship that brought 24,000 Jewish refugees to Israel during WW2, has passed away at 90 years old. He should be honored for his bold role as captain of the great rescue ship.
WHAT WILL BECOME OF EGYPT POST-MUBARAK?
Barry Rubin talks about the state of Egypt under undemocratic president Hosni Mubarak, who's now about 80 years old. The question is - how much longer can he continue? And, better still, what'll happen when's gone?
Even now, there's every sign that relations with Egypt, as well as that country's own stability, are withering away, and that the Muslim Brotherhood is rising in the background. The fallout will be coming one day.
Update: in a related item, the British reporter and author John R. Bradley says in an interview on Front Page Mag (via The American Thinker) that there could come a revolution in Egypt very soon, and that the next 2 years will be important to take note of.
Even now, there's every sign that relations with Egypt, as well as that country's own stability, are withering away, and that the Muslim Brotherhood is rising in the background. The fallout will be coming one day.
Update: in a related item, the British reporter and author John R. Bradley says in an interview on Front Page Mag (via The American Thinker) that there could come a revolution in Egypt very soon, and that the next 2 years will be important to take note of.
"Immigrant" is racist
From Britain:
I wonder what the "Immigrant" race looks like? Slanty eyes and green skin, maybe?
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your summary of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
"Manchester United's submission to the Football Association is expected to include the claim that Patrice Evra was allegedly called "an immigrant" during the melee with Chelsea groundstaff at Stamford Bridge, The Times understands.
Chelsea and their employees have strenuously denied that any such remark was made and Evra sought at the weekend to distance himself from suggestions that he was racially abused.
Source
I wonder what the "Immigrant" race looks like? Slanty eyes and green skin, maybe?
Posted by John Ray. For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. For a daily survey of Australian politics, see AUSTRALIAN POLITICS Also, don't forget your summary of Obama news and commentary at OBAMA WATCH
Some truths about McCain that are stranger than fiction
Excerpts from an account by Karl Rove -- retelling what wartime comrades of McCain have related to him
Mr. Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple." The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day's will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at "a goofy angle," as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.
But it didn't heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day's splint in place. Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complemented the treatment he'd gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again.
Another story I heard over dinner with the Days involved Mr. McCain serving as one of the three chaplains for his fellow prisoners. At one point, after being shuttled among different prisons, Mr. Day had found himself as the most senior officer at the Hanoi Hilton. So he tapped Mr. McCain to help administer religious services to the other prisoners. Today, Mr. Day, a very active 83, still vividly recalls Mr. McCain's sermons. "He remembered the Episcopal liturgy," Mr. Day says, "and sounded like a bona fide preacher." One of Mr. McCain's first sermons took as its text Luke 20:25 and Matthew 22:21, "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's." Mr. McCain said he and his fellow prisoners shouldn't ask God to free them, but to help them become the best people they could be while serving as POWs. It was Caesar who put them in prison and Caesar who would get them out. Their task was to act with honor.
Another McCain story, somewhat better known, is about the Vietnamese practice of torturing him by tying his head between his ankles with his arms behind him, and then leaving him for hours. The torture so badly busted up his shoulders that to this day Mr. McCain can't raise his arms over his head. One night, a Vietnamese guard loosened his bonds, returning at the end of his watch to tighten them again so no one would notice. Shortly after, on Christmas Day, the same guard stood beside Mr. McCain in the prison yard and drew a cross in the sand before erasing it. Mr. McCain later said that when he returned to Vietnam for the first time after the war, the only person he really wanted to meet was that guard.
Mr. Day recalls with pride Mr. McCain stubbornly refusing to accept special treatment or curry favor to be released early, even when gravely ill. Mr. McCain knew the Vietnamese wanted the propaganda victory of the son and grandson of Navy admirals accepting special treatment. "He wasn't corruptible then," Mr. Day says, "and he's not corruptible today."
More here
For more postings from me, see OBAMA WATCH, TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, GUN WATCH, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, IMMIGRATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL and EYE ON BRITAIN.
Mr. Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple." The break was designed to shatter Mr. Day's will. He had survived in prison on the hope that one day he would return to the United States and be able to fly again. To kill that hope, the Vietnamese left part of a bone sticking out of his arm, and put him in a misshapen cast. This was done so that the arm would heal at "a goofy angle," as Mr. Day explained. Had it done so, he never would have flown again.
But it didn't heal that way because of John McCain. Risking severe punishment, Messrs. McCain and Day collected pieces of bamboo in the prison courtyard to use as a splint. Mr. McCain put Mr. Day on the floor of their cell and, using his foot, jerked the broken bone into place. Then, using strips from the bandage on his own wounded leg and the bamboo, he put Mr. Day's splint in place. Years later, Air Force surgeons examined Mr. Day and complemented the treatment he'd gotten from his captors. Mr. Day corrected them. It was Dr. McCain who deserved the credit. Mr. Day went on to fly again.
Another story I heard over dinner with the Days involved Mr. McCain serving as one of the three chaplains for his fellow prisoners. At one point, after being shuttled among different prisons, Mr. Day had found himself as the most senior officer at the Hanoi Hilton. So he tapped Mr. McCain to help administer religious services to the other prisoners. Today, Mr. Day, a very active 83, still vividly recalls Mr. McCain's sermons. "He remembered the Episcopal liturgy," Mr. Day says, "and sounded like a bona fide preacher." One of Mr. McCain's first sermons took as its text Luke 20:25 and Matthew 22:21, "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's." Mr. McCain said he and his fellow prisoners shouldn't ask God to free them, but to help them become the best people they could be while serving as POWs. It was Caesar who put them in prison and Caesar who would get them out. Their task was to act with honor.
Another McCain story, somewhat better known, is about the Vietnamese practice of torturing him by tying his head between his ankles with his arms behind him, and then leaving him for hours. The torture so badly busted up his shoulders that to this day Mr. McCain can't raise his arms over his head. One night, a Vietnamese guard loosened his bonds, returning at the end of his watch to tighten them again so no one would notice. Shortly after, on Christmas Day, the same guard stood beside Mr. McCain in the prison yard and drew a cross in the sand before erasing it. Mr. McCain later said that when he returned to Vietnam for the first time after the war, the only person he really wanted to meet was that guard.
Mr. Day recalls with pride Mr. McCain stubbornly refusing to accept special treatment or curry favor to be released early, even when gravely ill. Mr. McCain knew the Vietnamese wanted the propaganda victory of the son and grandson of Navy admirals accepting special treatment. "He wasn't corruptible then," Mr. Day says, "and he's not corruptible today."
More here
For more postings from me, see OBAMA WATCH, TONGUE-TIED, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, GREENIE WATCH, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH, GUN WATCH, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, IMMIGRATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL and EYE ON BRITAIN.