Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The $500,000,000 "down payment"

Here in Ft. Wayne, a community of 205,000 (2000 census), the school board recently approved $500,000,000 to improve the schools. Yes, the zeros are correct. That's half a billion. The money is not for the education for the students in the schools mind you – it's for the school houses themselves. As a newcomer to Ft. Wayne, I asked how can the schools get half a billion behind in repairs? There is, of course, no good answer. Nobody, like for instance the over-paid school superintendent, has a clue. The super did say that the $500,000,000 was only a “down payment” on the work that must be done. $500,000,000 equates to an additional $300 in property taxes per 100K of home value for homeowners.

Now any home owner knows how this kind of thing happens. The back porch starts to show signs of wear; but instead of painting it, you buy a new stereo. Then the wood begins to rot; but instead of repairing it, you get the big TV. Next thing you know, one of the kids has fallen through the deck. Now the whole thing has to be pulled down and started again from scratch – at a much greater expense than fixing it when the trouble first began. How does that old saying go, a stitch in time...costs $500,000,000...no wait that's not it.

Well, I’ve been to a few a of the Ft. Wayne schools, and at first glance they do not look too bad – carpet, new gym, new football stadiums, computers in every room in addition to a computer lab. Then there are the extra-curricular activities that soak up money. Recently a high school was in trouble because the school newspaper ran an article about tolerating a student who apparently came out of the closet and announced he was gay.

First, if the schools are broke, why are they wasting tax payer money publishing a student newspaper? Next, why are high schoolers being burdened with the sexuality crisis of one of their classmate? Is there not one thing that we DON’T need to know about one another? When the principal of the school ordered all future content of the paper to be screened by him, all he** broke loose. He’s racist, bigot, homophobe, fascist. No he’s not, not at all. He’s probably concerned that kids ought to be allowed to be kids. If one student, out of a couple of hundred, is having problems with his sexual identity, that seems a problem for the boy, his parents and whatever professional help they decide to get for the lad, NOT THE SCHOOL.

Last, why is there a separate building for middle school? Why can’t the elementary schools be used K-8? The Ft. Wayne phonebook shows ten middle schools and 35 elementary schools in the Ft. Wayne community school system. How much would it cost to expand the classrooms in the elementary schools to accommodate middle schools? How much would be saved by closing the ten middle schools?

I taught young Lex how to read, write, add, subtract, multiply and divide at the same 100+ year old oak table his grandpa ate dinner at when he was boy. That instruction, besides a bit of frustration from time to time, cost me next to nothing. Now Ft. Wayne needs $500,000,000 for the schools. For what, printing presses to trumpet the gay rights of high school kids?

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

The Libs uncanny luck at awards shows

In an event as surprising as the sun rising in the east this morning, Al Gore’s error laden mockumentary, It’s an inconvenient truth that Tipper and I use 20X the hydrocarbon based energy to run our mansion than you do to run your house, won an Oscar. Wow, Libs are on roll. First Jimmy, if Israel would just blow itself up we wouldn’t have all this Israeli-Palestinian friction, Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize, then Libs honor themselves at the Grannys by giving 5 awards to three Bush bashing has beens, now Al Gore wins an Oscar. But Al’s award was not as easy a shoe in as you might have thought. Al’s Truth – which is everything but – was up against two anti-war Docs and an evangelic Christian bashing Doc. Had someone associated with one of those projects lost a close election to a Republican – look out – it might have been close.

So, who were the conservative award winners? Hmm, I guess there aren’t any. That is really disappointing, especially when you consider that ours is a movement that holds individual achievement and creativity at such a premium. Yet, we get shut out every time. Now were I a Lib, I’d be asking for recounts and declaring whatever kind of ballot is used in these awards shows to be too complicated for my constituency. But I’m not a Lib, so I assume that the results accurately reflect the opinions of the people who voted.

So where does that leave us. It leaves with a bunch of Libs sitting around heaping great praise upon themselves for movies nobody watches, books nobody reads and albums – oops CDs - nobody listens to. Curious, isn’t it? Used to be that I’d have seen most of the movies up for “Best Picture”, watched most of the popular TV shows and owned most of the albums up for “Album of the Year”. Now I have been left behind or more accurately, opted out of most what the Liberal entertainment industry is offering. It seems nearly impossible these days to watch, read or listen to anything from the mainstream entertainment anymore without having your sensibilities and beliefs assaulted in the most crude way. There’s nothing subtle about it.

Even now Oscar-winning 'Titanic' director James Cameron claims to have found the body of Jesus. Well, whodatunk it. After 2,000 years of looking, a Hollywood director shows up and finds Jesus’ tomb, in of all places Jerusalem. Talk about hiding in plain site. Whoa, you’d of thought somebody might have stumbled across this thing a year or two ago. Like maybe the Romans who were combating a “cult” that thought this guy had risen from the dead. You’d think maybe they’d have had a reason to find where Jesus was buried and hoist his head on a pike. But no it take 2,000 years and a Hollywood director, who incidentally made a mockumentary of his search, to find Jesus – can anyone say Emmy. Well hallelujah, maybe Cameron can get started on this Fountain of Youth thing so we can all have everlasting mortal life now that rejoining our brothers and sisters in “everlasting immortal life” seems to be thing of the past.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Slow Bleeding Vietnam

While Jack the ass Murtha has a plan to “slow bleed” the US troops that he, of course, supports, Shameless Chucky Schumer has another idea. “There will be resolution after resolution, amendment after amendment ... just like in the days of Vietnam," Shameless Chucky said. "The pressure will mount, the president will find he has no strategy, he will have to change his strategy and the vast majority of our troops will be taken out of harm's way and come home…" just like in Vietnam, right Chucky? Then two million inhabitants of the region will die at the hands of some power hungry thugs, hundreds of thousands will be jailed and tens of thousands will flee. America will be weakened and her enemies emboldened - good plan Chucky.

See, I’ve always wondered why Defeatocrats like Jack the ass didn’t come up with a plan to “slow bleed” the enemy. That, it seems to me, would be more in America’s interest than to “slow bleed” your own forces – more difficult, no doubt about that - but more in your national interests.

Now Chucky’s back. And he has a plan to recreate the Vietnam War. Why the he** would any patriotic American, vaguely familiar with how that fiasco turned out, be interested in recreating it? Chucky will say, “no one can question Democrats’ patriotism.” Well, yes, Chucky we can. If you come up with plan that “slow bleeds” AMERICAN forces engaged in combat operations, Chucky – THAT IS UNPATRIOTIC. Chucky, if you’re plan for AMERICANS engaged in combat operation is purposefully modeled after a humiliating American defeat, YOU ARE UNPATRIOTIC.

The Defeatocrats are invested in America getting booted out Iraq. Not militarily but through their own UNPATRIOTIC political duplicity and treachery. While know-it-all political and diplomatic talking heads intone “there is no purely military solution to Iraq’s problems.” They leave out the corollary to that argument - American forces cannot be chased from Iraq through purely military means either. The only thing that can chase us from Iraq are a bunch of sad sacks like Jack the ass and Shameless Chucky.

Why didn’t Shameless Chucky bolster American resolve by equating Iraq to an American victory, “We’re going to solve this thing much the same we solved the Philippine Insurrection, our own Civil War and the Indian insurrections that plagued the settling of our own nation. That is with an iron will and adequate parts military and political force.” They don’t do such things because Jack the ass, Shameless Chucky and the biggest part of the Democratic Party are invested in America’s defeat – and they hope for that defeat because they do not like George W. Bush.

Once you understand that Defeatocrats are invested in America’s defeat as a means to get back at President Bush - and that is UNPATRIOTIC - nothing they do will ever surprise you again.

Sleepless in Chappaqua

Round 2 of the presidential handicap:

*Vote for the person most likely to sleep through election night. (can rest assured they have done a good job)

I think this is a close correlation to the first point. The more successful a person has been in their life, the less likely they are to sweat over things so totally out of their control. I would see this panning out pretty much the same as the first criteria.

Romney 10: Mitt goes to bed right after making his victory speech or whenever Russert’s white board says it’ll be a long night. Mitt will have planned everything out, made a good plan and stuck to it. The public will either have bought what he was selling or not. Mitt knows that the sun will come up tomorrow irrespective of the election results. Come Wednesday morning after the election, he will either be running the country or in search some business that is in need of a steady hand. I think he will look at the election as a battle of ideas and ideals not a personality or homecoming king vote.

Giuliani 9: Same is true with Rudy. The only thing that might be a bit different for Rudy is that his campaign will be much more personal than Mitts. Rudy’s three marriages are enough grist for any opposition campaign. Throw in the fact that one of his wives was a distant cousin and It’ll be dirty against Rudy. So far Rudy has been able to get past his past foibles with self effacing humor and brutal honesty. It’ll be interesting to see if people tire of never ending attacks on his personal life and if he can turn those attacks into a campaign plus.

McCain 6: McCain takes everything too personally. He will be pacing the floor, late into the night, rolling a couple of steel balls in one hand trying to prove who ate the last helping of strawberries. McCain recently came out with conservative’s least favorite governor, California’s Arnold Schwarzenegger. While on the dais with Arnold, McCain declared the discussion on global warming is over. I can’t wait for McCain to implode when someone points out the fact that the ice in Antarctica is actually growing, giving lie to at least the “global” part of global warming. How can there be “global” warming if part of the globe – Antarctica - is getting cooler? But at the end of the day, anyone who recovered from being a POW to being US senator probably isn’t going to sweat an election.

Hussein 5: I think Hussein jumps Edwards in this category because he’ll spend half his campaign wondering aloud if racist America can vote for a black man – even one as fair and thin skinned as himself. But since Hussein does not think racist America will vote for him anyway, he can’t be surprised when they don’t and he loses. But he can sleep at night knowing that his loss was due to his skin color rather than his complete inexperience and socialist’s views.

Edwards 4: I think Edwards is spoiled rich kid living in the other America – whatever that is. He is tired of ambulance chasing; can’t get a senate gig in his home state; can’t get elected vice president with John Cambodia Kerry; so he’s become a perpetual presidential candidate. It’s fun; he gets to travel on other people’s money; people fawn over him; what’s a rich kid from the other America to do with his spare time? As such, Edwards will be campaigning all night on election night. When Russert pulls out the white board when polls close in California and declares the Republican a landslide winner, Edwards will concede and at the same time immediately announce his 2012 candidacy, declaring that things have gotten so bad that there are now three or four America’s.

Shrill -1: This woman will be walking the floor all night, the next night and every night for a week. If she loses, she’ll spend the time making a very long list of everyone conceivable who lost the election for her and how to get even. Looking in the mirror, of course, will never occur to her.

So, after two rounds we have, Romney 20, Giuliani 18; McCain 16; Edwards and Hussein tied at 9 and Shrill 1.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Flags of our fathers

The battle of Iwo Jima began on 19 February, 1945. Four days later, on the 23rd of February, five Marines and a Navy Corpsman took part in the flag raising that led to the most famous photograph ever.

The photograph is a metaphor for the Marine Corps and the generation that shouldered the brunt of the great depression and WWII. Of the six men taking part, only an unidentifiable profile of one man can be made out. Two men are on the backside, and except for feet, hands and arms are not visible at all. The men struggle, working together, to hoisting the heavy pole with the flag, while exposed to enemy fires. It is the team work, anonymity and risk on display in this photograph that mark the Marine Corps and the greatest generation to this day.

When people first saw the photograph, many believed that the flag raising was the triumphant end of the battle on Iwo Jima. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The battle raged on until the night of 25 March when a 300-man Japanese force launched a final counterattack.

Of the over 20,000 Japanese troops defending the island, 18,000 died. Only 216 were captured. The Allied forces suffered 26,000 casualties, with nearly 7,000 dead (nearly one-third of all the Marine deaths in World War II). This was the only large engagement of WWII in which the Allied forces suffered more casualties (dead plus injured) than their Japanese opponents. Over a quarter of the Medals of Honor awarded to Marines in World War II were given for actions during the battle for Iwo Jima. The heroism of marines on Iwo Jima led Chester Nimits to remark, "Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

“Uncommon valor was a common virtue” are the words etched into the Marine’s massive war memorial, Felix DeWeldon's artistic interpretation of of Joe Rosenthal's famous photo, adjacent Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. The Marines from 8th & I in Washington perform a sunset parade on summer evenings at the war memorial with the Washington Memorial and the Capital Building adding to beauty of the setting. Check it out if you get the chance.

It would just be too easy to juxtapose the courage of America and its leaders in 1945 to the craven few surrender monkeys running the Defeatocrat Party today. What remains largely unchanged is the honor, courage and commitment of the men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima on 23 February, 1945 and the Marines serving in the hostile Iraqi environment today. They remain today as they were then, Semper Fidelis – Always Faithful to God, Country and Corps.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

A case for Tom Tancrado in '08

Take 13 minute and 41 seconds to view this:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4094926727128068265&q=roy+beck&hl=en&q=roy+beck&hl=en

As near as I can tell from a quick search, NumbersUSA is a legit group seeking to curb LEGAL immigration. Note the clip doesn’t address illegals.

Keep in mind that the same open borders knuckleheads responsible for the mess projected in the clip will:

Demand an end to the urban sprawl that they are creating with an insane immigration policy. They will expect you and me to live in a 800 square foot inner city high-rise so that they can enjoy their 100 acre lot with a 28,000 square foot house on it.

Complain about the poor underclass that they have created because they either won’t clean their own house; cut their own grass; raise their own children or pay an American a descent wage to do it for them. They will tax you to care for the underclass they created.

Complain about American greenhouse gas emissions when the society they created demands more and more pollution. If people are the worst polluters on the planet and Americans are the people, shouldn’t the tree huggers demand an immediate end to immigration as mean to save the planet? Creating more American is only going to accelerate the day the earth finally explodes into a burning ball due to global warming. If anything the tree huggers should be demanding that we round up the illegals and deport them to some responsible third world haven because that will help protect the planet.

Continue to oppose clean safe well regulated energy sources like nuclear.

Demand more and better schools taught in more foreign languages to accommodate and perpetuate the mess that they have created.

Who are “they”:

On the left it’s the well meaning that think we should just take in everyone who shows up here irrespective of education, training or cultural background. They see the immigration bomb as creating permanent underclass that will vote Democrat and keep them in power forever.

On the right it’s business people looking for cheep labor. But there is no such thing. The public cost of providing for the bomb that is about to explode will outstrip any contribution that might be made by the immigration bomb.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Handicapping the field

Lex will, from time to time, handicap the 6 top tier candidates using the Griffin’s 10 recommendations on how to cast your vote. I’ll use a scale of one to 1-10. High score wins. Here’s the first point:

*Vote for the person most likely to succeed should they NOT be elected. (shows confidence)

Romney 10: Was the CEO of the Bain & Company management consulting firm, leading that firm out of the woods and into a hugely successful enterprise. He’s probably best known for saving America’s image after taking over and restoring the badly mismanaged Salt Lake Olympics. He won election to governor of an overwhelmingly blue state and wiped out a huge deficit without raising taxes.

Giuliani 9: Successful US Attorney fearlessly prosecuting mob bosses and crooked business tycoons, best selling author, successful Mayor of NYC, successful partner in several security business, yeah Rudi could get along.

McCain 6: Can fly an airplane, withstand incredible torture when asked to sign an anti-war paper in a foreign prison (but mysteriously folds like a paper hat when faced with signing an anti-free speech paper in congress at home), rose to the rank of Captain in the US Navy and served in both the house and senate. He has written a best selling book. So yeah, if he can run a Navy Squadron he can probably run something else.

Edwards 5: Does not have the legal pedigree of either Hussein or Shrill but at least managed to make something himself. As a personal injury lawyer, Edwards was so successful he managed to leave the one America we all live in and move into the second America where people live 28,000 square foot homes. Good for him. Then in a step down, John-boy served one term in the US Senate and joined John Cambodia Kerry’s presidential bid. During the campaign, John-boy’s ambulance chasing instincts could not be suppressed. In an over-the-top moment, John-boy combined his lawyer talents with those of a faith healer when he said, without cracking a smile, that if he and John Cambodia Kerry were elected, Christopher Reeves would walk again. He was only a one term senator because he saw the writing on the wall when it became obvious North Carolina voters had had enough of a huckster as senator.

Hussein 4: If it’s not non-profit or government work – government work being worse than non-profit and actually deficit work – Hussein has no experience. He has written a couple of books that have done well, so I suppose he could become a writer. He is a lawyer with the best pedigree of the bunch but has the least substantial case work to show for it. Hussein has made a name for himself largely and oddly by doing nothing more than…well…making a name for himself. Except for a single year at Business International Corporation, he truly has not worked at making a profit for any business enterprise.

Shrill 2: Not counting her amazing abilities when dealing cattle futures, what has Shrill accomplished on her own? NOTHING. Senator from NY, you say. If her last name were Schmidt, she wouldn’t have gotten ½ of a percent of the vote. Lawyer at Rose law firm, you say, she wouldn’t have had that job were her hillbilly, alley cat husband not the governor. Some gasbag once said, she was one of the best lawyers in the country. When some other gasbag asked the first gasbag to name one court ruling or case of significance that Shrill argued, the first gasbag was forced to sit in stunned silence. The only thing Shrill has going for her is her last name. Were she a woman of real substance, she’d have long ago thrown the name and the bum who gave it to her over board.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Choosing the next president

The Griffin offers this advice on choosing the next Commander in Chief:

I am already sick of the 2008 election, and it really should not have even yet started. So many things will change before the election that it is hard to know what will be the real issues. No doubt that Iraq will be in there but in what light? If all he** breaks loose in Iran then what will be the status of Iraq? If some nutballs sneak across our southern border and hits Dallas or Topeka with a significant impact then who will be for a fence and right away?

Geo Washington, Harry Truman, and Lincoln, were leaders extraordinaire that were challenged by serious events they could not anticipate. Truman in no way wanted the job, and Washington was probably burned out to the point that all he wanted was some peace and quiet with the few years he had left. Lincoln aged 15 years in 4 years and was assassinated by a Hinckley-like fruitcake a couple of weeks after the civil war ended. And those were great presidents! So who really wants to be the president and why?

I think the events of their times made them who they were. Ike did nothing which was perfect for his time. Wilson could not pick out any direction as WW I was rocking and rolling. Imagine if Teddy Roosevelt had been the man in 1916! So as Bush is crucified every day by media, other pols, the U.N., tree huggers, whale watchers, the Murtha Gang, Pelosi Crips, and the Kennedy Bloods, I wonder why anyone would say they wanted the job.

A natural dilemma exists here. Any sane person would avoid the job. Therefore only insane to somewhat insane people would apply. I do not think it is so much about the events as they stand before they are elected but the events after they are elected that are the key. Those are not known. Therefore we should elect a person based on how we believe they lead in times of opportunity and/or crisis.

Therefore I would like to announce “The Griffin’s 10 Recommendations on the Selection of Presidential Candidates”. The Griffin ’s recommendations are that the voter,

*Vote for the person most likely to succeed should they NOT be elected. (shows confidence)

*Vote for the person most likely to sleep through election night. (can rest assured they have done a good job)

*Vote for the person that is the least insane of all the candidates. (you must be somewhat nuts to want the job)

*Not vote for any candidate that has discussed their imminent presidential legacy. (arrogance)

*Not vote for the most intelligent candidate as they tend to be too smart and freeze in times of crisis. (can’t lead)

*Not consider a candidate that has ever gone to Hollywood for a political fund raising event (little to no morals)

*Not consider a candidate that has been fishing fewer than 50 times in their life (not learned patience)

*Not consider a candidate that has never been disciplined with a paddle, belt, or switch (not learned the chain-of-command)

*Give more consideration for those candidates that were not born wealthy, served in some military capacity, and have owned a business (learned humility)

*Give less consideration for those with law degrees, has ever lived in Washington D.C. , and tends to start a sentence with the words, ”The fact of the matter is…” as this is the opening for most falsehoods (smarter than everyone else)

Any future president should be elected as the one best prepared to address the crisis’ we have yet to know. The nation’s emergencies need to be addressed by strong, realistic, and hard working people that do not rely on polls and do not fold under pressure. I just wish these candidates could wait until we are 6 months from Election Day to start their campaigning. It is just a longer period we have to endure the insincerity, the begging, and the slanderous accusations. And we are still 18 months from the primaries!!!

The Griffin sends. We'll handicap the field on these criteria soon.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Washington's Birthday

For conservatives, it may seem like the worst of times. Dems control the house and senate but no politician – including our president – wants to control the border. Border agents are locked up on the testimony of the drug smuggling illegal alien they were arresting - and even the drug smuggling illegal alien’s testimony is bought and paid for with taxpayer money by scumbag, Nifong like prosecutors more interested in their conviction rate than justice or border control.

American forces are on a roll in Iraq but politicians want to roll back the forces. Just as American and Iraqi forces gain the upper hand in Baghdad, forcing the Sardr army into hiding and its leaders into Iran, Jack the ass Murtha wants “slow bleed” AMERICAN forces. You’d think the Jackass and like minded DemoRATS would be more interested in “slow bleeding” al Qaida and Iraqi insurgents than AMERICAN forces. You’d think wrong. There is political hay to be made – U.S. forces be damned.

These days, bad as they are, would seem like a sunshiny walk in the park for the “indispensable American”. George Washington’s effort to keep the Continental Army together throughout the Revolutionary War, 3 July, 1775 through the winter of 1783, was perhaps the greatest military and political feat in American history. Conditions at Valley Forge the winter of 1777 would have today’s Defeatocrats like Jack the ass Murtha warming their trousers with their own urine.

The man who refused to be king held the army together through force of will and personality when there were few men, little supply and no pay. As if that were not enough, craven Murtha-like politicians were constantly plotting against Washington, seeking his removal as Commander of the Continental Army and undermining his plans. The army itself seemed always on the verge of annihilation but still managed the well-timed and decisive victory to keep it going.

During his presidency, from 1789-96, Washington directed the opening of the Northwest Territory. He dealt with American pacifists in Washington, interloping foreign powers in territories who constantly stirred the tribes to the warpath and setbacks and atrocities in the field that would make anything happening today seem minor and down-right civilized by comparison. Then, with the territory open and things looking up for America, he walked away from power to finish his days at Mt. Vernon.

So if you think things are tough today, look back on the life and times of the indispensable American, the man who refused to be king, the man who gracefully walked away from power when he could have had all he wanted. Today is not “President’s Day.” It is George Washington’s birthday. We should place the others, great and small, after this legendary figure.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Hussein the "articulate"

Hussein Obama was as “articulate” as he’s ever been when he uttered the following, "We ended up launching a war that should have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and to which we have now spent $400 billion and have seen over 3,000 lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."

Wow! What an articulate guy, for a black liberal imbecilic idiot, I mean. Hussein obviously is not ready for prime time. Preening for liberal “moonbat better red or green or Muslim or most any other evil that takes commitment to oppose than dead” losers – who are more acquainted with the passing of Haley’s Comet than a shower or common sense and now comprise the mainstream of the Democrat Party - Hussein the Articulate in one phrase has dismissed all who serve or have served in Iraq as “wasted”.

Well dig this Hussein: Marine Cpl. Jeffrey B. Starr left the following note to his loved ones before he died in a 2005 firefight in Ramadi: "Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. ... I don't regret going, everybody dies, but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

Needless to say Cpl Starr is far, far less a waste of spermicidal tissue than the cocaine snorting, two year Illinois wonder-boy. Hussein showed up in Springfield, IL where Lincoln made his announcement to seek the presidency of the United States. That's where any similarity between the two men ends. While Hussein claims the fallen are wasted, Lincoln said this about the fallen, "we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." Hussein lacks even one iota of Lincoln’s wisdom, commitment, passion, common sense, decency, love of country, honesty, honor, integrity, grace...well, it just goes on and on.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Shooting Gallaria Mall

When a guy manned Sulejman Talovic kills five people in a Utah mall, and
- the police say they have no idea why, and
- Sulejman Talovic happens to be Muslim from Bosnia and
- Malls have been mentioned as targets in the intell chatter from Muslim terrorists

You’d think, given that set of circumstances, that someone in the police, DA’s office or the fearless MSM might offer the possibility that Sulejman Talovic is some kind of terrorist.

You’d think wrong. People are walking around in disbelief afraid to even mention terror as a motive. They are like children hiding under the bed sheets seeming to think that if they can’t see evil in the room, then the evil can’t see them. People are hiding under willful ignorance saying, - “Why we have no idea why this good Bosnian Muslim, high school drop out, would randomly shoot people in a mall." As if merely mentioning terror as a motive might actually cause terror to occur. Well, whatever the motive, what happened in that mall was terror.

The reaction we can expect from MSM and libs is to focus on the evil use of guns. All the while they will ignore the fact that an off duty policeman who happened to be caring a gun is credited with saving untold lives. They will also ignore the fact that the incident ended with a couple well aimed rounds from good guys with guns.

There are two points to be considered here. First is the terrorists incident and suspicious incident map located here http://www.globalincidentmap.com/home.php. This site is a conspiracy theory nut’s best friend. It tracks all suspicious events occurring in the word from trains derailing to mall shootings. It’s eye opening to see the world exploding before your eyes. As sure as not everything on the map is a terrorist act, some of the things on the map are. Come out from under the bed sheets and take a look.

Next, get a hand gun now. Buy ammo. Learn to use the gun from the NRA or other qualified trainer, and get a right to carry permit. As 2008 approaches and the uncertainty of that election builds, it’s a good idea to hedge your bet. With Democrats in charge of the house, senate and White House, you can bet second amendment restriction cannot be far behind raising tax, approving gay marriage, opening the border and surrendering to terrorists. Heck, the assault on the second amendment might even be first so that Democrats can peaceably pursue the others thing on their agenda. Get a gun so you’ll at least have a shooters chance during your next mall visit.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Unbound jellyfish

Hey, does anyone else find it comical to hear congressional gasbags – like Non-Binding Charlie Hagel - throwing around words like “courage” and phrases like, “make tough choices” when talking about non-binding resolutions on any subject let alone the one Democrats have dubbed “the most important topic of our day” – Iraq?

First, Non-Binding Charlie voting with the majority on a non-binding resolution on any topic let alone “the most important topic of our day” is a sign of feckless pandering, worthless posturing and incompetent governance - not courage. All this non-binding talk of non-binding resolutions reminds me of the fat man swearing off fried food…for the 10,000th time. Lent is upon us. Children and a few adults will be making non-binding Lenten resolutions. Children will make it known to everyone that they have given up sweets and then sneak them for the next 40 days. Valentine’s Day has come and gone and thousands lined up in Vegas for non-binding wedding vows. The fat man, a child during Lent and the uncommitted couple, all have more courage than non-binding Charlie. The other actors will at least all make an effort for some period - no matter how short – to live up to their promise. For Non-binding Charlie and other weaklings in congress, prattling on about Iraq and non-binding resolutions is the sum of their conviction. Until the political calculus changes directions – then the political jellyfish will change direction as well.

Next, If Iraq truly is – “the most important topic of our day” – as Democrats claim, shouldn’t they be proposing something a bit more substantive than a non-binding resolution – like a plan for victory? The fact of the matter is that – IRAQ IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOPIC OF THE DAY – but for Democrats it’s only the most important POLITICAL topic of the day. If Non-binding Charlie had any courage or conviction, this jellyfish – a creature with no spine that generally floats with the current – would call the Democrat’s bluff and force them to put propose a binding law to end the conflict in Iraq. But Non-Binding Charlie and his like-minded Democrat jellyfish are only floating along on the current of public opinion as it stands today. Tomorrow, they may float in a different direction. And Chuck, that is not courageous.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Don't let abortion split conservative vote

Republicans, and more importantly conservatives, are going to have to face the fact that even if the Pope himself were elected president, he could not end the scourge of abortion. Given that reality, why all the huff over the top three Republican candidate’s stance on the subject? Rudi is pro choice, but he says he’ll nominate Supreme Court justices in the mold of Scalia and Roberts. That, coupled with his objection to the hideous practice of partial birth abortion is, realistically, about all pro-lifers can hope for from their president. Plus, I think we can accept Rudi at his word.

Mitt is a former pro-lifer, turned pro-choicer, turned pro-lifer again. He can point to the date and circumstance of his epiphanies on this subject and they seem believable enough. More importantly, I think he could be trusted act in accordance with his professed beliefs - whatever they happen to be at the time. McCain has always been pro-life, but given his flexibility on everything from free speech and taxes to his favorite color and what he likes on a hot dog, who knows what he might do. Ted kennedy as a Supreme Court justice doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities for this guy.

The danger in this hot button issue is that if one of the top three gain the nomination, the pro-lifers will scream for a third party candidate. That will split the conservative vote and hand the election to Shrill and her socialists running mate Hussein Obama. This why it is important to remember the first line of this post:

Republicans, and more importantly conservatives, are going to have to face the fact that even if the Pope himself were elected president, he alone could not end the scourge of abortion.

We may have to settle on a candidate that will move the ball a little closer to the goal without scoring the touchdown. Remember this policy of abortion on demand was handed us through judicial fiat. It’ll probably have to be turned back through the judicial rather than executive branch.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Candidates everywhere

Candidates want to get their hats into the 2008 presidential ring before the ring fills to capacity, which for me was right after what seemed like the 60 somethingeth candidate on the Democrat side. The good news there is that the candidates seem to implode by about noon on the day that they announce. Joe the slow Biden proved he can be a dope with other Democrats when he referred to Barak the anointed one Obama as the first “clean” black to run for president. He has spent every minute of every day since apologizing. Stick a fork in him. He’s done.

John, I live in the America with the 28,000 square foot homes, Edwards in attempt to appeal to the foul-mouth, Catholic hating wing of the Democratic Party hired not one, but two foul mouthed, Catholic hating bigots to run his e-campaign. When confronted with some of the vile, hate filled, profanity laced tripe the, uh, “ladies” put forth on their websites, Iron John proved to be a man dumb enough to stand by his bad decision. Barrowing a page from John Cambodia Kerry’s stand on abortion, Pretty Boy Edwards tried the ol’ “I abhor (maybe that would be add whores in this case) what was written but defend their right to write it.” Fine, but why hire them on to your campaign staff? Who can we look forward to as Secretary of State in an Edward’s administration – Andrew Dice Clay? Eddie Murphy in treasury? Mike Tyson in defense? This goes directly to John-boy’s ability to choose well-qualified people to run the country. Guess what? If he can’t choose a blogger given the wealth available, he probably can’t choose any well-qualified people. Now, he and Biden are trying to catch Kucinich and Dodd in a race to the bottom of the Democrat field.

Even the anointed one, Obama, found a bit doo on shoe this weekend. After months of fawning press, pictures of him walking on water, stories of his ability to multiply fishes and loves and a People Magazine cover of him transforming water to wine at a buddy’s wedding, the anointed one still trials the Shrill one by double digits. So, after saying he wouldn’t run a couple months ago, the anointed one announced his pre-exploratory exploratory committee, followed by an actual exploratory committee, followed by a web announcement, followed by an actual announcement this weekend that – surprise, surprise – he was running. Who knew? But Barak Hussein Obama stepped in it when, in an effort to appeal the moonbat fringe – which is actually the base – of the Democrat Party, he mentioned that the selfless patriots whose lives were lost in Iraq, were “wasted”. Hmm, what a comfort that must bring to mom and dad. Then Barak Hussein Obama was heckled by some anti-war protesters. Now the anointed one is about as anti-war as any one in the Democrat field. If Democrat nut jobs can’t support Hussein Obama, they have but one place left, Dennis Kucinich.

Then there’s the Shrill one. She is way ahead. She told ABC News that she is the one candidate Republicans fear because she and Bill have beaten them before. Well, as in government run health care and nearly everything else, she’s wrong. Republicans fear most leading Democrat candidates, not because they might win an election, but rather because of what they might do to the country after the election. But the Shrill one has been two-stepping more than the entire crowd on the dance floor at Gilley’s on a Saturday night. Seems she was actually against the war before she voted for it and spoke about 100 times in favor it. The Shrill one’s biggest problem is that she’s running ten years too late. With the coming of the Google search engine went Shrill and her MSM lemmings’ hopes of sweeping her Iraq vote under the rug. For now she’s running against George Bush, which for reasons only brain-dead Democrats can explain, is working for her. It’s not her fault she voted for and vocally supported the mission in Iraq – it’s that danged George Bush. Well aside from the nearly endless list of citations of Shrill’s support for the war there’s this – Shrill claims George Bush misled her into war – that’s a lie, but that’s what she says. The problem for the Shrill one is that the Democrats have been telling us that George Bush is an idiot frat boy. So how did the “smartest woman in the world” get bamboozled by idiot Bush? And if she got bamboozled by idiot Bush, how’s she going to deal with the cunning cut-throats that populate the world’s leadership positions?

Monday, February 12, 2007

Free the border guard two

OK, Lex is going to climb out on a legal limb and hope new facts do not surface to make him look dopier than he is. Lex has been mute on the story of the two border guards that shot a drug smuggling Mexican who had been “allegedly” driving a truck loaded with 743 pounds of marijuana near Fabens, Texas. The border cops, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, apparently admit shooting at the drug smuggler, one Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, during a chase and only after the officers say they saw Davila turn with something shiny in his hand. So far so good. Well after apparently chasing Davila back to where he belongs, the officers went about policing up their brass and other evidence that shots had been fired.

Then the cops supposedly failed to file a proper report of the shooting - this fact is in dispute as to what constitutes a proper report. Then the feds get involved and give the dope smuggler – who claims to have been shot by the cops in the butt - immunity to testify against the cops who get convicted and jailed. Now, recently released forensics do not at all support the doper’s account of the shooting. That fact and the other facts of this case have not stopped the doper from suing the good ol’ USA for 5 million bucks.

Now, as you know, Lex doesn’t comment on these cases because as soon as he does new information surfaces. Well, and this is really weird, turns out in a meeting in September, officials from the Department of Homeland Security office of the Inspector General briefed a group of congressmen and told them to listen to Lex - in essence, “Look, you don’t know all of the facts of the case and wouldn’t complain if you did. You will look foolish if you pursue this.” The congressmen, not wanting to look foolish said, “OK we’ll hush up. You get us all of the facts.” Problem is the DHS has never gotten back to the congressmen. Then, and this weird to the point of unbelievably weird, DHS admitted under oath before congress that they gave Members of Congress false information painting Ramos and Compean as rogue cops. Yup, American DHS personnel framed American border security personnel on the behalf of a Mexican drug smuggler. If you have a weirder one that, post it.

What should happen:

The cops should be released from prison immediately. By either a presidential pardon, or a judges order for a new trial, based on the forensic evidence that shows the doper to be a liar describing how was shot, these two should not be in prison another day.

The doper should be persuaded to return to testify against the cops again. When the doper shows up for the new trial, he should be arrested, throw in jail and the keys lost. He is a lying dope smuggler. No doubt his perjury in the first trial, as to how he was shot, constitutes a breech of his immunity deal.

The DHS personnel who lied to congress should be fired. The two cops ought to be able to sue DHS collectively as well as the lying DHS personnel personally.

This whole incident points up two things. America is no more serious about its “war on drugs” than it is about border security.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Global Warming does in fact cause the Earth to cool

In the post three below, Lex asks how long it can be before Global Warming Nut Jobs (GWNJ) begin to blame cold tempurature on global warming. Well low and behold the Griffin spotted this gem @ http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/news/freeze.html:


Scientists announced in the July 21, 1999, edition of the journal Nature findings that suggest that global warming can sometimes lead to cold weather or even a worldwide freeze.
Scientists have long known that a severe cold spell occurred after the end of the Pleistocene glaciation, approximately 8,200 years ago. The cause, however, has been a mystery. The authors of the Nature article write that the centuries long cold spell might have been caused by meltwater from the disappearing glaciers, cooling the North Atlantic.

The Laurentide Ice Sheet covered parts of North America with ice up to two miles thick for more than a million years. When the Earth began to warm 10,000 years ago, it retreated back toward the poles. The ice sheet left in its wake at least two lakes containing more water than the Great Lakes combined.

In the Hudson Bay, ice held the water in place like a plug in a bathtub. When the plug finally melted, trillions of gallons gushed into the Labrador Sea, flowing out at 100 times the rate water leaves the Mississippi.

The conclusions of the authors are the result of a study by University of Colorado and Canadian researchers who examined evidence of this huge flood in the Hudson Bay region of Quebec and Ontario.

Independent research showed that global temperatures dropped significantly within several hundred years of the flood. Until this study, nobody could pinpoint if these two events were connected, said the study's lead author, University of Colorado geologist Don Barber. The scientists used radiocarbon dating of clams in the flood sediment, and other evidence, to correlate the two events.

The Atlantic Gulf Stream normally acts like a conveyor belt to deliver warm tropical water to temperate regions. By adding so much cold fresh water in such a short time, the flood shut down the Gulf Stream, said Richard Alley, a climate expert at Penn State University.
Temperatures in Greenland and Europe dropped by 6 to 15 degrees for at least 200 years, according to ice core data.

The authors conclusions demonstrate how global warming can, paradoxically, provoke a global freeze. If a modern glacier such as the Greenland Ice Sheet melts as a result of rising temperatures in the next century, it could trigger a similar flood and climate fluctuation, the researchers said.

Let her walk

First claiming that it had nothing to do with size, (insert any of 10,000 worn out jokes about women insuring us that size doesn't matter here) but “everything to do with security,'' America's first elected Queen of the Congress, her Royal pain the Hind-End-Ness Nancy Pelosi continued to demand a larger plane for her royal travels. Then the Queen mum added, ``I have said that I am happy to ride commercial if the plane they have doesn't go coast to coast.'' So, I guess, if she’s willing to ride commercial, it really does have more to do with size than security.

The Queen added that Bush had personally told her that because the speaker is second in line of presidential succession, behind the Vice President, he was concerned about her security. Yes of course, security for the number 2 in line of succession to the presidency, because in the 231 years of the republic, the Speaker of the House has rose to be President of the United States based on succession, what 15, 10, 5, or was it, oh yeah exactly 0 times. So for goodness sakes, in the name of securing the republic and our very freedom, let’s make sure we have that base covered.

Then, not satisfied with Don Rumsfeld’s firing, Her Royal Arseholiness added this, "It still raises the question, why would the Department of Defense not be denying this information that has been conveyed? Why are they feeding the flames? Of course I have been a constant critic -- for nearly three years, I've called for the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld, who still has a desk at the Department of Defense, and I guess any chance they have ..." When reached for comment, the former Secretary of Defense replied to the Queen’s pettiness with a, “I know you are but what am I?” Followed by a “na, na, na, poo, poo.”

But, even as petty as the Queen is being about this issue, her foots man is taking it, pardon the pun, a step further. The Duke of Jackass Murtha said he is convinced the Pentagon has been leaking information about the possibility that Pelosi would use large military planes just to make her look bad. But really, does anyone need to “make her look bad” on this issue? Seems to me she’s doing a great job on her own. But, the Duke of Jackass growled on, "They're making a mistake when they leak it because she decides on allocations for them,'' referring to the Pentagon budget.

Wow! Did you get that Mr. & Mrs. America? Because the Queen doesn’t get a bigger air plane that she claims she doesn’t want, the Duke of Jackass is threatening to cut the Pentagon’s and thereby America’s defense budget. Used to be, when Democrat loons ran things and wanted to screw people, they’d confine their pettiness to some un-consequential place like the White House travel office, ruining the lives of the people who worked there rather than threatening the entire country. Now the Duke of Jackass Murtha says, if the Dems don’t get the little perks they want, they aren’t beyond screwing around with the defense of the country. No doubt, anyone who questions the Duke of Jackass’ patriotism after such a petty and dopey comment will be tarred in the MSM.

Not satisfied with that first bit of pettiness, the Duke of Jackass said he will hold hearings that examine the use of military planes by members of Congress and Bush administration officials for the past two fiscal years. Asked whether the hearings are payback for the decision on Queen Nancy’s request, the Duke’s blubbering jowls shook as he laughed and said, ``Would I do something like that?''

Does anyone else think we might need a new position in congress, something like a playground monitor?

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Who is cutting off the debate?

After Republicans supposedly ended debate on a nonbinding Senate resolution on the presidents troop surge, debate rages on. Seven Republican Senators have decided to push back against Scrawny Harry’s attempt to paint the Republicans as the obstructionists by firing off a letter to Scrawny Harry in hopes of getting his attention between crooked land deals. The letter demands that GOP and Democratic leaders reach some level of accommodation for a full debate on all Iraq War resolution proposals. “Danged republicans!” a surprise Reid shouted and attempted to ignore the letter.

Now the Scrawny one is in a box. Scrawny has cast the GOP as the ones wanting to cut off debate, but now those pesky minority people are sending him letters demanding a full debate. What to do? Well expect to see the Scrawny one in front of the microphone soon complaining to his MSM lemmings that “this all just a trick to open debate, uhu, er, did I say open? Of course, I meant squelch debate, on the irresolute resolution on George Bush’s war in Iraq that most of voted for.”

Further, expect the MSM lemming to do their part. An NPR report that only a liberal could possibly understand might go something like this:

Senate allies of beleaguered President George Bush, who got us into the mess we’re now in, in Iraq, by cherry picking intelligence and misleading the American people, today sent a letter to the dynamic charismatic leader of the senate Democrat Harry Reid. After crushing all hope of an honest and open debate in the Senate on the right minded, highly popular and well-liked rebuke of the president’s harebrained idea of actually trying to win the war in Iraq, in a nonbinding resolution against the president’s troop surge, GOP senators are trying to trick brave leader Reid into re-opening debate. The handsome and well-spoken (articulate is apparently an insult of some kind these days) Reid said he would not be tricked into a full and open debate on the Iraq war, which he reminded us again is really George Bush’s war. “This is just a GOP trick to get us to talk about Iraq. They cut off debate as we all know.”

It remains a bizzaro world.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Global warming heats up in sub-zero temps

Liberals, of course, are the paragon diversity. So what do liberals, say a Democratic governor of Oregon, do when someone disagrees with them? Well the Liberals fire that person – in the name of diversity, of course.

From KGW web site:

In the face of evidence agreed upon by hundreds of climate scientists, George Taylor holds firm. He does not believe human activities are the main cause of global climate change.

Taylor also holds a unique title: State Climatologist. Hundreds of scientists last Friday issued the strongest warning yet on global warming saying humans are "very likely" the cause.

“Most of the climate changes we have seen up until now have been a result of natural variations,” Taylor asserts.

Taylor has held the title of "state climatologist" since 1991 when the legislature created a state climate office at OSU The university created the job title, not the state Climatologist.

His opinions conflict not only with many other scientists, but with the state of Oregon's policies.

So the governor wants to take that title from Taylor and make it a position that he would appoint.

Governor Ted Kulongoski confirmed he wants to take that title from Taylor. The governor said Taylor's contradictions interfere with the state's stated goals to reduce greenhouse gases, the accepted cause of global warming in the eyes of a vast majority of scientists.

“He is Oregon State University's climatologist. He is not the state of Oregon's climatologist,” Kulongoski said.

In other Democrat hypocrite news, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wants her own government jet. Hey, that’ll cut down on greenhouse gasses. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Dennis Hastert the Republican had one – but he wasn’t running in circles yelling at everyone that the sky was falling because of CO2 emissions. So do the right thing Nancy, buy a Prius and drive to and from San Fran.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

It is a bizzaro world for Democrats and their MSM lemmings

In parliamentary procedure, cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. Do all of the public school grads have that? Cloture brings a quick end to debate. In our US Senate, it requires 60 votes for cloture. Yesterday, Republicans denied Scrawny Harry Reid and the other “we hate the war we voted for” Democrats cloture on the Iraq War Resolution of irresolution - so important to the American people that it's non-binding. So if we are to believe that cloture brings a quick end to debate, voting against cloture must be a vote for more debate. Right?

But no, apparently in the bizzaro world of Democrats, where surrender is called “redeployment”, taxes are “contributions”, voting for the war only proves how strongly you oppose it, voting against a procedure that ends debate is really in itself an effort to end debate. Huh? I voted to continue debate but Democrats are charging that I want to cut off debate. How does that work? Well, Mr. & Mrs. America in a land of public school grads and a MSM that openly roots for the liberals anything can be twisted.

After the vote Scrawny Harry raced to nearest microphone and whined like a jet engine shutting down, "You can run, but you can't hide," declared Scrawny just back from his latest crooked land deal and a 2002 war supporter. "We are going to debate Iraq." Well good because that’s what the Republicans voted for by voting against cloture – continuing debate.

Sen. RC Durbin of Illinois, the second-ranking Democrat, in a sycophantic effort to get a piece of Scrawny’s latest land scheme, echoed his chief’s taunt at Republicans. "If the Republicans want to stand by their president and his policy, they shouldn't run from this debate.” Well then thank goodness they stopped Democrats from cutting the debate off.

Then in a clearly conflicted story from the AP we find these two gems, “A lengthy Senate floor debate on the Iraq' name war is inevitable, despite a Republican effort to block it, Democrats say.” Then inexplicably the story goes on to say, “While Democrats are largely supportive of the Gregg measure, they want to limit debate to only two proposals…” So who is it trying to stymie the debate?

Lemesee, Republicans want to debate three resolutions, including the Democrat resolution. Democrats want to debate just two resolutions – but primarily the Democrat resolution – then cut off debate. Hmm – remembering that it is a bizzaro world for Democrats and the MSM - by offering more option to be debated, it must be those dang Republicans trying to stymie debate.

In other bizzaro news, it was -5 degrees in Ft. Wayne last night. How long can it be before the MSM headlines scream, “EXTREME COLD TEMPS OFFER PROOF OF GLOBAL WARMING”

Monday, February 05, 2007

UN releases warming report on the copldest day of the year

On the coldest week of the year, at least in Ft. Wayne, the UN science group (think) released their report that the Earth is warming and that man is very, very, very, almost certainly, nearly without doubt, virtually definitely, just about positively, all but unquestionably, responsible for it. Dang, just over a month after being named Time’s man of the year, I find out I’m responsible for global warming. Lucky thing the guys at Time didn’t hear about this before they voted. Not only that, but the group think scientist believe the disaster is going to last for the next 100 years. Didn’t Al Gore predict the end of the world in less than ten years in his dopey movie? Somebody has clearly misplaced their decimal point. Go back and check your math.

Now, the radical global warming nut jobs or GWNJs are condemning everybody that doesn’t agree with them by referring to them as global warming deniers, as in Holocaust deniers or Nazis. So whatever you do don’t tell the next unwashed hippie or Al gore fat cat jetting around on a G-5 aircraft from their 30,000 square foot home by the sea to their 40,000 square foot home in the mountains, as if it were a Prius, that you don’t buy the hogwash they are selling. They will taunt you with names but no certifiable facts to support the case.

As proof positive as to what the GWNJs are all about, look at this from, who else, the French:

From NY Times.com:

PARIS, Jan. 31 — President Jacques Chirac has demanded that the United States sign both the Kyoto climate protocol and a future agreement that will take effect when the Kyoto accord runs out in 2012.

But he warned that if the United States did not sign the agreements, a carbon tax across Europe on imports from nations that have not signed the Kyoto treaty could be imposed to try to force compliance. The European Union is the largest export market for American goods.
“A carbon tax is inevitable,” Mr. Chirac said.

IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY! Now once this tax is imposed, does anyone seriously believe that it will ever be lifted, like say when scientist start predicting the next ice age in about two years? Don’t go soft. Even if the global warming scare is true, we have between 10 and 100 years of the good life ahead of us. When some know-it-all starts talking about "us" making sacrifices to “save the planet” my reaction is always the same, “You believe this crap but you aren’t changing your lifestyle. I don’t believe this crap, so why should I change mine? You go first.”

But don’t panic. Here’s the word from a former GWNJ:

From the National Post Canada.com

Astrophysicist Nir Shariv, one of Israel's top young scientists, describes the logic that led him -- and most everyone else -- to conclude that SUVs, coal plants and other things man-made cause global warming.

Step One Scientists for decades have postulated that increases in carbon dioxide and other gases could lead to a greenhouse effect.

Step Two As if on cue, the temperature rose over the course of the 20th century while greenhouse gases proliferated due to human activities.

Step Three No other mechanism explains the warming. Without another candidate, greenhouses gases necessarily became the cause.

All we have on which to pin the blame on greenhouse gases, says Dr. Shaviv, is "incriminating circumstantial evidence," which explains why climate scientists speak in terms of finding "evidence of fingerprints." Circumstantial evidence might be a fine basis on which to justify reducing greenhouse gases, he adds, "without other 'suspects.' " However, Dr. Shaviv not only believes there are credible "other suspects," he believes that at least one provides a superior explanation for the 20th century's warming.

"Solar activity can explain a large part of the 20th-century global warming," he states, particularly because of the evidence that has been accumulating over the past decade of the strong relationship that cosmic- ray flux has on our atmosphere. So much evidence has by now been amassed, in fact, that "it is unlikely that [the solar climate link] does not exist."

"Wow! There’s a thought worth studying – the sun! The sun causes global warming. Whoda thunk it? Occam's razor, the most likely answer is probably the correct one.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Super Bowl Black Coaches (XLI)

For the first time since last year, two white quarterbacks will compete in the Super Bowl. When asked about it, Peyton Manning was humbled. “Well you know after the unending media hype that revolved around Donavon (McNabb Philadelphia Eagles) and Mike (Vick Atlanta Falcons), I feel pretty fortunate to be here. Asked if the white quarterback is soon to be a thing of the past, like the white running back, Manning said, “I don’t know, if you can throw the ball on a rope 60 yards and hit a receiver in stride, there’s probably going to be place for you in the NFL irrespective of the color of your skin.” Rarer yet than a white quarterback is seeing a white guy on the defensive side of the ball. But Brian Urlacher will start as the middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Urlacher said that the NFL was making tremendous strides in getting white players on the defensive side of the ball.

OK that’s a bit of tongue in cheek fun with the MSM’s obsession with the skin color of the two coaches squaring off in Sunday’s Super Bowl XLI. I suppose it’s useful, to a point, to make note of the strides black men have made in coaching and in the front offices of NFL teams. But after two weeks, the point has been made. Maybe there is something else worth knowing about these two guys besides the color of their skin.

I’ve known of Tony Dungy since he quarterbacked the University of Minnesota for what seemed like 10 seasons – he started as a freshman and played four seasons. I’ve followed him since he was a defensive coordinator in Minnesota. I lived in Tampa FL when he took over the Buccaneers and turned what was a whipping boy into a winning franchise. Now Dungy is in Indianapolis and Lex is in Ft. Wayne, IN. So, I’ve seen and read a lot about Tony Dungy. What strikes me about him is not that he is black but rather what a totally class act he is. Never has he placed blame for a defeat on anyone other than himself and only then while giving great credit to his opponent. Dungy has never engaged the type of screaming, yelling, taunting, profanity laced, look at me everyone, in your face BS that has become the norm in the NFL for players and some coaches.

I don’t know much about Lovie Smith the coach for the Chicago Bears. Like Dungy, he seems pretty unflappable and level headed. He seems to have a great loyalty to his players. Smith has stuck with his much maligned quarterback Rex Grossman through a media and fan revolt that certainly would have had lesser men throwing poor Rex under the bus in order to just shut people up. Loyalty is great thing.

I have no idea who will win. The pros who make a living predicting and betting such things are picking Indy, so that’s probably the safe money. If Indy wins, Dungy will heap great praise on his players, the coaches, the organization, the fans, the Bears, the officials, the cheerleaders, his family and the concession workers and parking lot people. Then his thoughts will turn to his son James who committed suicide a couple of years ago. I think it’ll be bitter sweet for him.

Which ever team wins, I’ll bet the first question from some brain dead sports reporter will be, “How does it feel to be the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl?” So while the MSM media focuses on Dungy’s and Smith’s skin color, I think they are missing a much bigger story.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Nifonging Libby?

Hey while we’re on things legal, how about that Mike Nifong and the Duke rape case? This case is the perfect example of why Lex keeps his opinions about legal things to himself until the handwriting is on the wall. Well it would seem that the handwriting is pretty much on the wall and it says, “DA Nifong, the accuser and police – but principally Nifong – are themselves the ones guilty of criminal actions.”

This is scary. What if the three accused were not the off-spring of parents with the resources necessary to take on Nifong? Those three young men would be in serious trouble. What a sinking feeling it must be to have a nitwit like Nifong, with all of the resources of the state of North Carolina behind him, coming after you for something you didn’t do.

Where do go for any kind of normal life when the Duke University administration declares your guilt, cancels an entire sports program’s season and fires the coach before a trial date is set. Where do go when 88 members of the Duke University faculty sign a letter declaring your guilt without one iota of evidence? Where do go when the enlightened student body of a liberal arts institution like Duke University are offering death threats instead of a fair trail? Where do go when the MSM big shots all have you declared guilty before the first witness is called?

Well, fortunately for the young men, their parents are not degreasing machinery at the local Ford plant on the late shift. If they were, the young men would have been hung out to dry as sure as the name Nifong will soon become a verb in legalese meaning “to railroad”– as in, “Judge, there is no evidence in this case. The DA is trying to Nifong my client.”

And that’s what the Duke case and the Libby case have in common - overzealous prosecutors hoping that their case brings them fame and later, with the book deal, fortune. Had Patrick Fitzgerald closed up shop and headed back to Chicago to take on drug dealers and organized crime when he first discovered that Richard the Dick’s outing of Valerie Plame constituted no crime, his tour as Special Prosecutor would have ended before he found his way to the men’s room. Instead, Fitzfong (the name given Fitzgerald by Rush Limbaugh) hung around asking questions until he discovered or caused a crime.

Just reading about an overzealous prosecutor or cop is scary enough stuff, how would it feel to have one coming after you? That is why I pass on this piece of advice given me by a Marine lawyer during an office chat not a legal matter; It is the job of the police and prosecutors to charge people with crimes. So, even if you are absolutely innocent, never volunteer information about a matter in which you may be implicated. Shut up.