Power Line: Killing fields then and now, part 2

Power Line: Killing fields then and now, part 2

HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST

HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST

Reverse Assimilation

This one is so outrageous I had to post (trying to enjoy the summer). If this doesn't prove to you that the appeasing Left has completely lost its mind, nothing will. What will it take to wake them up?

A Roman Catholic Bishop in the Netherlands has proposed people of all faiths refer to God as Allah to foster understanding, stoking an already heated debate on religious tolerance in a country with one million Muslims.
Bishop Tiny Muskens, from the southern diocese of Breda, told Dutch television on Monday that God did not mind what he was named and that in Indonesia, where Muskens spent eight years, priests used the word “Allah” while celebrating Mass.
“Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? … What does God care what we call him? It is our problem.”…
A survey in the Netherlands’ biggest-selling newspaper De Telegraaf on Wednesday found 92 percent of the more than 4,000 people polled disagreed with the bishop’s view, which also drew ridicule.
“Sure. Lets call God Allah. Lets then call a church a mosque and pray five times a day. Ramadan sounds like fun,” Welmoet Koppenhol wrote in a letter to the newspaper…

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/08/15/netherlands-catholic-bishop-lets-ease-religious-tensions-by-calling-god-allah/

And then came the Danes

Will Denmark be the sight of the first cleansing?

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2007/06/for-mohammedan-free-denmark.html

Fear not, War is upon us!

After taking most of the month off from blogging, in the name of my own sanity, I feel the pressure to speak, to record the daily outrages in the world news building inside me again. Here is a nice summary of the real meaning of events in the last 3 weeks. From WSJ opinionjournal. It is called "Winds of War." If you missed out on WWII as most of us surviving today did, fear not, we got another big one coming, once again courtesy of our spirit of appeasement. Enjoy.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010256

Reap as they Sow

Hat tip to LGF (again) for this incredibly depressing article about the reality brainwashing in the West Bank.

http://www.nysun.com/article/55653?page_no=1

Venezuela-Hugo's Predicament

Hugo Chavez's recent closure of Venezuela's most popular somewhat oppositional television station in favor of state run pro regime TV has as we all know resulted in mass demonstrations and even rioting. With consolidation of power virtually complete Chavez's dictatorial regime is now at the final crossroads. With the protests persisting and growing in intensity he is forced to act. If he capitulates and restores the TV network, it is likely the end for his regime. If he persists, he will soon be forced to employ violent and deadly means of suppressing the demonstrations. If the Venezuelan people, and the international community succomb to brutality, that will be all for freedom in Venezuela for generations.

Clear Thinking

Here is a bit from Moonbattery which is one of the clearest explanations the global warming phenominon which I have read.

Here's the news: no one really believes in global warming. No one. Laurie David claims to believe in it, but jets around the country. Would she do that if she really thought it was dooming her and everyone else? If she thought jet travel caused breast cancer, would she indulge in that regardless of the risk? Of course not. Conclusion: she doesn't really believe it either.
Global warming advocacy is an opportunity for galloping narcissists to attract attention by striking a fashionable pose, a new wrinkle on the Hollywood award shows. Nothing more. ("I'm not an overindulged superannuated adolescent! I'm a concerned human being! Look at me, emulate me, adulate me, I'm cool! Really! All the cool people say so!") Anyone who actually believed our survival hung in the balance would be agitating to ban, inter alia, all rock concerts, television, film, vacation travel, and other frivolous wastes of energy and build nuclear power plants. Ain't gonna happen. Pigs will have an Air Force before then.
Anthropogenic global warming is an exercise in psychology, not science. The hysteria of those propounding it is by itself a dead giveaway. Those of us of a certain age (ahem) have seen so many doomsday scares come and go that it's hard to keep a straight face on hearing the most recent one. (As Abraham Lincoln said, "No matter how much cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens." And somehow despite all the doomsday scenarios, the freeways become more and more crowded.) I'm old enough to remember when global cooling (caused by aerosol deodorants) was going to kill us all, and the polar bears were going to march down over the ice sheets and eat everyone in Miami. Now these maritime bears that can swim 60 miles out to sea are drowning. Teach 'em to mess with us!
Much like Wall Street touts, global warming poses the moral hazard that there's no downside to being an alarmist, because everyone will forget erroneous predictions. Only if the predictions are borne out, or appear as if they might be, will those making them point them out to all and sundry. A case in point: last year NOAA predicted a "very active" hurricane year, with four to six category 3 or higher storms, yada yada. Outcome: bupkis. Oops.
We should make the prediction business interesting. If a climatologist makes a public prediction that's substantially wrong, he should be fired and banned from getting federal funding. Now — he was saying?
Face it — global warming is a fad. Nothing more. Cynics are manipulating the cognitively disenfranchised (subtext: "vote for liberals, or we're all doomed, doomed I tell you!" Women are especially susceptible to the "It's for the children!" nonsense. It establishes their bona fides as mothers, or hopeful mothers-to-be.). In five years' time, global warming will join Y2K, heterosexual AIDS, killer bees, the ozone hole (now worse than ever, btw), and shark summer as the punch line of a joke. And you'll be telling people that you always had your doubts about it, and never really believed it. (I know: I tell people I never wore bell bottoms.) The grownups will nod gravely, and shoot bemused sidelong glances at each other, too polite to guffaw out loud.

http://www.moonbattery.com/

Child Rearing

My wife and I are raising a boy. We of course find it challenging. We find that the child is very sensitive to emotional nuance, particularly with respect to social interactions. Simultaneously we are striving to understand the strengths and weaknesses in our own psychologies which to some extend are the result of our own childhood experiences. With these things in mind, this LGF post from the MEMRI site is overwhelming. How can anyone think it will be possible to negotiate an honest peace with people raised in this fashion?

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/

Fred on Isreal

The Fox news "all stars" including Charles Krauthammer (the only one I respect) were unanimous tonite that Fred Thompson is not as principled and convicted a politician as Ronald Reagan. This is perhaps the first stupid thing I have ever heard Charles say. Fred Dalton Thompson has in a unique undeclared candidacy for President, in fact almost a draft, been writing essays on all of the many pressing issues of our time. Thats right, Fred has been writing pointed opinion articles and signing them with his name. I am not sure what in tarnation is on Charles' mind, or perhaps who he has already commited support, but Charles you sounded stupid tonite.

Here is Fred on perhaps the issue of our time, the State of Isreal. Come on Mr. Krauthammer, Fred is full of conviction, clarity, and candor. Fred believes what he says, and knows the difference between right and wrong.

http://abcradio.com/article.asp?id=415151&SPID=15663

Canary in the Coal Mine

It is my belief that the pacifist anti-war war Left in this country means to use Israel to barter for peace with Islam and its leaders the Islamists. Like Europe's sacrifice of the the Sudetenland to Nazi German, the result would be catastrophic war of annihilation between the West and Islam. Winston Churchill spoke of Europe's appeasement of Hitler thusly:

"Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonour. They chose dishonour. They will have war." - From speech in House of Commons about Munich settlement (1938)

This point deserves emphasis. The anti-war Left's goals are exactly what will bring us to a real and utterly devestating war. A war which will touch nearly everyone's life brutally.

Richard Baehr at American Thinker put it nicely about Isreal:

It is not hard to argue that Israel remains a vital strategic ally of the United States. The focal point of the worldwide Islamic fundamentalist assault on the West is in Israel’s neighborhood, and Israel defends itself. Some of Israel’s fiercest enemies are the same nations attempting to undermine American interests in Iraq and Lebanon, namely Iran and Syria. Israel shares intelligence on radical Islamist groups with the US. The two countries jointly work on development of many weapons systems – missile and rocket defense, drones, aircraft missile avoidance systems. The two countries cooperate on homeland security, policing, civil disaster planning, and counter-terrorism strategies.

Israel is in many ways a canary in the coal mine for the West. The war against Israel highlights the strategies and tactics of radical groups worldwide. And Israel’s survival and resilience demonstrate that the West can triumph against its foes if it marshals its considerable strength and maintains the determination to succeed. The sacrifice of Israel would be an enormous gift to the enemies of the West, and only increase their appetite and belief in their eventual victory against other Western targets.

read both parts

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/03/the_war_in_america_against_isr.html

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/03/the_war_against_israel_in_amer.html

The Ultimate Sacrifice

A friend commented recently and inspired me. Despite the fact that Al Gore testified before congress recently that he is not willing to alter his lifestyle for global warming, the movement remains religious. I am reminded of televangical cults by the devotion of Anthropogenic Global Warming adherents. The Branch Dividians. Jim Jones. Thought control. Given that this is the most urgent crisis humanity has ever faced (or whatever Gore hath spake), would it not be reasonable for the holiest of the Warmers to actually drink the Kool-aid and kill themselves? Think of the carbon savings! Not only would they no longer consume fossil fuel, not only would they stop eating flatulant cows, but the would stop exhaling deadly carbon dioxide. Were a significant fraction of the Warmers to embrace this theory, the world would indeed become a safer place. Here is to hoping.

hat tip to winston for the concept

Untroubled by Reality

Despite overwhelming evidence against his policy, President Ahmadinejad of Iran has decided to lower interest rates in Iran well below the already oppressive inflation rate. Anyone mildly interested in economics will immediately recognize the disasterous consequence of such policy. Pundits are scratching their heads wondering what political jujitsu he intends with the strange move. I think it most likely that he is megamanical enough to think he knows better than he economic advisors. This bit from the Guardian is worth reading. Time will tell, but I find this news encouraging.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2087915,00.html

Jimmy Carter strikes again

In his evident senescence former president Carter has become ever more anti-Semitic. Here is an American Thinker bit on Jimmy's latest ravings. He is now advising Jews to reject the unwavering support of American evangelical Christians.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/05/carters_friendly_advice_for_je.html

Socialist Green Paradise

Moonbattery links today to an article about Berkeley, California's new measure G. This far reaching green legislation demonstrates classic socialist ignorance. The measure completely ignores the horrendous economic impact of it's silly ideas.As a survivor of UC Berkeley, I am familiar with the impact of this stuff. Berkeley's "rent control" laws are famous for making it impossible to find somewhere to live when attending school there. The goal of all this is to crush the Berkeley economy so that the unimployed and practically useless socialist dreamer's in Berkeley can afford to continue living there.

http://news.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/05/24/MNGJSQ0N671.DTL

Lutheran terrorists?

Actually, no. Iowa Hawk at his best in this parody of the way the MSM has covered the Pew research poll which suggests that up to one in four American Muslims under 30 think suicide bombing is justified, naturally an even higher number identify themselves as Muslims first, Americans second. Its well worth the read.

http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2007/05/midwest_luthera.html

Poor, Nasty, Brutish and Short

Here is a nice bit about the causes of misery in Gaza. Succinct, clearly argued and to the point.

http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001445.html

Death for a Beard?

Apparently the moderate Fatah wing of the Palistineans is anti-beard. In a show of their moderation they have been gunning down those Palistineans who do choose to wear a beard, usually Hamas. This LGF story raises an eyebrow.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25596_Palestinian_Moderates_Hate_Beards&only

Enviro-Socialism

Dr. Sanity today does a good job with an extremely important arguement. She is writing about the unintended ill effects of environmental hysteria. A subject which this blog has frequently touched. She discusses the DDT ban, and of course Global Warming. Based on the notion that DDT is a carcinogen it was banned, Malaria then went from virtual irradication to a major cause of death amongst the worlds poor. According to some sources, 800,000 poor children a year dead of malaria. The great wisdom of banning DDT, which of course came from places where people have little risk of contracting the disease, has probably not been so helpful. Similarly terrible consequences are likely if the Global Warming Hoax continues. As with most ill-concieved theoretical non-problems, the draconian socialist solutions are likely to result in abject misery and death for millions. The evidence that abject misery and death is the result perhaps every time someone comes up with one of these utopian solutions is overwhelming. The problem is human beings are not as smart as they think they are. While we have little ability to effect or control complex systems like the climate, we seem to have a great ability to screw up human society with silly ideas.

http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/

Lebanon

What should have been on everybodies mind today when they awoke to the sound of gunfire in Lebanon? Nancy Pelosi's ill-conceived trip to Damascus. Nancy's little sedition was viewed as a tragic defeat universally by the friends of freedom and democracy in the region. Only the despots and Islamic extremists thought it a positive development. But why should that bother Nancy when she saw it as a great chance to snub Bush. Small minded thinking exposed this morning for what it was. As Charle's Johnson terms it, "what Nancy hath wrought."

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25577_What_Nancy_Hath_Wrought&only

Cap n' trade n' tax n' destitute

Moonbattery again with greatness. Here is a quote Moonbattery picked up from senator James Inhofe about the Global Warming hysterics and their Cap n' Trade schemes. He is talking about a report from the CBO, or Congressional Budget Office about effects of the dimwitted concept if implemented. Like most socialist utopian BS it leads to starvation.

Far from being good for the economy, as advocates say, CO2 allocation schemes will disproportionately burden the poor, raise taxes, increase government spending, raise gas prices, raise home energy costs and decrease wages. It is hard to imagine the CBO issuing a more devastating indictment of proposed C02 cap-and-trade schemes. The CBO report should be viewed as a stern warning to our elected leaders to avoid symbolic solutions to an alleged climate "crisis" that places the financial burden on America's poor and working class.
Today's report confirms what Europe, Canada and many other nations have come to realize about C02 cap-and-trade schemes: The entire carbon debate has been skewed toward the least effective and most economically damaging of the various approaches.
Today's CBO report is the most recent analysis to show the folly of schemes like the Kyoto Protocol. Kyoto, if implemented, would result in the largest tax increase in the history of the U.S., costing an estimated $300 billion a year — 10 times the cost of the Clinton-Gore tax increase of 1993. And even Kyoto proponents concede that it would have virtually no impact on the climate.

http://www.sepp.org/Archive/weekwas/2007/May%2012.htm

Reality sucks when you are a socialist

Eye of the Beholder

Instapundit links a very interesting blog tonite. Its a blog by a contractor who has been involved in trying to develop civil institutions in both Iraq and Afganistan. He draws some very interesting contrasts. He does not have very nice things to say about Arab people. In short, he reminds us that you can bring a horse to water, by you can not make him drink. This same moral is of course the essential message in Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It. People who live in violent squalor do so as a matter of choice. Although difficult, and demanding of perseverance, it is possible to build civil society from any circumstance. This post would suggest that the Afgans may have chosen to rise above.

http://antiprotester.blogspot.com/2007/05/weekend-in-afghanistan.html

Sderot, Isreal

How much of this would you tolerate for your family?
http://www.pajamasmedia.com/2007/05/sitting_ducks_in_sderot.php

Hats off to the BBC for Honesty

BBC series demonstrates rank media unfairness toward the USA.
http://newsbusters.org/node/12833

More on The Six Days War

Charles Krauthammer has a short history of this conflict here:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NGIzM2U0OTZkZjAxZjViN2M0NWNjYzViOTg5NDEwMzk=

Quiz Time

Lets say you and your family of 4 live in a lousy neighborhood. You moved their as a last refuge after all the rest of your family was murdered by socialists. You keep a nice modest house, you raise your children with religion, education, and honor. The rundown shanty on either side of your house are used as meth labs. Many scary people go in and out of these houses with guns and other weapons. The houses around them are obviously Mafia villas. You try to keep to youselves and make a life. The people from the meth labs like to shoot guns and big fireworks into your back yard while your children are outside playing. Often they are shooting guns at each other. You have thought about moving but you have no money and can't sell the house because of the neighborhood. It is also a family home for generations. You and all of your children have been repeatedly injured by the malicious dangerous people next door. You have begged, pleaded and tried everything you can think of to stop the wanton attacks. You have bought very effective weapons to protect your selves. You have cleaned out the crack houses by force more than once. You were stern but tried not to hurt anyone. Each time the Mafia nearby force you to retreat saying you shouldn't be so violent. You know they make money by selling the drugs and want the crack houses to remain.

1) Who are the good guys, the meth heads or the family of 4?

2)Who are the victims?

3)When your daughter comes in shot in the leg, is it wrong to shoot back?

If you read any of our mainstream media (MSM), you are not likely to get the answers you expect. See CNN or the NYT or any other MSM to find out how Isreal is bad and is the cause of the Palistinean misery. It takes some serious gymnastics but they will get you there.

AFP- Isreal's Fault

LGF picks up the most brazen of the latest reporting which makes it sound like Isreal is causing the Palistineans to kill each other by the dozen. The inference in this piece is that if Isreal would stop attacking the Palistineans would quickly work out their differences peacefully. The reality is that the Palistineans can't hold a truce with each other for an hour, have had dozens of truces immediately fail. The reality is that they have been rocketing Isreal incessantly and Isreal has shown remarkable restraint. This is "journalism?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070517/ts_afp/mideast

The "Fairness" Doctrine

Add this recent putsch from the democrat controlled congress to the annals of the totalitarian left slope. In case you haven't heard, the Left is not happy about the success of conservative news programming such as Fox News and AM radio. It has adversely affected their otherwise almost complete control of the media. Hence, in short, a move to ban what they don't like in favor of what they control. Yup. buh bye 1st Ammendment.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0507/4038.html

The absolutely obvious problem, who decides whats fair? If you answered the democrats, you are correct.

Its Our Fault

As the Palistineans have again commenced slaughtering each other, their political mouthpieces have again blamed everyone else. I could go on and on but, Res Ipsa Loquitor. If you don't wag your head in disgust after reading this JPost article, read it again.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708616387&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Pelosi Changing the Rules

I missed something when I first saw the Drudge comment about Pelosi trying to change the rules in congress. It turns out the rule in question which has been in effect since 1822 is designed to PROTECT THE MINORITY party in Congress. I think I am going to scream. Perhaps Nancy should go straight for the "Rule by Decree" tactic of Barbara Walter's pal Hugo Chavez.

report (on the floor tomorrow) is expected to modify current House rules to prevent PAYGO offsets from expanding the scope of germaneness to further what Republicans may offer in their Motions to Recommit (MTR). In English, that means that Speaker Pelosi and the Democrat leadership are proposing a massive change to the current House rules regarding the Republican right to the motion-to-recommit bills to Committees for improvement.

http://www.house.gov/htbin/blog_inc?BLOG,tx05_hensarling_rsc,blog,999,All,Item%20not%20found,ID=070516_0596,TEMPLATE=postingdetail.shtml

Hat tip: Atlas Shrugs for the link

The whole thing fits into the Socialist slide toward totalitarianism theme of this and many other conservative blogs and writers.

Update: looks like nancy got out foxed and lost her quest to stop loosing so much.

Jerusalem Day

The city was reunited 40 years ago today during the six days war. The city and Isreal have virtually returned to the conditions just prior to that war.
See this short AT bit- a sad reminder of how badly the West has treated the memory, achievements, and noble people of a tiny civilized country fighting for its life, then and now.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/05/jerusalem_day.html

No Connection?

Very interesting American Thinker piece about Saddam and Al-Qaeda. Was Saddam directly responsible for Blackhawk Down? What you don't know might kill you.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/05/more_evidence_of_saddamal_qaed.html

Political Risk

People say, "don't talk politics, you will loose your friends."

I say, "if I don't talk politics, I will loose my family, my country, my people, my civilization."

Wasn't I Just Talking about This?

Pajamas Media has a nice article about RAF pilots assigned to attack Germany. I am linking it, in part, because I really like its caption.

Of the courage of men who died winning a war that an earlier generation of political leaders was too cowardly to preempt.

http://www.pajamasmedia.com/2007/05/the_dam_busters.php

Honor Killing comes to the West, again

If we just give in a little more, then all will be well. Yeah, right. See this LGF about the fatal stabbing of a pregnant teenager in Britain.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=25508_Honor_Killing_in_Manchester&only

Tonight's Churchill

Pacifism, like most of the dreams of the Left sounds great in an armchair, trouble is, the dreams almost never have the dreamers desired or expected result in the real world. Sir Winston put it oh so well on the eve of the Second World War, in reaction to the fatal munich agreement. See: http://drcharlemagneswoes.blogspot.com/2007/04/munich-agreement.html

"Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonour. They chose dishonour. They will have war."
- From speech in House of Commons about Munich settlement (1938)

Carbon Credit Killers

While I do not endorse the clearing of forrests just to spite Al-Gore, this reaction website is pretty funny.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12794

An alternative strategy would be to have a bidding war on trees that you own.

Al- Pelosi Mad

Apparently Nancy is mad and plans to do something about it. Currently she is planning to rework 200 year old congressional rules of order. We better be careful or she will give aid and comfort to even more enemies.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash.htm

Glacier National Park

One of my operatives has noticed that their are people who think Glacier National Park should be renamed because of its receding glaciers. They suggest: Circ du Soliel.
http://www.renameglacier.org/contest.html
Although I find it humorous, I can not help but suggest a couple others.


The National Park Whose Glaciers have temporarily receded for reasons we don't understand and can't possibly change, in what is clearly a natural cyle, which in the past has allowed farming in Greenland (hence the name) and provides a great distraction from real urgent life and death problems on which the Democrats are dangerously weak.

or perhaps

The National Park Whose Glaciers are Shrinking Just Like The Ice Caps on Mars

Terrorist Disneyland

One of the strikingly irresponsible things about the Democrats pull out of Iraq plan is that neither they, nor the MSM tell us what is likely to happen after we implement their plan. They have manufactured a consent amongst many American's with an incessant appeal to pathos. They have told us "war is bad" and "this war is really bad" over and over again. They have spent absolutely no time telling America about the mostly likely positive or negative effects of their plan. Below is a Reuters article which gives one likely outcome: a terrorist disneyland in Iraq which compells the US to retake Iraq in 2-3 years.

LONDON (Reuters) - A U.S. troop pullout from Iraq would leave the country as a potent launchpad for international terrorism and Washington would be forced to go back in within a couple of years, a leading al Qaeda expert said on Tuesday.
Rohan Gunaratna told a security conference at Lloyd's of London insurance market that Iraq, like Afghanistan in the 1990s, would become a "terrorist Disneyland" where al Qaeda could build up its strength unchallenged.
If U.S., British and other coalition troops withdrew from Iraq in the next year, he said, "certainly the scale of attacks that would be mounted inside Iraq, and using Iraq as a launching pad to strike other Western countries -- countries in Europe, North America - would become such that after two or three years, the U.S. forces will have to go back to Iraq."

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL1560349920070515?feedType=RSS

A voice of senate sanity

Climate Momentum Shifting: Prominent Scientists Reverse Belief in Man-made Global Warming - Now Skeptics

http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=927b9303-802a-23ad-494b-dccb00b51a12&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Thomas Sowell

Check out this bit from Thomas Sowell. Quite an intellect. Here he expresses very simply and very clearly an Idea I have been kicking around a lot lately looking for an incisive way to say it. I have made this same argument to a friend about why it is such a very bad idea to ban the incandescent bulb. In short, the argument goes like this. Each of us knows some things, but none of us know enough. A free market performs an efficient calculus on all of our knowledge and comes out with the correct answer for reasons we may not understand for years. On the other hand, self impressed social engineers think they have cut to the essence and should decide difficult questions for us all.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834272/posts

When it comes to direct social engineering history tells us with great certainty the results of such hubris- murder, starvation, and misery. But, hey, why should we learn from the past when we can suffer it fresh all over again. In Fact, the other most common term for the Left, is the Progressives. While I do believe in progress, it does not come about the way the Left thinks it does. It does not come about by abandoning the past, but by embracing its subtle lessons. The last great intellectual movement, the Enlightenment produced the great democracies of the West. This movement ,at its very core, makes its leap forward by safeguarding against weaknesses in human nature. It starts with the premise that governments will inevitably become corrupt and oppressive. Progress does not come about via unbridled hubris, but rather, deep humility.

Congratulations Fox News

Fox did a spectacular job on tonite's 10 man Republican Presidential debate. The debate served as a nice introduction to these candidates and and their differences. The MSNBC debate was absolutely terrible. MSNBCs perverse interest in making the Republicans look bad, instead has humiliated themselves. The questions tonite were pointed, substantial, difficult and appropriately distributed. The panel followed up well. The candidates generally performed well. The consensus is Rudy won by a lot, and I agree. One online poll included Fred Thompson who won by not being there. Each candidate, save Paul, showed a witty well timed sense of humor. The line about congress spending money like Edwards in a beauty shop was priceless.

I was particularly pleased to see honest people talking about serious topics. Very little time was spent negating the democrats. It gives me hope.

Persuasion, Islam style

Hat tip Atlas Shrugs for this:

DUBAI, May 15, 2007 (AFP) - An Al-Qaeda front group in Europe threatened on Tuesday to launch bloody attacks in France in response to the election of "crusader and Zionist" Nicolas Sarkozy as president.
"As you have chosen the crusader and Zionist Sarkozy as a leader ... we in the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades warn you that the coming days will see a bloody jihadist campaign ... in the capital of Sarkozy," the group's "Europe division" said in an Internet statement addressed to the French people. The campaign will be "against all those who allow themselves to follow the policy" of the US administration, said the statement whose authenticity could not verified.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/

Now, does this vicious threat make anyone think that the French have made a mistake. Are we to respond to this intimidation by invalidating the elections, and begging forgiveness. I think this statement over plays al-queda's hand by alot.

Global War on Civilian Vigilance

In case converting our intelligence apparatus into an environmental think tank is not dangerous enough, the democrats now wish to allow punishment of those who would report suspicious activity. Despite the overwhelming evidence that civilian eyes see all and catch many otherwise uncatchable criminals, despite the effectiveness of community based programs like "neighborhood watch," despite our national terror alert system which is based on a vigilant civilian populous, the democrats are organizing to punish those with courage enough to be the last line of defence. This of course goes hand in hand with taking away our guns by force if necessary. The rationale is that sometimes the good Samaritan will be mistaken, confuse a weirdo with a terrorist, and thus deprive some fruitcake of his right to act suspiciously. Mr. Thompson, please help us.

The lawmaker in question is Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. He thinks that granting tipsters immunity amounts to racial and religious profiling. Yes, that's the Democrats' "homeland security" pointman in the House speaking

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20070514-093346-1946r.htm

Thompson to Moore

Here is a little video from Fred Thompson in response to Mr. Moore:

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=611

Most Favored Victim Status

There is a vigorous discussion over at the Augean Stables as to why the Palistineans enjoy such unwavering support from the Left and indeed, at least tacitly, almost the entire world. While real atrocities are commited all over the world, while palistineans murder each other, while palistineans murder their wive in so called "honor killings," the U.N. can do nothing but censor Isreal. Why? This bit approaches the problem, although I must say, does not settle the matter.

http://www.theaugeanstables.com/2007/05/14/final-thoughts-on-the-finkielkraut-debate/

Meanwhile, when given the choice, palistineans seem to prefer living in Isreal.

Those living on the Israeli side of the fence feel more comfortable now that they know Israel has no intention of cutting them off from Jerusalem.
These residents enjoy freedom of movement, work in Israel and are entitled to all the privileges that Israeli citizens receive.
In the past four years, thousands of Arab Jerusalemites living outside the municipal boundaries of the city have moved back into Jerusalem for fear of being left on the other side of the security fence. Many of them abandoned their large houses and villas in favor of small and expensive apartments inside the municipal boundaries of the city.
The security fence has virtually cut off the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem from the West Bank, making the Arab residents fully dependent on Israel's economy. Dozens of merchants who owned businesses in Ramallah and Bethlehem have moved back to the city in the past few years.
"People see the anarchy and instability in the Palestinian Authority areas and prefer to leave to a safer place," explained Ibrahim Barakat, a businessman from Beit Hanina, a large Arab neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. "Also, people are afraid of losing their status as permanent residents of Israel and that's why they are moving back into Jerusalem. After all, life inside Israel is much better than the West Bank."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708601224&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Palistineans kill each other, again

Infighting in the palistinean territories is escalating again. Reap as ye sow.

At least 20 people have died in this week's infighting, which has brought life in Gaza to a standstill and pushed the Palestinian Authority unity government closer to collapse. Hamas and Fatah formed the union in March with the aim of ending months of violence. As of Tuesday, the toll went up to 11.
Tuesday's fighting erupted when Hamas gunmen approached a training base used by Fatah forces that guard the Karni cargo crossing, officials said. The base was set up in part by an American security team sent to train Palestinians on how to check cargo and baggage.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178708607071&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Fred Thompson to Debate Micheal Moore?

Drudge is reporting that Micheal Moore has challenged Fred Thompson to a verbal duel. Matt has posted the brazen letter.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash6.htm

Dear Senator Thompson,

Given that it has been publicly reported in The Weekly Standard, a leading neo-conservative publication, that you support Fidel Castro and the Cuban regime by being a purveyor of fine Cuban exports despite the trade embargo, I was surprised to see your recent op ed in a more traditional conservative outlet, The National Review, regarding my trip to Cuba (I suspect you choose The National Review in an effort to pander to an outlet that had criticized you for your opposition to medical malpractice legislation). ................

Reading Churchill

The more I read Churchill, the more I wish to read Churchill, also the more frightened I become. The applicability of Sir Winston Churchill's 1930's warnings to his complacent pacifist countrymen to our current predicament is uncanny. Here is Winston Churchill warning in 1934 of the re-armament of Germany:

After all, my friends, only a few hours away by air there dwell a nation of nearly seventy millions of the most educated, industrious, scientific, disciplined people in the world, who are being taught from childhood to think of war as a glorious exercise and death in battle as the noblest fate for man. There is a nation which has abandoned all its liberties in order to augment its collective strength. There is a nation which, with all its strength and virtue, is in the grip of a group of ruthless men, preaching a gospel of intolerance and racial pride, unrestrained by law, by parliament, or by public opinion. In that country all pacifist speeches, all morbid war books are forbidden or suppressed, and their authors rigorously imprisoned. From their new table of commandments they have omitted "thou shall not kill."

And, perhaps even more strangely a propo:

Nay, worse still, for with the new weapon has come a new method, or rather has come back the most British method of ancient barbarism, namely, the possibility of compelling the submission of nations by terrorizing their civil population; and, worst of all, the more civilized the country is, the larger and more splendid its cities, the more intricate the structure of its civil and economic life, the more is it vulnerable and at the mercy of those who may make it their prey.

Universal Healthcare

One of the pet projects of the "progressive" spend thrift populists, universal healthcare took a very public spanking in Illinois. In a healthcare measure which would have taxed the piss out of Illinois businesses, Illinois Governor Blagojevich has taken a beating. He eventually pulled his own support for the bill he had pushed. It was voted down unanimously.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010071

Nevertheless, nationally the Democrats still consider this a holy grail. Mr. Edwards, the trial lawyer who got rich quick suing the pants of Obstetricians, even has the gaul to approach the subject.

Sham Exposed

Yes, the debate is over. The sham is exposed. Someone please tell our congress before they convert our intelligence apparatus into a global warming temple. The article below shows how cherry picked data allows one to draw the conclusion which has already been drawn. Twisting facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts.

http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/global-warming051407.htm

Wife Beating

Memri has translated a nice little conversation from Saudi TV about wife beating. As I have pointed out before, the ever more "multi-cultural" courts in the UK and EU have been turning a blind eye to victims of this sort of cultural thinking. This thing speaks for itself.

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/05/14/video-saudi-expert-explains-a-womans-duty-to-drink-her-husbands-mucous/

Lefthanded global warming sceptic

Hat tip to moonbattery for noticing this article by Alex Cockburn at the Nation. The article which cools down the fearmongering quite a bit is particularly notable as neither the Nation, nor Mr. Cockburn are noted for their conservative politics. They may indeed succeeded in finding a corporate devil behind the maddness. Whereas many are willing to blindly follow the Goracle or perhaps any story starring America as the villian, I prefer to follow the money. Have a look.

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20070528&s=cockburn

Fred Thompson on Policy

Here is a transcript of the speech Mr. Thompson wrote and delivered before the Council on National Policy. It focuses on the basic framing documents of our nation and where Washington may be loosing sight of America's essence. I find myself increasingly drawn to the Constitution, the Declaration, the Federalist papers, and the intellectual giants to whom so much credit is due for America's success. I repeatedly come to our nations first principles when searching for answers to why I object so strongly to political tactics currently en-vogue amongst the Left. Just as Freedom and Democracy face an existential challenge from the Islamists, a similar threat has now developed from within. While touting very laudible ideals, the Left has begun to justify the means to the ends. As my favorite high school Western Civ teacher Howard Romanek taught over and over again, both the means and the ends must be just. Mr. Thompson uses the Scooter Libby atrocity to demonstrate a very scary phenominon in Washington.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZDA3ODFkNTA4NDM3YWYzMzc0NWQ1NjY4ZjhkZjkwNDI=

A message to the Anti-war Democrats

Which incidently is virtually all of them. In 1938 Winston Churchill took hard the news of the now infamous Munich agreement wherein Europe fatally appeased the Nazi war machine. His message to England and Europe at that time, and mine today was simply:

"You have been weighed in the balance, and you have been found wanting."

60 or perhaps 80 million lives later, WWII would end.

"You have been weighed in the balance, and you have been found wanting."

This I say to you Anti-war democrats today.

The Fall of CBS

It appears that the editors and executives at CBS have concluded that Katie Couric's poor ratings are due to her gender. They say Americans want to hear the news from old white guys (why not throw race into it too?). Captain Ed has a great piece on this today. Wherein he quips:

Got that, America? Its not Katie's fault, and it's not that CBS stinks at putting together a compelling news show. We're all a bunch of misogynistic bigots.

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/009940.php

( now that is one concise knock out punch from the Captain)

Preposterous

Although I posted on this yesterday, Christopher Alleva's article at American Thinker is worth a look, not only because he uses the word "preposterous" so nicely. I would laugh if I didn't feel like crying. The Democrats attempted conversion of our Nation's Intelligence apparatus to a Global Warming think tank is their most alarming charade yet. They are going to get us killed.

Yesterday, House Democrats once again showed the electorate why they cannot be entrusted with the nation's national security. Incredibly, the Democrats are insisting that the Intelligence Authorization Act include a provision funding a global warming study. Texas Democrat Silvestre Reyes, Intelligence Committee Chairman preposterously argued that "this is an area we may vulnerable in terms of potential terrorists."

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/05/trivializing_national_security.html

Nancy's Pal in Syria

Oh boy. The cold hard slap of reality. Can't wait for the spin. Wonder if Human Rights Watch will have anything to say.

DAMASCUS, Syria -- A human rights activist was sentenced to 12 years in prison yesterday for meeting with Bush administration officials at the White House during a 2005 visit to Washington. Kamal Labwani, a Syrian physician and democracy advocate, was convicted of "contacting a foreign country, passing on messages and encouraging attack against Syria," according to local reports, which noted that a maximum sentence could have been a lifetime of hard labor.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070510-103235-7658r.htm

Number 10 Downing Street

The end of Tony Blair's first occupancy of number 10 Downing St. will soon be upon us. Why do I say "first occupancy?" Because I have a hunch that Mr. Blair knows quite a bit about British history, and quite a bit about a predecessor, Sir Winston Churchill.

In the days following 9/11 many of us found solace in Mr. Blair's unwavering solidarity with America. He left no doubt that the "special relationship" had come along with the Twenty First Century. This historically liberal Labor Party Prime Minister clapped hands with Mr. George W. Bush without the slightest insincerity. We all knew Mr. Blair could be counted on.

When the tough questions about "what to do with Iraq" began to press, Mr. Blair was again steadfast. Despite deafening cries from the likes of the U.N., the E.U., and his own party, Mr. Blair saw the necessity of removing Saddam Hussein from the equation. Along with Mr. Bush, Mr. Blair endured enormous political pressure. Why? Was Mr. Blair America's lapdog? Hardly. Was it "the special relationship?" Maybe. But in such confusing, globalized world politics, without a Soviet nemesis, America and Britain had seemed comfortable with increasing differences on foreign policy. Yet, Mr. Blair was steadfast.

While pondering the special relationship between America and Britain, I was reminded of the famous Winston Churchill quote in which he advises his countrymen: "Never be separated from the Americans." At that point I realized, it was not the special relationship, it was not the quote, it was the man, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill.

So great a leader was Mr. Churchill that Thomas Sowell wrote: "It is enough of a claim to historic greatness for a man to have saved his own country. Winston Churchill may have saved civilization." Certainly, he is the greatest British Prime Minister of the modern era. I suspect that on that frightful day in September, Mr. Blair's thoughts turned to one man, and one man only, Winston Churchill. Mr. Blair recognized on 9/11 that once again Freedom itself had been hung in the balance by forces of evil. He knew that he had been "weighed in the balance" and he would not "be found wanting."

Churchill's prescience, character, courage and eloquence in and around World War II were not all that distinguished his life in British government. Churchill fell in and out of favor, in and out of office over his decades public life. He fought in multiple wars and occupied multiple government posts. Perhaps most importantly, Sir Winston Churchill held sway as First Lord of the Admiralty and Prime Minister, each twice.

There is a certain ease about Tony Blair these days as he prepares to step down. I suspect this is because he has his eye on history, because he has his eye on Sir Winston Churchill. I think Mr. Blair very well may grace the halls of number 10 Downing St. again. Although his return will hearken dire circumstance for Britain, we will all be the better for his repeat service.

Londonistan?

LGF links to this Christopher Hitchen's article about the current state of the neighborhood of his youth. The article is, of course, frightening. Too frightening for the likes of PBS, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and most Democrats who wish to stick their Chamberlain-like heads in the sand. The photo at the top of the article is worth 1000, no 10,000 words.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/06/hitchens200706?printable=true&currentPage=all

It's impossible to exaggerate how far and how fast this situation has deteriorated. Even at the time of the Satanic Verses affair, as long ago as 1989, Muslim demonstrations may have demanded Rushdie's death, but they did so, if you like, peacefully. And they confined their lurid rhetorical attacks to Muslims who had become apostate. But at least since the time of the Danish-cartoon furor, threats have been made against non-Muslims as well as ex-Muslims (see photograph), the killing of Shiite Muslim heretics has been applauded and justified, and the general resort to indiscriminate violence has been rationalized in the name of god. Traditional Islamic law says that Muslims who live in non-Muslim societies must obey the law of the majority. But this does not restrain those who now believe that they can proselytize Islam by force, and need not obey kuffar law in the meantime. I find myself haunted by a challenge that was offered on the BBC by a Muslim activist named Anjem Choudary: a man who has praised the 9/11 murders as "magnificent" and proclaimed that "Britain belongs to Allah." When asked if he might prefer to move to a country which practices Shari'a, he replied: "Who says you own Britain anyway?" A question that will have to be answered one way or another.

Depressing, thoroughly depressing. Not the Ideological challenge, but our reaction to it. At least, Chris Hitchens gets it.

More on George Soros

Please read this disturbing American Thinker article about Mr. Soros vis-a-vis Isreal. As you know, Mr. Soros is the patron saint of the Democrats.

George Soros is deeply hostile to current American support for Israel. He publicly criticizes AIPAC and is exploring opportunities to form an anti-AIPAC. He also plans to launch a European version of the Council of Foreign Relations. Now, it seems as if George Soros may be launching yet another effort to try to influence the course of policy regarding Israel. http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/05/the_soros_pincer_move_on_israe.html

Islam vs. Islamists

If you have not yet heard, a stirring film about struggles within the Islamic world and how those struggles affect us has apparently been CENSORED by PBS. As a Tax Payor, you have a right to see this film. Some reviews consider it extraordinary. Please sign the petition to FREE THE FILM courtesy Pajamas Media. Even if the film is lousy (I am sure it is not), there is something fishy here. FREE THE FILM.

http://www.freethefilm.net/signourpetition.html

The Totalitarian Left

As I pointed out a couple of posts ago, the Left in America and Europe appears to be slowly installing the instruments of totalitarian oppression in Western Democracy. We increasingly see a politically controlled media, active efforts at censorship, thought control rouses like Global Warming, re-writing of history, overt corruption, and the like. The excerpt from Gates of Vienna makes an excellent point. The Left is showing an increasing penchant for prohibiting words and phrases. By striking certain terms from the lexicon, they effectively change the way we think. Witness recent attempts by congress to strike "global war on terror" from our speech. Today we hear from the attorney repressenting the Fort Dix conspirators that he has a big problem with "islamic militants." Frame the debate, make it impossible, blasphemous, even illegal, to talk about things another way.

Fjordman has coined the term “Glossocracy” for the systematic alteration and debasement of language by the Marxist and Multicultural ideologues who control most of the public institutions in the West. When you make it difficult to describe the world except in terms that are ideologically pre-defined, you also make it difficult to think in any other way.At the same time, ordinary citizens are conditioned not to publicly express their unacceptable ideas. When “hate speech” can cause you to lose your career, or your pension, or even land you in jail, you become very careful of what you say.It doesn’t require the full repressive apparatus of a totalitarian state to effect these conditions. What Fjordman calls a “soft totalitarianism” will do just as well. Soft totalitarianism has already come to maturity in the European Union, and it is well underway here in the United States.

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/

The Gaza Greenhouses

Ever read about what happened to the Isreali built Gaza greenhouses after the 2005 Isreali withdrawl? This old story is worth reviving. A picture or two is worth a thousand words. Below is obviously the BEFORE photo. Below that, well, AFTER they were looted and turned into ammo dumps.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/img/exodus5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/ExodusFromGaza.html&h=375&w=500&sz=58&hl=en&start=1&sig2=5pK9RDI7i1KTy9TMNEYpPw&um=1&tbnid=6ElLcdTu4pqWTM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&ei=H0lDRumHCZXYgAPZoMDJCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgaza%2Bgreenhouses%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Lacking Imagination

It has become apparent to me that the Democrats are having some difficulty imagining the succession of world events following full implemation of their policies. Can you imagine an America in economic collapse suffering a nuclear attack on one of its cities? I can. It will not be pretty. Can you imagine the fate of those directly responsible for rendering us militarily weak, internationally blind, and, of course, pennyless? I can. In the subsequent furor of militant nationalism, the red tide of retribution will not only look abroad.

Mortal Danger

In case is wasn't entirely obvious that the Global Warming Hoax was a dangerous distraction for emminant geopolitical threats, the Democrat controlled House of Representatives is seeking to put us all in mortal danger. They are seeking to divert intelligence resources to study climate change. Well, I finally agree, climate change, has become an emergency, and it is so because of human activity, specifically Democrat activity. They are going to get us killed. Glad I don't live in one of the US metro areas likely to get nuked first. This is depressing. It is going to be really warm, like 72 million degrees, in an American city very soon.

What a difference an election makes. Today the House of Representatives will debate whether global warming is so serious a threat to American national security that the director of National Intelligence, normally busy with issues like al Qaeda, Iranian nuclear research, and North Korean missiles, should be ordered to put aside other projects to create a special National Intelligence Estimate on climate change. So far, majority Democrats have pushed the proposal through the House Intelligence Committee — on a party-line vote — and there is a good chance it will become part of the final intelligence authorization bill passed by Congress.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ODIzYjVmN2I2ZWE5NDBmMzU0Y2MwZTE4NjM2ZDMzODU=

Petty, Shallow, Short Sighted

It appears that the Democrats have done their best to offend one of the United States only remaining allys in South America. This bit by Robert Novak on Real Clear Politics hurts to read. Al-Pelosi, freedom's worst enemy. Man. Somebody help us. Fred? You there?

Uribe got nothing from his meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders. Military aid remains stalled, overall assistance is reduced, and the vital U.S.-Colombian trade bill looks dead. The first Colombian president to crack down on his country's corrupt army officer hierarchy, and to assault both right-wing paramilitaries and left-wing guerrillas, last week confronted Democrats wedded to out-of-date claims of civil rights abuses and to rigidly protectionist dogma.
This is remarkable U.S. treatment for a rare friend on the South American continent, where Venezuela's leftist dictator Hugo Chavez can only exult in Uribe's embarrassment as he builds an anti-American bloc of nations. A former congressional staffer, who in 1999 helped author Plan Colombia against narco-guerrillas, told me: "President Uribe may be the odd man out, and that's no way to treat our best ally in South America."

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/05/how_to_lose_an_ally.html

Ignorance is Bliss

Anti-mullah has a great Winston Churchill quote.

If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.
There may even be a worse case.
You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.
WINSTON CHURCHILL

Coming out: Another Skeptic

Read this interview with another distinguished scientist who unplug's the global warming alarm.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,481707,00.html

HT: moonbattery

Dhimmitude

Give em an inch and they will take the whole apple. Kansas City just gave em an inch. Watch for riots when the next outrageous demand is declined.

"Kansas City International Airport officials have acknowledged installing foot-washing benches in a restroom at the airport, but deny they're intended for Muslim cab drivers."
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/

Real Corruption

This Wall Street Journal article delves into the what is really going on with the incredibly stupid Paul Wolfowitz scandal. It is frightening to behold. Even more frightening is the sanctimonious piety with which the Left has assailed Wolfowitz. Here are the positively damning particulars, and the players involved. In this article we see the roots of ends justify the means socialist furor which lead to the starvation, murder and deaths of so many millions during the twentieth century. The alluring utopian visions of the Left have begun to allow justifications for almost anything, necessary evils like censorship and corruption. Read this article and be afraid.

Mr. Malloch Brown, remember, was until last year Kofi Annan's deputy at the United Nations. In that position, he distinguished himself by spinning away the $100 billion Oil for Food scandal as little more than a blip in the U.N.'s good work, and one that had little to do with Mr. Annan himself. Last week, Mr. Malloch Brown was named vice president of the Quantum Fund, the hedge fund run by his billionaire friend George Soros. A former World Bank official himself and ally of soon-to-be British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mr. Malloch Brown would almost surely be a leading candidate to replace Mr. Wolfowitz should he step down. Not surprisingly, Gordon Brown cold-shouldered Mr. Wolfowitz at a recent meeting in Brussels.
The bank presidency would be a neat coup for Sir Mark, and not just because the post has heretofore gone to an American. He also stands for everything Mr. Wolfowitz opposes, beginning with the issue of corruption. Consider Mr. Malloch Brown's defense of the U.N.'s procurement practices.
"Not a penny was lost from the organization," he insisted last year, following an audit of the U.N.'s peacekeeping procurement by its Office of Internal Oversight Services. In fact, the office found that $7 million had been lost from overpayment; $50 million worth of contracts showed indications of bid rigging; $61 million had bypassed U.N. rules; $82 million had been lost to mismanagement; and $110 million had "insufficient" justification. That's $310 million out of a budget of $1.6 billion, and who knows what the auditors missed.
Mr. Malloch Brown also made curious use of English by insisting that Paul Volcker's investigation into Oil for Food had "fully exonerated" Mr. Annan. In fact, Mr. Volcker's report made an "adverse finding" against the then-Secretary-General. Among other details, the final report noted that Mr. Annan was "aware of [Saddam's] kickback scheme at least as early as February 2001," yet never reported it to the U.N. Security Council, much less the public, a clear breach of his fiduciary responsibilities as the U.N.'s chief administrative officer. Mr. Malloch Brown described the idea that Mr. Annan might resign as "inappropriate political assassination"--a standard he apparently doesn't apply to political enemies like Mr. Wolfowitz.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010050

Totalitarian oppression comes about just like this.

Mickey Mouse the Jihadi

Thanks to Palistinean Media watch we have this you tube clip of children's TV for Palistineans. As you may have heard, CNN essentially censored Glen Beck's report on this. The excuse was a debatable translation of a single sentence. Suffice it to say, this clip strongly suggests, what many of us already accept; that generations are being taught war and little else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY0zE64thJ4

Al-Pelosi strikes again

Now Nancy Al-Pelosi is threatening to sue the President because she is not getting her way. I am just thankful she and her supporters have not yet resorted to suicide bombings.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/pelosi-threat-to-sue-bush-over-iraq-bill-2007-05-08.html

Obama spin?

Was Mr. Obama wishing for a worse natural disaster so as to be able to better blame the Iraq war? This thing kills me.

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/05/09/video-obama-10000-dead-from-tornado-in-kansas-give-or-take-9988/

Jon Voigt gets it

Newsbusters has the transcript from an interview with the actor on Scarborough Country last night. Clear headed and serious. Compare Jon's commentary to say Sheryl "one square" Crow's.

http://newsbusters.org/node/12633

Dumb Blonde?

Here we find out some more facts on the Left's socialist utopian poster child, Sweden. In short, most swedish teens don't know what communism is. Pretty easy to embrace socialism when you are not taught or haven't learned the faintest thing about different forms of goverment and their historical consequences.

A majority of Swedish teenagers don't know what communism is and don't know which countries neighbour their own, a poll published Wednesday showed, raising questions about Sweden's education system.
Ninety percent of teens aged 15 to 20 don't know which foreign capital is closest to Stockholm, 90 percent don't know what the Gulag is, and 40 percent think communism has increased prosperity in the world.
"They have a lack of understanding for basic concepts such as dictatorships and democracy, and that is unsettling. There must be a major change in their level of knowledge, and schools in particular must take responsibility," Camilla Andersson, the head of the Information About Communism organisation that commissioned the study, told Swedish news agency TT.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070509174951.4lrvt894&show_article=1

Fruits of the EU

American Thinker links to this article about the real effect of the EU on the average European citizen. I was not aware of how badly their convoluted merger has stripped European's of democracy. Read this article and feel better about American Democracy.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/2104

Individual nations are slowly losing their national customs as laws and regulations are ‘unified’ across the continent. National institutions might appear unchanged, which might then present an image that the nations in question are unchanged, but this is simply a signature of how the EU functions. Those national institutions have been hollowed out from the inside and replaced with EU functionaries and apparatchiks. The EU bypasses national legislatures and operates through the implementation of an ever more powerful unelected bureaucracy of civil servants and managers. Thus normality appears to remain. However, in my country, the traditional and ancient freedoms of common law are being slowly abrogated by the implementation of bureaucratic systems. Habeas corpus is being erased, the right to travel within the borders of this country are being erased, the freedom of the individual is being erased. In fact, this country no longer officially exists. Look at any EU-approved map and you’ll notice that, while the UK is marked clearly, its constituent parts are not England, Ireland Scotland and Wales, but Scotland, Wales, northern Ireland, The North West, The North East, The Midlands, the south east, the south west and greater London. My country is gone.

Sometimes I think that the democrats in this country are aiming for socialist bureaucratic nightmare described here.

On Environmentalism

Readers of this blog could erroneously conclude that I am against environmentalism. I am not. That conclusion is incorrect. I am however against the democrats hijacking the environmental movement (media cooperating) with kooky extremist bogus for selfish political gain. My beef is with the irresponsible alarmist pandering of folks like the Goracle. Hypocrites who have no problem with duping the masses. In the end, charades like Al's damage the movement and polarize sensible people against it. People who fought nuclear power like mad and now promote it, that's a problem. People who would ban the light bulb but don't know anything about the replacement they propose. I could go on, but the point is clear. Irresponsible, emotional hysteria does not substitute for sensible, practical, leading by example. People telling us to change our lifestyles from their private jets are like Micheal Jackson lecturing about child molestation. Its offensive, not persuasive. Al Gore should read about President Bush's unbelievably environmentally sound ranch in Crawford and shut up.

Sarkosky gets it

I don't know about Nancy Pelosi, but the new President of France gets it. Here is a bit-o-sarko:

I respect all cultures throughout the world, but so that it is quite clear: if I am elected President of the Republic, I will not accept women being treated as inferior to men. The French Republic holds these values: respect for women, equality between men and women. Nobody has the right to hold a prisoner, even within his own family. I say it clearly, that polygamy is prohibited in the territory of the French Republic. I will fight against female genital mutilation and those who do not wish to understand that the values of the French Republic include freedom for women, the dignity of women, respect for women—they do not have any reason to be in France.

http://www.sarkozy.fr/debate/?mode=debatedetail&questionid=1686

I love this guy so far. Listen to him in French, he is not parsing words one bit.

The Second Ammendment

To some of us, the framer's intention with the second ammendment is obvious, to arm citizen's against a government which becomes oppressive. Only superficial knowlege of history, the Enlightenment, and the Federalists is necessary to know what the framer's had on their minds. Constitutional scholar's have had a harder time with this. However, even self described liberal law professor's, professors's who are admittedly disappointed by the reality of their own interpretations, now say that The Second Ammendment to the Constitution of the United States of America says what it says. The people can and should have guns. Since its liberal law professors talking, the NYTimes took notice. Interesting article and great ammo (pun intended).

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/us/07firearms.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Global Warming Rouse

Here we go again. Another clear thinking, non-kool-aid drinking, non-grant money pandering scientist lays out the thinking man's position on global warming. Please read all, or speak not on the subject. Hat tip: moonbattery

http://www.wecnmagazine.com/2007issues/may/may07.html

Here are his credentials:

Reid A. Bryson holds the 30th PhD in Meteorology granted in the history of American education. Emeritus Professor and founding chairman of the University of Wisconsin Department of Meteorology—now the Department of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences—in the 1970s he became the first director of what’s now the UW’s Gaylord Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies. He’s a member of the United Nations Global 500 Roll of Honor—created, the U.N. says, to recognize “outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment.” He has authored five books and more than 230 other publications and was identified by the British Institute of Geographers as the most frequently cited climatologist in the world.

Here is some of what he says:

Climate’s always been changing and it’s been changing rapidly at various times, and so something was making it change in the past,” he told us in an interview this past winter. “Before there were enough people to make any difference at all, two million years ago, nobody was changing the climate, yet the climate was changing, okay?”
“All this argument is the temperature going up or not, it’s absurd,” Bryson continues. “Of course it’s going up. It has gone up since the early 1800s, before the Industrial Revolution, because we’re coming out of the Little Ice Age, not because we’re putting more carbon dioxide into the air.”
Little Ice Age? That’s what chased the Vikings out of Greenland after they’d farmed there for a few hundred years during the Mediaeval Warm Period, an earlier run of a few centuries when the planet was very likely warmer than it is now, without any help from industrial activity in making it that way. What’s called “proxy evidence”—assorted clues extrapolated from marine sediment cores, pollen specimens, and tree-ring data—helps reconstruct the climate in those times before instrumental temperature records existed.
We ask about that evidence, but Bryson says it’s second-tier stuff. “Don’t talk about proxies,” he says. “We have written evidence, eyeball evidence. When Eric the Red went to Greenland, how did he get there? It’s all written down.”

He is very knowlegable and very clear thinking. Read it and relax. Al Gore is a fruitcake, Dr. Bryson is an expert.

In Praise of Hirsi Ali

Caroline Glick has yet another great article at JPost. While Hirsi Ali deserves every accolade Glick bestows upon her, I must say that when it comes to brave, unafraid, and insightful writing, Caroline Glick is not far behind her. Both of the women are the true feminists of today. Feminist's with worthy causes who risk their lives to tell the truth.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178431592731&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

A must read for any one who claims to care about womens issues. Nancy Pelosi met with Bashar Asad wearing the Hijab, has she met with Hirsi Ali, has she met with Caroline Glick? Its shameful. Here is a bit from the meat of the article about Hirsi Ali's story:

IN HOLLAND, Hirsi Ali found herself confronted by a kinder, gentler type of cultural tyranny - the moral relativism of political correctness and multiculturalism dictated by the Left. Just as she rejected Islamic oppression in Africa, so in Holland she refused to submit to the will of the majority not to notice, judge or take action against the misogynist tyranny and anti-Western culture of the Muslim minority.
Hirsi Ali's labors brought her to Theo Van Gogh. In 2004 the two produced the film Submission, Part One. The short film shows a young Muslim woman wearing a see-through burka. Passages of the Koran permitting the abuse of women are written on her body. The woman prays in submission to Allah all the while noting her abject suffering in his name. At the end of the movie, the woman raises her head to Allah and calls into question the reasonableness of her submission.
The film's provocative message placed both Hirsi Ali and Van Gogh's lives in imminent danger. And on November 21, 2004 Van Gogh was butchered by a Dutch Muslim on the streets of Amsterdam. The murderer stabbed a letter into Van Gogh's chest in which he threatened to murder Hirsi Ali "in the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful."

Remeber Theo "knife with note in the back" Van Gogh anyone? Ah, but mustn't judge or forget multiculturalism. Silly me.

Wicked, nothing short of Wicked

Here the JPost reports on the Gaza Elementary school which was attacked by Moslem radicals. I am sure there is a sound multi-cultural excuse for this. What we need here is more talk, more dialog more, jawboning. Yeah, right.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1178431583621&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Palestinian Authority security officials accused supporters of al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip of carrying out Sunday's attack on a UNRWA-run school in Rafah in which one person was killed and six others were wounded.

Bush Jokes with the queen

Here is the Youtube of President Bush honoring the Queen. He mentions that she has known 10 presidents, mentions the bicentenial in 17 err 1976. She is getting up there in years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvw1blFWyVg

The Fate of Democracy?

The famous quotes below are often attributed to one Sir Alexander Fraser Tytler. The origins of these words has been thoroughly researched and in short is unknown. Apparently the quotes begin appearing with various attributions in the late 40's or early 50's. See Loren Collins for a fairly detailed "anthology." http://lorencollins.net/tytler.html

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.
Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondage.

Regardless of their origins, these statements bear close consideration. There can be little doubt that at present our electorate is busy voting itself it's own largess. I don't have the recent figures but around 50% of the annual federal budget is earmarked for entitlements, and another 25% or so goes to paying interest on the national debt. The entitlements as currently set out are expected to grow markedly. AARP and virtually ever other special interest, largely voting with the democrats are absolutely dedicated to making it worse.

Just exactly where in the cascade to ruin (2nd para) America finds itself now remains an interesting point to debate. I would say solidly in the complacency phase. You decide. Quite far along at any rate. Indeed, we can not even muster the will, the unity of purpose, to confront an aggressive enemy which represents the very polar opposite of all of our dreams. An ruthless enemy who will surely nuke an American city in our lifetimes.

WWII and Today

Almost everything in today's world, the world which financially and militarily secure American's take for granted, is in some way a direct aftermath of World War II. Most American's have little knowlege of WWII's over arching impact on our lives. Even Islamic Fascism has its roots in WWII. While the particular problems we face today have developed since the war, the history of WWII has very relavent lessons to teach us about our world, if we are willing to listen.

Dr. Sanity, today, links to a wonderful article about World War II politics. http://www.drsanity.blogspot.com/ It is well worth the read. The Left seems to think that it has reached an enlighted nirvanna which renders the past irrelevant; that from the comforts of Conneticut and California they will virtuously forge a new way, the likes of which the world has never known. I think this is nothing more than a dangerous self absorbtion. We must listen to the lessons of history or be doomed to repeat its horrors.

Please read this important article.
http://varifrank.com/archives/2007/05/mission_accompl_1.php

Freedom to Censor

The evidence that the Left is finding it increasingly necessary to censor is everywhere. The recent US presidential primary debates is a useful example. Note that the Democrat candidates recently refused to debate on FOX supposed because they did not want to bolster that venue in any way. Meanwhile the GOP candidates gladly appeared on MSNBC with beltway hack Chris Mathews asking absolutely stupid questions.

The comparison is useful. GOP not afraid, undamaged. Dems, well, afraid. Why? Because unless the questions are "framed" absolutely perfectly, with all of the erroneous assumptions built into the questions, the Dems would be reduced to blithering fools. Utopian Ideals sound great only when you discuss them with another Kool-aid drinking Utopian. Dangerous to try an answer not previously vetted by Media Matters or the like.

Democracy by other Means

I appears that Segolene Royal was indeed correct. Her Socialist supporters have resorted to widespread violence. So much for utopian Idealism. As they say in legal jargon, Res ispa loquitor.

While the MSM seems to be downplaying the violence perpetrated by their French sympaticos, the Turkish press seems to be willing to describe it.

http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=174944

Update: Take a look at this old LGF post about the 2005 Paris riots which Charle's links to today. It in a French editor openly states that he wishes to suppress coverage of the violence as it may bolster the Right. I am not kidding.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=18184_French_Media_Covering_Up_the_Intifada&only

Hello President Sarkosky

Early reports are indeed predicting victory for Sarkosky in the French Presidential Election. Mr. Sarksosky's right of center platform includes: pro-American rhetoric, free trade, tough on crime, and strict immigration controls. Wow. Maybe there is hope of Europe. Mr. Sarkosky's Socialist opponent, Segolene Royal, saw her hopes finally dashed after she lost her cool in the recent debate. In what Little Green Footballs calls " a shocking example of utter irresponsibility" Mrs. Royal warned of rioting and violence if she didn't win.

I think it is worth pausing to consider this irresponsibility. She is saying, in effect, that her supporters are not bound by rule of law, that they do not respect the French consitution, that they will defy by violent means the judgement of the majority. Incredible. Examples abound of the Left increasing resorting to totalitarian tactics. In this country, they have fairly openly embraced forms of censorship. Are riots next? And they wonder why we on the right want to protect our homes with guns.

Hey Look, A LEADER!

Hot Air has Fred Thompson's entire Lincoln Club address posted in 4 youtube video's. Together, they are 30 well spent minutes of Fred. The interesting thing is that exactly no time is spent critisizing others mistakes and the entire time is devoed to describing his calm, positive and determined vision for America's future. At one point he tells of how Churchill gave the eulogy at Chamberlain's funeral. An interesting tale.
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/05/05/video-fred-speaks-at-lincoln-club-banquet/

On Leadership

I have never considered my self much of a leader. I have not read any significant writing specifically about leadership. Perhaps I should. This post is an effort to think about this fundamental quality of human social structure.

One thing is clear. America is desperately in need of real leadership. We are having a tough time finding politicians who inspire us. People who with unwavering confidence, with charisma, with clarity of speech and purpose get our attention and motivate our action.

The the most skilled politician in recent memory is William Jefferson Clinton. Mr. Clinton could gracefully, persuasively, "sell ice to Eskimos." More accurately, Mr. Clinton was incredibly disarming. However, I would not agree that Mr. Clinton was a great leader. In fact, he was not a leader at all. Mr. Clinton's greatness rests in his ability to read peoples existing motivations, bias, prejudice, and feelings. His ability to anticipate people's reactions gives him the political advantage. He is able to move smoothly along by using an opponent's own momentum. He does not change people's minds, he doesn't really try or care. He perceives the majority opinion, the course of least resistance, and follows it. I find very little in the Clinton presidency which represents true leadership. I do not think Mr. Clinton really changed much of anything. His presidency (almost) demonstrated the fine art of staying out of trouble. His presidency amounts to the requisite Isreali-Palistinean photo-op. Photos, poll numbers, no real progress.

President George W. Bush's term in office has not been driven by anticipating poll numbers, like Clinton's. He has made decisions based on conviction in an attempt to lead. He has tried to change America. He has tried to change the world for the better. He has acted out of principle first, and politics second. However, he has failed to truly lead. He has failed to confront his opponents relentlessly. He has failed to effectively communicate his convictions. Conviction, Communication and Fufillment- all are required of leaders.

There is an old philosophical dispute about whether the "great" people of history really changed society or whether they just symbolized the change; rode the wave. All though there is conflict with serious theologians on this, most of todays conservative thinkers more or less side with the great Ayn Rand on this. Existentialist like Rand say, in short, people change the world, people influence others. French existentialist Jean Paul Sarte said it succinctly:
"The goal of Existentialism is to place the burden of achievement upon the individual." Indeed, this is perhaps the fundamental principle of secular conservatism and capitalism today.

I often muse about political mass movements. How is it that they happen? I find perverse examples like Nazi Germany particularly befuddling. How could so many behave so badly? What caused those spectacular, orderly, million man HEIL HITLER rallies?

The only answer which has thus far occured to me is that people inherently WANT to follow the leader. People resist Sartre's goal of existentialism. They resist it because they do not want to take responsibility for their own success and failure. Personal responsibility is painful. Making decisions and living with the consequences (with the recognition that those consequences are of one's own making) is frequently too much to bear psychologically. Thus, we instinctively seek an "out."

One relatively healthy option is to find an inspiring "leader." Cautious skeptical embrace of leadership can be very effective in furthering a person's aims. When we perceive a leader with the right set of principles we can delegate some of our own decision making and conserve our mental energy. Further, by supporting a leader we bolster those principles which we have chosen to embrace. The classic V-shaped flock of geese flying South provides an analogy. The geese are conserving energy by flying in the lee of the goose ahead, while simultaneously attracting the attension of other geese and inspiring their essential communal Southerly journey.

However, the escape mechanism becomes unhealthy when we "give ourselves over" to a leader. In Jonestown, the Branch-Dividian leader Jim Jones had a flock which had given itself over. The lead goose then, in effect, flew straight into the ground, killing all. Despite the inherent and evident danger of "giving one's self to a leader," many choose to do so with great ardour.

Joining an in-progress movement is somewhat safer and perhaps more common technique. By observing a trend and following it we can still abdicate responsibility for our own actions and their consequences, only now in the company of friends, maybe even a mob. Like the fashion of, say growing sideburns, things catch on. Should "the fashion" turn out terribly destructive (unlikely with sideburns), few will in the end blame themselves. Rationalizing, they will say "everyone was doing it."

Given that people instinctively desire leadership, why are compelling leaders so hard to find? Why are America's politicians so incredibly uninspiring? Why do we end up listening to the deeply intoned vaccuum of John Kerry's mind? To be honest, the answer will have to await a later post as I do not at this time have a sufficient answer.

Despite an currently relevant example, I think I can say what a great leader should be. A great leader should be an individual who can perceive a proper course of action, develop a core of desciples, convince the populace of the necessity of that action, and with resolute and unwavering confidence see the plan, through inevitable adversity (which adversity arises in proportion to the importance of the action) to it's fruition.

Republican Presidential Debate

The only thing I find notable about last nights debate was how bad it was. The candidates performed ok, but the questions and entire format was abominable. It was unwatchable. I don't know whose idea the whole thing was but it was not a good one.

A Man of Science

Well, it appears that Mr. Gore, the Goracle of the greenhouse, the transmitter of all canonical atmospheric science, may have some other interesting views to convey. This passage from a global warming devotee expresses some disappointment in one of Al's famous slideshows. It turns out that the interpreter of science to the American people is A CREATIONIST! While I do not have any problem with Mr. Gore being religous, it is alarming that someone who can wrap his mind around creationism (thus ignoring the gargantuan body of evolutionary biological science) is now the poster boy for Atmospheric science.

During his live slideshow today, however, he showed his true colors. One of his slides was a quote from Genesis, which he used to show that humans are the stewards of biodiversity. I have no problem with people quoting from the bible (as long as it makes sense), but I found it kind of funny that he went out of his way to announce that he did not mean to push his religious beliefs on people by using the scripture in his slideshow. I didn't really see the need for this disclaimer, because I actually agreed with the use of the scripture. The slide I found particularly interesting/shocking/sad, was his new(?) slide containing a graph of human population growth over the past couple hundred-thousand years. It started off good. He pointed at the beginning of the graph, showing the population of humans on Earth from 200,000 years ago, and referred to the "rise of humans."Cool beans. So he believes that Homo sapiens evolved from other hominid ancestors, right? Nope. In the very same breath, he then continued to explain that according to his religious beliefs, this "rise of humans" was God's creation of mankind - apparently 200,000 years ago. His graph then changed to include the caption "Adam & Eve" above this starting point.

http://blog.antidelusionist.com/2007/04/23/al-gores-slideshow.aspx