Gettysburg from Seminary Ridge

What is it With Me and Trying to Save Canceled TV Shows?

I can't muster the same amount of energy and time to save Jericho that I did while trying to save Star Trek: Enterprise, but I can post other's attempts to save this great CBS show. And, to prove at least a basic dedication to the cause, I did manage to send a letter to the network:

Leslie Moonves
CBS Television Network
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Moonves:

I am writing on behalf of the "Save Jericho" campaign, and respectfully ask that you reconsider your decision to cancel the series.

Jericho is a unique shining star among the usual dark and empty content that permeates the airwaves today. It provides positive role models, explores the depths and complexities of family relationships in meaningful ways, and provides a sense of hope that is so desperately lacking in American society.

When considering this letter, please remember that Jericho was doing well in the ratings until CBS decided to put the show on an unpredictable schedule that included a very long hiatus. The ratings clearly show that as a result of that decision, the show faltered from its peak, but still retained a steady audience.

Given the fact that many other shows continue with even lower ratings, we believe Jericho should be given another opportunity to regain its past market share. With a second chance and a solid schedule, the show will succeed based on its inherent qualities.

Thank you for considering my letter.

Sincerely,

Dan

Go NUTS! for Jericho.

The Rule of Law is Dead...

...or at least it will be if the Democratic Senate (with help from quasi-Republicans like John McCain) gets its way. The highly touted bill aimed at stopping illegal immigration only rewards illegal immigrants. "Congrats! You've made it to America without regard for the legal procedure that millions have had to endure before you! As a prize, we're giving YOU citizenship! That's right... free US citizenship with a bonus right to vote! That is, since you'll most likely be voting for democrats..."

Here is a list of ten of the "worst provisions" of the Immigration Bill, as reported by The Heritage Foundation. I couldn't agree more.

1. A Massive Amnesty
2. The permanent "Temporary" Visa
3. Hobbled Background Checks
4. Amnesty for "Absconders"
5. Reverse Justice
6. Enforce Amnesty, Now Laws
7. Amnesty for Gang Members
8. Tuition Subsidies for Illegal Aliens
9. Taxpayer-funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens
10. Amnesty Before Enforcement Triggers

To read about each of these, click HERE.

More Sexual Confusion Being Sold as "Alternative" Choice

Does anyone truly believe, deep down in their hearts, that sex between a man and a horse should be considered in any way normal? Do people believe that those who engage in this selfish exploitation deserve to be respected and admired? People do. And, in an attempt to highlight and thus legitimize "mammal to mammal love," a movie has been made with the objective of "educating" Americans about this small, misunderstood group of perverts.

According to this flick, if someone is sexually aroused by anything, it automatically creates a right to physical expression of that attraction. Apparently, laws that regulate human behavior - no matter how despicable - are wrong. We are supposed to feel empathy towards these "poor souls" who swear they only make love to consenting animals. Oh, and we shouldn't judge them either... because how would you feel if someone told you it was wrong to sleep with your wife?

While the first amendment protects the freedom of speech and expression, it doesn't mean we have an obligation to highlight every sick aspect of human nature and serve it to the masses in the form of entertainment. Now, before the knees start to jerk, I'm not suggesting that the filmmakers didn't have a right to do this film. They absolutely did. So just remember, I also have the right to question their motives and express outrage at the inappropriateness of their chosen subject material.

But the question isn't one about rights as much as it is about "why?"

Have we twisted the meaning of freedom that much? Did we decide at some point to remove responsibility from all discussion? Freedom cannot survive without responsibility. That concept is foreign today, thanks to those who would live their lives without any form of consequence to the choices they make.

This is a slippery slope, indeed, because it has the side effect of legitimizing other sexual perversions, for which we do have laws and (so far) mostly uphold, like child predator laws. But how long will those laws last in the face of such reckless abuse of the first amendment?

Movies like this are inevitable in a society that upholds personal gratification above all else. "Hands off my body." "If it feels good, do it." "It's a victimless crime." "Right to privacy." All slogans of a culture intent on destroying itself in the name of limitless freedom without regulation, restriction or responsibility. Sure, most people who make movies like this have good intentions, but unfortunately, they are rarely willing to live with the unintended consequences of their actions.

The Friday Smackdown!

Ouch!

Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

Snakes on a Trail!

Click on the picture for bigger image.

SNAKES!! I took this picture as a huge, 5' (that's in feet, people) black snake was slithering across the Accotink/Wakefield Trail yesterday. Pretty cool, huh?

For scale, each of those rocks measures about a foot across...

Apparently, this is a black rat snake. Pretty common for the area. They are shy and eat rats. Who would have guessed?

Virginia is Busted on 40 Years of Illegally Ticketing Motorists

Remember back in the days before Virginia Gov. Gilmore (R) lowered the car tax, when it was profitable for the state and local police to go trawling through private apartment and condo parking lots looking for car-tax and inspection scofflaws so that they could ticket them? Those of you who were here before 2000 know what I'm talking about.

And even since then, thousands of Virginians have waken up only to find that they have been the victim of such obscene ticketing while they slept.

Well, I'm happy to report that the Virginia high court has ruled that over 4 decades worth of such ticketing was done illegally. This means, the state might potentially owe hundreds of thousands of its citizens a big, fat refund. The catch is that you need to make yourself heard to get it.

Find out more HERE and HERE.

Sharpton a Victim of His Own Leftist Groupthink? Not a Chance.

Why does the mainstream media let Al Sharpton get away with saying anything he wants, when others who exercise their free speech are lampooned by the media until they are either brought down or made to believe in the "groupthink" that liberals espouse? I smell hypocrisy. Again.

According to Al Sharpton, who recently was at the forefront of those demanding Imus be fired over making insensitive remarks on the radio, has now made insensitive remarks himself about one of America's largest religions, essentially saying Mormons don't believe in God. Since what he is saying is preposterous, I'm not going to waste time defending my faith. Those with half a brain will understand that Mormons, as Christians, certainly believe in God.

AP Reports:

BOSTON (AP) - The Rev. Al Sharpton, who recently urged that radio host Don Imus be fired for making a racially insensitive remark, said in a debate that "those of us who believe in God" will defeat Republican Mitt Romney for the White House. But Sharpton denied he was questioning the Mormon's own belief in God.

Rather, the New York Democrat said he was contrasting himself with Christopher Hitchens, the atheist author he was debating at the time.

"As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don't worry about that; that's a temporary situation," Sharpton said Monday during a debate with Hitchens at the New York Public Library's Beaux-Arts headquarters.

I Love Pop-Tarts

When I was 14 years old delivering newspapers, one of the first things I bought with my own money was a box Pop-Tarts (after buying a Nintendo machine, of course). My parents never bought them when I was younger (something about them not being healthy), so they ended up being a trophy to my independence, of sorts, when I was able to rely on my own income (I use the term "rely" very loosely).

To this day, 19 years later (you do the math), I still have a soft spot for the vaunted toasted pastry. If I need a sugar fix, I'll turn to the pop-tart. If I see them in a vending machine, I'll buy them. They satisfy a certain craving like nothing else can (except maybe crack, but I've never tried that). And what's more, a box of 8 tarts hasn't gone up in price much since I was a paperboy (now that's saying something).

But the best thing about Pop-Tarts is that they haven't sold-out in taste like so many of my other favorites have done over the years. Have you tried Trix lately? It tastes like cardboard. It used to taste like heaven. Same with Apple Jacks. Nasty (however, in defense of sugar-cereals, I have to say that Cookie Crisp has maintained it's appeal and taste, but that's for another blog post).

I write this because I am enjoying a frosted strawberry Pop-Tart at this very moment. And while my fat cells may also be expanding at this very moment, my brain is enjoying a burst of pleasure-inducing dopamine from this wonderful experience that has prompted me to out my love... My love for the Tart.

Don't Mess With Voodoo

Maybe this place explains my back pain!

The Mighty Mississippi

Done with setting up my presentation for today. Now I'm just chillin by the river. It's hot and humid here!

More New Orleans

Doing some sightseeing.

Bourbon Street

Back in New Orleans

Dinner on Bourbon Street

Galactic Warming

Global warming has been taking place on Mars at the same rate it has been taking place on Earth since the 1970's. I wonder if the Martians are only using one square of toilet paper, too? I mean hey, Galactic Warming affects everyone - Earthlings and Martials alike! Think Galactic, Act Solar Systemly!

The Sunday Times reports:

CLIMATE CHANGE HITS MARS

Mars is being hit by rapid climate change and it is happening so fast that the red planet could lose its southern ice cap, writes Jonathan Leake.

Scientists from Nasa say that Mars has warmed by about 0.5C since the 1970s. This is similar to the warming experienced on Earth over approximately the same period.

Since there is no known life on Mars it suggests rapid changes in planetary climates could be natural phenomena.

The mechanism at work on Mars appears, however, to be different from that on Earth. One of the researchers, Lori Fenton, believes variations in radiation and temperature across the surface of the Red Planet are generating strong winds.

In a paper published in the journal Nature, she suggests that such winds can stir up giant dust storms, trapping heat and raising the planet’s temperature.

Fenton’s team unearthed heat maps of the Martian surface from Nasa’s Viking mission in the 1970s and compared them with maps gathered more than two decades later by Mars Global Surveyor. They found there had been widespread changes, with some areas becoming darker.

When a surface darkens it absorbs more heat, eventually radiating that heat back to warm the thin Martian atmosphere: lighter surfaces have the opposite effect. The temperature differences between the two are thought to be stirring up more winds, and dust, creating a cycle that is warming the planet.

In their zeal to have you change the way you live your life, the "green" advocates put it at risk by ignoring other strong evidence that suggests our current approach to dealing with global warming may be dead wrong (and will limit your freedom in the process).

Having Fun

Riding the Bike

Found a bit of offroading!

Idiots on Wheels

I'm on the left, the idiot is on the right. He didn't hit me, but he's darn close. I'm so incensed that I'm waiting in my car for this bozo to come back so I can laugh in his face. Morons.

The Musical Grammar Awards

No, not the Grammys. We're talking the "20 Worst Lyrics, Ever" award. Man, I've been listening to some of these songs for years, and I never made the connections that are found HERE.

How could I have missed beautiful little gems like these?

"I love you like a fat kid loves cake!" - 50 Cent

"Leaving was never my proud" - REM

"Time is like a clock in my heart" - Culture Club

"Young black and famous with money hangin' out the anus" - Puff Daddy

I won't spoil number one for you, but I feel like an idiot for never really noticing how lame the lyrics actually are.

Terrorism Works: Democrats Prove It!

It's that simple. Al Qaeda has successfully intimidated us into surrendering. No matter that far fewer soldiers have died in this war than for any war of similar duration in the past. No matter that the Iraqis themselves don't want us to leave. Nope, none of that matters. For Pelosi and Reid, all that matters is power. They use one simple formula: Biased media + disingenuous politicking + hatred for Bush = keep Democrats in power.

Congress just surrendered to the enemy. See, that's what happens in war. You fight with and wear down your enemy until someone gives up (in this case, us). The one who stays declares victory. Radical Islamic fascism has defeated our benevolent and "corruption-free" Congress. Yay for progressives!

Remember when Chamberlain did this back in 1938? I mean, if appeasement worked then... oh wait.

It's also interesting to note that the democrats, in a flagrant display of hypocrisy, did the following to get the bill through (according to CQ):

As minority leader, Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., demanded in 2004 that the House obey rules requiring that members be given a minimum of three days to read legislation “to prevent . . . hasty and dangerous decision-making.”

But now that she’s running things as Speaker, that rule was pushed aside — at least for the Iraq supplemental (HR 1591 — H Rept 110-107).

“That is concerning,” said Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who has pushed in the past for more time so lawmakers can decipher the fine print in legislation. Still, Flake and his GOP colleagues didn’t put up much of a fight this time, since they want the bill sent to President Bush quickly so he can veto it and the process can start all over again.

House rules state that bills must be available to members for three calendar days (excluding weekends and holidays) prior to floor consideration. But the Rules Committee, which essentially operates as an arm of the Speaker’s office, blocked members from raising any points of order against the conference report.

Top 10 Weightless Activities for Stephen Hawking

My favorite scientist will be rollin' weightless today. As a celebration of the event, I bring you these pearls.

Top 10 Weightless Activities for Professor Hawking

10. Try to get better reception on that old AM radio he's never been able to fix.

9. Get a bird's eye view of the girls dormitory at Cambridge.

8. Call all of his old high school friends and call them gravity bound monkeys.

7. Work out of the theory of black hole radiation right after working out how to go to the bathroom in zero-G.

6. Accidentally bump into the backside of his nurse and blame it on the laws of motion.

5. Prove once and for all that the law of gravity is for suckers.

4. Fool the world by announcing he can stand, then yelling "psyche!" as the gravity kicks back in.

3. Finally get a chance to show off those Superman "underoos" he's been wearing all year.

2. Plug his voice-synthesizer into the plane's com system and announce, "I am Borg. Resistance is Futile," then throw up.

1. Relieve his weightless bowels over the houses of competing scientists.

Where Have Our Heroes Gone?

After a long discussion with friends tonight, I found myself asking the question of whether or not I would be strong enough to take the stand that Professor Liviu Librescu did against Cho Seung-Hui in the VA Tech Massacre. In case you don’t remember, the late Professor is (so far) the only recognized hero of the day. What drove him to such sacrifice? Was he a romantically imposing figure like Arnold Schwarzenegger, boldly swooping in on the killer with such force as to hold off Cho long enough so that others could run to safety? Was it his training as a soldier from some old, noble war? No, it was none of these things. He was a simple 76-year-old man – a survivor of the Holocaust, and, apparently the only one with an instinctual reaction that dictated, “You know, sometimes saving others is more important than saving yourself.”

Now, I don’t mean to sound insensitive here. I’m not saying that if I was in the room staring down the barrel of Cho’s gun that I wouldn’t wet myself like a scared puppy. I might. I’ll never know for sure unless I face that kind of situation in the future. However, I do have enough faith in myself to know that I would not be able to stand by and watch people die without trying to do something. I’m not trying to make myself sound like an armchair hero, calling the plays in my favor without facing a true mortal struggle. I’m just trying to figure out, albeit publicly, what drives me to such conviction. I’m also asking myself if anyone in those ill-fated classrooms ever thought about saving people besides themselves.

Now, before you jerk your knee in the predictable reaction that casts me as an evil, insensitive prick, please read what I have to say. It’s not my intent to be malicious or partisan. I honestly want to know why no one else stayed behind. And I'm not the only one asking.

Where are the stories of brave young men standing up to the killer? Where are the stories of the one brave soul who managed enough courage to make a lunge at the killer while he reloaded his ammunition? I’m desperately waiting to hear something like this. I’m praying to hear it – for our next generation’s sake.

Please understand that I am not making a judgment call. Surely, the rational thing to do in a situation like that is to run – especially when faced with mortal danger. I can’t (and don’t) fault people for being scared. I’ve run from many things, great and small, in my life. However, in the kind of situation faced in Blacksburg, how could I stand in line, essentially awaiting execution, watching others die and not do a thing about it? Why is it that Professor Librescu was the only one who instinctively stayed behind to “hold the fort”? Have we as a generation forgotten the meaning of sacrifice, specifically self-sacrifice? I think maybe we have.

In a world that increasingly focuses on new and improved ways to be selfish, is it a surprise that these students took the phrase “every man for himself” to be a personal code of ethics? Again, I’m not saying it was a conscious choice on their part. If they had a chance to think things through – I am confident many would have chosen to help. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? The instinct to protect others did not prevail. This is just the way we’re raising people nowadays. We’re training a new generation to “look out for number one,” women and children be damned. If we feel bad about it later, we have an army of psychologists who tell us we didn’t have a choice and that everything is OK. But many times we do have a choice. We can act, even if it means we die in the process.

Sacrificing our own lives for the benefit of others is a uniquely human trait. It enhances the species and even helps to maintain it. Luckily, we’re not required to do it often, but we shouldn’t be afraid to make the stand when human duty requires it. In fact, we should make up our minds in advance on how we will choose to react.

When we fail to teach sacrifice, the default mindset is selfishness. And since we are teaching selfishness from birth these days, learning the law of sacrifice doesn’t have a chance, does it? Think about it.

Massive Blackberry Outage

It's not you. It's them.

This affects the entire western hemisphere, apparently. RIM stock is also trading down this morning in New York.

CNN Money Reports:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A massive system wide failure of the BlackBerry network has brought emails to a halt for users of the handheld communication devices Wednesday morning, according to a report from a New York TV news channel.

As of Wednesday morning the Blackberry Customer Support Center has a recorded message that says the following: "Please be advised that we are currently experiencing service interruptions that are causing delays in sending and receiving messages."

"We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide updates as soon as they become available," the message said.

The problem, which started at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, affected Blackberries throughout the Western hemisphere by preventing emails from being pushed to the handheld devices, according to WNBC.

Research in Motion (Charts) (RIMM), which makes Blackberry device and runs the system, was not immediately available to comment on the outage.

RIMM stock is trading is sharply lower in pre-market trading.

Research in Motion is trying to reset the system but expects the problem to last into the morning, the report said.

Even when the system is reset, users will experience delays as the company processes through the backlog of email messages, WNBC reported.

According to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Research in Motion had approximately 8 million Blackberry subscribers worldwide in 2007.

We've Lost Our Senses

Is it any surprise that stories like this emerge after national tragedies such as the Virginia Tech Massacre? We have been trained to ignore "different" behavior, especially when it's being demonstrated by someone who happens to be a minority. The result? People end up ignoring information that could have prevented the worst mass murder in American history. From the article:

"When I first heard about the multiple shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday, my first thought was about my friends, and my second thought was 'I bet it was [Cho Seung-Hui]."'

We, as a nation, have been coddled into a false sense of security perpetrated by those who would have us believe that if we bury our heads in the sand and just "get along," everything will be OK. Unfortunately, by doing so we blind ourselves to the fact that truly evil people exist in the world. These people, intent on doing us harm, do not have the same respect for society that society hollowly shows for them.

It would do us well to follow our instincts once in a while, even at the risk of possibly offending someone in the process. After all, there is no excuse for burying the truth. Especially when the stakes are so high.

VA Tech Massacre: The Victims

I have decided to put together a collection of the personal websites belonging to some of the victims of Cho Seung-Hui. It breaks my heart to see how promising every single one of them were. What a loss to society.

Emily Jane Hilscher
Maxine Turner (click on Sisters, then Maxine Turner)
Liviu Lebrescu
Jamie Bishop
Ryan Clark

See more profiles HERE.

Was Cho arrested previously?

Cho Seung-Hui's Woman, First Victim

Here is the woman at the center of the worst mass-murder in U.S. history. 18 year-old Emily Jane Hilscher was one of the first two victims to be identified in the Virginia Tech massacre, along with 22-year-old Ryan Clark.

Emily Jane Hilscher

I gotta hand it to the international tabloid press... they sure do get news like this fast.

Check out Emily's MySpace page HERE.

Did Cho have a prior arrest?

How could this happen?

VA Tech Massacre Shooter: Prior Arrest?

According to this Fairfax County police report, a number of arrests are attributed to "Cho, Hui" and "Cho, Sung," Both common spellings of the VA Tech Massacre shooters official name, Cho Seung-hui. The arrests are traffic related, and are within the local area of Cho's official residence in Centreville, VA.

I'm probably totally wrong. But if I'm not, I'm the first person to make this connection.

More information on this student HERE.

And see the girl who may have sparked the worst mass-murder in American history, HERE.

Today, We're All Hokies

My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the families of those 32 students that were killed (and 20+ injured) in the unbelievable tragedy unfolding at Virginia Tech this morning.

May God bless them.

Note: This is now the largest mass shooting/killing in American history.

Pelosi's Felonious Shadow Presidency Isn't Just a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Theory

Now she wants to go to Iran??? No wonder the rest of the world seems to think that we have two operating Heads of State, just like Europe (a President and a Prime Minister). What they don't understand is that our constitution and laws clearly leave foreign policy (especially with our enemies) to our only Head of State, the President of the United States. Unfortunately, that quaint piece of ancient legalese is also lost on our House Speaker, Ms. Nancy Pelosi.

The "Logan Act" (one of our oldest laws) makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, "without authority of the United States," to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."

The WSJ Reports:

When proposing the law, Rep. Roger Griswold of Connecticut explained that the object was, as recorded in the Annals of Congress, "to punish a crime which goes to the destruction of the executive power of the government. He meant that description of crime which arises from an interference of individual citizens in the negotiations of our executive with foreign governments."

The Secretary of the Treasury under President Thomas Jefferson, who was wary of centralized government: "it would be extremely improper for a member of this House to enter into any correspondence with the French Republic . . . As we are not at war with France, an offence of this kind would not be high treason, yet it would be as criminal an act, as if we were at war . . . ."

Indeed, the offense is greater when the usurpation of the president's constitutional authority is done by a member of the legislature -- all the more so by a Speaker of the House -- because it violates not just statutory law but constitutes a usurpation of the powers of a separate branch and a breach of the oath of office Ms. Pelosi took to support the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has spoken clearly on this aspect of the separation of powers. In Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice John Marshall used the president's authority over the Department of State as an illustration of those "important political powers" that, "being entrusted to the executive, the decision of the executive is conclusive." And in the landmark 1936 Curtiss-Wright case, the Supreme Court reaffirmed: "Into the field of negotiation the Senate cannot intrude, and Congress itself is powerless to invade it."

These trips of hers go beyond fact finding. If Pelosi continues to play the part of President II, then perhaps it's time to take a long hard look at a law that has been part of this country almost as long as the country itself has been in existence, and prosecute her under the Logan Act.

Beware of Global SHAKING! Earth's Newest Threat!

Did you know global shaking is destroying some of the world's most pristine coral reefs? It's true! Global shaking is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our land presence and heavy dwellings by using the technology, know-how, and practical solutions already at our disposal.

Because of republicans, irresponsible corporations and people living in 2 bedroom and larger homes, global shaking has increased in the past 75 years by 60%! Do your part now by living in tents, eating plants and riding bikes so as to decrease the overall weight load being borne by our wonderful planet.

Naysayers will tell you that this is all a myth. To them, it is an inconvenient truth. If we continue to do nothing about global shaking, our planet will tear itself apart by the year 2100. Is that the kind of future you want for your children?

The AP reports:

RANONGGA, Solomon Islands (AFP) - The seismic jolt that unleashed the deadly Solomons tsunami this week lifted an entire island metres out of the sea, destroying some of the world's most pristine coral reefs.

n an instant, the grinding of the Earth's tectonic plates in the 8.0 magnitude earthquake Monday forced the island of Ranongga up three metres (10 foot).

Submerged reefs that once attracted scuba divers from around the globe lie exposed and dying after the quake raised the mountainous landmass, which is 32-kilometres (20-miles) long and 8-kilometres (5-miles) wide.

Pelosi's Shadow Presidency

Say what you will about political differences in this country (and I do say a lot), but what Pelosi is doing goes far beyond that and might even come dangerously close to treason. What is she trying to prove here? Not only has she undermined the constitutional authority of the President (as Head of State) by establishing her own "shadow presidency," but she is also causing diplomatic nightmares for other nations as well by delivering false messages "on behalf" of Israel.

Think I'm just spouting right-winged rhetoric? Think again. Here's what the Washington Post had to say:

HOUSE SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad.

[...]

Ms. Pelosi was criticized by President Bush for visiting Damascus at a time when the administration -- rightly or wrongly -- has frozen high-level contacts with Syria. Mr. Bush said that thanks to the speaker's freelancing Mr. Assad was getting mixed messages from the United States. Ms. Pelosi responded by pointing out that Republican congressmen had visited Syria without drawing presidential censure. That's true enough -- but those other congressmen didn't try to introduce a new U.S. diplomatic initiative in the Middle East. "We came in friendship, hope, and determined that the road to Damascus is a road to peace," Ms. Pelosi grandly declared.

Never mind that that statement is ludicrous: As any diplomat with knowledge of the region could have told Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Assad is a corrupt thug whose overriding priority at the moment is not peace with Israel but heading off U.N. charges that he orchestrated the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. The really striking development here is the attempt by a Democratic congressional leader to substitute her own foreign policy for that of a sitting Republican president. Two weeks ago Ms. Pelosi rammed legislation through the House of Representatives that would strip Mr. Bush of his authority as commander in chief to manage troop movements in Iraq. Now she is attempting to introduce a new Middle East policy that directly conflicts with that of the president. We have found much to criticize in Mr. Bush's military strategy and regional diplomacy. But Ms. Pelosi's attempt to establish a shadow presidency is not only counterproductive, it is foolish.

Little Ahmadinejads

Iran has pulled off a major public image coup. Not only did they make Britain look completely impotent and weak, they were able to get away with parading prisoners of war on television (against international law), got to show a disingenuous "nice face" of Iran, and turn a bunch of British soldiers into Ahmadinejad-clones. Embarrassing. And now these soldiers are showing off their goodie-bags, given to them by the Iranian government as a courtesy for being used as total propaganda tools.

Iran walks away from this showing the world it can get away with anything, as well as demonstrating the influence it can have on global oil prices (prices spiked when hostages were taken).

Some may argue, "If these had been American soldiers, Bush would have risked their lives and war by threatening military action. At least Blair got it right, through diplomacy." Such thinking is ignorant and short-sighted. By appeasing Iran without consequence, far greater damage has been done. Does anyone honestly believe that Ahmadinejad will come away from this thinking, "You know, Europeans are so nice. I'm going to stop playing terrorist and abandon my dreams of ushering in the Hidden Imam who will turn the whole world's population into Muslims by force", and abandon his nuclear plans? Ha. This kind of appeasement will only embolden him, and we'll all end up paying the price down the road in war, a world economy turned on its head and increased belligerence from middle eastern countries.

Monkey Boards City Bus, Attacks Passenger

I would have paid top dollar to see this take place. Holy heck... I am dying. You can't write scripts this funny.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A spider monkey that escaped from a Mexico City zoo boarded a bus and attacked a passenger, Red Cross officials said Tuesday. The monkey got on the bus at about 11 p.m. Monday after escaping from the San Juan de Aragon Zoo, Red Cross spokesman Jair Martinez said. Zoo officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The animal sat next to the bus driver for almost an hour as he drove through the city, and scratched and bit a 20-year-old female passenger when she tried to hold it, the Mexican news agency Notimex said.

Martinez said the woman was treated for her injury, and the animal was placed in quarantine. He said he had no further details.

Rural Missouri

On our way to the airport.

KC BBQ

Arthur Bryant's

Morning in Kansas City

View from my hotel room.

My Travel Curse Continues

Guess which flight is mine..

Our New Toy - HDTV!

Well, it took me 18 months of constant begging, hounding and rationalizing, but in the end my wife finally caved! We got a new 50" plasma TV! It didn't happen without giving something up, however.

The original plan was to travel to Tonga for a reunion of sorts with my Dad and family, but after comparing the cost of airfare for 2 to the South Pacific and back against the TV, the TV came out the big winner (it wasn't even close... Tonga was like 3 times more expensive). Now the TV sits majestically in my living room. Although, I have to admit that it wasn't so much my lobbying-acquired powers of persuasion that finally convinced my wife as it was the change of the return policy at Costco. We wanted to buy the TV before Costco limited their return period on TVs from "unlimited" to 90 days.

So now that all is said and done, I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with my purchase, the Panasonic TH-50PX60U (read outside review here). For starters, I spent a solid 48 hours researching the pros and cons of plasmas vs. LCDs before buying. And despite my intensive homework, I still went back and forth on my "final" decision before eventually deciding to go with plasma. I am an extremely critical technophile, and I did not want to end up with a piece of junk that I would want to trash after a few weeks. It had to be just right for the shows I watch, money I wanted to spend and size I wanted to have. And so far (it's been about 3 weeks), I am loving my decision.

The Panasonic TH-50PX60U is a high definition 720p/1080i plasma television. The picture on this model is phenomenal - and I've compared a lot of high definition TVs. We are feeding it with DirecTV's high definition service and DVR, and the HD reception looks exactly like what I was receiving over-the-air (OTA) in the weeks before the dish was installed (you can pull pure HD broadcasts for free, OTA, using a pair of $5 rabbit ears). The rumors of DirecTV degrading their signal (sometimes referred to as HDTV Lite) are unfounded (at least visually). The reception and detail of this TV is stunning.

I prefer CBS and NBC programming because they broadcast in 1080i, which is visually clearer than FOX's and ESPN's 720p resolution. But, all of the channels look fantastic! I have been glued to the TV for the past week (much to my wife's dismay) because I have been captivated by the difference in high definition. Besides the crystal clear network programming, I have been enjoying Discovery Channel's HD Theater channel, which shows some of the most jaw-dropping HD shows I've ever seen. The free HBO and Showtime have been a nice bonus, too.

If any of you would like more information on this TV, feel free to shoot me a comment or email. I have nothing but praise. Well, that's not entirely true... I do have one complaint - 50" is too small! I wish I could have justified spending more on the 60" model!!!

I Never Get Tired of This

McCain Making Sense for a Change

I'm not fan of John McCain, who I have barely considered to be republican, but it's good to see him raise awareness to an issue that should be of great concern to everyone - the rise of socialism. Kudos to Johnboy for bringing this to the election debate.

How the Left Communicates

When there is no rational argument for their position, those on the left often resort to what you see here: Vandalism, and the destruction of personal, private and public property. And it's not a rare occurrence. It would appear that most of these anti-American protesters have a way of disrespecting the institutions they claim to represent.

Parallels Between the Left and Jihadis

Islamists have been doing it since 9/11, but only recently have their efforts risen to such levels as to influence American discourse and politics - especially on the left. Below are some of the marching orders which instruct the Mujahadin (jihadi warriors) in their efforts to persuade Americans to withdraw from Iraq. Ironically, the American left have been using these same tactics as well. Don't believe me? Check out these pictures (again, below) from a Portland, Oregon "anti war" rally.

What the Islamists say (courtesy Memri.org):

Invent Stories About American Soldiers You Have [Allegedly] Personally Known

“Obviously, you should post your contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging or shooting themselves...”

“Also, write using a sad tone, and tell them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated... [Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the sake of God...”

How to Make Americans Feel Frustrated With Their Government

“You should enter into debate or respond only if it is extremely necessary... Your concern should [only] be introducing topics which... will cause [them to feel] frustration and anger towards their government..., which will... render them hostile to Bush... and his Republican Party and make them feel they must vote to bring the troops back from Iraq as soon as possible.”

What the American Left says (courtesy LGF):

(I obviously edited a certain word for this blog)

Blatant Media Bias

You know, the next time Media Matters and the left wants to cry about Fox News being biased, they ought to stop by CNN's webpage and see what mainstream America has had to put up with for the past 15 years in the way of blatant liberal bias.

This is a screenshot of CNN's top stories taken a few minutes ago. Absolutely ridiculous.

Let's break it down a bit...

A trumped-up hit piece on Rudy Giuliani, a republican, followed by a story about Hillary Clinton, a democrat, showing her to be fairly balanced when it comes to the war (aimed at making people feel she's not so bad, after all).

Then, an apologetic article about one of the worst terrorists in human history, Khaled Sheikh Mohammed. CNN/Time asks, is he "believable?" I'll tell you what's unbelievable - the fact that CNN is even asking that question.

Then the list goes on to describe Nancy Pelosi as one of the sexiest seniors around. Yeah, that's top story material. More like pandering to the leader of the left.

But CNN's icing on the cake, however, is a story about how Fox News' number one rated Bill O'Reilly is being sued by Zsa Zsa Gabor's weird husband. With reporting like this, it is no wonder CNN consistently gets trampled by Fox News in the ratings.

So, let me ask you, does it get any more biased than this? Can it be any more obvious? I mean, they're talking about how sexy Pelosi is for her age when real stories, like the fact US soldiers are making real headway in Iraq with the increased troop levels are being ignored. Or what about how the Democrat majority's plan to withdraw from Iraq failed in the Senate?

If the people in this country continue to rely on the slanted news of the left, this country and its cherished freedom of the press is doomed. If we cannot trust major world news outlets like CNN to be balanced, how can we expect any more from the citizens of our nation?

Girl Finds Her Lost Dog's Severed Head on Porch

I'm not usually one to get tied in knots over cases of animal cruelty (after all, thousands of babies are murdered every day). But my philosophy notwithstanding, and as a dog lover myself, I couldn't pass over this heinous and gruesome story.

The people who commit acts like this are scum indeed, but someone who intentionally messes with a young girl who is grieving over her lost pet by delivering its bloody, severed head wrapped up in a gift box deserves to have his genitalia removed.

UPDATE: They caught the guy.

Killer Frogs from Outer Space (San Franscisco)

How do PETA-loving, everything-tolerating, San Francisco environmentalists handle this one? Man, I love slow news days. At least it's 75 degrees outside.

"Meat-eating killer frogs have invaded a pond in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, leaving environmentalists wondering how to stop their deadly march before they move on to bigger waters."

80% Less Insurgent Attacks in Iraq, and the Liberal Press Doesn't Bat an Eye

In keeping with the leftist agenda of destroying President Bush at all costs (including one-sided reporting, shameless progressive propaganda and lying), the mainstream media is failing to report that insurgent attacks in Iraq are down 80%. This is significant news. This is news the country should hear about, but they won't... at least, not from CNN and other liberal news outlets. They'll continue to report every misstep, and provide refuge to our enemies. Heaven forbid they actually report news that will weaken the enemy's resolve.

The World Tribune reports:

The U.S. Army has reported a sharp decrease in insurgency attacks in Baghdad.

In the week of Feb. 24 to March 2, officials said, insurgency strikes and suicide bombings dropped for the fourth consecutive week in Baghdad. They linked this to the steady increase of security patrols in the city.

The army said violence has decreased by 80 percent in the most insurgency-ridden areas of Baghdad. Officials said Shi'ite and Sunni insurgents have been overwhelmed by the current joint Iraqi-U.S. operation in the Iraqi capital.

The Whiners at Media Matters

The confused folks at Media Matters have accused The Politico (a new political newspaper in Washington, DC) of being too right wing. Give me a break. You can read about the controversy here.

Based on research from many sources over the past several years, it's generally well known that the American mainstream media shows a significant liberal bias. Therefore, it stands to reason that media outlets advocating neutrality and fairness will be perceived by liberal groups such as Media Matters as having a "republican tilt." This essentially means that outfits like The Politico, Fox News, and other media that don't tow the standard liberal line promulgated by the mainstream press will irk the left into the senseless accusations in which The Politico has found itself embroiled.

Maybe sending Media Matters a copy of the UCLA report on liberal media bias will remind them that despite anything The Politico might print that happens to find its way into the hands of conservatives, it would still be still a far cry from the amount of press the liberal agenda gets from the rest of the mainstream press.

Star Trek Bachelor Pad

Now, aside from the fact that if I ever attempted something like this, my wife would leave me and never look back (and indeed, that is made clear in this article when the apartment owner begins, "After my wife left me..."), I can't help but admit that this is pretty cool.

I don't know any guy who wouldn't have given a leg for this kind of setup (be it Trek, A-Team or Miami Vice) when he was younger (granted, this guy is older which is kind of frightening). But as a Star Trek fan myself, I am impressed with the realism this guy pulled off (again, I know Star Trek and "realism" present an oxymoron of sorts).

So, as nerdy as it sounds... I think this is pretty dang cool. You won't catch me doing it, though. Talking my wife into letting me buy a plasma television was hard enough!

So We're Causing Global Warming on Mars, Too, Eh?

This just goes to show how absolutely silly the global warming arguments have been getting that stipulate that humans are the cause. We have been told by climatologist after climatologist that global warming is a normal, cyclical pattern that occurs naturally over thousands of years on the Earth (especially since we are technically coming out of an ice age). The Goracle and his biologists have been claiming otherwise (as if biologists know better than climatologists). The Goracle's aim is to have you change your lifestyle (first through his lies, then through government intervention and compulsion) to one that is in conflict with free market society.

Now, according to the National Geographic - a nationally recognized scientific magazine, mind you - the same thing is happening on Mars where there is absolutely zero human presence (except for a few electric rovers that roam the planet). I quote:

In 2005 data from NASA's Mars Global Surveyor and Odyssey missions revealed that the carbon dioxide "ice caps" near Mars's south pole had been diminishing for three summers in a row.

Habibullo Abdussamatov, head of the St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Astronomical Observatory in Russia, says the Mars data is evidence that the current global warming on Earth is being caused by changes in the sun.

"The long-term increase in solar irradiance is heating both Earth and Mars," he said.

How long do you think it will take the secular progressive movement to utterly bury this article, the scientist who published it, and the editor at National Geographic who approved it?

Remember, according to The Goracle, there is no way to think except his way. If you think I'm wrong, just try to tell a secular progressive that humans aren't the cause of global warming. Just try it, and see what happens....