Would it be so wrong if Bush was right?

Plant the seed, and Democracy will grow.

From the Strategy Page: Hard Times in the Heartland

In the two countries that Islamic terrorism was born in, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the terrorists are taking a beating. ... In Egypt, the majority of the population continues to be turned off by the seemingly random violence of Islamic terrorists. ... The main source of Islamic terrorism, Saudi Arabia, has turned on Islamic terrorism with a vengeance.

News Takes a Vacation

Is news on vacation? Seems like it's been awfully quiet over the last week or so. Makes me wonder how much of what I think about is governed by a single group. Tis the season when the main stream media goes on vacation. News papers, TV news, talk radio and TV news talk shows. O'Reilly, Hannity, etc. all quite. The discussion goes down to a whisper. Blogs have become a media for conversation as well as a source for information. But this time of year emphasizes the dependence that we all have on the main stream media.

The Belmont Club - Who is a Journalist?

Wretchard has a thought provoking post about reporting and the information war.

Who is a Journalist?

Believe the parts you want to believe

This is a response to a comment in a previous post. I meant to be short, but alas, I have run on and have decided that this will serve well as my post on this subject.

Anonymous,

Thank you for continuing to visit Geoffosphere!

I haven't had a chance to post about this subject, but I have seen many informative posts. I'm sure you know my answer to your question because this is the basis for the division between our political views. You don't think I believe or listen to your views, and I don't think you listen to my points of view. Yet we both know each other’s side.

But since you asked, I refer you to the posts below that will take you to many more posts on the subject. Not all of them in staunch defense of the President. But for the most part saying that these actions were in defense of the citizens of the United States. And that we don't have enough information to know the legality of these actions.

Instapundit (1)
Instapundit (2)

Unfortunately, the NYT is so horny to convict the President that they are willing to publish whatever part of a story serves their purpose. And people on the left eagerly follow the cue. There is more to this story than we know. It was to be a secret program, so we’re not going to get more of the story. The bigger story should be that national security secrets are being made public. This can only aid our enemy.

Finally, the President has done much to involve the balancing branches of the government so that there would not be an abuse of power. But that does not seem to matter to the hordes on the left. Believe the parts you want to believe in order to serve your purpose. I think we can both agree with this statement.

Winning

I've been quiet for a few days, now. I think it is because we are turning the corner on the War. Not the war in Iraq (we were never in danger of losing that war), but the war over here. The third elections in Iraq hours away, and the echoes of the Democratic party's failed, last-ditch effort to defeat Bush by losing the Iraq war are fading into oblivion. I believe the silent majority of Americans - the portion of the population stifled by a biased media - are proud of the decisions they made about going into war. I say "we" made the decision because a large majority of our representatives and a large majority of the polls said that Americans felt it necessary to remove Saddam Hussein in order to protect America. And today, we are feeling proud that there are clear signs that it was the right decision. It was a hard decision, and even harder to stick to the decision. But nothing has changed since we made the decision, and today we are marking a great milestone on the long road to securing our freedom. And the absence of defeatist rhetoric is a beautiful sound.

Read this post at The Belmont Club, On the eve of the Iraqi elections. Defeat is a bitter pill to swallow.

American Panic

This post at Powerline informs us of an intriguing essay by Norman Podhoretz. He refers to a time during the American Revolution that resembles the current popular opinion about the Iraq War.

The similarities to our situation today are uncanny. We, too, are in the midst of a rapidly spreading panic. We, too, have our sunshine patriots and summer soldiers, in the form of people who initially supported the invasion of Iraq—and the Bush Doctrine from which it followed—but who are now abandoning what they have decided is a sinking ship. And we, too, are seeing formerly disguised opponents of the war coming more and more out into the open, and in ever greater numbers.

Living History

This is an excellent little article about Bush and Churchill at the mid-war point facing political pressure from home. How amazing it is that history repeats itself. And as The Greatest Generation did before us, so too will we be victorious over tyranny.

Churchill is remembered in the popular imagination as someone who rallied a nation, vowed never to give up, and took his country to victory. Few remember that Churchill faced a crisis of confidence two-and-a-half years into the war, exploited by those “with lesser burdens to carry.”

And fewer still remember the names of the politicians and media critics who created a crisis of confidence in the midst of a war.

Commentary:
At about age 25 (10 yrs ago), I learned that the more history you have behind you, the more interesting history becomes. I think about what it must have been like “back then”. But you can never really know what it was like unless you were there. Then there is talk about re-writing history. History has to be re-written because to tell the whole story would take too long. I learned in school how FDR and Churchill stood up and defeated fascism. I like to think that George Bush and Tony Blair are doing the same against Islamofasciam. My interest in history has led me to believe that during pervious wars, there must have been opposition because there is opposition today. There must have been other perspectives. There must have been neigh-sayers. It must have been a struggle at home as it is today. But that’s not in the history books I had in school. Would I be a different person today, if history had not been re-written? Would our society be different today? How would it be different? Better? Worse? Or is it inevitable that history is to remembered for the betterment of the future?

Bill Roggio: Boots, Keyboard and Satellite Internet on the Ground

Like Michael Yon, Bill Roggio brings the daily life of the Iraq War home. Here is his latest report from one of the hottest battle fronts in Iraq. Bill effortlessly brings personality to the Iraqi and US soldiers who are sacrificing so that we may have a safer world. And thank you, Bill, for the risk you take so that we may know a little more about Iraq, today.

Life with Iraqi forces and U.S. Marines at Battle Position Beirut

We exchanged stories and discussed our families. They noticed the picture of my daughter on the open Instant Messenger window, and asked for more. I shared photographs of my family, which brought forth smiles and hearty claps on the back. Many of the soldiers are married and have children, and expressed that they missed their families as well. This is a universal bond all soldiers share.

The Marines of 1st Platoon of Lima Company have varied opinions of the Iraqi soldiers, which range from unimpressed to pleasantly surprised at their courage and fighting abilities. Several explained how Iraqi troops saved their hides during Operation Steel Curtain, when the Iraqis identified a home the Marines were going to enter as being rigged with IEDs. When Explosive Ordnance Disposal arrived on scene and detonated the device, the entire house was destroyed in the blast. "“Most of our squad would have been killed in that house. They saved my and my friends'’ lives that day"” said Lance Corporal Mendoza.

You can follow Bill at ThreatWatch.org

This is why you read The Belmont Club

On the tenth of May, 1972 Lieutenant Randy Cunningham and his RIO, LT(JG) Willie Driscoll, flying a Phantom F-4J, ShowTime 100, would shoot down two MIGs, making them the first American aces of the Vietnam War. Then they would shoot down a third.

Well done, Wretchard.

Thank you, Senator Lieberman

Joe Lieberman, Democratic Senator from Connecticut, has given us a perspective on Iraq that America has not seen from the mainstream media. And he seems to be the only Democratic leader with the political guts to tell us this truth. Here are a couple of notes from his article in the Wall Street Journal’s on-line editorial page, Opinion Journal. (Free Registration Required).

I have just returned from my fourth trip to Iraq in the past 17 months and can report real progress there. More work needs to be done, of course, but the Iraqi people are in reach of a watershed transformation from the primitive, killing tyranny of Saddam to modern, self-governing, self-securing nationhood--unless the great American military that has given them and us this unexpected opportunity is prematurely withdrawn.
The terrorists are intent on stopping this by instigating a civil war to produce the chaos that will allow Iraq to replace Afghanistan as the base for their fanatical war-making. We are fighting on the side of the 27 million because the outcome of this war is critically important to the security and freedom of America. If the terrorists win, they will be emboldened to strike us directly again and to further undermine the growing stability and progress in the Middle East, which has long been a major American national and economic security priority.

Does America have a good plan for doing this, a strategy for victory in Iraq? Yes we do. And it is important to make it clear to the American people that the plan has not remained stubbornly still but has changed over the years. Mistakes, some of them big, were made after Saddam was removed, and no one who supports the war should hesitate to admit that; but we have learned from those mistakes and, in characteristic American fashion, from what has worked and not worked on the ground. The administration's recent use of the banner "clear, hold and build" accurately describes the strategy as I saw it being implemented last week.

What a colossal mistake it would be for America's bipartisan political leadership to choose this moment in history to lose its will and, in the famous phrase, to seize defeat from the jaws of the coming victory.

I am disappointed by Democrats who are more focused on how President Bush took America into the war in Iraq almost three years ago, and by Republicans who are more worried about whether the war will bring them down in next November's elections, than they are concerned about how we continue the progress in Iraq in the months and years ahead.

These are new ideas that are working and changing the reality on the ground, which is undoubtedly why the Iraqi people are optimistic about their future--and why the American people should be, too.

I cannot say enough about the U.S. Army and Marines who are carrying most of the fight for us in Iraq. They are courageous, smart, effective, innovative, very honorable and very proud. After a Thanksgiving meal with a great group of Marines at Camp Fallujah in western Iraq, I asked their commander whether the morale of his troops had been hurt by the growing public dissent in America over the war in Iraq. His answer was insightful, instructive and inspirational: "I would guess that if the opposition and division at home go on a lot longer and get a lot deeper it might have some effect, but, Senator, my Marines are motivated by their devotion to each other and the cause, not by political debates."

Thank you, General. That is a powerful, needed message for the rest of America and its political leadership at this critical moment in our nation's history. Semper Fi.

heaven charges a high price for freedom

From John O'Neil in the NY Sun (via. Michelle Malkin, who keeps us informed):

On December 23, 1776, with Washington's army freezing in tatters at Morristown, Thomas Paine in "Common Sense" wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." He noted many mistakes by the American army, but noted that "tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered" and that heaven charges a high price for freedom because it is so precious. It was a time when "the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot shrink ... " but those who stood firm would someday receive the love and appreciation of the nation.

Michael Yon is our eyes

Michael Yon is our eyes. See this inspiring photo essay of the children of Iraq. Michael Yon lets us see beyond the headlines of the mainstream media. I often wonder what would happen if a mainstream media outlet, say the Today show, would go to this school for a week and show all of the happy children and the hustle and bustle of a functioning, free Iraq. Besides the fact that these media outlets have no desire to show this side of the Iraq War - the successful side - I think there is tragic reason that this will not happen. The sad truth is that the terrorist’s main weapon (whether they are a willing participant or not) is the mainstream media. And a high profile target as well as a live feed would present the ultimate target. Until then, we will rely heavily on the courage and perseverance of the Michael Yons of the world. Thank you again, Michael.

"Breathtaking"

Ralph Peters (retired army officer) writes in the NY Post today about the distasteful policies of the Democratic Left. The obvious motivations to sacrifice all that has been the Iraq war in order to gain political power. Here are some lines from his article:

Increasingly, quitting looks like the new American Way of War. No matter how great your team, you can't win the game if you walk off the field at half-time. That's precisely what the Democratic Party wants America to do in Iraq. Forget the fact that we've made remarkable progress under daunting conditions: The Dems are looking to throw the game just to embarrass the Bush administration.

America's security? Hah! As long as the upcoming elections show Democratic gains, let the terrorist threat explode. So what if hundreds of thousands of Middle Easterners might die in a regional war? So what if violent fundamentalism gets a shot of steroids? So what if we make Abu Musab al-Zarqawi the most successful Arab of the past 500 years?

For God's sake, don't talk about democracy in the Middle East. After all, democracy wasn't much fun for the Dems in 2000 or 2004. Why support it overseas, when it's been so disappointing at home?

The irresponsibility of the Democrats on Capitol Hill is breathtaking. (How can an honorable man such as Joe Lieberman stay in that party?) Not one of the critics of our efforts in Iraq — not one — has described his or her vision for Iraq and the Middle East in the wake of a troop withdrawal. Not one has offered any analysis of what the terrorists would gain and what they might do. Not one has shown respect for our war dead by arguing that we must put aside our partisan differences and win.

There's plenty I don't like about the Bush administration. Its domestic policies disgust me, and the Bushies got plenty wrong in Iraq. But at least they'll fight. The Dems are ready to betray our troops, our allies and our country's future security for a few House seats.

We won't even talk about the effect quitting while we're winning in Iraq might have on the go-to-war calculations of other powers that might want to challenge us in the future. Let's just be good Democrats and prove that Osama bin Laden was right all along: Americans have no stomach for a fight.

History Behind the Iraq War

Mudville Gazette has compiled an extensive timeline leading up the Iraq War. It reminds us that the Iraq war was not inspired by 9/11. It had been building throughout the 90's. September 11th only served to teach us that we cannot take the risk of containing these threats.

"One of the most blatant - and most effective - examples has been the highly successful propagation of the idea that the war in Iraq began as a misguided result of the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11th 2001. To achieve this feat of near-universal denial requires the dismissing of over a decade of real history - years in which a handful of Americans drew a line in the sand on distant shores - a line crossed repeatedly and re-drawn too frequently by too many hands to be forgotten so swiftly."

James Lileks on Hugh Hewitt's Radio Show

Here is the transcript. I feel the same way. "They can't seriously be talking about this..."

HH: I'm joined now by James Lileks. He is a columnist extraordinaire for the Newhouse News Service, Minneapolis Star Tribune, one of the most widely read internet sites in America, Lileks.com, author of many such books. And today, not a funny guy, though he normally is. James, what do you make of this week?

JL: I've had it with a lot of them. And if this wasn't serious, I'd be sitting back laughing. But it's not something to laugh about. What we have here is every single cliche that the left has been hammering into a sheet of tin since the beginning, made true. 1. Quagmire. We actually have a quagmire now, except it's a political quagmire of will. 2. We have the brual Afghan winter, except it's manifesting itself here as a brain freeze in the Senate, which appears to be a collection of the most obsequious, boozebags, clucksers and well-oiled weather vanes that we've ever seen leading this country. You can even throw in a plastic turkey, because that's pretty much what they've shown themselves to be. What is astonishing about this is that the people who are responsible, and who have their hands on the lever of power, have chosen this moment in history to reveal themselves as being incapable of understanding A) what happened, B) what is happening now, and C) what will happen if they continue on their course of action. In other words, they misunderstand the past, the present, and the future. It's astonishing.

HH: Let's talk about each of those. What have they forgotten?

JL: Well first of all, this preposterous argument that we've been going on for the last God knows how long about Iraq and al Qaeda and 9/11, and that whole context, has been completely forgotten. If you read the papers and you listen to Harry Reid bleating about the fact that the president had the audacity to strike back at what the people saying...the entire Democratic Party seems to believe that the nation of Iraq was formed out of whole cloth and imagination in 2003, for the sole purpose of having an invasion, so we could go over there and fail. That seems to be it. They've forgotten entirely what their party and everything in the media who had access to a newspaper knew about Iraq in the 90's. All right? So to completely obliterate that context is not only an act of astonishing stupidity, it is dangerous. It's stands up in the context of saying it completely ignores what we went through in the 90's, and what we were facing after 9/11. There's a piece that Powerline linked to today. It's an interview with an Iraqi arms inspector, and I think in Front Page Mag. And it's just...gruesome detail about what was going on, and the way that they were shifting their stuff around, and what we knew about their capabilities. And to have that argument at this point is just stunning.

Terrorist Victory

This is not an over-reaction. The US senate gave the terrorist their first victory this week with an amendment stating:

"2006 is designated as 'a period of significant transition to full sovereignty . . . thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq.' "

Read Betsy's post emphasizing senator McCain's article in the NY Post.

My Message:
The terrorist can only win their War on Freedom if the American people become weak and tired of the war. And this amendment demonstrates that they might have a chance at victory. What does victory for the terrorists mean? It means that Iraq falls into chaos and becomes the new Afghanistan. It means shelter and safehaven for those who want to kill Americans. It means 2000+ of our bravest men and women died for nothing. It means no nation on the planet will be afraid to attack the weak United States or any other country, for that matter. It means more terrorist attack on US citizens. It means we're back to September 10, 2001, when we thought we couldn't be hurt by them over there.

Victory for the terrorists is not an option, and we should be ashamed that we are giving them hope. We must support Iraq so that it will never be 9/10/01 ever again.

Another type of "Temporary Guest Worker"

I'm sure Walt Gaya is not in the same immigration status for which the phrase "temporary guest worker" was coined. But this story from Michael Yon brings awareness to non-US citizens fighting for freedom in the United States Military. Tell me there aren't other stories out there besides "Car bomb kills...". This story bring us two pieces of information. 1) Brave man and women, who do not yet have their US citizenship, are sacrificing their lives along with their comrades so that we may live the American Dream. And 2) There is an audience out there for good stories. Unfortunately the road to this audience goes through the gauntlet of the liberal mainstream media. Michael tells us that, when the Associated Press picks up a story, the story makes it to the great audience of the mainstream media. And the audience relishes it. If this audience had the means to get their information from alternative media, they would hear of these heroic and tragic stories regularly. And they would have the information necessary to make informed decision. Instead, they are deluged with the negative, and feel powerless to act.

And God bless you, Walt Gaya, and all of those who have sacrificed for America.

If I were a ghost writer...

...I'd be Lorie Byrd. Clear and to the point. The democratic strategy that puts congressional power above victor over terrorism (and the lives of the citizens of the United States) is coming crumbling down. And it's about time.

Don't miss the RNC video link on her post. Now that I think of it, when was the last time I heard about the RNC?

Un-writing Re-written History

It's about time, President Bush. Hope it isn't too late. Here is a good post containing a small piece of the important message the President is finally conveying, Bush Lays the Wood to Terrorists, Democrats. Go read it. It's short. Hear the President's voice, because you may not hear it elsewhere.

My 2 cents:
If you've read some of my posts, you know I am a supporter of President Bush's strategy for winning the War on Terror. Yes, Strategy. I know the strategy. I listened to the President before we removed the Taliban from Afghanistan. I listened to the President before we invaded Iraq. And his message has not changed. Take out the terrorists, and those who support them, before they can take us out.

But his political opponents are capitalizing on the population's short-term memory. By making false charges about "misleading intelligence", the democrats have convinced a majority that the President "lied to take us to war". Of coarse, this is not true, but if the citizenry get this message only, over and over again, from every direction, then they will start to question their memory. "The war was about WMD" is another misleading statement that the Democrats have convinced the American people of. What I heard the President say was, that Iraq was just part of a Global War on Terror. Iraq was just one source of terrorists, and terrorist aids. And today's reinforcing message is that Everyone agreed before the war that Iraq was a threat. And Everyone agreed after the war was started that Iraq was the party that was misleading Everyone. Believe it because it's the truth. The truth spoken by both political parties and by other nations around the globe.

You're Welcome

Undoubtedly, this is a marketing campaign for tourism and industry. But you have to believe there is sincerity in the message, too.

Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) launches national ad campaign in the US

Find me someone who has debunked this.

Norman Podhoretz goes blue in the face re-re-reitereating why this war is not "George Bush's War". But at this point, you gotta believe no one is listening.

This is via Instapundit. My portal to the blogosphere.

Which has greater significance?

Which got more coverage?

Anti-U.S. Protests Flare at Summit
150,000 Demonstrate Against Al Qaida in Morocco

Tell Me Why They Are Rioting

I have had two thoughts throughout the Paris riots. 1) why has the main stream media been reluctant to mention that a large portion of the rioters are Muslim? and 2) Tell me more!

Somewhere in the area of 40% of the rioters are Muslim. Yet, the media seems to mention this as an aside halfway through their report. In contrast, the words "predominantly black neighborhood" were used quite frequently in reference to the New Orleans disaster. No conclusion needs to be drawn from the fact that they are Muslim. But is is a significant fact, and it should be stated, as it may become significant.

And most of the reports I have seen from the AP and Reuters have been described "250 cars burned, 2 schools burned, youths" etc. There is more to this story. Are they rioting in the name of Islam? Are they truly "youths"? Clive Davis has done a nice jobof putting these riots in perspective (France-1, France-2). He has helped me gain some knowledge of the situation. In a nutshell, these neighborhoods were areas off-limits to the French authority. They were self governed by gangs. The government decided it had gone on too long and decided to take back authority. And the gangs resisted. So they are gangs - young people who had been free from the law and now they are resisting. From this perspective, the Muslim aspect is not a factor. But it is still a fact and should not be minimized as it could become a factor.

Shhh... They're Muslim.

Today, we live in a world where the main stream media can't say that the riots in Paris are in an Muslim community. For seven days, now there has been violence and rioting in the suburbs of Paris. A suburb "five miles from the Elysee Palace. Five miles from where Jacques Chirac sits." And a suburb that is predonenetly Muslim. A poor, state funded, welfare suburb that is heavily unemployed, and essentially lawless. The above quote is from an eye opening interview of Mark Steyn by Hugh Hewitt. The gist of the conversation is about the nature of these rioting communities and how the main stream media has been reluctant about telling it's audience that these riots have a heavy Muslim population. Why does it need to be hidden several paragraphs into the article?

Media and Perception with France

Here's an interesting post from Roger Simon that made me think. An American living in France tells about how there are more pro-Americans in France than you might think. I guess I've been duped again. Since I hear "French opinion" through their media, I perceive that the French are anti-American. The French media are liberal, and they support their government. Alternatively, I imagine that the French (and others outside of America) get their information from our media, a liberal establishment that is biased against our ruling political party. So, to me, it looks like "the French" hate us. And to them, they see a negatively slanted view of Americans, which only encourages them to hate us. But as I should know by now, there is more to the story than is presented in the main stream media.

A side note: This post also demonstrates the effectiveness of weblog technology. The body of the referred to post presents a view of French law. Multiple commentors correct those statements. This supports the theory that blogs are self regulating which preserves legitimacy

The Obvious is Not-So Obvious to All

Jeff Jacoby couldn't say it any more clearly. You may not be getting the whole story.

----------
WHAT WAS the most important news out of Iraq last week?

That depends on what you consider ''important." Do you see the war against radical Islam and Ba'athist fascism as the most urgent conflict of our time? Do you believe that replacing tyranny with democratic self-government is ultimately the only antidote to the poison that has made the Middle East so dangerous and violent? If so, you'll have no trouble identifying the most significant development in Iraq last week: the landslide victory of the new Iraqi Constitution.
...

But that isn't how the mainstream media saw it.

Consider The Washington Post. On the morning after the results of the Iraqi referendum were announced, the Post's front page was dominated by a photograph, stretched across four columns, of three daughters at the funeral of their father, Lieutenant Colonel Leon James II, who had died from injuries suffered during a Sept. 26 bombing in Baghdad. Two accompanying stories, both above the fold, were headlined ''Military Has Lost 2,000 in Iraq" and ''Bigger, Stronger, Homemade Bombs Now to Blame for Half of US Deaths." A nearby graphic -- ''The Toll" -- divided the 2,000 deaths by type of military service -- active duty, National Guard, and Reserves.
...

But that isn't a message Big Media cares to emphasize. Hostile to the war and to the administration conducting it, the nation's leading news outlets harp on the negative and pessimistic, consistently underplaying all that is going right in Iraq. Their fixation on the number of troops who have died outweighs their interest in the cause for which those fallen heroes fought -- a cause that advanced with the ratification of the new constitution.
----------

Read the whole thing.

Politics is Short Sighted

The continuous attacks on the Bush administration over the war in Iraq are political games being played with the lives of the Iraqi people, US soldiers and the citizens of this great country. Look at this little collection of from 1998 and tell me why we shouldn't be united in completing our goal to rid the world of terrorism.
---------

(11) On August 14, 1998, President Clinton signed Public Law 105-235, which declared that `the Government of Iraq is in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations' and urged the President `to take appropriate action, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws of the United States, to bring Iraq into compliance with its international obligations.'...

It is the sense of the Congress that once the Saddam Hussein regime is removed from power in Iraq, the United States should support Iraq's transition to democracy by providing immediate and substantial humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, by providing democracy transition assistance to Iraqi parties and movements with democratic goals, and by convening Iraq's foreign creditors to develop a multilateral response to Iraq's foreign debt incurred by Saddam Hussein's regime.

***********

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to President Clinton. - (D) Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, others, October 9, 1998

-------
This is not President Bush's war. This is America's war, started by the American government, started to protect the American people, started long before George W. arrived in the white house. We need America to finish the fight. Politics is poisoning the war. Iran is a threat. Syria is a threat. And how deterred can they feel when they see such a divided foe? The anti-war, anti-democratic-Iraq forces of the democratic party are inspiring the terrorists who are killing US soldiers and innocent Iraqi people every day. We need to win this war. Politics stands in the way.

And you thought it only happened in America

"Jacques Chirac Doesn't Care about Black People."

Riots in Paris Suburb caused by two teenage boys who were electricuted while running away from the police.

I Love Pols

And Polls. Go here and vote for or against the new Supreme Court Nomination. Then see how other Geoffoshpere viewers voted! (Note: after you vote, you don't need to enter an e-mail. There's a link at the bottom to skip it.)

Hugh Hewitt's Poll Link

Where's the outrage?

I know it's not US soldiers putting panties on terrorist heads, but don't you think we ought to be aware of acts like this?

"...assailants in black beheaded three teenage Christian girls."

"The victims were identified as Yarni Sambue (15) Interesia Morangke (16) and Alfita Paulina (19). The survivor has been identified as Noviana Malewa, who is currently in intensive care at a nearby hospital.

The bodies of the girls were left at the site of the attack near a cocoa plantation. The heads were found at separate locations two hours later by residents, said Adj. Comr. Rais Adam, the Central Sulawesi Police spokesman.

One of the heads was found near a church."

Where's the coverage? Where are your Senetors, now? This is the enemy! Chopping of teenage girls heads! Keep your eye on the ball. This the War on Terror.

"Hello?!" -T. Kennedy

Shouldn't this be a bigger headline than Scooter's non-espionage inditement, or Exxon profits?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during a conference on Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005 in Tehran entitled 'The World without Zionism.' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday that Israel should be 'wiped off the map'....

This is why it's a little scary to me.

"The fact that Iran has had for years a clandestine nuclear weapons program makes the Iranian statements about eliminating Israel all that more serious," said government spokesman Dore Gold

The President of Iran! Not some guy on the street or just some far out member of the government. The President said this. If the President of Iran says this, don't you this there's something behind it? Like a next step? I do. And it scares me.

Whoa...

Here's a chilling piece from Charles Krauthammer. Here are some snippits, but you should read the whole thing (it's not long). I keep hearing about the Bird Flu. It sounds scary, but it's still hard to believe. But I recall a time when I didn't think a skyscrape could be knocked down, either...

- U.S. scientists have just created a living, killing copy of the 1918 "Spanish" flu
- The Spanish flu has not been seen on this blue planet for 85 years
-...they pulled off a microbiological Jurassic Park: the first-ever resurrection of an ancient pathogen.
- We have brought back to life an agent of near-biblical destruction.
-...its entire genome has also now been published
- ...the 1918 flu was bird flu, "the most bird-like of all mammalian flu viruses," says Jeffery Taubenberger
- We are essentially in a life-or-death race with the bird flu.
- ...resurrection of the virus and publication of its structure open the gates of hell.
-Why try to steal loose nukes in Russia? A nuke can only destroy a city. The flu virus, properly evolved, is potentially a destroyer of civilizations.

Michelle Says it All about MSM

Michelle Malkin's post about MSM coverage of yesterday's terrorist attack in Chechnya is the post I would have written had I had time to write. I heard this story on NPR yesterday AM and heard "rebels attack". I listened for the nature of the "rebels" and, about 2 min. in, I finally heard the word "Islamic".

What is MSM's reluctance to say the word "Terrorist" or to clearly state that these mass murders are linked to the word "Islam"? It is probably related to the reason President Bush had not clearly associated these words with the violence until last week. Call a spade a spade. Political correctness is a blindfold. If a white man goes on a shooting spree in a post offic, say he was a "white man". If a black man shoots up a liquor store, say he was a "black man". If islamic terrorist kill 300 men, women and children, say it was "Islamic Terrorists".

Miers

Everything you wanted to know about SCOTUS nominee Harriet Miers but were afraid to ask, and should have been afraid to ask, and will probably regret ever thinking of asking, and will probably make you think seriously about ever asking for anything ever again!

Great table of Pros and Cons on the Miers nomination from many sources.

A couple examples of why I get my news from blogs

The stigma that blogs are just people's opinions and ranting is incorrect. Many blogs are purely editorial. Mind is probably quite editorial. But the blogs that I frequent for news and information are, in my opinion, news site.

Today, for example, I quickly found two stories I had not yet heard. Both at the LGF site (this site was at the forefront of exposing the Dan Rather "Fake but Accurate" memo story):

This one is a link to an editorial in an Australian newspaper and it mentions, "Five days before the slaughter in Bali, nine Islamists were arrested in Paris for reportedly plotting to attack the Metro."

And this one about the Palestinian situation. This one emphasized one of the reasons for the Israeli pull-out of the Gaza strip. Let them govern themselves (if they can). "More than three dozen Palestinian police officers broke into the parliament building in Gaza City on Monday, firing in the air to protest a lack of bullets and equipment in what they said was a humiliating confrontation with Hamas."

Sure there are comments and opinions and agendas on blogs. But once backed up by public accounts the and the free press, many of which do not make it to the "most popular" yahoo articles, blogs find their way into being sources of news and information that would otherwise be difficult to find.

It's as simple as that.

Hugh Hewitt exposes the root of current MSM (main stream media). Shock and Awe. No research. No corroboration. No conscience to strive for the truth. And if you only get your information from this source, you're not getting the whole story. Because their goal is not to get you the whole story. It's to get ratings. It's as simple as that.

Here's Hugh from a Powerline post:

"If all of that amount of resources was given over to this story and they got it wrong, how can we trust American media in a place far away like Iraq where they don't speak the language, where there is an insurgency, and I think the question comes back we really can't."

And here's Hugh's article at the Weekly Standard.

The news isn't going to bring you the news. You're gonna have to go get it.

The Unabomer and the Singularity

Just by the very fact that I can be reading and seeing and learning this information so quickly and clearly is a sign of the great advancements in technology. I am continually astounded by our access to information!

The Belmont Club has a piece about groups that are against civilization and technology advancement. As you read it, if you read instability or this blog, you think about how this is in conflict with the Singularity. And as he so often does, Wretchard leads you right into that thought. He points out that Ted Kaczynski was anti-technology. You can read his Industrial Society and Its Future, The Unabomer Manifesto at Wikipedia.com

Hey, Ted was anti-leftist!

Your only source for news on the war is Blogs

Here is a great report of military activities over the last month in Iraq.

The main stream media news reports about the war do not convey the whole story. It is a shame that the general public does not hear stories about success in Iraq or Afghanistan. The only source for clear reporting on the war is on Blogs. Sites like The Belmont Club, Micheal Yon, The Forth Rail and many others collect and analyze reports from the department of defense, AP and all other international sources to create reports on the status and progress of the nation's war. No one likes being at war. But we must win the war. And we are winning the war. So read these sites. It is our responsibility to look for information as we cannot rely on the old media to provide all of the information out there. Remember that we're fighting because we were attacked and that war was declared on US. And we must defend ourselves, at home and abroad.

Honor the very first heroes

This will be tough to watch, but I have to say, these were the first true heroes of the war on terror; The war to save freedom and democracy. Probably even before the heroic fire fighters and police arrived to give their lives at the twin towers in New York.

"This is the reason why the Islamofascists cannot win - because ordinary people, our brothers, sisters, parents, children, friends - can and will rise up to the challenge when the circumstances call."

Why They Didn't Get Water

This is the first story I have see about why water and food was not brought to the Superdome. Basically, the state wanted to evacuate them and didn't want the send a message they the people would be staying and waiting out the flood. (HH: Hugh Hewitt, MG: Major Garrett)

MG: Well, the Red Cross, Hugh, had pre-positioned a literal vanguard of trucks with water, food, blankets and hygiene items. They're not really big into medical response items, but those are the three biggies that we saw people at the New Orleans Superdome, and the convention center, needing most accutely. And all of us in America, I think, reasonably asked ourselves, geez. You know, I watch hurricanes all the time. And I see correspondents standing among rubble and refugees and evacuaees. But I always either see that Red Cross or Salvation Army truck nearby. Why don't I see that?

HH: And the answer is?

MG: The answer is the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security, that is the state agency responsible for that state's homeland security, told the Red Cross explicitly, you cannot come.

And here is the FOX NEWS video

The Singularity

Technologies today are limited by human thougth. The Singularity is when technology evolves to a point where it can improve itself faster than humans can think of technology improvements. Here's an interview with an author who has written about the Singularity.

"Intelligent nanorobots will be deeply integrated in our bodies, our brains, and our environment, overcoming pollution and poverty, providing vastly extended longevity, full-immersion virtual reality incorporating all of the senses, “experience beaming,” and vastly enhanced human intelligence."

Senator McCain Clearly States It

This is why we are in Iraq. It's the main reason we went in and the main reason we can't leave until the job is done. Every time the subject of getting out of Iraq comes up, this is what needs to be said.

"If we fail in Iraq, it will be cataclysmic. You'll see factionalization and eventual Muslim extremism and terrorist breeding grounds that would, I believe, pose a direct threat to the security of the United States. And I'm very glad that the American people -- understandably dissatisfied, understandably frustrated -- still, the majority of them don't think we ought to cut and run."

This is the "constitutional" reason we are there. "Spreading Democracy " is our tool. "Freeing people" is a result. (Powerline)

Live News

There is a lot of talk about how blogs bring citizen jouranlism into reality. Nothing demonstrated this more than a catastrophy. The tsunami was the first experience for me. But Hurricane Katrina is also a great example. I've enjoyed the perspective of Justin on the hurricane.

Pundit Guy is a good example of aiding in the source for live coverage.

Fear US

You may disagree with why we went to Iraq. But when it is said that leaving now will embolden the enemy, this is what they are referring to:

But your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; where -- after vigorous
propaganda about the power of the USA and its post cold war leadership of the
new world order -- you moved tens of thousands of international force,
including twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when
tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was
dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment,
humiliation, defeat and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the
whole world threatening and promising revenge , but these threats were merely
a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you
withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It
was a pleasure for the "heart" of every Muslim and a remedy to the
"chests" of believing nations to see you defeated in the three
Islamic cities of Beirut , Aden and Mogadishu.
- Osama Bin Laden. August, 1996

There are several reasons to stay in Iraq. This is one of the most important.

Again, Michael Yon has brought the war home. If OBL is reading, he's seeing and hearing what our military is made of. And he should be scared. CSM Prosser

Bush's vacation reading

Here is a list of the books President Bush is reading right now. This is an interesting concept:


For most of recorded history, salt was synonymous with wealth. It established trade routes and cities. Adventurers searched for it. Merchants hoarded it. Governments taxed it. Nations went to war over it.

"It seems very silly now, all of the struggles for salt," Kurlansky said. "It's quite probable that some day, people will read about our struggles for oil and have the same reaction."


He is also reading a flu book. I haven't been able to get concern about avian flu, yet. Maybe because I just can't comprehend such a mass spread of a disease. It's scary as hell, but too intangible to get emotionally involved. I'll keep my ear to the ground.

Multiculturalism

From a Michael Barone article on "mulitculturalism". He talks about the transformation of a country when people immigrate but don't assimilate. Here are a couple quotes that I found interesting:

Multiculturalism is based on the lie that all cultures are morally equal.

The nonagenarian W.F. Deedes, a journalist since the 1930s, perhaps summed it up best: "The reputation we have in distant lands, I have learned in my travels, is higher than we give ourselves. They admire us for our social stability, our parliamentary and diplomatic experience, for fair play, for tolerance, for a willingness to help lame dogs over stiles, as well as for some of the qualities Shakespeare sang about in his plays."

Tony Parkinson quoted the French writer Jean Francois Revel's Cold War comment: "A civilization that feels guilty for everything it is and does will lack the energy and conviction to defend itself."

As Close as You Can Get

Read Michael Yon. I can't stress this enough. Brilliant. Fascinating. Stunning. Courageous. Frightening. Inspiring. He's a journalist riding with the military in Mosul, Iraq. This is as close as you can feel to being there as an observer. Now, go. Read. And keep going back, no matter how much it takes.

Excepts from Jungle Law

“I walked back through the dark and did the radio interview by cell phone. During such interviews, I get the impression that people at home are losing faith in the effort, though we are winning.”

though we are winning.
though we are winning.
though we are winning.... (echo's in the darkness.)

“But at home they cannot see it, and when I said goodbye that time, I sat in the dark.”


“Next day, we drove back to the same police station using a different route, and met with the Chief to discuss security for the upcoming elections. Minutes after we left the meeting, a terrorist sniper shot and killed PFC Nils Thompson.

“There was no time to stop and grieve. The missions continued. They had to. Hitting the enemy. More than I can ever write. Too much happens here too fast. Despite the brisk pace, as the distance of days unfurled, conversations went back to that IED. Then, finally, I woke up early one morning, waiting by my cell phone for a scheduled radio interview, when a gigantic explosion rocked the morning darkness. That was more than a five-banger.”

Seems cold, to just glance off a man being killed - our man - our hero- someone's son. But this is war. He is our hero.

“That night, there was an important memorial for Nils Thompson, the soldier who had been killed by a sniper. Soldiers had labored for days, and into the nights, to make a fitting ceremony for young Nils Thompson. Top officers, a General among them, came to the ceremony. Though he'd just turned 19, Thompson already had earned respect from officers and men in the unit. Many quiet tears marked the true pain of the loss. A few soldiers wondered, Do people at home even care?”

I care. “Thank You” cannot convey the gratitude I feel for your sacrifices. May God bless and protect you.

"You believe when you're in its warm embrace"

If you're not checking The Belmont Club regularly (or better yet, subscribing to the RSS feed), you're missing out. I found this at The Belmont club accompanied by Wretchard's excellent complimentary analysis. But Nick Colman bluntly and clearly summarizes my outlook on the liberal, contradictory, hypocritical left.

"Why is it right to support a free market in sexual relationships but oppose free-market economics, for instance? But his criticisms would have little impact. It's like a religion: the contradictions are obvious to outsiders but don't disturb the faithful. You believe when you're in its warm embrace."

I would be remiss in not postulating that I too may be in the warm embrace of the neo-consphere. But I try to peek out of the windows of my church. This is the most critical aspect of debate. We can still have debate without the current leftist agenda. There is plenty to discuss just in the current state of affairs. How do we win in Iraq? How do we excel in the global economy? Why is gas so expensive? I don't have answers to the second two questions, and the rhetoric from the left is unintelligible. (I believe we are winning in Iraq.) Let's stop the name-calling. Debate with facts.

Ahhh.. The UN. Endless Fodder for Jokes

Jakes Lileks is a brilliantly cleaver writer. Here's just a taste from his fictional account of John Bolton's first day at the UN:

4:07 -- At the cafeteria, Bolton gets a doughnut and a cup of coffee; the cashier informs him she'll put it on the U.S. tab. Bolton insists on paying himself; she shrugs and asks for $428.26.

Too Easy!

Does NASA Have a Monopoly on Woman Engineers?

I watch a lot of NASA TV and follow many of their high profile missions. I'm also a mechanical engineer who has been in the semiconductor industry for about 10 yrs. I've probably worked with 75 to 100 fellow engineers as co-workers, customers and suppliers. In my experience, I've only with about 5 female engineers. Also, at the University of ME for my BS and at the UMass Lowell for my MS, I have only had about 5 female fellow students. But when I watch NASA TV, there has got to be a 2-1 ratio of men to women!

Here's a photo of the Mars Rovers Team. I guess it's a figment of my imagination (or they trot the women out for the cameras).

Update: Mission Managers Maybe they're all just in-charge.

Let me add, that I by in no means think this is unfair. If I could get one of these jobs, I'd take it in a heartbeat (for the science, not the women, of coarse). More power to them. Of coarse, if they get the job because of their gender over a man of greater intellect, then that's wrong.

Well Said

Roger Simon has a good point here.

"People I know who know Bolton, however, pooh-pooh this as partisan slander, saying Bolton is actually a nice guy. But I hope they are wrong. If there is one thing that pseudo-idealistic kleptocracy the United Nations needs right now, it is some rudeness... a solid blast of bigtime rudeness that doesn't stop until all the Oil-for-Food swilling kleptocrats are blown out of their troughs at the Secretariat building."

Check out Roger's blog often.

Carnival of Personal Finance

A brief lesson for the newbie: "Carnival" in the blogoshpere refers to a site that collects a bunch of related sites and articles and puts them "under one tent".

Here is one that I'd like to have more time to read. So here's a link so I can come back to it when I find (make) time.

Carnival of Personal Finance

Real Space Exploration

Real space exploration will come when the private sector can afford to venture into space. Imagine the missions people will embark upon when the human spirit of adventure is released. People will vie to be: The first space tourist. The first private person to circle the moon. The first to circle Venus, or Mars. Who want to be first to visit Saturn? The first to give a first hand perspective of the sun as he plummets to his fiery death. The first to start a factory in space. These were some of the motivations of the first ocean bound explorers. Most of which ultimately died due to their quest for fame and fortune. How many people were killed trying to fly? But it is this spirit of adventure that will yield discoveries at a greatly accelerated pace.

Sign me up!

I've heard talk of citizen involvement in the War on Terror, but I've been seeing more of it recently. Sounds like a very good idea. President Bush says, "Stay Vigilant". Often you hear, "What does that mean?" Well looks like examples are coming, and they're coming from citizen action, not the federal government.

I'm all for it. These are serious times we are living in. Keeping your eyes open is one thing. Knowing what to look for and what to do if you see something is essential to making it work. I often wonder if I see "something" will I act? Will I know how to act? If it were obvious, then anyone would call the police. But are there less obvious things that I might say, "That is weird… but probably nothing. I don't want to bother someone if it's nothing. Probably nothing..." No one wants to be a nuisance. No one wants to cry wolf. But we want to help. We want to be involved.

Lots of good stuff at Daily Pundit. Great banner. Never Forget.

(HT: Instapundit, Daily Pundit)

So Much to Read. So Little Time.

Six months after my introduction to blogs, I'm still amazed at the information and perspective out there. How did I live without it?

This one is brilliant. Michael Von is increadable. Infomative and Exciting. Riventing. Stunning photography. It's a real-time novel of the heros who are sharing the power and glory of freedom. Thank you, Michael. And thank you to the heros that you chronicle.

(HT: Instapundit, Chrenkoff)

I Beg to Differ

Sky News reports on the 7/21 bombing in London:

"Police have said the incidents are not a serious as the July 7 attacks."

I beg to differ. These bombings are far more serious. Bombers capable of attacks 2 weeks after previous attacks are much scarier than those that had had years to plan. With the crackdowns, police presence and leads following the 7/7 bombings, the terrorists should have been on the run, in hiding or in custody. The terrorist network of Britain is much stronger than press reports had indicated.

Hope

Where it ends, nobody knows.
But concession is not the answer.
Failure is not an option.

Recently I was talking to a friend of mine. We were having a conversation about fighting terror and he concluded, “I don’t see an end to terrorism, ever, sadly.” This hit me hard. How can there be so little hope? Such a bleak vision of the future? This is not the attitude of freedom. It’s the despair of oppression. Freedom has never come to those who despair. Our country and our ideology were founded on courage and persistence. Both of which underlined by the unifying charter that man longs to be free. So where does my friend’s pessimism come from? Reality? Youth (he just turned 21)? Politics? Some of each, I suppose. Reality is scary and daunting. The future is dark and we cannot see far. But youth has not had the opportunity to see time go by. To look back on long periods in their lives and see the great changes possible when time spins her yarn. Finally, my friend nobly believes in good of humanity. He believes in a world where human helps human helps human. His chosen leadership in this vision, though, is the left side of the Democratic Party. The ideological, socialist left. The entertainment and wealthy influential left. Unfortunately, the strategy of this leadership is to use despair as motivation for their cause. They make people feel that the world is beyond hope. And those responsible are the current leadership. The only hope for the future is to change the leadership. So they use despair en masse as a tool to gain control. But the awful ramification of this technique is that good, smart, people with great futures ahead can fall from the wagon of hope.

Do not despair, for there is hope.
Hope lies in freedom.
Hope lies in courage.

The Natural Frequency of Victory

Natural frequency is an oscillation in a moving system at which point each consecutive movement creates a greater oscillation. If a system stays at it’s natural frequency, the forces within the system will exceed the maximum values of strength and the system will fail. We are approaching the natural frequency at which Muslim society will begin to fail. The imbalance in the Muslims society is causing failure. You’re starting to see it. It is the path to the end.

As usual, The Belmont Club expertly describes the situation. Don’t miss his conclusion.

And Austin Bay points out more fracture.

Maybe this is more like the tickle in your nose before a sneeze. Hopefully the sneeze will come and the germ will be ejected from the body.

No One is Innocent, Anymore

We talk about the tragedy of the innocent people killed in London, Madrid, New York, etc. But by who’s definition are they innocent. And whose definition matters? In the eyes of the terrorist Muslim, these people are not innocent. They are guilty of being an infidel. And that’s all that matters for them to justify their death sentence. We should look at the attacks in this way, as this is how our enemy sees us. “Innocence” is a cover story for our society. And it shelters us from the truth. A truth that must be faced in order to defeat our enemy.

And we must take this mindset with the terrorist. No more Radical Muslims, or Muslim Extremist. No more Peaceful Muslims either. If those on the trains are not innocent in the eyes of the killing, then Muslims who do not help fight for freedom in the face of terror are guilty. No more protection for the silent. Silence from the group that can put an end to this barbarism. The tide is turning. I have heard it. I can see it. The solution is in the hands of the Muslims. The only solution.

If you haven’t noticed, this is a fundamental principle of a free society. We work together to make and keep law and order. I report a crime. Police investigate, witnesses testify, the perpetrator is tried and if found guilty, punished. And a free society lives by freedom and punishment. There is no punishment from the Muslim society. It’s as if I killed a convicted child murder and you saw me? Would you look the other way? You might want to look the other way. But our system is founded on laws and is only supported by the society living within those laws. The terrorists are killing and the one group who can testify and thereby dispense justice is looking the other way. Why? Are they afraid of the killers? Or do they in some way support the actions of the terrorist? Either way, they are guilty.

Don't Underestimate

Related to yesterday’s post, we cannot let our guard down with this enemy. They are strong, and willful. They don’t believe they will lose. They don’t believe they are the under dogs. I found this quote on The Belmont Club by Winston Churchill:

“If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed, if you will not fight when your victory will be 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 small 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.”

“…you may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves.” This is the motivational call by the terrorists. So we share some motivation. But we don’t share doubt. We don’t share reason. “How can we defeat a few extremists?” So few can do so much. And we say, “How can they think they can win?” They don’t reason.

A Great Man

One day, the world will know him as a great man. I've gotta read more of this, but at least the beginning of this interview with President GWB is refreshing. For those of us who believe in him, this will not come as a surprise. For those who do not, it will fall on deaf ears.

"In person Mr Bush is so far removed from the caricature of the dim, war-mongering Texas cowboy of global popular repute that it shakes one’s faith in the reliability of the modern media."

UPDATE: I see I am not alone on my feelings of Massachusetts and President Bush. Thank you, Bill Roggio, for your observation and perspective.

Failure is easier than success

This has been bugging me for a while, now. Specifically at work, but I think it is in politics, too. Especially in Massachusetts. Sub-consciously, we hope to fail. It’s easier to fail. We like to see each other fail. Look at our entertainment. The Simpson’s. Seinfeld. Other's failures make us feel better. Even at the cost of the company or the state or the republic. I'd like to write a lot more about Massachusetts politics, but in a nutshell, the citizens of the state complain about the affairs, yet they don't make the changes on Election Day. So a super-majority rules the state with impunity. Pay hikes, hack jobs, government regulated industries. We love it, here in Massachusetts. It gives us something to bitch about. The Red Sox were our biggest crutch. Every year we could count on our dosage of disappointment. We didn't know what to do if we won. How do we celebrate? It's so much easier to bitch and complain. It's so much easier to second guess and make the leader a scapegoat. It’s much easier not to take responsibility. And this attitude discourages leaders! Why should I stick my neck out? I know the wolves are out there waiting to attack. If we don't start taking responsibility, if we don't start encouraging leadership, we're driving full speed toward despair. And everyone’s got their mouths shut.

The Defeatist Caucus

UPDATE: Here's a nice compliment to this post. Nobody's Perfect

Stay the course. Fight for freedom

I'm not gonna delve into the speeches or the facts. Surfice it to say, we need to make this work. Check out this site and do what you can. Thank you.

America Supports You

It's General Sherman!

Ok, it's taken this long for a Simpson's reference on this page. And if you know me, this would be astonishing. But I think this guy caught General Sherman! Hope he wasn't on a marriage retreat.

My favorite line of this episode.

 At the bait shop...
 
 Clerk: Yep, `General Sherman'.  They say he's five hundred pounds of
        bottom-dwelling fury, don't you know.  No one knows how old he is, but
        if you ask me (and most people do), he's hundred years if he's a day.
 Customer: And uh no one's ever caught him?
 Clerk: Well, one fella came close.  Went by the name of Homer.  Seven feet
        tall he was, with arms like tree trunks.  His eyes were like steel,
        cold, hard. Had a shock of hair, red like the fires of Hell.
 -- The making of a legend, ``War of the Simpsons''

Engineers...

Engineers: Everything we see, everything we touch, we think we can make better. We "discover" what's "wrong" with a design in 2 seconds. But most of us don't start our own website. We just bore our wives and non-engineer friend with these observations.

P.S. Bad web design. ;)

AP Cardio

Nothing like a little AP reading to get your blood going at lunchtime.

But Democrats worry that Republicans want to get rid of judicial filibusters so the White House can use the Senate's GOP majority to ram through a nominee that Democrats will find extreme and objectionable. If such a move were to succeed, it would give the GOP full control over which nominees could be confirmed for lifetime judgeships since the party controls the White House and has a 55-44-1 majority in the Senate.

I object to the word RAM. Ram? 55-44-1 is a majority. Majority rules.

"If Republicans roll back our rights in this chamber, there will be no check on their power," Reid said.

RIGHT? Majority rules. That’s the RIGHT.

But more importantly, both sides would have to operate on "good faith" when it comes to future nominations. Republicans would be bound not to ban judicial filibusters only if Democrats forswear judicial filibusters on court nominees except for extraordinary situations, aides said.

Don't do it! It's a trap! EXTRAORDINARY? You’ll see that word before you know it.

Post War?

I've been hearing more and more about FDR, and the more I hear, the more I think he was not the great president that I've been taught he was. Pat Buchanan makes a good point here. I wonder how we apply it to today. We can't leave Iraq, now? And we can't stop at Iraq...? That's what it sounds like to me.

The Emotion of Tragedy

This is a very sad story about a Marine killed in action – a Marine K-9. As I was reading this story, tears welled up in my eyes, and I had to resist grimaces. I felt my sorrow in my face as feelings of pride and empathy hit home. We have a dog. We have no children. As I read this, though, I wondered, “Would I be this emotional if this were a person?” I don’t think I’d be as moved. It’s sad. Why should I have more emotion for a dog than a person? I understand the sanctity of life and the love of family and friends. I have been blessed to not have yet had a human tragedy in my life. Is this why I cannot connect? Have I been desensitized? “Another solder has give their life for freedom from tyranny.” Or is it simpler?

I think it might be liked to my childhood. Dogs (animals) are so innocent. And we grow up cherishing them as that. And we learn to care for them and they care back. And as a child we are allowed to cry – to show emotion. So maybe as an adult, I allow myself to show emotion about animals and I stay stoic in the face of human tragedy.

The reality is, it’s a little of both.

The Celebration of Failure

Employee performance appraisals are always interesting. They should be satisfying, eye opening, aggravating and inspirational. I just had mine and here are my comments on my performance (edited to protect the company)

I feel that the performance rating of "Solid Performance" accurately characterizes my efforts. I am not satisfied with myself for this rating. I believe I am capable of far better as I have previously demonstrated at (the company). I attribute my inability to achieve "Exceeds Performance Goals" or "Outstanding" to two factors. 1) Many of my tasks have been menial and monotonous. These tasks are not challenging, and are not where my strengths and interests lie. My strengths and interests lie in project management and leadership combined with my technical abilities. 2) My confidence in upper management has been shattered. My motivation to complete the menial tasks that must be accomplished in order to improve product and process is stymied by previous attempts to “exceed performance” only to be disappointed by corporate decisions that undermine these efforts. Examples include previous attempts to improve (one of the) product line only to be starved for resources and sidestepped for specials orders, later to be lashed for a lack of improvement in the product line. Lack of commitment to a process of improvement such as previous attempts at developing a New Product Introduction Process that have fallen by the wayside. And finally, the character assassination of a product such as the (flagship product) and those who sacrificed blood, sweat and tears. Thousands of man hours were poured into product design striving to exceed expectations, learning from (the company)’s rich history in order to introduce the company’s next generations platform, only to be denigrated at the highest levels for errors beyond engineering’s control and which are today being uncovered (i.e. suddenly, we are able to buy the product for the cost targets because there has been a focused effort on justifying the supplier’s price.) And in the end, engineering’s reputation is soiled.

How can one be inspired to “Exceed Performance Goals” in an environment of despair? Despair which comes from decades of failure. And the celebration of failure.

Is this a copout? Am I whining? After 5 years of these feelings and being one who voices his opinion and not being heard, I don’t believe it’s a copout. You can only point the finger at yourself for so long.

Some bloggin tips for me

Gotta read more of this. I've got 1, 2, 3, 7 and 9 (to some extent). Put I've got a ways to go.

Remember this Crater?

Remember when Opportunity rover on Mars saw Endurance crate? It looked big!
Look what's over the horizon... Victoria.
You can follow Mars Rovers here.

And don't miss the amazing pictures from ESA Mars Express. Like this "frozen sea ice". And look what's ahead for ME.

Terri

Where to start? Such a tragic story. Such a pull of emotions. Spousal right. The sanctity of life. The freedom of death. And a real story. A horrible situation. Yet a time for us all to reflect and to ponder the difficult thoughts that more than likely will face us at some level some day directly or indirectly.

Below you can see where I stood on this issue. "Stay out of my life!" And I still feel this is true. At this point, there I don't see a means to distinguish between black and white. So someone has to be made in change if the situation requires.

But I have to say, I'm learning a lot from this poor family's tragedy. I've been forced to think about the other side. Why has "The Right" fought so diligently over this? Why have they put politics into this and put their political necks on the line for this case? I don't believe they are so low to drag this into the national spotlight to court the evangelical vote. I have more faith in them than that. So I have been listening. I have been trying to understand their drive to sound the message of life.

I keep trying to think of analogies. And I keep hearing people on talk radio discuss this subject. "Pulling the feeding tube is no different from pulling the ventilator." "Suffocate, starve, what's the difference?" But I'm coming to think that this isn't the root of this story. The root of "the sanctity of life" plight.

For me (and this case is all about you. If it's not, Terri's life and death has no purpose to you and she died like any other death that day. Except it was humiliatingly dragged out into the open.), Terri's life has made me think of this situation beyond an brain injured spouse. There's a fine line between life and death.. Where do you draw it? A coma, a ventilator and a heart lung machine? A feeding tube? Alzheimer’s? the mentally retarded ("Who'd want to live like that?") Where is the line? And where should our government get involved. Of coarse the government should stop any attempt to euthanize retarded people. And grandpa in the nursing home with Alzheimer’s shouldn't be allowed to perish because his brain can't take him to the store to buy food (thereby "letting nature take it's coarse). But where's the next line? Terri? Terri.

So this IS a story that matters to me. It isn't just a family's tragedy being dragged through the street for political gain. It's about the future of society. It's about where we draw the line. And if we don't continue this discussion today, then Terri's sacrifice - Terri's family's sacrifice is for not. And Pope John Paul leaves us at the very same moment. I valiant missionary for the sanctity of life. His sacrifice, and the celebration of his life in his death. That life leads to death. That death is eventual. But life is eternal even in death.

So don't let the subject fade, or Terri's death and the Pope's death are without meaning - without lesson. We must refine the line. Whether Terri wanted it that way or not.

Pulitzer Message

Interesting story about this year’s Pulitzer Prize photos. View them here, then read on.

What do you think? Are they "anti-American"? Do they support terrorism? Biased? Are they missing anything?
I first read The Belmont Club. I thought he was spot on. He refers to
Michelle Malkin. Of coarse, the same view point. And she links to
Jawa Report. Which is an excellent breakdown of the photos.

In the end, I tend to agree with the view that this is a sad testament to the Pulitzer Prize and to our major media. Are these photos "a distinguished example of breaking news photography"? Of coarse. But half of these photos could have been take during the Saddam era. The dead children? The man is a cage? Mutilated bodies?

Aren't there other photos that also show breaking news? How about the photos of men, women and children greeting American and Iraqi soldiers who have liberated their neighborhood of thieves and murderers? How about millions of Iraqis dancing in the street with purple fingers, breaking down and crying as the reality that the tyrant, Saddam, is gone forever - crying for the family members that died unjustly for decades? Sure terrorist executions are news. But voting in Iraq... That's breaking news.

Score: Terrorist 6, Freedom ???

How come everytime I hear a report about an attack in Iraq, all I hear are the good people casualties. Seems like some of the bad guys must go down once in a while, too.

Michael Moorse's Minutemen
Car Bomb Factory Closed

The world is changing. Don't be left in the dark

Kyrgyzstan

More Revolution Not Being "Less Improtant" the Steroids and Spousal Rights

Revelution in Kyrgzstan. Who knew? The blogoshpere knew.

For more information on Kyrgyzstan- Publius Pundit, Registan.net and Ben Paarmann

Interesting View of Today's News

Here's a little piece about the past and maybe the future from Glenn Reynolds (Remember Chandra Levy?). Inside is a link about our carrier battle group converging on the Middle East:

Three carrier battle groups are converging on the Persian Gulf. The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson has departed Singapore and is currently crossing the Indian Ocean, en route to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is also on the move, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, reportedly headed toward the Mediterranean.

Reports are also circulating that the U.S. Navy has dispatched ships containing nuclear armaments to reinforce the battle groups. This will be the first time since February 2004 that the U.S. has had three major carrier groups stationed on or around the Middle East.

Show or force, or impending use of force?

Still Astonished

Do the lifers believe living wills should be legal? From the arguments I heard, all stemming from "life is precious", I can't imagine how they could supports such a document. Isn't it tantamount to assisted suicide? The Republican outrage just seems so abnormal.

Again, I was thinking about the rights bestowed upon a spouse. What about divorce? Aren't there guidelines around spousal responsibility, and due process? They each get half. Who says, now? Maybe my family hires big time lawyers and my ex-wife gets zilch. Or less! The right wing is treading in some deep water here. And I can only believe it's pandering. It can only be political. It's shameful. And disgraceful.

Stay outa my life!

I am embarrassed to have to write about this. I'm embarrassed that people think that they belong in this conversation. I'm ashamed of congress for getting involved. This is none of anyone's business other than the family’s'.

Doesn't the law bestow upon the spouse guardian rights? Doesn't this rights cover many aspects of married life? Isn't this one of the rights gays are fighting to get in marriage? I hope so. I hope my wife is my guardian. I married her to be my life. She is my life. She makes the decisions for me if I can't make these decisions. I trust her with my life. So don't take that away from me. And don't take away her right to her inheritance. Don't take away her right to my 401k benefits or my IRA funds. And all of the other inalienable rights bestowed upon a spouse. If this case becomes precedence, what's to keep others from getting involved in all of these other situations? And how far do we go in allowing involvement? Immediate kin? One degree of separation? Or two if the first degree is suspicious or lives an "immoral" lifestyle? A nationwide ballot question?

I'm not happy that we're talking about this case. I'm very sad. And it’s sad that there are people who are thriving on this moral dilemma. That this is some philosophical, hypothetical scenario. A humorous "would you rather..." game. This is about a husband making a decision for his wife. He may be a bad guy. He may have ulterior motives. He may be trying to finally fulfill he wife's wishes. We don't know. And we shouldn't care. This isn't about whether Terri is conscious, has responsive, or in a vegetative state. This is about a spouses right; a spouses responsibility to act for their partner.

"Bush was Right." From the Globe!

Jeff Jacoby of the globe isn't afraid to ask this question.

I've been thinking it for a while. I think it started to set in at Ukraine, then the Palestinians (whether it's legitimate or not you can decide). But when I heard about Lebanon, I felt my perceptions were right. I am a realist, though. This is a long road to hoe. And not all will be steps forward. The Cedar revolution may not stick. Only time will tell. But the bottom line is, paper always coversrock.

Found at Glenn Reynold's Instapundit.

Comcast DVR Remote Programming

Here are a couple links for programming your remote

Here are some programming examples

and

Here are a bunch or codes and more examples.

Saw Safety Technology

This saw stops in 5 milliseconds. That's 1.5" or tip travel on a 10" blade (60Hz power).

You Can Now Comment!

I changed a setting to allow anyone to comment.
Hope to hear from you! :)

Added Some Links

Over there on the right. Checkem out!

Suggestion for removing stink from microwave

Although we've never had to remove a pecific stink from our mircowave, this is what we use for cleaning. Easy-Off Microwave Wipes. You put them in and turn microwave and they expand and pop and cleaner goes throughout the microwave. When it's done, you open it up and wipe it out. Hope this helps!

Cardioversion

From Heart Center Online: (free subscription necessary)

Also known as electrical cardioversion, cardioversion converts certain types of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) to normal ones. It accomplishes this with a well-controlled and perfectly timed electrical shock to the chest wall. Cardioversion is usually performed on a scheduled, outpatient basis, but is sometimes done in emergency situations. During the procedure, the patient will not feel any pain because he or she has received either general anesthesia or a strong sedative. The procedure has shown great success in correcting arrhythmias (e.g.atrial fibrillation) that have not improved with medication alone. Patients do, however, need to continueantiarrhythmic drugs after cardioversion.

While having some similarities to defibrillation, cardioversion differs in its use of much lower electricity levels. Cardioversion may also be done through medication instead of an electrical shock.

Comcast DVR Info

Here are some links for your DVR.

This is the main page that I've used to find lots of info.

Here is a forum that has lots of stuff, but it's tough to find. You have to sorta skim it.

And this is the 30 sec skip. If the link doesn't take you to it, just search the thread above for "30 sec" and you will find it.

If I find more, I'll put them here. If you find more, e-mail me!

First Post: Blog Roll, and Inserting Links

Here's a link to how to do a blogroll (or links in your home page)

Here's more on links like e-mail me link.

What about formaing text?

Can I change the font of the title?

Hellooooooo Blogosphere!

Cool! I'm in! I got a blog! Sweet!
...
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now what do I do?