Just another Clinton crony destroying evidence to help his boss

Report Says Berger Hid Archive Documents

President Clinton's national security adviser removed classified documents from the National Archives, hid them under a construction trailer and later tried to find the trash collector to retrieve them, the agency's internal watchdog said Wednesday.
...
Inspector General Paul Brachfeld reported that National Archives employees spotted Berger bending down and fiddling with something white around his ankles.
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Later, when Berger was confronted by Archives officials about the missing documents, he lied by saying he did not take them, the report said.
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"He headed toward a construction area. ... Mr. Berger looked up and down the street, up into the windows of the Archives and the DOJ (Department of Justice), and did not see anyone," the interview notes said.

He then slid the documents under a construction trailer, according to the inspector general. Berger acknowledged that he later retrieved the documents from the construction area and returned with them to his office.
...
The notes said Berger had not been aware that Archives staff had been tracking the documents he was provided because of earlier suspicions from previous visits that he was removing materials.

So because he worked for Clinton this wasn't a major scandal?

But I thought they took the jobs Americans wouldn't do?

Applicants line up to fill jobs left empty by Swift plant raid

The line of applicants hoping to fill jobs vacated by undocumented workers taken away by immigration agents at the Swift & Co. meat-processing plant earlier this week was out the door Thursday.

Seasons Greetings?

It's that time of year and I must send out the appropriate greetings, so here goes:

For My Democrat Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great -- not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishes.

For My Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It's too stressful to encourage success

Citing Stress, School Stops Publishing Honor Roll

Richards said one parent with three children attending Needham High told him publishing the honor roll is a constant cause of stress in her family. According to that parent, one of the three students routinely made the honor roll while the other two did not.
...
Richards said publishing of the honor roll represented "an unhealthy focus on grades." He pointed out that there are a lot of other ways that students achieve, such as in clubs, musicals, concerts, athletics and community service.

A school recognizing its best students has an "unhealthy focus" on grades? Do they now want to give credit for AFTER school activities? Why don't we get rid of grades all together and pretend everyone has equal abilities? That sounds like the recipe for a productive and successful society. Oh, that's right, we don't want to encourage success cuz that makes other people feel bad.

Terror in the skies

Flatulence leads US jet to divert

An American Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Nashville after passengers reported the smell of sulphur from burning matches.

The matches were found on the seat of a woman who had attempted to conceal the odour of flatulence with the matches, Nashville airport authorities said.

Democrat or President of Iran?

Who said the following:

"Now that Iraq has a constitution and an independent assembly and government, would it not be more beneficial to bring the US officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical US military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people?"
"As you know very well, many victims of Katrina continue to suffer, and countless Americans continue to live in poverty and homelessness."

Hard to tell.

Jesus ain't the reason for the season, apparently

I like how the editor didn't include "Christmas" in the headline, even though the entire article uses it:

'Nativity' Booted From Ill. Holiday Fair

A public Christmas festival is no place for the Christmas story, the city says. Officials have asked organizers of a downtown Christmas festival, the German Christkindlmarket, to reconsider using a movie studio as a sponsor because it is worried ads for its film "The Nativity Story" might offend non-Christians.
So a Christmas movie sponsorship might offend them, but not the Christmas festival itself?
...
"The last time I checked, the first six letters of Christmas still spell out Christ," said Paul Braoudakis, spokesman for the Barrington, Ill.-based Willow Creek Association, a group of more than 11,000 churches of various denominations. "It's tantamount to celebrating Lincoln's birthday without talking about Abraham Lincoln."

John Edwards is an idiot

This is wrong on so many levels:

Edwards Acknowledges Wal-Mart Gaffe

First of all, he's anti-Walmart, a store that helps lower income people and everyone else afford many products:

Edwards told The Associated Press that the volunteer "feels terrible" about seeking the game unit at Wal-Mart a day after his boss criticized the company, saying it doesn't treat its employees fairly.

Second, he gets a volunteer to try to use his name to get the PS3 which is selling out everywhere and causing riots:

"My wife, Elizabeth, wanted to get a Playstation3 for my young children. She mentioned it in front of one of my staff people," Edwards said. "That staff person mentioned it in front of a volunteer who said he would make an effort to get one. He was making an effort to go get one for himself. ...

And worst of all, he taught his 6 year old to make fun of his poorer classmates for shopping at Walmart:

In the call, he repeated a story about his son Jack disapproving of a classmate buying sneakers at Wal-Mart. "If a 6-year-old can figure it out, America can definitely figure this out," Edwards said.

What an out-of-touch snob!

Seriously

Climate change is as serious as WMD: Annan

Well that explains why the UN doesn't take WMDs seriously!

Scientists: Pollution could combat global warming

I think it's headlines like this that make people not take global warming seriously.

"Liberals discover trees grow back"

NY Times, not the Onion:

Many Nations’ Forests Regrow, Study Finds

A large and growing number of countries are reversing the longstanding trend toward destruction of their forests, a surprising new analysis has found.

“From the new data it seems possible that we could reverse a global trend that many people thought was irreversible,” said Pekka Kauppi of the University of Helsinki in Finland, a lead author of the study, which appears today in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Chicka chicka bowow

Zoo to Teach Panda to Mate With "Porn" Videos

A Thai zoo, which has hosted a couple of pandas for four years, will play "porn" videos for the male next month to encourage them to breed in captivity, the project manager said on Saturday.

The pair -- living chastely together at the zoo in the northern city of Chiang Mai since arriving from China in 2003 -- would be separated in December, but stay close enough for occasional glimpses of each other, said panda project chief Prasertsak Buntrakoonpoontawee.

"They don't know how to mate so we need to show the male how, through videos," Prasertsak told Reuters. He said Chuang Chuang, the six-year-old male, would be shown the videos on a large screen when he might be feeling amorous.

"We'll play the video at the most comfortable and intimate time for him, perhaps after dinner," Prasertsak said, hoping Chuang Chuang would then use the techniques on Lin Hui, a five-year-old female.

Police dress up as Batman and Robin to catch drugs suspect

Two policemen dressed as Batman and Robin captured a suspected drugs offender - in a bizarre sting operation.

The Dynamic Duo - Sgt Tony Smith and PC Mike Holman - pulled on the superhero outfits in a bid to unsettle the suspected baddies.

They pretended to be drunks looking for a fancy dress party and knocked on the door of the suspect's home.

Those inside refused to answer the door to the loud, comically dressed visitors - which was what the officers wanted.

Whose side are you on, anyway

Mideast terror leaders to U.S.: Vote Democrat

"Of course Americans should vote Democrat," Jihad Jaara, a senior member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group and the infamous leader of the 2002 siege of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, told WND. ...

Muhammad Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, said the Democrats' talk of withdrawal from Iraq makes him feel "proud."

"As Arabs and Muslims we feel proud of this talk," he told WND. "Very proud from the great successes of the Iraqi resistance. This success that brought the big superpower of the world to discuss a possible withdrawal."

Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip, said the policy of withdrawal "proves the strategy of the resistance is the right strategy against the occupation." ...

Abu Ayman, an Islamic Jihad leader in Jenin, said he is "emboldened" by those in America who compare the war in Iraq to Vietnam. ...

In a recent interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, stated, "The jihadists (are) in Iraq. But that doesn't mean we stay there. They'll stay there as long as we're there."

WND read Pelosi's remarks to the terror leaders, who unanimously rejected her contention an American withdrawal would end the insurgency.

Islamic Jihad's Saadi, laughing, stated, "There is no chance that the resistance will stop."
He said an American withdrawal from Iraq would "prove the resistance is the most important tool and that this tool works. The victory of the Iraqi revolution will mark an important step in the history of the region and in the attitude regarding the United States."

Jihad Jaara said an American withdrawal would "mark the beginning of the collapse of this tyrant empire (America)." ...

Saadi stated, "Unfortunately I think those who are speaking about a withdrawal will not do so when they are in power and these promises will remain electoral slogans. It is not enough to withdraw from Iraq. They must withdraw from Afghanistan and from every Arab and Muslim land they occupy or have bases."

Iraqis take note of election results and Rumsfeld resignation

Iraqi politicians opposed to the continued U.S. presence in the country were delighted with the outcome.

“The vote shows the Iraqi and American people are of one mind about withdrawing U.S. troops,” said Falah Hassan Shanshal, who leads the parliamentary bloc of radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

“We hope the Democrats don't forget their campaign promises. If they don't, we will deal with them in a brotherly way once the last American soldier pulls out from Iraq,” he said.

Al Qaeda gloats over Rumsfeld

Khamenei calls elections a victory for Iran

Dems' Wins in U.S. Races Concern Israel

John Kerry is an idiot

GIS DROP SMART BOMB ON KERRY

"You remember John Kerry, the senator who voted for the $87 billion before he voted against it - the guy that was always lecturing us about nuances," Vice President Dick Cheney said to a Montana GOP rally in remarks prepared for delivery.

Added Cheney, "Of course, now Sen. Kerry says he was just making a joke, and he botched it up. I guess we didn't get the nuance. He was for the joke before he was against it"


9/11 AND IRAQ VET TO KERRY: STOP STEALING SADDAM'S OLD TALKING POINTS

"In his remarks, Sen. Kerry inferred that many of us over here are in Iraq because we are not smart enough, didn't study hard, and had no other options in life," he wrote to The Post.

"Let me just tell you, there are many other people who share that view - the enemy."

He pointed out that Saddam Hussein tried to spread exactly the same propaganda about American forces and said that the terrorist insurgents are still trying to propagate the myth.

"One of the common misconceptions among Iraqis is that U.S. troops are the bottom feeders of America, have no families, lack education, and are society's outcasts," he wrote.

FIGHTING MEN FIGHTING MAD AT 'DEMEANING' DEM

Sgt. 1st Class Norbert Carrasquillo, 37, saw 19 men die with the Fighting 69th of the New York National Guard.

"This is what I get in return for doing my part for this country - I get negative remarks about how stupid I am to be in the Army," steamed the 19-year vet.

"I hate to think somebody made that comment after we lost so many soldiers over this last month. He's trying to say they're dumb?"

Oh, the irony!

I didn't think this article was serious at first:

Owens, friend writing series of children's books

According to the newspaper, in "Little T Learns to Share," the title character refuses to share his football at first -- then realizes it's awfully hard to play football by yourself.

"I tried to play outside alone and throw it by myself, but football isn't football unless you play with someone else," Little T tells his mother in the book, the newspaper said.

Owens is writing a number of books with Courtney Parker as part of "T.O.'s Timeout Series." The second volume, "Little T Learns What Not to Say," is due this spring 2007; "Little T Learns To Say I'm Sorry" is expected to hit shelves next fall.

And I think my commute is bad

Police hunt train defecator

Transport police are hunting for an "exceptionally antisocial" man who has been defecating on trains across the country, causing tens of thousands of pounds-worth of damage.

The vandal, who strikes by smearing excrement inside the carriages, appears to wait until he is alone before committing the offence but investigators can discern no other pattern to his behaviour. Police say the man has soiled at least 30 trains since August, mainly in the south-east.

I would have laughed, too

German Gypsies in Legal Bid Against 'Borat'

A German group representing Roma interests said on Tuesday it had filed a suit to try to stop British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen showing his latest film in Germany.

"We are accusing him of defamation and inciting violence against Sinti and Roma (gypsies)," Marko Knudsen, head of the European Center of Antiziganism Research, told Reuters. Antiziganism refers to hostility to gypsies. ...

Knudsen's group has asked for an injunction to stop the film from being shown in Germany. "We called the distributors, but they laughed at us," he said.

Maybe burning it wasn't the brightest idea...

Taliban Fighters Hide Inside Giant Marijuana Fields

Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of 10-feet-high marijuana plants.
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"We tried burning them with white phosphorous -- it didn't work. We tried burning them with diesel -- it didn't work. The plants are so full of water right now ... that we simply couldn't burn them," he said.

Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.

"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hillier said dryly.

Whoops!

Wynn accidentally damages Picasso

Pablo Picasso's "dream" painting has turned into a $139 million nightmare for Steve Wynn.
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The accident occurred as a gesturing Wynn, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that affects peripheral vision, struck the painting with his right elbow, leaving a hole the size of a silver dollar in the left forearm of Marie-Theresa Walter, Picasso's 21-year-old mistress.

"Oh sh*t, look what I've done," Wynn said, according to Ephron, who gave her account in a blog published on Monday.

God Bless America!

Marines Pose For Beefcake Calendar
Calendar To Raise Funds For Wounded Vets

A group of Marines and ex-Marines who fought in Iraq -- including two wounded there -- is featured in a beefcake calendar being sold to help wounded veterans.
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The "America's Heroes" calendar is being sold by Freedom is Not Free, a San Diego-based nonprofit group that helps injured service members and their families with such expenses as travel, mortgage and utility bills and special beds for burn victims.

Illustrating Absurdity

Republican uses animals, mariachi band to critique border security

In Brownsville, he witnessed half a dozen men swim under one of the international bridges “with complete immunity” which in turn prompted him to take the immigration issue to the next level.

Bhakta decided to see if he could get an elephant accompanied by a six-piece mariachi band across the river.

He said he was “staggered” by what happened on Tuesday and was planning on sharing the story with his potential constituents.

“If I can get an elephant led by a mariachi band into this country, I think Osama bin Laden could get across with all the weapons of mass destruction he could get into this country,” Bhakta said.

The mariachi band was not immediately available for comment.

Shining a light on Communism

North Korea might now have The Bomb, but it doesn't have much electricity

Mr Rumsfeld showed the picture to illustrate how backward the northern regime really is - and how oppressed its people are. Without electricity there can be none of the appliances that make life easy and that we take for granted, he said.
..
"It says it all. There's the south, the same people as the north, the same resources north and south, and the big difference is in the south it's a free political system and a free economic system.

"The people in the north are starving, their growth is stunted. It's a shame, a tragedy."

America's Next Top Model

Gaultier swaps Size O models for 'Size 20'

Fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier found his own way to comment on the 'size zero' debate - by putting a larger model down the catwalk to show off his clothes.

Dressed in a daring black corsetry, the plus-sized model dwarfed her fellow waif-like catwalk queens.

An actual letter in Ann Landers:

Dear Annie: I am a 25-year-old mother of one and have been in a relationship with my fiance for seven years. His birthday is next month, and I would like to tattoo his name on my buttocks, but I'm just not sure if it's a stupid thing to do.

He is a great father and boyfriend, and I just want to show him how much he means to me. What do you think? -- DNPN

Dear DNPN: You couldn't just buy him a CD? If you think it will impress your fiance to have his name imprinted on your rear end, go right ahead. It's your body. But keep in mind that skin sags over time and not all relationships last forever.

Get these m-f-ing hamsters off this m-f-ing plane!

Passenger jet makes unscheduled stop ... after hamster escapes

It wasn't ``Snakes on a Plane,'' but an Austrian Airlines jet made an unscheduled stop Friday after a passenger sneaked a hamster aboard and the rodent escaped.

The flight from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to the southern Austrian city of Graz made a stop in Innsbruck so officials could search for the hamster and make sure it didn't gnaw through any wiring, the airline said.

It said the flight was diverted after a passenger notified the crew that he had brought a hamster aboard and had lost track of it.

Terrorist Squirrels!

Squirrels Go On Attack At South Bay Park

An aggressive squirrel pounced on a 4-year-old boy in an attack last week in Cuesta Park in Mountain View, Calif. ...

In response to attacks, the city of Mountain View has announced it plans to start trapping and killing the aggressive tree squirrels. ...

One viewer wrote, "I come to the parks to watch the wild animals, not the humans. I will no longer visit your parks knowing that any of them have become a killing ground for natural wildlife." ...

"The squirrels will be back," South Bay wildlife rehabilitator Norma Campbell said. "For every one you take out, two more will come in. It could be a never-ending project that isn't going to accomplish anything." ...

This is just going to turn into another quagmire, another Vietnam...

A new way to stalk people!

Bloggers ogle at Google Earth's topless sunbathers

But two of the computer program’s users got an extra surprise when they explored the Dutch city of the Hague - and spotted topless sunbathers.
A Dutch blogger looking for his favourite pub accidentally zeroed in on a man wearing just shorts, lying on the roof of a house by a canal.
A woman lying face down on a separate rooftop terrace was spied by an unknown browser who mentioned it on an online forum.

The sunbathers found their way on to Google Earth because they were catching a tan when the satellite used for mapping the planet was passing overhead.

Other bizarre sightings include "hovering cars" in Perth and missiles in the deserts of Iraq.

Never a dull moment on the campaign trail

Police: Man will be cited for tirade

“He started to put down (U.S. Sen.) Rick Santorum … and he demanded that Rick Santorum come to his home for two straight days,” said Joyce Dombroski-Gebhardt, a Republican committeewoman who volunteers at the center, which opened four weeks ago.

“He was going berserk,” said another volunteer, Gina Nevengloski. “He was as red as a fire engine.”

Tosh also demanded that 200 signs for Republican state House candidate Christine Katsock be placed on his lawn, said Dombroski-Gebhardt.

...

Yeah, I have a lot of confidence in the IAEA

IAEA commissioner falls into water tank at Czech nuclear plant

Jihlava, South Moravia, Sept 23 (CTK) - A US commissioner from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) emerged unharmed after falling into a water tank at the Dukovany nuclear power plant on Friday.

The daily Mlada fronta Dnes reported Friday that commissioners training at the facility were moving around the plant in a group. One of them, however, left the group and fell into the tank. The water in the tank was not radioactive.

A spokesman for the plant told MfD that the commissioner admitted he had made a mistake. "The rules say that no one is allowed to leave the group," the spokesman said.

Man bites . . . bear?

Panda Bites Man, Man Bites Him Back

A drunken Chinese migrant worker jumped into a panda enclosure at the Beijing Zoo, was bitten by the bear and retaliated by chomping down on the animal's back, state media said Wednesday.
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"I bit the fellow in the back," Zhang was quoted as saying in the newspaper. "Its skin was quite thick."

Blimey! It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day, Savvy?

September 19 is International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Proving the Pope right

'Kill the Pope', Sheik says

A HARDLINE Somalian cleric has called for Muslims to "hunt down" and kill Pope Benedict for his controversial comments about Islam.
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"Whoever offends our prophet Mohammed should be killed on the spot by the nearest Muslim," Sheik Malin, a prominent cleric in the Somali capital, said at Friday evening prayers.

"We call on all Islamic communities across the world to take revenge on the baseless critic called the Pope," he said.

The Iraqi group Jaish al-Mujahidin (Mujahidin's Army) said: "We swear that we will destroy their cross in the heart of Rome . . . and that their Vatican will be hit and wept over by the Pope."

Major case of penis envy

Man rejects first penis transplant

Chinese surgeons have performed the world's first penis transplant on a man whose organ was damaged beyond repair in an accident this year. The incident left the man with a 1cm-long stump with which he was unable to urinate or have sexual intercourse. "His quality of life was affected severely," said Dr Weilie Hu, a surgeon at Guangzhou General Hospital.
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Although the operation was a surgical success, surgeons said they had to remove the penis two weeks later. "Because of a severe psychological problem of the recipient and his wife, the transplanted penis regretfully had to be cut off," Dr Hu said. An examination of the organ showed no signs of it being rejected by the body.

Funny, but creepy

Big Brother is shouting at you

Big Brother is not only watching you - now he's barking orders too. Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

The system allows control room operators who spot any anti-social acts - from dropping litter to late-night brawls - to send out a verbal warning: 'We are watching you'.
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'Would the young man on the bike please get off and walk as he is riding in a pedestrian area,' came the command.

The surprised youth stopped, and looked about. A look of horror spread across his face as he realised the voice was referring to him.

He dismounted and wheeled his bike through the crowded streets, as instructed.

How dare you call us violent and intolerant!!!

5 churches attacked in Palestinian areas following Pope's comments on Islam

Palestinians wielding guns and firebombs attacked five churches in the West Bank and Gaza on Saturday, following remarks by Pope Benedict that angered many Muslims.
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In Gaza, militants opened fire from a car at a Greek Orthodox church, striking the facade. A policeman at the scene said he saw a car armed men inside flee the scene. Explosive devices were set off at the same Gaza church on Friday, causing minor damage.
There were no claims of responsibility for the last three attacks Saturday.

"The people who did this are uneducated and ignorant," said the Gaza church's prelate, Rev. Artinious Alexious.

Amen!

"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence"

Turkish Lawmaker Compares Pope to Hitler

"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'"
...
"Benedict, the author of such unfortunate and insolent remarks, is going down in history for his words," he said. "He is going down in history in the same category as leaders such as (Adolf) Hitler and (Benito) Mussolini."
...
"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

So should we be expecting the next round of riots and murder in the name of tolerance?

It's these 'animal lovers' that are the nuts!

He's a Crunchy nut... advert showing man riding dog sparks fury

Breakfast food company Kellogg's has come under fire from animal lovers furious about a television advert showing a man riding a dog like a horse.

Nearly 100 complaints have been made against the new Crunchy Nut Cornflakes advert, which shows a very small man finishing work and riding home on the back of an Irish Wolfhound.

Dog lovers say the behaviour in the scene is cruel and could be copied by children.

However, no action is to be taken by the Advertising Standards Authority, which has dismissed the complaints.

It says viewers would be able to spot that the scenes were computer-generated.

In the advert, the man is seen riding the dog home from work. Text at the bottom of the screen reads: "Don't try this with your dog at home."

After the man arrives home, milk is poured on to a bowl of the cereal by what appears to be the dog's paw. The man is then seen sitting at his kitchen table eating it.

A spokesman for Kellogg's said the idea of their advertising campaign was to depict methods of transport that are so unfeasible they defied reality.
Kellogg's said a vet was present at the shoot to ensure the well-being of the animal. It added that no one actually rode the dog.

The Advertising Standards Authority cleared the advert, providing it was shown away from programmes that children could watch.

Don't Forgive, Don't Forget

Good evening. Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong.

A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America -- with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could.

Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared. Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C. to help with local rescue efforts.

Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured, and to take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the world from further attacks.

The functions of our government continue without interruption. Federal agencies in Washington which had to be evacuated today are reopening for essential personnel tonight, and will be open for business tomorrow. Our financial institutions remain strong, and the American economy will be open for business, as well.

The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world, and we stand together to win the war against terrorism. Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by a power greater than any of us, spoken through the ages in Psalm 23: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.

- President George W. Bush, 9/11/01

First it was the light bulb guy . . .

Cell Phones Found Inside Four Prisoners

Cell phones, complete with a charger and data chips, were found in the body cavities of four inmates at a maximum-security prison, and they had used the phones to direct criminal activities on the street, officials said Wednesday.
...
Capt. Juan Ramon Arevalo, director of the Zacatras prison, said the gang members had introduced the cell phones, wrapped in plastic bags, into their bodies through their anuses. The phones were relatively small - about as long as an adult forefinger.

The media continues to amaze me

The reporters seem surprised by this for some reason:

No Signs of Pro-Immigrant Voter Boom
During the spring protests that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets, Hispanic immigrants chanted a promise and a threat to politicians: "Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote." So far, however, there is no indication that such a potent political legacy is developing.

First of all, I think they get the meaning of "Today we march, tommorow we vote" wrong. I'm pretty sure the marchers were demanding the right to vote and full citizenship for illegal aliens, NOT saing they are going to start a big voter registration drive.

Second, pro-illegal immigrant rallies aren't the best places to sign up new voters considering the majority of participants are ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO CAN'T VOTE!

...

I also enjoy/am disgusted by the media's bias here:

The emotional response was a reaction to federal legislation that would have overhauled current immigration policy, including the criminalization of the estimated 11 million immigrants who are here illegally.

How do you criminalize something that is ALREADY illegal?!

Aww, poor lil guys!

Hedgehogs humble McDonald's

Up to now the opening in the container has been large enough for hedgehogs to get their heads into for a lick of the left-over dessert -- a trap they have then been unable to withdraw from, so dying of starvation in untold numbers.

But from September 1, the wide-mouthed opening in the lid of the McFlurry containers will be reduced in size, making them too small for the sugar-loving animals to get their heads into.

Woman Fulfills Stereotype of Asian Drivers

Woman crashes when teaching dog to drive

BEIJING -- A woman in Hohhot, the capital of north China's Inner Mongolia region, crashed her car while giving her dog a driving lesson, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday. No injuries were reported although both vehicles were slightly damaged, it said.

The woman, identified only be her surname, Li, said her dog "was fond of crouching on the steering wheel and often watched her drive," according to Xinhua.

"She thought she would let the dog 'have a try' while she operated the accelerator and brake," the report said. "They did not make it far before crashing into an oncoming car."

I really really really hope this is true!

Saddam's cartoon capers

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is being made to watch his appearance in cult cartoon South Park while he is behind bars.

The deposed leader on trial in Iraq was featured in the movie spin-off as the lover of the devil. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut featured Hussein and Satan attempting to take over the world together.

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said US Marines guarding the former dictator during his trial for genocide were making him watch the movie "repeatedly".

"I have it on pretty good information from the Marines on detail in Iraq that they showed him the movie last year. That's really adding insult to injury. I bet that made him really happy," Stone said.

The Human Rights Watch has denounced this treatment as tantamount to torture . . .

Equal Marriage Rights for All!

Sound familiar? Well, this is where it's heading . . .

Teens defend polygamy at Utah rally

Calling their lives blessed, more than a dozen children and young adults from polygamist families in Utah spoke at a rally Saturday, calling for a change in state laws and the right to live the life and religion they choose.

"Because of our beliefs, many of our people have been incarcerated and had their basic human rights stripped of them, namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said a 19-year-old identified only as Tyler. "I didn't come here today to ask for your permission to live my beliefs. I shouldn't have to."

Interesting on Forbes.com

Careers and Marriage
Point: Don't Marry Career Women - By Michael Noer - How do women, careers and marriage mix? Not well, say social scientists.
vs.
Counterpoint: Don't Marry A Lazy Man - By Elizabeth Corcoran - Studies aside, modern marriage is a two way street. Men should own up to their responsibilities, too.

Of course this doesn't apply to EVERY case, but it seems to me that the guy's article is fairly accurate with studies to back it up. It's a shame the woman can't come up with an argument that's not just based on anecdotal evidence, opinion or general marriage advice. Sorry, but men and women ARE different and that's OK!

How did that get in there? That's not mine!

Evidence ruled sufficient in penis pump case

The female airport security guard held the small, black, squeezable rubber object she'd just plucked out of Mardin Amin's backpack, and eyed it suspiciously.

Standing next to his mother, an embarrassed Amin whispered out of one corner of his mouth that it was a "pump" -- as in a penis pump. The guard misunderstood the Iraqi man and thought she heard the word "bomb," Amin's attorney told a Cook County judge Wednesday.

Puppy purse

That doesn't even look comfortable! That puppy's cute, tho!


Puppy purse the ultimate accessory for pooch lovers

It's the ultimate fashion accessory for people who "love their dogs a bit too much."

Imported from the United States, these colourful and stylish "doggie bags" enable devoted dog owners to carry their puppies and little pooches wherever they go.

Designed to be "lightweight" with an adjustable strap, the "PuppyPurse" is exactly as it sounds. ...

"PuppyPurse makes it easier to take your dog with you, whether you're shopping, fly fishing or just taking a walk and nothing gets in the way of snuggling and kissing your baby whenever you want to," said Miss Sherman.

I knew CNN was biased, but ...

It looks like CNN's newest prime time anchor is Osama bin Laden and he's doing quite well in the ratings:

CABLE NEWS RATINGS
WED., AUG. 24, 2006
VIEWERS

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 2,219,000
CNN BIN LADEN 2,164,000
FNC HANNITY/COLMES 1,815,000
FNC GRETA 1,631,000
FNC BRIT HUME 1,329,000
FNC SHEP SMITH 1,302,000
CNN COOPER 1,185,000
CNN LARRY KING 787,000
CNN LOU DOBBS 723,000
CNNHN NANCY GRACE 674,000
CNN BLITZER 613,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 440,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 385,000
MSNBC SCARBOROUGH 371,000

P.S. CNN had a special show on bin Laden that night

Oh, if he were a tenth of the mayor Guliani was!

New Orleans Mayor Takes Swipe At NYC

On a tour of the decimated Ninth Ward, Nagin tells Pitts the city has removed most of the debris from public property and it’s mainly private land that’s still affected – areas that can’t be cleaned without the owners' permission. But when Pitts points to flood-damaged cars in the street and a house washed partially into the street, the mayor shoots back. "That’s alright. You guys in New York can’t get a hole in the ground fixed and it’s five years later. So let’s be fair."

That's pretty uncalled for, especially considering Ground Zero was cleaned up well within a year, they just haven't decided on a memorial design to build on it.

This is pretty badass

Former Marine takes down man after clerk is hit

As he went outside, Sjostrom said he saw the man standing over the clerk, who was kneeling over on the ground, as if he were going to punch her again. When the man saw Sjostrom coming at him, he took a swing at him, too.

But the attacker quickly found out he was no match for the bulky Sjostrom.

Sjostrom is a former Marine who taught hand-to-hand combat and currently teaches a course on Russian kettlebells, or the martial art of strength training, at the Sports Mall in Murray.

"I grabbed him, threw him on the ground, put his hands behind his back, sat on him and waited for the cops to come," Sjostrom said.

In just a matter of a few seconds Sjostrom had the man pinned. When the man realized he had no chance, Sjostrom said he became "pretty quiet."

"Anybody would have done the same thing," he said. "Another guy in the store said he was in the Army and asked if I needed any help."

With a grin, Sjostrom replied to the man, "The Marines got here first."

Although police don't normally encourage people to go after bad guys themselves, in this case, "The guy did something that was great," he said.

Great, something new to fear that I hadn't even thought of!

Nearly half of women fear life as a bag lady

A "startling" 90 percent of women say they feel financially insecure, according to a survey of almost 1,925 women released yesterday by Allianz, a Minnesota-based life insurance company.
Almost half are troubled by a "tremendous fear of becoming a bag lady" -- 46 percent of women overall, and 48 percent of those with an annual income of more than $100,000. An additional 57 percent are sorry they had not learned more about money matters in school. ...

"Bag lady syndrome is a fear many women share that their financial security could disappear in a heartbeat, leaving them homeless, penniless and destitute," MSN money columnist Jay McDonald wrote in January. "Lily Tomlin, Gloria Steinem, Shirley MacLaine and Katie Couric all admit to having a bag lady in their anxiety closet."

It's nice that he was willing to break his "color rule"

Osama Bin Laden 'Obsessed' With Whitney Houston (Hat tip, dad)

The New York Post’s Page Six reports that bin Laden is apparently "obsessed” with the one-time chart-topping pop diva, who is married to troubled entertainer Bobby Brown.

Bin Laden, according to novelist Kola Boof who claims to have been the terrorist mastermind’s "sex slave,” considered Houston to be "the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen,” and even talked about having her husband (Brown) killed so he could make Houston one of his wives.

"He [Bin Laden] said he wanted to give [her] a mansion that he owned in a suburb of Kartoum,” Boof told the Post. "He explained to me that to possess Whitney he would be willing to break his color rule and make her one of his wives.”

Bin Laden is apparently "dismissive of black women,” but he was so taken by Houston’s beauty, that he reportedly carried photographs of the singer from Star magazine in his briefcase.

From the "conservative" party

France Campaign Trail Paved With Condoms

Vacationers visiting France's beaches are getting some unusual promotional goodies - such as condoms stamped with the logo of the ruling conservative political party.

This kid will probably turn out to be the antiChrist

Face of Jesus seen in baby scan

The 20-year-old from Worcestershire told the Sun: "I was thrilled with the scan that showed Joshua sucking his thumb. Then someone pointed out the face and I nearly fainted. It's kind of spooky but beautiful and we will always treasure it. I think someone is watching over us."

They don't call them crackberries for nothing

Blackberry addiction 'similar to drugs'

Blackberry email devices can be so addictive that owners may need to be weaned off them with treatment similar to that given to drug users, experts warned today.

They said the palmtop gadgets, which have been nicknamed 'crackberries' because users quickly become hooked on them, could be seriously damaging to mental health.

The study, carried out by New Jersey's Rutgers University School, claims the Blackberry is fuelling a rise in email and internet addiction, with sufferers able to survive only a few minutes without checking for new mail.

This is one time I'll listen to the pope

Pope: Don't work too hard

"We have to guard ourselves, the saint observed, from the dangers of excessive activity, regardless of the office one holds, because too many concerns can often lead to hardness of heart," the pope said.

Bus Driver Nagin Blames Everyone But Himself

Mayor Blames Racism for Slow Katrina Aid

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on Friday blamed racism and government bureaucracy for hamstringing his city's ability to weather Hurricane Katrina and recover from the disaster that struck the Gulf Coast nearly a year ago.
So is he calling himself a racist since he was a big part of the problem?
...
"We are being strangled, and they're using the money to set local policies to try to take control of the city to do things that they had in mind all along, and that's to shrink the footprint, get a bunch of developers in the city, and try to do things in a different way," Nagin said.
God forbid they bring in developers and try to correct the mistakes that led to Katrina!
"We're not going to let that happen. They're going to give us our money, and we're going to rebuild this city."

Just say no

Woman accused of heroin-soaked panties
BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese woman has appeared in court accused of transporting panties and long johns soaked in heroin, state media said Friday.

Wang Zhiqin, 42, from Wuhan, capital of China's central province of Hubei, was charged with transporting 1.44 kg (3.2lb) of heroin soaked into 15 items of underwear, the China Daily said.

"Drug tests apparently detected heroin on them and Wang was arrested after a tip-off," the China Daily said.

Brings new meaning to the phrase wearing a rubber

Making condoms stylish for everyone
Condoms are very much in style as a fashion accessory at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto, showing up on strait-laced men, shy teenagers and African grandmothers.

"There's a great need to de-stigmatize condoms around the world, especially in Africa," said Franck DeRose, executive director of The Condom Project, which aims to get people comfortable about condoms, especially those living in countries where the little piece of latex is considered taboo.

To do that, the project has a program that gets people making their own condom art pin. It all starts with a craft table, packaged condoms, scraps of colored paper, candy and other double-sided tape.

Now that's what I call pork!

It's art, says the naked woman who'll hug a dead pig on stage (Warning: link goes to story with picture of naked woman with pig)
Kira O'Reilly will provide her own answer today by spending four hours naked, hugging a dead pig - at the taxpayer's expense.
The controversial Irish performance artist will invite one person at a time to watch her sit in a specially-constructed set and perform a 'crushing slow dance' with the carcass in her arms.
...
For once PETA gets it right:
Anita Singh, spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said: 'This seems to be a desperate cry for help that merits visits from mental health counsellors, not voyeurs.
'As Miss O'Reilly seems to depend on the shock value of using a murdered pig as a prop, perhaps lacking the talent to make it as a proper artist, may we suggest she take up a day job instead to pay the bills. This is not entertainment - this is sick.'
...
Gallery director James Green defended the show as a 'very personal piece of work'. He said: 'This is a challenging piece of work and exactly the kind of show we should be delivering. Clearly

Snakes on a Plane!

'Snakes on a Plane' Not Just a Movie

Monty Coles thought he was alone in his four-seat Piper Warrior when he took off from Charleston, W. Va., over Memorial Day weekend. Until he saw a tiny head poke out of his instrument panel. When a 4-foot black snake slithered out, he tried to hit it with a handheld radio, and "it fell on my feet," says the kitchen and bathroom salesman, 62. "I grabbed him behind the head, and he coiled up around my right arm and started squeezing."
...
•In July, Dutch customs officials at the Amsterdam airport thought they were looking at a plastic snake in a parcel marked "toys" being sent from Hong Kong. Wrong. It was a live poisonous Fea's viper sent airmail to a Netherlands collector. Luckily, no one was bitten.

•A copperhead emerged from a heat vent on a helicopter flying near Rock Hill, S.C., in 1991. The pilot tried to step on the snake, lost control of the copter and was severely injured in the crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
...
And a snake once slipped aboard an airliner, taking shelter in an overhead bin and later dropping onto the lap of a terrified female passenger, recalls Joel Chusid, a former airline executive who is chairman of the Association of Travel Marketing Executives.

This is wrong on so many levels

Iran Opens Exhibition Mocking Holocaust

The display, showing 204 entries from Iran and abroad, was strongly influenced by the views of Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who drew widespread condemnation last year for calling the Holocaust a "myth" and saying Israel should be destroyed.
...
Hamshahri said it wanted to test the West's tolerance for drawings about the Nazi killing of 6 million Jews in World War II.
Well, we aren't rioting and killing people over the cartoons, but I hope Iran doesn't interpret our "mild" response as a go-ahead for the holocaust that they are planning.
The entries on display came from nations including United States, Indonesia and Turkey.
...
"I came to learn more about the roots of the Holocaust and the basis of Israel's emergence," said 23-year-old Zahra Amoli.
The perfect place to learn about the Holocaust - at a display of cartoons mocking it!

Fiction CAN be fun . . .

And the Democrats were accusing Cheney of playing politics with terror?

Democrats See Security as Key Issue for Fall
...
A video Monday on the Web site of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee showed footage of Osama bin Laden, referred to an increase in terror attacks, highlighted illegal immigration and pointed out the nuclear aspirations of Iran and North Korea.
“Feel safer?” it concludes. “Vote for change.”
As if the Dems have good policies on any of those issues!
...
“The president told us that the British attacks are a stark reminder that the nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom,’’ Mr. Ford said, “yet his administration has dismantled the very infrastructure that is responsible for catching those terrorists.”
How did Mr. Ford say this with a straight face?!

Is Bush trying to "kill" the Patriot Act?
Is he trying to free terrorists from Gitmo?
Is he exposing our secret intelligence activities?
Is he refusing to track phone calls and financial activities of terror suspects?

No, that would be the liberals and Democrats!

Only Democrats would say the successful foiling of a terrorist plot is a failure for Bush

Important article

Our “Grievance” Problem
Some “root-cause” talk will get you nowhere.
By Emanuele Ottolenghi
...
Western impulses to explain away the threat of terror and seek a solution to the problem are empowering in a way. We have a diagnosis and we have a cure. But they are also misleading. For why should it be logical or even understandable that Muslim anger at Western foreign policy solicits terrorism? Should anger at high taxes, inefficient health care, poor environmental standards, or disagreeable op-eds solicit “understandable” similar responses? Should we condone people blowing up airliners because they think the highest tax bracket should not be higher than, say, 30 percent? Should we “address their grievances”? By, say, lowering taxes? What if someone decides to blow up, say, the Guardian because they are fed up with the political inclination of its Comment section? Should the Guardian address their grievances by becoming right-wing? Can we not call it blackmail, instead, as it should be the case? Can we not say that differences of opinion are only legitimate when voiced in the peaceful forms amply provided by the open societies we are part of? That what makes people angry is no excuse for killing people?
...

Excesses of Western culture save woman from anti-Western terrorists

Breast implants save woman after Hezbollah attack

One Israeli woman has received an unexpected boost from her breast implants during the Lebanon war -- the silicone embeds saved her life during a Hezbollah rocket attack, a doctor said.

"This is an extraordinary case, but it's a fact that the silicone implants prevented her from a more serious and deeper wound," Jacky Govrin, of the hospital in Nahariya that treated the woman, told army radio Tuesday.

"The young woman went through surgery two years ago to have a larger chest," he said. "During the war she was wounded in the chest by shrapnel" that got stuck in the implants instead of penetrating further.

The woman did not emerge from her ordeal completely unscathed, however.

"The shrapnel was removed but the implant had to be replaced," Govrin said. Aw, so maybe the terrorists won after all

On a (somewhat) lighter note . . .

Angry Woman Gets Revenge at McDonald's

Melinda Ann Thomas, 34, and Linda Ann Thomas, 51, were standing in a crowded line around 8:30 a.m. Saturday as they waited to order breakfast, police said. A cashier opened a new line and they stepped to the front of it - a move that angered another customer who was waiting to order.

According to the report, the unidentified woman started yelling at them and threatened to kill them.

The woman then left the restaurant before the Thomases and stayed in the parking lot, sitting in her dark blue Jeep Cherokee, witnesses told police. As the Thomases made their way to their car, witnesses said the woman pulled out of her parking space and sped toward the women, striking them both with the passenger side of the Jeep.

Good article on CNN bias against Israel

CNN Int'l snubs Israeli civilians

Highly unbalanced report mostly ignores plight of Israeli civilians, portrays Israelis as soldiers and politicians in suits, while coverage from Lebanon features in-depth interviews with Lebanese civilians and images of children and ruins; no mention of large number of Israelis displaced from their homes in north

Could common sense be allowed to influence policy?

Muslims face extra checks in new travel crackdown

THE Government is discussing with airport operators plans to introduce a screening system that allows security staff to focus on those passengers who pose the greatest risk.
Focus on passengers who pose the greatest risk? That's crazy!

... the highest-ranking Muslim police officer in Britain gave warning that profiling techniques based on physical appearance were already causing anger and mistrust among young Muslims. Tarique Ghaffur, an assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said: “We must think long and hard about the causal factors of anger and resentment."
He seems to be implying that racial profiling will beget more terrorism: "I'll show that baggage screener a thing or two for checking my suitcase for explosives. We'll see what he thinks when I blow up the whole airport!"

Maybe they could turn that anger and resentment on the terrorists that are giving Islam a bad name and forcing us to defend ourselves?

Not every Muslim is an Islamofacist terrorist, but every Islamofacist terrorist is a Muslim.

When Animals Attack!

Angler speared by a giant fish
14ft blue marlin leapt out of the water across the vessel and speared Mr Card through the chest with its spiked bill. The impact of the 800lb fish knocked him overboard into the Atlantic off Bermuda.

Then, with a thrash of its tail and with the 32-year-old still impaled and bleeding profusely, it dragged him underwater.

Terribly injured, he somehow stayed conscious as he struggled to pull himself free of the marlin's 3ft razor-sharp spike before he drowned.

Finally, he wrenched himself away and was rescued by his companions on the boat - who included his 58-year-old father Alan.

Man Missing After Pulled Into Ocean By Turtle

A graduate student from the University of Central Florida is missing after he was pulled underwater by a large sea turtle, according to Local 6 News.

Squirrel Attacks Anger Winter Park Residents

Residents in Winter Park, Fla., are angered over the city's response to a squirrel that attacked at least seven people this month, according to a report.

Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it

Hitler Youth, anyone?

Aw, what a guy!

Iranian Leader Speaks To Mike Wallace

Speaking about President Bush's failure to answer his 18-page letter that criticized U.S. foreign policy, Ahmadinejad said, "Well, (with the letter) I wanted to open a window towards the light for the president so that he can see that one can look on the world through a different perspective. … We are all free to choose. Except for the people who choose Christianity or Judiasm, then they must be put to death. But please give him this message, sir: Those who refuse to accept an invitation will not have a good ending or fate. That sounds like a threat. You see that his approval rating is dropping every day. Hatred vis-à-vis the president is increasing every day around the world. Wow, he's stealing the Democrats' talking points! For a ruler, this is the worst message that he could receive. Rulers and heads of government at the end of their office must leave the office holding their heads high."

On what the "conducive conditions" would be for Iran to establish relations with the U.S., the president said, "Well, please look at the makeup of the American administration, the behavior of the American administration. See how they talk down to my nation. And this recent resolution passed about the nuclear issue, look at the wording. They have given us — presented us with a package which we are studying right now. We even gave them a date for our response. Ignoring that, they passed a resolution. They want to build an empire. And they don't want to live side-by-side in peace with other nations. Well that's the pot calling the kettle black! The American government, sir, it is very clear to me they have to change their behavior and everything will be resolved. And by this he means we must convert to Islam - read the letter, that's what it says (George W. Bush) believes that his power emanates from his nuclear warhead arsenals. The time of the bomb is in the past, it's behind us. Today is the era of thoughts, dialogue and cultural exchanges." Maybe we would consider taking this statement seriously if you stopped trying to build a nuke!!!


I especially enjoyed one of the reader comments posted by danlnick at 08:26 PM : Aug 09, 2006 that began with:
Sounds like the president of Iran is a reasonable man, unlike our current president who has shown to be unreasonable and lacking integrity and honesty. ...
Yeah, that Iranian dictator is such a great guy, why can't we get presidents like him?!

Eats shoots and leaves

Giant panda gives birth to giant cub
A giant panda in China has given birth to the heaviest cub born in captivity after the longest period in labor and elsewhere twin pandas each gave birth to twins, Xinhua news agency reported.

Six-year-old Zhang Ka delivered the baby on Monday at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in the mountainous southwest, Xinhua said.

The cub weighed just 218 grams (half a pound), but was still the heaviest panda ever born in captivity, where most cubs are born at between 83 and 190 grams, Xinhua said.

I can't quite decide if this is cute or not

Now the panda is eating her baby

That Cynthia McKinney's a fighter alright!

Attacks not limited to policemen anymore...

McKinney Supporters, Media Scuffle

As McKinney walked outside her campaign headquarters after losing her reelection bid to Hank Johnson, a boom microphone carried by a photographer struck members of McKinney's entourage. In the confusion, McKinney staffers struck an 11Alive photographer and knocked his camera equipment to the ground.

A short time later, the 11Alive news desk called 9-1-1 after some people followed an 11Alive staff member into the station's satellite truck outside the McKinney headquarters.
...
"That's right, and I'll touch you again, if you do it again," the staffer told 11Alive.

She went in fighting and goes out fighting ...

Gee, Thanks, I think?

SHOCK: Liberal McCarthyism: Bigotry and hate aren't just for right-wingers anymore
My brief and unhappy experience with the hate and vitriol of bloggers on the liberal side of the aisle comes from the last several months I spent campaigning for a longtime friend, Joe Lieberman.
...
I came to believe that we liberals couldn't possibly be so intolerant and hateful, because our ideology was famous for ACLU-type commitments to free speech, dissent and, especially, tolerance for those who differed with us. Haha! He must not have been speaking to any liberals in the last 30 years!
...
Mr. Lamont and all other liberal Democrats should remember the McCarthy era and not fall into the trap of the hypocrisy of the double standard--that it's not OK when Ann Coulter dispenses her venomous hatred, but it is OK when our side's versions of Ann Coulter do.

You can come up with your own title

Charity wants people to lend a hand...
Hundreds of Britons are being urged to attend what is being branded as Europe's first "Masturbate-a-thon," a leading British reproductive healthcare charity said Friday.
...
"We want to get people talking about safer sex, masturbation and to lift taboos."

Participants, who have to be over 18, can bring any aids they need and can take part in four different rooms -- a comfort area, a mixed area, along with men and women only areas.

However, the rules on the event's Web site states there can be no touching of other participants nor are people allowed to fake orgasms.

"The amount you raise will be determined by how many minutes you masturbate and/or how many orgasms you achieve," the Web site said.

So cute!

And this little piggy...sunbathed all day long
Percy, the miniature pig, who weighed less than a pound at birth, put his feet up at Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh, much to the delight of passers-by.

Al Reuters Update

Reuters withdraws all photos by freelancer
Reuters withdrew all 920 photographs by a freelance Lebanese photographer from its database on Monday after an urgent review of his work showed he had altered two images from the conflict between Israel and the armed group Hizbollah.

Rush doesn't call them Al Reuters for nothing

Reuters admits altering Beirut photo

Reuters withdraws photograph of Beirut after Air Force attack after US blogs, photographers point out 'blatant evidence of manipulation.' Reuters' head of PR says in response, 'Reuters has suspended photographer until investigations are completed into changes made to photograph.' Photographer who sent altered image is same Reuters photographer behind many of images from Qana, which have also been subject of suspicions for being staged

Fake picture:

Real picture:

For more on Qana, go here

The ACLU is useless

National ACLU accuses black mayor of racial profiling
“We have 26 people that have been killed in Jackson this year. We have 300,000 people killed across America each year. The majority of them are African American and it's time to do something different,” Melton said. “I want to know what the ACLU wants to do besides criticize. Besides that, the hell with them.”
(Amen, brotha!)
...
Lambright accused law enforcement officers of racial profiling in poorer communities by either targeting black youths or maintaining a heavy police presence.
The city's population of 184,256 is nearly 71 percent black. The population living below the poverty level is 23.5 percent.
(How do you racial profile or 'target' black people when most of the city is black anyway?!)

It's a sick sick sick world

A New Civil Right is Invented Every Day...

Ohio Man Claims Right To Have Sex With Boys
A suburban Cleveland man accused of sexually assaulting nine disabled boys told a judge Wednesday that his apartment was a religious sanctuary where smoking marijuana and having sex with children are sacred rituals protected by civil rights laws.
...
He told the judge, "I'm a pedophile. I've been a pedophile for 20 years. The only reason I'm charged with rape is that no one believes a child can consent to sex. The role of my ministry is to get these cases out of the courtrooms."
...
"Not all pedophilia is bad, and sex [with boys] can be healthy," Distasio told the court.

It's a mad mad mad world

Doctors offer to maim beggars
Secretly filmed footage taken by the CNN-IBN news channel and broadcast Saturday showed one of the doctors asking for 10,000 rupees (about $215) to amputate a lower leg, leaving a stump that may draw sympathy -- and a few rupees -- from passersby.
...
"Believe me if there are two beggars in front of you and one of them is lame, you will give the money to the lame beggar," the station recorded him as saying in Hindi.


Chuck Norris Bridge Leads Vote for Name
A new bridge in Hungary could be named after Hollywood action movie actor Chuck Norris unless the trend turns in an Internet vote organised by the Economy Ministry.

(If they named the bridge "Jack Bauer," no one would dare cross it - oooooooh, snap!)

Sorry, Al Gore

Hurricane 'spike' debated; Early data spotty at best
Studies that link a spike in hurricane intensity with global warming are spotting "artificial upward trends" because they rely on bad historical data, a paper suggested today in the journal Science.

I wonder if the media will follow up on their initial stories . . .

Hezbollah was using UN post as 'shield'
Canadian wrote of militia's presence, 'necessity' of bombing


Seattle Shooting Suspect Allegedly Ambushed Girl
The man suspected in a fatal shooting rampage hid behind a potted plant in a Jewish charity's foyer and forced his way through a security door by holding a gun to a 13-year-old girl's head, the police chief said Saturday.
...
Haq, a Muslim, told authorities he was angered by the war in Iraq and U.S. military cooperation with Israel.

"He pointedly blamed the Jewish people for all of these problems," Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said at a news conference Saturday.

Welcome to my blog!

Things to know about me and this blog:

No, I'm not obsessed with Ayn Rand, I just thought this title was cool, although I do agree with many of her ideas on liberty.

I will post whatever I feel like here, but it will mostly be links to article I find funny, interesting, or noteworthy, that you will probably not hear about from the mainstream media (MSM).

I am socially conservative, neo-con on foreign policy, and fairly libertarian economically.


Don't be a hater.