Go give the boys at inhibition:zero a boost, especially since they are hosting such cool videos.
--WP
Posts
WEP Passes....On to the White House
3 hours ago
30 September, 2004
29 September, 2004
My Rifle is My Friend.
Thought you might enjoy this:
HAD TO REMOVE IT- TOO MUCH BADWIDTH USAGE
(115 MB's in just over 12 Hours)
You can find more here.
Have fun...
Edit: You can find the video for download at the above link. It is LennyJoe's Video.
--WP
HAD TO REMOVE IT- TOO MUCH BADWIDTH USAGE
(115 MB's in just over 12 Hours)
You can find more here.
Have fun...
Edit: You can find the video for download at the above link. It is LennyJoe's Video.
--WP
28 September, 2004
I am sick and tired of this crap.
Fears of national ID with driver's licenses
Critics see Republican anti-terrorism bill as back-door step toward identity cards
"The House Republican leadership's new bill to restructure the nation's intelligence bureaucracy would turn driver's licenses issued by the 50 states into a de facto national ID card, say privacy activists.
The House bill, set for committee markups this week, is expected to be merged with a Senate version and voted on before the Nov. 2 election.
But among the little-known provisions of the "9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act" are new requirements for state driver's licenses that have very little to do with driving, say critics.
According to the legislation, within three years of its enactment, no federal agency may accept for any official purpose a driver's license or identification card issued by a state that does not require applicants to provide Social Security number and facial imaging capture.
Washington would also require all states to share digital data acquired in the process of licensing to other states.
A blogger site committed to fighting a national ID calls the plan a "backdoor creation of a National ID" that "has been the in the works for a few years now, even prior to events of September 11."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Father fought in WWII; in fact, he was in the very first wave at Normandy Beach on D-Day. He went on to be "Lifer" in the Army, and fought in Korea the entire length of that "Police Action". He retired before being sent to Viet Nam in the mid sixty's- twenty-five years was enough.
I am immeasurably proud of the man that raised me.
My Mother was German and told us the stories of starvation, bombing, and death during the war. They both loved Germany, and we were raised as stand up tall, be proud Americans.
When we grew, all boys joined the service, as it was our honor bound duty, and we were proud to serve. I did not complete my term due to a major injury that left me hospitalized for six months. I knew the risks, I signed the papers, I volunteered- no tears for me.
In our upbringing, my parents taught to us to despise Nazi Germany and all of its state required slavery. My Father is dead these long many years, and I am glad my Father is dead, so that he cannot see that tyranny he fought against has become so welcome in the country, he fought and bled for; being pushed by cowards who are undeserving of the blood he and so many others shed.
Those cowards in Washington, D. C. have tried this before, and failed. I think this time it may well pass. None of this is about our security, but the safety of the fat-asses in that swamp- Rome on the Potomac. Anytime they turn these practices inwards, it will only increase, and increase, and increase.
We Americans would do well to remember, Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers, words: "Those who would give up essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security."
Damn you cowardly bastards! Damn you all to hell!
--WP
Critics see Republican anti-terrorism bill as back-door step toward identity cards
"The House Republican leadership's new bill to restructure the nation's intelligence bureaucracy would turn driver's licenses issued by the 50 states into a de facto national ID card, say privacy activists.
The House bill, set for committee markups this week, is expected to be merged with a Senate version and voted on before the Nov. 2 election.
But among the little-known provisions of the "9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act" are new requirements for state driver's licenses that have very little to do with driving, say critics.
According to the legislation, within three years of its enactment, no federal agency may accept for any official purpose a driver's license or identification card issued by a state that does not require applicants to provide Social Security number and facial imaging capture.
Washington would also require all states to share digital data acquired in the process of licensing to other states.
A blogger site committed to fighting a national ID calls the plan a "backdoor creation of a National ID" that "has been the in the works for a few years now, even prior to events of September 11."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Father fought in WWII; in fact, he was in the very first wave at Normandy Beach on D-Day. He went on to be "Lifer" in the Army, and fought in Korea the entire length of that "Police Action". He retired before being sent to Viet Nam in the mid sixty's- twenty-five years was enough.
I am immeasurably proud of the man that raised me.
My Mother was German and told us the stories of starvation, bombing, and death during the war. They both loved Germany, and we were raised as stand up tall, be proud Americans.
When we grew, all boys joined the service, as it was our honor bound duty, and we were proud to serve. I did not complete my term due to a major injury that left me hospitalized for six months. I knew the risks, I signed the papers, I volunteered- no tears for me.
In our upbringing, my parents taught to us to despise Nazi Germany and all of its state required slavery. My Father is dead these long many years, and I am glad my Father is dead, so that he cannot see that tyranny he fought against has become so welcome in the country, he fought and bled for; being pushed by cowards who are undeserving of the blood he and so many others shed.
Those cowards in Washington, D. C. have tried this before, and failed. I think this time it may well pass. None of this is about our security, but the safety of the fat-asses in that swamp- Rome on the Potomac. Anytime they turn these practices inwards, it will only increase, and increase, and increase.
We Americans would do well to remember, Benjamin Franklin, one of our Founding Fathers, words: "Those who would give up essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security."
Damn you cowardly bastards! Damn you all to hell!
--WP
WTF!?!
Between Metro and Cell User, a Disconnect
Officer Shoves, Arrests Pregnant Woman Over Loud Call
By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 28, 2004; Page A01
"Sakinah Aaron was walking into the bus area at the Wheaton Metro station several weeks ago, talking loudly on her Motorola cell phone. A little too loudly for Officer George Saoutis of the Metro Transit Police.
The police officer told Aaron, who is five months pregnant, to lower her voice. She told the officer he had no right to tell her how to speak into her cell phone.
Their verbal dispute quickly escalated, and Saoutis grabbed Aaron by the arm and pushed her to the ground. He handcuffed the 23-year-old woman, called for backup and took her to a cell where she was held for three hours before being released to her aunt. She was charged with two misdemeanors: "disorderly manner that disturbed the public peace" and resisting arrest."
You do not do this to a pregnant woman.
--WP
Officer Shoves, Arrests Pregnant Woman Over Loud Call
By Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 28, 2004; Page A01
"Sakinah Aaron was walking into the bus area at the Wheaton Metro station several weeks ago, talking loudly on her Motorola cell phone. A little too loudly for Officer George Saoutis of the Metro Transit Police.
The police officer told Aaron, who is five months pregnant, to lower her voice. She told the officer he had no right to tell her how to speak into her cell phone.
Their verbal dispute quickly escalated, and Saoutis grabbed Aaron by the arm and pushed her to the ground. He handcuffed the 23-year-old woman, called for backup and took her to a cell where she was held for three hours before being released to her aunt. She was charged with two misdemeanors: "disorderly manner that disturbed the public peace" and resisting arrest."
You do not do this to a pregnant woman.
--WP
27 September, 2004
What a load...
iNDemand Pay Per View EVENT!
ONLY $9.95
"For the first time ever in history these two strong advocates for their cause, face off, before a live audience in the historic Library of King's College London
The Great Gun Debate will be a TV debut for the Library of King's College London. Both Rebecca Peters from the IANSA and Wayne LaPierre from the NRA will speak on the topic of Gun Control. This will be a first in history where strong advocates from both sides come together and speak before a live audience."
I found this via The Gun Zone Forum, in this thread.
And, well, it looks like the NRA is trying out a new way to raise funds, and for those that do not know, Wayne LaPierre is a terrible extemporaneous speaker...
--WP
ONLY $9.95
"For the first time ever in history these two strong advocates for their cause, face off, before a live audience in the historic Library of King's College London
The Great Gun Debate will be a TV debut for the Library of King's College London. Both Rebecca Peters from the IANSA and Wayne LaPierre from the NRA will speak on the topic of Gun Control. This will be a first in history where strong advocates from both sides come together and speak before a live audience."
I found this via The Gun Zone Forum, in this thread.
And, well, it looks like the NRA is trying out a new way to raise funds, and for those that do not know, Wayne LaPierre is a terrible extemporaneous speaker...
--WP
What a Putz- AGAIN!
John Kerry on his fav-o-rite gun of all:
"My favorite gun is the M-16 that saved my life and that of my crew in Vietnam," Kerry tells Outdoor Life in its October issue. "I don't own one of those now, but one of my reminders of my service is a Communist Chinese assault rifle."
John Kerry says it was not me who wrote it:
"John Kerry is denying he ever told a magazine interviewer that he owned a Communist Chinese assault rifle, blaming the comment instead on campaign aides who, he insists, made the story up."
John Kerry is such a putz...
--WP
"My favorite gun is the M-16 that saved my life and that of my crew in Vietnam," Kerry tells Outdoor Life in its October issue. "I don't own one of those now, but one of my reminders of my service is a Communist Chinese assault rifle."
John Kerry says it was not me who wrote it:
"John Kerry is denying he ever told a magazine interviewer that he owned a Communist Chinese assault rifle, blaming the comment instead on campaign aides who, he insists, made the story up."
John Kerry is such a putz...
--WP
Pain Pill Induced Dreams.
They suck!
I have had more disjointed, strange, and scary dreams during the past eleven days, than I care to remember.
--WP
I have had more disjointed, strange, and scary dreams during the past eleven days, than I care to remember.
--WP
Sure they do!
Feds invite comment on VoIP wiretaps
By Kevin Poulsen, SecurityFocus
Published Sunday 26th September 2004 21:48 GMT
"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday (23 Sept.) launched a public comment period on its plan to compel Internet broadband and VoIP providers to open their networks up to easy surveillance by law enforcement agencies.
At issue is the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), a federal law that mandates surveillance backdoors in US telephone networks, allowing the FBI to start listening in on a target's phone line within minutes of receiving court approval. Last month the commission tentatively approved a proposal by the Department of Justice, the FBI and the US Drug Enforcement Administration that interprets CALEA as applying to Internet traffic, ruling that cable modem, broadband over power line, satellite, wireless and other high-speed Internet providers are covered by the law. At the same time the FCC ruled that "managed" Internet telephony providers like Vonage must also become wiretap friendly.
The five-member commission voted unanimously for the measure, and is seeking the public's guidance on some implementation details, including the issue of how much time to allow service providers to wire their networks for spying.
Federal law already compels ISPs to cooperate with law enforcement in court-approved surveillance of customers, but as police rely more on Internet snooping - with tools like the FBI's "Carnivore" DCS-1000 packet sniffer - they've begun to crave the speed and low cost of the wiretapping infrastructure that CALEA grafted onto the modern telephone network. The Justice Department first began lobbying for CALEA's application to the Internet over two years ago.
"Our support for law enforcement is unwavering," said FCC chairman Michael Powell, in announcing the decision last month. "It is our goal in this proceeding to ensure that law enforcement agencies have all of the electronic surveillance capabilities that CALEA authorizes to combat crime and terrorism and support homeland security."
The EFF, ACLU, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center all opposed the plan, and an ACLU letter-drive generated hundreds of mailings from citizens against what the group called "the New Ashcroft Internet Snooping Request." In congressional testimony earlier this month, James Dempsey, executive director of the non-profit Center for Democracy and Technology, argued that the 10-year-old wiretap law was a poor fit for the Internet. "Instead of making the Internet look like the telephone system of the past, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies need to acquire in-house capabilities to analyze digital communications," said Dempsey. "They should use the Internet, not try to control it."
Comments are due by 8 November."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is only one minor problem, can you find anywhere on the FCC's site where to? I spent thirty minutes this morning looking, and have yet to find one.
Generally, the Register would have had a link to it, but I suppose they had they same problem I did- the link at the FCC's page is not there. (Yet?)
I also tried the EFF's home page, but could not find a link there either.
This is nothing but more bad juju, so go and commment, IF, you can find a link. If not then contact them via the only ways there are.
However, my experience in doing this, is a to wind up in a bureaucratic shuffle...
--WP
By Kevin Poulsen, SecurityFocus
Published Sunday 26th September 2004 21:48 GMT
"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday (23 Sept.) launched a public comment period on its plan to compel Internet broadband and VoIP providers to open their networks up to easy surveillance by law enforcement agencies.
At issue is the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), a federal law that mandates surveillance backdoors in US telephone networks, allowing the FBI to start listening in on a target's phone line within minutes of receiving court approval. Last month the commission tentatively approved a proposal by the Department of Justice, the FBI and the US Drug Enforcement Administration that interprets CALEA as applying to Internet traffic, ruling that cable modem, broadband over power line, satellite, wireless and other high-speed Internet providers are covered by the law. At the same time the FCC ruled that "managed" Internet telephony providers like Vonage must also become wiretap friendly.
The five-member commission voted unanimously for the measure, and is seeking the public's guidance on some implementation details, including the issue of how much time to allow service providers to wire their networks for spying.
Federal law already compels ISPs to cooperate with law enforcement in court-approved surveillance of customers, but as police rely more on Internet snooping - with tools like the FBI's "Carnivore" DCS-1000 packet sniffer - they've begun to crave the speed and low cost of the wiretapping infrastructure that CALEA grafted onto the modern telephone network. The Justice Department first began lobbying for CALEA's application to the Internet over two years ago.
"Our support for law enforcement is unwavering," said FCC chairman Michael Powell, in announcing the decision last month. "It is our goal in this proceeding to ensure that law enforcement agencies have all of the electronic surveillance capabilities that CALEA authorizes to combat crime and terrorism and support homeland security."
The EFF, ACLU, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center all opposed the plan, and an ACLU letter-drive generated hundreds of mailings from citizens against what the group called "the New Ashcroft Internet Snooping Request." In congressional testimony earlier this month, James Dempsey, executive director of the non-profit Center for Democracy and Technology, argued that the 10-year-old wiretap law was a poor fit for the Internet. "Instead of making the Internet look like the telephone system of the past, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies need to acquire in-house capabilities to analyze digital communications," said Dempsey. "They should use the Internet, not try to control it."
Comments are due by 8 November."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is only one minor problem, can you find anywhere on the FCC's site where to? I spent thirty minutes this morning looking, and have yet to find one.
Generally, the Register would have had a link to it, but I suppose they had they same problem I did- the link at the FCC's page is not there. (Yet?)
I also tried the EFF's home page, but could not find a link there either.
This is nothing but more bad juju, so go and commment, IF, you can find a link. If not then contact them via the only ways there are.
However, my experience in doing this, is a to wind up in a bureaucratic shuffle...
--WP
Report: UNC lecturer's e-mail harassment
Report: UNC lecturer's e-mail harassment
BY ERIC FERRERI : The Herald-Sun
eferreri@heraldsun.com
Sep 22, 2004 : 10:13 pm ET
"The U.S. Department of Education says a UNC lecturer's mass e-mail criticizing a conservative student constituted discrimination and harassment, but that the university handled the ensuing controversy properly.
The February incident touched off a storm of discussion and controversy on the Carolina campus. Conservative students and university observers thought it indicative of liberal bias in the classroom; liberal students and others thought the lecturer, Elyse Crystall, was unfairly victimized for trying to protect her class from threatening speech.
In an English class called "Literature and Cultural Diversity," the student, Tim Mertes, mentioned his discomfort with homosexuality and spoke of a friend who was, in the friend's word, "disgusted" by a homosexual man's advances toward him.
Crystall, the lecturer, called out Mertes for his comments, criticizing him in an e-mail distributed to about 30 members of the class. In the e-mail, Crystall termed Mertes' comments "hate speech" and said they were an example of white male privilege."
And then this:
"This thorough, five-month investigation by federal authorities details the unchecked power of university professors," Jones said. "UNC absolutely must review their policies as to why a teacher like Ms. Crystall was allowed to remain and teach at UNC for months after such an egregious violation of a student's right to speak."
But Judith Wegner, chairwoman of UNC's faculty, cautioned against reading too much into the Office of Civil Rights report on this one issue.
"Anyone trying to say the sky is falling, based on what OCR said, isn't giving the facts their due," said Wegner, a law professor and former dean of UNC's School of Law. "The facts are pretty straight forward. The teacher made a mistake, and the university did what it had to do."
Sure Judith, UNC did everything it could! Oh wait, the UNC did nothing until forced to.
--WP
BY ERIC FERRERI : The Herald-Sun
eferreri@heraldsun.com
Sep 22, 2004 : 10:13 pm ET
"The U.S. Department of Education says a UNC lecturer's mass e-mail criticizing a conservative student constituted discrimination and harassment, but that the university handled the ensuing controversy properly.
The February incident touched off a storm of discussion and controversy on the Carolina campus. Conservative students and university observers thought it indicative of liberal bias in the classroom; liberal students and others thought the lecturer, Elyse Crystall, was unfairly victimized for trying to protect her class from threatening speech.
In an English class called "Literature and Cultural Diversity," the student, Tim Mertes, mentioned his discomfort with homosexuality and spoke of a friend who was, in the friend's word, "disgusted" by a homosexual man's advances toward him.
Crystall, the lecturer, called out Mertes for his comments, criticizing him in an e-mail distributed to about 30 members of the class. In the e-mail, Crystall termed Mertes' comments "hate speech" and said they were an example of white male privilege."
And then this:
"This thorough, five-month investigation by federal authorities details the unchecked power of university professors," Jones said. "UNC absolutely must review their policies as to why a teacher like Ms. Crystall was allowed to remain and teach at UNC for months after such an egregious violation of a student's right to speak."
But Judith Wegner, chairwoman of UNC's faculty, cautioned against reading too much into the Office of Civil Rights report on this one issue.
"Anyone trying to say the sky is falling, based on what OCR said, isn't giving the facts their due," said Wegner, a law professor and former dean of UNC's School of Law. "The facts are pretty straight forward. The teacher made a mistake, and the university did what it had to do."
Sure Judith, UNC did everything it could! Oh wait, the UNC did nothing until forced to.
--WP
26 September, 2004
Candid Camera
Spy imagery agency takes new role inside United States after Sept. 11
KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, September 26, 2004
(09-26) 09:42 PDT BETHESDA, Md. (AP) --
"In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency -- and some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment -- have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.
Their work brushes up against the fine line between protecting the public and performing illegal government spying on Americans."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow, at noon, walk outside, raise your hands to the sky and give them the old one-finger salute.
--WP
KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, September 26, 2004
(09-26) 09:42 PDT BETHESDA, Md. (AP) --
"In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency -- and some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment -- have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.
Their work brushes up against the fine line between protecting the public and performing illegal government spying on Americans."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow, at noon, walk outside, raise your hands to the sky and give them the old one-finger salute.
--WP
Mr. Sharkey's Second Today
Destroying the National Guard
by William S. Lind
"The unit knew it would soon be shipped to the front. Some soldiers responded by deserting. Others got drunk and fought. In response, officers locked the unit in its barracks, allowing the troops out only to drill, not even to smoke a cigarette, until it could be put on the transport that would take it into combat.
It sounds as if I am describing some third echelon Soviet infantry regiment in, say, 1942. In fact, I am talking about the 1st Battalion of the 178th Field Artillery Regiment, South Carolina National Guard, in September 2004. According to a front-page story in the September 19 Washington Post, the unit was disintegrating even before it was deployed to Iraq. One shudders to think what will happen once it gets there and finds itself under daily attack from skilled enemies it cannot identify.
One of the likely effects of the disastrous war in Iraq will be the destruction of an old American institution, the National Guard. Desperate for troops as the situation in Iraq deteriorates, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is using the National Guard in a mission for which it was never intended: carrying on a "war of choice" halfway around
the world. Most Guardsmen enlisted expecting to help their neighbors in natural disasters, or perhaps maintain order locally in the event of rioting. They never signed up for Vietnam II.
Yes, the Guard was mobilized and deployed overseas in both World Wars, but those were true national wars, in which the American people were all involved one way or another. Cabinet wars, as they used to be called, are something altogether different. As Frederick the Great said, cabinet wars must be waged in such a manner that the people do not know they are going on."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While you are there, check out the rest of the site.
--WP
by William S. Lind
"The unit knew it would soon be shipped to the front. Some soldiers responded by deserting. Others got drunk and fought. In response, officers locked the unit in its barracks, allowing the troops out only to drill, not even to smoke a cigarette, until it could be put on the transport that would take it into combat.
It sounds as if I am describing some third echelon Soviet infantry regiment in, say, 1942. In fact, I am talking about the 1st Battalion of the 178th Field Artillery Regiment, South Carolina National Guard, in September 2004. According to a front-page story in the September 19 Washington Post, the unit was disintegrating even before it was deployed to Iraq. One shudders to think what will happen once it gets there and finds itself under daily attack from skilled enemies it cannot identify.
One of the likely effects of the disastrous war in Iraq will be the destruction of an old American institution, the National Guard. Desperate for troops as the situation in Iraq deteriorates, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is using the National Guard in a mission for which it was never intended: carrying on a "war of choice" halfway around
the world. Most Guardsmen enlisted expecting to help their neighbors in natural disasters, or perhaps maintain order locally in the event of rioting. They never signed up for Vietnam II.
Yes, the Guard was mobilized and deployed overseas in both World Wars, but those were true national wars, in which the American people were all involved one way or another. Cabinet wars, as they used to be called, are something altogether different. As Frederick the Great said, cabinet wars must be waged in such a manner that the people do not know they are going on."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While you are there, check out the rest of the site.
--WP
Mr. Sharkey sent this in...
ROSS IN RANGE
A Guest Column from Bill Whittle, or
I'm Not the Only One Thinking About What the Iraq War Means
By John Ross (Yes, that John Ross)
Copyright 2003 by Bill Whittle. Electronic reproduction of this article freely permitted provided it is reproduced in its entirety with attribution given.
The following piece was emailed to me by my good friend Chuck Kaiser. Chuck is also in the investment business, working at St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards. Our children are in the same grade in elementary school. Chuck read and liked my book, enough to pay the tab on a mint first edition when it became available. He emailed me the following piece on the Iraqi war. It was written, I believe, by Bill Whittle, whose excellent website can be found at http://www.ejectejecteject.com. Be aware that this piece does not exactly mirror my own feelings in every instance. But I like the larger message, and I especially like Bill's "alternate history" scenarios. They are a reminder that many big things in life are determined by comparatively small events.
--John Ross
Life during wartime.
There's nothing I can say about the parade of pictures, the endless faces - except, perhaps, that they all seemed to share a fierce pride in their eyes, photographed for the first time in their Dress Blues. Surely their families are proud of them. I certainly am, and I never got to know any of them. And now, I never will.
Names and ranks go on and on: Sergeants, and Captains, and Privates. These men have died for us. More will follow. You may be against this war, but even if you are, the fact remains: these kids died for all of us. We asked them to go, and they went.
All across this nation -- here and there, sparkling across the map like fireflies on a summer night - sedans are slowly rolling to a stop outside of small, modest homes. Men in uniform emerge, straighten their tunics, and walk slowly up driveways. Door knockers rap. Maybe here and there smiles will evaporate in shock and surprise as doors are opened, but more likely the face will be one full of stunned realization that the very worst thing in the whole world has happened. And children will be sent to their rooms. And the men will speak in somber, respectful tones. And sons and mothers and fathers and wives will be told that the one thing they love more than anything in this world has been taken away from them, that their children will not be
coming home, that their fathers have gone away and will never come back, not ever.
Why do we do this? What could possibly be worth this?
This war is an abject and utter failure. What everyone thought would be a quick, decisive victory has turned into an embarrassing series of reversals. The enemy, -- a ragtag, badly-fed collection of hotheads and fanatics - has failed to be shocked and awed by the most magnificent military machine ever fielded. Their dogged resistance has shown us the futility of the idea that a nation of millions could ever be subjugated and administered, no matter what obscene price we are willing to pay in blood and money.
The President of the United States is a buffoon, an idiot, a man barely able to speak the English language. His vice president is a little-seen, widely despised enigma and his chief military advisor a wild-eyed warmonger. Only his Secretary of State offers any hope of redemption, for he at least is a reasonable, well-educated man, a man most thought would have made a far, far better choice for Chief Executive.
We must face the fact that we had no business forcing this unjust war on a people who simply want to be left alone. It has damaged our international relationships beyond any measure, and has proven to be illegal, immoral and nothing less than a monumental mistake that will take generations to rectify. We can never hope to subdue and remake an entire nation of millions. All we will do is alienate them further. So we must bring this war to an immediate end, and make a solemn promise to history that we will never launch another war of aggression and preemption again, so help us God.
So spoke the American press. The time was the summer of 1864. Everyone thought the Rebels would be whipped at Bull Run, and that the Confederacy would collapse within a few days or hours of such a defeat. No one expected the common Southern man to fight so tenaciously, a man who owned no slaves and who in fact despised the rich fire-eaters who had taken them to war.
Lincoln was widely considered a bumpkin, a gorilla, an uncouth backwoods hick who by some miracle of political compromise had made it to the White House. Secretary of War Stanton had assumed near-dictatorial powers and was also roundly despised. Only Secretary of State William Seward, a well-spoken, intelligent easterner and a former Presidential candidate, seemed fit to hold office.
After three interminable and unbelievably bloody years of conflict, many in the Northern press had long ago become convinced that there was no hope of winning the far, and far less of winning the peace that followed. After nearly forty months of battle and maneuver, after seeing endless hopes dashed in spectacular failure, after watching the magnificent Army of the Potomac again and again whipped and humiliated
by a far smaller, under-fed, under-equipped force, the New York newspapers and many, many others were calling for an immediate end to this parade of failures.
It took them forty months and hundreds of thousands killed to reach that point. Today, many news outlets have reached a similar conclusion about Iraq after ten days and less than fifty combat fatalities.
Ahhh. Progress.
MORE: http://john-ross.net/war.htm
A Guest Column from Bill Whittle, or
I'm Not the Only One Thinking About What the Iraq War Means
By John Ross (Yes, that John Ross)
Copyright 2003 by Bill Whittle. Electronic reproduction of this article freely permitted provided it is reproduced in its entirety with attribution given.
The following piece was emailed to me by my good friend Chuck Kaiser. Chuck is also in the investment business, working at St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards. Our children are in the same grade in elementary school. Chuck read and liked my book, enough to pay the tab on a mint first edition when it became available. He emailed me the following piece on the Iraqi war. It was written, I believe, by Bill Whittle, whose excellent website can be found at http://www.ejectejecteject.com. Be aware that this piece does not exactly mirror my own feelings in every instance. But I like the larger message, and I especially like Bill's "alternate history" scenarios. They are a reminder that many big things in life are determined by comparatively small events.
--John Ross
Life during wartime.
There's nothing I can say about the parade of pictures, the endless faces - except, perhaps, that they all seemed to share a fierce pride in their eyes, photographed for the first time in their Dress Blues. Surely their families are proud of them. I certainly am, and I never got to know any of them. And now, I never will.
Names and ranks go on and on: Sergeants, and Captains, and Privates. These men have died for us. More will follow. You may be against this war, but even if you are, the fact remains: these kids died for all of us. We asked them to go, and they went.
All across this nation -- here and there, sparkling across the map like fireflies on a summer night - sedans are slowly rolling to a stop outside of small, modest homes. Men in uniform emerge, straighten their tunics, and walk slowly up driveways. Door knockers rap. Maybe here and there smiles will evaporate in shock and surprise as doors are opened, but more likely the face will be one full of stunned realization that the very worst thing in the whole world has happened. And children will be sent to their rooms. And the men will speak in somber, respectful tones. And sons and mothers and fathers and wives will be told that the one thing they love more than anything in this world has been taken away from them, that their children will not be
coming home, that their fathers have gone away and will never come back, not ever.
Why do we do this? What could possibly be worth this?
This war is an abject and utter failure. What everyone thought would be a quick, decisive victory has turned into an embarrassing series of reversals. The enemy, -- a ragtag, badly-fed collection of hotheads and fanatics - has failed to be shocked and awed by the most magnificent military machine ever fielded. Their dogged resistance has shown us the futility of the idea that a nation of millions could ever be subjugated and administered, no matter what obscene price we are willing to pay in blood and money.
The President of the United States is a buffoon, an idiot, a man barely able to speak the English language. His vice president is a little-seen, widely despised enigma and his chief military advisor a wild-eyed warmonger. Only his Secretary of State offers any hope of redemption, for he at least is a reasonable, well-educated man, a man most thought would have made a far, far better choice for Chief Executive.
We must face the fact that we had no business forcing this unjust war on a people who simply want to be left alone. It has damaged our international relationships beyond any measure, and has proven to be illegal, immoral and nothing less than a monumental mistake that will take generations to rectify. We can never hope to subdue and remake an entire nation of millions. All we will do is alienate them further. So we must bring this war to an immediate end, and make a solemn promise to history that we will never launch another war of aggression and preemption again, so help us God.
So spoke the American press. The time was the summer of 1864. Everyone thought the Rebels would be whipped at Bull Run, and that the Confederacy would collapse within a few days or hours of such a defeat. No one expected the common Southern man to fight so tenaciously, a man who owned no slaves and who in fact despised the rich fire-eaters who had taken them to war.
Lincoln was widely considered a bumpkin, a gorilla, an uncouth backwoods hick who by some miracle of political compromise had made it to the White House. Secretary of War Stanton had assumed near-dictatorial powers and was also roundly despised. Only Secretary of State William Seward, a well-spoken, intelligent easterner and a former Presidential candidate, seemed fit to hold office.
After three interminable and unbelievably bloody years of conflict, many in the Northern press had long ago become convinced that there was no hope of winning the far, and far less of winning the peace that followed. After nearly forty months of battle and maneuver, after seeing endless hopes dashed in spectacular failure, after watching the magnificent Army of the Potomac again and again whipped and humiliated
by a far smaller, under-fed, under-equipped force, the New York newspapers and many, many others were calling for an immediate end to this parade of failures.
It took them forty months and hundreds of thousands killed to reach that point. Today, many news outlets have reached a similar conclusion about Iraq after ten days and less than fifty combat fatalities.
Ahhh. Progress.
MORE: http://john-ross.net/war.htm
Some Good Reading
I have been meaning to post a link to some of Skeeter Skelton's articles, and this is one you may enjoy.
--WP
--WP
Just received another E-mail in with a another Stupid Cartoon
Regarding the AWB demise.
For those looking for standard capacity magazines, say for Glock try Lone Wolf Distributors.
Notice the 31 round magazine for G18 9MM- only $29.95.
If looking for other standard capacity pistol and rifle magazines, try here.
However, for those of us who are devout followers of JMB, then Wilson 47-D's are always a good choice.
--WP
For those looking for standard capacity magazines, say for Glock try Lone Wolf Distributors.
Notice the 31 round magazine for G18 9MM- only $29.95.
If looking for other standard capacity pistol and rifle magazines, try here.
However, for those of us who are devout followers of JMB, then Wilson 47-D's are always a good choice.
--WP
"Daddy, I want,
A dolphin and swimming pool for Christmas," says my four year old.
I asked if her if she wanted to watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...
--WP
I asked if her if she wanted to watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat...
--WP
I have been testing an anti-spam program for two months now.
Moreover, it is working better than the one I had been using with my ISP.
My ISP converted to a new tool in July and I found it blocked most of my newsletter subscriptions. It also blocked my E-Invoice from one of my distributors- no matter what we did to try to get around it.
So, I have been using I Hate Spam from Sunbelt Software.
I had tried it once before and it was terrible, but the new version actually works quite well.
Since August 21st, 2004, it has caught 10,669 pieces of Spam and very little real E-mail.
If looking to get a handle on your spam problem, you might consider it.
--WP
My ISP converted to a new tool in July and I found it blocked most of my newsletter subscriptions. It also blocked my E-Invoice from one of my distributors- no matter what we did to try to get around it.
So, I have been using I Hate Spam from Sunbelt Software.
I had tried it once before and it was terrible, but the new version actually works quite well.
Since August 21st, 2004, it has caught 10,669 pieces of Spam and very little real E-mail.
If looking to get a handle on your spam problem, you might consider it.
--WP
Surgery, Physical Therapy, Rehab, and Pain
It has been ten days since the surgery on the knee and quite a bit of the swelling is down. I had physical therapy three times this past week and exercised it at home each day when not in pt. Yesterday fresh bruising came, and I think it was because of Friday's PT session. The whole leg hurt and no matter what I did, I could not get comfortable- so I slept most of the day.
Except that is, when I woke up in severe pain at 04:10, took two pain pills and then did some work for some clients until 10:30 yesterday morning. I then went back to bed.
I am tired of hearing: "It takes time to heal..."
--WP
Except that is, when I woke up in severe pain at 04:10, took two pain pills and then did some work for some clients until 10:30 yesterday morning. I then went back to bed.
I am tired of hearing: "It takes time to heal..."
--WP
24 September, 2004
Wow!
Either 978.11 out 1,099 of you are the web's fastest readers, or you have the attention span that is smaller than my youngest child.
WhoseParanoid (Visit Length) 24th September 2004
Please keep in mind, that these are averages...
--WP
WhoseParanoid (Visit Length) 24th September 2004
Please keep in mind, that these are averages...
--WP
Southern Appeal: I have been enjoying his blog for some time.
Here is a good example, and here is another.
I am a bit familar with that area and many locals do call it Stupidville, and the comment by County Sheriff Fred Abdalla is just a, hmm- minor example.
--WP
I am a bit familar with that area and many locals do call it Stupidville, and the comment by County Sheriff Fred Abdalla is just a, hmm- minor example.
--WP
But, but- I am the Anti-Terror Chief!
LA Anti-Terror Chief Found With Gun At Airport
September 24, 2004
"The commander of the Los Angeles Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Bureau was detained on Thursday at Los Angeles Airport after a gun was found in his carry-on luggage.
John Miller was allowed to board the flight with his family after the weapon was confiscated by airport police, a spokeswoman said.
Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said at a press conference that Miller was authorized to carry a gun but that, because he was not a sworn officer, he was not permitted to bring a weapon onto a plane.
"As you might imagine, he was extremely embarrassed, also his family was embarrassed, and quite frankly so is the department," Bratton said.
According to the US Transportation Security Agency, firearms and ammunition are prohibited from carry-on baggage and must be declared.
Bratton said the LAPD would be working with airport and federal officials in a review of the incident and would also conduct an internal investigation. He said Miller could face a fine of up to USD$3,000.
Miller is a former ABC News correspondent, and conducted one of the few televised interviews with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by a Western journalist in May 1998."
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If it had been you (I will not fly commerical anymore) dear reader, do you think you would have been allowed to board with your family? More than likely, your butt would have been in a room roughly 9'x8'in size- if you were lucky...
--WP
September 24, 2004
"The commander of the Los Angeles Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Bureau was detained on Thursday at Los Angeles Airport after a gun was found in his carry-on luggage.
John Miller was allowed to board the flight with his family after the weapon was confiscated by airport police, a spokeswoman said.
Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said at a press conference that Miller was authorized to carry a gun but that, because he was not a sworn officer, he was not permitted to bring a weapon onto a plane.
"As you might imagine, he was extremely embarrassed, also his family was embarrassed, and quite frankly so is the department," Bratton said.
According to the US Transportation Security Agency, firearms and ammunition are prohibited from carry-on baggage and must be declared.
Bratton said the LAPD would be working with airport and federal officials in a review of the incident and would also conduct an internal investigation. He said Miller could face a fine of up to USD$3,000.
Miller is a former ABC News correspondent, and conducted one of the few televised interviews with al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden by a Western journalist in May 1998."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it had been you (I will not fly commerical anymore) dear reader, do you think you would have been allowed to board with your family? More than likely, your butt would have been in a room roughly 9'x8'in size- if you were lucky...
--WP
Africatown
Detroit council OKs plan that touts racial separation
September 21, 2004
BY MARISOL BELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
"A majority of the Detroit City Council wants to implement an economic development plan it commissioned for $112,000 that preaches racial isolation and rails against immigration in its bid to gain economic success for poor blacks.
The crux of the plan is the creation of a business district -- dubbed African Town -- that would be funded in part with city money and made up of black-owned businesses catering to a black clientele.
The report also complains that immigrants from Mexico, Asia and the Middle East are stealing resources, jobs and other opportunities from blacks and calls on city leaders to stop the economic shift.
The report does not call on the city to stop immigration -- and the city wouldn't have any power to stop it, even if it wanted to -- but the report does call on the city to level the playing field between blacks and the newcomers who it says are economically surpassing them.
"We see this as another compliment to the exciting development going on in the city," said Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, who introduced the effort to the council earlier this summer. The plan is under scrutiny by some city leaders and economic development experts who question the legality of an effort meant to help only one race. Some officials decry the council's efforts as threatening to reverse strides made in the region to improve race relations and the city's relationship with its neighbors.
Such a plan also could further alienate efforts by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to seek regional cooperation and funding for major projects, such as an expansion and renovation of Cobo Center.
One official calls it outright racist."
Just one, mind you, calls it racist, so lets take a look at Africatown's demographics, shall we:
It appears to me that it already is, and playing the race card is something that will bite them in the ass, as I am sure it has done for Lafayette City-Parish Councilman Chris Williams. Councilman Williams is claiming that it is racist that he is not allowed to have council employees do his personal errands, and misdeeds:
"Racism, harassment and use of City-Parish Council staff for personal business are alleged in a series of memos between two councilmen and the council clerk.
The memos stem from an exchange that occurred Aug. 31 between Councilman Chris Williams and Council Clerk Norma Dugas, after Dugas, who is white, instructed council staff to stop conducting personal business for Williams, who is black, on government time.
Dugas accused Williams of verbal abuse and threats.
Williams responded by calling Dugas a racist and accusing Dugas and council Chairman Randy Menard, who is white, of harassing him because he is black.
The situation apparently began Aug. 30 when Dugas wrote a memo telling staff to stop doing personal work for Williams on government time.
Council workers were allegedly asked by Williams to write a letter on council letterhead disputing the validity of a $1,400 unpaid cell phone bill and to look into fixing a ticket Williams received for following too closely behind a vehicle while on a government-related trip.
Dugas put a stop to the work, saying it was personal business that Williams should handle himself. Government workers are prohibited from doing personal work on government time, she said."
He wants a $1,400.00 cell phone bill and his traffic ticket dismissed. Do not we all, but you and I have to pay these things, do we not? So why should any politician get out of it? Because, that would mean using his own monies and heaven forbid that should ever happen.
Some may ask how this is related, beyond the race baiting, and moreover, why should one be paranoid of such activities; simply put, it is another attempt to get preferential treatment, via the law at the expense of others. An unearned benefit for those that just cannot cut it in life. It does not matter if they be white, black, yellow or red, these actions are what screw us daily and then divide us and distract our attentions from what are the true priorities.
Besides, was this not supposed to end with the death of Separate but Equal? Oh yes, some are more equal than others.
--WP
September 21, 2004
BY MARISOL BELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
"A majority of the Detroit City Council wants to implement an economic development plan it commissioned for $112,000 that preaches racial isolation and rails against immigration in its bid to gain economic success for poor blacks.
The crux of the plan is the creation of a business district -- dubbed African Town -- that would be funded in part with city money and made up of black-owned businesses catering to a black clientele.
The report also complains that immigrants from Mexico, Asia and the Middle East are stealing resources, jobs and other opportunities from blacks and calls on city leaders to stop the economic shift.
The report does not call on the city to stop immigration -- and the city wouldn't have any power to stop it, even if it wanted to -- but the report does call on the city to level the playing field between blacks and the newcomers who it says are economically surpassing them.
"We see this as another compliment to the exciting development going on in the city," said Councilwoman JoAnn Watson, who introduced the effort to the council earlier this summer. The plan is under scrutiny by some city leaders and economic development experts who question the legality of an effort meant to help only one race. Some officials decry the council's efforts as threatening to reverse strides made in the region to improve race relations and the city's relationship with its neighbors.
Such a plan also could further alienate efforts by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to seek regional cooperation and funding for major projects, such as an expansion and renovation of Cobo Center.
One official calls it outright racist."
Just one, mind you, calls it racist, so lets take a look at Africatown's demographics, shall we:
It appears to me that it already is, and playing the race card is something that will bite them in the ass, as I am sure it has done for Lafayette City-Parish Councilman Chris Williams. Councilman Williams is claiming that it is racist that he is not allowed to have council employees do his personal errands, and misdeeds:
"Racism, harassment and use of City-Parish Council staff for personal business are alleged in a series of memos between two councilmen and the council clerk.
The memos stem from an exchange that occurred Aug. 31 between Councilman Chris Williams and Council Clerk Norma Dugas, after Dugas, who is white, instructed council staff to stop conducting personal business for Williams, who is black, on government time.
Dugas accused Williams of verbal abuse and threats.
Williams responded by calling Dugas a racist and accusing Dugas and council Chairman Randy Menard, who is white, of harassing him because he is black.
The situation apparently began Aug. 30 when Dugas wrote a memo telling staff to stop doing personal work for Williams on government time.
Council workers were allegedly asked by Williams to write a letter on council letterhead disputing the validity of a $1,400 unpaid cell phone bill and to look into fixing a ticket Williams received for following too closely behind a vehicle while on a government-related trip.
Dugas put a stop to the work, saying it was personal business that Williams should handle himself. Government workers are prohibited from doing personal work on government time, she said."
He wants a $1,400.00 cell phone bill and his traffic ticket dismissed. Do not we all, but you and I have to pay these things, do we not? So why should any politician get out of it? Because, that would mean using his own monies and heaven forbid that should ever happen.
Some may ask how this is related, beyond the race baiting, and moreover, why should one be paranoid of such activities; simply put, it is another attempt to get preferential treatment, via the law at the expense of others. An unearned benefit for those that just cannot cut it in life. It does not matter if they be white, black, yellow or red, these actions are what screw us daily and then divide us and distract our attentions from what are the true priorities.
Besides, was this not supposed to end with the death of Separate but Equal? Oh yes, some are more equal than others.
--WP
23 September, 2004
Stolen From Drudge
Elton John explodes in Taiwan...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damn! He only got pissed off- oh well, maybe next time...
--WP
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Damn! He only got pissed off- oh well, maybe next time...
--WP
22 September, 2004
And they are surprised to find out that the government and it's partners cook their books?
Serious Problems Found by Regulators at Fannie Mae, Prompting SEC Inquiry
By Marcy Gordon The Associated Press
Published: Sep 22, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - Regulators have found serious accounting problems at mortgage giant Fannie Mae, prompting an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission and calling into question its financial soundness, the company disclosed Wednesday. Its shares dropped nearly 7 percent.
In at least one instance, the regulators found, it appeared that the government-sponsored company put off some accounting for expenses to a future reporting period in order to meet earnings targets that brought bonuses for executives.
The Fannie Mae board has named a special committee of outside directors to respond to the allegations by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
Fannie Mae, the second-largest U.S. financial institution behind Citigroup Inc., also is the second largest seller of securities behind the U.S. Treasury. It uses those funds to buy trillions of dollars in home mortgages from lenders, which it says provides more liquidity and lower mortgage rates to home buyers. If Fannie Mae is found to have violated accounting regulations, it could be ordered to decrease its financial leverage by raising fresh capital or buying fewer mortgages - potentially making it harder for some buyers to obtain financing for their home purchases.
The developments Wednesday surprised financial experts and Wall Street. A little more than a year ago, Freddie Mac - Fannie Mae's sister agency and competitor in the multitrillion-dollar home mortgage market - disclosed that it had understated profits by some $4.5 billion for 2000-2002 in an effort to smooth earnings. Fannie Mae's accounting then came under close government scrutiny, though its leaders insisted that it had no problems of that type.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And they are just now find out? Horeshit!
These problems have been known for quite sometime. Here is a link to the Daily Reckcogning Search. Just type in Fannie Mae to review the results. And here at Google, and one more.
--WP
By Marcy Gordon The Associated Press
Published: Sep 22, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - Regulators have found serious accounting problems at mortgage giant Fannie Mae, prompting an inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission and calling into question its financial soundness, the company disclosed Wednesday. Its shares dropped nearly 7 percent.
In at least one instance, the regulators found, it appeared that the government-sponsored company put off some accounting for expenses to a future reporting period in order to meet earnings targets that brought bonuses for executives.
The Fannie Mae board has named a special committee of outside directors to respond to the allegations by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
Fannie Mae, the second-largest U.S. financial institution behind Citigroup Inc., also is the second largest seller of securities behind the U.S. Treasury. It uses those funds to buy trillions of dollars in home mortgages from lenders, which it says provides more liquidity and lower mortgage rates to home buyers. If Fannie Mae is found to have violated accounting regulations, it could be ordered to decrease its financial leverage by raising fresh capital or buying fewer mortgages - potentially making it harder for some buyers to obtain financing for their home purchases.
The developments Wednesday surprised financial experts and Wall Street. A little more than a year ago, Freddie Mac - Fannie Mae's sister agency and competitor in the multitrillion-dollar home mortgage market - disclosed that it had understated profits by some $4.5 billion for 2000-2002 in an effort to smooth earnings. Fannie Mae's accounting then came under close government scrutiny, though its leaders insisted that it had no problems of that type.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And they are just now find out? Horeshit!
These problems have been known for quite sometime. Here is a link to the Daily Reckcogning Search. Just type in Fannie Mae to review the results. And here at Google, and one more.
--WP
Some Senators Question It!?!
Some Senators Question Quick Movement of Intelligence Director Bill
By Jesse J. Holland Associated Press Writer
Published: Sep 22, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - A growing number of senators are questioning whether the Senate should abandon pledges to make far-reaching changes to the nation's intelligence bureaucracy before Election Day, doubts that could dampen the bill's momentum.
Pushing the legislation through with battles going on between President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry - as well as House and Senate control up for grabs - could lead to changes that do more harm than good to the nation's 15 intelligence agencies, they say.
"We must not lose sight of how integral intelligence is to our national security and we must be careful not to rush to failure," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.
Some went even further.
"I'm willing to break with the president and say, 'Let's not do this before the election,'" Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, said Wednesday. "I know he wants a signing ceremony in the Rose Garden before the election and if he doesn't get it, Sen. Kerry will attack him, but there are times where you have to do the right thing and it seems to me to do the right thing is to go slower on this."
But Senate Governmental Affairs chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she vehemently disagrees with those who want to wait.
"If we wait till next year, I would bet you that nothing will happen," Collins said. "Many of these reforms have been recommended time and time again. They go back decades. If we don't act now, when will we have the willpower to act?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well Susie, if these suggestions have been around for awhile, then what is the rush?
Hell, the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been around for awhile too, and you scumbags ignore it too.
By Jesse J. Holland Associated Press Writer
Published: Sep 22, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - A growing number of senators are questioning whether the Senate should abandon pledges to make far-reaching changes to the nation's intelligence bureaucracy before Election Day, doubts that could dampen the bill's momentum.
Pushing the legislation through with battles going on between President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry - as well as House and Senate control up for grabs - could lead to changes that do more harm than good to the nation's 15 intelligence agencies, they say.
"We must not lose sight of how integral intelligence is to our national security and we must be careful not to rush to failure," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska.
Some went even further.
"I'm willing to break with the president and say, 'Let's not do this before the election,'" Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, said Wednesday. "I know he wants a signing ceremony in the Rose Garden before the election and if he doesn't get it, Sen. Kerry will attack him, but there are times where you have to do the right thing and it seems to me to do the right thing is to go slower on this."
But Senate Governmental Affairs chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she vehemently disagrees with those who want to wait.
"If we wait till next year, I would bet you that nothing will happen," Collins said. "Many of these reforms have been recommended time and time again. They go back decades. If we don't act now, when will we have the willpower to act?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well Susie, if these suggestions have been around for awhile, then what is the rush?
Hell, the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been around for awhile too, and you scumbags ignore it too.
Some would say she lost the maternal instinct.
MOMSTERS
September 21, 2004 -- A Harlem lesbian beat the toddler son of her female lover to death - fracturing three ribs and rupturing his liver - simply because he soiled himself, law-enforcement sources said yesterday.
Carmen Molina, 32, and the mother, Zahira Matos, 20, were charged with second-degree murder in the death of tiny Yovany Tellez Jr. -who had 60 bruises all over his body - and face a maximum penalty of life without parole.
"They brutalized the child over a period of time. They're simply monsters who beat children," one cop said.
"Nobody human can do that," agreed neighbor Melody Walker, who rushed to the women's apartment at 2 a.m. Sunday after Matos asked her for help.
There, she saw the little boy lying bleeding with bruises on his arms, legs and stomach.
"To do that to somebody who came out of your body is just horrible," said Walker, a mother of three.
The boy's father, Yovany Tellez Sr., 21, refused to say anything bad about his ex-girlfriend, who began having an affair with Molina last November.
"It's a terrible loss. I'm going through a hard time," Tellez said after driving 14 hours to New York from his home in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Little Yovany died at St. Luke's Hospital at 2:26 a.m. Sunday. The cause of death was fatal child-abuse syndrome - multiple blows that fractured three of his ribs, ruptured his liver, crushed his lower stomach and broke his leg, law-enforcement sources said.
A woman who lives directly downstairs said that at 2 a.m., she heard a child's scream that "knocked me off my feet."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to a harsh upbringing and that she manifests her hatred for her father by being a lesbian and vents this pent up anguish against all males.
Me, I say, once convicted, let the father rip the bitch's heart out and feed it to the birth mother...
--WP
September 21, 2004 -- A Harlem lesbian beat the toddler son of her female lover to death - fracturing three ribs and rupturing his liver - simply because he soiled himself, law-enforcement sources said yesterday.
Carmen Molina, 32, and the mother, Zahira Matos, 20, were charged with second-degree murder in the death of tiny Yovany Tellez Jr. -who had 60 bruises all over his body - and face a maximum penalty of life without parole.
"They brutalized the child over a period of time. They're simply monsters who beat children," one cop said.
"Nobody human can do that," agreed neighbor Melody Walker, who rushed to the women's apartment at 2 a.m. Sunday after Matos asked her for help.
There, she saw the little boy lying bleeding with bruises on his arms, legs and stomach.
"To do that to somebody who came out of your body is just horrible," said Walker, a mother of three.
The boy's father, Yovany Tellez Sr., 21, refused to say anything bad about his ex-girlfriend, who began having an affair with Molina last November.
"It's a terrible loss. I'm going through a hard time," Tellez said after driving 14 hours to New York from his home in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Little Yovany died at St. Luke's Hospital at 2:26 a.m. Sunday. The cause of death was fatal child-abuse syndrome - multiple blows that fractured three of his ribs, ruptured his liver, crushed his lower stomach and broke his leg, law-enforcement sources said.
A woman who lives directly downstairs said that at 2 a.m., she heard a child's scream that "knocked me off my feet."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to a harsh upbringing and that she manifests her hatred for her father by being a lesbian and vents this pent up anguish against all males.
Me, I say, once convicted, let the father rip the bitch's heart out and feed it to the birth mother...
--WP
NO- she and her father embarrassed the "professionals".
Paper Carrier Arrested After Using Raft To Reach Flooded Subscribers
POSTED: 6:20 am EDT September 21, 2004
"CARLISLE, Pa. -- A plucky newspaper carrier and her father used a rubber raft to reach flooded subscribers -- and both wound up in trouble with the law.
Betsey Patrick, a carrier for The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, delighted six stranded subscribers along the rain-swollen Conodoguinet Creek on Sunday when she and her father floated down in the raft.
"The people were so excited," Patrick said Monday. "They couldn't leave their houses. It made their day."
But police and a state Fish and Boat Commission officer weren't amused, and cited her father, Rick Patrick, for negligent operation of a water craft. Betsey Patrick said she was arrested for disorderly conduct after arguing about the $220 citation and handcuffed in front of her 2-year-old daughter.
Patrick said she will fight the charge.
"There was no problem with what we did," she said. "We both had life vests on. We had signaling whistles."
A Patriot-News carrier since 2001, Patrick said she took to the raft because she didn't want the remnants of Hurricane Ivan to mar her perfect delivery record.
Police involved in the case could not be reached for comment, but Roger Kohr, spokesman for the Cumberland County Office of Emergency Preparedness, said officials barred access to many flooded areas.
"We need people to use common sense," Kohr said. "They're putting themselves in peril, and they're putting the people who would have to go in and rescue them in peril."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are afraid that you may actually have to do the work you are paid to, then find another job.
Moreover, it is their life to risk as they see fit, not when some bureaucrat decides it should be!
--WP
POSTED: 6:20 am EDT September 21, 2004
"CARLISLE, Pa. -- A plucky newspaper carrier and her father used a rubber raft to reach flooded subscribers -- and both wound up in trouble with the law.
Betsey Patrick, a carrier for The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, delighted six stranded subscribers along the rain-swollen Conodoguinet Creek on Sunday when she and her father floated down in the raft.
"The people were so excited," Patrick said Monday. "They couldn't leave their houses. It made their day."
But police and a state Fish and Boat Commission officer weren't amused, and cited her father, Rick Patrick, for negligent operation of a water craft. Betsey Patrick said she was arrested for disorderly conduct after arguing about the $220 citation and handcuffed in front of her 2-year-old daughter.
Patrick said she will fight the charge.
"There was no problem with what we did," she said. "We both had life vests on. We had signaling whistles."
A Patriot-News carrier since 2001, Patrick said she took to the raft because she didn't want the remnants of Hurricane Ivan to mar her perfect delivery record.
Police involved in the case could not be reached for comment, but Roger Kohr, spokesman for the Cumberland County Office of Emergency Preparedness, said officials barred access to many flooded areas.
"We need people to use common sense," Kohr said. "They're putting themselves in peril, and they're putting the people who would have to go in and rescue them in peril."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are afraid that you may actually have to do the work you are paid to, then find another job.
Moreover, it is their life to risk as they see fit, not when some bureaucrat decides it should be!
--WP
21 September, 2004
He should be charged, arrested, tried, and convicted.
Shotgun Incident Worsens for Kerry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep. 18, 2004
Contact: Felicity Bower 1-800-707-4020
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
Shotgun Incident Worsens for Kerry
New legal research by gun-law expert Alan Korwin indicates that merely accepting a gift shotgun from a private party out of his home state would be a five-year federal felony for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for President [see United States Code, section 922(a)(9)]. Giving him the gun would also be a felony [922(a)(5)].
National news reports picture Kerry proudly holding the gift in Racine, West Virginia, during a Labor Day celebration. Bringing the gun back to his home state would be an additional five-year federal felony, under the massive and bewildering federal gun laws, as previously reported by Bloomfield Press.
The shotgun, identified in published reports as a semiautomatic Browning, was actually a semiautomatic Remington model 11-87. News reports suggesting it was a gift from Remington would be an illegal donation from a corporation to a candidate, and the value of the shotgun would exceed campaign donation limits as well.
In a statement published in Gun Week, Remington CEO Tommy Millner denied any involvement with the gift, saying, "Rest assured, we were neither aware of this presentation in advance nor in any way supportive of its intent to support Senator Kerry. In fact, the Company remains amused by ongoing photos of Senator Kerry shooting without either ear or eye protection while discharging a firearm."
Reportedly outraged at the implication of an illegal gift, Remington rushed the release a public statement denying any association with the gift, saying, "Remington Arms Company has made no endorsement of any presidential candidate. This endorsement and presentation by the UMWA was made independently of the Remington Arms Company and the Company did not coordinate with or endorse the actions of the union."
A local of United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) represents workers at the Remington plant in New York where the highly regarded shotguns are made. UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts presented the gift according to Gun Week.
The greatest news error however appears to be that Mr. Kerry may have not accepted this gift, despite so many reports to the contrary, which cast the Senator as a pro-gun politician.
Reporter Matt Drudge had previously noted that Kerry introduced a bill which would have outlawed this particular sporting shotgun, because it is semi-automatic and has "any characteristic that can function as a grip."
Dave Workman, senior editor at Gun Week, contacted Washington, D.C.-based Kerry campaign spokeswoman Kathy Roeder, who said the shotgun was, "returned to the person who bought it," and that the gun is still in West Virginia. This reportedly took place immediately after all the photographs were taken of the Senator holding the gun. The actual current location of the shotgun is not known.
According to Workman's report in Gun Week, "Roeder acknowledged that Kerry could not legally have accepted the shotgun and taken it with him, anyway, under existing gun-control laws." It is not clear whether Roeder and the Kerry campaign were aware of this when the stories of the gift and photos were taken and widely circulated.
Questions as to Kerry's intent, in leading the media to believe he was in fact a gun supporter, by smiling and gladly receiving the shotgun gift, are unresolved as this Bloomfield Press news release was posted.
This places many news outlets in a difficult position. If they all retract their stories that Kerry accepted this gift, it will harm the image they conveyed of Kerry as a gun-friendly candidate, seen as necessary to win states like West Virginia. Al Gore lost largely democratic West Virginia (and Tennessee and Arkansas) in 2000 due to the gun issue, according to many observers.
News outlets are known to sometimes be reluctant to retract stories. If the media refuses to retract the stories, or if the Kerry campaign fails to issue a correction, then all the published articles and photos stand as evidence that the candidate committed the felony offense. Additional information is posted at the Bloomfield Press website, gunlaws.com, under the blue News Accuracy button.
In an effort to help smooth the waters, nearly 3,000 news outlets nationwide are being notified of this situation by Bloomfield Press. The public is encouraged to send this report to their local newspapers and broadcasters. It is hoped that the media will contact Kerry directly, and either retract the story, or confirm their account. Did John Kerry, in fact, receive a gift of a fine Remington shotgun?
If Kerry did accept the gift as widely reported, and as a legal matter, his transfer of it back to an unidentified person in West Virginia, without involvement of a licensed dealer, an FBI background check, and with no paper trail, may also be a felony.
Gun-law expert Korwin is again calling for calm, as these unbelievably confusing laws are sorted out, so the democratic candidate for president can continue his effort to attain the highest office in the land.
"Again, I implore the public to have patience. If the democratic candidate for president cannot figure out the gun laws, how on earth could mere gun owners be expected to do the same. Kerry deserves the same leniency we would all expect to receive. This is America, where we're all treated equally under the long arms of the law."
###
Contact:
Alan Korwin
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
"We publish the gun laws."
4718 E. Cactus #440
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-996-4020 Phone
602-494-0679 FAX
1-800-707-4020 Orders
http://www.gunlaws.com
alan@gunlaws.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sep. 18, 2004
Contact: Felicity Bower 1-800-707-4020
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
Shotgun Incident Worsens for Kerry
New legal research by gun-law expert Alan Korwin indicates that merely accepting a gift shotgun from a private party out of his home state would be a five-year federal felony for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for President [see United States Code, section 922(a)(9)]. Giving him the gun would also be a felony [922(a)(5)].
National news reports picture Kerry proudly holding the gift in Racine, West Virginia, during a Labor Day celebration. Bringing the gun back to his home state would be an additional five-year federal felony, under the massive and bewildering federal gun laws, as previously reported by Bloomfield Press.
The shotgun, identified in published reports as a semiautomatic Browning, was actually a semiautomatic Remington model 11-87. News reports suggesting it was a gift from Remington would be an illegal donation from a corporation to a candidate, and the value of the shotgun would exceed campaign donation limits as well.
In a statement published in Gun Week, Remington CEO Tommy Millner denied any involvement with the gift, saying, "Rest assured, we were neither aware of this presentation in advance nor in any way supportive of its intent to support Senator Kerry. In fact, the Company remains amused by ongoing photos of Senator Kerry shooting without either ear or eye protection while discharging a firearm."
Reportedly outraged at the implication of an illegal gift, Remington rushed the release a public statement denying any association with the gift, saying, "Remington Arms Company has made no endorsement of any presidential candidate. This endorsement and presentation by the UMWA was made independently of the Remington Arms Company and the Company did not coordinate with or endorse the actions of the union."
A local of United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) represents workers at the Remington plant in New York where the highly regarded shotguns are made. UMWA President Cecil E. Roberts presented the gift according to Gun Week.
The greatest news error however appears to be that Mr. Kerry may have not accepted this gift, despite so many reports to the contrary, which cast the Senator as a pro-gun politician.
Reporter Matt Drudge had previously noted that Kerry introduced a bill which would have outlawed this particular sporting shotgun, because it is semi-automatic and has "any characteristic that can function as a grip."
Dave Workman, senior editor at Gun Week, contacted Washington, D.C.-based Kerry campaign spokeswoman Kathy Roeder, who said the shotgun was, "returned to the person who bought it," and that the gun is still in West Virginia. This reportedly took place immediately after all the photographs were taken of the Senator holding the gun. The actual current location of the shotgun is not known.
According to Workman's report in Gun Week, "Roeder acknowledged that Kerry could not legally have accepted the shotgun and taken it with him, anyway, under existing gun-control laws." It is not clear whether Roeder and the Kerry campaign were aware of this when the stories of the gift and photos were taken and widely circulated.
Questions as to Kerry's intent, in leading the media to believe he was in fact a gun supporter, by smiling and gladly receiving the shotgun gift, are unresolved as this Bloomfield Press news release was posted.
This places many news outlets in a difficult position. If they all retract their stories that Kerry accepted this gift, it will harm the image they conveyed of Kerry as a gun-friendly candidate, seen as necessary to win states like West Virginia. Al Gore lost largely democratic West Virginia (and Tennessee and Arkansas) in 2000 due to the gun issue, according to many observers.
News outlets are known to sometimes be reluctant to retract stories. If the media refuses to retract the stories, or if the Kerry campaign fails to issue a correction, then all the published articles and photos stand as evidence that the candidate committed the felony offense. Additional information is posted at the Bloomfield Press website, gunlaws.com, under the blue News Accuracy button.
In an effort to help smooth the waters, nearly 3,000 news outlets nationwide are being notified of this situation by Bloomfield Press. The public is encouraged to send this report to their local newspapers and broadcasters. It is hoped that the media will contact Kerry directly, and either retract the story, or confirm their account. Did John Kerry, in fact, receive a gift of a fine Remington shotgun?
If Kerry did accept the gift as widely reported, and as a legal matter, his transfer of it back to an unidentified person in West Virginia, without involvement of a licensed dealer, an FBI background check, and with no paper trail, may also be a felony.
Gun-law expert Korwin is again calling for calm, as these unbelievably confusing laws are sorted out, so the democratic candidate for president can continue his effort to attain the highest office in the land.
"Again, I implore the public to have patience. If the democratic candidate for president cannot figure out the gun laws, how on earth could mere gun owners be expected to do the same. Kerry deserves the same leniency we would all expect to receive. This is America, where we're all treated equally under the long arms of the law."
###
Contact:
Alan Korwin
BLOOMFIELD PRESS
"We publish the gun laws."
4718 E. Cactus #440
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-996-4020 Phone
602-494-0679 FAX
1-800-707-4020 Orders
http://www.gunlaws.com
alan@gunlaws.com
He should be paid a bounty.
Man Charged With Second-degree Murder in Intruder Shooting
"Grizzle told police he was awakened by someone breaking in his front door and that he used a hunting rifle to chase out the intruder.
In the front yard, Grizzle said he saw the alleged robber in his vehicle and fired one shot through the windshield, hitting him in the chest and killing him. Worden didn't have a weapon."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanent punishment and he will not be breaking into any more homes, now will he?
--WP
"Grizzle told police he was awakened by someone breaking in his front door and that he used a hunting rifle to chase out the intruder.
In the front yard, Grizzle said he saw the alleged robber in his vehicle and fired one shot through the windshield, hitting him in the chest and killing him. Worden didn't have a weapon."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permanent punishment and he will not be breaking into any more homes, now will he?
--WP
Sure you do.
House Approves Penalties for False Web Records
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would increase jail time for identity thieves and other fraudulent Web users who register sites under false identities.
The bill, which passed by voice vote, would not directly outlaw the use of fraudulent registration information.
Rather, it would increase by up to seven years the prison terms of those convicted of felonies.
It must be approved by the Senate before it becomes law.
Online investigators frequently find that suspects have filled out Web-site registration records with clearly fraudulent information -- providing "555-555-5555" as a phone number or "Small Wok Way, Chopstick Town, WI" as a street address.
As many as 10 percent of the Internet's 30 million domain names may be registered under false identities, according to a study released last year."
"The government must play a greater role in detecting those who conceal their identities online," said Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, a sponsor of the bill.
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After you, and the other scumbags in that swamp pass this garbage, and other laws designed to strip away any sort of privacy of we, your supposed masters, then come on over Lamar! I want you to take a good close look up my ass, and I want you to get a real bird's eye view of it as it gives you and your cohorts the gift you all deserve.
--WP
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would increase jail time for identity thieves and other fraudulent Web users who register sites under false identities.
The bill, which passed by voice vote, would not directly outlaw the use of fraudulent registration information.
Rather, it would increase by up to seven years the prison terms of those convicted of felonies.
It must be approved by the Senate before it becomes law.
Online investigators frequently find that suspects have filled out Web-site registration records with clearly fraudulent information -- providing "555-555-5555" as a phone number or "Small Wok Way, Chopstick Town, WI" as a street address.
As many as 10 percent of the Internet's 30 million domain names may be registered under false identities, according to a study released last year."
"The government must play a greater role in detecting those who conceal their identities online," said Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith, a sponsor of the bill.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After you, and the other scumbags in that swamp pass this garbage, and other laws designed to strip away any sort of privacy of we, your supposed masters, then come on over Lamar! I want you to take a good close look up my ass, and I want you to get a real bird's eye view of it as it gives you and your cohorts the gift you all deserve.
--WP
Makes you wonder even more who really fed the story to begin with to the Kerry Campaign/CBS idiots.
Gore campaign rejected allegations similar to CBS report, former campaign chief says
(09-21) 15:54 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --
"Former Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign heard but did not pursue allegations about George W. Bush's Air National Guard service, similar to the information in discredited documents aired by CBS News this month, a former campaign official said Tuesday.
Tony Coelho, who ran the campaign for several months in 2000, said he did not follow up on the claims because they were not serious enough to demand further attention.
"Of everyone I talked to, no one had anything that rose to the level that we should get ourselves into," Coelho said."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it Clinton's or Bush's people?
WP puts his money on the latter...
--WP
(09-21) 15:54 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --
"Former Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign heard but did not pursue allegations about George W. Bush's Air National Guard service, similar to the information in discredited documents aired by CBS News this month, a former campaign official said Tuesday.
Tony Coelho, who ran the campaign for several months in 2000, said he did not follow up on the claims because they were not serious enough to demand further attention.
"Of everyone I talked to, no one had anything that rose to the level that we should get ourselves into," Coelho said."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was it Clinton's or Bush's people?
WP puts his money on the latter...
--WP
One very fine post at The High Road
"Analysis on a purely local level...
In this town in the past twenty five years our police force has doubled in size. We have more than twice as many cars. They are armed with everything up to M16's. We have our own sniper, by golly! The town has a population of 6000...just like it did 25 years ago."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The entire thread is worth reading.
--WP
In this town in the past twenty five years our police force has doubled in size. We have more than twice as many cars. They are armed with everything up to M16's. We have our own sniper, by golly! The town has a population of 6000...just like it did 25 years ago."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The entire thread is worth reading.
--WP
The Whimsies of Women 2!
RESEARCH SHOWS FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF RAPE COMMON
"According to a nine-year study conducted by former Purdue sociologist Eugene J. Kanin, in over 40 percent of the cases reviewed, the complainants eventually admitted that no rape had occurred (Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1994). Kanin also studied rape allegations in two large Midwestern universities and found that 50 percent of the allegations were recanted by the accuser."
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Other times, you cannot let them have their little lies- becasue they enjoy being squeezed, and then regret it...
--WP
"According to a nine-year study conducted by former Purdue sociologist Eugene J. Kanin, in over 40 percent of the cases reviewed, the complainants eventually admitted that no rape had occurred (Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 23, No. 1, 1994). Kanin also studied rape allegations in two large Midwestern universities and found that 50 percent of the allegations were recanted by the accuser."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other times, you cannot let them have their little lies- becasue they enjoy being squeezed, and then regret it...
--WP
The Whimsies of Women!
THE BAR STOOL BOYS
09:30 - 20 September 2004
"A Tiny wooden stool has been singled out as the cause of a baby boom at a city pub.
Now customers and colleagues at the Saltshouse Tavern are getting used to the sound of gurgling while they enjoy their beer.
Four barmaids have given birth in the past few months, causing a staffing crisis and a flurry of congratulations cards.
The east Hull pub's manager Don Robson, whose daughter is among the new mums, said: "They are all great barmaids and they have one other thing in common - they all sat on the same stool."
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Sometimes, you have to let them have their little lies- becasue they are just so squeezable...
--WP
09:30 - 20 September 2004
"A Tiny wooden stool has been singled out as the cause of a baby boom at a city pub.
Now customers and colleagues at the Saltshouse Tavern are getting used to the sound of gurgling while they enjoy their beer.
Four barmaids have given birth in the past few months, causing a staffing crisis and a flurry of congratulations cards.
The east Hull pub's manager Don Robson, whose daughter is among the new mums, said: "They are all great barmaids and they have one other thing in common - they all sat on the same stool."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes, you have to let them have their little lies- becasue they are just so squeezable...
--WP
Horseshit!
Again, in from No-Neck:
"I do understand the parents' point of view, and I will take it in consideration in the next go-round," Wood said. "We don't want to alienate anyone."
Alienate; just what does the word mean?
I will bet one silver dollar that this principal is more concerned with the second definition more so than the first.
Further, what this teaches is that it is all right that some children are denied their heritage while others get to make one up.
--WP
"I do understand the parents' point of view, and I will take it in consideration in the next go-round," Wood said. "We don't want to alienate anyone."
Alienate; just what does the word mean?
I will bet one silver dollar that this principal is more concerned with the second definition more so than the first.
Further, what this teaches is that it is all right that some children are denied their heritage while others get to make one up.
--WP
Live in New York- your death by Hands is more likely than by a rifle.
THE TRUTH ABOUT RIFLE STATISTICS
Mon Sep 20, 3:41 AM ET
By FREDRIC U. DICKER
"NEW YORKERS are at least four times as likely to be punched to death than to be killed with an assault-style rifle, unpublished state crime statistics show.
The eye-opening figures obtained by The Post from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services reveal that New Yorkers are also at least twice as likely to be clubbed to death than shot dead by an attacker wielding one of the semi-automatic rifles previously covered by a federal government ban that expired last week.
The most recent statewide statistics murder-by-weapon-type figures from 2002 also show that New Yorkers are at least five times as likely to be stabbed to death with a knife than they are to be shot with an assault rifle.
Of 893 murders committed two years ago, just 22 or slightly over 2 percent were carried out using some form of rifle, including assault-rifles, the figures show."
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Thank you No-Neck for the link, but what is surprising to me, is that this would surprise anyone. These facts have been known for quite some time.
I suppose that to someone in New York, particularly a journalist would find this surprising...
--WP
Mon Sep 20, 3:41 AM ET
By FREDRIC U. DICKER
"NEW YORKERS are at least four times as likely to be punched to death than to be killed with an assault-style rifle, unpublished state crime statistics show.
The eye-opening figures obtained by The Post from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services reveal that New Yorkers are also at least twice as likely to be clubbed to death than shot dead by an attacker wielding one of the semi-automatic rifles previously covered by a federal government ban that expired last week.
The most recent statewide statistics murder-by-weapon-type figures from 2002 also show that New Yorkers are at least five times as likely to be stabbed to death with a knife than they are to be shot with an assault rifle.
Of 893 murders committed two years ago, just 22 or slightly over 2 percent were carried out using some form of rifle, including assault-rifles, the figures show."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you No-Neck for the link, but what is surprising to me, is that this would surprise anyone. These facts have been known for quite some time.
I suppose that to someone in New York, particularly a journalist would find this surprising...
--WP
20 September, 2004
The Paranoid Knee
Yes, it hurts and is one of the major reasons I have been busting my tail with work these past several weeks. Had to get a lot of work done.
--WP
14 September, 2004
There is a debate going on.
At Vox Popoli (read the Comments)and the Pan Galatic Blogger Blaster (read Why We Will Win and Disgusted along with the Comments) blogs about refusing to accept and the fighting that will ensue. Those that argue that it is useless need to be reminded of some things:
"I have as much property at stake as most persons ? and I have four sons in the field. But sooner would I see my sons weltering in their own blood, and my property reduced to ashes, than so far disgrace my country!"
Oh, and as to the first part of the article, it is not the first time that the Revisionist Channel or the Lyingtonian have pulled these kinds of stunts.
--WP
"I have as much property at stake as most persons ? and I have four sons in the field. But sooner would I see my sons weltering in their own blood, and my property reduced to ashes, than so far disgrace my country!"
Oh, and as to the first part of the article, it is not the first time that the Revisionist Channel or the Lyingtonian have pulled these kinds of stunts.
--WP
13 September, 2004
11 September, 2004
The Lemmings are Marching to the Cliffs
There are two items I am posting now- the first is an editorial by Harry Browne and this is a very small excerpt:
"I ask which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect us? [applause]
The clear answer to that question has placed me in this hall with you tonight."
Go and read it here.
The second, is something that should rile the blood of every American to boiling, but I know it will not:
'No-fly' list should be expanded, panel says
"WASHINGTON -- The government should convert its "no-fly" list of suspected terrorists into a "no-transport" list that applies to cruise ships, Amtrak and other forms of travel besides air, the Sept. 11 commission staff recommended in a previously unreleased report.
Distributed to Congress this week, the staff report buttresses the commission's transportation recommendations and provides much greater detail -- including suggested deadlines for such improvements as classes in self-defense for flight attendants.
Transportation security should be elevated to a national defense issue, complete with its own version of war games to detect vulnerabilities, the staff concluded. More intensive protective measures should be applied to trains, ships and mass transit, while remaining loopholes in aviation security should be closed. The staff offered no cost estimates, but such an ambitious program could cost billions of dollars."
Remember united States President Thomas Jefferson's letter to William Smith:
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants."
It is coming, and coming quick...
--WP
"I ask which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect us? [applause]
The clear answer to that question has placed me in this hall with you tonight."
Go and read it here.
The second, is something that should rile the blood of every American to boiling, but I know it will not:
'No-fly' list should be expanded, panel says
"WASHINGTON -- The government should convert its "no-fly" list of suspected terrorists into a "no-transport" list that applies to cruise ships, Amtrak and other forms of travel besides air, the Sept. 11 commission staff recommended in a previously unreleased report.
Distributed to Congress this week, the staff report buttresses the commission's transportation recommendations and provides much greater detail -- including suggested deadlines for such improvements as classes in self-defense for flight attendants.
Transportation security should be elevated to a national defense issue, complete with its own version of war games to detect vulnerabilities, the staff concluded. More intensive protective measures should be applied to trains, ships and mass transit, while remaining loopholes in aviation security should be closed. The staff offered no cost estimates, but such an ambitious program could cost billions of dollars."
Remember united States President Thomas Jefferson's letter to William Smith:
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants."
It is coming, and coming quick...
--WP
09 September, 2004
But, when you point these things out, you are the bad guy...
Of course, there answer to this, you will hear, is of course- more money, and naturally, not theirs...
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Illiteracy shockingly high in L.A.
Half of workers unable to read
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer
"Wednesday, September 08, 2004 - Continued immigration and a stubborn high school dropout rate have stymied efforts to improve literacy in Los Angeles County, where more than half the working-age population can't read a simple form, a report released Wednesday found.
Alarmingly, only one in every 10 workers deemed functionally illiterate is enrolled in literacy classes and half of them drop out within three weeks, said the study by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
"It's an emergency situation," said Mayor James Hahn, adding that poor literacy rates could jeopardize the region's economy by driving out high-tech businesses and other industries that pay well.
In the Los Angeles region, 53 percent of workers ages 16 and older were deemed functionally illiterate, the study said.
That percentage dropped to 44 percent in the greater San Fernando Valley -- which includes Agoura Hills and Santa Clarita -- but soared to 85 percent in some pockets of the Valley."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ahh, the fruits of Mexifornia!
More on Mexifornia can be found here and there.
--WP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Illiteracy shockingly high in L.A.
Half of workers unable to read
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer
"Wednesday, September 08, 2004 - Continued immigration and a stubborn high school dropout rate have stymied efforts to improve literacy in Los Angeles County, where more than half the working-age population can't read a simple form, a report released Wednesday found.
Alarmingly, only one in every 10 workers deemed functionally illiterate is enrolled in literacy classes and half of them drop out within three weeks, said the study by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
"It's an emergency situation," said Mayor James Hahn, adding that poor literacy rates could jeopardize the region's economy by driving out high-tech businesses and other industries that pay well.
In the Los Angeles region, 53 percent of workers ages 16 and older were deemed functionally illiterate, the study said.
That percentage dropped to 44 percent in the greater San Fernando Valley -- which includes Agoura Hills and Santa Clarita -- but soared to 85 percent in some pockets of the Valley."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ahh, the fruits of Mexifornia!
More on Mexifornia can be found here and there.
--WP
07 September, 2004
Uhm, Scott, face it. Your job isn't about security.
Scott Wallace, TSA Security Screener says:
"I am a security screener at Dulles International Airport.
When I started my job with the Transportation Security Administration in November 2002, I and the other just-hired employees of the newly federalized airport security force believed we would be doing something important in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. Now, some of us aren't so sure.
Although management likes to refer to the screeners as "Team Dulles," in reality many of us believe we are working in a dysfunctional environment. We've come to question the value of what we do. A running joke at the checkpoints in the main terminal at Dulles is, "Guns, bombs and common sense are prohibited by the TSA in the airport."
TSA policies at Dulles often seem to do little more than improve the appearance of security. For example, the agency allows foot-long knitting needles and bottles of wine and liquor to be carried aboard planes, but not scissors for clipping fingernails or nose hair. A broken bourbon bottle can be a lethal weapon. How does a pair of tiny scissors become deadly?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott, thank you for writing and confirming what so many already know, and I do not mean to be harsh, but your job is just to bring the police state one step closer. Moreover, if you really want to do something productive, then quit and go get a real job not in the government sector; better yet- start your own business.
--WP
"I am a security screener at Dulles International Airport.
When I started my job with the Transportation Security Administration in November 2002, I and the other just-hired employees of the newly federalized airport security force believed we would be doing something important in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. Now, some of us aren't so sure.
Although management likes to refer to the screeners as "Team Dulles," in reality many of us believe we are working in a dysfunctional environment. We've come to question the value of what we do. A running joke at the checkpoints in the main terminal at Dulles is, "Guns, bombs and common sense are prohibited by the TSA in the airport."
TSA policies at Dulles often seem to do little more than improve the appearance of security. For example, the agency allows foot-long knitting needles and bottles of wine and liquor to be carried aboard planes, but not scissors for clipping fingernails or nose hair. A broken bourbon bottle can be a lethal weapon. How does a pair of tiny scissors become deadly?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott, thank you for writing and confirming what so many already know, and I do not mean to be harsh, but your job is just to bring the police state one step closer. Moreover, if you really want to do something productive, then quit and go get a real job not in the government sector; better yet- start your own business.
--WP
One of the few things I think Government Mandated Prisons, I mean schools, should do.
Dave Kopel has an fine, instructional editorial at National Review Online.
What did surprise me, is the most famous of failures this policy has had, was not referenced, which was the visit of Israeli Junior High School students to Jordan's Island of Peace in 1997.
More on the prevention of school children massacres can be found here.
On a side note, I remember when, several years ago, in response to school shootings, the school district that my children attended had initiated a policy that whenever an emergency happened, all of the children were to be taken to one exit at the school and only that one exit. Several others and I, quickly pointed that what this policy created was a perfect kill zone for any nut to take advantage of. When I explained this to the principal, even though he had his military awards (he had been in the reserves) on his wall, became extremely agitated and could not comprehend why I thought this. I had to slowly explain to him, by asking him to remember his basic training what a kill-zone was and how he had been taught to take advantage of one when the enemy was this stupid. He understood after ten minutes and had me call the district's man in charge of security. He explained that this policy had come down from Washington, D. C.; it was reversed.
--WP
What did surprise me, is the most famous of failures this policy has had, was not referenced, which was the visit of Israeli Junior High School students to Jordan's Island of Peace in 1997.
More on the prevention of school children massacres can be found here.
On a side note, I remember when, several years ago, in response to school shootings, the school district that my children attended had initiated a policy that whenever an emergency happened, all of the children were to be taken to one exit at the school and only that one exit. Several others and I, quickly pointed that what this policy created was a perfect kill zone for any nut to take advantage of. When I explained this to the principal, even though he had his military awards (he had been in the reserves) on his wall, became extremely agitated and could not comprehend why I thought this. I had to slowly explain to him, by asking him to remember his basic training what a kill-zone was and how he had been taught to take advantage of one when the enemy was this stupid. He understood after ten minutes and had me call the district's man in charge of security. He explained that this policy had come down from Washington, D. C.; it was reversed.
--WP
03 September, 2004
Bill Clinton to Undergo Bypass Surgery
Hmm, one has to wonder just how much gaiety this has brought her? On the other hand, is she hoping that he will still be able to kick that KFC bucket for one last time? My bet is on the former.
One can only hope that wallowing in all that fat over the years- well, let me just say that I am sure that the sound of gurgling will bring joy to many...
--WP
One can only hope that wallowing in all that fat over the years- well, let me just say that I am sure that the sound of gurgling will bring joy to many...
--WP
02 September, 2004
Justice Alex Kozinski, US 9th Circuit Court, 2003
"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed -- where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees," Kozinski wrote.
"However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once."
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Yup.
--WP
"However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once."
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Yup.
--WP
01 September, 2004
No one, whose vote is counted this way, can trust the results.
Bev Harris, and the fine folks at Block Box Voting have provided a very good article on the Diebold GEMS system.
Go read it and learn.
It sure makes me feel grand that our country is a democracy...
--WP
Go read it and learn.
It sure makes me feel grand that our country is a democracy...
--WP
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