To Our Current Sunshine Patriots This July 4th

THOMAS PAINE

December 23, 1776

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.

Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own [NOTE]; we have none to blame but ourselves. But no great deal is lost yet. All that Howe has been doing for this month past, is rather a ravage than a conquest, which the spirit of the Jerseys, a year ago, would have quickly repulsed, and which time and a little resolution will soon recover.
I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils; and as I do not, I cannot see on what grounds the king of Britain can look up to heaven for help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a house-breaker, has as good a pretence as he.

'Tis surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. All nations and ages have been subject to them. Britain has trembled like an ague at the report of a French fleet of flat-bottomed boats; and in the fourteenth [fifteenth] century the whole English army, after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back like men petrified with fear; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces collected and headed by a woman, Joan of Arc. Would that heaven might inspire some Jersey maid to spirit up her countrymen, and save her fair fellow sufferers from ravage and ravishment! Yet panics, in some cases, have their uses; they produce as much good as hurt. Their duration is always short; the mind soon grows through them, and acquires a firmer habit than before. But their peculiar advantage is, that they are the touchstones of sincerity and hypocrisy, and bring things and men to light, which might otherwise have lain forever undiscovered. In fact, they have the same effect on secret traitors, which an imaginary apparition would have upon a private murderer. They sift out the hidden thoughts of man, and hold them up in public to the world. Many a disguised Tory has lately shown his head, that shall penitentially solemnize with curses the day on which Howe arrived upon the Delaware.

As I was with the troops at Fort Lee, and marched with them to the edge of Pennsylvania, I am well acquainted with many circumstances, which those who live at a distance know but little or nothing of. Our situation there was exceedingly cramped, the place being a narrow neck of land between the North River and the Hackensack. Our force was inconsiderable, being not one-fourth so great as Howe could bring against us. We had no army at hand to have relieved the garrison, had we shut ourselves up and stood on our defence. Our ammunition, light artillery, and the best part of our stores, had been removed, on the apprehension that Howe would endeavor to penetrate the Jerseys, in which case Fort Lee could be of no use to us; for it must occur to every thinking man, whether in the army or not, that these kind of field forts are only for temporary purposes, and last in use no longer than the enemy directs his force against the particular object which such forts are raised to defend. Such was our situation and condition at Fort Lee on the morning of the 20th of November, when an officer arrived with information that the enemy with 200 boats had landed about seven miles above; Major General [Nathaniel] Green, who commanded the garrison, immediately ordered them under arms, and sent express to General Washington at the town of Hackensack, distant by the way of the ferry = six miles. Our first object was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us, about six miles from us, and three from them. General Washington arrived in about three-quarters of an hour, and marched at the head of the troops towards the bridge, which place I expected we should have a brush for; however, they did not choose to dispute it with us, and the greatest part of our troops went over the bridge, the rest over the ferry, except some which passed at a mill on a small creek, between the bridge and the ferry, and made their way through some marshy grounds up to the town of Hackensack, and there passed the river. We brought off as much baggage as the wagons could contain, the rest was lost. The simple object was to bring off the garrison, and march them on till they could be strengthened by the Jersey or Pennsylvania militia, so as to be enabled to make a stand. We staid four days at Newark, collected our out-posts with some of the Jersey militia, and marched out twice to meet the enemy, on being informed that they were advancing, though our numbers were greatly inferior to theirs. Howe, in my little opinion, committed a great error in generalship in not throwing a body of forces off from Staten Island through Amboy, by which means he might have seized all our stores at Brunswick, and intercepted our march into Pennsylvania; but if we believe the power of hell to be limited, we must likewise believe that their agents are under some providential control.

I shall not now attempt to give all the particulars of our retreat to the Delaware; suffice it for the present to say, that both officers and men, though greatly harassed and fatigued, frequently without rest, covering, or provision, the inevitable consequences of a long retreat, bore it with a manly and martial spirit. All their wishes centred in one, which was, that the country would turn out and help them to drive the enemy back. Voltaire has remarked that King William never appeared to full advantage but in difficulties and in action; the same remark may be made on General Washington, for the character fits him. There is a natural firmness in some minds which cannot be unlocked by trifles, but which, when unlocked, discovers a cabinet of fortitude; and I reckon it among those kind of public blessings, which we do not immediately see, that God hath blessed him with uninterrupted health, and given him a mind that can even flourish upon care.
I shall conclude this paper with some miscellaneous remarks on the state of our affairs; and shall begin with asking the following question, Why is it that the enemy have left the New England provinces, and made these middle ones the seat of war? The answer is easy: New England is not infested with Tories, and we are. I have been tender in raising the cry against these men, and used numberless arguments to show them their danger, but it will not do to sacrifice a world either to their folly or their baseness. The period is now arrived, in which either they or we must change our sentiments, or one or both must fall. And what is a Tory? Good God! What is he? I should not be afraid to go with a hundred Whigs against a thousand Tories, were they to attempt to get into arms. Every Tory is a coward; for servile, slavish, self-interested fear is the foundation of Toryism; and a man under such influence, though he may be cruel, never can be brave.

But, before the line of irrecoverable separation be drawn between us, let us reason the matter together: Your conduct is an invitation to the enemy, yet not one in a thousand of you has heart enough to join him. Howe is as much deceived by you as the American cause is injured by you. He expects you will all take up arms, and flock to his standard, with muskets on your shoulders. Your opinions are of no use to him, unless you support him personally, for 'tis soldiers, and not Tories, that he wants.

I once felt all that kind of anger, which a man ought to feel, against the mean principles that are held by the Tories: a noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standing at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and after speaking his mind as freely as he thought was prudent, finished with this unfatherly expression, "Well! give me peace in my day." Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent should have said, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;" and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty. Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America. Her situation is remote from all the wrangling world, and she has nothing to do but to trade with them. A man can distinguish himself between temper and principle, and I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.

America did not, nor does not want force; but she wanted a proper application of that force. Wisdom is not the purchase of a day, and it is no wonder that we should err at the first setting off. From an excess of tenderness, we were unwilling to raise an army, and trusted our cause to the temporary defence of a well-meaning militia. A summer's experience has now taught us better; yet with those troops, while they were collected, we were able to set bounds to the progress of the enemy, and, thank God! they are again assembling. I always considered militia as the best troops in the world for a sudden exertion, but they will not do for a long campaign. Howe, it is probable, will make an attempt on this city [Philadelphia]; should he fail on this side the Delaware, he is ruined. If he succeeds, our cause is not ruined. He stakes all on his side against a part on ours; admitting he succeeds, the consequence will be, that armies from both ends of the continent will march to assist their suffering friends in the middle states; for he cannot go everywhere, it is impossible. I consider Howe as the greatest enemy the Tories have; he is bringing a war into their country, which, had it not been for him and partly for themselves, they had been clear of. Should he now be expelled, I wish with all the devotion of a Christian, that the names of Whig and Tory may never more be mentioned; but should the Tories give him encouragement to come, or assistance if he come, I as sincerely wish that our next year's arms may expel them from the continent, and the Congress appropriate their possessions to the relief of those who have suffered in well-doing. A single successful battle next year will settle the whole. America could carry on a two years' war by the confiscation of the property of disaffected persons, and be made happy by their expulsion. Say not that this is revenge, call it rather the soft resentment of a suffering people, who, having no object in view but the good of all, have staked their own all upon a seemingly doubtful event. Yet it is folly to argue against determined hardness; eloquence may strike the ear, and the language of sorrow draw forth the tear of compassion, but nothing can reach the heart that is steeled with prejudice.

Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other. Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man. I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.

There are cases which cannot be overdone by language, and this is one. There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf, and we ought to guard equally against both. Howe's first object is, partly by threats and partly by promises, to terrify or seduce the people to deliver up their arms and receive mercy. The ministry recommended the same plan to Gage, and this is what the tories call making their peace, "a peace which passeth all understanding" indeed! A peace which would be the immediate forerunner of a worse ruin than any we have yet thought of. Ye men of Pennsylvania, do reason upon these things! Were the back counties to give up their arms, they would fall an easy prey to the Indians, who are all armed: this perhaps is what some Tories would not be sorry for. Were the home counties to deliver up their arms, they would be exposed to the resentment of the back counties who would then have it in their power to chastise their defection at pleasure. And were any one state to give up its arms, that state must be garrisoned by all Howe's army of Britons and Hessians to preserve it from the anger of the rest. Mutual fear is the principal link in the chain of mutual love, and woe be to that state that breaks the compact. Howe is mercifully inviting you to barbarous destruction, and men must be either rogues or fools that will not see it. I dwell not upon the vapors of imagination; I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as A, B, C, hold up truth to your eyes.

I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it. While our army was collected, Howe dared not risk a battle; and it is no credit to him that he decamped from the White Plains, and waited a mean opportunity to ravage the defenceless Jerseys; but it is great credit to us, that, with a handful of men, we sustained an orderly retreat for near an hundred miles, brought off our ammunition, all our field pieces, the greatest part of our stores, and had four rivers to pass. None can say that our retreat was precipitate, for we were near three weeks in performing it, that the country might have time to come in. Twice we marched back to meet the enemy, and remained out till dark. The sign of fear was not seen in our camp, and had not some of the cowardly and disaffected inhabitants spread false alarms through the country, the Jerseys had never been ravaged. Once more we are again collected and collecting; our new army at both ends of the continent is recruiting fast, and we shall be able to open the next campaign with sixty thousand men, well armed and clothed. This is our situation, and who will may know it. By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils — a ravaged country — a depopulated city — habitations without safety, and slavery without hope — our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses for Hessians, and a future race to provide for, whose fathers we shall doubt of. Look on this picture and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented.

December 23, 1776

The 4th of July

The rights of the people, but also the responsibility of the people.

"If once [the people] become inattentive to the public affairs, you and
I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become
wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of
individual exceptions." --Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington,
1787.

Bush Libby "Crimes Against the Constitution"

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. says Congress needs to look into Bush's "crimes agains the Constitution."

This man is too stupid to be a Rep, Rev, whatever.

Little Chapel

Carnuntum (Carnvntvm)

On the Danube

Roman soldier's town

Congress Lied, White Bread Died

Meditations on Immigration Reform

Surprise. A whole hell of a lot of us have neither forgotten, nor
forgiven Congress for lying through their snaggle teeth to us back in
1986.

Read the rest. As Barking Moonbat Early Warning System says, "This one nails it."

Make a Wonderful Weekend & 4th of July

Write a letter to a Marine and thank them for their service

rct-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil

You'll feel better. The soldier will feel better. Especially if you ask others to write and ask them to ask others and so forth.

HT My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

What do we celebrate on the 4th of July? No not BBQ. Think. Just for a second.

Now do it. No, not right after whatever. Now, before you forget. Forgetting about our troops is just so liberal. Don't be a Pelosi.

Thank you.

Question

Why will illegal aliens not follow the law and immigrate legally?

Okay, I cheated, a second question.

Why will our legislative body not enforce the law?

Okay, I cheated again, another question.

Why do soccer moms wilt at the knees and go sappy over immigration?

Okay I am cheating once more, but this is the last cheat of the evening.

Why do liberals hate the idea of 50+ million brown skinned people being free?

Why are these people jerks?

Roseanne Barr MUST DIE

IMPEACH....

IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT, THEY ARE TRAITORS TO AMERICA, AND SO ARE ALL OF THEIR SUPPORTERS. IMPEACH! ANYONE IN CONGRESS WHO REFUSES TO SAVE OUR UNION FROM THESE TRAITORS BY DOING NOTHING NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. SAVE OUR TROOPS!!! SAVE OUR SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND JOBS. FEED OUR HUNGRY AND POOR!
SAVE THE DROWNING PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS! ANYONE WHO MENTIONS PARIS HILTON ONE MORE TIME MUST DIE!

ROFLMAO

Save a baby seal House, Move It

Portland Carriage House Moves

Watching a house move is so cool. Saving an older house is cooler still.

Cottage Tree

Cottage Tree

Max Zappa

Reagan's 11th Commandment

Though I disagree on the Shamnesty Bill, Big Lizards makes an excellent point in his post.

But conservative Republicans, no matter how angry they are at Bush
today, in fact agree with nearly all of his major initiatives:

• Aggressively fighting the war, expanding and rebuilding the military, and
  trying to transform it into a 21st-century fighting force;
• Lowering taxes and making the cuts permanent;
• Security measures such as the Patriot Act, the NSA al-Qaeda intercept
  program, the SWIFT surveillance program, National Security Letters, and so forth;
• Allowing faith-based organizations to fully participate in charitable
  governmental functions;
• Reform of Social Security, MediCare, and other
  entitlement programs to introduce at least some element of privatization;
• The various border-security and employer-enforcement provisions of the
  recently killed immigration bill, all of which Bush supports (and none of which the Democrats support);
• Appointing federal judges who believe in judicial restraint;
• Firm opposition to abortion and embryonic stem-cell research,
  particularly federal funding;
• Unwavering support for traditional marriage and opposition to same-sex "marriage".

The areas of disagreement, while often intense, are dwarfed by the
areas of complete agreement; and in one of the areas of disagreement, federal
spending, Republicans are just as complicit as the president and hardly in a
position to throw stones.

I believe the handlers in the Democrat party have figured out that the way to fracture the Republican and Conservative base is by helping to highlight the differences between them and Bush. This is their plan for winning the presidency and retaining congress. I see it working.

Bush is stubborn. This stubbornness is applauded when discussing Iraq and disdained when speaking of immigration among conservatives. ReedPelosi see this and are using it to make Bush, thus Republicans, more unpopular. We are getting played.

I won't participate because I am too busy working towards a Republican victory in 2008. Democrats scare me more than any Republican. Their policies mean a nightmare for not just the 50+ million newly freed people of Iraq and Afghanistan, but also for hundreds of millions of people around the world and here in America.

It's a complex world. Get used to it.

Illegal Aliens

No Cloture

UPDATE: After an electronic mugging yesterday Voinovich votes NO.

46 - 53

Reid: "I twisted a few arms, but not often."

Voin of a Vich

RINO. At best.

A round up of the world according to George.

Bizzy Blog Wow, Was That Weak (Hannity Skunks Voinovich)
Allah Pundit Audio: Voinovich humiliates himself in shamnesty debate with Hannity
Interested Participant Voinovich's Platform for Defeat Senator George Vo...
WKSU News Voinovich Calls for Withdrawal From Iraq
Nix Guy Voinovich Update
The Left Coaster Voinovich Joins Lugar - The Dam Has Broken
mRed Voinovich, Immigration Tin Ear
Left of Ohio Voinovich Flips Again
Blue Ohioan Voinovich caves!
Embolden Voinovich Pushing Powell to Run
Conservative Culture Voinovich: The Way of the Dems
One Oar in the Water Voinovich: Bozo RINO Award
Lifelike Pundit ONE COULD CONCLUDE THAT I DON’T LIKE GEORGE VOINOVICH (R-OHIO)
Boring Made Dull George Voinovich

Just a sampling. From Google.

Will George listen to his constituents?

Iran's Gas Riots Are Nixon's Bush's Fault

Iran

There was more than just one station destroyed in the violence as the news reports suggested... There were several stations torched.

But......

United States

Gas stations abandoned during the fuel crisis in the winter of 1973-74 were sometimes used for other purposes. This station at Potlatch, Washington, west of Olympia was turned into a religious meeting hall.

The 1973-1974 gas shortages in the US were mostly because OPEC members decided not to ship any petroleum to the US and some western European nations because of our support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

I remember some thefts, some fist fights and lotsa swearing, but for what ever reason, I do not remember rioting and gas stations being burned.

Fairness Doctrine

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (hiccup) WAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sen. Durbin: 'It's time to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine'...

JOHN KERRY FOR FAIRNESS DOCTRINE IN MEDIA TO CORRECT 'IMBALANCE'...

Embarrassing Bush Through Illegal Immigration

I got this from 7.62mm Justice. It is important that all of us get involved.

Momentum Good for Winning on Next Amnesty Cloture Vote

I have info stating that Voinovich's office was inundated with calls, e-mails and letters opposing the immigration bill, but Voinovich either ignored it or for another reason voted Y on the cloture vote.

Lott, who I have respected in the past, has made a series of statements and taken a series of stands that have those who stood by him in the past shakeing their heads. Maybe he has gone through a Hagelilation procedure.

I am truly stunned by McConnell.

Many people believe it a waste of time for the Senate to spend time on such a loser bill. I am thinking that this is a win-win-win situation for Reid and the Demo leadership, because they get to show their "compassion", show bi-partisanship by working with Bush and, most importantly, take Bush's credibility down another notch by embarrassing him.

Immigration Madness

Dear George and other Republicans,

Since you obviously can't read polls, mail to your office and memos from your staff, here are some pictures. Have an aide read to you what is on the placards.

Citizen Unhappy

Amnesty Cloture: Paid To Play?

A good friend working on the Hill told me that arm twisting went on using the carrot and the stick method, but in a way that they had never seen before.

Republicans voting Yea.

Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burr (R-NC)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Craig (R-ID)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

The person I spoke with in Voinovich's Senate office this morning sounded resigned when I called. He didn't even ask if I was in support or opposed to the cloture. He just said "I suppose you're opposed," He was right.

I hope it is worth it to them.

Country Chapel

1911

Saint George's Chapel

Neubäu, Czechoslovakia (Bohemia)

Destroyed by the communists in 1949

Amnesty Vote

Voinovich blows it again.

He voted with his good buddy Chuckie Schumer to give American citizenship away to 12+ million illegal immigrants.

They don't even know who these illegals are.

In a post 9/11 world that is a very scary and dumb thing to do.

64 votes. Four more than needed.

Really great work George.

We Are Not Worthy

We are stupid. Trust me on this. As are the many highly esteemed scientists speaking out against the "man made" theory of global warming by media star scientists.

So get with.

Three Quarters Believe Global Warming A 'Natural Occurrence'

ALMOST three quarters of people believe global warming is a 'natural
occurrence' and not a result of carbon emissions, a survey claimed
today.

This goes against the views of the vast majority of scientists who
believe the rise in the earth's temperatures is due to pollution. The online
study which polled nearly 4000 votes found that a staggering 71 percent of
people think that the rise in air temperature happens naturally. (emp.
mine)

And 65 percent think that scientists' catastrophic predictions if
pollution isn't curbed are 'far fetched'.

If you don't believe in the catastrophic predictions, then we must surmise that you just don't get it.

Where's your Oscar??

Voinovich, Immigration Tin Ear

Sen. Voinovich has to have heard of the great distaste Ohio has for the amnesty shamnesty bill that is being foisted on Congress with no debate and being foisted on the people as a real immigration solution.

Bizzy Blog has a wrap up of available info.

George Voinovich ‘Has Not Indicated’ on Immigration-Bill Cloture; Help Him Decide

Call Sen. Voinovich's office to give your opinion. I have. I have. I have. and. I have.

202-224-3353

Al Gore. Genius.

Harvard Graduated, Major- Government
Vanderbilt Divinity School, Quit
Vanderbilt Law School, Quit

Gore's Grades Belie Image of Studiousness

His School Transcripts Are a Lot Like Bush's Gore arrived at Harvard with an impressive 1355 SAT score, 625 verbal and 730 math, compared with Bush's 1206 total from 566 verbal and 640 math. In his sophomore year at Harvard, Gore's grades were lower than any semester recorded on Bush's transcript from Yale.
That was the year Gore's classmates remember him spending a notable
amount of time in the Dunster House basement lounge shooting pool, watching
television, eating hamburgers and occasionally smoking marijuana. His grades
temporarily reflected his mildly experimental mood, and alarmed his parents. He
received one D, one C-minus, two C's, two C-pluses and one B-minus, an effort
that placed him in the lower fifth of the class for the second year in a row.

For all of Gore's later fascination with science and technology, he
often struggled academically in those subjects. The political champion of the
natural world received that sophomore D in Natural Sciences 6 (Man's Place in
Nature) and then got a C-plus in Natural Sciences 118 his senior year. The
self-proclaimed inventor of the Internet avoided all courses in mathematics and
logic throughout college, despite his outstanding score on the math portion of
the SAT. As was the case with many of his classmates, his high school math
grades had dropped from A's to C's as he advanced from trigonometry to calculus
in his senior year.

When John C. Davis, a retired teacher and assistant headmaster at St.
Albans, was recently shown his illustrious former pupil's college board
achievement test scores, he inspected them closely with a magnifier and shook
his head, chuckling quietly at the science results.

"Four eighty-eight! Terrible" Davis declared upon inspecting the future
vice president's 488 score (out of a possible 800) in physics.

"Hmmmm. Chemistry. Five-nineteen. He didn't do too well in
chemistry."

Now I understand the brilliance behind his global warming expertise.

This brilliance allows Al to blame scientists for our "climate crisis".

Too little, too late: Gore blames scientists for climate crisis

In an extraordinary outburst aimed at America's failure to tackle
global warming, Al Gore says that if scientific agreement on the climate crisis
had been reached sooner it would have been easier to "galvanise the public and
persuade Congress to act".

The failed presidential candidate claims that the stronger
scientific consensus he knew was about to emerge meant "we in the US were about to shift into high gear in addressing the climate crisis". Mr Gore argues that
if he had made it to the White House, he would have been able to use the office
as a "bully pulpit" to achieve change.

"The nature and severity of the climate crisis had seemed painfully
obvious to me for quite a long time," claims Mr Gore, writing in a new foreword
to a revised edition of his book, Earth in the Balance, being published this
week.

In a swipe at the scientific community, he says: "I wish that we
could have had in the 1990s the deafening scientific consensus that has emerged
in more recent years."

That "deafening scientific consensus" may not be quite yet a din.

Is America Great Or What!!!

'ParkaPalooza' to raise funds for restrooms

Alexandria residents can enjoy a variety of music while eating high on
the hog during the first-ever "ParkaPalooza," a benefit to raise money for
permanent bathroom facilities at Parker's Park.

Mickie Kreidler, who chairs the park's board of trustees, said the
fund-raiser will include a hog roast and concert by local musicians who are
donating their time and talents in support of the park.

The event will be held from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at
Parker Community Park.
The menu is barbecue pork with all the fixin's --
slaw, baked beans and potato salad, ice tea and lemonade. Cold draughts will
also be available from the beer wagon.

Local bands and musicians will provide a continuous flow of
music.

WOW, I So Don't Care!

LARRY KING LANDS PARIS HILTON INTERVIEW

Ebert is a Dilbert, At Best

A Mighty Heart
Mariane Pearl reminds us in her book, and the movie reminds us, too,
that some 230 other journalists had lost their lives at the time of Pearl's
kidnapping, most of them during the conflict in Iraq. That means they
proportionately had a higher death rate than combat soldiers. That's partly
because they are ill-prepared for the risks they take and partly because they're
targets. The Americans who complain about "negative" news are the ideological cousins of those who shoot at CNN crews. The news is the news, good or bad, and those who resent being informed of it are pitiful. More Americans are well-informed about current sports and auto-racing statistics, I sometimes think, than anything else. (emp mine)

Did he say that, because I think the media's coverage of Iraq is biased by their liberal politics, hatred of Bush and deep distaste of the military, I am as bad a a terrorist? BBBut that would mean he thinks terrorists are? What? He doesn't. He just says that I am an ideological cousin.

I guessing here that he thinks I am bad if I "complain" about the media's "negative" news, so that must mean that Ebert thinks that terrorists are bad as well.

Sigh, I guess it is a little step for the media.

Reid, Pelosi Wronger Than Usual Which is Usual

Arrowhead Ripper: Surrender or Die

Battle for Baqubah22 June 07

...Our guys are winning. Al Qaeda is about to be strangled and pummeled to
death in this town, but the local Iraqi leadership is severely wanting...
Ripper: Surrender or Die

Scary Harry Reid is ususally wrong every time he opens his mouth, but on the surge being lost before it began is too Kerryesque even for Reid. Is that possible?

I wonder how far lower he can sink.

Michael Yon is a great resource. The military ought to realize that.

Reid Winning Republican Hearts On Illegal Amnesty Bill?

Hutchison to vote against reviving stalled immigration bill

George Voinovich? I'm afraid that he'll vote with Sherrod and Harry.

I mean he was voted in by Republicans. Wasn't he?

Not A Fair Fight

Joehillaryjohnalgoreobamarichardson & Samnewtrudyhunterjohnronmitttomtommy

VS

Fred

Question: Would it be more fair if Fred were forced to fight with both hands tied?

e-mail

Redeploy to The Hague

Note to minion:
How are you today? I hope well. I am still finishing up a project and you know how things go with that. They think if they pay me that they should get something in return, like me working and producing something. After all, I am not Frankie Coleman.

To the point. Work, blog, work, blog, which will it be. Work wins. I like eating, so right now I have to be happy just reading other blogs. That's cool because I am being linked to some good ones.

The troops should support congress by sending them home

They may not know anything about war or the military (or much else for that
matter), but give congress credit. They are second to none when it comes to
spouting nonsensical gibberish. For those on the anti-war left, their gibberish
might be an exception to this rule, only because venomous malicious gibberish is
more pernicious than uninformed insincere pandering gibberish. The latest bout
of this idiocy comes in the form of those who want to support the troops by
bringing them home.

Scared to death of repeating the Vietnam mistake of being seen as anti-military, which they are, they have decided to support the troops without actually listening to what the troops say is support.

Imagine if parents today said “Our children are away at college. I worry for their safety. Let’s have them drop out of school so they can be safe at home.”

"uninformed insincere pandering gibberish". That pretty much wraps it up.

Read the rest at The Tigrrrr Express.

Thanks minion. Without you I'd be lonlier than Dennis Paul.

Haditha Marines Support Site

Bob of Bob's Blog linked to a post I did on the Haditha Marines and in his comments section listed a very important fact that I did not know. A support site for the wrongly accused Marines which includes a way to help them financially.

http://www.marinedefensefund.com/

Maybe someone will forward this site to Mugger Murtha. I am sure he will want to help all he can.

Typical Ron Paul Supporter

If you don't vote Ron Paul then f**k you. End.

P.S. Don't try to debate me on this. Don't leave comments supporting
someone else. I'll delete them. It's my blog, I'll do what I want. If you
want to support someone else make your own blog.

Randy lists himself as an artist and also as an (insert vulgarities). On the first, I doubt it, but on the others, I'll just have to take his word.

Many of the sites supporting Ron Paul sound just like kOs kiddies, DUers and the Huffington Post. Not a good way to generate support.

The other posts I have done on Paul have generated a lot of hatemail. Geez, don't they have little black helicopters and grassy knolls to chase.

UPDATE: A Ron Paul supporter posted a comment;

You make little childish comments like black helicopters etc etc, and
then wonder why you get hatemail?

If you want to google Paul and grassy knoll, go ahead. I will repeat myself and say that Ron Paul has had some good ideas, but his obsession with conspiracies, among other ideas, render him a political eunuch.

I have been around Ron Paul and he has a sense of humor. Maybe he can rent some to his supporters, but have gold for the rental.

Best Line(s) of the Week

The seething. The whining. The never ending drone
of the perpetually offended Muslim.

They're like liberal weenies on steroids for crying out loud!

Now go read the rest.

Scottish Castle

Castle Leod, Scotland

This is like my house except it's bigger, taller, longer, made of stone, it's older and the yard looks better.

Other than that...

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid and Then There are School Administrators

Why aren't parents, PTAs, and citizens bitch-slapping school administrations and boards nationwide for being just plain stupid or for foisting their stupid political ideas on our children?

VIA Never Yet Melted

Toy Soldiers Disarmed in California

Cole McNamara and Austin Nakata, 11-year-old buddies who share an interest in all things military, said they put the toys on their hats to support American troops in Iraq.

“I was kind of mad because they just went over and clipped them off and didn’t say anything about it,” Austin said.

I used to work for a cigarette manufacturer in their government relations department. My then 5 year old daughter told her class what I did on the school's "career day" that was "to better acquaint students with each other". The teacher, a virulent anti tobacco activist, informed the class and my daughter that I was a mass murderer. My daughter ran home in tears. Soon after the teacher left the superintendent's office in tears. And fired.

Susan Liberati, an assistant superintendent, said she believes “the
principal has interpreted district policy accurately, and we support her in
that.”

I don't care if these people are stupid or patsys. I'd fire this whole lot. Period.
Susan Liberati, an assistant superintendent, said she believes “the principal has interpreted district policy accurately, and we support her in that.”

Clipping the ends of toy guns on toy soldiers. How incredibly juvenile. What an insult to their aspirations.

The Decline of Conservatism - CAF

The modern liberal says:

Liberals Celebrate 'Decline of Conservatism'

...

Conservatism's problem is deeper than controversial speakers and
divisions within the movement, argued Rick Perlstein, a senior fellow at the
Campaign for America's Future (CAF), which sponsors Take Back
America.

"Conservatism will always fail," Perlstein said, adding that the
ideology's problems stem from its main tenet of smaller government.

"People who confess their contempt for government cannot be trusted to
govern," he said. "When you start breaking down the institutions of government
and trifling with them, then you make it harder to govern efficiently.

"Perlstein said conservatism "is a movement about nothing, and I don't
think it can succeed, and I implore the American people to turn their backs on
it."

...

The Founding Fathers might not agree with Rick Perlstein and CAF:

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like
fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." - George Washington

Does the government fear us? Or do we fear the government? When the
people fear the government, tyranny has found victory. The federal government is
our servant, not our master! -Thomas Jefferson

The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. - James Madison

"There is no nation on earth powerful enough to accomplish our
overthrow. Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from anothe quarter.
From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government, from
their carelessness and negligence. I must confess that I do apprehend some
danger. I fear that they may place too implicit a confidence in their public
servants and fail properly to scrutinize their conduct; that in this way they
may be made the dupes of designing men and become the instruments of their own undoing." - Daniel Webster

They are going to "take back America" with big government and by ignoring what our founders wrote?

Contempt for government? I have nothing but contempt for what the people of CAF are planning for our government.

HT Yeah, right, whatever

Gotham's Asexual Arranged Political Marriages and Bloomberg

Bloomberg - Dem, Repub, Ind. Your choice, but just a limo lib.
Esther Fuchs - Liberal. A real piece of work.
Pataki - "I want to be Christie Whitman".
Rockefeller(s) - You decide which liberal to read about.
D'Amato - Conservative who went bad. And left.
Cuomo - Need I say anything?
Dinkins - "Dinkins Democrat" still means large govt corruption. Personified.
Giuliani - Chief political ally of Liberal party boss Ray Harding.
Ray Harding - Liberal party boss in love with Rudy.
Pierre Rinfret - Repub. Oops on that diploma.
Ralph Marino - Repub Senate Pres who spent and patronized to make Boss Tweed look small.

Google them. These are the people that took the Reagan Revolution and turned it into a liberal wreckin' revolution for New York State, New York City and New York's Republican Party. These are the people that took the hopes of NY voters and offered them political bankruptcy, moral bankruptcy and financial bankruptcy.

They arranged political marriages, union marriages and financial marriages, some who had actually once been thought conservative, to further their personal and political goals.

Look at that list again. They all at one time or another worked together, not by proximity, but by choice and shared goals.

And now Giuliani and Bloomberg want to be president. Bringing to America the deception, back-stabbing and a moral vacuum that made New York what it is today.

Possible slogan, "More wives, More ideologies, Just for you".

Mugger Murtha Still Hasn't Apologized To The Marines For His Haditha Lies

From This Ain't Hell, I was pointed to a new site (for me), Chickenhawk Express who has this really great post:

Some Inconvenient Facts About the Haditha Incident - UPDATED

It started in November 2005. It became a political witch-hunt after
Time’s Tim McGirk plastered the media with half-truths, suspect statements from
“eyewitnesses” and a great deal of hearsay. It exploded into an anti-war talking
point once John Murtha called it “cold blooded murder” and compared it to My
Lai. The media and the anti-war crowd were salivating at the thought of US
Marines convicted of murder. It did not occur to them that the Marines deserved
the benefit of the doubt – you know, innocent until proven guilty....

Read the whole thing. The UPDATES are phenomenal.

Episcopal

One of my interested minion asked about my Episcopal Church posts and my status.

I no longer consider myself an Episcopal and I now attend St Edwards the Confessor with my wife who is Catholic. In an interesting 360, my father was raised Roman Catholic, but changed to my mother's church which was Episcopal. I found this out from his mother after my father passed away.

My leaving had everything to do with the destruction of a church I loved, was baptized in, confirmed into and humbly served as an acolyte.

Now you can sleep better, eh?

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland Hangs With The Hamas Boys

An excellent catch by Bizzy Blog

Ted Strickland’s CAIR Appearance, and Ohio’s Snoozing Press

Not newsworthy? Surely you jest. It’s not every day that the sitting
governor of one of the country’s larger states breaks bread with an organization
that has been named an unindicted co-conspirator in an alleged criminal conspiracy to support the Palestinian Arab terrorist group Hamas.

The Dispatch published one LtE of mine on this, posted an electronic LtE of another, but shut me down after that even though CAIRing people kept lying about what I and others pointed out.

Can't call Wolfe on this one, but you can write Mike Curtin, President, Associate Publisher at the dispatch at mcurtin@dispatch.com

HT Right Angle Blog and The Keeler Report

The World Council Of Churches and Israel

To my minon, I am in the throes of finishing a contract so I can return to the world of skewering liberals where it counts, the ballot box.

Though I am busy, much to the distress of one, two, ?, I am reading my favs and this is from Bloodthirsty Liberal and I think it an important piece, in that it educates.

Antisemitism and the Church
So, you can imagine my disgust upon reading that the wise folks at The World Council of Churches is determined to sow more misery in the name of religion. Shame, shame, shame.

As lapsed Episcopalian, i.e. I moved my bank account, I find this disgusting. The World Council of Churches is busily wrecking churches from the scripture up.

Read the rest.

I Am Going To Fight For My Children's Future

On this "Papa's Day", as my son calls it, I am thinking of my children's future and that Democrats are hellbent on destroying it. I wish my father was here to give me his advice, but he worked his way out of a life of no money for necessities and little hope to be the first in his family to finish high school to become a Doctor. He succeeded, but we lost him when he was only 57 years of age.

The Democrats have actually convinced themselves that they got a mandate to:

a) Steal from the people
b) Destroy America's reputation in the world
c) Destroy America's reputation in America

Of the three, the Democrats believe their best shot at passing legislation is to steal from the people through their tax and spend voodooism of bribing their base to vote for them.

To preserve tax relief

Democrats in Congress are discounting advancements made possible by the
2001 and 2003 tax cuts passed by Congress and are trying to slap U.S. taxpayers
with a $400 billion tax increase that will slow our economy's current progress.

If Democrats follow through on their budget promises, the American people will face the following:

• A $500 per child tax increase.
• A 55 percent Death Tax.
• A 13 percent tax increase for many small businesses.
• A 33 percent tax increase on capital gains.
• A 164 percent tax increase on dividends.

I believe Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats in Congress must join
together to ensure the American economy is not crippled by a massive tax
increase. I recently introduced the Tax Increase Prevention Act, legislation
that would make permanent tax relief passed in 2001 and 2003.

If they can once again hamper America's economy with increased taxes they then can start rebuilding the perception that America needs big government, unions, and all things liberal to save itself.

Losers Pelosi and Reid have so far failed in their effort to destroy America's reputation with their cut and run policy of abandonment of the people of Iraq, but they'll keep trying. They will keep hoping for the continued bleakness projected by the media and the outright lies by them to weaken America's resolve.

A Republican backbencher, Tim Walberg (R-MI) has shown he will not go quietly back into the dark and we still have hope with the great thinking and leadership of Rep. John Boehner, but where are the others?

Not in the Senate leadership.

My Father never got to know my son, but if he was alive today he would fight these bastards tooth and nail. He can't, but I can and will. I still miss him every day.

Happy Father's Day Dad.

I'll Take Mine Black Al

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced
enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

Hillary is warming up my second cup right now.

Happy Soldiers Day, Week, Month and More

Via BMEWS:

Please write as well as post this info. A lot of fathers here and over there would appreciate support for our soldiers, especially today.

From Misha and Blackfive

Hear That? No? Me either. What I want to be hearing is grunts of pain
from RCT-6’s PAO, as he hefts box after box of printed-out emails supporting our
Marines. Since I’m not hearing any complaining yet, I think we need to do
it harder. You read how our Marines need, more than anything else, to hear that
you love them. By God, you ought to. And according to my email, Col.
Simcock “admonished” them into getting a separate email account set up for us,
just hours after we started mailing. Let’s fill it.

Here’s the address: RCT-6lettersfromh@gcemnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
So far they have 25 letters. Flood them.

Open Government, Honest Leadership

roflmao

Just a reminder.

Islam In America

Mosque near Bowling Green Ohio

Trent Lott: Proof That Too Much Hairspray Causes Brain Damage

Senate Leaders Agree to Revive Immigration Bill

“Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem.”

What part of Illegal Aliens do these people not understand.

Amnesty is wrong because:

• These people broke the law
• It is unfair to those who have been obeying our laws of immigration
• We don't know who these illegals are

Besides, enforcing current laws, protecting the borders and finding business' that employ these people is a good enough place to start. I'm all for business and support open markets, but all involved know this is illegal, thus they are breaking the law and now want a mulligan.

Trent Lott, once a young conservative star, has become just another DC Pol. He and others in Congress who support this bill/idea obviously do not know what we, citizens, feel nor think. Nor do they care.

It is pretty sad when such a powerful man feels inadequate to "talk radio". Maybe it is a electromagnetic wave fear. Or frequency. Or maybe the power of the people.

Ron Paul: Isolationist VS Non-Intervention

In an earlier post on Ron Paul (here) Ric asked:

There are a lot of assumptions and accusations but there are no real
arguments or reasoning behind them, Could you please explain in detail at least
one of these issues so that we can have a constructive and not a destructive
dialogue???Ric

Ric is being reasonable in asking his question and polite, which seems a difficult quality for many RP supporters, in his asking. Thank you Ric.

Ron Paul says he is not an Isolationist:

Thomas Jefferson summed up the noninterventionist foreign policy position perfectly in his 1801 inaugural address: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations- entangling alliances with none.” Washington similarly urged that we must, “Act for ourselves and not for others,” by forming an “American character wholly free of foreign attachments.”

In a 1791 letter concerning the Barbary Pirates, Jefferson wrote:

"lastly our determination to prefer war in all cases to tribute under any form,
and to any people whatever."

In 1801 when Jefferson became President, he refused to pay tribute, or bribes, and he changed his earlier declarations of the US only needing a small coastal navy for defense by sending a squadron of ships to kick Tripoli's butt. They did, we got our sailors back and the issue of tribute was solved.

In today's world, terrorists ask us to pay tribute and to bribe us, in many forms, through terror. The enemy is different, but the concept is the same. I think Jefferson answered Congressman Paul adequately by his actions and by his own words.

By not going after terrorism where it breeds and by not redirecting the terrorist's energy to another place, such as Iraq, is not only incredibly stupid, it would also ignore precedent set by one of our Founding Fathers. If today, a theoretical group of Barbary pirates used our planes to kill our citizens and regrouped to do worse so as to "bribe" us into doing their bidding, President Jefferson would act forcefully and immediately. He wouldn't have allowed a UN to qualify our soveriegnty.

Not interfering with France's economy for our financial gain is non-intervention. Not going after those that have attacked us is isolationism. And pretty damned stupid.

Ron Paul - Attic Empty - Aunt Missing

Via BMEWS from John Hawkins:

Why Ron Paul is Not the Man

#1) Ron Paul is a libertarian, not a conservative
#2) Ron Paul is one of the people spreading the North American Union
conspiracy
#3) Ron Paul encourages “truther” conspiracy nuts
#4) Ron Paul’s racial views
#5) A lot of Ron Paul’s supporters are incredibly irritating
#6) Ron Paul is an isolationist
#7) Ron Paul wants to immediately cut and run in Iraq
#8) Ron Paul excused Al-Qaeda’s attacks on America
#9) Ron Paul is the single, least electable major candidate running for
the presidency in either party

I would add:
#10) Lights on, nobody home.

PROOF for #4 and # 5 in the comments:

Don't bother, this asshat is another Israel-Firster who's only agenda
is that American blood is spilled to protect the interests of Israel.
tsoldrin

Dear tsoldrin,

I'd bring up the Bible, but I doubt you have ever heard of it, but strategically and tactically, having Israel as our partner and ally in the heart of Arab lands is a pretty good idea. Just hate those Jews, don'tcha RonPaulBoy? How is that International Jewish Conspiracy working out for you?

Love,
asshat

Islam In America

Dearborn, Michigan

Czech President Too Logical For Faux Intellectuals Like Gore

Freedom, not climate, is at risk
By Vaclav Klaus

As someone who lived under communism for most of his life, I feel
obliged to say that I see the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market
economy and prosperity now in ambitious environmentalism, not in communism. This ideology wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central (now global) planning.

...

The issue of global warming is more about social than natural sciences
and more about man and his freedom than about tenths of a degree Celsius changes in average global temperature.

As Dinah Lord said, "The brown shirts now wear green". Environazis are seeking the power to re-educate us all and force their communism socialism society on us all. Through lies and fear.

I'd believe a man who has been there. Of course, I wouldn't believe Al Gore if he gave me the time of day.

Jane Is A Fred Head

Fredheads Unite!

There is no candidate in this race who has completely blown my skirt up, but many of you have asked me to hurry up and call the ball. Will this help?

No President of mine should walk on water, but his feet had better be damned dry.

No President of mine should have bigger buddies in business than he has from his hometown church.

No President of mine should expect to lead from the rear and maintain the devotion of his Base.

There's more...

Congress,The Media And The Soldier

The LA Times reports:

Under a sweltering Iraqi sky, [Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding
general of Marine Forces Central Command] asked for questions from his
troops.

Many were reluctant, but Marine Lance Cpl. Jack Kessel, 19,
of Raleigh, N.C., stepped forward. Something had been gnawing at him as he and
his buddies go about the business of winning hearts and minds in al-Anbar
province: “How are we supposed to fight a war when people back home say we’ve already lost?”

...

Marines continue to exceed their re-enlistment goals. A recent study
showed that those who have deployed twice to Iraq are more likely to re-enlist
than those who have gone once. The Marine least likely to re-enlist is one who
has not deployed to Iraq.

...

Mattis told the Marines to believe their own eyes rather than news
accounts about who is winning the war. Don’t be discouraged by politicians and
pundits who haven’t been to Iraq: “Don’t hold it against them. The only reason
they have that freedom of speech is because you’ll fight for it.”

I can't add to that.

HT to NRO

General Pace Is Incompetent Says Harry Reid

Reid labels military leader 'incompetent'

Reid has disparaged the war, the President, the Vice President, the senate, the house, Rumsfeld, Gates, Condi Rice, US intelligence, US corporations, the leadership of Iraq, the leadership of Afghanistan, Republicans, Conservatives, wayward Democrats, the lack of a surge, the surge, and now Gen. Peter Pace and Gen. David Petraeus, but he supports the troops, just not what they’re doing nor anyone who supports them.

Everyone else is wrong, but Harry.

Harry isn’t a typical liberal elitist, he is a dysfunctional man in a place of leadership, but at least he’s learned not to stomp his feet in public.

Unfortunately, Harry is getting people killed, terrorized and causing families just like ours to have their hope crushed. All because he is right and we are wrong.

Sad for him, sad for us.

UPDATE: Crotchety Old Bastard (He's earned the title) is not of mixed emotions.
UPDATE II: Correction: I Do HATE This Puny Man. I knew he did. He should.

Islam in America

Mosque

Toledo, Ohio

Pelosi, Reid, Democrats Sink To New Low

Iraq surge a failure, top Democrats tell Bush

Top US congressional Democrats bluntly told President George W. Bush
Wednesday that his Iraq troop "surge" policy was a failure.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and House of Representatives
Speaker Nancy Pelosi challenged the president over Iraq by sending him a letter,
ahead of a White House meeting later on Wednesday.

"As many had forseen, the escalation has failed to produce the
intended results," the two leaders wrote.

"The increase in US forces has had little impact in curbing the
violence or fostering political reconciliation.

"It has not enhanced Americas national security. The unsettling
reality is that instances of violence against Iraqis remain high and attacks on
US forces have increased.

"In fact, the last two months of the war were the deadliest to date
for US troops.

I have no doubt they wrote this release before the surge began.

Even for Reid and Pelosi this is a new low in political hackery and they're marching on the bodies of troops, both alive and dead, toward their goal of power. They set their course and now they realize it has become a test of brinkmanship and a final roll of the dice on their part. The troops be damned. The security of the United States of America be damned. Freedom be damned. In fact, the truth be damned.

Shame on Pelosi, Reid, and the rest. Shame on those that have bought into their sham. Shame on each and every reporter and editor that support their lies.

To make people's effort worthless robs those people of their self-worth and that is what Reid, Pelosi and their enablers are doing to every person that wears our country's uniform. To play political games with the freedom of the 50 plus million people of Iraq, Afghanistan and others watching with hope, is more despicable than imaginable. The worst, though, is to knowingly lie, at the expense of those who hope for freedom and those fighting for that freedom, to the electorate to gain their tawdry goal of political power.

Reid and Pelosi are not the loyal opposition. They're not even loyal. They are not "citizen representatives", they are old, burned out hacks clawing for their political lives. I pray they fail.

I hate liars.

Drugs For The Droogs

"I was cured, all right..." .

Sex crime drug treatments planned

When one tears the fabric of society by heinous crimes they should be separated from society completely and forever, not used for political purposes as was Alex.

Reid Steps Up To The Bar

US Democrats preview new Iraq showdown

Reid said however that Democrats, saddled with a thin majority in
Congress, had raised unrealistic expectations about their ability to end the
war, among supporters who powered their takeover of Congress last
year.

"We set the bar too high,"

Actually sir, you set the bar so low so that even slime like you could get over it.

ADDED THOUGHTS: Jonn Lilyea at This Ain't Hell has some solid advice for Liberals.

Ron Paul Soars Past 2%

He's SMOKIN!

Poll: Romney emerges as New Hampshire front-runner

Camille Paglia Endorses Giuliani & Romney?

Don't run, Al. Don't!

Despite numerous polls claiming that registered Democrats like myself
are happy with their current field of presidential contenders, the Gore boomlet
betrays subterranean tremors of doubt. After two major televised debates by both
parties, only a Pollyanna on helium would believe that any of the top-tier
Democrats will definitely be able to defeat a leading Republican like Mitt
Romney or Rudy Giuliani.

dot dot dot

Right now, the Democrats' best hope may be for the Republicans to veer
right and nominate an erratic aging boy like the seedy Newt Gingrich or a
Hollywood caricature of vintage 1910 American small-town life like the
phlegmatically pithy Fred Thompson, whose homespun act feels tired and looks
tired.

So, Fred Thompson is a sluggish, but tersely cogent caricature as he reflects average American citizens who Ms Paglia finds tiresome in all aspects while Giuliani and Romney are the top tier candidates for Republicans. Oh, and Newt is an erratic aging boy who is seedy which is a Paglia calling kettle black moment.

But the TV pundits who rushed to proclaim Hillary the winner of the
second debate were off by a mile. Hillary excelled in the first half by the
greater specificity of her responses, but her gains were nearly wiped out at one
point by her bone-chilling mirthless chuckling (like a sound effect for the
Blood Countess in a horror film).

dot dot dot

For many Democrats like me, however, Hillary's history of
prevarication, rigidity and quasi-divine sense of election is profoundly
unsettling. And who exactly would be running the government -- that
indefatigable buttinski, Bill Clinton? Spare us! But Hillary's intricate
experience with the Washington bureaucracy makes Edwards (toward whom I've been leaning) and Obama (whom I may shift to) look like shaky tyros.

I am jealous that she thought to define Hillary as a Blood Countess sound effect. Paglia may lean herself to Obama, which I think unlikely and contrived, but she has made me lean towards Thompson.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks" which makes my kettle call the briar patch home.

Atheist Holiday

Shamelessly stolen from Tony Phyrillas' site. If you haven't visited, Tony covers more than just PA politics. He covers Conservatism and is darned good at it.

Judge Decries National Holiday for Atheists
In Florida, an atheist became incensed over the preparation of Easter and Passover holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while atheists had no holiday to celebrate.

The case was brought before a wise judge. After listening to the long passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge banged his gavel and declared "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said, "Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other observances. Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah... yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!"

The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said, "Obviously your client is too confused to even know about, much less celebrate his own atheists' holiday!"

The lawyer pompously said, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any such holiday for atheists. Just when might that holiday be, your Honor?"

The judge said, "Well it comes every year on exactly the same date -- April 1st! Since our calendar sets April 1st as 'April Fools' Day', consider that Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53 state, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.'

Therefore, in my opinion, if your client says there is no God, then by scripture he is a fool, thus April 1st is his holiday!"

e-mail

A drunk, who smelled of beer sat down, on a bus seat next to a priest.

The man's tie was stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick and a half empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his torn coat pocket. He opened his newspaper and began reading.

After a few minutes the man turned to the priest and asked, "Tell me, Father, what causes arthritis?"

The priest replied, "My Son, it is caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol and a contempt for your fellow man, sleeping around with prostitutes and a lack of personal hygiene."

The drunk muttered in response, "Well, I'll be darned," and returned to his paper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, put his hand gently on the man's arm and apologized.

"I'm sorry.... I should not have come down on you so strong. How long have you had arthritis?"

"I don't have arthritis, Father," the drunk replied. "I was just reading here that the Pope does."

Duh of the Day

Clinton Owes Lead in Poll To Support From Women

Gothic Revival

The Death Of Communist USSR

Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate West Berlin, Germany June 12, 1987

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for
the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to
this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this
wall!

Prosperity and freedom has a nice ring to it. Why are so many opposed to Iraq and Afghanistan having some?

Or for that reason, why are so many opposed to having some here in America?

Corzine And The Netherlands

New Jersey was originally named Albania.

That could explain a lot. Like New Jersey being a nether region.

Not The Same As Fish Eyes

If a Lobster loses an eye, it will grow another one.

Rome In A Day

Via Veritas et Venustas

Virtual Rome is coming soon.

This very cool.

Fred Dalton Thompson

Mark at Right Minded nails it.

There isn't ever going to be another Ronald Reagan for the same reason there
will never be another Vince Lombardi, another Mickey Mantle, or another Mother
Teresa. It's 2007 now, and not 1980. It is the responsibility of conservatives,
therefore, to stop looking for the next Ronald Reagan, and start looking for a
candidate in the present who can lead a conservative movement on the national
level. Considering the current lineup of Republican candidates for president,
there isn't one who could answer that calling. But Fred Thompson could.

UPDATE: Dalton? If Congress is the Double Deuce, Fred is the cure.

UPDATE: I was reminded that I wrote about this here.

Today's Episcopal World

Lapsed is to Episcopal

as

Slightly is to pregnant.

Grand Kleagle "Lil" Bobby Byrd

My ninth brief conversation with Senator Robert Byrd’s (D-WV) Grand Kleagle hood

There is good Goldstein. There is great Goldstein.

And, then, there is classic Goldstein.

Insightfully classic.

Oh, and a certain reverence for the irreverent

Roosevelt and Immigration

Since I am on the topic, an e-mail from my mother-in-law in Arizona.

Teddy Roosevelt, 1907

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who
comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he
shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage
to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American,
and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man
who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one
language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one
sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Outside of the Bull Moose Party stupidity, he was outstanding.

What It Means To Be An American

Via Bob's Blog

What it means to be an American.....
...
My father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over
from Germany , Italy , France and Japan . None of these 1st generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from. They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan They were
defending the United States of America as one people.
...

My wife's father, whose parent's were Italian, served. My Father's family was from Wales and served, learning English as soldiers and teaching their families when they returned home.

According to my Aunts, my mother's family taught English to God, though I think that may be a stretch.

Bush Screws The Pooch, Again

States Finding Fiscal Surprise: A Cash Surplus

Budget surpluses have largely stemmed from higher than expected tax
collections — corporate tax revenues alone were 11 percent higher than budget
estimates — and booming local economies. There has also been some relief in
Medicaid spending, which fell from an 11 percent annual growth rate to something closer to 7 percent in the past few years.

My word, how can we stop this man before he strikes again?

Birds & The Bees, Sherrod Brown Has A New Honey

Sen. Brown, legislators look to protect Ohio's bees

''The bee population in Ohio is declining at an alarming rate and
Ohio's fruit and vegetable farmers are at risk,'' Brown said in a statement.
''This bill would support Ohio's farmers by protecting the bee population they
rely on to pollinate their crops.''

Uh, that may not be the case. The well known Honey Bees were immigrants as well as us. They came from Europe.

Many of the real experts, Honey Bee keepers are skeptical:

Many beekeepers are skeptical of the reports or at least how they're adding
up. For 100 years, beekeepers have logged periodic reports of sudden and
inexplicable bee die-offs.

People refer the latest die-off by its initials "CCD," but one Georgia
beekeeper instead calls it the "SSDD" crisis for "Same Stuff, Different Day."

"People have lost bees from the beginning of time," Sowers said.

Also, Honey Bees do not pollinate corn, wheat, rice, rye, barley, and all the other grain crops as Scare-ed Brown and others imply.

Nice try.

HT to Right Angle

UPDATE: I love this line in my swamped comment section.

The new brown shirts are green. Cheers - Dinah

FUGLY: The Moonies Will Hate Us

California Eco Homes Double As Moon Units

Nader Khalili's affordable and eco-friendly ceramic, domed homes could
one day house the first settlers on the Moon.

Will they call it Turtle Bay?