Rhymes With Right

June 19, 2008

Is That A Lobster In Your Pants

Police say a cook at a New York restaurant was arrested after coworkers allegedly caught him trying to hide 15 lobster tails in his pants.
Investigators said they found Raymundo Flores, 40, with 15 frozen lobster tails stuffed into his pants and bandages on his legs after two of Flores' coworkers at Junior's Restaurant in the city's Brooklyn borough caught him taking the tails and called 911, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

Two points.

1) Would you want to eat anything that had been stuffed down your pants to get it home?

2) I suppose he had to be satisfied with the lobster tails -- trying to smuggle live lobsters this way has its own punishment.

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Well, I'm Back

Tuesday night, the A/C went out, and we took refuge at a hotel with glitchy wi-fi. We were fortunate to get the A/C fixed by late Wednesday, but stayed teh extra night since the room was paid for and the house needed to cool down (the thermostat read 91 degrees when the technician finally got the unit working again).

Well, as i was bringing the luggage to the car, I felt a twinge in the abdomen. A pit stop a little later led me to suspect another kidney stone like the one back around my birthday. A visit to the doctor confirmed that -- so now I am simply waiting it out.

I should be posting, depending upon how I feel through the course of the day.

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June 18, 2008

Blogging May Be Light

My output may drop off the next day or two -- a situation has arisen which is going to require some special attention the next couple days.

No illnesses, no deaths -- just a serious inconvenience that could limit my online access.

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June 17, 2008

Separated At Birth?

I don't know about you, but I see a resemblance.

One of them is an Afghan warlord who hates America and denigrates the troops -- the other is a hack sports reporter turned television blowhard who does the same.

Separated at birth? You decide -- but it would help support the theory that Bush Derangement Syndrome is congenital.

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Texas Officials Promise To "Listen To" Governor's Mansion Arsonist

Are they out of their friggin' minds? I don't give a rat's hindquarters why this punk burned down the historic building -- the "young, politically-motivated male" -- burned down the Governor's mansion. Indeed, I denounce him and his motivation right now, without knowing a thing about it.

A young male may have been politically motivated when he set fire to the Governor's Mansion June 8, state officials speculated Monday.
State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado issued two appeals Monday Â— one to the public with a Texas Crime Stoppers $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and another directly to the person responsible for the fire, which caused major damage to the 152-year-old mansion.
Maldonado said investigators figure the arsonist's actions conveyed a message and want him to contact them.
"We do feel that you have a message, and we would like to hear from you," Maldonado said. "We are not quite sure what that message is. But please contact us."
Maldonado promised the arsonist that state officials "will listen to your message."

You know, Tim McVeigh and Osama bin Ladin had messages, too. Neither deserved an audience, due to the methods by which they were communicated. Neither does this guy.

And as an aside, the official description of the arsonist eliminates my prime suspect. After all, despite his anger management problem and propensity to threaten political opponents with violence (as well as to violate federal law), he is certainly NOT young.

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NFR Tickets

Have you folks figured out that I am a big fan of professional rodeo? Really, I am Â– both in person and televised. And as much as I love the big show here in Houston, and the less well-known one in Pasadena, Texas, there is one I want to see even more -- the National Finals Rodeo, which happens every December. After all, the NFR features the best of the best in every event.

The National Finals Rodeo takes place every year in Las Vegas, Nevada, over a period of ten-day. The top money earners for the year in each rodeo event get an invitation to compete for the title of champion of the world. The featured events are bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and bull riding. The competition is always intense, and you donÂ’t just get to see the top cowboys and cowgirls, but the top bulls and broncs as well.

As much as I enjoy watching the National Finals Rodeo on television each year, I would really like to go to Las Vegas some December to be there in person. National Finals Rodeo tickets can be a challenge to get on short notice, because they are the biggest thing in town for those ten days. IÂ’m told you need to buy them long before the rodeo actually starts. However, I also hear that tickets can be found through different ticket agencies if you canÂ’t make plans to attend early enough to order tickets for yourself.

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Left Continues Denigration Of McCain't Military Service, POW Heroism

You know, I didn't think that the left could sink any lower than debauched literati Gore Vidal's "POW denial" published over the weekend in the New York Times.

Unfortunately, it would appear that I was wrong. Just consider this disgusting commentary published yesterday at HuffPo.

John McCain was in the navy and then he was in the U.S. Senate. He has never cashed a check a bureaucrat didn't write. I'm not trying to be glib, and I realize he was doing a solemn and dangerous job, killing people from the sky. But it was still government work.
Wait, except for those years as a POW. A sick but undeniable fact about John McCain: The only period in his life when he wasn't living off the American taxpayer, he was living off the Vietnamese taxpayer.
John McCain's father was in the navy and his father was in the navy. The last McCain who didn't live in government housing owned a plantation in Mississippi when the state still had slaves.
Which is why John McCain always sounds so emotional when he gets to this line in his stump speech:
"I am absolutely committed to reducing the size of government."
What he's promising is eventually he'll die.

I'd ask if the author, one Chris Kelly, has any decency or shame, but I think the words written above are illustrative of the fact that the answer would be a definitive "HELL NO!"

In one little snippet of a column, this left-wing cretin denigrates military service (a four-generation McCain family tradition that protects the right of scum like Kelly to insult the military), denounces McCain's time as a POW, and tries to make McCain personally responsible for the acts of an ancestor which occurred three-quarters of a century before his birth.

But let's just consider for a minute what we are seeing here, as a pattern has emerged that I think is important.

In the last week, we have had both Kelly and Vidal attack McCain for his military service and time as a POW. A couple of weeks back, Senator Tom Harkin tried to argue that McCain's military career and time as a POW made him unfit for the presidency because of their impact on his views. Some have questioned McCain's retirement pay and disability pension. There have been repeated questions about McCain's mental stability based upon imputed diagnoses of PTSD.

Expect five more months of attacks on McCain's military service and time as a POW. Expect the same folks who objected when legitimate questions were raised about John Kerry's military service (including documented lies by Kerry and his refusal to release the records of his time in the Navy) or legitimate policy differences were raised against former Senator Max Cleland to launch vicious assaults on John McCain and his military career -- especially the heroic nature of he and his fellow POWs (for such attacks do touch on the heroism of each and every one of them -- after all, they also spent their time "living off the Vietnamese taxpayer.") as they resisted brutal treatment at the hands of their captors that far exceeded "US prisoner abuse" like panties on the head at Abu Ghraib. As a teen I was honored to know one of McCain's fellow POWs and saw some of the scars that the torture left -- and I know about these men came home half-starved, rather than getting fat and receiving advanced medical care like the detainees at Gitmo.

Aren't these the same liberals who tell us time and again that they "support the troops" and "honor their service"? How can they make such a claim when they would insult the service of a candidate who made a career of the military and minimize or deny the courageous nature of that candidate's military service? The answer is that individuals of integrity could not -- which means that your average Democrat politician or left-wing activists will have no problem claiming one while doing the other.

Most disgustingly of all, while the Left has attacked McCain over and over again regarding his military service, they insist that they will not allow Republicans to "Swift Boat" Barack Obama -- a man who was too busy "community organizing" to even consider putting on his nation's uniform.

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June 16, 2008

Sleep Well, Not Lightly

When I was younger, I had a hard time sleeping. To say I was a light sleeper was an understatement. Noises would wake me in a snap if they were at all out of the ordinary -- neighbors on the back porch, the paperboy tossing papers in the neighborhood yards, whatever. I couldn't find anything to help get me through the night.

Until I found out about White Noise Machines and how they could really help by providing a soothing background noise to help one sleep. That really did the trick for me, until my body learned to sleep more soundly.

To find such products, and many others besides to help you sleep, check out DreamEssentials.com.

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If Democrats Have A Problem With Rape Jokes...

Then they need to clean up their own house before targeting John McCain over a supporter's 18-year-old stupid comment.

Let's take it from the top.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) has decided to hold a fundraiser initially sponsored by a controversial Texas oilman later in the summer at a different venue, according to an aide who asked not to be identified.
McCain had planned to hold a joint fundraiser with the Republican National Committee on Monday at the Midland, Tex., home of Clayton Williams, who ran for governor of his state in 1990. But after reporters from The Washington Post and ABC inquired Friday about a remark Williams made comparing rape to bad weather -- "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it" -- the campaign cancelled the fundraiser. Williams has apologized for the remarks.

Democrats have been in a lather ever since the initial fundraiser was announced. They've even gone so far as to demand that McCain return any campaign cash even peripherally connected to Williams. McCain has refused.

But if the Democrats are so outraged about the comment and insistent that the GOP disassociate itself from Williams, what ever are they going to do about this rape-joker in their own midst?

In the 1995 New York magazine profile of Â“Saturday Night Live,Â” Franken is described among a group of show writers sounding out a spoof of Andy Rooney centered on a sedative pill bottle found in the Â“60 MinutesÂ” essayistÂ’s desk. Franken and fellow writers Norm MacDonald and Jim Downey kick around fictional Rooney responses to the discovery of the bottle.
The article quotes Franken putting an edgy twist on the discussion: Â“And Â‘I give the pills to Lesley Stahl. Then when LesleyÂ’s passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.Â’ Or `ThatÂ’s why you never see Lesley until February.Â’ Or, `When she passes out I put her in various positions and take pictures of her.Â”
MacDonald takes it a step further, suggesting that the Rooney rape comment be directed at other Â“60 MinutesÂ” icons Mike Wallace and Ed Bradley. Franken chimes in: Â“What about `I drag Mike into my office and rape him. Right here! I guess that makes me bad.Â”Â‘

I don't know about you, but I find the Franken "humor" to be significantly more offensive than Williams' inappropriate remark -- and since it is both more recent than the Williams comment and made by the party's candidate for election, it is clearly of much greater concern and of much more importance.

So let's offer a compromise deal -- McCain will forgo the money raised by Williams and avoid campaigning within 50 miles of Midland, Texas in return for the Democrats forcing Al Franken off the ballot and endorsing Norm Coleman for reelection. After all, the Jackass party did set the bar on this one.

H/T Hot Air

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After Boumediene

I still stand by my assessment from last week, that the majority in the Boumediene case screwed the pooch in holding that detained illegal combatants have habeas corpus rights in American civilian courts. National Review's Andrew McCarthy, in an article that must be read by everyone who wonders where we go from here (impeachment of the five justice majority not being practical), also makes a pointed observation as to why the decision is fundamentally nonsensical.

Now the Court has decided that the combatants have constitutional habeas rights. If you can follow this, the bloc of liberal justices reasons that the framers designed our fundamental law to empower enemies of the American people to use the American peopleÂ’s courts as a weapon to compel the American peopleÂ’s commander-in-chief to justify his actions during a war overwhelmingly authorized by the American peopleÂ’s elected representatives . . . even as those enemies continue killing Americans.

In other words, despite the clear establishment of a Constitutional framework in which Congress authorizes military action and the President is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, the judicial branch (delegated no role in the war-making function of government) is now somehow on top of the heap when it comes to such matters AND a powerful weapon in the hands of America's enemies, giving that enemy the power to manipulate the constitutional system of checks-and-balances to its own military and political advantage.

I heartily endorse the suggestions made by Andrew McCarthy in the article -- and add to it the suggestion that Congress exercise its authority under Article III Section 2 of the Constitution to strip the Supreme Court of its appellate jurisdiction in any and all cases related to the war powers and detention of enemy combatants.

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The Obama-McCain Tie

When the difference is two percentage points in a national poll, and the margin of error is 2%, that means that you have a statistical tie.

Voters are closely divided between Barack Obama and John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted June 12-14, with 44% of national registered voters favoring Obama for president and 42% backing McCain.

What does this really mean?

1) This race will be close through the end of the campaign, barring some serious misstep by one of the candidates.
2) For all the claims that Barack Obama is the "candidate of destiny", the numbers don't bear that out.
3) Given the jump in the number of respondents who are committed to neither candidate that has occurred since Hillary Clinton dropped out of the race, there exists a serious possibility that McCain could win the popular vote by appealing to disaffected Democrats, provided he can do so without losing the GOP base.

And let's not forget -- these national numbers don't mean much. It all comes down to the vote in the Electoral College, so it is really a case of contesting 51 separate elections at once.

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VP Candidates Coy

Well, going out and proclaiming in the press that you WANT to be Vice President is generally a pretty good way of not getting the job.

Two former senators and one sitting governor thought to be possible candidates for vice president on Sunday expressed minimal interest in the job but didn't remove themselves from consideration.
Been there, done that, said one.
Another is focused on being Louisiana's governor.
The third said it was presumptuous to reject something not yet offered.
That was in contrast to former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner's statement Saturday removing himself from consideration as a possible running mate for Democrat Barack Obama.

Let's be honest here -- there are only two votes that count regarding the vice presidency -- those of John McCain and Barack Obama. They will pick who they want to pick. And even if Warner -- and former Senator Fred Thompson -- say no right now, they will almost certainly come around in the event that their party's nominee asks them. That also explains why the rest of the diverse group of individuals mentioned in the article said what they said -- they know that all the displays of interest in the world can't help and might hurt -- and that it is all irrelevant until lightning strikes and they are asked to be the running mate.

Besides -- who was the last losing vice presidential candidate to get his party's nomination AND win the presidency when nominated? more...

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June 15, 2008

A Bio-Fuel Program Worth Looking At

Take agricultural and other organic waste and convert it to petroleum!

Â“Ten years ago I could never have imagined IÂ’d be doing this,Â” says Greg Pal, 33, a former software executive, as he squints into the late afternoon Californian sun. Â“I mean, this is essentially agriculture, right? But the people I talk to Â– especially the ones coming out of business school Â– this is the one hot area everyone wants to get into.Â”
He means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs Â– very, very small ones Â– so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.
Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug excretion that could, theoretically, be poured into the tank of the giant Lexus SUV next to us. Not that Mr Pal is willing to risk it just yet. He gives it a month before the first vehicle is filled up on what he calls Â“renewable petroleumÂ”. After that, he grins, Â“itÂ’s a brave new worldÂ”.
Mr Pal is a senior director of LS9, one of several companies in or near Silicon Valley that have spurned traditional high-tech activities such as software and networking and embarked instead on an extraordinary race to make $140-a-barrel oil (Â£70) from Saudi Arabia obsolete. Â“All of us here Â– everyone in this company and in this industry, are aware of the urgency,Â” Mr Pal says.

Think about it -- stuff which goes to waste now will go into your gas tank. Heck, imagine if we could just get these critters to excrete the stuff already refined.

But one has to ask -- will the environmental scaremongers seek to block this method of petroleum creation with scare-stories about genetic engineering?

Posted by: Greg at 04:16 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Ship Gore To China!

And then revoke his passport.

Maybe he can harangue the Red Chinese dictators for being the biggest emitters of so-called "greenhouse gases" in the world!

China has now clearly overtaken the United States as the world's leading emitter of climate-warming gases, a new study has found. The increasing emissions from China - up 8 percent in the past year - accounted for two-thirds of the growth in global greenhouse gas emissions in 2007, the study found.
The report, released Friday by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, is an annual study. Last year, for the first time, the researchers found that China had edged ahead of the United States as the world's leading emitter.

I suppose the only problem with my plan is that the rulers of Red China are even less tolerant of dissent than Gore is. I can only imagine their response to his efforts. It might look something like this.

Posted by: Greg at 04:11 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Post Convention Commentary -- Looking Towards 2010

Well, Saturday's sessions of the Texas GOP convention ended without much of significance to report. The one potential area of conflict -- a challenge for national committeewoman -- came to naught when challenger Borah Van Dormolen chose to withdraw in favor of incumbent Cathie Adams rather than push for a floor fight after being nominated for the position by 1/3 of the Congressional districts.

But that leads me to look towards 2010, and the real decisions facing Texas Republicans. The statewide races will point us in a new direction, given the desire of many Republicans to evict Rick Perry from the Governor's office -- with a shuffle of other elected officials coming in the scramble to fill any resulting vacancies.

And make no mistake -- I have no interest in supporting Rick Perry in 2010. A commentary in today's Houston Chronicle by Dr. Steve Hotze (whose opinions and endorsements rarely sway me) sums up my feelings on the matter quite well.

In August 2007, after he was safely re-elected to what I am sure he thought was his final term as our governor, you may recall how Rick Perry took the opportunity he had before the foreign media in Mexico City to criticize what were mostly Republicans in Congress who opposed passing an immigration amnesty bill that would legalize millions of workers.
Perry also told his Mexican hosts he supported a system that would temporarily legalize foreign workers. According to the Chronicle, Perry said such a system would allow for a "free flow of individuals between these countries who want to work, who want to be an asset to our country and to Mexico."
Of course, there might be nothing wrong with this statement had Rick Perry not made getting tough on immigration one of the central planks of his re-election campaign leading up to November 2006. Quite the contrary, he featured tough border security as a TV ad and publicly endorsed a concept to empower Web users worldwide to watch Texas' border with Mexico and phone the authorities if they spot any apparently illegal crossings.
Bait and switch. He fooled us once.
Remember, too, how in February 2007 within days of taking office for his second full term Rick Perry tried to end-run our state Legislature and mandate that our sixth-grade girls, who are 11 and 12 years old, must receive questionable vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases. He did this not only without saying a word about it on the 2006 campaign trail, but also without permitting any public testimony on such a delicate matter from such disinterested parties as, say, parents.
Bait and switch. He fooled us twice.
But perhaps most objectionable of all is what goes into effect this month: the Rick Perry business tax. The Perry Business Tax, passed by the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature during the special session in May 2006, was revised and further complicated during the 2007 regular legislative session. It is the largest tax increase in the history of Texas. The average small business will pay 10 percent of its income in new state taxes, while large corporations were given loopholes by the governor in exchange for their support.

Add to that the Trans Texas Corridor mess and I see four very good reasons for opposing Perry's renomination for the office, much less his reelection to it in the fall of 2010.

Friday morning I unexpectedly had the opportunity to speak with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison at her booth in the near-deserted Exhibition Hall before any of the caucuses or sessions began (showing up 45 minutes before the sessions start helps one avoid the crowds), and I told her that I look forward to supporting her in her as-yet-unofficial gubernatorial race. I've hinted around this before, but I am now willing to state my position definitively -- especially after getting it straight from the horse's mouth that Dan Patrick is not running for governor. Rumor has it, though, that Lt. Governor David Dewhurst will also throw his hat in the ring for the office, so expect a real donnybrook.

If this happens, it will mean that Dewhurst's position will be up for grabs -- and there is even some discussion of the possibility that Attorney General Greg Abbott will be running for Lt. Governor even if Dewhurst does not enter the gubernatorial fray. Abbott is popular and has been effective -- and Dewhurst has not always been seen as an ally by party activists. Frankly, I'd be really supportive of Greg Abbott's bid for the position, which is traditionally and constitutionally the most powerful office in the state.

What this means, though, is that we are going to have change taking place in Texas in 2010. My only hope is that it is conservative Republican change, not a shift towards the Democrats.

Posted by: Greg at 03:17 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Barack Obama Needs A History Lesson

In searching my archives for something else last night, I came across this post from November 4, 2006. Even though the election in question is over, the message behind it is still strong and bears repeating.

* * * * *

The junior senator from Illinois and presidential hopeful proves that even election to high office doesn't guarantee that one knows or speaks the truth.

Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois on Friday urged hundreds of blacks not to vote along racial lines next week in Maryland's Senate race.
Obama, the only black U.S. senator, came to the state to rally support for Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, who is white. Cardin's Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, is the first black candidate ever elected statewide and has been courting black Democrats.
"Listen, I think it's great that the Republican Party has discovered black people," Obama said to laughter from students at the rally at predominantly black Bowie State University. "But here's the thing. ... You don't vote for somebody because of what they look like. You vote for somebody because of what they stand for."

Let's give this man a quick history lesson.

If one goes back to the birth of the GOP, it was a party that had the rights of blacks as its primary issue. Remember, the GOP was the party of abolition -- and that among those who were a part of its founding meeting was Frederick Douglass. At a time when the Democrats believed every black should be a slave, the Republican Party was co-founded by black men like Douglass -- an escaped slave. While they could not vote because they were women, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman were also active supporters of the Republican Party. The Democrats, on the other hand, fought tooth-and-nail to keep blacks from voting in general elections -- or participating in party primaries, until the Supreme Court told Texas Democrats in Fort Bend County (and, by extension, Democrats in the rest of the country) that such actions violated the guarantees of the Fifteenth Amendment.

When the Civil War came to an end and the black slaves of the solidly Democrat South achieved the freedom guaranteed them by Republican President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and the Republican Congress' Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, the Republican controlled legislature of Mississippi sent Hiram Rhodes Revels to be the first black United States Senator (filling the seat left vacant by the resignation of Democrat Jefferson Davis -- President of the Confederate States of America. He was later succeeded in the Senate by Blanche Bruce, the first black United States Senator to serve a complete term. At the end of his term, the Democrat-controlled Mississippi legislature replaced him with a former Confederate officer who had helped draft and sign the Mississippi Ordinance of Secession.

Incidentally, the next black man to serve in the US Senate was Edward Brooke of Massachusetts -- another Republican, from 1967-1979, at a time when the Democrat Party was still fighting against civil rights and trying to determine if blacks should have representation at Democrat nominating conventions. On the other hand, should the Democrat Party regain control of the US Senate next week, they will choose a former leader of the KKK, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, to be the president pro tempore of the Senate, placing him third in line for the presidency of the United States.

Republicans were active in their defense of the rights of African-Americans for the next century -- and every significant piece of civil rights legislation passed during that time was the product of GOP authors and/or an overwhelming number of GOP votes in Congress. Democrats, on the other hand, fought against civil rights every step of the way, writing and enforcing Jim Crow policies. It took a Republican Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Earl Warren, to craft a decision to overturn such segregation.

It was a proud Republican who, in 1963, gave a speech at the Lincoln Memorial that clearly enunciated the Republican position on civil rights and racial equality -- of an America in which all people "will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Today the GOP continues to stand for the vision of our brother Martin Luther King, Jr., while the Democrats continue to seek to divide and balkanize along racial lines.

So you see, Senator Obama, it is pretty clear that neither party needed to "discover" black people. The problem is that one of them is the party of Ol' Massa, Jim Crow and the Klan, while the other is the party of emancipation, civil rights, and equality. Michale Steele is a part of the latter -- and any African-American should be ashamed to vote for or serve in office as part of the former.

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June 14, 2008

Custom Gift Cards

I don't know about you, but I love receiving gift cards. After all, who knows what I need better than I do? I also like to give gift cards to the other hard to please members of my family. But here's something great -- you can now get Gift Cards customized with the design of your choice -- a family photo, a loving sentiment, or a logo for your business if you are using them as a promotional item. And best of all, these gift cards are VISA cards -- so they can be used anywhere that VISA is accepted!

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Watcher's Council Results

The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are The Chicken or the Egg? by Joshuapundit, and What Kind of War Crimes Trials Does Obama Plan? (Updated) by American Thinker. Here's your link to the full results of the vote:

Votes	Council link
3	The Chicken or the Egg? Joshuapundit
2	Dear Pakistan Wolf Howling
2	For Once, It Really Is About the Children Bookworm Room
1 2/3	Caring Is Not Enough The Glittering Eye
1 1/3	The Global Warming Cult The Razor
1	I'm a Fuel, Fuel, Fuel for You Soccer Dad
2/3	Omaha Beach Done With Mirrors
1/3	Quote of the Day: Gas Wars Edition Cheat Seeking Missiles

Votes	Non-council link
2 2/3	What Kind of War Crimes Trials Does Obama Plan? (Updated) American Thinker
2 1/3	Wake Up and Smell the Soup! Melanie Phillips
1 2/3	Obama and Khalidi -- What We Know So Far Daled Amos
1 1/3	Have You No Shame, Sir? Winds of Change
1	When Worlds Collide The Weekly Standard
2/3	Jimmy Obama, Meet Barack Carter Big Lizards
1/3	Shooting Down the Enemies of Progress Spiked
1/3	Noted Imbecile Mark Morford: Obama Is a "Lightworker," an "Enlightened Being" Hot Air
1/3	Air Is Free Eternity Road
1/3	Arson Supected at Texas Governor's Mansion UrbanGrounds

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Business Loans

One reality of the business world today is that you sometimes need a business loan just to keep going through a cash crunch. You know how it is -- there is a temporary cash flow issue as you await payment from your customers. One way to get such Business Loans with out a hassle is by dealing with the folks at EXUnsecured.com. They offer business loans of all kinds Â– lines of credit, short and long-term loans, and business credit cards. With EZUnsecured.com, you get an easy application and approval process, fast funding of your loan, and great service from the associates you work with. Stop by and check them out.

Posted by: Greg at 10:47 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Gore Vidal Denies McCain's Heroism, Time As POW

When conservatives questioned certain inconsistencies in John Kerry's narrative about his military service and his military service record (which to this day has never been fully released), the Democrats cried foul and invented the term Swiftboating to describe it -- even though the Swift Boat vets were actually members of the same unit as John Kerry and many of them served with him.

Will any of those Democrats raise their voices in condemnation of this little attack on John McCain by author and Al Gore relative Gore Vidal?

Asked what he thinks of McCain, Vidal calls him a "disaster," then tells Deborah Solomon, "Who started this rumor that he was a war hero? Where does that come from, aside from himself? About his suffering in the prison war camp?"
Solomon replies: "Everyone knows he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam." To which Vidal responds: "ThatÂ’s what he tells us."

Excuse me?

"Rumor"?

"Aside from himself?"

"That's what he tells us"?

McCain's flight suit and gear,
"Hanoi Hilton" Museum

Well, why don't we see what someone else has to say about the matter.

Is that enough for you yet, Mr. Vidal?

I wonder -- John McCain asked that the Swift Boat Vets stop their truthful attacks on John Kerry because he considered them unseemly. Will Kerry return the favor and condemn this false attack upon the well-documented heroism of John McCain during his time as a prisoner of war?

Will the media report on this false claim about McCain by a debauched celebrity with the same degree of vitriolic contempt that they displayed for the truthful words of decorated veterans that served with Kerry?

Will we hear from Al Gore about the disgusting aspersions cast by his cousin?

And I ask again -- will Obama's "new kind of politics" include speaking out against the sort of dripping hatred that Vidal displayed in this interview?

As an aside, Vidal also stated in another recent interview that the United States is a dictatorship with a fascist government. It seems pretty clear, however, that he demonstrates his words to be false by their very utterance -- if America were really a fascist state he would not have made these scurrilous comments for fear that he would be imprisoned or executed.

H/T LGF, JammieWearingFool, Ed Driscoll, QandO

UPDATE -- 6/15/2008: Other bloggers are beginning to chime in on this one at Hot Air, Commentary's Contentions

Here's hoping the sainted William F. Buckley will be granted the privilege of waiting outside the Pearly Gates to carry out this promise before Saint Peter directs Vidal to his infernal reward.

More really needs to be made of Vidal's undeniably evil words.

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Barack Threatens Gun Violence Against Republicans

Hey -- if mentioning a historical event like the Bobby Kennedy assassination is an incitement to murder, what on earth do you call this quote by Barack Obama?

Â“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.Â”

Now tell me, what would the reaction be if a Republican candidate or official, much less John McCain, had made that sort of statement? I think we all know that answer. We would be hearing about how that Republican -- and Republicans in general -- were violent extremists who want to see Barack Obama dead (indeed, certain nutroots bloggers are already claiming we conservatives will start a civil war and probably murder Obama).

Will anyone (other than me) hold the Obamessiah to that same standard?

UPDATE: Gateway Pundit asks some pointed questions.

Since Obama insists on his website that he only supports the use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting, does Senator McCain fall into the category of "big game" or "clay pigeon"?

Finally, does this mean that the candidate of hope and change is bitter?... Since he's now "clinging to his gun or religion and has antipathy to people who aren't like him?"

See-Dubya (blogging at Michelle Malkin) notes that while Obama is apparently willing to use this sort of disproportionate response against his opponents, he is apparently unwilling to do so against terrorists who threaten our national interests (and rogue states like Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela, too).

IÂ’ve always thought that speech applied very well to the war on terror. I would expect Obama to disagree with me thereÂ–but itÂ’s interesting that he does seem to think that Â“the Chicago WayÂ” applies to domestic politics. I suppose a pupil of Tony RezkoÂ’s would have to think like that.
It makes sense, if you think Republicans are the real enemy, and that the terrorists are just a distraction from the progressive agenda.

H/T Ace of Spades HQ, Hot Air, Protein Wisdom

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June 13, 2008

Sick And Disgusting Political Commentary -- Protected by The First Amendment

I'd like to condemn this disgusting piece of crap for his virulent expression of unAmerican racism.

And I'd like to thank God and the US Constitution that his right to do so is fully protected in this country.

Neighbors say a sign posted by a Houston-area man is causing tension and fear.
They say the sign is offensive. It makes a derogatory and profane reference to Sen. Barack ObamaÂ’s bid to become president.
Â“Whoever did this is a racist,Â” neighbor Laz Socarras said.
Â“They hatinÂ’ on Obama,Â” neighbor Jarmaine Calvin said.

Hey -- I'm accused of "hatin' on Obama" when I tell the truth about his record, statements, and lack of qualifications for the presidency. This is something much more offensive, being that it is a raw, unadulterated expression of racism.

But it is protected by our Constitution. The scumbag makes no threats against anyone, and is displaying it on his own property, so he can say any damn thing he wants. God bless America -- because it means we are still a free people and that even the most disgusting among us still have the right to speak publicly without fear of the heel of government crushing us for unapproved speech. After all -- we are not Canada yet.

Interestingly enough, this is within a few blocks of where I have taught school for the last 11 years. I'm surprised that the sign has stayed up as long as it has.

H/T Lone Star Times

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UN Body Interferes In UK Internal Affairs

The toothless, symbolic British monarchy violates the human rights of the British and should be abolished? This would be some sort of joke were it not a something that the UN Human Rights Council has recommended.

The UN Human Rights Council said the UK must "consider holding a referendum on the desirability or otherwise of a written constitution, preferably republican".
The council has 29 members including Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Sri Lanka.
It was the Sri Lankan envoy who raised concerns over the British monarchy.
The resulting report said Britain should have a referendum on the monarchy and the need for a written constitution with a bill of rights.

Now let's consider some of the hypocritical complaints put forward.

The UN report was also critical of the UK's treatment of immigrants from Sudan.
Syrian representatives accused the UK of discriminating against Muslims and Iran complained about the UK's record on tackling sexual discrimination.

Hold on -- Iran is complaining about sex discrimination? That complaint from Burqa-ville should have been laughed out of the hearing room.

But then again, consider the human rights records of the participating nations. What the heck is Saudi Arabia doing recommending a constitution and the abolition of a monarchy? And what is Cuba doing on any body that is tasked with judging human rights?

US out of UN -- UN out of US

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Dems Think Obama Terrorist-Connected?

Yeah, that's right -- Democrat officials, not Republican bloggers.

Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member Fred Hobbs tells The City newspaper in Nashville, "I don't exactly approve of a lot of the things he stands for Â— and I'm not sure we know enough about him. He's got some bad connections, and he may be terrorist connected for all I can tell. It sounds kind of like he may be."
Hobbs was giving an interview to the paper about fellow Tennessee Congressman and Democratic superdelegate Lincoln Davis, who has not yet declared his support for Obama.
Reacting to Hobbs, Davis' Chief of Staff Beecher Frasier says he does not know for sure if Obama is terrorist connected, but he assumes he is not.

And talk about weak statements -- the Davis camp "assumes he is not" terrorist connected? If Democrat leaders -- superdelegates, no less -- aren't certain that Barack Obama is not connected to terrorists, why on earth is the party willing to take a chance nominating him?

I don't know of any Republicans making the accusation that Barack Obama is a terrorist -- merely that he is unqualified and incompetent. Maybe a few blogospheric fringeoids do, but I haven't encountered it. So what do the Democrats know that the rest of us don't?

H/T Gateway Pundit, Jawa Report

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Dem Convention Shortfall Shows Campaign Finance Flaw

It looks like the host committee for the August's Democrat Convention in Denver is short of cash to the tune of $15 million.

The host committee for the Democratic National Convention faces a possible shortfall of $15 million, complicating logistics for the August event and forcing it to abruptly postpone a media walkthrough of the site scheduled for next week.
The Democratic National Committee has asked the cash-strapped panel to raise $40.6 million by Monday to finance the event. Last month, the committee said it had just $25 million in cash, and it has failed to meet each of several fundraising deadlines since signing a contract with the DNC last year.
Host committee members consistently have refused public comment on their fundraising efforts. Committee spokesman Chris Lopez could not immediately be reached by telephone Friday.

Now there is an obvious solution to the problem. The Barack Obama campaign is positively awash in cash, having raised prodigious amounts of money for months -- so much that the candidate is breaking his promise to the American people to take government funding for his campaign and abide by spending limits that go with that money. Why can't he just order his campaign to cut a check to pay for his coronation?

In a rational, constitutionally-limited system, he could. unfortunately, federal campaign finance laws are such that making that sort of transfer of cash to pay for a convention is an illegal expenditure, even if it is done in a public, totally above board fashion. So as a result, the Democrats will have to scale back plans and run a second-rate convention (perhaps appropriate, since they are giving America a second-rate candidate) instead of doing things up right. That once again demonstrates that what is legal under federal election law does not always coincide with what is ethical and what makes sense.

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R. Kelly: I Believe He's A Platinum Predator

I believe that he committed all 14 offenses with which he is charged.

However, the ability to delay the case for six years and influence the victim and her family made it possible for him to create something that the jurors felt constituted "reasonable doubt".

Grammy-award winning rhythm and blues superstar R. Kelly broke down and wept Friday as a jury cleared him of 14 charges of child pornography.
The hugely successful Chicago-based star had consistently denied the charges since his arrested in 2002 after an incriminating video tape was sent to the Chicago Sun-Times.
"There wasn't enough evidence," jubilant defense lawyer Edward Genson told a press conference saying they were "ecstatic" that Robert Kelly was cleared of all the charges against him after the jury deliberated for less than a day.
"What happened today when those verdicts started (was) you got to see the real Robert Kelly. He sat there and he was contrite. He sat there and he was crying," said another defense lawyer Sam Adam.
"He sat there and was thanking God. All I heard the entire time those 14 verdicts were being read was thank you Jesus," Adam said, adding: "He is a deeply religious man."

Sorry, you pedophile bastard, Jesus didn't have anything to do with your skating on these charges. It was your money and a different spiritual powerhouse -- Satan.

And I can't help but notice that one of kelly's lawyers sort of gave away his client's guilt in that passage above -- "He was contrite."

Let's consider what "contrition" actually is. It is a sadness and remorse for having done wrong -- often understood as carrying with it a sense that one is facing eternal damnation. R. Kelly could not be contrite today unless he was also guilty of the acts in question.

And let's be honest -- this isn't the first time he has used an underage girl as his sexual plaything. Can we say Aaliyah?

Remember, they lied about her age (she was really 15) to get married and the marriage was later annulled for that reason.

Of course, there is also the issue of the videotape. Either Kelly and his young victim on the tape, or someone somehow just happened to get a dead ringer (in appearance and voice) for Kelly AND a relatively unknown child who R. Kelly just happened to have access to. I'm no math whiz, but I can't help but believe that the odds of this collusion of circumstance is so small as to defy reasonable belief.

In a court of law, R. Kelly may be not guilty. However, in the court of common sense the verdict must be something else.

And I hope that the twelve jurors who let this platinum predator go will recognize their guilt WHEN R. Kelly sexually abuses his next victim -- and there will undoubtedly be a next victim.

And may I point to this article which talks about the biggest scandal that this case highlights?

It wasnÂ’t that they couldnÂ’t believe that Kelly, a grown man, had engaged in sex with a girl who may have been no older than 14. They just didnÂ’t see a problem. For an apparently large number of Americans, adult men having sex with young teen girls is no big deal.
The numbers donÂ’t lie: Almost 66 percent of nearly 280,000 babies born to teen mothers in 2005 were fathered by men who were 20 or older, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Most of those men were 20 to 24 years old.
WhatÂ’s going on here? Some, pathetically, blame the young girls. It takes two to tango, they say. But a 14-year-old girl is not psychologically or emotionally equal to a manipulative, preying older man.

And if this is the case, why are we as a society so willing to allow our daughters, nieces and sisters to be sexually exploited in this fashion?

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Tim Russert Dies

Shocking and sad.

g-080613-cvr-tim-russert-12p.grid-6x2[1].jpg

Tim Russert, NBC NewsÂ’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of Â“Meet the Press,Â” died Friday after a sudden heart attack at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58.
Russert was recording voiceovers for SundayÂ’s Â“Meet the PressÂ” program when he collapsed, the network said. No details were immediately available.

Let's be real honest here -- Russert generally tried to be fair. And regardless, it is impossible to see his death as anything other than tragic, given his relatively young age. Let our prayers go out to his family, friends, and co-workers, in particular to his wife, Maureen Orth (of Vanity Fair magazine) and son, Luke -- as well as his father, "Big Russ".

UPDATE: Tom Brokaw announces the death of Tim Russert.

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Senator John Cornyn

Senator John Cornyn has served in all three branches of the government -- Executive, Judicial, and Legislative. He met with bloggers today at the Texas GOP convention, at the Blogger's Row sponsored by RightOnline.com.

Cornyn meets the bloggers,
including me in the Hawaiian shirt.

He began with a discussion of gas prices, in particular the need to open the off-shore areas of the rest of the United States to exploration and drilling, as well as ANWR and the oil shale deposits. He asks why, when only 42 senators would vote in favor of that exploration, these same senators can complain about gas prices. Talking about the new exploration, he noted "unfortunately, our Democrat friends don't want to do that." Windfall profits taxes and lawsuits against OPEC were described as part of the Democratic "No Energy" plan. In particular, the windfall profits tax was described as a tax on the stockholders in American oil companies, not the foreign nations who control the supply. He also supported alternative sources, including nuclear power and renewable fuels like bio-diesel. However, he noted that the use of "food for fuel" has resulted in 25% of the nation's corn crop has led to higher food prices.

On earmark spending, Senator Cornyn noted his support for proposals to end earmarks. The light of day needs to be shed on these earmarks, to help eliminate the pork while preserving those that have merit.

On immigration, the senator was asked about what the future holds in regard to stopping a return of last year's bad immigration bill sponsored by John McCain and Ted Kennedy. He noted the importance of creating border security and verification of legal work status. In particular, he noted that Senator McCain has come to recognize the need for border security before amnesty.

Senator Cornyn noted that yesterday's decision on habeas corpus for terrorist detainees was clearly erroneous, and that the dissenting opinions of Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Scalia were correct -- the majority of the court substituted their opinion for the judgment of the Legislative and Executive branches. The basic problem is that the court wants to treat terrorism as a crime, not an act of war and the need to prevent attacks before they happen rather than punish perpetrators afterwards. "We cannot allow the Supreme Curt's decision to stand without addressing it." Otherwise, the result will be endless litigation.

Regarding Open Government, the Senator noted that the legitimacy of the government is based upon the consent of the governed. However, the people cannot give real consent if they don't know what is going on. He has been partnering with Senator Pat Leahy to effect reform of Freedom of Information Laws. On such issues, it is very possible to make common cause with Democrats. This gives the people the power to evaluate what those in power are doing.

Unfortunately, Senator Cornyn noted that Leahy and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have fallen short of their commitment to confirm judges in a timely manner. He noted that the laws passed by Congress don't matter if judges believe they can set aside the wisdom of the elected branch and the people. Electing McCain is therefore important, because he will nominate judges who will interpret the law and Constitution, whereas liberal Obama nominees would implement policies that the people and the elected leaders of the country reject.

UPDATE: One of the delights of the convention has been the introduction videos for our candidates and elected officials. Turns out some of them (or their handlers) have a great sense of humor. John Cornyn's was a delegate favorite.

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Quiet Morning At Texaqs GOP Convention

Our senatorial district convention got off to a tardy start (trying to seat a couple hundred delegates and then seat alternates takes time) -- but once we got started things went fairly smoothly.

It was a bad day for the RonBats who disrupted yesterday's First General Session with dilatory motions that delayed the day's business by close to three hours.

Oddly enough, they tried the same thing today in SD11 -- only to find that their call to "follow the rules" meant that we actually had to follow the rules. Thus, when their male candidate lost the SD nomination for Party Chair, they tried to have the SD endorse him anyway on the argument that even though the rules state we can only nominate one candidate for Party Chair we must nominate two -- one of each gender. Then, having had the clear language thrown in their face after the nomination of Tina Benkiser, they objected to the fact that the rules then required us to nominate a man for Vice Chair. I guess that "follow the rules" doesn't really mean "follow the rules.

Also, the RonBat lawsuit against the party was thrown out by an appellate court this morning -- with the RonBats ordered to pay the legal expenses for the Texas GOP based upon the frivolous nature of the lawsuit.

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Quiet Morning At Texaqs GOP Convention

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The Exorcist

Some on the Left want to make this story into a bad thing. After all, while they are willing to use religion as a crutch to support their otherwise indefensible policy proposals, they don't actually BELIEVE in any of that spiritual stuff. So to find out that a conservative politician actually believes in the tenets of his religion and practices them is somewhat scandalous to them.

Which brings us to this story.

Strangely, I found myself repeating the Hail Mary until it became a chant. Being a recent convert to Catholicism, I had yet to accept the Catholic docÂtrines concerning Mary and considered any form of Marian devotion to be idolatry. Though I had never before prayed a Hail Mary in my life, I suddenly found myself incapable of any other form of prayer. Somehow, Mary's intercessions allowed me to find peace during that long night; I knew that I had surÂvived the worst and that I would exit with my faith intact. It terrified me to recall how close I came to turning away from Christ out of fear.
The crucifix had a calming effect on Susan, and her sister was soon brave enough to bring a Bible to her face. At first, Susan responded to biblical pasÂsages with curses and profanities. Mixed in with her vile attacks were short and desperate pleas for help. In the same breath that she attacked Christ, the Bible's authenticity, and everyone assembled in prayer, Susan would suddenly urge us to rescue her. It appeared as if we were observing a tremendous battle between the Susan we knew and loved and some strange evil force. But the momentum had shifted and we now sensed that victory was at hand.
While Alice and Louise held Susan, her sister continued holding the Bible to her face. Almost taunting the evil spirit that had almost beaten us minutes before, the students dared Susan to read biblical passages. She choked on certain passages and could not finish the sentence "Jesus is Lord." Over and over, she repeated "Jesus is L..L..LL," often ending in profanities. In between her futile attempts, Susan pleaded with us to continue trying and often smiled between the grimaces that accompanied her readings of Scripture. Just as suddenly as she went into the trance, Susan suddenly reappeared and claimed "Jesus is Lord."
With an almost comical smile, Susan then looked up as if awakening from a deep sleep and asked, "Has something happened?" She did not reÂmember any of the past few hours and was startled to find her friends breaking out in cheers and laughÂter, overwhelmed by sudden joy and relief.

This story chills me to the bone -- mainly because I participated in something similar to this twenty years ago, praying over a friend who was clearly afflicted with some malign spiritual presence. Based upon my studies during my seminary career, I'd call what we each witnessed to be cases of demonic oppression rather than full-blown possession. But regardless, the events described (and those in which I participated) were clearly REAL -- and the underlying reality of a greater spiritual battle between good and evil is real as well.

But since the Left wants to make a joke out of this, I'd like to offer photographic support for my nomination of a candidate for Jindal's next exorcism. more...

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June 12, 2008

Surrender On The Border

Why are we withdrawing needed support from our porous southern border?

Members of Congress are split on whether the National Guard should end its deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border in July, as planned.
On Monday, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff predicted the border would not be secured until 2011.

* * *
The final withdrawal for the National Guard working in Operation Jump Start is planned for July 15.
The National Guard's Noller said that Operation Jump Start is winding down because of a presidential directive. As in all military operations, he said, about 150 guardsmen will remain for administrative duties after the mission ends.
As of June 11, 2,284 Guard members were on active duty at the border.

Git that? The border will be unsecured for three more years -- but we are pulling a couple of thousand bodies away from the task of securing it.

This is one of those things that leaves so many of us so pissed off at the Bush Administration -- its utter fecklessness when it comes to immigration and border policy. Even when the Administration has conceded a need to do more, it does so in such a half-hearted way as to be utterly useless.

And the notion that the Guard should remain deployed has bipartisan support.

Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch recommended keeping the troops along the border for another year or so.
"We can get a long way between now and 2011," Lynch said. "Make an assessment in 2009 or 2010 and see where we are, and if we can afford to move them off our border, then we can do that."
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) was also in favor of waiting.
"My advice would be to favor their continued deployment until the border's judged as secure," he said.

Mr. Bush -- don't undercut the enforcement efforts along our nation's southern border.

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Web Design

I like a blog with a good looking design that really attracts my attention Â– one that is clean and not cluttered with too much crap. Over the years, IÂ’ve found a lot of blogs that have managed to design blog elements that really make them look fantastic. When that happens, I begin to get an itch to tinker with the design I currently have. Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge I need to really do a top-notch job at a redesign. As a result, IÂ’ve been trying to check out sites that talk about how to do it. You would be surprised at the number of websites and blogs that I found that give interesting and helpful tips on creating your own custom web design. I found one, Stylish Weblog, at http://www.stylishwebdesign.us/directory/.

This web design blog is quite informative and has an extensive archive of good articles. If you want to learn more about web design, they are certainly a site to visit for that are interesting and educational. Best of all, they offer a fresh take on many issues in web design from different angles than most sites IÂ’ve seen. So if you want to design your blog, drop by and take some of their great advice.

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Well, This Explains The Timing

Ron Paul finally dropped out of the presidential race yesterday evening.

Republican Ron Paul ended his rebel campaign last night and announced a new effort to help elect libertarian-leaning Republicans to public office around the country.
"With the primary season now over, the presidential campaign is at an end. But the larger campaign for freedom is just getting started," Paul told supporters in a letter posted on the website of the new group, Campaign for Liberty.
"We will be a permanent presence on the American political landscape," added Paul, who announced his move during a rally coinciding with the Texas GOP State Convention in Houston. "That I promise you. We're not about to let all this good work die. To the contrary, with your help we're going to make it grow - by leaps and bounds."
The 72-year-old Texas congressman won 24 delegates during the Republican primaries, but was the last remaining challenger to John McCain, the party's presumptive nominee.

Doing so at 9:00 last night was probably a good move -- it came right as he was prpearing to host a reception for delegates at the Texas GOP convention.

However, many of them were not happy over this little angle of his withdrawal.

Paul has said he won't endorse McCain, but in an interview with CNN earlier yesterday, Paul had nice things to say about Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia who is the Libertarian Party's nominee. Barr "talks our language, so I do really believe that he can have a very positive effect in this campaign and let the people know that limited government is a very, very important message," Paul said.

I think I speak for the bulk of delegates at the Texas Republican Convention when I say the following. Ron Paul needs to decide if he is a Republican of a Libertarian. If he is a Republican, he ought to endorse John McCain and campaign for him vigorously. If he is a Libertarian, he needs to have the integrity to get the Hell out of our party and go back to that party.

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State Senator Dan Patrick

WHat happens when a talk radio host decides to run for state senate? He wins a multi-candidate primary with over 2/3 of the vote -- that's what happens.

That is the Dan Patrick story -- from televison news sports guy to restaurant owner to radio host/station owner to state senator -- and maybe even further.

Dan Patrick met with bloggers at the RightOnline.com Blogger's Row.

He noted that this is an interesting year for Republicans with a lot at stake. Unity is important, but it is also important that elected officials inspire the voters by bringing about the reforms that have been promised over the years. This includes controlling the border.. he also talked about the essential need to limit property tax and property appraisal caps to make sure that homeowners can afford to stay in their homes. In addition, the margins tax needs to be repealed. Patrick also noted that several billion dollars could be saved with a five percent reduction of the state budget. In the end, it is visionaries like Reagan who are needed to bring out the voters to make the GOP successful. Ultimately, we must return to our conservative roots to make the US and Texas strong by getting real conservatives in charge.

Patrick noted that his conservative radio format educates, entertains, and informs the people -- and that as a state senator it allows him to explain why things are happening in Austin and the implications of state policies. He particularly mentioned the need to eliminate the margins tax and the "blocker bill". His stations potentially reach 50% of primary voters in the state. In addition, he noted the influence of the blogosphere -- and mentioned his involvement in founding LoneStarTimes.com (note: I was one of the original bloggers for LST).

Patrick also spoke about the importance of transparency in government. This has been something in which Texas has led. "There shouldn't be anything which isn't transparent in government." The big difficulty is that many voters don't have time to follow what goes on in government -- it is therefore important to elect folks you can trust to carry out what they say they will do.

When I asked Senator Patrick about possible plans to run for Governor, he indicated that he loves being in the state senate because of his ability to influence policy. Rather than seek higher office, his interest is to support good conservatives for office. "I'm not planning to kick any doors down." In other words, don't expect a Dan Patrick gubernatorial run in 2010.

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Attorney General Greg Abbott

Attorney General Greg Abbott met with folks at the RightOnline.com Bloggers Row this afternoon. He was warm and engaging, which is a major reason that so many of us see us as a future governor of the state, or US Senator.

He began by noting the importance of the grassroots to the election of Republicans to all 29 statewide offices here in Texas.

He then turned to child protection, in particular the cybercrime unit that he has created in his office in a very effective effort to track down and arrest youngsters -- the unit has arrested more than 100 sexual predators across the state of Texas. He sees this as his most important accomplishment as Attorney General.

His also dealt with the importance of the protecting senior citizens from abuse and neglect and identity theft, which has become a significantly more serious problem in recent years with the expansion of the internet -- but which is still primarily a crime that is committed by taking mail and other "hard copy" documents.

What is the biggest challenge? Border security, which must be addressed in several ways due to the different aspects of the problem. On one level is the criminal issue, especially with regard to drug trafficking. But of key importance is the need for the federal government to step up and protect the border.

Speaking of the Heller case on the Second Amendment, Abbot expressed his concern that a negative decision could be used to undercut the rights of Texans to carry arms subject to Texas laws. He is eagerly anticipating the decision, with concern that a wrong decision might erode the right to keep and bear arms.

Addressing the FDLS child custody case, Abbott expressed his concern that there are still possible criminal charges possible if there is evidence of child abuse. He also pointed out that there is still the possibility of future removals of children from the compound. "No child should be subject to ongoing rape at the hands of their captors."

Abbott also spoke of the importance of making use of the blogosphere for getting the conservative message out to the world.

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Blogging From The Texas GOP Convention

All quiet so far. The fireworks, if any, will come later in the Senatorial District conventions.

The most touching moment so far? Governor Perry's comments on the Governor's Mansion, burned in an arson attack over the weekend. It can and will be rebuilt.

I'm particularly appreciative of the fine folks from Right Online.com and Americans for Prosperity for providing their own little blogger's row and a series of interviews of elected officials.

Ragnar from The Jawa Report is also here and blogging -- I hope we can hook up.

H/T Michelle Malkin

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Supreme Court Screws The Pooch

Today the US Supreme Court created an entirely new principle under the United States Constitution -- that it applies to enemy combatants captured on the field of battle by the US military, who are not either citizens or residents of the US, and who have not even entered the United States!

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have rights under the Constitution to challenge their detention in U.S. civilian courts.
In its third rebuke of the Bush administration's treatment of prisoners, the court ruled 5-4 that the government is violating the rights of prisoners being held indefinitely and without charges at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. The court's liberal justices were in the majority.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court, said, "The laws and Constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times."
Kennedy said federal judges could ultimately order some detainees to be released, but that such orders would depend on security concerns and other circumstances.
The White House had no immediate comment on the ruling. White House press secretary Dana Perino, traveling with President Bush in Rome, said the administration was reviewing the opinion.
It was not immediately clear whether this ruling, unlike the first two, would lead to prompt hearings for the detainees, some of whom have been held more than 6 years. Roughly 270 men remain at the island prison, classified as enemy combatants and held on suspicion of terrorism or links to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Now here's the problem with the decision.

Never, ever, in the history of the United States have those captured by the military during the course of combat operations been entitled to habeas corpus. Not even during the War of 1812 (when the bulk of the combat took place on US territory) and the Civil War (when those captured were, by the logic of the Union position on the right of states to secede, American citizens) have we allowed such individuals access to civilian courts. Indeed, at the height of WWII the Supreme Court ruled that enemy combatants captured on US territory had no habeas rights in Ex Parte Quirin. Under the Geneva Conventions, enemy soldiers are not entitled to access to the civilian courts, and indeed may not be tried by a civilian court -- but the Supreme Court has miraculously ruled that those who violate the laws of war are entitled to greater protection than those who follow it!

Over at Patterico's Pontifications, we get a wonderful view of the the dissent by Justice Scalia, who positively disassembles the logic of the majority in this case. Most notably, Scalia refused to use the traditional phrase "I respectfully dissent" at the end of his opinion, choosing instead to indicate his profound disagreement with the majority by using the much less collegial "I dissent". The most important line of the dissent, however, is this: "The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today."

Read the opinions here.

H/T Malkin, Hot Air, Flopping Aces

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Tear Down This Wall!

I was blessed to come of age during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, one of the greatest men to occupy that Oval Office -- indeed, the greatest to occupy it during my lifetime.

Twenty-one years ago today, President Reagan gave one of the great speeches against tyranny and oppression. In it, he offered one of the great calls for freedom -- "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

I'd thought to post the speech in its entirety -- but as a student and teacher of history, this video so moved me that I decided to share it instead.

Two-and-a-half years later, the gates were open and the wall began to fall.

Let freedom ring.

More at Grand Old Partisan, Soccer Dad

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June 11, 2008

Earliest Christian Place Of Worship Found?

If this can be corroborated, it takes us all the way back to the first century, and therefore to those who were contemporaries of Peter and Paul.

Archaeologists in Jordan have discovered a cave underneath one of the world's oldest churches and say it may have been an even more ancient site of Christian worship. But outside experts expressed caution about the claim.
Archaeologist Abdel-Qader al-Housan, head of the Rihab Center for Archaeological Studies, said this week that the cave was unearthed in the northern Jordanian city of Rihab after three months of excavation and shows evidence of early Christian rituals.
The cave is under St. George's Church, which some believe was built in the year 230, though the date is widely disputed. That would make it one of the oldest churches in the world, along with one unearthed in the Jordanian southern port of Aqaba in 1998 and another in Israel discovered in 2005.
Al-Housan said there was evidence that the underground cave was used as a church by 70 disciples of Jesus in the first century after Christ's death, which would make it the oldest Christian site of worship in the world.
He described a circular worship area with stone seats separated from a living area that had a long tunnel leading to a source of water. He said the early Christians hid there from persecution.
A mosaic inscription on the floor of the later church of St. George above refers to "the 70 beloved by God and the divine" who founded the worship there.

There are those who doubt this find -- and I am not ready to support the claim myself. It is virtually inconceivable that the mosaics would date to the first century (the 70 likely would have been a group fleeing from either the persecution of early Christians described in Acts or the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD -- not individuals with the wealth and/or skills to create the mosaics), and so it is more likely that the inscription refers to a legend in the community about the historical use of the cave. Absent some more solid archaeological evidence, I think it is impossible to sustain the claim it makes as fact.

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