Believe it or not, my high school down here in Houston actually has a surfing club. Yeah, I know, that's what I thought when they formed it, but it has quickly become a big deal among a segment of the student body.

Since I have a couple of kids from the club in my classes, I have learned a bit about surf equipment, and the importance of getting good quality accessories like fins, traction pads, leashes, bags, racks and assorted other items. For that matter, some of the kids have even adopted the "surfer look" in terms of their apparel and sunglasses.

One great site for getting all the best in surf equipment is SurfboardsEtc.com. They have the best brands and the hottest styles -- and they even feature Surfboards from custom board shapers, those artisans who design boards for surfers. They link to the shapers (for free) right from their website, so you can get what you want straight from the shaper.

Posted by: Greg at 11:35 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It was not too many decades ago that young men in trouble with the law were given an option by a judge -- jail or the military. Many of them joined the military, got their acts together, and became upstanding citizens.

As the military became an all-volunteer force, standards became higher. Minor offenses that might have gotten a guy to join the military became disqualifying factor. And some things became disqualifiers that really had nothing to do with fitness to serve at all. Example? Tattoos, even if they weren't gang-related -- even as tattoos became more socially acceptable in American society.

Which leads us to this story.

Faced with higher recruiting goals, the Pentagon is quietly looking for ways to make it easier for people with minor criminal records to join the military, The Associated Press has learned.

The review, in its early stages, comes as the number of Army recruits needing waivers for bad behavior — such as trying drugs, stealing, carrying weapons on school grounds and fighting — rose from 15 percent in 2006 to 18 percent this year. And it reflects the services' growing use of criminal, health and other waivers to build their ranks.

Overall, about three in every 10 recruits must get a waiver, according to Pentagon statistics obtained by AP, and about two-thirds of those approved in recent years have been for criminal behavior. Some recruits must get more than one waiver to cover things ranging from any criminal record, to health problems such as asthma or flat feet, to low aptitude scores — and even for some tattoos.

The goal of the review is to make cumbersome waiver requirements consistent across the services — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force — and reduce the number of petty crimes that now trigger the process. Still, some Army officers worry that disciplinary problems will grow as more soldiers with records, past drug use and behavior problems are brought in.

I've seen how these processes go. One of my students wanted to be a Marine, but had to get a waiver for a tattoo on his shoulder memorializing his cousin, who had been killed in a random shooting. Another was arrested at 13 for breaking into a neighbor's house to recover a stolen bicycle -- he ended up with a year's probation and went on to become an honor student. And I won't even begin to get into the cases of kids who tried marijuana once at a party and had to go through the process. I'm willing to bet that most of these waivers are for good kids who have messed up -- and who will make exemplary citizens after the experiences of military service. They are the kids who I work with to try to ensure that they don't screw up again -- the ones you want to see get a second chance.

That is why I will find the reaction of liberals like Oliver Willis on this topic informative. Liberals love to tell us that kids shouldn't be thrown away for youthful mistakes. Why, then, does Willis (and other liberals) feel it necessary to degrade them when they seek to serve their country? Could it be that they loathe the military, and the country, so deeply that they are prepared to tear down folks trying to better themselves? Is it merely rank hypocrisy from the left -- the kind we are all so used to? You bet it is.

Posted by: Greg at 11:33 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Even if it does not really mean what they want it to mean. After all, as we have documented, deaths among American troops in Iraq have been trending sharply downward after a spike earlier this year.

The U.S. military announced six new deaths Tuesday, making 2007 the bloodiest year for American troops in Iraq despite a recent decline in casualties and a sharp drop in roadside bombings that Washington links to Iran.

With nearly two months left in the year, the annual toll is now 853 — three more than the previous worst of 850 in 2004.

But the grim milestone comes as the Pentagon points toward other encouraging signs as well — growing security in Baghdad and other former militant strongholds that could help consolidate the gains against extremists.

It takes until 3/4 of the way through the article to get to the good news about Iraq casualties.

The noticeable drop in U.S. and Iraqi deaths in recent months follows a 30,000-strong U.S. force buildup, along with a six-month cease-fire order by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, among other factors. There were 39 deaths in October, compared to 65 in September and 84 in August.

And as noted by military officials, the reason for the spike in deaths had been the increase in contact with enemy forces following the implementation of the Surge strategy. The results of that strategy, though, constitute strong steps on the road to victory in Iraq. Something that this story is designed to minimize by quoting statistics without context. And counting on the sort of reaction that any decent individual will have -- that each death of a serviceman is a tragedy -- those involved in writing the article want to lead folks to the conclusion that each death is a wasteful, needless one, and that the numbers indicate defeat.

They would have been great to have around on D-Day.

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So, are you in the market for a car? Want to get an Accord or one of the other great cars from Honda? You can get Honda Car Quotes really easy by going to CarsBlvd.com. They have dealers competing for your business, trying to offer you the best price for the vehicle you want. We're talking about getting down to wholesale, friend! Drop by and let them give you two quotes free!

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Some folks are going to want to make this about a split withing the conservative movement. It is far from it. Instead, it is a simple contract issue.

Five authors have sued the parent company of Regnery Publishing, a Washington imprint of conservative books, charging that the company deprives its writers of royalties by selling their books at a steep discount to book clubs and other organizations owned by the same parent company.

In a suit filed in United States District Court in Washington yesterday, the authors Jerome R. Corsi, Bill Gertz, Lt. Col. Robert (Buzz) Patterson, Joel Mowbray and Richard Miniter state that Eagle Publishing, which owns Regnery, “orchestrates and participates in a fraudulent, deceptively concealed and self-dealing scheme to divert book sales away from retail outlets and to wholly owned subsidiary organizations within the Eagle conglomerate.”

Some of the authors’ books have appeared on the New York Times best-seller list, including “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry,” by Mr. Corsi and John E. O’Neill (who is not a plaintiff in the suit), Mr. Patterson’s “Dereliction of Duty: The Eyewitness Account of How Bill Clinton Compromised America’s National Security” and Mr. Miniter’s “Shadow War: The Untold Story of How Bush Is Winning the War on Terror.” In the lawsuit the authors say that Eagle sells or gives away copies of their books to book clubs, newsletters and other organizations owned by Eagle “to avoid or substantially reduce royalty payments to authors.”

The authors argue that in reducing royalty payments, the publisher is maximizing its profits and the profits of its parent company at their expense.

I'm not familiar enough with the publishing industry to tell whether the suit has merit or not. I'll be quite interested in seeing what becomes of the case, given Regnery's prominence on the right. But rest assured, the result will not be the end of conservative publishing.

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There's been a change -- US National Telecom is now trading as USNT, having changed its name from Yi Wan. So quit tracking YIWA, and change it to USNT.

And by the way, check out the US National Telecom (USNT) site at USNationalTelecom.com for more information about this fast-growing company, which has grown 161% since January -- and also look at its subsidiary, Vitelity.com.

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First conspiracy theorists.

Then Nazis and other racists.

Now anti-Catholics for Ron Paul?

Historians and British schoolchildren remember Guy Fawkes as the Roman Catholic, anti-Protestant rebel who on Nov. 5, 1605, tried to assassinate King James I by blowing up the Parliament. Supporters of the Republican primary campaign of the libertarian Representative Ron Paul may remember Fawkes as a wildly successful fund-raising gimmick.

On Monday, a group of Paul supporters helped raised more than $4.07 million in one day — approaching what the campaign raised in the entire last quarter — through a Web site called ThisNovember5th.com, a reference to the day the British commemorate the thwarted bombing.

Now let's remember what the history of Guy Fawkes Day has always been -- the reveling in anti-Catholicism. Given the sort of hate-mongers already attracted to Paul's campaign, is this really a coincidence?

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 Looks like you are grasping at straws here. I am a Catholic and I gave to Ron Paul yesterday. It was inspired more by the movie V for Vendetta and people throwing out the corrupt politicians. The donation had everything to do with Ron Paul and nothing to do with Guy.

Posted by: Sean at Tue Nov 6 01:05:53 2007 (0I0sm)

2 I agree with Sean. I like what Paul has to say..I don't agree with him on everything but I agree with him on a lot more than I do the RINOs and the Christian right wingers. Paul seems to understand that this country was built on freedom and an opportunity to succeed and not as the Christian right wing would have you believe..Christian moral principles. I am still supporting Thompson and Tancredo but if neither gets the nomination and Paul runs on a third party ticket he has my vote..and if he manages to get the GOP nomination..which I doubt..then he for sure has my vote.

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First it made the politically ignorant sportscaster Keith Olbermann the host of a political show, where he regularly misrepresents opponents and spouts racist insults.

Now they may make someone even less qualified into a regular show host and commentator.

Riding a ratings wave from “Countdown With Keith Olbermann,” a program that takes strong issue with the Bush administration, MSNBC is increasingly seeking to showcase its nighttime lineup as a welcome haven for viewers of a similar mind.

Lest there be any doubt that the cable channel believes there is ratings gold in shows that criticize the administration with the same vigor with which Fox NewsÂ’s hosts often champion it, two NBC executives acknowledged yesterday that they were talking to Rosie OÂ’Donnell about a prime-time show on MSNBC.

During the nine months she spent on “The View” before departing abruptly last spring, Ms. O’Donnell raised viewership notably. She did so while lamenting the unabated casualties of the Iraq war and advocating the right to gay marriage, among other positions.

Under one option, Ms. O’Donnell would take the 9 p.m. slot each weeknight on MSNBC, pitting her against “Larry King Live” on CNN and “Hannity & Colmes” on Fox News.

Gee, maybe we can get the same sort of anti-Asian racism from Rosie that Olbermann deployed against commentator/blogger Michelle Malkin -- and which she was already famous for on The View.

And I can't help but notice that "ratings success" is defined by the network as consistently coming in behind both Fox and CNN on a nightly basis.

And I wonder, will liberals trot out the new MSNBC lineup as part of their case for reimposing the fairness doctrine, perhaps insisting that Chris Matthews be replace with an hour-long Rush Limbaugh show to balance out Olbermann and O'Donnell. Or will this be the model for "fair broadcasting" -- shows that the network publicly acknowledges are intentionally slanted to the Left.

Posted by: Greg at 11:10 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Sponsored Post

Drug abuse and alcoholism happen in our society. They occur among the rich and the poor -- even athletes and celebrities are not immune from addictions. As a teacher, I am well aware that addiction happens among my students and in every classroom in every high school in the country -- and among younger students as well. A substance abuse problem can be devastating to a student's academic success.

That's why I like the idea of Sober College, a drug rehab treatment program for young people that not only is that is not only interested in helping them with their substance abuse problems, but also with providing them with the academic resources that help them get back on track in life. It is a 3-12 month program, residential in nature, and with a state of the art education and learning center where academics, counseling and vocational support are provided to all clients. When they have completed their program, these young people are not just equipped for sobriety -- they are also equipped with academic and job skills that will help them ove beyond their prior problems and succeed in the real world.

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I live in Seabrook, Texas, a town that picked up the nickname of "Recall City" after a couple of pitched battles involving the recall of public officials who gave aid and comfort to the Port of Houston Authority in their effort to build a container and cruis ship facility on the outskirts of the city. Every Port supporter lost their recall election, but the Port still moved on with its project despite the opposition of every single municipality impacted by the development.

Now the city has decided to enter into an agreement with the Port Authority, given that the facility has already been built. I wonder how long until the recall petitions start circulating.

City of Seabrook officials have decided to end years of bickering over the construction of the Bayport container and cruise terminal and are joining forces to resolve their differences with the Port of Houston Authority.

The two entities on Monday signed an agreement to put aside long-standing legal issues about noise, industrial encroachment and Pine Gully, a popular site for nature buffs. The agreement calls for berms and other barriers to separate Bayport from the southeast Harris County community and includes establishing an industrial district.

For years, Seabrook residents have opposed the creation of the Bayport container terminal, which opened in February, claiming the planned growth surrounding Bayport threatens their way of life near Galveston Bay. Among the main complaints are noise and pollution.

Supporters of Bayport say the terminal will bring jobs to the area that already is home to chemical plants.

Seabrook Mayor Robin Riley called Monday's agreement, unanimously approved by the City Council and given the OK by port commissioners, as a win-win for both the city and the port.

"It has been a very long and arduous process through the years in making it happen," Riley said during the signing agreement at the Port of Houston Authority headquarters. ''I think the citizens of Seabrook will be very pleased."

The port and Seabrook will begin a 60-day public process to get the agreed upon items in motion. After that period — Jan. 22 — when projects are approved by both entities, Seabrook has agreed to drop its lawsuits against the port dealing with the acquisition of two American Acryl properties that are needed to continue development of container and cruise terminals at Bayport.

The city also will agree not to oppose, or assist in opposing, actions by the port to acquire property north of the berm for development projects.

In other words, the city council just voted against what is and has consistently been the majority position of the citizens of Seabrook and the surrounding area.

And they did so on the eve of the vote to expand and improve parks and conservation areas taht border on the new industrial zone. Sounds great for recreation, kids, and wildlife in those areas -- as well as those of us who live within two miles of the port facility.

Robin Riley.

Kim Morrell.

Dee Wright.

Paul Dunphey.

Pete Braccio.

Tom Diegelman.

Gary Renola.

Coming soon to a recall ballot near you?

Posted by: Greg at 10:55 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I don't particularly do any driving as a part of my work. Yeah, I drive back and forth to school, but I don't have to do business in my car as a part of my job. Yeah, I sometimes have to run over to the admin building a few blocks away, but the bulk of my driving is personal.

However, some folks do a lot of business driving. I've got one colleague, for example, who also delivers pizza for a local place as he and his wife save up money for a house. That's where I found out that there is a real issue involving insurance when you drive for business. Indeed, your Car Insurance might not cover you at all if you are using the car for business purposes when your loss occurs. You need to make sure you discuss the issue of business use of your vehicle with your insurance agent before you have a loss, to make sure you have the correct coverage.

Now IÂ’ve been fortunate with my insurance experiences. My father was in the military when I was a kid, so when I turned 16 my father immediately got me car insurance through the same military-oriented insurance company that he used. I've just never switched, given that every time I've looked the rates have been better than any of the companies out there despite the fact that car insurance premiums are rising. I guess that loyalty pays in some cases when you are looking for the Cheapest Car Insurance.

And if you are looking for Car Insurance Online, Kwik-FitInsurance.com offers a great selection of insurance options. You can get insurance for your car, van, truck, or motorcycle. Not only that, but they also have various other types of insurance available – insurance for your home, your business, and even your pet. You see, it pays to shop around for Online Car Insurance.

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It appears that the repressive Red Chinese government intends to violate the human rights of participants the 2008 Olympics in some of the same ways it violates those of its own citizens. One example? Religious freedom will be forbidden in the Olympic Village, with Bibles and other religious material and insignia banned for "security reasons".

Organizes of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing have published a list of “prohibited objects” in the Olympic village where athletes will stay. To the surprise of many, Bibles are among the objects that will not be allowed.

According to the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, organizers have cited “security reasons” and have prohibited athletes from bearing any kind of religious symbol at Olympic facilities.

Other objects on the list include video cameras and cups.

The Spanish daily La Razon said the rule was one of a number of “signs of censure and intolerance” towards religious objects, particularly those used by Christians in China. Currently in China five bishops and fifteen priests are in prison for opposing the official Church.

One of the low moments of Olympic history was the decision to allow Hitler to endorse his views on racial superiority while hosting the Berlin Olympics in 1936. The IOC should step in to protect the human rights of Olympians -- and should cancel or move the 2008 games if the Red Chinese will not respect the internationally recognized human rights in the Olympic Village.

H/T Christian Persecution Blog

Posted by: Greg at 10:20 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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One of my students is trying to help a younger sibling to do a project on octopi. You know, the eight-limbed cephalopods that creep out a lot of people. Well, she asked me for some help, so yesterday we spent a little time on the internet after school, trying to find some resources for the fifth-grader.

I was amazed that there is actually a site, Octopus.com, that is devoted entirely to resources on and information about the octopus. It just goes to prove that there really is a website for everything -- and in this case, it provided us with enough resources (including a list of books available at the local branch library) that our search for information was over in a matter of minutes.

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NEW POSTS BELOW THIS ONE

Project Valour-IT, in memory of SFC William V. Ziegenfuss, helps provide voice-controlled and adaptive laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries at major military medical centers. Operating laptops by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, our wounded heroes are able to send and receive messages from friends and loved ones, surf the 'Net, and communicate with buddies still in the field. The experience of MAJ Charles “Chuck” Ziegenfuss, a partner in the project who suffered serious hand wounds while serving in Iraq, illustrates how important these laptops can be to a wounded service member's recovery.

OPEN TRACKBACKING AT Perri Nelson's Website, third world county, Right Truth, The World According to Carl, DragonLady's World, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, The Bullwinkle Blog, Big Dog's Weblog, Adeline and Hazel, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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They are gearing up for a challenge to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. And if that law is struck down, gay marriage is de facto legalized nationwide, with every state required to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.

The Boston-based legal advocacy group that helped make gay marriage a fact of life in Massachusetts is girding for a fight to expand the rights of same-sex married couples.

For more than a year, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders has quietly surveyed the nearly 10,000 same-sex couples who have wed in Massachusetts to see whether they want federal benefits and equal tax treatment currently provided only to married heterosexuals.

GLAD also ran ads in two publications last month asking same-sex couples to contact the group if they want to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery as military veterans with their spouses or if they unsuccessfully sought to care for a sick spouse under the federal law that lets workers take unpaid medical leaves.

Carissa Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the group that won the landmark 2003 state Supreme Judicial Court case legalizing gay marriage, said GLAD is taking aim at the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996. The statute says no state need recognize gay marriages from another state and denies hundreds of federal benefits to same-sex spouses.

The problem is that if you get a federal court ruling striking down the federal DOMA, all the state constitutional amendments passed over the last several years will be irrelevant. A single ruling will overturn the repeated and forceful expression of the will of the American people on the issue. As I have been pointing out for a couple of years, the only way to deal with the issue of judicially-imposed gay marriage is for a federal marriage amendment to pass.

As I see it, there are two options available.

Option 1 would be a complete gay marriage ban, one that would not only stop a federal court from creating a right to gay marriage under the Constitution, but which would also undo in a single swoop the 2003 decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Indeed, it could be argued that the effect of the amendment would be to dissolve the gay marriages that already exist.

Option 2 is less ambitious. It would, in effect, write the language of the federal DOMA into the Constitution. The impact would be to retain the current status quo, where no state can be forced to recognize gay marriage and no forbidden to do so. In effect, it would be the nothing more than a restatement of the principle of federalism.

The question is, of course, whether either such amendment would ever be permitted to make its way out of Congress and into the hands of the states, most of which would likely pass it.

Posted by: Greg at 11:56 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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One hint – it isn't the GOP.

Democrats now control the majority of the nation's wealthiest congressional jurisdictions. More than half of the wealthiest households are concentrated in the 18 states where Democrats control both Senate seats.

This new political demography holds true in the House of Representatives, where the leadership of each party hails from different worlds. Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, represents one of America's wealthiest regions. Her San Francisco district has more than 43,700 high-end households. Fewer than 7,000 households in the western Ohio district of House Republican leader John Boehner enjoy this level of affluence.

The next rung of House leadership shows the same pattern. Democratic majority leader Steny Hoyer's district is home to the booming suburban communities between Washington, DC, and Annapolis. It boasts almost 19,000 wealthy households and a median income topping $62,000. Mr Hoyer's counterpart, minority whip Roy Blunt, hails from a rural Missouri district that has only 5,200 wealthy households and whose median income is only $33,000.

Income disparity - to use the class warrior's favourite term - is greatest among the districts of lawmakers that lead each party's campaign arm. Maryland senator Chris Van Hollen chairs the Democratic congressional campaign committee. With more than 36,000 prosperous households and a median income of nearly $70,000, his suburban Washington district even out-sparkles Ms Pelosi's. In contrast, fewer than 5,000 such wealthy households are found in the largely rural district of his Republican counterpart, Tom Cole from Oklahoma. The median income there is only $35,500.

Of course, this has also played out for years in terms of the size of campaign donations. The average donor to the Democrats gives a much larger donation than the average donor to the Republican Party. At one time, I believe the difference was something like 500% or more. So forget the meme that the GOP represents the rich and the Donks represent the poor and middle class – the numbers don't lie.

Posted by: Greg at 11:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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After all, we know whose side they are on.

Zombie has more pictures from this recent anti-war rally in the people's Republic of San Francisco. Makes me glad that my parents got me out of that town when I was a year old.

H/T RWN

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After all, good news is no news for the MSM.

During a five-day stretch between October 19 and 23, there were no deaths among coalition forces. Although three US servicemen died from “non-hostile causes”, this was the longest period without combat deaths for almost four years. And, between October 27 and 29, there were more days without coalition deaths.

Such statistics do not take account of deaths among the Iraqi security forces or civilians. But Iraqis, too, have had days when no one in their ranks has died. On October 13, for instance, neither the coalition nor the Iraqi military suffered any deaths. But one Iraqi policeman was killed, along with four reported civilian deaths in Baghdad.

Two days later, there were no deaths among the coalition but six among the Iraqi security forces.

October 19 was a death-free day for both coalition and Iraqi security forces, but 12 civilians were killed.

The civilian death toll was lower on October 23 - when four were killed - but they were joined in the mortuaries by two Iraqi policemen.

On October 30, the Iraq Interior Ministry reported that there were no civilian deaths in Baghdad but three US troops and four Iraqi policemen were killed.

It is beyond dispute, though, that the tide of violence in Iraq has been stemmed.

But since the MSM meme has been that the war is lost, and since the Democrat meme has been that the war is lost (but I repeat myself), the actual news that the war is not lost and is going much better has been lost. Maybe the problem is that the side supported by the media and the Democrats continues to suffer serious losses at the hands of US and Iraqi forces -- they continue to kill scores of terrorists.

H/T Malkin

Posted by: Greg at 11:34 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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One local blogger, an open-borders advocate, recently wrote this.

Contrary to popular belief, supporting the building of a wall between Mexico and the United States is not a conservative value. Instead it is fiscally, incredibly, stupid. Spending $7Billion on a wall instead of spending $7Billion on law enforcement of those who hire illegal workers is an incredibly stupid idea but one that is easy to understand by the simple-minded who can't think past the one-liners. One that makes true fiscal conservatives shake their heads in disbelief. Candidates supporting building a wall are courting the ultra-right wingers and ignorant hate mongers and will lose the support of the true fiscally conservatives as well as the liberal and moderate voters.

Don't you just love the tolerance and respect dripping from every word that John wrote there? And don't you love the fact that he ignores the fact that most of us "ultra-right wingers and ignorant hate mongers" are actually quite supportive of employer sanctions, and that it is his own political allies who are desperate to stop employer sanctions through the courts because it might stop the hiring of illegals?

And did you notice the one thing that he didn't claim -- he never says that a fence won't work to stop illegal immigration.

Because it does.

PALOMAS, MEXICO — At this fabled border crossing, where the last armed conflict between the United States and Mexico flared, the rancorous debate over the new U.S. anti-immigrant fence has been resolved.

The fence works, residents north and south of it say. At least it works for now on this snippet of the line.

"You hear it all the time: Fences don't work. Fences don't work," said Mark Winder, a transplanted New Englander and part-time deputy sheriff who lives on a small ranch outside Columbus, N.M., where a 3-mile stretch of wall was completed in August. "I live 2½ miles from the border, and the fence is working."

Many merchants agree in Palomas, once a sleepy farm town, now a booming haven for smugglers.

"The fence has destroyed the economy here," said Fabiola Cuellar, a hardware-store clerk on the main street of Palomas who used to sell supplies to the throngs heading north from here. "Things are going back to the way they were before."

Of course, with only about one-fifth of the fence complete, migrants from Mexico and other countries who had planned to cross the border illegally in places such as Palomas-Columbus can simply go elsewhere.

And if you read the article, you will find out that American property owners report the same thing -- the fence is stopping illegals from entering the US and trespassing upon (and destroying) their property. I can only imagine the resulting drop in crime statistics that accompanies this decrease.

H/T RWN

Posted by: Greg at 11:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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No, you know they won't -- because he is one of their own.

Proving, once again, the utter bankruptcy of the American Left in terms of principle. After all, this candidate's religious appeals are as blatant, if not more so, than those of many conservative politicians.

A wealthy evangelical Christian, John Arthur Eaves Jr., is running a campaign for governor that is rife with what Jesus might do.

He talks about banishing "the money changers" from state politics and about a health-care proposal focusing on the "least among us" -- just as Jesus would -- and the cornerstone of his stump speech is familiar to anyone who knows the bit in Matthew 6:24 about "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

"The most important question in this campaign," he said at a typical campaign stop here last week, "is 'Who do you serve?' "

He is running against Republican incumbent Haley Barbour, he answers, because he wants "to serve my creator."

The 41-year-old plaintiff attorney is waging what might be the most overtly Christian-inspired statewide race in a long time. But what is most startling to Bible Belt voters here, where faith-based appeals most often come from the religious right, is that Eaves is a Democrat.

So I'm waiting.

Where are the denunciations of this guy by the nutroots at Daily Kos, HuffPo, and Democratic Underground? When will the anti-religious venom be spat at Eaves by the folks from FireDogLake and other liberal bloggers? Where are the ACLU, ADL, and other church-state separationists screeching about intolerance and theocracy? Will the usual suspects Or will they endorse him because of the party label he wears?

Posted by: Greg at 11:17 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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I guess this means that there will be a marked rise in the quality of television programming as the writers of the crap walk the picket line.

Film and TV writers resolved to put down their pens and take up picket signs after last-ditch talks failed to avert a strike.

The first picket lines were set to appear Monday morning at Rockefeller Center in New York, where NBC is headquartered.

In Los Angeles, writers were planning to picket 14 studio locations in four-hour shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until a new deal is reached.

The contract between the 12,000-member Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producer expired Oct. 31. Talks that began this summer failed to produce much progress on the writers' key demands for a bigger slice of DVD profits and revenue from the distribution of films and TV shows over the Internet.

Writers and producers gathered for negotiations Sunday at the request of a federal mediator.

Neither side seems interested in budging.

And so expect reruns and reality shows.

And an increase in book sales and DVD rentals.

Even better, perhaps the networks could simply go black, raising the quality of their programming even further as Americans realize that they don't miss the garbage at all.

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But I have to say, I'm not terribly disturbed to see this one die out.

My only concern is the reason for the death -- and its implications for other holidays.

Deep in the bowels of the York Dungeon, visitors were being treated to a dramatic rendition of the horrific torture and bloodcurdling screams of Guy Fawkes, the cityÂ’s most famous deceased resident. Up at the cash register, Kate Stapylton, the duty manager, was talking about the health and safety regulations governing the attraction.

No wet floors. No obstructions in the passageways. Many well-lighted emergency exits. But even with her respect for such policies — “You don’t want anyone to hurt themselves,” she said — Ms. Stapylton said it was a bit much that, apparently because of health and safety rules, York would not be sponsoring a traditional fireworks celebration for Guy Fawkes Night on Monday.

“Personally, I think it’s a bit silly,” she said.

York, along with many other municipalities, has often been the scene of huge events — fireworks, bonfires, the burning of creepy effigies of Fawkes — to commemorate the failure of Fawkes’s plan to blow up Parliament and the king in 1605, a shocking moment in British history. But in the face of increasingly onerous regulations, none are taking place in the city this year.

No one — not the local government, nor any local group — wanted to spend the money to “address the health and safety measures of having large numbers of people in close proximity to the fireworks,” a spokeswoman for the City of York Council said.

Yep -- safety regulations have ended the celebration. That, and the nearly quarter-million dollar cost associated with complying with all the regulations that would have to be met in order to hold it. So the tradtional celebration -- with its anti-Catholic overtones -- is dying out.

But the regs will also raise questions about the hanging of Christmas lights in many communities this year.

Christmas-light displays in towns, as much a seasonal feature as eating plum pudding and slumping in front of the television with the family after lunch, are another fraught issue. Stephen Alambritis, a spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses, said many municipalities and businesses were unwilling to spend the money to comply with safety rules governing their installation.

Only registered electricians can put up the lights, and they are required to use cherry pickers, not ladders, Mr. Alambritis said in an interview. Every bulb has to be tested every year to ensure that it is electrically safe and that “it won’t flash in someone’s eyes,” he said.

He said he heard of one municipality that left its Christmas lights up year around rather than pay the $100,000 or so to put them up and take them down.

At this rate, safety regulations will guarantee that every holiday tradition comes to an end. How sad.

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Matt Schaub is out. Sage Rosenfels is in. Depending on how he plays, we may end up with a quarterback controversy here in Houston. But wth Andre Johnson and Andre Davis both injured, do we have enough of an offensive threat for Rosenfels to shine and create that controversy? Or do we drop another game that we should have won due to the lack of depth that all the injuries have exposed? Sadly, I fear that it will be another long day for those of us who cheer for the Houston Texans.

On the other hand, we still have some really hot cheerleaders.

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It is hard to know where to begin with this one. it is hard to know whether this is a positive step in the War on Terror or a negative one on the Road to Democracy. Regardless, the situation in Pakistan is troubling.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday declared emergency rule, suspended the constitution and fired the country's chief justice, extraordinary steps that gave him almost absolute power in a country that he described as spinning out of control.

The government deployed hundreds of army rangers on the streets of Islamabad, arrested some opposition figures and blacked out private television news stations across the country.

For Musharraf, who has become deeply unpopular in recent months, the moves represented a drastic gamble and came despite intense appeals from the United States and other Western allies to stay within the bounds of the Pakistani constitution.

In an emergency order, Musharraf cited rising extremism and a judiciary "at cross purposes" with the rest of the government as reasons for the moves. But the timing suggested he was also attempting to extend his rule as both president and army chief. The Supreme Court had been reviewing a challenge to his candidacy for another presidential term, and was expected to rule as early as next week.

The court made a defiant but ultimately unsuccessful attempt Saturday to block Musharraf's implementation of emergency rule; in response, seven dissident justices were immediately removed from the bench. Musharraf said the Parliament, where he holds a commanding majority, would remain intact.

Members of Pakistan's fragmented political opposition condemned Musharraf for moves they said effectively put the country under martial law, and they vowed to take to the streets in protest. Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a longtime political rival of Musharraf's, immediately flew back to the country from a trip to the United Arab Emirates.

It is hard to know what to make of this situation. Obviously, I do not support any move that suppresses a free press. Neither do I support any move that subverts the judiciary -- in particular at a time when that judiciary is about to rule Musharraf ineligible to run for President.

But at the same time, the political crisis that the country has been facing for some time is a great one. The courts have undermined the nation's efforts to fight terrorists in Pakistan itself. The Supreme Court itself is tinged with the same sort of Islamist ideology that gives rise to groups like the Taliban and al-Qaeda. And that judiciary has seemed intent upon frustrating any action taken by Mussharraf -- operating almost as an opposition party rather than a neutral arbiter of the law.

I find the fact that Benazir Bhutto happened to be out of the country when this move took place to be rather intriguing. She had left suddenly last week to visit her ailing mother -- and rushed back to make a condemnation of the decree as soon as it was issued. Is the timing coincidental? Or is it part of the political dance that she and the general have been engaged in for some time -- especially since Musharraf's move prevents a ruling that she must stand trial on official corruption charges.

The emergency comes shortly before a series of petitions were to be heard by the Pakistani supreme court. These petitions would have questioned: Musharraf's standing to run for president in the forthcoming elections while staying in uniform; the waiving of the corruption charges against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto; and the legality of Musharraf's re-exiling of former conservative prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The date for argument was set for Friday, November 3, but was recently moved to the November 5 and 6. Obviously, in this Machiavellian stroke, Musharraf has pre-empted the hearing.

Musarraf indicates that he will not allow his nation to commit suicide, and went so far as to equate himself with Lincoln in his willingness to overlook elements of the nation's constitution in order to preserve the nation. I don't know that I'm comfortable with that analogy, but The Guardian's Ali Eteraz does note that he does appear committed to moving towards democracy.

For the time being, though, it appears that Musharraf is committed to the forthcoming parliamentary elections. In his just-concluded speech to the country he outlined his three-step programme for democracy. Stage 1 was from 1999 to 2001 when he ran the government directly. During stage 2, from 2001 to 2007, everyone was elected except for the president, and, in fact, it was the first time that the national, provincial and local bodies were all composed of elected officials. Stage 3 is ongoing now, with the assemblies finishing their tenure on November 15, followed by presidential elections (in which he will run) and then general assembly elections (which are expected to anoint Benazir Bhutto as prime minister).

But I don't know how that analysis an be squared with this development.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the extraordinary measures would remain in place "as long as it is necessary." He also said parliamentary elections could be postponed up to a year, but no such decision had been made.

Aziz also said that up to 500 opposition activists had been arrested in the last 24 hours.

Among those detained were Javed Hashmi, the acting president of the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif; cricket star-turned politician, Imran Khan; Asma Jehangir, chairman of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan; and Hamid Gul, former chief of the main intelligence agency and a staunch critic of Musharraf's support for the U.S.-led war on terror.

So for me, a key question will be how long these opposition leaders are held, and how long elections are delayed. Indeed, I'd argue the legitimacy of the entire Pakistani political system -- and the government of a nation with nuclear arms -- depends upon those very issues.

And so I will watch -- and pray.

An incredible round-up can be found at The Agonist.

H/T Malkin, Captain's Quarters, Counterterrorism Blog, Hot Air

OTHERS COMMENTING Bloodthirsty Liberal » Lahore of Babylon, STATE OF EMERGENCY IN PAKISTAN : The American Pundit, Musharraf Declares Emergency Rule in Pakistan « The Van Der Galiën Gazette, Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » Musharraf declares emergency in Pakistan, I’m A Pundit Too | Jihad Central 11-03-2007, Ace of Spades HQ, State of Emergency in Pakistan « Blogs 4 Brownback, Blog-o-Fascists, Back Home Again, Right Voices, Wizbang, A Blog For All

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And if she is, does this mean that the GOP may be able to pick up a California Senate seat?

For the second time in recent months, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) on Friday confirmed that she will break ranks with a majority of her Democratic colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, in this case to confirm President Bush's nominee for attorney general.

Feinstein, along with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), announced that she will support Michael B. Mukasey's nomination, virtually assuring his confirmation despite the nominee's controversial refusal to declare an interrogation technique called waterboarding to be an illegal form of torture.

The decision to back Bush's nominee sparked immediate outrage among the liberal anti-war "Netroots" community, many of whom had been pushing aggressively for the undecided Democrats on Judiciary to oppose Mukasey. Within minutes of the Schumer-Feinstein announcements, timed to be released at the same moment, the liberal blog Talking Points Memo blasted the news on its home page, while Democrats.com urged readers to refuse to give money to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is chaired by Schumer.

Schumer's wavering on the issue was much debated and discussed over the past week, as his indecision was featured in profiles in The Washington Post, New York Times and insider publications like Roll Call and The Hill. Feinstein's role was just as pivotal and received nowhere near as much attention, but some think that will change.

Norman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, predicted short-term headaches for Schumer but long-term issues with the anti-war liberals for Feinstein, because it's her second major break from Democrats in the past three months. "The next Joe Lieberman for them is going to be Feinstein," Ornstein told Capitol Briefing, referring to Connecticut's Joe Lieberman, who has been effectively chased from the party for his strong support for the Iraq war.

As much as i disagree with Feinstein, and despite questions I have raised about her over the years, I do have a grudging respect for the woman. Thirty years ago she was thrust into the mayor's office in the wake of a tragedy and held together a city after it took a double-whammy -- the mass suicide of the followers of Jim Jones (most of whom were from the San Francisco area) and the assassination of the city's mayor and a respected member of the city council by a deranged former city official. It was, prior to Rudy Giuliani's response to 9/11, the most notable performance of any American mayor in time of crisis. Frankly, I've always been surprised that Dianne Feinstein never made it onto a national ticket. She would have been a formidable candidate.

But if the nutroots turn on Feinstein like they did on Lieberman, what does this mean for the chances of the GOP? Will she be knocked off by a candidate propelled to the nomination by the outrage of activists -- but then prove too weak to win a general election? Will she win the nomination, but be so bloodied that the GOP can take the seat if a strong candidate -- perhaps the Governator -- goes up against her? In other words, do the principled actions of Dianne Feinstein -- actions that would likely earn her a place in JFK's Profiles in Courage were he writing today -- constitute the basis for her political destruction?

Of course, Feinstein has a great deal of breathing room. She was just reelected in 2006 -- meaning that the first opportunity for her to be challenged electorally will not come until 2012. Will the outrage last -- especially if the intervening 2008 election allows her to become a strong supporter of a Democrat President over the next 4 years. And let's not forget that Senator Feinstein will be 79 in 2012, and so there is an obvious question about her intentions regarding reelection.

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If the exercise of religious rights is an American value, why would anyone find this move troubling? And if absences can be excused based upon legitimate religious observances, why wouldn't this be included?

At Marshall University, pagan students are now allowed to miss classes to observe religious holidays or festivals.

A new policy makes the university in Huntington, W.Va., with an enrollment of about 14,000, possibly the only college in the country to protect pagans formally from being penalized for missing classes, although many institutions have policies intended to protect students of every faith.

One Marshall student, George Fain, took advantage of the policy on Thursday, missing class in observance of Samhain, a pagan and Wiccan holiday honoring the dead.

“I think we may have opened a door,” Ms. Fain said of the policy. “Now that we know we can be protected, that the government will stand behind us and we feel safe, it’s going to be more prevalent.”

The decision to allow pagan students to make up missed work is an extension of existing policy toward members of other religious groups, said Steve Hensley, the dean of student affairs at Marshall.

“I don’t think there are a lot of students here who have those beliefs,” Mr. Hensley said, “but we want to respect them. It was really just a matter of looking into it, and deciding what was the right thing.”

Students are responsible for establishing that they are religious believers and that the holiday in question is important to their faith by filing a written request with Mr. Hensley.

Paganism experts say they are not aware of any other university with such a policy.

For all that we are a nation founded upon a historically Judeo-Christian framework, there can be no argument that our laws and Constitution enshrine freedom of religion as a fundamental value. Indeed, I believe our nation's civil rights laws would require this accommodation for all religious groups if a university granted it to any. It isn't a question of political correctness -- it is an acknowledgment of religious freedom. If Christians, Jews, and Muslims enjoy such an accommodation, why shouldn't pagans?

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One more sign that things are going right in Iraq.

In a dramatic turnaround, more than 3,000 Iraqi families driven out of their Baghdad neighborhoods have returned to their homes in the past three months as sectarian violence has dropped, the government said Saturday.

Saad al-Azawi, his wife and four children are among them. They fled to Syria six months ago, leaving behind what had become one of the capital's more dangerous districts — west Baghdad's largely Sunni Khadra region.

The family had been living inside a vicious and bloody turf battle between al-Qaida in Iraq and Mahdi Army militiamen. But Azawi said things began changing, becoming more peaceful, in August when radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his Mahdi Army fighters to stand down nationwide.

About the same time, the Khadra neighborhood Awakening Council rose up against brutal al-Qaida control — the imposition of its austere interpretation of Islam, along with the murder and torture of those who would not comply.

The uprising originated in Iraq's west and flowed into the capital. Earlier this year, the Sunni tribes and clans in the vast Anbar province began their own revolt and have successfully rid the largely desert region of al-Qaida control.

It would appear to me that the Iraqi people are saying NO to the terrorists who have been attempting to bleed them into submission. It would appear to me that this is less a civil war than it is an attempt by outside forces (most al-Qaidas in Iraq are foreigners) to impose something the Iraqi people don't want. And it would appear that the surge has worked -- not that we needed any more evidence to prove that.

So why isn't this front page news in the United States and around the world? Why isn't the truth about the successes in Iraq being trumpeted in the media? And why is one political party in this country still seeking surrender as a strategy for victory at the polls?

And are those things related?

H/T Malkin

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The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Syria's Assad Caught With His Hands in the Nuclear Cookie Jar by Joshuapundit, and Is This the State of Academics Today? by The QandO Blog.  Here are the full results of the vote:

Posted by: Greg at 02:30 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I recently came across a news article from a major midwestern university in which a group of students were organizing what was described as a “cornhole tournament”. My response may best be described as shock, as I envisioned something less than wholesome – until I read a bit further and discovered that cornhole is a beanbag game popular in that region of the country, one that has become quite popular with all age groups.

Of course, the game has a number of names, because not everyone can say “cornhole” with a straight face. The game is also called corntoss and bean bag toss, and involves (now get ready for a real shocker here, folks) throwing bean bags into a hole in a board. And there is even a store located in Illinois that specializes in equipment for the game, with a website at Cornhole-Game.org.

One of the items I saw on the website is what they call the tailgate cornhole set. It might be neat to get one and paint it up with a Houston TexanÂ’s emblem and carry it with us to the games for a little git of entertainment while we are tailgating. After all, the sets are compact, durable, and would certainly fit in the trunk while we go in and enjoy the game after a good meal and a couple of drinks with friends.

Posted by: Greg at 02:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Given that the "mint-on-the-pillow" Democrats constantly insist that failure to include that amenity constitutes a war crime at Guantanamo Bay, let's take a look at a book that examines real war crimes.

The perpetrators of some of the worst atrocities of the Second World War remain alive and unpunished in Japan, according to a damning new book.

Painstaking research by British historian Mark Felton reveals that the wartime behaviour of the Japanese Navy was far worse than their counterparts in Hitler's Kriegsmarine.

According to Felton, officers of the Imperial Japanese Navy ordered the deliberately sadistic murders of more than 20,000 Allied seamen and countless civilians in cold-blooded defiance of the Geneva Convention.

One favored tactic? Beheading prisoners. Sound like anyone we know today? That would be the so-called "freedom fighters" that Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan say are the moral equivalent of America's founding fathers.

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One of the realities of being in business today is that you need a line of credit or other form of Business Loan to guarantee a secure financial lifeline for a company. Let's be honest -- cash flow in a small business isn't always smooth and steady, and expenses usually precede revenue.

That is why EZUnsecured.com is a great resource for small businesses. They provide business loans in the form of lines of credit, loans, and business credit cards. Working with EZUnsecured.com means that you will have an easy application and approval process, fast funding of your loan, and great service from the associates you work with. What more can a businessman ask for?

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After all, when the best you can do in scandal mongering is turn up dirt from the public record on a friend/adviser that is probably a good indication that there is no dirt on the candidate.

Republican presidential candidate Fred D. Thompson has been crisscrossing the country since early this summer on a private jet lent to him by a businessman and close adviser who has a criminal record for drug dealing.

Thompson selected the businessman, Philip Martin, to raise seed money for his White House bid. Martin is one of four campaign co-chairmen and the head of a group called the "first day founders." Campaign aides jokingly began to refer to Martin, who has been friends with Thompson since the early 1990s, as the head of "Thompson's Airforce."

Yes, Martin engaged in some criminal behavior a quarter century ago -- and has completed his sentence. (Contrast this with Norman Hsu) And yes, Martin has had some involvement with business lawsuits -- something hardly unheard of in today's litigious business climate. But despite this, there just doesn't seem to be much to this story.

Probably the most telling aspect of this story is this little admission by the reporters -- one that makes it clear that this is a hit-piece, not a news article.

Martin could not be reached in the past week, and lawyers for him in Tennessee and Florida declined to comment on the criminal cases. [Thompson campaign deputy communications director Karen] Hanretty said she forwarded detailed questions from The Washington Post to Martin yesterday afternoon.

So let's see.

The reporter couldn't reach the subject of the story.

The lawyers followed the rules on lawyer-client confidentiality.

The questions only reached Martin in the last 24 hours before the story was run.

Am i the only one who views the publication of the story at this time to be moving with unseemly haste -- especially given that we are months away from the first primary and a full year away from the actual election? Or would waiting for the responses to the question have somehow compromised the story? I think we know the answer.

It seems to me that there is less to this story than meets the eye -- and is an effective admission by the Washington Post that Fred Thompson is dirt-free.

UPDATE: Captain Ed makes this observation.

In any other context, the Post would run this story as a demonstration of the success of Martin's probation. He cleaned up his act at age 25, began building small businesses on his way to a small fortune, and ended up participating in the political process. Nothing in Mosk's article gives any indication that Martin has committed any crimes since 1983, despite his attempt to use a couple of lawsuits at the end -- lawsuits which look rather routine for a man engaging in diverse, legal enterprises.

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I remember the "paper services" that existed when I was in college. It seems that the field has gotten more sophisticated. Now you can get a custom essay written for you, in your own writing style, in a matter of hours. As a teacher, I find this disturbing, because the whole purpose in the essay assignment is for the student to learn about his/her topic. So while Custom-Writing.org promises essays that are plagiarism-free, doesn't their submission as one's own work constitute an act of plagiarism? I know how I would handle such a situation...

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Since our Navy is now chasing down Somali pirates, perhaps the time has come to follow the traditional methods for dealing with such folks.

For that matter, maybe we can apply the same rules to terrorists, too.

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I was never a big fan of the federal Motor Voter Act. But where I really came to despise it was in a county office in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where I applied for my marriage license not long after it took effect. Having just given my address as being in Illinois, and having presented an Illinois drivers license, I was still asked to register to vote. When I objected, I was informed that I could put down any address in the county, and IÂ’d be registered and could vote until they struck me from the list -- if they ever did.

Needless to say, I declined. But I wonder how many took her up on the offer, even if they were not eligible to vote.

Now John Fund points out the danger to our voting system brought by this law and the practice of giving licenses to illegals.

The potential for fraud is not trivial, as federal privacy laws prevent cross-checking voter registration rolls with immigration records. Nevertheless, a 1997 Congressional investigation found that "4,023 illegal voters possibly cast ballots in \[a\] disputed House election" in California. After 9/11, the Justice Department found that eight of the 19 hijackers were registered to vote.

Under pressure from liberal groups, some states have even abandoned the requirement that people check a citizenship box to be put on the voter rolls. Iowa has told local registrars they should register people even if they leave the citizenship box blank. Maryland officials wave illegal immigrants through the registration process, prompting a Justice Department letter warning they may be helping people violate federal law.

Friends, IÂ’m the election judge in my precinct. IÂ’d like to think that every voter who is registered in my precinct is legally registered. I fear they are not. IÂ’d at least like to believe that they are all American citizens, but wonder if the state of the law permits me to make that assumption. And in a state like Texas, positively boiling over with illegals, that could one day be the difference between our elections being decided by American citizens or having foreigners dictate our leaders for us.

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Here’s a unique argument – I fled from justice and was gone so long that I now have a right to escape justice completely!

Attorneys for Norman Hsu are prepared to argue in a Redwood City courtroom Friday that the disgraced Democratic fundraiser's 1992 grand theft conviction should be dismissed because prosecutors didn't try hard enough to find him after he skipped out on sentencing 15 years ago.

Hsu failed to show up for sentencing in 1992 after pleading no contest to a $1 million fraud scheme in San Mateo County. He fled to Asia, where he lived for several years, and eventually returned to the United States.

Since 2003, he has lived a public life despite his fugitive status, hosting major fundraisers in California and New York and raising $2 million in political campaign contributions, including more than $850,000 for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Photos of him with candidates were an Internet search away. His address was listed on the Federal Election Commission Web site, Hsu's attorney James Brosnahan wrote in papers filed in San Mateo County Superior Court.

"Mr. Hsu lived an open and public life, and the government made no apparent efforts to arrest him," Brosnahan wrote. "The case must be dismissed because the delay in sentencing violates Mr. Hsu's Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial."
Brosnahan also argues Hsu should be allowed to withdraw his no-contest plea to a single count of grand theft because he has a right to be sentenced by the same judge who accepted the plea in 1992. That judge has since retired.

Sorry, Norman – the delay was entirely of your making. You waived your rights by running away. Your attempt to dodge responsibility for your crimes is pathetic – but typical of liberals.

Maybe you can buy a pardon in 2009. I hear the Clintons sell them cheap.

UPDATE: New strategy for Hsu -- delay hearings until after Hillary has the nomination.

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I cannot wait for my wife and I to purchase new bedroom furniture. We’ve been talking about it for some time, trying to decide exactly what we want to get. As I’ve mentioned a number of times, I am already trying to come up with ideas on exactly what sort of bed and furniture I want in the room. After all, we’ve had our starter furniture for a dozen years now – it is past time to make a change.

That’s why I love the internet – I can start to give shape to my ideas of the perfect room just by looking around at furniture that is available online. By visiting sites like Home-and-bedroom.com, I can get great ideas about how to redecorate the bedroom. I can browse through their collections of bedroom furniture and begin to visualize what certain pieces will look line in my home. One of the best things about the site though, other than the great interior decorating ideas, are the prices on their pieces, whether we are talking about Metal Beds or complete fashion bed groups from manufacturers like Hillsdale Furniture. They are definitely affordable!

I can honestly say, Home-and-bedroom.com has given me some great ideas that I will be coming back to as the process of redecorating slowly moves forward.

Posted by: Greg at 01:47 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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What it really comes down to is this -- is Scripture the Word of God, intended for all times and places? Or has God changed his mind about the things written in the Bible?

The dispute has played out across the country as those who hold to traditional Christian theological views struggle with those who want to supplant the historical Christian faith with modern social science and liberal political agendas.

This week, it has played out in Pittsburgh.

By more than a two-to-one vote, members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh voted Friday in favor of separating from the national church because of a theological rift that began with the consecration of an openly gay bishop in 2003.

The vote sets the stage for what could become a protracted legal battle between the diocese and the Episcopal Church U.S.A., which had warned PittsburghÂ’s bishop not to go forward with the vote.

After passionate appeals from both sides of the debate, clergy members and lay people voted 227 to 82 to “realign” the conservative diocese.

If FridayÂ’s vote is approved again in a year, the diocese will begin steps to remove itself from the American church and join with another province in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

After the vote, Bishop Robert W. Duncan of Pittsburgh, who is also moderator of the Anglican Communion Network, an alliance of conservative dioceses and parishes, defended the decision.

“What we’re trying to do is state clearly in the United States for the authority of Scripture,” Bishop Duncan said after the vote, taken during the diocese’s annual convention in this city about 50 miles east of Pittsburgh.

The vote was necessary, he said, because the more liberal bishops now in the majority in the national church “have hijacked my church, and that’s how most of the people here feel.”

Interestingly enough, the leadership of the national Episcopal Church, which rejects the authority of the Worldwide Anglican Communion, insists upon its own authority being respected by the Diocese of Pittsburgh and other dissidents. So much so that they have indicated a plan to take the dispute into the civil courts.

I guess that stuff in the New Testament about not suing fellow Christians over religious issues in government courts is so first-century. As with what was written about homosexuality, it doesn't apply today -- what God meant was "hire a good corporate lawyer and sue your enemies". After all, God is so much smarter today than he was back then, so anything written in the Bible has to be taken with a grain of salt. He'd agree with the liberals on this one -- just ask them.

Posted by: Greg at 01:27 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Posted by: Greg at 01:01 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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And I'm sure that there are plenty of folks out there who find it particularly galling that we are headed towards success in that country.

President Bush offered an upbeat assessment on Friday of progress in Iraq, saying that while corruption remained a problem and unemployment was high, the economy was growing, violence was down and, “slowly but surely, the people of Iraq are reclaiming a normal society.”

Speaking to 1,300 graduates of the ArmyÂ’s basic training camp here, Mr. Bush gave his first progress report on Iraq since September, when he announced that his troop buildup would come to an end by next spring, with reductions beginning at the end of this year.

In the September speech, the president called the new strategy “return on success,” a phrase he reiterated in his remarks here on Friday.

To make his case that the strategy is working, Mr. Bush ticked off a litany of statistics. Since the buildup was completed in June, he said, the number of attacks each week involving I.E.D.Â’s, or improvised explosive devices, had dropped by half. The number of American military deaths, he said, had fallen to its lowest level in 19 months.

With Karbala Province moving to Iraqi control this week, Mr. Bush said Iraqis were now responsible for security in 8 of IraqÂ’s 18 provinces.

“The Iraqis are becoming more capable, and our military commander tells me that these gains are making possible what I call ‘return on success,’” Mr. Bush said. “That means we’re slowly bringing some of our troops home — and now we’re doing it from a position of strength.”

The article does make a snippy comment about finding friendly audiences on military bases, but at least the NYT reporters have the integrity to mention the progress in Iraq. Frankly, I'm surprised the editors didn't dump the entire story due to the fact that it doesn't fit with the narrative that the paper wants -- one that supports retreat and surrender, not victory.

And there are these additional details, of course, that get planted at the end of the article.

“We’re seeing improvements in important economic indicators,” he said. “Inflation has been cut in half. Electricity production in September reached its highest levels since the war began — and higher than it was under Saddam Hussein.”

And here we keep being told by the Left that things are so bad in Iraq -- I guess that is only true if you ignore the facts on the ground, like Half-Wit Harry Reid does in this article.

I wonder -- how did America fight wars in the day when it had a loyal opposition party in Congress?

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Posted by: Greg at 12:54 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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