The winning entries in the Watcher's Council vote for this week are Pearl Harbor... And 9/11 by Joshuapundit, and Men of Valor: Part IV by Michael Yon.  Here are (the full results of the vote:

I got hit with a penalty this week because my votes got lost in cyberspace, so I might have otherwise finished higher in the standings. And had my vote gotten through, the only difference would have been that the Watcher would not have had to cast that tie-breaker vote -- but the results would have been the same.

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You know, signage can be important in any business. For example, many homes or sold and clients attracted through the real estate signs on the front lawns of houses. BuildASign.com has great values on real estate signs and other signs (including magnetic signs) at their website. Stop in and look at their great values.

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UPDATE: It appears that Francisco Nava is behind the threats and inflicted his own injuries. In keeping with my previous policy of condemning false hate crimes, I wholeheartedly condemn his actions.

In light of this development, I believe that Nava needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as well as having appropriate disciplinary action taken against him by Princeton – which, in my opinion, should be expulsion. That said, the anemic reaction of Princeton University to earlier reports of threats – and to the current ones – is distressing, even if they originated with Nava. Princeton would have no doubt gone into crisis mode, as it did with the gay students noted in the McGinley columns referenced below, had the earlier threats (frauds that they were) been received by an outspoken minority student. If they had done so at that time, Nava's misdeeds would have been uncovered then and the later incidents would not have occurred. My fear is that this point will be missed in all the discussion of this serious series of incidents being fabricated. It should not be.

And before anyone asks, I specifically do not offer an apology to columnist Jason Sheltzer. I believe my assessment of his column, which was shared by numerous letter-writers published by the Daily Princetonian, is accurate. His column was motivated by the very sort of bias and bigotry that he condemned in the Anscombe Society -- and fell well-short of any standard of intellectual rigor.

An interesting situation has come into being at Princeton this week, one which is antithetical to the purpose of a university -- and which shows just how far down the path of fascism one side of the political/social/moral divide has descended.

Some quick background. A group of students organized a group called the Anscombe Society at Princeton University and obtained recognition two years ago. They have held a national conference, helped organize chapters on other campuses, and have recently seen one of their members named a Rhodes Scholar. They are an organization that promotes traditional moral values with regard to sexuality and gender -- positions that were definitely mainstream within my lifetime, and which are still overwhelmingly held by a majority of Americans. they seek to promote their views through debate, discussion and intellectual persuasion. And that is something that is threatening to the Left, and which cannot be allowed to remain unchallenged.

And so Princeton students awoke on Wednesday, December 12, to find the group attacked in in the Daily Princetonian a column by columnist Jason Sheltzer.

The Anscombe Society deserves a closer look, and what one uncovers isn't pretty.



I spent a few hours browsing through the Anscombe Society's website and reading the "Articles of the Week" distributed to their listserv. I found much more than benevolent admonitions to wait until marriage. Instead, the Anscombe Society has taken a strong stance against equal rights for gays and lesbians and is in favor of a return to "traditional gender roles."

In other words, Sheltzer declared the Anscombe Society to be a hate group. Interestingly enough, Sheltzer does not actually take the time to refute any of the positions the group takes or any of the arguments made in articles he quotes (I suspect he lacks the intellectual capacity to do so). Instead, he simply implies that the members of the Anscombe society are not "morally conscious" and that they promote "religious propaganda", and that they preach "wrongheaded notions."

Now perhaps it is purely coincidental, but within hours of the publication of Sheltzer's screed, someone acted upon it, seeking to ensure that such
wrongheaded notions" ceased being preached by those who are not "morally conscious".

Four officers of the Anscombe Society and a prominent conservative politics professor received threatening emails Wednesday evening from off-campus email addresses.

The five individuals received identical messages telling them they would "suffer," ordering them to "shut the fuck up" and declaring that "you are not welcome here." "We will destroy you," the message said.

Though the message did not explicitly mention the Anscombe Society, the four students who received emails were Anscombe vice president Jonathan Hwang '09, president Kevin Staley-Joyce '09, former president Sherif Girgis '08 and administrative committee chair Francisco Nava '09. Politics professor Robert George — who has publicly supported conservative causes, including the Anscombe Society's goal of promoting chastity — also received the message.

"It would be safe to say that the Anscombe Society is a common factor linking all of us," Hwang said. "It is the most intense reaction to the Anscombe Society that I've ever received."

University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said the University is investigating the threat but declined to elaborate because of security concerns. "The normal protocol for these types of threats is for public safety to determine the credibility and proceed to investigate," she said in an email.

Now I won't claim that Sheltzer is in any way morally, legally, or personally responsible for these threats -- though I would be willing to bet that Sheltzer would make precisely such an assertion if a conservative student had written such a piece against a liberal group and it had been followed immediately by death threats against that group's officers and adviser. After all, it would be the clearly foreseeable consequence of such speech, he and his fellow liberals would no doubt argue, claiming that such speech had created a hostile environment for and diminished the safety of the members of whichever protected class the group represented. Such threats would have become the university's top priority -- and "normal protocol" would have been suspended by the University, with the threats being immediately treated as serious and solidarity shown with the threatened group.

That didn't happen.

Indeed, it hadn't happened the last time Anscombe Society members had received such threats.

It is tempting to believe that this is only an isolated incident. It is not. These tactics are part of a pattern designed to silence members of our community who speak out against the hookup culture and sexual liberationist ideology.

Francisco Nava '09 returned to Princeton after the summer break feeling a new sense of intellectual liberation. He had resolved to a kind of political coming-out, deciding that he would, as he told me, "no longer mask my views on contemporary moral issues."

And so he joined the Anscombe Society as an active member. He spoke up in class and precept in order to defend the beliefs that do not just belong to him — they define him and his faith. It was then that he was first faced with personal intimidation here at Princeton University. Anonymously scrawled on a piece of paper and laid hauntingly in his mailbox, Nava found the aggressive message: "YOU HAVE FOUND THE WRONG CAUSE."

Though rendered a little "afraid and paranoid" by the malice behind such a threat, Francisco tried to let it slip from his mind. Mustering the courage to continue to speak out, he published a well-argued opinion piece in these pages entitled "Princeton's Latex Lies." Heralded by some and denounced by others, the article prompted campus-wide discussion of pertinent issues of health and morality.

Two days passed. Returning from Sunday morning church services, Nava discovered a new note written with the same ominous green and black ink as the first. It read, chillingly: "ONE MORE ARTICLE AND YOU WON'T LIVE TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY."

He wrote to me: "For several days I lived in fear of saying, writing or even thinking anything controversial in class or informally among my friends." Nava's foray into intellectual openness came to an abrupt, horrible stop. And only a week later, a third threat with the same message was placed in his mailbox.

On the afternoon of the second threat, Public Safety dutifully arrived on the scene and collected the letter as evidence. Presumably a report was filed and, as Nava, an alternate RCA, informed me, all reports involving students are forwarded to the administration. Herein lies the most disturbing detail: The administration of Princeton University knows that a member of its student body has had his life threatened. And nothing happened.

After nearly a month of waiting, he received a two-line email from Public Safety. But from Butler College, from Nassau Hall, from West College, there was nothing.

As Princetonian columnist Brandon McGinley points out, this stands in stark contrast to how Princeton had responded to another such incident around the same time.

It is instructive here to compare the treatment of Nava, the morally conservative Mormon student, with the administration's swift and forceful reaction to another incident on Princeton's campus.

Returning from Fall Break, some homosexual students found obscenities — apparently phalluses and other images — sketched on the blackboards outside their rooms. Within a few hours, Whitman College had RCAs, counselors and two deans to the scene. The LGBT Center sent out a notice about the event and encouraged students to mount pink triangles in their windows and doors to show solidarity.

On the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 11, Nava sat alone in his room. There were no counselors. There were no deans. There was no University-sponsored center to raise awareness, offer support and encourage solidarity. There was just Francisco.

It seems pretty clear who is valued and protected by the university, isn't it -- and that if you are a conservative student with traditional religious values, you are not valued and will not be protected by the university when your life is threatened. You certainly will not receive the sort of outspoken, public support that gay students will receive when confronted with disgusting images. After all, what is one potentially dead conservative religious student when there are offended homosexuals to be comforted and lifted up? Such a conservative is not the victim of a hate crime (and, unlike the offended gay students, Nava was the victim of a crime) -- and besides, with his positions he deserves to be hated, reviled and harassed, right?

Now this would be a scandalous enough situation if the story ended there. It didn't.

Francisco Nava '09 was physically attacked by two men in Princeton Township Friday evening, sustaining a concussion but no other serious injuries. The assault comes on the heels of several threatening messages recently sent to Nava, apparently in connection with his involvement with the socially conservative Anscombe Society.

Details of the incident have not been confirmed by Princeton Township Police or the University Medical Center at Princeton, but Nava said in an interview Friday evening that he was walking from a borrowed car to the house of a boy he is mentoring when he was stopped by a man dressed in black and wearing a ski cap. According to Nava, the man said that someone was hurt and asked for his help. A second assailant, who was waiting around the corner, grabbed Nava from behind. Together, the two men checked him against a wall and repeatedly hit his head against the bricks.

"Eventually I just blacked out," Nava said in an interview last night. "I don't remember what happened; I just saw a bunch of white." When he came to, he said, the two men were still hitting him.

The two men told Nava to "shut the fuck up" as they left him lying on the ground. Though he was carrying a wallet, credit cards and a cell phone, the assailants did not take any of Nava's belongings.

Indeed, Nava draws the obvious connection between this act of physical violence designed to silence him and the threats that have been coming for months with no significant action by the university.

There have been two very interesting and eloquent posts on The Prox, the blog of the Daily Princetonian. Also interesting is the lack of comment there from columnist Jason Sheltzer. I guess his moral consciousness is out at the dry cleaners or some such thing.

And, for that matter, so was the moral consciousness of the Princeton University community as a whole. The scheduled event expressing solidarity with the conservative victims of these hate crimes did not happen after all. I guess they don't have enough PC points to qualify for support. But it appears that conservative students at Princeton plan on standing firm for their principles.

And somehow, neither the local paper nor the national media can be troubled to report the story. maybe its because Princeton itself refuses to issue an alert to students about the incident or take any serious action in response to the threats or the attack.

More At Instapundit, RedState, Right Coast, Fausta's Blog, TigerHawk, Gateway Pundit.

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We've got public colleges and universities installing special Muslim footbaths and other accommodations that would never be given to Christians, Jews, or other religious groups. Now we've got one school that has effectively created a mosque in what is supposedly a non-sectarian "meditation room".

Last week, I visited a Muslim place of worship. A schedule for Islam's five daily prayers was posted at the entrance, near a sign requesting that shoes be removed. Inside, a barrier divided men's and women's prayer space, an arrow informed worshippers of the direction of Mecca, and literature urged women to cover their faces.

Sound like a mosque?

The place I'm describing is the "meditation room" at Normandale Community College, a 9,200-student public institution in Bloomington.

Architectural features have been added to "accommodate" Muslims. Students are directed to follow Muslim practices when they enter the room. The only literature available there is Muslim. There is nothing there that accommodates members of any other faith group. And what's more, attempts by members of other religious traditions to use the facility have been met with acts of bigotry and intolerance from Muslim students.

Confrontations also erupted in the sex-segregated meditation room, according to Lunaas. "Muslim students just took it over. They made people who were not of the Muslim religion feel very uncomfortable, especially if they were female."

One female student tried to use the room when Muslim students were in it, said Lunaas. "She believed she should be treated equally. They were telling her to leave, to take off her shoes, to go to the other side of the divider."

The response of college officials?

[Dean of Student Affairs Ralph] Anderson said that in the incident involving the young woman, "both sides were probably out of line."

Both sides were probably out of line? How, exactly, was the young woman out of line? By trying to make use of a university provided facility? By refusing to follow a religious tradition not her own? While I am sure that there is significantly more to the story than we are told in this commentary piece, it seems pretty clear that refusing to abide by demands that she not use the space as an equal and in a manner that is in accord with her religious tradition is not "out of line". And if Anderson believes the young woman was "out of line" for making a forthright, and perhaps even heated, defense of her right to not be treated as a second-class citizen in a public space on a public college campus where she is a student, I think it is fair to say that the college is out of line in employing him in any capacity.

But then again, perhaps the reality is that we have reached an Orwellian situation where certain animals are more equal than others. And rather than the communist pigs of Animal Farm being more equal than the rest, perhaps at Normandale Community College we are dealing with Muslim pigs seeking to dhimmify the other animals on campus.

H/T Captain's Quarters, Powerline

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1 Because everyone knows what Mohammed's Little Darlings can do if they should ever get Upset (TM)... And the Islamic Caliphate continues its march to Global Triumph. Does the Koran have any commandments as to what predators are to eat after they've killed off all their prey?

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What do you do when you know your unborn child WILL die shortly after birth?

When Rob and Gina Harris found out they were expecting their first child they say were overwhelmed with gratitude and filled with thoughts and plans for their future family.

"We had all these visions and dreams for what our baby would grow up to be," said Gina.

Rob Harris said, "At our 20 week ultrasound we found out that he was a boy so I went out to the Nike store and had to buy a little sports outfit."

An ultrasound also revealed a problem about their unborn son, David.

"I didn't have amniotic fluid because David most likely did not have kidneys," said Gina.

Doctors explained that amniotic fluid is critical for lungs to develop. The condition that the Harris' son had is called Potter's Syndrome. It is extremely rare and extremely serious.

"The doctor told us that the babies usually die of respiratory failure after they are born," said Gina.

The doctor explained that as long as the baby was inside Gina's womb he'd be able to grow and thrive. Gina could provide everything her son needed. The question was: Could their son live on his own?

Gina Harris said her mind filled with thoughts and fears.

"I thought about how it would be to give birth to a baby that might not survive," she said. "I thought about being pregnant and people excitedly asking me about the baby and the future and me always knowing the future was so uncertain. I was scared."

"The doctor said that the majority of women with the diagnosis like this would terminate the pregnancy," said Rob. "And as he started to say that Gina said, 'No.' She just stopped him."

Gina says that in her heart she was certain of one thing. She was already a mom. She says God had given her a child and she already felt a deep connection with her son.

And so the couple affirmatively chose in favor of life for their son – knowing, as we all do, that this birth would lead to a death decades earlier than most of their child's peers.

And so they loved David, holding him and adoring him, for the six hours of life that their child was granted.

Some folks will criticize this decision – but like the Harrises, I see this as the only choice. Every new life is precious, and to snuff it out is simply wrong, even knowing that the child is doomed.

And with my wife and I having lost several babies to miscarriages, I know that I would give just about anything to have been granted even those few hours – and while I have not discussed the matter with her, I suspect that my wife would agree.

Bill Jempty of WizBang agrees, and shares the sad and painful experience of his wife with a similar choice. I offer my sincerest thanks to him for doing so. I encourage you to read his beautiful and touching story of the loss he and his wife experienced.

H/T Michelle Malkin, CatHouse Chat

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Proving that international pressure can move even Muslim extremists.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has pardoned a female rape victim who had been sentenced to 200 lashes for being alone with a man at the time of the attack who was not related to her, a Saudi newspaper reported Monday.

The case had sparked international outcry. In a rare criticism of its Mideast ally, the White House had expressed its ''astonishment'' over the woman's sentence. Canada called it barbaric.

Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah bin Muhammed al-Sheik told al-Jazirah newspaper that the pardon does not mean the king doubted the country's judges, but instead acted in the ''interests of the people.''

''The king always looks into alleviating the suffering of the citizens when he becomes sure that these verdicts will leave psychological effects on the convicted people, though he is convinced and sure that the verdicts were fair,'' al-Jazirah quoted al-Sheik as saying.

Notice, though, that last little proviso.

The king is sure that the verdict against the rape victim was a fair one -- including, presumably, the additional sentence for daring to speak out against the notion of punishing a victim of a crime.

These folks and their sharia code are simply barbarians.

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I really struggle at the grocery store some days. It always seems to cost me more than I expect – and it always seems to be going up. And since I’m the shopper in the family, I really do notice in a way that many guys don’t. And while I might be able to save a little bit more by driving across the bridge to the SuperCenter, I’d rather go to the grocer that is about three minutes from my house rather than fight the traffic and the lines in that other place.

I’ve started to try to use more coupons when I shop, but I really hate to have to wade through the coupon section of the paper in order to find just the right ones. It just seems to be an inefficient use of time. Still, grocery coupons could very helpful to me if I could zero in on just the ones I wanted – and maybe even a few that are on line. And I’ve found some good ones at MySavings.com. And not only can I find the coupons I need for food there, I can also find internet coupon codes and free samples there as well, so my savings extend beyond the grocery store and onto the internet and into the mailbox.

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Like this is a surprise?

Pope Benedict XVI warned Sunday against seeking happiness in drugs or other "artificial paradises" and the self-centered quest for "pleasure at all costs."

Instead, the pope held up Mother Teresa — the Roman Catholic nun who devoted her life to serving the poor in India and elsewhere — as an example.

"Every day, she lived next to misery, human degradation and death," the pope told thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. "Yet, she offered the smile of God to everybody."

The pope, speaking during the traditional Sunday noon Angelus prayer, said real happiness cannot be found in cultures "that put individual happiness in the place of God, a mentality that has its emblematic effect in the quest for pleasure at all costs, in the spread of the use of drugs as an escape, a shelter in artificial paradises, which turn out to be completely illusory."

Imagine that -- a Christian leader urging people to avoid self-destructive pleasure and to serve others. Suggesting that people look to the example of the greatest Christian religious figure or our lifetime, and, through her, to a model of Christian service. It isn't a new message -- it is one as old as the Christian faith itself.

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Did you know that you can get qualified professionals online to provide Algebra Tutoring or home schooling, assistance with ADD and preparation for standardized tests. Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services is an affordable tutoring program where tutors give one-on-one instruction in the comfort and security of home.

Club Z! serves all ages, pre-kindergarten through adult with tutoring is available in all core subjects, as well as study skills, foreign languages, standardized test prep, assessment testing such as ACT and SAT, music lessons, and much more.

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I'm really troubled that the theological issues of Mormonism keep being raised in the media. Especially when Romney has spoken publicly about this one before.

ormer Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” today that he wept with relief when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormon church, announced a 1978 revelation that the priesthood would no longer be denied to persons of African descent.

RomneyÂ’s eyes appeared to fill with tears as he discussed the emotional subject during a high-stakes appearance that he handled with no major blunders.

“I was anxious to see a change in my church,” said the Republican presidential candidate, appearing for the full hour just two weeks ahead of the crucial Iowa caucuses.

“I can remember when I heard about the change being made. I was driving home from — I think it was law school, but I was driving home — going through the Fresh Pond rotary in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I heard it on the radio and I pulled over and literally wept.

“Even to this day, it’s emotional,” Romney went on.

“And so it’s very deep and fundamental in my life and my most core beliefs that all people are children of God. My faith has always told me that. My faith has also always told me that in the eyes of God, every individual was merited the fullest degree of happiness in the hereafter and I had no question that African Americans and blacks generally would have every right and every benefit in the hereafter that anyone else had and that God is no respecter of persons.”

Moderator Tim Russert asked if “it was wrong for your faith to exclude them for as long as it did.”

“I told you exactly where I stand,” Romney said. “My view is that there’s no discrimination in the eyes of God. And I could not have been more pleased than to see the change that occurred.”

Enough with the Inquisition, folks -- Romney is a faithful Mormon, but he is not responsible for all the positions taken by that faith in its history. And for that matter, he was not in a position to do anything about that policy -- which the LDS Church held to be a matter of divine revelation and teaches was changed by divine revelation.

But if we are going to engage in theological grillings of candidates, let's start right now. When will we see Mike Huckabee grilled about the much more malignant racism that prevailed int eh Southern Baptist Convention for most of his adult life? When will Obama be called to account for the black-supremacist views of his pastor that are being propagated right now?

It is time for this crap to stop. We are electing a president, not a pastor.

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If you are thinking about purchasing your own domain so that you can establish a blog where you have full control or a web presence for your business, you need to be looking for the web hosting services that meet your needs, not one that controls your content. After all, while you can design a spectacular website and have it tucked away on your hard drive, it doesnÂ’t make a bit of difference until you have your site on a server where people will be able to access it.

That is where the question of Web Hosting Services comes into the picture. You pay a set fee (either monthly or annually) to a company to host all of your online content for you -- web pages, images, e-mail, and all the rest. This is not something you can depend on with a free host -- indeed, your only real option in most cases is to find a web host that you can afford so that you have complete control over your web content. As IÂ’ve noted in the past, wading through the thousands of web hosts can be confusing. Network Solutions is one of the leaders in the field of web hosting, and I would encourage you to take a close look at their services and prices when you try to find a web host.

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All joking aside, I really don't know how important an endorsement by Joe Lieberman will be for John McCain.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.), who was on the national Democratic ticket in 2000, will cross the aisle to endorse Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) tomorrow, Republican sources said.

The two will appear together on Fox News on Monday, then at an 8 a.m. town hall meeting in Hillsborough, N.H. They will talk with reporters after the meeting. McCain is also scheduled to appear on NBC's "Today" program.

The move, which will help cultivate McCain's moderate status, is an effort to draw attention to the McCain campaign, which needs a splash. Otherwise, it does not make sense for McCain because it will only remind core Republicans why they distrust him.

I have to agree with that assessment. When push comes to shove, Lieberman is the last of the Scoop Jackson Democrats. His endorsement would make great sense in the fall, if McCain were the nominee. But how does the endorsement of a liberal Democrat really help John McCain in the GOP primary, unless it manages to pull in new voters to the GOP process -- something unlikely to happen in large enough numbers to get make the negatives among the GOP base go away.

And I say this as someone who admires Joe Lieberman and would love to see more like him in the Democrat party.

What this endorsement does do, however, is make McCain a viable GOP VP choice -- but then again, he already was. Or, as an extreme long-shot option, it creates the possibility of a McCain-Lieberman independent run that would draw from the political center. After all, if Americans are really so disillusioned with the direction being taken by both parties this year, such a bi-partisan ticket could draw centrist voters.

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Do you need a guide for web hosting sites? If you do, then visit http://www.webhostingchoice.com. The site is free of advertisement, so you wonÂ’t have to deal with pop-ups or other annoying ads while you try to find the right web host for your site. And if you know nothing about web hosting, they also provide helpful explanations and a list of scams that you need to avoid when you choose a web hosting company. Their host directory also lists many different web hosting companies and their specific packages and costs. This is quite a service, and the site is wonderfully easy to use. Check it out if you need a new host.

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Don Surber raises an interesting point about the treasure trove of endorsements received by John McCain today.

McCain picks up endorsements from the Des Moines Register, Boston Globe and Joe Lieberman. When will he get one from a Republican?

Indeed.

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If you support conservative judicial appointees, there can be only one choice for President in 2008. That choice is Mitt Romney -- who just got the gold-seal of endorsements from the expert on conservative judicial philosophy, Robert Bork.

Joining Romney for President, Judge Bork said, "Throughout my career, I have had the honor of serving under several Presidents and am proud to make today's endorsement. No other candidate will do more to advance the conservative judicial movement than Governor Mitt Romney. He knows firsthand how the judicial branch can profoundly affect the future course of a state and a nation. I greatly admired his leadership in Massachusetts in the way that he responded to the activist court's ruling legalizing same-sex 'marriage.' His leadership on the issue has served as a model to the nation on how to respect all of our citizens while respecting the rule of law at the same time."

Judge Bork continued, "Our next President may be called upon to make more than one Supreme Court nomination, and Governor Romney is committed to nominating judges who take their oath of office seriously and respect the rule of law in our nation. I also support Governor Romney because of his character, his integrity and his stands on the major issues facing the United States.

Can we really trust pro-choice Rudy to appoint conservative judges. Given McCain's involvement in the Gang of 14, can we really trust him to fight to get such judges confirmed? And can we trust Mike Huckabee at all? And for all the work that Fred Thompson has done on behalf of conservative judges, Judge Bork still endorsed Mitt Romney for President. I think that clearly says it all in terms of where those of us who support a conservative, constitutionally literate and limited judiciary need to cast our votes.

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Push polling is a sleazy tactic. Why am I not surprised that Mike Huckabee supporters are doing it?

"It was a series of questions that you would associate with a push poll," Campbell said, referring to the negative campaigning technique of pretending to be a pollster gathering information from voters when really the intention is to spread negative information about a rival.

The automated machine, which identified itself as being with Common Sense Issues, threw Campbell questions about whether he'd be less likely to support McCain if he knew the Arizona senator opposed a federal amendment to ban same sex marriage, or that he'd hurt the anti-abortion-rights cause by leading the charge for campaign finance reform.

Campbell said the call ended before he could even find a pen to start taking notes on what was being said, once he realized he was in the midst of some shady campaign tactics.

Earlier this month Common Sense Issues -- which is affiliated with supporters of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee -- set up an organization called Trust Huckabee, which began making calls in Iowa praising Huckabee and disparaging Huckabee's opponents.

Huckabee, of course, denies any involvement in the calls (because if he or his campaign were involved, it would be a violation of federal election law against coordinating activity between campaigns and "independent" groups). But this pro-Huckabee group seems particularly intent upon smearing anybody who is not Mike Huckabee, the second-worst candidate in the GOP race (I can finally join with all the Ron PauLunatics in saying "Ron Paul is #1!"), having previously targeted other candidates.

For his party, Huckabee denounced those calls by the group earlier this month, but since the calls continue, so he clearly lacks sufficient moral authority with his supporters to be an effective leader. After all, if his supporters won't heed his words, what is there to make us think that anyone else will? He'd be even less effective on the world stage as president than Jimmy Carter -- another weak leader whose only discernible qualification seemed to be his Christian faith.

Posted by: Greg at 03:10 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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This legislation clearly grows out of the liberal ideology that our men and women in uniform are stupid losers.

A bill in Congress seeks to eliminate military slot machines overseas that take in $130 million a year, mostly from soldiers.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tennessee, named the bill after Army Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh, a decorated Apache helicopter pilot who became addicted to gambling on military slot machines.

Walsh eventually was discharged from the Army. He committed suicide after several failed attempts to break his addiction.

The Defense Department uses slot machine revenues to pay a small portion of its morale, welfare and recreation programs.

Davis said the money raised off the gambling of soldiers is not worth the risks.

"If American men and women are willing to serve our country overseas we should not be dependent on them to pay for recreational activities they deserve," Davis said in a written statement. "The risks are simply too high and too many to ask that of our soldiers."

In other words, the relatively infrequent problem of individuals with gambling problems are sufficient reason to ban slot machines on military bases.

If that is the case, why not ban slot machines and other forms of legal gambling nationwide on the same premise? You know, because the risks of legal gambling are simply too high and too many to permit the public to fund education and social services (and the coffers of the gambling industry) in that manner. Or at the very least, why not pass legislation prohibiting members of the United States military from gambling off-post as well, both overseas and in the United States? Certainly the same logic applies as it does to slots on foreign military bases.

And while we are at it, we can take US military bases dry based upon the possibility of alcoholism. We can make them porn-free zones because someone might chafe their penis while masturbating, too.

Here's an idea, Congressman Davis -- why don't we treat our soldiers like adults and allow them to make adult decisions. The problem in the case of Aaron Walsh was not the availability of gambling, it was a failure of the military to respond effectively to his out-of-control gambling. Focus your legislation there, not on depriving servicemen and women of recreational activities.

Posted by: Greg at 02:57 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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And don't most serial killers, sex offenders, and other sociopathic personalities first display a streak of animal cruelty?

As Mike Huckabee gains in the polls, the former Arkansas governor is finding that his record in office is getting more scrutiny. One issue likely to get attention is his handling of a sensitive family matter: allegations that one of his sons was involved in the hanging of a stray dog at a Boy Scout camp in 1998. The incident led to the dismissal of David Huckabee, then 17, from his job as a counselor at Camp Pioneer in Hatfield, Ark. It also prompted the local prosecuting attorney— bombarded with complaints generated by a national animal-rights group—to write a letter to the Arkansas state police seeking help investigating whether David and another teenager had violated state animal-cruelty laws. The state police never granted the request, and no charges were ever filed. But John Bailey, then the director of Arkansas's state police, tells NEWSWEEK that Governor Huckabee's chief of staff and personal lawyer both leaned on him to write a letter officially denying the local prosecutor's request. Bailey, a career officer who had been appointed chief by Huckabee's Democratic predecessor, said he viewed the lawyer's intervention as improper and terminated the conversation. Seven months later, he was called into Huckabee's office and fired. "I've lost confidence in your ability to do your job," Bailey says Huckabee told him. One reason Huckabee cited was "I couldn't get you to help me with my son when I had that problem," according to Bailey. "Without question, [Huckabee] was making a conscious attempt to keep the state police from investigating his son," says I. C. Smith, the former FBI chief in Little Rock, who worked closely with Bailey and called him a "courageous" and "very solid" professional.

Pretty sick stuff on the part of Huckabee's son -- and Daddy's actions are almost Clintonesque in nature. It must be something about Arkansas governors from Hope, believing that the law is for other people, and that those who cross you should be fired from their jobs and otherwise destroyed.

Huckabee dismisses the accusation as coming from a "bitter ex-employee". Then again, happy current and former employees are usually not the ones who blow the whistle on corruption, are they?

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Vacations and getaways are necessary for most people just to refresh the mind and provide energy. They also help us to learn about new places and acquire new experiences. Taking a bit of time from the busy work schedule to spend time with those we love is also an important value. And with the advent of the internet, people can book holiday tours by logging in to various websites which provides tour packages. One great website that provides several flexible facilities for holiday tour is pontins.com – and it also provides business holiday tour packages also.

Spending the holidays in U.K with the assistance of pontins.com can be quite luxurious and exciting. You can find yourself great beach holidays or other types of family holidays through the website – and you can be certain that you will enjoy the trip. These packages provide all kinds of facilities and make holiday touring pleasurable and memorable. The site also provides special discount options for children and aged people. Accommodations can be booked according to travelers choice, such as half boarding, self catering, discount offers on accommodations for large parties and discount tickets for entertainment shows visits to amusement parks, various restaurants, sight seeing and many other options besides.

Posted by: Greg at 06:31 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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You know -- sending dissidents to mental hospitals.

A Russian opposition activist has been sent to a psychiatric hospital by authorities a day before a planned demonstration.

Artem Basyrov's detention is the latest in a series of incidents suggesting a punitive Soviet-era practice is being revived under president Vladimir Putin.

Mr Basyrov, 20, was ordered to be held at a hospital in the central region of Mari El on November 23, a day before planned demonstrations, said Alexander Averin of the opposition National Bolshevik Party.

The party is part of the Other Russia coalition which organised the so-called Dissenters' Marches across the country this year.

Mr Basyrov ran for the local legislature as an Other Russia candidate.

Now the authorities claim to have a perfectly legitimate reason for detaining Basyrov. It does, however, sound rather fishy.

Police who originally detained him claimed he had assaulted a girl.

A local psychiatric board agreed, deciding the activist suffered from a mental illness and he was committed to the psychiatric hospital three weeks ago.

He was only transferred from an isolation ward and allowed to have visitors on Thursday, said Mikhail Klyuzhev, a National Bolshevik member from the city of Yoshkar-Ola.

If, as indicated, he had assaulted someone, why was he hospitalized instead of jailed and charged? That doesn't make sense.

Until you consider this little pattern that has developed in Russia under Putin.

His case is the latest example of journalists or opposition activists being involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals in Russia.

During the Soviet era, dissidents were frequently committed for protesting against Soviet policies.

Last week, Reporters Without Borders said Andrei Novikov, a reporter for a news service connected with Chechen separatist government, was released after nine months in a psychiatric hospital.

Earlier this year Larisa Arap, an Other Russia activist and journalist, spent six weeks in a psychiatric clinic.

Supporters said this was punishment for her critical reporting.

The Global Initiative on Psychiatry, a Dutch watchdog, says psychiatry continues to be used for punitive, political purposes in Russia.

In this country, we can't even get the lunatics put in a mental hospital against their will in most cases. Even the nuttiest political activists (like Cindy Sheehan, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and many Ron Paul supporters) are free to spew their insanity and crackpot platforms -- and then claim persecution when they are forced to follow the same laws as the rest of the country. Let that serve as a pointed reminder of the fact that America has not become the police state these folks claim.

Posted by: Greg at 04:19 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Sounds like a bad vaudeville routine.

Partner 1: Al Sharpton is so corrupt...

Partner 2: How corrupt is he?

With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in 2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for president, spoke candidly.

Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000 for politics.

White offered $25,000. "If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund, and I have the right conversation," White said, "I'll give you what you need."

"Cool," Sharpton said.

The Inquirer obtained an account of the May 9, 2003, conversation, which was recorded as part of the Philadelphia City Hall corruption case. The tape helped spark a separate inquiry into Sharpton's 2004 campaign and his civil-rights organization, the National Action Network. The FBI-IRS probe resurfaced publicly Wednesday, when Sharpton aides received subpoenas.

And you have to love Sharpton's response, which amounts to "It ain't illegal 'cuz I'm not a public official."

Well, maybe -- but it certainly reeks of corruption, the very kind a that liberals have complained about for years when it comes to cozy relationships between campaign donors and Republicans (but wait -- isn't it usually Democrats who get caught doing this?).

Posted by: Greg at 04:09 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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After a matter of weeks, Pakistan's leader has lifted a state of emergency.

President Pervez Musharraf lifted Pakistan's six-week-old state of emergency and restored the constitution Saturday, easing a crackdown that has enraged opponents and worried Western supporters.

Information Minister Nisar Memon said Musharraf had signed the order lifting the emergency. He called it a "historic day" and said next month's parliamentary elections would cement the country's return to democracy.

"The caretaker government is under oath to hold free, fair, transparent and impartial elections to put the country back on track," Memon said.

Musharraf has insisted that changes he made to the Constitution be left in place, and that his dismissals of judges cannot be challenged or overturned. That is problematic.

However, the elections coming on January 8 have the potential to put Pakistan back on the path to democracy, something that has been in short supply in the country for the last couple of decades (and certainly since Musharraf's 1999 coup). If this election process is transparant and fair, it may be that the former general has done his country a great service, despite having trampled upon democratic principles for years. And if a Bhutto/Sharif coalition emerges in the near future, it may be that Musharraf will find him facing strong opposition in the parliament -- a sign of a healthy democracy if there ever was one.

Posted by: Greg at 03:55 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Let's begin with this caveat: No system for casting and counting votes is fool-proof or fraud-proof. For that reason, I take the comments by Ohio's secretary of state with a grain of salt. That said, she raises an important point.

All five voting systems used in Ohio, a state whose electoral votes narrowly swung two elections toward President Bush, have critical flaws that could undermine the integrity of the 2008 general election, a report commissioned by the stateÂ’s top elections official has found.

“It was worse than I anticipated,” the official, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, said of the report. “I had hoped that perhaps one system would test superior to the others.”

At polling stations, teams working on the study were able to pick locks to access memory cards and use hand-held devices to plug false vote counts into machines. At boards of election, they were able to introduce malignant software into servers.

Ms. Brunner proposed replacing all of the stateÂ’s voting machines, including the touch-screen ones used in more than 50 of OhioÂ’s 88 counties. She wants all counties to use optical scan machines that read and electronically record paper ballots that are filled in manually by voters.

When the eSlate system was adopted here in Harris County, I strongly urged against it. I wanted to see an optical scanner system adopted because of the paper trail it would provide. That said, I figure that if I can trust an ATM with my money, I can also trust a system like the one we have and like those they have in Ohio.

"But," some will object, "doesn't this show that the machines can be tampered with?"

Yeah, it does.

But if the conditions are what I suspect they were, the test itself was essentially meaningless. The testers would have been given unlimited access to and time with the equipment, access to schematics and source code, and would not have faced any of the other security methods imposed by elections officials. These are not conditions that anyone tampering with election results is likely to face.

And let's not forget that there are ways to game an optical scanner system. You can still program the software to miscount votes. You can still add fake voters to the rolls or vote folks who were not at the polls. Ballots can still be tampered with after they are cast. In other words, optical scanners have many of the same flaws as both the paperless systems and the punch card system used in much of the country prior to the 2000 fiasco in Florida. No system is perfect.

Indeed, the only real safeguard of an election is the integrity of those who are involved in the process of running the election, from state officials to county and city elections officials to those of us who actually operate the polling places on Election Day. And so while I explicitly endorse a change to optical scanners, I am under no illusion that erroneous vote counts or outright election fraud can ever be completely eliminated until we can figure out a way to eliminate human fallibility and mankind's sinful nature from the equation.

Posted by: Greg at 03:29 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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It is that time of year. The holidays are nigh upon us and shopping is frenzied – and potentially expensive. I have been doing some of my shopping online this year and have saved quite a bit of cash by using coupon codes and promotions. Take this Kohl's coupon and this Dell coupon, for example, which can save you bucks while allowing you to shop from the comfort of your home. And if you browse through the site for a bit you will find some great offers like these Dell coupons & discounts. You will be amazed at the true power of savings to help you stretch your holiday dollar a bit further.

Posted by: Greg at 03:03 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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So much for the integrity of the Mitchell Report.

One active major league player was able to keep his name out of the former Senator George J. MitchellÂ’s report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, even though Mitchell had evidence that he bought them, Mitchell said in an interview Friday.

The unidentified player offered persuasive evidence that he had disposed of the drugs without using them, Mitchell said one day after releasing a roughly 400-page report critical of baseballÂ’s drug testing program. The report named about 90 players who were linked to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

"Persuasive evidence"? Like what? And did he buy such drugs from others? Did he report those who he bought this set of drugs from? If you are going to name names, then you need to name them all. I'm curious what other little frauds and deceptions George Mitchell included in his report.

Posted by: Greg at 02:58 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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Is your credit poor? Do you need credit but canÂ’t find get a credit card? DonÂ’t despair, you can qualify for one of the credit cards for fair credit. If you have a limited credit history or a score that may need some improvement, online sites can provide the choices for you. It is even possible for you to get low annual fees or no annual fees, low balance transfer fees, cash back or miles, and more.

There are many of the cards feature a 0% introductory APR, and some even offer an instant decision. Take a look at these cards to see the details. And look at the siteÂ’s resources regarding ways to restore, repair, and improve your credit.

Posted by: Greg at 02:56 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Because even though the Democrats have a vested interest in a terrorist victory in Iraq, they don't want to explicitly give further aid and comfort to the enemy right now.

The Democratic-led Congress authorized more Iraq war spending on Friday, sending President Bush a defense bill requiring no change in strategy after failing again to impose a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals.

The defense policy bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, also expanded the size of the U.S. Army and set conditions on the Bush administrationÂ’s plan to build a missile defense system in Europe.

The measure already had passed the House and now goes to Bush, who is expected to sign it into law. It authorizes Pentagon programs expected to cost $506.9 billion during fiscal 2008, which began in October.

Now the next big issue is whether or not the Congress will actually appropriate the money they just authorized. What an absurd system! This means that Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Jon Murtha and the rest of the Surrender At Any Cost Caucus can once again act on behalf of al-Qaeda to ensure the defeat of American forces in Iraq.

Posted by: Greg at 02:48 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Are you interested in a career in nursing? Do you live in the Cincinnati area? The Hondros College School of Nursing may be the right choice for you.

Are you in the Dayton or Columbus areas of Ohio? If so, then Hondros College is looking for staff in your area and may be an option for you as well in the very near future.

Posted by: Greg at 06:45 PM | Comments (80) | Add Comment
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Claiming there is too much unfettered speech by “citizen journalists”, one journalism professor and former MSM reporter insists that the time has come to impose some fetters.

Having just anyone produce widely distributed stories without control can have the reverse effect from what advocates intend. It's just a matter of time before something like a faked Rodney King beating video appears on the air somewhere.

Journalism organizations should head that off. Citizen reports can be a valuable addition to news and information flow with some protections:

• Major news organizations must create standards to substantiate citizen-contributed information and video, and ensure its accuracy and authenticity.

• They should clarify and reinforce their own standards and work through trade organizations to enforce national standards so they have real meaning.

• Journalism schools such as mine at the University of Georgia should create mini-courses to certify citizen journalists in proper ethics and procedures, much as volunteer teachers, paramedics and sheriff's auxiliaries are trained and certified.

And who, may I ask, are YOU to determine how and whether I am permitted to fully and freely exercise freedom of speech and press under the First Amendment of the Constitution. Indeed, what possible penalty would or could you enforce against those of us who metaphorically flip you and your “journalism organizations” the bird when we continue to publish our material online or operate an unregistered Xerox machine? Or do you ultimately wish to establish a system whereby “registered journalists” and “journalism professors” grant nihil obstat and imprimatur to newsletters and blog posts before publication and distribution are permitted? After all, your so-called “professional standards” are nothing less than a call for restrictions – possibly enforced by the jackboot of government authority – upon a liberty that is not only ours by nature, but also which is enshrined in our Constitution. Your column is nothing less than a call for a grant of monopoly status to traditional media and to us the theory of a “living constitution” to make that document’s guarantees of freedom a dead letter.

H/T CaptainÂ’s Quarters, Hot Air, Daily Pundit, Stop the ACLU, The Glittering Eye

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Posted by: Greg at 11:56 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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I’m a public school teacher – and used to be a private school teacher.

I attended public schools – and also attended private schools.

I attended public universities – and one private one.

My cousin home schools her kids – and many of my top students have at least some home schooling background.

What IÂ’m suggesting is that I see the benefits and drawbacks of different sorts of education, and the appropriateness of different types of education for different kids.

But I wonder if the “pro-education” folks in South Carolina would consider me fit to serve on – much less head – the state board of education.

WednesdayÂ’s choice of a home-schooling educator to be the State Board of EducationÂ’s chairwoman in 2009 signals a new dynamic in the stateÂ’s crusade to fix its troubled public schools.

Kristin Maguire, of Clemson, would be the nationÂ’s only home-schooling educator to lead a state school board if she took office this year, according to the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Maguire lobbied intensively for legislation that created a statewide charter school system and has voiced support for Sanford allies who want the Legislature to OK financial incentives for parents who send their children to private schools or educate them at home.

Maguire says political or philosophical differences she might have with others won’t distract her from being an advocate for improving education “for all children.”

Of course, Maguire just infuriates those who support monopolistic public education.

Others see Maguire’s election as a step backward — or at the least, a distraction.

Molly Spearman, a former educator and lawmaker who heads the S.C. Association of School Administrators, said, “It’s time for public school supporters to take the election of legislators and appointments to state boards more seriously. We need people who are going to make sure we have people committed to moving public education forward.”

Spearman, of course, has it exactly wrong. What we need on the state and national level are people who are going to move EDUCATION, not PUBLIC EDUCATION, forward. And part of that involves recognizing and acting on the reality I pointed to above, namely that a traditional public school classroom is not necessarily the best option for every student. That is why I support charter schools. That is why I support private schools (both religious and non-religious). That is why I support home schooling. They each meet the educational needs and desires of a subset of students and their families better than the traditional public school classroom that I teach in. And there is no sound reason – educational, constitutional, or moral – for not providing state funding and assistance to each and every one of those sorts of educational formats. After all, we need to ensure that every child receives the opportunity for a quality education that helps develop the student to the fullest. That is a simple matter of equity, of justice, and of decency.

Not that Spearman was alone in her assessment.

Leaders from the public education establishment were displeased by her election.

Sheila Gallagher, president of the S.C. Education Association, a teachers’ group, called the vote “a missed opportunity.” Gallagher said the DuBard family is well known in the Pee Dee area as public education advocates.

“His children attend public schools, and he knows what is happening there,” Gallagher said.

Business leaders had a mixed reaction.

Jim Reynolds, a Columbia businessman active in business group activities focusing on education, said, “I don’t think it’s going to hit the radar.”
Reynolds said South Carolinians are focused on finding solutions to public education problems and not the debate about funneling state aid to support private schools.

“Those are the things that capture the attention of South Carolina and the nation rather than the selection of the position of chair of the State Board of Education,” Reynolds said.

Lee Bussell of Columbia, the 2007 state Chamber of Commerce businessman of the year, said MaguireÂ’s election is shocking.

“It’s like having a CEO of an airline who has no experience flying,” he said. “I don’t think (home-schoolers) ought to be put in a leadership position in something as important as public education. It is the foundation for everything we need to do to improve our state. The one place we don’t need partisan politics is in our school.”

Some Democrats were quick to criticize MaguireÂ’s selection.

“Having Kristin Maguire chair the State Board of Education is akin to Dick Cheney teaching a gun safety course,” said state Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler.

“What does a woman who home-schools her four children know about South Carolina public schools?”

LetÂ’s notice the condescension in all of those comments. They assume that government-operated schools are the only option. They assume that those who home school are ignorant and know nothing of education generally and public schools in particular. And worst of all, they make a mockery of the notion that citizens who exercise their right to directly oversee the education of their own children should have a voice in the direction of public education, despite the fact that they are taxpayers whose tack money is being spent on public schools they are not using. Such a position is a rejection of the

And I love the juxtaposition of the statements of the Chamber of Commerce representative and the Democrat hack – one declaring that we don’t need politics in our schools, and one explicitly politicizing the selection of Maguire with partisan insults. But then again, the supporters of the status quo in education lack any real answers to the tough questions that get asked about improving education, and they lack any new solutions to the problems that have arisen doing things their way. So instead of engaging their opponents, they actively seek to “kill the messenger” when change agents like Maguire achieve a position that allows them to actually influence education policy. And that is not merely bad policy, it is also a rejection of the basic civic value of public participation in government.

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Posted by: Greg at 11:52 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I canÂ’t help but be struck by a disparity in the numbers in this poll.

After a year of stepped-up enforcement against illegal immigration and polarized debate on the issue, about half of the Hispanics in the United States now fear that they or a relative or close friend could be deported, a report released Thursday by the Pew Hispanic Center found.

About two-thirds of Hispanics said their lives had been made more difficult by the political fight over immigration and the failure of Congress to address the situation of illegal immigrants, the Pew survey found. Roughly half the Hispanics in the poll said the heightened attention to immigration had had a directly negative impact on them, in some cases making it harder for them to find jobs or housing.

Some 41 percent of Hispanics said they or someone close to them had had a personal experience of discrimination in the past five years, an increase of 10 percent since 2002 of HispanicsÂ’ reporting such experiences, the survey found.

Now I have a very sincere concern about these numbers. Take the first one. Roughly half of Hispanics “fear that they or a relative or close friend could be deported.” What does that number tell us? Well, the Hispanic population of this country is roughly 47 million people. Estimates of the illegal immigrant population range from 12-20 million (Pew skews those numbers lower). The latter are, of course, subject to deportation. And since that population is 25-40% of the total Hispanic population, I’m rather shocked that the percentage of those who “fear that they or a relative or close friend could be deported” isn’t significantly higher than 50%. Indeed, if the US government were really doing its job on border enforcement and immigration control the number ought to be closer to 75% when you throw in the “or a relative or close friend” aspect of the question. I suspect that is why the numbers saying that “their lives had been made more difficult” and “a direct negative impact on them” were as high as they were.

Let’s consider a different number – the 41% of Hispanics who said they or someone close to them had had a personal experience of discrimination.” I’m curious how that number really breaks down in terms of the nature of that “personal experience of discrimination.” To what degree are we talking about employment or housing discrimination, discrimination in public accommodations or some other form of illegal discrimination? To what degree are we talking about so-called “hate crimes”? And last, but not least, how much of that “discrimination” took the form of perceived social slights or failures in cross-cultural communication? For that matter, how much of the “discrimination” was the result of someone facing the consequences of being in this country illegally and either not being able to get a job, losing a job, or being deported because of immigration status? Again, the number raises more questions than it answers.

And I make that last point because of one final number reported upon here.

Despite their concerns about the current atmosphere, about 71 percent of Hispanics surveyed described the overall quality of their lives as good or excellent. More than three-quarters said they were confident that their children would grow up to have better-paying jobs than theirs.

Oh, really? For all the gripes and concerns, it sounds like Hispanics in this country still feel that life is pretty good here, and the future is pretty rosy. That certainly stands in sharp contrast to the horrendous picture painted by the first 17 paragraphs of this 19 paragraph article. Somehow, though, that is not particularly newsworthy, and got buried at the end of the story.

Oh, and since I took a look at the actual Pew Hispanic Center release on the poll, there is another detail that did not get reported at all.

In addition to this wide variance in views between Hispanics and non-Hispanics, the survey finds less pronounced--but still significant--gaps within the Hispanic community on a range of matters, from perceptions about discrimination to attitudes about illegal immigration to support for tougher enforcement measures. For example, on questions about enforcement policies, native-born Hispanics take positions that are closer to those of the rest of the U.S. population than do foreign-born Hispanics. Also, the native born are less likely than the foreign born to report a negative personal impact from the heightened attention to immigration issues.

Likewise, Hispanics who are not citizens feel much more vulnerable in the current environment than do Hispanics who are citizens. They are about twice as likely as Hispanic citizens to worry about deportation and to feel a specific negative personal impact from the heightened attention to illegal immigration. (Non-citizens account for 44% of the total adult Hispanic population. Of these non-citizen Latino adults, an estimated 55% are undocumented immigrants and the other 45% are legal aliens).

In other words, there is not a giant “Hispanic” monolith. Attitudes vary depending on place of birth, citizenship, immigration status and (one would presume) ancestry. And while there are commonalities, you discover that those with the biggest problems are, as one would guess, those who are in this country illegally, unable to speak the language. Imagine that!

Personally, I welcome any legal immigrant -- especially those who wish to come to this country and become a part of it. Such individuals our lives and our culture. But those who can't follow our laws are another matter -- and my concern for their sense of being picked upon is minimal.

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Posted by: Greg at 11:51 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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You folks know that I support the death penalty – indeed, my major criticisms are that it is not imposed fast enough or frequently enough. But upon reading of New Jersey’s decision to do away with the death penalty, my response is one of support.

New Jersey lawmakers have voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, sending the governor a bill he has already said he will sign. The measure will make New Jersey the first state in more than 40 years to outlaw capital punishment.

New Jersey lawmakers have voted to abolish the death penalty in the state, sending the governor a bill he has already said he will sign. The measure will make New Jersey the first state in more than 40 years to outlaw capital punishment.

Let me be clear, however, that I don’t agree with the decision – and especially not like this paid lobbyist for stone-cold killers.

"This vote marks a new chapter in our nation's 30-year experiment with capital punishment," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes executions.

"New Jersey lawmakers are demonstrating sound judgment in abandoning capital punishment after learning of its costs, the pain it causes victims' families, and the risks the death penalty poses to innocent lives."

Actually, my experience is that VICTIMSÂ’ families are generally pretty supportive of the death penalty. On the other hand, KILLERSÂ’ families are generally opposed to just retribution against their kin. But Dieter seems to believe that the KILLERS are the real VICTIMS in death penalty cases, so it is understandable that he would make such a mistake.

Why, then, do I take such a laid-back position regarding the decision of New Jersey to end the death penalty? Because I believe in states rights under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution. If the people of New Jersey want to end the death penalty, that is their right – and precisely the way our federal system is supposed to work. That decision in no way impacts me or my state – until and unless SCOTUS does its “evolving standards” dance and attempts to impose New Jersey’s will on the rest of the country. In that case, however, the appropriate course of action would be impeachment of every member of the majority.

No, it will be quite interesting to watch what happens in coming months and years in New Jersey. What will happen to its murder rate? Will it rise or fall? I have my suspicions.

Michelle Malkin offers a different perspective.

Posted by: Greg at 11:44 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I guess I live in a really sheltered world. I really wasn't aware of phone chat services like this one that offers free chat services on their chat lines. Of course, there is a membership fee involved if you want to use the free local phone number for this service, so you will probably be calling a long distance number for that "free chat". Still, with unlimited nights and weekend minutes on cell phone plans and unlimited long distance plans on land lines, i suppose you can use such a service for free. Personally, though, I'm more concerned about screening out kids my students' age (the site says it is for adults only) and protecting users from the unscrupulous and the predatory.

Posted by: Greg at 11:32 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I don't know about you, but complaints like these from Arizona really don't move me at all.

Advocates for immigrants contend that, at a minimum, hundreds of people unauthorized to work have left the state or been fired. Some school districts have at least partly attributed enrollment drops to the law. Though the housing slump and seasonal economic factors make it difficult to pin down how much is attributable to the new law, illegal workers say employers are checking papers and are less inclined to hire them.

“They started asking everybody for papers one day, and those like me that didn’t have them were fired,” said Luis Baltazar, a Mexican immigrant who worked for a paving company until a few weeks ago and was soliciting work at a day labor hiring hall here.

Another immigrant, Jose Segovia, said work had plummeted in the past few weeks, more so than in the four previous Decembers he spent in Phoenix. “Some of my friends went back to Mexico,” Mr. Segovia said, “and I am thinking of going, too, if it doesn’t get better here.”

That is, of course, exactly what is supposed to happen. You know, when the rule of law is reasserted in the sphere, the outlaws are faced with a less hospitable climate. For such folks to complain that they lost their illegally-obtained and held jobs because employers were required to begin following the law is rather appalling. What next -- demands from burglars that laws permitting alarms and security systems be repealed because they interfere with the ability of an honest felon to make by stealing?

Posted by: Greg at 11:26 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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My wife and I would love to get away for the holiday season – you know, to someplace that has seasons and, most importantly, snow. That could mean a trip to the Great White North – Canada! There are plenty of great deals out there for flights to Canada if you look for them.

That is where DialAFlight comes into play, if you are living in the UK and need a UK Travel Agent. Not only do they offer you cheap prices on great flights, but you can also save even more by booking flights and hotels together. Whether you want great deals on flights to Australia, flights to India or flights to Canada, DialAFlight.com can get you there at a great price. DialAFlight.com lets you find flights, hotels, spa holidays or car hire when and where you want it.

Posted by: Greg at 11:25 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Brits beg to differ -- and note they are extending their reach.

Investigators examining the bungled terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow six months ago believe the plotters had a link to Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, which would make the attacks the first that the group has been involved in outside of the Middle East, according to senior officials from three countries who have been briefed on the inquiry.

The evidence pointing to the involvement of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia includes phone numbers of members of the Iraqi group found on the plottersÂ’ cellphones recovered in Britain, a senior American intelligence official said.

Now i realize that the Left in this country considers these terrorists to be the equivalent of our founding fathers. It might, however, come as a shock to such idiots that George Washington never targeted enemy civilians. And while folks like John Paul Jones did harry British shipping within sight of the British Isles, such efforts were conducted within the rules of warfare commonly accepted during that era -- and would generally be deemed acceptable under today's more legalistic system.

Maybe we need a couple of bombings in this country to wake the Left up to the fact that we are at war for the survival of civilization, not for the partisan advantage of the Democrats.

Posted by: Greg at 11:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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PureSafety.com is a great website related to industrial safety needs. It offers over 450 web-based safety training courses, including Driver Safety, Environmental Resources, Emergency Preparedness, Construction, and many more.

They have the online training tools that can help to protect your company's employees. And let’s be honest – nothing is more important than the safety of your employees. These courses are both interesting and interactive, and have been shown to help increase safety awareness, prevent injuries, and save lives.

PureSafety.com has an online construction safety course that can be accessed by your employees anywhere – from the office, the job site, or even home!

Posted by: Greg at 11:15 PM | Comments (30) | Add Comment
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Roger Clemens. Andy Petite.

Seeing those two names in the report crushed a lot of spirits here in their home town -- especially after the exciting seasons we had with the two men playing here. But of greater concern to many of us is the presence of Miguel Tejada, who the Houston Astros acquired just Wednesday.

A 21-month investigation into use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball concluded Thursday a culture of secrecy and permissiveness gave rise to a "steroids era" in the game that included some of its biggest names, most prominent among them superstar pitcher Roger Clemens.

The report criticized team officials across the league who did little to police their own clubhouses and high-ranking officials in management and the players' union which, the report said, had little motivation to interfere with the surging popularity and economic growth experienced by the game over the last decade. It spread blame for the rise of the use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone in baseball among the players, team officials, the union and Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig.

"Everyone involved in baseball over the past two decades -- commissioners, club officials, the players association, and players -- shares to some extent in the responsibility for the steroids era," the report said. "There was a collective failure to recognize the problem as it emerged and to deal with it early on. As a result, an environment developed in which illegal use became widespread."

Among the most prominent current and former players fingered in the report were Barry Bonds, Miguel Tejada, Gary Sheffield, Andy Pettitte, Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire.

"Players who used [performance-enhancing] substances were wrong," the report said. "They violated federal law and baseball policy, and they distorted the fairness of competition by trying to gain an unfair advantage."

The problem, of course, is that none of these players really has the ability to fight the charges made in the Mitchell report. There won't be any day in court, nor will there be any sort of due process for those accused. That troubles me -- especially given the intimate involvement of federal prosecutors in the investigation that culminated in this report. Indeed, it appears that only Barry Bonds will ever get a chance to present a legal defense to charges related to steroid use.

Regardless, though, I still hope that the game can be redeemed by this report, and the response to it.

Posted by: Greg at 11:12 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of the realities of the current credit crunch is that some folks are going to see their credit rankings tank. They will need to act responsibly to repair and reestablish that credit rating. As such, they may find themselves turning to bad credit loans and other offers designed to help them build a new, more appealing credit rating. If you are one of these folks, visit BadCreditOffers.com for details.

Posted by: Greg at 06:36 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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On October 2, 2007, the House passed a resolution by a vote of 376-0. In it, the House of Representatives

"recognize[d] the Islamic faith as one of the great religions of the world" and "acknowledge[d] the onset of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal, and convey[ed] its respect to Muslims," as well as commending those who reject hatred.

On October 29, 2007, the House passed a resolution by a vote of 358-0. In this resolution, the House of Representatives

"in order to demonstrate support for Indian Americans and the Indian Diaspora throughout the world, recognize[d] Diwali as an important festival."

And on December 11, 2007 the House passed a resolution by a vote of 372-9. In it, the House of Representatives

recognize[d] "the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world" and acknowledge[d] "the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith."

Are you as scandalized as I am by those nine votes against Christmas by members of the United States House of Representatives -- each of whom had voted in favor of at least one of those two previous resolutions? Why do these nine individuals disrespect Christmas and Christianity? Why do they refuse to give equal treatment to the faith of the overwhelming majority of Americans even as they profess their respect for the religion of America's Islamist enemies at a time when terrorists are killing innocents around the world in the name of that religion?

The nine Members voting NO were Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) (FL), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). Let's take action to make it clear that the Christian majority of this country demands at least the same amount of respect that they are willing to give the non-Christian minority. And let's hang this one around the collective neck of the Democrat Party.

And while some are outraged that there were individuals who simply voted "Present", I'm not. There are principled reasons for doing so, and many more (I believe of both parties) voted present on the prior two resolutions. But to vote against a resolution honoring Christianity that was nearly identical to one honoring Islam or Hinduism is a sign of hatred and bigotry, not of sign of a principled support of the non-constitutional principle of separation of church and state.

H/T Stop The ACLU, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Jo's Cafe, Rosemary's Thoughts, Right Truth, Church and State, Ace of Spades HQ, Slapstick Politics, The Steel Deal

Posted by: Greg at 11:44 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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