I think I may have found the single most asinine complaint about John McCain by a media source -- he is actively raising money for his presidential campaign by appearing at fundraisers.

So what's to made of McCain's oh-so familiar routine?

Yes, good point, he does seem to be hop-scotching all over. His campaign days sure don't start at dawn with morning shows. And there are the ubiquitous media interviews, as always.

They're free, after all. And while he can speak to 200 potential voters at a townhall, he can more efficiently reach hundreds of thousands through film of that session and media interviews afterwards with slightly-starry-eyed local reporters, some of whom will secretively ask for autographs despite their outward objectivity.

Give you a hint. Follow the money.

Just 3 1/2 months out from the presidential election, McCain's national campaign schedule is being driven by the quest for money, not by the hunt for votes in 50 individual state elections. Allright, every campaign says it's gonna compete everywhere. But they don't.

He's always looking for votes wherever he goes. But whereever he goes is determined not by votes but by where his finance folks have found enough donateable money to set up fundraisers.

For McCain for now his itinerary is built on the quest for dollar$ not votes. That helps explain the widespread sense of unease among many Republicans nationally who do not deny he's working very hard.

Good heavens -- he's running against a flip-flopping clown who backed out of his commitment to publicly fund his campaign. You bet he needs to raise money! That should not be any sort of surprise to anyone.

Oh, yeah -- let's not forget the other great scandal this piece discloses. John McCain does interviews with local television reporters -- to make sure there is film at 11.

I'm convinced -- the LA Times' Andrew Malcolm is an absolute ninny. If he is an example of what passes for quality at the paper, it is no wonder that it is on the brink of collapse.

Posted by: Greg at 04:31 AM | Comments (16) | Add Comment
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And with how many bombs?

Proving once again that Barack Obama is out of contact with reality, he limits the attack on Pearl Harbor to a single bomb, and can't even bring himself to acknowledge that the US Fleet was the subject of an unprovoked attack by Japan.

Throughout our history, America's confronted constantly evolving danger, from the oppression of an empire, to the lawlessness of the frontier, from the bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor, to the threat of nuclear annihilation. Americans have adapted to the threats posed by an ever-changing world.

And this from a guy born and raised in Hawaii. The ignorance of history is astounding!

And the text of the speech would have that bomb appearing out of nowhere, and doing its dirty work of its own accord.

And this guy wants to be President?

H/T Dean Barnett, Hot Air

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Well, I guess we now understand why the high priests of the Church of Global Warming proposed the imprisonment of those heretics who reject their dogma -- because many of the experts in the field of climate studies don't support the theory! There's no better way to stop dissent than to jail the dissenters.

Well now the cat is out of the bag.

The American Physical Society, an organization representing nearly 50,000 physicists, has reversed its stance on climate change and is now proclaiming that many of its members disbelieve in human-induced global warming.  The APS is also sponsoring public debate on the validity of global warming science.  The leadership of the society had previously called the evidence for global warming "incontrovertible."

In a posting to the APS forum, editor Jeffrey Marque explains,"There is a considerable presence within the scientific community of people who do not agree with the IPCC conclusion that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are very probably likely to be primarily responsible for global warming that has occurred since the Industrial Revolution."

The APS is opening its debate with the publication of a paper by Lord Monckton of Brenchley, which concludes that climate sensitivity -- the rate of temperature change a given amount of greenhouse gas will cause -- has been grossly overstated by IPCC modeling.   A low sensitivity implies additional atmospheric CO2 will have little effect on global climate.

Larry Gould, Professor of Physics at the University of Hartford and Chairman of the New England Section of the APS, called Monckton's paper an "expose of the IPCC that details numerous exaggerations and "extensive errors"

So you see, there is considerable disagreement among those who study the issue -- including over the validity of the models put forward by the followers of the Wamingist cult to support their religious beliefs that man is destroying the planet. And now that the Warmingists have tried to claim consensus, those who have a more rational view are beginning to publish materials that disprove the alleged scientific basis of the false dogma around which Warmingists have claimed consensus.

Carbon Sasquatch Al Gore was too busy selling carbon indulgences to comment.

Posted by: Greg at 12:08 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Are you interested in flying by private jet without all of the expenses involved in full ownership your own plane? Are you seeking to avoid all of the hassle and expense associated with sharing a plane with other people or companies and the expenses that accrue even if you don’t use the plane that often? Or are you looking to have a plane always at your disposal – maybe even acquiring one yourself if that best fits your needs? If so, you need to check out Legendary Jets!

Now please realize that Legendary Jets offers a variety of programs for you to consider. There is, of course, the Platinum program with turnkey management program that lets Legendary Jets run the aircraft for you, letting you focus on your business while they deal with your aircraft and supplying a crew. The Gold program gets you into private jet fractional ownership, and includes not just the nuts-and-bolts operation of the jet but also the scheduling issues. And even the Silver program offers you the GO Jet Card, which gives you priority in booking charter flights on a jet that is operated by Legendary Jet, which gives you many of the advantages of having your own jet without any of the hassles. Regardless of your needs, you get the luxury of a private jet at a fraction of the costs that would be ordinarily incurred operating your own aircraft.

Posted by: Greg at 12:35 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Are you in the market for a pellet rifle, air rifle, air pistol, or BB gun? Then AirGunDepot.com is the best place for you to begin your search. They offer top quality air guns that are perfect for target practice, plinking, hunting and games. And not only that, they are constantly adding new stock to their online store, so you need to drop by often to see what the latest additions are.

Are paintball guns more to your liking? If so, then you are still need to visit them, because you can purchase your paintball gun and assorted protective gear, at AirGunDepot.com. There are many types of paintball guns, such as the paintball sniper gun, paintball bb gun and paintball machine gun for use in games – and AirGunDepot.com stocks them all. How’s that for a way of doing away with the rental charges that you pay? The equipment will pay for itself in no time!

Of course, I like airsoft guns myself, since they help you avoid some of the mess that goes along with the paintball guns. Besides, there are more places that you can use them. You can find some great ones at AirGunDepot.com – they have good selections of all the name brands I’m familiar with.

But whatever your choice, you definitely need to check them out.

Posted by: Greg at 12:03 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Again proving that the real racial problem in this country stems from African-Americans who want to keep grievances alive rather than white racism.

After all, when you slap down someone for saying it is NEVER acceptable for anyone of any race to use a certain historically sensitive racial slur by dismissing them as "very white", it is really clear that you are the anti-MLK.

What a crock! But then again, Whoppi is phenomenally ignorant on a wide range of subjects.

Hey, Whoopi -- here's a big box of something for you courtesy of Mr. Chris Rock.

Posted by: Greg at 02:46 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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When you and the institution you lead have only a 9% approval rating, where do you get off making a statement like this?

"God bless him, bless his heart, president of the United States -- a total failure, losing all credibility with the American people on the economy, on the war, on energy, you name the subject."

After all, with a 33% approval rating, President George W. Bush is standing head and shoulders above Congress in terms of his credibility with the American people.

And let's consider some things:

1. We've won in Iraq -- a war you and your party said was lost.
   
2. Bush's repeal of Executive Branch drilling restrictions resulted in a huge drop in oil prices -- you call drilling a hoax.
   
3. Oh, yeah -- that resulted in an increase in stock prices, while you still refuse to allow a vote on offshore drilling.

So, Ma-DUMB Speaker, I wouldn't go raising the credibility issue. That would be even uglier for you than your last face-lift and botox treatment.

H/T Colossus of Rhodey

Posted by: Greg at 01:48 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Well, this time it is the official campaign apparatus of the Senate Democrats engaging in ILLEGAL COORDINATED EXPENDITURES with the Senate campaign of Ronnie Musgrove (Corrupt Democrat -- Mississippi).

On Tuesday the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Ronnie Musgrove began running a television ad that overtly violates campaign finance laws. Now is time for them to explain their actions.

The Federal Elections Commission (FEC) requires coordination between a campaign and a National Committee like the DSCC not to exceed $180,800. The DSCC ad on behalf of Ronnie Musgrove is valued at an estimated $240,214 (not counting production costs, view coordinated expenditures.) This ad combined with previous coordinated expenditures with the DSCC ($55,133 in first quarter) surpasses the legal limits by $114,547.

The ad featuring Ronnie Musgrove was filmed on Wednesday, July 9, at the Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) and on the Canton square, according to MCEDA officials.

This isn't the first such illegal coordinated expenditure by the DSCC -- and even liberal folks like those at Talking Points Memo aren't buying the Democrat spinning of the expenditures. My favorite line from the story of the Oregon violation is this line from the Democrat Senate candidate's spokesperson -- "This isn't a coordinated expenditure, it's an expenditure that's coordinated."

Your Democrats at work -- engaging in corruption so you don't have to.

H/T Next Right

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Since my father rounded out his military career with back-to-back duty stations in the Chicago area, I became a Cubs fan during my teen years and have remained one into my adult life. That is something of a difficult thing for my father, a life-long fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, to accept. But that doesn't mean we didn't share a few wonderful afternoons enjoying games at Wrigley Field -- it just meant wearing different colored hats and one of us always going home unhappy.

But one of the neat things about the Cubs experience is that Wrigley Field is located right in the heart of a neighborhood, and is surrounded by residential buildings with rooftops that look right down into the stadium. Some of the neighbors have turned the roof into wonderful locations for folks to come and see the game -- sort of the original skybox. It is called the Wrigley Field Rooftop Club and is a great place to watch a game and more.

Now think about the possibilities here. The next time your company or group wants to have a festive event, rent out the Wrigley Field Rooftop Club for the afternoon or evening. Great food, great drink, and great baseball -- featuring the currently first-place Chicago Cubs! So check out the possibility of getting yourself a Wrigley roof top and take everyone out to the ball game!

Posted by: Greg at 02:02 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Putting every gay marriage in a sort of legal limbo when it passes.

The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for Californians to vote in November on whether to ban same-sex marriages in the state.

The court on Wednesday denied a petition to remove the initiative from the state's general election ballots. The unanimous decision was handed down without elaboration.

Hundreds of marriage licenses have been issued to same-sex couples since mid-June, a month after the court overturned the state's laws against such unions.

However, on June 2, opponents of same-sex marriage filed for a ballot initiative that would ban such marriages in the state's constitution. Such a ban would overturn the court's May ruling.

Interestingly enough, by making it state policy that such marriages are not recognized by the state of California (which is arguably already the law in the state -- California voters passed precisely such a measure several years ago, though the will of the people was ignored by the California Supreme Court in its ruling this spring), the status of marriage entered between June 17 and the passage of this measure is quite tenuous. After all, the effect of the law may well be to derecognize same-sex California marriages entered into during that time, as well as prevent future ones.

Expect some fum litigation to come out of this if it passes.

Posted by: Greg at 12:29 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Have you got a special car that needs special treatment? You know, one of those collector beauties that needs to be treated with kid gloves to maintain it in the condition that you want it in? Well, then there is a place for you in the state of Arizona that is just right for you -- The Stables, located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

This Arizona auto storage is something special. They have a state of the art facility for storing that car you love but don't drive every day. They also have the ability to make sure that it receives the maintenance that it needs to run just right. They will keep track of your car, detail it, service it -- the things that you may not have the time, space, or skills to do yourself. And you know, you don't want just anyone working on that Porsche or your classic Corvette. You want only the best for your baby.

There are actually two options available through The Stables -- the on-site program that I mentioned, and one that brings them to you to provide the same services. The choice is yours, of course -- though space at their facility is limited, so it may not be for long!

And if you aren't in Scottsdale? Don't worry -- the folks at The Stables have it in mind to branch out to other locations. Maybe you ought to let them know where you want them to set up shop in the future!

Posted by: Greg at 12:20 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The governor of Illinois is talking about deploying troops in the streets of an American city to deal with rising violent crime.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday raised the possibility of bringing in state troopers or even the Illinois National Guard to help Chicago combat a recent increase in violent crime -- an offer that Mayor Richard Daley didn't know was coming.

Appearing at signing ceremony for a bill that toughens the penalty for adults who provide guns to minors, Blagojevich said "violent crime in the city of Chicago is out of control."

"I'm offering resources of the state to the city to work in a constructive way with Mayor Daley to do everything we can possibly do to help ... stop this violence," said the governor.

Blagojevich said Daley had not asked for help and he had not talked to the mayor about offering it, adding he would call Daley after he met later in the day with the state police, National Guard and others.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to submit to you that the city of Chicago is not worth the life of a single member of the US military -- active duty, reserve, or National Guard. Chicago did not attack us on 9/11, and those who flew the planes that day were not Chicagoans. Al-Qaeda is not in Chicago, and deploying troops in a location where it is clear that there exists a state of civil war is foolish and not in the best interests of the United States or the state of Illinois.

I therefore think it is imperative that we find out immediately -- what is Barack Obama's exit strategy from Chicago? What is his timetable for withdrawal of US forces? I realize that such a withdrawal may result in increased violence and perhaps genocide -- but abandoning the city to its own devices is the only proper course of action.

NO WAR FOR DEEP-DISH PIZZA!

Posted by: Greg at 12:13 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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You know, medical technology is amazing. The things we can do today to improve people’s lives and health is incredible. Some of them are major advances in health, while others make life more convenient and pleasant – things such as Lasik. I’m old enough to remember when contact lenses were the big convenience for improving eyesight – now it is possible to have a Lasik procedure and make one’s eyesight normal, without any sort of corrective lens at all!

Now I’ll be honest – the thought of having someone cut my eye does make me a bit squeamish – but the Lasik procedure has been around long enough now that we know it is fast, safe, and effective. What’s more, it improves the quality of life by giving folks normal eyesight without the hassle of glasses or contacts. I’ll admit – at times that seems like an attractive option to me, given my own thirty-five year love/hate relationship with glasses and contact lenses to correct my own vision. Indeed, I’m told that Lasik is quick, convenient, and relatively pain-free – so what’s to lose?

Are you interested in Lasik? Do you want to learn more? Well, then you should seek out LASIK information to determine if the procedure is right for you and you are right for Lasik? Then, after you’ve informed yourself, step off into a bright future that you can clearly see – without corrective lenses.

Posted by: Greg at 11:43 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I spent a good chunk of my childhood in Northern Virginia, where architectural touches imitating classic colonial styles were very popular. Among other things, that meant that most of the houses had shutters -- not necessarily functional shutters, but more as an architectural touch.

Anyway, while browsing though some home decorating and remodeling sites, I came across a site with some of the most wonderful exterior shutters I've seen in a while. LarsonShutter.com offers a wide variety of shutters and associated hardware for your home at an incredibly reasonable price. They carry both wooden and vinyl shutters, in a variety of styles to fit any taste. So if you are int he market for shutters for your home, you would do well to check them out.

Posted by: Greg at 02:18 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I hear you don't like the way we deal with murderers down here in Texas -- giving them the justice they deserve, especially when they rape little girls. I've got a message for you.

The World Court ordered the United States on Wednesday to do all it could to halt the imminent executions of five Mexicans until the court makes a final judgment in a dispute over suspects' rights.

The row, which has strained relations between the neighbors, centers on the fact that the United States failed to inform 51 of its citizens sentenced to die in U.S. jails of their right to consular assistance.

One of the five Mexicans on death row, Jose Medellin, is due to die on August 5 in Texas.

My personal solution? Daisy-chain the other four Mexican murderers (César Roberto Fierro Reyna, Rubén Ramírez Cárdenas, Humberto Leal García, and Roberto Moreno Ramos) to José Ernesto Medellín Rojas on August 5 and make the entire matter moot. And should the World Court decide to send the World Police to take Texas officials to the World Jail, we'll show them all what Texas justice looks like.

Oh, and to the government of Mexico that is struggling to keep these despicable pieces of garbage alive, I repeat my earlier message.

But then again, that's my attitude towards Mexico in regards to most everything.

Posted by: Greg at 11:26 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Gee -- I guess that Bill O'Reilly was right. The castration fantasy indulged in by Jesse Jackson wasn't the worst thing to come out of his mouth that afternoon.

Barack...he's talking down to black people...telling n—s how to behave.

Frankly, I'm offended that Fox News protected Jesse that way -- after all, he crusaded against use of that word by Michael Richards at a comedy club, and wanted to destroy his career for it, and demanded that NO ONE use the word. Indeed, he defined blacks who use it as "self-hating".

Frankly, I think the use of that particular word is even more serious than the whole emasculation fantasy.

UPDATE: Hot Air cites Bill O'Reilly as calling those who leaked/reported this story to be "weasels". I'm curious -- why has the grand poobah of the "No Spin Zone" been covering for this expletive-spewing, poverty-pimping race-ho?

H/T Malkin, AOSHQ, Gateway Pundit, STACLU (thanks for the link), Sister Toldjah

Posted by: Greg at 12:03 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Especially since I teach high school, I find the notion of an adult wanting to have sex with a teenager to be repulsive. And I certainly don't understand the idea of luring victims via the internet -- both because it is disgusting AND because it is well, known that the cops troll chat rooms looking for pedophiles.

But to show up for your rendezvous wearing this particular item is even sicker.

33-year-old Michigan man is accused of wearing a "World's Greatest Dad" shirt to a meeting for sex with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Daniel Allen Everett of Clarkston was arraigned Tuesday in Novi on charges of child sexual abuse and using the Internet to attempt child sexual abuse.

Here's hoping that this sick puppy spends many years in jail -- where Everett will no doubt spend much of his time answering his cellmate when he asks the question "Who's your daddy?"

Posted by: Greg at 06:55 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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You know, I almost hesitate to raise this one, because I actually am somewhat sympathetic to the Democrat in question. But since one of our local Democrats (with his own history of ethical lapses) seemingly wants every technical violation in a campaign expenditure report to result in life in prison if committed by a Republican, I figure this much more serious offense is fair game.

A complaint against U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, has been filed with the House Committee on Conduct of Official Standards by Friends of the Border Patrol after Reyes' office asked a federal law enforcement agency for help in the kidnapping of a relative in Juárez.

"Reyes, former chief Border Patrol agent, knows that this type of request is frowned upon by the U.S. Border Patrol," said Andy Ramirez, chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol, who submitted the complaint Monday.

The complaint alleges Reyes violated the House Code of Official Conduct because his office was used to benefit a relative.

Rather than deny the charge, the corrupt El Paso Democrat instead chose to attack those who filed the complaint against him as "anti-immigrant" and implicitly bigoted against Hispanics -- even though the complaint is supported a complaint by the former head of the DEA in El Paso and current president of the Federal Hispanic Law Enforcement Officers Association, Sandalio Gonzalez, who notes that Reyes does not seek similar federal law enforcement assistance for constituents whose Mexican relatives have been kidnapped in Mexico.

In other words, Reyes demanded for himself and his family what he would never seek for anyone else, using his official position to get special treatment.

Anyone want to bet this is ignored by the Democrat blogger mentioned above?

There you have it -- your Democrat elected officials in action!

Posted by: Greg at 05:51 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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What have they done? The same thing as always -- put out textbooks that peddle hatred. Oh, and by the way, they are used in at least one school operating under the auspices of the Saudi embassy almost within the shadow of the US Capitol itself!

What is included in these books?

They assert that unbelievers, such as Christians, Jews, and Muslims who do not share Wahhabi beliefs and practices, are hated "enemies." Global jihad as an "effort to wage war against the unbelievers" is also promoted in the Ministry's textbooks: "In its general usage, 'jihad' is divided into the following categories: ...Wrestling with the infidels by calling them to the faith and battling against them." No argument is made here that such references to jihad mean only spiritual and defensive struggles.

Lessons remain that Jews and Christians are apes and swine, Jews conspire to "gain sole control over the world," the Christian Crusades never ended, the American universities of Cairo and Beirut are part of the continuing Crusades, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion are historical fact, and on Judgment Day "the rocks or the trees" will call out to Muslims to kill the Jews.

They teach that it is permissible for a Muslim to kill an "apostate," an "adulterer," and those practicing "major polytheism." Shiites are among those identified as "polytheists." One lesson states that "it is not permissible to violate the blood, property, or honor of the unbeliever who makes a compact with the Muslims," but is pointedly silent on whether security guarantees are extended to non-Muslims without such a compact. Other lessons demonize members of the Baha'i and Ahmadiyya groups.

A lesson from a tenth grade text now posted on the Saudi Ministry's website sanctions the killing of homosexuals and discusses methods for doing so.
In the lessons examined in this report, the Saudi government discounts or ignores passages in the Qur'an to support tolerance.

Yeah, that's right -- "queer killing" is a part of the official curriculum of Saudi schools, including the one operating in Fairfax County, Virginia! And the Saudis must be proud of that fact, since they highlight that lesson on their Education Ministry's official website.

Now just imagine the howls or outrage if there were a Christian school operating with a curriculum even half that outrageous. The school would quickly lose its accreditation, the relevant state and local governments would step in to close the place down, and the children would be taken into state custody because of their parents' educational neglect. But nothing even close to that has happened with regards to The Islamic Saudi Academy. While there have been requests for a State Department investigation, those have come only after those who questioned the schools operation have been accused of slander and labeled as bigots and hatemongers by those requesting the investigation -- even as the school's director is arrested for covering up the abuse of a student!

And remember -- this school provides the same fine education received in, and is subsidized by, our friends in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!

UPDATE: Debbie Schlussel notes this bit of information from Radar magazine -- some of the official parts of the Saudi curriculum.

What follows are excerpts from textbooks used by Saudi children during the 2007-2008 school year, which really illustrate the House of Saud's devotion to tolerance, peace, and interfaith understanding. It'll also help explain why a Saudi conference is being held in Spain.

1st Grade
"Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words—(Islam, hellfire)
'Every religion other than ____ is false. Whoever dies outside of Islam enters ____.'"

5th Grade
"A Muslim is forbidden to love and aid the unbelieving enemies of God...."

"Which of the following should you love in God, and which of them should you hate in God?
Example: One of your relatives who does not pray, does not fast, and does not worship God.
Answer: I hate him in God."

"Just as Muslims were successful in the past when they came together in a sincere effort to evict the Christian crusaders from Palestine, so will Muslims and Arabs emerge victorious, God willing, against the Jews and their allies if they stand together and fight a true jihad for God...."

8th Grade
"Lesson Goals: 1) The student notes some of the Jews condemnable qualities...."

"God told his Prophet, Mohammed, about the Jews, who learned from part of God's book that God alone is worthy of worship. Despite this, they espouse falsehood through idol worship, soothsaying and sorcery. In doing so, they obey the devil..."

"God told his Prophet Mohammed: say to those who cast aspersions on your religion: has anyone told you who will receive the harshest punishment from God on the Day of Resurrection? They are the Jews, whom God has cursed and with whom he is so angry that he will never again be satisfied. Some of the people of the Sabbath were punished by being turned into apes and swine. Some of them were made to worship the devil..."

"God punished the Jews in several ways for their unbelief and error. Explain the ways...."

9th Grade
"The prophet said, 'The hour [of judgment] will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them, until the Jew hides behind rocks and trees, until the rocks or the trees say, 'O Muslim! O servant of God! There is a Jew behind me. Come and kill him'...."

"(1) It is part of God's wisdom that the struggle between the Muslims and the Jews should continue until the hour of judgment. (2) The good news for Muslims is that God will help them against the Jews in the end, which is one of the signs of the hour of judgment...."

10th Grade
"Basic Elements of Zionist Faith:
The Jews are God's chosen people and the souls of the tribe of Israel are a part of God. Other souls are Satanic souls that are like the souls of animals.
The world belongs to the Israeli. It is his right to rule and he has sovereignty over the world in his capacity as God's chosen people above all humankind...."

"How the Zionists Achieve their Goals:
Sedition, ruses, and conspiracy theories throughout history.... The First World War: the Jews played a role in starting it....
Attempting to inundate peoples with vice and rampant prostitution.... They manage bars in Europe and America, as well as in Israel itself.
Gaining control over literature and the arts; spreading degenerate pornographic literature, and encouraging perverted trends in literature, thought and art.
Gaining control over the film industry in the Western world and elsewhere.
Fraud, bribery, theft, and swindles."

"Homosexuality is one of the most disgusting sins and greatest crimes.... It is a vile perversion that goes against sound nature, and is one of the most corrupting and hideous sins.... The punishment for homosexuality is death. Both the active and passive participants are to be killed whether or not they have previously had sexual intercourse in the context of a legal marriage.... Some of the companions of the Prophet stated that [the perpetrator] is to be burned with fire. It has also been said that he should be stoned, or thrown from a high place."

11th Grade
"The Prophet said, 'Do not greet Jews and Christians with the words 'Peace be upon you.' If you come upon one of them on the road, force him to the narrower part.'"

Taught in Saudi Arabia -- and, courtesy of the Saudi Embassy, in America. Not to mention around the world.

OPEN TRACKBACKING AT The Virtuous Republic, Perri Nelson's Website, Right Truth, DragonLady's World, Shadowscope, Leaning Straight Up, Cao's Blog, , Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, Allie is Wired, Faultline USA, third world county, McCain Blogs, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, Pirate's Cove, The Pink Flamingo, , Dumb Ox Daily News, , Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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We lost a young member of our church only a few weeks back – one of the best guys you would ever want to meet, and a guy who really led a healthy lifestyle. Still, a terminal illness came out of nowhere and took his life in a matter of weeks. And in all honesty, there is probably nothing that can be done to avoid such things.

That said, most of us wonÂ’t go that way, and can take steps to improve our health and prolong our lives/ We can try all sorts of methods to do this -- eating a healthy diet, consuming a wide range of vitamins and food supplements, making healthy lifestyle choices. But even then, it doesnÂ’t seem to be enough or it becomes too complicated for us to live and enjoy our lives

That’s where PATH Medical enters the picture. On their website, you’ll find new ways to stay young and keep a healthy life – ways that modern medicine seems to have forgotten. Best of all, there is no strict diet system, no pills and no surgery involved in this method of keeping young and fit. It all involves taking care of your brain, and developing a plan to keep it healthy. That, they claim, is the secret to living a longer.

Want to live longer and healthier? Then you need to visit this site. They will analyze your brain and help you crack your own aging code, by doing a head-to-toe ultrasound-based examination, and a computerized EEG in order to determine the functioning of the brain.

OK, once youÂ’ve done all that, then what? YouÂ’ll get lifestyle recommendations, including suggestions for proper nutrition through diet and supplements that you can get from Total Health Nutrients. There is also bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, as well as the use of psychotropic medications to help guide you to the healthier future that you deserve.

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After all, can't St. Vincent's Hospital do its charity work somewhere else? You know -- so that second-rate performers like Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins don't actually have to see or come in contact with such peasants in their daily lives.

"The hospital provides $40 million in care to the indigent every year," one proponent told us. "Robbins dismissed more than 100 people rallying in support of the hospital - low-income, union workers and veterans of the AIDS crisis - as 'those people out there.' " Sarandon said in a statement: "Improving the hospital is a great idea. However, this can be accomplished without compromising the neighborhood. St. Vincent's should consider the proposed alternative solutions."

Seems to me that "those people out there" -- and the rest of us -- need to make sure that we don't spend any money watching these snooty liberals who put buildings and personal convenience above actual human beings in need of medical care.

And I wonder -- since this pair are supporters of Barack Obama who have threatened to leave America if he loses, what does the candidate have to say about their hope that the city will make the hospital change its plans to suit their NIMBYism?

Posted by: Greg at 02:25 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Not only has he been violating New York rent control laws, now it seems that Rep. Charles Rangel is making illegal use of his position to raise money for a nonprofit organization -- named after himself, of course.

Rep. Charles Rangel acknowledged yesterday he may have violated House ethics rules when he used congressional stationery to solicit donations for a Harlem "center for public service" that will be named after him.

Rangel has used his office letterhead to try to raise funds for the controversial center in Harlem from Donald Trump, Hank Greenberg, the former head of the AIG insurance giant, and others, it was revealed yesterday - even though congressional rules bar the stationery from being used for solicitations.

"The entire thing appears dicey, and there's no question that, as soon as I can, I'm going to take a look at it," Rangel said following a report in yesterday's Washington Post exposing the practice.

Yeah -- he'll "take a look at it". Notice, he doesn't say he'll stop it, only that he'll take a look at it.

But I can understand his distraction right now -- after all, Rangel has been under fire for having essentially taken over a floor of an apartment building in his district by structuring a deal to rent no less than FOUR rent-controlled apartments there. But after it was disclosed that he was illegally using one exclusively as an rather than a residence, Rangel is graciously "voluntarily" giving up that one -- but somehow not facing any charges of the illegal scheme.

Your Democrat elected officials at work.

Posted by: Greg at 02:14 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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But we certainly wouldn't call it media bias.

Here's the headline.

Democrat Noriega needs help cutting Cornyn's 10-1 lead in cash

That is also what shows up on the Houston & Texas news page, and in the title bar at the top of your browser when you click the link -- though to their credit the headline on the article itself is more neutral.

Noriega losing fundraising race

How much of a cash difference are we talking about?

Houston Democrat Rick Noriega's uphill campaign to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn began a year ago as a populist battle. But, with 113 days left until the election, Noriega has yet to show he can fan embers into a prairie fire.

Noriega's biggest problem is money, not having enough to get his message out to a statewide audience that can only be reached by television advertising, which costs as much as $1.4 million a week for a saturation buy.

Campaign finance reports to be filed today will show Cornyn has more than $9 million in the bank, while Noriega has $915,000.

Almost half of the $930,000 that Noriega raised in the quarter ending June 30 came from the national Democratic Web site ActBlue. The Daily Kos, a left-leaning Web site that has been supportive of Noriega from the start, called his recent fundraising "a disappointing take."

In other words, Noriega is getting his butt kicked every which way -- even the "left-leaning" Daily Kos has admitted it (no comment from the "right-leaning" John Birch society).

But then again, what do you expect about to happen in Texas when the candidate blogs at Daily Kos, traveled north to pander to the KOSsacks last summer, and has been photographed with his arm around Kos himself?

But none of that is a surprise -- the problem is the campaign fundraising appeal placed on the Chronicle's website. Why are they whoring out their headlines for the financially floundering Noriega campaign?

H/T to Robbie at Urban Grounds for the screenshot (which showed up in the RSS feed as I was typing this post).

Posted by: Greg at 04:55 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Have you ever been involved in a lawsuit in which you need the proceeds immediately, not at some indefinite time in the future. There are companies out there that will help you out through their lawsuit finance programs. LawMax is one of those companies -- they will get you the cash you need now, and you pay them back later, after you win your suit. And if you don't win? You don't pay them one penny. So if you find yourself with bills piling up due to someone else's actions and are waiting for your suit to work its way through court, consider LawMax as a possible solution.

Posted by: Greg at 02:59 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Did you know that Zenni Optical was on FOX news! Yeah, that's right -- because you can get Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni for as little as $8.00 -- including the lenses! Yeah, that's right -- you can buy Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx Eyeglasses online and have them on your face quickly. And while there are extras that will cost you more, the prices they offer are hard to beat.

Posted by: Greg at 12:52 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Wonderful -- just wonderful.

And this is the guy who will be in charge of ICE if he wins in November -- and in command of those who terrorize poor defenseless immigration criminals and their families by enforcing our nation's laws?

When communities are terrorized by ICE immigration raids, when nursing mothers are torn from their babies, when children come home from school to find their parents missing, when people are detained without access to legal counsel, when all that is happening, the system just isnÂ’t working, and we need to change it.

I'm curious -- what other laws does Obama want to see go unenforced because parents and children might be separated? And how does he square that with the constitutional obligation of a president to see that the laws are faithfully executed?

Oh -- and what other federal law enforcement agencies does Barack Obama view as terrorists?

Posted by: Greg at 02:05 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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After all, what do they have to fear from an open vote on their party's presidential nominee?

She may have given up, but a few of Hillary Rodham Clinton Â’s people havenÂ’t.

The senator from New York is said to be negotiating a respectful presence followed by a graceful exit from next month’s Democratic convention, and last week the party announced that Barack Obama would formally accept the party’s nomination in the stadium built for the Denver Broncos. But there are Clinton supporters clinging to the hope that if her name is placed in nomination and the roll call of the states is conducted, she might — might — still win.

Good grief -- even Jimmy Carter allowed teddy Kennedy an open vote on the convention floor. It was a sign of strength on his part -- and it was a positive step towards healing the party. Shouldn't Barack Obama follow the same precedent? If he really believes he is operating from a position of strength.

H/T Hot Air

Posted by: Greg at 06:56 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Could be, according to a woman speaking at an Obama campaign roundtable at University of Missouri -- Kansas City.

Who was this evil right-wing purveyor of sleazy stories about the Obamessiah?

Michelle Obama -- the candidate's own wife.

His own mother, [Michelle Obama] said at the beginning of her remarks, was "very young and very single when she had him."

Very single?

That's not part of the narrative that Obama and his campaign have been putting out for the last four years. Their story has been that barack Obama's parents were married. Even granting that the marriage was arguably invalid -- it is unclear if Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. ever actually divorced first wife back in Kenya, given his continued relationship with her after his marriage to the candidate's mother, including fathering additional children with her.

So we have to ask the question -- has Michelle Obama revealed to the American people that Barack Obama has been lying to them during his entire public career? After all, she isn't some anonymous emailer -- she is the man's wife.

Seems to me that we now need access to several documents to settle the question:

1. Obama's original birth certificate (which would settle questions about citizenship, his birth name, and possibly his parents' marital status);
   
2. His parents' marriage license;
   
3. The decree of divorce or nullity regarding his parents' marriage.
   

However, the lack of candor on his part would be more damning than the issue of bastardy. As they say -- the cover-up is always worse. And when your own wife outs you, the cover-up could be very damning indeed.

Posted by: Greg at 05:30 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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One of these summers, my wife and I will have to make a trip to New York City for a vacation. Believe it or not, IÂ’ve never actually been there. On the other hand, my wife has several times, and she tells me that she knows a number of spots that she would love to take me. Perhaps most interesting would be the chance to take in a Broadway show or two, as well as visiting the museums. Of course, I wouldnÂ’t mind taking one of the more formal New York City tours that are available, too.

And then again, I’d love to take my wife for several days in Chicago. There are always things to do in Chicago. There is almost always baseball in town – Cubs and Sox, so you can see some of the best players from both leagues! And then there are the many great restaurants for to visit -- stop for pizza at Uno’s or Due’s, sample the ethnic cuisine in one of Chicago’s many neighborhoods, or perhaps subject yourself to the experience that is Ed Debevic’s!

Are you interested in finding the best thing to do in some city this summer? Why not sign up for the eNewsletter from Trusted Tours & Attractions? YouÂ’ll get emails offering great ideas for a summer trip to San Francisco, things to do in Atlanta or sightseeing toursin one of the other great cities in which they do business. And you can check out their online travel guides, too.

Best of all, if you sign up for Trusted TravelÂ’s eNewsletter at their sign-up page, you could win a handheld GPS device or another great prize.

Posted by: Greg at 03:51 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The folks at Politico are running a piece with this headline,

McCain has no national service plan

It then begins as follows.

John McCain, who’s predicated his presidential run in no small part on his distinguished military record, frequently exhorts Americans — and especially young Americans — to serve their country. Despite that appeal, he has yet to offer any proposals to expand or transform national service outside of the military.

Barack Obama, by contrast, has proposed dramatically expanding Americorps and the Peace Corps, adding 65,000 members to the military and creating an annual $4,000 tax credit for post-secondary education in exchange for 100 hours of community service.

Now let's think about this -- McCain has been a big supporter of various national service programs over the years. He has wroked to provide opportunities for such service -- but in the end, he recognizes that any sort of national service ought to be voluntary. Obama, on the other hand, has proposed an expansion of (not really) voluntary service programs (under which the federal government will not directly mandate service but will withhold funding from high schools, colleges, and universities that don't mandate voluntary service).

So let's look at the differences -- Obama wants more government programs, while McCain wants to (at most) tweak what we have. And McCain supports voluntary volunteerism, while Obama's program envisions mandatory volunteerism.

In other words, it is all a question of how much freedom the government will allow us to have in the future. Michelle Obama spilled the beans when she told the American people that "Barack Obama will require you to work." For free, as a condition of being permitted an education.

Posted by: Greg at 02:31 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I've always found trade show booths to be interesting in terms of their design and construction. Some displays are basic, others quite elaborate. I’ve often wondered about how one design such displays, and where one goes to get the supplies to best market their wares? GodfreyGroup.com has a wide variety of products for you, ranging from pop up trade show displays to booths that come complete with flooring display shelves and elaborate signage. It all comes down to what you feel you need and how much you are willing to spend to market your company or product – and at Godfrey Group you can get your displays at bargain prices.

Posted by: Greg at 01:37 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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But then again, are we surprised? They've been supporting illegal immigrants all along.

Anyone who has doubts that this country is abusing and terrorizing undocumented immigrant workers should read an essay by Erik Camayd-Freixas, a professor and Spanish-language court interpreter who witnessed the aftermath of a huge immigration workplace raid at a meatpacking plant in Iowa.

What is the horrible abuse? It seems that the federal government is not merely deporting these alien invaders -- it is also prosecuting them for the crimes they have committed by stealing the social security numbers and other identifying information of American citizens in order to illegally take jobs from Americans.

No one is denying that the workers were on the wrong side of the law. But there is a profound difference between stealing peopleÂ’s identities to rob them of money and property, and using false papers to merely get a job. It is a distinction that the Bush administration, goaded by immigration extremists, has willfully ignored. Deporting unauthorized workers is one thing; sending desperate breadwinners to prison, and their families deeper into poverty, is another.

Yeah, right.

When these same identity thieves use those same papers to get credit cards and loans that impact the credit ratings of the American citizens from whom they were stolen, that profound difference is no difference at all.

And when these same American citizens get letters from the IRS demanding back taxes, complete with interest and penalties, because of the income reported on the stolen SSNs, the difference between the two is equally inconsequential.

The American citizens in question will be required to spend countless hours resolving the issues created by the "desperate breadwinners", and may need to spend countless dollars on legal fees to solve the problems -- not to mention the difficulty these folks may have buying a house, purchasing a car, or even getting a credit card due to the impact on their credit ratings. I don't see how it is reasonable to argue that such folks are no less harmed by the theft of their identifying information than those whose identities are stolen by rip-off artists.

But somehow the New York Times does -- because those who violate our nation's sovereignty and steal the jobs and identities of American citizens are somehow more worthy of respect and protection than actual Americans.

OPEN TRACKBACKING AT Perri Nelson's Website, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, Leaning Straight Up, Big Dog's Weblog, Cao's Blog, Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, Outside the Beltway, Allie is Wired, nuke gingrich, third world county, McCain Blogs, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, , Pirate's Cove, , The Pink Flamingo, Wolf Pangloss, Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker, Dumb Ox Daily News, CORSARI D'ITALIA, Right Voices, Stageleft, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Posted by: Greg at 02:22 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Well, here's another one -- busted by his own wife, no less.

And to think the Democrats like to tell us there is no vote fraud in this country.

Todd Stuart McGuire, a longtime Jefferson County Democratic Party supporter, was charged July 2 with voter fraud.

He's accused of either repeating a vote or impersonating his wife, Rebekah, by casting her ballot in a Feb. 6, 2007, special election. Both charges are Class C felonies and carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine, according to charging documents.

Neither the McGuires nor Todd McGuire's attorney Ben Critchlow could be reached for comment last week or Monday.

Todd McGuire is scheduled to appear in Jefferson County Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. Friday, July 18.

The McGuires have been prominent in local Democratic Party activities. Todd McGuire is a former treasurer for current Democratic County Commissioner David Sullivan. Rebekah McGuire is currently a Democratic precinct committeewoman.

It must suck to have your own wife responsible for busting you for vote fraud -- and for stealing her own vote. I wonder how relations are in that household.

Posted by: Greg at 02:04 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Because they would be neither practical nor possible without the improvement in the security situation in that country brought by the Surge of a year ago.

The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September, according to administration and military officials, raising the prospect of a far more ambitious plan than expected only months ago.

Such a withdrawal would be a striking reversal from the nadir of the war in 2006 and 2007.

* * *

Although no decision has been made, by the time President Bush leaves office on Jan. 20, at least one and as many as 3 of the 15 combat brigades now in Iraq could be withdrawn or at least scheduled for withdrawal, the officials said.

The desire to move more quickly reflects the view of many in the Pentagon who want to ease the strain on the military but also to free more troops for Afghanistan and potentially other missions.

And while that withdrawal would make it possible to draw down troops to next to nothing in the sixteen month time frame set by Barack Obama, it also demonstrates something else -- namely that the withdrawal is possible because of the success of the policies of the Bush Administration, not their failure.

Another sign of the improvement is this tidbit from the Maliki government.

The green zone of Baghdad, a highly fortified slice of American suburbia on the banks of the Tigris river, may soon be handed over to Iraqi control if the increasingly assertive government of Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, gets its way.

A senior Iraqi government official said this weekend the enclave should revert to Iraqi control by the end of the year. “We think that by the end of 2008 all the zones in Baghdad should be integrated into the city,” said Ali Dabbagh, the government’s spokesman.

“The American soldiers should be based in agreed camps outside the cities and population areas.

“By the end of the year, there will be no green zone,” he added. “The separation by huge walls makes people feel angry.” Dabbagh acknowledged that getting rid of the green zone would be a huge undertaking, given the thousands of American soldiers, private contractors and foreign workers who live inside. He said the concrete walls that divide it from the rest of the city would be taken down slowly, “depending on the threat and circumstances”.

Translation: Baghdad is sufficiently pacified and and the terrorists sufficiently crippled for the American-trained Iraqi forces to take over many of the duties that had formerly been handled by Americans -- and to eliminate some of the extreme security measures that had been necessary up to this time.

In other words -- we are winning.

Posted by: Greg at 01:58 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The birth of a healthy baby is generally cause for celebration -- and the birth of this pair, much anticipated by the celebrity obsessed media, is no less an occasion for good wishes for the parents and their children.

The Brangelina twins are here: Angelina Jolie has given birth to a girl and a boy.

The obstetrician who delivered the twins, Dr. Michel Sussmann, told The Associated Press that the actress, the babies and Jolie's partner, actor Brad Pitt, "are doing marvelously well."

Sussmann said Jolie gave birth to a boy, Knox Leon, and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, by Cesarian section on Saturday night.

He told the AP on Sunday morning that the boy weighed 5.03 pounds and the girl 5 pounds. The 33-year-old actress gave birth at around 8 p.m on Saturday night, the doctor told The AP by telephone.

Hurrah!

Now on to news that actually matters.

Posted by: Greg at 01:46 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I dropped by Bills.com this evening, just to take a look at this site I've been hearing about from others recently. They have a lot of great advice on how to deal with your financial situation in order to have a more healthy financial life. I also took their Bills IQ quiz. Let's just say I wasn't happy with my results -- especially when I compared them with where I need to be relative to my age and family status. Medical issues have, as you know, taken a real hit on our economic situation over the last few years, and so there are definitely some areas this C student needs to shore up -- but then again, I already realized that an have been working towards that end.

What are my financial goals? First, I need to get us out of debt. I want that mortgage down and the other bills paid as soon as I can. But more importantly, I need to get my retirement accounts in order -- after all, I donÂ’t plan to teach forever. Besides, if I died tomorrow I don't know for sure that my darling wife would be secure enough to get by on what we have tucked away. More than retirement income, I probably am in greater need of some life insurance.

Now what sort of things might Bills.com help you with? Debt consolidation programs and strategies are linked from the site, as are Debt relief programs like debt settlement. So if you need Debt help, visit Bills.com to find out how to help yourself – and raise your BillsIQ score in the process.

Posted by: Greg at 11:55 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Not only that, Cynthia McKinney has a decade more Congressional experience than Barack Obama, making her significantly more qualified for the job!

The U.S. Green Party, which captured far less than 1 percent of the vote in the last presidential election, chose former Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney as its 2008 presidential candidate on Saturday.

McKinney, 53, will be joined on the ticket for the November election by vice presidential candidate Rosa Clemente, a hip-hop artist and activist.

McKinney received 313 out of 532 votes cast at the party's nominating convention in Chicago, party spokesman Scott McLarty said.

Now granted, Cynthia does present more like Michelle Obama than Barack Obama, but that's fine -- perhaps her uterus will help attract some of the Hillary Clinton supporters to her side. And besides -- McKinney also has more experience in elected office than the junior senator from New York. And as a Truther loon, she'll be a candidate that Kos and his minions can support.

Posted by: Greg at 04:12 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Whatever would we do without YouTube?

The scariest thing about the video? The fact that there are dozens like it over there, meaning some folks with truly warped minds have way too much time on their hands.

Posted by: Greg at 03:13 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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That's the best description of the fall of Obama's poll numbers from Newsweek -- the successor poll to the one that showed a 15-point Obama lead a couple weeks back, leading Lefties and journalists (but I repeat myself) to conclude that the presidential race was over.

A month after emerging victorious from the bruising Democratic nominating contest, some of Barack ObamaÂ’s glow may be fading. In the latest NEWSWEEK Poll, the Illinois senator leads Republican nominee John McCain by just 3 percentage points, 44 percent to 41 percent. The statistical dead heat is a marked change from last monthÂ’s NEWSWEEK Poll, where Obama led McCain by 15 points, 51 percent to 36 percent.

Obama’s rapid drop comes at a strategically challenging moment for the Democratic candidate. Having vanquished Hillary Clinton in early June, Obama quickly went about repositioning himself for a general-election audience–an unpleasant task for any nominee emerging from the pander-heavy primary contests and particularly for a candidate who’d slogged through a vigorous primary challenge in most every contest from January until June. Obama’s reversal on FISA legislation, his support of faith-based initiatives and his decision to opt out of the campaign public-financing system left him open to charges he was a flip-flopper. In the new poll, 53 percent of voters (and 50 percent of former Hillary Clinton supporters) believe that Obama has changed his position on key issues in order to gain political advantage.

More seriously, some Obama supporters worry that the spectacle of their candidate eagerly embracing his old rival, Hillary Clinton, and traveling the country courting big donors at lavish fund-raisers, may have done lasting damage to his image as an arbiter of a new kind of politics. This is a major concern since ObamaÂ’s outsider credentials, have, in the past, played a large part in his appeal to moderate, swing voters. In the new poll, McCain leads Obama among independents 41 percent to 34 percent, with 25 percent favoring neither candidate. In JuneÂ’s NEWSWEEK Poll, Obama bested McCain among independent voters, 48 percent to 36 percent.

Yep -- those independent voters are coming around to McCain, having seen the weaknesses of the Democrat candidacy. You know, inconsistency and inexperience.

Oh, and Newsweek didn't stack the poll with Democrats this time.

One interesting revelation -- there are still 30% of those who supported Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination opposed to Obama's candidacy -- with one out of every six former Hillary supporters backing John McCain's candidacy.

H/T Hot Air, Newsbusters

Posted by: Greg at 07:56 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Simply irresponsible.

"The OTS has determined that the current institution, IndyMac Bank, is unlikely to be able to meet continued depositorsÂ’ demands in the normal course of business and is therefore in an unsafe and unsound condition. The immediate cause of the closing was a deposit run that began and continued after the public release of a June 26 letter to the OTS and the FDIC from Senator Charles Schumer of New York. The letter expressed concerns about IndyMacÂ’s viability. In the following 11 business days, depositors withdrew more than $1.3 billion from their accounts."

Was the bank facing a liquidity crisis? Yes, it was. However, there were already regulatory efforts underway to solve those problems in a way that would not require a government takeover of the IndyMac. Schumer, whose self-serving publicity hounding is legendary, decided to go public with information that he knew or should have known would be detrimental to the process -- and now he arrogantly refuses to accept any blame for his own politically motivated actions that were the proximate cause of the institution's downfall -- and blames the regulatory process that he created in legislation that he largely wrote back in 1999.

H/T Patterico

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Posted by: Greg at 02:29 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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