An indictment - but not a surprise

"Insufficient academic skills among entry-level workers as well as inadequate abilities to work in teams, think critically and communicate could imperil the success of America's youth and the competitiveness of the U.S. economy, according to a report issued Monday." (JS Online)

Something isn't working. I will say that my experience with entry level workers mirrors these findings, however, the self-esteem and expectations of these workers far exceeds their experience and capabilities. So at least they feel good about themselves.

Jonah Goldberg has some questions

"Here’s a question: How is a president willing — and able! — to bring down the World Trade Center, murdering nearly 3,000 Americans without inspiring a single whistle-blower or attracting a solitary eyewitness, somehow morally or logistically incapable of planting some exculpatory WMDs in Iraq? As for Spike & Co., what took Bush so long? Why wait for a hurricane? Oh, how he must have yearned, his men and equipment long in place, to cleanse America of the Big Easy. Oh joyous St. Katrina’s Day! And yet, Bush failed to plan for the aftermath in a way that wouldn’t defenestrate his poll numbers." NRO The Corner

Hmmm? It is a puzzlement!

The Democrats Can Win on Immigration

If they do MORE than the Republicans have done ...

"The best thing Democrats have to run on, though, is the Republican non-record. Republicans hold both houses of Congress and the presidency, and they've done about zero to slow, much less stop, illegal immigration." RealClearPolitics

...which they have yet to demonstrate any ability or desire to do!

The Unbiased Press???

I just watched the WH press briefing and had to shake my head in wonderment. How anyone can deny that some (many?) in the MSM are not biased is beyond me.

Three "journalists" whined about, and questioned why the President gave a political speech last night, when they were promised that it wouldn't be! Tony Snow did his best to explain that the speech was NOT political, but the cry went out. He TALKED about IRAQ in an ELECTION year and it was linked to 9-11 because, - well because it was 9-11-2006!

The Left have a single-minded "Bush, and only Bush, LIED about Iraq" mentality. We are doing NOTHING else in the WOT because we are in IRAQ. And even though we are doing nothing else, they are all wrong anyway and IT'S BUSH'S FAULT. And now he gives a political speech during 9-11 and is only trying to get Republicans elected. He doesn't believe any of it. It's all about the election. Wah. Wah. Wah.

Oh Keith. You are so good! Now shut up.

Can someone explain why Olbermann is going on and on blaming Bush for the fact that the World Trade Center site has not been rebuilt and that there is no memorial there yet?

Because that's what he does. (Among others)

For a group of people who claim to be progressive, they have a tendency to spend a lot of time looking back and criticizing what went wrong without saying what they would do or - better - will do. In addition, as Olbermann does here, they cite shining examples of past glory (Gettysburg) and somehow make it work for their purpose.

Set aside all the questions about who's responsible for building a memorial and consider just how different an open field in Pennsylvania some 140+ years ago is with the WTC site.

As flawed as the "Path to 911" was as entertainment or precise facts, it did point out the larger problems: we have too many egos and politicians worried about individual glory or being the fall guy, that we are less safe than we could be. Most of the bureaucracy remained the same - across the administrations. If it is filled with self-righteous egos or spineless wall flowers, I don't care who the President is, we are still vulnerable.

As for Olbermann and his ilk, I have little need or sympathy for them. There were many of his kind on the other side during the Clinton years too.

Stop looking to an individual to define you. Take some personal responsibility so we can move to where we must move - collective responsibility!

Let's all stop playing games and ignoring the tough problems. Let's grow up, face the problem together, and fix it.

The end of civilization - according to The Boston Globe

This Boston Globe opinion would suggest that we are doomed:

"In that destruction, we saw the destruction of the mainspring of meaning and hope -- not the clash of civilization, but the end of it. This was more than a sense of individual mortality, the sure knowledge of a coming death that each one carries. We humans live with that by assuming the open-ended continuation of other lives, our children and their children -- on into the indefinite future.

But on 9/11, we saw the future itself as mortal."

I guess we should all give up. It's over, and has been over for five years now.

I disagree. What we saw was an attack designed and carried out by fanaticals who represent a tiny fraction of this earth's population. Just as the attack on Pearl Harbor was not the act of the entire population of Japan, nor was the blitzkrieg a strategy developed and carried out by the whole of the German populace, the attack on the WTC was an act by a relative few. We (and I mean freedom loving people around the world, not just Americans) have faced challenges many times in history. And like those times, we will overcome this as well.

As for mortality, who hasn't acknowledged this unavoidable fact? In many ways, the self-centered, far-left, cosmopolitan elite are the only one's who have failed to recognize this. Mortality is part of the process. Challenges are part of life. Overcoming them and solving real issues rather than sitting back and navel-gazing is part of life. Tough decisions must be made and some people get hurt - preferably the bad ones.

To elevate mankind - and especially mankind in this period of time - is typical of many on the far left who are so self-absorbed that they can hardly breath. We - humans today - are responsible for all that is bad. Global warming and terrorism are the topics de jour. As if this earth and mankind have never faced challenges in the past.

Get over yourself and become part of the solution or get out of the way.

ABC bows to Clinton pressure and edits 9/11 series

"Although politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties have criticized the mini-series, it split the 9/11 Commission, appointed to investigate the run-to the attacks, largely along party lines." Times Online

Having watched the program and edited this post almost a month later, I can honestly say that I don't think the program portrayed the Clinton administration any more poorly than the Bush administration. It's just that there were far more years in the Clinton administration to cover and thus, far more opportunities to make mistakes.

There were portrayals of certain individuals - especially the ambassador in Yemen (I believe) - that were rather damning. But I believe there are many people in office and government service who have self-protections and arrogance as dominant personality traits. Sandy Berger and Madeleine Albright may not appreciate their portrayals, but usually when someone protests too much, the truth is difficult to accept.

Ultimately, the problems and mistakes made during the years running up to 9-11 must be fixed and not repeated. Agencies must work together. Politicians must put country first, and elections last. Bureaucracies must be streamlined and efficiencies must be found. All US citizens must be vigilant, but strong and expect nothing less than true leadership and results from our elected, appointed, and employed officials responsible for executing this war on terror.

With few exceptions, many of these things are not - or appear not to be - happening.

Americans will die for liberty

The author of this Telegraph opinion understands the heart of America. It is sometimes difficult to see through all the angst that some Americans feel they must apologize for, but it's there. And it will always be there - as long as America exists.:

"But when the Americans speak of freedom, we should not imagine, in our cynical and worldly-wise way, that they are merely using that word as a cloak for realpolitik. They are not above realpolitik, but they also mean what they say.

These formidable people think freedom is so valuable that it is worth dying for."

The first step towards defeating the terrorists: Stop blaming ourselves

Times Online:

"It is a neatly comprehensive schema of cynicism. If the plot turns out to be a damp squib, or the police have made some ghastly error, the sceptics will triumphantly claim that it was deliberately overdone to scare us. If the plot is real, or God forbid, as with 9/11 or 7/7 it isn't foiled in time, then they can switch seamlessly to the claim that we've only ourselves to blame."

It's also the convenience of not having to take responsibility or actually "fix" something. Besides, what would we have to talk about at the club or over cocktails?

Suri's eight simple rules

NEWS.com.au:

"'However, they were a little shocked at the list of rules they'll have to follow."

Can anyone seriously make the case that Tom Cruise is sane?

Cosby's Media Lament

Cosby's Media Lament:

"'Our children are trying to tell us something (with their self-destructive behavior) and we're not listening,' he said."

Well. We should be.

Gore isn't quite as green as he's led the world to believe

USATODAY.com:

"Then there is the troubling matter of his energy use. In the Washington, D.C., area, utility companies offer wind energy as an alternative to traditional energy. In Nashville, similar programs exist. Utility customers must simply pay a few extra pennies per kilowatt hour, and they can continue living their carbon-neutral lifestyles knowing that they are supporting wind energy. Plenty of businesses and institutions have signed up. Even the Bush administration is using green energy for some federal office buildings, as are thousands of area residents.

But according to public records, there is no evidence that Gore has signed up to use green energy in either of his large residences. When contacted Wednesday, Gore's office confirmed as much but said the Gores were looking into making the switch at both homes. Talk about inconvenient truths. "

And this is a surprise to who?

My County Board does the right thing!

Ozaukee Press Online News:

"Is this going to change anything? Probably not. But if 71 other counties follow, we would be able to get the attention of UW officials."

Congress set to battle over offshore drilling plans

MSNBC.com:

"Ronald Barone, managing director of equity research in UBS Securities' natural gas electric utilities group, explains that environmental restrictions on access to new lands and offshore tracts are a significant problem.

Existing drilling areas are not only maturing but those still to be developed are ever smaller fields, with ever smaller finds, leaving oil companies 'drilling smaller and smaller targets''.

Plans to remove the barriers to drilling in new areas have come up in Congress repeatedly, only to be knocked back, he says. So he remains guarded about its possible passage."

If we actually "fixed" something, why would the American people need to send us here to work on their behalf? ~ thoughts of a congressman.

Q: I'm at a loss for words.

A: What is, something John Pilger at the New Statesman has never said! What a bunch of self-righteous drivel. Here's a sample:

"In Santa's Grotto, there is no place for Howard Zinn's honest People's History of the United States, or I F Stone's revelation of the truth of what the museum calls 'the forgotten war' in Korea, or Mark Twain's definition of patriotism as the need to keep 'multitudinous uniformed assassins on hand at heavy expense to grab slices of other people's countries'. Moreover, at the Price of Freedom Shop, you can buy US Army Monopoly, and a 'grateful nation blanket' for just $200. The exhibition's corporate sponsors include Sears, Roebuck, the mammoth retailer. The point is taken."

Read the rest if you like. It's full of egotistical, patronizing, whining, name-dropping, self-important, incoherent statements that make little sense. It's obvious the man is well read in the classics of liberalism, socialism and sarcastic commentary. But please, man. Make a point.

The other side of the blade...

...that gets overlooked by Republicans (Bloomberg):

"Still, the report also reveals a serious issue: While tax cuts may generate future growth, they can only do so if the government spends less."

And since the Republicans have gained power, they have quickly assimilated into the practice they blasted the Democrats for: overspending! At least in Reagan's day, it truly was the Democrats who helped spend the windfall. Not today.

Principles and Politics - Scientists

This TCS Daily piece asks the proverbial question related to "global warming": "How is politics involved?":

"Climatologist Hans von Storch of Germany, no global warming contrarian, had his own concerns about Schakowsky's question when his panel appeared:

'I was a bit disappointed about the comment from the lady from Illinois who said, aren't you afraid if you say this, that this would have negative implications on the policy process. I was kind of shocked. Should we really adapt what we say if that's useful for the policy process? Is that what you expect from science? If we give advice, must we first think, is it useful for something? I think that is not the way we should operate.'"

Seems like Mr. von Storch has the right approach to scientific exploration. I would hope that other scientists hold the same standards.

Turn elections into a lottery?

An Arizona politician has a referendum on the ballot calling for a 'lottery' to be attached to the voting process - you vote, you are entered for the chance to win a $1M! - or something like that. I agree with Jonah Goldberg:

"The push to make voting much easier has been considerably less controversial. Weekend voting, voting by mail and online voting are constantly greeted as vital reforms of our electoral system. And although some of these reforms are probably benign, all assume that even the slightest inconvenience in voting is an outrage because democratic health is purely a numbers game: More voters equals a healthier society. My own view is that voting should be more difficult because things of value usually require a little work. That goes for citizenship too."

Let's not turn our election process into some online, popularity poll. What's next, a rip-off of "American Idol": "American President" where we have a bunch of teenie-boppers on cells phones hitting re-dial for their favorite candidate? Yeah. That'll work.

Principles and Politics - Republicans

A survey by NPR, via Salon.com, suggests that the pandering some (and more are falling into line) in the Republican party partake in, is turning the voters off:

"People reject the 'moral values' demagoguery. Most voters in the contested districts say that they trust Democrats, not Republicans, on such issues as stem cell research, flag burning and gay rights. Those responses indicate that the summer strategy of setting up phony floor votes on right-wing constitutional amendments -- and the president's first veto -- may have backfired. Fifty-two percent say that the recent stem cell debate made them more inclined to vote for Democrats, and 49 percent said the same about flag burning, gay marriage and other 'values issues.' Only 29 percent -- essentially the conservative base -- said those debates would motivate them to vote for Republicans."

Again, as a Conservative, this troubles me as well. I am not a proponent of governments controlling social agendas - in either direction (despite Salon's attempt to brand conservatives in this way). Perhaps this is more of a Libertarian approach, but the bottom-line is, there are more important things for federal governments to do that worry about someone burning a flag or if a state has enough citizens who vote to allow two men to marry. [On the other hand, I don't trust that if Democrats took control, they wouldn't pander to the other side and propose bills that would "protect" these "rights" either.]

Republicans need to uphold the Constitution, reduce federal spending (and by default the need for increased taxation) - especially social and pork - and ensure for the defense of the nation. Period.

Principles and Politics - Democrats

Peter Beinart suggests the Democrats have their strategy: Pander and Run:

"Privately, some Democrats, while admitting that they haven't exactly been taking the high road, say they have no choice, that in a competition with Karl Rove, nice guys finish last. But even politically, that's probably wrong. The Democratic Party's single biggest foreign policy liability is not that Americans think Democrats are soft. It is that Americans think Democrats stand for nothing, that they have no principles beyond political expedience. And given the party's behavior over the past several months, it is not hard to understand why."

As a conservative and most often Republican voter, you'd think this would be a good thing for me. It's not.

I want leadership and decisiveness in public office. I want people to DO THEIR JOB, not PROTECT THEIR JOB. It isn't about being a Republican or a Democrat. Be an American and serve the public.

Proportionate Response?

From Best of the Web Today:

"BB 'C' No Evil

When Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers two weeks ago, provoking the current conflagration, the Shiite terrorist outfit apparently intended to use them as bargaining chips to demand the release of prisoners. Press reports often discuss this as if there were an equivalence between the Israeli soldiers, who committed no crimes but were simply defending their own country within its borders, and Arab terrorists. So it's worth pointing out just who the "prisoners" in Israeli hands are.

According to the BBC "the prisoner Hezbollah wants most" is Samir Qantar. On April 22, 1979, Qantar murdered 28-year-old Danny Haran and his 4-year-old daughter and caused the death of another Haran daughter, age 2. Haran's widow, Smadar Haran Kaiser, describes the crime (she transliterates the murderer's name as "Kuntar"):

It had been a peaceful Sabbath day. My husband, Danny, and I had picnicked with our little girls, Einat, 4, and Yael, 2, on the beach not far from our home in Nahariya, a city on the northern coast of Israel, about six miles south of the Lebanese border.

Around midnight, we were asleep in our apartment when four terrorists, sent by Abu Abbas from Lebanon, landed in a rubber boat on the beach two blocks away. Gunfire and exploding grenades awakened us as the terrorists burst into our building. They had already killed a police officer.

As they charged up to the floor above ours, I opened the door to our apartment. In the moment before the hall light went off, they turned and saw me. As they moved on, our neighbor from the upper floor came running down the stairs. I grabbed her and pushed her inside our apartment and slammed the door.

Outside, we could hear the men storming about. Desperately, we sought to hide. Danny helped our neighbor climb into a crawl space above our bedroom; I went in behind her with Yael in my arms. Then Danny grabbed Einat and was dashing out the front door to take refuge in an underground shelter when the terrorists came crashing into our flat.

They held Danny and Einat while they searched for me and Yael, knowing there were more people in the apartment. I will never forget the joy and the hatred in their voices as they swaggered about hunting for us, firing their guns and throwing grenades. I knew that if Yael cried out, the terrorists would toss a grenade into the crawl space and we would be killed. So I kept my hand over her mouth, hoping she could breathe. As I lay there, I remembered my mother telling me how she had hidden from the Nazis during the Holocaust. "This is just like what happened to my mother," I thought.

As police began to arrive, the terrorists took Danny and Einat down to the beach. There, according to eyewitnesses, one of them shot Danny in front of Einat so that his death would be the last sight she would ever see. Then he smashed my little girl's skull in against a rock with his rifle butt. That terrorist was Samir Kuntar.

By the time we were rescued from the crawl space, hours later, Yael, too, was dead. In trying to save all our lives, I had smothered her.

The BBC gives a rather more sanitized account of the crime: "Qantar . . . attacked a block of flats in Nahariha in 1979, killing a father and his daughter."

How's that for a "proportionate" report!?

Will Venezuela become the "American" N. Korea?

This is troubling news:

"Chavez, who has become an increasing thorn in Washington's side because of his anti-U.S. policies, is also hoping to set up Kalashnikov weapons and ammunition plants in Venezuela.

The Venezuelan leader spoke Thursday of the 'astonishing progress in military-technical cooperation' -- a euphemism for arms sales -- and repeated his thanks to Putin for supplying Caracas with weaponry."

He has already co-opted a major oil producer, Citgo, and openly shares his admiration and respect to Fidel. I have yet to read or hear of any military threat to Venezuela, other than potential internal coups to remove him from his dictatorship.

This is worth watching.

Has anyone begun...

...the countdown clock on Kofi Annan?

UPDATE: Look to the right side of this screen.

Who's money is it?

This New York Times editorial tells us that those darn rich are getting all the breaks again:

"That's not very reassuring. Fewer smaller estates -- currently, those worth up to $2 million are exempt -- are subject to the tax today than when Mr. Bush first took office. But large estates are still taxed, and with inequalities in income and wealth producing ever more billionaires and millionaires, there's ever more gold in those hills for auditors to mine.

The I.R.S. also says that it's confident it is catching estate-tax cheats because a mere 10 percent of estate audits brings in 80 percent of the additional taxes. The logic is that auditing a greater percentage would yield diminishing results. "

"Ever more gold in those hills?" Are they serious? The incomes EARNED by citizens is to be considered "gold to be mined" by the government? Didn't we throw some tea in a harbor once protesting unconscionable taxation?

And another thing. Since when is "...producing ever more billionaires and millionaires..." a bad thing? Doesn't that, by definition of the word "more", mean more people are achieving this level of income? Isn't that a good thing? Apparently not at the NYTs.

What do the editors at the Times think happens with "all this gold" in the hands of the "evil wealthy"? Is it buried in coffee cans in backyards - err, acres? Do they use it heat their homes while the rest of us poor schleps have to buy natural gas or oil? Have they ever considered that the money is invested in: industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people -- who then have the opportunity to succeed and join the evil wealthy; charitable organizations who use the money to help those unable to participate; and still, pay their fair share of the tax burden, so that politicians can play with some money too.

Chicago Orders "Big Box" Stores to Raise Wage

The New York Times has the story of a "great" success in Chicago for the working poor:

"This is a great day for the working men and women of Chicago," said Alderman Joseph A. Moore, the measure's chief sponsor. Mr. Moore said he had had inquiries about the ordinance from officials in several other cities."

According to the story, 35 existing EMPLOYERS will be impacted by this decision. I emphasize EMPLOYERS because many of the "working poor" happen to be EMPLOYED at these stores. Many other poor people happen to shop at these stores because they provide inexpensive goods that people need and want to live. The biggest - and baddest - is Wal-Mart of course. But the list includes: "...branches of Kmart, Target, Toys “R” Us and stores like Sears and Lowes."

“The working people were overwhelmingly in favor of this law, and this was conveyed to the aldermen,” said Madeline Talbott, chief organizer for Acorn, a community group that campaigned for the bill.

Acorn? A community group? How many community groups have NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL offices? And it has a number of other "Allies" it works with.

In a previous post, the question was raised about redistribution of wealth - a socialistic concept. Acorn is all about that!

Yates' former neighbors divided

As, I think, are most people in this country. Houston Chronicle:

"'I had goose bumps. I almost melted when I heard. I'm glad they saw it for what it was. It really gave me hope.' [said Diane Blossom, who lived two doors down from the Yates family]

The jury's verdict, however, was painful for Cheryl Lund- quist. 'I made a comment once before that finding her not guilty is like open season on kids,' said Lundquist, who was the Yateses' next-door neighbor."

I have always struggled getting my head around the term "not guilty by reason of insanity". How can anyone who takes the life of another human being, be considered sane. By definition you're not. Wouldn't the more appropriate term be "guilty, but insane".

By the way, if anyone out there equates my statement about taking another human being's life with soldiers defending their country or a citizen acting in self-defense, fuggetaboutit.

Huh?

Does this make anyone else just a little uncomfortable?

*N Sync singer Lance Bass says he is gay

Was he the last to know?

Stem cell debate in Wisconsin

JS Online has a solid story defining the stem cell issues and the contrasts between the two candidates for Governor in Wisconsin. The following excerpt outlines most of my personal concerns:

"Meanwhile, the possibilities of stem cell research appeal to many. Nearly every conceivable ailment, illness and disease has been described as a possible beneficiary of research into stem cells, the cells from which all other cells in the body develop.
In theory, everyone from kids with juvenile diabetes to the elderly facing Alzheimer's could be helped. In reality, it's unclear in which areas there will be results.

'That's why it's such a powerful force,' said Arthur Caplan, head of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. 'You're saying to people we're not just going to cure psoriasis or we're not just fighting breast cancer.

'Everybody is thinking, 'This might help me.' '"

Some politicians have "used" this to appeal on emotion: "Vote for me and you'll live forever" (or as John Edwards said"...Christopher Reeves will walk again...!") "Everybody" is a large, potential voting block!

"Hope" is a terrible platform to run on. How many of these politicians will be there if the "hope balloon" pops? Who will catch those who put all their faith and resources into this possibility?

"True" reality gets in the way of Reality TV

Local pair turns to TV for sex therapy:

"'After a few days,' he admitted, 'I was ready for somebody to give me some coffee and a book and just leave me alone.' But that, he and his girlfriend both say, is one of the issues between them: Mike often wants to be left alone with that book, while Terri wants to go off hiking or biking or doing anything but sitting still."

Some people just aren't compatable. Mike needs to realize that Terri craves her "15 minutes" more than she craves him. Terri needs to realize that "she's" more important to herself than anyone else - move on, alone. Therapy over. Leave your money at the door.

From the "Who Cares" file:

JS Online: News(?):

"'I'm going to get married a few times this month to the same guy,' said the 39-year-old actress, who wore a white veil pulled-back from her face during a news conference about her new online poker site, PamelaPoker.com."

Does that mean in two to three years she'll be "divorcing the same guy" a few times?

'We will attack everywhere,' al-Qaeda leader warns

CBC News:

"The struggle against Israel by Hezbollah and Palestinian forces will not be ended with 'ceasefires or agreements,' he said.

'It is a jihad for God's sake and will last until [our] religion prevails. We will attack everywhere.'"

Tell me again how you negotiate with this position? How diplomacy would proceed? 'Cuz I still don't get it.

Thank You - Steve Castner

JS Online:Soldier, scholar, mentor:

"Steve Castner didn't have to join the Guard. Didn't have to go to Iraq. Didn't have to even think about it.

He'd had a good job in IT. He could have stayed close to one of the quaintest and most comfortable little towns in America. It would have been easy.

And it wouldn't have been him."

A friend reminds us, Steve was there for a purpose, and we should honor him for his sacrifice for all of us:

"I have no question in my mind," he said, "that he died or was killed being where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to do and in the way he wanted to do it."

Setting things straight

This op-ed piece does an excellent job of setting the record straight regarding the Israeli/ Hezbollah conflict. First, Israel did not attack Lebanon and does not want to stay!:

"But now we come to the paradox. Despite some of the best efforts I've seen, by our liberal media, to spread poison, there is a growing understanding of what is taking place. Better yet, the response of the Arab world is increasingly directed against Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran; and even against Iran's other client, Hamas in Gaza (now suing for peace). This is unprecedented.

In a partly incoherent, rambling, and apocalyptic address on official Iranian TV, Sunday, President Ahmadinejad said, 'Lebanon is the scene of an historic test, which will determine the future of humanity.' Then, after condemning the unnamed leaders of various Arab regimes that had failed to align with Iran and Hezbollah, 'This is 'the Day that all things secret will be tested'.'"

It's clear that Israel faces more than Hezbollah in this conflict. Read it all.

"Put Grad School Within My Grasp" - Better yet "Pay it all!"

This attitude/expectation is not a surprise. It is a natural extension of the culture we've created - "It's not fair" and "I deserve more":

"Is access to graduate education in America exclusively for the upper class? As a first-year graduate student struggling to make ends meet, I believe the answer is yes. In my experience, searching for funding to pay the extensive costs of my higher education has been an upward climb leading only to dead ends."

Just like countless others who have come before you. You are NOT guaranteed success in this country - or in life for that matter. Hard work will increase your chances!

We are failing to redistribute the wealth in America, and the divide between the upper and lower classes is widening.

Good! We should fail to "redistribute wealth"! That is not the goal of a free, capitalistic, democracy. Again, equal access, not equal results!

Money invested in graduate education will benefit the government by improving the
quality of life for citizens.."

And since when is "government" a smart investment?

The writer is a first-year graduate student at American University working toward a master's degree in public administration.

Probably the most disturbing part of the editorial is that the bio of the author. She's studying to work in government!

Diplomacy

Glenn Reynolds makes an excellent point!

Randi Rhodes - what planet is she on?

EdCone.com:

"My rush-hour drive back to New York yesterday was not bad at all, but I did have the misfortune of hearing the Randi Rhodes show on Air America. Sean Hannity in drag, she is, and facts are not her friends. She was ranting about Israel's 'genocide' in Lebanon.

Genocide? Whatever Israel is doing, however bad you may think it, it's not the mass systematic extermination of a people. She piled on, saying that people who talk about the world's last genocide (which, of course, the Holocaust was not) should never do it
themselves.

She also said, wrongly, that 'thousands' of people had died in Katrina.
It was pretty damn bad."

I think it's pretty clear why Air America continues to lose money, when one of their "top name talents" drops diatribes like this! But the far-left eat this up. Throw facts to the wind - let's turn up the emotion!

Who are you going to believe?

I caught a brief, few minutes of former-President Clinton's speech in Connecticut (more on that later) this morning on C-Span. While he was there to support Sen. Lieberman in his campaign, Clinton used the forum to do what he does best: self-promotion. I've looked for a transcript, but you've all heard it before. "We (me) are the party that unites. They are the party that divides." "We (me) are the party for jobs and the working class. They are the party of the wealthiest few." "We (me) unite, they divide." Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Over and over.

As for employment and the economy, some locals in Wisconsin (4.9% UR in June):

"'These are the best times since at least Miller Park (construction) in the '90s. It might be the best in our 105-year history,' Jorgensen said."

As for other economic facts, compare the Clinton Administration, with the Bush Administration. Not exactly what the former-President portrays in his speeches, is it?

And as far as "uniting and dividing", just the very statement creates division. The left, for many years now, has operated under the banner of diversity, but have so narrowly defined what diversity is, that, unless you agree with them, you are dividing us. Maybe Bill thinks uniting the Democrats was enough of an accomplishment - forget the rest of us. Given the current state of the Democratic party, he's probably right.

Mystery stretch of freeway

Barriers sought on I-43:

"All four fatal crashes have occurred along a six-mile stretch of I-43 between Mequon and Grafton.

'I'm just saying put a barrier up,' said John Holicek, the Ozaukee County coroner. Holicek urged the state Department of Transportation to act quickly to install the median barrier."

I drive this stretch on a somewhat regular basis (used to drive it daily in a previous career) and I still cannot explain "why" these accidents happen in this 6-mile area. The road is almost perfectly straight and flat. The grassy median between north and south-bound lanes is as wide - or wider - than many other miles of freeway in the state. It is a true "freeway": no cross-traffic, four-lane. Yet, the accidents continue.

A colleague in the office - who drives much of this stretch - suggested as plausible an answer as anything: The highway was built over an ancient burial ground. We don't know that to be true, but it there isn't any better reason.

UPDATE: This is probably a good idea. {Governor Doyle orders barriers erected immediatley - no waiting for study} Aren't six deaths enough of a study to make this decision?

If only...

...we had an international organization that could come together and solve the global problems that exist in this world, provide the security and maintain the peace, so that countries - and, more importantly, individuals, could be free to live life to the fullest! Instead, we have the U.N. and they, and the rest of world expect the US to be their security force - even after they criticize us repeatedly when we actually play the role they demand we play. Troops for Lebanon Force:

"The challenge of creating a viable international force to secure Israel's border with Lebanon was captured by Nahum Barnea, a columnist for the Israeli daily newspaper Yediot Aharonot. The European foreign ministers were enthusiastic, he said.

"They only had one small condition -- for the force to be made up of soldiers from another country," Mr. Barnea wrote. "The Germans recommended France; the French recommended Egypt, and so on. It is doubtful whether there is a single country in the West currently volunteering to lay down its soldiers on Hezbollah's fence."

I'm not going to do it, you do it. I'm not going to do it. Hey, let's get Mikey (US)!

Hope for End to the Killing of Millions in Congo?

They're worried about more violence - other than the Middle East - over at The Progressive:

"Elections are being held on July 30 in the Congo, a country that has seen a staggering four million of its people die since 1998 due to combat. "Though the war in Congo officially ended in 2002, its deadly legacy of violence and decay will kill twice as many people this year as have died in the entire Darfur conflict, which began in 2003," states the New York Times."

The magnitude of the killing just boggles the mind."

"Though the war in Congo officially ended in 2002..." hmmm? Sound familiar? Ridicule the President's "Mission accomplished" statement and then overlook the reality of environment in the Middle East and parts of Africa. These are deep-seated conflicts that linger - even when western missions are accomplished (Saddam out of power).

But who can help? Who can the world turn to? More:

"A U.N. peacekeeping force has not been able to do much to stop the violence, given the size of the country and the enormity of the carnage. "

Not to mention, the ineffectiveness of the U.N.! Continue:

"So, what needs to be done to stop the horror?"

Ahhh. Finally. Solutions from the left!

"A group called the Friends of the Congo offers useful recommendations.

Neighboring countries should be internationally sanctioned for their continued interference in the country. Multinational corporations need to be held responsible for their role in perpetuating the conflict. The International Criminal Court should be used to haul the perpetrators of the carnage to justice. (The ICC has already arrested one of the faction leaders, Thomas Lubanga.) The global community should fully support the electoral process."

Oh. Not quite solutions, only "useful recommendations"! Yeah. That'll do it. Let's just be "friends"; blame the big, multi-national corporations; and treat this like a crime - as if this were a mugging in Central Park.

Oh yeah. I forgot the elections. They'll solve everything - even though they've had them and, even Saddam Hussein and Fidel Castro threw elections! Once those unarmed innocents vote for their candidate of peace, the armed-to-the-teeth, ruthless war-lords will turn their weapons into plowshares and accept the results.

"If the killing of people on this scale doesn’t attract our attention, then what will?"

Maybe the United States should send troops. That way, every time the "now-insurgent-rebel-freedom -fighters" who used to be "oppressive-ruthless-warlord-thugs" kill innocent civilians, we can blame the U.S. and demand we put an end to it! It's BusHitler's fault!

Now I feel better!

Cease-fires work...

"Kofi Anan would have loved it.

On November 19, 1939, Shirer's diary reported: 'For almost two months now there has been no military action on land, sea, or in the air.' On January 1, 1940, he wrote, 'this phony kind of war cannot continue long.' But it was now exactly four months since war was declared. How is that for a cease fire?

Did this de facto cease fire lead to peace? No. Like other cease fires, it helped the aggressor. It gave Hitler time to move his divisions from the eastern front, after they had conquered Poland, to the western front, facing France. Now that military superiority along the Rhine had shifted in favor of the German armies, the war suddenly went from being phony to being devastatingly real. Hitler attacked and France collapsed in six weeks."

...if you're the aggressor! Thomas Sowell

50 percent of U.S. says Iraq had WMDs

The Washington Times reports:

"Half of Americans now say Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the United States invaded the country in 2003 -- up from 36 percent last year, a Harris poll finds."

This can't be viewed as good news by the liberal-Democrats. How can the American people continue to be SO stupid!

"Pollsters deemed the increase both 'substantial' and 'surprising' in light of persistent press reports to the contrary in recent years." (emphasis added)

Not that the MSM has a dog in this fight!

"Meanwhile, the Harris poll offered some positive feedback on Iraq. Seventy-two percent of respondents said the Iraqi people are better off now than under Saddam Hussein's regime -- a figure similar to that of 2004, when it stood at 76 percent. In addition, 64 percent say Saddam had "strong links" with al Qaeda, up from 62 percent in October 2004. Fifty-five percent said that "history will give
the U.S. credit for bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq."

Hindsight (history) has a way of giving us clearer vision. Clear away all the emotion and stress of the moment and see the necessity of the situation and the potential consequences, and most people come to agreement on the actions. It's a good thing we have a President who was able to cut through the emotions more quickly than most -- especially his opponent.

Civilians as weapons!

Ralph Kinney Bennett, at TCS suggests: Maybe Now We'll Get It:

"Those who have visited any Hezbollah installation in Lebanon over the years always remark on the fact that there are families, women and children, in and around the place. 'Secret' bases are usually hidden in plain site. Houses or apartment buildings become weapons storage or even operations centers. An innocent shed or garage may contain a Toyota or a missile launcher.

Seldom, if ever, has a guerrilla movement been able to so openly and exquisitely weave itself into the fabric of a society as Hezbollah has done in Lebanon. "

This is not a pleasing thought. It also has been tactically and strategically played in the western media:

"Meanwhile, the headlines are filled with the shedding of blood, some innocent, some not so obviously innocent. But all the blood of this terrible struggle is on the hands of Hezbollah. As they have grown tactically and operationally wise in their hatred, they have shown more fully their utter disregard for human life. They have calculated the bloody effect of what they and their mentors in Tehran and Damascus have started."

To Hezbollah, the ends justify the means:

"So what if a beautiful city, Beirut, is destroyed? So what if thousands of the hapless, the ignorant, the innocent die? The Islamofanatic "vision" of submission or extermination is worth any cost. To the Hezbollah leaders, high on the furious anti-Semitic hatred of centuries, this is total war with implications and opportunities for them far beyond any geographical boundaries, and the very term "civilian" -- except for its temporary value in gulling the West -- does not apply."

Savagely.

Again. How do you negotiate with this "vision"? You don't, unless you are willing to lose.

When Art Attacks

From the BBC, Artwork victims 'fell to deaths':

"'Where the inflatable had landed there were people underneath so they had been crushed, and there were other, quite traumatic injuries where people had been thrown out and fallen quite a long distance.' "

Not to make light of the death of fellow humans, but the BBC has a follow-up story that is just creepy.

Poverty & "their" solutions

Tim Worstall at TCS Daily uses two mortal weapons against John Edwards and his approach to fighting poverty: facts, and his own words (against the backdrop of government process):

"Sen. Edwards' is suggesting billions upon billions of spending which will not, by the very measures he uses, have any effect at all on the number of people in poverty in the USA."

The number of people in poverty - 37 million - is accurate. How that number is measured is in question [government process].

Read the article and you will learn what Sen Edwards proposes to do about it and why the proposals will have zero effect on poverty levels. As Worstall states further:

"Come to think of it, this is actually pretty good politics isn't it? Advocating policies which you know will have no effect whatsoever on the problem being discussed so that you can simply call for more of the same next year? At least I hope that's what the Senator is doing. I really would be far more worried if he was simply ignorant of that fact. He did nearly get to be Vice President after all."

Politics versus results (unless those results are election wins, which is again, politics!) And still later:

"There was an important and wise man a couple of millennia ago who point out that the poor, you will always have them with you. Well, if you're going to state that there are 37 million people below the poverty line and then not add in all the things you're doing to stop them being poor this is pretty much a no brainer, isn't it?"

Do politicians looking for your vote really want to solve the problem, or always have a reason to ask for your vote?

Faith & Science

New York Times:

"I have been struck, Dr. Roughgarden writes, by how the debate over teaching evolution is not about plants and animals but about God and whether science somehow threatens one's belief in God.

Or as Dr. Collins put it, when religions require belief in fundamentally flawed claims about the world, they force curious and intelligent congregants to reject science, effectively committing intellectual suicide, a choice he calls "terrible and unnecessary".

But does science require the abandonment of faith? Not necessarily, and certainly not entirely, these authors argue."

As a Catholic - and one who believes strongly in God - I also accept science. I don't believe we, as humans, are anywhere close to understanding all that God has created. Science is only uncovering what God has created, bit-by-bit and trying to apply it as best we mere humans can. For us to draw a line in the sand and say "this is where God started" is pretty egotistical on our part.

A favorite, recent joke I read:

Two scientist come before God and announce, "We have found the ability to create life without you. We no longer need you." God responds, "Show Me."

The scientists reach down and collect dirt to place in their beaker in which to grow "life" and start their process. At this point God says, "Get your own dirt!"

Stossel's "Myths" May Be on the Bestseller List, But They Don't Belong on ABC

According to self-appointed Global Warming expert, Laurie David, who has no love lost for John Stossel - or, I'd imagine, anyone who doesn't agree with her:

"Stossel admits there's been warming, but thinks we need to wait for more evidence before we do anything about it. (Perhaps evidence such as the deadly heat wave now scorching the U.S. and straining our electric grid?)"

Is she truly suggesting that the heat wave we are currently experiencing is directly related to global warming and climate change caused by humans? How does she explain that, despite the hot temperatures (it is summer after all), few regions set record highs? In reading her bio I don't see much in the way of scientific study or experience. While her passion is admirable, methinks she falls into the category of "humans-are-bad-except-for-those-of-us-who-really-really-care-and-know-better-than-you" types, found predominantly along the west coast, hills of Hollywood and within air-conditioned penthouses of Manhattan!

'currents of hatred so intense as to sear the souls of those who swim upon them.'

Thomas Sowell invokes the words of Winston Churchill:

"The terrorists have spoken in words and in deeds, including suicide bombers. They have what Churchill once described in the Nazis as 'currents of hatred so intense as to sear the souls of those who swim upon them.'"

For all of those who say "diplomacy must be given a chance" and "we need to understand both sides", I say get your head out of the sand! Hezbollah, and other Arab and Muslim factions have openly stated that they will not cease UNTIL Israel no longer exists. There is no place to compromise with that unyielding position. Israel recently gave up both the Gaza Strip and musch of the West Bank - both demands of the Palestinians - and for that they get what? Missile attacks and kidnappings from Hezbollah. What a trade!

Ethanol boom could hurt world's poor - expert

From a Reuters AlertNet:

"'This is shaping up as competition between the 800 million people in the world that own automobiles and the 2 billion low- income people in the world, many of whom are already spending over half their income on food,' Lester Brown, president of Washington D.C.-based environmental research group Earth Policy Institute, told reporters on a teleconference."

As I've said many, many times, there are unintended consequences to everything. When emotion takes over, watch out!

If a tree falls....

This doesn't seem to be getting the press it should:

"The U.N. humanitarian mission was sent to the tsunami-hit areas in Indonesia's southern Java coasts Tuesday as death toll climbs to 357."

Red, Blue or PURPLE?

This sounds like a worthy aspiration.

For the most part, I think the old "silent majority" is, in fact, PURPLE. However, it takes less time than it used to in ordinary life, to come across a die-hard Red-stater or a die-hard Blue-stater. It seems to me, that it's easier to identify with the group, than think for yourself. Being purple takes work. In other words, being American takes work - and responsibility!

Ethanol's Dirty Little Secrets

The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes yet again (and will, I'm confident, do so over and over and over...) From TCS Daily:

"On all these scores -- its contribution to smog and soil erosion, and its 'ecological footprint' -- ethanol is almost as costly to the environment as it is to American drivers and taxpayers."

High gas prices may mean fewer deaths

Talk about your morbid "silver lining":

"'We are encouraged that something has changed behaviors,' he said. 'It's sad that it takes $3 a gallon gasoline to get people to live.'"

Sept. 11 claim stirs UW probe

Well, this has blown-up to a bigger controversy since I first linked (without posting):

"'The 9/11 lie was designed to sow hatred between the faiths,' Barrett has written on the organization's Web site. 'Either we discuss the compelling evidence that 9/11 was an inside job, or there is precious little to talk about.'"

Other Sept. 11 conspiracy theorists in academia include Steven Jones, a physicist from Brigham Young University who argues that the World Trade Center towers were brought down by controlled explosives, not just the impact of airplanes; James H. Fetzer, a retired philosophy professor from the University of Minnesota-Duluth who believes the U.S. military launched a missile into the Pentagon and shot down the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania; and David Ray Griffin, a retired professor from the Claremont School of Theology who sums up arguments for U.S. involvement in the attacks in two books, "The New Pearl Harbor" and "The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions."

On the one hand, he's an idiot. On the other hand, he's already gotten more publicity than he deserves and is offensive to all - especially those who lost loved ones in the attacks of 911. That UW has not dismissed him makes me re-examine my loyalty to the Alma Mater.

Our Government (EEOC) at Work

Once more, John Stossel sees things clearly regarding certain sexual discrimination cases:

"I suspect Hooters' customers are mostly men who think the firm is quite sensitive to their needs, thank you -- and that there would indeed be a class of disappointed males if the government insisted men do the jobs of Hooters girls."

Also:

Sears found itself in the EEOC's cross hairs because more men than women held jobs selling things like lawn mowers and appliances. The disparate numbers themselves were proof, said the government, that Sears discriminated against women.

Sears denied discriminating: "We asked women to do those jobs. It's just that few women want to sell things like lawn mowers."

Unfortunately:

"Have these and other EEOC excesses embarrassed the government into shrinking the EEOC? Of course not. It now has 2,400 employees, and spent $326.8 million in 2005 -- millions more than the year before. Government keeps growing, and as it grows, it feeds on our money, erodes our freedom and defies our common sense."

Outstanding Opinion: The Good War

The Boston Herald carries an outstanding Editorial that clearly reminds readers that we are in a war. A war that may last for some time:

"Five years on, some people remain unaware that this is war; that we are facing an enemy that will do anything in its power to destroy us."

The column goes on to discuss some reasons why some Americans have forgotten this:

"George Bush, while announcing that we were at war five years ago, made a decision to encourage Americans to go about their business as usual. Rather than mobilizing the country for war, he decided he could fight this unconventional war by unconventional means, and with the forces already at hand. Normalcy had its uses as a weapon. It showed that our enemy could not hobble us."

While admirable, the success of this approach, and the "normalcy" we enjoy, has made it appear that the world is "normal":

"Ironically, Bush has been so effective with his approach, that there has not been an attack on the mainland United States since 9-11. That has allowed his opposition to maintain that all the unpleasant things Bush has had to do domestically and abroad are unnecessary, or the very least excessive. They’ve had the freedom to nitpick at the execution of the war, expressing indignation at every misstep, while ignoring major accomplishments, which they see after all as the accomplishments of an unnecessary war based on global intelligence failures that, in hindsight, they cast as lies."

But the column quickly brings us back to reality. A reality we must be willing to face, or we may face it with another devastating blow:

"Our actual and very real enemy purposefully murdered nearly 3,000 people on one day, and has repeatedly attacked civilians other free nations, killing hundreds of people in Europe and Asia, not to mention the thousands of innocents purposefully murdered in Iraq. This enemy has pursued weapons of mass destruction, and given the opportunity, will use them to kill as many of us as possible. They know that militarily, for now, they cannot beat us. But they are patient. They believe, based on past experience, that with our low tolerance for blood we will falter, pull out, and abandon our allies. That will provide them with the opportunity to control nations, to control armies, to control resources. Maybe then we’ll have something more closely resembling total war that Bush’s domestic opposition can finally recognize as a good and necessary war, in which national security must be respected, and excesses in the defense of freedom will be seen in the context of their time, like the carpet bombing of cities, the internment of American citizens and the suspension of habeas corpus. Like the brutalities of the Pacific war and Sherman’s March through Georgia.

But that kind of war - the fabled Good War - belongs to another time. A simpler time. It is probably something that only exists in the rearview mirror anyway."

Finally, the closing faces another reality and bluntly tells it like it is:

"There are some people who will never get that. Their actions show that they are not worthy of the freedoms that American soldiers have died to give them. Those freedoms are theirs anyway, the birthright of even the most despicable self-centered coward who is born American. But there comes a point when you have to ask, which side are they on? There comes a point when even professional capriciousness and misguided idealism - to be charitable - have to be labeled for what they are: Giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Treason."

A leader can't win

From The Seattle Times opinion page:

"What is isolationism really? The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press did a survey earlier this year and proclaimed 'a revival of isolationist sentiment among the general public.' And what showed that? The finding that 42 percent of American 'influentials' agreed that the United States should 'mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own.'

For a country to mind its own business does not mean isolating itself. It means it chooses its own way, neither poking its nose unnecessarily into other countries' business nor neglecting its own."

Unfortunately, as a world leader, the US is held to much higher standards. If we chose the path of isolationism, we would be criticized and ridiculed for ignoring our global responsibilities.

Fortunately, it is the US that is the world leader, who is willing to do the right thing - despite the criticism - which in the end, will make the world a better, safer place. Not to colonialize the globe, but to provide freedom and liberty to those who can't achieve it on their own.

Lastly, if only 42% of "American influentials" agree we should "mind our own business", we are obviously doing the right thing. I would have expected 90% or more of "our influentials" to be of this opinion!

Talk about a sales figure!

Can you imagine the outrage if a male reporter included this in a story he reported?:

"'I love the fact I have the option - during the day you keep the girls in, and at night you break them out,' Cole said."

It is a slow news period, when this makes the list on the business page.

Who has he been talking to?

Americans 'have had it' with war, Feingold says:

"'The American people have had it with this intervention. They do want a timetable for bringing home the troops. And the fact that the United States Senate doesn't get it shouldn't surprise you,' said Feingold, appearing on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'

'Those who vote against bringing the troops home don't get it. They're not out there (with constituents) enough. They're not listening to the people,' he said. "

Why can't he use the term "war"? We are not at "intervention", we are at war. And the timetable to bring the troops home should be based on the success of the mission, not on the US election cycle!

I know I'm relieved!

Here's the headline from JSOnline, Wisconsin dips to No. 6 in tax burden:

"The state's tax burden has long rankled business groups and property owners. And taxes are likely to emerge as a key issue this year in the governor's race and other state elections, as Wisconsin often comes out near the top in national rankings of tax burdens. An effort to impose constitutional limits on taxes died in the state Senate in April."

Surely, we should be proud of our state's ability to tax and spend. Our quality of life is so superior to the other 43 who have less of a burden!

Another study, intended I presume to downplay the "tax burden", takes fees and service charges into account. While this may "normalize" the burden per capita, I for one would rather pay a fee or service charge for the service I use, rather than have my tax go to a general fund to be used at the discretion of the politician and bureaucrat!

"Andrew Reschovsky, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, also broke out the census numbers and showed Wisconsin ranks No. 14 nationally. His calculations, however, included other government fees and service charges that each state assesses in addition to the revenue that state and local authorities collect through taxes. "In Wisconsin, we have made a choice to finance government by relying more heavily on taxes and less heavily on fees and charges than the average state," Reschovsky said."

Wisconsin "Progressives" Unite?

Group seeks to pull left together:

"Booth, a strategist for Proteus Fund, noted the state's liberal image, bolstered in Washington, D.C., by politicians such as Feingold in the Senate and Madison's Tammy Baldwin in the House.

But she reeled off the problem signs for the left: a state Assembly in which Republicans hold 19 seats in Democratic-leaning districts; a wave of conservative legislation (on guns, civil unions, tax limits, immigration, stem cells) either introduced, passed or vetoed by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle; a huge drop-off from the Feingold vote in 2004 to the John Kerry vote that same year; and 16 years of GOP governors followed by Doyle, who 'won with only 45 percent of the vote, and so he is weakened in his position.'"

The problem signs may be larger than they are willing to admit - but at least they recognize they have them. As a Republican operative asks later in the article, "If the public doesn't agree with the Progressive position, it doesn't matter how united they are. It won't change anything." Holding up Feingold and Baldwin as examples will not win the hearts an minds of Wisconsin moderates!

Feeling grumpy?

That's the finding a poll in Wisconsin reported in JS Online:

"For the second year in a row, more Wisconsin residents are feeling that things in Wisconsin 'have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track' than are feeling that things 'are generally going in the right direction,' according to a poll released Thursday by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute."

Personally, I don't feel grumpy. I'm not ecstatic, especially regarding the political climate in the state, but I feel pretty good about my life and most people I know feel the same. Life's too short to be grumpy!

Washington Post downplays WMD story - surprised?

Early Warning by William M. Arkin:

"The threshold for labeling something WMD in this world is low, if it exists at all. Many of the 'chemical munitions' found in Iraq were even 'unfilled' shells. That is, they had never been filled with chemical agent, according to the summary. But, as Rumsfeld says, 'they are weapons of mass destruction.'

The implication here is that we should drop to our knees and pray at the WMD altar, fearful and desperate to let the professionals deal with the 'men's work' of national security."

I wonder what the story would be if one of those "degraded gases" were released by an "insurgent" on the Metro or a subway in NY?

Global Warming more of a threat than - what, uh oh

The New York Times (among many others) reports on the thwarted terrorist plot in Miami, with targets in many cities including the Sears Tower in Chicago:

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation's deputy director said today that a plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago by seven Miami men now facing federal conspiracy charges was 'more aspirational than operational,' but illustrated the threat posed by small groups without connections to international terror networks. "

Of coarse the NYT chose to use the qualifier 'more aspirational than operational' early in the article. The problem with terrorism is, the difference between aspiration and action is extremely small and with aspiration, terrorism wouldn't exist - it needs people willing (aspiring) to do whatever it takes. It seems the group had found a vision and in the market for the means:

"The only overt acts described in the indictment were swearing oaths of allegiance to Al Qaeda and taking video footage of the F.B.I. office. "

"The aid he sought from Al Qaeda included $50,000 in cash, firearms, vehicles, radios, binoculars, bullet-proof vests and military boots. The boots were the only items delivered, after a meeting in which Mr. Batiste provided shoe sizes, according to the indictment. Mr. Batiste was also given the digital video camera that he used to take pictures of the F.B.I. building. "

Regardless of how the left chooses to spin this: "harmless", "aspirational", "unlikely to take action", etc, I'm happy we got them before they acted and proved the spin wrong.

"He said the members of the group shared a "common ideology," although he did not say what that was. He called them "separatists in the sense of not believing that the United States had the authority to enforce certain laws against them."

Global Warming Affecting Your Life?

What? Has ABC News completely lost their mind?:

"We want to hear and see your stories. Have you noticed changes in your own backyard or hometown? The differences can be large or small - altered blooming schedules, unusual animals that have arrived in your community, higher water levels encroaching on your property. "

I hope they make ALL submissions public. I can't wait to see all the tin-foil hats running around on their Funniest Home Global Warming Videos!

The second step "It's not my fault"

And Barrett would be partly correct. Although, as Mayor, he's still accountable. Here, we find a reason many are fleeing Milwaukee - the city and the county. County pensions and proposed fixes:

"The county's precarious finances, in part a product of the 2000-'01 pension deal, have forced consideration of widespread pool closings, large-scale privatization of county government jobs and service cuts in a variety of programs. A sales tax for parks and/or transit is also under discussion."

The first step is Denial

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's response to a US Census report citing a population drop in the city of Milwaukee:

"'There they go again,' Barrett said. 'I've been down this road before. My view is that the U.S. census data is historically unreliable."

The report claims the following:

"Milwaukee lost 4,257 residents, or 0.7% of its population, from 2004 to 2005, the fourth-largest percentage decrease among American cities with more than 500,000 residents. Madison gained 1,402 people during that time."

If I were Mayor, I wouldn't want to believe it either!

Line-Item Veto: on National Review Online

Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin (ALL our representives are not flakes like Feingold):

"In short, our constitutional version of the line-item veto is one brick in the dike holding back a future flood of big government."

Ryan has always been a strong conservative. Not well known, but more of this and he will be! Let's hope this passes.

Thank you! We are proud.

Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker:

"'I'm going to defend my country,' Private Tucker said in the telephone message. 'Be proud of me.'"

Martial Law?

Is New Orleans under it? The Governor has sent the National Guard in at the request of Mayor Nagin.:

"Frustration over a rise in crime reached a tipping point on Saturday when five teenagers in an SUV were shot and killed in the city's deadliest attack in at least 11 years. Police said the attack was apparently motivated by drugs or revenge. Also, a man was stabbed to death Sunday night in an argument over beer.

The killings brought this year's murder toll to 53, raising fears violence was back on the rise in a city plagued by violent crime before Katrina drove out much of the population last year. "

I wonder when Mayor Barrett will ask Governor Doyle to send in the guards to secure Milwaukee? (Milwaukee: 45 murders YTD, June 20, 2006)

Ahhh. Diversity, one family at a time.

Apparently Angelina has her own world-view and is creating her family in it's image:

"'It's, you know, another boy, another girl, which country, which race would fit best with the kids,' she said."

Is anyone else a little creeped out by this? I have this image of Jolie walking through towns and villages like some boutique on Rodeo Drive: "I'll take one of those, two of those, no, no, yes, and I'll try one of those too. Can you wrap them up and have them delivered?"

The "Me" Generation - Magnified

In this article - The Pursuit of Gratification - the author examines our current culture and isn't surprised that we find ourselves in this situation:

"'Today's emphasis on feeling good reflects the fact that the individual self has become the central focus of social, moral and cultural life,' writes Furedi. 'Feeling good' becomes an escape from civic virtue and the demands of community life, where hard work, sacrifice, altruism and commitment are antithetical to immediate gratification. A late education is better than no education at all, but Hillary obviously finds small consolation in the fact that it was her indulgent generation that put into play what she now rails against. Life can be a tough schoolmaster."

Not to put all the blame back on public schools, but much of this is, at minimum, re-enforced by educational practices employed over the years that focus on individual self-esteem and feeling good even though you don't get results.

The War on Terror - Run on Political Timelines

OpinionJournal - John Fund on the Trail:

"Not every Democrat believes there's no progress in Iraq. Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, who managed Walter Mondale's 1984 campaign, had the honesty to tell Fox News Channel last Friday: 'Yes, we're winning, but we're not winning fast enough.' Imagine what would have happened if in the middle of the fight against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Franklin Roosevelt had been accused of not rolling back the Axis fast enough. Mr. Beckel went on to conclude 'This war is just--it's stupid politics.'"

Yes. But who's playing the "stupid politics" Mr. Beckel?!

At what cost?

Venezuela offers help in the US - Milwaukee, Chicago and the Northeast - in the form of free eye surgery and discounted heating oil:

"The natural question is whether we would work with the Venezuelan government, which is not a close ally of the United States,' Barrett said. 'My view is that if we can improve communications and help our people at the same time, I would support that, with the emphasis on helping our people."

On the surface, this appears to be a wonderful, humanitarian gesture. The skeptic in me, however, is jumping up and down screaming "NO"! I am not an expert in Venezuelan history or their current political condition. I am familiar with Chavez and his heroes. Even if (and that's a huge IF) Chavez's intentions are purely magnanimous, and his governing style is not dictatorial (right!), it has yet to be demonstrated that reliance upon government for all a citizens needs to be met, can work.

If Not America, Who?

Condoleeza Rice at The Southern Baptist Convention:

"We in America are blessed with lives of tremendous liberty: the freedom to govern ourselves and elect our leaders; the freedom to own property; the freedom to educate our children, our boys and our girls; and of course the freedom to think as we please and to worship as we wish. America embodies these liberties but America does not own these liberties. We stand for ideals that are greater than ourselves and we go into the world not to plunder but to protect, not to subjugate but to liberate, not as masters of others but as servants of freedom. (Applause.)"

Later...

"America will lead...America will lead the cause of freedom in our world, not because we think ourselves perfect. To the contrary, we cherish democracy and champion its ideals because we know ourselves to be imperfect. With a long history of failures and false starts that testify to our own fallibility, after all, when our Founding Fathers said "We the people", they didn't mean me. My ancestors in Mr. Jefferson's Constitution were three-fifths of a man. And it's only in my lifetime that America has guaranteed the right to vote for all our citizens. But we have made progress and we are striving toward a more perfect union."

Rice in '08? Rice in '12? Who cares. She can run anytime and get my vote!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

Anti-Americanism's Deep Roots:

"The United States was to blame both for the suffering it caused and the suffering it did not alleviate."

Let's face it, as Americans - specifically the United States - we can't win. We will always be damned by someone.

"The fact is, because America is the dominant power in the world, it will always attract criticism and be blamed both for what it does and what it does not do."

I wonder, if we could have an "It's A Wonderful Life" moment, what would the world (Pottersville), look like today if the United States never existed?

Who cares about numbers...

...we're all going to die! The Numbers Guy at WSJ Online:

"On a Web site promoting the awareness week, a fact sheet filled with exclamatory lightning stats says, 'Lightning Kills About 100 People In The U.S. Each Year!' But another page states, 'In the United States, an average of 66 people are killed each year by lightning.' And the National Weather Service's own stats show that, over the past 10 years, the average number of lightning fatalities has been 45. Deaths haven't topped 53 in a single year since 1996."

Statistics and facts get in the way of perfectly good agendas - just ask Al Gore.

US Must adopt Kyoto...

...but we'll give China a pass:

"It was the latest in a series of mishaps to degrade the country's already polluted waterways. Officials said there have been at least 76 water pollution accidents in the last six months."

I guess because they're a lost cause?

{I know, Kyoto doesn't address water pollution. It's the Principle, stupid!}

First Named Storm of 2006 Could Have Been Worse

First Named Storm of 2006 Could Have Been Worse

"But Steve Kerr of the American Red Cross said even though Alberto did not reach hurricane strength, each damaged home or business is still a disaster. "To a business, to a family, to a homeowner, a loss is a loss," he said."

And we should be ashamed of ourselves and our country's inability to respond to each and every loss any American faces! If Al Gore or John Kerry were President, we wouldn't have disasters anymore!

Never mind.

"There were 138 active fires -- including the smoldering remains of a fire that burned through 6,500 acres in Canaveral Groves -- reported across the state before Alberto blew through, belting parched landscapes and wild lands with much-needed rain."

Can America go green?

Questions Elizabeth Kolbert:

"Certainly, there are few questions more urgent than how - and how quickly - the US will react to climate change. "

Like, "Can the Democrats use this to win back Congress and the White House before they get caught?"

Lo and behold, this question is, in fact, raised:

"At this point, midterm elections in the US are just five months away. Recent polls suggest that control of both houses of Congress is up for grabs. It's possible that the Democrats will win a majority in at least one, in which case the chairmanships of certain important committees will shift to less openly anti-science members."

And who is Elizabeth Kolbert?

"Prior to joining the staff of The New Yorker, Ms. Kolbert was a political reporter for The New York Times. She is a graduate of Yale University."

As I asked in an earlier post, "Where are the unbiased, non-partisan, fact seekers?"

Tongue in cheek....

...but who's tongue?

Q&A With Greg Gutfeld: The Cool Conservative:

"Who is Armin Meiwes? [Editor's note: Gutfeld asked this question of
himself.]

He is the 41-year-old computer technician and practicing cannibal who ate some guy he met off the Internet. He taped it all on a camcorder. I have not seen the footage, although at times I like to think I have. Cannibalism is a totally viable lifestyle choice -- and if you find it uncomfortable, then that's your hang-up. Deal with it. Open your mind."

Read it all.

Apparently the trial balloon still has air in it...

...although the 'regional' idea isn't present, the 1% sales tax plan gains ground:

"The board's Finance Committee voted 4-3 Thursday in favor of a November referendum on the plan. The full County Board is scheduled to vote next Thursday on whether to put the question to voters."

I wonder if there's a connection with this story:

General Growth Properties Inc., the company that owns Mayfair Mall, announced plans Thursday to develop a similar-sized center on 110 acres at the northwest corner of I-94 and state Highway 67. The center would include national department stores, upscale shops, a multiscreen theater and restaurants in about 1 million square feet.

Journalists

Michael Barone believes they have lost their way:

"Journalists in the 1940s, '50s and early '60s tended to believe they had a duty to buttress Americans' faith in their leaders and their government. Journalists since Vietnam and Watergate have tended to believe that they have a duty to undermine such faith, especially when the wrong party is in office."

I agree.

Where are the truly, non-partisan, independent truth seekers? I know they exist, but they don't get the attention they deserve - because it doesn't sell. It also doesn't help with the agenda - either way!

Papers Show 'Gloomy' State in Iraq

Quagmire!

"'Generally speaking and despite the gloomy present situation, we find that the best solution in order to get out of this crisis is to..."

It's not what you think.

There goes the neighbor (hood)...

JS Online:The bell may not save him this time:

"Diamond, 29, faces losing the home under a foreclosure order filed in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on May 4. It demands that he kick up the remaining $250,000 he owes under a land contract, which Diamond said was one of the few options available for him in 2003 because of a bad credit record, which includes a 2001
bankruptcy filing in California. "

Yep. Dustin "Screech" Diamond is a neighbor of mine. Drive by his house nearly every day when I run errands. Only two ways out of our neighborhood, and he lives on the most used exit street. Rumor has it (pretty well founded rumor), when he first moved into the neighborhood, he'd call the police on a weekly basis complaining about "all the cars driving by". He'd get the license numbers to report the gawkers. The police would later need to let the celeb know that "those cars" belong to his neighbors, just trying to get home for dinner!

Port Washington eases off drinking ban in some city parks

JS Online:

"'What if you get 20 guys sucking on beer all day?' Hudson asked."

...and what? They go home, eat dinner, watch some TV and fall asleep on the couch?

If you build it, they will drive it...

...not really. As this column in JS Online states "roads fill up when they go where needed":

"While a region's transportation is important to businesses, people choose communities in a region because of factors such as taxes, schools or available houses. Freeways may shuffle some growth toward this suburb rather than that, but lacking a freeway doesn't make people into new urbanists.

'We design our personal network' - our trips to work or the grocery store - 'not around the highway network but around our lives,' he says."

The demonizing of freeways, by some on the left, as the reason people flock to the suburbs is debunked. People choose to live where they live for many, many reasons. One of the lowest priorities is whether a freeway runs through it!

Shrine to Hitler?

JS Online:Shrine to Hitler unnerves community:

"It's a beautiful location for a memorial to a man who most believe started World War II, in which 50 million people died, including more than 6 million Jewish people in the Holocaust - that's all part of what Junker disputes as bunk."

The human mind can rationalize almost anything it seems. I can imagine that, to some, Hitler did some good. Got the country working again. Similarly, Mussolini is credited for keeping the trains on time. There is even a renewed admiration of Stalin in some parts of Russia. We can add Mao, Castro, Hussein, Quadafi, Pol Pot and others to the list. I'm sure we could find pockets of support for each, somewhere in the world.

It's a bit disconcerting that the JS chose to use the phrase "...most believe started World War II...", but as this confused person proves, the phrase is accurate. To forget this, is a mistake. As the old adage warns: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

...she wondered if a Republican's marrow had save her body.

Ann Althouse referenced this story this morning and used basically the same headline. The comments were more nostalgic reminiscing about the music of PP&M - which was/is good.

However, if you read the story in the New York Times, within the context of this quote, the Times chooses to hyperlink to other stories about Republicans, but not Democrats. The articles on the linked page were overwhelmingly negative. Surprised?:

"Ms. Travers, a lifetime Democrat, joked with her family that she wondered if a Republican's marrow had save her body. She learned that this was indeed true when she called the other Mary to thank her."

Best wishes to Ms Travers, but the NYTs is pathetic!

How to lose an election with one statement

From WisOpinion Quote of the Week:

"The ongoing violence in the city of Milwaukee is not just simply a city problem. It's not the mayor's problem. It's not County Executive (Scott) Walker's problem. It's a problem of the citizens of this state."

-- Republican attorney general candidate and Waukesha County DA Paul Bucher, proposing that the state pay for increased police patrols in Milwaukee

Uh-huh. Maybe we should increase the state sales tax to help Milwaukee fix "our" problem. Sorry Mr Bucher, it seems like your campaign for AG is officially over.

Compare and Contrast

Two stories, two schools, two very different lessons. Both from JS Online:WIAA soccer report:

" Homestead probably won't be in line for the WIAA's sportsmanship award. Highlanders fans chanted 'Choke' at Middleton players during the shootout. Then, while Middleton received its championship medals, Homestead players turned their backs to the action. . . ."

Homestead coach Rich Dorn wasn't happy with the defensive-minded approach Middleton took against his Highlanders in the Division 1 title game. "I think justice was not served," Dorn said. "I think attacking soccer should be somewhat rewarded. Maybe we could go to a point system, almost like gymnastics does instead of deciding games with shootouts.

"We're recognized for the soccer we play and. . . I take pride in that. I'm not interested in somebody saying, 'You have a vaunted defense.' This could set the game back. I couldn't be happy playing for a tie."

JS Online:WIAA soccer report:

"DO-GOODERS: Catholic Memorial's girls team spends every Saturday morning working with handicapped children. And even though the Crusaders had a state title game to play this week, their routine didn't change. 'I want us to be defined by the quality of our team, not just wins and losses,' Burke said. 'And I think that's why we've enjoyed as much success as we have here. It's because we have such good people come through this program.'"

Having witnessed the behavior and "sportsmanship" of other fans from Mequon during the Padre Serra 8th grade girls basketball tournament, I can say that the people of Mequon are not exactly displaying much class. Get a grip folks!

The Soldier in Me - by Kos

American Prospect Online - The Soldier in Me:

"One of the many tragedies of the Iraq War is that the military is no longer a viable option for those needing a boost up the socio-economic ladder, making college a possibility, granting people the confidence and experience that has paid such huge dividends for countless veterans. "

I'm sorry. When did the military become a social service agency. The military is there to protect and defend our country. The fact that veterans were/are able to benefit from their service is secondary to their primary mission. The few who enlisted for the "boost up the socio-economic ladder" may have found out what the true cost of that boost is when they were deployed.

A MUST Read

John Podhoretz @ The Corner finds this gem:

The Greatest Kos Posting Ever

We should always be that high!

JS Online:Reported leap in city crime challenged:

"In 2004, according to the FBI report, there were 87 homicides in Milwaukee, the lowest total in 16 years. Last year, there were 122 homicides.

'2004 really was an anomaly,' Schwartz said of the low homicide figure."

Yeah. We should realize that 120 homicides is normal!

Say what?!

This is the third or fourth story on this "trend" in the last six months. Who at JS Online is obsessed with this?:

"In her hour of weekly pole-dancing lessons, Sue Hesselgrave also will crawl across the floor, learn how to stand up 'the sexy way' and discover how to roll her hips in a manner that usually requires a $20 cover charge to watch. And she's already signed up for chair dancing, the club's companion class.""

Plus...

"At least once a month, Kolf takes students to the Silk Exotic gentlemen's club in Milwaukee to see how the professionals do it. Husbands and boyfriends tag along and "come up shaking my hand," Kolf said, "saying, 'You have no idea how much she likes this.'

Yeah. It's all about her!

Bush's surprise Iraq visit cloaked in secrecy

Secrecy. Because the President doesn't want us to know! Right.

WAPO from Reuters:

"Wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and blue tie, Bush swept into a large, domed room at the center of the Republican Palace, part of the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad."

What does, what the President is wearing, have to do with any of this? Was the fashion reporter the only person Reuters could find to submit a report?

The liberation of Karl Rove

A bad, bad day for the left. Sidney Blumenthal starts it off:

"Freed from fear of indictment, Rove remains in character as unabashedly shameless. Before a Republican party gathering in New Hampshire yesterday, he launched his usual partisan fusillades. Though the Bush administration has run up the largest deficit in US history, Rove blamed the Democrats, the powerless minority party in the Congress: 'They're for more spending. We're for less spending.' On Iraq, he admitted no error: 'We have no excuses to make for it.'"

Typical comments from the intellectual left (via DU) (sorry for the language - apparently these are intellectually articulate people):

129. IOKIYAR -- These motherf*ckers get away with anything, don't they?
IOKIYAR = It's OK If You Are Republican If only a Clinton adviser had done half of what Rove did, the Republicans wouldn't have stopped until the guy had gotten the chair. They would have instituted special prosecutors and gone relentlessly all the way until indictments were handed, no matter what.Heck, these bastards shoot old people in the face, and then their victims have to apologize to them.

156. The Grinch stole Fitzmas!
So the greased pig slipped out of Fitgerald's grasp and I am pissed off. That fat bastard should be slow roasting with a rotten apple in his mouth for treason against America. What happened? Did KKKarl have a get out of jail free card or did Fitz just blow it? I am so disillusioned by this country. We only have a sense of freedom, democracy is crumbling, and justice is a whore to the rich!

12. that bastard gets away with everything doesn't he?
watch the freepers rally around this g.d. traitor, never once asking themselves how they would behave if this was a DEMOCRAT....yeah that's right freepers, you hypocritical pathetic pieces of SHIT

209. So that's it?
Rove must have been granted immunity for his testimony. Either that or we are all fucked, because that means no one is answerable to the People. Sad days ahead.

Queue the Idol wrap, "So you had a day..."

What's wrong with this picture?

Florida Prepares for the Worst with Alberto

So says the headline on ABC News. Meteorlogists aren't quite as concerned, but people should still recognize the dangers:

" Some meteorologists said Monday that Tropical Storm Alberto was a marginal storm that might solve local drought concerns in Florida. Today, it is a potential hurricane and Florida residents are preparing for the worst. "

Now look at the picture again. This is the photo ABC chose to use. Does that look like preparing for the worst? Here's the caption:

Scott Kuffer, 11, Christian Kuffer, 7, and Scott Kuffer are hit by waves that are crashing ashore from Tropical Storm Alberto in the Gulf of Mexico June 12, 2006 in Venice, Florida. The first named storm of the season wasn't expected to reach the Florida coast until Tuesday. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Are we already seeing the 'chicken little syndrome'? I don't think this guy is recklessly endangering his kids, but I do have a question. At what point do individuals lose any ability to question the government if bad things happen to them in natural disasters?