Oh, Tookie, C'mon People

Of course Tookie or his people running his website still have not responded to my emails, even Barbara Boxer got back to me, even if it was just to blow me off.

Here is some news from today.

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. With the execution date for Stanley Tookie Williams getting closer, the condemned killer is insisting he's a changed man.

As supporters rally outside the prison to spare his life, Williams insists he's not the same man who killed four people during robberies in 1979. He claims he has redeemed himself through a dozen years of good deeds, including writing books encouraging kids to stay out of gangs. Williams has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But despite his efforts, plenty of others remain skeptical. Crime victims and prison officials say Williams is a self-serving charlatan who refuses to take responsibility for his crimes. They also say he's benefiting from a well-meaning, but misguided campaign to clean up his image. Williams is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection December 13th. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has scheduled a private clemency hearing in his office for December Eighth.

Hmm, the people that are around him everyday call him a self-serving charlatan, that is benefiting from a well-meaning, but misguided campaign to clean up his image.

Actually, I have to correct the article, Tookie still maintains his innocence over the murders he was convicted of, but that is not my point.

The biggest problem I have is that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to a clemency hearing.

Even when appeal after appeal has resulted in guilty verdicts.

First off, he has no legal obligation to do so, but because he agreed to the hearing, the pro-Tookie, pro-murder people are going to spin it as 'See, even Arnold wants to look into this travesty of justice'.

Arnold should have just stayed out of the whole thing.

But his Liberal wife runs the show at home, and his politics.

That was evident when she wouldn't go on record and support her husband in his special election.

Now if you are a 13 year old girl, you are still not going to be able to walk into a tattoo parlor to get a little rose tattooed on your shoulder without your parents consent, but an abortion is totally acceptable.

Higher taxes are in our fu2r, because Californian's refuse to allow Arnold to cut spending.

It's weird living in California, sometimes I think I'm living in the most backward place on the planet.

And the Hollywood Elites make fun of the people that don't live here, saying they are hicks, and red-necks, and are so unenlightened.

Maybe they are, but we should be ashamed to have one of the biggest economies on the planet, and we are on the verge of being bankrupt.

I truly think that California is Un-Governable.

Just watch, Tookie will be given clemency, and then the cry will be to set him free, we will be bankrupt in the next few years, and of course, the laughing stalk of the entire country.

Maybe then we will elect Warren Beatty, Johnny Depp, and Sean Penn to run the state all the way into the ground.

Liberty And Culture

This a great site that I found being part of the Infidel Bloggers Alliance.

Liberty and Culture

Islam: Political Ideology or Religion?

According to the mythology, Mohammad founded Islam in Mecca, moved to Medina, and culminated his career as a military and political leader who plundered and conquered all of Arabia. (Tellingly, the Muslim calendar starts from the move to Medina!) According to history, Islamic scholars started to document and solidify the religion 150-200 years after Mohammad, when a pure Arab hegemony gave way to an Arab/Persian fusion cemented by the myths of Mohammad. In either case, Islam is a state religion created to justify power and the oppression of non-Muslims.

What do we find when we examine the doctrines and practice of Islam? Mark Alexander has written an excellent review comparing Islam with other political ideologies. You decide! (Hat tip: AOW.)

Political Ideology, or the Religion of Peace?

I'm going with Political Ideology.

This Is The Face Of The Grinch

I finally received a response from Sen. Barbara Boxer.

I was so excited to open the email, like a kid at Christmas.

If you recall, this was my post on Nov. 10th.

Dear Mrs. Boxer, All I Want For Christmas Is Lower Gas Tax

And then I got coal in my stocking.

My email to her read as follows.


Mrs. Boxer,

I know you are a very busy, so I will make this extremely brief.

Given that about 20% of the cost of gas consists of taxes, wouldn't the Government be able to quickly ease our pain on these high Gas prices?

When will you fight for Us to pay less Gas Tax?

That would sure make life more affordable for me.

Thank you in advance for your time.

The Fu2rman

And here is Senator Boxers response.

Thank you for contacting me about California 's high gasoline prices. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your comments.

I have consistently worked to protect the rights of California 's gasoline consumers. I co-sponsored an amendment that calls on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct an investigation to determine whether the price of gasoline is being artificially manipulated. This amendment was attached to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (H.R.6), which the President signed into law on August 8, 2005. I also introduced S.1146, which would require the FTC to investigate any rapid rise in gasoline prices.

In addition, I am co-sponsoring S.847, which seeks to lower gasoline prices by encouraging President Bush to direct the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase oil production. S.847 would also allow oil to be temporarily released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

On August 31, 2005, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, President Bush heeded my repeated calls to utilize the SPR. The Administration agreed to temporarily release oil reserves, providing consumers and the economy with some relief from skyrocketing oil and gasoline prices during this critical time. In addition, I have written to the Federal Trade Commission chairman urging the FTC to remain vigilant in monitoring the oil industry for price gouging following Hurricane Katrina.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me about this important issue. Please be assured I will continue to monitor the situation very closely, and I will do all that I can to ensure that California drivers enjoy reasonable gasoline prices.

Barbara Boxer United States Senator

Did you read anything about the high gasoline tax?

I didn't!

She didn't even attempt to answer the question, instead she spewed some garbage about watching the oil companies.

That was my whole concern!

Why are we looking at the oil companies when 20% of the cost of gasoline is going directly to the government!

What kind of racket is that!

Many successful businesses don't have a 20% net profit, the oil companies among them, but the government does nothing but take our money right off the top of the oil companies sales.

I don't know if Pimps or the various Mafia's ever read The Fu2rman and Friends, but if you are, take note.

You could learn a thing or two from Barbara Boxer!

Update: Upon receiving the response from Sen. Boxer, I tried to send a reply, but I got an Out of Office reply, with this message.

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your e-mail message and for your interest in public policy.

In order to better serve the 35 million residents of California, I am now using an e-mail system located on my Senate website. This system enables me to provide more and better responses to you and other constituents while saving taxpayer dollars. (Unfortunately, limited resources do not allow me to respond to e-mails generated by third-party organizations.)

If you would like a reply to your message, I encourage you to visit my website e-mail system at http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm Simply fill in the fields, type in your message, and click “Submit” at the bottom of the page.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

OK, I'll play along, I sent my question yet again.

It only took 20 days for Boxer to NOT answer my last question, let's see about this time.

The Pot Calling The Kettle...

This from the LA Times.

U.S. Military Covertly Pays to Run Stories in Iraqi Press

WASHINGTON — As part of an information offensive in Iraq, the U.S. military is secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to publish stories written by American troops in an effort to burnish the image of the U.S. mission in Iraq.

The articles, written by U.S. military "information operations" troops, are translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

Many of the articles are presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written and reported by independent journalists. The stories trumpet the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents and tout U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country.

Though the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments, officials said. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles, with headlines such as "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism," since the effort began this year.

And how is that different from what Al-Jazeera is doing?

Or how is that different from what the US MSM is doing?

Oh, yeah, they are factual.

I guess it's only ok to be one-sided if it is the Left Side.

This Is Interesting

Two weeks ago John McCain was on this blog for his plea to end the torture of our prisoners.

Well now I came across this.

John McCain: Torture Worked on Me

Sen. John McCain is leading the charge against so-called "torture" techniques allegedly used by U.S. interrogators, insisting that practices like sleep deprivation and withholding medical attention are not only brutal - they simply don't work to persuade terrorist suspects to give accurate information.

Nearly forty years ago, however - when McCain was held captive in a North Vietnamese prison camp - some of the same techniques were used on him. And - as McCain has publicly admitted at least twice - the torture worked!

In his 1999 autobiography, "Faith of My Fathers," McCain describes how he was severely injured when his plane was shot down over Hanoi - and how his North Vietnamese interrogators used his injuries to extract information.

"Demands for military information were accompanied by threats to terminate my medical treatment if I did not cooperate," he wrote.

"I thought they were bluffing and refused to provide any information beyond my name, rank and serial number, and date of birth. They knocked me around a little to force my cooperation."

The punishment finally worked, McCain said. "Eventually, I gave them my ship's name and squadron number, and confirmed that my target had been the power plant."

Recalling how he gave up military information to his interrogators, McCain said: "I regret very much having done so. The information was of no real use to the Vietnamese, but the Code of Conduct for American Prisoners of War orders us to refrain from providing any information beyond our names, rank and serial number."

The episode wasn't the only instance when McCain broke under physical pressure.

Just after his release in May 1973, he detailed his experience as a P.O.W. in a lengthy account in U.S. News & World Report.

He described the day Hanoi Hilton guards beat him "from pillar to post, kicking and laughing and scratching. After a few hours of that, ropes were put on me and I sat that night bound with ropes."

"For the next four days, I was beaten every two to three hours by different guards . . . Finally, I reached the lowest point of my 5 1/2 years in North Vietnam. I was at the point of suicide, because I saw that I was reaching the end of my rope."

McCain was taken to an interrogation room and ordered to sign a document confessing to war crimes. "I signed it," he recalled. "It was in their language, and spoke about black crimes, and other generalities."

"I had learned what we all learned over there," McCain said. "Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine."

That McCain broke under torture doesn't make him any less of an American hero. But it does prove he's wrong to claim that harsh interrogation techniques simply don't work.

I agree, he is no less a hero, and I agree, as he says, Every man has his breaking point.

This is my problem with McCain, he has been called a Maverick because he isn't afraid to go against the Washington majority thoughts.

Of course not, what John McCain does, is jump on whatever the Popular Public Opinion at the moment.

That's why everyone likes him!

He says what everybody just heard on the news, or from a conversation they overheard, and all of the sudden McCain sounds like a genious.

Well as a politician, maybe he is.

But that is the last thing we need in our leaders at this time in our history.

Squelching Freedom of Speech

Pieter Dorsman from Peaktalk has an excellent piece on the root causes of the French riots and the power of intimidation.


French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut, who previously had been considered to be one of the most eminent spokesmen of the French left, sees the riots in France originating from an ethnic-religious cause, not racism or economic depravity.

Only hours after publication, leftist organizations were vying with each other over who would be first to sue him or file a police complaint against the philosopher for incitement to racism.

Thursday, after receiving death threats, the philosopher decided to respond and repent...

Finkielkraut said his original statements had been an attempt to force the political echelon to take responsibility for what was happening in the poor suburbs....

Following the apology, lawsuits and police complaints were dropped.

I find it just amazing how much people are willing to shoot themselves in the foot in an all out effort to keep one's head buried in the sand. Another Chamberlain moment!!

There's A New Blog On The Horizon

So check this out.

There is an Alliance of Bloggers, and they just so happen to be Infidels.

Our kinda people, wouldn't you say?

Well better than that, The Fu2rman will have the honor of contributing to the site.

And I have introduced myself to the Alliance.

I have not had the opportunity to talk to any of the other Allies, but I expect this will be a great thing for the fu2r of The Fu2rman and Friends.

So Friends, this is a challenge, be good, very good, as we will have some new guests to our little corner of the blogosphere.

What Do You Make Of This?

This from Drudge.




XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN NOV 27 2005 17:05:23 ET XXXXX

CNN OPERATOR FIRED AFTER SUGGESTING 'X' OVER CHENEY WAS 'FREE SPEECH'

A CNN switchboard operator was fired over the holiday -- after the operator claimed the 'X' placed over Vice President's Dick Cheney's face was "free speech!"

"We did it just to make a point. Tell them to stop lying, Bush and Cheney," the CNN operator said to a caller. "Bring our soldiers home."

The caller initially phoned the network to complain about the all-news channel flashing an "X' over Cheney as he gave an address live from Washington.

"Was it not freedom of speech? Yes or No?" the CNN operator explained.

"If you don't like it, don't watch."

Laurie Goldberg, Senior Vice President for Public Relations with CNN, said in a release:

"A Turner switchboard operator was fired today after we were alerted to a conversation the operator had with a caller in which the operator lost his temper and expressed his personal views -- behavior that was totally inappropriate. His comments did not reflect the views of CNN. We are reaching out to the caller and expressing our deep regret to her and apologizing that she did not get the courtesy entitled to her. "

Developing...

This could mean that CNN just sacraficed a little nobody to save face, or it could be nothing.

Was the original statement by CNN sincere or BS?

Was the X a mistake, or was it intentional?

I don't know, you decide.

OMG! Look What's Going On In Iraq!

This is a concern!

Iyad Allawi says,

"These were the precise reasons that we fought Saddam Hussein, and now we are seeing the same things."

Hell yeah it is!

-many hundreds of thousands of people have died

-"victims of torture in Iraq are subjected to a wide range of forms of torture, including the gouging out of eyes, severe beatings and electric shocks... some victims have died as a result and many have been left with permanent physical and psychological damage."

-Allegations of prostitution used to intimidate opponents of the regime, have been used by the regime to justify the barbaric beheading of women.

-campaign of terror against the Kurds killed at least 50,000 and possibly as many as 100,000 Kurds.

-campaign of terror against the Kurds killed at least 50,000 and possibly as many as 100,000 Kurds.

Executions:
-4,000 prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison
-3,000 prisoners at the Mahjar prison
-2,500 prisoners were executed in a "prison cleansing campaign"
-At least 130 Iraqi women were beheaded

That is awful! We must do something about this!

Thank you Iyad Allawi for bringing this to our attention.

The former Iraqi prime minister, Iyad Allawi, has called for immediate action against human rights abuses.

Oh, but wait, those were the things that happened under Saddam's regime.

And, by the way, I didn't post the whole list, you can see Saddam's atrocities here.

None of those things are happening today, the fact that the press is giving so much attention to Allawi's comments, without giving the whole story, concerns me.

See, even when the news only reports the comments made by Allawi, the IQ of the nation will not get the whole picture.

By that I mean, most people only get the talking points, because that is all they are given.

We as a nation don't take the time to educate ourselves.

Not anymore.

Before I move on, let me just give you another important talking point.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has dismissed as "nonsense" the charge that the country's rights abuses are as bad as they were in Saddam Hussein's era.

Mr Talabani told the BBC modern abuses cannot be compared to the concentration camps and mass graves of Saddam's time.

There you go!

Concentration Camps, Mass Graves...Need I say more? I will just in case.

If you go and read up on the whole story, you'll see Allawi is pissed because he didn't win in the last election, etc. etc.

I guess he will found The Democrat Party of Iraq, or become a US Senator, as he is sounding like John Kerry already!

But I digress, my point is this, the political dialogue that takes place in the United States is very sad.

Next time you are at work, at school, or during the course of your day, ask someone what they think about what Allawi said about the atrocities in Iraq.

I bet 9 out of 10 (or 99 out of 100) of them won't even know what you are talking about.

And these are voters, people!

We should really be given a test before being allowed access to the voting booth.

Not one person should be allowed a voice, if it is of ignorance.

I don't expect voters to be totally involved and politically literate people, but it should be unacceptable that uninformed people be allowed to vote, period.

That is not democracy.

Unless democracy is defined as the lunatics running the asylum.

Atlas Is On It

Go check this out...

Live blogging: Fred Barnes interviews Thomas Sowell on FOX

FB: You were against Vietnam.........

TS: "Yes because we werent going to do what it took to win.So why lose lives?"

FB: And do you believe in the was in Iraq?

TS: "Yes, every terrorist we kill is one less that can come here and kill us"

FB: You have written of the lack of heros in Iraq.

TS: "Oh yes! The media is so against this war, they will not relay the stories of what our men and women are doing over there. The great accomplishements. The successes..........Everything I read and everyone I speak to that is in Iraq runs counter to what the media reports."

Go read the rest, great interview, apparently concluding tomorrow night.

FU2RMAN & FRIENDS 'TOP TEN LIST' ON: 72 VIRGINS

1. Why exactly 72 virgins (or whatever the number is) ? Why not 71 or 73?
2. Does eternal bliss = (1) virgin every hour x (3) days straight! Its the only "72" calculation I could come up with.
3. Or maybe the cosine of pie = 72???
4. Once all 72 are eventually non-virgins, are they still “available” for any future fun? Or by definition, does that mean ... :(
5. So if you are shit outta luck after 72, is the potential suicide bomber aware of this small but very important fact? I don't know about you but this would definitely affect my decision making process. I'm usually pro-choice but this would surely make me pro-life…Mine!!
6. Does one need to get married to these virgins before one can actually have sex with them?
7. If not, would that be a sin?
8. Can one actually commit a sin in heaven? Especially if this was all set up by, you know, the big man.
9. And if it is a sin, do you then lose all your "privileges" and are you now headed "elsewhere"? What an ironic and unexpected turn of events that would be, huh?! I just hope these people have really thought through all the possibilities before their "big bang".
   
10. And finally, and this really is the big one for me, what if, (drum roll please) ......SEX DOES NOT EXIST......in the after life?
    

Suicide Bomber Recruiter to Suicide Bomber after the fact - "Well, ummm, gee......Sorry 'bout that. I guess it was just a small misunderstanding. Forgive me please????"
___________________________________________

I really wish the “Fu2rman and Friends Top Ten List” could be presented via the high road of mutual respect and tolerance. However, I do think this vehicle demonstrates a very important point...Man’s input or influence in religion.
___________________________________________

Spirituality =
1. Developing a one on one, loving relationship with God.
2. Applying the Golden Rule daily.
___________________________________________

Religion = Spirituality + Man’s Input/Influence

I think we are seeing a lot of the latter in today’s religions. Men who place no limits on themselves in their efforts to influence and control other men and women.

All in the name of God.

It makes one wonder if God is pleased with this.

Fu2rman's Movie Review

I don't want to make a habbit of reviewing movies, but 'Walk The Line' does get my nod.

As a younger man, I played in bands, and even had a rare opportunity to open for Social Distortion. Unfortunatly, that show was cancelled by the Anaheim Fire Dept. due to over-selling the venue, but that is another story.

I only bring up Social D because of the influence Johnny Cash played on Mike Ness, who is SD.

I always loved Johnny's persona, The Man In Black, in fact I emmulated it in a more modern way, as a struggling musician.

Not long before June Carters death, Johnny recorded his version of Nine Inch Nails, 'Hurt' and the first time I saw that video I was moved to tears. I am a big fan of NIN, but Johnny gave that song something that Trent Reznor never could.

True desperation, desperation that he was losing his life, and he was losing the love of his life.

Not surprising, Johnny died only 4 months after his love June Carter.

So it was a pleasure to see this film.

First off, Joaquin Phoenix played the part with a respect that I can more than appreciate.

He sang every note in the movie, which is more than impressive. He didn't sound exactly like Johnny, but he was damn good, damn good!

His likeness even surprised me, look at those pictures, pretty similar.

Sometimes you just have to make a movie about an icon when the actor is available.

Who else could have, or will ever, be able to play Johnny Cash with such grace and ease?

I've spent some time lately bashing stupid celebrities, I just thought it was time to praise one for a job well done.

Now Joaquin, just don't dissappoint me with some ridiculous political ignorance.

You're on the 'good list' of celebrities, keep up the good work.

A Message From Dennis Hastert

House Happenings for This Week
posted by Denny Hastert @ 9:41am (11/23/05) | Section: Hastert’s Comments

It’s good to be back talking with everyone. I’m home in Yorkville, getting ready for Thanksgiving with Jean and the boys. But I wanted to take time and say a few things.

As you know, last week, we rejected a resolution to withdraw troops from Iraq immediately. It was the right thing to do. I have said all along that I think we need to win in Iraq. We are winning. Progress is being made. The Iraqis now have a constitution and they are about to elect a government with participation by voters from all factions. We’ve got to stay on the offensive against these terrorists. None of us wants to see this fight occur here on U.S. soil.

But that said, I need everyone to understand that I have known Congressman (John) Murtha a long time. He’s a good man. I have the utmost respect for him. In fact, I’m pretty sure he knows that. I disagreed with the pull out plan he announced last week.

On another note, a lot of you are getting ready to head out over the next few days for the beginning of the Christmas shopping time. I just want to remind everyone that this is a good time to celebrate the holidays. Our economy is better than ever. We came through back-to-back hurricanes, and the economy is ticking away. Unemployment is down to 5 percent. We’ve had 10 straight quarters where the economy grew more than 3 percent. House Republicans have worked hard to pass policies to keep the economy strong. And our citizens need to know that. We want them to feel free to get out there and spend and keep the economy moving. I know one Illinoisan who’ll probably be out there in all those early morning sales – Jean Hastert! I’ll be the guy behind her carrying the bags, and probably buying a few things myself.

Last but not least, I just want to remind everyone to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday and remember how blessed we all are. Americans have a lot to be thankful for. Our troops are overseas, protecting us from terrorists and defending freedom and liberty. We’re thankful for them. You know, we live in the greatest country in the world. And we need to remember that. I thought about that as the Iraq debate went on last week. It got testy. I think you all saw that. But we’re still lucky. We live in a country where we can disagree. We can protest. We can cast a vote, and we can have an opinion. We’re luckier than a lot of other nations. And no matter what side of the aisle you’re on, no matter which party you’re in, I think we can all agree that America is a great country. And for that, we can all be thankful.

Ok, that’s it for me. It’s back to getting ready for Thanksgiving. May you all have a blessed and safe holiday. This is Denny.

This guy is pure class, he defends Murtha, even though he disagrees with him, points out the possitive gains in the economy, and shows a little wit by being his wifes assistant during the holiday shopping season.

I've been told that wit is a sign of inteligence, and I agree.

It is great to have access to our Speaker of the House's own words directly, he is right, we do live in a great country.

And from the Fu2rman, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Political Grapevine

Al-Jazeera Attack?

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

By Brit Hume

There is so much in this short article, but I'll try to keep it somewhat brief.

A British government official has been charged with leaking a top secret memo, allegedly revealing that President Bush planned to bomb the headquarters of Arab satellite TV network Al-Jazeera.

The Daily Mirror reports that the memo details a White House sit-down with British Prime Minister Tony Blair last April and supposedly shows that Blair warned the president that bombing the territory of a key U.S. ally would provoke a worldwide backlash. One source tells the paper that the memo is "highly explosive and hugely damaging." But a government official says the president's threat was "humorous, not serious."

Serious or not, if one is at war, one should discuss the possibility of taking out the propagandist media of one's enemy.

As CUANAS so perfectly points out...

Al Jazeera is the media mouthpiece of terrorists. Whenever Bin Laden or Zarqawi want to make an announcement, or show off their latest cranial trophy, they can be sure that Al Jazeera will be more than happy to oblige them. Therefore, Al Jazeera functions as a part of the Jihadi military, and they are fair game.

Need I say more?

Moving on in the article.

Speaking of Tony Blair, environmental groups have blasted the British prime minister for not doing enough to combat global warming. But now, some environmental advocates are criticizing a government proposal that would force oil companies to include bio-fuels made from corn, sugar cane, or vegetable oil in their gasoline by 2010 — since increased production of the fuels could destroy the rainforest.

"Friends of the Earth" says that the bio-fuels might come from "genetically modified crops or palm oil from freshly cleared rainforests." The group is calling for assurances that bio-fuel production doesn't damage the countryside, destroy the rainforests, or promote intensive farming of genetically modified crops.

What do these people want!?

I hate people that just whine about the problem, and then when you hand them a solution, they whine about that.

Hey Greenies, you're all so damn smart, help us stupid people out, how about a solution once in awhile?

That should send them, tails-between-their-legs-running, don't you think?

And on to Chris Matthews.

MSNBC host Chris Matthews says President Bush invaded Iraq because "he wanted a big bang" in the War on Terror. What's more, the Toronto Sun reports that during the speech to political science students at the University of Toronto, Matthews said the administration shouldn't demonize terrorists, saying, "the person on the other side is not evil — they just have a different perspective."

No Chris, they are evil, they want to kill you and me unless we give up our freedom and live life like a Jihadist.

Just ask France what playing nice with the terrorists will get you.

And now on to my celebrity, "What an Idiot" that seems to be a theme of mine recently.

Meanwhile, "Slaughterhouse Five" author Kurt Vonnegut is now defending terrorists, equating the actions of suicide bombers with Harry Truman's decision to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Vonnegut tells The Australian that terrorists are "very brave people," who "are dying for their own self respect," and says the anticipation of dying for their cause "must be an amazing high."

What in the hell is brave about walking into a public place strapped with explosives, and murdering innocent people?

Kurt, the thing is, nobody is telling them they can't live their life the way they want, they are being told that they don't have the right to tell us how to live.

And by telling us, I mean murdering us, because we don't worship the right way.

See Kurt, the way they communicate, is to randomly kill innocent people that are not on the same page as they are. You know what I mean? I don't want to go out and murder Christians, or Jews, or other Muslims that won't murder in the name of Allah.

You know what, I'm going to stop there, I feel like I'm talking to a 1st grader.

Kurt, you are an Idiot.

John Kerry Finds A Job He Can Be Good At

Good for you Mr. Kerry, too bad we don't have a system that would employ professional jurors.

John Kerry, Jury Foreman

BTW, I think having professional jurors would be a far better way running our highly complex judicial system, as the average juror seems to be getting dumber by the day.

Then, finally, JK could have a job he is good at.

"I just found him to be a knowledgeable, normal person," said Cynthia Lovell, a nurse and registered Republican who says she now regrets voting for Mr. Bush in last year's election. "He kept us focused. He wanted us all to have our own say."

See what I mean about jurors not being very bright, sure he can run a jury, but so can a monkey.

But that does not mean, therefore, a monkey can run the United States?

Wal-Mart: Oppressing The Poor or Liberating Them?

This is another post I've had on the back burner.

But going into the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping craziness, now seems like a good time to discuss this.

Wal-Mart gets constant criticism for underpaying their workers, and killing the small businessman.

But is that true?















If a small, let's say, electronics business operates just down the street, yeah, they're probably sunk.

They better figure out a way to find a niche, i.e. better service, home installation, whatever, there are ways to survive.

But let me ask you, how much do you think that electronics store employee would be making?

Not much or any more than a Wal-Mart employee, and he would never have access to any kind of health-care, discounted or otherwise.

This was a pretty good article on the subject.

Wal-Mart: Greedy Villain or a Shopper's Best Friend?

Wal-Mart is the biggest employer of American workers, but some say they are oppressed workers.

Robert Greenwald's new documentary, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price," depicts the retail giant as a greedy beast grabbing everything in its path.

I know nothing of Greenwald's documentary, but I bet it leaves this out...

Wal-Mart Boosts American Wages?

Brink Lindsey, an economist with the Libertarian Cato Institute, said consumers may be saving as much as $100 billion a year because of Wal-Mart's success in keeping its prices low.

"This translates really into a wage increase that Wal-Mart is offering to all Americans that shop there," said Lindsey.

"Would it be nice if Wal-Mart workers all made $100,000 a year? Sure. It would also be nice if the rivers were filled with lemonade and every kid had a puppy dog and a lollipop," said Lindsey. "In reality, we have trade-offs … It's easy for people who have plenty to say 'oh, I'd be willing to pay a few cents more,' but for people who are struggling to make ends meet, Wal-Mart is their best friend."

Please, sit back, absorb that fact.

Wal-Mart makes American's wages go farther, to the tune of $100 b-b-b-billion, per year!

I for one don't shop at Wal-Mart, not because I don't like them, but because there is a Target so much closer to my house. I make a pretty good living, and the extra time it would take me to drive to the nearest Wal-Mart would cost me more in time than I would save by going to Wal-Mart.

I am single, with no kids..But, if I wasn't, and I could save $15-$20 a week by buying my essensials there, that could mean one extra meal on my families table each week. That would make me reconsider!

Wal-Mart is not the enemy.

Just ask this Wal-Mart employee...

Take Sha-ron Reese. Before she was hired at Wal-Mart she was on welfare, had lost custody of her kids and was living out of her car.

She had no references, work experience or employment history.

"I was raw," said Reese.

Today she has two people working for her. She has regained custody of two of her kids, and has her own apartment .

"I've actually furnished it with Wal-Mart," said Reese.

If that is oppression, so be it.

Kerry, Murtha, Sheehan and Thomas Dewey?

This is from Michelle Malkin.

JOHN O'NEILL SPEAKS UP...against "Kerrying" our soldiers.

Are the politicians like Mr. Kerry who led the campaign to send our kids to war (when it was popular) now to withdraw support while they are locked in combat and apparently succeeding because the task is difficult or unpopular? Will Mainstream Media "Kerry" our troops by portraying Abu Ghraib or isolated cases of prisoner mistreatment as the rule to demoralize our troops and nation, while ignoring the beheadings and butchery of those peacefully praying in Mosques or shopping in a Bazaar? Will the press's selective glorification of isolated figures such as Cindy Sheehan, Mr. Kerry, or Mr. Murtha drown out the actual voices of the large majority of our servicemen? I hope not. We pay our troops little and subject them to considerable danger. We can at the very least support them with stability of mission and honesty of reporting....

...And we should remember the words of Thomas Dewey declining to make Pearl Harbor a campaign issue in 1944: "I would rather lose the presidency and win the war than the reverse."

O'Neill's entire op-ed piece is in the NYSun.

X Marks The Spot

This from Drudge.










CNN: 'IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN RE-CREATE TO SHOW YOU HOW IT HAPPENED'... 'IT WAS A COMPUTER BUG'

I'm sure it was, I don't think CNN could possibly be so stupid as to open themselves up to such ridicule.

I mean come on, everyday there is talk about the Left/MSM bias, why would they do something that obviously hurts their case that they are not pushing their own agenda?

However, if their statement was not sincere, WOW!, CNN is the dumbest group of people trying to push an agenda I've ever seen.

Great Day For The Astute Blogger

The Astute Blogger has so much good stuff to read today.

Here's just 3 short posts to read...

IRAQ'S ELECTED LEADERS ASSERT 2006 WITHDRAWAL OF US FORCES WILL BE POSSIBLE

Yeah! What is the Left whinning about!?

SHAMELESS BALD-FACED LIES AND ANTI-BUSH PROPAGANDA FROM NYTIMES CONTINUES UNABATED

Again with the view askew...

KIM JONG IL DONS TIN-FOIL HAT AND JOINS DEMOCRAT UNDERGROUND

It is funny how the Left and the truly Evil on our planet sound so much alike...

More French Media Insanity

This is a great post from CUANAS.

In France, Police Are More Likely
To Provoke Rather Than Prevent,
Violence

It’s true that the U.S.’s purely capitalistic economy has created more jobs for immigrants, and that the big cities have some racial integration. But at what cost? Because the American system “places such a high value on protecting private property,” U.S. cities have a shockingly large and visible police presence, with minority neighborhoods looking like an occupied nation.

In France, where civil liberties are seen as more valuable than mere property, the sight of uniformed police patrolling the streets would be likely to provoke, rather than prevent, violence.

CUANAS makes a great point...

In France, apparently, well, at least according to Pierre-Yves here (he must be married), they consider policemen patrolling the streets an infringement of their "civil liberties." Honestly, I would consider police not patrolling my streets evidence of taxation without representation, since security is about all government should really be involved in.

Absolutely, keep us safe, and stop right there. Legislating morality isn't in your job description.

Is Zarqawi Dead or Alive?

This is just ridiculous.

I was trying to get info on Zarqawi to have ready for the Monday morning reader, and I was appalled to read this from AP...

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces sealed off a house in the northern city of Mosul where eight suspected al-Qaida members died in a gunfight some by their own hand to avoid capture. The White House said Sunday that it was "highly unlikely" that the terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was among the dead.

Insurgents, meanwhile, killed an American soldier and a Marine in separate attacks over the weekend, and a British soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in the south.

On Saturday, police Brig. Gen. Said Ahmed al-Jubouri said the raid was launched after a tip that top al-Qaida operatives, possibly including al-Zarqawi, were in the house in the northeastern part of the city.

During the intense gunbattle that followed, three insurgents detonated explosives and killed themselves to avoid capture, Iraqi officials said. Eleven Americans were wounded, the U.S. military said. Such intense resistance often suggests an attempt to defend a high-value target.

Notice the second paragraph in red.

What does that have to do with the question of Zarqawi's death?

Why is that in this news story?

I don't know about you, but if an evil presence like Zarqawi could be brought down, I would give my own life to ensure it happened.

(If I was responsible for that, God, you can keep the virgins, just give me one hot Vegas Hooker and all of her vast knowledge)!

But the AP is talking about "separate attacks"

So how does that fit into this story?

Maybe that they don't want to report any 'Good News' on the war.

Come on, enough is enough.

Please remember your duty as reporters, report the facts, not your opinions, that is what the Op-Ed page is for.

BTW

Still no response from either email I sent to Stanley 'Took-Dogg' Williams...

No surprise there.

But sadly, I didn't even get a token 'Thanks for your concern' response from my California Senetor Barbara Boxer.

I can't believe how shitty my representation is here in California.

Thanks Mrs. Boxer, I appreciate your total lack of empathy for me.

Keep up the fantastic work!

While We're On The Subject Of Celebrities

I am losing even more respect for Johnny Depp.

Not that there was much left after his comments about The United States...

"America is dumb, it's like a dumb puppy that has big teeth that can bite and hurt you, aggressive," he said.

"My daughter is four, my boy is one. I'd like them to see America as a toy, a broken toy. Investigate it a little, check it out, get this feeling and then get out," said the star.

OK, so just a couple months ago, while living in France, Depp referred to the country that allowed him to be a millionaire as, "a dumb puppy," and "a toy," but not just a toy, but "a broken toy."

We're with you so far Johnny.

Now on Friday, he says this...

Hollywood star Johnny Depp is so shocked by the riots raging through France, he's considering abandoning his home in the country.

The FINDING NEVERLAND heart-throb moved to Europe when life in Los Angeles became too violent.

He has since divided time between the two continents - but he fears France will be scarred permanently by the current troubles.

He says, "It's insane, that setting cars on fire is the new strike.

"I went there (to France) to live because it seemed so simple.

"Now it's anything but. I don't know how they'll recover from this."

Well Johnny, I'll tell you how this could have been avoided...

France could have been part of the litter of dumb puppies with big teeth that can hurt you, or maybe they should have been a broken toy?

I don't know, his logic confuses me, maybe I'm not as smart as he is.

Anyway Johnny, you little chickenshit, stick with your country, that would be France, right?

Oh, No? You want to come back to America? Where your children will be safe?

But they should only play with us, and then get out, right?

You're an Idiot.

I purposely put up the picture of Depp as Willy Wonka, because when I was talking to Miss Eyre earlier tonight, we discussed this at length.

I was saying that I will not watch any of Depp's movies ever again, even though I was, or am,

a huge fan of the origianal Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory.

And being such a profound individual, Miss Eyre asked, "Can't you separate his characters from his politics?"

I said, "Yes, but I will not pay to see his movies, I won't put money in his pocket!"

And then came her sage advice...

"You don't have to pay for them, borrow them."

I love Miss Eyre!

She's on fire today, first with the Tookie-Snoop Rally, now this.

And that got me thinking...

I hate piracy and stealing, but Depp played a pirate, so he can appreciate this...

Don't ever pay to see a Depp film again.

Burn every Johnny Depp film ever made, and give it away.

Soon enough, all his films will be straight to DVD, and we can enjoy his work, and not have to pay him to spew his moronic social(ist) views.

I love it!

Thanks Miss Eyre.

Anyone have a pirated copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?