December 31, 2005

Happy New Year!

First as always lately let me thank our Co-Bloggers for another great Year.

Thanks to...(in no particular order what so ever and Sith Masters all)...
Demosophist.
Vince Aut Morire.
Mike Pechar.
See-Dubya who also posts here.
Chris Short.
Traderrob.
The Dread Pundit Bluto.
Chad Evans.
Drew.
Richard.
Jane from Armies of Liberation.

Updated: Hat Tip: Leopold Stotch: I forgot Wine-aholic My apologies.

Thanks to our master The Sith Master Blogger Dr. Rusty Shackleford.

Howie (thatÂ’s me) has been blogging now for six months as of 01/01 started about 07/01. Some days I ask myself why. Today I get an answer. . See I kinda wrote this post one time about a Mr Stokely.

Rusty : I don't know which one of you guys wrote the post, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't me. It's touching to know that a guy like this found The
Jawa. Makes me very proud. Thanks for all your help.

Then this fowarded from Mr. Stokely :

I thank you for including a point to the mudville gazette post "Mike"
regarding my son, SGT Mike Stokely. He was a good boy, great man. We
miss him dearly. But, we have chosen to celebrate his life and what
he stood for rather than languish in self pity for what we have lost,
for that is the best way we, as a family, can show how much we respect
him and to honor him.

thanks,

Robert Stokely

No thank you Mr. Stokely both of you. And thanks to the Mudville Gazette for calling all our attention to you and the rest our men and women and families.

Happy New year to everyone and be careful and try not to hurl unless you really have to and then go ahead, you will feel better tomorrow.

Signed Howie Sith Master Apprentice to the Good Dr.

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Yet Another "Pro-Torture" Post

Bluto has a provocative post below, about the actions of a British diplomat who compromised national security for the sake of his personal convictions about the use of intelligence obtain through torture. This fellow starts off by framing the position of his opponents as "pro-torture," so he's already dealt himself out of the debate by virtue of the fact that he doesn't frame it honestly. (Boy, was that a shock!)

I've always been a bit suspicious of the argument that "torture doesn't work," mainly because it's the kind of thing we'd like to believe so it'd be understandable if we applied an empirical filter that gives us that result. It's the sort of thing that happens all the time with methodoligally flawed scholarship. I'm guessing it does work, as does the occasional credible threat of torture. The question is whether there are alternatives that always work as well. If it genuinely didn't work then we wouldn't need a ban on it, we could just apply principles of professionalism to keep sadists out of the ranks of interrogators, and that'd be that.

Moreover, to some people practicing their piano lessons or studying calculus constitutes "torture." Yes, that's not what we're talking about here... but who can doubt that we would be talking about that eventually given the sort of wishful thinking one-sided "virtue" that dominates left-talk nowadays.

There's an argument for regime change in Uzbekistan, of course. Unfortunately most of those on the left can't bring themselves to use it, because it's the same one that justifies intervention in Iraq. But ultimately the paradigm is pretty simple, and it lies behind both the arguments against state torture and the arguments favoring the displacement of tyrants: respressive regimes breed group social pathologies, including terrorism. And there's also no doubt that the credible threat of a military intervention might serve to soften or replace a tyrannical regime once in awhile.

Actually the resolution I've proposed at various times would probably result in fewer instances of torture, or even near-torture, than would bans like those McCain supports. If the situation is sufficiently grave that you can obtain an uncoerced volunteer from your own service to undergo exactly the same treatment then "torture" is justified by the circumstances and odds of success. If you can't, then the situation isn't grave enough to justify it. That leaves the option open in extreme circumstances, reduces the overall instance of torture and cruel and unusual treatment, and gives us the moral high ground. But it would also evoke a lot of complaints from the morally bankrupt left who are less interested in results than in the appearance of superficial virtue.

For what it's worth it was none other than Cleveland Amory, animal rights activist and darling of the left, who first proposed something like the above. He suggested that the triggering codes that allowed a global thermonuclear launch be implanted next to the heart of an innocent person who would accompany the President at all times. Then, if the President were compelled by circumntances to order the use of our nuclear arsenal the only way he could do so would be by using a very sharp knife to "surgically remove the codes" himself, from the chest of a living victim (with no "help" from other service personnel). It's completely "barbaric" of course, but it reflects the barbarism of the choice and it therefore seemed entirely ethical. Score one for Cleveland. Today's "left" is just not made of the same stuff.

(Cross-posted to Demosophia)

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Embittered Brit Ex-Ambassador Leaks Documents

The land of HAR "Kim" Philby brings us another in a long line of lunatics who somehow managed to worm their ways into government positions. Of course, Philby was supposedly motivated by ideology. Craig Murray, who was fired from his position for cause, seems to have more of a taste for petty revenge and self-promotion.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo!News:

LONDON - A former British ambassador has published government documents he says prove that Britain knowingly received intelligence extracted under torture from prisoners in Uzbekistan.

Craig Murray, who was removed as ambassador to Uzbekistan after going public about his concerns, defied a Foreign Office ban to publish the internal memos on his Web site Friday. The documents include memos to Foreign Office chiefs in which Murray expressed his concern over the use of "torture material."

Common sense is finally invoked in the sixth paragraph of the AP story:
A Foreign Office spokesman said Friday that while Britain condemns the use of torture, it would be "irresponsible" for the intelligence services to reject out of hand information which might protect British citizens from a terror attack. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with government policy.
Duh. The very fact that this has to be articulated is a dismal comment on the average liberal's IQ.

For hints as to Murray's true nature, one might visit his blog, if one has the taste and tolerance for bug-eyed moonbattery.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto.

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Indonesian Market Bomb Kills Eight

(Palu, Indonesia) The Indonesian government issued warnings that terrorist attacks against Christians were likely during the holiday season. And it has happened.

From the BBC:

At least eight people have been killed and 45 hurt by a bomb blast at a market in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province (map), police say.

Witnesses in the town of Palu reported seeing bodies lying on the ground after hearing a deafening blast.

The bomb exploded in the busy morning hours at a stall selling pork in a largely Christian part of the town. [Added map link - ed.]

In another report, Central Sulawesi police chief Brigadier General Oegroseno said, "Up until now, the number of victims is 60. From that 60, 53 are injured, seven have died."

The bomb was packed with nails and ball bearings. Another bomb was reportedly found and defused. Bloodied wounded were carried to passing cars and taken to the hospital.

No specific responsibility for the attack has been declared, but the province's Christian population has been repeatedly attacked by Muslims. It's reported that twelve people have been apprehended in connection with the attack.

I'm certain the attack wasn't prompted only because Christians eat pork. Eating pork just triggers the hatred that fanatical Muslims have for non-believers in Islam. In that regard, fanatical Muslims are not that much different from fanatical vegans, although, to my knowledge, the vegans haven't resorted to murder. Food despots are, first and foremost, despots.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

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2005, A Sandcrawler Year In Review

It's as predictable as the rising of the sun. The slavering fools of the media are shoving their Year In Review stories down your throats in print and over the airwaves. In their arrogance, they think it's up to them to tell you what the most influential and important news of 2005 was.

Well, we at the Jawa Report hoist our beer steins and shout F*ck You! at these gibbering fools.

Don't read some idiot's recounting of the year, give us what you think was the best and worst, happiest and saddest, most fun and least fun event of the year that is passing.

I'll give you a jump start:

Worst moment of 2005, my mother-in-law, dying of cancer, telling me to "take care of her baby." Those were her last words to me.

Best moment of 2005, celebrating the 10th anniversary of marriage to her baby.

You get the idea.

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December 30, 2005

Close The Borders, Dammit!

Illegal immigrants attack law enforcement officers in California.

Every single one of the perpetrators should be fed alive to a hungry shark.

Yeah, they make nice commercials, but they are filthy creatures nonetheless.

I know, because we have one living in our house.

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L.A. Times Publishes Phony Report

How often has the blogosphere been criticized by the mainstream media for not adequately researching stories, for being less than thorough, and for not checking facts? Way too often, I'd say. Well, check out this story.

From BreitBart.com:

A quote in a fake news release that was intended as an April Fool's joke ended up in a front-page story in the Los Angeles Times. The story in Tuesday's editions of the Times noted how successful the reintroduction of wolves had been 10 years ago, but said the predators remained controversial.

"In Wyoming, for example, Gov. Dave Freudenthal last April decreed that the Endangered Species Act is no longer in force and that the state 'now considers the wolf as a federal dog,' unworthy of protection," the story read.

The Times printed a correction Wednesday, acknowledging that the news release was a hoax.

"The reporter saw it on the Internet and had talked with the governor in the past, so she was familiar enough with the way he talks and writes that she thought it sounded authentic, and she didn't check, which she should have," Times Deputy Metro Editor David Lauter told the Casper Star Tribune.

Lauter also said, "We hate when this kind of thing happens." I don't know why. It's consistent with the new 21st Century MSM philosophy, "Fake but accurate."

Companion thoughts at Interested-Participant.

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Nose Drama: Part of God's Plan?

I snore pretty loudly, or so others tell me. I've never heard it, myself. However sometimes, just as I'm falling asleep my nasal passages emit sounds like a poorly tuned reed instrument leaving me the impression, in my half-dream stupor, that there's a crowd cheering close by, or that some poor soul next door is screaming his bloody head off in agony. I usually awake with a start. I think the muscles that generally hold those passages open, relax just enough to turn the whole nasal chamber into a sound synthesizer that hits my half-conscious mind with windy reverberations it interprets as shrieks, howls and shouts. Once I even heard elephants charging and several times Mary Baker Eddy yelled at me to turn off the damn TV, which I often leave on because the sound is off anyway.

How do I know it's Mrs. Eddy? Well, she has a voice like Louis Farrakhan's. It's the result of being dead for nearly a century coupled with the self imposed moral burden of having stolen many of her spiritual notions from the Freemasons, without attribution. So, she thinks it's her job to keep me on the narrow regarding my exploitation of major electrical appliances. Or it could just be my deep-seated religious guilt, a legacy of childhood.

Come to think of it I don't recall ever hearing this nasal racket before I turned 50, so it could be something God designed into us for its entertainment value, just to break up the monotony as things get really tedious in the autumn of life. Well, that's my theory. It could also be adenoids, I guess.

Update: Or Bush-family-supported nasal implants.

(Cross-posted to Demosophia)

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Terrorist Detainees Taking it Through the Nose

The dotty old Beeb reports that a United Nations official is concerned that hunger-striking detainees at Guantanamo Bay are being force-fed in a way that, "...definitely amounts to an additional cruel treatment.":

There are credible allegations that Guantanamo hunger strikers are being force-fed in a cruel manner, the UN special rapporteur on torture has said.
Manfred Nowak's comments came after it emerged that the number of detainees refusing food at the prison camp had more than doubled since 25 December.
I'm certainly as mystified as you as to just what a "rapporteur on torture" is. Perhaps it's similar to a "rapporteur on raping children entrusted to UN care" or "rapporteur on skimming profits from UN sanctions". Who knows.

At any rate, it's revealed that rapporteur Manfred has never visited Gitmo.

Mr Nowak has not been to Guantanamo, and turned down an invitation to the camp because the US refused to give him unrestricted access to the detainees.
Well of course he wasn't granted unrestricted access. Too many UN folks have been identified as accomplices of Saddam in the oil-for-food scandals. Why take a chance with a corrupt organization like that?

As for the scum languishing in durance vile; once they've given up all their useful information, let them eat or not, their choice.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto.

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Sudan Hostages Video +

The Islamic army in Iraq yesterday released a video in which it threatens to murder five men from Sudan unless Sudan breaks all ties with Iraq. I have a copy of the video and will email it by request. It is also posted here(Real Video format only).

The Star : Al-Qaida in Iraq set a Saturday deadline for Sudan to "announce clearly that it is cutting its relations" with the Iraqi government and "is closing its embassy in Baghdad, as well as withdrawing all of its representatives." "Otherwise, this government will bear the responsibility of presenting their diplomats as sacrifices," the statement said.

Updated: The government of Sudan has stated it will close it's embassy and withdraw from Iraq. I expect this will secure the release of their hostages and I'm happy for that. Let's not forget this week's incident in Egypt relates to the fact that Sudan supports militia that is committing genocide in Darfur. I was a bit confused as to why Al-Qaeda would kidnap people from Sudan given that relationship. It all makes sense now. I have a question I would like Condi to ask Sudan next time she goes there. How does it feel to be Al-Qaeda's bitch? NPR reported Sudan's decision last night on ATC.

Alertnet has a complete hostage list posted as of December 23rd.

Following is a list of foreigners believed to be held hostage in Iraq: HOSTAGE NATIONALITY DATE OF CAPTURE Mohammed Rifat Canada April 8, 2004 Wael Mamduh Jordan April 12 Saad Saadoun Kuwait June 5 Ali Ahmed Mousa Somalia July 29 Unidentified hostage Jordan Sept 1* Four unidentified hostages Jordan Sept 5* Two unidentified hostages East Asian Sept 13* Khalifa al-Breizat Jordan Sept 14* Two unidentified hostages Turkey Sept 14 One unidentified hostage Syria Sept 16 Unidentified hostage Turkey Oct 9 Two unidentified hostages Turkey Oct 14 Unidentified Somalia Oct 30 Noureddin Zakaria Sudan Oct 30 Radim Sadiq U.S. Nov 2 Ghazi Abu Hamzeh Lebanon Nov 13* Two unnamed Turkey Dec 25 Two unidentified South Korea Jan 9, 2005* Unidentified Turkey Jan 13 Sayed Abdel Khalek Egypt Jan 13* Joao Jose Vasconcelos Jr. Brazil Jan 19 Mohammed Haroun Hamad Sudan March 9* Maher Ataya Sudan March 9* Nabil Tawfiq Sulaiman Egypt March 19 Mitwali Mohammed Qassem Egypt March 19 Jeffrey Ake U.S. April 11 Six unidentified Jordan May 6 Ali Abdullah Turkey June 7 Unidentified Turkey June 21* Samuel Edward Egypt Sept 26 Abderrahim Boualam Morocco Oct 20 Abdelkrim El Mouhafidim Morocco Oct 20 Norman Kember Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23 2 Ghazi Abu Hamzeh Lebanon Nov 13* Two unnamed Turkey Dec 25 Two unidentified South Korea Jan 9, 2005* Unidentified Turkey Jan 13 Sayed Abdel Khalek Egypt Jan 13* Joao Jose Vasconcelos Jr. Brazil Jan 19 Mohammed Haroun Hamad Sudan March 9* Maher Ataya Sudan March 9* Nabil Tawfiq Sulaiman Egypt March 19 Mitwali Mohammed Qassem Egypt March 19 Jeffrey Ake U.S. April 11 Six unidentified Jordan May 6 Ali Abdullah Turkey June 7 Unidentified Turkey June 21* Samuel Edward Egypt Sept 26 Abderrahim Boualam Morocco Oct 20 Abdelkrim El Mouhafidim Morocco Oct 20 Norman Kember Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23 Britain Nov 26 James Loney Canada Nov 26 Harmeet Singh Sooden Canada Nov 26 Tom Fox U.S. Nov 26 Bernard Planche France Dec 5 Mahmoud Saedat Jordan Dec 20 Six unidentified Sudan Dec 23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTE: *Date kidnap announced.

As you can see from the list no nation escapes these coward's crimes. Victims are chosen as much by chance and opportunity as by plan. A grievance can always be thought of after the fact.

The families of the CPT hostages have issued a new appeal for the lives of Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney and Harmet Sooden. The deadline has long since passed on these hostages but no announcement of their fate has been issued.

CNN:"A month has passed since our loved ones -- Norman, James, Harmeet and Tom -- were kidnapped in Iraq," read the statement, posted Friday on the British Foreign Office Web site.. "Many clerics and religious figures from the Arab and Muslim world have spoken over the past weeks of the good work they were doing in Iraq and that their organization has done in Palestine, and they have called for their release. "We appeal to you to help us ensure the safe return of our relatives."

This Kidnapping of Sudanese hostages shows that Zarqawi will kill anyone at any time just for the publicity of it. Algeria another Muslim nation asked Interpol to issue an international warrant for him this week. Truly he and those who support the Al-Qaeda doctrine leave an indelible stain on the reputation of the Arab world and Islam. This stain must be cut out and destroyed before they inflict more suffering on all the peoples of the world. Al-Qaeda is about as much and ally to Islam and the Arab world as Hitler was to Poland.

CNN:The agency issued the "Red Notice" at the request of the North African nation of Algeria, which is pursuing the arrest of the insurgent leader "in connection with the kidnapping and murder" in July of two Algerian diplomats in Iraq.

I had several Jihadi emails with I dare you to click these links. Be carful new windows secuity hole you know. Me no clicky OK. I also had the email below the break. Same source as a similar email I posted once before. I cannot verify the authenticity but I like the content so in it goes.

Hat Tip: Infovlad for finding and posting the Video.


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Latest Salvoes in the Media War Against Western Intelligence Agencies

In news on the media war against Western intelligence-gathering activities, MSNBC reports that the Justice Department is going to investigate the leaking of a classified NSA foreign cellphone call and email intercept program (the MSM prefer to use the disparaging term "eavesdropping"):

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation to see who disclosed details about a secret domestic eavesdropping operation, department officials said Friday.

“We are opening an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified materials related to the NSA,” one official said, referring to the National Security Agency.

And terrorist-friendly Brit fish-and-chip-wrapper the Guardian has the breaking news about a sinister NSA plot involving the "bugging" of millions of computers:
The intelligence service at the centre of the row over eavesdropping tracked visitors to its website, despite US government regulations. Monitoring files, known as "cookies", were discovered by a privacy activist at a time when the White House is on the defensive about its use of the National Security Agency to monitor the communications of US citizens.
That's right, cookies. Those things you collect from every commercial website you visit. And the Guardian's so-called "privacy expert" is Daniel Brandt, who apparently believes that Google has deliberately written their search algorithms to exclude one of his websites, and is thus on a Quixote-like quest to humble the search engine giant.

Also posted at The Dread Pundit Bluto.

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I Did Alot Of Stupid Things At Sixteen

Not sure whether or not to award that kid the Gigantic Set Of Brass Ones Award or to give him the Even Though I'm A Teenager, I Should Be Chained In The Backyard Just To Keep Me Alive award.

As an American, I honor this young man's fortitude and perservance.

As a parent, I wonder how in the Hell do I keep my 8 year old from doing the same thing in the future.

Wait, got that covered. My son wants to thumb his nose at family history and join the Marine Corps.

AP story here.

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December 29, 2005

Patience Is A Virtue

Look, kids, there's serious stuff going down around the world, and the other Sandcrawler inhabitants are doing a fine job of covering them.

So indulge me.

See, I was getting ready to have some fun and smack USC around on here because Texas is a Big 12 team and I have to go with the conference if my beloved Huskers aren't playing in the championship game.

But I just discovered something that is going to stay my big mouth for 9 1/2 more months.

In the meantime, my Jawa Report brethren will continue to bring you the high quality, in-depth brand of blogging you have come to love.

And I will continue to bring you the rambling, semi-coherent, mostly unintelligible posts you have come to hijack the comments on.

Thank you and have a day.

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Sami al-Arian: 'Professor Of Terror'

Satellite.jpeg

The acquittal on December 6 of Sami al-Arian, a former professor of computer engineering at the University of South Florida, on eight counts relating to terrorism was a setback not only for the Department of Justice and the Bush administration, but also for the struggle against Islamic extremism itself. That the Florida jury deadlocked on another nine counts, however, leaves open the possibility of his ultimate conviction.

So why did Sami al-Arian get away with 17 counts of assisting a terror group and conspiring to commit murder relating to the attacks carried out by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Israel? This, in spite of the fact that his trial did clarify once and for all - after years of denial by the professor and his supporters - establish that Al-Arian was a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad - a group that engages in terrorist acts including suicide bombings in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, approved of its goals and methods, and raised money in the United States to finance its activities.

After all, at the time of the indictment, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad was responsible for the murder of over 100 innocent people in Israel and the Occupied Territories, including at least two young Americans, Alisa Flatow, age 20, and Shoshana Ben-Yishai, age 16. And clearly, al-Arian's help in funding the murders should warrant his being found guilty since raising money for a terrorist group that committs murder, is a federal crime every bit as much as personally planting the bomb.

So, what role - if any, did the trial judge play in the terrorist-supporting al-Arian escaping justice for his participation in the murder of Israeli civilians and American citizens? Read Ronald Radosh's piece in The Weekly Standard and find out about the judges' role and why Sami al--Arian got off this time...
And as one would expect from the ilk of the ACLU or Amnesty International - defenders of the rights of terrorists, AI is urging the US authorities to ensure that Sami Al-Arian is afforded humane treatment and due process in any further proceedings taken against him. And what humane treatment and due process was afforded those innocent Israelis murdered with the help of funds raised by al-Arian? more...

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Sith Lord Accused of Conspiracy

A Sith Lord is accused of leading a mysterious group of short-sellers in a conspiracy engineered to cripple Overstock.com. The truth of the matter is unknown at present, but it is known that the value of Overstock shares has plummeted and holiday sales figures are disappointing.

Wait a minute, with Rusty a Sith Master, the Sith Lord must be his boss.

Hmmm ...

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Taliban Offensive Progressing?

Yes this week we have had interviews with the Taliban on MSNBC. In said interviews Taliban leaders have stated that a terrible campaign of suicide bombers was at hand. Of course they never lie about that.

MSNBC: “More than 200 Taliban have registered themselves for suicide attacks with us which shows that a Muslim can even sacrifice his life for the well-being of his faith. Our suicide attackers will continue jihad [holy war] until Americans and all of their Muslim and non-Muslim allies are pulled out of the country,” he said.

Wait a minute scratch that. The total is now 198.

ABCNEWS Australia : Two would-be suicide bombers have blown themselves up while strapping on explosives in an Afghan town bordering Pakistan, police said.

Wait...I...I...must stop laughingÂ…hold onÂ…Â….

Uh, good job boys. Really the Taliban are a joke right? Fight on you morons. I see things are going just as we planned.

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The Pedagogical Role of Peers.

In the comment section of a recent post about an impending "Intra-Generational Conflict" one reader (IM) observes:

I call these trustfund babies the "rage against your allowance" generation.

VDH sees something similar, but afflicting the entire culture in "The Plague of Success:"

What explains this paradox of public disappointment over things that turn out better than anticipated? Why are we like children who damn their parents for not providing yet another new toy when the present one is neither paid for nor yet out of the wrapper?

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Gone Fishin

OK so blogging is fun but Bass Fishin with my new fishin buddy Sam, now that's good living!

Hat Tip: Mark

Don't I wish that was my fishin buddy? Nope plenty of work to go around here. I have however saved up quite a few links for you guys.

Bill Kristol makes a lot of sense he upset the left this week with this.

The Weekly Standard: No reasonable American, no decent human being, wants to send up a white flag in the war on terror. But leading spokesmen for American liberalism-hostile beyond reason to the Bush administration, and ready to believe the worst about American public servants-seem to have concluded that the terror threat is mostly imaginary. It is the threat to civil liberties from George W. Bush that is the real danger.

Huh they must have been so upset because he was right. Here let me help you.

Washington Times:I think when you suggest that civil liberties are just as much at risk today as the country is from terrorism, you've gone too far if you leave that impression. I don't believe that's true," said Michael O'Hanlon, a national-security analyst at the Brookings Institution who advises Democrats on defense issues.

Hmm right again. Does the left ever listen to their own good advice?

I'll make the rest of these short and sweet but that does not mean you don't have to read them. Now hop to it.

Al-Qaeda in Gaza.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't so which is it. Are we being over protected of under.

Totten Tours Libya. Just read it.

8 lives left.

Good day Captain.

Oh yeah and yeserday I got a belated gift of twelve months of National Geographic. I've not had a subscription for years but it's still the same and the photos are fantastic as usual. I'll finish reading it and see what interesting tidbits of useful info I can get. Subjects this month include various episodes of genocide and Iraqi Kurdistan. Thanks to my Mom who knows I can't resist reading.


Right Wing Sparkle gives us a link to her take on the Kurd article which I read last night.


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President's Attacker Sews Mouth Shut

Vladimir ArutunyanIn a protest claiming his rights have been violated after being arrested for throwing a grenade at President Bush, Vladimir Arutunyan (right) sewed his mouth shut.

From MOSNEWS.com:

Vladimir Arutunyan is accused of throwing a hand grenade at Bush and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili while they were addressing a public audience on Freedom Square in central Tbilisi on May 10. The grenade did not explode.

Arutuynan was arrested in Tbilisi on July 20 after a shootout with Georgian police that resulted in the death of Col. Zurab Kvlividze, the head of the Georgian Interior Ministry’s counterintelligence department.

The defendant came to the court hearing on Tuesday with his mouth sewed up. He claimed earlier his rights were violated.

So, with his mouth sewed shut, he can't talk. And, presumably, he can't eat. And, it's his choice. Uh ... I don't see a problem.

Naturally, I wonder where he got a needle and thread since I don't think those items would normally be issued to dangerous prisoners. Nevertheless, Arutunyan sewing his mouth shut doesn't phase me in the least. Hell, as long as he stays behind bars for a very long time, he could also sew up his navel and his anus for all I care.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

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Shackleford's Secrets of L.A.

I took the family to the L.A. Zoo today. If you live in the L.A. area, and have kids, you really shouldn't miss the experience. Admission is almost as cheap as going to a movie, and a hell of a lot more fun. It's a world-class zoo, and nearly undiscovered by Angelinos. Despite extensive closures, due to updating exhibits, the zoo is really a great experience. My 6 and 4 year old were captivated the entire 4.5 hours we were there. Even my 16 month old loved it so much that he was content to stay in his stroller the entire time! In fact, we had to skirt around an entire section of animals because my kids would not wanted to leave had they known there was more to see and their parents were exhausted.

Besides, we had to make it to El Tepeyac in East L.A. before it got too crowded. People who know L.A. know El Tepeyac. Unfortunately, most people who live in L.A. live in the Valley or one of a zillion enclaves and suburbs, so they never really get to know L.A. The Shackleford clan has been eating at El Tepeyac for over 30 years now. Don't mind the decor, and the neighborhood is not nearly as bad as people seem to think. Trust me on this one. If you ever have business anywhere near downtown, make the short trip this East L.A. joint. Get the Hollenback Special, a burrito so big you'll probably want to split it. For a group of four, go for the Manuel Special. That's a single burrito designed to fill an entire family. Three words: Dee lish us.

Apologies for long-time readers, but my wife and kids thank you for you patience while they keep Rusty all to themselves for a few weeks.

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