Seems San Francisco's "medical" marijuana clubs (hey, if everyone puts "War on Drugs" in smartass quotes then I can do it too) were actually just illegal drug clearing houses and money-laundering schemes for the Asian mob. The DEA busted three of them and found they were also distributing, um, "medical" ecstasy.

I'm flabbergasted. Speechless, really. You mean to tell me that this wasn't just a virtuous, earnest effort to reach out to troubled, anguished souls?

"An affidavit unsealed Thursday said that one of the suspects, Enrique Chan, 26, described in detail how the clubs were used as "a backbone" for illegal sales. The affidavit said Mr. Chan estimated that only half of the people who bought medical marijuana were really sick.

"You'll get busted, but you remember, you got to beat the prosecution in court," Mr. Chan told an undercover agent, according to the affidavit. "So if it comes down to a battle in court, what are you gonna do? You're going to bring patients in court, like really sick patients with cancer, have them sit on the stand for you. And no jury is gonna try, is gonna convict you."

In other words, organized crime is cynically going to hide behind cancer patients to protect its business. Not only was half of the marijuana used in the stores not for sick people, but the warehouses that grew the stores' ganja grew far more than the stores even needed:

"One warehouse in Oakland that federal agents raided earlier this month was capable of growing $3 million worth of marijuana annually, investigators said.

The marijuana ostensibly was for cannabis clubs, but the amount being grown was far more than needed to supply the dispensaries, authorities said.

I am just shocked and appalled at this blatant disruption of these kindly hippie/ Tong bagmen's shiny, happy lifestyles. In fact I'm so shocked and appalled that I'm going to go have me a big glass of "medical" bourbon and smoke a "therapeutic" Partagas.

UPDATE: Now, with new Blockquotes (tm) Technology! Here's another thing to keep in mind. There's no suggestion here of how many of these people actually suffer from, say, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and are unresponsive to other treatments like marinol, which I think are the real hard cases here. In fact, this AP account suggests some of the ailments may be a smidge less horrific:

"I'm scared," said Kathleen Prevost, who said she uses marijuana to control her post-traumatic stress disorder. "All I want to do is have access to my medicine."

Now if you'll excuse me, my ADHD is acting up, and I need some "Medical Cocaine". Oh, and that reminds me: I wrote a little about medical methamphetamine and the Commerce Clause right after the Raich decision.

Posted by: seedubya at 04:12 AM | Comments (24) | Add Comment
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Does anyone here think that Rove might have made his comments the other night so soon after Durbin's inflammatory comments to prove how hypocritical liberals are?

That is a possibility I think.

Cross posted at Conservative Thinking

Posted by: Chris Short at 09:44 PM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
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Well I can only say it sucks and if this is true he should take his medicine like everyone else does.

Congressman & MZM

See you learn a few things every day if you really try. Comment away says Howie as his ignorance fades slightly.

Updated :

Hat tip : "Jimmy???"

Well after the long drive home and a nice cold beer and taking some time to read the story. I See we have some comments already but have not read them yet. But from what I know so far I'm going to have to type his name as DUKE just like I did DICK. But you know DICK just shot off his mouth and then at least apolgized for it. Hey I can relate to that. But this is much worse.

I've been commenting for a while that the Republican party was on a Casey Jones run. When everybody thought that the 14 Senators who shut down the rules changes were being called traitors to their party. I was thinking that there were only 14 left with any sense. Fourteen of one Hundred that had not been so influenced by $$$$ that they still had a few scruples yet. Sad to say this is more evidence that I was right. If this turns out to be what it looks like DUKE unlike DICK probably should be recalled. Bad for my Party indeed. I can't in any way call for everybody to be fair and then defend this.

Posted by: Howie at 04:49 PM | Comments (24) | Add Comment
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When I first saw this article by porn star Mary Carey over at Tech Central Station discussing the New London eminent domain case, I thought, this has got to be a joke.

Check it out though . It seems real enough.

Posted by: Rusty at 04:19 PM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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1 ROTFLOL!!! I wonder if Captain Ed has read that yet?

Posted by: William Teach at June 23, 2005 04:32 PM (HxpPK)

2 You're just trying to piss me off now!

Posted by: See-Dubya at June 23, 2005 04:50 PM (OKZme)

3 GOD DAMN COMMUNIST JUDGES. THEY DENY THE CONCEPT OF GOOD AND EVIL. THEN THEY SAY GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE YOUR PROPERTY FOR "GOOD". Well, this is big for the following reason. They have come up with "good" as a judicial concept. So, what is good Comrade Justices?

Posted by: Darth Questionable at June 23, 2005 05:02 PM (PX+vn)

4 And they wonder why people are getting irate with judges and judges have the brass balls to demand the citizens be told the 1st amendment doesn't apply to them if they dare question these self appointing kings and queens.

Posted by: Andre at June 23, 2005 05:08 PM (mfvPa)

5 All these serious comments and not one, "Hey, Rusty, you're a freaking genius"?????

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at June 23, 2005 05:11 PM (JQjhA)

6 Rusty, it goes from God to You to the rest of us, you're a genius of all geniuses.

Posted by: Andre at June 23, 2005 05:13 PM (mfvPa)

7 The tribute to Scot Biao ...oh, i get it

Posted by: Brad at June 23, 2005 05:18 PM (3OPZt)

8 "Hey, Rusty, you're a freaking genius" Aren't the powers-that-be at TCS, or Mary herself gonna have a problem with this? Very funny. I'm reading it, and thinking to mysefl "No way ... no way .. Mary carey knows all this blogging inside baseball." THEN I checked the email/bio links.

Posted by: The Commissar at June 23, 2005 06:11 PM (GCSry)

9 Well done.

Posted by: slickdpdx at June 23, 2005 06:25 PM (MjGRu)

10 Oh, for Pete's sake! It took me the whole first paragraph to look at the address bar.

Posted by: Oyster at June 23, 2005 08:27 PM (YudAC)

11 http://armedvictim.blogspot.com/ Relevant headlines & excerpt Developers Use Eminent Domain to Acquire White House Hillary to Divorce Bill, will marry Newt Lawyers for Bill Clinton said, "The President may get taken to the cleaners in the divorce settlement because there is incontrovertible evidence that he's an insatiable poonhound. But, he has other untapped sources of income that will make up for any short term decline in his lifestyle. He's plans to move to Hollywood (San Fernando Valley actually) and get into the adult entertainment business. In fact , we are currently negotiating a three movie deal where he will star with Mary Cary and other politically oriented actresses. It's a sure winner. I mean who wouldn't pay to see the former President get teabagged while he's tossing Mary's salad?"

Posted by: j. blair at June 23, 2005 08:36 PM (B54dL)

12 Is that you, Jayson Blair?

Posted by: Preston Taylor Holmes at June 23, 2005 09:53 PM (pbzs7)

13 Freaking great! After reading the whole article, I was sitting there in front of my pc, jaw resting on the floor. Then I looked at the URL, and laughed my ass off.. What got me were these two lines in particular. "--My first reaction to the case was that it is the logical outcome of Holmesian pragmatism which overturned Lochner Era notions of substantive due process. But after some serious reflection, I've decided that the real problem with the decision is that now cities could shut down strip clubs for Starbucks! As someone who f*cks for money and relies on the lap-dance circuit as a main source of income, I'm scared. First they came after your home, and next they'll come after the local Spearmint Rhino! Fascists, indeed.--" I almost cried... You sir, are an evil genius. Hell I'm still laughing.

Posted by: daddyx at June 23, 2005 11:45 PM (WpIXw)

14 That's some good funny. Indeed Scott Baio is worthy of tribute.

Posted by: Defense Guy at June 24, 2005 12:10 AM (lVjfM)

15 "But I'm keeping Ginsburg on my to do list." I'll never feel clean again. Thanks, beeyotch.

Posted by: Brian B at June 24, 2005 12:10 PM (CouWh)

16 Brings a whole new meaning to the "takings" clause. Brilliant.

Posted by: Jeff Medcalf at June 24, 2005 12:32 PM (go2A+)

17 READER: Wow! First former FedEx pilot Vernice Kuglin was acquitted of income tax evasion and now Joe Banister! Two prime examples of putting the screws to the federal extortion racket. The IRS could not cite any law that proves we have to pay taxes. I love it. What better reason do we need to collectively say, no more taxes without representation? WRH: For years, those who have asked for the exact details of the laws underwhich the government takes half our lives have been rebuffed, dmismissed, insulted, harassed, and attacked, everything but answered. Only with the Holocaust does the mere asking of a question draw greater scorn and abuse by those in power. We The People have asked to see the actual bills of ratification of the necessary 3/4 states on the 16th amendment, which reversed the prior Constitutional ban on income taxes. The government refuses, insisting that we simply assume that Secretary of State Philander knox would not lie about ratification in his letter to Congress (even though Knox scrupulously avoided using the word "ratified" and simply declared the amendment to be "in effect"). The government insists that we assume the laws are what we are told they are, even though (as has now happened in two trials) nobody can actually locate the law in question. The lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq proves once and for all that the government does lie to the people on a massive scale, and that yes, the legions of people in government and the media needed to perpetuate such lies are in place and are willing accomplices. So, the time has come to find out what else we have all been lied to about. The time has come for the truth to be told. Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall. Michael Rivero www.whatreallyhappened.com

Posted by: greg at June 24, 2005 03:28 PM (/+dAV)

18 "As a former California gubernatorial candidate, supporter of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and PORN STAR, I am often asked what I think of Supreme Court decisions." Yepper, porn stars are where I always go for legal opinions. Any hoo, if that's for real, ol' Mar sounds like she's got some intelligence rattling around in her head. No smoothy brain for her.

Posted by: Roaring Tiger at June 24, 2005 09:53 PM (VomQD)

19 Please check the sites in the field of viagra viagra http://www.health-livening.com/ http://www.health-livening.com/
>. <
h1>

Posted by: viagra at September 08, 2005 07:51 AM (Ldn3K)

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This is an outrage. Media reports say that four special representatives of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights have condemned the United States for alleged torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Need I remind you that the Chair of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights is Makarim Wibisono, of Indonesia. A guy from Indonesia is questioning our human rights record?

Other member countries of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights include (WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS IN LINKS):
Sudan
China
Congo
Cuba
Saudi Arabia
Zimbabwe

And these guys have the gall to call anything done at Guantanmo torture?

The actual report, found here, does not at any point actually formally accuse the U.S. of torture. Instead, the report says that the four requested a visit to Guantanamo Bay, and that:

Such requests were based on information, from reliable sources, of serious allegations of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees, arbitrary detention, violations of their right to health and their due process rights. Many of these allegations have come to light through declassified Government documents.

However, here is the AP headline via Charles Johnson: U.N. Uncovers Torture at Guantanamo Bay

The AP then reports:

The failure of the United States to respond is leading the experts to conclude that Washington has something to hide, said the specialist on torture, Manfred Nowak, a professor of international law in Vienna, Austria.

"At a certain point, you have to take well-founded allegations as proven in the absence of a clear explanation by the government," he said, though he also noted: "We are not making a judgment if torture or treatment under degrading conditions has taken place."

That's logic for you.

And where are these allegations coming from? As far as I have been able to conclude, all of the allegations of 'torture' have come from freed prisoners from Gitmo. However, according to an al Qaeda training manual:

If captured, the manual states, "At the beginning of the trial ... the brothers must insist on proving that torture was inflicted on them by state security before the judge. Complain of mistreatment while in prison."

The specific allegations:
-detainee chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor
-detainees who had defecated/urinated on themselves
-no air conditioning
-too much air conditioning
-loud music

Torture. Right. These are the allegations of torture that these clowns from the U.N. are taking seriously? While many of their own countries are engaged in genocidal pograms ans systematically torture prisoners??

Give me a break!

Posted by: Rusty at 01:57 PM | Comments (54) | Add Comment
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I'm not sure who William Kristol's little birdie is that told him that it would be Sandra Day O'Conner retiring, and not Rehnquist, but another little birdie tells me that Kristol is full of crap. My little birdie's name? My own two eyes.

Last month, as some of you know, I went to the Supreme Court and sat in on a session. Let me tell you something about Rehnquist, he is in bad shape. No, very bad shape.

Not to sound too disrespectful to the Chief Justice, but he sounded very much like Darth Vader. No, not his voice, which was weak and could only be heard through many long pauses. Whatever breathing apparatus he had on, when combined with the microphone, really made me feel like I was in the presence of the Sith Master himself. Is there a way to type out that sound?

So, is it possible that Rehnquist is deluding himself into thinking he has a few more good years? Sure, anything is possible. I'ts just not likely.

This seems much more reliable:

According to a source very close to the Bush administration, US Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist has submitted his resignation to President Bush. Apparently they are waiting
until the Supreme Court's term ends this week to make this announcement .

It is simply a wild guess.

Anyway, I'm not all that worried about Rehnquist's succesor. In fact, I hope it's not Alberto Gonzales. He's way too big of a personality and seems to have a lot of self-confidence. The Court is now full of people who actually believe the total garbage that they are taught in law school about it being a 'co-equal' branch of government. Utter hogwash! A branch, yes, but certainly none of the founders thought of it as coequal.

No, what I would like to see on the Court is someone who is not all that confident, sits in awe of the other two branches of government, and who is easily bullied. I'm thinking maybe Dick Durbin?

Anyhoo, John Hawkins takes a good look at this, as does The Commissar who has a few more suggestions on a possible replacement. And consider this an official prediction.

UPDATE: Steven Taylor, who is much more of a Court follower than me, says:

On a side note: this is not the first place I have read that Rehnquist might not retire as predicted.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:15 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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UPDATE: Full translation of communique here and here is a video (with subtitles) of the daisy pusher spouting off his fanaticism. Notice how he accuses the J-O-Os of trying to distort the meaning of jihad into something other than killing people for Allah.

Another one bites the dust. And another one's gone, and another one's gone, another one bites the duest. Hey, were gonna get you too, another one bites the dust....

Word on the anti-jihadi sites is that al Qaeda in Iraq released a communique announcing the death of a senior leader. Evan Kohlmann of The Counterterroism blog has a full translation of the communique over at his personal website here.

UPDATE: Warning--Beavis moment: Here is a line from the communique, "He immigrated and declared jihad with his tongue and his spearhead...." I see child molestering should be added to his list of crimes.

Via Jihad Watch here is an MSM report on it:

The Web statement said Abdullah Mohammed Rashid al-Roshoud was killed in fighting near Qaim, on the border with Syria. It was signed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the most notorious terrorist leader in Iraq.

The statement did not say when al-Roshoud was killed, but U.S. forces have launched a series of offensives near Qaim in past weeks against militants coming across the border.

Al-Roshoud slipped into Iraq in April, according to the posting, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed.

The Saudi militant and a group of mujahedeen "killed some of the Crusaders until the enemies of God had to withdraw."

"When the Crusaders could not enter the area, the only thing they could do was bombard the mujahedeen with warplanes," it said. "Our sheik (al-Roshoud) got what he wished" - martyrdom.

Al-Roshoud had been No. 24 on a list of the 26 most-wanted terrorist leaders put out by Saudi Arabia two years ago and was one of only three militants on the list still at large. He was one of the main theologians for al-Qaida's network in Saudi Arabia, calling for a holy war against the Saudi royal family and Western interests in the Persian Gulf...

On the wish for martyrdom, Ed ads, "May those wishes come true, and quickly." Amen, brotha

Posted by: Rusty at 10:43 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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We have manuals on how to properly handle the Koran and humanely treat prisoners paying respect to their cultural sensitivities, they have manuals on how to properly torture and decapitate hostages.

Baghdad, 23 June (AKI) - US Marines have found manuals on taking hostages and decapitation during a raid on a guerrilla hideout in the Iraqi village of Karabla, near the town of Qaim, close to the Syrian border. The Arab newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat reports that in the hideaway the troops also found several hostages who were being held there by Islamic militants. The hiding place was being used as a centre for the interrogation and torture of hostages, and contained electrodes and other instruments of torture.

The manuals found were used as Jihad (Holy War) handbooks. The first was titled: "How to choose the best hostage", the second covered decapitation and was called: "Rules for cutting off the heads of infidels", and the third manual, "principles of the philosophy of the Jihad", was more theoretical.

The three documents, the last of which is 574 pages long, carry the name Abdel Rahman al-Aliya, which the newspaper says is probably a cover name to hide the identity of the real author. The hideout - in the volatile western Anbar province which has been the scene of fierce fighting between insurgents and the US-led forces - is believed to have been used by the group led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He is credited with introducing the practice of decapitation to the activities of the Jihadist movement.

Posted by Traderrob

Posted by: Traderrob at 10:24 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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Unlike Kent Brockman, Oriana Fallaci will not be the first to welcome her new Muslim overlords. You will recall Ms. Fallaci has been indicted by an Italian court for telling the truth about Islam, which is now illegal in many of the more dhimmifide countries of the world. In the spirit of solidarity with Ms. Falluci let me just say that Muhammed was a rapist and piss be upon him!

She sees the decline of Europe in almost absolutist terms. Let's hope she is wrong. WSJ:

Ms. Fallaci speaks in a passionate growl: "Europe is no longer Europe, it is 'Eurabia,' a colony of Islam, where the Islamic invasion does not proceed only in a physical sense, but also in a mental and cultural sense. Servility to the invaders has poisoned democracy, with obvious consequences for the freedom of thought, and for the concept itself of liberty."....

Posted by: Rusty at 09:51 AM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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1 I'll be traveling to Italy next Wednesday. I'll send periodic reports and let you know if Fallaci is blowing smoke or not.

Posted by: greg at June 23, 2005 10:38 AM (/+dAV)

2 Unless you have plans to hang around a few Muslims or some communists, or sit in on some of the court hearings I doubt you'll get a true picture of anything. When I read news of places like Ontario actually considering Sharia law for civil disputes I have no doubt that the Muslim community in every country is trying to have separate laws enacted strictly for them and their beliefs. Now we see it in Italy with Fallaci's indictment. With all due respect, Greg, judging from your past comments here, I'll have a little trouble imagining your reports as "unbiased". I'm not trying to be snide, just honest. Do some shopping. Take in an opera. Go sight seeing. Just enjoy the trip. And I mean this with sincerity - I hope you have a good time. Italy is a beautiful country. Don't sully your trip with politics.

Posted by: Oyster at June 23, 2005 12:31 PM (fl6E1)

3 The fact that European countries are passing laws and prosecuting 'blasphemy' should provide some sort of clue. Oh well, apparently all wars lead to Europe, eventually.

Posted by: Defense Guy at June 23, 2005 12:33 PM (jPCiN)

4 Only the formerly imperialist EU-countries are doomed, not countries with less than 200 years of almost continuous independence (Reich-times/Napoleon/revolutions don't reset count) or those with a very northern location.

Posted by: A Finn at June 23, 2005 06:28 PM (lGolT)

5 Shiiiiiiit, and I was thinking of moving to Portugal for a while in a year or two. YBP, I know...super Catholic territory, but my lady is one of those "reformed" (bad) Catholics from that region.

Posted by: osamabeenthere at June 23, 2005 08:38 PM (CYGDF)

6 "my lady is one of those "reformed" (bad) Catholics from that region." Osama, old bean--How did she ever hook up with a heathen like you? She IS "reformed"!!!

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 24, 2005 08:32 AM (x+5JB)

7 Haha...Good question! Actually...this heathen has better values than anyone she's ever dated. So I guess that things have worked out just fine. Damn there are so many posts to go through today. I'm getting plenty of laughs from "Bush Lies" posts...

Posted by: osamabeenthere at June 24, 2005 12:25 PM (CYGDF)

8 Yes--Truly Lewis Carrol after huffing.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 24, 2005 12:51 PM (x+5JB)

9 More than likely she is not, let's just say this is the bed in which Europeans wanted to sleep, they won't like what type of bed they've made for themselves.

Posted by: Andre at June 24, 2005 02:48 PM (mfvPa)

10 Europe is finally waking up. Denmark is a good example. They are beginning to curb the influx of ragheads. They are also making welfare harder to get. Which really turns the muslim immigrates off. ONE BIG FRIGGING PROBLEM: When they get the picture in Denmark they don't return to their own countries. They come to the hated America where liberal democrats welcome them with welfare checks, tax set asides and lawsuits against our people. Stop all third world immigration. They offer nothing but problems, jealousy and hatred for the hand that feeds them. They are right. We are fools.

Posted by: greyrooster at June 24, 2005 08:08 PM (CBNGy)

11 Silly White Sheet, You are a Klancy Boy who can't live in reality.

Posted by: Downing Street Memo at June 26, 2005 12:16 AM (ScqM8)

12 But I tell the truth and quote factual references. You on the other hand do nothing but attack the messenger. Why do I think you ride a camel to work and shit standing up. That is if you work.

Posted by: greyrooster at June 26, 2005 05:14 PM (/rKIG)

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I mentioned Lee Harris below. I'm a big fan. His long essay on Al Qaeda's Fantasy Ideology and its derivative book, Civilization and Its Enemies, are really surprising and interesting takes on the terror war and its stakes that I've passed along to numerous friends and correspondents.

Harris has a new long, long essay in Policy Review that I bookmarked a while back and just now got around to plowing through. It's worth it. Basically, this is a criticism of three defenses of tradition, and an attempt at surpassing them. In his view, progress is guaranteed by tradition, which sounds like a paradox until you consider the role of tradition is (for him) to set an ethical baseline for civilized behavior.

Much of it is dense and he throws around smart-guy names like Popper, Durkheim and Hayek; at the same time it's got light spots which deal with gigantic incestuous cockroaches and Julia Child's recipe for bouillabaise. It's great stuff if you're a brandy-snifter conservative, interested in the pedigree of ideas; but it's also just a useful, accessible introduction into what smart people are saying about tradition and why they think it matters (though Edmund Burke gets short shrift). If that's not your cup of tea, at least skim on down to the last couple sections, starting at "Death to the Exemplary."

Because here's the strange thing: you're not quite sure where this is all going as you read it, but then all of a sudden you realize you're reading a very smart gay man launching a secular, articulate defense of the traditional definition of marriage.

I'll leave you for a while with this great excerpt:
_____
If the reflective class, represented by intellectuals in the media and the academic world, continues to undermine the ideological superstructure of the visceral code operative among the “culturally backward,” it may eventually succeed in subverting and even destroying the visceral code that has established the common high ethical baseline of the average American — and it will have done all of this out of the insane belief that abstract maxims concerning justice and tolerance can take the place of a visceral code that is the outcome of the accumulated cultural revolution of our long human past.

The intelligentsia have no idea of the consequences that would ensue if middle America lost its simple faith in God and its equally simple trust in its fellow men. Their plain virtues and homespun beliefs are the bedrock of decency and integrity in our nation and in the world. These are the people who give their sons and daughters to defend the good and to defeat the evil. If in their eyes this clear and simple distinction is blurred through the dissemination of moral relativism and an aesthetic of ethical frivolity, where else will human decency find such willing and able defenders?
___

Posted by: seedubya at 03:41 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Sometimes when I discuss my odd--for the blogosphere--opinions about drug legalization with people (I'm against it), I get told, "Dude, you clearly lack a basic grasp of fundamental economics."

For today, I'll save my several retorts to that in favor of an observation. Did you notice that no one ever says, on this issue or any other, "Dude, you clearly lack a basic grasp of fundamental sociology"? Why is that?

Anyway, this is just a prelude to a link to Captain Ed's spot on comments on that Hezbollah cocaine smuggling ring they busted in Ecuador and the US: "Snort Cocaine and Fund More Bombings".

Pretty much, yeah.

UPDATE: Rusty responds. One-two-three-four I declare a blog war! more...

Posted by: seedubya at 03:16 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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Last night I watched an old, kinda crappy John Wayne film called Brannigan about a Tough Chicago Cop who goes to England to extradite a fugitive mob boss. I stopped and froze the DVD in place when they showed the Heathrow terminal signboard with the arrival times of various airlines.

"Iraqi Air" jumped out at me. 1975, and there they were flying into Heathrow. Huh.

And then today, courtesy of the Corner, I see this. Weird.

Well, Godspeed.

Posted by: seedubya at 12:06 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I'm a big fan of Lee Harris, as I've mentioned before here. This is a bizarre subject for a column but he doesn't disappoint: evaluating the legacy of Brigham Young versus that of Karl Marx.

Posted by: seedubya at 11:32 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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1 An exerpt: "Karl Marx dreamt of a world without hard labor; Brigham Young made a religious duty of it, and, indeed, an honor and a privilege." This one sentence perfectly isolates and defines the reasons for the success of Western civilization, and the failure of Marxism. Marx had no understanding whatsoever of the basic economic principle that the more effort that is put into production, the more productive one will be. He believed that meetings, committees, rallys, marches, trials, and exececutions could bring about a utopian society, when all that was really needed was to give everyone something productive to do, starting with producing food. Young's followers made the deserts bloom, and Marx's bastards starved millions of people in one of the most fertile agricultural regions on the planet. Of course it should be no surprise that Marx was an economic idiot, since he himself was born to a life of ease and never had to turn a hand at an honest day's labor. It should also be no surprise that those who espouse his ideas should mainly come from the economic class whose children are spoiled and lazy. The guilt-ridden wealthy white liberal is a species known to us all. It's an odd thing that people born to wealth are willing to take the credit for the creation of that wealth, and thus feel superior by it, though they had no part in its making, while they simulataneously hate those who earn their own wealth, whether by power of mind or strength of back. Liberals are spoiled brats who don't even understand the very system that allows them their wealth and leisure, and for that, they should be punished.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 23, 2005 10:02 AM (0yYS2)

2 IM: Amen to that great post. I read somewhere that Marx dabbled in the occult. Anyone else read that?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 23, 2005 10:32 AM (x+5JB)

3 IM, everything in your post I mostly agree with...except I also think Brigham Young was a bit loony up in those Utah caves. My question to you is this...I agree with you about the nature of rich people, but my inclination is that the majority of rich people aren't liberal. Maybe we could both find some data to back this up, but I'd bet my hard earned money that most are Republicans even if they only vote Republican as a way to save money.

Posted by: osamabeenthere at June 23, 2005 10:44 AM (CYGDF)

4 The irony here cannot be measured. The Mormon vision of the millenium is a collectivist one. See, for example, http://historytogo.utah.gov/united.html Excerpt: The Utah economy had grown up in the 1840s, to the 1860s along essentially individualistic, capitalist lines: but tempered by strong elements of central control and communal idealism. Young and other church leaders, most notably his counselor in the First Presidency of the church, George A. Smith, and Apostle Orson Pratt, were concerned that changes attending completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 were pushing the Latter-day Saints away from their communal ideals and towards a more individualistic and capitalistic economic model.

Posted by: Anachronda at June 23, 2005 12:08 PM (qmJpf)

5 Yes, but Young was what Marx would call a 'Utopian Socialist' the is, Young believed in VOLUNTARY communalism, while Marx believed in FORCED communalism.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at June 23, 2005 12:14 PM (JQjhA)

6 Oh. come on guys...I know y'all just want a nice collection of wives.

Posted by: osamabeenthere at June 23, 2005 08:42 PM (CYGDF)

7 UUTAH is cOMMUNISt

Posted by: BUSH LIES - SOLDIERS DIE at June 24, 2005 03:51 AM (FV4oJ)

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Why this is an opportunity I just canÂ’t pass up.

Well I see itÂ’s still Wednesday so what the hell. I must say IÂ’m having a good time posting stuff. I got to figure out how to make a link work. I got to play around on the net. Pretty cool stuff. Plus I got to post, just what I wanted on a web site that gets 40,000 hits per week. So you know if IÂ’m willing to oblige your entertainment the least you could do is ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!

I really don’t care if I’m a character or not but don’t think I’m so ignorant as to not know WTF or WTW or WZW(god that one was lame). You can depend on me to post some kind of trash each Sunday and Wednesday for as long as Rusty allows me to. So eat your heart out boys. Because like Rusty always says “Words mean something”. And if I have to play a character to get this platform then let it be so. You don’t have to look much past DICK Durbin to see the power the blogs have. For me to waste that power by not taking this opportunity is just stupid. But don’t think I’m going to fall for those lame comments on my earlier post. It takes pros like Rusty, Greg, and Osama to really get me, the rest of you mostly suck, except you YBP.

When Rusty asked me if I wanted to post a few things well I was a little nervous because I figured well you know, what does a moron like me have any business doing this for? A little suspicious too. So if I get labeled white trash that is both fair and fine by me because it could not be more truthful. But in my email I marveled about how “nobody” from “nowhere” could post a comment and speak over all the things that are supposed to keep me and others like me in our place, well I would like to think that has something to do with it too. So A BIG “LICK ME” TO JIMMY, JIMMY, LICK ME. I’m here as long as Rusty will allow me to post. I’m on the front page and you don’t have to click to see what I have to say. I’ll stay there till knocked down or shouted off.

A lot of you guys should think seriously about what you post. I mean what if Greg turned his enormous talent and energy to exposing our enemy? What if he spent just 10% of this energy on that just for us his fellow Americans? Not saying I want Greg or any of you to change one bit. I like you or I would not be here. Also those who read but donÂ’t post, speak the hell up. IÂ’m just saying what a powerful platform to be given and what an opportunity to speak. Never before in all history that I know of. DonÂ’t freaking waste it because I spent way over half of my life wasting it and IÂ’m not going to do it anymore. People face the death penalty in Iran for this shit. Now if you will excuse me I have to save some ranting for next week.

Posted by: Howie at 09:20 PM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
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(Dallas, Texas) Born in Great Bend, Kansas, in 1923, Jack St. Clair Kilby was an engineer, scientist, and inventor. For many years, he worked for Texas Instruments and, in 1959, he patented an integrated circuit device made with germanium. His legacy is the explosion in Information Technology we now enjoy. Yesterday, Texas Instruments CEO Tom Engibous said,

"In my opinion, there are only a handful of people whose works have truly transformed the world and the way we live in it - Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Jack Kilby."

"If there was ever a seminal invention that transformed not only our industry but our world, it was Jack's invention of the first integrated circuit."

Jack Kilby died Monday at his home in Dallas. He was 81.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 05:00 PM | Comments (22) | Add Comment
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Others have posted on this, but I think it's really pretty brassy of Kofi to come in and take credit for the success in Iraq.

What's that they say? Success has a thousand fathers?

Recall that after the horrific UN HQ bombing in August 2003, the one that killed Sergio Vieira de Mello and 21 others? The UN bugged out after that, and left the dirty work to the coalition. They've trickled back in since then, and they've probably done some good here and there, but the notion that because they had observers at the election they are driving the democratization of Iraq is ludicrous.

There's only the faintest mention in this editorial of the violence and security problems that plague Iraq. There is no mention of the daily, dirty, dangerous efforts of Coaliton forces to stabilize the country. He might as well be writing about post-tsunami Aceh.

Hell, Halliburton's for-profit contracting has done ten times the good in Iraq that the UN has.

Don't let the pressure slip. We need us some Bolton up there, kicking the UN in the patootie every time they do something stupid.

Posted by: seedubya at 04:43 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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William Teach, of the Pirate's Cove, invited us to put on our hip-boots and wade on over to dKos's place to see what the Bush=Hitler/loud-music=torture crowd is saying. But it's not the soul of Markos 'everything=torture' Zuniga I'm worried about. It's the normally lucid John Cole:

So Senator Durbin was forced to go to the well of the Senate to offer up a blubbering 'apolocorrection' after being cut off at the knees by Mayor Daley of Chicago. This was his second attempt to apologize for telling the truth...

And yes, John, Durbin's remarks 'really are that offensive' for those of us who have a connection to the tens of millions killed in the gulags, were the victims of Nazi extermination plans, suffered the fate of being an enemy of Saddam, or have friends with relatives massacred in Pol Pot's killing fields.

Anyway, as one of a minority of right-of-center bloggers who accepts Durbin's apology at face value let me also add that no such pass will be given to the unapologetic America haters, such as Kos who says:

Torture isn't a partisan issue. And by apologizing, Durbin caved to those who worked their best to turn it into one.

I would also suggest reading this interview with a Gitmo interrogator. As Bluto observes, the interview calls into question the accuracy of the information Durbin used as the basis of his accusation. Even so, I believe there is a legitimate discussion to be had on the proper limits of interrogation methods. However, you cannot have such rational discussion with the blame America first crowd which jumps to the worst conclusions at the slightest accusation of impropriety--especially when no consensus has been established on what exactly is an acceptable interrogation method when Americans are still in the line of fire.

I'm not against Congressional oversight of military prisons, as is their Constitutional duty in Section I, only partisan ploys to overhype with disgusting equivication instances of abuse with institutionalized genocidal mass-murder.

Kos finishes his post by seconding Steve Gilliard who says:

But Dick Durbin can go f*ck himself.

UPDATE: Risking the chance that I'll lose readers to a better blogger, here is a taste from a post Ace does in response to Andrew Sullivan. The argument is equally applicable to all the Leftists who are hyping alleged abuse at Gitmo. But seriously, you have to read the whole thing:

But he refuses to address the central question: If you're not going to employ any coercive tactics against terrorists, how the hell do you expect to elicit information from them -- information, mind you, that will often (if not always) save innocent human lives?

Are there any coercive tactics he approves of? If so, it is his duty as someone who fancies himself an intellectual braveheart and straight-shooter to announce what levels of coercion he's comfortable with and would approve of. The tactics he is currently so, well, gob-smacked about -- denying air conditioning, chaining to the floor, playing loud rap music -- seem fairly mild. So it does seem, at least by implication, that Excitable Andy approves of no coercive tactics against terrorists whatsoever during interrogations, apart from raised voices and lots of cursing.

Posted by: Rusty at 01:34 PM | Comments (56) | Add Comment
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This is VERY good news. Not only for the family of Robert Tarangoy, but because Tarangoy was taken hostage along with Roy Hallums. As you know, I've developed something of a relationship with the Hallums family. Keep Roy in your prayers, there is still hope. FYI--if you are in the Southern California area, there will be a candlelight vigil for Roy tomorrow in Huntington Beach. Details here. CNN:

Robert Tarongoy, a Filipino citizen taken hostage in Iraq almost eight months ago, has been freed, Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Wednesday.

In a phone interview with Philippines' GMA television station, an emotional Tarongoy thanked Arroyo, The Associated Press reported. "She did not neglect me," he said, also thanking diplomats who helped win his freedom.

Asked how he was treated by his captors, Tarongoy said, his voice cracking: "You know how long I was kept there. It was difficult," AP reported.

In a written statement announcing his release, Arroyo said: "Robert is now safe in the hands of the Iraq hostage crisis team led by [Foreign] Undersecretary Rafael Seguis who is making the necessary arrangements to bring him back to the Philippines."....

The AP also reported that Seguis told GMA that no ransom was paid and several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan -- along with Muslim clerics -- helped secure Tarongoy's release.

Seguis said Tarongoy could be home as early as Thursday, according to the AP.

Tarongoy's wife -- in the Filipino city of Davao -- told AP her husband's release coincided with their third wedding anniversary.

"It's a very wonderful gift for both of us," she said. "I'm very happy."

The government of the Philippines secured the release of one of its nationals held hostage in Iraq after agreeing to set demands, the previously unknown armed group which claimed to have held him said, as reported b, Al-Jazeera television reported.

The Doha-based channel broadcast a videotape showing the hostage held by two armed men, reading what they claimed to be a statement by the Philippine foreign ministry, saying it has banned its nationals from travelling to Iraq and adopted a new law to punish those who disobeyed the order.

Posted by: Rusty at 12:16 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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When you read a story like this, the headline just sort of makes itself up! Tim at Opinion Bug was cruising the blog of the man I claim is the 14th most destructive in America (hey, somebody has to keep an eye on that gay-outing asshole) and found this little mini-interview with porn-star Mary Carey. Before you go on, remember that Marey Carey claims she is a believing Christian:

"Oh my God, his [Bush's] daughters! IÂ’d LOVE to party with his daughters. IÂ’d love to meet them. I totally want to have sex with them.

UPDATE: From WND:

She made no secret prior to the event of wanting to have sex with Karl Rove, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Pat Buchanan and Alan Colmes – in addition to at least one player from every team in the NBA.

Posted by: Rusty at 11:51 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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1 She's a gooooooood girl.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 22, 2005 12:13 PM (0yYS2)

2 You just KNOW that the moonbats will go apeshat over this. They are such fuddy duddies.

Posted by: William Teach at June 22, 2005 12:31 PM (TFSHk)

3 I pretty certain Alan doesn't swing that way.

Posted by: Princess Kimberley at June 22, 2005 12:55 PM (HwDXU)

4 Mary could convert him Hey Rusty, speaking of moonbats, check out Kos on Durbins apology. Don't want to deflect this thread, but don't have access to regular email at the moment.

Posted by: William Teach at June 22, 2005 12:58 PM (TFSHk)

5 Thanks William, done and done.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at June 22, 2005 02:14 PM (JQjhA)

6 dasfa

Posted by: lisandro at June 27, 2005 03:28 PM (KDnXq)

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Well Rusty emailed this AM. Howie, no posts? Well to tell the truth I'm busy as a beaver here. I have been reading and making an occasional comment as time allows. Thought about doing a post or two last night but a technical glitch forced me to play Galaga for about 2 hours. I think I was able to relieve some of my stress because things "moved" well this A.M. if you get my drift. In case you're wondering 330,000 stage 30ish Pretty good for no play in about 6 months. I could roll it over a few times in college.
Last year I fooled around with it for a while but only got to 940,000.

I do have a couple links for you today let's hope they work.

Dick Estell will read "102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn next week starting Monday on NPR stations. God now you all know I'm a geek. I've not read the book myself so maybe I can catch at least some of it.

Also beer trail vacations in NY. Sounds fun but let the wife drive.

And Lions save girl from kidnappers and forced wedding.

Good news from Afghanistan. Well that link is dead already.

I'll replace with this fresh one from CNN about hostage release.

Also please comment on the Future of NPR and PBS. I get a lot from watching /listening and can we exclude Bill Moyer just because he's already gone and I feel that issue just covers over the real value PBS and NPR gives to our kids and to us. Yes total space bastard killing geek I am and proud of it. I'm really interested in the thoughts of those of you who are in education. I get WKMS out of Murray State. I worry about the children's programs and educational value being cut. I'm going to do a pledge and I know several conservatives around here who contribute and support WKMS.

DIE SPACE BASTARDS DIE. I'm just getting in the right mood to face them. Also I may have some posts this late this weekend. Hopefully as time goes by I'll get better and will be able to contribute more.

YBP: Wine will be 4 weeks this Saturday. It bubbles about every two minutes and seems to be clearing better with less sugar. Two to three weeks left. Everybody have a good one.

Posted by: Howie at 11:29 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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