Hey now that takes some doing! But just above Scientology? So I reckon Tom Cruise is a bit nutty but I really thought he might rate as less nutty than say terrorists.

(CBSNEWS) : Although Americans believe they are better informed about Islam than they were five years ago, a new CBS News poll finds fewer than one in five say their impression of the religion is favorable.

Forty-five percent of respondents queried April 6 - 9 said they have an unfavorable view of Islam, a rise from 36 percent in February. And the public’s impression of Islam has diminished even more compared with four years ago. In February 2002 – less than six months after the terrorist attacks of September 11 – the country was evenly divided in its impression of Islam.

When compared with some other religions practiced in America, positive views of Islam rank below those for mainstream Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, and Christian fundamentalist faiths. Only Scientology, of all the religions asked about, ranked lower.

Boy, aren't you glad they did that poll! Because I would never have guessed that blowing up innocent women and children and sawing off the heads of innocent civilians on the internet could make you unpopular. That's such a handy thing to remember, isn't it. I'll have to make sure I make a note of that somewhere so I don't forget.

Posted by: Howie at 09:37 AM | Comments (27) | Add Comment
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Still they have to scrape up enough of him to make a positive ID.

ABCNEWS :Multiple intelligence sources in Pakistan confirmed to ABC News that they believed Abu Mohsin Musa, also known as Abdul Rahman, had died in the overnight raid.

Rahman was one of the FBI's most wanted men with a $5 million bounty on his head. He was indicted in absentia in a New York court for his alleged involvement in the bombings of the United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug. 7, 1998.

A Pakistani TV channel reported that an al Qaeda operative, wanted for the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa, was killed, but officials said there was no confirmation.

Cobra helicopter gunships armed with missiles struck just before midnight on Wednesday in Nagar village, six km (four miles) south of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan.

Neither Ahmed nor Pakistan's chief military spokesman, Major-General Shaukat Sultan, could confirm whether it was the same man, but a senior military official based in Peshawar said it was likely.

We received a tip that Abdur Rehman al-Misri was hiding there and we conducted the raid. But there is no confirmation as yet about whether he was killed or not," Ahmed said

"There is a strong possibility of him being one of those killed in action last night. But we have no confirmation of that as yet," the official said. "He used to frequent that place."

Atwah allegedly sat on the al Qaeda consultation council that approved the synchronized attacks on the U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam that killed 224 people.

Posted by: Howie at 09:23 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Zawahiri says he just loves beheading terrorist bad gay boy Abu Musab Al-Zaqueery.

BBC : He describes Zarqawi, a Jordanian and the leading Jihadi militant in Iraq, as his "beloved brother" and calls on Muslims to support him. "I have lived with him up close and have seen nothing but good from him," Zawahiri says in the video.

Chad Evans at In The Bullpen : WhatÂ’s almost humorous is that Zawahiri sticks to the idea that nations want to negotiate with Al Qaida and put them on what we would see as a level playing field. In fact some people have advocated opening up negotiations with Zawahiri or Osama bin Laden in order to effectively move on. Even OBL has offered a truce to the West, though in reality OBL doesnÂ’t want a truce of any kind unless it involves the full submission of the West to Islam, but Zawahiri makes it clear Al Qaida would never abide by such a truce.

Posted by: Howie at 09:10 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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If you thought Howie was a bit slow this AM itÂ’s because well I am. We had a horse on the road last night. My neighbor too cheap to build a decent fence and for some reason traffic always stops at my place. She did bring me donuts once for herding (saving from certain splatter) her horses once. Next time IÂ’m charging her a C note otherwise why would they build it when they have a free shepherd right next door.

More Dopery From The Washington Post Via Ace :

Learn to imitate Richard Burton and you can “Get More”.

Dean Esmay has the shocking truth that Iran is he leader of Islamic terror..

NASA owes Chuck bit time. Hey now that is tough! Must be that ultimate workout doohickey he is selling.

Politically correct BS of the day.

BBC : European governments should shun the phrase "Islamic terrorism" in favour of "terrorists who abusively invoke Islam", say guidelines from EU officials.

Recent Internet postings by terrorist groups indicate a heightened concern about security and privacy. Apparently, not all terrorists are communicating in a manner to avoid detection and surveillance.

Posted by: Howie at 08:56 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It's not often that I find anything to praise in the Washington Post, but today I give them kudos for running this piece by the executive director of Vets for Freedom.

Democratic representatives Jim Moran of Virginia and John Murtha from Pennsylvania organized a purported "townhall meeting", which was in reality a cheerleading session for anti-war activists, including Code Pink and MoveOn.org, who helped organize the event.

During the question and answer session a wounded veteran got up and violated the agenda: more...

Posted by: Bluto at 08:41 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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From the Associated Press:

A coroner's report released Tuesday found James Zadroga's death after developing respiratory disease was "directly related" to the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Zadroga, of Little Egg Harbor, N.J., died Jan. 5.

Researchers say it will take decades to determine which illnesses and deaths among ground zero workers were caused by their exposure to the asbestos-laden dust cloud.

Posted by: Bluto at 10:40 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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Michelle Malkin has the scoop that AP stringer Bilal Hussein has been detained by U.S. troops in Ramadi. Yes, that Bilal Hussein. The same Bilal Hussein that we opened a dead pool on in November of 2004. You know the guy.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That maybe the recent footage out of Ramadi shown on CNN was taken by a certain AP stringer who just happnes to know when the terrorists are about to strike?

Bilal Hussein seems to be the Clark Kent or Peter Parker of Iraq.....only the alter ego I'm thinking of doesn't wear a cape, but a kafiyah.

And it turns out Bilal Hussein is even worse than I thought. Michelle found out that it was Bilal Hussein that took the photo of two terrorists standing over the body of murdered hostage Salvatore Santoro in December 2004. Just to remind you, Santoro was an Italian civilian working for a British NGO trying to help rebuild Iraq. A group calling itself The Islamic Movement of Iraqi Mujahidin took Bilal Hussein to the body of the murdered hostage just outside of....wait for it.....Ramadi---where Hussein was picked up today!

It's just too bad that American soldiers aren't 1/10th as murderous as Bilal Hussein has made them out to be in the past. If they were, Hussein would be dead.

Just read all of Michelle's post from start to finish.

And the next time you meet a soldier in a bar or restaurant, do us all a favor and pick up the tab.

Complete Bilal Hussein Archives Here

Bilal Hussein and the Continuing Saga of Insurgent Propaganda via the Media
When Journalilsts are the Enemy
The Pulitzer and Terrorist Embeds
Pulitzer Prize Given to Terrorists
Editor and Publisher Apologizes for Terrorist Embeds *shock*
Bilal Hussein dead pool.
Bilal Hussein, still anti-American

Posted by: Rusty at 09:13 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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(Hays, Kansas) Researchers at Fort Hays State University are studying cow manure to determine what makes it stink. To determine the cause of the odor, Professor Ed Olmstead, cattle scientist John Jaeger and two students plan to sample manure deposits at a variety of feedlots and analyze the constituents.

It's believed that specific unpleasant elements can be identified and possibly eliminated to make cow flop smell as enjoyable as Irish Spring. Notably, Jaeger said it might be something in what the cows eat. I'm not a scientist, but I think Jaeger may be on to something.

Presumably, the researchers will incorporate results from studies of animals known not to produce foul smells. For example, the in-depth statistical data derived by mainstream media analyses of people who produce no foul-smelling effluent could be most beneficial. Consequently, a close examination of the manure from Cindy Sheehan and Hillary Clinton could likely yield important results. The consensus of the media is that their stuff doesn't stink.

From Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 06:48 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Last December we debunked a terrorist produced video claiming to show that al Qaeda controlled the streets of Ramadi. Today, Bill Rogio debunks another 'major' offensive in Ramadi over the weekend.

It's interesting how a 'major' offensive can be carried out by the exact number of terrorists that can fit into a Toyota Corolla. It's also interesting to note the similarities between the video produced by a CNN 'stringer' (linked by Bill) and the video I have produced by a 'stringer' for the Islamic Media Center from which the image shown below was captured.

For your enjoyment, here is an image from our earlier debunking:

Thanks to Michelle for the link to my post and for bringing Bill's discovery to my attention. I didn't think I was going to have time to post anything else today-- and I really dont-- but I couldn't resist.

Posted by: Rusty at 05:18 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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I'll be in Chicago next Wed - Sat on business, if any one wants to hang out. Please e-mail me directly at contact information above.

I'll be kind of busy until I get back. From today til Saturday I have to put the finishing touches on a presentation. Then Easter. Then I have family in town til I leave. So, I'll be pretty much swamped until then.

Reminder: I'll be in London in mid-May if there are any Brits who want to hang out then.

Posted by: Rusty at 03:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(McMinnville, Tennessee) In February, Pamela Rogers (Turner) was released on probation from jail after serving nine months of an eight-year sentence for a conviction of sex with a 13-year-old student. Yesterday, Pamela Rogers (pic) was arrested for violating the terms of her probation.

From WBIR.com:

Authorities say Pamela Rogers Turner may have committed as many as seven violations of terms of her probation. She had served six months in jail and was released February 26th. But terms of her conviction included an eight-year sentence and the prosecutor says his office might ask that Turner be sent to prison for the balance of it.

Terms include registering as a sex offender, performing community service, having no contact with the boy's family and not using the Internet.

from Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 01:16 PM | Comments (18) | Add Comment
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I've just been absolutely enthralled by Mike Totten's travelogue describing his journey to Kurdistan through Turkey. Today's post is the best one:

The whole thing was just weird. I donÂ’t quite know how to convey how surreal it is to leave a country that maybe, just maybe, might join the European Union and enter a country that is a poster-child for wrenching war-torn catastrophe and have everything around me dramatically improve all at once. But that's how it goes these days when you cross into Iraq from Turkey. Even though Sean had never been there before, he, like me, breathed a sigh of relief at our arrival in a tranquil place at peace with itself.

Posted by: Rusty at 01:09 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Tiger used the "S" Word
No, not that one, though golfing phenom Tiger Woods has managed to get some ripe language on the air following wayward shots, this time Tiger offended through insensitivity.

Tiger called himself a "spaz" for his poor putting at the Masters Tournament. Damon Rose of the BBC (via the Drudge Report) discusses Tiger's offense against the sensibilities of sensitive people who are constantly offended.

Tiger has made his bed, and now must lie in it, but what can we do, as sensitive, thoughtful people, to be sure that we don't offend other sensitive, thoughtful people, even inadvertently?

Well for a start, I've prepared a guide explaining why some words are inherently offensive: more...

Posted by: Bluto at 12:26 PM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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Via CNN pdf document. Download Adobe Acrobat reader here.

Posted by: Howie at 11:50 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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After seeing this photo while reading Michelle MalkinÂ’s blog the other day I just could not help but giggle a bit today when I read this.

Clarification: Right now, unlawful entry is a civil violation -- technically not a crime; a majority of House Republicans wanted to elevate the violation to a misdemeanor; but Democrats proposed making it a felony -- to undermine the entire bill by making it appear too harsh, according its sponsor, Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.).

(CNSNews.com) - House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) issued a joint statement on Tuesday making it clear that it was Democrats who insisted on making unlawful presence in the United States a felony rather than a misdemeanor.

"In December, the House of Representatives passed a strong border security bill aimed at securing our borders and preventing illegal immigration," the statement said.

"However, on December 16, 2005, there were 191 House Democrats who voted to oppose House Republican efforts to reduce the crime of unlawful presence in the United States from a felony to a misdemeanor. Instead, they voted to make felons out of all of those who remain in our country illegally. (Some conservative Republicans also favored making unlawful presence a felony.)

"While we are disappointed with the House Democrat's lack of compassion and the continued efforts by Senator Reid to block action on immigration legislation so that Congress can proceed to conference, it remains our intent to produce a strong border security bill that will not make unlawful presence in the United States a felony."

Posted by: Howie at 10:33 AM | Comments (30) | Add Comment
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As always, Cagey Mind has been following it closely. It looks like the defense strategy is to make the camp which Hamid Hayat attended in Pakistan look like a Boy Scout jamboree. It's possible that the camp wasn't a 'terror training' ground, but it certainly was a place to indoctrinate people in the ways of radical Islam.

Posted by: Rusty at 09:20 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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What an incredible smell Confederate Yankee has discovered.

Posted by: Rusty at 09:07 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Just an update on my wine. I reckon since April 15th is this week and the due date on the wine is the 16th itÂ’s fun to note that this wine is tax free. Buy your groceries in KY and no sales tax either. ThatÂ’s sticking it to the man! Never mind itÂ’s probably cheaper to pick up a bottle of ripple at the liquor store. Here in the first pic you see how the wine looked about 10 days ago. See the line itÂ’s clearing up. more...

Posted by: Howie at 08:58 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Aaron is the victim of online terrorism...again. He's been put on a hit list at jihadi websites because of his over-the-top mocking of Mohammed. I'm soo jealous. Here's a screenshot of his website now. Good luck in getting it back up. Thanks to The National Institute of Truth for the tip.

Update: Egyptian Sandmonkey has a translation of the original message left by the infamous al3isnet crew the other day.

Posted by: Rusty at 07:08 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Nathan Goulding of National Review Online had already called out Hardball's David Shuster for some quite blatant lies and distortions; and then George at Seixon used these same overt lies to discredit a fawning DailyKos entry about Shuster. George also notes that he has registered to comment at DailyKos; he might want to see how the Kossacks deal with infidels first.

Among other fabrications, Shuster concocted a "quote" from Libby saying that a "key judgement" of the NIE (meaning all were agreed) was that Saddam was "vigorously trying to procure uranium". MSNBC put it onscreen as a super - see the Seixon link for a screen capture. more...

Posted by: Bluto at 11:14 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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