The Religion That Respects Free Speech

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Hussein Shabakshy wrote in an article published by the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat “It is clear that such remarks only contribute to the fueling of the fire raging between Islam and the West. There is no difference between Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri speaking from their caves in Tora Bora and the stage of an important Christian saint. Both parties contribute to the world verbal weapons for mass destruction.”

“The pope’s latest statement cannot be considered a slip of the tongue or a comic bit from a TV show; the situatio0n here is different, and his remarks are indicative of an important and highly symbolic stance toward the religion (Islam) and the prophet of about a billion and-a-half Muslims,” he said.

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Source: YNET NEWS

I am not a Catholic. I have read the Pope's remarks, and, if anything they are too mild. But then again, anyone who says anything remotely near the truth about the (murdering) prophet mohamet (a child molester), is sinning under the traditions of the ummah.

Let us briefly compare the two religions.
Side by side, if you will "indulge me":

Response to blasphemous displays of Art,

1---The "artistic" display of a crucifix in urine.
Christian, and Catholic response...attention is called to the display in a peaceful manner. To this day, I still don't remember mobs of religious thugs in the street, yelling their fool heads off, for Christ gave us an example that CANNOT be improved upon. When He was on the cross, he was jeered at by the crowds, He asked His Father to forgive, for they did not know what they were doing. A criminal on a cross next to Him, asked Him to remember him. Christ told the man that very day he would be with Him in paradise.

2---The "artistic" display of mohamet in cartoons.
Muslim rsponse...burning, pillaging, raping mobs of people yelling their fool heads off about their supreme prophet (who presumably has the ear of allah), and their entire religion being insulted by some scribbles on a piece of paper. Of course, they have their prophets' example to go by, don't they?
How many people did he kill?
How many were killed by those he led in battle?
How many have been killed by those imitating him?

Response to civilians killed in war

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, the Christian, and Catholic Response:
Prayer, (for the victims, the heroes who sacificed themselves in the hope that more could be saved, prayer for the families of those affected and those responding), then Action (people gave their blood, money, material, and time to help in the rescue, recovery, and removal of the bodies of the dead). Bodies were covered, out of respect for the dead. This was the overwhelming response. Reprisals would come later, measured out to those responsible, and those capable, of such an act against our people.

The Building next to the UN Outpost in Lebanon:
Bodies were left in the rubble, until cameras could be brought to bear.
Rescuers brought each body out, for the camera.
Bodies wre laid out in rows, for the camera.
Flies were allowed to gather, for the camera.
Families grieved, for the camera.
Mobs cried for Vengeance, for the camera.

Commentary

Don't try to tell me there is ANY Moral Equivalence between the two religions for one simple reason (listen closely, for it is quite profound).
The "Moderate" Muslims cannot form a peaceful counter-protest in any Muslim dominated country in the world without being in mortal fear of their lives from their co-religionists.

What's that I hear? Is it crickets chirping? Or is it perhaps a Muslim plotting to silence my voice? Either way, I know where I am headed after I leave this body. For them to be absolutely sure, they have to murder an infidel. Nice contrast, eh?

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Religion of Peace Pissed at Pope

Or, Religious War Heats Up

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Muslim leaders demand apology for Pope's 'medieval' remarks

John Hooper in Rome and Luke Harding in Berlin
Saturday September 16, 2006
The Guardian


Pope Benedict XVI was last night facing angry demands from Muslims that he apologise for a speech in which he appeared to say the concept of jihad was "unreasonable" and quoted a medieval ruler who said Muhammad's innovations were "evil and inhuman".
Protests swept across the Islamic world and the furore threatened a scheduled visit by the Pope to Turkey.

The Vatican spokesman, Federico Lombardi, told Vatican Radio: "It was certainly not the intention of the Holy Father to undertake a comprehensive study of the jihad and of Muslim ideas on the subject, still less to offend the sensibilities of the Muslim faithful."

Father Miguel Ayuso Guixot, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, told the Guardian he feared the Pope's words had been "misinterpreted". He added: "The Pope has worked tirelessly for inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue and for tolerance."

In Turkey, however, where the Pope is due to visit in November, the deputy leader of the ruling party said Benedict had "a dark mentality that comes from the darkness of the middle ages". Salih Kapusuz added: "He is going down in history in the same category as leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini."

Representatives of the two million Turks in Germany, where the comments were made, also expressed deep annoyance. The head of the Turkish community, Kenan Kolat, said they were "very dangerous" and liable to misunderstanding.

In Beirut, Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, one of the world's top Shia Muslim clerics, said: "We demand that [the Pope] apologises personally, and not through [Vatican] sources, to all Muslims for such a wrong interpretation." An influential Iranian cleric branded his remarks "absurd". Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University: "The Pope has insulted Islam."

By last night the protests had not spilled over into the kind of violence seen in February in protest against the Danish cartoons depicting Muhammad. But Diaa Rashwan, a Cairo-based analyst of Islamic militancy, warned that the comments were "more dangerous than the cartoons because they come from the most important Christian authority in the world. The cartoons just came from an artist."

The row broke out over a lecture given by the Pope on Tuesday at his old university at Regensburg. His central theme was one on which he has touched repeatedly in recent months - the need to reconcile faith and reason.

He quoted from a little-known medieval text recording debates between a Byzantine emperor and an educated Persian. The Pope recalled that the emperor had told his adversary: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

Benedict acknowledged the "startling brusqueness" of the remark, but went on to endorse fully the view that "spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable".

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Commentary

Okay, What part of Religious War Don't You Understand???

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Heath Shuler Post for Septmeber 15

Or, When Google comes a knockin'

An anonymous Googler left me a present today. This person was Googling for information on a local race I posted about sometime ago, and I looked at the results of their search and found some information on a current race, the local Congressional Race.

So off I went, reading the AARP Survey designed to assist voters in making a decision in Novewmber. So, without further ado, here is the survey with my frequent interuptions to clarify, translate, and point out what I feel are gross errors.

The survey questions are in Black, AARP Responses are in a gray color, Heath Shulers' responses are in blue, Charles Taylors' are in red, and mine are green according to the Blogger Palette of colors as viewed by Internet Explorer 6something.

Question

Will you support or oppose a balanced Social Security plan to continue the program's guaranteed benefits for future generations?
Will you support or oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts?

AARP Response

For 70 years, America's families have relied on the values embodied in Social Security. The program's guaranteed, risk-free benefit protects people from outliving their savings or the loss of a spouse or parent. We all benefit from the shared responsibility of providing for today's beneficiaries, with the knowledge that that same responsibility will be met by future generations for us.

Candidate Response: Heath Shuler, Democrat

I strongly support efforts to ensure Social Security remains a defined benefit program for years to come and will oppose any privatization efforts. I do not, however, support a reduction in benefits. Social Security’s effectiveness comes from the fact that all Americans benefit. By reducing benefits for certain segments of Americans we risk allowing Social Security to be classified as a welfare program for “others,” not a right earned by all.

My Translation:

Heath Shuler supports Social Security remaining a compulsory program, and refuses to allow any to escape. He told a bald-faced lie when he said that all Americans benefit from from Social Security. Heath, did all Americans benefit from the compulsory program of slavery...Hmm? Everybody except those involved, and with Social Security, everyone IS INVOLVED, including those yet to be born. Social Security is a welfare program, and no one has the right to "take" my hard-earned money from me by threat of force, even if they intend to help someone else, who, like the Grasshopper, fiddled in the sun instead of putting back provisions. You see, in that fable, the Ants voluntarily helped the Grasshopper. There were no government agencies "taking" a portion of the fruits of the ants labors. In the Real World, if I know that increased work on my part, will not see any tangible increase in reward on my part, and I know that if I slack off a little bit, "everyone else" will be forced to "help me" out, Why work so hard? I can play in the sunshine years, knowing that others will be "sharing" a portion of their hard work when it is the winter of my life. And Heath, a right that is "earned by all" is not a right because if the standard is set so low that all earn it, then it is not a right, but a guarantee, and a guarantee implies a guarantor, and when that guarantor is the government put in the place of "benevolent" Dictatorship, my respone is, No Thanks, Heath. I'll take my chances because we all know the "Dictatorship of the Proletariat" never works.


Candidate Response: Charles Taylor, Republican

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire.

Given that the AARP is little more than an arm of the Democratic Party, I can hardly blame him, altough he missed a good chance for a good fight that would leave the AARP, and Heath, licking their wounds.

NEXT QUESTION<>

Question
Will you support or oppose a shared approach involving government, employers and individuals, to providing health care coverage for everyone?

Question implies that every one will "share". When you see the word "share" used it really means "forced", forced because, like the "Hotel California", you can never leave, in fact, you are booked in before birth, with an abortion being the only way out of the Social Security Enslavement Program.

AARP Response
In the absence of universal coverage, AARP supports specific reforms that increase the number of people with health care coverage, either through public or private insurance.

Respone implies that AARP is for Universal Health Care, and it cannot be "universal" unless it is forced upon us all, to the unborn generations, again with the implication, to me of a program of enslavement.


More and more Americans, including a growing number of workers, find themselves without health insurance. Increasing health care costs strain businesses large and small, leading them to either stop offering health care coverage all together or raise employee premiums and co-pays. Shifting an ever-larger share of health care costs to individuals does not address the problem of the high cost of health care and threatens the health and financial security of American families.

And why is the cost of Health Coverage going up? Because of a "guaranteed" government payola to pad the profit margin, sort of like the $600 hammers and $2,000 toilet seats a couple of decades ago. Look at Canada. If their "Universal" Health Care is so great, why do so many of them head south with cash to get it here, instead of there?


AARP believes that government, employers and individuals should share the responsibility for paying for health care coverage.


I hear the word "subsidy" in that sentence. When the government provides a subsidy, the true cost of an item is concealed, and there is no benefit for the producer of such item to reduce their cost, because there market share is "guaranteed". And, of course, dear faithful reader, you have spied out that "share" word again. You know what that means.



Candidate Response: Heath Shuler, Democrat

The ability to see a doctor when you are sick should not be a privilege of only the wealthy.

A misleading statement. Anyone who is sick in America, even Illegal Aliens, see doctors everyday in Emergency Departments, Urgent Care Facilities, Free Clinics, and their Personal Physician, should they have had the foresight to contract with one.


It is immoral that over 46 million Americans currently lack the most basic health care coverage.

Is it immoral that I have no Health Care Coverage? It is MY CHOICE not to pay into a corrupt system. I invest my money so that, when the time comes, I have more money to choose my own health care professional within the limits of my money, not dictated to me by a Byzantine set of rules, regulations, and caveats only a lawyer can understand. As soon as you take the Government Teat away from the Insurance Companies and Health Care Providers, the prices will come down.


The rising cost of health care is leading to more and more companies terminating their coverage, which places a greater strain on our hospital emergency rooms and governmental services. We must realize that all sections of America – government, business, and individual -- have a stake in ensuring health care is available to all. I will work diligently to make certain that every American has affordable access to health care.



It is immoral that Heath believes that I should be "forced" to pool my money. That is government-santioned theft. Don't be a theif, Heath, keep your hands off my hard-earned money!




Candidate Response: Charles Taylor, Republican

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire.

Again, a missed opportunity to expose the AARP and his opponent as wolves in sheeps' clothing.

NEXT QUESTION, PLEASE!

Question

Will you support or oppose allowing Medicare to use its bargaining power to negotiate lower prices for needed prescription drugs? Will you support or oppose imposing an annual limit on federal Medicare spending?

Medicare is a government bureacracy. No, I most certainly OPPPOSE it interfering in the marketplace as the former Soviet Union did, which eventually destroyed the economy of that nation. And, as to limits on Federal Medicare Spending? You betcha.

AARP Response

Medicare Part D is now helping millions of people in Medicare save money on their prescription drugs. But while those with Part D coverage are saving, the actual cost of prescription drugs continues to increase at a rate greater than general inflation. AARP believes that more must be done to bring down soaring drug costs and supports allowing Medicare to use its bargaining power to negotiate lower prescription drugs.

These guys have stumbled upon the truth, and are blind to it. They admit that those with Part D Coverage are saving, while the cost continues to climb at an ever faster rate. That is because those without Part D coverage have shouldered the extra burden, of an additional government program, and the drug companies are sheltered from market forces by the well-intentioned government program. They have no incentive to lower prices.

Proposals have been made in Congress to put an annual limit on how much money the federal government spends on the Medicare program. AARP opposes arbitrary limits on Medicare funding.

The AARP would like to increase spending, and burden the public debt even more.

Candidate Response: Heath Shuler, Democrat

I strongly support efforts to reform the Medicare Part D program, especially allowing for the negotiation of prescription drug prices on behalf of America’s 40 million seniors by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Ah Ha! now we see The Secretary of Human Health Services involved in setting price controls, much like the Politburo of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of yesteryear. Please, Heath, didn't you learn in school that a Command Economy never works?!?

We must also correct the flaws in the program that allow prescription plans to drop medications at any time, while preventing seniors from changing their plans for a year, even if their needs change. I will always fight on behalf of American seniors and will oppose any efforts to arbitrarily limit the amount of federal spending on Medicare.

Again with the Command economy stuff, Heath Shuler?

Candidate Response: Charles Taylor, Republican

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire

Yet another missed opportunity to end this Campaign before the end of September!

Next Question!!! I tire of shooting fish in a barrel.

Question
Will you support or oppose a combined approach that involves government and individuals covering long-term care? Will you support or oppose requiring individuals to buy private long-term care insurance?

Again, misleading questions! I am responsible for myself! If someone else becomes responsible,even partly, then they have the right to tell me what I can and cannot do! Nosirree, I'm not about to fall into that trap! "Requiring" individuals to buy long-term care insurance creates an extra demand for a service, and that means higher prices for all, just like these other nonsense schemes where the government interferes with the marktplace.

AARP Response
Long-term care can be costly for people who do not have family caregivers or need more care than family and friends can provide.

It can be, if they don't put their own money to work for them, instead of having it "taken" to "share" with others.

Qualifying for Medicaid-the primary public funding source for long-term care-requires either very low assets and income, or depleting almost all assets and income to pay for care. Currently private insurance is either too expensive or unavailable for many people. Approaches that give people cash payments to choose, buy and manage their care, along with counseling to help them make and manage care choices, help maintain dignity and maximize independence.

Gotcha!!! This is a virtual admission that Medicare is designed to keep people poor, and they play on your fears and uncertainties about the future...the old one bird in the hand or two in the bush scenario! And that dignity you wish to maintain has to be maintained because you took it in the first place.

AARP supports a publicly funded, long-term care cash benefit program-paid for through a combination of government and individual contributions-to give people more control over their own care. AARP opposes requiring individuals to buy private long-term care insurance.

A "contribution" is not a "contribution" if it is forced out of you. Call it what it is, a tax.

Candidate Response: Heath Shuler, Democrat

I strongly support efforts to increase the availability and use of long-term care insurance for all Americans. I will strive to increase the options available to individuals and families for long-term care, but do not support the government requiring the purchase of long-term care insurance.

Now, now, Heath! It is not insurance if all have it, it is an Entitlement. Heath supports inreasing options, just as long as the options are a government program. At least he got the last clause, "but do not support the government requiring the purchase of long-term care insurance." right, although I believe for different reasons. He wants to keep private enterprise out, and I want no "false" demand on the market place.

Candidate Response: Charles Taylor, Republican

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire.

This is getting predictable!

And to the Last Question. Hooray!!!

Question
Do you support or oppose requiring employers to give workers access to automatic payroll deductions to fund their personal IRAs?

Arrrgghhh!!! I'll save my ire for Heaths' response to the question. That way, I can get both targets at once.

AARP Response
Social Security was never intended to be a worker's only source of retirement income. Even though people know Social Security will not be enough to live on, many find it difficult to save for the future. AARP supports creating and expanding supplemental retirement accounts that enable workers to accumulate retirement savings in addition to Social Security's guaranteed benefits.

Wow! An entire three sentences in a row I can find no fault with! (I read it over several times to make sure I wasn't getting fatigued)

AARP supports making saving for retirement simpler and fairer by requiring that employers give workers access to voluntary, automatic payroll deductions to their own IRAs if their employers do not already give them access to a pension or 401(k) plan.

I almost (almost) included that sentence as one I could agree with, except for the part where "employers give workers access to voluntary, automatic payroll deductions to their own IRAs" Wait just a doggone minute! Access to their own money! Where do these people get off "taking" our money, then "allowing" us access to direct it anywhere but our own pockets! These people are sneaky with their verbiage (fancy word for word use!).

Candidate Response: Heath Shuler, Democrat

I firmly believe that by allowing employees to contribute directly to their personal retirement accounts we can significantly increase the number of Americans who participate in these plans.

I cannot allow that statement to go by unchallenged! This reveals Heath Shulers' true attitude toward government, that the Government are the holders of our rights, which they "give" to us. Not so, Heath. If you have ever read your U.S. Constitution, you know the reservoir of rights remain with the people. Not the Federal Government, not the states, and certainly not our employers.
For your edification, Heath, I have pasted the 10th Amendment below, with a link to an online source, should you not have a copy in your pocket, or in your heart. Note to Heath: use your mouse to highlight the word link, then press down on the left button, or get someone to help you.

Amendment X - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

I will work closely with employers to increase the availability of direct deposits to IRAs and other retirement programs, but do not support the government forcing all employers to offer this service.

After all, how is heath gonna entice future campaign contibutions from employers who (wisely) want no part of this train wreck!

Candidate Response: Charles Taylor, Republican

Okay, all together now:

Candidate did not respond to questionnaire.

That took all afternoon to type out! Hope you enjoyed reading it, and will forgive the typos. As usual, any mistake in transcribing a question or response is mine and mine alone! And my choice of green does nor imply I endorse the Green Party, I was running out of colors that looked right to me. I tried Orange, but I though it looked too much like the red.

For those interested, the source page is located here.

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What World Leader Are You?

Oh no! How could this be?

My results below:

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I hope this doesn't mean that one day I'll be dragged from a rat hole to face justice!

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Another Threat To Border Security

Okay, so I have one more alarm to put out before I return to my regular broadcast.

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Joint investigative report by Douglas J. Hagmann, Director, Northeast Intelligence Network, Judi McLeod, Founder & Editor, CanadaFreePress.com, & Arthur Weinreb, Associate Editor, CanadaFreePress.com

15 September 2006: During a joint, covert operation involving the US Border Patrol and the Ontario Provincial Police on June 9, 2006, an incident took place that quietly rocked law enforcement communities of two countries and placed a number of undercover police operatives and operations at risk, yet has largely gone unreported by the media. The operation involved surveillance by the US Border Patrol and the OPP, focusing on the human smuggling of illegal aliens from various countries, including possible members of al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist organizations that is taking place across the Canada-U.S. border along the Niagara frontier. Illegal aliens, including the potential terrorists, are reportedly receiving assistance from some members of the native tribe known as the “Six Nations,” some who have overtaken portions of Caledonia, Ontario, Canada – a town just two hours from the city of Buffalo, NY.

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Northeast Intelligence Network

Caledonia Wake Up Call

NYCrime Watch Blog

I think maybe it is time for us Americans to call our Elected Federal Critters and ask them why they aren't protecting us from trrorists. At least you can spare 5 or 6 minutes and call The White House Comment Line at 1-202-345-1111 and ask The President about the Terrorisy Threat in Caledonia.

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Just In Case...

Surviving Al-Qaeda Nuclear Attack

HotAir published a report that AQ is likely to detonate a nuke in a major city on Ramadan. That's 24 September to 23 October. Obviously, nothing can save you if you are standing next to a bomb - or a hundred meters from it. If you are several miles away, understanding of what happening and what you are doing can make a difference between life and death. There is no chance that our Governments will inform us on what to do in advance - it would be victimising out Muslim community, wouldn't it? So I will try to provide a few tips in most simple terms.

There are four ways a nuke kills people, in that order - light, earthquake, shock wave, fallout. They come at that order, so you need to protect yourself in that order exactly.

Source

I will use this opportunity to bring out one of my favorite survival-type links, at least the one that won't get me arrested. >;^)

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Michael Reagan to Form Legacy PAC

Michael Reagan has just announced that he will be soon forming a Political Action Committee to support Ronald Reagan Conservatives for office. I am listening on XM166.

Now that would be a true tribute to his father, and I would be glad to contribute.

Thank You, Michael. Maybe together, we can turn the tide against The Rockefeller Republicans!!!

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The Institute for Immigration Policy Review

I found a website called The Institute for Immigration Policy Review whilst looking for new news sources. Here is their stated mission:

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About Us
by editor @ Friday, August 12th, 2005. Filed under About
We are a small independent group interested in monitoring current news and trends in immigration and trade, primarily in the United States. We believe that immigration is an American family issue that should be discussed and decided by American families since it is us who will pay the cost and our children who will pay the price for what is arguably our “open borders policy”.
We believe that illegal immigration is largely ignored by our government and under-reported in the media. We believe that most Americans do not understand the dramatic demographic effects that illegal immigration has had and will continue to have on the United States. We think they have the right to know.
We think legal immigration is a good idea if the numbers are small and if the immigrants can be assimilated fully into American life and culture.
We think illegal immigrants should not be rewarded with amnesties of any kind and should not be given any assistance in breaking our immigration laws. We believe that politicians who support amnesty care more about special interest groups than the taxpayers who have always been forced to pay the bills and have virtually no say in any of the decisions.
We do not understand how in a post 9/11 America, having an open borders policy helps to enhance the security of the United States.
We believe the government steadfastly ignores the immigration problem, and that Democrats and Republicans are equally responsible. Democrats hope to entice new immigrants to vote Democrat and Republicans see a cheap source of labor for their corporate sponsors.
Democrats proposed the Immigration Act of 1965 and many Republicans voted for it. Here’s a quote from Otis L. Graham, Jr.’s article from The Christian Science Monitor, December 28, 1995, called “Tracing Liberal Woes To ‘65 Immigration Act”
“A few critics questioned whether the new legislation, originally launched by President John F. Kennedy, would enlarge the immigrant flow and shift it from Europe to Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Supporters emphatically denied this. “The bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society,” Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said. Attorney General Robert Kennedy predicted 5,000 immigrants from the entire Asia-Pacific Triangle, “after which immigration from that source would virtually disappear.”"This has not been the case.
Poll after poll has found that Americans of every racial and ethnic group support a drastically lower level of legal immigration , and enforcing immigration laws to stop the flood of illegal aliens into the United States.
We hope that by providing a new source for news and information about immigration, trade and other stories of interest, we can help Americans to be fully aware of the consequences of our “open borders policy” and decide for themselves if they want to tolerate a non-enforced official policy and an unspoken policy which encourages illegal immigration to their detriment.
That is our mission.
Contact Us

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The website also has an extensive set of links on the sidebar focused on Immigration Issues, something I always appreciate, ways to get at more information.

The Main Page of the website is here. Enjoy!

Commentary

What we lack is leadership in the Republican Party. That is why Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) stands zero chance in a bid for the Presidency. In the House, Dennis Hastert (R-IL) has refused to use the bully stick of funding to move President Bush on this issue.

I hope the GOP realizes they will inherit the whirlwind because of their inaction on Illegal Immigration. The voters will remember.

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Hail Eris!

A fitting name for a fitting bane of Pluto...

Largest known dwarf planet named after Greek goddess of chaos - By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science WriterWednesday, September 13, 2006

(09-13) 19:34 PDT Los Angeles (AP) --
A distant, icy rock whose discovery shook up the solar system and led to Pluto's planetary demise has been given a name: Eris.
The christening of Eris, named after the Greek goddess of chaos and strife, was announced by the International Astronomical Union on Wednesday. Weeks earlier, the professional astronomers' group stripped Pluto of its planethood under new controversial guidelines.
Since its discovery last year, Eris, which had been known as 2003 UB313, ignited a debate about what constitutes a planet.
Astronomers were split over how to classify the object because there was no universal definition. Some argued it should be welcomed as the 10th planet since it was larger than Pluto, but others felt Pluto was not a full-fledged planet.
After much bickering, astronomers last month voted to shrink the solar system to eight planets, downgrading Pluto to a "dwarf planet," a category that also includes Eris and the asteroid Ceres.
Eris' discoverer, Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology, said the name was an obvious choice, calling it "too perfect to resist."
In mythology, Eris caused a quarrel among goddesses that sparked the Trojan War. In real life, Eris forced scientists to define a planet that eventually led to Pluto getting the boot. Soon after Pluto's dismissal from the planet club, hundreds of scientists circulated a petition protesting the decision.
Eris' moon also received a formal name: Dysnomia, the daughter of Eris known as the spirit of lawlessness.
Eris, which measures about 70 miles wider than Pluto, is the farthest known object in the solar system at 9 billion miles away from sun. It is also the third brightest object located in the Kuiper belt, a disc of icy debris beyond the orbit of Neptune.
Eris had been without a formal name while astronomers grappled over its status. Brown nicknamed it "Xena" after the fictional warrior princess pending an official designation. He admits the new name will take some getting used to.
"It's a little sad to see Xena go away," he said.
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Source

Hat Tip: Freeper TFFKAMM (don't ask!)

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Jonah Goldberg Weighs In...

On Conspiracy Theorists

Stupidity isn't the right word for these dark imaginings, because some of these conspiracy theorists are very smart people. Nor is it fair to say they are all left-wingers. Indeed, two prominent 9/11 conspiracy theorists - Morgan Reynolds and Paul Craig Roberts - worked in Republican administrations and have strong conservative credentials. And let us not forget that in the 1990s, sweaty fingers pointed right-to-left. Under Clinton, it was the United Nations - with its satellite office at the Rose Law Firm - that imposed order with its fleet of black helicopters.
"Conspiracy theorist" isn't quite right either. These are priests of the Church of Conspiracy, a heresy of Gnostic heresy which holds that man is the ruler of history, the demiurge of all events that befall us. Powerful and unseen forces lurk in the shadows. The conspiracy theorists know they're out there, even as the enemy's name changes almost daily: Big Oil, capitalists, Republicans, or perhaps those eternal pullers of mankind's puppet strings, the Jews.
The masons of dementia build upon a bedrock of one absolute truth: Bad things happen, and someone must be responsible. Upon this bedrock they pile convenient and selective facts like bricks. Contradictory facts are clever lies. When Popular Mechanics debunked 9/11 hokum, the immediate response from conspiratorialists was "cover-up!" and "CIA front!" because in this perverted faith, denying the ultimate truth must be proof of a lie.
This rough beast slouches .... Read more

At least we're on the same page.

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The Goldwater Doctrine

The Goldwater Doctrine

"I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be at attacked for neglecting my constituents' interests, I shall reply that I was informed their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can."

-- Barry Goldwater, "The Conscience of a Conservative"

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Presidential Address: Five Years On

The President knocked another out of the ballpark last night.

Here is an excerpt:

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President's Address to the Nation

The Oval Office

Fact Sheet: The Fifth Anniversary of September 11, 2001

Remembering 9/11

9:01 P.M. EDT


THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Five years ago, this date -- September the 11th -- was seared into America's memory. Nineteen men attacked us with a barbarity unequaled in our history. They murdered people of all colors, creeds, and nationalities -- and made war upon the entire free world. Since that day, America and her allies have taken the offensive in a war unlike any we have fought before. Today, we are safer, but we are not yet safe. On this solemn night, I've asked for some of your time to discuss the nature of the threat still before us, what we are doing to protect our nation, and the building of a more hopeful Middle East that holds the key to peace for America and the world.

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Read the rest.

"That was only the opening paragraph. Now hang on, I am about to go off in left field:

There are people in this country who do not agree that we were attacked by 19 men that day, or if we were, it was at our behest, or if not at our behest, then we allowed it because it was a means to an end, or ... You get the drift.

A parallel that comes to mind is the belief in intelligent extra terrestrial life throughout history.

A hundred years ago, or so, belief that there was life on other worlds was accepted. The average person wouldn't scoff at men or creatures living on the moon, mars, and/or venus.

When scientific investigation proved the moon had no atmosphere to speak of, the aliens were moved to the planets, and the microbes stayed on the moon.

Then, the evidence indicated it was highly unlikely there were microbes on the moon, and intelligent life couldn't survive on the planets in our solar system. Again the microbes, or the modern stand-in the virus or ancient fossils moved to the planets. I hope you get my drift.

Enter the deniers of both realms.

Some of the 9/11 Conspiracy Theorists have so much invested (emotionally, psychologically, and worst of all financially) in the continuance that they deny evidence presented by whatever means necessary, most often calling the presenter names.

The same can be said of the extra terrestrial life crowd.

I am not a mental health professional, or even amateur; so I cannot with any authority speak to that. I do have my suspicions.

I think perhaps I am too worried about these people because they receive more coverage than the average John Q. Public, and they are much, much more vocal in getting their worldview out in the public eye. I also admit that I dig through information more than the average John Q. Public, and may myself see more of this stuff, and grow dizzy at the circular logic, the non sequitors, the paranoia, and the hate that is woven in every thread I follow.

I hope I am the victim of being caught in an echo chamber.

Another thing that concerns me is the level of doctrine of a religion with these people. Every piece of evidence is "refuted" by "place a reason here" type of arguement, or they try to get you to follow a rabbit trail before settling the last point.

I know I ramble.This type of thinking mystifies me, and my instincts tell me there is something to be learned about human nature in engaging these people in debate; my fear is by going too deeply into these stories, I will find myself caught in a fun house full of mirrors with no way out.

I believe that the problem with the 9/11 Conspiracy Theorists and the Extra Terrestrial Lifers are connected to something within the believers' human nature (Emotional, Pschological, or Financial.)

Perhaps it as Simple as a disbelief in the ability of a philosophy (or religion)to twist human nature into an instrument of evil, if they even believe in such a thing.

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September 11, 2001 Remembered

None of us will forget that day. My question for you is are you still mad? Or, will it take more attacks? Too many Americans are still sleep walking. The Sleeper Must Be Awakened! Western Civilization is under attack by an enemy more relentless, more brutal, and more EVIL than any we have ever faced. There is hope that we can still turn the tide. We will have to muster our will, our anger, our compassion, and our treasure to keep our elected critters focused on the mission ahead. We have a tool of immense capability at our disposal, the internet.
Do you want a "taste" of the power of the internet? No matter what tribute you see on TV, there are better tributes to be found on your coumputer screen, and I have done my best to find them for you.

Here are links to follow:

The Gates of Vienna remembers September 11, 1683 (Great Historical Perspective !!!)


Pajamas Media remembers 9/11/2001


NEVER FORGET


Authentic History Center


911 Digital Archive


Winds of Change: Today's Required Reading


Technorati Search String (will be up to date when you click on it) What bloggers are saying


Technorati String Search of The Big Blogs on 9/11/2001 (will contain all political persuasions)


President Bush at Ground Zero


CDR Salamander


OpFOR remembers September 11, 1565



Little Green Footballs


The Belmont Club


The last two wouldn't load in my browser, but I am sure they will post eloquently.

If you have anything to add, a personal recollection, a website I have overlooked, I started this post at 1.30 am and it is now almost 5 am...so I will go to sleep now, and wake up in time to listen to my favorite radio show, Heads Up America. You will find a link to the stream there or on my sidebar, under Radio Shows.

I've changed the time and date of the post to keep it on top, should any random surfers drop by.

8.02 am NYC Bloggers on 9-11-2001

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Articles about Immigration Town Hall

Here is what is being said about Saturday Night's Town Hall on Illgal Immigration with Congressmen Charles Taylor (R-NC), and Tom Tancredo (R-CO):

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Immigration forum draws crowd
Congressmen want tougher enforcement
by Michael Flynn, MLFLYNN@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM
published September 10, 2006 12:15 am


FLAT ROCK — Highlighting the interest of many mountain residents in immigration issues, more than 200 people gathered at Blue Ridge Community College
on Saturday evening for a two-hour forum on the topic sponsored by U.S. Rep. Charles Taylor, R-Brevard, and featuring U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Republican.
Marilyn Litewski, 67, of Hendersonville said concerns about illegal immigration led her to attend. “Something has to be done,” she said. “We’re concerned about our borders and security.”
Both congressmen stressed the need to fully enforce immigration laws, whether existing rules or part of any new legislation.
“You have to do something about employers who are willing to hire people who are here illegally,” said Tancredo, an outspoken critic of illegal immigration. “The costs of supporting cheap labor are enormous.”
Chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, a mostly Republican group that includes Taylor and has pushed for tougher immigration policies, Tancredo helped pass legislation in the U.S. House that would create criminal sanctions for illegal immigrants and their employers and erect a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Larry Freeman, news director at WHKP-AM radio in Hendersonville, read questions for the congressmen submitted by audience members and callers, the responses to which drew frequent applause.
Addressing a question about different congressional proposals on immigration, Taylor said, “I do not believe in rewarding with citizenship people who have broken the country’s laws.”

---

Source.

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Officials get to 'crux of the matter'
Jennie Jones GilesTimes-News Staff Writer


A crowd of more than 350 people gave overwhelming support to the views of U.S. Reps. Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Charles Taylor of Brevard at an official Congressional public hearing Saturday at Blue Ridge Community College.The Colorado congressman is the sponsor of House Bill 4437, the "Secure Border Bill." The bill passed the House. The Senate has proposed a bill calling for amnesty of many illegal immigrants currently in the country. The two chambers are now in conference.Tancredo, whose grandparents came to the United States in 1894 from Italy, said the law must be applied equally for everyone who wants to come to America."Ethnicity and race are irrelevant," he said. "What message does amnesty send to those waiting to come here in the right way?""All of us are immigrants or descend from immigrants," Taylor said. "Enforcement of the law is the crux of the matter."The congressmen answered written questions from the crowd and from telephone calls on problems stemming from illegal immigration and offered their solutions to those problems."I do not believe in rewarding with citizenship people who broke the country's laws," Taylor said. "The laws must be recognized and enforced. We can't have a dual set of laws in this country. The law will start coming apart, and soon you will have no law at all."

---

Source.

I haven't seen any one in the local Blogosphere post on the ebvent, save some photos by Tim Peck.

I wasn't able to attend, and I'll do a post about that experience later.

Update: 09.11.2006 Screwy Hoolie has posted an excerpt, with a link to his entire post elsewhere.

I'll bump this post back to the top until about Tuesday, as I become aware of others who are posting their reports. Leave a link in the comments section, or shoot me an email at thunderpig AT yahoo DOT com.

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Asheville Citizen-Times Blogs

I was following a series of links and found out that The Asheville Citizen-Times has a few blogs on their website.
Neat! Check them out!!!

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Liberals Cutting Down Our Trees...

One of my favorite thinkers has posted again, I have taken the liberty of lifting an excerpt and posting it below:

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But then something changed. It all starts with a conversation at a dinner table in Germany. One lunch time, a father calmly told his family that they would no longer be attending the synagogue at which they were members; instead they would be attending church, because it would be better for business. Sat around that same table was a boy named Karl Marx. His father's words cut him to the bone, and as a result he simultaneously developed a hatred for Western religion/morality as well as Western business practises (capitalism). In other words, he acquired a desire to cut down two very important trees as a result of a single conversation. Later in his life, he and his associate Friedrich Engels would write The Communist Manifesto, which would be the spring board from which future anti-Western political groups would spring into attacks, axes bared as they advanced on our trees...

---

Read the rest.




He also has another post you might find interesting.

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Immigration Town Hall

Tim Peck has posted photos of the Immigration Town Hall with Charles Taylor and Tom Tancredo.

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Democratic Censorship of Path to 9/11

Earlier this week, I posted that I was basically giving up on the Republicans and sitting it out in November. I posted too soon.

The attempt at censorship, the very thing they accuse republicans of doing, they do.

Even threatening ABC's Broadcast license?

Right.

If it's war they want, it's war they shall have.

P.S. For the local activists and bloggers, I'll see you at The Townhall Meeting with Congressmen Charles Taylor and Tom Tancredo at Blue Ridge Community College.

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Friday Morning Roundup

Iran has announced that they have produced new fighter jets. Below are a few who comment on the announcement and the released photos:


Posted 08-Sep-2006 06:15Related stories: Events, Fighters & Attack, Middle East - Other, New Systems Tech, Other CorporationAlso on this day: 08-Sep-2006 »
Saegheh 2-seat versionThere's been a bit of a kerfuffle in some quarters over the recent announcement by the Iranian news agency IRNA. It quoted the commander of the Iranian army General Attollah Salehi as saying their new indigeous Saegheh [DID: "thunder" or "lightning", reports vary] aircraft is "similar to the F-18 fighter jet, but it is more capable and has been manufactured domestically... designed, remodeled, optimized and made more capable by our engineers... no country has aided us in its production." Reports are also noting Iran's claim that it is developing a 5th generation "Shafagh" stealth fighter, oddly enough without appropriate laughter or ridicule.
Readers may recall past Iranian claims re: "stealth" flying boats that obviously used stealth-killing propellers and other such nonsense. Perhaps we can help shed a more sober and reasoned light on this new development...


Source

Opfor

Murdoc


The Space Shuttle Atlantis is due to launch today at 11.41 am.

Launch Coverage at Spaceflight Now

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Prayer Alert: Missing in Kyrgyzstan

Air Force Major Jill Metzger is missing in Kyrgyzstan, she went missing on September 5th. Please remember her and her family in your prayers.

Hat Tip: CDR Salamander


Update 6.30ish am on Sept 8th:

Oh great, I just heard Greta Van "TrashTV" Susteran (sp?) on Fox & Friends as I was cruising the XM Channels discussing the case. I should have known that with the Major being a pretty blonde, Greta would be all over it. I dislike Greta so much, I don't listen to Hannity & Colmes because of her promos for her show. Now, I will have to steer clear of Fox & Friends when a pretty girl is missing. I wish Greta would take up Scuba diving in imitation of Steve Irwin...but alas, Steve was a blond male, not Greta's type.

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President Bush Comes Through

Or, The President Offers A Chance For Faramir

I will interrupt my series on the District 11 U.S> House Race to post on The Presidents' Speech yesterday.

I was initially saddened by the speech because I saw it as a surrender to the treasonous court system that was requiring us to give rights to people under a treaty they did not sign (The Geneva Convention), and access to a court system designed for citizens under the U.S. Constitution. I was hating it that he had to come out and reveal methods best left secret as we fight the enemy.

Did we give the German, Italian, and Japanese POWs access to our courts? I don't remember that from history. We did, however, set up special courts to try them, as I believe The President is doing in this case.

Then, last night, out of pure habit, I switched my XM Radio over to XM124, where I used to listen to John Batchelor. Mark Levin was on. I like him, but I won't listen to him because that time slot is for John's Show. Anyhow, after fifteen minutes, I was ready to go clean my weapons. This guy had me so mad at the court system, I had to listen to something else.

The Congress had better be very careful with how they handle this proposed legislation. It is a chance to redeem themselves partially after failing to put up a barrier on the border.

I will say that John McCain has gone beyond redemption, and I will not consider voting for him under any circumstance. If he were to get the Republican nomination for 2008, I would vote for who ever the Democrats put up against him as a punishment vote.

Purpose of a Punishment Vote

I hear all the conservative Hosts on Radio pleading for the conservative voters not to punish republicans running for office this fall.

These idiots misunderstand the purpose of punishment, which is to punish for wrongdoing and cause the punished to repent (turn from their evil ways) of their misdeeds. Hopefully, they, or their next republican successors will heed to the lesson imparted.

Will ur nation be harmed by this punishment? Yes, we need to suffer for not waking up earlier and providing our representatives with timely instruction, and as my father used to say (I never believed him at the time) "Son, this is going to hurt me more than you."

Well, we need to be prepared to suffer the consequences of our inaction as a body politic.

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Heath Shuler Post for September 6th

There are only 62 days left until the 2006 midterm elections.

Below are a couple of snippets found on the internet:

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Driven by their faith and committed to the common good, the candidates below exemplify what FaithfulDemocrats.com is all about. They are now in close and critical races for the most important offices in the nation—Congress, Senate, and Governor. And they need your help.

Please make a contribution to one or more of these candidates in order to help make America a more just and compassionate place.

FaithfulDemocrats.com is a division of Faithful Media, Inc., a nonprofit corporation.

---

Below that introduction, there are 6 faithful democratic candidates listed, the last of which is our very own Heath Shuler. His introduction below:

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Heath Shuler “I have never shied away from openly discussing my faith. Throughout my high school, college, and professional career, I have been an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a spokesman for Character Counts. I have spoken to thousands of students across the country, sharing my testimony and trying to be a positive role model for them. Nikol and I are now raising our two children in the mountains of North Carolina with the same values that we were raised with.”

---

Source for the two above snippets.

I can't help but wonder if Heath Shuler will be treated any better than Joe Lieberman, another faithful democrat, albeit of the Jewish faith; and considered a conservative democrat.

If we are to believe Heath' claim to be conservative, will the dems relgate him to a corner until they can find a more progressive candidate to take his place, should he win in November?

---

Asheville is as blue as blue gets, but the rest of the district is conservative and rural.

Patsy Keever was a good candidate in 2004, but Taylor was able to tar her with the "Lib-ruull woman from Asheville" brush which was quite effective. Even worse was that DCCC was running the almost the same commercials for her as the DSCC was running for Inez Tennenbaum in SC, giving credibility to Taylor's "she's not one of us" frame.

Heath Shuler doesn't have any of these liablities, and is probably the strongest candidate the Democrats can get. Taylor is hardly loved in this district and if Keever could come within 10 points, Shuler should beat him handily.

---

Source.

That is how they see our district at DailyKos, "rural and conservative" only they mean it as a perjorative, I take it as a badge of honor, as I would hope that Heath would.

The main question I have for you today is this:

If elected, would Heath Shuler remain true to his heritage as a rural southerner, or would he be like so many of our children who have left our mountains to leave a friend, and return a stranger?

Right now, I can't answer that question.

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Peak Oil Theory Exposed as a Hoax!

Or, How did all those Dinosaurs get 5 miles below the ocean floor?

Just a couple of links to gloat:

Renew America

Hydrocarbons on Titan

Now, lets start building new oil refineries to get rid of this artificial bottle-neck that has raised prices, and junk the boutique fuels!!!

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What good has come from the UN?

I really can't think of anything off the top of my head, however, I can think of several things bad. Here are some examples:

Here’s a list of the things we know about the UN:

The organization is massively corrupt, from top to bottom.
UN officials used the Oil-For-Food program to enrich themselves and actively subvert the foreign policy of the United States, as well as prop up the tyrant Saddam.

The UN would like to tax everyone in the world to fund its corrupt activities, so that it will no longer have to come cap in hand to the Congress and the taxpayers of America.

The UN, along with a large chunk of the Left in this country, believes that the laws of the United States (and any other country) are and should be subordinate to “international law” which is whatever the unaccountable nabobs at Turtle Bay say it is.

The UN believes that everyone has a right to birth control, but not to self-defense.
The structure of the United Nations guarantees that its agenda and procedures will be controlled by the worst undemocratic regimes in the world.

So what have we got to lose if we kiss it goodbye?

Read the rest here, and if you can think of anything good, leave it in the comments.
You might call 1-202-345-1111 and leave a comment for The President on this issue, or any other dear to your heart. Be polite and brief.

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GOP Adopting Chicken Symbol for November 2006 Election Cycle

Or, How They Plan On Losing In November When We Stay Home To Protest

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 — As they prepare for a critical pre-election legislative stretch, Congressional Republican leaders have all but abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws and instead will concentrate on national security issues they believe play to their political strength.

With Congress reconvening Tuesday after an August break, Republicans in the House and Senate say they will focus on Pentagon and domestic security spending bills, port security legislation and measures that would authorize the administration’s terror surveillance program and create military tribunals to try terror suspects.

“We Republicans believe that we have no choice in the war against terror and the only way to do it is to continue to take them head-on whether it is in Iraq or elsewhere,” said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader.

A final decision on what do about immigration policy awaits a meeting this week of senior Republicans. But key lawmakers and aides who set the Congressional agenda say they now believe it would be politically risky to try to advance an immigration measure that would showcase party divisions and need to be completed in the 19 days Congress is scheduled to meet before breaking for the election.

President Bush had made comprehensive changes in immigration laws a priority, even making the issue the subject of a prime-time address, but House Republicans have been determined not to move ahead with any legislation that could be construed as amnesty for anyone who entered the country illegally. They held hearings around the country in recent weeks to contrast their enforcement-only bill with a Senate measure that could lead to citizenship for some.

“I don’t see how you bridge that divide between us and the Senate,” said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York and chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. “I don’t see it happening. I really don’t.”

Democrats say they are not surprised by the immigration impasse and believe some Republicans would prefer to keep the issue alive to stir conservative voters rather than reach a legislative solution.

They plan to highlight the collapse of immigration legislation sought by Mr. Bush and the likelihood that Congress will not meet an Oct. 1 deadline to pass most required spending bills as evidence that Republicans have lost sight of the concerns of average Americans. The Democrats are also intensifying calls for the dismissal of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

“Every day, people around the country recognize that this is a failed administration,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader. “If Republicans want to spend the whole month on nothing that is relevant to the American people, we are happy to do that.”

With Democrats poised to pick up seats in the House and Senate and Republicans determined to hang on to their majorities for the final two years of the Bush administration, the next few weeks promise to be highly combative, particularly after the August primaries made it clear that voters are not in a forgiving mood.

In a draft of a planning memorandum to be circulated to Republican senators, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, who is entering his last months as majority leader, said, “I expect minority obstructionism to be at an all-time high.” Republicans are already preparing for a post-election session to begin Nov. 13 and run at least up to Thanksgiving.

Mr. Frist laid out an ambitious agenda, including a vote on John Bolton’s renomination to be ambassador to the United Nations. But his memorandum did not even mention immigration. In an appearance in Iowa last week, Mr. Frist said broad legislation addressing what to do about millions of illegal immigrants already in the United States might have to await the next Congress.

Staff members from the Senate and House Judiciary Committees met last week to try to find some basis for common ground on the fate of the illegal population, but one participant said they made no progress.

Representative Mike Pence, the leader of the House conservative caucus and a proponent of an immigration compromise proposal that has attracted some White House interest, said he was also doubtful that legislation would reach Mr. Bush’s desk before the elections.

“Anything’s possible,” said Mr. Pence, Republican of Indiana, “but that’s probably not likely.”

Lawmakers of both parties who helped shape the Senate measure insisted that consensus was still within reach, even on the more difficult immigration issues, and immigrant advocacy groups are planning a series of marches this week to prod lawmakers to take action. Some Republicans warned that their party could suffer politically if it falls short.

“If there’s not legislation with Republicans in charge,” said Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, “there’s going to be blame here, and justifiable blame, if we do not produce a bill.”

Two other senators who played a leading role in writing the Senate bill, John McCain, Republican of Arizona, and Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, intend to urge Mr. Bush to bring lawmakers to the White House to broker a resolution.

“We can get the job done, but it’s going to require presidential leadership,” Mr. Kennedy said.

With the immigration measure seemingly stalled, Republicans say they will put most of their time and energy into security-oriented measures to drive home a theme that has served them well in the last two elections — that they are better equipped to thwart terrorism than are Democrats.

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Source.

Hat Tip to Paul

I will stay home in November if these retards in the Senate don't get off their duff. Maybe losing the House and Senate will teach the GOP a lesson. Of course, losing Bush and Cheney to an impeachment and removal from office would suck. As would cutting and running from Iraq et al. But hey, I have had enough of the Horse Crap being doled out by the national GOP. I should amend that by saying I will support my local candidates, and Charles Taylor, but I'm kicking Burr and Dole to the curb for now.

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Meet Mr. Monkey !!!

I just adopted a virtual pet, Mr. Monkey.
You can play with him until I find him a virtual home.

Be nice!

adopt your own virtual pet!

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Some News Sources for the John Batchelor Hiatus

I have noticed on my referrer logs that there are still people looking for information on The John Batchelor Show, and its cancellation.

First off, let me say I think WABC AND ABC Radio Networks are idiots of the first order. I will temper that by saying John was given the dignity of having a week to say goodbye, something I've not seen (or heard) on the radio. Usually, your show (or station) just disappears, with no warning. Okay, enough ranting against hated radio executives.

Like most of you, I depended on John and his show for a perspective on world (and interplanetary) events. This is my attempt to provide a list (incomplete) of websites he or guests mentioned, which I wrote down and/or added to my favorites list before I forgot. And of those I have forgotten, you can add them in the comments section by using your mouse to copy and paste the URL into the comments section, and I'll add it to the post. later on, I will add a category to my sidebar with the links in one spot.


Here they are:

The John Batchelor Show

His links Page

The Counterterrorism Blog

World Net Daily

Intelligence Summit Blog

John Loftus Homepage

Car List (lou Ann Hammond's Haunt)

Daivd Grinspoon (The Space Guy)

Malcolm Hoelienn Google search








And here are a few of my personal sources, which include a number of blogs that are ahaed of the news cycle:


The Drudge Report

Northeast Intelligence Network

Jihad watch

Dhimmi Watch

Security Watchtower

Gates of Vienna

The Belmont Club

Pajamas Media

The Jawa Report

Little Green Footballs Use the links on the top left to get at the news feeds.

The Eyrie

The Beak Speaks

Pundita

Heads Up America

Mudville Gazette

Axis Globe

Topix Terror wire

Michael Yon

Threats Watch

Defense Dept News

Kol Israel

The Planetary Society

Space.com

Space Daily

Space Weather

EIN News Subscription News after a trial priod

The Politics of CP

Global Guerrillas

Gateway Pundit

BBC World Service

Google News Service

Yahoo! News

NumbersUSA

The American Resistance



This is not an all-inclusive list, my favorites folder needs some better categorization, and there are more on my sidebars, and in my public bookmarks. Digging for news is not easy, and is a full-time job...
which is why I depend on so many people to dig and report for me on these websites, and more...

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Race and Economics

Andrew Young's statement that blacks have been "ripped off" by stores run by Jews, Koreans, and Arabs has been rightly criticized and he has apologized. But these irresponsible remarks have wider implications than Andrew Young and wider implications than their political repercussions.
For decades, one of the biggest blind spots of most civil rights "leaders" and "spokesmen" for the black community has been their utter lack of knowledge of economics.
As a purely factual matter, prices do tend to be higher -- and the quality of service and products lower -- in stores in low-income neighborhoods. But the knee-jerk assumption that this represents "exploitation" or "racism" ignores the economics of the situation.
Many of the ghetto stores charging high prices are struggling to survive, while supermarkets in other neighborhoods are very profitable charging lower prices. There are many reasons for this.
The reason least likely to be acknowledged by those who blame the store owners is that crime, shoplifting, vandalism, and riots have raised the costs, both directly and by causing insurance rates and the costs of security to be higher in ghetto neighborhoods.
The costs of delivering goods to small neighborhood stores are also higher than the costs of delivering goods to huge supermarkets. Delivering a hundred cartons of milk to a supermarket is cheaper than delivering ten cartons of milk to each of ten local stores scattered around town.


Read the rest of the article by Thomas Sowell.

This principle also applies to the Exxon-Mobile profits decried by so many people ignorant of simple economics, and/or those who have stopped learning after leaving a government school.

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Gateway Pundit

Gateway Pundit has an interesting post on the similarities of the Dmocratic Party platforms of 1864 and 2006, which are remarkable !!!

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Steve Irwin Reported Dead

Crocidile Hunter steve Irwin was just reported dead on the Drudge Report.

He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said. It is understood he was killed by a sting-ray barb that went through his chest.
He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary and that's when it occured.
Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality this morning at Batt Reef off Port Douglas.

Newspaper here.

Another.

Google Search

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Website: The American Resistance

One of my hot-button issues has become the whole Illegal Immigration thing, especially since the marches of this past spring. Those images of millions of aliens marching in our streets, demanding citizenship rights by force was a 9/11 type event for me. Everything about this issue is either pre-spring 2006, or post-spring 2006.

Here is an excerpt from a website devoted to this issue:

TAR’s four principles of immigration crime-fighting, Illegal immigration is not a complex issue. It is national suicide.


1. Secure American borders. See the Constitutional charter of the Guard, including Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.

2. Enforce American laws. See the Presidential Oath of Office.

3. No more amnesties for illegal aliens - or the criminals who employ them. See the article The McCain-Kennedy amnesty bill, by Rich Lowry, TownHall.com, May 27, 2005.

4. Vote only for candidates, at every level of government, who will make the above their first priority. See the article Immigration could be the hot election issue in 2008.


Source for the above.

The American Resistance Homepage. The site is full of information about the issue of Illegal Immigration and its impact on the United States.

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Report: Semi-Truck Loaded with Explosives

I just found the following report on Northeast Intelligence Network:

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2 September 2006; 10:00 PM ET: Authorities in the state of Florida are actively searching for a tractor-trailer that is reportedly loaded with an unknown amount of explosive material. According to police sources, a man notified the crisis center in Georgia and said the tractor-trailer is “packed with explosives” and is traveling to Orlando.
The tractor-trailer is being described as “brown with an eagle painted on its side,” according to police, who confirmed the report and are presently attempting to verify the veracity of the report. No further description of the truck or driver or information is currently available. Updates will be provided as developed.
Police urge anyone with information on the truck to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS or the nearest police station.

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Source

If true, and loaded to the gills...that would leave quite a hole in the ground.

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An Invitation and A Bombing

The rumored video is out.

An excerpt below from Reuters.

"To Americans and the rest of Christendom we say, either repent (your) misguided ways and enter into the light of truth or keep your poison to yourself and suffer the consequences in this world and the next," Gadahn said in English.

Source

Hat Tip The Drudge Report

Allow me to compose a personal response to the invitation:

NUTS !!!

Update: 9.19am 09-03-2006 Link to an overview of the video.

In other news....

An IED detonates in Chicago.
We live in interesting times, indeed.

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The Impact of Illegal Immigration on North Carolina

I ran across some information in an email group today, and I thought, "Hey, more people need to read about this stuff!" So, I shamelessly stole it and posted from material I found presented by the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

Information from the website about North Carolina:

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Immigration-driven population growth is taking a serious toll on North Carolina. In the last ten years, 1.4 million new residents settled in the state—the equivalent of adding five Raleighs. Its immigrant population more than tripled, the largest increase in the U.S. This large-scale population growth is bringing traffic, pollution, overcrowded schools, and lack of affordable housing to the state, decreasing quality of life and straining vital natural resources.

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You can go here for an impact Study, or
here for an extended study.

Hat Tip to Anna

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What Star Trek Character Are You?

Well, I took a Star Trek Quiz this moring, and here are the results:



Your results:
You are Jean-Luc Picard


A lover of Shakespeare and other
fine literature. You have a decisive mind
and a firm hand in dealing with others.



Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz

Jean-Luc Picard		85%
Geordi LaForge		80%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		70%
Spock		69%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		60%
Worf		60%
Data		58%
Mr. Scott		50%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		50%
Chekov		45%
Beverly Crusher		40%
Uhura		35%
Mr. Sulu		30%
Will Riker		30%
Deanna Troi		25%

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Last John Batchelor Show Tonight

The last John Batchelor Show before it goes on hiatus is tonight at 9pm on XM124 and WMAL, and 10pm on WABC.

I'll be listening, and may live'blog the show.

Update

9.11pm

Then again, maybe not. I guess I'll savor it, instead of working through it. There will be plenty of work while he is resting scrambling around for information.

Until later, John. It's been a ride. I'll never forget those Dark Nights as I went from radio to radio, and antenna to antenna tuning you and Paul while I was in Terre Haute, Indiana.

One suggestion John, whatever deal you work out, make sure you'll be on satellite...my internet connection is too slow for streaming without cutouts.

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New al-Qaeda Video Rumored

By Douglas J. Hagmann, Director, Northeast intelligence Network
& Judi McLeod, Founder & Editor, Canada Free Press
1 September 2006:
In classic al Qaeda fashion, As Sahab Productions, the media (propaganda) arm of al Qaeda announced yesterday that a new video featuring the terror group’s second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri along with Adam Gadahn, also known as Azzam the American (or Azzam al-Amriki), will be released shortly. The message, reportedly titled “An Invitation to Islam” is causing concern among intelligence analysts in the United States and Canada, according to our friends within the intelligence services inside both countries.


Read more here.


I have found more disturbing stories at The Security Watchtower. Read as many of these stories as time allows.


CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS ALERT !!!

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A Letter To My Governor
by Armed Liberal on September 1, 2006 07:07 AM
August 31, 2006
By Fax to: (916) 445-4633
Governor Arnold SchwarzeneggerState Capitol BuildingSacramento, CA 95814


Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

I'm writing to urge you to veto AB2948 (Umberg), a bill that would radically change the way that Presidential elections are held in the United States.
The bill - through an interstate compact - effectively abolishes the Electoral college and substitutes the results of the popular vote. While many people complain about the process or results involved in our creaky Presidential election process, I'd like to point out a few things and ask you to consider them as you weigh your response to this bill. iohya

read the rest! »

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This is something that should bring us all into the streets, even more so than the Illegal Alien Invasion Victory Parades of the spring. If you have a blog, or are a caller to a talk-radio show...
Please read the story at Winds of Change, and link to it, talk about it, and call the Governator.
Tell him this would destroy our Constitution beyond repair !

For Your Information, I have been monitoring an unconstitutional multi-state compact in the process of formation. This compact would forever alter the way we elect Presidents, and destroy the last vestiges of our Constitutional Republic. I view this activity as treasonous, and it must be stopped !!! And somebody tell The President the difference between a Democracy and a Republic !!!

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